Weight Gain while Working in a Gym????

Yesterday,

I returned to my old stomping grounds.... I visited NYC and specifically attended a workshop at Club H, a fitness center I used to work for. It was interesting to return to this commercial gym. While I worked there, I did private coaching (personal training), while i was teaching at a local college... And while they claimed to be different than any other commercial gym, they were the same. It was a numbers game. As long as you were producing, you were important.

And..... so, my relationship at club h came to a screeching halt.... after my numbers dropped, i was pursuing interests and opportunities elsewhere and the management really didn't seem interested in me anymore.

While I was there..... I gained weight. And a good friend of mine who is still a coach for the organization, did too.

One would not expect a private coach, working in a gym to gain weight. But it does happen.

IN the commercial gym setting, trainers are expected to train, to produce, to generate clientele, which in turn generates money for the club. And sometimes, in the stress of production and playing the numbers game.... the health and fitness of the trainer gets overlooked.

During my tenure at Club H, I was commuting. My commute was a part-time job. I wanted to train clients around my teaching schedule. And the club wanted weekends and nights and mornings and every open time..... And I was tired.

Well, we know that when someone doesn't get enough sleep or is under stress, the body produces cortisol to protect itself. Cortisol is like the fat jail-keeper... it rounds up the fat and stores it. And until the cortisol levels drop, the fat stays..... regardless of what you are doing.

And...... at times, when i had a break, the last thing on my mind was working out.

So, the dynamic challenge of training and programming and then training myself.... was always off balance. And in the end..... i gained some weight. My friend did as well.... and she was the one who inspired me to the 100 day challenge. She just recently put herself through this challenge and lost 25 pounds! Amazing!! And she looks great!!!!

Regardless of our work situation, it is easy to get lost in the shuffle.

It is easy to forget about ourselves and focus on stuff around us.

Part of the reason for my 100 day challenges and refocusing at the beginning of the calendar year as well as the beginning of my birth year. I cannot afford to be lost.

Racing Weight....

I am currently re-reading Racing Weight by Matt Fitzgerald. I like to read books that are especially helpful more than once and I have learned new stuff from the read this time around.

I was calculating where I need to be to improve my Racing abilities, by losing the extra body fat that is just hanging out, and improving my racing times. I know I can do more work with less effort when there is less of me to carry about.

And, I have a goal for Christmas and I am pursuing that goal.

I have continued in my Spartan/Warrior attitude.... of nuts, fruits, veggies, lean meats or fish.... 90% of the time.... but I am taking it up a notch for the duration to Christmas and focusing on 100% of the time. I like the Spartan and Warrior lifestyles.... live or raw foods during the day time when we are most active and my main protein feeding in the evening.... I feel better this way. I have more energy most of the time.... I just need to remember to eat.

In conjunction with my challenges.... i have less than 20 days left in my original challenge and I am approaching the half-way mark with my students. I am refocusing on my eating and getting back to basics as I am entering the home stretch!

Chasing 1000 km....

Crossed a milestone and didn't even realize it, until I was doing the math.... This year (so far), I have run 622 km.... wow!! Who would have imagined that, when last year I completed 381 km.

HAPPY DANCE!!!

My goal for the beginning of this year was to complete 500 km... (same as last year, which I fell slightly short)... and I am at full realization that I have passed the 500 km mark, and am cruising toward 700 km!!! (REGARDLESS of where I finish in relation to 1000 km, I have already accomplished my goal, and know the goal for 2011 will be 1000 km!)

Exciting Runs are ahead!!

ouch.... ouch.... ouch....

SHOCKING!

Yesterday, I recommenced the resistance training segment of the programming.... and today, my legs are reminding me of that! (in a good way, of course)....

I did 20 minutes of a kettle bell interval set, with kettle bell swings, jumping jacks, squat thrusts, mountain climbers, and a 1 minute run. I also did jumped rope 100 times. (wow... I am uncoordinated). And while I cannot jump rope very accurately, I did notice my endurance and strength is different than the last time I tackled this program. I am creating changes in the program to fill deficits I have in my training and physical competencies... Today, I am going to add one-legged squats (modified: sitting on a bench and getting up on one-leg).

I ran 3 miles yesterday focusing on pacing drills. It was a challenge. Today, I ran 3 miles with a single 30 second hill sprint. (I will be building on this).

I am excited about seeing changes.... and while I understand the changes may not move as quickly as I would like, I am trying to abandon the thought of existing in a microwave oven... push a button, 3 minutes later, beep... final product!! I wish it was that easy!!!

But onward with my goals.... 30# by christmas. Focus, Focus and Focus....

Passing Day 75....

Day 75 of my original 100 day challenge was thursday... the day i was flattened. The day I lost 4#... the day I slept.

and I am sitting at day 37 of the NJCU (my students challenge) and I passed Day 30 of the Paleo.... and I said to myself....

I am doing a great deal of counting and my mileage, resistance training and my weight is fluctuating... granted, I have overcome some milestones in the past 75 days... and some of the goals have been accomplished. But my credibility is varying and I am feeling stagnant. It is time to get back on track!!!

So.... tomorrow... I am finishing strong... my goal to the rest of the year is to lose 30#. (And then I can reestablish the goal). And to train 'hard' six days a week. And to bring up my running and swimming mileage.... biking will taper a bit and be reintroduced. I need to weight train... working specifically on my movement deficiencies... single leg strength, and upper body strength -- i want to be able to do a pull-up and a push-up -- and I need to become very active again.

I am re-reading Racing Weight by Matt Fitgerald, and I am conscientiously refocusing on eating Paleo... warrior style.

I am going to make this happen.... as I lose the weight the training will become more efficient... i can train harder with less effort... and start seeing running i used to be able to do....

I need to get back to that place.

So, running, swimming, jump-roping, skipping, hoping, climbing, kettle bells, mini-bands, and any other means necessary. This winter, I am going to be dropping the weight... instead of storing the fat!

And it continues.

AND....... pow!

I am knocked down! Flattened.... like something tossed under the bus!

Wednesday night I knew Thursday was going to be a challenge. Shortly after I went to bed, I could feel the rumblings insides and the muscles being disagreeable...... and so, the night went. I was up more than I slept and my quad cramped. NOT PRETTY!

and Thursday..... the day I teach Cardio Training and Spinning, I woke struggling to stand, struggling for balance, struggling to feel more human than road kill...... and so, I canceled classes (something I HATE TO DO!) and went back to sleep....

Was rudely awakened by the TV at 9am.... seriously loud, that it hurt my ears from across the house with my door closed... and then fell back asleep and slept again to the afternoon.

And so, my day continued.... a little sleep, a little broth, a little gorilla munch (gluten free), and then a little nutella on a flatbread cracker.... i know, i know... paleo... i did have some pineapple, some juice and then shocking.... some coffee as i watched some of the yankees take game two over the twins.....

And back to sleep for another 9 hours!!!!

Wow.

Woke this morning and chose to run..... scheduled to do 3 miles at base pace with sprints.... i managed to do 2.5 miles, and struggled with that.... at slow pace.... AND i am content with the results..... it was a challenging day yesterday, i lost 4# and today, i am going to take it slow.

Sometimes, i guess we need to sleep.

Results

And so...... my attempt at running my first marathon post-cycling accident didn't go as planned.... BUT IT IS ALL GOOD!

My travels to milwaukee were interesting and delayed.... due to the rain in the northeast. Everything was backed up. Fortunately, I was only delayed about 90 minutes....

And then I had to make adjustments in my eating.... not-only pre-race, but my cousins eat like a typical american..... lots and lots and lots of grains.... *doesn't work for me* (As a result I gained 4 pounds in this adventure-- pretty certain it is water weight, and will drop as i readjust to post-flying and resuming training diet.)

The night before the race.... had some pretty wild dreams..... scary!!!!

And then I was struggling.... my legs were cramping, my body was not feeling rested, and I was not certain what was going to happen.... Sunday morning, I woke.... not feeling excellent... BUT I was going to give it a whirl and see what happens.

And after the pre-race rituals.... I started. And I felt great..... was starting my pace between the four-hour and four hour thirty minute groups to find a tempo and then move from there..... AND I felt awesome at the start.... UNTIL..... THE 5k mark.... my body broke down...... and so, I stopped the race.

My thought is: It is better to be able to run another day!!!!

And I enjoyed watching the finishers cross the line.... It was really COOL!!!

(looking forward to volunteering at a race in the future!!! and giving back!)

This morning..... I evaluated what happened.....

Part of it: summer and the ugly weather.

Part of it: I lost my focus.... I was doing more cross-training to keep the cardio-fitness up, but in the month of September... I had only run a total of 35K total. NOT GOOD!

My new goals: I am taking some time off.... to regain my focus. I am working with my college kids on a cycling program and a 10-week iron-man, so I will be doing things. But I am taking a rest.

In about a week, I will recommence training.

I am setting goals for 2011 and 2012.... AND I am planning my races.