Category Archives: Training – fitness

Fitness Walking

Second Chances and Do Overs: Let’s Talk Fitness, Friends.

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Back in the days before I became a Stay-At-Home-Mom/teacher on parental leave/person without a fulltime job or baby – yet – (otherwise known as July), I was talking about making a commitment to regular exercise when I returned to work.

Uh, well, yeah.

I didn’t return to work and then we tore up the walls in the house and hired painters and I decided to rip the ugly carpet out of Ruby’s room without a plan and well, my commitment to fitness disappeared in a frenzy of the furniture-is-in-the-wrong-room-ness.

Can you relate?

In part of my fitness hiatus I’ve been spending a lot of some time on Pinterest. Hello, new eye candy.

Anyway, there are lots of words of wisdom on the internet.

Who knew?

I would like to think of this time as a second chance for fitness. In a lifelong series of second chances. It is my belief humans requiring exercise to be healthy and sane is a design flaw.

Amy over at Just A Titch has been writing about her fitness journey and she’s got some great ideas about food planning, getting hydrated and rethinking your body image.

Here’s what I’ve learned about myself and exercise.

I love it being done. I’m pretty lukewarm/chilly about actually doing it. {is your head nodding?}

I am a social exerciser. If I am by myself, I’m most likely not going or doing.

The weight room fascinates me.  Where are the women folk? I like lifting heavy stuff and feeling strong.

As it turns out, I like walking outside. Especially in the not-hot part of the day when it is light. I think they call it morning.

My gym is awesome because it is remarkably clean and has the best sauna/steam/soak spot. {Justifying the large price tag? Yes, yes I am.}

Now you – What are your fitness secrets?

What do you do?

Where do you do it?

Who do you do it with?

What time of day do you do it?

What motivates you?

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I’m feeling a bit lost in it all these days. Lots of time, lots to do, mostly just running things through my mind.

Please tell me your fitness secrets (or questions/complaints or whatever) in the comments. Let’s start a conversation.

Anyone want to exercise with me?

Images: click for source

Very Personal Ad #1

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I’m currently looking for some walking partners.

I’m not really interested in running.

Walking really fast, yes.

Running? Not so much.

I’d like to walk either from 6:00-6:30 am or from 3:15-3:45pm. Until mid-June then I’ve got more flexibility with times.

I’d like to walk in either Southside, Land Park or Curtis Park.

I’d like to walk every weekday except Tuesdays because I’ve signed up with a training group.

If you are interested in the group – check it out – and sign up to join me!

Please leave me a comment if you are interested… if those times don’t work, leave me some other times that do.

WWTD?

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What would Tami do?

The “old” Tami would scrap the whole Yoga+Music365 project completely because it’s been a couple weeks since she’s posted anything and because she’s having a really hard time keeping up with the overly ambitious music schedule.

Good thing the “old” Tami has been quietly noticing her patterns and has come up with a new “plan”.

The daily music was INSANE. However, I’ve enjoyed finding new music. I’m still going to post about music, just not every day or every week. I’ll do it when the mood strikes me.

The “old” Tami would cry in her beer because she failed to keep up with even a one-pose-a-day yoga home practice when she was sick knowing legs up the wall can pretty much cure anything.

The daily yoga really does feel good. It also keeps me thinking about self-care on a daily basis. I’m going to get back to it.

The “old” Tami would wish that she would have never gone public with her blog and would have felt like a failure because she didn’t realize her goals.

As it turns out, a daily blog project is pretty ambitious. Probably too ambitious for someone with a full-time teaching job and bonus yoga teaching job etc.

The “old” Tami would feel bad about herself because she got sick despite taking really good care of herself.

What can I say? I don’t mess around when I get sick. I don’t know why I seem to get sicker and stay sick longer than others, but I do. I’m going to try to stop freaking out about getting sick and maybe I won’t so often. Who knows? I’m exhausted by it all.

The “old” Tami would be embarrassed that she isn’t going to do the half-marathon after all.

Getting sick made me reevaluate my purpose for the half-marathon training: to do cardio exercise on a regular basis. Check! Plus I met some truly wonderful women in the process that have expressed an interest in continuing to walk together. Bonus.

The “old” Tami would have brushed off the epic hormonal meltdown last month and not called her doctor – AGAIN.

My hormones make me feel like an angry teenager sometimes. Did I mention the ANGER? Yeah, so I called my doctor and I’m going to try some pills to make my hormones behave more civilly.

The “old” Tami would have not reached out to friends, but turned inward until she felt better.

I have really, really amazing friends. Thanks for all the support and love.

Yoga+Music365 (day53) – Gone by Dwight Yoakam – (Half) Marathon Training – The Unexpected Edition

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When I signed up for the half marathon training I wasn’t sure what to expect other than consistent cardio excercise twice a week. The following are some of the lovely treats I’ve experienced during the training.

  • Nature early in the morning. We mostly walk on the levy and so we’re amongst the trees, shrubs and plants.
  • The BIRDS! Who knew seeing yellow-billed magpies would be so exciting? I think this all stems from my learning about these birds on our last class field trip to the Yolo Basin Wetlands. (In case you don’t live in the Central Valley in California, I’ve posted a picture below.)
  • The ease in conversation amongst strangers. Most folks signed up to walk with their friends. Me and a couple other women went solo and have found each other to be great company.
  • Saying walk out five miles and turn around sounds so much easier than walk 10 miles. I love the semantic game of the turn around and its ability to ease my mind.
  • I’ve been pleasantly surprized at my body’s recuperation. I’m really tired at the end of a long walk, but after a good home practice I feel fine. Even days later my body feels way better than I thought it would.
  • I’m really happy with my choice to walk, rather than push myself to run. Thirteen miles really is a long way, so however you get there is a big accomplishment.
  • Genuine hunger after training. It feels good to be thinking about how to fuel my body in training.

I’ve been struck by how much this training is a form of yoga for me. I’m paying attention to my surroundings, listening to subtle clues from my body, and not pushing myself beyond what I need at any given moment.

Yellow Billed Magpie

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Today’s yoga brought to you by the home practice! I’m teaching tonight, so I have to prep myself.

Today’s music is Gone by Dwight Yoakam.

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Don’t forget FREE Fridays at 4:30 with the new It’s All Yoga teachers (21st and X in Sacramento) – you’ve got to sign up online www.itsallyoga.com. 

I’m teaching 3/5/10 – so mark your calendar.

For the month of February, I’m teaching a Level 1/2 on Mondays at 5:45. Come join me.

TONIGHT is the last class in this series!

Yoga+Music365 (day39) – Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective – Fueling vs. Food Edition!

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Recently our half-marathon training coach spoke to us about the importance of fueling our bodies during training so we could know the best way to keep our energy up during the race. She talked about how it’s important to not only stay hydrated with enough water, but that every 45 minutes we’d need to eat something in order to keep going during our longer training days and the actual race. 

She brought out examples of all the kinds of racing fuel: gels, goos, beans, powders, bars. 

With each example, I felt my anxiety level rise and I felt slightly sick to my stomach. It all looked so futuristic. 

During my workout along the trail in Discovery Park, I thought about how I’m going to fuel my body during the race. I try not to eat a lot of processed foods and mysterious “food like substances” like Michael Pollan talks about in his book In Defense of Food – totally creep me out. 

Read this book!

 

I asked Jessica – the coach- during the post workout stretch if we were ever going to talk about food. She laughed and gave me the rundown: 100 calories made up of complex carbohydrates and protein for every 45 minutes of activity. Some suggestions: peanut butter on whole wheat bread, string cheese and cracker, a granola bar. 

Endurance race folks: What do you do to keep your energy up during a race? How do you fuel? I’m looking for other fueling ideas for training days, so please share. 

Foodie friends: Any ideas to make functional training foods that taste great? Please share your ideas. 

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Today’s yoga brought to you by the home practice! I’m teaching tonight at 5:45 at It’s All Yoga and I’ve got to prepare. 

Today’s music is Merriweather Post Pavilion by Animal Collective. 

Don’t forget FREE Fridays at 4:30 with the new It’s All Yoga teachers (21st and X in Sacramento) – you’ve got to sign up online www.itsallyoga.com.  

I’m teaching 3/5/10 – so mark your calendar. 

For the month of February, I’m teaching a Level 1/2 on Mondays at 5:45. Come join me.

The First Day of (Half Marathon) School

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Remember what it was like to go to a new school? The fear? The anxiety? The self-doubt?

Remember all those feelings of angst and what-if-nobody-talks-to-mes and what-if-they-are-already-friends-with-everyones and no-one-wants- to-be- my- friend?

That’s how I was feeling about going to my first day of half marathon training.

Just like every other night before school, I set out my clothes the night before. I set my alarm and went to bed early.

Unlike most night before schoolers, I slept fitfully. That’s one benefit of being a teacher, you have so many first days of school that you can now sleep well the night before because you have so much practice.

At the first signs of my alarm clock’s light (I have the Bio-Brite) I got up, got dressed and ate some tea and toast. The morning sky was covered in thick, wet fog and out the door I went dressed in my best Johnny Cash exercise outfit: black pants, black shirt, black jacket, black shoes and of course, a black hat.

I left 30 minutes before I needed to be there just to be sure I’d be on time and of course arrived 20 minutes early. Just enough time to look around the parking lot for a single face I recognized.

No one.

Hundreds of people and I know no one? Really?

All this time I was hoping that I’d know someone so I wouldn’t be the only friendless person.

And once again the universe answered.

Finally someone I knew!

Next time I ask the universe of something, I’m going to be more specific.

It’s a good thing the coaching is so great (I already got a useful tip!) and the other kids were so nice (thanks Lucy and Deana!) because otherwise it would be a long couple of months trying to ignore the only person I knew there who was trying really hard to ignore me.

Yoga+Music365 (day14) – Trouble in Mind by Hayes Carll

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Last night I attended the kick off meeting for my half marathon training. There were hundreds of people (or at least it looked that way) wedged into the Fleet Feet on J Street to hear all about our upcoming training.

I signed up for this right after Christmas while my jeans were feeling a little more snug than they should and before I started my Yoga+Music365 challenge. Plus I’m turning 40 the weekend after the race and what a better way to usher in my new decade.

Right?

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

I’ve never done this kind of thing before, I don’t know anyone and they kept talking about “injury-free” training.

Why have I signed up for something with a warning label?

I’ll admit it. My training schedule scared me. In the next 8 weeks I’ll be going from walking one night a week to walking 7, 8, 10, and 12 miles AT A TIME!

There is some good news in all of this. 

Instead of striving for a sexier group (read more advanced/competitive/cool), I signed up in the walking group. Believe me, this is  a huge step in my yogic path.

Stay tuned for more adventures in training over the next couple of months.

Today’s yoga brought to you by the home practice in Sacramento.  Damn dentist appointment.

Today’s music is Trouble in Mind by Hayes Carll.

Each Saturday I’ll share my thoughts on the music of the week in the MUSIC ROUNDUP!

Don’t forget FREE Fridays at 4:30 with the new It’s All Yoga teachers (21st and X in Sacramento) – you’ve got to sign up online www.itsallyoga.com.