When the world closes in around you

My first year as a graduate student was arduous. I found my focus pulled in every direction but on myself. The result has been a decrease in focus on being active. For fun, I like to blame winter for making me want to stay inside as well. Spring semester 2013, I did an "ok" job of getting to the gym every morning. I'd stay about 45 minutes then I was off to do work inside the rest of the day. I succumbed to the wily seasonal affective disorder despite my best efforts to be out and about when I could. I always hear people say here that last winter was "mild" but for this southern gal even an inch of snow is too much. All for education...

Even this summer my world remained closed as I worked for the Forest Service, and attempted to continue working on my school work in the evenings. I'm glad the yard was big enough for the pups to run and chase each other. Thankfully, we found time this summer to teach my lab/bloodhound how to swim. We still bought her a life jacket though because I was worried, and she seemed more confident. Now I'm back in school for my second year. Everything around me threatens to remain closed and winter looms once again. But this year, I will defy SAD, winter, and my school work. I will not neglect myself through seclusion, or by not taking breaks from my work to see the outside world.

I'm doing this by being more social than last year by utilizing meetup.com to find groups I am interested in. I've joined a running group for accountability (last year didn't work out because my running partners schedule was way different than mine's). I have a membership again with the gym to make it through the winter., and my pup is bigger now so I can take her on runs....or rather she takes me when she pulls me down the road.

Yeah, this year I am fighting the world, and will not lose myself ever again.

Weight woes

Human error can cause a lot of things to go wrong in your life. You may leave the stove on with a boiling pot of water, put the car in drive when you want to reverse, or use a tool incorrectly. In my case, it was the incorrect use of a tool, the weight scale.

Since January 1^st, I’ve been on this journey to have a healthier lifestyle. I signed up for a gym membership on campus, found a workout buddy, and changed most of my eating habits (it’s the sweets….). In the beginning, I wrestled with whether I would buy a new scale versus my $10 dial scale from Wal-mart. I had concluded that that scale did not know how much I weighed since it was reading I weighed 10 lbs more than I actually weighed. Imagine my dismay when this past weekend, I gave in to the desire for a new scale because that same dial scale now read I weighed 40lbs more than my last known weight!! 

I’ve been told several times before that muscle weighs more than fat. Indeed my dilemma could be that I’ve been dutiful in my workouts that it was all muscle weight. However, let’s be real…40lbs of muscle? So I hopped over to Meijer’s (the Michigan version of Wal-mart Supercenter) to buy a new scale. This one measures body fat, muscle, Cal-max (the amount of calories consumed to maintain current weight), and a few other things. Now I’d get an index of how much I weighed. Of this I was certain. 

I lost 30 lbs…?

I stared incredulously at the scale for quite some time. The range between weights was 70 lbs. What made the whole fiasco humorous to me was the average of these weights actually gave me my last known weight. I planned right then to make a return trip to Meijer. The only thing that saved the scale from being returned to the shelves to collect dust was one of my roommates. While preparing to walk out the door I happened to mention to her my situation and she asked me one simple question: “Where are you using the scale?” 

“In my room” was the reply to which she followed with a tidbit that I would have never known in 1000 years unless someone had told me. I should use the bath scale on the tile floor of the bathroom rather than the carpeted floor of my room. The carpet throws off the readings. I admit, I was skeptical and abashed. When I tried the scale, indeed it gave me the correct readings, and so did the dial scale. It was such a simple oversight.

 I kept the second scale because I’d like to know that even if I don’t see visible changes in my weight I can see some change within my body somewhere. I find it better to know that my actions are producing results, and that I am achieving my goals. 

Starting weight: 199lbs

Goal weight: 170 lbs (high school weight, lol)

Every Little Bit Counts

10 lbs…..really? The number on the scale would not change no matter how much I stepped on and off. You see, I just started graduate school in August 2012. It’s been three years since I’ve been in school, and the freshman-15 was a distant memory. Upon starting school again, I went from being active every day to staring at four walls at least 8 hours a day. In this sixteen week period, the weight had crept up on me, and it was discouraging.

North Star visits the submarine.

I know I know....I should work out more. During the semester, my only means of exercising was the 10 minute walk (often dash) for the bus stop and walking North Star. To add fuel to the roaring fire, my meals had degraded from healthy to what-you-tell-your-kids-not-to-eat to fit my student budget that nevers seems to be enough. The ease in which I fell out of my good habits due to time constraints belied the time I had spent establishing those habits. Nothing short of an accountability partner, and sheer determination would help me this time around.

Nearing the end of the semester, I had an epiphany. From the moment I step on the bus and arrive on campus is 20-25 minutes. From the halfway point on the bus ride it takes an additional 10 minutes or so to get to campus. So one day, in my frustration with being in the submarine (an endearing name for my lab in the basement of my campus building with no cell service), I decided to leave the submarine to see how long it would take me to walk to the midpoint.

10 minutes.

Here it was! Here was my answer! Or at least a part of it. I could fit an additional 20 minutes worth of power walking into my day just by getting off the bus, and leaving my office a little earlier. According to Mayo Clinic walking has multiple benefits such as improving your health, your mood, and helping you lose weight. Essentially, every little bit counts. So if it’s turning your home into a gym doing repititions by lifting items or lunges across the house, then do it! If it’s going out and hiking a mile on a trail, then do it!Take some music, a kid, or, even better, a dog.

For me, I’ve decided to keep these additions to my workout schedule. I have found an accountability partner in one of my lab mates who is training for a half marathon (what can I say, every little bit counts). Plus I’ve signed up for a gym membership on campus for $125 that includes fitness and group classes for the semester. My next steps are to move back into a healthier eating style that doesn’t break my pockets.

No matter what, it is important that we make efforts to ensure that we are living healthily. Being active does more for you mentally, socially, physically, and, even, spiritually than you may think.
Just remember: every little bit counts!!!