What I'll Do For a Chipotle Burrito

Today I was supposed to run 5 miles, but due to my heel yuckiness, ABD suggested to do 7 miles on the elliptical. I went to get started and right before I stepped on the machine, Ryan called. He and Meagan wanted to invite me to Chipotle with them! Since I have been eating so poorly and planned on grocery shopping tonight and starting fresh on the diet tomorrow morning, I thought that Chiptole was the *perfect* way to end my bad eating streak! I know...you agree. :)

So, I hauled BUTT. I got those 7 miles done as quickly as physically possible. ::grin:: All I need is the right motivation.

My Stats:

Total Distance: 7.00 miles
Total Time: 52:29
Calories Burned: 561

Next workout: lifting and No Limits Cardio tomorrow night!!!

A Non-ABD Tuesday Lifting Session

Lifting on non-ABD Tuesdays are sort of sad. But today went well. ABD actually called me last night and we talked for an hour and a half. I have an AWESOME trainer. We spent a long time trying to figure out why I am not doing so great with the food lately. I really think he hit the nail on the head with his assessment. I don't really have the time to write it all out today. Maybe on my next off-day post...

Anyways, one of the many, many topics we covered was how I am bad at meeting people. Devon noted that he observes me at the gym with my headphones in and a don't-bother-me face. It's true. I don't really like people I don't know (sorry everyone, I didn't like you before I met you...it's just how I roll). Today, I intentionally left my iPod in my locker, smiled at strangers and even small talked with a group of people. I told Devon. He was so proud. :)

The lifting:

Close Foot Position DB Box Squats x 4s x 10r @ 45lbs (Your feet should be only 5-6 inches apart)
DB Step-Ups x 4s x 10r @ 25lbs

BB Deadlifts x 4s x 10r @ 115lbs (I did 110 lbs because ABD told me to do the FreeMotion machine and it only has increments of 10 lbs...Silly, Devon...)
DB Reverse Lunge x 4s x 10r @ 35lbs

Flat DB Flyes x 4s x 10r @ 20-25lbs (do these on the floor if you have space) (I used the 25 lb DBs.)
Incline DB Press x 4s x 10r @ 25lbs

Close Grip Lat Pulldown x 4s x 8r @ 50-60lbs (I did 50 lbs.)
Reverse Grip Lat Pulldown x 4s x 8r @ 50-60lbs (I did 50 lbs.)

DB Side Raises x 4s x 10r @ 12.5lbs
DB Front Raises x 4s x 10r @ 12.5lbs
Bent-over DB Flyes x 4s x 10r @ 12.5lbs

BB Cable Curls x 4s x 10r @ 30-40lbs (I did 32.5 lbs.)
BB Cable Triceps Pushdowns x 4s x 10r @ 30-40lbs (I did 32.5 lbs.)

Stability Ball Crunches x 3s x 20r
Hyperextensions x 3s x 12r

I got an appointment with the amazing doctor recommended by HCL, but it isn't until a week from Friday--July 9. Until then, I will follow the marathon training plan, but on the elliptical. For short runs, I will add two miles and for long runs I will go for time (I have been doing 12 minutes per mile).

Next workout: tomorrow! I should run 5 miles, so I guess I will elliptical 7. ::shrug::

Upgraded from Stalker to Groupie

Blog Readers, do you all remember TAA??? If not, simply click here for the background story. In short, I am sort of a creepy stalker because he is a bad-you-know-what runner. Well, he is also my friend Holly Holly's brother-in-law. And I found out last Friday that she totally showed TAA and his wife my stalker blog post!!!!! ::gasp:: I've been made!

Not a big deal. I mean, like when would I ever see him, right? Ri-i-i-i-ight. So I bumped into him today. We ended up eating lunch together and I had to talk about the blog incident. It was the elephant at the lunch table. I was all: "So, Holly told me she showed you my stalker blog post. I mean, yes, I am a stalker--but not a creepy one! I just like to be in awe of your running...not like go to your house when you are sleeping or anything..." He handled it well. Later in the meal, he asked if I'd seen any of the 48-hour film project movies he'd made. I mentioned how I went to watch one on the big screen with my friend Amanda in Silver Spring. He asked if we saw each other there. I was all, No! I just said hi to Holly and sat in the back...and left before it was over... He then TOTALLY called me out for being creepy stalkerish!!! Because I am...

I know, this story is riveting, but it's not over yet. So, at this point, I really want to be TAA's facebook friend, but I am so creepy!!! But, guess what, blog readers?!?! TAA is creepier. He friended me! As he put in his friend request: Who's the stalker now?!!?!?

In light of the fact that we have now spoken more than two sentences to each other. And he knows my stalker-like tendencies. I declare that I am now officially a TAA groupie. Adam, keep an eye out for the fan club membership application and perhaps some homemade t-shirts...

OK! Enough of that, I went for 2 hours on the elliptical today with "Down For Anything" Meagan (DFAM). She is still a machine. I went 12.37 miles in total (there was a potty break/elliptical trade at the 60 minute mark). This was in lieu of the 10 mile run in the marathon training program. I called the sports doctor today, but I was 8 minutes too late! Will try again tomorrow...FIRST THING. :)

Next workout: lifting tomorrow...maybe...

Got Some Digits Today...

Today I lifted. ABD sent me my routine this morning and I texted him really early with a question about one of the exercises--I've never done it before. He never responded. I used the google and I asked HCL. Both the internets and HCL had never heard of it. So I decided to not do it.

The lifting (all supersets unless denoted otherwise):

Seated Extensions x 4s x 10r @ 110-115lbs *done as a single (I did 110 lbs.)

45 Degree Leg Press x 4s x 10r @ 300lbs
Dumbbell Deadlifts x 4s x 10r @ 35lbs

Lying Leg Curls x 4s x 10r @ 75lbs *done as a single

Smith Machine Flat Barbell Bench Press x 4s x 10r @ 65lbs
Incline Alternating Arm Dumbbell Chest Press x 4s x 10r @ 25lbs

Reverse Grip Pull-downs x 4s x 10r @ 60lbs
Standing Barbell Shoulder Extension x 4s x 10r @ 25-30lbs (This is the crazy one that no one has ever heard of, that I skipped.)

Rear Delt Flyes x 4s x 10r @ 50-60lbs (I did 55 lbs.)
Standing Barbell Presses x 4s x 10r @ 50lbs

Standing Dumbbell Curls x 4s x 10r @ 20-25lbs (I used 20 lb DBs.)
Cable Rope Triceps Pushdowns x 4s x 10r @ 27.5-37.5lbs (I did 27.5 lbs.)

Stability Ball Crunches x 4s x 15r

Two stories.

1) Captain America was there. Awesome. ::sarcasm:: Recall he is a big fat jerkface. The sight of him makes me internally shake my fist in the air. Anyways, when I arrived I noticed he was utilizing the 45° leg press--well, I shouldn't say 'utilizing', he put like one 45 lb plate on it, then went across the weight room to talk to his wife on the bench press. Then meandered back over and put some more weight plates on, then wandered away again. I am not exaggerating when I say he had his nasty knee straps things on the machine for OVER AN HOUR and I saw him do a combined total of ONE SET. REALLY, JERKFACE?!!? I complained to HCL about him and asked if we could kick him out. She said she wishes. :) She told me to take his million weight plates off when he was away from it, but I was tired and not interested in getting into a scuffle. I was just going to skip that set (such a slacker, I know!) But Mrs. Jerkface cleared the weight plates as I was finishing up my last exercise, so I went over and did it.

2) I had a brief conversation with HCL today. I asked her to recommend a good sports medicine doctor to get my heel checked out. She thinks it is Achilles Tendinitis. She recommended Yvette Rooks, M.D. at the University of Maryland Medical Center. I will call her tomorrow. She pulled out her phone and asked for my number so she could text the doctor's name to me. I gave it to her and got all excited that I would be getting HCL's cell phone number. I said: "Liz, you don't seem too concerned, but know that I will never text you like I do Devon." She smiled and said: "I'd kill you." ::gulp:: Duly noted, HCL. I then asked her if *she* knew what Standing Barbell Shoulder Extensions were. She did not. I asked if maybe Devon meant Standing Barbell Tricep Extensions or Standing Barbell Arm Extensions. She thought maybe he meant presses, but those were in the shoulder set. These bizarre "Shoulder Extensions" were in the back set. I told HCL I was going to skip the whole set. She said I should do the other exercise in the set. I told her that I told Devon I was going to skip the *entire* set to punish him for not responding to my texts. She gave me a You're-Stupid face (that she does so well) and said (in a mocking tone): Yes, because *that* would be what happened: *DEVON* would be punished... ::Sigh::, fine, HCL, you're logic wins and I am shamed. I did the other exercise...

Next workout: 2 hours on the elliptical tomorrow--probably with Meagan!!!!

Off Day Offerings: My Feelings Taste So Good!

I've decided to use this off day post to discuss and organize the feedback from the last off day post in which I discussed that I need to figure out WHY I eat. Here are the reasons I and my wonderful supporters came up with (organized by approach style, of course):

1) The "Take It At Face Value" Approach
+ Does it just taste really good? - Amanda J.
+ Carbs just taste good....And carbs are everywhere. And they taste good. -Stephanie M.
+ Taste - seriously, carbs are delish! - Kiley H.
+ It's something to do when we are bored issue too. . .Mindless eating, it tastes good, makes you feel good (momentarily) why not there is nothing else going on. -MT
+ They are the most convenient. Of course, they taste good, too - Julie F.
+ The easiest answer is the taste of course! - Lois E.

2) The "Deep Internal Factors" Approach
+ Are you afraid of reaching your weight goal because when you get there and everything still isn't perfect you might have a breakdown because it was an end all be all??? - Amanda J.
+ Food issues tend to be about control...as things feel like they are spinning out of control, food or the controlling of what goes in or doesn't is comforting. - MT
+ Maybe I use it as a reward. -Julie F.
+ Eating is something that one can control and therefore can be changed at any moment by that person depending how they are feeling... because maybe for that one second the taste of food feels good and makes you feel whole. - Meagan M.

3) The "Scientific" Approach
+ [Carbs] give a quick seratonin rush. - Stephanie M.

4) The "External Factors" Approach
+ Lots of things in this country center around food. -MT
+ We learn very young "that food makes us feel better". -MT

Friends, you came out in full force and supported the heck out of me! Which I am so lucky to have friends like you who care enough to take the time to do this. <3>1) It was easy. Doing nothing is easier than you might think.
2) It protected me from potential pain and rejection. I think that subconsciously I allowed myself to be unhealthily overweight so I could use that as an excuse for men not wanting to date me. Additionally, if men did not date me then they could not hurt me (like they all inevitably do...and we inevitably hurt them too, ladies...that's what imperfect people do...).
3) I'm sure I hid behind it. This may be the same as #2, but I think it may be bigger than that.
4) I ate when I was bored.
5) I ate when I was upset.
6) I ate to reward myself.
7) I *love* the taste of food.

I am sure there are more... But this is a start. The next logical place to go is why now that I have lost the weight and reached a healthy weight do I still struggle? Initial guesses (not saying that any or all of them are accurate):

1) I still have the fear from #2 (above) and am self-sabotaging?
2) This really is an addiction and I will struggle daily for the rest of my life?
3) I am lazy?
4) Food tastes good?
5) I eat my feelings (This is definitely true. My stressful week at work was accompanied by many bad foods.)
6) I don't think I deserve to be fit?
7) Devon is passing me subliminal messages in my lifting routine to get me to struggle so that he remains gainfully employed? (Come on, guys...you *know* I'm kidding...)
8) The control thing? I have no idea how this even works, but I *love* to control things in ALL aspects of my life...so this must be a factor somehow...

Ok. I feel overwhelmed with introspection. Again, please weigh in on this post (pun intended!!!!!).

::heart::

Back in the Cardio Saddle, Kind Of...

Today was get back into cardio day! ABD instructed me to try to run. If my heel hurts, stop. At that point do the elliptical.

I was excited. I was ready. The past few days there has been some ridiculous co-worker drama that has me all stressed out and I have not had my usual outlet of running to work it all out (after all, I do own a shirt that reads: Running is Cheaper Than Therapy...). I was excited to get it back!

So, I jumped on that treadmill and eased back into it at a pace of 5 mph. And I made it...1:47. The pain started small and grew and grew and grew. So I slammed the stop button and stomped over to an elliptical and pouted for 26 minutes and 16 seconds. I went 3 miles.

Devon was there and I asked him if he thought I should get refit for shoes. He said it couldn't hurt so I went to Roadrunner. They had a long line for fittings so I left. :(

I will rest tomorrow then do 10 miles on the elliptical on Sunday and Devon is going to give me a lighter lifting routine to go with it.

So sad...

WARNING: COMPLETE SUBJECT CHANGE!!!

Ok, some have asked for details on the singles event I went to last night. There isn't much to tell and this post will most surely disappoint, but here it is.

My friend, Lisa, and I went to a Things to Do event in DC. It was a dinner at Mai Thai in Dupont Circle. The idea is that they place you at tables of 10 with people who appear to be compatible with you based on a pre-event questionnaire. My friend and I both never received said questionnaire, so we were placed by the luck of the draw. There were three tables. It was easy to see that one table was the fun table, one was for people who liked to travel and one was the introverts. My friend got the fun table. I got the introverts. ::frown:: Dinner wasn't too painful. There was one guy who was pretty interesting. Also, I almost picked up one of the chicks at my table... We were joking that we should hang out since we were more interesting than the guys! After dinner I met some of the people at the fun table and had a really fun time.

All in all, I think the night was worth it and I would do it again. At the very least, I practiced my small-talking/conversational skills. I also met some interesting people.

On the metro ride home, my friend got hit on by a random guy who claimed he was living in a hostel by choice. He also claimed he was an architect. He ended up giving my friend his card which was for a company that was in 'entertainment'. Sketch-ball. Anyways, while he was hitting on her he asked what she did. She told him we were computer programmers. At this point, 2 stereotypical-looking computer nerd boys perked up and did all but drool while staring at us with large grins for the remainder of the ride. As they exited the train they did not break their creepy gaze. We got a good chuckle out of that.

Me and Lisa need to go out more often...that's all I'm saying... ;)

Lifted EARLY This Morning

I lifted before work today because I went to a single's event in DC! I'll post fun stories about the evening tomorrow maybe...I need to get to bed!!!

Here's my lifting (all supersets):

Hack Squats x 4s x 10r @ 180lbs
DB Step-ups x 4s x 10r @ 40lbs

Drop Set Lying Leg Curls x 4s x 10r @ 70-60-50-40lbs
Squats with 10 second deep drop x 4s x 10r @ BW

Full Length Assisted Dips for Chest x 4s x 10r @ 80lbs or less (I did 52 lbs...because I like a challenge!)
Stability Ball DB Flyes x 4s x 10r @ 25lbs

Close Grip Lat Pulldown x 4s x 10r @ 60lbs
Bent-over DB Flyes x 4s x 10r @ 20lbs

Alternating Arm Standing Arnold Presses x 4s x 10r @ 25lbs
DB Front Raises x 4s x 10r @ 17.5lbs

Alternating Arm Hammer Curls x 4s x 10r @ 20lbs
Lying Triceps DB Extension x 4s x 10 @ 12.5lbs-17.5lbs (keep your elbows close inside) (I used 12.5 lb DBs.)

It took me like an hour and a half to get through this! Not sure if they just required more set up and tear down, or I took longer breaks, or I fell asleep on a machine or what?!?! But it took way longer than usual!!!

Next workout: ABD says to try to get back into cardio but stop if my heel hurts. I may or may not do it tomorrow depending on my social calendar...if not, Saturday for sure!