NoSauce
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Puppy Status: Shea is so excited it's finally warming up with Spring! He is so happy to get to the dog park as much as he can before it's 100 degrees in the summer!
By the way, the opinions and other nonsensical drivel featured on this blog in absolutely no way are indicative of the opinions of my employers.
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Showing posts tagged losing weight
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It’s Race Day!!!
I know it’s only 4 miles in Central Park - but it’s my first race EVER IN MY LIFE - and I couldn’t sleep at all last night!
AH!
What am I going to be like the night before my half, if I am like this before 4 miles in my home town?!?!
Wish me luck!!!!!!!! T-minus 2 hours!
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Cocktailing Around
I was feeling fat all day - I don’t know why. i didn’t eat terribly last night, or today. i just was having one of those days. Plus B and I have a cocktail party tonight to go to - so wearing a dress just seemed like a drag.
After I got off work today, I looked at my run schedule and I was supposed to run 3-4 miles today. I cranked out 4.24 in 42 minutes and felt GREAT! Strong, like I could have gone longer, but tomorrow is a distance run and I don’t want to push it the day before a longer run.
All the sudden I feel normal again.I tried on my dress and I thought it looked cute.
It’s amazing how working out can take you from this:
to this:
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I ran 7 miles this morning - outside!!!
Read: NOT ON A TREADMILL!!!!
I am champion of the world!!!!!!!
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Friday Night Responsibility
Friday night B and I went to a cocktail party for a friend of B’s from home’s 30th birthday.
I realized on my 3rd gin on tonic that I had my distance run Saturday morning.
Had a mild freak out about not being able to run the next day since I TOTALLY forgotten that i had practice. Immediately set down my 3rd cocktail about halfway though, and came home and pounded Gatorade and water.
I just realized Friday nights for the next 3 months are totally over. It’s still setting in.
At first I got sort of resentful that I had to give up all my Friday’s since practice is so early. Then I realized what I was running for - curing cancer. If it means curing cancer I would give up Friday’s for as long as necessary.
Please click here to donate to a very worthy cause!
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Double Days
Yesterday I looked at my run calendar and realized not only was I supposed to do strength training (I did yoga) but I was also supposed to run 2-3 miles “easy”.
When I got home after work I realized I had to do a double day. I had to throw on my running shoes and go after it. I was so grumpy, I didn’t want to at all. Who wants to work out more than 1x a day? Plus it was around 90 degrees or so and super humid.
But I did it. I ran 3 miles. It was hard. My legs felt heavy because they are still recovering from my 7 mile run Saturday.
But I did it. It wasn’t fun, I didn’t enjoy it, but I did it. I am proud that I forced myself out there.
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Bootcamp Tuesday
Since GTS was canceled tonight, I needed to get my cross training in somewhere else. I decided to hit up my old fave bootcamp class taught by MFT (My Favorite Trainer). This class is actually why I hired him before my wedding. I started taking it and it was so hard, I thought if he could do this to a room of people, imagine what he can do 1 on 1? Anyway I digress.
Today’s class was interesting - he wanted to do an entire class where you were doing plyo - so if you were traveling in a hotel, or even in your room at home, you have no excuse as to why you couldn’t work out. You didn’t need weights, machines, anything. Just yourself and some pump up music.
For 45 minutes we did (but not limited to)
- push ups
- duck walks - ow ow ow!
- crab walks
- bear crawls
- sit ups and a ton of variations of these
- body builders
- quick feet
- high knees
- tuck jumps
- butt kicks
- shuffling to the left and right
- jumping jacks
- mountain climbers
- jumping lunges alternating legs
There was more but I am forgetting some. It was crazy - it was soooo hard. I truly felt like I had a hard core full body workout, and every single exercise was something I could do at home - no gym needed.
Just makes you think - there are no excuses! Happy Tuesday!
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Gym Wednesday
I needed to get in according to my run calendar “2-3 miles easy” today, so I made sure to run on the treadmill (ah! Don’t tell anyone!) at a very comfortable easy pace. The other thing I learned is when it is too hot (it’s like 90+humidity today. I HATE NEW YORK WEATHER - have I said this before???) and you have to run on the treadmill you need to put the machine at least at a 1% incline to simulate running outside. The treadmill apparently gives you an extra little bounce where the actual ground doesn’t, so doing this sort of removed that bounce.
I ran my 3 miles then headed downstairs to meet up with Mailguy. He was taking a 30 min ab class, so it was perfect timing. We then did the
sex machinesthigh abductors, and increased the weight to 75lbs from 70. I am getting stronger! Then we did the captains chair, just 3 sets of of leg lifts for lower abs/hip flexors/quads.It was a quick and easy workout, all in about 45 minutes, but I felt like I got a lot accomplished. Plus I got my milage in which was necessary. I like to take it easy on Wednesday’s because I have training tomorrow and don’t want to get sore before it.
Let’s just hope this was enough to nullify the two mini cupcakes I ate! (in case you were wondering chocolate peanut butter and vanilla butterscotch) Happy Hump Day Everyone!
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Thursday Paralysis
Worst morning ever - totally overslept and woke up at 6:35. Training starts at 7! I stuffed Shea into his harness and ran him outside, grabbed my stuff, and got in a cab (who takes a cab to the gym!? Gah!) and made it to the gym by 7:02am thankyouverymuch.
Act I - 4 minutes of Turkish Get Ups….as always
We started three minutes with no weights so I can continue to work on my form. Since I have been working on it on my own, I was much improved! So then around minute 3 I was able to use the yellow kettles. When my form still didn’t waver we went over the time and I used the dreaded purple kettles. It’s hard enough to hold 24+ lbs over your head with one arm anyway, but to do with a get up - it’s just really hard. Anyway, I DID IT ON BOTH SIDES WITH PERFECT FORM! Only 2 on each side with the purple, but still. Very happy.
Act II - Purple Kettles 4 sets of 8 each
So 1 set was:
- 8 swings - double hand (1 kettle in each hand)
- 8 cleans - this is how I got my bruise (1 kettle in each hand)
- 8 dead lifts standing on 1 leg - 4 on each side as slow as possible without putting the weights down (1 kettle in each hand)
- 8 rows (1 kettle in each hand) left than right, then left than right, 4 on each side
So this entire routine 4 times.
Then goblet squats (new to me) to two hand swings (two hands on 1 heavier kettle) using the green kettle. 4 sets of 8 each - 8 goblet squats and then 8 double swings is 1 set.
Act III - Various
Pull ups with the assisted band - I still cannot and have come to terms that I will never be able to do a pull up. My upper body is just too small in proportion to the rest of me. But with the band, I can do them which is good enough for me. 5 reps then hang on the top as long as you can.
High Pulls using the purple kettle, 8 on each arm
Tactical Lunges using the purple kettle, 8 on each side. One leg at a time.
3 sets of this
Act IV - various
Pistols - I haven’t done these in FOREVER. And (BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE!!!) I freaking could do them today! WOO! Anyway, MFT set up a step with 6ish risers on each side, so I had to go low enough to tap my bootie on the bench - and get back up without using any hands. Basically the trick is to squeeze every inch of your body tight - abs, hamstrings, knees, arms, squeeeeeeeeeze - and you can do it!
Dive Bombers - working to get perfect chatarunga (spelling?) for yoga. Dive Bombers are the same thing except instead of starting in plank, you basically start in downward dog.
3 sets of these.
I freaking worked hard today - it was an awesome workout!
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Best Day EVER
I had today off work - lucky me! So I planned the best day ever!
First off, I took this guy to B’s office for a surprise visit.
You can’t come by empty handed for a surprise though so I also brought two dozen D&D donuts for B to share with the desk.
Then we came home so I could drop Shea off, and I took off to go to Bliss for a much deserved 75 minute Blissage. Ahhhhh.
Then came back, relaxed for a bit, and then went to a kick ass yoga class at Sonic Yoga.
Since it was my first time there, my class was FREE! Awesome! It was an hour an a half flow class, and Lisa the teacher was INCREDIBLE. SHE IS A PROFESSIONAL BROADWAY STAR IN THE LION KING!! I got to yoga for free - with a professional dancer! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!?!
Anyway, came home, waited for B to get off work where we ran errands together and then went to a super relaxing dinner at the diner by our house where we could sit outside.
Seriously this was the best Friday I have ever had. So relaxing and awesome. So happy.
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Ran 8 miles today - what I learned….
Actually it was 8.03! This is now officially the farthest I have ever run! So today my lesson from the coaches was about nutrition.
Last week, I ran 7, and I ate only a banana before my run. Around mile 6.5 I thought I was going to die. I really didn’t think I could make it. I pushed through and did. I talked to the coaches and said how do you do it?
I learned you need to eat enough before that you have energy but are not full. Then every 45-60 minutes of working out you need nutrition - calories, electrolytes, and salt.
So this morning since my run was at 8:30am, at 7:30am I had 1/2 a banana, and 1 piece of whole wheat toast with chunky peanut butter on top. I also drank about 10oz of water. Heading into practice I felt great - strong, energetic, but not full and heavy.
I wanted to try eating during the race, since this was also new. I bought chomps - a serving is 4. Since I was running 8 miles today I decided to eat only 2 just to get a slight boost at mile 4 even though that was only 40 minutes in, but so I could see how I liked eating. They were awesome, I loved the chomps, they were sort of like a gummy bear, easy to eat, tasted good, easy on my stomach and TOTALLY improved my run! I would absolutely recommend them.
I finished 8 strong. I could have kept going, but my knee was a little wonky. I am hoping ice will cure it! But I learned that nutrition is a seriously important part of training, and this is something I have never thought about EVER in all my years of working out before. I always ate based on calories - not on like what I would need to have a better performance.
I am excited to keep trying out new things!
Happy weekend - what a way to start! EIGHT MILES! I am so pumped!!!!!!
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Tonights Run Practice
Tonight was a super interesting practice. Apparently the most efficient runners (like Olympians and what not) have about approx 180 foot strokes per minute. The way to count this is to run for 1 minute (using a stop watch) and count every time your right foot hits the ground, then double it.
I am at approximately 83-86 foot stokes, so close to that magical 180 but not quite there.
It’s really hard to try and make your foot hit the ground faster, and more often. I understand that shorter, quicker footstrokes (can you believe that is a word?) use less energy and therefor make you a more efficient distance runner. But it’s also EXTREMELY challenging changing your natural cadence. Something I will need to work on in the future.
Tuesday is usually a cross-training class, but since we ran 4 miles tonight, tomorrow I will go to the plyo class to make sure I get my cross training in. Literally thinking about it makes me sweaty and sore.
It’s so interesting the things I am learning from this training. Even after my marathon is over, I feel like I will be a better runner forever with all I am learning!
Try counting your footstrokes and see how you do!
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Today’s workout: 45 minute plyo class.
For new readers: Plyo is short for Plyometrics, which is basically using your own bodies resistance instead of weights to get a great workout.
This class is INSANE. It’s for sure the hardest class at the gym. Don’t tell MFT!
For new readers: MFT = My Favorite Trainer - who I work out with every Thursday morning. He helped me lose about 4 inches off my hips and a little more than that (approx 4 1/4”) off my back/chest area before my wedding, and now I will NEVER leave him for fear of it coming back!
Anyway - this class is no joke. I am in good shape. I work out 5ish give or take times a week. Every week. For years. And I am DYING in this class. Today the focus was apparently on legs/glutes. We did an absurd amount of walking lunges. But beyond that was almost 10 minutes of squat jumps. It was 5 squat jumps as pictured here, then hold at the bottom for like 30 L-O-N-G seconds. Then 5 again and so on. For 10 minutes. I literally thought I was going to a) tear a quad b) start crying c) get gym induced turrets where I can’t stop cussing and swearing d) walk out. But I didn’t. I did it.
If there is one exercise I can recommend to anyone it is anything plyo. More than cardio, more than weights. If done properly, its strength and cardio in one, and you can do it anywhere - no gym required. Think planks, push-ups, sit ups, lunges, squats, body builders, running in place with high knees, etc etc.
Get after it! Week is already half over!
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Thursday Paralysis
It doesn’t help that my glutes are MAD sore from all the lunges and squat hops from yesterday. Anyway here it is…
Act I - turkish get ups. I did 1 min no weight. 1 minute yellow kettles. 2 minutes purple kettles. I was a little shaky today, but I think it’s because I am so sore.
Act II - 100 swings with high pulls. Yes you read that right. 100. ONE HUNDRED! WHAT!?
Building like a ladder - so it went like this:
1 swing and 1 high pull on 1 side = 1.
- 4 in 30 seconds, then 30 seconds of rest.
- 8 in 45 seconds, then 30 seconds of rest.
- 12 in 60 seconds, then 30 seconds of rest.
- 16 in 75 seconds, then 30 seconds of rest.
- 20 in 90 seconds, then 30 seconds of rest.
- 16 in 75 seconds, then 30 seconds of rest
- 12, then 8, then 4 back down the ladder.
I used the green kettles. HEAVY.
Oh then when I was done - guess what MFT said? Grab the purple (slightly lighter) and DO IT AGAIN.
200. TWO HUNDRED! I was a mess. Almost fell over when I was done. I just stood there not being able to talk, sweating, and breathing heavy, trying not to crumple to the ground.
ACT III - 10 step back lunges while holding the yellow kettles in rack with a press after each lunge alternating legs. Then 10 double cleans using the purple kettles. Lastly 10 overhead V’s into Russian Twists with the purple kettles. 2 sets.
Today was so hard that at the end I just laid on the stretching table sweating and breathing hard not being able to move. I needed to hual and get in the shower since we went a little over as MFT was telling me an update on his road to the RKC - but I couldln’t get up. Took me like 5 minutes of laying there before I could move. I got my rear end handed to me today.
Don’t it hurt so good! Week is almost over! BOOM! Happy Thursday!
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Easy Light Run Today
Tomorrow is my distance day so I kept it light and easy today. I am SUPER SUPER SUPER sore from Wednesday’s plyo class - and my shoulders and back are a little sore from yesterday so I am a mess. I thought running just a few miles might loosen everything up. So I ran a light slow and easy 3 miles on the treadmill with a 1% incline to simulate being outside.
I then foam rolled like a machine - piriformis muscle, it band, glutes, hammies, quads, you name it - I rolled it. Hopefully tomorrow I will be feeling good!
Plus my right knee is still having a little pain - not when I run but always after. So I am trying to keep it easy to protect it. Made an appt with the orthopedist (and YES he is the Dr. for the Yankee’s knee’s and elbows, only the best for meeeeee!!!!!) but he is on vacay so appt isn’t till the end of the month.
Hopefully it’s nothing and will be gone by then. Until then, I am going to keep running!
Happy Friday!
