Healthful Living/Weekly Workout Support Group: 7 -13 Sep

[Leslie Ferguson]

Welcome back to the gang for another rousing week.
Leah - If you've checked this thread restarts every week afreash - makes it a little easier to navigate.
Cindi - Thanks for letting me start again. It is my pleasure to start the thread each week. Kind of a heady experience really.

Where to start - still having a little cramp in my arch, even after taking today off. But I really think that the cramp is just that and not plantar fasciatis. But it really is too early to tell. The new shoes could be the culprit but my tight calf could also be causing my problems.

This weeks workout - I'm not really sure but I know that it is a realatively easy week. Especially compared to my running extravangaza of last week (42+ miles). The long run this week is a step-back to 12 miles. I wish I could put my plan on paper but I don't have it handy. But tomorrow when I'm at work - it is there on my computer.

An early welcome and welcome back to the lurkers and newbies this week. I hope that every one has a healthful week. In all they do, their eating, workouts, and other healthful endeavors.

Peace to all and I'll see you in the morning.
Les

BTW - Cindi - I'm a big trivia buff, especially in math so just keep bringing the questions and I'll try to help as best I can.
Les

[d_ferrero]

I'll jump in next Les. I'm back, ready for another week of trying to make healthier choices. To that end, after hosting brunch for some local Cooking Light friends, John and I decided it was too pretty a late-summer evening not to enjoy the outside -- and walked two miles to dinner and back. I wish I had more time to walk outdoors -- I really miss that. I'm hoping to incorporate a few more early evening walks before the weather and the time changes. As for the rest of the week, my plan is to get to the gym every night except Tuesday (when I'm meeting friends for dinner & a movie) for 45 minutes of cardio & weights.

Hope everyone else has a great week!

[Michelle Achuff]

I really wanted to say that although I don't know everyone here and am brand new, I am finding this group to be an inspiration! I wish I'd known about it longer and am glad I have found it now. I am ready to start a new week and hopefully a *full* week of workout this time. I have been keeping up with my daily water goal (and then some...I'm floating...lol) which has been a blessing with getting over illness and sinus problems. Woke up this morning with *no* sinus pressure (let's hope for the best!) Did my cardio workout yesterday and thankfully don't feel crippled today...lol, I suppose it's true that gets better each time that you do it.

Les~ I sure hope that your cramping gets better soon! I had to laugh at your 'step back' to 12 miles...I cannot fathom running twelve miles....great on you! :-)

d~ Nice to meet you :-) Good luck getting your walks in. It is beautiful out this time of year and I know that sometimes just breathing in the fresh air and getting into 'open spaces' after being cooped up from heat advisories can be a lift to your heart and spirit (in addition to the physical healthful benefits!).


I do have a general question. As it stands right now I am doing 2 cardio workouts a week (shooting for the 15 minutes again this week and moving up to 20 next week..whew), and I am doing 5 (1 hour) strength training workouts a week. I do not do these things on the same days, which means I have a workout each day. Is there a specific benefit to doing your cardio and weights in one session or does it make a difference?

My goals this week:

Hit all of my workouts.
Keep up the water intake.
I'm going to watch my pilates video for the home gym...I swear it! (anyone else do pilates...quite honestly, I don't even know what they are...lol).

Good luck to everyone!!!!

Smiles~

Michelle

[cinbis]

Les-thank you for getting us started. Your motivation is always so helpful! I'm sure I'll be passing on some more trivia questions! Thank you! I'm looking forward to seeing what your easier week looks like!

D~I enjoy going out for walks. It seems at night there are so many other distractions that I don't get out as often as I should. It is getting darker earlier which makes it difficult. When I do go, I really enjoy it. Sometimes if I write something on this board, I feel more likely to do it. Maybe that will work for you!

Michelle-I'll let Les answer your workout question. Personally, I do a lot more cardio than weight training. I need to balance it a little more. Because the weather is nice, I like to take advantage and run outside. There will be plenty of time this winter to concentrate on weights. I try to go to a Pilates class on Tuesdays. The instructor mixes in a little yoga also. I like it...it's a great workout. I usually feel it in my abs the most.

Here's my plan for the week:

Sunday: off....pushups - 15
Monday: we're starting a new program with our Personal Trainer. I'm not sure what it is going to entail. I'm going to do something before our session starts, but haven't decided. There is Core training class or I may do some cardio. I'm hoping to make it Yoga tonight
Tuesday: it is going to be an extremely busy day and night. Hoping to get up early and run
Wednesday: cycle class
Thursday: run
Friday: cycle
Sat: run

My family and I have decided to get a puppy. I hope this is a good decision! We've decided on a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. We have a cat now, but he is fairly low maintenance. I'm talking with a few breeders now, but it looks like we may get the puppy in 7 weeks!

Have a great day!
Cindi

[JackieO]

Ok, after two full weeks of NO formal workouts, :o I am going to take a few baby steps this week to get back into a fitness routine. Two modest goals for the week:

1) set up an appointment with a trainer at our new club for an orientation to the fitness equipment
2) go for a long walk or bike ride on the Fox River trail near my home. [I still haven't put air in my bike tires!] :o :o :(

Tiny steps, to be sure, but the longest journey begins with a single step.

Have a good week, everyone.

[tmsl]

Well, this week should see me back in the swing of things. Our fitness center opens back up this afternoon and I hope it is not too crowded. After not doing weights much the past few weeks I hope to get back in the routine. I started swimming with flippers/fins this past Friday night. I seem to have a problem when my toes are pointed that my feet want to cramp up. The fins seem to keep my toes pointed more so than swimming with out them. Does anyone know that if I suffer through this the muscles will get stronger and quit cramping? I was trying to use the swimming to stretch my muscles after running, so I'm not doing a lot of laps, maybe 15-20 minutes worth. Anyway this is my plan for the week:

Monday-35 minute run (2-1/2 miles plus walk to cool down), weights for legs, swimming to stretch
Tuesday-easy run on treadmill or eliptical, upper body weights, swim
Friday-35 minute run (same as Monday), weights for legs(different exercises), swimming to stretch

Good luck everyone for the week!

Laura K.

[Leslie Ferguson]

I'm back... busy morning but I hope that I still have the opportunity to get my work-out in over lunch today instead of after work (more about my workout plan in a minute).

Michelle - Over the past 4 years when I've been more into my training routine and working weights I would say that I normally don't do a full cardio and weights on the same day. I always start my weights session with an easy cardio session - just for warm-up. On those days my cardio is about 15 minutes WALKING on the treadmill. That said, my coach and others will do an easy run in the morning before their weights workouts. A lot depends on whether you are lifting heavy or for endurance (I lift for endurance). If I were to do a full cardio on a weight day I'd do an easy run before, but not immediately before my weights. Hope that helps. And I'm glad to hear that your sinuses are shaping up nicely. I have an appreciation for sinus problems (Mom has had numerous surgeries to have the membrane either removed or the cavity cleaned out). Funny when I think that 12 is a step-back week too. 5 years ago I would have never believed I'd say something like that.

Laura K - When I swam more I too had problems cramping when I pointed my toes excessively. I don't really know how to lessen them either. Sorry I can't help there.

Dolores - Welcome back - hope that you can keep up your goals and start getting out more frequently.

Jackie - You're right... little steps are the best way to start.

This weeks (promised) workout plan:
SUN XT/Weights
MON 6 x 800m at 3:19 per mile
TUE 4 Easy miles (long run pace)
WED 50 minutes Tempo run (about 7 or 8 miles)
THU 9 miles at Race Pace (about 11 or 12 miles total)
FRI Rest
SAT 12 miles long run pace

All in all about the same amount of total mileage as last week - today's workout will be about 6 miles all total and tomorrows will probably be close to the same distance. So I'll probably check in at ~45 miles :rolleyes: . Am I really that crazy? (You don't have to answer if you don't want to.)

Have a good week all,
Les

[Laura]

Hey everyone,

Well Saturday's run took more out of me than I expected. So.. I am going to modify my original plan.

Sunday: rest
Monday: 2-3 mile walk
Tuesday: upper body weights
Wednesday: Speed workout 6x800 at 4:30 pace
Thursday: 5 miles/ upper body
Friday: rest
Satuday: 13-15 miles

This is my last week of long runs before my 1/2 on the 28th. Phew! During the next two weeks I will be cutting back on my mileage, but increasing my speed and interval runs.

I am trying to work more ab work into my daily routine as well.

Les~ I hope your arch starts feeling better soon. Two of my toes cramped up after my long run on Saturday. It took about an hour until they felt normal again.

Michelle, I only have one Pilates tape. I keep saying I am going to buy more, but I don't want to get one until I get a DVD player (yes I am probably one of the few remaining who still uses their VHS player). I definitely notice Pilates really helps with the abs.

Speaking of abs, I hope JeAnne comes back this week. She mentioned something about "woodchoppers" for ab work. I have a suspiscion about what they might be, but wanted her to clarify for me.

Cindi/Dolores - I had got out of walking when I really started to focus on running, but I have taken a few recently, and forgot how much I miss walks.

Jackie, sounds like you have a good plan to get back into the swing of things. How is DS doing in school? Do they have FCA at his school? DD joined and she met a lot of kids that way, that she likely would not have met right away.

Laura K~ What kind of fins are you using? I have found the zoomers (shorter training fins) don't bother me as much as the longer ones that my kids used for swim team practice. Maybe you just need to ease into it-- only use the fins for 5 minutes this week and then slowly build up.

As for healthful living? Sleep, it seems to be eluding me again.

Have a great week everyone!

Laura

[greysangel]

Good morning everyone!!!!

I fell off the map last week with the intestinal virus thing, but only missed two workouts so I'm happy about that.

Les - cramps - ugh. I tend to cramp in the morning...especially my feet. I have a feeling it has to do with being flat footed. My arch support always lacks so it takes a good bit of time in the morning to get the blood circulating and the feet feeling good.

Dolores - I love walking with the hub. One of my favorite weekend activities is to take the train into the village and spend the day walking all over the west or east side of the city.

Michelle - Les pretty much covered your question, but I'll add my two cents. I do think there is a benefit to having a "rest" day. Your body needs to recover. Your question sort of depends on what kind of cardio and what kind of strength training you are doing. I do cardio 5-6 days a week and weights 3 times a week. I lift heavy and the days I lift, the cardio is light (I do my cardio after weights). On non weight days, my cardio is a lot more intense...I do intervals or sprints or spinning.

Cindi - great plan and WOO HOO puppy!!!! I have a shih tzu and I would love love to get another doggie. They are addictively cute :)

Jackie - modest goals are good goals :D Nothing worse than setting yourself up to fail. Baby steps are good!

Laura - Wood chops. You can either use a weighted medicine ball or a cable system (ropes on top). You stand with your feet apart and you hold the ball down on one side (both hands) with weight shifted to that side. You cross the ball in front of you and twist and raise it up to the other side shifting the weight onto your other side. Make sense? I'll try to find an illustration on line. With the cable weight the motion is going from up on closer side to down on the other side. You are working the obliques.

Heres the plan for me
This week is a week of total body on the weights...usually I split up the body parts but I'm changing it up this week.

Monday
db lunges
leg extensions
leg curls
pull ups
pull overs
dips
seated row
db incline flye
lateral raise
cardio - 25 min

tues
Spin 40 /abs

Wed
plie squats
stiff legged dead lifts
walking lunges
cable pull backs supersetted with downs
db row
skull crushers
bench press
shrugs
inc db curls
cardio 25

thurs
spin 40/ abs

friday (had to swap my days here)
off

sat
hack squats
db lunges
uni leg curl
chin ups
lat pull down
seated row
close grip chest press
up right row
barbell curl
cardio 25

sunday OFF!

[Minky]

Good Morning! And I thought I was checking in early this week!! You guys are all way ahead of me:)

I am actually on my way out for a walk with the dog - and I have a sweatshirt on:D I think autumn arrived overnight...for how long I don't know, though. But I plan to enjoy it while it lasts.

Here's my plan:

SUN - cardio/strength training
MON - walk 3 (maybe a few running intervals too)
TUES - same as Sun
WED - yoga
THURS - cardio/strength
FRI - kickboxing
SAT - off

Healthy Living goal - more sleep and better menu planning. I have gotten pretty lazy about planning/cooking over the summer...

Here's to a great week, everyone!

[Laura]

Originally posted by greysangel
Good morning everyone!!!!

Laura - Wood chops. You can either use a weighted medicine ball or a cable system (ropes on top). You stand with your feet apart and you hold the ball down on one side (both hands) with weight shifted to that side. You cross the ball in front of you and twist and raise it up to the other side shifting the weight onto your other side. Make sense? I'll try to find an illustration on line. With the cable weight the motion is going from up on closer side to down on the other side. You are working the obliques.



Thanks JeAnne, I was familiar with the cable version, but not with the medicine ball. I have been reading a lot lately about the benefit of adding resistance training to ab work. It makes sense. I am thinking of getting a small (6 lb) medicine ball for home.

BTW - your workout is impressive!

[JackieO]

Originally posted by Laura
. Jackie, sounds like you have a good plan to get back into the swing of things. How is DS doing in school? Do they have FCA at his school? DD joined and she met a lot of kids that way, that she likely would not have met right away.

Laura
Not sure what "FCA" is, but DS seems to be doing well. His tennis buddies seem to roam in a pack and they have been spending a LOT of time at the HS courts. In fact, three of them rang our doorbell about 9 o'clock Saturday night when he was watching a movie with his half-sister who came for a weekend visit. They knew of a back-yard fire-pit party in the neighborhood and came to get him. He met a few girls there, and eventually wound up at one of the boys' houses for an overnight. (That kid's parents are saints!) DS starts his tennis drills tomorrow, so he should meet a few other kids from outside the school district.

Since checking in this morning, I have been invited to join a group from the office for a bike ride tonight (I'll have to leave work early to pump up my tires!) and I've scheduled an orientation with a trainer for Thursday afternoon. Seems like my plan is on track....

HOWEVER, this is the "eating-est" office I have ever worked in. Since my cubicle is right across the hall from the break room/kitchen, the temptation will be great. Willpower, willpower....

[Michelle Achuff]

Thanks to everyone that replied re: cardio and weight training together.

Les~ it does make sense to do some light cardio to open up your weight training, maybe I'll make that a goal to incorporate :-) Sounds like a plan, anyway!

JeAnne~ This is going to make me sound like a dork, but I'm a newbie so I can risk it...lol. I don't know 'what kind of strength training I'm doing'. :confused: It's hard to tell how much I'm lifting because I'm doing it on a total gym and there aren't weights per se (right now, until I get strong enough to add a weight bar, which I see happening in the next several weeks). I'm pulling my own body weight, sometimes with pulleys and sometimes without (without is obviously 'lifting' more). I do higher reps and fewer sets...I don't know if that makes a difference or not. I shoot for 25 reps on each set (although I don't always make it!). What is the difference between lifting for endurance and lifting to build muscle? I've just felt good about getting my muscles working, never thought about what my goal in particular with it was (to look better, feel better, overall??)

Laura~ Thanks for the information about Pilates...I'm checking out my tape in a little bit...feeling it the abs sounds *way* good. After having twins my tummy just never 'snapped back' lol. This is an area I really want to hit and sometimes I feel like even the crunches I do aren't really *working* the abs so well. Thanks again!

Good luck to everyone maintaining their goals this week...looks like everyone is highly motivated and that's half the battle! :-)

Smiles~

Michelle

[greysangel]

Hee hee ...no feeling like a dork! :D There's a lot of information out there and let's face it...any activity is good activity. I guess in answer to your question, it kind of depends what your goals are. Are you looking to build muscle/lean mass? Are you preserving what you have? Even if you are looking for just health (and not body building per se), I am a definite advocate of lifting heavy weights...by heavy, I mean either 1)doing enough reps to fatigue the muscle or 2)lifting a heavier weight at a lower rep to fatigue the muscle. Muscle is built after the workout...when you lift weights you are tearing the muscle fibers, during rest is when your muscle is repairing and growing.

There is a lot of misperception in regards to toning/sculpting/spot training. If you aren't lifting enough (either poundage or rep wise) to fatigue the muscle, than you are not really adding strength. There really is no such thing "toning". I could bicep curl a can of pinto beans until the cows came home, but it would do nothing for muscle building unless I curled it enough times that I couldn't curl it again. :D So if I were to offer any advice, it would be to maybe work out a little plan. 5 days of lifting is a lot. I would say do 3 -4 days and split up your body parts to get a more intense work out per body part. One day can be legs...squats, lunges, knee lifts, butt lifts (on hands and knees and lifting one leg up) etc.. Another day could be upper body or you could break that down further into chest/back and tri/bi another day or chest/tri, back/bi (3-4 different exercises per part). You should have at least 24 hours before working out the same muscle group in order to give your muscles time to recover.

A great site with a lot of info for routines/splits etc is www.stumptuous.com Click on "iron".

And if I've given you info overload, I totally apologize :D Strenth training has become a little passion for me :)

J

[ellery]

Poor Michelle is getting a lot of attention on the boards today. I just wanted to add to what Jeanne had said. I was trying to figure out myself how you were lifting for an hour 5 days a week. If you were working your whole body everyday, that's a bit overkill. If you enjoy weights more than cardio, I would suggest sticking with the 5 days a week thing, but maybe just doing one body part per day. You should be able to do a number of variations on your total gym to hit each muscle group - chest, back, shoulders, arms (biceps & triceps) and legs, doing 3-4 exercises for each muscle group. Or combining - chest & back, shoulders & arms, twice a week; legs once a week. And so on and so on. If you spent 30 minutes working a body part, then you could do cardio afterwards (I always lift before doing cardio) for 30 minutes. And I definitely recommend doing heavier weights for fewer reps over a thousand light reps. Seems like a waste of time to me. I'm all about working out efficiently.

Anyway, enough unsolicited advice. I'm putting my goal out there that I'm going to run 3 times this week. Sounds so small compared to people like Les, but I'm just a running infant. I teach aerobics twice a week, so I don't want to do it on those days. So, Monday and Wednesday I'll lift and then teach class. Tuesday, Thursday and one weekend day I'll run. My goal this week is to be able to run 1.5 miles continuously of my 3.1 mile goal. Hopefully by October I'll be able to run all of the 5K. :)

[Leslie Ferguson]

I take a couple hours off and what happens - everyone checks in (at least once).

Myth and legend dispelling with respect to weights. When I talk about weight lifting and endurance I think more about my typical routine which I only do once a week when I'm in serious training (9 weeks out from my next marathon). The difference (in my definition - which may have no foundation in reality) between endurance and other strength training is 1) endurance consists of more repititions at a lower weight. My routine is 3 sets of 20 reps (target is 15-20) with the last reps fairly difficult but not so much that I run the risk of injury or over fatigue. 2) "Other" strength training is typically 3 sets of 10-12 reps or "pyramids" (I know there must be a correct name for that type of lifting but I don't know it). Higher weights and lower reps. Each has it's place in a workout IMO.

Jackie - I think FCA is "Fellowship of Christian Athletes." At least that is what I remember from my college days (my memory of those years is somewhat cloudy these days - 40+ has its disadvantages :rolleyes: ). I'll be sending positive vibes to keep you "honest" around the break room. I guess there's no excuse now either - gotta get those tires filled now, you're on the hook. ;)

JeAnne - What a workout plan!! I'm not sure I could keep up with your plan - just give me my "45 miles" and I'll be happy.

Cindi - Neat about the dog/puppy. It's been forever since I've had a dog and most of mine were "planters" (mixed breed) dogs. Your's sounds like a lot of fun.

Leah - Your plan sounds great. My disclaimer for my mileage (my story and I'm sticking with it) is I've been running almost 4 times a week every week since November 1993 (on the average). It has taken me a long time to get where I am right now. Even as much as 3 years ago I wasn't running more than about 6-8 miles on a long run, and about 4-5 on a typical run. Since I've logged countless miles in training for the last 4 marathons I just don't seem to get the same "pop" from shorter runs any more.

Laura - Almost forgot... take care that you don't over-stress anything these last two weeks. I would be careful doing any kind of speed work next week (the week of the half). This week your speed workout should be fine but really pay attention to your body (voice of expereince speaking having tweaked an ankle 2 weeks before a race before). You really won't get any more in shape or prepped between now and the race.

Today's workout went well. I think I may have broken the code on the arches too. I think the NB 752s are a little tighter through the instep than my Asics. I adjusted (loosened) the laces a lot in the forefoot and at least for now things appear to be doing okay. Got 6, 1/2 mile repeats in on the treadmill - I find it easier to ingrain the speed on the treadmill and have been doing my quality miles there for the past couple weeks.

If I missed anyone I'm sorry. It's hard to keep up with traffic these days (but that's a good thing).

Peace,
Les

[JackieO]

Now I REALLY feel like I've died and gone to Pleasantville....

I raced home from work, frantically calling around trying to locate DS, who was shortly delivered to our front door by one of the Moms in time for me to pump up my tires and meet the group for the bike ride. The Fox River trail is awesome! (I'll check later to see if there's a Web site for you to check it out.) It's almost in my back yard -- certainly no more than 8 blocks from my house, and it (naturally) follows the river to Green Bay in an abandoned railroad bed. After about 7 miles, we ended up a Stan & Ollie's boathouse (a bar) for a brewski or two (I talked so much I only drank one!) and the ride home. Since I needed to check on DS, I finished my ride by going to the high school (another couple miles) and checked in with him. He rode his bike to the tennis courts (nothing he EVER did before move here), but stayed out too late and another friend's mom had to bring him home. :( He's turning into a real mooch, but I'm hopeful we'll be able to repay the favor.

Since I was alone for dinner, I stood at the kitchen island reading the mail, snacking on sun-dried tomato rolls with roasted garlic hummus, cherry tomatoes and kalamata olives. (I can get away with that if the boys aren't home!) Oh, and did I mention, a glass of wine? :D

There's another ride planned for tomorrow afternoon, and if my butt isn't too sore from my bike seat, I might go, since I can't get in to see the trainer until Thursday afternoon.

I'm off to see if I can find the key to my bike lock....:( :)

[Leslie Ferguson]

Jackie - It sounds like you've found quite the place to live. All those positive vibes rubbing off on DS. BTW there is a site for the Trail - I just don't remember what it is. Shortly after you said it was nearby I looked it up in envy - it looked like there was lots of great things to do and see.

Trying to turn in a little early this evening - want to see if that will help my shoulder get "better" or at least not hurt as much as it typically does in the morning and during the day.

Peace and keep plugging,
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

Well, after reading lots of posts, it seems that modifications for my workout routine are defintely in order!

JeAnne~ Thank you so much for the site and all of the pointers from your experience! I laughed a little (mainly at myself) when I read your post because you talk about 'maintaining what I have'. I had nothing to maintain before I started working out. Truly, I avoided exercise like the plague...even the weights! But my goals are that:

1. I want to feel healthier and have my body fuction at a much better metabolism (which I am also trying to do by eating smaller portions spaced throughout the day instead of three big meals and lots of water!)

2. I want to *look* better. I need to lose about 35 pounds...traditionally speaking. I say that because I don't really care so much about the 'scale weight', especially if what I'm gaining is lean muscle. I do have some fat to lose and am hoping that by gradually adding cardio I will get there.

3. I would like to develop muscles so that as I lose fat, I don't just have this skin hanging around my body (although that may happen anyway)...and well...honestly, I just want to be the tiniest bit buff <g> (who doesn't? lol).


As it stands now, until I can get weights (probably not till the end of the month when I can get a weight bar to add to the gym), I'm lifting a percentage of my body weight. I suppose that means that I do higher reps at a lower weight, but I can do them to failure. Thank you for saying that about the can of pinto beans, it made total sense...lol.

Ellery~ Thank you for the 'poor Michelle'...but I'm doing just great! All of this 'advice' has been nice. You're right, 5 days strength training on the whole body IS overkill. It's my tendency to go to the extreme sometimes without thinking which is *exactly* what I was doing. I just get so excited and sometimes I think if a little is good then a LOT more is even better....it's not correct, but it's the leap that my mind makes. Thanks for chiming in, I appreciated it :)

Les~ Thanks for explaining what it is that you do and what you meant by 'endurance training'. I, for one, certainly appreciate the way that you keep this thread pumping on <g>...pun intended! Sorry to hear that your shoulder is giving you trouble, and I hope that it feels better...and quick!

Jackie~ I love bike trails...gosh your post took me back! In Illinois they have a rails to trails program that has some gorgeous rides. My first husband and I used to tandem 60-70 mile rides together (with our young daughter in tow)...I always felt like I was in Pleasantville too...lol. Awesome that you got your start, hope your next ride is just as great!


News on me...other than workout stuff. Spent the day at the emergency room with my husband. He's done something awful to his back (although we can't figure out what). He'd broken it eons ago (before we met) and had bone from his hip fused into his lower spine, but they warned him he may have trouble with it down the road and need more surgery. I'm hoping this is not the case. It is hard to see someone you love in such terrible pain. So, I'm trying to be the rock here and keep things running smooth and easy (as they can) for him. Crossing my fingers for better news when we take him to the doctor today. We're living in a sea of heating pads, ice and lortab, although none of it seems to be 'solving' the problem...just sort of managing the pain.

Anyway...didn't mean to end with such a downer...but hey, it's life...



Smiles~

Michelle

[JackieO]

{{{Michelle & DH}}}}

Here's the link to the Fox River Trail Web site:

http://www.co.brown.wi.us/parks/parks/fox-river-trail/index.shtml

[greysangel]

Michelle - I'm sending you and hub healthy vibes!

Yay on the post! Your goals are reasonable and commendable and best yet...totally doable :D

1. YAY on the meals :) I also aim for 5 or 6 and find it really helps keep me on an even keel energy speaking.

2. Yay on not caring about the scale! Cardio AND weight lifting will help with lean muscle mass gains and fat loss. One will burn more calories within the hour of doing the exercise (cardio) and one will burn calories several hours through the course of the day.

3. I hear you on skin and buff :D I think exercise *totally* helps with appearance..no doubt about it.

As for me I had a fantastic spin session this morning. It was 3 of us and we ended up on the bike close to an hour. Today was all about climbs...lots of resistance work. Thursday will be speed with sprints and jumps.

Have a great day everyone!

J

[tmsl]

Well the fitness center was crowded last night with the reopening. I only got 2 miles on the treadmill which is ok since I was adding weights back. I also did not get to swim as I forgot they do swim lessons on Monday nights and take over the pool. Other than that it was a decent workout. It felt great to do weights again and I am not too sore today. We'll see if we can stick to the original plan for tonight.

Michelle~good luck with stepping into a weight routine. I have been doing one for a little over a year now and love it. I change my workouts every 6-8 weeks as the muscles get used to the exercises. I have worked hard on weights this summer and am really seeing definition all over. Just don't go at it to hard that you get burn out.

Jackie~I'm jealous!! My father-in-law has a similar path to yours in Ohio and we have run on that when we visit. I don't know of anything like that around here and wish we had one.

Les~as a newbie runner, you are one to look to for inspiration. Given time and effort it is amazing what we can do.:D

Have a good day everyone!!

Laura K.

[MaryH]

Originally posted by Leslie Ferguson
"Other" strength training is typically 3 sets of 10-12 reps or "pyramids" (I know there must be a correct name for that type of lifting but I don't know it). Higher weights and lower reps. Each has it's place in a workout IMO.

With weight lifting a pyramid (and yes that's the right word) is when you increase the weight, i.e. 15 reps at 10 pounds, then say 15 at 15 pounds etc., 15 at 25 pounds and then bring it back down again in the same increments. A modified pyramid is something like either starting with the least amount of weight and going to the highest or staring at the highest weight and going to the lowest. You can also play with the number of reps, i.e. 15 at 10 pounds, 10 at 15 pounds, 8 at 20 pounds, etc. :D

[Minky]

Originally posted by MaryH
A modified pyramid is something like either starting with the least amount of weight and going to the highest or staring at the highest weight and going to the lowest. You can also play with the number of reps, i.e. 15 at 10 pounds, 10 at 15 pounds, 8 at 20 pounds, etc. :D

This is what I've been doing for the past two weeks, and I have been really happy with the results. This is on alternate days with light (20 min.) cardio on bike or elliptical. I've always been kind of cardio-heavy, but I am seeing real results with 3 strength-training sessions a week:)

Jackie - It sounds like you're settling in nicely. What a wonderful community it sounds like! Though I bet there was some serious moping going on Monday morning :(

Michelle - Hope everything works out OK for your DH. We'll be sending some good energy his way...

A healthy Tuesday to everyone:)

[jazzyjas]

Oh my goodness -- what a lot of activity on the thread. I am not going to take the time to respond to all of you because I want to get home before it gets dark to mow my grass (as well as that of my neighbor who hasn't moved in yet (I am tired of looking at the jungle). Just because I didn't write to each of you doesn't mean I am not thinking warm thoughts of you.

Well, I am on track so far this week -- I finally made it back to the gym (the first time back since my vacation in August -- at least a month). I sure worked my arms to fatigue -- they were still trembling last night at dinner and the chest is a little sore today.

Sunday -- 3 mile loop [done]
Monday -- 3 mile loop, weights [done]
tues -- 3 mile loop, (can I count mowing the grass)
Wednes -- 3 mile loop, weights, 18 mile bike ride
Thurs -- 3 mile loop
Fri -- 3 mile loop, weights, (maybe kayak)
Sat -- 3 mile loop bike ride

I think that meets my Sept goals (3 cardio, 3 weights) I'll have to go back and check -- i hope to be much closer this week.

Hope everyone is having a great week
jas

[cinbis]

There is a lot of traffic on this post! I'm having trouble keeping up, but as Les said, it's a good thing!

Yesterday, I used the Arc trainer for about 10 minutes. Les, I didn't describe it accurately before. Your legs move like you are riding a bike while standing. I find it really gets my heart rate up. I also attended the Core training class for 30 minutes. For group training after yesterday, we had kind of "kick off" meeting. We had a weigh in and did measurements (which doesn't seem all the accurate to me). Then we talked about dieting. We all got notebooks and figured out how many calories we should consume, etc. Knowing that I'm going to be accountable to show my notebook on Monday, I'm being really good! I also went to Yoga last night.

I wanted to go out early and run this morning, but it didn't happen. I woke up very early and then dozed off again....a little more sleep seemed more important. So I took today off!

I spoke to a wonderful breeder yesterday who has a puppy that is 11 weeks old. She is planning to send me a picture tomorrow. We have to fill out an application to make sure are home is suitable. I welcome the questions, but hope she doesn't ask if I have a cat! He's a very mellow Ragdoll and I'm sure he'll be fine.

Jackie-I'm envious of your bike trails. A group in our town is working on some trails, but I'm not clear of the status. Is the path paved?

It sounds like this thread is motivating people. That's great! It is so nice to see new names and hear how everyone is doing.

Cindi

[JackieO]

Minky -- you don't know the half of it. The entire place was in mourning on Monday. And to lose to the despised Vikings, at home! BTW, the wife of the former Packer turned Viking who we bought the house from was in town for the weekend, naturally, and she stopped in to introduce herself to us. She looked like she was 15!

Cindi -- the bike trail is about 13+ miles long and half of it is paved (from my office north to Green Bay). The southern half goes mostly through farm land and is pea gravel. Haven't done that yet, but I might scope it out tonight after dinner.

A puppy! DS really wants a dog, and while I love the cuteness of puppies, I really prefer one that's already housebroken and a little more mellow. I think we'll go to the Humane Society after Christmas and put our name on a list. What breed are you looking at?

Mary and Les -- thanks for the info on pyramids. I may scope that out when I meet with my new trainer on Thursday.

[ellery]

I went for my 2nd run tonight (after buying the new shoes, that is) towards my goal of running a 5K next month, and I ran a little bit more than half of the three miles. Hooray! My goal was only to do half...

Boy was it humbling, though. My walkman batteries died in the beginning, so I was forced to listen to my own wheezing. I tried to think inspirational thoughts ("I think I can, I think I can") in step with my footsteps, but kept getting stuck on the more negative thought, that if I had to run for my life from a bear, I'd be dinner. Not a lot of bears in a beach town, thankfully. But I did have flashbacks to high school and middle school gym classes where they forced you to run for exercise. I was always the one who walked the laps and lied to the teacher that I'd done more laps than I actually had. Not someone you'd imagine ending up as an aerobics instructor, but what can I say? Now I have sympathy for the poor souls who venture into my class for the first time.

A couple of questions, though. Is it just me or is it easier to run on the treadmill? Does anyone else have a tummy that doesn't appreciate running? Is running three times a week a good enough amount to get me ready for October 25?

Whew. Off to hit the showers. Was going to go to kickboxing but am giving myself a present of a bubble bath instead. Once a day of working out should be enough.

One run down, two more to go this week. Yay for me! :D

[MaryH]

Originally posted by JackieO
the former Packer turned Viking

I didn't think that was possible.

Sorry, that's just the old Packer fan in me.....You know, once a cheesehead, always a cheesehead. Just does not seem possible to go from cheesehead to a purple people eater..:D :cool:

[Michelle Achuff]

Leah~ Just wanted to post a note of encouragement! Sounds like you're doing totally awesome with the new shoes...and I think you definitely deserve a bubble bath...I just took a nice long bath myself. My muscles thank me...lol!


Thanks to everyone for the well wishes for my husband...I take him to the doctor in the morning and we'll see what they have to say. I'll keep you posted!

JeAnne, Les, Leah (and all the other people helping me on the mysteries of weight training...lol)~ I modified my routine today and only did a lower body workout on the weights. Holy cow. It totally kicked my butt and it rocked!!! I guess I thought I was somehow 'wimping out' or not doing enough if I didn't do my entire body every day. Anyway, my abs and legs, thighs and well, everything south of the equator got one heck of a workout this morning. Cardio tomorrow and upper body the next day (that's always the hardest for me!)... I'm truckin along ;-)

It's a major deal for me to change up 'routine' or 'schedule'...but I shut my eyes and just forged ahead. I suppose I'm a little obsessive that way, but everyone's got their quirks ;)

Thanks again everyone!!

Smiles~

Michelle

[Leslie Ferguson]

If you don't hit the threads frequently you get clobbered these days :D ;) - but a great thing - all the positive energy and vigor in the discussions. I've learned a lot about weight training and remembered a lot of my cardio premises as I've read your posts. Thanks everyone. Thanks for the complements too - not often I get to be the "rah-rah" in my world.

Michelle - Don't I (and probably lots of us too) know about changing schedules - and the difficulty involved with that. Glad that you are enjoying the modified workout routine and the "good pain" of the focused lower body workout. I tend to be in the same boat when I'm not actively training. These days (thanks coach) I keep the weights a little lighter so I don't wipe out my legs or joints. Especially now that I'm about 9 weeks from the marathon.

Leah - Way to go! Sounds like you're well on the path for your goal in the 5k. 3 times a week is surly sufficient to do a 5k - especially when you are just starting. To answer your treadmill question, a treadmill on a 0% incline will be easier than running on the pavement. The belt will provide assistance in your running at no incline. When I run on the treadmill I will raise the incline to the lowest incline, typically 1/2-1 % incline, and that seems to take the assistance of the treadmill away without making the run altogether too hard. See if that will help you when you're on the treadmill. BTW - how do you think I get to the end of some of my longer runs - especially when I'm doing them alone? Left foot - right foot... or counting my steps every time my left foot hits the pavement (fyi - there are 728 left foot strikes in a mile for me). Whatever it takes to get through in my book. :D

Cindi - Don't I know that feeling - not wanting to get up. The Arc trainer sounds interesting and worth a try (at least once) just to say I've done it ane who knows? I may like it. Good luck on the dieting/weight program - you'll do fine.

Jasmine - Sounds like you're getting back into the swing of things - good on you!

Today's tempo run went well. As I've been doing recently, my quality miles were done on the treadmill. In all my running was just under 51 minutes and about 6.8 miles. Feeling pretty good all things considered. Thursday's run will probably be the hard one this week - 9 miles at race pace (plus 2 warm up and 1 cool down) becoming 12 in all.

Hope everyone has a great week - I bet we'll get into the second page by tomorrow and may actually get to the third this week (hasn't happened in a while).

Peace,
Les

[tmsl]

I stuck to my plan and had a great workout lastnight!! I ran an routing a cross country coach friend of my sister gave me. I think it is like the sprint running you guys do. It is three laps run, one lap walk and I try to do that 8 times. Our laps are 1/12 of a mile so what does that compute to in yards??? Anyway, lately I had not run hard when doing this and last night felt like I was actually sprinting like I should be. Upper body weights after that and then a short swim in the pool. My toes did not cramp with the fins last night and that was a plus. I have a few days rest now as I have school the next couple of nights(I finish that next week-Hooray!)

Leah~I no what you mean with the training for your first 5K. My race date is Oct. 18 and I want to do well.

Have a great day!!

Laura K.

[ellery]

Way to go for you too Michelle! You'll find that changing your weight routine will help you keep it up longer. It would have become monotonous and a chore after a while if you'd done the same thing every day, five days a week. As for the shutting your eyes and forging ahead, working out is actually a little more fun if you focus on the muscles as you're working on them. Research seems to feel that there's a mind-body connection, that if you visualize and mentally focus on the body part working, you work out more effectively.

Thanks everyone for all the praise for my running efforts! Hopefully it will carry through to tomorrow, when I'm supposed to do it again. And I am definitely replacing those walkman batteries so there are no distracting bear images floating through my head. Would it be bad if I did it on the treadmill (with no incline) versus on a trail, if the race is going to be on the trail? I'm just thinking of my own mental health - that it would keep me motivated better if it felt easier (at least in the beginning). And no one has answered the tummy question. Maybe I need to rephrase it. Is there an ideal amount of time to wait after eating to run? Or an ideal meal to eat before running? Or anything to stay away from? I didn't feel sick or anything, my tummy just couldn't figure out why I kept bouncing it up and down and it was expressing some concern.
:eek:

Thanks! :rolleyes:

[jazzyjas]

Well, I am still on track for the week. Although the dog walk might be a bit tricky to fit in since I didn't get up early enough this morning to get it in. I have a longer (maybe 25) bike ride planned for thursday in addition to the Wednesday night ride of 18 miles. I will have to run to the bike shop to see what is up with my computer (odometer) I imagine it is a battery -- I hope they carry those.

Laura -- how is your (???)'s son -- the one who was injured in the hockey tournament? I have been thinking of him and sending him healing wishes. I may have been on vacation last time you reported.

Oh with all you people running races I keep thinking I should run -- even my biking buddy who likes to note that no one smiles while running has entered a 20/5 mile bike/run in 6 weeks. Hmmmm, maybe I'll get some shoes -- can't hurt on the dog walks. My neighbor just started running with her DH in hopes of completing the 5 mile Turkey Trot in a "respectable" time which she defines as anything under an hour, hmmm.

Laura K -- can't beleive you can fit all those different activities into the same day -- sounds impressive. Once I get back in the habit of going to the gym regularly I might think about adding swimming (especailly as it gets too dark to ride after work)

Les -- glad the workouts are going well this week -- which marathon are you training for? I am sure you have told us a million times but my brain has been shot lately.

Leah -- glad the shoes are working out for you.

Michelle -- I think you will soon get into the swing of things with training by parts and by taking days off you can really work the muscles to exhaustion -- I wish I could get my butt in the gym that many days

Jackie -- yea on getting the air in your tires and getting out there and you all seem to be adjusting so wel to your new surroundings -- is all of Wisconsin that friendly? I can hardly imagine knowing so many people and being so involved so quickly -- I'd be that kid alone at a lunch table...

Cindi -- a puppy -- that is a lot of time and responsibility -- I can't imagine house training -- I don't think I have enough patience

ohh -- this is getting long and I gotta go -- JeAnne, Minky, Mary -- you go girls!!

Check you all later

j

[Laura]

Jasmine, that is so sweet of you to ask about Michael. He is recovering well. He can do very light weight bearing on the leg, and his range of motion is very good. I think he is recovering well, but how it all plays out in terms of his hockey career is still very uncertain. Certain NHL scouts are still interested, but college interest is definitely waning. :(. If he could actually start playing by mid January, he might have a shot. The other option is to apply to schools that have D-I hockey progams that have showed an interest, get accepted, and see if he could walk on. Fortunately, he has a fairly high gpa (3.6) so that should help.

Leah, While I know you can train for a 5k by just using the treadmill, I think it is good to try and make it outside at least once a week. When I first got back into running, I loved running on the treadmill, and hated running outside. Now it is the opposite. As for stomach issues, on any run shorter than 45 minutes, I usually don't eat anything. I am not sure if that is good advice it is just what works for me. For longer runs, I usually have to wait about 1 and 1/2 hours before I run. Anything longer than an hour, and I will incorporater the carbohydrate gels (gu, carbboom, clifshot, etc.) into my runs.

Re running in general, despite the distances I can now run, I still can't say that I am one of those people who love running. I love the way it makes me feel, I love what I have accomplished, but it is still hard at times. I think it is easier to get into running (unless you are person who just falls in love with it) by finding a race to train for and then achieving that goal. Just my .02 from someone who still doesn't always think of herself as a runner.

Cindi~ I want a puppy, but right now my SO and DS have such bad allergies that even though their allergies are not related to pets, I don't know that I could have one.

Minky, is the weather staying cool for you up there?

Michelle, did you watch the Pilates tape yet? ;)

I know I am missing tons of people here, but I just got a urgent work email..... I will check in later. Laura

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by ellery
Would it be bad if I did it on the treadmill (with no incline) versus on a trail, if the race is going to be on the trail? I'm just thinking of my own mental health - that it would keep me motivated better if it felt easier (at least in the beginning). And no one has answered the tummy question. Maybe I need to rephrase it. Is there an ideal amount of time to wait after eating to run? Or an ideal meal to eat before running? Or anything to stay away from? I didn't feel sick or anything, my tummy just couldn't figure out why I kept bouncing it up and down and it was expressing some concern.
:eek:

Thanks! :rolleyes:

TREADMILL and RACE COURSE - There is no issue running your miles on the treadmill. A lot of people do all their running there (especially without incline). But I'd recommend that you do a couple runs on the trail just so you aren't caught by surprise on race day. I know that I'm never very comfortable seeing a course for the first time on race day.
TUMMY - There is no real answer to your question except personal preference. For me it really depends on what I eat, how far I'm running, the pace that I'm running at, and the weather conditions. Typically I won't specifically eat before a moderate run (for me up to an hour) but I also don't shy away from eating. My threshold is about 30-45 minutes before the run and I'm still okay. Closer if the thing I'm eating is mostly carbs. If I'm running long (weekend runs) I really try to take in a fair amount of food but still normally stop about 30-45 minutes before starting the run. Where I have the most issues when I run is how soon before running I drink. I try to not drink for an hour before starting (because the liquid really goes right through me) so I don't have to stop if you know what I mean. What can you eat? I have friends that can drink orange juice/eat oranges before running without issue, me personally, I generally can't take that much acid before running. Experimentation (go small when you start) is the key. Hope I didn't confuse you.

Jasmine - Don't think I mentioned the race but I'm running in the Richmond Marathon on Nov 15th. I hope that I do as well as I did in Miami or at least cut at least 10 seconds off my race time. This will be the second time that I've run at Richmond too.

Laura K - Great job! Glad to hear the feet are responding well.

Laura - I'm never sure that one really loves running per se. I enjoy getting out into the world and running, especially since I don't like sitting that much anyway. My affinity for running may be better summarized as addicted then loved - but there really is something about getting out and really putting a good workout in. Glad to hear that Michael is making good progress - I also hope that things get better enough for him to get the call from the NHL folks.

I think I've solved the shoe/cramp problems too. I loosened the laces over my instep (twice) and have run two consecutive days without issue. In fact, the shoes feel better now that I've loosened the laces than they did earlier (and they felt pretty good then too).

Peace,
Les

[ellery]

Thanks Les!

I don't know if I'll ever solve the tummy mystery. Maybe it was reacting to the not so great pizza dough I made this weekend. Who knows...

Oh, you're running the Richmond marathon? That's where I just moved from. :( So sad. I miss it. You'll probably be running with a bunch of my old buddies.

Thanks for all the tips. I think I'll give treadmill running a shot tomorrow. My feet may or may not let me do my goal of three runs this week. Apparently I do a lot of impact in my classes that I teach, and so my feet are starting to talk to me, and while they haven't moved on to four-letter-words, they have expressed some indignation. We'll see.

Hope everyone else is having a good week and meeting goals.

[Minky]

Laura - Yep, the great weather is holding up so far. It's been in the low 70's during the day and (brr) low 50's overnight. Everyone (including the dog) seems to have more energy!

Good news, too, about Michael's recovery. We'll keep our fingers crossed about college interest...


MaryH - Good to know that there's another Cheesehead wandering about the BB:D


I may change tomorrow's plan to another walk/run intervals so I can work out outdoors..

[Leslie Ferguson]

Leah - An ex-Richmondite. I haven't really spent much time there - even though I've lived in Norfolk for almost 5 years (this October). WOuldn't it be too weird if I bumped into some of your old gang? Sounds like you may have a good idea about running on the treadmill. Might I suggest that if your feet are a little heavy start slower than you'd normally run and if you feel pretty good once you get started then slowly bring your speed to your normal pace. That may help you get the run in. Regardless, if you don't feel good, especially your feet don't do anything crazy. But I'd still try to get your miles in by walking on the treadmill - the sense of accomplishment will do wonders... trust me.

BTW - did my "4 easy miles" turned into 7.9 easy miles :rolleyes: this evening after work. The conditions, albeit a little windy were great. Temps in the 60s with a fairly stiff breeze in my face on the way out (did an out and back). If I have my choice I'll take the wind in my face to start with - it seems a little easier to push out in the harder conditions at the start.

Strange question... Has anyone ever had a problem with your finger tips being numb? Just a couple on one hand? In my case my left middle and ring finger have been numb most of the past two weeks (started after I carried a lot of groceries in plastic bags in my left hand). There isn't any other numbness - just in two finger tips, and then not all the time. :confused:

Turning in for the evening... peace to all,
Les

Just in - in the "for what it's worth column" pictures of me from the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon can be seen at:
Rock 'n Roll Half Pictures (http://www.asiorders.com/me.asp?2743762)

[ellery]

Les, hubba hubba!

I have insomnia again, so decided to cruise the boards. Nice pictures! You look tired, though. Makes me want to reconsider my future running career...

Not much to offer about the whole numbness thing, other than suggesting you talk to a doctor. Last time I had a body part go numb, it indicated a herniated disc. Ouch!:(

Yeah, I'll try the aiming for even a walk idea tomorrow morning. I need to just keep telling myself that it would be okay to walk the 5K. The important thing is just achieving a goal I set for myself.

Maybe one day I'll sleep again. Hope everyone else is doing okay!

:eek:

[Michelle Achuff]

The week is flying by! Just reporting about my husband....he went to the doctor yesterday and ended up getting sent to the hospital for xrays. If nothing comes back on these they are going to send him for an MRI scan. He's had back surgery before (he broke his back in a weightlifting competition)...but that was way back in the 70's (before I was born...lol!). Seems strange that now suddenly something should happen to it, I just hope that it is nothing serious and am keeping my fingers crossed and faithfully giving him the pain medication they sent home (at least he is more *comfortable* now...although really out of it with the narcotics and muscle relaxers).

On to other things...

Les~ Sounds like you're staying on track admirably well! What do you mean when you say 'quality miles'? Do you do things that arent 'quality'? So glad you fixed the cramping issue with your shoes...imho, it's hard enough to run without having your feet hurt! And great pictures btw...I agree, hubba hubba...lol. Looks like you were working *hard* and having *fun* :-) I don't know what to make of your numbness in your fingers...but agree with Leah, might be time to check in with your doctor and just see about it. Hope it's nothing major! RE: "Good pain"...lol, I'm all about the good pain...but then I freely admit to being a masochist :eek: I'm actually quite well versed in pain that is positive (ok for the body and even good for it at times) and pain that is 'damage'. Big difference in the two of those! The body can often take much much more than we ever imagine it could. ~smiles~

Laura K~ Totally awesome that your toes didn't cramp up! Do you think it was the kind of workout that you put in before you did the swimming that might have loosened things up? Just a thought I had...and thought I would share it ;-)

Leah~ Thank you! And you're right, changing up is a good thing. Although I have to admit...I love monotony with certain things. I'm the person that gets stuck in a 'rut' and never wants to get out of it...lol, I suppose that is totally weird, but for what it's worth, it's me! And I know you're right about focusing on the part. But, oh man, those last few of each set were *killers* (in a good way of course!). Today is upper body and it's always the hardest for me. I'm sure my arms will have a few choice words for my concentration on them (although they will thank me in the long run!...lol). About your tummy question...you know I don't run...but I have a way sensitive stomach before physical activity. What I usually do is drink a whole bottle of water and eat a zone perfect bar about 30 minutes before I start working out. So far, this has seemed to be workng well for me. I can eat a muffin (with carrots or nuts or berries in it) or something really small before hand, but granola bars or zone perfect work best for me! Good luck finding your way with it.

Jas~ Even though you don't 'get into the gym', seems like you're kicking butt on your workout goals. That's great! Honestly, if I had to go to a gym I would never work out this much. I'm not a hugely social person and prefer to work out alone (where I can do dorky things and just laugh at myself, by myself..lol). But, seriously, if my husband hadn't bought this gym for the home I seriously would be lacking motivation...not to mention it would eat into my time to actually load myself up, go to the gym, spend time there and come back. I'm fortunate that this works well for me and is convienent.

Laura~ Yes! I did watch the pilates tape, and wow, it looks totally great! Can't say I'll be that graceful in the beginning...

:D

But, I'll get there, I know it! I plan on incorportaing the pilates into my weekly routine once a week for now and seeing how it goes. You know, they make it look so easy on the tape, I just know it's got to be working your muslces much more than it 'appears' to. Will let you know how it goes once I try it...I'm looking foward to it!

K...signing off for now..almost time to get the kids off to school and work that upper body :D


Smiles...and well wishes for everyone in meeting your goals today!!


Michelle

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by Michelle Achuff
Les~ Sounds like you're staying on track admirably well! What do you mean when you say 'quality miles'? Do you do things that arent 'quality'? So glad you fixed the cramping issue with your shoes...imho, it's hard enough to run without having your feet hurt! And great pictures btw...I agree, hubba hubba...lol. Looks like you were working *hard* and having *fun* :-) I don't know what to make of your numbness in your fingers...but agree with Leah, might be time to check in with your doctor and just see about it. Hope it's nothing major! RE: "Good pain"...lol, I'm all about the good pain...but then I freely admit to being a masochist :eek: I'm actually quite well versed in pain that is positive (ok for the body and even good for it at times) and pain that is 'damage'. Big difference in the two of those! The body can often take much much more than we ever imagine it could. ~smiles~

Michelle

I guess an explanation is warranted. My training program has two "types" of mileage (my words not my coach's). Those I call "quantity" miles where speed doesn't matter (referred to as EZ or Long Run pace) and "quality" miles where I'm setting out at a specific pace for a specified intent - half-mile repeats and hills for pure speed, tempo for a little less intense speed training, and race pace runs where I'm trying to ingrain my race pace in my mind. Thus the quality and quantity references.

Thanks to both you and Leah for the comment on the pix. By the time I got to the finish line (where most of those pix were shot) I was pretty happy to be done - always ride the wave into the finish anyway. Leah - the day was a tough day to run so I look especially "pained" but friends of mine look better - I think my look is based somewhat on the speed that I ran.

I'm scheduled for my bi-weekly visit to the Chiropractor (for maintenance) on Friday so I'll have to check out the disc/back as the potential cause of the numbness. I had thought that it may be associated with maybe pinching the nerves in my hand when I carried the heavy groceries. Hope that it isn't anything drastic. Thanks for the wishes. And I also am somewhat of a masochist (you can't run 26.2 miles without being a little into pain :D ).

Leah - Sorry to hear about your insomnia. Suffered with that for a while. Finally "got rid of it" when I transferred from Graduate School last year (the stress was making me not sleep). When I was at my worst the doctors prescribed diphenhydramine to help take the edge off. Not that I'm a medicate the problem kind of guy but knowing that the medication was available and worked without adverse effects made life bearable. Whatever may be causing your issues I hope is resolved soon.

Peace,
Les

[cinbis]

I can't keep up! I miss a few days and wow, there are a lot of posts! I have to breeze through quickly because there are so many! I did take a minute to look at your pictures Les. Those are great. It's interesting to see someone that I've been corresponding with. BTW, my son was the only one who had the answer to that math problem!!!

I've been knee deep in this puppy stuff!! I spoke to the breeder today (the dog is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). She is going to try and send me a photo. I hope this is a good idea. I've never owned a dog.

Working out...oh yeah, that! Wednesday's cycle class was quite a challenge. I think the instructor thought we had been slacking off so he made it more difficult. I did get up early today and ran 3 miles. Tomorrow is cycle and maybe running. I've been really good about not eating junk food. I haven't had any candy since Sunday...that's a long time for me!

Jackie-your biking trail sounds wonderful! I would love to have access to trails like that.

Sounds like everyone is doing well! Glad to hear everyone is staying motivated!

DS10 joined the cross country team. Today is his second practice. Then soccer at 6:00....he's going to be tired tonight!
Cindi

[Leslie Ferguson]

Cindi - Isn't it wonderful what the "new" technology brings to life? A couple years ago you would have never been able to "see" what I looked like. Now it's easy to see the folks you (virtually) chat with. Sounds like DS10 is going to be a busy boy these days. But that's a good thing in my book. Did you like the change in the cycling class? Sounds pretty brutal to me but then again I love a challenge.

Speaking of brutal - today's workout still looms ahead. By my best calculation I'm up for somewhere between 85 and 95 minutes of running (depends on whether I do 2 or 1 mile warm-up). No time to dilly-dally, or I'll still be at it when LW gets off work at 8 pm. :rolleyes:

Check you later,
Les

[ellery]

Not much to report on my end. Stayed up too late last night watching bad TV. Sadly, "Growing Pains" was the best of my options at 1 am. And for some reason, my stomach was wide awake along with me (thinking it was party time), so we ate too many granola bars together until it occurred to me to take some Nyquil.

Felt poopy all day - tired, carb bloated and full of self-pity. Didn't help that I didn't hear about a job today.

Did go to the gym, had a poopy workout, came home, consoled myself with chocolate that wasn't even very good.

Took some more Nyquil (waiting for it to kick in, hoping I don't become addicted and get shipped off to rehab). Hopefully tomorrow will shine brighter. I didn't run this morning (contributing to poopiness of the day), but I'll run/walk on the treadmill and lift tomorrow and hopefully will feel as if I have wings on my feet. ;)

Hope all is well with everyone else. My troubles seem so inconsequential compared to everyone's health concerns. Sorry. :(

And... last of all... silly question. What exactly is with all the initials referring to people? At first I thought everyone had the same husband, as the same initials seemed to keep popping up. Then I decided that DH was "devoted husband", DS "devoted son." Have I solved the riddle? or is that the Nyquil talking?

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by ellery
Not much to report on my end. Stayed up too late last night watching bad TV. Sadly, "Growing Pains" was the best of my options at 1 am. And for some reason, my stomach was wide awake along with me (thinking it was party time), so we ate too many granola bars together until it occurred to me to take some Nyquil.

Did go to the gym, had a poopy workout, came home, consoled myself with chocolate that wasn't even very good.

Took some more Nyquil (waiting for it to kick in, hoping I don't become addicted and get shipped off to rehab). Hopefully tomorrow will shine brighter. I didn't run this morning (contributing to poopiness of the day), but I'll run/walk on the treadmill and lift tomorrow and hopefully will feel as if I have wings on my feet. ;)

Hope all is well with everyone else. My troubles seem so inconsequential compared to everyone's health concerns. Sorry. :(

Don't be silly - one person's pain is pain for the group. Like I said this morning - sorry to hear about your insomnia. We (at least me) feel your pain and hope that your healthful living returns in good time (sleep is a big part of healthful living too). I'm not a big fan of Nyquil - always feel groggy after taking it and there is something about the alcohol in the stuff - never felt good taking a "stiff one" right before going to bed (probably too many flash-backs to an age where I was a little more reckless). My drug of choice is generic Sominex - diphenhydramine (the stuff that Benedryl is made of). It isn't really strong but as long as you take it about an hour before you want to sleep it will take the edge off.

But on a positive note - at least you went to the gym and gave it a whirl. I think that type of workout was called a "place holder" by at least one member of the board in the past. Place holders are okay - you are still getting a workout in.


And... last of all... silly question. What exactly is with all the initials referring to people? At first I thought everyone had the same husband, as the same initials seemed to keep popping up. Then I decided that DH was "devoted husband", DS "devoted son." Have I solved the riddle? or is that the Nyquil talking?

Pretty good actually. I think the "official" is Dear Husband and Dear Son (DD = Dear Daughter). There was a discussion earlier that gave this site Abbreviations (http://www.w3pg.com/common/acronyms.html) as a good place to find out the skinny on the abbreviations. The only "unique one" that I have is LW - which is Loving Wife. I like it and LW appreciates it too.

Today's race pace is done - not a great run but done none-the-less. I've really got to get these longer runs in before getting off work - it is really hard to be finishing a significant run at 7 pm (or later).

Prayers for peaceful sleep for you.
Les

[Michelle Achuff]

I've been reading about insomnia here a little bit...and it brings up something that I'm having trouble understanding. I am often tired. I have always been this way...needing my full 8 hours of sleep or just feeling *out* of it and exhausted. Sometimes even that eight hours wasn't enough at one point. It was another reason I've attacked exercising with such vigor. I had read that increasing my metabolism and excercising my body would give me more energy. I must say that I don't feel all that much more energized...not like I thought I would. I still find myself tired in the middle of the day...I still find myself tired after 6 hours of sleep. Does anyone else have this problem? It used to be just a nuisance but it's getting worse. I feel like I could sleep forever and it still would not be enough. This can't be healthy. Any perspective on this would be a good thing if anyone wants to share....


Leah~ Hang in there! Like Les said, at least you *did* your workout. You'll have better days than that (heck you already have). Try to think of the things you *do* accomplish instead of the things you do not (or the pitfalls of your day). It might help just a little. I've got faith in you...keep on truckin' girl :-)

Cindi~ Good luck with the puppy...lol! Oh puppies are cute but they are so much work (kinda like babies). Still the satisfaction of having a long time companion that you raise from a pup is very rewarding. Hope it works out wonderfully for you!


Smiles~

Michelle

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by Michelle Achuff
I've been reading about insomnia here a little bit...and it brings up something that I'm having trouble understanding. I am often tired. I have always been this way...needing my full 8 hours of sleep or just feeling *out* of it and exhausted. Sometimes even that eight hours wasn't enough at one point. It was another reason I've attacked exercising with such vigor. I had read that increasing my metabolism and excercising my body would give me more energy. I must say that I don't feel all that much more energized...not like I thought I would. I still find myself tired in the middle of the day...I still find myself tired after 6 hours of sleep. Does anyone else have this problem? It used to be just a nuisance but it's getting worse. I feel like I could sleep forever and it still would not be enough. This can't be healthy. Any perspective on this would be a good thing if anyone wants to share....

Smiles~

Michelle
Having spent most of 18 1/2 years in a business that lives on sleep deprivation (US Navy) I can speak to the need for different amounts of sleep. FWIW - I get an average of 5 hours sleep a night anymore. In the past I was able to function, more or less, on about 4 hours sleep (probably not to my full potential but still function). I've tried to get 7-8 hours sleep and feel somewhat lethargic after I get that much sleep. But I can say that 20 years ago (more or less) I got more sleep - between 7 and 8.5 hours. What does this mean? Don't really know but your body will tell you when it is getting enough sleep. In the long run, the amount of sleep needed is variable, and it heavily depends on the person. The old "8 hours a night" is a guideline that may or may not apply to your personal condition.

Helpful?
Les

[ellery]

Hi Michelle. Thanks for the encouragement! Here's hoping for a non-poopy day! :)

As far as exercise not fully solving your sleep issue, another thought I had was regarding your diet. I'm not the nutrition expert, but my understanding is that not eating a good and balanced diet contributes to fatigue. Eating too much sugar or caffeine or carbs throughout the day leads to sugar "crashes" (i.e. fatigue). Supposedly 4 pm is the universal time for people to get tired at work, leading to them eating sugary snacks. Which supposedly is related to whatever they ate at lunch. If you eat meals that are a good balance of protein and carbohydrates, supposedly that levels off your blood sugar levels and you don't have the crashes. Plus, you need to eat at regular intervals - every 3 to 4 hours (lighter meals, obviously).

Don't know what your diet is like or if you didn't already know that, but just putting my nickel in.

Hope everyone has a good day! Let's all concentrate on my phone, so that it rings with someone calling to offer me a salary and healthcare benefits!!!! :D

p.s. Michelle, I just had another thought. Have you ever had your thyroid checked? Sometimes that can cause fatigue and weight gain...

[greysangel]

As far as being tired in the middle of the day, you may want to check what you're eating :D As far as energy, everyone responds differently to different foods. The most obvious is that a heavy lunch is going to make you sleepy. But also food combos or lack of the combination can make you less energetic. I always try to make sure my lunch is really balanced in terms of protein and complex carbs with a bit of healthy fat thrown in. This not only sets me up to have enough energy through the afternoon, but keeps me from having the munchies for things I shouldn't have as well. Some people find their body responds better on higher carbs, some lower. Some people have mild allergies to wheat or dairy. If you find yourself in the pattern of eating the same thing day in day out, change it up a little and keep track of how you are feeling.

Also STAY HYDRATED WITH WATER. People usually feel tired before they feel thirsty...both are signs of dehydration.

J

[Michelle Achuff]

Les~ I sure know what you mean about different people needing different amounts of sleep. My husband is like that. The man is 20 years older than me and has twice my energy..on less sleep!!! (At least when he's not on pain pills for his back..lol). He finds it astounding that young as I am I get tired so quickly. Thinking about it this morning, I realize too that my sleep schedule is not anywhere near something consistent and I wonder if that has anything to do with it. Some nights I get 6 hours, some nights 4 and occassionally I get the lucky 7 or 8. I am however, up at the same time every day consistently...5:15am...**** a doodle doo...lol

Leah~ It could be the carbs, definitely. I eat several small meals throughout the day, but I find I am hungriest after my workout, and I almost always have oatmeal for breakfast after that. I wonder if that is contributing to this at all...although I reasoned with myself that I needed carbs for energy. I don't drink any carbonated beverages at all and I don't drink coffee. I do, however, have a cup of hot tea every morning (and then 20 ounces of water before I work out, with a zone perfect bar). I suppose the tea has some caffeine and the bit (teaspoon) of raw sugar I put in it has some carbs in it too. But, please, oh please, tell me I don't have to give up my morning tea...lol. Thanks for the idea about the thyroid...while I don't have excessive weight gain (that I would think would be associated with that) it could explain some of the fatigue for sure. Won't hurt to have it checked out. Most of my weight gain came from hopping OFF the Atkins wagon when I realized that I was more tired, more cranky and my body was hating me for it. Got some energy back, but the weight came back too (although the inches are disappearing now with exercise and lots of water...yay!).

J~ You gave me something to think about. Although I don't eat a ton of carbs at lunch (and eat rather light around that time)...I usually don't eat protein. It's usually some sort of salad or a piece of fruit and cheese or something. It's probably never enough protein to actually do me any good anyway. It's something to think about. I'm definitely monitoring my hydration levels and for the past month that has been the one *huge* change I've made in my diet. I suppose it's not the most drastic change, but for me it was a start, definitely. You've made me think about changing up my diet...I'm thinking about keeping a food journal now for a while too...it might be easier to monitor that way until I get into a better habit for myself nutritionally. Although I don't eat a lot of sweets (I give myself dessert on Friday nights :-) ), it could be the combination of foods and timing like you said.

Thanks everyone for giving me some input here....here's hoping for more energy and positive changes! :-)


Smiles~

Michelle

[Michelle Achuff]

I just had to laugh when I saw my post and saw I was censored for my 'rooster crow'...good grief, that was a little embarrassing/funny. Need to remember those hypens ;)


Smiles~

Michelle

[greysangel]

The following is my opinion and maybe some suggestions:

Sounds like you may not be getting a lot of protein which may have something to do with your energy levels. In my limited knowledge of nutrition, my understanding is that carbs are quick energy. The sugar carbs (even good ones like fruit) are broken down and used very quickly followed by other carbs. The more complex the carb, the longer it takes to break down. But protein takes even more work to break down which is why people who do the high protein diet say they are satisfied. Protein and fats together provide longer term satiety (protein) plus satisfaction (fats). So the zone bar probably has some kind of protein, but probably not enough to constitute a meal which would be around 15-25g. Then after the work out you have oatmeal. Oatmeal is awesome but then your lunch is only a salad (carbs) or cheese (fat/little protein) and fruit (quick carbs). Put some meat, tofu, tuna, seafood on that salad! heehee Or have beans and rice or eggwhite omlettes etc :D

j

[Laura]

I second what JeAnne says about combining complex carbs with protein, as that makes an amazing difference in my energy level. I have also found that I need to take a multi-vitamin. I know many people believe (and probably rightly so) that if you eat right, you don't need supplements, but I know myself well enough to know that I don't eat right.

I have dealt with insomnia for many years. I do notice that it is worse the week before my period. (Sorry Les, :rolleyes: ), but other than that I need to be diligent about what I am eating (and drinking), exercising, and doing during the day as they all seem to affect how well I sleep. My doctor gave me a prescription for Ambien to see if I could my sleeping habits back on track and it worked, for about 2 months (you take it for 10 days). But then life got in the way, and I started having problems again. My sister swears by Melatonin, but I have never tried it. You might try keeping a journal to help. Doing that helped me realize what things seemed to trigger a good or bad night's sleep. I hope it improves, I completely empathize with you.

[Leslie Ferguson]

Laura - No appologies necessary... :D remember I've been married for almost 20 years now (will be 20 years on October 1st) so I'm quite familiar with "those" types of things.

Good discussion on the merits of a balanced diet. There are lots of things that I know I should do better - like drink more (straight) water - I'm consuming lots of liquids in the day: tea, decaf coffee (Dr's orders), and some water, but not nearly enough H2O. My personal opinion/spin on things - energy is tied to the types of food a person eats and the combination of carbs and proteins are essential. Many people these days are focused on "no carbs" but as JeAnne noted carbs = energy.

As to insomnia (or difficulty falling asleep) I find that if I go to bed too late, when I'm over-tired, I can't fall asleep for a long time. Maybe that plays into your difficulty falling asleep.

...to the healthful living for Les...
resting today and I need it. Legs are wiped out and my feet are a little tender (still perfecting my shoes). So rest it is today. And on top of that I think I saw Noah go by the window just a couple seconds ago :D - there is little reason to go and splash around in the water right now.

Have a safe Friday,
Les

[greysangel]

I totally agree Les; I'm definitely not in the low carb camp...just balanced. I do think people are different though...everyone's mileage may vary. That's why I think everyone should experiment and keep track of food combos plus mood/energy. You dont have to journal every single calorie ..just an idea of the food you are consuming and how it's affecting you. For me it was a total revelation to eat something between four-five...not a "snack", but a real small meal combining protein/carbs. Before that, I would either break into the candy dish which would propel me to more candy to then bad choices at dinner and flopping into bed right after :o Having the calories before I leave work not only satisfies the urge/hunger to have something, but it gives me time to be sane about preparing dinner etc.. It's too long to try to go from 1pm (lunch) to 7:30 (dinner)!

j

[ellery]

Seems like everyone has the same information I have about nutrition, Michelle, but I just wanted to add to the oatmeal after the workout thing. You may want to add some protein to that meal, too, maybe by putting some protein powder on top of the oatmeal (I keep seeing that recommended but personally it sounds yucky), or by having a protein shake (I like mine with bananaanananas), or scrambling some egg whites, or whatever. I met with a nutritionist about a year ago just to learn what a "healthy" diet was about, and it was tremendously helpful. We only met a few times (once probably would have been enough). Who knows, if that's all you're eating (oatmeal, salad, and dinner) you may not be eating enough.

As for the hydration thoughts, I wish "they" (whoever "they" are) would make up their minds. But I recently heard that any fluid taken in during the day counts - even if it's caffeinated. So maintaining the proper hydration doesn't just apply to drinking plain old water. Hmmm...

As for my insomnia, I know why I have it, so hopefully it will pass soon. I'm hesitant to try any OTC's for it, since I don't want my body to get used to anything unnatural. Which means no more Nyquil for me this weekend.

Well, I'm off to the gym to lift and hopefully (feet willing) run. Les, enjoy your day off.

Hope everyone else has a nice weekend! ;)

p.s. Michelle, I don't think one cup of tea a day is what I had in mind. There are people out there who drink 8-10 cups of coffee a day, or drink diet sodas all day long. Those are the ones who may need to cut back. Can only imagine what the withdrawal would be like!

[Leslie Ferguson]

Originally posted by ellery
As for the hydration thoughts, I wish "they" (whoever "they" are) would make up their minds. But I recently heard that any fluid taken in during the day counts - even if it's caffeinated. So maintaining the proper hydration doesn't just apply to drinking plain old water. Hmmm... p.s. Michelle, I don't think one cup of tea a day is what I had in mind. There are people out there who drink 8-10 cups of coffee a day, or drink diet sodas all day long. Those are the ones who may need to cut back. Can only imagine what the withdrawal would be like!

I've heard the same thing and am of the camp that liquid (for the most part) is liquid and therefore hydration. I will say that based on some medical tests that I had run on me there is something to be said for not drinking many sodas (the acid in the beverage supposedly helps speed up osteoporosis). I personally know the withdrawl from many cups of coffee a day - part of the reason that I'm decaf now. I was told many years ago that the best guage for hydration was the color of your output - clear is good, darker is bad.


As for my insomnia, I know why I have it, so hopefully it will pass soon. I'm hesitant to try any OTC's for it, since I don't want my body to get used to anything unnatural. Which means no more Nyquil for me this weekend.

Well, I'm off to the gym to lift and hopefully (feet willing) run. Les, enjoy your day off.

Hope everyone else has a nice weekend! ;)

I agree - never one to "push" medications but when in times of trouble... I'll look at things that help.

JeAnne - Based on personal experience (used to be a VERY BIG GUY) I couldn't agree with you more. My breakthrough came when I realized that counting every calorie wouldn't help me lose weight but remembering what I ate and keeping my day's diet balanced was what was important. Likewise, I follow your eat something (substantial) between 4 and 5 to help sustain through the whole day.

Enjoying watching the rain pour down and my legs are being very happy right now. Hope the weekend goes well for everyone.

Peace,
Les

[Leslie Ferguson]

Hey gang! Hope everyone is having a good Saturday - I certainly have.

Got a good run in this morning - 12+ miles at a "slow" pace. Felt good and even had a chance to experience a little drizzle in the process. What a great sight on the run - on two separate occasions I got to see a mother goose and her goslings. Kind of makes it all worth while if you know what I mean. :)

Spent the rest of the day in a healthful environment - working on what I think I'm called to do after I can retire from the Navy (maybe as early as mid-2005). Spiritually fulfilling and enlightening.

Hope that everyone else is having a great Saturday too - look forward to hearing about what's been up.

Batten down the hatches east coast - here comes Hurricane Isabel!

Peace,
Les