Topics: Healthy me

Mar 08

Hello wagon. Remember me?

Posted under Healthy me, Life by MicheleP.

It’s official. I not only jumped off the wagon but I let it run over me in the process.

Me and food – food and me. What a co-dependent relationship we have. We get together when I’m happy…when I’m sad…when I’m stressed, anxious, depressed, excited – yeah, all those too. And this whole “lets move to Puerto Rico” thing has broughtÂ plenty of all of that – and then some – and well, my food and I…we’ve have had quite a few rendezvous. Added to that, I really enjoy some of the local stuff – most of which consists of a starch that is then fried in some fashion or another – yeah, you get the picture – and it ain’t pretty.

So this week I got angry. I got angry at my eating habits and lack of consistent exercise. I got angry enough that I got my angry self up each morning and hit the pavement running. I cleansed the pantry and fridge of unneeded temptations, stocked up on healthy choices (although Scott was quite fearful of the huge jar of flax seed with it’s high level of fiber and made me promise to tell him when it was added to foods), and will start a whole body cleanse this week.

Believe it or not, I really like the wagon – I just gotta hang on better when we hit bumps in the road next time!

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Jun 08

Progress

Posted under Healthy me, Life by MicheleP.

Well, I’m no “12-mile-Jenny” but I’m feeling pretty good about my fitness progress to date. I’ve stopped obsessing over the movement (or lack of)Â on the scales and have finally just embraced that as long as I continue to exercise and eat healthy that the number on the scale really doesn’t matter. Right? It doesn’t matter, right? Yeah, still working on convincing myself.

But – my update… I’m continue to work out with Sgt Chip once a week, I’ve lost 15 pounds (at last weigh in, but since I’m not weighing anymore it could be more…and then again, it could be less…) and gone downÂ 3 dress sizes. I’m now running (heh – Me – A Runner – would have NEVER dreamed that in a million years) 4 to 5 days a week and actually starting to enjoy it – the tunes on the iPod help out a lot with that – there is just something about songs like Alive by POD, and John Reuben’s Up And At ‘em that just make me actually want to run.

But the best part about all of this fitness stuff: I feel so much better – and that, not the number on the scale, is the most important thing. Right? Right.

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Mar 21

On boot camp and goals

Posted under Healthy me, Life by MicheleP.

I continue to workÂ out with Chip two mornings (and by mornings, I do mean mornings… we meet at 5 AM… yes, I am a little crazy) a week.Â In addition to personal training, he offers a group classÂ on Saturday mornings (thankfully at a more respectable time of 8 AM). I’ve declined his invitation to class each week but last weekÂ decided to give it a try.

He doesn’tÂ have a nameÂ for the class, but I do now… Boot Camp. Exercises such as “suicides”, “prisoner squats”, “fire drills”, etc filled the morning. And since you are working out with other people, you have that whole peer pressure thing – which was complicated by the fact that I was one of the youngest in the class and was clearly outmatched by my “peers”. How sad is it that a 50 year old woman can outrun me in line drills? Very sad indeed.

But – on a positive note, I told myself that once I lost 10 pounds I would treat myself to new workout clothes – guess who is going shopping this weekend?

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Mar 04

Getting Chipped

Posted under Healthy me, Life by MicheleP.

Training with Chip is still going strong. Well, strong might not be the best descriptor but it’s still going. I’m to the point now where I no longerÂ am comatoseÂ for an hour afterwards but am still getting my rear kicked twice a week. After seeing me one morning red faced and weary, Scott coined a new phrase when he asked “Did ya get Chipped today?” Yeah, funny guy he is.

I’ve found that Chip is fond – VERY fond – of the use of squats in training. And of course I HATE squats. Hate them more now than I ever did because just your run of the mill squat is not good enough for Sgt Chip. He likes ~~enhanced~~ thigh-and-butt-killing-squats holding weights, 15 pound balls, and using balance equipment. So the other day I mention,

“You really like to use squats, don’t you?”

(Smirking) “Yeah, I do – you get really good results with them.”

“Good results, huh? Guess I need some results in that area, huh?”

Long pause – afterall, he is keenly aware that I’m a PAYING customer.

“Nevermind. Don’t answer that one.”

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Jan 30

CHIP is a 4 letter word

Posted under Healthy me, Life by MicheleP.

This week I made a decision. I decided after a year of having a gym membership… but rarely using it… that I needed to either be happy with my body the way it is or do something about it. I actually enjoy working out – when I go – the problem beingÂ that “when I go” part. It’s just too easy to say, “tomorrow” when it comes to workouts. Well, no more.

EnterÂ Chip. Chip is a personal trainer whoÂ has taken on the task ofÂ me.Â

I had my first workout with Chip today. I knew I was in trouble when I was hurting more during the 5 minute warm-up than I usually do at the end of an hour workout on my own. I seriously had a moment after the warm-up where I considered running out of the gym when he turned the other way but I didn’t – still wondering if I made the right decision on that one.

After our warm-up we went to the weights. I’ve lifted weights before – no problemo, right? Wrong. This wasn’t your leisurely-paced-lift-some-dumbells-for-toning… this was hard core, lift-until-your-muscles-tremble-and-you-can’t-lift-anymore training. And just when we would get to the end of a set, and I have that glimmer of hope that I might actually survive, he smiles and say, “Two more.” Chip is brutal. BRU-TAL, I tell you. Since when did weight training becomeÂ a cardio workout?Â Â

By the end of our session, every muscle in my body was shaking. Chip asks, “Which one of those were hard for you?” “Um, how aboutÂ all of them?” Seriously, I think I’ll refer to him now as Sgt Chip because it was more like boot camp except he didn’t call me bad names. He tells me to work out on my own tomorrow for 45 minutes – “even if you’re sore”… heh… even if I’m sore – ya think I might be a little sore?

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Jul 14