Sluggish

Well, I have been very sluggish over the last week or so.  I have not worked out since Wednesday night and I don't know if I will be able to fit it in tomorrow or Tuesday.  I am debating getting up early to go workout both days.  The City Fitness facility opens at 5:30am.  I could get there just before 6am and have a good hour before I need to get home to shower and get to work.  Or, I could rush there after my husband gets home from work and before my sister gets here, but I won't have as much time to get a good run in. 

My excuse? Well, it has been to dang cold to run in the morning, and too dark after my husband gets home from work.  I know, that is not a good excuse, but that is the one I am using.  Sometimes those excuses are what make you sluggish and get you back to where you started. 

NO MORE SLUGGISH! I will get to the fitness facility tomorrow.  Most likely it will be in the morning.  So, I will shoot for Monday and Tuesday!  I will also go on Wednesday and take Thursday off, and go on Friday.  That is my plan for the week.  I hope to come back to you on Friday and report on my goals and achievements this week!

Weekly Mileage Summary

One of the things I have found cool about Daily Mile is they email me a summary of my week every Monday.  The new week starts on Monday. 

Last Week I:

• Put in 12:02 Miles
• Spent 2 hours and 18 minutes working out
• Burnt 1505 Calories
• And did 6 workouts

Now, that is a good week!  The week before I did more mileage.  Seems when I use the bike I tend to get more miles!  I recently set a goal for myself to do 11 miles or more a week.  I hope for 2011 to set a yearly goal.  And, through all of this, my back is feeling great good. 

My Current Exercise Plan

I think I have finally found my exercise plan.  I am logging my workouts at Daily Mile, here is my profile: http://www.dailymile.com/people/marshalmoore#ref=tophd

I purchased a month long card for our City fitness center.  Last week I got there twice, and I hope to make it three times this week.  I am hoping to add an outdoor run on Saturday or Sunday.  I have enjoyed doing a 20 minute warm up on the stationary bike before I hit the treadmill for a shorter run.  I am slowly trying to increase my pace on the run and my length.  Last night I did 1 min of a quicker pace, and two minutes of a bit slower, I did this for 20 minutes. 

I am starting to get a bit bored, so might throw in some elliptical too.  I need to get myself some kind of music listening device.  The City is building a new Rec Center, so their make shift fitness room has no music.  I am one that needs TV or music or something.  I will need to shop for that next! 

I set a goal for myself of 11 miles a week.  Last week I clocked 16 miles.  The bike sure allows you to cover more mileage in a shorter period of time! 

My plan for next week is to add some upper body work into my exercise routine. 

~Marsha

Run, Run, Run

That is my plan right now! I have decided to start running again.  You might remember I have a back injury I have been babying for about a year now.  I am trying to take the running easy.  This week I started and hope to provide you with an exercise re-cap at the end of each week.  I signed up for Daily Mile to help me keep track and keep myself accountable.  Find me here: http://www.dailymile.com/people/marshalmoore#ref=tophd  if you are on Daily Mile! 

This week I started easy and just did a 1.37 mi run from our house.  It is dark now, so I wanted to stay on the main road.  This limited me a bit in how far I could go.  This is a great route, with a good slow up hill and returning the down hill.  I decided to try the local City gym last night and use the Treadmill.  I was able to wait until my daughter was in bed, so none of that GUILT!  I ran 2.20 miles! It felt good and I probably could have gone more, but I told my husband I would only be 30 minutes!  Today, I have the day off of work, so my daughter and I are joining my mother and grandmother for a walk.  I think the walk will be a good break for my legs, they were a bit sore last night! 

I hope to get to where I can do some 5K raises this spring and summer.  Maybe eventually a 1/2 marathon.  All I kept thinking last night was "how do these people do marathons?"

Getting Past the Guilt Associated with Taking Time to Exercise

I came across this blog today: Getting to 50/50 and a recent post about Guilt: Guilt if I Do, Guilt if I Don't

This blog post hit me like a ton of bricks.  The way guilt plays into my weight loss journey has been identical to what this person is saying.  I feel guilty if I don't workout and exercise, but when I am doing it, I can't help but feel guilty about the time I am taking away from my family.  Of if I try to fit it in at work, I keep thinking "I should be eating at my desk as I work, not walking". 

Over the last year I feel I have finally gotten myself near the end of the guilt rutt.  In 2009 my husband lost his job, we lost our house to a Short Sale, and my father was diagnosed with a blood cancer.  I was stressed, but running made me feel better.  Running or exercising relaxed me.  I realized I was a better wife and mother when I got that time to myself to run or workout.  My husband started to see that too.  Why feel guilty for that, for making me a better person? 

I still have my bouts with guilt, like when I know my husband has also had a long day, but I know I need that walk or jog to survive the week.  Or, when he tells me after the run he was invited out to watch a football game that started an hour ago!  The best part, is my daughter sees me exercising and knows I am out running and almost always asks "how was your run mom?"  Why should I feel guilty for that?

While I feel like I am working through that guilting feeling, I know so well how the author of this post felt when she was working out and guilt was hanging over her head the entire time.  But, please, do not let guilt stop you! Get out there and take the time for yourself, it will make you a happier and better person!  I know it does that for me! 

With Life Changes Comes Challenges (Exercise Edition)

In my post yesterday I mentioned the recent change in our schedule and need to find quicker meals.  Well, I also need help with planning some excercise.  I eventually want to start running again and get to where I can run some races.  I would love to one day run the Disney Princess Half Marathon.  But, maybe I will start with the Disneyland Half Marathon or 5K in September 2011.  And maybe a local 5K between now and then. 

My challenge is #1 finding time to run and #2 taking it slow while my back strengthens.  I thought about starting in the water.  I love to jog outdoors, and do not have a gym membership.  I could do water walking at the local City pool.  My husband gets a 24 Hour discount with his new job, but don't know the cost yet.  But when can I fit it in my schedule?  I hate the idea of using child care at a gym when my daughter has already been gone all day.  I struggle with getting myself up in the morning (except for that Saturday 7am WW meeting!).  Ideally I would be able to do something over my lunch break.  However, that is really only possible with a gym membership.

So, I want to know, when do you workout?  What type of workout do you do? I would love some ideas! 

PS - I can't wait to start trying the recipes some of you shared with me on Facebook!!     

Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism

I am just loving Jillian Michaels!!! I have still been doing the 30-day Shred. I am currently at L2D5 (day 14 overall). I am mixing it up with other things too. Yesterday I had hoped to jog and Shred, but my work schedule got in the way. Instead I tried the Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism workout offered OnDemand. WOW! I was sweating buckets, but it felt great!! What an awesome workout!

I have WI tomorrow morning, so we will see if I am loosing any more lbs. I did not take measurements, but I know I am loosing inches. Clothes are hanging on me. And, I bought a sundress at Old Navy the other day in a SMALL!!!

Weigh In

Today I weighed in a day early. I am going out of town for the weekend, and wanted to still get my weigh in done. I felt like I made some bad food decisions this week, but the scale didn't think so!! My stats:

Current weight: 139.6!!

I broke through another "decade"!

Also, I have set my goal, 130. So I am less then 10 lbs from my goal.

Lastly, I have done awesome working out this week. My week looked like this:
Saturday: Dancing with the Stars
Sunday: Walked 60 minutes
Monday: Yoga Booty Ballet
Tuesday: off
Wednesday: Firm DVD
Thursday: off
Friday: Yoga Booty Ballet (A different one).

Great Workout!!

I love Dancing with the Stars and wish Jason and I could take a ballroom dancing class. So, when I saw this DVD I just had to pick it up! It was $14.99 at Target. You can get it for $9.99 at Amazon.com

It was a blast! Some parts I was a little uncoordinated, but over all I had a good time and it went by very fast! The next day I had some soreness, so I know it was doing something!!

Exercise!

I did it, I took advantage of a hotel workout room. I have never done that! I always take clothes, but always have an excuse. I did 20 minutes on the elliptical machine and it felt good. I felt like I was in good shape, even though I haven't been doing a great job with working out lately.

Another small victory is I made good choices for dinner tonight and prepared for breakfast tomorrow. I am traveling for business right now and opted to run to the grocery store rather than go out to a restaurant. Go ME!!!

No Weigh In

Due to traveling I did not weigh in this past Saturday and will not be weighing in next Saturday. However, I have been keeping track of my weight at home. I prefer to hold off on posting my official weight until I weigh in again.

I am doing good, struggling a little lately, feel like I hit a wall. I HAVE to pick up on my exercise. I got the Dance Revolution Hottest Party for our Wii. It comes with the mat on the floor to dance on (yes, like what kids do at arcades!). I am very excited to start using that as a form or exercise! I also need to move my hand weights downstairs and do some weight work during commercials when watching my shows. I figure Mon and Thurs are my two tv nights and if I start doing a little on each of those nights it is better then nothing!

Wii

Yes, Nintendo Wii is now a staple in our house. Why you may ask? Well, I had heard what great exercise it could be, and mentioned that to Jason at one point and he brought it up again, and we bought one. Last night Jason and I golfed. You have to use a real golf swing. We both had sore shoulders the next day. Tonight we boxed (no, not with real gloves, and no, not hitting each other!!). If you get your feet into it too you can really get a good workout in. I had to move the furniture and Jason got mad cause I kept getting to close to the tv, like if I got closer I would hit the other guy better or something!!

It has gotten Jason and I both off the couch in the evenings for awhile and I think will be my main exercise each day (other then walking up and down the stairs 5M times each evening). There is a Dance Revolution game I would like to get, and Nintendo is coming out with the Wii Fit in January 2008. There are also a couple fun kids games we can get for Trinity.