S.B.F. Challenge. . .August 4th. . .

Only four days to go!

Yesterday I ended up doing a "long slow burn" elliptical session at a lower heart rate than usual. It felt like cheating. . .but I just read something about how this is supposed to help with body fat burning. I did 60 minutes on the elliptical at a heart rate of around 130. Felt like a vacation!

Then, I did some ab work (oh, "russian twists". . .I hate you so hard.) and took a steam. It's a holiday weekend here, so there was actually no one in the gym but me and the desk lady for almost my entire workout. I had an elaborate fantasy that I was a go-zillionaire and it was my private home gym.

Today is bikram, and maybe a walk (I promise, no gelato. . .what's Italian for "crack"? I think they put some in it.) I'm psychologically gearing up for my low exercise days on my trip. Watching my nutrition will be the hard part, but I'm going to try to keep a balance between obsession and going koo-koo with the cheese sauce (easy to do in the heartland.)

Happy workouts!

Then, I did some ab work (oh, "russian twists". . .I hate you so hard.) and took a steam.

--- What are "Russian twists"? :huh:




I had an elaborate fantasy that I was a go-zillionaire and it was my private home gym.

---- HOW COOL. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:



Today is bikram

--- Wanna try this so badly but I'm such a scardy cat since I hear one in-shape person in my yoga class say it was hard. :sad: Your opinion? I've only been doing yoga (beginnger and intermediate) for 1.5 years.

Russian twists are performed with a medicine ball. You hold the medicine ball in front (you're seated on a mat, leaning back with a flat back just until your abs engage) and then you twist to touch the floor with the med. ball on either side of you. . .I used 12 pounds for the first time yesterday. Oof. I don't know how good that explanation was, but I'm sure if you google it you can find a better one. . .they're great for both you obliques and your back.

Bikram was truly scary at first. My first time I did think I might have to be rescued by paramedics, but I think this is due to the fact that the class is A: hot. really hot. (you get used to it, and I in fact now crave the heat, and can't imagine doing yoga in a cool room) B: you're encouraged to stay in the room. (I'm very claustrophobic, and I didn't know this was a thing. . .so I sort of freaked out.) The sequence, although challenging (there are lots of one-legged balancing postures) is not hard. I would say go for it. . .the trick isn't going once, but going back! Prepare yourself that the heat may overwhelm you at first, and that happens to just about everybody. I spent my first class laying (lying?) on my mat for a great portion of the time, but within two weeks I was completing the whole series and going three times a week. I'm very sensitive to cold, and actually had quit yoga entirely because my gym believed in super-airconditioning the yoga studio, so I would have bad muscle pain. . .not the effect you'd want from yoga. My teacher said that I might enjoy the heat. . .and I do. All those many words being said (typed) it's not for everyone, but I think if you want to try it, you should. :flowerforyou: