Sunday, January 8, 2012

So many good intentions ago...

It's been two years since my last post.

In that time, I have:

  • Lost 30 pounds
  • Gained 10 pounds
  • Started three new jobs
  • Competed in two triathlons
  • Convinced my 14 year old daughter to do the last one with me- which she hated every minute of
  • Wound up in the hospital after the last one- heart infection
  • Sprained my ankle thinking the third last step was the last step...it was not.
  • Exercised with fear of either re-injuring my heart or my ankle if I work too hard...hence the regain of 10 pounds.
After the heart scare, one brother has insisted that I retire from the triathlon business.  Umm...two races does not make a business, but I see his point.  I have not signed up for anything this summer...but want to.  I am thinking, though, that I will not compete in another tri unless I am down to at least 215.  That will make it so much easier on my body/heart.

Unfortunately, my new job is a very sedentary one.  Lots of desk sitting vs the standing/walking I enjoyed as a teacher.  Also, I am inherently lazy.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Dear.....

Dear Water Aerobic Ladies- you do not own the lockers.  No where are your names engraved on the lockers.  Yes, it's frustrating when a someone gets to a favorite spot before you.  But, it's not like that someone intended to ruin your day.  It's just a locker, and you were late.

Dear Sweaty Guy on the Elliptical- please wipe down all parts of the machine.  When you wear multiple layers of clothes to work out, you will sweat profusely.  That sweat drips.  You miss the drips.

Dear Guy who Likes to Wear Grey Sweatpants- grey is not your color.  When you sweat- everyone can see every place you sweat. It's like visual terrorism looking at your butt crack sweat.

Dear Old Man who Works Out Every Day- I am glad you have an active sex life.  I don't need to hear you loudly talking about it at 6:00a.m. to the guy next to me on the treadmill.

Dear Me- be realistic.  You can't miss 4 days of working out and then get pissed when your stamina and desire to push yourself is not there.

Monday, January 18, 2010

104 fever knocks me out...

On Friday, I awoke to a 104 fever.  I felt so out of it, I couldn't even pull together enough energy to call in sick- the wonderful husband did.  I just laid around all day.  And slept.  And mumbled non-sensical things to my family.

The frustrating thing is we were supposed to spend the 3-day weekend in Duluth.  Bill- the wonderful husband- did not trust my healing abilities and cancelled the trip.  Of course, I woke up Saturday with only a 100 and could have made it work.  But, it was probably best we stayed back.  I did lay low all weekend just to be sure I was healed.  Therefore, no gym.

I did hit the gym today, but it was packed.  And my 4 days off did not make me motivated to work my ass off.  So, I just biked for 30.  Tomorrow, I'll hit it hard.

Things are starting to get serious on the workout front, I can't keep taking days off or going light.



Swim
Bike
Run
Monday
    Warm up
    Freestyle 300 yards
    Cool Down 100 yards
Off
Walk/Jog for 35 minutes
    Walk 4:30 minutes
    Jog 2:30 minutes
Tuesday
Off
5 miles
Off
Wednesday
    Warm up
    Freestyle 300 yards
    Cool Down 100 yards
Off
Walk/Jog for 35 minutes
    Walk 4:30 minutes
    Jog 2:30 minutes
Thursday
Off
Off
Off
Friday
    Warm up
    Freestyle 300 yards
    Cool Down 100 yards
5 miles
Off
Saturday
Off
Off
Walk/Jog for 45 minutes
Sunday
Off
7 miles
Off

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Gotta get a picture

I need to add a profile picture to this thing, but don't want my picture.  I have an idea, but just need some time to put it together.

No 4 miles on the bike today.  I didn't fall asleep until 4am, and getting up at 5:15 was not going to happen.  I don't know why I couldn't sleep.  My husband got me 'The Time Traveler's Wife' for Christmas, and I got into it, but not so into I couldn't put it down.  Maybe I was worried about work.  I dropped the ball on a project and someone else did more than their fair share of helping to pick up the pieces.  Today I had a lot of gluing (of the pieces) and maybe I was just nervous about it.  I also had a staff meeting early...who knows.

I am also running out of winter tops that fit.  I don't want to buy anything new with the hopes that my gym time will help, but will probably need to.  1,600 calories today.  I think I made the mistake of weighing myself this morning- I lost 4 pounds (whoo) which then made me feel like I had some wiggle room.  Umm, hello, there is no more wiggle room, dorkus.

I'm proud of my husband.  He signed up for a 12-week, Biggest Loser-like program at our gym.  I was totally surprised.  Since his heart issues in 2002, he has struggled with getting back on track.  He has overcome so much, but I also want him to be healthy.  I love that guy and want him around forever.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Structure...

Being a teacher, my Monday-Friday life is organized by bells. On Saturday and Sunday, I don't know how to structure my time. Add PMS and you've got a 2,000+ calorie a day weekend.

Chili's on Friday (chips, margarita, split an entree), random snacking and Culver's kid's meal for dinner on Saturday, I can't even remember Sunday. I think cookies were involved. With milk. Oh, and popcorn to watch TV with. Oh- bean soup, that was good.

And gym? What gym? My daughter had a swim meet about an hour away. Did I spend the four hours walking the halls for exercise? Nah- much easier to just sit in an uncomfortable chair and read between events. And then I was tired. So, no gym. But I did Wii Fit with my son, and did some mom and son wrestling and ab work. So that was something.

But today I was at the gym by 6a.m. and began Week 5 of my training. The running part is still hard. I wish I had someone yelling at me to keep going like those Biggest Loser people. I also need to start running off the treadmill. Maybe when the weather gets nicer.

Training schedule for the week:


Swim

Bike

Run

Monday

Warm up

Freestyle 250 yards

Cool Down 100 yards

Off

Walk/Jog for 20 minutes

Walk 5 minutes

Jog 2 minutes

Tuesday

Off

4 miles

Off

Wednesday

Warm up

Freestyle 250 yards

Cool Down 100 yards

Off

Walk/Jog for 20 minutes

Walk 5 minutes

Jog 2 minutes

Thursday

Off

Off

Off

Friday

Warm up

Freestyle 250 yards

Cool Down 100 yards

4 miles

Off

Saturday

Off

Off

Walk/Jog for 20 minutes

Sunday

Off

4 miles

Off




I'm not quite sure the plan has me going back to just 20 minutes for the walk/jog after doing a week of 30 minutes. But, to make up for the weekend, I did 35. I think I'll be sore tomorrow. Tuesdays are hard to get motivated to go because why bother for just a 4 mile bike ride? But, I know in a few weeks, I'll be wishing I could only do 4 miles.

I look forward to when I'll be seeing the fruits of my labors.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

So far, so good

So I re-started my official training on Monday. I had started in September, hurt myself, then quit. But since I had been working out in the interim, I just couldn't see myself going back to step one with walking 20 minutes and swimming a 50 as a workout.

So I began with Week 4 from beginnertriathlete.com-

Swim

Bike

Run

Monday

Warm up

Freestyle 200 yards

Cool Down 100 yards

Off

Walk/Jog for 30 minutes

Walk 5 minutes

Jog 2 minutes

Tuesday

Off

4 miles

Off

Wednesday

Warm up

Freestyle 200 yards

Cool Down 100 yards

Off

Walk/Jog for 30 minutes

Walk 5 minutes

Jog 2 minutes

Thursday

Off

Off

Off

Friday

Warm up

Freestyle 200 yards

Cool Down 100 yards

4 miles

Off

Saturday

Off

Off

Walk/Jog for 35 minutes

Sunday

Off

5 miles

Off


Today- it took me 4:19 to swim that 200 yards. It sure would be nice if, as I add more yardage to my workouts, that I could keep it at around 4 minutes and just go faster. Unfortunately, I get really tired both kicking and stroking...and often just let my legs float while I really work my arms (much to the chagrin on my former swim coach husband).

But the way I rationalize it- 2/3 of the race involves a heavy leg workout. Why not give my legs a break during the swim? I'll see how far that takes me.

I feel kinda dumb getting out of the pool after just 10 minutes or so...but I know in the weeks to come, that time will expand and I will be wishing for the days of 200 yard swims.

I came close to eating only 1200 calories yesterday...1400. Today, I had a smoothie for breakfast and 3 small homemade lettuce wraps (chicken, broccoli slaw and a sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and a bit of sesame oil) for lunch with a baby orange. I'll probably do more wraps for dinner.

I keep a candy jar in my office for visitors. I have to keep reminding myself that it is for visitors- not for inhabitants who go in and out periodically throughout the day.

Visitors. Visitors. Visitors, people. Visitors.


Sunday, January 3, 2010

Smackdown starts tomorrow

I went to the gym today and did a pathetic excuse for a workout. I just got so dang tired on the treadmill and when I started to run, I felt like I weighed 500 pounds. So I walked 15 and then lifted weights.

Tomorrow, I will return to the work outs I started in September from the beginnertriathlete website- Couch to Triathlon in 7 months. I need to modify a few things- like it has me swimming on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. But at the gym I go to, the pool is chaos on Monday and Wednesday. So, I will adjust, print, post, and pray that I have the strength and sticktoitiveness to keep it up.

Damn cookies again today.

But, I am hard boiling some eggs as I type for this week's breakfast. And have good food scheduled for the week.

Tomorrow- 5:30 am gym. I am there.