Living Joyful

Living Joyful! I started with a run at Blueberry Ridge on Sunday (5.4K) and picked blueberries. Yesterday, I rode my bike to do errands and get new books to read at the library for a total of 5.7 miles. Today ,Belly Dancing with Kate and I rode bike there with wonderful floral aromas all thru town and along the lakeshore for an additional 3.5 miles. Tomorrow is Yoga at Mukta with Lisa! Friday starts the Hiawatha Music Festival which last for 3 days. Each morning I will wake to Yoga and each night I will dance, dance, dance!

11/21 AEDM–Learning Curves

This week I’ve been suffering with muscle spasms, misalignment, and terrible pain. That does not mean I sit still easily. It meant I had to cut back o my training for the Turkey Trot, where I am hoping to still compete in my first 10k run. I have turned to medication coupled with chiropractic care and physical therapy. As I do this I have turned to walking. I walk whenever I can. This morning Mike and I walked the Noque–a route I normally run. But this took us off path from time to time. I learned to pause with camera in stillness at the sights I normally run past. I even climbed an out-crop of rock I have affectionately called the Dino or Steggie. My photos today show curves. I find this new.

Trippy Kim, Porcupine Mtns. Then & Now

Photo Credit: Mike Hainstock
Kim at Tree Near Presque Isle River, Porcupine Mountains 2007
Size: 18/20

Photo Credit: Mike Hainstock
Kim at Tree Near Presque Isle River, Porcupine Mountains 2009
Size: 9/10
Weight Loss: 47 pounds

Photo Credit: Mike Hainstock
Tai Chi Kim at Presque Isle River, Porcupine Mountains 2007
Size: 18/20

Photo Credit: Mike Hainstock
Tai Chi Kim at Presque Isle River, Porcupine Mountains 2009
Size: 9/10
Weight Loss: 47 pounds

I will not be a fat pigeon in winter!

I will not be a fat pigeon in winter! I exclaimed on December 3rd, 2008. I had already been dieting since the week before Thanksgiving. But that image of fat pigeons puffing up their feathers sticking close to their food source made me think of how uncomfortable I felt when bending over my own belly to put on my boots. How much easier winter would be if I stayed inside? But that mentality did not fit my future vision of myself.

I had dreams of traveling in foreign countries taking photos and writing inspirational articles, filled with hope. My bucket list had the dream of kayaking with whales in the Pacific Northwest. I now had a grandson to chase. The echoes of winter is as good (or fun) as your gear haunted me. Yeah right! But I cannot even hook my feet up to my snowshoes without Mike’s help. Humiliated. I hated that.I vowed to see my feet again with ease no matter how many layers of clothing were needed to ward off the cold.

I Lost 45 @ 45! In fact I have now lost 46 pounds. And I think it might be possible by December 3rd to lose 50. The weight comes off slow now as I am building muscle mass and definition. I have gone from a tight fitting size 18 to a comfortable size 10. I’m still shrinking.

Weight loss and fitness is expensive. I have shrank thru wardrobes of clothes and every couple of months I have bagged up the cast-offs for Vinnes and Goodwill. All my gear, including backpacks, no longer fit. I have shelled out money just to run 5k races; something I can do around Presque Isle on my own everyday. But I vowed not to be a fat pigeon in winter.

Lots of people ask, “How’d you do it?”

The next phrase no mater what my reply is, “I can’t do that ____________ (fill in the blank with reason).”

I am not an athletic trainer. I am not a dietician or nutritionist. I am simply one motivated woman who was sick of not living fully. I, too had the same excuses.

• I just have a slow metabolism…
• I don’t have the time…
• I dont’ have the money…
• I have other people to cook for…
• I have an injury…

I had to face all my excuses and find a way around them. I had old injuries, and new injuries. Yet, somehow this time around. Nothing de-railed my efforts. At the Holistic Health Fair I will talk about making change happen, making goals a reality, and how my journey got me to a size 9/10. I am calling the talk “I Lost 45 @ 45!”

The Fall 2009 Holistic Health Fair will be held Nov 7th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at UpFront & Co. in Marquette Michigan.

Under Tall Hardwood Forests We Find Strength

Thoughts on Wednesday Night

As I run thru the forest I comment that I am not my injury anymore, and I explain to Olivia who is running with me what meaning I put behind those words.

I used to be all about my wounds. But after loosing 45+ pounds and becoming a runner I am not about my injury. That victim-sense has lifted. Small successes have built upon each other and my foundation feels strong.

Yet, in the same thought I can admit that my arm/neck/shoulder have a disability that challenges my activities. I can accept those limitations and realize that for nearly 7 years I’ve coped, changed, and adapted. I can learn modalities and address the pain and discomfort. And you know what, I can still get upset at a migraine or spasm without it crushing me.

And I did, let that injury crush me. I was afraid. The physical pain coming so soon after a divorce, the worst emotional pain of my life was too much and it brought me to ruin.

But I am finding myself in the midst of challenge(s) and being in a safe relationship allows me to rediscover.

This photo can be viewed Large.

8/21–Breakfast

I struggled on 7/21 of my promise and I cannot say how I took ownership of that day. It took until after 1pm to make it mine (sigh) and the idea was to do so in the morning.  After my morning shift, I headed to Presque Isle and took my camera. The photos appear below.

I did much better taking ownership of today, Day 8 of my 21-day promise.

Breakfast
Quite proud of eating a quick and nutritious breakfast this morning–my shift started at 7:30 a.m. I was done eating before 7 a.m.

Kashi Go Lean Hot
Apple, diced
4 figs, chopped
1/2 cup of 1% milk over the top of cooked cereal

Calories:472 Carbs:102 Fat:4 Protien:15

In between my split-shifts I took a few minutes next to a local lake drinking a non-fat vanilla latte and reading  Three Cups of Tea. More on this book later.

6/21 Promises–Breakfast Fuel

This morning I woke still shaking from the weekend’s migraine. Something happens neurologically and my body has to recover. Today I chose quality fuel for my body that also tastes fantastic.

Breakfast Cereal
1 cup of Quaker Oat squares, Maple (210 calories)
1 4oz. serving of Stonyfield Farm, Okios organic Greek Yogurt with honey on the bottom (calories 90)
1 cup of sliced strawberries (46 calories)

Total Calories: 346

Sometimes the way I honor my mornings is by fueling my body properly so I have the energy to reach the challenges of the day. The Okios has 0g of fat and a whopping 10g of protein!

4/21 Gotta Run

Kim (blue bandana) Talks with Erik Winkelmann Pre-race

Almost every Saturday morning this summer I have set an alarm clock, slipped from bed and into running clothes. I run 3-5 miles. Afterward, I go to the Marquette’s Farmer’s Market. It is my hunter-gatherer mode. I come home to Mike and a pot of coffee having brought the fresh fruit and scones.

This Saturday it was time to reap the rewards from my training. I ran the Lake Superior Shore Run which benefits the Superiorland Cross-Country Ski Club. I placed in the middle of my age group, 40-49. Normally, I have been running a bit faster than this–last night I had a migraine and neck spasms–today during the race I felt off, weak, and heavy. But it was a fantastic overcast day, the rain held off and the temps in the low 60s.

The race was at Little Presque, and ran along the Lake Superior shoreline and Songbird Trail. It was crazy crossing the suspension bridge with everyone running. I thought I’d spill right off! It was really quite freaky and fun! The photos are taken by Mike Hainstock, my towel boy, and long-term boyfirend.

I am wearing my I Lost 45 @ 45 Tee-shirt. My race sponsors were: Kudeyirah, Stonehouse Window & Door, Health & Happiness Magazine, and my own biz, Create with Kim. I thank my sponsors for their support and encouragement. They are part of something much larger than just this race. I Lost 45 @ 45! Will include public talks and a new direction in my life and a return to healing arts as a career.

Stats:
Age Group Place: 8
Overall Place: 74
Time: 34:45.7
Pace: 6:57/K

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Kim Heads to a Strong Finish

Another Presque Isle Run

I’ll write a book, “How I Lost 45 at 45.” I am that close, now. I have lost over 42 pounds and running is a normal part of my life. I crave running. I still do walk-to-runs but I am under 12-minute miles now.

Today was gray, the temps dropping, thunder clouds building. There was a headwind and a sidewind on the isle. I ran past a flock of geese–two hissed and chased me. I ran past three deer feeding o the lush grasses just off the bogwalk and behind Shiras Pool. One young buck had six-points all velvet and soft looking. None of the deer thru up their white-tails; they just grazed on lazily.

As I got to my car the radio announced it was 50 degrees. The rain drops that fell on the run were fat drops, heavy, but not frequent enough to soak my shirt. My cool down walk was with camera.

I clocked my new route with the car today. I ran off-island and up to the little pond by the power plant. It adds a little more than and extra mile to the 2-mile loop. I intended to do my usual 2 times around the island and the new addition for a total of 5 miles. But after 3+ miles I had noting left to give. It is Friday, afterall, and Mike had been out of town two-nights. I’ve had little sleep. Tomorrow I will recover and do at least 4 miles on Sunday.

The Photos are from my cool-down walk. The second photo is a post-process action in Virtual Photographer (ambiance).

Another Sublime Run on Saturday

On Saturdays I run Presque Isle, waking early I get into my running gear and grab my grocery bags for the farmer’s market on my way home. Today I was happy to also have my camera. As I turned onto Lakeshore Blvd. I noticed the high seas of Lake Superior and worried about what type of headwind I’d have to contend with out on the island. As I rounded Picnic Rocks I saw this ore boat headed out and pulled into the parking lot. Buffeted by winds I had to use my car roof to steady the shot. I was excited. The lighting was dramatic and my dread of running into headwinds was averted–I decided this would be a sublime day!

I was excited for my run or I would have taken hundreds of shot. There were at least a 1/2 dozen young surfers on the sunset side of the island. All in wet suits, of course, as Superior is pretty cold. I figured if they could brave the waves, cold, wind and unknown bottoms of the lake I could certainly circle the island twice. I got in my 4 miles with a 12 minute average per mile–pretty good (for me) considering the weather conditions.

After a run on Saturdays there is the Marquette Farmer’s Market–combining the two tasks makes me feel like a hunter-gatherer–still sweaty from my run I gathered yummy produce and goodies. Today I picked up a Head of cauliflower and broccoli grown locally by Seeds and Spores. I purchased 5 mini red-sweet peppers from Farmer Q’s and then stopped by to get treats from Peter at the Marquette Baking Company, two pear-rosemary scones and two chocolate-chip walnut cookies.