Following My Own Advice

For a couple different reasons I had a weight gain this week, 3 pounds.  I know I often think I'm going to see a weight gain and then I don't, but this week I did.  I'm doing a little food experiment and that's mostly the explanation for the gain, that and the side effects of the experiment.  I'll have to go into that more at a later time, it's not quite ready for print.  Gaining weight is a downer, and I'm finding myself feeling bummed out/less excited about following my whole plan, at least this week.  I always tell people to think of weeks like this as practice for maintenance and to focus not on losing weight, but on maintaining your weight. So I need to take my own advice and ride this out.  I can't expect to lose weight every week, at least not the way I'm doing things.  I'm not following a strict plan, I'm not on a deadline, I'm not depriving myself, and I like doing it this way, it keeps me happy and feeling alive and whole.  So if that's the way I want to do it, I need to live with weeks like this.  Let's just hope the scale isn't too painful next week.

Now, let's get off that evil subject (the scale).  I'm having a great week otherwise!  Wednesday I took the kids to the beach.   We visited Chicken Ranch Beach on Tomales Bay in Inverness.  We're so lucky to live in an area with tons of outdoor options.  It was a blistering hot day but cool and breezy on the water.

I forgot my camera so had to snap a picture with my crappy cell phone camera.  There's a little river that runs into the bay here, perfect spot for the tots to play in the water.  I mostly just sat around watching them play, which was nice.

As far as my workouts are concerned I did end up taking a class on Tuesday, a Core Conditioning Swiss Ball class.  We did a fair amount of supermans, crunches, supine hip extensions and the like.  It was a fun change of pace.  After the class I did a 15 minute walk on the treadmill.  I upped the incline .5 every minute for a challenge.

Yesterday (Thursday) I did 25 minutes on the bike but dropped it down to level 5 since this is still a recovery week.  Afterward I did back/biceps/core with reduced sets.  I need some new core exercises.  I like what I'm doing but it's time for a change.  I have one more training session to use so I think I'll do that soon.

And finally, today, Friday.  The last day of my recovery week and the first day of my WW week.  I'm excited to start a new week. At the gym I did a run/walk, finishing up with 5 minutes of running at 6.5mph.  Then I did legs/shoulders/core but reduced sets.  I've enjoyed my recovery week - it's nice to have it "easy" now and then. 

I have a baby welcoming party tomorrow and a concert on Sunday evening.  Time in between will be spent with my little angels.  I love the weekends...who doesn't, right?

Sunday is my Funday

What a weekend.  It was so action packed that it's now Tuesday and I'm just now getting around to this post.  Saturday I went to dinner at a friend's house.  We ordered in Thai food, which was super yummy.  I had a fried spring roll that wasn't that good and I actually didn't finish it!  In the past I would have finished it out of the belief that "I like spring rolls", even if it wasn't actually that tasty.  Progress.

On Sunday I started out the day with a trail run.  I ran about 3 miles at Indian Valley open space.  I kept an 11 minute mile pace, which is friggin' incredible for trail running.  After the run I went to the gym and did legs/shoulders/core for strength training.  I was in the middle of my workout when I realized this is a Week 4, which means I should be doing a recovery week.  Less intensity.  Whoops.  So I finished my workout as-is but decided the rest of the week will be recovery oriented.

Sunday evening I met a friend in SF for dinner.  We had Indian food.  Yummy!  I had another good NSV (non-scale victory) when I stopped eating because I was full.  Usually when I'm eating really good restaurant food I just keep eating, even if I'm uncomfortable.  I had the leftovers wrapped up.

I woke up yesterday (Monday), to a sore body.  Especially my glutes.  Good thing this is recovery week.  I went to the gym after work and did 25 minutes on the bike, Level 5.  I did my best to take things easy.  I did chest/triceps/core afterward and dropped from 3 sets to two on everything.  Afterward I did some foam rolling of the calves and a bit of the IT band and glutes.  Ouch on the glutes.  Usually those don't hurt at all.  Today (Tuesday) I'm planning to hit the gym after work again but I think I'm going to walk instead of run.  If I tell myself to run at a slower pace I betcha anything I'll get antsy and up the pace.  Or maybe I should do something different altogether, like the elliptical.  I like that idea.  Or a class...even better!

I hopped on the scale this morning.  Oh foolish me.  I am up some crazy number of pounds.  Like 4 I think.  Is it TTOTM?  I don't even know. Whatever.  I can deal.  It's only the scale after all.  It can't see my cute size 6 pink capri pants, or the muscles in my arms.  It doesn't know I stopped eating when I was feeling full on Sunday, or that I had a lovely salad with my dinner last night.  Sorry scale, not this time buddy.  Not this time.  Michelle: 1, Scale: 0.