I Need to catch up!

I have at least 4 posts in my head that I really want to get down.  I seem to keep not writing them, however.

I am rebooting my weight loss/ work out routine.  Monday is my official soft start.  What is a soft start you ask?

1.  Be careful with food, but no hard no's
2.  Track everything I put in my mouth.
3.  Design work out plan, do not flog self for missing days.
4.  Be more active in every day life

The real start usually comes a week after.  Sooner if the tracking of food is preposterous that I say to heck with this I am losing weight!  Real start is:

1.  Be strict with food, counter any overages with exercise
2.  Track everything I put in my mouth
3.  Exercise is not an option.
4.  Be more active in every day life

 One of the blogs I read does a scale Saturday with screen shots from her scale. and her victories for the week.  I may try a version of her format here, I think it could work for me.  I love numbers, so I am always charting and graphing my weight loss but having to actually see it on the scale here has it's accountability and appeal.

Also, don't hate, but I am going to start tanning this week.  I am super white, I burn super easy, and for the last two years I have had awful  cyclist tan lines.  This year I would like to try to avoid at least some of the whole burn, tan line, burn cycle.  It's also part of a larger plot to get me to the gym when I don't feel like it.  You know, the mental mind games. I'll start with " I am just going to go to the gym to tan" and then " Well I am here I may as well hit the weights." At least that's the hope.

Today was a 14 mile bike ride at about a 13 mph average.  Not a bad soft start!  I had to take a breather and noticed this beautiful tree above me.  I might try to get my real camera out there Tuesday or Wednesday and get a better picture of it before it blooms.

How do you start your weight loss regimes?  Any tips or tricks?

New Gym

For $35 a month, there were things that I put up with at my old gym.  Eternally broken equipment and toilets, crappy hours, empty spray bottles, no paper towels.  Then there were the "typical" gym things.  Like guys doing one rep and wandering around for 15 minutes.  But they were using that machine, so don't touch it.  Most of the people at my old gym were there to socialize.  My husband and I would walk in, stay for 45-60 minutes, do our cardio or our weight circuit, and leave.  We were among the few that ever left.  The same people that were there when we walked in would be there when we walked out. 

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The new gym is about $47 a month with annual fees.  I have been there three times.  The con's are that I seem to be to short for a lot of the equipment.  I tried to talk to someone about it last night but it was late and she couldn't leave the desk.  So I need to get someone to show me what I am doing wrong or show me an alternative.  That has me frustrated.  BUT the rest is AMAZING.  I've gotten on the hydro massage bed every time I go, and it is the best thing ever.  There are chair massages, red light therapy and tanning.  Lines upon lines of cardio equipment and open 24 hours.  The best thing is, all three times I've gone, everyone is there to work out.  No one is wandering around and chatting.  No one is staring at themselves in the mirror.  There is no clanging or screaming.  Everyone is on a machine burning calories.  It is a great environment. 

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Going to a new gym makes me more excited to go over the winter, and it definitely helps the motivation.  Sure, I may not want to go to the gym, but if I do I can get a hydro massage.  You have to love incentives.

Which Pony Tail is She Wearing?

What work out I am doing on any given day is easy to read by my hair and clothes.  A high pony tail

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Means I am going to the gym.  This is usually accompanied by capri pants ( that just look like pirate pants because I am short) running shoes and a cotton tank top.

A low pony tail

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Means I am going out on my bike.  I need my hair out of the way and not making my helmet uncomfortable.  I am also wearing bike shorts and a dry weave shirt or tank top and flip flops.  Flip flops are so I can still wander around the house getting my equipment ready with out wearing my bike cleats.  I put those on in the garage.

My dog can always tell which work out I am doing.  She knows for a ride she gets to stay home with my husband for the gym she is headed to her cage.

 

( The Chiuah in question)

Today was a high pony tail kind of day.  Brad has decided that he wants to start weight training again and asked me to go with him.  I love weight training.  Instant results and you get to feel all pumped and tough.

After yesterdays less then stellar, ego destroying, sorry excuse for a bike ride....it felt good to cross train a bit.  I have read articles about good weigh training for cyclists but I kind of went anti most of it.  I ended up avoiding the machines I know I use for cycling and using more of the machines that worked the muscles that I don't use for cycling.  We are going to try to go 2-3 days a week.  That is on top of my riding 3 days a week and possibly taking in a 2 day a week hula dancing class.  Which I need to decide on quick because registration is closing.....

Being the geeks we are we built a spreadsheet to track it and I ran the endomodo app on my phone so it is also logged there.  As the weeks go on I hoping to see consistent progress towards becoming stronger.

Going out for another ride tomorrow, heres hoping I remember my water bottle this time!

Stupid Supinating Foot

My gym is kind of crappy.  It's also kind of cheap, so I pay every month anyway.  I hadn't been there since April.  April was about the time I got a bike and started cycling three days a week as my workout.  But it's been very hot, and very stormy and I still needed to burn calories.  Off to to the gym I went, and I was determined to give running a shot.

"My cardio has to be better" I told myself.  " My leg muscles are bigger and stronger and I weigh less, I might be able to do it".

My breathing became rapid, I started getting excited, I was frustrated by the slow moving cars in front of me.  I wanted to get to the gym.  I wanted to run.

I scanned my card and headed across the gym like I owned the place.  Sure, I hadn't been there in three months but I'd lost 10 lbs, and had made myself stronger and faster.

It started well.  I was able to run at the pace I quit at back in March, and it had taken me 3 months to get there the first time.  My breathing was good and I believe the rest of my body could have pushed on for a good 30 minutes of intervals.

My right foot however, continues to vehemently disagree.  The side wedges and $100 running shoes I bought aren't even helping anymore.  My ankle was nearly turning out, the cramping of my right leg started by interval three.  I made it through 15 minutes and my foot/ankle/leg were done.

This reaffirms that I REALLY need to get to a foot doctor.  I love cycling, and I will forever be thankful for that it came into my life when it did.  With that being said, there is something about running that calls me back.  My high pony tail swishing, the sound of my feet hitting the ground, the mind games, there is just nothing else like it.  I can't do it until I get to a foot doctor and do something about my feet. 

I need a wand so I can magic my supinating feet away and get nice functioning ones instead.