Running Update

I ran 5.07 miles yesterday. 42 minutes was at an elevation of 1.0 or above, and 36 of those minutes at 2.0 and above, most at 2.5 or 3.0% elevation. And it felt pretty good, too. Of course I only ran at about 5.5-5.7 mph, but it was invigorating. I followed up with Tony Horton's Ab Ripper 100.

I took a rest day on Saturday, literally as well as figuratively. I took quite a nap, and watched a lot of television on my beautiful couch and snuggled with my doggie. Chloe is getting a lot more grey hair on her belly. She's getting to be an old gal.

I did remeasure myself over the weekend, and it appears I've lost an inch on my bust, and my weight is 154 lb instead of 156 lb, but that is in the level of ordinary fluctuation and may be more a mark of retaining water, having eaten lunch, or some other factor.

Kickbox and Exhaustion

I am so smelly that I am sure little stink waves are raising off my body. I only ran 2.73 miles today, but I also took a kickboxing class at the Y (an hour long class with not a lot of warm up and cool down) and I am pretty tired.

I'm actually unsure as to whether I will do my Sculpt 1-2 today since the class involved so many squats, lunges, and other weight training type exercises. I don't know if my tired muscles can take another round today, though I am considering some gentle yoga and an ab workout to round out the day.

I am also considering a nap, but I need to write a quiz, and it wouldn't hurt if I did some reading for work. I have a whole stack of pleasure and history reading that is getting bigger at an exponential rate.

The fence is nice, and it smells lovely, though Chloe running free through the back yard has meant she is free to find a bit of dead rabbit and roll in it. The outdoor bath yesterday was pure joy. Let me tell you, it is easier to keep Chloe in a tub and block her exit than to bathe her with a leash in one hand and a hose in the other.

Workout Update

I'm not sore at all after yesterday's round of Tony Horton's Sculpt 1-2. I am also only a little winded after Jillian Micheals' Cardio Kickbox.

I won't say that it was a disappointing workout; I took it easy for the first half because her tapes usually kick my ass. I don't usually finish her tapes the first time through, and I usually have to grunt a lot while I'm doing them as well. Next time I do this tape (it will be a once a week easy day) I will push it from the beginning.

I'm hoping that it was easy because it's her only purely cardio dvd, or that I'm getting more fit, but it could just be an easier tape, I guess.

I was able to do this workout because my brand new Roku showed up today, and let me tell you, so far the thing is pretty darn cool. Yes, there are only about 12,000 titles on it so far, and many of them are older movies, but they have the Starz catalogue, a lot of old British shows I like, and a lot of the videos I own that I now feel a lot better about getting rid of. Since we decided (read, the Baker decided) that we aren't getting cable at the new place, it also provides me with an outlet for watching guilty pleasure shows like Xena when he's at work all weekend, instead of my much missed Mystery Diagnosis.

That does not mean, however, that I am not for tripling or quadrupling the catalogue and adding on Hulu or other online video sources as well, but it's worth it so far.

Reading

Fitness Update

I was quite sore the day after my first Sculpt workout with Tony Horton. I did the abs portion that evening as well, though my abs weren't all that sore. It was my thighs and glutes that killed me the next day. I did some yoga to alleviate the stretching, and yesterday I did another round of Sculpt with 8 pound weights instead of 5 for the back exercises. I'm not all that sore today, which is welcome, but surprising since after the workout my legs were shaking for the rest of the evening.

Today I ran 3.85 miles, rode the stationary bike for 4 miles, and was planning on running the dog around after dark, but my parents stopped by to see my new house, and since I didn't want to be too smelly for them, I took a shower. I guess I could still run and take another, but with the eczema my doc usually doesn't encourage me to shower twice a day; she says try every other day if possible. I've been especially itchy lately, so I think I shall listen.

Girly

There are sometimes I enjoy a good (or a bad) chick flick, or chick lit book. I love reading Marian Keyes, and watching many of those older Meg Ryan movies. I like wearing sundresses in warm weather. I like the color purple an awful lot, although lately not as much as burnt orange. I like to knit, to sew, and to cook. But there are sometimes nonetheless when I feel that my girly card should be revoked.

I spend less time in the bathroom than my husband, for one. I am a very wash and wear kind of a girl. I only use a hairdryer during cold snaps when I'm feverish (meaning less than once a year.) My summer dress shoes are birks, and I hate heels. I like to play video games (though the ones I play tend towards the gender neutral.) I don't even have a wedding or engagement ring at the moment. We got married a bit quickly, and as time went on, I begain to think it was kind of cool not having rings. It's almost like the relationship is so important we don't need posessions to symbolize it.

One of the things that probably sets me aside the most is my beauty regimen. I wear lipstick sometimes, but very little else by way of makeup. When I was eloping in January, I went to Sephora to get a new lipstick for the occaision, and they tried to get me to buy a lot more; powder, foundation, blusher. I felt so fake with the stuff on, and knew I probably wouldn't wear it again before it expired, so I passed. However, since it was free, they did sign me up for their rewards program. This means that on a weekly basis I get email reminders about what I'm not interested in buying, and special offers on stuff I don't use. Occaisionally I see a sunscreen or a lipgloss, but overall, I'm just a big 'ole tomboy, I guess.

Sometimes I wonder a little, though, how deep this gender idea has permeated. How many more grown women out there would prefer not to wear makeup? How many like me only wear the stuff for job interviews and family weddings? How many of you all feel beautiful without makeup, like I do, or just feel frustrated with the upkeep, which is part of my problem as well?

Some of this does go back to my memories of watching my mother put on her makeup daily, spending 20 minutes or more with the foundation, eyeliner, powder, and all that, and thinking to myself at the end of it, she looks exactly like she did before she put the makeup on!

I can enjoy, just as much as the next girl, looking extra pretty in a nice shade of dark lipstick, but I also am a little distressed at a culture that convinces so many of its women that we aren't pretty enough without all these little enhancements.

The Weight Program, Day 1

I've heard it referred to as happiness weight. With the hectic schedule I have had, it can also be referred to as "stress weight" I think, as well. Still, as I have settled down into domesticity with the Baker I have revved down the workout routine and revved up the eating. Drat his good cooking and large portions!

One of my goals for the summer was to whittle down and fit back into my size 8 dress pants, of which I have several pair. Part of this is pure vanity, and part is frugality. I can't afford a full new wardrobe, and I am tired of clueless college boys asking me if I am pregnant. Right now I weigh 156 pounds, only one pound shy of my highest weight of all time. I'm wearing a 10 or 12 in most clothing, though since most of my clothing isn't fitting and I'm reluctant to buy more larger clothes, I don't wear a wide variety of outfits. Now, this may sound okay to most people, however, I am only 5'4'', and I have a small frame. The positive side of this is that the last time I was near this weight, I was a full 2 sizes bigger in clothing, so at least I'm a thinner 156. Additionally, I love to run, and the more weight I carry, the more my knee problem exacerbates, and the more I can't run and the more weight I gain. It's a lovely catch-22.

I have no weight goal, per se, though I wouldn't mind dropping to the 120s if possible. I guess I'd like to drop 30 pounds all said and done, though if I could comfortably wear my old clothing at 20 pounds less, I'd be thrilled and satisfied. I'm not sure how many inches that means I need to take off my waist, but we'll see how that goes.

The last time I tried this I started keeping records, but I always tend to lose those slips of paper I write things down on, so I decided to report on my progress here. Here are my stats, day 1.

Weight: 156 pounds
Measurements (in inches): 41 chest (no wonder my shirts won't button!)
36 waist
40 abs (around my hip bone level)
20 right thigh
11.5 right bicep

The plan is to move more, to stretch more, and to lift weights regularly,and eat more vegetables. My mileage goal is 15-18 miles a week, 2 yoga or extensive stretches a week, 3 weight training, and additional cardio (I'm going to start kickboxing soon, but I am also loosely following a variety of dvds including Power 90 and some Jillian Michaels). If I keep disciplined about my work this summer, it should be possible. I just can't sit around watching Hulu for too many free hours instead of grading papers!

Right now I'm loosely following Power90, which worked well for me this past fall- I did it for about 40 days before finals, then the holidays, a broken dvd player, and an elopement and moving all occurred in quick sucession. I lost about 7 pounds and a pants size during the time I did it this fall, but the cardio tape ("Sweat") that is part of the workout for 3 days a week tends to bore me fairly quickly, so I might substitute runs and other cardio 2 days a week to keep me from dying of repetition. I also have my eye on being able to begin P90x at some point as well, and hope that Power90 (and Power90 masters) will get me ready for that.

Additionally, I'd like to rev my running back up again. I used to comfortably run around 6.1 mph after warm up, and go as high as 7.4 mph for shorter speed intervals. I could also run 8-10 miles distance for my longer runs without too much effort. Now I'm pushing 5.5 for my regular runs, and 5 miles is about my limit without extensive walking breaks (or chafeage- I'm having a huge arm chafing issue lately that's driving me nuts.) I'd ideally like to be able to get back to that level again, perhaps with a gain- 6.3 mph comfortable speed, and a 9-11 mile long run. That really is secondary, but would be very rewarding.

For today, I finished my Sculpt 1-2 using 5 lb weights for most exercises, and have to wait until it cools off outside later today to run my 2 laps around the neighborhood with Chloe. That's a distance of 1.6 miles.

Hopefully this blog will keep me honest, and plot my progress. I promise that this set up is probably longer than most of my updates will be, but now that I've set the parameters, let's see how it goes!

New House

After one false move, in which we made an offer on a house we discovered needed about as much work as it was worth and then decided not to go with it, we finally found the house of our dreams for a little more than we would have liked but definitely a home we would not have been able to afford if it weren't for the housing slump. It's a beautiful tri-level in the suburbs, a mile north of the first house. I can't believe I've gone suburban again, but it is nice to be able to always have a parking spot in my own driveway. We moved in about 2 weeks ago, and there are still boxes all over the bottom floor, and many things that have not found places yet, but we're getting there.

After 3 years without a proper closet, I'm also ecstatic to report that I have two large ones; one in the master, and one in the guest bedroom. We also have 3 bathrooms. Some days I shower in a different bathroom just for fun!

This summer should prove to be rather busy. I'm teaching an online and an in-person course. I am writing an article for a book on Buffy, I'm prepping for my fall courses, and I'm trying to lose 20-30 pounds. Oh, and if I could fit in some work on my dissertation it would probably be a good idea, too. (And the Baker would probably be happy if I did some more unpacking.)

Tomorrow is my big initial weigh and measure in so that I have some standard to go by. I will then let you know about the trials and tribulations, the agony and the ecstasy, etc.