I am going to be sore tomorrow

Hello all,

Today I went to the Gym after I had a lite breakfast of cereal and coffee.  I have a slight competitive streak in me and when I actually set a goal on fitness I tend to get a little gung-ho about getting fit.  I also forget that I now 35 and not 25, which as much as don't like to admit is quite a big difference.

I did 25 minutes (including my cool down period) and then tried my luck on the StairMaster, as I affectionately call, the zen stairs to hell. I had to set it a what I think is a very slow rate, about 2.2 flights of stairs a minute for 20 minutes plus 5 for a cool down and let me tell you it kicked my butt.  Yeah I supposedly burnt off some 350 calories but my legs were very angry at me as soon as I got off the machine.  I remember being able to do at much higher speed and longer when I was in my 20's, being in my 20's is the phrase to for me to remember.

When I was in my 20's I was going to the gym 4-5 times a week or I was training for a bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Now walking 2 miles tires me out.  I will not be trying the stair master for a few more weeks, or unless by Friday I can reverse the aging process by a decade or so. I need to remember that a reasonable workout is much more effective than an ass-kicking workout. Especially so early in the process.  Damn my ego that wont let me remember that I not as young as I used to be.

I will talk the dogs on a short walk this afternoon to stretch my legs and a moderate walk (if I can walk) thursday. Friday should be an interesting post, so stayed tuned.... Until later

18 flights of stairs

So for those of you keeping count, I did not make it to the fitness center yesterday, but I did walk a fair amount throughout the day, as well as the walk in the morning.

Today I was going to walk this morning before we went to the water park, but I also needed to go to Walgreens, so we (my brother Ryan and I) walked across the street (and by across the street, I mean around the lake, down the resort driveway and across the street), came back and then went with everyone to the water park.

The water park, Aquatica, which is affiliated with Sea World, was very cool and very fun, but most of the rides have 3 flights of stairs...so there was a good deal of stair climbing.  There was also a great amount of walking...too much, I can't even tell you...and I can map it because the park in the aerial shot on www.mapmyrun.com is still being built.

So...we had a long day...10am to about 3pm...came back and hung out on a beautiful evening.  Tomorrow morning, I will try to go for at least 3 laps around the lake and maybe I'll go for a swim afterward.

**Side note: Who could have thought I would attempt to get some exercise on vacation?  It may not be as much as Kurt's workouts...but its better than nothing.

Move along... Nothing to see.

Today has been rather non-descript activity wise.  I guess my last couple of walks has caused poor buttonz to become a little sore because he started favoring his leg last night, but by this morning he seemed to be doing much better. I won't be talking any longer walks with the dogs for the rest of the week so I don't injure my in-laws dog.  That would fall in the "things not to do to your in-laws" category. 

After going to school today and rescuing the dogs from the full bladders, I went on a nice 2 mile walk in the about 35 minutes.  Its amazing how much faster I can walk when I don't have to stop for a smell break every couple of minutes.  It was so beautiful outside today, its about 70 with a light breeze. I swear if Reno/Sparks was like this all the time, I would never ever complain about the weather being bipolar.

I figured since I wasn't doing anything super strenuous that should eat really well today, I had the last of the quiche's from our wedding reception. For those keeping track, that is 7 weeks ago. I had a salad that I brought from home for lunch and I still don't know what I am going to have for dinner, maybe some turkey burgers on lettuce. I figure that I will try removing as much bread from my dinners. I don't need buns with my turkey burgers, why offset the reduction of fat from beef to turkey when you are just replacing it with extra carbo's.

Anyways, its been a slow day so I won't bore everyone any further... Until later...

Activity day

This morning I got up at 7:30 from a text from my lovely wife, that and three crazy dogs all wanting to go outside.  I had a bowl of cereal, some coffee and waited for 30 minutes before talking a nice 2 mile walk in about 40 minutes.  A bit slower than last time but I wasn't going to push myself to much since I had a meeting with the gym trainer today at 12:00.

I can't believe how much the weather keeps changing up here in Sparks.  4 days ago it was freezing and nasty and this morning it was cool but absolutely beautiful and nice.  As I sit here typing its 71, I wonder how long that will last. Hopefully the Manic Depressive weather that we have been experiencing has finally come to an end. I know that I enjoyed our walk half as much as the dogs did.  I have started to notice that its easier to take that walk.  Not only getting up and doing it, but how I feel physically as well. I know that it has only been a week, but I swear that its easier.

 I got home, did some homework then went off to go to my gym appt.  The trainer, Jason was very nice and knowledgable, though I thought some of the comments were a bit over dreamy for me.  He said that I could see my weight loss goal of 60 pounds in 3 - 4 months.  I joked if I lost that kind of weight in that time frame, I need to see a doctor.  Not trying to be a buzzkill, but I just don't see that happening that quickly. I wouldn't mind being proven wrong mind you, but still.  He gave me some great pointers, since it been a while since I worked out with any regularity.  I spent 20 minutes on the bike and 20 minutes on the elliptical machine.  Jason said that I should work to spend 45-60 minutes each work on on cardio. I figured with my walk I did that.

So its back to doing a little more homework then I can rest and relax. Until later...

Breathe in the water vapor

So yesterday I didn't end up making it out for a walk because I didn't get to sleep until late Saturday night.  But yesterday was filled with some walking and some time in the pool...so at least there was some activity.

This morning I did get up fairly early...7am...and by the time I was capable of functioning (which took about half an hour) I went for a walk around the lake.  One lap is about 0.6 mile...and by the end of the second lap, I realized just how hard it is for me to breathe with so much humidity...so... 1.2 miles in 30 minutes...I started slowing down toward the end.  I was good though and took the stairs instead of the elevator (we're on the 5th floor).

 it's a little hard to see because the balconies are screened in for bugs

So we'll be heading out soon to do stuff, but later on today I'm hoping to make it to the fitness center...and I'm making pizza for dinner.  Its a great recipe...I love it.  Try it out:

One pizza crust, either from a bag and add water, or premade dough

1/2 cup of tomato sauce

1 Tbsp of olive oil

4 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Aidell's Chicken Sausages (Any Flavor)

1-2 cups of mushrooms (or any of your favorite vegitables)

1/4-1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese

Roll out the crust

In a sauce pan, heat olive oil and brown garlic

Add tomato sauce to the sauce pan to heat

When sauce is heated, spread on pizza crust

Sprinkle with half of the cheese

Arrange sausage slices and vegis on the pizza

Sprinkle with remaining cheese

Cook according to time and heat that came with pizza crust or 10-12 mins at 450*

Enjoy

Traveling Day

As Kurt said, I left for Florida today.  I know that being good is going to be difficult this week, but luckily there is a fitness center on site as well as beautiful grounds to walk on.  

Today was a hard day to eat well.  I tried to have a granola bar at 6am this morning, but when I travel, I typically lose my appetite, so I only had half of it.  For lunch, I ordered a grilled southwest chicken caesar salad, which came coated in the dressing, but was one of the better meals on the menu.  And once we arrived to the resort, we went to dinner...which I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with swiss...and a raspberry colada...which the drinking may be the worst thing I do on this trip. 

My stepmom and I walked around the Dallas airport so we could try to get a little bit of exercise in today...especially with all the sitting on the plane.

So not horrible considering that finding good for you food while traveling is difficult...but luckily I have very supportive people who are also looking for good healthy food. 

My biggest challenge is to drink more water when I am traveling, because I hate having to use the restroom repeatedly when in an airport and on a plane.  But, especially with how humid it is here, I need to remember to get over that issue on the trip home, as well as while I am here.

So I am attempting to get up at 6am tomorrow (or today for me since it is almost 12:30am) to walk since it is so freaking humid here.

Time for sleep.

What a walk

I took the three crazies on a 2.58 mile walk today in 40 minutes.  It was at a nice brisk pace, perhaps a little to brisk for Schroeder, poor little guy was definitely trailing at the end of the walk.  I was happy though, it wasn't that hard to walk the three of them at once.  I made the choice of letting them go potty a few minutes before we left so that way I didn't have three doggie bags to carry through out the entire walk.  Buttons and Oreo were still wanting a little more walk, unless until I got them in the house where they promptly layed down after drinking.

I got a few weird looks from people because I had a triangle of dogs in front of me.  Maybe I will be a dog walker while I attend school. Only if the dogs are as good as Oreo, Schroeder and Buttons are tho.

I am off the movie store now to watch horror movies I can't watch with Candace. Until tomorrow...