It’s a Brand New Year

I haven’t written anything here in months. That doesn’t mean I’ve stopped working out and have been eating everything is sight. I’ve been maintaining my weight and working out 3-5 times a week. But today was the first time I did anything for two weeks. Here’s where I’m headed into the new year:

Bike Trainer:
I want to ride the bike trainer 30-40 minutes 4x a week. I have one interval training DVD that I use 1x per week. Most of the time, I’m riding a varied workout with my iPod along for the ride. I’m still not sure where this bike riding stuff is going, so I’m just going to hold and push it – try to make some real progress.

Weight Training:
I’ve been off of this for about the last 6 weeks. I want to get back into a basic routine 2x per week and build myself back up. Long term 2x a week is enough, I think.

Running:
Oh, how I miss my runs. But realistically, unless I break down and hit the treadmill, running is a limited activity for my future. If my 4 year-old decides he wants to try bike riding by his upcoming birthday, we’re in like flynn. But, I don’t see that happening. So, when the weather warms up, I’ll take a few runs here and there for fun – especially with the new dog.

Eating:
I’ve become a fussy eater. If there’s nothing in the fridge that I don’t love, I don’t snack. It works well. I have a few things on hand to munch on, but then I just drink low calorie drinks – and water – all day long. I usually have a larger dinner, but even then, it’s not much. Being sick with a sore throat actually helped me from pigging out over the holidays, although I did miss some yummy foods.

What about DVDS? Anything new?

I’m hoping to use what I have this year. I regularly use my weight training DVDs (Jari Love, Cathe Freidrich) and also a biking DVD (Spinervals.) I might try a little Tae Bo when I can.

Now, this isn’t a New Year’s Resolution kind of thing. I’m exercising all the way through to 2010 and beyond….this is just a chance to refocus after sickness, out of town company and a hubby on vacation. I’ll probably do it several times this year to try and stay motivated.

I know a lot of folk who are trying new things in the new year. What’s your new thing?

Still Hanging in There

Wow, it’s been a long time since I wrote here. It isn’t that I haven’t been working out, it’s that blogging about my workout routine seems impossible at times.

I’m not doing much these days. I’m just trying to ride my bike trainer as many days of the week as I can. With the change in weather and the fall and now holiday schedule, I feel like mindless (but furious) pedaling is about all I can handle.

I’m still maintaining my weight, and seeing some definition in my legs and abs, surprisingly.

I’m just continuing to fight the good fight here. My big holiday weight tip – don’t bring in the goodies until a few days before Christmas. This is my plan – to soak my family in cookies and such right around the 25th and then hopefully they will be gone.

Of course, my biggest temptation is the potato chips and dips…..

Merry Christmas to you all.

Pursuing Fitness Every Day

In the past I was able to have fitness at the very center of what I did. I recorded my workout details with precision. I read supporting literature about my various workouts. I looked for more ideas on how to improve my times and get better at working out. Exercise defined a big part of who I was.

Enter, two kids…and I’m the Mommy. While I have been able to focus on goals and record workouts and find more information on exercise as the Mommy, I have not been able to do it with any level of consistency. My exercise life, is now a very small part of who I am and what I do. But I still go. I’m still in there.

My workouts have evolved since my mid summer challenge. Right now, I’m coming off the post vacation transition. My plan is to ride my spinning bike 3 days per week, lift weights 2 days per week and run 1 day per week. But, I’m kind of fickle these days, so I’m not sure what I’m really going to do on a day to day basis. It’s going to be something mind you.

I will continue to write about the things that I learn about myself here. How much, how often – who knows!

Turning the Corner

I really should change the name of this blog…as my running is fading away. I want to run. But now that I can ride my bike on my back porch and get a good workout, I’d rather do that than run.

Last week, I did 3 bike workouts of an hour and 2 weight training workouts (1 light weight and 1 heavy weight).

I also lost another 1/4 inch on my thighs. I didn’t measure anywhere else, but wondered if the cycling would effect my legs. It did.

I was trying to get a look at what a real spinning program is all about to tailor my own bike training. I’m having such fun just doing it my way. I just make up a few play lists. I always start with the same song and finish with the same one. I choose a play list and then go to town. If it’s a faster song, I gear down and peddle faster. If it’s a slower one, I gear up and push hard. Sometimes I sit strait up, and sometimes I bend over the handle bars. Sometimes, I even sing. And since I’m on the back porch, my neighbors laugh – because there is no music to drowned out the horribleness of it all.

I see that spinners stand and ride. You know, I never stand and ride when I ride a bike on the road. Never. Never. Really. But, I may try that to see how it feels.

I want to monitor my heartrate to see how it compares to running. But, my Garmin is down for the count and off for repair. I’m curious to see what it will reveal. I already know that I can make my legs into rubber.

How low can I go? I ask myself that.

Moving Forward

I had planned to do another fitness challenge starting next week. But honestly, things are getting very close around here. As we wind down the summer, I just never seem to have enough hours in the day. So I’m going to do the best I can to get in my workouts, but I’m going to have to let myself slide. After all, I’m a mommy first and sometimes, there just isn’t time for exercise….like on Wednesday. I had a sick kid, and he just needed me to hold him – in the middle of the night. Once I get a big sleep disadvantage, that’s it for me. I really have a hard time overcoming.

But this week, I managed a few workout triumphs -

Monday – Heavier weight lifting – Cathe Friedrich video
Tuesday – 45 minutes on the bike
Thursday – 55 minutes on the bike

I’m hoping to finish off the week with a run and some weights. Our jogging stroller is on its last legs, so that’s a factor in the running situation for me. I may have to pare down to once a week – when I can leave the boys at home. In the meantime, I’m going to use my heartrate monitor to try and get a baseline on my heartrate so I can work towards a similar heartrate on the bike. I’m not confident that the bike is as good of a workout as running. And I want to maximize it. Although I’d love to try a spinning video, I’m just not sure right now and am enjoying pedaling away to my iPod. I so rarely listen to non – kid music.

Onward and forward.

The Results

Here are my measurements as of this morning. I’ve shown the change in parenthesis to the right. I’m kind of surprised because I don’t feel any smaller really. The hips was the biggest shocker to me. I haven’t noticed any difference in clothes, but it’s also summer and most of my stuff is loose anyway.

Chest -34.25 (-.25)
Waist- 31.25 (-1)
Hips -36.5 (-1.5)
Thigh – 17.75 (-.5)
Arm – 10.15 (-.85)

Weight – 141 (-2.4)

What’s next? I’m adding 1 heavy weights routine to my week and hitting the bike rather than running during the week. I’m trying to cruise through until school programs start for my little guys, at which time, I hope to rise at 6 am to complete exercise routines…..

Fitness Challenge – Finishing Up

Friday – Light Weights Workout – Slim and Lean
Saturday – 6ish mile run pushing stroller

I finished up my fitness challenge today. I had to push myself because Saturdays I usually get a free pass from pushing the stroller. But my dh had a home improvement project that needed his attention before the sun got high and the attic got hot. So, if I wanted to run in the cooler hours, I had to take the boys. Some cooler hours though. It was 80 when we started and 88 when we got back. At least the sun hadn’t climbed high enough to scare away all of our shade.

I’m planning on weighing in with my final numbers. I shaved a few pounds. My abs are looking tighter, but still not presentable in public. I’ll be posting that tomorrow!

Fitness Challenge – 141

I finally weighed myself today. I weigh 141. Whoooo. I’ve lost a few pounds over this challenge. But actually, about 6 weeks ago, I was 147. So I’m happy to be on the downside. I’d like to get back into the 130s – but am not sure if I want it bad enough.

I’ve been working out.

Wednesday – Lifting weights Ripped and Chiseled.
Thursday – 45 minutes on the bike.

It’s surely hard to get motivated to run when it’s 81 degrees at 7 AM and you know that 9AM is going to be the earliest that you can get out the door. What would it have been at 10AM when I got back? Already in the 90s. Yeah, that kind of day. I’m much rather pedal in my porch with my fan in the shade….but Saturday, I’m so there with the running.

I really love to run. I love to be out there alone with my thoughts and just go-go-going. Although with the whole bunion thing, it’s not as effortless. Once I get this blister completely healed, I’m hoping that my feet will just feel a whole lot better. (I have a blister on my bunion that is still tender.) Isn’t it great to get old.

I got my new Runners World today and saw the article there on Ryan Hall and his faith. How cool is that? I haven’t gotten a chance to read the whole thing, but I’m very impressed that RW would even cover it from that angle.

Two more days until my fitness challenge ends….whew. I’m already planning ahead – heavy weights will be subbed in. And I may try to do weights and biking in a single day – so I can have more actual days off. I haven’t quite made up my mind yet!

Keeping the Dream Alive – Fitness Challenge Continues

What day is it anyway?

I had a slug day yesterday. After grocery shopping, there was no way I could motivate myself to get out there and lift weights. I’ve been having a lot of broken sleep lately, so I tried a nap option instead. It worked to some degree – as much as my 4 y.o. would let me.

But today, someone called me a Super Mom on another blog…ahhhhh! I’m not a Super Mom….I can hardly drag my butt out of bed in the morning. I pull the covers over my head and hope the 4 y.o. will go away. He never does….

In light of that, I found myself compelled to run this morning – according to schedule. It is a super hot/humid day and my Garmin is FRIED. So that gave me a little wiggle room to do our almost-6-mile run with modified walking segments according to the whims of my children.

I came back absolutely drenched in sweat. My shirt was so wet, I had to pull it off. To which my 4 y.o responded – you look like the lady on your workout DVD now (only a sports bra on.) Then he took off his shirt to be just like me. What a kid! Glad he isn’t a girl.

But, I still can’t shake the weariness that has been dogging me this last couple of weeks. I took a small nap this morning after I put the almost-2 y.o down, but I’m still tired….

I’m planning on kicking butt the rest of the week, although the gaping blister I have on my right hand from raking is going to present a little problem when I hit the weights tomorrow.

Fitness Challenge – Day 19, 20

Day 19 -
Back to the weights today. I did Slim and Lean again and only had one minor distraction. My dog escaped into my neighbors fenced in yard, which took some work to get her back out – and the help of the neighbor. I don’t know how big fat dog with the broken hips shimmied through the opening, but she did.

I did well, otherwise, but was kind of exhausted in the arms and shoulders afterward. I felt it all day.

Day 20 -
I wanted to run today, but getting the gang together for a run just seemed like it would cut into my whole day, so I decided to try the new bike and spin along. I went for 45 minutes. I made a special spin mix for my iPod. I started out with a warm up song. Then on the next song, I gradually built up, increasing the gears as I went. During the next song, I stayed in the higher gears and pushed through, then I dropped back down for the next song, working my way back up again. It really worked pretty well. I need a slight seat adjustment and a little adjustment time of my own (sore butt).

I also ended up raking the pine straw in my back yard for about 2 hours. That was a workout in itself.

Tomorrow is technically my day off. I may try to squeeze in a little bike ride to make up for Tuesday…we’ll see how the day unfolds.

I have one more week on this challenge…whoooo!