Running Thoughts

Did do one set of lunges with no weights. Did do backward sit-ups. Did do concentrated bicep curls. Did do hammer curls. Did reach good high point on biceps. Did eat well today. Did drink one too many cups of coffee..it's cold here! Did eat a few chips. Did double up on water. Did work on cleaning up the upstairs. Didn't do as much leg or back work as I would have liked...trying to take it easy on Mr. Sciatic Nerve. Didn't eat mini marshmallows. Didn't clean the kitchen (yet). Didn't go for a walk. Will walk rather than run tomorrow. It will be cold and snowy, but I will do it anyway, Ruth ! This is not a picture of here, but it looks like this outside...

Well, ever since my run yesterday, my sciatic nerve has been bothering me. I think it has something to do with 18 hours in the car and then another 18 hours back....then running jarred it. Today is leg day, and I think I will take it easy on legs and maybe even skip it just today so that I can walk tomorrow. I will still be doing back and biceps though, and may walk today or do squats. Here is what I found on-line about sciatica and exercise: Active exercise is important for sciatica relief Although it may seem counterintuitive, exercise is usually better for healing sciatic pain than bed rest. Patients may rest for a day or two after their sciatica flares up, but after that time period, inactivity will usually make the pain worse. Without exercise and movement, the back muscles and spinal structures become deconditioned and less able to support the back. The deconditioning and weakening can lead to back injury and strain, which causes additional back pain. Exercise is also important f...

Beginning a new challenge as we move toward Christmas is exciting to me for several reasons. 1. Because I feel better than I have in years because of the challenge I just completed. 2. Because I know I will complete it after just completing 12 weeks of the last challenge. 3. Because I have friends who have stuck it out with me, and will stick it out for another challenge (or more). 4. Because I know from this past experience that you will keep me accountable and encourage me. As you may have noticed, all the reasons to do the next challenge are related to the challenge I just completed. I know now that I will complete what I begin even if I muddle along through parts of it. Missing a workout doesn't end things for me anymore. I am determined and I am strong. I choose to do this, I don't have to do this. So, I will do it and do it well. You may remember my goals at the beginning of Challenge 1 included just being able to keep going even if I get off schedule or mess up...

Well, I'm back. Did I mention how fun it is to come home to lots of comments? I loved catching up on your blogs too. I took the weekend off rather than just one day. We just got home this afternoon. I started the eating program back at dinner tonight and did my upper body workout: chest: inclined presses and flyes shoulders: presses and side raises triceps: extensions and lying extensions Tomorrow is cardio and abs. Then, Wednesday, I will do legs, back, and biceps. Like absolution, but keeping the same 12, 10, 8, 6, 12, 12 pattern of body for life. HMMMM. Goals for my Christmas Challenge.... Size 6 (to need all new clothes!) run 40 seconds at 10 mph more defined arms and shoulders take my vitamins and flax REGULARLY (check with me...find out if I did it...Keep me accountable!!)

I'll be back Monday night! Legs in the morning, then I'm off! I can't believe my first challenge is over. Pretty exciting to think of what is next....

It was 10pm last night, and I still hadn't gotten my upper body workout done. Company is wonderful, but time-consuming.... So, I settled for 3 sets of 10 pushups before collapsing into bed. Interestingly, I tried to do push-ups (military style) a couple weeks ago and could only do 3. Yes, I am sore, so I don't feel so bad that I didn't get an entire workout in. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I excused myself after getting the turkey on to cook, and went to the gym to RUN! While doing my 7 HIITs (first and last were at 10mph, the rest were 9mph--60 paces!!), I thanked God that I am able to run, able to use my muscles. I came away with a huge amount of gratitude. My Mother-in Law has a muscle condition that is degenerative, and I ran the last HIIT for her. So, today, I am especially thankful!

Well, my in-laws arrive today. That is one reason I had planned on Thanksgiving Day being my free day--more convenient. But, I got a call from a very close friend this morning that her mother passed away early this morning. So, now I am planning to try to fit my workout in tomorrow while my in-laws are here, and then again Friday morning as well. We will need to leave Friday morning to take my in-laws back to the airport an hour away and then head to Tyler, TX. The funeral is Saturday afternoon. So, Saturday is my new planned free day, but it will be very difficult to get my workouts in while my in-laws are here. My Mother in Law is in a wheel chair and needs (wants??) constant tending. Anyway, I will do my best. We will be gone until Monday afternoon and I guess my challenge will end with some time traveling and unable to workout anyway...not the way I planned, but life comes when it comes. So... Today is upper body at home. Tomorrow is cardio (early) at the gym. Friday is lo...

Turkey post for yesterday...(I forgot) shake, water, coffee, water picnic: turkey, tomatoes, a few chips, water brisket, small piece of bread, water turkey, dressing, tomato slices, cranberry sauce, water tea, water water, turkey six meals!!! Very exciting! Today's cardio: six HIITs on the treadmill, last interval was 40 paces at 10 mph. Plans for Thanksgiving: My in-laws are coming tomorrow afternoon. I'm planning to take Thanxgiving day as my free day. Then, Friday, I will probably do my cardio from Thursday and just shift forward. I will take an extra free day at the end of my challenge and then hop back into things for my one week challenge in the interim between my challenge and starting my next official challenge which will be the Christmas Challenge with whoever takes it. I'm excited about that...not sure specifics about it, but it is a fine idea!! I'm hoping to be a size 6 by Christmas. Seems reasonable all of a sudden. wow.

Well, my trip was fantastic! I came back wearing a size eight!! Can you believe it???? Here is the lowdown on my eating while I was there. I won't post everything I ate like a turkey post as it would be a week's worth of food! But, I stuck with the program with only a few bobbles when they changed the schedule and it messed up my timing, but not too bad! The only naughty thing I ate was half a piece of carrot cake (no icing). I took protein bars, string cheese, applesauce, wheat crackers, and salmon for my snacks. The cafeteria was only open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, so I needed my own food for in between. They served plenty of program food, and it was easy to stay on track. Workouts while away...I did upper body on Monday and was soooo sore on Tues. and Thurs. I ran on the treadmill on Tuesday, but was crunched for time, 4 HIITs. I had planned lower body for after class on Wed., but they changed my schedule, and that got canned. No lower body. Ran on the treadmill agai...

I'm about to leave, but I wanted you to know that I did cardio and abs this morning!! I was cold, stiff, and slightly nauseated (fried mushrooms???), and did 4 good intervals. I thought, "I trully can NOT do even one more." So, I did one more. That's my theme for the week...one more!! Actually, on abs, I did 10 more when I thought I'd reached my limit! So, my challenge to you for the week is to concentrate on doing one more than you think you possibly can while I am gone. I will do the same and we can compare notes when I get back next Saturday!!!

Yesterday...only got 4 meals in... plain nonfat latte, water, turkey lunch meat, water hamburger "guts", part of one bun, tea, water, water marathon bar, water water chicken parmesan from BFL recipe book (yum), pasta, broccoli, spinach, water water water Today...began free day this evening's meal. Odell got home today after 2 weeks gone. We went to a (the) restaurant. coffee, peanut butter foldover on wheat bread, water EAS shake, water left over chkn parmesan, broccoli, water Turkey foldover on wheat, cherry peppers, water chkn fajita salad, fried mushrooms (that was the freebie, I mentioned!), soup, tea water string cheese, water Tomorrow, I will be leaving to go to Massachusetts for a week. I'm going to the New Frontiers class for Kaegan's home program. Odell just got home today, and I leave tomorrow. AND I have to travel alone...I don't like that. I'm excited about the class, though! I will be keeping up BFL while gone. Tomorrow is cardio day, which I ...

We are blessed to have clean water in abundance. Arnold presses are not for sissies. I am not a sissy. Kick-backs using Mark in some way as a target would be most fun (in answer to Ruth's comment) It's a tricep exercise, actually. Backward sit-ups are very effective. 30 pounds is heavy when doing pull-overs. Everyone should have a jacuzzi for soaking sore muscles. So, I went to the gym early this morning for HIITs on the treadie. Only did 4 because I was chit-chatting in between. Later is better for me so that no one else is in there to talk to! LOL My longest sprint is 45 seconds at 9 mph. Shortest is 20 seconds at 10mph. I try to at least make it 40 steps. I figure that is about 40 yards, or close. That's how far Shawn Phillips goes, 40 yards. But I'm sure he doesn't take as long to recover as I do. And I walk in between as I catch my breath, I don't know that he walks...ever. He looks to me like he never, ever walks or sits. What a wad of muscles he is!! But...

Thanks for the encouragement, gals!!! Yesterday's turkey post: eas shake, water , coffee, coffee, water water salmon with wheat crackers and water water marathon bar, water water chicken fajita with tomatoes and water water boiled egg and water . Upper body today was an all day affair. Done, though! Will definitely feel it tomorrow. Changed things up... Did incline dumbbell press, pansy push-ups arnold press, shoulder press backward sit-ups, pull-overs lying extensions, kick-backs incline curls, prone incline curls Today's turkey post goes like this: eas shake, coffee, coffee, water , water salmon with soy sauce and wheat crackers and cherry peppers and water 1/2 c coffee, water marathon protein bar, water , water water water soft steak tacos, tea, and water string cheese and water Ok, that does it for today...OUCH! My shoulders!!!!

...only 16 more workout days until the end of this challenge. I want that to spur me on and to gain momentum from that, but instead, I feel like I haven't made all that much progress for the amount of work I've done and I'm letting it get me down. I do feel stronger and I am healthier. I don't get winded easily like I did before, and those were all goals too, so why is it that the "appearance" goal gets the most attention from me?? Well, anyway, I'm sticking with it! I thought yesterday that I would do some frog jumps because my leg workout didn't feel all that strong, but I realized yesterday afternoon that I had done enough! I was sore, and even woke up every time I moved in the night. In fact, my legs were sore enough this morning that I trudged up the steps to the weight room thinking, "I can surely at LEAST do 4 HIITs." I did 6, and the last one was 10mph (but short!). So, I felt good about getting more done that I felt like I c...

food yesterday: EAS vanilla shake, water, coffee with splash of nonfat milk water latte, plain, with nonfat milk, turkey lunch meat, 5 pepperonis off Brae's pizza, water, water water marathon protein bar, water, water water Mexican stack--hamburger meat, tomatoes, salsa on about 6 corn tortilla chips, water, water water applesauce (unsweetened) and string cheese, water, water

Leg day... I went to the gym to change things up. Did leg presses...never feel like that does enough... Did hamstring curls...I know that will hurt later...did calf presses...did squats for burnouts on quads, but didn't know how much to put on the bar...ended up with 40 lbs because I couldn't negotiate the bar up onto my shoulders with more on it, so squats were wimpy. I will do some frog jumps later to make up for it! It just didn't feel productive enough. Did some stretching, although I'm not convinced that makes any difference for soreness or for injury prevention. It feels good, anyway. I think the warm up is probably more important, but I didn't do that! I'm down from a size 12/14 to a tight 10 with 3 weeks to go. I just don't see me down as much as I'd hoped by week 12, but we shall see. I'm not giving up or even down about it, just contemplating. Hmmmm. Will post TURKEY later....

Can't believe I've started my 10th week. I only have 3 weeks left in this challenge! Here is today's workout: I ran on the treadmill...6 HIITs @ 9mph...(I noticed I ran a 15 minute mile within my run :) That's good for me! abs...3 sets of 15 incline twists and 2 sets of leglifts (ran out of my alotted time) Have a good Sunday! Tomorrow will be legs and I think I might go to the gym for leg presses and hamstring curls to change things up a bit. What is anyone else's plan??

couldn't wear them... ...Now I can! No one will even reco gnize me! That tag says size 10!

legs today... I decided that I was overworking legs by doing both lunges and squats, both with burnouts. I think that squats and variations thereof work your entire lower body. I felt much better last week (but still very sore, so good workout) when I let up some on legs, so I am following that this week. Exercising with intensity, but not overdoing. frogjumps squats w/60 lb dumbells tired.

I only had 15 minutes by the time I got to the gym for the treadmill. Shawn Philips says 15-20 minutes of HIIT, so I guess 15 is...OK. The good thing is that I got in 5 HIITs in that 15 minutes and pushed the last 2 to 9mph. So, I was happy with that. I still have abwork to do, and I sure don't want to do it! It seems like I work and work and my abs never get sore.... Oh, don't worry...I'll do it anyway!