Demesha Challenge Days 4 & 5 and Chasing Tennis Balls

THURSDAY (Day 4):

So Thursday was my first day with my bodybugg. It is such a cool little piece of technology. It has really helped me understand how interval training can go a lot further (concerning caloric burn) than endurance training. Both are good, but I am definitely going to try to do more interval training. On Thursday, I did 65 minutes on the elliptical at level 10 (out of 25). It sure did wipe me out. Demesha's challenge to work out 5 days this week has worn me out!! MY SHOULDERS WERE SWEATING! Seriously? How do you get sweaty shoulders? I hit my calorie expenditure target for the day...around 3700 calories...and enjoyed the new Harry Potter movie, which I enjoyed : )

FRIDAY (Day 5):

Friday, I lounged around all day because I have them off this summer. It has been so nice. I am going to be sad to go back to a 5 day work week. I went to the gym and did 60 minutes on the elliptical at level 10. My legs were seriously smoked from the day before, so I gave myself a 5 minute reward ; ) As I was on the elliptical, another girl got on and started working out. She was overweight too, and was taking quite a few breaks. I just kinda welled up. I understood how she was feeling. It wasn't even 4 weeks ago that I couldn't do but 20 minutes on the elliptical. I wanted to say something encouraging to her, but I didn't want her to notice that I had seen her struggling. As it was, I just smiled and kept going. I know I might have been a little weirded out if someone had said something to me in the gym like that. It's still bothering me though, maybe I should have said something. Finding the courage to go to the gym and struggle in front of people is such a brave thing and something to be proud of. Next time I see her, I'll be sure to say something.

So...I had only done 60 minutes and I was feeling guilty for my 5 minute reward. This little contraption that is in the corner started calling to me: The Summit Trainer (imagine an elliptical mixed with a stairclimber from HELL)..."Just 5 minutes, Valerie...you can do 5 minutes...come on!" So begrudgingly, I climbled on...which was a feat enough in itself...I was way up in the air. And I started going...OH-MY-GOSH-OUCH!!! I made it five minutes, then it was kind enough to offer me a cool-down...uh, no thank you. I got home and Jamie asked me how my work out was, I said "Stick me on a spit...I have roasted thighs." Wow did that hurt!

Later that day, I felt bad because I hadn't hit 10000 steps, so I hiked up to the water tower on the mountain I live on. That did it! I hit my calorie expenditure for the day AND my total number of steps! I got home and was exhausted. Jamie insisted that I go ahead and eat dinner because I was no where near my calorie intake for the day...BAD IDEA. I was soooo sick. I blew it on my calories that day, I had a 2,995 calorie deficit...very bad. I just couldn't hold any food down. It reminded me of contestants losing it all on the Biggest Loser...no fun. Let's hope that I don't have that problem again for a while. I had a bowl of sherbert and went to bed.

SATURDAY:

Was supposed to be my day off...but NO WAY! I wanted to go go go...my bodybugg was "bugging" me. After Jamie and I had a heated game of Monopoly out on the deck (in the BEAUTIFUL) weather, we went and played tennis for about an hour and a half...of course we spent more time chasing the ball than hitting it. We are both a little out of practice, but I loved it! I played tennis for 11 years when I was younger and I realized yesterday that I want to start playing again. I think I may join a tennis team or something. Not only is it great stress relief, but it is also great built in interval training. I was burning calories like a furnace until 1 a.m. last night.

The Demesha Challenge has been great for me. I have learned a lot about myself and I am working on a blog for tomorrow that will explain all I have learned in a week (and let me tell you...it is huge). Thank you, Demesha. You have really made a change in me this week.