Great Press!

The Rocky Mountain News wrote about 30 Days and even quoted Jessica's blog!!

day 18

So I didn't make it to the gym on Saturday, mostly because I was tempted by one of my favorite bands, Slim Cessna's Auto Club to stay up a bit later than usual, resulting in my sleeping in later than I planned.

However I pushed myself really far on Sunday. I ran the 5k for the inaugural AIDS run. I did alright for the first mile, and ran it in just over 11 minutes, but after that I wogged a lot of the remaining two miles. I'm just pretty darn proud that I made it to the finish line- and wasn't last!

The rest of the day was packed (baby shower, burlesque lecture, practice) and all I wanted to do is lay down for a nap throughout the busy day. I did get to sleep fairly early and after a good night's rest, my legs are pretty tight this morning, but I'm feeling pretty good.

That said, I am really, really glad today is a rest day!

In other news, I've lost 5 pounds! I noticed in New York that my costumes were fitting better, or were a little loose. It's amazing what just getting off my bum a few times a week will do! I have luckily got my dad's super swift metabolism, so even a bit of activity really kickstarts it.

My challenge today is to give up my top 2 food vices. I'm kind of stumped. I eat pretty healthy, even when I go out. I guess giving up dairy for a little while wouldn't hurt. I gave up milk (except in the occasional coffee or tea), but I've been indulging in a lot of cheese lately. So dairy will go and......umm.....I guess sugar? I've been really good, though I do sometimes catch myself putting a spoonful in my tea. So dairy and sugar go....as soon as I finish my mac'n'cheese lunch!

Lost Weekend

Whoa! Where did the last week go??

So I took the challenge on day 16 and worked my bum off at the gym. As promised by my unofficial trainer, Jean, I was in pain 2 days later.

However some of that might have been due to the 5 story climb to the apartment we were staying at. I really should move to NYC and find a top story apartment with no elevator. I'd never have to work out again.

I did spend the long weekend walking a ton, climbing the aforementioned stairs a few times a day and dancing a ton, so at least it wasn't a sedentary beach vacation like Mexico was. I'm going to try and pick up where I left off, at day 16 and make tomorrow day 17 so I'll be getting up to run in the morning.

I've really got to push myself tomorrow to get ready for the 5k on Sunday. My pal Cindy is also feeling woefully underprepared, so we'll be buddies in the race and straggle along behind, together.

No Pain, No Gain!! (day 15)

Last night at the gym my new pal, super helpful guy and unofficial trainer, Jean (there's some kind of city ordinance banning trainers from city gyms), helped me figure out a good workout pattern with the machines and suggested something that seems totally brilliant to me: When you're starting out, rather than working your whole body at once and putting your whole self into a world of pain- only work one half.

So last night I worked my arms and my abdominals. Though I can definitely feel it every time I lift my arms, I'm not crying like I would be if I had a full body of soreness! Tomorrow night I'll be working my legs and again Jean said he'd help me out. Though he warned that he'll be putting me through a workout that I'll be feeling for a few days after. I told him I'm ready for it! No pain, no gain!!

A few weeks ago I decided to sign up for the Colorado AIDS Run. I did the walk with my lady friends from LUPEC last year and with a little inspiration from my superwoman-like friend J-nine I decided to kick it up a notch. My challenge today is to sign up for an athletic event (done!) and work on a goal. My goal is to just finish the race. It's only a 5K, but 3 miles is still seeming like a lot.

If you want to make a donation and support me and my LUPEC team- my donation page is here!

Labor Day Weekend

I'm already starting to wonder how I'll continue all this while I'm out of town in New York this weekend, so I started doing some research.

Initially my girlfriends and I were staying right by Central Park, so I was confident that I'd have no problem motivating myself to head out into that gorgeous greenspace. Then one of the gals NYC friends offered us her swank apartment for the weekend while she's out of town.

It's down in the East Village, which I love, but wasn't sure how jogger friendly it might be. Until I found the site for the Central Park Track Club. They have tons of runner friendly areas in NYC, including a track in East River Park, just a few blocks from where we're staying!

I also found this cool running tourism program, Run NYC. I'm not yet in shape for any of the runs they offer, but it looks really cool!

Now I just have to find a gym near the apartment and I should be all set!

Getting off my tush! (day 14)

So I didn't run last night...but I did run this morning.

It's weird- I just kept taking on other projects last night and ignoring my plan to run. It's like some big part of me really didn't want to go.

At night I get so resistant to exercising, as if I feel like I need a break after working. Though after a day of sitting at a computer, what I really need is to move around.

I do seem to be able to trick my brain into exercise early in the morning, when it's not quite awake. I put on my shoes and clothes, head out the door and before I'm fully awake, all of a sudden I'm out on the path, pounding the pavement.

This afternoon I am determined to hit the gym again, this time a bit earlier so I've got plenty of time to go through all the sets. I'll stop in at home, change and head right out. If I sit down, I know I'll get stuck there.

I need some serious motivation retraining!

Do over? (days 11-13)

Oy. So I didn't make up the challenge I missed on Friday this weekend- in fact I never cracked the book all weekend.

Strangely though, I did accomplish Sunday's (day 12) challenge completely by accident. We had dance practice on Sunday and I was moving for well over an hour, so I did get it done!

Today I'm supposed to choose a reward for all my 'hard work'. Don't really feel like I deserve it, but I am promising myself that if I stick with it I'll reward myself. This weekend I'll be in NY and if I make good on my commitment to the 30 days, and work really hard this week I'll let myself do some shopping at my favorite store H&M.

I did finally get over to Target today to pick up a yoga ball to sit on at work. The balancing is made slightly easier by holding on ot the desk, but I can feel my back and legs getting a nice little workout...and it's fun to bounce up and down every once in a while!

I also bought a gadget to help me when I run- to monitor my pulse and let me know how far I'm going. Tonight I plan to try it out after work. And tomorrow night I'm heading back to the gym! Got to start working it again if I want to earn my reward!!

Friends at the Gym (day 10)

Planning around my own schedule is hard enough- planning around my friends' schedules is sometimes even more difficult.

My challenge today is to hit the gym with a friend. Luckily I'm really psyched to go back to the gym- and hang out with my soon to be friends from my 'hood!

Unfortunately that's not going to happen today. I'll get home about 5:30 and then I'll have an hour and a half to do my hair and makeup and then head to the theatre for the call time for the show I'm in tonight. But tomorrow....there's always tomorrow, right?

I'm also going to get up and run tomorrow. Still haven't had time to hit Target for a heart rate monitor, but I'll do the same walk/run combo I did the other day and that should keep me from overworking myself!

Fidget (day 9)

Most of my job is spent at this computer behind this desk. I get out occasionally, I try to get up and wander around the office to rest my eyes and get my circulation going again, but mostly I'm here.

Jessica told me a while ago that sitting on a yoga ball instead of a desk chair keeps a body moving, so it burns calories and it improves posture, which my slouchy self could really use. So tomorrow I'll be bringing in a yoga ball to try it out!

Play! (day 8)

I got up and ran/walked today. I need to get myself a heart rate monitor, but for now I'm just not pushing myself too hard, trying to regulate myself and not get my heart rate up too high.

The run was great, but now, even though I ate a good breakfast, I want to eat my lunch early! I'm starving! Exercise definitely revs my hunger! I think my body wants to replace all those calories I burned this morning.

Today my challenge is to do something fun, to play the way a kid does. Tonight I won't be climbing any trees, but I have practice for our Tahitian number, which is a lot of fun, especially since I get to dance with my friends in the troupe. It's always a good time.

I love the gym! (day 7 continued)

So I made it to the gym yesterday, and even though I thought it was going to be really scary- it wasn't scary at all!

I have always had an affinity for the city gyms. They're 'Recreation Centers' and they really are community centers, where people from the neighborhood hang out, gossip, take classes, and meet up.

Signing up was easy and the ladies at the front counter who took my picture for my gym pass complimented my smile. I was a bit confused about the machines, but this really helpful guy taught me how to use the machines, how to add weight and how to change the positions of the machines to work out different muscles. He used to be a trainer at Bally's and he works out at the gym just about every day and told me that I should feel free to ask him if I have more questions.

I was only able to stay for 1/2 an hour as I'd misread the hours online, but that was enough time to try all the training exercises in the book and end up with a little soreness in my super weak arms. Next time I'll know how to use all the machines and be able to complete the 3 sets.

On my way out a lady I'd never met told me about a good deal at the Dollar Store on makeup! I love good deals, and I love the gym!

Wrapping my brain around those wacky calories (day 7)

Writing the above title I was reminded that bacon was a big feature at the party I attended last night. Especially bacon wrapped shrimp, which even when unwrapped, makes the shrimp taste like bacon. Yuck.

Anyhow....I signed up for this cool calorie counter site that has a super easy formula for inputting all the stuff you eat in a day and telling you how many calories you consumed.

I found out I have a healthy BMI: Based upon your current Body Mass Index (BMI) of 22.1, you are currently classed as at a healthy weight.

I think I mostly want to trade flab for muscle and stay around the same weight. Today my calorie intake (I already know what I'm having for dinner, so I counted that too) will be 1,236, far less than the recommended 1700 for my weight and lifestyle (which is mostly sedentary, sitting in front of a computer).

However yesterday I had Indian food for lunch, yogurt and granola for breakfast and then, as I mentioned, I grazed in 'baconland' last night- a 'meal' that included:
6 quarter sized mini sandwiches
a few french fries
a mini plate of mac'n'cheese
2 de-baconed deep fried shrimp on a stick
a de-baconed bbq shrimp
most of a chocolate cup filled with green tea mousse
4-5 creme filled chocolates
a tiny raspberry tart
a chocolate mousse shooter
a spoonful of pistachio creme brulee
ceviche
rice pilaf
a grapefruit vodka drink
a chai bubble tea

They were all small portions (except for the chocolates), but jeez, that totally busted my caloric intake for the day.

My weakness is free food. I feel like I HAVE to eat it. It's a necessary thing- food, sustenance, that I'm getting for FREE! Free clothes, free books, free things are great, but free food is the absolute best. And I can't control myself.

I'm going to keep up my 'calorie diary' at www.calorie-count.com and try and break some of my bad habits and crazy episodes of stuffing my face when money is no object.

Excuses (day 6)

I feel lame about this, but I have to put off today's challenge until tomorrow.

This morning I tried to get plates for my car (but forgot one document, Doh!), stopped by the bank, and tonight a friend is getting me into the events conference at the convention center where I'm hoping to make some connections for work, then I need to finish my stories for Westword .

Tomorrow looks better, though the challenge is weight training and I'm feeling a little intimidated by my lack of knowledge. I'm supposed to use a "knee extension machine", a "fly machine" and a couple of other machines I've never seen or heard of before (mostly because for me, "working out" has always been biking or boxing or some kind of class). Michelle does have a link in the book to a helpful site that has pictures and explanations of most of the machines, so I'll check that out.

Tomorrow's challenge is about calorie counting, so I should be able to do that and still fit in the weight training!

Running (day 4 & 5)

The run yesterday was actually really lovely. I woke up late, but it was still cool and a little rainy. Perfect weather for a run! I took my pulse just after I started, and my heart rate was a little over my target heart rate, and when I took it again at the end it was really close to my maximum heart rate. It seems a little high, and according to the training zones listed on this page it is. Next time I'm going to add a little more walking between sprints to try and stay in the aerobic/anaerobic zone.

Today I'm starting a sort of diary of my health that I'll record each day at the end of my entry. I'll write down what I ate, what kind of exercise I did and how I felt that day. So I'll update this entry at the end of the day!

Update:
I had a breakfast bar, a cup of tea with milk and splenda, leftover Thai food and I made grilled eggplant parmesan (on the BBQ) with spaghetti and salad for dinner. Delish!

I also rehearsed the Tahitian number for our upcoming show, and that was quite a workout. You have to keep your hips going the whole dance- fast, then slow then fast again! I'm still feeling it a bit in my thighs and waist.

I did some major grocery shopping this afternoon and planned out a few meals. I'm really glad I did that. Tonight, cooking for myself and a couple of friends felt really great. I feel so much more connected to the process of eating, when I make good, healthy meals for myself instead of throwing things together or eating out.

Reading the instructions is helpful. (day 3 continued)

One of my father's favorite expressions is, "Did you ever hear about the little girl who couldn't afford to pay attention?"

I guess I was a bit short on cash yesterday, because I failed to notice that my run should occur on day 4- that's tomorrow. Duh.

Tomorrow will be much easier to fit in a run- it's a Saturday and I've got stuff to do, but they're all loose plans.

So today I need to figure out my resting, maximum and resting heart rate. It involves a bit of math, which I'm not a big fan of, but I'll suffer through ;)

Resting= 78
Maximum= 193
Target= 154

Whoops. (day 3)

So when I was looking at my daily schedule, searching for time to fit in fitness, I kind of forgot about this little thing I have that often takes up my time, makes me stay out too late and then sleep in. My social life.

Last night I performed in a weekly variety show at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret. A couple of friends came out, the audience was terrific, I was having a great time, and before I knew it, I had a couple of drinks in me and it was 11 pm. And I had promised myself to get up and jog at 5 am.

I did set my alarm as I slipped into bed at midnight, hoping I could somehow still make it up for the run. Predictably, as my clock began to beep, I hit the off button, rolled over, and didn't wake up again until my cats' insistent meowing for breakfast forced me out of bed around 6:15 am.

Now I'm hoping that it doesn't rain too hard this afternoon so I can try again for the run after work.

However, if it does pour, I've got a backup plan. Another choice on the list from the book is 'aerobics/dance' and I have some seriously great, fast paced 1960's music that I can definitely rock out to for an hour and really get my heart rate up.

Either way I think I can still accomplish today's challenge.....I hope!

Jogging my memory (day 2)

First off, I've got to say I love the way Michelle writes. She talks about fitness in terms I can relate to, her words say what she knows we all feel as we try to get into an exercise routine. She makes me feel like I can get past all the things that have blocked me from success before.

My task today is pretty easy- pick an activity from the list in the book. I'm choosing running, an exercise that I have a pretty spotty history with.

My Dad was a runner, and when I was young I tried to run with him, but I had my major growth spurt pretty young and was 5'7 by the time I was 11. I was all limbs and my gangly-ness was emphasized when I ran. One time, after a kid's fun run, someone commented that I ran like a baby giraffe, like I was about to trip over my own legs. In Jr. High I was always struggling at the back of the pack when we ran a mile around the track.

After all that, I decided I was done with running.

Then last fall I started getting up early to walk the path around the park. Every once in a while I would jog a bit, and it felt good. The pounding of my heart, the stretch of my long legs- I loved it. However, like every attempt I make to exercise, I gave it up soon after. Fall was becoming winter and it was easy to make excuses about the chilly morning air.

This time I'm hoping to stick with it. I do have to be careful- my Dad ended up with a couple bum knees that ended his running (though they suspected it was all the miles he ran on hard cement paths)- and take care of myself. But I'm pretty excited to wake up early and watch the sun come up as I do laps around the lake.

Brain Training (day 1)

Okay- so here comes the hard part- looking at my day and finding places to fit in fitness-

Yesterday I actually had a couple of times I could have taken an hour and done a bit of exercise-
1. During lunch
2. After work, before I started working on my writing

My problem is I don't generally think to exercise. Not once yesterday did the thought of exercising cross my mind. Not once.

I'm really hoping that after a month of consistent fitness, it will become second nature. I want exercise to become a reflexive act, rather than an extra effort- I want it to etch itself into my brain, to become as much a part of my regular routine as brushing my teeth.

One more day!

I can't believe this starts tomorrow! I still need to pop over to the city gym and renew my membership, but luckily I don't have to start pumping iron until day 6, so I can procrastinate a little more!

Mexico was lovely, but I had a few moments when my body was really yelling at me to get into shape. My muscles were especially vocal after climbing this:

Ouch!!

Milkshakes and Mayan food

So the weekend wasn't as damaging as I thought it would be, though I still drank too many beers and ate junk (including a divine giant strawberry milkshake with huge chunks of fruit in it at Davies Chuck Wagon Diner...mmmm).

Tomorrow I leave for Mexico, for sun, fun and a vacation from all worries. Including my waist line.

Adios! I might give an update from Tulum...or I might forget that computers exist for 8 days. Bliss!

"Brimful of Asha on the 45..."

I actually fit in fitness yesterday! I had to meet my Aunt after work for dinner and then I got a ride from a fellow scooterist to pick up my scooter from Sportique (tail light was faulty). However I somehow still made it to a Bollywood Dance class last night with a couple of friends from my dance troupe.

If you've ever seen a dance scene from a Bollywood film it's extremely energetic and aerobic! The instructor did almost 20 minutes of just stretching before we launched into learning the dance (which was all about a bride in a garden dancing with a bee! Wacky!).

Then we went over to the space we rent for rehearsals and ran the Tahitian dance we're putting together for the finale of our show in September. The hip movements from that dance can really work up a sweat!

That's the kind of exercise I love- it's fun and it's almost like tricking myself into doing something good for my body. And I'm hoping it'll cancel out at least some of the damage I'll do to my body this weekend. Between the scooter rally and the Denver Post music showcase I've a bad feeling I'll be surviving on beer, whiskey and pizza most of the weekend....

Fitting in Fitness

TV is my weakness. I can sit down at 5 p.m. with The Simpsons and stay firmly planted on the couch until Letterman says, "Goodnight". I haven't even had cable in years, but I would still watch the thing, poor reception fuzz and all.

So I got rid of it.

That was back in April and I thought it would be a life-changing move. I expected that I'd suddenly find myself with lots more time, conquering projects that have lain untouched for years. I believed that I'd fill at least some of that time with exercise. But even though I felt like it was my biggest time eater that didn't happen. I seemed to just fill that time by further over-committing my self.

Even though Michelle Theall says in her introduction not to skip ahead, I'm unfortunately one of those people who can't wait. I want to open my presents as soon as I see them under the tree. I wanted to read all the books as soon as I bought them from the campus bookstore. So I peeked at the first day and I know that my first assignment is to write down what I did the day before and analyze where I could have squeezed in a bit of fitness.

Because every day is different for me, I'm going to start that challenge now. At the end of each day I'll look at the day past and try and see where fitness could have fit. I need that head start!

Jungle Gym

I have this weird aversion to gyms. I don't know if it's all the strangers sweating so near me, or the idea that someone might be watching me struggle with those weights and laughing at me as I nearly fall off the stairmaster. It's likely a combination of those.

Unfortunately for me, the first instruction Michelle Theall gives in her intro is, "Join a gym".

I do seem to hate city gyms a little less. It seems less 'Pro', less likely to be full of judgmental jerks who will silently critique my form.

So I'm going to renew my city gym pass and spend my time from now until August 16 (the start of my 30 days) trying to get over my fear of sweating with strangers.

Already nervous

I ate 3 cookies yesterday.

I used to eat stacks of cookies completely guilt free, but that was back when I was 25 lbs lighter and had toned and lovely muscles in my legs and arms.

Back then, exercise was just part of my lifestyle. I worked at active jobs, making ice cream, baking, slinging cappuccinos, shelving books, and my main transportation methods were bicycling or hoofing it. I took the bus only when the weather was terrible or the hour was too late to walk safely by myself.

I am already getting stressed out about fitting fitness into my now over-stuffed life. I know I'll have to shuffle things around, and some things will get lost. Unfortunately I'm afraid those things may be the tasks I like least- like paying the bills and cleaning the house- that need to be done the most.

Maybe I can get an intern. Do interns do laundry and clean the cat box?

Why I'm taking the "30 day" challenge

In the introduction of "30 days to get back in shape" author Michelle Theall defines the phrase, back in shape:
"Back in shape implies that one was once 'in' shape."

I was once in shape- I didn't own a car, so I biked everywhere, I was a really healthy vegetarian who cooked for herself and hardly ever went out to eat, and I did fun, active things like swimming, taking boxing lessons and walking for miles around Denver.

That was back when I lived downtown and was still attending CU Denver. Though I worked and went to school, I seemed to have a lot more time to myself- more time to stay "in shape".

Now I have a full time job, a commute, I write for a local paper, I'm a published author, I'm working on a new book, I run a dance troupe, I make costumes, I often perform once a week on top of producing bi-monthly shows for my troupe, I'm taking singing lessons and I have a house on a 1/2 acre plot of land. It's a little insane and definitely doesn't easily allow for a lot of physical activity.

I've tried numerous times to get myself back on a path to fitness. I know that I need to stick to something for longer than a week so it becomes a habit- but I can't seem to get myself to do that. Generally I join a gym, go a couple of times, and then forget about it. I find a new fun exercise video and even if I love it, I know it'll soon be collecting dust on the shelf. Last fall I started getting up early, heading to the park and jogging- it was wonderful, watching the sunrise over the lake, enjoying the quiet, but as usual, I stopped after a total of 5 or 6 jogs.

What I'm hoping this book and this blog will do is to give me a reason and a constant reminder to stick with it. I'm hoping people will read this blog and comment, encourage, and if I slip, I hope you'll feel free to get on my case. I need that- I want that. And I want more energy, I want to stop feeling so resigned to letting my body go south, and I want to fit into all the cute clothes hanging in the "when I slim down" section of my closet!

I'm heading to Mexico August 1-8, and Jessica will be at Outdoor Retailer August 10-13, so we agreed to start our 30 days on August 16. In the meantime, I'll be posting about my bad habits, what I want to change and I'll be learning "How to Use This Book" (as detailed in the introduction of the book) and figuring out what I need before I start.

So stick with me through this journey, let me know what you think and if you're looking to change your habits, pick up a copy yourself, follow along and try the 30 day challenge with me and Jessica.