Monday, August 30, 2010
So I am flipping thru the new issue of SHAPE magazine and discover some really easy recipes with 6 ingredients or less! I don't cook very well. My prerequisite for any recipe is preferably 5 ingredients or less, but I am willing to add 1 more item if the finished product is worth it. Saw this recipe for pasta and spinach leaves. I thought you could only eat spinach leaves like in a salad. Who knew you could cook this stuff? Anyways the spinach leaves cook down with tomatoes etc; then you put it in the cooked pasta. I am going to try this out this week. Will let you know how that goes. The magazine gives you a shopping list for the whole week of recipes. They have a list of what they consider 'standard' pantry fare...let's just say my pantry is lacking.
On the last page of the mag, they feature a reader and their weight/health journey. The Gym Virgin has her sights set on that little feature page. Let me tell you. Not today, but some day.
Did some walking today. Must do better tomorrow. About to do some lunges before going to bed. They help with balance. My balance is just awful.
Laters!
P.S. I just noticed the day counter is on 288! Time is definitely marching on. Just yesterday it was in the 300s.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
I want to invite you to click on the "follow" link on the left and join the "I am following the Gym Virgin" team! Takes about 2 minutes or less to do. Post your picture! I will enjoy 'meeting' you. Also please feel free to hit the "f" button below, after each blog, and share this on your facebook page. The comments I get some days are the only thing that makes me move my happy self to the gym or outside. BELIEVE ME, I NEED YOU GUYS!!!!!!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Turns out I got my Thursdays mixed up. My trainer is NEXT Thursday. So today I went to the gym with Keshia and Jasmine. I did the treadmill hill climbing program. It had a 7.5% incline at 2.0 mph. I was holding on for dear life people. Sweat was pouring off me. Was a 15 minute program. Then I went to recumbent bike and did the mountain climbing deal on it. 15 minutes there. This program goes up and down continuously. Just when you think the mountain is over, BAM here it comes again. All in all, good workout!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Am doing more weights at home today! Once you get used to the 5 lb weights, it is really not so bad. And it doesn't take that much time.
I was thinking today about all the things I have said "no" to because I didn't think I would fit. All the times I made up excuses because I didn't think I would fit. All the times I let life pass me by, because I didn't think I would fit.
1. Was in Georgia for a conference, my friend Kathi wanted me to go downtown with her to see the musical "Wicked". Worried about theater seats.
2. Fishing with Husband.
3. Restaurants that have booths and do not offer tables.
4. Going to see my sister on Southwest Airlines.
5. Taking a back seat whereever I go because I don't want to block anyone.
6. Not getting a pedicure because of the elevated spa chairs.
7. Not going to the mall, because it wore me out.
8. Not going to Arkansas Razorback football games or similiar events.
9. Not going to see my niece play soccer in Little Rock.
and the list goes on and on.
PEOPLE, THE WORD "NOT"IS NO LONGER IN MY VOCABULARY.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Husband and I get out there about 7:00. Kids, I have to say and I can't believe I am saying it but IT WAS MUCH EASIER THIS TIME OVER LAST MONTH! Do you believe it? I am not saying it was not hard. I am just saying I died a little less this time. We went over 1/2 way across. Course I was dripping wet with sweat, but I wasn't passing out like last time.
Laters!
Update on thursday training. had to reschedule to this coming week. Talked to Keshia who had her one on one with Rambo. She said he was of a totally different mindset i.e. she worked her butt off for the hour. Did alot of floor exercises and free weight lifting deals.
Told the husband I am going to the Big Dam bridge tonight. I want to be on top of the bridge at sunset. I want to take pictures of the sun meeting the water. Naturally, husband thinks I won't be safe, so he says for the good of the cause he is going to drag his happy self up the Big Dam bridge with me. He has to be my protector. Which is ok, as I like being protected:) Is he a trooper or what? Anyways, pictures to follow of this later today/tonight.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Well today I took a discretionary day from work i.e. the Gym Virgin calls this a I just wanna have fun and do nothing day! So that is what I did. First stop mani/pedi shop. I don't know what the heck that little guy is saying to me and I don't really care as long as he makes my hands and feet look cute. Then I went to the fat lady store to remind myself why I hated it. I walked around. Vowed to never be this again and left. Then took my happy self over to another much cuter trendier store and tried on clothes. I tried on everything. I did not buy anything. I could really see some difference in the shirts. There was one that was a deep red. The front had some kind of design thing on it, but it was the back that I liked. At the top, probably about 2 inches from the neckline and going down about 6 inches, it was cut into strips. The slashes run side to side. It sounds awful, but boy was it cute. Saw a lime green jacket that I loved!!!! Am promising myself something new by my birthday in October.
Was going to go to gym, but NOT. So I have been a lazy Gym Virgin all day long. Will probably get my fluffy butt kicked tomorrow night by Rambo during our training hour.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Today is the start of a new week! I am at home working. Am doing the weight training book I told you about last week. Doing it in 10 minutes sections as time permits. Will get in 3 segments by 6:00. Then I am doing a step up and down deal on this little step up bench that I have had under the couch for 6 years. It is an aerobic step up bench deal. I am going to do step ups during commercials tonight when I am watching my recording of Mad Men. (Can I just say here that I adore Don Draper? If you don't watch this, you should:) That should be all total another 20 minutes. Doing what I can kids.
I am not where I want to be; but I am better than I used to be; and I am not as good as I am going to be!
Let's keep it moving...Later!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
I have been doing this for 2 months today! I have not always been good. However, I have never, EVER, done exercise this long in my entire life! I lost 3 more pounds this month; making a total of 6 lbs all together. I wish I had measured inches when I started, but I didn't.
My workout pants are baggy AND Friday I wore jeans that I haven't had on my fluffy butt in 2 years! Unbelievable. I am beginning to think I might just really and truly do this.
See pics below, at bottom of page!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Today, I would like to introduce you to my new trainer, Mr. Paris Star AKA Rambo. Yes, I have hired a trainer whose name sounds like an adult movie title...AND I THINK HE IS FREAKING AWESOME!!!! He is efficient. He emails me to confirm our sessions. I like that. He has a plan for me. I like that. He is willing to modify when needed. I like that. He is high energy. I like that. Now, of course, my opinions may all change after this Thursday when it is one on one time...just the Gym Virgin and Rambo. Last Thursday I had Keshia there with me and I could 'rest' when Rambo was concentrating on her. We'll see.
Upcoming Events...
October 16th is the Susan B. Komen walk/run. Have been talked into participating in this.
December 4th is the Jingle Bell Rock walk/run. Have recruited April, Keshia, and Takisha for team Gym Virgin! If you would like to be a member of team Gym Virgin, let me know!
(This is just blowing my mind I am even talking about walk/run events. Two months ago I would not have believed it. If I can do this, believe me friends, anybody can. Of course, I will do just about anything for a free T-shirt!)
Tomorrow is August 15th! Month 2 is coming to a close.I will post the new weigh in totals and new picture.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Just came from the gym with Rambo trainer for my first session. My friend, Keshia, went to the session as well. On the way to the gym I am playing the Rocky theme over and over in my head. I am pumped, ready to go. Woo Hoo it is trainer time!
Fast forward one hour and I am hurting like I never have in my life. I wobbled to my car and wondered if I even had the strength to drive it home.
People, I am telling you I HAVE BEEN TRAINED!!!! First thing we did was to go upstairs and do a warm up i.e. 10 minutes on the treadmill. Then we go downstairs to the weight room. Rambo likes to work the top of the body, then the middle, then the bottom. Now Rambo had scientific names for this like quads and abs and all that crap but you get the idea. We get to the weight bench or bench press. I told him I have alot of trouble with balance. Laying on that skinny bench like to have killed by back, plus I thought I was going to fall off. If my butt weren't so fluffy, then my feet could have touched the floor. Rambo said we would modify. I have learned 'modify' is a key word.
We go up the stairs to a machine bench press and I did that for 10 reps. Next we go back down stairs and get out the balance ball. The idea was to lay on that and do sit ups. No can do. The Gym Virgin rolled off the ball onto the floor and had to do a contortion to get back off the floor. At this juncture, I believe Rambo is getting the picture of my abilities. He has an excel spreadsheet of my proposed workout plan. He is marking it everytime I do something, the reps, how much weight, etc. He is also going to calculate what my heart rate should be.
Next we do several weight lift deals with our arms, 10 reps each side. Rambo says we do this in front of the mirror for motivation. All I can say is you haven't lived until you are exercising in front of a full length mirror. Rambo said I was to look in the mirror and FOCUS. Turns out I tend to look at the floor. Rambo says I can't do that.
Then we did lunges. I held onto Rambo's shoulder for this. In the future, he says I will not get to hold on to him but will instead use hand weights while lunging. Lunges were 10 reps each side.
Next more weight deals where you hold the weight and bend over and lean down to your knee. 10 reps each side. Rambo says not to move your hips but keep them still and bend from the waist. He also says not to lock your arms. He talks alot about muscle safety and not hurting yourself. At this point, I literally thought I was going to throw up. I felt nauseaous. We stopped for about a minute. He says this is 'pause for a cause'. Then we did breathing stretches, inhale...exhale. Surprisingly this helped alot. Husband used to tell me how he threw up during football practise back in the day. I totally get that now.
Next we go upstairs and did leg strengthening machine where you push yourself backwards with your legs. 10 reps. We did some more stuff, but my brain hurts and I can't remember.
We talked about the Big Dam Bridge and Rambo says we will go there and go over that thing. Turns out he runs that all the time with the girlfriend. That just figures.
It is now straight up 7:00 and my hour is over. NOT!!!! We then have to go to the aerobics room and do cool down stretches. We stretched, we shook it out, we bent, we curved, we worked it all out.
Kids, I have to tell you after tonight, the thought of eating anything non healthy makes me ill. I mean why would I do all that work just to mess it up with wrong food???
Rambo and I will be meeting every other Thursday to start. Will start 1 week from tonight. If I can live to tell about it, I think this will be a real good thing.:)
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Am in a very I-don't-even-know-what-kind-of-a-mood. I feel whaleish. It's too hot for anything. I am doing weights (5 lbs) with a book I have had for ages. Something called Kim Lyons' Your body, your life. It has different paths in it for the weights. Sister recommended it several years ago. Anyways that is tonight's deal. It is really a good book. Tomorrow night is my 1 hour session with the trainer dude. I am really looking forward to it actually. Hard to believe, but I am. Sorry for being such a debbie downer tonight. I told my friend, Keshia I was kind of afraid of the trainer. And she said, "Don't be afraid, be ready!" I like that. I made a copy of the saying and put in on my desk. Because I am ready. I just want ready to happen alot quicker than it is.
Later.
Monday, August 9, 2010
4:12 pm
Because I work at home on Mon/Tues now, I went up at noon to the senior center to sign up for their gym. The cost is like $ 16 period for the rest of the year. Senior center is for people 50 and over. They have ellipticals, bikes, tread mills, and a sitting down elliptical deal. Now the down side is they are only open till 6:30 pm. So I am going to have to bust it to get up there when I get off at 5:30. Should be able to do 30-40 minutes up there on these two at home days. It is so freaking hot outside I just don't see any other option at this point.
6:45 pm
Went to gym. Did the sitting down elliptical deal for 25 minutes. did the mtn range program with a resistance of up to 14. covered 4.25 miles. let me tell you this is h-a-r-d for the Gym Virgin. Then I did 5 minutes on the treadmill to cool down. Then the place closed up. My head hurts today. I feel dizzy. Later.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Well it is 4 days until D-Day with my Rambo trainer. I have never had a housekeeper, but I have heard people say they clean up their house before the housekeeper gets there so it won't look so bad. I get that now. I am going to go into workout overdrive for the next 4 days! I mean, come on, from what I can tell trainer guy is going to kill me. I need a fighting chance.
On another note, I am more convinced than ever that I need to come up with a line of workout wear for the fluffy. I mean, let's face it even socks leave rings on my ankles. I hate that! It cuts off circulation i.e. ankle swells. I don't know how to get started in something like this, but I definitely have ideas on what is needed.
I was in Academy of Sports this week (which by the way does not have one single, solitary item for the fluffy workout person) and they had a line of Nike gym bags all lined up across the front of the store. They were all either black, navy, or a combination of those two boring colors. My vision is to see gym bags lined up across the front of the store in lime green, blazing orange, lemon tree yellow, peacock blue, cotton candy pink, ruby red, etc all with the logo 'Gym Virgin' blaring across the front of it. or maybe "I am a Gym Virgin" across the front. Whatya think?
Also in the Academy of Sports I perused the bike aisle. The bikes are up on displays above the floor and in most cases above your head. The bikes are predictable bikey colors. Why can't there be a display of bikes in colors like the gym bags I want? Why can't they have the bikes displayed in a circle format. By that I mean the bikes could be in a pinwheel format that would be visually stimulating and create a klaidescope of color and would have to promote more interest than what they have now.
WHERE'S THE COLOR PEOPLE????? I LIKE MY WORLD IN BOLD, VIVID COLOR.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Well kids, I have fallen off the wagon or have I gotten on the wagon? Well, either way (insert sad face here) I did not exercise today AND I went out to eat AND I ate chinese food AND last night I had pizza. I know, I know, I know. I just want to keep it honest and real here. I feel like a pig. What was I thinking? Now I will have to work twice as hard to make up for this horrible lapse in judgment. AGH!!!!
From time to time when I come upon a terrific workout find, I will share it with you guys. Today's find is the neatest little watch ever. It is a one piece rubber deal that comes in all colors (solids, tie dye, two toned, glitter, gold, silver, bronze), is lightweight, waterproof, and the one I picked will glow in the dark. How cool is that??? I picked the neon green. They are all $ 20-22 and come in 3 sizes. The reason I like it is it will allow me to keep up with my time. Dripping sweating will not affect it and if I fall out on the floor... the watch will not break! Add to that it is just so darned cute. To go to the website, just click on the picture of my watch.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Well today I go down to case the "spinning" room. Tomorrow is the day for the class. The instructor is there. Her name is Anna. Before I knew what was happening, she had me weighing and then was showing me the spin bikes. Now people I was not prepared for that at all. I was down there on my break.
These spin bikes are on a pedastal thing. Anna jumps onto the bike from the rear. MEANING SHE JUMPED FROM THE FLOOR, OVER THE SEAT, AND ONTO THE BIKE. And then she said "you try it." I said Anna are you freaking kidding me? I was looking for a way to lean the bike over so I could get my leg over the middle bar. I couldn't even move the bike it was so heavy. So Anna gets behind and starts shoving my fluffy butt up and over the bar and boom bada bing I am on the bike. Do you have any idea what it is like to have someone you have just met grabbing your butt? Once up there on mt everest bike, I couldn't get down. I could not reach the floor. I had to hold onto to Anna, lean sideways, and literally fall off the bike. My hair was already sweating wet. I can see how I would lose weight on that thing. Crap, I could never get off. I made an executive decision and told Anna I don't think I am ready for spinning at this point in time. I figure if you can't get on and off a machine by yourself, then maybe, just maybe, you are not ready for it.
Go back to my desk and see we got an email from someone who works at the company and is also a trainer. He charges $ 10 for one hour. First session is free. I sent him an email that said:
I would like to try a session on Thursday August 12. I am 53. Need to lose 150 lbs. and have only been exercising with any regularity for 48 days. Also bear in mind I tend to whine...a lot. Assume you will be tough. Also I tell everything on my blog. I will probably post your workout spreadsheet (if ok with you) on there. My blog followers cheer me on. This also goes on facebook. I have already told two people over here about you and they agree I should be the guinea pig on this deal.If any of the above has not scared you off, I will see you on August 12.Is 6:00 ok? Let me know.P.S. I have a sense of humor and hope you do as well.
Well, he sent me back the following proposed list of what we will cover in our session. I think the guy must be ex-military. I think I have hired Rambo.
Upper Body
Bench Press
Lateral Raise
Bicep Curl
Scapular Depressor (this sounds painful)
front/side raise
Mid Body
Abs-hip lift
6 Inches
2 Leg Kick outs
Over head Oblique
Weighted Obliques
Planks ( as in walk the plank, what the crap)
Scissors
Reach Crunch
Back-Mountain Climber
Low Back Raise
One Sided Dumbell Pick up
Low Back Machine
Lower Body
All Four Raised (what am I going to be raising here???)
Leg Press
Lunge
Dumbell Squat
Quad Machine
Toe Raise
Cardio
Elliptical (the devil machine)
Jogging
Aerobics
Bicycle
Walking
Stretch
Nowhere on this list do I see the words, BREAK AND LET FLUFFY WOMAN BREATHE.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
LET'S GIVE EM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT...By Miss Bonnie Raitt. Now that is what I am talking about at 7:06 in the am! Am working at home 2 days a week now. TOTALLY SWEET. Sweat is dripping, feet are tapping, have walked 1/2 mile. plan to do another round at lunch today at 1:45.................WOOHOO let's get this Tuesday started!
Monday, August 2, 2010
Well it is only 125 degrees out there. LOL Was a little overcast. Walked around my block. Did a little more than 1/2 mile. Found this snazzy moisture wicking headband online. Definitely ordering one tonight. Wish it was bright green or orange. But oh well.
Husband has grilled chicken. and I don't even want a bite. just water. just some fruit. BTW went to the Sonic and got a water with cherry flavoring. SWEET! during happy hour it was only 49 cents. Man, I love a deal!
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