Day Five and Six!

Day 5 I rode the elliptical for 30 minutes and blew through 300 calories!  I thought it would be more difficult but my Madonna songs pushed me along.  I was looking at all of the people at the gym while I plodded along.  There were folks of all shapes, sizes and ages.  I feel a sort of fellowship with them all.  When I was almost done a  woman walked by who looked like what I hope is my "after" picture.  I wondered if I would be working out as I hard as she was if my body looked like hers does.  Then I figure that she has her figure because she works so hard.   So, I kept going.

I had some friends over for dinner.  Regina helped me with food choices but I have to admit I indulged in 3 glasses of wine.  OK so my workout covered the wine...

Day 6 I have traveled to beautiful Old Saybrook Connecticut to teach a class for the next few days.   I had this afternoon to myself and I am proud to say that I rode 5 miles along the Long Island Sound on a jalopy of a bike they provided at my hotel!  The view was so amazing that it distracted me from my screaming quads.   My butt is rather sore from the lack of seat support but it was worth it! 

Of note, I rode by Katherine Hepburn's family estate that was featured in the Aviator movie.  Ther are no words to express the beauty of this area.

I am concerned that the next few days will be difficult to get any excercise in but I will do my best and report the outcome!

Days Three and Four!

Day three turned out be a day of rest.  Barely 5 hours of sleep the night before and the only exercise I had enough energy for was to lower myself into a hot bath.  I was actually asleep by 8 but I read somewhere that you burn calories when getting some shut eye.  I'll have to see what Regina says about it.

Day four was much more productive!  I made it through 2 rotations of my my day one exercise program on my own.  It was a challenge to do it correctly but I kept hearing Regina say "keep your stomach in"!

Quick note: I had to practice some yogic patience though as some gentleman in the gym kept clearing his throat in the worst of ways.  Over and over and over.  Every time I moved away he seemed to get on a machine close to where I was set up.  How can a person be so unaware of their behavior? But I digress.

I finished by burning 226 calories on the elliptical machine in less than 30 minutes (another personal milestone)  and left  to go to the grocery store the color of a lobster.  Of course I saw someone I know!

Tonight I get my measurements taken.  Apparently this is done so you can celebrate the decreases as you go along.  I am trying hard not to think of this as my being the "before" picture right now.  I hope Regina has some cheerleading left in her tonight!

Day Two!

I woke up this morning feeling great except for sore glutes and abs.  I was relatively ambulatory as I made my high fiber oatmeal. Afterwards I donned my fabulous gym outfit, complete with black capris, highly structured sports bra and tank top.  Alright, I may not look hot yet but my pink and silver sneaks are the bomb!

I stood on the treadmill, ready to take on Regina's intense routine when I noticed that it required me to run uphill for 2/3 of the thirty minute workout.  Heretofore I have been overly self congratulatory when I have jogged uninterrupted for up to five minutes.  With no incline!  What have I gotten myself into?

At 17 minutes, after three 30 second breaks, I realized that I wasn't going to make it through.  I had a moment where I considered giving up but I knew I had to write about it so I continued at a slower less uphill rate until I burned the required 300 calories.  It may have taken an extra 15 minutes but I finished. 

One quick clarification!  Regina qualified that the first glass of red wine is good for me (full of antioxidants)!  The second I should consider as extra calories.  What about the third?!!!

Tomorrow is Zumba Class...stay tuned!

Day One!

Frustrated by six months of workouts and careful eating resulting in no visible change in the mirror or on the scale, I have finally surrendered to the fact that my peri-menopausal body will not budge.  At least it won't budge by me doing what I used to do when I put on a few pounds.  Cardio, strength training, Greek yogurt!  Nothing, nada no change.  Now I do what I always do when something pushes at me...push back!

I am angry, (furious really) and I am challenged to win this fight.  I am unhappy with how my clothes fit, how I look in pictures, how I feel about my body.   I have always had an ok body, nothing fabulous but relatively attractive.  Now I feel like I am sliding toward a perilous future of center softness carefully disguised with clothing designed to deceive.  I need to feel fit and I know that the chubbiness surrounding my belly is a dangerous precursor to heart disease and worse (serious depression!).

Today I began a new journey, one guided by Regina, my friend who is a personal trainer. Regina  promises me that if I follow her advice on how and when to work out and by her guidelines on eating, the change will come. She has had success with women my age and older.  Dare I believe?!!! 

When I met her at the gym today I prayed that the old hope I felt creeping in at starting a new venture (workout videos, a million diets, etc)  is not misguided.  I prayed that she could unravel the puzzle that would illustrate how to move out of this quagmire and begin to reach my goals. 

We went through a series of exercises that looked simple but were difficult when she forced me to conciously flex and tighten and stretch.  I was surprised at how much I was sweating.  She told me that she doesn't like the scale and that I am to use a pair of jeans to track my progress.  She also admitted that my hormones are playing a part (more on this later).  And Bless her, she said I can still drink the wine!

Ok, so this was different.  Regina carefully explained what I am to do this next week and gave me a book to log everything I do and eat.  I knew accountability would be in the mix.

Tomorrow is a daunting treadmill routine that she swears will burn more than 300 calories in a half hour!  Yikes! 

So I raise my glass to you, Regina!  I look forward to sipping champagne at our Christmas party in size six jeans!