I swear sometimes the "healthy living" cards are just stacked against you...
I brought #healthy leftovers to work last Friday but the boss took us to lunch, so today I came in planning to eat those. Sadly, they'd gone bad. OK, so I tells myself, "SELF: you're still going to eat reasonably well today!"
and I go online (consciously saving myself the pressure of ordering in person, caving and getting a greasy burger or other sandwich) and order a lovely salad to pick up. I resist the urge to mindlessly order a delicious cookie to eat with said salad. I freaking love those cookies. I click "SUBMIT ORDER" and I go to pick up my delicious salad. SANS cookie.
When I get there, I end up having to wait a while despite ordering ahead (and despite the fact the place was virtually empty, no customers ahead of me). No prob, I'm cool as a cucumber. I pay.
Cashier says, "Sorry for your wait. I hope you don't mind; I put a cookie in the bag to make it up to you. Have a great day!"
Last night was the last night of the 2015 Heat Wave women-only running group. I sure do love that program. I was a volunteer leader again this year - which is funny, because I'm not SUCH a strong runner... I'm just very enthusiastic. Even as "leader" for the "back-of-the-packers" I sometimes struggle to keep up. Last week was awful - my calf muscles were tight and wanting to cramp and they just never let up, the whole run I was just in pain. Until about 40 minutes in. That's right, you heard me. FORTY minutes. I had a miserable night and as a "Group Leader" felt like a failure. But I guess I can say I was providing an example of how even experienced runners have a SHITTY RUN now and then. Suck it up, buttercup.
During THIS week's run; however, got into a great discussion of "Balance." Shifting focus from "weight loss" goals to "fitness" and "attitude" orientation, and how that can affect things both positive and negative. This past year, my goals had to make that shift, which required a great deal of soul-searching and conscious effort to reward myself for different behaviours, set different weekly / monthly goals, and begin looking at the number on the scale in a whole new light. That gave me some space (mentally), taught me to be kinder to myself, and ease up on the pressure to Always Be Losing. (When losing becomes impossible, that pressure is a recipe for self-hate, not self-love.)
My goal was to stay active, enjoy the "Active Lifestyle" I have constructed over the past six to eight years, and get comfortable maintaining that level of activity in the body that I HAVE, rather than waiting to start enjoying activities when I have the body I'm "supposed to obtain." The part of that shift that was hardest for me was learning to tell the difference between "being kind to myself" vs. "being lazy" or "being complacent." It's still not second-nature, but when I take the time to think through my decision-making process, it's always really easy to decipher.
Sometimes, "just showing up" is a win. And I'm all about rewarding, celebrating, and acknowledging those days and giving props to myself when I Just Show Up.
The Athletic Build: Lift Weight Lose Fat: Why Women Need to Strength Train Though I must say that the photos accompanying this piece made me question whether I wanted to continue reading or share it, the author makes a good argument. The "art" though... smacks of "fitspiration," which is a pet peeve of mine.
After reading these articles and blog posts, my thoughts are running along these lines: Seriously, I am shooting myself in the foot, not doing any weight training. I need an achievable goal. Once a week? Wednesdays or Thursdays once the running programs are over? Only 4 weeks left, and the Hubs is off work on those days, so he can take care of the pups...
... Maybe I should shoot for twice a week? Add in a Saturday/Sunday, possibly even post-run? Why haven't I been doing this all along?
Yeah, really. Why don't I go to the gym?
I decided to take some time to analyze this question and see if I can come up with some productive solutions that will allow me to a) get over the hump and actually GO to the gym; and b) really set a realistic, achievable goal for the short term. Weight lifting was once a really integral and enjoyable part of my exercise routine. It should be again. I want it to be part of my routine, but I haven't really integrated it into my program during the past ... well, the past year, really.
So why not?
PROBLEM EXCUSE #1: It seems like a hassle.
1) I have to go home, change clothes, deal with the dogs complete frenzy, then leave them, plus once I'm home, I really don't want to leave. I'd rather take the dogs for a walk or have one of the boys walk Louie while I run with Coty.
Fix1: DON'T GO HOME. Pack the bag with spare shoes (you're not supposed to be going to the gym in your good running shoes anyway, and you have like 5 old pairs just waiting for a chance to do some good), and like 5 days worth of exercise clothes. Gym clothes aren't the same as running clothes anyway. Maybe you need to invest in a couple more bras and a set of socks. We're not talking about a major commitment of money here. Re-pack the bag every other Sunday. Keep the bag in the car.
Fix2: GO HOME! We have a weight bench and a set of dumbbells at home. Hell, they're all set up, even! Do it at home. Teach the dogs to leave you alone while you work (it can be done). And Do. Your. Thing. The problem with this solution is, I've already proven this isn't something I'll do regularly. I can't be counted on to implement this particular Fix. I would do well to keep it in mind for occasional use, though.
2) I end up with work clothes / shoes in the gym bag and gym clothes in the house and sooner or later I'm at the gym with no shoes or something.
Fix: pack the fucking bag every other Sunday. Make a checklist. (Um, duh, you love checklists!) Pack a stash of plastic grocery bags to put work clothes in, and then when you come home from the gym, you don't need to remove the whole bag, just grab the dirty clothes bag and take THAT in.
PROBLEM EXCUSE #2: I'd like to try some new things.
I do enjoy weight lifting. I do. Really I do. But I got bored and new exercises on my app required upgrading to the $4.00 version of the app instead of the free one.
Fix1: Get a new app. Remove the app you were using and start using a NEW one. You'll get new suggested exercises and it will mix things up.
Fix2: Switch gyms. Go to a more comprehensive facility that offers some classes and other options that aren't available at the cut-rate, bare-bones facility you're currently using. You enjoyed it at first, but if it's no longer serving your needs, it's time to bail. Buying the upgraded app would be cheaper, but upgrading your facility may have a bigger payoff.
PROBLEM EXCUSE #3: The goddam parking lot is always full.
I'm not just talking about having to park a ways from the doors (though during the -17 degree days we had in January and February... oh, let's just assume that's never going to happen again). I'm talking about no space ANYWHERE in the parking lot and having to either drive home or park at the gas station a block away and walk to the gym from there.
When I joined, the gym was brand new, and a lot of people simply didn't know it was there yet. It's been over 2 years, and the damn college students have found the place and realized how cheap it is, and they've gone and ruined it for me.
Fix1: Just get up earlier! Start going at the ass-crack of dawn. Okay, just kidding. I know you're not going to do that. This mental exercise is intended to result in realistic solutions, not fantasies about what may work if you were, I don't know, a completely different person.
Fix2: Switching gyms is an option here. Or going at lunch time - when you're in town, that is - or going a little later in the evenings... but then I run into the question of having to go home and then head to the gym, or work out after dinner, which has never been a concept I could get on board with.
Fix3: GO HOME - see above.
So the response for this excuse is: OPTION A: Sack up, honey, and deal with the crowd. or OPTION B: find a new gym and hope you don't run into the same problem in another two years. But really, would that be so bad? or OPTION C: Workout at home using the weight bench and dumbbells you already have.
PROBLEM EXCUSE #4: I run with the dog, and the dog is not welcome at the gym. And ... WTF are you getting at here, Chris?
Here's the thing: It would be nice to run to the gym, (get that cardio in and get all warmed up), do my weight training and stretching, then run home. But I can't do that with Coty, and then there's Louie to consider, going all freaking nutso when he sees running shoes... he's like a 75-lb heat-seeking missile with teeth. It's insane. Everybody gets all worked up and excited, and then I leave them there... staring at each other and all keyed up. That's how you lose a shoe in my house. You can't get them worked up like that and then just walk out leaving them alone and to their own devices. Someone ends up eating one of my shoes or pooping in the house - or pooping in one of my shoes - under those conditions.
Knowing how anxious both my dogs are, this borders on just a mean thing to do.
Fix: See Fix1 for Excuse #1 - Don't Go Home. Run to the gym from WORK, workout, and run back to the office and drive your silly ass home if you want to do that. Your gym is less than a mile from the office, and less than a mile from your house. Come to think of it, why the hell aren't you running to work in the first place? Oh right, because I'm an accountant and I have to look like one. Let's not get all crazy wih this. FOCUS!
Solution and Goal:
So here's what I'm going to do:
Start small - goal of actually going inside the gym once a week, starting next week (this weekend?)
I will pack a bag with several days' worth of workout outfits, and more than one pair of former running shoes, and keep it in the car with some Dirty-Clothes Bags. That may just be the key t making this happen, at least to start with. And I will create a checklist for what goes in the bag and stick it in the side pocket where it's available.
I will find a new (FREE) app to help me track what to do and how to do it, for strength training.
Investigate other local gyms. The new job offers some discounts with national chains, and we have a few national chains here where I might be able to take advantage of the corporate rate. And a new gym might have a free personal training session that would help me find new weight training work to do... At any rate, I'm going to look into it, consider the options, and decide whether the additional cost will be worth it for maybe having some group fitness classes available, different equipment, maybe a pool?? Maybe I'll change gyms, maybe not, but I'll give it serious consideration.
So there's the result. One gym visit per week, with a bag already in the car, download a new app for my phone, and check out another gym. I can do that. I'm heading out now, to walk my crazy dogs before one of them infiltrates the Shoe Closet.
Since my last post, I've still been thinking a lot about my experience with the Bosu Ball Alternating Side Lunges. Seems I haven't posted all I have to say on the subject, so I'm starting off today with a little Epilogue, if you will.
I don't know about anyone else, but for me, I try to focus only on myself when I'm at the gym. I'm always very conscious of the fact that, let's say, "I don't look my best" in gym clothes. I'm sweaty (if I'm doing it right). I'm wearing clothes that are functional, not flattering. My hair isn't done. I may have makeup on if I stop in after work, but once I'm all red in the face and sweating with effort, I'm not sure that's doing me any favors in the looks department. That's all fine, and as it should be, but it doesn't make that bit of self-consciousness go away. In my everyday life, I wear things that are flattering to my body, no matter what size I am, and I pretty much go through my days feeling good about how I look, so no scolding me for being down on myself, please... I'm just saying in this situation at the gym, it's a little hurdle I have to get over. I cope by focusing inward. I don't spend much, if any, time socializing, and I don't really know many people that use the same gym I do, so this all works out pretty well for my state of mind when working out.
When I went & picked up the Bosu Ball to do my first set of Glute Squeezes, a woman was stretching and doing some core work nearby. She looked at the ball, asked me about it a little. I explained I'm just learning to use it, but was really excited to find it was available. And kept myself from jokingly asking her not to laugh at me while I figured it out. We talked for a couple of minutes about the different exercises we've seen people doing with the ball, and laughed a bit about the awkward balance between trying to watch someone do something we've never tried, without staring at them like a creepy gym stalker.
Later when I started trying to figure out how to do the Alternating Side Lunges, feeling awkward and uncoordinated on that Bosu Ball, one thing I didn't fully explore in my previous post is the INTENSE feeling of self-consciousness I was battling. It was almost as if I thought, if I stop what I'm doing right now and look around, I'll see everyone in the gym gaping at me, maybe even pointing and laughing! I mean, clearly this is irrational and I didn't REALLY think that, but... well maybe a little part of my brain thought it could happen.
So if you're reading this and you've ever had that same feeling when trying something new and feeling uncomfortable, here's what ACTUALLY happened when I looked up:
There was a big muscle-y guy lifting weights on a bench a few feet from me, and when I stopped to catch my breath and glanced around, he caught my eye and said "Man, I couldn't do what you're doing!"
My first thought was Dude, right now, neither can I!But no, Chris, negative self-talk is one thing, it's even worse when you say it out loud. I stopped myself from saying that, and the first thing that popped out of my mouth in response was, "Yeah, I am WAY outside of my comfort zone right now!" (I gotta give myself a little pat on the back for turning that negative into a positive. That was a good one.)
And he said, "That's what it's all about - you gotta get out of that comfort zone to make progress. Keep it up!"
How about that? NOT pointing and laughing. Encouraging. Yeah, this is where I'm SUPPOSED to be: OUTSIDE of the comfort zone. Getting it done. Maybe I should talk to people more often at the gym. Maybe there's a little something to the idea of interacting with people in that context. I gotta say, I like my gym more and more.
One more word on this: I came across a great quote on the subject in my random Internet browsing tonight: “You only ever grow as a human being if you’re outside your comfort zone.” -Percy Cerutty I found it here: http://runnersfeed.com/top-20-running-quotes/
There's a saying in Illinois: If you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes.
As far as I'm concerned, this has never been more true than this week. The weather forecast is positively insane. This post on Facebook tickled me & really says it all.
I'm not in Chicago but the forecast is the same for our area so this was just perfect to sum up the situation.
So here's how this played out with respect to last night's planned 3.2-mile group
run through the neighborhood:
It was raining in the morning, cleared up in the afternoon while I was at work, then started sprinkling again at 4:30pm, just in time for me to head home to change and get to the 5:30pm run. Meh, a little rain never killed anyone, I can run in the rain - the dog doesn't like it much but she'll put up with a lot for her Daily Constitutional.
JUST as I reached to pick up my windbreaker (I mean, literally, the moment I reached for it!), I heard the first clap of thunder. THUNDER in January??? What the hell?? Ah well, wait 5 minutes, it might not be a big deal. Sure enough, the rain lightened up a bit while we waited for the other runners to arrive at our starting point, and we headed out with the group right on time. Coty was a bit nervous (she really really hates water and that goes double for lightning) but gamely trucking along. We got about 8 minutes in before the raining turned to POURING rain. Another couple of minutes and we paired that up with some lightning. Coty pretty much gave up all hope of survival at that point and started sprinting, running toward random houses (presumably to request asylum and adoption with a new family) and wrapping her leash occasionally around trees & light-posts. We said our hurried goodbyes and got back to the starting point and the car as quickly as possible.
Terrible photo, but: The creepy eyes are Coty. Those lines are rain
pouring down. Coty says "This is the STUPIDEST idea you have EVER had!"
Don't know if you can read this, but I thought it ironic: my socks
(SOPPING wet by the end of this little excursion) say "Duo Dry."
Thus ended my 1.25-mile run for January 29, 2013. 16 minutes. Ugh. Today will be a gym/ strength-training day (tomorrow too) which is nice, because it's going to be in the teens again with a low of 1 on Thursday. Maybe Friday I'll be able to go for a run in beautiful 40-degree weather??
Just wait 5 minutes, you never know what's coming up next.
I'm a slave to my routine, but my workout schedule is highly dependent on my dog, and on the weather. Today is a perfect example of how that all works together on the good days.
Monday is a run day so the routine dictates I work till 5 or so and rush home to change and take Coty out. The temps today and tomorrow are completely insane. I mean, ridiculous! Wind chills below zero - we're looking at negative 15 tomorrow afternoon. That's Fahrenheit. Crazy cold. By Wednesday all will be right with the world again, but for today, I took one look at that nonsense and texted my husband, who had the day off for the holiday, asking him to take Coty on her daily walk for me. I figured if I planned to walk her, I'd only give her the quick one-miler again, and after this weekend's indiscretions I really needed a proper workout. Jason could walk her during the day when it was, well, as warm as possible, and I could hit the gym where it's warm.
The plan worked perfectly. I got out of the office just before 5pm, rushed home and changed my clothes, confirmed the dog was all taken care of, and out the door I went. (That's also a dangerous proposition, coming home to change is an incredibly easy way to talk myself out of going to the gym, but I was determined today so it was fine.)
Took a while to find a parking spot at the gym, which would be surprising, but it is still January, and let's face it, I'm pretty much one of the New Year's Resolutioners myself this year, so who am I to complain. What I love about my gym is that even when the lot is packed, there are plenty of machines open once you get in the door.
My knee is still feeling pretty stiff so the treadmill was not on the menu. I hit the stationary bike for 40 minutes. I'm not a veteran user of the stationary bike, still figuring out what the right resistance level and other settings are. I tried out the Interval Training setting, Level 5. It was pretty challenging, seems like a good place to start for next time. I got 10.2 miles in 40 minutes, even got to read a bit of my book (on my phone), and bolted for the door by 6:30pm knowing I got a solid workout done. I could hardly believe I got done so quickly!
Jason made chili while I was gone and when I got home I made the cornbread to go with it so we got a reasonably healthy, home-made, high-protein meal to finish the day. Great stuff! I do love chili & corn bread, and it's the perfect meal for this weather.
I'm not sure what the plan will be for tomorrow but if the temps are as low as predicted, I don't think I'll be going on my Tuesday night group run!! We'll see what I can figure out. For today, I'm glad I found a way to change up my routine and make it work around a little obstacle that Mother Nature threw into the mix.
My puppy is taken care of, and so am I. All is right with the world.
and I go online (consciously saving myself the pressure of ordering in person, caving and getting a greasy burger or other sandwich) and order a lovely salad to pick up. I resist the urge to mindlessly order a delicious cookie to eat with said salad. I freaking love those cookies. I click "SUBMIT ORDER" and I go to pick up my delicious salad. SANS cookie.
