Got my run in at least

Yesterday I headed to the gym to take the drop-in TRX class. I haven't done TRX since last summer and I was really looking forward to it. The Y now offers a drop-in class Tuesdays at noon and since I don't work on Tuesdays, I thought it was the perfect time to add it back in.

I got there about ten of twelve and entered the parking lot. Then drove around for 10 minutes looking for a space. My gym has a small parking lot, but this is the first time I could not get a space. I got so frustrated I left. I came home. It was noon and I was missing the class I went for anyway.

After arriving home, I told hubby I was going for a run, want to come? He agreed, so we headed off for a 2 mile run each. It was a tad bit chilly at 12*. Eep! We headed off on our own runs and the sidewalks were about the same as Mt. Wolf. Eh. It's a bad winter, whacha gonna do?

And you know what? I rocked my run! A nice negative split from first mile to second and I cut one minute and 18 seconds off my two mile time from last Monday! Oh hello! I was pretty happy with that. I know I won't see this type of improvement every week, but damn it felt good today!

So, even though I didn't get my TRX class in today (must find a way to get parking space next week!), I did get in an awesome run.

Have you been running outside in the cold? How do you stay warm?

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40 Pound Challenge Week 3

Here we are at week 3 of my 40 pound challenge! Wow. In general, I had a good week. I was did my best to stick to my weekly goals, I know I wasn't 100% successful, but I sure did better than I had been. Apparently, just having those goals written down helped. Learn something new. :-) Here are the weekly goals overall:

increase my protein levels (approximately 79 g per day) 

eat approximately 1500 cals per day 

work out 3-4 days a week

 Day 14/ June 25, 2013

* Just under in calories (-175)

* Just under in protein (-8)

* Upper body workout

* 35 minute stationary bike (7.5 miles): 477 calories

Day 15/June 26, 2013

* Just under in calories (-158)

* Under in protein (-21)

* 30 minute TRX: 250 calories

* 30 minute stationary bike (6.3 miles): 450 calories

Day 16/June 27, 2013

* Over in calories (+330)

* Under in protein (-20)

* No workout

Day 17/June 28, 2013

* Over in calories (+761)

* Unsure of protein 

* No workout

Day 18/June 29, 2013

* Official splurge day

* 30 minute upper body workout

* 60 minute stationary bike

Day 19/June 30, 2013

* Unsure of calories, but believe approximately within calories (went out to eat last minute)

* Unsure of protein

* 2.5 mile run

Day 20/July 1, 2013

* Just under in calories (-17)

* Under in protein (-22)

* 30 minute TRX: 250

* 35 minute stationary bike (7.6  miles): 477

This morning got on the scale and somehow I was down...by quite a bit. This week, down by 3, for a total of 7.2. That's more than I anticipated. I suppose keeping track of what I ate, even if I didn't stay completely on track was helpful. Amazing. So, did I follow-through on my weekly goals?

1.  KEEP FOOD/EXERCISE JOURNAL EVERY DAY - Yes, even if I didn't know the calories I still wrote everything down. I could at least do that.

2. Be at 1500 calories 6 out of 7 days. - No. There were two days I was over. Though I was under a few days, so maybe that's what evened things out overall?

3. Reach 79 g of protein 2 out of 7 days. (In two weeks, I've done this once) - Only close once. Seriously. This is frustrating. Do I need to eat a can of tuna every day???

4. Workout 4 out of 7 days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday) - Success! I actually worked out 5 days rather than 4. Go me! Pretty happy about that.

5. Reach the next 10 pound weight range. - Woot! Made it! Very excited about this! Now to get to the next 10 pound range! (Don't worry, I know it won't be next week. But, positive thinking, right?)

Since those weekly goals worked so well, let's do them again! :-)

1.  KEEP FOOD/EXERCISE JOURNAL EVERY DAY

2. Be at 1500 calories 6 out of 7 days.

3. Reach 70 g of protein 3 days out of 7 days

4. Workout 4 our of 7 days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, Monday)

5. Lose weight.

Alright. I had a great week in Week 3. Hoping Week 4 is just as great!!

 

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What was I thinking???

This is my YMCA TRX class space. I workout allllllllll the way in the back left.

Well, my TRX classes end soon. I think next week, but not sure. We missed a Monday for Memorial Day and I think we're making it up. Not sure. But, tonight I stopped off at the front desk and (gulp) signed up for the next 6 weeks of TRX classes. I'll miss one due to a trip to AC, but eh. It's summer. Can't make em all.

But, I've discovered I really like it. I'm not buff (yet), but I do think my arms have better definition than they did. They're still a bit flabby, but that's diet. Trying to get that under control now. One of the girls in the class believes she can see a difference in her abs. Sadly, I cannot. :-( But, as I said, that's partly from my diet issues.

The thing that surprises me most is that A. I haven't fallen! I swore at some point I would get tangled in those cords and either fall doing what the gentleman above is doing or I'd do something stupid with my feet in the straps.and fall on my face. So far, so good! B. That I'm getting better! I know that sounds stupid, but I honestly wasn't sure I would see a difference in my ability in just 6 weeks. But, I have! I have issues doing things that I have to lower myself using my arms (i.e. push-ups). While I'm not great at them, I have noticed the exercises where we lower ourselves downward have gotten easier. I can actually bring my head all the way down to the handles now, whereas when I started I could barely get to my elbows. Improvement!

So, another 6 weeks of TRX. Hopefully this session will coincide with a better diet and we'll see some weight loss as well as muscle definition!

What classes are you taking? Are you moving indoors to classes now that the weather is warming up?


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TRX journey started last night

East Shore YMCA TRX room

Tonight was night one of my TRX classes. I signed up because it looked interesting and I need something to challenge me. When the West Shore Y started offering them, I remember telling my trainer that I could never do that, I don't have the balance. Amazing what a year can do for one's attitude.

So, after helping arrange someone to go to tonight's Oriole's game tonight with hubby (kinda forgot we had tix), I arrived at the gym and made my way to the studio. Set myself up there in the back left corner, so I wasn't totally visible from the front door, and got ready. We started out with some stretching that kinda got the heart pumping more than I anticipated. LOL! 

Since it was the first class, we did the very basics and wow, could feel it immediately! I felt good about myself because I wasn't the only one who struggled a bit with it. You could hear people in the room breathing hard, grunting, and kinda laughing. I tend to laugh when I can't do something and it seemed like I wasn't the only one who does this. 

After the class, I could already feel the soreness in my quads. I walked down to the ladies locker room saying to myself, don't fall down the steps and land on the nice lady in front of you. LOL! I didn't. 

I then managed to walk back upstairs (4 flights of stairs) to the fitness center. I somehow managed to run my interval routine. That first mile of running almost brought me to my knees! My quads were just not happy. I got through that mile and each running mile after felt easier. Hopefully that means I ran out some of the soreness setting in from TRX. If you're interested, here's my interval routine. Going to change it next time, move up the speed.

30:00-29:00 ~ Run 5.4

29:00-28:00 ~ WALK 3.5

28:00-27:00 ~ WALK 3.5

27:00-26:00 ~ Run 5.4

26:00-25:00 ~ WALK 3.5

25:00-24:00 ~ WALK 3.5

24:00-23:00 ~ Run 5.4

23:00-22:00 ~ WALK 3.5

22:00-21:00 ~ WALK 3.5

21:00-20:00 ~ Run 5.4

20:00-19:00 ~ WALK 3.5

19:00-18:00 ~ WALK 3.5

18:00-17:00 ~ Run 5.6

17:00-16:00 ~ WALK 3.5

16:00-15:00 ~ WALK 3.5

15:00-14:00 ~ Run 5.6

14:00-13:00 ~ WALK 3.5

13:00-12:00 ~ WALK 3.5

12:00-11:00 ~ Run 5.6

11:00-10:00 ~ WALK 3.5

10:00-9:00 ~ WALK 3.5

9:00-8:00 ~ Run 5.8

8:00-7:00 ~ WALK 3.5

7:00-6:00 ~ WALK 3.5

6:00-5:00 ~ Run 5.8

5:00-4:00 ~ WALK 3.5

4:00-3:00 ~ WALK 3.5

3:00-2:00 ~ Run 5.8

2:00-1:00 ~ WALK 3.5

1:00-0:00 ~ WALK 3.5

I think it helped me on my 5k this past Sat. I felt like I was going faster throughout my race and my times reflected that. I'm happy to see such a noticeable difference so quickly. Makes me want to keep doing the above. I've got less than 2 weeks til Zooma. Gotta do whatever I can to be as ready as possible. I think I'll even keep at this routine come summer when I take a break. It's tough. It's challenging. It's making a difference.

Hoping I'll be able to walk today...

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TRX

I mentioned Monday I attended a TRX demo session at the gym. I spoke with the instructor and the head of classes about the program and how it works. I liked the demo and am signed up to do another one tonight at 5:00 p.m. I know the instructor for the class that will be offered on Monday/Wednesday night at 5:00 p.m. He's tough. Crazy tough.

But, I need a challenge. I know that sounds silly since I run half marathons, but I have decided to stop working out with my trainer. Ever since hubby and I started going together I feel as if I'm not part of the sessions. The trainer talks directly to him, asks whether he can do specific exercises, and friended him on FB. Sorry. This bothers me and I don't like it. So, after hubby can start working out again/running, I'm giving him my unused sessions.

Since I won't be working out with the trainer, I need something. I think TRX classes will fit the bill. Plus, the instructor in the Monday demo I went to said it will change your body. Well, since I am aiming to lose 40 pounds and tone up, I think that means I'm sold! It will not be easy and I will probably wonder what I was thinking during the first few classes, but I think in the end, it's probably what is going to help me get to where I want to be.

Tell me, have you done TRX? Any tips?


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Push yourself. Because no one else is going to do it for you.

Yup. Pretty much. Sure, you can have friends that encourage you. You can have a spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend who will be by your side. But, in the end the only person who can push you to eat healthy, get to sleep on time, go for that run, try something new is you. 

I know this and yet, I rely on others to get me moving. I had been doing training sessions at the gym, using the fact that I paid for sessions and someone was waiting for me to get there. Hubby and I have been going to the gym on Tuesday nights to weight lift and do a little cardio. I've been using him as a crutch to lift and go to the gym when I would rather sit home. 

On days when it comes down to me, I have a tendency to skip. When it comes down to going after work on either Wednesday or Thursday, I make excuses. I don't push myself to go. I'm too tired. I should clean. I need to do laundry. There's always something. 

It has to end. Today, I went to the gym for a TRX demo. In case you don't know what TRX is, it was "born in the Navy SEALs, Suspension Training body weight exercise develops strength, balance, flexibility and core stability simultaneously."

I liked it. The demo was only 15 minutes, but I liked it. It was challenging. I remember when the gym on the West Shore started offering classes. I told my trainer that I would totally fall over, I don't have the balance for that kinda workout! And yet, today I went in and pushed myself to check it out. And I believe I'll be signing up for the first 6 weeks of sessions (it's an additional fee to our gym membership).

Sometimes it's hard to push oneself. It's not easy doing something that can cause failure. I've never been the type of person who handles that well - failure. Ever since I was a child, I wouldn't do something until I knew I could do it without failing. I rolled, skipped crawling, then started walking. Yea. Who needs crawling? It's just in my nature not to look dumb by failing. Well, I'm going to try something and I may fail, but I pushed myself to get outside my comfort zone and challenge myself. Here's to pushing one's limits!

Do you need others to push you to your goals? Have you pushed yourself past your perceived boundaries? How did it go?


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