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Thursday, July 30, 2009

07/30/09

Well.....I kinda feel like I let myself down today, a little. Probably being too hard on myself....it's been known to happen before. :-)

Today's run was supposed to be as follows....

5 min warm up
8 min run
5 min walk
8 min run
3 min cool down

I was going along great....until that darned second 8 minutes. I actually started to get cold and clammy. And my vision was getting a little wobbly. I tried to fight through it, but went back to a walk after 5 minutes. Walked for 1 minute, then finished the last 3 minutes feeling a little better, but not much.

I think I'll repeat this one again on Saturday. I'm supposed to do a 20 minute run...with no walking....but if I can't make it through 8 minute sets, then I don't know.

Although, after the first 8, I felt as though I had more umph. Maybe I should have kept going to see how far that umph would take me. I'm wondering if that 5 minute walk in between runs is what is killing me??

Is that possible?

Stupid scale still says I gained 3 pounds from Tues to Wed....ridiculous!!!!

My OCD wants me to just do the next workout - the 20 minute run....or I'll be off on my weeks. It's already bugging me that I had to repeat week 2. Running for 6 weeks, but am on week 5 of the program.

What happens when I finish the 10 weeks? What keeps me going??

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

07/28/09

Had an appointment with my personal trainer last night. Just to do a little catching up, since I started at the gym.

Down 9.4% body fat....increased 4.3% lean muscle.

I'm not keen on their scale. I mean, it shows that I lost weight, just like the one at home. But the one at the gym lists my starting weight, and current weight, so much higher than at home.

Granted, I'm wearing shoes and workout gear when I weigh in at the gym.

Not, 12 pounds of workout gear though. :-(

We talked about my running, and how it's going. All of the weight loss and muscle gain is from the last 5 or 6 weeks.

I admitted that I haven't been doing any weight training....and she gave me that look.

You know the one.

We dug out the sheet she made up for me when I joined the gym. Went over the exercises with me again to refresh my memory....and told me to get it in gear. :-)

Starting the weight training is another mental hurdle I have to go over. I go to the gym before work, 3 times a week. The other two weekday mornings, I get to sleep in that extra 1.5 hours.

I need to start doing weights on those 2 days. But, I just don't think it's going to happen right now.

Like I said, it's all mental. I'm doing great getting up and staying consistent for 3 days a week. I'm going to get myself through this First day to 5K program....then think about adding days.

It's what I originally told myself...so I'm sticking with it.

Obviously this running thing is doing the trick, and I don't want to add those extra two days and burn myself out on going to the gym.

I need it to be more of a habit first.

Maybe I just need to go to the gym a few minutes earlier on those 3 days....and do both the cardio and the weights all at the same time??

It would mean getting up that much earlier.....but, I might just be able to make that work.

Still thinking about it all......I'll let you know what I decide. :-)

Monday, July 27, 2009

07/27/09

Went out last night with the boys to see one of my favorite local musicians Roxi Copland. And didn't get to bed until 11:00 (and who knows what time I actually finally fell asleep).

So.....getting up this morning was a battle of will.

I'd slept in yesterday, and was really really lazy all day...so it should have been easy.

It wasn't.

I kept hitting the snooze....and finally guilted myself into getting up.

If anything, getting myself up and to the gym this morning feels like more of an accomplishment, than doing the actual working out.

I've said it before, working out and losing weight is almost 100% mental.

Once you make up your mind that it's something you have to do, like paying bills and going to work....then it's so much easier.

I don't enjoy it...but I know I need to do it.

Period.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

07/26/09

Week 4 program complete. Week 5 program scares me!!!

Each day is different, instead of it being 3 days of the same thing.

And, it seems, week 5 is where this messing around ends. Intervals be d*mned.

Oh yes, day 1 seems very safe, and un-scary.

Day 2, just a little bit more. Unassuming.

Then day 3......intervals are gone....gone, gone, gone. No more 3 min run, 1 minute walk, 5 minute run, 3 min walk crap.

Oh no!!! Let's warm up for 5 minutes...

...then....

....WHAM!!!!!!!!!

TWENTY minutes...non stop running!!!

Who are they kidding????

The sets of 5 minutes are all I can do to finish them. What the h*ll am I going to do with 20 minutes of running?????

D*mn!!!!

oh well.....I'll worry about that later this week. For now, I'm going to celebrate making it through week 4 of this 10 week program.

Granted, it's actually week 5 of running consistently.....I had to repeat week 2 due to scheduling conflicts, and OCD tendencies. :-) :-) :-)

5 weeks of running. Almost 9 pounds down.

I feel like I'm accomplishing something.

I don't feel any different, and I'm not seeing a difference in the way my clothes fit.

But, I am seeing a difference in the way my legs look.

Baby steps, I'm OK with that.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

07/23/09

Well, I was bad yesterday....I slept in. Shut off my alarm when it started going off....just couldn't get up.

But, today I did. Sleeping in one day makes it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get out of bed early the next day. No wonder it's so easy to slip back into laziness after missing just one day!!!!

So, this week will be Monday/Thursday/Saturday.

My 3 min run, walk, 5 min run, walk, 3 min run, walk, 5 min run walk....went really well today actually.

Getting more and more used to running on the treadmill. I can actually watch the TV when running....even if it's not dead center in front of me.

My gait was much more relaxed today. It almost felt as if I was just jogging....but have the treadmill set to the same speed as normal. And, the running was so much easier.

Hope I can find that "spot" again....as it made the run so much better today!!!!

So......I lost 8 pounds in the last month, then gained 4 of them back this last weekend. Road trip to Texas to see grandpa.

But, two of those pounds are gone already....so I"m hoping it was just water weight.....from sitting in a car for 24 hours over the course of 2.5 days. Lots of Mt. Dew to stay awake. :-)

It will be nice to go to the gym on Saturday, and not have to worry about showering there to get ready for work.

I still can't believe how much I'm not hating getting ready for work there. I mean, I'd much rather be at home....but I'm getting used to it. I have a routine. There are the same 2 or 3 other people in the locker room when I am.

It's actually just not that bad at all. :-)

Monday, July 20, 2009

07/20/09

First day of the 4th week training program. Went from running 9 minutes total, to 15 minutes.

(warm up, 3 minutes, walk, 5 minutes, walk, 3 minutes, walk, 5 minutes, cool down)

I didn't know what the program was, until I checked it online before leaving for the gym.

I thought 3 minutes at a time was going to kill me last week...and they wanted to bump it up to 5 minutes this week???

Crazily enough, it actually wasn't that bad at all.

I almost didn't get out of bed this morning. It would have been soooo easy to just stay in bed, and sleep that extra hour.

I gained back almost 4 pounds of what I'd lost.....over the weekend? That can't be right??

Can it???

I didn't eat the best, but I didn't eat THAT much.

Sitting in a car for 24 hours this weekend was really not cool. But....was it THAT uncool???

Maybe there are "womanly" factors...and it's just water weight? Man, I really hope so. :-(

Friday, July 17, 2009

07/17/09

Ahhhh....this week is complete. My third morning of running is behind me.

I'm afraid to look and see what next week's program is going to bring. :-(

I'm so happy that I'm sticking with this. I'm surprising myself, that's for sure!!!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

07/15/09

I emailed my shoulder physical therapist and asked about the pain on the inside of my lower leg. He said it could still fall into the category of "shin splint." So now I need to talk to my doctor and/or insurance....to see if I have to get referral for PT...and running analysis.

My run today was good. This is the second day of the 3rd week workout. Periods of both 90 second and 3 minute running intervals. 3 minutes at a time. Sheesh!!!

The first interval of 3 minutes was actually pretty easy, the second one blew goats. :-)

It was hard getting up this morning, but mainly because Tom was home. And he said he'd go with me. And then he didn't. But darn it, I plan on sticking with this. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. I just have to get it done...make it habit. That's all there is to it. :-)

Monday, July 13, 2009

07/13/09

Monday the 13th. :-)

There is something to be said for this running stuff. I'm down another pound!!!! I'm usually not a person to track progress by weight...but my clothes aren't feeling any different yet. So...we'll stick with weight for now. :-)

Because I was at the gym Saturday am, I saw my trainer. Stopped by to say hi to her. She was so excited to see me (she doesn't work early am shifts)....and said she could see big changes in the way I looked. I'm not convinced though. :-)

I'm still feeling pain in my lower legs...but it's not in the front of my legs...it's on the insides. Makes me wonder if I don't have foot issues that need addressed. My arches don't appear to be fallen or anything, but that doesn't mean they still might not be out of whack. Think I'll call the doc and make an appt. Maybe she can refer me to a person that does running evals?? I know my shoulder physical therapist does.....so I'll ask to go there if I can.

Today was the first time running the 3rd week of the program. (even though this is the 4th week of running) Intervals of running 90 seconds, then walk, then run 3 minutes, walk, 90 seconds, walk...etc, etc.

3 FRIGGIN' MINUTES!!! Ugh!!! But, I handled it like a champ today I think.

I also think I need to start wearing a headband of some sort....as dorky as it looks. I'm sick of the sweet dripping in my eyes!!! :-)

Oh, and on a positive note, I found my heart monitor watch!!!!!!! :-)

Friday, July 10, 2009

07/10/09

So far to date, yesterday was the most difficult day to get up and work out yet.

Then, while running, I started to feel those first pains that tell me shin splints are soon to follow.

Frustration is an understatement right now.

But....I'm still getting up tomorrow am to run.....to make my 3 times this week. It's a Saturday, but that's the price I pay for staying up late Sunday and not working out on Monday. Plain and simple.

I'm really nervous about the workout next week though. Running for 3 minutes at a time. Ugh! It's amazing how out of shape I really am.

Yesterday, while running, I was getting bummed about the pain I was starting to feel.

My polar heart monitor watch is missing, gone forever....and I think that has me bummed out. I bought it for myself when I started working out last year.....on my birthday. It's not like I can't replace it or anything. It's just that it signified something. Kinda like losing a wedding ring. You can always replace it....but.....

So anyway, as I'm running, I start thinking about how easy it would be to stop....to hit the locker room early.

Ugh!!! Can't let those thoughts in, have to keep positive. Keep my eye on the prize, so to speak.

So, I thought about my last weigh in, and subtracted 1 pound. And then started repeating over and over (in my head, not out loud) that goal number.

Over, and over, and over.

I made it through the rest of the workout doing that.

Then, on the way to the locker room, I kept thinking "good for you, you did it, you didn't give up."

Sounds corny, I know....but it's amazing how mental this whole thing is!!!!!

When I weighed myself this morning, that goal number I kept repeating over and over...as sweat was dripping in my eyes....appeared on the digital read out. I'm not celebrating yet, I mean, I have about 25 more pounds to go (at least).

But...I did let a little smile slip out. :-)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

07/07/09

Back at it. I'll do week 2 workouts all week this week. (Even though I did one day of it last week)

Running for 90 seconds at a time, in intervals was easier this time than last Wednesday. But not looking forward to the 3 minutes at a time next week. (I peeked ahead.)

:-(

There were more people in the locker room this morning, but I was running early. I usually get up in time to do some laundry before I head out, and I didn't do any this morning.

I don't weigh any less....but I'm kinda sorta starting to feel my clothes fitting differently. Maybe a smidge more loose than they were. But not much. Only working out 3 days a week.....so I can't expect huge things.

But I feel better. Much better. Feel like there's more spring in my step if nothing else. :-)

I lost my heart monitor watch. I know I had it here at work on Wednesday to enter my workout. But now I can't find it. Did I leave it here and someone took it? Did it fall out of my bag, or out of my hands at some point? I'm bummed. :-(

Monday, July 6, 2009

07/06/09

Well...I went and was stupid on Thursday night last week....drank way too much tequila, and then was hungover on Friday morning. No way I was walking to the living room, let alone running. (sigh)

With family in town this weekend, it was a pretty lazy time. I got out on my bike a little, walked a little.....and kayaked for a number of hours on Sunday. Kayaking is allot of shoulders, core and endurance....but it's not really a heart pumping activity. (per se)

Then, since I got home so late last night, I didn't get up to run this morning.

Actually, I got up....but I went back to bed. I'm still bushed right now! :-(

My three days this week will have to be Tues/Thurs/Sat.

I've been looking into running clubs in Omaha, since my aunt was talking about being in one in St. Louis. She seems to really get allot of motivation from them. But...I'm sure it's running outside, and I just don't want to risk shin splints again. I'll stick with the podrunner intervals couch to 5K program...and stick with the treadmill for now.

Once I get to running a little better, I'll try running outside.

My physical therapist for my shoulder surgery also does running evaluations....so I might have to look into that to see what's wrong, and why I keep getting shin splints. We'll see what happens.

I figure I'll keep running inside on the treadmill for a month....then in August try running outside and see what happens. :-)

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

07/01/09

Week 2, Day 2

(But since I forgot to download week 2 on my iPod for Monday, it's actually Week 2 Day 1 of the new running program.)

Ahhhhh!!!!

Actually, it wasn't that bad. Week 1 was 60 seconds bouts of running....week 2 is 90 seconds. Not too bad really. I had to mentally talk myself through the last set though......that one was hard.

I peeked at week 3.....there are 3 MINUTE periods of running!! How fair is that? Go from 90 seconds one week to 3 minutes the next????? What sadistic person came up with this training schedule?? :-)

I was almost starting to feel the first itchings of shin splints this morning....but I feel fine now. Need to find new stretches specifically geared to keep them away. Must spend some time with google this afternoon!!! :-0