Last night at bellydance class our teacher had us gather in a big circle for what she calls the "Yalla circle" (yalla="let's go!" in arabic). Then she had us go in two by two and have a "dance off" with each other. One would dance and the other would reply and try to outdo the other.
It was too much fun! This was the first time that the ladies really came out of their shells and got jiggy with it. In fact those shells were cracked wide open. I keep smiling thinking about how fun it was. It was fun to watch the mothers and daughters especially. Nothing like a little friendly competition to get things rolling.
Ha ha, it was a female fight club with hips instead of fists ;) But no black eyes and everybody laughed. Now that is exercise for the soul.
And that was after we each did a shimmy solo in which the teacher told us which direction to move. Again -- too fun!
How could this be exercise. If this is exercise than I will take more of the same please!
This week R and I entered into a little friendly competition of our own, a little weight loss competition to see who can lose the most percentage of body weight each week and by the end of six weeks. Again, no losers. This was just what I needed since I was finding it hard to find a new and exciting way to motivate myself to lose these niggling few pounds (six to eight to be technical if you want to go with the evil night reading at my official weigh in on Monday night). The winner gets a massage! The loser also gets to have one that day, but must pay for the winner.
I too have joined the ranks of myfooddiary.com and am loving the little motivating comments about how much weight I will lose or gain if I choose to continue to eat a certain way. In fact it encourages me to eat my exercise calories to get the most bang for my buck. Interesting how at my weight it also recommends I lose no more than .9 pounds a week. I know I can make that goal. I also know the difference between one and two pounds is dessert every day which I refuse to give up!
I wasn't that way when I was losing 110 pounds. Desserts were sacrificed for the greater good and I was fine with that. Nowadays if I don't get my Weight Watchers cookie dough sundae fix or my Skinny Cow, I am doomed.
In any case the MFD has encouraged me to cut my Skinny Cow ice-cream sandwiches in half and see if half will work as well as a whole. And you know what? Mostly it does!
If you are in any way competitive, I recommend a contest. In the end it is only ourselves we are competing against and if you pick your contests wisely, all will be winners in the end.
Just a catch up on this week's happenings... got in uber long run (13 miles, but felt like 15) with L on Sunday. The heat haze and humidity (welcome Monsoon season!) was a killer, but we did it and finished strong. That post-run dunk in the pool never felt better!
Monday was aerobic machines, abs and free weights at the gym.
Tuesday was my first speed workout in like forever with R. We covered about 5.5 miles of undulating terrain doing fartleks of 2 minutes fast with 3 rest. There were some warmup and cool down miles as well.
Wed I met L and she kicked my b#++ in the weight room. We were doing all the stuff you need spotters for, the stuff I usually avoid doing because I don't have a spotter. The Hubster used to spot me on the bench, etc. Now there is L! I SO feel it now.
Not to mention last night's veil, zills and basic BD moves class.
This morning's 5.2 mile run started slowly and a little sluggish, but I managed to pick it up on the way back. Methinks I just had to wake up.
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gym. Show all posts
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
Dread not Fear not
This afternoon at my meeting (with my one member, but that is a whole other story... biting tongue... biting tongue) we talked about what motivates those who work out to work out? How do we get over our own self-consciousness? How does it become something you look forward to doing instead of dreading?
Good question.
Dance so far has been the one form of physical activity I do not "dread" in any way. Maybe because I have no expectations for myself and I am not expected to perform in any way or using it to "earn" activity points. Yes, I earn them I am sure. But that isn't the point.
Other activities I enjoy once I am doing them or sometimes not until I am done include: running, swimming, working out with weights, tennis, yoga, hiking, cross-training on the gym machines, etc. I enjoy the sense of achievement running gives me; the peace of mind from yoga and the temporary power to eat mindfully; getting out there with nature when it comes to hiking and trail running; and time to bond and socialize with like-minded friends during any of these activities (working out with a friend usually makes it more fun).
Sure I feel good doing all of them and like the way my arms feel after a good weight workout.
The thing is how do we find that one activity that we like no matter how we are feeling that day? Does it exist? I guess we got to keep looking. That unto itself is part of the adventure. We can't dread what we do not know.
Besides that I did workout this morning. I chose two different aerobics machines (the retro-stair monster and stair mill). I started out feeling tired and draggy yet inevitably I felt better and somewhat competitive with the machine after 10 minutes (you know, make it an even mile, make it an even 100 cals, make it 15 minutes, through the next song, make it 2 miles, 200 cals, etc etc).
This morning's was a fake it until you make it kind of workout. I can do anything for 10 minutes. And you know, I did! I did it for 40 -- yeah me!
Good question.
Dance so far has been the one form of physical activity I do not "dread" in any way. Maybe because I have no expectations for myself and I am not expected to perform in any way or using it to "earn" activity points. Yes, I earn them I am sure. But that isn't the point.
Other activities I enjoy once I am doing them or sometimes not until I am done include: running, swimming, working out with weights, tennis, yoga, hiking, cross-training on the gym machines, etc. I enjoy the sense of achievement running gives me; the peace of mind from yoga and the temporary power to eat mindfully; getting out there with nature when it comes to hiking and trail running; and time to bond and socialize with like-minded friends during any of these activities (working out with a friend usually makes it more fun).
Sure I feel good doing all of them and like the way my arms feel after a good weight workout.
The thing is how do we find that one activity that we like no matter how we are feeling that day? Does it exist? I guess we got to keep looking. That unto itself is part of the adventure. We can't dread what we do not know.
Besides that I did workout this morning. I chose two different aerobics machines (the retro-stair monster and stair mill). I started out feeling tired and draggy yet inevitably I felt better and somewhat competitive with the machine after 10 minutes (you know, make it an even mile, make it an even 100 cals, make it 15 minutes, through the next song, make it 2 miles, 200 cals, etc etc).
This morning's was a fake it until you make it kind of workout. I can do anything for 10 minutes. And you know, I did! I did it for 40 -- yeah me!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Pumped Up!
Yesterday got off to a rough start when my hubby and I got into a spat about bills. One bill in particular he promised to pay off and didn't which caused a finance charge to be tacked on and then increase exponentially for two months!!!! Then he turned it around and said a couple hurtful things to me about not paying it myself (what, could I not afford a minimum payment!). The point is that he said he would take care of it and he tried brushing it off on me.
Even worse he told me to get a REAL job. That was very hurtful. What I do is very real. You try acting like nutritionist, psychologist, counselor, coach, mommy, cheerleader, store clerk, salesperson and group facilitator/entertainer/teacher in heals and pantyhose 6 days a week when some days you feel like stuffing yourself full of oreos while sitting on your sofa all day reading US magazine (which I don't do, but you get the idea).
Nevermind I still squeeze in time to work on my web projects -- Arghhhh!!!!!
So between that and a stressful morning organizing and schlepping around in 100 degree weather for a new At Work meeting which ended up working out well -- nice group -- but I was toast by 1:30.
It would have been easy to blow off the afternoon workout, but I didn't. Since I missed my morning run (was out too late with highschool friend from out of town) I was feeling the pressure to do something. After a quick bite to eat at home I regrouped and headed to the gym where I managed a 40 minute run with a strong effort on the treadmill (which I hate, but did it anyway while reminding myself how proud of myself I would be after) and a one hour killer body pain (I mean pump) class. At body pump I didn't skimp on the weights. It was time to step up to the plate with challenging enough weight. And I did it!
That was all I needed to feel better and more energized for my evening meeting.
Yeah Me! (don't you hear the cheering section?)
Good news... the bellydance choreo class has FINALLY been scheduled AND my friend Carolyn may be dropping in (from California) tonight at my BD class AND the teacher tells me she can just pay a drop-in fee of $5. Yeah! Let's here it for small victories.
Other bonuses... R and I made future plans for running on Friday which I think will work out better than trying to squeeze a run in on a Sat morning (let's go RedRock, finally!) and I have a nice lunch at Subway and Golden Spoon frozen yogurt with a colleague to look forward to this afternoon. Good times, good times.
Even worse he told me to get a REAL job. That was very hurtful. What I do is very real. You try acting like nutritionist, psychologist, counselor, coach, mommy, cheerleader, store clerk, salesperson and group facilitator/entertainer/teacher in heals and pantyhose 6 days a week when some days you feel like stuffing yourself full of oreos while sitting on your sofa all day reading US magazine (which I don't do, but you get the idea).
Nevermind I still squeeze in time to work on my web projects -- Arghhhh!!!!!
So between that and a stressful morning organizing and schlepping around in 100 degree weather for a new At Work meeting which ended up working out well -- nice group -- but I was toast by 1:30.
It would have been easy to blow off the afternoon workout, but I didn't. Since I missed my morning run (was out too late with highschool friend from out of town) I was feeling the pressure to do something. After a quick bite to eat at home I regrouped and headed to the gym where I managed a 40 minute run with a strong effort on the treadmill (which I hate, but did it anyway while reminding myself how proud of myself I would be after) and a one hour killer body pain (I mean pump) class. At body pump I didn't skimp on the weights. It was time to step up to the plate with challenging enough weight. And I did it!
That was all I needed to feel better and more energized for my evening meeting.
Yeah Me! (don't you hear the cheering section?)
Good news... the bellydance choreo class has FINALLY been scheduled AND my friend Carolyn may be dropping in (from California) tonight at my BD class AND the teacher tells me she can just pay a drop-in fee of $5. Yeah! Let's here it for small victories.
Other bonuses... R and I made future plans for running on Friday which I think will work out better than trying to squeeze a run in on a Sat morning (let's go RedRock, finally!) and I have a nice lunch at Subway and Golden Spoon frozen yogurt with a colleague to look forward to this afternoon. Good times, good times.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Run not rush
It is funny that no matter how much time I carve out for my running (and it does involve some carving because there is nothing fun about an alarm clock going off at 5:00 am on a Sunday so I can run while it is still a refreshing 80 degrees) that as soon as that first foot hits the pavement, my "list" comes out of hiding.
Right away I start thinking of those people I promised to email or I start editing my notes for this morning's meeting, trying my best to file away those mental notes until I return or I start mentally repacking my gym bag or make a note to self not to forget a water bottle and a snack for my long day out.
It's crazy, but my legs start moving faster when I start this mental checklist thing, as if returning a minute sooner from my run is going to get anything done faster. Meantime I keep reminding myself that this is my time and no amount of stress over forgetting something is going to make me faster. In fact, it takes away from my run being about me, not everything else.
So the to-do's eventually fade away which makes room for life's major issues to make their way in such as when is my husband going to start seeing a doctor again about his leukemia (he recently told me is sick of being a patient with "nothing wrong" except for "bad blood" -- don't worry, he is going tomorrow!), what course we will take with the whole baby thing (adoption, more $$ $pent on treatments or continuing to be happily kid-free and fancy-free) and should I get a "real" job even though my current job is a real job. So my legs start moving faster again as if running faster is going to speed up the decision process.
Again I check myself and remind myself this is not a race and I am worth this time even if I am "just" running and not solving mine or the world's problems.
My legs keep a steady rhythm down the street even though it is tempting to stop and rest. I can rest when I get home. Meantime my iPod keeps a steady stream of music flowing to motivate me forward through the 'hood. Again my mind wanders and I rant inwardly at the race directors of Grandma's marathon to threaten to pull runners off the course if they are wearing headphones. I hope this doesn't become a trend. The music makes the experience more enjoyable for me and even sometimes bearable when I feel like stopping or slowing down. I consider crossing marathons off my To Do list, but Rhonda would kill me if I decided to stop training for the St. George Marathon with her (drat... guess that means I gotta keep running through the summer).
So I start to wonder how long my run is taking me. The legs are moving at steady pace, but I am not motivated to pick it up too much more. Maybe I am running faster than I can tell. I look down at my wrist and I am reminded that I don't run with a watch anymore than I have to these days. I know the time I left the house and that's it.
Pretty soon the four miles are done, finishing more triumphant than yesterday, always practicing my finishing kick and crossing the invisible finish line at my street with hands in the air, not caring who sees. I tell myself I am thin now so I don't care what people think of my public physical actions anymore. Before I would do nothing to draw anymore attention to myself than I would already get (hey, look at the FAT girl with the arms in the air).
Even though it was a somewhat gently-paced run, I did give it whatever umphf I had left at the end. See it pays not to rush!
On a sidenote: This afternoon was my first intermediate/advanced bellydance class (yep, I am moving up in the world). It was great! Before class I bided my time on an exercycle for 52 minutes watching tv while waiting for the spin class to finish up. In BD class we learned circle/figure 8 combos (how to put those together and flow from move to move), played with my new veil for a while (super fun even though I tend to get bored watching long veil routines myself -- guess it's different when it is you dancing!), practiced making a grand entrance, hand positions, head slides (very Bollywood, hehe) and I made a "dance date" to practice with a sister-student before next week's Sunday class.
Taking BD class has really expanded my social circle. Later on I bumped into Rain, a girl I met my first day at LVAC during my free trial week that lasted 10 minutes because she convinced me to join then and there and I haven't been disappointed since. Life is too short to worry about the economic effect of belonging to two gyms. Hey I use both so that is payback right there!
Right away I start thinking of those people I promised to email or I start editing my notes for this morning's meeting, trying my best to file away those mental notes until I return or I start mentally repacking my gym bag or make a note to self not to forget a water bottle and a snack for my long day out.
It's crazy, but my legs start moving faster when I start this mental checklist thing, as if returning a minute sooner from my run is going to get anything done faster. Meantime I keep reminding myself that this is my time and no amount of stress over forgetting something is going to make me faster. In fact, it takes away from my run being about me, not everything else.
So the to-do's eventually fade away which makes room for life's major issues to make their way in such as when is my husband going to start seeing a doctor again about his leukemia (he recently told me is sick of being a patient with "nothing wrong" except for "bad blood" -- don't worry, he is going tomorrow!), what course we will take with the whole baby thing (adoption, more $$ $pent on treatments or continuing to be happily kid-free and fancy-free) and should I get a "real" job even though my current job is a real job. So my legs start moving faster again as if running faster is going to speed up the decision process.
Again I check myself and remind myself this is not a race and I am worth this time even if I am "just" running and not solving mine or the world's problems.
My legs keep a steady rhythm down the street even though it is tempting to stop and rest. I can rest when I get home. Meantime my iPod keeps a steady stream of music flowing to motivate me forward through the 'hood. Again my mind wanders and I rant inwardly at the race directors of Grandma's marathon to threaten to pull runners off the course if they are wearing headphones. I hope this doesn't become a trend. The music makes the experience more enjoyable for me and even sometimes bearable when I feel like stopping or slowing down. I consider crossing marathons off my To Do list, but Rhonda would kill me if I decided to stop training for the St. George Marathon with her (drat... guess that means I gotta keep running through the summer).
So I start to wonder how long my run is taking me. The legs are moving at steady pace, but I am not motivated to pick it up too much more. Maybe I am running faster than I can tell. I look down at my wrist and I am reminded that I don't run with a watch anymore than I have to these days. I know the time I left the house and that's it.
Pretty soon the four miles are done, finishing more triumphant than yesterday, always practicing my finishing kick and crossing the invisible finish line at my street with hands in the air, not caring who sees. I tell myself I am thin now so I don't care what people think of my public physical actions anymore. Before I would do nothing to draw anymore attention to myself than I would already get (hey, look at the FAT girl with the arms in the air).
Even though it was a somewhat gently-paced run, I did give it whatever umphf I had left at the end. See it pays not to rush!
On a sidenote: This afternoon was my first intermediate/advanced bellydance class (yep, I am moving up in the world). It was great! Before class I bided my time on an exercycle for 52 minutes watching tv while waiting for the spin class to finish up. In BD class we learned circle/figure 8 combos (how to put those together and flow from move to move), played with my new veil for a while (super fun even though I tend to get bored watching long veil routines myself -- guess it's different when it is you dancing!), practiced making a grand entrance, hand positions, head slides (very Bollywood, hehe) and I made a "dance date" to practice with a sister-student before next week's Sunday class.
Taking BD class has really expanded my social circle. Later on I bumped into Rain, a girl I met my first day at LVAC during my free trial week that lasted 10 minutes because she convinced me to join then and there and I haven't been disappointed since. Life is too short to worry about the economic effect of belonging to two gyms. Hey I use both so that is payback right there!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Fool me once. Fool me twice.
Ok, what is it lately with flakey instructors? Squishing a bellydance class into the middle of my day in between work gigs is hard enough (making sure I get out of my first one on time; pack up heavy load and load car in heat; drop off bars at a "center" so they don't melt in the car; do a quick change; rush to gym with minutes to spare) with having arrived only to find the instructor isn't there.
Next there is the whole issue of dealing with a sub. The lady who fills in is very nice, but not that good. In fact it would be like asking me to teach the class -- eek! I should have left like last time within just a few minutes (by taking a trip to the "bathroom" but not coming back -- wink wink), but this time we weren't sure if our instructor was coming or not. So I succombed to a 15 minute "warm-up" with the sub-lady.
Since there were a few experienced dancers there, I decided to stay, but couldn't stand it after a few minutes. If it wasn't for the steady exodus of students from the room, I would have left sooner as I didn't want it to be too obvious.
Finally I bit the bullet and left.
What a waste! Last week we were told the teacher would be there (and I didn't stick around for the sub because she lead another instructor's class Tuesday that week).
If I didn't like them so much along with the time being convenient I would look elsewhere.
I don't know, but I've got this thing about showing up and doing what you say you will do if people are relying on you. Time is valuable during a busy day. It is just plain inconsiderate.
Ok, enough ranting.
Last night I snuck in an awesome BD class at the Sahara gym taught by my Fri night instructor. 1.5 hours seemed like a long time, but we covered so much including floor work. By the way she said it was ok that I start attending her Sunday afternoon advanced class which works so much better in my schedule than a 12:30 class -- yeah!
And I ran this morning: 5.2 miles, legs were tired from all this dang-fool bellydancing and body-pump (the class being mundane, not the company -- sorry, but lifting weights to me is a necessary evil although having company gives it a "fun" factor -- thanks!)
Foodwise, I am still not back to tracking. What happened? Help, I have fallen and I can't get up!
Next there is the whole issue of dealing with a sub. The lady who fills in is very nice, but not that good. In fact it would be like asking me to teach the class -- eek! I should have left like last time within just a few minutes (by taking a trip to the "bathroom" but not coming back -- wink wink), but this time we weren't sure if our instructor was coming or not. So I succombed to a 15 minute "warm-up" with the sub-lady.
Since there were a few experienced dancers there, I decided to stay, but couldn't stand it after a few minutes. If it wasn't for the steady exodus of students from the room, I would have left sooner as I didn't want it to be too obvious.
Finally I bit the bullet and left.
What a waste! Last week we were told the teacher would be there (and I didn't stick around for the sub because she lead another instructor's class Tuesday that week).
If I didn't like them so much along with the time being convenient I would look elsewhere.
I don't know, but I've got this thing about showing up and doing what you say you will do if people are relying on you. Time is valuable during a busy day. It is just plain inconsiderate.
Ok, enough ranting.
Last night I snuck in an awesome BD class at the Sahara gym taught by my Fri night instructor. 1.5 hours seemed like a long time, but we covered so much including floor work. By the way she said it was ok that I start attending her Sunday afternoon advanced class which works so much better in my schedule than a 12:30 class -- yeah!
And I ran this morning: 5.2 miles, legs were tired from all this dang-fool bellydancing and body-pump (the class being mundane, not the company -- sorry, but lifting weights to me is a necessary evil although having company gives it a "fun" factor -- thanks!)
Foodwise, I am still not back to tracking. What happened? Help, I have fallen and I can't get up!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Pat head, rub belly, chew gum and talk!
That's what learning BD is like. And the teacher leads you into the next combo in deceptively simple fashion:
"But I have two left hips," I say.
Slide hips from side to side. Now L front R back. Now smooth it out into a hip circle. Easy, eh?
I can do that! Maybe I am a belly prodigy and I don't know it.
Now walk. Step, together, step together. Add the hip circle. Easy! Whoa! Entire class suddenly falls apart. She goes over it again.
Now walk in a circle.
Now stylize with arms.
Now add a shimmy on top of the circle.
Um, I suddenly lost the hip circle in all of this. By now we are moving too fast, having added it to our routine to music!
Suddenly I have two left hips again. So the process goes.
Then I spend the next five days doing traveling hip circles around the house. The husband pretends not to notice and the cats shun me. This isn't quite the effect I imagined BD to have on our household.
On a more mundane note, I did meet R yesterday for body pump after my last Tues BD class of the summer (the Tues teacher will go on tour for two months :(). I pumped up the intensity with extra weight on top this time which I am sure will make its presence totally known by later today or tomorrow.
Somehow all this cross-training is to make my running-life easier!
"But I have two left hips," I say.
Slide hips from side to side. Now L front R back. Now smooth it out into a hip circle. Easy, eh?
I can do that! Maybe I am a belly prodigy and I don't know it.
Now walk. Step, together, step together. Add the hip circle. Easy! Whoa! Entire class suddenly falls apart. She goes over it again.
Now walk in a circle.
Now stylize with arms.
Now add a shimmy on top of the circle.
Um, I suddenly lost the hip circle in all of this. By now we are moving too fast, having added it to our routine to music!
Suddenly I have two left hips again. So the process goes.
Then I spend the next five days doing traveling hip circles around the house. The husband pretends not to notice and the cats shun me. This isn't quite the effect I imagined BD to have on our household.
On a more mundane note, I did meet R yesterday for body pump after my last Tues BD class of the summer (the Tues teacher will go on tour for two months :(). I pumped up the intensity with extra weight on top this time which I am sure will make its presence totally known by later today or tomorrow.
Somehow all this cross-training is to make my running-life easier!
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