Getting back to workouts....

I injured my shoulder about 6 weeks ago.  After 3 weeks of trying to work through/around it, I finally had to let it rest.  It was bad enough that working was agony - and I work at the computer!

It's starting to get better, so I decided to start running again.  I do interval runs only, 5 minutes of warm up walking, then 6 rounds of running for one minute, walking for 2.  Then a 5 minute cool down.

Interval running burns more fat than "steady state" cardio does, and gets you into shape faster. I don't know if it's desirable to do the hard, hard, intense workouts - I know trainers who promote them, but I believe I can reach my goals with a much gentler approach.  What good does it do me to work out hard if I keep hurting myself?

My plan is to maintain my nutrition, plenty of vegetables and fruit, lean protein,  a gallon of water a day, and stay off the Diet Coke.  I'm using this weekend to start easing myself into it.  Then I'll do the "hard core" dieting during Lent, appropriately enough.  :)  Actually, 40 days ought to be enough time to take the bulk of the weight off and get used to a new eating plan.  I will also do the interval runs every day except Sunday.  I may run tomorrow anyway to establish the habit.  (There is a major winter storm supposed to be coming in tonight, so the weather will be a factor in running tomorrow.)

So, anyway, I just finished my run, and it was very difficult this time.  I was winded - I hadn't been winded during an interval run in ages.  The lack of exercise has been showing up in a tighter (almost uncomfortable) fit to my jeans, not just on the scales.  But since I know what to do, I'll keep up the hard work and know it will come back off.  Then it will be a matter of working off the rest of the extra weight....

Tri Metrics!

For the past 8 weeks I've been working with Michael Banks.  So far - 3.5 inches off my waist, kicked the Diet Coke habit, and 8 pounds released.  I am so excited, and looking forward to further success!

Back to Working Out

I am re-starting my exercise program tomorrow.  Boot camp on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and Couch to 5K on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  This is going to take a lot of self discipline.

I've looked hard at my nutrition and eating habits.  I eat fine, plenty of veggies and protein, easy on carbs.  Nothing extreme, which I think is how nutrition should be.  I should have a healthy relationship with food, not worrying about everything I ever put in my mouth.  I've eliminated sugary foods and most carbs, focusing more on fresh stuff.

Now I need to get back to exercising.  When I have lost a lot of weight before, I worked out every day, sometimes twice a day.  I'm going back to that.  Couch to 5k, developed by coolrunning.com, is designed to help a non-runner (like me) work up to running 3.1 miles a day (5k) comfortably in a 9 week program.  It's interval training, which should make my trainer, Mat, happy - he preaches intervals and tabatas. 

I've been injuring myself a lot (shoulder, hip, knees), so I will probably take longer than 9 weeks. 

One of my challenges with working out is simply that I have so much to do, I need to get up early in the morning to do my workouts, and I don't like getting up early.  However, my alarm is set, and I'm planning on a 6:30 wakeup every day to get this in. 

And, she's off.....

Still struggling - working out helps!

You know, the first round I did was so easy.  I was able to stick to the protocol with grace and ease and quickly and effectively take the weight off.  This round has been a grind!  I'm sure a great deal of the challenge has to do with being put through the wringer emotionally.  When you're emotionally struggling, it's much harder to remove an emotional crutch, such comfort food. 

I am finding that a solid workout does a great deal to help with the depression and emotional challenges.  It doesn't have to be a huge, strenuous workout (and if you're in Phase 2 - VLCD, don't start a strenuous workout), even a walk around the block can help release endorphins and raise a low mood.

Before children, I'd use walking as a way to raise my mood.  There's nothing like a long, brisk walk to help you process a down mood or negative emotions.  (Once I had children, it was a bit more challenging, but I still work out in some way regularly.)

Currently, I'm in P2, and going to boot camp three days a week (my goal is to not lose muscle, always a concern on low calories).   I'm also starting to add more cardio to my workouts.  The more I can get my body moving, the better.  Keep in mind, however, that I'm fairly athletic to begin with, even with the extra weight I'm carrying around.  If you're not working out to begin with, try adding a 15 minute walk around the block at an easy stroll to begin with, and work up from there.  It'll help with cravings!

Returned to Boot Camp

Yes!  I'm back to boot camp after 3 weeks off.  (No, not the military type - Mat the Trainer is an amazing trainer - no one else around does what he does!)  It felt so good to be using my muscles again.  I'd been stressed to the limit with Tim's hospital stay just before Thanksgiving and trying to get all my clients caught up for the end of the year.

I am a firm believer in the importance of exercise.  I always feel better all over after I work out (even if I do squawk and complain before and during)!  I sleep better, the weight drops off faster, the little black cloud that follows me around lifts. 

My weight is up, largely from uncontrolled emotional eating.  Remember the stress I was telling you about?  Couple that with the holidays - and I ended up with a gain.  That's OK though - I can take it off!  I've already proven that to myself. 

I'm excited to be back to boot camp, and excited about the possibilities 2011 brings!

Indoor vs Outdoor Exercise

I just saw a tweet that said, "I do not trust treadmill numbers. Indoor workouts and outdoor workouts exist in different spaces and should not be compared."

Um.

All workouts are different.  That's why we cross train!  Well, that's why I cross-train.  I don't want my body to get used to just running, or just lifting, or just hiking.  I want to be lean and fit across the board.

I love weight training, and I can walk for miles (walked 10 miles yesterday to work off a good mad), and I can dance all night and then some, but sprinting makes me ache, mountain biking gets me winded pretty quick, and hiking will kill my knees if I'm not careful. 

But I want to live an active lifestyle. 

I'm not after just marathoning, or triathalons... I'm after fitness. 

Because of the broad range of activities I pursue, I have to say all workouts exist in different spaces. 

So - what are your workout/fitness goals?

Surprise!

Yesterday was just generally stressful.  My day started at 6am, with a client appointment at 8am.  (I am NOT a morning person.)  I had an apple at the office, a Diet Coke, lots of water, and then spent the evening with Krista since the man I'm breaking up with was coming to my house to get the scooter he "gave" me - and I didn't want to see him.

I ended up having Wendy's for dinner instead of the dinner I had planned (grilled steak Parmesan with broccoli and a salad).  Ick.  Fast food is quickly losing its appeal.  Then I had a couple of glasses of water before bedtime, while I was reading to the kids.

I was down nearly 2 pounds over yesterday, though - and I'd braced myself for a gain. 

Losing weight is always a multi pronged approach.  I had a great workout this morning at EXL Fitness. And I followed that up with a delicious breakfast burrito - 2 eggs, cheddar cheese, and salsa wrapped in a flour tortilla.  Yum!  I'm drinking a ton of water at the office again today, and saving my Diet Coke for a treat or for the caffeine - too much sweet isn't good for you, even without calories.

And I'm looking forward to dinner with my kids tonight!  Family dinner will do wonders for me and for the kids.

Exercise on HCG

Pounds and Inches states that little exercise is needed, mostly "strolling" around the block.  However, I have worked out (off and on) for years. I don't feel right unless I work out.  And, now that I'm over 40, every little bit of calorie expenditure helps.

But 500 calories a day isn't enough for a hard, strenuous workout.  Really.

I listen to my body, and scale back if I feel like I need to.  It's frustrating in a lot of ways, since I've lifted heavy weight before and the weakness kinda catches me off guard.  At the same time, I don't want to get hurt.  I do want to  maintain muscle and lose fat.  HCG helps with that a great deal.  Exercise does a lot to help that as well. 

So what I personally tell people (for what it's worth), don't BEGIN a workout routine, other than easy walking, while on the protocol.

If you're already working out, CONTINUE your workouts by all means.  Be prepared to scale back.  Listen to your body.  Mine says "Get your butt up and get a wiggle on!" 

Oh, and work out with a trainer if you don't have one.  You want someone who will push you to, but not beyond, your limits, and will understand that your strength will change while you're on protocol.  I recommend Mat the Trainer at EXL Fitness in Orem, UT.  He's been putting up with me for months, so he knows what he's in for if your on HCG.

Daily accountability - Weight this morning 160.2 Goal weight 125.0. 

Day 1 Very Low Calories (VLCD)

That would be today.  It's a relief not to eat so much any more.  I'm drinking lots of water and (yes) Diet Coke, although I'm trying to lean more towards the water.  Dinner tonight will be salad with grilled chicken breast for me and hamburgers for the kids.

I also went to EXL Fitness for the next phase of boot camp. It felt sooo good to get my body moving after three weeks (!) of inactivity.  Our bodies are meant to be moved and used.  They're not for holding still.  I even made it almost all the way around the building without stopping to walk, and I got my 20 straight-legged situps in (with Mat cheering me on).  Thankfully he didn't make us do bear crawls!  I hate those (walking on  hands and feet with your butt up in the air).

I'm planning on a long walk tonight and tomorrow, and then boot camp again on Wednesday.  I'm pretty tied up emotionally - I feel like I'm holding myself together with baling wire and twine, all my emotions in a tight little knot in the pit of my stomach - so maybe the long walk will help.

Today's weight = 165.0, goal = 125.0

Women and Weight Training

Weigh training, or strength training, has been my exercise of choice for as long as I can remember. My dad lifted weights, and I loved the ability to see myself as a strong woman.

Because I do a lot of strength training, my scale weight is higher for my body size than most women. I am 155 pounds and wear a size 6.

2 things brought the importance of building muscle to my attention. One is a friend of mine who lost over 100 pounds on HCG. She is currenly 20 pounds lighter than I am, and wears a 12 - 14 instead of a 6.

The other was a conversation I had with a co-worker several years ago. She was a beautiful woman, but she was overweight and ashamed of her body. She always wore these long, flowing tents. One day she commented on how nice I looked in my tailored suit (I had recently lost 40 pounds at the time). I told her that one of my secrets was lifting weights, so I could weigh more, and eat more, and be smaller.

"I couldn't do that. I don't want to get big," she said.

I really had to bite my tongue to keep from saying, "But you already are!"

In order to gain muscle, it is necessary to produce testosterone. Ladies, this is the MALE sex hormone. We produce testosterone, but in very minute amounts. After all, we don't want to sing bass or put hair on our chests. We do want to be able to gain muscle.

Women gain muscle weight at a much slower rate than men. Our muscles aren't designed to get big. All the working out in the world will not put big huge muscles on us, unless we're supplementing. And even then it is difficult.

What we want is strength and definition. A beautifully toned body is incredibly sexy. We want strength and endurance, and curves where there are supposed to be curves. You know. Breasts, hips, and a little waist.

When we carry muscle, our metabolism increases. We're able to eat more. We get more out of our cardio, because muscle at rest burns calories - fat does not.

Strength training done right is nothing but beneficial for the ladies. Don't be afraid of it. Embrace your inner athlete and enjoy becoming a strong woman.

For top strength and cardio training in Utah, see Mat the Trainer at EXL Fitness in Orem.