Still loving doing my own thing, I must say! But still grateful for what I learned from Tony. One thing that I will use forever is Glutamine (Tony writes about it here on his website) -- it makes a difference!
On to today's workout. I didn't sleep well last night and with a low energy level, I wanted a strength workout that was challenging but doable. Here's what I ended up with:
Kettlebell deadlifts
Set 1: 20 reps, 8 kb
Set 2: 15 reps, 12 kb
Set 3: 15 reps, 16 kb
Back squats
Set 1: 20 reps, 18 pound bodybar
Set 2: 15 reps, 24 pound bb
Set 3: 20 reps, 24 pound bb
Below parallel squats
Set 1: 15 reps, 20 pound dumbbells
Step ups to 16" bench
Set 1: 15 reps, 10 pounds
Set 2: same
Set 3: same
Pull-up negatives
Set 1: 10 reps
Set 2: 5 reps
One arm rows:
Set 1: 15 reps, 25 pounds
Set 2: 13 reps, 25 pounds
Set 3: 10 reps, 30 pounds
Cable pulldowns
Set 1: 15 reps, black cable
Set 2: 15 reps, black cable
Incline bicep curls
Set 1: 15 reps, 15 pounds
Set 2: 15 reps, 12.5 pounds
Bicep 21's
Set 1: 21 reps, 10 pounds
One final note: I said there's a way to make planks more effective. Well here it is: keep your butt level, squeeze your glutes and drop your shoulders. If you do these three things, planks become a whole new experience.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Biggest Loser
Biggest Loser starts soon and I can't wait! The show is not reality, and nobody (even me who likes to exercise) wants to spend 3-4 hours in a gym every day. But it's so fun to see what they do for training, and you just care so much about these people and their hopes and dreams that I'm completely hooked.
Last night I picked up a little booklet/magazine about Biggest Loser in the checkout line at the grocery store. There's some good information in this quick read. For example:
1. The idea of drinking a glass of water both before and AFTER a meal, so you can make sure you haven't over eaten. (If you can't drink a glass of water at the end of the meal, you probably ate too much.)
2. There's a cool little workout titled "Lunge off the Pounds" that includes lateral lunges, split lunges, and squats with shoulder presses.
3. The info on the upcoming season, as well as the "where are they now?" profiles on past contestants is all fascinating.
But I have 3 problems with the information they present:
1. They recommend a diet of 1050 calories per day for people 150 and under who want to lose weight. If you weight 300 pounds, you get 2100 calories per day, and the numbers vary for those in between those weights. That's not enuff, in my opinion. Then again, how else can you lose oodles of pounds in one week other than by severely limiting what you eat, and exercising ALL THE TIME!
2. In an intermediate ab routine, they recommend doing FIVE to SEVEN MINUTES of crunches on a stability ball. WHAT??? Ok, so I'm in pretty decent shape and can't imagine doing that much!
3. There's a little 5 minute workout that you can do at home. Here it is:
2 minutes jumping jacks (ok, boring, but ok)
1 minute plank pose (I learned how to make plank way harder and better at the seminar this weekend, but I'll write about that another day)
2 minutes mountain climbers
Have you ever DONE mountain climbers? This workout has you doing them for 2 minutes on the floor. The other night my workout included a minute of these with hands on a bench, and I swear I thought my timer was broken!
End of rant. Everyone should watch the new season (just try not to cringe when they have morbidly obese people doing plyometrics, cuz you know they'll keep on doing it).
Last night I picked up a little booklet/magazine about Biggest Loser in the checkout line at the grocery store. There's some good information in this quick read. For example:
1. The idea of drinking a glass of water both before and AFTER a meal, so you can make sure you haven't over eaten. (If you can't drink a glass of water at the end of the meal, you probably ate too much.)
2. There's a cool little workout titled "Lunge off the Pounds" that includes lateral lunges, split lunges, and squats with shoulder presses.
3. The info on the upcoming season, as well as the "where are they now?" profiles on past contestants is all fascinating.
But I have 3 problems with the information they present:
1. They recommend a diet of 1050 calories per day for people 150 and under who want to lose weight. If you weight 300 pounds, you get 2100 calories per day, and the numbers vary for those in between those weights. That's not enuff, in my opinion. Then again, how else can you lose oodles of pounds in one week other than by severely limiting what you eat, and exercising ALL THE TIME!
2. In an intermediate ab routine, they recommend doing FIVE to SEVEN MINUTES of crunches on a stability ball. WHAT??? Ok, so I'm in pretty decent shape and can't imagine doing that much!
3. There's a little 5 minute workout that you can do at home. Here it is:
2 minutes jumping jacks (ok, boring, but ok)
1 minute plank pose (I learned how to make plank way harder and better at the seminar this weekend, but I'll write about that another day)
2 minutes mountain climbers
Have you ever DONE mountain climbers? This workout has you doing them for 2 minutes on the floor. The other night my workout included a minute of these with hands on a bench, and I swear I thought my timer was broken!
End of rant. Everyone should watch the new season (just try not to cringe when they have morbidly obese people doing plyometrics, cuz you know they'll keep on doing it).
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Happier...
...doing my own workouts. Here's what today looked like:
Goal: work chest & shoulders, burn calories (always!)
Circuit:
Bench press (used 45 pound olympic bar), 20 reps, 15 reps, 15 reps
BOSU pushups (one hand on dome side of BOSU), 10 total (5 each side), 10, 10
Overhead press, 15 pounds, 15 reps
Arnold press, 12.5 pounds, 15 reps, 15 reps
Bodyweight squats on flat side of BOSU, 20 reps, 20 reps
Freemotion shoulder press, 15 reps, 15 reps (no idea what weight)
ARC trainer -- 30 minutes while reading The Raw 50, by Carol Alt.
In an attempt to start to recognize friends who comment or ask questions, I'll try to answer Eileen's question about the Reebok deck. Yes, it is expensive, but it's well made and seems to work quite well as a multi-purpose fitness tool. Before I invested in it, though, I'd see if what I already had would work -- like using a ball as a bench when lifting weights, for example. Then again, sometimes you just feel like you need something new to pique your interest. Ok, so I've basically said nothing, darn it, but those are my thoughts.
Hi Matt!
Hi Colette!
Hi Stacy!
Hi Sonniejane!
Hi Tracy!
Hi Evelyne!
Hi Irene!
Hi Chantal!
Hi Laurie!
Hi Em!
(How happy I feel to have such nice people to say hi to!)
Time to eat lunch (salad -- lots of fresh organic greens, ACV dressing, and protein and water) and get ready for my 1:15 client. Have a great day!
Goal: work chest & shoulders, burn calories (always!)
Circuit:
Bench press (used 45 pound olympic bar), 20 reps, 15 reps, 15 reps
BOSU pushups (one hand on dome side of BOSU), 10 total (5 each side), 10, 10
Overhead press, 15 pounds, 15 reps
Arnold press, 12.5 pounds, 15 reps, 15 reps
Bodyweight squats on flat side of BOSU, 20 reps, 20 reps
Freemotion shoulder press, 15 reps, 15 reps (no idea what weight)
ARC trainer -- 30 minutes while reading The Raw 50, by Carol Alt.
In an attempt to start to recognize friends who comment or ask questions, I'll try to answer Eileen's question about the Reebok deck. Yes, it is expensive, but it's well made and seems to work quite well as a multi-purpose fitness tool. Before I invested in it, though, I'd see if what I already had would work -- like using a ball as a bench when lifting weights, for example. Then again, sometimes you just feel like you need something new to pique your interest. Ok, so I've basically said nothing, darn it, but those are my thoughts.
Hi Matt!
Hi Colette!
Hi Stacy!
Hi Sonniejane!
Hi Tracy!
Hi Evelyne!
Hi Irene!
Hi Chantal!
Hi Laurie!
Hi Em!
(How happy I feel to have such nice people to say hi to!)
Time to eat lunch (salad -- lots of fresh organic greens, ACV dressing, and protein and water) and get ready for my 1:15 client. Have a great day!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Brain is FULL!
So I spent all day yesterday and today in a seminar, and it was FANTASTIC! The man who spoke, Rodney Corn, is amazing in the depth of his knowledge of functional anatomy, exercise progressions, program design, correcting muscle imbalances -- you name it, he knows it! It will take a little time to incorporate some of the concepts I learned, but it was definitely time well spent.
One of the funny things about going to a training seminar is that we didn't have desks or tables. We all sat on Reebok decks and by the end of the day, half the people were on the floor or on stability balls or doing stretches -- this is not a population that sits still very well!
On the training front, I'm stopping training with Tony, but is has nothing to do with him. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for online training, and someone who really puts his all into what he does. But right now I'm feeling so overwhelmed with kids back in school, new clients, and life that I just can't commit to workouts that take me outside of my comfort zone. So I'm going back to my old bodyweight, dumbbell, kettlebell circuit-style workouts, with some running thrown into the mix. And I'm looking forward to getting back to what I really enjoy doing. But I learned a lot from Tony and I'm very thankful for that!
One of the funny things about going to a training seminar is that we didn't have desks or tables. We all sat on Reebok decks and by the end of the day, half the people were on the floor or on stability balls or doing stretches -- this is not a population that sits still very well!
On the training front, I'm stopping training with Tony, but is has nothing to do with him. I would recommend him to anyone who is looking for online training, and someone who really puts his all into what he does. But right now I'm feeling so overwhelmed with kids back in school, new clients, and life that I just can't commit to workouts that take me outside of my comfort zone. So I'm going back to my old bodyweight, dumbbell, kettlebell circuit-style workouts, with some running thrown into the mix. And I'm looking forward to getting back to what I really enjoy doing. But I learned a lot from Tony and I'm very thankful for that!
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Still here and coming up for air
We're all adjusting to the new normal that is the school year. Yesterday was the first day of school AND Austin's actual birthday, so I baked a "first day" cake (a tradition in our family to celebrate school starting) AND cupcakes, and didn't have a single bite, lick, or fingerfull of any of it. Today I've felt ravenous all day, and although I've tried to make smart choices, I know my calories have been high.
I intended to get to the gym at 5:30, but we had a power outage last night, so the alarm didn't go off. Why is it relatively easy to get up at 5:15, but nearly impossible to get up at 6:50?! Trained a new client this morning -- fun -- then it was off to the gym for me (chest, lower body, 20 minutes ARC trainer). And because I gave in to a toast/sunflower seed butter/honey snack this afternoon, I did another workout in the training room tonight (1 minute on, 1 minute rest of Kb swings, step ups on 12" box, mountain climbers, stuff like that for 20 minutes).
One thing I'm starting to realize is that I'm good at what I do. For most of my life I've lived with impossibly high personal standards, and this belief: if I am good at something, everyone else is good at it too, and probably better. And if I'm not good at something, well everyone else is good at it for sure. So for the last few months I've been feeling imposter-ish in training clients. But I was thinking about this the other night, and the truth is that I put everything I can into helping women change their lives. I read incessantly. I choose exercises with care and a tremendous amount of thought. And I do everything in my power to motivate, guide, and teach my clients. (Tempted to erase -- hope it doesn't sound prideful...)
This weekend I'll be at a continuing education seminar that's being taught by one of the top men at NASM (the organization I'm certified through). I can't wait! One of the drawbacks to setting up my own training studio (as opposed to working in a gym) is that I don't have other people to bounce ideas or situations off of. So hanging out for a weekend with other trainers is really something to look forward to.
I intended to get to the gym at 5:30, but we had a power outage last night, so the alarm didn't go off. Why is it relatively easy to get up at 5:15, but nearly impossible to get up at 6:50?! Trained a new client this morning -- fun -- then it was off to the gym for me (chest, lower body, 20 minutes ARC trainer). And because I gave in to a toast/sunflower seed butter/honey snack this afternoon, I did another workout in the training room tonight (1 minute on, 1 minute rest of Kb swings, step ups on 12" box, mountain climbers, stuff like that for 20 minutes).
One thing I'm starting to realize is that I'm good at what I do. For most of my life I've lived with impossibly high personal standards, and this belief: if I am good at something, everyone else is good at it too, and probably better. And if I'm not good at something, well everyone else is good at it for sure. So for the last few months I've been feeling imposter-ish in training clients. But I was thinking about this the other night, and the truth is that I put everything I can into helping women change their lives. I read incessantly. I choose exercises with care and a tremendous amount of thought. And I do everything in my power to motivate, guide, and teach my clients. (Tempted to erase -- hope it doesn't sound prideful...)
This weekend I'll be at a continuing education seminar that's being taught by one of the top men at NASM (the organization I'm certified through). I can't wait! One of the drawbacks to setting up my own training studio (as opposed to working in a gym) is that I don't have other people to bounce ideas or situations off of. So hanging out for a weekend with other trainers is really something to look forward to.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Weekend fun
This is what we were watching last night in San Jose at the VISA Cup National Championship meet. (This is a clip from a competition last year, but last night was every bit as good as what you see here.) What fun!
Thank you everyone for the suggestions about Austin's birthday. He decided to invite some friends out to dinner, so tonight there will be eight of us (our family, two of Austin's friends, his cousin-friend and her best friend) dining at The Melting Pot, a fondue restaurant here in town.
My plan is to write more consistently once the kids are back in school next week. And I'm close to making some decisions about my business that I think will help me stay on top of the growth I'm experiencing -- I have FIVE new clients starting in the next two weeks!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
A must-read about eating
Once again, Tracy has said what needs to be said. Check it out: Rediscovering Strength.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Back on Track
So much for this morning's kick-ass workout. Rather than getting up at 5:15 as usual, I slept in till 8:15 -- 3 solid hours of extra very needed sleep! So this afternoon in 95 degree heat, I ran 5 miles. Enjoyable? Heck no! But did I keep my promise about doing a tough workout? Ummm, yeah I think so!
More later -- kid transportation needs must be met.
More later -- kid transportation needs must be met.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
But wait, there's more...
small handful Doritos Cool Ranch
2 waffles with syrup
2 Carmelita's (I made them last week)
little bit of chocolate
NOW I think I'm done.
2 waffles with syrup
2 Carmelita's (I made them last week)
little bit of chocolate
NOW I think I'm done.
Happy tummy, happy me
Today I had my first "cheat" of my diet and boy am I feeling good. In an ideal world, a cheat would be planned, but this was just a case of too tired too sore too vulnerable to resist, ya know?
So here's what I ate:
2 T Better n Peanut Butter (Trader Joe's -- yum!)
2 small cups of turkey/black bean chili
1 slice Ezekiel bread with sunflower seed butter and honey
1 slice citrus bread from Peet's coffee
My plan is to do a kick-ass workout in the morning to best use my bonus calories. Maybe I should be feeling guilty or bad, but all I feel is tired (the aftermath of all that sugar) and very happy. And for the next 2 hours I plan to read Harry Potter 7 -- heaven!
So here's what I ate:
2 T Better n Peanut Butter (Trader Joe's -- yum!)
2 small cups of turkey/black bean chili
1 slice Ezekiel bread with sunflower seed butter and honey
1 slice citrus bread from Peet's coffee
My plan is to do a kick-ass workout in the morning to best use my bonus calories. Maybe I should be feeling guilty or bad, but all I feel is tired (the aftermath of all that sugar) and very happy. And for the next 2 hours I plan to read Harry Potter 7 -- heaven!
Monday, August 13, 2007
Last post of the night
One final clarification: I've decided to start eating a limited amount of fish, turkey, and chicken. Last week Austin smelled (I know -- ick) my tofu and declared it both looked and smelled like cat food. So I couldn't do tofu anymore. And it's just too darn hard to do veg right now. So yes, I ate my own turkey chili (it's a recipe from Oxygen magazine last year -- black beans, red peppers, tomatoes, celery, garlic, onions -- so yummy!) and fully enjoyed it. I'll still limit the amount of flesh foods I eat, but just that I'm letting myself have some is making a huge difference!
Great Day
You've got to check out this site. I get an email every day (thanks to my mom) from the site, and today's was just beautiful. Here's an excerpt:
Be honest with yourself.
And you will see the wonder that is all around you.
Drop any pretense of cynicism.
And allow your spirit to marvel at the exquisite, graceful beauty in even the smallest of things.
Much of what you long for is already well within your reach.
Let go of the doubts, fears, and assumptions that keep you locked out of life's best possibilities.
Beautiful. True.
Be honest with yourself.
And you will see the wonder that is all around you.
Drop any pretense of cynicism.
And allow your spirit to marvel at the exquisite, graceful beauty in even the smallest of things.
Much of what you long for is already well within your reach.
Let go of the doubts, fears, and assumptions that keep you locked out of life's best possibilities.
Beautiful. True.
Mark's Daily Apple
Just a quick clarification -- when I recommended Mark's Daily Apple, I just meant the site in general. The day I wrote about it, it was talking about training with bare feet. While that may be great for some, and is preferred when you work with kettlebells, I can't do it. Plantar fasciitis in my left foot made barefoot a thing of the past for me about six years ago. But continue to visit the site for fascinating health and fitness news. Today he writes about HFCS in everything and about deep fried COKE!
Fitness Update
Ok so I'm starting week 3 of the Tony plan. I've benefitted from working with Tony and using his plan, for sure. Here's my take so far:
Pros:
Tony knows what he's doing and he's a great coach -- talking to him is motivating and eye opening.
The accountability factor is huge -- knowing you'll be receiving a workout via email and will be entering your results -- fantastic!
I like the variety of sets and reps.
I'm lifting heavier weights than I would normally lift.
Really like the ACV/LJ thing, as well as using green tea extract -- I will keep both for a lifetime.
Feel like I may have broken my nighttime cereal addiction.
Have lost 7 pounds and feel lean and strong.
Cons:
Diet makes me feel separate from my family. Don't tell, but I've been cheating by having raw almonds as a snack, and by eating fresh peaches daily. Oh, and over the weekend I had two diet pepsi's -- wish I didn't love them so much!
My preference is full-body workouts with free weights, and most of my workouts are a little more bodypart specific and use gym machines (which I said I would do, but I don't enjoy).
To be fair, a diet that emphasizes fresh natural foods and getting many carbs from vegetables is healthy beyond belief. I just wish I liked it more. I DO like closing in on the low 130s, and I like how defined my muscles look. The picture at the top was taken a week ago, and even from then till now I see changes -- my arms and shoulders are more defined, and my waist is narrower. But tonight I'm "cheating" and having turkey chili with my family -- I think the black beans in it are a no-no, but I'm feeling rebellious (plus I made the chili and it's fantastic!).
I think it will feel good to wear a bikini in Hawaii -- hooray!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Fitness update soon
Although my recent writings might imply that I'm not into fitness anymore, you KNOW that's not the case. I promise a fitness/health post soon! In the meantime, here's a site you should check out:
Mark's Daily Apple
Mark's Daily Apple
Crazy busy life
This week we've packed in so many fun things that I'm relieved that tonight we're just staying home! Monday and Tuesday our friends from San Diego and their kids were here to visit. On Monday we headed to UC Davis (their alma mater -- these are friends of Tim's from college) and adults and kids rode bikes around campus, and Rick, Nancy, and Tim reminisced about college life. Here's the four grownups in front of the Tercero Dining Commons:
On Wednesday the neighborhood grownups went on our annual boat trip. This year Folsom Lake is really low, so we went out on the Sacramento River -- just beautiful! Here's us before launching (don't look for me -- I'm the one taking the picture!):
And here's the view on the river at sunset:
Yesterday I played my first complete nine holes of golf. I donned my golf costume (sorry Tim, but that's what it is!) and we went out with my brother and sister-in-law. 3/4 of this group golfs regularly and are really good golfers, and those people treated this non-golfer with so much love and care that she had a GREAT time and will do it again! And on the last hole, I drove the ball 140 long straight yards in the direction I wanted it to go. Tim was elated. I'm still thinking I should retire right now, cuz it ain't gonna get better than that!
On Wednesday the neighborhood grownups went on our annual boat trip. This year Folsom Lake is really low, so we went out on the Sacramento River -- just beautiful! Here's us before launching (don't look for me -- I'm the one taking the picture!):
And here's the view on the river at sunset:
Yesterday I played my first complete nine holes of golf. I donned my golf costume (sorry Tim, but that's what it is!) and we went out with my brother and sister-in-law. 3/4 of this group golfs regularly and are really good golfers, and those people treated this non-golfer with so much love and care that she had a GREAT time and will do it again! And on the last hole, I drove the ball 140 long straight yards in the direction I wanted it to go. Tim was elated. I'm still thinking I should retire right now, cuz it ain't gonna get better than that!
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Peaches anyone?
Sunday night we picked peaches. And picked peaches. And picked peaches. We have one mutant peach tree that produces the best peaches I've ever tasted. And what you see here is only what we could fit into the bags we had. Here's what we've done with them:
- We gave some away to neighbors. (Typical interaction: US: Would you like some peaches? NEIGHBOR: Sure! US: Would you like 20 or 30 peaches? NEIGHBOR: I was thinking more like 5 or 6...)
- Austin made peach cobbler.
- I made peach crisp.
- We've cut up and eaten a huge bowl of fresh peaches daily.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Birthday ideas?
Austin's turning 14 in 2-1/2 weeks and has no idea of what he wants to do for his birthday. We came up with ATVing which is perfect for my adventure-loving son, but since we have to rent ATVs, he doesn't want to do it, because he can't drive. Last year we did a party and told him we'd do a party every other year. So this is a no-party year, but we still want to do something fun for him. Any ideas, friends???
Saturday, August 04, 2007
I'm a trendsetter!
Turns out I'm a trendsetter, but didn't even know it till today when I saw The Simpsons Movie. Those of you who have been to my house or read this weblog for a while know that I love pigs, and have loved them for some time now. Well, turns out that Plopper the pig plays a pivotal role in the movie (note, though, that this is not a good picture of him), and that makes me a trendsetter, right?
I will probably go to bed with a smile on my face as I envision Homer holding the pig upside down and making him walk on the ceiling while singing, "Spider Pig, Spider Pig. Does whatever a Spider Pig does." Easily amused? Yeah, I guess I am!
Day 6 progress report
It's been almost a week of being on the Dreambodies program. (Oh, for Kettlebell Lady who asked, Dreambodies is a online training program by Tony DiConstanzo.) Here are the pros and cons of the new way of doing things:
Pros
Pros
- I feel leaner and my clothes fit better.
- I like having an exercise plan instead of randomly figuring out what I might do for the day.
- The workouts are very different than what I'd normally do, which puts me outside of my comfort zone. (this is also a con -- see below)
- Having an eating plan feels pretty good.
- Increased awareness of thoughts is really taking me by surprise (in a good way). Yesterday's insight? I have a basic belief that people don't like me, and the few who do are just delightful anomaly. Is this true? Actually, no it's not. More food for thought and for counseling...
- The workouts use weight machines, which I'm quite unfamiliar with, so I'm outside of my comfort zone.
- I feel tired a lot more than I did before I started this. (I'm sure this is part of the adjustment to doing something new.)
- Workouts take a long time to do, partly because of my unfamiliarity, and partly because they're pretty long workouts. This may also be a "pro" since it's part of why I'm feeling leaner in less than a week.
- Food is boring and sometimes I don't want to eat at all, rather than eat another Gardenburger.
- I miss my kettlebell workouts.
- We leave for Maui in 4 weeks and I want to look and feel fantastic.
- It's time to get a handle on my eating and find a way to overcome some habits (huge bowl of cereal nightly, cookies every time we see a Starbucks, etc.) that are not moving me in the direction I want to go.
- Lower weight = less stress on joints as I train for the Nike Half Marathon.
- Trying something new gives me more tools to use for my clients as we work to achieve their goals.
Two nice comments
Comment number 1
I was at the dentist office for the 3rd time in two weeks. (We're switching dentists and between cleanings and sealants for three people, I have several appointments on the books.) I've made a commitment to myself to not spend each and every day wearing fitness clothes, so I was wearing a tank top, a summery skirt, cute shoes, and of course the new braid. The woman behind the desk commented on how I looked and on the braid, and then said, "You know, you always look so nice and take such good care of yourself!" That was encouraging.
Comment number 2
Austin and I were talking and I said something that made him laugh. He said, "That was a my-mom comment." Huh? He went on, "I'd say it was just a mom comment, but you're not like an ordinary mom." He smiled. I was delighted!
I was at the dentist office for the 3rd time in two weeks. (We're switching dentists and between cleanings and sealants for three people, I have several appointments on the books.) I've made a commitment to myself to not spend each and every day wearing fitness clothes, so I was wearing a tank top, a summery skirt, cute shoes, and of course the new braid. The woman behind the desk commented on how I looked and on the braid, and then said, "You know, you always look so nice and take such good care of yourself!" That was encouraging.
Comment number 2
Austin and I were talking and I said something that made him laugh. He said, "That was a my-mom comment." Huh? He went on, "I'd say it was just a mom comment, but you're not like an ordinary mom." He smiled. I was delighted!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Girl crush
I have a huge crush on Holly Hunter. I want to be exactly like her in Saving Grace, except for the promiscuity and alcoholism, of course. That sounds funny, but what I find so appealing is the spirit with which she engages life. I even put a little braid in my hair (which I've gotten tons of compliments on) and it helps me to feel sassy and good.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Day 3
So far, so good. Probably the most notable thing about the changes I'm making is that I'm becoming aware of how very negative my self-talk is. Tim suggested yesterday that I think about taking some of the free classes at the Apple store. My first thought (and comment)? Too far, takes too much time. This morning he was heading out to golf and all I could think of is how trapped the kids make me feel.
While the Apple store is 30 minutes away, and I do need to stay home with the kids at times (it's the way we've chosen to do the parenting thing), it's ridiculous to only see the bad in the situation. Ummmm, yeah I could drive 30 minutes for an interesting class. And my kids are 14 (in 3 weeks) and 11, not 4 and 1! (Although the other day I was gone for 30 minutes at the grocery store, and when I came back all hell had broken loose. Ok, but that's feeding the whole negative thing and I don't even want to go there!) Anyway, the point is that I do have autonomy in my life to the degree that I'll choose it!
On a lighter note, has anyone checked out "Saving Grace" on TNT? I LOVE that show!!! We have very little time for TV now that our kids don't have an early bedtime and want to watch whatever we're watching (with a TV-MA rating, we do not let the kids watch Grace with us). But we'll make it a point to find time to watch this.
And speaking of Holly Hunter, Tony asked me to find a picture to use as a goal of where I'd like to be, and I think Holly Hunter is IT! But I'm still searching for the right picture...
Finally, green tea extract is a wonderful thing, in case you're looking for something that's healthy AND increases your energy. I've read about it for a while now, and can't believe it's taken me thing long to try it.
While the Apple store is 30 minutes away, and I do need to stay home with the kids at times (it's the way we've chosen to do the parenting thing), it's ridiculous to only see the bad in the situation. Ummmm, yeah I could drive 30 minutes for an interesting class. And my kids are 14 (in 3 weeks) and 11, not 4 and 1! (Although the other day I was gone for 30 minutes at the grocery store, and when I came back all hell had broken loose. Ok, but that's feeding the whole negative thing and I don't even want to go there!) Anyway, the point is that I do have autonomy in my life to the degree that I'll choose it!
On a lighter note, has anyone checked out "Saving Grace" on TNT? I LOVE that show!!! We have very little time for TV now that our kids don't have an early bedtime and want to watch whatever we're watching (with a TV-MA rating, we do not let the kids watch Grace with us). But we'll make it a point to find time to watch this.
And speaking of Holly Hunter, Tony asked me to find a picture to use as a goal of where I'd like to be, and I think Holly Hunter is IT! But I'm still searching for the right picture...
Finally, green tea extract is a wonderful thing, in case you're looking for something that's healthy AND increases your energy. I've read about it for a while now, and can't believe it's taken me thing long to try it.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Off to the gym
It's 5:40 and I'm about to leave for the gym. Yesterday went well, and I even used the controlling your thoughts thing to help when my in-laws came for a visit last night. (I love my in-laws, but with 6 loads of unfolded laundry on the bed, all I could think initially was "You're messing up my schedule!!!" Changing thoughts means I could thoroughly enjoy them both!)
I'll be back to catching up with friends via their weblogs within the next few days, but for now I'm staying focused on making the changes, both mentally and physically, that need to be made, and staying accountable here. So if you don't hear from me, I will be back soon.
Remember, whatever you are, be a good one!
I'll be back to catching up with friends via their weblogs within the next few days, but for now I'm staying focused on making the changes, both mentally and physically, that need to be made, and staying accountable here. So if you don't hear from me, I will be back soon.
Remember, whatever you are, be a good one!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Staying accountable
We're back from camping and it's back to normal life, plus it's day 1 of the new workout/eating plan. I have to say that the nicest thing about it thus far is the accountability to someone who's not me!
Over the weekend things went up then down then up, and so on, just like life, right? My counselor (that sounds funny!) wants me to pay attention to strong emotions, and the thoughts that preceed them. I notice that my thoughts are pretty immature, a la "always or never" and thoughts like "Nobody ever listens to me" are not ones that lead to emotional health.
When I talked with Tony on Thursday he spent a lot of time emphasizing how important it is to take charge of your thoughts and to make sure your thoughts support what you're trying to do. The combination of paying attention AND taking charge helped me this morning. I wanted to get my workout done, but Tim was trying to resolve some computer issues for me and I felt like it would be disloyal and unsupportive to leave. But I was feeling more and more trapped as time went on. Then I realized that nobody was asking me to stay home and putter just because he was on the phone with support. So I changed clothes and headed out for what turned into a fabuous 5 mile run.
More to say, but no time to type it right now. Hugs to everyone and MAKE it a wonderful day!
Over the weekend things went up then down then up, and so on, just like life, right? My counselor (that sounds funny!) wants me to pay attention to strong emotions, and the thoughts that preceed them. I notice that my thoughts are pretty immature, a la "always or never" and thoughts like "Nobody ever listens to me" are not ones that lead to emotional health.
When I talked with Tony on Thursday he spent a lot of time emphasizing how important it is to take charge of your thoughts and to make sure your thoughts support what you're trying to do. The combination of paying attention AND taking charge helped me this morning. I wanted to get my workout done, but Tim was trying to resolve some computer issues for me and I felt like it would be disloyal and unsupportive to leave. But I was feeling more and more trapped as time went on. Then I realized that nobody was asking me to stay home and putter just because he was on the phone with support. So I changed clothes and headed out for what turned into a fabuous 5 mile run.
More to say, but no time to type it right now. Hugs to everyone and MAKE it a wonderful day!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Things are looking up
First, if everyone was nearby, we'd need to do a group hug. THANK YOU!!! (If I could make the thank you blink or do flips of appreciation, you know it would be doing just that!)
Actually yesterday was tough, but for good reasons. Had first counseling appointment. (Don't worry -- this isn't going to turn into a therapy weblog, but I need to give the rest of the story.) Left the appointment feeling drained and not all that great. My girlfriend told me that starting counseling is like stirring up all the crap that's at the bottom of a lake -- you always knew there was stuff there, but it's easier in the short-term to just swim in the semi-murky water. But I left the appointment determined to do some things I'd wanted to do all week (pick up two pre-anniversary sale purchases from Nordstrom, and hit Target for some supplies for this weekend's camping trip). Didn't go well. Took THIRTY MINUTES to locate two packages, and in one case, the clerk came back and asked "Now what was your name again?" giving me further evidence that I am, indeed, invisible. (That's how I've been feeling a lot these days.) But then in a happy surprise, my friend Jenny was at Nordstrom too. This is REAL MARATHON Jenny who, sadly, has been sidelined with an uncooperative ankle for nearly a year. But what a treat to run into her.
In another good turn of events, I scheduled my call with Tony for 6:00 this morning (he thought that was too early, but I am highly motivated). So I was up at 5:00 and on the phone at 6:00. There's a lot of overlap between what counselor is saying and what Tony's saying, and that congruence feels good, like I'm on the right track. And today instead of feeling like an unappreciated, invisible yard duty, I decided to take my kids OUT OF THE HOUSE and it was good. It was not easy getting out. But we did 3 errands that needed doing, then had lunch together, and then watched the rest of a charming movie, "My Date With Drew." (It's quirky and quite hopeful and makes you laugh.)
So tonight I'm training two new clients for the first time (a mother and daughter), and then we're getting ready for a weekend camping trip. And then first thing Monday I'm starting the DreamBodies program. Am I nervous? You betcha! But we are going on a work-ish trip to Maui (just me & Tim) in five short weeks, so the timing is perfect for something that produces results FAST. (Remind me that I said that if I start bitching, ok?)
One final thing: last night there was a ladybug on the inside of my car window. As we all should know (and Katie knows for sure) just seeing a ladybug is good luck. But having one land on you or be in your personal space is even better. Yep, things are definitely looking up!
Actually yesterday was tough, but for good reasons. Had first counseling appointment. (Don't worry -- this isn't going to turn into a therapy weblog, but I need to give the rest of the story.) Left the appointment feeling drained and not all that great. My girlfriend told me that starting counseling is like stirring up all the crap that's at the bottom of a lake -- you always knew there was stuff there, but it's easier in the short-term to just swim in the semi-murky water. But I left the appointment determined to do some things I'd wanted to do all week (pick up two pre-anniversary sale purchases from Nordstrom, and hit Target for some supplies for this weekend's camping trip). Didn't go well. Took THIRTY MINUTES to locate two packages, and in one case, the clerk came back and asked "Now what was your name again?" giving me further evidence that I am, indeed, invisible. (That's how I've been feeling a lot these days.) But then in a happy surprise, my friend Jenny was at Nordstrom too. This is REAL MARATHON Jenny who, sadly, has been sidelined with an uncooperative ankle for nearly a year. But what a treat to run into her.
In another good turn of events, I scheduled my call with Tony for 6:00 this morning (he thought that was too early, but I am highly motivated). So I was up at 5:00 and on the phone at 6:00. There's a lot of overlap between what counselor is saying and what Tony's saying, and that congruence feels good, like I'm on the right track. And today instead of feeling like an unappreciated, invisible yard duty, I decided to take my kids OUT OF THE HOUSE and it was good. It was not easy getting out. But we did 3 errands that needed doing, then had lunch together, and then watched the rest of a charming movie, "My Date With Drew." (It's quirky and quite hopeful and makes you laugh.)
So tonight I'm training two new clients for the first time (a mother and daughter), and then we're getting ready for a weekend camping trip. And then first thing Monday I'm starting the DreamBodies program. Am I nervous? You betcha! But we are going on a work-ish trip to Maui (just me & Tim) in five short weeks, so the timing is perfect for something that produces results FAST. (Remind me that I said that if I start bitching, ok?)
One final thing: last night there was a ladybug on the inside of my car window. As we all should know (and Katie knows for sure) just seeing a ladybug is good luck. But having one land on you or be in your personal space is even better. Yep, things are definitely looking up!
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nuthin' But...
It's been almost a week since I've written. As my friend Stacy pointed out today, big stretches of time where I don't write usually mean something's not going well in leslieland. Yes Stacy, you were right. But first,
A Mike update
Mike is OUT OF THE HOSPITAL! He is weak (understandably -- hospitals are not a great place for r&r, as anyone who's done a hospital stay well knows) and his future is uncertain (double lung transplant is one possibility), but that he gets to see another day is a true miracle. Again, thank you for prayers and keep 'em coming if you can.
Vacation blues
We really did have a great trip to DC and NY. But one not so good thing that came out of the trip was a clear picture of how competent, super-competent, uber-competent my husband is, and how icky I feel about myself in comparison. Honestly, Tim is one of the most capable men I know. And his talents are evident in many, if not all, situations, and they were especially great while travelling. Tim can handle unfamiliar surroundings, being lost, public transportation, and any other possible travel mishap with apparent ease. I, on the other hand, have strengths in other areas, I guess. So I came home from vacation feeling small and worthless. (In case you're wondering, I do this to me. Yeah, me and me alone.)
Part of what makes travel (and life) hard is that when I'm taking an anti-depressant, I have the short-term memory of an amoeba. So I can't remember squat. So when we got back, I decided to stop taking anti-depressants for the first time in six years. And the last few weeks have been tough, to say the least. First there was the dizziness that comes with the detox, and now it's just the difficulty in finding emotional equilibrium. And of course my pride steps in and I don't want to tell anyone. So I can't write in my weblog. Nor can I really hang out with anyone, since my emotions are so raw and life is such a fucking struggle. And yeah, it's ironic that writing and friends are both things that could make this whole journey easier.
Where things were yesterday
Yesterday was one of the most miserable days I've had in a long time. Kids are out of school. I feel like an unappreciated, invisible yard duty (oh, and I'm bored and lonely too). What's great about yesterday being SO bad is that it forced me to look at changing things, because even me, the queen of "it's ok, as long as the kids are happy!" couldn't put a positive spin on the day. And the kids weren't really all that happy either.
What went right yesterday
I ate clean.
I ran 4 miles (in 100 degree heat -- thank GOD for having a pool!).
I'm changing things starting today.
What's going right today
I'm training 2 clients (one at 8:30, one in just a few minutes)
After that the kids and I are getting OUT OF THE HOUSE!
Two other positive things
I'm starting counseling tomorrow. The pull of my childhood (which I would NOT repeat) just feels really strong right now in ways that need to change. So I'm going to see a counselor to help me get past some old ideas. If she suggests going back on anti-ds, I'll consider it. But not without a lot of prayer and careful thought (running out of time now...)
Also, I'm going to do a month of training with Tony of DreamBodies. I wasn't going to write about this, because I feared it would make me seem not credible or not good somehow. But I'd love to have some accountability for a month and figure this is a really good way to get it. Plus, how can I lose when this gives me a chance to learn from someone who's had such fabulous success with my blogging friends?!?!
On a vegetarian note
I've been eating almost exclusively vegetarian for the last month and I really like how I feel. And today I picked up our first CSA (community supported agriculture) harvest box, so now I have some wonderful organic fruits and veggies to play with for tonight's dinner.
Guess I'd better click on "publish" cuz I'm really tempted to delete this entire thing. But I was committed to telling the truth, and this, my friends, is the whole truth.
A Mike update
Mike is OUT OF THE HOSPITAL! He is weak (understandably -- hospitals are not a great place for r&r, as anyone who's done a hospital stay well knows) and his future is uncertain (double lung transplant is one possibility), but that he gets to see another day is a true miracle. Again, thank you for prayers and keep 'em coming if you can.
Vacation blues
We really did have a great trip to DC and NY. But one not so good thing that came out of the trip was a clear picture of how competent, super-competent, uber-competent my husband is, and how icky I feel about myself in comparison. Honestly, Tim is one of the most capable men I know. And his talents are evident in many, if not all, situations, and they were especially great while travelling. Tim can handle unfamiliar surroundings, being lost, public transportation, and any other possible travel mishap with apparent ease. I, on the other hand, have strengths in other areas, I guess. So I came home from vacation feeling small and worthless. (In case you're wondering, I do this to me. Yeah, me and me alone.)
Part of what makes travel (and life) hard is that when I'm taking an anti-depressant, I have the short-term memory of an amoeba. So I can't remember squat. So when we got back, I decided to stop taking anti-depressants for the first time in six years. And the last few weeks have been tough, to say the least. First there was the dizziness that comes with the detox, and now it's just the difficulty in finding emotional equilibrium. And of course my pride steps in and I don't want to tell anyone. So I can't write in my weblog. Nor can I really hang out with anyone, since my emotions are so raw and life is such a fucking struggle. And yeah, it's ironic that writing and friends are both things that could make this whole journey easier.
Where things were yesterday
Yesterday was one of the most miserable days I've had in a long time. Kids are out of school. I feel like an unappreciated, invisible yard duty (oh, and I'm bored and lonely too). What's great about yesterday being SO bad is that it forced me to look at changing things, because even me, the queen of "it's ok, as long as the kids are happy!" couldn't put a positive spin on the day. And the kids weren't really all that happy either.
What went right yesterday
I ate clean.
I ran 4 miles (in 100 degree heat -- thank GOD for having a pool!).
I'm changing things starting today.
What's going right today
I'm training 2 clients (one at 8:30, one in just a few minutes)
After that the kids and I are getting OUT OF THE HOUSE!
Two other positive things
I'm starting counseling tomorrow. The pull of my childhood (which I would NOT repeat) just feels really strong right now in ways that need to change. So I'm going to see a counselor to help me get past some old ideas. If she suggests going back on anti-ds, I'll consider it. But not without a lot of prayer and careful thought (running out of time now...)
Also, I'm going to do a month of training with Tony of DreamBodies. I wasn't going to write about this, because I feared it would make me seem not credible or not good somehow. But I'd love to have some accountability for a month and figure this is a really good way to get it. Plus, how can I lose when this gives me a chance to learn from someone who's had such fabulous success with my blogging friends?!?!
On a vegetarian note
I've been eating almost exclusively vegetarian for the last month and I really like how I feel. And today I picked up our first CSA (community supported agriculture) harvest box, so now I have some wonderful organic fruits and veggies to play with for tonight's dinner.
Guess I'd better click on "publish" cuz I'm really tempted to delete this entire thing. But I was committed to telling the truth, and this, my friends, is the whole truth.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Bikram Yoga
Tracy does Bikram and wanted to know how I like it. I LOVE it! It's just a little tricky to fit into my schedule. The classes are 90 minutes long, and the studio is about 15 minutes from my house. So to do a class, it's a minimum of two hours, and more realistically it's 2-1/2 hours. I have free time, but it's fragmented and requires me to be close to home much of the time. Once a week at Bikram would be a good goal for me.
It was interesting taking my girlfriend to Bikram. She does yoga pretty consistently, but has not done hot yoga. I do yoga inconsistently (once a month!), but have done Bikram before. My mind had us in a competition (yeah, that's what yoga's all about, right?) the minute we stepped in the door, and it was tough to get out of that mindset, even though I was aware of it, and was quite amused by it. My hamstring was really giving me trouble that day, and I just had to accept that and go with it. Perhaps the biggest benefit of Saturday's yoga class was the amused awareness of how hard it is to shut my mind up and just BE in the moment!
It was interesting taking my girlfriend to Bikram. She does yoga pretty consistently, but has not done hot yoga. I do yoga inconsistently (once a month!), but have done Bikram before. My mind had us in a competition (yeah, that's what yoga's all about, right?) the minute we stepped in the door, and it was tough to get out of that mindset, even though I was aware of it, and was quite amused by it. My hamstring was really giving me trouble that day, and I just had to accept that and go with it. Perhaps the biggest benefit of Saturday's yoga class was the amused awareness of how hard it is to shut my mind up and just BE in the moment!
Boot Camp and Food
First, a Mike Update
Mike has been moved to the normal Cardiac Unit and out of ICU!!! And they think he may be able to come home this weekend. Again, muchas gracias, merci beaucoup, and THANKS to everyone who prayed or even took the time to think positive thoughts for him.
Now on to Boot Camp
It's time to put myself through my own personal boot camp. The few pounds I've put on have made my waist a thing of the past (did I leave my waist in DC? NY? SF? Who cares?!) and I want it back. So it's time to do all the things that I know work:
Drink a gallon of water a day
Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
Exercise at least once a day
Reduce or eliminate processed foods
Today's workout will be mostly using a Body Bar, since I have a new book (hooray!) that has all sorts of exercises I want to try out before I share them with clients. And maybe tonight I'll do a run/walk workout, or head to the gym for some cardio.
Food
We live in an area that's the perfect climate for growing tomatoes. And right now our Sweet 100s (cherry tomatoes) and our Sun Golds (orange cherry tomatoes -- they taste like candy!) are coming on strong. I picked Sweet 100s for nearly an hour yesterday (but like in the book Blueberries for Sal, I ate just as many as I picked!), and will be working on the Sun Golds today. I do wish I was better at gardening, especially at growing vegetables, but I don't wish this hard enough to actually expend effort on it yet. Maybe soon...
Speaking of growing vegetables, I've signed up for a harvest box through a local farm. It's part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, and it works like this: you pay for the size of box you want (I chose a small vegetable and small fruit box) for the growing season. Then each week you go to a pickup location in your town and get a box filled with fresh organic local produce, along with recipes and ideas for use. I love the idea of supporting local farmers, and to get organic and locally grown in the same food? Perfect!
I suppose some of my love of and enthusiastic support for CSAs comes from two books I'm reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and What To Eat, by Marion Nestle. In the first book, the author and her family decide to eat only locally grown foods (preferably grown by themselves) for an entire year. The author discusses the ramifications of food transportation, both in terms of the impact on our health and the impact on our environment. And in the second book, the author examines every aspect of our food -- suppliers, marketers, growers -- and I don't know what else to say at this point, cuz I'm only a few chapters into this book.
Another food-related note is that I'm trying to convince Austin to attend a cooking class with me. It's called "From Farm to Table" and here's the description:
Join Jeanette Nuss, author of Bistro Cooking with Jeanette, for a delightful day at Twin Brooks Farm in Loomis. Participants will meet at the farm, pick what is in season, walk up to the farmhouse, and make and enjoy a wonderful lunch together.
It's designed for parents and kids and I think it sounds like so much fun. Tucker's already turned me down, and Austin's concerned that at age 13 he'll be the oldest kid there (which he doesn't like), so I'm going to call and find out about the demographics. I'm bummed, though, because I SO want to do this. And to make it even tougher, I have a friend whose 13-year-old daughter came to train with her last week (my first experience with training two people at once -- super fun). Her daughter just loves spending time with her mom, and right now both of my sons are in the "my friends are my priority" frame of mind. Wish I had a thicker skin, because seeing my friend and her daughter makes the cooking class thing a little harder to take. (Yes, I know if I offered to take them to a skate park or a video arcade, they'd be more likely to say yes. Maybe I just need to rent a kid to go to the class!)
Mike has been moved to the normal Cardiac Unit and out of ICU!!! And they think he may be able to come home this weekend. Again, muchas gracias, merci beaucoup, and THANKS to everyone who prayed or even took the time to think positive thoughts for him.
Now on to Boot Camp
It's time to put myself through my own personal boot camp. The few pounds I've put on have made my waist a thing of the past (did I leave my waist in DC? NY? SF? Who cares?!) and I want it back. So it's time to do all the things that I know work:
Drink a gallon of water a day
Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
Exercise at least once a day
Reduce or eliminate processed foods
Today's workout will be mostly using a Body Bar, since I have a new book (hooray!) that has all sorts of exercises I want to try out before I share them with clients. And maybe tonight I'll do a run/walk workout, or head to the gym for some cardio.
Food
We live in an area that's the perfect climate for growing tomatoes. And right now our Sweet 100s (cherry tomatoes) and our Sun Golds (orange cherry tomatoes -- they taste like candy!) are coming on strong. I picked Sweet 100s for nearly an hour yesterday (but like in the book Blueberries for Sal, I ate just as many as I picked!), and will be working on the Sun Golds today. I do wish I was better at gardening, especially at growing vegetables, but I don't wish this hard enough to actually expend effort on it yet. Maybe soon...
Speaking of growing vegetables, I've signed up for a harvest box through a local farm. It's part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, and it works like this: you pay for the size of box you want (I chose a small vegetable and small fruit box) for the growing season. Then each week you go to a pickup location in your town and get a box filled with fresh organic local produce, along with recipes and ideas for use. I love the idea of supporting local farmers, and to get organic and locally grown in the same food? Perfect!
I suppose some of my love of and enthusiastic support for CSAs comes from two books I'm reading: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and What To Eat, by Marion Nestle. In the first book, the author and her family decide to eat only locally grown foods (preferably grown by themselves) for an entire year. The author discusses the ramifications of food transportation, both in terms of the impact on our health and the impact on our environment. And in the second book, the author examines every aspect of our food -- suppliers, marketers, growers -- and I don't know what else to say at this point, cuz I'm only a few chapters into this book.
Another food-related note is that I'm trying to convince Austin to attend a cooking class with me. It's called "From Farm to Table" and here's the description:
Join Jeanette Nuss, author of Bistro Cooking with Jeanette, for a delightful day at Twin Brooks Farm in Loomis. Participants will meet at the farm, pick what is in season, walk up to the farmhouse, and make and enjoy a wonderful lunch together.
It's designed for parents and kids and I think it sounds like so much fun. Tucker's already turned me down, and Austin's concerned that at age 13 he'll be the oldest kid there (which he doesn't like), so I'm going to call and find out about the demographics. I'm bummed, though, because I SO want to do this. And to make it even tougher, I have a friend whose 13-year-old daughter came to train with her last week (my first experience with training two people at once -- super fun). Her daughter just loves spending time with her mom, and right now both of my sons are in the "my friends are my priority" frame of mind. Wish I had a thicker skin, because seeing my friend and her daughter makes the cooking class thing a little harder to take. (Yes, I know if I offered to take them to a skate park or a video arcade, they'd be more likely to say yes. Maybe I just need to rent a kid to go to the class!)
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Catching up
Mike Update
Hugs to everyone who is praying for Mike. He's a super stubborn guy who pulled out his ventilator tube on Thursday night (! -- Cheryl was told there was about a 10% chance he would ever be able to come off the ventilator!), and is now on pure oxygen via a face mask. Mike was born with Cystic Fibrosis at a time when most CF people lived till their late teens/early 20s. So he's defied the odds by making it to 50. His health has gone downhill in the last 3 years or so, but his stubbornness has worked well for him. A few months back he was told that his lung function was so low that he qualified to get onto the transplant list. Yeah, this is the guy who NEVER misses a day of work! So his condition is still very serious and day-to-day, but he's moving in the right direction.
Comments
Tracy made me smile when she asked if I ever took a bad picture. Of course I do, but I get to post the ones I want to! I love that Tracy posts videos of her workouts. If I did the same, you'd see some not so great looks, for sure. Interestingly, I feel like I look my very best when I am working out. And if I can ever get my scanner to work, I might post a picture of me when I was 24, right before I got sober. In it, I'm fat, drunk, and smoking. Wow how things can change in a couple of decades, huh?
Unusual Weekend
Tim and Tucker left yesterday afternoon for the annual dads & kids camping trip, and I pick Austin up in Davis today in the early afternoon. So I have 24 hours of nobody but me here. What luxury! Yesterday I took a nap, did an hour run/walk (hamstring was bugging me, or there would have been lots more running) and some park play exercises. It was really hot at 4:00 when I was out doing this, so when I got home I immediately dove into the pool to try to cool down. It helped a little, but it was hard to get back to normal body temps as I was getting ready to meet some girlfriends at Crush 29 (the new hot spot in town) for dinner. Had a great time at dinner, and was home by 8:00 to watch "The Devil Wears Prada", a movie I've had for months but have never taken the time to watch. It was fun!
Today I'm going to Bikram Yoga with a girlfriend, and then it will be time to get Austin.
Movie recommendation
Has anyone seen "The Man in the Moon", Reese Witherspoon's first movie? I saw it years ago when it first came out, and I remember thinking, "I don't know who that girl is, but she's fantastic!" I think what I love best about the movie is that it very accurately depicts how hard it is to be 14 and poised between childhood and adulthood. If you're looking for a movie, you might want to check this out out.
Hugs to everyone who is praying for Mike. He's a super stubborn guy who pulled out his ventilator tube on Thursday night (! -- Cheryl was told there was about a 10% chance he would ever be able to come off the ventilator!), and is now on pure oxygen via a face mask. Mike was born with Cystic Fibrosis at a time when most CF people lived till their late teens/early 20s. So he's defied the odds by making it to 50. His health has gone downhill in the last 3 years or so, but his stubbornness has worked well for him. A few months back he was told that his lung function was so low that he qualified to get onto the transplant list. Yeah, this is the guy who NEVER misses a day of work! So his condition is still very serious and day-to-day, but he's moving in the right direction.
Comments
Tracy made me smile when she asked if I ever took a bad picture. Of course I do, but I get to post the ones I want to! I love that Tracy posts videos of her workouts. If I did the same, you'd see some not so great looks, for sure. Interestingly, I feel like I look my very best when I am working out. And if I can ever get my scanner to work, I might post a picture of me when I was 24, right before I got sober. In it, I'm fat, drunk, and smoking. Wow how things can change in a couple of decades, huh?
Unusual Weekend
Tim and Tucker left yesterday afternoon for the annual dads & kids camping trip, and I pick Austin up in Davis today in the early afternoon. So I have 24 hours of nobody but me here. What luxury! Yesterday I took a nap, did an hour run/walk (hamstring was bugging me, or there would have been lots more running) and some park play exercises. It was really hot at 4:00 when I was out doing this, so when I got home I immediately dove into the pool to try to cool down. It helped a little, but it was hard to get back to normal body temps as I was getting ready to meet some girlfriends at Crush 29 (the new hot spot in town) for dinner. Had a great time at dinner, and was home by 8:00 to watch "The Devil Wears Prada", a movie I've had for months but have never taken the time to watch. It was fun!
Today I'm going to Bikram Yoga with a girlfriend, and then it will be time to get Austin.
Movie recommendation
Has anyone seen "The Man in the Moon", Reese Witherspoon's first movie? I saw it years ago when it first came out, and I remember thinking, "I don't know who that girl is, but she's fantastic!" I think what I love best about the movie is that it very accurately depicts how hard it is to be 14 and poised between childhood and adulthood. If you're looking for a movie, you might want to check this out out.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Random thoughts
Defluffing
So it's time to get serious about food choices. Remember how I said I only gained a pound from the DC/NY vacation? Well, I've discovered that if you continue to eat indulgently through 4th of July, then through a heatwave, then with more travels, 1 pound will turn into 4, and 4 pounds is enough for me to feel like there's me and then there's a layer of not-me on top. So I'm sticking to lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and reducing the carbs. I think this is in line with Susan Sarandon's thoughts on staying in shape as time goes on -- she believes in lots of sex and limited carbs, which she says works lots better than the opposite!
Oxymoron
I was wearing my Abercrombie sweatshirt on the plane to DC, and got my reading glasses out to dig into "Dinner With Dad". It occured to me that Abercrombie and reading glasses don't exactly go together and that made me laugh and enjoy the contrast all the more.
GDE
I really am cooking more. "Dinner With Dad" is an excellent book about a father who decides he's going to be more involved with his family by cooking dinners. I felt convicted and encouraged by what I read, and that's translated into some positive actions. For example, I'm not ok with cooking dinner then having my family scatter to leave me with the cleanup. So now I speak up, and they are more than willing to help. Also I've decided that I'm not going for restaurant quality with every meal. (That standard is what led to me just giving up on cooking alltogether!) But not everyone will like every single meal, and that's ok too. Last night we had Orzo Primavera, with shredded zucchini and carrots, and fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes.
Indulgences
I wish I could remember that the first couple of bites are ALWAYS the best ones, and that it's not necessary to eat the entire thing. This came up in Georgetown, when I ate my own dessert, and finished off two others and felt SICK afterwards. It came up again this last weekend when we went to see Ratatouille (a fantastic movie, incidentally) in Santa Cruz. My brother-in-law got me a bittersweet chocolate truffle from a specialty chocolate store, and this truffle was as big as my fist, so I'm pretty sure it's not designed as a dessert for just one person. But I sure did finish the entire thing off, again feeling really icky afterwards. Take away thought: the first few bites are always the best!
Prayer
I've spent quite a few hours at the hospital this week. My girlfriend, who I've known since we went through sorority rush in college, is really frightened because her husband is in the ICU and his lungs and his heart are not working right. Yesterday she was told to bring their daughters (ages 14 and 11) to see their dad, and to tell any family members to come if they want to see Mike again. Seeing him with a respirator and tubes and monitors, and knowing that we'd celebrated 4th of July at our house just last week -- well, it's pretty sobering. If you are not a praying person, just take a moment to be grateful for your health, because without it, truly nothing else seems all that important. And if you are a praying person, would you please say a prayer for Mike?
So it's time to get serious about food choices. Remember how I said I only gained a pound from the DC/NY vacation? Well, I've discovered that if you continue to eat indulgently through 4th of July, then through a heatwave, then with more travels, 1 pound will turn into 4, and 4 pounds is enough for me to feel like there's me and then there's a layer of not-me on top. So I'm sticking to lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and reducing the carbs. I think this is in line with Susan Sarandon's thoughts on staying in shape as time goes on -- she believes in lots of sex and limited carbs, which she says works lots better than the opposite!
Oxymoron
I was wearing my Abercrombie sweatshirt on the plane to DC, and got my reading glasses out to dig into "Dinner With Dad". It occured to me that Abercrombie and reading glasses don't exactly go together and that made me laugh and enjoy the contrast all the more.
GDE
I really am cooking more. "Dinner With Dad" is an excellent book about a father who decides he's going to be more involved with his family by cooking dinners. I felt convicted and encouraged by what I read, and that's translated into some positive actions. For example, I'm not ok with cooking dinner then having my family scatter to leave me with the cleanup. So now I speak up, and they are more than willing to help. Also I've decided that I'm not going for restaurant quality with every meal. (That standard is what led to me just giving up on cooking alltogether!) But not everyone will like every single meal, and that's ok too. Last night we had Orzo Primavera, with shredded zucchini and carrots, and fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes.
Indulgences
I wish I could remember that the first couple of bites are ALWAYS the best ones, and that it's not necessary to eat the entire thing. This came up in Georgetown, when I ate my own dessert, and finished off two others and felt SICK afterwards. It came up again this last weekend when we went to see Ratatouille (a fantastic movie, incidentally) in Santa Cruz. My brother-in-law got me a bittersweet chocolate truffle from a specialty chocolate store, and this truffle was as big as my fist, so I'm pretty sure it's not designed as a dessert for just one person. But I sure did finish the entire thing off, again feeling really icky afterwards. Take away thought: the first few bites are always the best!
Prayer
I've spent quite a few hours at the hospital this week. My girlfriend, who I've known since we went through sorority rush in college, is really frightened because her husband is in the ICU and his lungs and his heart are not working right. Yesterday she was told to bring their daughters (ages 14 and 11) to see their dad, and to tell any family members to come if they want to see Mike again. Seeing him with a respirator and tubes and monitors, and knowing that we'd celebrated 4th of July at our house just last week -- well, it's pretty sobering. If you are not a praying person, just take a moment to be grateful for your health, because without it, truly nothing else seems all that important. And if you are a praying person, would you please say a prayer for Mike?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Finally the pictures
I couldn't believe Tim and the kids wanted me to have my picture taken with this guy!
I SWEAR I did not place my hand on his ass voluntarily -- I promise!
Looking back on the whole thing, the Naked Cowboy is a very kind man (who made sure to caution people not to step off the island, because drivers in NY are crazy), and I'm happy to have these crazy pictures.
P.S. Don't tell NC, but Tim has a better butt!
I SWEAR I did not place my hand on his ass voluntarily -- I promise!
Looking back on the whole thing, the Naked Cowboy is a very kind man (who made sure to caution people not to step off the island, because drivers in NY are crazy), and I'm happy to have these crazy pictures.
P.S. Don't tell NC, but Tim has a better butt!
The Naked Cowboy...
...is a really fascinating man. Click here to find out more about him. I did not know how driven he is or anything about his life goals when I was grabbing his butt (he made me do it!) or when he was kissing my hair.
NC hangs out in the middle of the street on an island in Times Square. He's a guy who's naked (except for his tighty whitie underwear) and he plays the guitar. We were watching him as we were waiting to cross the street and he was taking pictures with tourists. It was a crackup to see how comfortable he is with his near-naked state. Tim and the kids encouraged me to get a picture with him. I figured I'd stand next to him and smile, but he grabbed my hand and put it on his (naked, what a surprise!) chest and started kissing my hair. Then he said, "Well, now we need a shot of the other side," quickly turned around, grabbed my hand, and put it on his butt. Tim got the picture, and as I was thanking him, he exclaimed (loudly) "Next time darling, not so rough, ok?!"
I just switched computers from a PC to a MacBook, which is part of the reason blogging has been sporadic. And I can't seem to grab a picture from Tim's computer (where they're stored) right now. So not as a cliffhanger, but due to some technical difficulties (my lack of expertise with all things computer) the pictures will have to wait for another day.
NC hangs out in the middle of the street on an island in Times Square. He's a guy who's naked (except for his tighty whitie underwear) and he plays the guitar. We were watching him as we were waiting to cross the street and he was taking pictures with tourists. It was a crackup to see how comfortable he is with his near-naked state. Tim and the kids encouraged me to get a picture with him. I figured I'd stand next to him and smile, but he grabbed my hand and put it on his (naked, what a surprise!) chest and started kissing my hair. Then he said, "Well, now we need a shot of the other side," quickly turned around, grabbed my hand, and put it on his butt. Tim got the picture, and as I was thanking him, he exclaimed (loudly) "Next time darling, not so rough, ok?!"
I just switched computers from a PC to a MacBook, which is part of the reason blogging has been sporadic. And I can't seem to grab a picture from Tim's computer (where they're stored) right now. So not as a cliffhanger, but due to some technical difficulties (my lack of expertise with all things computer) the pictures will have to wait for another day.
Tabata everything
Yesterday was my first day back to exercise in what feels like forever! In the morning I ran for 30 minutes and did some lunge walks to break things up. Later I saw a Crossfit workout from a few days ago where they did Tabata sets of several different exercises. For those not familiar with Tabata, it's 20 seconds of work then 10 seconds of rest, repeated 8 times. And you can "score" your Tabata sets by counting your reps in each set. Your score is your lowest number. So there's a bit of strategy to Tabata, in that you want to go as fast as you can, while making sure you have enough energy to complete the sets.
When I think about 4 total minutes of exercise, with rest periods, it doesn't sound difficult. But if you've tried it, you know it is HARD!!! Last night I did these exercises in the Tabata fashion:
high pulls, 15 pound dumbbells
bodyweight squats
kettlebell swings, 12 kg kettlebell
ball crunches
pushups
The only set where I counted reps was in squats. I LOVE tabata squats. Don't you always love things that make you feel capable? My score was 23, and my reps were 23-23-23-23-24-23-24-24. The pushups, on the other hand, were a joke. By that time my whole body was just fried. I did the pushups from my knees (I usually do boy pushups) and halfway through the 4th interval my arms simply quit workng. The next time I do this workout (yes, there will be a next time!) I won't bang out 13 pushups in my first set, and see if maybe that way I have some strength left to complete the sets.
When I think about 4 total minutes of exercise, with rest periods, it doesn't sound difficult. But if you've tried it, you know it is HARD!!! Last night I did these exercises in the Tabata fashion:
high pulls, 15 pound dumbbells
bodyweight squats
kettlebell swings, 12 kg kettlebell
ball crunches
pushups
The only set where I counted reps was in squats. I LOVE tabata squats. Don't you always love things that make you feel capable? My score was 23, and my reps were 23-23-23-23-24-23-24-24. The pushups, on the other hand, were a joke. By that time my whole body was just fried. I did the pushups from my knees (I usually do boy pushups) and halfway through the 4th interval my arms simply quit workng. The next time I do this workout (yes, there will be a next time!) I won't bang out 13 pushups in my first set, and see if maybe that way I have some strength left to complete the sets.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Almost back to normal
I think that next week I'll be back on track with exercise, nutrition, and writing. This week has been a blur of jet lag, preparing for our 4th of July party (we had 50 people here for BBQ and fireworks -- super fun!), recovery from party, and preparing to leave again, but this time just for the weekend. In just a few minutes, the kids and I are driving down to Santa Cruz. My sister and her family live there, and we're spending the night with them and my sister from LA. Tomorrow I take Austin up to Stanford for a week long gymnastics camp. Tucker will be staying in Santa Cruz for a few days. And I'm meeting Tim in the city for a 24-hour just the two of us getaway!!!
Talk to you next week!
Talk to you next week!
Sunday, July 01, 2007
We're BAAAAACK!
What a fun vacation, and oh how tired I am. I'm using this weblog as a form of procrastination, because once I'm done writing, I going to workout. Normally I enjoy workouts, to one degree or another. Right now a long nap sounds best, though.
So here are a few pictures, as a way to stall the workout for a few more minutes.
The view from our hotel in New York
Me, Austin, & Tucker in Times Square
The four of us at the Air & Space museum in DC
Austin and Tucker at the Rockefeller Center museum
The four of us at Top of the Rock -- breathtaking views
We saw Spamalot on Broadway
Tim's birthday coincided with the release date for the iPhone
The birthday boy with his gifts, all obtained from hotel gift shop or from NY street vendors. It was lots of fun putting this together!
Ok, time for me and my kettlebells to do some work. Incidentally, we ate everything in sight while in New York, but somehow I managed to come home with only 1 extra pound. A few times when Tim and the kids chose treats (fried potato pancakes with applesauce at Juniors, hot dogs from a street vendor), I made healthier choices (hummus and veggies, which I was unfairly teased about) or skipped the snack. But I definitely had my share of desserts, and even got a dark chocolate and almond See's candy bar at the SF airport last night -- yum!
When I write next, I'll be sure to tell you about my encounter with the Naked Cowboy. (See, now you have to check back, right???)
So here are a few pictures, as a way to stall the workout for a few more minutes.
The view from our hotel in New York
Me, Austin, & Tucker in Times Square
The four of us at the Air & Space museum in DC
Austin and Tucker at the Rockefeller Center museum
The four of us at Top of the Rock -- breathtaking views
We saw Spamalot on Broadway
Tim's birthday coincided with the release date for the iPhone
The birthday boy with his gifts, all obtained from hotel gift shop or from NY street vendors. It was lots of fun putting this together!
Ok, time for me and my kettlebells to do some work. Incidentally, we ate everything in sight while in New York, but somehow I managed to come home with only 1 extra pound. A few times when Tim and the kids chose treats (fried potato pancakes with applesauce at Juniors, hot dogs from a street vendor), I made healthier choices (hummus and veggies, which I was unfairly teased about) or skipped the snack. But I definitely had my share of desserts, and even got a dark chocolate and almond See's candy bar at the SF airport last night -- yum!
When I write next, I'll be sure to tell you about my encounter with the Naked Cowboy. (See, now you have to check back, right???)
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Greetings from NY
So I'm here at the Apple store on 5th Avenue trying out a MacBook. The iPhone comes out tomorrow, and there's a line of people camped out to be among the first to buy one.
We're staying right in Times Square, and we've walked for miles and miles, biked around Central Park, gone to the top of Rockefeller Center, gotten an art fix at MOMA, and eaten at Juniors twice. Tonight we're seeing Spamalot on Broadway.
We're all having a great time and the kids are at perfect ages for this trip -- any younger and I don't know if they would have the stamina for it. Wish I had a way to post photos, but that will have to wait till I get home.
Although Tim convinced me to run in DC -- past the White House and by the Capito Building -- I sure hope someone besides me is exercising, cuz that's the extent of working out on this vacation. Our normal destination is Hawaii where we can count on daily workouts and daily naps -- but there's plenty of time for both (well, at least for workouts) when we get home.
Hugs to everyone...
We're staying right in Times Square, and we've walked for miles and miles, biked around Central Park, gone to the top of Rockefeller Center, gotten an art fix at MOMA, and eaten at Juniors twice. Tonight we're seeing Spamalot on Broadway.
We're all having a great time and the kids are at perfect ages for this trip -- any younger and I don't know if they would have the stamina for it. Wish I had a way to post photos, but that will have to wait till I get home.
Although Tim convinced me to run in DC -- past the White House and by the Capito Building -- I sure hope someone besides me is exercising, cuz that's the extent of working out on this vacation. Our normal destination is Hawaii where we can count on daily workouts and daily naps -- but there's plenty of time for both (well, at least for workouts) when we get home.
Hugs to everyone...
Thursday, June 21, 2007
So maybe I'm an A-, but that's still an A, right?
Kids fighting led to a white chocolate chip fest for me. Did it solve things? No. Did it feel good in the moment? Um, yeah. But I still get an A because I'm halfway through a kick-butt workout, determined not to let a temporary slip-up become an all-day thing. In case anyone's wondering, white chocolate chips don't feel good in your tummy when you're doing kettlebell swings. Also, everyone needs to know that a 16K kettlebell (36-ish pounds) is WAY heavier than a 12K kettlebell (26-ish pounds). Trust me on this!
You may be asking why I'm writing in the middle of a workout? Well, I turned down the music and heard a strange sound and needed to investigate. Youngest son, who does not lack for initiative, decided to make puffed pancakes, and was whizzing the batter in the blender. I'm staying down here till he gets his concoction in the oven, then it's back to the training room for me.
Note to Katie: I included a modified bodybuilder in the workout. It was a four-count move starting from an ass-to-grass (atg) squat position:
1. Jump back into high plank
2. Jump forward into atg squat.
3. Grab 12K kettlebell and stand up (dead squat).
4. Squat back down.
Since my workout was 1 minute of exercise, then 45 seconds of rest, I don't know how many I did, but I know that I've rarely done such a long minute of exercise!!!
You may be asking why I'm writing in the middle of a workout? Well, I turned down the music and heard a strange sound and needed to investigate. Youngest son, who does not lack for initiative, decided to make puffed pancakes, and was whizzing the batter in the blender. I'm staying down here till he gets his concoction in the oven, then it's back to the training room for me.
Note to Katie: I included a modified bodybuilder in the workout. It was a four-count move starting from an ass-to-grass (atg) squat position:
1. Jump back into high plank
2. Jump forward into atg squat.
3. Grab 12K kettlebell and stand up (dead squat).
4. Squat back down.
Since my workout was 1 minute of exercise, then 45 seconds of rest, I don't know how many I did, but I know that I've rarely done such a long minute of exercise!!!
My new motto
I have signs that say this everywhere that matters -- in my car, on the mirror in the bathroom, and on my computer. And it's helping me to handle the summer in a different way.As I think back on growing up, it's true that every experience has made us what we are now. And I'm not looking to erase the past, but I know that mirroring the way I was parented is NOT the way I want to parent.
So I was thinking about how I just lie down and say "whatever" to a degree that causes a lot of resentment and anger. And then I was thinking, "Well, what do I really want?" The answer is this: I want to get some things accomplished that are important to me. And I think a big part of my problem is that I am, in essence, a Type A personality who has contorted herself to fit into a Type B lifestyle. That's why it's not working.
So the signs are reminding me that it's ok to want to see something through. To say, "Yes, but later" to requests that would completely derail me. And they're working. Here's a small example: right now the kids are swimming with three of their friends. (I have no music or TV on, and I'm listening to make sure they stay safe and sane!) But Tucker's had some pain in his foot and wants me to take him to the doctor (it's been going on for a while). I called and they had a 2:15 appointment. Did I take it? You betcha! So yeah, the kids will "only" get to swim for 45 minutes, and not the customary 3 hours. And that's ok. That's better than ok -- that's GREAT because this way they get play with their friends (I didn't mention that they've all been here for a couple of hours already, so it's not like they're having no fun!) AND I get to do what's important to me.
Time to feed the pool boys...
Muchas gracias!
I am feeling so much better about our trip, now that I've gotten so much great feedback from my online friends. From the bottom of my heart, thank you! Last night Tim and I spent about an hour pouring over your comments and emails, as well as the notes we'd taken from conversations with friends, and we have a sense of what we'll be doing on our vacation, which makes me feel GREAT!
In fitness news, I got at 16K kettlebell!!! Today will be my first time to play with it, and I'm super excited!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
New York City/Washington D.C.
We're heading to New York City and Washington D.C. for our family vacation. If anyone has any must-see's or must-do's for either city, can you let me know? Right now I'm sorting through guide books and various printouts and trying to plan what we'll be doing. We have 3 full days in each place. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!
True confession -- I'm really scared about going to THE BIG CITY(IES). I've lived in the Sacramento area my whole life and as a stay-at-home mom, my world consists of a very small area that goes from my house to the kids schools to the grocery store to the gyms (fitness and gymnastics). I bought a geeky hip pack, because I'm terrified to carry a purse in either place.
To me, this vacation feels a bit like getting onto a roller coaster. We (the royal we -- I mean Tim, really) booked the travel and hotels a while back, so we've been sitting in the car with the lapbar down for a while now. But it's almost time for the roller coaster car to start moving and then there's REALLY no turning back!
True confession -- I'm really scared about going to THE BIG CITY(IES). I've lived in the Sacramento area my whole life and as a stay-at-home mom, my world consists of a very small area that goes from my house to the kids schools to the grocery store to the gyms (fitness and gymnastics). I bought a geeky hip pack, because I'm terrified to carry a purse in either place.
To me, this vacation feels a bit like getting onto a roller coaster. We (the royal we -- I mean Tim, really) booked the travel and hotels a while back, so we've been sitting in the car with the lapbar down for a while now. But it's almost time for the roller coaster car to start moving and then there's REALLY no turning back!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Workouts can save you
Yesterday was a tough day. Some of the highlights:
One way I can tell I'm not doing so good is when I'm breathing "fuhhhhh..." a lot. Another indicator was when I brought the garbage can in and repeatedly kicked it as hard as I could. What could I do? Ahhhhh -- sometimes exercise helps, right?
So upstairs I went and did a 20 minute butt-kicking workout. I did 1 minute of work, 30 seconds of rest, and kept the intensity high with kettlebell swings, squats, pushups, etc. After 20 minutes things weren't perfect, but I was certainly better than I was before the workout.
P.S. I intend to respond to comments soon. Chantal2bfit asked about kettlebells, though, and I thought I'd try for a quick answer here. Yes, kettlebells can be used at home very successfully. If I were starting out with kettlebells, I'd try to find someone locally who could teach me how to use them. If I couldn't find a local resource, I'd go to No Fear Fitness and learn as much as I could from the exercises listed there. I'd buy an 8K (18.6 pounds) kettlebell if I could only buy one. And I'd work on two-hand and one-hand swings and front squats.
That's all folks!
- Started the day feeling emotionally "off"
- Was ready to leave and do some things I needed to do, when kids friend stopped by. Being me, I let him stay for 3 hours and never got my stuff done.
- New washer spewed water all over laundry room floor.
- Emptied espresso maker grounds all over the kitchen floor by accident.
- Stepped in discarded gum on the street -- a BIG piece.
One way I can tell I'm not doing so good is when I'm breathing "fuhhhhh..." a lot. Another indicator was when I brought the garbage can in and repeatedly kicked it as hard as I could. What could I do? Ahhhhh -- sometimes exercise helps, right?
So upstairs I went and did a 20 minute butt-kicking workout. I did 1 minute of work, 30 seconds of rest, and kept the intensity high with kettlebell swings, squats, pushups, etc. After 20 minutes things weren't perfect, but I was certainly better than I was before the workout.
P.S. I intend to respond to comments soon. Chantal2bfit asked about kettlebells, though, and I thought I'd try for a quick answer here. Yes, kettlebells can be used at home very successfully. If I were starting out with kettlebells, I'd try to find someone locally who could teach me how to use them. If I couldn't find a local resource, I'd go to No Fear Fitness and learn as much as I could from the exercises listed there. I'd buy an 8K (18.6 pounds) kettlebell if I could only buy one. And I'd work on two-hand and one-hand swings and front squats.
That's all folks!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Links are working/Brain is not
I edited the html code and checked the result, and I think the links are working. These are not the only weblogs I read, but the ones I keep up with the most consistently. I use Bloglines to notify me when a weblog I subscribe to is updated -- HUGE TIMESAVER! And I'm sure I'll be adding more links soon. But I'm babysteppin' my way and that seems to be working just fine.
Now onto my brain problems. Do you ever feel like your past just controls you? Right now I sure do. I did not have a great childhood. I DID (and still do) have parents who love me, and for that I'm truly grateful. But growing up with mental illness in the family is tough. My dad was the one who held everything together. So he not only worked, he also (as my mom got sicker and sicker) did the shopping, cooked the meals, cleaned the house -- if there was something that needed to be done, he did it. And once a month he went and played poker with his professor friends from the university. Other than that he was selfless to the core.
So that's my model of "good" parenting. Problem is that I have just enough emotional healthiness inside that I resent the prison that I create by the mimicking of what I grew up with. So today for a few hours I was deep in that, "I'm invisible, I just do what helps other people" kind of mindset. Now don't get me wrong -- I know that being a parent involves sacrifice -- but it doesn't involve sacrificial living to the degree that I can take it. And that's why summers have been so hard in the past, because I will stay home and do whatever my kids want (which is usually hours and hours of playing in the pool with their friends) in a way that's out of balance for them, for Tim (who gets a resentful, discouraged wife when he gets home), and for me.
Why am I writing this? Because once again I'm committed to finding a way past this behavior. The victory is that today I only stayed in the victim-ey place for a few hours. And I'm hoping that by writing about it, I'll create an awareness internally that will cause me to make a better choice next time.
Life is good!
Now onto my brain problems. Do you ever feel like your past just controls you? Right now I sure do. I did not have a great childhood. I DID (and still do) have parents who love me, and for that I'm truly grateful. But growing up with mental illness in the family is tough. My dad was the one who held everything together. So he not only worked, he also (as my mom got sicker and sicker) did the shopping, cooked the meals, cleaned the house -- if there was something that needed to be done, he did it. And once a month he went and played poker with his professor friends from the university. Other than that he was selfless to the core.
So that's my model of "good" parenting. Problem is that I have just enough emotional healthiness inside that I resent the prison that I create by the mimicking of what I grew up with. So today for a few hours I was deep in that, "I'm invisible, I just do what helps other people" kind of mindset. Now don't get me wrong -- I know that being a parent involves sacrifice -- but it doesn't involve sacrificial living to the degree that I can take it. And that's why summers have been so hard in the past, because I will stay home and do whatever my kids want (which is usually hours and hours of playing in the pool with their friends) in a way that's out of balance for them, for Tim (who gets a resentful, discouraged wife when he gets home), and for me.
Why am I writing this? Because once again I'm committed to finding a way past this behavior. The victory is that today I only stayed in the victim-ey place for a few hours. And I'm hoping that by writing about it, I'll create an awareness internally that will cause me to make a better choice next time.
Life is good!
Living in California
I've never lived any place but here. And living in California is great for many reasons. Today, though, all I can say is IT'S HOT!!!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Austin in Action!
A few months back I posted a video of Tucker's gymnastics competition at Stanford. At that time, Austin was injured (skateboarding wrist injury) and not even sure if he was going to continue with gym. Well, he's back, and here's some footage of him in action. I watched it with Austin yesterday. All he sees is the problems -- toes not pointed, legs not together, etc. All I see is power, grace, and beauty. Enjoy!
Still here!
It's not that I don't have any free time during the summer, it's that I don't have any uninterrupted time. For me (and maybe for everyone) it takes a convergence of several factors to write in my weblog, including:
Right now, though, the kids are swimming at a friend's house. And the washing machine isn't working (no working machine = no clothes to fold). And the house is relatively clean. And we're not having dinner at home tonight, because nobody will be home to eat. So it's time to write. (Oooh, the pressure is immense ... just keep typing and something good will come out, right???)
Almost all my workouts these days involve a kettlebell and my Gymboss timer. I've done everything from the quickie 12 minute workout of Friday night, when that was all the time I had before picking Tucker up from swimming, to some tough 30 minute circuits with 1 minute of exercise, and 30 seconds of rest. I am pretty flexible about the exercises I choose, but there are always kettlebell swings and front squats. And I can tell that I'm getting really tired when the thought, "Some bicep curls would be good for the next set!" crosses my mind.
I can tell that upping the intensity of my workouts is working, because I went to Bikram Yoga on Sunday (yeah, I just want to be exactly like Tracy!) and made it through the whole class with no problems. It's been over a year since I've been to Bikram, and it felt great to jump in and do it.
Also, I've made a new kettlebell friend. Her name is Allyson, and she just moved here from San Diego, and is starting kettlebell workouts at the park. I'm attending the workout tonight -- yeah, at 5:30, and I'm sure it'll have cooled down to about 95 degrees or so! (Great practice for Bikram, right?)
Well, that's it from me for now. Time to plug my washer back in and see if it's in the mood to work again.
- something somewhat meaningful to say
- uninterrupted time to write what's in my head
- a little bit of energy
Right now, though, the kids are swimming at a friend's house. And the washing machine isn't working (no working machine = no clothes to fold). And the house is relatively clean. And we're not having dinner at home tonight, because nobody will be home to eat. So it's time to write. (Oooh, the pressure is immense ... just keep typing and something good will come out, right???)
Almost all my workouts these days involve a kettlebell and my Gymboss timer. I've done everything from the quickie 12 minute workout of Friday night, when that was all the time I had before picking Tucker up from swimming, to some tough 30 minute circuits with 1 minute of exercise, and 30 seconds of rest. I am pretty flexible about the exercises I choose, but there are always kettlebell swings and front squats. And I can tell that I'm getting really tired when the thought, "Some bicep curls would be good for the next set!" crosses my mind.
I can tell that upping the intensity of my workouts is working, because I went to Bikram Yoga on Sunday (yeah, I just want to be exactly like Tracy!) and made it through the whole class with no problems. It's been over a year since I've been to Bikram, and it felt great to jump in and do it.
Also, I've made a new kettlebell friend. Her name is Allyson, and she just moved here from San Diego, and is starting kettlebell workouts at the park. I'm attending the workout tonight -- yeah, at 5:30, and I'm sure it'll have cooled down to about 95 degrees or so! (Great practice for Bikram, right?)
Well, that's it from me for now. Time to plug my washer back in and see if it's in the mood to work again.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Template Play
I've had a little time today to play with the blog template, specifically adding a list of links. However, said list is NOT operational yet, so don't be surprised when you try to click and link and it does absolutely nothing. But I'll try to have this remedied by the end of the weekend.
Summer is here and life is good!
Summer is here and life is good!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Ladder Fallout and New Toys
I could tell my emphasis has been on lower body training, because my lats and triceps are STILL sore today, 3 days after the ladder workout! So of course I have to do the ladder again in another day or so, cuz I feel like IT owns ME, and that, my friends, is just not acceptable!
Well, I got some presents in the mail yesterday and today. Yesterday's present was a Gymboss interval timer. And today's presents were an 8 kg kettlebell and a 12 kg kettlebell!!! Using the new stuff, this was tonight's workout (1 minute work, 1 minute rest for each exercise):
8 kg swings
8 kg swings
12 kg swings
12 kg front squats
12 kg swings
12.5 pound dumbbell overhead press
8 kg roly poly squats
12 kg swings
8 kg one-arm swings
12 kg roly poly squats
12 kg swings
4 kg double swing/clean
12 kg suitcase squats
8 kg swings high/low
12 kg swings
total workout time: 30 minutes
The Gymboss made intervals really fun. And having a heavier kettlebell was great.
Kids are out of school tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to the ease and fun of summer. Those who have known me for a while will know that this is a new attitude towards summer on my part. How did I get new attitude? Wish I knew, but I sure hope it stays!!!
Well, I got some presents in the mail yesterday and today. Yesterday's present was a Gymboss interval timer. And today's presents were an 8 kg kettlebell and a 12 kg kettlebell!!! Using the new stuff, this was tonight's workout (1 minute work, 1 minute rest for each exercise):
8 kg swings
8 kg swings
12 kg swings
12 kg front squats
12 kg swings
12.5 pound dumbbell overhead press
8 kg roly poly squats
12 kg swings
8 kg one-arm swings
12 kg roly poly squats
12 kg swings
4 kg double swing/clean
12 kg suitcase squats
8 kg swings high/low
12 kg swings
total workout time: 30 minutes
The Gymboss made intervals really fun. And having a heavier kettlebell was great.
Kids are out of school tomorrow, and I'm looking forward to the ease and fun of summer. Those who have known me for a while will know that this is a new attitude towards summer on my part. How did I get new attitude? Wish I knew, but I sure hope it stays!!!
Sunday, June 03, 2007
Death by Ladder
I've been reading and watching MOD 1 from Body by Fish. It's a bodyweight workout that's quite intense. I don't think I'm up for the MOD 1 challenge, but he does a lot with ladders, and that got me to thinking that I would like to make my own ladder, which I just finished. The workout took 35 minutes and I feel like a limp washrag right now.
The exercises:
Squat tosses w/10 lb med ball
Floor push ups
Pull-up negatives
Step ups w/15 pound dumbbells
Plank holds for 8 counts of music
Kettlebell swings w/20 pound bell
So to do the ladder you do 1 rep of each exercise. Then you do 2 reps. Then 3. And so on, all the way up to your target number (10 reps was my target), and then if you're insane like me, you come back down the ladder to 1. On the way down, I did lat pulldowns instead of negatives, and I did ball crunches instead of plank holds.
One of the things I liked about this workout (and maybe why it doesn't count as a "true" ladder) is that I could play with the reps. So I did rounds 7, 8, and 9 combined for pushups and for kettlebells. And somehow that made it seem easier.
If you're reading this and you're one of my clients, you can expect a ladder in your future!!! Now that's something to look forward to!
The exercises:
Squat tosses w/10 lb med ball
Floor push ups
Pull-up negatives
Step ups w/15 pound dumbbells
Plank holds for 8 counts of music
Kettlebell swings w/20 pound bell
So to do the ladder you do 1 rep of each exercise. Then you do 2 reps. Then 3. And so on, all the way up to your target number (10 reps was my target), and then if you're insane like me, you come back down the ladder to 1. On the way down, I did lat pulldowns instead of negatives, and I did ball crunches instead of plank holds.
One of the things I liked about this workout (and maybe why it doesn't count as a "true" ladder) is that I could play with the reps. So I did rounds 7, 8, and 9 combined for pushups and for kettlebells. And somehow that made it seem easier.
If you're reading this and you're one of my clients, you can expect a ladder in your future!!! Now that's something to look forward to!
Friday, June 01, 2007
Fridge detox
This is a cute video with some smart suggestions:
Wouldn't have helped me with the chocolate malt balls, as I made a special store trip to get 'em!
Wouldn't have helped me with the chocolate malt balls, as I made a special store trip to get 'em!
Unfinished business
There are a few things I needed to follow up on, so in the spirit of tying up loose ends as we come upon the weekend, here they are:
Butt lift: According to my husband, butt is plenty lifted. That's a relief, but I'm still sticking with kb swings, squats and lunges cuz they WORK!
GDE: Wouldn't you know it? Just when I decreed that dinner would happen at 6:30 nightly, Tucker joined the swim team and now has practice at 6:35 three nights a week! So now I see it as my job to have food available to whoever (whomever?) is around to eat it. The new plan includes black bean chili once a week, breakfast for dinner once a week, and a lot of flexibility on everyone's part. I do have spring salad mix around at all times, along with cut up veggies (peppers and lightly steamed broccoli are current favorites) which make salad making easy. And maybe once swim season is over, we'll get back to the new normal!
Learning: The quest for knowledge continues and the process is SO MUCH FUN! Tim accuses me of "working" all the time, and I suppose in one sense he's right, because I study fitness every chance I get. But is it work if you love it? I don't think so!
Clean eating: Is anyone eating clean these days? Cuz I'm sure not. I'm not going overboard or anything, but I have yet to find a diet plan that includes chocolate malt balls and lots of my son's Chinese leftovers as part of a weight loss effort. (Both were yummy, though!) Our family vacation is in three weeks -- New York City and Washington DC are on the agenda, and we plan to do every touristy thing we can fit into our time. And I'd like to have some ease, both physically and mentally, going into the vacation. So it's time to tighten up the food. The good news is that I know what I need to do, and I know it works.
Today's workout: My workout happened in 3 parts today, but that's not a problem as far as I'm concerned. Here's the rundown:
8:45
Run 4 (?) miles (2 with Stacy!)
11:30
Fun stability ball flow series consisting of
Ball slams (3 sets of 25, 16 lb med ball)
Rope ups (lying on the ground and pulling yourself up using a rope and as little lower body involvement as possible) (10 times)
Swing/squat/swing/squat/swing (3 sets of 10 of each, 20 lb kb)
Dragon walks (3 sets of 20, 20 lb kb) (kind of like lunge walks)
Step ups (3 sets of 15, using 12 pound dumbbells)
1:30
Ball slams (3 sets of 20, 16 lb med ball)
Swing/squat/swing (2 sets of 10 of each, 20 lb kb)
Ring rows (2 sets of 10)
GREAT NEWS!!!: There's a BOXING GYM that's opened up like 10 minutes from my house. I have always wanted to learn how to do the speed bag and hit the heavy bag and do all sorts of boxing moves. The only thing I'm not ok with is getting hit. (Tim thinks that's hilarious!) So there is yet another fitness field trip in my future, and this one is like right in my own back yard!
Hill repeats: Tim and I did hill repeats (on the upper trail, for those of you who have experienced the trail) on Wednesday. We did 7 repeats (cuz it's the number I committed to, gosh!) and for the last 3 I was so exerted that I was nauseated. Don't usually feel like that, and since I don't EVER want to throw up from working out, I was quite happy to walk part of the way up. Tim charged up the hill each and every time. It was fun doing it together, but it took a bit of a mind shift, cuz when I'm alone, I'm the fastest one there! (Honestly, Tim pushes himself and his hard work pays off! Can you tell I'm proud?)
Butt lift: According to my husband, butt is plenty lifted. That's a relief, but I'm still sticking with kb swings, squats and lunges cuz they WORK!
GDE: Wouldn't you know it? Just when I decreed that dinner would happen at 6:30 nightly, Tucker joined the swim team and now has practice at 6:35 three nights a week! So now I see it as my job to have food available to whoever (whomever?) is around to eat it. The new plan includes black bean chili once a week, breakfast for dinner once a week, and a lot of flexibility on everyone's part. I do have spring salad mix around at all times, along with cut up veggies (peppers and lightly steamed broccoli are current favorites) which make salad making easy. And maybe once swim season is over, we'll get back to the new normal!
Learning: The quest for knowledge continues and the process is SO MUCH FUN! Tim accuses me of "working" all the time, and I suppose in one sense he's right, because I study fitness every chance I get. But is it work if you love it? I don't think so!
Clean eating: Is anyone eating clean these days? Cuz I'm sure not. I'm not going overboard or anything, but I have yet to find a diet plan that includes chocolate malt balls and lots of my son's Chinese leftovers as part of a weight loss effort. (Both were yummy, though!) Our family vacation is in three weeks -- New York City and Washington DC are on the agenda, and we plan to do every touristy thing we can fit into our time. And I'd like to have some ease, both physically and mentally, going into the vacation. So it's time to tighten up the food. The good news is that I know what I need to do, and I know it works.
Today's workout: My workout happened in 3 parts today, but that's not a problem as far as I'm concerned. Here's the rundown:
8:45
Run 4 (?) miles (2 with Stacy!)
11:30
Fun stability ball flow series consisting of
- glute lifts (3 sets of 10)
- push ups (3 sets of 10)
- knee ins (3 sets of 10)
Ball slams (3 sets of 25, 16 lb med ball)
Rope ups (lying on the ground and pulling yourself up using a rope and as little lower body involvement as possible) (10 times)
Swing/squat/swing/squat/swing (3 sets of 10 of each, 20 lb kb)
Dragon walks (3 sets of 20, 20 lb kb) (kind of like lunge walks)
Step ups (3 sets of 15, using 12 pound dumbbells)
1:30
Ball slams (3 sets of 20, 16 lb med ball)
Swing/squat/swing (2 sets of 10 of each, 20 lb kb)
Ring rows (2 sets of 10)
GREAT NEWS!!!: There's a BOXING GYM that's opened up like 10 minutes from my house. I have always wanted to learn how to do the speed bag and hit the heavy bag and do all sorts of boxing moves. The only thing I'm not ok with is getting hit. (Tim thinks that's hilarious!) So there is yet another fitness field trip in my future, and this one is like right in my own back yard!
Hill repeats: Tim and I did hill repeats (on the upper trail, for those of you who have experienced the trail) on Wednesday. We did 7 repeats (cuz it's the number I committed to, gosh!) and for the last 3 I was so exerted that I was nauseated. Don't usually feel like that, and since I don't EVER want to throw up from working out, I was quite happy to walk part of the way up. Tim charged up the hill each and every time. It was fun doing it together, but it took a bit of a mind shift, cuz when I'm alone, I'm the fastest one there! (Honestly, Tim pushes himself and his hard work pays off! Can you tell I'm proud?)
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
One more video
Love the song. Love that I had tears in my eyes at the end of the video, and I can't even explain why. Hope you like this too!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
The more I learn, the less I know!
The post title is from some 70's rock song, and I can't for the life of me think of the song or artist. The Who, maybe? If anyone knows, please tell me!
Well, it's true. The more I learn, the less I really do know. I met Tracy Reifkind on Sunday and she was fantastic. We spent 2-1/2 hours together and I learned so much about kettlebells and training and life and food and honestly, I would have stayed all day if she would have let me. But I left feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. There really IS so much I have to learn. Well, last night when I looked over the notes I took, then did a kettlebell workout using what she'd taught me, I all kind of came together and I felt like I "got it" a little bit.
Tracy said I could talk about our time together, so I'll just share some general thoughts, in no particular order.
10 squats to parallel or a little below
10 swings
10 squats
10 swings
Rest
Repeat 5 times
Because you have to count, plus you have the coordination challenge of moving from the handle to the horns of the kettlebell, it's a really fun way to train.
Ancora imparo!
Well, it's true. The more I learn, the less I really do know. I met Tracy Reifkind on Sunday and she was fantastic. We spent 2-1/2 hours together and I learned so much about kettlebells and training and life and food and honestly, I would have stayed all day if she would have let me. But I left feeling overwhelmed and discouraged. There really IS so much I have to learn. Well, last night when I looked over the notes I took, then did a kettlebell workout using what she'd taught me, I all kind of came together and I felt like I "got it" a little bit.
Tracy said I could talk about our time together, so I'll just share some general thoughts, in no particular order.
- Tracy is intense and focused. She knows kettlebells. And she knows how to train.
- The camera does make people look bigger than they are. Tracy's pictures look great. She looks even better in person.
- Girya is very cool. If I lived anywhere near Palo Alto, it's where I would work out!
- The way Tracy puts together kettlebell routines is interesting and fun. You can see examples on her website -- she's generous with her knowledge, for sure. Yesterday I did this workout:
10 squats to parallel or a little below
10 swings
10 squats
10 swings
Rest
Repeat 5 times
Because you have to count, plus you have the coordination challenge of moving from the handle to the horns of the kettlebell, it's a really fun way to train.
- Tracy calls manufactured food "franken-food." Ouch. True, but ouch! Even my beloved vanilla PowerBar Protein Plus bars???
Ancora imparo!
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Ancora Imparo
Post title is Latin for "I am still learning." I am pursuing fitness knowledge with a vengance and loving every minute of it. Current topic of choice -- nutrition! I'm trying to learn what to suggest to my clients and what to do that will work best for me.
When you immerse yourself in a topic, it's interesting to look for the commonality between sources. And guess what? "Eat more fresh stuff" and "eat less processed crap" shows up in nearly every single book/discussion board/website/article you'll find on good nutrition! So that's not news to anyone, but when you see it again and again, it starts to really have an impact.
(Speaking of crappy foods -- thank you Tim for taking our kids and their friend to IHOP for breakfast so I could have this peaceful time. I'm enjoying my almonds and apple, and really happy to have the solitude. I owe you!)
So specifically, what am I reading? Here's a sampling:
Precision Nutrition: both the binder and the message boards. John Berardi has great food prep strategies, and I think he's right when he says that if you're looking to lose fat, you need to eat starchy carbs only in the post-workout window of time. Also he says you need to eat vegetables with every "feeding opportunity" (I love that phrase!).
CrossFit message boards: CrossFit loves The Zone, but there are also fans of The Paleo Diet on the boards. I don't know enough to summarize either diet, but I do know that neither feels that massive bowls of cereal and milk right before bed are good choices. Hmmmm.
The Performance Menu message board: PM is Paleo based, which means fruits, veggies, nuts, and meat mostly. Great recipes too.
As I type this, I must confess that my food choices over the last few days have been less than fantastic, and it's showed up in my moods and in my waist. In case anyone's unclear on this, toasting protein bread, then covering it with butter and brown sugar does not move you in the direction of smaller/tighter/leaner. You're welcome!
So I'm coming to terms with the belief that I'm super sensitive to refined carbohydrates. When I stay with veggies, fruits, lean protein, and nuts, I feel fantastic. Focused. Determined. Energetic (and let's not even talk about my caffeine intake right at the moment, although I'm pretty sure I'll be lookin' at that in the near future). And I really think that I get scared at some point of how good I feel, and that leads to food choices that help me to feel less powerful and more (in a strange way) comfortable.
Don't quite know how to wrap this up, so I'm not even going to try, except that the more I learn, the more aware I become that I really know very little. But that's not a bad thing -- it's just the truth.
When you immerse yourself in a topic, it's interesting to look for the commonality between sources. And guess what? "Eat more fresh stuff" and "eat less processed crap" shows up in nearly every single book/discussion board/website/article you'll find on good nutrition! So that's not news to anyone, but when you see it again and again, it starts to really have an impact.
(Speaking of crappy foods -- thank you Tim for taking our kids and their friend to IHOP for breakfast so I could have this peaceful time. I'm enjoying my almonds and apple, and really happy to have the solitude. I owe you!)
So specifically, what am I reading? Here's a sampling:
Precision Nutrition: both the binder and the message boards. John Berardi has great food prep strategies, and I think he's right when he says that if you're looking to lose fat, you need to eat starchy carbs only in the post-workout window of time. Also he says you need to eat vegetables with every "feeding opportunity" (I love that phrase!).
CrossFit message boards: CrossFit loves The Zone, but there are also fans of The Paleo Diet on the boards. I don't know enough to summarize either diet, but I do know that neither feels that massive bowls of cereal and milk right before bed are good choices. Hmmmm.
The Performance Menu message board: PM is Paleo based, which means fruits, veggies, nuts, and meat mostly. Great recipes too.
As I type this, I must confess that my food choices over the last few days have been less than fantastic, and it's showed up in my moods and in my waist. In case anyone's unclear on this, toasting protein bread, then covering it with butter and brown sugar does not move you in the direction of smaller/tighter/leaner. You're welcome!
So I'm coming to terms with the belief that I'm super sensitive to refined carbohydrates. When I stay with veggies, fruits, lean protein, and nuts, I feel fantastic. Focused. Determined. Energetic (and let's not even talk about my caffeine intake right at the moment, although I'm pretty sure I'll be lookin' at that in the near future). And I really think that I get scared at some point of how good I feel, and that leads to food choices that help me to feel less powerful and more (in a strange way) comfortable.
Don't quite know how to wrap this up, so I'm not even going to try, except that the more I learn, the more aware I become that I really know very little. But that's not a bad thing -- it's just the truth.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Business Stuff
I'm putting together an HTML newsletter for Lift Personal Fitness Training. This newsletter will include fitness tips, recipes, article and book reviews, and stuff that seems noteworthy in the world of fitness. My plan is to publish this and distribute it (via email) once a month. Please shoot me an email (lgandy@starstream.net) if you're interested in receiving a copy.
Do-it-myself Butt Lift
Several weeks ago I felt like my butt was smooshing its way into my upper thigh in a way that just wasn't working. So I've been adding in some moderately heavy stiff-legged deadlifts as well as some Bulgarian split squats. And I think it's working. (Note to Tim, who reads my weblog daily -- can you help me check when you get home?)
Computer Time
I don't spend every free moment on the computer -- I promise! And I don't spend every computer moment on You Tube. But sometimes I'll find something that really floats my boat, and this certainly qualifies. Do I want to train like Ross? Nope. But I watch stuff like this and take notes and try to figure out what I can use from what I see. Hope you like it too!
Comments
Just a quick response to some easy to answer questions (the ones that take more time will have to wait for another day):
Eileen -- yes, that's a bodybugg on Stacy's arm! She's using it, and loving it! And Eileen, you too can join the club of "those who notice virtually everything" -- Stacy is President, and I'm in too!
Colette -- if you do Kettlebell swings right, your arms won't be where you feel the exercise -- it's all about transferring the power of the hip snap, and the arms just along for the ride. (But if I'm wrong about this, Tracy will tell me on Sunday!) Anyway, after some serious swinging, I feel it in my booty and my abs.
Anonymous asked (ages ago -- sorry!) about my post about nail salons "how hard is it to do your own nails?" That's a good question. It's not hard at all to do your own nails, but nail salons do something you can't do by yourself. Basically they put a coating (either acrylic or gel) on your nails that a) makes them virtually indestructible, and b) makes nail polish (or the French manicure) stay on forever. So if you have "nails" you go every two weeks or so to have them "filled" as they grow out. Right now my nails look like those of a 12-year-old boy, because when you take the stuff off from the nail salon, it leaves your nails paper thin and breakable. Haven't decided if I'm putting 'em back on yet.
Eileen -- yes, that's a bodybugg on Stacy's arm! She's using it, and loving it! And Eileen, you too can join the club of "those who notice virtually everything" -- Stacy is President, and I'm in too!
Colette -- if you do Kettlebell swings right, your arms won't be where you feel the exercise -- it's all about transferring the power of the hip snap, and the arms just along for the ride. (But if I'm wrong about this, Tracy will tell me on Sunday!) Anyway, after some serious swinging, I feel it in my booty and my abs.
Anonymous asked (ages ago -- sorry!) about my post about nail salons "how hard is it to do your own nails?" That's a good question. It's not hard at all to do your own nails, but nail salons do something you can't do by yourself. Basically they put a coating (either acrylic or gel) on your nails that a) makes them virtually indestructible, and b) makes nail polish (or the French manicure) stay on forever. So if you have "nails" you go every two weeks or so to have them "filled" as they grow out. Right now my nails look like those of a 12-year-old boy, because when you take the stuff off from the nail salon, it leaves your nails paper thin and breakable. Haven't decided if I'm putting 'em back on yet.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
7 things
Thank you, Matt, for tagging me. I feel all special and good! Here are the rules for "7 things:"
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
1. When I was growing up I hated my name. The most beautiful name, in my opinion, was Tina. My dad was an elementary education college professor, so I got lots of textbooks that were mine to do with as I wished. I wrote Tina in ballpoint pen on the cover of every single one.
2. I like odd numbers. So any temperature or digital audio control that I'm in charge of will always be set at an odd number. No, I won't freak out if it's set even, but I don't like it much. What's good about my age is that I have an early January birthday, and even when my age is even (like this year -- 46), the year is odd. And that's a good thing.
3. For as long as I can remember, I've felt like I wasn't as good as everyone else. I graduated high school and earned the highest scholarship my school gives, and was 12th academically in a class of 400. But I didn't feel smart. I did group counseling in my 20s, and when someone told me I was a perfectionist, I said in all sincerity, "Oh, I'm not good enough to be that!" and then nearly cried as the whole group burst out laughing. I didn't get the joke till years later. The BEST I've ever felt about myself is right now.
4. Because I was a bookish sort of girl whose parents had to force her outside to play (my idea of heaven was sitting on my canopy bed surrounded by lots of books and reading for hours) I wasn't athletic growing up. So I still get a secret thrill every time I do a handstand or run a race or do anything physical, because it's still a new thing to see myself as athletic.
5. I love swimming underwater in the ocean, past where the waves are breaking. It's peaceful, frightening, and thrilling all at the same time.
6. I used to think I notice lots of things, until going on the hike with Stacy whose brain never stops! But seriously, I notice design, fashion, and fitness, and most of my thoughts are of the "I wonder why they did that?" or "I know how to make that better!" variety.
7. I think athleticism and sensuality are intimately connected, and I love scenes in movies that depict athletic sensuality or sensual athleticism. (No, I'm not talking about porn here!) Someday I'd love to put together a video of scenes from movies that illustrate this, like the skate-off from Roll Bounce and some of the dance sequences from Stayin' Alive, which are the two examples I can think of right now.
I don't know who to tag. And I'm out of time. So I'm tagging anyone who would like to play but hasn't been tagged yet. Consider yourself tagged!
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!
1. When I was growing up I hated my name. The most beautiful name, in my opinion, was Tina. My dad was an elementary education college professor, so I got lots of textbooks that were mine to do with as I wished. I wrote Tina in ballpoint pen on the cover of every single one.
2. I like odd numbers. So any temperature or digital audio control that I'm in charge of will always be set at an odd number. No, I won't freak out if it's set even, but I don't like it much. What's good about my age is that I have an early January birthday, and even when my age is even (like this year -- 46), the year is odd. And that's a good thing.
3. For as long as I can remember, I've felt like I wasn't as good as everyone else. I graduated high school and earned the highest scholarship my school gives, and was 12th academically in a class of 400. But I didn't feel smart. I did group counseling in my 20s, and when someone told me I was a perfectionist, I said in all sincerity, "Oh, I'm not good enough to be that!" and then nearly cried as the whole group burst out laughing. I didn't get the joke till years later. The BEST I've ever felt about myself is right now.
4. Because I was a bookish sort of girl whose parents had to force her outside to play (my idea of heaven was sitting on my canopy bed surrounded by lots of books and reading for hours) I wasn't athletic growing up. So I still get a secret thrill every time I do a handstand or run a race or do anything physical, because it's still a new thing to see myself as athletic.
5. I love swimming underwater in the ocean, past where the waves are breaking. It's peaceful, frightening, and thrilling all at the same time.
6. I used to think I notice lots of things, until going on the hike with Stacy whose brain never stops! But seriously, I notice design, fashion, and fitness, and most of my thoughts are of the "I wonder why they did that?" or "I know how to make that better!" variety.
7. I think athleticism and sensuality are intimately connected, and I love scenes in movies that depict athletic sensuality or sensual athleticism. (No, I'm not talking about porn here!) Someday I'd love to put together a video of scenes from movies that illustrate this, like the skate-off from Roll Bounce and some of the dance sequences from Stayin' Alive, which are the two examples I can think of right now.
I don't know who to tag. And I'm out of time. So I'm tagging anyone who would like to play but hasn't been tagged yet. Consider yourself tagged!
Yesterday's workout...
...took place at the high school where Tucker's swim practice is held. I really am going to get more strategic about my workouts someday, but for now, this whole "I do what I feel like doing" thing is working.
So I took my 20 pound kettlebell and ended up doing 8 sets of 50 swings. But those were broken up with other stuff like incline pushups, dips, tricep extensions (using the kettlebell), squats, dips, stationary lunges, step ups (using the bench on the football field), negatives (using some kind of football training equipment that was sturdy enough to hang from) and one lap around the track.
When I plan workouts, I think less in terms of bodyparts and more in terms of movements. I got this from "The New Rules of Lifting" where they recognize pushing (pushups, shoulder press, dips, etc.), pulling (pullups, pulldowns, bicep curls, low rows), squats, lunges, twists and I forget the other one cuz the book's not in front of me. So when I do my own workouts, I try to do some pushing movements and some pulling movements, and I always work lower body.
Today's workout will be kettlebell oriented -- I may watch a few Art of Strength videos to get some ideas. And yesterday's workout -- well, it worked, because I'm feeling the DOMS today -- hooray!
So I took my 20 pound kettlebell and ended up doing 8 sets of 50 swings. But those were broken up with other stuff like incline pushups, dips, tricep extensions (using the kettlebell), squats, dips, stationary lunges, step ups (using the bench on the football field), negatives (using some kind of football training equipment that was sturdy enough to hang from) and one lap around the track.
When I plan workouts, I think less in terms of bodyparts and more in terms of movements. I got this from "The New Rules of Lifting" where they recognize pushing (pushups, shoulder press, dips, etc.), pulling (pullups, pulldowns, bicep curls, low rows), squats, lunges, twists and I forget the other one cuz the book's not in front of me. So when I do my own workouts, I try to do some pushing movements and some pulling movements, and I always work lower body.
Today's workout will be kettlebell oriented -- I may watch a few Art of Strength videos to get some ideas. And yesterday's workout -- well, it worked, because I'm feeling the DOMS today -- hooray!
Monday, May 21, 2007
Kettlebell homework
I'm getting ready for this weekend when I learn about Kettlebells from Tracy. She gave me some homework, which was to do 20 swings a minute for 10 minutes. So you'd do 20 swings, then rest till the start of the next minute, do 20 more, for a total of 200 swings. On Thursday night I did my first workout, but because I'm me, I changed it a little bit. So for 10 minutes I did 20 swings each minute, and then for 10 more minutes, I did 30 swings a minute, for a total of 500 swings. The next day? A little glute sore, I must admit, but not bad at all.
So today's workout is going to be a repeat of that workout, but maybe I'll do 30 minutes this time, just to keep it interesting!
So today's workout is going to be a repeat of that workout, but maybe I'll do 30 minutes this time, just to keep it interesting!
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