Random thoughts and rambles....
I'm in a bit of a funk. Not sure why but it I'm trying to get out of it. This happens most often when I get disconnected spiritually (or on the 28th day). When I lose sight of the fact that God is at the helm of my life and not me... things go awry. It is easy to get self reliant and hard to remain totally surrendered. I've been reading a great book called "The victory of surrender" . It is a great guide for gaining a more fulfilling existence by being totally surrendered. This is super hard for quasi control freaks like me. It takes constant focus and consistent prayer.
When I get in a funk - I go on autopilot...Emotionally and Socially . I start doing and stop feeling. I focus on other people and not on myself. This also drives some of my really physically challenging workouts. I push myself really hard and then coast off of the resulting endorphin rush. I guess it is good to have a coping mechanism.
So the weatherman said " and for tomorrow - a repeat of today" . I thought how depressing! The very thought of routine and sameness makes me sick. I think each day should be better, more exciting, more interesting than the last . I should be more effective, stronger, more effective than the last day. I don't want a repeat of today.
Today's workout at home... 20 min on the mini tramp. This mini tramp is a great workout both for legs and for cardio endurance. I then did legs, arms and abs. I didn't have much time so I got in what I could. I am so tired lately - both before and after workouts. I'm going to the doc today - to see if anything is out of whack.
What is this all about?
I started this blog to keep me accountable in my fitness and clean eating journey. My first post was in March of 2007 and I've been posting ever since. As you will see I've had many highs and lows...but this is all about the journey...not just the destination
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A spinless life
So I'm adjusting to life without spin class and it is quite hard . I'm working to find something that gives me the same endorphin rush, focused effort and calorie burn. And most importantly fun. So far, nothing really comes close. I've been focused on a mix of strength days and cardio days. My cardio days are a mix of multiple activities, but nothing does for me quite what spin does. I've contemplated getting a spin bike for my home . I have my bike connected to a trainer but it , well , just isn't that much fun. I've also considered taking spin at other times during the day 12 or 6, but this just isn't realistic.
Workout:
Food:
Both days - pretty good. I still feel in control and I'm very aware of what I eat. However, I need to be more proactive with snacks. I also need to make sure that I have a snack. I'm back to meal tracking on my Treo with the Personal Diet- application (available at Handango.com). Yesterday I ended at 1610 (thanks to some delicious Korean food for lunch) calories and today 1250.
Workout:
- Yesterday- at gym by 5:15. strength training - 1 hour : 3 sets of leg circuit, squat arm combos, lunge arm combos, hamstrings, leg press, hamstrings, extensions Feeling great! 1.5m on elliptical at pace of 175.
- Today - cardio day - at gym at opening at 5:00. 37 minutes on lifecycle - trying to get to a spin like exercise.. Well the bike is not the same as spinning. It was a decent workout but the calorie burn just wasn't as high as I'd like. I did a program "around the world" on level 10. Result 9.7 miles After the bike, I hopped on the treadmill and ran for 15 minutes -- avg 5.3mph- getting a little faster. Then I hopped on the elliptical for another 20 minutes. 1.6 miles at 174pace
Food:
Both days - pretty good. I still feel in control and I'm very aware of what I eat. However, I need to be more proactive with snacks. I also need to make sure that I have a snack. I'm back to meal tracking on my Treo with the Personal Diet- application (available at Handango.com). Yesterday I ended at 1610 (thanks to some delicious Korean food for lunch) calories and today 1250.
Monday, January 21, 2008
What I believe to be true
- I believe that I need more muscle in order to be an efficient calorie burner (hence the 60/40 focus on strength training)
- I believe that building leg muscles gives the biggest bang for the buck - since they are really big muscles
- I believe that I look and feel much better with more definition
- I believe that high intensity cardio is the only way to burn fat -
- I believe it is better to be a little fat and fit than skinny and and not fit.
- I believe that strength training can be a cardio workout but it should not substitute a good sweaty heart pumping aerobic workout.
- I believe that the best cardio workout machine for those with lower body issues -- is (in order of priority) running, elliptical, stairclimber, high intensity biking (don't bother with recumbent or low intensity biking), walking on high incline on treadmill, walking really fast on low incline
- I believe that proper eating is way more important than the amount or intensity of the workout. My body reflects what you eat more than how you workout.
- I believe that I need a proper eating plan that I have to work every day
- I believe that 1500 calories is the upper limit of what I should eat each day.
- I believe that fiber and elimination are key elements
- I believe that sugar and refined carbs are the enemy
- I believe that to get health and fit - I can accept no excuses when it comes to practicing what I believe
- I believe that I all things are possible - with the proper practice and faith in God
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Weekend away and good choices
I spent the last 24 hours away on a girls retreat. Me and 3 other ladies took time out to get away to renew and to strengthen our friendships. It was something I've needed because it has been hard to make close friends since I've moved away from my home in NJ.
It was a great trip filled with hanging out by the fire, walking on the marina and eating good food. I made excellent choices each day. At a burger/steak place, I chose a warm spinach /chicken salad that was to die for. At a breakfast place where the specialty was cherry cornmeal pancakes , I chose to split my meal (seafood omelet) and have a few bites of the cherry pancakes. It was just enough. I got to taste it without all of the guilt.
I'm feeling very much in control and on track. My weakness is still getting enough water.The good news in all of this is that the scale was very good to me ...-2lbs . Now my task is to keep it going.
It was a great trip filled with hanging out by the fire, walking on the marina and eating good food. I made excellent choices each day. At a burger/steak place, I chose a warm spinach /chicken salad that was to die for. At a breakfast place where the specialty was cherry cornmeal pancakes , I chose to split my meal (seafood omelet) and have a few bites of the cherry pancakes. It was just enough. I got to taste it without all of the guilt.
I'm feeling very much in control and on track. My weakness is still getting enough water.The good news in all of this is that the scale was very good to me ...-2lbs . Now my task is to keep it going.
Friday, January 18, 2008
10 per minute
I woke up at 5 am and put myself on autopilot in order to get to the gym by 5:25. The meant that I had exactly 55 minute to workout in order to get back home in order for hubby to be on time. What do I do when i have exactly 55 minutes to spend at the gym. 1) Don't talk to anyone for too long 2) don't linger in the locker room and 3) be as efficient as possible. To be efficient need to make sure that I'm burning on average 10 calories per minute. When spinning I can get closer to 12-15, but generally speaking 10 is what I shoot for with most cardio. If I can get close with strength training - then I know I'm being efficient.
Today I used 55 minutes in a very wise way. I did a cardio weight workout and topped it off with a quick sprint. A key principle when I do weights is to make sure that I'm making it a cardio session by not resting between sets. 10 seconds on the low side and 30 on the high side. This keeps it as cardio workout ..meaning that my heart rate stays in the target zone at 70% max, the entire time. I also try to employ a combination approach by working 2 muscle groups during each set..for example doing squats in between bicep curl/shoulder presses as one set. Finally I don't count reps .. I do until fatigue. If I get past 12 reps, then I know I need to increase the weight. So that was my workout today. I finished it up with a 1 mile sprint as fast as I could maintain.
Calories burned 525
Food
Very good - egg beaters for breakfast 100c.
chicken breast and squash for lunch 400
Apple and peanut butter for snack 160
Chicken breast and veggie soup for dinner 500
NO CHOCOLATE :)
1160c
Today I used 55 minutes in a very wise way. I did a cardio weight workout and topped it off with a quick sprint. A key principle when I do weights is to make sure that I'm making it a cardio session by not resting between sets. 10 seconds on the low side and 30 on the high side. This keeps it as cardio workout ..meaning that my heart rate stays in the target zone at 70% max, the entire time. I also try to employ a combination approach by working 2 muscle groups during each set..for example doing squats in between bicep curl/shoulder presses as one set. Finally I don't count reps .. I do until fatigue. If I get past 12 reps, then I know I need to increase the weight. So that was my workout today. I finished it up with a 1 mile sprint as fast as I could maintain.
Calories burned 525
Food
Very good - egg beaters for breakfast 100c.
chicken breast and squash for lunch 400
Apple and peanut butter for snack 160
Chicken breast and veggie soup for dinner 500
NO CHOCOLATE :)
1160c
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About Me
- alondaray
- West Coast, United States
- I am a christian woman, wife, mom to 2 great kids, a member of Delta Sigma Theta, A Jack and Jill mom, sister, daughter . I am also incredibly fit but wasn't always. I am a recovering fat girl - who takes it one day at a time.
Alonda the Triathlete!
The backstory-----How did I become a triathlete...
In February 2006, I went on a ski trip with my new colleagues from work. On the way back, I sat next to a girl named Wendy - a really friendly woman who talked about her experience as a newcomer to Seattle. She told me how her main source of making friends was through her workout buddies. She also mentioned that many of her friends participate in triathlons and that (get this) I should consider doing one too. I thought she might have been delirious from all of the skiing. I assured her that I was not the one. She obviously had mistaken me for someone else. Perhap my heavy coat prevented her from seeing what was underneath (50 lbs of extra weight and lots of evidence of no exercise). She continued with this crazy talk, speaking of how fun it is and how supportive the Danskin Triathlon is. I wanted to be sure that she and I were thinking of the same thing... Triathlon (swim bike run -some huge number of miles -all on the same day right after each other). Yup this was it. I chuckled and told her to have fun.
A few weeks later at the office, she mentioned it again. Now at this time, I had been contemplating joining my company sponsored health club (PROCLUB) and in particular the weight loss program called 20/20. After all, I had really packed on the pounds. I arrived in WA 50lbs overweight and pretty unhappy with myself. I actually started to think that completing triathlon would be a good goal...impossible but a good goal. I decided to go for it. At the same time I also decided to join the weight loss program. My first meeting with my trainer ..Anthony Parker was on 3/14/06. I told him ..in all of my fatness, that I wanted to do a triathlon. He looked at me and said hmmm, ok.
I began this really intense workout and nutrition program and began building my endurance. My first meetings with Anthony consisted of walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes and then doing stairclimber or eliptical for 15 minutes. Followed by a bit of strength training. I did this 3x a week (between 6am and 7:30) and then worked out on my own 2 other days. I had absolutely no endurance and could not run for more than 1 minute. Over the months, my endurance grew ..slowly at first then more rapidly. I also figured that I needed to improve my swimming skills if I was going to swim for 1/2 a mile. I took a Total Immersion Class.. which teaches swimming efficiency. Let's set the record straight here... I could swim well enough to save myself if I was thrown off of a boat. I was a decent (not great) swimmer. At the start of the class, I could do 1 (that's right ONE) lap and then I started breathing heavy. At that point I new the triathlon was totally out of reach. After all 1/2 mile was equal to 20 laps. I left the 1st day of class feeling scared and dismayed that I was too aggressive. Maybe I should have set my goal for 2007.
The next week's class, I asked the teacher what I needed to do to build my endurance. He said just keep at it, it will come. You know what, it did. Each week I got better and better. 4 weeks later I was able to swim 9 laps. I then started swimming before my workouts with my trainer (a little crazy but hey). My trainer was pretty impressed. I also started biking on the weekends. In fact in May I did a 30 mile bike ride as a part of the Tour De Cure for Diabetes. I really love biking...:)
Ok so I still had not tackled the most difficult part, the running. Not only could I not run but I absolutely hated it. I started adding running to my treadmill work. Anthony suggested intervals. We started with 2min run 2 min walk . I did this for weeks extending the time and the speed. I was up to running at 5.5 and walking at 4.0. Then Anthony said ..let's see if you can run a mile. I thought he was kidding. I did not think I was ready for that. This was May 5th (a day after my birthday). Guess what I did it. And I didn't feel like I was going to die. I was on top of the world. All day I had a little extra spring in my step. I just kept replaying in my head the "goal attained" message on the treadmill. I just could not believe it.
I kept it up, continued working out 5x a week. I took another swim class "Triathlon Swim Training" to help even more. This class was filled with drills and specific swim workouts. I really saw progress. By the end of the class, I was able to swim 28 laps. Now the challenge was to swim in Open Water. That's right. The triathlon was going to be in Lake Washington.
I finally felt like I could really do it. I didn't have a specific time goal , my goal was to finish. The week before the race I was sooo nervous. I was doing mini triathlons with a few really good girls. I kept up with them during the swim but one bike ride was particularly hilly and....they left me in the dust. I felt so bad and really began to rethink whether or not I should do the race. I spoke to one of the girsl about my bike performance , and she said that my bike was holding me back. That day, I decided to retire my 35lb mountain bike for a 19 lb feather light road bike. Boy what a differnce. This was a risky thing to do so close to the race but it worked for me.
The other thing to mention is that I met up with a wonderful group of women called the Soul Sistas. They are a group of African American Women of all ages who participate in triathlons and bike races. They are so awesome.We (the soul sistas) took pictures the day before the race... I'll post when available.
So the day of the race..... Everybody in the house is excited and up. My kids and my nieces - who were visiting from NJ are all up and ready to root me on. I left early so that I could get ready.The goal was to meet me by the swim finish. This was alll pretty tricky because there were 40 waves of swimmers starting every 3 minutes. All I can say about the swim is that it felt much longer than 1/2 a mile. I kept focused and didn't get nervous. I focused on keeping my breathing relaxed. It worked ...and by the way I wasn't the last swimmer in my group YEAHHH. I don't know how it all worked out but as soon as I finished my swim, I saw them. Byron , Tyler, Paris, Ahlia and Ivy were all waiting there for me with the most beautiful handmade signs saying GO MOMMY, Go AUNTIE, I love you. It was so terrific. Once I saw them I was energized.... Now on to the bike.
The bike was the best part of the entire race. I love my bike and I love to fly down the road. The entire 14 miles of the race was closed to traffic. Our longest stretch was on the express lane of one of the largest highways. Imagine flying down a highway with nothing in your way (but other riders on your right). It was so amazing. I was going pretty fast but could have gone faster - but wanted to save my legs for the run.
Now the run... I hate running and I am really bad at it. I am slow and not terribly efficient. After biking hard for 40 minutes, your legs are really worked up. During the after bike run, your legs turn into "bricks". They are heavy and hard to move. If you push through , you can get over the feeling and get into a stride. Well I also felt pains in my knee. So instead of running the entire 3.2 miles I decided to walk run. In the end it was actually fine - but while doing it I was a little disappointed. Danskin is great because there are so many supporters on the way. Cheerleaders who are yelling "go for it" from their back porch. It was just what I needed. In fact I heard Destiny's Child Im a survivor , on my way and that was what I used in my head to keep me going.
So when I realize I am about 1/2 mile from the end, I start getting super excited and very emotional. It is all coming together now -- all the training, the visualization of actually crossing the finish line and my waiting family. I got on my cell phone to cal my husband, just to make sure he was at the finisth line. He cracked up that I called:)
When you come close to the finsih line, there are all these spectators lined up waiting for you. It is so great! I ran through a narrow entry to the wide finish line area. And there they were.. my family (My hubby, kids and neices) - with signs and smiles. When I crossed the finish line, my name was announced and the official put a medal around my neck. Well I just lost it and started crying. I could not believe that I had just completed a triathlon. I was officially a triathlete.
A few weeks later at the office, she mentioned it again. Now at this time, I had been contemplating joining my company sponsored health club (PROCLUB) and in particular the weight loss program called 20/20. After all, I had really packed on the pounds. I arrived in WA 50lbs overweight and pretty unhappy with myself. I actually started to think that completing triathlon would be a good goal...impossible but a good goal. I decided to go for it. At the same time I also decided to join the weight loss program. My first meeting with my trainer ..Anthony Parker was on 3/14/06. I told him ..in all of my fatness, that I wanted to do a triathlon. He looked at me and said hmmm, ok.
I began this really intense workout and nutrition program and began building my endurance. My first meetings with Anthony consisted of walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes and then doing stairclimber or eliptical for 15 minutes. Followed by a bit of strength training. I did this 3x a week (between 6am and 7:30) and then worked out on my own 2 other days. I had absolutely no endurance and could not run for more than 1 minute. Over the months, my endurance grew ..slowly at first then more rapidly. I also figured that I needed to improve my swimming skills if I was going to swim for 1/2 a mile. I took a Total Immersion Class.. which teaches swimming efficiency. Let's set the record straight here... I could swim well enough to save myself if I was thrown off of a boat. I was a decent (not great) swimmer. At the start of the class, I could do 1 (that's right ONE) lap and then I started breathing heavy. At that point I new the triathlon was totally out of reach. After all 1/2 mile was equal to 20 laps. I left the 1st day of class feeling scared and dismayed that I was too aggressive. Maybe I should have set my goal for 2007.
The next week's class, I asked the teacher what I needed to do to build my endurance. He said just keep at it, it will come. You know what, it did. Each week I got better and better. 4 weeks later I was able to swim 9 laps. I then started swimming before my workouts with my trainer (a little crazy but hey). My trainer was pretty impressed. I also started biking on the weekends. In fact in May I did a 30 mile bike ride as a part of the Tour De Cure for Diabetes. I really love biking...:)
Ok so I still had not tackled the most difficult part, the running. Not only could I not run but I absolutely hated it. I started adding running to my treadmill work. Anthony suggested intervals. We started with 2min run 2 min walk . I did this for weeks extending the time and the speed. I was up to running at 5.5 and walking at 4.0. Then Anthony said ..let's see if you can run a mile. I thought he was kidding. I did not think I was ready for that. This was May 5th (a day after my birthday). Guess what I did it. And I didn't feel like I was going to die. I was on top of the world. All day I had a little extra spring in my step. I just kept replaying in my head the "goal attained" message on the treadmill. I just could not believe it.
I kept it up, continued working out 5x a week. I took another swim class "Triathlon Swim Training" to help even more. This class was filled with drills and specific swim workouts. I really saw progress. By the end of the class, I was able to swim 28 laps. Now the challenge was to swim in Open Water. That's right. The triathlon was going to be in Lake Washington.
I finally felt like I could really do it. I didn't have a specific time goal , my goal was to finish. The week before the race I was sooo nervous. I was doing mini triathlons with a few really good girls. I kept up with them during the swim but one bike ride was particularly hilly and....they left me in the dust. I felt so bad and really began to rethink whether or not I should do the race. I spoke to one of the girsl about my bike performance , and she said that my bike was holding me back. That day, I decided to retire my 35lb mountain bike for a 19 lb feather light road bike. Boy what a differnce. This was a risky thing to do so close to the race but it worked for me.
The other thing to mention is that I met up with a wonderful group of women called the Soul Sistas. They are a group of African American Women of all ages who participate in triathlons and bike races. They are so awesome.We (the soul sistas) took pictures the day before the race... I'll post when available.
So the day of the race..... Everybody in the house is excited and up. My kids and my nieces - who were visiting from NJ are all up and ready to root me on. I left early so that I could get ready.The goal was to meet me by the swim finish. This was alll pretty tricky because there were 40 waves of swimmers starting every 3 minutes. All I can say about the swim is that it felt much longer than 1/2 a mile. I kept focused and didn't get nervous. I focused on keeping my breathing relaxed. It worked ...and by the way I wasn't the last swimmer in my group YEAHHH. I don't know how it all worked out but as soon as I finished my swim, I saw them. Byron , Tyler, Paris, Ahlia and Ivy were all waiting there for me with the most beautiful handmade signs saying GO MOMMY, Go AUNTIE, I love you. It was so terrific. Once I saw them I was energized.... Now on to the bike.
The bike was the best part of the entire race. I love my bike and I love to fly down the road. The entire 14 miles of the race was closed to traffic. Our longest stretch was on the express lane of one of the largest highways. Imagine flying down a highway with nothing in your way (but other riders on your right). It was so amazing. I was going pretty fast but could have gone faster - but wanted to save my legs for the run.
Now the run... I hate running and I am really bad at it. I am slow and not terribly efficient. After biking hard for 40 minutes, your legs are really worked up. During the after bike run, your legs turn into "bricks". They are heavy and hard to move. If you push through , you can get over the feeling and get into a stride. Well I also felt pains in my knee. So instead of running the entire 3.2 miles I decided to walk run. In the end it was actually fine - but while doing it I was a little disappointed. Danskin is great because there are so many supporters on the way. Cheerleaders who are yelling "go for it" from their back porch. It was just what I needed. In fact I heard Destiny's Child Im a survivor , on my way and that was what I used in my head to keep me going.
So when I realize I am about 1/2 mile from the end, I start getting super excited and very emotional. It is all coming together now -- all the training, the visualization of actually crossing the finish line and my waiting family. I got on my cell phone to cal my husband, just to make sure he was at the finisth line. He cracked up that I called:)
When you come close to the finsih line, there are all these spectators lined up waiting for you. It is so great! I ran through a narrow entry to the wide finish line area. And there they were.. my family (My hubby, kids and neices) - with signs and smiles. When I crossed the finish line, my name was announced and the official put a medal around my neck. Well I just lost it and started crying. I could not believe that I had just completed a triathlon. I was officially a triathlete.
