Burpees Cure All

Friday I woke up and it felt as if I slept on my shoulder wrong.  As the day went on, I kept wiggling and trying to move it around, it just felt like something was out of place.  Then I started getting these weird spasms across my upper back on the side of the shoulder in question that would take my breath away, and make me tense up in pain.  It was annoying, and I started wondering if I would need a chiropractic appointment (I've never been!). 

 

I rolled around on the floor in my cubicle trying to get things worked out.  I hung from doorway jams around the office.  While the stretches felt good during, as soon as I would move back to walking/standing, the spasms would hit.  I powered through the rest of my day, and was unsure how I'd feel carrying my son around, or how I was going to get in my scheduled workout that evening.  We were also headed out of town for the weekend, and I didn't want to be sitting in a car for 4 hours feeling like this! 

 

After the rendezvous with the hubs to pass off the kiddo, I headed home, still in random pain.  As soon as I was home, I took two advil, and went about normal after work activities- grocery shopping, picking up the house, playing with the baby, making dinner, packing for the trip, changing diapers, laundry, listening to tv in the background...I looked at my workout schedule, and I had my benchmark workout scheduled- 5min as many burpees as possible, rest 2 minutes, then repeat- 5min as many burpees as possible.  The advil was definitely helping, but I wasn't sure if I could do a burpee.

 

I waited until the kiddo was asleep (6:30p) and changed into workout clothes.  I set a mat down on the living room floor, set a timer for 5 minutes, and got my burpee on.  No pain.  I was moving slow, but no pain.  The 5 minutes went quick.  The rest time went SUPER quick.  I was determined to get at least one more burpee in my second set.  Not only did I get one more, I got 8 more!  I think I should have warmed up first.  The second set, I was in a good groove, and really pushing myself.  The best part?  Afterwards?  NO PAIN.  Gone. 

 

So, that settles it.  Burpees cure ALL. 

 

Our hotel over the weekend had a pool, so I used that as an opportunity to test my swimming in preparation for the sprint tri.  The hotel pool was tiny, but large enough to get a few solid strokes in before having to turn around.  My first couple of laps were rusty, I forgot that I like to breathe every 2 strokes on the same side instead of 3 switching sides.  I also forgot how much I hate getting water in my ears.  But.  BUUUUUTTTT...I fell back into a groove, remembered all my youth swim lesson instructions and was able to swim freestyle for 10 minutes? without stopping my first time in a lap pool in 6 years.  I could have kept going longer, but I was kinda skeeved out by the hotel pool, and I was getting bored since the pool was so small.  Petty, I know.  However, my main mission was to just get in a pool and see how it went.  Tomorrow I will be heading to a public pool here for a real swim, in a 25m pool, etc. 

 

Holding at the same weight this week, no change.  I have nothing more to say about that. 

 

 

Friday Confessions

I used my sleeping baby as an excuse to cut short a visit from a friend who lives out of town because I wanted to finish my workout...

 

Let me explain...I began my sprint triathlon training this week.  I'm a visual person, so I found an excel one-month calendar template and decided to populate the days with a training schedule.  I know, NERD ALERT.  When I have it all laid out in front of me, I can easily see if I am spending enough time on each activity each week, and scheduling in rest days appropriately.  I also have to take into account my two days a week at CrossFit, and when I can get into the public pool.  Hence, a schedule is needed. 

 

Two days ago I had my first run scheduled.  I almost always take the babe for a walk after work, but decided that I need to bump that up sometimes to a run.  I got a jogging stroller, and new pair of running shoes all in anticipation to start my training.  When I arrived at home, was greeted with a napping baby.  Usually, this is OSOM.  But that day, I wanted to run.  I figured it would be 30 minutes or so before he woke, that's about usual nap time.  So I used the nap time to get changed into running gear, and do my quick strength circuit workout that I wrote as part of my training.  I figured he would be up after that.  Nope...over an hour later...and of course at that moment it starts pouring.  Like heavens opening up pouring.  Luckily, when I want to do anything that involves the baby, it takes a fortnight.  By the time I had him all fed, changed, properly dressed, etc., the rain had nearly stopped.  Out the door we went, and I got my first run in pushing a stroller.  I did 4X800m, with a few minutes of walking between each 800m. 

 

Yesterday I had a long walk and a strength circuit planned.  I headed out the door for my walk, and got a text.  Oh, yeah.  A friend of mine was in town for the evening and wanted to stop by and visit.  Totally spaced that.  It was 3pm, I told her as long as she came by before 6p, she'd get to see baby awake. At 4:45 no sign of her still...baby was fussy, and hadn't napped, I was counting on nap time to get the circuit in.  I just figured I'd do the circuit after baby went down to sleep, and at the rate he was going, it would be 6pmon the dot.  At 5:15p my friend shows up, and baby is enamoured with her.  They play and play, it was great.  Then baby started rubbing his eyes, and my friend fields a phone call in which she begins inviting people over to my house, and talks about getting take out.  I start to panic internally...MY SCHEDULE!  I still have a workout to get in, and then I go to sleep at 8pm...

 

My friend leaves at 6pm to go get take out and I think people are on their way to my house.  Baby passes out at 6:19p, andat 6:45 there is still no sign of anyone.  So I call my friend and ask her where she is at.  She says on her way back from the take out place.  I kindly ask if there is any place else she can meet up with the others, as there is only one hour left until my bed time, baby is asleep, and I have to do things to get ready for the next day.  She completely understands, and makes other arrangements to eat her take out at a different location.  I felt sort of bad because I haven't seen her in 6 months, but we did have a good visit when baby was awake, and most importantly, I had to stick to my training schedule!

 

I put my workout clothes back on, grabbed my kettlebell, and busted out a quick 4 round circuit:

10 each leg reverse decline lunges (lunge backwards off a raised surface, like a step or block)

5 KB clean and press each side

10 jump squats

 

Whew!  I was sweating.  It was a great little burner to end the day.  I went over to my training schedule hanging on the fridge and drew a fat red "X" through the day.  I'm just going to take this one day at a time.  There will always be hiccups that have the potential to mess up my schedule.  I need to be flexible with events of my day, but rigid in that I will always complete what I have on the schedule.

Gratuitous pic:

History

I saw a meme somewhere, FB? Instagram? somewhere...that said "Do one thing everyday that scares you."  No, wait, it was on the side of a Lululemon bag.  Anyway, I'm about to do something that will scare me everyday for 16 weeks.  I just registered for a sprint triathalon. 

 

Historically, me signing up for events like this has had the exact opposite intended effect.  The intended effect is for me to have a goal to work towards, something that is outside my current comfort level that will require extra training/dicipline. The idea is that the event will be something looming over my head that will give me that extra push in my daily workouts, and when the event comes, I will be so fulfilled by all my hard work and preparation.  Not to mention be in the best shape ever, and have a banging body.  Amiright? 

 

Instead... shortly after registering for an event, I tend to procrastinate, put things off, and then panic one week out from said event.  In 2009 I signed up for a 1/2 marathon with my friend.  It was February, 1/2 marathon was in June.  Plenty of time!  I went for a few runs in those 4 months, but never followed a proper training schedule.  I was also at my heaviest adult weight.  The race was not pretty.  I signed up in 2010 to redeem myself, but ended up backing out at the last minute because I didn't train enough, and I didn't want to just slog through again.  There have been other instances of similar behavior for 5K's, 10K's and other events.  The outcome has always been that instead of ramping up my training, I seem to do the exact opposite.  Kind of like when anyone tells me to do something...I am my biggest obstacle.

 

Lately I've been really into forgiving myself, and NOT letting history repeat itself.  Just because I used to eat a whole lot of food out of boredom/sadness/celebration/whatever doesn't mean I still have to do that.  Just because I've tried a few times in the past to be motivated by signing up for events and failed at preparing doesn't mean it will happen again.  I have it in me to be the change, to set new precedents...I just have to get up one more time then I fall down.

 

The event is roughly 16 weeks away, it is an all female sprint triathalon.  The swim is 1/3 mile, followed by a 12 mile bike, and then a 3 mile run.  I know I can go out today and bike 12 miles.  I know I could go out tomorrow and run 3 miles.  I'm pretty out of the loop on swimming.  There was a time I was a good swimmer, I just haven't been in the pool regularly in years.  That is priority #1.  I acquired a jogging stroller yesterday, so that will be my new best friend.  I have been taking the kiddo on tons of walks, so I'm just going to turn those into jogs/ runs/ runs and walks.  I'm going to train with my current bike (mountain bike) but will have to get or borrow a road bike for the event.  My plan is to train for the run and bike with as much resistance as possible (pushing a jogging stroller, pulling a bike trailer) and get into the pool as much as I can between now and summer.  When summer hits, I'm going to need to incorporate some lake swims, since the 1/3 mile is in the lake. 

 

Phew.  Yeah.  In 16 weeks, I'm going to be participating in an event that involves wearing a swimsuit.  I'm a little scared. 

 

 

 

Oh, weigh in today- blah.  Up one pound- not surprising, had family in town for holiday weekend, ate all the good things around town.  Back at it today.  9lbs to go.  :(  doesn't sound as good as 8lbs...

 

 

 

 

 

No Extremes, Just Consistency

After being a little disappointed last week when I stepped on the scale, I made a quick decision to forget about it and move on.  I did not stick my head into a 1/2 gallon of ice cream and think "oh, well, scale was up a pound, what will this hurt?"  I've tried that in the past- doesn't work.  Instead, I continued to cook meals at home, bring in my breakfasts and lunches to work, and move as much as possible. 

 

I came into work one morning, and was the first person at the office.  There was an entire tray of desserts in the work kitchen, and I walked by it.  Numerous times!  I mean, NO ONE was around!  I could have eaten something!  Except, I would know.  Instead, I microwaved my chicken thighs and roasted broccoli. 

 

A few days later we had a catered lunch at work.  The desert was some fruit/cream cheese/pie thing.  I had a piece.  It was awesome.  I didn't feel bad. 

 

I spent the weekend running around like crazy, I had a super jam packed social weekend that is pretty rare for me.  After going to a friends house for brunch on Saturday morning, I hosted a dinner that night where I had 6 people over.  I made an awesome dinner of 2 whole roasted chickens, broccoli with garlic/olive oil, and a quinoa salad with various veggies and raisins mixed in.  I had a glass of delicious wine.

 

So, having a week VERY similar to the previous week in which I saw a 1lb gain, I stepped on the scale this am, ready for whatever.  I was greeted with a 3lb LOSS.  I was not overjoyed, I did not immediately run to my closet and pull out my tiniest jeans thinking they would fit.  I just exhaled and remembered that the overall trend is what matters.  No extremes, just consistency. No beating myself up over gains, and no elation for losses. 

 

That puts me at a net total of 2lbs lost towards my 1st 10lb goal.  Yay!  8lbs to go.  Sounds much better than 10lbs... 

 

 

Oh, Yeah. I Remember.

Today being Tuesday and all, I stepped on the scale this am.  Any guesses? 

 

+1 lb from last week.  Awesome...now I have 11lbs to lose.

 

I forgot how much I hate this whole scale thing.  So, up a pound.  Of course the crazy thoughts crept in: "was it the donut last Thursday?"  "Was it the 3 alcoholic beverages I drank over the course of the week?"  "Was it because I didn't exercise on Saturday?"  Who dafaq knows. 

 

But, I do know one thing.  I weigh less today than I did a month ago.  I'm not going to let one day, one moment on the scale change what I'm doing overall.  I know I could replicate last week's food and exercise to the "T" this week, and see a 3lb loss next Tuesday.  That is why this scale thing is so maddening. 

 

Is is a useful tool?  Absolutely.  Is it useful to use it to run my life?  Absolutely not.  I know what I need to do.  I'm going to continue to do what I need to do, and I'm going to trust that things will move in the correct direction.  I'm interested in the long haul, not the pot holes or speed bumps along the way. 

 

 

Friday Round-up

This week got away from me!  I have had a post on my fingertips since Monday, and somehow I'm only finding the time to type it out now.  Of course as the week progressed, more stuff happened worthy of noting, so lets do a little Friday roundup:

 

Monday- Woke up feeling amazing after a solid 3 weeks of eating well, drinking lots of water, taking my fish oil, probiotics, and exercising.  I also realized that I'm in a "losing phase" and it has been a long time since I've been actively watching the scale for losses, rather than just trying to do new cool things (like lifting heavier weights, or running faster, etc.).  So, that being said, I want to lose 20 lbs.  I'm going to break this up into losing 10 lbs two times.  I don't really care how long it takes, just as long as I continue on a downward trend.  A stall in weight loss for a week or two is to be expected.

 

Tuesday- Did my official weigh-in for my first 10lb chunk.  I will report next tuesday how I did for the week. 

 

Wednesday- Crossfit day!  We ran sprints.  Blah. 

 

Thursday- Had a donut, didn't feel bad about it.  Crossfit day!  We did a workout in which I surprised myself at how quick I moved.  I really pushed myself, and felt for the first time in a long time that I wasn't "recovering" from anything.  I felt how I used to feel all the time when I was going to Crossfit 4 days a week consistently, and each workout was a challenge, but I was able to push through and get some benefit, not just survive.  I suppose this feeling is akin to a "runners high."  When you start out running, it sucks.  Everything feels heavy, and you can't catch your breath, but for whatever reason, you slog through.  Then, one day, everything just clicks.  You feel lighter, your breathing falls into a rythym, and running is actually enjoyable!  Same deal here...

 

Friday- Today, YAY!  Another great week in the books.  I swear, if the weeks keep going by this fast, I really have zero time to screw things up.  I've been on auto-pilot.  Making my protein/veggie breakfasts/lunches/ and dinners, moving whenever I can, and not constantly obsessing over what foods I can and can't have.  I feel good, my pants are looser.  This body of mine will be a reflection of what I do the majority of the time, not the minority. 

 

There you have it.  A summary of my week.  Typically Friday nights are my one night to be more relaxed food wise, but I'm not really feeling up to it tonightsince I had a donut on Thursday, and also went out to a fairly fancy dinner and had a glass of wine.  So turkey taco meat and veggies it will be.  My weekend will consist of lots of food prep for the week, lots of activity, and general bad-assery.