You may have guessed by my abbreviated post yesterday that it was a crazy morning and you would have been right. Things are crazy at work right now. I am glad that I have my workout time to help me decompress. I know that my morning workouts fuel me for the day and the evening ones allow me to recenter for the evening.
Yesterday was a good workout day and good eating day too (lots of yumminess). Morning was a toning class - we used the large workout balls that you sit on for the whole class, only we didn't sit on them, we moved them around over our head as we turned and lunged and bent. And we used them on the ground as we did squats and lifts squeezing our legs together to hold them in place. We did do some work while sitting on them, in the form of crunches. Last night I did week 3, day 3 of the Couch 2 5K workout. Plus, I added some additional distance - I wound up doing 3 miles and including warm up and cool down was at 39 minutes. Considering that much of the C25K is walking (more than half), it makes me feel good. Then, I came home and did my side plank for Day 9. I do hope that if nothing else, by the end, I can get to a point where when we do the planks in class, I am able to hold it the full time and add in the extra lifts and such that the instructor does.
So, I mentioned good food too. At lunch, I had a harvest wedge salad with a white balsamic dressing. There is something about apples, bacon and cheese together that is so good. With it, we had this vegetable and winter grain soup that was warm and satisfying on a rather cool day. Dinner was turkey roast, pierogie and green beans. Yum!
Today was spinning. I am a little stiff today and my arms, although not sore are very heavy feeling from yesterday's workout. Tonight is a another session of Bokwa and Day 10 of the 30 Day Challenge.
30 Day Plank, Ab and Squat Challenge
Day 10 - 35 second Plank, 10 sit ups, 10 crunches, 25 squats
I am not a diet or fitness expert. I am a mom, just trying to be healthy and fit. All opinions expressed are my own.
Showing posts with label Wednesday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wednesday. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
It's Hump Day
It may be hump day today, but yesterday sure felt like a Wednesday. I was dragging. I started my day with toning, so I got up at my normal time. When I got to work, I headed into a three hour meeting. I grabbed some coffee on the way in and then, when we took a break, I topped off. My manager totally called me out...a second cup today, you must be struggling. It's not that a second cup of coffee is completely rare, but in that short of a span it was.
I think that the issue is that when I first start to really watch what I eat, there seem to be a couple of days for my body to adjust back to good eating. In much the same way that after eating good for a while, you almost feel sick when you eat what you used to.
I didn't get to the gym for any evening activity, but did walk around the block and then through the snowy backyard with my daughter after dinner. It wasn't much, but at least it was up and moving after dinner. Then we set to work on her treats for Valentine's day. We are doing Minions...I'll share the project on the main blog, if you want to check it out.
My arms and pecs are certainly feeling yesterday's toning class...I love that feeling.
I am not a diet or fitness expert. I am a mom, just trying to be healthy and fit. All opinions expressed are my own.
I think that the issue is that when I first start to really watch what I eat, there seem to be a couple of days for my body to adjust back to good eating. In much the same way that after eating good for a while, you almost feel sick when you eat what you used to.
I didn't get to the gym for any evening activity, but did walk around the block and then through the snowy backyard with my daughter after dinner. It wasn't much, but at least it was up and moving after dinner. Then we set to work on her treats for Valentine's day. We are doing Minions...I'll share the project on the main blog, if you want to check it out.
My arms and pecs are certainly feeling yesterday's toning class...I love that feeling.
I am not a diet or fitness expert. I am a mom, just trying to be healthy and fit. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The Day After Boot Camp
It's been a day since I took the boot camp class and the good news is that I am feeling it! The boot camp workout was amazing and today I have the tenderness to prove it. It is not quite the P90X Plyometric feeling in my legs, but as an added bonus, I can feel it in my back and shoulders and a little in my chest too. This morning at spinning, I could definitely feel yesterday in my legs. It was just that much harder to push myself and get the RPMs at each gear. I forgot my heart rate monitor today, but based on the sweat factor - I would say I was in the zone most of the workout and it was a good one. The cool down walk was a definite necessity today.
Eating was good yesterday. I finally was headache free all day, which further supports my theory on the source and I will be exploring that in a week or two when I see the doctor. Having no headache left me feeling snacky last night. I had some white cheddar cheese and some Triscuit Thins, which was fine until I had a second serving. Oh well! You will have that from time to time and it is okay. Before my snack, dinner was tasty and reasonably healthy too - Cajun Jambalaya Pasta. Full of peppers, onions and tomatoes, with some chicken breast too (we skipped the shrimp last night) - it is high in veggies, lean protein and flavor. I made sure to stick with a single serve of the pasta, but allowed a little extra of the toppings.
Tonight, I plan to fit in a Zumba class. I miss Zumba, now that it is not available at a convenient time for me at the Y.
I am not a diet or fitness expert. I am a mom, just trying to be healthy and fit. All opinions expressed are my own.
Eating was good yesterday. I finally was headache free all day, which further supports my theory on the source and I will be exploring that in a week or two when I see the doctor. Having no headache left me feeling snacky last night. I had some white cheddar cheese and some Triscuit Thins, which was fine until I had a second serving. Oh well! You will have that from time to time and it is okay. Before my snack, dinner was tasty and reasonably healthy too - Cajun Jambalaya Pasta. Full of peppers, onions and tomatoes, with some chicken breast too (we skipped the shrimp last night) - it is high in veggies, lean protein and flavor. I made sure to stick with a single serve of the pasta, but allowed a little extra of the toppings.
Tonight, I plan to fit in a Zumba class. I miss Zumba, now that it is not available at a convenient time for me at the Y.
I am not a diet or fitness expert. I am a mom, just trying to be healthy and fit. All opinions expressed are my own.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
A New Year!
Well, before winter break came, I was doing a great job of going to the gym every morning. I was walking/running and then doing a bit of biking. We had two solid weeks off and despite thoughts about going to the gym, I just didn't find the time. At one point, I took the kids up to use the pool and my daughter said to me, "we should take Daddy, so that you can walk Mommy". It sounded like good logic to me and I was impressed that my 6 year old was concerned that I find time to walk, but unfortunately, my husband wasn't available to join us because of work.
This morning, I got up on time and headed up to the gym to start the new year off right (they were closed yesterday). I got there and it seemed oddly dark. I headed to the track and noticed that the fitness center and the track were both dark. They evidently were having a light issue - although, the main hallways were well lit. I heard the music coming from a multipurpose room and peeked in. The instructor was getting the dark room set up for a Spinning class. I had never taken a Spinning class, but knowing that it was not looking good for walking or biking in the fitness center, I asked if I could try it out (there is a nominal fee to take a class). She invited me in to try the class.
It was a blast, it was incredibly difficult (I certainly wasn't up as much as they were) and I felt great at the end of the workout (and I'm starting to feel it now). I definitely will be doing that again! Plus, it is actually a class that starts before 6. Tomorrow, I am trying out a 6 am class, but I am concerned that it will run too long for me to get the rest of my morning in. After Spinning, I did a 1/4 mile cool down walk. The lights were back on. There were other people on the track - not sure if that was a function of the time (I'm normally there at 5:30 and it was 6:30) or if it is a New Year phenomena. I like my empty track and missed it today.
Eating was good today. There were still some tempting treats at the office - everyone had a great idea to bring in the bad stuff so that they wouldn't be tempted. I did really good until afternoon. Then, I just wanted a little something sweet. I was doomed from the time I took one bite - it just made me want more. I was able to resist keeping myself to only a second piece, but wish I hadn't had the first bite. I think I will pack another piece of fruit tomorrow.
We were at the mall yesterday and I told my husband that when I reached my goal, I was going on a shopping spree. I would keep certain staples from my wardrobe, but I wanted new clothes. I'm not sure that he realized that I was serious, but I am.
Unfortunately, the holidays set me back a bit, but I am certain that I will be back on track soon. Especially if I do sign up for a couple of classes that I will go to each week.
This morning, I got up on time and headed up to the gym to start the new year off right (they were closed yesterday). I got there and it seemed oddly dark. I headed to the track and noticed that the fitness center and the track were both dark. They evidently were having a light issue - although, the main hallways were well lit. I heard the music coming from a multipurpose room and peeked in. The instructor was getting the dark room set up for a Spinning class. I had never taken a Spinning class, but knowing that it was not looking good for walking or biking in the fitness center, I asked if I could try it out (there is a nominal fee to take a class). She invited me in to try the class.
It was a blast, it was incredibly difficult (I certainly wasn't up as much as they were) and I felt great at the end of the workout (and I'm starting to feel it now). I definitely will be doing that again! Plus, it is actually a class that starts before 6. Tomorrow, I am trying out a 6 am class, but I am concerned that it will run too long for me to get the rest of my morning in. After Spinning, I did a 1/4 mile cool down walk. The lights were back on. There were other people on the track - not sure if that was a function of the time (I'm normally there at 5:30 and it was 6:30) or if it is a New Year phenomena. I like my empty track and missed it today.
Eating was good today. There were still some tempting treats at the office - everyone had a great idea to bring in the bad stuff so that they wouldn't be tempted. I did really good until afternoon. Then, I just wanted a little something sweet. I was doomed from the time I took one bite - it just made me want more. I was able to resist keeping myself to only a second piece, but wish I hadn't had the first bite. I think I will pack another piece of fruit tomorrow.
We were at the mall yesterday and I told my husband that when I reached my goal, I was going on a shopping spree. I would keep certain staples from my wardrobe, but I wanted new clothes. I'm not sure that he realized that I was serious, but I am.
Unfortunately, the holidays set me back a bit, but I am certain that I will be back on track soon. Especially if I do sign up for a couple of classes that I will go to each week.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Back in the Groove and Going Strong
I am very proud of myself. Our new Y opened this weekend. Each morning, I have gotten up and headed to the Y to work out. It is still relatively quiet there first thing in the morning, so I have had no trouble being able to be the master of my own workout. The track is open, the equipment I want is open, it has all been working out well. With it being the week before Christmas and all the hub-bub associated with getting ready and winding down, I am guessing that not as many people are choosing to work out. I will be curious to see how quiet it is after the new year.
The first day I thought I was going to pass out on the track. It is above the field house and they must have had the heat on as high as it would go. It was a bit like walking/running in the Sahara. I couldn't drink enough water. So, I cut the walk/run portion short and headed to the equipment. I decided to check out the stationary bikes. They have these Expresso bikes, where there is a video screen in front of you showing you the route that you are riding.
I liked mixing it up, that now that is my routine. I run and walk for two miles on the track and then I go and ride the bikes. Because time is limited, I have done a 1.5, 2, and 2.4 mile ride so far. It makes the changes in 'elevation' seem more reasonable and I think that the interactive screen makes the ride go by quicker than it would without.
They also have a full gamut of resistance training equipment. I think that I would like to go in on a weekend and have someone walk me through all of the equipment, which muscle groups, what reasonable weight I should be using for each. That way, I could opt to rotate through the muscles and add a little strength training to each day. If I want to run/walk 2 miles and ride 2 miles, then I will only have about 15 minutes to do strength training each day.
Eating - well, that is another story. It is the week before the holidays and there are treats galore at work and this dinner and that dinner, plus I made cookies - which I can't resist. Good thing I give most away, or I would gain some serious cookie weight.
The first day I thought I was going to pass out on the track. It is above the field house and they must have had the heat on as high as it would go. It was a bit like walking/running in the Sahara. I couldn't drink enough water. So, I cut the walk/run portion short and headed to the equipment. I decided to check out the stationary bikes. They have these Expresso bikes, where there is a video screen in front of you showing you the route that you are riding.
I liked mixing it up, that now that is my routine. I run and walk for two miles on the track and then I go and ride the bikes. Because time is limited, I have done a 1.5, 2, and 2.4 mile ride so far. It makes the changes in 'elevation' seem more reasonable and I think that the interactive screen makes the ride go by quicker than it would without.
They also have a full gamut of resistance training equipment. I think that I would like to go in on a weekend and have someone walk me through all of the equipment, which muscle groups, what reasonable weight I should be using for each. That way, I could opt to rotate through the muscles and add a little strength training to each day. If I want to run/walk 2 miles and ride 2 miles, then I will only have about 15 minutes to do strength training each day.
Eating - well, that is another story. It is the week before the holidays and there are treats galore at work and this dinner and that dinner, plus I made cookies - which I can't resist. Good thing I give most away, or I would gain some serious cookie weight.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Wednesday
Today was the first day of school for my kids. Not all of the schools in town are back in session, but ours went back today.
In spite of, or maybe because of, I was actually up early today. I wanted to head to the track before getting them up and ready for school. Unfortunately, the sun rise wasn't cooperative and I still only had a short amount of time to actually work out. I decided today that I would run when I got to the track. I wound up completing the same amount of distance today (1 mile run at the track) and I did it in 7 minutes less! I guess that is the difference between 11:26 pace and 14:40 pace. I wonder if I just ran, what my actual average pace would be? Of the 2.1 miles, I actually walk for about .8 miles, so I think that if I just ran, it would be better. I rely on the .55 miles walk to start to be my warm up and need a little cool down as I leave the track.
Eating has been less of a challenge now that I am back into a more routine schedule. The biggest challenge is that we have so many sports activities over the coming weeks. It makes our dinner time shift back and forth - some nights very early, other nights very late.
The scale continues to progress towards where I need to be.
In spite of, or maybe because of, I was actually up early today. I wanted to head to the track before getting them up and ready for school. Unfortunately, the sun rise wasn't cooperative and I still only had a short amount of time to actually work out. I decided today that I would run when I got to the track. I wound up completing the same amount of distance today (1 mile run at the track) and I did it in 7 minutes less! I guess that is the difference between 11:26 pace and 14:40 pace. I wonder if I just ran, what my actual average pace would be? Of the 2.1 miles, I actually walk for about .8 miles, so I think that if I just ran, it would be better. I rely on the .55 miles walk to start to be my warm up and need a little cool down as I leave the track.
Eating has been less of a challenge now that I am back into a more routine schedule. The biggest challenge is that we have so many sports activities over the coming weeks. It makes our dinner time shift back and forth - some nights very early, other nights very late.
The scale continues to progress towards where I need to be.
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Wednesday & Thursday
Well, well, here it is Thursday already. The time seems to go so fast. I always feel like I have a lot I want to accomplish but never seem to have the time to actually make it a reality. Of course, some times, I am my own worse enemy when it comes to time. I have this ability to get lost in something and realize that what I had meant to do for a few minutes turned into a lot more.
Wednesday when I woke up, I was thinking to myself, I need to mix it up. I thought, you know I have heard that interval training is more effective at losing weight and burning fat. I decided that since I have been plateauing for a couple of weeks now that I needed to find something to make a difference. I headed up to the track and formulated a plan. I decided that rather than running the whole time, I would walk some. Then, I decided that I would walk, but I would do sprints intermixed with it. By the time I arrived, I had a plan. I decided that I would alternate a lap of running with a lap that I alternated Sprint-Walk-Sprint-Walk. I was at the track for a total of 6 laps. I was able to 'make up' enough time in my sprints that even with walking, my pace was the same for the total outing as when I run the duration. And, it felt GOOD! I can't remember the last time that I ran all out. There was something about feeling the wind in my face and feeling my legs strive to make it down the straight away, that was amazing. By the time I was done with the 6 laps, I was spent. It was great. Scientifically, I can't demonstrate that the workout was better or worse, but it sure felt like I burnt more calories.
Eating wasn't bad yesterday. I had sushi for lunch, it was yummy, but more calories than I normally eat for lunch. It also left me hungry and mid-afternoon, I had a snack of cheese and crackers (fortunately I had a meeting with a snack break). This of course, was also out of character and suddenly, it was dinner time and I had not as many calories available. We were grilling out, so I went with a hot dog with no bun for my main dish. It saved me 110 calories over a burger, saved me the 90 calories of cheese and the 140 calories of bun - 340 calories saved.
Wednesday was a recovery day for me on the 30 Day Ab Challenge, because I am off by a day. I think that I might have tweaked a pectoral muscle the day before doing the plank with a grab a ball move. It was sore (still is), so it was probably best that I had the day off.
Thursday I woke up at 1:30 am in the morning to the sound of rain and thunder. I got up at my normal time and was planning to work out at home, but when I checked the weather and it was not supposed to rain for a while, I decided I should get out. Since it was 77 and VERY humid, I went with a walk for today. I think this was wise, I was splashing my leg with the water that was on the track.
The scale did respond to my workout yesterday (at least that is what I will claim). After a couple weeks of plateaus, I was down 1/2# since last time I recorded my weight - but 2# from yesterday.
Wednesday when I woke up, I was thinking to myself, I need to mix it up. I thought, you know I have heard that interval training is more effective at losing weight and burning fat. I decided that since I have been plateauing for a couple of weeks now that I needed to find something to make a difference. I headed up to the track and formulated a plan. I decided that rather than running the whole time, I would walk some. Then, I decided that I would walk, but I would do sprints intermixed with it. By the time I arrived, I had a plan. I decided that I would alternate a lap of running with a lap that I alternated Sprint-Walk-Sprint-Walk. I was at the track for a total of 6 laps. I was able to 'make up' enough time in my sprints that even with walking, my pace was the same for the total outing as when I run the duration. And, it felt GOOD! I can't remember the last time that I ran all out. There was something about feeling the wind in my face and feeling my legs strive to make it down the straight away, that was amazing. By the time I was done with the 6 laps, I was spent. It was great. Scientifically, I can't demonstrate that the workout was better or worse, but it sure felt like I burnt more calories.
Eating wasn't bad yesterday. I had sushi for lunch, it was yummy, but more calories than I normally eat for lunch. It also left me hungry and mid-afternoon, I had a snack of cheese and crackers (fortunately I had a meeting with a snack break). This of course, was also out of character and suddenly, it was dinner time and I had not as many calories available. We were grilling out, so I went with a hot dog with no bun for my main dish. It saved me 110 calories over a burger, saved me the 90 calories of cheese and the 140 calories of bun - 340 calories saved.
Wednesday was a recovery day for me on the 30 Day Ab Challenge, because I am off by a day. I think that I might have tweaked a pectoral muscle the day before doing the plank with a grab a ball move. It was sore (still is), so it was probably best that I had the day off.
Thursday I woke up at 1:30 am in the morning to the sound of rain and thunder. I got up at my normal time and was planning to work out at home, but when I checked the weather and it was not supposed to rain for a while, I decided I should get out. Since it was 77 and VERY humid, I went with a walk for today. I think this was wise, I was splashing my leg with the water that was on the track.
The scale did respond to my workout yesterday (at least that is what I will claim). After a couple weeks of plateaus, I was down 1/2# since last time I recorded my weight - but 2# from yesterday.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Wednesday
It occurred to me yesterday morning that I never actually posted about my run on Tuesday morning. I did run, I did an alternating 1-2-1-2-1 approach to the outing. Again, I had done over 2 miles the day before, so I wanted a bit of a break.
Eating was a challenge for me on Tuesday. I had a catered lunch meeting at work and then traveled for work, having a team dinner out. At lunch, we had tacos. I knew I could just make a salad, but the tacos looked so good, so I compromised with both a taco and some salad. Dinner, well I had seared scallops (awesome!) and a bit of pasta. Unfortunately, it took forever to come and i wound up having some bread and two glasses of wine. Both were very tasty, but had me finishing my day about 300 calories over target.
With traveling, I wasn't able to do my Ab Challenge for Day 17 - working out on a hotel room floor gives me the heeby-jeebies. I did the Day 15 moves, cause I could do those on the bed. So, I will see whether I try to do Day 17 after Day 18 tonight or how I fit those in.
I was very proud of myself for running this morning. I'm not a big fan of treadmills and started out with a plan to walk, but found myself wanting to run. The stop string on the treadmill was very sensitive and stopped my workout several times. The first time was about 12 minutes into my workout and I managed to reset the treadmill. So, I restarted and did 30 minutes, plus a 5 minute cool down. I wasn't expecting the 5 minute cool down and had already cooled down the last few minutes. Either way, I got my 2 miles plus of running in.
I needed it too! Once again, traveling left me less in control of my eating. I made wise decisions, but even at that, it was more calories than I normally would have at the respective meals.
I am home now, so tomorrow will be back to normal for workout and eating (I hope).
Eating was a challenge for me on Tuesday. I had a catered lunch meeting at work and then traveled for work, having a team dinner out. At lunch, we had tacos. I knew I could just make a salad, but the tacos looked so good, so I compromised with both a taco and some salad. Dinner, well I had seared scallops (awesome!) and a bit of pasta. Unfortunately, it took forever to come and i wound up having some bread and two glasses of wine. Both were very tasty, but had me finishing my day about 300 calories over target.
With traveling, I wasn't able to do my Ab Challenge for Day 17 - working out on a hotel room floor gives me the heeby-jeebies. I did the Day 15 moves, cause I could do those on the bed. So, I will see whether I try to do Day 17 after Day 18 tonight or how I fit those in.
I was very proud of myself for running this morning. I'm not a big fan of treadmills and started out with a plan to walk, but found myself wanting to run. The stop string on the treadmill was very sensitive and stopped my workout several times. The first time was about 12 minutes into my workout and I managed to reset the treadmill. So, I restarted and did 30 minutes, plus a 5 minute cool down. I wasn't expecting the 5 minute cool down and had already cooled down the last few minutes. Either way, I got my 2 miles plus of running in.
I needed it too! Once again, traveling left me less in control of my eating. I made wise decisions, but even at that, it was more calories than I normally would have at the respective meals.
I am home now, so tomorrow will be back to normal for workout and eating (I hope).
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Wednesday - back on track!
Is it just me, or do you sometimes feel lighter on your feet just knowing that you have lost a little weight? It doesn't seem to matter if I am down even just 0.1#, there is something mental about knowing I have lost weight. When I went for my run today, when I got to the run, I just felt much lighter on my feet.
I didn't sleep in today, but I didn't have my workout clothes upstairs and when I came down in my pajamas and got started on a project, I suddenly lost track of time and discovered that it was after 6! I didn't want to completely skip my workout, after all I had finally gotten back on track with the scale moving the right direction. I decided to head up to the track and do a mile. I knew that it was about 10 more minutes than I should have gone for based on my starting time, but I also knew that 1 mile at the track was better than nothing and would be over 2 miles in total workout. I'm glad I went, I feel better for having gone. It was almost like taking a break, not pushing my body with an extended run - in fact, I only ran 2 laps total and they weren't even consecutive.
Eating was good yesterday. Lunch was my standard and dinner was homemade pizza. There is just something so amazing about homemade pizza. It has a flavor that no other pizza can compare to.
I did Day 10 of the Ab Challenge last night. I really struggled with the 'rockers' that she did. I can barely do a v-up, let alone hold my body in that position and rock back and forth. I'm not sure if I'm just a wimp or if I am just that much out of shape. She makes it look so easy! I did like the move she did for the obliques though. I really think that when I am done with the 30 days, I will take a day or two off and try it again. I am convinced I should be able to do these exercises and maybe if I build up this month, next month I can rock it!
The scale, as I mentioned was down. In fact, compared to where I was after one month (a week ago Saturday) I was down another 0.8#. Awesome. Based on the Spark People chart which tracks my weight against the goal line (a straight line from my starting weight on Day 1 to the goal weight I set for January), I am still ahead of target, but the gap is closing. I need to stay focused and not lose entire weeks to recovering from bad choices and/or busy life.
I didn't sleep in today, but I didn't have my workout clothes upstairs and when I came down in my pajamas and got started on a project, I suddenly lost track of time and discovered that it was after 6! I didn't want to completely skip my workout, after all I had finally gotten back on track with the scale moving the right direction. I decided to head up to the track and do a mile. I knew that it was about 10 more minutes than I should have gone for based on my starting time, but I also knew that 1 mile at the track was better than nothing and would be over 2 miles in total workout. I'm glad I went, I feel better for having gone. It was almost like taking a break, not pushing my body with an extended run - in fact, I only ran 2 laps total and they weren't even consecutive.
Eating was good yesterday. Lunch was my standard and dinner was homemade pizza. There is just something so amazing about homemade pizza. It has a flavor that no other pizza can compare to.
I did Day 10 of the Ab Challenge last night. I really struggled with the 'rockers' that she did. I can barely do a v-up, let alone hold my body in that position and rock back and forth. I'm not sure if I'm just a wimp or if I am just that much out of shape. She makes it look so easy! I did like the move she did for the obliques though. I really think that when I am done with the 30 days, I will take a day or two off and try it again. I am convinced I should be able to do these exercises and maybe if I build up this month, next month I can rock it!
The scale, as I mentioned was down. In fact, compared to where I was after one month (a week ago Saturday) I was down another 0.8#. Awesome. Based on the Spark People chart which tracks my weight against the goal line (a straight line from my starting weight on Day 1 to the goal weight I set for January), I am still ahead of target, but the gap is closing. I need to stay focused and not lose entire weeks to recovering from bad choices and/or busy life.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Happy 4th of July!
So, normally, I like to think - it's a holiday, I can take a workout holiday - but not today. Despite it being a holiday, I decided to get up and go for my run. Granted, I allowed myself to sleep in over an hour, which felt great, but the point is I went and ran. It was 73 and 86% humidity when I checked. The sun was higher in the sky. I was very surprised to arrive at the track and see a bunch of cars parked at the school. I guess one of the teams meets for the weight room, sprints, etc. in the morning. I think I see the first few arrive normally when I am at the track, but today since I was an hour later than normal, they were in the thick of their workout. There were a few others at the track as well. I like having a little bit of company, gives me incentives and allows me to push myself on different guideposts.
As usual, I walked the first lap and then started into my run. I wasn't even 1/2 way around that first lap when I started thinking, I'm not going to be able to go 5 1/4 laps like I did yesterday. I'll be lucky to finish 1 I thought, but at each turn, I had another milestone that kept me moving towards the next. As I entered the second lap, I was close to passing a woman that was walking at the track. Then, RunKeeper gave me a 5 minute update. Then, I was half way through my goal of 5. Then, I finished 3 laps. Then, I got another five minute update. Then, I finished 4 laps and told myself the rest is gravy, if I do it, I do it; if not, I still ran a mile. As I was approaching the 3/4 point on that lap, I thought about stopping, but realized that was 1/2 lap shorter than the day before. Then, I was thinking, I will get a five minute update shortly. Next thing I knew, I completed the save 5 1/4 laps as yesterday. Then, I thought I might just walk out the last lap and head home. As I was reaching the end of the lap, the guy next to me passed me and I decided to run and see how we paced. He was faster, but I finished the lap and that was what mattered. I did walk home though. The sun was making that 86% humidity feel very sticky.
I did pretty well with eating yesterday. A lunch time tornado warning resulted in a later than normal lunch, but I was able to resist the temptation to get something not as good for me simply because I was feeling famished. I did well at the two picnics, generally avoiding chips and sweets. At the first picnic, we started out with a kickball game - a good active way to avoid picking at the food. They had pulled pork, which I enjoyed without a bun. I had a couple of chips with it. The brownies I had brought were already long gone by the time we went through the line. At the second picnic, I did pretty well. I stayed away from the food for a good while and then had a bowl of chips with some cheese dip and some wine. Based on my estimates, I was well within target and even had some room for error on my estimates of portion.
After our picnics, I did come home and complete the 30 Day Ab Challenge. I did sort of okay on the two exercises, but the metabolic exercise was too hard for me and I simply couldn't complete it.
Of course, the scale didn't respond to a good day. The good news is that the evening weight is moving down, so again, one of these mornings the scale will just respond.
Today, we are hosting a picnic, so I will just have to make sure that I have a good balance of food that allows me to indulge wisely. We are picnicking at lunch, which gives me some flexibility to eat a lighter dinner, if necessary.
As usual, I walked the first lap and then started into my run. I wasn't even 1/2 way around that first lap when I started thinking, I'm not going to be able to go 5 1/4 laps like I did yesterday. I'll be lucky to finish 1 I thought, but at each turn, I had another milestone that kept me moving towards the next. As I entered the second lap, I was close to passing a woman that was walking at the track. Then, RunKeeper gave me a 5 minute update. Then, I was half way through my goal of 5. Then, I finished 3 laps. Then, I got another five minute update. Then, I finished 4 laps and told myself the rest is gravy, if I do it, I do it; if not, I still ran a mile. As I was approaching the 3/4 point on that lap, I thought about stopping, but realized that was 1/2 lap shorter than the day before. Then, I was thinking, I will get a five minute update shortly. Next thing I knew, I completed the save 5 1/4 laps as yesterday. Then, I thought I might just walk out the last lap and head home. As I was reaching the end of the lap, the guy next to me passed me and I decided to run and see how we paced. He was faster, but I finished the lap and that was what mattered. I did walk home though. The sun was making that 86% humidity feel very sticky.
I did pretty well with eating yesterday. A lunch time tornado warning resulted in a later than normal lunch, but I was able to resist the temptation to get something not as good for me simply because I was feeling famished. I did well at the two picnics, generally avoiding chips and sweets. At the first picnic, we started out with a kickball game - a good active way to avoid picking at the food. They had pulled pork, which I enjoyed without a bun. I had a couple of chips with it. The brownies I had brought were already long gone by the time we went through the line. At the second picnic, I did pretty well. I stayed away from the food for a good while and then had a bowl of chips with some cheese dip and some wine. Based on my estimates, I was well within target and even had some room for error on my estimates of portion.
After our picnics, I did come home and complete the 30 Day Ab Challenge. I did sort of okay on the two exercises, but the metabolic exercise was too hard for me and I simply couldn't complete it.
Of course, the scale didn't respond to a good day. The good news is that the evening weight is moving down, so again, one of these mornings the scale will just respond.
Today, we are hosting a picnic, so I will just have to make sure that I have a good balance of food that allows me to indulge wisely. We are picnicking at lunch, which gives me some flexibility to eat a lighter dinner, if necessary.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Wednesday
I was feeling very sluggish this morning. I got up a little late and by the time I was ready to go out for my walk, I was already really late. I was feeling a little bit stiff, but I decided that a quick stretch and getting moving was the best remedy. I headed up to the track, which seems to be becoming progressively more crowded. There were the same two women walking when I arrived, but while we were doing our thing, another pair arrived to run and then another pair to walk. Suddenly, there were 7 of us at the track. I think that I might need to get back to arriving early, I find it more relaxing to be there with just the two others, versus a huge crowd. I was able to 'best' myself on the first run sequence, by going several strides past the 3 1/2 lap mark. With time limited, the second sequence was just 1 lap plus a few strides. I was happy that I completed over a mile run on a morning that I was contemplating not going, and recognize that I need to get moving in the morning to allow myself to continue to improve. My goal is to get to running a full four laps, I would like to get there this week. I was stretching towards that today, getting a good distance towards 3 3/4 laps, but I think the crowd left me conscientious, as the one pair passed me just as I was completing 3 1/2 laps. It was the first time I was passed while running. It was a little disheartening.
Eating was good yesterday. Forgot my packed lunch, so I enjoyed my goat cheese and veggie sandwich. Today, I will remember to pack. I hate to waste leftovers and I still have some turkey soup, plus I have a big bag of cherries.
The scale seems to be stuck. It was up big unexpectedly the other day and though I have nearly recovered from that up, I seem to be hanging. My guess is that this will be like other plateaus and one day, I will step on the scale and find myself suddenly down 2 - 3 pounds overnight. I just hope it comes soon. I get discouraged when I am plateaued. I need to move past this and continue to progress to my goal. I have an engagement party to attend this weekend and was hoping to be down another pound, in hopes that my dress will look better.
Eating was good yesterday. Forgot my packed lunch, so I enjoyed my goat cheese and veggie sandwich. Today, I will remember to pack. I hate to waste leftovers and I still have some turkey soup, plus I have a big bag of cherries.
The scale seems to be stuck. It was up big unexpectedly the other day and though I have nearly recovered from that up, I seem to be hanging. My guess is that this will be like other plateaus and one day, I will step on the scale and find myself suddenly down 2 - 3 pounds overnight. I just hope it comes soon. I get discouraged when I am plateaued. I need to move past this and continue to progress to my goal. I have an engagement party to attend this weekend and was hoping to be down another pound, in hopes that my dress will look better.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wednesday
I got up on time this morning, but had a 'quick' thing to do for work. Next thing I knew, I was running late. I had used up all of my run time and my post run time and no longer could get out and run...and was rushing around to get to work on time. Not ideal!
Eating was good yesterday. Actually, because I had cereal for dinner, it was light on protein, but otherwise was on target. We had a community parade and we didn't get home until after 8. It was hot and no one was interested in much for dinner, so cereal seemed like a nice choice.
I got in a bonus couple of miles yesterday because of the parade. I parked at the end of the route and walked towards the middle, then after the parade, I walked back. Not a workout pace, but still a little extra activity that is not part of a normal day.
Weight was at 'recover' point, before my eating out day. Now, hopefully, it continues to move in the right direction.
Eating was good yesterday. Actually, because I had cereal for dinner, it was light on protein, but otherwise was on target. We had a community parade and we didn't get home until after 8. It was hot and no one was interested in much for dinner, so cereal seemed like a nice choice.
I got in a bonus couple of miles yesterday because of the parade. I parked at the end of the route and walked towards the middle, then after the parade, I walked back. Not a workout pace, but still a little extra activity that is not part of a normal day.
Weight was at 'recover' point, before my eating out day. Now, hopefully, it continues to move in the right direction.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Half Way through the Week
I need a serious shot of energy. Okay, maybe not energy. I overslept again today. I'm thinking that the biggest culprit is that I have allowed bed time to sneak later on me. I have good intentions of getting to bed by 10, but sometimes the schedule just doesn't allow for that. Like last night, our baseball game went to 8:30, then there was a child's birthday that the kids shared cupcakes with and then it was home and shower. So, they didn't both get to bed until after 9:30. That is when I come down and try to get things done. So, suddenly, making it to my room by 10 is a challenge, let alone in bed by 10.
On the upside, even though I have overslept the past two days, I still have headed to the track to get in a shortened walk. I figure it is better that I walk/ran 1.25 miles at the track (plus walked a nearly equal distance there and back), than just skipped it because I overslept. I'm hopeful that reflects on the formation of a habit and my dedication to success.
Eating was good yesterday. I actually ate dinner after the game though, so that was a drawback to go to bed on such a full stomach. I'm still eating the same combination at lunch, which is good for now because I find it flavorful and satisfying. I hope that the ever changing dinner menu allows me to not get bored.
Things are going well. Now that I am started down this path, I need to focus on not getting derailed. If I have an off night or a bad couple of days, I can't let it make me forget my overall goal. I can't let one bump in the road cause me to lose momentum.
On the upside, even though I have overslept the past two days, I still have headed to the track to get in a shortened walk. I figure it is better that I walk/ran 1.25 miles at the track (plus walked a nearly equal distance there and back), than just skipped it because I overslept. I'm hopeful that reflects on the formation of a habit and my dedication to success.
Eating was good yesterday. I actually ate dinner after the game though, so that was a drawback to go to bed on such a full stomach. I'm still eating the same combination at lunch, which is good for now because I find it flavorful and satisfying. I hope that the ever changing dinner menu allows me to not get bored.
Things are going well. Now that I am started down this path, I need to focus on not getting derailed. If I have an off night or a bad couple of days, I can't let it make me forget my overall goal. I can't let one bump in the road cause me to lose momentum.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
the second day...
I guess actually, since it is only 6 am, that this post really is more so about day one, but as the start of day 2 it felt more like the right title.
So, day one....
After sharing about my goals and my off pace, but a start, walk, I realized that the other goal that I have in mind is to go from 'couch to 5K' by fall. Now, there are plenty of formal programs out there, and if I find I am struggling, I will look one up, but last year when I started walking and decided that if my friend could run then so could I, I found a way to slowly increase my endurance and the distance I could run. I wasn't quite to a full 5K, but I got close - I think that if I really wanted to, I could have done it. I think some of my coworkers run 5Ks, so I will have to reach out and find one to sign up for with them.
I signed up for Spark People yesterday. I also downloaded their app to my phone - let's be honest, if it's not convenient, then I am less likely to stick with it. For the most part, it seems easy enough. I entered in my current weight, my goal weight and the date that I want to be there. It provided for me a daily intake target, as well as a weekly burn target. I am able to enter my workouts - although, it doesn't 'agree' with RunKeeper in calories burnt. I am able to search for and enter food. If a food is missing, then I can add one. The foods seem to be a mix of items in the system and those entered by other users. This made adding something as simple as grapes rather difficult. There were too many options and wasn't really sure which were system and which were user. I went on the theory of system first, users second. The cover page on the app allows you to see where you are on your daily tracker.
Eating was reasonably okay. I was near, but not at the top end of the target. I had Sushi out for dinner and I'm not sure how good the estimates were...I couldn't find the exact types of rolls and I tried to search on line, but everyone has a different definition of a roll. One site, estimates that the average maki roll is 34 calories per piece. I had 6 pieces per roll, so since most of them were at or above 180, I figured that was a good guess. I felt hungry mid-morning, so I added a quick light snack. The scale didn't budge even .2#, but it was only day one. If after a few days, I'm not seeing movement, I will have to make sure to be closer to the low end of the daily range of calorie intake.
I chatted with a friend yesterday about getting back into a walk/run routine and we said that we would start meeting at the track again. She wasn't there this morning, but two friendly ladies showed up shortly after me. It's always nice to have company, even if you don't talk to one another. I fit in a 3 mile walk/run at the track (plus, about .6 miles each way to/from the track). I ran 5 laps, okay more like 4 3/4 laps. Still, for the first time that I am working the run back in, I feel good about running for just over one mile of the 3 miles. My pattern today was to run every other lap, although I didn't start until lap 3. It felt really good to get in that type of a workout.
So, day one....
After sharing about my goals and my off pace, but a start, walk, I realized that the other goal that I have in mind is to go from 'couch to 5K' by fall. Now, there are plenty of formal programs out there, and if I find I am struggling, I will look one up, but last year when I started walking and decided that if my friend could run then so could I, I found a way to slowly increase my endurance and the distance I could run. I wasn't quite to a full 5K, but I got close - I think that if I really wanted to, I could have done it. I think some of my coworkers run 5Ks, so I will have to reach out and find one to sign up for with them.
I signed up for Spark People yesterday. I also downloaded their app to my phone - let's be honest, if it's not convenient, then I am less likely to stick with it. For the most part, it seems easy enough. I entered in my current weight, my goal weight and the date that I want to be there. It provided for me a daily intake target, as well as a weekly burn target. I am able to enter my workouts - although, it doesn't 'agree' with RunKeeper in calories burnt. I am able to search for and enter food. If a food is missing, then I can add one. The foods seem to be a mix of items in the system and those entered by other users. This made adding something as simple as grapes rather difficult. There were too many options and wasn't really sure which were system and which were user. I went on the theory of system first, users second. The cover page on the app allows you to see where you are on your daily tracker.
Eating was reasonably okay. I was near, but not at the top end of the target. I had Sushi out for dinner and I'm not sure how good the estimates were...I couldn't find the exact types of rolls and I tried to search on line, but everyone has a different definition of a roll. One site, estimates that the average maki roll is 34 calories per piece. I had 6 pieces per roll, so since most of them were at or above 180, I figured that was a good guess. I felt hungry mid-morning, so I added a quick light snack. The scale didn't budge even .2#, but it was only day one. If after a few days, I'm not seeing movement, I will have to make sure to be closer to the low end of the daily range of calorie intake.
I chatted with a friend yesterday about getting back into a walk/run routine and we said that we would start meeting at the track again. She wasn't there this morning, but two friendly ladies showed up shortly after me. It's always nice to have company, even if you don't talk to one another. I fit in a 3 mile walk/run at the track (plus, about .6 miles each way to/from the track). I ran 5 laps, okay more like 4 3/4 laps. Still, for the first time that I am working the run back in, I feel good about running for just over one mile of the 3 miles. My pattern today was to run every other lap, although I didn't start until lap 3. It felt really good to get in that type of a workout.
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