Return of the Prodigal Blogger

I'm back. In some ways I was never gone because I continued to keep up reading the blogs that I follow. I just wasn't posting because I wasn't feeling like I had much to contribute to the blogosphere these days. I commented on other blogs occasionally. But mostly I have spent the last month lurking. I continue to struggle but I have not given up. OK, I had given up for awhile. But I am un-giving up now.

So it's been a month.

What's new?
1. I am back in Weight Watchers meetings. I've gone 2 weeks in a row now and am down 6.6 pounds.
2. I am actually listening during my meetings and reading the weekly materials. Because I've been a WW member on and off for 10+ years, I pretty much think I know everything there is to know about the plan. I'm trying to go in with a different, more open, attitude this time. There are some success stories in that meeting room. Maybe if I'd quit thinking I know it all and just listen I might learn something.
3. I am back in water aerobics. I signed up for classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. This will be the extent of my exercise for now. I don't want to bite off more that I can chew.

What's not new?
1. Still struggling with depression but am being more proactive about dealing with that. I wouldn't say I am actually better, but I think I can see that I will be some day. That in itself is a major improvement. The past couple of months I have felt fairly hopeless about pretty much everything. So even though I am not back to my usual perky self, I believe that I will be one day...sooner rather than later.
2. My job. Still not real happy in that arena. Taking some fledgling steps to try to fix this but I won't say much about that on my blog. Just know it has been and continues to be one of my struggles.


I'm glad to be back. I'm glad to be feeling a glimmer of hope again. Thanks to those to emailed to check on me while I was gone. And, yes, I did end up going to the Biggest Loser casting call. But I'll save that for another post.

Jumping Back In

I am getting back to doing water aerobics. I will be going on Saturday mornings. I am really looking forward to getting back into the pool. Water aerobics is an exercise I can do that doesn't hurt my back. The water is truly freeing. I can't wait.

Positive Changes

While I really can't say I have lost weight since starting this blog, I did have a NSV (non-scale victory) last week. Last weekend I took my little poochie for a 40 minute walk without back pain. This is a victory because my weight had gotten to the point that walking for longer than 10 or 15 minutes resulted in severe lower back pain so this is huge. And what is most amazing about it (to me at least) is the fact that I am absolutely no lighter than I was than when I was having back pain. I am certain this has everything to do with the water aerobics classes I am taking. Abdominal exercises are always a part of the workout and the strength I have gained seems to be helping my ability to walk for longer periods. I am happy about this because the weather is beautiful here in Texas right now and I want to get out and do more walking. Now I can!!

For anyone who is very overweight or for any other reason suffers pain while exercising "on land", I cannot recommend water aerobics enough. I am so greatful I was able to find a class near me. Water aerobics has really been instrumental in making me feel like I can be more active again. So check your local gyms, YMCA's, and city pools (that's where I found my class) to see if the offer water aerobics. You will be glad you did!

Weigh-in and Christmas Challenge Update

No movement on the scale this week. I did a little better with my food and got in some exercise so I am a bit disappointed I saw no movement. It is that time of month so that could have something to do with it. All I can do is keep trying this week.

I have been doing an exercise challenge with one of my friends IRL and this week we are bumping up the challenge from 90 minutes of exercise/week to 120 minutes. That is a challenge for me because we have been on haitus with the water aerobics while the pool is being maintained. Walking is my main other form of exercise with the occasional workout DVD in between. Both of those are really hard on my back at this weight. Next Monday I start back with the water aerobics and I am really looking forward to getting in some enjoyable exercise again. I will be doing WA 5 times per week. I decided to up it from just 2 times per week since I decided to cut back on my classes for the fall and put more focus on my health. I am only doing one and it is online so my evenings are more flexible now....assuming I can get out of work on time!

NOTE to those who only just received my private blog invitations. Sorry for the delay. I was looking at the people who hadn't accepted my invite yet and noticed I had typos in a couple of your email addresses. Hopefully everyone who wanted to be here is here now. :-)

Water Aerobics: It's Not for Wimps

Yeah, so what if water aerobics classes are primarily attended by the overweight, the elderly, and the pregnant? That doesn't mean it is easy! I have the sore muscles to prove it. I think our instructor lulled us into complacency the first couple of classes before deciding to put the smack down (or would that be splash down?) on us this week.

I remember my first day I enjoyed the class but worried I wasn't getting my heart rate up enough. Not a concern anymore and that is good! Plus the instructor is adding alot of resistance training by having us do crunches in the water and working with these styrofoam dumbells. Apparently I have not used my trapezius muscles in a very long time...or maybe ever....because they were seriously protesting today! I woke up so stiff and sore. I took some Advil and even went for a quick chair massage over my lunch hour today. It helped some as did going to class again tonight. I still have some tenderness and stiffness though.

It's all good though. I am really happy with my new exercise regime and that is something I have not felt happy about in a long time. Now, just gotta work on getting my food cleaned up a bit more.

Reporting in on Water Aerobics

I went to my first water aerobics class tonight and I liked it alot. It was so freeing to workout without any pain whatsoever. The class I am doing is in deep water (11ft) so we wear buoy belts to help keep us afloat while we exercise. (Although I bet I am pretty danged buoyant all on my own!)

I think I got a good workout in and will get an even better one in the future when I learn to control my movement more. I spent alot of time trying to get out of other people's way as I accidentally floated at them. The instructor said that is normal when you are first starting. It apparently takes awhile to learn control.

As far as the workout itself, we did lots of running in place, jumping jacks, and another move that is sort of like you are cross country skiing under water. We also did high kicks and then some ab work where we lifted our knees to out chest and then pushed out legs out so we were in the shape of an L. I really felt my abs on that one. The whole think was a really good resistance workout. I could feel my leg muscles really working against the water and I am pretty sure my shoulders are going to be sore tomorrow. As far as an aerobic workout, the jury is still out on that. I am not sure it really got my heart rate up consistently but maybe I just need to be working harder at it.

I have a Polar heart rate monitor and it got me wondering if they made one for underwater so I could check and see if I was getting my heart rate up. According to Polar's website, all their heart rate monitors can be used underwater. I don't know why but I am hesitant to try it. I hate to ruin something that cost me $50. If anyone else has experience using a heart rate monitor in the pool, I'd love to hear it.

I will definitely be going back to water aerobics. I am simply pink with glee that I have found something I can do that doesn't hurt.

Looking Forward to Exercise

Yep, you read that right. I am actually looking forward to exercise. A few weeks ago I signed up at my city pool for a deep water aerobics class and it is finally starting tomorrow evening. I will be doing it on Tues/Thurs evenings and Saturday mornings. I can't wait! It's just the thing I need to make exercise doable for me.





I have always been a big believer in exercise for weightloss and in my thinner days was extremely fit, thinking nothing of knocking out 60 minutes on the elliptical or going for a 30 mile bike ride. But these days my gravitational pull toward the earth is alot greater than it was then and that makes exercise just plain painful sometimes! So many times I cut my exercise sessions short, not because I am out of breathe, but because something is hurting too much to continue...my back, my calves. Just yesterday, I was out for a walk planning to do 45 minutes but at just 15 minutes out my back just could not take it and I had to turn around. I had to stop several times on that 15 minute trip back to the house and lean on someone's mailbox to take the pressure off my back.


So, yeah, to say my weight has gotten out of control is an understatement. To have gone from "Super Ellipital Girl" to "Can't Take a Walk Without Extreme Pain" in the span of a couple of years is sad. BUT!!!!! I am fixing that now. And I have found an exercise that I will be able to do without pain. I am so excited! Good things to come!!!!