Kathy - Process-oriented or Goal-oriented? So Conflicted!

Although I loved the concept of the most recent challenge:  earning points for healthy lifestyle choices, I grew discouraged midway because I didn't want to rack up a bunch of points and still look the same when I went to the spa.  I want to be trim and fit.  That being said, isn't this blog called 'Day by Day' for a reason?  The journey to fitness takes place in a day by day process.  At the same time I want to set a goal and actually reach the goal. I think what I really want is to do a day by day process that results in reaching a goal!  This leaves me wondering how to design a challenge....the first challenge was definitely goal-oriented.  The second challenge was definitely process-oriented.  Actually, do we even want a challenge or do we just want to write about our journey, or interesting information on health and fitness we find, etc.?  The purpose of challenges is to help motivate ourselves, but is something else more motivating?  Guess I need a bit of input on this one...

Meanwhile, this summer, for about 2 cycles (10 days)  I did Joel Marion's Extreme Fat Loss program.  It was quite interesting and resulted in losing about 5 lbs.  I have managed to keep most of it off.  I would not be adverse to doing it again, but I really want to find a healthy diet/exercise lifestyle that naturally results in health and fitness. I came across the Crazy, Sexy Life blog.  Kim, the person who created it has written a book  called The Crazy Sexy Diet.  I read a sample of it and for the most part it looks good.  I am not sure I agree with the gluten-free aspect of it, but am considering buying it.  Meanwhile, check out her blog - lots of good and interesting information. 

Kathy - A Grim and Macabre Game

I am discovering that though the new tromping grounds may seem like a civilized stroll it hides within its heart the dark (and tasty) remains of death.  This is how the current tromp has developed.  FL, myself and the beasts all make a mad dash down the road for the safety of the fenced field down a ways on the other side of the road. At least all of us but Chubs, who sort-of lumbers quickly along.  Once we reach the field, FL and I stay close to the perimeter to get the maximum amount of tromping in - Chubs usually stays with us.  The Beast and Charger head into the middle of the field and snuffle and circle around looking for dead stuff.  They never fail to find it.  Thus the game begins.  The Beast usually finds the choicest selection of nastiness, which is irresistible to Charger.  The Beast brings her delicate find closer to where we are tromping.  This causes Chubs to be aware of the treat and thus desire it as well.  With Charger and Chubs both after the prize, the Beast dashes ahead so she can lie down and have a few undisturbed moments savoring her find.  Charger, who is in hot pursuit doesn't allow her much time so the Beast dashes off again, Charger at her heels.  Chubs, bringing up the rear, sniffs the area where the treat briefly rested on the ground.  This pattern continues until they are all distracted by the delights of the irrigation ditch, where they take long drinks and hopefully wash away all remains of remains. The fitness benefit of all this is I have no desire to eat anything the rest of the evening - how is that for creative appetite control?!

Kathy - A Gentler, More Civilized (slightly) Tromp

My favorite form of fitness, the daily tromp with the beasts, has undergone some changes this summer.  First we could not take off up the hill behind our house because of the wheat planted near the top of it, so we had to drive to a field on the very top of the hill.  When the cheat grass in that field became lethal to the beasts we had to shift yet again.  For a time the main form of exercise for the beasts was swimming, not much exercise for us unfortunately.  Recently a field near us has been emptied of cows and provides a perfect place for the daily tromp.  This field is almost right across the road from us has a small stream (irrigation ditch) running along the side of it and tromping the circumference of it is a mile. The thing I like most about it is that we do not have to load the beasts into a vehicle, the thing I like least about it is that it is completely flat, so it is not quite the exercise the other tromps have provided.  Still, it is much better than nothing!


The beasts adore it - at least the Beast and Charger do.  Chubs likes it just fine once you force him away from the comfort of the yard.  They love dipping in and out of the small stream and there are enticing carcasses to be found, from tiny, crunchy, carcasses (guessing bird or rodent) to deer carcasses.  Charger lugged an entire deer leg for a ways before she had to drop it because it was just too huge.  Chubs scored a scapula, which he also abandoned, mostly due to his overwhelming urge to avoid extra exertion at any price.  To balance things out a bit the sky this evening was absolutely stunning!  Because of  the western hill behind our house  we generally miss out on sunsets, but this sunset was so spectacular it spilled over into our portion of the sky.  The undersides of the clouds covering the sky were brilliant red - quite a nice addition to the tromp.  So glad to have tromping grounds until the wheat is harvested and we can head up the hill once again. 

Brooke-Time marches on

 I haven't deserted the health endeavor... although I have not been running (never have submitted the registration form for the run) or working out at all; I have been studying the raw lifestyle. I have played with a few recipes (raw sushi, cabbage noodles, banana ice cream) but that is about it. I did purchase a Champion juicer (thank you Craigslist) and have made a few juices. I have not "gone raw" but I have been trying to eat more raw foods. There is so much information and so many fun creative ways to not cook! I have checked out a couple of books on the raw lifestyle and am reading and absorbing the information. Eating raw and juicing makes so much sense. Anyhow, I haven't lost any weight and I haven't been counting points.

I guess I am improving my mind more than my body at the moment. I am planning on purchasing a few raw recipe books and basic raw staples to start moving in that direction. I can't force my family to eat raw but I can add more of it into our diet. Chad and Emery both loved the raw sushi I made. Emery and Chandlar really like fresh juiced fruit juice. Garrett and Chandlar love fruit. I haven't figured out how to shop for quantity of fresh foods. I'm never sure how much to buy. I don't want any of it to go to waste.

So that is a small blurb of what I have been up to. Sorry Mom that I haven't been blogging. I do read it though. I just need to sit down and do it. Can't wait to see the family this weekend.

Kathy - The Beast and I

The onward march of summer has brought changes to the hill - the bright, sunny yellow flowers covering the hillsides have given way to a cooler palette of purples and whites.  Some the grass is drying out and various seeds and burrs are developing.  This has brought changes to the tromp itself.  The seeds and burrs are a bad combination with dog fur, not to mention downright dangerous when they burrow into the beast's paws and ears.  The baby beasts have been banned from the hill because of this - their ears are right in target for the worst of it.  FL is off gallivanting with his brother  The Beast will soon also be banned from the hill, but for the time being the hill is a nice safe, remote place to exercise her.  She is currently in heat and tracking her scent down the road just doesn't seem like a happy option.  So that leaves a few more golden days of tromping for the Beast and I.  Bliss.  Warm sunshine, gently waving grass, colorful flowers, looking up to see the Beast watching me over the tops of the grasses to see what is taking me so long... while I am gathering an armful of flowers.  The Beast and I thoroughly enjoyed our tromp.

The baby beasts were marched around the next-door field and were better for it - at least Charger was, Chubs watched us for the most part.  When we started heading back he decided to join us and ambled over.  The Beast played in the ditch - dashing over from time to time to get us all wet.  So fun. We are all properly exercised and 'washed' now.

Will post an update on the results of my 10 days of Extreme Fat Loss and my new KB challenge soon. 

Kathy - Crash and Burn

You might perhaps have noticed that I did not post a blog yesterday - you also might not have.  At any rate I did not post yesterday - this is because I did not do my KB workout yesterday.  The main reason is that we had company.  The secondary reason is that Thursday (yesterday) morning - very early - say 2:00  a.m. or so, it felt like 4th of July sparklers were shooting off in my lower back. Didn't really get much sleep after that.  Spent the rest of the day bolstering my lumbar spine as much as possible and today it is feeling whole and hardy again. 

I did not do my KB workout today either, the main reason is that I am babying my back for a bit longer and the secondary reason is we have company. 

Didn't even get much of a tromp in this evening - the pups were worse than reluctant, they were bushed from swimming.  They found a luxurious patch of long, green, grass and settled down.  Period.  End of tromp. 

Hope you all have a great weekend full of fun and fitness.  

Kathy - The Great Tromp Reluctance

I LOVE to tromp, FL LOVES to tromp, the Beast LOVES to tromp!  So what is the problem?  The Baby Beasts.  The nightly scenario goes something like this:  FL leader says, "Let's go for a tromp!"  The Beast runs and gets in the Rav.  I put my Merrills on and run and get in the Rav.  FL puts on his Merrills and runs and gets in the Rav.  Wait, something is wrong with this picture - we are missing the Baby Beasts.  So FL and I go to rally the rest of the troops.  The minute they see they see the masses heading to the Rav they stop in their tracks. When we call them they move cautiously and suspiciously if we are anywhere near the Rav.  Using treats we are able to coax them to the proximity of the Rav.  Then with a quick pounce we grab them and put them in the Rav.  This is getting more difficult daily as I do believe they are gaining at least 2 lbs a day.  Chubs must be pushing 40 lbs by now and he is only 3 months old!  Anyway they relax for a bit on the short drive to the tromp but once we get there the reluctance set in again. They press their bodies against the back of the front seats as far from the back door of the Rav as they can get.  FL usually ends up dragging them out, at which point they try desperately to get back in the Rav.  We head into the field where we tromp, the beast checking out all the new smells and just in general romping about with great joy.  FL and I and head down the path, noting the beauty around us, but wait, something is wrong with this picture - where are the Baby Beasts?  Sitting by the gate as if to say, "Not again!"  Eventually they take up the trail, but recently they have begun meandering - around the stock tank, over to this interesting smell...anything to prolong the inevitable tromp.  The strange thing about all this is that once they actually get going they seem to enjoy it. Their tails are wagging at least.  We take them up the hill, stop for a rest and general group love-in.  What beast can resist that?  It's all down hill from there - literally and they pick up the pace as they realize they are headed for the Rav and home.  So Sad.  Unfortunately I can relate.  I have always tended to be that way about exercise - I really never want to do it and certainly wouldn't choose to do it if left to make the choice myself, but once I got going I really enjoyed it.  (At least this has been my tendency in the past).  I have changed since tromping became a part of my life- I can hardly go without it.  If FL has a headache Beast and I will go without him.  I LOVE tromping!  Here's hoping that one day the Baby Beasts will come to love it too!

PS:  Day 2 of the KW-KB challenge completed - Hooray!