On Fitness

At lunch a few days ago with a very professional woman that I work with from time to time, we strayed onto the topic of excercise.  We both agreed that early morning exercise is the only exercise that gets done.  However, she was a devoted gym exerciser, and I am not.  I've noticed this among professional women, that the proportion of women who turn to the gym far exceeds the DIY crowd.  I tried it once, the gym, went for four months to see what it was like.   I suppose the biggest problem of the gym is me.  There are people at the gym that have some sort of perverse ability to look good while bouncing, grunting, and sweating.  They don't turn red or wheeze.  They even manage to sweat so that their hair stays perfect.  I hate those people.  I am convinced they have to be genetic freaks.   I don't think I have to tell you that I am not one of those people.  I turn red, very red when I get hot.  When I was in school, I frequently alarmed teachers when I came in from the playground on hot days.  I also tend to wheeze, especially when I get hot.  Think emphyasema racked old man.  And let's not forget the sweating.  Buckets, nay rivers, of sweat come off me when I exercise.  And my hair refuses to look good once the sweating starts.  I think it's the bangs.  They quickly saturate and then refuse to do anything but stick to my head in the most unbecoming way.  So I stay at home to workout.  There no one can witness my transformation from human to troll.  Long live DVDs!

Weekend Update

1.  After the pancake success, I wanted to try another dish described to me by a co-worker.  Hash-a bit of everything that suits your fancy.  I made mine by frying up a potato cubed with some onion and pepper.  Then I added 4 eggs and 1 egg white to the skillet.  Topped it all off with cheese and some salsa and it was a little taste Santa Fe in Tennessee.

2.  I also decided to give another one of my whole grain bread recipes a go.  I picked Cinnamon Pecan Wheat and Rye Bread from Whole Grain Breads by Machine or Hand.  

I picked by machine (bread maker).  I doubled the amount of cinnamon called for and even though the bread is very good, you can't really taste the cinnamon.

3.  We had terrible storms predicted for Saturday.  So I cranked it out early to get the garden plowed, the green and lima beans planted, and the onions I started from seed planted.  And it didn't rain.  Not a drop.  

4.  Sunday was Chest and Back.  I really must have been applying myself because as I was attempting the decline push up from my knees, I went down and failed to go back up.  Instead I kind of smushed my nose into the rug.  I had to do something because the angle was seriously messing with my back except I couldn't make my arms work.  I ended up flopping/wriggling over to get my knees off the bench I was using.  For a minute I was afraid I was going to have to call Shawn to roll me over.  That wouldn't have been at all embarrassing.

The rules

If you haven’t seen Zombieland, you should.  It’s pretty funny though a little gory (but what can you expect from a Zombie movie?).  Anyway, the main character of Zombieland has come up with a few rules of survival for living in the zombie infested world.  I have found 4 in particular to be applicable to working out with P90X.  The 1^st rule is “Cardio.”  It is important.  Your heart really gets to pumping when you’re performing one legged squats (or falling over doing one legged squats.  Gravity, it seems, has it in for me) or doing a particularly long, long, really long set of lunges.  The #8 rule is “Get a Kickass Partner.”  Someone in equal shape is preferable b/c what makes them kickass is the ability to whine competitively commiserate.  Shawn fits this bill nicely.  He can do pull ups already, but I’m trying not to begrudge him that.  The #18 rule is “Limber Up.”  That’s pretty self explanatory.   Perhaps most importantly #17 is “Don’t be a hero.”  I try to remember that when I feel myself trying to keep up with the instructors who have 0% body fat.  My goal is to get fit, not die trying.

P.S.  My butt is so sore it hurts to sit down.

Pass the ibuprofen

Shawn and I are bringing it.  Where, we haven’t quite figured out yet…  We started P90X last night and even though they tell you it isn’t for beginners, let me just say, “This isn’t for beginners.”  It’s hard, really hard (unless maybe you’re already a serious amateur athlete-the kind that obsesses over supplements and can debate the finer points of whey protein brands.)  It also assumes you already know something about using free weights.  There is some instruction on safety, but not the kind that I’ve gotten in other tapes on how to protect your back and other injury prone joints.  

We did Chest and Back last night and well, it sucked.  It was ALL push-ups and pull-ups.  I detest push-ups and I can’t do pull-ups.  There was a lot of us waiting for them to finish 30-40 reps after we collapsed on our puny muscles after just a handful.  My heart rate barely cracked the breathing hard phase but surprisingly I managed a respectable 550 calorie burn over the hour.  I’m sore today but I can still move.  Apparently, I’m just lazy enough not to kill myself. 

This morning I tackled Plyometrics  (which is basically jumping around).   I was pretty impressed with how I was hanging in there until I realized it had only been 10 minutes.  Each “set” was 30 seconds.  Tony says you can do anything for 30 seconds.  Turns out that is a lie.  Try 15 seconds.  Plus, to further drive home how soft and flabby you are, they introduce the man with one leg.  He does the whole thing with a prosthesis (of course, he was in great shape).   However, I want you to know I overcame the shame and whined like a baby towards the end.

Weekend Update

1.  Plowed the garden and planted 4 rows of peas and 40 onion plants.  What I'm going to do with 40 onions, I have not a clue.   I'm pretty sure some will die and that none will grow to the promised 4 inches in diameter. 

2.  I had planned to do a series of raised beds in the back yard, but apparently Shawn and I were on something last fall when we calculated the price.  From $100 to $700.  I think we may have missed a decimal--or 10.  So instead it will be just another garden plot in the backyard.  I'd skip it all together but have already ordered plants. 

3.  Repotted the remaining seedlings.  Moved the broccoli outside to begin hardening off.  Hopefully, I won't forget about it and let it die from lack of water.

4. Decided that this weekend would be a great weekend to throw in another weight workout.  Combined with my yard work weekend warrioring, I can hardly move.

5.  Some minute progress has been made on the Arabian, but not enough to dignify it with a picture.  Progress will soon halt all together since I have to switch focus and work on the baby gift.  During busy season, there is no such thing as craft multi-tasking.

Month End Wrap Up

I started out the month with a few goals.   Here they were along with how far I got on them.

1. Goal:  Get off lazy behind and start working out.  Status:  Done!  I have been walking/running 5 days a week and doing one of my old FIRM dvds for weight workouts 2 days a week.
2. Goal:  Repent of the holiday indulgences and get back to 5/day.  Status:  Sweets consumption is down.  Veggie/fruit consumption is up, though I haven't made 5 servings every day.  I have eaten 5 most days.
3. Goal:  Finish an orphan project.  Status:  Done!  I felted the crocheted tote (though that term is used loosely) Friday and the handles today.  Finished measurements were 9 1/2" tall (supposed to be 101/2") by 14 1/2" wide (supposed to be 11 1/2").  Pre-felting it was 13" tall by 17 1/2" wide.  The pattern is Chocolate Felted Tote from Positively Crochet crocheted on a Size J hook using Patons Merino in Chestnut Brown.  I changed the straps from tubes (which hurt my shoulders) to straps, but no other pattern deviations were made.

4.  Goal:  Start seeds.  Status:  Done!

 I use BioDomes which have preformed starter plugs that you just moisten and drop the seeds into.  

I've divided my seed trays into cool start seed and warm start seeds. 

The Kingpins

And just like that, I'm in a bowling league (the Kingpins).  Usually, I'm a ponderer.  I like to gather information, weigh all avenues of accomplishing the goal, determine a time line for accomplishment, and then, and only then, get started.  So this is all very sudden.  It is a league sponsored by the TN aquarium which is where my mother-in-law, Janie, works.  Our team is Janie, Wayne (FIL), Shawn and me.  We probably won't go home with any trophies (The first clue?  They have me on the team.).  Two games is usually my limit (I really need to workout), but the league plays 3 games each night.  So last night was handicap determination night.  I broke a 100, yea!  I was concerned a fluke might artificially lower my actual level of suckiness.  But,that was the first game.  The 2nd game was a bit worse, and we won't even discuss the third game.  However, I do have to go shopping. Most people had their own shoes (which I was planning on anyway.  Otherwise, that is too much communal shoe wearing.)  But they also had wrist guards and more than a few had their own bowling balls.  I might as well had "NEWB!" stamped on my back.  So next week, I'll look the part.  So then it should take people at least 5 minutes to figure out I'm a newbie. 

Wii Mii

I've been using the Wii Fit for about a week and a half now.  And there are things about this that I feel could use some refining.  First off, this is Shawn and my Wii Miis, our animated selves.

Shawn is sleepy because it has been a few days since he has signed in and let me tell you, the Wii is a bit of nag.  Miss a day and you'll hear about it.

Since you can't really tell what I look like with a straight on shot, here is a side view.

My Wii Mii was skinny, right up until I weighed on the Wii Fit.  Then 'cause I have a few pounds to lose, it made my Wii Mii fatter!  Really?!  My Mii looked both dismayed as her midsection increased and slightly accusing as if asking how I could inflict this on her.

Secondly, when you step onto the Balance board that you used for the majority of Wii Fit exercises, the little animated voice makes this ooh! sound like it can hardly believe someone could be this fat and dear God, let's hope the board can take it (For the record, I don't even come close to the weight limit on the thing).

The Wii does tap into my competitive nature, and I get irrationally ticked off when it calls me a coach potato because I wobble on my side kicks.  However, it makes me want to do it again until I score better, so in that respect I like it.  I haven't tried the aerobics but the other module set-ups make me doubtful that your heart rate would increase enough to do you any good.  You select an exercise, perform it, hear commentary on how you did, see your score, and then have to return to a menu to select the next exercise.  It would be really nice to select a series of exercises to do and have them flow.  That said the exercises are good and I can feel the result of performing them.  I guess I'll stick with it if just to redeem my Mii.