Gym is open (Tuesday 1/29)

Kix seems to be MIA, so I'm opening the gym - hopefully she won't mind.  If she does, she'll just have to come to Cleveland and kick my butt I lifted weights for upper body at lunch and did some core work.  Trying to convince myself that sit-ups and crunches are not evil.  Am not yet convinced.  I will go back to the gym after work for 60 minutes of cardio.  No specific plan, but will probably warm up on the bike, then do the stairmaster, and either the elliptical trainer or the rowing machine.   What did you do to move your body today? Kellie

I did 30 minutes on the bike earlier and I'm also going to take a walk in a little while - aiming for 30 minutes, we'll see. 

I had to come into the office today, so may not get my swim in. Lessons go from 4 PM to 8 PM. When I'm teleworking, I go at 3 so I'm out by the time the lessons start.

Hardly exercised at all this weekend and feel AWFUL. I need to get back into the pool!

Well, good grief!  I would have sworn I opened the gym late last night before I went to bed, but obviously I did not.  Must be one of those senior momemts creeping up on me.  I did killer treadmill, probably around 40 minutes, however long it took to burn 270 calories.  I downloaded a couple of songs from the "Sweeney Todd" soundtrack, some Joe Jackson, a George Michael tune, and I can't remember what else, but I enjoyed listening to the music so much I didn't want to quit my treadmill exercise.   Today was arm day, so I did all the arm machines, plus my daily quads work and ab crunches. We went to aquacise tonight and the class was taught by the teacher who likes to keep us moving.  I like her much better than the usual teacher.  The class was too full tonight -- they are supposed to cut off folks after 12 sign up, but someone wasn't paying attention because there were 16 in the class, and that's too full for such a small therapy pool. Thanks for having my back, Kellie!  Kix

Way to go, Jen.  Keep on moving, girlfriend!  I'm convinced that regular exercise is key to long-term weight loss maintenance.  30 minutes on the bike is great and if you get in a nice walk as well, that'll be super.  I'm aiming for 60 minutes of cardio during each session, but that's because I'm participating in a fitness challenge at my gym and we get points based on how long we exercise.  Normally, I do 40-50 minutes of cardio per session so I can get done sooner and go home!!!   Kellie

I'll bet she would LOVE to come to Cleveland, not so much to kick your butt, but to actually see you in person! You made me laugh about the core work - believe it or not, my surgeon STILL won't let me do core work. He won't let any of his patients - I guess he has seen many hernia's due to it and is just adament about it. I don't do them, but I think it would help strengthen my back muscles. Every now and then I sneak some in, then freak out. You can't say I'm not an obedient patient! I began adding biking into my workouts today - wow, did that hurt! My brother, who races bikes, suggested I use a spinning bike because it is more like a mountain bike. So I did and my legs burnt immediately. It took no time at all for me to get my heart rate up with that machine - this could be really good for me in terms of mixing it up. I'm still running, since I have to train for my 10K  races, but the biking might be a good thing to add. 7 minutes on spinning bike 30 minutes of weights (I'm trying to up my reps, so I'm feeling it today) 40 minutes of interval training/sprints (I'm up to 6.8 mph for 2 minutes! Pretty good considering that just last month I could barely do 6mph for a minute) I'm sore

I really look forward to meeting both you and Kix someday!  I'm hoping to make it to Colorado this year, but may need to replace my boiler to the tune of about $5K, so will have to see what happens.   I'd never thought about the core work possibly leading to hernias.  The only incisions I've had in my abdomen were from my WLS, which was done laproscopically.  I wonder how significant the risk is for folks like me?  Unlike you, I'm not always obedient so will continue to do core work anyway.  I'm starting to see some improvement in my abdomen, so really want to see what I can do.  Of course, I have to move all the excess skin around to see what's going on, but that'll eventually go away with plastics.  Here's hoping that no hernia's pop up!!!!   I haven't used a spinning bike, but I do use the upright bike for cardio sometimes.  I always get that burn in my quads from the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles.  It gets better after 10-15 minutes, so I just try to push through.  Or I give up and go to a different piece of cardio equipment Be careful if you're sore - I pushed too hard a couple weeks ago on a new routine when I really should have taken a day or two off.  Wound up much sorer and then had to take a couple days off anyway.  The next time I did the routine, I stretched a lot afterwards, then took Tylenol for the next day or so.  I did not get the same level of soreness I did the first time around.  Not sure if it was just that my muscles were more accustomed to the work, or if the stretching/Tylenol helped.  Either way, I've continued with doing more stretching and use Tylenol when needed, which thankfully isn't too often.   Keep up your great work; you're an inspiration!!! Kellie

Kaiser uses Dr. Chae as well as Dr. Brown for their WLS patients, and when I listen to Dr. Chae's patients at my support meetings, I wonder if sometimes he isn't a bit of a fussbudget?  I'm not criticizing, mostly just wondering.  He seems to worry a lot!  Dr. Brown doesn't worry about hernias and exercise unless we are doing Olympic-type heavyweight lifting.  Even then, he'd probably just say, "If it hurts, don't do it"  I watch folks at Ballys use the spinning bikes, and it looks very intense.  The room with the spinning bikes has ultraviolet light, I need to ask what's up with that?! Are you going to be able to eat enough calories to sustain all this activity?  Do we need to strap a protein drink dispenser to your back to keep you caloried up? Admiringly, Kix

We all have those moments, Kix, although I say I have "sometimer's disease" - sometimes I remember, sometimes I don't Your treadmill routine sounds great - keep up the hard work.  I love listening to music while I exercise.  LIke you, it often keeps me going past the point where I would without it.  Heck, I don't think I'd make it 5 minutes without my iPod.  Which songs did you download from Sweeney Todd?  I loved the movie - Johnny Depp amazes me every time I see him.  What a talented artist.  And lots of to Tim Burton on his interpretation of this show - wow.   Kellie

Well, I've been a Sondheim fan since "West Side Story" when I was a pup, and out of all his musicals, "Sweeney Todd" is my favorite.  I saw the original Broadway case in 1979 when I lived back East (Angela Lansbury/Len Cariou/Victor Garber) and was terrified at the thought of it being made into a movie.  I should not have been -- Tim Burton did a masterful job with it, Johnny Depp was brilliant as Sweeney Todd, and Alan Rickman... well, he's Alan Rickman and can do no wrong in my book!  (hubba hubba). I have enjoyed Johnny Depp's work (especially in "Ed Wood"), but I wasn't a big fan until I saw him in "Sweeney Todd."  Now I have a bit of a crush on him.  He won't replace Alan Rickman or Colin Firth, but he's right up there. I downloaded the opening orchestral theme, "Joanna" (the trio with Johnny Depp, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Laura Kelly), and "Pretty Women" (the duet with Alan Rickman and Johnny Depp).  I am amazed that folks who aren't trained theatrical singers, like Alan Rickman and Johnny Depp, are able to sing counterpoint so effortlessly.  Wow!  Add to that, Sondheim's stuff isn't easy to sing, either, and everyone in the movie gets extra kudos in my book. Aren't you glad you asked?  Kix (former music major until I came to my senses my junior yr in college)