OMG... Stairs!!

Holy crap!! Yes, it's that bad. :P Nuvita Wellness started Monday (intro week is over). I think "I will start going down the stairs from our 16th floor to the first floor daily. Maybe work up to going UP the stairs." Sounds like a good idea, right? It IS a good idea. Unless.....

I almost fly down the stairs, arms pumping, slowing around the corners, doing well. I get to the first floor thinking "this was pretty easy". I head up the elevator to the 16th floor and think "yes! I can do this again!" heh heh I start down, albeit not quite as fast and energetically as the first run, but at a good pace. I get down to the 7th floor and think "oooh, maybe this was a mistake. Maybe I should have done a couple days at just one set." BUT, being a bit on the stubborn side, I refuse to take the elevator down to 1 (our elevators go 1-8 and 9-16). So, much slower, I make it down to the first floor. My legs are just a tiny bit wobbly, but I figure if I keep walking it'll work out the kinks that I know are going to happen. I get to our receptionist desk and tell Jeanie about it. We laugh together. I wobble back to my desk. I get up frequently because I'm being smart and drinking water when I want to reach for something to stuff in my face.

End of the work day. Do I take the stairs to the 2nd level in the parking garage? Heck yeah! I'm not a wimp! Ok, so maybe I should have been a little bit of a wuss, but working the muscles will make them not as sore later, right? I get home, and remember I live above my apartment garage on the 2nd floor.... with 2 very-happy-Mommy's-home!! dogs. Ok, it's a bit rough going up the stairs. I change, then it's time to go back down the 16 steps to take the dogs out. *GASP* Already???? What happened to the 2nd day pain plan?? Ok, ok. Hands on the walls for support. I can do this. I HAVE to do this. TWICE! In between, silly me, I work out on the Wii - 50 minutes worth. But it's all for health, right?

Yay! Bedtime.

Not yay, wake up time. Roll over, feet on the floor, stand up. I said STAND UP! ok, maybe not quite that bad. We can walk, it's good. Oh NOOO, stairs. Dogs. Responsibility. *sighs* We are Woman, hear me roar!!! meow. Ok, so it's a 1-day pain rule. No more wobbling, we've raised to Hobbling. NOT pretty, but at least it's inside, and walking is ...well, it's do-able. Shower, dress, drive to work.

Park in normal spot, walk across to the elevator/stairs. "Come ON, Deb! It's only one flight!" Thankfully there are no other people around. Elevator to my desk. Laugh with people about my stupidity. Weirdly enough, I WANT to do the stairs again. BUT, I opt to go to the parking garage and walk around for 15 minutes. Inclines, declines not so nice, straightaways are fine...mostly. Homeward bound. Stairs, three times, no choice, work out. Bed. Me and pain, best buddies.

Day 2 - today: Wake up, roll over, stand up, squeeking sounds emit from my throat. Dogs, must take out dogs. We go to the side of the building not the fence. They don't care, they get to sniff, do their stuff, back inside. Slightly easier going UPstairs than down. Who'da thought? Shower, dress, work. I want to curl up in the fetal position and sleep. Don't want to die, that would be giving in. ROFL. Why yes, I DO have to, want to, laugh about this.

Meanwhile, I keep wondering: moist heat or Advil? I opt for neither. why? I have no freaking clue. Masochistic much? Hmmm, maybe just a little.

To ADD, because that bit of masochism isn't enough, I bought one of those punching balls. You know the kind you had as a kid...you blow it up, you punch it with the attached rubber band? I asked our Nuvita coach about this. Could I use it as a modified Hip Abductor - put it between the thighs or knees and squeeze. She LOVED the idea. Same between forearms to be used like the Butterfly machine. Ahhhh, that's why my inner shoulders are a bit tender.

See, I keep thinking "If I USE these muscles, stretch them, they won't hurt as bad." Maybe, maybe not. LOL

Let's just pray that Day 2 is the worst in the way of P A I N. :)

Nuvita Wellness Challenge rant

We're on "Intro week" with the Nuvita Challenge. We've got our heart monitors, etc. I finally got it all worked out on the home computer to accept the transfer. I'm excited.

First night (Tuesday), I work out 67 minutes. Turns out only 5 minutes of that was in my "zone". The Zone that Nuvita set up for me. Ok, I think, I'll try harder on Wednesday (before going to Sean's softball game at 8:00). I work out 68 minutes; sweating like crazy, jazzed with energy, excited, muscles tight, oh yeah!! Do the transfer, and 9...yes NINE.. minutes in the "Zone". So this morning I email our coach, asking to have my rate lowered by 10 points, give me something to work toward. I get an email back from her "why do you want to lower it? Is it too hard?" I can hear her fit, skinny voice chiding me. Hmmmm. Help me out here, please. Aren't they supposed to be working WITH us? Apparently, the Assessment done last month is how they came to the range they set for us. Ok. But please, give me something easy to reach first, then I'll set higher goals.

07/28/10 NOTE: I explained in a later email to Michelle (our coach) that I'm on Blood Pressure meds, etc., and she agreed to lower my Heart Rate Zone, with the option to raise it later.

I'm not a whiny baby. I swear I'm not. I mean, truly, I've worked hard to lose this 25 pounds. I want to lose at least 25 more. All the stuff you hear in your teens and 20s, even your 30s, is so true. Although at the time, you pfftt at it. Eat your veggies, drink your water, exercise. Well, I'm paying for it now. 9 1/2 months pregnant, going into labor at 23, BP is 120/76. Twelve short years later, I have high blood pressure. I blame the 2nd husband... and genetics. Admittedly, I let myself go the past few years, well, since getting laid off from said 23-year job in June of 2004. Then, my 3 months temp-to-perm job took 18 months to go permanent, and well, stress makes us eat and totally forget moderation, and all that.

But, turning 51 last year kind of hit home. That and the whole extremely limited budget. Figured if I had no money, I may as well eat healthy. Lettuce - $1.28 for a head that will last 4 days. 44 cents per avocado - one a day (yes a bit high in fat, but it is great for the HDL - good - cholesterol), Grape tomatoes - $3.48 but will last 4 days or so; Bell peppers - 88 cents each (I think), but will last 3 or 4 days; mushrooms - $3.00 package, lasts 3 or 4 days; kidney(red) beans - $1 a can lasts 3 or 4 days (rinse and use container). Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on the salad and you're good to go. Oatmeal... $3.75 for a big Quaker box of just oats - 30 half-cup servings - add some dates, or fruit, a little (teaspoon) brown sugar, some cinnamon. YUM.

I'm learning SO much. Google and doctor sites are my best friends. :)

Y'know, it's not even that I want to be in the top 10 on the Nuvita home page of cardio... But I DO want something attainable. I am pretty sure I'm on the right track, and just because my "Assessment" shows I can hit something higher doesn't make it so. I realize, too, that she probably didn't have the derogatory tone to her voice when she emailed back "is it too hard?" but it did kind of hurt, when I can tell I'm doing so much better than I have in a long, long time.

I weighed 182-186 in 2002/2003, and I'm working very hard to get below that now. I WILL do it. MY ultimate goal is to lose 25 more pounds by Christmas. That would put me at 165 or so. 16 weeks divided by 25 pounds is approximately 1.5 pounds per week. I can do it, I can do it, I can do eeeet!! :)

Ok, I feel better, and am off to eat my oatmeal with dates. No sugar added.