Inventory

Class with Bobbi yesterday. 'Twas a good one. Serious ab work - I couldn't make it through.

This mornings inventory: legs sore from back of knees to top of butt (awesome); abs not as sore as I expected, considering how quickly I fatigued yesterday; arms - nuthin'; back tired but not sore per se. I'm glad about that. Sore legs and abs rock, a sore back sucks.

Weight - essentially unchanged. Not my goal, not my goal, not my goal...

Tuesday and Thursday classes have become pretty much ingrained in my routine, but everything else is sort of catch as catch can. Definitely not a daily habit yet. But 2X a week solid is better than 0X a week, right? When Tom's schedule calms down (another month!!!) maybe the girls and I will get better at going in the evening. For now, what I'm doing is working out ok. I need to start incorporating daily cardio, but, yuck, y'know? But it really has to be done. Alternate between stationary bike and elliptical. That will be relatively kind to my old knees.

It's New! It's Better!

So after yesterdays workout I have an almost imperceptible burn in my abs and my glutes. The glutes is kind of perpetual, so I barely really notice it unless I think about it.

I guess what I'm saying is that I do not have a good satisfying burn and I think I know why.

The instructor was very excited about doing "new things". I get that. It's nice to shake things up - to keep them from getting too routine and boring. To shock and surprise your muscles a little bit. I think what happened yesterday, though, was that she got so caught up in the bells and whistles that she lost track of the whole thing. Simple crunches were embellished with a lot of extra little "and at the same time do this, this and this". I was way more concerned about trying to follow all of these new rules than I was about actually engaging my muscles. In other words: she made it a lot harder than it had to be. And it wasn't as effective.

I hope I see Old Sue again soon... simple exercises, lots of reps, super sore.

ETA: the following morning (almost 48 hours later) slight burn in LOWER abs - a spot in which I'm unaccustomed to feeling the burn... Could I have - once again - judged too quickly?

Fat Tuesday

So on a day devoted to indulgence, I did not skip the gym. Don't bother patting me on the back, I'm doing a fine job of that myself. Another new teacher - she was tough. Reminded me a little of Amy (sniff! Amy!). Really could've used the hot tub today. The hot tub is out of service. Really? REALLY?? Pfft.

I did have a little treat for breakfast, though - real maple syrup on my pancakes. Even Liv had some - and she usually eats her pancakes dry. It was really good - it's been a long time. Liv said we should get this all the time. I think not. Cost twice as much for half as much. But wait. Ok. So it's a treat - an indulgence. Pancakes ought to be an indulgence. So maybe I SHOULD buy it all the time. Something to think about, I suppose.

Lasagna for dinner.

Thinking Greek for lunch.

So I guess it's a GOOD thing I went to the gym...cause maybe it's a sort of indulgent day after all...

Another note - when I arrive for class in the room of mirrors, I don't hate how I look standing there. That changes, of course, once other people start filtering in and I have a basis for comparison. It changes even more when I start to actually move. Something to think about. Or maybe not.

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

Class was a little easier today, but I think I'm glad because I was dead tired. Enjoyed the jacuzzi. I think some of my classmates have talked me into trying a spin class.

And in case inquiring minds want to know - since joining the Y (and with a vacation in between) I lost 3 pounds. But I'm not obsessing or anything. I swear.

One more thing: I've worked with several instructors here so far. All good. All different. But I find it interesting - and a little distressing - to listen to their - I don't know what you call it - encouraging banter. One kept talking about bikini season and how great you'd look in a bikini when it was all over and how it was worth it to get those bikini abs and bikini bikini bikini. Which made me want to roll my eyes and flick her. Another talked about everything you could eat and or burn off with this workout. Now you can go get that cheeseburger/pizza/ice cream... I don't really have a point to make with all of this, except that it does make it hard for me to maintain the "I'm just doing it for my health" attitude when I keep being told that it really IS all about losing weight and food and looking hot. It isn't, is it? I really don't want it to be. Despite mentioning pounds lost above. I really don't want that.

Damn you Old Sue!!! I would be shaking my fist in the air if I could raise my arm!

Judgy McJudgerson

Well, for someone who claims being open-minded as a major part of their being, I sure can make some snap judgments.

I went to my muscle conditioning class today and was a little taken aback when I saw the instructor. She was older with her gray hair cut in a practical short bob. She had a sturdy build. She had asked us to get WAY more materials than any of my previous instructors had asked us to get. I had a bad feeling. This was gonna be lame.

She started the class right on time (something none of the others so far have done). She led us through our warm-up with enthusiasm usually reserved for folks much younger than she. Then we got to the heart of the routine. And she kicked. Our. Asses. We had so many materials because she didn't want to leave any time for messing around between exercises. We did this, now we're doing this - put that down, grab this. The amount of reps she led us through was brutal! In 45 minutes she managed a GOOD total body workout. I am already sore, I can't imagine how I'm gonna feel tomorrow...

So I was feeling embarrassed for having made a snap judgment - and one that turned out to be so very very wrong. I started looking around the room. The woman with the nicest body (by societal standards) was using momentum rather than her muscles. Her form was awful. She also used the lightest weights and never once made it through a whole set of anything. The skinny little girl with the amazing arms? She traded her 3 pound weights in for 1 pound weights when we started doing serious bi/tri work. The other fat chick? Her form wasn't perfect, but her endurance was awesome. My form was pretty good, but I didn't always make it all the way through each set. Anyone looking at this group at rest would've gotten it all wrong.

I got it all wrong.

And I should've known better.

Going to bed tonight wiser than I was when I woke up this morning.

And I thought the Y was only gonna be good for my body...

I am sore from my shoulders to my knees. Love it!!! Also my left forearm, but I think that's due more to the broken arm + precipitation than workouts. That sore is not as fun.

Well THAT Didn't Take Long...

Yeah. I got on the scale. Not for the first time. And there was a 1 pound loss. And I liked it. This is what I was trying to avoid. But I don't know how to avoid it. Maybe being aware isn't so bad. As long as I don't become obsessed, it's ok, right? As long as I don't beat myself up if I don't see results or stop seeing results it's ok, right? Oh, man, who am I kidding? I want to lose weight and there's no way to put myself in a fitness situation and remain unaware of it. Shoot.

On the upside - EXCELLENT muscle conditioning class today. We had a sub named Stephanie and she was awesome. We really worked hard - I feel it already, so I can hardly wait to see what I feel tomorrow!

I spent a lovely 10 minutes alone in the whirlpool. Nice.

I also came to the realization that I'm gonna need a one-piece suit. Getting in and out of the tankini when it's wet is just too darn hard. Just getting from the locker room to the jacuzzi and/or pool isn't going to be long enough to chafe... I imagine it will look rather awful. But I don't think I look particularly cute struggling with the wet sports bra lining of the one I have, either. It's gonna have to be done.

Pyramid Scheme

After dinner I was sitting on the couch knitting and watching TV and pretty much settled in for the night when both girls started asking when we were going to the gym. I LOVE having workout partners! This rocks so hard! I don't remember the last time anyone told ME it was time to go the the gym!

Since they pleased me so much, I introduced them to my favorite all-time gym activity - leg press pyramids. I ROCKED those bad boys (as I tend to do, if I say so myself) and both girls were impressed, which was totally encouraging. They both did pretty well, too, but Liv needs to work on her form a little, I think, because when she showed me where the burn was, it wasn't in the right place. I'll have to watch her more carefully next time.

We couldn't get 3 cardio machines in a row, so we just walked around the track. We only did 1/2 mile. But something good came of it! Liv said she could actually see now how walking could actually be a challenge. She wants to walk in races with me! I am so excited to have a potential partner for that - I haven't since the girls were babies and I walked with Wendy and Trish - and I think it will be a lot more fun - maybe even easier.

Swimming and Biking and Writing - Oh My!

The girls wanted to go the the Y today so they could swim. They invited their cousin to join them. Not big on swimming that doesn't result in me with a tan, I opted to go to the gym after they took their "deep water" tests. I rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes - I am working myself up slowly to 45 minutes of cardio. Baby steps, baby steps. I got off and walked, but probably only about 1/4 mile. It was just a cool down - and I was anxious to get back to the pool. I used the rest of the time while they swam to noodle around in a journal. Because 3 blogs just don't give me enough opportunities to gaze at my navel.

Lea made me a killer workout mix for my ipod. She is dragging me kicking and screaming into the 21st century. The upside is that she knows how to sniff out the dirty guitar licks I love. The bad news is that they're accompanied by some pretty nasty lyrics that I'm not real comfortable with my daughter listening to. A mild conundrum.

ALso - the big gals were out in full force - both in the gym and in the pool. I know it's wrong, but that made me feel so much more comfortable.

Hello, Old Friend!

Woke up this morning to a delicious burn in my abs and glutes. I've worked up a burn in the glutes through just generally living, but I haven't had a burn in my abs since I stopped going to the gym last time and it feels AWESOME!!!

First Class

So I loved it so much I went back this morning. I walked 1/2 mile (Shut up. It was just a warm-up, and I only even did THAT because I had a little time to kill before TAKING MY FIRST CLASS!!!) I took a Muscle Conditioning class with Bobbi, and I gotta tell you - I liked it! Anytime I've ever taken any sort of conditioning class before, it's always felt like aerobics with a little bit of resistance thrown in. But this one? We actually spent the full 45 minutes on conditioning. I loved it! I stayed after and talked to Bobbi about modifications to work around the arthritis, and she was very open and helpful. The class was small (as you would expect a 10:30 am weekday class to be) and diverse (as you would expect the Y to be). Loved it, I tells ya!

After that, I took a 10 minute soak in the hot tub. All my muscles and joints were so happy!!!

It's All Good

Well hells bells, last night was the first night at the gym and this morning I find myself eating a healthy breakfast at a reasonable time. Now there is nothing wrong with that. That is, actually, a very good thing. My usual weekday breakfast is: skip breakfast and have a late lunch when I finally get hungry around 3 and snack my way through till dinner. Horrible. So I'm glad I'm doing a good thing. But I'm not as proud as I should be - I'm a little worried. Isn't the next step stepping on the scale? Celebrating every ounce lost and berating myself for every ounce gained? I don't want to do that. But I do want to keep going to the gym, and if that motivates me (instantly!) to start eating better... well... that's all good, right?

Oh, and just for giggles - and in complete defiance of the advice set forth, nee the very title concept addressed in No One Cares What You Had For Lunch: 100 Ideas for Blogging, the following was my breakfast menu:

2 eggs, scrambled with leftover imitation crab meat and a sprinkling of Monterrey Jack, cooked in just enough butter to coat the pan, 1 slice whole wheat toast, and an orange.

Doesn't that sound yummy? Way yummier than skipping? (ok, I know imitation crab isn't universally appealing, but I love it. And it isn't imitation fish - it's some sort of cheap fish, just not crab. And it doesn't taste at all like crab, but I always thought it tasted pretty darn good.) So silly - the skipping habit. And so bizarre that when you eat healthy you get to eat yummy stuff ALL DAY LONG and when you eat unhealthy the way I did, you eat constantly for about 2 hours - usually stuff that is not all that yummy - convenience becomes more important.

So, good, good, good. Except how can I possibly live so good and not lose weight? Remind me: because it feels good and it tastes good.

SITUPS ARE AWESOME!!!

Ok, when I was at the gym, we were working out (like you do when you're at a gym) and I said, "Mom, can I go do situps!" I did 20 situps in 1 minute!!! I love situps! and House, but that's another story.

i like to run

Running is really fun. On the elliptical I ran a mile in 8 minutes and 36 seconds and got up to 12 miles per hour but it only lasted like 1 second.

And it Begins

Tonight I begin the next leg in my journey to fitness and better health. I love going to the gym. An injury with an extended convalescence period forced me to quit, then finances made it difficult to rejoin. This month the planets aligned - the money and the motivation were both present. Tom bought a years membership to the YMCA for the girls and I. He couldn't be less interested. I wanted to join the Y rather than another gym, because they are the only gym close by that has a pool. And they have both an indoor and an outdoor pool, so our membership also gets us a membership to the pool in the summer! Woo hoo! I have painful degenerative arthritis in my knees and I've been told water exercise is the way to go.

Tonight both girls went with me and they loved it! We worked on the elliptical machines for 15 minutes (first night in! Didn't want to burn out!) then messed around on some of the nautical type stuff that I was comfortable with. Also did some free weights, but very conservatively.

My intent is to get my more serious workouts in in the morning and then go in the evenings with the girls and maybe take a couple classes or help them with their workouts (while getting an extra dose of cardio for myself!)

I'm hoping against hope that I can keep my perspective this time and not get caught up in weight loss - because that doesn't go well for me. I just want to get in better shape. I want to be strong and increase my endurance. I want to be healthier and feel better. Those are all very valid and - perhaps more importantly - attainable goals. Significant weight loss is not.

Wish us luck!