Fitness
I dislike running. I don't paricularly care for exercise, but running is just not something I ever enjoyed. So, why am I working out 5 days a week and taking up running? Someone remind me?
*sigh* Oh yeah. Those lovely little HDLs. *grimace* My total cholesterol, LDLs, and TriGlycerides are all good, but that HDL number never seems to move. 29 a few years ago, 33 last year, 31 this year... Sounds like it's not shifting much despite my better fitness routine and taking fish/flax/borage oils. The target minimum for women is 50. 50. I'll never get there...
So, after lazin' the summer away doing only moderate exercise two or three times a week (aka bike riding with some walks up to the local ice cream shop), I'm getting back on the bandwagon. Because, even though all the other indicators are good, that low HDL means I have less scrubbers in my system trying to catch what little bad stuff I do have. (Such a pain.)
Most of the summer exercise has been biking or spinning. So, it's time to change up the routine. The body gets used to a routine after a while you know, and I've been doing the bike/spin thing for over a year now. I'll probably get back into the Zumba this fall when it cools off in the gym, and my Friday Strength and Tone class has been switched over to Power Yoga, so I'll still get some added stretching to go with my toning. I need more weights and toning (recommended minimum is 2 x per week) and a different cardio to mix up with the Zumba.
And thus, the comment about running. Laynna and her husband Marathon Man like it. *shrugs* They even used to run marathons. Actually, they met at a marathon, come to think of it. Me? I can barely imagine myself running a mile, much less 24+. :) But, I am starting small.
Yes, I am working my way through the Couch to 5k program. Even though I'm not quite a couch potato again, I figured it was smart to start off easy. There are a lot of people who enjoy running to the river and back at lunch time (that's the Niagara River, by the way), and it's been kinda tempting to join them. That's about 10k (6.2 miles) round trip, though, and there's no way I'm quite ready for that. So, I work my way up. Start with the 5k and go from there, hahaha.
So, last week was "Week 1". Tuesday wasn't so bad. Then I went out of town for work and worked out on the elliptical on Wednesday night for an hour at the hotel. Bad choice for me. I must remember that. Such an odd feeling in my left foot: like I was walking on the narrow side of a board and only able to feel my big toe on one side of the board and my two small toes on the other side. It literally felt like the two remaining toes had been replaced by a wooden two by four. So, one hour on a elliptical in the future is out. My right knee didn't appreciate it too much either after the Spinning on Monday and the C25k on Tuesdsay. Thursday was session 2 on the treadmill, and I will admit to pushing it... I did 10k of the run (7.5 mph)/walk (4.0 mph) cycle. But I wanted to get an hour in! And the C25k program is designed to do 5k in half an hour...
Friday was spent on the treadmill and doing toning tube exercises before checking out of the hotel. Saturday, I missed session 3 in favor of walking around the County Fair all afternoon. ^-^ And Sunday, I rested. Actually, I slept most of Sunday away I think. Up at nine, down again at 3 for a nap, up at six to make dinner, back down again at 11 to sleep for the night. And amazingly, I did sleep.
Today was Week 2 session 1. I really didn't feel like doing it. I kept asking myself why I was putting myself through this. My answers? It would really be so nice to jog that full mile without stopping. And to go 3.1 miles? That would be amazing for me. Why, I might even be able to go out on a jog with Laynna if I kept it up! That's something to look forward to, ne? And once I got going, it wasn't so bad. I... I must confess... I actually enjoyed it until the end. At the end, my right knee reminded me that it still isn't happy with me, and probably won't be until I give it a nice long break. Bah. But other than that it was nice. Hopefully, the positive experience will get me through Thursday. ^-^
Okay, so back to those HDLs. I don't really need to run to get those up, at least not according to all the websites I've looked at. They all say moderate exercise (i.e., brisk walking or anything else that elevates your heart rate) for 30 minutes a day is all I need. But like I told J, it just doesn't feel like exercise if I don't really get my heart rate up and pumping. And to do that, I need a brisk bike session (which I usually can't do with him), a good Spin class, jogging, or something similar. So, I'm opting for the C25k route for now. And I'm self-conditioned to think that exercise should be an hour, not 10 minutes or 30 minutes. *shrugs* To each their own, and that is mine. *smiles at Ree and her beloved 10 minute workouts* You enjoy yours.
Ree, I think you and Phooka should join me on this. J has said he would. Yes, shocked me to no end, too. But first he has to buy shoes, so we'll see how soon he could get started. But if you, Phooka, and I all did it, we could all go jogging with Laynna! That would be so much fun, or at least I think it would. And you need to get Mama started on your 10 minute workouts. The gentle ones that will help her. *nods* Papa, too, if he wants. *grin* I'd get him on the C25k, but his doctor might object, hahaha. *head tilt* I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't like it, though, with his football background. Maybe that's where Laynna got it from. ^-^
Okay, I guess I've wasted enough time. Time to hurry up and finish my lunch and get back to work. I just had to come in and complain/talk. Especially since I haven't posted anything in a while anywhere on-line. Life is life. This summer has been fantastic weather wise (a real summer!), so I have spent evenings bike riding or walking with J. When I'm not working or cooking dinner and such. Work is very busy. The January "welcome back from vacation" project is getting close to field implementation. Looks like I have a lot of potential travel at the end of the year, both work and personal. I've been getting into New Who slowly. Loved Series 5 (except the Silurian double episode. Why can't they make any likeable Silurian episodes?). Really like Series 1 (made it though The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances which were AWESOME), and have bought Series 2 to watch when I finally finish the last disc of Series 1. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to 10 and Rose. 9 and Rose are so good together, I can't imagine 10 and Rose topping it. Ah, but Sarah Jane gets to visit for an episode, so I am looking forward to that. And Christmas is coming when I get to see my 11 again and find out more about River.
*thoughtful grin* River is an archeologist. The Queen (Liz10?) has called the TARDIS to ask for the Doctor's help with an Egyptian goddess who escaped the 11th (7th?) Obelisk and is running around loose causing havoc on the Orient Express. In space. Did River release the goddess? Will she recognize 11 when she first sees him in Series 6? So far, she has always recognized him, which means that she has seen this face before. It's this face that gets to learn her deep, dark secret (who/what she is and who she killed). Oh, I can't wait. She is so working with that entity that caused the cracks and the Silence. *nods* And she is the Valeyard's wife. *laughs* (Ree, the Valeyard is an "evil" Doctor splinter as I understand it.) River is NOT the Rani, the Master, Romana, the Doctor's mother, Ace, or Leela. I think she is somehow related to the two years that Jack lost when he was a Time Agent. I'm not sure, but she might have been a Time Agent herself at some point, though she's more of an Indiana Jones archeologist adventurer. ^-^
Oh yeah. Work. *sigh* Have a good day, all!
*sigh* Oh yeah. Those lovely little HDLs. *grimace* My total cholesterol, LDLs, and TriGlycerides are all good, but that HDL number never seems to move. 29 a few years ago, 33 last year, 31 this year... Sounds like it's not shifting much despite my better fitness routine and taking fish/flax/borage oils. The target minimum for women is 50. 50. I'll never get there...
So, after lazin' the summer away doing only moderate exercise two or three times a week (aka bike riding with some walks up to the local ice cream shop), I'm getting back on the bandwagon. Because, even though all the other indicators are good, that low HDL means I have less scrubbers in my system trying to catch what little bad stuff I do have. (Such a pain.)
Most of the summer exercise has been biking or spinning. So, it's time to change up the routine. The body gets used to a routine after a while you know, and I've been doing the bike/spin thing for over a year now. I'll probably get back into the Zumba this fall when it cools off in the gym, and my Friday Strength and Tone class has been switched over to Power Yoga, so I'll still get some added stretching to go with my toning. I need more weights and toning (recommended minimum is 2 x per week) and a different cardio to mix up with the Zumba.
And thus, the comment about running. Laynna and her husband Marathon Man like it. *shrugs* They even used to run marathons. Actually, they met at a marathon, come to think of it. Me? I can barely imagine myself running a mile, much less 24+. :) But, I am starting small.
Yes, I am working my way through the Couch to 5k program. Even though I'm not quite a couch potato again, I figured it was smart to start off easy. There are a lot of people who enjoy running to the river and back at lunch time (that's the Niagara River, by the way), and it's been kinda tempting to join them. That's about 10k (6.2 miles) round trip, though, and there's no way I'm quite ready for that. So, I work my way up. Start with the 5k and go from there, hahaha.
So, last week was "Week 1". Tuesday wasn't so bad. Then I went out of town for work and worked out on the elliptical on Wednesday night for an hour at the hotel. Bad choice for me. I must remember that. Such an odd feeling in my left foot: like I was walking on the narrow side of a board and only able to feel my big toe on one side of the board and my two small toes on the other side. It literally felt like the two remaining toes had been replaced by a wooden two by four. So, one hour on a elliptical in the future is out. My right knee didn't appreciate it too much either after the Spinning on Monday and the C25k on Tuesdsay. Thursday was session 2 on the treadmill, and I will admit to pushing it... I did 10k of the run (7.5 mph)/walk (4.0 mph) cycle. But I wanted to get an hour in! And the C25k program is designed to do 5k in half an hour...
Friday was spent on the treadmill and doing toning tube exercises before checking out of the hotel. Saturday, I missed session 3 in favor of walking around the County Fair all afternoon. ^-^ And Sunday, I rested. Actually, I slept most of Sunday away I think. Up at nine, down again at 3 for a nap, up at six to make dinner, back down again at 11 to sleep for the night. And amazingly, I did sleep.
Today was Week 2 session 1. I really didn't feel like doing it. I kept asking myself why I was putting myself through this. My answers? It would really be so nice to jog that full mile without stopping. And to go 3.1 miles? That would be amazing for me. Why, I might even be able to go out on a jog with Laynna if I kept it up! That's something to look forward to, ne? And once I got going, it wasn't so bad. I... I must confess... I actually enjoyed it until the end. At the end, my right knee reminded me that it still isn't happy with me, and probably won't be until I give it a nice long break. Bah. But other than that it was nice. Hopefully, the positive experience will get me through Thursday. ^-^
Okay, so back to those HDLs. I don't really need to run to get those up, at least not according to all the websites I've looked at. They all say moderate exercise (i.e., brisk walking or anything else that elevates your heart rate) for 30 minutes a day is all I need. But like I told J, it just doesn't feel like exercise if I don't really get my heart rate up and pumping. And to do that, I need a brisk bike session (which I usually can't do with him), a good Spin class, jogging, or something similar. So, I'm opting for the C25k route for now. And I'm self-conditioned to think that exercise should be an hour, not 10 minutes or 30 minutes. *shrugs* To each their own, and that is mine. *smiles at Ree and her beloved 10 minute workouts* You enjoy yours.
Ree, I think you and Phooka should join me on this. J has said he would. Yes, shocked me to no end, too. But first he has to buy shoes, so we'll see how soon he could get started. But if you, Phooka, and I all did it, we could all go jogging with Laynna! That would be so much fun, or at least I think it would. And you need to get Mama started on your 10 minute workouts. The gentle ones that will help her. *nods* Papa, too, if he wants. *grin* I'd get him on the C25k, but his doctor might object, hahaha. *head tilt* I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't like it, though, with his football background. Maybe that's where Laynna got it from. ^-^
Okay, I guess I've wasted enough time. Time to hurry up and finish my lunch and get back to work. I just had to come in and complain/talk. Especially since I haven't posted anything in a while anywhere on-line. Life is life. This summer has been fantastic weather wise (a real summer!), so I have spent evenings bike riding or walking with J. When I'm not working or cooking dinner and such. Work is very busy. The January "welcome back from vacation" project is getting close to field implementation. Looks like I have a lot of potential travel at the end of the year, both work and personal. I've been getting into New Who slowly. Loved Series 5 (except the Silurian double episode. Why can't they make any likeable Silurian episodes?). Really like Series 1 (made it though The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances which were AWESOME), and have bought Series 2 to watch when I finally finish the last disc of Series 1. I'm not sure I'm looking forward to 10 and Rose. 9 and Rose are so good together, I can't imagine 10 and Rose topping it. Ah, but Sarah Jane gets to visit for an episode, so I am looking forward to that. And Christmas is coming when I get to see my 11 again and find out more about River.
*thoughtful grin* River is an archeologist. The Queen (Liz10?) has called the TARDIS to ask for the Doctor's help with an Egyptian goddess who escaped the 11th (7th?) Obelisk and is running around loose causing havoc on the Orient Express. In space. Did River release the goddess? Will she recognize 11 when she first sees him in Series 6? So far, she has always recognized him, which means that she has seen this face before. It's this face that gets to learn her deep, dark secret (who/what she is and who she killed). Oh, I can't wait. She is so working with that entity that caused the cracks and the Silence. *nods* And she is the Valeyard's wife. *laughs* (Ree, the Valeyard is an "evil" Doctor splinter as I understand it.) River is NOT the Rani, the Master, Romana, the Doctor's mother, Ace, or Leela. I think she is somehow related to the two years that Jack lost when he was a Time Agent. I'm not sure, but she might have been a Time Agent herself at some point, though she's more of an Indiana Jones archeologist adventurer. ^-^
Oh yeah. Work. *sigh* Have a good day, all!