It's Now or Never.
For some crazy reason the fitness bug has bitten. Maybe it was not having the strength to schlep heavy boxes from upstairs to the basement.
Maybe it was not being able to see a visible waistline.
Maybe it was not wanting to appear in public in a swim suit or even wear a sleeveless blouse that revealed upper arms like bratwurst.
Whatever the reason, we are now committed to reducing body fat and increasing strength. It started in April. Let's not overdo it right away. Start simply. How hard could it be? There's a little yoga studio nearby -- i yoga -- which turned out to be perfect. But not so easy. 15 minutes into the first session it felt like someone turned on the heat. And there's nothing quite as humbling as having your ass kicked by a pregnant teacher. The stretching feels wonderful and holding up your body weight in Down Dog or Plank is bound to build strength. Slowly, though, slowly.
Then, to up the ante a little we found essentials4fitness. Because self-discipline is a foreign concept, and because personal trainers aren't just for celebrities, we signed up for 10 sessions with this guy. Don't let that youthful demeanor fool you. He's one tough taskmaster. The first session was exactly one month ago and one muscle group or another has been sore ever since. Public appearance in a swimsuit is still a few months off.
Not to neglect the cardiovascular system, running on a more regular basis is part of the grand plan. Try the new favorite treadmill workout: watch this while doing the "random hill climb." Yummy. Then you feel like you deserve that plate of pasta.
We've heard that interval training -- that is alternating walking and running -- burns more fat faster. So try the Bravo Interval System . One simply runs during commercial breaks and walks during the show.
Or another favorite: the iPod Interval System. This is best used outdoors, say, running around Lake Harriet. Set the iPod on "shuffle" and walk for one song and run for the next. Totally random, not scientific and probably frowned upon by professionals. But that's what makes running fun. If it can be called fun.
You could get lucky and walk to a 4:35 Diana Krall tune like All or Nothing at All or a 4:19 Dylan song like Simple Twist of Fate. Followed by a 2:00 run to a Ray Charles tune like Hit the Road Jack.
Or you could get an extended Coltrane jam like the 7:58 version of I'm Old Fashioned for the run segment. You never know what's coming next. And that's the challenge. Today, is a holiday. No physical activity required. Thanks to the American Labor Unions for a day to celebrate work by not working. Or working out.
On the agenda today: eating, drinking and card playing on Rita's new pergola.
P.S. My brother, Dennis, asked "What are you training for?"
The reply, "Life, I guess."
A colleague, a former college swimmer, wants us to train for the Alcatraz to San Francisco swim next August. Just slightly over 1 mile in the water, a wet suit required as the water is quite cold. Should I risk heart attack or go for it.
Unless you have some other suggestions. Or I could just stand around looking fabulous in my swim suit.
Maybe it was not being able to see a visible waistline.
Maybe it was not wanting to appear in public in a swim suit or even wear a sleeveless blouse that revealed upper arms like bratwurst.
Whatever the reason, we are now committed to reducing body fat and increasing strength. It started in April. Let's not overdo it right away. Start simply. How hard could it be? There's a little yoga studio nearby -- i yoga -- which turned out to be perfect. But not so easy. 15 minutes into the first session it felt like someone turned on the heat. And there's nothing quite as humbling as having your ass kicked by a pregnant teacher. The stretching feels wonderful and holding up your body weight in Down Dog or Plank is bound to build strength. Slowly, though, slowly.
Then, to up the ante a little we found essentials4fitness. Because self-discipline is a foreign concept, and because personal trainers aren't just for celebrities, we signed up for 10 sessions with this guy. Don't let that youthful demeanor fool you. He's one tough taskmaster. The first session was exactly one month ago and one muscle group or another has been sore ever since. Public appearance in a swimsuit is still a few months off.
Not to neglect the cardiovascular system, running on a more regular basis is part of the grand plan. Try the new favorite treadmill workout: watch this while doing the "random hill climb." Yummy. Then you feel like you deserve that plate of pasta.
We've heard that interval training -- that is alternating walking and running -- burns more fat faster. So try the Bravo Interval System . One simply runs during commercial breaks and walks during the show.
Or another favorite: the iPod Interval System. This is best used outdoors, say, running around Lake Harriet. Set the iPod on "shuffle" and walk for one song and run for the next. Totally random, not scientific and probably frowned upon by professionals. But that's what makes running fun. If it can be called fun.
You could get lucky and walk to a 4:35 Diana Krall tune like All or Nothing at All or a 4:19 Dylan song like Simple Twist of Fate. Followed by a 2:00 run to a Ray Charles tune like Hit the Road Jack.
Or you could get an extended Coltrane jam like the 7:58 version of I'm Old Fashioned for the run segment. You never know what's coming next. And that's the challenge. Today, is a holiday. No physical activity required. Thanks to the American Labor Unions for a day to celebrate work by not working. Or working out.
On the agenda today: eating, drinking and card playing on Rita's new pergola.
P.S. My brother, Dennis, asked "What are you training for?"
The reply, "Life, I guess."
A colleague, a former college swimmer, wants us to train for the Alcatraz to San Francisco swim next August. Just slightly over 1 mile in the water, a wet suit required as the water is quite cold. Should I risk heart attack or go for it.
Unless you have some other suggestions. Or I could just stand around looking fabulous in my swim suit.
posted by MadgeMc at 10:15 AM
9 Comments:
My parents have to be somewhat to blame for your love for Chad. As for the whole Alcatraz thing the three Belk girls may be going on the endevour as well. However, I'm not sure if I'm going to be because as my father said "Well, really the only thing anyone has to worry about is sharks, but that's it!"
Mom, Chad is hot. And he gives me weird feelings.
He's more of a fitness geek than anything. He looks a lot different in real life. ANd he's really sweet. Even though most everything seems like torture.
Is he a tall man?
Chad went to Bodyworks with my family and he was talking to me and when he walked away I was like "I have no idea who that guy was! That was so weird!" to Eamonn and he was like "Uh, that's your parents' personal trainer, he came with your family."
But no hes not all that tall. He's a cutie though, he's super nice.
I'm currently using the Netflix system, which forces me to exercise through episodes of TV shows I've missed and now receive on DVD. Once I'm tired of the treadmill, I can stretch for a really long time just to make it through an entire episode. Currently watching: Six Feet Under, Season 5
My sister-in-law did the Alcatraz swim-- I'll ask her about it. Proud of you w/ the exercise. I'm trying to walk up the stairs to our condo once a week to jumpstart the fitness effort. It's slow going.
take care, justine
I'm not positive I can handle the water temperature. Cardiac Arrest would probably result. Sounds intriguing, though. And a wet suit. I can't resist the thought of squeezing my body into a wet suit.
I know I am a late poster here, but I am going to have to look for a personal trainer if they come in Chad varieties. Ditto on Nora's wierd feelings.
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