Day 54 - Smile, would you?

Today was a lovely and relaxing day at home.

I slept in, spent time playing with and cuddling my kitties (who I've missed so much!), had a Greek lesson with Olga (who clarified the problem I'm having with adjective-noun agreement!), and met Eve for a hot chocolate at the Coffeeco near Market Square.

After such a lovely day, it wasn't hard to motivate myself to head to the gym for a long slow distance run on the treadmill. I usually prefer to run outside, but it has just been too cold recently to even entertain the idea, with the past few days dipping down into the minus teens and minus twenties Celcius. My airways seem to still be a bit unhappy about the cold I had a few weeks ago, and I find myself coughing annoyingly in cold air.

While I was contentedly running in the warmth of the gym, I watched this video from TEDMED. The emotion in this video is pretty powerful, and I found myself smiling at the speaker's quips, and eventually at the happy end to his unusual story. When I had finished with the video, I switched over to listening to two of my favourite playlists on the 8tracks app*.

Not running. This would be an awful stride and not smile-worthy.

I only felt self-conscious about the ridiculous grin I was wearing when I noticed the girl on the treadmill next to me looking at me in the mirror in front of us. We awkwardly locked eyes for a moment, and I looked away.

When I did, I noticed that no one else on the treadmills was smiling.

I looked in the mirror at the girl on the stationary bike in front of me. Her mouth was set in a grim line.

In the mirror, I could also see the elliptical users behind me, and each of them looked as serious as death.

When I watch videos or listen to music while I run (which I don't always do...), I don't do it to distract or motivate myself. Instead, I find that listening to music or watching videos can be a nice way to enhance my enjoyment of working out. When I worked out with Randi on Day 51, I noticed a tall, muscular guy on a nearby treadmill running along and chuckling at his phone - I think he knows what I'm talking about.

There's something about smiling that makes even a difficult workout more enjoyable, and I don't think it's distraction.

During the course of a particularly excellent undergrad class, I remember learning about the James-Lange theory of emotion. This theory suggests that emotion is actually the mind's interpretation of physiological reactions - muscle tension, heart rate, perspiration - and not the other way around. In other words, you don't get a pounding heart because you see the bear in your path and you feel afraid. Instead, you feel afraid because there is a big, nasty bear in  your way and your heart is beating fast.

This cat is having a great time! Because he's smiling!

The natural extension of this theory is that if you can create a bodily sensation, you can create an emotion.

I think that's why working out while smiling is so much fun. I'm still aware of the time on the clock and the kilometres left to go, but when I smile I convince myself that I'm having a great time.

In fact, I enjoyed my run so much today that I ended up running 11k instead of the 8k that my training plan recommended for this week. 

And I don't regret it.

*Consecutively, not concomitantly.

Day 53 - Do Yoga With Me Redux

A while back, I posted about a website called Do Yoga With Me.

Photos are looking much clearer, thanks to my new phone.

The website offers streaming video of fully-instructed/guided yoga practices of varying lengths. I didn't have much luck with it last time I tried; practicing yoga at home with all the attendant distractions of cats, phone, computer, and roommate undermined the sense of peace I usually experience with yoga, and the video I chose didn't seem challenging enough for my (just barely not-novice) level.

I thought I'd give the website another shot today, and tried this video from their Yoga for Runners series. The video focussed on stretches for the IT band, which many runners complain of tightness and irritation around.

This was probably a more successful session for me.

I didn't enjoy some aspects of the video - the transitions weren't well-explained, and the video itself seemed less like yoga and more like a basic stretching class - but I did enjoy the instructor's use of props (particularly the block and strap) to find space in some hard to reach areas. Randi gave me a lovely cork block a couple of Christmases ago, and it was perfect for the job. I didn't have a strap, but I found that a scarf worked nicely. 

Block = bizarre picture, more intense hamstring stretch.

I hadn't previously thought to use a block to achieve a more intense hamstring stretch, and I have to admit it worked nicely. I also found that it was much easier for me to get a deep quadriceps stretch when I used the wall as described in this video (check out the video starting around 16:00 to see how this is done) than when I try to do it the traditional way (standing). My left shoulder just doesn't have the flexibility to reach around and grab my left foot, and using the wall was a nice work-around. 

I still am not convinced that this website can replace attending a good studio with solid instruction; I find hands-on instruction invaluable, and I think a studio can go a long way toward creating an atmosphere conducive to both hard work and relaxation. I do think it might be a nice supplement to a regular yoga routine, particularly if you find yourself - like I am - away from your usual studio.

If you're a runner, definitely check out the video (heck, even if you're not, check it out!). Let me know what you think!

Day 52 - Ummmm…I stretched?

Consider this another round of apologies for phone posting.

Frankly, Blogger's app absolutely stinks. It can't be used in landscape mode, I can't bold or italicise, and any pictures I post get crammed together at the end of the post, with no option to resize or move them. Come on, Blogger.

Yesterday was rough.

As I mentioned in the last post, I have been tired right out recently. It's not so much that work is terrible or the hours are long as it is that my schedule is constantly changing and my commute is just over an hour each way. I'm trying hard to squeeze in friends and physical activity and struggling to fit a good amount of sleep in. I find it really tough to come home and go straight to sleep; decompression time is pretty much a requirement.

With that in mind, yesterday was a day for stretching. My legs probably deserved the break, and they certainly appreciate the gentle coaxing of my muscles back to their regular length. Sigh. So nice.

Tonight I am waiting to board a train that will take me home for two nights of kitty love, Greek lesson, and some yummy bubble tea with Katelyn.

I suspect that tonight I will give the yoga website I mentioned in a previous post a second try.

And then I'll enjoy a yummy night of lovely sleep in my own bed with my favourite furry boyfriends.

Days 50 and 51 - What have you done for me lately?

This is 365 Days of Sweat: Feeling Rough Edition.

I haven't been getting quite enough sleep recently, and this has apparently made my belly one unhappy being. Ever get that nauseated feeling when you're way overtired? I took it one step further today and was actually sick to my stomach. I think it is fatigue in its purest form.

I had hoped to complete a 10k training run on Day 50, but when I got to the gym it quickly became obvious that I had unwittingly picked the busiest time of day during the busiest month of the year to visit Hart House. As a result, I had to actually stick to the posted time limit and ended up doing a short and speedy run that had me sweating like crazy.

On Day 51, yesterday, I actually got around to completing my 10k. Randi had a complimentary guest pass for Extreme Fitness, which she recently joined. The gym was practically empty, so I ran a happy little 10k, hogging a treadmill for just over an hour. Even though I wouldn't strictly call this a long run, it is the longest I had run in a while, and I think my legs were happy to get moving again. I find that I really start to feel warmed up around 7k, so if I keep my runs short I never get to that nice place where my lungs feel big and my legs feel strong.

Today, Day 52, I will probably stick to some stretching, recognising the fact that my stomach still isn't feeling great and my legs are a little worn out from yesterday.

Friendimal feet at the gym.

In honour of Day 50, though, I thought it would be nice to reflect on what this challenge has and has not done for me so far:

I have not become a machine. I continue to have days where I lack motivation and would avoid doing any physical activity were I to give myself the option. Motivation isn't a given.

I have become more likely to generate motivation when I need to. I may still drag my feet heading out the door on some days, but I willingly walk frequently (and briskly!), even if I've already done my physical activity for the day. I think that physical activity is becoming increasingly routine, and it's making me generally less lazy, even if I do have days when I don't feel like doing anything.

I have not lost much weight. In fact, I've probably only lost 2-3 pounds since starting the challenge almost two months ago.

I immediately devoured all these calories in a Quesada burrito.

I have built muscle. It's nice to feel my newly-re-sprouted quadriceps muscles through my tights and know that I got them through hard work, including lots of running and walking even when I haven't felt like doing anything. It's the sort of thing that keeps me going on days when I really don't want to tie up my running shoes, put on my swim cap, or roll out my yoga mat.

I have not shed all my insecurities. I still feel a little too heavy, a little too flabby, and not quite as athletic as I want to be.

I have become more confident. Yesterday, I ran indoors in my outdoor running tights. I never would have done that in the past, for fear of looking ridiculous. As if running tights don't look ridiculous regardless of where you wear them. But I had planned to run outside (Toronto's incredible cold snap had not set in by the time I left the house in the morning) and I hadn't brought any indoor workout gear. I didn't feel stupid. I am fit and committed to getting physical activity in, and I couldn't care less about people who might have thought I looked silly as I left them in my treadmill dust.

Randi looks better sweaty than I do.

I guess you could say I feel pretty satisfied with how things have been shaping up.

(Pun intended.)

Day 50- Yay!

This is it, folks! Today is day 50! We are half way to day 100, just under 1/5 of the way through this challenge. Time is literally flying by! It's almost the end of January and before we know it, the semester will be over. Wow, then it's one more year until freedom (sort of...)!
Day's 49 and 50 have been less then stellar on the exercise scale, but let's jump back to day 48 when I was actually productive... Saturday started off with a bang! Back to back classes at the gym. Sounds like a good idea, right? Wrong. I am sick. At the time of signing up for the classes I had a bit of a sniffle, but it wasn't a big deal. Saturday morning came along and I was feeling pretty rough. Regardless of my new germy friend, I made it to the gym and got a place in the spin class. It pretty much went downhill from there. For the first half I couldn't breathe and was convinced I was going to die. Half way through I decided to suck it up and finish the class because I have an incredibly competitive personality! I wasn't going to let some cold ruin my workout! I am glad that I stuck it out because it improved and I survived. Spin was quickly followed by SST (no idea what it means). This was a lot less cardio based and much more focussed on weight training. A nice follow-up and I felt great after the classes!

Obama was sworn in on Day 50!

Yesterday, Day 49, I woke up with the full-blown cold. I was supposed to go to yoga that morning, but decided not to on account of my lack of sleep and my nose acting like a broken faucet. Instead I spent the morning in bed and the afternoon working on my chemistry lab. The best way to spend a Sunday, if you ask me! What did I do for exercise? Very little! Some stretching (I was sore from the classes on saturday) and a lot of laying down. Today, I am much worse then yesterday having not slept for 3 days now. Today will also involve some light stretching and perhaps some squats. I downloaded a new app onto my phone as I have no butt and it promised me a "bubble butt" by summer! Not 100% sure what a bubble butt is, but its better then no butt at all!
My apologies for my rare appearances on this blog. By the end of the day the last thing I want to do it write about it! I will try harder, I promise! I also haven't been reaching my 30 mins a day either. For that, I make no promises, but I have exercised 50 days in a row, though! Until next time... (it may be a while).


-Nicole

Days 47, 48, and 48 - Are my eyelashes longer?

...I ask that in all seriousness.

Today I noticed that my eyelashes seem a lot longer. I used to be embarrassed about how short and straight my eyelashes are, but today when I was putting on mascara they seemed long, lush, and full.

This came up when I googled Day 48. What.

The author of this post (yeah, it's Livestrong, get over it) seems to believe that you can get longer, fuller lashes through exercise and a healthy diet, but it seems a little unbelievable, doesn't it? I'd love to believe that my eyelashes are actually longer and healthier because of this challenge, but I suspect that they are no longer than usual, and that eyelash length may all be in the skewed eye of the beholder.

Just a short post for now, but I hope to post later tonight about how Day 50 went. Incidentally, I walked on Day 47, ran on the treadmill and used the ellipitical on Day 48, and walked for about an hour or so on Day 49. This afternoon I'm going to hit the treadmill for some marathont training. 

This came up when I googled Day 49. That's more like it.

More later!

Days 45 and 46 - Running vs Walking

The past week has been particularly challenging when it comes to physical activity. 

Like I mentioned in my last post, my motivation has been pretty low. I think that has a lot to do with being away from home (and slightly homesick!), routine, and my kitties (who I'm perhaps a little too attached to) - my mood has just been lower than usual, and I've been dragging my butt. I also haven't been sleeping as well or as long as I'd like to.

My schedule has also been a bit tougher than usual. I've been working 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. shifts, and usually get to leave the hospital closer to 2 a.m. I then have a commute home of just over an hour by public transit! I don't mind - this is the job, after all! Nonetheless, work + commute has really been an adjustment. At home, I live less than ten minutes away from the hospital on foot, and my gym is only ten minutes walking in the opposite direction. In fact, the school gym and pool are on the same campus as the hospital, so if I'm really feeling crunched for time, I can trip over there in about 3 minutes.

Nevertheless, I've been getting lots of walking and a bit of running in. On Day 45, I went for a slow run with no particular distance or route in mind; I just wanted to explore the neighbourhood I'm staying in . It ended up being best that I didn't have a plan, because I got completely lost and had to rely on my phone's GPS to get me home. Yesterday, Day 46, I turned my commute home from the hospital into a bus ride interspersed with brisk walking in the wee hours of the morning. The cold and snowy walk ended up being a refreshing end to a long shift in the stuffy ER air.

On the topic of walking and running, I overheard someone saying to her friend the other day that walking and running the same distance burns the same number of calories. 

As someone who runs for fitness but also hopes for weight loss, this immediately grabbed my attention. I've heard it repeated a hundred times, and read it just as many times on every amateur fitness forum out there.

At first blush, it makes perfect sense - moving identical masses over the identical distances should require identical work and thus burn identical calories. Right, Sir Issac Newton?

But, as with all things in life, it's just not that simple.

I read a recent article (abstract available here) that clearly showed both that energy expenditure is significantly higher during running than walking, and also that walkers return to baseline energy expenditure more quickly than do their running peers. I really liked that this study looked at average fitness young individuals, meaning that the results apply to people who aren't high-performance athletes, the population that is often the focus of exercise physiology studies.

This study found the same - running requires more energy than walking. The interesting bit here was that both the walking and the running were for quite short distances (only 1.6k), and took place on a treadmill. Evidently, these differences don't need time to build up over long distances, which is good news for those of us who don't always have a lot of time to be physically active in a day.

There are a number of other studies out there that have looked at the energy expenditure differences between walking and running, and they all arrive at the same conclusion - walking burns lots of calories, but running burns even more. I encourage you to do a quick search for energy expenditure in walking and running on PubMed and satisfy yourself that I'm not pulling your leg.

A nice place to get lost, whether walking or running...

So why do we burn more calories running that walking? Was Newton wrong?

Not exactly, but when we think about walking and running simply as moving a mass over a distance, we miss something fundamental about the complexities of running.

Running isn't just moving weight forward, it is jumping from foot to foot as we move weight forward. We bend our knees and move our centre of gravity up and down, and not just translationally.

Does this mean that walking is useless? Absolutely not. The best physical activity is the physical activity that you will do. If you will walk, then you should!

I'm short on time today, but I hope to fill in more details and add more research to this topic in the future. For now, here's an accessible non-scientific read that talks about why running burns more calories than running.

And please, don't take my word for it. If you've got a Forerunner or other calorie-monitor that uses your heart rate, do a little experiment and let me know how it goes: Run and walk the same distances and see  which burns more calories for you. I'll do the same and post here...