as long as I am waking 10,000 steps, right? 6/3/06

I feel like I have a lot to do today. Sears gave me days off starting Sunday through Tuesday, so I am driving to Houston for Japanese teachers meeting. I guess I have been keeping me busy doing other things this morning. I have been doing a lot of walking even without going to work. 10,000 steps is just about equivalent to cardio machine 30 minutes at the gym, because they both burn about 300 calories. Of course, if I go to the gym, I do weight training and stretch, but that is the minimum daily exercise I should be doing, I assume. Today I am closing so it is almost a guarantee that I will get 10,000 steps. As of morning, I already have more than 5,000 steps because I took a long walk with the dog. I am glad that I have done it when it was cooler outside.

public transportation and sightseeing 6/1/06

I had another day off and yet accomplished over 10,000 steps. In fact, over 18,000 steps! Today I took the DART light rail and TRE and T, Ft. Worth bus system, to get to the Japanese Garden. This is actually my third visit there and I just simply loved it. I know this is not a divorce blog, but it has been mentioned a few times. Three years ago today, my now ex-husband kicked me out of the house. Then domestic violence, then divorce paperwork followed. I stayed in a hotel kind of place for two weeks (which I will stay late July this year) and moved back to the house. After a couple of weeks, I started to exercise thinking nobody is going to take care of me, so I have to do it myself. Exercising was also a way to pampering myself, putting myself first. I like my life now. I am happy.

over 11,000 steps without going to work 5/31/06

I worked five days straight and today is payday from SMU, so I decided to go leisure shopping. First I drove to Irving to my favorite Korean store and got six bags of my favorite edamame. Then I went to Preston and Forrest to first visit Sonny Bryan's BBQ and to Whole Foods later. Sonny Bryan's is where Donnie and I went on his first day in Dallas and I just had craving for their BBQ sauce. Their lunch special is $5.99 and came with 1 pound of meat (I asked for beef brisket), a side vegi (I went with baked beans) and a drink. What else would you need? I was hoping that they would have T-shirt to sell so that I can send it to Donnie for Father's Day, but the guy at the store said they probably wouldn't have anywhere in town. There was a sign saying Tuesday is all-you-can-eat pork ribs. With that with two rolls, I am still full at 6:45pm. I was going to cook bigger dinner, but I think I will settle with green salad with salmon tonight. On top of that shopping, I had to go to the post office then to Kroger/Target shopping area. I found out Kroger has Spanish version of Dallas Morning News, Al Dí­a. I wonder if I can just sneak in in the morning with the dog to get a copy. With that much shopping and walk with Pepper twice, I made over 11,000 steps and I didn't even go to work today. I thought I had enough to do planned, but looks like the day is going to end with dinner, soap opera and talking to friends. Maybe I get something done tonight...

compensating with eating 5/30/06

I think I have it under control, but last week, I was eating a lot. Especially at work, when I get 30 minute lunch, I was eating anything and everything I brought. This happened when I first started exercising in July 2003 and maybe when I started to work for Sears for the first time in December 2004. Human body tries to compensate and tries to keep weight regulated. Last I checked, my weight has not changed. While Donnie was here, I didn't exercise for close to a week and ate, ate and ate. Last week, I walked the dog twice a day, burnt more than 1,000 calories a day. The weight has not changed. So what is the point of trying to get stressed with exercise routines and trying to eat right. Be happy and be healthy, right?

adjusting 5/28/06

I am never a night person. And closing is not exactly my favorite thing to do. However since Dallas store is not busy at all, being scheduled to closing every single time is not as bad as it sounds. However I wake up when the sun is out, being Marí­a del Sol, and I want to get the morning walk with the dog done before it gets too warm, I end up taking a serious nap everyday. Also adjustment needs to be made with eating habits. I seem to get 4.5 or 5.5 hour shift and 5.5 hour, like today, will give me 30 minute lunch. This will give me a refuel time, but no break in 4.5 hour shift at night has been a little tricky. After the morning walk and the visit to the gym, for some reason, I end up eating lunch around or just before noon. By the time, I should get dressed with the dress code, I am still not too hungry and I am usually in the middle of doing something. So I don't cook anything decent, make just a quick snack. By the time I come back after 9:30, I can't stop eating! I try to make something healthy, like 枝豆 (Edamame), available for me, but still not a good idea eating at night like that. But again, if I go to the gym, walk with the dog and work, I am burning close to or over 1,000 calories. So maybe I can eat whatever I want and still OK, right? Maybe not?