Back to it

Well, I discontinued this blog for a while.

But someone else I know is documenting her weightloss efforts, so I will do this too. Plus I enjoy going back and re-reading what I've written. It's nice to re-read the "oh lord I really don't want to do this" turned into "wow, that felt freakin' great!"


So, last weekend we got the kids their own inline skates. They had been sharing an old pair of mine on the back sidewalk and they were both reasonably good at it. So we got them each a decent pair of their own. I **KNEW** getting them their own skates would get ME out there moving more. And so it has been the case. In the 8 days we've have them, we've gone out 3 times now. 2 times to LP Field, where the parking lots are blocked to vehicles (no traffic to look out for) and plenty of sidewalks with no one on them. It's a great place to go to skate. The other time we went to Crockett Park in Brentwood and that has great paths for skating on - but I want the kids to be better skaters before we start sharing paths with runners/walkers and bikers.

Inline skating is a good workout. I've only worn my heart rate monitor once so far and it really has me working hard. This is great. I look forward to getting out and skating, listening to music and really getting into a good groove. Hopefully this week will give me some decent weather. It has to be DRY for skating - I don't mind cold much at all.


Today the kids and I skated for about an hour, downtown around the stadium again. I always feel it in my calves and in my outer thigh some. This is good. My plan tomorrow is to run/walk 3 miles as I've done a few times in the last several weeks before class (so that also means I have to have my homework done before then as well.) And in the afternoon hopefully have time for a strength workout. :)

Mood Enhancement

So, I was super cranky about 15 minutes after waking up this morning. It's not THAT time of the month or anywhere near it, and nothing specific had happened either - it just GREW and GREW. I was in a rotten mood.

So I managed to get to the gym this afternoon - I wanted to and looked forward to it. Today was a weight lifting day for me, I always like days like that.

I was completely undecided on how long to do cardio for... 30 minutes? my usual 40? 45? what about an hour? I did a few (like 3) intervals and then I adjusted to a slightly faster pace, about 140-150 spm and that kept my heart rate right about where I wanted to maintain it, which was in the 140's... upper 140's actually.

I got to 40 minutes and decided that I was feeling GOOD. I had gotten into that groove, that runner's high had hit me some and I wanted to keep going. I went for 58 minutes and it was awesome!! My AHR for the time was 147 - wtg ME!

Then for the weights, I mixed it up again, heck I don't think I could do the same thing everytime even if I tried (I'm NOT walking around with a clipboard to take notes). I did 2 different exercises for chest, back, biceps, triceps, one shoulder ecercise, four different leg exercises, 2 different ab moves... I think I got it all in and it took 50 minutes. I like weights.

I don't really care for the weights area of the gym Saturday afternoons. Too many young guys, they're buff or on their way to it. There were too many weights left laying around. And this one guy was doing things that made my eyeballs nearly pop out, well, that may be some overstatement but... he was wearing a weightlifting belt, and I guess there's hook or something to attach a chain to, and that chain was looped through a 35lb plate... and he was doing pull-ups with that!! and then I saw him doing tricep dips with that on. CRAZY stuff!!

One, Both, Neither, None

Well, I didn't work out today. It was a day off for cardio for me, but I still thought I might do a yoga something or other in the living room this afternoon. School started for me today. Should.Not.Be.An.Excuse!!!!! ughhhhhhhh.... I didn't even shower this afternoon until I didn't like the way I smelled. ughhhhhhh... I just got into this mode of being a slob and sitting on my ass. I've got to MOVE. - just like the song says "I like to move it move it - I like to move it move it move it - MOVE IT!!!!!!!!

So now its evening, I did have wine with dinner and it was a really yummy wine, strong cherry undertones. And now I have this cherry ice cream topping in the house. It's cherries in syrup with orange liquor. SUPER YUM. It's not too sweet, its just right. And the cherries are fab, they burst when you bite them and to have this on top of vanilla ice cream.... mmmmmmmmmmm!!!! Totally what I want right now.

But then there's having a vodka/cranberry for "dessert" it's been nearly a week since I had such a treat... it's been on my mind for several days now. And the cranberry would substitute reasonably well for my cherry hankering...

I can't talk myself into having both, and I can't decide on which one - so I'm in all likelihood having neither.

Ohhhhh... but I gotta have something... but @%$$^#%@$!$#^#Y^$^U^Y$%^W%$!@$@$!!!!! I still can't decide on WHAT.

2.5+ mile hike

Yay! This morning I got to Edwin Warner Park and I did the Harpeth Woods Trail. It was 21 when I left the house and 27 when I started out. I wore many layers and I was fine. IT FELT GREAT.

This was a new trail for me, and the way I approached it was fine, but this trail has several places to start it, so I will definitely mix it up. I think next time I want to start by the Owl something or other loop, there's parking there.

I thought all the woodpeckers I saw on the west side of the hill was going to be the highlight of my day. But no, something better came into my life after the hike. BOOTS!

After my hike and stopping at my school to pick up a textbook before classes start tomorrow, I went to Cumberland Transit and got my first pair of hiking boots. Woooo-hooooooo! I did as the guy who sold them to me suggested, take them to the gym where I can walk in them on a treadmill for 20 minutes to make sure they remain as comfortable as I think they are. I can return them as long as they haven't been worn outside. So, I've done that already - AND THESE BOOTS ROCK!!! So comfortable, and they cover my ankle, they look good, have good tread, not heavy, just comfy comfy comfy. I can't wait to take them out on a trail, and to think of ALLLLLLLL the miles I'll do in these babies!!! So FANTASTIC.

Really Workin' it

Oh boy, I sure did!!

At first I planned to do an entire hour of cardio on the elliptical trainer, but if I were to do that I knew I would have to back off on the intensity I generally like to do. And of course I didn't - it really almost feels impossible for me to take it easy. So I did 45 minutes of cardio. I already forget what my average heart rate was. I started off with the machine's interval program, but it's high intensity is not going FASTER which is what I like to do, but makes it harder to do. Ugh, so I go slow because its hard. I much prefer my way which I switched to after the first 17 minutes. Generally I'm in the 130 +/-5 strides per minute range - when I kick up to my own high intensity, I'm in the 160's, maybe 170 and I feel like I'm zooming!! and my machine makes more noise then, and if people were to glimpse at me they would really think I'm tough. Ha! I do this for 90-120 seconds, my hearit rate is way up at this point and then I wait for my HR to return to under 140, I wait a minute and then I do the whole thing again, usually takes about 4 minutes. So.... that's what I like to do on the elliptical trainer.

Then I did a full body strength training workout. Let's see, for all these exercises I did 2 sets of 10-15 reps. I did 3 different chest exercises, 3 different back exercises, 4 different leg exercises, 2 different Ab exercises, 2 different bicep, tricep and shoulder exercises... and I think that's it. I rock! I really like weights... I mix it up, some machines, some dumbbells, some stretch bands and some plate machines... for instance I like dumbbells for biceps and shoulders - not machines. I like machines for legs - I don't mind holding dumb bells for lunges and squats. I generally don't use machines for Ab work (but I did try one today and I did like it) but the whole point with weights is to mix it up. and I do. I should next work out with weights Friday or Saturday. We'll see.

The Blah's rule

I didn't bother working out today. I should have. My mood was shit and I took a nap instead of going to the gym. I'm lame, I know it.

At least my appetite is WAY down on days I don't work out - that's a plus.

I'll make up for it tomorrow and aim for an hour of cardio.

Monday Blahs

Yes, today is a blah day and I'm just not in a very good mood. I totally know that exercise will help my mood but for right now at this moment I don't care! I guess you could say I'm choosing to feel this way.

Yesterday I went to the gym with the kids after looking up on the website to be sure that the Youth Room is open (and what hours) I get there, and it's closed. I try to be nice and let the girls know who work there that the website says something else. AND ONE OF THEM TRIES TO ARGUE WITH ME THAT NO IT DOESN'T. I was sooooo not in the mood for her responding like that I just walked away.

So I get back home about 10 minutes after I left, and I did my own self-edited Jane Fonda aerobics video, the same I did last Sunday, that is 28 minutes long and my HR averaged something in the 130's. And then I tried out a program on Fitness TV which is available on Comcast OnDemand. I picked a a beginner Pilates program. and OMG! It was hard, I could hold and maintain the movements for about 80% of what was asked for in the video. It definitely was not an areobic video, and I'm not particularly sore from using little used muscles. I'll probably try a more regular areobic dance routine next time.

Today though.. ugh... I'll get myelf to the gym, I'll aim for 60 minutes of cardio today... and I'll get there in about 2 hours. I will make sure I do. Originally I wanted to do a strength training workout as well. But that can wait until tomorrow - Tuesday, which should become my plan anyhow, when classes get started next week, I won't have much time for exercise on Mondays anyhow. Class from 9-3, then Matthew at his group from 4-6. Yuck. Monday's won't be fun days for me.

Radnor Hiking

Yay! It has been my plan for nearly a week now, to get back to Radnor Lake and hike both ridge trails. And I did it! It was 4.5 miles. Way To Go Me!

I had a friend on Facebook who RSVP'd to the Nashville Hiking Meetup group for this SAME hike the same day I already planned this for myself. I simply made sure I got there before 9am and I joined this group!

Both of these ridges take about 2 hours to do, we did it in 1 hour and 53 minutes (and my AHR was 144 btw). It felt FREAKIN' GREAT to be out there. When I left the house it was 25 out, quite chilly. But really, that is just the greatest temp to be out hiking. You get warm and you don't even notice the temp. Of course the slightest bit of wind is felt - and THAT makes things cold. There really wasn't any wind for us this morning and with the sun shining, it felt great.

Just like last week towards the end I can feel it in my hip flexors and whatever that is that runs along the outside of my thighs...

Next week I will join this same group but I won't have time to do all that they do. No biggie, several people had to cut it short this time around just as I will have to do when classes start. I figure depending on how much time I actually have, I would like to walk UP the western side of the South Ridge Trail. At least once, maybe twice... just march on UP, walk down and repeat. this is to really focus on the hard part. I'll see how much time I have and how long it takes. And heck, I was even thinking about doing this group hike in the morning, going to class and then that afternoon doing another hike. We'll see.... I'm probably aiming too high and thinking of doing TOO much. So, we'll see...

Tuesday

Well, this morning I had to drive my husband to work, so I went to the Y near his workplace. He only works about 7 miles from home, but there is a smaller Y in that area. It was a bit weird being in a new place. I hung up my coat and then looked around for a water fountain to fill up my bottle. I didn't find one my first look around, so I had to resort to asking someone who works there (not quite as bad as HAVING to read directions, but in the same category). OK... So I take a look at the cardio machines and they have a whole bunch of machines I've used before...

I chose an elliptical trainer, I wish I could remember the name of the manufacturer... nitro, power boost, rocket boost, cyber something.... It didn't have a Polar Heart Rate monitor reader, so I had to use the handle grips and those were placed weird and it wasn't until the second half or so of my workout did I figure out exactly HOW the machine wanted my hands placed. The programs on this machine also included Arm Blaster, where it would add resistance (push and pull) to the arm handles, so I did that - since I forgot to work my biceps and triceps yesterday. I did 43 minutes on that thing with an average heartrate of 148. I totally worked it the whole time. It felt good, and I was a little tired afterwards. My face was getting red more so than normal. Oh well.

Maybe I'll try going to that Y once a week or so for THAT machine. :)

Goin' Strong...

Well, its the first Monday of the year, the gym was pretty busy but not insufferably so.

I did a 30 minute Interval Workout on the Elliptical Trainer.

Then I did my first strength training workout in months. I kept it simple, and just did two different exercises per muscle group. And as I just finished up my shower I realized I skipped my arms, biceps and triceps but I still have dumbbells, I can figure out some exercises to do with them here. I generally use dumbbells at the gym for my arms anyhow.

I'm proud of myself. But I REALLY got to figure out how to keep this a priority when school starts for me again in about 2 weeks. I should have an easier schedule than last semester, I'll have all of Tuesday and Thursday available which will help wonders. As I picked the kids up from the youth room today we walked past the pool and I asked them if they would be interested in going to the pool after school. I told them that we would get to the Y at 4 when the youth room opens, I would workout for 30-40 minutes, we'd get in the pool around 4:45 and then depending on dinner plans we'd get out by 5:30/6-ish. And THAT would give me a chance to double up some time (with the kids AND workout). I should look into the Brentwood Y, I seem to remember they have a fitness swimming class every Wednesday at noon. That would be good for me. Swimmers have great bodies. While I know how to swim, I feel totally clumsy and I'm intimidated with those lap swimmers. So I figure this class could be good for me. I'll look into it.

THE PLAN

OK, time to figure out THE PLAN

Cardio should be priority for losing weight. 5-6 times a week. What I am likely to do depending on how dry the weather is, rollerblade, walk/jog outside, hike, elliptical trainer.

Strength Training - all the muscle groups 2 times a week. At the gym

Yoga - 2 times a week, alternating with the days I'm not Strength Training.

Stretching - a DVD program I have, do this 2 times a week.

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Earlier today I ordered two DVDs from Amazon.com. The first is a Yoga for Beginners, it has LOTS of really good reviews, there's 6-7 workouts on it and it should be very good for me. The second is a Yoga stretching DVD, also supposed to be very good. I expect those to show up Wednesday so I can't really build a schedule with those until then. But what I've come up with is this:
I'll see how this will work. As much as I'd like to do cardio every damned day of the week, I know I'll be pushing it too hard if I do that. It feels weird to not have Cardio on the schedule for Wednesday. I do want to hike at least once a week, and I've amazingly looked ahead at the weather forecast for the week, and Friday should be dry (as well as Thursday) it will be chilly but it will be dry.

What are the odds I can get myself out of bed at 5am on weekdays to get a cardio workout in? Good Lord, if I could do that, that would make my schedule SO MUCH EASIER. Maybe I'll try it tomorrow just for kicks. Maybe I can come up with a reward system for getting out of bed early. Like $5 credit towards something I want... I don't know, this will take some thinking.

I'm getting up, I'm going to look for that VHS tape I want to use. Matthew has been given Wii Time for 30 minutes, then I get the tv. We're a one-tv family, did you know?

Don't do what I do...

When I was hiking with the kids on Friday, we were near Radnor Lake and it was very lovely to look at. So I was looking. Then I wanted to point something out to the kids, and I was looking to my right as I kept walking. Well, it took about 3 seconds for me to trip over something and down I went. It was a very dramatic fall as I really went into the air before hitting the ground. Luckily for me not 3 minutes before then I thought to myself, wow, this is such a nice soft trail! And of course when I fell there was a couple walking towards us and they saw me do this whole thing. They asked if I was alright, Lila was concerned for me, but I told everyone I was fine - more embarrassed than anything else. I got up and brushed myself off. No big deal.

That was Friday afternoon.

Saturday morning I noticed my left shoulder was sore. I couldn't figure out how or why it would be sore. and it progressively got worse as the day went on. I really thought I caught myself more with my right hand when I fell, but I do remember brushing off both my hands, so I must have caught myself with both hands. I guess I must have landed on my left hand more or did so in a strange way that my left shoulder is getting the brunt of that fall now. Ugh.... last night I took some anti-inflammatories, and this morning it is about 70% of what it was yesterday.

I only feel it when I move my shoulder and my range of motion isn't limited that much, but then I am being a baby and not moving it much. My strategy is to totally take it easy on that shoulder until it feels normal. Last night I did the heating pad with it some. I think that helped some.

I plan to start strength training this week at the gym so definitely shoulder work is out of the question. We'll see how much upper body ANYTHING I can do. Bicep curls and tricep kickbacks I know I could do... chest presses I'm not so sure... Lat pull downs don't seem like a good idea. But we'll see...

I don't plan to let this injury keep me from working out. I will simply do what I can.

I did take it easy yesterday, I know my body needed that. Maybe I'll fire up one of my old-old-old Jane Fonda video workouts... its actually ON TAPE. I said old three times... I used it alot 10 years ago, it's probably between 12 and 15 years old. Oh well. Anything on VHS seems really old now.

Famished

Since my workout yesterday I have been hungry every 2-3 hours!!!!!! Holy smokes!!! I don't quite get it... some, yes I would understand, but not to this degree I've been hit with hunger. I'm being sure not to eat JUNK and doing my best to make the healthiest choices possible. It really is a big WOW though.. to be this hungry. I am easily eating 5 smaller meals per day. 5 smaller meals and maybe 1 or 2 snacks. If I'm going to be this active, I have to fuel my body. I just have to be sure to feed myself GOOD food.

Today I was at the Y for 41 minutes again on the elliptical trainer. Did intervals again, not as many though, my heart rate was otherwise hanging out in the upper 130's/low 140's. and I didn't think I needed to try much more for a GOOD workout. My average heart rate was 144.

I coerced the kids into going hiking with me ("you'll have NO CHANCE at more Wii time today unless you agree to go... " alright, fine... ). We went to Radnor Lake and did the Ganier Ridge Trail. I head my GPS in my pocket and "Gary" told me that we did 2.34 miles. A map though tells me we did 1.55 plus .24x2 which in my lame brain can't-do-math-in-my-head-even-simple-math is 2.05 approximately, hell, I might be off by one-tenth of a mile. (I'm TIRED). Well, anyways, it took us exactly one hour and 30 minutes - the kids took lots of breaks. It was kind of interesting, on the uphill climb, the toughest part of the trail (we went UP from the connector trail, not up from around the ridge from the Lake Trail) - when my HRM would start beeping at 140 was right around the time the kids said they needed to take a break. They were very consistent with that. Overall though, with all the breaks my average HR was 116 for that 90 minute period.

I'm feeling it in along the sides of my thighs and the tops of my quidriceps . ugh... I think I'm going to take some Advil for its anti-inflammatory properties tonight. I really need to back down from working out so hard. This weekend I will merely walk. I think tomorrow is going to rain, so no walking in the neighborhood. I can walk on the treadmill at the Y. Then soak in the hot tub. mmmmmm... that's what I need tonight...

Off to a ROARING Start

I went to the gym today. I did 41 minutes on the elliptical trainer. Interval training makes things SOOOO much more interesting.

For my 41 minutes my average heart rate was 141. Which is just about where I want my AHR to be per workout. The personal trainer I worked out with this past fall doesn't want me to go above 140. That just doesn't feel effective to me. I am NOT literally knocking myself out every workout, but I want to feel it enough to know I'm really workin' it!

2009

It's the first of the year and I'm going to get this blog fired up and I'm going to get ME fired up. To lose 30 pounds this year would be GREAT, to lose 40 would be even better. Hell, I could make it 60 pounds and I would be where I was 15-16 years ago... but no, I'm being realistic and size 4 doesn't appeal to me

Starting off, my goal will be to do at least 30 minutes of cardio daily for the next 2 weeks. I should stretch 2 times a week. and I will do strength training 2x a week as well.

Crap! I'm really going to have to get off my butt and move it for all this.

Regarding food... I don't know. I will continue my NO French Fry thing I've got going now for lets say 3 weeks. I'm not exactly sure when my last fry was, but it was likely mid-December.

For food I will avoid junk food, eat slightly smaller portions, and INCREASE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. Goodness gracious, fruits and vegetables are so hard for me to enjoy. I really need to get more creative and find some recipies. Raw vegies are good, I should find some super yummy garlic dips to go with them. And BEANS are good good good. Good for me and I like them plenty.

Drink more water is a must do as well.