An Abnormal Day

Staying up late last night made it hard for me to get out of bed this morning. I was already quite exhausted from yesterday's double workout. Once I was up, however, it was pretty much non-stop ... I wouldn't say I rushed around, as I have been trying to slow down a bit. I think it would be more accurate to say that I had a FULL day.

At the gym today was more of an active recovery day. Just 20 minutes on the treadmill - working in a bit of a jog here and there, and then to try something new, I did the rowing machine. I really liked it. I think the different type of movements for my arms and legs are good. I only did 15 minutes today, followed by 10 minutes (not straight, unfortunately) of jump rope.

I met KD, our Body Pump instructor, at noon to go over the new choreography for the new Les Mills Release, Body Pump 81. I was really touched that she asked me to join her as she went through the choreography and give my feedback. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I think a few tears instead of sweat fell during the lunges and shoulder tracks!

So, that was it for me. I wouldn't normally have done a weights workout today, especially since I did one yesterday and I have one planned for tomorrow, and Friday - 4 consecutive days of weights! Still, I used a light weight today just to go through the tracks versus really working out hardcore like I hope to do on Friday.

Another unusual thing about today is how much I ate. I didn't eat anything unhealthy, but I ate a lot more than I usually do. I had scrambled egg whites this morning, lentils with veggies in the afternoon, and my spinach/tofu/mushroom creation for dinner. Snacks were a banana, protein shake, and 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt. A bit of mint dark chocolate for dessert. Overall, I didn't eat horribly, but I do feel like I ate more than normal - but I was hungry! I think it's all the weight training. I'm pretty sure things will get back to normal tomorrow.

Dear Runner

This morning when I checked my email, the first one I got was from Aymstrong, the hosts of the Kuwait Marathon. I love how they started off the email with 'Dear Runner.' Ok, so I'm not a runner (yet), but it gave me hope. It gave me that extra bit of spark that made me think - Yes, I want to be a runner. It doesn't matter how long it takes, I just want to eventually be able to run.

I had preregistered before. Today's email was the official registration (payment etc.) to confirm your place. So I've done it. Now all I have to do is train for it. What was interesting to find out was that we will be running in the desert, so on sand. I've never run on sand before! I'll have to train especially for that for sure!

Today was another full (and fulfilling day).

Early morning workout - I finished Workout 4B of Stage 6 in NROL4W. I've just got one more round left (Workout A5 and B5) and then I'm on to the final stage. The next round is a bit different - I'll be using a lighter weight (the same weight I used for round 2) but doing more reps - and in some cases, as many reps as possible before stopping). The highlight of today's weights workout: Using a 20 kg. dumbbell for my two -point rows! I absolutely love how you can see an increase in your strength as you follow the program.

I had a bit of time left, so I had half an hour of boxing practice - for the last 10 minutes DB came in to spar with me. I've never sparred before. He almost punched my face! Damn! Have to keep my guard up. I tell you, it's intimidating when someone is coming at you with boxing gloves on! So different from my trainer holding the boxing pads and letting me hit. You've got to be quick on your feet, defend yourself, and attack! I was DRENCHED in sweat by the time we were done.

Class was great! We finished up the debates; the remaining topics were:

- Should parents be punished/penalized for allowing their children to become obese?

- Should fast food be banned in schools as well as in the surrounding areas in order to promote healthier eating habits?

- Should anorexics (if admitted to the hospital for an anorexia-related illness) be force fed through a naso-gastric tube (against the patient's wishes)?

- Are advertisers justified in airbrushing and photoshopping their models to look flawless and skinner than they actually are?

- Should warning labels be put on fast food, just as they are on cigarette packs?

We had some really great discussion. What was most interesting was our discussions related to how personal opinion/what one thinks is right is cannot always be implemented for a whole host of reasons. What also became apparent was the influential nature of profit and the distinction between individual responsibility for one's own health and what we expect the community/society to do to help individuals along the way ... very interesting indeed!

A bit of rest. Lunch was some lentils with spinach, celery, and tofu -- yummy, but so unappealing to look at. I couldn't bring myself to post a photo!

In the evening I went back to the gym -- 2.5 km light cardio, half an hour of abs blast class, and finally Zumba ... and ending the night at a friend's birthday celebration - smoked salmon over a bed or rocket leaves (lemon dressing on the side) and lots of water. Even though it was a birthday, we all agreed on no dessert, not even cake to share. It helps to be around others who are watching what they eat.

Oh, I finally used my Polar FT60 heart-rate monitor! It was great to see how many calories I burned during weight training as well as during boxing. I had a rough idea before, but now I have a better idea. I burned a total of 630 calories (half from boxing) for my morning workout, and another 650 calories from my evening workout! I'm liking the heart-rate monitor so far - hopefully it'll also help me track my calories more accurately.

Off to dream about running now ;)

Busy Day!

I've been really good at getting my workouts in over the past few weeks. I am so desperate and ready to see a change in my weight that it is my absolute priority. I'm not one of those people that can just cut down on calories and drop some weight. I have to do both - cut calories (eat healthily) and exercise.

However, the downside of making sure I'm at the gym for each workout is that a lot of other tasks get left undone. I've been postponing several errands/tasks for ages -- I can't do it anymore. I've got to get a move on and get things sorted.

So, this morning, instead of rushing out the door at 6:30 this morning, I stayed home. I had already woken up at 4:40 a.m. (yes, I'm an early riser; blame the insomnia) and I didn't need to leave for work until 9:20, so I had a good chunk of time to get stuff done. I tell you, it felt great emptying boxes, throwing stuff out, putting things away etc. My dining room (which hasn't been used in forever) is no longer the storage space it had become (it has been neglected since just after Christmas!). It now looks clean and fresh! I'm so pleased!

Of course in between sorting out the dining room I was doing the dishes, figuring out what to cook for dinner, and putting the things that were in the dining room into the storage room -- in other words, I may have had 4 1/2 hours this morning at home, but I did not get a chance to just sit and put my feet up (will try that the next time around!)

Work was terrific today. Dealing with 43 students in one class can be daunting, so I decided to do debates in class. The focus -- health and fitness! All the students I work with are 1st or 2nd year medical students, so health and fitness is right up their alley. Most of the class was spent with them preparing their arguments - we only had time for one proper debate. The question was: For most illnesses, if a patient smokes or is overweight, more often than not, one part of their prescribed treatment will be that they should quit smoking and lose weight. What if the doctor prescribing the treatment was overweight and/or a smoker. Does the doctor have the right to give this advice? Should doctors be required to be non-smokers and of healthy weight?

We had some great discussion over this question. Most students immediately said YES - Doctors have a responsibility to be a picture of good health and be a role model for their patients. The group that was arguing NO (they didn't have a choice, I assigned each team which side they would be arguing) had a bit of a tougher task to convince the audience of their point, but they did a really good job. They focused on the fact the primary task of a doctor was to help the patient, so even if his personal habits are bad, as long as he is not compromising the care/treatment of the patient, it shouldn't matter.

I could write about this for ages, but this was the gist of the debate. It was great to see the whole class engaged in the discussion. Both sides argued their points well -- and what was interesting was that when I asked the same question at the end of our discussion, instead of the majority saying Yes, the reaction was about half/half.

Stay tuned for more debate topics :)

After class I rushed to the gym - got in my 10 km on the cross-trainer. I'm not officially starting to train for the 10 km until mid-May, but I am going to try and see what I can do to somewhat prepare. It wasn't difficult, though about two hours later my legs felt quite sore! I did 15 minutes of abs and that was it for the day.

I'm really struggling with what to have for lunch these days. After finishing at the gym I only had 40 minutes before I had to head out to get my mom from work ... I had a cup of rice with some veggies in the freezer, so I just defrosted that and inhaled it before rushing out the door. I try to be prepared, but sometimes it just doesn't work ... to rectify that, however, I have a big pot of lentils cooking right now. I'm going to throw in some veggies later. I know that the recipe is low calorie and can be measured up and frozen for future rushed afternoons!

Back home to prep for dinner, grade papers, and catch up on a few emails.

Dinner tonight is tofu with bell peppers -- I'm cooking this up for the first time. I'll post the recipe etc. if it turns out good.

Week 3 Update

I woke up this morning feeling heavy. Ugh. Never a good feeling, especially before a weigh in. I know it has to do with dinner last night. I didn't eat much, but I did have hummus, and that always causes me to feel heavier than normal.

My workout this morning was good. I'm really close to finishing Stage 6 of NROL4W. I've got 3 more workouts left in this stage. I'm happy with the progress that I've made so far. Today, I used 50 kg (110 lbs) weights for my split squats :) Yay!

Work, unfortunately, was a bit chaotic. Three of our teachers were out today for some reason or another -- two of them are going to be gone this entire week, so guess what that means? One of their classes is going to join mine for the rest of the week. I've gone from a lovely class size of 21-students (an absolute dream compared to previous semesters) to 43 students ... back to the drawing board to do new lesson plans for the week!

Anyway - on to my Week 3 update.

Goals:

1. Weight loss goal: To lose 10 lbs by May 8th

This week I lost just over half a kilo (1.3 lbs), for an overall loss of 2.2 kg (4.84 lbs) since April 1st. I haven't set weekly weight loss targets - I just want to make sure that the overall number keeps going down and that I hit my 10 lb loss by May 8th. I'm taking it one gram at a time.

2. Non-scale goal: Make it through my list of things to do; Prepare for/Pass my PhD Viva

I'm still trying to make it through my list of things to do. I have made some progress in that area, but I'm ashamed to say that I haven't made as much progress as I have wanted to. The things I have done however are - finished reading through/commenting on the first 3 chapters of my thesis; sorted through my final batch of clothes; donated all the charity goods; commented on blogs, so all in all, not bad.

3. Exercise goal: I did really well in terms of exercise this week. I'm pleased to say I hit all my targets.

- Gym 6x/week - Done!

- Weight training 3x/week (4 if possible) - Managed 4 sessions (3 NROL4W and 1 Body Pump)

- Cardio 6 hrs of week (10 if possible) - Completed just over 8 hours of cardio this week

- Abs focus 3x/week - Did abs 3 times this week, including the ab blast class!

I actually have a new exercise goal to add. A few days ago I was debating whether or not I should register for a 10k run in November ... and finally decided to do it :) I just registered, so training for the 10k is an additional exercise goal. However, I don't plan on starting it until I come back from London. It's just not feasible at the moment to start a regimented program, but I'll see what I can do during my normal cardio sessions to start preparing :)

4. Nutrition goal

- Drink 3.5-4 L water daily - Done!

- Eat at least 1 serving of fruit daily - Ugh. Only managed 4 days of fresh fruit out of the 7. Must keep working on this!

- Greatly reduce carbs during dinner - Done. Only had carbs (wheat/grain based) once for dinner this week; the rest was lean protein and vegetables for the most part

- Track food & water intake on a daily basis - I'm being vigilant, but I still haven't been writing it all down. I'm too busy/tired with all the exercise!

Overall, not too bad for week 3. My goals for week 4.

1) Weight loss - just keep losing some weight; no pressure on a number - I just want to see the number go down.

2) Non-scale goal - Finish reading/editing chapters 4 & 5 of my thesis; I have a major task of organizing my data charts. I MUST get a start on this in order to get it done before I travel in May; Organize my bookshelf; Get my car papers done!!

3) Exercise goal - same as before; still try to get at least one class of pilates; body balance; yoga in

4) Nutrition goal - same as before

Hope everyone has a fantastic week 4!

Inspired

I've been trying my best to make the rounds to all the challengers - not just to their Challenge update posts, but to their regular posts as well. It's made for some amazing reading -- there's a lot of pounds being shed out there!

Reading blogs from so many different people has had a bigger impact on me than I realized. The main thing is - you know you're not alone. There are other people who are working hard and trying to fight this weight loss battle.

If you haven't struggled with a weight issue, then I don't think that you know how hard it is to lose the weight. Sure, eat less, move more. Yes. We know. The thing is, it really isn't as simple as that. There are other issues that have to be dealt with. Reading about how others deal with their weaknesses and struggles has been eye opening. It has given me the motivation to keep moving forward, and there are also some posts that remind me of what not to do -- it's all part of the learning process.

I've been blogging for ten months now. There are some blogs that I was reading before this challenge started, and I'm glad to see that some of those bloggers have joined this challenge as well.

Each blog has been inspiring/motivating in some way or another. It's tough to narrow this post down to just a few mentions, but here are a few that particularly stand out.

I've been reading Kris' blog Trying to Tri for some time now. Her workout routine is amazing -- she works HARD. Reading her breakdown of her goals and how she reaches them (amid her busy, busy schedule) is truly inspiring.

I've also been reading Jillian's blog at I'm in love alright, with my crazy, beautiful life. If it's possible for charisma to translate through the Internet, then I've got to say, Jillian wins the prize! I can relate to a lot of the struggles that Jillian has been going through. Still, through it all, she's trying.

Some newer finds through this challenge are:

Treadmill Hiker at February Fitness Project is working on just just losing weight but also changing her lifestyle in a way that is reasonable. The motivation pictures she posts are truly motivating, and I find that I can relate to a lot of her blog posts.

Blog Wobble - how can you not love a blog with that title? Her posts are not just weight updates, but also updates on how this weight loss journey is a journey of discovery.

The first thing that struck me about Finding the Not So Big Jo is her infectious smile. She's got a lot going on, but is still taking steps towards her goal!

Reading Caron's blog (at At Goal Weight Watcher) reminds me that even once you've hit your target, you've got to work hard to keep it off. It does get a bit easier, but it will always require some time and effort.

There are so many others that I love to read and that continue to inspire and motivate me. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog and comment on my posts - it means a lot!

Good luck with the rest of the challenge!

Just do it or don't?

I got an email today saying that pre-registration was open for a running event that will be held in November. This is being organized by the same group that did the 240 km run across Kuwait (it took them around 50 hours!). At that time they had organized a 10 km support run to go along with them for a short distance. As someone who hasn't trained for any sort of run at all, I faced a dilemma - do I go for it or do I train and wait for the next opportunity? In the end, I went for it and completed the 10 km; half walking, half jogging.

This running event consists of an ultra-marathon (100 km); full marathon (42 km); half marathon (21 km) --- ya, not doing any of those -- plus a 10 km run and a 3 km fun run. This event is different as you actually have to register and pay to join ... not like the one I did just for the heck of it ... so the question is, should I register and go for it?

I wrote recently about my desire to run. I would really, really love to run -- I just don't know if I have it in me. It's been taking me forever just to run 1 km! I knew for the last event that I could walk (and I did), but this one seems like a proper run.

The good thing is, I have time to prepare. I have 7 months to train for the 10 km. I have no problem trying to train for it ... but the thought of committing and not being able to deliver in the end makes me really anxious.

In looking for inspiration, I came across this Nike quote:

I wholeheartedly believe that quote -- that doesn't take away the nervousness though!

So, just do it ... or don't?

Oh My!

My usual Friday routine is 15-30 minutes of cardio warm-up (either treadmill or cross-trainer) followed by Body Pump and then Zumba.

Today I decided to change that up a little.

When I wrote my review of the week I did feel like I needed to change up my routine, especially because I feel like I'm losing/gaining the same few pounds over and over again. I want to break through is plateau in a BIG way ... and break through it for good!

The thing is, I also want to continue with my weight lifting routine. So often have I started a plan and then become frustrated after trying it for a few weeks and not seeing the results I wanted and then giving up. Not this time. Even though I want to change up my weight lifting routine, I am going to stick to what is outlined in New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROL4W). The slow and steady approach has been effective - I'm just antsy.

So, what can I do? I guess it's all about changing up the types of cardio that I do because I have some flexibility in that area.

This morning I went to the gym a bit earlier than usual and went to the 10 am Body Combat class. I haven't done combat in AGES. I could not remember the last time I was in the combat studio. With all the boxing training I've been doing lately (and totally loving it) I thought it would be great to attend the class for some added cardio + boxing ... and my trainer is the one who teaches the class so I knew he would be watching my form. {Before I left the gym he told me that my form was improving and he was glad to see me trying to keep my guard up at all times - I appreciated the positive feedback!}

I absolutely loved being back. I forgot how intense the class was - by the end of it, I was totally drenched in sweat. My t-shirt was literally dripping (gross, but satisfying too!) so I had to rush to my locker to change my t-shirt before Body Pump ... followed by Zumba.

Oh my indeed!

By the time I got home at 2 pm I was EXHAUSTED. I felt really, really good, but also really, really ready to just lie down!! :)

I'm so glad I booked a massage for this evening - I have a feeling I'm going to fall asleep on the massage table! It's a good way to end my workout week!