So it's been nearly a month since my last post here (not that I believe anyone's reading it anyway).
I finally got sick and tired of my clothes getting snug, and I committed to hopping back onto the exercise bandwagon. It was around the end of August when this inspiration struck me, and since then I've been pretty consistent. I've gained back about 15-20 pounds from my lowest point a year ago, and not only does the trend need to STOP, but I need to at least get back to that low point and maintain there (and maybe lower? Who knows?). Besides, I need to be able to fit into my winter clothes from last year!
Goal: Complete some form of cardio exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes. In reality, I know myself, and I know I generally do better if I make it a daily goal and thereby part of my normal routine. We'll work on getting the food under control soon. I find it's easier for me to eat healthy when I exercise because my body naturally wants the good for me foods. So we're starting with exercise (the hardest part to maintain for me) and we'll progress to food later.
For a long time it's been in my head that I'm not truly fit and healthy unless I can run a mile or two at a slow jog (and without needing to call paramedics). So I started reading up on running and decided to set a goal - run a mile in 12 minutes or less. This was back at the beginning of August - before I even started exercising again with any degree of regularity. At that point I had nothing but ambition :)
==Sidebar==
With my hour long commute each way, I often listen to audiobooks to pass the time. I was cruising the Barnes and Noble web site for some inexpensive options (read, $1.50 or less per hour of audio play time) and I found a book called Born to Run: A Hidden tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen. It had great reviews (I haven't seen a bad review for it yet) and sounded like it would be a very interesting story (and it's actually a TRUE story).
The audio book is about 11 hours long and impossible for me to adequately describe. Even if you're not a runner, or don't want to be a runner, it's still quite enjoyable. And if you are a runner or a prospective runner, it will change the way you think about the sport.
==========
I happened upon this book just after I decided to start a Couch to 5 K running program. Abbreviated C25k, this is a 9 week program designed for the proverbial couch potato who aspires to run 5 km. It starts off with short run intervals with a walking recovery interval, and over the course of 9 weeks progresses to a full 30 minute run. There are other similar programs out there; this one I found on www.coolrunning.com.
Let me pause here to say that even when I was relatively fit and COULD run an 8 minute mile (about age 14-15), I hated running with a passion. Maybe it was because I just hated most of my gym teachers; maybe I didn't enjoy the views of the football field/train tracks/parking lot that was the scenery at my high school. Who knows. So the fact that I'm even willing (eager?) to start this program is a huge mental shift for me.
I bought myself a pair of cheap, ugly, retro running shoes from Target (read Born to Run) to understand why I didn't go out and pay $100+ for a pair of squishy running shoes) and on Sunday 8/30 I started Week 1, Day 1 (W1D1) of the program. The workout was 5 min warmup walk, then alternate 1 minute of jogging with 90 seconds of walking until you've completed 8 jogging segments, then do a minimum 5 minute cool down walk.
Oh my goodness I thought I was going to DIE. It's been ages since I breathed that hard. But, it was 35 minutes (I walked a bit longer for the cool down) and I felt good afterwards (the usual post-exercise good feeling that I used to get from hiking up those hills).
I got through the rest of Week 1, and it got easier each time. I'm doing this on gravel mountain roads with hills, and sometimes in the dark. And I have a left ankle that likes to surprise me on level ground with sturdy shoes, so I wear an ankle brace for safety.
Onward to week 2, which began Sunday 9/6/09 (my husband's birthday). Matt (husband) had agreed in principle to do this program with me. Yet he didn't go at all the first week, chiefly because he was working late and didn't really indicate that he wanted to go, so I went before he got home. But now (week 2) he decides he'll participate. Very cool. Week 2's workout is to Run 90 seconds, then walk 2 minutes, for a total of 7 running segments (5 min warmup/cooldown). It was during week 2 I noticed a significant improvement in my ability to slog up that big hill on Steps to Heaven Rd. It's a quarter mile, average 15% grade, and takes about 6 minutes to get up it. The running segments also became easier - a few times we ran past the 90 second mark without realizing it. Happily, Matt seems to be committed and did the whole week with me!
I'm now in week 3; the first day was Sunday 9/13. This week's workout is more challenging to remember and to do. After a 5 min warmup, run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds (twice), then run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes, (twice) then repeat from the first 90 second run.
I had to go by myself on Sunday, as Matt wasn't feeling well (he had an early day, hauled and cut up a load of firewood, then had a large birthday meal with cake at his mother's house. By the time we got home, he was too tired to do anything). It was tough. But I survived, and tonight is W3D2. And I think Matt's coming with me now. Wish us luck!
I finally got sick and tired of my clothes getting snug, and I committed to hopping back onto the exercise bandwagon. It was around the end of August when this inspiration struck me, and since then I've been pretty consistent. I've gained back about 15-20 pounds from my lowest point a year ago, and not only does the trend need to STOP, but I need to at least get back to that low point and maintain there (and maybe lower? Who knows?). Besides, I need to be able to fit into my winter clothes from last year!
Goal: Complete some form of cardio exercise a minimum of 3 times per week for at least 30 minutes. In reality, I know myself, and I know I generally do better if I make it a daily goal and thereby part of my normal routine. We'll work on getting the food under control soon. I find it's easier for me to eat healthy when I exercise because my body naturally wants the good for me foods. So we're starting with exercise (the hardest part to maintain for me) and we'll progress to food later.
For a long time it's been in my head that I'm not truly fit and healthy unless I can run a mile or two at a slow jog (and without needing to call paramedics). So I started reading up on running and decided to set a goal - run a mile in 12 minutes or less. This was back at the beginning of August - before I even started exercising again with any degree of regularity. At that point I had nothing but ambition :)
==Sidebar==
With my hour long commute each way, I often listen to audiobooks to pass the time. I was cruising the Barnes and Noble web site for some inexpensive options (read, $1.50 or less per hour of audio play time) and I found a book called Born to Run: A Hidden tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World has Never Seen. It had great reviews (I haven't seen a bad review for it yet) and sounded like it would be a very interesting story (and it's actually a TRUE story).
The audio book is about 11 hours long and impossible for me to adequately describe. Even if you're not a runner, or don't want to be a runner, it's still quite enjoyable. And if you are a runner or a prospective runner, it will change the way you think about the sport.
==========
I happened upon this book just after I decided to start a Couch to 5 K running program. Abbreviated C25k, this is a 9 week program designed for the proverbial couch potato who aspires to run 5 km. It starts off with short run intervals with a walking recovery interval, and over the course of 9 weeks progresses to a full 30 minute run. There are other similar programs out there; this one I found on www.coolrunning.com.
Let me pause here to say that even when I was relatively fit and COULD run an 8 minute mile (about age 14-15), I hated running with a passion. Maybe it was because I just hated most of my gym teachers; maybe I didn't enjoy the views of the football field/train tracks/parking lot that was the scenery at my high school. Who knows. So the fact that I'm even willing (eager?) to start this program is a huge mental shift for me.
I bought myself a pair of cheap, ugly, retro running shoes from Target (read Born to Run) to understand why I didn't go out and pay $100+ for a pair of squishy running shoes) and on Sunday 8/30 I started Week 1, Day 1 (W1D1) of the program. The workout was 5 min warmup walk, then alternate 1 minute of jogging with 90 seconds of walking until you've completed 8 jogging segments, then do a minimum 5 minute cool down walk.
Oh my goodness I thought I was going to DIE. It's been ages since I breathed that hard. But, it was 35 minutes (I walked a bit longer for the cool down) and I felt good afterwards (the usual post-exercise good feeling that I used to get from hiking up those hills).
I got through the rest of Week 1, and it got easier each time. I'm doing this on gravel mountain roads with hills, and sometimes in the dark. And I have a left ankle that likes to surprise me on level ground with sturdy shoes, so I wear an ankle brace for safety.
Onward to week 2, which began Sunday 9/6/09 (my husband's birthday). Matt (husband) had agreed in principle to do this program with me. Yet he didn't go at all the first week, chiefly because he was working late and didn't really indicate that he wanted to go, so I went before he got home. But now (week 2) he decides he'll participate. Very cool. Week 2's workout is to Run 90 seconds, then walk 2 minutes, for a total of 7 running segments (5 min warmup/cooldown). It was during week 2 I noticed a significant improvement in my ability to slog up that big hill on Steps to Heaven Rd. It's a quarter mile, average 15% grade, and takes about 6 minutes to get up it. The running segments also became easier - a few times we ran past the 90 second mark without realizing it. Happily, Matt seems to be committed and did the whole week with me!
I'm now in week 3; the first day was Sunday 9/13. This week's workout is more challenging to remember and to do. After a 5 min warmup, run 90 seconds, walk 90 seconds (twice), then run 3 minutes, walk 3 minutes, (twice) then repeat from the first 90 second run.
I had to go by myself on Sunday, as Matt wasn't feeling well (he had an early day, hauled and cut up a load of firewood, then had a large birthday meal with cake at his mother's house. By the time we got home, he was too tired to do anything). It was tough. But I survived, and tonight is W3D2. And I think Matt's coming with me now. Wish us luck!
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