Operation :: Goddess

Walking in the rain

I did my workout after work today - it's my cardio day, and this week I'm mixing things up from the same old elliptical routine, and incorporating a walk/jog routine as well.

It started to rain just as I left the house - a light, cool rain. As I walked, the scent of wet grass and soil reminded me of the walks I used to take with my Grandmother when I was growing up. I thought about her for a while, feeling happy and sad at the same time.

Then I found a new path that connects two parks together that are on opposite sides of the neighborhood. As long as I've lived here, I never knew it was there. I felt like quite the little explorer, geeked as I was.

It was really nice. I should take Gypsy with me to work off her Tootsie Roll gut. Except that she's been doing that reverse sneeze thing again lately, so that'll have to wait.

Posted by Laura at 6:37 PM | Permalink | Comments

Week One Down

I finished the first week of my Personal Challenge. I messed up the weekly average of protein/fat/carbs by what I ate yesterday (good up until dinner, but then all I had was chips, wine, bean dip, and birthday cake), but still kept my average calories for the week down to 1260.

Plus, I was feeling so good that I weighed myself, and discovered that I lost two pounds last week. So, you know, woo! I didn't miss one - not ONE - workout, and that's something of an accomplishment for me, lazy that I am.

So! One week down, 21 to go!

Posted by Laura at 8:22 AM | Permalink | Comments

Smoothie Goodness

The nutritional methodology of my current fitness challenge is to eat five to six small meals per day. Protein smoothies count as a "meal", so this morning after my workout I tried a little experiment. I took a handful of ice cubes, a scoop of vanilla whey protein powder, 6 oz of Yoplait Light Fat Free yogurt (blackberry!), and 8 oz of 2% milk, and put 'em all in the blender.

I was shocked at how good it was. If I replace the 2% milk with skim, it comes in at 295 calories, 2 grams of fat, 33 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of protein.

Posted by Laura at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments

Something new!

Beginning on 9/14, and going until 2/14/04, I will be performing my own self-imposed Personal Challenge (link is also over on the left). It involves following the nutrition and exercise routine as laid out in The Body Sculpting Bible for Women.

If you follow that link, some of the information might be rather cryptic. That's because it would take waaay too much time to put in all of the information on the program that's in the book. So if you have any questions or curiosities about it, feel free to e-mail me.

Along with following my progress on the program on the Challenge page, I'll also be tracking my change in stats on my new Stats page.

This is a no-excuses program. Six days per week of exercise, no exceptions (except, you know, if I'm barfing up a lung or something). Specific nutritional guidelines (which won't actually be too hard for me, since I've been almost-following them all along anyway).

Five months. Let's see if this works. I just wish I had a partner that was following this with me.

Posted by Laura at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments

Owie.

You see that ass-kicking workout routine down there? It made me SO SORE that I'm walking around like a little old lady. I did yoga yesterday in the hopes that the stretching would help, but I don't think it did. And I'm going to get on the elliptical tonight - oh God, it's going to huuuuurt!

*Sob*

Posted by Laura at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments

I just totally kicked my own ass

Intervals day. The elliptical machine reading alone was 227 calories, and that's not with the weights stuff included.

Warm up five minutes on elliptical, 50% intensity
First interval - curls, forward raises, lateral raises - 5 lb weights, one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Second interval - curls, forward raises, lateral raises - 5 lb weights, one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Third interval - curls, forward raises, lateral raises - 5 lb weights, one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 80% intensity, one minute
Fourth interval - tricep kickbacks, chest press - 5 lb weights, one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 80% intensity, one minute
Fifth interval - tricep kickbacks, chest press - 5 lb weights, one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 80% intensity, one minute
Sixth interval - tricep kickbacks, chest press - 5 lb weights, one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 80% intensity, one minute
Seventh interval - leg extensions (20 lbs), lunges (holding 5 lb weights) - one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 80% intensity, one minute
Eighth interval - leg extensions (20 lbs), lunges (holding 5 lb weights) - one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Ninth interval - leg extensions (20 lbs), lunges (holding 5 lb weights) - one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Tenth interval - leg curls (10 lbs), squats (holding 5 lb weights) - one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Eleventh interval - leg curls (10 lbs), squats (holding 5 lb weights) - one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Twelvth interval - leg curls (10 lbs), squats (holding 5 lb weights) - one set of 10-12 each
Elliptical - 70% intensity, one minute
Cool down - three minutes 50% intensity on elliptical, then a lot of walking around and drinking water

Posted by Laura at 1:56 PM | Permalink | Comments

Call me ADD girl

Since I can't seem to just stick with an exercise plan without changing it around every third second, I offer you my current rendition of said plan:

- Sunday: Yoga-licious
- Monday: 30 minutes elliptical level 2, upper body weight training, abs
- Tuesday: 30 minutes elliptical level 2, lower body weight training, abs
- Wednesday: Yoga-licious, or regular ol' stretching, or rest day
- Thursday: 30 minutes elliptical level 2, 1/2 routine each of upper body and lower body weights, abs
- Friday: Extended cardio: 45 minutes elliptical, 30 minutes at level 2, 15 minutes at level 3 (or 25/20, or 15/30, or all of it at level 3 if I can manage it!)
- Saturday: Interval training - 5 minute cardio warm-up, rep of arms, one minute intense interval cardio, rep of legs, one minute of intense interval cardio, rep of arms... etc. through all exercises, all reps. Usually takes a little more than an hour.

Those 10 (or 13) pounds are *so* gone.

Posted by Laura at 6:08 PM | Permalink | Comments