Surrender with Sweetness

January has me embracing change and releasing the ego. I was going to set out on this new decade a warrior ready to race and push my body to extremes. I set goals. Cleared weekends to train. Then my body, (50 pounds lighter than the past decade) said STOP. You must rest. And I am learning to listen to the body. At, first I wanted to react with fear, and as a victim. But I remember the feeling of freedom as I hiked and ran on trails this summer and promised my body I would get back to that.

Yesterday, with the theme of Body, I headed out on a gentle camera walk around Marquette, Michigan with camera. I kept facing disappointment as the images were not coming. My body was tired. My mind was tired. I was heading back to the car when I saw her in a window. She was surrendering with joy to the street to the snow to her life. A poster in a window. Reflections. Color. I found HER! And she spoke to me as a sign of hope. That I, too, can surrender with sweetness and find some rest in January.

I know I can eat a bit less. I can eat clean. I can still walk. And my PT says I can even swim with just my arms (breast stroke) using a pull-bouy between my legs. I can use arm bike’s. I can continue this path and it is all useful knowledge that I can share with others facing injury.

Due to the nature of this post I am cross-posting to both Create with Kim and Running Marquette.

11/22 AEDM–Reflective

I love that feeling of openness. The little voice in my head said quick turn here and I pulled into the parking lot near Viosport and walked to the back up a parking ramp. There I was surprised by my reflection. I am still getting used to this “me.”

When you have been overweight for over 2 decades. You are shocked looking at photos of the heavy you. I liked to think of myself as the Young Kim at her ideal weight and was always shocked at photos of the Heavy Kim.

Now, I am shocked at the Skinny Kim, cause she is not that teenager at her ideal weight. I am a mature woman, a grandmother, and fit. It is all a bit surreal.

Dazzling not Dazzled

No one showed up for my presentation so I took photos. Thus the title of this post. The chandeliers were dazzling in the light. But I was not dazzled by the promotions and turn-out of a conference that I paid 55.00 to attend as vendor. Maybe one day this photo will gain back the outlay of money for the health fair.

11/7 AEDM–Holistic Health Fair

Today was the Holistic Health Fair and I was promoting workshops I’ll be offer this winter. It was also celebrating “I Lost 45 @ 45!” The journey of my weight loss and physical improvements over the past year. The attendance seemed light at today’s 10am to 4pm fair but the Upper Peninsula was blessed with blue skies and temps over 60 degrees–and that is rare for November. No one showed for my presentation, but I happily occupied the space. I stood outside the door of the conference room. Then I did Tai Chi in the center of the space and honored my journey. When back at my booth space, I talked with many young photographers, met some wonderful people and shared stories with people on their own journeys. I came away with valuable lessons and awareness to make the next fair or show more successful.

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.

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

End of Summer?

Yesterday, I heard a young friend refer to Labor Day as the End of Summer. They, of course, were referring to the return to school on Tuesday. Personally, my summer will not end until the Fall Equinox on September 22nd. The warm dog daysare here for September. I have many more beaches to walk. I have a Shore Run to train for on September 26th. And I will be designing a tee-shirt that states proudly, “I Lost 45 @ 45!” That’s 45 pounds at age 45 (big smile). This is also a new Adventourous Project and I will have more to report by the end of the month.