Showing posts with label weight training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight training. Show all posts

Friday, April 10, 2009

the weight is lifted... in more than one way...

I've been working on my taxes for the past 2 days. I usually do not wait this long but I was under the impression that I would be owing Fed and NYS taxes. After talking to a collegue at work who used to do tax prep, I find that the IRA disburtment I made did not have to be taxed in full.. only the amount that I gained was to be taxed (the the amount I contributed).. SO.. I'm ok.. I do not owe any money to the Fed or State.. and I get back $800+...so that just lifted a HUGE weight of my shoulders and I notice it already.. I'm happy and not as stressed about the future and now have some money to set aside for travel this spring and summer.

in other weight news...

Body pump class today... I really pushed myself.. didn't give in or make excuses. I feel it already.. but I am so SO proud of myself!! I had a Gillian/Biggest Loser moment... It was the 3 round of the bicep set and I was about to cry it was getting so hard.. but I pushed myself through and man.. The power/energy I feel after that class is amazing.. I love the instructor on Friday eve.. she say's all the right things and has a great attitude. The tuesday class is ok - I don't feel as motivated to push myself tho.. but I will still go... want to get at least 2 classes in a week.

Crazy crazy few weeks coming up.. need to get things sorted and sell things I don't need.. pack pack pack..

I'm hoping for at least a maintain on the scale... but even that isn't really mattering any more.. I feel great and I think I see some changes in my body shape.. so as long as I keep feeling good and watching what I eat and how much I move.. I can do no wrong..

Thanks for all the support and comments!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

re-arrange of the schedule.. again!

I think Im adding too much change at once...

My body and voice were pretty dead yesterday. I had planned to do day 2 for the C25k program but my body wasn't having it.. it was a struggle to even walk fast.. much less jog! I ended up just walking for 40 minutes and fought really hard to not get down on myself...at least I DID do some form of movement.

I have dinner after my workout.. had veggie curry over some wild rice.. then I go up to the college to practice. I have a concert in a little over 5 weeks and my voice is so out of shape. Yesterday I tried to practice and I couldn't even vocalize in my upper range. I think with my body being tired.. I just couldn't get my voice to function.. I still worked a little.. but it wasn't feeling healthy, so i didn't push. I have some junk in my throat today.. but I'm going to go over to practice after work today and see if practicing earlier helps. I could just be getting sick.. but I refuse to accept that as I feel fine.. I think i was just tired yesterday.. Must stay positive about this or I will not get anywhere Vocally and I only have 5 weeks to feel secure in all this music I have..

I think I'm going to make M/W/F my singing ONLY days.. Cardio will be T/TH/S.. and probably Sunday... Strength... hmm.. I could just wait to start Body Pump after the concert... yeah.. so maybe strength will just be done after cardio with the gyms machines.. and now that I've learned a new Tricep exercise (MizFit is a-MAZING) (see video ) I feel fine just doing basic strength now... I think i was getting a little ahead of myself.. I'll try the c25k again on friday.. but maybe my body isn't ready for that either.. I do have 225lbs on my frame to contend with. I keep thinking about these Biggest Loser people who are running.. but then remind myself that they have drs around and as we saw on an episode a few weeks ago.. they have icing time.. which kind of struck me as not good.. but that's a different post.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Mental health day

Yesterday I was feeling dizzy and a really bad headache...and the light outside was blinding me. This is is pretty easy since my office has a full wall of just window. Great view.. but man it hurt my head.

I did all my work for friday and the weekend yesterday, after my boss approved a 'sick day'. I think a lot of it is just stress but I still do have a bit of headache.. maybe it's just sinus pressure.

Anyways.. slept in til 10:30 today. Plans to clean my bedroom today, pick up my suv, and go to the gym.

My car was actually ready on Wed. I asked if i could post date a check because i would have the money until Friday.. they said no. I got angry, which didn't help with how i was feeling yesterday. My paycheck is direct deposited, and is in there now.. so I will be getting a ride down to the shop to pick it up this afternoon.

I've never considered myself and angry person. I'm pretty good about turning the negatives to positives.. but this week was a true test. It made me think more seriously about stress management... mainly meditation and yoga. I tend to avoid yoga/meditation because it is too 'new age-y' to me.. which is rediculous.. but it just stems from my practical nature I guess.
I will work on incorporating meditation into my life.. even if it's only a few minutes at a time. Just to have a moment of stillness and quite to refocus myself ... that would be a great thing. (thanks MizFit for the post on meditation this week!)

I'm glad I was able to take today off.. My life kind of slipped down a slippery slope this week but today I feel like I'm getting back to a better place and can really get back on track. Once i pick up my car today I will leave all that negative energy about that situation there.. I will not bring it home with me. What's done is done.. move on.

This weekend will be devoted to cleaning and reorganizing. My eating clean has slipped a bit.. I'm letting too much sugar and non-clean items into my diet. My yoplait yogurt is all gone.. (I feel guilty throwing it out...). I need to decide if yoghurt and cheese are things I want to keep around.... and eggs... as i was making a fried egg this morning the realization that that is an embryo and couldve been a living creature kind of hit home. I have been keeping meat out of my diet.. and have been eating Vegetarian for the past 5 months (with a few relapses here and there!)...but now I'm not sure eggs are going to stay. Need to review my diet this weekend.

Lots to do this weekend... and I've decided to move my weigh in to Monday moring so i stay on track better on the weekend... although.. I've even been wondering if using a scale weekly is worth it... the way our weights fluctuate so much... plus I've started doing weight training ((and am VERY tempted to do a BodyPump class for a real challenge -- and for something that will push me outside my comfort zone). I may after this next weigh in switch to MONTHLY weigh in's... sounds scary... but seeing the scale go up and down so much is annoying... and as long as I am counting my calories (i use sparkpeople every day).. and know I am doing everything right.. then why NOT just weigh once a month.. save myself some stress.

Have a great weekend everyone.. I'll try to check in at some point!

Sunday, January 25, 2009

The pros and cons of allowed splurges

I've been thinking a lot about allowed splurges or binges. If one is eating on plan all week, 1 meal should be ok. It helps with cravings just knowing that there will be one meal that you can have whatever you want. Weight loss wise it also helps to trick the body into thinking its not dieting or going into starvation mode. This is all if your week is calorie controlled.



I eat between 1650 - 1850 calories a day. I work out at least 3 hours a week and am now starting to add in some weight training.



Today I had my '1 meal a week splurge'. This time it was nothing close to how I usually eat now. It was planned in a sense that I would allow myself a splurge lunch today. While walking around the grocery store my mind was everywhere... should I go for chinese, a pizza, a sub... what would make me happy



back up...



food makes me happy?



Here is where I start to think that mentally a food splurge is not a good idea... but I decide on a sub anyways.



this was my one meal a week splurge... a 7 inch sub from Wegmans.
3 meat, cheese, mayo, oil, lettuce, onion, olives.

a small bag of chipsa

22 oz diet pepsi


I realize I do not miss this kind of food and it's not a good 'splurge' for me. There was WAY too much meat... the soda (or maybe its the lack of water today!) has given me a headache. I have no energy.. I took a nap and still feel like crap and have a headache.


And to think this is how I used to always eat.



I realize that eating clean/healthier has actually changed my tastes. This is GOOD! I'm not using this splurge as a reward for anything... it's just there.



Do I need it then? If the non-healthy items I have on my splurge meal don't 'do it' for me anymore.. whats the point. Why not just eat a piece of chocolate and call it a day. These are things I'm still working through and on.



I see the merit in it all... I don't find myself craving much of anything during the week... and I'm not sure if it's because I'm eating clean or its because my brain knows I get one meal 'off'



I do know that soda is pointless.. even if it's diet. drinking that syrupy, sugar laden, 'DIET' drink was not anything I plan on doing again. I'll stick to water, thanks.



The doritos, however, I could've had a whole family size bag of them



the sub.. TOO much meat...and here I am working on being a vegetarian..



Here are some interesting links, worth a ponder

Tim Ferriss' 'lose 20lbs in 30 days' article.. take with a grain of salt.. but the notion of a one meal (or in his case, day) splurge is interesting

Animated Exercise Examples

a useful site to help you SEE how the weight machines and other weight lifting activities are done. while this does not replace working with a personal trainer... its a good reminder when/and if you can't work with one every time you do your weight training

What happens to your body when you drink a coke

a great reminder (not that I need it now!) as to why soda is BAD!!!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

this is a heavy weight...

I'm realy struggling tonight. I had a stressful day at work with meetings and trying to catch up on yesterday work that I missed because of training at another radio station. Plus the vibe at work is very negative.. a lot of angry people and back talk/gossip that I am really trying to stay out of.

I'm also still stuck in the auto finance mess. Day 2 of working with the Hyundai dealer (this after getting treated bad and then not financed at Nissan).. still no banks stepping up to help me. I can't blame them.. My credit isn't the best.. I have a ton of student loan debt... I'm barely making enough to survive and have only been at this job for 2 months anyways. Hyundai called today to let me know they are not having luck and if I had any luck finding of cosigner. Ofcourse I havent... since I wont ask anyone.. I'm not putting what little relationships I have in jeopardy. And it's not that I think I will default. I have been successfully paying a monthly payment on this car loan I have now for the past 3 years.

I emailed my uncle.. my late mothers brother.. just for advice on where to go now. I said flat out that I was not asking him and his wife to cosign for me.. but that I just needed an adult opinion (and while I didn't state the obvious to them)... an opinion because I have no mother or father or really any adult figures to go to.

I ofcourse broke down for the first time in 09 about missing my mom and dad.. and being angry that they aren't around to help me with this (not blaming them).. and now I'm just really really sad.. which I don't like becuase I have been really really happy and positive up until the past few days.

I went to the gym today.. but only walked for 30 minutes... I think my shoes are too small as the back of my heal now has blisters. I don't have $ for new shoes.. so I need to dig through my closet.. I think I have a pair of new balance in there that I haven't used much.

Since I only did 30 minutes.. I decided to talk to a personal trainer.. just to show me what machines I should use to get started on a basic weight routine. I gave me new confidence in personal trainers. He was not pushy, he understood my fears and concerns and told me flat out that there was no reason to use half the machines in the building... to just focus on the basics and don't be afraid of other people watching you. He agreed with my saying that because I'm doing walking and jogging, that going nuts with lower body machines isn't necessary. He strongly suggested just doing squats with my body weight.. maybe touch on the leg curl/extension and the leg ad/abduction machines. As for upper body.. chest press, row, and pull down... free weights for biceps/triceps. As for abs.. I mentioned I had done pilates and yoga in the past and may stick to that for my core strengthening. He 100% agreed, saying that doing crunches is only good for helping you do more crunches and that pilates/yoga are what you need to do to strengthen the core.

I felt a lot better after just talking with him. I've used all these machines before but just wanted confirmation on what I should do to get started and focus on the main muscle groups. As I progress and feel the need to get more serious about weight training, i will ofcourse get a more specifc program in place.

I have decided to do this after my cardio. This means I may need to make cardio for 30 minutes unless I want to spend an hour and a half at the gym.. and that all depends on if I can get out of work at 5 or not. I did ask my boss if I could leave at 5 instead of 530 since I am not going out to lunch and only taking about 20 minutes of my hour break to eat.. and that at my desk doing work! He agreed to give it a try.. so M/W/F I am allowed to leave at 5 if I am all caught up and nothing else is pressing.

And, once again, I feel much calmer after taking the time to write this all out. I swear blogging is the cheapest therapy invented.

Off to fold laundry and go to bed. I pray my mind will shut up tonight so I can sleep.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

When PMS attacks!! Next on FOX!

Seriously! All over the place today.. crazy happy one moment and crying the next. Don't ya love it.. No?? Me either!!

Anyways.. stressy moments at work.. but luckily I had my lunch and snacks prepared and with me. Thank god we finally got a fridge in our new office. I'm the only one that uses it. I'd hate to be a sales person and always be on the road. I suppose If I was.. Id still bring my lunch and snacks with me in a cooler because that's what ya gotta do to get it done!

I had a war with myself about the gym today. I'm cranky/tired and very PMS'y and at the height of my weekly (sorry boys..TMI.. I know!).. so I thought.. "Hey.. it's been a rough day.. you are tired.. your body probably needs a break.. "

BLAH
BLAH
BLAH

I had to yell at myself in the car to not sabotage myself and make all these excusses for the gym. I decided to go to the gym and at least do 30 minutes. If you still aren't into it 100%.. then you can stop.

So that's what I did. And while I ended up only doing the 30 minutes

AT LEAST I WENT

That's more than half the battle in my book.

I came home after.. made my healthy dinner (chicken, rice and veg with some lite soy sauce)
Got a big glass of water and sat down to catch up on the first week of the biggest loser.

I could write a whole post about that show... and while I HATE that it's based on elimination.. this season has some really amazing people on it. I love listening to their "ah-ha" moments... because I've had a lot of those same thoughts and ideas myself! This show is always eye opening.. especially in the first few weeks. I have to watch it online.. so I get it a week after it was on tv.. but thats ok... I like the inspirations even if its a week late!

Watching these people push themselves really makes me realize how much I am NOT pushing myself... granted.. they are supervised by Doctors and all that... but there's no reason why I can't walk .. or even JOG.. faster then 3.0mph. That's really a big portion of the show this season... doing it for yourself, on you own, at home. It will be interesting to see how it works out in the end. I KNOW I can do more... I freakin' JOGGED yesterday...I need to keep a mini-Jillian in my pocket or on my shoulder... or at least keep the people of biggest loser on my mind while I'm trying to wimp out!

Has anyone tired the Biggest Loser workout dvds? I just got the sculpting one today from Netflix. I will have to give it a go this weekend and give a review about it. I will, however, be meeting with a trainer on monday to go over all the weight machines in the gym... and now that MizFit knows I'm doing it.. now I REALLY need to follow through or she will kick my butt! ; )

Thanks always to everyone who comments and/or adds me to their watch lists. It's neat knowing that my thoughts and actions can inspire someone else! I try to get to everyone's page to catch up and even If I don't get a moment to write.. know that you all are on my mind and keep me going!

Take care and have a great day tomorrow!