Earlier this month, I decided to reunite with an old friend: 24 Hour Fitness. I was just having gym withdrawals, what can I say? I was keeping up with workouts at home just fine, but getting out of the house and sweating elsewhere just keeps me a bit more sane. Plus, I missed the elliptical, stair master, row machine and spin bikes. I was still able to use my employer discount and returned to the 24.99/month rate. It's just too good to pass up!
I think the new fitness variety has helped with my weight goals too; I'm now over 10 pounds down in my 20 pound goal! Prior to returning to the gym, my loss stalled because I was basically gaining and losing the same 3 pounds for w-e-e-k-s. Said stall was primarily due to poor weekend food choices, but I think re-joining 24 boosted my overall motivation. Feeling really great this week.
My new cardio routine has been a 20 min. cross-training program on the elliptical followed by 30-40 minutes of spinning. The result? Serious muscle confusion! The elliptical routine calls for intervals of back-pedaling, which I've never really done. As for the spinning, I've been going to the cycle room when there's not a class and just do my own custom routine, mostly based on whatever songs come up on my playlist. Tough, but really fun! Lots of speed intervals and hill climbs. Spinning seems to paint a better picture of what level of shape I'm in. Let's just say I now know I've got some work to do, haha.
For strength and resistance training, I stay at home and either do a Nike Women NTC workout, some good ol' Jari Love DVDs or Jillian's new Ripped in 30. I've only done the Week 1 workout and can't really do a full review, but I will say that if you loved 30 Day Shred and classic Jillian moves, you NEED to have this in your rotation.
Additional NTC love: I unlocked all of the badges! Now I'm moving on to the Advanced workouts. Did a 30 minute Get Strong routine the other day and it was no joke. Best. Free. Fitness App. Ever!
Still plugging along in my Personal Trainer studies. Some chapters make my eyes glaze over, but others are just so damn fascinating! I'm regularly reminded that I'm definitely pursuing the right career.
Life is pretty peachy right now. No real complaints. Other than running. Buh. Yeah, definitely on a downswing with that. So much so that I'm considering bailing on the 5K I signed up for on April 16th. Obviously my attitude toward running was on an upswing when I registered for the race, but these days? Not so much. But, I still have another couple of weeks, so maybe things will change for the better by then. It just sucks because every time I do practice runs, I instantly start worrying about speed and it just makes for a grueling workout. Oh well.
I suppose that's enough of a fitness update for now. I think I'll leave you with some of the songs that came up while I was spinning today. I really should think about becoming an instructor; my music kicks so much more ass than the usual stuff they play...
Yeah, that would be the best spin class ever.
Showing posts with label spinning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spinning. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, June 21, 2010
Mixed bag Monday.
Oh, Mondays. You always throw me for a loop, each and every week.
Weekend Re-cap:
Saturday:
Pretty good, all in all. Finally went back to 24Cycle (spin) class after a loooong absence and to my surprise, we got new bikes! I kinda miss the wider seats on the old ones (though really, I think I need a Tempurpedic pillow to sit on in that class to make me 100% satisfied), but the new ones have better/comfier handles and they're much easier to adjust with the better quality knobs and such. Not bad! That said, I've rekindled my love affair with spinning. Not sure if I'll try and get in to Tuesday's class, but I think I'll try and shoot for Thursday. Not planning on going to this Saturday's session, due to the debut of BodyPump! Still so excited for that class.
Sunday:
Could've used a do-over on this day. Emotional nonsense, lots of crying, lots of poor eating and drinking. Things did get resolved before the day was over though, so I'm thankful for that. Went to bed stuffed with a bit too much Domino's Pizza and tried to cope with the heat, but overall, felt better. That was, until...
Monday:
Woke up around 1 am with chest pains. Asked Doug to pass me a couple of Tums. Still in a lot of pain. Proceeded to drink some Alka-Seltzer. Nope. Kinda felt worse. Wanted puke, felt on the verge of passing out every time I stood or sat up, broke out in a sweat, mid-chest/top of stomach still incredibly cramped and on fire. It soon became clear that what was happening to me was the return of an ol' friend: an ulcer attack.
A few years ago, I started getting ulcers (the less serious, but still crazy-annoying peptic kind, not the bleeding kind). I don't get them often, but they've been popping up about every year or so. And the symptoms of a flare-up have become painfully familiar, literally.
Tried pinpointing the cause with my doctor in the past, but no luck. The attacks themselves do appear after not-so-great eating and drinking though, so it's sort of been a blessing in disguise. I have been drinking alcohol pretty regularly for the past few weeks, so now I HAVE to give it up for a while, as booze is a big no-no when trying to heal an ulcer. Naturally, I'll be making better food choices than I have been lately as well. All I need to do is replay the attack I had this morning in my head and it's pretty much instant motivation to eat better. I'm sure childbirth and passing kidney stones rate pretty high on the List of Pain, but I think ulcer attacks aren't far behind. It gets so bad that my dignity goes out the window for 30-60 minutes and I'm totally cool with dying by the toilet in my pajamas.
So, I'll be replacing booze with cayenne water (sounds strange, but kills ulcer pain and actually helps heal it, in my experience) and passing up sugar and fat in favor of Zantac. Makes me feel like a cross between a homeopathic wizard and one of those old dudes from the acid reflux medication commercials, ha.
I woke up long before my alarm went off this morning and even though I wasn't planning a workout after the attack, I figured I could at least handle some time on my recumbent bike. Pulled it up to the TV in the living room and watched Adult Swim for an hour while I rode at a moderate pace. Covered 13 miles. Because my chest area is sensitive at the moment, I'm avoiding running and other high-impact exercises over the next few days. I'll get by just fine with some other alternatives I have planned.
Things that have cheered me up:
-After sharing my emotional stress with my mom, she of course had supportive words to share and immediately planned a Girl's Night/Sushi Date for us and my sister, tomorrow night. Love, love that woman. She's driven me crazy plenty of times in the past (and still does, heh), but she's always there when I need her the most.
-Discovering a new favorite blog this morning: Cheap Healthy Good. This pretty much covers all of my favorite types of blogs in one. I follow individual health, food and frugal-living blogs, so naturally, CHG is my new BFF. I've already snagged a few recipes I'm eager to try, including this Savory Oats dish. I've heard of others trying savory oatmeal in the past, but was kinda hesitant to give it a shot myself. This recipe looks like it'll guide me in the right direction!
Anywho, hope everyone's week is off to a good start (or at least without ulcer attacks)! I hope to have a new DVD review posted this week. Also on the horizon, another book review and a new weight-loss plan review. Kinda busy these days!
Weekend Re-cap:
Saturday:
Pretty good, all in all. Finally went back to 24Cycle (spin) class after a loooong absence and to my surprise, we got new bikes! I kinda miss the wider seats on the old ones (though really, I think I need a Tempurpedic pillow to sit on in that class to make me 100% satisfied), but the new ones have better/comfier handles and they're much easier to adjust with the better quality knobs and such. Not bad! That said, I've rekindled my love affair with spinning. Not sure if I'll try and get in to Tuesday's class, but I think I'll try and shoot for Thursday. Not planning on going to this Saturday's session, due to the debut of BodyPump! Still so excited for that class.
Sunday:
Could've used a do-over on this day. Emotional nonsense, lots of crying, lots of poor eating and drinking. Things did get resolved before the day was over though, so I'm thankful for that. Went to bed stuffed with a bit too much Domino's Pizza and tried to cope with the heat, but overall, felt better. That was, until...
Monday:
Woke up around 1 am with chest pains. Asked Doug to pass me a couple of Tums. Still in a lot of pain. Proceeded to drink some Alka-Seltzer. Nope. Kinda felt worse. Wanted puke, felt on the verge of passing out every time I stood or sat up, broke out in a sweat, mid-chest/top of stomach still incredibly cramped and on fire. It soon became clear that what was happening to me was the return of an ol' friend: an ulcer attack.
A few years ago, I started getting ulcers (the less serious, but still crazy-annoying peptic kind, not the bleeding kind). I don't get them often, but they've been popping up about every year or so. And the symptoms of a flare-up have become painfully familiar, literally.
Tried pinpointing the cause with my doctor in the past, but no luck. The attacks themselves do appear after not-so-great eating and drinking though, so it's sort of been a blessing in disguise. I have been drinking alcohol pretty regularly for the past few weeks, so now I HAVE to give it up for a while, as booze is a big no-no when trying to heal an ulcer. Naturally, I'll be making better food choices than I have been lately as well. All I need to do is replay the attack I had this morning in my head and it's pretty much instant motivation to eat better. I'm sure childbirth and passing kidney stones rate pretty high on the List of Pain, but I think ulcer attacks aren't far behind. It gets so bad that my dignity goes out the window for 30-60 minutes and I'm totally cool with dying by the toilet in my pajamas.
So, I'll be replacing booze with cayenne water (sounds strange, but kills ulcer pain and actually helps heal it, in my experience) and passing up sugar and fat in favor of Zantac. Makes me feel like a cross between a homeopathic wizard and one of those old dudes from the acid reflux medication commercials, ha.
I woke up long before my alarm went off this morning and even though I wasn't planning a workout after the attack, I figured I could at least handle some time on my recumbent bike. Pulled it up to the TV in the living room and watched Adult Swim for an hour while I rode at a moderate pace. Covered 13 miles. Because my chest area is sensitive at the moment, I'm avoiding running and other high-impact exercises over the next few days. I'll get by just fine with some other alternatives I have planned.
Things that have cheered me up:
-After sharing my emotional stress with my mom, she of course had supportive words to share and immediately planned a Girl's Night/Sushi Date for us and my sister, tomorrow night. Love, love that woman. She's driven me crazy plenty of times in the past (and still does, heh), but she's always there when I need her the most.
-Discovering a new favorite blog this morning: Cheap Healthy Good. This pretty much covers all of my favorite types of blogs in one. I follow individual health, food and frugal-living blogs, so naturally, CHG is my new BFF. I've already snagged a few recipes I'm eager to try, including this Savory Oats dish. I've heard of others trying savory oatmeal in the past, but was kinda hesitant to give it a shot myself. This recipe looks like it'll guide me in the right direction!
Anywho, hope everyone's week is off to a good start (or at least without ulcer attacks)! I hope to have a new DVD review posted this week. Also on the horizon, another book review and a new weight-loss plan review. Kinda busy these days!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
You don't understand; I'm ON the LIST.
This post is more of a bitch-fest than anything else. You've been warned.
Every week, either before or immediately after my spin class at 24 Hour Fitness, I ask the desk staff person to add my name to the list for next week's class. And I see them write my name down. And then I walk away.
Last week was no different, but somehow, my name was absent from this week's list.
And of course, it had to be on a day where the class was packed (seriously? it's a 5:30 am class and hasn't been full in weeks!), with no chance of an extra bike opening up. So, I didn't get to spin this morning. And it kind of broke my heart. My guess is yeah, my name got written on a list, just not the list. Buh.
So I gathered my things and headed to the cardio room, pissed and unmotivated. I started to use one of the regular exercise bikes, but it wasn't the same. And the bike itself smelled like it hadn't been cleaned after about 50 sweaty workouts. Lovely.
I then made my way to the elliptical. Meh. Wasn't feeling that either. See, I had psyched myself up for a super-tough workout (see: 60 minutes of spin class) and didn't have my mind on anything else. Does that happen to anyone else? I'm sure it does; you mentally pump yourself up, imagine the burn and the sweat and most of all, the feeling of bad-assery when you're done. That's why I love spin so much; it forces me to challenge myself. Sure, I try to challenge myself when I workout on my own, but getting that extra push from Vanessa (the instructor) and everyone else in the class just makes me want to see how harder/faster I can pedal and for how long.
Anywho, after contemplating not working out at all and just heading home, I decided I would at least run on the treadmill for a bit and maybe use the Stair Master. I got on the treadmill, regrettably, and started my run. On the upside, my recent strength training has improved my endurance, so I was able to go a bit faster than usual. I did 2 miles in 19:17, staying at 7 mph the last quarter-mile. Considering I wasn't in the mood to run at all (and wearing padded cycling shorts and not wearing my usual running shoes and feeling like a complete tool), I was pleased with the end result.
I had to wait for a Stair Master which only added to my foul mood, but one finally opened up and I did 15 minutes of speed intervals. I try not to be a hater, but yes, I'm one of those handlebar snobs. Out of all 8 people using the machines, I was the only one not hunched over and putting all of my upper body weight on the handles, holding on for dear life. Just let go, people! You'll get a higher heart rate, burn more calories and strengthen your core muscles. If you have to hold on, you need to slow things down. But of course, I keep my mouth shut and save such thoughts for blog rants because I'm passive-aggressive like that.
It wasn't the worst workout, but it certainly wasn't the ass-whooping I signed up for. I of course signed up for next Tuesday's class and DOUBLE-CHECKED that my name was indeed on the list for Saturday's class. Great. Now I get to be that annoying, paranoid member who asks 3 different employees if my name is on the list. Why the obsessive behavior? Because I'm a spin addict.
Every week, either before or immediately after my spin class at 24 Hour Fitness, I ask the desk staff person to add my name to the list for next week's class. And I see them write my name down. And then I walk away.
Last week was no different, but somehow, my name was absent from this week's list.
And of course, it had to be on a day where the class was packed (seriously? it's a 5:30 am class and hasn't been full in weeks!), with no chance of an extra bike opening up. So, I didn't get to spin this morning. And it kind of broke my heart. My guess is yeah, my name got written on a list, just not the list. Buh.
So I gathered my things and headed to the cardio room, pissed and unmotivated. I started to use one of the regular exercise bikes, but it wasn't the same. And the bike itself smelled like it hadn't been cleaned after about 50 sweaty workouts. Lovely.
I then made my way to the elliptical. Meh. Wasn't feeling that either. See, I had psyched myself up for a super-tough workout (see: 60 minutes of spin class) and didn't have my mind on anything else. Does that happen to anyone else? I'm sure it does; you mentally pump yourself up, imagine the burn and the sweat and most of all, the feeling of bad-assery when you're done. That's why I love spin so much; it forces me to challenge myself. Sure, I try to challenge myself when I workout on my own, but getting that extra push from Vanessa (the instructor) and everyone else in the class just makes me want to see how harder/faster I can pedal and for how long.
Anywho, after contemplating not working out at all and just heading home, I decided I would at least run on the treadmill for a bit and maybe use the Stair Master. I got on the treadmill, regrettably, and started my run. On the upside, my recent strength training has improved my endurance, so I was able to go a bit faster than usual. I did 2 miles in 19:17, staying at 7 mph the last quarter-mile. Considering I wasn't in the mood to run at all (and wearing padded cycling shorts and not wearing my usual running shoes and feeling like a complete tool), I was pleased with the end result.
I had to wait for a Stair Master which only added to my foul mood, but one finally opened up and I did 15 minutes of speed intervals. I try not to be a hater, but yes, I'm one of those handlebar snobs. Out of all 8 people using the machines, I was the only one not hunched over and putting all of my upper body weight on the handles, holding on for dear life. Just let go, people! You'll get a higher heart rate, burn more calories and strengthen your core muscles. If you have to hold on, you need to slow things down. But of course, I keep my mouth shut and save such thoughts for blog rants because I'm passive-aggressive like that.
It wasn't the worst workout, but it certainly wasn't the ass-whooping I signed up for. I of course signed up for next Tuesday's class and DOUBLE-CHECKED that my name was indeed on the list for Saturday's class. Great. Now I get to be that annoying, paranoid member who asks 3 different employees if my name is on the list. Why the obsessive behavior? Because I'm a spin addict.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Workin' those gams.
Alright, before I get into visual food stuff, let me just say, that for the first time (ever?), I'm noticing some kick-ass legs! Especially my thighs. The culprit? Pretty sure it's the 24Cycle class. I'm sure running, zumba and general strength training are helping too, but I think all of those speed intervals and hill climbs on the bike are really making a difference. Still lovin' that class, even though it damn near kills me every time. I'm even, dare I say it, thinking of taking it on twice a week! That's gonna take some balls though, so we'll see if I follow through, heh.
Quick Fitness Side Note: Did Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD this morning and seriously, am I the only one who STILL struggles with those damn Tummy Tucks (see: Lower Abs segment)?! I was relatively comfortable with my lower ab strength until this move came along. I CANNOT do more than 3 in a row and even then, I'm usually letting my heels tap the ground. Ugh. Sorry. Just needed to bitch. Still totally in love with that DVD though. I increased my weight on some of the moves today and it definitely made a difference.
FOOD!
Last night's dinner and today's lunch were the results of some freestylin' (why do I always wanna say "free-ballin"? Oh wait, because I'm a total perv). I had some ricotta cheese sitting in the fridge that I had been wanting to use for a while, but I didn't want to do traditional lasagna or stuffed shells...
I also wanted to incorporate a decent amount of veggies and some ground turkey, but wanted to leave out starchy noodles to keep it from feeling too heavy...So I went with lasagna, but with veggie "noodles."
Pre-oven:
No recipe, but I had a general idea of how to go about assembling this dish. Within the above mess is some roasted zucchini (x3) and roasted yellow squash, which I tossed in olive oil, salt/pepper and Italian seasoning. Thinly grated and roasted in the oven for, I dunno, 20-30 minutes?
Then there's the cheese/meat mixture: Took some lean ground turkey and cooked it with a small chopped onion and minced garlic. While that cooled, I mixed 1 and 1/4 cups of ricotta, couple tablespoons of grated parmesan, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and garlic powder in a bowl. I then added the meat mixture, a large handful of cooked [frozen] spinach, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs. (Just call me Ol' Cheesy Meat Hands. Or don't. Too scandalous, I reckon.)
I removed the roasted veggies from the oven and began layering everything, including some sauce:
Ended with sauce on top and sprinkled on a bit more cheese:
Baked at a little over 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Doug turned on the broiler during the last few minutes to rush the browning of the cheese.
Doug made some garlic toast on the side:
Friggin' yum, dude. It was one of those meals that got kinda stressful as I went along and ended up taking a bit more time since I wasn't following a recipe, so I was worried that it would end up being only kinda "meh." But it wasn't meh at all. It was damn tasty! Doug enjoyed it as well and agreed that next time, we can add in mushrooms and eggplant, which I've seen done quite a bit on other blogs/recipes.
This of course yielded leftovers, to which I added some crushed red pepper and promptly inhaled for lunch. Such a filling, flavorful dish. And you easily leave out the turkey, should you prefer a meatless version (which I may do next time, and just replace the turkey with the aforementioned mushrooms and eggplant).
That's all for food stuff. Still debating on going to quiz tonight. I have the urge to buy a hula-hoop and just wreck that shit all evening. And maybe play some Wii Boxing, for old time's sake (used to have Wii Fit & the balance board, but gave it to my mom). And maybe some yoga... And maybe some baking... (Seriously? I usually HATE baking, but have totally done it like 4 times in the last week. Weird.) Love geeking it out every week with friends, but I'd also thoroughly enjoy some solo time tonight, shaking and baking it, if you will.
Quick Fitness Side Note: Did Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD this morning and seriously, am I the only one who STILL struggles with those damn Tummy Tucks (see: Lower Abs segment)?! I was relatively comfortable with my lower ab strength until this move came along. I CANNOT do more than 3 in a row and even then, I'm usually letting my heels tap the ground. Ugh. Sorry. Just needed to bitch. Still totally in love with that DVD though. I increased my weight on some of the moves today and it definitely made a difference.
FOOD!
Last night's dinner and today's lunch were the results of some freestylin' (why do I always wanna say "free-ballin"? Oh wait, because I'm a total perv). I had some ricotta cheese sitting in the fridge that I had been wanting to use for a while, but I didn't want to do traditional lasagna or stuffed shells...
I also wanted to incorporate a decent amount of veggies and some ground turkey, but wanted to leave out starchy noodles to keep it from feeling too heavy...So I went with lasagna, but with veggie "noodles."
Pre-oven:
No recipe, but I had a general idea of how to go about assembling this dish. Within the above mess is some roasted zucchini (x3) and roasted yellow squash, which I tossed in olive oil, salt/pepper and Italian seasoning. Thinly grated and roasted in the oven for, I dunno, 20-30 minutes?
Then there's the cheese/meat mixture: Took some lean ground turkey and cooked it with a small chopped onion and minced garlic. While that cooled, I mixed 1 and 1/4 cups of ricotta, couple tablespoons of grated parmesan, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella and garlic powder in a bowl. I then added the meat mixture, a large handful of cooked [frozen] spinach, 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of bread crumbs. (Just call me Ol' Cheesy Meat Hands. Or don't. Too scandalous, I reckon.)
I removed the roasted veggies from the oven and began layering everything, including some sauce:
Ended with sauce on top and sprinkled on a bit more cheese:
Baked at a little over 400 degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Doug turned on the broiler during the last few minutes to rush the browning of the cheese.
Doug made some garlic toast on the side:
Friggin' yum, dude. It was one of those meals that got kinda stressful as I went along and ended up taking a bit more time since I wasn't following a recipe, so I was worried that it would end up being only kinda "meh." But it wasn't meh at all. It was damn tasty! Doug enjoyed it as well and agreed that next time, we can add in mushrooms and eggplant, which I've seen done quite a bit on other blogs/recipes.
This of course yielded leftovers, to which I added some crushed red pepper and promptly inhaled for lunch. Such a filling, flavorful dish. And you easily leave out the turkey, should you prefer a meatless version (which I may do next time, and just replace the turkey with the aforementioned mushrooms and eggplant).
That's all for food stuff. Still debating on going to quiz tonight. I have the urge to buy a hula-hoop and just wreck that shit all evening. And maybe play some Wii Boxing, for old time's sake (used to have Wii Fit & the balance board, but gave it to my mom). And maybe some yoga... And maybe some baking... (Seriously? I usually HATE baking, but have totally done it like 4 times in the last week. Weird.) Love geeking it out every week with friends, but I'd also thoroughly enjoy some solo time tonight, shaking and baking it, if you will.
Monday, April 19, 2010
These things take time.
Lots of thoughts went on over the weekend. Some highs, some lows and some in-betweeners.
Feelings and Overeating
Finishing my first 5K was a high, obviously. The lows resulted from my same ol' patterned weekend overeating. The good news is each weekend, I'm overeating less and less. This weekend in particular felt the least destructive one in a long time. I was able to let go of the "all-or-nothing" mentality, stop myself and end the day making healthier choices. Sorta. Haha. The in-betweener was finally getting some things off of my chest to a certain person. A lot of thoughts about this person had been building up in my head for a while (months?), so a proverbial weight was lifted yesterday. Even though those particular thoughts weren't on my mind every single hour of every day, I wonder if just holding them in and letting them build up was causing some underlying stress that was possibly manifesting itself through bad eating? A bit of stretch, but certainly a possibility. After confronting this person, our relationship is in limbo at the moment, but I at least feel a great deal better. (Ah, don't you just love cryptic posts?)
Over the past few weeks, I've been going back and forth on writing down what I eat, tracking calories and tracking points. But the main thing that keeps fucking me up is my weekend overeating pattern. I finally realized that I'm going to be inclined to make these same mistakes regardless of whether or not I'm tracking my food in detail (and I know this because I've done it so many times already).
I've gotten to a point where I'm perfectly capable of making the best possible choices for my body during the week, almost without thinking. I like eating healthy, reasonable amounts of food and I like staying active because my body responds so positively. So why do I get lazy and eat destructively on the weekends?
It really does feel like I turn into a totally different person when 5 o' clock on Friday rolls around. And I don't like that person. She's super-rebellious, unforgiving and reckless.
Moderation. Balance. Blah, blah, blah. I just need to buckle down and plan my meals/snacks as I would any other day during the week instead of just "wingin' it." That's not to say I want to pre-plan every meal and snack for the rest of my life, but my weekends clearly need more structure, at least for a little while. I know it's possible to eat healthily and balanced while still enjoying treats here and there, I just need to re-visit the old determined, disciplined, level-headed Tam. Perhaps a re-read of some of my old LiveJournal entries is in order? I think so. I'm currently about 12 pounds above my previous goal weight. I'm not devastated by it because I've been staying pretty fit, but I'm not gonna lie; I would feel more comfortable with myself if I could take off at least 5-8 pounds. It's less of a numbers/vanity thing and more of a "I just feel heavy" kind of thing.
Fitness
Even though I toyed with the idea of a rest day yesterday, I ended up working out in the evening. But y'know what? I just felt so damn better afterward that I have no regrets. I kept it simple though; 1 mile jog/run on the treadmill and Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD. Broke out a nice sweat, felt a good burn and felt somewhat redeemed from sitting on the couch most of the day.
This morning, I headed to the gym for a mixed routine. Did 2 miles of jogging/sprints/walking/running, 15 minutes on the Step Mill (which I'm starting to fall in love with again, as sick as that may seem) and then topped things off with 1 mile on the elliptical. I actually tried a different elliptical this time; it's an older Life Fitness model with the handles. The last time I used this model was probably 2 years ago, when I joined one of my old gyms (Planet Fitness). I used to love that machine and used it every chance I got, until I got distracted with learning to run. After switching gyms again (to Accolade Fitness), I used a Precor elliptical, sans handles. Now that I'm at 24 Hour Fitness, they have a crapload of the ol' Life Fitness ones, so I decided to give it a go, for old time's sake. And I must say, I totally fell in love with it all over again. I cranked up the resistance and pumped my arms like crazy. It felt good.
Tomorrow, I may/may not get into the 24Cycle class. I tried to sign up this morning, but all of the reserved spots were filled, so I basically need to show up early and see if I can snag any of the non-reserved spots. Worst case scenario, I won't get in and will just end up riding on my own on one of the regular stationary bikes. I've learned enough in that class so far that I think I can freestyle my own routine. But whether or not I'll push myself as hard as Vanessa (instructor) is yet unknown. I'm starting to dig riding in general, so either way, I don't want to skip it altogether.
Lastly, the high from my 5K this past weekend has caused me to seek out some other races in the future. I came across a Classic 10K race that looks like it'll be up my alley. I'm hoping that new challenges like this will keep me a bit more focused with both eating and regular running. It seems like I ran my ass off around this time last year and I miss that feeling. Plus, more runs definitely won't hurt in helping me take off those aforementioned 5-8 pounds. As always, we'll see how it goes.
Feelings and Overeating
Finishing my first 5K was a high, obviously. The lows resulted from my same ol' patterned weekend overeating. The good news is each weekend, I'm overeating less and less. This weekend in particular felt the least destructive one in a long time. I was able to let go of the "all-or-nothing" mentality, stop myself and end the day making healthier choices. Sorta. Haha. The in-betweener was finally getting some things off of my chest to a certain person. A lot of thoughts about this person had been building up in my head for a while (months?), so a proverbial weight was lifted yesterday. Even though those particular thoughts weren't on my mind every single hour of every day, I wonder if just holding them in and letting them build up was causing some underlying stress that was possibly manifesting itself through bad eating? A bit of stretch, but certainly a possibility. After confronting this person, our relationship is in limbo at the moment, but I at least feel a great deal better. (Ah, don't you just love cryptic posts?)
Over the past few weeks, I've been going back and forth on writing down what I eat, tracking calories and tracking points. But the main thing that keeps fucking me up is my weekend overeating pattern. I finally realized that I'm going to be inclined to make these same mistakes regardless of whether or not I'm tracking my food in detail (and I know this because I've done it so many times already).
I've gotten to a point where I'm perfectly capable of making the best possible choices for my body during the week, almost without thinking. I like eating healthy, reasonable amounts of food and I like staying active because my body responds so positively. So why do I get lazy and eat destructively on the weekends?
It really does feel like I turn into a totally different person when 5 o' clock on Friday rolls around. And I don't like that person. She's super-rebellious, unforgiving and reckless.
Moderation. Balance. Blah, blah, blah. I just need to buckle down and plan my meals/snacks as I would any other day during the week instead of just "wingin' it." That's not to say I want to pre-plan every meal and snack for the rest of my life, but my weekends clearly need more structure, at least for a little while. I know it's possible to eat healthily and balanced while still enjoying treats here and there, I just need to re-visit the old determined, disciplined, level-headed Tam. Perhaps a re-read of some of my old LiveJournal entries is in order? I think so. I'm currently about 12 pounds above my previous goal weight. I'm not devastated by it because I've been staying pretty fit, but I'm not gonna lie; I would feel more comfortable with myself if I could take off at least 5-8 pounds. It's less of a numbers/vanity thing and more of a "I just feel heavy" kind of thing.
Fitness
Even though I toyed with the idea of a rest day yesterday, I ended up working out in the evening. But y'know what? I just felt so damn better afterward that I have no regrets. I kept it simple though; 1 mile jog/run on the treadmill and Jackie Warner's Power Circuit Training DVD. Broke out a nice sweat, felt a good burn and felt somewhat redeemed from sitting on the couch most of the day.
This morning, I headed to the gym for a mixed routine. Did 2 miles of jogging/sprints/walking/running, 15 minutes on the Step Mill (which I'm starting to fall in love with again, as sick as that may seem) and then topped things off with 1 mile on the elliptical. I actually tried a different elliptical this time; it's an older Life Fitness model with the handles. The last time I used this model was probably 2 years ago, when I joined one of my old gyms (Planet Fitness). I used to love that machine and used it every chance I got, until I got distracted with learning to run. After switching gyms again (to Accolade Fitness), I used a Precor elliptical, sans handles. Now that I'm at 24 Hour Fitness, they have a crapload of the ol' Life Fitness ones, so I decided to give it a go, for old time's sake. And I must say, I totally fell in love with it all over again. I cranked up the resistance and pumped my arms like crazy. It felt good.
Tomorrow, I may/may not get into the 24Cycle class. I tried to sign up this morning, but all of the reserved spots were filled, so I basically need to show up early and see if I can snag any of the non-reserved spots. Worst case scenario, I won't get in and will just end up riding on my own on one of the regular stationary bikes. I've learned enough in that class so far that I think I can freestyle my own routine. But whether or not I'll push myself as hard as Vanessa (instructor) is yet unknown. I'm starting to dig riding in general, so either way, I don't want to skip it altogether.
Lastly, the high from my 5K this past weekend has caused me to seek out some other races in the future. I came across a Classic 10K race that looks like it'll be up my alley. I'm hoping that new challenges like this will keep me a bit more focused with both eating and regular running. It seems like I ran my ass off around this time last year and I miss that feeling. Plus, more runs definitely won't hurt in helping me take off those aforementioned 5-8 pounds. As always, we'll see how it goes.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Spinning!
Survived my first 24Cycle/Spin class this morning! And surprise, surprise, I loved it! Out of all of the classes I've taken so far, I think this one had the lowest learning curve, yet yielded the most challenge and SWEAT! I was pretty soaked by the time it was over, but I also felt so invigorated. In fact, I'm still feeling the high from that class, almost 3 hours later.
I got there early so I could introduce myself to the instructor and also have her help me adjust my bike. I was indeed the only newbie in this particular class, so I did feel a little apprehensive beforehand. But there was still a wide variety of ages and fitness levels, so I relaxed a bit more as we got into the warm-up.
Learning how to adjust my resistance was of course a little tricky at first, but I think I got the hang of it pretty quick, once the instructor (Vanessa) started giving numerical cues (i.e., "you should be at about a 6 right now," etc.). I probably took some intervals a little easier than I should have, but that was only because I didn't know what to expect and didn't want to crap out early. But during the second half, I made sure to keep pushing and paid close attention to the number cues, as well as how some of the advanced people in the class were performing. That's when the dripping sweat and muscle fatigue started to kick in. It hurt so good!
I was worried I would experience a lot of discomfort from the seat, but it wasn't too bad. I definitely looked forward to the intervals where we lifted off of the seat though. I only had cotton shorts, which, as I read the night before, you're totally supposed to avoid, but oh well. Now that I made it through the first class and want to keep going in the future, I'll be on the hunt for some proper padded cycling shorts in the next few days. You'd think my own natural built-in padding would be enough, but not so much, haha.
Vanessa's a great instructor too. She's tough, has a sense of humor and has some pretty bitchin' abs, which I found motivating. I didn't realize how much of an ab workout that can be! No complaints in that regard. The music was mostly older rock (Van Halen, circa David Lee Roth, Black Sabbath, quite a bit of AC/DC and even some Warrant, which made me chuckle). I personally enjoy the older stuff, so I hope she keeps up that selection in the future.
Great class. And, as sick as it sounds, love that it's offered at 5:30 am. I like mixing in some of the evening classes, but I still want to keep up with my early morning workouts too, so the cycling class is a perfect fit. In fact, after class was over, Vanessa and I chatted a bit and she asked if I liked the time of the class. I said that I did and out of nowhere, casually blurted out "I'm a morning person!"
On the drive home, I gave it some more thought and y'know what? I think I am a morning person now. I certainly wasn't in the past, but because I've gone out of my way to pursue fitness in the morning, I'm to the point now where getting an early start on my day just feels best. On the weekends, I find myself "sleeping in" til only about 6 or so. And if I don't get out of bed by 7:30, it's usually because I just want some extra cuddle time with the man. But if I try to stay in bed too long after I'm awake, I just feel like I'm wasting time and losing productivity. Yesterday I was up at about 4:25 (wanted to grab a lane in the pool) and this morning, 4:36. I guess I'll just roll with it. Trying to fight it and saying "I'm not a morning person, I swear!" just makes it feel like a drag. Anywho.
After work today, I'm supposed to do a practice 5k run with my boss. (I'm running my first official 5k race on the 17th.) I suppose it's a good opportunity for a second workout, but I'm also kinda hoping she changes her mind and/or the weather gets super crappy so I can go home, haha. I do need to keep up with my running though. I'm still feeling confident (er, cocky?) enough to treat 5k as pretty easy for me, but I also haven't ran much in the past week and a half since I've been going to all of these classes. In fact, even though I'm going to classes the next two evenings, I think I'll work in some quick 2 mile runs in the morning, just to keep me fresh. I should probably work out a schedule for the next few days while I'm thinking about it:
Tuesday:
-AM 24Cycle class
-PM 5k practice
Wednesday:
-AM 2 mile run @ home
-PM TurboKick class
Thursday:
-AM 2 mile run @ home
-PM Zumba class
Friday: (taking off from work)
-AM 24 S.E.T. class?
Saturday:
-Mid-AM Biggest Loser Boot Camp class
Sunday:
-4-5 mile run @ gym
Alright, that's enough for today. I'm out!
I got there early so I could introduce myself to the instructor and also have her help me adjust my bike. I was indeed the only newbie in this particular class, so I did feel a little apprehensive beforehand. But there was still a wide variety of ages and fitness levels, so I relaxed a bit more as we got into the warm-up.
Learning how to adjust my resistance was of course a little tricky at first, but I think I got the hang of it pretty quick, once the instructor (Vanessa) started giving numerical cues (i.e., "you should be at about a 6 right now," etc.). I probably took some intervals a little easier than I should have, but that was only because I didn't know what to expect and didn't want to crap out early. But during the second half, I made sure to keep pushing and paid close attention to the number cues, as well as how some of the advanced people in the class were performing. That's when the dripping sweat and muscle fatigue started to kick in. It hurt so good!
I was worried I would experience a lot of discomfort from the seat, but it wasn't too bad. I definitely looked forward to the intervals where we lifted off of the seat though. I only had cotton shorts, which, as I read the night before, you're totally supposed to avoid, but oh well. Now that I made it through the first class and want to keep going in the future, I'll be on the hunt for some proper padded cycling shorts in the next few days. You'd think my own natural built-in padding would be enough, but not so much, haha.
Vanessa's a great instructor too. She's tough, has a sense of humor and has some pretty bitchin' abs, which I found motivating. I didn't realize how much of an ab workout that can be! No complaints in that regard. The music was mostly older rock (Van Halen, circa David Lee Roth, Black Sabbath, quite a bit of AC/DC and even some Warrant, which made me chuckle). I personally enjoy the older stuff, so I hope she keeps up that selection in the future.
Great class. And, as sick as it sounds, love that it's offered at 5:30 am. I like mixing in some of the evening classes, but I still want to keep up with my early morning workouts too, so the cycling class is a perfect fit. In fact, after class was over, Vanessa and I chatted a bit and she asked if I liked the time of the class. I said that I did and out of nowhere, casually blurted out "I'm a morning person!"
On the drive home, I gave it some more thought and y'know what? I think I am a morning person now. I certainly wasn't in the past, but because I've gone out of my way to pursue fitness in the morning, I'm to the point now where getting an early start on my day just feels best. On the weekends, I find myself "sleeping in" til only about 6 or so. And if I don't get out of bed by 7:30, it's usually because I just want some extra cuddle time with the man. But if I try to stay in bed too long after I'm awake, I just feel like I'm wasting time and losing productivity. Yesterday I was up at about 4:25 (wanted to grab a lane in the pool) and this morning, 4:36. I guess I'll just roll with it. Trying to fight it and saying "I'm not a morning person, I swear!" just makes it feel like a drag. Anywho.
After work today, I'm supposed to do a practice 5k run with my boss. (I'm running my first official 5k race on the 17th.) I suppose it's a good opportunity for a second workout, but I'm also kinda hoping she changes her mind and/or the weather gets super crappy so I can go home, haha. I do need to keep up with my running though. I'm still feeling confident (er, cocky?) enough to treat 5k as pretty easy for me, but I also haven't ran much in the past week and a half since I've been going to all of these classes. In fact, even though I'm going to classes the next two evenings, I think I'll work in some quick 2 mile runs in the morning, just to keep me fresh. I should probably work out a schedule for the next few days while I'm thinking about it:
Tuesday:
-PM 5k practice
Wednesday:
-AM 2 mile run @ home
-PM TurboKick class
Thursday:
-AM 2 mile run @ home
-PM Zumba class
Friday: (taking off from work)
-AM 24 S.E.T. class?
Saturday:
-Mid-AM Biggest Loser Boot Camp class
Sunday:
-4-5 mile run @ gym
Alright, that's enough for today. I'm out!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)