Monday, June 9: 7pm Jazzercise class, plus a little of the 5:30pm class. Tough set tonight, but I finally feel almost back on course. Still a little tired.

Don’t worry Ann you’ll get back on track, just keep at it!

Hey Ann.  How you feeling now? Being sick sucks. I can think of more enjoyable ab workouts. 

Hi, Derek—me too! Fortunately I’m lots better. My energy level is still not quite where I want it, but maybe it never was. Could also be the heat and humidity there. Tonight (Tuesday, June 10): finally managed 1 1/2 Jazzercise classes, half of Mary’s (tough) and half of Jeannine’s (tough) so I feel pretty good about that. Also, my eating was more on an even keel today. Tomorrow will be back to the gym after over a week, and how I handle the machines at the usual weights will be a test of whether I’m still weaker, I guess. I’m just trying to treat myself right—enough rest, a little more relaxed pace, some little pleasures like some new scenty soaps, and—a new fragrance of Gain detergent called “Fresh Awakenings” that I used in Sunday’s laundry and my clothes smell great. Made a big batch of turkey burger patties Sunday night also, so I’m having them for dinner. There are a ton of sauteed minced veggies in them, and some mashed chili beans, spices, cracker crumbs—I always experiment, this time the burgers are a little too ‘loose’ due to maybe too many additions, but they’re sure flavorful and not dry in the least.

Burgers sound yummy!  Take it easy and work your way back, it won’t take long.

How funny. That’s exactly what I made for dinner last night. I love turkey burgers. Here’s a tip; to keep the patty from falling apart, I add some egg white to the mix as well. Just a bit though. Too much will make it too mushy.

Go easy on weights if you still feel weak. You’ll build your strength back before you know it. No sense in injuring yourself.

Wednesday, June 11: gym night.

I had a bit of a hard time motivating myself to go. But I’m glad I did. First of all, I ascertained that I must be back 100% by now, as I put in nearly 2 1/2 hours of workout and according to my Polar HR Monitor, burned 747 calories… and that’s with it not registering the first five minutes of warmup cardio due to not catching my heart rate. Strength-wise, I think I did lose a little in my arms which I will have to work back up.

1 mile warmup cardio on treadmill, about 16 min
stretching
chest pull machine (40#)
lower back extension (60#, 75#, 90#, increasing each set)
rowing (50#)
hip abductor (70#) and adductor (80#) machines
(all 3x 15)

Free weights: 8# hand weights, pec fly and tricep kickback/overhead extensions
Delt lifts, pec crosses with trap lifts
Lunges with weights in hands

Then cardio: 30 min elliptical, 15 minutes stair climber, 15 minutes treadmill

My heart rate stayed higher than usual on the cardio portion. I had loaded some good tunes onto the iPod that kept me pushing, and was a little more confident on the stair climber, though I’m still always feeling I’m about to fall and keep my fingers lightly on the rail. I don’t pull myself up though. On the treadmill, I did all kinds of big scary arm swings, jabs, uppercuts, etc., that kept my heart rate in the 140-150 range even only at 3.5MPH with 4% elevation. I was a puddle of sweat, but didn’t feel totally spent at the end. I do, however, think I will sleep well tonight. Good to be ‘back.’ I have to remember to weigh in in the morning, as I’ve been forgetting. I dropped to 152 while I was sick and I don’t think I put it back on. I just weighed myself now and it’s 152.8.

I want to make June a concentration on abs. We’ve been doing some good ab work in Jazzercise class, a routine with a few reverse situps to start, then back on our elbows (on the floor on mats) doing a sort of Pilates-like pedaling our legs out low to the ground but not touching, then an oblique crunch. The crunches are a little hard for me with the lack of back flexibility but I can definitely feel the muscles working.

The_Emmster - 11 June 2008 07:21 AM

Here’s a tip; to keep the patty from falling apart, I add some egg white to the mix as well. Just a bit though. Too much will make it too mushy.

Thanks, Emmi! I did put in a few tbsp of Egg Beaters, but I’m afraid I put just too much of the “other” stuff and too little of the turkey together for it to hold together, plus it was probably wetter than it should have been. They hold together pretty well, though, especially after having been frozen after forming them. And they sure are moist. I food-processed a whole sweet onion, two stalks of celery, two carrots (grated then chopped the grating), five cloves of garlic, and a whole container of button mushrooms, and sauteed all that. Maybe I didn’t dry the mushrooms out enough, as they retain so much liquid. Then I added some balsamic vinegar, red wine, and some tomato sauce, and a can of chili beans (I mashed most of the beans as I added them) and reduced the liquid. Something I picked up from Cooks Illustrated—I added about a half-packet of unflavored gelatin, which I dissolved in some of the balsamic. This was from their all-beef meatloaf recipe. They say it replaces the natural gelatin found in veal, which is what the ground veal in meatloaf mixture provides. It retains the moisture, and of course the turkey isn’t very fatty, so it’s the vegetable moisture. Then I used cracker crumbs, but could have added more I suppose. Or I just needed more ground turkey to offset the imbalance of ingredients. But the flavor is good—I’ve been having them every day.

Good stuff Ann!

Thursday, June 12: 7pm Jazzercise class.  I showed up without sneakers in my bag… and this time I didn’t have any in the car but I was able to borrow a pair. Um, note to self. It’s not like I don’t have a spare pair. Just forgetful.  Did plentiful stretching beforehand, which helped.

Glad someone was able to help you out with a pair of shoes!!  I’m always worried I’m going to forget my socks. 

Are your energy levels back to normal?  Take care

Catherine - 12 June 2008 08:33 PM

Glad someone was able to help you out with a pair of shoes!!  I’m always worried I’m going to forget my socks. 

Are your energy levels back to normal?  Take care

Well, it’s funny, Catherine, we have a donation box for Sole Purpose, which takes in gently-worn athletic shoes. So I ‘borrowed’ a pair from there and then returned them to the box. They looked new, a nice pair of Ryka tri-trainers. And I’ll have to double check the size before they go out, as they were just maybe a half-size too small, a bit cramped in the toe but fine for one class. Socks, I had, no problem. But I might make myself a little backup kit of stuff this weekend, the exercise outfit that is maybe not one of my favorites but would ‘do’ in a pinch, with extra socks, etc., and keep it in the trunk for when I’m caught unprepared. One thing I’m always hunting for too is ponytail holders. They all end up by the sink or on the shower shelf.

Yes, I think my energy level is just fine now. I think I might have just gotten a bit lazy and ‘soft’ on top of everything else. Plus, I think our classes are just a lot harder lately. More intense, and in some cases requiring more coordination on top of it.

Hope things are well with you too. I admit, I’ve had tunnel vision lately and haven’t stopped to read too many others’ threads, which I always enjoy. —A

A good trick is to have 2 of everything, you can keep the spare stuff in the trunk of the car!

Yah, I tend to pack fo bearhunt.  I will go with 2 or 3 of everything. As I type this I have a vision of going to the gym with a big backpack stuffed to the hilt and a metal water cup dragging on the pavement making sparks.

That’s a very good idea to have a spare “kit.” I always lay out my workout clothes before I go to bed so that they are right in front of me when I get up at 4:30AM or get home from work later on. I’m always losing hair bands too. That’s why I buy mine at the dollar store. 

Saturday, June 14: double Jazzercise classes. I admit I wimped out on the gym last night. I usually go on Fridays, but had a long and stressful day at work, then came home and ended up napping till 9pm, so I just skipped it. Will give myself some physical rest today, but if I’m feeling up to it I will go tonight and do the legs/glutes concentration and some cardio.

You didn’t wimp out.  You listened to your body and did what it needed - a nap.

Ann sometimes rest is better than exercise, did you know your body burns more calories when you sleep?

Really, I burn more calories while sleeping? Hmm.

Actually I feel like I’ve been sleeping pretty well, just generally feeling a shift ever since I was sick. I’ve been eating a bit more, and exercising but not as diligently. Maybe it’s just temporary. Yesterday I ran errands and stuff, and today, when I wanted to walk on the beach, it was rainy. I planned it all wrong.

Sunday, June 15: gym trip. 12 min warmup on treadmill, then: squats, lower back extension, leg extension and leg lift, rowing, hamstring curls, and a little free weight work. Tried the 10 and 12 pounders instead of the 8s. I couldn’t do as many pec flies but the delt lifts and triceps I could do okay.

Then cardio. 30 minutes elliptical, 10 minutes stair climber, 10 minutes treadmill. I cut my cardio a bit short as I could just feel myself running out of steam. I’m going to take a melatonin and turn in early.

That’s a lot of moving! Hope you recovered well.
Good job, Ann.