It's an ongoing argument in my house-- Tony says coffee is terrible for you and will end up being the death of me, I argue that coffee has many health benefits that far outweigh any negative impact. After our most recent discussion on the topic, I decided that I needed some published facts and research to back up my position, not only so I can present my side more effectively, but so I can know for sure that I am making an informed decision when it comes to my morning pick-me-up.
Since I drink an average of two tall tumblers (5-6 cups) a day of drip coffee, I am by no means an impartial judge. However, in the interest of discovering the facts, I will do the best I can to fairly and accurately portray both sides of what I find.
The first article on the subject was actually laying on my desk. Self magazine had published an article in their August issue on the benefits of coffee. Peppy fitness magazines aren't always the best source of information, but it appears that the author did more research than just scraping the surface. The article touches on the antioxidant properties of the coffee berry: Shade-grown beans may be more eco-friendly, but have less antioxidants, the roasting process both breaks down and creates antioxidants the longer they roast, meaning that a medium roast may be the best choice.
Long term benefits include a resistance to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases-- two of the scariest diseases that can come with old age in my opinion. Premenopausal women who drink 4 cups per day have a 38 percent reduction in their breast cancer risk (according to The Journal of Nutrition) and coffee's phytoestrogens and flavonids may prevent tumor growth. Gallstone sufferers take note: the Xanthine in caffeine may reduce the mucus and deposits that form gallstones. Finally, those who drink 3-4 cups a day are 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes by preventing insulin resistance. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of liver damage.
But that's not all! The antibacterial and antiadhesive powers may keep the bacteria in your saliva from eating away at the enamel on your teeth. Also, a cup a day may cut your oral cancer risk in half. Finally, caffeine ramps up your metabolism, so Self included a handy coffee clock to help you schedule your java breaks to maximize your metabolic rate.
Coffee has also been linked to increased dopamine levels. No wonder I feel amazing after that first sip in the morning. Don't bother with Zanax, just head to your local Starbucks.
If you read the fine print, however, you'll notice that a few points mention some not-so-reassuring aspects of coffee. One bullet point encourages readers to purchase Starbucks' Espresso Pods because the paper filters, "catch the heart-harming compounds." Wait, what? Which compounds? Another mention of the polyphenols in coffee says that they block absorption of iron from fortified grains and lowers your calcium uptake.
So what am I supposed to do when I'm 85, cancer free, but can't raise my arms for fear that my bones will crumble? Clearly the Self article left some questions unanswered.
According to an article from Harvard, one of the major risks is dependence on what they call "a mild addictive stimulant," which leads to excessive drinking. Excessive coffee intake can cause, "palpitations, insomnia, tremors, diarrhea and increased urination." I know I've got to pee quite a bit when I'm drinking it, but my guess is that if you reach the point of having tremors, you've got more than a coffee problem.
The same article also mentions that coffee drinkers tend to be smokers. I don't know how true that is, and there doesn't seem to be much behind that statement other than an opinion. Seeing as there is a coffee shop on just about every corner, that would mean that there are far more smokers than I'm used to seeing.
Each person should make their own informed decision, and of course talk to their doctor regarding the potential benefits and risks associated with coffee consumption, but after my research, I feel confident that coffee can continue to be something I look forward to in the morning. Now I just have to stop adding so much sugar to it...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
"In this economy..."
"In this economy..."
What a phrase. It's said more times on television news shows in a day than I can count, and it has become a part of our culture as an excuse for just about everything from being cheap at Christmas to denying bonuses and home loans (unless, of course, you are a bank or auto exec.). Mostly though, it's an advertising slogan for businesses trying to convince customers that their product has more value and therefore no one in their right mind would go without it. Its this last usage that has me the most irritated.
Lets call the kettle black. Advertising is manipulation. It is the act of convincing individuals and society that a product is better than another or is so essential to your being that everyone absolutely must purchase it. To be clear, when I reference advertising, I am not including public service announcements or announcements from non profit organizations. Political ads, while manipulative, are also not considered for this post because of the myriad of other issues that would arise if I included them.
No, my first issue lies with companies using mass media to perpetuate the idea that "in this economy," X must be purchased for two reasons. First, because the idea that anything aside from essentials "must" be purchased in a recession is absurd. As people attempt to adjust to the difficulties associated with living with a decrease in pay or no income at all, the media consistently sends a message of guilt as each commercial attempts to separate every American from their hard earned money. As anyone who has been on a diet knows, it's easier to resist when you're not faced with temptation at every turn. The same is true for willpower associated with saving money. In my opinion, most Americans have difficulty resisting the urge to spend money, especially since shopping has become a recreational activity. As it is almost impossible to avoid TV, radio, internet and print advertisements in a typical day, it is likewise incredibly difficult to resist the urge to spend.
Second, I take issue with the very meaning of, "in this economy." What economy is that? Over 10 percent of people are out of a job, but what does that mean? It means that there's a lack of spending power, certainly, but it also means that the rest of us need to work extra hard in a positive direction. The more the media perpetuates the idea that we're in rough times, the more fear associated with keeping your job, spending money and taking time off of work. Of course, spending money doesn't mean putting yourself in debt: one of the many reasons we're suffering right now, but it also doesn't mean that you should shop at Wal-Mart and purchase the lowest-grade imported crap you can find just to save yourself $.10. Buying local goes a long way to create and maintain jobs in your local area, but no one wants to take the time to shop anywhere but a one-stop box mart store.
Furthermore, one in ten people has a lot of time on their hands right now, and since the job market is slim, that creates a lot of opportunity for volunteering or working on your own education so when the economy does get better, you'll be ready to go. In previous rough times, we were told not to look for what our country could do for us, now everyone wants a handout to go back to school, pay for their cell phone, get a great new job, bail out our banks, bail out our auto dealers, and anything else we deem necessary.
We (the people) got ourselves into this mess, but unlike previous hard times, we aren't willing to do anything for ourselves to get out of it. We want someone else to fix things, and we want it to happen yesterday. There's no accountability, just more grant money being allocated to government programs. Even Henry Morgenthau, Jr., FDR's Secretary of the Treasury, has admitted that government spending can not create new jobs:
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more money than we have ever spent before and it does not work. And I have just none interest, and if I am wrong . . . somebody else can have my job. I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job, I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises. . . . I say after eight years of this administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started . . . . And an enormous debt to boot!"
I don't have a solution for our job crisis by any means. If I were that intelligent I wouldn't be working where I am. But I do think that a bit of accountability and a return to reliance on local vendors and suppliers would go a long way in restoring order and creating jobs. So this Christmas, resist the urge to purchase the imported cheap-o version if you're going to purchase anything at all. Better yet, try making something, spending time with family or just sending a card. Your investment in a worthwhile gift or time spent together will do more than delight the recipient who opens the box.
What a phrase. It's said more times on television news shows in a day than I can count, and it has become a part of our culture as an excuse for just about everything from being cheap at Christmas to denying bonuses and home loans (unless, of course, you are a bank or auto exec.). Mostly though, it's an advertising slogan for businesses trying to convince customers that their product has more value and therefore no one in their right mind would go without it. Its this last usage that has me the most irritated.
Lets call the kettle black. Advertising is manipulation. It is the act of convincing individuals and society that a product is better than another or is so essential to your being that everyone absolutely must purchase it. To be clear, when I reference advertising, I am not including public service announcements or announcements from non profit organizations. Political ads, while manipulative, are also not considered for this post because of the myriad of other issues that would arise if I included them.
No, my first issue lies with companies using mass media to perpetuate the idea that "in this economy," X must be purchased for two reasons. First, because the idea that anything aside from essentials "must" be purchased in a recession is absurd. As people attempt to adjust to the difficulties associated with living with a decrease in pay or no income at all, the media consistently sends a message of guilt as each commercial attempts to separate every American from their hard earned money. As anyone who has been on a diet knows, it's easier to resist when you're not faced with temptation at every turn. The same is true for willpower associated with saving money. In my opinion, most Americans have difficulty resisting the urge to spend money, especially since shopping has become a recreational activity. As it is almost impossible to avoid TV, radio, internet and print advertisements in a typical day, it is likewise incredibly difficult to resist the urge to spend.
Second, I take issue with the very meaning of, "in this economy." What economy is that? Over 10 percent of people are out of a job, but what does that mean? It means that there's a lack of spending power, certainly, but it also means that the rest of us need to work extra hard in a positive direction. The more the media perpetuates the idea that we're in rough times, the more fear associated with keeping your job, spending money and taking time off of work. Of course, spending money doesn't mean putting yourself in debt: one of the many reasons we're suffering right now, but it also doesn't mean that you should shop at Wal-Mart and purchase the lowest-grade imported crap you can find just to save yourself $.10. Buying local goes a long way to create and maintain jobs in your local area, but no one wants to take the time to shop anywhere but a one-stop box mart store.
Furthermore, one in ten people has a lot of time on their hands right now, and since the job market is slim, that creates a lot of opportunity for volunteering or working on your own education so when the economy does get better, you'll be ready to go. In previous rough times, we were told not to look for what our country could do for us, now everyone wants a handout to go back to school, pay for their cell phone, get a great new job, bail out our banks, bail out our auto dealers, and anything else we deem necessary.
We (the people) got ourselves into this mess, but unlike previous hard times, we aren't willing to do anything for ourselves to get out of it. We want someone else to fix things, and we want it to happen yesterday. There's no accountability, just more grant money being allocated to government programs. Even Henry Morgenthau, Jr., FDR's Secretary of the Treasury, has admitted that government spending can not create new jobs:
"We have tried spending money. We are spending more money than we have ever spent before and it does not work. And I have just none interest, and if I am wrong . . . somebody else can have my job. I want to see this country prosperous. I want to see people get a job, I want to see people get enough to eat. We have never made good on our promises. . . . I say after eight years of this administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started . . . . And an enormous debt to boot!"
I don't have a solution for our job crisis by any means. If I were that intelligent I wouldn't be working where I am. But I do think that a bit of accountability and a return to reliance on local vendors and suppliers would go a long way in restoring order and creating jobs. So this Christmas, resist the urge to purchase the imported cheap-o version if you're going to purchase anything at all. Better yet, try making something, spending time with family or just sending a card. Your investment in a worthwhile gift or time spent together will do more than delight the recipient who opens the box.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Reestablishment
The name of this blog is "Constant Stream of Consciousness." When I created it about a year ago, my idea was to have a name that was vague enough to allow me to write about anything. Then I got on a workout kick, and narrowed my focus to only workout-related items. Problem is, I don't know enough about working out outside of my personal experiences; and those only provide so much to talk about. So today's post is to redefine my scope.
I've had a few ideas over the last week or so of things I'd like to talk about. Interests, strange people I see and just random occurrences in my life that deserve a few moments to sit down and reflect upon. I've started quite a few of these posts over the last few months, and I've never finished a single one.
Much of my hesitation stems from a deep shame associated with my writing. I feel like I failed in my career as a writer, so why should anyone want to read what I have to say? In addition, let's face it-- I complain quite a bit. Much of my writing consists of irritating occurrences throughout my day. There's only so much bitching that people want to read.
So in the future, I will make a strong attempt to write about interesting things without listing a series of complaints. I will continue to write about my workouts to keep myself in line. In addition, I won't hold back when I feel like I have something important to write about.
To begin, I am currently exploring options for continuing my education. Some possible areas are psychology, English, communications and law. Obviously, I will pick one. Like many people in their mid-20s, I feel like I should have accomplished more by now. While I'm not doing terribly, it has been brought to my attention that my death phobia may in part come from a lack of purpose in life. I have more to contribute and only one life to do it in, so better now to take on the challenge of furthering myself than to later regret not having done so.
I spent part of an evening last week speaking with Tony's mother about her experiences in her master's program at UWM, and I was finally able to admit aloud what has been stopping me from attempting to pursue a degree in psych-- I'm terrified that I will get halfway through the program and discover that it's not right for me. With journalism, a part of me always knew that I would not find lucrative work in the field, but I pursued it anyway because it was something I knew I was good at. While psychology is a growing field with more opportunities for a higher salary, there are parts of the job that terrify me. As Tony so tactfully pointed out, "What happens when your first patient commits suicide?" As if the mere thought wouldn't give me nightmares.
Currently I am narrowing down my options in the field and entertaining the idea of working with patients or focusing on research. While helping people directly is very rewarding, many times I like to work alone and lose myself in my work. Research would also give me the opportunity to write and publish my findings. However, as a history professor once pointed out to me, no one but your colleagues will read it, and then only to find your errors.
Life doesn't come with a pre-defined path like so many would have you believe. So many people I talk to daily are exploring new career options-- I never expected to list myself among them. I always had lofty dreams that some day I would be "found" as a writer and offered a high-paying, high-visibility job writing columns and drinking coffee all day long. I am no longer under the power of such delusions.
No, life will not happen if I do not make it happen. While my outlook remains realistic and cautious, I have felt better in the past few days. I am not as burdened by my own pessimistic outlook as I have been. I have a bit of hope that somehow this will all turn out alright.
I've had a few ideas over the last week or so of things I'd like to talk about. Interests, strange people I see and just random occurrences in my life that deserve a few moments to sit down and reflect upon. I've started quite a few of these posts over the last few months, and I've never finished a single one.
Much of my hesitation stems from a deep shame associated with my writing. I feel like I failed in my career as a writer, so why should anyone want to read what I have to say? In addition, let's face it-- I complain quite a bit. Much of my writing consists of irritating occurrences throughout my day. There's only so much bitching that people want to read.
So in the future, I will make a strong attempt to write about interesting things without listing a series of complaints. I will continue to write about my workouts to keep myself in line. In addition, I won't hold back when I feel like I have something important to write about.
To begin, I am currently exploring options for continuing my education. Some possible areas are psychology, English, communications and law. Obviously, I will pick one. Like many people in their mid-20s, I feel like I should have accomplished more by now. While I'm not doing terribly, it has been brought to my attention that my death phobia may in part come from a lack of purpose in life. I have more to contribute and only one life to do it in, so better now to take on the challenge of furthering myself than to later regret not having done so.
I spent part of an evening last week speaking with Tony's mother about her experiences in her master's program at UWM, and I was finally able to admit aloud what has been stopping me from attempting to pursue a degree in psych-- I'm terrified that I will get halfway through the program and discover that it's not right for me. With journalism, a part of me always knew that I would not find lucrative work in the field, but I pursued it anyway because it was something I knew I was good at. While psychology is a growing field with more opportunities for a higher salary, there are parts of the job that terrify me. As Tony so tactfully pointed out, "What happens when your first patient commits suicide?" As if the mere thought wouldn't give me nightmares.
Currently I am narrowing down my options in the field and entertaining the idea of working with patients or focusing on research. While helping people directly is very rewarding, many times I like to work alone and lose myself in my work. Research would also give me the opportunity to write and publish my findings. However, as a history professor once pointed out to me, no one but your colleagues will read it, and then only to find your errors.
Life doesn't come with a pre-defined path like so many would have you believe. So many people I talk to daily are exploring new career options-- I never expected to list myself among them. I always had lofty dreams that some day I would be "found" as a writer and offered a high-paying, high-visibility job writing columns and drinking coffee all day long. I am no longer under the power of such delusions.
No, life will not happen if I do not make it happen. While my outlook remains realistic and cautious, I have felt better in the past few days. I am not as burdened by my own pessimistic outlook as I have been. I have a bit of hope that somehow this will all turn out alright.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Are You Smarter Than a Zombie?
If the world were to suddenly be taken over by zombies, a la "Zombieland", I'm afraid I wouldn't last a minute. Not because I'm deathly afraid of zombies like my friend Katy, but because I'm afraid that some days, I am just a moron.
I hesitate to admit this-- there are those who would love to tease me endlessly about my bouts of stupidity, but I thought of writing this very post this morning while making coffee... right after I burnt myself on the coffee machine and decided that if I needed to fend for myself, I would be in dire trouble.
You see, it wouldn't just be in a zombie apocalypse that I would perish early in what would undoubtedly be a disgusting display. I'm pretty sure that even if there was a sudden loss of electricity for an extended period of time, I'd be one of the first to go. I read an article recently about a journalist who evaluated the usefulness of his skills in an economy that focused only on necessities (people who can build things, sew up wounds and make food would be valued, those who wrote articles about daily events would not), and determined that he was in fact without many marketable skills. I failed at being a journalist, so I'm pretty sure that makes me fodder.
Don't get me wrong, this is not meant as a rally for a pity party. I'm perfectly happy with my role in life, I'm just being realistic... or as realistic as I can be while imagining what would happen to me in the event that something akin to a 2012 disaster should occur.
Even though I go to the gym five days a week, there's no way I could work in a field all day harvesting food should I need to provide for myself. I couldn't outrun a horde of angry people or defend my home and my food supply (wait, amassing food would require planning ahead--another skill I lack). Hell, even when playing Halo last night, I determined I probably couldn't fire a gun at a target two feet from my face.
Let's back up for a moment and consider my morning-- the very event that caused me to ponder this highly unlikely scenario. Mornings are foggy for me. Some mornings I get to my desk at work, sit down, stare at the screen and wonder how I drove here while still asleep. This morning I made myself coffee. I put the filter in the top, filled it with coffee, then turned it on and walked away. After about 10 minutes of listening to it gurgle, I realized the coffeemaker had no water in it. I reached for it, resting my hand on the burner and fried the side of my right thumb. I now have a blister, and my thumb is throbbing. This is not the tale of a woman who can fend for herself.
Even if the world doesn't end suddenly in just over two years, there may be a time that I need to provide for myself and complete chores around the house that I currently depend on Tony for. Things like plowing the driveway, climbing up on the roof and cleaning the gutters and making sure that the rain is directed away from the house all seem like incredibly daunting tasks that I wouldn't want to have to do.
I don't have a witty ending to this story, nor do I have a solution. It's more a statement of fact. I suppose I could say that I'm going to try to change my habits, plan ahead and work out until I look like Dana Torres, but that's just not going to happen. For now I'll just hope that when the zombies do come someone will protect me.
I hesitate to admit this-- there are those who would love to tease me endlessly about my bouts of stupidity, but I thought of writing this very post this morning while making coffee... right after I burnt myself on the coffee machine and decided that if I needed to fend for myself, I would be in dire trouble.
You see, it wouldn't just be in a zombie apocalypse that I would perish early in what would undoubtedly be a disgusting display. I'm pretty sure that even if there was a sudden loss of electricity for an extended period of time, I'd be one of the first to go. I read an article recently about a journalist who evaluated the usefulness of his skills in an economy that focused only on necessities (people who can build things, sew up wounds and make food would be valued, those who wrote articles about daily events would not), and determined that he was in fact without many marketable skills. I failed at being a journalist, so I'm pretty sure that makes me fodder.
Don't get me wrong, this is not meant as a rally for a pity party. I'm perfectly happy with my role in life, I'm just being realistic... or as realistic as I can be while imagining what would happen to me in the event that something akin to a 2012 disaster should occur.
Even though I go to the gym five days a week, there's no way I could work in a field all day harvesting food should I need to provide for myself. I couldn't outrun a horde of angry people or defend my home and my food supply (wait, amassing food would require planning ahead--another skill I lack). Hell, even when playing Halo last night, I determined I probably couldn't fire a gun at a target two feet from my face.
Let's back up for a moment and consider my morning-- the very event that caused me to ponder this highly unlikely scenario. Mornings are foggy for me. Some mornings I get to my desk at work, sit down, stare at the screen and wonder how I drove here while still asleep. This morning I made myself coffee. I put the filter in the top, filled it with coffee, then turned it on and walked away. After about 10 minutes of listening to it gurgle, I realized the coffeemaker had no water in it. I reached for it, resting my hand on the burner and fried the side of my right thumb. I now have a blister, and my thumb is throbbing. This is not the tale of a woman who can fend for herself.
Even if the world doesn't end suddenly in just over two years, there may be a time that I need to provide for myself and complete chores around the house that I currently depend on Tony for. Things like plowing the driveway, climbing up on the roof and cleaning the gutters and making sure that the rain is directed away from the house all seem like incredibly daunting tasks that I wouldn't want to have to do.
I don't have a witty ending to this story, nor do I have a solution. It's more a statement of fact. I suppose I could say that I'm going to try to change my habits, plan ahead and work out until I look like Dana Torres, but that's just not going to happen. For now I'll just hope that when the zombies do come someone will protect me.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Spin Class Makes Your Butt Hurt
This morning I didn't have to be to work until 11:30, which for me is a wonderful opportunity to sleep in and stretch out in the bed contentedly. But, as Tony reminded me as he woke me up on Wednesday, "Fatties sleep in, skinny girls get out of bed!" So, I was up at 7:30, made breakfast, did laundry, checked our drapes to make sure they were right, and headed off to my very first Spin Class.
I got to the class a few minutes early, which was good, because there are only about 15 bikes available in any class, and if you're late, too bad for you. I introduced myself to the (absolutely gorgeous) instructor and asked if there was anything I needed to know. She got me set up on the bike, showed me how to put my feet in the straps and told me my goal for the day was just to, "Keep pedaling the entire class period." That seemed a bit insulting to a girl who has lifted more than her body weight, but I kept my mouth shut.
If you've never taken a spin class before, or seen one take place, you should know that nearly everyone who takes them is incredibly thin and toned. We're talking thighs of steel and a butt you can bounce rocks off. Big rocks. I wish I had a picture.
Ten minutes into the class, I remember thinking, "I'm still pedaling!" As if that were some major accomplishment. At the third song, the instructor had us stand on our pedals... while pedaling. It was rather difficult, but nothing compared to "Position 3", which I was introduced to a moment later.
Position 3 requires you to stand pedaling in a squat position with your butt just above--but not touching--the seat. Your core is supposed to keep you steady, with your hands just resting on the handlebars. It's pure torture. Ten seconds of it and your butt, thighs, hamstrings and quads will be screaming. I thought I had decent legs from squats and Crossfit. Apparently not. I'm now at work, some seven hours later and my butt still hurts. I'm sorry to say that there were parts that I sat through the part where everyone else was still holding Position 3.
Some of the people in the class had obviously been spinning for quite awhile. One girl looked pretty skinny, and a few of the older women looked pretty active. There was one extremely large woman who I was surprised to see she could stay on the bike, but she kept up with the class, and held Position 3 longer than I did.
There are obvious benefits to taking the class. It tones leg muscle, including the muscles you didn't know you had, and can burn an incredible amount of calories. I did some searching on other websites, and on average a 45 minute class burns around 450 calories. It was also a great stress reliever, and even after an hour later I felt energized and happy.
All in all, it was a great workout. The structure of the class forced me to stay for the entire 45 minutes, which is definitely not something I typically do when I'm working out by myself, so I know I will go back. However, I typically have to be at work at 8am, and the only class I will be able to make on a regular basis is the 6am class. I'm not sure I can do that. Working out in the morning is a problem, much less at 6 am. I don't usually wake up until 6:15.
It is recommended that you only do spinning classes 2-3 times a week and wait about 2-3 weeks to see results. I've been marking my gym sessions off on a calendar recently (went every day this week!), and I'll be sure to track my results as I work this into my schedule.
I got to the class a few minutes early, which was good, because there are only about 15 bikes available in any class, and if you're late, too bad for you. I introduced myself to the (absolutely gorgeous) instructor and asked if there was anything I needed to know. She got me set up on the bike, showed me how to put my feet in the straps and told me my goal for the day was just to, "Keep pedaling the entire class period." That seemed a bit insulting to a girl who has lifted more than her body weight, but I kept my mouth shut.
If you've never taken a spin class before, or seen one take place, you should know that nearly everyone who takes them is incredibly thin and toned. We're talking thighs of steel and a butt you can bounce rocks off. Big rocks. I wish I had a picture.
Ten minutes into the class, I remember thinking, "I'm still pedaling!" As if that were some major accomplishment. At the third song, the instructor had us stand on our pedals... while pedaling. It was rather difficult, but nothing compared to "Position 3", which I was introduced to a moment later.
Position 3 requires you to stand pedaling in a squat position with your butt just above--but not touching--the seat. Your core is supposed to keep you steady, with your hands just resting on the handlebars. It's pure torture. Ten seconds of it and your butt, thighs, hamstrings and quads will be screaming. I thought I had decent legs from squats and Crossfit. Apparently not. I'm now at work, some seven hours later and my butt still hurts. I'm sorry to say that there were parts that I sat through the part where everyone else was still holding Position 3.
Some of the people in the class had obviously been spinning for quite awhile. One girl looked pretty skinny, and a few of the older women looked pretty active. There was one extremely large woman who I was surprised to see she could stay on the bike, but she kept up with the class, and held Position 3 longer than I did.
There are obvious benefits to taking the class. It tones leg muscle, including the muscles you didn't know you had, and can burn an incredible amount of calories. I did some searching on other websites, and on average a 45 minute class burns around 450 calories. It was also a great stress reliever, and even after an hour later I felt energized and happy.
All in all, it was a great workout. The structure of the class forced me to stay for the entire 45 minutes, which is definitely not something I typically do when I'm working out by myself, so I know I will go back. However, I typically have to be at work at 8am, and the only class I will be able to make on a regular basis is the 6am class. I'm not sure I can do that. Working out in the morning is a problem, much less at 6 am. I don't usually wake up until 6:15.
It is recommended that you only do spinning classes 2-3 times a week and wait about 2-3 weeks to see results. I've been marking my gym sessions off on a calendar recently (went every day this week!), and I'll be sure to track my results as I work this into my schedule.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Obey or Die!
Have you visited the interweb lately? Good. Then you've probably seen one of eight gazillion advertisements for some secret diet that read something to the effect of, "OBEY: One Rule to a Flat Stomach". Strangely enough, now that I want to write about the ad, I can't find one anywhere, but I've seen it on Facebook, Digg and other sites I frequent.
After wondering briefly if the ad was stalking me because its creator somehow knew that I am interested in losing weight, I started to consider what the "One Rule" could be. Now, for your reading enjoyment, I list them here. Some of these would be better if I had pictures to go with the ad for each. However, you'll just have to use your imagination.
OBEY: One Rule to a Flat Stomach
1. Vomit! Vomit a lot.
2. Stop eating. Air has calories.
3. Get lipo.
4. Eat only lettuce.
5. Start running. Oh, and don't stop for a very long time.
6. Hire a chef to make your meals so you don't have to think about it.
7. Wear a girdle.
8. Lay on your stomach (like a lolcat on a glass table).
9. Eat right and exercize! Oh wait, that doesn't work...
10. Drink drain-o. Dead people aren't fat.
That's all I have for an attempt at humor for now. Funny, when I thought about this internally it was hilarious... not so much when I put it on paper. :P
After wondering briefly if the ad was stalking me because its creator somehow knew that I am interested in losing weight, I started to consider what the "One Rule" could be. Now, for your reading enjoyment, I list them here. Some of these would be better if I had pictures to go with the ad for each. However, you'll just have to use your imagination.
OBEY: One Rule to a Flat Stomach
1. Vomit! Vomit a lot.
2. Stop eating. Air has calories.
3. Get lipo.
4. Eat only lettuce.
5. Start running. Oh, and don't stop for a very long time.
6. Hire a chef to make your meals so you don't have to think about it.
7. Wear a girdle.
8. Lay on your stomach (like a lolcat on a glass table).
9. Eat right and exercize! Oh wait, that doesn't work...
10. Drink drain-o. Dead people aren't fat.
That's all I have for an attempt at humor for now. Funny, when I thought about this internally it was hilarious... not so much when I put it on paper. :P
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Like most things in my life, I got bored with keeping up this blog. It doesn't take much to distract me and get me excited about a new project before I've finished the one I've already started. This time, the distraction was moving into the new house. I'm happy to say that we are situated and starting to get comfortable. I'm sorry to report that I took a little more time off from Crossfit than I had anticipated. I am now getting back in the swing of things, and I'm happy to report that I haven't lost a lot of my strength. It made moving a ton easier than the last time I had moved. I was picking up boxes that Tony and others cautioned me not to try lifting and carying them further than I think anyone thought possible. So, in just that way, Crossfit paid offf.
Getting back into the daily workouts has been a struggle because now I not only have to work around my own schedule, but I have to plan dinner and coordinate with another person. I have a lot of respect for women who do this with children all of a sudden.
In my time off, I gained back 2 lbs. Not a major gain, but a gain nonetheless. While getting back into the workouts has been hard, getting back onto the diet has been nearly impossible. Every day I make an effort and every day I fail. Tony is on a gluten free diet now, and requires corn, potatoes or rice at every meal. It's extremely hard for me to pass these items up in favor of bland peas or green beans. I'm trying to find ways around it though. I can eat stir fry without the rice, or just double up on the mixed veggies instead of eating the delicious, crispy potatoes sauteed in butter and doused with seasoned salt... mmmm...... *sigh*.
Today is my first day off in a very long time, and I've been taking the day to relax and get myself re-centered. I don't care if you think that's "hippy bullshit", I need to decompress or I'm going to lose my mind. Crossfit helps with that in some ways, but in others it feels like a burden, especially now that I have to find time to do it that sometimes inconveniences Tony.
Getting back into the daily workouts has been a struggle because now I not only have to work around my own schedule, but I have to plan dinner and coordinate with another person. I have a lot of respect for women who do this with children all of a sudden.
In my time off, I gained back 2 lbs. Not a major gain, but a gain nonetheless. While getting back into the workouts has been hard, getting back onto the diet has been nearly impossible. Every day I make an effort and every day I fail. Tony is on a gluten free diet now, and requires corn, potatoes or rice at every meal. It's extremely hard for me to pass these items up in favor of bland peas or green beans. I'm trying to find ways around it though. I can eat stir fry without the rice, or just double up on the mixed veggies instead of eating the delicious, crispy potatoes sauteed in butter and doused with seasoned salt... mmmm...... *sigh*.
Today is my first day off in a very long time, and I've been taking the day to relax and get myself re-centered. I don't care if you think that's "hippy bullshit", I need to decompress or I'm going to lose my mind. Crossfit helps with that in some ways, but in others it feels like a burden, especially now that I have to find time to do it that sometimes inconveniences Tony.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Hooray!
Today is weigh-in day, and I got on the scale knowing that I've been doing something right. Yesterday I wore the blue striped pants that I haven't been able to wear in quite some time, and I've been sticking to the Zone and hitting the gym more often recently.
I got on the scale... and... I'm down to 151! Hooray!!! Two more pounds and I'm going to break the 150 mark. I'm losing an average of 2 lbs a week over the last two weeks, which was when I decided to stick to the diet and exercize regimine.
I'm also down to 36" around my hips and 28.5" around my waist. I've noticed that my hips are losing much faster than my waist is. I think this is because there's more there to lose.
My notebook gets updated every day at work with the previous day's WOD results as well as what I ate for dinner and that morning's breakfast. I'm working to keep my carb/protein/fat balance equal, and by doing so, my portions are much smaller. It's easy to turn down a cookie when you realize it counts for two carb blocks out of three for the entire meal.
I had forgotten to bring my notebook to the gym last night, so I had to recall the information for the WOD. It was "Helen", which was something I had done before at the buttercup level. I decided to pick the puppy scaling, but since I didn't have it with me, I mixed up the number of pull-ups required and ended up doing more than was necessary. Also, my side cramped up while running in the second round, and I pushed through it until the third round when I was forced to take a break. My total time was 11:02, which was still less than most of the posted times on the message boards.
Water. I need to drink more of it. To tell you the truth, I get lazy. I don't want to get up from my desk and walk the 100 feet to the lunchroom to get water. I know that's a stupid excuse, but if I drink more, it also means I have to pee more.
Not sure what the heck I'm going to do for dinner this evening. Jimmy Johns delivers and they have a killer lettuce wrap (instead of having the bread, which is a huge no-no), but I'm also trying to save money. I could kill for veal marsalla... I wonder how many blocks that would be ;)
On a side note, ever since Meghan took us on that brewery tour, I've devoloped a taste for beer. 4 oz of regular beer = 1 blk carbs. Again, 3 blks carbs in a meal, or 12 blks carbs total a day. That means that I really can't drink a lot of beer. Lite beer is 6oz to a block, so it gets a little better. If I have a mixed drink, one shot = 1 blk, or 4 oz wine... same thing.
At work until 8pm tonight. Moving soon! :D
I got on the scale... and... I'm down to 151! Hooray!!! Two more pounds and I'm going to break the 150 mark. I'm losing an average of 2 lbs a week over the last two weeks, which was when I decided to stick to the diet and exercize regimine.
I'm also down to 36" around my hips and 28.5" around my waist. I've noticed that my hips are losing much faster than my waist is. I think this is because there's more there to lose.
My notebook gets updated every day at work with the previous day's WOD results as well as what I ate for dinner and that morning's breakfast. I'm working to keep my carb/protein/fat balance equal, and by doing so, my portions are much smaller. It's easy to turn down a cookie when you realize it counts for two carb blocks out of three for the entire meal.
I had forgotten to bring my notebook to the gym last night, so I had to recall the information for the WOD. It was "Helen", which was something I had done before at the buttercup level. I decided to pick the puppy scaling, but since I didn't have it with me, I mixed up the number of pull-ups required and ended up doing more than was necessary. Also, my side cramped up while running in the second round, and I pushed through it until the third round when I was forced to take a break. My total time was 11:02, which was still less than most of the posted times on the message boards.
Water. I need to drink more of it. To tell you the truth, I get lazy. I don't want to get up from my desk and walk the 100 feet to the lunchroom to get water. I know that's a stupid excuse, but if I drink more, it also means I have to pee more.
Not sure what the heck I'm going to do for dinner this evening. Jimmy Johns delivers and they have a killer lettuce wrap (instead of having the bread, which is a huge no-no), but I'm also trying to save money. I could kill for veal marsalla... I wonder how many blocks that would be ;)
On a side note, ever since Meghan took us on that brewery tour, I've devoloped a taste for beer. 4 oz of regular beer = 1 blk carbs. Again, 3 blks carbs in a meal, or 12 blks carbs total a day. That means that I really can't drink a lot of beer. Lite beer is 6oz to a block, so it gets a little better. If I have a mixed drink, one shot = 1 blk, or 4 oz wine... same thing.
At work until 8pm tonight. Moving soon! :D
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
60 Pull-ups + 60 Dips = Dead Lynn
As time goes on, I find myself scaling more toward the "Puppies" version of the workout, instead of the easiest level, "Buttercup". Except in instances where I want to compare my times, I'm finding that it works out rather well for me, and it's nice to see that I can do more work in a shorter time period (more intensity).
Except for yesterday.
I decided to try the Puppies scaling of the Muscle Up workout from the weekend. I had missed both Saturday and Sunday's workouts because I had other things to do and the gym was closed for Easter. Monday was supposed to be a rest day, but I decided to tackle the muscle ups since, as it has been pointed out on the forum, "If you've been doing the workouts for awhile now, you should be able to attempt them. It's what gymnasts do just to get up on the rings, before they start their workout." If you still don't know what a muscle up is, watch the video that I linked earlier in this paragraph. The title of the video is "Hot Chick Muscle Up", if that's inspirational to you.
Get to the point already.
The substitution for not having rings to do the muscle up (or being unable to do so) was 60 pull-ups and 60 dips. You could break them up however you wanted. Before I began, I had hoped to break them into sets of 10. When I started, I realized that there was no way in hell I would make it through that, so I broke them up into sets of 6. I used 24# assisted weight on the pull ups, and 32# assisted on the dips.
After the fourth set, I wanted to quit so bad. My arms were about to fall off, and I have a weird pinched nerve in my wrist that acts up when I try to do bar dips, so I was having to steady myself through them and concentrate on not bending my wrist. At one point, I thought I was nearing the end, but stopped for a second to realize how many I had to go, and I had to mentally yell at myself to keep going. Every time I stepped back on the foot stand, my legs felt like they were going to give out on me, which is odd, seeing as I wasn't using them. My theory is that I was using so much energy that there was none left for my legs.
I finally made it through the 60th dip, and I staggered away to find a place to collapse. All of the floor space was taken by old men and skinny girls doing leg lifts and crunches, so I found a chair in what I call the "Slow Room". In the Slow Room, none of the treadmills go above the 4th setting (brisk walk), everyone is silent and stares at the televisions. There was an open chair in the Slow Room, and I plopped down onto it, my face bright red, panting and sweating. Some of the slow women looked at me quizzically for a few moments, then went back to whatever was on TV. I tried to wipe the sweat off my face, but found that my arms didn't want to cooperate, so I decided to make my way back to the locker room.
Side note about the locker room: There is a hot tub in the locker room. I have never remembered to bring a swimsuit with me, but some day I would really like to go sit in it. That is, when it's not filled with fat women. I have seen many, many, many fat women in the hot tub naked, and although at first I was repulsed, after thinking about it for awhile, I decided it is no different than having a paper thin suit on that water passes through anyway. Still, I can not bring myself to sit naked in the hot tub. At least if you're naked in a sauna, you can still have a towel. Every time I walk past that hot tub, I want to go in it... especially on days when I just did a fuckton of pull-ups.
I've also been sticking more to the Zone diet. I usually eat yogurt for breakfast, sometimes I even make scrambled eggs, or a protein shake. I've found that if I mix my protein powder in milk, it makes AWESOME chocolate milk. I love it. Lunch is usually whatever I can dig up, with veggies. Yesterday I had 3/4 can of reduced sodium chicken noodle soup with green beans, today was an open faced sandwich with tuna and cheese and a whole can of green beans (I really like green beans). I've been getting used to being hungry. Now instead of snacking mindlessly, I ask myself if I'm really hungry. I drink water (or coffee... I'm back to coffee again), eat a handful of nuts, or just go hungry. I'm eating far less, and I wonder sometimes if I'm eating too little, but the three pounds that I lost last week is encouragement to keep going. I can take my fat work pants off now without unzipping them.
I'm super tired and I was late for work yesterday, so off to bed I go!
Except for yesterday.
I decided to try the Puppies scaling of the Muscle Up workout from the weekend. I had missed both Saturday and Sunday's workouts because I had other things to do and the gym was closed for Easter. Monday was supposed to be a rest day, but I decided to tackle the muscle ups since, as it has been pointed out on the forum, "If you've been doing the workouts for awhile now, you should be able to attempt them. It's what gymnasts do just to get up on the rings, before they start their workout." If you still don't know what a muscle up is, watch the video that I linked earlier in this paragraph. The title of the video is "Hot Chick Muscle Up", if that's inspirational to you.
Get to the point already.
The substitution for not having rings to do the muscle up (or being unable to do so) was 60 pull-ups and 60 dips. You could break them up however you wanted. Before I began, I had hoped to break them into sets of 10. When I started, I realized that there was no way in hell I would make it through that, so I broke them up into sets of 6. I used 24# assisted weight on the pull ups, and 32# assisted on the dips.
After the fourth set, I wanted to quit so bad. My arms were about to fall off, and I have a weird pinched nerve in my wrist that acts up when I try to do bar dips, so I was having to steady myself through them and concentrate on not bending my wrist. At one point, I thought I was nearing the end, but stopped for a second to realize how many I had to go, and I had to mentally yell at myself to keep going. Every time I stepped back on the foot stand, my legs felt like they were going to give out on me, which is odd, seeing as I wasn't using them. My theory is that I was using so much energy that there was none left for my legs.
I finally made it through the 60th dip, and I staggered away to find a place to collapse. All of the floor space was taken by old men and skinny girls doing leg lifts and crunches, so I found a chair in what I call the "Slow Room". In the Slow Room, none of the treadmills go above the 4th setting (brisk walk), everyone is silent and stares at the televisions. There was an open chair in the Slow Room, and I plopped down onto it, my face bright red, panting and sweating. Some of the slow women looked at me quizzically for a few moments, then went back to whatever was on TV. I tried to wipe the sweat off my face, but found that my arms didn't want to cooperate, so I decided to make my way back to the locker room.
Side note about the locker room: There is a hot tub in the locker room. I have never remembered to bring a swimsuit with me, but some day I would really like to go sit in it. That is, when it's not filled with fat women. I have seen many, many, many fat women in the hot tub naked, and although at first I was repulsed, after thinking about it for awhile, I decided it is no different than having a paper thin suit on that water passes through anyway. Still, I can not bring myself to sit naked in the hot tub. At least if you're naked in a sauna, you can still have a towel. Every time I walk past that hot tub, I want to go in it... especially on days when I just did a fuckton of pull-ups.
I've also been sticking more to the Zone diet. I usually eat yogurt for breakfast, sometimes I even make scrambled eggs, or a protein shake. I've found that if I mix my protein powder in milk, it makes AWESOME chocolate milk. I love it. Lunch is usually whatever I can dig up, with veggies. Yesterday I had 3/4 can of reduced sodium chicken noodle soup with green beans, today was an open faced sandwich with tuna and cheese and a whole can of green beans (I really like green beans). I've been getting used to being hungry. Now instead of snacking mindlessly, I ask myself if I'm really hungry. I drink water (or coffee... I'm back to coffee again), eat a handful of nuts, or just go hungry. I'm eating far less, and I wonder sometimes if I'm eating too little, but the three pounds that I lost last week is encouragement to keep going. I can take my fat work pants off now without unzipping them.
I'm super tired and I was late for work yesterday, so off to bed I go!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
It's day two of my strict Zone diet. I hate it. I absolutely hate it. This morning I had a fruit and yogurt parfait thing from Panera. It's probably a little off since it has granola in it, but I figured getting an egg and bacon sandwich on top of that wouldn't be a good addition, even if I took off the bun.
Yesterday wasn't too bad I suppose. It's hard to keep myself from snacking throughout the day, but I've found that writing everything down helps me keep track (go figure). I still get hungry between meals, but from what I've read, I'm going to have to give it a few days and play around with the portions.
I've had a splitting headache for four fricking days now. It only goes away when I take extra strength Tylenol, and I'm starting to worry about taking that all the damn time. Extra stress in my relationship recently has been wearing on me, and I haven't been sleeping well. I'm sure that hasn't helped. The stress is manefesting itself in other physical ways too, but the headache is the worst. I get some time off this week because we get 4 hours extra pay for Good Friday. What I'd like to do is drown my stress in a bottle of wine, but I'm sure that won't be an option.
Speaking of stress... I'm at work. Not exactly a relaxing spa enviornment. I think it's about time that I pulled out the massage gift certificate that Beth gave me for Christmas.
Anyway... enough bitching.
Yesterday's workout was walking lunges (100ft), pull-ups and sit-ups--three rounds. My time was a little slower than the previous time I've done this particular workout, but I know that I did more walking lunges this time than last time and my pull-up assisted weight was far lighter. Since I max out at four pull-ups, I usually use the assisted pull-up machine for WODs with higher reps.
Not much more to share. I'm going to stick to this diet for a week, hopefully it works. At least after this week I can evaluate my progress and make changes as necessary.
Yesterday wasn't too bad I suppose. It's hard to keep myself from snacking throughout the day, but I've found that writing everything down helps me keep track (go figure). I still get hungry between meals, but from what I've read, I'm going to have to give it a few days and play around with the portions.
I've had a splitting headache for four fricking days now. It only goes away when I take extra strength Tylenol, and I'm starting to worry about taking that all the damn time. Extra stress in my relationship recently has been wearing on me, and I haven't been sleeping well. I'm sure that hasn't helped. The stress is manefesting itself in other physical ways too, but the headache is the worst. I get some time off this week because we get 4 hours extra pay for Good Friday. What I'd like to do is drown my stress in a bottle of wine, but I'm sure that won't be an option.
Speaking of stress... I'm at work. Not exactly a relaxing spa enviornment. I think it's about time that I pulled out the massage gift certificate that Beth gave me for Christmas.
Anyway... enough bitching.
Yesterday's workout was walking lunges (100ft), pull-ups and sit-ups--three rounds. My time was a little slower than the previous time I've done this particular workout, but I know that I did more walking lunges this time than last time and my pull-up assisted weight was far lighter. Since I max out at four pull-ups, I usually use the assisted pull-up machine for WODs with higher reps.
Not much more to share. I'm going to stick to this diet for a week, hopefully it works. At least after this week I can evaluate my progress and make changes as necessary.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Meh
So apparently I'm not doing enough, or eating right, or working hard enough, or snacking too much or... a large combination of all of them. I do my workouts *most* days, but I'm skipping one or two a week on average because of life and other obligations. I eat right *most* of the time, but when it comes to sitting at work bored, I might eat too many "Zone approved" almonds, or have a sugar binge around 4pm when someone starts passing out Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs. I will say that my intensity level is still very high when it comes to actually doing the workout, but the last few days have been extremely hard. I go to bed on time *most* nights, but I've been staying up later more often, feeling stressed out and unable to fall asleep.
All of this has added up to the fact that I have plateaued. It's not a good place to be, especially after having such high hopes for this workout regimen and diet. I'm not a disciplined person, and when I'm hungry, I give in. When I'm tired, I give in. When I have better things to do, I rationalize.
I have had tremendous gains in my strength. I can lift things more easily now, including myself when doing pull-ups. I'm up to four unassisted pull-ups, which is wonderful. My arms are rock hard, and actually have some definition. But they haven't gotten any smaller. I had big arms to begin with, and I had hoped that some of the fat would melt away. That's not the case.
I've gotten tons of compliments lately. My body has definitely changed. My calves are hard, and extremely defined. My thighs are... well, large. They're more toned than they were, but that's not necessarily a good thing. They have the appearance of a woman who spends a lot of time beating people up for a living. Not exactly the mini skirt legs I was hoping for. My stomach is still flabby. Better, by all means, but still not anywhere near where I need it to be.
I'm sick and tired of working out without the gains that I want (to be skinny and toned). It's not worth it to me to bust my ass if I'm not going to get anywhere with it. But I'm also sabotaging myself by not sticking to the diet, missing workouts and not putting my all into it every time. It's not easy, but I know that's what I have to do. Because if I do this for nothing, it's a waste of time.
So I'm going to go back to basics and start eating healthier again, set a sleep time, give up coffee (yes, again), cut out sugar completely and eat veggies as my main source of carbs. I have to get strict on myself or my genetics are going to continue to work against me to make me a huge tub of lard.
And, since I have a few moments more before the laundry is done and I can go to bed, I have a rant to share:
The editors and contributors to Self Magazine can kiss my semi-toned ass. Fuck you and your bullshit about losing weight by walking it off once or twice a week. Screw your "Super Simple Workout Plan!" and articles that tell readers they can, "Loose Weight Without Trying!" No one has ever lost weight and kept it off by doing 10 minutes of no-impact physical activity a day. It's not fucking possible. Losing weight is a huge fucking commitment and you can't dress it up with Victoria's Secret workout gear and make it "fun". It's not fucking fun. It's horrible, painful, sweaty work. So roll up your glossy photos of skinny girls on the beach and shove them right up your urethra. Fuck. You.
All of this has added up to the fact that I have plateaued. It's not a good place to be, especially after having such high hopes for this workout regimen and diet. I'm not a disciplined person, and when I'm hungry, I give in. When I'm tired, I give in. When I have better things to do, I rationalize.
I have had tremendous gains in my strength. I can lift things more easily now, including myself when doing pull-ups. I'm up to four unassisted pull-ups, which is wonderful. My arms are rock hard, and actually have some definition. But they haven't gotten any smaller. I had big arms to begin with, and I had hoped that some of the fat would melt away. That's not the case.
I've gotten tons of compliments lately. My body has definitely changed. My calves are hard, and extremely defined. My thighs are... well, large. They're more toned than they were, but that's not necessarily a good thing. They have the appearance of a woman who spends a lot of time beating people up for a living. Not exactly the mini skirt legs I was hoping for. My stomach is still flabby. Better, by all means, but still not anywhere near where I need it to be.
I'm sick and tired of working out without the gains that I want (to be skinny and toned). It's not worth it to me to bust my ass if I'm not going to get anywhere with it. But I'm also sabotaging myself by not sticking to the diet, missing workouts and not putting my all into it every time. It's not easy, but I know that's what I have to do. Because if I do this for nothing, it's a waste of time.
So I'm going to go back to basics and start eating healthier again, set a sleep time, give up coffee (yes, again), cut out sugar completely and eat veggies as my main source of carbs. I have to get strict on myself or my genetics are going to continue to work against me to make me a huge tub of lard.
And, since I have a few moments more before the laundry is done and I can go to bed, I have a rant to share:
The editors and contributors to Self Magazine can kiss my semi-toned ass. Fuck you and your bullshit about losing weight by walking it off once or twice a week. Screw your "Super Simple Workout Plan!" and articles that tell readers they can, "Loose Weight Without Trying!" No one has ever lost weight and kept it off by doing 10 minutes of no-impact physical activity a day. It's not fucking possible. Losing weight is a huge fucking commitment and you can't dress it up with Victoria's Secret workout gear and make it "fun". It's not fucking fun. It's horrible, painful, sweaty work. So roll up your glossy photos of skinny girls on the beach and shove them right up your urethra. Fuck. You.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Extremely Pertinent Information
It's been pretty nice out lately. Which worries me. As summer quickly approaches, my waist needs to shrink as fast as the melting snow or I'm going to be one pissed off woman.
That's why I'm so happy to announce that I'm wearing pants that I coudln't fit into a month ago. Couldn't even button them. Now they're on, and I'm comfortable. That's not to say that they're roomy, but they fit.
They're size six. That means I've got one more size to go. Just one more. I have no idea how many inches are between sizes. You'd think I would, having worked in retail clothings stores for almost seven years.
Another thing that made my day today was that I received a compliment from my campus director this morning. He said I'm looking really good lately. Being the smooth, collected girl I am, I naturally accepted his compliment gracefully by asking, "Why?" He said I just had been looking better lately with all the "healthy" stuff that I've been doing. So there ya go.
Today's WOD is push jerks. I'll probably get some running or rowing in to suppliment the workout, but I don't get off work until 8pm, so I'm always greatful when the later workouts don't take as long. I'll keep updating as I can and let you know how it goes.
That's why I'm so happy to announce that I'm wearing pants that I coudln't fit into a month ago. Couldn't even button them. Now they're on, and I'm comfortable. That's not to say that they're roomy, but they fit.
They're size six. That means I've got one more size to go. Just one more. I have no idea how many inches are between sizes. You'd think I would, having worked in retail clothings stores for almost seven years.
Another thing that made my day today was that I received a compliment from my campus director this morning. He said I'm looking really good lately. Being the smooth, collected girl I am, I naturally accepted his compliment gracefully by asking, "Why?" He said I just had been looking better lately with all the "healthy" stuff that I've been doing. So there ya go.
Today's WOD is push jerks. I'll probably get some running or rowing in to suppliment the workout, but I don't get off work until 8pm, so I'm always greatful when the later workouts don't take as long. I'll keep updating as I can and let you know how it goes.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Rest Day For Me
Happy St. Patrick's day. May you drink too much and dishonor this day with fighting and obscenely racist opinions of the Irish.
Kevin, don't read this. I'm violating one of your sacred rules and I fear your wrath.
Yesterday was the official Crossfit rest day. I decided to try to run 3k instead, figuring that I would be venturing out to the bars this evening. Green beer and Crossfit do not a good combination make. I went directly to the gym after work, despite feeling kinda shitty. I've been very worn out lately, which I suspect has occurred as a result of spending my weekend in a basement with dust and mold and working a tad too hard. Certain influential forces in my life like to say that if there is work to be done, it doesn't matter what condition you are in, you need to do that work. I say you have one body, and you better take care of it. If there's work to be done, it won't get done if you're dead. That being said, I still feel like crap taking a rest day when one of the hardest workouts I've ever seen is taunting me from the Crossfit forums.
Here's the actual workout:
Kevin, don't read this. I'm violating one of your sacred rules and I fear your wrath.
Yesterday was the official Crossfit rest day. I decided to try to run 3k instead, figuring that I would be venturing out to the bars this evening. Green beer and Crossfit do not a good combination make. I went directly to the gym after work, despite feeling kinda shitty. I've been very worn out lately, which I suspect has occurred as a result of spending my weekend in a basement with dust and mold and working a tad too hard. Certain influential forces in my life like to say that if there is work to be done, it doesn't matter what condition you are in, you need to do that work. I say you have one body, and you better take care of it. If there's work to be done, it won't get done if you're dead. That being said, I still feel like crap taking a rest day when one of the hardest workouts I've ever seen is taunting me from the Crossfit forums.
Here's the actual workout:
“Murph”
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you’ve got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.
Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me.
I thought that Buttercup would be a much more achievable option, so I decided to check that out in hopes that it would encourage me to just keep going instead of going home and sitting on my ass tonight.
Buttercups:
1/2 mile Run
25 Pull-ups (or beginner pull ups)
50 Push-ups
75 Squats
1/2 mile Run
Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed.
Okay, a bit easier... if you like causing your own suffering. Still, I evaluated how I felt: worn out, sore and overall kinda sick. I decided it wasn't a good idea to push it. Rest days are there for a reason, I figure, and my time yesterday on my 3k proves that something isn't right here.
Here's why I really hesitate to abandon this workout without at least giving it my best shot. "Murph" is short for Lt. Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2005. This was one of his favorite workouts. In Kevin's Commandments (as seen on Facebook), #3 states explicitly, "Check the fucking WOD every day and keep holy the hero workouts by fucking doing them to standard and not skimping like a pussy ass bitch. They're heroes for a reason. Cuz they fucking got killed. Show the respect they fully and undoubtedly deserve for their ultimate sacrifices."
I guess today's title should read, "I am a pussy ass bitch." Don't I feel special.
I've been having odd cramping in my stomach, which doesn't help with my workouts. I think it may have something to do with what I'm eating, but cooking dinner isn't an option lately. I usually don't eat until 9:30p as it is. I am eating waaaay more protein than I did even a month ago, and I've cut out bread and pasta as much as possible. Dinner is typically some meat I found at Pick 'n Save with spices on it cooked in the oven for 30 minutes and eaten whether it's fully cooked or not. I hadn't had any bread in my fridge until my dad came home this week and blindly bought some at the grocery store. He figures that if you don't have a loaf of bread, ketchup, barbecue sauce, milk, sour cream, frozen pizza and some odd chunk of meat in your fridge, you may as well not eat. Two days ago he tried to shove shrimp dip in my mouth because, "It's good for you." This guy has no idea what nutrition is, and you know if I'm saying that, he's a special case. Perhaps I would do better on my diet if I didn't allow him to stock my fridge, because now I want to make a sandwich.
A friend at work and I were talking about our workouts. She does a lot of running and claims that after a certain point, you feel like, "You can run forever." I've never felt such a sensation, and until I do, I argue that she's just not getting enough oxygen which is causing her brain to misfire. She tried to talk me into doing a 5k this April, which I had to decline, because there is no way I can add running training to my Crossfit workouts and get up to a 5k in a month when I almost died yesterday trying for 3k. Granted, yesterday was a bad day, and I've run more than 3k at a time before, but I still don't feel like I could prepare myself adequately. I do think it's a goal to shoot for eventually though. I wonder if I'll ever have enough time to go to the gym in the morning to run and do the WOD at night. A girl can dream.
Summer is coming up faster than I like to admit. Today it was nearing 70 degrees out, and I wore short sleeves to work. I'm worried that I won't be able to meet my goal of fitting back into my pants by May or June. Of course, days like this don't really help matters much. All I want to do is sleep, recover, and hopefully kick the shit out of tomorrow's WOD. My dad leaves tomorrow too, so if anyone has a hankerin' for BBQ sauce and bread, I've got more than enough to give away!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Hooray for Rainman!
**Editor's note: I'm at work. I apologize in advance if certain parts of this post don't make sense.**
My schedule requires me to work Wednesday evenings until 8pm. Ideally, since I don't start work until 11am, I should get out of bed in the morning and go to the gym before work. That hasn't happened once yet. I'm hoping that once we get settled in at the house and the gym is a mere 2 miles away, I'll have more motivation to get there in the morning. For now, I hope that the rest day falls on a Wednesday, and when it doesn't, I trudge to the gym after work.
There are two times a day that a gym is busy: before work (6-8am) and after work (5-7pm). Outside those times, you typically find people like myself who work odd shifts, don't like people, and... various others who can be quite strange.
Perhaps it's not kind of me to refer to these people as strange. But that's how I see them as I weave through them, trying to get to my equipment while still on the clock. There are old men who stare at you as you run, interrupting your concentration and causing general paranoia. There are women who do seemingly nothing but walk and giggle with one another. Tony has mentioned more than once that most people are too far below average intelligence to navigate the track successfully without getting in the way of others.
But none of these people compares to Rainman. I use the name Rainman because most people can immediately identify with the movie and picture a semi-retarded man in his late forties. Since I don't know of any famous characters that meet the description of the man at my gym, allow me to tweak that character in your mind. This Rainman can't walk, so he zips around the upper level of the gym on his shiny maroon wheelchair, head always rolled to one side or another, staring at seemingly nothing as he maneuvers fitness equipment. I've never felt comfortable enough to get a good look at his clothes, and for the most part, he doesn't stay in one area for long anyway. He always has a passive look on his face--slack jawed, if you will-- until he gets a weight in his hand. Then the real magic begins.
Rainman only knows how to do curls and to lift the weight above his head. Each rep is accompanied by a shout of which number he has completed. However, his counting skills are lacking, so he is sometimes very quickly able to make it to 50 when he has completed closer to 12. Nonetheless, he is very excited about his accomplishments, finishing each set with a loudly proclaimed, "Hooray!" At least, I think he's saying "hooray," it can be difficult to tell.
Rainman has never bothered me before. He's usually leaving when I'm coming in, so I've ignored him up until now. Wednesday night, however, he was gliding back and forth, between the benches, and stopping where ever his little heart desired. A few people were working out on the mat in front of the giant mirror, so I began doing squats between the benches. I had hardly gotten to five before Rainman was at my side, ramming his chair into my legs. I wasn't sure if he was trying to get past me, or if he was doing it for his own amusement, but I ignored him and continued to do my set. He didn't get the hint, and sat there, staring at me until I moved. Angrily, I picked up my towel and stomped off into the other room, leaving him to find someone else to ram into.
When I came back to use the pull-up machine, Rainman was still there, but this time he had a weight in his hand and was calling out numbers.
"Five! Six! Nine! Fourteen! Nineteen!" He stops abruptly and throws the weight on the floor. Somehow another weight materializes and he resumes, "Twenty-five!"
I try to block out the noise, which I can hear over my headphones as I count out my own pull-ups, dips and sit-ups. He's driving me crazy. "Fifty! Hooray!"
Yes, hooray for you, now will you go home or where ever it is that you belong?
***
It wasn't until later that I felt bad about being angry with Rainman. It wasn't his fault he was obscenely annoying. Besides, he was probably working harder than most of the fat old ladies, and enjoying it more too. Even later, I wondered if nicknaming him Rainman was a cruel thing to do. I decided it wasn't, as I needed a name to identify him with for this story, and actually, Rainman in the movie (and in real life) was actually a very intelligent guy. Who knows, YMCA Rainman could be crunching numbers in his free time too... although I doubt it.
That night, I managed to get in 8 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 5 dips and 10 sit-ups before I thought my arms would fall off (just over 10 minutes). That's a total of 40 pull ups at a 22# assisted weight. Not bad.
Tony has criticized me for doing additional cardio on the days that I'm already doing a WOD. Crossfit does say that cardio is for idiots, but I can't help but feel like this isn't working fast enough. I haven't noticed my pants getting any more loose lately. I'm going to try it his way for a few weeks though, and only run on the days that I have an easy WOD (ha!) or a day off. We'll see how it goes.
My schedule requires me to work Wednesday evenings until 8pm. Ideally, since I don't start work until 11am, I should get out of bed in the morning and go to the gym before work. That hasn't happened once yet. I'm hoping that once we get settled in at the house and the gym is a mere 2 miles away, I'll have more motivation to get there in the morning. For now, I hope that the rest day falls on a Wednesday, and when it doesn't, I trudge to the gym after work.
There are two times a day that a gym is busy: before work (6-8am) and after work (5-7pm). Outside those times, you typically find people like myself who work odd shifts, don't like people, and... various others who can be quite strange.
Perhaps it's not kind of me to refer to these people as strange. But that's how I see them as I weave through them, trying to get to my equipment while still on the clock. There are old men who stare at you as you run, interrupting your concentration and causing general paranoia. There are women who do seemingly nothing but walk and giggle with one another. Tony has mentioned more than once that most people are too far below average intelligence to navigate the track successfully without getting in the way of others.
But none of these people compares to Rainman. I use the name Rainman because most people can immediately identify with the movie and picture a semi-retarded man in his late forties. Since I don't know of any famous characters that meet the description of the man at my gym, allow me to tweak that character in your mind. This Rainman can't walk, so he zips around the upper level of the gym on his shiny maroon wheelchair, head always rolled to one side or another, staring at seemingly nothing as he maneuvers fitness equipment. I've never felt comfortable enough to get a good look at his clothes, and for the most part, he doesn't stay in one area for long anyway. He always has a passive look on his face--slack jawed, if you will-- until he gets a weight in his hand. Then the real magic begins.
Rainman only knows how to do curls and to lift the weight above his head. Each rep is accompanied by a shout of which number he has completed. However, his counting skills are lacking, so he is sometimes very quickly able to make it to 50 when he has completed closer to 12. Nonetheless, he is very excited about his accomplishments, finishing each set with a loudly proclaimed, "Hooray!" At least, I think he's saying "hooray," it can be difficult to tell.
Rainman has never bothered me before. He's usually leaving when I'm coming in, so I've ignored him up until now. Wednesday night, however, he was gliding back and forth, between the benches, and stopping where ever his little heart desired. A few people were working out on the mat in front of the giant mirror, so I began doing squats between the benches. I had hardly gotten to five before Rainman was at my side, ramming his chair into my legs. I wasn't sure if he was trying to get past me, or if he was doing it for his own amusement, but I ignored him and continued to do my set. He didn't get the hint, and sat there, staring at me until I moved. Angrily, I picked up my towel and stomped off into the other room, leaving him to find someone else to ram into.
When I came back to use the pull-up machine, Rainman was still there, but this time he had a weight in his hand and was calling out numbers.
"Five! Six! Nine! Fourteen! Nineteen!" He stops abruptly and throws the weight on the floor. Somehow another weight materializes and he resumes, "Twenty-five!"
I try to block out the noise, which I can hear over my headphones as I count out my own pull-ups, dips and sit-ups. He's driving me crazy. "Fifty! Hooray!"
Yes, hooray for you, now will you go home or where ever it is that you belong?
***
It wasn't until later that I felt bad about being angry with Rainman. It wasn't his fault he was obscenely annoying. Besides, he was probably working harder than most of the fat old ladies, and enjoying it more too. Even later, I wondered if nicknaming him Rainman was a cruel thing to do. I decided it wasn't, as I needed a name to identify him with for this story, and actually, Rainman in the movie (and in real life) was actually a very intelligent guy. Who knows, YMCA Rainman could be crunching numbers in his free time too... although I doubt it.
That night, I managed to get in 8 rounds of 5 pull-ups, 5 dips and 10 sit-ups before I thought my arms would fall off (just over 10 minutes). That's a total of 40 pull ups at a 22# assisted weight. Not bad.
Tony has criticized me for doing additional cardio on the days that I'm already doing a WOD. Crossfit does say that cardio is for idiots, but I can't help but feel like this isn't working fast enough. I haven't noticed my pants getting any more loose lately. I'm going to try it his way for a few weeks though, and only run on the days that I have an easy WOD (ha!) or a day off. We'll see how it goes.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Buh Bye Buttercup
Today was the first day I decided to do a workout at the Puppy level instead of Buttercup. (Barbie doesn't count, because there isn't a Buttercup listed for it. I had to create my own when I was doing that workout.) There's several reasons for my decision. First, I've hit a wall. I've lost 3 inches off my hips, but that's it so far. Today was weigh-in and measure-up day, and nothing has changed since the week before. I'm sure I can blame that on the fact that 1. I can't stick to the zone diet to save my life, 2. I wasn't able to make it for every workout last week and 3. I'm obviously not doing enough. So, I'm upping the work and the intensity. I feel like I'm getting stronger, I'm extremely happy about that.
Today's workout was "Jackie":
Puppies:
Row 1000 meters
15-20 pound Thruster, 20 reps
20 Pull-ups (Assisted or Beginner)
Total time: 8:05. Not. Bad.
20 pull-ups in a row really set me back though. I can't pound them out quickly, I have to stop, wait for my arms to get some blood back in them, then go at it again. Still, it's better than where I was a month ago.
I also ran two miles. I think my time was around 19 minutes, but I'm still getting used to the stupid Nike Plus thing that doesn't stop when you push the middle button. Update: I figured out that if I upload my runs to the website, I can actually see the time/mile. I got 18:48. Not bad at all. My goal is to run at least three times a week in addition to the WOD. Nike helps me keep track of that, so that's great.
I did not see Boy Blue at the gym today. I thought for a moment that one guy might have been him, but he wasn't nearly as big of an ass, so I figured I was just being paranoid.
I'm watching the anorexic girls on a rerun of America's Next Top Model right now. Makes me want to barf up my dinner. Stupid girls.
Today's workout was "Jackie":
Puppies:
Row 1000 meters
15-20 pound Thruster, 20 reps
20 Pull-ups (Assisted or Beginner)
Total time: 8:05. Not. Bad.
20 pull-ups in a row really set me back though. I can't pound them out quickly, I have to stop, wait for my arms to get some blood back in them, then go at it again. Still, it's better than where I was a month ago.
I also ran two miles. I think my time was around 19 minutes, but I'm still getting used to the stupid Nike Plus thing that doesn't stop when you push the middle button. Update: I figured out that if I upload my runs to the website, I can actually see the time/mile. I got 18:48. Not bad at all. My goal is to run at least three times a week in addition to the WOD. Nike helps me keep track of that, so that's great.
I did not see Boy Blue at the gym today. I thought for a moment that one guy might have been him, but he wasn't nearly as big of an ass, so I figured I was just being paranoid.
I'm watching the anorexic girls on a rerun of America's Next Top Model right now. Makes me want to barf up my dinner. Stupid girls.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Tales From the Y, Part II
It was only a matter of time before I found more stuff to bitch about. As a matter of fact, it didn't take long at all.
When I arrived at the Y today, I was happy to see that the parking lot wasn't filled to capacity, and when I asked for a locker, there were actually more than a few remaining. I didn't have to squeeze between two naked fat women to get to my locker which was amazing in itself.
Upstairs, I decided to warm up by messing around on the treadmill. I walked for awhile, then decided to see how far I could crank it up without flying off. I got up to 8.4 (whatever that means--miles per hour? Maybe). It felt amazing. Since I wasn't going for distance and time, I just ran until I felt the asthma attacks coming on, then I walked. More about that later.
Then I started on the WOD. I had to use the pull-up machine, and I was going to need a mat for the sit-ups, so I looked around for a free small mat to drag over to the pull-up machine. The only one available was set up with weights around it, as if someone had just walked away. The only guy near it was about 6'9" tall, muscular and wearing all baby blue. For that reason, he will be referred to as Boy Blue. He was in front of the mirror curling dumbells. I waved at him to get his attention. He stared blankly at me, so I asked him if he was going to use the mat. He glared at me for at least 5 very long seconds. I figured that meant no, so I took the mat.
There is a small space between the pull-up machine and some big machine with very long movable arms. When you have the arms positioned where you want them, you can pull on the handles to work... your arms? I don't know. It looks ridiculous. Some guy was using it, so I asked him if I would be in his way by putting the mat down next to the machine. He was incredibly polite, and said I could. I started on the WOD. In between rounds, you are to rest 3 minutes. I was on my second rest period when Boy Blue decided to use the arm machine.
He immediately went to reposition the arms, and instead of asking me to move, or saying, "Excuse me," he just moved the arm until it hit me, then glared at me until I moved out of the way. Now there's enough room where this should not have been a problem, but now I was pissed. "Is that how you say, 'excuse me,'" I asked him. He either ignored me or couldn't hear me because of his headphones. From that point on, he continued to move the arms right into my space. I think if he could have picked up the machine and positioned it so I would have hit it when I was doing sit-ups, he would have. I was so angry, which only encouraged me to work harder, knowing that Boy Blue and his steroid muscles couldn't keep up with me if he tried.
I'm still mad. The nerve. I'll take suggestions on how to deal with him if/when I see him again.
Today's WOD was "Barbara", which at the Puppy scaling, is as follows:
Five rounds, each for time of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Sit-ups
20 Squats
Looks easy. I guarantee it's not. If you don't believe me, try it. My times were the following:
1. 1:33
2. 1:27
3. 1:28
4. 1:38
5. 1:37
Last time, my times were:
1. 1:52
2. 1:43
3. 1:33
4. 1:48
5. -didn't know there was a round five :(
Keep in mind, last time I did reps of 4, 8, 12 and 15 instead of 5, 10, 15 and 20. So I have really blown my old times out of the water. I'm very happy.
I had posted a question on the Crossfit Forums yesterday about how to overcome asthma when you're working with high intensity workouts. I got some great responses, including some that I completely didn't expect. The issue is that I know I could push myself harder if my lungs didn't feel like they were on fire. My friend Kevin said it would go away with time and encouraged me to give it awhile because my body would compensate over time for the extra stress. Makes sense.
What didn't make sense to me (and I have yet to test it) was the response I got from one of the administrators. He explained that heavy weighted squats and deadlifts release adrenaline and stop the attacks. I suppose it's possible, but after I start hyperventilating, the last thing I feel like doing is loading up a bar and doing a few squats. I usually just sit down until I can breathe again.
The other option that several people mentioned was to take fish oil. Now I have to give credit where it's due and say that Tony has been telling me to take this stuff for awhile now, for a multitude of reasons. It seems to have so many benefits to it: high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, brain development, controlling bipolar disorder and... yes, the Mayo Clinic gives it a grade of "C" in treating asthma.
I was unsure about taking fish oil because of the size of the pills, but I was immediately presented with another solution (the forums are amazing). Fish oil comes in a lemon-flavored liquid that you can add to protein shakes! Is there anything that these guys can't find the answers to? I feel like throwing out random questions just to see what they can do.
When I arrived at the Y today, I was happy to see that the parking lot wasn't filled to capacity, and when I asked for a locker, there were actually more than a few remaining. I didn't have to squeeze between two naked fat women to get to my locker which was amazing in itself.
Upstairs, I decided to warm up by messing around on the treadmill. I walked for awhile, then decided to see how far I could crank it up without flying off. I got up to 8.4 (whatever that means--miles per hour? Maybe). It felt amazing. Since I wasn't going for distance and time, I just ran until I felt the asthma attacks coming on, then I walked. More about that later.
Then I started on the WOD. I had to use the pull-up machine, and I was going to need a mat for the sit-ups, so I looked around for a free small mat to drag over to the pull-up machine. The only one available was set up with weights around it, as if someone had just walked away. The only guy near it was about 6'9" tall, muscular and wearing all baby blue. For that reason, he will be referred to as Boy Blue. He was in front of the mirror curling dumbells. I waved at him to get his attention. He stared blankly at me, so I asked him if he was going to use the mat. He glared at me for at least 5 very long seconds. I figured that meant no, so I took the mat.
There is a small space between the pull-up machine and some big machine with very long movable arms. When you have the arms positioned where you want them, you can pull on the handles to work... your arms? I don't know. It looks ridiculous. Some guy was using it, so I asked him if I would be in his way by putting the mat down next to the machine. He was incredibly polite, and said I could. I started on the WOD. In between rounds, you are to rest 3 minutes. I was on my second rest period when Boy Blue decided to use the arm machine.
He immediately went to reposition the arms, and instead of asking me to move, or saying, "Excuse me," he just moved the arm until it hit me, then glared at me until I moved out of the way. Now there's enough room where this should not have been a problem, but now I was pissed. "Is that how you say, 'excuse me,'" I asked him. He either ignored me or couldn't hear me because of his headphones. From that point on, he continued to move the arms right into my space. I think if he could have picked up the machine and positioned it so I would have hit it when I was doing sit-ups, he would have. I was so angry, which only encouraged me to work harder, knowing that Boy Blue and his steroid muscles couldn't keep up with me if he tried.
I'm still mad. The nerve. I'll take suggestions on how to deal with him if/when I see him again.
Today's WOD was "Barbara", which at the Puppy scaling, is as follows:
Five rounds, each for time of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Sit-ups
20 Squats
Looks easy. I guarantee it's not. If you don't believe me, try it. My times were the following:
1. 1:33
2. 1:27
3. 1:28
4. 1:38
5. 1:37
Last time, my times were:
1. 1:52
2. 1:43
3. 1:33
4. 1:48
5. -didn't know there was a round five :(
Keep in mind, last time I did reps of 4, 8, 12 and 15 instead of 5, 10, 15 and 20. So I have really blown my old times out of the water. I'm very happy.
I had posted a question on the Crossfit Forums yesterday about how to overcome asthma when you're working with high intensity workouts. I got some great responses, including some that I completely didn't expect. The issue is that I know I could push myself harder if my lungs didn't feel like they were on fire. My friend Kevin said it would go away with time and encouraged me to give it awhile because my body would compensate over time for the extra stress. Makes sense.
What didn't make sense to me (and I have yet to test it) was the response I got from one of the administrators. He explained that heavy weighted squats and deadlifts release adrenaline and stop the attacks. I suppose it's possible, but after I start hyperventilating, the last thing I feel like doing is loading up a bar and doing a few squats. I usually just sit down until I can breathe again.
The other option that several people mentioned was to take fish oil. Now I have to give credit where it's due and say that Tony has been telling me to take this stuff for awhile now, for a multitude of reasons. It seems to have so many benefits to it: high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, brain development, controlling bipolar disorder and... yes, the Mayo Clinic gives it a grade of "C" in treating asthma.
I was unsure about taking fish oil because of the size of the pills, but I was immediately presented with another solution (the forums are amazing). Fish oil comes in a lemon-flavored liquid that you can add to protein shakes! Is there anything that these guys can't find the answers to? I feel like throwing out random questions just to see what they can do.
Monday, March 2, 2009
PR and a First!
Today was all around good news. When I got to the gym, I was happy, despite the parking lot being full of cars and having to walk a half mile.
I'm going to pause right here.
There's a long time joke about people who have to park in the front row when they go to the gym. I just want to say right now that I do not drive around, stalking people as they go to their cars, hoping that they will give me a good spot. I usually drive to the far end of the lot and choose a spot in the dark because the Y is too cheap to turn on the outside lights past a certain point. I will say though that it has been fucking cold out lately, and it sucks ass to walk a half mile to your car when you're still panting and sweating and the water on your body instantly freezes.
Back to the story.
So I was happy, I ignored the throngs of people, children and even the fat man sleeping in the hallway (no, I'm not lying) as I went to the mat and did my warm-up. Halfway through I was struck by inspiration. The pull-up machine was open, so I walked up to it and eyed it. It stared back at me, mockingly, with its weight left by the last person in the heaviest amount. I decided I wasn't going to take it's shit, so I stepped up, lowered the weight to 26# and got on. That means I was lifting all of my weight, minus 26#. I did 4 pull-ups, then decided I was going to go for the gold. I moved the foot rest back, and stepped forward. I fell straight down, and when my arms caught me, I wasn't sure I could pull myself back up. But I pulled, and I got my chin over the bar. I dropped back down with the biggest grin on my face and decided to go for two. I got about 3/4 of the way there and couldn't pull any more. I dropped back down, stepped back and just about shrieked. I thought that would wake up the guy in the hall, so I lowered the foot bar instead and did a few more sets. Then I decided to try a different hand positioning, so I tried doing more pull-ups with a wider grip. That didn't work as well, but I got 4 of those out.
It occurred to me that if I lost 30 lbs, I would be able to lift my weight easily. Sad. I need to stick to the Zone diet and stop snacking. I really want to try to cut out refined carbs, but I'm having suuuuuuch a hard time with it. Every day I wake up and I try. I eat a Zone breakfast, but by 10:30 I'm hungry. So I try to eat a Zone snack. Inevitably, I eat too much. Lunch is hit or miss. Weekends are especially hard because most days I eat with Tony, and it's not easy to get a Zone meal from a take-out restaurant. Dinner I try again, but I get hungry about an hour after dinner.
Anyway, back to the good things. After my warm-up, I moved on to the WOD. Today was deadlifts. I decided to go all out, and try for as much as I could. I'll spare you the progression. My max was 115#. Insane. I was so excited. I hope I'm doing the move right. It gets way harder to keep form when you add weight. I was so overwhelmed by the amount that I was lifting that I had to add my numbers twice to make sure I had got it correct.
Oh, another thing. I have calluses on my hand. More my left hand than my right. They're from pull-ups. Proof that I'm doing something right ;)
I'll try to update with some of the struggles I've run into at work tomorrow, but no promises.
I'm going to pause right here.
There's a long time joke about people who have to park in the front row when they go to the gym. I just want to say right now that I do not drive around, stalking people as they go to their cars, hoping that they will give me a good spot. I usually drive to the far end of the lot and choose a spot in the dark because the Y is too cheap to turn on the outside lights past a certain point. I will say though that it has been fucking cold out lately, and it sucks ass to walk a half mile to your car when you're still panting and sweating and the water on your body instantly freezes.
Back to the story.
So I was happy, I ignored the throngs of people, children and even the fat man sleeping in the hallway (no, I'm not lying) as I went to the mat and did my warm-up. Halfway through I was struck by inspiration. The pull-up machine was open, so I walked up to it and eyed it. It stared back at me, mockingly, with its weight left by the last person in the heaviest amount. I decided I wasn't going to take it's shit, so I stepped up, lowered the weight to 26# and got on. That means I was lifting all of my weight, minus 26#. I did 4 pull-ups, then decided I was going to go for the gold. I moved the foot rest back, and stepped forward. I fell straight down, and when my arms caught me, I wasn't sure I could pull myself back up. But I pulled, and I got my chin over the bar. I dropped back down with the biggest grin on my face and decided to go for two. I got about 3/4 of the way there and couldn't pull any more. I dropped back down, stepped back and just about shrieked. I thought that would wake up the guy in the hall, so I lowered the foot bar instead and did a few more sets. Then I decided to try a different hand positioning, so I tried doing more pull-ups with a wider grip. That didn't work as well, but I got 4 of those out.
It occurred to me that if I lost 30 lbs, I would be able to lift my weight easily. Sad. I need to stick to the Zone diet and stop snacking. I really want to try to cut out refined carbs, but I'm having suuuuuuch a hard time with it. Every day I wake up and I try. I eat a Zone breakfast, but by 10:30 I'm hungry. So I try to eat a Zone snack. Inevitably, I eat too much. Lunch is hit or miss. Weekends are especially hard because most days I eat with Tony, and it's not easy to get a Zone meal from a take-out restaurant. Dinner I try again, but I get hungry about an hour after dinner.
Anyway, back to the good things. After my warm-up, I moved on to the WOD. Today was deadlifts. I decided to go all out, and try for as much as I could. I'll spare you the progression. My max was 115#. Insane. I was so excited. I hope I'm doing the move right. It gets way harder to keep form when you add weight. I was so overwhelmed by the amount that I was lifting that I had to add my numbers twice to make sure I had got it correct.
Oh, another thing. I have calluses on my hand. More my left hand than my right. They're from pull-ups. Proof that I'm doing something right ;)
I'll try to update with some of the struggles I've run into at work tomorrow, but no promises.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tales from the Y
Since today is a day off from working out, I thought I'd entertain you with some of the very strange things I have seen in my short time working out at the YMCA.
I have already commented on the number of people who go to the Y to push their feet lazily back and forth on an elliptical machine and call it a workout, but what I may not have been clear about is the sheer numbers of people at the Y. I have only been there a few times when it has not been insanely crowded. Granted, I usually go directly after work, which is when everyone goes, but I can not believe the amount of people who mill around, not even in workout clothes, taking up space and getting in the way.
The hallways are constantly filled with children running around aimlessly, gripping onto candy and sodas, and usually spilling both everywhere. These same children tend to find their way into the cardio and weight rooms, getting in the way and playing with the machines. There is a rec room for these kids to go to, and I assume that their parents expect them to be babysat by the television and pool table while they work out, but there is no one keeping these children corralled.
Old people aren't much better than the kids. They're bigger, slower, and in most cases, naked. While the kids run around the hallways getting in the way, the old people waddle around the locker room taking up space in the hallways with their big exposed rolls of fat and making it impossible for you to squeeze by them without touching some part of their body.
They also seem to think that since they've been on this planet X number of years, that gives them the right to talk at the top of their lungs about their diarrhea problems while showering in the open. I don't know about you, but I prefer my friends to have their clothes on while I talk to them. Or, at the very least, I would turn away while talking to a naked person. Not these people.
They're naked in the hot tub, naked in the hallways, naked when they're doing their hair, naked just roaming around talking to people, naked sitting on the stools provided to place your workout bag on, and my favorite-- naked while going to the bubbler.
This deserves a proper explanation. There was a little old lady wandering around with only her granny panties on the other day. The waistband came up to just under her armpits, and her boobs hung over, literally to her belly button. I had thought that boobs drooping to your stomach was an urban legend. This woman proved me wrong. She had a big smile on her face, and was slowly wandering around, pausing to talk to people. She never made an attempt to cover herself, just smiled and wandered. Finally, she decided she was thirsty, so she went to the bubbler. Since I was doing my hair, I could see her in the mirror behind me. She went to the bubbler and let her boobs spill into the drain as she drank. I will never drink out of that bubbler again.
Finally, there are the people who don't seem to understand space boundaries. For instance, I was using the mat to do sit-ups, sitting at the far left end of the mat. There was room for at least two people to my right. Fatso plops his butt down right next to me, rolls onto his side so his face is almost touching my right arm. He starts doing some kind of weird side crunch and screws up his face so he looks like he's constipated. He starts grunting, expelling hot air onto my arm. I couldn't do my exercises anymore, so I got up, grabbed my towel and stomped away. He paused, looking confused as to why I was so angry.
I'll try to relate more of these stories as time goes on. For now, it's back to work.
I have already commented on the number of people who go to the Y to push their feet lazily back and forth on an elliptical machine and call it a workout, but what I may not have been clear about is the sheer numbers of people at the Y. I have only been there a few times when it has not been insanely crowded. Granted, I usually go directly after work, which is when everyone goes, but I can not believe the amount of people who mill around, not even in workout clothes, taking up space and getting in the way.
The hallways are constantly filled with children running around aimlessly, gripping onto candy and sodas, and usually spilling both everywhere. These same children tend to find their way into the cardio and weight rooms, getting in the way and playing with the machines. There is a rec room for these kids to go to, and I assume that their parents expect them to be babysat by the television and pool table while they work out, but there is no one keeping these children corralled.
Old people aren't much better than the kids. They're bigger, slower, and in most cases, naked. While the kids run around the hallways getting in the way, the old people waddle around the locker room taking up space in the hallways with their big exposed rolls of fat and making it impossible for you to squeeze by them without touching some part of their body.
They also seem to think that since they've been on this planet X number of years, that gives them the right to talk at the top of their lungs about their diarrhea problems while showering in the open. I don't know about you, but I prefer my friends to have their clothes on while I talk to them. Or, at the very least, I would turn away while talking to a naked person. Not these people.
They're naked in the hot tub, naked in the hallways, naked when they're doing their hair, naked just roaming around talking to people, naked sitting on the stools provided to place your workout bag on, and my favorite-- naked while going to the bubbler.
This deserves a proper explanation. There was a little old lady wandering around with only her granny panties on the other day. The waistband came up to just under her armpits, and her boobs hung over, literally to her belly button. I had thought that boobs drooping to your stomach was an urban legend. This woman proved me wrong. She had a big smile on her face, and was slowly wandering around, pausing to talk to people. She never made an attempt to cover herself, just smiled and wandered. Finally, she decided she was thirsty, so she went to the bubbler. Since I was doing my hair, I could see her in the mirror behind me. She went to the bubbler and let her boobs spill into the drain as she drank. I will never drink out of that bubbler again.
Finally, there are the people who don't seem to understand space boundaries. For instance, I was using the mat to do sit-ups, sitting at the far left end of the mat. There was room for at least two people to my right. Fatso plops his butt down right next to me, rolls onto his side so his face is almost touching my right arm. He starts doing some kind of weird side crunch and screws up his face so he looks like he's constipated. He starts grunting, expelling hot air onto my arm. I couldn't do my exercises anymore, so I got up, grabbed my towel and stomped away. He paused, looking confused as to why I was so angry.
I'll try to relate more of these stories as time goes on. For now, it's back to work.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Catch-up
I have not quit, I have not given up. I have not... posted in quite awhile. The last post I made was just before my day of good news, so it is odd that I never got around to writing about the greatest things that have happened to me yet.
I'll cut straight to the point, since two weeks is a lot to recap. Two Fridays ago, I weighed myself. 154lbs. One pound less than the previous time I weighed myself. That's not the good news. The good news was that I lost a total of THREE inches off my hips. Two in one week, three in total. Incredible. I was just elated. I put on my pants, and sure enough, they fit much better than they had a week ago.
Over the last two weeks, I've struggled to maintain a steady workout schedule. First, I was met with a deadline to finish my tissue paper walls in my office so we could sand the floors and move closer to finishing the renovations. Then I ran into some personal issues-- both emotional and physical. I won't get into my personal issues here.
Some of the physical issues had to do with my running. About a week ago while running on the treadmill in front of a window, I discovered that my body swerves back and forth in an S shape when I run. If you were to take a video of me and slow it down, you would see: S, backward S, S, backward S, etc. It's really odd and hard to explain. Picture a very slow wacky waiving inflatable arm flailing tube man, and you've got the idea. I believe this has something to do with the fact that I couldn't seem to run any faster than my 8:57 time.
Three times in a row, I ran a mile in exactly 8:57. I started slow, sprinted at the end, sprinted at the beginning and slowed down at the end, and tried to go for consistency, and still I was getting that time. It was insanely frustrating. I relayed my irritation on the Crossfit forums, and one woman suggested that I slow down, try for two miles and come back to it. The thought of two miles makes me hyperventilate, so I decided to try to push through it. I came up with 8:43. I was ecstatic... and completely out of breath.
I have asthma, so Tony made me call my doctor and get an inhaler, something I haven't had in many years. It was embarrassing to pick up the thing. It immediately brought back memories of middle school and having to use the face mask because some moron doctor I had thought I was too young to figure out how to use an inhaler without it. I never took the mask to school, but being prescribed one was enough to humiliate me forever.
The inhaler doesn't seem to do me much good. I tried using it before I ran twice now, and it seems to just make me think more about breathing too much while running. I find that I have to get into a "zone", where I am semi-conscious when I run. If I focus too much on my breathing, I panic about the possibility of my airways constricting, and of course, they do just that. If I focus too much on my feet, they will wobble and fall in the wrong place.
Finally, my biggest problem with running has been the ball of my left foot. After working on things near the floor at the house, I noticed that from flexing my toes back, my foot was swollen and painful. Almost to the point where I was unable to walk. This has happened before, and I went to the Urgent Care because I couldn't put any pressure on it. They told me I had gout. Gout. I kid you not. I do not have gout. They are idiots.
Finally, I broke down and bought a new pair of shoes. Despite what I've read about thin soles giving your feet more contact with the ground (and therefore greater control over your run), I figured that more cushion was the way to go, and I purchased Nike Plus shoes, along with the running device that plugs into my iPod Nano. I used it for the first time today, and it told me I ran a mile just over 8 minutes. I had forgotten to tell it my stats (weight and height), so although that was exciting, I am not counting that time.
Since I'm on the topic of today's workout, I spent about five minutes on today's official WOD. That wasn't counting the extra round of rowing 250 meters and 15 push presses with 16lb dumbbells. I had forgotten to start my stopwatch, so to punish myself for not going to the gym yesterday, I decided to start over, thus making my total number of rounds 4 instead of three. It wasn't the hardest workout I've had, although I think that push presses would have been harder with a bar. Dumbbells are easy to move independently, the bar forces your arms to move simultaneously.
I have been thinking about my push-up skills a lot lately. I can not do more than 10 push-ups without feeling sick and forgetting to breathe. Since this movement is so essential to upper body strength, I feel like I need to improve it dramatically. The WODs are helping to achieve this, but I decided it's not enough. After reading about the 100 handstand push-up challenge, I decided to do a similar thing with regular push-ups, working my way to being able to complete even a single HSPU.
The way the HSPU challenge works is on day one, you start with a single HSPU. Day two, you do two, day three you do three, and so on. I know I can do 10 push-ups without stopping, so today I did 11. Tomorrow I will do 12, and I will keep going until I can do enough where I feel I am ready to start elevated push-ups. At that time, I will start again at five, or 10, adding one every day until I increase the elevation. Some day, I will do HSPUs, and I can't fucking wait.
One last thing, and I will consider myself caught up. I know I have mentioned the Zone diet in the past, and I have been trying to follow it. It has confounded me. I know I'm supposed to avoid refined carbs and eat more veggies, but I needed a more definitive base of knowledge to be able to succeed, so I ordered the book Mastering the Zone. It finally came in the mail today, and I plan on reading it immediately.
I'll cut straight to the point, since two weeks is a lot to recap. Two Fridays ago, I weighed myself. 154lbs. One pound less than the previous time I weighed myself. That's not the good news. The good news was that I lost a total of THREE inches off my hips. Two in one week, three in total. Incredible. I was just elated. I put on my pants, and sure enough, they fit much better than they had a week ago.
Over the last two weeks, I've struggled to maintain a steady workout schedule. First, I was met with a deadline to finish my tissue paper walls in my office so we could sand the floors and move closer to finishing the renovations. Then I ran into some personal issues-- both emotional and physical. I won't get into my personal issues here.
Some of the physical issues had to do with my running. About a week ago while running on the treadmill in front of a window, I discovered that my body swerves back and forth in an S shape when I run. If you were to take a video of me and slow it down, you would see: S, backward S, S, backward S, etc. It's really odd and hard to explain. Picture a very slow wacky waiving inflatable arm flailing tube man, and you've got the idea. I believe this has something to do with the fact that I couldn't seem to run any faster than my 8:57 time.
Three times in a row, I ran a mile in exactly 8:57. I started slow, sprinted at the end, sprinted at the beginning and slowed down at the end, and tried to go for consistency, and still I was getting that time. It was insanely frustrating. I relayed my irritation on the Crossfit forums, and one woman suggested that I slow down, try for two miles and come back to it. The thought of two miles makes me hyperventilate, so I decided to try to push through it. I came up with 8:43. I was ecstatic... and completely out of breath.
I have asthma, so Tony made me call my doctor and get an inhaler, something I haven't had in many years. It was embarrassing to pick up the thing. It immediately brought back memories of middle school and having to use the face mask because some moron doctor I had thought I was too young to figure out how to use an inhaler without it. I never took the mask to school, but being prescribed one was enough to humiliate me forever.
The inhaler doesn't seem to do me much good. I tried using it before I ran twice now, and it seems to just make me think more about breathing too much while running. I find that I have to get into a "zone", where I am semi-conscious when I run. If I focus too much on my breathing, I panic about the possibility of my airways constricting, and of course, they do just that. If I focus too much on my feet, they will wobble and fall in the wrong place.
Finally, my biggest problem with running has been the ball of my left foot. After working on things near the floor at the house, I noticed that from flexing my toes back, my foot was swollen and painful. Almost to the point where I was unable to walk. This has happened before, and I went to the Urgent Care because I couldn't put any pressure on it. They told me I had gout. Gout. I kid you not. I do not have gout. They are idiots.
Finally, I broke down and bought a new pair of shoes. Despite what I've read about thin soles giving your feet more contact with the ground (and therefore greater control over your run), I figured that more cushion was the way to go, and I purchased Nike Plus shoes, along with the running device that plugs into my iPod Nano. I used it for the first time today, and it told me I ran a mile just over 8 minutes. I had forgotten to tell it my stats (weight and height), so although that was exciting, I am not counting that time.
Since I'm on the topic of today's workout, I spent about five minutes on today's official WOD. That wasn't counting the extra round of rowing 250 meters and 15 push presses with 16lb dumbbells. I had forgotten to start my stopwatch, so to punish myself for not going to the gym yesterday, I decided to start over, thus making my total number of rounds 4 instead of three. It wasn't the hardest workout I've had, although I think that push presses would have been harder with a bar. Dumbbells are easy to move independently, the bar forces your arms to move simultaneously.
I have been thinking about my push-up skills a lot lately. I can not do more than 10 push-ups without feeling sick and forgetting to breathe. Since this movement is so essential to upper body strength, I feel like I need to improve it dramatically. The WODs are helping to achieve this, but I decided it's not enough. After reading about the 100 handstand push-up challenge, I decided to do a similar thing with regular push-ups, working my way to being able to complete even a single HSPU.
The way the HSPU challenge works is on day one, you start with a single HSPU. Day two, you do two, day three you do three, and so on. I know I can do 10 push-ups without stopping, so today I did 11. Tomorrow I will do 12, and I will keep going until I can do enough where I feel I am ready to start elevated push-ups. At that time, I will start again at five, or 10, adding one every day until I increase the elevation. Some day, I will do HSPUs, and I can't fucking wait.
One last thing, and I will consider myself caught up. I know I have mentioned the Zone diet in the past, and I have been trying to follow it. It has confounded me. I know I'm supposed to avoid refined carbs and eat more veggies, but I needed a more definitive base of knowledge to be able to succeed, so I ordered the book Mastering the Zone. It finally came in the mail today, and I plan on reading it immediately.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Queen of the Workout Room
I really shouldn't be writing. It's past my bedtime, and I've had a long day. I did sleep in a bit this morning though, and I don't have to be to work until 10am tomorrow... yeah, I know. I should wake up at the same time every day. I do, though--within a two hour time frame. I usually wake up at the same time every day regardless. I have noticed lately that I am sleeping much lighter. I wonder if that has anything to do with the workouts.
I should warn my readers that today's post probably will be a lot of rambling. I don't have time to form complete thoughts or sentences. I just want to get down what's been going on lately so I can clear my mind and pass out.
First, the best news ever. Katy has joined the CF forums and is now doing the WODs. She has done three so far (including today's) and I couldn't be happier. Well, except for the fact that she beat my time on "Cindy," but even that was just more motivation to get my times down and start busting my ass even more than I already am. Her posts on the forum are hilarious. I tried conveying how funny it was that she posted how she lifted her Swifter mop handle (to learn form) and then proclaimed that she had achieved a personal record on the forums, but when I did, Tony just sat silent like he couldn't fathom why that was making me laugh so hard.
It's odd, I've never been a competitive person, but when I saw that Katy had done better than I did and it was only her first day, I was stunned. I wanted to do better immediately. She has years of experience with Capoeira, and I'm sure that has given her the upper body strength advantage. She should be coming home this fall, and when she does, I'm going to drag her to the gym with me. I can't wait. By that time I should be hot.
I weighed myself this morning. I try not to do that every morning, but that scale is so damn tempting. I'm at 155. That's a half pound less than my lightest so far. My weight seems to be fluctuating, but I'm hoping that this means it will start dropping again soon. I don't know what more I can do physically without injuring myself.
The Zone diet started today. I'm still reading about how to do it, but I know now that I'm supposed to eat a certain amount of protein, carbs and fat per day. It's amazing how much this diet lets you eat. You just have to eat in proportion. There's about a 1:3 ratio of protein to carbs, and I still eat way too many carbs. I used to think it was great to eat fruit at my desk all day, now I'm trying to snack on nuts and yogurt so I don't get too much sugar in my diet. It's really hard. Still, I'm full, and that helps. It's easier to ignore the sugar cravings when you're stuffed. Besides, I still have my no calorie, non-cancer causing stevia packets.
If you don't know about stevia, I suggest you look it up right now. It's a natural sugar derived from the stevia plant, and unlike aspartame and nutrasweet it doesn't cause a shitload of problems with your immune and nervous systems. Also, it's guilt free. It's expensive, but totally worth it. I'm not sure how it bakes yet, but I plan on finding out.
I should warn my readers that today's post probably will be a lot of rambling. I don't have time to form complete thoughts or sentences. I just want to get down what's been going on lately so I can clear my mind and pass out.
First, the best news ever. Katy has joined the CF forums and is now doing the WODs. She has done three so far (including today's) and I couldn't be happier. Well, except for the fact that she beat my time on "Cindy," but even that was just more motivation to get my times down and start busting my ass even more than I already am. Her posts on the forum are hilarious. I tried conveying how funny it was that she posted how she lifted her Swifter mop handle (to learn form) and then proclaimed that she had achieved a personal record on the forums, but when I did, Tony just sat silent like he couldn't fathom why that was making me laugh so hard.
It's odd, I've never been a competitive person, but when I saw that Katy had done better than I did and it was only her first day, I was stunned. I wanted to do better immediately. She has years of experience with Capoeira, and I'm sure that has given her the upper body strength advantage. She should be coming home this fall, and when she does, I'm going to drag her to the gym with me. I can't wait. By that time I should be hot.
I weighed myself this morning. I try not to do that every morning, but that scale is so damn tempting. I'm at 155. That's a half pound less than my lightest so far. My weight seems to be fluctuating, but I'm hoping that this means it will start dropping again soon. I don't know what more I can do physically without injuring myself.
The Zone diet started today. I'm still reading about how to do it, but I know now that I'm supposed to eat a certain amount of protein, carbs and fat per day. It's amazing how much this diet lets you eat. You just have to eat in proportion. There's about a 1:3 ratio of protein to carbs, and I still eat way too many carbs. I used to think it was great to eat fruit at my desk all day, now I'm trying to snack on nuts and yogurt so I don't get too much sugar in my diet. It's really hard. Still, I'm full, and that helps. It's easier to ignore the sugar cravings when you're stuffed. Besides, I still have my no calorie, non-cancer causing stevia packets.
If you don't know about stevia, I suggest you look it up right now. It's a natural sugar derived from the stevia plant, and unlike aspartame and nutrasweet it doesn't cause a shitload of problems with your immune and nervous systems. Also, it's guilt free. It's expensive, but totally worth it. I'm not sure how it bakes yet, but I plan on finding out.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Nutritionally Challenged
I've decided that working out just isn't cutting it. I've lost 4lbs, gained back 2 and I've only lost one inch off my hips in a month of busting my ass. It's time for some more drastic measures.
No, I'm not quitting. For crying out loud, put your pants back on.
It's time I started actually following a sensible diet. One that doesn't include binging and purging (not that I've ever done that, but I hear it has fantastic results-- and terrible consequences), starving, weird foods (I will not eat 10 bell peppers a day), or laxatives. I have a terrible addiction to all things sugary. I love sugar, and not just the white stuff you sprinkle in your coffee. I love all sugar and refined carbs. From white bread to brownies, I just can't get enough of the stuff.
And it's making me fat.
So, it's got to go. I've tried to just randomly select healthier options when I make my meals, but that's not working. I need structure, discipline and a plan to follow. That's the whole reason I'm still doing Crossfit. If I'm told what to do, and I understand the directions, I'll do what I've been told all day. If I have to chose for myself and the two options are mashed potatoes, white bread or salad with dressing, I couldn't tell you which one of those things is the best option.
Crossfitters typically follow one of two diets. The Zone Diet is less restrictive, but easy to follow and divides foods into three categories: protein, carbs and fat. The idea is to get equal "blocks" of each. The other diet is the Paleo diet. I don't know much about it, except that it requires you to give up dairy. That includes cheese. I refuse to be a vegan freak (sorry, herbivores) and therefore I will try the Zone Diet.
The Zone consists of "blocks", you get a certain number for each of the three categories listed above. The easy thing is that you get the same number for all, all day. For instance, according to the Zone Calculator, I get 15 blocks protein, 15 blocks carbs and 15 blocks of fat. There are downloadable charts that show what a block of each is. A block of carbs would consist of far more food than a block of fat.
Another way of looking at it, to simplify further, is to divide your plate into thirds. One third should be full of lean meat, while the other two thirds should be full of vegetables or fruit.
With Tony's G-day creeping ever closer (the day we will both have to give up eating gluten), I am sure that my diet will adapt to this style of eating quite quickly.
For those of you who take pleasure in reading of my day's activities at the gym, here is today's update.
Today's WOD was to do as many rounds of the following in 10 minutes (Buttercup level):
Row 250 meters
Sumo Deadlift High 45lbs, 15 reps
10 assisted pullups
I've never seen a sumo deadlift before today, so I tried the move out with the 45# bar first. I did a few of them, being careful when I pulled the bar up to my chest, because I read that the upright row can shred your shoulders. This part of the move did not feel comfortable to me, so I kept mostly to the lower portion of the move. I also tried to do a power clean, as well as an overhead squat, both of which I was terrible at, so I practiced basic movements and squats until I felt warmed up and ready to go.
Then I did 10 pushups and 10 situps. Situps are nothing, but the pushups are still brutal. I'm doing them on my knees, but I hate them by the 5th one every time.
Finally, I went up to the cardio room, because the rowing machine and the assisted pullup machine are very close to each other in that room, and I decided to skip the 45# bar for dumbbells instead. The Y won't let me bring a bar upstairs (I haven't tried, but I know what they'd say), and since these rounds were as many as I could do in 10 minutes, it made no sense to run downstairs and up again, where someone would most likely be using the equipment I needed by the time I got back.
The gym I go to has one working rowing machine. Never before have I ever seen another human being on it. I practically had to dust it off the first time I used it. On top of that, every time I do use it, I get odd stares from people as if they’re not sure what it is I’m doing. Today, however, the slowest woman in the world decided to use it for a half hour. When she finished, I thought I would get to use it, so I went to gather up my stuff, but by the time I looked up, a 95 (or thereabouts) year-old man was settling down on it. I wanted to scream.
So, I substituted running 100 meters for rowing. I had read that this was acceptable, but it still made me mad. I was able to complete three rounds in just over 10 minutes, but my legs were screaming by the second round. This workout was definitely not my favorite.
Also, one last irritation to share. On Friday, I skipped the WOD in favor of some good old fashioned running. I went two miles, and I was disappointed that I was only able to clear it in 18:57. However, I took some pride in knowing that this was still far better than what I was able to do even a month ago, and I've never ran so fast or so long in my life.
That day, Tony called me up and left me a voicemail just as I was in the shower. He wanted to compare 2 mile times. His was something like 17:30. This is his second time running in over eight months. I screamed at him on the phone. I was so angry. I will not rest until I beat him.
No, I'm not quitting. For crying out loud, put your pants back on.
It's time I started actually following a sensible diet. One that doesn't include binging and purging (not that I've ever done that, but I hear it has fantastic results-- and terrible consequences), starving, weird foods (I will not eat 10 bell peppers a day), or laxatives. I have a terrible addiction to all things sugary. I love sugar, and not just the white stuff you sprinkle in your coffee. I love all sugar and refined carbs. From white bread to brownies, I just can't get enough of the stuff.
And it's making me fat.
So, it's got to go. I've tried to just randomly select healthier options when I make my meals, but that's not working. I need structure, discipline and a plan to follow. That's the whole reason I'm still doing Crossfit. If I'm told what to do, and I understand the directions, I'll do what I've been told all day. If I have to chose for myself and the two options are mashed potatoes, white bread or salad with dressing, I couldn't tell you which one of those things is the best option.
Crossfitters typically follow one of two diets. The Zone Diet is less restrictive, but easy to follow and divides foods into three categories: protein, carbs and fat. The idea is to get equal "blocks" of each. The other diet is the Paleo diet. I don't know much about it, except that it requires you to give up dairy. That includes cheese. I refuse to be a vegan freak (sorry, herbivores) and therefore I will try the Zone Diet.
The Zone consists of "blocks", you get a certain number for each of the three categories listed above. The easy thing is that you get the same number for all, all day. For instance, according to the Zone Calculator, I get 15 blocks protein, 15 blocks carbs and 15 blocks of fat. There are downloadable charts that show what a block of each is. A block of carbs would consist of far more food than a block of fat.
Another way of looking at it, to simplify further, is to divide your plate into thirds. One third should be full of lean meat, while the other two thirds should be full of vegetables or fruit.
With Tony's G-day creeping ever closer (the day we will both have to give up eating gluten), I am sure that my diet will adapt to this style of eating quite quickly.
---
For those of you who take pleasure in reading of my day's activities at the gym, here is today's update.
Today's WOD was to do as many rounds of the following in 10 minutes (Buttercup level):
Row 250 meters
Sumo Deadlift High 45lbs, 15 reps
10 assisted pullups
I've never seen a sumo deadlift before today, so I tried the move out with the 45# bar first. I did a few of them, being careful when I pulled the bar up to my chest, because I read that the upright row can shred your shoulders. This part of the move did not feel comfortable to me, so I kept mostly to the lower portion of the move. I also tried to do a power clean, as well as an overhead squat, both of which I was terrible at, so I practiced basic movements and squats until I felt warmed up and ready to go.
Then I did 10 pushups and 10 situps. Situps are nothing, but the pushups are still brutal. I'm doing them on my knees, but I hate them by the 5th one every time.
Finally, I went up to the cardio room, because the rowing machine and the assisted pullup machine are very close to each other in that room, and I decided to skip the 45# bar for dumbbells instead. The Y won't let me bring a bar upstairs (I haven't tried, but I know what they'd say), and since these rounds were as many as I could do in 10 minutes, it made no sense to run downstairs and up again, where someone would most likely be using the equipment I needed by the time I got back.
The gym I go to has one working rowing machine. Never before have I ever seen another human being on it. I practically had to dust it off the first time I used it. On top of that, every time I do use it, I get odd stares from people as if they’re not sure what it is I’m doing. Today, however, the slowest woman in the world decided to use it for a half hour. When she finished, I thought I would get to use it, so I went to gather up my stuff, but by the time I looked up, a 95 (or thereabouts) year-old man was settling down on it. I wanted to scream.
So, I substituted running 100 meters for rowing. I had read that this was acceptable, but it still made me mad. I was able to complete three rounds in just over 10 minutes, but my legs were screaming by the second round. This workout was definitely not my favorite.
---
Also, one last irritation to share. On Friday, I skipped the WOD in favor of some good old fashioned running. I went two miles, and I was disappointed that I was only able to clear it in 18:57. However, I took some pride in knowing that this was still far better than what I was able to do even a month ago, and I've never ran so fast or so long in my life.
That day, Tony called me up and left me a voicemail just as I was in the shower. He wanted to compare 2 mile times. His was something like 17:30. This is his second time running in over eight months. I screamed at him on the phone. I was so angry. I will not rest until I beat him.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Organization of Life
I've never been one for organization. My room is a disaster, my bathroom the same. When I get home, everything I'm carrying gets spread out over whatever open surface is available. I have very few "homes" for things, and as a result, I am often looking for my keys, wallet, favorite shirt, or, lately, my sheet of paper with my workout times from the gym.
The YMCA is so kind as to provide slips of paper with golf pencils so that those of us who time our exercises can write down said time, tuck it into our gym bags, and then promptly lose it somewhere between the gym and home. This has become a problem lately, since I am actually making an attempt to keep track of times and make comparisons to past times, weights and measurements.
Therefore, I have decided to become completely anal retentive about the subject. In order to prove that this is indeed paying off for me, I need to be able to compare times to times and measurements to measurements. What could possibly be better than using Excel?
Google, in their infinite wisdom, has created a Documents page, so that anyone with internet access who wishes to view a spreadsheet anywhere in the world may do so. Tony and I have been using this brilliant creation for months to keep track of finances for the house. Today, I will put it to another use.
May I present: My First Chart!
Isn't it beautiful? Well, except for the last bar that shows that I gained weight. Hence my obsession with loosing it. No matter what I do, it seems to want to stick to me.
However, if you observe the following evidence, you will see that although I have gained back some weight, my hips are getting smaller.
Oh boy! One inch down! With my handy Excel graph I can now begin to obsess over that! Hooray!
Another downer: Tony just started running again and he's already beating my two mile time by about a minute. I ran two miles yesterday for a time of 18:57. I was so proud of myself. The last mile was done under 9 minutes, but the first mile I spent a lot of time ramping up. Then here comes Tony, "Oh hey, I just wanted to compare. I got 17:30, how did you do?"
I must admit, I did want to kill him. There are those of us who struggle to be above average with everything in life, and there are those who just seem to glide right through. I am the former. Tony, the latter.
Actually, that's not a fair assessment at all. I'm just bitter.
On top of it all, I twisted my knee and the ball of my foot has shooting pains every time I step on it. I think I need to learn to run. I have a feeling I run like a retarded child.
The YMCA is so kind as to provide slips of paper with golf pencils so that those of us who time our exercises can write down said time, tuck it into our gym bags, and then promptly lose it somewhere between the gym and home. This has become a problem lately, since I am actually making an attempt to keep track of times and make comparisons to past times, weights and measurements.
Therefore, I have decided to become completely anal retentive about the subject. In order to prove that this is indeed paying off for me, I need to be able to compare times to times and measurements to measurements. What could possibly be better than using Excel?
Google, in their infinite wisdom, has created a Documents page, so that anyone with internet access who wishes to view a spreadsheet anywhere in the world may do so. Tony and I have been using this brilliant creation for months to keep track of finances for the house. Today, I will put it to another use.
May I present: My First Chart!
Isn't it beautiful? Well, except for the last bar that shows that I gained weight. Hence my obsession with loosing it. No matter what I do, it seems to want to stick to me.However, if you observe the following evidence, you will see that although I have gained back some weight, my hips are getting smaller.
Oh boy! One inch down! With my handy Excel graph I can now begin to obsess over that! Hooray!Another downer: Tony just started running again and he's already beating my two mile time by about a minute. I ran two miles yesterday for a time of 18:57. I was so proud of myself. The last mile was done under 9 minutes, but the first mile I spent a lot of time ramping up. Then here comes Tony, "Oh hey, I just wanted to compare. I got 17:30, how did you do?"
I must admit, I did want to kill him. There are those of us who struggle to be above average with everything in life, and there are those who just seem to glide right through. I am the former. Tony, the latter.
Actually, that's not a fair assessment at all. I'm just bitter.
On top of it all, I twisted my knee and the ball of my foot has shooting pains every time I step on it. I think I need to learn to run. I have a feeling I run like a retarded child.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Soreness, While Not Necessary, is Inevitable
After talking with Anthony about whether being sore after a workout, I decided to post the question to the Crossfit message boards for a definitive answer from a trainer.
Let me explain: I've been wondering if I've been working hard enough lately. My weight went up a half pound when I weighed myself last week. However, my pants are looser than they have been and in general, things seem firmer than usual. Tony even said that my arms were in decent shape last night when we were joking around. Still, I worry that I'm not doing enough, especially given the weight situation and the fact that although I've been expending a ton of energy at the gym, I haven't been waking up sore lately, and I'm disappointed that the results are taking so long.
So, I asked the forum for input on how I was doing. I said I've been giving it my all (I have), but since the first week I haven't noticed any soreness that was debilitating. Here are the answers I received:
"I"m almost always sore, but usually not so stiff I can’t move. You probably did plenty, but just note what you did and how long it took and next time bump it up a bit . . ."
"From what I’ve heard, there’s no correlation between soreness and amount of cell damage you’ve caused/effort you’ve exerted in your workout. From what I hear, that’s a myth propagated by the bodybuilding community. I also heard that the slow ‘negative’ part of a rep is what mostly causes the soreness, hence in bodybuilding the ‘count 2 up, count 4 down’ timing for a rep.
I think the Crossfit way is to just do things until you are totally depleted (barring sudden injury or worse)"
"There is more muscle soreness caused by the eccentric portion of the movement. The eccentric component is stretching the muscle under load, which causes more damage. High rep RDL’s will cause more soreness than high rep deadlifts. Jumping pull ups accentuating the negative causes more soreness than pull ups. An ancillary topic of concern is heavy eccentric movements have been linked to Rhabdo, but that is probably for another thread. We don’t pursue being sore the way a bodybuilder does, it generally has no bearing on the amount of power produced in a workout.
Oh and GOOD JOB today Laura!"
(This last post is from the top trainer and moderator of the site. I'm not sure if he thinks I'm Laura or if he's referring to someone else.)
Of course, today fate paid me back for my question... in pain. I decided to try out doing back squats with 55lbs. It was quite enjoyable to see that I am now able to squat below parallel and keep my back straight. I don't rock forward onto my toes as much either anymore. However, the weight made my legs shake, and somewhere around squat no. 35, I realized I had very little strength left in my legs. I forced myself to finish it anyway and topped out at 40 squats. That means that I moved 2,200 lbs yesterday.
Wait, did I do my math right? That would mean that I moved over one ton of weight. That can't be right. Calculator says... yes. I am right. That's insane. I can't even begin to comprehend that. I feel much like Superman must have after he picked up a car for the first time. I am invincible!
Anyway, returning to the topic at hand-- I am sore. My butt is sore, my quads are killing me, my hamstrings are tight... and, like the idiot I am, I decided to wear heels to work today. Ladies, if you've ever been out dancing and spent some time "dropping it like it's hot", you know that the next day, the last thing you want to do is put on a pair of heels. It's as if your muscles bind up in resistance, making you look more awkward than a cowboy when you walk. My excuse was that my pants need to be hemmed, and I needed to wear heels or they would pool on the ground.
Today was rest day, and I was grateful. I doubt that my legs will have fully recovered by tomorrow, but I'm about to get some rest so they can heal overnight.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Lesson Learned
First, the good news: I set a new personal record today! I ran a mile in 9:31. A mile. Me. Running. On an incline- well, for part of it anyway. I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever ran a mile in under 10 minutes. I can't even begin to tell you how excited about this I was. My legs still don't like to cooperate, they get heavy and sluggish, but my lungs don't burn like they used to. It's a rush, especially when I step off the treadmill and I feel like I could keep going, maybe even do a second mile.
I didn't though, because I was worried about exhausting myself before I started the WOD. Today's WOD was 32 pull ups and 32 bar dips. So I made my way over to the assisted pull up machine and jumped on. The minute I reached for the bar, I knew it was going to be a hard workout.
You see, I strayed from the prescribed WOD yesterday. I decided that I didn't want to make an ass out of myself doing box jumps in the gym, and I was pretty sure that throwing a ball at the wall repeatedly would get me kicked out. So instead, I decided to do "Barbara" again. I did that workout about a week and a half ago, and it was my favorite so far. Barbara consists of 4 rounds of 4 pull ups, 8 push ups, 12 sit ups and 16 squats. It truly works everything. The last time I attempted this workout, I did crunches instead of sit ups. This time, I wanted to see if my time went up with the full sit ups. It was a bit slower than the prior time I attempted this workout, but I was gasping for air by the time it was over.
So when I pulled myself up today on the pull up bar, I could feel the tension in my arms, fighting against me as I struggled to pull myself up. I ended up using a higher weight to assist me, but I was still fighting to make the last few pull ups at the end.
Lesson learned: don't stray from the WOD. Typically, workouts don't use the same major muscle groups two days in a row, to keep from overworking and straining muscles. There's something to be said for just doing what you're told and not having to think about it.
Once again, I'm exhausted. I'm also ticked off that the whole bedtime thing is cutting into my nights out. Friday I was out until about 1am, and I felt terrible the next morning. I still woke up at 7am, right on time, and it was extremely difficult to fall back asleep, even for a moment. I don't like waking up that early, and I hate, hate, hate feeling like I'm going to fall asleep on the couch at 9pm while trying to watch Scrubs. I also need to get some more motivation to kick my butt out of bed on the days that I don't work until 11am. I might not go back to sleep, but I don't exactly get out of bed and conquer the world either.
I've been craving a coffee, ice cream, cookies, any kind of treat lately. For the most part I'm able to keep it at bay. I don't really eat a whole lot, but I do snack on cereal throughout the day.
I didn't report on Friday, but I gained a half pound. That was really hard to see. I've been working my ass off and I'm gaining weight. That's not exactly incentive to go to the gym. So lately, I've been incorporating more cardio into my workouts. I try to run or use the rowing machine. Everything else is just crap. I used to spend hours on the elliptical with no results, now I'm running like crazy. Hopefully I'll start seeing more results from that.
I should rephrase that. I have seen results, but they're small and slow. My pants fit better, but they're not loose yet. I can wear a few shirts that looked terrible three weeks ago, but I worry that I'm not getting results fast enough. It's hard to ignore the diets and plans out there that promise 10lbs lost in 15 minutes, but I know if I go about doing it that way, I'll never keep it off and I'll never make a change.
I didn't though, because I was worried about exhausting myself before I started the WOD. Today's WOD was 32 pull ups and 32 bar dips. So I made my way over to the assisted pull up machine and jumped on. The minute I reached for the bar, I knew it was going to be a hard workout.
You see, I strayed from the prescribed WOD yesterday. I decided that I didn't want to make an ass out of myself doing box jumps in the gym, and I was pretty sure that throwing a ball at the wall repeatedly would get me kicked out. So instead, I decided to do "Barbara" again. I did that workout about a week and a half ago, and it was my favorite so far. Barbara consists of 4 rounds of 4 pull ups, 8 push ups, 12 sit ups and 16 squats. It truly works everything. The last time I attempted this workout, I did crunches instead of sit ups. This time, I wanted to see if my time went up with the full sit ups. It was a bit slower than the prior time I attempted this workout, but I was gasping for air by the time it was over.
So when I pulled myself up today on the pull up bar, I could feel the tension in my arms, fighting against me as I struggled to pull myself up. I ended up using a higher weight to assist me, but I was still fighting to make the last few pull ups at the end.
Lesson learned: don't stray from the WOD. Typically, workouts don't use the same major muscle groups two days in a row, to keep from overworking and straining muscles. There's something to be said for just doing what you're told and not having to think about it.
Once again, I'm exhausted. I'm also ticked off that the whole bedtime thing is cutting into my nights out. Friday I was out until about 1am, and I felt terrible the next morning. I still woke up at 7am, right on time, and it was extremely difficult to fall back asleep, even for a moment. I don't like waking up that early, and I hate, hate, hate feeling like I'm going to fall asleep on the couch at 9pm while trying to watch Scrubs. I also need to get some more motivation to kick my butt out of bed on the days that I don't work until 11am. I might not go back to sleep, but I don't exactly get out of bed and conquer the world either.
I've been craving a coffee, ice cream, cookies, any kind of treat lately. For the most part I'm able to keep it at bay. I don't really eat a whole lot, but I do snack on cereal throughout the day.
I didn't report on Friday, but I gained a half pound. That was really hard to see. I've been working my ass off and I'm gaining weight. That's not exactly incentive to go to the gym. So lately, I've been incorporating more cardio into my workouts. I try to run or use the rowing machine. Everything else is just crap. I used to spend hours on the elliptical with no results, now I'm running like crazy. Hopefully I'll start seeing more results from that.
I should rephrase that. I have seen results, but they're small and slow. My pants fit better, but they're not loose yet. I can wear a few shirts that looked terrible three weeks ago, but I worry that I'm not getting results fast enough. It's hard to ignore the diets and plans out there that promise 10lbs lost in 15 minutes, but I know if I go about doing it that way, I'll never keep it off and I'll never make a change.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Learning Thrusters
Today, after work, I went straight to the gym. As usual, it was packed, despite being about 7:30 on a Wednesday. I'm beginning to think that there are some people who just sleep at the Y overnight, then get back up in the morning and position themselves on the machines just to take up space.
Yesterday when I went, they were out of lockers in the women's room, so I had to use the all-ages locker room, which was full of little girls. I can't explain how creepy that was. Although there were older women also in the locker room, most of them were with their children, and here I was, 25, alone and getting naked in front of children. All the sinks were super low, with stools for the kids to stand on as they washed their hands, and even the lockers were half the height of the normal ones. I could see clear over the tops of them as I hurried to shove my clothes in so I could get out. After my workout, I decided that the shortened shower heads were just too weird, so I went home without showering. I smelled terrible.
Today, at least there were women's lockers available, so I was quite content as I went to the cardio room and got on the only remaining treadmill, which-- quite unexpectedly-- was one of the four treadmills that had a personal television above it. Usually, these are the first to go, and I had not yet had the opportunity to try one out. I was not pleased when I found out that the headphone jack on it did not work, but I turned on the news, played music from my phone (also a walkman) and stared at the talking heads while I ran.
I know there are a lot of experts that will say not to watch TV while working out, and I agree. But since I had the sound off, I merely stared at the closed caption words and let my mind drift. Before I knew it, I was turning the speed up higher on the machine, and running steadily at a faster pace than I had previously achieved. Including my 3 minute warm-up, I ran 1.9 miles in 20:45 minutes-- a new personal record! If I had warmed up, and then reset the distance, I'm sure my time would have averaged well under 10 minutes a mile. The girl who passed out after running the mile in high school can now run two of them without even inducing an asthma attack.
After the run, I went to the weight room and decided to try the prescribed WOD- thrusters. For a video of the exercise, click here. The idea of the WOD was to increase your weight with each thruster, until you couldn't handle anymore. You got 7 tries. I've never done a squat with weight before, so I decided to try with the bar alone first (weighs 45 lbs) and go from there. As soon as I picked up the bar, I knew I was in trouble. 45 pounds of a long bar combined with terrible balance was not in my favor. I practiced the arm portion first, then tried to squat with the bar. I wobbled and almost fell over. It was obvious that I was not going to achieve the desired form today, so I opted for learning the moves and working on squatting with a weight. I ended up doing 4 sets of 5 squats and working on getting the bar comfortably on my shoulders. I didn't really even try to get it over my head after my first two tries. Obviously this move is way out of my comfort zone and will require more practice.
It's now waaaay past my bedtime, but I really needed to get all of this down before I got too far behind.
Yesterday when I went, they were out of lockers in the women's room, so I had to use the all-ages locker room, which was full of little girls. I can't explain how creepy that was. Although there were older women also in the locker room, most of them were with their children, and here I was, 25, alone and getting naked in front of children. All the sinks were super low, with stools for the kids to stand on as they washed their hands, and even the lockers were half the height of the normal ones. I could see clear over the tops of them as I hurried to shove my clothes in so I could get out. After my workout, I decided that the shortened shower heads were just too weird, so I went home without showering. I smelled terrible.
Today, at least there were women's lockers available, so I was quite content as I went to the cardio room and got on the only remaining treadmill, which-- quite unexpectedly-- was one of the four treadmills that had a personal television above it. Usually, these are the first to go, and I had not yet had the opportunity to try one out. I was not pleased when I found out that the headphone jack on it did not work, but I turned on the news, played music from my phone (also a walkman) and stared at the talking heads while I ran.
I know there are a lot of experts that will say not to watch TV while working out, and I agree. But since I had the sound off, I merely stared at the closed caption words and let my mind drift. Before I knew it, I was turning the speed up higher on the machine, and running steadily at a faster pace than I had previously achieved. Including my 3 minute warm-up, I ran 1.9 miles in 20:45 minutes-- a new personal record! If I had warmed up, and then reset the distance, I'm sure my time would have averaged well under 10 minutes a mile. The girl who passed out after running the mile in high school can now run two of them without even inducing an asthma attack.
After the run, I went to the weight room and decided to try the prescribed WOD- thrusters. For a video of the exercise, click here. The idea of the WOD was to increase your weight with each thruster, until you couldn't handle anymore. You got 7 tries. I've never done a squat with weight before, so I decided to try with the bar alone first (weighs 45 lbs) and go from there. As soon as I picked up the bar, I knew I was in trouble. 45 pounds of a long bar combined with terrible balance was not in my favor. I practiced the arm portion first, then tried to squat with the bar. I wobbled and almost fell over. It was obvious that I was not going to achieve the desired form today, so I opted for learning the moves and working on squatting with a weight. I ended up doing 4 sets of 5 squats and working on getting the bar comfortably on my shoulders. I didn't really even try to get it over my head after my first two tries. Obviously this move is way out of my comfort zone and will require more practice.
It's now waaaay past my bedtime, but I really needed to get all of this down before I got too far behind.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Hell Hath Frozen O'er
The headline refers to the fact that I posted twice in a day.
Today's workout was short, but rough. I decided to try some new moves. The WOD called for something called "glute-ham situps," which look really fun, but aren't, combined with back extensions, which always remind me that my back is really weak.
To start, I decided I had enough of running for a few days and I decided to learn how to use the rowing machine. There are about 50 treadmills, 30 elipticals, four stair climbers, and various other nonsensical cardio equipment scattered about-- but only one rowing machine. It is placed dead in the center of the room, almost as if to humiliate those who dare to use it. It looks extremely old, but that could be because it's covered with a layer of dust. I perched on it, trying to look like I knew what I was doing, strapped myself in, and set the timer for 10 minutes. The machine was misleadingly easy to begin, and tons of fun, at first. I was immediately amused by the gliding effect of the seat, which felt that it belonged on an amusement ride rather than a peice of gym equipment. However, after the fourth minute or so, the excitement began to wain and the actual work was getting more and more difficult. The machine seemed to have an instinct that correctly gagued how hard I was pulling and set the difficulty accordingly. So as I pulled harder, it became more difficult. This quickly became a difficult battle to win, so I settled for trying to keep a steady force going. Despite the issues, I would use it again. It burns calories like nothing else and it is more entertaining than running in place.
On to our feature of the day. Glute-ham situps are performed on what I'm going to refer to as a pummel horse with foot anchors. Imagine you are sitting on a pummel horse, both legs on the same side. Your feet are extended straight in front of you, where they are bound by two padded rollers. One roller on top and one on the bottom of each ankle. Now, you lean backward until your back is parallel to the floor, looking strange and worrying that you will fall off the horse because your workout pants are slippery. You then return to a sitting position. But that's not all. Once you have determined that you will not fall off the horse, you are required to bend backward, one arm extended over your head until your head nearly touches the ground. Instead of returning to a sitting position, you use all your force in your glutes, hamstrings and abs to propel you past a sitting position until you are touching your toes. Quite an excrutiating exercise, I assure you.
For a better, more visual description, you can watch the video here: http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_GHDSitupElements.wmv
I also decided to try my luck with elevated push-ups off an inflated ball. I'm not the most graceful person in the world, and I misjudged the distance between myself and the ball when I attempted to wedge it under my hips for a sea-saw effect push-up. I ended up bouncing around on the thing, looking positively hilarious, I'm sure, and causing the indian man who was sitting near me to abruptly decide to find another place to stretch, even though the gym was to capacity. It was worth it, I was able to do the push-ups.
Total workout time: 30 minutes. Current mood: exhausted.
Today's workout was short, but rough. I decided to try some new moves. The WOD called for something called "glute-ham situps," which look really fun, but aren't, combined with back extensions, which always remind me that my back is really weak.
To start, I decided I had enough of running for a few days and I decided to learn how to use the rowing machine. There are about 50 treadmills, 30 elipticals, four stair climbers, and various other nonsensical cardio equipment scattered about-- but only one rowing machine. It is placed dead in the center of the room, almost as if to humiliate those who dare to use it. It looks extremely old, but that could be because it's covered with a layer of dust. I perched on it, trying to look like I knew what I was doing, strapped myself in, and set the timer for 10 minutes. The machine was misleadingly easy to begin, and tons of fun, at first. I was immediately amused by the gliding effect of the seat, which felt that it belonged on an amusement ride rather than a peice of gym equipment. However, after the fourth minute or so, the excitement began to wain and the actual work was getting more and more difficult. The machine seemed to have an instinct that correctly gagued how hard I was pulling and set the difficulty accordingly. So as I pulled harder, it became more difficult. This quickly became a difficult battle to win, so I settled for trying to keep a steady force going. Despite the issues, I would use it again. It burns calories like nothing else and it is more entertaining than running in place.
On to our feature of the day. Glute-ham situps are performed on what I'm going to refer to as a pummel horse with foot anchors. Imagine you are sitting on a pummel horse, both legs on the same side. Your feet are extended straight in front of you, where they are bound by two padded rollers. One roller on top and one on the bottom of each ankle. Now, you lean backward until your back is parallel to the floor, looking strange and worrying that you will fall off the horse because your workout pants are slippery. You then return to a sitting position. But that's not all. Once you have determined that you will not fall off the horse, you are required to bend backward, one arm extended over your head until your head nearly touches the ground. Instead of returning to a sitting position, you use all your force in your glutes, hamstrings and abs to propel you past a sitting position until you are touching your toes. Quite an excrutiating exercise, I assure you.
For a better, more visual description, you can watch the video here: http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_GHDSitupElements.wmv
I also decided to try my luck with elevated push-ups off an inflated ball. I'm not the most graceful person in the world, and I misjudged the distance between myself and the ball when I attempted to wedge it under my hips for a sea-saw effect push-up. I ended up bouncing around on the thing, looking positively hilarious, I'm sure, and causing the indian man who was sitting near me to abruptly decide to find another place to stretch, even though the gym was to capacity. It was worth it, I was able to do the push-ups.
Total workout time: 30 minutes. Current mood: exhausted.
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