Friday: I really only had time to workout in the morning.
I was not an energetic exerciser that morning, lots of yawning on the elliptical. I did 15 elliptical, 15 walking at 5% incline at 4.5 mph, and 5 on the rower. Then 50 squats on the bosu.
I don't think I've mentioned this, but I am quite a bootilicious girl--very disproportionately to the rest of my body, almost comically so, thus I try to tighten as much as possible.
The weather has been SO AMAZING that I have been doing a ton more natural exercise, walking, walking,walking. I can't bear going underground and miss out on the beauty of the day. So I walked about 20 blocks to pick up my lunch from my favorite salad spot Benvenuto, and got an amazing, avocado, spinach, sundried tomato, sprout, edammame, broccoli, cuc and carrot salad with some balsamic and a slice of whole grain bread. Yum, then I hiked back.
I took the subway to NYRR to pick up my race packet, then walked from 5th and 89th (enjoying a glimpse of the Gugg.) to Grand Central to catch the subway. This was a quick walk, the typical NYer walk like your late even if your early. I got to pass my favorite NYC building the GE, formerly RCA Victor Building. I am not sure why it is my fav, but I do love it. I have always been an architecture dork, but building so much furniture (the ikea stuff is barely more than a sapling when you take it out of the box), I appreciate all the detail and work that went into the gorgeous old buildings even more.So my quick hike home to change did add a bit to my daily exercise tally, but later that night, after 3+ glasses of wine, the elevators weren't really working so I hiked up 20 flights in heels! Luckily my date was a good sport!!! The laughing and talking on the way up really winded me!
Saturday: 30 elliptical, 20 rower (while watching Maria Sharpova kick ass), 20 minutes bike. Later I decided to climb all 29 flights of stairs, since I am no longer in a 3 floor walk up, I think I will do the whole trek every other day to make up for it. Plus, I REALLY want to do the Empire State Building Run Up at some point. I am a nerd!
Sunday-Japan race (4 miles), plus walking from 102nd and the west side to grand central, probably another 4 miles, but incredible SLOWLY.
The race went well, although I arrived a little late, so I literally sprinted to bag drop off to make it to the start line on time. It was pretty funny that the majority of the people on the uptown 6 this morning were doing the race. Why else would anyone be up so early? It has been a sporty subway weekend. It was nice to feel the comraderly though. I have been on quite a few trains that have been completely dominated by METS clothing. I would say 75% of people were wearing at least one METS item, and of those people, 90% were wearing more than one.
Oh yeah, the race. I was able to really focus on form. "I Tiki tiki" as Ramon would say: short strides with little arm swings on the uphills and then wider strides with larger arm swings on the downs and flats. Halfway through I thought to myself that a sugar free Red Bull would have made the race a lot better--lol. The course was the easiest 4 mile loop of the park, 102nd down to 72nd street transverse and back up. The only thing that it made it slightly more difficult was that the uphills were on the second half. Plus it was much sunnier on the east side. It was great that they limited registration, so I didn't feel like I was stepping on anyone. I still feel right in the 50% for my age gender though. :(
It was great to be in the park again, but the cherry blossoms and daffodils that made my heart swell a few weeks ago were gone. When you live in concrete ugliness for too long, flora and fauna is pretty exciting!
I also did some strength at the gym when I got home. Lots of abs (on the ball, mountain climbers, with the medicine ball and on the hanging contraption), a few squats and lunges (very few) and then arms. Wow, I am kind of concerned about how weak my upper body is. After about 2 sets of 15 of about 6 different exercises, my arms were searing. And I could only do 5 push ups easily. I tried to do a second set, but could barely eek it out. I must do some reading on proper arm exercises and work up more strength. I love lean toned arms, so sexy!
I hope everyone had a great weekend with gorgeous weather! xoxo Meliss
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4 comments:
No DOUBT you'd be tired, girl - what a weekend you had!! Congratulations on the race and all of your other workouts :0)
Wow! I am exhausted listening to your weekend!
I don't really drink much soda but I do drink alot of bottled diet drinks (usually with aspartame). Like you I am trying to reduce my consumption because of the chemicals in them. I have been majorly struggling though! What have you been using to substitute? I drink enough water, its just sometimes water doesn't cut it and a hot tea or anything hot for that matter isn't appealing (ecsp. in the summer). I am guessing if you are a diet coke fan, like me you find seltzer water tasteless. Furthermore, diet drinks are so convenient because they are in bottles. Do you have any portable thermos (for hot drinks) and water bottles that you recommend to buy? I'd love to hear your suggestions- diet drinks are truly the hardest thing to give up. I can't help but think so many people drink it for so many years can it really be as bad as the extremist say. Anyway, sorry for the rambling, I am in desperate need of help!
Hi Christina,
I actually love seltzer, plain or with natural flavors (non-aspartame/splenda), but it doesn't give me the caffeine I like. I also drink Perrier and Pelligrino, but a part of my choice ot give up soda (or attempt to) is to buy less beverages, buying drinks really adds up throughout thte day. That is one reason, I want to love water.
One thing that really helps is putting lemon and lime slices in my water, I seem to love it when I do that. You can use anything: orange, apple, berry, mint, cucumber, carrot or even a splash of juice goes a long way.
I don't really consume crystal light or anything, and I don't like splenda in coffee or iced coffee, but there is something about Diet Coke that is like cocaine for me. I will probably post something more about it.
Besides the artificial sweetners, which I am convinced are destroying my once bulletproff memory, I have very thin bone density and the acidity in soda, is actually greater than in coffee. So drinking to much soda is definitely a very bad thing for my bones. I am already super short, I can't afford to lose any more inches. The other thing is my teeth, I went 21 years without a cavity, and all of the sudden I have several. I can't see what else it could be besides the soda eroding my enamel. So it seems like i would have to be crazy to not give it up, but hey, it's my smoking.
Here are some ideas to quit:
Set time guidelines that you can consume your diet drinks. SUch as between noon and 6, or 9 and 9 if you need to. Then every few days make the gap smaller, like 12:15 and 5:45 or 9"15 and and 8:45. Keep doing this until you have a very small window. You'll find if you start your day without them, the urge will be significantly less, but if it the first thing you consume you will crave it all day.
Drink 4 cups of water before drinking diet drinks.
Or set a daily limit, if you can do that.
I also really like the elixir ideas from Raw Food Life Force Energy by Natalia Rose, so you might want to peruse the recipe section of that book in Barnes and Nobles.
I haven't found an H2O bottle I like enough to recommend!
Hope this helps, we are in it together!
Hey Melissa!
Good luck on the DC addiction. I used to routinely drink diet sprite because I felt DC turned my teeth brown (not permanently, just immediately after drinking until I brushed). But then found that Diet Sprite (or any clear soda) is even more acidic and damaging than DC (dark soda) and will rot your teeth! I sometimes put a few frozen berries in my water. It makes it a little tastier and then it's fun to eat the fruit at the end of a big glass of water. I'm more addicted to Crystal Light - and then read Skinny Bitch which made me worried all those chemicals increase cellulite! I've weaned myself down to 1 glass a day instead of a full tub. Good luck!
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