Category Archives: Exercise

April 9, 2013 · 7:32 pm

Second (again) chance

“But what about second chances?”

When her son posed that question, Grace Ji-Sun Kim reflected on the role of second chances in life:

Where would I be without second chances? Where would most of us be without second chances in life? Most of us are only where we are because we got second chances. People who experience serious accidents and survive are given second chances in life. When we think about our faith journey, isn’t that a second chance at life? Isn’t that the essence of God’s grace?

Specifically, Grace pondered the role of second chances in her life, particularly in terms of self-care. Her words resonated with me as I fail to do well at that.

I have tried. Over the years I have tried. I have had moments of success. And more moments of failures. Last fall I actually walked 1,000,000 steps over a three-month period. I ate everything in sight. But I did walk.

I have had momentary gains. False starts. Serious backsliding. I am way past a second chance – and even the fourth chance that Grace mentions.

But today … for some reason, I cannot name or explain … today seems a day to try again. I extend myself grace and start anew.

See you along the Trail. 

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January 1, 2013 · 11:40 pm

A new start

By the Gregorian/Western calendar a new year began today. Other calendars, such as lunar calendars or the Christian year, have other starting dates.

Still today provides an opportunity to review and resolve and start anew. Always one to go along with the crowd, I took this moment to refocus my efforts at self-care.

First, a look back. In some ways December 2012 proved a bust. I regularly ate too much – way too much on many occasions. Because of travel and some minor foot issues (already being addressed), I failed to make my step goal most days. I failed to walk 30 minutes at a time most days.

But I did work through it all and made it to my three-month goal of 1,000,000 steps! Between October 1, 2012 and December 31, 2012, I logged 1,000,370 steps.

That feels good. Very, very good.

Rather than dwell on the failures, I plan to build on the success of 1,000,000 in 2013.

The big three goals will remain: eat well, walk 10,000 steps, walk 30 minutes at a stretch. For at least the first 100 days, in support of a friend who is training for a half-marathon, I will eat no desserts or sweets. At least I will try not to do that. Assuming things go well, I have some other goals in mind to add.

I plan to post more regularly – on my other blog – mostly as a motivational tool. If you want to check it out and give me a hard time, that would be fine.

See you along the Trail.

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December 31, 2012 · 4:01 pm

1,000,000

Big NewsOn October 1, I set a goal of walking 10,000 steps each day. After several days, I realized that by increasing the number of steps, it would be possible to walk 1,000,000 total steps between October 1 and today – December 31.

Moments ago, I logged that 1,000,000th step. Goal met. And it feels good.

Now to set some goals for 2013 – goals for healthier living. I have some ideas and my friend Irene has put one out there for me as well. I look forward to what is to come.

See you along the Trail.

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December 1, 2012 · 12:51 pm

November 2012

Big NewsThe effort at self care continued. November proved – well maybe better, maybe not.  The effort continued to focus on walking and eating. I failed to do much in the way of recording my results on another blog. I have continued to annoy family and friends by posting on Facebook. Here’s a summary for the month and you can where there were successes and where there were challenges and where there was a change. And something strange happened. At least it seems strange to me.

GOAL ONE – EAT WELL
Ate well: 1 day
Overate: 29 days (maybe not overate badly on all of those days – just most of them; certainly all of them involved eating more than would have contributed to losing any weight)

GOAL TWO – WALK 30 MINUTES AT A TIME
Walked 30 minutes at a time: 29 days (took one day off)
Note: sometimes this involves using the treadmill, other times it involves walking outside.

GOAL THREE – WALK 11,000 STEPS A DAY
Walked 11,000 steps: 22 days
Note: this is a new goal that was initiated on November 1. When October ended, I realized that it would be possible to reach 1,000,ooo steps from October 1 to December 31. For some reason, that seems cool. To become a 1,000,000 stepper would take about 11,000 steps. Since November 1, that has been the goal.

STEPS FOR THE MONTH
351,745

STEPS 1 OCTOBER THROUGH 30 NOVEMBER
709,142

Despite all the overeating, despite single-handedly eating enough Ben and Jerry’s ice cream to increase their profit margin significantly, I actually lost 4 pounds in November.

That gives me much to ponder for December and beyond.

See you along the Trail.

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November 1, 2012 · 9:46 am

October 2012

Some know that I initiated a new effort at self-care on 1 October 2012. I record my results on another blog – mainly to keep myself accountable. To date, the effort involves walking and addressing eating. All in all, the first month proved successful with significant backsliding over the past week. Here’s a summary for the month:

Ate well: 22 days – overate 9 days

Walked 30 minutes at a time: 31 days

Walked 10,000 steps a day: 29 days – missed 2 days when Hurricane Sandy restricted movement

Total steps 357,396

November will be better.

See you along the Trail.

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October 31, 2012 · 8:47 pm

A long walk

Today I made my first journey to the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations since the arrival of Hurricane Sandy. The Church Center did not open, but we had heard that our office had sustained damage. I wanted to see.

Given that the subway remained closed and acknowledging my aversion to buses (Sam and Dave are Soul Men – I am a train guy), I took a ride in one of the cars licensed by the New York Taxi and Limousine Commission. I negotiated a price – a more than fair price – before entering the car.

The ride – from W. 123rd and Amsterdam to E. 44th and First Avenue took almost two hours. Two long, slow hours. I doubled the price the driver asked. He continued to thank me after I had left the car.

I arrived at the building and one of the management staff let me enter. I went to our office to discover that one of our windows had blown in. It knocked some equipment off the ledge and blew some paper around the office. I made some phone calls, took some pictures, and prepared to leave.

When I departed from the Shire on the Hudson, I wore my tennis shoes in case I had to walk. Faced with another interminable car ride, I decided that walking made sense – walking the whole way home – from E. 44th Street and First Avenue to La Salle and Broadway on the Upper West Side. It totaled about 15,000 steps on my pedometer. Sean told me that it showed as 5.4 miles on the map.

I broke up the walk nicely. I made my way crosstown to Sean’s apartment at W. 52nd between Broadway and 8th Avenue. After a brief stop, Sean came with me. Together we made our way north. We paused to see the crane that hangs over W. 57th Street like a modern-day Sword of Damocles. At W. 72nd we chose to go up Amsterdam – a wise choice. We ate a late lunch at the Amsterdam Ale House. Lunch completed, Sean turned back south and I continued north.

As I made my way, I noticed that many children were trick-or-treating in the businesses along the street. At W. 86th Street and Amsterdam by West-Park Presbyterian Church, I came across my friend Bob Brashear – pastor of the church. We talked a while and then he returned to his task of responding to the trick-or-treaters and I resumed my walk.

About 6:00, I entered the door of the Shire on the Hudson – tired, refreshed, and filled with a spirit of accomplishment. A long walk completed.

See you along the Trail.

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October 16, 2012 · 10:19 pm

Rockefeller Chapel – 16 October

 

It called to me. The chapel called to me. Again my evening walk in Hyde Park, Chicago led me to Rockefeller Chapel. My camera remained behind but the BlackBerry was along. I wandered to a different side of the chapel than last night and came up with another interesting view.

See you along the Trail.

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October 16, 2012 · 10:13 am

Rockefeller Chapel – 15 October

In Hyde Park, Chicago for McCormick Days where Tricia received the Distinguished Alumna award, I went walking. On October 15, I wandered past Rockefeller Chapel and had to stop for a photo even though my BlackBerry was all I had. It proved a pretty interesting view.

See you along the Trail.

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October 13, 2012 · 1:01 am

I did not

I made my way down the jetway and entered the plane. As instructed by the flight crew of SW flight 2635 (LGA to MDW), I found my favorite seat and took it.

There I discovered that someone had worked the crossword puzzle and returned the magazine to the seat pocket. Poetic justice? I have done that many times.

Since I was in the A boarding group, the seats beside me stood empty. I quickly rummaged through them and discovered that they too had worked crossword puzzles. I also discovered a perplexing treasure. Someone had left a bag of peanuts behind.

In a totally infallible, absolutely scientifically accurate endeavor, I posted the question on Facebook:

Would you eat the peanuts in the sealed package some previous passenger left behind?

Thus far I have received 19 comments. They range widely and reveal  my friends’ creativity.

Seven friends provided a variation on yes. One said no. One said no for allergic reasons.

One wanted further information before committing:

Are they salted or honey roasted?

Context entered into a number of responses. Recognizing my travel habits, one friend wanted to know just where these peanuts had been found. Location may be everything:

On an airplane or on the subway?

Recalling the Donner Party, one friend pointed out that there would be circumstances in which eating the peanuts would make enormous sense:

Depending on the context. probably not. But if I were starving it would be better than gnawing on the arm of the person sitting next to me.

Another observed that there is a holiday of some sort coming up based on obtaining food products with an unverifiable chain of custody:

Yes, if they were sealed….in a couple of weeks, my daughter will bring home a bag of candy with very uncertain histories. As long as its wrapped, it seems safe.

Two friends waxed theological:

Wait – are these “Left Behind” peanuts? Have you considered what could happen if you eat them?

Left Behind? You mean after the rapture nuts?

There were moments of self-revelation. One friend suggested a use for the peanuts other than eating them or leaving them … and implied this may be the voice of experience speaking:

Honestly. I would probably put them in my bag and carry them around for a few days, then end up giving them to one of my sons to take on a field trip. (Not that that ever happened.)

Another friend confessed to being the one who abandons peanuts to the cruel chances of fate:

I’m the one who leaves them behind.

One friend did not know they gave out peanuts in airplanes any more … ah the joys of Southwest Airlines and one friend refused to answer, not out of concern for self-incrimination, but for my safety’s sake:

I could tell you, but then I’d have to … well, you know the drill!

Duly noted and appreciated.

What started as a lark proved to offer insights into both my friends and my friends knowledge of me. I will have to try this again with another question.

For the record, I did not eat the peanuts. And here is why: I am in a self-care mode and I did not want the calories. For 12 days, I have eaten in the range of 2,000 calories, walked at least 10,00 steps, and done a concentrated walk of 30 or more minutes – gotta love those laundry nights.

I hope the next person who discovers the peanuts has as much fun with her or his friends as I did.

See you along the Trail.

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August 30, 2012 · 11:15 pm

Understanding

Sometimes understanding comes from painful experience.

Sometimes understanding comes after hard work and significant reflection.

Sometimes understanding eludes me.

Sometimes I fail to have even a glimmer of what it is I want to understand.

But sometimes … sometimes … understanding comes in a surprising flash of insight that almost carries a physical impact.

I have started an effort at self-care. Again. I have lost track years ago of how many times I have been down this path.

It involves a change in my food choices, a reduction in the amount I consume, and an increase in activity. This marks the third day. I did not walk as much as I want because of allergy issues, but other than that, all has gone well … until about an hour or so ago.

Cravings for chocolate and chips and crackers and cookies and all sorts of other junk food filled my head. I exchanged some text messages with a friend and that helped. I stayed home and did not wander over to the all too convenient convenience store to buy enough junk food to put the owner’s children through college. Still I felt hungry. To be more precise, I felt that I felt hungry.

Before I could leave, understanding came upon me in an instant.

I had the Steelers game on my computer; I had the BYU – Washington State game on the television.

Football.

When I watch football or when I listen to football or when I do both at the same time, I eat. I eat not because I am hungry but because eating is what I do when following football. All those parties and gatherings through the years have taught me that when the game is on, so is the feed bag.

Tonight that insight has helped me refrain from mindless overeating. Hopefully that insight will serve me will throughout this year’s football season.

See you along the Trail.

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