Lately I've been trying to better myself. About three or four weeks ago, I joined Weight Watchers to try to lose some weight. I was successful with this program in the past, and I know it works. However, what I hadn't planned on was how it is more difficult after reaching a certain age. My first week I only lost 3.something pounds, the second week I lost a little over a pound (making the total weight lost at that point, 4.8 pounds). It's not too bad of a weight loss, however, I must admit that I was expecting a little more - especially the first week. Last week, I didn't lose anying; I didn't gain anything either - just stayed the same. I guess I could look on the positive side that it wasn't a weight gain that week. I go again on Monday for my weigh-in, and I'm hoping I lost a couple of pounds.
I also joined the Running Room. I want to learn to run, and if I do it on my own, I just don't have the motivation or the perseverance. I joined a the Learn to Run clinic and I have enjoyed it pretty much. I missed the first couple of days of the clinic since I joined the Saturday after it started. They "meet" on Sunday mornings, but I've already told them I won't be going to that because I go to church (that is my priority on Sundays). They also meet Wednesday evenings and Thursday evenings. The Thursday class is also the night they hold their clinics. The goal of this clinic is that by the end of the clinic (10 weeks), we should able to run 20 minutes without stopping.
This past week I wasn't able to go because I was very sick on Wednesday (thanks to a migraine that made me throw up 7-8 times!), and Thursday I hadn't gotten myself feeling quite as well as I would have liked.
One thing I've figured out (I must not be as smart as I thought I was, lol) the other day is that I need to go running on my own as well as going to the clinics. You see, we started out running 1 minute and walking 2 minute. The next night we did 1 minute walking and 1 minute running. The following week was supposed to be running 2 minutes and walking 1. This past week (when I couldn't go), they did running 3 minutes and walking 1. I am definitely NOT up to that...yet.
Today I decided to go out and do a little running on my own in one of the local parks near my house. Rather than time myself, I decided to run as long as I could and then walk a bit to catch my breath and run some more. I took my ipod with me, and have made myself a goal of aiming (short-term) to be able to run without stopping for the duration of one of the songs (4-5 minutes long). I'm not there yet, but if I keep at it and run more often, I know I will get there! I can't wait until I am able to run 20 minutes without stopping to walk!
In other news, my back has been bothering me again quite a bit for awhile now. Wednesday (same day I had the migraine and was throwing up), I went to the doctor and had it confirmed that it is my sciatic nerve that is causing the problems. The doctor told me to keep taking Advil or Robaxacet to help with the pain/stiffness and he was going to send me for an x-ray as well. The Advil and Robaxacet don't do anything to help, and I will be going to for the x-ray on Monday. He said if the meds don't help and the x-ray doesn't show anything he would send me for an MRI. Sometimes the only thing that helps/works is surgery. I'm hoping it doesn't come to that, but if it does, then so be it.
Well, that's about all the news I have. Hopefully it won't take so long for me to update this ol' blog the next time!
Blessings!
