However, I don’t have as much energy as I would like and I’m beginning to realize I’m going to get old someday! So I’m rededicating myself to a healthy diet and more exercise. My right shoulder has been acting up the same way my left shoulder did way back in 1998. It took years for my left shoulder to heal. So, I’m incorporating some special shoulder-strengthening exercises into my routine to try to avoid problems. We still go to TKD every week. I can only go on Tuesdays until the end of the semester, and then I can go twice a week. I love TKD and I want to get better at it, so my daily exercise will be practicing all of my patterns, punches, and kicks. I also want to get back into running once I get over the latest cold that burned through my family.

I miss my Middle Eastern dance class, but the schedule conflicts with my Scout meetings. Sad.

The key part of my healthy diet right now is working on making my lunches again. I’ve gotten into the VERY bad habit of eating nothing all day except soy lattes and a Chipotle vegetarian bol with guacamole. It’s not that those foods are inherently bad, but I’m not fueling my body appropriately. My eating out choices are very limited… Chipotle is pretty much it for me, unless I want to eat french fries all the time (and at a lot of places, those are not vegan– I’m looking at you, McDonald’s!)

I’ve ordered some new bento accessories and will start planning a week’s worth of bento meals at a time. Last time I did that, I kept packing foods that needed to be heated to be tasty, but this time, I’m going to pack more foods that can be eaten at room temperature. I’ll incorporate my raging love for avocados into onigiri and veggie rolls, for one thing. If I have the time and energy, I will try to photograph these works of art and post them here.

I also managed to get out for a run today. Even though I haven’t run since November, I was able to run continuously to the beauty shop. I then ran-walked a little further, then went back to the beauty shop and ran home. A total of 16 minutes. I was pleased to have that level of running ability after neglecting my running all winter. Then, we walked the dogs for a while.

I’m intending to get back to running at least 3 times a week in the morning, and walking the dogs for at least 20 minutes every day. We have a back yard, so they do get chances to stretch their legs, but they sure love to walk!

My official weight for the week is 82.8. My body is doing what it wants, and I’m okay with that. My goal is living a healthy life and letting my body get to its natural healthy weight.

At the Y tonight, I started to obsess about how weird my thighs look in the mirror (which I think is designed to make the viewer look and feel fat.) Then on the way home, I started thinking about a girl I know who was paralyzed from the waist down a few years ago. I realized just how terrible it is that I don’t appreciate what my body can do.

I’m going to let my body do what it needs to do and not impose an artificial deadline on it.

I had a milestone run this week.  Thursday I timed myself doing a 3-mile run on the 1/3 mile track on campus.  I did it in 32:28. Not too bad, considering how overweight I am! I’m pretty happy with that time, though I hope to get it under 30 by the end of January.  So much of running is mental!  Of course, it will also help that I’ll be 10-20 pounds (4-9 kilos) lighter by the end of January.  I’d like to lose a kilo a week, and if I can understand the effects of my eating and workouts, I might be able to manage it, but if not, I’m just going to focus on being healthy.

My Spark buddy and I are trying to lose 1.3 a week until the end of the year. That’s at the high end of the range at which I am successful, but I’m willing to give it a try.  I’m trying to reserve some tricks, so I’m currently only doing cardio 4 days a week at most.  I want to have room to increase it when I stop losing.  I’m also not doing any step, so I can use it later to shock the system.

My biggest issues right now are not getting enough sleep and not eating enough.  The low-fat, mostly vegan things I eat are pretty filling, so I’m not really all that hungry.  Plus, I don’t always have time.  Even when I do go over on calories, my fat content is still good.

I would like to get back to doing more yoga.  The running (since April!  Yay!) is showing me that I need to work on my flexibility.  As for running, I’ve downloaded another Nike mix from iTunes.  It’s the speed mix with Alberto Salazar and techno-ish music.  I don’t like the music as much as I like the endurance hip-hop, but it’s definitely a doable workout once a week.  I had to walk one of the six speed sections, but I’ll get there.  Luckily, Thursday is just a regular run.  (Or treadmill or elliptical if the weather is icy.)

Running is going great. I think I can consistently fit in a 40-50 minute run three days a week, then a Saturday run is optional. I’ve really been itching to get out there and run, even on non-running days, but I don’t want to hurt myself, so I’m not really running two days in a row yet. I’m so glad to be enjoying running again, and I’m glad to live in an area with decent enough sidewalks.
Did the upper body work from the new Cathe Body Max DVD yesterday. Can’t wait to try the rest, but with school and running, don’t know when I can fit that in. Over Thanksgiving break, I might do two-a-days, and combine a shorter run with a Cathe DVD each day.
I’m hoping to lose 9 kilos by Christmas. At least I know if I don’t focus on weight loss, I can maintain and not gain. In the past two months, I have not focused, but I have maintained, so that is great to know. Now, if I just focus, I can get to 75 by Christmas. If I do, I’ll take January off as a plateau month, to practice maintaining the weight.

My whole attitude toward food has changed. It’s just food. That’s the most amazing part. I’m eating just one serving of most foods (except fruits and veggies) and I’m satisfied with that. That really makes me happy. It’s like I’m getting my head on straight. But the real health breakthrough will be when my family is fit, healthy, and active too.

It occurred to me that next year at my high school anniversary party that there might be an organized run up to a landmark the cross-country team uses for training.  (I hope so!)  Whether there is or not, I plan to run up to it while I’m there (if I get to go.)  I need to train properly for that because it’s a very steep run!

I’m going to start doing weights for my legs to strengthen my knees and help improve my running.  I’ll do a Cathe leg tape once a week (likely Monday mornings, to give me time to recover before my Tuesday afternoon runs.)