There was a lot I was thinking but couldn’t get all the words out in my video.  I have been in sports for as long as I can remember.  I was never skinny but not fat either….although since I have always been muscular, I was larger.  I used to beat all the boys in school at arm wrestling, that didn’t make me popular with boys.  I know now that they were just embarrassed and would be very mean to me, including following me home from school, taunting me the whole way.  But, I put a stop to that when I couldn’t take it anymore and beat the crap out of one of them.  They didn’t follow me home anymore.

I started out in swimming and was very good at it.  It is hard to peak when you are 8 so after that, I was always searching to find that athlete.  I still haven’t found her but I am trying.  Oh, so back to the being fat, I was actually told by a horrible doctor when I was in high school, that I was obese!  Now, mind you, I was 16, was doing at least 2 hours of swimming daily, and really I would say, eating mostly very well for a teen.  I was not fat but my BMI has and always will be over what the Doctors say it should be.  I am muscular, very muscular, always have been, always will be.  My calves are the size of most women’s thighs, no joke.  I had a trainer back in the day that was so vey envious of my huge, muscular calves, he would literally just stare at them, practically drooling.  I had one Dr. after doing a body scan tell me that I was very dense…ugh.

Anyway, like I said, I guess I have a lot to say.  I will get to the point for today…I started out good.  I got up at 6am, I made my coffee, which, I will NEVER give up.  I LOVE coffee.  Not black, I like cream and sugar and I like flavored coffee.  Right now I am on caramel cream.  I figure, it is only one small part of the calorie count etc. for the day.  Why give up cream and sugar if I like it so much.  I have calculated that the coffee is approximately 100 calories the way I like it….so what, enjoy life!

Next, decided I would get on my stationary bike.  I use an album that I like to get me moving.  It’s Volbeat Beyond Hell/Above Heaven.  It is, with the exception of two songs, an awesome and very good album to get me moving.  I workout better to music that anything else.  I have been spinning for long enough to know how and what to do to get an excellent workout.  The bike workout took about 55 minutes for an almost 700 calorie burn, so not too bad.  The I did a little stretching and sit ups.  I always do sit ups.  It is the best thing for my back.  I started having back problems when I was 16, that was the first time I ever “threw it out.”  Very painful and surprising considering how athletic I was.  But, I wasn’t always making sure my core was strong.  Good lesson that I have made myself learn over and over…It happened to me again and again until finally I learned it for good!!  I can’t go more than a week without doing sit ups.  I don’t like planks, they don’t really work for me.  They put too much pressure no my elbows and or wrists.  Oh, and by the way, I am a certified personal trainer from ACSM.  I did that about 10 years ago.  I wanted to learn the secret to getting in shape and staying in shape.  It seemed to be so easy for those people.  Well, guess what, it isn’t easy and there is no secret formula!!!

Maybe that is the secret that everyone doesn’t talk about.  There is no BEST diet or exercise or piece of equipment.  It is all good and it all works.  You just have to find what works best for you and what keeps you motivated. 

Okay, well, I seem to be all over that place but that is how my mind works.  I just finished my breakfast of nonfat Greek yogurt, with blueberries, passion fruit from my yard, a little honey and granola.  Pretty healthy and filling.  If I had to guess calories, I would say, 100 for the yogurt, 50 for the blueberries, 50 for the passionfruit, the honey and granola are at least 200.  So, around 500 for breakfast if you are including the coffee.  Next I will make myself a huge glass of lemon water, I love it.  I will drink that all day.  I don’t really have anything else to drink in a day besides coffee and water, luckily I like water, I drink more water than anyone I know, other than my mom….who in a few weeks will turn 80.  She is the healthiest 80 year old I know!!  Honestly, she puts me and anyone I know to shame.  I will have to chronicle her diet and exercise program at some point.  She is amazing.  Okay, tired of typing…Later!

On my diet again, for the fiftieth time, at least.  Day two and I am tired.  It will take me a few days to get used to not eating whatever I feel like and really focusing on calories.  It is 4ish in the afternoon and just had a cucumber with some salsa, pretty tasty.  I guess almost anything tastes good when you are hungry.

Haven’t worked out yet today, too much going on..well, I guess that really isn’t true, I am sitting here typing now!  Ha.  Well, I do have tennis tonight but I don’t really count that as a workout.  So far today I have had 800 calories, give or take and I am trying to keep under 1200.  If I can do that, I will loose, it might take a week or two for my body to understand what the heck is going on, but eventually it will cooperate.  I already, just in two days, feel much less bloated.

The kids are upstairs watching tv etc…I should go for a run but don’t really feel like that kind of exhausting workout right now.  Wish I had a treadmill in the garage to walk on but then I would probably feel guilty for not running on it!

Okay, tired of typing now too.  Think I need something to drink.  I do notice that while I am dieting, I need to add salt into some food.  It doesn’t take much for me to feel lightheaded and I know, for me, it is lack of salt in food.  I drink a LOT of water and other liquid and sweat a bunch.  Off to be productive in something…laundry maybe?  Need to cook that broccoli too.

Don’t know if I love to run but I do like the feeling during and after.  Now that I have been running for quite some time, several times a week, I do feel like I need it, like an addict.  I did run a marathon last year and although I won’t say I will never do one again, it was quite the commitment.  Check mark really for me.  Now I am happy to go up to about 7 miles.  Today was about 6.5 and I felt great all day.  I don’t run fast, in fact I average, depending on the terrain about 10/11min. mile.  That is good enough for me now.  I run for 5 min. and walk for 1 min.  I don’t always need the run but since I go in a group, I take it.  I was never a runner before although I was on the track team in HS, I never really liked it, never liked the cardio pain that went with it.  I think it took me some time to figure out my speed and how to adjust my endurance to have it last for the entire run.  I am just glad I did figure it out and if I can, you can!!  If you want to get better, you just have to start somewhere and work from there.  If I can help you, I will.  If you ask a question, I will do my best to answer it.  Time to plan my work out for tomorrow..goodnight.