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Slipping, Slipping, Slipping...
Nov. 4th, 2005 09:21 amI noticed about a month ago that my weight was starting to sneak back in the upwards direction, partially because I haven't been to Kung Fu since June. This past summer was so nasty that going to class was actually doing more net damage than good. After a class, I'd spend the rest of the day recovering. Considering it takes almost all of an evening to do a strip, and I couldn't do a strip on the same night as a Kung Fu class (because the class killed me for the rest of the night), the net result was that I had absolutely no time to take care of the necessities of life (shopping, laundry, whatever), and practically no time for the required mental recharge to keep being creative.
In short, I got burned out on it. Kung Fu is one of the most physically demanding activities ever devised, and it's not like you can do a bit and then stop because you're "done." To be really good at it, you need to do it every day; I was doing it twice a week on a good week, and felt distinctly half-assed about it (a feeling I hate).
But like I say, without the exercise, my weight has been edging back up. So over the past few weeks I've started implementing some changes to fix that.
My body is weird -- it responds very quickly to exercise, but it responds even more quickly to lack of exercise. As long as I pay attention to it, and keep to the regimen, I lose weight and gain muscle quickly. But the moment I stop, blorp, I'm back to being Mr. Flabby. Gah! So the key is to find an exercise that I can actually keep doing without knocking out the strip and/or the rest of my life. I did the Kung Fu for two years -- surely I can do the Bowflex (which is less exhausting and more flexible) just as long.
I'm thinking that I'll start doing The LJ Workout Report on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday -- if nothing else, not wanting to post "didn't workout today, I suck" in my LJ will help keep me at it. ;)
-The Gneech
In short, I got burned out on it. Kung Fu is one of the most physically demanding activities ever devised, and it's not like you can do a bit and then stop because you're "done." To be really good at it, you need to do it every day; I was doing it twice a week on a good week, and felt distinctly half-assed about it (a feeling I hate).
But like I say, without the exercise, my weight has been edging back up. So over the past few weeks I've started implementing some changes to fix that.
- Out, Out, Damn Soda! Soda, particularly root beer, was starting to slip its way into my diet again ... time to chop it back out.
- Adios, Mochacho! Despite my "schtick" of being a Starbucks fiend, I've noticeably reduced my trips there, and when there, I've taken to getting a "tall" whatever rather than a "grande" unless the need is extreme. I've always done the skim-milk-no-whipped-cream routine, so there's not much more I can cut from there short of going cold turkey.
- Build a Better Breakfast. I've started cooking myself a couple of small slices of ham and two eggs for breakfast, instead of the ol' Pop Tarts -- which I was never all that fond of but just sorta did for convenience. While it's taken some forcing to take the trouble, now that I've gotten used to it I'm rather enjoying it, and it has the added benefit that I don't get as hungry for something else an hour later. Also, I'm told that a man cooking breakfast is totally hot, and I certainly need all the help I can get on that score.
- Snack Switcheroo. Posit: The docs say I need to drink more water. Further Posit: I'm too prone to eating snacks. Conclusion: When snack attack hits, drink water instead. This is the main one that actually takes discipline, 'cause I hate water, and I love chocolate.
- Bye Bye, French Fry.
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lythandra and I both have radically reduced the amount of fries and/or chips that we eat. With a few exceptions, we haven't missed 'em. - Back to the Bowflex. This is one that I've been meaning to do since September, but by the end of the workday I've been so pooped that I just haven't had the energy. I've been periodically doing pushups and crunches in the morning, which is better than nothing, but is just a drop in the bucket. But last night, I put together a routine and got on the Bowflex, finally. =) I worked up a nice sweat and pushed some of the shoulder & back exercises in particular. It felt really good to get some exercise again -- I really miss it when I'm not getting it. My current plan is to try for 30-45 mins on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, and 45-60 mins on Sunday morning.
My body is weird -- it responds very quickly to exercise, but it responds even more quickly to lack of exercise. As long as I pay attention to it, and keep to the regimen, I lose weight and gain muscle quickly. But the moment I stop, blorp, I'm back to being Mr. Flabby. Gah! So the key is to find an exercise that I can actually keep doing without knocking out the strip and/or the rest of my life. I did the Kung Fu for two years -- surely I can do the Bowflex (which is less exhausting and more flexible) just as long.
I'm thinking that I'll start doing The LJ Workout Report on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday -- if nothing else, not wanting to post "didn't workout today, I suck" in my LJ will help keep me at it. ;)
-The Gneech
