Yuck!!!! We are having a blizzard here in the middle of April School is on regular schedule for some demented reason, but the bus never showed up. I just got back from driving ds. It's a nightmare out there. DH is supposed to be returning from Ohio today-- lovely! I went last month during a freak snowstorm and he went this month during a freak storm. Despite the travel advisories (STAY PUT), he has to come home because he has 1/2 our taxes with him

Today is my last day of work as a full time trainer. I gave notice about a week and a half ago and will be starting a new job at the end of this week in the investment industry...something from my long ago past. I've tried to transition my clients to other trainers and am keeping some part-time. It's very sad
I really loved what I was doing and where I was, but the hours are dreadful, trainers get no benefits, and my paycheck varied so much depending on clients' vacations, sick kids, snow storms, school breaks, etc.

Now I need to learn to live like the rest of the world- those of you who don't spend 9 hours a day in a gym! I'm going to need some kicks and encouragement as I embark on this new phase

Gack! it's still snowing and I have to go out there again

Mel

HI EVERYONE!!!

I'm baaaaaackkkkk!!!! I have a million things to get caught up on here at work, so I'm just breezing in for a second.

I worked out EVERY SINGLE DAY on vacation! I also lifted heavy too, which made me feel fabulous! I even did cardio each day as well. The exhaustion factor (thank you hypothyroidism) made it very difficult to plug through, but I listened to you ladies and really shoved on!

The bad thing is this: I bought a new scale on the Friday I started vacation....and I am EIGHT pounds heavier than I originally thought!

I AM VERY FRUSTRATED!!!!!! Anyone have any words of encouragement?

Hi Mel! Sorry about the blizzard! I "enjoyed" that in the middle of my vacation last week. Finally by next Sunday we are supposed to hit 70! I feel for ya! Congrats and GOOD LUCK on the new direction in your professional life! Can you still do some personal training on weekends-like one or two clients? That way you won't feel that you've totally walked away from something you love!

Melinda

Mel – Good luck with your transition! It must be hard, I know I’d have a lot more fun spending 9 hours a day at a gym than sitting at my desk. If it makes you feel any better most of the snow from our freak snow storm last week melted off in a couple of days, so hopefully your spring weather will also return shortly. Mid-60s here today!

Melinda – WTG on working out on vacation, I always have a lot of trouble whenever I’m out of my routine.

Thank you everyone for your kind words regarding my 5k, I can’t wait to do another one. Wait a minute, did I just type that?

Hope everyone is having a good start to their week.

Mel - wow, what big secrets you carry!! I had no idea you were even contemplating leaving or making a transition! That seemed to all happen quickly. I hope it's all good for you and that your transition into the new job goes smooth as silk! We'll miss getting your posts during all hours of the day though! Good luck with everything!

I guess I'm glad now that we moved - no snow here. Just rain and dreadful dreadful wind. The kind that keeps you awake at nite or wakes you up when you are lucky enough to drift off. Feeling your bed tremble is NOT a good thing. Gusts to 50 mph. Ugh. More life in the wind tunnel. Nothing left in the patio to be destroyed, but we still had to chase some chairs down last nite, the ones that were already stacked, stowed, and tied down. Yep, them.

Good luck Mel

We didn't have a blizzard here but I woke up this morning and looked outside and thought there was a hurricane. It was so windy. It was also raining most of yesterday but a bit too warm for snow.

I had such a hard time waking up today, it was crazy. Even my cat had a hard time waking up. My knee has started bothering me again so I've been taking my inflamatory medicine and icing it. I hope it is just trying to adjust to all the exercise I've been putting it through. I guess it could also be the weather? who knows.

Nellie, My knee is very weather sensitive. I am good during the summer and not so much during the winter (our summer is dry) and my knee problems have almost disappeared since I have moved from the coast (N. California now I'm inland which is a bit drier)

Mel, wow big changes. Best of luck. I can understand wanting to switch. Since i am a SAHM I have contemplated doing part time work but lessons etc has many of the same problems that you describe with personal training.

I kind of like regular pay with benefits etc. Even with a job I love. I am lucky though since I can work in the schools and get a regular full time gig doing this (or at least I hope I can... wish me luck guys).

Melinda are you just working out or are you tweaking your food too? Even just working out is worth it regardless of scale progress. You are getting stronger and more fit. This is good.

I think this week I will split up upper and lower body. I had been doing full body workouts on my run days but it felt like every other day I was slacking and then on the other days I was just killing myself. I sure shook things up...but now I feel shaken so I think arms to day legs tomorrow on run day.

I am still not happy with my leg workouts. I am not getting enough quad workout and my form sucks on squats. I try and try to improve but I feel somewhat weak and uncoordinated. I am sure if I had an unbiased opinion I would be able to see all the great improvements but I am still a bit frustrated.

Totally loving the pull up bar though. Its like having a playground in my bedroom. One of these days I will be able to swing like the other kids.

Hikerchick:

Good point! Although my eating habits were pretty decent, I only took in about 1/3 of the protein I should have, I didn't eat but 3 meals a day and I did drink a lot of water, but I certainly could have taken in more! I didn't really think about that...but you are so right. Especially with my hypothyroidism, it'll be a million times harder to lose weight for me...and I never did lose before unless I did the weights, cardio AND ate on a clean regimen! Thanks for jarring the marbles loose in my head!

Melinda

Mel: WOW! I bet this is a bittersweet day for you. It's wonderful that you have the opportunity to step back into the corporate culture but it must have been a difficult decision to make this change. Good Luck and keep us posted with how the transition is going for you. I know you are just a gem of a trainer so I hope that you will be able to find a balance so that you may continue to share your expertise if that is what you would also like to do.

Melinda: on the exercise during vacation. Increasing your protein intake is a good idea as mentioned. I also remember feeling really tired while I was adjusting to new lifting routines so just give it a little time. Your doing great though!

Hikerchick: It does sound like it is time to break up those workouts. I really like full body workouts too but at this point there is just too much for me to cram into my gym time too. The next day I would just do cardio and pine for some strength training the rest of the time I'm there. Keep working on the squats, you'll get there. If not, I'll just send my three year old over to give you a demo. (kidding) Secretly I think his squats don't really count because he is already lower to the ground.

Neli: I hear you with the knee pain. Maybe if we chant "I have healthy knees..." for the next few hours we can convince ourselves that they really don't bother us.

Rabbit: After reading your post I'm convinced that owning a pool would not be in my best interest. That's a lot of work! But good for you in lifting those sand bags. They start to get heavy by the sixth or eighth bag. I remember this from filling DS2's sandbox two years ago.

Hope everyone else is having a good start to their week. to Fran, Pat, Elisa, and everyone else I may have missed. Off to get DS1 from school.

Just a quick run-by as we're having computer "issues" at work - fortunately not internet!

Lydia, you're so right. Little guys squat perfectly without even thinking about it.

Mel - good luck in your career move. It's a big change exercise-wise. Give yourself a little slack in the beginning so you can work out the best routine for yourself. I'm sure a regular paycheck with benefits will be good!

I had a good long training session on Sat - and have now completed a distance more than half the half marathon lengeth (got that? I did 7.5 miles; the half will be 13) and I could still move at the end, so I know I'll be able to do 13 in another 2 months. My two biggest problems: I dressed too warmly, and there were no good potty stops I ended up in the bushes on the side of the bike trail, away from the houses, but probably spottable from the road if you happened to look at the right moment. Oh well, when you gotta go.... There will be porta-potties on race day. Sunday we had a recommitment party for the team. We've lost 4 members: 1 from injury, 1 from lack of time (her daughter is getting married) and 2 from not enough funds raised. You had to have 1/4 of your funds raised by 4/10 and guarantee the rest with your personal credit card. I have all of my funds raised, but my race is only $1,800, the gals doing the Rock & Roll Marathon have to raise $4,300 Tonight, it's back to the gym for an HIIT elliptical session. Oh and some UB work. WL has definitely taken a backseat as I have more and more cardio to do in the allowable time. I'll get back to it though...

Hi LWL,

Mel- Lots of luck on your new career! I can imagine that you want some regularity in the paycheck and time planing department, even if it is on the alternative career track! You"ll probabely have to get dressed business-like now! Did you go career clothes shoppping yet ?

Pat - good for you on the half marathon!

I did power 1 hour yesterday, no biking because i had errands to run, and again no biking today because i had to go to the physiotherapist. A whole lot of new info for me, especially in the food - metabolism area; which I need to digest & think over. i jumped to practical implementation in my case immediately, but we'll talk that over in the next session.

Hi to Lydia, nelie, Hrbabe, Hikerchick & all the other LWL

Have a great day all,

Rabbit

Hi Everyone!

I've been really busy lately but I'm still here! I had a great weekend filled with a little road trip, a little shopping (all exercise clothes, that was weird ), a little Cheesecake Factory and two concerts by my favourite performer of all time, Harry Connick Jr. (don't get me started)

I'm still on a bit of a concert high but anyway, even with all that, I managed to do no scale damage, did a small UBWO at home and went for my Monday spinning class.

Mel - I can't imagine how hard it must be to make that sort of a career change. I hope it works out for you and I certainly understand about the stability of a regular paycheque. Keep us posted!!

Melinda - sorry about the "scale fright". It sucks when you get a new scale and a new weight to go along with it. BUT, remember, It doesn't diminish any progress you've made. It's just a new place to track from. And, from a fellow "hypothyroid-er", good for your for all your vacation exercising...that is so great!

I hope everyone who suffered from the big storm is enjoying the weather, slowly getting me better. Thankfully here all we got was a little rain and a lot of wind. No real damage.

Hi to all the other LWL!

Oh its a new scale!

Gosh sometimes I don't read. I attribute this to lack of brain cells from 2 and a half years of sleep deprivation. (Child induced)

Melinda, I gained 4 lbs with my new scale so fret not. Probably lots of that is just a different number. But getting food squared away is always good.

I am so dang sore from hanging on that pullup bar I just had to come on down and say hi. Still struggling with squats first I get my chest all broad and then the bottom half of me gets out of form then I concentrate on the good form on the bottom and my chest sags. Lydia send me your 3 year old. I'll get it I know I will. Its not really that bad I just feel so awkward.

lol, hikerchick! I'm really trying to picture your squat form! Sounds like your pullups (or hangs) are improving With all your running and trying to get more quad work, don't forget about hamstring work, too.

I did have a bittersweet day yesterday. I'm really going to miss my clients and the other trainers I'll be there twice a week to train one client and have been told I'm welcome to come everyday to do my own workouts, but I'll probably do a lot of my own at home- except legs! And probably back. I lift really heavy for legs and back. Shoulders, arms, chest and cardio can definitely be done at home.

Today I did chest at home, and cardio. I think I need to buy more dumbbells

Clothes! Ugh, I really need a personal shopper. And one who will shop the sale racks. I'm congenitally disordered when it comes to putting together outfits. I can find lots of pieces, then I get home and have nothing that works together. Or I get home and wonder "who was I looking at in the mirror??? This is dreadful!" I still haven't figured out what I'm going to wear on my first day (Thursday ) So far I have 3 great pairs of slacks that all need hemming, one jacket that works, one jacket that would work if I could figure out what to wear under it and that's about it other than the suit I used for interviewing. I feel like I've spent a lot of money, but don't have much to show for it.

Melinda- I put off buying a new scale for a year after my old one was obviously flakey. It was a frightening experience!

Pat- You are really getting in the mileage! Congratulations. The potty problem is why I rarely run outside anymore

Hello to all- off to stare at my closet again

Mel

Hikerchick: One of the things I noticed while doing squats is that it is nearly impossible for me to collapse my shoulders forward while doing squats on the smith machine. I think having a bar on my back with my arms out and overhead makes having a wide chest necessary to execute it properly. Otherwise the bar sits awkwardly on my back and it hurts...

This may sound a little strange but just to get the feel of the movement you might want to try using a long dowel or broom handle on your back as you would use a bar to practice your squat that way. Once I got the feel of the "wide chest" stance it easily carried over to dumbbell squats for me as well. Remember also to keep the weight in your heels. But you already know all that...

Mel: I hope the clothes fairy left something great for you in your closet since the last time you checked. I'm a horrible dresser so don't ask for my advice. I'm one of those people who studies the catalogs not so much because I'm interested in purchasing the clothes but so that I can try to figure out how to put together a certain outfit. I need Garanimals for grownups. How many of you remember those?! You know where you match up the giraffe tag on a shirt with the giraffe tag with the pants but never the elephant...I think it's a good system really. It's how I shopped for my bedroom lamps and shades. Class I know, I'm all class...

Nelie: That is so cool. Be careful though. Don't tell DH or else you may be restricted from his closet soon like I am from my DH closet. Mostly I sneak off with one of his long sleeve black tshirts to put on over my workout clothes when I come home from the gym. :

Hi all,

I made vegetarian chili tonight which will serve nicely as lunch and dinner for the rest of the week. I wanted to drop in because I had something amazing happen earlier today. DH has a fleece pullover he wears. Anyway, I needed to put something warm to go outside in and I couldn't find mine so I grabbed his. Uhh it fit but a bit snug in the hips. Ok I know, what's the big deal? DH is a small man and wears size small. Well I thought maybe the pullover was a bigger size but no I looked. The tag said small. I about fainted. I don't think I've ever been able to wear something that was a size small.