<p>Good elliptical workout for me (you won’t hear me say that very often) because I got to watch the Phabulous Phillies and Roy Halladay’s no-hitter. No pain, HR not real high but at the bottom of my target zone. A few weights afterwards.</p>
<p>I played tennis at lunch and felt very good. I felt like I could run down every ball but of course I wasn’t able to. My mobility is steadily improving and the resulting knee damage is decreasing. One thing that this does (getting every ball back) is that it forces the other play to hit riskier shots to try to win the point which results in more errors.</p>
<p>Another benefit is not throwing away easy points. After a long, tough point, it is so easy to let down mentally because your body is physically tired. Having more fitness allows provides you with the ability to be more mentally alert so that you don’t give away free points.</p>
<p>I went to the Y tonight to lift for 20 minutes. Place had a lot of teenagers there working out. It was good to see them working out and not horsing around (I’ve seen that in the past where they abuse the equipment). Grabbed a veggie sub and two slices of pizza for dinner. That’s probably closer to daily consumption than usual but I get to take in a few more calories on tennis day.</p>
<p>GO PHILLIES! I love Doc-tober! (MOWC…good to hear you had no pain) </p>
<p>North Minn…congrats. I think the personal trainer could be real helpful but you can’t lose with either choice. </p>
<p>I’ll keep that steamed butternut squash in mind. I still have 4 butternut squashes sitting in my kitchen from past CSA pickups so I think I’ll be chopping my own for a while. </p>
<p>Hilly walk plus yoga today. I’m happy to report that after 9 months - my lower back pain is almost gone. I really do think it was a muscle imbalance. I’ve been doing regular exercises to strengthen my glutes and core (planks, bridges, bird-dogs…all the fun stuff) and it seems to be working. Yay.</p>
<p>Butternut squash sounds so good. Low cal, good for you and filling and a nice taste.</p>
<p>I like acorn too.</p>
<p>I hate to prepare and cook these though. Green Giant sounds like a good way to cut out cutting them open.</p>
<p>oooh, I like the personal trainer, especially if you are thinking of a 5K. I have never had a personal trainer. That would be awesome. </p>
<p>Butternut squash, love it, but you do need a chainsaw to break it open. On another thread I raved about delicata squash. It is a smaller, elongate squash. Yellow with green stripes.You just slice it in half to bake and the skin is edible.</p>
<p>Gourmetmom - I agree about the “pooch.” After menopause, that little lump is soooo frustrating. I am slim, pretty darn fit and toned, and with a little spanx, nobody would know about it - but it annoys me. I am too chicken to go with liposuction, but honestly that would be the only way to get rid of it.</p>
<p>Realizing that I really have not a clue about this fitness thing, I looked on Amazon to see what idad’s trainer guy (Cosgrove) had written. That all seems too advanced for me, but I am considering this,</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Strength Training for Women (9780756605957): Joan Pagano: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Women-Joan-Pagano/dp/0756605954/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Strength-Training-Women-Joan-Pagano/dp/0756605954/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top)</p>
<p>based on the 1-star (out of five-stars) review that said, “If you have ANY experience in strength training; this book is a complete waste of time and money.”</p>
<p>The books I’m seeing recommended highly are:</p>
<p>New Rules of Lifting for Women
[Amazon.com:</a> The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess (9781583333396): Lou Schuler, M.S., Cassandra Forsythe, Alwyn Cosgrove: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/New-Rules-Lifting-Women-Goddess/dp/1583333398)</p>
<p>This one has workout programs developed by Alwyn Cosgrove. I haven’t looked at it. It may be a bit too weight lifting oriented. I don’t know. It’s kind of the bible for fat loss strength training. I see this recommended a lot as a starting point.</p>
<p>The Female Body Breakthrough
[Amazon.com:</a> The Female Body Breakthrough: The Revolutionary Strength-Training Plan for Losing Fat and Getting the Body You Want (9781605296937): Rachel Cosgrove: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Female-Body-Breakthrough-Revolutionary-Strength-Training/dp/1605296937/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286421278&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Female-Body-Breakthrough-Revolutionary-Strength-Training/dp/1605296937/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286421278&sr=1-1)</p>
<p>This one is written by Rachel Cosgrove, who developed the Spartacus Workout I’ve been doing.</p>
<p>And finally a matched pair that get rave reviews from all quarters.</p>
<p>The Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises
[Amazon.com:</a> The Women’s Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Sexier, Healthier YOU! (9781605295497): Adam Campbell MS CSCS: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp/1605295493/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286421387&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp/1605295493/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1286421387&sr=1-1)</p>
<p>The Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises
[Amazon.com:</a> The Men’s Health Big Book of Exercises: Four Weeks to a Leaner, Stronger, More Muscular YOU! (9781605295503): Adam Campbell MS CSCS: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp/1605295507/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286421469&sr=1-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Mens-Health-Big-Book-Exercises/dp/1605295507/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1286421469&sr=1-1)</p>
<p>These two are identical volumes, one with a female photo model and one with a male photo model. Basically big picture books with 600+ exercises, plus workouts from some of the top trainers in the country, like Rachel Cosgrove and Mike Boyle. This is the book I’m buying. I think the workouts alone would be worth $16. If there’s even one more that is as good as the Spartacus Workout (which is in this book), it’s a stone cold winner.</p>
<p>ameise:</p>
<p>[Start</a> Here](<a href=“Core Workout: Ab Exercises for Beginners - YouTube”>Core Workout: Ab Exercises for Beginners - YouTube)</p>
<p>These are the first four exercises I did back in February. I’m still doing them. In fact, I did two of them in a workout today. Absolutely critical stuff if you want to strengthen your core muscles and protect your lower back. If you never do another exercise, you want to do these. It’s crazy – if I’m walking or riding the bike and want to go faster or am running out of gas, I brace my abs as described here. That one move is a key to being more “athletic”.</p>
<p>Don’t be fooled. These exercises look easy, but they are really hard, so don’t feel bad if you try them and say, “wow, that’s brutal”. Two or three sets of these, three times a week.</p>
<p>Leaving in a few days for a vacation to Savannah, Charleston and parts of NC. Hope I don’t gain all the weight I have lost back. Looking at all the menus I am getting worried.</p>
<p>^^^ Low Country fried shrimp isn’t fattening is it?</p>
<p>I don’t like shrimp but the fried green tomatoes look good. Not to mention fried chicken and BBQ. I am in trouble. Plus 4 nights at a B&B known for their good breakfast.</p>
<p>Went to spin class this morning. I got there early (5:45) so I could pedal for a full hour. It was dark in the classroom and got light by the end. It was sort of neat. Hard workout. It was nice not worrying about cars or deer or anything.</p>
<p>I didn’t like her music, though. I missed the Phillies, too. :)</p>
<p>Yowza! What a workout this morning! Really pushed on my intervals on the bike this morning…maybe too much as I was limping a little when I got off the bike and someone at the gym commented on it. Headed to the treadmill to loosen the kinks and ended up walking for an hour! Got interested in a tv show and just kept going! At least I know I can walk a 5K on the treadmill! ;)</p>
<p>Yesterday I whined about the changes to this site and imagine my surprise to find changes on MyPlate this morning! :eek: They aren’t big changes but the weekly and monthly total areas are a little different. Will have to spend some more time looking at the changes to see if I like them.</p>
<p>I ran a whole mile without walking today. I haven’t done that in years. I did 1 mile, then walked, ran 6 minutes, then walked, ran 4 minutes, gave up and did 10 minutes on the elliptical. I lost 2 pounds that I need to gain back. Time for cookies.</p>
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<p>Always feels good to knock down milestones.</p>
<p>Way to go blankmind!!! Yay for you! :)</p>
<p>NM–congrats on your prize. I’d go for the personal trainer. My trainer has really helped me. Even a few sessions will help you learn good form and how to protect your back and other tips that you wouldn’t necessarily pick up on your own. Plus, there are some exercises (like lunges) that are vile and you need someone to push you into it. I do a workout with my trainer that consists of lunges with weights, push ups/plank and going up/down stairs for the first 20-25 minutes of our session. I’d never do that on my own.</p>
<p>Nice easy day today. Absolutely gorgeous fall afternoon so I went for my little 5k state park walk along the river. </p>
<p>Got a chance to test out some cool weather garb. It was 62 degrees and sunny, but with a brisk 20 mph wind that made it kind of chilly up on the exposed hills. Wore my new Brooks running pants and a long-sleeve tech t-shirt. Perfect. These pants are da bomb – thin, lightweight, polyester and spandex blend – pretty much like running shorts. Loose fitting, but stretchy. Not heavy enough to be hot like sweat pants would have been today, but enough to keep the wind off. I think shorts would have been a little chilly. The long-sleeve tech shirt was good, too. Sleeves down in the wind, push 'em up when it got a little warm marching up the hills.</p>
<p>BTW, if any of ya’ll have trouble finding workout pants the right length, Brooks makes this Spartan II running pant for men and for women in short, regular, and tall. They are just plain black with a little 3M reflective piping along the zipper at the bottom of the legs. Two zippered side pockets. Elastic waist. Crazy that nobody else makes this stuff in lengths. I bet it would sell. Who wants running pants that are dragging in the mud? Short and tall people are shut out of the market for athletic pants. I remember once trying to hem the pants of a tennis warm up suit and vowed, “never again”.</p>
<p>6 miles. Going out to get a pizza. No, I won’t be eating the whole thing myself.</p>
<p>Yay Brooks!<br>
I’m trying to decide what to do this weekend for exercise since I don’t have some ridiculous event. For one thing, I get to sleep past 5am! </p>
<p>A year ago I won my age group at the Whistlestop Marathon in Ashland, WI even though I fell on my face (literally) TWICE and severely bruised some ribs. Now I can’t run a step.
This isn’t a whining post, though. I remember my anxiety level before Whistlestop was through the roof. I couldn’t view it as fun. I was filled with dread. I think it is because I run so hard that I know how bad the pain will be. Even though it is worth it at the end (even in the medical tent with my ribs), the pre-race dread was almost a deal-breaker. I do not miss that part AT ALL. And Whistlestop was a full HOUR slower than my marathon best time (back in my other life). I don’t miss it. I miss running, but not the stress of true competition. I really wanted that finisher’s t-shirt, though. And I got it.</p>