My Battle of the Bulge | Peaches Prattlings

{May 17, 2021} It’s official! Yoga without a mask! O M G!

Today, two of the yoga studios that we go to lifted the rule about wearing a mask in the studio and it was glorious!

We started doing yoga at these studios in December 2020, mask mandates in place. We may have talked about it, having to wear a mask doing yoga, especially hot yoga, wow, clawing! We would come out of the studio drenched and our masks were no better! Can you imagine how hot that is! I always walked in with one mask, then changed into another just to go into the studio, that way I would have something dry to put on when I came out.

One of the locations didn’t require you to wear one once you got to your mat, but you had to in the lobby. It was a little odd for us, since we were wearing them, to go to that particular studio and be the only ones wearing a mask, but it was what it was, we were doing what we were comfortable with. In the two studios we generally go to, masks everywhere, no showers, no renting mats or pillows. Then you have some folks, used to other studios who didn’t feel they had to follow the same rules when they came to these studios. Whatever…eyeroll!

Well, the management decided, since there have been no issues in the other studios that it would be safe to lift some of the restrictions. You still have to wear a mask in the lobby, but when you get into the studio and onto the mat, you can take it off. Even the showers are opening up again, mat rentals, all of it. Wah to the hoo!

Let me tell you…I went to a non-heated hot yoga, I know, sounds backwards! It was the routines, just not heated, and I’m ok with that! It felt great, more freedom and breathing so much easier! PSM took a hot class tonight and said he probably wouldn’t have been able to do one or two of the moves/poses if he was wearing the mask, awesome!

It’s funny, when I took a Power Yoga class on Wednesday, it was just myself and the instructor, she said since it was just the two of us, we weren’t going to get anywhere near each other, we both took our masks off and it was great and like we were doing something naughty! Something naughty! wow! But it felt great, I was able to do some of the harder poses/moves because I wasn’t wearing the mask.

Who knows how things are going to go, but for now, one thing is moving forward. Now…downward that dog and hold that tree!

{January 19, 2021} To Yoga or Not to Yoga….Teach that is…

I know I told you that PSM and I have been doing yoga together for about a month and I’m working on it. He is in hog heaven, so to speak. He’s centered, he’s sweating, he’s stretching, he’s moving, and best of all…he’s HAPPY! What more could a wife ask for?! I was out of town for a minute, he continued to go to in-person classes and I did a livestream class, that means from the comfort of my own living room, that’s another post for another day. It wasn’t bad.

Here’s something funny, not sure if it’s funny ha ha or what, but…I got an email from the yoga studio we go to. “Hi JJ, M from the CC Y6 Studio let me know you may be someone who would be interested in Yoga Teacher Training 🙂 I’ve attached some info here. Let me know if you have any questions or want to set up a time to chat about it!” Huh? I forwarded it to PSM ‘interesting’. I responded to A that I didn’t know who M was, but I appreciated her sending the information and if I have any questions, I will be sure to reach out.

The interesting thing about this is that, as you know, PSM is yoga all the way, I’m working on it, but… a few years ago, PSM asked me if I wanted to go to a yoga retreat to learn to become yoga instructors, I was on the fence, but I knew how passionate he was/is, so I was up for it! So…interesting that this opportunity came up, isn’t it? They have had it posted on their site and on the walls at the studio for a while, so it wasn’t a surprise when they started talking about it during classes. They weren’t hyping it up a lot, but at the beginning of class they always make studio announcements, social distancing, taking breaks if you need it, and now, YTT [Yoga Teacher Training], answers if you have questions.

I clicked on the attachment and it has the cost, which is not inexpensive, the total hours [200], different types of modules [In-Person and Virtual], 3-month unlimited membership to the Y6 studios, and a 3-month subscription to Y6 GO, which is their on demand sessions, and lastly, the schedule. The schedule isn’t horrible, there are classes on each day of the week, some classes in the evenings, from 5-9p, the rest are 9a-5:30p, two during the week and the rest on the weekends. There are days off in between here and there and two full weeks off during February, the entire program is three months. And…I just noticed the fine print: *In addition students are required to take, observe, or assist 32 yoga classes throughout the program.

It’s an interesting concept, as you know, or may not know, I’m still on the fence if I love yoga or not. Some of it I like, some of it is alright, still not a fan of hot yoga, but I’m getting better with the moves. I can do almost everything, just not to the full extent, like dancer, I can hold my foot and stretch out, but not all the way up!

There is a part of me that wouldn’t mind taking the Yoga Teacher Training, to get better at the moves and really understand why I’m moving the way I’m moving or the way I’m supposed to be moving and maybe I can get those breaths under control, who knows. Oh yeah, and smile while I’m doing them! HA HA!

So…To Teach Yoga or Not To Teach Yoga? That is the question…

{June 29, 2016} Good intentions!

What do they say about the road to hell?

I swear to you, I have very good intentions of getting up every morning and going to the gym. It’s not like I have to drive anywhere, I have to get out of bed, put my workout clothes on, take the elevator and walk into the fitness center at my hotel. My alarm is set for 5:45 for that reason…I’m giving myself at least 15 minutes to snooze.

That sounds reasonable, right? Ha ha!
Man, that snooze button is too easy to hit! I need someone pushing me out of bed sometimes. When I’m up, I’m up, it’s the getting up that gets in the way! And I will tell you, once I do get up and hit the gym, I’m so very glad I did. And I get into a routine for a while, I go every day for a few weeks or months even, then…then the cycle starts all over again.

I went today, hmmm…what will tomorrow hold, I wonder. Keep ya posted!

{May 25, 2016} I think am falling in love….

With the elliptical!

Is this possible? I used to get on the treadmill and go and go and go..and I’d sweat and sweat and sweat.

When I first got on the elliptical, I could do five minutes and I thought it was torture. Then I could to ten…wow! I remember when I was working out with CG and MS last year and we had to swap and plank while the other person was on the elliptical for 90 seconds, I tried to go as fast as possible, it was never fast enough for MS and she was like lightning on it!

Now, I do at least thirty minutes, depending on how much time I have in the morning and I sweat, oh do I sweat! And my glutes, oh man! Later in the day I get up from a chair and I’m…ooh.

I’m working up to an hour, that world be great! But I really like it, I put on a movie and dying think about a thing and the time passes. What I really want to do is get to a point where I go in the morning and evening. Ooh, I know, hold yourself back!

I’ll keep up posted on my new romance!

{March 11, 2014} I —-n’ Rock!

This was a post on FaceBook today that might have surprised a few people.

It started “To the fatty running on the track this afternoon”: Facebook user pens surprising message to overweight runner. Don’t discount it, please read it, it screams to anyone who is just starting out, running, overweight and running and just getting off the couch and moving!

http://www.closeronline.co.uk/2014/03/to-the-fatty-running-on-the-track-this-afternoon-facebook-user-pens-surprising-message-to-overweight-runner

I know I joke about running, say that I do runs for the t-shirt, don’t get me wrong, it’s mostly true, that I keep doing races until I enjoy running [and now my punchline is that I’ll probably die first], but I’m not going to stop. I am that overweight girl who can’t seem to drop the amount of weight that i want to, to get to my “ideal weight”. I’m lucky to be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t seem to notice that I have any extra anything, gawd love him!

But…when I am steady with running/walking and my eating, I don’t want to say dieting because it’s not a diet and that turns it into a chore, I feel better and sometimes, I even lose a little.

People keep asking why I do the 5ks and 10ks, especially if I don’t enjoy them. They get me off the couch, get me moving and when I am not running or walking, I feel like crud. I went out with some friends from work yesterday, we walked a few miles, today I did a few miles on the treadmill, I’m ready to start getting back steady. I’ve admittedly used the excuse that work is getting in the way and it has, I’m too beat to get on a treadmill some nights and it might just be an excuse, but no one has to live with that except me.

I’m the one who listens to music through headphones because I don’t want to hear myself panting, I watch a movie on the treadmill so I don’t realize how long I’m going and usually stop when I can’t breath or am completely drenched. I sometimes don’t want to put on the workout clothes because they show too many rolls and imperfections, [I once joked, to you I think, that I would continue to wear the clothes until my shadow slimmed down!], my feet hurt incredibly when I’m done, I have trouble breathing sometimes, panting for a long time after.

BUT…I am doing it! I got up, I got dressed and I got moving! I admire the people who are much heavier than me sometimes moving faster than me a race, sometimes I even set my pace by them. If I don’t do it, who do i have to blame but me.

Every time I see this commerical, I actually tear up. It reminds me of my first 5k, when I was coming around the bend and I saw the clock, my time was better than I imagined and I finished! When I did my first [and only to date] half marathon , we had 3 hours and 30 minutes to finish. I did it in 3:21:21 and you know what? They were pulling the cones and mile markers before I got there, but the finish banner was still up and there were people cheering on the sidelines. I FINISHED! Just like my new hat says, “Walk, Run, Crawl, FINISH!”
http://www.values.com/inspirational-stories-tv-spots/124-Finish-Line

This article was dedicated to all those people who are getting out there and doing it, getting off the couch, taking that first step. I applaud everyone, myself included for just getting out there and doing something! Who needs a t-shirt! [I know, a few people just had a huge intake of breath in shock!]

YOU GO YOU!

{January 17, 2011} Day 118/16 – Being accountable

Being held accountable can be very intimidating. That means that you have to fess up to whatever it is you want/need to be held accountable for.

I have been on teams, when I had my direct sales business, where I had to be accountable to another team member and then to a larger group [wow, that sounds like the collective, like the borg, ack!] and now, having a personal trainer at the gym, I am accountable to him, although, when I signed up for a trainer, he asked if that was something I had trouble with, nope. I am pretty good at keeping myself accountable, so now… I am going to make it public. Where I am with my workouts, what I am doing and what I am in-taking…

This will be an ongoing daily blog.

So, here we go.

Monday, January 17th

Black cherry yogurt for breakfast, apple with peanut butter for snack two hours later, vegetable soup [90 calories], 100 cal veggie chips bag for snack two hours later, one scoop of peanut butter, banana when I got home and after the gym, half a burrito from Moe’s, I could eat the whole thing, but not only would it be too much food, I would be miserable! I have started cutting my food in half and taking it home, I can hardly ever finish a meal, which, is a good thing for two reasons: 1-I don’t eat too much and 2-I have lunch or dinner for the next day! smart girl!

{January 1, 2011} Day 103/1 – To train or not to train…

Post a day 2011 – day 1

To train or not to train, that is the question, or should I say, to have a trainer or not to have a trainer. This was my dilemma… I have been going to the gym, this time, since I joined back in May of this year. I had been wanting to join a gym and I was looking at a few different ones when I was hired by my current company SC in March. The job came with a lot of benefits, health insurance for one, dental, vision and the opportunity to join a gym, I had options: Gold’s, Curves or LA Fitness. I used to belong to Gold’s when I first moved here, done Curves and after a few months got nothing out of it, it is a great place if you’ve never worked out and need to get started, just after a while it posed no challenge to me and there is an LA Fitness, which used to be Australian Body Works, which I also used to be a member of. So, I decided on LA Fitness, there is one near my house and near work, perfect!

I have been going for a few months and I enjoy the classes and the cardio, haven’t done much in terms of weight training, it’s been years since I did any and I wasn’t sure which way to turn. When I first joined, I had my free session with a personal trainer, really enjoyed it, but could not afford it, at all, then, about two weeks ago, I happened to be leaving the gym near my house on the way to work and on a lark, filled out an entry form to win a free month of personal training. Guess, what… they called me that morning, could be either, my name was on top or they called everyone, great way to introduce people to personal training at the gym if they haven’t already tried it. So, I made my appointment and away I went.

I showed up for my session, we did my body fat count, ACK, and all that other fun, yet embarrassing stuff and discussed what my challenges and goals are, then we got down to a work out. He worked me hard, I enjoyed it, I told him I am willing to work hard, I just know my limitations, such as my knees, they have never been that strong and certain things hurt after a while. Away we went! I was a sweaty mess when we sat down after to talk about signing up for a personal trainer. I told him upfront that I appreciate what he’s going to try to sell me, but it’s too expensive and I won’t be able to afford it. Even if we’re offering a special? More than half price for signing up and half price for sessions? Huh? ok, well, I’ll think about it.

I did my four free sessions, one on the Thursday before Christmas and then the rest on Tuesday-Thursday of the next week, not sure if that was the brightest move, let’s just say, I was a wee bit sore on Friday, New Years Eve… but I worked through it. I enjoyed the work outs and I enjoy the trainer, I make him laugh a lot, which, by the way, with the amount I laugh, I should be a bean pole… and he said he can help me accomplish all my goals [when he called me, he said the only thing I didn’t check off on the entry form was to gain weight, no thanks!]. I really liked that he called me Thursday morning to check on my leg, which i had seriously pulled a muscle the week before, excruciating!

He was trying his best to get me to sign up, offering me all sorts of incentives and of course, my one big issues has been money, that’s all it’s been. Thursday night he texted me, 12 free sessions if I start on Saturday. I texted back and asked if he could really help me hit my goals and… get me a tushie [don’t laugh, I have a flat bahookie, I haven’t had any complaints, but it’s never been something I would have touted as a particularly fine feature on my person. I always ask a guy when we start dating, are you a butt man? tee hee hee]. His response was LOL absolutely. So… after my fabulous New Years Eve party, where people didn’t leave until 3 and those of us staying at my place didn’t crash until about 4/4:30 am, I was up at 9 and at the gym ready to sweat at 10am.

When he was finally free, he asked if it was alright if I worked with someone else this morning, and as long as it was just for today, no problem. I believe T was trying to kill me! MN, my trainer, told him to watch out for my leg, because of the muscle pull [and that I would push even in pain] and I think this was code that T took to mean let’s make her legs fall off! We did squats, with 15 pound weights in each hand, that was fun on my knees… then we did leg presses, no problem, we started out with 2 25 pound discs, then next set, 2 more, huh? then next set, 2 more…150 pounds? Immediately into lunges, then those horrible things where you jump down into push up position and throw your legs out, jump back up. Then back to lunges, then those jumpy/spready awful things [yes, I know there is a name for them, but I can’t remember it and this is my blog and I want you laughing at this point] then more squats then core, a horrible plank to elbow to push-up and all over again. Last thing was ham string something. let’s just say that machines in gyms were not made for someone of my stature [SHORT], hurt in places I don’t think it’s supposed to hurt.

I’m used to working up to strenuous, this guy thought we should start there and work our way up. He was a nice guy, very motivating, different style than MN. Turns out he grew up in Coram, which is a city near my family’s summer house on Long Island, small world! If I have to work out with him again once in a while, no problem, but I prefer MN, I like the way he does things and he definitely pushes me beyond my limits. Besides, I make him laugh all the time, he did say that no one makes him laugh as much as me and that’s a small feat in and of itself.

So, here’s to my training and getting on that path that I really want to be on. I am turning 40 this year and how great will it be if I can wear a bikini next December in the Bahamas? AWESOME! [or at least feel fabulous in a bathing suit] I have other goals, but why not go for the gusto [they say when you register to get married, register for the expensive stuff, you never know!]. Keep up with my progress, I might also be sharing some tips that I learn, maybe we can do this together!

Look out Atlantis, here I come!

Happy New Year!

{December 20, 2010} Day 88 – Going to the Gym

Whew… I don’t know if it’s getting harder because I’m getting older or because I’m just fat. LOL. Ok, I’m not that fat, I am overweight, I have about 25 pounds to go, as I have already said, but some days, I just feel fat… [ok, I’m also throwing the girl card in there, I am a little bloated, one guess why…]

So, at the gym, all I really do is walk/run about two miles a day, I’m not saying that’s a lot and I’m not saying that’s a little. Since I get up at 6:30, I make it to the gym by 7:30 [sometimes it does take me a while to get out of the house, when I finally stop hitting the snooze button] and I only have 30 minutes to work out and then get to work. I think I’m doing alright, I am trying the Galloway Method [http://www.jeffgalloway.com/training/marathon.html] I walk/run/walk/run. Some days, I walk 5 minutes, run 10, walk 5, etc until I hit 30 minutes; some days, I can’t run 10 minutes, so I walk 5, run 5, walk 5, etc. you get the picture. I think it’s all good, I’m getting 2+miles in every morning and I am starting to feel a little better, but sometimes, I keep this knot in my chest that doesn’t dissipate for quite a while.

This morning was cool, I did the 5/5/5 method, but I felt a pick up in my steps towards the end and I was running my heart out for the last 5 minutes and surprised when the treadmill slowed down for the cool down. Very cool, well, at least I think so!

My goal is to run 2 miles a day for a few weeks until I’m more comfortable, then add another mile and another mile until I am running at least 5-7 miles a day. Then I know I will be more confident to attempt a half marathon, I know it’s 13.1 miles, but if I can get past the halfway mark, then I think I will be golden and who knows what the future will hold after that.

That is my musing for the day.

{May 22, 2010} My progress

2/9 22:32 minutes, 1.22 miles

2/10 37.38 minutes 2.10 miles

5/10 54:07minutes 3.22 miles 294 calories burned, walking 3.6MPH
5/11 54:28 minutes, 3.22 miles 294 calories burned walking 3.6MPH

6/18 49:32 minutes, 3.22 miles, 301 calories burned, walking 3.9MPH, 12.8 laps, 15.23 avg mph

7/14 49.54 minutes, 3.22 miles. 303 calories burned, walking 3.9MPH, 12.8 laps, 15.23 avg mph

I have definitely worked out more than this, I just have to figure out where I saved the information! 🙂

10/5/10 10 minutes running at 5.0 MPH, one hour cardio kickboxing, one hour yoga, 10 laps in the pool

10/7/10 approximately 3 hours swimming during scuba lesson

10/8/10 65 minutes speed walking: 4.0MPH: 4.05 miles: 317 calories

10/11/10 one hour body sculpt plus abs class, 10 laps in the pool

{May 22, 2010} My Battle of the Bulge

Everyone always wants to improve themselves in one way or another. I am no different from anyone else and I have decided to share my goals, my woes and my wows with you!

I lost 30 from my divorce, the ‘Divorce Diet’ as so many call it. I am lucky that I am not a stress eater, so I lost… that was great, but not the smartest way to do it. I dropped TWO clothing sizes, wahoo! I look fantastic! It was that summer that I actually volunteered to be in photos, that was a first for me.

Well, since that time, I have put on a few pounds, I waffle [mmm waffles] between 8 and 10 pounds that I put back on, but I’m not unhappy about it, because I did not go up any clothing sizes, wahoo! My dad said if I get to a size 8 he would take me on a shopping spree, who could argue with that?

The hard part right now is that on some things I am between sizes, I’m not complaining, mind you, but sometimes it’s frustrating that my britches keep sliding down! and if I ever forget a belt, forget about it!

My goals:

Lose 25 pounds, that will get me to a healthy weight, I will never be a skinny mini, mind you. I have no desire to get so skinny as to look ill or think I could. I want to be healthy and look it, what I want to weigh is actually what someone my height should weigh. I want to lose the extra I have in a few areas [tummy, back and get myself a tush!] I still remember the day I put on a skirt and didn’t have to wear biker shorts or anything under it, I was amazed! I wasn’t going to start a fire by my thighs rubbing together! I don’t wear shorts now, just mini skirts and I LOVE it! I have my dad’s legs [yes, smarty pants, he has his own legs I did inherit his great and shapely legs, my mom always said she married my dad for his legs].

Wear a smaller bra size [not the cup, the width]. I would like to feel comfortable all day and even at the end of the day in a bra, guys you may have no idea, but I know there are gals out there who know of what I speak!

Wear a bikini, tankini or just feel really good in a bathing suit [I even have a bathing suit by Speedo, it criss crosses in the back, you can just imagine what that looks like [one goal is to wear it and feel comfortable] by December. You may be wondering why I say December, well, I’ll tell you… My family goes on a trip somewhere tropical every December and this year I want to feel good in that bathing suit and the wet suit if I get to swim with dolphins again [VERY unforgiving].

I have started going to the gym on a regular basis and I want to share my progress with you. I will update a page with what I did at the gym each day and when I have a weight loss milestone, I will crow, I mean share it here!

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What was I thinking?