Wow - I need to workout & blog more regularly

Yeah, I would like to clarify that my lack of blogging is not a direct reflection of my workout schedule. Though I admit that I am not as dedicated as I was when I was paying a trainer or as dedicated as I probably should be, I am still chugging along towards my goal. Today is March 17, 2012. So, let me back up a bit.

From January through the end of February my life was dominated by Vagina Monologues. The long rehearsals, working 6 days a week, and general chaos of this season made working out a backseat priority for a while. As I mentioned in my last blog, I have somehat switched my focus from jogging to strength training. Thus, instead of heading home to jog at my complex, I have started visiting the gym on campus. Still not a powerlifter by any means, with some coaching from David, I have managed to figure out how to use most of the machines available. Since starting this new focus, I have succeeded in benchpressing for the first time in my life! I was only able to lift the bar, but I am still pretty impressed with myself! I have also done 5 real push-ups at a time (also a first for me) and have increased my bicep curl weight to
8 lbs! Upper body strength has never been my forte, so I am happy to be addressing that issue. I have also gotten to the point at which I can do 30 squats without pain. :) These accomplishments are baby steps, but I am really proud of them!

I am not sure whether or not I have mentioned this before, but I deeply despise treadmills!!!! Really, I absolutely hate them! They were necessary while training for the 10k due to the gross weather, but now I just can't make myself get on one. Thankfully, the weather has brightened and warmed up so I can go outside again!!! I never thought I would say this, but I actually enjoy jogging outside now. Now that I do not totally suck at that is. :) Anyways, over the last few weeks I have managed to get out on the trails again a few times. It is hard and not all of the trips were sucessful, but they were worth it. The times of the successful jogs are:

Feb. 22nd (jogging at my complex)
.5 mile - 6:02 mins
1 mile - 11:51 mins
1.5 miles - 17:37 mins
2 miles - 23:21 mins
2.5 miles - 28:59 mins
3 mils - 34:52 mins

Feb. 27th (at Franky Carter Park)
1st mile - 11:23 mins
2nd mile - 23:13 mins
3rd mile - 34:42 mins
.1 mile - 35:33 mins

Mar. 16th (at Franky Carter Park)
1st mile - 11:12 mins
2nd mile - 23:09 mins
3rd mile - 35:20 mins
.1 mile - 36:29 mins

OMG-It's been a long time since I blogged!

Today is January 14, 2012. My last post was in August, 2011. That is too many days to count! :) So, I am just going to have to come up with another title system for my posts. Haha! Over the last few months, I have worked my tail off! My personal trainer Kent helped me prepare for my 2nd 5k and my first ever 10k! I took several months off from my routines prior to begining my work with Kent, so I was very proud of myself when I completed the 5k in a minute less time than last year's jog. :) That, though was a halfway point. THe work continued with 2 days a week of jogging and strength trainging (no weights, just body movements to help steady my legs) and one day of homework. During that time, I met and stared dating the most amazing man. David is getting his master's in Human Fitness and Performance and is an athlete. His encouragement was a huge help when I got tired, or lazy, or felt like giving up. And it was him who paced me throughout my whole 10k so that I wouldn't have to do it alone. He keep me going when around mile 4 I started getting really crabby and tired and wanted to stop. I kept tell him that he could run ahead (he was basically walking because I was so slow and he has long legs), but he told me that he would rather stay and do it with me. I don't know that I could have finished without him by my side. I had only jogged over 6 miles twice before and both times were on the treadmill. So, I was nervous about jogging outdoors. But, I did it! :) And, I did it in a minute less than my goal time: 1 hour 15 minutes! :) David is so great that he even took pictures of me crossing the finish line! :) The Ronald McDonald 10k was held on Dec. 3, 2011. My friends Michelle, her boyfriend Michael, and my friend Jennie did the race with us. Michael and Michelle work out all the time so they were much faster than me. Jennie hadn't trained much so she walked most of it. Either way though - we all DID IT! :) :) :)

Since then, I have worked with David. He is helping me to switch my focus from jogging to muscle building so that I can reach my 8% goal easier. I have already lost about as much weight as I can (I am at around 125 according to a recent physical), so now I just have to replace fat with muscle. Let the work begin!!! :)

Days 481-484

Per my trainer's instructions I took the break. Of course, I doubt he meant for me to eat 5 tons of food while lazing around, but...

Friday night I worked an event on campus that allowed for dancing - which I LOVE. And, followed it with Mexican food - which I also LOVE. :) Saturday I spent at the beach with my parents bobbing in the salt water.

So - though, I had planned to do my home routine on Saturday, I forgot to do it until Sunday at 10pm! The first part of Sunday was spent cleaning, shopping, baking the most amazing chocolate and caramel cookies, and making paella for dinner. It was my first attempt at paella and it was a SUCCESS :) My mom loved it so much that she ate the leftovers that were supposed to be for Dad. :)

Yeah - so at 10pm I got off my butt and did my home exercises. It is ridiculous how quickly I was huffing and puffing! The hip thurst thing was alright minus the fact that my stabalizer ball was rolling the whole time (I think I am going to try a chair instead next time). The squats and lunges were alright minus the quaking in my legs and the sweat rolling down my back. Even the hip raises were alright, minus the fact that I waited to do them until last and was shaking so bad I almost fell of the chair I was standing on. Overall, I was kind of impressed with myself. However, the ball pass V thing was a total failure! I did 10 of the 30 I was supposed to do and don't think I did any of them correctly. It is like doing a sit up and a leg lift at the same time and my body just does not move like that. So, I gave up and subsituted 30 sit ups instead. Hopefully, that will suffice for now. I went to bed TIRED, but not sore as I was expecting so that made me feel good.

Then - I woke up this morning and had to walk down 3 flights of stairs to leave my apartment. It was not until then did I notice the tightening of my bum and the shaking, jello feeling in my thighs. UGH! It doesn't hurt (in a bizarre way that would be better), but you can tell I used muscles I have not EVER used. I am definitely going to regret waiting until last night when I get out there with K today!

Day 480 - Personal Trainer Baby!

That's right people - I broke down and hired a personal trainer! K is a former student ambassador in my office and opened his own gym over the summer. Today he was nice to me - or so he says. After some warm up, he had me jog my steady slow pace while timing my laps. He said he wanted to get my base so that he knows where I am starting at. I did it in about 13mins. He has the specific number in his notebook. After that he jogged/walked a mile with me so I could talk to him. He said it was important to find my "conversational" pace. Apparently you are supposed to be able to talk without difficulty when you are jogging at your body's best pace. I didn't make it the whole mile though and had to walk some of it. The warm up stuff hit me harder than I thought it would and my chest felt like it was going to explode.

After jogging he showed me how to do the 5 moves he wants me to do on our off day. For now, I am supposed to meet with him Mondays & Wednesdays for jogging and then do the in home routine on either Friday or Saturday. It sounds easy, but I am quite sure it will HURT! And of course - this is just the beginning.

I am a bit nervous about not being able to keep up and make it through, but having someone to be responsible to is going to help me for sure. I hope.

Days 477 - 79

This week is busy as always. Sunday was spent with my friend before he left. Monday night I had dinner with my parents and went shopping for the perfect b-day gift for my best friend. Tuesday I had coffee with a friend. Geeze louise! I need time to do laundry, clean, and cook the amazing meal that I bought all of the supplies for on Sunday! OH yeah - and to jog!

Day 476

Today I dragged my friend that came to visit me to the park to jog. Last night we hung out with 16 of my nearest and dearest family members at our favorite Chinese place followed by dessert at my aunt's. As always - there were left overs, which I happily ate for breakfast. This was an awesome idea at the time, but two hours later when I decided to jog at noon in the summer, in Texas, during an almost record breaking heat wave it was most definitely NOT a good idea. Though I am realistic in knowing that I am out of shape and have a lot of work to do, I was not expecting to do as poorly as I did. I suppose considering the circumstances, I should be thankful that I didn't die and did finish jogging the full 5k. Which I am on both accounts.

1st mile - 13:44 mins
2nd mile - 28:43 mins
3rd mile - 43:52 mins
.1 mile - 45:20 mins

Oh - random bonus realization - Wild Strawberry Gatorade is NOT helpful and is gross. From now on I am sticking to the blue flavors.

Days 471 - 475

This was a long week at work and I honestly don't remember what other reasons/excuses I had for not jogging. Things (not just jogging, but everything) seem to be getting away from me while I sit on the couch. Who knows.....