Spring has Sprung...FINALLY!!

I think this past winter was one of the longest as far as giving way to spring, that I recall, lol! So long in fact, that we escaped to our son's in Georgia for several weeks. We had an awesome trip...lots of doing nothing much, but loads of family time, walks on the beaches, four wheeling and yes, GOOD food!

As for my walking and steps, that has been going good all winter and spring, and with summer finally seeming like it might actually arrive, I am hoping to really 'step' it up in the coming months, pun fully intended, LOL!

 

 

Still a Trekking!

I am still walking!! The steps are still part of my routine, but with the ski jumps quickly approaching, I have not been up there in a few weeks, but hope to get back to them regularly as soon as all of the hoopla of that event has passed. In the meantime, coupled with an extreme cold snap with tempertures well below zero (with the wind chill it was a negative 35 one morning!!) my treadmill has been getting used frequently.

We have had a few nice days though, so Strawberry Lake and even Fumee have been my saving grace from just doing the treadmill. I was also fortunate enough to walk one day with a friend and her daughter on their 'farm walk' which was filled with bonuses as I not only got in some great conversation, but the views were beautiful. I was even fortunate enough to get a snapshot of their farm's little mascot!

 

The story of my life...

It seems like the story of my life is keeping up with the things I start...no, not the losing weight, as that is going great! It's keeping up with the blog about the weight loss, lol!

I will try to get better at posting...my excuse? Well, for one, my son was home on leave for 11 days!! AWESOME visit...and secondly, his 20 month old son is now staying by us part of each week. Good thing I have lost the weight I have, and great incentive to keep losing and getting healthier, as he is about as active as a 20 month old could be and I am loving being able to enjoy him. I can get down on the floor and play, pull him in the wagon, or sled as it was this past week, as we also got our first real snowfall of the season.

Toss in Thanksgiving and Wisconsin deer season, and my job and the company I am developing, and, well, I think somedays I need at least 25 or 26 hours in a day, lol!

I got in a nice 3 mile walk with a great friend today, but realized that if I want to keep walking outside part of the winter, I need to switch to my hiking boots for better grip in icy situations...the last thing I need is to take a wipeout on the snow or ice, YIKES!


A few photos from some of my recent walks...

Busy Busy

That is my only excuse for not posting, EEKS! I have been doing steps, walking, and even took the time to check out a few free apps for my iPhone to help me keep track of some of my workouts. My favorite by far is MapMyWalk. It gives a good look at what and where I have trekked to.

For example, I can look back and see that on 10/22/12 I walked 8.52 miles or that on 10/23/12 I did 6.72 miles, and gained 203.4 feet. This second walk, though shorter than the one the day before was equally a great workout simply due to the hills it includes.

As for my goals...I am officially below the 200 mark. I started at 240lbs....so getting this far is an awesome feeling...both physically and mentally... I am reaping the rewards of my work!!

My camera has also been getting a workout. I do not always take it with me, but on those treks that I do, I always find something worth chronicling.

If anyone would like to purchase copies of some of my current and past favorites, they can be found at Northwood Slice of Life Photography & Art Prints

Weekends

The new weekend is coming up fast and I did not even post my photos from last weekend!

Saturday, my husband and I walked part of the Fumee trail that I had never even seen before. From the back parking lot, we left the regular trail, crossed the old railroad grade, and discovered a whole new playground!

Sunday, we woke up with the intention of doing the Pine steps, but our nine year old grandson had spent the night and he decided he would rather go to Fumee instead, so back there we went. The three of us got in a nice hike, and then my husband and grandson took a shortcut back to the parking lot while I got in some extra time by making another loop around the small lake.

If ever anyone wonders about some of my inspirations besides my youngest son, let me introduce you to DJ!

Sunday Morning

My husband surprised me this morning with an awesome hike....he told me to get up, grab my camera and my hiking shoes and let's go...he did let me get half a cup of coffee in, and guess what? It was well worth it!

Bonuses for the Photographer in Me!

In the past few weeks, I have continued on with my treadmill, not missing a single day!! Yeah!! However, my favorite days are those where I can sneak off to do the steps or walk around Fumee in addition to the treadmill. I have increased the steps to going up once, back down the steep part, back up and down, or up and then walk around the several miles from the top back to the bottom parking area. The walk around Fumee, the complete small and large lake, which a friend mapped out to 6.78 miles, is also a quick second favorite. Last Monday, I actually did the steps, then not wanting to head indoors on what was as beautiful a fall day as one could wish for, I also did a modified walk at Fumee, which included the small lake and part of the large. 

With the stunning fall weather that has arrived where I live in northern Wisconsin and neighboring area, the UP of Michigan, also means lots of opportunities for capturing fall in all its glory. I do not always take my DSLR with me when I walk, but thankfully, the camera on my iPhone 4 is worthy of a qucik snapshot here an there.

Even when the Unexpected Happens

This week was successful in many ways. I accomplished not only the steps, but on the one day that I did do them, Friday, and my birthday no less, I also walked from the top, back to the parking area below, the long way around, approx. 2.7 miles. I had the company of a good friend too, so positives all around. Along with the treadmill and the weight routine I now do each day, it was a great feeling.

On Saturday, I walked the Fumee Lake Nature Area with my husband. Which brings me to the unexpected happenings...I am so very thankful that I had my husband to walk with me...thankful that I had my husband, period!

Bright and early Monday morning, I got a phone call that could very well have changed my life and not just interrupted my week. The call came at 5am...my husband had totalled his truck on the way to work, in a head on collission with a MOOSE! A very large bull moose no less.

My oldest son was catching a ride to work with him that day, so he happened to be snoozing in the passenger seat next to my husband. Out of nowhere, they went from going down the road to having an approximately 1200 lb moose slamming up across the front of the truck, leaving them showered with shattered glass, a few minor cuts and one slightly injured wrist. All very minor injuries. The truck did not fare so well, but trucks can be replaced.

The biologist who oeversees the herd in the area where my husband was working, later told him that in her career, the numbers average 98% fatality rate for the unfortunate few who happen to collide with one of these massive animals.  98% chance of being killed...they thankfully were the 2%!

So my schedule for walking the steps was not as busy this past week as I had planned, but that is ok...even when the unexpected happens...life thankfully, oh so very thankfully, goes on!

From Fog to Sun to Rain

I finished off this week with accomplishing the steps three times. Tuesday in the early morning fog, Thursday in the midday sun, and today, Friday, in the downpouring rain. Yeah!!!

If I had to pick a favorite of the three, well, that would be hard. I enjoyed the rain today...cool and refreshing, and good company. The midday sun was quite the workout, but my best friend drove into town from over an hour away to walk them with me, and we followed up with a trip to lunch (an awesome salad with curry dressing on the side...let me just say YUMMY!!) at the WhiteHouse in Iron Mountain Michigan. The fog was sort of fun to walk and talk in, though the drive off my road in the thick fog was NOT!

I am still struggling with my breathing a bit... though I went with a friend each of these three times and we gabbed all the way to the top each time, lol!  So I guess I should make an addendum to my goals, that being able to walk and TALK and not get totally out of breath.

Not sure if I will fit in the steps this weekend at all, though I am hoping to con my husband into a quick trip up to do them. Plans are being made for next week though.

Not sure if I mentioned it before, but I am also doing a short stint with the weightbench each morning now too. My son walked me through how to change out the weight limit and I do a set amount of reps with both my arms and my legs. I have also added some new stretches, and this has made a world of difference on how my legs feel after my workouts. I was having some lower shin pain and the stretches along with a new pair of shoes, specifically for walking and working out, has helped TREMENDOUSLY!!

 

ME IN THE RAIN

Fall Weather

I am getting closer to my goal of 8,001 steps! My daily count is now 7,500 and I have also been continuing on my goal of walking the Pine Mountain Steps a couple of times a week. I walked them Tuesday morning with a good friend, and am walking them with her again tomorrow. I have to drive into Iron Mountain today also, so my plan is to sneak in a quick walk today too.

The weather here is showing definite signs of fall...cooler overnight with slightly chilly mornings, which make for good walking/stepping outdoors. This was the view from the bottom of the hill Tuesday morning

One Step Closer

My husband and I walked the steps at Pine Mountain yesterday evening. AMAZING! That is the word that described how I felt when I got to the top this time and also the word I used for the view...well worth the walk up those steps.

On days like yesterday, when I complete both my daily workout (now over 7000 steps each day) and something extra, such as the Pine Steps, I am starting to understand how much my body and my personal 'me' has been craving this. I...FEEL...SO...MUCH...BETTER!! I have a long way to go to get towards my goal weight, but I will get there.

I plan to keep my walks up the steps to a single walk up and down for now, but hopefully yet this fall, I can increase my stamina enough to go up at least twice during a single visit. One guy went up and down them three times while we were there...I am sure his heart thanks him immensely, lol!

I am going to keep this post short on words, but share a few photos I captured last night...if you are anywhere near my location, and want to add that something extra to your workouts...here you go!

My Time

7,000 steps was my goal for some time in September...I never really set an actual date, but thought if I could get to that step count sometime during the month, it would be my personal gift to myself as my birthday falls midmonth.

So a few days ago, when I stepped on the treadmill in the morning with the thought of doing 6,000 to 6,500 steps, I figured I would up the incline through a bit more of the steps to build towards that goal...I either follow one of the set mountain terrains the machine offers, or if I choose to do my own on any given day, I keep the incline alternating high-low, with it high 1/2 of the step count.

As I got close to the 'end'...I did not want to get off...simple as that...I had a busy day ahead...work waiting on my desk...a list of 'to do's' for my husband who had left for what was supposed to be a several days long work trip (thankfully, he ended up getting back home that same evening), and a myriad of personal work goals once the regular workday ended. I am creating a line of painted art prints, so every spare minute I can gleam is poured into that. But I didn't want to quit...

Nearing the 6,000 mark, instead of slowing down and dropping the incline, I sped up a bit...when I got to 6,900, I finally went to a walking pace, and a few steps past 7,000 I stopped. I was winded, needed a shower, lol, but I felt good!

Since then, I have allowed myself the enjoyment each day of 7,000 steps. And it is enjoyment...hard to explain on some level, but the time I walk/jog I am learning, is 'my' time. My time in the moment...I can listen to whatever music I choose to pour through my headphones, I can get lost in my head...dreaming of all sorts of things...

I am a fan of quotes, usually the more thought provoking the better. Then sometimes, something worded very simple will roll across my desk, and I will be as awe struck with it as I sometimes am with long, eloquently written ones...so will leave you all with this today...not sure who wrote it, but I find it fitting...“Whatever you choose, you might as well enjoy it. It is your choice.”...simple, but so very true.

Pine Mountain Steps

From the very first week that I decided to do this, I knew I would need to 'go the extra step' to make it work. I live too many miles out of town to drive into a gym every day, at least with gas prices being what they are, and also the simple fact that I am a homebody...I did the typical gym membership years ago, when I was homeschooling my then two teenagers, and while I stuck with it for the course of the membership and my daughter's high school years, it was always a chore to get motivated to go.

So how to make it work, but not get bored?  I have a pretty nice treadmill, which I actually like, and my son did not take his nearly new weight bench with him when he enlisted...the Army more than provides adequate workout equipment, lol! These two combined would be a great start...but I knew I needed something more...but what?

I am fortunate enough to live not overly far from Pine Mountain...one of the world's largest manmade ski jumps...and to get to that jump, years ago, a set of steps was erected for the jumpers to use to get to the top of the hill! Years of wear and tear pretty much did the original steps in, but several organizations pulled together to rebuild them, better than before. Atop this same mountain, also sits the U.P Veteran's Memorial I find this very fitting considering one of my major reasons behind my goal.

The first time I 'walked' the steps, I thought I would literally die...the second time was a little bit easier...but each time I am aware of the benefits being reaped, both physically and emotionally...no gym membership could provide me with the soul searching I get each and every time I take the first step, or the 500th, or match the magnificent view from the top.

I plan to get some photos of my own of the steps, but until then, here is a link to a news article about the Dedication of the new steps at Pine Mountain

8,001 Steps

The first step I take each day is for my son...

You know how things go...you grow up, get a job maybe, add a husband to the mix and then, eventually, a kid or two. Maybe not always in that order, but you get the gist of what I mean.

Then one day, one of those small children that you gave birth to, that you adored from the minute you set eyes on him or her, that you have coddled and yes, spoiled...well, they come to you and tell you they are going to talk to a recruiter and would you like to come with.

That first talk to the recruiter turns into his signature, followed by your own, as he is not yet old enough in the eyes of the legal system to commit to something so huge on his own...yes, you don't have to sign, but then, that would be an admission of failure, which is not something I did...I did not fail raising my son...my husband and I succeeded...we rasied a smart young man, and if he was ready to commit at the age of 17 to serve his country, then who were we to stand in his path.

First, let's back up a bit...I won't bore you with the nitty gritty details, but I want to fill in a bit of background for the few years before that day that he came to us asking for our support at the recruiter's office. I hope this will explain a bit of why I want to do this...8,001 Steps...

He was just a boy the day his dad was injured in a logging accident. That accident was followed by a long year of recovery for my husband, where the two of them formed a very strong bond on top of the one they already had. A few years after this, I ended up having some serious health issues, which included several surgeries and hospital stays...if you ever meet my son, ask him if I was a good patient and he will have a grand old time telling you I am the very worse patient you will ever encounter, period! I think that his relationship with us was molded greatly by the trials we endured through these years...we had his back, and he had ours.

He was always ready and willing to help get my husband out to his hunting stand, on days when my husband might not have been physically able to make it, even when, as a then teenager, he surely had better things to do, like hang with his friends. He would forgoe sleep to fill bait buckets and bait the bear my husband so loved to run with his hounds. He also was often right next to my husband when tracking those very dogs on a 'hot' bear. The first tattoo my son had inked into his skin, was a bear in honor of the 500 lb plus one that charged him and my husband...it was an emotional day for them both, even if as 'guys', they were not willing to admit it at first...when you ask them about that day, they both agree that his dad's first words to another fellow hunter, was 'get my kid outa here'..his dad was not in the best of health yet, with a leg that did not always work the way it should, but he had his kid's back and wanted to first protect him. That boy would grow into the man who would always, in return, have his dad's back!

As the mom, looking at the bond the two of them had, one might think I would feel left out...I never did. He was our third child, but at the same time, our 'only' child, with our other two both older, and already living as adults. I could always count on him for a trip to the movies or to play hooky and drive into the city with me to go to a museum... I have an aversion to going to lunch by myself, but due to my schedule, getting someone to go with me last minute is not always easy...that was ok when he lived nearby. On his busiest day of school, no matter how many friends he was with, if I called and asked him to meet me at Peking for Chinese, he was there in a heartbeat. He never once told me no, though he might bring a friend or two with, lol!

So, jumping back to now...two years plus after signing on that dotted line, my son has been through basic training at Ft. Benning, followed by AIT and ASI, also at Ft. Benning. From there, he was assigned to his first duty station, Ft. Stewart.

Shortly after getting settled in, he called us to come for a visit. Come now, he said. Don't wait. I want you to know where I am living, what I am doing. So we rented a car and went...I was exhausted! I had put on weight...quite a bit...since my surgeries the years before.

Add to the tiredness I felt, the talk about his possibly deploying, made me realize that I could not keep on this path. I needed to get healthy. I needed to be at my best to 'have his back' in the coming months and years. So, I made a vow the second day of our visit with him, as I sat down for the evening, that I needed to get healthy once again. Not just for him, but for myself, for my husband, for my other kids and the loves of my life, my grandchildren!

I work best when I have a plan...8,001 Steps...it is close to 8000 miles from my home to Afghanistan, or so Googel, says, lol. From this, my plan was devised...until he deploys, I will work on building my stamina and strength, and if he deploys, I will walk a minimum of 8,001 steps every day he is over there. The first step each day, now and then, is for him, and each step after that is for me, to get healthy, to get strong, so i can always have his back, if he every needs me.

I am almost six weeks in, and my daily step count is 6500. I have also decided to add a few extra workouts to the mix, and walk the steps at Pine Mountain a couple times a week.  ...I would say to wish me luck, but I don't need luck, just perseverance...i.e., steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement...well, I have the purpose, several times over...one of their names is Cody!