Wednesday Weigh-In.....a little late....again. (8/3/06)

Better late than never, right?

Time for the weekly weigh-in. Let's get down to the nitty grittly first this time.....the scale stayed the same this week. Mabye not a good thing, but not a bad thing either, considering our weekend of partying with college friends. I did manage to count my calories for 2-3 days last week, but that was it.

The good news this week is that I did manage to fit in 2-3 weight training workouts and even did one Pilates tape. I can't remember how many, though. I really need to at least start tracking the exercise part - it's not only motivating to keep track of what I do, but it's a good way to keep myself accountable when I start to slack off. Seeing too many blank days on my chart is a red flag that I need to do something. I really need to bring back that Excel chart I was using earlier.............

I've had to revamp how I exercise since we moved. In Indiana, we belonged to the YMCA. The Y was only about 5 minutes from my house, easy to get to, a nice size without being too large and we knew a lot of people there. Here in PA, the Y is 15+ minutes away, a maze of a building, is more expensive and we know no one. At the Indiana Y, I could see the gym where the boys were playing while I worked out. Here, I'm afraid they couldn't even find me if they needed me - lots of hallways, very confusing. The boys are at that age where they are too old for a babysitting room that some health clubs might provide, but they are too young for me to feel comfortable leaving them on their own.

So, bottom line is, between cost and convenience, I've decided to work out at home. In the past, this has not worked for me - I tend to do better if I get away from the house and all of its distractions. This time, though, exercising at home will save time (no driving time to add on), save money (membership and gas money), and will keep my boys safe too.


When we moved here, satellite TV was the only option available - besides no TV or rabbit ears. One of the benefits of having satellite over cable has been the expanded selection of channels. Our lineup includes FitTV. After taking a look at a few programs, I really like Cathe Friedrich's workouts. I simply record them on my DVR and then pick which one I want to do - rewinding when I miss something or FF through commercials.

Cathe does a lot with weights - something I've been needing and wanting to add back into my workout routine. She's very challenging, but it's very easy to modify the exercises to your own level of fitness. In fact, whenever she reaches for her weights, I usually shoot for about HALF of what she's using. With some modifications - such as using dumbells in place of the barbell - I don't need much equipment. I have the bench and the dumbells and I'm going to invest in an exercise ball. I used to have one, but Bailey popped it.

I can feel my body responding already. It just feels better. It's too soon to see weight loss or muscle gain, but simply using my muscles make me feel better - must be a nice release of endorphins. Once you get yourself a taste of that boost of mood and boost of energy, it becomes harder to miss a workout. THAT'S where I need to be. Walking just doesn't do that for me the same way a more intense aerobic workout or a weight workout does.

The challenge this week will be much like last week - going away for the weekend again which could mean too much eating and not enough exercise. As long as I make sure to exercise and watch what I eat before and after, I should be fine.

And blue crab is on the menu this weekend -we're getting a bushel of crabs and having at 'em. There will be no holding back when it comes to crab feasts. Yum!