Wow. I have been working at the gym on the treadmill for about 4 weeks. I actually started at an interval of jogging for 30 seconds and then walking 4.5 minutes. I progessed to the pointwhere I could jog for about 10 minutes.
Today was the first day with my team that I am trainingwith and we jogged outside. I was only able to do 2.5 minutes job/2.5 minutes walk for about 1.5 miles. My lungs were burning. I have heard that running outside is much different than running on the treadmill - boy is that true.
Today will be Day 2 of Week 1 for me. I do not have a treadmill or an indoor place to run, so I have to go outside. The cold air is quite a shock when you breathe it in. I did not like the wind. I almost wiped out in the grass along a baseball field. I was surprised at how uneven the terrain was. It should be snowing here but it isn't. I think one of the local parks shovels the sidewalks. That is a couple miles from home, but there is a trail closer that I have walked to before, but it is not maintained. We usually get snow in feet. I wish I could take the baby with me; I have a Burley Bee for the bicycle that can be made into a jogger, but the problem is that it should not be used in below freezing temperatures. So, I have to find a sitter.
Have you had any problems keeping up with the program? Any setbacks?
I did my 2nd day of week one with my group. I decided to switch to the group that did the interval of 30 sec run/4.5 min walk. I can do more than that on the on the treadmill (I got up to 5 minutes). But running outside seems to be more difficult. Anyway, it was good, I still worked. So we got our 3 miles in. I don't know our time, Iwill haveto remember to keep track of that.
The only other obstacle I have is that my shins are sore.
I have completed 2 weeks of training and it is amazing how much better and stronger I feel. I have been doing some kind of run training every other day. My body is starting to want to run even on my days off. It feels great. Today I did
2.77 mi Regular / General 38:35 268 kCal 13:54 min/mi
Followed by a 1 mile walk.
I received this email the other day from the gym I belong too.
Healthy Lifestyle Tip: Seven Steps for Making Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick Maybe you plan to ring in 2012 with a new resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, exercise more, or not sweat the small stuff. And maybe these resolutions sound familiar – just like the ones you made a year ago! So how can you ensure that your determination to get healthier in 2012 sticks around past January? By creating new habits. Creating new habits takes time and energy. A new behavior won’t become automatic overnight, but you may enjoy some of its benefits fairly quickly. In addition, as you start to take walks regularly or engage in stress-soothing practices frequently, you’ll find you won’t feel quite right if you stop. That’s a great incentive to continue. So, keep nudging yourself in the direction you’d like to go. And try the following seven tips to help you create long-lasting change.
1. Dream big. Audacious goals are compelling. Want to compete in a marathon or triathlon? Lose 50 pounds or just enough to fit into clothes you once loved? With perseverance, encouragement, and support, you can do it. An ambitious aim often inspires others around you. Many will cheer you on. Some will be happy to help in practical ways such as by training with you or taking on tasks you normally handle in order to free up your time. ------I got this one down, I am planning competing my first Marathon this year.
2. Break big dreams into small-enough steps. Think tiny. Small steps move you forward to your ultimate goal. Look for surefire bets. Just getting to first base can build your confidence to tackle and succeed at tasks that are more difficult. Don’t disdain easy choices. If you start every plan with “Make a list,” you’re guaranteed to check one box off quickly. That’s no joke: a study on loyalty programs that aim to motivate consumers found giving people two free punches on a frequent-buyer card encouraged repeat business. So break hard jobs down into smaller line items and enjoy breezing through the easy tasks first. -----Check. Before my big marathon run in October. I will complete a 5k, 10k and half-marathon. Small steps to a big goal.
3. Understand why you should make a change. That’s right. Until you grasp why you’re sticking like a burr to old habits and routines, it may be hard to muster enough energy and will to take a hard left toward change. Unhealthy behaviors like overeating and smoking have immediate, pleasurable payoffs as well as costs. So when you’re considering a change, take time to think it through. You boost your chance of success when the balance of pluses and minuses tips enough to make adopting a new behavior more attractive than standing in place. Engaging in enjoyable aspects of an unhealthy behavior, without the behavior itself, helps too. For example, if you enjoy taking a break while having a smoke, take the break and enjoy it, but find healthier ways to do so. Otherwise, you’re working against a headwind and are less likely to experience lasting success. ---The same old reasons to lose weight doesn't seem to have the lasting effects and motivation that I want. But, a measurable goal of completing a marathon, no scales, no judgments from myself about what I am not doing or how I am not improving enough. Simple easy, just run, and get a little bit better every day.
4. Commit yourself. Make yourself accountable through a written or verbal promise to people you don’t want to let down. That will encourage you to slog through tough spots. One intrepid soul created a Facebook page devoted to her goals for weight loss. You can make a less public promise to your partner or child, a teacher, doctor, boss, or friends. Want more support? Post your promise on Facebook, tweet it to your followers, or seek out folks with like-minded goals online. --That is why I am here accounting for my every action. I have been struggling with the fact if I want to put it on FB or not. If I put it there then I will really have to follow through. I will have a few hundred people watching what I do and some I am sure are wanting me to fail. Today. I will post my goal to complete the long beach marathon. I am sure I will get support from friends and family.
5. Give yourself a medal. Don’t wait to call yourself a winner until you’ve pounded through the last mile of your big dream marathon or lost every unwanted ounce. Health changes are often incremental. Encourage yourself to keep at it by pausing to acknowledge success as you tick off small and big steps en route to a goal. Blast your favorite tune each time you reach 5,000 steps. Get a pat on the back from your coach or spouse. Ask family and friends to cheer you on. Look for an online support group. Or download the “Attaboy” app for your iPhone or iPod to enjoy a stream of compliments whenever you need to hear it. --My medals will be my numbers and T-shirts I will receive after completing every race that I do. I will hold them dear to me as trophies of my accomplishments. My first race will be superbowl sunday.
6. Learn from the past. Any time you fail to make a change, consider it a step toward your goal. Why? Because each sincere attempt represents a lesson learned. When you hit a snag, take a moment to think about what did and didn’t work. Maybe you took on too big a challenge? If so, scale back to a less ambitious challenge, or break the big one into tinier steps. ---This is my first attempt at getting healthy and fit this way. Sometimes the scale is too much pressure to constantly wanting to see it move. It can be discouraging to keep trying when you have the same goal that you have failed at. This time it will be different, because I have a different goal.
7. Give thanks for what you do. Forget perfection. Set your sights on finishing that marathon, not on running it. If you compete to complete, you’ll be a winner even if you wind up walking as much as you run. With exercise – and so many other goals we set – you’ll benefit even when doing less than you’d like to do. Any activity is always better than none. If your goal for Tuesday is a 30-minute workout at the gym, but you only squeeze in 10 minutes, feel grateful for that. It’s enough. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I will complete my Marathon.
