I finally made it to my first spin class at Strictly Fitness! The class was taught by Mary B, a very sweet, tan, and tiny women. The class was very full. Mary immediately recognized that myself and the women next to me, whom was also a newbie in my first Zumba class the other night, were new to class. She come right over to us, introduced herself, and showed us how the bikes worked.
Mary B then cranked up some super great, super energizing music, starting with Black Eyed Peas “Good Night.” I added that song to my running play list! She explained to us her four levels of spinning. Level one is slowly with no resistance. Level two is faster, with a bit more resistance. Level three is very fast, with the same resistance at level two, while Level four is high resistance, making it impossible to go very fast. We started class at one, then quickly moved to two. Mary cycled us through all the levels, adding standing and push ups on the handle bars.
The music the instructor chose was perfect. It kept the class going. Mary would get off her bike every few minutes, walk around and pump everyone up! It was a great class! As a little added entertainment, Mary challenged several of the men to push up contests. Wow, was I impressed! She keep up with and out did all the men. Way to go girl! On a side note, I would recommend anyone who takes a spin class, get a nice seat for yourself. About half way through the class, my butt started to hurt, LOL. Several vets in the class told me to get my own gel seat. They said that is does wonders, so I will be getting one tomorrow!
I also did a two mile walk/run on the treadmill and gave Zumba another try. The Zumba class had a different instructor and seamed to be more fast paced this time, which I enjoyed. My time on the treadmill did not improve, but I still completed two miles in under 16 minutes a mile. I will continue to slowly increase the time I spend on the treadmill, hopefully to get faster and farther.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility
As an accounting major in college, I had to take several economics classes. The study of economics includes the study of human behavior. One concept in economics that has always intrigued me was the law of diminishing marginal utility. Simply put, the law of diminishing marginal utility states that the second unit of a product does not give the consumer as great a level of satisfaction as the first. It continues to say that the third unit is not as satisfying as the second and so on.
When we put this concept into weight loss, it can lead us to more mindful eating. Think about a food you love (for me, I am choosing chocolate cake!) First, look at the food and take it in with all your senses. It looks great, it smells fabulous. You take a piece. As the law of diminishing marginal utility teaches us, the first bite will be the most satisfying. When you are ready to take the first bit, make sure you are in a place physically and mental to enjoy it. Yum! Now, on to the second bite. Wow, it was great too, but not quit as good as the first. Time for the third bite, then the fourth. Are you still getting a high level of satisfaction? If so, have another bit! But if not, put your fork down and walk away. You do NOT have to clear your plate. If you are not getting a high level of satisfaction from each bit, then it is time to stop. Make each bit worth the calories you are taking it. This method can save you hundreds of unenjoyed calories.
I have put this concept into my eating habits over the past few days. Over the weekend, my husband and I went to dinner to a local place that has my absolute favorite chocolate cake (that is why I chose it as my example.) It has layers of mouse, cake and chocolate slivers….soooo good! After dinner, my husband and I ordered a piece to share (another good option to slim down.) When the waitress brought it to our table, it looked so good. I picked up my fork for the first bit. Wow, so good! Then the second, third, then forth. It was time to ask my self, was I still getting a high level of satisfaction out of each bit? Yes, I was! So it was time for a few more bits. Then, it was time to ask my self again. This time, the answer was no. It was time to put my fork down and push the rest of the cake to my husband.
This concepts really works for me. What do you think? Have you tried it? Please tell me about you experience with it.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
When we put this concept into weight loss, it can lead us to more mindful eating. Think about a food you love (for me, I am choosing chocolate cake!) First, look at the food and take it in with all your senses. It looks great, it smells fabulous. You take a piece. As the law of diminishing marginal utility teaches us, the first bite will be the most satisfying. When you are ready to take the first bit, make sure you are in a place physically and mental to enjoy it. Yum! Now, on to the second bite. Wow, it was great too, but not quit as good as the first. Time for the third bite, then the fourth. Are you still getting a high level of satisfaction? If so, have another bit! But if not, put your fork down and walk away. You do NOT have to clear your plate. If you are not getting a high level of satisfaction from each bit, then it is time to stop. Make each bit worth the calories you are taking it. This method can save you hundreds of unenjoyed calories.
I have put this concept into my eating habits over the past few days. Over the weekend, my husband and I went to dinner to a local place that has my absolute favorite chocolate cake (that is why I chose it as my example.) It has layers of mouse, cake and chocolate slivers….soooo good! After dinner, my husband and I ordered a piece to share (another good option to slim down.) When the waitress brought it to our table, it looked so good. I picked up my fork for the first bit. Wow, so good! Then the second, third, then forth. It was time to ask my self, was I still getting a high level of satisfaction out of each bit? Yes, I was! So it was time for a few more bits. Then, it was time to ask my self again. This time, the answer was no. It was time to put my fork down and push the rest of the cake to my husband.
This concepts really works for me. What do you think? Have you tried it? Please tell me about you experience with it.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Spin…I mean Zumba!
Today, I went to a new gym, Strictly Fitness in York PA, for a Spin class that I signed up for at our township building. I was so excited to get out of the house and take a really challenging class. When I got to the gym, a really nice lady gave me a tour. My first impression was that the gym was nice, but it still felt very intimidating to me. There were lots of really fit people working out. I learned that tanning and child care are included in the cost of membership, which is a big plus!
So once 5:30 rolled around, I went to the spin room. There I found a class just letting out. I went back to the front desk, only to find out that the township had the time wrong. There is no 5:30 spin class! I was very disappointed. Scott, the man that teaches Spin, and the women that I had met early for my tour were great! They took such good care of me. Since the 6:30 spin class was full, they gave me a great alternative. They gave me a 20 visits punch card that will allow me to visit the gym 20 times, at any time I want. They got me into a spin class that starts in next week, and suggested I stay for a Zumba class today. Wow, was I impressed!
Since the Zumba class did not start till 6:30, I decided to spend a little time on the treadmill. This is my first timed experience on the treadmill since I have committed to the marathon. I did a walk/run combo for 20 minutes, with 4 minutes walks at 3.5mph and 2 minute runs at 5.5mph. It took me 14:45 to get in one mile. In my 20 minutes, I went 1.35 miles. I wish I would have had my new running shoes to try out. It is good to know I can easily do a mile in under 16 minutes. Now my task is to get faster and add to my distance!
My first in class Zumba experience was good. Zumba is a Latin-inspired, calorie-burning, dance party. It is a blend of red-hot international music that mixes dance and aerobics. The instructor, Maria, was very nice and keep the one hour class going. The class was a lot of fun, but I wish the intensity was higher. Being used to very high intensity Turbo Fire classes, Zumba was a breeze. It felt really good to have the others around me huffing and puffing, while I was sweating but still feeling really good. I really enjoyed the music and the choreography was fun. Would I recommend this class to other? Absolutely! Will I go back? Yes! Strictly Fitness was a great experience.
I can’t wait to try Spin next week. I will be back to let you know how it goes!
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
So once 5:30 rolled around, I went to the spin room. There I found a class just letting out. I went back to the front desk, only to find out that the township had the time wrong. There is no 5:30 spin class! I was very disappointed. Scott, the man that teaches Spin, and the women that I had met early for my tour were great! They took such good care of me. Since the 6:30 spin class was full, they gave me a great alternative. They gave me a 20 visits punch card that will allow me to visit the gym 20 times, at any time I want. They got me into a spin class that starts in next week, and suggested I stay for a Zumba class today. Wow, was I impressed!
Since the Zumba class did not start till 6:30, I decided to spend a little time on the treadmill. This is my first timed experience on the treadmill since I have committed to the marathon. I did a walk/run combo for 20 minutes, with 4 minutes walks at 3.5mph and 2 minute runs at 5.5mph. It took me 14:45 to get in one mile. In my 20 minutes, I went 1.35 miles. I wish I would have had my new running shoes to try out. It is good to know I can easily do a mile in under 16 minutes. Now my task is to get faster and add to my distance!
My first in class Zumba experience was good. Zumba is a Latin-inspired, calorie-burning, dance party. It is a blend of red-hot international music that mixes dance and aerobics. The instructor, Maria, was very nice and keep the one hour class going. The class was a lot of fun, but I wish the intensity was higher. Being used to very high intensity Turbo Fire classes, Zumba was a breeze. It felt really good to have the others around me huffing and puffing, while I was sweating but still feeling really good. I really enjoyed the music and the choreography was fun. Would I recommend this class to other? Absolutely! Will I go back? Yes! Strictly Fitness was a great experience.
I can’t wait to try Spin next week. I will be back to let you know how it goes!
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Choosing a Good Running Shoes
This week, my mission was to find a good running shoe. If you remember, last week I wrote about these awful shin splints I got during my first run. I did some research online about shin splints and how to avoid them. What I found was a bit surprising. It seams I was wearing the wrong shoes! For my first run, I wore my Reebok Easytones. I have had these shoes for about a year and a half and have always liked them.
Once I discovered that my shoes may have caused my shin splits, I began researching about the importance of choosing the correct shoe when running. Wow! There is so much information out there about choosing a running shoe. From what I gathered, it seams that the most important thing you need to know when shopping for a running shoe is what type of foot you have. Foot types include:
Under pronating, or high arch
Neurtal pronating, or normal arch
Over pronating, or flat footed
Most running experts advise you to go to a shoe store and ask an expert in running shoes for help when choosing a shoe. So, that is just what I did.
The last thing I learned about running shoes and wanted to share with you is that running shoes have a relatively short life. Most experts recommend you replace your running shoes at least every 400 miles. I am sure my Easytones have seen at least double that! Dick’s had an amazing pair of running shoes, the ASICS GEL KAYANO 17, but they were a bit out of my price range for now…but maybe they are just what I will need to finish the Marathon! Once I put some miles on my new ASICS GT-2160, I will let you all know what I think!
What has your experience been with running shoes? Is there any you would or would not recommend?
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
Once I discovered that my shoes may have caused my shin splits, I began researching about the importance of choosing the correct shoe when running. Wow! There is so much information out there about choosing a running shoe. From what I gathered, it seams that the most important thing you need to know when shopping for a running shoe is what type of foot you have. Foot types include:
Under pronating, or high arch
Neurtal pronating, or normal arch
Over pronating, or flat footed
Most running experts advise you to go to a shoe store and ask an expert in running shoes for help when choosing a shoe. So, that is just what I did.
I went to Dick’s Sports here in York, PA and met a really great salesperson who was very knowledgeable in running shoes. He asked me to take off my shoes and socks. He examined my feet and informed me that I have a neutral to over pronating foot. He then asked me if I can often feel the arch of my foot caving into my shoes as I walk. He was right on! The salesperson told me that I should choose a running shoe that offer really good arch support. He then recommended to me several shoes in many brands and prices. He showed me to look for a shoe with a two part sole, with built in arch support on the inside of the shoe and the outside. After trying on several pairs, I chose a winner!
My salesperson also mentioned the importance of finding a shoes that fits well…not to tight and not to loose. Trying a half size up in a running shoes was a good suggestion., so I tried on an 8.5 and a 9. He also checked to see if I need a wide width, which I did not. I ended up getting a pair of ASICS GT-2160 in a size 9. My trip to Dick’s was very informative and overall a great experience.
What has your experience been with running shoes? Is there any you would or would not recommend?
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Anchoring
Anchoring is a technique that can be used for your weight loss or training goals. When anchoring, you use a physical item or image to create a mental triggers to remind yourself of your goals. When sticking to your plan is tough, look to your anchor to bring you back to what is important to you.
To use this technique, you will chose an item that holds significant to you. As my anchor, I have chosen a cloth bracelet with the words princess printed on it, along with tiaras. This anchor holds importance to me because every time I look down at my wrist, I am reminded of the marathon and how important this goal is to me. Seeing my anchor keeps me motivated to workout and eat right.
Examples of an anchor can be a song, a photo, jewelry….anything that is significant to you. Connect to your anchor when you're having a hard day and it will remind you of your goals. Anchoring can help you achieve your goals by helping you remember what is important to you.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
To use this technique, you will chose an item that holds significant to you. As my anchor, I have chosen a cloth bracelet with the words princess printed on it, along with tiaras. This anchor holds importance to me because every time I look down at my wrist, I am reminded of the marathon and how important this goal is to me. Seeing my anchor keeps me motivated to workout and eat right.
Examples of an anchor can be a song, a photo, jewelry….anything that is significant to you. Connect to your anchor when you're having a hard day and it will remind you of your goals. Anchoring can help you achieve your goals by helping you remember what is important to you.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
If you have enjoyed what you read, please click to the right to follow me!
I have a few extra princess bands! If you want one, follow me and comment below. I will send you one as a thank you!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Turbo Fire!
Today, I began week three of Turbo Fire. Turbo Fire is hard core and very challenging, but I am enjoying it so far. Chalene is very motivating. It seams like when ever we hit a partially challenging part, Chalene says something that picks me up and keeps me going till the end! I have been a fan of hers for many years now, since I tried my first Turbo Jam DVD.
After three weeks, I have done all of the workouts at least once. Included in the Turbo Fire system is 10 workouts. The “Fire” workouts are intense cardio classes, ranging from 30 minutes to 55 minutes. The DVD’s also include stretching, toning and sculpting. The genius of the Turbo Fire series is the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts. These HIIT workouts range from 15 to 25 minutes. Yes, they are short, but affective. Chalene promises that the HIIT sessions burn nine times more fat than a regular aerobic workout. I can believe it! The HIIT workouts are just that…high intensity! After a brief warm-ups, the intensity builds quickly. The routine is one minute of high intensity, followed by a minute of low intensity cool down. They are hard work, but doable.
The program comes with an eating plan and a workout schedule. I have not been following the included eating plan, as it is to restrictive for me. I really like the workout schedule. It seams to alternate Fire classes with HIIT classes, with a little stretching and toning mixed in.
I am very happy so far with my Turbo Fire workouts. The foot work is fun, but not to challenging--even for someone as clumsy as me. It’s like going to a dance party every day in my living room. Chalene keeps it fun and she makes the time fly by.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
http://www.turbofire.com/
After three weeks, I have done all of the workouts at least once. Included in the Turbo Fire system is 10 workouts. The “Fire” workouts are intense cardio classes, ranging from 30 minutes to 55 minutes. The DVD’s also include stretching, toning and sculpting. The genius of the Turbo Fire series is the HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts. These HIIT workouts range from 15 to 25 minutes. Yes, they are short, but affective. Chalene promises that the HIIT sessions burn nine times more fat than a regular aerobic workout. I can believe it! The HIIT workouts are just that…high intensity! After a brief warm-ups, the intensity builds quickly. The routine is one minute of high intensity, followed by a minute of low intensity cool down. They are hard work, but doable.
The program comes with an eating plan and a workout schedule. I have not been following the included eating plan, as it is to restrictive for me. I really like the workout schedule. It seams to alternate Fire classes with HIIT classes, with a little stretching and toning mixed in.
I am very happy so far with my Turbo Fire workouts. The foot work is fun, but not to challenging--even for someone as clumsy as me. It’s like going to a dance party every day in my living room. Chalene keeps it fun and she makes the time fly by.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
Monday, January 17, 2011
Shin Splints!
So, I have been on my quest to transform from a pumpkin to a pretty princess for two weeks now! To acheive this goal, I am doing Turbo Fire workouts at least five days a week, and following the weight watchers diet.
Yesterday I did my first Marathon walking practice. I walked on the sidewalks around my neighborhood. I timed myself and used a pediometer. My first time was:
9 minutes to walk .65 miles, doing the math, I would have walked 1.15 miles if I did all 16 minutes, but it was really cold outside.
This makes me feel better about the pacing requirement. Disney requires all participants to maintain a pace of 16 minutes per mile or better.
The worst part of my week is these awful shin splints! I felt fine after all the Turbo Fire workouts, but the walk around the neightborhood is what did it. I have been doing some research on shin splits, and it seams I may need new shoes. The shoes I wore for my walk were my year old and well worn Reebok Easytones. I read they running shoes need to be replaced around every 400 miles, and that means mine are way overdue. I may be looking into getting new running shoes very soon.
I am feeling really optimistic about my progress and my ablility to go from a pumpkin to a princess.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
Yesterday I did my first Marathon walking practice. I walked on the sidewalks around my neighborhood. I timed myself and used a pediometer. My first time was:
9 minutes to walk .65 miles, doing the math, I would have walked 1.15 miles if I did all 16 minutes, but it was really cold outside.
This makes me feel better about the pacing requirement. Disney requires all participants to maintain a pace of 16 minutes per mile or better.
The worst part of my week is these awful shin splints! I felt fine after all the Turbo Fire workouts, but the walk around the neightborhood is what did it. I have been doing some research on shin splits, and it seams I may need new shoes. The shoes I wore for my walk were my year old and well worn Reebok Easytones. I read they running shoes need to be replaced around every 400 miles, and that means mine are way overdue. I may be looking into getting new running shoes very soon.
I am feeling really optimistic about my progress and my ablility to go from a pumpkin to a princess.
A dream is a wish your heart makes......
--Amy
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