one with the water.

I'm totally addicted to all of the water classes Harbor has to offer. I started out doing a couple and decided to add some and to get some more variety. I now do the Saturday morning Deep Combo class, and Sunday morning Aqua Rhythm again, AiChi, Graduate sometimes. I took a break from some of the cardio type classes because of some back issues I was having. I'm so happy to be back on track with my cardio and strength. I know I haven't written in awhile - not on the computer as much in the summer I guess! Most of my workouts have been in the water, plus I do cardio on the recumbent bike, and treadmill, plus strength exercises. The only regret I have is that I can't take more of the water classes that are during the day while I'm at work!

Weekly Goal

Last week I set goals with trainer Teri. My first week I didn't quite hit my 5x/week. I let the weekend slide without getting enough exercise. SO, to start out my NEW week, I went for a 40 minute power-walk throughout my neighborhood. What a BEAUTIFUL night! Tomorrow night is a full workout at the club (recumbent bike and back friendly strength exercises); Wednesday is a walk at lunchtime, and then AiChi water class at night; Thursday is a full workout at the club (treadmill and back friendly strength exercises); Saturday I plan on trying the morning water class. Have a great week all! What are your exercise plans for the week? Post here, or you can always email me at janetkj@tds.net

Off The Track For A Bit...whoa... Back On!

Wow time flies...it's been awhile since I've written! I have had some things come up that have de-railed my journey a bit, but I'm back on track again with help from my trainer Teri, my Chiropractor, and some good Doctor reports! Actually, me getting off track is purely mental and I totally gave into the anxiety of the back issues I've been having, as well as worrying about the nerve testing that I had recently. The Spinal Doc says that I have mild carpel tunnel and there is nothing that he is concerned about - "keep up the exercise!" were is very words - ironically at the time I got that diagnosis, I had wrenched my back really bad a few days before so I was in much pain! It dampened the good news at that moment, but I was so pleased to hear that I don't have to be concerned about surgery or anything radical like that. Now, the past few weeks I've just been working on getting the back healed!

I found myself "anxiety eating" which is always dangerous, and my workouts have been way less than I was doing because I didn't want to hurt my back more, so needless to say I've been feeling a bit sluggish. I have, however, been keeping up on my water exercises (love AiChi!!), and walking. I was in such a routine of cardio and strength exercises - I am happy to say now that I'm back doing regular cardio and "back friendly" strength exercises - thank you Teri for your encouragement and helping me get back on the track! We set goals that I would text her after each workout (check!), set the workout times in my calendar (check!), and to go off coffee. (I'm workin' on that last one!) I promise to write more often...

I found out the other day that some of the physical issues I've been having, like tingling & numbness in my feet and left side are not related to the "degenerative disc disease" as I posted last week. I saw a Spinal Doc this week and he said that has nothing to do with my neck and that I'm actually quite strong. He did however, order some further tests to see what might be causing the symptoms. I have been doing cardio, and more of my strength exercises are done in the pool lately, which I love. I might actually try to get up at 6am to make Marie's Mon/Wed/Fri water class. I proved that I can get up early on a Sunday morning, but can I be up by 6am 3 days a week?! I will do my best! Wish me luck! I hope you all are doing well, and if you are going through any obstacles, you can make it through as well. It's all part of the journey...

I've been doing a lot of warm water exercises this past week. Love the pools at Harbor! I feel like I get just as good, if not better workout in the water vs. working with weights. It's nice to have such a great variety though.

"Bring It On!"

I had a appointment Tuesday with my fabulous Harbor trainer, Teri and she said something quite funny, yet profound as we were talking about my recent physical health challenges. I told her that my doctor was concerned at a recent appointment when I was complaining that my left foot had been numb/tingling a bit. The doc had me go in for an MRI of my spine, and it showed that I have a slight narrowing in my cervical spine. (degenerative disc disease is the official name)

Well, I had just gotten this news prior to meeting with Teri, so I was pretty bummed and anxious about it. The more we talked though as I was cruisin' along on the treadmill, I realized that this is really just a bump in the road on my fitness journey. There are worse things to have to deal with; this is something that is quite common, and this is something I can adapt to. My mood lifted the more I walked and the more we talked. I came to the conclusion that nothing's gonna stop me from my goals, and then Teri yelled out "Bring it on!" We had a great laugh over it - (thanks Teri!) I will tackle this roadblock, just like any others that has come along. Like I keep sayin', deal with it...keep movin' forward...and keep my eyes on the prize!

Steady...

Ai Chi class tonight was so great. I love it every week, but tonight I was able to totally relax my mind, which is surprising because I have a lot going on in my life right now. I keep up with my exercising, but the food has been a bit more of a challenge the past few weeks... this is why it's called a journey... up, down, steady, up, down, steady...! I am still very committed to my fitness goals even though my body tells me different sometimes - have had a few back issues... it's frustrating, but I keep movin' forward (just not at an incline!) :-) It helps to write about it! I hope you all are doing well!

Time goes by so fast! It's been over a week since I've written - I haven't done a lot of new things at Harbor - doing my routine of going 5 times a week which includes Aqua Aerobics, Ai Chi, Treadmill, Recumbant and a lot of strength exercises. It's been so nice out, I've been doing a lot more walking outside and have been obsessed with spring cleaning. For myself, I still need to workout 5x in the club though - I feel like I get the most cardio & complete workout, then whatever exercise I get outside of the club is icing on the cake, so to speak. :-) I made another trip to Goodwill with an overflowing basket of old clothes - yay! Seems like a small thing, but it's a GREAT feeling!

Spring Forward...

I totally forgot about switching the clock forward and I woke up just in time for my Aqua Fitness class to be starting! I had a split second thought of, oh, I'll be too late for it, I'll skip it...then I quickly visualized what my day might be like if I didn't get in my Sunday morning exercise that I have been so used to getting over the past month or so...I didn't like what I was visualizing...and I went anyway! I arrived at class just as everyone was doing their cool down exercises. I just used those exercises as my warm up exercises, and when the class ended I stayed in the pool and did a full hour workout. I was SO glad I went. It just sets the tone for the day for me.

After Harbor, I went over to my cousins' house and we played Wii Sports. That is so much fun! I beat Adam and Peter at bowling! But I kind of sucked at tennis... I need more practice on that game! Later in the afternoon, I went on 2 long walks. It was great "Spring Forward" day.

Out with the old...

I have had a bag of clothes that I've been meaning to donate for months. It felt great to finally get them out of my house, and to donate them to someone who can benefit from them. I'm not sure why it took me so long. Maybe because they are clothes that are still in good shape, but I realized after looking at some photos of when I was at my heaviest, that I'm still wearing those clothes! Granted, they are a lot looser, but I thought, wow, I need to keep moving forward and don't look back... I then went and bought a bunch of new sweaters and jackets to replace the old. And, while going through my closet I discovered that I have gone down 2 pant sizes! Yay. So excited. The feeling I get from getting into smaller clothes is far better than seeing numbers on a scale.

It's been awhile...Wow time flies when internet is down! Sorry I haven't written in awhile - I hope you didn't take that as me not doing well with my fitness journey. I have been working out 5 times a week, which includes water fitness two of those times. I'm feeling stronger, and my incline Friday on the treadmill was level 5 for 10 minutes which is more than I've ever done. I'm feeling good about how things are going! Will write more soon...promise.

Good news. I have my energy back after a nasty cold last week. More good news...I had a meeting with Trainer Teri Thursday, and I got weighed, measured and we went over other numbers. I try not to focus on numbers, but they are important to track progress. I'm happy to report that since I started with training, my BMI has gone down 4%. Lean body mass has increased (yay!), with a weight loss of about 30 lbs. I will be getting results on inches lost the next time, since that measurement wasn't taken when I first met with her. I am so pleased with these results, and it's motivation to keep going. With having more energy again, I got back into cardio, plus I did Marie's Aqua Rhythm class this morning. I am liking the early Sunday morning regiment! I'm glad to be back in the swing again.

So I got blind-sided by a nasty cold Saturday! I was on such a great roll too. Well, I still did the recumbant bike on Saturday, just not quite the intensity. I haven't been to the club since then but hope to get back tomorrow for some treadmill work. Tonight though, I'm wiped out. I want to reach my goal of 5 miles this week so I'm headin' to bed early to get rested and hopefully have more energy tomorrow!

I had a good workout week. Although I didn't make it to the Wednesday water class this week, I did more treadmill work. My incline is getting up to 4.5. I'm shooting for 5. Tuesday night I went for a long walk in the snow. I love walking after a snow! It's so calm out, and you get such a better workout trudging through the white stuff. My goal I have set with Teri my trainer is to walk 5 miles before I meet with her next week. Also to write down 20 of my favorite 'not so healthy' foods, then come up with healthier ways to make those foods. I'm just starting to work on that, so I'll let you know what I come up with.

I said I would share a couple of my favorite snacks - One of my favs is 1/2 Stonyfield Plain Lowfat Yogurt + 1/2 packet of Trader Joe's Omega Trek Mix (nuts, seeds, dried cranberries) I'm a fan of peanut butter, so another snack will be 1/2 apple, or 1/2 banana, or celery with 1/2 Tbls. Organic Unsweetened Peanut Butter. I try to keep snacks around 100 calories. (It's amazing how far 1/2 Tbls. of PB will go.) If I don't fuel by body inbetween meals, I am way too hungry at mealtime, plus it's better so the body doesn't go into starvation mode!

There's a first time for everything...

Yes, I did it. I got up at 7am on a Sunday to get to Harbor for Marie's Aqua Aerobics class! I have been dreading getting up so early on the weekends, but have found that if I want to take certain classes I have to become a morning person! I must admit it felt really great to get in that pool with the sun shining in and have so many other women ready to start their days with a work out as well. This is definitely more aerobic than the Ai Chi class, and the two classes will be a good routine for me each week.

I did an Ai Chi water class tonight and loved it. At first I thought it wouldn't be aerobic enough for me, but it really worked the muscles & core and focused on breathing & balance. I feel great and will definitely do that class on a regular basis. I meet with Teri, my trainer tomorrow night and I have reached my goal we set Sunday 1/24. One was to find a water class, and I plan on trying a water aerobics class on the weekend as well. I'm going to discuss my snacks with her tomorrow, and I'll share them next time.

I've had some really great workouts this week...I've been inching up on the resistance on the recumbant bike, and the incline on the treamill. I also had a good week with my food choices - it really helps to keep a food journal...yet another tool to keep me accountable. I know it seems hard to do sometimes, but it's worth it especially if you're struggling with keeping on track. Saturday night I thoroughly enjoyed a celebration dinner with the company I work for, and I woke up today and got right back into my routine, including lots of veggies, and I had an extra workout with adding an extra set of reps to my regular 2 sets on all of my exercises. Thanks for the comments! I will let you know my new favorite snacks soon...

I had a really good training session this morning with Teri. Yes, I said morning...I'm not known as a morning person :-) I'm a bit of a night-owl, so getting up early on the weekends is a challenge, but once I got going, and on the bike, I felt great. I also re-commited with Teri about my goal to keep on track with my food choices while I'm working on the physical part of my journey. It's a package deal! The more I stick to low glycemic eating, the more fat I will lose and stronger I will get. Muscle increases metabolism!

My goal for the next time I have a session with Teri, is I will be keeping track of all my food and activities/workouts in a journal. I will take a water aerobics class, and I will find 2 healthy snacks and fuel my body between meals. (that has been my problem, I haven't been planning snacks, then I'm too hungry at meal time). Have a great week everyone. I welcome comments!

I haven't posted in a while! Although I've been doing my workouts at Harbor, I haven't felt like I have had a lot to say about them - partially because since the holiday I have struggled a bit with the food part of my journey. Remember in my last post, I mentioned that the exercise is just as important as staying on my my low glycemic way of eating. Well, I have found that I cannot have one without the other. For me to stay on track, my food needs to be in order while I'm exercising. It's totally a "mental" thing, as is anything we want to commit to. If the head isn't into it, its not going to happen. Well I'm writing tonight to re-commit to making healthier food choices along with my fitness.


My cardio equipment of choice lately has been the treadmill. I tend to go towards the recumbent bike more often, but I realize, especially working with my trainer, that I will get stronger and more stamina by doing the treadmill at higher inclines. Although I work at higher resistance levels on the recumbent, I've been feeling much more like a get a better workout on the treadmill. I am working towards doing a couple of 5K walks coming up this spring and I want to be ready!

My Story
When I was asked by Harbor Athletic to do a blog I was excited, but not really sure what to expect. I had never done my own blog before - especially sharing personal issues like weight and fitness. As I thought more about it, I am thrilled to have this opportunity! My hope is that, besides keeping myself accountable with my own goals, I will help you, who read my blog that have similar stories, and to have all of you share your journeys with me as well!

I have always had ups and downs with my weight starting as a young kid. Last year I was at my heaviest and I was also diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes and sleep apnea. I had low energy and was understandably depressed. I joined a weight management group which focuses on eating low-glycemic foods, exercise and stress reduction. With the support of friends and family, I made the jump to hire a personal trainer at Harbor and it is hands down, the best thing I have ever done to improve my health! Yes, the eating part of it is just as important, but I found that the other large hurdle that I have always struggled with is that I am not a naturally active person. (It's not in the genes! LOL) It is something I have to really work at.

Having my trainer Teri at my side for 7 months changed my whole outlook on fitness and the importance of moving my body! I took a few months off from training (still continued my workouts) and I have started up again in the new year. I will continue to share some of the good results I've had over the past year. Please join my blog and share your stories if you wish - we are all in it together!

When Away from the Club...
Well it was back to Harbor tonight after being away a lot and traveling for the holidays. I scheduled a training appointment with Teri Stratton to get a jump start on the new year! It went really well, and it was what I really needed. All day I was thinking "I can't wait until I work out with Teri tonight!" The holidays were a challenge - mainly because I found myself not exercising enough, and my body was letting me know me know it wasn't happy! One thing that dawned on me as I was feeling kind of yucky from lack of exercise last week, is that I CAN move and stay fit even though I don't have my health club at my fingertips all the time. I have been so used to doing regular workouts at Harbor all year, and I forget sometimes that I can get involved in more activities outside of the club for when it's not there for me! A couple things, in the winter months is to learn to snow shoe, and cross country ski. Does anyone do these? I have friends who do and I look forward to getting out and actually doing winter activities...what a concept! :-)