Gym Etiquette

12 March 2012

I realize I am frequently ranting and raving about the going ons in the gym.  Today I am back on my soap box and I am truly not happy! I understand the gym is a great place to meet up with friends and enjoy a workout, I get it. But there are a few things I really wish people would keep in mind.  #1 the locker room does not need to smell like a French whore house, please do not bathe in your perfume until AFTER you leave the closed in area. #2 those benches are supposed to serve more than one person at a time.  There is no excuse for one person to have their stuff laid out across the entire damn thing!!! #3 the entrance way into the latrines is NOT a gossip area! I will just hit three today!

1.       French whore house – the locker rooms are closed in and probably about half the people are finishing up their workout and we don’t’ need to be choking on the smell of your perfume. 

2.       Benches – we all learned when we were little how to share.  I have not seen a single bench in the locker room that is intended for a single person.  Because some people find it necessary to hog the entire thing other people are trying to juggle their property and dropping and breaking their stuff! (yes, I dropped stuff today which is my main reason for this soap box visit.  Not only did my iPod hit the ground my phone did too, I did get lucky and only my ear bud broke, but that is money I didn’t want to have to spend!)

3.       I have never been in a men’s locker room so this is really single sided, but I have never seen women gossip more than they do in the gym.  The thing is there are places in the gym that are fine if you want to blab but there are a ton of places that you just need to stay away from… the entrance area to the latrines – when I have to pee, I can only be polite for so long.  Weight machines – if you are going to use it now… MOVE!

Ok, I’ll shut about that now!  (I didn’t even touch on the definition of Same sex locker rooms and that I don’t care how old a boy is a boy is a boy and they do not belong in the women’s locker room!)

Yesterday was rest day and it wasn’t easy.  I just wanted to go get some swimming in or a nice yoga class, something! But I survived! Today was back to business.  I am trying to get four or five yoga classes in a week because I want to see how my body reacts.  On the training front it was a nice easy 2.5 miles, which I made sure I stayed in Zone 3.  The odd thing was I kept getting dizzy while on the treadmill, I wasn’t sure I was going to make it to yoga.  By the time I got off the treadmill I was feeling ok so I figured I would give yoga a chance.  I am glad did!  Different instructor than last time, but we did a lot of lower body focused moves and it felt good.  We did Happy Baby twice and I have to say, my back LOVES happy baby!!!!! Now it is time to focus homework, finals week is next week. L

~If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say: "He obviously does not know me very well, since there are so many other faults he could have mentioned"~

The Floor is Getting Closer!

8 March 2012
No, I am not getting shorter! Actually I have shrunk a bit (thanks to my back issues).  I made a comment to my sister about the floor getting closer and she through I lost my mind! I have never been overly flexible (unlike my younger son), thanks to yoga I have managed to gain a certain amount of flexibility, but the whole thing of putting weight on and having back issues that flexibility hasn’t been around of late.  The other day I had to pick something up off the ground and I had no issue bending over and grabbing it.  There was no squatting down it was bend and grab!

Today was my official weigh in day and I am so excited to say I am down over eight pounds!  That is with no calorie counting just keeping an eye on “mindless snacking” and making sure we have a salad with dinner every night.  I get cookies for dessert most nights (some nights I just don’t feel like it).  So YAY! OH!!!! That means I get a new pair of running socks!!!!!!!

This week I have been right on schedule for my training and tomorrow … ACTIVE RECOVERY—LOW-IMPACT CROSS TRAINING OR FULL RECOVERY IF NEEDED I am going to use this as aerobics class day!  First I am going to try to sleep in a bit.  Tomorrow morning I have a choice between Spin Class, Zumba, hot yoga, and regular yoga.  I have never been to a hot yoga class, but my primary care doc highly recommends it but told me in NO uncertain terms to make sure the instructor is WELL aware of my medical conditions and ask for help to adjust some of the poses to make sure I don’t get hurt.  Spin class… it isn’t with Tony L but it is still a possibility.  Zumba not sure how my back with like it.  Regular yoga is a very good possibility! I also plan on getting some pool time.  I had thought about it today, but I figured after my 3-miler I was good for the day. 

Here is to another great weight loss week and an even better training week!



~If you hear that someone is speaking ill of you, instead of trying to defend yourself you should say: "He obviously does not know me very well, since there are so many other faults he could have mentioned"~

Buyer’s remorse without even buying anything!

So I was at the store last night checking out the bikes and I got information on the two bikes I am considering and they both have their benefits (one has a squishier seat while the other has better aero bars, one has shows RPMs while the other shows MPH, etc.). I woke up this morning with buyer’s remorse and I haven’t even bought the damn thing yet! The way I see it is I have a bike, I have a trainer, the reason I really don’t use it is because my sister says it is really loud! Instead of getting a spin bike, we are going to get a pad to see if that will muffle the sound and if that doesn’t work, then we will see about making the investment. Another thing we are planning on doing is ripping out all the carpet and putting hard wood floors in, not sure that will muffle the sound any, but it is time to change the flooring!

Today is a forced day off, I had mommy duties to do this morning so there went my lunch time workout and then I have class tonight which means I can’t do it after work. All of this is fine, tomorrow should be a two workout day, one during lunch and one again after work (hitting the pool after work!). Saturday is the run group, I don’t know what the plan is other than dressing warm. Sunday (not supposed to be great weather) there is a spin class at the gym followed by a yoga class, might see if I can get into the spin class and then recover with the yoga class, if not, who knows!

While on my mommy duties this moring the lady at the front office asked if I was still doing Weight Watchers, I told her I was but I am going to a different meeting (we had seen each other at the Wednesday meeting, but lately I have been hitting up the Saturday meeting). I told her I will be running with a local run group on Saturdays so I will be coming back to the Wednesday meetings, I like the leader in that meeting better anyway!

One more day until Friday!

Let me sleep!

Yesterday I had a chance to look back over some of my previous blogs and it got me thinking. My first blog was 20 Apr 10, almost coming up on a year! On 27 Apr 10, I blogged about the last 10 years and how trying it has been but on the same token how I have accomplished things I would never had dreamed possible! Less than a month later I was blogging about the tentative diagnosis of lupus!

Over the past almost year those of you who read this have piped in a time or two with some much need support or advice of kudos which are all much appreciated! The support I received when Carin passed away I can’t even start to express my gratitude.

I did not get my 30-minute shred in last night, by the time I got home Cuervo had decided to set his chair (he has a papsan chair) up in my room and go to sleep. I at least got a laugh out of it… I was in bed settled in and I hear little squeals coming from his direction, I sit up and see that Charlie had climbed into the chair with him! Luckily whenever I go into the bathroom Charlie follows, which meant he got off Cuervo (who didn’t even really wake up). Later in the night the elusive Diamond (the cat who shares the upstairs with me and was willing to put up with Carin but no other dog) got cornered by Charlie. That was some excitement! Everyone in the house woke up trying to pull Charlie away from her and I got the job of picking her up and getting her under my bed (one of her favorite places to hide) without getting scratched. Freddie sat in the middle of my room watching all the excitement but not moving. Diamond try to put Charlie in his place by giving him a nice scratch on his nose but it didn’t work! Diamond is usally pretty good about avoiding Charlie, but last night just didn’t pan out for her. She is fine. When Charlie went out this morning she came out of my closet (she went from under my bed to the closet sometime last night, she has food, water and a box in both locations) and stopped by for some love and then returned to under my bed. Diamond is a true cat, she will let you know when she wants attention and if any of her bowls are lower than she likes the entire house will hear about it!
Today I have a nice ride on the stationary bike again and hopefully a 30 minute workout tonight. I might stray away from the 30-day shred and do yoga (right knee is a little cranky today), not sure yet I will figure that out when I get home and I am putting in a disk

YogaX

Yesterday I got a nice and easy run in during lunch. But the chore was still to come. The hour and a half yogaX is not very schedule friendly workout. For good or for bad, since Cuervo is not feeling well the doc said NO strenuous activities for the remainder of the week; so no gymnastics, no soccer. Jose’s taekwondo schedule is pretty flexible (he can go whenever he wants during the week). So, we figured we would go home, I would hit play and the boys could help me! Cuervo started off in the backyard on puppy duty, then he came in to participate! It was so much easier this week, I think I only had to hit pause twice due to child issues. I had no major issues in the moving sequences, not to mention they felt great! I had a kiddo sitting on my bed telling me what they were doing, even with the TV turned all the way up, I cannot always hear what is being said. There were a few times I would hear “your arm isn’t high enough” or “no, no, that is not how you do it” I had to explain that there were some moves I just could not do the way they were doing it and I was modifying so I can get close to what I need to do.
This morning my neck is feeling great! I am sure that won’t last past lunch through (I have to go to PT again today). Tonight is back and legs, tomorrow 5 miles and kenpo, Sunday 10 miles! Let the weekend begin!

Oops!

Last night was my Weight Watchers meeting and, well, I had a 0.4 gain. At first I was very upset, and then I thought back to the weekend… Less than half a pound? I can live with that! My sister pointed out it was probably a VERY good thing that I was getting my workouts in. This week, I will be better BUT be able to look back and realize where I slipped makes it a lot easier to hit play. At first I was ferious! I am running and I am doing P90X and what happens? I put on weight! Friday I had Chinese food (I don’t do well with high sodium levels), Saturday – French fries (at the amusement park) and Red Robin (I did get a salad), Sunday – etouffee, Monday – Mexican; hmmmm why did I put on weight? That is ok, it was a minor setback and this too shall pass!
When I woke up today I was struggling. I still managed to get up and get to work, I also managed to hit the stairs instead of the elevator all day AND I got my 3 miles in. My 3 miles felt pretty good, I was very slow, but I didn’t want to push it. I wanted to enjoy it!
Tonight YogaX! I am still undecided it I like that one or not. I am sure my abs are grateful that Ab RipperX is not on the schedule. I am up to 20 reps on most, 15 on a few and 40 mason twists. Tomorrow – no running, but I have legs and back (plus physical therapy). Saturday I have a 5 miler, this time I will start earlier, I will eat something before I head out AND I will have water with me!

Om!

Yesterday I was feeling pretty good. I went down and did a nice 45 minute workout on the elliptical machine. My knee was feeling ok (had a few twinges here and there). After checking on how kiddo #1 was doing (gotta love parent portals) and finding out he was missing homework AGAIN! I decided he would NOT go to Taekwondo. I figured I would start P90 X and then when it was time to take Kiddo #2 to gymnastics WELLLLLL, that didn’t happen! First I got a phone call from Kiddo #1’s cross country coach and turns out his attitude isn’t the greatest one around! His motivation sucks most of the time and AHHHHH! We got home and Kiddo #1 was doing homework (he had permission to come disturb me if he had any questions) and Kiddo #2 was outside playing with the dogs. Next thing I know I hear a girl scream, I look out my window and Charlie (the 100 pound dane/lab) had broken out of the back yard. I threw a shirt on and went flying down the stairs and out the door, Charlie came back in without an issue. I asked the girls if they were alright and they said yes (I think he just scared them) and I apologized profusely! Needless to say, Charlie came inside and stayed inside (my sister is fixing the hole today). I go back upstairs and rewind a little (you don’t actually think I took the time to grab the remote and hit pause do you?) and I continued. Charlie decided it was his job to not only share my yoga mat with me but to chase my shadows while I was working! Freddie on the other hand figured downward dog meant I was supposed to have a dog under me giving me kisses while I was doing that. While trying to work around those two, I hear Kiddo #2 crying. I hit pause and call both boys up to me to ask them what is going on. Kiddo #1 “I just bopped him upside the head.” Kiddo #2 had still not come up so I called him again. When he finally made it upstairs he was hunched over holding his stomach. He said Kiddo #1 had punched him in the stomach. I sent Kiddo #1 away to finish his homework and Kiddo #2 helped himself to my book shelf and planted himself on my bed. Somehow I was able to finish the workout and it only took me about two hours! We had dinner and things seemed to have calmed down. That didn’t last long. I went back up stairs to get things ready for bed and I hear a scream from downstairs, Kiddo #2 comes up with his hand over his eye crying. Kiddo #2 claimed he accidently threw something at Kiddo #2. Kiddo #2 had a nice little cut going up to his eye. It was a raisin box that was thrown and Kiddo #2 was supposed to catch it. Kiddo #2 got to sleep in my bed last night. I was watching BBC’s Oliver Twist and since Kiddo #2 LOVES that movie he curled up on my bed, next thing I knew he was asleep. Charlie could care less who slept in my bed, Freddie on the other hand was very confused about the fact that one of his brothers was sleeping in his spot on mommy’s bed! Then this morning my car keys went missing so I have to drive my truck!

Ignoring all the distractions, I have to say YogaX kicked my rump last night! I love sun salutations, I went through those with no issues. Next were the runner’s poses WHOA! (that is when all hell was breaking lose and the breaks were much appreciated!) Talk about a workout! The balance poses were ok, I skipped the shoulder stand (my neck and shoulder would not have appreciated if I have done that). Then the stretching Kiddo #2 and I agreed that one leg is longer than the other! I could reach my toes on both sides, one was just easier than that other. What struck me as odd was my shoulder started complaining when both legs were straight and I was holding my feet, needless to I lessened the stretch until I stopped feeling it in my shoulder. I was ecstatic when we did the happy baby, I would have to say, that is my all time favorite pose!

Yesterday I ordered my running socks. Now, I have an issue paying $5 shipping for a $9 pair of socks. So I cheated, I still was due a pair of running socks for my first 5 pounds and I know I will need more when I lose another 5, so I ordered 4 pairs! They have been shipped and I can’t wait until I get them!


Tonight – P90X Legs and back and physical therapy! I am hoping to get my workout down BEFORE I go to PT! To add my own personal disclaimer. I am well aware of the warning that P90X has about knees, backs blah, blah, blah. If there is one thing I have learned this past year is to listen to my body. For the most part I feel as if I can do these workouts, yes, there are some exercise I chose to skip because of injuries to certain parts and again, do I expect to see the same results as others see? No! I am just using this to get into better shape and help me lose weight. Maybe my second round I will be able to do everything without issues.

Rubin hold the meat

Last night was an insane night! My older son had a cross country meet and his grade was supposed to start at 4:00 pm, which I have to admit made me a little sad (I don’t get off until 4). I went flying out of work cussing up a storm the entire way since I had NO idea where I was going. I finally get there, and after circling around the parking lot a few times a found a spot! Then I had to figure out where all the kids were! After a nice stroll I not only found them, I also found out that they were running behind! YAY! I get to see my son run. An hour and a half after they were supposed to start. I am very proud of how he did on such a hilly course. As we were leaving he made a comment about hating hills, I told him the reason he feels that way is because he sucks at them, and quite frankly, I hate hills too! So we will start working hills together!
While I was at the meet, I had to call my sister so she could pick up my younger money and bring him to soccer. Being a single mom with two kids in two different activities can be VERY difficult at times! He did make it to practice, he was a few minutes late, but hey, he made it!
After Tyler’s meet we went zooming down the interstate, I WAS going to my Wight Watchers meeting and I WAS going to get weighed! I was to close to my goal not to go! We made it, OK, we were a little late, but we made it! I got on the scale and I could help but “YIPPEE!!!!!” and hop off the scale. Ladies and gentlemen, not only do I get my yoga mat, I get another pair of running socks! I have now lost 10.6 pounds! I have 8.56 pounds until I hit MY next goal (yes, Weight Watchers sets their goals, but I am working off of my goals). After the meeting was over, Kiddo #1 and I headed home (Kiddo #2 and my sister were still at soccer) and I popped in my Day 3 of P90X and away I went.
Knowing I have very weak shoulders (not to mention my neck/shoulder issue) I set up my lightest band and hit play. I did 15 reps of the majority of the exercises, the bicep work I moved up to my 50 pound band, the straight arm lifts I had to get my cheap, I have no idea what weight, band. My goal is Week 3 to be able to use my 30 pound band for those. Once again, I only did 10 reps during the abs. I know next week I will be ready to move up to 15. I realize I will not get the same results as others but starting with a low number of reps, but I am working this program for me!
After that we went to dinner and I just HAD to have a Rubin (without the meat)!!!!! I enjoyed every last bite of it! Today, is elliptical machine (or maybe the bike) and P90X Yoga!
OH! I put in three miles yesterday on the treadmill in my new Asics, I wasn’t as lucky as I had been with my Mizunos. I will give them one more chance before I kick them to the curb (OK, I will wear them as regular street shoes).
Looking back through my blog, according to Weight Watchers my next reward is a new pair of jeans!

Where did they come from?

Happy Friday to all!
As a runner I know that running in cotton socks is not the most pleasant thing to do but I made my son do it for two days in a row at cross country. I finally took him to the sports store on Wednesday and bought him some running socks (all my are a little to girly) last night he came home and told me his feet were feeling a lot better and he was really starting to like cross country and can we go to the Olive Garden for the never ending pasta bowl now (yes, all in one breath). I understand that he is not used to expending that much energy and he is going to get HUNGRY! So I agreed. When we did finally get there I was very proud of him. He got his soup, ok I would have been happier had he have chosen the salad, but baby steps! Typically he would have had a number of refills, last night he only got one! The first bowl was whole wheat and then the second was angle hair. He didn’t eat all of his second bowl, so that right there is an improvement!

I am taking baby steps, too. Parking in the back of the parking lot, walking (more like jogging) down the stairs instead of using the elevator, walking up the stairs (at least once a day), measuring my food (for at least one, trying to more meals a day), packing my food for the day (not leaving it up to chance that either I won’t get hungry or when I do get hungry I won’t go for the crap). Tomorrow I am going to get up and hit MY trail and go for a run/walk I am not going to push it, I will be excited if I hit 5 miles. All I know is I haven’t been on my trail for way to long and I need to get out and get going on it. I would love to finish the run with a nice yoga class, but we will wait and see!

This morning I was getting dressed and it being jeans day I was trying to find my jeans to wear. I had completely forgot I had sent them downstairs to be washed (my sister does the laundry I do the dishes), and with everything going on this week, she hadn’t had a chance to get to them and I hadn’t asked her to get to them. I opened my bottom drawer where I store extra jeans (primarily the ones I don’t fit, but will again someday) and I pulled out a pair of Levis, thinking ok, so I will be able to get them up to my butt and that is about it. I put them on they go right past my butt all the way up! Ok, yea, like I will be able to do them up… ZIP! Button with no issue. Well shucks! I will be more than happy to accept this! I have no idea where the jeans came from, I don’t remember them, but all I know if they fit and they are comfy!

One last note, within the past couple of weeks I bought a box a Special K Granola cereal I mixed it in with plain Greek yogurt and it tastes great! The sweetness of the cereal with the bitterness of the yogurt hits the spot!

Weight Watchers Weigh in #6

The past two weeks have been a little to dramatic for my liking, but we are making it through (somehow)! First and foremost, Carin is acting like she is feeling great! At this point not only do I not want to know what her numbers are I don’t care! When she moved she is a little stiff, but man does that tail wag up a storm when she sees me. Right now she loves her Mac and Cheese with either hot dogs or chicken (plus one scoop of her food). She will climb up on my bed (I have stairs for her) most nights for a little while and then she will take her place in either the bathroom or the top of the stairs, both locations have a makeshift bed for her. She has also been greeting me at the door in the afternoons. She also seems to enjoy sneaking into Charlie’s bed and eating his food while he sits on my bed and just stares at her in disbelief! Freddie is still moving in (17 days left) and we are hoping Carin will stick around for a while to teach him the proper way of being a fur child in our family. On the weight and training front, things aren’t quite as good, but they aren’t horrible either. I finally started moving my butt again this past Monday. I made it down stairs for a 45 minute session on the elliptical machine and felt pretty good. Yesterday, Kiddo #1 couldn’t find his swimsuit so he was not able to go swimming while I went to yoga, I made him come with me! My legs got an amazing working last night! Kiddo #1 did a great job (no complaining, no fidgeting) but after the class he did complain his muscles hurt!
Tonight is weigh in #6 with weight watchers. I have less that 3.2 pounds to hit my first goal. I would love to make it, but I will be happy for any loss today. On the eating front, I haven’t really been paying to much attention to what I should be eating, but I am trying. The whole writing everything day bit is kicking my butt AND the night grazing.
Today, I am looking forward to a nice treadmill session!

I’m listening!

This weekend I figured I would go ahead and start P90X and I was ready and set up to get out of bed way to early Monday morning. My alarm went off and my feet hit the ground and I asked myself what the hell was I doing! It wasn’t the whole getting up way to early, it wasn’t the P90X, it was the ‘what time of day do you feet hurt the worst?’ I KNOW my feet take about an hour every morning before they go from painful to tender at the worst. Ok, I can do this video after work, no issue.
During lunch I planned on hitting the gymlet for a nice 45 minute (+5 for cool down) treadmill session. I have worked my way up to walking 3, run 2. By the end of my workout that stupid bubble feeling returned to my knee. Ok, fine, we have dealt with this before, we can do it again. Later that afternoon I took my sister to the book store and I knelt down to look at something and man did I hit the roof! OK! I get the picture! No P90X this week. I wrapped my knee and I am not sitting on my leg like I usually do. I understand I need to take an easy week this week, fine. Not an issue!
I made it to yoga last night and with some minor modifications I made it through without pain. Knowing I can’t put pressure on my knee I spoke to the instructor before class to ask for modifications. She said we would be starting off with cat/cow and to remain seated (instead of going on into the Table Top pose), child’s pose – do what is comfortable and anything else she will help me with. We were doing the low lunge and I put a block below my knee and I had no issues. The instructor kept coming over to make sure I was ok. Towards the end we were doing Happy Baby (I love Happy Baby) every time I would roll over to my right side I would feel an uncomfortable sensation coming from my mid to lower back (not my spine). So, with everything going on lately, I am going to go have the blood work done the doc wanted me to do over the next few months.
Tonight is Weight Watchers and I have 1.18 pounds until I get my new yoga mat. Come on 1.2 pounds! We can do this. Oh, yea, and I have 4.4 pounds until I hit my first Wight Watchers goal.

Weigh in day!

I am still not posting pictures! But today is weigh in day and hopefully the scale looks similar to what it did last night (hey, after the weekend I had, I was worried!). As long as I don’t go up I am happy!
Last night I stopped by my glasses place in hopes they could work a miracle with my glasses, I managed to get a nice scrape in the middle of one of my lenses. Fully expecting to be told there was nothing they could do and I would just have to buy a new pair, I was VERY pleasantly surprised! I decided to purchase the anti-glare and the anti-scratch two-year guarantee; I hit two years next month! So, I will be getting replacement lenses at no cost to me!
After picking up my monkeys we headed up to the Y. I wanted to go to yoga and the boys had been good so I planned on letting them play in the pool. I told Kiddo #1 that it would be awesome if they were out of the pool and waiting for me when my yoga class was over. Since I was early to yoga I got on the elliptical machine for a while and then I headed into yoga. The gal next to me was wearing short shorts. EXCUSE ME! You will be bending in every which direction, you do not wear short shorts to yoga! I felt pretty good afterwards, my hands weren’t hurting after class this time. That is not me in the picture! We did do that pose, except I can’t hold my foot like that because it hurts to put that kind of pressure on it. I have to modify a lot of things to keep the painful pressure off my foot. I am hoping yoga will help my feet come back to normal!I finished up, headed towards the locker room so I could grab my stuff and then go into the pool to drag my boys out kicking a screaming. As I approached the locker rooms I saw two boys sitting on the chairs, one of the boys was fast asleep! Yup, they are my kiddos! Kiddo #1 misunderstood me and thought I had said 6:00! They got out, didn’t see me when into the gym to play some basketball and then returned to the chairs to wait for me! I think they want to do that more often!
Here is to my weight loss tracker showing less than 90 pounds to lose!