BURNINATION!

I don't hate running.  I thought I would.  Truth be told, sometimes in the midst of running, there is some cussin' going on in my head. (Okay, you win.  A LOT of cussin'.)  So tonight, I pulled my data from my fabulous Polar FT40 since the beginning of the year:

11 workouts, ranging from 197-629 calories burned for a grand total of

(..... wait for it......)

3,758 calories BURNINATED!!!!

That, dear readers, is why I don't hate running.

huffin' and puffin'

Stamina?  Am I supposed to have some of that?

After 2 weeks of illness, wicked dehydration and travel, I finally got back down to my exercise room tonight.    4,000% (yes, it IS a real number) humidity didn't help much, but I made it through unscathed and 435 calories lighter.

Since that's all I have to say on the health front, I'll leave you with some yummy Hugh Laurie.  Whom I will be going to see live in August.   It's okay if you're jealous.  *le swoon*

Niki's Truths About Exercise

"I don't exercise.  If God wanted me to bend over, He would have put diamonds on the floor."

 ~Joan Rivers

I'm human.  There is ALWAYS an excuse not to exercise.  I have gone through stages of exercising like a fiend (divorce diet, anyone?), but sadly, those have all been short lived.  Over the last 8 months (eight months - whoa!), I have been incredibly proud of myself for sticking with my exercise guns.  I may miss brief stints here and there, but I always get back in the swing of things, and I always feel better for it.

I caught myself thinking, what makes this time different?  How do I know I'll still be at this in a year?

Here are just a few things I think have really made a difference.


Space.  I have a space that is just mine, and it is only used for exercise. I call it my "workout room," but that might be overselling it a bit.  It has inexpensive flooring, a tv with a DVR for all my fave workouts, a table to keep my stuff on, and fan.  Not to mention, it's in the basement - it stays about 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house!  Knowing that space is there keeps me motivated to use it.   Oh, and no one ever goes down there but me.  I can sing along with the music and act a fool, and the boy is none the wiser.


Variety.  I am up to about 12 different workout DVDs.  They vary in length, from 20 minutes to a full hour.  I have weight training, cardio/aerobics, yoga, toning.  Of course, I have my favorites, and there are a couple that are straight brutal.  Changing it up keeps things challening, and it keeps me from getting bored.


My heart rate monitor.  Oh, I am full on addicted to this thing!  There is nothing more motivating than seeing your stats flash across that little watch.  I love knowing how long I've been in my target heart rate zone, what my maximum heart rate was - not to mention the calories I've burned!  It challenges me to keep going.  475 calories?  I can make it to 500!  


Gear.  Gear, gear, gear.  I always went el-cheapo in the past.  $10 sports bras and stretch pants from Walmart.   This time, I stepped it up and spent a bit more than I normally would. I think buying better stuff helps working out feel like a commitment, rather than a passing phase.  After all, when is the last time you saw someone run a marathon in cheap ass shoes? Here are a few things I have committed a little extra cash to:

• Ryka shoes.  I've tried several brands, but I always come back to Ryka. They are made for women's feet.  Narrower through the heel, a little wider in the metatarsal, and light!  I love that I can feel the floor through them.

• Fila gear.  Those cheap workout pants from Walmart?  Their only true use is sliding off your rear end while you exercise.  So unless you want to spend your quality workout time hiking your drawz up, pick up some pants that will stay with you while you move.

• Decent sports bras.  I have a few, mostly Nike and Fila.  The support can't be beat, particularly for aerobics.  My old ones have been relegated to sleepy time.

• Socks.  Yes, I just said socks!  I had a conversation that went like this.  Me:  I think I need new workout shoes.  The Boy:  I think you need better socks, not the cutesy dollar socks from Target.  Me:  Huh, never thought about that.  So I went and bought new socks.  Turns out, the $12 pack of socks was a waaaay better investment than another $75 pair of shoes!

So there you have it - Niki's list of fabulous exercise stuff.  Because we all know......

back on that horse

The boy and I have this thing we like to call "kickin' it Sunday."  I generally don't want to do anything on Sunday.  At all.  Including working out.  Bummer is, Monday was a "feeling sorry for myself Monday."  Everyone is entitled to a bad day once in awhile, right?  Right?  So, that ended up being a day off of the workouts too.

Today, I am happy to say that I pulled my head out of my ass and got back in the groove. 50 minutes of cardio with an average heart rate of 161 for a whopping 465 calories burned.

That feels good.  :)

Workout Review - Burlesque by Jazzercise

I have been sitting on this workout review for awhile.  Big reason?  I LOOOOOVE THIS WORKOUT ( <------ that is me shouting from the hilltops), and I didn't want to blow my wad too soon.

Let's get one thing clear from the start.  This ain't yer mama's Jazzercise.

As I've said before, I'm a pretty big Jazzercise fan.  I own several of their dvds (including Ballet Body, which I reviewed here), and this one by far takes the proverbial cake. Don't get me wrong - the first few times I put this one in, I had to tell the boy not to come upstairs.  I was not feeling sexy when I first started!  But I learned the moves, got more comfortable with the flow, and started feeling a little sexier a little bit at a time.  So, Burlesque by Jazzercise, how do I love thee?  Let me tell you all the ways!

Shanna.  Shanna Missett Nelson is the daughter of Judi Sheppard Missett, who founded Jazzercise waaaay back in the day (want a hilarious way to pass some spare time?  Youtube old Jazzercise clips).  While I have the utmost respect for Judi (she looks real good for her age, y'all),  I don't enjoy her style of leading a class.  Shanna brings new blood.  She's cute, she's upbeat, she keeps you moving, and she is fantastic with cues!  Her cuing ability may go unnoticed by some, but for those of you who have ever taken a class with an instructor who doesn't tell you what's next, you know how frustrating it can be to not get good cues.  Again, total respect for Judi, but I love having Shanna kicking my cardio into high gear.

Music.  With most workouts, music seems to be an afterthought.  Just there to fill the void.  But this dvd?  The music takes center stage.  J Lo, Britney Spears, Pussycat Dolls, and lots of stuff I've never heard of.  I have actually downloaded most of the music to make my own "Shake Yer Ass" playlist on my ipod.  I dare you not to dance.  If you ain't shakin' it, may I suggest checking your pulse?

Customization.  I've noticed a lot of dvds are jumping on this bandwagon.  Much like the choose your own adventure books of our youth, this is choose your own workout.  There is the option for the full 40 minute workout, a quick 20 minute cardio workout, or you can jump straight to abs and legs portion, which is 10 minutes.  I like having the option of shorter workouts when I'm tight on time, but I rarely do anything but the full 40 minutes.

Dancing.  Fun, fast, booty shaking dancing.  Need I say more?

The downside?  Hmmmmm, the downside.....  let me think on that.   Sometimes I worry I'm not working quite as hard as I think I am, heart rate wise (but I've got a new toy on the way that'll help me figure that out).  You know what though?  I may not be at the top of the exertion chart, but a) I'm moving; b) I'm sweating; c) I'm gaining strength and stamina; and d) I'm having a ball!

Want a peak?  Here's a little sumpin' sumpin' from Jazzercise's YouTube channel.

Buy it.  Do it.  Learn it.  Love it!

What Gives?

I consider myself fairly health savvy.  I know that I need to limit fat, carbs and sodium.  I know my numbers.  I try to be active at least 4 hours a week.  I was looking for something to help me monitor my workouts, and was perusing heart rate monitors online when I came across an article about the cardio zone versus the fat burning zone.

Hang on a sec..... WHAT????

Correct me if I'm wrong, but am I not burning fat when I get my heart rate up?

According to what I read, workout intensity can change whether your body is using a higher proportion of fat or calories as fuel.  If you work out at a lower intensity, your body uses proportionally more fat; a higher intensity gets your body burning more calories.

Boy howdy, did I get excited!  You mean I can work out at a lower intensity and still reap the rewards, instead of busting ass for 40 minutes of heart  pumping, sweating like a hog cardio?  Sort of, but no.  Burning calories at a higher intensity creates a bigger calorie deficit (calories in vs. calories out).  And it still burns fat, just not as a primary fuel source.  Burning calories, over time, will lead to a bigger long term weight loss.  To get the same benefits from a lower intensity workout, you'd have to extend the duration quite a bit.  Not that I would mind a longer, less killer workout, but really - who has time for that?

I'm hoping that my regimen is giving me the best of both worlds.  It's good to know that the days I do the less intense workouts - still hard, but my heart rate isn't sky high - I'm still benefiting from my efforts.