Three Times the Effort, Three Times the Pain

Image from Becoming Who I Want to Be

I have the next post from the family triathlon ready to post- I'll probably put it up tomorrow (Sunday) but wanted to give some updates on other things previous to posting the next leg.

So- classes start again on Monday- and I seriously already have books to read and papers to write and the dag-gone term hasn't even started yet.  Anywho~ I wanted to let you know of an addition I made to my page.  If you go to the main page of my website, there is now a tab labeled "Brutus the Trainer"...  he has his very own section now on the ole blog.  He will be doing "Ask Brutus" segments about exercises, proper form, and pretty much anything else he decides to blog about that is exercise related.  He also graciously gave me a picture to put up (not in a speedo ;-)  ) as well as his contact information in case anyone in the Chicagoland area is interested in hooking up with him.  (I mean, in a trainer/trainee sense of the word-  not the "other" interpretation of the word :stinkeye: to the one who did a google search for "Brutus in a Speedo" )  The link to his spot on MY site is HERE  if you want to skip my page and go directly over to his site.. you can click HERE  

Speaking of Brutus-  and yes, even though I can safely call him "Will" now (which I do when we're training- except when he decides to be brutal and then I tell him he is Brutus the Brutal)  Ive been referring to him as Brutus for so long now, that when discussing him here, it seems weird to refer to him as Will.   But anyway, since the Tri is over and school is about to start, Brutus decided it was time :sound the trumpets:  Evaluations!!! (:half-hearted clap:) -  I personally think the only person who is excited about evaluations, is the evaluator-  not really ever the evaluatee...  and meeting with Brutus the Brutal not one, not two but THREE times this week=  exhausting.  I think every musculature in my body hurts. I have discovered (through the avenue of pain and ache) muscles that I did not even know I had, or would have even ventured to guess existed.

This was also the first week I ever had back-to-back meetings with Brutus the Brutal...  and seriously, after two days with him I was crying, then one day of rest and today was a full on beating not just an eval...and I think today and tomorrow are pretty much going to be Aleve dependant days.  Personally I think that when he went and looked at his evaluations he was like "Hmm, Millie's been holding out on me... I can push her much harder than I have been"  and decided to go for broke.  And let me tell you, not only did he go for broke, but he overdraft the account.  I was DRENCHED-  and I mean like my kelly green Notre Dame tshirt was Oregon Ducks Evergreen by the time I was finished with the workout.  AND not only that, but my red face lasted until at least 11:00- maybe even longer.  It was a hard workout...and trust me, I am feeling it.

Not only was I put through the rigors of a 2 day evaluation (of which I think I did pretty well- especially considering how HARD the brutal one worked me today)  but have also been put on a new "Lean, Mean, Triathlete Machine" diet  lifestyle .  We'll see how well the restricted calorie intake, and having to say goodbye to my favorite food group- the carb- fares.  I mean, no pastas at ALL- not even the Barilla multigrain ones I have been eating.  Being an endomorph sucks, seriously.

I think I'll survive on the no sugar thing- I mean it's been two weeks- and though I have stepped slightly off the path since the Tri finished (to enjoy a pop at the movie theater, and a few samples of chocolate from my friends new Dove Chocolates Business venture)  for the most part- I am avoiding processed sugars.  So really its just finding alternatives for lunch and dinner that don't have so many carbs in them.

Also, this week- now that evals are over, I'll be starting the Couch to 5K program to train to run the Have No Mercy 5k  in October.  If you are interested in being part of Team Millie Tris  and run with me in the 5K I would love to have you!  :)

So, those are the updates for now.  I think I may pass on the homework for today and spend some "recovery time" on the couch with some Pay-Per-View  :)

Jelly Belly

Oh. Em. Gee.  Brutus worked me to the CORE today.  And seriously, whilst working ON my core, he worked me TO my core.  Yowzers.  Mama's gonna be a world of hurt in the morning, I can feel it.

I hurt my knee.  It's been giving me problems for sometime-  but somehow over the course of this past week, my knee has decided to act like a two year old that didn't get what it wanted- and throw a temper tantrum.  So, because my knee complains every time I suggest it do something slightly harder than moderate- I have to dial back the intensity of my lower body workouts until it decides to come out from time-out.

So, instead today, Brutus decided we would work my core-  oh yeah and some arm stuff too-  but really my core got the brunt of the punishment.  For most of the workout-  we did repeated circuits-  five of them. Yes.  Five.  Though really I shouldn't complain since last time I worked out with him, he made me do six, and I was soaked in sweat by the time I was done.  So, technically with five, I got off easy-well sort of-  but don't tell him that.  Most of the things we did we regular old trainer stuff, so I won't bore you with the gritty details.  But two exercises that were new to the Millie/Brutus routine tonight:  Around The Worlds (that's what I call them anyway-  I'm sure Brutus has some trainer-techy term for them-  but for me, Around the Worlds works)  They look like this -  okay never mind- Ive spent the last twenty minutes trying to find a picture to no avail... so it's imagination time peeps.

You take a weight (mine today was a 12 pound medicine ball-  Brutus' Significant other uses a round weight that would typically go on the end of the Bench Press Bar.)-  so Brutus had me take the weight and starting on one side, rotate it about my head from side to side in a circular motion.  It works your arms, but you really need to be tucked in (abs wise) to keep the motion going.

Oh yeah, and I forgot I got to play with a Kettlebell too....  that worked the abs as well.


After we finish with our five circuits  I'm thinking "hot dog, I'm done early"  but of course not...  Brutus decides to take one of those big Swiss balls with the sand in them- which I usually SIT on- and play catch with it.  And not just any kind of catch oh no, the twisting throw cross ways and then good luck trying to catch the one Brutus throws back-  kind of catch.  Holy moly- I think we probably tossed it maybe 20 times... and seriously after the 20th one  I was WIPED OUT.

Now,  three hours later, my stomach feels like jelly and I seriously think I am going to be hurting in the morning.

BUT-  you know I love it  :)

A Word From Brutus Regarding Modifications- Legs

Hey "Show Me Your Guns" Participants!  I have a new post from Brutus regarding Lower Body Modifications:

Hey Everyone,

 

Today we're going to cover lower body exercises and their modifications.
 

First we have the Squat: Squat 

Dumbbell Rear Lunge: Dumbbell rear lunge
 Good Morning: Good morning 
Leg Extensions:Leg Extensions 
Leg Curls:Leg curls 
Seated Leg Curls:Seated leg curls 
Stiff Leg Deadlift:Stiff leg deadlift 
Hack Squat:Hack Squat 
Leg Press:Leg press 
Glute Bridge:Glute Bridge 
Standing Calf Raise:Standing calf raise 
Machine Seated Calf Raise:Machine seated calf raise 
or Barbell Seated Calf Raise:Barbell seated calf raise
 Modified Stiff Leg Deadlift with Dumbbells:Modified Stiff leg deadlift with dummbells 
Back Extensions:back extensions

The Dumbbell Rear Lunge, Leg Curls, Stiff Leg Deadlift and Glute Bridge are all great exercises to develop the Hamstrings and Glutes. The Squat is great for the entire leg while the Leg Press and Leg Extension primarily work the Quads. Some of these exercises might prove to be too difficult or cause some discomfort, for these exercises I have provided some modifications or alternative exercises. For the Good Morning, a great alternative would be the Back Extensions. For the Stiff Leg Deadlift we have the Modified Stiff Leg Deadlift. For the Hack Squat you can either use the Hack Squat machine, lower the weight of the exercise or do the Leg Press. Hope this helps everyone

Gonna Make You Sweat

Illustration from 10 Dans

This morning, I headed off to the pool for my normal morning routine.  Ive been realizing lately that my form, stamina and buoyancy are changing drastically.  I got out of the pool this morning, got ready for work, drove to work, and was probably a good half hour into my day before I finally stopped sweating.  Which, is surprising, because I didn't feel like I really beat myself up with my workout all that badly.  It was just an average workout or so I thought, but apparently considering the amount of sweating that I did, I worked out harder than I thought I did.

Fast forward to this afternoon.  A few weeks ago Brutus said to me, "When you're done with school-  we should add a mid-week workout to our routine so that I'm working with you twice a week."

Me:  Whimper. "Umm...yeah....a  second workout huh?....  Boy I'm gonna have to think about that one"  meanwhile I'm thinking in my head-  yeah like I'm about to get tortured twice in one week....  but alas, apparently I am a sadist, because I found myself at mid-week butt kicking numero uno this afternoon.

I forgot to bring my Fitblogger Weight Training Program with me to my workout with Brutus...  so, he decided instead to invent his own.  Yeah--- ...  I thought that the Fitblogger "B" workout was hard... the BRUTUS workout is a million times harder.  I mean, don't get me wrong I feel great, but seriously, I have never sweat that much in my entire life, I'm quite certain.  Ive been home for an hour and my hair is still soaked.  As are all of my clothes.  If I could find enough motivation to move from my position in the living room I'd probably 86 the sweaty clothes and rinse the sweat off, but I seriously can't move.  I have a feeling I'm gonna be hard core hurting in the morning.

I also wanted to mention that if you are following the SHOW ME YOUR GUNS  challenge  please keep track of the weights you are using.  I'm going to be asking for your starting weight and current weight at the mid point check in... and I forgot to tell you that last week.

So *thumbs up* for channeling my inner gym rat and getting all sweaty and grunty like the Muscle Heads :)

Oh, also-  someone asked if that is actually Brutus in the picture.  Yep-  it's him.  He cant have his likeness on any other websites other than the one for the gym,  so we circumvented the rule by posting only his body.  But that is in fact Brutus not some random muscle guy off the Internet :)

A Word From Brutus Regarding Modifications

Alright everyone, you've been training for a week now. I hope all of you are enjoying the exercises and feel great. Today we're going to cover modifications. Modifications are utilized when a particular exercise is too difficult or too heavy. A modification can be as simple as lowering the weight if you are using a machine, posting your hand on a nearby wall, posting for additional balance or changing the position of your body to make the exercise more manageable. A couple of examples of this would be the push-up and the bench dips. Below are links to see how to modify Push-Ups and Bench Dips.. When you’re doing a modification , don’t forget to keep your form in mind, as well as how you’re stabilizing yourself. Be careful not to lock your joints at any point, and stop if you feel any sharp pains. I’ll be back later on to show you how to modify the lower body exercises. Hope this helps.

Until next time,

Brutus


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyd6ivn9ZpU&feature=related (modified pushup)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPfHuRi2Zvw (modified bench dip)

Wait... I'm the Pace-Keeper?? :looks around:...Seriously?

After last night's meltdown a good nights sleep provided me with some clarity.  I headed to the pool this morning, because nothing makes me feel better than a meeting with my oldest friend (the pool).  And the pool delivered, as per usual.  The water was Swimming Commercial perfect  (and, in case you don't obsessively watch the swimming championships on ESPN and you've never seen a swimming commercial,  typically the camera would be the swimmer-  and it dives into a crystal clear pool, showing under water the glints of sunlight reflecting off the moving water, and with the sun shining and an empty pool, it was exactly that same feeling this morning.

I got a bit of a late start, so I wasn't in the water until 6:40 and the pool was EMPTY!  I was thrilled.  AND-  someone finally got  the message at Lifetime and turned the heat up on the pool (or, maybe it was the 5am Ironmen that warmed it up for me ;-)  )

I start doing my thing, and eventually the 7:00 swimmers start filing in and taking up the other lanes.  Now-  I need to take a bit a detour here, just briefly.

In competition swimming-  your coach, the professionals, the books, magazines, fellow competitors etc  tell you to always keep an eye on your competitors and pace them.  So, when you are competing, you are breathing both right and left so that you can spot each swimmer on either side. And you want to make sure you are always keeping pace with them.

Typically, when lap swimming, everyone is at different skill levels, but there is always that one person that everyone has sighted that they try to keep pace with- to challenge themselves.

As I'm swimming back and forth back and forth, I look around and notice that everyone is within ten or so strokes of ME!  *I* was the Pace - Keeper!  Now, it took me about 200 meters to actually believe that I was the pace keeper but sure as shit, every turn I made, there were four consecutive flip, flap, flap, flop, sounds ten, fifteen, twenty seconds behind me.

I don't think I've EVER been the pace keeper before.  Ever!!! But today!  I WORE THE YELLOW SHIRT (well, figuratively anyway).  Talk about riding high-  after coming to that realization, all of my concerns from yesterday just melted away.

:spins and tra-la-las with ribbons and glitter:

I had a really decent workout too.  I did just under mile in about forty-ish minutes.  Woot Woot!  And seriously, like I said yesterday- working with Brutus is helping my swimming immensely.  And not just in my stroke return (which as I said yesterday, is Awesome!)  but also just in my overall stamina and power.

So-  woot woot!  For being the pace-keeper!!  What an awesome morning it was!  :)

Brutus Answers Your Questions

So-  I received this question from one of our Show Me Your Guns participants:

Do you recommend using the machines or free weights?  What is the difference between the two (in regards to working out)?  Which will provide better results?  


And,  Here is Brutus'  response:

For weight loss I recommend using free weights. A lot of the body's stabilizer muscles are involved during every movement. This will help burn a lot more calories which is key when trying to lose weight. Also, it is easier to transition from one exercise to the next with free weights; again keeping the heart rate elevated and burning a high amount of calories. If free weights are unavailable or you simply do not know how to use them machines if used properly can also aid in weight loss. Grouping several machines and transitioning one to the next. Another option would be doing a set on the machine and then immediately doing an exercise on the feet like jumping jacks or running in place to help keep the heart rate elevated. Hope this helps. Enjoy. You can email me, or post any questions you have for Brutus.  He is as excited about this challenge as I am, and welcomes any [general] questions he can answer to help you on your weightloss journey.

Its Just One Of Those Days

It's just one of those days 

that a girl goes through

When I'm angry inside,

Don't wanna take it out on you.

Just one of them things.

Don't take it personal.

I just wanna be all alone

Ive been sitting here for a while, kind of stewing but not really.  I'm not really pissed per se, but I guess it really it just one of those days when you are your own enemy.  I've been singing the lyrics to Monica's "Just One Of Those Days"  as I took out the garbage cans (usually Mr. Millie does it, but he has class on Wednesday nights, and since I'm just sitting here stewing, staring at a blank screen for my final assignment of the term, unable to think of what I want to say-  I figured well, I'll take the garbage out.)  Since it was my rest day, I didn't do any working out today so it felt good to haul heavy cans down to the curb.  

Where are the yucky feelings coming from?  Well, first-  my yucky pictures for the Show Me Your Guns Challenge.  How I feel inside does not match what I look like.  And taking a good hard look at the pics, its really evident that I seriously took "taking the winter off"  to a whole new level.  :(  Working with Brutus these past whatever its been (6? weeks)  I feel SO different.  Stronger.  Better.  I just thought that it would outwardly be reflected too.  And, maybe it has, but sensible me says "you can't be Giselle Bunchin overnight"  the dreamer in me says "Well, yeah, but I *feel* pretty, I *feel*  strong  I *feel*  badass... why can't I look it?  And I can't tell you how many times today I have wanted to take those pictures down. Especially because that one post has had over   five hundred hits... and I just put it up last night.  The old, less confident me would be afraid that the link from last nights blog would be circulating amongst the mean girls with snarky comments to go along with it.  But,  as soon as the thoughts entered my head-  new Millie said "So what!  You're changing, right?  You put together a challenge to help and inspire people, right?  If you can't even stare at your own picture, how are other people going to feel inspired or less intimidated in ANY way to want to do the same?"  And, new Millie is right.   But, Old Millie has put up quite a fight, and done a number on the inside.

So...  against new Millie screaming and yelling and trying to put the imaginary brakes on the non-imaginary real Millie, I decided to weigh myself.  Thinking "All this working out with Brutus and the new diet, surely has had to have had some effect.  But, its night time.  My muscles are swollen and sore from last nights workout...  I knew it wouldn't end well....  and, it didn't.  Dumb.  Seriously, dumb.  So, three chocolate eggs (*shakes fist* at Mom and Mom 2 for sending us home with Easter Baskets-  and :bang head:  for keeping "just a little bit" for myself before sending it off with Mr Millie to give to his guys at work)  and a whole lot of self-loathing later...  I'm finally ready to acknowledge and accept.

I have no control over bad days, days where I feel ick.  I can control other people making me feel ick  and I can control how I react to people trying to do this.  I also can control how Old Millie creeps into New Millie's life.  

Even though I feel bad about myself-  I know that there have been significant Non-Scale Strides:

1.  I *feel* stronger -  and I have guns.-  small guns... like one of those cute teeny spy movie-like guns that the sexy sidekicks always have hiding in their elegantly bedazzled purses-  but, guns nonetheless

2.  This new way of fueling my body (8 meals, earning carbs, lots of protein and fiber)  is making me feel great.  Truly.  - I mean, aside from the slide into chocolate comfort today-and that it's only day 3- but still I feel like it's something I can really do and stick to.  

3.  The new strength has done amazing things for my swimming.  My stroke return is *amazing*  

AND, I can do 8 laps of Supermans without even batting an eye (  for the headscratchers-  a "Superman"  is a swimming move in which, you swim with your hands extended in front of you [clasped though so not technically spread apart like supermans]  and kick - as if you had a kick board but your arms are acting as your kick board instead.  It sounds easy, but really it's not.  Because you need lots of abdominal strength to keep yourself balanced (not jerking side to side)  as well as upright (and have the ability to lift your head out of the water to breath, or keep it above water for an extended amount of time).  

This move is great for core strength and developing your kicking (because most people improperly kick from the knee instead of from the hip) .   *note-  they might also be called different things with different coaches.  My swimming coach, always called them supermans, so that's what I'm going with.  I'm sure in Michael Phelps-ish elite circles they probably have really impressive technical terms most likely named after the Russian that invented the move  like a yeckchenkov  or something...but in the House of Millie- they're supermans.  

  

I'll Show You Mine If You Show Me Yours

My GUNS that is!  :)
So-  how is everyone doing?  Depending on whether or not you started your workout on Sunday or Monday, you are either one workout into the challenge or two.  For me, I've only done one.

Now I received the question " Do you recommend using the machines or free weights?  What is the difference between the two (in regards to working out)?  Which will provide better results? "


I'm not an expert so Ive forwarded the question on to Brutus, and will post his response as soon as I hear from him.  I can tell you though, that when we workout together, we incorporate both Free Weights and the Weight Machines.    When I worked out on my own for the Show Me Your Guns Callenge  I used the machines solely, but that was because the gym was PACKED  and the free weights that I needed were all being used.


The one thing that I wanted to suggest to all of you that I have found incredibly helpful, is an interval trainer.  I downloaded it to my EVO (Android phone)-  it was free.  I'm not sure if they have an app like that for Blackberry though Im sure they probably do, same with IPhone.  


Anyhow,  the reason I think it's beneficial is because you set the type of intervals you want (they range from 15 seconds to 90 seconds)  and then the rest period (same range)  and it will vibrate and make noise when you are supposed to start your interval and repeat when its time to start your rest. It also changes the color of your screen from Green to Red.  So its perfect for staying on target as your working out-  so as to make sure you aren't over working or over resting.  


So this was my first Show Me Your Guns workout 


I followed workout "A"  


Arms


Barbell Bench Press  -  15 lbs  -  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between
Barbell Bent Over Row-  I skipped because I couldn't remember how to do it :blush:
Seated Military Press -  20lbs  3 sets of 30 seconds each=  30 second rest in between 
Tricep Kick Back   40lbs  -  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between
EZ Bar Curls  Started w/ 35 lbs (was too heavy)  so I dropped down to 30 lbs for the next two sets -  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between


Legs
Squats -  with weighted balance ball -  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between
Good Mornings-  these scare me.. I'm afraid of doing it incorrectly and hurting myself.   I emailed Brutus to see if he has any other suggestions of moves to do in place of them, until I can run through this one with him.
Leg Extension -  23 lbs  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between
Leg Curl  -  60lbs (HOLLA!)  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between
Seated Calf Raise  - 35 lbs  3 sets of 30 seconds each-  30 second rest in between


SO-  that was my workout.  How was yours?  Did you find it easy/hard.  Are you feeling great/sore/inspired?  


I'd love to hear!


Also-  if you haven't given me your photos yet- I need them ASAP.  Anyone who hasn't sent me photos by Friday will be disqualified.




Here are my starting photos, so you guys feel less shy about sharing yours...  plz excuse the hot-messed-ness that I am sporting today :)

A Word From Brutus About Show Me Your Guns!

Hi all. This is “Brutus.”  Millie asked me to give tips and strategies to help you get the most out of the Fitblogger workout. The article providing the workout gives a lot of sound advice and I commend them for encouraging you to incorporate weight training into your weight loss program. I would however like to give some suggestions on ways to utilize the workout prescription outlined in the article.

First you should know that the basic format of the workout is that of a body building routine. The reason why this is because of what the repetition count suggests.  Sets with repetition counts ranging from 8-12 at 70-85% of the maximum amount of weight you can lift will encourage the body to make the working muscles bigger. If that (read: gaining muscle mass or body building) is not your goal, you may want to modify these numbers.

For a fitness /weight loss regimen, you’re going to want to do a high number of reps at an above medium weight intensity. Use a weight that allows you to perform 15 to 20 reps (with difficulty). It’s all a matter of trial and error- if you can’t do five reps, it’s too heavy for your goal. Drop down the weight and try again. After you’ve completed your exercises you will need time to recover before beginning the next set. A good method to how gage how long you should recover is by determining your RPE (rate of perceived exertion).  Your RPE is measured on a scale of one to ten, one being not tired at all, ten being exhausted wait until you’re at a RPE of 6 before you start your next set. Remember, you should not be able to easily do more than 20 reps per exercise per circuit.

 So now that you’ve figured out at what intensity you’re going to work at, you now need to figure out what to do. Below are links demonstrating how to do certain exercises from the FitBlogger workout.  What we want is to work as many muscles as possible continuously in order to maximize what weight training and cardio can do for the body. A perfect example of this would be circuit training. This training method is when you do multiple exercises back to back. When those exercises are finished, that would be one set. A good way to implement this would be to pick six out of the ten exercises listed between upper/lower body A and B. Then grab your necessary weights and dumbbells, run through the 6 exercises you’ve chosen, then rest until your RPE reaches six.  Perform each exercise back to back doing at least 15 to 20 repetitions per exercise. In the beginning, especially if you've never exercised before; take it easy. Perform no more than 2 to 4 sets. Also remember to get good rest between sets.

Hope these tips help. Look forward to more helpful tips in the future. Good luck and have fun.

Bench Press
Lat Pulldown
Barbell Bent Over Row
Military Press
Lateral Raise
Concentration Curls
Tricep Kickbacks
EZ Bar Curl
Bench Dips
Push Up

If It Doesn't Hurt You're Not Working Hard Enough

Yesterday was another sweat-producing, muscle aching, swear inducing workout with my buddy Brutus. And seriously, no one can bring out the sailor in me than Brutus and his favorite exercise-  the Figure 8 Squat.  Just thinking about that bleeping move summons from the depths of my insides a string of expletives that would make a Gordon Ramsay blush. :for the head scratchers, Gordon Ramsay is a British Chef who drops F-Bombs more frequently than he does butter in a pan.:

Thankfully (and seriously, I  tremble at the thought of mentioning this, because I know what it will mean for next Saturday)  I am not as tear inducing-ly sore as I was *last* weekend.  I can actually sit down with little pain today.  Though, my husband and I were shopping at the Outlet Mall today, and I carry a very large purse, which normally wouldn't even phase me.  However, after just twenty or so minutes of walking around the mall my arms were crying.  I guess I worked my arms out more than I thought I did yesterday.

While Brutus and I were chatting, he mentioned how sore he was from his workout the day before.  And I'm thinking "You're sore?  Mr 99 % muscle, I could bounce a quarter off your body and have it shoot into the atmosphere-  Not that I think about it mind you-  I'm married-  I'm just trying to give you the visual-  he's -built-  seriously, built. Anyway-  I said "wow, it's good to know that even super built muscle men hurt after their workouts too- not just out of shape huffy puffers."  His response,  if it doesn't hurt, you're not working hard enough.  Well-  I guess based on my pain, you can be rest assured Im working PLENTY hard.  P LEN TY .

I wanted to re-touch on some information that I did last week after my session with Brutus.  I was reading Eating Well magazine yesterday, and noticed there was an article on "3 Foods to Fuel Your Workout". It's a slight misrepresentation however, because when you open the magazine and get to the article (page 19) it's actually entitled "3 Ways to Pump Up Your Workout"  In the article, there is discussion of a study in the Journal of Physiology regarding eating and workouts (similar to the Shape article I discussed last week).  It says the same thing-  don't eat breakfast before you workout if you want to burn more calories.  However, this really needs to have a huge asterisk next to it.

As I said last week- Brutus says there is a difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercising.  Aerobic exercising is dependant on oxygen in the blood, so it does not need a fuel source in order to perform.  Anaerobic exercise (interval training/weightlifting)  goes to glucose/glycogen stores to deliver energy to the muscles.  What does this mean-  YOU MUST EAT before doing an anaerobic workout.  I ate a peanut butter/banana on 1 slice of multi grain bread and a slim fast (I was out of protein powder)  and it made a world of difference in my workout.  And trust me, Brutus worked me OUT.

I'm going to be announcing a challenge/contest in the next few days that will begin on May 1st.  It has some awesome prizes that I super geeked to announce-  and I really think that everyone will benefit from joining in the challenge.  I need to discuss some things with Brutus and tie up some of the loose ends on the details, but in the coming days I will be rolling it out- so stay tuned! :)

Brutus - The Return

Image from Curious Inkling

As I sit here, on my couch, on Saturday night-  all I can think of is thank goodness I live in a ranch, because honestly I think I would probably just sleep on a couch all night instead of going up stairs.  If the usb cable to connect my body bug wasn't in my office, I would be checking it right now to see how many calories I burned today.

I learned a valuable lesson today though, that before I continue on, I wanted to address.  There is so much information and misinformation out there regarding workouts and what you should or shouldn't be doing before you workout.  I read an article in Shape magazine not more than a week ago, that said if you workout in the morning and on an empty stomach you will burn more calories that if you eat beforehand.  I do this with swimming all the time - mainly because of #1 the whole "dont eat and swim" thing that all of our mothers petrified us with as children  and secondly, eating and then lying facedown in the water causes whatever I ate (even if its something small like a luna bar or protein shake) to pay me a little return visit as I swim.  Ugh its the worst.

Anyhow, I chose to sleep this morning instead of eat.  I did have a luna bar in my purse that I brought with me, but I forgot how to get to Brutus' gym ended up getting lost and forgot all about the bar.

Brutus' style of workouts is to keep the body in constant motion, doing reps of three or four different exercises.  I got through the warm up, finished my squats and was just about to move into the next grouping when I got *really* dizzy.  And had to stop.  I told Brutus about missing breakfast and how usually when I swim Im fine on no breakfast- and he explained the difference between aerobic exercising like swimming and working weights etc like I was currently doing (he used a workouty kinesology sounding word that I have since forgotten so at the risk of misrepresenting what he said, I;ll explain it in a broken down way lol)  But- he said that if you're planning on lifting weights or doing the type of dynamic, constantly moving workouts that we do, that you should be eating a carb and a protein before working out.  So I will definitely NOT be making that mistake again lol

I recovered, but had to tone it down a notch for the rest of the workout.  So, yeah - the workout was a tad dialed down, but definitely still got some form of workout considering that for most of the afternoon I spent cursing the fact that I am a squatter and not a pointer...  ;-)  (the act of sitting down certainly reminds me of just how hard I worked those muscles today)

We talked about focusing more on weightloss vs on Tri specific training.  Though we are still going to incorporate a lot of exercises that will continue to benefit my training in the off chance I feel ready for my event in 8 weeks.

I'm still tossing around the idea of the Run for the Zoo event that Lifetime is sponsoring.  A  5k through Brookfield Zoo sounds like a lot of fun!  I'm going to see how my scheduled Run day goes on Tuesday and decide then.