Buff Report
Sep. 23rd, 2004 11:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cadfaelThe workouts are going well! I am not feeling the "buffness" I felt initially, though. Probably because my body is now more accustomed to working out and I do not "feel" my muscles as I did when I started. My muscles are getting harder, however. Yesterday I noticed a slight strut as I walked to the office from my car. I was reminded of my days on the racetrack when I was in professional-athlete form.
During my anaerobic workout I usually do a set of twenty curls with 35 pounds. Yesterday I did that set and at the end of the workout I thought I would go back and curl forty-five pounds as many times as I could. Ended up doing fifteen.
I do prefer the high reps and low weight than to high weight and low reps. I know, however, that when you stress your muscles they grow more quickly. The best way to achieve that stress is high weight.
I am disappointed that I am not losing weight as quickly as I would like. I seem to be stalled at 170. I desperately want to get down to 150 and then 135. Typical Aries - must do it fast! Bad, bad.
I have a hard time slowing down. I see myself making progress and I want it to go faster. Intellectually, I understand that my body doesn't respond in the same manner it used to, and that is a bit disconcerting.
Overall, however, I am feeling great. I can feel my body getting stronger every day. Now I really need to pay attention to nutrition.
That is another issue. Because of my racetrack experience, I discovered that I have an eating disorder. Back then, because I was a bit larger than most of the other jockeys, I had more difficulty keeping my weight below 100 pounds. Consequently, I found an MD who would prescribe amphetamines to help me control my appetite. Then, of course, I needed barbiturates to help me sleep.
One day, I realized that I would spend the next twenty years in this cycle. That and other events helped me to firmly decide to leave the track, go back to college and start a new life. I also quit smoking, cold turkey.
I also have a fear that I will miss a meal. Because I used to starve myself all the time now I typically overeat. Not good.
Jeez, I didn't expect to go into such detail! But, there it is. I'm a mess.
Before I forget, S., you asked about the machine I've been using, the cross-trainer. Go to the website www.lifefitness.com and look for the elliptical machines. It is call a Cross-Trainer. I like this machine because I can use the cardio program to enter my specs (age, weight, ego, etc.) and the computer will increase resistance until my target heart rate is reached.
BTW, S. gave great advice about doing the anaerobic workout before the aerobic to make it easy for my heart rate to get up to peak. I like it. And I've been stretching. I just didn't tell you.
In sum, I need to get food under control - now.
During my anaerobic workout I usually do a set of twenty curls with 35 pounds. Yesterday I did that set and at the end of the workout I thought I would go back and curl forty-five pounds as many times as I could. Ended up doing fifteen.
I do prefer the high reps and low weight than to high weight and low reps. I know, however, that when you stress your muscles they grow more quickly. The best way to achieve that stress is high weight.
I am disappointed that I am not losing weight as quickly as I would like. I seem to be stalled at 170. I desperately want to get down to 150 and then 135. Typical Aries - must do it fast! Bad, bad.
I have a hard time slowing down. I see myself making progress and I want it to go faster. Intellectually, I understand that my body doesn't respond in the same manner it used to, and that is a bit disconcerting.
Overall, however, I am feeling great. I can feel my body getting stronger every day. Now I really need to pay attention to nutrition.
That is another issue. Because of my racetrack experience, I discovered that I have an eating disorder. Back then, because I was a bit larger than most of the other jockeys, I had more difficulty keeping my weight below 100 pounds. Consequently, I found an MD who would prescribe amphetamines to help me control my appetite. Then, of course, I needed barbiturates to help me sleep.
One day, I realized that I would spend the next twenty years in this cycle. That and other events helped me to firmly decide to leave the track, go back to college and start a new life. I also quit smoking, cold turkey.
I also have a fear that I will miss a meal. Because I used to starve myself all the time now I typically overeat. Not good.
Jeez, I didn't expect to go into such detail! But, there it is. I'm a mess.
Before I forget, S., you asked about the machine I've been using, the cross-trainer. Go to the website www.lifefitness.com and look for the elliptical machines. It is call a Cross-Trainer. I like this machine because I can use the cardio program to enter my specs (age, weight, ego, etc.) and the computer will increase resistance until my target heart rate is reached.
BTW, S. gave great advice about doing the anaerobic workout before the aerobic to make it easy for my heart rate to get up to peak. I like it. And I've been stretching. I just didn't tell you.
In sum, I need to get food under control - now.
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Go Biff Go!
Date: 2004-09-24 10:21 am (UTC)The food issues will be hard, but conquerable.
Re: Go Biff Go!
Date: 2004-09-24 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-09-24 12:30 pm (UTC)1. I'm trying to look at it not as *controlling food* but as developing strategies for peaceful co-existence. I have an eating disorder. I can learn to accept and deal with it realistically. If I look at it as trying to control my food intake, I somehow set myself up. I should know, I've been struggling with this problem for YEARS! I'm currently MORE OK with food than I have been for a LONG time.
2. I've learned that I need more and smaller meals. When I was trying to do just three meals a day (based upon my childhood training), I would wait until I was STARVING and then stuff down large quantities of food. Or I would snack, but feel guilty for it, and usually indulge in sugary snacks. Now, I schedule three smaller meals plus two or three healthy snacks. I eat more often, but find that I actually eat less.
3. I eat my biggest meals and snacks in the morning, and less in the afternoon/evening. This seems to really work for me. I find that IF I eat *enough* in the early part of the day, I'm somehow just not as hungry later on. Conversely, if I deprive myself of one of my snacks, or if I wait too long between meals/snacks in the morning, I'm terribly hungry in the afternoon and not as easily satisfied.
4. I try to ensure that I have stuff that I CAN snack on with me. I carry peanuts (or peanut butter), cheese cubes, sausage, celery w/cream cheese, whatever. That way I'm not tempted by the *bad* stuff -- and I"m not scared that I won't be able to eat.
Those are the strategies that I've been developing. And so far they're working. I'm trying to make the exercise thing a *habit* before I address the food/nutrition stuff more seriously...but since they are part and parcel of the same problems some of it is seeping over. I'm not doing Atkins Induction yet, but I find that I'm veering more and more definitely into low carb. And feeling better and having more energy. :o)
And even if you ARE a mess, you are a very lovable mess. I even love you enough that I will call you *Biff* if you ask me to. Even if I don't happen to think it's a *buff* name. :o)
*hugs*
Amen to more and smaller meals
Date: 2004-09-26 02:30 pm (UTC)I no longer feel compelled to finish everything on my plate, especially in restaurants. I do best if I manage to convince FD to share a salad and an entree with me.