I *AM* the Stairmaster!

While it’s certainly causing me some leg pain*, it’s been 100% worth it to start taking the stairs again, anywhere I can. It works out the stiffness in my legs, and is exercise that I need to do anyhow. Also, since the elevator at our office is pneumatic, I can usually walk up to the second floor as fast as, or faster than the damned elevator in the first place. After a couple of days, you kind of feel pretty good about yourself for taking the stairs. Yes, even a little smug, it’s true. I’m not proud of it, but sometimes you can’t help but think “yeah, that’s right, baby, I take the stairs.” There’s not need to be like that, kids. Come on, it’s only 1 floor.”

I understand, however, that some people can’t even do that 1 floor. Now, there’s some days where you just do not want to use the stairs, believe me I know. I have taken the lazy way out before. I’m sure, at one point or another, I’ll do it again. Fortunately though, I can actually use them, as my knees are not shot, nor do I get short of breath going up a flight of stairs (unless I am running or carrying people, which doesn’t happen as much as you might thinkin an office job). I feel for people who can’t even do this much, I really do.

I noticed though, if I take the elevator once, just once, during the day, it’s a very slippery slope right into just taking it all the freaking time. I noticed this at the mall the other day when I was with my son. He’s in a stroller so we had to use elevators to get from floor to floor, and it really was harshing my walking groove, man! Mind you, I had to walk further to actually find the wretched conveyance, so there was that, but I felt like I was cheating. It would be cool if there was like a circular ramp, like at a stadium, that you could use to walk between levels. I bet the Mall of America has at least one of those. I’m not gonna be that guy who takes his kid on the stroller on the escalator.** I don’t go to the mall unless it’s really necessary, so I don’t think it’ll be too big an issue in my day to day life.

I worked out both yesterday morning and evening and today I feel like I was taken out last night in my sleep and a gang of hobos was paid to beat my legs and lower back with various objects one might find at an abandoned building site. Wow.



BIGGEST LOSER:

I was saying to a friend at work today “The only thing about the show at this point in the proceedings is you have no one to root against.” That’s right, I said it. Nobody like that bloody awful troll Vicki from last season and Joelle has hit the bricks now. So all we have left are, at this point, people you want to succeed. This is good on one hand because all these people need it and want it. On the other hand, every time one of them goes home you just feel awful. OK so Shanon was a little weepy, sure, but it don’t make you bad person, right? She’s doing OK at home too. Here’s hoping she keeps it up.

My coworker said “Joelle gives me a rash.” I couldn’t agree more.


Mike and Ron came through big time this week though with big Ron banging out an impressive 7 pound loss. Considering how bad that man’s knees are, I have to hand it to him, he did very well this week. His son managed 10 pounds this week after a very impressive thirteen pounder last week! Go, Mike, Go! 23 pounds in two weeks!

There looks to be some serious team switching shenanigans next week, too. I’m guessing from the preview (which is so deceptive they may as well show the cast being attacked by bears at this point) that Ron is not on Bob’s team any longer, and Bob is less than thrilled. I can’t wait!







* Look, I’ve been carting around a lot of flab for a lot of years. Once I hit about, oh, thirty four or so my legs started to get sore and tired much easier. My feet started a little earlier than that. I have spent a lot of time just standing on hard floors in my life though, and that’s no help, right?

** I’m sure it’s safe. I’ve seen it done, but in my head I picture my kid busting out of the straps and then taking a header in perpetuity until they can stop the escalator. I know this can’t happen for real, but it certainly makes for a very “silent movie-era” mishap film in my head. I’m sure I’d rescue him only to be struck with a ladder carried by apassing workman, fall into a open pit in the floor and somehow become involved in a food fight involving nothing but pies.