routine machine

health and fitness aren't things to be acquired, they are a way of life.

this past week has been crazy hectic, and after doing so well for so long, i fell off the routine. too many things came up, meetings and gatherings and bad weather, and i skipped out on the workouts almost entirely. i think i squeezed in a run or two, the weather has been cold and icy and messy.. giving me the winter blues. i'm not the gym membership type, i rather enjoy running outside. i can't wait to bust out the rollerblades, my favourite!

anyways.. it's easy enough to make excuses, but it catches up. i have pretty well maintained with the shakes right through however, they've actually saved me during these busy days on worrying what to have for breakfast and lunch. i'm still enjoying them which surprises me to be honest. i usually get sick of those type of things fast.

my weight hasn't changed any in the past week, i'm still ten pounds lighter than i was at the beginning of the year. i'm happy i haven't gained any back, but i'd like to make further progress. finally my weekend tomorrow after an extended work week, time to kick it back into gear and come up with a routine for the work week that can fit my schedule, no excuses.

chasing down the sun

man it's been a while since i have spent any quality time with the sun. i was lucky enough to get a ride home from work today instead of waiting for a bus, so i got home almost an hour earlier than usual.. i hit the trail as soon as i could to catch some rays. it seems every time i have a day off the weather decides to be miserable. i suppose that's what i get for deciding to start running in January.

the light reflecting off the snow and the pines was intensely bright, that living green colour you almost forget exists in winter. however the clear skies brought quite a chill, so i had to cut it back to 8K today. not bad i say.

i have been keeping track of my weight the past couple weeks, checking it daily, and watching my average slowly decrease. for over a year no matter what i tried i couldn't get my weight below 200 pounds. now mind you i'm heavy set and have decent muscle structure beneath my cushy layer, i do some intense physical labour type jobs and have done my fair share of long distance hiking.. so i don't look 200 pounds. no one ever believes me when i tell them [they think i weigh less, thanks guys! haha], and i don't think i ever took a photo for proof. well what i'm getting at is, i stepped on the scale at 192 today, had to double check it in disbelief. really?! cool! so my average right now is around 194. not bad, about six pounds in a few weeks. here's a pic from the celly i took a couple days ago:

no doubting those feet are mine, that's for sure! i wanted to capture my highest weight, but i missed it. i'm not too concerned, i wouldn't wanna gain it back for the shot haha. anyways, losing weight is a part of my goal, but numbers aren't important. it has become apparent that my weight is affecting some of my ability, and i simply want to regain the flexibility and endurance i had before, and improve on that a bit at a time. i mean i'd love to get down to 175 [this year], i haven't seen those numbers in a couple years. i wish to weigh no less than 160-165 ever, as i like knowing i can whoop an ass if need be haha.. just kidding. but really.. i don't wanna be "skinny". i just want to weigh a little less, and feel better.

start somewhere..

i think the hardest part of becoming fit and healthy is the very beginning, that very first step. where to start? well, do something! jumping into a huge diet and/or workout program head on can be overwhelming, and discouraging. i find it's best both physically and mentally to start small.

traditionally, my idea of a good workout would be to strap on a pack and hop a trail somewhere or take off into the unknown. i never... EVER thought i would run. in fact, i could quote myself in the past on numerous occasions saying specifically that i don't run haha.. and here i am.

i'm not a fast runner, not even a little bit. i run slow on purpose. there's a word for that.. google.. oh hey! lookit that, an article that says what i just said, and focused on running.. it's called walk, slog, run; making your way to your first race. oh and the word i was looking for was slogging haha. i'm pretty sure it has some other meaning, but that about describes my pace. check that link though, it describes why it's important to ease into running and how to get started.

today i made it 14 kilometers in a little less that two hours. slow it may be, but the time doesn't much concern me. i like to challenge myself to go a further distance, and train myself to do so more comfortably. i'm pretty new to running if you can't tell, but i do have a good history of long distance trekking under my belt. my first 'run' a couple weeks ago was 7k, and i slowed to a walk pretty often.

each day i tacked on a bit of distance, and now i can go twice as far as when i started.. and, i can do more running [err, slogging?] and less walking. a lot less... and i'm kind of shocked by this. i remember thinking i couldn't run, i remember being unwilling to even try. i'm only just beginning, i wonder how much i can improve into the spring. apparently this is the way to do it, slowly ease into running, doing only what you can, and challenging yourself each run to do better.

i made it a couple bridges further along the canal than i did on my first run, so i snapped a pic of the bridge as i passed it on my way back. the weather was a part of why the run seemed so easy i'm sure, it was fifteen degrees [in January?!] when usually this time of year it's below zero. celsius that is. as if i wasn't already excited for spring.. it's supposed to go back to normal winter temperatures tomorrow. i'll still hit the trail, but i don't know if i'll make the same distance. the ice makes things difficult for running, especially in my shoes haha.

i started small on the diet side of things too. i don't eat a lot of junk to begin with, too broke for that! but being broke can be cause for a not-very-nutritious diet. to make sure i'm at least getting the goods i started using a nutritional supplement by Mannatech called NutriVerus . i have tried other vitamin and supplement products in the past which i will write about, but so far i'm liking this one. also i really cut back on things with gluten in them, and when i get a craving for fruit juice or something sweet i make a big icy bottle of lemon water, and it quenches my thirst without all that fruit sugar.

 that's it for today, later i'll blabber on some more about starting small, different ways to stay motivated, and other types of exercise. and of course how i'm doing with my little 'get healthy' venture, blah blah.. goodnight interwebs!

my first run.

wow it's been years since i've run for the sake of running. when i think of what type of 'athlete' i am, i think of hiking. my idea of a good workout is strapping on a pack loaded with gear and hitting the trail for a few days. in fact, everywhere i go i'm carrying a pack. yesterday, for the first time in a very long time, i left the house with nothing but my house key and my ipod. what a liberating feeling.

it was pretty cold yesterday, windy too. luckily the sun was out to keep me motivated. as soon as i got home from work i suited up for the chill. a good few layers on top, my favourite shpants, and i even busted out the toesocks so i could wear my favourite footwear, the vibram fivefingers. maybe not very stylish, but definitely maximum comfort and flexibility. the temperature was just above freezing, so i had to make sure i kept a good pace to stay warm.

well i'm not the best runner in the world to begin with, and i sure am rusty. i started out mostly with a speedwalk, listening to k-os on my ipod to keep a rhythm. as soon as i was loose enough i'd speed up into a steady jog, and focus on the muscles i'm using to move me forward. as i become winded, i slow back down into a speed walk to cool off for the next dose of jogging. since the temperature is hovering around zero degrees, it's important not to let myself become soaked in sweat to avoid the dangers of hypothermia.

i feel blessed to live so close to such a beautiful path. the welland canal parkway is just a few minutes walk from my house, and most of it is open all year. it's about 52 kilometers long, and runs from port weller to port colborne. it comes with it's very own community of regulars. i've already noticed familiar faces as i usually hit the path about the same time of day.

since it's Canada in january the sun sets pretty early, which means by the time i get to the turn-around point, it's almost completely dark. i'm excited for the spring months, by the time april rolls around i should be in better shape and able to go further to enjoy more of the path in the light of day. but for now, here's the view where i stop to turn around..

it's a pretty cool spot just under the skyway. i stopped at the bench to stretch it out before heading back to the homebase. on my second run today i made better time. spent more time at an actual jog rather than just speedwalking most of the way. as i build my strength and regain my lung capacity i will be able to push it further. for now i only push myself just a little past my comfort zone before easing off. i already feel better about myself, and get a better nights rest. so far so good.