Workout Partners are Awesome

I typically like working out alone and have always looked at those Find a Workout Partner articles and thought, not me, I don't really need a partner, I'm cool working out on my own. Well, maybe I was wrong, because over the last few weeks I have come to really appreciate my workout partners and I've learned that a love for exercising alone is not incompatible with having workout partners. So here I am writing my very own Workout Partners are Awesome post, because my workout partners are definitely making my road to Louisville easier and I think they're pretty awesome!

Besides making exercising more fun, exercise partners also significantly increase the likelihood that you'll actually work out. Maybe it's the fact that you don't want to disappoint your partner, or maybe it's just better to run 10 miles if you know someone else is doing it too. Either way, having a partner limits your lazy side's ability to win the battle of to do or not to do. A partner also pushes you to work a little harder than you would on your own. When you work out alone it's easy to slack off or convince yourself you've reached your max, but with a partner you'll push yourself just a little harder and longer, because your partner might be motivating you or maybe you're secretly trying to show off your skills or compete with your partner.

My partners have done all of the above for me this winter and I know I'm going to depend on them as I get ready to tackle the Ironman and possibly some other athletic endeavors this year!

Let's start with the Pacers Fun Runs. Like I said, I like exercising alone and that applies specifically to running, so I have been hesitant to join Pablo on his weekly runs with Pacers. Two weeks ago though, I changed my mind. Why? First of all, I've noticed a significant increase in my completed runs when I run with the group and second, the beauty of a group run is that you can make it whatever you want. Feeling social? Run with a pace group. Feeling anti-social? Run the same route as everyone else but on your own. You start the together and end up at the same place and if you're in Alexandria on a Tuesday, you get to wine taste together too. The results: you push yourself a little harder and in my case do a 4 mile run at a 9:25 min/mile pace (I'm a 10 min/mile runner on a good day on my own!)

Another awesome example is actually the incident that prompted me to write this post. A few days ago we woke up to 9 degree weather (-22 Celsius) and I was not in the mood to leave the house for an hour in the pool. I had a snow day from work, it was brutally cold and my warm bed was calling my name. Pablo let me sleep an extra 30 minutes and then he started nagging me to get ready to go to the pool. I was super tempted to tell him to just go on his own, but I knew it would not only disappoint him (this Ironman journey is after all a journey we decided to embark on together), but I'd also disappoint myself and probably kick myself in the butt when I would either have to own up to skipping a workout or have to venture out to the pool by myself.

So there I went in the cold and when I first got to the pool, I just was not feeling it. I felt slow, my arms hurt and my lazy side announced that I would just swim for 30 minutes, maybe at the most 45. As I continued my laps however, those complaints and negative thoughts slowly melted away....I remembered how it usually takes me about 750 meters to get in my groove and by 900 meters I felt like I had grown gills and my arms were gliding much smoother through the water. I was even practicing flip turns and before I knew it I had completed my planned 2000m workout.

I could go on and on sharing examples of the ways Pablo, Emily (my yoga buddy), Pacers and the DC Tri Club have helped me, but the main point is they're awesome and I highly recommend finding workout groups and partners. My internal motivation to train for this Ironman is definitely there. I want it and I know what I need to do to get there, but sometimes when it's cold and miserable outside or when it feels like the couch is calling my name, it sure is nice to have training partners to keep me on track!

I love suspension training!

I've been using the off-season to relax, reduce the smell of chlorine in my hair, shop for a new bike, speed up my run and most importantly strengthen my core. I started Jillian Michael's 30-day shred and occasionally throw in No More Trouble Zones. I've also taken full advantage of Groupon, Living Social and other deals to try out classes and so far my absolute favorite class has got to be TRX!

TRX Suspension Training, in case you haven't heard of it, is a super intensive workout that targets every single muscle in your body. As the Firm Fitness Trainer says TRX exercises = a hard core work out and the ladies at MyThrivePilates have totally been kicking my butt. The classes that I've been taking are only 45-50min and while they fly by it doesn't always feel like it, especially when your muscles are burning and the instructor tells you you're only halfway through a 30-second interval. Seriously, how the hell does it take so long for 15 seconds to go by?

The plank part of the workout is both my favorite and least favorite part. Sometimes I can't help but crash onto my mat in the middle of a set. At the same time normal planks during my Jillian Michael's and PearFitness workouts are now a total joke, which can only mean one thing: my core has gotten stronger.

I can't give all the credit of my new core strength to TRX, but it's definitely been a huge part. I mean just try these 3 moves back to back for 30 seconds each and tell me how you feel afterwards:

TRX Atomic Push-Up

TRX Oblique Knee Tuck

TRX Side Plank with Threading Needle

(Photos courtesy of the Firm Fitness Trainer, who by the way has a sick sick core)

TRX is truly a great strength training workout and while I can't guarantee the quality of your local classes, I highly recommend trying it out!

Update (November 29, 2013):
If you can't afford TRX classes or don't have any classes in your area, I have found a great alternative: Home Suspension Trainer Systems! I've seen these online and at sports stores before, but I've always been skeptical about them. Could a system with a simple mount that you throw over the door really work?

Well, I've only used mine a few times, but so far it definitely works! Admittedly I work harder when I'm in the classes, but that's the case for me whenever I do things in a group versus by myself and even if you just use the system for 30 minutes, you can definitely get a good workout out of it.
There are many systems available (just google suspension training systems). On Amazon they range from $29.95 to $199.95. I'm sure some brands are better than others, but most had pretty good reviews. I decided to get the Sportline Quick Adjust Suspension X-Trainer which was reduced from $59.99 to $28.95 on Active GearUp a price that was too good to pass.

The kit includes:
A door anchor
3 Carabiners which are used to secure the rope to the door anchor and the different attachments to the suspension pods
2 Suspension pods that allow you to adjust the length of the rope
2 Handles
2 Foot straps
1 Foot cradle
Fitness guide and DVD with 12 exercises

Handles

The 2 handles can be used for a wide range of arm, upper body and lower body exercises. Some examples include various rows, chest press, chest fly, reverse fly, tricep press, bicep curls, push ups, squats and various standing ab exercises. YouTube is full of videos showing you how to do the various exercises as it the TRX website.

Side plank with foot straps

The leg straps are ideal for leg and core exercises, including my favorite: the plank and all of its variations. This is what the people in the 3 exercises pictured earlier are using to do the push-up, oblique knee tuck and side plank.

You might also be able to use the foot cradle for some of these exercises. The foot cradle gives you a little extra stability since you aren't working on stabilizing each individual leg.  Doing some of your regular floor core exercises using the foot straps or cradle brings up the intensity, because you have to constantly engage your stabilizing muscles.

My attempt to snap a picture of the foot straps while in plank

Oblique knee tuck with foot cradle

While I still highly recommend trying out TRX classes if they're available in your area, I know those classes can be expensive and think an at-home suspension system is a perfect alternative, especially if you have the discipline and motivation to work out at home. It's also perfect for me in the fall and winter when I find it extremely difficult to leave the house when it's cold and dark. It's also a great way to get a quick intensive workout in while traveling. It's lightweight, which makes it easy to pack and it's super easy to set-up. I definitely plan on taking it with me when I travel home next week!

Getting ready for some hamstring curls using the foot cradle

Note these pictures are taken on a door that closes away from me. While I have used this door before, I try to stick to the recommended set-up, which is on a door that closes towards you, so that the door doesn't fly open while you're working out. In case you're scared someone else will open the door, my system comes with a door hanger that says "Stop! Exercise in Progress. Do Not Enter." For your own safety, whenever you set up your system, follow the system's instructions.  

Small steps, long-term change!

"Small, seemingly insignificant goals can turn into life-changing experiences in the blink of an eye"
-Susan Lacke

We all set long-term goals, I know I do, I just did actually: Ironman 70.3 Raleigh, NC June 1, 2014 and possibly a full Ironman in 2015.

I haven't officially signed up for either, because registration isn't open yet, but Raleigh is my goal half ironman and I've got a whole lot of expectations for that race. I want to be at least 20 lbs lighter, I want to be faster in the swim, bike AND run, I want to feel stronger, look better and hopefully place in the top 50%.

Yep, I've got big expectations and I think that's okay, but let's admit it, humans are bad at long-term goals. The further away and bigger the goal, the more likely we are to procrastinate, make excuses and shift our goal. Ironman makes it a little harder, because registration is mighty expensive, so once you register, you don't really want to back out, but I could probably finish the race at my current weight and speed, so why set such high expectations?

Honestly?

Because I can. Because I deserve to be the best version of me and because I WANT to be the best version of me.



While my mind has already made this lifestyle a habit, I know in order to reach my long-term goal, I'm going to have to set some short-term ones. More importantly, I'm going to have to set realistic, attainable short-term goals that will keep me motivated.

I'm a behavior analyst, I know all about motivation and behavior change. It's what I do for a living and it's definitely what I am doing for my own training. I recently already gave you the basics: pair and condition the activities, take small steps, reinforce yourself and find your motivation.

But what does this actually mean?

Shaping: When creating new routines, you have to shape up the behavior. In run training programs you'll often see the Saturday long runs increase by as little as 10% every week. Not only is this the healthiest thing to do for your body (to avoid injury), it's also the best thing to do for your mind. Remember what Susan said, small insignificant change can turn into life-changing experiences. You've got to shape up your behavior and if you do it in small enough steps, you won't even know you're changing. Don't compare yourself to others. Collect your baseline pace and distance and build up from there. Most importantly, take it easy. It's good to be sore, but if you train right you can avoid injuries. Trust me, I know. I went from having all kinds of knee injuries to being completely injury free once I started following a plan.

Balance: Elite and endurance athletes look at their CTL (chronic training load) to help them decide when and how much to train. As Matt Fitzgerald explains in Racing Weight, CTL looks at the average training stress which includes duration and intensity of workouts. Humans it turns out have a maximum CTL. Exceed the threshold and you crash, get close to it without exceeding it and you can thrive. If you're really into racing like me, it might be worth investing in a TrainingPeaks account or some other software that can help you track your CTL.

Another option is following these basic rules:
1. Listen to your body: Don't make excuses, but if you feel tired or overworked, re-assess your plan, take a day off, go easier on yourself during your workout. Again, do not make excuses, but take care of yourself.

2. Balance your sleep, nutrition and training: Are you training too hard? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you fueling your body enough? Studies have shown correlation between sleep & performance and nutrition & performance, so if you don't focus on all three, you won't get very far.

3. Take breaks: The general triathlon rule is to take a break every 12 weeks. In general, take a break after an A race (like I did this week after my first Olympic). In the half Ironman training plan I recently downloaded, the coach actually suggests a recovery period every 4 weeks of training. This doesn't mean you dont' do anything during the recovery, it just means you take it easy on your body.

4. Try High Volume, Low Intensity training: What this basically means is that you train more, at lower intensity. Sure you can do the reverse, but if you do that you're more likely to exceed your CTL threshold and crash or get injured. Try training at 80% below threshold and 20% above it. For example, if you're going to do speedwork, start with a warm-up and end with a cool-down and mix speed intervals with recovery intervals, so that only 20% of your workout was an all out effort and the rest was lower intensity.

Nutrition: Depending on your current nutritional habits, it might be unfeasible to cut out all sodas, junk food, processed foods and a bunch of calories. The thing is, you don't have to. Cut out little bits at a time, make replacements gradually and identify those things you just can't live without (for me that's a lot of stuff, including cupcakes, margaritas, chocolate, eggs benedict, and cheese, so I'm finding ways to eat a healthy balance of those things).

Cutting all your favorites out for good will not work and more importantly, it will make you miserable. This is a lifestyle change, so the last thing you want is to be miserable.

Last, but not least, celebrate progress. Set small goals and celebrate them when you reach them. Whether it's completing an Olympic triathlon, losing 5 pounds or cutting out sodas from your diet.
Set the goal, commit to it, track your progress and celebrate when you reach the finish!

The mental game

While the highlight of my week might be that I have stayed below 160 lbs all week, the highlight of the day is most definitely my Ladies' Choice Sprint Triathlon time. Remember I set a goal of just under an hour?

Well....(drum roll, please)....I did it in 58:52 and most impressively was that I ran the 2 mile run at a 9:00 min mile pace! I'm not a 9 min mile runner especially not after a 400 yard swim and an 8 mile bike ride! Just a few months ago when I started running again I was running 2 miles at barely an 11 min mile and that was on fresh legs! Now many of my training runs are below that and I'm setting my new goal to a 10 min mile and wondering, could it one day be a 9?

If you're not into racing, you might not understand my excitement or constant goal setting. But here's the secret straight from the mouth of a behavior analyst: in order to get to where I want to go, I'm going to have to work hard and in order to work hard, I'm going to need to be motivated. Racing myself IS my motivation (although high-fives and cheers from spectators are pretty awesome too). Meeting personal goals and recognizing that you are stronger than you thought, is a huge motivator and aiming for that elusive Ironman is the biggest motivator I could have.

This race actually awakened something in me that I have never felt before. I've always known I was stronger than I thought and that I could push myself further than I expected, but part of me always disagreed, part of me always whispered you have limits.

As I fought with crazy winds that made my bike move sideways while going up a hill and pushed myself to sprint to the finish so I could beat my goal, I broke free from that part of me that I feel has been holding me back for months. Working out, losing weight, living life...it's partly physical, but it's also very much a mental game.

Today I feel like I have broken down some of the self-defeating words my mind feeds itself.

Yeah, I have physical limits, but today I realized my mind had set those limits way too low. Today, I stepped away from the notion that I could never be a sub-10 min mile runner, that I could never place during a race (I placed 4th in my age group!), that I could never weigh 140 lbs or have a rock-solid body. Today I felt confident that I COULD become that person, that I could complete in an ironman AND, more importantly, look like one.

An ironman might not be your dream, but we could all benefit from a battle with our own demons and trust me, you are way stronger than they are!

It's going to take time...

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I AM FRUSTRATED!
I worked out 4 times last week, only went over my calories once, yet I am still stuck at 167 (only 0.5lbs from my starting weight almost a month ago). How am I supposed to stay motivated if I don't see results?

I'm sure this is a question many people ask themselves as they go through this journey. Gaining weight and becoming a couch potato is easy. Losing weight and becoming fit...not so much. It takes work and when we work we want results. 0.5lbs in 3 weeks is just not a strong enough reinforcer.

So have I given up? Not yet.

While I am definitely discouraged, I keep telling myself that I am following the right prescription and I should see results soon. I am actually stepping up the routine. This week I plan on working out 6 times and I'm going to track my diet even closer. While I haven't lost weight, I have realized how much I enjoy being active and feeling strong.

I've also been lucky to find a friend to go through this with. She started her journey a few weeks before I did and despite the fact that she lives in Hawaii, while I live on the East Coast, we're connected through MyFitnessPal and provide each other with support. She's lost 6 pounds already and keeps telling me to hang in there, because it took her a while before she started shedding pounds. It's nice to hear encouragement and see where I could be in a few weeks.

I'm still frustrated that the scale hasn't budged, but I guess it makes sense. Muscle weighs more than fat or actually a pound of muscle takes up less volume than a pound of fat, so as you convert fat to muscle you may not be losing weight, but you are shaping up and hopefully losing volume. I tested this theory and while my weight has stayed steady I've actually lost 1/2 inch around my waist and 1/2 inch around my hips. Not bad!

I'm also aware that increasing muscle also means increasing my metabolism. Muscle burns more calories than fat. Basically, the more I workout the more effective my body will become at burning calories, which means more calories burned, less stored. So while the pounds may not be coming off just yet, hopefully the fat has been decreasing. It's also motivating to know that shaping up means that I'll be able to do more and doing more means burning more. I've definitely seen the results of that already. The ab exercises feel easier and as my running distance has increased, so has my speed. For example, on June 21 I ran 1.2 miles at a 12:35 min/mile pace and on July 21 I ran 2.0 miles at a 10:57 min/mile pace. Harder, better, faster, stronger! (I should add that song to my running playlist)

Small achievements, that's my new strategy. The scale may not be showing me what I want, but other things are. Losing inches, gaining strength, it's all part of the journey to fitness. Of course I also want to lose 20 pounds, but I think that is the difference between a diet and a lifestyle change: it's more than the pounds and it's going to take time.

Staying motivated

I turned 30 today. 3-0. Back in my teens I used to think 30 was so old. Now I realize it's just the beginning. I had a 20s full of adventures and I don't plan to slow down in my 30s, the adventures are just going to be a little different...

Honestly I don't really have many goals for my 30s. I've been pretty happy with my life so far. Great family, great friends, married a wonderful man, own my own small business and have had the luck to travel all over the world...I guess if I had to set goals, maybe I'd aim to own a house. Have some kids. Continue to travel the world. Take more time to enjoy life and of course become healthier. That is actually the one thing I want to achieve while I'm 30: health and fitness.

This weekend though I've been a bit derailed and I realized how easy it is to lose motivation and attempt to throw in the towel. Despite having the best intentions to keep working out and eating healthy this entire weekend, my birthday has caused a change in plans. I had been working out at night, but this weekend my routine has been interrupted by cookouts, camping and tonight a nice dinner out. My diet has included more cake and alcohol than I would normally consume and while I know I can workout in the morning, I have been enjoying sleeping in and being lazy.

Not a bad thing to do your birthday weekend, except in my case I didn't log any of my meals (I know I'm over and I'd rather not see it), but then I did make a trip to the scale, which of course was absolutely depressing, so I felt guilty, which led to anger and then self-pitty, which I know will eventually lead to me wanting to give up.

As I watched myself go through the routine I realized that all I was doing was breaking myself down and taking the easy way out and this time I wasn't going to let my brain win!

Us humans are so hardwired for short-term success, for easy and immediate results, but the truth is, this is a journey, a lifestyle, a long-term commitment and I cannot let some short-term failures get in the way. I'm going to drink every now and then, I'm going to cheat and eat unhealthy occasionally and I'm going to skip a workout day here and there. These things are insignificant in the larger picture. They are not failures, they are part of life and as long as they are the exceptions I will reach my goal.

Stay focused on the final goal. This is what I have been chanting to myself on my runs and during my killer abs routine or when I'm really craving to binge eat. Now I realize this is also what I need to chant to myself on off-days. As Einstein said, "you never fail until you stop trying" and this time I don't plan on failing, I don't plan on giving up!