I consider Saturday to be the official end of my workout week. I have decided that Sunday is bonus day. This does not mean that Sunday is a slack off day, but I figure I just won't really have expectations for Sunday. If I bike 30 miles, GREAT, if I just run a quick 2, that's fine too.
Week 2 of my Flabby to Fabby transition has come to a close and I feel moderately satisfied. I ran a neat 20 miles this week and that is probably in my top two or three longest running weeks for the past ten years. I feel good about hitting a five mile run this week as well. I'm not thrilled that the past two days I only ran 2 miles each day, but I don't want to push too hard out of the gate and get injured, especially while doing strengthening runs with my WT10's.
My legs feel pretty good, I am having some tightness on the inner side of my soleus muscle (lower calf muscle) on my left leg, so I'm taking the mileage a little easy. Next week will be back to biking. I have a set a goal, I would like to complete a collective mileage of 100 miles next week, between running and biking.
Week in review 4/24/11-4/30/11:
*Each day includes some variation of strength training other than a run
Easter Sunday - 2 mile Run (wt10 strengthening) **bonus day, I don't count the mileage toward my week
Monday - 4 mile run
Tuesday - 5 mile run
Wednesday - 3 mile run (wt10 strengthening)
Thursday - 4 mile run
Friday - 2 mile run (wt10 strengthening)
Saturday - 2 mile run
20 mile week, not too shabby for a Flabby
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
STOP! Don't Brake!
There are two major things that can REALLY slow you down AND contribute to injury during running or walking.
1. Allowing your heel to absorb the majority of impact.
2. Over extending or Locking your knees.
Both of these actions are equivalent to putting on the brakes in your bodys movement.
Say you are sledding down hill and you need to stop ASAP. How do you put on the brakes? You dig your heels in. So why would we dig our heels in when we run or walk? are we trying to stop? Why would we want to extend our heels out on an angle that causes our body to jar and essentially stop the flow of our bodys movement? Bad habit I suppose. Such a difference it makes removing this habit from your running or walking form, and what a difference it has has made for me.
As bad; or worse, is the locking of the knees. Our knees absorb 3 pounds of shock for every pound in our body. Have you ever jammed your finger? Those connecting bones in your finger are not supposed to slam together, that's why it hurts so damn bad. Similar story goes for the knee. When you lock your knee back, your bones nearly bang together(or they DO, depending on how damaged)....your bones collectively absorb that 3x body weight. There is some padding there, but not nearly the amount available while your knee is bent. Even worse, is landing full weight onto a locked knee......*cringe* landing on that bent knee absorbs the shock, landing on a locked knee sends shock waves through your body, typically channeling that shock into your weakest areas.
High repetition of these motions can cause multiple injuries that stop you, slow you down and excuse your lazy alter ego.
After my 4 mile run today, I am at 16 for the week. Since following these two rules, my legs and knees feel great!
1. Allowing your heel to absorb the majority of impact.
2. Over extending or Locking your knees.
Both of these actions are equivalent to putting on the brakes in your bodys movement.
Say you are sledding down hill and you need to stop ASAP. How do you put on the brakes? You dig your heels in. So why would we dig our heels in when we run or walk? are we trying to stop? Why would we want to extend our heels out on an angle that causes our body to jar and essentially stop the flow of our bodys movement? Bad habit I suppose. Such a difference it makes removing this habit from your running or walking form, and what a difference it has has made for me.
As bad; or worse, is the locking of the knees. Our knees absorb 3 pounds of shock for every pound in our body. Have you ever jammed your finger? Those connecting bones in your finger are not supposed to slam together, that's why it hurts so damn bad. Similar story goes for the knee. When you lock your knee back, your bones nearly bang together(or they DO, depending on how damaged)....your bones collectively absorb that 3x body weight. There is some padding there, but not nearly the amount available while your knee is bent. Even worse, is landing full weight onto a locked knee......*cringe* landing on that bent knee absorbs the shock, landing on a locked knee sends shock waves through your body, typically channeling that shock into your weakest areas.
High repetition of these motions can cause multiple injuries that stop you, slow you down and excuse your lazy alter ego.
After my 4 mile run today, I am at 16 for the week. Since following these two rules, my legs and knees feel great!
Wake up and stretch!
I am feeling it today.....had to wake up and stretch this morning! My running distance this week has been more than I have done in over a year, plus the strength training. It feels good to have sore muscles, this means I am getting stronger! I like strength training, but there is nothing like a good cardio workout to really get your blood circulation going and boost your fitness level.
Stretching is so important, yet I hate doing it. It is hard not to half a$$ through stretching and cut it short. I'm trying to take more time with it, but I just get bored.
If anyone has any stretching techniques that you enjoy, please share!
TIP: If muscles start getting really sore and uncomfortable, sometimes you stop being proud and it starts to put a damper on your day. I learned this from my old man; take a Motrin and a Tylenol or two. The Mortin is an anti inflammatory, takes down the swelling, and the Tylenol is a pain reliever, combined they are magical....just magical.
Off to another day in the life of Flabby2fabbylous!
Stretching is so important, yet I hate doing it. It is hard not to half a$$ through stretching and cut it short. I'm trying to take more time with it, but I just get bored.
If anyone has any stretching techniques that you enjoy, please share!
TIP: If muscles start getting really sore and uncomfortable, sometimes you stop being proud and it starts to put a damper on your day. I learned this from my old man; take a Motrin and a Tylenol or two. The Mortin is an anti inflammatory, takes down the swelling, and the Tylenol is a pain reliever, combined they are magical....just magical.
Off to another day in the life of Flabby2fabbylous!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Lazy Alter Ego
Yesterday I set out to run another 4 miles. I wanted to tell the whiny 2 year old inside of me who was boss, me.
Well, the whiny 2 year old is more like a Lazy Alter Ego. We all have at least one. That jackass- really knows how to work it. We get excited and we get motivated to change our lives and then LAE swoops in and knows just which justifications to push. I'm too tired, cleaning, kids, I had a good workout yesterday, I've made progress, I just don't feel like it, I don't have the right clothes, the right shoes, the right equipment, it's too cold, I'm hungover, on and on and on it goes until we are stereotypical FAT fools wondering what the hell happened. We gave up, gave in, succumbed, or are just plain lazy.
I've decided that I am the boss of the LAE and that fugger reports to me.
So as I was saying, I set out to run 4 miles yesterday, in the spirit of kicking the LAE's A$$, I did 5. It felt good, and I really didn't run into any worrisome pains or cramps, I think it was karma.
Today I ran 3 miles in my WT10's again. I am really starting to enjoy this shoe. Let me tell you, I felt the difference. My left ankle was letting me know how it felt about the lack of support(intentional in this footwear line) as mile 3 approached, I also had some cramping in my left hamstring after I finished. Surprisingly I am not experiencing any shin discomfort at all thus far, I think this is attributed to the amount of focus I have been putting on my form.
Important TIP:
-USE BODY GLIDE! Body glide is the best stuff for an athlete! Who has had a blister? Every human, athletic or not. Who has worn the wrong clothes in the wrong weather and had serious chafing? Most humans! Body glide goes on like deodorant but it is clean, not greasy, odor free and SAVES YOUR ASS, literally! When you run/walk a distance, and you have a big bootie,....well....sometimes you can run into a chafing issue. BODYGLIDE. When you wear the wear cotton anywhere on your body that can rub, the cotton is absorbent and holds sweat against your body, your skin gets soft and moist, as it rubs together you chafe and blister. ewwww and ouch! BODYGLIDE! Your bra line, your nipples (male or female), underarms, between legs, bootie cheeks, FEET most of all, feet! This stuff is gold! Put it on and suit up.
It's been 5 straight days of running, I'm ready for a bike ride!
Well, the whiny 2 year old is more like a Lazy Alter Ego. We all have at least one. That jackass- really knows how to work it. We get excited and we get motivated to change our lives and then LAE swoops in and knows just which justifications to push. I'm too tired, cleaning, kids, I had a good workout yesterday, I've made progress, I just don't feel like it, I don't have the right clothes, the right shoes, the right equipment, it's too cold, I'm hungover, on and on and on it goes until we are stereotypical FAT fools wondering what the hell happened. We gave up, gave in, succumbed, or are just plain lazy.
I've decided that I am the boss of the LAE and that fugger reports to me.
So as I was saying, I set out to run 4 miles yesterday, in the spirit of kicking the LAE's A$$, I did 5. It felt good, and I really didn't run into any worrisome pains or cramps, I think it was karma.
Today I ran 3 miles in my WT10's again. I am really starting to enjoy this shoe. Let me tell you, I felt the difference. My left ankle was letting me know how it felt about the lack of support(intentional in this footwear line) as mile 3 approached, I also had some cramping in my left hamstring after I finished. Surprisingly I am not experiencing any shin discomfort at all thus far, I think this is attributed to the amount of focus I have been putting on my form.
Important TIP:
-USE BODY GLIDE! Body glide is the best stuff for an athlete! Who has had a blister? Every human, athletic or not. Who has worn the wrong clothes in the wrong weather and had serious chafing? Most humans! Body glide goes on like deodorant but it is clean, not greasy, odor free and SAVES YOUR ASS, literally! When you run/walk a distance, and you have a big bootie,....well....sometimes you can run into a chafing issue. BODYGLIDE. When you wear the wear cotton anywhere on your body that can rub, the cotton is absorbent and holds sweat against your body, your skin gets soft and moist, as it rubs together you chafe and blister. ewwww and ouch! BODYGLIDE! Your bra line, your nipples (male or female), underarms, between legs, bootie cheeks, FEET most of all, feet! This stuff is gold! Put it on and suit up.
It's been 5 straight days of running, I'm ready for a bike ride!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sweat gets in your eyes.....
Yesterday was a dreary mofo of a day. Rain..blagh...rain. Looks like it's going to be that way until Saturday. I am blessed to have a room tucked away in my basement where is can workout. I have enough equipment to cover my basis. I have a treadmill, total gym, stationary bike, couple free weights, an ab roller and a PUNCHING BAG! I love my punching bag....it has helped me through some times. I have collected all this stuff over the past 10 years, it sounds like a lot, but it took time to get it all. I'm telling you about all this crap because I want you to know, I have ZERO excuse not to workout. I don't have to leave the house, it doesn't matter what I look like, what the weather is doing, unless I am sick or away from home, there is no excuse.
I wasn't really 'Feeling it' yesterday. Wanted to play on the computer, tidy about the house, play with the dogs, twirl my hair, ANYTHING other than start running. Well, I got my a$$ up, suited up and went to it. I did some strengthening BS, some total gym and leg lifts and some free weights, stretched and got on the mill.
I like to start out with weights on my arms. This may sound odd. I have two 2 LB weights, the kind you can wrap around your ankles. I wrap these around my hands and run with them on for the first mile. This contributes major toning to my arms and upper body, it also makes me feel weighted down and extra laboured through the first mile. This sounds sucky....it really isn't so bad. Once I throw the weights on the floor, I feel super light and invigorated to pick up the pace for the remaining mileage.
After I threw the weights off, the next mile and a half were tough. I was feeling tired and I didn't want to focus on my form at all. It was like arguing with a 2 year old inside myself. I set out to do 4 miles. The 2 year old wanted to call it a day at a 5k. A 5k is a respectable distance, it's even long enough to be an event.
My stubborn mule willpower won out in litigation against the 2 year old and I did all 4 miles. It felt good all in all and I was really sweating! I hope you can't get pink eye from sweat getting in your eyes, even with my headsets headband I was still getting an eye full. Tobi, our 4 month old lab, was hanging out with me while I ran, he kept threatening to try and get on the treadmill. He was helping me stretch afterwards, photo below.
Today I'm gonna do another 4, just to show that 2 year old who's boss!
I wasn't really 'Feeling it' yesterday. Wanted to play on the computer, tidy about the house, play with the dogs, twirl my hair, ANYTHING other than start running. Well, I got my a$$ up, suited up and went to it. I did some strengthening BS, some total gym and leg lifts and some free weights, stretched and got on the mill.
I like to start out with weights on my arms. This may sound odd. I have two 2 LB weights, the kind you can wrap around your ankles. I wrap these around my hands and run with them on for the first mile. This contributes major toning to my arms and upper body, it also makes me feel weighted down and extra laboured through the first mile. This sounds sucky....it really isn't so bad. Once I throw the weights on the floor, I feel super light and invigorated to pick up the pace for the remaining mileage.
After I threw the weights off, the next mile and a half were tough. I was feeling tired and I didn't want to focus on my form at all. It was like arguing with a 2 year old inside myself. I set out to do 4 miles. The 2 year old wanted to call it a day at a 5k. A 5k is a respectable distance, it's even long enough to be an event.
My stubborn mule willpower won out in litigation against the 2 year old and I did all 4 miles. It felt good all in all and I was really sweating! I hope you can't get pink eye from sweat getting in your eyes, even with my headsets headband I was still getting an eye full. Tobi, our 4 month old lab, was hanging out with me while I ran, he kept threatening to try and get on the treadmill. He was helping me stretch afterwards, photo below.
Today I'm gonna do another 4, just to show that 2 year old who's boss!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Easter foot, ankle and calves
So yesterday I took it pretty easy. Easter was a really lovely day, it was supposed to be cloudy and crappy all day and it turned out to be perfect weather! My day started with coffee, a workout, cleaning and cooking a delicious chicken vegetable soup, again. I made this soup last week but still had a lot of the ingredients and I didn't want them to go to waste. Kath's parents came to eat and visit with us, I got an Easter Lilly from Kath's Mom. : ) The day ended with loved ones on the front porch with great conversation and a fair amount of tequila. Solid day.
Which running style requires better form, control and strength? The answer is clear.
I wasn't planning on doing much in the way of a workout since I was happy with my week and wanted a nice rest. I did end up doing a couple of miles in my WT10, this is a new shoe for NB in their minimus line(click link for more info on this product). I use this shoe to strengthen my feet, ankles and calves. How does this work? Without going into too detailed an explanation, I will compare this style of running shoe to your typical running shoe.
Imagine you are running barefoot along the beach....every step is carefree (as long as it is a clean beach) and you know you can rely on the sand to absorb the weight of your body. (similar to your typical running shoe)
Now imagine you are running barefoot on a paved or concrete surface, your body becomes much more tentative, you know each impression of your weight upon that hard surface is going to wrack your body with the shock, not to mention the discomfort on the bottoms of your feet. (minimus running shoe or vibram 5 finger)
So, using this shoe is quite(5 finger is closer, not quite ready for that) close to running barefoot. I would not run more than a handful of miles this way until I have reached a new level of strength in my calves, ankles and feet. This will ultimately make be a better athlete in all facets, being that the foot, ankle and calves are the foundational support of my body.
Looking forward to another great week of my transition from flabby 2 fabbylous!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
29.5 The wind is my enemy!
Today I rode out to the Belle River Marina (photo below post) 29.5 miles. The first 15 were smooth as silk, the wind was at my back and I was flying with ease. The 15 back were HELL.....the wind was continuous and gusting. I must say, the wind made for one hell of a workout, but I have dubbed the wind my enemy.
I am happy with my week:
Tuesday - ran 4 miles (2 and 2) and strength training
Wednesday - Yoga *sorta
Thursday - 20 mile bike ride
Friday - 5k and strength training
Saturday - 29.5 mile bike ride (15 in the WIND!)
I'm now rewarding myself with a delicious margarita and will relax for the night with my wonderful girl.
Tomorrow will be a day of rest. I may hop on the mill for a couple of miles at most.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
Cheers!
I am happy with my week:
Tuesday - ran 4 miles (2 and 2) and strength training
Wednesday - Yoga *sorta
Thursday - 20 mile bike ride
Friday - 5k and strength training
Saturday - 29.5 mile bike ride (15 in the WIND!)
I'm now rewarding myself with a delicious margarita and will relax for the night with my wonderful girl.
Tomorrow will be a day of rest. I may hop on the mill for a couple of miles at most.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!
Cheers!
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Friday, April 22, 2011
5k today....poor girls
Howdy from sweatvillle!
Before I talk about the workout I just want to say a couple things about this blog.
1. Comments are now open to everyone, I didn't realize before that you had to be a member, so that is now fixed and anyone can comment and share thoughts and experiences.
2. I'm sorry that the first day and a half was a little tough to read, I didn't spend much time increasing the visual appeal, hopefully now that is all fixed up.
So today I ran a 5k on my treadmill, since the weather is still depressing as He((. I did a couple things right, and a couple of things wrong, going into this run today.
On the positive side, I still pushed myself to work hard and not slack off on this run, even though I was feeling good about my 20 mile ride yesterday. Sometimes when you have a really good workout you feel like it is ok to slack off the next day, or next couple of days. I am trying to put that mentality behind me and push hard without sustaining injury.
Another thing I was working on doing right, was to focus on one small area straight ahead of my vision, with my head forward, and focus on keeping that line of vision steady. If you are looking, say, at a stop sign up ahead, during a run or walk, and your vision is bouncing around that object, then your form and posture are OFF and you are wasting a lot of energy that could be driving you a further distance. I've learned the importance of this form tool from two parts of my life. First; from Miss Ann's dance lessons, learning posture and balance for dance moves and turns. Secondly; and later in life, through good form walking and running, taught by New Balance and Playmakers (my employers).
Now for the naughties.
I was wayyy under supported. My poor girls were all over the place. I know better.....I don't know what I was thinking, running in a sport top with a shelf bra that was built for pre-teen girls, I won't make that mistake again.
I was not musically prepared. I had a weak playlist and when I run, music is so key in my ability to maintain a great tempo. I had to keep flipping through songs and was wasting energy and losing track of my form. Messy.
So....next run over a couple miles, I will have the girls on lock down and a playlist full of hot tempo music that will keep me motivated.
Before I talk about the workout I just want to say a couple things about this blog.
1. Comments are now open to everyone, I didn't realize before that you had to be a member, so that is now fixed and anyone can comment and share thoughts and experiences.
2. I'm sorry that the first day and a half was a little tough to read, I didn't spend much time increasing the visual appeal, hopefully now that is all fixed up.
So today I ran a 5k on my treadmill, since the weather is still depressing as He((. I did a couple things right, and a couple of things wrong, going into this run today.
On the positive side, I still pushed myself to work hard and not slack off on this run, even though I was feeling good about my 20 mile ride yesterday. Sometimes when you have a really good workout you feel like it is ok to slack off the next day, or next couple of days. I am trying to put that mentality behind me and push hard without sustaining injury.
Another thing I was working on doing right, was to focus on one small area straight ahead of my vision, with my head forward, and focus on keeping that line of vision steady. If you are looking, say, at a stop sign up ahead, during a run or walk, and your vision is bouncing around that object, then your form and posture are OFF and you are wasting a lot of energy that could be driving you a further distance. I've learned the importance of this form tool from two parts of my life. First; from Miss Ann's dance lessons, learning posture and balance for dance moves and turns. Secondly; and later in life, through good form walking and running, taught by New Balance and Playmakers (my employers).
Now for the naughties.
I was wayyy under supported. My poor girls were all over the place. I know better.....I don't know what I was thinking, running in a sport top with a shelf bra that was built for pre-teen girls, I won't make that mistake again.
I was not musically prepared. I had a weak playlist and when I run, music is so key in my ability to maintain a great tempo. I had to keep flipping through songs and was wasting energy and losing track of my form. Messy.
So....next run over a couple miles, I will have the girls on lock down and a playlist full of hot tempo music that will keep me motivated.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
20+ some extra Protein
I was so excited to finally have a sunny and supposedly warm day to get out and ride. Well, I went today and whooooo it was cold when I left! There was also this B!tchin' 20 mph wind providing some serious resistance! All in all, the first 20 miler and longest ride this season is behind me and it was rather enjoyable.
I received an extra dose of protein along the way. After leaving my parking spot, I had ridden about 1 mile, when I realized I had left my water bottle in the Jeep. I thought, ehhhhh, I'll just follow this loop and stop at the jeep after about 5 miles and grab it. A mile or so after this internal conversation a HUGE, NASTY bug flew right into my throat!! AGH! I was really grossed out by this and really regretting my decision not to turn around for my water. So I got to ride another 3 miles with this creeped out feeling and no water.
I mean, this bug was big enough that I saw its body before I ATE it!
I received an extra dose of protein along the way. After leaving my parking spot, I had ridden about 1 mile, when I realized I had left my water bottle in the Jeep. I thought, ehhhhh, I'll just follow this loop and stop at the jeep after about 5 miles and grab it. A mile or so after this internal conversation a HUGE, NASTY bug flew right into my throat!! AGH! I was really grossed out by this and really regretting my decision not to turn around for my water. So I got to ride another 3 miles with this creeped out feeling and no water.
I mean, this bug was big enough that I saw its body before I ATE it!
Suit up.....
Nothing is less inspiring than heading out to exert yourself without well fitting, comfortable and functional athletic apparel. Those who know my occupation may see me as biased here and schluff off this comment, but there is none more true. When you are busting your @ss you definitely don't want to be wearing some sweat absorbing crap apparel that is going to cause you to chafe and blister and feel nasty. You also don't want to be busting your @ss looking like a bum, I mean really....sloppy sweats and ratty 90's clothes will not make you feel confident about your workout. My advice, invest in something that makes you look and feel good about whatever activity you are doing. Don't fall out from sticker shock either. If you're buying quality athletic apparel, the price will not be low, but it will outlast any other crap you buy and function x1000.
I just suited up in my weather appropriate tights and top to go biking. I'll also be sporting a thermal hat because it is still quite cold and windy out. My most important suit-up-item? My phone. #1 because it has music and music is what inspires and drives me through life. #2 if I fall and break my head, arm, face, and legs...having my phone is a bright alternative to not.
I just suited up in my weather appropriate tights and top to go biking. I'll also be sporting a thermal hat because it is still quite cold and windy out. My most important suit-up-item? My phone. #1 because it has music and music is what inspires and drives me through life. #2 if I fall and break my head, arm, face, and legs...having my phone is a bright alternative to not.
and so it goes...
Well folks, here goes somethin'.
You know what? I used to be in great shape, had a nice bod *blush* and felt pretty good about my physical condition.
Now....well....now I am fat. Being fat sucks. It's harder to bend down and pick things up, it's harder to move quickly, not to mention how hard it is on your joints and overall health and well being! UGH! Worst of all you feel like crap about yourself and it really gets you down!
SO, it is high time to whip this flabby into shape.
What is my plan you ask? Well, I feel that so many people set out to 'diet' or 'workout' with unrealistic expectations. I'm not going to be jumping on this blog every other day crying about how I didn't lose a pound or how I gained 2. I am going to talk about what I'm doing to make myself healthier, more physically fit, and ultimately less flabby and more fabbylous!
If I focus on health and fitness, without obsessing over one pound here and one there....I'll experience less frustration. I know that if I put my best efforts forth, I will reach positive results, THAT is my plan.
To talk a little about what has happened so far.....I have started biking, running, and doing strength training again. None of these things are new to me, my relationship with running has ebbed and flowed and I have enjoyed cycling more and more over the past few years.
At this point in time, the furthest I have ever run in one instance is 6 miles, 6 miles without walking or stopping. This was a couple years back when I was running about 20 miles a week. Right now I could give a $hit about my time....I feel accomplished by distance and ability to create stamina....once I have overcome those mountains, then I will start looking at times. Right now a 5k (3.1 miles) feels like a hefty amount of running to me, this is because I have not been running with any regularity for a long time.
At this point in time, the furthest I have ridden on my bike in one instance is about 25 miles. This distance was an enjoyable workout that I did somewhat frequently throughout the spring/summer/fall. I would like to push myself quite a bit further when it comes to my distance ability for cycling.
I do all sorts of mild strength training activities which I don't feel are worthy of too much discussion at this point. Kath and I just started doing yoga last night. I think we are gonna love it, so far we are so inflexible, we are like two bricks trying to stretch our bodies out into yoga poses. We will work at it and get stronger and more flexible!
When it comes to food, I'm not going to dive into some extreme or ultra restrictive diet. I do plan to be very conscientious of what is going in and what comes out, I'll leave it at that for now. : ) I think that bombarding myself with both a physical and a dietary overhaul could cause me to feel overwhelmed, so I plan to take it one day at a time and monitor my progress.
I am a VERY private person. Writing about my weight and my struggles and my private life will be outside of my comfort zone. I am also a proud person....and admitting I have some serious things to work on is not easy for me to do. I am purposely pushing myself outside of my comfort zone as a launch of my new fabbylous self. I hope that you will feel encouraged by my journey, and encourage me to push through any upcoming challenges. If you are someone facing similar self-image and weight struggles, I would like to challenge you to join me in this journey to health, fitness and overall fabbylousness.
You know what? I used to be in great shape, had a nice bod *blush* and felt pretty good about my physical condition.
Now....well....now I am fat. Being fat sucks. It's harder to bend down and pick things up, it's harder to move quickly, not to mention how hard it is on your joints and overall health and well being! UGH! Worst of all you feel like crap about yourself and it really gets you down!
SO, it is high time to whip this flabby into shape.
What is my plan you ask? Well, I feel that so many people set out to 'diet' or 'workout' with unrealistic expectations. I'm not going to be jumping on this blog every other day crying about how I didn't lose a pound or how I gained 2. I am going to talk about what I'm doing to make myself healthier, more physically fit, and ultimately less flabby and more fabbylous!
If I focus on health and fitness, without obsessing over one pound here and one there....I'll experience less frustration. I know that if I put my best efforts forth, I will reach positive results, THAT is my plan.
To talk a little about what has happened so far.....I have started biking, running, and doing strength training again. None of these things are new to me, my relationship with running has ebbed and flowed and I have enjoyed cycling more and more over the past few years.
At this point in time, the furthest I have ever run in one instance is 6 miles, 6 miles without walking or stopping. This was a couple years back when I was running about 20 miles a week. Right now I could give a $hit about my time....I feel accomplished by distance and ability to create stamina....once I have overcome those mountains, then I will start looking at times. Right now a 5k (3.1 miles) feels like a hefty amount of running to me, this is because I have not been running with any regularity for a long time.
At this point in time, the furthest I have ridden on my bike in one instance is about 25 miles. This distance was an enjoyable workout that I did somewhat frequently throughout the spring/summer/fall. I would like to push myself quite a bit further when it comes to my distance ability for cycling.
I do all sorts of mild strength training activities which I don't feel are worthy of too much discussion at this point. Kath and I just started doing yoga last night. I think we are gonna love it, so far we are so inflexible, we are like two bricks trying to stretch our bodies out into yoga poses. We will work at it and get stronger and more flexible!
When it comes to food, I'm not going to dive into some extreme or ultra restrictive diet. I do plan to be very conscientious of what is going in and what comes out, I'll leave it at that for now. : ) I think that bombarding myself with both a physical and a dietary overhaul could cause me to feel overwhelmed, so I plan to take it one day at a time and monitor my progress.
I am a VERY private person. Writing about my weight and my struggles and my private life will be outside of my comfort zone. I am also a proud person....and admitting I have some serious things to work on is not easy for me to do. I am purposely pushing myself outside of my comfort zone as a launch of my new fabbylous self. I hope that you will feel encouraged by my journey, and encourage me to push through any upcoming challenges. If you are someone facing similar self-image and weight struggles, I would like to challenge you to join me in this journey to health, fitness and overall fabbylousness.
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