Day one was one of the most un-pleasant days I've had in a long time. Unfortunately (or perhaps it's a blessing in disguise), I ripped a muscle in my back on the FIRST day of training. It had nothing to do with the exercise or the weight I was using, it was me. My head wasn't in it and I was not concentrating on what I should be doing. I also was still massively inflamed from the week-end's derail. SO... I am making modifications this week. I've made my peace with it and my number ONE priority is staying healthy.
I am altering my workout today and tomorrow, with a "rest" day on Thursday of a long walk in the morning with a dear friend. So today, instead of doing sprints, I did intervals on the stair machine. I've chosen the stair machine because I can hold my body with my arms, as opposed to the hill climber elliptical machine, which I need to maintain my core upright while my hands are push/pulling the hand-holds. I hope this makes sense, but that is my plan: 1 minute of hard and fast climbing followed by a minute of slower walking. That should sort-of emulate sprints. As for weights, I wanted to isolate the upper vs lower muscle groups as much as possible. Instead of thrusters, I did dumbbell shoulder presses followed by sumo goblet squats. I did one-legged hamstring curls and decline crunches, niiiice and sllooooow. I did the push-ups on my knees and renegade rows without the push-up. Last, I did chin ups on the assist machine, and kept it on a slightly heavier assist (which means slightly less effort). While on the floor I took the time to do some hip opening stretches and did some foam rolling. Some is better than none, and again, keeping my back safe so it can heal is my priority. In spite of it all, I managed to feel pretty good about the work-out and I had a nice chat with a gym-buddy about the Whole30 and our deep-seated food issues that we are working to overcome in our own ways. I also listened to two wonderful podcasts that I want to re-listen to and take notes.
And then there's my Whole30 plan. Typically, I have a smoothie or some kind of light break-fast food around 7am and then my main breakfast once I get to work around 10:30, then lunch around 1:30-2, and a quick little tiny snack around 4-4:30 to see me through till supper around 7-7:30. This keeps me from snacking, keeps my energy up, and just generally seems to work for me. I add in an extra snack and/or meal when I have a tough workout or end up doing something really active (like cleaning house for 3 hours, like I did today!)
This morning's food frenzy consisted of a kiwi, mango and grapefruit green smoothie and a lovely cuppa joe with coconut milk (for my fat). Post workout, I had an egg-free 'scramble' of greens, smoked salmon, shredded sweet potato, onion, pepper and mushrooms, and topped with a 1/4 avo. I thoroughly enjoyed the mole chili over zucchini 'noodles' at lunch, and I packed a small apple and a handful of nuts as my snack for on the way home. Tonight, I made an asian-ish stirfry from the leftover cajun pork roast from last night, the usual stir fry veg and cauliflower 'rice'. I still would like to make a few Whole30 approved sauces, but haven't yet mustered up the givadam with the back thing slowing me down.
So far it's been surprisingly easy, but I'm not getting complacent, because I know for me, day 4 and especially the week-ends are really tough for me. This weekend we are going camping with friends and there will be a lot of down time with me just hanging out in the kitchen, so I plan to meditate on that for a while before we actually get there, so I can be mentally and physically prepared. For tonight, though, I'm really beat - not sure if it's detoxing, clean eating, back repair or vigorous workout, but whatever is causing the sleepy-head nod, I'm paying attention and turning in early tonight. Tomorrow is day 3 and hopefully my back will be well enough to give a light jog a try.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
Day 1 - A rough start
This weekend, as I prepared for the Whole30 and my new workout plan, I took stock of my body-mind connection. I spent a lot of time thinking about how my body was feeling and to be honest, it felt like I've been over-training, so I spent the last 24 hours in a slothful and continuous food-coma. The food part of the rest week-end was a total derailer and this morning I'm feeling about as crappy as I've felt in the last few months. To top things off, I was half-assing my workout this morning because I felt so horrible and I lost focus when I was supposed to be paying attention and I pulled a back muscle. Not just a little 'hey, pay attention' kind of twinge, but a full on 'OHMYGOD, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!' kind of instant 'snap' and I knew My workout was OVER. I still have to get through the morning and bike to work and home, but the lifting part of my routine will have to be adjusted this week. To this I say: Goddamnit.
I've cut grains and dairy out pretty well over the last week, but over the week-end, I had the last of the oatmeal in the fridge, had a meal replacement shake, a power bar, and a rice cake or two. Oh, and a bowl of popcorn. So, here we are on the morning of day one. Fortunately, we prepped enough protein to last both of us all week. We have mole beef chili, jerk-style chicken and smoked salmon and halibut. Tonight I might even make some turkey meatballs. but for now, I'm trying to resolve to eat more veggies. To those who know me, this may sound like I'm overdoing it, but seriously: I only had a few servings of veg yesterday, and I need to pay better attention to my veg to protein ratio. On Whole30, I should be eating 7-8 servings of veggies a day. I've packed about 4 servings, which means I need to get 2-4 more in, and perhaps make one or two of those servings a fruit (speaking of which: I'm tossing in a half grapefruit to my lunch right now)
And adding fats - this is a scary one for me. Fats are like a gateway drug for me. Fats make me want sugar and grains like you wouldn't believe. I think this comes from years of living with a fat-phobic mother and a father who's evening ritual consisted of a huge batch of butter popcorn with this amazing peanut-toffee sauce, and ice cream. So fat has typically been connected to sweets and grains for me: the trifecta of bad-for-you food.
I also can't help but wonder if I've worked my way into a state of 'mad' so that I motivate myself through this first week. I know the back thing is almost completely attributed to sitting slouched on the comfy chair for most of the week-end, and from stuffing my face with inflammatory food. So, on top of getting this new diet under my belt, I have an extra 6 lbs of inflammation to lose and new workout to get on track while NOT tracking my food obsessively. It's a lot for my brain to keep track of, but here I am, day one. Workout completed (although I may go back and do it again, with modifications, since I really effed up this morning's stab at it), bulletproof coffee sampled (we'll see how far it takes me into the morning), and now a throbbing low back to contend with throughout the day. My brain elicits a weak 'yaaaay'.
All that said, I am 100% committed to the Whole30 challenge and the workout is totally doable in its entirety, once I get my back taken care of. Day one: underway.
I've cut grains and dairy out pretty well over the last week, but over the week-end, I had the last of the oatmeal in the fridge, had a meal replacement shake, a power bar, and a rice cake or two. Oh, and a bowl of popcorn. So, here we are on the morning of day one. Fortunately, we prepped enough protein to last both of us all week. We have mole beef chili, jerk-style chicken and smoked salmon and halibut. Tonight I might even make some turkey meatballs. but for now, I'm trying to resolve to eat more veggies. To those who know me, this may sound like I'm overdoing it, but seriously: I only had a few servings of veg yesterday, and I need to pay better attention to my veg to protein ratio. On Whole30, I should be eating 7-8 servings of veggies a day. I've packed about 4 servings, which means I need to get 2-4 more in, and perhaps make one or two of those servings a fruit (speaking of which: I'm tossing in a half grapefruit to my lunch right now)
And adding fats - this is a scary one for me. Fats are like a gateway drug for me. Fats make me want sugar and grains like you wouldn't believe. I think this comes from years of living with a fat-phobic mother and a father who's evening ritual consisted of a huge batch of butter popcorn with this amazing peanut-toffee sauce, and ice cream. So fat has typically been connected to sweets and grains for me: the trifecta of bad-for-you food.
I also can't help but wonder if I've worked my way into a state of 'mad' so that I motivate myself through this first week. I know the back thing is almost completely attributed to sitting slouched on the comfy chair for most of the week-end, and from stuffing my face with inflammatory food. So, on top of getting this new diet under my belt, I have an extra 6 lbs of inflammation to lose and new workout to get on track while NOT tracking my food obsessively. It's a lot for my brain to keep track of, but here I am, day one. Workout completed (although I may go back and do it again, with modifications, since I really effed up this morning's stab at it), bulletproof coffee sampled (we'll see how far it takes me into the morning), and now a throbbing low back to contend with throughout the day. My brain elicits a weak 'yaaaay'.
All that said, I am 100% committed to the Whole30 challenge and the workout is totally doable in its entirety, once I get my back taken care of. Day one: underway.
Getting Ready
It's Saturday and this week-end is all about "getting ready". We are getting ready for the week ahead with a camping trip at the end, we are getting ready to start our training program for the Survivor run, and we are starting the Whole30. I say 'we are starting' because even though my husband is not planning on adhering to the Whole30 plan, I am the one cooking the majority of his meals, so in that respect, he's getting some new dishes on the menu.
Today I am purposefully not recording what I eat, but rather assessing each meal the way I am supposed to on the Whole30. This takes practice and is reminding me how to check in with my body before diving in to eat. When I prepare my meals, I am consciously practicing measuring portions: protein sources should be as big as the palm of my hand, fat sources should be the size of my thumb, use a small cupped hand to measure nuts, etc. It's pretty exciting to realize I get to saute my fish in grass-fed butter and throw avocado on my salad with the olive oil dressing. But I still can't go overboard. A thumb size goes pretty quick if your supper has multiple steps.
One of the things we were clearing out of our freezer in preparation for Whole30, was a packet of pre-cooked chicken breast in a chipotle sauce. All it needed was to be heated up and the chicken 'jerked'. There was also a bag of pre-seasoned fajita vegetables I threw in with the chicken. I know the pre-made stuff had all kinds of bad-for-me chemicals and crap in 'em but it was darned tasty, and it got me thinking I could totally recreate that from scratch with healthy, local ingredients in the crock pot tomorrow. If it goes well, I'll post the recipe.
We also went on an epic bikeride. The day started off raining, turned to snow, and just when we were ready to throw in the towel and call it an inside day, the sun came out and we jumped on it. We rode for about 3 hours: downtown to the farmers market where Erik sniffed soaps and I perused Betsy's new fabrics at Intertwined Designs, then over to the Hub to check out what was there and how they are set up, and on to the Interurban trail for another couple miles before turning around to come back. As we were coasting home, I was reminded why I'm doing this thing. I want to keep feeling just like that moment. When I'm out in nature, I want to feel strong and vibrant and active. I just don't feel that way when I'm eating things that inflame me, slow me down and hack into my lifestyle. So tonight, I continue to let go of old habits, old loves and start looking at things from this new perspective.
Today I am purposefully not recording what I eat, but rather assessing each meal the way I am supposed to on the Whole30. This takes practice and is reminding me how to check in with my body before diving in to eat. When I prepare my meals, I am consciously practicing measuring portions: protein sources should be as big as the palm of my hand, fat sources should be the size of my thumb, use a small cupped hand to measure nuts, etc. It's pretty exciting to realize I get to saute my fish in grass-fed butter and throw avocado on my salad with the olive oil dressing. But I still can't go overboard. A thumb size goes pretty quick if your supper has multiple steps.
One of the things we were clearing out of our freezer in preparation for Whole30, was a packet of pre-cooked chicken breast in a chipotle sauce. All it needed was to be heated up and the chicken 'jerked'. There was also a bag of pre-seasoned fajita vegetables I threw in with the chicken. I know the pre-made stuff had all kinds of bad-for-me chemicals and crap in 'em but it was darned tasty, and it got me thinking I could totally recreate that from scratch with healthy, local ingredients in the crock pot tomorrow. If it goes well, I'll post the recipe.
We also went on an epic bikeride. The day started off raining, turned to snow, and just when we were ready to throw in the towel and call it an inside day, the sun came out and we jumped on it. We rode for about 3 hours: downtown to the farmers market where Erik sniffed soaps and I perused Betsy's new fabrics at Intertwined Designs, then over to the Hub to check out what was there and how they are set up, and on to the Interurban trail for another couple miles before turning around to come back. As we were coasting home, I was reminded why I'm doing this thing. I want to keep feeling just like that moment. When I'm out in nature, I want to feel strong and vibrant and active. I just don't feel that way when I'm eating things that inflame me, slow me down and hack into my lifestyle. So tonight, I continue to let go of old habits, old loves and start looking at things from this new perspective.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Whole30 Preparations
I have spent the better part of last night and today pondering what I'll be changing in the upcoming weeks. I feel like my focus is zeroing in and I'm ready to take on the next big challenge on this journey. It's a lot to take in, but it's a lot to look forward to as well. In thinking about the commitment I want to make to this process, I want to sort of have a 'farewell party' to the foods and habits I have loved for so long, but that no longer serve me.
Over the last 20 years, I've gone through a whole host of diets, restrictions, regimens and straight-up quackery. I was a vegetarian on and off for many years, and rarely have I had the desire to eat red meat (until very recently). About 10 years ago, I did a modified elimination diet to get to the root of what was making me feel like crap all the time - that's when I started to make the wheat connection. A few years later, I let go of milk (but not yogurt or cheese). I've taken sugar out of my diet for the most part. And in the last 6 months I've discovered corn really messes me up, and that I may have to give up yogurt. There was a while there I was totally caffeine-free, but in the last year I've realized the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for me, and I keep my intake to one really great cup of coffee a day. I've known for a while that peanut butter is not my gut's friend (although my tongue insists it is!). But there's more, and ultimately, I feel like my gut needs a tune-up again, so welcome Whole30 to the party.
On the Whole30, there are things I'm giving up, and things I'm welcoming back. On the list of things I will give up for the next 30 days are peanut butter, corn, dairy, and oats, quinoa and rice (for now). I've made my peace with sugar, but sugar alternatives like honey, maple syrup and even xylitol and stevia will be off the list for the next month. But I am VERY excited to start eating grass fed butter. I heard a first-hand account of how different it was from traditional butter and decided I would be willing to welcome it back with open arms. I welcome the addition of coconut butter which I now know I can make in my food processor and will be trying that tonight. Avocados take a more prominent role in my menus, along with grapefruit. Kale, chard and/or spinach remains in just about every meal I make, and fish and chicken certainly aren't going anywhere.
I am more than a little nervous about letting go of writing down exactly how much and what I eat. It's become such a fail-safe for me to make sure I get my macronutrients in the right amounts, and not under-eating either. But part of the Whole30 journey is reconciling my relationship with food, which means looking within for cues of real hunger versus desire. I'm not allowed to weigh or measure my food OR my body during the Whole30. It's a process, though, so if keeping a food diary is the thing I cling to in order to get through this, I accept that. I am more concerned about keeping the quality of foods to the highest standards over being diligent about writing everything down.
I spent the evening yesterday reveling in a bottle of sparkling white wine mixed with last night's leftover blood orange gelato, sweet potatoes with butter, coconut flakes and cinnamon, and a batch of popcorn with a steaming cup of coconut milk mocha on the side. This morning I woke up admittedly hung over from both the alcohol and the sugar (each has its own unique and annoying side-effects) but I feel at peace with these choices. I claimed my revelry and have no regrets, and I got what I wanted out of it - a clear reminder of WHY I am giving these things up. I'm 42 and have more than fleeting moments of truly amazing health where I feel like I'm in my 20s. I don't want to give that up to an urge to eat popcorn or a careless afternoon of grabbing a power bar because I'm too busy to make my own. But I know there are times in life when you pick the lesser of two evils (MacDonald's or the deli case at Safeway). Those times will come, but for the next 30 days, there are absolutely zero excuses: not the camping trip with our party friends, not the 40th birthday party for my husband, not the office 'happy hour'.
Today I will help my husband brine salmon, trout and halibut so he can make me jerky to snack on for the next week or two. We also have an epic hike planned with some of my amazing non-Whole30-compliant energy bars. Tomorrow will begin true preparations, but for today, I will continue to say goodbye to my beloved foods while looking forward to tomorrow, where I begin embracing the new.
Over the last 20 years, I've gone through a whole host of diets, restrictions, regimens and straight-up quackery. I was a vegetarian on and off for many years, and rarely have I had the desire to eat red meat (until very recently). About 10 years ago, I did a modified elimination diet to get to the root of what was making me feel like crap all the time - that's when I started to make the wheat connection. A few years later, I let go of milk (but not yogurt or cheese). I've taken sugar out of my diet for the most part. And in the last 6 months I've discovered corn really messes me up, and that I may have to give up yogurt. There was a while there I was totally caffeine-free, but in the last year I've realized the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for me, and I keep my intake to one really great cup of coffee a day. I've known for a while that peanut butter is not my gut's friend (although my tongue insists it is!). But there's more, and ultimately, I feel like my gut needs a tune-up again, so welcome Whole30 to the party.
On the Whole30, there are things I'm giving up, and things I'm welcoming back. On the list of things I will give up for the next 30 days are peanut butter, corn, dairy, and oats, quinoa and rice (for now). I've made my peace with sugar, but sugar alternatives like honey, maple syrup and even xylitol and stevia will be off the list for the next month. But I am VERY excited to start eating grass fed butter. I heard a first-hand account of how different it was from traditional butter and decided I would be willing to welcome it back with open arms. I welcome the addition of coconut butter which I now know I can make in my food processor and will be trying that tonight. Avocados take a more prominent role in my menus, along with grapefruit. Kale, chard and/or spinach remains in just about every meal I make, and fish and chicken certainly aren't going anywhere.
I am more than a little nervous about letting go of writing down exactly how much and what I eat. It's become such a fail-safe for me to make sure I get my macronutrients in the right amounts, and not under-eating either. But part of the Whole30 journey is reconciling my relationship with food, which means looking within for cues of real hunger versus desire. I'm not allowed to weigh or measure my food OR my body during the Whole30. It's a process, though, so if keeping a food diary is the thing I cling to in order to get through this, I accept that. I am more concerned about keeping the quality of foods to the highest standards over being diligent about writing everything down.
I spent the evening yesterday reveling in a bottle of sparkling white wine mixed with last night's leftover blood orange gelato, sweet potatoes with butter, coconut flakes and cinnamon, and a batch of popcorn with a steaming cup of coconut milk mocha on the side. This morning I woke up admittedly hung over from both the alcohol and the sugar (each has its own unique and annoying side-effects) but I feel at peace with these choices. I claimed my revelry and have no regrets, and I got what I wanted out of it - a clear reminder of WHY I am giving these things up. I'm 42 and have more than fleeting moments of truly amazing health where I feel like I'm in my 20s. I don't want to give that up to an urge to eat popcorn or a careless afternoon of grabbing a power bar because I'm too busy to make my own. But I know there are times in life when you pick the lesser of two evils (MacDonald's or the deli case at Safeway). Those times will come, but for the next 30 days, there are absolutely zero excuses: not the camping trip with our party friends, not the 40th birthday party for my husband, not the office 'happy hour'.
Today I will help my husband brine salmon, trout and halibut so he can make me jerky to snack on for the next week or two. We also have an epic hike planned with some of my amazing non-Whole30-compliant energy bars. Tomorrow will begin true preparations, but for today, I will continue to say goodbye to my beloved foods while looking forward to tomorrow, where I begin embracing the new.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
My first Training Program
Okay ‘team’, I wanted to check in with you and talk a little about this mud run we’ve gotten ourselves into. This is a first for me, and as I understand it, for you, two, too! I’ve run a few 5ks (and one 10k that I trained hard for), but this is more than just running. The overarching challenge for us all will be running uncomfortably in wet, dirty shoes and clothes, interspersed with jumping, crawling, climbing, etc. I’ve looked at a few different mud/obstacle runs in preparation for this so I can get a feel for the kinds of challenges we will be handed. I’ll have a list of links at the end for you to look at, in case you’re an information/internet junkie like me. I am not going to get so technical as to reference each source as I spout information, but if you’re curious where I got some exercise or piece of information, please holler at me and I’ll gladly take you through the web of my thought process!
OKAY! First things First:
Know What You’re Getting Into
The race we’ve chosen is the Survivor Mud Run, held at Remlinger Farms in Carnation, on June 8th. My ‘team’ and I have signed up for the 9:30 am heat. I cannot seem to figure out how long the race is (geez, I hope it’s not longer than 5k!) but I’ll verify length here shortly. As for obstacles, there are 22.
# 1: Mystery obstacle
# 2: Mud Pit – you have to crawl through the mud under a line of flags (you know, the kind you see at the car dealerships)
# 3: Walking across planks. That is, 2x4”s that are on their SIDE, so very narrow.
# 4: Scrabbling over large rocks
# 5: Slip N Slide!!!!!
# 6: ‘hidden forest’ – I’m thinking downed logs across the path to scrabble under or climb over
# 7: “woven web’ – Imagine Catherine Zeta Jones going through that room of lasers in Entrapment, except these are bungee-type cords and you can pull/push and otherwise touch them to get through them.
# 8: Hurdles – toss yourself over a 5’ wall – I dare ya!
# 9: Tires – just like in all those movies about football training
# 10: Ladders – Looks like just a big uphill climb with footholds, or something.
# 11: Mystery Obstacle
# 12: Another Ladder
From here on out, the obstacles are pretty much stacked one on top of another:
# 13: Mystery Obstacle
# 14: Mystery again
# 15: Wall Climb – this involves a 10’ wall, with 2x4”s horizontally every 3 ft and a rope with about 5 knots in it. Climb your way up and then … just jump on down…
# 16: Log Jam – this is a series of ‘logs’ over a mud pit that you have to traverse. It looks like you need to hoist yourself over each one (no going under)
# 17: Another mud pit!
# 18: ‘Man hole’ - Who comes up with these names(?!) Because it looks more like a ‘woman hole’ – a long tube you have to crawl through to get to the light at the other side :-D
# 19: Another low crawl through tubes
# 20: THE GREAT WALL – or just another wall to climb over
# 21: Muddy Bayou – wading in knee-deep mud
# 22: Last Mud pit – and the finish line is in sight!
This is, of course, all subject to change and this is my best guess based on the photos online and what I know about obstacle courses.
Know How To Train
Training for a specific result can be as complex or as simple as you want it. I tend to land somewhere in the middle, where I can get my nerd safari on (Term coined from my nutrition nerd-crush, Mat Lalonde, Ph.D.) but still not get bogged down in following the plan EXACTLY, because life happens. We get sick, we have a meeting that runs late and right into our training time, the cat pukes first thing in the morning as you’re heading out the door for your morning run, etc. You get the picture. Some points I am considering as I put together this training plan are as follows:
· Length of entire race
· Discomfort level
· Length of longest sprint
· Strength/skills needed for each obstacle
Once I establish what I’m training for, I develop (or hack) a training plan and then proceed to break it down by week. Once we know what to expect for the training plan, we can further plot our workouts. I’ve divided the running and strength trainings into two separate components that can be worked together or split up. Either method is fine and I think should be mixed up from time to time. Itend to plan my training on the fly, by the week, or by planning the night before for the next day. However (HOWEVER!!!), I know myself well, and I do NOT put off working out because I just don’t feel like it. If you are remotely like that, I HIGHLY recommend you stick to whatever you decide, because all it takes is ‘not feeling like’ doing a workout for a couple days in a row and you’ve backed up your workout into next week, and the next, and… wait, when was that race, again?! My general rule of thumb is that I can move each component forward or back by one day, but no further.
Approach A
Your running and strength workouts are divided into individual components on the workout matrix. You can do one piece in the morning and one in the afternoon. Do your run first thing before starting your day and then stop by the gym or park and bang out a strength workout in about 30 minutes after you’ve got your biznizz taken care of. I personally recommend getting your run in first thing, for a number of reasons, but if that really doesn’t work for you, no biggie. Breaking the two up can help you get all your workouts in when your schedule gets crazy, but it also can be easy to ‘skip’ the component that’s giving you the most trouble, so be aware.
Approach B
Do both your strength and running components in the same session. This will make for a more intense session but you only have to suit up once. If you are going to lump them together, I would recommend doing the run first, THEN do the strength work and then After strength work, finish off with the sprint or pace run, but skip the last ‘mile or so’ cool down.
RUN TRAINING
You can do run training at a local high school stadium where there are stairs to run or a shorter hill to run. I remember my volleyball days and running the hill up the side of the high school - I hated it. This will be interesting to see how I feel now, 25 years later! If you have to, you can do it on a treadmill. I recommend you try a few of these runs in the rain and/or in wet shoes. I'm serious. Even if it's just 2 runs, it will help get over the anxiety you may feel about getting muddy and then having to just stay muddy.
Day 1 & 2 is sprint training. Warm up with a laid back, easy run for about a mile. Then you’re ready for sprints. Then get ready for Sprint work. Find a hill, (length and steepness is up to you) For each rep sprint up the hill and walk down. Then repeat as many times as instructed in the plan. Finish up with a Slow steady jog for 1/2-1 mile.
The third day is your fun, race pace run. Get off the road and run over uneven terrain. Trail running is the name of the game. Run at least 3 miles at race pace and time yourself.
STRENGTH TRAINING
Strength training can be done with kettlebells or dumbbells. If you lack either of those, try gallon sized water jugs filled with water or sand, or even grocery bags with cans of food! Get heavy. Err on the side of too heavy and then back off by a lb or tw so you can complete the entire workout. Each day will be different, so just be honest with yourself as to what weight is right for you each workout.
Each circuit is a series of performing each move for as many reps as possible for 1 minute. If the move is a one-handed move, break up the minute into 30 seconds on each side.
Circuit 1:
- Dumbbell or kettle bell thruster: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smp5DOA9n3k
- Push-ups: whichever way you can do them for a minute
- Dumbbell or kettlebell swing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0jalJ-3e7U or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTeBkm2-gQs
- Dumbbell or kettlebell Renegade row: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyHls4EKqxU
- Walking lunge with dumbbells or kettlebells: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OYsCRAb5c4
- Spider Push-Ups: push up position and draw one knee in towards your elbow as you go down into a push up, alternating sides. If this is too much for you (It is for me, right now) just focus on the knee to elbow and skip the push up. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEbGvnKE87M
Circuit 2:
- Dumbbell or kettlebell snatch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkYdyAM-TSY
- Dumbbell or kettlebell alternating step up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exORqNrDQ6U
- Dumbbell or kettlebell overhead press: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-aVuyhvLHU
- Dumbbell or kettlebell swing: (see circuit 1)
- Chin-up or pull down: Work towards unassisted chin-ups, but until you can, alternate doing assisted chin-ups with lat pulldown machine.
This is an interesting approach to increasing chin-up reps. Skip to 4:00 (the first 4 minutes is a bunch of male/urban posturing): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni9TfOLNCyk
- Dumbbell or kettlebell windmill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQrQkvVJNKk
One last comment on Rest days: You need to allow yourself at LEAST one rest day a week. I could go on and on about the importance of resting to allow your body to repair, and for your mind to relax and integrate the changes in your body. However, I will spare you another lecture because, seriously, I've given you enough to think about, but trust me on the rest day.
Are you ready to get started?
Here we go! I will be checking in with you weekly to answer any questions, but please let me know if you have any questions/comments as you go along.
Print your own personal training calendar by copying this link to download a pdf copy
:
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Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Working out on the road, and how I got here.
A NOTE ABOUT THIS POST: This was actually written between the last two, but I forgot to publish it... silly me.
So, I'm in an Irish band and we just came off our marathon "March Madness" week, where we had 8 gigs in the course of 5 days. If you're doing your math correctly, that's more than one gig a day, and rarely a gig in the same town. While on the road, there were few opportunities to get a workout in, and when there was a spare hour or two, all I wanted to do was sleep. I was feeling a little guilty about it, until my husband reminded me that THIS is what I'd been training for: no further workouts were needed until I was back from the tour. Now, I wouldn't normally agree with this kind of logic, but then I considered what I'd been doing while on tour, using my 'music to fitness' calculator:
Let me digress a moment and share a tidbit of my fitness journey insights with you that led me to this newfound sense of control over my choices: I've always enjoyed fitness. I played softball as a child, ran track in junior high as well as being a jv and varsity cheerleader, and I played jv and varsity volleyball in junior and high school. I loved playing volleyball with my friends in the summer, going for hikes, going swimming. Even as a young mother of two under 2, I would dedicate at least one of the kids' nap-times to a step aerobics video if there was enough room on the toy-cluttered floor. However, fitness always seemed like a secondary priority to other, 'more important' things. Yet I still managed to keep my fitness journey going, even if it was only once or twice a week yoga while the dog and cat played chase under me while I was trying to perfect my cat and dog asanas.
Having become a wife by 19 and a mother by 20, I never really got a chance to understand what self-care meant to me. I went from being a self-absorbed teenager, to a confused but inquiring young college student to a wife and mother. I never really got a chance to explore who I was and what nurtured my soul without the expectation that I make others my top priority. Looking back 20 years later, I can see the lessons that my children taught me, and what being a wife and mother has taught me about what I have to offer people as well as what my limits are, and I have absolutely no regrets about it. But now, at 42 with no kids at home and a fairly self-sufficient husband, I have been able to explore what feeds my soul, and have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of my body and what it can do.
About a year ago this June I was introduced to a health supplement line that got me started on a body cleanse and changed the way I thought about my body and it's abilities (Yes, I'm an Advocare Adviser but I will not give you my 2 minute story here). I had planned on getting back into a regular fitness regimen, but hadn't thought any more about it than the previous 100 times I slacked a bit too long and had to climb back on the fitness wagon. But (blah blah blah, Advocare story) this time I began exploring strength training. Many people rave about their personal trainers, and I'm no different. I give high accolades to my personal trainer, who very quickly became a true friend, in and out of the gym.
When we first started working out I figured I'd go in and lift some weights a couple times a week, and then continue with my plan of running and biking whenever it was convenient. She kept calling me an athlete, and saying I have an athlete's body and all I could think was, "No, I'm a mother. With a mother's body. Look at these stretch marks! Look at the belly pooch! Look at these saggy thighs!" Her enthusiasm for my workouts and for my progress really helped me to shift my paradigm, and helped me start to look at myself as an amazing, multi-faceted person. And one of those facets is this amazing machine of a body which still has plenty of energy and plenty of vitality left to become an elite athlete. (or anything else I want).
I'm grateful that I spent the weeks leading up to this ' March Marathon of Madness (tm)' doing intense workouts, including (and I did not think of this until I started writing this article, which means it was totally intuitive - way cool): Double cardio. Yes, the two weeks before our first road trip down to Seattle, I was getting up at 6:30 am to run a miile and a half to two miles and then go to the gym for my usual strength workout, followed by another 15-30 minutes of gueling stair climbers or sweat-it-out elliptical hiker.
I also was very aware of what I ate and did my best to stick to my usual plan of high protein, low processed whole foods (aka: 'clean eating'). I pre-planned my on-the-road meals as best I could and brought a lot of pre-made food from home to be sure I had healthy options. That really set the stage for the many moments of on-the-road temptations of junk food. Even with those usual temptations, I still managed to make good choices almost every time (there was that incident where we chose to go for Mexican...).
This all sounds well and good, but I want to impress upon you (and myself) that this is the first time I've really felt in control of those choices. This is a sad fact, because the reality is that we have always had the power to choose, but it's taken me until now to really 'get it'.
I'm still not sure what kind of athlete I am or if I want to challenge myself in the arena of fitness competition like my trainer, but for now, it's been great knowing that the skills and discipline that I've gained from working out and pushing myself to do just one more set, just one more rep and challenge myself to lift something heavier than I've ever lifted - That kind of challenge has led me to a new sense of discipline that is, when I went on the road for St. Patrick's Day, the first time I really felt like, "Hey I can do this. I can make healthy choices. It doesn't matter that I get free beer, and free curly fries. No matter what." What I gained was a sense of deep down knowledge that I'm making healthy choices for my body and for my mind, that support me in my lifelong journey.
Now that the dust has settle from St. Patrick's Day, and the band doesn't have anything on the docket until June, I'm back at the gym and looking at new ways to challenge myself.
So, I'm in an Irish band and we just came off our marathon "March Madness" week, where we had 8 gigs in the course of 5 days. If you're doing your math correctly, that's more than one gig a day, and rarely a gig in the same town. While on the road, there were few opportunities to get a workout in, and when there was a spare hour or two, all I wanted to do was sleep. I was feeling a little guilty about it, until my husband reminded me that THIS is what I'd been training for: no further workouts were needed until I was back from the tour. Now, I wouldn't normally agree with this kind of logic, but then I considered what I'd been doing while on tour, using my 'music to fitness' calculator:
- Each gig is comprised of 3 sets each, and each set is approximately 50 minutes with a 10 minute break. Now for us, it usually ends up two hour and 15 minute sets with a 20 minute set in the middle except on extra long gigs, you divide the average song length by how many cables are hooked up .... you get the picture. But this is an average: 50 minutes of mild to moderate aerobic activity - static holds, fine motor moves, the occasional 10-15 plyo burst of Irish Step-dancing. This also doesn't take into account the fact that we had to schlep our 50 lb speakers, amps and instruments from truck to pub and back for almost every gig, or the bending stooping, stepping over and under that is done every time we set up or tear down.
- Therefore, each gig has 3 aerobic sessions. Over the course of this last week, I did 8 (gigs) X 3 (sets)= 24 hours of aerobics in 4 days. Divide that another way and that would be like walking, with the occasional hop over a rock or duck under a tree for 6 hours a day. And people wonder why I'm so tired after it all!
Let me digress a moment and share a tidbit of my fitness journey insights with you that led me to this newfound sense of control over my choices: I've always enjoyed fitness. I played softball as a child, ran track in junior high as well as being a jv and varsity cheerleader, and I played jv and varsity volleyball in junior and high school. I loved playing volleyball with my friends in the summer, going for hikes, going swimming. Even as a young mother of two under 2, I would dedicate at least one of the kids' nap-times to a step aerobics video if there was enough room on the toy-cluttered floor. However, fitness always seemed like a secondary priority to other, 'more important' things. Yet I still managed to keep my fitness journey going, even if it was only once or twice a week yoga while the dog and cat played chase under me while I was trying to perfect my cat and dog asanas.
Having become a wife by 19 and a mother by 20, I never really got a chance to understand what self-care meant to me. I went from being a self-absorbed teenager, to a confused but inquiring young college student to a wife and mother. I never really got a chance to explore who I was and what nurtured my soul without the expectation that I make others my top priority. Looking back 20 years later, I can see the lessons that my children taught me, and what being a wife and mother has taught me about what I have to offer people as well as what my limits are, and I have absolutely no regrets about it. But now, at 42 with no kids at home and a fairly self-sufficient husband, I have been able to explore what feeds my soul, and have developed a deeper understanding and appreciation of my body and what it can do.
About a year ago this June I was introduced to a health supplement line that got me started on a body cleanse and changed the way I thought about my body and it's abilities (Yes, I'm an Advocare Adviser but I will not give you my 2 minute story here). I had planned on getting back into a regular fitness regimen, but hadn't thought any more about it than the previous 100 times I slacked a bit too long and had to climb back on the fitness wagon. But (blah blah blah, Advocare story) this time I began exploring strength training. Many people rave about their personal trainers, and I'm no different. I give high accolades to my personal trainer, who very quickly became a true friend, in and out of the gym.
When we first started working out I figured I'd go in and lift some weights a couple times a week, and then continue with my plan of running and biking whenever it was convenient. She kept calling me an athlete, and saying I have an athlete's body and all I could think was, "No, I'm a mother. With a mother's body. Look at these stretch marks! Look at the belly pooch! Look at these saggy thighs!" Her enthusiasm for my workouts and for my progress really helped me to shift my paradigm, and helped me start to look at myself as an amazing, multi-faceted person. And one of those facets is this amazing machine of a body which still has plenty of energy and plenty of vitality left to become an elite athlete. (or anything else I want).
I'm grateful that I spent the weeks leading up to this ' March Marathon of Madness (tm)' doing intense workouts, including (and I did not think of this until I started writing this article, which means it was totally intuitive - way cool): Double cardio. Yes, the two weeks before our first road trip down to Seattle, I was getting up at 6:30 am to run a miile and a half to two miles and then go to the gym for my usual strength workout, followed by another 15-30 minutes of gueling stair climbers or sweat-it-out elliptical hiker.
I also was very aware of what I ate and did my best to stick to my usual plan of high protein, low processed whole foods (aka: 'clean eating'). I pre-planned my on-the-road meals as best I could and brought a lot of pre-made food from home to be sure I had healthy options. That really set the stage for the many moments of on-the-road temptations of junk food. Even with those usual temptations, I still managed to make good choices almost every time (there was that incident where we chose to go for Mexican...).
This all sounds well and good, but I want to impress upon you (and myself) that this is the first time I've really felt in control of those choices. This is a sad fact, because the reality is that we have always had the power to choose, but it's taken me until now to really 'get it'.
I'm still not sure what kind of athlete I am or if I want to challenge myself in the arena of fitness competition like my trainer, but for now, it's been great knowing that the skills and discipline that I've gained from working out and pushing myself to do just one more set, just one more rep and challenge myself to lift something heavier than I've ever lifted - That kind of challenge has led me to a new sense of discipline that is, when I went on the road for St. Patrick's Day, the first time I really felt like, "Hey I can do this. I can make healthy choices. It doesn't matter that I get free beer, and free curly fries. No matter what." What I gained was a sense of deep down knowledge that I'm making healthy choices for my body and for my mind, that support me in my lifelong journey.
Now that the dust has settle from St. Patrick's Day, and the band doesn't have anything on the docket until June, I'm back at the gym and looking at new ways to challenge myself.
THIS IS IT!
I have been floundering for the last month for a foot-hold. St. Patrick's day has come and gone, with its challenges met and new insights gained. But I have not yet figured out where to land my focus. I feel like I've done a pretty good job of just 'winging it' and staying open and in the moment to see what would shake loose.
My friends at the gym are in their final weeks before their fitness competition and I have once again re-affirmed for myself that I do NOT want to face that kind of challenge. The end result of someone ELSE telling me their opinion of my body in comparison with others, doesn't seem like much of a motivator to stick it out. And the costs to their body and minds with the things they do in the final weeks remind me of the phsychological and physical fuck-ups that anorexia causes. Uh, no thank you. I've already been through therapy for that.
But what next? 5k? Not challenging enough. 10k? Wrong kind of challenge for me. Ragnar? Too challenging to find a team that'd take my slow ass. Triathlon? Too logistically challenging, with limited funds for a pool pass and an aversion to cold water. So...what is it?
Two weeks ago, a friend invited me to join her team for a 5k colour run in August - all women and to benefit Children's Hospital (where my son's life was saved 8 yrs ago). I was totally in but knew this wouldn't scratch that itch for a new challenge. But it got me started on this line of research for other kinds of body (with a dose of mind and spirit) challenges. I went on internet safari to discover the next thing: a MUD RUN! This would satisfy my desire for crossfit (which I can't afford for the gym I want to join), and the desperate fondness I have for doing physical challenges side by side with my husband.
I offered it up as something HE might be interested in doing. He took the bait, we pulled the trigger and we are now registered for the Survivor Mud Run in Carnation (outside of Seattle, WA) on June 8. This started a whole new ball rolling. With plans to start studying in earnest for my Personal Trainer Certification, I think he knew this would be a challenge for my brain (creating a training plan for both of us) as well as my body and is probably doing this more for me than himself, but whatever - I'm grateful he will be there with me. We have a friend joining us just for fun (we are not an established team with the race) whom I am also planning training for. So, as I dive into this new aspect of my Self and my career, I thought that would be the direction this blog goes: at least for the next 80-10 weeks. So thanks to you, if you care to keep reading. And thanks for stopping by if you decide this isn't what you're interested in. Read more about our 'team Noteam' training plan.
My friends at the gym are in their final weeks before their fitness competition and I have once again re-affirmed for myself that I do NOT want to face that kind of challenge. The end result of someone ELSE telling me their opinion of my body in comparison with others, doesn't seem like much of a motivator to stick it out. And the costs to their body and minds with the things they do in the final weeks remind me of the phsychological and physical fuck-ups that anorexia causes. Uh, no thank you. I've already been through therapy for that.
But what next? 5k? Not challenging enough. 10k? Wrong kind of challenge for me. Ragnar? Too challenging to find a team that'd take my slow ass. Triathlon? Too logistically challenging, with limited funds for a pool pass and an aversion to cold water. So...what is it?
Two weeks ago, a friend invited me to join her team for a 5k colour run in August - all women and to benefit Children's Hospital (where my son's life was saved 8 yrs ago). I was totally in but knew this wouldn't scratch that itch for a new challenge. But it got me started on this line of research for other kinds of body (with a dose of mind and spirit) challenges. I went on internet safari to discover the next thing: a MUD RUN! This would satisfy my desire for crossfit (which I can't afford for the gym I want to join), and the desperate fondness I have for doing physical challenges side by side with my husband.
I offered it up as something HE might be interested in doing. He took the bait, we pulled the trigger and we are now registered for the Survivor Mud Run in Carnation (outside of Seattle, WA) on June 8. This started a whole new ball rolling. With plans to start studying in earnest for my Personal Trainer Certification, I think he knew this would be a challenge for my brain (creating a training plan for both of us) as well as my body and is probably doing this more for me than himself, but whatever - I'm grateful he will be there with me. We have a friend joining us just for fun (we are not an established team with the race) whom I am also planning training for. So, as I dive into this new aspect of my Self and my career, I thought that would be the direction this blog goes: at least for the next 80-10 weeks. So thanks to you, if you care to keep reading. And thanks for stopping by if you decide this isn't what you're interested in. Read more about our 'team Noteam' training plan.
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