Last Friday, I took off and skipped my favorite yoga class because I was tired after all the classes I attended through the week. This week I was hoping to pace myself better, because the truth is, Friday is not a good day to take off. I don't usually work out over the weekend. THOSE are my days off.

The gym I workout at is a bit unusual. They have classes called TBC for Total Body Conditioning. Their policy is to mix up the workouts each day which means you don't 'go to yoga, M-W-F' or to a cardio class at 10:30 every Tuesday and Thursday. Sometimes yoga means 'yoga flow--a movement class. Sometimes it means Pi-Yo which emphasizes core conditioning. Sometimes it is on Monday, sometimes it is on Tuesday.

The pros of this method is that your body does not develop muscle memory which weakens it's conditioning. (It never learns what to expect.) The difficulty with this system is scheduling. I may have something planned on a day I could really use the yoga class and I may be free on a day when a class I need isn't offered.

Another thing they do that seems new to me, is that at the beginning of each month the routine for each class will be a bit easier as new moves are introduced. By the end of the month the moves are intensified as we grow into them. Muscle memory outfoxed again.

When I first tried attending this gym I was turned off; annoyed that I couldn't get a simple schedule. Over the years, I've learned to embrace the system. I plan to go 3 days a week and I take what is available that day. It is working. Now that I go with the flow, I've learned how much stronger I am getting, and that makes me feel good.

I still like taking Fridays off, though. By the end of the week I'm ready for a day off.

I guess I'm still working on that whole pace thing.

A Day Off

I should be at Yoga this morning, but I'm not. Truth is, I'm tired and I just want a day at home. I really should have gone, though because when I look at the schedule for next week, I won't have as many workouts as I did this week, and I really did good this week!

Now that I know I really need to up the exercise and burn off more calories each day (because I don't eat that much--only 1200 calories--and I don't know how to eat less) I've uped the workouts. I've been going to yoga 2-3 days a week, depending on the schedule, but I've chickened out at things like 'Pi-Yo' (Pilates/Yoga) or cardio workouts.

Last week I went to SBT (short burst training) with a trainer I think is pretty tough. I survived! I looked at the work out schedule and decided to try a Cardiomix workout this week with the same trainer. I survived that too!!! Woohoo!

Then I talked myself into a Pi-yo class. Wow. More cardio than pilates. Another real workout. And I survived again! I was gaining confidence.

Yesterday I went to an SBT class with a different trainer, one I felt takes things a little slower or easier than the one I had last week. OOPS! Wrong assumption. Half way through I was dying! I looked at the girl next to me and we both looked at the clock. "Is this a 45 minute class today or a 60 minute one?" I asked her. Panting, she said, "I was just thinking the same thing. I can't remember." Thank goodness it was a 45 minute one. Since it was only 9:30 I decided to do my usual 30 minute/2 mile walk but it was half-hearted.

This morning when I woke up, I just didn't want to go. I had lots of excuses...I ran through a litany of them. There were 2 classes I had intended to do: yoga and then cardiomix. If my walk yesterday was half-hearted, I could halve that this morning.

4 years ago I tried doing a workout schedule similar to the one this week. I gave up quickly. It was too much for me at that time. I was exhausted. I'm actually in better shape now because of my daily walk on these killer hills. However, I'm not ready for a steady diet. Physically I may be up to it, but the truth is I like a day off once in a while.

What would Jillian say?
"How can you complain about the scale when you don't do the work?" yeah, she'd say that.
"How can you eat that stuff?", when she sees me scarfing down (just 1 little) chocolate gob. yeah, she'd say that, her voice rising, eyes rolling, arms waving in the air in disbelief.

I agree with her. So what do I tell myself today? "What is your goal?--To get some work done in the house and in the yard, to eat food I like in small portions. To spend a day on maintenance; not losing, not gaining. A day off from the gym."

Sometimes I just need one.

I Hate the Scale!

I hate the scale. It lies, it cheats, it leads me on, then smacks me 'upside the head'.

Ok, I haven't posted much lately. The last post I entered I actually wrote over a month ago, but I forgot about it. I found it the other day and posted it then. But I've been trying.

I've been dedicated in using My Fitness Pal (MFP) every day.
I've been going regularly to yoga.
I've been walking. Even on the hot days I walk 2 miles inside the township building where they have a mile marked out (8 laps on the red part of the carpeting equals 1 mile) and clickers to help walkers keep track.

I've learned that even though MFP gives you a calorie goal, if you want to lose weight you have to eat 200 calories less than you exercise.

And one month later I have lost ...... VERY LITTLE!!!!!

Goal: To weigh 130. Reality. I'm stuck at 146.

I shouldn't really complain. I had gotten up to 150 which really mortified me, and got me back on the bandwagon. 18 months ago I had made it to 137 and then the climb began again.

So what got me going on this post?

Wednesday, July 4th, the scales read 145 for the first time in a long time! I was ecstatic. It had bounced between 145.5 and146 or 147, but this time it seemed pretty certain. 145!!! Then we went to a 4th of July picnic.

I thought I behaved myself. I nibbled at hors d'oervers. I munched veggies. I had 2 little grilled chicken strips, not burgers or dogs. No rolls. Of course, I did have a couple of chocolate gobs, (cream filled cake thingies). And a large Gin and Tonic, and the a couple of Bailey's Irish Cream. Oh yum!!!
I didn't expect to be at 145 on Thursday. Maybe back to 146.

Uh-uh. Nope. No such luck.
I couldn't believe the scale. 3 pounds over night!!! 148. I hadn't seen 148 in a few weeks! I was shocked, pissed, and disgusted. My scale can be fickle, but it really held it's own on this one. I think it was those darn Irish Creams. Too good to be good for you! And the chocolate gobs didn't help.

5 days have gone by. This morning the scale actually said 144.5. I was thrilled, but I know it's lying. I don't ever pay any attention to it until it says the same thing 3 days in a row. But it got me hopeful and I wasn't going to blow it today. Instead I walked 3 miles and logged every nibble I had on MFP.
Tomorrow I just don't want to see it jump up 3 pounds again.

How Rude! (and how discouraging...)

My Fitness Pal

I found a new tool in my battle. It's a website: www.myfitnesspal.com. Each day I log in to track my exercise and diet. In the beginning I set my current weight and goals. Then it gave me my calorie limit. As I fill out my daily update, it lets me know what I would weigh in 5 weeks IF I lived each day as I lived this one. Some days the news is good. Some days....well, I'm still learning.

It's not too hard to do. Most grocery items and chain restaurant foods are in the database. Occasionally I have to give the ingredients in a recipe so it can calculate the calories, fats, proteins, and carbs. As long as I check in each day I can complete the log in a manner of 10 minutes or less. And I can do it from my iphone!

I'm trying hard to make it a priority, and it is giving me some insights. I can see what foods work best and I am constantly shocked every time we eat out. OUCH! I thought I was pretty aware of what meals were bad, but I'm learning more. I figured if I only splurged on Seafood Pasta Alfredo once in awhile, it was ok. Humph. Not according to 'my fitness pal'. It will take me all year to balance out that meal!

On the other hand, I find I can have a bowl of cereal with milk and berries and it's about the same as one egg and toast with butter. So breakfast is pretty guilt free, as long as I watch the portions, and the extras! (no bacon!)

One more tool in my toolbox. I need all the tools I can find!