Normally I don't post until the end of the week, but I have to brag about today. Today my average mph went up to 5.2...that's a whole 1 mph average increase since I started running three weeks ago. Woo-hoo! The best part? When I got to my mile and a half I felt like I could have kept going! If I hadn't been under a time crunch, I could have gone farther at my 6 mph! It was WONDERFUL!
I am also excited because one of the supervisors at work is a physical trainer, and she is drawing up a workout plan for me, focusing on mostly my upper body strength. I'm stoked. I started doing some of the exercises she showed me quickly last night, and I can already feel a difference.
One last thing, I have found that if I go sit in our pool for about 15 minutes after I work out, my muscles don't hurt NEARLY as bad (specifically my elbows which hurt like crazy last week after I started bench pressing). Neal suggested it today, and when we did it today, it helped SO much :)
More after I actually finish working out this week!
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Good news, and bad news
This week is week 2 of my "healthy life" blog, and I have good news and bad news.
Good news first: my running is getting better/faster. On Monday I had a fairly good run, but it was cut short because Neal wasn't feeling well (he accidentally took 2 servings of pre workout rather than 1) so I ran 1.29 miles at an average 4.6 MPH. Wednesday my workout sucked. There is no other word for it. I did a quick workout because Neal still hadn't really recovered from Monday. I had a crappy run, and when the treadmill didn't even give me my workout summary so I could figure out my average, I got so fed up that I stretched and we went home. Today, however, was an AWESOME workout. I ran 1.6 miles at an average 4.8 MPH. That's .7 MPH faster than I was running 2 weeks ago, and .5 MPH faster than I was running a week ago. Boo-yah! I also went up to 10 lb free weights for most of my arm exercises today, which was 5 lbs more than what I was doing. So, at the end of my free weights piece, I was feeling pretty good.
Then, I went over to the bench press...aka the thing I have been avoiding for the last 2 weeks. When I worked out regularly before, I would press 3 sets of 8 at 90 lbs. I decided to use just the bar to get myself worked up, and to show myself that I hadn't lost as much muscle as I secretly knew I had. I kept thinking, "Oh, the bar will be easy and then I can move up quick." WRONG! I did 3 sets of 8 with a standard bar (45 lbs) and could barely get the last set done! What was even worse is that when I was done, I stood up to stretch, and my arms were stiff and would shake any time I tried to push/pull on something. Awesome. My strength has literally been cut in half in my arms.
BUT, being the person that I am, this has just motivated me even more. Here are my goals:
Run 1.5 miles at an average 5.5 MPH (which, mean running actually faster than 5.5 MPH because I include my warm up and cool down in that average).
Be able to do 3 sets of 8 @ 75 lbs on the bench press.
Use 10 lb weights for all of the free weight portion of my workout.
Hooray!
(Can anyone else tell I'm still hyped up on endorphin? Bahahaha!)
Good news first: my running is getting better/faster. On Monday I had a fairly good run, but it was cut short because Neal wasn't feeling well (he accidentally took 2 servings of pre workout rather than 1) so I ran 1.29 miles at an average 4.6 MPH. Wednesday my workout sucked. There is no other word for it. I did a quick workout because Neal still hadn't really recovered from Monday. I had a crappy run, and when the treadmill didn't even give me my workout summary so I could figure out my average, I got so fed up that I stretched and we went home. Today, however, was an AWESOME workout. I ran 1.6 miles at an average 4.8 MPH. That's .7 MPH faster than I was running 2 weeks ago, and .5 MPH faster than I was running a week ago. Boo-yah! I also went up to 10 lb free weights for most of my arm exercises today, which was 5 lbs more than what I was doing. So, at the end of my free weights piece, I was feeling pretty good.
Then, I went over to the bench press...aka the thing I have been avoiding for the last 2 weeks. When I worked out regularly before, I would press 3 sets of 8 at 90 lbs. I decided to use just the bar to get myself worked up, and to show myself that I hadn't lost as much muscle as I secretly knew I had. I kept thinking, "Oh, the bar will be easy and then I can move up quick." WRONG! I did 3 sets of 8 with a standard bar (45 lbs) and could barely get the last set done! What was even worse is that when I was done, I stood up to stretch, and my arms were stiff and would shake any time I tried to push/pull on something. Awesome. My strength has literally been cut in half in my arms.
BUT, being the person that I am, this has just motivated me even more. Here are my goals:
Run 1.5 miles at an average 5.5 MPH (which, mean running actually faster than 5.5 MPH because I include my warm up and cool down in that average).
Be able to do 3 sets of 8 @ 75 lbs on the bench press.
Use 10 lb weights for all of the free weight portion of my workout.
Hooray!
(Can anyone else tell I'm still hyped up on endorphin? Bahahaha!)
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Skinny does not equal healthy
A few years ago I worked out all the time. I was in fairly good shape, and I was fairly strong. I had a goal to pass the police department physical. Then, when I decided I didn't want to be a police officer anymore, I kind of just gave up. I didn't have a goal anymore...and Neal and I started dating so I "didn't have time" anymore. Since then, I have gained about 15 pounds, I'm unbelievably weak, and my asthma and allergies have become worse.
When I got this new job, I found out they have an exercise incentive program; up to 20 hours of paid vacation time every 6 months if you pass a test. You get 5 hours just for trying. We also have a pool in our new apartment complex, and I did NOT like the way I looked in a swimming suit. A couple weeks ago I saw a picture that said "Skinny girls look good in clothes. Fit girls look good naked." I thought to myself, "Ya, I'm skinny. I look good in clothes...the other part though........." I decided I'd had enough. There is one thing in life I have complete control of, and that's how in shape I am. So, those two things combined have kicked my butt into gear.
I'm starting this blog to help keep track of things. I'm getting better at being consistent, and Neal is doing really well at gently helping me decide that I need to go work out, even when I don't want to.
Here are my starting "stats":
August 11, 2012: Run - 1.75 miles @ 4.1 average MPH
Weight - 136 lbs
August 16, 2012: Run - 1.22 miles @ 4.2 average MPH
August 18, 2012: Run - 1.50 miles @ 4.3 average MPH
Sit and Reach - 21
Weight - 136 lbs
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