TNT run

Heather and Erik had a run with team in training today which I tagged along on! 65 min was the set time , and we ran to the bridge and back.

Woot!

2 under 20!

4. Done.

Maybe not well, but done.

Oh and Skinny Runner can run 7 miles in the time it takes me to run 4. She's sort of an expert runner though. http://skinnyrunner.com/2012/07/07/hug-or-kiss-it-out/

On the Cross Fit bandwagon

I've been hearing a lot lately about Crossfit, which from what I can see, is the latest work out craze. I guess it has been around for a while now, and is basically an intense, short workout. 


Heather and Erik tried Crossfit but weren't immediately sold. A blog I read regularly, Carrots 'N Cake , LOVES crossfit and goes almost every day with her husband. 


So I decided I had to try it out. I always did better with organized sports, where coaches told you what to do at practice everyday and you just did it. Put me in a gym, alone, and I run for 20 minutes, maybe 30 - do some crunches, stretch, get overwhelmed by all the weights and leave. Or, I go to a class which pushes me a bit but not as much as I know I could and should be pushing myself (and that usually only happens when a friend makes me go with her! ) 


I emailed Yosh, the head guy at Crossfit Somerville  and went for an intro class last week. I got stuck in traffic and missed half of it, but went by anyway. While the group was doing 30 clean and jerks  I was set up to do a separate workout: 
- 10 kettle ball swings
- 10 box jumps
- 10 sit ups 
and did that circuit on repeat til everyone was done w/ their clean and jerks. I ended up doing 5 or 6 rounds ( I sort of lost count) and felt my body ask, "What the heck are you doing? We haven't felt like this since 2000!"  I worked out harder than I had in way too long. 


Last night I went back for a full class. We started with a warm up: 
- 5 pull ups (they have bands you can use to get yourself above the bar if you can't do a pull up) 
- 10 push ups
- 15 air squats


Then - walking plank stretches across the room. 
Next - dead lifts. Instructions on how to do it without hurting ourselves, then 10 lifts [rest]; 15 lifts [rest]; 10 lifts [rest]; 15 lifts [catch your breath and stretch!] 


Finally it was time for the workout of the day. 
21-15-9
21 back squats w/ weight (I only used the 45lb bar, and it was enough by the end!) 
21 box jumps onto a 20" box
15 back squats w/ weight 
15 box jumps onto a 20" box
9 back squats w/ weight 
9 box jumps onto a 20" box


Man, those last few jumps were HARD. But  - I felt satisfied that I got through it, even if I had to psych myself out with the counting. I couldn't go from 1-21, I counted in increments of 5 to make it seem easier. 


I think I love Cross fit! 

let's be honest here

I don't remember to, or don't really like to track my workouts! 
I've done pretty well - going to spin with and without Lauren, running at the gym when it's freezing out, not drinking during the week (ok, sometimes I do). I even got Scott to go to the gym w/ me in CT last time I was there! 


anyway. I'm not where I want to be, but I'm focusing bc I'm almost 30, (less than a month!) and know that once I'm out of my 20's irresponsibility is out the window. I need to make me a priority, and I have let that slip. every excuse - I'm tired, I have plans, I forgot my sneakers, wah wah wah. excuses don't get you down a dress size! 


Today's research included this: 
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-plans/lose-weight-face-oct04-2

Every photo I see, I think, man - my face is a puffball. What am I doing wrong and how do I fix it? 
 (puffball) 


The link says: 

Step 1

Drink at least nine 8-ounce glasses of water a day. - I drink a bunch, but not likely enough. I guess I'll start counting! (and cut back on the coffees) 

[The article] consider[s] this a critical step because when you don't drink enough, your body goes into maintenance mode. It starts to think it's stranded on a desert island with only a tiny water supply, so it holds on to whatever moisture is currently in its system. As a result, you begin to bloat. ...Other drinks (coffee, tea, diet soda and juice) count toward your water balance, but they may contain calories, and that reduces their benefits. .

Step 2

Eat at least three servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables every day. 

Clearly I'm not doing enough of this

Step 3

Just say no to alcohol. (so so sad.) 

Whether it's in the form of wine, beer or hard liquor, it dehydrates the body, and as we now know, that only adds bloat to your face.  ok! I got it. My IPA's are making me a porker. 

Step 4

Increase your intake of calcium. Did not know this! 

A number of studies have shown that consuming at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium (from food sources, primarily dairy) each day could lead to greater loss of body fat. 

Step 5

Every day, cut 250 calories and burn 250 calories. so simple, I will have to do some simple math at the gym to see how well I'm doing, and actually track calories a bit. 

Step 6

Hold the salt. gladly! I don't like the salty direct taste of salt. Though, I eat more processed food than I should, and need to watch the sodium intake! 

Step 7

Do strength training. my friends and I have recently done this together, more often! Yay us! 

By exercising with machine weights, dumbbells or your own body weight, you maintain your body's lean muscle tissue. And the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn — even when your body is on the sofa, not the treadmill. 

moving up a level

Oh Jillian. I remember now why I ditch you after a few workouts. The DVD has weird presets so you HAVE to watch the intro EVERY TIME. And, she makes you do push ups which I have a hard time with. But - I did feel the burn. 

Friday- Lauren and I had plans to go to the Intro to Boxing class at the gym so we can do the boxing class from now on. That didn't work out since I got out late, and got stuck in some stellar traffic. 

Saturday - my legs were killing me!! Spin on Wednesday and Jillian Thursday were not a great combo. Stretched but did not work out. 

Sunday - Back at it. I did Jillian- level 1, and felt pretty good. 

Monday - Jillian again. Though, I wasn't as tired at the end as I could have been, so on to level 2! 

Tuesday - crammed into my bedroom (don't get me started on why the living room wasn't an option! ) I did level 2. 

Tonight  - Spin at 7:30 !

Day 1 of 30

Spin last night was great ! I love my new shoes. I usually am worried I will fall off when we stand up, but I felt more confident and as though I was getting more out of the workout with less stressful effort. (If that makes sense)


Today it is rainy and gross and now that I'm home I don't want to go out again. So - I'm doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred. Maybe this time I can motivate myself to do it for 30 days in a row. Not 5, then 3, then 2, then none.  I'm not going to post it here yet, but I am taking a before picture, and then one every week to see how it goes. 

Added Motivation

I joined the 10-pound Challenge hosted by Newlyweds on a Budget. Lose 10 pounds in 12 weeks, win $$$. Are you in?

I am IN -- can't hurt to try to win something when I'm already working out already! 



Looks like you make your own schedule for this challenge, and go from there.


I've already written about my workouts so far, but to condense:
Mon - 2 miles elliptical; 1 mile run
Tues - 20 min elliptical; crunches; 5 min row
Weds - 1hr spin class
Thurs - off
Fri - Intro to Boxing
Sat/Sun - TBD


Grand Prize: $75 Paypal Cash
First Prize: $50 PayPal cash
Second Prize: Ipod Shuffle
(2) Third Prizes: $25 Amazon or Paypal
Fourth Prize: $20 Amazon or Paypal
Fifth Prize: $15 Paypal
Biggest Loser Prize: $5 Amazon Gift Card

Tuesday already?

Monday - gym alone; 2 miles on the elliptical. The girl next to me was pretty hard core, and I was inspired by her speed. I upped the ante and did 2 miles in about 20 min, averaging 6.5- 7  on the speed, at 6 resistance. Of course hard core girl next to me was at 11 resistance and 8 speed, and I couldn't get quite that high. Some ellipticals make my feet fall asleep, and this was one. After 2 mi I had to stop to strectch.
After, I didn't know what to do next. I need to look up some lifting routines or something. I ran a mile, stretched and went home.

ok, I'm not that CLUELESS at the gym

Tuesday - Lauren and I went to the gym around 7. She gave me a trampoline tutorial - for the Urban rebounding class at the gym. After my first unsuccessful try she told me you have to push down not jump up. Huh? I got it a bit more today after our lesson. I guess I'd try the class again, but not at 6am! After, we did about 20 min on the elliptical (slowed by talking, and watching Dirty Dancing) and then 5 min on the row machines. We did a bunch of crunches and then watched the boxing class that we are interested in taking. Looks like you need an intro class first, so we are checking that out Friday afternoon! 

January in full swing

There are a ton of reasons that I am getting off the lazy train and finally making my life healthier and more active. The main one - I'm not happy with how I feel. Another great motivator - a LOT of pictures will be taken this year, and I want to be happy with how I look and feel in them. I'm Heather's maid of honor,and I want to look and feel good for myself, and in her wedding! 

I promise our dresses will be prettier than this -- and no bonnets. 

Last post was 12/29. I ran the next day too! Then it was a bit colder, so I skipped the run, and enjoyed New Years. Back to the daily grind -- I went to the gym on Tuesday night, then spin on Wednesday. Then Spin Friday morning with Lauren from work. Friday was a huge struggle. 

 5:25 am text to Lauren: "are you really going?"

Lauren: yes.

me: did not sleep well, I am struggling

Lauren: Haha, if you can't make it - I won't make you come. but you're awake already! 

me: I am awake but still in bed! I should go. 

Lauren: If you go you will be happy later.

And that is why you make plans with friends for early AM workouts. I really would not have gone if Lauren hadn't encouraged me to get up! 

Also - I said good bye to: 

weekday drinking. 

Those few happy hours, or glasses of wine with dinner add up! So, I'm cutting back. I'm sure I'll hit a happy hour or two over the next few months, but I'm not going out of my way to have it on hand, or have that casual glass of wine on a Tuesday night. After just one week, I felt better from this quick change. (And, there will definitely be times when we have to get a drink after work to catch up, vent, or regain our sanity! )