I am not the perfect person. Sure I workout a lot, I eat right 90% of the time, I try to look at my body in a positive way. Most of the time I am happy with how I’m doing. Tuesday was not one of those days. I was feeling “chubby” and like nothing looked good on me. The reflection I saw in the mirror made me feel like my stomach was a bit bigger than it was last week. Rationally I told myself there’s no way I gained five pounds in a week. It sure as hell felt like it though!
Michael asked me if I was having anxiety about going scale-free for the summer. I hadn’t thought about that. Maybe part of me was having some anxiety and I just didn’t realize it, maybe it was hormonal. Who knows?
I went to the gym after work and felt like it was a struggle. First, I remembered why I hated wearing the specific shirt I had on because it kept riding up on me while I ran on the treadmill. Grrr. It was one of those days. Despite feeling crabby and moody I had a good run. My body felt good, it had been over a week since I’d run (I wanted to take a break) and I had great stamina…But for some reason I was STRUGGLING to get my heart rate up. The treadmill speed was fast, I was even doing some interval hills, yet I was struggling to keep my heart rate in my target zone. What the hell? It started to feel like a pain in the butt. I thought “Why am I having to spend MORE time on the treadmill to burn the same amount of calories as before?”
That’s the tricky thing with fitness. The more FIT you are, the harder it is to get your heart rate up. Things get EASIER the fitter you are. The same thing happened with my swimming. It used to be a struggle; I used to feel like my heart was going to explode out of my chest but as I got better at swimming and as I lost more weight the easier it was. I wasn’t burning a lot of calories anymore. I wasn’t struggling, my chest felt normal and my heart rate wasn’t spiking with every lap I did. Now when I swim it’s a struggle to get my heart over 135. This is normal. This is fitness. But it’s still frustrating.
I ran almost an extra half mile Tuesday night to try and get my heart rate up.
After my run I did some weight lifting. I mainly use the plated machines now. Every once in awhile I’ll go back to the old “easy” machines and give those a try but they are too easy now. I’ve had to almost double the amount of weights I previous did on those easy machines! I still prefer the plated weights and the free weights but it’s nice to check in and see my progress once in awhile.
I may not be burning the same amount of calories as I previously did, but I’m making progress in other ways: like lifting more weight.
So is the juice worth the squeeze? Do I need to start extending my already long workouts in order to burn the same amount of calories and get my heart rate up? Or do I switch up my routine so much that I have to work out harder–but not as long? There has to be a happy medium here so that I can still get a decent workout but not feel like I’m wasting my time.
LONG boring cardio = boredom. Weight lifting breaks up that monotony for me and helps keep the workouts fresh. Is there another option to the long boring workout? Remember: I hate taking classes so that’s not my preferred method to switch things up.
Maybe this won’t even be an issue once summer comes? I see a lot of long bike rides every weekend I can and if I’m also commuting to work by bike, that’s got to get in some good workouts without worrying about my HR.
Gym Stats:
Time: 1:35
Calories Burned: 650
Average HR: 127! BOO!
I spent about 15 minutes of that doing my stretches and then escaped home. I was extra hungry too. Michael made fresh guacamole to go with dinner (just what I was craving too).
Fresh avocados, lots and lots of minced garlic, chopped jalapenos, chopped tomato, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.
Michael grilled up chicken thighs seasoned with spicy Mexican spices. I made us salads with peppers, tomatoes, olives, jalapenos and beans.
Chicken thighs always turn out delicious, although for this particular dish it’s rather difficult to eat. Next time we’ll cut the meat off the bone and top the salad with it. I added sour cream and the guacamole to the top. Good stuff.
This is one of my new favorite dinners. It’s so good!
QUESTION: So what do you do when your workouts are too easy?
The Boyfriend
It’s time for you to do serious interval training.
Lisa Eirene
I think you are right.
Sara
I think you are more than ready to go to that boot camp friend again…that’ll give you some good ideas AND a change in your workout!
Lisa Eirene
That’s a GREAT idea! I do need to call Christian and have another session.
Sara
😀 glad I could help 😉
Lori
I hear you on the chubby thing. Isn’t that weird?
I don’t think you need longer cardio, you just need smarter cardio. Like Michael says – intervals are the way to go. Plus, keep up your strength training.
You can also max that out by doing supersets where you move from one body part to another will little to no rest in between. That can get your heart rate up and keep it up! Plus it gets the lifting done faster LOL.
Lisa Eirene
It is weird! I haven’t gained weight. My pants fit still, yet I feel chubby. Stupid hormones.
You know, for awhile I was really into intervals and also doing supersets. I need to get back to that. It was fun and quick!
Elizabeth@GenuineEfforts
What about playing a sport? I know you don’t like traditional team sports but have your thought about roller derby? Or rugby?
I think you’d be pretty amazing at derby- you seem fearless.
Lisa Eirene
No no no no. 🙂 So not a sporty person. PLUS I am kinda uncoordinated!
Elizabeth@GenuineEfforts
Okay, if you’re uncoordinated what about a dance class that isn’t a group exercise class. Like swing dancing that you and your boyfriend tried together? Or a beginning adult ballet class? Or ballroom? Might give you some coordination and grace as well as skills you could use at a wedding or something.
I’m just trying to think of something outside the box and you’d only need to do it for 6 weeks or so before you went back to biking/running.
Lisa Eirene
I took a ballroom dancing class in college! It was fun but HARD. Michael would never take a dance class with me, but I might be willing to try it again.
Louise
HILLS. You definitely need to ramp up the inclines and increase the amount of time running up hill.
I get those horrible bloated (hormonal) days and sometimes the scale will go up a smidge for 48 hours or so but then settles back down (I’m so jealous that men don’t have to contend with this – please additional hunger that goes with). I’ve also found that for no apparent reason, running on these days can feel like running through treacle but without the fitness gain!!! – just so tiring.
Lisa Eirene
I have to be careful of hills with my IT Band issues. I have been adding some light hills on the treadmill lately but I’m taking it very carefully.
Karen@WaistingTime
I wrote a post not long ago about my similar thinking. I realized that while I was putting in the time (which I have no excuse not to since I don’t work) I was not working out as hard as I should be. I got a similar comment to the first one above – intervals. And I love that they make the workout seem to go by faster! When I researched interval training in the past it was interesting to discover that you can get as good a workout with intervals as you could if you stayed at the higher intensity the whole time!
Lisa Eirene
I need to go read your post on it. Perspective is a good thing. I’ve raved about intervals for a long time. I used to do them running all the time and felt AWESOME. I just got out of the habit.
Ally
Have you tried Bodyrock? Bodyrock.tv.
I love bodyweight exercises — it’s how I got started! I did them in the quiet of my own apartment, lost my first 10 pounds, and then signed up for the gym. However, after being poor and unable to afford a gym membership years later, I started doing these to miraculous results. They are NOT easy! Highly recommended!
Lisa Eirene
I will give them a look! Thanks!