Sweet Tooth

I have recently (within the past year or so) discovered that I do not have a sweet tooth. It was a really surprising realization and I am amazed that it took me so long to figure it out.

Back in high school, I was HUGE on sugar. Breakfast was a cup of earl gray tea with (whole) milk and one and a half teaspoons of sugar. Obviously this wasn't enough to really get me past 10am, so between classes I'd stop at the school store and grab a Nutty Buddy. Lunch, at least senior year, was a half of a sandwich and a cup of soup and chips from Nuts About Ice Cream, and usually i got a extra thick mint chocolate chip milkshake for dessert. Also, we had soda machines at the school and you could rarely find me without a bottle of Cherry coke. After school, I'd visit my elderly neighbor, and she always had hot chocolate and cookies (which I'd eat with whipped cream). And, after dinner (spaghetti was, and still is, my favorite) there was usually ice cream or some other kind of treat. Gym I believe was twice a week? Because I went to a large high school, our gym classes were grouped together - so three gym teachers would split up the classes based on what each student wanted to do. Usually I chose to walk the track with my friends, and we didn't exactly keep up a good pace. During the school week, my only other exercise was band practice in the fall (marching up and down the street with a Baritone horn... harder than it sounds but, again, not exactly a calorie burner). Also, I had a paper route that I walked in the mornings, which took about 45 minutes. On the weekends, I worked at Planet Trog, a laser tag arena. From noon until 6 I wandered around the arena after kids birthday parties and such, and then from 6 until midnight(or later) I hung out with my coworkers and played a bunch of games. At least I got a little bit of exercise. It still isn't surprising that when I graduated high school, I weighed 220 lbs and wore a size 18, which you can see in the photo before senior prom.

Freshman year of college wasn't much better: I remember drinking lots of soda, grabbing stuff from the vending machines (there was a french fry vending machine right next to the ice cream bar vending machine... dangerous) and the dorms "corner store" (where I had my first Wonka candy bar... chocolate with graham cracker pieces). I still managed to lose weight in college, due mostly to the meal plan and walking back and forth to the dorms. I transferred out of RIT to go to the community college the following fall, but before the end of the year, I managed to get mono. It was terrible, I was exhausted all the time (right during finals, no less), but I did lose another 10 lbs, putting me under 200lbs, before heading home for a couple weeks before starting my summer job as a camp counselor at Adirondack Camp on Lake George in NY.

While my employment experience was less than desired (for a number of reasons, which I mostly credit now to my immaturity at the time), that job was a huge life changer. At the beginning of the summer, I bought a dress from Lane Bryant that was a size 16. At the end of a summer filled with a regular schedule of 8 hours of sleep, chasing kids around and teaching them how to canoe, swimming almost every day, and only having food available to me at mealtimes (and only being able to eat after the kids had eaten) I was practically swimming in that dress. (too bad, it was really pretty). I was down to a size 12, and I think about 175 lbs. This was 2001.

I gained a lot of the weight back. When I met Joe in early 2005 I weighed around 195. (The picture on the left is from October of 2005.) I dropped a bit of weight but it wasn't until we got engaged and moved to Virginia that I really started making an effort. I started running, I did a "bridal boot camp". I discovered pilates and loved it. I weighed 172 the morning of my wedding in 2008, and I'm between 175-180 now. So, from my heaviest, I've lost around 45lbs, which isn't too bad! The picture to the right is from the summer of 2008, at the same cafe in Boston! Best Tiramisu ever!



One of the life changers for me was this seminar I went to, put on by Jennifer of Howe to Eat called "Getting off the sugar roller coaster". She talked about that 3:00 slump at work, and how eating sugar becomes addictive and a vicious cycle of sugar highs and crashes. How artificial sweeteners are actually worse for you than real sugar (because they are sweeter, so you teach your body to want more regular sugar to obtain the same amount of sweetness), and how basically, they are chemicals, when what your body really needs are foods closest to their natural state as possible. (so, evaporated cane juice is better than white sugar, etc.) Instead of having a candy bar at 3:00, I'd have a sweet potato (less calories, still sweet, and you get the benefit of all the fiber, vitamins and minerals). I emptied our pantry and fridge of anything containing HFCS and Joe and I are pretty diligent at reading labels at the grocery store. Naturally sweet things now taste sweeter, and sweets like milk chocolate are just too sweet. If I eat a cupcake during our birthday celebrations at work, I feel gross for the rest of the afternoon. If I want chocolate (Joe keeps emergency chocolate hidden in the house for when I'm having one of "those days") I opt for a piece of really dark, high quality chocolate instead of a cheap-o Hershey bar, and I try and savor it.

When I see people who are dieting buying things that are sugar free... Its hard for me to comprehend. Splenda and other artificial sweeteners just leave this terrible aftertaste in my mouth and give me a headache. I'd rather have a few spoonfuls of real, full fat, real sugar ice cream than an entire bowl of something chemical laden and overly processed. Sometimes, I'd rather have an apple with peanut butter (the natural, nothing added to it kind). Or a cup of blackberries.

The idea is, eat things as close to their natural state as possible. Maybe not to the extreme of eating a raw diet - that's a little too much for me - but, why drink apple juice when you can eat an apple, and get the benefit of the fiber in the apple?

I thought i was at an intermediate Pilates level...

...until i took a class at The Pilates Room in Mclean. It's actually right down the street from my regular pilates studio, Pengu Studio.

First, let me just explain what I love about pilates (and yoga, for that matter). I love the body awareness I gain from it. Its amazing how a pose, stretch, or movement can feel completely different if you tilt your tailbone one way or the other, or pull your abs in or let them go, or move your head to one side. Yoga gives me this great sense of balance, Pilates gives me a sense of length and both make me feel so much more gracefull - and for a klutz like me that's a huge thing.

In a recent interview, Julia Roberts, talking about exercise said "I do love how I feel afterward: accomplishment, clarity, energy, strength, joy. These are all things I give myself through working out, and I can feel it in everything I do." Right on!

So, Pilates last night. Through the magic of Groupon, I've been able to try out a bunch of different pilates studios, especially since, unfortunately, Pengu doesn't offer a lot of evening pilates classes that fit my schedule. (and the one I used to take, Jumpus Ultimus... I think I need to be in better shape before I start taking it again). So I get a groupon for The Pilates Room and sign up for my first class right away. Class started at 6:00, and is less than 5 miles from work, so i left at 5:15.... and still got there late. Oh northern VA rush hour!

This was one of the most challenging (non jump board) pilates classes I've ever taken. The instructor, Janine, gave me so many corrections and I couldn't even do a lot of them. Aparently I've been doing neutral spine wrong (somehow I have to get my tailbone and my lower ribs on the mat without tilting my pelvis. when I crunch I lead with my head which throws off my position.) We did some work on the Wunda chair, which I've only ever done a few times in the past, and I couldn't get a lot of the movements.

After class, Janine suggested that if I could make it, to come to the 5:00 class which she said moves a little slower (it's still an intermediate class) but, no way I could do that with my work schedule. So she said "no problem, we'll work with what we've got!". She showed me a little more about why my posture is wrong, and told me I did a good job on the reformer, reminded me to use a pillow to help get my ribs down until I can do it on my own.

Today, I feel sore. Duh. But, I'm planning on going back and possibly becoming a regular.

On a side note, I weighed myself yesterday... 178. Down 5 lbs in less than a week. I'm pretty sure its just normal fluctuations, not that I've actually lost 5 lbs. still, I'll take what I can get!

Yoga

So, yesterday was my third yoga class at Sun and Moon. I was a little nervous. The first class i went to seemed pretty easy. A lot of back bends (which I overdid and then had a sore back and chest for a few days). The second class, our regular instructor was out and her sub did stuff focused on the heart chakra (so, chest openers, mostly) and it was another easy class. So I was nervous that this mixed level class was going to not be challenging enough for me. Granted, an easy class isn't such a bad thing. It teaches you how to slow down, enjoy each movement, etc. We did a lot of pranayam (focusing on breathing) in both classes. I know it's important... I just... I wanna DO stuff.

So, last night, we did planks. A lot of them. I never liked planks. Which means, they are probably really good for me. We did a lot of side planks. I disliked side planks even more because I was never able to get into them and feel balanced or strong. Until last night.

The way she instructed them was in baby steps. Our first side plank was one leg straight, and the other one bent in front (as shown in the first picture). The second, both legs were straight but the feet were one in front of the other. The third one was the traditional side plank, with the feet stacked. I was able to do all three. Then we did a fourth variation... Like in the second picture except we were up on our hand instead of on our elbow and our foot was on the ground in front of us, instead of in the air.

The instructor gave me two corrections. In Down Dog, I hyperextend my elbows (because i'm double jointed) so I have to conciously turn my arms in towards each other without also moving my hands to point towards each other. Also, aparently in Chaturanga Dadasana, another one of those poses that I find very challenging, I squeeze my shoulder blades together and collapse into my chest. The instructor told me I need to broaden my shoulders.

We did some more pranayam again, and then into savasana (corpse pose) and I just can not seem to relax. Something always hurts. Last night it was my chest, neck, and chin. Plus, I couldn't turn my brain off. Once it started going away... she started reading a poem and it was time to end class. The art of sitting still... gotta work on that.

obligatory "sorry i've been gone" update

So... last you heard, Joe, Bill and I had joined a gym. We have since gone on "stand-by" there, so we pay a $10 monthly holding fee. The summer has been a lazy one, other than the Pilates classes I took in June at Thrive Pilates because of a Groupon. We were going to sign up for a bootcamp class (another Groupon), but only Bill actually used his. The times they offered sessions (all outside) didn't actually work with our schedules.

I started taking yoga classes once a week, on Mondays, at Sun and Moon Yoga Studio. I was inspired by a yoga class I took at Thrive - I was able to hold bakasana (Crane Pose) for the first time ever. For maybe 2 seconds, but it was something! So far I've had two classes at Sun and Moon - an all levels class. They have both been very relaxing classes, and seemed very "easy", though it hasn't stopped me from being sore the next couple of days. Eventually I'd like to be taking two classes a week. One maybe more challenging than this one, though.

Being outdoors has been really hard this summer because it has been SO HOT. I used to go on walks at lunch almost every day but going outside is near impossible. Its even been too hot for me to run in the mornings before work... not that I've been making a valiant attempt or anything.

There are some mornings I wake up and walk to my car for work and think "If only I'd been able to wake up earlier this morning...." I do need to get a better handle on my sleep schedule. For a while, I had my phone set to an alarm at 10:30, which meant it was time to stop what I was doing and get ready for bed. Eventually I just kept hitting snooze, like I do in the morning, and before I know it, its midnight. Should stop doing that...

We've also not been very good about what we've been eating. We try and make it out to the farmer's market every weekend but even then, we do a lot of take out and a lot of going out to eat.

Overall, this summer I've gained some weight. Not only has the number gone up, but I can see it in how my clothes fit, and feel it in how my body feels. Some friends and I went out dancing on Saturday and I was getting cramps in weird places, almost like side stiches, and my knees still hurt - I actually had to ice them when I got home. Regardless that I weigh 183 now (and my goal is 160), I need to feel like my body is actually working. I want to be able to challenge it - learning to surf, going hiking and rock scrambling, a high ropes course I want to try out, holding bakasana for more than 2 seconds...

In addition, I recently told a friend of mine that he needs to take care of himself - eat healthy, maybe lose a bit of weight - because I care about him and his well being. I was giving him all of this advice and realized I hadn't actually been practicing what I preach. That was a good kick in the pants to get back to SparkPeople and start tracking my food and exercise again as well.

title of blog

So, when I started this blog the title "Hit the Road, Jac" was a play on words: from the song "Hit the Road, Jack" by Ray Charles, made popular by this weird TV show that had a talking rabbit... and the fact that I was literally hitting the road by running and otherwise getting in shape. I forgot, however, that I'm also "hitting the road" because Joe and I have lots of vacations planned. What better motivation to get healthy (again) than awesome vacations to hot places?

In addition to the long-weekend type vacations, these are the trips in the works. I do plan way ahead...

Next spring, we're heading to the golden coast of California. Starting in San Diego, we're going to work our way up the coastal highway, visiting friends along the way. I also want to learn how to surf. This means I'll be in a swimsuit in public and that I need to have a nice strong core for balancing on a surfboard.

Sometime (probably spring again) in 2012, I'm coordinating a Caribbean cruise. Realizing that a lot of my friends and I are turning 30 soon (Joe in September of 2011, me in October of 2012) I thought rather than everyone planning their own celebrations, it'd be much easier and cost effective (not to mention fun!) to have everyone on a boat, so that the majority of the people on the ship will be connected in the "6 degrees of Jac in a bathing suit". How's that for motivation? Plus, I don't want to limit myself of any excursions that might otherwise be difficult for someone not in shape.

Fall-ish of 2013 will be our 5 year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we'll be heading to Italy. Details are naturally in the works since this trip is more than 3 years away, but still worth mentioning I think. Though, I do keep thinking "how much gelato, wine, and other yummy food can I enjoy before offsetting all of my working out?" Right now... not much.

I mentioned me in a bathing suit a few times. Of course it is something I'm thinking about, but to be honest, that's only part of it. When I FEEL healthy and fit, it doesn't really matter what my body LOOKS like. Still, the thought of it is certainly motivating. So is wanting to challenge this body at 30 more than I did at 20 and really celebrating life, since it is the only life we get.

spontaneous sprinting

It's birthday party day at work today. We get cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes to celebrate everyone's birthday in the month. I picked a chocolate cupcake with Irish Cream frosting.

It's sitting uneaten on my desk. I'm still feeling sated from eating my YanYan - my treat for getting blood work done today.

I was feeling lethargic so i went outside for a walk. Then I decided "I feel like running". So, in my cute bronze ballet flats i go sprinting through the parking lot. not worried about someone seeing me, or if I'm wearing the right clothes, or how out of shape I've gotten... I just ran. And it felt great.

Still don't really want the cupcake, though.

Hitting the Gym

So Joe, Bill (our roommate) and I all joined a gym on February 1 ("our" new year since Jan. 1 was right in the midst of us working on a musical). We are now members of Lifetime Fitness, which is actually a really nice gym and it is bike-riding distance away, when there isn't 2 feet of snow on the ground.

I really like this gym for a number of reasons. They have a ridiculous amount of cardio equipment - I've never not been able to get a treadmill or an elliptical when I wanted one. They have a cafe and a salon on site (which reminds me to call and book a massage.) The locker rooms are nice and clean, plenty of showers and a steam room, which I love. The pool has two dedicated lap lanes and a water slide, and there is also a huge hot tub and a sauna. The classes look pretty good though i am a little disappointed with their selection of yoga classes. They don't have pilates reformer, though the other location does and I can go there if I like.

With our new membership, we were able to meet with a trainer for a "Fit Point" assessment, and one personal training session. Joe wasn't much interested, but Bill and I met with a gal named Jen. The Fit Point measured our strength, flexibility, body fat, and cardio strength. Basically I am just slightly overweight (less than I thought), average flexibility, above average cardio, and just above average upper body strength. So I feel like I'm starting out at a good place. I weighed in at 182.

Tuesday night was my complimentary personal training. We started out with squats on a Bosu and lunges (3 sets of 12 each), followed by push-ups on the Bosu and assisted pull-ups (3 sets of 12 each). Then came incline sit-ups and back extensions, then table top balances and side plank raises. I felt like it was a great, challenging workout that showed me just how out of shape I've become over the past 6 months or so. After the squats and lunges, my legs were jelly, which made the push-ups really hard, and made the core work even harder.

Yesterday I was a little sore, but still went into the gym to walk gently on the treadmill and take a pilates mat class. The first time I took the class a couple weeks ago I was able to do most of the advanced modifications. This time, I had to do all of the beginner modifications. I didn't feel bad about it though. Thanks to my yoga experience I've learned that you should only do what you feel like you can do that particular day. Bill and I sat in the hot tub last night, and he was nice and gave my legs a good massage when we got home.

Today, I can hardly walk, the DOMS is so bad. It is a sick twist of fate that staying hydrated can help the soreness a bit, but that means I have to pee. a lot. and the whole sit down-stand up thing is REALLY hard. Mostly I am sore in my quads, glutes, pecs, and lats. My abs are definitely sore as well. So, yeah, I pretty much hurt everywhere. Luckily I understand that this is part of the process of starting a new work-out routine so I'm not discouraged! I'm looking forward to my muscles recovering so Bill can show me the work-out routine that Jen gave him last night!