Amy: Week Four - Taking it up a notch

It’s amazing how fast this week seemed to go. And what a week.

Like most, I spent time watching all the tragedy down south unfold as a result of Ike. My prayers go out to everyone there as they try to rebuild their lives. I can’t even imagine. In Cincinnati, we got a smidgen of what those folks are going through with an unbelievable wind storm on Sunday. Power continues to be out around Greater Cincinnati as of today. My family was very lucky. We didn’t lose power and with the exception of a few large branches in the backyard, our property did not suffer any major damage.

And surprisingly, neither did my willpower. I made good choices for the most part and controlled my portions. Eating quite well to boot!

After last week, I decided that even though I was losing, I wasn’t getting the full bang for my buck. It was now or never to start incorporating the exercise piece of the equation. “Real” exercise intimidates me. I’m painfully out of shape and have been for years. It’s embarrassing to be the only one panting when walking up steps. At my last meeting, a fellow member recommended starting small - walk for twenty minutes a day. Get my feet wet with exercise and build from there.

Inspired by this simple wisdom (sometimes you just need someone to SAY IT, you know?), I purchased the WW Walking Kit - a walking DVD/CD for beginners. I haven’t broke in to the DVD portion yet, which will be perfect for the treadmill as the weather becomes less manageable, but the CD is perfect with a basic warm up and cool down and three timed workouts so you can fit a walk into whatever schedule you're faced with.

To make the walking more portable (and less geeky using my old school CD player), I borrowed Doug’s ipod and downloaded the workouts. Once clipped, the only other item I needed to bother with was packing my sneakers each morning. Of course now I want another pair of sneakers so I don’t have to bring them back and forth, and these are sweeeeeeeet!

I began walking at lunch last Wednesday and have continued to do so five days this week. It was such a thrill to add those activity points at long last to my journal. And walking at lunch provided two benefits: I wasn’t easily tempted by co-workers heading out to eat and I fit it in my busy schedule.

Before I started, I doubted what kind of real workout you could get from doing something so basic - something we all do everyday anyway (you know to get to the fridge and whatnot). I was so wrong. With the right music setting the tempo, incorporating my arms and maintaining good posture, it was clear fifteen minutes into that first walk that my heart rate was up, sweat was beginning to form and I was moving.

I’ve walked the 30 minute workout now five times. Today is weigh-in, will I see the results? Stay tuned....I’ll be back after lunch to let you know.

I'm back (that was quick, I'm like lightening, eh?). The scale has spoken and I LOST THREE POUNDS! THREE POUNDS! That is a total of 27.8 since I started Weight Watchers. I received my twenty-five pound award at the meeting and I'm on a cloud. Can't wait to walk, so I'm heading out! Til next week...

Hey, don't forget about your chance to do good - for you and the world. Comment here for a chance to win a three-month Weight Watchers Membership. Remember, between now and October 18th, every pound lost by Weight Watchers Members will be turned into the equivalent of a pound of food for people who go hungry each day. LOSE FOR GOOD: Help yourself while helping others.