Plus Three

I'm not going to lie to you - I was pretty proud of my efforts last week. I sauteed spinach for lunch - made salmon for dinner - ate apples for snacks - and smoothies, did I make smoothies!  I ran on the treadmill, spent 30 minutes on that crazy-ass stair machine in the back corner of the gym (Tracey's idea), walked the dog miles upon miles, and I even made it to my 8am cycling class! So, when I hopped on the scale Sunday morning I was certain I'd see great results. What I saw, however, was this....

Plus three! As in not only did I not lose any weight but I had GAINED THREE POUNDS. Excuse my language, but WTF???

Later that morning I laughed about it with a friend - "Can you believe I did everything right and I gained three pounds? Maybe I should just sit on my ass and eat bonbons. The result might be better".  But by the time I reached Hyam on Tuesday for our personal training session I wasn't laughing anymore. Reality had set in and I was pretty disappointed. Obviously I hadn't done everything right. Obviously I had done a lot of things wrong.

I guess the Fitness Gods were shining down on me this morning, as it turned out that Hyam had time in her schedule not just to kick my butt, but to give my mind a little work out too. We chatted for awhile about changes I've made, ones I need to make and the importance of really, truly committing to all of them.  It's really easy to talk a good game, it's not so easy to actually play one. 

People often ask me what I love so much about Clay. Sometimes I stumble over my words to answer this not because I don't know what to say, but rather because I have so much to say.  This morning was a good example why Clay is the place for me.  I needed a really hard work out this morning.  (And trust me, I got that!)  But I needed more than just a trainer to run me through the exercises.  I needed someone who cared about me and my success not just so she could say she helped me, but because she truly wants my life to be better.  I needed someone who listened not just to the words I was saying, but to the meaning behind those words. I needed Hyam.

I walked in to Clay this morning feeling pretty low, but I walked out feeling like a million bucks (a sweaty, stinky, bound-to-be-really-sore-tomorrow million bucks, but a million bucks nonetheless). That is what I love so much about Clay.

Better Than A Cheeseburger

Every Tuesday I wake with a knot in my stomach.  This knot is partially excitement - as I know that I will start my day off with a kick-ass workout at Clay - and partially fear - as I know that I will start my day off with a kick-ass workout at Clay.

Don't get me wrong - I love nothing better than knocking out a heart-pumping, sweat-inducing, muscle-fatiguing workout with Hyam.  I don't, however, always appreciate it first thing in the morning.

Yesterday morning, however, I had a knot for a different reason. I woke to a text that said Hyam's dog was very, very sick and she was going to have to cancel. I'm a huge dog lover and I know that Hyam's dog means the world to her, so the knot started out of sympathy and fear, rather than excitement.  I also knew that sick dog or not, Hyam was NOT going to let me get off without a workout, so that knot continued to grow out of anticipation as I waited to hear from her. 

Over the next hour we determined that it would be best for me to stay home with KK, who was sick again (damn cold & flu season) and make up the session at Friday's Athletic Training class. This left me with 2 options for Tuesday - 1) allow myself to take a day off (I have been working really hard lately...) or 2) workout on my own. 

Hmmm.....what to do?

Something crazy must be in the air because by noon I could no longer stand the feeling of having not worked out and I found myself hopping on a treadmill and running for 45 minutes. What? Follow that up with several hours of hauling Christmas decorations to the attic (yes, I know it's mid-January - don't judge) and I had myself a workout!

Okay, so it wasn't exactly the workout I would've had a Clay, but I did get off my ass and burn some calories. And I ran. I RAN, people! Later in a text Hyam commended my efforts and my response was "Well, it was no personal training session with you, but it was better than a nap and a cheeseburger." Sounds funny now, but this was probably what I would've done a few months ago if given the opportunity to miss a session. I may have even added in a glass of wine.  It was my day off, after all, I deserved it, right?

It hit me later that night not only how backwards it is that I tend to reward myself on my "off days", but that just doing something - anything - is better than doing nothing at all.  Would I have benefited from a more intense workout? Definitely. But did I benefit from what I ended up doing? Fo sho.

It's Not Easy Being Green

Earlier this week I was peer pressured by Hyam and Jody in to signing up for Friday's Athletic Training class at Clay  (it's nice to have friends who pressure you in to making your life better!). I had missed our cycling class on Saturday so I knew I needed to make it up and was feeling pretty strong after my personal training session with Hyam. When I woke up this morning, however, I wasn't feel so sure of myself.

I've learned from experience that if I am going to make it through an intense class like this it is essential that I eat something prior to the class.  The issue is, I have to eat just the right amount. Too much and I feel like I am going to puke.  Too little and I don't have the energy to maintain the intensity.  The answer I've come up with is a green smoothie made with greek yogurt.  The yogurt is key for me because it gives me the protein necessary to keep up - or at least try.

I was all set this morning to make said smoothie when I realized one little problem - we were out of green.  My holiday weight gain had prompted me to get back on the salad wagon the past few weeks I had eaten every ounce of greenery we had (with the exception of the girls' Christmas tree that it still sitting in the front hallway...). With no time to scramble eggs or come up with a new plan I proceeded to throw every piece of fruit (fresh, frozen or nearly rotten) in to the blender as I scoured the bottom of the produce drawer for any little hint of green.  I wound up with a few stalks of celery and a package of mini-carrots, both of which found their way in to the blender, too.  The result?  A very un-green, but delicious and nutritious nonetheless, smoothie that lasted me through the entire class.

Cheers!