Challenge Chatter

Running shoes

jenplck — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 19:29:24 +0000

I get it now. For all practical purposes, a spring nor’easter is actually a squall. Running outside today? Not so much. I ran on the treadmill today and my feet were really bothering me. I have known for a while that I need to invest in new shoes (I’ve had mine for over a year and a half) but since there isn’t actually anything “wrong” with them, I have been reluctant to dish out. I did some research and discovered that I’m actually long overdue for some new kicks. Apparently, the useful life of a running shoe is between 350 and 550 miles. So, if you’re running 15 or 20 miles a week (between 2 and 3 miles a day), you should change your running shoes every 20 to 30 weeks or so (every 5 or 7 months). Interesting. My next big purchases were going to be a new pair of jeans and a new cell phone (mine is embarrassingly archaic), but I think new running shoes now trump those. If you need to find me in the next week, I’ll be the one with gleaming white new shoes. It should be especially easy to spot me against the grayness of the squall. I’ve always, for some unknown reason, found new, ultra-white shoes really embarrassing. I feel, though, that this is a common conceit.

friday the 13th

jenplck — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 21:05:20 +0000

It has been a bit dreary here in New York lately. I feel like the city is in a collective slump. Everyone I have talked to over the past few days has been in a less than lively mood. Lots of emails with “blahhhhhh” and “mreh” as the subject line, lots of droning voice mail messages. Funny how much weather can change your outlook. We were absolutely dumped on yesterday and the temps are definitely sub-Spring. And apparently we’re getting a “nor’easter.” Lots of talk of the nor’easter. Coming from California, I’m not entirely clear on what a nor’easter is, but it sounds ominous, like it hails from Mordor or Middle Earth or something. Beware, the nor’easter. Anyway, I just changed my screensaver to beach paradise in a desperate attempt to channel some warm weather into my life. Very depressing. On a happier note, I got up early today, got a lot of things done that I have been putting off (uh, taxes?) and stuck to the Challenge eating plan–woo hoo! I’ve also been drinking tons of water lately, which has definitely improved my workday energy. And now I’m off to yoga!

Month 2 take 2

jenplck — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 01:18:43 +0000

So I haven’t posted in a while. Between the move and having visitors in town, sticking to the diet (and to blogging) has been a bit tough. Lots of ordering in and eating out. I’ve been okay about exercising, but not stellar. I have, however, been sticking to yoga, which I am loving! On the cardio front, there’s not a branch of my old gym anywhere near where I now live in Brooklyn so I just recently bit the bullet and signed up for the Crunch in my neighborhood (after what I’ll just call the “adventures of getting out of a gym membership”). I like Crunch. I like their slogan “No judgments.” Especially when I do things like fall off the Challenge bandwagon for two weeks. No judgments. Anyway, enough of that. I changed my week back to week 5 so I can re-start month 2 fresh again. New apartment, new challenge month, new goals. Fresh start. I’m resolved to stick to this getting up early and working out thing so many people rave about. The few times I have done it have been amazing. Actually, revision, the one time. I felt like I was more productive that day. In my quest for finding ways to drag myself out of bed in the morning, I came across this gem. Clocky, is its name. It’s an alarm clock that literally jumps off your nightstand and hides when it goes off in the morning. I must invest. I also read an interesting post regarding how to become an early riser. It says that it helps to go to bed whenever you feel tired (reading, he suggests, is a good gauge of this–you go to bed when your eyes get heavy on the page) and then get up at the same time every morning. I’m going to try this for a while. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Whoops

jenplck — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:47:24 +0000

Minor setback yesterday. Well, it wasn’t so much a setback as a magnetic pull. Towards the vending machine. I was almost out of the office too! Somehow, I unconsciously grabbed money out of my wallet, inserted it into the vending machine, and walked into an elevator full of girls from Vogue eating a Hershey’s bar. Really classy. However, I have to say that it was definitely worth it. I was only planning on eating half, but I ended up devouring the whole thing between my office and the subway (which, for the record, is about five steps). I’m chalking it up to my stressful moving week, and also proclaiming that it’s okay both because I have been really good about my Challenge workouts and because every now and then, you just need a treat. And I’m going to pretend it was a “heart healthy” treat.

We’re in the midst of a big Spring cleaning here at SELF. A purge of sorts. It’s amazing how much stuff you can accumulate without even knowing it. Alarming, really. It’s funny because I’m realizing the same thing through my apartment packing adventures. Thought process goes like this 1. Why do I still have this? 2. Why did I buy this in the first place? 3. Can I sell this on Craigslist? Kidding… Though it does feel good to clear things out, organize, and make room. A clean, clear space definitely helps to clear the mind, I’m finding. I’m channeling Danny Tanner.

Moving

jenplck — Tue, 27 Mar 2007 16:08:21 +0000

I am moving next weekend and as a result, have been completely on edge. I did some surface research (aka I googled it) and found that behind divorce and the death of a loved one, moving ranks up there as one of life’s most stressful events. Okay, so I’m not crazy. That’s good. But I have to say that coordinating all the steps of moving from my 5th floor walk-up apartment has definitely made me a bit irrational (there may have been a flip out over my roommate drinking my orange juice). I guess the bonus is that I get to look forward to some creative logging in my workout log next weekend. Oh, those five flights of stairs. Strength, cardio….yoga? Another positive upshot of all this is that I have noticed that I have been seriously craving workouts as a means to reducing stress. This is a development. Pre-Challenge, a bout of stress would land me on the couch with cookie dough (see previous post “no more cookie dough”). Instead, I have been sweating off my moving woes (like my inability to sell my totally useless and impractical armoire off of craigslist–the bane of my existence, really) on the treadmill. While listening to the new Modest Mouse CD. Which is, by the way, an amazingly good album and great workout music. And it looks like Spring has finally arrived in the city! A definite cause for celebration.

The big H20

jenplck — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 12:05:09 +0000

Recently, it has come to my attention that I do not drink water. How this has not been selected against is beyond me, but basically, I just don’t get thirsty. I literally forget to go get water when I’m siting at my desk and a whole day will pass sans hydration. Not so good. Any tips or tactics out there to make sure you get your 8-a-day? Outlook reminders?

Countdown to soccer

jenplck — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 11:37:00 +0000

Yesterday was my strength training day, so I hit the yoga studio again. Wow. Intensity. I am definitely feeling those “core” movements this morning. I’m starting to be able to “flow” more and follow along, which is exciting. And…I stuck to the Challenge eating plan yesterday! That check in my food log is very satisfying.

I also signed up for a recreational soccer league in New York, which should be fun. Slash, I am totally freaked out. I haven’t really played soccer since high school, so I’m a bit nervous that A. I’ll totally wiff a kick B. I’ll score a goal for the other team C. I’ll pass out on the field or D. all of the above. But, I figured that soccer would be a great way to mix up my cardio workouts and also to meet new people. Bring the fun back into exercising a bit so it doesn’t feel so much like a chore. My first game is on Thursday, so wish me luck!

Oh, you’re upping it .2?

jenplck — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 17:06:21 +0000

So, minus a happy hour (which, in case you’re wondering, is definitely not on the Challenge diet drop down menu), last week saw a serious improvement post mouse trauma. I ran for 30 minutes on the treadmill three times last week at a pretty good pace. March Madness has definitely helped towards that end (sadly, it’s safe to say that I am now out of my office pool). I’ve also reconnected with my competitive streak via my treadmill neighbors. Oh, you’re upping it .2? Well, watch me go up .3! When the guy next to me started running 6:30 miles, I figured it was time to throw in the towel (or get thrown off the treadmill…which, for the record, has definitely happened to me before). Clearly, an Olympian. I also dragged myself to the yoga studio down the street from my apartment for two strength training sessions. I forgot what a great yoga workout can do for your outlook on life. Really amazing. I haven’t done yoga in a while, so I’m a bit rusty on my poses (kinda embarassing when everyone is in “warrior 1″ and you’re still stuck in “downward dog”–What, a warrior doesn’t look like this?), but I’m looking forward to making this a part of my fitness routine.

I’m giving myself a B- in my food diary for last week. I’ve been trying, but it’s a bit hard when I’m on a budget. I’m going to hit the grocery store tonight, pick two Challenge meals from every category, and just go with those. Votes for favorites?

This is my last week of Month 1 so I’m looking to go into Month 2 strong!

Of mice and no gym

jenplck — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 12:06:37 +0000

Um, I failed. Definitely did not make it to the gym this morning. I know I said no more excuses, but there was an incident last night which rendered me sleepless and in turn, gave my snooze bar quite a workout this morning. It was an ultimate New York city showdown–an all night long chase and battle in the trenches of my laundry. Me. v. mouse. Sick. For the record, sleeping doesn’t happen when you know that you have a mouse (mice? rats?) in your room. Did I mention I’m moving apartments? So anyways, no gym. But I did do the Challenge strength workout in my living room with shampoo bottles as weights. (Note to self: buy weights). And I did forgo the usual bagel slathered in cream cheese (my serious vice) for the Challenge diet’s English muffin cheddar melt with berries. Which was actually amazingly good. And I think gave me a little energy boost…which I am going to use to call the exterminator.

No more cookie dough

jenplck — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 01:11:44 +0000

Alright. It’s time to get serious. I mean, I have been trying. Sort of. But it’s almost three weeks into the Challenge, and I have to admit that I have some gaping holes in my exercise and food logs. And by holes, I mean days where I frankly did not want what I ate to be logged in another place besides my stomach. Let’s just say I paid the work vending machine one too many visits. On several occasions, I may or may not have hidden a Twix bar underneath a napkin as I walked through SELF’s hallways and back to my desk. Of the places not to be seen eating candy bars, SELF magazine ranks high on the list. (Although, we do seem to have a steady stream of chocolate coming in, and sometimes it’s not the dark kind!) To be fair, it’s been a rough couple of weeks. There was a breakup, a bout of the flu, and a new apartment search to reckon with. However, the excuses stop here. Well, right after this bite. I’m sitting here in my apartment, eating cookie dough. I mean really. Like I said, it’s time to get serious. And it all starts tomorrow morning with a pre-work visit to the gym. Oh yea, we’re starting off big time…dragging myself out of bed early morning is, let’s just say, a Challenge.