Welcome to our blog, ladies!

Instead of written midterm reports, I would like to see you sharing thoughts, experiences, anecdotes, etc. with the whole group.
Basic requirements will be the following:
  • One post per week minimum about your own project.
  • One contribution/comment about one of your classmate's posts that offers additional insight to their experiences.
  • Your post about your own project is to be a minimum of 200 words.
  • Your comment about another experience should be positive and encouraging.
  • Photos and/or videos are not required, but definitely encouraged. It's nice to have a visual to help the image in our head as we read about your project.

Happy project and happy blogging, ladies. :)

SraB

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Confessions of an X-Athlete

Over the last week (and some change) I have been experimenting with several different kinds of fitness as well as exploring nutrition and my body's needs in an effort to figure out what I'm going to need to do in college to stay healthy. I have been writing massively long, but super interesting posts on my blog:

www.thexathlete.blogspot.com

Please go check it out. I detail my days, from what I eat, to where I go, to how I feel, as well as review and give tips that I pick up from books that I read pertaining to my project.

I am not about to get super detailed here because I just wrote a really long blog post for my own blog, but I have been working out with three very different personal trainers (one of which is Nurse Gali), and also taking classes such as kickboxing, Pilates, aerobics, and even a Latin Dance- inspired class called ZUMBA! I have also been running, walking, and biking on my own.

What I have found from all of this is that I really enjoy group fitness. I'm one that has trouble self motivating. For example, I have to drag myself to go on a run in the morning. I also don't really like being one-on-one with a personal trainer, because unless you find one that really fits with your style, it is hard to handle. Thus far, none of my three really match what I would look for if I was to go the personal trainer route in college. On the other hand, these classes are super fun and high energy. They make me forget that I'm working out. I leave the studio dripping in sweat and sore as all get out, but I genuinely enjoy my time. I also love the anonymity of the class. I can push myself as hard as I want without being questioned or judged. The workout is for me,but I am in control. I have to modify a lot of moves due to my still less-than-perfect right leg. These classes allow me to do that without making a big deal of it.

Nutritionally, one of the biggest things I am working on is listening to my body. I try to eat when I feel my body tell me it's hungry, rather than ignoring my body's signals. At first, I tried to eat just like normal, before I was working out this hard, but I soon realized that was completely impossible. My body would scream for food. But as I begin week two, I am definitely beginning to find balance.

I can feel my muscles coming back more quickly than I ever could have imagined. My arms and quads are what I notice most. My right leg is still playing catch up a little bit, but my left leg is nearly rock solid. Oh, how I missed that feeling.

Alright. Keep having fun everybody. Like I said, check out my blog! Good luck with projectos. (Look at my Spanish senora!) Peace.

-Sam

4 comments:

  1. Sam's blog is inspiring. I have tried to cut out pop! Keep it up, Graciela!! :)
    SraB

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  2. Reading your blog has elevated my level of food consciousness. I'm traveling right now and I had to round up some dinner. I found myself at a J. Alexander's. I don't know this restaurant chain at all, even though there's one off Lander road. Anyway, the menu is mostly typical mid-American fare - steaks, burgers, chicken, and tex-mex. None of which interests me. I opted for the veggie burger and added a side described as a vine-ripened tomato prepared with a little basil and olive oil. I'm a sucker for that stuff, and of course as soon as I ordered it I realized the only places tomatoes can ripen on the vine at this time of year are (1) southern hemisphere or (2) a hothouse somewhere. Either way I was sure to be disappointed.

    When the food came, the proportions were absurdly large. Have you ever stared down a half-pound veggie burger? It was at least that much. Don't they know that people who order vburgers don't have a carnivore's appetite, or they'd order meat? Plus, it was accompanied by a mountain of fries. And then there was my tomato. Not a slice or two, but an entire tomato! To my surprise, it looked red, ripe, and delicious, and it tasted good, too - maybe one of the best I've encountered in a restaurant.

    I ended up eating the tomato (I could not tolerate the thought of letting the rare tasty tomato go to waste.) I also finished off the burger but passed on half of the bun and the majority of the fries as well. Even with all that I left on the plate, it was a generous and very filling meal.

    The whole supersizing of restaurant portions is something I hope we can roll back some day.

    doc M.

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  3. Cutting out pop is so easy Botella!!! Trust me pick a drink for one week and you'll already be used that drink and forget about pop.


    Put a penny in the pop, it will disintegrate!

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  4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F10EyGwd57M&feature=related

    ReplyDelete