A few exercise tips
(“Huh? We were on the subject of fitness???")
I thought I’d share a few of the “mind games" I play with myself to get through workouts. Because most of the time if you can take your mind away from what you are doing (and the screams of protest coming from every muscle in your body) you can make it. Here are a few things I usually do:
#1 – This comes by way of my friend James who is training for a marathon. He says he puts things like his budget and family issues to the back of his mind until his run. Then he thinks about them and actively tries to work any problems out. He said he gets so engrossed in thought that the run actually isn’t so bad. I thought he was lying, frankly. But over the past month I’ve been obsessing about a contest I’m about to do for Bariatric Foodie and the intricacies were baffling me. I made a point to think about them as I ran and James was right! I mean running is still hard, but chewing on difficult issues helps take my mind off of things.
#2 – This one is uniquely me I think. Cuz I am bat**** crazy. I am always looking to push myself harder. I am VERY competitive. So when I want to go faster, longer, stronger (that sounded sorta perverted) I survey the gym when I arrive. I find a person who is going just slightly faster and stronger than I aim to and take the machine next to THAT person. And I compete in my mind. I push myself to get closer to where they are. I imagine the eternal glory of leaving them in the dust! (I told you I am bat**** crazy)
#3 – Build up. I have been working on upper body strength the last few weeks (cuz up until recently I had very little). One aspiration is to do chin-ups. My gym has an assisted chin-up machine. Up until recently I needed the full assist to do even 2 or 3 chin ups (the full assist means the machine handles the first 118 lbs., I handle the rest). So every time I went to the gym I did my little 2-3 chin ups. Then slowly I started being able to do 4-5, then 8, then more than one set, then three sets of 8. So this week I am lowering the assist. And will continue to do so, week by week, ever so gradually, until I am strong enough to do three sets of 8 chin-ups by myself.
Even if you aren’t a “gym rat" you can apply some of this stuff to yourself. Like I said, a lot of exercising truly is mind over matter. Start small and work your way up. Listen to music or think about stuff going on in your life to distract you (true fact: some of Bariatric Foodie’s most popular recipes were born in the gym, on a machine, with me trying not to die). And if you are competitive use that to your advantage (in your own head…folks may think you a bit psycho if you externalize that!).
Happy moving, folks!
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
Dedicate the easy miles to those in your life who have made you feel like a failure. You know all the skinny *****es in High School!
Dedicate the Difficult miles to those you love because when you really love someone there isn't anything you won't be able to do.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Frankly, I'm dissapointed.
There was no poo or penises or fart references. Get it together!!!
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
Their is no better motivation to get to the finish line than the urge you are going to crap yourself. As for the fart well if you can get in front of the guy who was a douchebag at the finish line then you can drop dust him with the wonderful RNY death gas!
Happy
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Personally, gas is a motivator for me cuz I always toot while I run and I don't wanna claim that! So I run faster so nobody knew it was me.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
"No matter how fast you run you can't out run a fart"
Fortunately the same doesn't apply to outdoors!
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
Man, you gotta keep up! I do a lake called Montebello near my house. 1.3 miles around. I am up to being able to jog it twice. Takes about 30-ish minutes.
RNY Gastric Bypass 1-8-08 350/327/200 (HW/SW/CW). I spend most of my time playing with my food over at Bariatric Foodie - check me out!
Love the commentary, ya'll crack me up!!
Make a change, see a change!!
We made it to hump day!
Sherry
Everytime you come around on a lap you have to relive the horror that shot out your butt on the previous n Laps!
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
