Lucky Sunday

Pausing between morning walk and errands to wish you all a happy Sunday!

I've had a good weekend. Yesterday, I returned to the scene of Friday's crime and worked out on the elliptical machine at the gym. It was soooo humid outside, plus I wanted to watch Property Ladder on TLC. :) I did 5k on the elliptical in about 32 minutes, which is a pretty good time for me. I also did some ab crunches on the ball. Decent workout day.

This morning I had an amazing walk! Not the time or distance, those were fairly sluggish, but the temp starting out was low 70s, the sun was shining, birds were singing--perfect walk setting. I walked a 5k in about 57 minutes. I think I did not allow enough time for my legs to recover from the elliptical yesterday. Oh well, it was a great walk anyway.

One thing I realized (yet again) as I walked is what a privilege it is to exercise. As much as we bitch about it, we're really lucky to have the capacity for it. So many people don't. And as I was obsessing (I can walk and obsess at the same time--I'm talented that way) about my saggy knee skin jiggling beneath the hem of my shorts, it occurred to me that there are probably more than a few amputees out there who would be thrilled to have my knees. Same with my sagging other parts. I'm damned lucky to have all my parts and never had to suffer the ravages of chemo/radiation or the pain of reconstructive surgery. Too many people didn't draw that card. So this morning I walked with purpose, a sense of obligation to do it for the people who can't and to acknowledge the gift of having all my working parts in tact, and while I walked, I remembered a proverb, or saying, I read many years ago:

I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.

I'm off to continue my day now, feeling stronger and blessed with so much good fortune that it's almost painful to bear. I wish for you the same, minus the pain. :)

Daredevil Fitness - The Results

I did it! I exercised in Manville in my spiffy sports tank, and this photo is proof.

It's also proof that I need to continue exercising regularly, especially that pesky midsection, but that's kind of the whole point. And finally, it's proof that I've come a long, long way.

There was almost no one in the gym for the duration of the workout. One guy was in Manville, and he was mostly watching TV. Every now and then he'd lumber over to a weight rack and lift a gazillion pound barbell a couple of times, then he'd go stand in front of the television again. I really don't understand the rationale behind that method, but lots of guys do it and what do I care anyway? It's only the ones who scream while they're lifting that bug me.

But thank goodness for ESPN and plasma tv's on every wall. My chubby bellied-sports tank and I were way under the radar.

I had a good workout that lasted about as long as the trainers' workouts with me. Not surprising, considering I patterned it after Trainer Kevin's workouts, which I enjoy immensely. The goal was a full body workout, and I think I got there. Mostly.

Here's what I did:
Warm up (straight from Kevin's workouts):
wall sit - 30 seconds
wall pushups - 12
body weight squats - 12
wall pushups (close hands) - 12
front-to-back lunges - 5 each leg

Then the workout (3 sets of each, with reps x weight, or count, listed)

Lunges with weights (split between static, front, and back lunges) - 10x10, 10x12.5, 8x12.5 (I tried 15 on the last bit, but...no.)
Shoulder presses - 12x12.5, 10x15, 10x15
Jumping Jacks - 30 each round

Rest 90 seconds (jumping jacks wear me out)

Squat Curls - 10x12.5 3 times
Lat Pull downs - 12 x25, 6.x40, 12x25 (there was nothing between 25 and 40, so I thought I'd give it a try. Too much.)
Incline Flys - 12x12.5 3 times

Rest two minutes, but I spent most of it walking around trying to find a pull-up place. I did!

Hanging leg raises - 8, 8, 10
Pull-ups - 8, 8, 10
One-arm rows - 10x20, 10x25, 8x30

Rest 90 seconds

Face pulls - 12x15, 12x20, 12x25 (double-handled rope on pulley, right up to the face, arms up high)
Situps on the ball - 20, 3 times

Some stretching, a bathroom break, more water, and then 11 minutes of elliptical.

And that was my workout. According to my heart rate monitor, I burned about the same number of calories as a trainer workout, so I was pleased. I felt tired, but I wasn't exhausted at the end. I think maybe I was a little too careful, but I definitely didn't want to try to blaze new trails my first time out. Survival was the biggest goal. :)

I'm also not sure about the mix of exercises, which ones it's better to group together. That was another reason I didn't want to push too hard: what if I had some toxic mix of chest and bicep exercises that would paralyze me or something? I'll show this to the trainers on Monday and see how they grade it. (I'm going with a B+ myself.) Your input is welcome as well.

Besides working 10 hours, that's how I spent my 4th. I hope you had a wonderful day!

Daredevil Fitness

Tomorrow is a Very Big Day for me. As I mentioned earlier this week, I have to build and execute my own strength workout. In the past when I've had to do this, I planned for a "make do" workout, just enough to satisfy the strength-training requirement. And that was fine. I'd be tempted to do the same this time, considering it's a holiday, but with my personal trainer sessions coming to an end, it's more important for me to know that I can do this on my own.

And I can, you know. :)

If that wasn't enough pressure, I'm raising the bar by
1) going to the gym for this workout
2) going to the weight area (a.k.a. Manville) of the gym
3) going to the weight area of the gym while wearing my sports tank, previously worn only in the privacy of my own home and once in the backyard (but never the front yard)

Ah, the drama! The angst! Surely this is enough stress to take my mind off the actual workout. :)

I hope you all have safe and healthy weekend!

A New Day

You know, it's very difficult to maintain a blue-sy demeanor with you people dropping by with such warm and genuine good wishes. Thank you. :)



Today is a new day, and yesterday was an okay day after all. As luck would have it, I ran into a mutual friend of the disappointing friend and I, and without bringing up the subject myself, still learned that I'm not the only one who has been put off by her behavior. Doesn't make it any easier, but it does eliminate that pesky What did I do? thing that hovers around my heart even when my head knows it's not about me.

Last night was a good workout: a new exercise (renegade rows--bascially, plank position with dumbbells in my hands that had to be alternately pulled up into my ribcage) and a new world record plank for me: 2 whole minutes!

After the workout, I worked in the yard for an hour: SweatFest '08. It's incredibly humid, but it feels so good to be able to do these normal things now. Before, my lower back started hurting at the slightest exertion, and simple things, like cleaning out a flower bed, took forever to finish. Today, I'm squatting and lunging and bending and lifting without a thought about my back or anything else. I love progress. :)

I worked until after dark, and the reward for all of that effort was the sight of dozens of lightning bugs flitting around my back yard. I sat on the patio for a while and just enjoyed them. It's hard to be blue watching lightning bugs, too.

I'll catch up with your worlds today, and I thank you again for making mine a whole lot brighter!

HYC Update Week 23

Happy Tuesday to all!

I was SO sure this would be a new bling week for me, but that blasted scale gave up a miserly 0.6 pounds, leaving me 0.2 lbs from 90! See, I *knew* I should've shaved my legs! (kidding, kidding. They're not that bad. ::shudder::)

Ah well, what are you gonna do? Cry about it?

Oh wait, tears have weight, don't they? Hmmm….Nah, they make me blotchy.

Big week for me this week on the fitness front. Friday is my one-year anniversary of working out with the Fitness Together folks (although I missed about two months of workouts for toe surgery and vacations) and we're going to do an assessment, the first one I've had since last September. (I'm holding onto a scant hope that there will also be cake to commemorate the occasion, but considering the look I got when I suggested it, I may have to wait until Cake Day, later this month.)

The assessment consists of a weigh-in, measurements of neck, shoulders, bust, waist, arms (upper and lower), hips, thighs and calves. Since my breasts are now located where my waist was and my waist slid down to the hip area, the results should be interesting. :)

Also in the assessment is a body fat reading, a resting heart rate and a post-cardio heart rate involving step-ups, push-ups, bench presses and a flexibility test. There might be other things I'm forgetting.

And an ultraslim possibility of cake.

Other than that, it will be another ordinary (and hot!) week for me. Hope you're all having a magnificent week! That's my wish for you, anyway.

Bike Riding with an Attitude

Simply put, I am a rock star.

If you'll remember, I was planning to ride 12 miles today. Well, I overshot my mark and rode 13.2 miles!

My legs are a quivering mass of jelly right now, but I'm hoping that's a temporary thing.

I'm proud of this ride (as if you couldn't tell), because I was really lost in some negativity at around the 3-mile mark. I was on what has to be the bumpiest road in Memphis, it seemed as though I was having to tackle one hill after another, and my legs were just dead. My mind was cycling through (hee-hee!) one put down after another. I'm never going to get the hang of this. I ought to be able to go faster. My flabby legs look ridiculous. All sorts of useful stuff like that. Over and over and over.

Finally, after a mile or so of that, I got sick of my own self, and got back on track with more helpful internal stuff. I'm not going to get better by NOT doing it. I couldn't go even this far on my first few rides. My legs may be flabby, but they're strong. Ah, much better.

Only two significant events occurred on today's ride, both rather marginal. The first was when I approached an intersection and encountered one of the bike packs that regularly ride the area on Sunday mornings. These are Serious Bikers. They even have jerseys and wear bike shorts and keep pace with traffic.

And then there's me. Riding along at a whopping 10 miles per hour, with my too-big Fitness Together t-shirt and my flabby (but strong!) legs. They all looked at me and then at each other, as if to say, "Who the hell is this person, riding in our territory."

Then the light changed and they rode off, thus avoiding a potentially ugly Jets and Sharks moment.

Something about the way they looked at me (or the way I perceived it, to be more correct) sparked a little energy fuse in me, and I had a new mantra for the remainder of the ride to breakfast: I belong here, too.

The only other item of note was that I passed a dead possum on the side of the road. (If only I'd gotten there sooner!) I'm proud to report that I can now add 'Riding a bike with eyes closed and holding breath for 1/10 mile ' to my biking skills resume. Yuk!

Nothing else of note to report. Oh, wait! I almost forgot! JCPenney! No tip jars, but the cashier certainly deserved a big tip. They were having some sort of "early-bird" sale, and she got me an extra 10% off my purchase. It helped a LOT because I bought a pair of workout shorts, two workout tops (sleeveless!), two pair of every day shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of pants. Pants and shorts were size 8's (!!!) and tops were all larges due to the flabby belly. (That's not a complaint: I started out in 2x and 3x. Large is a very good thing! *G*). I'm much more comfortable shopping in the "regular" section of the store now, feeling a lot less like an imposter than I did before. An NSV? I'll take it as one.

Is it lunchtime yet? That's the thing about a long ride. It takes a lot to fill up afterward. I'm off to do the countdown. I hope you all have a super Sunday!

~

An Epiphanette and Some Randomness

This doesn't quite qualify as a full-blown epiphany, but it is a damn fine idea, if I do say so myself. You know those cable ties used for organizing computer cables? You bought them but you never managed to get around to using them so they've just been cluttering up a drawer for the past four or five years? Oh, c'mon. I know I'm not the only one.

Anyway, did you know these cable ties are the perfect instrument for scrunching up t-shirt sleeves? Official sleeve scrunchies are around $5/pair, while cable ties can be found for as little as $1/dozen on Amazon.

Decluttering and new fitness apparel, all in one swoop. Some days I amaze even myself.

Continuing randomness...

Trainer Kevin is off in some bodybuilding contest this weekend, so Trainer Wayne pinch hit. Ouch. Dumbell Walking Lunges, Bulgarian lunges, and a whole host of other forms of torture. I loved it. :D Seriously, it was a great Friday night workout. Considering that my work schedule kept me from a proper workout on Wednesday night, I'm not going to complain too loudly. Well, except to Wayne.

More randomness: Today's DLM feed contained an interesting article: The 60-Second Guide to Healthy Living. Nothing new, but a nice checklist all the same.

Final randomness: Here's a new trend I'm noticing in local food-type places: tip jars at the cash register! ::scratches head:: I stood in line for 10 minutes, then waited the 2 minutes it took them to slide my sandwich down the veggie line, wrap it in paper and hand it to me across the counter. And for that they want a tip? Lest you think I'm sounding miserly, I promise I'm a generous tipper in full-service restaurants and other service venues (manicurist, hair stylist, etc.) I even double tip between Thanksgiving and Christmas! I just don't feel it necessary to tip for a 2-minute interaction in which the transactor moved a total of 3 feet. I'll admit I've given into it, to some degree, by dropping the coinage from the return cup into the tip jar at my favorite Subway (they start making my turkey sandwich when I drive up!), but I'm not all that happy about it as a general trend. And so help me, if there are tip jars at the cash register at JCPenney tomorrow, I'm going to 100% online shopping. I'll just have to learn to cook. ::shudder::

Well, I've zigged and zagged all over the place and made myself a little dizzy. I'm sure I've forgotten something along the way. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I hope yours is superb and that you have a most enjoyable weekend!

~

An Uneventful Bike Ride

The ten-mile bike ride was completed early this morning, and I'm pleased to report that my lifesaving skills were not required today.

I set out at 6:20 a.m. and arrived at McDonald's 20 minutes and 2.5 miles later. With the light Sunday morning traffic, I was even able to ride on some of the busier streets. Woo-hoo! After a breakfast of Strawberry Yogurt Parfait, I set off again and rambled through a couple of nearby subdivisions. A dog gave chase at one point, but I think he saw me as a playmate, as opposed to a snack.

The only other mildly interesting event occurred when I rode up on some sort of soccer tournament for the local Hispanic and Latino teams. The colors of the team uniforms were brilliant in the early morning sunlight. I rode through the soccer park watching the various warm-up routines, but no one needed my help, so I rode on. I finished my ride at 10.3 miles, officially, and felt good.

And hungry. Very, very hungry. I made a Target run (merely as a hunger distraction, you understand), but the situation didn't get any better. Apparently, yogurt is not enough for this chubby body when completing a 10-mile bike ride. So I had a second breakfast. Scrambled eggs and wheat toast. I was still hungry! Not just Oh this sounds good! kind of hungry, but stomach-growling I must have food!, kind of hungry. Fortunately, a friend called and distracted me with a good long conversation. And then it was lunchtime. Whew! :)

I'll have to figure out a different way to eat on mornings when I'm riding or walking longer routes. The goal is to extend the distance, but if it also extends the caloric requirement, then I need to know how to manage that. Sounds like a trainer question to me. Or maybe a question some of you might have answers for? Pretty please?

No painting yet, due to an excessively humid spell we're having, but I did pick up a gallon of paint to try. Maybe tonight after the threat of storms has passed. I've been working on other items on the Cammy-do list, primarily sweat-inducing (and swear-inducing) gardening. I've also worked in a pretty good nap.

Oh! Target! I meant to mention for you U.S. folks that Target has a sale on some workout wear. Lots of pretty colors in their sports-bra offerings. They've also got Luna Bars and Clif Bars for $5 per box for a slight savings. (I believe they offer most of the sales online as well as at stores.)

And that's the Cammy Report. Tomorrow is a 5-mile ride early and a workout with the trainer late in the day. In between...who knows?

Hope your weekends are fun and eventful (the good kind of eventful, that is.)

~

On Tap for this Weekend

Happy Memorial Day!

My Cammy-Do list for the weekend is several pages long, and it's getting off to a s-l-o-w start. My legs are just about done in from tonight's exericse. I think I'll do a lot of "sitting and sorting" projects tonight. :)

If I may brag just a moment, I not only walked for 30 minutes after lunging and squatting and leg-curling and mountain climbing and planking for 45 minutes, but I also challenged myself to climb these steps near the end of the walk. I'm glad I did because it turned out they weren't that bad--just steep. :)

As I mentioned, lots to do this weekend: gardening tomorrow, mostly cleaning out weeds and such. Tomorrow afternoon I'll try to work in a walk, depending on how the gardening and a couple of other projects go. If I can't fit the walk in, I'll be more than glad to count several hours of vigorous yard work as my Daily Do.

On Sunday, I hope to start the day with a 10-mile bike ride. I also hope to primer and paint one bedroom wall to make sure I like the color once it dries. (Lessons learned) And maybe while the paint dries, I can finally replace my ratty mailbox. Hmm, now that I think about it, a coat of paint for it would be a good thing too.

Monday's exercise will be with the trainer and probably the same park I went to tonight. If the Sunday painting happens, I'll continue that project on Monday. Plus, as always, there's laundry and such to be completed.

I kind of wish I hadn't typed all that out. I feel myself fading already! Uh-oh, this calls for a motivation/reward plan, and I think I'll use reading your blogs during my rest breaks as a reward! That will inspire me!

Now I jut have to figure out how to keep myself from just sitting here and doing that all day long anyway. :)

A safe and happy Memorial Day to all!

~

I Saved a Life Today

I wish I could find my Lifeblood button that has that saying on it. I'd put it on and wear it for all the world to see. Everyone in my subdivision, anyway.

On my bike ride this morning, I passed an apartment complex with one of those man-made "lagoons" (because, you know, Memphis is noted for its lagoons), and what should I see easing down the curb lane?

A turtle!

This isn't the actual critter, but it looked something like this one. It was about a foot long with its head extended and about 8-10 inches across. And it was crawling down the street! And not facing traffic, either.

Now, I'm not a wildlife kind of girl, particularly when the life is of the reptilian persuasion. (Turtles are reptiles, aren't they?) No matter. It had a scaly look about it, and that's enough for me. Besides, I don't know nuthin' 'bout pickin' up no turtles, and I was afraid I'd hurt it.

The goofy creature kept trying to crawl into the street, so lacking a better idea, I got off my bike and rolled it along between the turtle and the street, trying to keep him close to the curb and all the while trying to flag someone down as they blew by me in their gas-guzzlers. It was scary times, lemme tell you. Memphis isn't known for it's kindness to cyclists. I suspect turtles would fare even worse!

There was about 10 feet between us and the "lagoon", which I assumed was his home. I couldn't find a break in the curb anywhere that I might corral him through (turtle wrangling not being one of my strong suits), and I could only hope that someone would come along who would help.

The turtle and I reached the entrance to the apartment complex and asked two gangsta types lounging at the gate if they could help us. (I did most of the talking.) Sunday a.m. business being slow, they crossed the street to take a look, but like me, they were skittish about picking it up. Before they left, the guys confirmed my earlier suspicions about the life expectancy of the turtle by reporting (in vivid and colorful detail, thanks so much) that an even bigger turtle had been obliterated on a nearby cross street.

Pokey and I continued our torturous journey, he having some apparent destination in mind. Or so I thought. After a while, he stopped and stuck his head up, gazing longingly (it seemed to me) at the water.

And then a miracle happened! A car stopped in the turn lane and the driver asked what was up. I explained that I was just out taking my turtle for a walk, which he totally "got" as a joke and laughed.

I'll pause here to report that this guy was very handsome. Think young Denzel with a brilliant smile. I seriously regretted not taking the time to put my contacts in or a dash of makeup. Oh well, considering the approximate 25-year gap in our ages, it probably wouldn't have made a difference.

Back to the story: Denzel got out of his car and walked over to survey the scene up close. He didn't want to pick up the turtle either. I observed that if he had a cardboard box or even a piece of cardboard, we could maybe build the turtle a ramp to get over the curb. Denzel looked at me funny and started backing his way to his car. I was considering begging him not to abandon us, when he returned with a floor mat from his car! My hero! I mean, Pokey's hero!

We managed to scoot the mat under the turtle and carry it to safety. The ungrateful lout paid us back by peeing all over Denzel's floor mat and, since that was my end, my hand. Eeewwwww! Turtle pee!

With a smile and a wave, Denzel was on his way with my profuse thanks on Pokey's behalf, but alas, without my phone number. :( When he was gone, I pushed my bike alongside Pokey, much like we'd been doing on the street, as he made his way to the water's edge and dove in.

Dumbass landed on his back and had to thrash around a bit to right himself. I was NOT going in that "lagoon" after him. I suspect he's not long for this world. Poor Pokey.

What I learned from all this (other than to wear sunscreen for even the shortest of rides) is that I need to be better prepared on these excursions. I needed my cellphone to call Animal Control and ask how to pick up a turtle, and a towel would have been useful in place of Denzel's floor mat.
I could've also used a brick or two to toss through windshields of passing motorists and some disinfecting wipes (refer to turtle pee section). To that end, I think my 90-lb. reward will be a rack pack for my bicycle. Sure, I can use it for groceries and such, but it will also contain a Turtle Rescue Kit, just in case.

The rest of the ride was boring uneventful, but I cut it short at 30 minutes. Too much excitement in one day, you know. It's not every day you can get your cardio in and save a life.

And have a turtle pee on your hand. ::shudder::


How sad is it that I'm blogging this? :)

Not as sad as Monday staring us in the face. Have a happy one, everyone! And don't forget tomorrow is Makeover Monday. Something a little more serious on tap for this week.

~

Danger in the House

I've done it now! I just came back from the grocery store where I purchased lots and lots of fruits and veggies...and a full-size package of Guiltless Gourmet All-Natural Corn Tortilla Chips! Not a snack-size suitable for one serving only, but an huuuge 7-oz. bag! I plan to combine lots of romaine lettuce with 1/3-1/2 serving of chips, a cup of Amy's Vegetarian Chili , and a sprinkling of low-fat cheese for a taco salad, of sorts. Oh, and possibly some Rotel tomatoes, if needed.

You know what this means, don't you? Well, don't you? This means that after two nights, I will have five or more servings of chips left idle in the cupboard. Open chips! Me, separated from the clutches of sublime crunchiness by a flimsy plastic chip clip. These will be treacherous days ahead.

::tremble::

Okay, not really. If the chips prove troublesome, I'll put them on the kitchen counter at work and they'll disappear in minutes. It's just much more dramatic this way. :)

In other news, I bent to the pressure of Irish Mom, DaDiva's Street, and Diet Book and joined the Woman Challenge. Since I'm already exercising six days a week, this doesn't require anything extra, other than a need to log my time. We're doing something similar to this at work for the next six weeks, so why not. I logged 45 minutes of walking today.

And finally, a reminder: tomorrow is the second installment of Makeover Monday. This week, the focus will be on a part of the body. Well, I guess it's really two parts.

How's that for tantalizing? LOL Stay tuned. :)

Have a nice week everyone!

~

In Lieu of Anything Intersting

How much did I enjoy reading your blog name origins?!! There's not a word for it. "Immensely" will have to do, I suppose. You all are a delightful mishmash of creative, thoughtful, practical, fun, and funny people!

So what did I do today? Well-l-l, after I read to Wally (I still need to explain that someday), I went to Macy's to pick up my Mother's Day gift for Mom. She's getting a lovely sterling necklace and a gift pack from Lush. (Note: I bought nothing for myself.)

Then it was off to lunch. To save your neck, I'll tell you that this is Holiday Ham & Deli, a.k.a. The Cake Place.

This, as you can see, is NOT cake. It's their tuna salad plate with tomatoes instead of cottage cheese. That's a paltry scoop of tuna, but considering they use real mayo, I didn't complain. Plus, it was, you know, enough. I won't be getting it again, though, as it's a little pricey for the serving.

And then there was cake. Strawberry Cake, to be precise.

I made a new rule during the Cake Choice Finals: Cake Day must be observed outdoors! There's no really good reason for this decision, other than it was a pretty day, although I suppose it will also help when I declare Cake Day Hiatus from mid-November through the end of the year.

But that's then and this is now. I just wanted to be outside today, so off I went to find a park with available tables, which was difficult on such a pretty day. It took me three tries, but I did and the cake was delicious!

I just don't want anything sweet for a while. :)

After lunch was a bike ride, the longest one yet: 10 miles! The first mile was the toughest, but some of the hills were a bit of a strain. It took me about an hour to ride it, with the only breaks being a brief stop to re-insert earphone and another to pick up some sunglasses that were in the middle of the road. (If you're looking for lost sunglasses in the Memphis suburbs, I put them on the curb on the west side of the road.)

And then what? Oh, a trip to the thrift store (nada!) and then to Barnes & Noble to pick up a book for my grandmother's Mother's Day gift and two books for myself. And then dinner and then home.

Now, wasn't that fascinating?! LOL I truly do hope your day was significantly more interesting, though I suspect it couldn't have been anymore enjoyable than the one I had.

Plus, I just noticed I've already accumulated 220 more points toward the next Cake Day!



~

Rolling Along

My bike and I went to lunch today. Nowhere fancy, just Subway. Not the Subway across the street, mind you, but the one 3.5 miles away. My bike and I found every single hill between here and there, hills that I would swear aren't there when I drive down the same streets in my car. What a workout! Seven miles later, my legs were screaming. And that was with a break for lunch.

Wanting to spend as little time as possible on busy roads, I mapped a meandering route through various subdivisions. I get really nervous (and unsteady) when I hear a car approaching from behind and riding on less-traveled roads seemed the way to go. Even so, I had to hit a major thoroughfare for about 50 yards. It was the fastest I've pedaled yet! Fortunately for me, no cars passed me for the duration.

I also completed the second day of my Exercise Challenge. We voted to work on core this month, and my core appreciates it. Since this is in addition to my 3-a-week workouts with the trainer, I'm starting out sort of easy. Today I did 4 30-second planks and one for a full minute, 3 sets of 15 bridge lifts, 3 sets of 10 reverse crunches, and 3 sets of 15 regular crunches. Add that in to the 50 minute bike ride and I came up with 60 minutes of exercise today. That pushes me over the 2500 minute mark for exercise again and you know what that means: Cake Day!

Tomorrow I have to work late so I'll miss my workout with the trainer. I'll also miss my weigh-in, so I'll have to wait for Wednesday to see if I squeezed any mercy from the scale this week. If I get off work in time, I'm going for a walk around the neighborhood. I have a pretty decent 3-mile walk mapped out. I wonder how many surprise hills it has. I'm not going to try any strength training without the trainer. I'm having a little bit of knee pain and some slight swelling, so I think it might be wise to leave the squats and lunges alone for the time being. I'll do another core workout instead.

I hope you all have a happy, healthy week!

~

Weekend To-Do List

I love making lists. It helps me identify what needs to be done and develop a plan for accomplishing it. Pity making lists doesn't actually do the accomplishing part, because that's where I seem to have trouble.



I've always liked the quote: "Like actions create like results." It's true, and sometimes desirable, but not this weekend when I need to get quite a few things done. So I think I'll pull out the old fitness blogger trick of stating my goals and commitments and then checking back in on Sunday evening with results.



Friday evening:
1. Workout with trainer (complete)
2. Laundry (in progress)
3. Check cabinets & fridge; Make grocery list



Saturday
1. Attend church rummage sale.
2. Exercise p.m.: gym, cardio 30 minutes
3. Grocery store
4. Dillard's (tax free weekend)
5. Bike search (two stores)
6. Clean off patio
7. Clean out storage room
8. Grout shower
9. tape off master bedroom for painting
10. Measure mailbox for replacement
11. Write 1 page of fiction


Sunday
1. Exercise a.m.: gym, cardio (5k on elliptical)
2. Home Depot or Lowe's for primer and new mailbox
3. Replace mailbox
4. Pay bills
5. Prepare 4 sets of workout clothes for following week
6. Prepare 5 outfits for work
7. Vacuum back part of house
8. Write 1 page of fiction

There, that's competely do-able. If I find a bicycle to bring home with me, I may substitute the Saturday cardio with a bike ride.

Oh, and speaking of exercise, Swizzlepop is having a May Exercise Challenge. You might want to check it out.

Hope you all have a marvelous weekend!

Rest Day for Wimps

Today is my Cammy Doesn't Have to Exercise Day. And not a moment too soon! I thought about putting it off until Saturday, but my body said, "I don't think so."

For the first time in a while, I wimped out and couldn't finish all of my workout with the trainer last night. (I owe him a set of 40 mountain climbers and some makeup planks, because mine were pit-i-ful.) He said I wasn't a wimp, because we did a bunch of stuff including some sort of Hungarian or Romanian dead lifts, but I felt like a wimp. My arms just wouldn't hold me up after the first plank. Stupid arms.

In the post workout stretch and wimp/not-a-wimp discussion, we decided the likely culprit was my Tuesday night cardio workout. (I swear, it seemed like a good idea at the time.) I got it in my head to "elliptical" a 5K, since running hasn't worked out, and somewhere along the way I decided to try to do it in less than 35 minutes. I did (34.48), but I didn't realize that all that to-ing and fro-ing with the arms was a fairly intense workout in and of itself. Since I had just put those arms through a vigorous workout the day before, they really didn't need all that activity.
Add in last night's workout, and it's no wonder they wimped out. Poor tired arms.

So let this be a lesson to you! :) Rest days are important for building stamina. Don't get so caught up in challenging your new, fit self to scale greater heights that you forget to rest every now and then.

Have a great day!

~

Healthy Planet, Healthy Me

In honor of Earth Day this week (April 22, to be precise), I'm recycling a post from my old blog! These are just a few things those of us pursuing a healthier life can do along the way to make our world a little better.

1. Opt for filtered water over bottled water. In 2001, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reported that around 1.5 million tons of plastic are used each year to bottle 89 billion liters of water. Yes, we can recycle plastic containers, but do we really need to? How can we use our local water supply safely? Check out allaboutwater.org for all the info you can use about making your drinking water safe. (At minimum: why not commit to reusing half –or more—of the bottles you do consume?)


2. Eat less meat. Easy for a vegetarian, less so for those of us whose bodies like meat. But did you know that reducing our meat consumption (even by as little as 15%) would greatly reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, or stroke? Why, yes, you say, I do know that, but what’s it got to do with the environment? Some sources report that livestock production is responsible for up to 18% of greenhouse gases created by humans. Factor in the amount of water required and the number of forests destroyed in favor of grazing land, and you have even more reasons to reduce your consumption of meat. You can find more info at eatlessmeat.org (At minimum: try going meatless one day per week by following some of these great tips.)


3. Buy fewer packaged products. We need more fresh foods anyway. By shopping the outer aisles of most grocery stores (bakery, fruits/vegetables, dairy, meat), we’ll cut down on sodium and other chemicals, for one thing, and for another, we eliminate a lot of packaging that will likely end up in a landfill.


4. Buy organic and buy local, when possible. We avoid those messy chemicals used in production and the noxious fuel consumed in transportation. Oh, and don’t forget to get yourself some re-usable canvas grocery bags. Opt out on paper AND plastic.


5. Walk your errands every chance you get. I walked to the grocery store yesterday. It's only a few blocks away, and knowing I had to carry home what I bought kept the purchases to a minimum (bananas, apples, almonds, 20-oz. Diet Coke). I'm fortuante in that a pharmacy and dry cleaner are also close by, along with Subway, Starbucks, SmoothieKing and a couple of local restaurants. I'm looking forward to "walking for my supper" in the coming months.

6. Commit to carrying a sack and a pair of gloves on your walking route just one day per week. As you’re walking, pick up any trash you see and take it to your own garbage can/recycle bin. You’ll get extra exercise, your neighborhood will look better, and fewer items will be headed down the drain and into a local river or stream. I had actually planned to do this today, but when I was coming home from the grocery yesterday I noticed more people than usual out and about. Turns out it was "Neighborhood Clean-up Day", and I missed out. Still, I'll carry a small bag today, just in case they missed some stuff. :)

Those are just a handful of ways we can improve our environment as we improve ourselves. If you have more, I’d love to hear them.

Not a Creature Was Stirring...

Okay, so it's the wrong time of year, but that's the best way to describe the city of Memphis this mild, sunny Saturday afternoon at around 5:00 p.m. It looked like a ghost town.

Where were all the people? At home or in a bar somewhere, watching University of Memphis Tigers win their semi-final and earn their way to the NCAA basketball championships.

I watched the first half of the game from a deserted gym. Usually on a Saturday afternoon, there might be 20 or so people in the gym at that hour. Today there was one other guy, and he was watching the game, not exercising. Toward half-time, two other guys wandered in. Guess they weren't basketball fans. Or maybe they're transplants and could care less about the home team. I ignored them, to be safe.

On a personal note:
The Tigers weren't the only ones celebrating victory today. About halfway through my workout, I realized that I have defeated the elliptical machine. I think I've mentioned before that my first elliptical experience wasn't especially motivating. My legs were screaming at the two-minute mark, but I made myself go to five minutes just to save some semblance of dignity. Ten months later and I'm flying through a 45-minute workout without any trouble. Yes, I'm sweaty, jello-legged, and huffy-puffy at the end, but that's kind of the point. :)

I had a similar experience working with the trainer this week. Trainer Kevin made me do 80 push-ups in one 45-minute session. At my first PT session last June, I sort of did nine push-ups. I say "sort of" because they were really more elbow-creases than push-ups. But Wednesday night, I did 80 push-ups of various types, and I did most of them well. While I was rubbing my noodle-y arms, I took a moment to savor the victory, and perhaps gloat a little. (Apparently, the effort showed. Trainer Wayne asked after the workout, "Have you been swimming?" LOL I looked in the mirror and saw that my hair was wring-it-out wet.)

And a final victory, of sorts, occurred when I did my "Sneak Peak" Friday night weigh-in. It was not pretty. (If I'm going to have a 3-pound gain, I want the freaking 10,000 calories that go with it!) Probably just a freaky bounce, but definitely not rewarding. Still, as I was staring down at the ugly number, my immediate thought (after Oh, shit!) was that there just wasn't anything to be done about it. Eating more isn't going to help; neither is eating less. I eat what I eat to fuel my body. Sometimes I go a smidgen over my calorie target, but sometimes I go a smidgen under. It all averages out to what I think is the right number for what I'm doing. Anyway, I'm claiming victory in that my first reaction was to simply keep doing what I'm doing. An earlier version of me would've probably cried and/or headed for the Little Debbie aisle.

I hope you'll find a quiet moment or two to savor some of your victories this weekend. I'd love to read about them--here, or on your blog!

Cake Day and Other Ramblings

Today was Cake Day, the day I celebrate passing 2500 cardio minutes since the last cake.

It saddens me to report that I was not served a slab as shown in the picture. No, I received a mere slice. Sheesh, try to splurge and look what happens. I smell a conspiracy!

I noticed while I was eating this yummy delight that the experience was a lot like a workout with the trainers, fun for a while, but a little nauseating toward the end. :)

As it turns out, I think I'll be within my calorie count for the day, or close enough. Fat and carb counts are probably another story entirely.

I prepared for the big event by starting my morning at the gym, where I did 45 minutes on the elliptical. I'm really, really enjoying this interval training. I have no idea if it will show up on the scale, but it's showing up in my body already. I started out at level 5 today for the easy part, and upped it to 10 for the first two intervals. My heart rate was getting a little too far up there, so I decided to do 8 for the remaining intervals. Perfect for now.

Shopping was also on the agenda today. I've decided I deserve an iPhone for all my hard work *g*, and I went to the phone store to get the particulars. Since it's such a large purchase, I've imposed a mandatory 7-day waiting period for myself. I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one. For one thing, I need to have a phone at hand when I go the gym early, early on weekends. The gym is unattended during those hours and I'd feel a little better with a phone close by. My regular old cell phone is enough, I suppose, but then I have to carry my cell phone AND my MP3 player. :)

Plus, I just found out about hulu.com, where I can download movies and tv shows to an iPhone. The cardio equipment at the gym has plug-ins for displaying your video on the HDTVs. Buying an iPhone for these purposes may seem a bit (hah!) excessive, but there's not a lot on television at 5:30 a.m. except informercials, fishing shows, and farm reports.

Another benefit to the iPhone is internet access. I could blogcast my workout! LOL No, it wouldn't be the same if you couldn't see the sweat and hear my wheezing.

I also shopped for (and found) something green to wear tomorrow. This having no clothes to wear is starting to get old, but I'm still leery of buying too much too soon. It really was an eye opener to have to give away all those clothes last month. Not to mention I've got an expensive movie internet phone to pay for. LOL

And that was the bulk of my Sunday. I did manage to do some de-cluttering and now I'm hoping to write for a while.

I hope you all had a marvelous day!

~

Gym Bags for the Novice

I received an emergency call from a friend yesterday morning. Early yesterday morning. It seems she has access to a gym at work and is considering actually using it. What she wanted from me was some tips on what to pack in her gym bag. While we were talking, she suggested that I blog the topic because there might be other rookies who area experiencing some angst over the issue, and since I'm now two-and-a-half months into my own gym membership, I feel moderately qualified to discuss the subject.

There are three possible scenarios in my exercise world: 1) working out at the training studio, 2) working out at the gym, version 1 (after work) , and 3) working out at the gym, version 2 (weekends), and each requires a different bag content.

For working out with the trainer, my gym bag will contain the following:
1) sneakers
2) socks
3) excercise pants
4) t-shirt
5) sports bra
6) deodorant(before) & body mist (after)
7) hair clips and stretchies
8) protein bar (I like Luna Bars or Clif Bars)
9) MP3 player and earphones

The training studio supplies a towel and cool water. There's a shower there, should I need it, but since I work out in the evening, I take care of that at home.

For the gym, version 1, used when I stop at the gym on my way home from work, I carry the same items as the training bag, but I add my heart rate monitor, a couple of hand towels (one for me, one for the equipment--tip: use two different colors to remember which one is which) and sanitizing wipes. I haven't had much use for the wipes yet, since I've stuck mainly to cardio, but if I need to use the other equipment, they're nice to have on hand. I also make sure I have a dollar for a bottle of water.

Gym bag, version 2, is used when I go to the gym from home. Since the gym is around the corner from my house, I can dress at home before I leave, and go back home to shower when I'm done. On those days, all I carry into the gym is my water and my MP3 player. Oh, and my gym pass, but it's on my key ring, so I don't have to remember to pack it.

If I ever needed to shower at the gym to re-enter polite society, I'd add a couple of towels, some flips flops, and my travel toiletries bag with soap, shampoo, etc. I would also include a couple of plastic bags for damp things. Then, of course, I'd have to also write myself a note to remember to carry the damp bags into the house so I didn't wind up with a mildewed car.

As I said, these rambling inventories are based on my vast two-and-a-half month experience as a Gym Bunny in Training, and the fact that the gym is so close to my home does make a difference in what I need to pack. I'm sure there are things I'm missing, and I'm trusting others to fill in the gaps.

Then there will be NO GOOD REASON for my friend to avoid the gym. :)