Taking some time...

I spoke with my personal trainer yesterday about my body just not responding to the workouts lately. In fact, I've been so exhausted before and then worse after, that I'm not really feeling or seeing the benefits of the workout. Some of it is a lack of motivation. A majority of it is just the fact that my body is tired. It needs a break.

At least that's what Trainer Sue said. So, here's the plan. I'm taking a week off.

Yep. That's it - it's that simple. I'm taking Wed to Wed off - starting today. There's no need to delay what I need - I'm not getting anything out of my recent workouts.

I was afraid I'd forget to go back after that much time off. Trainer Sue said she'd hold me accountable to get my bootie back into that place. And, in an effort to trick my mind into believing that I'm not missing an entire week, I'm doing it mid-week so that I already have Monday and Tuesday under my belt this week and can put in for Thursday and Friday next week.

Works for me.

So, I'll also be taking a week off from posting...hopefully not in losing weight. I'm hoping to make a strong comeback after this short respit.

Until then, ...

Going through the motions

There's a time in any routine in life where one must go through the motions in order not to lose any ground. That's sort of where I'm at.

Maybe it's the changing of the seasons or the slow (and I mean extremely slow) results that I'm getting from my workouts, but I am just not feeling the motivation. In fact, I'm not feeling ANY motivation!

What should I do?

I'm thinking a little change-up is in order. Since Daylight Savings is this weekend, maybe I could try:

• Going to the gym earlier in the day, like before work (say 6:00 am-ish)....
• Re-hiring my trainer (gotta figure out the financial part for that to work)...
• Changing up the routine...going all-out on cardio on a daily basis and specific strength training targets each day...
• Seeing a nutritionist to help with the diet (again, figuring out finances)
• Renewing my determination (we all know it's a mental game - gotta focus!)

How about you? Got any advice for me?

Send me your ideas, suggestions, criticisms, whatever...Help me get out of this slump that I'm slowly falling into...I don't want to lose any ground and I HATE just going through the motions!

One of those days (take 2)...

It was one of those days at the gym.

I had it altogether. I went to the gym. Got the machine of my choice. Worked a hard 20-min on the cardio and sweated to several sets of ab exercises. It felt good. My T-shirt had those rewarding marks of someone who has worked hard at the gym. So off to the locker room I go.

That's when it all went downhill...

I threw off my sneakers and socks to grab my flip-flops. Pulled them out, put them on. I reached in my bag for my towel - wha? No towel. I forgot a towel. OK. We've done this once before, grab 8-10 super-absorbant papertowels - we're good. Get in the shower, get a good rinse in, turn off the shower. Dry off with all 10 of those super-absorbant towels...Reach in my bag for those ever-important pair of clean undies...where did I...check the side pockets...oh boy, guess what I forgot....CLEAN, DRY UNDIES! To top it off, I dropped my dress socks out of the bag into the small puddle at the bottom of the shower. So, picture with me if you will, no clean, dry undies, wet dress socks and a patted-dry body ...

I guess it's just one of those days!

Late night at the gym.

It's been a long time since I've gone to the gym in the evening.

In fact, I think I've only done that once or twice. But, with the schedule I've had, I couldn't go during lunch and early morning was definitely out of the question. The evening crowd is much different than any other time during the day.

When I've gone early morning, the folks that are there are just rolling out of bed (evident by the nappy-heads and eye-crusties). They are usually more serious about their workouts and, by my observation, are mostly females.

Ok. Fast forward to the lunch crowd. The CAR SENSE mechanics are all there (in their CAR SENSE uniforms). There are trainers and their trainees. There's a good mix of young, old, men, women...it's crowded, but not too bad.

Then, there's the night crowd. These are your standard GYM RATS. Mostly men. The kickboxers fill the free weight area (evident by their "special" shorts and bare feet). The young men staring at themselves constantly in the mirror whilst flexing their biceps or making their pecs dance... Almost always - MEN! And not just any men, but men you know have been working out - they have the huge biceps and the weight-lifting belts and the muscle shirts...

Then, there's me. I'm big, I'm bad, I'm wearing all RED. I'm a woman. I'm pretty much the only woman. Hey, I don't care, I'm there to workout, not stare at or be stared at. I'm going to do my own thing. One of the best benefits I received from having a personal trainer is the confidence I need to know what I'm doing and how to do it. So, watch-out for the woman in red flinging the kettle ball!

I like the evening for one reason: TIME. I'm not rushed. I could warm-up with 10-minutes on the ARC trainer and give it all I have and then go through a full strength training routine. It takes just over an hour. I don't have that time at lunch.

Although, I don't have the time to go most evenings. By the time I reach home (about 7pm), I'm rushing through my dinner routine, check my mail and settling in just in time to go to bed. I don't like that either.

So, for those who've been biting their nails (or clipping them into their eyeballs), yes, I'm finding the motivation to get myself to the gym. I can't go too many days without going....As it is, I'll probably go again tonight due to the PHILLIES PEP RALLY at my work where Jamie Moyer's first and second cousins will be at the autograph tent in our parking lot - signing stuff.

Falling into Fall...

I didn't make it to the gym yesterday. I was planning on going to a football game of some of the JR. High boys in my church. I was going to run home during lunch and pick-up my North Penn Sweatshirt to cheer them on. On the way to my home, I called the mom of two of the boys to confirm the game only to find out they weren't able to play due to a school project.

Alright, so no football game and no need for a sweatshirt from home.

Then the mom asked where I was and if I wanted to meet her for lunch. Well, of course! I love eating lunch. Since she is babysitting a set of twins, she wanted to go to a lunch place with play tubes = inside. The only place that has that is McD's. Subway and Saladworks don't have play tubes. And since I was already feeling lethargic and functioning on almost 4 hours of sleep, my willpower to make good decisions (or even a faint feeling of caring), I ordered the #7 - Southern Chicken Sandwich, medium fries and a diet coke.

I know, I know. What was I thinking...well, frankly, I wasn't thinking - I DIDN'T CARE! I was going to eat and enjoy this sandwich. And besides, I was working on my Monopoly Millions! It was so worth it! (OK, maybe my next time at the gym will work it all off).

I will be missing the gym at lunch today too. I have a lunch appointment. My goal (and I am pushing for it) is to go after work.

I don't know what it is - maybe it's the change in seasons, but I just don't feel like the extra effort of going to the gym. It's sad, but it's true. I think I'm just going to keep pressing in and going after it - it is exactly what I need!

Maybe Today is THE DAY!

Today just may be the day I hit that elusive 10 pounds.

You may be tiring of hearing about it, but I am only tired from working so hard to hit that number!

I hit a new low on the home scale (lowest in 2008) - so I'm expecting a similar "low" at the gym scale (the "official" scale).

Wish me luck!

Ho hum...

Ho Hum...

Going to the gym

I don't feel like going

Something I must do

Ho Hum...

Gonna lose that pound

Whether I like it or Not

Don't like it, but

Ho Hum...