This is a GREAT blog post about meal planning!
March Event 3/28/14
What an awesome night!
This year was at Emerald Downs instead of GRCC, and boy, was the change apparent!
Lots more tables which means lots more guests.
It’s always been a classy event, but this one was really nice!
More to come when we find out how much $$ was raised. 🙂
Dallas Rock n Roll Half
We had a great weekend. A little get a way of sorts… Stayed with Shawnna and Kellan. Really enjoyed their company!
It was also Shawnna’s first half marathon, and she did GREAT! Her goal was 3:10, and she did it in 2:59!! Woot!
I knew that I had a chance to set a PR also, and really took advantage of the flat course. As a result, I did set a PR by almost 2 minutes. 🙂 Kinda proud of myself.
Mark did great also. No PR, but he felt great and really enjoyed the great course! Click HERE to see it
Here is a link to the photos. Enjoy!
We’ll be back for this one… It was a good one!
Friday.. Friday..
We made it! Yay!
Slept in this morning, but today I’m sitting on my trusty ball. Also did an at home ab work out this morning. Not the same as going to the gym itself, but I really need to lay off a little I think. (don’t want to, but need to) My injuries are starting to affect everything and rest is the only thing that’s helping. BOO. Damn elbows and shoulder.
Speaking of that…. Shoulder has been feeling better. This week I worked on some upper body. Lots of push ups, and light weight shoulder presses. I did not do any standing rows, but bent over and sitting didn’t hurt too bad. It was very encouraging. I also made sure that I did a lot of stretching through my work outs. If I go to the squat rack, have the safety bar on the third hole from the bottom it’s the right height to do a great stretch for my lat’s. It also pulls my shoulder out a little, and if it pop!’s then I’m good to go for a while. Gross, I know but it works.  Also, the bands have been my friend lately. I feel like I’m going backwards though. UGH.
Elbows, same. Well, not the popping thing. I’ve been icing a little (not as much as I should be, but anything is better than nothing, right?) Ibuprofin…Ibuprofin….Ibuprofin. Popping those like they’re candy.
One more thing, I’ve raised my laptop to see if that helps. Typing is the culprit, exercise compounds it all, but I need to help it somewhere. Not typing is not an option.
I really feel like my cleaner eating is starting to show. Well, I can notice the difference anyways. And deep down, that’s all that matters. I definitely feel better. Also, I ordered a couple dresses for a few events we have coming up with the intent of keeping one and returning the other. I like them both, so I’m keeping them both! I absolutely despise trying on clothes and I hate getting dressed up. So this was huge for me.
Tomorrow, I’m going to go out for a run. Planning on a minimum of 5. (***I ended up running 8….) We have our Dallas Rock n Roll half marathon next weekend. I should probably hit the pavement at least once before that event… Even if it is a flat course… 🙂
Ciao!
Cardio vs Lifting … Why the hell do I do both?
If I had my choice between cardio and lifting…… No brainer…. It’s lifting every single time.
I really hate cardio. Which seems silly, since I have completed 9 half marathons, a handful of 10K’s and 5K’s and have 9 or 10 more half marathons scheduled and paid for this year already.
So why do I do both?
At first, it was because my husband insisted that “if you do cardio (ie.. run) you will lose weight.” Yea, that’s true. But it just didn’t work for me.  And,  everything I had read said the opposite. I was so confused! For HIM it worked. Men are different or something, because although I saw a difference in the lbs I was, I still wasn’t happy with how I felt.
I’d been working with one trainer for a while but was always so worried that my lifting would interfere with my running so we went “easy” on my training sessions.  Then, I started working with a different trainer and he kicked my butt into gear. We came up with a plan that complimented my running. One that helped me become stronger so that running was easier. And you know what? It worked.
It wasn’t until I started lifting more, and lifting heavier that I started to see the difference in my body.
So why do I still do cardio?
I had an epiphany the other day. I realized, I don’t do cardio to lose weight. I do cardio to make sure that I don’t cough up a lung during or after I’ve run 13.1 miles.
I lift to lose weight.
I lift to see a difference in my body.
I lift because it makes me HAPPY.
The week in recap….
Wow, I can’t believe I went so long between posts!
So, I did OK this week staying on track. Food wise, was fine.
I skipped a couple mornings at the gym. But you know what? I lost weight.
I KNOW that I don’t have to go to the gym as much as I do. I do it because I like it. Some people play organized sports and go to the gym. I like to go to the gym and go to the gym. *shrugs*
Upping my daily calories has helped me get over my plateau. Also, B did a good job of making me more aware of tricking my system. It’s all good.
I went to lunch the other day with someone I hadn’t seen in several months. She and I don’t know each other, but were on the same team. She told me that when I walked up and hugged my other friend she thought to herself “Wait, I thought we were having lunch with Tyra?”
Man. That felt good. My other friend gave me nice compliments too.
I don’t NEED the compliments per se, but I do…. If that makes sense?
Ok. I’m rambling at this point so I am going to wrap it up.
I plan on going to the gym tomorrow to lift.  My shoulder is feeling much better. I think I should ease back in to working my upper body. I LOVE deadlifts and squats, but I need to get some upper body work done too.  I just wish my elbows didn’t hurt so bad. 😦
More to come later….. 🙂
Pain
I’m so upset right now.
For a while, I struggled with neck and shoulder pain. It was all related to strain in my neck. Poor posture, my weight, etc…
I went to Physical Therapy for a while and have been doing much better.
Then I strained my hamstring. But Brandon was awesome with showing me some great exercises to strengthen my hamstring muscles, and things are much better there. Still very tight but that’s a different story.
Then, my elbows started hurting. Actually, it’s the tendons that start at the elbow and go down the under(ish) side of my forearms, eventually attaching to my pinky and ring fingers. Mostly related to typing on my computer all day. I can’t do anything that requires me grabbing whatever I’m grabbing from the top, with my fingers. Bicep curls hurt, rows hurt, cleans hurt, ab roll outs hurt. If I don’t rest them, everything hurts! I know that I just need to rest for a while to let them heal, but it’s hard. I don’t understand the rest word.
I’ve been doing a month of “plyo” type exercises, or mostly body weight stuff with the bosu ball and exercise ball, etc. and then going back to straight lifting. (My favorite) so today being March 1st I was really excited to go to the gym this morning to start my month of lifting.
Got through my bench presses and rows just fine.
Grabbed the ab roll out wheel and started doing my dead lifts. Both went fine. On my 3rd set, I decided to just do my ab roll outs with the deadlift bar. I don’t know why I didn’t just leave well enough alone.
When I rolled out, my hands were far apart, different then they were with the wheel. Also, the wheel weighs a few lbs. I had a bar with weights on it now, totaling 135 lbs. I’d done this before, lots but for some reason, I rolled out and heard the crunch starting in my shoulder, felt it pulling out of its socket and it was fucking STUCK. I went down on my elbows, sat up, popped the damn shoulder back in and have no idea how I didn’t start crying.
I waited a couple minutes, stood up and finished my 4th set of dead lifts but decided I was done with the ab roll outs.
I ended up going over to the smith machine and did some reverse grip inverted rows, push ups and dips. A little pain but not too much.
Then I did some single leg presses and lunges. I planned on doing some decline bench sit ups but my shoulder was toast.
I took ibuprofen thru the day. Had a party to go to, so I didn’t ice.
Now, I’m laying in bed with an ice pack and it’s hit me. I think I really did hurt myself. This is going to be a step back and I’m NOT happy about that. My range of motion is fucked and I hope that I can use the same exercises I used before from the PT, and that I didn’t tear something. I would imagine if I tore something that it would hurt worse, but then again, the hospital did try to send me home when I was in labor with my Daughter because I handled the pain so well. Ugh!
So, now I figure out a plan. I may have to stick with the plyo stuff for this month. If push ups don’t hurt too much, and (ICK) burpees, then that’s what I’m gonna have to do.
I can’t go backwards. I just can’t. Not when I’ve been making so much progress. 😦
Progress. Forward is good!
Even if we’re taking baby steps…..
On Jan 3, Brandon and I took note of my body comp.
We did it again this morning. (cries! My last day with him!)
Here are my results between Jan 3, 2014 and Feb 26, 2014:
Weight: -2 lbs
Body Fat:Â -1.1%
Arm:Â -.5 inches
Chest: -.75 inches
Waist: -.75 inches
Hips: -.5 inches
Thigh: -.5 inches
I have to say, I’m not terribly disappointed with the numbers.
Would I like to see the actual scale number move more quickly? Yes, of course.
But ultimately, it’s the body fat % number that I’m watching closely. And I’d say down 1.1% in almost 2 month’s isn’t bad.
I’ll take the forward progress. 🙂
The next 10 ish days
I’ve never lived alone.
I really never even had my own bedroom. I’ve always shared with my Sister (thankfully, we are very close and have always gotten along) or have shared with Mark.
Ok, maybe for a couple of years when I was 13-15, every other weekend growing up and 2 weeks during summer vacation when we were at my Dad’s on the lake. But in the grand scheme of things, I’ve never really been alone.
Mark and I were married when I was 19, and we moved in together shortly after I turned 18.
So when my Husband leaves, I’m always torn. On one hand, it’s nice to have that “alone time” (if you can call it that with 2 teens in the house) But on the other hand, it freaks me out.
Especially now with me being so focused. In the past, I haven’t been very honest with myself. Sure, I (mostly) followed whatever plan I was on, but I also (occasionally) cheated every so often I’m being totally honest with myself.
Mark is leaving tomorrow for work and then he’s on a jet plane to Arizona for Spring Training for 10 days. I was supposed to go with him, but it just didn’t make sense financially.
This is happening right when my Personal Trainer sessions have run out, and of course right when we decided that I don’t need to buy more sessions.
Ugh!
Before Mark decided that he was “all in” with regards to strength training for his running, and committed himself to going to the gym with me every morning, I was getting up every morning by myself. Leaving him in our nice warm bed sleeping. I did it then, I can do it now.
I have to!
So…. The goal for this next 10ish days is for me to be ON POINT.
No cheating. No sleeping in.
I’ve got this.
Weekend recap
What a weekend. They sure do go fast!
Friday night, we decided to forego the gym. We did go in the morning so it was all good. In fact, Brandon really killed me with a kettlebell workout. I have the bruises to prove it. Yikes! On both arms. I’m such a badass. 🙂 Mark will do that workout when he’s back from AZ. After I’ve done it and mastered it, of course. 🙂 I really hate that my last session with B is on Wednesday. The next 10 days are going to be a good test for me. Can I push myself? Ugh.
Saturday, we made plans to go to the hockey game. I got up in the morning and went to the gym. Lifted, and it felt great to move some weight around. I love Saturday mornings in there. There are a ton of people, but they’re either on the cardio machines or in a class. This means I can follow the order that I put together of my workouts. I get cranky if I have to change things around.
Finished up, went home and had to go help T move Girl Scout Cookies boxes. Holy second workout! Felt good though. Especially because I was really looking forward to going out to dinner. I just really wanted a hamburger.
The hockey game was ok. No fights. boo!
Sunday, I planned on resting. LOL
Got up in the morning, ran to Costco to get some staples and when I came home, I decided I wasn’t ready to rest yet so I told Mark I was going for a walk. I planned on walking to Lake Wilderness and back. Except, when I started walking I decided to start running instead. I ran a bit, walked a bit, etc.. down just past the lake and back. Then decided to walk up the hill in Maple Woods, and run back home. Turns out, the entire trip was 7.3 miles. I ran at least 4 of those miles. I really needed that. We have a half in a few weeks, and I haven’t been running. So it felt good. 🙂 It was raining, so that was fun. haha
Finished up, got a nice shower in and started my food prep for the week. With Mark leaving Wednesday, I know I’ll need to be SPOT ON with everything. It’s so easy to “cheat” when there’s nobody around to keep you on track. I really want to take advantage of my momentum. So food prep went well!
Overall, it was a great weekend. It went way to fast, as always. There is really no slowing down time anymore.
Must take full advantage of every second!
healthytyra 