No, I didn't fall off the wagon, but I did fall!

See, I told you the truth.  At first I am intense, working on pictures, thinking of exciting places to walk and now look almost a month later and I am writing only once a week!  So the writing every day went out the window early on but I AM STILL WALKING and DOING the FLAT BELLY DIET!!! This is an amazing accomplishment!!!    And I have so much to tell you!

First I will start by letting you know that there is (OF COURSE) more than one diet focusing on BELLY FAT and the dynamics of subcutaneous versus visceral fat.   The new life style I am trying is the, "Flat Belly Diet" which I am ecstatic about because you can eat "DARK CHOCOLATE and NUTS".  It seems to be working.  The book starts with an acknowledgement from Dr. David Katz, Director of Prevention Research Center of Yale University School of Medicine and that's good enough for me.  I was telling one of my co-workers about the diet and she said, "Oh so and so is on that too", so later in the day I saw so and so told her I was on the Flat Belly diet.  She said, "Oh low carbs high protein? (Sounds like ATKINS) and I reply, "NO, MUFA'S" (Monounsaturated Fatty Acids)... You have to read the book.  So there you go.  This will be the decade of belly diets and despite what kind of food you are told to eat the focus will be on getting rid of visceral fat.  We all know the basic recipe for that is Calories eaten versus Calories burned.   I have a big bum as well,  but I don't think any diet that  is going to just burn off my butt and nothing else.  So then I googled, "belly diets". There is the Flat Belly Diet, The Belly Off Diet, The Belly Fat Diet , The Belly Fat Cure... well that enough for me..  I think the real cure is finding an eating program where you are satisfied, eating natural foods and not stimulated to binge eating.  So as we continue following my progress.. I let you know if have have found my cure!

On the weekend I took a walk and saw this beautiful home.  Brace yourselves, it's going to be auctioned on February 2 with a starting bid of  $19,000!  I want it!

Discipline and Flexibility, what an ODD combination!

It's been twenty days and I am still exploring this walking  experiment.    In the first days, it was fun,  my thoughts were of adventures, walking through St. Petersburg.  The heights of my imagination have now come back to reality.  Walking can be boring, when you have to do it for health sake rather than pleasure.  The exceptional part of me wants and expects everything to be beautiful, fun and inspiring, which has led to successes and failures.  An intense, all or nothing kind of person, I must do it 100%, do it right or (in my eyes) I am a failure. Then I stop trying.  This is not only related to activity but other areas of my life as well.  This is a well developed behavior that hopefully will change this year.  I have learned that  I must be disciplined to expect to walk everyday but also flexible., if I just can't that's alright.  I haven't had the time to take my fun walks but I have taken my 1 mile walk every night. And that is a great success for me!

Yes, I have survived the first four days of "The Flat Belly Diet".  I think it's funny most of these diets have a beginning cleansing.  Most will go to great lengths to tell you the scientific bodily mechanics of why such a cut back is so good for you.  I think the real motive is to have in a state of  "Oh My God, I can't do this forever!" so when you transition to the main plan, you think, "Oh this isn't so bad".   

Finally, I love the Sparks People website but I just haven't had the time to coordinate the "Flat Belly Diet" with the Nutrition Section.  Again this is my lesson in flexibility.  I can not change in one day!  I don't know if anyone else feels this way, but I want to be instantly changed.  All of my life I've been eating for the wrong reasons and in the wrong way.  I guess when you totally embrace that you can change and accept that the process is long term,  then permanent change will come.   

~ Elizabeth

Jake = Steak

                                                                                                                                                                    All our friends know Jake LOVES steak.  When he comes to town, it's a given that we will go out to ate steak.  Just to let you know I have been walking a little over a mile EVERYDAY!  It's hard to change but I am willing to give the Flat Belly diet a whirl.   Well, Friday evening I went to the store to buy the ingredients for the first 4 days, and the store closed before I had gotten half way through the list! So what could I do but be thankful the next day, when my friends TOLD me they were taking me to the Brazilian Steakhouse, and I hadn't started yet.  We all know that routine.  So I had a great time with my friends and my new way of eating is starting tomorrow. By the way the food there is GREAT!

Once you post this information for all to see, it does help keep up the motivation.  The Flat Belly Diet is a 32 day plan to change one's eating lifestyle.   I will start drinking my Sassy water tomorrow, so watch out! 

~ Elizabeth

Day 12: Taking the Initiative

 

I had Chinese food for lunch today.  I don't usually pick a fortune cookie but today was my lucky day.  What an inspiration,  "Take the initiative and others will support you!".   I am an easy going person, sometimes to the point of being passive.  I usually need my friends to support me first, then I'll take the initiative.   That little piece of paper with just a few words changed my perspective today.  I am going to continue to take the initative to become more fit.  I truly thank all of my friends and family who will support me!  

I work late, so I had my usual walk to the park and back. Local scenic tours will have to take place on the weekend.  If you haven't noticed, I LOVE ST. PETERSBURG, FL., especially the Old Northeast! I'm excited about taking walks on the weekend so I can show you this beautiful area. 

What is  happening to me?  I decided my half hour walk at night is not enough, so starting tomorrow I am going to walk the Hamster Trail to get my salad for lunch.  I just have to remember to bring my walking shoes!

~ Elizabeth  

Day 11: Information Overload

Most of my friends know that I can read a subject to death.  Instead of walking, I might get 10 books on how to walk and never leave my lounging spot!  Constantly in self-improvement mode, one friend said, "You need to stop reading books and forget about it", helpfully meaning .. get on with the ACTION of DOING. 

Again thanks to this forum I am still walking but I just can't help myself I am also still reading. 

Linda and Oscar  Photo by Jennie Thunell of St. Petersburg

I thank my sweet mother for her inspiration.  She takes walks everyday, and tries to keep up with my father, who still bikes, goes to spin class and I don't know I lost track.  In addition, she reads EVERYTHING.  Books you would never think of, titles that make you laugh and some that just make you frown and say, "WHAT!".   

My love of architecture, art, history, reading  also comes from my parents.  Look at their beautiful Bed & Breakfast, Gansevoort House Inn and Galleries.  On the web page you can visit all the interesting things my parents are doing!

Oops, got off track again.. My point started out.. there is so much information.  I'm torn between the Sparks Program. and the new book Mom sent, " Flat Belly Diet!".  The Spark program is  awesome. you must try it.  Just plug in your information, how much you weigh and how much you want to lose,.. and it makes not only a menu but a grocery list.  If you don't like what is on the list you have many alternatives to choose from.  You enter your progress with the fitness as well and everything is documented, graphed and measured, easily.  I think vanity, as I have, well I'll  kindly say, " I do not have a flat belly" will win. I am looking forward to reading the book. Thanks, Mom.  And many thanks to all the people cheering me on.  It is inspiring.

Oh by the way I did walk today, measured and I walked 3 miles per hr!  Did a little over a mile. Until I walk again!

~ Elizabeth

Day 9 AND 10: Do you talk to yourself?

I was just wondering because I had an argument with myself.  It was Monday, I was still recovering from my tree climbing activities and well,... I just did NOT feel like walking.  Distracted by doing all the things that keep me unfit like eating, sitting around and finally LAYING DOWN!  Some how I ended up in my room and the internal conversation went like this... "DON"T DO IT!", "But I'm tired.. just fifteen;...,", "Oh NO, DON'T'.... "TOO LATE",,,,, OMG this bed feels so good."  "BUT YOU Have to walk" "But I don't want to", "But you have to..:" ..After fifteen minutes.... (and I was afraid I would fall asleep),  the stronger side up me said "GET UP!" and I did.  I took a walk but it was just a walk.. I didn't want to... wasn't happy about it but I did it.. Then I came home and went to bed. 

The next day, I realized I  had fans.  Friends at work were saying, what happened., my mother had been emailing me, anxiously awaiting the next adventure in Elizabeth's Experiment. Who knew? But then again maybe the absence of my blog entry was more noticeable because of my previous entry, "OMG, that's gonna hurt tomorrow"  and my conclusion to let everyone know how I would be the next day.  So just to clear everything up, I have recovered from my tree climbing.  Everyone at work loved the star fruit but I cringed when I saw the big thank you from management with a little note, "Can you bring more, they went really fast!"  The sweet side of me took over and I wrote, "I'll check the tree on Wednesday".

The great local news journal, The Northeast Journal, stated and I quote, "It's easy to become a devoted walker in the Old Northeast".  I am definitely not alone in my love and admiration of the architecture and landscaping in the area. Candy Lenderman, wrote and excellent article "Totally Zen-ful" and now I am ready to take walk to Cherry and 10th Ave. to few another beautiful home.

I am still getting wonderful advice from friends.  I read an  article stating you lose this much in a year if you walk this many miles per day at a certain speed per hour.  Well I don't know how fast I am walking! Perplexed, I pondered the ways to figure out my walking speed. Then a friend sent me a link to Spark Peoples Walking Guide  and what do you know, a fitness map that calculates not only how fast you walk, but how far and how many calories you burned. Is that not AMAZING! 

And yes I did walk tonight. My usual late night quick walk. So now I am going to plug in my numbers and found out how fast I was walking.  Give it a try.  Oh, by the way I may not write every day, but I WILL WALK!!

~ Elizabeth

OMG, I think that's gonna hurt tomorrow!

Day by day I am changing my lifestyle.  Although I would  NOT term myself an ordinary couch potato, I would describe myself as an intellectual sweet potato.  My lifestyle has been sedentary, since most of the time I am at my computer photo editing, checking out Facebook and whatever else distracts me.  The reference to the sweet potato is because I really am sweet (most of the time) and secondly I eat A LOT of sweets, everyday.   Intellectual... well,  I think a lot and given Mirriam-Webster's definition 2a : given to study, reflection, and speculation, intellectual is a good description of my potato status.

Walking has increased my general energy level and now I feel like doing more.  So today's great adventure; harvesting star fruit and tangelos from the trees in my yard.  Now  I am sure when you read the last few words you did not imagine the story that I am going to tell you.  First of all,  I am prissy and can't stand to get dirty.  The neighbors were probably peeking out the window when they heard my childish eeewww's (but at least I didn't say yuck... well maybe I did!) as I moved the rotting fruit that had already fallen from the tree.  This was work! I had to get a rake, move that all out of the way before I could get the ladder in place to get the fresh starfruit down.  I climbed that ladder, started picking and thought, "Forget this" and started shaking the tree so the fruit would fall out.  I was making quite a ruckus shaking the tree, the birds were squawking  because this had never happened before, and I let out a few, "Owws" as the shower dropped fruit on my head. (Caught me of guard).  Then I noticed I was doing all kinds of maneuvers I haven't done since I was, well, really young  and my heart rate was up.

Thankfully, the tangelo tree is in the back yard, so I had a new audience.  I was concerned my neighbors were alarmed because I haven't been actively in the yard for more than a few minutes to quietly put up a Christmas wreath and sit out some potted poinsettias. The tangelo tree (at least I think that's what it is.. the fruit tastes like a tangerine but smaller)  was more of a challenge.  I  thought I could use my last strategy of  climbing up the ladder, shaking the tree and have the orange fruit fall but nooo.  I climbed to the top of the ladder, thought better of standing on the very top, grabbed a branch and shook really hard.  Some fell but nothing like the star fruit tree. I made a few attempts, went up and down the ladder a few times, moving it to different areas, but not much success.  Then I started feeling like the monkey that just doesn't give up!  Maybe this tool will work!!  I took the rake, climbed the ladder, swatted at the branches with the oranges, that didn't work, so then I tried using the rake like a fork to get the orange stuck between the prongs.  Still no success.  I gave the shaking one more last try, I think I was aggravated so I might have used a little more force.  As I was getting ready to give it a good shake,  I saw a bird on the roof of the house gaze at me and I wondered what it was thinking!  Then I said to myself..  Now I know why people by bags of oranges, even though they have a tree in the yard.

Later on I went for my walk.  It was a routine walk down my street to the park and back.  The sky was beautiful, as there was a crescent moon and stars shinning.  When I got to the bay area the smell of the water was relaxing, it felt so good to take a deep breath in.  Now you know,  when you walk the same street all the time, you take things for granted.. thinking about this and that, but on my way back I saw another cute little house that had three orange trees.  And do you know those trees were my height! No ladder needed. No making a scene shaking tree limbs.  That is my kind of tree.  If I had one, I would gently pick those oranges off  and carefully place them in a beautiful basket.  Enough of imaginings, I got an excellent work out from today's adventure. Since I am already a little sore, I'll let you know how I feel tomorrow!

~ Elizabeth

Day 7 Makes One Week!

Congratulations to me!

Oh I know it is only seven days but it is the completion of something.  I want to acknowledge all the changes I noticed this week. I often revert back to my old ways because I forget how bad I felt.

So here is the list of changes I have accomplished in  only one week

1. I feel better in general. 
2. I am sleeping through the night more peacefully (usually I toss and turn)
3. Thanks to all of you, there is no debate on whether I feel like walking, I am going to walk!
4. Surprisingly, more often than not, I am looking forward to the walk.
5. I am noticing new things around town.
6. I less thoughts about eating.
7. I have not weighed myself in a week.
8. I feel better about myself!

I still hate exercise but find I do like walking, but that may be limited to St. Petersburg, Florida.  The reason I am enjoying myself  is because I can look at "pretty" things.  I hear my friends giggling! Walking down the same path...but this time it was early evening and light out... I noticed this yard decorated with a blue door and foliage. Beautiful!... Pretty!... Creative... Interesting.. I feel better.  

On the same side of the road, this house to the left, is one of my favorites.. It's like going back in time to a Victorian Era, except for the little sign the says, "Hippies enter in the back!" How cute is that!







The destination of day seven walk: Gizella Kopsick Palm Arboretum.  It is a 15 minute walk from my house and it only took me two years to notice it!  It's a wonderful peaceful place to walk with winding paths through varieties of palm trees. Today was the first time I notice this interesting palm tree! Just look inside.

 And another spiritual event for me as I am amazed by the symmetry and beauty of creation.  I love the design.

 Psalm 136

¹O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

²O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

³O give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁴who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁵who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁶who spread out the earth on the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁷who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁸the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;

⁹the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Thank you Lord!

~ Elizabeth





Day 6: Walking in Heels is NOT a good idea!

Well you know... it's hard to fit everything into one day.  In the morning I had to go the post office, then off to work.  I had an important meeting after work, so my plan;  a walk at work during my half hour break.  Now my work place has great walking areas as they want to encourage healthy living.  There is a bridge that goes through a beautiful wooded area, and even an enclosed walkway that leads from  building to building (reminds me of hamster habitat).  My friends from work will understand what I mean.  Going to the cafeteria from our office is like doing this  "Super Critter Trail Extreme Challenge".  If you want to go to the cafeteria speed walking is encouraged because it takes ten minutes to get there, ten to fifteen to get your food and ten to get back to your desk and on the phone! So add it up. Oops no time to eat!

Oh my goodness, I love her soooo much!

I got off track. I kept to my plan  to walk at work so I could see this little munchkin in the evening. (Photo by my good friend Jennie Thunell). Guess what! I forgot my Sketchers.  I love to wear heels. They weren't hurting to bad, so I thought, "Sure, I can still take a walk.  I didn't get very far before my feet yelled "STOP!". I painfully struggled back to my desk.   The good point, I did walk but like I said, "Walking in heels in Not a good idea."  The healthy thinking is kicking in because my mind searched for an alternative for the short walk. I decided to take the the stairs (just three flights), but as in the words of one of my fitness co-worker friend, "Those steps are no joke".  Those stairs elevated my heart rate more than any walk I've done yet!.

~ Elizabeth

Day 5 I'm still walkin!

Believe it or not today was less eventful than yesterday.  As a matter of fact, my walk was  practical.  I needed to get a prescription filled so I decided to walk to my local drugstore.  You see, I really find it hard to take a walk, just to take a walk. I need to have a reason.  Hopefully in 360 more days that will change, but for now, I need a reason.  So with prescription in hand, I quickly walked to the drugstore only to find out I had taken a walk for no reason, because I did not have my license with me and the prescription could not be filed! Oh well.  As I stated before I am always pondering. So I'll share the things I noticed on my walk.  In the Olde Northeast there are many homes with white picket fences, in various designs and heights.  Some are waist length, just to keep you out of the yard, while others are extremely high so you can't look in.  Of course the high fences just make me want to look in even more.  Shhhh, sometimes I look through the cracks! I can't help it.. everything is so pretty here.   There might be a good yard design I want to copy. 

People in St. Petersburg are ingenious when it comes to landscaping.  No one in South Florida wants to cut their grass, so residents have developed various ways to avoid that task.  Some yards are covered with vine growing plants, while others have  piles of white rocks artistically arranged covering everything but a miniature palm tree.  Great idea.   So that covers my pondering walk for day 5. 

Now to keep things interesting, my wonderful friend Rebecca shared a site with me of another photographer, Carol Gallagher, who loves to take pictures of  Saint Petersburg  and has an album called, "DOWNTOWN CAROLS PHOTOS ON A WALK DOWNTOWN" on Facebook.  You can't help but love it here!

~ Elizabeth

Day 4 Does Walking Through Walmart Count?

Well I didn't think so, therefore, I took a quick walk from my home to the park and back.  Although it didn't feel like an adventure, God had beauty everywhere for me. Due to my sleepy nature, my walk took place in the evening.  It was late, but the sky was amazing with a white fog sky moving faster than I.  Though my plan was to have no distractions, (I didn't take my camera), again there were so many cute homes with Christmas lights still aglow.  I mumbled my usual,  "I wish I brought my camera!".  The pace during this walk was faster, with no stops (definitely felt more like EXERCISE, but I still enjoyed it).

Since my mom had mentioned there is a magazine for walking, I decided it was time for a google search.. Oh my! There is more information on walking than you would ever want to know.  To my surprise the information ranged from the technicalities of walking taskmasters to the spiritual aspects of walking! On the Walking Site there are many resources and thankfully for me,  even a beginner schedule.  Wikipedia Walking had more topics than you could ever think of  but I found this quote the most interesting: (citations are on the linked page)

Sustained walking sessions for a minimum period of thirty to sixty minutes a day, five days a week, with the correct walking posture,  reduces health risks and has various overall health benefits such as reducing the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety and depression, Life expectancy is also increased even for individuals suffering from obesity or high blood pressure. Walking also increases bone health, especially strengthening the hip bone, and lowering the more harmful bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and raises the more useful good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol Studies have found that walking can also prevent dementia and Alzheimer's.  That's pretty amazing.

My favorite topic is the spiritual aspect of walking.  I can not go for a walk with out thanking God for all of His beautiful, fantastic, AMAZING CREATION.  Walking is a great exercise for me, because I enjoy contemplation.  The second hurdle to overcome  when starting an exercise program, (the first being just to START)  that will become a part of your lifestyle is to find something you love to do, something you look forward to each day. 

Finally for the philosopher, I found an essay, "Walking"",  by Henry David Thoreau.  An interesting think piece on the virtue of walking.  So there you have it.  I have covered everything from Walmart to Thoreau. Wow, who would have ever thought of those two names being together in the same sentence. Sorry Henry!

~ Elizabeth

Day 3 How about a Night Walk!

Well, I told you I like to sleep.  Of course I set several alarms, only to tell myself  in my sleep that I didn't have to be to work until 10:30.  So you see, I don't have to rise at the crack of dawn to take these walks,   it's just that I am a night person and don't become conscious before noon.  So I happily slept through my early alarms and awoke with a  panicked 15 minutes to get ready for work.  Learned a lesson... need more alarms.. an alarm for the walk and an alarm for work in case I fall back to sleep. 

I am going to have to watch that movie again, Julie & Julia.  I think I am having the same reaction to this experiment.  Throughout the day, I think where can I walk that will interest you.  There have been other advantages as well.  I am not thinking about what I am going to eat next, wondering if I will ever stop over eating and OMG how did I get this FAT.  I also haven't weighed myself which is a great accomplishment.  Come on.. I know there are some of you, who do what I do.  Get on the scale, get off, get back on, hoping magically it will report something different.  So I am extremely happy to not be thinking about my weight.

 Now for the walk!  St. Petersburg should be called the City of Lights.  There are lights everywhere all year long.  So walking  in this town is a beautiful experience day or night.  The residents in the area love to decorate their yards and porches. 

Day 2 Another Beautiful Cloudy Morning

 Well, as my friend said.. "with all these "facebookers" keeping tabs on you, it's going to motivate you to keep it up! And you sure did.  I was in my cozy bed, just as happy as could be.  The alarm keep going off and I kept pushing snooze.  Part of me kept saying get  up... YOU MUST WALK! but the comfy cozy me kept saying, "mmm I love to SLEEP!.  But thanks to you, I got up and went for a walk.  When I show you the sites you will say, "Look what you've been missing!".  Well, at least that's what I told myself. 

Even the sidewalks here are beautiful... How could I not want to take a walk.  So as I walked I enjoyed the sights of my neighborhood.

It was a cloudy morning but all sooo beautiful.  Now that my friends know I have a blog about walking I am getting all sorts of advice.  One suggestion was to wear double weights around my waist.  I think I already have more than enough of that!  Let me loose some weight first! Then my mom gave me some suggestions. She says she thinks about a friend and walks for him.  He used to be extremely active but now is in a wheelchair permanently. I had a very somber and contemplative moment thinking about how much I take for granted. 

When I got down to the water everything was so gray, it was hard to distinguish between sky and water. Yet there were still so many beautiful sites. 







These must be new palm trees.  I really don't know. I have never seen the trees wrapped like this before. 

It wasn't long before I had to head back.    What a view!  It's like being in a New England Town with Palm Trees. So I hope you enjoyed my second day of walking as much as I did.  Some are trying to get me to do speed walking, but hey this is only my second day!  To make a lifestyle walking is going to have be something I like to do.  I am going to have fun with it first.  Well this is just a glimpse of Christmas in The Olde Northeast of Saint Petersburg, Florida. 

Looking forward to a new adventure tomorrow!

Day 1 An Enjoyable Experience

As many are, I am beginning my 1001st attempt to lose weight.  It used to be about wanting to look better but now that am older (changed my mind about posting my age) I am getting SCARED about the condition of my health.  My problem boils down to two issues; I hate to exercise and I LOVE to EAT.  Although my blog is about my walking experiment it will about much more. I hope to encourage myself and anyone else struggling with being overweight and unfit.

Fortunately, I have family and friends that enjoy a FIT lifestyle.  They are good examples and encourage me.  I want this year to be different.  We all know how easy it is to start an new plan in the beginning of January and be back to our old habits by the third week.  I was talking with my son and his wife about how I want to make a permanent change. I want a new lifestyle but I've been trying to change since I was fifteen. Anyway they encouraged me to walk everyday, so that is my  plan.. Then I thought of all the plans I've had and not followed through for more than a few months.. how will I be able to maintain this? Then I thought of "Julie & Julia" and thought great!  I will write a blog, document my progress and have an inspiration to keep this  going for 365 days.                           

Day 1

I am extremely thankful for the beautiful town of St. Petersburg, Florida. I live in area called the Old Northeast and it is absolutely quaint.   I took my first walk for the year with my son and daughter-in-law.  It was great weather, just a little cloudy.  The destination was the Waterfront Park at the end of 12th street.  Once we arrived we watched a very docile squirrel looking for a bite to eat, gazed out at the gray blue bay and enjoyed each others company. 

 It was a great beginning to my new way of life! Thanks Bri and Jackie!

~ Elizabeth