high intensity interval training

last night i tried some HIIT (high intensity interval training) and it kicked my butt.

it was a "short" workout but a tough one. i have a hard time doing shorter workouts. i need to get over that "what's the point?" mentality.


here's what i did:

5 minutes warm-up walking
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
1 minute running speed 8 mph
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
1 minute running speed 8 mph
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
1 minute running speed 8 mph
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
1 minute running speed 8 mph
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
1 minute running speed 8 mph
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
1 minute running speed 8 mph
2 minutes jogging speed 5.5 mph
5 minutes walking cool down
TOTAL: 30 minutes

by the end sweat was dripping off my face and at one point i thought i might be sick. i realized this morning i really am sick! dammit! my throat feels scratchy and no amount of water can quench my thirst. i thought that maybe feeling under the weather would decrease my appetite but so far that is not the case. double dammit!

I am pretty pooped this week. on tuesday i had a publicity event for work and then my bf and i went to see metric and the stills at massey hall. our seats were TERRIBLE. why am i always in the third balcony way at the side? we couldn't even see the stage! i'm going to think long and hard before i ever buy tickets to a show that venue ever again.

i am looking forward to the weekend. one of my girlfriends is having her birthday an afternoon ladies high tea party at the kind edward downtown. words cannot express how much i love high tea!

you all make me laugh

yes, it's true. you all make me laugh? in a good way of course. but why? all the reasons/excuses why my pants could have felt tight. let's see:

1) maybe i am building muscles in my thighs.

2) perhaps i left my pants in the dryer and they shrunk.

3) swollen legs.

while these could be valid excuses in the land of wishville, i know it's not possible.

1) i have been running for almost a year and can't see muscles just sprouting up this week. and since i have only done two, yes a mere two HIIT sessions, that can't be it either.

2) i would NEVER even put these tighties in the dryer for one second!

3) this actually could be an excuse but i doubt it.

today i weighed in at 121.8. that is a gain of 2.6 pounds from last week. frickity crap mofo! but it's not necessary a bad thing. yes, i am out of my range, but it's good because i need to take a good look at what i'm eating. i am totally in control exercise-wise, but eating-wise... not so much. my portions have been increasing. a packet of oatmeal becomes a packet of oatmeal with flax, with all bran, with pumpkin, with wheat berries, with milk, with a banana. and while these things are all healthy, and adding one or two of these things is a great idea, adding them all and eating a giant beheamoth vat of oatmeal is not.

it's time to trim back the portions people! i can do it. i am not even in a bad mood about gaining. it's all about perspective :o)

in other news, this morning i did a quick 4-miles around my lovely city. and i have to say, even two sessions of HIIT is increasing my regular running speed. instead of a slower jog, i found myself with faster, longer strides this morning... it felt really good. when my alarm went off at 6:45am, i was resetting it for my boyfriend, and he rolled over and mumbled, "you are a real inspiration." hahaha - that is so funny to me.

in more boyfriend news, this sunday is our 1.5 yearaversary. last year for our six-monthaversary, i drew him a picture of a pin-up girl. he invited me to go to vegas with his family. even? i think so! ;o) anyhoo, i decided to carry on the tradition and draw him another pin-up. it's a ballerina because he likes them. i finished it last night and scanned it.

i think you can click on it to make it bigger. i've since signed and framed it. i think he will like it because i spent time on it, and it's from the heart. romance!

today on the menu is:

giant iced coffee

hot coffee
cinnamon oatmeal with flax
source yogurt

ezekiel english muffin
3 slices fake spicy meat
spinach and mustard
source yogurt
1/2 cup blackberries

banana
source yogurt
1 cup popcorn

dinner - ?

too tight

my fuel belt is awesome. yesterday i went for a long run on the lakeshore by lake ontario. it was so beautiful and different from my normal city runs. instead of looking at dresses in the windows of shops, i was looking out at the calm waters, at birds and boats and waves... nice. i don't know how far i went but i decided to turn around when i hit 250 calories on my HRM. it was a very long run! probably between 7 and 8 miles... my longest run yet.

on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being really annoying and 10 being the greatest thing of all time, i would rate my fuel belt a 9. it's wonderful. i really couldn't feel any difference in weight on my back or around my waist. the velcro was really strong and i didn't have any doubts that it would stay on during my run. i made sure to only drink 4 oz. of water at a time and spread it out over my run (which took about an hour and 20 minutes) and i felt hydrated and motivated to keep going the entire time. the fuel belt is worth $50 for sure.

this morning i got up early and did 20 minutes of HIIT on the treadmill, with a 5-minute warm up and cool down as well. it didn't feel as intense as the first time i tried it (on monday) so for the last half i upped my intense runs from 8.5 mph to 9.0 mph. it's tougher, but doable, so i might as well be doing that instead. then i did some arm weights, lunges, and sit-ups.

for some reason i am feeling like a real fatty mcbutterpants today. the reason is that i am wearing jeans that i have not worn in awhile (due to heat) and they are tight. not in my stomach but in my thighs. i can't remember if they always feel like this and maybe i am just used to the loosey-goosey clothes of summer, or if they shouldn't feel like this and i've gained weight. needless to say i am not looking forward to weighing in tomorrow. of course i'll do it, but still.

these tight pants put me in a poo mood today. i rode my bike to work, and the whole way, i couldn't help but think nasty thoughts about people who are naturally thin, and who eat things like chocolate chip muffins from tim hortons for breakfast, and don't exercise. if i had a "cheat" day, i would definitely eat a chocolate chip muffin from tim hortons for breakfast. maybe some peanut thai curry for lunch, and some alfredo pasta for dinner. carbolicious.

i have since calmed down. i am a firm believer that you can turn your mood around by "choosing" to do so... i am happy and in a good mood. yes, so happy. :o)

today i'm eating:

pre workout:
all bran bar

post workout:
big iced coffee with sugar-free caramel syrup

breakfast:
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup wheat berries
1 T splenda
1 t cinnamon
1 banana
1 T flax
2 T PB2

snack:
1/2 cup blackberries
1 source yogurt

lunch:
big spinach salad with
mushrooms
carrots
tomatoes
sun-dried tomatoes
wheat berries
thai sesame dressing
1 can white chunk tuna

snack:
nature valley pb crunch granola bar (pack of 2)
source yogurt

dinner:
?

party prep

thanks everyone for all of your recommendations. i am going to go to the running room and see what they have to offer. probably better than ordering something online, because who would know if it fit or was comfortable, etc. and then i will probably go to mountain equipment co-op for a hat. i also want some new running shorts. by shorts i mean something little that just covers my bum. i have no shame... i just don't want to be hot...as in overheated ;) if it looks gruesome i'll get something with more coverage, but i'm sure it will be fine.

in other news, last night i tried the HIIT (high intensity interval training) that everyone is talking about these days. i wanted a short but effective workout so here is what i did:

warm up
0:00-1:00 3.5 mph walking
1:00-2:00 3.8 mph walking
2:00-3:00 4.0 mph walking
3:00-4:00 4.2 mph walking
4:00-5:00 5.0 light jogging

intensity time
30 seconds 8.5 mph (fast running!)
60 seconds 5.0 mph (light jogging)
i did this for 20 minutes... tiring!

cool down
5 minutes walking slowing down from 4.0 mph to 3.0 mph.

let me tell you... i was SO SWEATY. sweat was dripping off of my face and body. my head was soaked. my breathing was really laboured... in a good way of course. i read all about HIIT here and how it's really efficient for fat loss without muscle loss. maybe it is, maybe it isn't, but why not give it a try. i am always looking for shorter workouts to do on days that i'm not running (for pleasure) so maybe this is the way to go.

so it's my birthday coming up in june, and i'm having a birthday party in my condo. the thing is... i don't have bedding. i have sheets and stuff, but my old duvet cover was red and black and i painted my bedroom walls this colour (for the record, this image is not my bedroom, just a screen capture of the paint online):

i can't have a bedroom that is green and red, that's crazy! my bedroom furniture is white, and i've been holding off for bedding that is black, yellow, and white. but i can't find any. and it would be embarrassing to have a party with a naked duvet (no cover)... so i bought this "bed-in-a-bag" today from sears. it is for "youths" but i love the colours, especially the yellow.

i will not have a bedskirt (hate them), those giant flower pillows, or the mosquito net. but everything else. yes... it's kind of crazy but i like it that way. and it's just for the mean time, while i continue to search for the perfect bedding.

today on the menu is:

1/2 banana with natural PB

smoothie made from:
skim milk
2 t PB2
1/2 banana
splash of unsweetened almond breeze
1 equal
a few scoops of plain 2% yogurt

quaker high fibre berry oatmeal with:
1 T flax
1/3 cup all-bran
1/2 cup blackberries

big salad with:
2 cups spinach
chopped cauliflower
mushrooms
orange pepper
carrot slices
baby tomatoes
1/2 cup lima beans
1/3 cup wheat berries
1 T sun dried tomatoes
newman's own thai sesame dressing

1 serving kashi TLC crackers (if hungry)

and for dinner... not sure. :)