Making_A_Change’s BodyBlog

This morning my husband said that I felt smaller and my butt was feeling firmer. I look the same and my measurements have hardly changed at all. Maybe things are just shifting around in there. I’ve read that it can take around 12 weeks to see any signifcant changes–we’ll see. Like I’ve posted in previous blogs, I feel good. And I am beginning to look forward to my time at the gym instead of dreading it.

 I had a great leg workout this morning. I did the seated leg press (4 sets, 15-20 reps/ 70#, 90#, 90#, 90#), standing press (no weights) 3 sets, 15-20 reps, deadlifts into bicep curls (20# dumbells in each hand) 3 sets, 12-15 reps), adductor machine (3 sets 12-15 reps, 60#). It felt, surprisingly, good. I feel like I am getting alot stronger and I an definitely more focused. I am determined to wear shorts–and look good–by June. I am on my way to Brickhousedom.

I am back from my conference. I worked out in my room and the gym. I passed up the pastries and breads in the buffet lines and, instead, opted for fruits, potatoes, and turkey sausage. I did have cheesecake…twice. It was heavenly. All in all, I think I did minimal damage and will go running tonight. I am just glad to be back home where I can prepare my own food and go back to my schedule. I think I am going to take some progress pictures later on tonight.

I just did 45 minutes of cardio on the wobbliest stairclimber. Did I mention how sucky the facilities are? Maybe I got a core workout of it. I am feeling such a feeling a accomplishment. It would have been so easy to take a nap, but I did something. I am even going to do biceps and triceps before bed tonight. I do know that the next time I travel, I am going to bring alot of my own food. Being away from home and on someone else’s schedule, made it more difficult to keep to my eating schedule. Today, at the buffet I loaded my complimentary conference bag with enough whole fruit for the next couple of days. That should help me between meals and avoid overeating. My co-workers laughed and called me a little old lady, but that’s okay. At least I can go home and continue my road to health instead of having to start all over. 

I am in Southern California right now. My co-workers and I are attending a conference. Part of the reason that we chose the hotel that we are staying in was because of the fitness center and the proximity from the convention center/downtown area. Well, the hotel is miles away from the convention center (more than advertised) and is only accesible by freeway.There are no good places to eat nearby. So far, I have survived because I packed cheese, crackers, and grapes in my carry-on and have been nibbling on that. The fitness center is a 10×10 area with ye olde Nautilus machines. I did bring my rubber tubing, though. I can get a better workout with those, my body weight, and the chairs in my room.

On a positive note, I did get an uninterrupted two hour nap–it was wonderful. And I will be able to get alot of studying done. I plan on working abs, biceps, and triceps tonight. And will get a nice stretch in, too.

The little one woke me up this morning because she wanted her pull-up changed at around 4:55 a.m., so particular. It was dark so I didn’t realize what time it was. I laid down and then the alarm went off. I, begrugingly, got up, got dressed and went to the gym. Most days, I plan what I am going to do. But today,  I didn’t. I had a great jog yesterday, and the thought of doing legs after a cardio day was unappealing.  I didn’t feel like thinking about machines and dumbells so I decided to do cardio and to turn it up a notch. I was going to stay on the stairmaster for 40 minutes, level 7 (I normally sit at 6), and just work it out. My whole lower body was burning after around 20 minuters. I got off, twice, for about 30 seconds to drink some water. I wanted to get off so badly, kick the treadmill,  and just walk it out on the treadmill–but I stayed on. I got to be one of those people who drip sweat from their elbows and chins (I clean mine up, though.). I wore my sweaty t-shirt with honor, I was doin’ it!. I was feeling myself so much, that I ended my workout by doing shoulders, followed by a long stretch. I am feeling that high, energetic feeling again. I plotted my weight on the chart, just to chart how my body chages during "my lady time" and to remind myself that I am indeed making progress.

Time to eat again. I brought some off the hook tuna with tumeric and curry.
 

Okay, my dates are a little off. Everything written in my tofu blog should have been for March 24th. Today, Sunday, I ran around the lake with the jogging stroller. That was more challenging than running by myself. I ran a little under 3 miles because my little one wanted to run along side me. So, to make up for the 1/4 or so miles lost, we jumped rope for about 10 minutes. I was so much fun! I really felt like I, could have kept running which was surprising. My legs still aren’t sore from the the workout I gave them the other day, I guess that’s a good thing. I can get another leg workout in this week while I am away. I have lost an inch in my chest, but no where else. I can’t see any physical changes, but I have: (1) increased energy, (2) been drinking almost a gallon of water (Monday-Friday, got to work on getting it on the weekends, too), (3) eating more meals, (4) eating smaller meals, (5) getting to the point where working out is non-negotiable (if I don’t go in the morning, I go in the evening.

This morning my 3-year old, daughter and I made scrambled tofu. She squeezed the water out of the tofu and added the spices. We added some red onions and mushrooms and proceeded it to cook it up. It was delicious and she loved it. She said, "Kids should eat tofu. It’s good for you." She has always been good about trying new foods. And the energy–my husband and I are trying to encourage and channel that amazing energy. I wish I had just a little bit. She is currently taking gymnastics, and will do front flips on the air mattress. She will do 30 flips in a row and its just beam with sheer elation and accomplishment. This morning she asked for what sounded like, "trishus breakfast". We couldn’t figure out was she was saying. She kept repeating it and was getting annoyed that we didn’t understand her. Then a light went off, oh a nutritious breakfast. She wanted some cornflakes. I worked on legs today. I am trying to work on them at least twice a week, and hitting calves a little more often. I did 3 sets of 15-20 reps on the seated leg press, standing press, and topped it off with seated hamstring curls. It felt really good. I am going to really feel it on Tuesday. I usually get really stiff and sore two days later. Tomorrow is a cardio day (40 minutes, stair climber). I put a few new songs on my mp3 player, so I’m ready to go. My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary with a yellow cake with chocolate icing from our favorite bakery. It was great, but back to the grind this week. Why is it so much more difficult to drink water on the weekends?

For the last few days I managed to avoid the stairmill by doing my strength training workouts. But last night I decided that I was only going to spend 30-40 minutes at the gym and I was going to face my adversary–the stair mill. I got my music in place, put my towel on the panel and was determined to stay on for the entire 30 minutes and not back down. I added a bit of variety by skipping steps, steppin up sideways, and doing some kick backs. I was sweating and SURE that I had done at least 20+ plus minutes making me 2/3 of the way to my goal. I removed my towel only to find that I had only done 11 minutes. That’s it? But I stuck it out by visualizing my butt getting rounder and tighter with each step and my thighs getting fuller and firmer. That got me through, and I was pleased with myself. Tonight, I work legs and abs.

 Next, week I am leaving for a four-day conference in southern California. This is the longest that I have ever been away from my daughter. She and my husband will have a blast and I will take advantage of the time alone. The first day is always the most relaxing. The second day, I call home and want a run down of everything cute that was said. By the third day, I miss everyone terribly, I have had enough sleep and I am ready to go home. By the fourth day, I won’t be able to get on that plane fast enough. I have a 30-page literature review due within the next 6 weeks, so the goal is to get more reading done and half of that paper written. I made sure to stay in a hotel with a gym so I won’t miss any workouts. It the gym is bootsy, I will have my elastic bands with me and will work out in my room, and I can walk around the downtown area, and the beaches. I have to be ready for those upcoming progress pictures…

weight gains, that is. One of the reasons that I hate weighing myself is the fluctuation. I should know by now, not to weigh myself a week or so before my cycle. I know this, yet I do it anyway. The scale is always going to show a 1 1 1/2 -3 pound gain. And while I know this, I do it to myself every month. But I also know that I can do more. I have been slowly increasing the intensity and frequencies of my workouts and including more stretching. This morning, I woke up late, but I didn’t use it as an excuse and just went to the gym with the time that I had. I super-setted two exercises for my chest and back (db chest press/db row, 12# and cable chest flye/30#, seated row/60#; each 12-15 sets), did crunches in between each set and ended my session with a 1 mile run at 5.5-5.7 mph. It was difficult to run after strength training. I got a good sweat going and went home and got ready for work.

I tried a new rub for the baked chicken last night. It was a-ight. I wouldn’t buy it, again. It was "rasta rub". I didn’t read the ingredients that included tyhme, cinnamon, nutmeg amongst others. My chicken was sweet instead of savory and a bit spicy. I passed it along to a co-worker to grills, maybe that will bring out a new taste. On a positive note, my daughter loves asparagus!. I cooked some in a bit of olive oil with salt and pepper and she tore them up. When she went to the bathroom this morning she said, "My pee stinks". I love asparagus and would probably eat it more often if that didn’t happen.

I plan on getting a cardio session in tonight. I am going to do the dreaded stairmill. That things makes me feel like such a pansy. After 15 minutes, I am sliding down the stairs, mouth open, and holding on for dear life–not sexy. But that is all the more reason to get on it and push past my comfort zone. I won’t change my body doing things that come easy. That 1 1/5 pound weight gain-be it water or fat- is motivation enough today.

I didn’t workout yesterday or this morning, nor did I drink nearly the amount of water that I have been drinking, nor did I eat the number of meals that I have been eating the past couple of weeks; and I really feel it today. I am not as alert or energetic. I still feel good, but I had been on a bit of a high. Hmm…could also be PMS, too. I didn’t have syptoms until after the birth of my daughter. I’ll be working on chest and back tonight, after the little one goes to bed. Speaking of chest…

Okay, I am just going to ask–can anyone tell me if developing your chest muscles can bring your chest/breast area anywhere near their pre-nursing condition? There, I said it. I nursed my daughter for around 19 months. I don’t regret it; it was wonderful and FREE. I don’t have a problem with my chest size. I don’t care if they decrease as I reduce bodyfat. I don’t care if they look like someone painted Hershey’s kisses on my chest. I just would like to know if I can renovate, rehabilitate, or regain some sort of desireable shape.