Health Trek Day 16, 10/5/09

What a weekend! The foliage in New Hampshire was absolutely breathtaking! In spite of the rain, the leaves were brilliant colors and the reflections in the water were gorgeous. We decided to go via Route 101 at the start of our trip to try and avoid the hills going into Keene. But no matter how you try and get there, the fact is that the mountains go downhill into the valley, so we had to take it slow and easy and shift down a lot to not overheat the brakes. We are pulling the Pop-up with a six cylinder jeep so one of the things we were hoping to find out is that we would not overload the jeep's transmission. I am happy to report that it worked well, no mishaps and even the rain did not deter us. We cooked steak on Saturday night in the midst of a downpour for our friends and we were all warm and cozy inside the camper. I ate the correct portions, but my friend made a fruit cobbler for dessert so I may have imbibed a little more sugar than I should have. But all in all, Saturday was a good day.
Sunday we packed up in cloudy skies, but not rain and headed home by 11:30. We were using a Tom-Tom but decided to take a different route. In case any 0f you were like me, and wonder what the hey is a TOM TOM, it is a little GPS unit you can program your trip into. So when you take a different route, this little British woman's voice tells you to take the next left or turn around to get back on track. If you forge ahead, the whole thing will re-program and find a different route to take. She warns you if you are exceeding the speed limit, if you are going to take a toll road, and lets you know when you are getting off track. I think it would make a great comedy skit for someone to get in an argument with their GPS when they decide to take a shortcut and the unit insisting they go the direction it has programmed. It could even be another Stephen King novel if he gets the idea to make it a sinister alien infested piece of machinery!
But seriously, wouldn't it be great if we could have a little ESP Tom Tom that could keep us on track while we were losing weight. Every time we started to go off track and eat something we shouldn't it would warn us and then if we ate it anyway, it would re-program and show us what we needed to do to get back on track. Something like this: "That doughnut means you now need to walk 3.2 miles, do 50 push ups and ride your bike for 27.5 minutes! What a wake up call that would be. It would make us aware of everything we eat and stop all our mindless eating. Course I have something almost as effective. It's called a husband. He tries to help me diet by asking me if i should be eating that, whatever, and I try to convince him it is a low calorie custard strudel, but he just looks at me with the raised eyebrow and i put it back. The problem is after he goes to bed, the evil little glutton living inside me has a field day! So the Tom Tom could be a good thing. I'd probably end up taking a hammer to it though.
Now it is Monday and I need to get back on track. I did not get up at 4:00 a.m. this morning to exercise because I have an appointment with Mr. Gestapo today. I am into week eleven of my recovery and now the arm exercises are accelerating. So I did not want to wear myself out so much this morning that I messed up at the therapists office. Driving to Portland twice in one day would have been a waste of gas too. I am planning to do my walking DVD at home, and tomorrow at 4:00 a.m. do the gym. I should get the same benefit as if I'd done the exercise this morning.
So a new week, a new plan. This week I am planning to give up white potatoes at dinner. I'll eat two vegetables instead. I need to get serious. Fall Rally and November inspiration are looming ahead and I wanted to reach my small goal before then, so everyone
Let's Rock On!
Have an active day!

Poem:
No Not I!
When my dreams are filled with lovely
Sunny thoughts of Spring
But I wake up just to find snow
Has covered everything
Do I scream? Do I sigh?
Do I stomp my feet and cry?
No Not I!
I simply write a poem and
Make the snow a lie
It doesn't change the weather
But it gives me a new high!
When my step is light and funny
And I'm on a pleasant path
But some clod on a 4-wheeler
Gives me an unexpected bath
Do I Scream? Do I sigh?
Do I stomp my feet and cry?
No Not I!
I simply write a poem
Calling him a hopeless lout
It doesn't change the act
But it gets my feelings out
When I'm driving in my car
and planning just a little trip
and though I'm not going very far
The traffic just won't let me zip
Do I scream? Do I sigh?
Do I stomp my feet and cry?
No Not I!
I simply think rhymes in my mind
It really helps to fill the time
And when I finally do get home
I can't wait to write down my poem.
Judy Patt Hall

Plan for the Day:
Breakfast: Yogurt, toast, tea
Snack: sugar free jello
Lunch: ham sandwich on wheat
snack: apple, almonds
Dinner: lean pork, spinach, sweet potato
Snack: Go to bed and stop eating!! You are getting up at 4:00 a.m tomorrow!

Exercise: walking DVD, Therapy with Mr. G. Yoga before bed.