Saturday, November 5, 2011

"My old nemesis, STAIRS."



"My old nemesis, STAIRS." - Po in Kungfu Panda II

That's my phrase these days.

For some reason I felt compelled to join our staff's Biggest Loser Challenge (a 9-week weight loss challenge).  I was ready to get back in the work out and walking mode after taking a year off (and putting on a few pounds, I might add).  So, two weeks ago I committed myself to two things: the motto "elevators do not exist" and walking every morning.

What does this mean exactly?

First of all, it means that rather than waking at 6 AM, I wake at 5:20 AM put on my walking gear and i-pod and head out for a 30 minute walk on a lit trail near my house.  Actually, this is not new to me.  Over the years I've walked Bucky and Roscoe in Bellevue, then did Walk-and-Talk with my sister on cell phones while walking Boomer in the woods near our home in Green Bay, then walking Boomer in Brillion, etc.  I've always had a dog to motivate me to walk!  At any rate, when we moved to Korea I wasn't sure I wanted to walk in the mornings without my Boomer and especially before sunrise.  But now that we've lived here a year, I feel perfectly safe and I was ready to get back at it.  So, walking it is.

Secondly, it means stairs.  Fifteen flights of stairs, to be exact.  Since we live on the 15th floor, and since "elevators don't exist" stairs have become my "nemesis" to be sure.  Well, at least they WERE.  I'm proud to say that over the past two weeks I have averaged walking up to our apartment two times a day.  Sometimes it turns out to be three times a day.  At first I could only make it to the 7th floor before I needed my rest.  Then 8, then 10, then 11.  Now I've begun regularly making it all the way without stopping in under 4 minutes.  Sometimes I even walk up from the basement parking lot which turns out to be 17 flights.

What is this doing to my weight?

I'd like to say it's done miracles, but I can't.  So, this has sparked me to try adding a third phase to my "get-fit" life - do MORE.  "More" might mean biking, swimming for 30 minutes in the morning as well, doing some weight training, aerobics, or circuit training.  But we'll see what results occur once that becomes routine.

At any rate, I'm proud to say that I don't get a pounding heart and winded on the 7th floor any more and that Alec seems to enjoy walking up with me, too.  That's a bonus, right?  Show the kids how it's done!

So, to all the Biggest Loser Wanna Be's out there. . .  Take a step today.  Take the stairs!

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