Tag Archives: workout stats

W5, D4

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OH MY GOD. Not only was today extremely hard, after my first set of plank/side plank my mind yelled this at me: NO. STOP. NO MORE. Really, it was like, like it yelled that at me and there was no room to argue. I had to rest a minute, and I said fuck you, YES. It was a very very hard workout today, and I felt my spirit falter a lot. I was very nauseous at the end of it, and another thing I learned is that I have to wait and recover before I get in the shower. I smelled so bad, I went straight to the shower and was honestly afraid I was going to fall a number of times.

But I did this:

Warm Ups:

  • arm swing/leg swing:  20x each limb
  • spiderman lunges: 20
  • arm raises:  20

ROUTINE:

  • ↑deep squats:  3 sets of 20 (10 toe-touches, 10 regular deep)
  • ↑modified push ups:  3 sets of 12
  • ↑ plank:  3 sets, held for 17 seconds
  • side plank:  3 sets, held for 20 seconds
  • modified burpees:  3 sets of 6
  • bicycle crunches:  30  (easier to do them faster, and form is even better, but i’m really breathless and exhausted after each set!)
  • hip thrusts:  3 sets of 7 held to the count of 10
  • leg raises:  3 sets of 15 on each leg

That loud no was shocking, and hard. It kind of pissed me off, and when I yelled back my fuck you yes I was mad. I kept flagging, wanting to take shortcuts or do the exercises in some half-ass way just to finish, but I talked out loud to myself and said no, don’t cheat yourself. You’re doing all this already, don’t cheat yourself. And I had to do the counting out loud, with ferocity to keep myself going.

To make the schedule work today, with Marc’s patients, I did my workout at 9:30 in his office, in order to get my shower and have the bathroom unhumidified and dried out in time. Unfortunately, at 8 I’d made some eggs with onion and fresh spinach — just 2 eggs, 1/2 T of butter, and a cup of green tea. I think having that food in my stomach so close to my workout didn’t help, and might partially explain my nausea.

But this is all very much an aerobic exercise for me. My heart rate gets very high and stays high and hard, and I pant and feel breathless.

I guess this is why it’s called a workout.

W5, D1

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YIKES.

Warm Ups:

  • arm swing/leg swing:  20x each limb
  • ↑spiderman lunges: 20
  • ↑arm raises:  20  (breathless after these 2 new additions!)

ROUTINE:

  • deep squats:  3 sets of 20 (5 toe-touches, 15 regular deep)
  • ↑modified push ups:  3 sets of 11
  • ↑ plank:  3 sets, held for 16 seconds  really really hard today! had to take a short break before the 3rd set
  • ↑side plank:  3 sets, held for 20 seconds

[i think to myself, i think "really? now the fucking burpees?!"][and note: i think this before each of the 3 sets.] :)

  • ↑modified burpees:  3 sets of 6
  • ↑bicycle crunches:  30 form was not great, i have a lot to do to make this better
  • ↑hip thrusts:  3 sets of 7 held to the count of 10
  • leg raises:  3 sets of 15 on each leg

Today was hard. Seriously. Like, I was kind of nauseous, and it was not fun. That’s OK that it wasn’t fun! It was harder than just a little bit harder, but I did it and if I can do this exact thing again on Wednesday I’ll feel good about that.

My pause between pairs of sets (i.e., burpee/crunch pause burpee/crunch pause) was a little bit longer than usual. My hair is soaked and my shirt is soaked, too. I do not smell good. My form on the crunches needs to be improved, a lot; Marnie, do I do fewer, but with the best form, or 30 with a form that needs work but is at least good enough not to be hurting me? (i.e., I’m not using my neck muscles, I’m using my abs, but my legs are not parallel to the floor, by any means.)

For breakfast I ate 3 eggs, scrambled in butter. I’ve had a lot of water, and I am going to have tuna for lunch. Feeling shaky and exhausted!

edit: for lunch i had a small can of tuna, with chopped onions, lots of pepper, and torn-up fresh spinach. really good!

D19, mutha fuckas!

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I didn’t get to do my strength training until much later than usual — and after meeting Will for a beer, on top of it. I had a Guinness, which I enjoyed the hell out of. And Will too, of course. And then, when I got home?

  • ↑squats — 3 sets of 12; all three without the chair!!! (back rigid, abs clenched!), thinking hard about form.
  • modified push-ups — 3 sets of 10, similar to the last time (i.e., deeper than when I started, but not more than that yet). Actually, as much as anything else, it’s my weak ex-broken wrist that makes this as hard as it is. I feel that wrist starting to get weaker as the push-ups go on. It doesn’t hurt, it just isn’t strong.
  • ↑plank — 3 sets, held for 12 seconds(!). I held very good form, and it was extremely hard and extremely great. I love doing this, and I think the whole time “don’t cheat yourself, hold it well, count that full last second, don’t cheat yourself.”
  • ↑modified side plank — using the modified side plank from the physio link you gave me, Marnie, I lifted from my knees. I can do it, it’s hard but I can, and I held it for 12 second, 3 times (each side, of course).
  • hip thrusts — 3 sets of 5, held to the count of 10. Very very hard, my thighs were burning and my butt was burning too. That last one, #5, killer. And I do it.
  • leg raises — 3 sets of 15 on each leg. I alternate pointing my toe and flexing my foot, just to mix it up. :)

D16

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Confession: Yesterday I ate a package of peeps (yellow!) and half a carton of chocolate-covered marshmallow eggs. And I did not care about it, I just enjoyed them. Last night I had stir-fried shrimp, mushrooms, fresh green beans, bamboo shoots, ginger, and garlic. Yum. Today? Back on the good food wagon all day, with appreciation for both peeps and good food.

Today:

  • modified squats — 3 sets of 12; I did both the 2nd and 3rd set without the chair (back rigid, abs clenched!), thinking hard about form.
  • modified push-ups — 3 sets of 10, similar to the last time (i.e., deeper than when I started, but not more than that yet).
  • plank — held for 11 seconds. Today was a little whisper less hard than on Saturday, but it’s still quite hard.
  • side plank — still not up, held for 11 seconds and my hip still just was a hair from the floor. I have no idea what needs to get stronger to be able to do side plank; it feels so far-away impossible for me right now. hmm.
  • hip thrusts — 3 sets of 5 held to the count of 10. Very very hard, my thighs were burning and my butt was burning too.
  • leg raises — 3 sets of 15 on each leg.

This was the first time I wasn’t hopping around itching to do the workout. I didn’t have to push myself (and to the degree I did, I knew that once I changed into my workout clothes and got started, I’d be so glad). So while it wasn’t a ‘no,’ it’s also the first time without a ‘now? now? can i do it now?’ Just noting.

D9

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strength training workout this morning:

  • modified squats — 3 sets of 12 (next time replace one set without the chair)
  • modified push-ups — 3 sets of 10
  • plank — held for 10 seconds (!). I think I held very good form, and/but my back was starting to hurt at the end of the 3rd, lower back approaching a spasm.
  • side plank — not up yet, but held for 11 seconds and my hip was a hair from the floor
  • hip thrusts — 3 sets of 4 held to the count of 10
  • leg raises — 3 sets of 15 on each leg

I forget where I am in terms of how many sets I’ve done. I may have done an extra set of the last two exercises; I wanted to err on the side of more rather than less. I need to keep a pad and pen near me from now on, unless/until my memory improves.

This morning for breakfast, I had 2 hardboiled eggs and an apple. Lunch will be blackeyed peas with fresh spinach stirred in, and some sliced roasted chicken. Good for me!

D6

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Exercise

Yesterday I rested from exercise, but I did walk a good bit. I’d planned to do some light yoga but the day got away from me with work, and I had a one-hour meeting in midtown plus I had writing group in the evening so I had to focus and get some work done. But that’s ok; it was meant to be a rest day anyway.

To stay on my revised schedule, this morning I did 30 minutes of flexibility yoga (followed by 15 minutes of meditation) and BOY am I inflexible. What’s so striking is how severely limited I am on my left side; I did the inverted triangle pose (I think that’s the name of it) just fine on the right side, and simply could not do it on the left. I had no idea how severe this limitation is. I see it in my warmups too, of course. Also, downward dog is hard, which feels bad because I used to be able to do it without any trouble. Now, my heels can’t touch the floor, I shake while I hold it, and I get out of breath.

Another profound limitation here at the beginning is strength in my back; I knew this one, and have suffered lower back pain for a long time. The flexibility yoga workout focuses a good bit on back flexibility, preparing for inverted poses. I can’t do the preparation poses, even with blocks or chairs. It’s frustrating, and a little discouraging, but luckily pain stops me from pushing myself beyond what I should be doing. At least now, at least today, I’m frustrated and a little discouraged but patient with myself. I have to start somewhere, and that’s where I am now.

Eating is my major challenge at this point, but I’m in discussions with my trainer about it. :) YAY for trainers.

Body image

This morning I put on a sports bra and yoga pants (with the wide waistband folded down), stood in front of a white wall, set up the camera on the tripod, closed my eyes, and took two photos: one front view, and one side view. I even looked at them before I filed them away in a folder on my computer, promising myself not to look at them again for one month, when I’ll take another set. It was kind of hard, but you know, it wasn’t as awful as I thought it would be (success!). I kind of knew how I looked, and it probably helped that I’ve lost a bit of weight over the last couple of weeks, and I could see some bits that were ok — I have a small waist compared to my bust and hips. I like that.

Again today, as every day since I started this change, I dressed. I didn’t just get dressed, I dressed. I put together an outfit (black skirt and tights, white camisole, light gray sweater, plus my garnet wedding necklace and earrings), moisturized my face and put a bit of eyeliner and mascara on, and fixed my hair (a french braid across the front continuing to braid the rest). A couple days ago I looked around YouTube for hair tutorial videos and found a few really good ones that would work for my hair. I feel kind of tender towards myself about all this; these are the things teenagers learn, and I’m 52.

Anyway, I think I look good. It’s easier to stand up straight, for a whole bunch of reasons.

D4

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strength training workout this morning:

  • modified squats — 3 sets of 10
  • modified push-ups — 3 sets of 10
  • plank — held for 7 seconds
  • side plank — not up yet, but held for 11 seconds and my hip was a hair from the floor
  • hip thrusts — 3 sets of 4 held to the count of 10
  • leg raises — 3 sets of 15 on each leg

I’m out of breath but my muscles feel better!

REMEMBER THIS: i felt so much better after i did this.

 

D3: 4.12.11

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30 minutes of strength-training yoga with Rodney Yee; I can’t do the side stretch pose, at all. I started having real trouble in sequence 3. In downward facing dog, my heels cannot touch the mat, and I can never touch my feet / ankles / the floor in any extension.  Ended with 15 additional minutes of guided meditation.

*****

One thing Marnie does when she wants to make a change is to set a restricted time frame — that’s an upside down way compared to how I’ve always done it. The easiest example relates to weight loss: I’m dieting until I lose X pounds. Well hell, who knows how long that might take, and there’s no good end in sight. Just a long string of days without. But with Marnie’s way, I find myself thinking well hell, I can do anything for X days!

So this commitment to myself lasts through the end of August, period. I can do anything for 3 months, right? The week I’m in Turkey I probably won’t be maintaining my routine, so I’m anticipating that without recrimination. When I get back, I’ll just do my daily thing.

D2: 4.11.11

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Exercise:

warmups, 20 each arms/legs

  • modified squats: 3 sets of 10 (the last set was nearly too much)
  • pushups: 3 sets of 10
  • plank: 3 sets, 6 seconds
  • side plank: 3 sets, 10 seconds but not up yet
  • hip thrust: 3 sets of 20 (really out of breath in the middle of 2nd set)
  • leg raise: 3 sets of 20 both legs (out of breath and shaky in the 2nd set)

hip stretch relaxation plus child’s pose