My vendor team all work from the Teleion Consulting office in downtown Seattle. In general I don't get out here that often because it requires crossing the bridge (aka. sitting in traffic). It's a good thing too because this place is trouble!
It's also a cesspool of junk food. They take regular trips to Costco and Trader Joe's to prepare for the next nuclear/earthquake threat. The amount of food here could literally fill up the Food Bank. Do you really need an industrial sized box of individually packaged Grandma's cookies in three, scrumptious flavors? Why do you need to put two cookies in a package, at 190 calories a piece? That's almost 400 calories in a pouch, the equivalent of a regular lunch! Now let's not even talk about the trail mix with dark chocolate M&Ms.
They also don't have a cafeteria like we do on campus where there are a bunch of healthy options. They certainly don't stock pile healthy snacks like I do in my mini fridge and filing cabinet in my office.
Because I'm rarely here we usually go out to lunch and often have happy hour at the end of the day to wait out the traffic congestion. I will be the first to admit that will power isn't part of my daily vocabulary. For this reason, I just don't have shit laying around my condo or office. If you put it there, I will eat it.
I managed to keep it together and have sushi for lunch. I did get into a peanut butter cookie and the dreaded trail mix after lunch... about a quarter cup full. Yes, in and around 500 calories in less than 5 minutes. Have you read Allison's post? I killed myself for 60 minutes this morning and wiped it all out in under 5 minutes.
Let this be a lesson that I can't walk out my door in the morning on my way to Teleion without grabbing my healthy afternoon snack from home. I'm now on my way to happy hour, where I'll limit to two glasses of wine and a salad for dinner. Just say no to the deep fried calamari.
Wednesday, June 4
Are you there G*d it's me, Cardio Day?
Oh the cardio days.
Between MC on Tuesdays and Thursdays I try to do three cardio work outs on MWF (and Saturday if Im inspired or training for something). Today was one of those days. Aleks met me this morning and we strecthed before choosing what cardio to do. We started with the step mill. Unlike its ancient predecessor the Step master, the step mill is a rotating stair case to hell. Truly made by Satan himself this machine burns an excess of 130 cal/10min on level ten. I admit I hold onto the handle bars even with Aleks screaming in her best Jillian voice impersonation "Noel let go of the handle bars". We decided for 30 minutes we would ride this satanic rollercoaster and let me tell you by the end i was fixated on the count down clock, drenched in sweat, praying to Jesus that it would be over soon. let me tell you if christians really wanted to convert Jews I would highly recommend saving the sermons or biblical appeals and just stick us on a stair mill, cuz after 30 minutes I was praying to whatever G*d that would listen.
After that we got on the treadmill and unlike Monday didnt puss out but ran for an additional 30 minutes. Im still getting used to not listening to music when I run, I may need to figure something out that would allow me to multi task listening to music and talking with Aleks. there is soething about Enrique Iglesias talking about pushing up on me that makes my run go alot faster - go figure.
But the best part of the cardio days is the eye candy. The saving grace of the stari mill is the prime elevated location where you can survey all the sweaty people. You see everyone, those struggling along with you, the beautiful obnoxious I -always-look-this-good-in-the-morning people, and the eye candy. It was a little weak this morning but our endurance paid off. In our final five minutes as we were dripping sweat and cursing each other Carl our MC coach got to work, beautiful legs and all.
I guess G8d was listening to my stair mill pleas but instead of enabling me and making the stair mill break or the fire alarm sounding bringing an end to my work out he sent me something better...inspiration all wrapped up in the best quads youve ever served a martini off of.
Between MC on Tuesdays and Thursdays I try to do three cardio work outs on MWF (and Saturday if Im inspired or training for something). Today was one of those days. Aleks met me this morning and we strecthed before choosing what cardio to do. We started with the step mill. Unlike its ancient predecessor the Step master, the step mill is a rotating stair case to hell. Truly made by Satan himself this machine burns an excess of 130 cal/10min on level ten. I admit I hold onto the handle bars even with Aleks screaming in her best Jillian voice impersonation "Noel let go of the handle bars". We decided for 30 minutes we would ride this satanic rollercoaster and let me tell you by the end i was fixated on the count down clock, drenched in sweat, praying to Jesus that it would be over soon. let me tell you if christians really wanted to convert Jews I would highly recommend saving the sermons or biblical appeals and just stick us on a stair mill, cuz after 30 minutes I was praying to whatever G*d that would listen.
After that we got on the treadmill and unlike Monday didnt puss out but ran for an additional 30 minutes. Im still getting used to not listening to music when I run, I may need to figure something out that would allow me to multi task listening to music and talking with Aleks. there is soething about Enrique Iglesias talking about pushing up on me that makes my run go alot faster - go figure.
But the best part of the cardio days is the eye candy. The saving grace of the stari mill is the prime elevated location where you can survey all the sweaty people. You see everyone, those struggling along with you, the beautiful obnoxious I -always-look-this-good-in-the-morning people, and the eye candy. It was a little weak this morning but our endurance paid off. In our final five minutes as we were dripping sweat and cursing each other Carl our MC coach got to work, beautiful legs and all.
I guess G8d was listening to my stair mill pleas but instead of enabling me and making the stair mill break or the fire alarm sounding bringing an end to my work out he sent me something better...inspiration all wrapped up in the best quads youve ever served a martini off of.
Tuesday, June 3
Soap Opera Deep Dive
I write this post, from a coffee shop in my building where I should be working instead. After two full days of back to back meetings, I'm catching up on email (or should be). One must not forget their priorities, blog posting!
Today was a new month and hence we added some new members to the class, and I have to admit, some decent "talent". Of the two new hotties in the class, only one sported the wedding band (the cuter of the two is single)! This new single male was also wearing a Microsoft t-shirt with "coming soon to Redwest B" written on the back! Redwest B is a stone throw from my Redwest A (my building). In fact, we share a cafeteria! Ha!
On a side track, there is another tall beauty in our class who joined about the time I joined. Apparently one day on the treadmill Allison drilled him on his stats (which by the way I have seen her do before and she is just so damn good at it). Anyways, turns out that hottie is not married, and girlfriendless. Score. So him and I exchanged banter and a quick laugh over shared dumbells this morning. Just before... oh yes, urgh, offset push ups.
Back to Redwest B hottie and his other hottie friend in the class. To my surprise, I'm eating lunch in the cafeteria today and who sits at the table next to us! You know it! So I immediately get all nervous and shaky and completely lose my appetite. I gesture to my lunch date that we should head back to our offices. On the way up I walk up to the two guys to drop the casual "hi, I work on the same part of campus as you". I get to their table and they give me this "who is this girl and why is she stopping in front of us" look. Clearly I'm no prize at 5:30 am, no makeup, in sweaty gym clothes and my hair pulled back. But to not even recognize me? Anyways, they confesses that they died in their first class and I reassured them with brutal honesty "it's only going to get way worse from here, he took it easy on us today". As I turn to go back to my office I decide on one more glance at the single one and urgh! He's wearing a wedding band! Apparently he couldn't pull himself together enough at 5 am to put the wedding band on. What a disappointment. Another one bites the dust.
Moral of the story. Allison is a great Pro Club wingman. It's a good thing too, because according to the two guys in my cafeteria, my morning "about to pass out and die in class" look doesn't work for me. I'm going to have to rely on my wingman and my charm. And my stalking skills... get the name of the single guy in my class, find out what building he works in and walk by his office (post morning shower and makeover) all day until I run into him. Shallow and crazy? You bet... it is a soap opera after all isn't it? And we single girls have to work HARD these days!!!
Today was a new month and hence we added some new members to the class, and I have to admit, some decent "talent". Of the two new hotties in the class, only one sported the wedding band (the cuter of the two is single)! This new single male was also wearing a Microsoft t-shirt with "coming soon to Redwest B" written on the back! Redwest B is a stone throw from my Redwest A (my building). In fact, we share a cafeteria! Ha!
On a side track, there is another tall beauty in our class who joined about the time I joined. Apparently one day on the treadmill Allison drilled him on his stats (which by the way I have seen her do before and she is just so damn good at it). Anyways, turns out that hottie is not married, and girlfriendless. Score. So him and I exchanged banter and a quick laugh over shared dumbells this morning. Just before... oh yes, urgh, offset push ups.
Back to Redwest B hottie and his other hottie friend in the class. To my surprise, I'm eating lunch in the cafeteria today and who sits at the table next to us! You know it! So I immediately get all nervous and shaky and completely lose my appetite. I gesture to my lunch date that we should head back to our offices. On the way up I walk up to the two guys to drop the casual "hi, I work on the same part of campus as you". I get to their table and they give me this "who is this girl and why is she stopping in front of us" look. Clearly I'm no prize at 5:30 am, no makeup, in sweaty gym clothes and my hair pulled back. But to not even recognize me? Anyways, they confesses that they died in their first class and I reassured them with brutal honesty "it's only going to get way worse from here, he took it easy on us today". As I turn to go back to my office I decide on one more glance at the single one and urgh! He's wearing a wedding band! Apparently he couldn't pull himself together enough at 5 am to put the wedding band on. What a disappointment. Another one bites the dust.
Moral of the story. Allison is a great Pro Club wingman. It's a good thing too, because according to the two guys in my cafeteria, my morning "about to pass out and die in class" look doesn't work for me. I'm going to have to rely on my wingman and my charm. And my stalking skills... get the name of the single guy in my class, find out what building he works in and walk by his office (post morning shower and makeover) all day until I run into him. Shallow and crazy? You bet... it is a soap opera after all isn't it? And we single girls have to work HARD these days!!!
Soap Opera
Aleks is so right when she says gyms are like soap operas. Every day at the same time, same channel I ( the middle aged woman) go and mount my cardio equipment of choice and watch the story unfold. Except that in this drama I get to be the charcater entitled "desperate housewife" on the script. Not that I do any of the desperate housewife stuff as seen on TV, but regardless of that it is my role in the soap that is the gym.
Like any good script the plot is simple: Middle age woman wants to lose pounds, look hot and feel good about herself. She has a best friend who aids her on her journey ( Aleks) and a bunch of supporting roles who add humor to her day ( the running group). There is of course romance ( between her and her husband) and the torrid affairs between the beautiful young personal trainers, who think the clients dont know - but we do. In a very bridget jonesy fashion said housewife has difficulty speaking with said hot trainers without her voice rising at least two octaves. Further, the stammering and grunting that occurs as characters try desperately to get into the "skinny jeans" is a must see TV moment.
I always thought I wanted to be a low drama person, but this is so much more fun. Even with all the crying and moaning, the pain of MC and marathon running I wouldnt trade it for anything - Im totally in it for the Emmy.
Like any good script the plot is simple: Middle age woman wants to lose pounds, look hot and feel good about herself. She has a best friend who aids her on her journey ( Aleks) and a bunch of supporting roles who add humor to her day ( the running group). There is of course romance ( between her and her husband) and the torrid affairs between the beautiful young personal trainers, who think the clients dont know - but we do. In a very bridget jonesy fashion said housewife has difficulty speaking with said hot trainers without her voice rising at least two octaves. Further, the stammering and grunting that occurs as characters try desperately to get into the "skinny jeans" is a must see TV moment.
I always thought I wanted to be a low drama person, but this is so much more fun. Even with all the crying and moaning, the pain of MC and marathon running I wouldnt trade it for anything - Im totally in it for the Emmy.
Cookie Monster
So Aleks and I step into the locker room after 60 minutes of cardio, it wasnt the hardest cardio day but I had a waxing accident that left me a little bit "saddle sore" if you know what I mean...
Anways we walk in to the locker room and its smells like your mothers (cuz my mother never did this) kitchen with freshly baked sugar cookies. Have you ever seen a bloodhound stop and scent? Nose in the air, tail at the ready, body poised to lunge and pounce after its prey... Ya that is basically the image of me smelling the amazing cookie smell.
In a really loud voice I ponder why the gym must smell like high calorie heaven. Is G*d tormenting me for not pushing myself the last 30 minutes? Are the ProClub sadist at work on a new evil scheme?
Nope, a woman getting dressed across from us pipes in that it is her lotion and that supposedly if you smell something it helps reduce the cravings.
Ya and my name is Tyra Banks, Im a gorgeous 6ft tall victoria secrets wearing black woman.
I almost ate her and told her that in the future she should be wary of wearing that scent in a locker room full of tired, carb deprived middle age women.
Anways we walk in to the locker room and its smells like your mothers (cuz my mother never did this) kitchen with freshly baked sugar cookies. Have you ever seen a bloodhound stop and scent? Nose in the air, tail at the ready, body poised to lunge and pounce after its prey... Ya that is basically the image of me smelling the amazing cookie smell.
In a really loud voice I ponder why the gym must smell like high calorie heaven. Is G*d tormenting me for not pushing myself the last 30 minutes? Are the ProClub sadist at work on a new evil scheme?
Nope, a woman getting dressed across from us pipes in that it is her lotion and that supposedly if you smell something it helps reduce the cravings.
Ya and my name is Tyra Banks, Im a gorgeous 6ft tall victoria secrets wearing black woman.
I almost ate her and told her that in the future she should be wary of wearing that scent in a locker room full of tired, carb deprived middle age women.
Sunday, June 1
Work Out on Bravo
I am obsessed with this show. Where The Biggest Loser takes me on an emotional roller coaster and gives me decent workout tips, Work Out provides personal trainer drama and sweet, sweet eye candy. Mmmmm... Brian Peeler, delicious. This show is nothing but a soap opera in a gym, kinda like the Pro Club.
Anyways, the point of this post. In this last episode, Jesse took his client to Sugar (a clothing store in LA) to buy a "goal" dress. She had lost 25 lbs and had a whole lot to go but he wanted her to find an LBD (Little Black Dress). He told her it had to be something she was terrified of, something that she would absolutely never think of wearing. That way, when she made it to goal weight, she would experience a feeling better than any she had ever felt before.
She goes and buys this dead sexy LBD and on her way out she says "I'm hanging this on my fridge, seriously". Brilliant. Over the years I have had pictures of skinny me on my fridge, magazine cut outs of hot women on my fridge, but never the ACTUAL SKINNY JEANS. What good are they doing hanging on my closet door? They should be in the danger zone, hanging on my fridge! No wait, the pantry is where I get into trouble. Yes, they should be hanging on the pantry door!
And that is where they lay... on my pantry door, staring me right in the face.
Anyways, the point of this post. In this last episode, Jesse took his client to Sugar (a clothing store in LA) to buy a "goal" dress. She had lost 25 lbs and had a whole lot to go but he wanted her to find an LBD (Little Black Dress). He told her it had to be something she was terrified of, something that she would absolutely never think of wearing. That way, when she made it to goal weight, she would experience a feeling better than any she had ever felt before.
She goes and buys this dead sexy LBD and on her way out she says "I'm hanging this on my fridge, seriously". Brilliant. Over the years I have had pictures of skinny me on my fridge, magazine cut outs of hot women on my fridge, but never the ACTUAL SKINNY JEANS. What good are they doing hanging on my closet door? They should be in the danger zone, hanging on my fridge! No wait, the pantry is where I get into trouble. Yes, they should be hanging on the pantry door!
And that is where they lay... on my pantry door, staring me right in the face.
Pooped!
After reading about Kirk's leg day, I am more disappointed that I didn't go to MC on Thursday. The plan is to do 3 days of weights a week. Build muscles, increase metabolism, burn more calories when at rest. No brainer. Back to that plan this week...
Yesterday I ran with Jess and then napped for 2 hours in the afternoon. I dragged my ass off the couch to go to the Brazil v Canada soccer game at Qwest Field, and crashed the second I hit my pillow after the game. Not sure what that was all about, I have been getting 8 hours of sleep lately. I would take my temperature but I don't own a thermometer. :)
I am on this hiking kick so I got together with an old friend and hiked Tiger Mountain up to Poo Poo Point this morning. I was really pooped (lame but I couldn't resist). It was just 1900 feet of elevation over 4.5 miles up (9 miles out and back) but I was not at all motivated. I was still tired and the trail was boring compared to Lake Serene or Mount Si. The top of the climb has AstroTurf laid out as a launching pad for para gliders. I was PROMISED para gliders. No dice. It was cloudy and cold so we stopped just long enough to eat a Cliff bar and made our way back. At least I got some good girl gossip and burned some calories. Oh, and had some french fries with chipotle mayo at Red Robin on our way home. Just a few. :)
This last Tuesday was 2 weeks since we started the blog and took our original measurements. That gives me 10 days until the one month measurements. That will be 2 days after spending this coming weekend at Scheris' wedding in Oregon. Talk about motivation to stay on the wagon during the trip... luckily Nancy reads this blog so she can keep reminding me of that when I'm about to jump off the red wine edge.
Yesterday I ran with Jess and then napped for 2 hours in the afternoon. I dragged my ass off the couch to go to the Brazil v Canada soccer game at Qwest Field, and crashed the second I hit my pillow after the game. Not sure what that was all about, I have been getting 8 hours of sleep lately. I would take my temperature but I don't own a thermometer. :)
I am on this hiking kick so I got together with an old friend and hiked Tiger Mountain up to Poo Poo Point this morning. I was really pooped (lame but I couldn't resist). It was just 1900 feet of elevation over 4.5 miles up (9 miles out and back) but I was not at all motivated. I was still tired and the trail was boring compared to Lake Serene or Mount Si. The top of the climb has AstroTurf laid out as a launching pad for para gliders. I was PROMISED para gliders. No dice. It was cloudy and cold so we stopped just long enough to eat a Cliff bar and made our way back. At least I got some good girl gossip and burned some calories. Oh, and had some french fries with chipotle mayo at Red Robin on our way home. Just a few. :)
This last Tuesday was 2 weeks since we started the blog and took our original measurements. That gives me 10 days until the one month measurements. That will be 2 days after spending this coming weekend at Scheris' wedding in Oregon. Talk about motivation to stay on the wagon during the trip... luckily Nancy reads this blog so she can keep reminding me of that when I'm about to jump off the red wine edge.
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