Good job shrink’n Cathrine!

Thanks Shawn!!

great job on losing a few lbs!  Hope the knees feeling better!

Good job Catherine!  Hope those pounds stay away!

Thanks Candy!
I went easy on the leg press today (didn’t bend as deep in the knees) and they do feel much better tonight - still not 100%.  Plan for tomorrow 20 bike, 20 ellipt, 20 bike= total 1hr.

Day 64 - 1 hr 15 min Cardio (20 bike, 30 elliptical 25 bike).  I should be staying off the elliptical, but the bike is so boring!! Knees feel a bit sore after todays session, but I spent some time stretching my quads which seems to help.  Today I listened to a Fit Girl podcast on biceps and triceps training during my workout.  Even though they are not a body part I am focusing on yet it was interesting to hear how doing certain moves affect the muscles. 

I think it’s great you’re not letting your knees get in the way of you moving!  Just keep it up!

Hey Catherine, You’re doing great!! 65 days....you’re well on your way. I hope you’ve had a chance to try out your Nike+. I noticed you’re a teacher! What do you teach? I used to teach High School 9-12, Speech, English, AP English, Theatre, and Art!

Funny you should ask considering I got surplused (aka laid off) yesterday… but it IS a good thing!  I shouldn’t have been suprised by it but I was caught of guard.... I have no job come early June.  I will finish out my current contract and then I get the push out the door!  It acutally works for me, but for not so much for the other people who got “surplused” that were in the same position as me in other schools.  I’ve had my emotional melt down and the women in the PE department were great and supportive.  I really love them, and they will be life long friends, but I have known that I needed to move on from my support staff roll and and really get into the profession I am qualified for (teaching).  It is still scary though. 

More to add about yesterday so I’ll edit this post later - but I just realized the time and I have a hair appointment in less than an hour.

Wow, you’re facing some real life changes, Catherine. But it sounds like a great opportunity to move on and find something better and more challenging.

Hair appointment… wish I had one! I’ve been going to my friend’s stylist in Orlando but I won’t be down there till May. I haven’t had a cut since December! Enjoy it!

Sounds like the layoff is a good thing for you.  It gives you a chance to do what you really want.  The bank where I worked several years ago had a reorganization and gave everyone a chance at a buyout.  I wish I had taken the chance then but I was too chicken.  But a lot of other people did and ended up going back to school, changing careers and generally ended up better off for it.  For me, it took me another 5 years before I finally left.  I started taking evening and online courses in programming and ended up getting the great job I am in now doing what I really enjoy.

Enjoy your new opportunity.

Hi Catherine,

Thanks for stopping by my thread.  Keep positive and see this as an exciting new opportunity.  That’s what I’m doing with my job hunt.

Thanks Ladies.

I was not planning on returning next year anyway - this just saves me from having to quit. But now I do really have to get a move on with my resume and applying to different School Boards. This forces me to do it. It is a daunting task that I have been avoiding. But it will all work out in the end. It may actually help me get in through a side door… I’ll have to see if I can use this as a stepping stone. I have some elementary schools coming in to use the pool over the next few weeks so I may be able to make some contacts. And I am taking an AQ (Additional Qualification) course in Reading starting on the first of May so I want to see if my Principal will let me spend some time in some of the feeder schools getting some more practical experience.

Ok - here are my workouts for the last 3 days. I haven’t let my mental state get in the way of working out.

Friday - Day 65 - Originally my plan was to start my workout during last period and I’d be able to stay long in the weight room at school and complete both a cardio circuit training and a an easy cardio session, but I found out the principle wanted to see my at the end of classes so I post poned my workout. After my emotional melt down I still got in my CCT but opted so skip the cardio session. Bev and I went out to the movies instead.

Saturday - Day 66 - was really feeling exhausted (combination of emotional toll and workouts) and opted for a nap after I got back from my hair appointment. I hadn’t eaten enough so I didn’t feel energetic enough to make it to the gym before they closed - even after my nap I still lounged on the couch until after dinner. Then I finally got it together to get out the door for a easy 1hr walk. Tried out my new nike sensor, but I have yet to calibrate it so I didn’t really work that well.... just a fancy timer on my iPod.

Today - Day 67 - Session with my Trainer. It was good to workout with him today because I needed the mental push. And man did he push me today. I was sucking wind hard a few times!! He is still working around my knee issues so no squats, but he had me do a ball/wall sit instead. That creates a good burn in the quads!! My second tri-set is the toughest - barbell rows, step-ups (with knee lifts and a medicine ball) then plank (which I have started doing the harder version on my elbows instead of on my hands) It is a tough combination. I hate doing plank after the step ups because I am still very winded and today he increased my step up time to 90 sec from 60 sec. I do them in reverse order when I’m working on my own. After my workout at his house I headed over to a GoodLife out his way and did 50 min of cardio (25 elliptical and 25 recumbent bike) then had a good stretch before heading home.

You’re doing great Catherine!  Cheers to a new future job as well!

Good stuff Cathrune and good luck with the job hunt!

Great job on the workouts...keep up the good work lady.  Get them resumes done and you’ll have a better job before you know it.

Catherine, let me know when you get your Nike pouch in.  Me, you and Tammy can have a fun challenge!

Day 68 - today was a cardio day - first I attempted to calibrate my nike sensor while walking 1mile on a treadmill.  Didn’t go hard because I still want to take it easy on the knees - not positive the calibration worked - still have to try it out again.  Then I tried the PRECOR cross ramp that Emmi is always talking about.  A bit different from an elliptical.  Didn’t go real hard - HR in the 130’s.  To finish up I did 20 minutes on the bike.  Then had a bit of a stretch.  Today I was a bit sore in the lats from yesterdays workout with my perosnal trainer, so I did some upper back stretching as well as the legs.

My ears were burning. I thought I heard my name!
What do you think of the Precor Crossramp? They have them at my new gym and I find that I just don’t burn as many calories as on a regular Lifefittness Elliptical at my old gym. Although I prefer the Lifefitness machine I’m glad that they at least have this alternate, yet older elliptical model for us to use. I’m hoping that my new gym upgrades some of the cardio equipment in the near future.

You’re doing great, Catherine! Keep it up!

Way to go Cathrine I’ve tried that Procor machine before it’s really cool the place where I tried it had tv’s on them!