10/5-3-30 Challenge Day 10

I managed 20 minutes at incline 10 this morning, before dropping it down to incline 5 and working my way back up to incline 7 for the remaining 10 minutes.  So things are improving.

It snowed again, so more shoveling to do; therefore more exercise!  Also managed a small walk in the morning.

Something interesting.  The other morning I did my blood sugar when I got up before I went on the treadmill.  I then did it again after I had been on the treadmill.  It went up for 8 to 10.  All I had done was that exercising.  Someone suggested it was something to do with all the sweating you do when exercising hard?  Is that true?

So all in all on Tuesday, I did my 30 minutes on the treadmill.  Did two walks and shoveled the snow.  Plus pottered around the house.

Fitbit Stats:

Miles walked: 5.17

Step's: 12,500

Minutes of Exercise: 93

Water 16 oz x 3.....this is my good place to be with water, so that I don't spend half my life in the bathroom😊

10/5-3-30 Day 9

Well back at it this morning.  Did my 30 minutes on the treadmill.  15+ minutes at incline 10 then dropped down to incline 5 and worked my way back up to incline 7 for the remaining 16 minutes.  I think doing this Monday through Friday will work for me and having the weekends off, just doing walking.

I also had to shovel snow.  I always count that as exercise, as depending on how heavy the snow is, it can be a good workout!

I didn't take a photo with how long I was on the treadmill for?  Took two of the distance instead?  I was on it for just over 30 minutes though.

Exercise today was 30 minutes on the treadmill, shoveling snow, 40 minute walk after supper, and walking round the mall.  Making up for the quiet weekend I had.

Fitbit Stats:

Exercise: 118 minutes

Steps: 14,200

Miles: 5.89 miles

Water 16 oz x 4

10/5-3-30 Challenge Day 7 Weigh in day!!!

Change of pace today as I didn't get up until after 7am.  So I didn't do my 30 minutes on the treadmill before breakfast like I normally do; thought I would do it later in the day, but didn't.  So I have failed the challenge...not sure how I feel about that.  Maybe it should be a Monday through Friday thing going on the treadmill?

I did go for a walk in the morning.  It was cold and slippery but I was careful.  We then went for a walk after lunch, by then it wasn't as slippery.  We also had a walk after supper, so three walks all in all.

So the all important news for today, did I lose weight this week?  Yes I did, I lost 3lbs, so I have lost 20lbs in 9 weeks.

I have set a mini goal of losing another 5lbs by December 18th, which is a month away.  I have a telephone appointment with our family doctor on the 21st, so would love to tell him I have lost 25 lbs in the past 13 weeks.

Fitbit Stats for today:

11 k steps

4.7 miles

78 minutes exercise.

10-3-30 Challenge Day 6

I should change the challenge title again.  It should be 10/5-3-30 as I once again just did the inlcine 10 for 15 minutes then dropped it down to 5 for the remaining 15 minutes.

I was talking to a friend today and we were talking about exercising and due to a thyroid problem she has to exercise 5 times as hard as anyone with very little reward.  So she was saying life is way too short to be worrying about it all, and she will do the best that she can and eat that bar of chocolate when she feels like it.  I really do not enjoy those first 15 minutes on the treadmill, they are hard flipping work.  The second 15 minutes I can deal with.  It does make me question why I am putting myself through this.  I guess when I jump on the scales on Saturday we will know if it was worth all this hard work and sweat?

I guess on the upside I am nearly one week down on this challenge, so that is good.

I made this recipe for Mushroom soup.  Actually I used it as a base and made it my own.  If you read the comments you will get many ideas of what other people did.  Her recipe for Cauliflower soup is the best; and I did follow her recipe to the letter that time.

I didn't feel too good all day on Friday.  It took me until after lunch to realize why; I had my flu shot the day before.  It never normally bothers me, but for some reason I felt off all day.  I attempted to do this exercise class online, but only managed 20 out of the 30 minutes of it.  I was just too tired to do the rest.

We went for a quick walk after supper, once again though it was slippery, so pretty nervous throughout the walk.

Fitbit Stats:

12,500 steps

5.15 miles

93 minutes exercise

Water drank 4 x 16 oz bottles

10-3-30 Challenge Day 5

Day 5, a 6th of the way through this challenge.  I had one of those days ahead of me, places to go, people to see.  So I was on the treadmill before 6am today.  However I was tired.  It was a true struggle for the first 16 minutes while I was at incline 10.  I dropped it down to incline 5 for the rest of the time, not at all in the mood to try and up it.

With having it at a lower incline for half of the time, I didn't burn as many calories.

As I was away from home for most of the day I wasn't able to get any  walks in.  So the treadmill was it as far as exercise was concerned for today.

Fitbit Stats: 

38 minutes exercise

7k steps

2.78 miles

3 x 16 oz water

Should mention I post these the day after the actual day; if that makes sense?

10-3-30 Challenge Day 4

The whole idea of me keeping track here is so I actually do the challenge, and not bow out of it.  Saying that I wasn't wanting to do it this morning.  However knowing I would have to write that here if I didn't do it, made me go downstairs and do it.  I know in my heart of hearts this is doing me good, I am just not a fan of walking 30 minutes on a treadmill.  

So went downstairs, shouted at Google to put on Fat's Domino and off I went.

The photo above is taken before I press the stop button.  The one below is when I have pressed the stop button, that is why the calorie count is different.

As you see by the photos, I actually walked for 32.46 minutes, I wanted to listen to a song.

I burned more calories though, as this time I did 16 minutes at incline 10, then dropped it down gradually and the lowest I got was incline 6.  So obviously the higher the incline the more calories burned, I guess?

My numbers for today were:

1.64 miles walked

32.46 minutes on the treadmill @ 3 miles per hour

Incline 10 for 16 minutes, dropping down gradually to incline 6.

I managed to do another two walks, the morning one longer than the after supper one.  

My stats as per my Fitbit:

Steps walked: 13,665

Miles: 5.56

99 total minutes of exercise

Water drank 4 x 16 fluid ounces

I am struggling with the water intake.  It's cold and the last thing I want to do is drink water.  Still anything is better than nothing.  It was suggested that I add some sugar free flavouring to the water; that doesn't excite me either😏  I am still keeping my food and blood sugar diary.  I will share a page with you over the weekend.

10-3-30 Challenge Day 3

I have to admit, I wasn't as enthusiastic about getting up this morning, but I did.  Had a pee and jumped on the scales and discovered I had lost weight.  So that perked me right up!!

Took my phone and water downstairs and got too it!!  I started at incline 10 and managed 15 minutes before I dropped it down to incline 5.  Left it there for 5 minutes, then upped it by .5 every minute until I got to incline 7, then dropped it down to incline 5 for the remainder as I was pooped by then!!

I was enjoying a song, so ended up doing just over 30 minutes.  I had shouted at Google to put on Fat's Domino again for me, as that 50's beat is the best walking beat.

You can see in the photo below the yellow and orange cup.  It holds 16 oz of water.  I managed to drink 6 of those on Monday so that is my goal to try and do that every day.

So my numbers for today were:

Incline 10 for 15 minutes, incline 5 to 7 for the remaining 16 minutes.

Calories burned: 340

Distance walked: 1.569 miles

Time on treadmill: 31.20 minutes

We also had our first "real" snowfall of the season with around 4 inches of wet, heavy snow laying.  So set about shoveling that, so by 9 am I had logged over 5.5 k in steps.

I did another 30 minute walk after supper.  So all in all my numbers from Fitbit were:

5.06 miles, 90 minutes total exercise and 12.5 k in steps.

I only drank 5 containers of water, just didn't find the time to have more.  I did a little bit of shopping and put up the Christmas tree today so that accounted for the rest of the steps for today.

10-3-30 Challenge Day 2

So here we go day 2.  Still had a spring in my step when I got up just after 6am.  More organized this morning.  Took my phone down stairs.  Took my water, had a towel all at the ready and off we went.  My goal this morning was to start off at incline 10 and do that for 12 minutes, then drop it down to incline 5 for the remaining 18 minutes.  I did it 🙌  Still thought I was going to die, but I did it.

This time I shouted at Google Home to put on Fat's Domino as I figured the beat of 50's music would work and it did.  One song that has a great walking beat is Roy Orbison's song "Pretty Woman."  Another song with a good walking beat is Madonna's song "Hung Up."  I don't really like Madonna as a person but some of her music has a good beat.

So all in all my number's for this morning's are as follow:

Incline 10 for 12 minutes, incline 5 for 18 minutes.

Calories burned: 325

Miles walked: 1.506 @ 3 miles per hour

I do have a muscle that is complaining, it's at the lower end of my calf, above my ankle.  Will have to keep an eye on it.  Otherwise feel good.  It truly has helped that I had 8 weeks of prior walking, as I think there would be more muscles complaining!!

I started a food diary today so we will see how that goes.

I managed two walks today, so all in all I walked nearly 13K in steps, and just over 5 miles and logged in 95 minutes of exercise.

12-3-30 Challenge Day 1

Well woke up raring to go just before 6:30 am.  So this challenge is incline level 12, speed 3 miles an hour for 30 minutes on the treadmill for 30 days.  Sounds simple enough right?  I have been walking consistently for the last eight weeks, so I should do okay.

Went downstairs to discover my treadmill only goes up to incline 10?  Okay so I will have to rename this challenge 10-3-30 now.  No big deal, right?  Set everything up.  Shout at Google Home to put on Ritchie Valens on Spotify; as I figured that music might have a good beat too it and off I go.

Now to be fair, remember I am an overweight 57 1/2 years old.  I am not some fit and healthy 30 year old.  So when I say I thought I might die I am not exaggerating!!  I managed 11 minutes at incline 10 before deciding that if I wanted to finish this I needed to drop it down.  So I dropped it down to incline 5 and carried on.

When I finished I was drenched through with sweat.

(image credit)

Now I forgot to bring my phone downstairs to take a photo to show you what I did on the treadmill monitor.  I will in future though.

I walked 1.505 miles

Burned 320 calories

Speed 3 miles per hour

11 minutes incline 10; 9 minutes incline 5

Okay, so day 1 of the challenge done and I am still alive.  Big high 5 for me!!

I also managed a walk and in total 76 minutes of exercise, just over 4 miles and just over 10k in steps as per my Fitbit for Sunday. I have an Inspire 2 Fitbit watch, nothing fancy but does the trick.