Aftermath

Aftermath… that’s usually Biology or lunch right?  I survived my work out, and went to bed exhausted.  Next day… arms are a bit sore, but not bad.  I had my helper come over and we planted a rose garden, killed all the mulberry trees, put in 3 hrs of work.  Went to gym and did about 30 min on the cardio… 10 min tread mill, 20 min on elliptical.  By that time, again, I’m exhausted.  I go home and hubby takes me out to dinner!  I had the burnt ends appetizer.  It was sooooo good, but I didn’t need a whole meal.  (Pats self on back)  Then we went to see “1m ways to die in the west.”  It’s a Seth McFarlane, so it’s crude and raunchy and we laughed most of the way through the movie.  Needed that this week, but, we’re sitting in the seats and I’m dehydrated. My feet start to cramp, then my arms start to cramp.  I seem to be more sore than I was that morning.  So THIS morning…my arms don’t want to move at all, and my helper is coming over again!  Planted 1 more rose in front of house, moved the sod to the place where the trash bin was, re-killed all the mulberry trees, pulled the grass in the bush and iris in front, dug up all the iris on that green strip between the sidewalk and the street.  THEN I went to my training session.  “Please, oh PLEASE, can we do lower body?”  “um…. ok do these assisted squats, then we’ll work on your abs (by doing a wood chopper which requires arm work) and triceps pull-downs, and rows for your back (oh and your biceps) and push pulls for your triceps (this is lower body?  sounds like arms to me!) and then some upright push-ups and some lat pulls (which also work your biceps and triceps)  Couldn’t finish the last set of exercises.  I have problems driving home because it’s difficult to keep my arms up to grip the steering wheel.  I take comfort in that the rest of the evening will be easy…making apricot jam, giving a guitar lesson, and going to training. 

VIB Perfect balance breakfast

Chicken Taco Salad (no bowl)

Sweet and sour chicken

16 oz water today.  myfitness ap can keep track of that too!

So the Aftermath of my exertions on Wednesday was sore upper body, a rose garden and a new climber, a cleaned up lilac bush with purple iris that haven’t yet bloomed, and no rogue iris in front and 10 pints of apricot jam.  🙂

wow what a workout

Yesterday, I posted what my trainer had me do.  Today, I’m FEELING IT.  But I had work to do, so I did it.  My helper, Bubba, and I hoed the roses, dug up the deceased ones (may they compost in peace), brought in more dirt, then planted 1 climber (surprise, surprise!  one of the climbers was NOT dead!) 2 dark orange roses, and 2 mini yellow/white roses.  Then we covered it in mulch.  I also used the round-up on all the dam mulberry trees that have sprouted, and all those little grasses trying to sneak into our brick patio.  It took about 2.5 hours!  I’m exhausted!  So no problem, I’ll just lie down for a 20-30 min nap.  3 hours later… ya, I slept through lunch.  Tomorrow, I’m getting a trellis and putting the other climber on the side of the house, digging up the remaining irises that came back, and trying to think of something I can plant on that strip between the sidewalk and the road.  I also have another training session tomorrow.  I hope I can MOVE!

 

MEASURED progress!

I don’t know if you’d noticed of late that my attitude had been less than optimal.  It seems that when things go south, they do it in 3’s.  It used to be Kids, Work, Self growth, or Husband, House, Self growth, but whatever it was, the reason things went bad was because I was bad.   I wasn’t smart enough or I wasn’t dedicated enough or motivated enough or resourceful enough to get things done and micromanage everything around me like the super moms were supposed to do.  So when things weren’t going right at work (compared to other people outside my office) and things didn’t go right at Toastmasters, and things were awful at the gym, it was my fault because I had something wrong with me.  (See Fatal Flaw)  I thought to myself, a “Normal person” would have done such and so, and so this never would have happened to them.  Or a “Normal person” would have thought or said such and so… But being abnormal, I fouled it up.  So the last thing my trainer said to me before she left for Memorial Day weekend was, “When you come back next week, I want you to have lost 2 pounds!”  Well, that was devastating to me.  I knew that I couldn’t do that in my wildest dreams.  I monitored all my food, drank gallons of water, did my gym work or my outside activities but I never lost any pounds.  Never lost an inch, never felt less out of breath…  Why would that change now?  LeSigh…  So today when she was going to put me through my work out, the 1st thing she asked was, “Well?  How’d it go?”  What was I going to say?  I was almost to the point of tears and told her that though I had been doing what I was supposed to, I’d be lucky if I didn’t GAIN weight, and that I was really sorry to be so disappointing….  She said the platitudes that seem to come so easily to trainers…”Don’t be upset, just more time and more of what you’re doing with your food.  You’ll get there!”  Rah…. rah… rah….  Then it came time to step on the scales.  Oh horrors. 

wait for it…

Floor chest presses with sit-up, 30 lbs of weights

Abduction and Adduction machines at 40 lbs  with shoulder presses at 10 pounds each and tricep extensions with 15 pound weight

Lower back extensions on brace with hanging rows, followed by crossed arm back pulses.

wait for it…

210.7 pounds!!!  I lost the 2 pounds!  I celebrated with a candy bar.  (no, but it was funny…)

of course, I’m so sore I can’t move, but I’ll do some cardio tomorrow when I do my rose garden and dig up my irises.

I confess!

I may not have committed the actual deed, but I was complicit.  Oh the horror, the destruction! 

Today is Memorial Day, so what do we do after the services are over, taps is played, and tears are wiped away?  We barbeque.  I decided that since all the kids have moved out, hubby and I could actually barbeque steaks, so I bought some, and some strawberries and corn on the cob.  Yummy right?  I rubbed the salt and pepper in, dashed a bit of Worcestershire sauce, a touch of garlic and then, I did it.  The ultimate crime.  I gave them to hubby to grill.  Foolish, foolish woman!  How does one grill steaks?  You’re picturing it in your head right now aren’t you.  Coals gently glowing, the griller in his apron standing attentively by the grill waiting for the juices to rise to the top indicating it is time to turn them…  Nooo, we’re scientists and nerds here.  Place the meat on the grill, do 1/4 of a Sudoku puzzle, wait until wife comes out and says, well they smell ready to turn (burnt grease smell.)  Then you turn them and go back to your chair and do another 1/4 of a Sudoku puzzle.  Wife is in the kitchen readying the corn on the cob, the strawberries and the potato salad, grabbing the utensils and plates.  She doesn’t come out to check on the smell or the look of the poor unfortunate entre being tortured to death…no… 

Why do I mention this?  Well because I need help.  How do I enter this into my fitness ap?  There is no food listed as seasoned shoe leather.  Do I get cardio points for chewing it? or would that be strength points for cutting it and trying desperately to chew it into something swallowable?

no gym time, no walking today.  Bad Bad blogger.  (:^(

 

phenomenal progress

Today, I went to the zoo.  I activated my “runkeeper” ap to keep me apprised of my progress.  I did 16 miles!!!!  The 1st mile time was 1.5 hrs., the 2nd mile was 1.25 hrs., the 3rd mile was .6 hrs.  The next 13 miles were in about 15 min.  Note to self:  remember to turn off runkeeper before jumping in the car to drive home.  Said I burned over 1k cal though and set 1/2 marathon record of about 1 min/mile.  Should I keep it?  Probably not.  Sigh.

Vera Cruz omelet (avocado & chicken in egg white omelet)

hotdog and Cheetos  (just 1 dog and 1/2 bag)

baked chicken and potato salad

Myfitnesspal ap says that if every day was like this, I’d weigh 197 pounds in 5 weeks.  THEY LIE!  If every day were like this, I will have gained 5 pounds in 5 weeks.

When I was doing the body bug, I’d do all the exercises, log every food, and I was seeing my trainer 2x/week and dutifully entering my measurements and my weight.  Then I’d get these nasty-grams from the program saying that I might have over estimated my exercise, and underestimated the amount of cheesecake and pizza I was eating.  Basically calling me out and saying I was not honest in my entries.  I wouldn’t have been too upset if I had been cheating, but I was starving myself and was constantly sore from all my work outs.  Stuff that would cause others to lose 30-40 pounds, I would lose about 5.  That is why the blog is called Measurable Progress. It’s not about the numbers on the scale, it’s the numbers on the tape measure.  The scale is just a 1st approximation of how I’m doing.  It’s frustrating just the same however.

 

I’m Tired…. (Blazing Saddles)

I stole that from my daughter…  Watched the video, and it keeps popping into my head.

Friday, Hubby took the day off!  Whee!  Went to breakfast, then went to gym, then went to Xmen, then lunch then home.  I had done an hour of cardio on Wednesday, and I took Thursday off.  BIG mistake.  I cannot take days off.  The rules don’t apply to me.  I was rather disappointed in that after all that work, and very very careful eating on Thursday, I gained 2 pounds.  Did the “healthy choices” for food at both places today… 500 cal or less.  I didn’t have popcorn or pop at the movie… and still had to jump up and run to the bathroom because of all the water I’d drunk during my workout.  It was an impressive workout as far as that goes…

I did 10 min of tread mill, then did 3 sets of assisted chin-ups and dips with weight set at 190 (means I was for all intents and purposes lifting 20 pounds.  Big freakin deal…) and 3 sets of 30s leg drills:  30 s of heel taps (tap heel, lift as if to march repeat) followed by 30 s of pulses, followed by 30 s leg extensions.  Then switch legs.  Then I went to the elliptical and did 20 min on that with cross ramp at 4, and resistance at 4.

Then we went to a barbeque… I had 1 piece baked chicken, a 1/4 cup of potatoes and a diet pop.  Then I blew the WHOLE DAY!  Completely ruined all the work I did for the past 2 weeks: I had a cookie.  I could cry.  That single cookie nullified all the good nutrition I had attempted, reversed all the cardio and strength exercising I did.  Now instead of up 2 pounds from last week, I am now up 4 pounds.  I ate a 3 oz cookie and gained another 2 pounds.  The physics and biology do not account for Hogwarts cookies.  They double in size and mass with every second they spend in your mouth.  3 oz grows to 6 oz, then to 12 oz, then 24, then 48, then 96, and now on the way down to your stomach, it’s a monster going to your muscles and disconnecting them from their nutrients and feeding the fat instead, hiding in your waist and your butt where no amount of discipline… physical or nutritional… can root it out!

soooo, (sung to the song from Blazing saddles) I’m Tired.  Tired of fighting the fight.  Tired of seeing the sight, of me in the mirror in the light…. Tired, tired of weighing my food, tired of adjusting my mood, Let’s face it, I’m POOPED.  I’ve had 100’s of plans, again and again, they scream the same thing.  “Watch all your portions and try these contortions, and THEN YOU’LL BE THIN!”  Baloney.  (whoops can’t have that)  I’m Tired.  Tired of starting again, hanging around with thin friends, “all you must do is..” pretend, that I’m thin.  Go back to the gym you lazy bastid!

 

the Fatal Flaw

I tend to go to these super-hero movies.  I don’t know why, but I love the action.  These are people who by accident are placed in a position where they either play the hero or don’t.  If they don’t play the hero, there are no comics or graphic novels or movies about them and they go about their merry way not saving the world.  But if their planet has been blown up and they accidently land in a field in Kansas, or they’re with their parents and have to leave early and accidently get lost and the parents are murdered, or if they accidently get bitten by a spider, or shocked or come from a different dimension or whatever and see a need that they uniquely can fill and risk all to fulfill their destiny, they get franchises!  They all have that 1 fatal flaw.  It might be kryptonite, or a girlfriend, or the fact that they’re human and need interaction with others, or the fact that every freakin movie Spidey removes his mask to someone else… (by the way, why bother to wear a mask if you take it off all the time?) or the Green Arrow gets caught in lies because he believes his city is the most important thing in his life and feels he cannot honestly deal with the people he loves or who love him.  Here’s the thing:  They all have someone that reminds them what their fatal flaw is and helps them to work within its bounds.  It could be a side kick, a butler, their nemesis, a friend they confide in (not telling them that they are that weird dude or dudette in the spandex of course).

What if you have a fatal flaw and don’t know what it is?  What if you have prepared and studied and worked to fill a unique slot and there isn’t one?  What if all you know is that despite your best efforts, your talents and your preparation, there is something that keeps you from achieving your goals?  What if you go to the gym, get a trainer, religiously do your work outs, log every morsel that goes into your mouth (I had a cinnamon roll, coffee, chicken salad with low-fat dressing, a piece of fish small enough you have to eat it with tweezers, asparagus, a gnat and 2 boogers) and you GAIN weight?  What if you get every financial license known to man, are wise in every financial philosophy, have the most advanced tools and analysis available, and no one wants your help?  What if you’ve gone beyond what is required for your degree to study the arts and sciences beyond your field of expertise and are now referred to as a Know-it-all?  What if you play every instrument and sing and have perfect pitch and you get fired for trying to teach these skills?  What if you become an expert speaker and no one wants to hear what you have to say?  And what if you have no sidekick, no nemesis, no friend, no mentor to tell you what your flaw is?  You look for a common thread through all the failures, and it’s you.  But you don’t know what’s wrong.  You read every self help book, go to counseling, study your bible…

Then you throw up your hands and say I’m not meant for a unique slot… I’m meant for a very large, rather smelly hole.  Then you gleefully go about your life not saving the world!

but….

What if you happen to know that the world needs your particular set of skills?  Maybe I’m the side kick, maybe I’m the hero.  I look ghastly in spandex…  If You’re the hero, take me along!  I can help!  If you’re the sidekick come along and we can take down this monster together.  Maybe you can clue me in on this fatal flaw that I have that tends to turn everything I do into disaster.  Wait!  Where are you going?  Come back!!!!

treadmill 30 min  mystery hike

not much, you?

gardening today.

had a cinnamon roll for breakfast and a polish sausage for lunch

After that weight training yesterday, I’m starting to stiffen up, and I’m getting cramps in weird places.

Just when you think it’s a habit

Time just is NOT in anyone’s control.  That is a myth!  Anyone who says that they practice Time Management is deluded.  Time happens.  The only thing you can attempt to manage is you.  Wake up, eat something, go to gym, done!  Come home, blog, and now you have the rest of the day to get your work done, and play and and and and ….  OK, I’m in the groove!  I don’t have to think!  BAM!  So wrong.

Friday was like that.  I had everything planned out.  I got up, had something to eat and now it’s 10:00?  Oh, I did my puzzle and my jumble…  but that didn’t take an hour did it?  Hmmmm, no, it took 1 1/2 hrs.  HOW?  Ok, the roofing guy is coming at 10:30 so I gotta get home.  Do some Toastmasters stuff while I wait for him….   and wait… and… OMG it’s NOON?  (Got a call from him this morning–Saturday–apologizing for not getting over here.  He’s coming on Monday now.)  I have to get to the University for a demo meeting for Toastmasters!  I better change clothes and get my pin on!  Hubby’s here, off we go!  GREAT MEETING!  but the organizer likes to talk and bent our ears for almost 35 min after the meeting got out. So NOW it is after 3 and we haven’t had lunch.  Now it is after 4 and I have a lesson in 1 hr, so I can’t go to the gym, and I still have to do my report for the District Exec Committee tomorrow!  Great lesson, she’s fun to teach, but now it’s 6 and I have to leave for training in 1/2 hr.  I’ll work on my report until it’s time to leave.  OMG it’s 7:30?  Meeting is starting NOW!  So I missed that too.  Waiting on stuff for my report and now the offices are closed, so I don’t have what I need to do the report.  I don’t want to go to the gym, and it’s cold so I don’t want to walk…besides walking outside tends to cramp my lower back.  Poof!  Day gone.

NOT going to do that today!  I had to prepare a report for this morning, so I printed out what I had and gave that.  The meeting went from about 8:00 to noon.  Hubby and I went to VI for breakfast.  Then we went to the gym. 🙂  I was supposed to do cardio and strength today.  I opened my bag… no shoes. 😦  Sooooo, I did strength training.  Crunches, mini planks (to my elbows and knees instead of hands and toes) then triceps curls, shoulder presses, and rows with 10 pound weights sitting on ball.  Then went over to the machines and did single leg extensions at 30 lbs, followed by single leg curls at 30 lbs.  Then we went to see Godzilla.  Recliner seats, 2 feet from the screen and staring straight up.  About 1/2 way into the movie, my feet cramped!  My toes on both feet were trying to cross each other!  and then my left forearm cramped adjusting the seat.  Really?  Really?!!!!  Oh C’MON!  Got home and took a 1/2 hr nap that lasted 2 1/2 hrs.  QED

Here we go! Again! With gusto! and lots of exlamation points!!!!

Well I got that out of the way.

8:00 in the morning.  Who trains at that hour?  Oh, that would be me.  I forgot about school traffic and was about 10 min late.  SD, my trainer, calls and says, “Are you on your way?”  I’m about 3 blocks from the gym.  She reviews my schedule and my 2 years of previous training and we come up with a schedule and a fitness plan: 3 days of weight training, and 5-6 days of cardio.  Cut down on carbs and concentrate on protein and vegies. Then we go weigh.  I hate that part.

Used the chin-up and dip machine.  I’m doing about 20 pounds, 3 sets of 12.  In between sets, she has me stand on 1 foot, and do 30 sec of heel taps followed by 30 sec of pulses and then 30 sec of front extensions.  My quads are on fire.  But I smile and go do another set.  After that, she has me go and do 30 min more of cardio on my own…10 min on mystery hike on tread mill, 10 min on stationary bike, and 10 min 2.5 mph and 1.5 incline on treadmill again.

Weight 212.5