Catching up

I tried to write on here a few times during our last vacation but somehow I kept getting interrupted or the internet was down or.....well....I was prevented.  So the past 2 weeks have been busy.  First of all, and most exciting, Tracey came to visit again.  We had a wonderful time.  She did 12 photo sessions though and is now furiously editing and proofing and all that stuff.  The girl has got talent!  We did manage to spend about 2 days at our lake house in upstate New York though.  Ahhhhh, relaxing.  Except that it rained one day. Sad.  We will see each other again in August though and it will be all about playing.   Anyway....our Lake House is a bit remote and we like the chance to get away from it all, so there is no internet.  I know, we are REALLY roughin' it out there.  I managed to go running only 1 day.  And I ate horribly.  In fact, I refuse to step on the scale until Saturday because I don't want to know about the damage.  I'm going to try to eat well and exercise every day this week in hopes of righting my calorie binge.  I find it entertaining that folks seem to think ONE session at the gym will somehow erase a week of poor eating habits, or even a meal.  When I am running, all out, for 40 minutes I only burn just over 400 calories.  That's 4 apples.   Odds are, when we "splurge" we are consuming more then 400 calories.  It's just the way things go.  Don't fool yourself.  Although the 40 minutes of cardio will help, it won't erase it...but it's better then doing nothing, right?  Right!  I recognize that I'm going to need to drop my calories and burn more calories every day this week to make up for eating with abandon.  Recognize the sacrifice you are making when you decide to eat something that might not be all that great for you.  Is it REALLY worth it?  You aren't looking at just 30 minutes on the treadmill or the elliptical.  30 minutes will NOT burn away that cupcake.  Anyway....I have a lot of recovery to do.  Today I went to the gym and ran for 20 minutes, did some sit-ups, used the URG (have you ever done that? ARGH!), and lifted weights.  The coolest part of all this, I took my 7 year old daughter with me.  It was her first time.  She loved the treadmill, was disappointed that her legs weren't long enough to try the stationary bike, decided that she could URG and be a rower when she grows up...and maxed out at 12 reps with the  3 lbs weights.  So cute.  Fun.  While I did abs she rolled around on an exercise ball.  We spent 45 minutes at the gym together.  I think we'll do it again.   

Magic Number Mix-up

I met with my rheumatologist the other day.  We had a decent discussion about my level of physical activity.  We've come to an understanding/agreement.  I can run.  With some limitations. Depending on the impact the activity has on my knees, I can either go for a distance limitation (a 5K or 3.1 miles) or a longevity limitation (1 hour).  If I'm running, I can do a 5K.  If I'm biking, then I can go for 1 hour.  See how that works?  So when I go work out on the elliptical now, I go for 3.1 miles.  I went for a bike ride today and did 4 miles..not a long ride and it only took me 20 minutes.  I'm not fond of bike riding.  You don't burn as many calories biking...or if you do, it's because you went twice as long.  However, the other thing my doctor and I discussed is the need to vary my cardio activities.  Muscles can grow accustomed to a specific movement or exercise.  When this happens the muscles become less efficient.  The best way to avoid this is to mix things up.  This week I went running, did the elliptical, and biked.  I also tossed in some weights for good measure.   Running is good.  It's great!  But it shouldn't be the only thing I'm doing and when I am doing it, my doctor recommends that my runs aren't the same....walk parts, run parts, go up hill, etc.  DO NOT do the same loop at the same pace every time you run.  This seems logical.  It means that "interval" training (when you do a short hard burst....1 minute....at the highest pace you can handle, and then crank it down to a comfortable pace you can maintain and "recover" for 2 minutes, then repeat) is REALLY good for you.  It is also why the C25K program is so great.  Each week they change your routine making your running segments longer and your walking segments shorter and building up your endurance all at the same time.  Genius!  So, whatever your fitness routine is, mix it up.  Have some fun.  Try new things.  I'm still tossing around the idea of yoga.  I haven't tried it yet, but I have this "sense" that it would be good for me.  My rheumatologist agrees.  

GAAAAAW!

I have one of those husbands that is genetically blessed. I kid you not when I tell you that he has spent an ENTIRE summer sitting on his tail, gaming, AND eating an entire PINT of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream every night (by himself)...and managed to actually LOOOOOSE weight. (How does one afford to eat a pint of B&J every night? Well, you have a relative that works at the factory and guess what? They get to bring home 3 free pints A DAY! That's how.) Anyway, this amazing man I've married is sympathetic (if not empathetic) to my plight. If I even LOOK at a pint of B&J, I'm gaining weight. A few days ago he says to me, "I think I'm going to start running too." Okay. Great. Because we are parents of 3 young children who can not be left home alone (yet) we have to take turns. My husband is also a morning person. So he gets up and runs for 25-30 minutes from 6-6:30. Then I go from 6:30-7:30. Today was his day 2. On Thursdays I buy donuts for my family (honestly, I don't eat them...they just don't tempt me). He loves Glazed donuts. Today he looked at his donut and said, "Wow! After just 2 days of exercising, I suddenly don't feel like I need or want to eat this donut. But I'm going to. Because I can." Do you want to hit him as much as I did? The look on my face must have communicated this. He knew he had just said something insensitive. Grrrrr. The fact that this morning I went to the gym and did 40 intense and HARD minutes on the elliptical (the one with the arm levers so you work out your upper body too) and then came home and ate fiber one toast with all natural peanut butter for breakfast, a veggie burger and fruit for lunch, and a mushroom burger with a baked potato (without any of the "stuff" that makes is so tasty) for dinner and probably didn't lose an ounce (In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if I gained) while HE did 25 minutes of running, ate 2 donuts, a fried chicken sandwich, and then a huge turkey bacon club sandwich with french fries for dinner AND he will probably lose weight....well...this tickles my justice scale. It makes me angry. It isn't fair. He doesn't care. I do. He doesn't even like to eat. I do. I want to have an all out throw myself on the ground and kick my feet while banging my fists on the floor and screaming, "IT JUST ISN'T FAIR" temper tantrum. And I confess that inside, I totally AM having that fit. Do any of you have husbands or friends like this in your life? How do they effect you and how to you react to them? Just wondering if there are any coping mechanisms out there that I can employ. Feel free to share. Please.

Little set backs

It can be frustrating when you get started with a new regimen, and then something happens to set you back. For example, I was so excited to get started with my new jogging program, but then the stress of work and school kicked in, and then to top it off, I have doctors orders to take it easy for the next day because of a final tuberculosis test that I had to get yesterday. The thing is that no matter how frustrating it can be, I know that I can't let it get to me because I'm set on jogging on Friday, maybe even tomorrow if all goes well with the doctor. Looking back at my week though, I really wish I would have made the time to jog just a couple more days because it really makes me feel so great afterwards, and cuts back on my stress levels a ton.

In memory of....

I've mentioned in previous posts my friend who has asked me to join her in her C25K training efforts.  We are running mornings together.  Today was a goal date for her.  She wanted to do a 5K today.  That doesn't mean she had to run the WHOLE thing, but she wanted to complete 3.1 miles.  Why today?  Because, today is her grandmother's birthday.  Her grandma was her biggest fan.  She passed away several years ago.  So today we completed a 5K in her honor.  We didn't run the whole thing (we are only 3 weeks into the training program after all).  But we did do 3.1 miles.  It took us about 45 minutes.  We plan to do another 5k toward the end of July just before I pack my family up and move West for a year.  Today was the perfect day.  It was slightly overcast and warm, but not TOO warm.  We started at 6:30am.  After the first mile, it got easier (I've mentioned this before...the 1st mile is the hardest).  And then, as if nature were trying to destroy our moment, it started to rain.  We only had 1/2 mile to go.  We picked up the pace and RAN the final 1/4.  Just as we finished the final push, it started to REALLY rain.  Just to spite the rain and to celebrate our accomplishment, we laughed and walked another 1/4 of a mile.  And, as if in defeat, we finished that bonus 1/4 mile and the rain stopped.  We were soaking wet and pleased as could be.  The rain was a welcome relief....and we decided that if we could run in the rain every time, we probably would.  A little bit of rain wasn't going to stop us.  A lot of rain wouldn't have stopped us either.  It was a wonderful way to start a morning.  I was grateful to be part of it.