Pushing it
 

Lately I have been finding that I really have to push my comfort level to get results. Like when I was comfortable biking 3 days a week, I pushed it to 4. Then 5, now 6. And I pushed my time on the bike to 27 minutes. I was really, REALLY hesitant to go beyond 27 though. It is sort of the edge of what I am comfortable with in terms of not getting too bored on the bike and not working TOO hard (LOL). Today I decided I am going to push it to 30 minutes. I heard a little groan in my head when I decided that. I don't really want to, but I gotta.

Anyone relate?

I totally understand. In the fall, my walks started out being 20 minutes long, then 30, then 40. Now, I'm up to 60 minutes and my body seems to still want more. I think walking has turned into a mini addiction. I struggle with where to draw the line.

Hi Lyn!

I can totally relate. These little mind games we play with ourselves to stick through it! 27 minutes to 30 minutes is THREE minutes. A commercial break! Reading a post on 3FC! “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas & the Papas! 3 minutes is nothing but when it's on the end of a workout that already is pushing the limit, it can seem like forever.

I also take it as a sign to change something up. For instance, I was bored with my wednesday morning spin class. So I signed up for a friday class at a higher intensity level. It's a whole new set of exercises that are killing me in a whole different way. Interestingly, it makes my wednesday workout better too because it's my "easy day" now.

The same thing happens when I swim. My comfortable level is the length of swim and not speed. I can swim for hours, days! But swim fast? No way. So I make a deal with myself that I dedicate one part of my workout to sprints BEFORE I do my distance swims. It makes the sprints easier because I know once they are done I can do what I want to do but it also increases the intensity of my distance swim because I am starting out more tired.

Maybe you can try sprinting at a lower intensity at the end of your ride? Something to make you not remember it's the last 3 minutes! :)

Yeh sounds to me like you need to mix it up, are you cycling on flat or hill? Add in different exercise (walking, strength, exercise video anything) so you aren't cycling 6 days a week. Remember your body gets use to exercise so you have to push yourself to keep getting results, mixing it up is the way to go!

Yeah, I am cycling in my basement. LOL! So the scenery sucks. I can look out the sliding glass door and watch the backyard fence. Or I can turn on the tv and watch that. Which I usually do, but I don't have cable and boy are there some dumb shows on lately!

I so wish I could do something besides cycling 6x a week. I already also strength train 3x a week. They cycling is my aerobic bit. I have major knee issues (severe arthristis (almost bone on bone), a torn meniscus, and bone spurs in my knees) so the ortho said 1) recumbent bike 2) very short walks or 3) swimming. I do a short walk every so often to the park 2 blocks with my daughter, but it's not aerobic. And when I swam, or did a very low level water aerobics class, I hurt in agony (aka limping) for weeks afterwards. The ortho surgeon says it has to do with the spurring, so now swimming is out too. I need to have surgery, but it'll be awhile.

Is there anything fun as far as movies goes to watch on a bike? I could put a VCR down there and watch something interesting.

The sprinting is a good idea. I haven't used to programming feature on the bike yet either so maybe I can mess around with that for variety.

If you're going to put a VCR or DVD player downstairs, pick up some TV series that you've watned to watch. NetFlix is GREAT for this. I've watched:

How I Met Your Mother
Weeds
Prison Break
24
Lost
Seinfeld
Friends

Most of the sitcoms are 20 mins w/out commercials and most of the dramas are 45 mins w/out commercials. Believe me, watching 24 or Lost during a workout and saying "I can only watch this when I'm working out" will make you WANT to get back downstairs the next day! :)

I load them onto my ipod and watch them at the gym on the elliptical machine ... so much the same thing.

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Oh yes, I can relate!! I started out on this journey doing the same thing as u, biking. But when I started I didnt even have a tv in the room. Talk about BORING!!!!! When I finally got to the point I couldnt stand to be in that room a minute longer, I switched it up. I even got to the point I couldnt stand to look at the bike. I started doing The Biggest Loser workout video instead. After several months of that I had to do something different. I got to the point I couldnt stand to hear Bob speak. I went in debt and purchased a treadmill. About 6 weeks ago I started doing the C25k. I have a TV in the room now, so I usually wait til something I love to watch is on and then hit it. Good luck!

TV shows are great if you have them without adverts! I d/l various shows that we don't get in NZ and watch them when I do home day work outs.

Have you tried swiss ball work? Cheap and you can do lots.

I used to sell for a home party plan. One of the biggest pushes from the founders was "step out of your comfort zone and you will see results". It was true there.. if you didn't feel comfortable aproaching strangers and you did you got more bookings (aka $$$), and the more you did it, the easier it became so you had to find a new way to challenge yourself. It is really the same for exercising, eating right, well pretty much everything. Just keep going sweetie, you are doing great!!!

My treadmill is out in the garage and we put a tv out there hooked up to cable so that I would not get bored.

A little update... I did 30 minutes on the bike last night at 10pm! I sort of grumbled through the end of it, LOL. I dont like to bike late at night but my toddler was up having nightmares until then. I am just proud of getting it done! I watched the bachelor on tv, which I don't know whether to be glad it was on or just roll my eyes :)

Good job!!! Toddler nightmares are a workout in themselves! Our oldest used to have night terrors. Horrible for us! I can't imagine how bad they were in his little brain! Good job for hitting that 30 minutes!!

I know how you feel. I push myself alittle bit more every couple of days. The more results I see, the more I want to do! My heart loves it but my head cusses me alittle!! *lol* I started out walking 1 miles a day, then upped it to 2.5 a day, then last Saturday, my daughter and I did a 4 mile walk for JDRF and now that I know I can do 4 miles, I was riding around last night clocking where 4 miles will be in the neighborhood! :carrot: My calf's hurt all day after the 4 mile walk but now I find myself wanting that pain! :dizzy:

I am pushing myself on my work outs too. with the Tae Bo, I try to upp the intensity of my kicks and punches. with the Jari Love, increase the number of reps before I take a break, or try not to take a break till they do.
for boredom I subscribe to netflix, I take a wrokout at a time. I have the tae Bo right now and I ordered the WATP, sicne everybody says it is good, I will check that out, when I am sick of that, I will get something else.