Three Weeks

Finished my run today, another 3 miles, and realized that today is my 21st day without a cigarette!  Apparently, addiction specialists say it takes 21 days to get over the habit of the addiction and another week to replace the habit with something else or to have it eliminated completely.  So, THAT'S FREAKING AWESOME that i've made that milestone for myself!!!

I did find an alternate route for running to MaCarren Park today, one with a dedicated pedestrian path all the way.  Makes the running so much more enjoyable especially since others are using it, too!

First Hump

This is getting difficult!  I was sort of coasting for the last week or so, doing the same routine and feeling pretty great.  Today, though, was a difficult one.  I just couldn't do it.  The  couch was a bit too comfortable, the t.v. a bit too interesting.  But I did it anyway.  I did the crunches to start which pumped me up for the weights...then the heart started quickening and then running didn't seem so alien.  I may not have made the full 3 miles today, but the 2 1/2 felt good!

AND! I'm now 16 days cigarette-free!!!!!

Like Nike says...'just do it'....

Come on, guys!!!

I'm feeling a bit lonely here on this blog...lol...

But I am continuing anyway.  First bit of news: 3 lbs. lost!

Second, I think I've decided the best system for me is this: running on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; weights everyday, but more significant reps and variations on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; Sunday is a total rest day.  Writing that down appears to be a lot of work, but the weights thing only takes about 30 mins (including abs, etc.) and the running/stretching is about 45 mins.  This seemed to work and still feel good for the first round last week, so we'll keep this going for now!  Two unexpected benefits I'm finding:  less sleep is wanted! I'm getting a solid 7-8 now and I feel great!  Also, in conjunction with my vocal lessons I'm taking, I'm finding I can breathe more efficiently for my voice and can contol it better (NOW I'm beginning to understand when singers say "from the diaphragm"!!!!).  All that core work and aerobics are paying off already!

Still running around 3 miles per session.  I'd like to get it up to 4 miles, but I'm not quite at a point where I can push that hard yet...the lungs aren't what they used to be! :)  The music mix-up continues to be a big motivator for me and I'm honing in on a good mix.  I'm finding that I don't necessarily  need super hyper music, but more pressing, inspiring tunes...

That's all for now!

First Week Thoughts...

So, I've completed the first week of cigarette detox.  Oddly, I haven't craved one yet, which I am fine with while I prepare for that first big withdrawal day...lol.

Ran again today (that's a little over 10 miles this week!) but tried a new path, running toward Manhattan and halfway over the Williamsburg Bridge and back.  Ouch!  It's a long uphill run on the bridge at first which is a good burn but dang!  At least the view was fantastic!

One bit of bad news :(  As part of doing all of this good for myself, I decided to get real with myself and bought a scale.  Bad move.  I'd hovered around the same weight (165-170) for most of my adult life, thanks to dancing, but that has come to a crashing halt.  Aside from that skirmish with not eating back in 1998 where I bottomed out at 145, this is the first time I remember not being in that weight window.  Gulp...are you ready?  185 lbs. !!!!!  At first I told myself that the added weight simply MUST  be muscle mass...then I remembered...that horrible picture of me in the dunking booth...the rolls...the horror!!

I kid, but I did immediately up the crunches.  Now I have to do 150 of those a day now, too!

Really, 185 lbs. ?  Really?  UNACCEPTABLE!!!

Hope the softball games went well!  Barb, how's the house hunt?

Yay!

Alright, kids, here we go!

I'm on my fifth day of not smoking and I still don't want one yet...I hope it stays this easy (right...)...

I'm still fiddling with my playlist.  I definitely need the music to keep me in the zone while running, so fine-tuning the list is crucial! :) I'm running every other day and doing light weight training on the off days.  Now that I'm not dancing four times a week, working out is, well, WORK!  Hopefully this system sticks so I don't have to keep thinking about it.

I'm so glad we're doing this!  If I think about this monetarily, I haven't bought a pack of cigarettes in NYC in twelve days; that's $100.  Minus the $34 for the carton in St. Louis, I'm already up $66 dollars!

Let's all keep positive and find the little goals every day...love you guys!

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