Change is Good

We've decided to change some things up a bit, starting this week, which led to changing things up a bit more...starting from now until we change things up again.

We were going to do a workout schedule of every other day (eg. M W F Su Tu Th Sa...) but the funny thing is...we kinda like the gym (how sad that I've become one of those people.)  So gym schedule has changed to Su, Tu, Th, Sa - which will be great this week, but will be a bit hard next week while we are in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz ... and also the week of the Family Reunion.  We figured that next week, though, we would make a HUGE effort to get to the Monterey Sports Center twice next week (as well as drag my mom with us) and we are looking for walking buddies while in Oregon...bring your walking shoes.

Yesterday was the same ol'...we did 40 min on the treadmill and 35 on the elliptical trainer...I am SO enjoying ditching the bike.  75 minutes never went so fast.  We've decided that we are going to start adding the weights portion of the workout when we return from Oregon...as vacation week with be our two month marker.

Not much going on...going to head out to the library to pick up the books on volumetrics to read more about what my aunt Amy was talking about...I also need to review this other book that I...well...I'll talk more about it later.

We had an artichoke for lunch today...mmmm....forgot how much I LOVE artichokes.  If anyone wants us to bring some back from Castroville, let us know.  Good in fiber, calories, not a lot of sodium (and I do love them with mayo, but I gave myself 2 servings of mayo and only used 1...so, that's good).

We've learned a couple of things so far this week.

1. We intake entirely too much sodium, but it is not completely our fault.  I have never realized how much sodium is in most processed things.  We made pasta for lunch yesterday and the S&W organic tomato sauce has 340 mg of sodium per 1/4 cup.  So, I need to go through my big Martha Stewart book and learn how to make some of this stuff myself to hopefully cut back on sodium.

2. We took this personal diet evaluator on WebMD and given my age, weight, height, what I'm looking for, etc., I can eat 3065 calories a day to maintain my weight, reduce it by 777 calories per day through diet and/or exercise (which is what they calculated as my deficit if I want to lose 20 lbs in the next 90 days) to lose a pound a week.  That is insane!!  Yesterday I burnt off almost 700 calories at the gym and still barely ate 2200 calories, which is my on-day goal.  Its not like I was hungry, I just chose better.  So, I don't know what to think of this evaluator...but it has said similar things to other sites I've calculated from, which leads me to find some truth in it.

Anyway, we are off.  Hopefully the day stays relatively rain free so we can walk the dogs soon.

Stupid Calories

orry for the delay in posting, but its been a couple of days since we have done anything anyway...and what a mistake that was.

On Saturday, we went over to my Aunt Barbara's house for my cousin Matthew's birthday (as most of you know, because you were there too), where we had some pizza for lunch (and where Aunt Barbara was nice enough to order a garden style pizza for those of us who are trying to be better about what we eat, but we didn't realize was there), but were good about what and how much we ate.

However, later on that day we went to Red Robin for dinner with my cousin Courtney and lets just say ... it's really hard when you try to find something on the menu that sounds like its one of the healthier items only to find out later that it really wasn't.   And on top of it, we were relatively lazy this weekend...a short walk with the dogs, so Buttonz's legs wouldn't bother him, was the most activity we got (minus some light gardening Kurt did yesterday.)  We thought about going to the gym yesterday (so our schedule was every other day instead of every other business day) but we both did not sleep well the night before.  It shouldn't have been an excuse though because we were unhappy with the weight gain we both had this morning (±1 lb for him, ±2 lbs for me.)

Today's activity was a vast improvement to the weekend though.  We went to the gym, each doing 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer and stationary bike.  There are some things I have to say about the stationary bike!!  Could anyone make a more uncomfortable seat for anything?!!? On top of it, I swear time goes backward while you are on the bike.  30 minutes on the elliptical trainer feels like half the time as on the bike, be it stationary or recumbent.

When it comes to the bikes, my preference is recumbent to stationary because my feet don't fall asleep as often or for as long and my wrists don't hurt as much from the position of the handles...but I'm still not a fan of either bike.

What I like about the elliptical trainer (besides when my feet fall asleep on that too) is that I get distracted my trying to keep my heart rate down.  According to the chart, 80% heart rate for me is 152 and when I first started, i had to work diligently to keep it between 158 and 162.  I am happy to say that after a week of working at it, at the same speed (which right now is a snail's pace and I'm sure people are laughing at me for how slow I go, but its to maintain my heart rate) I can maintain a heart rate between 148 to 152.  Soon I'll be able to actually travel faster than 2.5-3.0 mph and still keep my heart rate down.  Kurt doesn't have this problem.  He can travel at 5.0 mph and still have a heart rate of 133. 

On top of that this morning, we both agreed that 1 hour is starting to be pretty easy.  We are planning Wednesday for a change.  I'm not sure what his plans are, but I am thinking 20-25 minutes on both the bike and the treadmill and 30-40 minutes on the elliptical trainer.  We'll see come Wednesday.

After the gym, we came home to do a little Wii Fit...he just weighed in, I did 10 minutes of step, and some strength training, balance and yoga.  Before we went the gym this morning we were watching Good Morning America and they did an interview with the head of the American Heart Association, because the AHA is putting their logo on the Wii Fit (article).  I was very disappointed with what the interviewer had to say, because he was making it out to be that the AHA did it just for the money ($1.5 mil over 3 years) when they don't go and put their logo on sports items (basketballs, footballs, etc.)  The president of the AHA tried to explain that it was specifically the demographic they were going for (eg. the overweight video game player who needs a little activity.)  The whole interview treated the AHA as a negligent corporation who only gives its logo out for the right price, as well as alluding to the fact that the average consumer is an idiot (which can be the case, but is not always.)

I am happy to "play" with my Wii Fit almost everyday.  My center of balance has become better, I'm more stable and its reminded me that I need to stretch every day regardless if I really worked out or not.  I am fully aware that I will not lose the weight by doing Wii Fit exercises, nor did I expect to when we purchased it.  It really pisses me off when the media makes people out to be brainless morons who buy anything advertised to them.

On another note...we've been trying to track our calories, since good points were brought up by Lisa and Merirae in response to our question on Thursday.  After checking out the calories on the ice cream I had last week, I really never want ice cream again, especially when thinking about just how much work that is going to be to rid myself of the calories.  Its really been awful looking but very interesting at the same time.

Today's question: The trainer I met with last week suggested that I can eat carbs but they should be in the morning, and its my opinion that I should have a little something before going to the gym so I have some energy.  I'm wondering, should I go for the more simple carb (like fruit) before I go so that I have access to that energy immediately (which is what I am understanding in my research) or a complex carb (like a granola bar) which will process longer (but I'm wondering if it also is a continuous energy source)?

Just a little warmer please...but not too warm

So there was really nothing to say yesterday.  We got up...intended to take the dogs for a walk...but in was freeze-your-butt-off cold yesterday...and after having walked out of Costco into the sleet on Monday, that was enough for me.  

I did make pizza for dinner last night tho (the better for you kind, not the I'm hungry order something kind).  We decided to make things a little easier on ourselves and we bought pre-made dough from WinCo.  It was really good, and so much easier to work with.  They have a whole wheat dough, but I wanted to try the regular one to be sure it was good first...next time whole wheat.  We also bought different sausages, and they worked so much better.  We usually get the Chicken and Apple sausages from Aidells, but at Costco we found some Pineapple Sausages from Evergood.  It was just like having a Hawaiian style pizza...so good.

Today, we were a little lazy getting up, but we eventually did, and we headed to the gym where we each did 25 minutes plus cool down on each the bike and the elliptical trainer - which for Kurt is normal and for me is usually torturous, because I get bored (especially because Kurt forgot to grab the headphones this morning), but today I was so fixated on the guys who were re-tarring the parking lot, that I didn't even know it was cool down time until the machine beeped at me.

I didn't have too much trouble with my feet falling asleep on the elliptical trainer today, unlike Monday, because I was going pretty slow to keep my heart rate down.

When we left, we experienced crazy dog syndrome...which is Oreo and Schroeder believing that because we have our shoes on, they are going somewhere too.  Not only that, but they have had WAY too much energy lately...so after we had dinner (steak and salad - and we're getting better with portions too, steak was palm size) we took the dogs on a short walk (just over 0.8 mile) but they are passed out on the floor...which is good.

Now just eating grapes (Kurt had yogurt with grape nuts - but eewww to yogurt, tried to see if I could eat flavored yogurt today, but it just has a rancid milk taste to me)...look at the book I got from the library (Eat, Drink and Be Healthy) and off to bed soon.  

There is one thing that has been great about getting up and working out...it forces us to go to bed at a decent hour.

Back on track...sort of

Happy to be home...not enjoying the weather tho.  You guys couldn't will the good weather that I missed to stay?!!?  At least it's suppose to get warmer later in the week...and I can go out with the dogs without having to worry about freezing to death.

So I got back Saturday night...and yesterday was a completely wasted day what with the jet lag...and the fact that there was no food in the house when I returned home. And therefore I made the excuse that I was pretty good while away (lost 2 lbs) and Kurt was good while I was gone (I don't remember what he lost)...we ordered a pizza...and ate a couple slices for lunch...and a couple slices for dinner.  But today we are back on track...even though I feel its later in the day that in actually is.

We got up this morning, had some coffee and a granola bar, and went to the gym.  I had a 15 min consultation with a trainer (Jason, the same one Kurt had last week)...told him my medium/long term goal is to lose 70 lbs...and he instructed me to focus on cardio working my way up to 45-60 minutes three times a week...until I get about 20 lbs from my goal, and then I can start adding some weight training in.

Today I did 15 minutes on the elliptical trainer (was aiming for 30 but my right foot started to fall asleep) and 25 minutes on the bike - Regis and Kelly helped keep my mind off the time :P  Kurt did 30 minutes on each the bike and the elliptical trainer.  Then we came home to weigh and Wii Fit...and realized that it wasn't a good idea to have the pizza yesterday.  He gained 0.2 lbs, and I gained 0.4 lbs, which I'm sure is from the sodium in the pizza that is causing water retention.

So my plan is to do the heavier workout (cardio at the gym) on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and then to walk with the dogs on Tuesdays and Thurdays (and maybe the weekend too...but lets not get ahead of ourselves.)

In the two weeks since we started, I have lost 5 lbs and Kurt has lost 4 lbs...and for anyone keeping track, Oreo has lost 1.75 lbs...only 8.25 lbs to go.  :P

I think at a month, we will again post pictures and our weight as a timeline of our progress.

Time to shower.

I am not that sore... what the heck?

Sorry I didn't post anything yesterday, I was wrapped up with school work. I have one week to go until I finish this semester. I just did a long walk after school (maybe 2.5 miles) since I had a long day and needed to decompress.  I figure a long walk without the dogs is much better than stuffing my face with extra cheese extra pepperoni extra large pizza like I was sorely tempted to do.  Instead I had a salad with a 6 ounce piece of teriyaki steak. And a glass of scotch, I figured I was allowed one not so great thing for me.

Today I awoke around 8:30, had a sensible breakfast and coffee then went to the gym again. I was as sore as that I was going to be after Wednesday's workout, I am not saying that my legs aren't a little stiff, but not as debilitating as I thought it was going to be.  So I decided to stick with the lower impact machines today.  I did 25 minutes on the bike (including cool down) and 30 minutes on the elliptical machine (also including cool down) You might wonder how I was able to spend that long on the machine, easy... Hit the fat burning program on the bike and it keeps the program at optimum fat burning heart rate.

At 35, that puts it about 125-132 bpm, so I tried to keep my heart rate near that range. Its not extremely difficult to keep it at that level so I figured I will try this level for the next couple of weeks then start working on increasing my heart rate to 140 or so which is at the Cardio level. In 2 weeks I will add circuit training with weights into the mix.  I will start go 4 times a week at first then try to get it to 5 times a week. I will see how it goes.

That reminds me, I need to spend some time fixing up my bike so that I can start taking it around town instead of driving.  Before anyone calls me a tree-hugging liberal (Trees around here would probably break if someone my size was to hug them) I want to being able to bike to school next fall rather than drive so Candace can use the car during the days I go to school and not have to either drop me off or be stuck at home.  Anyone got any good links on DIY bike repairs?

That's all I have for now... Until later...

Gym - Day 1

Kurt and I were given the generous gift of a 6 month membership to the gym yesterday...so we were excited to start putting it to good use this morning.  Well...it was great and its a nice small gym which is not too crowded (Eagle Fitness - if anyone is shopping for a new gym).

So we got up, went, filled out the paperwork and got right down to it.  We each did about 20 minutes on the bike and moved on to the treadmill. Well I found my walking shoes last night, but they were not really my friends today.  I bought them specifically when I was seeing a trainer at the gym about a year ago...and I don't know what it is...maybe my feet are fatter...maybe they need to be broken in again...I don't know.  But while the blisters I got yesterday are fine (thanks Aunt Karen, the Epsom Salt bath worked wonders), I got a new one that rubbed at the back of my foot.

So after about 10 minutes on the treadmill, I decided that I was done for today.  If I let my feet get worse, I'm not going to want to keep doing it.  I can't decide if tomorrow I just want to go back to my regular tennis shoes, bandage my feet and continue with my walking shoes, or actually go out and get new shoes...because it was really so hard to find that pair to begin with (10w).

Kurt was good...he was on the treadmill for 15 minutes...he would have been on for longer, but I had stopped by then.  I think it was a good beginning gym experience.  With our membership, we got one free training session.  Kurt is going on Monday while I'm away, and I am scheduled to go the following Monday when I get back.

Time for breakfast :P (Also, Aunt Carol [or anyone who has anything] feel free to send any articles you think are good.  We would like to be able to read a variety of published advice so we can make informed decisions about the path we want to take)