Step two

Step one was to join the wellness center. check

Step two was to sign up for a personal trainer (Amie told me it was the best thing for me to do...and I always do what my children tell me -- ok...you can stop laughing now....and sorry if you read that with liquids in your mouth :-) )

I had no idea it would be so hard to get a personal trainer! It took almost 2 weeks to get someone to call me! But I finally got a call from Ruth and we had our first session yesterday.

After doing all of the 'paperwork' that is included in the first session, we didn't have a lot of time to exercise so I wasn't really sore or anything (which is really a good thing!). The best part? finishing the session with the realization that I'm going to be in MUCH better shape in 6 months! :-)

Now, to go buy separate 'stuff' (shampoo, moisturizers etc) to keep at the gym so I don't need to carry the stuff back and forth (and forget to take important stuff). Besides, I should reward myself for doing my one training session....right?

Getting to know you, ... err, me

So the swine flu has started to pop up again all over. This had me thinking about how disconnected we are from our bodies. Just follow me here... isn't it crazy that you can have all sorts of things happening within your body and have no idea until there are outside symptoms?

Here's the leap - that's why endurance training is so unique. Or just running in general. Back when I was training for half marathons I would often get into this runners zone. It's like a unique conversation is happening with you and your body. You read it all the time in runners world and stuff - listen to your body. But what does that mean?

Maybe it is because you are focused on your body, or it might just simply mean you are listening for the first time. Think about it, if you spent the time to chronicle your feelings at length for a month you might have a much better idea of your health. Not to gross you fellas out but, a girl can learn a lot about herself when she pays attention to her "time of the month." This allows her to understand monthly weight gain, as well as some emotional pulls. And that is just one aspect of ourselves.

I don't have a solution, maybe Dr. Oz does... all I am saying is, we might all be in better health if we spent time each day focusing on our bodies and how they feel. Write in our journals when we feel an ache or pain. It could be simple weight gain, or something else.

Think of it this way, since many of you are dog lovers. Dogs can't speak, so they can't tell us that they are sick or feeling itchy or whatever. As dog owners you are suppose to pay special attention to your dogs actions and droppings so you can "speak" for your dog in case of illness. Our bodies can't speak either - we need to make the connection.

I'm All Wet!!

I had a GREAT workout today with Nikki. Schedules got mixed up and I got a fantastic 40 minute elliptical workout before we did our weight training. I really wish I had programmed my weight in before starting. It showed just over 400 calories burned (40 minutes, resistance 4, incline 9) but that was for a 150 lb person. Let's just think I burned atleast 500 with my extra 90 or so lbs of lovage :) Yippee. 500 calories before my workout - that's a happy day! And since I did all that cardio we did just weights, exactly the way I like it! It still amazes me how many different ways there are to work out. I mean sure, a lot of the time I do things that I have done before but considering how many times I have worked with Nikki in the past and now - it's just crazy that she finds completely new ways to work it!

For some retarded reason I had my hair down today, which only makes the whole scenario worse. So, I am sweating like crazy before Nikki and I even get down to business. Then our session was great, then the walk home. It was raining. I use to hate the rain, probably because in California any sort of weather that isn't perfect bugs the crap out of us. It's like our barter with mother nature got messed up. 'I will live with crazy people and terrible traffic, you just give me clear skies and mid seventies - ok!' Anywho, so I am walking home, and I forgot to mention I brought my sachel with me to carry this meat I had purchased from a local beef farm that delivered to the gym. I just want you to have the full picture. I have this full sachel over my shoulder, my hoody sweatshirt zipped up and my hair down. I am drenched in sweat and the rain. That's right, it was beautiful. For a minute there I started to hear the Rocky theme in my head and imagined this beautiful intro sequence. "That's right, she can do... it's AMIE MARSE!"

Don't be jealous of my imagination :) Go get your own.

The best part of the story, I went straight home and had my planned lunch. No special extra because of the excess calories burned. Now that is a miracle!

"Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong

All the components

It is so important to know yourself. To recognize what motivates you, what makes you sluggish. That is how to keep yourself on track, know your pitfalls.

I was feeling less than 100% today and I was wondering why I had this lull about hitting the pavement with Billie.

And it hit me - No Nikki!! My personal trainer went on vacation this week and so our appointment changed from tuesday to tomorrow. No biggie but, it made me realize that tuesday is a perfect day to see Nikki. See, Monday nights are my "out with Lisa" evenings. Where we eat italian (one of my two cheat meals a week) and go grocery shopping. I also stuff myself and feel groggy the next day. If I don't have Nikki to snap me out of it that grogginess grows... hence my lull today.

I realize this sounds stupid, but I am just saying. It is important to have all the components for a well run machine. Working out with Nikki is like getting a pick me up, filling the tank, etc.

What's holding you back?

"There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't become one of them."

Personality Transplant

Mike touched on this a bit when he wrote about how you view soda...

We all know that we are not living the most healthy of lives. So, how does one go about making major changes in their lifestyle? Changes that will hopefully stick with us. How to make great choices a regular habit. Habits take so many days to ingrain...yadda yadda.. I have heard this and I am not convinced. The problem is that making better choices is more than a simple, 'I will now put my left sock on first' type of change. It's complex, it's ever changing. One day you are at the grocery store looking at cookies, the next at a carnival looking at candied apples. How do you prepare yourself to make the right decision. Like everything else - preparation is key!

At some point, a change for the outside means a change on the inside. If you want to drastically lose weight, like myself, you must recognize that your entire life must change. Instead of 5 hours of TV a day, you have to find an active hobby. Instead of going to the grocery store without the foggiest idea of what you want, you need a list. Candy bars are no longer snack items. Soda is no longer a refreshment. Both of these items are treats, and should be treated as such.

This is where a personality transplant comes in. A total shift. For example, instead of thinking of food as my comfort mechanism, or even worse not thinking about food at all and just stuffing your mouth with it, put food in its proper place. Start thinking of food as fuel for your body. We are back to "eat to train, not train to eat." There are many levels to this but in the spirit of keeping it simple let's narrow it down to two major aspects.

The first aspect is that food is energy. Calories in/Calories out should not be this epic battle between finding how to fit your favorite food into your "diet." Rather, it should be a roadmap that I want to do something (run a mile, play tennis, etc) and so I will need some extra energy to do so. Of course while you are in the losing weight stage of your program, such as myself you are also always looking for that deficit. So even on a super active day, I need to keep my calories between 1300-1500.

The second aspect of food is the way it interacts with your body. This is the type of food you are eating. What sort of nutrients are you putting in your body? This is why a bowl of cantaloupe is better for you than say a bag of baked potato chips. The calories might be the same, but one is full of vitamins and good stuff while the other is just, as they say, "empty calories."

So there you have it, the most basic roles of food. The energy you need to be an active, healthy person and the source of good vitamins and minerals.

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but instead will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." - Thomas Edison

My Ideal Women

There are a lot of reasons to get into fitness. There are a lot of healthy icons out there. The kind of athlete you are should be directly related to the "ideal" in your mind. As a women, I think about what my ideal would be. Now, I might be the wrong body type, I might have the wrong size frame...but knowing my ideal lets me know a little more about my goals. Think of your ideal women. Would she be a tall, lean pilates/yoga girl? What about a huge muscle bound tank of a fitness model? What about a slightly curvier but less bulky figure model? Or, is she simply the fit and healthy mom next door?
This path of fitness can take many roads. One can focus solely on cardio or really stress the weight training. The path you choose is directly related to the end result. Now, I am all for just doing something. Getting off your bum and making a change. We've heard it a thousand times, fitness and health must be a life change. I believe it, that is the whole point of this blog and journey. I want a life change. I also want to shape my inner athlete.
For me, the figure model is my ideal. She is tone, strong and lean. Not bulky, just sexy. I never want to be 115 lbs. I want to have too many muscles for that! I don't yearn for the Jennifer Aniston sleak look. Though she is gorgeous and I would love to look like her, she is not my ideal. What about you? And what does that ideal mean for your routine? Are you jogging like crazy and taking a namaste yoga class? Or, are you trying to fit your cardio around your weight training like me? You can be your ideal women. Sorry fellas, or your ideal man. My point is being fit is not a one size fits all deal. Find your size. Work toward your ideal.

"Obsessed is what lazy people call the dedicated."

To my Fellow Bloggers

I am not a fan of the pics. Especially the food pics. Lots of these "watch my personal weight loss journey" blogs are full of pics of the food they are eating. I don't get it. Is it to verify that they really are eating what they are saying? Isn't it tempting people to eat more to see the food on blogs? I don't know. I guess that is why I don't have a lot of friends. I don't get into this let's all join hands and bug eachother about every passing thought...or image for that matter.
Don't get me wrong, the majority of blogs about fitness are great. I love the daily grind of people in the midst of their journey. I am just not a fan of the pics. I love to read about people 70 lbs down, 20 lbs to go....it's very motivating. Looking at pictures of their breakfast however, I could live without. Even before and after pics don't really do it for me, but I would rather that than food.
So this all brings me to our family blog. Obviously it is my blog and I am hoping you chime in...but I understand that it really is my baby :) That being said, if you come across something that would be more motivating for you let me know. Do you want recipes? Weight training routines. I have the time...believe me, I have the time :) Otherwise, I will just keep doing what I am doing.
Tried a little HIIT (high intensity interval training) today but didn't get far... then I took Billie for 4.2 miles. We weren't trucking, but we got done in an hour and 15 minutes.

"Don't practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong."

Keeping the Ball Rolling

I hope this blog has become a smidgen infectious for you. I certainly enjoy writing posts and reading blogs similar. I tell ya, I really REALLY love weight training blogs and basic health blogs. Obviously, I can't do a lot of the things in weight training blogs. I can't do clap push-ups for example. But it is nice to know that I can someday. I want to be fit enough that I can do them. The things I can control however are the basic health items. Things like drinking enough water, getting enough sleep, staying away from harmful food and drinks.
I am on the peak right now, where motivation is high and laziness is lacking. I got to tell you - yesterday I bounced out of bed, took Billie for a couple miles and then come home and busted out my workout video. Sweating like a boxer felt great, the cool shower afterward felt even better. Honestly, the only issue was I was charged the rest of the day and had to keep myself from going too far. This is my problem during this transition. I know that I can't be active for hours a day, really pushing myself. Just the same way I can't work out hard 7 days a week. I don't want to burn out, pull a muscle, lose momentum, etc.
The best solution for me is to really push when I am working out. I know what weight I can handle throughout my session, I know how to pace myself. I need to think about it in a different way. Instead of seeing what all I can do in a day (quantity), I need to work on really doing it to the max (quality) within reason.
So how does one do this? For one, the first couple weeks of any routine, pay attention to your body. Soreness is okay, limping is not. I read somewhere that if you are doing ab work - you should feel like your stomach is full of lava! Wow! I can honestly say I know exactly what they meant. And, I can honestly say I don't typically push myself that far. There is a fine line between maxing yourself and going too far. I want to find that line. The more fit you become, the more work it will take to make yourself sore. Eventually, you won't be sore at all :) Won't that be nice!
I will tell Nikki this week that I want higher weights. I will move up on the resistance of my Workout video. And the cardio....can I start jogging again? Let's see!
I really apppreciate this blog. It gives me another avenue to expel all this excess energy. Hopefully it will motivate me when I hit a wall. I know it's coming - best to be prepared.
So the lesson for today is quality. Sweat like a boxer once every day. Rest days=Active Rest days. Remember that muscle grows during rest, not during resistance. If you work out hard every day you simply will not see results. Find that fine line and work it!

"Today I will do what you won't, so tomorrow I can do what you can't"

I'm in....

Physically, I'm on the Eastern Shore, in Salisbury Maryland (or close to it anyway). We are visiting John's sister Carole and today we are going to Ocean City to walk on the boardwalk.

But what I really meant is that I'm in for the 'lose 20 pounds by New Year's challenge'.

Good Luck!

Nutrisystem

Okay, so what is the deal with Nutrisystem? The way it works is you order 28 days worth of food for about $300. This is a breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. Those are the four things you are suppose to eat every day that you get directly from Nutrisystem. In addition to those items you eat what are called "add-ons" which you buy on your own at the grocery store. So a full menu looks like this:

Breakfast - 1 nutrisystem entree, 1 dairy or protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Lunch - 1 nutrisystem entree, 2 vegetable servings, 1 dairy or protein serving
Afternoon Snack - 1 dairy or protein serving, 1 fruit serving
Dinner - 1 nutrisystem entree, 2 vegetable servings, 1 fat serving
Dessert - 1 nutristem entree

As you can see, it can actually add up to a lot of stuff. Nutrisystem gives you a grocery list to follow so you know all the options for each type of food as well as recommended serving sizes.

So for me...this is just too much. I can't get to the grocery store every few days and I don't feel like spending all the extra money. Plus, it's just a hassle to keep that much track of when and what and where and all that. I do my best when I am not constantly monitoring my day in anticipation of the next meal. I found the first month or so I was constantly figuring out what I was going to eat and then counting down the minutes until I could. My new mantra - Eat to Train, Not Train to Eat. This simply means that I want to view food as fuel for my workouts, not my workouts as an excuse to eat. But I digress...

Right now I am using Nutrisystem both to save money and to keep life as convenient as possible. I get a shipment of food once a month and it sits in the corner of my room. I make a point to drink at least 12 oz of water and a breakfast entree when I first get up. Other than that, I eat when I need to. If I get hungry and it is mid-day I have a lunch entree. If that isn't enough I wait 15 minutes or so and have a piece of cheese toast. Sometime between lunch and dinner and I grab a salad or frozen grapes. Dinnertime...you get the picture. There are a few "tricks" as dad calls them, that I play on myself. One is, I separate my dinner and dessert by at least an hour. Since I eat dinner in front of the TV, without being mindful I would just stuff myself into oblivion. If I am hungry after dessert I wait a bit, then get into my nuts. I have a ton of nuts, broken into baggies. Each baggie should lasts two sittings. Knowing this, I am a little careful how much I eat of them. They are a mix of a bunch of different nuts. And lastly, once eating is finished for the day - I brush my teeth and take my vitamins. It's like putting a mental "closed" sign on my mouth, lol! This is time for bed, a couple hours in front of the tube and hopefully I am off to laa laa land.

The Nutrisystem entrees constitute only 700-850 calories a day. They are broken into a low glycemic carb 55%; protein 25% and fat 20%. The sodium content is less than 1800mg/day which is below the suggested daily intake. Pretty nice for all packaged stuff. Plus, the sugar is less than 20g/day and there is no trans fat.

All of this allows me a lot of breathing room for what I want to supplement. I just have to be mindful that I need veggies and fruits during the day.

Anywho, this is how I use Nutrisystem and how it seems to work for me. Of course, it isn't for everyone ;)

"Strong people are harder to kill then weak people, and are more useful in general"

- Mark Rippetoe

What kind of contributor name is "Bovinus"? I thought this blog was about getting in shape, not resembling a cow! Is he perhaps a Roman senator? When those other guys were stabbing Caesar a thousand times, Bovinus was throwing cow chips at his head? I don't recall Caesar saying "Et Tu Shit, Bovinus"? Anyway, if Amie Lou is doing half the things she's sharing, I'm gonna expect her to disappear when she turns sideways the next time I see her!

New Year's Resolution

So I was just reading DaveSoucy.com and he had a fantabolous idea. Do you realize that Jan 1, 2010 is just 13 weeks away? That's right, thirteen weeks from right now is the new year. Dave suggests, and I concur, that New Year's resolutions often get repeated over and over. This year why don't you think of it as a goal date instead of a start date. How would you like to start 2010 20 pounds lighter? That's less than 2 pounds a week. Very doable. Just imagine the elated feeling of being ahead of the pack on dreaded New Year's resolutions! I'm pumped!

"What you give today you have. What you don't give today you have lost forever."

Small Steps = Huge Bounds

I'm totally stoked with myself right now! I did both the lower and upper body workouts on the Jackie Warner "workout" workout DVD. I still couldn't keep up with 100% of the tape, but I definitely improved from last week. I only put the weights down for a little bit, and even then kept doing the routine with empty hands. I was in the living room barefoot so I didn't do the prescribed cardio - too much jumping :) So, I just walked in place or around the room. I think I will hold onto this DVD for a while and see how long it takes me to master it. I am nowhere near ready to do all the planks in the core workout so... I might just purchase this DVD and see what else Netflix has to offer. I have the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred coming by the end of October, I hope that is a good one. I have heard great reviews about it.
Surprisingly, I can already feel a different in my arms from the weightraining. It's ridiculous I know ;) I'm telling you - we were made for this! I hope you are finding new and interesting ways to keep at it. Each journey is a ton of tiny steps all in a row - keep moving in the right direction!

"Once, someone asked me what pleasure I took in riding so long. "Pleasure" I said. "I don't understand the question." I didn't do it for pleasure. I did it for pain."
- Lance Armstrong

Sugar!

This is a great little video... watch it the next time you think of Mike's blog on how you should view soda :)