Breakfast: Isagenix shake- 240 calories
Snack: Medium apple- 55 calories
2 tbs. skippy natural peanut butter- 180 calories
Lunch: 1 can tuna fish- 150 calories
1 tbsp. miracle whip- 35 calories
1 slice reduced-cal. wheat bread- 40 calories
Protein shake- 120 calories
Dinner: Cilantro Lime Chicken (YUM! Recipe on Heather's blog).- 289 calories
Salad with lots of tasty veggies- 70 calories
Greek vinegrette dressing- 35 calories
Mexican Rice- 100 calories
Black bean salsa- 40 calories
Total Consumed: 1354 Calories
Workout: 40-minutes interval run. 419 calories burned. Technically, according to the plan the trainer put me on, I still need to take in 531 calories. I'll eat a light snack but I don't suspect I'll get quite that many by the end of the day. Guess I can throw in more calories tomorrow.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Um... yeah
Ok, so this is going to kick my rear end. I met with the trainer again today to go over the work out portion in greater detail. Here's the deal--
So, as you may or may not know, there are certain heart rate zones that achieve different purposes. Everyone's zones vary and they can change over time and depending on level of fitness. I learned that my "Base" in in Zone 2. Base is the heart rate at which your body burns the most calories while still using fat for fuel. Once you get out of the base level, you are burning more carbohydrate calories and fewer fat calories. The ideal is to burn more fat calories. So, my base is 173-178 bpm. My "Threshold" is 183 bpm, which is the last stop for burning fat. Beyond that, I would be burning nothing but carbs and over exerting myself. Because of all of the running I've done, these are pretty high, which is great, but it means that I have to work pretty hard to reach the highest level of efficiency. As I proceed with zone training, my threshold heart rate will increase and I will also see and increase in the percentage of fat that I burn while working in Zone 3. The ideal is to burn mostly fat calories while working in zone 3. Still with me? Some of you may not care about this, but I thought it was interesting and potentially helpful to others.
What does this mean for my workouts? Well, I'll do zone training, working in each zone for certain periods of time in order to burn more fat and increase my body's efficiency. On days that I do just cardio, I'll warm up at zone 1 (163-173) for 5 minutes then move to zone 2 (173-178) for two minutes, then move to zone 3 (178-183) for 3 minutes. I'll alternate with intervals of zone 2 and 3 to reach a 45 minute workout and then cool down in zone 1 for five minutes. Each week, I'll add another interval until I get to 60 minutes and then the trainer will change my workout again.
I did this today and yowsa! I didn't even get to zone 1 until I was running at a 6.7 mph pace, then it took running at 7.4 to get to zone 2, and on up to 8.5 to get to zone 3. That's pretty speedy! I did it, but it was tough. Fortunately, once I got my heart rate going, I didn't have to run quite that fast to keep it up, but it was definitely an intense workout. I can certainly see how working out like this will make a difference. I guess it was about time.
As for the days I do strength training, my cardio will consist of a 5-minute warm up, 30 minutes in zone 2 and 5 minute cool down in zone 1.
Day 1 and I am so glad I did this!! It's really nice to know what I'm doing instead of guessing and hoping. I realize that this may not be available to all, but if you can do it, I highly recommend it, especially if you've plateaud like I have. Obviously, working out at the same intensity as I was a year ago just wasn't cutting it anymore. When you reach higher levels of fitness, you have to step up your game. I also highly recommend getting a heart rate monitor and watch. I love mine! It's just so great knowing that I'm working out effectively. So now I just keep plugging away at this and see what happens. Thanks for all of the support I'm getting. Hopefully this information is helpful to more than just me. :)
So, as you may or may not know, there are certain heart rate zones that achieve different purposes. Everyone's zones vary and they can change over time and depending on level of fitness. I learned that my "Base" in in Zone 2. Base is the heart rate at which your body burns the most calories while still using fat for fuel. Once you get out of the base level, you are burning more carbohydrate calories and fewer fat calories. The ideal is to burn more fat calories. So, my base is 173-178 bpm. My "Threshold" is 183 bpm, which is the last stop for burning fat. Beyond that, I would be burning nothing but carbs and over exerting myself. Because of all of the running I've done, these are pretty high, which is great, but it means that I have to work pretty hard to reach the highest level of efficiency. As I proceed with zone training, my threshold heart rate will increase and I will also see and increase in the percentage of fat that I burn while working in Zone 3. The ideal is to burn mostly fat calories while working in zone 3. Still with me? Some of you may not care about this, but I thought it was interesting and potentially helpful to others.
What does this mean for my workouts? Well, I'll do zone training, working in each zone for certain periods of time in order to burn more fat and increase my body's efficiency. On days that I do just cardio, I'll warm up at zone 1 (163-173) for 5 minutes then move to zone 2 (173-178) for two minutes, then move to zone 3 (178-183) for 3 minutes. I'll alternate with intervals of zone 2 and 3 to reach a 45 minute workout and then cool down in zone 1 for five minutes. Each week, I'll add another interval until I get to 60 minutes and then the trainer will change my workout again.
I did this today and yowsa! I didn't even get to zone 1 until I was running at a 6.7 mph pace, then it took running at 7.4 to get to zone 2, and on up to 8.5 to get to zone 3. That's pretty speedy! I did it, but it was tough. Fortunately, once I got my heart rate going, I didn't have to run quite that fast to keep it up, but it was definitely an intense workout. I can certainly see how working out like this will make a difference. I guess it was about time.
As for the days I do strength training, my cardio will consist of a 5-minute warm up, 30 minutes in zone 2 and 5 minute cool down in zone 1.
Day 1 and I am so glad I did this!! It's really nice to know what I'm doing instead of guessing and hoping. I realize that this may not be available to all, but if you can do it, I highly recommend it, especially if you've plateaud like I have. Obviously, working out at the same intensity as I was a year ago just wasn't cutting it anymore. When you reach higher levels of fitness, you have to step up your game. I also highly recommend getting a heart rate monitor and watch. I love mine! It's just so great knowing that I'm working out effectively. So now I just keep plugging away at this and see what happens. Thanks for all of the support I'm getting. Hopefully this information is helpful to more than just me. :)
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Results
So I went in for the metabolic tests on Saturday. It was extremely difficult to get up at 5:30 after a very late night, particularly given that it was pouring rain outside and I just wanted to sleeeeep... but, I made it for my 6 am appointment. First up: calorie assessment. I sat comfortably in a chair with a mask that covered my nose and mouth and breathed into a machine that monitored my carbon monoxide output vs. carbon dioxide intake for about 20 minutes. From that, the computer program determined my resting metabolic rate to tell me exactly how many calories I should be consuming. It wasn't all that difficult, except that I was becoming extremely claustrophobic with the mask on and I wonder if that affected my breathing or the results??? And why is it that it's so much harder to actually relax just because someone tells you to relax? I was thinking about being completely relaxed to the point that I was not so relaxed at all at points. Stupid mind games. Oh well. The test ended and I was told that I should be taking in no less than 1466 calories a day. If I maintain that rate, I can expect to lose 3/4- 1 pound a week (which at this point sounds great... it's possible that I'll lose more, but the trainer didn't want me to expect too much in case it doesn't happen some weeks). Of course, if I work out and burn 600 calories in a day, then I need to add 600 calories to my diet. The trainer explained that because I have likely been consuming fewer calories than I've needed recently, my body has adjusted to maintaining at that number of calories and stores fat despite the fact that I'm working hard to burn it. Theoretically, if I give my body what it really needs, it will respond in kind and do what I want it to. We shall see. I have avoided counting calories to this point but it appears that in order to get to the next level, I need to get a little more serious. And while 1466 calories seems somewhat low, I was told that the number will actually increase as I reach new levels of fitness. Weight lifting is apparently key here and while I have been doing that four days a week for more than two years (I worked out when I was prego), I haven't changed things enough to stimulate muscle growth and strength for added calorie burn. My body got very accustomed to what I was doing so it's a good thing I've recently changed gyms and my entire program.
The next test was the cardio test. I was hooked up to the same mask and got on a treadmill while the trainer monitored my heart rate and breathing to determine my cardio fitness and optimal fat burning heart rate zones. This was actually fairly painful. I was only on the treadmill for 12 minutes or so but the mask was killing me! I was so claustrophobic on this test that I just wanted to tear it off. She had me gradually increase the speed and incline to reach my maximum rate so I was in some pain by the last couple of minutes. I made it through and although we have not yet had the chance to discuss the results, I did learn a few things. First of all, when it comes to cardio fitness, I'm in the top 96th percent of my demographic. I was pretty happy about that... looks like all of that running has paid off and left me with a happy heart! I learned that my optimal fat burning heart rate zone is 173-178 bpm. (That's actually higher than most people's would be so don't go by that for your own target.) I'll have my heart rate monitor and watch, which will programmed with 12 weeks of workouts so that I can work out much more efficiently. I'm meeting with the trainer again tomorrow to talk more about the work out part and to get on a program (we ran out of time on Saturday) so we'll see what more she says. It has all been very interesting to learn about and I'm looking forward to seeing how this affects my progress. I am committed to sticking with the 12-week- program to really put this to the test. And now that I'll be counting calories fairly religously, I'll likely start keeping track of all of that here, as well as menu plans and recipes. It's going to be great to have all of this to look back to after I've had more babies and need to do it all over again. Isn't being a woman grand?? :)
The next test was the cardio test. I was hooked up to the same mask and got on a treadmill while the trainer monitored my heart rate and breathing to determine my cardio fitness and optimal fat burning heart rate zones. This was actually fairly painful. I was only on the treadmill for 12 minutes or so but the mask was killing me! I was so claustrophobic on this test that I just wanted to tear it off. She had me gradually increase the speed and incline to reach my maximum rate so I was in some pain by the last couple of minutes. I made it through and although we have not yet had the chance to discuss the results, I did learn a few things. First of all, when it comes to cardio fitness, I'm in the top 96th percent of my demographic. I was pretty happy about that... looks like all of that running has paid off and left me with a happy heart! I learned that my optimal fat burning heart rate zone is 173-178 bpm. (That's actually higher than most people's would be so don't go by that for your own target.) I'll have my heart rate monitor and watch, which will programmed with 12 weeks of workouts so that I can work out much more efficiently. I'm meeting with the trainer again tomorrow to talk more about the work out part and to get on a program (we ran out of time on Saturday) so we'll see what more she says. It has all been very interesting to learn about and I'm looking forward to seeing how this affects my progress. I am committed to sticking with the 12-week- program to really put this to the test. And now that I'll be counting calories fairly religously, I'll likely start keeping track of all of that here, as well as menu plans and recipes. It's going to be great to have all of this to look back to after I've had more babies and need to do it all over again. Isn't being a woman grand?? :)
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
A bit more frustration, but new hope...
So after my frustration last week, I decided to try to let go a bit and stop driving myself crazy. We enjoyed a lovely Mother's Day weekend with a couple of minor indulgences that made me feel a bit better. I think after a while of too much strictness, it's good to enjoy food again... which makes me realize that I was probably being too strict and working out a little too hard. Getting in shape shouldn't be a depressing project, which it was becoming at that point. So, I relaxed just a bit over the weekend and thought that I was ready with a new outlook for this week. Well, then today, I did the most dreaded thing-- I tried on swimsuits. I wasn't going to until I reached my 155 goal, but when I realized that I might need to loosen up on that a bit, I thought I should go ahead and get a swimsuit because I am READY for the pool. It wasn't as enjoyable as I hoped it would be (except that Nora was with me, which makes anything more fun!). I realize that I've come a long way and I certainly look better than I did last summer, but it continues to be extremely frustrating to me that I work as hard as I do and that I haven't seen much progress in several months. After my shopping trip, I watched the Biggest Loser finale recorded from last night and while I thought it would motivate me, it only frustrated me more. I saw these people who did it-- they went all the way. Of course, I have no intention or desire to do what they have to do in order to accomplish their goals. I realize that in the real world, you can't lose weight that quickly and I am perfectly ok with that. The only thing that bothered me about it was just to see that it is possible to get the final result that a person desires while I feel like I'm working hard without the results. The swimsuit and show combination left me truly frustrated to the point of crying... which was ridiculous, but cathartic (although Mike might just leave it at "ridiculous"). I just feel like I'm so close to where I want to be and I can't quite get there. I've wanted this for 15 years and here I am.... just a little farther than I can reach, it has seemed. Well, after my minor emotional break down, I went to the gym for a good run and I talked to one of the trainers there. At the Lifetime, they have these fitness tests that they can do that will tell a person exactly how many calories they are burning during each workout and what they need to do individually to see progress. I have been working out much the same over the last year and it seems that my body is just used to it. On one hand, I guess it's a good thing that my heart is so well-conditioned to running 6 or more miles. On the other hand, I need to make it work a little harder in order to burn the fat. So I'll have the test done on Saturday and the trainer will put me on a 12-week program. I'll buy a heart rate monitor which will tell me what my heart rate is and exactly how many calories I'm burning during each workout. I'm also going to do another test that will tell me just how many calories I should be consuming in order for my body to work efficiently. The trainer suspects that I'm not getting enough, which is also a hinderment to weight loss efforts, it appears. These are some pretty high-tech things we'll be doing so I'm confident that they are accurate and that this will help me get to the next level. It may seem ridiculous to some to spend money on this but listen, I work incredibly too hard to not be where I want to be and quite frankly, I deserve to be there. 15 years people! And besides, it's not much money anyway... if it'll get me the rest of the way, it will be worth every penny. The prospect of doing this already makes me feel much better. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Now just to be sure, I am very excited for what I have accomplished so far. I have learned a lot and continue to do so. Mike and I were even discussing tonight the possibility of me becoming certified as a personal trainer at some point. If I were to do it, it would be very part time. I just feel like it's something that I could do well after the years of struggling and learning that I've done. It would be great to help other people accomplish their goals because I know how it feels to be on both sides and I know that it's possible. It's probably not something that we'll jump on right away for various reasons, but it's a current thought process and it would be really cool. We'll see.
Now just to be sure, I am very excited for what I have accomplished so far. I have learned a lot and continue to do so. Mike and I were even discussing tonight the possibility of me becoming certified as a personal trainer at some point. If I were to do it, it would be very part time. I just feel like it's something that I could do well after the years of struggling and learning that I've done. It would be great to help other people accomplish their goals because I know how it feels to be on both sides and I know that it's possible. It's probably not something that we'll jump on right away for various reasons, but it's a current thought process and it would be really cool. We'll see.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Not the best day
It's Thursday and for some reason, Thursdays aren't always my best days. It's the end of the week for us so perhaps it's just the pent up frustrations that gather throughout the week and seem to manifest themselves all in one day. I realize that Mike's schedule may seem luxurious to some, but not if you really know what that schedule entails. We get up at 5 so we can do our morning routine in time for him to get to work by 7:00. Yes, he has his long lunch breaks, which we spend at the gym and then it's a hurried lunch and back to work. He doesn't get home until 7:00 pm at the earliest, sometimes not until close to 8. By that time, I'm fairly batty and ready for some relief. He works very hard for those four days and then there are Friday morning meetings and weekend screenings, often more than one. There are always phone calls, emergency patients, decisions to make for the office, errands to run for the office, etc. etc. etc.
Ok, I'm complaining... and I don't mean to, because 90% of the time I love everything about the practice, his role, my role, and the time we do have to share together. On Thursdays, though, I'm a little spent and ready for the weekend. Tonight was no exception. I cleaned and worked around the house all day, ran some errands, and completely ran out of steam by the time dinner needed to be cooked. UG! Mike came to the rescue... with Taco Bell. I didn't even care by that point. I didn't care so much that I not only ate my tacos (fresco style, if that counts for anything), but I munched on Lacey's crackers and just now, at 11:30, a bowl of cereal. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I realize that one bad night isn't the worst thing in the world by any means, but I'm frustrated that I didn't prepare myself better. I will certainly run a few extra miles this weekend and I'll be more careful to make up for it, but there is a lesson to be learned. On Thursdays, dinner needs to prepared much earlier than normal. I either need to make enough food on Wednesday nights that it will give us dinner again on Thursday, or I need to use the crockpot in the morning, or maybe even prepare something while Lacey naps. So I'm writing this entry to remind myself of that committment so this doesn't happen again. Avoiding pitfals, I'm discovering, is all about recognizing when they happen and being prepared... so my challenge to any of you who are also trying to be more healthy is to sit down and think about the things that usually get you and then think of ways you can defend yourself against them.
By the way, my complaints this evening are really just the ramblings of a woman who needs to be in bed. I really do love Mike's profession and I recognize that we have so many opportunities and blessings that many people don't have and that I certainly don't have it rough. I don't mean to whine or to appear ungrateful... just trying to illustrate the frame of mind that led to tonight's demise. Tomorrow is a new day and we have a lovely Mother's Day weekend to celebrate and lots of time to spend as a family. And I'm getting a massage on Saturday so I will be quite the new woman! :)
Ok, I'm complaining... and I don't mean to, because 90% of the time I love everything about the practice, his role, my role, and the time we do have to share together. On Thursdays, though, I'm a little spent and ready for the weekend. Tonight was no exception. I cleaned and worked around the house all day, ran some errands, and completely ran out of steam by the time dinner needed to be cooked. UG! Mike came to the rescue... with Taco Bell. I didn't even care by that point. I didn't care so much that I not only ate my tacos (fresco style, if that counts for anything), but I munched on Lacey's crackers and just now, at 11:30, a bowl of cereal. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I realize that one bad night isn't the worst thing in the world by any means, but I'm frustrated that I didn't prepare myself better. I will certainly run a few extra miles this weekend and I'll be more careful to make up for it, but there is a lesson to be learned. On Thursdays, dinner needs to prepared much earlier than normal. I either need to make enough food on Wednesday nights that it will give us dinner again on Thursday, or I need to use the crockpot in the morning, or maybe even prepare something while Lacey naps. So I'm writing this entry to remind myself of that committment so this doesn't happen again. Avoiding pitfals, I'm discovering, is all about recognizing when they happen and being prepared... so my challenge to any of you who are also trying to be more healthy is to sit down and think about the things that usually get you and then think of ways you can defend yourself against them.
By the way, my complaints this evening are really just the ramblings of a woman who needs to be in bed. I really do love Mike's profession and I recognize that we have so many opportunities and blessings that many people don't have and that I certainly don't have it rough. I don't mean to whine or to appear ungrateful... just trying to illustrate the frame of mind that led to tonight's demise. Tomorrow is a new day and we have a lovely Mother's Day weekend to celebrate and lots of time to spend as a family. And I'm getting a massage on Saturday so I will be quite the new woman! :)
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Cleansing Effect
Today, I decided to rid myself of all of the old, baggy clothes that represent what I once was. What started as just an organizational project became a fairly empowering moment for me. These piles of clothes range in sizes from 12 to 16 (although I had already gotten rid of most of my 16s last year). I'm hanging on to the 10s for now, mostly because my wardrobe is fairly bare now and I need something to wear as I build it back up. As I sorted through all of these clothes, I distincly remembered how I felt in some of the pieces. The most exciting was a dress that once served as my motivation piece-- the thing that I couldn't wait to fit into. I even put it on today just to see how it fit now, and it was huge on me. That was fun! Most of the clothes are actually pretty cute and they served me well, but I am happy to be parting with them.
I really wish I had started this blog last year when I began this journey so everyone could see that it's not a constant celebration as it has been for me just recently. There were difficult moments along the way and I have struggled as many of you do at times. This, for me, is the other side of all of that. I am still working hard and striving to reach my goal, but I am happy to feel like a completely new person. My point is that yes, it is difficult, but SO COMPLETELY WORTH IT!!!!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
End of the week
Ah, Saturday night... the end of another busy week. It's been incredibly rainy, which is perfect for a night in. Mike is feeding Lacey her night time bottle and I assume that she fell asleep in his arms. They've been in there quietly for some time. It's not often that she falls asleep as we rock her so Mike seems to be enjoying every minute of it. So sweet!
Anyway, it was a great week on "the journey". (My weight loss efforts seem to have turned into the title of a television show... or perhaps that will be the title of the book I'll write some day... though I'm sure it's been used before and it's not entirely original or creative. Scratch the book idea! :) Each week, I add a new focus to my routine. Last week, my focus was getting every work in and making each one really count. This week, I continued with that and I gave extra focus to what I'm eating. I did pretty well in that department last week, but it needed a little tweaking. I want to make sure that I get plenty of protein to help replenish and build those muscles I'm working on, the right amounts of carbohydrates to fuel my running, and the right kinds of fats. Oh, I also focused on taking my supplements every night. A+ all around and I have never felt better! The vitamins and supplements have made a huge difference. I've always been pretty lax about taking vitamins, which Mike has always been bothered by... possibly because all of the bruises I get from the lack of vitamins make it appear as though he beats me. :) Just kidding... he's actually quite concerned with my general health and well-being. Guess he wants me to live for a while or something. Anyway, my point is that they make a difference so if you're not taking them, do it. And the very act of taking them seems to make me even more conscious of my health which feeds into other things that I do. Next week, I'll focus on all of the aforementioned things as well as taking sups twice a day. I'm also going to change things up a bit with my workouts as I have learned some helpful information. Here it is: most women tend to think that when weight-training, higher-reps equals greater results and they often do the same thing every week without changing the amount of weight or the number of reps. Mistake. It is actually better to vary things constantly. Doing lower reps (3-8) at a higher weight will help to build muscle strength. Doing moderate reps (8-15) helps to build muscle mass and high reps (15-25+) helps to build muscle endurance. Each of these things is important to us women so each type of workout should be employed. The calorie burning effect is actually not significantly different from one workout to the next as is commonly thought. The recommendation is to mix it up. For example:
Week 1: Low
Week 2: Medium
Week 3: High
Week 4: Medium
Week 5: Low
Week 6: High
Etc.
It doesn't have to go in exact order from low to high and then repeat... in fact, it's better if it doesn't as it will trick your muscles to constantly mix it up. When you do the exercise, do enough weight that you just can't do any more beyond the planned number of reps. If you could keep going for several more, then you need to increase your weight. Really focus on the contraction of the proper muscle on each exercise. No swinging your arms or swaying your back to get it up... if you're having to do that, you may need to decrease your weight to really utilize the intended muscle. Why work out if you're not going to do it right?
If working out seems too painful or you just don't want to do it, get over it! Seriously. The benefits of exercise far outweight the temporary pain you might experience. And though it may take a while, you actually may grow to enjoy it, especially when you start seeing the transformation in your body. Who wants to just be thin? We're going for healthier bodies here, not just fitting into a certain size.
I watched an episode of Oprah this week where she discussed "falling off the wagon". Kirstie Alley was on it and would you believe that she has gained back every pound that she just lost? I was so sad for her, and for the man who went from 1100 pounds to 193 and ALL THE WAY back to 1100. I realize that this is so common and very easy to do. The problem I see is that people are dieting to lose weight. We all know that there is a beginning and an end to a diet, and that's why weight is regained. Once a certain number or a certain size is reached, people often feel like they've won the battle. The problem is that so many people do things temporarily with no intention of continuing on the same path. That is why Mike and I always emphasize that we are working on a lifestyle. If in your own weight loss efforts you do something that you can't see yourself doing for the rest of your life, then there really isn't much point in doing it... you'll likely just gain the weight back. If, however, you make changes that you can incorporate into your lifestyle, then you will be able to continue on that path for the rest of your life and be healthy, not just thin. I am aware that I won't have to work quite as hard as I'm working now once I've reached my goal weight, but I fully intend on continuing to work out every day and I will eat much the same way that I am now. I'm sure I'll fluctuate here and there and I can't say for certain that I'll never struggle again, especially because I'll continue to have babies, but I am learning as I go here and the goal is to always live what I've learned. The weight has come off slowly at times but that hasn't stopped me because this is our lives, not a diet. Mike and I will enjoy a family dinner or PF Changs every once in a while without the typical and depressing guilt-ridden feeling of crashing a diet (which, you know, often completely kills a diet altogher. Yet another pitfall!). I don't know if any of this is helpful to anyone, but these are things that have made monumental differences in my efforts. Believe me, I have been through it all and felt every painful feeling associated with losing weight. I have refused to feel that way this time and that, I feel, is why I have been successful. So there you go. Take that for what it's worth.
And on an ending note (I may have just written that book in this one entry!), I will part with my end-of-the-week results. I am officially weighing myself at the gym as their scale is supposed to be quite accurate. 162 today!!! That's 5 pounds since I started writing and I am thrilled! Oh, I also got my body fat tested yesterday: 25%. I'm on the low end of the average range and once I reach my goal of 155, I should be right about 20%. Not too shabby! 7 pounds to go!
Anyway, it was a great week on "the journey". (My weight loss efforts seem to have turned into the title of a television show... or perhaps that will be the title of the book I'll write some day... though I'm sure it's been used before and it's not entirely original or creative. Scratch the book idea! :) Each week, I add a new focus to my routine. Last week, my focus was getting every work in and making each one really count. This week, I continued with that and I gave extra focus to what I'm eating. I did pretty well in that department last week, but it needed a little tweaking. I want to make sure that I get plenty of protein to help replenish and build those muscles I'm working on, the right amounts of carbohydrates to fuel my running, and the right kinds of fats. Oh, I also focused on taking my supplements every night. A+ all around and I have never felt better! The vitamins and supplements have made a huge difference. I've always been pretty lax about taking vitamins, which Mike has always been bothered by... possibly because all of the bruises I get from the lack of vitamins make it appear as though he beats me. :) Just kidding... he's actually quite concerned with my general health and well-being. Guess he wants me to live for a while or something. Anyway, my point is that they make a difference so if you're not taking them, do it. And the very act of taking them seems to make me even more conscious of my health which feeds into other things that I do. Next week, I'll focus on all of the aforementioned things as well as taking sups twice a day. I'm also going to change things up a bit with my workouts as I have learned some helpful information. Here it is: most women tend to think that when weight-training, higher-reps equals greater results and they often do the same thing every week without changing the amount of weight or the number of reps. Mistake. It is actually better to vary things constantly. Doing lower reps (3-8) at a higher weight will help to build muscle strength. Doing moderate reps (8-15) helps to build muscle mass and high reps (15-25+) helps to build muscle endurance. Each of these things is important to us women so each type of workout should be employed. The calorie burning effect is actually not significantly different from one workout to the next as is commonly thought. The recommendation is to mix it up. For example:
Week 1: Low
Week 2: Medium
Week 3: High
Week 4: Medium
Week 5: Low
Week 6: High
Etc.
It doesn't have to go in exact order from low to high and then repeat... in fact, it's better if it doesn't as it will trick your muscles to constantly mix it up. When you do the exercise, do enough weight that you just can't do any more beyond the planned number of reps. If you could keep going for several more, then you need to increase your weight. Really focus on the contraction of the proper muscle on each exercise. No swinging your arms or swaying your back to get it up... if you're having to do that, you may need to decrease your weight to really utilize the intended muscle. Why work out if you're not going to do it right?
If working out seems too painful or you just don't want to do it, get over it! Seriously. The benefits of exercise far outweight the temporary pain you might experience. And though it may take a while, you actually may grow to enjoy it, especially when you start seeing the transformation in your body. Who wants to just be thin? We're going for healthier bodies here, not just fitting into a certain size.
I watched an episode of Oprah this week where she discussed "falling off the wagon". Kirstie Alley was on it and would you believe that she has gained back every pound that she just lost? I was so sad for her, and for the man who went from 1100 pounds to 193 and ALL THE WAY back to 1100. I realize that this is so common and very easy to do. The problem I see is that people are dieting to lose weight. We all know that there is a beginning and an end to a diet, and that's why weight is regained. Once a certain number or a certain size is reached, people often feel like they've won the battle. The problem is that so many people do things temporarily with no intention of continuing on the same path. That is why Mike and I always emphasize that we are working on a lifestyle. If in your own weight loss efforts you do something that you can't see yourself doing for the rest of your life, then there really isn't much point in doing it... you'll likely just gain the weight back. If, however, you make changes that you can incorporate into your lifestyle, then you will be able to continue on that path for the rest of your life and be healthy, not just thin. I am aware that I won't have to work quite as hard as I'm working now once I've reached my goal weight, but I fully intend on continuing to work out every day and I will eat much the same way that I am now. I'm sure I'll fluctuate here and there and I can't say for certain that I'll never struggle again, especially because I'll continue to have babies, but I am learning as I go here and the goal is to always live what I've learned. The weight has come off slowly at times but that hasn't stopped me because this is our lives, not a diet. Mike and I will enjoy a family dinner or PF Changs every once in a while without the typical and depressing guilt-ridden feeling of crashing a diet (which, you know, often completely kills a diet altogher. Yet another pitfall!). I don't know if any of this is helpful to anyone, but these are things that have made monumental differences in my efforts. Believe me, I have been through it all and felt every painful feeling associated with losing weight. I have refused to feel that way this time and that, I feel, is why I have been successful. So there you go. Take that for what it's worth.
And on an ending note (I may have just written that book in this one entry!), I will part with my end-of-the-week results. I am officially weighing myself at the gym as their scale is supposed to be quite accurate. 162 today!!! That's 5 pounds since I started writing and I am thrilled! Oh, I also got my body fat tested yesterday: 25%. I'm on the low end of the average range and once I reach my goal of 155, I should be right about 20%. Not too shabby! 7 pounds to go!
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