In yesterday’s post, I mentioned a falling sensation that I talked about in my SparkPeople blog that I posted on Wednesday. I feel that needs a bit of an explanation on this blog. The falling sensation is my attempt at explaining what these series of bad balance days are like. My balance is awful regardless of what day it is, but maybe two or three time a year I experience a week or so of really bad balance.
The best way I can describe it is if you’ve ever had a dream where you fall. You have that sensation of falling and then you wake up startled. I have that same feeling sometimes when I’m awake. Not all the time, just sometimes. I searched for it online, and I found a few articles about it (I can’t find them now of course) and it’s not too rare I don’t think, but it’s not too common either. There’s not much to be done about it though from what I remember. You just have to go through it until is passes.
Today’s exercising sort of helped, but that feeling is still there at times. Not as much, but it’s not gone yet. I just need to push through it, and it will eventually go away. It always does. It’s just annoying when it happens. Doesn’t help the old confidence either. In the past, once it does go away, I still hesitate on certain things, because I’m expecting it to happen.
That’s the best I can do to explain things. Maybe it’s vertigo or labyrinthitis (a friend of mine who also has cerebral palsy has labyrinthitis). That could be exactly it. Because no matter what, every time I go to the dentist and they lean the chair back, I feel like I’m going to fall out! I‘ve had that feeling since I was a kid.
Makes ya think.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway
And that's exactly what I did. For the last 5 days or so, I've been having bad balance issues (even worse than usual). I've been avoiding certain things because of the fear of the falling sensation I described in yesterday's blog. But I knew I had to keep moving or it would just get worse.
So, I kept repeating the phrase "feel the fear and do it anyway" which I believe Bob Harper said a time or two on The Biggest Loser (it might have been Jillian though, I can't remember). That phrase has stuck with me since, although I might not always practice it. Today I did, and it helped.
I told myself to get on the elliptical and do just .1 mile at a time. For the first 10th of a mile I told myself to just use the side railings for support and not use the arm poles on my elliptical. I did, and yes it felt unsteady at first, but it did get easier. I got off and took a minute, then told myself to get on again for another 10th of a mile, and this time use the arm poles. Again, it felt unsteady, but got easier. After that I took it a 10th of a mile at a time. I did 1/2 mile and it was slower than normal (about 17 minutes instead of 15), but that's OK. I wasn't going for speed, just for the movement.
The scariest part was getting on and off. Not scary as in petrified, but still a little scary. I kept repeating that phrase over and over, and I got through it. Getting on and off didn't get easier, but I did deal with it and got it done.
I then prepared for my shower, and brought in my "shower shoes" (just a pair of pool shoes). I haven't needed those shoes since March or so, and I brought them in just in case. But, I persevered, and got in without them.
I won't say the string of bad balance days are over yet, but they might coming to an end. I hope so anyway. And until it is over, I'll feel the fear and do it anyway.
*Posted this on my SparkPeople blog, and decided to post it here also.
So, I kept repeating the phrase "feel the fear and do it anyway" which I believe Bob Harper said a time or two on The Biggest Loser (it might have been Jillian though, I can't remember). That phrase has stuck with me since, although I might not always practice it. Today I did, and it helped.
I told myself to get on the elliptical and do just .1 mile at a time. For the first 10th of a mile I told myself to just use the side railings for support and not use the arm poles on my elliptical. I did, and yes it felt unsteady at first, but it did get easier. I got off and took a minute, then told myself to get on again for another 10th of a mile, and this time use the arm poles. Again, it felt unsteady, but got easier. After that I took it a 10th of a mile at a time. I did 1/2 mile and it was slower than normal (about 17 minutes instead of 15), but that's OK. I wasn't going for speed, just for the movement.
The scariest part was getting on and off. Not scary as in petrified, but still a little scary. I kept repeating that phrase over and over, and I got through it. Getting on and off didn't get easier, but I did deal with it and got it done.
I then prepared for my shower, and brought in my "shower shoes" (just a pair of pool shoes). I haven't needed those shoes since March or so, and I brought them in just in case. But, I persevered, and got in without them.
I won't say the string of bad balance days are over yet, but they might coming to an end. I hope so anyway. And until it is over, I'll feel the fear and do it anyway.
*Posted this on my SparkPeople blog, and decided to post it here also.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Anna Kournikova Is Leaving Biggest Loser
I wasn’t surprised at all when I read that one of the new trainers on The Biggest Loser, Anna Kournikova, will not be returning next season. The word is that she didn’t mesh well with the staff behind the scenes. And a lot of the contestants didn’t like her approach to training. They thought she was “too brash”.
I don’t know what Anna Kournikova’s background is as far as being a personal trainer, but I thought her approach was a little unsympathetic. She told one contestant to basically suck it up and deal with it when the teams got rearranged. She’s not the best when it comes to capitalizing on the contestants breakthrough moments. There are times when a contestant is worked out so hard they have a mental breakthrough. On an episode a few weeks ago, one contestant (I forget who it was now, Becky maybe?) was definitely at that breakthrough moment (the times when Jillian Michaels would ask “why are you here?" over and over), and Anna didn’t get it.
She seems like a nice person on camera, and I know she’s a wonderful tennis player. But I don’t think Anna Kourniva is cut out for the personal trainer scene. I don’t know if she realized that herself and left the show on her own, or if she was let go by the higher ups, but I hope she realized it herself and stepped down.
There’s no mention yet on who will be replacing her, if anyone. Personally I think Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince could do nicely by themselves. They’ve both got the personal trainer background experience, and they both are in-tune with how the contestants are feeling. They capitalize on breakthrough moments. Both Bob and Dolvett really listen to what the contestants have to say. They don’t just nod in agreement and tell them to deal with it.
Season 13 of The Biggest Loser starts January 3, and it will interesting to see who the trainers are. I haven’t heard anything about Dolvett leaving, so it will probably be Dolvett and Bob for sure, and possibly someone new. We shall see.
I don’t know what Anna Kournikova’s background is as far as being a personal trainer, but I thought her approach was a little unsympathetic. She told one contestant to basically suck it up and deal with it when the teams got rearranged. She’s not the best when it comes to capitalizing on the contestants breakthrough moments. There are times when a contestant is worked out so hard they have a mental breakthrough. On an episode a few weeks ago, one contestant (I forget who it was now, Becky maybe?) was definitely at that breakthrough moment (the times when Jillian Michaels would ask “why are you here?" over and over), and Anna didn’t get it.
She seems like a nice person on camera, and I know she’s a wonderful tennis player. But I don’t think Anna Kourniva is cut out for the personal trainer scene. I don’t know if she realized that herself and left the show on her own, or if she was let go by the higher ups, but I hope she realized it herself and stepped down.
There’s no mention yet on who will be replacing her, if anyone. Personally I think Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince could do nicely by themselves. They’ve both got the personal trainer background experience, and they both are in-tune with how the contestants are feeling. They capitalize on breakthrough moments. Both Bob and Dolvett really listen to what the contestants have to say. They don’t just nod in agreement and tell them to deal with it.
Season 13 of The Biggest Loser starts January 3, and it will interesting to see who the trainers are. I haven’t heard anything about Dolvett leaving, so it will probably be Dolvett and Bob for sure, and possibly someone new. We shall see.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Fragile X Syndrome
I mentioned yesterday that I’d be doing a mile on the elliptical today for a special cause. Unfortunately, my left foot is acting up, and I’m taking that as a sign to switch back to my tennis shoes. I might wear my Five Fingers for shorter workouts, but anything longer than 1/2 mile (at least for now) I’ll be wearing sneakers. Anyway, I did not do the mile, but plan to do a mile hopefully on Monday for the cause.
The cause? Fragile X Syndrome. A childhood friend of mine has a son with Fragile X and for the last 4 years has been setting up a charity 5k run/walk event at the Miami Metro Zoo.
I’m a bit bummed I wasn’t able to do a mile today for it. I try to do it every year when I can. But Monday will be the day. Read more about Fragile X Syndrome here. Hope the event went well today!
The cause? Fragile X Syndrome. A childhood friend of mine has a son with Fragile X and for the last 4 years has been setting up a charity 5k run/walk event at the Miami Metro Zoo.
I’m a bit bummed I wasn’t able to do a mile today for it. I try to do it every year when I can. But Monday will be the day. Read more about Fragile X Syndrome here. Hope the event went well today!
Friday, November 4, 2011
Good News…Bad News
First let’s get the bad news out of the way. Tuesday, November 1 we had to put our oldest cat down. Paws got to a ripe old age of 15 and 1/2. He’d been starting to show his age in the last year, but in the last week he went downhill fast.
We think he stopped eating his dry cat food sometime in the last few weeks. We would give him bits of chicken or tuna and he would scarf that down and love it. However, sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning a switch went off in him. Monday morning he only had a bite or two of chicken then turned away from it. I tried several times throughout the day, but he wasn’t interested.
What really got me...was early Monday afternoon. He’d take a few steps then would lie down. A while later he’d take a few steps then would lie back down. So, he definitely wasn’t comfortable at that point. We made the decision to take him the next morning. Tuesday morning came along and he wouldn’t even drink water. So, I pretty much knew what was going to happen.
The vet ran some tests, and determined Paws was dehydrated, anemic and worst of all was in kidney failure. I knew he was in kidney failure. That morning I actually said “I bet he’s in renal failure”. Sure enough. So that was that. No waffling in our decision. It had to be done. And it was done quick.
Yes, we were asked if we wanted to stay while it was done, and yes we ended up staying. It was tough, but in the end I’m glad I stayed. I don’t know if I would do it again. I went back and forth a lot, and not just in the last few days. About 9 month ago, my brother in-law and his wife had to put their dog down. Then a few months later, my sister and her family had to put one of their dogs down.
I knew the time for Paws was coming, so I’d been thinking about it for a long time. Flip flopping in my decision all the time. I don’t know if I would do it again. We have two more cats, and I have no clue what I’ll do then. Knowing me, I probably will. But I really don’t know. The death of a pet is never easy, and that is a personal choice every time. No right or wrong answer.
Anyway, he was a good cat, and he will be missed. Most of the posts for this blog were written with him in my lap, and it’s strange not to have him here now.
Mile 311.6 Mile 312
Mile 313 Mile 313.6
Mile 314
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Keep moving, and give your pet a squeeze.
We think he stopped eating his dry cat food sometime in the last few weeks. We would give him bits of chicken or tuna and he would scarf that down and love it. However, sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning a switch went off in him. Monday morning he only had a bite or two of chicken then turned away from it. I tried several times throughout the day, but he wasn’t interested.
What really got me...was early Monday afternoon. He’d take a few steps then would lie down. A while later he’d take a few steps then would lie back down. So, he definitely wasn’t comfortable at that point. We made the decision to take him the next morning. Tuesday morning came along and he wouldn’t even drink water. So, I pretty much knew what was going to happen.
The vet ran some tests, and determined Paws was dehydrated, anemic and worst of all was in kidney failure. I knew he was in kidney failure. That morning I actually said “I bet he’s in renal failure”. Sure enough. So that was that. No waffling in our decision. It had to be done. And it was done quick.
Yes, we were asked if we wanted to stay while it was done, and yes we ended up staying. It was tough, but in the end I’m glad I stayed. I don’t know if I would do it again. I went back and forth a lot, and not just in the last few days. About 9 month ago, my brother in-law and his wife had to put their dog down. Then a few months later, my sister and her family had to put one of their dogs down.
I knew the time for Paws was coming, so I’d been thinking about it for a long time. Flip flopping in my decision all the time. I don’t know if I would do it again. We have two more cats, and I have no clue what I’ll do then. Knowing me, I probably will. But I really don’t know. The death of a pet is never easy, and that is a personal choice every time. No right or wrong answer.
Anyway, he was a good cat, and he will be missed. Most of the posts for this blog were written with him in my lap, and it’s strange not to have him here now.
Paws: February (or March) 1996 – November 1, 2011
Ok then. Onto happier news. Before this whole bad week started, I met one of my goals, and I also met one of my un-made goals that I was going to make for November. First, on Sunday, October 30, I managed to do 1/2 mile on the elliptical with no breaks. That same day, I decided to go for a full mile. I took breaks after every .2 mile and then did the last .1 mile. Felt good to finally be able to go for about 15 minutes straight.
I took a few days off this week obviously. I wasn’t in a good frame of mind to get much of anything done. But on Thursday, I got back to it. I did 1/2 mile Thursday and another 1/2 mile today, just to get my legs moving a bit. I plan to do one mile tomorrow (will write about that another time) for a special cause.
I’ve got some pictures from the virtual walk site saved, so I’ll add those now. This entry is a bit long, so don’t want to write a whole novel here.
Mile 310.2 Mile 311
Mile 311.6 Mile 312
Mile 313 Mile 313.6
Mile 314
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Keep moving, and give your pet a squeeze.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Increasing Bit By Bit
After some thinking, I went ahead and decided to start increasing how long and how far I go on the elliptical. I think the added distance and time has helped my endurance. On Thursday, I went a total of .7 mile and managed to do .4 mile without stopping. I also think the two days beforehand I took off helped. Tuesday was a planned rest day, Wednesday was not.
I think on my non strength training days I’ll go a bit longer and see how long I can go before my first break. I think I could have made it the whole 1/2 mile without stopping, but I think it would have been tough. On the days I do strength training, I’ll play it by ear. I’ll go at least a half mile, but I won’t worry about how many breaks I take. If I feel like going longer, I will, if I don’t, I won’t.
I am making progress though. I had a mental goal for the end of October. To be able to go 1/2 mile without stopping. I will totally make that goal. I think I’ll be able to do that in the next few days actually.
Making progress on the virtual walk also. Since my last post, I’ve gone 3 more miles. Here are the pictures from the site.
Mile 306.6 Mile 307.2
Mile 307.8 Mile 308.4
Mile 309 Mile 309.6
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Have a great weekend, and keep moving!!
I think on my non strength training days I’ll go a bit longer and see how long I can go before my first break. I think I could have made it the whole 1/2 mile without stopping, but I think it would have been tough. On the days I do strength training, I’ll play it by ear. I’ll go at least a half mile, but I won’t worry about how many breaks I take. If I feel like going longer, I will, if I don’t, I won’t.
I am making progress though. I had a mental goal for the end of October. To be able to go 1/2 mile without stopping. I will totally make that goal. I think I’ll be able to do that in the next few days actually.
Making progress on the virtual walk also. Since my last post, I’ve gone 3 more miles. Here are the pictures from the site.
Mile 306.6 Mile 307.2
Mile 307.8 Mile 308.4
Mile 309 Mile 309.6
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Have a great weekend, and keep moving!!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
I Am The Tortoise, But I Want To Be The Hare Sometimes
I am slow. I move as slow as a turtle, sometimes even as slow as a snail. But I get where I want to go. For the past month, I’ve been getting used to my new elliptical. It’s very surprising to me how slow it’s taking my legs (even my whole body) to get used to it. The new stance is working new leg, arm and back muscles. The longer stride length is working my cardiovascular system like it’s never been worked before (stride length is longer and I’m still going at the same pace, maybe faster than I was). I’m taking more breaks than I’d like.
But I get the job done. I’m only going 1/2 mile at a time, between 15 and 16 minutes, and I’m beginning to feel the impatience. I want to go longer, I want to go farther, but it that smart? I told myself a few weeks ago I would not go more than 1/2 mile until I could do that 1/2 mile with no breaks. I’m still taking two, sometimes three, breaks. But, the other day I did manage to go .3 mile before my first break.
I’m thinking about going longer, but don’t know if I should. My thinking is this. If I go more than 1/2 mile, will that help my endurance and help me do the 1/2 mile with no breaks eventually? Or will going longer cause some sort of pain and injury? Should I just stick with my plan and only do 1/2 mile until I can do it one shot? I don’t know how long that will take. I’ll give it until the end of this week before I decide. And if I do increase my mileage, I’ll only do it in 1/10 increments.
Feet and ankles are still doing fine. I am no longer using the towel under my foot. It wasn’t intentional, but having the towel under my foot made it easier to move my left foot over. The towel slipped off while I was on it, and I was still able to move my foot over without a problem. Big accomplishment there. I’ve never been able to do that before. Maybe it’s partially due to the narrower stance. In any case, I didn’t use the two at all and was able to correct my foot position without it.
We’ll see what I end up doing. I can’t decide yet. I’m flip flopping quite a bit. I might do a longer workout one day to start with, then follow it up the next day with a shorter one. We shall see.
For now though, here are the latest pictures from the virtual walk site.
Mile 303.2 Mile 303.6
Mile 304.2 (motorcycles and tractors) Mile 304.6
Mile 305.2 Mile 305.6
Mile 306.2
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
But I get the job done. I’m only going 1/2 mile at a time, between 15 and 16 minutes, and I’m beginning to feel the impatience. I want to go longer, I want to go farther, but it that smart? I told myself a few weeks ago I would not go more than 1/2 mile until I could do that 1/2 mile with no breaks. I’m still taking two, sometimes three, breaks. But, the other day I did manage to go .3 mile before my first break.
I’m thinking about going longer, but don’t know if I should. My thinking is this. If I go more than 1/2 mile, will that help my endurance and help me do the 1/2 mile with no breaks eventually? Or will going longer cause some sort of pain and injury? Should I just stick with my plan and only do 1/2 mile until I can do it one shot? I don’t know how long that will take. I’ll give it until the end of this week before I decide. And if I do increase my mileage, I’ll only do it in 1/10 increments.
Feet and ankles are still doing fine. I am no longer using the towel under my foot. It wasn’t intentional, but having the towel under my foot made it easier to move my left foot over. The towel slipped off while I was on it, and I was still able to move my foot over without a problem. Big accomplishment there. I’ve never been able to do that before. Maybe it’s partially due to the narrower stance. In any case, I didn’t use the two at all and was able to correct my foot position without it.
We’ll see what I end up doing. I can’t decide yet. I’m flip flopping quite a bit. I might do a longer workout one day to start with, then follow it up the next day with a shorter one. We shall see.
For now though, here are the latest pictures from the virtual walk site.
Mile 303.2 Mile 303.6
Mile 304.2 (motorcycles and tractors) Mile 304.6
Mile 305.2 Mile 305.6
Mile 306.2
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Slow Miles…But Still Miles
My mileage accumulation has been slow, but at least it's still happening. And I did in fact pass the 300 mile mark on the virtual walk site.I also passed through the town of Buchanan, VA which is in Botetourt county. I am now making my way towards Troutville, VA which is about 16.75 miles from where I am currently on the walk. Since I’m going 1/2 mile on the elliptical for the time being, it’s going to take a while to get there. But, I will get there.
Good thing about going 1/2 mile at a time, is there are more pictures to share! Here are quite a few pictures I’ve been saving since I’ve been back on the elliptical.
Mile 299.2 Mile 299.6
Mile 300.2!!!! Mile 300.6
Mile 301.2 Mile 301.6
Mile 302.2 Mile 302.6
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
I’m taking frequent days off. My muscles in my legs and back are still adjusting, and I think it’s a smart idea to not push too hard yet. It’s tough for me to not get on every day, but I know my back and legs will thank me for it. Just the other day, I did my half mile, and at the end, my legs felt like Jell-O and I could hardly stand up because they were so fatigued. It will get easier, I just need to be patient.
Good thing about going 1/2 mile at a time, is there are more pictures to share! Here are quite a few pictures I’ve been saving since I’ve been back on the elliptical.
Mile 299.2 Mile 299.6
Mile 300.2!!!! Mile 300.6
Mile 301.2 Mile 301.6
Mile 302.2 Mile 302.6
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
I’m taking frequent days off. My muscles in my legs and back are still adjusting, and I think it’s a smart idea to not push too hard yet. It’s tough for me to not get on every day, but I know my back and legs will thank me for it. Just the other day, I did my half mile, and at the end, my legs felt like Jell-O and I could hardly stand up because they were so fatigued. It will get easier, I just need to be patient.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Getting Used To My New Elliptical
It's been awhile since I've posted, so I thought I would do a quick entry about how I am getting used to my new elliptical machine. I've had my Nordictrack elliptical for several weeks now, and I am really enjoying it. My muscles are still getting used to the new stance and motion,, but I am now doing 1/2 mile each time I get on it. I am taking several breaks during my half mile, and I'm focusing on taking less breaks right now.
There are two things I've had to adapt for. One of being my right hand on the arm poll, and the other being my left foot on the left foot pedal. The arm polls are at a different angle and are wider apart than my old machine. Because of that, every time I start the pedals and poles moving, my right hand slides awkwardly on the arm poll and it creates a sort of rug burn in between my thumb and forefinger. I have adapted to this by wearing a baseball glove on my right hand. That seems to solve that problem.
The problem with my left foot is that it tends to slide over to the inner side of the pedal and my foot rubs against the side. When I wear my tennis shoes, this isn't really a problem, but I am wearing my Vibram Five Finger shoes (KSO review). These shoes are made out of a very thin fabric, so my foot doesn't have much protection and I end up getting a spot on my foot that gets rubbed funny. To deal with this problem, I put down a folded hand towel under my foot. It took a little while to figure out how to fold the towel and place it so it would not slide out from under my foot as I worked out. I think I have it figured out now though.
I have made it to my first goal of doing 1/2 mile, although I'm still taking breaks like I said before. I plan on updating my mileage progress in a different post, because I have several pictures to upload and share from the virtual walk site.
I am very excited to say that I think wearing my Vibram Five Finger shoes will not be a problem on this machine. On my old machine I think my problem was the stance was too wide and it created excess pressure on my ankle. Because the stance on this machine is narrower, I think there will be less pressure and it won't be a problem. I think I've only worn my tennis shoes for the first two or three workouts. I've worn my Five Fingers the rest of the time. If at any point I do feel discomfort in my feet, I'll go back to wearing my tennis shoes. But for now everything seems to be OK.
I don't want to overload one post with all of my updates. So this post is this going to be about how I've been getting used to my new machine. Stay tuned for more updates soon.
There are two things I've had to adapt for. One of being my right hand on the arm poll, and the other being my left foot on the left foot pedal. The arm polls are at a different angle and are wider apart than my old machine. Because of that, every time I start the pedals and poles moving, my right hand slides awkwardly on the arm poll and it creates a sort of rug burn in between my thumb and forefinger. I have adapted to this by wearing a baseball glove on my right hand. That seems to solve that problem.
The problem with my left foot is that it tends to slide over to the inner side of the pedal and my foot rubs against the side. When I wear my tennis shoes, this isn't really a problem, but I am wearing my Vibram Five Finger shoes (KSO review). These shoes are made out of a very thin fabric, so my foot doesn't have much protection and I end up getting a spot on my foot that gets rubbed funny. To deal with this problem, I put down a folded hand towel under my foot. It took a little while to figure out how to fold the towel and place it so it would not slide out from under my foot as I worked out. I think I have it figured out now though.
I have made it to my first goal of doing 1/2 mile, although I'm still taking breaks like I said before. I plan on updating my mileage progress in a different post, because I have several pictures to upload and share from the virtual walk site.
I am very excited to say that I think wearing my Vibram Five Finger shoes will not be a problem on this machine. On my old machine I think my problem was the stance was too wide and it created excess pressure on my ankle. Because the stance on this machine is narrower, I think there will be less pressure and it won't be a problem. I think I've only worn my tennis shoes for the first two or three workouts. I've worn my Five Fingers the rest of the time. If at any point I do feel discomfort in my feet, I'll go back to wearing my tennis shoes. But for now everything seems to be OK.
I don't want to overload one post with all of my updates. So this post is this going to be about how I've been getting used to my new machine. Stay tuned for more updates soon.
Friday, September 16, 2011
NordicTrack A.C.T. Features
I am feeling quite sore today after yesterday’s 6:35 minute workout. My legs feel OK, but the muscles in between my shoulder blades are very sore. I haven’t made up my mind as to whether I’ll take today off or not. I might get on and just hold onto the side railings. I think it was the wider arm poles that did my arms in. We’ll see. I’m itching to get back on it though.
As promised, here are a few pictures of some of the features I love about my new elliptical.
Nice looking machine all set up and ready to go. Note the piece of paper hanging on the wall. It’s got mileage information on it so I know how many revolutions is equal to a certain distance. I wrote it in 1/10 mile increments. Good thing too, as I only did .2 of a mile yesterday.
Big logo on the side. Not too “in your face”.
Love the console on the machine. The display color is blue (was very happy about that), and it displays how long you’ve been on (upper left), revolutions (upper right), calories burned (lower left), wattage output (low middle, not sure what it means), and RPMs (revolutions per minute).
On the lower portion of the console is a speaker. You see that black cord hanging down on the left side?
That’s a power cord you plug into your mp3 player or cd player. Pretty nice! I tried it out with my iPod, and the sound quality is excellent. I’ll be using that for sure whenever I’m on it. No more ear buds falling out midway through my workout.
At the very top of the console is the fan. I totally forgot to turn it on during my workout, but I’ll remember next time. I got so used to getting on the elliptical and not turning on the fan, I just spaced it. The fan has two speeds, high and low. There’s a third fan option called “auto fan”, where the fan increases or decreases depending on how fast you’re pedaling. I don’t think I’ll fool around with that, I plan to have it on high the entire time.
In the middle of the console there’s an ifit thing. I’ve never played around with ifit (it was on my old elliptical also), so I’m not sure how it works. I think you need an ifit card of some sort, and you plug that card into the slot and pick a workout that you can download from their website. Not positive, so I may be completely wrong.
Also in the middle of the console, you’ll see the start button (it turns on the screen if it’s been idle for 5 minutes, or you can move the pedals to turn it on), the display button (you can pick and choose what you want to see. I plan on showing everything all the time. Time, calories, RPMs, etc.), workouts button (the machine comes with some pre-set workouts), and the enter button with arrows (not sure what they do yet, but I think the left and right arrows are for scrolling through the pre-set programs and the enter button selects a workout).
On either side of the console, there are numbers. On the left you’ll see 1-10 and on the right you’ll see 11-20. Those are the resistance levels. Push a numbered button and after a few seconds, it will change the resistance. Twenty levels of resistance! My old machine only had 10 levels, and I only got up to level 4 when I used the resistance.
I didn’t get a good picture of them, but on the very bottom of the console are the hand grips you hold onto to get your heart rate.
Think that pretty much covers the console.
This is the water bottle holder. I don’t think I’ll use it, because I need to stop and get off entirely to get a drink. I don’t have the balance to take one hand off the pole and grab a bottle and drink. My husband will probably use it though.
The bottle holder is one thing I was sort of worried about. On my other machine my knees kept hitting the water bottle holder, so we had to take it off. I do not hit this one at all, don’t even come close to it.
This is the stride adjuster thing-a-ma-bob. You pull out the knob and move it up or down to the stride you want. You can pick 18’’, 20’’ or 22’’. I like the 20’’ the best. I haven’t tried using the knob myself, but my husband says he needs to grease it because it feels “gummy” when he moves it.
This was a complete surprise to me. What is this you ask? It’s a wall adapter! No more batteries for me! The console runs off of electricity. I was not expecting this at all. I don’t remember the specifications on the Sears site saying anything about this. I am very happy. One of my major complaints with my old machine was the fact that the display screen flickered on and off no matter if it had new batteries or not. The coils in the battery compartment got squished and I basically just gave up on it.
So this was a very unexpected and nice surprise. When it first came, I actually skimmed through the owner’s manual to see what kind of batteries I needed. Didn’t see anything in the book. There was a small box included with all the parts, and it was the wall adapter. Cool beans man (that was for you Monique)!
And finally, this is my mileage chart. I have revolutions from .1 mile all the way to 2 miles (in .1 increments) for all three stride lengths. And the black thing in front of it is one of the arm poles. I couldn’t get a clear shot without getting it in there.
There you have it. The features of my new elliptical. So far, I love it. I can’t think of anything I don’t like about it. I’ve only been on it once, but I am very happy with it.
We’ll see how long it will take me to get up to a mile again. Hopefully it won’t take me too long.
Have a good day and a great weekend!
As promised, here are a few pictures of some of the features I love about my new elliptical.
Nice looking machine all set up and ready to go. Note the piece of paper hanging on the wall. It’s got mileage information on it so I know how many revolutions is equal to a certain distance. I wrote it in 1/10 mile increments. Good thing too, as I only did .2 of a mile yesterday.
Big logo on the side. Not too “in your face”.
Love the console on the machine. The display color is blue (was very happy about that), and it displays how long you’ve been on (upper left), revolutions (upper right), calories burned (lower left), wattage output (low middle, not sure what it means), and RPMs (revolutions per minute).
On the lower portion of the console is a speaker. You see that black cord hanging down on the left side?
That’s a power cord you plug into your mp3 player or cd player. Pretty nice! I tried it out with my iPod, and the sound quality is excellent. I’ll be using that for sure whenever I’m on it. No more ear buds falling out midway through my workout.
At the very top of the console is the fan. I totally forgot to turn it on during my workout, but I’ll remember next time. I got so used to getting on the elliptical and not turning on the fan, I just spaced it. The fan has two speeds, high and low. There’s a third fan option called “auto fan”, where the fan increases or decreases depending on how fast you’re pedaling. I don’t think I’ll fool around with that, I plan to have it on high the entire time.
In the middle of the console there’s an ifit thing. I’ve never played around with ifit (it was on my old elliptical also), so I’m not sure how it works. I think you need an ifit card of some sort, and you plug that card into the slot and pick a workout that you can download from their website. Not positive, so I may be completely wrong.
Also in the middle of the console, you’ll see the start button (it turns on the screen if it’s been idle for 5 minutes, or you can move the pedals to turn it on), the display button (you can pick and choose what you want to see. I plan on showing everything all the time. Time, calories, RPMs, etc.), workouts button (the machine comes with some pre-set workouts), and the enter button with arrows (not sure what they do yet, but I think the left and right arrows are for scrolling through the pre-set programs and the enter button selects a workout).
On either side of the console, there are numbers. On the left you’ll see 1-10 and on the right you’ll see 11-20. Those are the resistance levels. Push a numbered button and after a few seconds, it will change the resistance. Twenty levels of resistance! My old machine only had 10 levels, and I only got up to level 4 when I used the resistance.
I didn’t get a good picture of them, but on the very bottom of the console are the hand grips you hold onto to get your heart rate.
Think that pretty much covers the console.
These are the foot pedals. Nice and narrow stance. No more awkward wide legged stance. I’m hoping that the narrower stance will make it easier to use my Vibram Five Fingers. I think the wide stance of the old machine caused my ankle issue a year ago. We’ll have to see. I might get less blisters too. I need to pay attention when I get on next time to see if I’m pushing with my whole foot now or if I’m still pushing with the insides on my feet.
This is the water bottle holder. I don’t think I’ll use it, because I need to stop and get off entirely to get a drink. I don’t have the balance to take one hand off the pole and grab a bottle and drink. My husband will probably use it though.
The bottle holder is one thing I was sort of worried about. On my other machine my knees kept hitting the water bottle holder, so we had to take it off. I do not hit this one at all, don’t even come close to it.
This is the stride adjuster thing-a-ma-bob. You pull out the knob and move it up or down to the stride you want. You can pick 18’’, 20’’ or 22’’. I like the 20’’ the best. I haven’t tried using the knob myself, but my husband says he needs to grease it because it feels “gummy” when he moves it.
This was a complete surprise to me. What is this you ask? It’s a wall adapter! No more batteries for me! The console runs off of electricity. I was not expecting this at all. I don’t remember the specifications on the Sears site saying anything about this. I am very happy. One of my major complaints with my old machine was the fact that the display screen flickered on and off no matter if it had new batteries or not. The coils in the battery compartment got squished and I basically just gave up on it.
So this was a very unexpected and nice surprise. When it first came, I actually skimmed through the owner’s manual to see what kind of batteries I needed. Didn’t see anything in the book. There was a small box included with all the parts, and it was the wall adapter. Cool beans man (that was for you Monique)!
And finally, this is my mileage chart. I have revolutions from .1 mile all the way to 2 miles (in .1 increments) for all three stride lengths. And the black thing in front of it is one of the arm poles. I couldn’t get a clear shot without getting it in there.
There you have it. The features of my new elliptical. So far, I love it. I can’t think of anything I don’t like about it. I’ve only been on it once, but I am very happy with it.
We’ll see how long it will take me to get up to a mile again. Hopefully it won’t take me too long.
Have a good day and a great weekend!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Feels Like Starting Over
Good news! The new elliptical is here! It’s put together! And I’ve been on it! Bad news. It feels like I’m starting all over again. Let’s start at the beginning.
The new elliptical arrived Wednesday in the early afternoon. It came in a gigantic box. Sears delivered it, and luckily my husband and 20 year old nephew were back from work to bring it into the house. The two of them rolled it in on a dolly and brought it all the way into our bedroom. Not too tough to move when it was on the dolly.
It took a total of four hours for my husband to put it together. I’m not even counting the 20 minutes it too just to unpack all of the parts. It wouldn’t have taken four hours, but the fact that my husband wasn’t able to use the power drill (wrong kind of screws), and the angle of most of the screw holes made it take a long time. If the power drill was used, I think it would have taken an hour and a half, two hours at most. That and the fact my husband is stubborn and won’t ask for help. He did it all on his own.
Once it was put together, he got on it first on the 22-inch stride length setting. He likes it. He thinks he’s going to use it. I got on when it was still set at 22 inches, and immediately said “now way” to that stride length. It felt like I was doing the splits. Went down to the 18-inch stride length which is what I’m used to. I didn’t try out the 20-inch length that night.
A few things are different with this machine. The foot pedals are closer together, which I like. On the Proform I had a much wider stance on the pedals. With the NordicTrack, it feels more normal. The arm poles are wider on the NordicTrack. That will take some getting used to. Having a narrower foot stance and wider arms impacts my balance. That’s a good thing. The more I work my balance, the easier it will be.
Today was the day. I have been off the elliptical for quite a while. I looked, and my last day was August 25. I decided to try out the 20-inch stride length. Yes. That is my new setting. It felt really comfortable, and I was happy with that length. I didn’t have any set distance goal in mind for today’s workout, but in the back of my mind I wanted to go 1/2 mile.
I get on the elliptical and start to go. Well…at the 1/10 mile mark I had to stop. The fronts of my legs were tired and my heart beat was fast. Really fast. I noticed that with the extra two inches on the stride, I was still going the same pace, maybe a little faster. So I took a minute, and got back on. Did another 1/10 mile and called it a day. My legs were shot. I tried to go slower, and that was even more work for my muscles.
The different stance and new stride length is working different parts of my legs and obviously those parts need work. I remember the exact same feeling of tiredness when I first got my Proform, so I know that I have to build up my usage slowly. I’ll get there though. On my Proform, I could only go for about 6 minutes and had to stop. Same thing today. I went a total of 6:35 and was done. I took a break midway through.
I absolutely LOVE the machine though. It’s great! I’ll take some pictures tomorrow and share all of the features I love about it. I am so glad I made the upgrade. I want to get back on it right now, but my legs would hate me.
Yes, I did record my .2 mile on the virtual walk site. Hey, it’s something. Those .2 miles killed me. Here’s the photo from the site. The picture on the site did not change, but it’s good as a refresher picture.
Mile 299 (so close and yet so far)
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Pictures and a more detailed description on the NordicTrack A.C.T. coming tomorrow! I’m excited!
The new elliptical arrived Wednesday in the early afternoon. It came in a gigantic box. Sears delivered it, and luckily my husband and 20 year old nephew were back from work to bring it into the house. The two of them rolled it in on a dolly and brought it all the way into our bedroom. Not too tough to move when it was on the dolly.
It took a total of four hours for my husband to put it together. I’m not even counting the 20 minutes it too just to unpack all of the parts. It wouldn’t have taken four hours, but the fact that my husband wasn’t able to use the power drill (wrong kind of screws), and the angle of most of the screw holes made it take a long time. If the power drill was used, I think it would have taken an hour and a half, two hours at most. That and the fact my husband is stubborn and won’t ask for help. He did it all on his own.
Once it was put together, he got on it first on the 22-inch stride length setting. He likes it. He thinks he’s going to use it. I got on when it was still set at 22 inches, and immediately said “now way” to that stride length. It felt like I was doing the splits. Went down to the 18-inch stride length which is what I’m used to. I didn’t try out the 20-inch length that night.
A few things are different with this machine. The foot pedals are closer together, which I like. On the Proform I had a much wider stance on the pedals. With the NordicTrack, it feels more normal. The arm poles are wider on the NordicTrack. That will take some getting used to. Having a narrower foot stance and wider arms impacts my balance. That’s a good thing. The more I work my balance, the easier it will be.
Today was the day. I have been off the elliptical for quite a while. I looked, and my last day was August 25. I decided to try out the 20-inch stride length. Yes. That is my new setting. It felt really comfortable, and I was happy with that length. I didn’t have any set distance goal in mind for today’s workout, but in the back of my mind I wanted to go 1/2 mile.
I get on the elliptical and start to go. Well…at the 1/10 mile mark I had to stop. The fronts of my legs were tired and my heart beat was fast. Really fast. I noticed that with the extra two inches on the stride, I was still going the same pace, maybe a little faster. So I took a minute, and got back on. Did another 1/10 mile and called it a day. My legs were shot. I tried to go slower, and that was even more work for my muscles.
The different stance and new stride length is working different parts of my legs and obviously those parts need work. I remember the exact same feeling of tiredness when I first got my Proform, so I know that I have to build up my usage slowly. I’ll get there though. On my Proform, I could only go for about 6 minutes and had to stop. Same thing today. I went a total of 6:35 and was done. I took a break midway through.
I absolutely LOVE the machine though. It’s great! I’ll take some pictures tomorrow and share all of the features I love about it. I am so glad I made the upgrade. I want to get back on it right now, but my legs would hate me.
Yes, I did record my .2 mile on the virtual walk site. Hey, it’s something. Those .2 miles killed me. Here’s the photo from the site. The picture on the site did not change, but it’s good as a refresher picture.
Mile 299 (so close and yet so far)
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Pictures and a more detailed description on the NordicTrack A.C.T. coming tomorrow! I’m excited!
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Day Is Set
I mentioned last week that my elliptical blew up, and I had a replacement in mind. Well, it’s been bought and is scheduled to be delivered Wednesday, September 14. Longest two weeks ever (I bought it last Tuesday). The when it gets here, it will need to be set up, but that shouldn’t take my husband too long, he’s pretty adept at putting thing together.
OK, so now that I won’t get jinxed (unless something goes wonky with the delivery deal), I can go into more details. I ended up getting the NordicTrack A.C.T. elliptical machine from Sears.com.
I had no intention of spending that much in the beginning. I had a set price in mind to spend, and was going to get a similar machine as my old one. But, my husband always had one complaint about the Proform I had. The stride length was too short for him, and he didn’t feel comfortable on it.
So out of curiosity, I checked out one of the more expensive machines to see if the stride length was longer. It made a difference. I can’t remember now how we found the A.C.T. but my husband was looking around at the same time I was, and he said, “hey this one is on sale for over half off”. I checked it out, and was amazed at the sale. Over half off? Are you kidding me?
Even with it being over half off, it was still going to be about $250 over my original price range. I thought long and hard (well not too long as I had no idea how long this “online summer sale” was going to last") and ultimately justified paying the extra money. Here are my justifications.
1. The machine is going to be used…a lot. It’s not going to just sit in the corner and not be used.
2. It comes with a 10 year warranty on parts. If I have a problem, there’s a Sears not far from the house.
3. It comes with a lifetime warranty on the frame.
4. Longer stride length so my husband can use it. It has at least a 21 inch stride length. It’s adjustable from an 18 inch stride length and up.
5. It’s a compact machine. I bought a “space saver” machine the first time around and had to lower the back end of the machine down to use it, then fold it back up when I was done. This is compact and I don’t have to “set it up” before using it. It’s the same size as my old machine was folded up. The Proform had the gears and drives or whatever in the back end. The NordicTrack has everything up front and on the sides.
Those are my reasons for spending more than I intended. I think I made the right decision. I’ll have this one for at least 10 years with the parts warranty, and that in itself makes it worth it.
So now, I just hope things go smoothly with the delivery. It’s not over yet. Usually I’m a positive person, but when it comes to deliveries and big machines being set up, things tend to always go wrong. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst is what I always keep in mind.
Woohoo! Only one more week (and a few days) to wait.
OK, so now that I won’t get jinxed (unless something goes wonky with the delivery deal), I can go into more details. I ended up getting the NordicTrack A.C.T. elliptical machine from Sears.com.
I had no intention of spending that much in the beginning. I had a set price in mind to spend, and was going to get a similar machine as my old one. But, my husband always had one complaint about the Proform I had. The stride length was too short for him, and he didn’t feel comfortable on it.
So out of curiosity, I checked out one of the more expensive machines to see if the stride length was longer. It made a difference. I can’t remember now how we found the A.C.T. but my husband was looking around at the same time I was, and he said, “hey this one is on sale for over half off”. I checked it out, and was amazed at the sale. Over half off? Are you kidding me?
Even with it being over half off, it was still going to be about $250 over my original price range. I thought long and hard (well not too long as I had no idea how long this “online summer sale” was going to last") and ultimately justified paying the extra money. Here are my justifications.
1. The machine is going to be used…a lot. It’s not going to just sit in the corner and not be used.
2. It comes with a 10 year warranty on parts. If I have a problem, there’s a Sears not far from the house.
3. It comes with a lifetime warranty on the frame.
4. Longer stride length so my husband can use it. It has at least a 21 inch stride length. It’s adjustable from an 18 inch stride length and up.
5. It’s a compact machine. I bought a “space saver” machine the first time around and had to lower the back end of the machine down to use it, then fold it back up when I was done. This is compact and I don’t have to “set it up” before using it. It’s the same size as my old machine was folded up. The Proform had the gears and drives or whatever in the back end. The NordicTrack has everything up front and on the sides.
Those are my reasons for spending more than I intended. I think I made the right decision. I’ll have this one for at least 10 years with the parts warranty, and that in itself makes it worth it.
So now, I just hope things go smoothly with the delivery. It’s not over yet. Usually I’m a positive person, but when it comes to deliveries and big machines being set up, things tend to always go wrong. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst is what I always keep in mind.
Woohoo! Only one more week (and a few days) to wait.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Mileage Update And Possibilities
Since my elliptical blew up a few days ago, I have been searching the Internet for elliptical machines to buy. I've found a few possibilities, one in particular which is a very good online deal. I don't want to say anything quite yet because I don't want to jinx it. This online deal is a "summer sale", and I don't know how long it will last. I'm hoping it will last another week, so I can go into Sears and check it out if it's there. My husband wants be to try it out in the store just to see if I can get on and off easily. I really don't think it will be an issue, because there are plenty of hand holds to hold onto. I probably already jinxed it by saying this much.
Enough about that for now. Here are the last several mileage pictures from the virtual walk site. I'm so close to the 300 mile mark, only 1.2 miles to go. Is everything worked out with this online deal, I should have a new elliptical within the next 3 to 4 weeks.
Now on to the pictures.
Mile 294: Mile 295.2:
Mile 296.4: Mile 297.6:
Mile 298.8:
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
And there you have it. Hopefully it will be too much longer before I am able to post more pictures and mileage updates. Keep your fingers crossed that I get the elliptical but I really want.
Enough about that for now. Here are the last several mileage pictures from the virtual walk site. I'm so close to the 300 mile mark, only 1.2 miles to go. Is everything worked out with this online deal, I should have a new elliptical within the next 3 to 4 weeks.
Now on to the pictures.
Mile 294: Mile 295.2:
Mile 296.4: Mile 297.6:
Mile 298.8:
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
And there you have it. Hopefully it will be too much longer before I am able to post more pictures and mileage updates. Keep your fingers crossed that I get the elliptical but I really want.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Uh-Oh Spaghettio
Well, it seems my elliptical workouts are going on a hiatus. My elliptical (Proform 850) is about three and a half years old. I’ve had no issues with it except for the battery coils in the battery compartment getting smooshed, so the display screen doesn’t work correctly.
For the most part, I’ve been pretty consistent with going one mile every time I get on. I had my first mechanical glitch on Thursday. Things were going really well, I was going at a smooth pace, when all of a sudden it felt like the resistance kicked in. I knew that wasn’t possible since I don’t have batteries in the display screen at the moment. Thinking back it didn’t really feel like the normal resistance. It felt more like someone grabbed hold of the pedals and was trying to slow me down.
I got off the machine for a few minutes. My husband got on and he didn’t feel anything wrong. So I got back on and finished up my 1.2 miles. The first time it happened I had been on for 18 minutes. It happened again the last 30 seconds of my workout. So, it wasn’t my imagination or anything.
My husband took the machine apart and oiled up the bearings and things to see if that would help. Today, I get on the machine, and 1. it still felt like the resistance was on, and 2. it was making an odd noise.
I got off, and my husband got on. He went forward and backward with the pedals, and something is definitely not right. There was a loud clunk when he went backwards. You’re supposed to go backwards on the elliptical for a harder workout, so it shouldn’t have made the clunk noise.
My husband is in the process of seeing what’s wrong. He thinks he can see the problem, but isn’t sure if it’s fixable. We’ll see. I’m not sure what the problem is, so I can’t say. He said one of the parts isn’t doing what it should be doing.
I think this problem would have happened whether or not he oiled it. It was definitely not acting like it should have been. The oiling was just a hope. This problem was inevitable.
*****
Well, it looks like it’s a no go. Ball bearings just fell out of nowhere. So it looks like I’ll be without an elliptical for a while. I don’t see how anyone can fix it. I’m just glad it didn’t totally break while I was on it.
I was so close to getting to 300 miles on the virtual walk too. Today was the day. I have 1.2 miles to go to get to 300. Bummer. I’ve got photos to post, but I’ll do that in another entry. I’m bummed. Seriously bummed.
Anyone know how long a cardio machine lasts? Whether it be an elliptical, treadmill, stair master or stationary bike?
Oh, this is such a bummer.
For the most part, I’ve been pretty consistent with going one mile every time I get on. I had my first mechanical glitch on Thursday. Things were going really well, I was going at a smooth pace, when all of a sudden it felt like the resistance kicked in. I knew that wasn’t possible since I don’t have batteries in the display screen at the moment. Thinking back it didn’t really feel like the normal resistance. It felt more like someone grabbed hold of the pedals and was trying to slow me down.
I got off the machine for a few minutes. My husband got on and he didn’t feel anything wrong. So I got back on and finished up my 1.2 miles. The first time it happened I had been on for 18 minutes. It happened again the last 30 seconds of my workout. So, it wasn’t my imagination or anything.
My husband took the machine apart and oiled up the bearings and things to see if that would help. Today, I get on the machine, and 1. it still felt like the resistance was on, and 2. it was making an odd noise.
I got off, and my husband got on. He went forward and backward with the pedals, and something is definitely not right. There was a loud clunk when he went backwards. You’re supposed to go backwards on the elliptical for a harder workout, so it shouldn’t have made the clunk noise.
My husband is in the process of seeing what’s wrong. He thinks he can see the problem, but isn’t sure if it’s fixable. We’ll see. I’m not sure what the problem is, so I can’t say. He said one of the parts isn’t doing what it should be doing.
I think this problem would have happened whether or not he oiled it. It was definitely not acting like it should have been. The oiling was just a hope. This problem was inevitable.
*****
Well, it looks like it’s a no go. Ball bearings just fell out of nowhere. So it looks like I’ll be without an elliptical for a while. I don’t see how anyone can fix it. I’m just glad it didn’t totally break while I was on it.
I was so close to getting to 300 miles on the virtual walk too. Today was the day. I have 1.2 miles to go to get to 300. Bummer. I’ve got photos to post, but I’ll do that in another entry. I’m bummed. Seriously bummed.
Anyone know how long a cardio machine lasts? Whether it be an elliptical, treadmill, stair master or stationary bike?
Oh, this is such a bummer.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Oh What A Difference A Day Makes
When it comes to exercise lately, I’ve been a bit spotty. Last week was a big fail in that area. I only exercised once, on Monday. And I skipped this Monday too. If it gets to a certain point of the day, I just don’t feel like working out anymore. I always start the day with good intentions though. I get dressed in my workout gear and then I dilly dally around, and before you know it, it just feels too late for me.
I don’t really like doing cardio on an empty stomach. So, my plan is always to get my strength training done before I eat breakfast, then have my daily cereal, then get in my elliptical workout. Last week, I did this, that or the other thing, and before I knew it, it was 10:30 in the morning, and I knew my endurance wouldn’t hold out for my elliptical workout. So, I then told myself to get it in after I eat lunch. By that point, I just don’t feel like it.
Yesterday was one of those days. I fiddled around doing random things, and before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I had my lunch, and then felt guilty for not exercising. My husband had a short day, and he pretty much kicked my butt into gear. He told me to suck it up and do my mile. I did. It was about 1:00 PM, but I did 40 minutes. Got in about 1.1 miles and could have kept going. I could have probably pushed myself to get in a full hour, but decided I better not.
Good thing too. My legs felt just fine this morning. When I got on my elliptical, I was about 18 minutes in and felt like I was going to die. I managed to get my mile in (or pretty close to it, as I took the batteries out of my display screen), but I took multiple breaks. I also switched shoes for the last 7 minutes.
That was the longest mile ever. It seemed like it would never be over. But I pushed through and got it done. I’m stiff now, and every time I stand up I groan. I need to stretch, and see how I feel tomorrow.
My Five Finger exercise progress is going well. I upped my time with them from 5 minutes to 7 and things still seem to be OK. I’ll stay with the 7-minute plan for a few weeks and then up it to 10 minutes.
It’s all about consistency. I’ve not been consistent at all with my working out lately. I need to remind myself, it doesn’t matter how late in the day it gets…do it anyway. I always feel a lot better after I get in my mile. Yes, morning is best for me, but it won’t kill me to get it in later in the day.
Mileage update
I’m closing in fast on the 300 mile mark of the virtual walk. That snuck up on me. Here are the last several pictures from the site.
Mile 287.8 Mile 288.8
Mile 289.9 Mile 291
Mile 292 Mile 293
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Do you ever procrastinate your workout routines? Do you take the off if it “gets too late”, or do you suck it up and get it done anyway?
I don’t really like doing cardio on an empty stomach. So, my plan is always to get my strength training done before I eat breakfast, then have my daily cereal, then get in my elliptical workout. Last week, I did this, that or the other thing, and before I knew it, it was 10:30 in the morning, and I knew my endurance wouldn’t hold out for my elliptical workout. So, I then told myself to get it in after I eat lunch. By that point, I just don’t feel like it.
Yesterday was one of those days. I fiddled around doing random things, and before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I had my lunch, and then felt guilty for not exercising. My husband had a short day, and he pretty much kicked my butt into gear. He told me to suck it up and do my mile. I did. It was about 1:00 PM, but I did 40 minutes. Got in about 1.1 miles and could have kept going. I could have probably pushed myself to get in a full hour, but decided I better not.
Good thing too. My legs felt just fine this morning. When I got on my elliptical, I was about 18 minutes in and felt like I was going to die. I managed to get my mile in (or pretty close to it, as I took the batteries out of my display screen), but I took multiple breaks. I also switched shoes for the last 7 minutes.
That was the longest mile ever. It seemed like it would never be over. But I pushed through and got it done. I’m stiff now, and every time I stand up I groan. I need to stretch, and see how I feel tomorrow.
My Five Finger exercise progress is going well. I upped my time with them from 5 minutes to 7 and things still seem to be OK. I’ll stay with the 7-minute plan for a few weeks and then up it to 10 minutes.
It’s all about consistency. I’ve not been consistent at all with my working out lately. I need to remind myself, it doesn’t matter how late in the day it gets…do it anyway. I always feel a lot better after I get in my mile. Yes, morning is best for me, but it won’t kill me to get it in later in the day.
Mileage update
I’m closing in fast on the 300 mile mark of the virtual walk. That snuck up on me. Here are the last several pictures from the site.
Mile 287.8 Mile 288.8
Mile 289.9 Mile 291
Mile 292 Mile 293
(photo credit - Copyright 2006 Lawrence Berkeley Lab)
Do you ever procrastinate your workout routines? Do you take the off if it “gets too late”, or do you suck it up and get it done anyway?
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