Yesterday at the gym...
20 minutes of Fit Fix (weight lifting)
40 minutes on EFX Machine (Elliptical) ( ~400 cals burned)
1,710 calories consumed
3 L water consumed
So yesterday as I was exercising on the EFX machine I was thinking about whether I really am burning as many calories as it says I am. I often wonder about the accuracy of the calories burned readouts on any fitness machine. If someone is the same weight as me, but is not in very good shape, it's going to be harder for them to do the same time period on the machine at the same level. It doesn't ask you to enter in your height, just your weight and your age.
I wasn't really that sweaty. I was warm, but usually at the end of my stairmaster work outs I am dripping (gross, I know).
Last time I did the EFX, I pulled a muscle in my butt. That wasn't fun.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Gym Etiquette
Yesterday at the gym...
20 mins stationary bike (Level 11, 5 miles rode ~180 cals burned)
30 mins stairmaster (aerobic level 8, 3 miles climbed ~350 cals burned)
1,693 calories consumed (daily goal is 1,606.. oh well.. I killed a hell of a lot of calories yesterday)
3L water consumed
On Monday morning at the gym, I was doing the fit fix, which is a series of weight machines. I was really excited to be there in the morning because it wasn't that busy, and it's a good time to get through the machines in order, like you are supposed to without getting stuck behind too many slowpokes. The goal is to move between the machines as quickly as possible so that you keep your heart rate up.
Anyways, when I started there was this lady about 2 machines down from me, and she was going pretty slow, so I took my time getting my water and getting set up. As I started to move through the machines, I noticed that they were actually wet with the sanitizer.
While I appreciate that you are taking time to wipe down the machines, I would appreciate it more if I didn't have to trail after you and dry them all off.. Urggghh.. Just one of those little gym pet peeves.
Since I am kind of one of those "these are the people in your neighbourhood" kind of people, in my head I give people I see often little nicknames. One of the ladies in the gym was Sarah Palin to me.. she just kind of looked like her.. so I would be walking into the gym and see her on the fit fix machines and think to myself, oh god, there's Slow Sarah. I guess I should take longer with my warmup. Maybe I am a snob.
I don't know about you, but when I go to the gym I just want to get in and get out. Exercising isn't my absolute favourite activity. That would be lounging on the couch watching tv and eating chips, and that's why I am in this situation! LOL. I think it also has a lot to do with having a desk job and commuting for 3 hours a day.
Then there's Supergran. Remember that show, Supergran? I wonder if it's on YouTube.
Supergran is this grandma that works out like a fiend. She is probably in better shape than I am at 28! She is a fixture at my gym. Saturday morning she gets there for Step at 8:30, then stays for Zumba, BodyPump and BodyFlow, and I think she might even stay for NewBody. That's 5 hours of fitness on a Saturday! Wowzers. She's also outfitted in the latest Lululemon all the time, and is friends with EVERYONE. She is a really nice lady. She's talked to me a few times too.
I saw Weirdy the other day. I don't know why I picked Weirdy for her nickname. I guess when she first joined the gym, every time I saw her she was wearing the same workout clothes. I guess I thought that was weird.
I wonder what people call me. Probably the loner. LOL.
20 mins stationary bike (Level 11, 5 miles rode ~180 cals burned)
30 mins stairmaster (aerobic level 8, 3 miles climbed ~350 cals burned)
1,693 calories consumed (daily goal is 1,606.. oh well.. I killed a hell of a lot of calories yesterday)
3L water consumed
On Monday morning at the gym, I was doing the fit fix, which is a series of weight machines. I was really excited to be there in the morning because it wasn't that busy, and it's a good time to get through the machines in order, like you are supposed to without getting stuck behind too many slowpokes. The goal is to move between the machines as quickly as possible so that you keep your heart rate up.
Anyways, when I started there was this lady about 2 machines down from me, and she was going pretty slow, so I took my time getting my water and getting set up. As I started to move through the machines, I noticed that they were actually wet with the sanitizer.
While I appreciate that you are taking time to wipe down the machines, I would appreciate it more if I didn't have to trail after you and dry them all off.. Urggghh.. Just one of those little gym pet peeves.
Since I am kind of one of those "these are the people in your neighbourhood" kind of people, in my head I give people I see often little nicknames. One of the ladies in the gym was Sarah Palin to me.. she just kind of looked like her.. so I would be walking into the gym and see her on the fit fix machines and think to myself, oh god, there's Slow Sarah. I guess I should take longer with my warmup. Maybe I am a snob.
I don't know about you, but when I go to the gym I just want to get in and get out. Exercising isn't my absolute favourite activity. That would be lounging on the couch watching tv and eating chips, and that's why I am in this situation! LOL. I think it also has a lot to do with having a desk job and commuting for 3 hours a day.
Then there's Supergran. Remember that show, Supergran? I wonder if it's on YouTube.
Supergran is this grandma that works out like a fiend. She is probably in better shape than I am at 28! She is a fixture at my gym. Saturday morning she gets there for Step at 8:30, then stays for Zumba, BodyPump and BodyFlow, and I think she might even stay for NewBody. That's 5 hours of fitness on a Saturday! Wowzers. She's also outfitted in the latest Lululemon all the time, and is friends with EVERYONE. She is a really nice lady. She's talked to me a few times too.
I saw Weirdy the other day. I don't know why I picked Weirdy for her nickname. I guess when she first joined the gym, every time I saw her she was wearing the same workout clothes. I guess I thought that was weird.
I wonder what people call me. Probably the loner. LOL.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly!
Haven't gone to the gym yet today, so nothing to blog about there. I posted yesterday's activities yesterday.
Recently, the parental units and I were looking at the pictures from the trip I took to Hawaii with my mom back in April. I sat there criticizing myself in every photo. My stepdad looked at me and told me to cut it out! He said that I should start loving myself instead of beating myself up. He has a point.
I don't know when it started, or what triggered it, but I have become totally critical of myself and my body image.
I did have a boyfriend years ago that would tell me often that I was letting myself go, or I was looking a little chunky that day, but I never thought it would get to me.
It could be magazines and general pictures of women in media, and all the studies that say skinny attractive people do better in life than overweight less attractive people. I am amazed at the pressure that women and men are under to keep a lean physique.
Next time you are out and about, look around you. How many of those people are lean and attractive? I bet you can count them on one hand, and since when was attractiveness measured by body size?
I don't pick my friends based on their bodies, I pick them based on their personalities, and really I never think about the package that my friend comes in, well, unless I am looking for him/her in a crowd!
So maybe I should be less critical of myself and my body image. I am who I am, and I am making positive changes for my health and my body by working out and putting good food in it. So what if I have a blizzard once a week? It's not an extra large, and as my stepdad likes to say, eat right, stay fit and die anyway.
Also with our celebrity focused culture, I think that it gives us unrealistic role models. I wish I didn't have to sit around an office all day to pay the bills and that I could just hire chefs and trainers to get me lean and fit, but I am a real person. I need to work, pay bills, commute, deal with stress, handle family commitments and put time into my marriage.
I don't think TMZ is going to be chasing me around any time soon!
Next time you're looking in the mirror scowling at your reflection, give yourself a break. I know I will.
Recently, the parental units and I were looking at the pictures from the trip I took to Hawaii with my mom back in April. I sat there criticizing myself in every photo. My stepdad looked at me and told me to cut it out! He said that I should start loving myself instead of beating myself up. He has a point.
I don't know when it started, or what triggered it, but I have become totally critical of myself and my body image.
I did have a boyfriend years ago that would tell me often that I was letting myself go, or I was looking a little chunky that day, but I never thought it would get to me.
It could be magazines and general pictures of women in media, and all the studies that say skinny attractive people do better in life than overweight less attractive people. I am amazed at the pressure that women and men are under to keep a lean physique.
Next time you are out and about, look around you. How many of those people are lean and attractive? I bet you can count them on one hand, and since when was attractiveness measured by body size?
I don't pick my friends based on their bodies, I pick them based on their personalities, and really I never think about the package that my friend comes in, well, unless I am looking for him/her in a crowd!
So maybe I should be less critical of myself and my body image. I am who I am, and I am making positive changes for my health and my body by working out and putting good food in it. So what if I have a blizzard once a week? It's not an extra large, and as my stepdad likes to say, eat right, stay fit and die anyway.
Also with our celebrity focused culture, I think that it gives us unrealistic role models. I wish I didn't have to sit around an office all day to pay the bills and that I could just hire chefs and trainers to get me lean and fit, but I am a real person. I need to work, pay bills, commute, deal with stress, handle family commitments and put time into my marriage.
I don't think TMZ is going to be chasing me around any time soon!
Next time you're looking in the mirror scowling at your reflection, give yourself a break. I know I will.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Catching Up
Friday...
Rest day, but took a 1 hour walk with the hubby around the neighbourhood.
Saturday...
My other rest day, went and walked around Stanley Park.
Sunday...
1 hr body attack class
Today
40 minutes on the stairmaster
20 minute fit fix.
Weekends are hard, mmmkay?
It was a long weekend here in Canada, and weekends always mean self sabotage.. well not really self sabotage, just more of the hubby eating foods that are bad for me and me going along with it. I did try to do something active every day and I think I pretty much succeeded.
Rest day, but took a 1 hour walk with the hubby around the neighbourhood.
Saturday...
My other rest day, went and walked around Stanley Park.
Sunday...
1 hr body attack class
Today
40 minutes on the stairmaster
20 minute fit fix.
Weekends are hard, mmmkay?
It was a long weekend here in Canada, and weekends always mean self sabotage.. well not really self sabotage, just more of the hubby eating foods that are bad for me and me going along with it. I did try to do something active every day and I think I pretty much succeeded.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Positive Affirmations
Last night at the gym:
45 minute Body Attack class
1,584 calories consumed
2 litres of water consumed
Tonight at the gym...
20 minutes of weight lifting (fit fix)
40 minutes stairmaster
1,575 calories consumed
2 litres of water consumed
One thing I like about my gym is that they have started putting positive affirmations on sticky notes around the gym. I was on a stretching machine the other day and there was a note on it that said, you are a beautiful person. I thought that was nice. The other one said sexy mama. That didn't do it for me, but different strokes for different folks I guess.
It's easy to lose sight of your goal if you fall off the wagon and it's easy to beat yourself up. I am thinking of posting some positive affirmations on my bathroom mirror. That way when I look at them I can re-envision myself as lean and healthy. I am strong, I am beautiful, I am smart!
Seems kind of stupid, but I think it might just actually help.
45 minute Body Attack class
1,584 calories consumed
2 litres of water consumed
Tonight at the gym...
20 minutes of weight lifting (fit fix)
40 minutes stairmaster
1,575 calories consumed
2 litres of water consumed
One thing I like about my gym is that they have started putting positive affirmations on sticky notes around the gym. I was on a stretching machine the other day and there was a note on it that said, you are a beautiful person. I thought that was nice. The other one said sexy mama. That didn't do it for me, but different strokes for different folks I guess.
It's easy to lose sight of your goal if you fall off the wagon and it's easy to beat yourself up. I am thinking of posting some positive affirmations on my bathroom mirror. That way when I look at them I can re-envision myself as lean and healthy. I am strong, I am beautiful, I am smart!
Seems kind of stupid, but I think it might just actually help.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Finding Inspiration in the Success of Others
Last night at the gym...
20 minutes on stationary bike (5 miles)
30 minutes on the stairmaster
2.5 litres of water consumed (through the whole day)
1,514 calories consumed (under the daily goal of 1,606.. I knew I should have had that glass of milk!)
Now on with the post...
I found a really awesome site when I first started my weight loss journey back in August of 2009. It's called calorie count (www.caloriecount.about.com). I have not always been the best at logging my calories, especially on the weekends, to the point where I have considered just carrying a little note book around with me and writing everything down. Calorie count makes it easy. You just put in all your info, what you want your goal weight to be, where you are now, and it tells you how many calories to eat. Most foods are included in their database, so it makes it easy to just log on and add your foods. It also has an exercise log, so that you can track all your exercise. It considers how many calories your body burns just running itself (breathing, digesting food etc), so at the end of the day you get a report which tells you whether you ate too many calories, had a deficit or whatever, and what nutrients you are high or low in. Definately a good tool if you are trying to lose weight.
I've tried a couple of fad diets, and they have never got me anywhere. Back in the day (2006) when I was trying to lose weight I was doing Slimfast shakes for breakfast and lunch and working out three times a week and seeing no results. I guess you can't have a shake for breakfast and a chocolate bar for lunch. I think when I started again in 2009, I realized that it was a lifestyle change that you have to make, and I was getting married in November 2010, and I'll be damned if I am going to spend that much money on a dress and not look awesome in it, so I bust my ass. I lost 14 lbs, which was pretty good for me... then I got stuck on a plateau. Then I went and got married, went on a honeymoon, came back home and fell right off the bandwagon!
So here I am again, hitting the gym like a crazy person and hoping that life doesn't get in the way and that I don't fall off the wagon.
One thing that I find keeps me motivated is on Calorie Count, and that is the Success Stories. I always feel so happy for the people on Calorie Count that have lost weight, and done it the healthy way, with a lifestyle change. Not through fad diets or expensive personal trainers, but because they took the onus on themselves to do it. I admire the determination and the willpower of these people.
You always hear that piece of advice over and over to surround yourself with the people you aspire to be like. I guess CC is my place to do that with regards to my weight loss. Check it out if you are trying to lose some weight too. Definately worth signing up for free!
20 minutes on stationary bike (5 miles)
30 minutes on the stairmaster
2.5 litres of water consumed (through the whole day)
1,514 calories consumed (under the daily goal of 1,606.. I knew I should have had that glass of milk!)
Now on with the post...
I found a really awesome site when I first started my weight loss journey back in August of 2009. It's called calorie count (www.caloriecount.about.com). I have not always been the best at logging my calories, especially on the weekends, to the point where I have considered just carrying a little note book around with me and writing everything down. Calorie count makes it easy. You just put in all your info, what you want your goal weight to be, where you are now, and it tells you how many calories to eat. Most foods are included in their database, so it makes it easy to just log on and add your foods. It also has an exercise log, so that you can track all your exercise. It considers how many calories your body burns just running itself (breathing, digesting food etc), so at the end of the day you get a report which tells you whether you ate too many calories, had a deficit or whatever, and what nutrients you are high or low in. Definately a good tool if you are trying to lose weight.
I've tried a couple of fad diets, and they have never got me anywhere. Back in the day (2006) when I was trying to lose weight I was doing Slimfast shakes for breakfast and lunch and working out three times a week and seeing no results. I guess you can't have a shake for breakfast and a chocolate bar for lunch. I think when I started again in 2009, I realized that it was a lifestyle change that you have to make, and I was getting married in November 2010, and I'll be damned if I am going to spend that much money on a dress and not look awesome in it, so I bust my ass. I lost 14 lbs, which was pretty good for me... then I got stuck on a plateau. Then I went and got married, went on a honeymoon, came back home and fell right off the bandwagon!
So here I am again, hitting the gym like a crazy person and hoping that life doesn't get in the way and that I don't fall off the wagon.
One thing that I find keeps me motivated is on Calorie Count, and that is the Success Stories. I always feel so happy for the people on Calorie Count that have lost weight, and done it the healthy way, with a lifestyle change. Not through fad diets or expensive personal trainers, but because they took the onus on themselves to do it. I admire the determination and the willpower of these people.
You always hear that piece of advice over and over to surround yourself with the people you aspire to be like. I guess CC is my place to do that with regards to my weight loss. Check it out if you are trying to lose some weight too. Definately worth signing up for free!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Gym rat I am not.
So here I am again, hanging out on blogger with my lofty expectations for myself of going fat to fit.
Life has totally got in the way of my fitness goals. I don't think I have been to the gym since I got back from Hawaii, except for yesterday, when I made my triumphant return to the machines and the mats.
Things have been a bit crazy. Just before I went to Hawaii, my brother got put in jail for assault causing bodily harm after getting in a fight with his room mate, but I think I told you that.
The trial came, I bailed him out, and he has been living with my husband and I which severely cramped my style fitness wise, but like everyone around me keeps saying, "You're doing a good thing!" My brother says that all those people who keep giving me mad props for doing a good thing are all the people that wouldn't touch the situation with a 100 foot barge pole.
Anyways, things seem to be getting better. The bro has found a place to live with his boss, he had work the 2nd day out of jail and seems to be getting his life back on track. We resume the second half of the trial on July 4th (Monday) and he is scared that they are going to throw him back in jail, but I really can't see that happening. It really is a stupid situation and a huge waste of taxpayer time and money, but that's a blog post for another day.
Anyway, fat to fit... right?
I'm counting calories again. Made it to the gym last night for fit fix and 40 minutes of stairmaster goodness. 30 minutes of speed intervals followed by a 10 minute comfortable steppin' cool down. Today I am thinking that I might go and ride the bike for 20 mins and then do the stairmaster for 20 mins.. then my body attack class tomorrow, and some kind of cardio and maybe fit fix on Thursday. I'm also thinking that since it's summer and there is less rain running on a Saturday morning down at the dykes or at the track could be a good idea, then there is Body Attack on Sunday morning. Fridays and Mondays might be good non consecutive days off.. hmmm.
Food wise, I think I am doing ok. We have been eating out a lot though, and with my birthday a couple of weeks ago, there has been lots of cake etc in the house. I might have to go all last 10 lbs boot camp on myself and hide all the sweets!
I think my husband might want to lose a bit of weight too, so he would probably come walking/running with me on the weekend. It's just embarrassing for me. There is that whole "he has seen you naked argument, but usually its dark and he can't see all my wobbly bits.. lol.
It's just hard to get myself motivated on a weekend to do much of anything. Getting up every morning at 5:30 and commuting for 3 hours a day takes its toll after awhile, not to mention the emotional stress with my brother's trial. Hopefully after Monday it will all be over and we can go on with our lives.
Anyway, I think that's pretty much it for now. Maybe I'll step on the wii fit this weekend and write down a starting weight.. eugh! Wish me luck.
Life has totally got in the way of my fitness goals. I don't think I have been to the gym since I got back from Hawaii, except for yesterday, when I made my triumphant return to the machines and the mats.
Things have been a bit crazy. Just before I went to Hawaii, my brother got put in jail for assault causing bodily harm after getting in a fight with his room mate, but I think I told you that.
The trial came, I bailed him out, and he has been living with my husband and I which severely cramped my style fitness wise, but like everyone around me keeps saying, "You're doing a good thing!" My brother says that all those people who keep giving me mad props for doing a good thing are all the people that wouldn't touch the situation with a 100 foot barge pole.
Anyways, things seem to be getting better. The bro has found a place to live with his boss, he had work the 2nd day out of jail and seems to be getting his life back on track. We resume the second half of the trial on July 4th (Monday) and he is scared that they are going to throw him back in jail, but I really can't see that happening. It really is a stupid situation and a huge waste of taxpayer time and money, but that's a blog post for another day.
Anyway, fat to fit... right?
I'm counting calories again. Made it to the gym last night for fit fix and 40 minutes of stairmaster goodness. 30 minutes of speed intervals followed by a 10 minute comfortable steppin' cool down. Today I am thinking that I might go and ride the bike for 20 mins and then do the stairmaster for 20 mins.. then my body attack class tomorrow, and some kind of cardio and maybe fit fix on Thursday. I'm also thinking that since it's summer and there is less rain running on a Saturday morning down at the dykes or at the track could be a good idea, then there is Body Attack on Sunday morning. Fridays and Mondays might be good non consecutive days off.. hmmm.
Food wise, I think I am doing ok. We have been eating out a lot though, and with my birthday a couple of weeks ago, there has been lots of cake etc in the house. I might have to go all last 10 lbs boot camp on myself and hide all the sweets!
I think my husband might want to lose a bit of weight too, so he would probably come walking/running with me on the weekend. It's just embarrassing for me. There is that whole "he has seen you naked argument, but usually its dark and he can't see all my wobbly bits.. lol.
It's just hard to get myself motivated on a weekend to do much of anything. Getting up every morning at 5:30 and commuting for 3 hours a day takes its toll after awhile, not to mention the emotional stress with my brother's trial. Hopefully after Monday it will all be over and we can go on with our lives.
Anyway, I think that's pretty much it for now. Maybe I'll step on the wii fit this weekend and write down a starting weight.. eugh! Wish me luck.
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