Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Day 17 - Tuesday's Child is Fair of Face

Tuesday morning and the weather is fair.  Such a nice thing isn't it to see the sun?  Drew makes us our new smoothie recipe Sara shared with us.  It has cooked steel cut oats, blueberries, raspberries, ground flax seed (for the omega) protein powder, almond butter and almond milk.  It is very very thick and a bit less sweet than we are used to but we both like it.  It is filling that is for sure.  I grab my gym bag and yoga mat and head to the gym.  I am pretty sure I am also meeting with Kris the trainer today at 11.  Yoga starts at 9:30.  I forget that I have a COD order arriving today and I have my cutter coming in so I need to get the money to the shop first.  So even though we have gotten up earlier (part of our new plan) I am running behind since I have to go out of the way, hit the bank and then the shop.  I am about 5 mins late (again) but sneak in with someone else.  Wow, this is a popular class.  The large studio is full to capacity.  The other lady sees a fairly wide space between 2 people and heads for it.  I see a space lengthwise under a window and set up my mat there and get into the position everyone else seems to be in.  This is a very laid back (pun intended) yoga class.  The room is warm - not hot - and the lights are dim with yogaish music playing in the background.  The instructors voice is very pleasant and she talks us through the different poses/moves/stretches. Another participant taps me on my foot and gestures that she will make room for me so I don't have to be squished under a window.  I quickly and quietly move into that spot.  A few minutes later I have to get up and find a block.  Interestingly I was looking at those at Target and thought NAH what do I need those for.  Now I know! I feel the stretches especially through my hip area and appreciate what this form of yoga can do for you in regards to stretching and relaxing.  I feel peaceful when I leave the class after the 45 minutes.  I know that won't last long though as I am meeting Kris at 11.

Kris finishes up with his 10:00 appointment and suggests I do some cardio while waiting.  I do 15 mins on the treadmill and then wander back to the fitness desk.  I'm a little anxious to start cause let's face it I am paying for this extra training (mind you it is out of my Life bucks) and don't want to lose any of my time.  He is now ready for me and we head out into the weight resistance area. We chat as we walk and he asks what I would like from him.  I can pick his brain whatever.  I ask that he give me some specific routine or plan that I can follow easily on my own without looking like a total dork.  He suggests a 40 minute weight training plan since he states after 40 minutes you are not burning fat but starting to burn muscle tissue.  Interesting and good to know.  First thing he stops at is the barbells.  Ummm what?  He takes out the smallest/lightest one which says on either side 20.  Is that 20 lbs each side?  I can't lift 40 lbs can I?  That's like 2 Elle's.  Or a Liam.  He shows me that I should take the bar, at chin level, squat and as I come up push the bar straight over my head.  I see me in the mirror and it is not a pretty sight.  Not like the cuties with their tight little abs,,,, ok I got distracted there back to me.  I do 10 and it's not too bad.  However, that is only the first set and I end up doing 4 more and it is more and more difficult with each set.  I do rest inbetween and he tells me the science behind what I am doing.  Then he says ok let's head over to the chinups.  Now I know he is playing with me because I cannot do chinups.  Just ask my grade 10 gym teacher, Mrs. Norris.  I still remember the laughs and taunts and the way she yelled at me.  I may have weighed all of 85 lbs in grade 10 but I could not even lift that with my scrawny arms - absolutely no upper body strength.  Kris laughs along and relates.  We have all had obstacles in our lives.  We can either let it stop us or we can face it head on and defeat them.  I chose to face this one and defeat it.  The machine kinda helps you cheat a little though.  Eventually as you work on it you will get to the point where you don't need the machine to assist you (yah ok...sounds doubtful to me).  Kris says that he fully expects to see me in 2 years doing chinups unassisted and lifting heavier weights over my head.   I laugh heartily at his joke, surely he IS joking, and say that I just want to get through the next few months.  After I do a few sets on that machine and he explains the reasoning behind the exercise and how to ultimately work up (or down) on it we then go to the chest machine.  Well now I am thinking - do I want to pump up that area (we must, we must, we must improve the bust) but perhaps it is more than just the chest and I sit down and I learn all he can tell me about that machine and I do a few sets.  My legs are aching, my arms are not sore but fatigued and he tells me there are 2 more things I am to do.  In the stretching area he pulls out a mat and asks me if I know how to plank?  Well I have done that in both the pilates and yoga so I get down and get into position.  He makes me do some minor adjustments ie hands placement, elbows etc. and gets me to do 2 planks for 1 minute each.  That is very difficult.  I am shaking and determined to do it and collapse when the time is up.  He says I should finish my workout with that pose as it works all the muscles in your body and especially your core.  This core is soft and jelly like.  Here's hoping that someday it will be not so much.  He then takes me over to the stairmaster and there I meet a torture machine.  It is really hard to do.  He tells me to do at least 10 minutes so I do as I am told.  However it probably takes me 15 minutes to do the 10 as I stop after 5 minutes and again at 8.  I end up doing 30 floors.  I am absolutely wrung out but feel like I can do this.  He gives me enough information and the science behind the exercise as well as the correct way to do it so he has done his job very well and I feel it is money well spent.  Perhaps I will spend some more time with him in the not too distant future.  At least before 2 years....

Today I think I will hit the hot tub and put some jetted water onto my legs, lower back and my foot is a bit achy on the left side.  It seems that all the pains or aches I am having are all on my left side.  I don't know what that is telling me.  Is it because it is weaker than the right side?  Or am I compensating in some way for something on the right side?  I'll keep working at it but as Kris said if your body hurts it is telling you something so stop.  I will listen to that advice and to my body!

I have 1/2 banana post workout and head into the shop.  At the end of the day dinner is going to be a grab as I have tap class tonight!  I have to fast for 12 hours for the health assessment tomorrow at 8 am so no eating after 8.  Tap class is at 7:30 so I will have to eat before and nothing after.  Good thing we have grilled chicken and I pair it with some leftover squash.  It is sufficient but is it enough to carry me through.  I hope so.

Tap class is a workout tonight.  I finally get a few of the moves and a good part of the combination Andrew is teaching.  I can't get over how difficult tap is and maybe it is more so for me as I can't get my head and my feet to communicate and cooperate.  The fact that I finally get the buffalo and a good part of the combination makes me happy.

I literally fall into bed tonight.  I am pooped.  My legs are really tired and a bit throbby.  I did a lot today.  Maybe a little too much?  But I don't care.  I am doing it.

Tomorrow - health assessment day and weight loss management group

Debbie

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