Moving More

If you read my post last week, you'll remember I took a week off from scheduling gym time.  It was a really great week of rest! 

I didn't go to the gym at all, but I did try to move a little more each day. 

I'm using Weight Watchers Activelink activity monitor.  It works similarly to a Fitbit (which I also have, but am not currently using).  More than a pedometer, it captures all of your movement throughout the day.  The first week you use it, it takes an assessment of your daily movements.  Once the assessment phase is over, it sets little challenge goals for you to increase your activity. 

I actually did my assessment the last week of Christmas break. I was ill 3 of the days, and did very little moving, so I don't think my assessment was reflective of my "typical" activity.  I could do the assessment again, but instead I'm just going with the challenge it currently has set for me, which is to earn 3 activity points per day by the end of 12 weeks.  I'm still at the earn 1 activity point each day phase of the 12 week plan.  I tend to exceed that goal regularly, but I figure it is better to start small and work to increase my activity bit by bit.

Activelink is a pretty cool little piece of technology and, if you know anything about me, you know I love my technology!  It displays a percentage of your goal reached, and is pretty motivating.  When you reach 100% it flashes all the lights (nothing too exciting, but still an indicator that you are doing well).  The best thing about it, is when I plug it into my computer it automatically adds the data it has collected to my tracker!  That means I don't have to count up my activity points, they just show up in my tracker!  Brilliant!

I really hate to exercise.... that is not an overstatement... I actually HATE IT!  I don't feel good at it, and it makes me hot and sweaty (really sweaty... it's not pretty) and generally uncomfortable.  It's the worst!  But I understand that it is a necessary evil, so I make myself do it.  It's just part of being healthy and I accept that.   There are 2 exercises I actually enjoy (a little).  One is yoga (but not the "hot" kind).  The other is walking outside (weather permitting of course).  I wish I could do one or both of those every day, and that would be enough, but I know I need to challenge/push myself to do more than that at least some of the time.  I don't think I'll ever push myself like Bob & Jillian push those Biggest Loser contestants, that's kind of extreme.  But I make myself run a little and set goals for fitness with my gym buddy.  I think we'll be back to the gym this week.  We usually do 3 days of yoga and 3 days of treadmill.  It's a lot, and I generally hate it when we're going, but I usually feel pretty great afterward. 

Here are the ways I am working to get more activity in my life:

• The Gym - 5-6 days per week, usually 3 Yoga classes & 3 treadmill workouts
• The Parking Lot - I park about as far away as I can from work (and other places I go) just to get a few more steps in my day
• The Stairs - I work at 2 schools that have classrooms upstairs, and even though it is just one flight of stair, I would sometimes take the elevator.  Now, I only take the elevator if I am moving something that I cannot carry up the stairs!
• The Post-lunch Walk - I've started walking around the campus (indoors if the weather is bad) for about 5 minutes after eating my lunch.  
• The Walk-Break - If I have a day where I am sitting at my computer instead of teaching, I take regular walk breaks.  Every 45 minutes I make myself get up and walk around for a few minutes at least.

And one more (this one I'm nerding out about)....Xbox Kinect! I've had my Xbox 360 for over a year, but this weekend I went ahead and bought the Kinect.  It's kinda awesome!  So far I only have one game...  Just Dance Greatest Hits.  It's pretty fun.  Reminds me of when I was a pre-teen and would close my bedroom door, turn up my music and "just dance".  I'm not a great dancer, and rarely dance in public (those of you that have witnessed my "moves" just be quiet.. please).  Even though I don't have the "moves like jagger" (and especially the moves like Adam Levine), dance is a pretty fun way to get moving!  My challenge for the week is to "just dance" one song for every TV show I watch.

  -14.6 (I made it past my 5% goal!)