34 days

Foods: 

1. 1/2 cup oatmeal + 2 spoon yogurt + water 
2. 1 biscotti 
3. Hazelnut coffee 
4. Peach flavored green tea
5. baby carrots – 20
6. 2/3 cup of tomato soup + 5 crackers (why 2/3rd cup? Coz the frkkin carton froze in the refrigerator at work. That’s why! I tried nuking it and then it kept making bizarre sounds, and ultimately I filled a large glass bowl of hot water and dumped this in while I sat there fuming and wishing my anger would melt that ice block! 😐 ) 
7. 2nd glass of water 
8. 3rd glass of water
9. 1/2 cup of desi chai (skim milk) 
10. 4th glass of water 
11. 1 whole wheat roti with tom-onion sabji (Had to eat something before I ran off to the pool and since mom’s running the kitchen, there’s plenty of good ol desi food hanging around.. ) 
12. 5th glass of water 
13. 1 cup of rice with carrot curry and sambar 
14. 1/2 cup of yogurt 
15. 1 bowl of grapes (I really wasn’t hungry, but wanted to end the day with soem fruit, so washed 1/2 the box, and well, everyone else ate it too) 
16. 6th glass of water 
17. 7th glass of water 

The journal tells me I’ve consumed 880. Even if I wasn’t counting right considering desi food et al, I am below 1000 calories and have consumed only 12 cals from fat. I guess it’s okay for now, but will need to tweak stuff a bit. Don’t want the metabolism going into a polar bear hibernate mode either. 

Once I got home, I realized that groceries were running low and so took mom and went over to the local Asian store. Picked up a fresh pack of Japanese noodles that am itching to try out making a chinese dish out of. Don’t ask about the international medley am creating, even I am not sure how that concoction’s going to turn out. So came back and then realized that since today was Monday I was to jump in the pool as scheduled. 

Changed and drove out and saw that my usual far end lane was occupied by a very stern morose looking instructor and three equally morose looking adults who were moving in perfect triangle formation up and down the length. Checked with the lifeguard on duty and she faithfully checked with someone imp am guessing and let me know that I was okay to share the lane. Gently lowered me in and tried walking the other end and after a few frowns and “o we will be out in 3 minutes” mutters, I finally had the lane to myself. Just as I was rejoicing, in jumped a bunch of 7-8 year old kids who also were on some training class where the instructor just barks at them from the poolside. : 

Thankfully, the little ones take forever to cross the pool, and I had enough time to keep jumping onto a shallow rail end (meant for physically challenged swimmers to ease in, kinda like a ramp) whenever they came my way. Either way, I spent 30 minutes in the pool and enjoyed it immensely. What did I do? 

Apart from holding onto the edge and kicking my legs out, I walked at  a fast pace – more like bobbing up and down, as in stepping with toes and lifting the body up to jump ahead, up and down. To make my arms do something than just hang limp, I simulated a swimming motion, and it does tire those arms well. At my end of the pool, I’d stop at every turn and jog in place for one minute. each time I increased speed, and lifted the knees to reach higher. Buoyancy helps to a great degree. I also held onto the rails on either side and alternately twisted my legs and waist to turn each side, bouncing off the floor with my toes. Working the obliques. It’s so much easier in the water, though once you get out it can hurt a bit. The resistance is a sly thing.

Then I also nudged myself into the corner, held the sides with my arms stretched out, and cycled at fast speed while balancing my weight on my arms. That is a bit tricky, primarily because there may be an occasion when the lower body weight will outweigh and you may lose balance and slide down into the water. Just saying, so one doesn’t panic in case you do try it. 

I also remembered how during PT I was asked to walk sideways on a treadmill. I did the same here, with my arms stretched out parallel in the water. For obvious reasons of resistance, walking left was a breeze. The right leg followed well and I believe the adductors (the inner thigh muscle group) are stronger than the abductors (not sure if you could name them that, but basically the outer thigh muscles) in my right leg. I feel it even when I do the machine weights, as in bringing it in I can go upto 70 lbs weights, but to extend them out, I can only do 50 lbs with difficulty.

Picture below shows the muscle group that works when you press legs/thighs together. Which btw is a great machine move one should do if you’d like to strengthen legs and tone thighs. Squats work equally well.

It hurt at the knee to lead with it however and hence travel right against the water. I pushed it, but yeah, no fun. The spa is a nice end to the 30 minutes spent. Relaxing.  

Tomorrow’ weigh-in and this time around, I feel a bit apprehensive. We’ll see..