Left, Right, Left...Attention!

I mentioned in my last post that I would provide some commentary on the other component of my workout changes. Strength conditioning. I've NEVER enjoyed this part of the process, but I'm trying to have an appreciation for it. I know that if I build up my muscle, workouts will yield a higher calorie burn.

Let's be honest, a gym full of sweaty, athletic people is not my scene. So, I choose to do my running at my parents on the treadmill and strength training at home. That way, I'm not as self-conscious (although no one in the gym would care) and can grunt and cry when I need to!

Bluefin is the creator of the Ease into 5K app and I loved it, so I decided to check out their Boot Camp app. Well, it's not my favorite;to be fair, I know that I've given it much of a chance. The word that comes to mind when I think of it would be cumbersome.

Every time I'd start it up, I would feel anxious, like I didn't know what I was doing and couldn't really tell how to do some of the exercises. The program does offer a tutorial to see how to do each exercise, but some of them did not make sense to me.

On a walk, I explained this situation to two of my friends who have been really awesome at turning their lives around with healthy eating and exercise habits that are performed with diligence and perseverance. They both have been using the Nike Training Club app (which was free!) and feel that it is a great workout.

Just the display itself is nicer and the exercises show an actual person doing them, so I can visually interpret how to move my own body. I have yet to try it. Tomorrow I'll start it out!

Here is an example of the display:

In other news:
I also purchased the Bridge to 10K app. My goal is to redo the 5K program, but at faster speeds and then to move into the 10K program. We shall see. I'm on week 7 of the 8-week program.

Photos courtesy of:
facebook.com

adorninc.wordpress.com

Easin' Down the Road...or Treadmill!

As I mentioned in my last post, I've gotten back onto the workout train. Earlier this year, I was using The Biggest Loser for Kinect in addition to early morning walks. I was very committed and definitely saw results. It felt great. Overall, it pushed me to consistently work harder than I have in probably 4-5 years. I liked that it made me accountable.

I stopped using it due to life getting crazy. At this point, I could pick it back up. There are two beefs I have with this program. The first being that it couldn't always read my movements; therefore, not counting reps or calorie burn. Due to the size of our living room, I can't necessarily blame the program. Perhaps it's because we don't have adequate space between the workout space and the sensor. The second reason being that it doesn't allow you, or at least I can't find how, to customize the calendar. It sets the workout calendar for you; if you miss the day, it won't let you make up the workout, it just counts it against you. This was difficult because there would be nights that I would end up having to stay late at school and could have made it up the next day, but it doesn't let you!

So, when I picked this consistently-working-out stuff back up after a few month hiatus, I wanted something different. After a rough attempt at running with my girlfriends, the Ease into 5K app was a suggestion offered for getting into running in a manageable way. So, I checked it out.

I love it! It motivates me and does literally ease you into running. I started with running outdoors. This is tough for me, as I am a terrible pacer. In addition to having no way of pacing myself,  I don't have anything to gauge my speed.

*Enter my old digs*

My parents have a treadmill in their basement that I used to use often. I asked if they wouldn't mind if I use it every other day or so to workout. They were happy to oblige and I was lucky to not have to pay them a membership fee! My brother Joe is also on a workout plan so he and I often have to coordinate who is using it when...which in its own way is motivating. It's just nice knowing that both of us are working hard at running.

One of the things I'm most proud about is that I have not "quit". I have it in my calendar to make sure I do it! And I do. This is the first time I've felt really out to prove something to myself. It's been a long time! I don't end a run early. I don't every walk unless I'm supposed to be walking. I push myself. I like seeing if I can handle increasing my speed by a tenth with each run. I was up to 6.5 mph for the running portion and 4.5 mph for the walking; and although I thought I would die often, I made it through! Keep in mind though I was only running about 5 minutes at a time.

This week I surprised myself. I had my first 9 minute stint, followed with shorter bursts of walking and running. I sailed through it and felt great. I brought my speed back to 6.0 mph and am glad I did.

Today's workout starts Week 6 of the program. It's a 9 min run, 3 min walk, 9 min run and I'm scared, but determined. I can't wait to see how it goes!

I even considered, the other day, purchasing the Bridge into 5K. The other thought I had was to repeat the whole Ease into 5K but trying them all at faster speeds. Either way, it's got me thinking about keep on keeping on!

Thanks for the recommendation, Stef!

Up next: A few thoughts on the Boot Camp app

Oh, the plateau!

Isn't this Colorado plateau a gorgeous sight? The curves and colors make it so unique; it is breathtaking. Also breathtaking is my plateau. This one isn't causing a sharp intake of breath because of its grandeur so much as it's frustrating!

So, since late December I've been working at my weight loss journey. It's definitely mimicked the peaks and valleys of the plateau shown above. In the last few weeks, I've been really diligent about tracking my food (watching, especially, the amount of fat, protein, and carbs), doing something exercise-oriented at least 6 of the 7 days, and trying to catch up on sleep.

All of these are challenging for me. I am trying to make good decisions every day and weigh my choices when it comes to food and why I'm eating it. I've been trying to keep more active ~ even did some squats in the grocery store while waiting for Steve in one of the aisles (I realize that's a little weird...but I was  bored and the urge hit me!). We are eating healthier than we were, being very mindful of balancing our meals. I have cut back on Diet Coke and am trying to boost my water intake drastically. I am also trying to drink water or chew gum when I have a sugar craving, because I have a TERRIBLE sweet tooth that just will not die. and I don't want to hate my eating plan, so won't completely cut sweets out of my diet but rather find healthier substitutes than what I would normally eat.

I started the Ease into 5K and Boot Camp programs and am sticking to them pretty seriously...but more on that later. I can say that I've been giving them my all, especially with the running. It's not easy, but I've surprised myself, especially since it's been over 4 years since I've run consistently.

Sleep has always been a tough one. I often sleep around 6 hours or less, getting up at least once in the middle of the night. It's rarely restful sleep, which always causes a problem for energy. This summer, I've been heading to bed a little earlier and shooting for a solid 7 to 8 hours. I still wake up in the middle of the night, but not as much as I was during the school year.

Anyhow, I feel like I'm stuck. I just can't seem to get below 145.5. I know that I'm building muscle...to some degree I can feel it, but at the same time, I feel stuck. I am working harder at this than I have in years, and it's not changing. From Dec - Feb, I lost 14 pounds, then fluctuated a bit, and am now STUCK. A few people have commented on how they can see a change, which of course is  motivating, but I have yet to really see it or feel it. I would think 16 pounds shed would make a huge difference!

The other part of it is mental conditioning. I still think I look fat, so then start to wonder if I have a completely skewed vision of myself. Did I think I look better than I did? I've lost weight and still look big, so what did I look like before this and how did I not see it? How does an extra 30 pounds happen in 3 years and you don't realize/notice it?!? Are people embarrassed of me? Will I always feel uncomfortable when friends/family see their own personal weight loss successes while I'm seeing little to none? Will I always be a bit jealous/resentful that I'm not as successful? When does the comparing stop?

I know many people say things to try to make it easier to deal with. "Steve will love you no matter what size you are" or sentiments similar to that, but it really comes down to Can I love myself regardless of my size and shape? I don't know; sometimes it's hard in a visual/media-driven world! I'm trying though...

I guess my question is how do you persevere through a plateau? How do you push through the barrier of stagnation in a weight loss journey?

Any advice, words of wisdom, suggestions?

Picture courtesy of: National Geographic