For now, I have decided to keep track of my workouts using Google Calendar. It's not fancy, but it will work for now. The good part, I can share it with you. If you have a better suggestion, please let me know.
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exercise. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Can a Couch Potato run a 5K?
I've been wanting to run, actually run, a 5K race. Except when I was pregnant in 2007, I've participated in the Idaho Women's Fitness Celebration for the last several years, but I've always walked. I've been thinking about training using the Couch to 5K program. I even downloaded several pod casts. But I've been to afraid to start. I can't run. I've never been able to run. It hurts. It hurts my legs. It hurts my feet. It hurts my lungs.
Since I've been walking most days for 30 minutes, on Monday, I finally decided to give it a try. Why not, I asked myself? If I can't finish it, I'll just walk the rest of my laps around the neighborhood.
I loaded Robert Ullrey's Week 1 Podcast onto my ipod, tied my shoes and set out.
Five minutes of brisk walking -- easy peasy.
60 seconds of jogging -- not so bad -- I'd done this a little before.
90 seconds of walking -- my shins hurt a little, but I keep going.
60 seconds of jogging -- I can do this.
90 seconds of walking -- walk walk walk
60 seconds of jogging -- just finish this segment, you can do it!
90 seconds of walking -- Yay Me.
60 seconds of jogging? -- I don't think so.
I completed 3 of the intervals before I decided not to push it to much. Hey, I want to be able to improve, right?
I felt good. I had run some. I rock! Until my leg cramped. It wasn't a cramp I had experienced before. Right at the bottom of my leg, across the front of my lower shin and around the back. It was weird. I couldn't move my foot. So I hobbled home. I didn't get my 30 minutes in, but I did some good stretching, and I felt much better.
Last night, instead of walking (or running) I did my new "Biggest Looser" Boot Camp Video. It was fun, lots of squats.
My new plan is to do the C25K program Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and do the Biggest Looser Video on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'll leave Saturdays and Sundays open to try something different, go hiking as a family, or whatever.
Since I've been walking most days for 30 minutes, on Monday, I finally decided to give it a try. Why not, I asked myself? If I can't finish it, I'll just walk the rest of my laps around the neighborhood.
I loaded Robert Ullrey's Week 1 Podcast onto my ipod, tied my shoes and set out.
Five minutes of brisk walking -- easy peasy.
60 seconds of jogging -- not so bad -- I'd done this a little before.
90 seconds of walking -- my shins hurt a little, but I keep going.
60 seconds of jogging -- I can do this.
90 seconds of walking -- walk walk walk
60 seconds of jogging -- just finish this segment, you can do it!
90 seconds of walking -- Yay Me.
60 seconds of jogging? -- I don't think so.
I completed 3 of the intervals before I decided not to push it to much. Hey, I want to be able to improve, right?
I felt good. I had run some. I rock! Until my leg cramped. It wasn't a cramp I had experienced before. Right at the bottom of my leg, across the front of my lower shin and around the back. It was weird. I couldn't move my foot. So I hobbled home. I didn't get my 30 minutes in, but I did some good stretching, and I felt much better.
Last night, instead of walking (or running) I did my new "Biggest Looser" Boot Camp Video. It was fun, lots of squats.
My new plan is to do the C25K program Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and do the Biggest Looser Video on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'll leave Saturdays and Sundays open to try something different, go hiking as a family, or whatever.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Slim In 6 (years mabybe)
Several years ago I bought the "Slim in 6" work out series by Beach Body. It promises a beach ready body in just 6 weeks. Sometimes, I wish that merely making the purchase was enough to see the physical transformation.
The dvd came with three work outs, "Start It Up", "Ramp It Up", and then "Burn It Up". The package included a nice big chart to track your progress. It indicates that you should use the "Start It Up" video for the first three work outs before moving on to the more intense "Ramp It Up" work out. After a couple of weeks you finish off the series with "Burn It Up".
My problem was that I could never make it past the "Start It Up" phase. Several times, I would start my 'six weeks' all gung-ho. I did the "Start It Up" work out as directed by the chart. Then, as directed, I would move onto the "Ramp It Up" workout. I was always a little leery about the warning something like, "It is recommended that you master the Start It Up work out before moving on to the Ramp It Up workout."
I pondered at the definition of "master". Does master mean that I don't pass out before the end of the work out? Does it mean that I don't fall over when I do the squats? Does it mean that I should follow the instructions on the chart, and only do it three times?"
"The chart says three times," I would tell myself. And then I died. Well, not literally of course, but I wanted too, after trying the "Ramp It Up" workout. I never have made it all the way through that workout. It was very discouraging. So I would give up.
It has never made much sense to my why I do such things. Why didn't I just continue on with the "Start It Up" workout for another week or two. I would tell myself, "But the chart says to move on, If I keep doing the 'weenie' video, I'll never make it to "Ramp It Up" before my six weeks is up!"
I'm an engineer for crying out loud, you would think that I could see through my own illogical rantings. I should have been telling myself, "If you quit, you'll never make it through the 'weenie' video, ever!" That's the truth!
Yesterday, I chose to do the "Start It Up" video for my 30 minutes of exercise. I did pretty good, I didn't do all the squats or push-ups, but I completed the video. It felt good. It kinda made me want to jump back on the "Slim in 6" wagon. I was ready to pull out the old chart again. But I didn't. I'm taking it slow. Maybe I'll do the video again tonight, but probably not. I've got others in my collection. If the fog outside clears, I might just go for another walk.
Slim in 6
What I like
On screen clock shows you how much time is left in your work out. I like to watch it and say, "I can do this for another 10 minutes" or "Yay! I'm half way through!"
What I don't like
There isn't really a warm up and cool down/stretching session as part of the work out videos. There is a separate "Slim & Limber" work out which is 15 minutes of stretching. That just seems like extra effort. I want it all at once, included in the work out. It's a weird mental thing.
The dvd came with three work outs, "Start It Up", "Ramp It Up", and then "Burn It Up". The package included a nice big chart to track your progress. It indicates that you should use the "Start It Up" video for the first three work outs before moving on to the more intense "Ramp It Up" work out. After a couple of weeks you finish off the series with "Burn It Up".
My problem was that I could never make it past the "Start It Up" phase. Several times, I would start my 'six weeks' all gung-ho. I did the "Start It Up" work out as directed by the chart. Then, as directed, I would move onto the "Ramp It Up" workout. I was always a little leery about the warning something like, "It is recommended that you master the Start It Up work out before moving on to the Ramp It Up workout."
I pondered at the definition of "master". Does master mean that I don't pass out before the end of the work out? Does it mean that I don't fall over when I do the squats? Does it mean that I should follow the instructions on the chart, and only do it three times?"
"The chart says three times," I would tell myself. And then I died. Well, not literally of course, but I wanted too, after trying the "Ramp It Up" workout. I never have made it all the way through that workout. It was very discouraging. So I would give up.
It has never made much sense to my why I do such things. Why didn't I just continue on with the "Start It Up" workout for another week or two. I would tell myself, "But the chart says to move on, If I keep doing the 'weenie' video, I'll never make it to "Ramp It Up" before my six weeks is up!"
I'm an engineer for crying out loud, you would think that I could see through my own illogical rantings. I should have been telling myself, "If you quit, you'll never make it through the 'weenie' video, ever!" That's the truth!
Yesterday, I chose to do the "Start It Up" video for my 30 minutes of exercise. I did pretty good, I didn't do all the squats or push-ups, but I completed the video. It felt good. It kinda made me want to jump back on the "Slim in 6" wagon. I was ready to pull out the old chart again. But I didn't. I'm taking it slow. Maybe I'll do the video again tonight, but probably not. I've got others in my collection. If the fog outside clears, I might just go for another walk.
Slim in 6
What I like
On screen clock shows you how much time is left in your work out. I like to watch it and say, "I can do this for another 10 minutes" or "Yay! I'm half way through!"
What I don't like
There isn't really a warm up and cool down/stretching session as part of the work out videos. There is a separate "Slim & Limber" work out which is 15 minutes of stretching. That just seems like extra effort. I want it all at once, included in the work out. It's a weird mental thing.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Change: 30 minutes of exercise every day
Drinking more water has gone pretty good. Some days I had to drink it just before going to bed. Most days though I was able to drink the 16 ounces (or more) during the day.
The next 7 days, I will excersize for at least 30 minutes everyday. Just a half hour every day. I'm going to make it really easy on myself and start with walking. I can even break it down into three 10 minutes chunks if I can't get away for 30 minutes at one time.
The next 7 days, I will excersize for at least 30 minutes everyday. Just a half hour every day. I'm going to make it really easy on myself and start with walking. I can even break it down into three 10 minutes chunks if I can't get away for 30 minutes at one time.
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