Baby Steps

Alright I've got the water thing down.

I was cruising Facebook the other day and came across this picture:

Since seeing it, I've been thinking about how much I sit in an average day.  I'll give myself these last couple of weeks because I've been battling with my back - but pre-spasms ... I spent prolly about 90% of my day sitting - and the other 10% on the couch or in bed!  That's crazy!  Not sure why I can't understand my struggle with weight loss ... I'm not actively doing anything to help it along.

I'm the type of person that get's excited about something and I throw myself all in for the first couple of days and then I tend to fizzle out.  For example, I thought it would be awesome to complete a 5k (and I still do) so I started a jogging routine...a routine that lasted probably a week - including my 'rest days'.  I was doing better on the treadmill with my music -  who doesn't like a good jam session?! -  but in the last move, our treadmill gave up and quit it's now resting comfortably on the back porch.

In keeping with the change theme, I'm going to make a serious effort to not let that happen with this plan.

In talks with my chiropractor this last couple of weeks, I have asked how to correct my issue and prevent future flare-ups.  Aside from losing weight I mean, why is it that doctors no longer want to talk about weight?  If I was him that is the first thing I woulda said .. it would have been something along the lines of get yer fat self up, get moving and stop shoving food down yer neck! {LOL}  I guess most want to keep their license and avoid lawsuits.  Only when I brought up my weight and my need to lose it, did he offer up walking as a solution.  He explained that walking burns fat, unlike running that burns carbs.  When you run, you send your body into a shock and it starts burning the fastest and easiest thing it can find = carbs.  Walking gives your body a chance to search for the energy source = fat.  With the first in first out strategy, your body goes for what it has stored (fat) and burns through it so it can then store a fresher source (new fat).  It also gets your joints and muscles working.  Walking helps to generate fluid in our joints .. which I'm hoping for, along with weight loss, to help relieve the pain in my lower back.  So, using that theory, walking and eating lean foods should do the trick! 

I found a picture to show the benefits of walking:

And even more of a breakdown:

Here's a minute-by-minute rundown of what your body does when you're working on your walking:

Minutes 1 to 5
Your first few steps trigger the release of energy-producing chemicals in your cells to fuel your walking. Your heart rate revs from about 70 to 100 beats per minute (bpm), boosting blood flow and warming muscles.

Any stiffness subsides as joints release lubricating fluid to help you move more easily. As you get moving, your body burns 5 calories per minute, compared with only 1 per minute at rest. Your body needs more fuel and starts pulling from its carb and fat stores.

Minutes 6 to 10
Heartbeat increases from 100 to about 140 bpm, and you're burning up to 6 calories a minute as you pick up the pace. A slight rise in blood pressure is countered by the release of chemicals that expand blood vessels, bringing more blood and oxygen to working muscles.

Minutes 11 to 20
Your body temperature keeps rising, and you start to perspire as blood vessels near the skin expand to release heat. As your walk becomes brisker, you'll be burning up to 7 calories a minute and breathing harder. Hormones such as epinephrine and glucagon rise to release fuel to the muscles.

Minutes 21 to 45
Feeling invigorated, you start to relax as your body releases tension, thanks in part to a dose of feel-good chemicals such as endorphins in your brain. As more fat is burned, insulin (which helps store fat) drops—excellent news for anyone battling excess weight or diabetes.

Minutes 46 to 60
Your muscles may feel fatigued as carb stores are reduced. As you cool down, your heart rate decreases and your breathing slows. You'll be burning fewer calories but more than you were before you started. Your calorie burn will remain elevated for up to 1 hour.


I'm going to start with 30 minutes a day, I don't want to jump all in and then fizzle out.

 Maxes is going to be happy!