MegsFitness on Nerd Fitness – Battle Logs!

I’ve blogged in the past about how much happier and more content I feel when I am following the core strengths of health and wellness – including eating well, sleeping well, exercising, and making time for personal goals.  So, it stands to reason that now, more than ever, I need to get back into the patterns of healthy eating, getting enough (and higher quality) rest, exercising, and making time for personal goals. 

This blog has become more of a personal journal for me, which will definitely incorporate health and wellness, but it’s always been about more than that.  For me, it’s been about recognizing the fact that my journey — whether it’s to weight loss, muscle gain, social changes, or family life — is going to be completely different from someone else’s journey, even if we share many of the same characteristics.  To that end, I still have every intention of maintaining this blog and getting back into writing about things that are fun, interesting, or relative to my personal narrative.  

My day-to-day fitness narrative is going to be captured at Nerd Fitness.  It’s a community of fitness-minded individuals and I really feel like that’s the sort of encouragement I could use at the moment.  What that means for the MegsFitness blog is that I’ll be cross-posting my weekly summaries here, so that at least part of this journal can resonate with the “-Fitness” part of the name 😀

I’m ready to get back to good.  I’m ready to lose weight, gain muscle, find my confidence, and conquer the world.  If you’re interested in joining The Rebellion, my “battle log” is found here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/52946-amis-last-first-post/

[Begin Crosspost]:

Name: Aminarra, aka “MegsFitness”

Occupation: Corporate Fleet Management Resolution

Previous Fitness Experience: 2 years on SparkPeople, 3 years with Weight Loss Warriors, 3 attempts at Weight Watchers, 1 attempt at Herbalife; 4 years high school strength training, 1 obstacle 5k, 10+ regular 5k Races, greatest weight loss 42lbs.

Current Level of Fitness: Sedentary.  It’s been 2 years since I’ve worked out consistently due to a severe back injury after the Warrior Dash.

“End Game” Goal: Working out 4+x/week, Settling at a healthy weight, ideally ~180, but more importantly having functional strength and physical health.

Short-term Goal: Begin working out 1-3x/week, at a beginner level to become re-acclimated to the fitness world. Begin reintegrating Paleo Lifestyle into eating plan  

Plan of Action:  Use Nerd Fitness to launch new fitness goals; integrate fitness guild with gamer guild for inspiration.  Generate weekly goals in the areas of nutrition, exercise, and personal.  Update status on goals at least weekly.

Outside of NF: 
https://megsfitness.wordpress.com/
http://www.vexxgaming.com/

Warrior Dash Recap

Ah, The Warrior Dash. This event is probably one of the best (and worst) events that I have ever completed. It was at Afton Alps ski hill in Hastings, MN. What this means is that between each of the obstacles, there is an uphill run. Over the course of three miles, you gain 377 feet in altitude. That’s okay, though.. we’re up for it–We’re a team!  We even have “matching tattoos.”

(I’m on the girl on the far right, next to the guy in the white shirt)

We arrived at about 9:30am and the place was already pandemonium.  Warriors from earlier runs were walking past us dripping mud from head to toe.  Music was blaring, and the next group was in the gate waiting for their wave to go.  The whole crowd was just frenetic.

We shot the group photo before I checked in my gear and then it was already time to go.

In the gate, we stretched out the best we could, we tried to develop strategies to stay together, Ramon got Dave to let him take his camera on the course so we could get some action shots, and then it was time to go!  Again, it’s at a ski hill, so our first “battle” was uphill, and then down a pretty steep hill to our first obstacle.  We had waded through hanging tires but that was more of a nuisance than an obstacle.  There were some people that could just barrel down the hill full tilt, but I had to be conscientious of my ankle (which I had broken going downhill in the past).  Between the uphill battle and the down hill care, I was one of the last people to make it to this beast:

The wall.  A lot easier than it looked! Until you got to the top.  I froze and just couldn’t get over because of my fear of climbing ladders. Yep.  You read that right.  I made it to the top and could not climb down the “ladder” on the other side. I decided to just go back down the way that I came except I kind of lost my grips and suffered a friction burn on my back as I slid down.  This race was off to a *great* start…. /sarcasm.

One thing that was *really* awesome about this obstacle, though, were the five people that I was with.  Two were running as Wounded Warriors  and they supported each other through and through.  The other 3 were in a group together as geeks and one girl was the weakest link.  She made it to the top and, like me, froze in fear.  One of her friends followed her up afterwards and pushed her bum for support so she wouldn’t slide back down.  Shouts of encouragement rained down from her friends and the rest of us there were moved to shout as well.  She, unlike me, made it over the wall with the support of her friends.  You could tell that they were more physically fit than I was, but they were loyal and supportive and you could tell that they were in it together.  It was so amazing that I hugged her on the other side and told her that she’s got true friends and should feel so loved.

Then I climbed the hill to the next obstacle…

Given all of my balance work on the BOSU ball, I nailed this obstacle.  They were high and scary, and very unsteady, but I conquered it 🙂 By the time I made it to this obstacle, I had also buddied up with a girl who was going a pace very similar to mine.  Her name was Jody and she had been talked into doing it by her daughter.  She got dusted by the group that she came with (same as me) but she was a Warrior bound and determined to finish it.

I rocked the trenches.  There were rocks and debris in them which was a hazard to the knees, but I only came out with a few scratches — at least I didn’t get caught on the barbed wire.

This obstacle was both easier and harder than it looked.  I made it to the top just fine but something about going over terrified me.  I just kept picturing myself losing my grip and plummeting to my death.  So I climbed up one side…. and right back down the same side.  I figured it was the same amount of work and should totally count.

There were many more obstacles that I don’t have good pictures of – over-unders where you have to hoist yourself over 4.5′ walls and then duck under a fence lined with barbed wire, a treacherous hill where you have to make it under fishing nets–I think the point was to army crawl, but it was down hill so most people just rolled–followed by crisscrossed barbed wire.  Again–I think the point was to army crawl, but as it was down hill, most people (including me) did a combination of rolling and crab walking.  There were a couple times where I thought I had cleared the barbed wire and I had misjudged it and became very thankful that I was wearing glasses.  There were “hurricane force winds” where they had multiple snow generating machines blasting you with water.  The mists felt good at first but as you ran through them the mist turned to sand and you were getting blasted.

There was a grueling portion of the track that led me through steep hills and switch back single-path trails.  At one point I was so winded and we had already started to get lapped.  I had to climb a rock and hold myself against a tree to let the better athletes pass me.. As I stumbled back on the path I just pumped my arms and told myself that there was no place to go but up.

Eventually, we were able to start our descent.  We jogged briskly and came to the funnest “obstacle” of all – a water slide:

At the bottom of the slides were indents from all of the other warriors who had slid before me and as I cascaded into the puddle, I was laughing and yelling with delight.  Best way to get down a hill ever.

The epic fire jump was shortly after this, but it was on a hill as well so that your left was lower than your right–making it that much harder to get ample lift.

I seriously felt as if I had started my feet on fire, though ;D  I was never so happy to see a mud pit in my life.  Surprisingly, there was little to no apprehension when it came to just crawling right in.  I had read a few blogs that gave advice on making it through the mud pit.  .. Namely, if it’s got enough water, you an float. I thought I was being all smart and just floating and pulling myself along (under barbed wire), but then they had a guy spraying people with a fire-hose… I was glad that I had tucked my glasses into my boob-pocket or they’d’ve been lost..

My parents were waiting for me when I got out of the pit.  I had warned them that they might get a little muddy, but I was still surprised when they gave me big muddy hugs and agreed to be in pics with me:

I reunited with my team from work for our victory photo… and then did my best to get cleaned up.  I think it took 3x shampooing to get all of the mud out of my hair.   Pro-tip:  Make sure to check your belly button for mud haha..

 

 

 

Preview of Warrior Dash Recap

I am working on the Warrior Dash recap – I was hoping to have better pictures before I posted, but that’s turning out to be harder to gather than I had hoped.  Still, though, the pics I do have are pretty awesome.  Stay tuned ❤

Time to get psyched up!

Cassie posted a blog yesterday(ish) about songs that power her through her strength training routine.  Well, today, I’m going to post songs that will be playing in my head as I power through the Warrior Dash! Then, please feel free to share YOUR favorite work out songs in the comments below 🙂

1. Imma Be – Black Eyed Peas

This one is going to get some strange looks and a few eye rolls, but I love the lyrics… it’s all about perseverance.  “Imma be takin those pics, lookin’ all fly and shhh Imma be the flyest chick (so fly), Imma be spreadin’ my wings, imma be doing my thing (do it, do it) Okay!”

2. Stand Alone – Godsmack

I am the only one who can control what I do, when or how.  This song becomes my motivation to do it–get over that obstacle and push your way through.  It gives me the feeling of raw power  

“I’ll never rest until I can make my own way, I’m not afraid of fading
I stand alone… ”

3.  Same in the End – Sublime

Fast paced to power through those sprints.

4. Shake it out – Florence and the Machine

“It’s always darkest before the dawn”

5. Cracks – Freestylers Feat. Belle Humble (Flux Pavillion Remix)

“Leave the past behind, just walk away.
When it’s over, and the heart breaks,
and the cracks begin to show”

Flowers and a mini-update.

I found this cute little library as Jeff and I drove to breakfast.  We had helped a family friend with a task and then we met up with my parents for waffles at Ihop.  It was a great morning!

I’m still swamped with school and work, so I apologize for neglecting updates.  In fitness type news I figured out that the problem with my back is a rhomboid muscle strain/spasms.  My doctor has got some stretches recommended for me and hopes to see me up-and-at-them in about 3 weeks or so.

The Warrior Dash is on Saturday and I found myself a jogging partner–his name is Mario and he’s fine with going slow 🙂

Class ends on 7/22.  I sincerely hope to update before then, but this course has a higher work load and is much faster paced than my previous courses.  As always, I appreciate your taking the time out of YOUR busy schedule to stop by and see what I’m up to 🙂

take care!

Feeling so lucky!

My goodness… Out of respect for my friend’s privacy, I’ll not be posting photos here, but I am seriously on cloud nine after visiting my good friend and her new baby.  She is so happy and her baby is so bubbly… I just couldn’t be happier for them 🙂 I love her system of baby care, too!  The table in her living room is all set up with a station for warming the wipes, a pile of cloth diapers at-the-ready, a wicker basket of extra diaper covers, etc.  and on the other side of the couch–a lined hamper to keep the soiled cloth diapers in.  The fabric burp cloth that she has is embellished with a fabric with a ‘monsters’ cartoon theme to it that just adds to the child-like whimsy.  AH! Love.

*Ahem*

Please excuse my reverie 😉

Besides having awesome friends, I also feel very lucky to be getting back into personal training.  Raise your hand if you remember me talking about the Warrior Dash… anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

Yeah, me too.  I kept telling myself that it was so far away and that I still had time, but here we are on the cusp of summer and the dash is just 4 weeks away.  I will be the first to admit that I. Am. Not. Ready.  Oi.  I am waffling about whether or not to even go, but I think that I just need to solidify in my mind that it is an event, and my life–both fitness and non-fitness related–with go on regardless of my performance.  Besides, the whole point is that it’s a *party* with an obstacle course thrown in.  I am sure I will psych myself up for it before the big day comes 🙂

Yesterday was day one of personal training with Emily, my new trainer.  Ramon is still a great friend and fitness trainer, but I got burned out.  I think that Emily just might get where I’m coming from and I feel like she can help me get to where I want to go.  She is big into form and function and so my first session was just getting the basics down so that she could see how I move.  We did things like Farmer’s Carry/Walk, static lunges, over-head presses, cable pulls, and squats.  The thing that I liked the most is that the warm up involved flexing muscles and moving joints that would actually be challenged in the strength training workout.  I have had injuries in the past, and she kept that in mind during the warm up and paid special attention to making sure that my previously-damaged-joints were limber and ready to work.

I think the thing that I am most excited about is that my session with Emily was spur-of-the-moment and inspired Jeff to start personal training too.  I didn’t have my workout clothes with me when I talked to her in the afternoon, but I was able to call Jeff and ask him to bring them to me.  Taking the opportunity for himself, he chatted with Emily about setting up some personal training for himself.  She is on the ball and didn’t waste any time.  I had talked to her at about 1pm that afternoon and she had a goal sheet and routine ready for me by 5:30pm.  Jeff talked to her at 5:30pm and she had a goal sheet and routine ready for him by 9:30am this morning.  Now, since she is officially training both of us, she put together a couple’s work out that we may be able to try this weekend.

I am really excited ❤

D2L, heavy on the D.

Nothing seems so out of reach as that which you have not yet begun. The moment you get started, the task becomes infinitely more achievable.

Take the first step and take it quickly. Dive in and get to work. There will be problems, but they won’t be nearly as insurmountable as they appear to be before you’ve even made the first attempt.

Action is what seals your commitment to achieving anything. The sooner you get started after deciding to do something, the more likely you’ll get it done. Even if the initial step is small, it is vitally important because it sets the direction for your momentum.

Act quickly, and then keep going. There’s always something you can do. Once you’ve started, and as you go along, you won’t just think you can do it — you’ll know that you already are.

I am so very thankful that my instructor posted that quote in the News section of D2L (Desire 2 Learn) website today.  I’m not sure I would’ve made it through the 7 out of 9 Orientation activities if he hadn’t…

I still have some reading to do and then I will be able to complete the obligation to participate in discussion and turn in the written assignment.  Happily, though, I scored 90% on the quiz without reading the text book yet.  I guess that’s due to the fact that I took Business Math a few years ago and currently work in a business environment…

Because of the hours that I had to spend tonight going through Power Point presentations, reading the syllabus etc. I have asked that Jeff consider setting up the other desktop at home.  We really don’t have room for it right now, but I don’t think I can wait for May for it to be set up.  I need to be able to do my work regardless of whether or not the roomie wants to surf the web or Jeff wants to game.   Of course, that means I’m even more bummed that I can’t get to the course content on my tablet…

I wanted to make an update about Phase 2 tonight, but unfortunately, it was skipped due to a clutch that went kaput.  Jeff needed a ride tonight and the fitness center closes at 7, so no-go on that.  Tomorrow, we are car-pooling and I am hoping to get a work-out in.  Maybe I’ll ride with mom and go to bootcamp…

Thanks for sticking with me 🙂 This is going to be interesting to try to juggle school, work, blogging, wedding planning and new addition planning a baby-shower for my friend April.

Phase 2 Recap

I think I have mentioned before that when I started my new job, I stopped working out.  When I finally asked for help, I rededicated myself to fitness and talked to Ramon about re-doing my Phase 2 routine.  Here is what he came up with:

On BOSU – DB Squat Thrust 15 lb
DB Chest Fly Ball 15 lb – Straight Fly w/ crunch, ball at mid-back
Cable Hamstring 12.5 – “The Skateboard”
DB Deadlift / Row 25 – 1:3 stiff-leg deadlift, row 3x, repeat
Med Ball Lunges Over – Orange ball, high-knee walking lunges
Wheel Walk – pull indd
KB Deep Squat 40 lb – Steps at a “v” + Kettlebell
Rope Tricep Ext – Split at top, return 1/2 way, repeat.

I  started this routine this week and like it quite a bit so far.  I was supposed to do the routine again today, but I have had an aching chest pain for the majority of the afternoon, and so I just did cardio instead.  Don’t worry, I think the pain in my chest (right-side) is related to the muscles in my back.  If it is not better by tomorrow, then I will call the nurse.

Exercise has been going well this week, but I have been in an “eat everything” mood.  I think it is probably just comin down from all those sweets on vacation! Lol.. I have still had sweets every day, but gradually less and less each day.  I can’t wait until my Weight Watcher’s meeting on Saturday.  Free “Reset Button”.

The Monster Dash is probably dashed…

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images

It’s probably a good thing that my camera is in the other room and the web-cam on my computer is disabled.. Otherwise, I may be tempted to post a pic of my current predicament.  See, my nose has decided that it would like to run a mad dash… We have no Kleenex or other facial tissues in the house to speak of, so I am using toilet paper.  It happens to be the Charmin Ultra Strong (because that’s what was on sale…)  It works fine for the loo,  but it feels like 80-grit sand-paper on my poor nose.  The solution?  Instead of wiping my nose, I’ve just twisted a couple squares into a make-shift plug.  LOL  Yep.  Coming to you, live, from runny-nose-ville with a wad of toilet paper stuffed up my nose.  now that’s glamorous. 😉

Ahem.

 

So, as I was saying… I think Monster Dash 2011 might not work out this year 😦 My calves are still cramped up from Monday’s work-out and this cold that has come out of nowhere has me feeling pretty run down.  It’s probably not the best idea to go traipsing about in 40-degree weather with cramped legs and a runny nose.

There is good news, though!  Yesterday was the Health Fair at work and it was pretty freakin’ sweet.  I was most impressed with Memorial Blood Centers who came out and did blood-typing for free.  We’re about 80% certain that my blood type is A-.  Which is the same grade I averaged in high school… But, more to the point–only 6% of the population has type A-.  Even more interesting to me is that because I am type A-, I can only receive type A- or type O- (the universal type) if I need a transfusion!  Figure THAT one out!  If I can only get type A- (or o- but we’re omitting that part right now), then I should give A- while I’m healthy enough to help!  I have never donated blood in the past (because it creeps me out) but 1 pint of blood can save the lives of 3 people.  10 minutes+1 pint=3 Lives Saved.  Where do I sign up?!

Minnesota: http://www.mbc.org

Elsewhere: http://www.redcrossblood.org/

Also at the fair were other vendors showcasing healthy living habits etc.  I participated in a fitness demo to show off the Power Circuit class that our fitness centers offer on Wednesdays.  Even with my injured calves, I wanted to participate because 1) It was supposed to be beginner level and 2) I am proud of our fitness center and want people to feel comfortable going there.  Turns out, though, that Mr. Trainer wasn’t hosting a ‘beginner’ class.  He had all his regulars as the demonstrators, so he hosted an actual moderate/advanced class!  He had us doing 7 different stations for 1-Trainer-Minute each for about 45 minutes–in front of an audience.  At some point over the next few weeks a picture will crop up of me doing crunches on a stability ball with a 15 pound bar.

If you’re still here for the food posts… I promise, they will resume again shortly.  Tonight’s dinner was made by Mr. Roomie.  He prepared pork chops “grilled” on a cast iron skillet, brown rice and broccoli with a spiced gravy made of cream-of-mushroom soup.  The chops were tough, but the broccoli was good and the soup/gravy went really well with everything.  I don’t have a recipe for you yet, but from the Health Fair I will be posting recipes for State Fair Food Gone Healthy!  I have a recipe for Avocado Curds (as opposed to Cheese Curds), Chocolate Covered Banana (as opposed to Deep Fried Snickers), and The Best Cookie Recipe Ever (as opposed to Sweet Martha’s Cookies).  Stay tuned for that…

I believe that’s all for today 🙂 Thanks for subscribing and for reading.  I hope to be posting on Saturday to let you know about the Monster Dash–if I run it and how it went, and if I didn’t run it, and how that went.  Ta ta for now!

 

 

Warrior Dash Personal Training Phase 2

Here I am, on my bed, with my laptop scorching my left thigh because the processor gets too hot, wanting to post a blog for you and for the life of me not seeing the traditional editor.

Cue furious searching of WordPress.com and Google.com … and here we are.  Back at my lovely wordpress editor where I can switch back and forth between the visual and html editors until my heart is content…

Right then. So, I had Phase 2 Day 1 of my personal training for the Warrior Dash last night.  Mr. Trainer was relentless!  We did an odd sort of set, too.  My memory is a blur at this point for what all we did… Expect full details and illustrations once I get the list from him…

From fuzzy memory, I believe we started with walking lunges with bicep curls into an upward press.  Then I did deadlifts with a bar–back to back, 3 sets of each of those exercises.  Then, I did push-ups on TRX rings… swore I was going to lose my grip and face-plant into an exercise machine in front of me… Paired with that was the top-end of a power clean.  I forget what he called it, but instead of doing a full lift of a heavy bar and then using explosive movement at the top, we just did the explosive movement at the top.  Back and forth between those two exercises until I had 3 sets… Then I did an impact-resistance training move where I stepped up on risers with a medicine ball, jumped down (a foot on either side) and dropped into a squat so my bum barely touched the riser, then climbed back up–rinse, repeat.  I am forgetting an exercise here… The next pair were calf raises–neutral x10, toes-out x10, toes-in x10 (omg so freakin hard), paired with speed curls on the cable machine.  It is buggin’ the hell out of me that I have blanked out one of the exercises.

I think the reason for the blank-out is because yesterday was an emotionally taxing experience.  I’m over-tired from all of our travel recently, dehydrated, and jealous.  I spent what moments I could yesterday talking through my feelings with Mr. Trainer because I fully believe that your emotional well-being has a direct influence with your physical well-being.  Even if he’s not a professional in that field, he’s a good guy and a good friend, so I felt better after my workout. Muscle cramps notwithstanding.

Today didn’t start off so badly, but as I write this, with my legs straight out in front of me, I feel the pull in my calves as if they are on fire.  Or as if they -were- on fire and now they are over ice.  It’s a crazy feeling and hard to describe to someone who has not experienced muscle cramps.  It’s like a never-ending charlie-horse except I can move my feet.  My shoulders were cramping up yesterday too and I can feel the soreness from those cramps, but at least the muscles have relaxed a little.  My quads and biceps are sore today, but not unreasonably so.  I’m pretty happy about that 🙂

I was out of town again this weekend and so a dinner menu has not exactly been made yet.  Yesterday, dinner consisted of left-overs…. Specifically the left over fajita veg and chicken added to a packet of rice for a one-pot-wonder.  Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) tonight’s dinner was also left-overs.  I finished off the last of the Kale Soup (so good!) and the rest of the roomies had the rice-dish for left-overs.  Tomorrow, Mr. Roomie is going to make Carbonara with a side of asparagus.  On Thursday, I’m going out with my buddy whom I have not seen in quite a while so we’ll probably have dinner out.  I believe Pork Chops with a side of Veg may be on the menu for that night.  On Friday, there’s no plan yet, but if you chime in we may consider something new 🙂 Maybe something in the slow cooker…

From here, I leave you with pictures from my most recent adventure–a trip to Chicago to see Evanescence in concert (with The Rival Sons and The Pretty Reckless):

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