I set my timer for thirty minutes and walked it all in one set again! I used a post card to block out the display this time, but it fell after a few minutes, so the teddy bear was put back in service. It worked really well. I just kept breathing and walking and watching TV. Then, before I knew it, the five seconds left beeps started and I was done!

Ok, that sounds simpler than it really was. My back has been killing me. The muscles are still not strong yet and any physical activity, no matter how light, is very painful to me. I know this will get better as I continue exercising, but it’s hard right now. So, as I was walking yesterday, I almost stopped walking several times. Instead, I moved my arms around several times, leaned forward, leaned back, and supported my back with my hands. All kinds of things to try to make my back not hurt. I never found actual relief, but for a while the moving while walking helped. I’ll be glad when all this weight is off my poor back. It deserves a rest!

Ok, so once I finished the walking, I got off the treadmill and went right into the stretching. I have discovered that walking the whole thirty in one go makes me sweat a lot more than doing it in sets. Some girls would be grossed out by this- not me! I am proud of my sweat! I love it. It means something- it means I have actually gotten my heart rate up and am burning calories. It means I am doing exercise for real, not just bluffing through it. Sweat is a badge of honor for me. So, while I was doing the stretches, I found my sweating increased. Yay! By the time I was done (I always end with the plank pose, it’s the most challenging for me right now) I was pouring sweat. Go me! Sweating that much means more to me than all the chocolate in the world. After chocolate, I always feel bad about myself, no matter how good it feels while eating it. With a good sweaty workout, I know I’m doing something right. It’s such an endorphin-fuel rush!! Whoo!

I am really interested to see what I can do each day. How I can push myself and what I thought I was capable of. Who knows what will happen next? It’s so thrilling! Lol

Because I think they are really great tips still, here are the Self tips of the day from Self magazine online:

“Tip for February 6, 2010

Tune out and turn in

Flip off the television earlier this evening for a double whammy fat-fighting habit!
Shut off your set early tonight. For every two hours of TV you watch daily, the risk for obesity rises 23 percent, a study from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston reveals. And ditching reruns in favor of hitting the sack early can help you fight flab even more: People who get five or fewer hours of sleep per night are 55 percent more likely to be obese than those who log eight hours, a review in the journal Sleep notes. Sleep deprivation may increase cravings for high-carb sweet foods, which can derail your diet.”

Wow… I never thought about how much TV I watch. This is a really good tip. I’ll have to work on this. I am always watching TV if I’m not online. I’ve never really thought about if it could add to my obesity. Huh. This is why I love these tips! You can learn so much!! Ok, another:

“Tip for February 7, 2010

Fire up the fiber

Give your bread a makeover! Select slices with fiber and flax to stay trim.
Increase the slimming power of your toast by looking for a loaf with 4 or 5 g fiber per slice and favoring any made with stone-ground wheat (which is more filling), says SELF contributing editor Janis Jibrin, R.D. For more fat-fighting power, choose breads that feature flax. These nutty-tasting seeds contain lignan, a phytoestrogen that may be linked to weight loss.”