Whelp, here we go again

Hi!
Yes I'm alive.  :) Long time no post - I've just been busy doing stuff. Life. Good things. Bad things. The myriad of life.
What I haven't been doing though is exercising. So - now that summer is over and I'm back home and in more of a routine I'm getting back to the fitness logging and healthy sorta stuffs again. Why? Well a wondrous summer of adventure (and beers and snacks a plenty) has had me lose most of my muscles and gain about 11 Lbs. Boo. It's enough that my pants are tight (really - I have 2 sizes of clothes and I'm tight in my upper sizes of them and really feel self conscious)....and more importantly, physically I am very weak. Yes I had to rest and heal, but it's been 6 months - I have no reason not to work out anymore other than just wanting to sleep in.  This weekend while helping set up decor for an event I was frustrated at how little I could lift and I am glad to know I'm starting back to fitness again. I couldn't even hold my arms up for long periods to hang and mount stuff - it's remarkable when you are used to being able to do a lot and you just can't...

So, since the start of October I've been slowly getting back on the train to being more health conscious. Other than thanksgiving day (where I had a yummy meal with my family and 28 other people - wine and pie and snacks playing cards and all that) I've been sober all month and not snacked on junk. Yep, no more beer or a drink after work. October will be sober, but after that I'll go back to just a drink on sunday...or e
lse I may pick up some Canadian 67 or some G&T for when I just really want a drink. It was becoming a routine and not a treat and although there's nothing wrong with a glass of wine with supper it was getting out of hand with all the (delicious) craft beers and once I have one I have a few beers ...then I have a snack and...yeah...that's how your pants get too small.

True story. :)
I have been walking to work, there and back as weather permits. I should not diminish this - it is 3.4 Km one way and it does help a lot - I really feel it when I don't. But - it doesn't give me strength, and I really need that back. So - last week I did a few days of a workout DVD and this week I'm going at it full tilt - Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD. Last week I felt pretty pathetic since I couldn't even get through the first workout without stopping and I had to modify a lot of things, but this week on my first "official" day at it I made it all the way through with only 2 modifications - pushups on my knees as requested by my surgeon and my front raises of weights were one weight between my two arms  instead of one in each. Misplaced my 3 Lb weights and only have my 5, 8 and 10 to work with.

I admit, I feel pretty proud of myself that today although I was pretty sqeuaky in parts I made it through the whole DVD with no breaks or cheating and just those 2 changes. I'm hoping to be up to a weight in each hand and a heavier weights for a few of the other moves by the end of the week that don't involve my arms. Having only one lat muscle really changes how your back works and I have to remember that to ensure I don't hurt myself.  Plus I have to remember -the first few weeks kinda suck. I can make it through and I won't die...it's neat how quickly I don't get crazy stiff and fall back into the routine of being up and getting this in before work. Plus my asthma gets dialed in again and I'll feel a lot more confident and strong. It gives me energy and helps my moods too. Really I just want my clothes to fit a bit better again. I just want to be healthy.  So... I'm gonna be back logging my stuff again for a while. :)

So this AM - week 1 workout was done. Had some cottage cheese and fruit and a mug of coffee with cream for breakfast and I'm off to a good start.
Here's to a good day!