<p>MoWC - really sorry to hear about your news! But, based on what you have let us know of your personality from CC - you’re not the type to let this knock the fight out of you. SOmething will turn up; maybe not immediately, but I think you will re-invent yourself in some way. I am 54, and a few years ago changed gears from being a non-profit exec to working in a small business office. </p>
<p>I know being in such good shape will help you out, too. Best of luck, and keep us posted.</p>
<p>CJane: Tell me more about the Fitbit gizmo. It looks pretty interesting. Does it work well? How does it differentiate between exercise and non-exercise–are calories reported differently. How is the information displayed? (I’m too lazy to look at the website in more depth.) Do you need a computer hookup? I like the heart rate monitor and sometimes wear it when I’m not exercising just to get an idea of how many calories I burn. Do you use the Fitbit instead of a HRM?</p>
<p>A fantastic quote about diet researchers from [Good</a> Calories, Bad Calories](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400033462/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1400040787&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=14FPK58DEY2KDVWJZABP]Good”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400033462/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1400040787&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=14FPK58DEY2KDVWJZABP):</p>
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<p>Ain’t it the truth.</p>
<p>Another day. Another workout. Same as Monday. Little stronger on the iPod nazi core Burn (Week 1) this time around. It’s tough, but do-able.</p>
<p>Three sets of strength training again, same weights as Monday, but a little better all around as is usually the case on the second go at a workout. Big news today is that I did four of the chinups unassisted in the second and third sets. First time I’ve been able to do that. I just keep chippin’ away at it.</p>
<p>Homemade Paul Prudhomme chili out of the freezer and a big blue cheese salad for dinner.</p>
<p>I played tennis for 2:15 despite knowing better. We split sets - very long sets. I was experimenting with lead tape again and I think that what I have is now too heavy. Will have to start taking some off.</p>
<p>I took a shower and felt exhausted so I just let the hot water try to warm me up. Then I went to the grocery store and felt soreness in the abs on the left and the back on the right. I watched a pro practice session on the serve on YouTube a few days ago and really cranked things up today. The serve felt good but parts of me aren’t used to that level of exertion. I have some work to do but I think that I’ll call it an early night.</p>
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<p>Congrats. Those are hard!</p>
<p>Don’t know if I will ever be able to do one unassisted. If you are not under 5 foot and 100 lbs. it is quite difficult for a woman.
Once up there, I am pretty good at just hanging on for dear life, so there’s that.</p>
<p>4x8 Dumbbell Bench Press
3x30 KB Swings</p>
<p>Grilled chicken for dinner; debating heating up some more in a few minutes. I’ve barely eaten all day… can’t wait to be done going to the dentist for awhile!</p>
<p>I set my mind to doing chinups back before Christmas. It’s just been a long, slow journey. At first, I was all gung-ho, working on them every day. I just ended up really sore from that, so I decided to be patient. I think I finally did the first one unassisted on my last New Rules of Lifting for Abs workout a couple months ago. </p>
<p>I tried four last week and couldn’t budge from the bottom on the fourth one. Today, I got my chin up to the bar for the fourth one (although in the interest of full disclosure, I probably did have to tilt my head back and stretch my neck up just a teeny little bit!)</p>
<p>The killer in this week’s workout is the dumbbell combo: clean, squat, overhead press. Five of those wear me out.</p>
<p>hops:</p>
<p>Speaking of kettlebell swings, this video of Neghar Fonoooni doing swings just knocks me out. The precision and the way she just sticks the top of the swing is amazing, and then you realize she is swinging 70 pounds.</p>
<p>[Awesome</a> kettlebell swings](<a href=“Double 16kg kettlebell circuit - YouTube”>Double 16kg kettlebell circuit - YouTube)</p>
<p>Still a favorite of mine… </p>
<p>[28</a> kg Turkish Get Up at 123 lbs bodyweight - YouTube](<a href=“28 kg/60 pound Turkish Get Up - YouTube”>28 kg/60 pound Turkish Get Up - YouTube)</p>
<p>I’d love to have access to the facility she’s got in that first video. The bumper plates, the power rack, the kettlebells, and the TRX. Everything you need there!</p>
<p>When I was in my 20s I could do three chinups. Now I can’t imagine it. I can do lots of push ups, but I haven’t managed to ratchet down the assist to anywhere near what it would take to even contemplate an unassisted one.</p>
<p>8 miles, tortoise pace - done. I’m saving my energy for the weekend.</p>
<p>MOfWC, I’m glad that you were able to run today. Sometimes, wine IS dinner. I know that you will be really busy in the following weeks (job search is a full-time job!), but please keep checking in and posting here in the DEHWST.</p>
<p>i-dad, you will be happy to hear that *Men’s Health *endorsed your favorite exercises: </p>
<p>[Lose</a> The Spare Tire With Just Two Exercises | ThePostGame](<a href=“http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201108/lose-fat-2-exercises]Lose”>http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/training-day/201108/lose-fat-2-exercises)</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>Thanks, BB. Good article.</p>
<p>Actually, they became my two favorite exercises when I read about that workout in NROL4A at the same time Zuzanna posted her Burpee Fusion workout – alternating between burpees and sandbag swings.</p>
<p>iPod nazi has me doing swings and burpees this week, too! I can’t get away from them… I’m not crazy about the way he does his swings. He takes the kettlebell way up over his head, which is not the way the kettlebell folk teach it.</p>
<p>I was planning to go out this morning and run 6 miles, but I am not sleeping well and I just couldn’t do it. I’ll see if I can do a few miles after work. I have to get through this initial horror. Once I’m clear of the place on Monday maybe I’ll feel like I can handle running again. Right now I just feel like I can’t. Have a meeting with a recruiter this morning who specializes in in-house placements.</p>
<p>I know how you feel about not being able to sleep. I went through that when my kids had health problems many years ago. Stress can make life rough for a while.</p>
<p>I was fairly sore this morning so I took an Advil and feel a lot better now. I also had some food which helped a lot. Sometimes I wake up feeling very light and this was one of those mornings. I just picked up the 5K packets and shirts at the fitness center and will go home around noon today and then work until mid-afternoon and head to the race. It’s very important to get there early to get a parking space. The race should draw 5,000 to 6,000 people and there is also a ball-game at the same time - the ballpark is about four blocks from the race venue. Last year I think that there was a concert at the same time as the race and I parked on an empty side-street and the side-street was filled by the time we had changed clothes (out of the trunk of the car).</p>
<p>Looks like a vegetarian day for me - beans and chorizo with almonds for breakfast and tempeh for lunch. Not sure what my wife has planned for dinner but I think that we’re out of meat in the fridge.</p>
<p>Back from my morning workout. D1 went with me today so shorter than I usually go. She ran 3.5 miles and I biked. Lots of last minute errands so she wanted to get home. This may be my last workout check in until after the wedding and then I vacation for a week with no internet available! I did meet my wedding goal! ;)</p>
<p>Congrats, NMinn!! </p>
<p>MOfWC, I know too well how stressful this can be. The worst part is the uncertainty about the future. When all &$%# settles down, you should try to stick to the usual routine. When I lost my job in 2008, that’s what I did: woke up early, fixed breakfast for hubby and D, got dressed as if I were going to work, and then spent hours on the Internet networking and looking for opportunities. I tried to get out of the house to meet friends for lunch or for “networking” coffee as often as possible. It really helped me to keep my sanity during that time. That said, running can wait until the initial shock subsides.</p>
<p>^ agree with BB.
I also think, maybe doing a yoga class or just going for a massage, would be a great tension-relief and would be doing something physical, which is so much part of MOWC’s life.
Sending positive thoughts!</p>