It seems I have gotten into a pattern of at least working out on Tuesdays. This week not so much. Sometime after our "holiday" luncheon on Friday my stomache started feeling crampy. More of a dull pain than anything else. I didn't think much of it. Well on Saturday I was out with a friend for lunch and the pain came back with a punch. A very sharp cramping type pain. After a long nap in the afternoon it seemed to disipate. Sunday I felt OK - even had a friend over for dinner and seemed to be better. I assumed it must have been something I ate at the luncheon and that was that. NOPE! Monday morning the pain was back and has been nagging me ever since. The non-medical diagnosis? Stress. So one would think that getting out and working out would be the best solution. But instead I have opted for warm tea, heating pads, and sleep. It seems to be working. We shall see.
However I do need to get back on that workout band wagon...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
11 punds down
I don't like the WW@W scale as much as the one in my bathroom. Or it could be that 6am in the morning it just reads a little better than 11am. None the less I am moving forward at a reasonable pace. I know others had great success right off the bat. Which is great for them. Me, I am enjoying this slower pace. Plus I know a lot of it has to do with changes in my exercise regime.
Which brings me to a bit of an observation. This year was my year to focus on my physical activity. Most people know that I am all about sitting down reading a book and taking a test. I can make all sorts of time to study. And I have done that over a number of years - degree, designations, licenses... So this year was the get off the couch, get out from behind the desk, get away from the library year. And I struggled with it. I had guilt most of the time. That I was wasting time foucsing on myself. Putting other things on the back burner. Trying to get a balance. And it has recently been pointed out to me. And not in a good way. I was floored - some will even say truly upset. And it finally hit me - I did exactly what I set out to do - swam that pool, peddled my ass up that damned hill and even started trying to run. The next goal - to not let others get to me when I need to take care of myself... Not to guilt me into thinking taking care of myself is less important than their agendas. Ahhh- this one may be even toughter than running. Wish me luck.
Which brings me to a bit of an observation. This year was my year to focus on my physical activity. Most people know that I am all about sitting down reading a book and taking a test. I can make all sorts of time to study. And I have done that over a number of years - degree, designations, licenses... So this year was the get off the couch, get out from behind the desk, get away from the library year. And I struggled with it. I had guilt most of the time. That I was wasting time foucsing on myself. Putting other things on the back burner. Trying to get a balance. And it has recently been pointed out to me. And not in a good way. I was floored - some will even say truly upset. And it finally hit me - I did exactly what I set out to do - swam that pool, peddled my ass up that damned hill and even started trying to run. The next goal - to not let others get to me when I need to take care of myself... Not to guilt me into thinking taking care of myself is less important than their agendas. Ahhh- this one may be even toughter than running. Wish me luck.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
22 minutes
I went a little over a mile.
And met the neighbor that owns Massage Envy.
My ears got way too cold. I wore the "Ali McGraw" hat as my mom calls it -cute but the wind whips right through and into my ears. Next time back to the Eddie Bauer ear thingy.
Oh and I wore my "beer mittens" as I call them - I have had them forever and they came in handy over the college years in New England drinking beer outside.
They still do a pretty good job of keeping hands warm.
The layers help too....
Now for some Pacey (old habits die hard)
And met the neighbor that owns Massage Envy.
My ears got way too cold. I wore the "Ali McGraw" hat as my mom calls it -cute but the wind whips right through and into my ears. Next time back to the Eddie Bauer ear thingy.
Oh and I wore my "beer mittens" as I call them - I have had them forever and they came in handy over the college years in New England drinking beer outside.
They still do a pretty good job of keeping hands warm.
The layers help too....
Now for some Pacey (old habits die hard)
but didn't go!!!!
this 33 degree weather is making me miserable...
i either want to climb into a hot tub and then roll right into a warm wbed with extra blankets
going to the gym just sounded miserable to me
oddly enough i think i am going to bundle up and go outside
an if you can't beat em join em approach
i know that by doing that i will have lots of layers and be warm and when i come back inside it will feel nice and toasty in the house
and it will just in time for fringe and i can curl up on the floor with the big fuzy blanket and the little guy to stay warm...
OK - i am off....
i either want to climb into a hot tub and then roll right into a warm wbed with extra blankets
going to the gym just sounded miserable to me
oddly enough i think i am going to bundle up and go outside
an if you can't beat em join em approach
i know that by doing that i will have lots of layers and be warm and when i come back inside it will feel nice and toasty in the house
and it will just in time for fringe and i can curl up on the floor with the big fuzy blanket and the little guy to stay warm...
OK - i am off....
Packed the gym bag
Last week I unpacked the gym bag for my road trip for work. I realised as I yucked the contents out that it had actually been some time since the items in the gym bag had been used...
So this morning at 4:47am when I couldn't sleep I started thinking of all the various walks and runs I could do arounf 6am when my alarm went off. Of course I fell back to sleep and at 6am the cold weather did not beckon. I think it is colder today than yesterday.
So as I hit the snooze button I made a little pact with myself. I keep saying I want to go to the gym during the work day. Do 30 minutes on the treadmill or bike just to get some stress out. It always sounds so appealing. However the stress someone becomes counter-productive and keeps me glued to my desk. Well last week was a hellacious week of culminated stress so I today I have packed the bag.
OK I still need to throw my lockin and some socks and towel but pretty much it is packed.
And my goal is to head over there around 11am and do 30 minutes - hey maybe even 2 miles - wouldn't that be a hoot.
We shall see how it goes..
I haven't officially signed up for the Turkey Trot yet. The finance monster is haunting me - do you really need to pay $20 to go out the South Park and run/walk 5 miles? Is that really necessary? You could just do it on your own. Ahhh - I so live my profession... And of course the occassional introvert throws in the crowds argument. So we shall see what I decide to do.
A co-worker is doing this race and a Christmas one. I should really just sign up already.
But for now I need to finish getting ready for work.
Have I mentioned how cold it is out there??? bbrrrrrr....
So this morning at 4:47am when I couldn't sleep I started thinking of all the various walks and runs I could do arounf 6am when my alarm went off. Of course I fell back to sleep and at 6am the cold weather did not beckon. I think it is colder today than yesterday.
So as I hit the snooze button I made a little pact with myself. I keep saying I want to go to the gym during the work day. Do 30 minutes on the treadmill or bike just to get some stress out. It always sounds so appealing. However the stress someone becomes counter-productive and keeps me glued to my desk. Well last week was a hellacious week of culminated stress so I today I have packed the bag.
OK I still need to throw my lockin and some socks and towel but pretty much it is packed.
And my goal is to head over there around 11am and do 30 minutes - hey maybe even 2 miles - wouldn't that be a hoot.
We shall see how it goes..
I haven't officially signed up for the Turkey Trot yet. The finance monster is haunting me - do you really need to pay $20 to go out the South Park and run/walk 5 miles? Is that really necessary? You could just do it on your own. Ahhh - I so live my profession... And of course the occassional introvert throws in the crowds argument. So we shall see what I decide to do.
A co-worker is doing this race and a Christmas one. I should really just sign up already.
But for now I need to finish getting ready for work.
Have I mentioned how cold it is out there??? bbrrrrrr....
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Stretching
So I almost forgot... The whole massage thing - they try to get you to commmit to coming back on a regular basis... Hey if I knew where the economy was going maybe I would but...
She pointed out all the parts of my body that were tight.
The shoulders - yeh I know that would be work stress...
The glutes - yeh that would be where I hold a bunch of other stress...
The hamstrings - oooppsss haven't been stretching as much as I should...
So she runs through the whole thing about subject to injury and I think of JC.
That's right she has told me time and again I need to keep stretching to keep from getting injured.
OK - I need to work that back into my list of things to do...
She pointed out all the parts of my body that were tight.
The shoulders - yeh I know that would be work stress...
The glutes - yeh that would be where I hold a bunch of other stress...
The hamstrings - oooppsss haven't been stretching as much as I should...
So she runs through the whole thing about subject to injury and I think of JC.
That's right she has told me time and again I need to keep stretching to keep from getting injured.
OK - I need to work that back into my list of things to do...
Massage was NICE!
I suppose I could expand on it but that pretty much sums it up.
I went in there feeling like a ball of nerves. All tense ready to scream or cry.
And I feel a little more human now. I hope the remainder of the weekend proves to improve my mood.
If only a massage could do the same for the market.
I went in there feeling like a ball of nerves. All tense ready to scream or cry.
And I feel a little more human now. I hope the remainder of the weekend proves to improve my mood.
If only a massage could do the same for the market.
Around town...
This is the first Saturday I have not worked in 3 weeks... I so need to stay home... And that is an understatement... Sleeping in would have been nice but I inevitably wake up around 6:30/7. It has been raining since yesterday so the little guy and I stuck our heads out the front door. Turned out to be warm and breezy. Kind of reminded me of Bermuda - the humidity from the rain usually does that for me. We tinkered around for a bit with the coffee, facebook, absolute radio, emails, laundry. And I ultimately found the motivation to get out of the house...
I did the mile loop around the neighborhood, out of the neighborhood to the left (making sure my keys were in the velcro pocket) for the mile loop, past the neighborhood toward the post office for the other mile loop. Somewhere in there it started to rain. I ducked into CVS to get/stay dry. Hung out there for a bit (kind of threw my pace off). And headed home.
I could have gone longer. I really needed to pound the pavement to get some of this stress out.
But this pending rain and non-waterproof windbreaker were not cutting it.
So now I am home, in dry clothes and looks like the sun is coming out.
OH what I wouldn't do for a warm afternoon in the sun. I will bundle myself up with a good book and read on the front porch with my afternoon. The exercise and ultraviolets should do wonders for my mood.
And if not, maybe the deep tissue massage at noon will help.
One can only hope!
I did the mile loop around the neighborhood, out of the neighborhood to the left (making sure my keys were in the velcro pocket) for the mile loop, past the neighborhood toward the post office for the other mile loop. Somewhere in there it started to rain. I ducked into CVS to get/stay dry. Hung out there for a bit (kind of threw my pace off). And headed home.
I could have gone longer. I really needed to pound the pavement to get some of this stress out.
But this pending rain and non-waterproof windbreaker were not cutting it.
So now I am home, in dry clothes and looks like the sun is coming out.
OH what I wouldn't do for a warm afternoon in the sun. I will bundle myself up with a good book and read on the front porch with my afternoon. The exercise and ultraviolets should do wonders for my mood.
And if not, maybe the deep tissue massage at noon will help.
One can only hope!
Hotel Gyms
I would have to say over the past 4 years of traveling with this job one thing that has been consistent is my ability or willingness to get up and go to the gym. Even before the triathlon thing I would bring sneaks and a swimsuit to use the treadmill and pool at the hotels I stayed at. I forced myself out of my comfort zone in and amongst the strangers and worked up a sweat.
I haven't been on an overnight client visit since this summer so this week's trip took some coordinating. I didn't have my travel toiletry bag stocked and my Kipling travel bag was filled with gym stuff. So I had to shuffle a bit about. Kind of like riding a bike, it all came back to me and worked out wonderfully.
My cell phone alarm went off at 6am, I rolled out of the big king size bed and into my workout clothes, threw on the sneaks and walked down the hall to the gym. Not having worked out a while in the AM, I took it slow. I did a little over a mile 1.06 to be exact in 16 minutes - pace is still the same and still throwing runs and jogs in there.
To top it off... I had time before my dinner plans on Tuesday night... Would you believe I went back and did more!? I did another 3.5 miles. I felt GREAT!!! At the end of it all.
Of course I did not roll out of bed on the same timely basis on Wednesday. And I drove until 9ish so there wa no workout when I got home.
Thursday was just as bleak.
And Friday - gosh I needed to work it out - instead I opted for beer and pizza.
I travel again the first week of December. I should cross check my schedule and hotel gyms to make sure I pound some treadmill while I am out there in MS.
I haven't been on an overnight client visit since this summer so this week's trip took some coordinating. I didn't have my travel toiletry bag stocked and my Kipling travel bag was filled with gym stuff. So I had to shuffle a bit about. Kind of like riding a bike, it all came back to me and worked out wonderfully.
My cell phone alarm went off at 6am, I rolled out of the big king size bed and into my workout clothes, threw on the sneaks and walked down the hall to the gym. Not having worked out a while in the AM, I took it slow. I did a little over a mile 1.06 to be exact in 16 minutes - pace is still the same and still throwing runs and jogs in there.
To top it off... I had time before my dinner plans on Tuesday night... Would you believe I went back and did more!? I did another 3.5 miles. I felt GREAT!!! At the end of it all.
Of course I did not roll out of bed on the same timely basis on Wednesday. And I drove until 9ish so there wa no workout when I got home.
Thursday was just as bleak.
And Friday - gosh I needed to work it out - instead I opted for beer and pizza.
I travel again the first week of December. I should cross check my schedule and hotel gyms to make sure I pound some treadmill while I am out there in MS.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Good intentions
Did not lead to any sort of work out...
Yesterday I took a cat nap and then put together a little birthday package for friends.
We all went to dinner and stayed out too late.
This morning it was FREEZING!!!
My intention was to walk in the morning and work in the afternoon.
Instead I worked in the morning. Went grocery shopping. And never found the energy for that walk.
It has been a lazy Sunday.
Maybe that's what I needed after this past week and the weeks ahead.
The first in many weeks of travelling - off to ATL.
Yesterday I took a cat nap and then put together a little birthday package for friends.
We all went to dinner and stayed out too late.
This morning it was FREEZING!!!
My intention was to walk in the morning and work in the afternoon.
Instead I worked in the morning. Went grocery shopping. And never found the energy for that walk.
It has been a lazy Sunday.
Maybe that's what I needed after this past week and the weeks ahead.
The first in many weeks of travelling - off to ATL.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
how 'bout wrestlin' the lantana?
that may have worked up a bit more sweat
mostly because i was in the heat of the afternoon sun
the lantana lost the battle but not with inflicting some flesh wounds on my arms
they have since calmed down
it will thank me next year when the frost and cold hasn't killed it
and it has its time in the sun to flourish yet again
mostly because i was in the heat of the afternoon sun
the lantana lost the battle but not with inflicting some flesh wounds on my arms
they have since calmed down
it will thank me next year when the frost and cold hasn't killed it
and it has its time in the sun to flourish yet again
does walking around the mall count?
i am thinking NO
my mom thinks it does
but let's be real here - how many calories can you really burn in a casual stroll to the mall around the mall and back again
not that much
my mom thinks it does
but let's be real here - how many calories can you really burn in a casual stroll to the mall around the mall and back again
not that much
NOTHING since Monday
The week knocked the heck out of me.
I am finally feeling better so I am not going to ramble on about it.
Let's just say it is one for the record books.
Just not fun.
Add on top of that very little sleep. YUCK!!!
Well I got my sleep last night. My head hit the pillow and I think that was it. OH I did wake up a bit around 1am but not for long - thank goodness.
So this morning I am wasting time, drinking some coffee.
I missed the WW@W meeting yesterday so I need to go find one this morning. There is one at 8am - I don't know that I am on time for that but I will head that way and hope just to weigh in.
Then it is off to the office. Not fun on a Saturday but I am tired of these special projects overruling my normal work. So I will get some of the normal work done today. I hope.
I would like to be home in time to do an hour walk/run through town. I guess that would need to be around 3pm - yeah I don't see myself at the office for that long. And then a bunch of people are going out to dinner. Oh that reminds me I need to pick up a few things on the way home...
Tomorrow SH wants to go walking in the park. I think I may suggest just around town. He/they also are gearing up for the football game. I think I will pass on that. I need to get to the grocery store as well as prepare for this week's road trip.... ATL!
There is a gym at the hotel so I will be good for that. YIPEE
I am finally feeling better so I am not going to ramble on about it.
Let's just say it is one for the record books.
Just not fun.
Add on top of that very little sleep. YUCK!!!
Well I got my sleep last night. My head hit the pillow and I think that was it. OH I did wake up a bit around 1am but not for long - thank goodness.
So this morning I am wasting time, drinking some coffee.
I missed the WW@W meeting yesterday so I need to go find one this morning. There is one at 8am - I don't know that I am on time for that but I will head that way and hope just to weigh in.
Then it is off to the office. Not fun on a Saturday but I am tired of these special projects overruling my normal work. So I will get some of the normal work done today. I hope.
I would like to be home in time to do an hour walk/run through town. I guess that would need to be around 3pm - yeah I don't see myself at the office for that long. And then a bunch of people are going out to dinner. Oh that reminds me I need to pick up a few things on the way home...
Tomorrow SH wants to go walking in the park. I think I may suggest just around town. He/they also are gearing up for the football game. I think I will pass on that. I need to get to the grocery store as well as prepare for this week's road trip.... ATL!
There is a gym at the hotel so I will be good for that. YIPEE
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Wiped out
I have found the effects of exercise can be very rewarding. Keep those synapses shooting off happy hormones or whatever the heck they do...
But I knew today was not going to be one of those days. I could feel it coming from days away. Today was going to be miserable. Self-fulfilling prophecy? Perhaps. Or maybe just the ability to read my surroundings. That's probably more the picture.
So I am just tired. I am so looking forward to some time away.
But that does not sound to be the case. OK - I am going to ATL next week. For work...
Maybe I can spin that some how to be a good thing...
I will work on that...
As I said to my mom this evening - good thing I have the ability to pull myself up by my bootstraps and find a silver lining to things - if not I would be in bad shape.
And on that note I am going to email some old friends from university and see if we can arrange dinner next Tuesday night in ATL....
But I knew today was not going to be one of those days. I could feel it coming from days away. Today was going to be miserable. Self-fulfilling prophecy? Perhaps. Or maybe just the ability to read my surroundings. That's probably more the picture.
So I am just tired. I am so looking forward to some time away.
But that does not sound to be the case. OK - I am going to ATL next week. For work...
Maybe I can spin that some how to be a good thing...
I will work on that...
As I said to my mom this evening - good thing I have the ability to pull myself up by my bootstraps and find a silver lining to things - if not I would be in bad shape.
And on that note I am going to email some old friends from university and see if we can arrange dinner next Tuesday night in ATL....
Monday, November 3, 2008
Running Stairs
When I was in grade 6 I competed on a gymnastics team. In the winter months we used to run the stairwell in the warehouse where the gym was located. Run 3 flights up and move pretty briskly 3 flights down. A pretty hefty workout that my lungs and legs didn't really get used to.
I have attempted similar workouts since then... Running up the stairs in the dorms - not multiple times just every once in a while. Stairmasters. Step classes. I have even run the stairs in my house. All definitely give a workout when using those large muscles called thighs.
This evening I was just TIRED when I left the office. A co-worker actually looked at me, laughed, and told me I looked tired. I figured that was a bad sign.
I left the office and came straight home - no gym outing as I had planned this morning.
It has been raining off and on all day so the outdoor workout wasn't going to happen either.
Nor was heading back out to the gym.
So the stairs won out. Plus the tenants in the townhouse next door have moved out so I don't have to worry about the noise.
And off I went. I can do about 2 flights in a minute. And I did 15 minutes. So 30 flights of 16 steps each for a total of 480 stairs. I am good with that. It got the heart rate up and the sweat pumping.
Most importantly it has confirmed - yes I am tired.
I am going to bed tonight right after Gossip Girl!
I have attempted similar workouts since then... Running up the stairs in the dorms - not multiple times just every once in a while. Stairmasters. Step classes. I have even run the stairs in my house. All definitely give a workout when using those large muscles called thighs.
This evening I was just TIRED when I left the office. A co-worker actually looked at me, laughed, and told me I looked tired. I figured that was a bad sign.
I left the office and came straight home - no gym outing as I had planned this morning.
It has been raining off and on all day so the outdoor workout wasn't going to happen either.
Nor was heading back out to the gym.
So the stairs won out. Plus the tenants in the townhouse next door have moved out so I don't have to worry about the noise.
And off I went. I can do about 2 flights in a minute. And I did 15 minutes. So 30 flights of 16 steps each for a total of 480 stairs. I am good with that. It got the heart rate up and the sweat pumping.
Most importantly it has confirmed - yes I am tired.
I am going to bed tonight right after Gossip Girl!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Jump Around
There was a neighborhood party last evenng/afternoon. I originally was not going to go. Who knows why I thought that. I guess I was feeling anti-social. It turned out to be a fun time.
There was a pizza - an interesting choice of food in comparison to previous events. And the pizza people set it all up and served it. SO much less work. And there was a DJ - which the girls in the neighborhood looked to enjoy. And as far as other entertainment - the boys just rode their bikes around and were totally cool with that. So I would say it was a good time.
Of course you can imagine by the end of the evening we adults needed to get into the action.
There was a hula hoop contest or 4. I used to be good at the hula hoop - not so much anymore...
There was the chicken dance - UGH!!! I just can't stand the chicken dance.
Of course that was followed by the Macarena - which I do enjoy every once in a while - sparks fond memories of late nights at Oasis...
And then the evening finale... Jump Around by House of Pain. Good thing I wore my Doc Martens (well that was more to keep my feet warm but...). Even with all this training I have been doing - running, swimming, biking, walking - I was still winded by the end of the song. I need to pull out my grunge music and mosh around my living room. I am thinking I am missing out on a whole realm of cardio training... I used to be able to dance all night at the alternative clubs - moshing around, slamming into people - good stuff LOL... Forget ZUMBA...
I suppose the DJ didn't have a copy of Swim by Fishbone... Oh well.
So it was a good time.
I came home and was in bed pretty early.
Now what to do with my Sunday. I was thinking of trying to do that 5 mile thing again today.
I have a whole extra hour... Of course that will probably get directed towards work related activities...
There was a pizza - an interesting choice of food in comparison to previous events. And the pizza people set it all up and served it. SO much less work. And there was a DJ - which the girls in the neighborhood looked to enjoy. And as far as other entertainment - the boys just rode their bikes around and were totally cool with that. So I would say it was a good time.
Of course you can imagine by the end of the evening we adults needed to get into the action.
There was a hula hoop contest or 4. I used to be good at the hula hoop - not so much anymore...
There was the chicken dance - UGH!!! I just can't stand the chicken dance.
Of course that was followed by the Macarena - which I do enjoy every once in a while - sparks fond memories of late nights at Oasis...
And then the evening finale... Jump Around by House of Pain. Good thing I wore my Doc Martens (well that was more to keep my feet warm but...). Even with all this training I have been doing - running, swimming, biking, walking - I was still winded by the end of the song. I need to pull out my grunge music and mosh around my living room. I am thinking I am missing out on a whole realm of cardio training... I used to be able to dance all night at the alternative clubs - moshing around, slamming into people - good stuff LOL... Forget ZUMBA...
I suppose the DJ didn't have a copy of Swim by Fishbone... Oh well.
So it was a good time.
I came home and was in bed pretty early.
Now what to do with my Sunday. I was thinking of trying to do that 5 mile thing again today.
I have a whole extra hour... Of course that will probably get directed towards work related activities...
Saturday, November 1, 2008
2.5 miles today
I thought I would do a shortened version of the TurkeyTrot this morning. It is right near my office - so a great attempt at multi-tasking... drive to the office, get cheap gas ($2.12 in SC), do a run/walk interval loop, and some work. I was ambitious with the loop I was going to do. It was just about at 4 miles. But I ended up doing a different loop that was 2 1/2 miles.
I would like to give it a try again. However I really don't want to have to come to work again on the weekend any time soon. That may be a bigger wish than reality - so we shall see.
Off to do some more work. And eat some lunch...
I would like to give it a try again. However I really don't want to have to come to work again on the weekend any time soon. That may be a bigger wish than reality - so we shall see.
Off to do some more work. And eat some lunch...
Halloween at Salsa's
So I had been on the fence as to what type of candy to get for Halloween. And then there is always the stress of answering the door and keeping the little guy from getting too excited. So instead I decided we would go out to dinner. One of my co-workers and I had been talking about doing something. The next thing you know there are 6 of us at Salsa's sitting at the bar. Kind of like old times with a whole bunch of new players. I had the burrito camaron - always a good mix of shrimp veggies and cheese. And it was fun to see some old faces. Just put a smile on my face... Good memories... I shouldn't have stayed away so long. Oh sure - my wallet, cholesterol, and waist line are thankful I stayed away...
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