Getting Back on Track

I'm back!

Never fear - despite my laziness with blogging, I have not been lazy with workouts. On the other hand, I've definitely been letting myself slip on the food department. This past week has been a long lesson in the distractions and frustrations of life.

In my life outside of being a soon-to-be triathlete, Hubs and I are trying to get ready for our big move out East. Next week we are visiting our new city so that Hubs can compete in a rowing race. While we are out there, we want to look at housing. The problem is that we are in the middle of the buying our first home vs. renting an apartment debate. We are trying to move forward with buying, but the process is overwhelming and that has been consuming my life recently. Hopefully, I will be able to get back into the blogging routine and keep all of you updated on the move and etc. Also, because I know that a couple of you (or maybe all of you) know Hubs, I'll keep you posted on his racing season - I think it is going to be a good one! If I am ever MIA for longer than I should be, feel free to call me and keep me going. Life's unexpected-s can make it a tough journey at times.

Two weekends ago, I went back to my hometown to visit my family. It was wonderful to see them but two bad things happened while I was there. First, my knee really flared up and has been sore to painful since then (more on this in a minute). Second, I abandoned my honesty with food policy. This caused most of the weight that I had lost (I had been doing really well) to come back, and made me super frustrated. I really have to learn that food is not always a reward or something that I just "deserve." I need to learn to pick the sweet or treat that I really want, rather than just eating all of it. My family in general is bad with food, and it is really hard to be good around them. The problem is that I gained the weight while I was home and then said screw it, continuing to indulge in way too many sweets. I need to resolve to getting back to honesty. I felt better and was happier when I was doing it and I need to get back to it.

So - workouts. At least I've been good here. I've been trying to take it easy on my knee, especially last week. I swam four days last week and lifted once. Then I took off both Saturday and Sunday, and by Sunday afternoon my knee was feeling great. I was really please with my progress and decided to get back to my regular schedule and trying to pick up the intensity again.

Monday I lifted, as per usual on Mondays. I did a 10 minute warm-up and my normal lifts (I can't remember the specifics at this point in time). By the afternoon my knee was tired and by evening it was sore and tired, but not painful.

Tuesday I hit the stationary bike for 40 minutes. Resistance set at 4, and nothing special. Just a low cardio sweat. It was a great ride and my knee felt good the whole ride and all day long. Well, until I fell off the bottom stair at work into the wall. Then my knee started hurting again. I was so ticked. I hate when I do stupid things like that.

This morning, the knee felt like it was up to a decent workout. Right now, as I sit here, my knee is achey and sore. I don't know if I would call it "pain."

Wednesday's Workout - 8 out of 10. Good sweat and felt good.

20 minute warm-up walk at 3.5 and level 2-2.5 incline.

leg stretches for hamstrings (incidentally this feels 'good' for my knee - it doesn't really feel good, but it feels like it is needed)

3 x 1 min wall sits

3 x 15 each leg - inner and outer leg lifts while laying down

3 x 15 supermans

3 x 12 modified push-ups

3 x 20 double leg calf raises

3 x 10 seated rows with stretch-band

3 x 10 double-handed DB overhead tricep, 15

3 x 20 hand to knee on stability ball


PS - I picked up my new bike today! I am so excited and I can't wait to ride it this weekend. I'll post pictures as soon as I can.

Happy Ash Wednesday!

I've mentioned that I need to figure out nutrition a little bit better, and today seems like as good a day as any to think it out because it is Ash Wednesday. I know you are not supposed to use Lent merely as a dieting tool - I get it. And for years, that was my excuse for doing nothing for Lent because my biggest self-restraint issues deal with food. Well, I am going to use Lent this year to teach myself some self-restraint with food.

See, my problem is that I am a closet-eater. I can't believe that I am admitting this publicly, because it is something that really embarasses me, but I need to deal with it, so there it is. By "closet-eater," I mean that I sneak food. As in, if no one sees me eat it, then it doesn't count. I even sneak food around Hubs. If he doesn't see me eat the extra cookie or two, then I obviously didn't eat them. Obviously, this is not a healthy way to eat and I certainly don't want it to get out of control. My other problem is that I have a hard time stopping eating if I really enjoy the food, especially sweets. All of these problems lead to over-eating, especially when I am using food for comfort - food problem number three, if we are keeping count.

My goal in the next 40 days is to be more honest with myself regarding food. No sneaking food - not at work or at home or anywhere in between. Also, I want to regulate my consumption of sweets better. So, no sweets except for Sundays (that's a Catholic way around the rules!) and my mom's birthday - and no trading days for Sunday (that's another work-around!). This rule will not be a permanent lifestyle change, but I think it will teach me that I can resist eating sweets. Lastly, I am not going to eat out at lunch time. This is something I have become much, much better at, but I still do every once and a while. By not eating out at lunch, I will know what is in the food that I am eating and it will be better for me (and my wallet!).