Clearing the Woods = Weight Loss + Muscle Building

Tuesdays Workout:

We have woods one the front and back of our property. The previous owner had made a nice clearing in the back. We enjoy sitting out back and watching the squirrels, birds, racoons, and deer.

The cleared area is starting to fill back in since he didn't actually kill the trees he had cut down. I figured it was better if I cut all the sapplings down before they became trees. I didn't realize what a big job it was going to be.

I grabbed my trusty tree/scrub cutters and off I went into the woods. It seems like every tree he cut down, 4/5 more grew up from the root system. I became one cutting machine. I was out there for hours cutting.

I had to quit when the blisters I developed starting really hurting. By this time, my shoulders were feeling the strain from those cutters. Although I'm not done clearing, the area looks better.

I plan to do some more cutting as soon as the blisters heal up. (I wish I could work with gloves on. I hate the feeling of them on my hands.)

Now I have sore legs, arms and shoulders. It's a good kind of sore though. Losing weight while building muscles = a nice looking yard. Definitely a win-win situation.

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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]

Cutting This Workout Short

Wednesday Workout:

Today I decided to dig out the flower beds located between the sidewalk and the house. There was so much grass mixed with the flowers, it was a mess. I took my trusty hoe and went to work.

The iris flowers had gotten to thick so I started thinning them out. It was like swinging an ax to get those things out of the ground. The bulbs really were embedded.

I held the hoe differently than I did the trimmers so it didn't bother the blisters I already had. I could tell I was using other muscles I hadn't used the previous two days. The weather was cool and it felt good working up a sweat.

I started tackling the tall grass. That stuff was really tough to dig out. I couldn't believe what an extensive root system it has. Everything was going great until I felt a pinch and looked down at my feet. YIKES!! FIRE ANTS!!

I hurried and got away from that area. That brought this workout to an end. It was too late though. They had already bitten me on both feet in several places. I itch so bad from these bites. They get fire red and swell up so bad.

I see today I have 6 bites on my left foot and 2 bites on my right foot. I didn't sleep very last night. I don't know why, but it seems after the lights go out, they itch even more. I spent have the night scratching my feet.

I'm so mad at myself. This is my third experience with fire ants. I told my mom I was not going to go outside anymore without socks and shoes on after my second experience. I didn't follow my own advice this time and only had on my clogs. Hopefully, the third time is the charm.

(I said to myself, "Will I ever learn?"

Off tothe medicine cabinet to find some more itch medicine.

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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]

Toning Muscles Doing Yard Work

Monday's Workout:
My husband is still layed up with his back so I had to cut our grass. I'm scared of the riding lawnmower so I cut our lawn with a little 20 inch lawnmower. I've owned this lawnmower since 1992. I call it my baby. I can't believe it's still working after all this time.

We have a big yard....about 2 acres. Needless to say, it took me a long time to cut with my trusty little pushmower. I forgot to put my pedometer in my pocket to see exactly how far I walked. I finished up just as it was starting to get dark. I was worn out but the sense of accomplishment felt even better.

I know muscles weighs more than fat. If I don't lose this week...I'm going to attribute it to all the yardwork. Having sore arms and legs has to mean something other than I'm not in shape.

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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]

If Only Pounds Could Come Off as Fast as Days Fly By

The time has gone by so fast since my last post. My girlfriend's visit has come and gone. I hadn't seen her in over 3 years. I recognized her right away walking down that ramp at the airport. (some people never seem to change) There isn't much to see where I live. I gave her the grand tour of the town. We went and saw the former office of Sheriff Buford Pusser and lots of his memoriabilia. (the movie Walking Tall was based on his life) She leads a pretty hectic life back home and really enjoyed sitting in our gazebo and watching the wildlife in the woods behind the house.

All this extra running around I've been doing, I figured I had really lost some weight. No such luck. I got on the scale.....I only dropped one pound. It sure gets discouraging losing it this slowly.

This week will be better. Things I'll improve:

1. Increase water intake
2. Increase time/days exercising
3. Do a better job of documenting what I eat and drink
4. Decrease the amount of diet coke I'm drinking.


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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]

The Scale is Still Going Down

My husband has been laid up for the past 4 days with his sciatica nerve. I took him to the doctor and he has been bedridden since. I've been busy waiting on him. He's been in a lot of pain. I wish I could take his pain for him. I think women deal better with pain than men.

I've also been busy helping a friend was an EEOC lawsuit. I've spent so much time looking stuff up on the computer. I've felt like me and the chair had become one. (I love a challenge.)

I workout on my treadmill this morning for 25 minutes. My knee was not hurting when I quit. I made sure I didn't over do it. I need to read the book that came with the treadmill. There are so many buttons I'm not sure what they all do. I've figured out how to do the incline, the speed, and the fan. It has many different programs on it....from 10,000 step program to 300 step.

I weighed myself before I took my walk and I've lost another pound. I may have gained when I was gone for that week, but I'm one pound below my weight the day I left. That is what is important.

I started my day with a cup of coffee, piece of rye toast and a bottle of water. My lunch consisted of a can of Cream of mushroom soup. It'a already 3:20pm and I haven't had ANY snacks.

It may be raining outside...but I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. Off to grab another bottle of water and chat with my mom.

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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]

Dreading A Needle

My yearly prescriptions are about to run out so I had to see a doctor to get them renewed. Since we've moved over 550 miles, I had to find a new doctor. When I took my husband to the Medical Center yesterday, I asked for an appointment with any doctor.

They gave me an appointment in the afternoon with a new doctor. He was really nice. Found out, he was originally from up near Chicago. No accent and easier to understand...what more could one ask for all I needed were my prescriptions refilled.

He told me instead of coming every 6 months like so many doctors in this area require, he'd only have me come once a year if I promised to workout 20 minutes 5 days a week. I saw no problem with that.

He told me I'd have to get a blood test so he could check my cholesterol. I wasn't to happy about that. Me and needles are like oil and water, we don't get along.

I went to the Medical Center this morning for the dreaded blood test. The girl looked at the veins in my left arm and said, "Wow, you have tiny veins." That was not exactly what I wanted to hear. She then put the rubber thingy on my right arm and said those were even smaller. She proceeded to put the rubber thingy back on my left arm. I was pretty nervous by then. I told her, "This is just a cholesterol test. If you can't get it, no problem. I don't really care if I take that medicine anymore anyway." She seemed like she was kind of new at it as she threw one needle away before she even got started because it felt wiggly? I never heard that before with a needle.

Talk about having some good luck, in walked an experienced nurse. She asked the young girl if she needed any help. She got the needle in and the blood drawn in a heart beat. Whew....I survived.

I'm not sure why I have such a fear of needles. I've been that way all my life. Guess I'm too old to out grow that fear. That just tells me....I better stay healthy!!!!

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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]

Puppy Has A New Home

Today we went to the auto body shop to check on the puppy. We brought some dog food incase he was still there. There were a couple of guys working on their own car. They told us the parts delivery guy had taken the puppy on Friday.

I was sad and glad at the same time. I wasn't sure what I was going to do if the puppy was still there. I hope he'll be healthy and happy in his new home and love and be loved in his new home. I may have only known little "Kelly" for a day....but I'll never for get him.

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[Source: Fatty Weight Loss]