Injuries

I mostly managed my goal last week. I worked out Monday and Wednesday, and went to the class on Saturday, so I got my three workouts in.

Let's talk about the class shall we?

First of all, it's an amazing class, and one that I think all women should take. It's called a RAD class, which stands for Rape/Aggression Defense, and its goal is to teach women basic moves so that they can escape/survive an assault. I had taken it once before and while it was a physically and mentally stressful class, I felt like I got a lot out of it.

When we started working out about three weeks ago, L1 stated that she would like to learn to punch, and I suggested she take the class. She asked me to take it with her so I did, because everyone can use a refresher from time to time. What I had forgotten was that the instructors tend to single out the repeaters and be a little more forceful with them... so lets just say I got the full impact of the course. I also managed to injure my wrist, and I am now covered with bruises as well. I am pretty sure that I injured the wrist well before the scenarios part of the course, so I can say it was my fault.

All in all, it was a great class, and even with my swollen wrist, I do not regret taking it at all. I actually think I will go back again. Maybe not soon...but I think I will go back.

For additional information in regards to the program, please click the following link: 
RAD Website

Random Observations

1. I am looking at you, Guy, who thinks it's normal to work out in Burberry shorts and Sperry's.... It's not. I also don't understand the polo and gym pants look...

2. How do you avoid panty lines when wearing skin-tight workout pants/shorts? Are you not wearing underwear? Are you wearing a thong? That just seems uncomfortable.

3. Men, please, you have to wear underwear too. It is not acceptable to wear just a cup or a protector, because when you a) sit on the floor, stretch, etc. or b) use any type of machine that requires you to sit down you either flash everyone your sweat-soaked crotch or leave nasty sweat marks on the equipment.

4. Yes, this one is for the germophobe who spends more time wiping down the equipment than actually using it. Since you are so concerned why don't you also wipe it down after you use it so that the rest of us don't have to deal with your sweat and germs???

5. The gym is for working out, and while socializing is part of it, it is not its entirety. If you are there to chit chat and giggle, please do it in the free space, not on the mats, not on the equipment, or right next to the weights you aren't using but won't relinquish. I'd like to use the machine too. I promise I will do it quickly, so that you can get back to analyzing that guy's butt or whether or not that girl had a boob job....

6. So is wearing short shorts over leggings a way to hide the panty lines?

7. You are about to 'work-out', do you really need to apply layers of mascara and makeup as well as flat-iron that stray piece of hair in the bathroom before hand?

8. Pick up your trash!!!

9. This one is kind of mean, and I'm sure I've done it too, but way to go, person that got on the treadmill and ran for two minutes before walking off wheezing, all to impress that one other person who's 'OMG'!!!

10. I am also not sure I understand the purpose of the sleeveless shirt that's torn almost all the way down the side (on guys)... what's the point? A tight tshirt would have the same effect of showing off your muscles without also showing off your armpit hair.

11. All you Jersey Shore wanna-bes... You're not that hot, and frankly, you come off sounding like assh*les.

A Serious Post: Part Two

Dear Already-Fit-People-At-The-Gym:

We know you are fit. Some of you only have to work out once or twice a week to keep your genetically enviable physique. Some of you haven't yet aged enough to have your metabolism slow down. Some of you are just gym rats. Whatever it is, congratulations, you're fit.

However, that does not give you the right to look down on those of us who are not. While L1 would say that I do not qualify to put myself in this category, I beg to differ. I am over weight, even if it's not by much, and I do have body and self-esteem issues, which is the whole reason I am working out in the first place.

I admit, that when I first get to the gym, I am very self-conscious and it feels like everyone is staring at me, but after I start my work out and turn up my music I can typically concentrate and focus. As long as I have my music, I am okay. Yesterday, my friend and I were trying out some new things, and some of you decided it was ok to stare and make faces. Let me clear something up for you: IT'S NOT.

We may not necessarily be good at working out; we're learning. We may not yet be fit; that's why we're going to the gym. So, even though I know most of you aren't reading this blog, you have now been warned. Next time I see you staring or making faces, I will say something. Silence is not always golden, sometimes silence perpetuates unacceptable behavior, and I for one, am done with you.

Concentrate on your own work out, and leave me/us the *&^% alone.

Sincerely-

Me

Week Three

Week Two was also a bust, I only worked out once, on Monday. Can I just say you can always get me to do stuff by making me feel guilty. Truly, it works every time.

My mom is a master manipulator, and I know this, yet I fall for it every time. Two perfect examples: I work from 8-5 in a Arlington, which is roughly a 25 minute drive from my home in Fort Worth. So add in traffic and its usually 40 minutes. So I leave my house at 7:20 every day, and if I don't work out, I still don't get home till about 5:40pm. When I do work out I can usually miss all the traffic and be home at around 6:30. But this is what she does. She only has a small snack in the morning that she calls breakfast (I'm talking toast and coffee, or a single bowl of cereal) and then she doesn't eat the rest of the day until I get home. This woman has diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid issues, etc., and she's not eating all day. Am I wrong to think that she needs to learn to eat by herself??? Anyway, I always end up going home 'on time' 75% of the time just to make sure she eats.

Another example is this: I don't usually shop for myself unless I need to. I mean, I wait until I absolutely have to, and then I drag L1 to the mall with me for an entire day to buy EVERYTHING I need in one fell swoop. Well, since we've started working out I have noticed that my workout shoes are lacking. I'm straining the arch of my right foot, plus I've pretty much worn out the padding on the inside. So I decided to buy myself some nice shoes. Now remember, I don't usually shop for myself, and I like to think of myself as extremely frugal. So spending any more than $50 bucks for shoes is usually a no no, but I found a pair of Reebok Crossfit Nano's that I really liked, and they were in black and grey, since I'm not a fan of color. Were they expensive? Yes. Would I really use them? Yes. I've had my current pair of sneakers for about two years, so I know I get my money's worth. So I bought them, and when I got home, she gave me this look and made me feel so guilty that I ended up taking them back the next day.

I really hate that she does this, and I really hate that she doesn't understand that I am an adult, and though I love her, I do not want her to keep guilt tripping me and meddling.

Moving on. I did work out yesterday with L1. I did the elliptical, and the we both did some weights. I bought my gym bag with me and my goal this week is 4 times. We are also taking a class on Saturday that should be a good work out in and of itself.

Wish me luck!

Week Two

Last week was a bit of a bust. I worked out Monday and Tuesday, but I was feeling so crappy on Wednesday that I went home and decided to make it a rest day. I woke up Thursday though, and the nausea, dizziness, soreness and headache were so bad that I had to call in to work. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with severe allergies and a mild ear infection. Hence the nausea and dizziness, etc. Anyway, I was told to not work out until I was up to it, and that is today. Honestly, I have no intentions of working out over the weekends while my mom/parents are in town, because explaining why you exercise to people who don't exercise is more trouble than it's worth. Once they head back home I'm hoping to start doing at least one, maybe two, hours of cycling a day on the weekends.

Moving on. I know I said there was a big group that was going to work out, maybe not together, but we'd check in with each other so that there was some accountability. That was a complete waste of time and energy. Some people have excuses, and some just don't have the will to go. Either way, I'm done. I am not their mother, and it's not my job to be after them. They have to really want it, or they're never going to get it. I want it, and I'm gonna get it. 

I signed up for the work-release program at work. They give you thirty minutes three times a week, which you have to match, so that you can do on-campus health and fitness activities. I'm going to start doing that so that I am at least accountable to them. I know that I am not always the most dedicated or committed, but I am so tired of false commitments and crap. I am also thinking about doing a one-month boot camp here at work in April. I'll let you know how that goes.

BTW, today is just not the day to mess with me. I am so extremely disappointed in so many people right now that I've had to take medication just to keep from going off. I could start listing all the things that have happened, but it's like opening up a can of worms. Even with the medication I am still so angry that my shoulders are tense and I just want to get far, far away from here. So for today I am just done, and if things don't look up soon, I might just be done with a lot of different people for good.

ZZZzzzzzzzzzz............

I hate to be repetitive...but I'm so tired! So today is officially day three. I am happy to report that I did work out day one at the gym and day two at home. They were good, solid workouts. Here is what I have to say about them:

They were basically the same workout, except one was at the gym at one at home. But they were definitely NOT the same... if that makes sense. When I did them at the gym I was still going at a steady pace, but I was able to do more reps and use heavier weights, so by the end of it the workout was 45 minutes long plus a 20 minute walk. When I worked out at home with the video it was much shorter, roughly 30 minutes-no walk, and with lighter weights. I was sore after day one, and I thought the workout on day two would help alleviate some of the soreness....it didn't.

I am not walking funny, but I am incredibly stiff and sore, mostly in my arms, shoulders and chest area. My legs are a bit sore, but not as much. I credit this to taking the stairs more often here lately, as well as the fact that my legs have always been my center of strength. I need to work on building up my upper body, as well as my core, but my legs just need to lose some of the built-up fat in them.I did bring my gym bag today, so I'll be going later on. I don't know if I'll go tomorrow, but I plan on going on Friday as well.

My sleep has been better, but I could still use some more of it. I've been in bed by 9:30pm both nights. I've been drinking lots of water, and my soda intake has been drastically reduced. I also find myself extremely thirsty throughout the day, so I bought a couple of gallons of water to keep at my desk, as well as a reusable cup (which is unfortunately hot pink).

And to leave off, here is what I feel like today:

A Non-Serious Post: Ode to Breakfast

Out of all my habits, this may be the hardest to break. You see, when I was growing up I only got hot breakfast on the weekends. During the week it was more like get up, get dressed, get to school. So when I discovered that you could buy pre-made hot breakfasts at a drive thru (cue angels singing).

As much as I love them, I will be trying to say good-bye to my delicious potato, egg and cheese taquito with hash brown sticks and refreshingly cold Coke from What-a-burger in the mornings. Good-bye to my decidedly glorious doughnut holes, sausage and cheese rolls and coffee from Shipley's, and my appetizing reduced fat cinnamon coffee cake and grande white chocolate mocha from Starbucks. Good-bye, my beloved egg mcmuffin meal from McD's, and good-bye supreme croissant sandwich combo from Jack in the Box. Good-bye, chorizo, potato, egg and cheese tacos from Fuzzy's. You will all be missed.

Hello, cold cereal. Healthy juices. I hate to start off on the wrong foot, but I already don't like you. :-(

A Serious Post: An Open Letter

There are many excuses as to why a person chooses not to exercise: I have to work, I have to get home to my family, I have school, I'm too fat, I'm too old, I can't do it, etc. In the end it all comes down to a choice: Either you want to change or your don't. Either you push yourself or you don't.

You only have one body, how you choose to inhabit it is completely up to you. If you are happy being fat that's excellent. If you aren't, you have to do something about it if you want it to change. In today's society, "fat" is a bad word, akin to a lot of curse words out there. We don't call people "fat" we call them overweight, obese, fluffy, big-boned, etc. Its fat. Plain and simple. A human body is built of layers, starting with bones, then muscles, ligaments and nerves, then a layer of fat and skin. Fat is necessary to keep you warm and to protect your organs. The technical term for it is adipose tissue. An excess of fat, however, is dangerous, and can have detrimental effects on your health, which is why medical professionals established guidelines to help keep people healthy.

Is it easy to be healthy? No. Is it worth it? Yes. Why? For me personally, its because I have something to prove--to myself. For far too long I've let things that happened in the past haunt me and bring down my self esteem and I am done with that crap. I can't complain about something if I don't do anything about it. Is it hard? Incredibly so, I hate eating right, or not being able to go out to eat. I hate counting calories, steps, distance, etc. I hate not being able to go straight home and curl up with a  book, or watch a movie. At the end of the day though, nothing gives me a better feeling than knowing I did it. Even just one workout is worth it. I got up off my ass and I did it. I am setting an example, I am doing what needs to be done. The only workout I regret is the one I didn't do. Every time I start and then quit, its a disappointment to myself. It is a testament to my will that I keep starting over. So yes, I may not stick with it for very long, but I always start again. I won't ever give up trying to be better. You can choose to judge me or you can choose to support me. Either way, I'm doing what I need to do.

Fitness Test

I am committed to staying on track and reaching my goals. If you go back through this blog, you will see how many times I have started only to give up for whatever reason is handy. At this point in time, though, I am committed. I am HAM. Not EGGS.

So, in order to accurately gauge where I stand and what I need to do, I took (and paid for) a fitness test. This is what I learned:
Fully Clothed:
5'5"
164.5 lbs
31% BIA
27.4% BMI (Which is considered "overweight," I have to get that under 25)
113 lbs of bone and muscle
51 lbs of fat
Average flexibility
140 steps in 3 minutes during the step test (Average)
and 33 crunches in 1 minute (Above Average, they only went to 25 so I'm going with AA)

So what did I learn from this experience? That I am pretty much carrying a small child...made of FAT. Gross.

Looking forward to Monday!