Why Weight?

It's been approximately 2 months since my last post.  I stopped the blogging because I sort of felt, what do I have to say that anyone really cares @ hearing, that will change the world or impact someone?   Then I realized that everyone has something that others want to hear, that will potentially impact another person and who knows @ changing the world...baby steps.  I was also reading a bunch of blogs and it was alot of complaining.  Frankly I got sick of it and backed off.  But to heck with that/them....

So I decided to get back to it.  Why Weight?  Well I just stole that from Body Solutions.  That's one of their lines and a fitting line for me now.  I love the writing so here it is.

So much and so little has happened in the past two months. On the weight front, I'm a yo yo.  This maintenance is something else.  The great news is the upward YO only goes up 4-5 lbs before I aggressively pursue the downside YO.  It's a lifetime and constant battle; I'm in.  I have learned and figured out over the past few months, that cardio is KING for me.  Without it 4-5 times/week, the weight goes on fast and stays on. 

I'm still running (that's a whole post in itself) and in addition, I started classes @ Body Solutions.  I've never done classes before and I love them.  I like the switch up on the cardio and these classes are a great workout, a great sweat and alot of fun.  My personal trainer, Dan McGrath leads a couple of the classes (Urban Ninja & Body Blitz) and Kerrey leads a couple different classes too.  Both are awesome instructors.  Very different but I like each of their styles.  I did yoga for the first time last week.  Robert was awesome for us beginners.  I didn't think I would like the yoga at first (so slow, no music hahaha) but I really liked it and will definitely do again.  Mostly I really like the variety between personal training with Dan, running and now classes. 

So Why Weight?  I'm not...jumping back into the blogging world with lots of exciting things to learn and share. 

The Heart Rate........

What's it all about?  There is resting, recovery, training, target, normal, healthy and on..........For the first 50 years, I was simply glad I had a heart rate/beat.  Over the last year, I've learned more @ the importance and how to positively affect my heart rate and my health.  I did my HR first thing this a.m. when I woke up and WOW! 

Some basics - My heart rate is beats per minute.  Things that affect HR are my age (51), female (males typically have lower HR), weight (135), my health and fitness levels. 

So I thought I'd take a look at where I started and my progress:

• 
  
  March 2009 - 170 lbs - resting HR 79
• 
  
  November 2009 - 135 lbs - resting HR 65
• 
  
  April 2010 (TODAY) - 135 lbs - resting HR 55

Just like with weight loss, lower is better with HR.  It's a measure of physical fitness and heart health.  WooHoo, 24 beats lower.  I'm learning all this and I'm excited.  All these months of food journaling to keep my weight down, continuing my cardio workouts and my strength/weight training with Dan is really having an impact.  It's so much more than just how I look in the mirror (although that's a good one too).  

It's heatin up out there........

Not sure where you live but here in the South (Atlanta) it reached close to 90 yesterday.  That's hot considering we went from about 60-70 straight to 90 degrees.  The forecast calls for some rain tomorrow and then some spring-like weather for the balance of the week.  It is beautiful although very YELLOW. 

The annual invade of the YELLOW stuff - yep, POLLEN.  It appeared within an hour one day and now we are covered up.  Yesterday while running, we saw what appeared to be a dust storm ahead - the stuff was blowing off the bldg roofs and man o man!  I am SO fortunate to not be too bothered by this and I feel for those with allergies.  I have my calendar marked for March 2011 - start with bee propolis every day!!!

Even with the heat and yucky yellow stuff, yesterday was a healthy day for me!  My eating was right on, I journaled everything and I ran/walked my 1.5 miles in 18 minutes.  I'm starting over and that was my goal so I'm pleased.  I started back my workouts with Dan last night (took a week off).  OMG, I don't think I've sweat that much ever.  It was a great workout - I loved it.  Stairs first - didn't beat my 3.03 time but I did OK.  Quickly followed by jump squats, then inside for pull ups, dead lifts, cleans, bent over rows, military presses and snatches!  Wow! And of course followed by my all time favorite.............the STRETCH! 

A friend just joined Body Solutions and I bumped into her last night too.  That was fun.  I'm not sure I'm a large group exercise person but I love to run or workout with a couple people so call me a small groupie. 

Today is my day off from exercising.  I'm looking forward to the one shower day.  Having 50th birthday lunch with my sister-in-law and dinner with friends.  Another great day ahead........

FitBloggin 2010 and many firsts........

I had a great weekend in Baltimore.  The weather was spectacular and our hotel was on the water.  FitBloggin started with a Pom-tini social on Friday night.  I met some great people.  Young crowd.  Two girls said they'd for sure get me tweeting.  It was a must.  (I could see I had lots to learn this weekend).  Hung out a little and then split the social and went to the hotel bar, had a few vodkas and........nachos.  First time in over a year and guess what - nachos made me sick as a dog that night.  I watched GA Tech beat OK.  That was cool and it was a good night. 

Saturday morning came very early.  6:30 we gathered for the 5K sponsored by New Balance.  All that registered were given a pair of New Balance shoes and shorts.  I wore my shoes because the PR guy said they would change my life.  No such luck but they were comfortable.  These women (99% of participants) could run, serious runners.  I began the run w/another girl from Indiana.  We kept the same pace until I dropped off @ mile 1.  She kept going - yea you!  I walked for a couple minutes and started running again and did this for the 3 miles or whatever a 5K ends up being.  I was the last runner to finish but I FINISHED.  My first 5K ever!  At the end there was a great group of girls cheering for everyone.  That was really sweet of them.  A couple walkers finished behind me and I waited to cheer them on too. 

Had a Starbucks and some fruit and quick to shower as FitBloggin was about to start.  I went to some interesting sessions - SEO, how to pitch to traditional media and how to get published.  I'm not ready for any of these at the moment but the knowledge was valuable and opened my eyes. 
During lunch I connected with two great, great girls/females/women - whatever, all the same to me.  This was the best part of the weekend.  I learned so much from one who's a nutrition counselor and doing some really wonderful things in coaching/counseling and boot camps and another talented PR professional.  She and I really connected on so many things; it was alot of fun chatting.  The day came to a close and I passed on the Jello social and headed outside.  I'd been watching the beautiful day through the windows and I had to get out there.  I walked for quite a while and then settled for dinner at Cinghiale, really terrific Italian.  What a treat and I made much better choices than the nachos of the previous night. 

Sunday morning, I RAN again, on my own.  It was so beautiful but the running was still tough.  I went @ 1 1/4 miles this time.  I've been thinking @ this today.  When I ran with my co-workers @ 11am, I did much better.  I think 1st thing in the am may not be my best.  I'm going to test time of day and see.

The flight home was uneventful except for bumpy, bumpy. I guess that's because it was overcast and raining when we landed in Atlanta.  Ugh!  I went straight to my workout with Dan.  It was a great one.  Upper body and a whole lot of sweatin. 

They say all good things must come to an end.........not really.  Now I'm home and I get to sleep in my wonderful bed tonight.  So the good keeps coming......

The good, the bad & the ugly

This is the time of year when the "Top 10" of everything comes out.  The best, worst, newest, oldest and the list goes on and on.  I was just reading what some say are the the Top 10 Health & Fitness trends of the decade.  I found this very interesting because remember, prior to January of this year (2009), I never heard of most of these.   So for you novices like me, you may find this interesting too.  For those of you who've been making good choices in your diet and exercising/working out for ages, do you agree with this list?  What's missing?

1.  Low Carb Diets - carbs make a comeback!  The South Beach Diet.  Carbs (whole grains, fruits or veggies) are good and the refined sugars are bad. 

2.  "Exergaming" - Wii Fit  - are we getting off the couch in our own homes?!

3.  Tech for Health & Exercise - Heart rate monitors are old news (but great, wouldn't workout w/o one) and GPS, pedometers and lots of fancy apps are in. 

4.  Dance off the pounds - Dancing with the Stars anyone?  Pole dancing? 

5.  Beginner marathoners - 2x as many finished in 2007 as in 2000.  I'll be happy finishing a 5K!

6.  Exercise Gadgets - kettlebells, BOSU ball.  The ugly list is too ugly.  Watch TV at 2am one night and you'll see them all.

7.  Anti-Shoe - FitFlops, BMT (the shoe that rocks) and today I saw a guy running w/what looked like rubber gloves for your feet?!  What's next?

8.  Extreme weight loss - The Biggest Loser.

9.  Core & Functional training - hmmm, I thought this was always in but I understand focus on the core was again discovered in this decade.  This is my personal favorite - this collection of muscles supports our spine and keeps us stable and balanced (remember me & the fear of falling).  Crunches are out and planks are in! 

10.  Healthy Lifestyle - weight loss, counting calories, portion sizes, fiber, Omega 3's, antioxidants, protein, carbs, water, good & bad fat, reading food labels, exercising; strength, balance, endurance, flexibility, stability.....good health!!!!

Cheers to a New Year of good health for us all!