Fitness Goals Update

Ok, so for now, I think I’m on track w/the goals I set in my previous post, “Weak Workout Week”. I have started to wake up earlier and make it to the gym earlier – as long as there was no torrential rain and crazy thunderstorms and lightning. I think I will make 30 miles this month from running and/adding bike / elliptical work. I signed up for a 5k which is on Saturday. I’m crazy, I know. I just finished Week 4 today so I have no idea what’s going to happen Saturday. I picture myself walking, jogging, walking, jogging – lather, rinse and repeat. I’m hoping I just make it under 45 minutes.

Handy-Dandy Swatch Watch

I tried to see where I was and how far I could go on Saturday so, I went for an outdoor run. Let me just say, I’ve been training mostly on the treadmill. I’ve only done an outdoor “run” once in the past few months and it was just to test out a new pair of sneakers, (the NIKE LUNARACERS (which I LOVE, by the way, though they might be too snug on my wide feet if I had to run for a while ).

Anyway, I’m proud of myself because I did NOT trip or fall or break or scratch anything. I did, however, have a HUGE FACEPALM moment. I don’t (yet) have a training watch, but I do have the Nike+ system. So, I charged my iPod while I was having coffee and chatting w/Beans before heading out. I didn’t want to bring my phone b/c I didn’t want to hold anything. I couldn’t find my trusty Swatch watch so I left the house and off I went. I realized I never callibrated my Nike+ for running so I set it up to calibrate, got the music running and off I went. After the quarter mile callibration, I checked to make sure it was ok. Proceeded to go back on my run…then…SILENCE.

Turns out I didn’t push down hard enough for it to charge *facepalm* I had no watch, no phone and so I just had to keep “running” in silence. Have no idea what time I left the house so I don’t know how long it took me to do 3.2 miles. I’m glad I clocked the miles before so I knew how far I had to go, but DURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR….There goes my baseline. But hey! I finished the 3.2 miles…I did do a lot of walking though… 😦

So, the only think I didn’t follow through with yet is the weightloss goal. I think I’ll stick with 20 in 5 months. I really need to be more accountable for my eating though. Like this past weekend? We had ribs for dinner on Friday and those leftovers were lunch Saturday. Then, we had pizza for dinner Saturday. Sunday, I made some sushi rolls (HELLO RICE!!!) and then we had some Doritos Locos Tacos or Tacos Locos for dinner. I don’t regret ANY of that one bit because I loves me some food! BUT!!! I know I can’t keep doing that anymore…at least not all in one weekend.

Workout Faux Pas

A few weeks ago, I posted about burning more calories if you walk on an incline on the treadmill vs. just on 0.0. Now, be that as it may, for me, it also made my calves bigger and I am NOT a happy camper at all. At first, I thought it was my sneakers being too heavy, maybe, so I ordered a lighter pair. Maybe that has something to do with it also, but it seems to have more to do with the incline.

Then, I read this article and that did it for me:

3. Avoid activities that primarily call for strength, power and speed from your legs muscles, as they will create bigger bulkier muscle. For example, short intense cardio workouts, workouts that require strength and exercises that involve resistance, incline or going up hills. Steep inclines on the treadmill particularly and hill running will develop calves and make big calves even larger.

Now, of course there are articles out there that say that’s not the case, but for me, I’ve found this to be true. I didn’t measure my calves when I first started hitting the gym, but when I did and then worked out for another week (or 2) on inclines, my calves increased by half an inch. So, they probably got a whole inch bigger (at least) since I started.

I stopped the incline and now just go on 0.0. Calories, schmalories. The important thing is I move and sweat, right?

WW: Pumped Up Kix…

WORDFUL WEDNESDAY TIME AGAIN, FOLKS! I actually missed last week because I was too busy running around to get things in order before pDaddy left us for a long weekend in NJ. Anywho, for more WW entries, check out Angie’s Blog over at

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Talks around these here parts are saying we could be reaching record temps today! We are set to hit the 80s…the EIGHTIES! IN EARLY MARCH?!?!? Holy cannoli, Batman! We skipped spring and went to summer in 1 day!

It was SO beautiful out yesterday that pDaddy and I were just talking yesterday about seeing if we could find a used jogging stroller(s) so we can get to working out together and have our girls with us too! I think I might just go and hide in the air conditioned gym! I’m such a wus, I know…I have a hard time w/heat and sweating. Cool climate and sweating (aka in a gym), I’ll be ok with.

I actually did (FINALLY) start working out in early February, about a month behind from my resolutions, but better late than never. I’ve tried to at least go 3x/week and even went once while in Chicago for the weekend (mid-Feb). It’s so very rare for me to workout while on vacay – even if it’s just a couple of days. Of course, the amount of eating that was done in Chicago and the week after (Mum was w/us and, either she was cookin’ up some yummy stuff or, we kept taking her out to eat) totally negated all my working out that I did in the earlier 2 weeks. In fact, it’s taken me almost a month to get back to the weight that I was at the day we left for Chicago (finally got back to it today!). I didn’t stress it though, I could tell I was losing b/c my clothes were fitting differently.

I’ve mostly just been on the treadmill trying to build up strength and resistance and getting familiar with it all again. I started the Couch to 5K running program last week, but only did it 2x since pDaddy went away for the weekend and this gym doesn’t have childcare. I was going to start Week 1 all over again this week, but Daylight Savings Time was Sunday. We moved forward 1 hour and now it’s dark at 5:30am instead of the bit of light I used to see before. I keep hitting that darn snooze and I keep running late. Still, 1 mile (give or take) is better than 0.

In the first few weeks, since I couldn’t really keep up, I decided I would sort of speedwalk on an incline…Did you know you lose more calories on an incline than when not? I didn’t know that and so when I figured it out, I kept up this incline, but noticed I was kind of cheating. I kept holding on the bars and I guess, to get the full effect, you’re not supposed to. I did notice one thing though, my calves. I wish I measured my calves before I started all this because I really feel like they’ve gotten bigger – not happy about that AT ALL.

Besides the weight I didn’t lose which (I HOPE) is turning to muscle, I also thought maybe it could be my sneakers. Meet my Nike Shox Turbo + 12:

Now, pDaddy got these for me and I LOVE.LOVE.LOVE them! I could wear them when I’m feeling my casual, sporty self and they’re comfy, but they are 12.4oz. So, I thought, let me look for a lighter pair. Besides, I want to see where I can really go with this running thing. I’ve been able to go a little faster (5.7-5.9) than when I first started (struggled at 5.0). So, now I’m trying to “run” more and lessen the incline, still, maybe a lighter shoe will help me go faster and also lessen the calf muscle development.

After communicating w/the people from Nike via twitter (@NikeRunning and @nikeplus), I went for their suggestion of the Nike Lunaracer +.

Ordered from www.eastbay.com on Friday night and received yesterday. I wasn’t sure about the PINK (the only color they come in…I think…well, in my size anyway), but I actually love the color! And yes, they are SUPER LIGHT at just 4.6 oz! BUT…too snug 😦 I’m usually a 7…sometimes 7.5 and I ordered a 7.5. I thought, maybe I’ll just have to break them in and they’ll stretch. I originally ordered 7s for my Shox and exchanged for 7.5. 7.5 felt perfect, but now that they’re broken in, they’re actually a little loose.

I brought these new Lunaracers with me to the gym this morning and wore them from the locker room to the treadmill and already, my feet felt so trapped in them. That’s walking all of 8 feet. I ordered these in 7.5, but I guess I’ll need to order them in an 8. I just wish they fit me right already so I could start seeing where my running can really be (and again, to keep my calves from getting any bigger…if it’s actually my sneakers that are doin’ it).

Well, I’m just happy the working out thing is FINALLY coming to fruition. It took over a month, but I’m here now. I just need to be able to keep up with it and keep eating healthier. I just need to not keep goin’ for delicious dark chocolate almonds!!!! All in all, I think I’m doin’ pretty well with my resolutions, if I should say so myself…

PS – Photos were taken using the Flickr App on my Android phone and then applying the TOKYO filter…me likey!