Pyramids, Lunges and Kickbacks

I thought I was feeling better and I guess when resting, I am but once I start working out my lung capacity is shot. It's like the last four months of PB's never happened. Realizing this, I decided to skip the normal workout routine and change it up completely. I gotta say it was a great workout and I need to change it up more often. My butt, quads and hams are gonna feel it in the morning. 

Not matter, I tell myself to just slap the spandex on and do it~ it's only 30 mins. I used 5lb dumbbells for the upper body moves. 

Warm up by doing 10 min on the elliptical. 

100 jumping jacks

10 tricep kickbacks in lunge position

10 bicep curls in lunge position

10 rows in a squat position

30 squats 

2km run at 5.7 mph at incline of 2

Cool down 10 min walk*

*Every minute of the walk I raised the incline by 1 until I reached level 10 and then walked it back down to starting incline of 2.

My clothes are in need of replacing and with spring just around the corner I decided to do a little browsing online and see what my options are. Now I am down to a size where I can shop in regular sized clothing stores and I don’t have to rely so heavily on specialty shops. I may have dropped 4 dress sizes but I still have to deal with my curves. 

So, while doing a little online window shopping, I stumbled across ModCloth and fell in love. 1000’s of dresses in all sorts of colours. I was drawn to the 1960’s style mostly. I have to admit I got a little shopper’s high when I typed in my credit card number. Of course my mind was whirling … I’m going to need new shoes, and a purse, and a hat - I wish I had bought that hat at Banana Republic - it would look perfect. It's still bitterly cold outside so I have a few months to pull this outfit together.  

What's the Plan, Ann?

I have had a few people ask me lately "what are you doing? Can you share your training/ weight loss plan" 

It really is as simple as calories in vs. calories out. And I always thought I was following that rule until I started running. My running life has evolved very slowly. Walk 2 min/ Run 1 min/ Walk 2 min for 2 or 3 miles and eventually I kept adding more running minutes and less walking. That was 2 yrs ago. I still have days where I need to take a 1 min walk break here and there. Eventually, I got the runner's high and that set me off... I wanted to improve my time/ go longer distances/ avoid shin splints etc. so to do that I started doing strength training and cross training on my non-running days. Spent $10 on a Jillian Michaels dvd and joined Tribesports , got myself a set of 2lb, 3lb, 5lb dumbbells and a yoga mat for strength training. Dusted off my bike/ and kayak. Now I have the tools for burning the calories. 

I LOVE food but I knew that had to change too. I cleaned up my eating in just afew very small ways (I knew if they were drastic changes I would fail)  

1. More water. Aim for 2 to 3L a day. One or two of those drinks may end up being green tea
2. 1/2 my dinner plate is veggies 1/4 starch and 1/4 protein... Did I mention I love food? I may not adhere to this everyday but at least 5 of the 7 days a week I do. 
3. gotta have a piece of fruit a day. Or more. It's true "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" 

These simple steps have made me feel so much better. And if I go crazy with a big bowl of pasta and some wine, I am determined to burn the calories the next day. 
And my weight loss is not off the charts but I look and feel healthy than I ever have. It's not a fancy program but it is working. Notably, it is working on the stuff on the inside which is showing on the outside. 
I should mention that I set goals often and I reward myself when I reach them. This is a great motivator because sometimes my wants are greater than my needs (whose aren't?) and when I set a goal, I feel I have earned the reward. My rewards range anywhere from a pedicure to new running pants. 

Most importantly, don't give up. That is the easy way out. Anything worth having is worth the hard work!

The Mayonnaise Jar

I heard this story earlier today. I always enjoy a little perspective.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.  

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.  He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.  The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.  He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.  He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “YES”.  The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

“Now,” said the professor, as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, family,
children, health, friends, and favorite passions. Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.” he said.

“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you...” he told them.

“So... pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Worship with your family. Play with your children. Take your partner out to dinner. Spend time with good friends. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.”

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.
The professor smiled and said, “I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

So glad I called a friend up and encouraged her to come over and have coffee with me last night.