2 November - Kylie went to swim squad and I ran up the riverside - mostly walking...I really hope to some day get a handle on this running thing....
So I have taken my measurements. I am 5'11" and have a very muscular large frame. I weighed in at 105.9 kg, which is roughly 232 lbs. That's a lot to lug around! My upper thigh is 28 inches (which is what my husband's waist was in high school!). My butt is 46" and my waist is 43" without sucking it in. This is the one thing I hope drops some inches. My bust is 46" and my upper arm is 15"
I say all this with no sense of pride what so ever, but I am just keeping it real. I have a photo of me on this blog in a bathing suit....and so here is my starting point for at least the 8WWL program that Spinning is doing right now for the next 8 weeks...but also through where I can be a better athlete and explore this triathlon.
1 November
Today is the first day of the Spinning® 8 Week Weight Loss Program. I took on the calorie burn with gusto. I rode 50K, then Kylie took me to the Imperial Garden Hotel to swim in their 20m pool. Then I taught a mixed terrain (Hills and sprints) class and participated, again for the calorie burn. I keep mentioning this - I don't count my spinning classes where i teach as part of my training, but will claim it as an active, not sedentary job.
I just started to take my measurements, but Kylie has to go to sleep, so it is dark in here. I grabbed my thigh at 28 inches. I know women with waists that big. sigh....
ach well, it is only a number right?
The calorie kill with exercise is just one component of this weight loss plan. It is about making healthy food choices, too. I have a batch of yummy bean and vegetable soup in the fridge that I'm consuming for my small meals throughout the day. I did have a diet coke - which I loved since it was so cold, but it is my intention to ensure that I don't turn to soda as a matter of habit.
Anyway - I don't actually have my Spinning 8WWL program materials yet, but I am trying to guess what they would want. I'll go get myself weighed tomorrow, if I can find the time! meant to today, but...oh well...
I'll try to get in a run tomorrow morning while Kylie swims...
Monday, November 1, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
hurdles
I also have not been into the SOS clinic here in Phnom Penh where I can get myself weighed on a medical grade scale. I'm pretty sure my $10 scale isn't even worth that. I am nervous about that gawd-awful number...especially now in football season where the pro football players have their weights put up on national TV and I outweigh some of them. I'll get to it...there is just that psychological hurdle I must cross.
The other one? I'll try to leap over it here. I had some professional photos taken of me in my studio. Some of them...I cried over. In my black cycling shorts on the saddle, the nose of the saddle gave me this chubby cherub private parts look that really just crushed me when I saw them. I could have killed the photographer for letting that slip. Now I see why many photos of people Spinning® are angled in such a way as to avoid this unfortunate appearance. Standing works. I'll post a few of my better ones, though I need to continue to stress that my body and age issues in doing this little training blog are (is?) the point of the whole thing.
So, on I struggle...trying to anticipate the hurdles and gear up to leap over them. My hurdles of late? Sickness, travel, low energy, taking my weight, looking at photos of me... as if that isn't enough to make me throw in the towel~
...on an up beat...I had my first swim coaching session. I'm 45 years old. When I was learning to swim in the early 70's, things were different. I only learned to breathe on my one side. I was taught to paddle like hell to get to the other side of the pool, with tasmanian devil speed. I guess it has all changed now that we have been studying efficiency. Today's first lesson? I learned to float. Yes, you heard me right. I learned to float...like in Kindergarten. I also swam on my side and tried not to drown. Have I mentioned my crazy fear of drowning? okay - that's not crazy...no one actually wants to drown, but I sort of needless panic, and I don't know why... Good coach, positive and encouraging and technically oriented, so I hope I can see some progress along the way...and soon.
One thing is for sure. When I stand and look at the hurdles ahead of me, I feel paralyzed. I eat more and put in more hours of sleep, though I don't feel the quality of my sleep is all that great. When I'm on the path toward better fitness - I eat less, I eat better, I sleep less, but I sleep better. I am also more cheerful and don't worry about what I have to wear. In my sluggish bouts, I can look at an overstuffed closet and find nothing to wear.
weird, eh? I'll keep posting my activities, but probably blog every week or so.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
pace
Today is Thursday...already. After my mega ride friday I was zapped. Not that the ride was horribly hard, but I suffered... and only just got rid of my headache yesterday!
I did a swim with my daughter this morning at the crack of dawn and was pleased with how powerful I felt, giving me hope. Then I went on a bike ride by myself, but realize that I train better when I'm with my chums.
I think I'll alter this post to be a weekly check in before I "go live" with it....am trying to be patient with this and all it's potential...
I did a swim with my daughter this morning at the crack of dawn and was pleased with how powerful I felt, giving me hope. Then I went on a bike ride by myself, but realize that I train better when I'm with my chums.
I think I'll alter this post to be a weekly check in before I "go live" with it....am trying to be patient with this and all it's potential...
Saturday, September 25, 2010
The day off
Sunday won't normally be my day off, but I had a very hard ride (for me, not necessarily for my riding buddies) on Friday and suffered a deep fatigue, that continued on into a Saturday headache. I had to teach Spinning® on Saturday, so today I'll do nothing, except work on the site. It is taking me longer than I anticipated to figure out how I want the blog to look and what pages I want on it, but was hoping to put this out there today.
For anyone who is reading this and thinking "oh, I should join her...but she is already fit and I haven't started..." I wanted to give you a glimpse at my past year already.
Just after Christmas last year (2009) we flew to Thailand and I bought a $500 mtn bike. I love it. I got it assembled about late January and rode it for the first time about mid-February. I used to ride a lot as a late teen, but doing the family thing in countries without 911 and questionable common sense on the road, I sort of chickened out of cycling. So, climbing back onto a bike and venturing out into the pollution, the heat and the traffic of Phnom Penh Cambodia - honestly, last February I didn't know if this was just a passing fad and a wasted $500 or not.
Thats when I met Joe, Laura and Berry (and Emily later). They were already established athletes who came to my Spinning® classes sometimes. They took me out on the road and at first, let me just set the pace and distance goals. They worked with me on cadence and drafting and hydration (a challenge here!) and nutrition... So from Mid February through March and April I built up enough confidence to send a text to my husband and say - "I want to ride the 204 mile Seattle to Portland bike ride this summer...what do you think?" And his response was, "I'll drive your support vehicle." So, I signed up for it and started racking up the miles, where time permitted.
Time is a big issue when you're training - and all of us have this time because of how we organize our work schedule and because of supportive spouses. During the spring I was teaching classes in my studio at 8am, but attendance was sporadic enough, and there are new options around town for the morning crowd, so that I dropped the classes all together this year. With the heat/humidity, you really should be finished cycling by 10 or 11 and to put in any real distance, you should start by 6 or 7.
This is just the cycling side of it. I am riding on the coat tails of my daughter's swim squad which meets Tue/Thur at 6am. There I can get in some laps with the squad. The running? oi. I have yet to actively fit that in, but it is coming. I am heavy and it is just unpleasant to run - so, I am going to fit it in when my husband takes the dog at 5am on days I don't swim.
...starting tomorrow. I just woke up, Sunday...exhausted. Today? I will strive to do nothing. This feels really counter-productive, but deep down I know I need it...and will take it.
For anyone who is reading this and thinking "oh, I should join her...but she is already fit and I haven't started..." I wanted to give you a glimpse at my past year already.
Just after Christmas last year (2009) we flew to Thailand and I bought a $500 mtn bike. I love it. I got it assembled about late January and rode it for the first time about mid-February. I used to ride a lot as a late teen, but doing the family thing in countries without 911 and questionable common sense on the road, I sort of chickened out of cycling. So, climbing back onto a bike and venturing out into the pollution, the heat and the traffic of Phnom Penh Cambodia - honestly, last February I didn't know if this was just a passing fad and a wasted $500 or not.
Thats when I met Joe, Laura and Berry (and Emily later). They were already established athletes who came to my Spinning® classes sometimes. They took me out on the road and at first, let me just set the pace and distance goals. They worked with me on cadence and drafting and hydration (a challenge here!) and nutrition... So from Mid February through March and April I built up enough confidence to send a text to my husband and say - "I want to ride the 204 mile Seattle to Portland bike ride this summer...what do you think?" And his response was, "I'll drive your support vehicle." So, I signed up for it and started racking up the miles, where time permitted.
Time is a big issue when you're training - and all of us have this time because of how we organize our work schedule and because of supportive spouses. During the spring I was teaching classes in my studio at 8am, but attendance was sporadic enough, and there are new options around town for the morning crowd, so that I dropped the classes all together this year. With the heat/humidity, you really should be finished cycling by 10 or 11 and to put in any real distance, you should start by 6 or 7.
This is just the cycling side of it. I am riding on the coat tails of my daughter's swim squad which meets Tue/Thur at 6am. There I can get in some laps with the squad. The running? oi. I have yet to actively fit that in, but it is coming. I am heavy and it is just unpleasant to run - so, I am going to fit it in when my husband takes the dog at 5am on days I don't swim.
...starting tomorrow. I just woke up, Sunday...exhausted. Today? I will strive to do nothing. This feels really counter-productive, but deep down I know I need it...and will take it.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Looking for Routine
It's friday today and I didn't post for Thursday. On Wednesday I rode only about 20 miles at about a 16 mph pace because I had a horrible night's sleep on Tuesday night. I also taught a 90minute Spinning® class Wednesday night. On Thursday I took my daughter to her swim squad session and pulled in 500m swim (but I am slow and pathetic as a swimmer). No run or cycling but I did do a 60 minute Spinning® strength/climb class Thursday evening. Today? well, I feel it was a pretty heavy training week (swam twice on Tuesday in addition to cycling and Spinning®!) I went with three others cycling and...woah! It was my best effort ever and I'm exhausted! Can't shake the fog. We rode nearly 50 miles but cranked away at about 18mph - 20mph... In the end, I couldn't keep up, but still pushed with all my might at about 15mph...arrived finding them waiting...
oh well. I guess this is my starting point. I am lucky to have the time to do this and the training buddies who are better than me, and patient enough to let me just keep trying.
If you are going to take this on, I soooo much recommend that you do this with others and if you can find people who are better than you are, get them to help you set your challenging pace.
I know what I need - it is a routine - a training schedule. But right now, I am bulldozing forward with a sort of shotgun approach - get as much as I can, while I can. Why? I know I'll have to deal with the notion of rest/recovery...but not yet. In my first two months (or was it 3?) I want to work on the calorie burn and a bit of technique in the three events. Nothing will come quickly until I lighten up a little.
I'll do a weigh in next week...no, really...I will.
keep on truckin'!
oh well. I guess this is my starting point. I am lucky to have the time to do this and the training buddies who are better than me, and patient enough to let me just keep trying.
If you are going to take this on, I soooo much recommend that you do this with others and if you can find people who are better than you are, get them to help you set your challenging pace.
I know what I need - it is a routine - a training schedule. But right now, I am bulldozing forward with a sort of shotgun approach - get as much as I can, while I can. Why? I know I'll have to deal with the notion of rest/recovery...but not yet. In my first two months (or was it 3?) I want to work on the calorie burn and a bit of technique in the three events. Nothing will come quickly until I lighten up a little.
I'll do a weigh in next week...no, really...I will.
keep on truckin'!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Getting Started
Well - Here goes. I am publicly stating that I have a big goal this year. I am going to train for a triathlon. Why would anyone blog about it? Well, as a long time fitness professional, I know that people pull their inspiration from all over the place and if you are anything like me, you'll be sitting back saying...'I have no major hurdles to jump, like missing limbs or recovery from cancer. I am not particularly old nor especially young. I'm not emerging from the depths of drug/alcohol addiction, nor have I been held hostage and tortured anywhere.'
You know you are pretty average with no major complaints so there should be nothing standing in your way except your self perception that reminds you constantly that "it would be great if I were fitter and less fat."
That's me in a nutshell. I have been a Personal Trainer for more than a decade and have yet to actually do much training on myself. I consider myself a teacher, fitness leader, instructor...but hardly an athlete. But from today, I'll consider myself a victim of adult-onset athleticism and get on with it.
My promise to you, is not to lie about it. I hate running from the depth of both my soul and my soles. I suck at swimming and recoil when I catch a glimpse of me in a swimsuit. Could my thighs really be that big? But after all these years of educating people about respecting their body and starting from where they're at - I'm going to commit to not dogging myself and not photoshopping my chunk, because it isn't about what you (or I) look like, right? We're talking longevity and hope and determination and realized dreams: in a nutshell we're talking about deciding to do something and doing it.
Look - we're meant to move. Otherwise we wouldn't need joints, right? We are constructed to engage with the physical world around us, inflicted with "will" so this is a natural thing I'm doing, right? I didn't say easy, I said natural (like breastfeeding - natural, but not easy, in the beginning!) and because it is natural, but not easy, people don't talk about it. Well, I'm here to talk about it. And really? My hope is that you'll join me. You don't have to do a triathlon...but pick something physically challenging for you and set some goals...and let me hear about it!
I am very new to this blogging, but I will figure out how to post my daily training goals and accomplishments and hope I can find a place for you to link elbows with me and head off on your own journey.
You know you are pretty average with no major complaints so there should be nothing standing in your way except your self perception that reminds you constantly that "it would be great if I were fitter and less fat."
That's me in a nutshell. I have been a Personal Trainer for more than a decade and have yet to actually do much training on myself. I consider myself a teacher, fitness leader, instructor...but hardly an athlete. But from today, I'll consider myself a victim of adult-onset athleticism and get on with it.
My promise to you, is not to lie about it. I hate running from the depth of both my soul and my soles. I suck at swimming and recoil when I catch a glimpse of me in a swimsuit. Could my thighs really be that big? But after all these years of educating people about respecting their body and starting from where they're at - I'm going to commit to not dogging myself and not photoshopping my chunk, because it isn't about what you (or I) look like, right? We're talking longevity and hope and determination and realized dreams: in a nutshell we're talking about deciding to do something and doing it.
Look - we're meant to move. Otherwise we wouldn't need joints, right? We are constructed to engage with the physical world around us, inflicted with "will" so this is a natural thing I'm doing, right? I didn't say easy, I said natural (like breastfeeding - natural, but not easy, in the beginning!) and because it is natural, but not easy, people don't talk about it. Well, I'm here to talk about it. And really? My hope is that you'll join me. You don't have to do a triathlon...but pick something physically challenging for you and set some goals...and let me hear about it!
I am very new to this blogging, but I will figure out how to post my daily training goals and accomplishments and hope I can find a place for you to link elbows with me and head off on your own journey.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)