What a looooong, strange trip its been!

Been out of action because of a surgery and recovery. Once a week have been taking classes and finally today hit it up at the gym!

This morning at 7am a very tired yet determined a.m. gym rat completed the following:1 mile elitical level 3 1230min
1 mile treadmill incline 2 1330min
Concurrently completed ladders: (meaning 1 squat, 10 pushup, 2 squat 9 pushup, and so on)
1-10 squats on bosu
10-1 push up knee on bosu
30 second plank feet on bosu
Feels good to be getting back to it! Current weight is sub 140 so I am happy about that, and once I hit sub 130 I will be a little more forthcoming on the specific number ;) I am a girl you know!

Not surprised....

Today...I forgot a belt! I packed in the morning instead of last night, which was mistake 1...ran a little late this morning and met a new training buddy at 645. We did three rounds of HIIT and then Tabata This...good stuff. INSANITY time at lunch today :)

Forget me nots

No matter how prepared I feel the night before I almost daily forget something. A belt, socks, underwear...that was really awkward. I even forgot my darn gym shoes one day and would have missed my workout if not for the very nice lady who let me borrow hers while she swam.

Well yesterday, I forgot my boots and when I was getting ready for work in the locker room, was serendipitiously graced by a fellow gym rat that happened to have a car full of clothes she was donating. And within that stuff was a pair of black boots. The only bad news of this story, was they were a size too big and my feet are killing me. Small price to pay to be graced like that though :)

Insanity

Courtesy of my buddy Don who is now a fitness coach, I have started the "Insanity" program. It is pure cardio hell! Yesterday was the fit test and despite how I felt, apparently I scored fairly well. Super sore today, but eager to see what 60 days of bee bopping around will do for my waist!!

Lights, camera, ACTION!

I apologize in advance for any redundancy in this post. I am looking back at my declarations. What does each of these things break down to mean? Declaring a goal is one thing. I want action items and milestones to make sure I am successful! Additionally the goals compliment each other and support the primary (#1) goal of losing 20lbs by Aug 3. Makes sense! You would not make it a goal to try every bakery in the city and lose weight, right?

So for each goal, we ask ourselves, how do we get there? Let's create 3 ACTION items for each of the declarations, and MILESTONES to keep accountability

1 - I will lose 20lbs by Aug 3, 2012

A - track progress with once a week weigh ins (I used my fancy iPhone to set up a reminder!)

B - use a daily food journal to see a realistic view of my diet, and how to modify it (Lose it app is awesome!)

C - do at least 20 mins of cardio everyday (I get up early to hit the gym, miss traffic and get it out of the way)

2 - I will drink 64oz of water daily

A - track intake with labels marking off each refill (I use an arrowhead bottle that I know I need 4 of)

B - place a visual reminder in as many locations as possible (I have a sticky note that says "water" in drawers, my purse, my truck, all over!)

C - make it a habit to always order a water with every coffee, cocktail, meal or snack (hey its free too!)

3 - I will train for and complete the WarriorDash on Sept 22, 2012

A - gather friends that are interested and put together a team of players by end of Jan (already much in progress and my friend who is a coach is co-leading the team with me!)

B - register for the event around my birthday (Feb 7) depending on when I am paid, which is Feb 10! Registration is Feb 10 (I need to update the team!)

C - develop a training program (this one is going to take some work!) with my co-leader

Stay tuned for more details, progress and other ways I am making this all come together!

What this rat has been up to...

FRIDAY

400k run

21 pull ups

21 squats

21 push ups

33 sit ups (as many as I could do in the song that was playing)

I was pretty sore, not horrible just enough to know I had a good workout. 

SUNDAY

3-3.5 mile run

Jogged around the lake with a friend who was pushing a three year old in a jogger stroller. I did not envy the extra weight :) I did enjoy the miles, and the bald eagle perched atop a tree on the path was a treat!

TUESDAY

Approx 100 Squats, 40 Push up's and 80 Situps

A zero equipment shortened version of Tabata This. My favorite program to do with a new trainee or fellow "gym rat" (aka workout buddy!) as it really shows capabilities, ROM and skill while leaving you sore enough to only come back for more if you are for real. What is Tabata? Its a style of interval training using a 2 to 1 work rest ratio for 8 sets in 4 mins. In other words, 20 seconds or reps, 10 seconds of rest, repeat 8 times. The CrossFit name for this program is Tabata This, check out their page for more info. 

TODAY

I can barely walk, or sit down to pee. It feels good to be sore and it is annoying at the same time. I have lost quite a bit of water weight with all the water drinking and working out. Down 6lbs from last weeks weigh in!

Lazy daze

My long standing love affair with the snooze button bit me in the but today! Another (as if I needed it) reason to get up in the morning and hit the gym, avoiding traffic. Ended up taking the toll road just to by pass the other commuters. So tally for today:
I am less a work out, slightly drained from poor sleep and lack of activity and I am out $5 for the toll. Not a winning combo!

As promised! Here are my S.M.A.R.T. health goals I am declaring for 2012:

1 - I will lose 20lbs by Aug 3, 2012
2 - I will drink 64oz of water daily
3 - I will train for and complete the WarriorDash on Sept 22, 2012

Lets breakdown how these are S.M.A.R.T, or at least one of them.

First what does S.M.A.R.T. stand for?
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic / Revisable
Time Bound

Do you see how each is S.M.A.R.T.? Here is the first one, see if you can figure out the other two and then maybe use these to inspire your own!
1 - I will lose 20lbs by Aug 3, 2012
Specific - lose 20lbs (at current gulp! 147, that brings me to a much healthier 127)
Measurable - 20lbs is an amount, unlike just saying I will lose weight
Attainable - 20lbs in 8 months is only 2.5lbs a month!
Realistic / Revisable - 40lbs for a goal weight of 107 is NOT realistic, 127 is my previous high average when I was living more healthfully. Revisable as I may hit my goal and go farther!
Time Bound - goal date is 8 months out
2 - I will drink 64oz of water daily
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic / Revisable
Time Bound
3 - I will train for and complete the WarriorDash on Sept 22, 2012
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic / Revisable
Time Bound

Happy New Year fellow gym rats!



(Photo image courtesy of Google search "happy new year 2012" which led me to this site)



Have you jumped on the resolution band wagon? Have you failed at them already? 

 Its ok!

Failures only teach us how not to do things! My only resolution is a resolve to not make resolutions, but rather declarations. Not only does this feel more powerful, it also sets me up to acheive instead of try. Coupled with my S.M.A.R.T goal skills (read more from wiki) I feel a strong foundation is set for 2012 to be a really great year!

First A.M. Gym Rat encounter of the year was a late started yet strong cardio session on the eliptical at good ol LA Fit. 20 mins and approx 200 calories burned later, I feel a small amount of the holiday bliss, I mean treats melting away. To say I indulged in a sinful gluttonous way would be an understatement. Dinner with friends on New Years brought delicious cheeses, crab cocktail, crab cakes, crab stuffed mushrooms and steak with the glasses of champagne and white wine literally overflowing. A celebration I would not have missed for the world, and that no pair of too snug pants will convince me was a mistake.

DECLARED GOALS FOR 2012 to come in next post. Stay strong!

Sick Days

I have been fighting a sinus infection forEVER! Seriously it is my second, if not third in the past month and a half. The drainage is causing a hacking cough...needless to say, have not been chasing the cheese much lately. That is AM Gym Rat talk for going to the gym...it is my chez ;)

Unforgettable?

Seems like every, single, day...I forget something. Such is the life of waking up before your brain. Today, it was my to go coffee. Yesterday it was my laptop. That was not fun. Ended up driving all the way home, and back to the office. So the day started at 10, instead of 830. I forgot a towel last week. Thankfully my locker room friend had a spare. The week before that I forgot underwear...that was interesting. At least the shirt I brought had a built in cami bra and I was wearing tights...like I said, interesting. My goal is to dish to you about this comical point of view of the life of an AM Gym Rat more regularly...maybe even share some friends tid bits along the way...

Q&A

I received the below email (edited for applicable content) and thought not only to answer it directly, I will share the information as it is very good for all you gym rats to know!

Email received:
Hey,

I cant seem to ask the question to google in a way that gets me an answer =0)

So my goal is trimming and toning. I have been swimming every other day and weight training every other day taking Sunday off.

When I am weight training I am doing 3 sets of 12 reps for now until my endurance is up then I will increase the reps.

How I am working it now is like circuit. For example:
bicep curls 1:12
tricep 1:12
shoulders 1:12
squats 1:12
lunges 1:12
etc.

then start again at biceps and so forthe until I have done the circuit 3 times.

Would it be more effective to do biceps 1:12 rest 30 sec, bicep 1:12 rest 30 sec bicep 1:12 rest 30 sec THEN move to the next muscle group?

Thanks in advance for your input!


The response:

I am stoked you are focused and committed on your training. Swimming is such a great total body movement, super for trimming and toning :)

To answer your question(s)

Yes, or D all of the above.

Mix it up. Often.

So the 3 sets of 10-12 reps is a very common, familiar and easy formula. Its classic body building programming. However, you will get bored and so will your muscles. While it will work, its not always best to count reps and you certainly want to mix it up.

What I mean by this specifically. Do the counting reps, like the 3*12 (36 reps total) and other rep counting styles like ladders or stacking. A ladder is starting at a number then going to another, and then if you want you go back up or down depending on what you feel like that day. So you can go 1-2-3-4-5 and then 5-4-3-2-1 or start at 5-6-7-8-9-10 and go backwards or start at 10 go to 5 then back up, you get the idea. The math will and should vary. A 1-5 to 5-1 ladder is actually 30 reps when you count it out. A 10-1 ladder is 55 reps and a 10-1 to 1-10 while not so hard at the time is 110 reps! You can get through them at the little 1 rep or 8 rep increments and you get SO much more work done.

Or you can say forget the counting and try for time, even mixing in interval training (SUPER effective for weight loss and muscle building) and just see how many you can do in a minute, rest a minute and see if you can beat your first time. For interval training, my favorite is a 2:1 work rest ratio. Do as many reps as you can in 20 seconds then rest for 10 before going to the next work 20 seconds. Repeat at least 4 times (only 2 min!) and ideally work up to 8 for a total of 4 minutes. For this type of work, use a lower weight or only do body movements, like squats or push ups.

Interval training is extremely effective and the difference lies in the way you work your cardiovascular pathways, or more commonly known as aerobic vs anaerobic. BOTH will burn fat. The only difference is anaerobic training builds muscle while aerobic activity builds muscle.

Do all three sets of one movement with short breaks in between then move to the next movement. Another time do a circuit, one set of each movement moving through them one at a time. For the best results, have as few of breaks as possible. If you are circuit training only take a break after the whole circuit, before you start the second round. This way you are training your muscles and gaining benefits on a different cardiovascular pathway then you do in your swimming.

So really, you want to mix it up, because the only thing you want consistent about your routine is having one. Remember when we were training how we never did the same thing twice. You want to keep your muscles guessing, so that they have to change, and become stronger.

You want to mix up the actual work, from all different angles and how you do the work. If all you do is bicep curls, then all that will get strong is the part of your bicep used for that movement and not the surrounding area. So, do bicep curls close in, out angled, palm up, palm down. Do three sets, three different ways. You will find your strength and weaknesses this way as well. Sure someone can do a chin up, turn their hands the other way and they are a limp noodle. See where I am headed with all of this? I think most important is to have fun and feel good!

Lastly, be sure you are using total ROM (range of motion) so you don't train your muscles halfway or end up with short stubby muscles. Imagine the way really muscle big body builders move, really stiff and uncomfortable looking. This is because they train a limited range of muscle. So to return again with the bicep curls, be sure after your curl you are fully extending your arm (and the muscles inside) at a nice controlled pace, working your muscles that way as well.

I hope this gives you the information you are looking for and that you enjoy playing with your programming as much as I enjoy sharing the information. Thank you for trusting in me and reaching out to me and inspiring me to write about this on my blog.

(photo courtesy of this blog found via Google image search for bicep curl)

H.I.I.T.

or otherwise known as high intensity interval training. I love intervals for their efficiency and boredom attacking ways. H.I.I.T. is my most recent favorite training sword, or at least runs right at the top. What are these you ask? Allow me to explain.

Crossfit (where I gained my trainer certs) has a couple wicked workouts based around Tabata, peruse their site (FREE!) and discover the ninja way, ha ha! Tabata intervals (named so after Dr. Tabata who discovered them, read more here) are intervals based on a 2:1 work rest ratio. Most common format, maybe the only true one as well, is 8 sets of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. This equals 4 mins and you do it with squats, pushups, pullups, situps, whatever.

Now, H.I.I.T. is an awesome beast and one that I am just beginning to play around with more. I have not done much, until recently, outside of the CF Tabata programs. So now we get funky! Reverse the ratio, extend the time and jump on a treadmill for an evil awesome workout. Minimum 3 rounds on this one folks, and I have yet to make it past 6 rounds. Here's how it goes down.

(photo courtesy of this blog found via Google image search for treadmill running)

Warm up for 5 minutes at a nice easy pace, I do mine around 3-4mph. Then let the fun begin. Turn the speed to one that is near as fast as you can go, for me that is 7.5mph right now. And then GO, for a full minute. At the end of the minute take it back down to an easy pace for two minutes which I do 3mph. Repeat (at least twice) Warning, this will kick your butt and right at the end of that minute all out run you will think you are going to die! But it works wonders. Your heart will work hard then calm down and over again. SO effective folks!!

I have found a little formula that has worked with some of my trainees, whatever your pace you normally hit the treadmill at for your long 30-45 min cardio workouts can be the middle ground for finding your pace here. For example Sean normally does 6-7 mph, so we took him 2 mph both ways for 4mph at the low pace and 8-9mph for the high pace.

So it looks a little something like this when I am playing:
1:00-5:00 walk/jog warm up 3-4mph
5:00-6:00 RUN 7-8mph
6:00-8:00 walk 3-4mph
8:00-9:00 RUN 7-8mph
9:00-11:00 walk 3-4mph
11:00-13:00 RUN 7-8mph
13:00-15:00 walk 3-4mph

DONE! 15 minutes, I feel like I have ran my butt off for miles and you will feel the intensity, trust this! Have I mentioned I love the way intervals battle boredom, especially for me when applied to running which I really only enjoy outside, and even then, its a wink link in my bag of tricks.

Let me know how it goes my fellow gym rats!

What are you on?

"This is my body. I can do whatever I want with it. I can push it. Study it. Tweak it. Listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on?" - Lance Armstrong

A.M. Gym Rat says: I am on the stairs instead of the elevator...I am on the last aisle of parking instead of the closest spot to the door...I am on a healthy diet instead of a fast food diet...I am ON!

(photo courtesy of livestrong.com via Google image search for walking up stairs)

Question is, what are you on?

Just Show Up!

There are those days...you just do not want to wake up, the alarm clock is your enemy and all you want is to roll back over to dreamland.

(photo courtesy of lovelyish via Google image search for 'hate waking up')

There are those days...you wake up, the alarm snooze button is more of a nuisance then a friend and all you want to do is roll out of bed and get on with the day.

Today, was neither of those days. Today, I had to keep telling myself to just show up, and go through the motions. Then something amazing happened. After 10 minutes of going UGH! I was excited and had a great workout.

So I encourage you,; whatever type of day you are having, to just show up. Its half the battle!

Good morning from a gym rat!

As I was getting ready after my morning workout I realized I had yet again forgot to pack something.

SO, I decided I will start a morning gym rat blog...this segment will be FMN, or Forget Me Not, otherwise known as SHOOT! and I encourage all who follow to share their "what I forgot stories"

That being said, welcome to A.M. Gym Rat, and here is your first "Forget Me Not"

Last week, I forgot my boots and had to wear my shower flip flops all day at work. A lovely experience and since I have not had a pedi since before Christmas I also ended up painting my toenails really quickly under my desk. The funniest part was when someone complimented my pedicure, HA!

(photo credit courtesy of google pedicure search from lipstickpowdernpaint.com)

This morning, I forgot socks, and so I am wearing my white cotton socks with my boots.

I do think those that survive FMN will either A - become more organized to decrease the amount of forgets or B - continue to be resilient, laugh at themselves and solve whatever dilema their forgets cause and wear their shower flip flops in pride.