Adjusted Reality

Everything is lovely – but life is a bit overwhelming lately.  Like the kind where you’re loving everything you do, but just wishing there was more time to do even more stuff you love?   Yeah, I know, hard problem.  Pity me, please.  I love my job, the workouts I’ve been doing have felt like more fun than work, I spend many hours with my lovely Zliten and friends doing awesome fun stuff.  I just simply wish for more hours in the day to fill with more awesome stuff that I want to do.

I’ve been eating well for the most part, but I haven’t been tracking.  I did a 20.7 mile bike ride on Saturday (longest ever at one time).  I did a 1250m swim (over 3/4 mile) on Sunday (which is also my longest ever).  I took 2 days off and worked it out pretty hard the days I did.  I did weigh in a little high yesterday morning, but it’s a product of a high salt day.  Which I also had last night.  Honestly, I’m sticking right around 160 and I think that’s just going to have to be ok for now.  I think I really might need some professional help to really figure out the diet thing, so I’ll just keep eating the way I do now because it fuels my workouts and figure it out later.  Or at least the next time it becomes an emergency in my head.

This week, I’m planning these workouts:

Monday: 30 mins DDR and weights

Tuesday: 12 mile bike ride and 5k run

Wednesday: going with a coworker to boot camp!  Fun!

Thursday: bike commuting + weights

Friday: rest

Saturday: loooong bike ride (21 miles+?)

Sunday: TBD.  Something between another bike adventure, a walk, or maybe just sitting on my ass.

What’s up this week?  Zliten is out of town until Wednesday night (flight comes in conveniently after camp gladiator) and I’m holding down the fort, Thursday we have a yelp event at a gallery, Saturday Zliten is having bachelor party shenanigans (the groom to be wants to tour all the breweries in town) and I’m playing poker with coworkers, and that’s about it!

With everything going on, I imagine this is likely the only (worthless excuse for a) post I’ll be able to get up this week.  I have a lot of things I’d like to talk about, but either I don’t have the time, or it’s not official yet.  I’m holding out for next week being time for cool announcements and loveliness, but we’ll see.

Also – and please hold me to it folks – next week I plan to resume more frequent and longer runs.  I just got new shoes and I’ll give them a spin on the treaddy tonight, but if I’m going to be knocking out a 10k after swimming a mile and biking 25 – I need to get back to it.  My goal is to always keep a base of 10k – being able to knock one out with confidence and a respectable time (around 9min/mile) at any time.  I’ve gone too long without one due to heel issues.  Hopefully these shoes take care of this.  I mean, I DO need to keep on with the biking and swimming, but I can’t forget about running.  And there is just nothing like the feeling of a good run…

Ok, back to it.  I will leave you with a picture of me being badass at the gladiator games (in the black).  Have a wonderful week, and don’t hate me too much for being an absentee blogger!

Kinda brain dead today so here be things that I learned/did this week:

-A short week in hours is not necessarily a short week in perception.  Dear fluffy lord.  I think I just barely kept my brain from spilling out of my ears today.

-Telling someone that you want to see their coming facing instead of their going face, in front of a room full of coworkers, some of whom directly report to you, completely without meaning it in the dirty way, causes a laugh riot and gets you on the “quote list” at work.

-Maybe signing up for a relay at work that’s one week after my planned olympic distance tri isn’t the best idea, but it was a nice boost that they were impressed by my 5k time!

-Being so incredibly mentally and physically exhausted at the end of a day that you cannot fathom a workout is an ok excuse sometimes to take a rest day.  Especially when you have 6 days planned in the first place.

-Watching this episode of Glee is really making me miss doing theatre.  Gotta put that somewhere on the list.  Y’know the “things I have precious little outside work time to do” like train for an olympic tri, half marathon, write a book, martial arts, dance classes, and all those other things.  And I love my job too so I can’t even complain.  More time for more awesome good stuff plz.

-When toobing down the river, you should bring and re-apply sunscreen more often than once.  Although my legs looking like a spotted sunburnt cow is kinda sorta amusing now that it no longer hurts.

-This is my best and most favoritest new blog.  Thx Amanda for turning me onto this crazy.

-I have not much wit and humor and capacity for rational thought this week, so I leave you with cute.

I remember having to do an avant garde performance of the balcony scene in my theatre’s courtyard.  I had to run from the basement to the 3rd floor to yell out the art hallways, “arise fair sun and kill the envious moon”.  Being in theatre and NOT one of the leads, I smoked and was out of shape, so it was more like a wheeze – but I did it.  I bet I could actually walk up the stairs and sing now without being out of breath!

Anyhoo, have a great weekend – what are your plans?  Lots o biking and hopefully swimming here, some wine and birthday celebrations, and hopefully a whole lotta chillin’.   Said something really embarassing that you want to share?

I don’t know if it’s fair to really have made this long holiday weekend a test, but I sorta did.  All in all, I don’t think I did so bad – and of COURSE after a weekend where I took 2 days off, had 2 days of good backyard patio drinking going on, and hosted a BBQ with too much yummy good, there might be a little gain.  C’est la vie.  It’s Wednesday, and I’m about 1 lb up from last week’s weigh in.  I’m thinking that by the weekend I’ll be back under 160 and this week will be a wash and we can get on with it next week.

I did go back to tracking.  It just feels like a reasonable thing to do and it’s a nice check.  It was a good break for the last week to just eat as I felt like, and I did notice a few extra chocolates creep into my consumption, but considering the time of month, that’s pretty normal. I’m kinda used to the “earn my calories” philosophy, although I can’t be sure that I was exact each day, I did definitely chill on the calories on non-workout days (minus memorial day proper).

Here’s the familiar rub – I know how to eat to stay around my same weight.  My body wants to stay around 160 here.  I’m rarely much over 160 for long even when I abuse the chompings a bit, but it’s hard for me to get much UNDER it either no matter how good I am.  I’m tempted to say that maybe THIS is my happy weight, but it’s not.  I was much happier with my appearance 10 lbs ago (I think this gain went straight to my tummy and face, the two places that suck the worst) and didn’t seem to have much problems maintaining without a race thrown in.  So here I am again, 2 months years later, banging my head against the 150’s still.  Battling my size 6 jeans that once fit but now don’t.  But I digress.

Last week, I have no recollection of calories in or calories out.  I took the week off running and DDR because of my heel.  I rode my bike a lot.  I rode about 12 miles Monday, 14.5 miles Tuesday (and bike commuted for the first time!), arc trainer’d for 40 mins on Wednesday, did 45 mins of weights on Thursday at the gym, rode my bike about 8.5 miles Friday, took Saturday off, rode my bike 18 miles (a new all-at-one-time record) Sunday, and took Monday off.  Yeah, 2 sessions of weights and yoga fail.  But I did have an awesome biking week!  I can tell I’m getting faster and stronger in my quads.  18 miles was a bit long…it’s certainly going to be a bit of training to get to 25 (let alone the swim before and the 10k after) but I think I’m up for it.

This week, I’m going back to the norm.  I’m going to give it my all to chip away at these last few silly lbs until our July 4th trip.  So far, the schedule is looking like:

Monday: off (walking a mile or two, tubing down the river), maybe 1800 calories.

Tuesday: weights and yoga (300 burnt), ate about 1550.

Wednesday: 12 mile ride, 5k run (850 cal), eat about 1800.

Thursday: 40 mins arc trainer or bike commute (500 cal), eat about 1600.

Friday: weights/run intervals (600 cal), eat about 1700.

Saturday: 20 mile bike ride (1000 cal), eat about 2000.

Sunday: swim 800m (400 cal), eat about 1600.

I have a feeling I’ll skip ONE of these since this is crazysauce calorie burn but I’d like to PLAN on doing it all.  I’m pretty set on the long ride to get my mileage up.  And the swim since I haven’t in a week.  I don’t want to go much above a 5k running until I go get new shoes and I know it’s not going to be a huge issue anyway (hello taking off most of last summer and then bouncing right into half marathon training).  But I do want to get some nice soft-landing treadmill runs.  So that leaves tomorrow’s workout but I really want to do that too.

Hi, my name is Quix, and I am insane.  And since I have nothing else to say, I will leave you with a video of a dog riding a turtle.  Take it easy, see ya soon!

It’s been one hell of a week, one of those that have both dragged (omg is it three day weekend time YET?) and gone fast (my to do list looks about the same as it did Monday – oops).  So it’s time to pull out the 5 random things!

1.  I am lovin’ my new hairdo.  I was so afraid shorter hair would mean high maintenance but I think it’s even easier to roll out of bed, spray some gel in it, tousle, and by the time I get to work it looks awesome.  Even after working out.  Or with bike ride helmet hair.  I luvz it.  Here is a better pic below with me sporting it curly AND my awesome tie dye hoodie I made AND the awesome yellow, green, and purple beaded necklace I made.  I R so crafty lately!

2.  I have some really really awesome news that is official and some other really really awesome news that is not yet official.  I think I am going to wait until they are BOTH official and share.  Let it suffice to say that it took about 2 years and a whole lot of hangin’ in there and a lot of faith in the universe to steer us in the right direction, but I do believe that patience here has been rewarded.  I’ve said too much.  Moving on.

3.  Plans this long weekend: we’re hosting a BBQ and having some friends over.  Zliten is cooking up three types of ribs, a friend is doing chicken, and I’m making my famous potato salad, veggie pasta salad, and dip (roasted garlic/feta/herb w/lowfat sour cream and some other goodies).  There will be some other random goodness – with our friends it’s always too much awesome food.  Other than that – cleaning and prepping for said occasion, a mellow night over at said friend with chicken’s house tonight, and just lots of relaxing and destressing.  Activity-wise, I hope to get in an EPIC bike ride (20 miles or over 15 at least) one day, more weights and yoga, and some fun stuff like a walking adventure or whatever happens.

4.  It has been mentally nice to not track every little calorie.  Really, really nice.  I’m interested to see the next weigh in and if I’ve lost weight, then maybe I’ll stick with it… I do have an unnatural curiousity to see how much my bike ride torched this morning cal-wise but I’m STAYING AWAY.

5.  My heel is pretty much recovered, but I think it’s time to bite the bullet and go in and hit RunTex or something and get them to take a peek at my gait and suggest a shoe for me.  I don’t think this running thing is a fad, and I might as well invest a little bit more in some shoes that will make me not have to limp around (even though they were just FUCKING FINE before when I trained and ran a half marathon in their previous version and now I can’t run a 5k – *shakes fist*).  I figure I can splurge on it once and if it doesn’t make a difference, I’ll be at Academy anyway in 6 months like I always am and give another brand a go…

Bonus: Zliten also chopped his hair – he said it was time.  It’s been long for as long as most of our friends now knew us so it was really weird to them, but since I’ve known him hair long and short, it’s just different.  I think it looks good!  I keep saying it will be fun when it’s longer on top and there is more to play with but it looks super cute now.  This is not the most flattering picture ever but it works:

Anyone else just DYING for it to be weekend time yet?  Out already and enjoying (I’ll try not to hate you too much)?  Big awesome plans?  Tell me your happy!

See ya in the early next week times…

Y’all, I need a week off.  Not a week off being healthy.  Not a week off exercising.  A week off running, yeah, but that’s just to rest my (#$*%&ing heel.  Just a week off numbers, tracking, being neurotic, etc etc and so forth.

Last week was just one of those weeks – I didn’t go OVER my daily burn totals, but I certainly didn’t eat UNDER or at the low end like I have been.  The net result was maintaining from last week, which considering I’m careening right into that time of the month where I feel like a bag of water, but ultimately frustrating because it’s nearing the end of month 2 here, and I’m still hanging out right under 160.  That 3.3 lbs DB says I should be losing per month?  Notsomuch.

So I’m going to take a week off tracking formally.  I’m going to eat lots of veggies and fruits and healthy-feel-good-food and pay attention to how I feel.  I’m going to go for a lot of low impact swimming, biking, arc trainer, and other such similar things.  I rarely lose weight during this week of the month, so maybe it’s a clue from my body to just take a chill pill and relax a bit.

But without further ado, let’s crunch last week’s numbers:

Monday: 1820 in – 829 out (12 mile bike, 5k run) = 991

Tuesday: 1914 – 432 (30 mins DDR and abs) = 1482

Wednesday: 1913 – 532 (1 hour volleyball) = 1381

Thursday: 1634 – 381 (800m swim) = 1253

Friday: 1447 – 0 (rest) = 1447

Saturday: 2119 – 729 (5k race, obstacle course, abs) = 1390

Sunday: about 1400 – 0 (rest) = 1400

Avg calories in per day: 1749

Avg calories out per day: 414

Avg net calories per day: 1335

Avg deficit per day: 477, or just under 1 lb loss this week

Weight Monday morning: 159.8 (+0.2 from last week, -3.2 overall)

Let’s call it water weight and move on, shall we?

This week:

So I’m kinda playing it by ear.  I am taking the week off running, and I just haven’t had time/mindshare/desire to swim a lot, and I want to take it easy on the DDR as it is just a *little* aggravating on my heel, so I’m having a very bike heavy and arc trainer heavy week.  Here is the general plan, which I’ve already completed through Wed morning:

Monday: 11.5 mile bike ride

Tuesday: 14.5 mile bike ride (5 miles to work, 9.5 miles the long way home)

Wednesday: 40 mins arc trainer morning, abs/back tonight.

Thursday: no cardio, arms and legs, yoga.

Friday: bike commute, abs/back

Saturday: 30 mins arc trainer/DDR/walking adventure, arms and legs.

Sunday: morning bike ride, yoga.

Yeah, I’m gonna get flack for no days completely off.  But I am really really really enjoying this mellow moving a bit every day, especially when it’s part of my commute.  When I run and do crazy stuff I *need* my days off.  When I ride my bike and get to enjoy the outdoors I just want to do it more.  Even today’s wakeup session on the arc trainer was nice.  I really really really need to get back into weights and yoga, I’m having a feeling some of the heel issues I’m starting to see is from the lack of stretching, which sucks, because I should do that. And…even if I PLAN to workout both weekend days I usually end up ditching one.  So there.

As for eating, I’m not tracking.  Dailyburn keeps yelling at me for it but I will not repent.  I’m guessing that I’ve kept it around 1500 calories per day so far, give or take 100 either way.  I’ve consumed food if I was hungry, attempting to identify what my body needed (aka, last night, after a very meatless day and fairly light eating, I had a dinner of two turkey sausage patties, one grilled fish filet (not to be confused with the not-so-healthy filet o’ fish), a little leftover fiber spaghetti and marinara, a bagel thin and cream cheese, and a metric buttload of normandy veggies.  ‘Bout 600 calories in retrospect (which is normal for dinner), but who’s counting?  Apparently, I seem to not need to.

I did dip into the chocolate over the last few days.  One especially PMS-y day I think I might have consumed over 100 calories in chocolate.   Oops.  But honestly?  What I needed.  And considering most days I either abstain or maybe have ONE chocolate kiss?  Think I’m doing ok.  This weekend shouldn’t be too bad, minus our BBQ.  But I’m figuring on a nice bike ride that morning to pre-pay for my alcoholic transgressions, and then just be a reasonable human with the food.  A plan, I has it.

It will be interesting to see what the scale says next week.  Besides the whole water balloon thing going on around my belly, I’m feeling better.  Haven’t had the courage to try on the skinny jeans lately, but once I’m through zee week o bloat, I might get some moxie and do it and see.

Also, I signed up for the volleyball league at work.  It starts next week.  I couldn’t pass up how fun it was last week at the company fun day, plus how many calories it torched in an hour.  So I’ve got that, a potential mini-triathlon I’d like to do June 20th, an urban assault ride sometime in June I *probably* won’t do but was mentioned to me by a coworker that sounds like a blast, and I’m sure more stuff that will come across my radar here before I know it.

It seems that I am definitely having too much fun to regret not marathon training.  And I am so totally ok with that.  I’ve got 40 or so years until I *might* be too old to consider that as an option (though this is encouraging), so there’s time.

What are you having too much fun to not regret not doing this week?

EDIT: photos from the gladiator games are up!  Check it out if you’re interested – there is even one of me in there!