A Pain In The Neck

I was wondering why my neck was suddenly so sore yesterday afternoon and evening and is still so this morning. All the muscles are so tight and ropey. Then I realised - yesterday I not only water walked, but did some swimming as well. Who'd a thought? That also explains the slightly sore right shoulder (my bad one).

Still will be back there this morning so hopefully the 'hair of the dog' will ease it rather than make it worse - LOL.

Also caught a bit of sun yesterday and the boobs are a little pink this morning, so while the East coast of Aus is shivering, it is warm and sunny here. So must remember the sunscreen today.

Hope your weekend is cruising along, and if you are on the East coast - rug up as I believe today is more of the same.

Water Walking - It's Back

Yippee, the pool is open again and this morning off I went with JB and spent a fantastic 45 mins chatting and walking and chatting and walking. The dreaded easterly wind was almost non-existent, the sun warming (even though it was 6am) and the pool water warmed to an almost perfect temperature.

Guess where I am going tomorrow - yep, back to the pool.

Water Walking A New Pool - Take 2

After work today JB and I tried out a new pool. The complex has a 8 lane 50 metre outdoor pool and a 6 lane 25 m indoor pool and a toddler pool.

The outdoor pool is 1.4 m at the shallow end and 1.97 m at the deep end. The 25m indoor pool is 1.2 m for the whole pool.

We chose to try outside where there was no a lane set aside for walkers, but a free lane with no one swimming in it at the time.

You had to climb down the ladder, not walk down steps in the outdoor pool, which worried me a lot as I have no upper body strength, or leg strength and was worried how I would boost myself out. JB and I worked out a strategy, she would push me up and if needed I would pull her up. I can hear the fit and young ones out there going What??? But I was really concerned. Still in we got, the water felt coldish when we first got in, but more than okay once we were in.

Both of us were enjoying ourselves in the water until ... cramp - that's right my PITA left foot started to cramp. I could not walk it out in the water so I thought I have to get out and walk, so that is what I did. That's right - all by myself, cramp and all, so I must have more strength in my arms or my legs than I did last time I tried to use the ladder to get out of a pool.

After 5 mins of walking around out of the pool using JB's crocs (Mum they are a type of shoe) to help release the cramp, I got back in (still wearing the crocs) and continued to walk the cramp out then started jogging again.

Being deeper than our normal pool we had less room to do our warm up walking so this might have contributed to the cramp. We might use both pools in future and do the warm up inside before moving outside.

There is no outdoor clock so we lost track of time, and thought we had only been in there for about 45 mins when we got out. Once we got to the car I realised it was probably closer to 70 mins in reality.

Getting back out at the end of swimming should have been a breeze, and was until I got to the top step and cramp (this time in my left calf and right foot) hit. Still it didn't take much to get it to release.

I am so over my body trying to sabotage me (well that is how it feels). JB, the gorgeous soul that she is, gave me a big, big hug and kiss on the cheek, as she could see how down I was about this whole cramp issue.

Still, we are going back tomorrow, after work. We may have found the pool, at least until it gets too cold. But today, I also heard abut a 50m indoor pool that is not that far from where we work either.

See you at the Pool.

Water Walking A New Pool

So this morning at 4.50 am (yes before 5) I arose, got my swimming gear on, and toddled off to a new pool. It was pitch black outside.

The nice 15 min drive there with the sun roof open, there was no sun, with chilly 16 degree air wafting in woke me up nicely. Did I mention I love my sun roof, I'm sure I have before somewhere.

Waiting at the other end was JB, luckily for me as I forgot my shoes. I did mention I was up at 4.50 am didn't I? She had a spare pair so my little (size 10 not so little) footsies didn't get hurt on the very lumpy bitumen.

We entered (it is indoors) the hot steamy and smelly pool area. Put our things down, and walked into the very hot and shallow (.9m at one end and 1.3m at the other) pool.

The pool is only 25m long, is 8 lanes wide (although I swear then are narrower lanes that my normal pool) with 2 put aside for walkers. About 10 mins into the hour there, I switched to the slow swimming lane. Did a combined 75 m of breast stroke and side stroke and in the process managed to kick a man who was submerged swimming - WTF - and got jabbed numerous times by other blokes who are totally oblivious to anyone else. What's with that?? Switched back to walking as I was over swimming, there is only so much jabbing I can take. Found that more people had arrived and where hogging the deep end (or not so deep end) which reduced the walking length even more.

My thoughts - too crowded, too small, too hot, too smelly and filled with ignorant men (and a few women). I don't like walking in loops - never had to at my pool. It wasn't deep enough for me to jog on the spot, when I tried I hurt my knee. So I drove home with a huge amount of disappointment. I want to feel good, like I do at my pool, which is now closed because our Shire is stupid.

Tomorrow, we try another pool after work. I will find one I like, but it will only ever be a substitute - I want my pool back right now.

Water Walking Wrap Up Weeks 10 & 11

Image : fotosearch.com

Well the Pool officially closed on Thursday 1st April - and I went twice that day - once at 6am for 90 mins and once at 5pm for just over an hour.

Week 10 I went 6 times - missed one day due to the pool being closed after the storm, it was also closed on the Weds morning, but I went later in the day when it reopened. Did around 55 mins each week day and just over 90 mins on the Sat and Sunday.

Week 11 - the last week of the pool being opened, I went 5 times in 4 days (as mentioned above) doing 60 mins Mon-Weds and having the mega day on the Thursday.

I am sad the pool has closed, I am really not looking forward to changing my routine as it was right for me, but I am determined to try 2 new pools to see how I go. I have an agreement to meet up with a mother and daughter that I meet at our pool at 5.30 am on the Weds after Easter at the closest heated pool - 15 mins drive from home. I am trying not to prejudge, but it is smaller, indoors and very busy.

I plan to check out the pool near work, for going on the way home rather than before work, on Monday or Tuesday - this pool offers both indoor and outdoor pools all through winter.

There is something about being outdoors that seems right for me, fresh air being the best benefit.

I also had a blood test a little over a week ago (3 monthly blood glucose thingy) and I had hoped that my exercise would have bought the levels down - the bad news is no (well .01 drop) so I feel pretty bummed by that. The good news though is that my blood pressure is the best it has been for ages 120/78 and my doctor weighed me. She last weighed me in Sept 2009 and when she weighed me Thursday I had lost 3 kgs exactly. She was really excited and encouraging. Me, felt a little - ho hum about that - I have made it foremost in my mind that I can not make this journey about weight loss - I get too disheartened when I do that - I need to loose nearly half of myself to be in my ideal weight range. My doctor would be happy if I lost 25 kgs - even that seems too huge a number to me. So, yes I am happy to lose 3kgs, but not over the moon happy. When you are large like me no-one notices 3kgs so you don't get the wow, you look thinner comments. You look in the mirror and you still see fat - because lets face it you still are fat. Still as one of my lovely sisters commented last night a kilo a month equals 12 kilos in a year. Now that I might just be able to handle.

See you at the pool - albeit a new one!!

Water Walking Wrap Up Weeks 8 & 9

The pool closes on Easter Thursday - boo. Feeling really bummed that I will have to change my routine, but determined to make this work.

Week 8 - Did 4 days as we went on our family holiday, did 60 mins each day and I have been adding more swimming now to break it up. Not a strong swimmer but can do 20 m of breast stroke and so I am throwing in around 4 of those into the routine. I so missed my walking while away, went to the beach for 1 day but it is just not the same.

Week 9 - Did 7 days of 60 mins each day. This morning there was only me at the pool which was a very different experience - there were some swimmers doing laps but I was the only one water walking and deep water running. I have started adding lunges when walking - using the noodle to help me balance as I just want to mix it up a bit so I don't get bored. I managed to do 8 lots of 20 m breast stroke and 25 mins of deep water running on the spot. I have also added in stomach crunches - well if you can call them that standing up. Basically using the noodle to keep afloat and then bringing both legs up at once to my chest. Takes some control not to drown myself but getting better at it.

See you at the pool

Blog This Challenge 35 - How Things Change

Blog This Challenge 35: You've Come A Long Way Baby - Take us on a journey. Your journey. Something you've achieved, somewhere you've travelled, someone you've become. How has it challenged or changed you?

So here is my story - and if you would like to vote for me, then voting starts on Thurs 11th to Tues 16th March.

I'm 55, I'm overweight (well if I am truthful I am obese) and I decided 2010 was the year this was going to change. And so I started going to the pool. This was a huge obstacle for me to overcome. I know what I look like naked, I hate it so much I avoid mirrors like the plague. Yet I found the courage, with the help of one of my 'sisters', to get into the pool and to exercise.

We made a commitment to each other to do 3 days a week - Mon, Weds, Fri and for the first 2 weeks we did just that. I now go 7 days a week if I can - I do 45-90 mins per day of walking, running and swimming and I feel good about myself for the first time in years.

After week 2 I even bought bathers, which in itself was another challenge especially as when I walked into the swimsuit store the woman was no more than 25 and no bigger than a size 8 - I kid you not. But somewhere I found the courage to try on bathers, talk to her about my concerns and come away with a 3 piece set.

It took me another week to actually wear the bathers to the pool - I mean I look like a large lumpy black sausage - but now it means nothing to me - I can walk into the pool and not care - because I am doing this for me, no-one else, just me.

I am still obese but I am taking back control and I will win this battle before it kills me - you just watch!

For anyone out there who needs encouragement to do the same thing, let me know, I will follow your blog and encourage you all the way. One unexpected thing I have found in cyberspace is a new lot of friends who have been there supporting me pretty much every single week. My heartfelt thanks are sent to the ladies who don't know me from Adam, but take the time in their busy lives to make me feel that someone cares.

To explain my journey a little further, I thought I would share with you a post I wrote in Jan 2009 on a day when I was feeling particularly down and angry at myself. Just over 12 months later, while I am still obese, I am feeling so empowered about the changes I am making in my life.

Lost and Found

I've lost this girl
Where can she be
Can I find her
Let me see

I've looked in the mirror
She isn't there
Someone strange
Looks back from there

She's in my head
She's in my heart
Now comes the hardest part

She's in my head
She's in my heart
But can't you see
She isn't really lost to me

She is me when I was young
When my life was full of fun
When I felt filled with grace
Before I found this older face

She is me before I aged
Before my weight
Before self hate

She is me before
When I could look
and like what I saw

She is me and she is here
Somewhere in my soul
She is part of me the whole

She is who I was
She never really left because
She's in my head
She's in my heart

She will always be a part
A part of all the girls I've been
Of the woman I've become

If you look close
You'll see that smile, that face
You'll see she still has that grace

You may have to look hard
But persevere
Cause she is really
standing here

Water Walking Update - Week 7

This week's wrap up - 5 days (had 2 off because of other family commitments and boy did I miss my time in the pool, but loved spending time with my daughter and grand-daughter too).

Most days 45 mins to 60 mins. I am doing a lot more running on the spot in shoulder deep water now, as well as lunges when walking in the shallower water. My fitness seems to be increasing and I just love being in the water and spending time with some new friends and my 'sister'.

Who would have thought I would be writing this and still enjoying it after 7 weeks. I am so sad the pool closes at the end of the month, have signed a petition to try and keep it open but not holding out much hope of that happening, at least for this year anyway.

Water Walking Update - Week 6

Image : fotosearch.com

Just a quick update, managed to do 7 days this week and will be off to the pool again today. Most days I did nearly 60 mins in the pool and I am increasing the time I can jog on the spot in chin-deep water. Starting each day with a few laps of shallow water walking, then into the deep for the rest. Usually some chin-deep jogging on the spot first then onto the noodle to cycle and run in the deeper water. Today I also wrapped up the session with 15 mins jogging on the spot - the first time I have been able to do this long without stopping for either a drink or a rest. My knee has been a little sore today, so may cut this back to 10 mins tomorrow as I don't want to aggravate my arthritis too much.

See you in the pool.

What Do You Think?

Anyone who has been following for a while would have read that my Water Walking is basically to get fit, if I loose weight and inches that is a bonus but I have not wanted to complicate my goal or to change my focus in case I get disappointed - if I don't lose weight.

So I have not measured myself, nor weighed myself at this point. I have a rough idea of what I weigh but not an exact figure.

This last week I feel different, I still look the same in the mirror, but I feel thinner especially around my lower chest area - just below where my bra sits.

Now when you are obese like I am, it takes a long time to see changes in the mirror, but I feel thinner all over really, but especially as I said around my lower chest.

So, do I break my rule and weigh and measure myself, or do I just keep going with my goal being to get fit?

It is quite possible that I feel thinner because my core muscles have tightened up as I am really concentrating on holding my core straight when I am in the water and maybe that is why I am getting the feeling of this area being thinner.

One part of me says to leave my goal as only getting fit, but the other part of me is really curious. I am just scared of opening Pandora's box - because when I do, the focus will change, I just know it will.

I would really value your opinions as I know a lot of you are on the same path as I am at the moment, even if you have significantly less weight to lose than I have.

Who'd Of Thought This Could Happen?

Imagine my surprise this morning when 3 steps into the pool I trod on something sharp, thought it was a small rock took another step came back to the same foot and ouch, no there was something stuck in my foot. A very large stud earring must have found its way onto the floor of the pool and there is was now sticking out of my foot. Took a bit of effort to pull it out, but hey I am brave. Kept on walking with now slightly sore ball of my foot but I wasn't getting out of the pool for anyone.

On the way to work I suddenly started thinking about how long it was since I had renewed my tetanus shots - like 22 years long - so rang the doctors thinking they would say don't worry, but no luck there. On the way home I got a tetanus shot - just hoping I don't get the normal reaction of a large red swelling - nothing is keeping me out of the pool tomorrow though. Let's just hope I don't find the earrings partner - LOL.

Water Walking Update - Week 5

image : fotosearch.com

Still going, now wearing my bathers and not bothering about what others think, bought a new huge and very soft beach towel yesterday. Went 6 days this week, exercised for 60 mins on Sun, 50 mins on Mon, 60 mins on Tues, 50 mins on Weds, 90 mins on Thurs and Fri.

Will be going this morning and really looking forward to it. Oh and even though my focus in not loosing weight rather it is on getting fit, I actually feel like I may have lost a little weight. Mind you it could just be things are firming up and that would be great too.

Won't you join me in the pool?

Water Walking Week 4 Wrap Up

Image : fotosearch.com

Week 4 done and dusted - 5 days each day between 45min to 1 hour with a mixture of normal water walking and deep water exercise.

Thursday and Friday mornings were a struggle for me - both to get to the pool and at the pool, I have been very, very tired as my hubby has been away, plus it has been muggy and hot at night, hence I was lucky to get more than 3 hours continuous sleep each night this week. Thursday my legs were so heavy in the water, I got cramp in my toes and just had to really motivate myself. Friday was not much better and each day on leaving the pool I didn't have the "UP" I usually feel. In fact Thursday I needed a nap and Friday I left work at lunch time as I was just emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted.

But even with this, I still feel good that I went each day. It would have been easy on Friday to just not go given the way I felt the day before, but I did go because I made a commitment, and I know if I give in to excuses this early on, it will become too easy to do it again later.

I also did some research into Deep Water Exercise and came up with the following in case you have been thinking about hopping in the pool yourself.

Deep Water Exercise provides a cardiovascular workout equal to or better than comparable dry land activities, with a reduced heart rate. Due to the combined buoyancy of the water and the wet vest or belt, gravitational pull is reduced tremendously. This decreased pull is believed to the main factor in the reduced heart rate, consequently the heart does not have to work as hard to produce an excellent workout. Another reason for the decreased heart rate is increased venous return. The pressure of the water is greater on the extremities thus, more blood is available to be pumped by the heart. Emphasis is on moving at one's individual pace at a preferred level of intensity within a comfortable range of motion.

Water Walking Update - Week 3

Week 3 - 5 days - whoppee - that's 5 days of 1 hour per day, mixing up the deep water walking with the shallower water walking.

Did you see that I wrote it was 5 days - pretty proud of myself, not normally one to boast, but 5 days including one day when it was 11C with a cold easterly wind. 2010 is the year I get fit.

Oh, and I got invited to a swim date - yep, 2 of the ladies are going on Sunday morning and asked if I would like to come along - will depend on what I need to do tomorrow, but just maybe that will make it 6 days this week.

Who would have thought, certainly not me.

Anxiety

So yesterday I went and bought some bathers - well there are 4 pieces to these bathers as I have trouble getting bathers to fit my body shape - sigh.

There is a swim bra, some swim knickers with a little skirt and a ruched swim top and a little pair of swim shorts. All in black - plus I bought some really lovely (3 in fact) cotton cover up tops which are so nice I think I might wear them at other times too.

But the reality is, I look like a black sausage that has very white legs, the swim pants are a little big I realised when I got home and it is a good thing I bought the little shorts, otherwise there are bits of me that no one should see that might flash to the world - if you get my drift - sigh.

Now I know I will never look like this (I don't think I did even when I was a size 12 back when I was a teenager).

Image : fotosearch.com

I sort of look my like this from the back - but it is the front view that worries me - I am telling you people - a very lumpy sausage is the best I can do in sharing without actually taking a photo and that I am not prepared to do.

Image : fotosearch.com

So will this be another waste of money, will they languish in my wardrobe while I continue to wear my very loose top and long (below the knee) leggings to swim in. I just think that I may draw more attention to myself looking like a sausage than I do swimming in clothes - sigh.

Now my hubby, bless his cotton socks, says I look fine - but he loves me so I can't trust his opinion, I can only trust the mirror - and that my friends scares even me - sigh.

Water Walking Week 2 Wrap Up

Week 2 done and dusted - walked for an hour, mainly in the deep water on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I love it, I think I am addicted and already lamenting the fact our local pool closes over Winter. That means I will have to find somewhere else or just not Water Walk for 6 months.

I have had cramps in my feet a lot this week while sleeping and a few little ones threatening in my calves, but apart from that no soreness - just a sense of well-being.

Next week I am going to try going every weekday before work, may do shorter sessions on Tuesday and Thursday but at the moment my commitment to JB is M, W, F so that way I won't derail myself if for some reason I can't do the whole 5 days.

See you at the pool - I will be the one with the big smile and dressed in clothes rather than bathers - although you never know I might actually find some bathers for larger ladies that are not just sized up versions of slim ladies bathers some time in the near future.