Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Well hello there!

It's been awhile!  Life has had a few changes so I'm trying to get back into a routine... a riding routine, chores routine, work routine and, yes, a weight loss routine.

I got a new job, three months ago.  You'd think that would be long enough to settle into a new routine but my hours are a bit all over the place, not to mention my boss only gives the schedule for a week at a time.  Things seem to be settling into a more predictable pattern though.

I've lost 10 lbs since my last post, which puts me at about 30 lbs down.  Actually I've lost more than that because I regained a few of that 20 lost when I started working.  I was eating off the menu at work and had to have been underestimating my calorie intake.  :(
Not to mention I am moving WAY less than I did during that time I spent at home!  I averaged 12,000-15,000 steps a day then.  Now, between work & winter, I am really lucky if I hit the target of 10,000. 

You'd think being on my feet 8 1/2 hours a day would get me some steps but I get very few standing behind the desk at work.  So I take ANY chance I have to move.  And that's where today's post is going... moving.

(The job, I'm working as a front desk/guest service agent at a new hotel in The City)

Almost everyone at the desk takes the elevator for every. little. thing.  Not me... we get to park in the hotel's carpark (for free, & it's enclosed & heated, bonus in a Saskatchewan winter!) and I take the stairs to and from my vehicle.
Have to take something up to a room?  Take the stairs up & down.  Stat rooms or do floor checks?  You got it, take the stairs!
I used to take the elevator up and then walk down, because for some reason my knees really don't handle the UP part of stairs well.  But if I go up a few flights I'm okay, and I can walk all the way down from the 11th floor without a problem so I've just tweaked my routine and work from the lowest floor and go up.

I'm also trying to walk more at home, which means getting back on the treadmill.  That's tougher though because I am very tired after work and often don't have time before work.  You'd think I wouldn't get this physically tired, it's not a hard job.  But I find that standing in basically one spot is more tiring than getting to move around!

And I'm still planning to snowshoe, gotta find the time & the energy.  Plus I have ponies that need riding, so I'm trying to find time to fit that in. 
The riding will be tougher to fit in, I need to have enough time to ride plus cool out the horse in time to put it back out before I go to work.  Snowshoeing I'll be able to do day or night, as long as I have the energy and it's not too darn cold!

Another thing I've changed is that I'm packing my "lunch" (it's usually supper lol) and eating healthier that way.  I didn't get to garden this summer, and I'm super picky about veggies but I found nice greens that Walmart & Superstore both carry for a decent price.  I pack that, some grilled chicken breast cut into small pieces and have a nice salad.  Add in some fruit, carrots or peppers and a yogurt and I'm good :)

I'm not too far off from a big milestone that I set for myself, and I'm pretty excited about that!  As long as all this holiday food doesn't interfere ;)