Vox

Musical Math

                Nickleback
                     AC/DC
         +    Billy Squier
Awesome A.M. workout music

No way you won't get your heart rate up listening to "Diggin' This"

Cool down with The Babys and you have just started the day off right :-)

Overkill

Why my trainer and I may have to part ways ~

As I was working out on Friday, we were joking about food. I mentioned that my boyfriend was always giving me extra helpings of stuff ("have another piece of pizza, you're too skinny") He immediately came back with "You are not too skinny"

Now, I never actually thought I was, and I don't think anyone who saw me would think so, either - it's just something boys say to girls, "you're too skinny", "you're a feather", "you could stand to eat a cheeseburger".....

His response would really not be sooo bad if not for his comments later when he asked me if I had ever tried taking fat burners, "you know, the safe ones". (I'm not aware of any safe ones) I just said no and kept working (or trying to, did I mention how pathetic I am?) Later he brought it up again, "a lot of my clients are using the fat burners and they really help to get rid of the excess body fat"

I would say I am between 10 & 15 pounds off my goal weight, though I am way off my goal fitness level. I think most people would evaluate my physique and say "she should add some more cardio and cut out the junk food" or something along those lines.

This guy is a fitness trainer who should be able to develop a regimen to do just that, but his solution is to recommend supplements, and questionable ones at that. That seems a bit squirrelly to me.

What do you think?

Can You Say Mortified?

I was doing my usual solo racquetball thing at the gym this morning, you know, where I run around and miss the ball a lot. I wasn't feeling 100% so I wasn't there as early as I like and I had to cut it a bit short. As I walked out of the court I ran into one of SG's friends, who apparently works out there, also.

So there I am, chatting with him, thinking about how much of a spaz I am on the court.......

Oh yeah, that's embarrassing

Smoke On The WalMart

I decided to try my own advice and wear a ring during my workout today, so I tried to stop at WalMart on the way. Not a good day for WalMart shopping. Coincidentally, those are the two WalMarts where I most often shop. I wonder how long they will be closed.

So, K-Mart it is. Apparently, if you wear a size 7 or 8 you can have all the costume jewelry you want, if you wear a size 5 you are out of luck. Fortunately, the clerk was helpful and she dug through her back stock to find me a serviceable band. Size 6, but workable. Then I looked at the price - $65. Uh...no. I said, "really, this is just for the gym so I am only looking for some cheapy thing". Turns out the $65 ring was on sale for $15 (talk about overpriced) - still not as cheap as I would like but it'll do.

Off to the gym where I have NO problems, zero. This could be attributed to many things; might be the ring, might be the time I went (10 am), might be that word has spread that I am a b****, might be that no one found me the least bit appealing, or (using the JJ analogy theory hypothesis) I was actually looking good today, maybe there were no men there today..... Many possibilities but the outcome is the same, a peaceful workout. I ended up staying with it a bit longer today, just because I wasn't aggravated by the interruptions. Cool.

I do wish I could get my honey to join up so we could go together, I think it would be fun. Not that we even need to work out together when we are there, though I bet he could get me squared away on using the weights & machines correctly, but just going together would be nice. I'll keep working on him.

For now, I will wear the ring unless it stops working. It is small and simple enough to not bug me, so why not?

My Time, My Space

Well, I have managed to make it to the gym a couple of times now - including this morning at 6 a.m., that is the way to do it.

So far, I just play racquetball by myself. Running around the court, jumping for shots, stopping, turning, reaching, & squatting all work out the parts of me that need working - and it's fun. Muscles in my hips and thighs I forgot existed have been hurting - in a good way. Of course, I look like a total spaz because it has been years since I played, but I am alone so it doesn't matter. Well, there is a big clear wall on one end so people can watch and laugh if they want, I just don't hear them and I don't look out.

However, for some reason, guys seem to think that the closed door to the court is only a suggestion and keep coming in to introduce themselves.

WTF?

With stupid lines, too;
"I noticed you have a nice smile" - hard to do since I am not smiling or looking your direction
"You have great form" - yeah, for a complete klutz
et cetera, et cetera, blah blah blah.

I try not to be rude, but this is my time to work out and I don't want to be bothered. I am certainly not in the market for a man (got that taken care of, thank you), if that is what they are thinking, and even if I was (which I am not, BTW) I would be unimpressed with your tactic requiring me to stop the little rubber ball that is flying around the room so it doesn't smash you in the nose. This has happened enough that today I caught a glimpse of my ponytail out the corner of my eye and thought it was a person so I checked my swing.

At this point the racquetball court conversations basically go like this:
"I noticed you have a really nice smile"
"Thanks, I really want to get back to my workout now"
"My name is Joe"
"Nice to meet you, I'm going to finish working out now"
and if they persist with "What's your name?"
they get "I'm really just here to exercise, Joe"

Now, I know there are girls that go to the gym with different motives than mine. There were two today, sitting on the machines looking all helpless and giggly - you could just tell they weren't intending to work up a sweat. Or the girl the other day who was curling her hair and putting on makeup before her workout. Those girls are young and cute and want to talk to you boneheads, so go bother them. Leave the sweaty old lady ALONE.

This is one of the things holding me back from the rest of the gym. I don't know which machines I should be using or how. If I go out there on my own to try and figure it out, I will just look all helpless/clueless which may seem like an opening for some musclehead to come bug the crap out of me.

Seriously, I don't want to be rude but give me a break. I may see if I can find my old wedding ring (or just buy a cheapy one) to wear when I go. That way it may keep some of them away, and the ones that still try something I won't feel bad about being rude to - I have no trouble being rude to a dude that would hit on a married lady.

Wimp

I have been trying to get myself back on the wagon to get in shape - without much luck. Last week I finally joined LA Fitness, after setting up a corporate membership plan for our office back in March. Every day since then I have been determined to get in and get going.......

Finally managed to drag my expanding booty down there today. I had hoped to hit the racquetball courts, even though I had no partner, just to get a feel for the game again. I used to really enjoy playing and I know it kicks my fitness level up. Unfortunately, they were having a tournament today so the courts were full :-(

Instead I headed upstairs and used the cardio machines. Yes, I have a couple at home, but theirs are not only quiet (mine squeak something awful) but are also all computerized. Cool. Anyway, not the best use of my fitness dollars I know, but it was a start. I talked to my sister after her session today (she did the personal trainer thing) and she was quite happy - and had done a lot more work. I hope we get the run down on her sadistic conscientious trainer over on her blog.

BTW: I had considered going with her to her appointment kinda glad I didn't ;-)

The Secret

I just picked up the latest issue of Fitness Magazine.
On the cover I found this promise:

PRO SHORTCUT TO TOTALLY FLAT ABS p.36

So now I have the secret - what's it worth to you?

Motivation

Can't believe I missed this, even more surprised that I am not that upset about missing it.

I think I know why, though. SG's roommate is a big donut eater. There are Krispy Kremes there every freakin' day. At first it was a real temptation for me, I love those things. I used to cover the box with a towel or just move them to a remote part of the counter. Now, after having the living, breathing, shuffling example of what happens to your body when you eat donuts every day living in his house, I really am not that gung ho to eat even one.

I guess it's helps to have a bad example, as well as a good one.

(that sounds really mean doesn't it? Sorry, but it's true)

Heavy Lifting

As I mentioned in these comments, my sister had a weight bench taking up space in her house. It actually belongs to her son, but with the girlfriend and moving he sort of lost interest - works out great for me. She told me I could have it a while ago but I could never corral anyone to help me. SG had said he would pick it up but he is rarely in this neighborhood so it just never happened. Since she has put her house on the market and it needs to look nice for the prospective buyers she called to remind me....again. I managed to get some help today so it was perfect.

I'm sure I had seen it at her house, but never paid that close of attention. I was thinking it was just "a weight bench" - one of those cheapy things that you can do presses and flies on, and not much else. I was hoping I'd be able to adjust it so I could do incline crunches, though I was doubting it would do that. Boy was I wrong. It is a Weider system, with the leg curl and cable tower and all sorts of stuff. I started to worry it wouldn't fit in the area I had planned for it. Thankfully it does and, once I get it reassembled, I will have even more variety in my workouts. Weights were the main component that I have been missing, so YAY!

Thanks, Sis! and Thanks, Nephew!

Humbling

Once again, back on the bike for the trip to work. This time it took a kick in the pants from my sister (we work at the same office). So she arrived at my house bright and early (well, early for me) and we set out....

Regular readers know I try to keep in shape; I eat right (sort of), I exercise. I used to ride to work 2 or 3 times a week. Yeah, it's been a while but still!

My sister, however, doesn't so much. She definitely eats better than I do; has been off sugar for 6 years or so, she has always been good about eating her fruits and veggies, drinks lots of water....you know, just generally smart about that. But she doesn't do any sort of regular "exercise" - just generally really active.

However, during our teen years she was quite the athlete - and I was quite the geek. I have always heard that your long term fitness is affected by your lifestyle during your formative teen years - and I think it is definitely true. She is a living testament to that.

Why all these details? I am trying to rationalize the fact that I was having trouble keeping up with her skinny little butt! Yeah, that's right - she blew my doors off. We were still under my old pace, but I would have been going a lot slower if I wasn't chasing her.

Glad she got me back in the saddle. Glad she kept me pumping my wimpy little legs. Glad she's my sister

Hurts So Good

I recently purchased a new piece of exercise equipment, something that required installation of a bracket before I could use it. (long time readers, especially "Edward", will know what it is from an old Friday Five post)

SG had agreed to do the install for me - but I am the impatient type...it had been a whole day, after all. So I did it myself! Borrowed a stud finder and a drill and hooked that bad boy up.

Now my shoulder has been acting up again, and I started back to physical therapy. I shouldn't have been doing anything, and just doing the install hurt. I was probably safer with the apparatus still in the box. Yeah, even though I knew better I had to try it out. I felt it in every muscle I expected to, and many more I hadn't anticipated would be involved. I am going to be sooo sore in the morning, and so lucky if I can use my arm at all.

But what a great workout - and so much fun!

MORNING UPDATE: Oooowwww!

Deep Freeze

I had planned to ride my bike to work again today, even going so far as getting to bed at a reasonable time and rising at the crack of early (well, early for me). After a healthy breakfast I was off.

I thought.

But it was cold...yeah, you heard me, cold. I was actually shivering. I tried putting on my extra layers but it was no use. If I can't warm up, let alone work up a sweat, in a mile and a half it is too cold - I turned around and got my car.

Yeah, yeah - I'm a whimp.

Focus

I was reading a fitness magazine and came across this quote (but don't remember who to attribute it to), contrasting Yoga & Pilates

One is eyes closed, think of God. The other is eyes open, think of your butt.

's true

The Old Dusty Trail

I decided that on a day as beautiful as today (and with SG having a day with the guys) I should take a hike - something I love to do and that Arizona was made for.

I originally planned on going up North Mountain, from the 7th St entrance (# 40 on this map) but when I got there it was way too crowded. Imagine that, I wasn't the only one wanting to enjoy the weather.

So, I drove around to the back side of North Mountain, and did the Shaw Butte trail instead (# 100 & # 306 on the map) Great hike, enough uphill for a challenge, enough rockiness to keep me on my toes - hardly any other humans to be seen. Lots of cool wildlife, though. Mostly lizards, the occasional rodent.

Now I am all sweaty and tired, so I think I will finish out the workout with some crunches or something.

Or maybe just take a shower.....

UPDATE: I decided to go with the workout since I just got The New York City Ballet Workout 2 from Blockbuster Online (did I mention I am loving this). The workout, however, I didn't love so much.

I spent an hour or so and never felt challenged (except when I ran to get the phone when SG called). In fact, the opening sequence showed exercises and stretches that were not part of the workout. You can find them on the "extras", but showing me how to do the plank, then telling me to do it 3 times, does not count as "extra targeted" abdominal exercises. Yep, that was it - one extra exercise per body part (at least the ones I looked at). There were a couple of crunch variations during the workout that seemed like they might present a challenge, but they never did enough reps of anything. I really thought that my legs/hips/butt would be burning but those exercises never amounted to much, either. In fact, perhaps the most challenging thing of all was holding my arms up in the proper ballet positions - my shoulders may end up a bit sore. Very disappointing - but reassuring. It is a DVD I have almost purchased several times, I'm glad I didn't.

OK - now the shower!