Oh, NOW I remember!

Gotta love the ol selective memory. It seems every time I jump back onto the high protein/lower carb (don't freak out - I'm not going Atkins extreme here) bandwagon, I immediately fall back in love with the rush of ketosis -- so much so that I conveniently forget all of the miserable effing side-effects.

Starting with...constipation.

Yeah, I'm goin' there. Deal with it or move on. Lord knows, I'm not. Oh, you bet that was a pun. I went there again.

Sorry, I'm a little cranky.

As with any dietary adjustment - the body and its, shall we say, functions, also take their sweet time to adjust.

AND I DON'T LIKE IT.

Thing is, if I only just ramped up the exercise a bit more, I'd probably be fine. Historically, I have been.

But, frankly, I don't want to do the 60-90 minutes of heavy cardio 4x per week plus 2 pilates/yoga sessions that I was doing before. It was un-friggin-sustainable --- and when my mind and body had finally hit its limit, I stopped all of it and never really got back on track again for a full year. (See the blog post lapse for proof.)

I also am not a fan of laxatives because, for starters, your body becomes dependent upon them and I really don't feel like popping Miralax for the rest of my natural born life.

So, for as great as I feel and for as much weight and as many inches as I am losing...the balance still isn't quite there.

Frankly, the only diet plan I was ever on that had me feeling equal parts energized and regular was the vegan plan...and, damn it, I don't want to give up sushi or steak again ever. Cutting down is all I can reasonably stand. (Oh, and bacon. I'd be a goner without the occasional piece of bacon - even turkey bacon!)

I guess it's off to rejigger this whole plan again. Up the cardio a bit more and up the complex carbs and fiber (even though - honestly - I am taking in at least 25g and upwards of 30g of fiber per day!). Need to pull back on the dairy, too. That's not doing me any favors.

Why can't I just find one way of being, stick with it and move on? Because I bore too easily, that's why! Ergh.

"Your Body Doesn't Just Have A Front And A Back..."

"It also has sides."

Ellen Barrett shared that odd bit of painfully obvious information with me yesterday afternoon during my first attempt at "Grace & Gusto". I laughed and likely even barked something snarky back.

Fast forward to today. Whadya know? My body has sides. And holy mother of moly do they hurt.

If you want a deceptively simple workout, try this one. As you've likely gleaned, I'm a big fan of Ellen Barrett's workouts. I started with her Crunch titles for about a year and have now moved on to her fusion studio series (a bunch of which are live - and that really ups the energy), starting with Power Fusion for the past four months, 2x a week. There are a whole bunch of titles in the series and they all blend together for a full week of workouts if that's something you're after - there's Power Fusion, Grace & Gusto, Fusion Flow, Fat Burning Fusion and Barefoot Cardio. I can only vouch for PF and G&G so far.

All of her workouts feature a methodical mashup of yoga, pilates and dance - and you don't have to have any clue about any of these disciplines to get through them.  She blends them together seamlessly. In fact, if you were thinking of getting into yoga or pilates and are more familiar with basic cardio routines, this series is probably a great bridge.

Overall, what I like about Ellen's approach: Her workouts move around a lot. There's little repetition - at least, what does repeat doesn't happen all at the same time - so, they're not monotonous. She explains things - the how and the why of every move. She lets you off easy and doesn't scream at you a la Jillian Michaels (so not my cup of tea - I prefer to yell, not to be yelled at). She works to build your total body fitness (explaining the "flow" mentioned in many titles). This helps you learn how to use your whole body, as opposed to merely targeting trouble spots in isolation. Oh, and the only piece of equipment you need is your body and a mat. Honestly, if you have a carpet, you don't even need a mat!

This 45 minute workout really flew by and I was surprised by how not wiped out I felt afterwards. Part of me wondered if it really had any affect at all.

Oh...it did. This one's definitely staying in the rotation. It works a lot of the same areas as the kettlebells, actually - with a lot less power and potential danger. I think my kettlebell is going to become a glorified dumbbell for my strength training days - or a doorstop. My lower back is going to be thrilled.

Taking The Training Wheels Off...Again

Last week, out of the blue, I decided I was done with Medifast.

It dawned on me that I had been on the plan for six months. SIX MONTHS! And, while it was an incredible -- and I mean incredible -- aid to my overall weight loss (I lost 69 pounds on the plan!)...I was starting to let it become a crutch and it was also beginning to undermine my intended path to wellness.

So, I'm taking the training wheels off of my diet again and going it alone -- for the rest of my life. Just 43 pounds to go! Sure, it'll take me a little longer to get there, but I know I'm doing what's right for me. 

When I started Medifast, I was just under 300 pounds and, while I was working out pretty regularly, I wasn't working out all that hard -- at least not in retrospect. Honestly, carrying that much weight, how could I have worked out that hard without blowing out my knees? Still, weigh as much as I did, it also didn't take nearly as much effort to burn a boatload of calories...since any effort required moving a hell of a lot more person to accomplish the feat.

When I've been fit in the past, I've always loved working out. Scratch that. Hated working out. Loved the feeling that came with it. That feeling always propelled me to work out an "extra five minutes" which occasionally turned into ten...and sometimes even became a second workout later in the day. 

Last week, that feeling came back to me...for the first time since 2001. The problem: I was on Medifast. 

See, on Medifast, you're quite literally fasting (hence the name). It's all very scientific and genius...you deprive your body of carbs/fuel in a very controlled and sneaky way and it's left to tap into the only source of energy it has available -- fat! The only downside is that it's quite a delicate balance, this trick you're playing on your body, and if you work out too much or too hard (they recommend 45 minutes tops/day), you could send your body reeling into starvation mode...and could harm yourself in the process, all without burning that wretched fat. Kind of defeats the purpose of working out, no?

Here's the crazy shit that was swirling around in my brain last week: "But...but...I want to work out. I want my muscles to be sleek and toned. I want that fat to burn off super fast, yes...but...I want to work out. I'm dying here on this couch. I need to..."

So, rather abruptly and kind of against the plan I had set out for myself leading up to the wedding...I quit Medifast cold turkey and went back to healthy eating...and I started working out longer and with a hell of a lot more effort. 

Now, here's the other reason M-fasters will think I'm insane: I quit without transitioning out of the plan. Medifast, and arguably rightly so, STRONGLY encourages clients to slowly transition out of the diet and into healthier eating. Here's why I skipped the transition: A.) I missed eating and cooking healthy foods; B.) I'd already been eating smaller, healthier meals before even going onto Medifast; something most Medifasters can't claim. Most Medifasters go right from their bad eating habits onto the plan. I had already lost 68 pounds completely on my own prior to starting the plan...so, I already have the tools I need to survive in the real eating world; C.) Medifast is f-ing expensive, y'all! 

Now it's off to work out! Here's my latest favorite: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Fusion-Ellen-Barrett/dp/B005OMN9E8

103...Abs and Arms: You're On Notice!

It's still odd for me to conceptualize any number over 99. The 3 digits 1-0-0 were something I had always hoped I'd see in terms of weight loss, but, if I'm being totally honest with myself, I'm not entirely certain it's a milestone I completely and wholeheartedly believed I had the ability to achieve. Yet, here I sit at 103 pounds lost (as of last night). Now my goal of losing a full 180-185 doesn't seem nearly as impossible or far off. In fact, I think that I might just make it there by the time I get married in July.

Here's the latest round of pics.

Ooops! Now, how did THAT get in there?

The difference over the past few weeks has really been in my abdominal region and in my arms. I've gotten a lot more aggressive there.

On top of the bike, which I do at about 16-18 mph for 30-35 minutes 3-4x per week plus a ten minute hand weight routine, I'm also still doing my full body 40 minute pilates workout at least 2x per week.

Then, I've just added a customized stability ball and resistance band workout to the arm, arse and ab toning regimen. The ball/band routine is still a work in progress, but here are the highlights:

I've combined the Biggest Loser Stability Ball Workout (if you're interested, it came with this product: http://www.amazon.com/Biggest-Loser-Advantage-Stability-Orange/dp/B001JIV6A0)

...with a core routine courtesy of Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/stronger-abs-in-fifteen-minutes-00000000022852/index.html)

...plus another resistance band routine, also courtesy of Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/workouts/resistance-band-exercises-00100000067997/index.html)

I've cut the overlapping exercises, making it about a 25-30 minute strength training blast. It's a nice change from what I've been doing and a hell of a challenge. Did this on Friday and am still sore on Sunday. That "Monkey" exercise in the last RS workout is a hell of a killer.

Anyway, I think I've ramped things up in the exercise department just enough to hold me for at least another month. I've built in a good amount of variety and challenges to keep me interested as well. I really want to see my abs and arms take shape, so it feels good to start targeting them more directly. The rest of me is kind of falling (or raising) into place pretty naturally.

As for the diet, Medifast is shockingly easy for me to stick with. It's been weird to move back to being a carnivore...but I'm still steering pretty clear of red meat (minus the roast beef yesterday). That said, I feel a lot of energy, I see a lot of progress and, while it's friggin expensive as all hell, I also see it as a worthy investment in my future. I'm actually really glad that I started it when I did, since it does put me on a path to be pretty slim (if not at my goal weight) by mid-July. I had no idea we'd be getting hitched back when I hopped on the train in November, but things do often have a mysterious way of working out.

Onward and downward!

99 Problems (but it sure beats 100)

Today, (well - yesterday, really - but I'm blogging about it today) I hit 86 pounds of weight loss.

For those of you keeping score, that means I only have 99 pounds left to lose. Now, I know the word "only" is pretty laughable -- but, for me, the fact that I no longer have over 100 pounds to go is as much a psychological achievement as it is a physical one.

The past few pounds have really started to show in my ab region -- and thank friggin' bejeebus, because I have been doing so much targeted core work, it's almost absurd. Between pilates 2-3x/week, my 2-3x/week on the bike (which also works the abs and lower back) and my general mat ab work that I try to do an additional 1x/week, it's about damn time that my spare tire shrink from SUV size to something you'd maybe find on a Smart Car.

Maybe you can see the change too -- here are the latest pics.

Still Shrinking

As you can see from the sidebar from MyFitnessPal over there on the left, I'm still shrinking away. 83 pounds now. Pretty certain that unless I have a leg amputated between now and 12/31, my unrealistic goal of 100 pounds lost in 2011 isn't going to happen - but 90 would make me crazy happy...and I'm pretty sure I can do it!

Medifast is easier than I thought. For as much as I'm paying for it, it damn well better be, right? I've lost 15 pounds on the plan since I started on November 4th. That's pretty friggin remarkable, if you ask me. It definitely knocked me off of the plateau I had been on (I was losing less than a pound a week - which wouldn't be an awful thing if I didn't have so much left to lose).

I've been working out at about 85% of what I had been doing before -- since my calories are so reduced, I don't want to go into starvation mode. Honestly, for as much as I really don't enjoy working out - it's been a nice reprieve. Plus, it's what I'm supposed to be doing, so I can't feel the least bit guilty either.

Giving up alcohol is also not nearly as tough as I thought it would be. On the plan, you just can't drink. It makes sense, since booze are so carbolicious and the calories are empty. I go out a LOT since I manage my boyfriend's band - every weekend on average. Plus, we usually get free drinks at the gigs. It's a lot of temptation to live down - or so I thought. That being said, on New Year's Eve, I'm having a few beverages. I'll have to be careful though, since my tolerance just isn't what it used to be.

Not Much To Say

The Vegan thing...yeeeeah, not so much. I think 6 out of 7 days is a pretty decent goal - and manageable. On the 7th day, however, I need sushi. Period.

Down 61 pounds on this slow and frustrating path to weight loss and healthy living. The workouts are definitely harder this week than last as well. Still, I'm soldiering on. About to go and do some pilates after finishing this brief update.

Have a wedding to go to this weekend. Fortunately, it's more of a cocktail party/hippie wedding...and I don't expect many diet-killing grenades to be tossed in my direction. The road trip to New Hampshire, however...that could prove challenging. Oh well. Have to figure out a way to travel and eat healthier sometime, right?

Oh yeah, and it's one hundred bajillion degrees outside. Thank God I have a home gym setup or else, I'd have to do some DIY bikram on the back porch and risk heat stroke.

Hope you're all doing well and, if you're in the 2/3 of the country currently boiling, stay hydrated and take care of yourselves!!! Here's to our crumbling power grid hanging on by a thread over the next few days...

New Toys!

Meet my new desk chair.

No, that's not me...God, I wish it was! Sadly, I will never have the bony ass I so covet...not even if I take up anorexia as a hobby.

Still, I have a newer and larger Yoga Ball and I'm so happy I bought it!

I had a smaller yoga ball for certain exercises, but I had read some time ago that if you sit on one at your desk or while watching tv, you're constantly contracting your core - as in your abs.

Well, I hate sit-ups. We've established this. And, while I do enough to say that I've done them...I don't really do enough to firm them as much as I should. Then, I started sitting on my old yoga ball. YEEEOW! Hello tighter upper and lower abs. Hiya, smoother lower back muscles. Dayum, my improved posture makes my boobs look perky.

So, last week I decided to up the ante and get a bigger and better yoga ball for my height - one to use when I'm sitting at my desk. I'll eventually get up to a few hours a day, but for now, one is about all I can stand.

I also finally sprang for a new yoga mat!

That's because I found a new workout on Netflix that I love as much as I hate - and I friggin loathe this woman by the end of it. It's called The Crunch Super SlimDown Pilates Yoga Blend.

Whether you have Netflix or not, if you're looking to tone your tuckus, arms and core, check this video out.

It's tough - but there are modifications to make it easier to start...and even then, I'm dripping sweat onto the mat.  It's awesome.

Clearly, my definition of awesome is high on endorphins right now.

My Uterus Moved The Goalpost (And Other Musings)

Not only was I on a roll and one pound away from a 60 pound weight loss, I was feeling damn good. Then, blammo! My monthly pal comes in and knocks my goal back 3 more pounds.

What a bitch!

Oh well. It is what it is and there's not a darn thing I can do about it. Plus, had it not shown up, I'd be gaining weight for a whole 'nother reason.

I'm also seriously considering adding another workout to my daily regimen. I feel like I can do it, but I'm going back and forth on whether or not I should. The fact of the matter is, I still have over 100 pounds to lose and I really loathe the idea of spending the next year doing it. As it stands right now, I run calorie deficits that should pull me down 2-4 pounds every week. Doubling the workouts could theoretically double the weight loss. (I say "theoretically" because the math is only part of the wacky equation.)

On the other hand, if I do too much too quickly, I'll probably wind up needing skin removal surgery! I'm lucky in that I really do carry my weight well and I'm still really young and take great care of my skin so it's pretty elastic. After the 60 pounds and crazy amount of inches I've already lost, nothing is just "hanging" around - it's sprung back just fine. The idea of wearing old and empty skin like an outfit you've since shrunk out of...kind of skeeves me right the hell out.

Of course, there's the other "what's the rush?" argument -- and that's the simple fact that what I'm doing now is what I will be doing for the rest of my life. Eating clean. Working out. Sleep. Repeat. My body will get to where it's going so long as I stay pointed in this direction.

Still, I just want to BE there already. Ask anyone that knows me well, and this impatience is anything but surprising.

I'll let you know what I decide. Would love insights and opinions!

Eating Back Calories - Where Do We Go From Here?

I am really struggling with the idea of eating back all of the calories I burn off - the ones that put me well under my daily calorie goal, that is. With all of the tracking of calories, nutrition and fitness burn-off, it's tempting to think that my daily calorie deficits (often into the negatives) might add up to some major weight loss by the end of the week. That's obviously not the case. And, while I might not feel like I'm starving - especially with all of the fiber I'm taking in - clearly, my body is going into starvation mode.

Why else would someone my size who now eats (often considerably) less than 1700 calories per day and works out for 45-60 minutes 5x a week with a mix of fairly intense cardio and strength training be struggling to lose weight?

Duh.

Still, it's hard to force myself to eat more. First off, I don't want to eat more. I work so hard every day to eat consciously that sometimes, I'm just friggin' exhausted by it all. By the end of the day, I am seriously just done. I don't want to think about it anymore. I don't want to track. I don't want to consider what's best for my body. I just want to tune out.

I am actually looking at my evening glass o' fiber as a nice final "snack" for the day. It's 90 calories. It fills me up. It temporarily 'slays' that mindless munching demon possessing the recesses of my mind.

I don't need a trainer...I need Giles. Ugh.

Anyway, I think my eating and fitness habits are actually ahead of my body. It's like I've reached the finish line with my lifestyle and my body is just struggling to catch up. I am also afraid that if I eat more or work out less, the balance I've struck will all fall to shit.

Maybe I should just keep on keepin' on. Maybe the muscle I'm building week by week will boost my metabolism eventually and this will all balance out on my terms.

Regardless, I feel better. I look better. I'm more in control. The weight will come off eventually and I know it. And, as my body shrinks, the amount of calories I burn when working out will go down - helping to smooth this disparity out.

Eventually.

(P.S. - Extra brownie veggie points to the geek who caught the first Buffy reference in this post.)

Still Shrinking

Sorry for the lack of posts, lately. I'm a freelance writer and I've been extremely busy these past few weeks. Considering that it's feast or famine in my line of work, that's not a complaint - just an excuse ;-)

Fortunately, I have been keeping up with the exercise, diet and tracking. I've really noticed some changes today (my clavicle is starting to show again), this week (my arms are looking sleeker), the past few weeks (as Gabe put it: "You went from having a badonk-adonk-adonk-adonk to just a badonk-adonk!" LOL!)

The scale is still messing with me - though, I am happy to say that it's less and less every day. While I am weighing myself periodically, I'm not feeling like I've been kicked in the stomach - even if the numbers don't reflect how hard I've been working or how much better I look. I also haven't taken my measurements in weeks. I'm making a concerted effort to focus less on all of the numbers and more on how I feel and how I look to MYSELF at the moment. When you have as far to go as I do, that mental recalibration seems to be of the utmost importance.

One thing that is incredibly annoying however, is my tummy. I tend to carry a lot of weight in that miserable lower ab area. What's frustrating about this is that as much as my legs, arms, badonk and waist shrink, if I don't target the lower abs, my clothes don't fit that much better. I mean, of course they do fit better...but no matter how much smaller everything else is, you've still gotta zip up the pants and try to minimize the appearance of the tummy with longer shirts and whatnot. Even when I was skinny, this area drove me nuts. While I know it isn't small by any means, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if my mind was actually blowing it out of proportion.

So, while I have been targeting my abs 2-3x/week, and I've been working to burn fat in general all over my body (cause if you're not getting rid of the fat, I've noticed that stronger ab muscles can actually make the belly even more prominent if you're not careful!)...it's just not enough. I also have to work on my posture. Just sitting up and standing up straight minimizes the look of that trouble area.

Another thing I've been doing is "sucking it in" while at work, watching tv, reading, sitting at my desk (yep, I'm doing it now). This too helps with the posture and apparently every ten seconds of suckage counts as a sit-up. Win!

Improving my posture also seems to put the "girls" back to where they belong - well, as much as they can be, now that I'm in my 30s...that should also help to pull the attention away from other less svelte spots too.

All in all, things are still progressing relatively well. I'm in a good headspace at the moment. I'm content and motivated at the same time and - for the first time in who the heck knows how long - I'm not beating myself up about what I haven't managed to accomplish yet. I'll get there if I let myself.

Ok, I Lied!

I had every intention of making it until this Friday before weighing myself again - for the first time in 2 weeks. Unfortunately, I caved and weighed in today and guess what?

I'm up a half pound.

What the fuck?! Sorry - I know - LANGUAGE - but SERIOUSLY! I wasn't expecting to have lost a ton of weight, but I'm looking and feeling better and my clothes are fitting better...oh! and I've been working out like it's my job for just over a month. I've also been eating very clean, very nutritious meals. So come on now!!! What gives?

I know muscle weighs more than fat and I know I've gained a good amount of muscle with all of the biking, walking, stretching, skiing, lifting, huffing and puffing I've been putting in. I also know to eat enough on a daily basis so that I'm not putting my body into starvation mode. I count calories (in with food and out with exercise) religiously and monitor my intake of all of the vital vitamins and minerals.

I know I can lose weight because I have lost weight. Lots of it. Still, why the extremely slow re-start? My body should be responding, no?

I think I need to try this whole not weighing myself thing for another two weeks. If I still don't see any results, I'm going to have to see a doctor. Maybe I should be seeing a shrink.

Oh well - time to work out! Btw, did you know that Crunch Gym has a whole lot of vids on the Netflix server that you can watch instantly on your computer or video game console? I think I'm going to try to samba today. Maybe that will knock some of the fat off of my bones!

Putting My Scale In Time-Out!

Ugh. Actually, no. Wait. Not ugh! I'm kicking ass. I've been working out like it's my job these past few weeks. I've been eating clean and virtually meat and dairy-less as well. I've been feeling better and kicked what was clearly an emerging sinus infection in record time. Oh yeah, and the snow and ice on the pond out back is just about melted. Woo-hoo!

Still, my scale is a mean and miserable bitch. Up and down and up and down. It's absurd. I've been biking and skiing for 60 minutes 5-6 days a week!!! I've been counting calories and am not over or under-indulging. I look better. Heck, I even have my monthly visitor and am not nearly as bloated as I usually get and not nearly as weepy...though, side note: soy does really mess with your hormones. Helloooo, rice milk!

My friends Theresa and Bridgette have both inspired me to send the scale packing for a few weeks. Bridgette doesn't even own one - can you imagine?!?!?! I don't think I can go THAT far for at least a hundred pounds.

Still, the idea of focusing on feeling good and doing good is far more important than the numbers right now. But, like my last few posts have clearly proven - my subconscious is a major and moody player in this fight. So, I have to figure out a plan that can stick a pin in that part of my mind that's completed fixated on the numbers.

As of today, I vow to take a two week fast from weighing myself. It might sound crazy, but it's going to be hard!!! We have two scales in the house plus a Wii Fit. Shit, I can't use my Wii Fit. Eh, it's my cop-out workout anyway. Guess it's all for the best.

Wish me luck! And damn it, I had better see some movement on April 1st! Ugh. April Fools Day. Geez. Do I know how to time my mind-f**ks or what?

Am I My Own Doppelganger?

I've looked in the mirror and have confirmed that I am indeed the same person. That being said, I have not only managed to work out 6x per week over the past 3 weeks, but over the past few days, I've hit the bike and Nordic Trak for 45+ minutes! Oh! And my 'cheat' for this past week was a total fail. I tried to eat a whole burrito bowl from Chipotle and could only get three-quarters of it down. My bf got Five Guys and as excited as I was to share his fries, they wound up in the trash. I just couldn't do it.

I don't feel deprived at all (yet), though that's probably due in large part to the variety I've built into my diet.

I dunno though, I'm beginning to think that the evil, lethargic and depression-loving me is on sabbatical. Hell, I even got through last week's PMS unscathed.

Stay tuned!

Building Muscle...Losing My MIND!

Really proud of myself. No, really. After quite the hiatus, I've managed to work out consistently (5x per week) over the past few weeks. My body is tightening and I can really see it. My posture has also improved. My head feels clearer. I'm sleeping better.

But I haven't lost much weight.

Oh yeah, and I've been eating so clean and so consciously, it's unreal. Yesterday, I actually struggled to meet my calorie goals and had to indulge in a banana-peanut butter-soy milk shake just to make sure I was taking in enough calories from protein. This isn't something I usually have a hard time with (obviously).

Still, the scale has moved a mere 2 pounds.

cartoon courtesy of: re-imaginelife.com

I really hate the struggle between the logical and emotional lobes. I know for a fact that muscle weighs more than fat; that I've got a hell of a lot of fat to burn and turn.  Still, there's just this irrational expectation that I should have lost an enormous amount of weight by now. I've been a good girl and I deserve a reward. If it's not a piece of cake, it had damn well better be 10 pounds. Why can't I get past the numbers and just be grateful for the gifts I've already received as a result of my efforts?

I know it will come but I just wanted to vent...partly because it seems to help whenever I put my unreasonable thoughts into words...partly because I'm really and truly upset in spite of myself.

At least I'm not eating to numb the pain...yet!

Not Trying To Jinx Myself Here But...

Second workout this week! Not much of an accomplishment, really...but I find that writing it down and plastering it on the web really lifts my spirits. God, I am such a narcissist!

I've also managed to keep this Vegan thing going. I'm not even finding it that difficult. I have noticed some wacky mood swings lately though. It's not PMS, since the timing isn't right. Nothing else has changed in my life or my habits really. The only thing I can figure out is that I'm detoxing like a mo-fo.

Anyone else ever experience this after going veggie?

Stay tuned.

FINALLY!

This just in! I worked out for 45 minutes. Bike, free weights, situps.

That is all. Go on about your day.

I'll do sit-ups...DAMN IT!

I, like most people my size, am not the biggest fan of exercise. That being said, once I am exercising, I don't loathe it nearly as much. It just takes me an inordinate amount of time to will my fat behind onto the Treadmill/Nordic Track/Elliptical/Bike/Wii Fit/Mat/[Enter Name Of OtherTorture Device Here]. 

Here's pretty much how the story unfolds inside of my head:

Still, once I'm finally working out, I put in the time and the effort (*smirk*). 

Except when it comes to doing sit-ups. 

What is it about sit-ups that makes me hate them so much? They don't make me sweat profusely. I certainly don't get out of breath while doing them...except for when I'm doing a set of runners, but even those aren't really that bad. 

I also notice the effects of sit-ups fairly quickly. My abs have always been 'receptive' to exercise. I also like having a flatter tummy (who doesn't?). Oh, and stronger abs helps to improve my posture which helps to clear up pain issues from sitting behind a desk throughout the day at work. 

What the hell is my problem? 

Clearly I'm not the first person to decide that sit-ups suck. From the ab-roller to the ab-flex and even that crazy electrode contraption that causes ab contractions (I can't lie and pretend that I haven't considered buying it or that I'm not STILL considering buying it)...we've been trying to find viable alternatives to the good old fashioned sit-up. Heck, even Elizabeth Hasselbeck is pimping some new ab-tastic contraption! 

Alas, like cleaning the toilet on a fairly regular basis, there are just some things a girl has gotta do to keep up appearances. 

Day Two Of The Rest (Of My Life?)

Today, I cycled to the estrogen indulgent brain candy that is General Hospital. After 36 minutes with the tension cranked up, I was done. 6 minutes better than yesterday and 9 minutes from next week's goal. Yippy skippy. Then, I did free weights (arms) for about five more minutes. Stretched a little before and after. Really getting back into the swing! Tomorrow, I'll do abs...heaven help me.

Since the workout wasn't all that interesting, let's talk about the silly little daytime drama. Can I just say, Carly had better check herself! If memory serves, she was quite the skank when she first landed in Port Charles. Her son might be dating a stripper, but at least said stripper isn't trying to boink her step-dad. I'm just sayin. Besides, the stripper is studying to be a paralegal. She's going places!

Anyway, here's to tomorrow! ...and hoping I'm not in this oh-so-familiar headspace:

The DVR Makes Biking Suck Less

Managed to use my exercise bike for just over 30 minutes today before my muscles were angry. Simultaneously caught the first installment of the new season of V. The workout was definitely better than the ep.

While my thighs were a bit worse for wear, I am happy to report that my lungs didn't mind at all - that's a nice change! This past year has been tough on the whole breathing while working out front - some good days, some bad - all reminders that quitting smoking is only the first step in being a true non-smoker. Whhhheeeeeezzzzz!

Anyhoo, today's was not as stellar a workout as I'd like, but for the first day back in a while, not a failure either. By this time next week, I intend to manage 45 minutes on the cycle in a sitting. Heck, I might make it there tomorrow. Still, there's only so much time you can spend cycling in place. Will have to add more back into the regimen. Bit by bit.