He sang while I ran

In the past I have found comfort in making fun of or even disparaging remarks about my personal trainer. Well today he did something that really endeared him to me.

Lets set this up ...
For some reason when the company that runs the personal trainers at the Golds gym went digital they lost track of exactly how many sessions I had credit for. Anyway - it was a big mess and I'm pretty sure I'm getting screwed. The bottom line is, I have a bunch of sessions that I need to use by the end of July or they go away and I don't get credit for them. So in order to use them, I've been doing hour long sessions with Eric. We lift for the first half hour (like normal) and then we do some cardio interval training. This is killer. I hate it. Last time was biking. Today was jogging on the treadmill. I'm not a good runner. I thought I was going to die. Plus the treadmill scares me. Well during the last minute of my last interval I really thought this was it. I was done. He started singing to me - "she's a maniac" and then humming the theme from Rocky (I don't event think he's seen my training video). It made me laugh and I was able to finish. This guy is kinda shy and quiet so for him to do this was a bit unusual.

OK folks - I've committed. August 8th (the day before I turn 33) I am going to complete this triathlon in Bountiful.

To get ready for this event, I've signed up to run in the 5K Freedom Run on Saturday and participate in the Moonlight Bike Ride on Antelope Island next Friday.

I also discovered that there is a special faculty and staff swim time at BYU from noon-1 PM. Way less crowded than in the morning plus I don't have to wake up at 5 freaking thirty anymore!

This is my new bike. And this is my new car that can actually fit my new bike. I think they are both cute and cool.

Last Meeting with J and my own triathlon

This post is two part - I will separate with a horizontal rule.

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Friday night I did my very own triathlon. I started right after work and I didn't finish until 9 PM. Here is how it went down. The triathlon I'm planning to do in November is a 5K (3.2 miles), 10 mile bike ride, and a 400 meter swim (8 down and backs). So I decided I would do the same.

RUNNING: Lately I've been driving to Timpview Drive and parking so I can just run on the long and relatively flat stretch. So that is what I did. I drove to Timpview Drive. Once I got to Rock Canyon Elementary I cleared my odometer on my car and drove 1.6 miles up the street. Parked. Stretched. and ran down and back. I did my intervals - 2 minutes walking and 5 minutes jogging. It took me 50 minutes. I know, not very fast. Running is the hardest part. I did it however. I hope that I can run the whole thing for the real triathlon.

BIKING: I drove home, grabbed my camel back and threw in some clean clothes. I hopped on my bike and headed toward the Provo River Trail on 800 North or so. I usually drive my bike up to the Riverwoods area, park and then ride to Vivian Park. Not this time. I decided to head towards the lake. I really enjoyed the ride. I got to see a little league baseball game in progress, the KOA campground, and lots of cool birds by the lake. By the way, it has been probably two years since I've done this stretch of the trail and they have made some improvements. For example, you no longer have to cross Geneva road. Anyway, at 5 miles I turned around and rode directly to the Richards building.

SWIM: It felt good to get my body into the pool. Swimming is my favorite. It works my muscles yet doesn't hurt them. I was able to stretch really well in the pool after my 8 down and backs. This part took me only like 10 minutes or so. I hopped out of the pool, showered and rode home.

I did it! And I was so tired and proud of myself. I ate Cafe Rio after that and wasn't very intuitive about it either.

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Second, J was just about to have a baby at our last meeting and wouldn't return to work until August. I thought it was a good time to take a break from seeing a dietitian and see how I would do trying to live the IE principles all by myself without anyone to check up on me. She told me that she thought I was an intuitive eater. I still don't feel like I am but I can't deny that I've made significant progress over the last two years.

Katy, say this out loud: "I am an intuitive eater."

Here are some things we talked about (including some goals):

• Keeping an emotions journal, asking why am I overeating? what feelings are going?
• Loneliness is no reason to over eat. Stop when satisfied and leave food. Don't worry about wasting money or OCD issues.
• Continue to work on thinking about my hunger and fullness levels
• Body image - be accepting and cautious
• Stay on top of training schedule
• Read the nutrition chapter again
• Make a meal from the Eating Well magazine (or even just a side dish)
• Try new recipes
• Make a grocery list template that includes all the important food groups
• Be prepared to make some quick and easy meals
  

Cooking for One with Katy - Episode #11

Never nude

Yesterday at the gym you could have heard me say to my personal trainer:

"You really want to see what I had for lunch, doncha?"

Needless to say, he really worked me hard.

People - I'm still at it. Week number 6 (8 according the training schedule). This week I saw 18 laps (2 sets of 8 and 1 set of 2). Next week it'll be two sets of 9. I'm getting out on my bike more and more rather than biking at the gym.

Since I have been swimming at the BYU pool in the mornings, I've decided to just shower and wash my hair there rather than going home to do it. I've finally figured out how to do this and all the while never show my naked body to others. I'm a never nude, you know.

The triathlon I'm training for in November is a 400 meter swim (which I did two of this morning) so I'm feeling good about that. I'm pretty sure I can handle the 15 mile bike ride. It's that $%&^* 5K that I'm struggling with. I just gotta keep at it. Right now I walk/jog for 35 minutes (walk 2, jog 5). This is actually further along on my schedule than I should be at week 8 but I've been doing this for a long time and I wish it would get easier.

PS - I fit into some pants the other day that I haven't been able to for awhile. Probably shouldn't use that as a way to measure my progress but it still feels good. At least I didn't weigh myself, right?

A week of rest and a week of travel

Last week I got sick for three days so I did not exercise. Then I went to DC to be with some friends. I did go swimming the night we stayed in a hotel but the pool was so small I almost got dizzy swimming back and forth. I went on a nice long walk with Kenon on Sunday night. So really for about a week I didn't do any of my training. I was worried this would happen so I had consulted my personal trainer about this and he told me that it is OK to let my body rest a bit after I have been so diligent with my workouts. I hoped this was true and I also hoped that when I got back to it I wouldn't have to back track.

WELL ...

Now I am in Philadelphia on another trip - a five day long trip. And luckily our hotel is big enough and fancy enough that they have this:

and this:

So guess what? I'm back on track and I was able to do my workouts just like I had before I got sick. I am repeating week 3 (week 6 on this schedule) and starting Monday I'll be onto week 4 (week 7). Actually I do more than what it says on the website. I do three sets of 6 laps (down and back). I also walk 2 mins and jog for 5 mins. I feel pretty proud of myself.

I haven't been lifting obviously cause I can't do that without Eric. I know he is missing me too.

I'm missing Ann Dee's fake triathlon tomorrow. I wish I could do it here in the work out facility but I'll only have time for a jog cause I have to go to more museum meetings. Yes I do.

Endorphins make you happy

I was surprised but I actually felt better after my workout - not just physically but emotionally too and luckily I didn't kill anyone that day.

Big Fat Lies

Today I weighed myself at the gym. Not a good idea. I had been feeling good since all my two-a-days so I guess I wanted some kind of confirmation about all this. I was disappointed and then frustrated. I started telling my personal trainer about the scale and how I need to remember that it is about how I feel and not any kind of measurement. We got into a discussion about health. Can an obese/overweight person be healthy? I was arguing yes and I recommended this book. I haven't read it all so I didn't really know how to argue my point well.

The conversation shifted and then he confessed to me that he had checked out my blog. My first thought was oh crap. I never in a million years thought he would read my posts so I always thought it was OK to make him look like the bad guy when talking about my body and weight issues. I felt really bad cause the truth is if I didn't get along so well with this guy he would not still be my personal trainer after almost 2 years. He pushes me just enough and he is incredibly good at figuring out new exercises. In fact he is really creative cause he has me working on my core almost the whole time even if I'm working on other things - like bicep curls or whatever.

Side note: By the way today I beat (or at least matched) some weight records for his female clients on at least two exercises.

OK - back to the story. The first thing E (that is how I will refer to him) said was, "After all we've been through ... ?" That made me feel worse. After discussing some of the comments I had made about him in various posts, he said he understood that every good story needs a villain and he was OK with that. I could tell that he wasn't exactly OK with being the bad guy in my Intuitive Eating Journey so I told him about this post and this post.

Bottom line, if you are looking for a personal trainer, I have a great recommendation.

E - if you are reading this ... please realize that I don't try to set up my nieces with just anybody. Take that as compliment buddy. And although we may not see eye to eye on all things intuitive, I do appreciate you helping me lift weights.