I reread some of the posts from my Holocaust summer that included Auschwitz, BirkenauA, and Terezin, among others. I learned so much that summer, but I was also saturated. After doing Poland, I couldn’t do the Berlin memorial. One day, I’ll do the DC one. Almost feel due, in an odd sense.

The camps were really the final determinant in the Israel trip. Somehow I don’t have a single photo of Yad VaShem. Not sure how that happened. Holocaust has always been . . . → Keep Going: Memories: Travel and Otherwise]]> in which we briefly return to this blog’s origins as a travel blog inspired by Yom HaShoah

I reread some of the posts from my Holocaust summer that included Auschwitz, BirkenauA, and Terezin, among others. I learned so much that summer, but I was also saturated. After doing Poland, I couldn’t do the Berlin memorial. One day, I’ll do the DC one. Almost feel due, in an odd sense.

The camps were really the final determinant in the Israel trip. Somehow I don’t have a single photo of Yad VaShem. Not sure how that happened. Holocaust has always been moving to me, and I look at the news and I realize not a damn thing has changed. It may not be European Jews, but it’s in Rwanda, Cambodia, Sudan, etc.

One day we’ll learn. I hope it’s not too late.

Yom HaShoah also inspired these two collages:

Q1 mileage: January: 114.23 bike / 4.01 walking

February: 62.18 bike / 8.61 walking

March: 62.57 bike / 31.24 walking

Total: 238.98 bike . / 43.86 walking

Although only the ~239 miles counts for #GoTheDist, I’m very impressed with those totals. While it looks like I wasn’t any more active in March than I was in a (sick & traveling) February, it’s more that I walked home a lot more. Not as strenuous as the gym, but good activity and good for the head.

Thought about adjusting . . . → Keep Going: #GoTheDist: Q1 Complete]]> with today’s workout complete, Q1 of the #GoTheDist challenge is as well

Q1 mileage:
January:
114.23 bike / 4.01 walking

February:
62.18 bike / 8.61 walking

March:
62.57 bike / 31.24 walking

Total:
238.98 bike . / 43.86 walking

Although only the ~239 miles counts for #GoTheDist, I’m very impressed with those totals. While it looks like I wasn’t any more active in March than I was in a (sick & traveling) February, it’s more that I walked home a lot more. Not as strenuous as the gym, but good activity and good for the head.

Thought about adjusting up my #GoTheDist goals but as the weather gets better, I’m morel likely to spend more time outside, so might not be as easy to hit my goals so I’ll keep it at 175, and re-evaluate in April or early May. Where on earth did this year go? In the interim, I’ve added goals. Beginning March 1 I recommitted to tracking (22/31 days. Infinitely better than the 0s the previous months) and this month I’ve committed to strength training. So we’ll see.

I also finished Tales from the Scale. Mixed feelings on it, but glad I read it

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As any of you who know me know, I have no sense of direction. . . . → Keep Going: But it didn’t feel like 5 miles]]> Since I got my iPhone in December, I’ve fallen back into shutterbug mode. I’ve discovered Instagram and generally enjoyed exploring Manhattan with my camera. Most of these had been on my way to or from somewhere, or walking home from work through the park on a gorgeous, early spring day. What I hadn’t done was dedicate a day to taking pictures like I used to do while in Spain. That changed yesterday

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(21 Photos)

As any of you who know me know, I have no sense of direction. Up and down? I’m OK with those. Right, left, east, west? Not so much. I usually do OK within the park and after having accidentally re-found Cherry Hill on Friday night when it too late/dark to get a good picture, I had a general course planned for Saturday morning. I just didn’t realize how long it was.

I entered the park at E. 86th and headed north along the reservoir. The east side of the reservoir had the sakura in peak whereas they are totally gone on the west side. Odd. From the south end of the reservoir I dropped down toward the Delacorte and new-to-me deck over the Turtle Pond via the great lawn and some amazing cherry, plum and magnolia trees. It’s amazing how many more turles you can see when the brush is cut back. I wanted to go up to the top of Belvedere Castle but the crowds were too big so I headed east around the Turtle Pond to the Poland/King Jagiello statue where I just s at and people watched for a bit. It was a gorgeous, warm-for-March spring day but a little too cool in the shade so I kept walking again after too long.

At the top of the hill to the south of King Jagiello I found another wonderful tree where I probably stopped and took photos for 20 minutes. Photos, yes. These were 20 or so of my best from yesterday but I took 248 in a matter of four plus hours. Yep, Shutterbug Cari is alive and well. From there, cut down through the crowds by the Boathouse and Bethesda Terrace to cherry hill. Surprisingly after the blossoms by King Jagiello and the ones I’d seen earlier in the week near the Pilgrim statue, where I returned on my way out of the park, the blossoms on cherry hill weren’t as magical. I still enjoyed the view of the Lake and the people watching.

By this point, my achilles were starting to hurt (fit flops and hills in the park don’t mix) so I decided to head out and make my way to the gym … but then I found the pilgrim blossoms even closer to peak than earlier in the week and an hour was gone to taking pics. Those trees are where the majority of the pics above are from – and they’re what spurred me to figure out how to edit photos on my computer and upgrade flickr so I could post them. WOW. These are by far the best sakura I’ve ever seen outside of Himeji or Hiroshima. The perfect climax to a great day.

I was floored when I tracked my route in MapMyFitness and realized it was more than five miles. Followed that with seven miles at the gym. A productive day in many ways.

I can weigh myself daily and it doesn’t make me (too) crazy. I’ll even weigh myself multiple times. I just need to know where I am. Non-scale cues don’t work for me especially since I have yet to learn to properly use a measuring tape. Yes, I’m special at times.

Weighed myself this morning knowing it would be up because a) couldn’t bend my fingers and b) overnight cankles. Hi. Crazy salt in Knorr Rice Sides buffalo chicken, anyone? Saw . . . → Keep Going: Confession: Scale Wench]]> I like “wench” better than “wh0re” but when it comes to the scale, both are true for me.

I can weigh myself daily and it doesn’t make me (too) crazy. I’ll even weigh myself multiple times. I just need to know where I am. Non-scale cues don’t work for me especially since I have yet to learn to properly use a measuring tape. Yes, I’m special at times.

Weighed myself this morning knowing it would be up because a) couldn’t bend my fingers and b) overnight cankles. Hi. Crazy salt in Knorr Rice Sides buffalo chicken, anyone? Saw the number, shook my head, started drinking. At day’s end? I’d peed about 12 times and my night weight was 2 lbs less than my morning weight. Good sign but further proof our bodies are nuts.

Proud of myself today. I tracked everythng (except 4 m&ms as I couldn’t figure that out) and stayed OP.

I WILL DO THIS

Currently reading: Tales from the Scale. I see so much of myself in there, it’s eerie.

I realized recently that between March 24, 2010 and February 4, 2012 I went to the gym at least 200 times. Five weeks after joining Weight Watchers I was impressed with my ability . . . → Keep Going: Two years in…]]> Friday is my two-year Weight Watchers anniversary. Am I where I wanted to be? No, but I’m a lot closer to that than I was when I started in March 2009. Best of all, I recently recaptured that epiphany / drive I had when I first started and I’m really hoping to ride that to goal. Yes, I believe that I will hit GOAL in 2012.

I realized recently that between March 24, 2010 and February 4, 2012 I went to the gym at least 200 times. Five weeks after joining Weight Watchers I was impressed with my ability to stick to the gym and while the 15 of 19 days pace hasn’t held up, I’ve remained committed to the gym. GoTheDist has been a huge part of that as has the Back to Basics challenge I’m doing with a few former WeWa buddies. While my eating has been somewhat off track leading to a recent gain, I’m proud that I’ve stuck with the gym.

I’m human. I’m not perfect. There are some things, read
guacamole, where I’m still weak but I’m getting better.

Step 1, mini goal 1: track food for one full week.

I can do this.

I’m coming up on two years at Boom Fitness and while I like it, I don’t love it. So I decided to see what’s out there. Figured it can’t hurt to be a diligent shopper so I hit NYSC & Equinox

Putting it as a pros and cons to help myself decide even though I think I’ve already made my decision.

Current gym: Boom Fitness: Pros:

Cons:

I had a slower start to exercise then I wanted because I started off the year sick. Still, I made myself go to the gym on both Sunday and Monday and even a short workout is better than none at all.

So far, I’m in a good place for #GoTheDist. 21.41 miles out of a goal of 750 for the year and 175 for Q1. I think I can do it even when I switch to more walks over bikes when the weather is nicer. Speaking of nice weather, it was 13F . . . → Keep Going: so a week into 2012]]> and I’m mostly still on track.

I had a slower start to exercise then I wanted because I started off the year sick. Still, I made myself go to the gym on both Sunday and Monday and even a short workout is better than none at all.

So far, I’m in a good place for #GoTheDist. 21.41 miles out of a goal of 750 for the year and 175 for Q1. I think I can do it even when I switch to more walks over bikes when the weather is nicer. Speaking of nice weather, it was 13F when I left the house on Weds. AM & today when I was walking home from the gym it was 55F. Same city. Wish I’d had more time for an outdoor workout today. Maybe I’ll walk home one day this week if it stays nice.

After a few missed weekends in the fall due to other commitments, I’m back on track for 50 gym visits in this 6 month window. It’s good for fitness, it’s even better my wallet.

Food choices were mostly good too. I’m in my usual winter challenge of a lack of fresh fruit & veg & it being too cold for smoothies, but I’m making better choices.

So let’s see where the rest of 2012 goes.

Challenges of the activity variety. Back in February I mentioned a challenge that seemed interesting. Of course, I did nothing with it. Lately, I’ve been watching Fat Girl vs. World’s #GoTheDist challenge and I decided if I didn’t join I wouldn’t do it. So I signed up. I tracked nearly 520 miles this yr. of exercise from April to December. I think I can do 750 next year. Maybe my knee will even strengthen to the point where I can get past the . . . → Keep Going: Challenges]]> no, not involving blogging more. I randomly have the best of intentions which then fade fast.

Challenges of the activity variety. Back in February I mentioned a challenge that seemed interesting. Of course, I did nothing with it. Lately, I’ve been watching Fat Girl vs. World’s #GoTheDist challenge and I decided if I didn’t join I wouldn’t do it. So I signed up. I tracked nearly 520 miles this yr. of exercise from April to December. I think I can do 750 next year. Maybe my knee will even strengthen to the point where I can get past the first day of C2K.

Additional GOALS:
My next goal is 149.9 (aka below 150) and after that, 139.9. I’m not sure I’ve ever been below 140 since I was a kid. I think big G goal is going to be 134. Why the odd number? It would be a total of 75 lbs lost and gives me some wiggle room to gain a bit but still be a healthy weight (141 is the top end for my height). I hope to be able to tell as I get closer whether that’s attainable or maintainable.

If they look familiar, it’s because they’re the same ones from a year ago today. In 2012 I will hit them. Between #GoTheDist and Back to Basics (grew out of the 30s board on the Weight Watchers’ site) this *will* be the last year I start overweight. #NoExcuses is my favorite hashtag for gym checkins on FourSquare. Time to apply it to everything else.

Some additional information about that 519.29 miles:

79.66 total hours

131 workouts

22,728 calories.

Now I didn’t hit either my mini weight goals in 2011 but those numbers are pretty powerful. Imagine where I’d been if I hadn’t logged that mileage?

It’s true that most of my on Pinterest . . . → Keep Going: 519.29]]> activity miles logged since I began tracking on MapMyFitness in April 2011. That’s pretty impressive. 104.3 of that was in July and I petered off in the fall when work was crazy but got back on track with 61.81 miles in December. I’m hoping to carry that motivation into 2012.

Some additional information about that 519.29 miles:

79.66 total hours

131 workouts

22,728 calories.

Now I didn’t hit either my mini weight goals in 2011 but those numbers are pretty powerful. Imagine where I’d been if I hadn’t logged that mileage?

It’s true that most of my on Pinterest is weight loss but I’m taking this one to heart in 2012

I probably still won’t blog worth shit, but I’m going to be accountable to myself.

I think I’ve found some of the motivation I had last Spring which is a good thing. Now I’m trying to harness it. Step 1? Go back to the tracking I did. Not just food tracking but weight tracking. And accountability. I still weight myself daily . . . → Keep Going: Am I back?]]> I have no idea. Blogging and I don’t seem to get along. But I’m officially back OP. Maybe. I’m still on the yo-yo that I was in October. On the plus side, I haven’t gained back a lot of weight despite some atrocious food choices. On the down side? I haven’t lost anything either.

I think I’ve found some of the motivation I had last Spring which is a good thing. Now I’m trying to harness it. Step 1? Go back to the tracking I did. Not just food tracking but weight tracking. And accountability. I still weight myself daily multiple times a day but don’t do anything with it. I’m bringing back this chart. I’ll clean it up and tweak it some as I’m no longer doing WW, but I think there’s some good data in there. Looking now, when I quit that is when I, essentially, quit losing. I haven’t been lower than that. It’s time to get back on track.

Now let’s see if I can do it over a weekend.