My motivation for the gym

Sorry for the lack of blog updates this week... work/life is crazy.

What make me go to the gym when I don't want to? The fact that I shell out $36 a month for it. That's what is making me go there right now and fulfill my date with the elliptical. I could do a video. I could do nothing. But I want my money's worth :)

There very probably will not be a BL update this week. Sorry kids!

*******************

Here is my post gym update. Yes, I go to the old people gym (E will tell you that). But what drives me crazy is that the people in the 50+ range don't give a CRAP about form when they are lifting weights. I saw this guy do a tricep kickback today, and I swear, I thought he was going to hurt himself. I also saw some 50 year old lady doing bicep curls, and again, lifting with ridiculously heavy weights, and doing exaggerated Sly Stallone movements. Oy.

Music Motivation

I read on The Daily Spark that we should make different playlists to go with the different activities we do: running, elliptical, cross-training, etc. I decided to spend a little bit of time on my Saturday to do this (so much better than cleaning my bathroom). In the process, I learned a little bit about myself and my music.

1) According to my "Top 25 Most Played" list, I've played "Waterloo" by ABBA 190 times, by far the most played song in my Itunes. "SOS" by ABBA was a distant second, played 83 times. I blame a random watching of "Muriel's Wedding" and then my viewing of "Mamma Mia!" And, seriously, who does not love "Waterloo" or ABBA?

2) My friend R and I exchanged CDs back in September of running music. My list to her included: "I'm Every Woman" by Whitney Houston, "Stronger" by Britney Spears, "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, "Labels or Love" by Fergie, "Stronger" by Kanye West, "Celebrity Skin" by Hole, "You Can Do It" by Ice Cube, "Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai, "Stupid Girls" by Pink, "Hung Up" by Madonna, "I Don't Wanna Be In Love" by Good Charlotte, "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera, "When I Grow Up" by the Pussycat Dolls, "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin, "Gonna Fly Now" from the Rocky movies, "4 Minutes" by Madonna and JT, and "Brand New Day" by Sting.

3) My recently purchased music includes "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry, "Keeps Gettin' Better" by Christina Aguilera, "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J, "Groove is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite, and "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads. I've started noticing that my radio listening turns into "running song analysis", as in, "this sounds like a good workout song."

4) Prior to this new playlist kick, I had 162 songs on my Ipod Shuffle. Unfortunately, I found myself shuffling to some specific songs, so I think these playlists are going to help me. Like "Thnks fr th Mmrs" by Fallout Boy. Not a Fallout Boy fan at all, but it is perfect for a mid-elliptical pickup.

5) Cheesy songs get me moving. Take, for instance, "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. Yes, it's on my Shuffle. Yes, it is cheesy beyond belief and it makes me think of that episode of Friends where Rachel got her baby to not cry by singing it. However, if you got some JLo-type authentic booty (like me), you've got to embrace it. (Sidenote: I love on the 30 Day Shred when Jillian tells us to stick our butts out when we're doing squats... "Ain't no shame ladies!" She cracks me up.) "So Cosmo says you're fat? Well, I ain't down with that. Cuz your waist is small and your curves are kicking..." Yes, in all the misogynistic lyrics that are included in this song, sometimes, Sir M. comes up with some nice points.

So what songs are you totally loving right now? Tell me some cheesy/wouldn't tell your friends you like them songs that you LOVE to work out to. I'd like to know that I'm not the only one obsessed with teeny bopper music at the gym!

Weekly Weigh In: Basking in the Love

I lost 2.2 pounds this week... which brings me to my lowest weight since starting this weight loss journey. WOOT!!! I reached my lowest point back in June before I went to Spain and then spent a month at home with my family, barely exercising and eating whatever I wanted. (Bad Kiki!) But look! Look!!! I'm 1.4 pounds away from reaching my 50 pound goal. I'm hoping to reach it next week, but....

I've made a decision not to hang things up on deadlines. For instance, I'm not going to tell myself that I need to lose my next 50 pounds by June. It took me over a year to get these 48.6 pounds off. I refuse to get hung up on those deadlines. I look better than I have in a long time and I feel fantastic. I'll probably look better and feel even better when I'm rid of these last 50 pounds, but you know what... it'll happen. For instance, I told myself that I wouldn't redesign my blog until I hit that 50 pound mark. Well, I was REALLY getting sick of my old background. So, I changed it. And you know what? I think it motivates me a little bit to giggle at my "pound" ticker at the top of the page (I'm such a nerd, forgive me) and to see the new cute argyle background. Why do we do this to ourselves? Are we going to continue punishing ourselves for losing "only" a half pound or a pound a week? THAT IS THE AVERAGE. Just roll with it.

As for my doctor's appointment... first off, I got weighed in, fully clothed and shod, which is not what I do at home. According to the doctor's chart, I lost about 22 pounds since I was last there in November (ear infection, which is when she mentioned putting tubes in my ears... thank goodness that cleared up). Anyway, the nurse (who's chubby herself) starts asking me what I've been doing to lose my weight, and I told her that I'm just eating better and exercising, to which she gave me a "Yeah, right" look. Why is it that fat people think that other fat people are using some magic recipe to get rid of excess weight? It's all about calories in/calories out!!! Oh, and as a former hypertension patient (complete with meds), I'm happy to report that my BP was 124/78. Woot! Then the doctor comes in and also commends me for my weight loss. I ask her about my exercise induced asthma, which is triggered by the cold weather, and she suggests that I might want to exercise indoors. I told her that I will, but for now, I'm training for a 5K on December 7, and I need to work on it outside. To which she was like, that is AWESOME. Seriously, I thought she was going to high-five me. So, her solution is two fold: take a hit off of my inhaler BEFORE I exercise (rather than waiting until I get asthma related symptoms) and if it's REALLY cold, think about putting a scarf or something over my mouth and nose. Since I've moved my training to the afternoons when it's warmer, I'm hoping that it isn't much of an issue .

Don't Call It a Comeback

I've had "Momma Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J stuck in my head over the last few days, especially that one line. This whole fitness thing is a lot of ebb and flow, between not being motivated, being sick or being too busy. Yesterday, I had a flu shot around 12:30. By 3:30, my arm was in total pain. I read online that they administer the flu shot directly into a muscle, which is why it gets so sore. I decided to skip the 30 Day Shred last night (ha! plank on that arm? ha!) and again this morning, even though I'm feeling better. I don't want to push it. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical last night as well as this morning. Today was supposed to be a running day, but because I run near/around my university's football stadium, and we're having a Thursday night football game, that wasn't going to happen. I went to the gym and attempted to make nice with the treadmill. Nope, couldn't do it. I gave up after about 2 minutes of uncertainty and just went on the elliptical. I'll attempt my run tomorrow, and then again on Sunday.

I'm going to the doctor today. It's time for my annual checkup, plus I really want to talk to her about my exercise induced asthma. I've been battling asthma since I was 3. What I had when I was a child was ridiculous, but it got better as I grew up. The only time my asthma started bothering me again was when I moved from Florida to West Virginia and started walking up the hills and steps in and around campus. I needed to get an emergency inhaler for those attacks (and still, I didn't do anything about my weight. D'oh!). Since I've lost weight and gotten more fit, it isn't much of an issue anymore, but since it's gotten cooler (and now colder) my asthma kicks it into high gear after a run. I get kind of wheezy and raspy and (TMI) really phlem-y. So, I want to discuss this with her, because I don't want my asthma to stand in the way of me kicking my fitness into high gear. Wish me luck!

My horoscope... again

Geez... what is up with my (aries) horoscope lately. Check out the one for today: You are much more playful and physical than usual, which may be saying quite a bit! Today is great for starting a new routine at the gym, getting back into yoga or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Hmmm.... interesting.

Biggest Loser: Black Widow

Just a little update on me before I start hating on the Biggest Loser. Went for my run yesterday, and honestly, I seemed to run into everyone I know. The priest from my church. One of my grad students. Geez. I never run into people, but today I did. I did 1.89 miles in 25 minutes, which is about a 13 minute mile. Yeah, I'm slow. But I have seven weeks until my race, and so I'll just be happy doing it in 35-40 minutes, which translates into a 11 or 12 minute mile. I guess my biggest issue with running where I run, is that there are a lot of hills, hidden and explicit (as in, "oh, that didn't LOOK like a hill, but ouch" vs. "gd, that is one big hill ahead of me"). All in all, I'd say this run was a-okay.

Biggest Loser time.... you know the drill if you didn't watch it.


I hate Vicky. I know, my mom told me to never say that I hate someone, but really I do. She is manipulating the show, she and Brady are throwing their weights, they totally made up that story about Phil going up to Brady and asking for them to save his wife, and Heba is just dumb if she thinks that she can depend on them to stay in the game. I hate that she said they were there to win $350,000. Not to lose weight. Not to get healthy. But to win the money. Ugh. I hate her.

The episode was kind of boring in my opinion. The teams did some different exercises: The Blue Team was all Cirque d'Soleil with some rope/material type aerobatics. The Black Team did a challenge course which reminded me a lot of a challenge course zip cord that challenged *me* as a RA my senior year in college. Then, they had their weekly challenge that involved balancing. The prize was a video from home, which Vicky quickly deemed as "unworthy" and "non-beneficial". Whatever. Lots of people have commented on how Vicky doesn't play the game, she doesn't consider her team... this made me wonder what kind of mother she is that she doesn't want to see her children. WTH? The Black Team won, and they were surprised to find that the videos weren't videos, but instead, live teleconferencing with their families. Awesome. The weighins were awesome... geez. The Black Team kicked some major behind!!!! The Blue Team lost, with Vicky being the "biggest loser" and therefore, winning immunity, and they all ganged up on Red Amy and kicked her off. It was so dumb. And what is up with Bob's hair? What is he doing that makes it look so different.

Sorry for the short BL rundown. I'm in the middle of a research project, and I would like to go vote early today. Leave me a comment and tell *me* how you felt about Vicky and the negativity surrounding the Biggest Loser this year.

Written in the Stars

So, here's my horoscope for today (it's yours too, if you're an Aries): Your energy today is perfect for physical exercise of any kind, from walking an extra block to running a marathon. Don't overdo it, of course, but expect a little boost just when you need it most. Funny, because today IS a running day for me. I'm doing it after work, which seems to be working out best for me. I'm starting week seven of C25K, which are 25 minute runs. I'm excited. I've been planning out a new route for my runs, and I think I have enough there for a good 25 minute run.

My weekend was great. Friday night, went to the gym and sweated it out on the elliptical. Saturday, got up and did my first 25 minute run. I was dying by the end of it, but at the same time, I totally pushed through it. My pedometer guesstimates that I ran about 1.8 miles in that time, so I want to work on my distance (um... don't want to be running a 5K near the 50 minute mark!!!) and speed. I also went hiking with E on Saturday. We got a bit lost, but at the same time, had a lot of fun... 5 miles total, half of it uphill.

My week is a busy one. Done with grading until next week, working on some research (read, entering data), and still advising... I'm scheduling my workouts for the evening as a kind of reward for the day spent working hard.