A period of anticipation

Since coming home, I have found it hard to keep this blog up, though I intend to do so.  Until last Thursday, I had maintained my daily workout at the Heart Health Institution going 5 days a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday using the Nu-step for 30 mins., the treadmill for 30 mins. and working on the weight machine circuit for 20-30 minutes; Tuesday and Thursday only on the treadmill and Nu-step as I have to skip a day between the weight lifting to let the old muscles recover. I took Linda Hull up on her kind offer to use her pool at her condo, so last Monday, I did 45 minutes of aerobic exercises in the deep end of the pool trying to remember all the various drills we had done at Duke.  I didn't find it as enjoyable as it was at Duke because I was the only one and there wasn't any music to keep the beat up with.

Last Thursday I had some basil cells removed from my left calf and we told not to exercise for a week to let the wound heal.  Actually it's been hard NOT to go to the gym everyday.  I am concerned about gaining weight during this period (the reason behind the title of today's blog.) I have been out in the yard a bit cleaning up after the windstorm and yesterday I spent the morning walking around Harmony Grove Cemetery in Portsmouth, NH looking for and then photographing specific gravestones that I then post online for folks from other parts of the country who are looking for their relative's grave site. It was good exercise and I found all five stones although I have to go back and retake one as the inscription was too dark because the sun was shining on the backside of the stone.

Sudie and I continue to cook recipes out of the Duke cookbook, with great success! I have reworked a few of the recipes from Dragon Tails successfully.  The most satisfying remake was for my seafood lasagna.  I used whole wheat pasta, cut the butter in half for the white sauce, exchanged whipping cream with fat-free 1/2 & 1/2, left out the salt, and used less cheese and it was fabulous! I am giving a workshop at church on April 18th on what I have learned while at Duke.  I will talk about some nutrition and fitness topics, talk about adapting recipes and have some examples of recipes from the Duke cookbook for them to try.  I am sure they will be pleasantly surprised.

Sudie has lost nearly 10 pounds and I have lost 7-8 pounds as well even without the exercising this week for a total of 31 pounds so far. 32 pounds had been the most I have lost on any diet, so I am on the brink of breaking that record. I suppose the muscle that I have been building up continues to burn the fat more efficiently even when I don't exercise.  I can't wait to get back to the gym, though!!  I know the next 30 pounds will be harder, but I am up to the challenge, with the support I am receiving from all of you.  Thank you!!