Abs Anonymous!

Hi. My name is Mariann.

I'm an ab-aholic!

It's only been 24 hours since my last ab workout. I feel great!

It's just that...well...

I'm getting that "urge" to do some crunches. I don't know what it is...I can't go a day without them.

I know I should be resting from my ab workout yesterday, but the soreness, the burning pain - I crave it. I desire it more than chocolate. I can't get enough.

Can you help me?

One More - go one more!

Superchick has a new song out that has become THE workout song for me:

It feels like I have lost this fight
They think that I am staying down
But I'm not giving up tonight
Tonight the wall is coming down
I am stronger than my fears
This is the mountain that I climb
Got 100 steps to go
Tonight I'll make it 99

One more Go one more Yeah, yeah
Don't stop now
Go one more Yeah, yeah
One more Go one more
Go one more Yeah, yeah

I have everything to lose
By not getting up to fight
I might get used to giving up
So I am showing up tonight
I am my own enemy
The battle fought within my mind
If I can overcome step one
I can face the 99

There's a lot of mileage in this message!

Don't stop. Keep going. When things get rough, stick it out.

It's a message of overcoming the obstacles we might face - whether they are working out, weight, job situations, marriage, children, life situations...whatever we might face, we can have the courage, the strength we need to overcome.

So let me challenge you - one more, go one more! Whether it's a step, an hour, a day...whatever! Go one more - don't give up. Don't give in.

Just Say No - It's Only Day 4!

It's day 4 of the Me-Diet. I'm doing well. The food is good. I know...I know...I said that yesterday. But IT'S TRUE!!!

Anyways, a vendor decided that today would be a good day to send some fresh-baked (and warm might I add) cinnabuns, danishes and donuts. And, they included the all-time best, JELLY DONUT!!! I am so sad...

As soon as they placed those donuts on the snack/dessert table (which happens to be in my cubicle - now very, very sad am I), I grabbed my morning snack - PEANUTS (just a small handful ) and a plum (which wasn't very ripe). I ate those items like my life depended on it. Then, I washed them down with a bottled water. Now, even if I wanted to eat that one lonely jelly donut, I couldn't. I'M TOO FULL!

My cubicle neighbor thought that she'd help me out - she wrapped the jelly donut and put it on her desk for me to grab later. There's a bet on how long I'll go without giving in and partaking of the goods. So, I moved them. Yep. I did it. I put them out on the community shelf. All of them. All of the cinnamon buns that are still warm with the glazed topping, with nuts or raisins - they're on the shelf! The danishes with lemon and raspberry or cheese - they're on the shelf. The donuts, fresh from the bakery, ON THE SHELF!

You know what the best part of the shelf is - if I were to walk by now - there would only be empty boxes with the aroma of pastries still there. The pastries are all GONE! As soon as word gets out that there's anything on that shelf for free - the ravens come out and scavange for their morning morsels.

To all my critics out there - KUDOS TO ME! (You can't see it, but I'm patting myself on the back).

My waist will thank me later. My scale will reward me. My conscience will not be seared. I SHALL NOT BE MOVED!

My anti-pastry - RESOLVE, DETERMINATION and PEANUTS!

Diet - day 3.

Today is Day 3 of "me...on a diet". Let me tell you, the cooking for this diet is time-consuming!!! I spent over an hour yesterday just chopping veggies, mincing garlic and ginger and blending black beans into a wonderful soup.

The food is great, but so stinking time consuming! I guess that's why we become so accustomed to canned or jarred or frozen meals. They're convenient. The taste is OK, but that's the price you pay for convenience. The recipes for this diet are wonderful. The food is so tasty. We had to buy so many spices/condiments, herbs and sauces/oils. Black Bean Soup never tasted so good.

Last night, we cooked up some rice pilaf with salmon. The salmon was marinaded in a dressing made up of balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, ginger and honey. Yum!! The pilaf had "glazed" onions and red peppers in brown rice. Tonight, we are having pasta primavera. I'm loving these recipes.

My roommate is graciously participating in this event with me. She does NOT need to be on a diet, but she's going to eat what I eat. She has been constantly thinking about food. She keeps asking what she can/cannot eat; what can she eat next; what's for dinner...it's making me laugh. I personally have been feeling like it's A LOT of food. But, I do what I have to do...:)

I had a deduction on the home scale today. NICE! A little boost like that never hurt. I will update the weight on my dashboard after weighing in at the gym, since that's the scale I'm using as my guide.

Well, only 2 hours until I go to the gym. I didn't go this weekend. I ran on Saturday and walked yesterday. Today is a strength training day! Yeah. Gonna flex some muscles. Workout those glutes. Firm the flab. Maybe I should consider an exercise video by that title, "Firm the Flab". Ha! Maybe I should just stop now and go back to work!

Me...On a Diet!

Since my doctor recommended I read, "You...On a Diet", I've been slowly making my way through the book. It's been a few weeks now and I finally decided that I would put into practice the "YOU" diet that is recommended.

So, my roommate and I went through the menu online and chose our menu for the week. That was Step 1. Then, we printed out the grocery list for all the ingredients that we would need. Step 2. After, we went to the grocery store and found all the items on the list. Finally, we stood at the register and tried not to be too shocked at the final total.

Before I go into the heart-pounding, mind-numbing total of the grocery bill, please let me tell you that the most I've ever spent for a grocery trip for 1 week of groceris was somewhere around $110. Imagine my surprise and shock when the total came to over $230 - FOR TWO PEOPLE!!!

I'm just thinking, "THIS BETTER be worth it!"

The cashier said we challenged her knowledge of produce. Let's just say we went through the produce aisle and pretty much picked up one of everything! The bagboy jokingly commented to us on the way out, "Enjoy your vegetables!"

So, it's day one of ME ON A DIET. Breakfast was good. I didn't think I'd like the lunch salad, but it was amazingly good. I had my banana snack and now it's time for my afternoon snack. I am not feeling hungry, not feeling like I'm being denied anything (that will come when I go to play mini golf tonight and everyone gets ice cream after). I feel full! I feel satisfied. My fridge is overflowing with a plethora of produce. My body is happy for the healthy choices, and the 2 mile run this morning.

So far, me on a diet - not so bad. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.

Training is cheaper than Therapy - and more effective!

I used to think that waking up in the morning and feeling every bone and muscle in your body was just a sign of old age or general laziness. Now, I'm thinking differently.

By no means do I consider myself old. Neither do I consider myself lazy. But lately, getting out of bed in the morning is just plain ol' painful! This morning, I had everything I could do to lift myself to sit up in the bed. EVERY muscle in my back is singing out in chorus to me today - from the base of my neck to the base of my rear!

I knew that yesterday's training session would leave me tired and sore, but I did not expect this! Every time I yawn and stretch, I feel it. Everytime I lift my arm anywhere close to shoulder level - ouwwwww. Please don't ask me to lift anything! Even lifting that cup of decaf to my lips is causing me to have second thoughts about drinking coffee.

On a sad note, I only have 2 more training session remaining. :(

I will definitely miss that time of butt kicking each week. I know that I have the knowledge base and the discipline to continue on in the direction I've been heading, but there's something therapeutic about that one hour on training each week. My trainer and I were discussing this very fact yesterday - as we were talking about different types of people that go to therapists week after week and never take the advice of the therapist. (That's why I love Dr. Phil. His no nonsense "You need to get over it and move on" is exactly what we need).

Training is very similar. I could go get my whoopin' for an hour each week and do absolutely nothing with it through the week. What does that bring me - $60 less in my pocket (which is significantly lower in cost than a therapist) and not much else but a few sore muscles a couple days of the week. If you really want to get something out of that investment, you have to take what you learn and invest it throughout the week. Go to the gym. Put in the cardio time. Put in the strength training. Change up the diet. That's the only way to see the results!

I'll miss my time of "therapy" but I know that I've learned from that time. I've made the investment.

Now it's time for me to move on...and in the words of Dr. Phil, "You need to get over it."

I Love Mondays!

The title has you intrigued now - doesn't it???

Let me be very clear. I hate Mondays from the perspective of going back to work for the week or getting back into the routine of the "stuff" you have to do...but, I love going to the gym on Mondays. They make the best work-out days.

Why? Well, let me tell you.

The weekend is a time to relax and unwind from the busyness and stress of the "stuff" you do all week long. There is a physical and mental relaxation that comes. But on Monday, there's this "I gotta get to the gym" mentality that just kicks in. I just wanna bust my tail and get all the workout I can get in over my lunchbreak.

Plus, I just like going to the gym!

So, I went to the gym yesterday with a craving to work out my arms. I don't know the reasoning behind it, but I want to be able to do a pull-up (or at least cross the monkey bars just once without falling). So I decided to turn up the volume on the workout.

Here's the workout:
1. Lunges on the cattle shoot (technical name - uh....I dunno). Basically, it adds weight to your lunges on your shoulders. I did 3 sets of 20.

2. Push-ups with 12 lb weights that I lift when I went up on the push-up. I did 3 sets of 12.

3. Tricep curls. 3 sets of 15.

4. Shoulder Pull-downs - 90 lbs. Yep. 90. If I'm ever going to do a pull-up, I need to up this weight tremendously, but 90 lbs is a good start. I had been only using 45 lbs. on this machine, but I had been thinking about it and knew that I could do more!

5. ABS. (My personal favorite). Today, I laid on my back, holding onto the pole behind my head. Then, I lifted both legs up over my head, lifting my butt off the ground and touched my legs to the pole, then to the left of the pole and then to the right of the pole. One. Do it 10 times. Twice.

That was basically it. Since I was working out with a co-worker and we upped all the weights and intensity, we didn't have time to do much more.

We ended in a nice stretch and a shower.

This morning, my back (pecs) are sore. I can feel that. My stomach is a bit sore too, but that is to be expected.

Today is Tuesday - CARDIO Day! Whoo hoo.

I'm thinking of mixing it up today and doing a circuit of 12 mins on the arc trainer (I call it the gazelle), 12 mins on the treadmill running and then 12 mins. of racing on the bike.

Oh, I love Tuesdays too.

TGIF!

I love Fridays.

It's my "free" day (ie: Fat-free* Friday - everything you eat is fat-free.). I tend to eat a pretzel or breakfast sandwich. I go out for lunch. I hang-out for fun on Friday nights.

I, also, make it my "free" day from the gym.

But that is no longer. I've changed my schedule. I used Fridays as the day-off from going to the gym or any strenuous exercise. It was my proverbial exercise "day of rest".

Thursdays and Sundays are now my days of rest. I am trying a new schedule to see if it will help in getting to the gym on Saturdays. Lately, I miss 3 days in a row! I can't afford to miss that many days in a row. It's just that the whole schedule is thrown off with that free Friday.

So now, I will have free Thursday. I don't know that I'll make it fat-free* Thursday - it just doesn't sound right. I'll keep that on Fridays. Maybe I won't feel quite as quilty eating whatever it is that I might eat ...

So for now, TGIF - it's FAT-FREE* FRIDAY!

*Disclaimer: These statements are only true if you believe them. Fat-free Friday is only mental, you will still ingest fat if you choose to do so, but the purpose is to free you from the guilt that is associated from eating a large fries or a loaded baked potato.

Today is My Birthday!

Today is my birthday. I won't be celebrating with donuts or a big breakfast. There's no balloons or streamers on my doorway at home or my cubicle at work. There's no cake, no ice cream. No big fan fare.

Don't get me wrong. I like ALL those things. I've just learned not to let my expectations get out of hand. I only get disappointed.

So today, I will celebrate - at the gym. I did not cancel my personal trainer. I don't plan on telling her. I don't want her to "take it easy" on me with just 4 sessions left. I want a hard workout. I want to sweat. I want to know that I've conquered another session of training. It makes me feel strong and confident when I walk away from a session knowing that I was able to do whatever was dished out at me - even if I looked stupid trying!

I'll celebrate by doing the best job I can at work today. Maybe I'll watch the olympics tonight. Definitely, I will remember all the wonderful things that God has given to me over these past 37 years.

And maybe, just maybe, there will be donuts!

It's A New Day!

I love today. I love the freshness of the morning, the dew covering the earth, the blueness of the sky. The cloud formations were beautiful. I sure wish I would have gotten up earlier so that I could have gone for a walk or a jog this morning. It would have been awesome.

I'm not sore from yesterday's workout. Why? - You might ask. I'll tell you why!

I have this revolutionary new tool - THE STICK! I first saw (or rather experienced) THE STICK during the Health Expo for the Philadelphia Marathon in November. I remember the demonstrator rolling it over my calf muscles and I was having a moment of bliss! It felt great!! Now, since I just forked out hundreds of dollars on the hotel and food for the weekend, there was no way I could afford or justify the purchase of this item. But, I was determined to have one.

So, when I ran the Lehigh Valley Marathon in April, I put aside money just for THE STICK. I even hunted it down during the Health Expo. It has been the best investment I have made in my running career.

So, all that to say, I'm not sore after yesterday's circuit training due to the fact that I use THE STICK. It works - really!

You can purchase the stick online, if you're interested.

You WON'T be disappointed!

*No, I am not a professional actor. I was not paid or further compensated for the promotion of this item.

Circuit - Training!

"I'm feeling very olympic today." - Sanka ("Cool Runnings")

I always wondered what exactly was circuit-training.

Now, I know. It's a grouping of activities that are done back-to-back without a rest in between.

Today, I took my team of ladies through some circuits. Boy, did I make them sweat!

First, we did four activities (3 reps):

• Leg lunges while carrying weights
• Arm lifts
• Body Squats - no extra weight
• Bicep Curls

Second, we did 3 activities (2 reps):

• Mountain climber
• Push-ups
• Bungee pulls

Third, we did ball crunches and "rear" crunches (2 sets).

Finally, we stretched and hit the showers.

I don't know about the ladies who were training with me, but I was whipped and now I'm feeling sore.

Back to my opening quote, there's just something about the Olympics that just gets you wanting to get out there and work your tail off. At this point in my life, I believe the only olympics I could ever hope for would be the Senior Olympics! I should get training now. It's only 30 years away!

One of those days...

Did you ever have one of those days...

• when no matter what you tried on - it was too tight?
• when all you want to eat is a jelly donut or a package of M&M's?
• when something as simple as caffeine is beckoning your name?
• where you wonder if it's even worth it - to deny yourself?
• where the gym is the last possible place you wanna go?
• when you know it's one of those days and you just shouldn't fight it?

That's my day today.

Maybe it's Mother Nature's way of warning me of my impending monthly visit or my willpower giving up for the day. Either way, it was one of those days.

1 Potato, 2 Potato, 3 Potato, Four...

Remember those days when you were younger, those lazy days of summer or weekends, where you would be skipping rope or playing hopscotch with your friends?

Miss Mary Mack, Mack, Mack
All dressed in Black, Black, Black...

You know what I'm talking about. Skipping rope was so much fun. You would count how many you could do without tripping or making a mistake?

Well, let me take you back to those good 'ol days, but fast forward to NOW.

My trainer warned me. She stated there would be jump roping at my next training session. How hard could that be - jump roping? Let me tell you...

I jumped some rope yesterday. I counted - I did over 50 jumps without a mess-up on the first try. I haven't jumped a rope since I was a kid (at least as much as I can remember). Lots of rope jumping - 30 seconds, 1 minutes straight!

Then, let's do the mountain climber and 12 push-ups. Repeat for 3 total reps.

Circuit Training. An ancient Babylonion method of prisoner torture.

Ok. More rope jumping - 30 seconds or so. Squats. Bungee cords. Oh fun. 3 total reps.

Finally, bungee cord, jump sideways over a 1 foot step and bicep curls - 3 total reps.

All I have to say is, "I WAS WHIPPED!"

I don't think the red flush in my face went away until late in the afternoon. This morning, my quads are sore, but I feel stronger.

My endurance is lengthening, strengthening.

My weight - well,...

Anyway, today is cardio day. I think I'll take it easy on my beaten body. Arc trainer - here I come!

Squatters Anonymous!

After a grueling training workout last week and several days of sore buns, I decided it was time to do some more of those wonderful squats! I had my trainees hanging out with me yesterday and we did a pretty intense workout.

First, we did some standing lunges with the barbell on our shoulders and did some shoulder lifts - only 5 lbs each hand.

Second, we focused on the arms, tricep pulls and bicep curls.

Third, the favorite butt firmer - SQUATS! We used the squat machine (pardon me for lack of the technical term). Those have to be one of my favorite. Why? Because I can feel it later! If I feel it later - then I know they're working. TRUST ME - THEY'RE WORKING!!!

Fourth, Quad lifts and hamstring curls on the "RECLINER" machines. They remind me of a recliner. You adjust the back and the height - for your comfortability. You slide your legs on the cushioned bars. Lean back and just let your legs do the....ha whaaaa....oh sorry, I think I must have dozed off for a moment.

Fifth - heehee - we went to the core room for a few final touches on our workout. (It's sort of like adding the sprinkles or the final decorations on your favorite cake). We did the ABC crunches, the plank, more crunches, the plank, bicycle crunches and finally - the plank.

Finally - stretching. AAAaaaaaaahhhhhhh. Now let out all the frustrations of the day. Breath in the good, out the .... zzzzz .... whaa? oh, sorry. I must have dozed off again.

I should really get back to work.

A Day of Rest!

Maybe you're with me on this, maybe you're not. Either way, I took Friday as a Day of REST. My body was hurting, my body was tired. My body was just not going to go to the gym.

If God needed a day of rest from creating the heavens and the earth after 6 really busy days, who am I to think I don't need a day of rest after 6 days of lifting, pushing, pulling, squatting, running, swinging, squeezing, pulling in, pushing out all the various muscles in my body?

I will be back on Sunday. Catch me then!