I Did What? Joined A Gym and Hired A Trainer!

I did something Monday I did not think I would do a month ago. When I started this journey I thought I could manage to walk and eventually do any strength training at home. We have equipment so it’s possible. I bought the Jillian Michaels Shred video and tried it. I set goals for 2x a week of strength training.

But it wasn’t working. I wasn’t getting it done.

Then I upped my running a little last Thursday. Not much from the previous time, just a couple minutes.

And then it happened. My knees hurt for several days. I was concerned and started doing some research.

I need to incorporate weight training so I can strengthen my legs. It is the only way the running thing is going to happen.  For now I am backing off the running for a few weeks and focusing on strengthening my lower body.

Over the weekend we got a flyer for a new gym that opened a couple of miles from the house and thought it might be something to look at.

I mentioned to Mike at breakfast Monday morning that I was thinking about hiring a trainer for a month or so to help me get a program together. I also mentioned the flyer for the gym wondering if they had personal trainers. Since we were eating at the restaurant in the same shopping center we decided to pop in and check it out.

We already belong to a gym that Mike goes to and we have a family membership. I have been once. I didn’t really love it there. And they do not have trainers, so I would need to go somewhere else.

We visited YouFit, and there was something that felt right immediately about the place. It's bright and cute (eve though there is a lot of barney purple). It’s very simple without a lot of fancy extras. Right now for me that is okay. I signed up ($10 down/$10 month) and asked to talk to a personal trainer.

I explained what I was looking for in personal trainer and signed up for 2x a week for 6 weeks.

I have done personal training twice in my life. The first was a really good experience with a trainer that is still my friend, Michelle.

The second experience was miserable and made me swear I would never again work with a trainer and made me hate the gym. If you would have told me I would be considering this a month ago, I would have laughed like a crazy person.

Here is the difference though, in the past I didn’t really go into training with any real goals besides losing weight.

This time I am going in with specific goals in mind that don’t have a lot to do with weight loss. I know the weight loss will take care of itself with all the other things I am doing. This is about achieving my goals of running and gaining strength.

Tuesday was with my first session with my trainer and it went great. I could still move the next day. I was glad I could do almost everything she threw at me only having trouble with one exercise. I go back tonight for my 2nd workout. I have a feeling she will be tougher on me tonight.

Today I Ran and Plus Size Shopping Fun (Not)

Wednesday 7/11/2012

This was it. Today was as good of a day as any to start. I laced up my new running shoes from last nights shopping trip (more on that in a minute) and after 5 minutes of walking I ran my first interval.

I had read about the Couch to 5K training program and my plan is to ease into it. Today’s goal was to run 6 intervals. I didn’t have a watch to time myself, so I just did it based on running a block or to a distant light pole.

I ran 5 intervals for 30-60 seconds each. I will keep at this trying to increase the time and intervals to get to the week 1 starting point of the Couch to 5K  and then keep at it from there.

Now back to last nights shopping trip. After being completely ignored by the bored salesperson at The Walking Company I headed to Lady Foot Locker. They were helpful, but not I didn’t feel like they were super knowledgeable, making me regret not going to the New Balance store. They did indulge me at Lady Foot Locker in trying on several pairs of shoes until I found one that fit well and had the support I needed.

Next it was time to find an exercise bra. When you are plus size you don’t have many options for clothes, let alone specialty clothes that you can actually go to a store and try on. It’s pretty frustrating to walk by 10 stores that have what you need but not in your size. I pretty much hate clothes shopping and only do it a couple of times a year. I don’t really like to order clothes on the internet, because when you don’t like how they fit it is a hassle to return it and it can be expensive to ship.

I had checked Lane Bryant on line and saw they sold exercise bras. I had hoped that their specialty store, Cacique that specialized in bras would carry them.  But of course they did not. That would be too easy.

I had been to Target a few days ago and decided to take my chances with something there, until I could order something online.

I bought 4 different styles of exercise bras, hoping one would fit and have appropriate support. When I tried them on only 1 fit and provided enough support only if I wore it over my normal bra.

This is just further motivation to want to lose this weight. Never having to shop in the plus size section again is an experience I will not miss.

Tuesday 7/10/2012 Am I Too Fat To Run?

On my walks each morning I see several runners passing me by. Most of the blogs I read about health, weight loss and fitness, the authors are almost all runners. I enjoy my walks but I really have a desire to run. But, I have to wonder if at my weight is it too much on my body? One day last week I tried to run a very short distance to see if I even could. Well, I hadn’t contemplated that “the twin girls” were improperly supported. So I quickly stopped. I had the same experience when doing the 30 day shred video as well.

When I went back to work Monday, I found this e-mail in my inbox sent to several ladies in the office from my friend and co-worker, Christina, (who really inspires and motivates me to want to run):

You know you’re curious….can YOUrun a half marathon?  Last year at the women’s half marathon there were three women (from our office) who had never run a half marathon in their life and ran the race AND survived.  They didn’t have to be picked up by the street sweeper or carted off in an ambulance.  If they could do it so can you.

The race is November 4^thand starts in Scottsdale and finishes in Tempe.  Here are comments that I often get is

• “I can’t run that far”.  The good news is you don’t have to run the whole thing if you don’t want to.  You could run/walk the course and still enjoy yourself and get a finisher metal.
• “I can’t run even a mile”.  When anyone starts running they can’t run a mile either.  They run/walk and start to build up.  After a while one mile is easy and then three miles is easy.  With adding a little at a time, you build up so you can do the half marathon.
• “I’m not a runner”.  You don’t have to run the whole thing and can run/walk it.

Did you notice the “I can’t” and “I’m not’s” in the statements above?  You’ll surprise yourself when you say “I Can”.

If you want to participate but a half is too far, there is also  5K race (3.1 miles).

I love talking about running so if you’re considering it (even if you think it’s a super farfetched idea) talk to me or Trisha, Julie, Angelica, Jessie, Cheryl and Anne, all who ran a half marathon within the last year.

The seed was planted. But the question still remains, am I too fat to run? Will I do some kind of damage to my feet, knees, or other body parts. I don’t want to get hurt and be prevented from exercising.

So I did what I always do when I want to know more about something. I “googled” it:

I read several articles, blog posts and message boards. I found many people that had started running when they had about the same amount of weight to lose. So if they can do it, I can try it right? I know to start slow, stretch, give my body time to recover.

But I will never know if I don’t try. And if I have a 5K to shoot for, maybe that’s the push I need.

Lots to think about, but the wheels are spinning.