Thursday:
I had to cancel/postpone my second session with my personal trainer today because I am sick. I took a deal of 3 sessions with a PT for $50 when I joined the gym. The first session with ridiculously tall young man was a fitness check, he got me to do various exercises to see how many I could do and also took my pulse after things. I'm not sure what future sessions will involve. I haven't been doing great getting to the gym; twice a week and that includes the PT session and a 20 min walk on the treadmill. Need to do more classes. I have made it to a couple of Zumba.
My weight peaked at 74.8 kg, I've fought it back down to 74.3 kg. Not happy with it.
Aiden turned 12 on Saturday, he had a party at Underworld Laser (running round in the dark shooting at the other team) followed by a pool party back here with friends plus family. It all went well. We were lucky with the weather being reasonably warm on the day, it was a hot winter but has been a mostly cool spring.
I can't believe he is 12 and starting High School next year! Bought his books and uniform this week. He hasn't hit his growth spurt yet so all his friends are about twice his height. The school had to order shorts for him in a smaller size than they usually carry. He certainly doesn't look like a High School student. He got did an exam and got into the extension stream at the High School (classes for brainy kids) so he is obviously academically ready - except his hand writing - but his organisation skills aren't there yet.
I've started thinking about Christmas and bought quite a few presents yesterday.
Showing posts with label zumba. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zumba. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Monday, October 29, 2018
Back at the gym
Tuesday:
Wow, I didn't realise it has been more than two weeks since I've posted. Is that the longest ever? Just keeping myself busy.
Jasmine had her first State Trial for acrogymnastics and did really well. Third overall (second in Balance, fourth in Dynamic) - through to the State Final in December! All the worries about her inexperienced new partner were needless.
I ummed and ahhed about joining the gym after my free trial, it seemed difficult for my fitness level and if I get a job I probably won't be able to go. But a week at home, bored and putting on weight, changed my mind! (74.0 kg yesterday) So I joined up on month-by-month basis. Yesterday I did a Body Pump class for the first time in years and it was fine (with very light weights) and today I did Zumba again - definitely my favourite. My legs are pretty sore!
I had the blood test and as expected I am not intolerant of gluten. If anything, I felt better while eating it! Maybe the extra fibre? I put on weight though.
I've been spreading out my last few Duromine, one every few days. I have one left. It will be a challenge keeping my eating under control, especially as exercise makes me hungrier. But I won't miss the dry mouth!
Wow, I didn't realise it has been more than two weeks since I've posted. Is that the longest ever? Just keeping myself busy.
Jasmine had her first State Trial for acrogymnastics and did really well. Third overall (second in Balance, fourth in Dynamic) - through to the State Final in December! All the worries about her inexperienced new partner were needless.
I ummed and ahhed about joining the gym after my free trial, it seemed difficult for my fitness level and if I get a job I probably won't be able to go. But a week at home, bored and putting on weight, changed my mind! (74.0 kg yesterday) So I joined up on month-by-month basis. Yesterday I did a Body Pump class for the first time in years and it was fine (with very light weights) and today I did Zumba again - definitely my favourite. My legs are pretty sore!
I had the blood test and as expected I am not intolerant of gluten. If anything, I felt better while eating it! Maybe the extra fibre? I put on weight though.
I've been spreading out my last few Duromine, one every few days. I have one left. It will be a challenge keeping my eating under control, especially as exercise makes me hungrier. But I won't miss the dry mouth!
Monday, October 15, 2018
Zumba
Tuesday:
I weighed 72.5kg yesterday, same as last week. I have my blood test for gluten tomorrow, so this is my last bread day. Except I might have it for breakfast tomorrow before the blood test, so that will be a half-bread day. I don't intent to give up bread/carbs entirely but eating four slices a day for a month has been more of a trial that you would think. I don't think I react to gluten, but I have been feeling heavier and more sluggish than when I eat mainly unprocessed/lower carb foods.
Jasmine and I were sick yet again over the weekend. It was a weird one, on Friday afternoon my heart rate went up over 100 even though I was sitting quietly, and stayed up for a couple of hours. I could feel it racing, and I felt trembly and weak. I was a bit worried. I blamed it on Duromine, although it's never had that effect before. But the next morning Jasmine's heart rate was over 110, lying in bed, and like me could feel her heart racing. Her normal rate is very low because she is athletic and fit - around 55 I think? My normal is an unfit 80. (We both wear fitness trackers, which is how we know our heartrate.) For both of us the heartrate went down and the illness moved on to headaches and tiredness for a couple of days. Clearly a virus.
I was supposed to start work yesterday, but I emailed them on Thursday (again me contacting them, should have been the other way around!) and they had no news, they still want me if the freeze lifts but in the meantime I should keep looking for other work. Lucky I'm not desperate for work/money! Nothing much else around at the moment, except Library Assistant jobs (below my training, but I'd do it for the experience) who want people who can work evenings, which I can't. Or jobs right over the other side of Sydney, with an impractical amount of travel time.
On the weekend I signed up for a 5 day free pass at my local gym, and received the confirmation by email. I didn't go on Monday because I still felt a little unwell, and they called me to ask when I was coming in! Now that is proactive. I went today, to a Zumba class. It was exhausting but fun. I am very unfit. I used to do some Zumba many years ago, all the routines were different of course. I am good at picking up choreography though. My old gym went more hip-hop, which I didn't like, this one was all Bollywood and Latin which was great. The gym has all the usual Les Mills classes, Body Pump, Body Step etc.
I has poured rain pretty solidly for a couple of weeks (all school holidays) and the garden has loved it after a long dry spell. I think columbines look like little fairy dresses.
I weighed 72.5kg yesterday, same as last week. I have my blood test for gluten tomorrow, so this is my last bread day. Except I might have it for breakfast tomorrow before the blood test, so that will be a half-bread day. I don't intent to give up bread/carbs entirely but eating four slices a day for a month has been more of a trial that you would think. I don't think I react to gluten, but I have been feeling heavier and more sluggish than when I eat mainly unprocessed/lower carb foods.
Jasmine and I were sick yet again over the weekend. It was a weird one, on Friday afternoon my heart rate went up over 100 even though I was sitting quietly, and stayed up for a couple of hours. I could feel it racing, and I felt trembly and weak. I was a bit worried. I blamed it on Duromine, although it's never had that effect before. But the next morning Jasmine's heart rate was over 110, lying in bed, and like me could feel her heart racing. Her normal rate is very low because she is athletic and fit - around 55 I think? My normal is an unfit 80. (We both wear fitness trackers, which is how we know our heartrate.) For both of us the heartrate went down and the illness moved on to headaches and tiredness for a couple of days. Clearly a virus.
I was supposed to start work yesterday, but I emailed them on Thursday (again me contacting them, should have been the other way around!) and they had no news, they still want me if the freeze lifts but in the meantime I should keep looking for other work. Lucky I'm not desperate for work/money! Nothing much else around at the moment, except Library Assistant jobs (below my training, but I'd do it for the experience) who want people who can work evenings, which I can't. Or jobs right over the other side of Sydney, with an impractical amount of travel time.
On the weekend I signed up for a 5 day free pass at my local gym, and received the confirmation by email. I didn't go on Monday because I still felt a little unwell, and they called me to ask when I was coming in! Now that is proactive. I went today, to a Zumba class. It was exhausting but fun. I am very unfit. I used to do some Zumba many years ago, all the routines were different of course. I am good at picking up choreography though. My old gym went more hip-hop, which I didn't like, this one was all Bollywood and Latin which was great. The gym has all the usual Les Mills classes, Body Pump, Body Step etc.
I has poured rain pretty solidly for a couple of weeks (all school holidays) and the garden has loved it after a long dry spell. I think columbines look like little fairy dresses.
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Zumba!
Tuesday:
I started the day with a great breakfast.
Super lean bacon like that can't really compare to "real" bacon but neither does the calorie count! I got to eat 50 grams of bacon for only 70 calories.
I was a bit worried this morning about my twinging knee, my aching elbow and wrist, my return to sneezes and congestion; I wanted to shake my fist at the universe that doesn't want me to exercise! But after I'd been up a little while I felt fine. Better sleep last night, although it was my usual pattern of waking after a couple of hours and having to be very stern with myself to keep the CPAP on. Did it though. Five hours I think.
My plan was to go to the 10:30 Gymmy PT (Gymmy is my gym's mascot thing, I suppose it is a play on Jimmy) Lite session (for newbies) at the gym, maybe go a bit early and get some elliptical in first. But the internet was down so I ended up being there in time for the 9:30 Zumba session. I used to really like Zumba but the instructor started to take it in a direction I didn't like. She chose all the really aggressive crumping "I want to kill you and/or have sex with you" tracks (yes I don't understand how those two things can go together either). With hand weights. Today I decided to do the class anyway and it turned out there was a different instructor -- I'm hoping permanently not just today, I missed any announcements she might have made at the start -- and she did the kind of Zumba I like, Latin dance moves. They tend to repeat mainly the same tracks each week, changing over to new ones very slowly, so others in the class had likely done them all before several times. I dove in the deep end, luckily I am good at choreography. I got very tired though, the second half was not danced as it should have been danced! My feet refused to move at the appropriate speed. I got a bit of a shock the first time I checked my fitbit to find we were only 20 mins into the 60 min class... not nearly over yet! Heart rate up to 141.
After the class I was dripping sweat and red faced but I enjoyed it - I just would have enjoyed it more if it had been a 30 min class! I decided to try the PT session anyway, it was "only" another 30 mins and I was worried if I didn't do it now I would keep chickening out. There turned out to be only two of us wanting to do it, and the trainer said she was a qualified Personal Trainer but wasn't used to running this boot camp style class so she was just going to take us through a normal PT session. So I still don't know what the Gymmy PT class is actually like, but on the other hand I got a personal trainer almost to myself for half an hour so I'm not complaining! It was me and another woman who was a bit fitter than me but not so much that we couldn't do much the same things - she just held heavier weights. We did a standard sort of circuit with squats and bicep curls and wall push-ups and all that stuff. Not what I call fun, but it was good work out and very different to the Zumba cardio that I had just done. The only thing I couldn't do was sit-ups and she got me to do a different exercise where I was on my hands and knees and lifted alternate arm and leg and stretched them out while sucking in my stomach.
After the 30 minutes, two full circuits, the trainer said she was still available if we wanted more. The other lady said yes but I was totally spent! I was starting to feel a bit nauseated and just completely exhausted. So the trainer sent me off to do a 5 min cooldown on the bike (which I did very very slowly) then had my shower and ate my apple and went to do the grocery shopping (still slowly). I'm feeling a bit sore!
By the time I got home and had some lunch, there was only time to do a bit of reading before going out to pick up the kids. Pouring rain today (usually the kids walk home but they didn't take umbrellas today) and freezing cold. I really enjoyed some soup for my afternoon snack. Who would have thought cauliflower would make such nice soup? Yes, ok, the cream probably helps. I'm not too worried about a bit of cream in my soup after 100 minutes of intense exercise this morning! And for dinner I had barramundi (white fish) with salad and potato. I don't really like fish, I have it occasionally when I am feeling particularly virtuous. Salmon and barramundi are the least objectionable. Aiden quite likes it, but Tim and Jasmine refuse to eat it at all and I have to cook them something else!
With a couple of nibbles at my chocolate egg, I'm still under 1500 calories for the day. And I've drunk all my water for the day.
Report card:
Diet: Good.
Exercise: Fantastic!
Water: Great.
Sleep: Good.
Mental health: Mostly good.
I started the day with a great breakfast.
I was a bit worried this morning about my twinging knee, my aching elbow and wrist, my return to sneezes and congestion; I wanted to shake my fist at the universe that doesn't want me to exercise! But after I'd been up a little while I felt fine. Better sleep last night, although it was my usual pattern of waking after a couple of hours and having to be very stern with myself to keep the CPAP on. Did it though. Five hours I think.
My plan was to go to the 10:30 Gymmy PT (Gymmy is my gym's mascot thing, I suppose it is a play on Jimmy) Lite session (for newbies) at the gym, maybe go a bit early and get some elliptical in first. But the internet was down so I ended up being there in time for the 9:30 Zumba session. I used to really like Zumba but the instructor started to take it in a direction I didn't like. She chose all the really aggressive crumping "I want to kill you and/or have sex with you" tracks (yes I don't understand how those two things can go together either). With hand weights. Today I decided to do the class anyway and it turned out there was a different instructor -- I'm hoping permanently not just today, I missed any announcements she might have made at the start -- and she did the kind of Zumba I like, Latin dance moves. They tend to repeat mainly the same tracks each week, changing over to new ones very slowly, so others in the class had likely done them all before several times. I dove in the deep end, luckily I am good at choreography. I got very tired though, the second half was not danced as it should have been danced! My feet refused to move at the appropriate speed. I got a bit of a shock the first time I checked my fitbit to find we were only 20 mins into the 60 min class... not nearly over yet! Heart rate up to 141.
After the class I was dripping sweat and red faced but I enjoyed it - I just would have enjoyed it more if it had been a 30 min class! I decided to try the PT session anyway, it was "only" another 30 mins and I was worried if I didn't do it now I would keep chickening out. There turned out to be only two of us wanting to do it, and the trainer said she was a qualified Personal Trainer but wasn't used to running this boot camp style class so she was just going to take us through a normal PT session. So I still don't know what the Gymmy PT class is actually like, but on the other hand I got a personal trainer almost to myself for half an hour so I'm not complaining! It was me and another woman who was a bit fitter than me but not so much that we couldn't do much the same things - she just held heavier weights. We did a standard sort of circuit with squats and bicep curls and wall push-ups and all that stuff. Not what I call fun, but it was good work out and very different to the Zumba cardio that I had just done. The only thing I couldn't do was sit-ups and she got me to do a different exercise where I was on my hands and knees and lifted alternate arm and leg and stretched them out while sucking in my stomach.
After the 30 minutes, two full circuits, the trainer said she was still available if we wanted more. The other lady said yes but I was totally spent! I was starting to feel a bit nauseated and just completely exhausted. So the trainer sent me off to do a 5 min cooldown on the bike (which I did very very slowly) then had my shower and ate my apple and went to do the grocery shopping (still slowly). I'm feeling a bit sore!
By the time I got home and had some lunch, there was only time to do a bit of reading before going out to pick up the kids. Pouring rain today (usually the kids walk home but they didn't take umbrellas today) and freezing cold. I really enjoyed some soup for my afternoon snack. Who would have thought cauliflower would make such nice soup? Yes, ok, the cream probably helps. I'm not too worried about a bit of cream in my soup after 100 minutes of intense exercise this morning! And for dinner I had barramundi (white fish) with salad and potato. I don't really like fish, I have it occasionally when I am feeling particularly virtuous. Salmon and barramundi are the least objectionable. Aiden quite likes it, but Tim and Jasmine refuse to eat it at all and I have to cook them something else!
With a couple of nibbles at my chocolate egg, I'm still under 1500 calories for the day. And I've drunk all my water for the day.
Report card:
Diet: Good.
Exercise: Fantastic!
Water: Great.
Sleep: Good.
Mental health: Mostly good.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Planning ahead
Monday:
I had a much better sleep and was also able to keep the CPAP on all night. Yay! And my eye is almost completely normal. More yay!
I realised I need to plan for Tuesday night supper. During past diet attempts, I have asked people not to bring junk food that I like, or other times we've all decided we need to eat more healthily. But it only lasts a week or two, then the junk returns. None of the others are noticeably overweight, and they are all a lot more active than I am, and I think that games night is their only splurge for the week. So they enjoy it without too much guilt. But obviously it is a problem for me.
As well as providing something healthy, I've decided to allow myself around 200 calories extra to snack on games night. On a couple of other nights a week I'm allowed a small amount of chocolate if I have the calories left, but this will be in addition to the day's regular calories. I don't want to forgo healthy food to save calories so that I can eat unhealthy food. 200 calories isn't a lot, but it's enough to enjoy. I'll wait until everyone has arrived so I can see what is available before I chose, and put it on a plate, and savour it. Apart from that I will stay away from the food as much as possible (not easy, it follows us around) and use my cognitive therapy techniques to avoid going outside my self-imposed rules - using various self-talk methods.
I still have to work on focusing on my food while I am eating. My idea of a dream food binge would be a family size packet of chips of some kind. But would I be concentrating on every mouthful to get maximum enjoyment? Not at all. I'd be in front of the TV with a book as well, seemingly doing everything possible to distract myself from the food. It doesn't make sense. Why eat something supposedly purely for pleasure yet only devote 25% of my attention to it? What a waste! The only answer I've seen is that I know I shouldn't be eating it so I'm distracting myself so I don't feel that guilt. But that reasoning doesn't work when I'm eating a healthy meal. Is food that boring to me? I profess to love it.
So far with the meals I've eaten alone, three lunches, I've managed to get through more than half before caving in and picking up a book. My first draft of that sentence was framed in a negative way (only made it half-way), but then I changed it. I'm practising giving myself credit. I get though more than half-way! That is a big leap from years of turning my mind away from the food I am putting in my mouth. And snacks eaten alone, which don't take as long to eat, have all been eaten mindfully. Real progress.
I did 20 minutes of Zumba at home on the Kinect this afternoon. More progress!! It was on the easiest intensity setting, and I still found it hard work. My legs were burning after 5 minutes! I have a hard time accepting that this is where I am with exercise at the moment. I tend to be a bit all-or-nothing, if it's not an hour of sweat it's not good enough. Any less is not worth the time it takes to get changed into gym clothes, then afterwards shower and change back ... and see where that kind of thinking has got me! Lots of exclamation marks today! Anyway, I am aiming for 30 minutes of exercise a day, in a combination of walking and Kinect games. And if I only have time or fitness for less, then any exercise is better than none. But it looks like 30 minutes is do-able, especially broken up into two sessions over the day. I did a short walk this morning, so I have done 30 minutes today.
The Zumba game told me I had burned 408 calories in 20 minutes. Hah, I wish. 20 calories a minute? Maybe Usaine Bolt does that over his 10 second sprint, I don't know, I certainly don't achieve anything like that. For my own records, I guesstimated 5 calories per minute. Even that might be a bit generous.
It is a bit sad that a year ago I could have done that sweaty hour of dance. But I'll get back there. Daily progress.
I had a much better sleep and was also able to keep the CPAP on all night. Yay! And my eye is almost completely normal. More yay!
I realised I need to plan for Tuesday night supper. During past diet attempts, I have asked people not to bring junk food that I like, or other times we've all decided we need to eat more healthily. But it only lasts a week or two, then the junk returns. None of the others are noticeably overweight, and they are all a lot more active than I am, and I think that games night is their only splurge for the week. So they enjoy it without too much guilt. But obviously it is a problem for me.
As well as providing something healthy, I've decided to allow myself around 200 calories extra to snack on games night. On a couple of other nights a week I'm allowed a small amount of chocolate if I have the calories left, but this will be in addition to the day's regular calories. I don't want to forgo healthy food to save calories so that I can eat unhealthy food. 200 calories isn't a lot, but it's enough to enjoy. I'll wait until everyone has arrived so I can see what is available before I chose, and put it on a plate, and savour it. Apart from that I will stay away from the food as much as possible (not easy, it follows us around) and use my cognitive therapy techniques to avoid going outside my self-imposed rules - using various self-talk methods.
I still have to work on focusing on my food while I am eating. My idea of a dream food binge would be a family size packet of chips of some kind. But would I be concentrating on every mouthful to get maximum enjoyment? Not at all. I'd be in front of the TV with a book as well, seemingly doing everything possible to distract myself from the food. It doesn't make sense. Why eat something supposedly purely for pleasure yet only devote 25% of my attention to it? What a waste! The only answer I've seen is that I know I shouldn't be eating it so I'm distracting myself so I don't feel that guilt. But that reasoning doesn't work when I'm eating a healthy meal. Is food that boring to me? I profess to love it.
So far with the meals I've eaten alone, three lunches, I've managed to get through more than half before caving in and picking up a book. My first draft of that sentence was framed in a negative way (only made it half-way), but then I changed it. I'm practising giving myself credit. I get though more than half-way! That is a big leap from years of turning my mind away from the food I am putting in my mouth. And snacks eaten alone, which don't take as long to eat, have all been eaten mindfully. Real progress.
I did 20 minutes of Zumba at home on the Kinect this afternoon. More progress!! It was on the easiest intensity setting, and I still found it hard work. My legs were burning after 5 minutes! I have a hard time accepting that this is where I am with exercise at the moment. I tend to be a bit all-or-nothing, if it's not an hour of sweat it's not good enough. Any less is not worth the time it takes to get changed into gym clothes, then afterwards shower and change back ... and see where that kind of thinking has got me! Lots of exclamation marks today! Anyway, I am aiming for 30 minutes of exercise a day, in a combination of walking and Kinect games. And if I only have time or fitness for less, then any exercise is better than none. But it looks like 30 minutes is do-able, especially broken up into two sessions over the day. I did a short walk this morning, so I have done 30 minutes today.
The Zumba game told me I had burned 408 calories in 20 minutes. Hah, I wish. 20 calories a minute? Maybe Usaine Bolt does that over his 10 second sprint, I don't know, I certainly don't achieve anything like that. For my own records, I guesstimated 5 calories per minute. Even that might be a bit generous.
It is a bit sad that a year ago I could have done that sweaty hour of dance. But I'll get back there. Daily progress.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Rowing
Tuesday:
Yesterday I went to BodyPump. Since I hadn't done it for about six months I used light weights and it was a decent challenge without being too painful. I thought I had plenty of time to get there but when I came out of the changeroom they were half-way through the warm-up, this happened again today and I've realised that I used to drive the kids to school then go straight to the gym; now I walk the kids to school, walk home, then drive to the gym, so obviously that is going to take a lot longer. It is do-able but I am going to have to hussle. Anyway; I was able to do all the moves except the lunges, and only the shoulder track gave my shoulders any problems so that was great.
I was hungry after the gym but had to do the shopping on the way home. I foolishly didn't buy myself an immediate snack, and by the time I got home it was lunchtime and I was ravenous, leading to poor food choices. I just shoved everything I could get my hands on into my cake-hole.
In the afternoon I took the kids back to the gym for their Club Gecko class and I got on the rowing machine. I did 15 minutes, which I think might be the longest I've ever done on the rower. I went 2.11 km and decided my target will be to do 5 km in 30 minutes, meaning I'll need to speed up a bit as well increasing my stamina. I finished up with a short stroll on the treadmill. Including walking the kids to school, that was over 2 hours of exercise. Awsome.
On the other hand, I ate nearly a whole bag of crispy m&ms.
This morning I was a little stiff and sore but not too bad. Mainly my thighs, from the squats in BodyPump I think. I went to Zumba, but was reminded why I don't like it any more. It was the same instructor that I've always had, and she is completely opposite my preferences in which dances we do. She goes for the hiphop and the heavy angry African rhythms, I like the Latin and the Bollywood. She puts sexy wriggles in otherwise really aggressive moves. To me, sexy doesn't go with "I hate you and I will kill you if you come any closer". I stuck it out for half an hour, telling myself that vigorous movement was good regardless of whether I was enjoying it or not, but then I gave up and left the class. I went back to the rowing machine. I guess that is my new exercise-love! I was absolutely dying to get back on that rower.
I thought today I would try to increase my speed and do 2.5 km in 15 minutes. After 4 minutes I was wrecked! I had to slow down a little for a while, but then managed to speed up again. I changed my target to 2 km in 12 minutes and promised myself I could stop after that time. I struggled to keep up the requisite speed but sprinted for the last 30 seconds and eventually went 1.91 km in the 12 mins, pretty close. Not a bad start. I cooled down on the treadmill.
I just got up after sitting still for a while and my thighs are so stiff and sore I can hardly walk! Maybe it is the rowing more than the squats? Or both.
I forgot to mention something about the snow trip that seemed important at the time, the hired ski pants were hard to wriggle on over my hips but fit just fine when I was standing, but I found on the drive to the snow that they were very uncomfortable when I was sitting down. They cut into my waist, and a three hour drive in that kind of discomfort is no joke. It was such a relief to get out of the car and stand up. I thought they would be ok once we were there, but of course tobogganing involves sitting down too -- and even leaning forward a bit so it was worse. I tried wrigging them below my belly but of course my hips aren't any narrower than my waist so it just moved the pain. After a while I was hitching them up then pulling them down again every few minutes, and standing around instead of sitting on the rocks or tobogganing. Eventually I just couldn't stand it any longer and went back to the car to change my clothes before the rest of my family were ready to go. Such joy to get those horrible pants off! It was pretty cold in jeans but I didn't care.
If my stomach wasn't so big I wouldn't have had that problem. I'm still working on it.
Yesterday I went to BodyPump. Since I hadn't done it for about six months I used light weights and it was a decent challenge without being too painful. I thought I had plenty of time to get there but when I came out of the changeroom they were half-way through the warm-up, this happened again today and I've realised that I used to drive the kids to school then go straight to the gym; now I walk the kids to school, walk home, then drive to the gym, so obviously that is going to take a lot longer. It is do-able but I am going to have to hussle. Anyway; I was able to do all the moves except the lunges, and only the shoulder track gave my shoulders any problems so that was great.
I was hungry after the gym but had to do the shopping on the way home. I foolishly didn't buy myself an immediate snack, and by the time I got home it was lunchtime and I was ravenous, leading to poor food choices. I just shoved everything I could get my hands on into my cake-hole.
In the afternoon I took the kids back to the gym for their Club Gecko class and I got on the rowing machine. I did 15 minutes, which I think might be the longest I've ever done on the rower. I went 2.11 km and decided my target will be to do 5 km in 30 minutes, meaning I'll need to speed up a bit as well increasing my stamina. I finished up with a short stroll on the treadmill. Including walking the kids to school, that was over 2 hours of exercise. Awsome.
On the other hand, I ate nearly a whole bag of crispy m&ms.
This morning I was a little stiff and sore but not too bad. Mainly my thighs, from the squats in BodyPump I think. I went to Zumba, but was reminded why I don't like it any more. It was the same instructor that I've always had, and she is completely opposite my preferences in which dances we do. She goes for the hiphop and the heavy angry African rhythms, I like the Latin and the Bollywood. She puts sexy wriggles in otherwise really aggressive moves. To me, sexy doesn't go with "I hate you and I will kill you if you come any closer". I stuck it out for half an hour, telling myself that vigorous movement was good regardless of whether I was enjoying it or not, but then I gave up and left the class. I went back to the rowing machine. I guess that is my new exercise-love! I was absolutely dying to get back on that rower.
I thought today I would try to increase my speed and do 2.5 km in 15 minutes. After 4 minutes I was wrecked! I had to slow down a little for a while, but then managed to speed up again. I changed my target to 2 km in 12 minutes and promised myself I could stop after that time. I struggled to keep up the requisite speed but sprinted for the last 30 seconds and eventually went 1.91 km in the 12 mins, pretty close. Not a bad start. I cooled down on the treadmill.
I just got up after sitting still for a while and my thighs are so stiff and sore I can hardly walk! Maybe it is the rowing more than the squats? Or both.
I forgot to mention something about the snow trip that seemed important at the time, the hired ski pants were hard to wriggle on over my hips but fit just fine when I was standing, but I found on the drive to the snow that they were very uncomfortable when I was sitting down. They cut into my waist, and a three hour drive in that kind of discomfort is no joke. It was such a relief to get out of the car and stand up. I thought they would be ok once we were there, but of course tobogganing involves sitting down too -- and even leaning forward a bit so it was worse. I tried wrigging them below my belly but of course my hips aren't any narrower than my waist so it just moved the pain. After a while I was hitching them up then pulling them down again every few minutes, and standing around instead of sitting on the rocks or tobogganing. Eventually I just couldn't stand it any longer and went back to the car to change my clothes before the rest of my family were ready to go. Such joy to get those horrible pants off! It was pretty cold in jeans but I didn't care.
If my stomach wasn't so big I wouldn't have had that problem. I'm still working on it.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Under 75 kg! Woo hoo!
Tuesday:
I weighed 74.8 kg this morning (home scale)! I was so astonished I hardly knew to be happy about it. I thought about getting back on to check but that is a slippery slope -- I am just going to accept that my hard work sticking to the plan has paid off. That is my first 5 kg finally achieved since I started trying to lose weight last July, I didn't really lose anything until I started Weight Watchers in Feb this year. I was 79.9 kg (home scale) on 1 Feb 2012. I hope to get my 5% weight loss at my WW meeting this Friday (need to be 76.2 kg down from starting weight 80.2 clothed). I've earned another charm, a fancy one this time. The prettiest one I can find and damn the expense! Woo hoo! And this is with TTOM rapidly approaching.
Quick US conversion:
starting weight 79.9 kg -- 175.8 pounds
current weight 74.8 kg -- 164.6 pounds
goal weight 58 kg -- 127.6 pounds
58 kg is the top my my healthy weight range, I am only 152 cm (5 foot) tall.
I did a short Zumba class today. I have started keeping track of all the tracks and how much I like them so that I can build my own routine with my favourites. I also have a goal of getting 5 stars for every track. I haven't tried a "high intensity" class yet, only low and medium. There are 42 different routines of various lengths and intensities.
I spent a lot of time this morning calling around for tradesmen, we need two more jobs done and they all seem really busy -- especially the gas heater repair men! After a cool summer we are having a very cold autumn. I need to get some editing work done.
I weighed 74.8 kg this morning (home scale)! I was so astonished I hardly knew to be happy about it. I thought about getting back on to check but that is a slippery slope -- I am just going to accept that my hard work sticking to the plan has paid off. That is my first 5 kg finally achieved since I started trying to lose weight last July, I didn't really lose anything until I started Weight Watchers in Feb this year. I was 79.9 kg (home scale) on 1 Feb 2012. I hope to get my 5% weight loss at my WW meeting this Friday (need to be 76.2 kg down from starting weight 80.2 clothed). I've earned another charm, a fancy one this time. The prettiest one I can find and damn the expense! Woo hoo! And this is with TTOM rapidly approaching.
Quick US conversion:
starting weight 79.9 kg -- 175.8 pounds
current weight 74.8 kg -- 164.6 pounds
goal weight 58 kg -- 127.6 pounds
58 kg is the top my my healthy weight range, I am only 152 cm (5 foot) tall.
I did a short Zumba class today. I have started keeping track of all the tracks and how much I like them so that I can build my own routine with my favourites. I also have a goal of getting 5 stars for every track. I haven't tried a "high intensity" class yet, only low and medium. There are 42 different routines of various lengths and intensities.
I spent a lot of time this morning calling around for tradesmen, we need two more jobs done and they all seem really busy -- especially the gas heater repair men! After a cool summer we are having a very cold autumn. I need to get some editing work done.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
WW weigh-in week 8: 77.2 kg; sts
Friday:
I went to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning and, as expected, my weight has remained the same over the past two weeks since I was last weighed. I call this a win, considering Easter happened in the middle. The meeting was about how important tracking is; I already do it but it was nice to chat about.
I didn't do a lot of exercise over the past week; Easter, sunburn, a pulled hamstring and then Rift (more on this later) intruded. But I bought two new Kinect games -- Biggest Loser and Zumba -- and have tried them both. The Biggest Loser one is a series of exercises; jumping jacks and push ups and the like. I found it quite challenging but a bit boring. There is no fun music or game to it, just following the moves on the screen. The best part is that it tracks your progess. It scanned my body and was amazingly accurate in measurements, and put me through a test to check my level of fitness before creating a custom program. I plan to do the routine sometimes, but it is not very inspiring.
Zumba, on the other hand, was great fun. I have done classes in the gym and liked them at first but the instructor went in a direction I didn't like with routines I didn't enjoy so much. The best thing about the Kinect version is that I can put together my own playlists of my favourite tracks. I just need to get familiar with them first. I did a "short" routine today -- it turned out to be about 20 mins -- and then some single tracks and got 4 or 5 stars for all of them. I recognised two from the gym, the rest were new to me. There seems to be quite a lot of choice, and each track is rated for its energy level.
My sunburn is fine now, but my shoulders are peeling. Urg.
The main reason I haven't done a lot of exercise is my newfound Rift addiction. Tim has been playing this computer game since it came out quite a while ago and has often suggested I would enjoy it but I wasn't ready to plunge into anything new. I'm rather glad I didn't while I was working on big projects. I've been playing a lot since I started on Monday, and it's been hard to drag myself away to do anything else. I need to pull back a bit.
School holidays started at 3 this afternoon, so the kids are home for the next two weeks and we also have various family members visiting over that time. I'll have to plan lots of activities. I'm going to make sure I serve healthy meals not the usual cream-laden "company" dinners.
Although I have only lost 3 kg so far on WW, I have lost 7 kg overall since my highest weight last year and I am much happier in my body. My breasts stick out more than my stomach again!
I went to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning and, as expected, my weight has remained the same over the past two weeks since I was last weighed. I call this a win, considering Easter happened in the middle. The meeting was about how important tracking is; I already do it but it was nice to chat about.
I didn't do a lot of exercise over the past week; Easter, sunburn, a pulled hamstring and then Rift (more on this later) intruded. But I bought two new Kinect games -- Biggest Loser and Zumba -- and have tried them both. The Biggest Loser one is a series of exercises; jumping jacks and push ups and the like. I found it quite challenging but a bit boring. There is no fun music or game to it, just following the moves on the screen. The best part is that it tracks your progess. It scanned my body and was amazingly accurate in measurements, and put me through a test to check my level of fitness before creating a custom program. I plan to do the routine sometimes, but it is not very inspiring.
Zumba, on the other hand, was great fun. I have done classes in the gym and liked them at first but the instructor went in a direction I didn't like with routines I didn't enjoy so much. The best thing about the Kinect version is that I can put together my own playlists of my favourite tracks. I just need to get familiar with them first. I did a "short" routine today -- it turned out to be about 20 mins -- and then some single tracks and got 4 or 5 stars for all of them. I recognised two from the gym, the rest were new to me. There seems to be quite a lot of choice, and each track is rated for its energy level.
My sunburn is fine now, but my shoulders are peeling. Urg.
The main reason I haven't done a lot of exercise is my newfound Rift addiction. Tim has been playing this computer game since it came out quite a while ago and has often suggested I would enjoy it but I wasn't ready to plunge into anything new. I'm rather glad I didn't while I was working on big projects. I've been playing a lot since I started on Monday, and it's been hard to drag myself away to do anything else. I need to pull back a bit.
School holidays started at 3 this afternoon, so the kids are home for the next two weeks and we also have various family members visiting over that time. I'll have to plan lots of activities. I'm going to make sure I serve healthy meals not the usual cream-laden "company" dinners.
Although I have only lost 3 kg so far on WW, I have lost 7 kg overall since my highest weight last year and I am much happier in my body. My breasts stick out more than my stomach again!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
A sneak peak at the scales
Friday:
It is still two days before my official Sunday weigh-in, and as I started the CSIRO diet on Monday I have only been on it for four full days. But this morning I was in the section of the gym that has my scales, and I was desperate to know if the diet was doing any good. After seven weeks of vigorous exercise, last Sunday I weighed half a kilo more than when I started. No weight loss at all. So I was very nervous about getting on the scales today. I didn't feel like I had been depriving myself much -- especially when compared to the "Crunch Time" diet I looked at yesterday. I felt that I would be miserable, yet not very surprised, if I hadn't lost anything.
79.1 kg! Yay! That is a 1.3 kg loss since last Sunday. My weight has been going up and down the whole time, so I need to keep working to make it stick, but this is the first time I have been down into virgin fat since half-way through my first week of exercise.
Pure awesomeness.
I was so so relieved.
I went into my Zumba class with a light heart and threw myself into it. I even did jumping shuffles where I usually just march. Stats: 56 min, 31% zone 0, 48% zone 1, 21% zone 2, 181 calories, average HR 114, peak HR 142.
Then I went and bought some wholegrain bread.
The soles of my feet were still a bit tender this morning, the first time I remember it lasting until the next day, but they were fine through Zumba. It is only the long walks that hurt me. Very odd.
It is still two days before my official Sunday weigh-in, and as I started the CSIRO diet on Monday I have only been on it for four full days. But this morning I was in the section of the gym that has my scales, and I was desperate to know if the diet was doing any good. After seven weeks of vigorous exercise, last Sunday I weighed half a kilo more than when I started. No weight loss at all. So I was very nervous about getting on the scales today. I didn't feel like I had been depriving myself much -- especially when compared to the "Crunch Time" diet I looked at yesterday. I felt that I would be miserable, yet not very surprised, if I hadn't lost anything.
79.1 kg! Yay! That is a 1.3 kg loss since last Sunday. My weight has been going up and down the whole time, so I need to keep working to make it stick, but this is the first time I have been down into virgin fat since half-way through my first week of exercise.
Pure awesomeness.
I was so so relieved.
I went into my Zumba class with a light heart and threw myself into it. I even did jumping shuffles where I usually just march. Stats: 56 min, 31% zone 0, 48% zone 1, 21% zone 2, 181 calories, average HR 114, peak HR 142.
Then I went and bought some wholegrain bread.
The soles of my feet were still a bit tender this morning, the first time I remember it lasting until the next day, but they were fine through Zumba. It is only the long walks that hurt me. Very odd.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Zumba and sardines
Tuesday:
Zumba was hard today, maybe because it was my fifth day in a row of exercise. I still don't have as much stamina as I would like. I knew I needed a break soon but didn't want to miss Pump tommorrow -- but the decision was taken out of my hands as when I went to book Aiden into creche (Wednesday is his home-with-mummy day) I found they were already booked up. You are only allowed to book two days in advance, but one day in advance is nearly always too late!
The instructor added some new tracks, which unfortunately meant my favourite Bollywood-style track has been dumped! I actually called out in class to complain, doing a little dance to show which track I meant. It is usually the second track we do, so I knew straight away when it was gone. But the instructor said we'd been doing that one for too long. :(
Other bloggers who say things like "no one is watching you, no one cares, just do it": you're wrong! I watch other people all the time and wonder about them. There was a lady up the back today, hiding right in the corner next to the stack of Steps and weights. Middle-aged and a bit overweight, what was comment-worthy was that she was in normal street clothes -- a long-sleeved synthetic blouse and a long skirt, flat shoes not gym shoes. She kind of stepped through the class tentatively, not moving much. I wonder if it was her very first time in a gym? I'm not trying to say don't do it, just that there is always someone interested in you!
My stats were: 60 min, 49% zone 0, 43% zone 1, 8% zone 2, 168 calories, average HR 107, peak HR 135.
My body was definitely tired, my left thigh started aching almost straight away and my lower back was hurting by the end. Still is. I was wearing my old shoes not the new ones, so it wasn't that, just a bit of overwork I think. Day off tomorrow.
Still "perfect" on the diet. I am shopping tomorrow so I have spent a bit of time meal-planning this morning. I was feeling rather peckish last night, despite being full -- mainly bored because my husband didn't get home until 9.30 -- but just had some home-made vegetable broth which is allowed and practically calorie and fat free. I had struggled with drinking enough fluids during the day and foolishly had a couple of glasses of water after dinner, plus the soup. I was up three times in the night to pee.
I had sardines as my protein for lunch today. I used to like them as a kid, but I think I last had them about 15 years ago. I remember it well. I was living in a little flat at the time, and one day I went to clean the oven by using a commercial chemical cleaner than you spray on the walls of a cold oven and then leave for a couple of hours before scrubbing. I forgot about it. The next night I turned the oven on to preheat it and was in the kitchen preparing dinner. I noticed an odd smell but ignored it for a while. Eventually I saw strange white smoke coming from around the door of the oven, and remembered. I don't know how much of the nasty chemical I had inhaled.
I assume this was the cause of my illness over the next couple of months. I had frequent bouts of vomiting (I think it started the day after the incident) but felt ok other days. Eventually I went to see a doctor who arranged for a stomach x-ray. This was one of the more unpleasant experiences of my life. First, as the stomach is a bit wrinkly, they need to smooth it out for a clear x-ray. They give you two liquids to drink which combine in your stomach to make gas which expands your stomach a bit like a balloon -- nice and smooth. Then they give you thick radioactive drink like concrete or liquid chalk. If you vomit anything up of course you have to start again. I didn't care so much about the barium meal -- the radioactive bit -- it wasn't nice but it was bearable. But the starting liquids were just revolting. You have the nurse there talking calmly into your ear "Don't throw up, don't throw up" but holding a bowl just in case.
I think I did throw up once so had to drink the stuff again, but they got the xrays in the end and I went home. I knew I was going to empty my stomach, I couldn't hold it in forever. But the thought of tasting that stuff again, on the way back out, was horrifying. So I started to scoff whatever strong-tasting foods I had in the flat, anything to disguise the taste of the liquids when I threw them up. I remember sardines clearly, and chocolate I think. It sort-of worked.
The end of the story was that the doctors didn't find anything wrong, but also I stopped having my vomiting episodes. Was I cured by that huge purge? Maybe it cleaned all the chemical residue out of my system. Or maybe it was coincidence and I had just had a series of normal tummy bugs.
So, back to today, I didn't enjoy the sardines at all and couldn't finish them. Whether from the bad memory or just because I don't like fish much, they seemed a waste of my limited calories. They are off the list of my approved proteins. And the taste stays in your mouth for way too long.
Zumba was hard today, maybe because it was my fifth day in a row of exercise. I still don't have as much stamina as I would like. I knew I needed a break soon but didn't want to miss Pump tommorrow -- but the decision was taken out of my hands as when I went to book Aiden into creche (Wednesday is his home-with-mummy day) I found they were already booked up. You are only allowed to book two days in advance, but one day in advance is nearly always too late!
The instructor added some new tracks, which unfortunately meant my favourite Bollywood-style track has been dumped! I actually called out in class to complain, doing a little dance to show which track I meant. It is usually the second track we do, so I knew straight away when it was gone. But the instructor said we'd been doing that one for too long. :(
Other bloggers who say things like "no one is watching you, no one cares, just do it": you're wrong! I watch other people all the time and wonder about them. There was a lady up the back today, hiding right in the corner next to the stack of Steps and weights. Middle-aged and a bit overweight, what was comment-worthy was that she was in normal street clothes -- a long-sleeved synthetic blouse and a long skirt, flat shoes not gym shoes. She kind of stepped through the class tentatively, not moving much. I wonder if it was her very first time in a gym? I'm not trying to say don't do it, just that there is always someone interested in you!
My stats were: 60 min, 49% zone 0, 43% zone 1, 8% zone 2, 168 calories, average HR 107, peak HR 135.
My body was definitely tired, my left thigh started aching almost straight away and my lower back was hurting by the end. Still is. I was wearing my old shoes not the new ones, so it wasn't that, just a bit of overwork I think. Day off tomorrow.
Still "perfect" on the diet. I am shopping tomorrow so I have spent a bit of time meal-planning this morning. I was feeling rather peckish last night, despite being full -- mainly bored because my husband didn't get home until 9.30 -- but just had some home-made vegetable broth which is allowed and practically calorie and fat free. I had struggled with drinking enough fluids during the day and foolishly had a couple of glasses of water after dinner, plus the soup. I was up three times in the night to pee.
I had sardines as my protein for lunch today. I used to like them as a kid, but I think I last had them about 15 years ago. I remember it well. I was living in a little flat at the time, and one day I went to clean the oven by using a commercial chemical cleaner than you spray on the walls of a cold oven and then leave for a couple of hours before scrubbing. I forgot about it. The next night I turned the oven on to preheat it and was in the kitchen preparing dinner. I noticed an odd smell but ignored it for a while. Eventually I saw strange white smoke coming from around the door of the oven, and remembered. I don't know how much of the nasty chemical I had inhaled.
I assume this was the cause of my illness over the next couple of months. I had frequent bouts of vomiting (I think it started the day after the incident) but felt ok other days. Eventually I went to see a doctor who arranged for a stomach x-ray. This was one of the more unpleasant experiences of my life. First, as the stomach is a bit wrinkly, they need to smooth it out for a clear x-ray. They give you two liquids to drink which combine in your stomach to make gas which expands your stomach a bit like a balloon -- nice and smooth. Then they give you thick radioactive drink like concrete or liquid chalk. If you vomit anything up of course you have to start again. I didn't care so much about the barium meal -- the radioactive bit -- it wasn't nice but it was bearable. But the starting liquids were just revolting. You have the nurse there talking calmly into your ear "Don't throw up, don't throw up" but holding a bowl just in case.
I think I did throw up once so had to drink the stuff again, but they got the xrays in the end and I went home. I knew I was going to empty my stomach, I couldn't hold it in forever. But the thought of tasting that stuff again, on the way back out, was horrifying. So I started to scoff whatever strong-tasting foods I had in the flat, anything to disguise the taste of the liquids when I threw them up. I remember sardines clearly, and chocolate I think. It sort-of worked.
The end of the story was that the doctors didn't find anything wrong, but also I stopped having my vomiting episodes. Was I cured by that huge purge? Maybe it cleaned all the chemical residue out of my system. Or maybe it was coincidence and I had just had a series of normal tummy bugs.
So, back to today, I didn't enjoy the sardines at all and couldn't finish them. Whether from the bad memory or just because I don't like fish much, they seemed a waste of my limited calories. They are off the list of my approved proteins. And the taste stays in your mouth for way too long.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Less Zumba than usual
Tuesday:
My morning was coloured with PMS, I was feeling a bit stressed and cranky. When going into the gym, there was a woman in front of me -- tall, tanned, slender & fit. I don't usually get all envious about other people's bodies, but I was feeling out-of-sorts and this perfect woman was stalking me! Ok, so she was actually always ahead of me so if anything she could claim I was stalking her; and it was totally logical that when both going into a gym we would both go to the reception desk, the change rooms, and then to the Zumba class; but I was getting sick of seeing that perfect bottom perking around in front of me. Practically at eye level, given our difference in heights.
I only had a few minutes before class, but I couldn't bear sitting alone with Ms Perfect in the group exercise room, so I got on the treadmill for five minutes. Instead of walking at a comfortable pace, I walked then jogged then sprinted -- trying to pound out my crankiness. I think it helped. I would have run longer but my shins were hurting.
I went to Zumba and started off well, but then I realised that I hadn't really left enough time between the class and meeting a client. I needed to wash my hair and do makeup and then drive into the city and probably park a few blocks away from the cafe. I decided to leave 15 mins early, but I couldn't stop stressing about the time. It got so I was messing up steps because I was thinking about that instead of what I was doing. So I ended up leaving 30 mins before the class ended -- halfway through. I am glad I did, because I ended up only being a few mins early for my meeting and my client was already there.
Although we met at Koko Black -- a chocolate shop -- I only had a cup of tea so that was a small victory over my inclination to eat the whole shop. I probably would have ordered a piece of cake or something but I knew my client was probably going to pay and I felt a bit uncomfortable ordering more when he only got a coffee. I wasn't hungry anyway, but if I was alone or with friends I most likely would have eaten something regardless.
And I confess I had three chocolate biscuits when I got home.
This time of the month is a real struggle for me with motivation and with eating healthily and in moderation. I have already booked Aiden into the creche so I am definitely going to the gym tomorrow. But Thursday is a teacher's strike so I think that will be a day off. They just had a student-free day last week! It's ok for me, but what about people who have to go to a regular job? Very inconvenient for them.
My morning was coloured with PMS, I was feeling a bit stressed and cranky. When going into the gym, there was a woman in front of me -- tall, tanned, slender & fit. I don't usually get all envious about other people's bodies, but I was feeling out-of-sorts and this perfect woman was stalking me! Ok, so she was actually always ahead of me so if anything she could claim I was stalking her; and it was totally logical that when both going into a gym we would both go to the reception desk, the change rooms, and then to the Zumba class; but I was getting sick of seeing that perfect bottom perking around in front of me. Practically at eye level, given our difference in heights.
I only had a few minutes before class, but I couldn't bear sitting alone with Ms Perfect in the group exercise room, so I got on the treadmill for five minutes. Instead of walking at a comfortable pace, I walked then jogged then sprinted -- trying to pound out my crankiness. I think it helped. I would have run longer but my shins were hurting.
I went to Zumba and started off well, but then I realised that I hadn't really left enough time between the class and meeting a client. I needed to wash my hair and do makeup and then drive into the city and probably park a few blocks away from the cafe. I decided to leave 15 mins early, but I couldn't stop stressing about the time. It got so I was messing up steps because I was thinking about that instead of what I was doing. So I ended up leaving 30 mins before the class ended -- halfway through. I am glad I did, because I ended up only being a few mins early for my meeting and my client was already there.
Although we met at Koko Black -- a chocolate shop -- I only had a cup of tea so that was a small victory over my inclination to eat the whole shop. I probably would have ordered a piece of cake or something but I knew my client was probably going to pay and I felt a bit uncomfortable ordering more when he only got a coffee. I wasn't hungry anyway, but if I was alone or with friends I most likely would have eaten something regardless.
And I confess I had three chocolate biscuits when I got home.
This time of the month is a real struggle for me with motivation and with eating healthily and in moderation. I have already booked Aiden into the creche so I am definitely going to the gym tomorrow. But Thursday is a teacher's strike so I think that will be a day off. They just had a student-free day last week! It's ok for me, but what about people who have to go to a regular job? Very inconvenient for them.
photo by rainyfoxy
Monday, August 22, 2011
More about knees
I mentioned to a friend that I had hurt my knee at Zumba, and she told me that a friend of hers had just had knee reconstruction surgery (I don't think it was a Zumba injury) and her doctor told her that Zumba is causing a rise in the number of knee reconstructions he is having to do. Hmm. I am not about to stop doing Zumba, but I consider myself warned. I will be careful.
Let's twist again... not quite so much
Tuesday:
I went to Zumba this morning and had time before the class to do six minutes on the treadmill.
I made the effort this morning to cook soft-boiled eggs for breakfast -- I had one and a bit with buttered toast and was very full. I still felt a bit overfull by the time I got to my Zumba class so I don't think it was the best breakfast for me to exercise on. The search for the ideal breakfast is not over.
Near the end of the Zumba class my left knee started to hurt. We had been doing a lot of jumping and twisting and swivelling, with many new steps that I was struggling to keep up with, so I slowed down a lot for a couple of tracks. The knee continued to get worse to I left one track before the end of the class. It is still a little sore, four hours later, but fine to walk on. I am just resting it for the rest of the day. I wasn't able to do the stair-climbing I'd had planned.
My stats for Zumba: 52 min; 131 cal, 58% zone 0, 36% zone 1, 6% zone 2. Av HR 103, peak 139.
I planned my meals a bit more today -- hence the cooked breakfast -- and I had a healthy and delicious warm lamb salad for lunch. Lots of finely chopped, lightly dressed (balsamic and sesame oil) salad with thinly sliced lamb on top. This is something I sometimes cook for dinner for the family and is quite involved as I roast and peel the capsicums and cook the lamb fillet and shave cheese over the top etc. But I'm at home, I have the time.
It's nearly time to pick up the kids and I'm not sure where the day has gone. Apart from going to the gym and making a healthy lunch, I haven't achieved anything. I read a short story, had a very short play of a computer game, and went through all the emails still in my in-box and filed most of them away or deleted them. That's about it. My focus is exercise at the moment, but I still have plenty of time to be productive in other ways. I don't want to waste my days and just sit around -- I wasn't even doing something fun!
My leg muscles are aching a bit, they really start to notice three days in a row of exercise. I get tired, I think that is why the day is frittering away without me noticing. I am still building up stamina.
I consulted with the reception desk at the gym about booking in for a health check. Unfortunately the information given over the phone was correct, they don't offer health checks at any time I want to have one. She did mention that they do weekends, so I ended up booking in for Sunday morning. I will miss my class, but if things go to plan I will have already done 7 days in a row so I think skipping a class will be fine. Even if I have another day off before then, I can still use the gym equipment after my health check. And maybe I can lose a little weight before then!
I went to Zumba this morning and had time before the class to do six minutes on the treadmill.
I made the effort this morning to cook soft-boiled eggs for breakfast -- I had one and a bit with buttered toast and was very full. I still felt a bit overfull by the time I got to my Zumba class so I don't think it was the best breakfast for me to exercise on. The search for the ideal breakfast is not over.
Near the end of the Zumba class my left knee started to hurt. We had been doing a lot of jumping and twisting and swivelling, with many new steps that I was struggling to keep up with, so I slowed down a lot for a couple of tracks. The knee continued to get worse to I left one track before the end of the class. It is still a little sore, four hours later, but fine to walk on. I am just resting it for the rest of the day. I wasn't able to do the stair-climbing I'd had planned.
My stats for Zumba: 52 min; 131 cal, 58% zone 0, 36% zone 1, 6% zone 2. Av HR 103, peak 139.
I planned my meals a bit more today -- hence the cooked breakfast -- and I had a healthy and delicious warm lamb salad for lunch. Lots of finely chopped, lightly dressed (balsamic and sesame oil) salad with thinly sliced lamb on top. This is something I sometimes cook for dinner for the family and is quite involved as I roast and peel the capsicums and cook the lamb fillet and shave cheese over the top etc. But I'm at home, I have the time.
It's nearly time to pick up the kids and I'm not sure where the day has gone. Apart from going to the gym and making a healthy lunch, I haven't achieved anything. I read a short story, had a very short play of a computer game, and went through all the emails still in my in-box and filed most of them away or deleted them. That's about it. My focus is exercise at the moment, but I still have plenty of time to be productive in other ways. I don't want to waste my days and just sit around -- I wasn't even doing something fun!
My leg muscles are aching a bit, they really start to notice three days in a row of exercise. I get tired, I think that is why the day is frittering away without me noticing. I am still building up stamina.
I consulted with the reception desk at the gym about booking in for a health check. Unfortunately the information given over the phone was correct, they don't offer health checks at any time I want to have one. She did mention that they do weekends, so I ended up booking in for Sunday morning. I will miss my class, but if things go to plan I will have already done 7 days in a row so I think skipping a class will be fine. Even if I have another day off before then, I can still use the gym equipment after my health check. And maybe I can lose a little weight before then!
Monday, August 1, 2011
More Zumba
Tuesday
I did Zumba again this morning. I really enjoy Zumba; it is more dance than exercise. There are chatty pauses between tracks and the last 15 or 20 mins is toning and stretching so my heart rate drops right down; but you know what? Heart rate isn't everything. I don't use weights but I think the toning is a great start for my damaged shoulders.
I weigh 79.4 kg, same as Sunday.
My stats for today were: 58 mins; 43% in zone 0; 40% in zone 1 and 12% in zone 2. I didn't get up to zone 3 at all. (By contrast, Sunday's class percentages were 8/18/63/11. Big difference!) 174 calories. Average HR 110, peak HR 134.
I did Zumba again this morning. I really enjoy Zumba; it is more dance than exercise. There are chatty pauses between tracks and the last 15 or 20 mins is toning and stretching so my heart rate drops right down; but you know what? Heart rate isn't everything. I don't use weights but I think the toning is a great start for my damaged shoulders.
I weigh 79.4 kg, same as Sunday.
My stats for today were: 58 mins; 43% in zone 0; 40% in zone 1 and 12% in zone 2. I didn't get up to zone 3 at all. (By contrast, Sunday's class percentages were 8/18/63/11. Big difference!) 174 calories. Average HR 110, peak HR 134.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Zumba
Tuesday
I did a zumba class this morning. It was fun and quite sweaty. It makes me feel quite sexy, too, as long as I am not looking into the mirror.
My stats were 1 hour 3 mins, 41% in zone 0, 42% in zone 1, 17% in zone 2. 172 calories. Average heart rate 111, peak HR 141. I must have been very close to zone 3 at times.
I am not really happy with how long I was in zone 0. The start of the warm up would have contributed, and pauses between some tracks were quite long; but the main cause would have been the last few tracks. We did 2 slow toning tracks with weights (I didn't actually use weights due to my shoulder) and then the cool-down track. I am excited about being in zone 2 for 10 minutes.
Zumba is billed as a dance class, not an exercise class. I really enjoyed it, which is important. I will be doing a variety of classes, and get my peak energy expenditure from Step classes.
The class was in the upstairs gym and I couldn't find scales there so I didn't get to weigh myself today.
I did a zumba class this morning. It was fun and quite sweaty. It makes me feel quite sexy, too, as long as I am not looking into the mirror.
My stats were 1 hour 3 mins, 41% in zone 0, 42% in zone 1, 17% in zone 2. 172 calories. Average heart rate 111, peak HR 141. I must have been very close to zone 3 at times.
I am not really happy with how long I was in zone 0. The start of the warm up would have contributed, and pauses between some tracks were quite long; but the main cause would have been the last few tracks. We did 2 slow toning tracks with weights (I didn't actually use weights due to my shoulder) and then the cool-down track. I am excited about being in zone 2 for 10 minutes.
Zumba is billed as a dance class, not an exercise class. I really enjoyed it, which is important. I will be doing a variety of classes, and get my peak energy expenditure from Step classes.
The class was in the upstairs gym and I couldn't find scales there so I didn't get to weigh myself today.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Feeling sad
I've been feeling pretty down today. For the past four days I have eating a bit too much - but on three of those days it should only have been enough to slow down the weight loss, not halt it, and certainly not put ON weight. Thursday - the day before yesterday - was the only day I ate more than my body should be burning. But for the past three days my weight has gone up. It seems to mean that only the dramatic calorie restriction of 1000 per day works.
On Thursday, as previously mentioned, I went to the movies and binged on twisties. That was my lunch. Then I had more easter bunny chocolate for afternoon tea. And an extra helping of spaghetti bolognaise at dinnertime. Then supper, with visitors; fudge, lollies and more chocolate. The next morning my weight was back up to 82.0kg. For once the scales refused to ossilate. That is half of what I had lost, back on in two days.
I went to the gym and did zumba. My history with zumba is that I encouraged my gym to put morning zumba classes on at the end of last year. They did (whether due to me or not I don't know), twice a week. I immediately hurt my shoulder and couldn't go to them. Last week I felt I could start going back to group classes. They instantly dropped the Monday class. Still one a week, on Friday, which I went to yesterday. At which they announced that they are turning it into a zumba toning class with weights. Which I can't use. So that totally sucked. Not a good day, yesterday.
Oh, and the gym scales also showed an increase. Up to 81.1 from 79.9 last time, which validates the change shown by my home scales.
This morning my weight was up a little bit higher - 82.1. Depressing. The numbers jumped all over the place, but 82.1 was the most frequent. And, scarily, one of the lowest.
I have re-tightened the diet, strictly 1000 calories even if I exercise. I really really need to lose some weight to motivate myself to keep going.
I plan to go to the gym 5 times a week.
Tim and the kids just went on a bike ride. I should have gone, maybe, but I have a freelance project due at the end of this week and I need to put some hours in. So I had better get to it.
Sad and tired and headachy. And fat.
On Thursday, as previously mentioned, I went to the movies and binged on twisties. That was my lunch. Then I had more easter bunny chocolate for afternoon tea. And an extra helping of spaghetti bolognaise at dinnertime. Then supper, with visitors; fudge, lollies and more chocolate. The next morning my weight was back up to 82.0kg. For once the scales refused to ossilate. That is half of what I had lost, back on in two days.
I went to the gym and did zumba. My history with zumba is that I encouraged my gym to put morning zumba classes on at the end of last year. They did (whether due to me or not I don't know), twice a week. I immediately hurt my shoulder and couldn't go to them. Last week I felt I could start going back to group classes. They instantly dropped the Monday class. Still one a week, on Friday, which I went to yesterday. At which they announced that they are turning it into a zumba toning class with weights. Which I can't use. So that totally sucked. Not a good day, yesterday.
Oh, and the gym scales also showed an increase. Up to 81.1 from 79.9 last time, which validates the change shown by my home scales.
This morning my weight was up a little bit higher - 82.1. Depressing. The numbers jumped all over the place, but 82.1 was the most frequent. And, scarily, one of the lowest.
I have re-tightened the diet, strictly 1000 calories even if I exercise. I really really need to lose some weight to motivate myself to keep going.
I plan to go to the gym 5 times a week.
Tim and the kids just went on a bike ride. I should have gone, maybe, but I have a freelance project due at the end of this week and I need to put some hours in. So I had better get to it.
Sad and tired and headachy. And fat.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Zumba
Today mostly went well. I weighed in this morning at 81.4kg, up a bit since yesterday but I have to expect random fluctuations. I don't like it, in truth, and hope I am down again tomorrow. I certainly did well yesterday with no reason for an increase, unless it was from Easter the day before that.
Anyway, went to the gym this morning (weighed in there 79.9kg, which is consistent with the differences between the two scales) and did Zumba! It was really enjoyable. I didn't wave my arms around too much, but I wiggled my hips and moved my feet. Good exercise, and fun too.
Then I had a good day, nutrition-wise, until this evening when I had a bit of a binge on bread (1 slice) and chocolate (quite a bit) which I haven't added up yet but which will surely take me over even my exercise-included calories for the day. Oh well, I am not perfect, and tomorrow is a new day.
I was looking around the gym class this morning glad to be me. Yes, many of those women are thinner, fitter, and/or younger than me: but some can't dance and some are gangly and even the perfect-looking ones don't have my life. So, overall, it is good to be me.
Anyway, went to the gym this morning (weighed in there 79.9kg, which is consistent with the differences between the two scales) and did Zumba! It was really enjoyable. I didn't wave my arms around too much, but I wiggled my hips and moved my feet. Good exercise, and fun too.
Then I had a good day, nutrition-wise, until this evening when I had a bit of a binge on bread (1 slice) and chocolate (quite a bit) which I haven't added up yet but which will surely take me over even my exercise-included calories for the day. Oh well, I am not perfect, and tomorrow is a new day.
I was looking around the gym class this morning glad to be me. Yes, many of those women are thinner, fitter, and/or younger than me: but some can't dance and some are gangly and even the perfect-looking ones don't have my life. So, overall, it is good to be me.
-photo copyright anujraj
Monday, November 8, 2010
W20 D3 - discouraged
I really don't like writing here at the moment, I feel it is full of excuses and fails and no progress. But here we go:
I went to Zumba on Friday and it seemed a lot better than the first time I tried it, weeks ago. It was very new then, and Friday's instructor was much more experienced. I am as unfit as I have ever been, with my current weight and no exercise for weeks, so I found it exhausting but enjoyed it.
Sunday, my next scheduled class, was skipped because of PMS. And I slept in.
Then on Monday, I forgot to book Aiden into creche and it was full so I couldn't go even though I was in my gear and everything.
My plan was to exercise Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun, so tomorrow would be next but it is my turn to be the parent helper at Aiden's early pre-school. So I should have walked today. But it was raining. Well, it had rained all night, and looked threatening... But more importantly I started coughing up phlegm this morning and I feel pretty bleurg. I refuse to get sick AGAIN damnit. Too late.
I went to Zumba on Friday and it seemed a lot better than the first time I tried it, weeks ago. It was very new then, and Friday's instructor was much more experienced. I am as unfit as I have ever been, with my current weight and no exercise for weeks, so I found it exhausting but enjoyed it.
Sunday, my next scheduled class, was skipped because of PMS. And I slept in.
Then on Monday, I forgot to book Aiden into creche and it was full so I couldn't go even though I was in my gear and everything.
My plan was to exercise Mon/Wed/Fri/Sun, so tomorrow would be next but it is my turn to be the parent helper at Aiden's early pre-school. So I should have walked today. But it was raining. Well, it had rained all night, and looked threatening... But more importantly I started coughing up phlegm this morning and I feel pretty bleurg. I refuse to get sick AGAIN damnit. Too late.
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