2013 Official Chaz Weight Loss Challenge
- Thread starter skittledoo
- Start date
Anywhere!
I used these podcasts because they had the timing beeps into them and I don't like to run with a watch (unless we're counting my Forerunner.)
http://www.djsteveboy.com/1day25k.html
There's a bunch of different C25K podcasts out there though if that music doesn't suit you!
I used these podcasts because they had the timing beeps into them and I don't like to run with a watch (unless we're counting my Forerunner.)
http://www.djsteveboy.com/1day25k.html
There's a bunch of different C25K podcasts out there though if that music doesn't suit you!
Time for a Healthy Allie Update! With photos!
In the past few weeks I've been cycling to work. That's 10km (6.2mi) each way. I do it at least 3-4 times a week, weather permitting. It's been incredible - the route is just glorious, mostly bike pathways along the Rideau canal and the farm in the middle of the city (the photo above is taken right at the in-between point at the boat locks). I'm feeling great, especially in the legs!
In general I've been a ton more active. At the end of June I went backpacking in Algonquin park for three days - hiked up and down hills and rocks with a full 80L hiking pack. 20km over three days.
There were times I thought I was going to die, but oh wow was it rewarding when we reached the campsite at the end of each day.
On off days for biking, I run with Finnegan. Was able to jump into week 2 of C25K off the getgo. I'm not as consistent with the running yet as I'd like to be, though.
Finn and I go on hikes with friends too though. Great morning activity when the trails are quiet.
Amidst all of the sudden cardio, I've learned a few things:
- I need to start doing strength training, srsly. I never realized how well the two go hand in hand until I started biking. My muscles need support!
- I've begun to regard food as different types of fuel. Today's ride was incredibly hard on me, and I realized it was because I ate a lot of carb and too little protein. I had the energy to pedal like hell, but my legs gave out really easily.
- In turn, I've been making a lot of food from scratch using healthy non-processed foods. Learning to eat better and balance my ratios for the added exercise. So far it's a way more fun learning experience than counting calories ever was. Plus, the added exercise allows for periodic snacking noooo problem.
All this time I tried to lose weight, but all it took was a lifestyle shift. Go fig. I'm eager to see what all this activity does for my health and shape. So far my clothes are getting way too big!
In the past few weeks I've been cycling to work. That's 10km (6.2mi) each way. I do it at least 3-4 times a week, weather permitting. It's been incredible - the route is just glorious, mostly bike pathways along the Rideau canal and the farm in the middle of the city (the photo above is taken right at the in-between point at the boat locks). I'm feeling great, especially in the legs!
In general I've been a ton more active. At the end of June I went backpacking in Algonquin park for three days - hiked up and down hills and rocks with a full 80L hiking pack. 20km over three days.
There were times I thought I was going to die, but oh wow was it rewarding when we reached the campsite at the end of each day.On off days for biking, I run with Finnegan. Was able to jump into week 2 of C25K off the getgo. I'm not as consistent with the running yet as I'd like to be, though.
Finn and I go on hikes with friends too though. Great morning activity when the trails are quiet.
Amidst all of the sudden cardio, I've learned a few things:
- I need to start doing strength training, srsly. I never realized how well the two go hand in hand until I started biking. My muscles need support!
- I've begun to regard food as different types of fuel. Today's ride was incredibly hard on me, and I realized it was because I ate a lot of carb and too little protein. I had the energy to pedal like hell, but my legs gave out really easily.
- In turn, I've been making a lot of food from scratch using healthy non-processed foods. Learning to eat better and balance my ratios for the added exercise. So far it's a way more fun learning experience than counting calories ever was.
Plus, the added exercise allows for periodic snacking noooo problem.All this time I tried to lose weight, but all it took was a lifestyle shift. Go fig.
I'm eager to see what all this activity does for my health and shape. So far my clothes are getting way too big!
just had like a major binge. Trying not to dwell on it..what else can you do? It happened. Drinking plenty of water, went for a walk..
I dunno, just had a rough day and just went overboard and hit a wing/fast food place and just..inhaled everything.
It's hard. Focusing on my health and weight and what I'm eating without letting it go back into unhealthy thoughts and actions..
I dunno, just had a rough day and just went overboard and hit a wing/fast food place and just..inhaled everything.
It's hard. Focusing on my health and weight and what I'm eating without letting it go back into unhealthy thoughts and actions..
DONE!!!! Cardio is out of the way... for a couple of days. I did a lot better this time. Knowing what was coming helped me be prepared and pace myself so I wasn't totally spent after the first 5 minutes lol but I definitely still got a good workout. I'm dripping
AND I'm down another two lbs from the 7 I put on lol. couple more lbs to go and then I'll be back to regular weight loss lol
AND I'm down another two lbs from the 7 I put on lol. couple more lbs to go and then I'll be back to regular weight loss lol
I belong to a gym! And I love mine.
Go check it out and tell them you're thinking of joining. They should give you a tour.
Figure out what you want out of a gym. If you want to do classes, check out what they offer, if they're free or fee based. Look at the schedule and see if they're offered at a time you can make!
Do you want to go use a treadmill, or lift weights, or whatever? Downstairs of my gym (classes are all upstairs) is about 1/3rd free weights and benches and squat racks, 1/3rd strength training machines, and 1/3rd cardio machines - really nicely balanced for whatever you're looking for. However a ton of guys joined my gym earlier this year because their old gym dumped almost all the free weights so they could fit more treadmills in... great if you want a treadmill but not so good if you're there to lift weights! Make sure whatever you're there for and wanting to do isn't just stuffed into a corner somewhere where they obviously don't care that much about it or the people who workout that way.
If you want a personal trainer see if they have any who work through them. There's almost always at least one personal trainer working with somebody whenever I'm at the gym, so you can maybe take a peek and see if there's anybody there you'd like to work with. BEWARE the personal trainer who will approach you while you're running/squatting/whatever and goes "You're totally doing that wrong WHY DON'T YOU SIGN UP FOR PERSONAL TRAINING??"
Divide the price up based on how often you're there. My gym has a monthly fee that sounded high to me at first, but based on how much I'm there, it's actually cheap... and I just recently found out it's cheaper than some of the other gyms in town. It's cheaper than the YMCA even. And it's really nice. It's newer, clean, and well lit. And everybody is really nice! I've never had anybody be mean (except this one bitch who I'm not even sure if she still works there because every time I saw her she acted like she really didn't want to be working there...) and people are just legit nice to each other. I strike up conversations with total strangers because we are all there for one thing. I have NEVER been hit on in my gym, which is saying something because I can't go out for a run around town without being honked at at least once. I've made friends with some of my instructors. It's just super great and I love it.
BUT gyms are not for everybody. And they are super useless if you pay for it and don't go. My gym was paid for initially by my work when I was at the radio station, but when I quit the station I knew I loved it so much and went so often I committed to paying for it on my own. I'm not positive I ever would have taken the plunge and joined a gym without that work benefit, which would have been a real shame!
Go check it out and tell them you're thinking of joining. They should give you a tour.
Figure out what you want out of a gym. If you want to do classes, check out what they offer, if they're free or fee based. Look at the schedule and see if they're offered at a time you can make!
Do you want to go use a treadmill, or lift weights, or whatever? Downstairs of my gym (classes are all upstairs) is about 1/3rd free weights and benches and squat racks, 1/3rd strength training machines, and 1/3rd cardio machines - really nicely balanced for whatever you're looking for. However a ton of guys joined my gym earlier this year because their old gym dumped almost all the free weights so they could fit more treadmills in... great if you want a treadmill but not so good if you're there to lift weights! Make sure whatever you're there for and wanting to do isn't just stuffed into a corner somewhere where they obviously don't care that much about it or the people who workout that way.
If you want a personal trainer see if they have any who work through them. There's almost always at least one personal trainer working with somebody whenever I'm at the gym, so you can maybe take a peek and see if there's anybody there you'd like to work with. BEWARE the personal trainer who will approach you while you're running/squatting/whatever and goes "You're totally doing that wrong WHY DON'T YOU SIGN UP FOR PERSONAL TRAINING??"
Divide the price up based on how often you're there. My gym has a monthly fee that sounded high to me at first, but based on how much I'm there, it's actually cheap... and I just recently found out it's cheaper than some of the other gyms in town. It's cheaper than the YMCA even. And it's really nice. It's newer, clean, and well lit. And everybody is really nice! I've never had anybody be mean (except this one bitch who I'm not even sure if she still works there because every time I saw her she acted like she really didn't want to be working there...) and people are just legit nice to each other. I strike up conversations with total strangers because we are all there for one thing. I have NEVER been hit on in my gym, which is saying something because I can't go out for a run around town without being honked at at least once. I've made friends with some of my instructors. It's just super great and I love it.
BUT gyms are not for everybody. And they are super useless if you pay for it and don't go. My gym was paid for initially by my work when I was at the radio station, but when I quit the station I knew I loved it so much and went so often I committed to paying for it on my own. I'm not positive I ever would have taken the plunge and joined a gym without that work benefit, which would have been a real shame!
Beanie, you are awesome.
Just wanted to add that you should be sure it isn't too far away and if they have guest passes, take advantage of that if you can. My gym was nice, but half an hour away and it ended up just not being the right one for me, so I cancelled my membership yesterday. Make sure you make the right choice!
Just wanted to add that you should be sure it isn't too far away and if they have guest passes, take advantage of that if you can. My gym was nice, but half an hour away and it ended up just not being the right one for me, so I cancelled my membership yesterday. Make sure you make the right choice!
Thank you so much for that advice! It was really helpful! This is a pretty big name in the area - its just for women. From what I saw online they had over 50 classes. I will definitely have to make sure if they are fee based - had no idea that they might not come with membership! I know that they just opened this particular location and all the equipment is new. My main goal is to just feel better overall, and of course lose weight/tone up. I don't even want to be like some ridiculously thin model, I would just be happy to lose a pant size!
Thinking of how much the monthly membership is compared to how many times I would go, is totally something I am going to use! Not only to justify it to someone else, but to myself, lol.
I really wanted a gym that my boyfriend could come along with too, but I couldn't find any place between where he lives and where I lived that offered any classes. I am hoping that they won't have some ridiculously expensive cancellation policy if I wind up moving out of the area closer to him!
Thank you again for that awesome advice!!!
Thinking of how much the monthly membership is compared to how many times I would go, is totally something I am going to use! Not only to justify it to someone else, but to myself, lol.
I really wanted a gym that my boyfriend could come along with too, but I couldn't find any place between where he lives and where I lived that offered any classes. I am hoping that they won't have some ridiculously expensive cancellation policy if I wind up moving out of the area closer to him!
Thank you again for that awesome advice!!!
