So far, I haven’t talked much about FOOD, because…well…it’s another 4-letter word.  But let’s add that dynamic of the journey today, because it’s a critical and complicated component.  Stating right up front, this is one dynamic that I am still working to figure out, and probably will my whole life.  In my past I have had an unhealthy addiction to food.  I was drawn to it, I was controlled by it, I was a slave to it.  Somewhere, somehow my emotions became tied to food, and food became a vehicle to calm me down, to comfort me, to reward myself, to fill any gap I might be experiencing.  But then it became something much worse.  It became a habit.  Eating became an involuntary response, an unconcsious activity.  That was the point-of-no-return that I wish I hadn’t missed.  But I’m here to tell you that you CAN return from the point-of-no-return.  You totally can. Read the rest of this entry →

It’s Saturday again, and that’s Weigh-In Day at Weight Watchers for me.  This morning it was under 30 degrees in New Jersey, and that’s just toooo cold to brave the weather and ride my bike to the meeting.  So it looks like biking might be over until spring 🙁    My Saturday morning ritual is to pack my fruit and make my coffee to take with me, so I have a snack after weigh-in.  Today I packed an apple and made myself a nice, hot cup of Pumpkin Spice coffee — just perfect for the season  The drive to the East Brunswick center is quick enough.  After visiting the lady’s room,  I waited in line for scale #1.  Only scale #1.  There are 3 scales in our center,   but I’m attached by psychosis to scale #1….. Read the rest of this entry →

My daughters know it’s called “tough love”.    It’s when somebody genuinely loves you and yet they PUSH you, gently but firmly, straight into the situation that you are avoiding, all for your best interests, for your personal growth.  Nothing illustrates this better than recalling the day my daughter Erin learned to ride her 2-wheel bike, without training wheels.  Erin wanted to learn to ride more than anything, but she was afraid.  My husband Peter took her out to our quiet street, just like Dad’s all around the world do.  He firmly grasped the back of the seat of her purple Trex bike, providing balance while Erin got on and dared to pick her feet up off the ground and position them on the pedals.  Then he said, “Pedal Erin” ….and the three of them (Erin, Peter and the bike) began to move down the street.   Read the rest of this entry →

I’m somewhat of an analytical person.  I use Math in my job, so I’m geeky in that way.  But if you approach any runner or “wanna-be runner”, you will quickly see that their math skills have strengthened along with their leg muscles.  Oh yea.  Test it out.  Any runner can do a percentage (%) calculation faster than lightning.    It comes from miles, and miles, and miles of practicing.  What I find most curious is that this isn’t a “secret running tip” that runners pass down from one to the next.  It’s something that every runner adopts….as a technique…..for um, survival ….(yea, I think that’s the right word)…survival. Read the rest of this entry →

I think he taught us how BIG the world could seem to a little guy like Linus, and that sometimes (ok, most times) a person might need a little help making it through the day.  To Linus, he learned that he could go anywhere, be anybody, and endure what ever came — if he had his little blue blanket with him for Security.  Chuck Schultz never told us exactly when Linus learned that his blanket gave him courage, provided him cover, made him braver — but we can imagine that he was just a little boy when it happened.  We can imagine that somehow , somewhere along the line, Linus felt a little scared, a little vulnerable, and needed something to wrap himself up in that could become part of who he was — to help him be out in that world, all alone, and be able to survive. Read the rest of this entry →

When I began my walking routine, my husband Peter and I established a 5K route through the streets in our neighborhood.  I’ve continued to use that route, expanded it, did double and triple loops of it as I progressed from walking to cycling and then to running.  The first time I encountered “the HILL” was on foot in my walking routine, then again on my bike, and then yet again on foot while running.  It didn’t feel like such a mountain when I was walking, but I was moving at a pretty slow pace in those days.  Perhaps looking at my neighbor’s gardens more than focusing on exercise and breaking a sweat.  Oh come on, tell me you haven’t done that too!  Read the rest of this entry →

I have to confess something.  Most days when I have to go out to run, I have to force myself to do it.  Do I love running? Yes, ….but only when I’m done.  LOL !     But seriously, it’s true.  I would much rather sleep that extra hour on a work day. I would much rather drink a hot cup of coffee and watch the Today show on Sunday morning.  I have to kick my own butt to get myself into my running gear and outside, especially now as winter is setting in.  So if this is the case, what is it that I love about the whole running thing?  Gosh, it’s simple really.  There is just nothing better than that feeling when I am finished.   Read the rest of this entry →

Doing the Couch-to-5K on the treadmill did the trick for me.  It helped me acclimate to running.  Alot of runners don’t like the monotony of the treadmill, but for me, it gave me the control around my pace that allowed me to be successful when I was starting out.   I took the C25K running plan off the web site and created an excel schedule that I could tape to my treadmill each week.  I set a walking pace and a jogging pace.  When I first starting, my walking pace was 3.2 and my jogging pace was 4.0 (not really even a jog — alot of runners do their warm-up walk at 4.0!)  Oh well — it was a jog to me, and I was the only one on the treadmill in my spare room, so I was all that mattered, right?  Right! Read the rest of this entry →

Saturday is Weight Watchers Weigh-in Day for me — so I think I will dedicate Saturday posts to an update on my WW progress.  I woke up today and it was 32 degrees.  Brrrrrr.  I dressed and got ready with every intention of riding my bike to the meeting center, but once I stepped outside with the dogs this morning, I knew the temps had crossed the line into a zone that was below “bike level”.  I think I can manage 40’s….but not 30s.  So, change the plan.  I unpacked my backpack that I wear when I bike, and warmed up the car.  I also promised myself I’d go for a bike ride or a walk later today when the weather warms up in the afternoon, so I still earn those 4 APs (Activity Points) that I will miss from not biking to the meeting. Read the rest of this entry →

I think it was a Sunday morning when I laced up my new Asics and took them outside to let the rubber hit the road for the first time.  If you take a look at the Couch to 5K Week 1 Day 1 workout, it looks like this.   “Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.”  Huh, that’s pretty simple.  And it looks pretty easy.  Right?  Mmmm, not right!  You’ll see. Read the rest of this entry →