I took last Thursday off because I was exhausted after several good workouts that week. And I was going to hit it again on Friday. But then Friday got really busy, and when I finally got a chance to go to the gym I discovered I didn't have my shoes. It was the end of the day, and I gave myself a break (I was still pretty sore from some lifting on Wednesday too). But then I didn't do anything on Saturday or Sunday either. So I ended up going 4 days in a row without working out at all. I only count 3 of them as setbacks, but... it wasn't good.
Today I got back to the gym even though it was another busy day. I had about 20 minutes, max, and I made sure I filled 'em. 20 minutes of working out being better than nothing. Especially because I could have just continued the slide, what with the list of things I had to get done today. It's going to be hard for me to make my goal of 20 workouts now, but I feel good about today.
It is incredibly easy for me to find excuses not to exercise. For me, the keys are a) to find exercises I enjoy doing and b) to schedule it into my day, so I know I'm going to exercise rather than having to make a decision to do it.
Sounds like we had similar weeks. I strained my back and took most of the week off. But I'll be back at it tonight. And I managed to eat well enough that there were no adverse impacts.
We ended up having several get-togethers that resulted in eating out, but I did what I could to choose healthier options and felt pretty good about that. Keeping the fitness at the front of my mind, even when not working out.
I skipped stretching yesterday to get my workout in. Today I realize the gravity of that mistake.
I bought running shoes this weekend with the intention of starting the treadmill version of the couch to 5k training plan. I haven't decided if I'm going to actually run a 5k (running was always something I hated being forced in to doing in school, it was just an avenue for more harassment) but I figure having a plan will help me. Also, it might be nice to go out and exercise outdoors once the weather gets nice again.
Make sure to break in your shoes, in my experience the first 5-10 miles are the hardest before the shoe wears in. I generally wear mine around the house for a day before my first run.
I'd sign up for a 5k, if I have it right I think you're in FTown. Even if you just do the free Lindenwood Runs or a Scheels weeknight run it gives you a goal to look forward to. I need the goal, but not everyone does.
I know a few people who have done the C25k and everyone speaks highly of it. Good Luck!
I appreciate the advice! Yeah I probably should've been wearing them around the house, I thought about it but didn't. I'm thinking what I'm going to do is just do 30 minute walks this first week before easing into the plan proper just since I haven't been to the gym in like 10 months. And before that it was 3½ years. Hopefully the walking will help.
I figure the goal would be a good thing for me. It'd be more likely to keep me on track. But I have such a bad history with running. We'll see how it goes. I think if the plan is going okay by the end of next month I will do it.
Good luck. I've gotten myself up to running a 5k a couple times (though I always seem to need to take little walking breaks in the middle of them... something I'm trying to avoid this time as I build up). It's a great goal, and getting there feels fantastic. My only advice is to try to have a secondary goal, beyond the 5k. At least for me, that's important, since once I've gotten through a 5k I tend to just stop running altogether.
This is what my concern is, too. I just wanted to have something that is (basically) free for me to do without having to go the gym and getting outside. So I hope it sticks.
Walking does help, every time I get new shoes my feet are a mess for a week because I usually don't have the patience to break them in.
There are other options besides a 5k. But I think having a bad history with running is probably a reason to have an intermediate goal of some type. Not as an end, but more of a sign post.
It is raining like a mofo here, which is sad since I wanted to get to the gym a little early today.
I was 171.5 at the gym today. It was quite a big jump from yesterday (1.5 pounds), so I'm sure some of it's water weight, but for now I'm enjoying it.
Were you dripping wet? I kid.
Well played.
The rain has subsided into an annoying drizzle from the "The Heavens Are Pissed" torrent it was around 11.
I'm curious what your diet is like if you trying to add muscle weight. How will it effect your rugby positions?
To be overly simplistic, I just never stop eating. Here's what my day has been like so far, and this is pretty typical:
9:30 - Bowl of raisin brain
11:00 - 2 eggs, 2 pieces of toast, fruit (usually banana or orange), 8-10oz chocolate milk
12:00 - Creatine shake w/ 8 oz. whole milk**
3:30 - Protein shake - 8 oz. whole milk, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup steel cut oats
6:00 - Dinner (tonight leftover lasagna)
8:00 - Snack (probably protein bar tonight)
9:30 - Bowl of raisin bran
So far today, I've had approx. 1700 calories and 85 g of protein. By the time I get to bed, I'll be about 2200/105 g. Also, carbs are important for energy, so that's what all the cereal/grain helps with.
As for rugby, we'll see where I end up playing. Being on a new team means I'm up in the air position-wise anyway. I'd like to play outside center instead of wing (sorta TE instead of WR), so I'm in the action a little more. At the very least, if I'm still on the wing I should be a little harder to take down and a bit more forceful in my tackling.
**I just started with this today, we'll see if I can tell any difference
This might just be me, but I don't see a whole lotta vegetable in that diet. With all of the protein you are eating/drinking, I'd think you'd want just a bit more veg.
I try, but I don't do a very good job at it. Luckily, mc is big on veggies and she makes sure I get them fairly regularly.
A Trick.
A trick to get more vegetables in your diet:
Cook brussels sprouts (cut in half) with bacon in a sauté pan. Drain well, and eat. What's not to like about anything with bacon? (Landsmen/Musselmen please ignore this trick).
Repeat, but over time get rid of the bacon, and just roast the brussels sprouts on a baking sheet sprayed with Olive Oil Pam. Also, the smaller b.sprouts in a bag like from Dean+Deluca are delish.
We roast brussels sprouts already using that Pam method, and they are pretty good. mc usually cooks some sort of veggie as a side. And for tonight, I went ahead and had two carrots.
So you are already enlightened.
Same trick worked for us with red chard, and lacinate kale (king of power foods). Replace bacon with chamomile tea or chix broth.
I've been meaning to work things like kale and quinoa into my diet. I'll get to them eventually.
what Bo said. Roasted brussels sprouts are da Bomb. with bacon, they are thermonukular.
of course, I disdain the Pam method. I like to marinate the halved sprouts in extra virgin olive oil, salt-n-pepper for a few minutes before pouring them onto a preheated roasting pan or jelly roll pan (I use one of those silicon sheets to ease on cleanup).
"dino" kale or chard is really good chopped and sauteed with garlic, a handful of coarsely chopped walnuts, and a handful of craisins. (and salt-n-pepper, uh course)
That reminds me, I still need to write up that quinoa patty recipe (bonus: it has kale in it!)
My kids love roasted brussel sprouts. Toss some chopped walnuts in for the last few minutes - yum!
Yes, you need to write up that recipe.
I'll try to invent some time this week to do that. I was going to do it this weekend, but instead I took a nap.
I regret nothing.
Also this goes to what I was just saying, but whether or not you have a goal or want to have one, keeping track of my activity helps me a great deal. Whether its a pedometer, fitbit, or just entering it in a spread sheet, having those records really help seeing overall trends for yourself.
I do the spreadsheet, and try to log details as well (who I worked out with, if it was on a travel day, how cold it was, etc.) Kinda petty, but I like to look back and feel good about progress, etc.
It's important to make sure your body gets plenty of rest. It's not actually the work outs that make you stronger, it's the resting in between that does. If you got stronger from working out, then the workouts would get easier as you went along.
I felt like I wasn't doing enough running since the marathon, so then I did 62 miles in 15 days, which is a bit more than I'm used to. I could tell by the way things went on Saturday and Sunday that my body was pretty well worn out, so I'm taking it easy this week. The hope is that I'll be able to do a longer run on Saturday. I'm contemplating going to Myrtle Beach for the half marathon in 2.5 weeks, but I'm still undecided. I don't feel like I'm in great shape for it.
Although I've been pretty good about riding my bike in the basement this winter (and a little less vigilant in doing weights), I really like to snowshoe too, unfortunately for the second Winter in a row the snow conditions have not been ideal for snowshoeing. This is getting me down. Now I keep on reading about all these cool winter biking events and am thinking about investing in a pair of studded tires for the old Mountain Bike. Probably too late for this winter but I think I may look for some end-of-the-season deals.
My son surprised me earlier this month about wanting to go to Voyageurs National Park for snowshoeing, probably over President's Day weekend. Now it appears he's trying to break my heart by working on some other plans with his friends over that weekend. Having younger kids is tough I know but there is nothing worse when they get older and repeatedly choose their friends over their parents.