Weekly Update #6

This week I needed to change things up a bit.  On Sunday, I tried to do the Couch-to-5K, Week 4, Day 1 workout.  It felt like a really big jump from the Week 3 workouts.  My friend, Kelly, is doing different intervals with her trainer, so I thought I'd try something similar.  You can see what I did below.

I actually think the intervals I'm doing are better for my cardiovascular health.  My heart rate stays elevated longer.  The key to all of this for me is that these new intervals are easier on me mentally.  I am at the point in my training that I feel like I can do nearly anything for a minute or two.  However, when I'm staring a 5 min run in the face, it is still very daunting.  Although the entire package is important, at this point, I need to focus on keeping my internal motivation going so that I will want to go to the gym everyday.

• Saturday-Rest
  
• Sunday-attempted Couch-to-5K, Week 4, Day 1--it was too hard and I was really starting to get down on myself
  
• Monday-Intervals:  5 min warm up, 60s run (4.0 mph)/60s walk (2.8 mph) intervals for 15 min, 5 min cool down (incline 0); full strength training workout w/2 sets
• Tuesday-Rest
  
• Wednesday--Intervals:  5 min warm up, 60s run (4.0 mph)/60s walk (2.8 mph) intervals for 20 min, 5 min cool down (incline 0)
• Thursday-Intervals:  5 min warm up, 90s run (4.0 mph)/60s walk (3.0 mph) intervals for 20 min, 5 min cool down (incline 0); full strength training workout w/2sets
• Friday:  Treadmill:  5 min warm up, 10 mins of intervals (same as Thurs), 10 min walking at 3.2 mph at incline 2.5, 5 min cool down

 

In other news

I'm nursing a slightly sore knee.  I don't think anything is wrong.  If I had to guess, I would say that 6+ weeks of exercise in my obese body is catching up to me.  My knee is revolting.  I can push myself and get through my workouts; however,  my biggest concern is pushing and actually hurting myself.

I think it is time to work on my food intake.  I need to make a plan so that I have the right kinds of foods to eat available to me when I need them.  More on this later....

Weekly Update #5

This week I repeated the Week 3 workouts.  I'm really glad I did.  While I won't say it was easy, it was easier than last week.  My knee has been bothering me some this week, too.  It isn't sore, but there is some aching immediately after my run and again the next morning.

So, my training for the week...

• Saturday-swam 6 laps, but mainly a rest day
  
• Sunday-Couch-to-5K, Week 3, Day 1 (repeating this week)
  
• Monday-20 mins on the elliptical machine, strength training routine (1 set)
• Tuesday-Couch-to-5K, Week 3, Day 2 (repeating this week)
• Wednesday-Rest
  
• Thursday-Couch-to-5K, Week 3, Day 3 (repeating this week)
• Friday-20 mins on the elliptical machine, strength training routine (2 sets)

I've been exercising regularly for over a month now.  I'm on my way to a new lifestyle.  Now that I've got the exercising in my daily routine, I need to work on my diet.  This is the hard part for me.  Being gluten-free isn't bad once you get used to it.  I've done it for over a year now.  However, when I start focusing on food more than I already do, it feels overwhelming.  I have gained 6 pounds in the last month.  Crazy, huh?  Regardless of what my friend says about it being muscle, I know it is not.  One doesn't build that kind of muscle that quickly.  I really think my body is some mild state of shock.  I know this exercise is good for me and I know that adding the diet component into the plan will help.  I'm trying not to focus on the scale, but it doesn't make it any easier.

Menu Plan Monday

We are getting back into our 2nd full week of our back-to-school routine.  With my daughter's gymnastics' schedule (2 nights a week for 2 hours a day) and my son's soccer schedule, our dinner time can be chaotic.  I'm trying to find a good routine that allows us to eat together early enough to get good food into the kids before practice, but doesn't leave them feeling sick while running around in the 100 degree heat.  It is a work in progress.  I'm trying to use my crockpot often to have good meals available when it is time to eat.

Monday:  **crockpot**Country Captain chicken,  white beans, salad, fruit

Tuesday:   Crab cakes, oven fries, lima beans, salad

                      Prep:  Soak black beans

Wednesday:  black beans and rice

Thursday:  **crockpot**Sweet Mustard Beef Roast w/ potatoes, carrots, celery, pinto beans, fruit

Friday:  pesto w/ pasta, salad, white beans

Saturday:  **crockpot**Cheese enchilada Stack

Sunday:  Living Room Group (dinner with friends)

For more meal plans, visit Meal Plan Monday.

Weekly Update #4

This week was the beginning of the Couch-to-5K, Week 3 of training.  Week 3 workouts consist of 5 min warm up, 90s run/90s walk, then 3min run/3min walk (repeat twice), and a 5 min cool down.  Let me tell you something!  There is a big difference between running 90seconds and running 3 minutes.  I struggled on Day 1 and Day 3 of this interval training.  So, I think it is best to repeat this week and get a better handle on running the 3 minutes.  This week was the first full week of school for my kids and we are all adjusting to our new routine.  Also, I did the weight training "prescription" at the Wellness Center on Thursday of this week.  So, next week will be my first week of regularly adding weights to my routine.  Below is what I did this week.

• Saturday-Rest
• Sunday-Couch-to-5K (C25K):  Week 3, Day 1 workout (missed 30s on both 3 min runs)
  
• Monday-walked 1 mile (stress relief)
• Tuesday-C25K:  Week 3, Day 2 workout
  
• Wednesday-Rest
  
• Thursday-1 mile warm up walk, 1.25 mile bike ride, and weight training orientation
  
• Friday-C25K:  Week 3, Day 3 workout (missed some time on both 3 min runs)

On Monday, I really didn't want to do anything.  It was a very long day and rough day for me.  The husband suggested we go walk around in our cul-de-sac after the kids were in bed to get some fresh air.  It was just what I needed.  I have to remember how much it helps when I'm feeling down. 

Weekly Update #3

I'm still hanging in there.  This week the kids started school on Thursday, so I am making the transition to working out in the mornings rather than in the evenings after they go to bed.  I like the mornings better, but I will be happy when we no longer have 80+ degrees and 92% humidity at 6:30AM.  I think the fall weather will feel good in another couple of months, as long as I can keep my allergies in check.  I feel good this week.  I think the day of rest was good for my body.  

• Saturday-hiked Cook's Trail ~4 miles
  
• Sunday-Couch-to-5K, Week 1, Day 3--it was painful, but I did it
  
• Monday-Couch-to-5K, Week 2, Day 1 (5 min warm up, 6 intervals of 90s running/120s walking, 5 min cool down)
• Tuesday-sit ups & push ups
  
• Wednesday-Couch-to-5K, Week 2, Day 2 (same as Day 1)
• Thursday-REST
  
• Friday-Couch-to-5K, Week 2, Day 3; arms workout on machines; 2.5 miles on bike

On Thursday, I joined St. Mary's Wellness Center.  It is a gym opened to anyone, but the focus is on fitness and health rather than who can wear the tightest spandex and flirt the most.  There are a lot of older members and it feels like a comfortable place for me to be.  Next Thursday, I will work with a trainer to design a program that works well with the Couch-to-5K.

Mama said there'll be days like this

The first thing that comes to mind after my Couch-to-5K, Week 1, Day 3 workout, is this song by The Shirelles:

Mama said there'll be days like this.
"There'll be days like this," my mama said.
(Mama said, mama said.)
Mama said there'll be days like this.
"There'll be days like this," my mama said.
(Mama said, mama said.)

At first,  I wasn't sure why today was so difficult.  I sat with the idea for a while in the quiet of an empty house.  Then I realized how unexpectedly emotional today was.  The day started with us attending the worship service at church.  Our pastor is leaving and this was the first time I'd attended a service since she announced that she was leaving.    I thought I'd dealt with the emotions already, but that was obviously NOT the case.  As Pastor Pam started preaching, I started crying.  She had moments where she talked through tears in her eyes.  I'm a very emotional person anyway, but I absolutely cannot watch someone else cry and not cry myself.

I've been to many, many churches in my years.  Some were good experiences and some were not.  Some left me feeling scolded as I left the service and others left me uplifted and ready to tackle the week.  Most of Pam's sermons were of the uplifting variety.  Regardless of the topic each week, she gave me something to think about.  Pam is the only preacher I've met to which I truly related.  I've enjoyed hearing others over the years, but none as much as Pam.  When I came to Oconee Presbyterian Church for the first time, I was out of sorts.  I felt out of place at our old church.  It was so large that we never truly made friends.  Of course, I knew people there, but not anyone really well.  Our former church had several pastors and none were as easy to relate to as Pam.  I felt a tugging to find another church home.  Really, the tugging wasn't for me.  It was more about my children.  I wanted them to have a church experience as a child, so that they can make informed decisions about their religious future.  I had a good friend who came from our old church and invited us to visit.  It was a hard decision at first, but we decided to give it a try.  Our church is a different type of church and  our beloved Pam is just a different type of pastor.  We have 3 more weeks to listen to her stories, enjoy her presence and savor her words.

Before anyone assumes that this is all sad, it is not.  It is really bittersweet.  I am sad that our congregation will no longer have Pam as our pastor.  However, I am so excited that we get to share Pam with others.  The people at Trinity Presbyterian are so lucky to have her.  She will bless them in ways they haven't even considered, yet.  It is exciting to know that she may bring others closer to Christ as she has done at OPC.  I'm thrilled she is following her calling and I hope she knows that she will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Later in the day, I attended my son's PreK orientation.  In general, I'm excited for him to go to school.  He loves it and thrives in the structure.  I found out that he has an excellent teacher...the same one the girly had for PreK.  It will be a great fit and it will be a good year.  While sitting in the orientation, I started to think about how big he is getting.  He is nearly 5 and has grown so much.  There are no more babies at our house.  It isn't the way I thought it would be.  I thought I would enjoy their infancy and then move on to enjoy them as preschoolers and school-aged kids.  I am excited that some things are easier with older children, but it still doesn't relieve the ache to have another.  Today's orientation clarified that.

So, I tried to do my 3rd C25K workout today, but it was really difficult.  Maybe it was my emotional state.  Maybe it was the 4 mile hike we did yesterday.  I don't know exactly why it was so hard.  Today was the first day since I started this that I thought I was crazy for even having such a goal.  I quickly put that out of my mind.  I will try again tomorrow and see how things go.

We all have bad days, right?