Are Exercisers Saner Than Most?

I found a very interesting blog on Runnerworld.com

The blog speaks of two guys so mad that they couldn't get their McDonald's hamburger because it was "breakfast time" they shot up the place!

This makes me think about the control food and activity has over our sanity (or really anything else). These guys were so pissed they couldn't get their 600 calorie, full of fat burger the were willing to maybe kill someone and go to jail! 

Working out (I will say from experience) makes you happier. Those natural endorphins are pretty hard to beat. I just can't see someone right after a run want to shoot up any place or even just still be stressed out after a long day at work.

I, just like the writer, am not saying that if they signed up for a race they would not have shot up the place (they already have that mentality) but I can't see them being so mad about making a bad meal choice in the beginning. A little activity would be a great start in the right direction!

Today's Workout- Bikram!

Today after work I did some 90 minutes of Bikram yoga. I actually got really sick during and after the workout. Probably the worst I felt since my last class. They say that sometimes it just happens with the practice, I could have eaten too much before or had too much caffeine. All I know is that it was really challenging. 

The Benefits of Working Out!

I think there are a ton of great reasons to work out, I actually couldn't name all the personal reasons I do. An article on Fitsugar.com had a great list of five benefits of exercise.

All of which I think are great reasons enough to work out!

Exercise:

1. Combats fatigue

2. Is good for your brain

3. Eases stress

4. Improves your social and love life

5. Makes you feel better

To read how exercise does this, go here!

Today's Workout- Spinning!

Today I did an hour spin class! Felt fantastic!

569 calories burned!

Today's Workout- Bikram and Marathon Walking!

Today was a serious fitness day! It was GREAT!

I woke up and did 90 minutes of Bikram yoga. It was a great class. I walked there and back, so a hour walk too.

Then my sister Breanne and I decided to go on one of our marathon walks! We walked from my place, through Capital Hill, to the Arboretum. It was our first time there, and I didn't realize how cool it was! Of course, we got lost so ended up walking around in circles for a while. Then we walked down to Madison Park and got some coffee. THEN we decided to walk home. It was a great workout because it is REALLY hilly. The walk took us 4 and a half hours!!!

Morning Walk- 350 ish calories

Bikram yoga- 650 calories

4 1/2 hour walk- A whopping 1,385 calories!

Today's Workout- Pilates!

I ordered a new workout DVD on amazon and I decided to try it out today!

It is the Rael Pilates System 27, the advanced level. I have done quite a bit of different Pilates classes and I thought this was a great workout. It was actually pretty hard. The DVD is 50 minutes, which I think is a little random length. Overall, I thought it was a get Pilates DVD! I would definitely suggest it! 

I want to warn you that he says he word "girtle" excessively! And the DVD cover is a little hilarious. He looks like Mr. Clean!

50  minutes Pilates- 165 calories burned 

Today's Workout- Treadmill Running!

This morning I did 30 minutes running on the treadmill. Mostly intervals of somewhere between 10-9 minute miles.

316 calories burned

Lose the Weight Slowly

Some people may argue with me, but I lost my weight really slowly. 45 pounds in over a year, I mean that is a very slow, steady pace, but all the research says that type of weight loss keeps it off. I didn't gain the weight over night, I am not going to lose it over night. It is quite the process, and that is alright. I think the hardest part for me was to realize, yes, it will take a bit. This is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix in any way.

I thought this article really reaffirms how I feel about weight loss. It is slow and it is ok to cheat. You have to, you will want the scone sometime. You can't deprive yourself forever.

And most importantly, you need to know what to do after the weight is gone. You need to plan for that just as much as the weight loss itself. How do you maintain all the hard work you did?

Read it here!

Today's Workout- Stair Stepper and Spinning!

Today I did a little bit of stair stepping machine and a spinning class!

20 minutes stair stepper- 204 calories

59 minute spin class- 467 calories

Today's Workout- Bikram!

Today was a great 90 minute Bikram session! 

I tried to wear my heart rate monitor during the class but I think it got flipped over because it said I only burned 3 calories! I can burn that much eating celery, so I know that's wrong. I will try to wear it again next time! I feel weird wearing it during the class, I feel like I am being bad because they want you to be involved in the practice, not the calorie burn. Anyways, I will find out how much calories I burn during yoga sometime and no one can stop me! There is always an ongoing debate and I want to settle it!

Today's Workout- Treadmill Running and Pilates!

Today, I tried out my new heart rate monitor with some running and my new Pilates DVD.

Ran for 29 minutes- burned 287 calories

Pilates for 50 minute- burned 184 calories. 

The heart rate monitor is hard to get used to. I can't really stop reading the watch to see how I a doing. So, I didn't focus much on the actual work out. 

New Heart Rate Monitor!

Today in the mail I got my new Polar F6 heart rate monitor! I am so excited! This little gadget is going to help me train better an the best part is I will be able to see all the calories I burn during my work outs! 

Specifically, I got it to monitor my heart rate while running, but selfishly I like knowing the calories I burn!

Today's Workout- 2009 Big Climb!

Today was the 2009 Big Climb! This is a climb up 69 flights of the Columbia Tower in Seattle. This is my second time doing it. Last year, I did the climb in 22 minutes. This year is I did the climb in 14.11 minutes! I was hoping for at least 16 minutes, so I am very happy!

I am so excited for how fast I can be next year!!!

Here's our team on the news!

Today's Workout- Bikram and some walking!

This morning I woke up early to do some Bikram! The place I practice is called the Sweatbox and it is a small place on Capital Hill. I was looking through the Seattle Magazine yesterday and they got best Bikram studio! Pretty cool! 

Anyways, I walk there from my place near South Lake Union. It takes me about 45 minutes each way, so I had a great mini work out on the way there and the way back. Great way to start this Saturday!

Overweight? Is it all your fault?

I do always enjoy a candid view on weight loss. Especially since the formula is so simple. You must burn more calories than you consume. It is the formula that is so simple, it is the doing it (especially in our "world") that can be so daunting.

In this article for the Washington Post, the author speaks candidly about about what he has found about weight loss. I found it very blunt and I liked it. Essentially are healthy is based on the choices we make. Weight loss will not happen fast, but if you make those right choices, it will happen!

Check it out!

Today's Workout!- Treadmill Running!

Tonight, for my workout I did some treadmill running. 

I am really trying to pick up the pace. Since my knee injury, I haven't been running much. It's been pretty devastating because I LOVE runnig. I used to run about 6 or 7 miles almost every day, hence why I got injured. I am trying to now pick up the pace and then run less mileage.

Anyways, I ran about 3.3 miles today in 30 minutes. I had a pretty good pace. I stayed right about a 9 minute mile the whole time, besides the warm up which was about a 10 minute mile. It felt great! 

Livestrong.com = My Savior!

I would like to say the 45 pounds came off easily, but they didn't!

It took a ton of work to get to where I am at. Looking back the last year and some months, I worked hard to have the fitness I do now, it makes me tired just thinking about it. I actually could probably take a nap knowing how much work it was. HARD WORK and dedication is needed to achieve any goal, with weight loss you may even need a little more!

But, most importantly, you can't do it alone!

You need support all around you. For me that was a supportive fiance and a fitness junky sister. I also got help through probably the last 30 pounds with the website Livestrong.com. Their Daily Plate feature is fantastic! It may sound crazy, but I log all the food I eat and the work outs I do. Even days I eat too much or am not proud of my choices. It is the perfect way to hold myself accountable. And with their website being so easy and them having pretty much EVERYTHING you could eat in their search engine already, it is pretty mindless. This may seem like a shameless plug, but I love this website so much! I really think it is my savior! I could not have lost half as much weight with out it!

I will tell you that the best way to realize what might be holding you back from losing those last 5 pounds or the lack of energy in your workout, might be that [insert high calorie, processed food here] you had this morning.

If you decide to sign up and start tracking on Livestrong.com, be my friend! My user name is: AllieAnnJ

It never hurts to get all the help you can get!

Today's Workout- Treadmill Running!

I had to have a quick work out this morning because tonight I am going to the first Sounders FC game!

This morning I did a little run on the treadmill. I ran for 35 minutes at a 6.0 mph pace most of the time. I could have gone faster, but I am trying to work off a knee injury, so I wanted to keep it easy. Ran about 3.5 miles and felt great!

Today's Workout- Bikram!

Unfortunately I had to take the last 3 days off working out since I was super sick. This serious cold going on is horrifying. The worst part is people keep getting it again, so I am going to have to take serious care of myself. I need to keep up with my working out!

Today, Breanne (my sister) and I went to our Bikram yoga class. This is my absolute favorite new work out. Bikram yoga is the traditional hot yoga. The room is heating up to about 110 degrees. Traditional Bikram is 90 minutes of 26 moves done twice each. It is extremely challenging for both the mind and body. I suggest everyone to do it at least once! I promise you will sweat more than you ever thought you could!