The Importance of Being Earnest - Day 9

I’ve got exercise on the brain. It is probably a little irritating to the people around me who are not thinking about exercise. I went to Hilton Head Health with my friend Mamie just over two week ago. We are still focusing on lessons learned during our H3 experience. This weekend, Mamie and I met up at a friend’s wedding in Minnesota.

On Saturday morning before the festivities started, we decided to take a 3 mile walk along the Mississippi. As we started walking, I asked Mamie what we used to do with our time on other trips like this. I’m the curious one. Mamie responded, “Eat.” She is the wise one.

What downtown St. Paul, Minnesota looks like at 7 a.m. if you decide to take a stroll

In the past, we would have had a long breakfast that would turn into a long lunch, and inevitably that would turn into a long dinner. Somewhere in between we’d visit a museum or local point of interest, but meals punctuated our mini-college reunions. When I think back on all the places I’ve visited, I think mostly of the food I’ve eaten in those places. New York, Chicago, Toronto. Lots of nice restaurants. Once I took a walk in New York when I was there for work. I got up at 5 a.m. and hit the streets looking for a good bagel. It was a 30 minute walk (food inspired, but a walk none the less). Now, I wish I’d taken more walks like that in different cities.

First thing Saturday morning, my husband and I took a 30 minute walk around downtown St. Paul. Quiet city, good for walking. Mid morning, we took a 3 mile walk along the Mississippi. Out of my 10 friends, 6 opted to go on the long walk with me and Mamie. Instead of two good meals we had two good walks. Instead of eating and talking, we were walking and talking. Same good time. Fewer calories.

Weird Weight Loss Tip
"Before breakfast" and "after lunch" are not times. Stop telling time by meals. I noticed I’ve been doing this throughout the blog and in life. I’m going to make a conscious effort to start telling time be the time of day, and not my belly!

Get by with a little help from your friends. I know they say have a workout buddy. Someone to be accountable to, but I disagree. If you have a workout buddy that is fine. But I say beg borrow and steal a workout buddy. You don’t need one forever, you need one for every day. Could be a different one each day. This weekend Mamie and I asked our friends if they wanted to walk with us. Most of them did. The boys made us do 1 minute runs, push-ups, jumping jacks. I decline the push-ups, but I’m grateful that they were there to push us a little further than we may have done on our own. Thanks, Posse! I love you guys. Thanks for the great walk. We would have made Huck and Tom proud.

Monday Exercise Journal
22 flights of stairs at work
30 minutes in park with monsters

Monday Food Journal
090 - Cottage cheese
120 - Honeydew
005 - Celery
200 - Marinara meat sauce
280 - 2 slices oat bread
042 - Peach
200 - Meatball
060 - Bread w/cheese
012 - 1 Baked Dorito (Don't ask. Didn't know Doritos could be singular, did you? Next time I won't eat it, just so I don't look stupid having to journal about it)
025 - Honeydew