My 25th post!

Hello! Sorry about the little break there in blogging. I might be a bit a procrastinator at times. The kind who left all her school projects until the night before the due date...the adrenaline rush really kicks in at 4:30am while drinking a peanut butter soy latte! (so delicious, so rare)

I have so much I want to share and discuss, it’s hard to know where to begin. Oh wait, I know.

Thank you.

No, really....THANK YOU. This blog has been a source of motivation and inspiration for the last 8 weeks, and I am so grateful for all the support and comments you give. Friday and Saturday were the first days in a long while that I truly did not feel like working out. Maybe it was the cold crisp weather I love so much putting me in hibernating mode, maybe it was complacency with my weight-loss, whatever it was, I was not feeling it.

But then I was sitting on the couch Friday evening, watching the telly, and I thought, “Wait a second. If I don’t work out, I have to write a post about not working out. I don’t want to share my laziness with others!” And so I got off my butt and went to a Latin Rhythms class and generally made a fool of myself trying to shake my hips in decidedly un-wasp-ish moves. What fun!

Saturday I put off exercising until 9:15pm. (generally, you shouldn’t work out to close to your bed time, otherwise it might be difficult for you to fall asleep...and trust me, those zzz’s are important for weight-loss and health in general.)

What awesome activity did I do Saturday night, you might be asking yourself? Why, I made red cabbage with apples while doing arm workouts and dancing to the Spice Girls! And all in the comfort of my home kitchen...with my dog thinking I was trying to play some new game with her. Anyone ever try to do crunches when a dog is near? It’s a challenge.

Am I too cool or what? Bet you wish that had been your Saturday night:) Both of those exercise moments were because I didn’t want to let you, or myself, down. Yesterday I went jogging, and today I kicked my own butt with 20 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the Stairmaster, and 2.5 minutes on the rowing machine. (okay, 2.5 minutes on the rowing machine might not seem that impressive, but my shoulders and back were killing me...maybe my form was off? Or maybe my rowing muscles are non-existent...)

I see my Mondays as a “Last Chance Workout” of sorts, since I currently weigh-in on Tuesdays.

So once more, THANK YOU. I hope you are inspired every once in a while by me, this blogationship should be a two way street! (no, I did not just make up a word! Blagationship is totally legit...don't quote me on that:) Have a wonderful week!

How to burn like Earth, Wind and Fire

So how do you burn 500 extra calories? Every person burns a different amount of calories during exercise, depending on weight and intensity. I know that if I walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes at an incline of 6% going 4mph, I will burn 351 calories. But someone lighter would burn less.

Here are 2 calculators you can use for figuring out how many calories you are burning: http://www.hsc.edu/fitness/calculators/calories.html or at: http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/

Playing Frisbie for 49 minutes can help me burn 501 calories! The question is, do they mean ultimate Frisbie, Frisbie toss, or Frisbie golf? I need details!

And if you are more of a chart person, check out this one: http://www.nutribase.com/exercala.htm

The chart is by weight, and the calories listed are per 30 minutes of exercise. It’s nice to know that playing ping-pong for 2.5 hours would burn 500 calories:)

Or you can just find three 500-calorie burning workouts in this article: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/cardio/no-treadmill/workouts-burn-500-calories/ There is one one the Stairmaster, one for the stationary bike, and one on the treadmill.

Remember that the less you weigh, the harder you will have to work to lose a few pounds. Try upping intensity or duration a few times a week from where you are right now, and being a bit more nit-picky about what you eat.

And how do you Excuseproof your workout? An article I read recently (from the February 2009 Self) recommended this strategy: Grab a few index cards and write down your biggest get-fit barriers on the front of each card. Then flip the card over and brainstorm all the ways you could bust those blockades. For example, if your top card reads, “I’m too tired,” the flip side might read, “I can go to bed earlier. I can play ‘Stronger’ by Kanye West really, really loud. I can treat myself to a shot of espresso. I can call my honey for a pep talk.” Now stash those around you and pull them out next time you feel the big “but” coming on (because that but might lead to another, bigger butt...I’m just saying:)

Super Trouper!

I would like to dedicate this post to ABBA, and the Black Eyed Peas. They have gotten me through many a workout, and with a smile on my face!

Updates on the past week and goals:

I loved the Indian food! Okay, maybe not as exciting for you as for me, but it was delicious and I didn’t over eat, and I spent the lunch with a fantastic friend:) So a definite success. (Except for the green sauce that I thought was some sort of Indian pesto. Definitely not. Very spicy. Especially on my iceberg lettuce.)

So I not only tried the Stair Master this week (sweat central), I also tried a Latin Rhythms class. It was basically a room of women following a leader in dance moves, shimmies, shakes, and jumps. Great fun, except for the jumping part…not fun for my chest. That’s all I’m saying about that. Goal #1=achieved!

My dog and I went on a hour and a half hike in the woods on Saturday. She was so excited and energetic the whole time, and that helps me climb the continuous hills and stomp on lesser-walked paths. I like going to the gym and pushing myself, but something about outdoor exercise makes me feel more alive. The fresh air, forest/water sounds, and twisting and turning….ahhhh. Good times. The picture below is of my dog on a hike we went on last year, in the same spot (with another golden and a friend). She is the cutest inspiration I’ve got! Goal #2=achieved!