Thinner or Stronger?

It's rain here this morning and I'm feeling achey all over. Sometimes getting old isn't much fun. Am I complaining....NO just stating a fact.  I've got my gym bag packed for tonight and even if I'm still achey I know I will feel better after I work out. I probably won't do any cardio tonight as it is Monday and EVERYONE hits the gym on Monday, and it seems like they are all on the treadmill. I will not use that as an excuse Not to go (although I'm tempted and that's why I posted it here so I can't use it as an excuse..lol)

I did go to the gym last night and because it was Sunday I actually got to work out in the weight room. I love working with the free weights but I feel that since I'm not a "serious" weight lifter that I shouldn't take up a bench when there are "serious" guys there working out...For some reason Saturdays & Sundays there are only a few "serious" people there and I can always get a bench. I upped my weights last night on bench presses and felt better about my progress than I have in awhile. It's been tough since I've been back because I had to drop my weights back almost to where I was when I started 5 years ago..but I'm getting stronger every time I go in.  This is my favorite time at the gym..I figure I will be one of the oldest "STRONG" lady around..The problem with weight training is that muscle weighs more than fat so although I feel I'm getting stronger I'm not losing the weight like I should be. So Do I want to be thinner or do I want to be stronger?
I am doing some cardio at the gym (this should help with losing weight)..I like a good warm up of about 20 mins (this is about all I can stand doing on the treadmill) and I'm trying to get back into running. My knee has been giving me trouble lately but I dug out my knee brace and have been wearing it. I've gotten my time down on doing a mile to less than 14 mins (that's down from 18 mins). This is interval running and walking (mostly walking right now) on the random setting with an incline of 7. I've been working up a pretty damn good sweat doing this..and it's a good warm up before I go do the weights which is my main goal.

I did good on my eating yesterday..I had my oatmeal for breakfast..took a spinach salad with grapes for lunch. some crackers with my hummus/avocado dip for snack and when I got home I fixed myself some veggie soup for dinner. It was nice eating what I like and feeling satisfied.


Good news...starting the first of November I will be getting off work on Sundays and Mondays instead of Tues & Weds..this means that I will be able to get in some Sunday hikes with my AOC group. With the weather getting cooler I can't wait.  I probably won't get back into backpacking this year but hopefully by spring I will be able to get in at least one trip..it's a goal to work for.

The answer to my question of whether I want to be thinner or stronger is ....ta da...I want to be both...I want to be a thinner stronger person..that's what I was a couple of years ago and I want that back. I know with hard work I CAN DO IT!

No excuses here!

I left my reading glasses at Princess Val's last night so am having to squint to read what I type..hopefully I have my fingers on the right keys...LOL. I want to keep to my plan of blogging each day. That means NO EXCUSES! (TG for spell check)
I did good yesterday..I went to the gym, did my cardio on the elliptical (15 mins) and the treadmill.(I walked at a 14 incline, the highest the tm machine will go, for 15 mins)..worked up a good sweat...flirted with the guy on the tm next to me...oopps...I meant I talked with him..he was nice but too young as usual. I've seen him there before and he talked to me first. Then I did strength training for the upper body. I will do my lower body (legs mostly) tonight. I really like going to the gym. I feel so good when I leave it.
I came home and steamed me some veggies for supper.
I've got my gym bag packed for tonight and am actually looking forward to going.
Now I'm off to read (squinting) to see how everyone else did yesterday.
More Later

Finding my "Happy"!

This week I've been thinking about signing back up with my gym. I cancelled my membership over a a year ago because I wasn't going for several reasons. No motivation, no gas monies and it was out of the way. When I had been going every day it was because the gym was on my home..so I didn't have any excuses then. I was (and still am) short of monies and figured since I wasn't utilizing the gym I was wasting that money. My new job is close to the gym so there goes that excuse. In thinking about what really made me happy a few years ago my mind goes to all the times I had at the gym...I actually loved it...I miss playing racquetball, doing the hip hop or kickboxing classes and just plain working out with the weights. I felt so good about myself when I was going to the gym. Many of my friends now are ones I met at the gym. I am a very social person and with my current job it is just Princess Val, her Dad, and sometimes Sandi (his girlfriend) all day and then I come home to just me.  I find that I need people around me. As for the monies..I figure if I go 5 times a week it will cost me $1.82 a day, less than $2..I'm saving that much or more on gas with the new job..so I think I can swing the cost. Where else can I go and enjoy myself for such little monies.

So yesterday I went for a tour at Lifetime Fitness..it's a big gym that a lot of the peoples from my old gym went over to. It was nice, had a lot to offer (mostly for families) but the monthly cost was more than I wanted to pay and I just didn't feel comfortable there. It was too fancy..besides they didn't have a racquetball court, which is a biggie for me! And there were a lot of kids running around..Now don't get me wrong I like kids, just not when I'm working out.....I'm glad I checked it out because now I know I'm not missing anything!

SO...I went back over to my old gym and talked to the General Manager and got signed back up. The funny thing is while I was waiting for Aaron (the GM) I ran into 3 different people I knew and talked to them and this was in the off time, in the afternoon and a weekday!!!  I remember that no matter what time I went to this gym I always ran into at least one person I knew. I have been a member since 2003 and I pretty much used to go everyday ...in fact I had worked at a different location for LA Fitness for a year (but I found out that I wasn't good at being a Sales Counselor, not aggressive enuff).  Walking into my old gym, It felt like I had come "home"..I looked at all machines and in my mind I was figuring out what work out I would do first. I will be going today, altho it's my day off, because I have to go over that way to take care of my daughters animals while they are out of town. No excuses here.
I'm actually looking forward to it..I know that tomorrow I'll probably be sore all over but I also know that's part of getting back to where I want to be and it won't last forever (the pain!)..

The other thing I'm going to attempt to start doing today is keeping track of what I eat. I have never been good at counting calories or writing down what I eat...I hate it! I don't want to do it! I'll usually start out good for a couple of days and then give it up..I've tried using the on line tracking systems..they don't work for me..I get too frustrated with them...It's hard!!!! and I'm lazy!  I just want to eat and then forget it..Oh.. I know, I've read all the books and articles how being aware of each bite you put in your mouth will help you lose weight...What with starting out with the weights again, I know that I need to not only watch the amount of what I eat but also that I get enough proteins and carbs so I can get the full benefit of my workout, and that's where tracking what I eat will help.  Also When I am honest and write down EVERY BITE I'm eating, it keeps me from eating those things I know I don't need to be eating. I have to be honest with myself here...I'm not so worried about calories (altho it might surprize me how many I really eat in a day!), but more that I'm balancing my foods. More on all this at a later date when I've had time to think it over more..and also to see if I can get a tracking system that works for me everyday.

Rainy Day and Cravings!

It's been a rainy day today and I ended up staying at home after taking a couple of truck loads of stuff to the Great American Clean Up that Auburn was holding...got rid of some of the stuff I couldn't sell at my yard sale..
I also returned the exercise bike I was borrowing from my neighbor...for untold reasons I CAN NOT ride the bike...I know that a recumbent bike is ok but I can't sit on a straight up bike...which is kind of sad since some of my fav memories are of riding my bike early in the mornings a few years ago with my neighbor..I was hoping I could get back to that again..but have to face it...can't do it and will have to find another hobby that I can do to get exercise...for now I will be satisfied with walking at the park...or hiking!

All day I've been having cravings for sugar and chips...so I ate cantelope instead..but I still had the cravings...I kept going into the kitchen to see if I could find anything to eat that would satisfy me but there wasn't anything...I kept telling myself that FOOD is only Fuel. I spoke with my Daughter a couple of times and she helped me get through to a point...but I found that I couldn't settle down to do anything because I wanted those damn tortilla chips and sugar cookies....finally I broke down and went to WalMart but once I got there I decided to make healthier choices...I bought Pretzels & graham crackers...I also bought some fresh tomatoes and banana's...Came home fixed me a tomato/spinach sandwich, pretzels and a graham cracker for dessert...and I feel content now...
I really need to come up with a food plan...and stick to it..