800 steps! that is so impressive. youre are execising like crazy - good on you - glad the results are shining through, you must be feeling great x

Sounds like you're doing great keep it up.

Oh thanks guys.

I haven't felt as though I'm exercising like crazy, though I have half an idea that I might for the next 2 and a half weeks while I'm on holiday from work. It's only half an idea because I have half an idea about cleaning the house thoroughly, getting organized and beginning to plan for some full time work I have coming up, doing some research to maintain my professional accreditation... And then there's my girl who always has many, many ideas of her own about what I might do!

good morning!

Good morning to you too. I always enjoy seeing your avvie.

2:00 My calves are still sore. I should climb some more steps. Those steps at the oval aren’t enough. It would take too long to go to King’s Park…There are no office towers near here…Brainwave! I've got an hour before I have to collect the girl from school.

2:05 -I’m going to the gym, hun.
-What are you going to do?
-I want to use their stepping machine.
-What’s a stepping machine?
-Well, I don’t know if that’s what it’s called but it looks like you’re walking up steps.
-Oh have they got a stepping machine? How does that work?
-Well you kind of move your feet like you’re walking up steps but then the steps move down so it's kind of like walking up steps on the spot.
-Ooh. Right.

2:10 Ooo. A free weighing machine. I wonder what it says. It says 82.5 kg. Thank you weighing machine. You can be my friend.
*Does calf stretches next to friendly weighing machine*

2:12 Oh. Right. It’s called a cross trainer not a stepper. Maybe it’s not like steps at all.
I think this one’s closest to the music.
There's different programs. Hills. Duplicates motion of walking up and down hills. Definitely that’s the closest one. Which button is for programs…Nothing says programs, only change programs... That doesn't work. This button? This button?….Ok. age… weight… time…. Finally the program. Yes. Hills. Level…I don’t know…half way? 5? Why does it say 15? How can I change that? Like this? Like this? Oh damn I don’t want to start all over again…I’ll just try level 15. How does it feel. Pretty firm...

2:15 *Finally starts moving*
Ok nice if I do this for an hour I burn 800 calories. That would be very cool. Can I do this for half an hour and burn 400? That’s a lot more than last time I went on a machine at the gym. *Remembers burning 120 calories in half an hour.*
Distance isn’t moving much.

2:20 My heart rate looks good already - 157.
No way can I do this for a half an hour. Just keep moving… Just keep moving?
Well. I didn’t need to worry about not trying because of what I might I look like during high intensity training at the gym. Cos I couldn't care less. Who can care about anything over the pain. And that music is good and LOUD. I can breathe as hard as I want. I bet I could moan and no one would hear me.

2:25 Ah yes. A button to change the program down. 15 is wrong!! *Changes program to 1* Actually seeing as I’m on a machine, maybe I should do that 8 seconds fast, 12 seconds slow thing. Heart rate 167. Good.

2:30 Yi. Too much. I am still dying. Oh yeah there's bars on the sides - somewhere else to rest my hands instead of those great poles. Yes that feels heaps better. Lovely. I can do this for a while. Yep everyone else here looks ordinary too. Damn I forgot to warm up.

2:35 What is with that distance meter? I have been moving for 20 minutes and I am not even up to 1 km yet. Is it because of walking differently? Maybe it’s in miles?
I can’t see my heart rate unless I put my hands back on those poles…Why is it going so fast all of a sudden. Geez those poles are going to pull me off this thing. OK. Heart rate’s still high.

2:38 OMG there’s a mirror down there!!!!!!! I can see myself.
My shirt is hanging straight down the front from my boobs. Completely bypassing my stomach. He he.
But what do I look like? Hmmm. Fat person in baggy clothes, exercising. Lucky I watch The Biggest Loser so I’m used to seeing that, only fatter. Also I approve when I do see it.

2:40 Someone else on these machines. That’s funny she’s chosen the one next to me. If it was me I would find a machine as far away as possible. I might up the levels again to see how it feels now. Level 16. OMG. Feels like I've gained 20 kilos...Heart rate's still over 160.

2:42 *Turns machine back to level 1.*
Hey she’s walking backwards. I remember seeing that on the instructions. The machine says that gives a workout to a different set of muscles. Maybe I should do that for the muscles that are sore from going down the steps. No. It doesn’t feel like going down steps. I’ll just do some anyway for which ever bit it is. I hope this damn machine doesn't start making the distance go backwards too.

I hope I don’t fall off…

2:44 Oh finally 1 km.

2:45 Cool down. OK. It gives you a cool down. Maybe it gave me a warm up? At level 15?
– but I don’t want to cool down….I haven't gone far enough!
*Talks to lady on next machine.*
-Does this machine measure in kilometres or miles?
-I don’t know. But it doesn’t matter, you’re sweating, (Understatement of the year.) That’s good. You’re burning calories. This is a good machine, it makes my thighs really hurt after 5 minutes but I just keep doing it.
-Oh yeah. I can feel it’s good. I just want to know what distance to call it.
-It’s ok. It doesn’t matter about the distance, you’re doing fine, you’re still burning calories and losing weight.
(He he. Closet WLF member at the gym. I’ll just ask at the desk.)
*Runs*

2:50 Summary. Distance: 1.21 Calories: 227.
Woh. Wobbly knees again. Well that's like the real stair climbing.
*Collects membership card.* Yay it’s the friendly pilates instructor. Who reminds me of Michelle the trainer off TBL. Who chats. Who doesn’t know whether the machine is in k’s or miles but will find out another day….Yes. I'll be back.

2:55 That's intense. That will be good to do more of...How will I be able to duplicate it after I leave the gym? I have the idea that it's not helpful to upgrade your training if you can't maintain it...Never mind. It sure is a lot more fun than the old treadmill I used to hate at the last gym...Maybe I just didn't pay enough attention to the buttons on the old one.

Mmm. Next time I need to be more organized. Stretches, warm up. Level 2?...What a wimp. I dunno. Warm up level 1. Intervals at Level 2. Try to maintain level 5 for a while? Time:35 minutes? Do a proper cool down.

5:00 Calves are still sore...
Actually if I just gave the dog a little walk I could go back tonight. For one kilometer? No. Not for 1 kilometer! A bit of this and a bit of that is still good.

Your hilarious - Ive missed droppin by and checkin on ya I just havent been much ina diary reading posting mood but you are making me split ad gut and smile - thanx

Super nice itinerary and way to get after it Felici. It really takes strong days like this and I'm proud you're up for the challenge.

The clip you sent me made me laugh - what a thing to wake up to

Well if you like what I'm doing, you should be proud, because you have made a big difference to what I do.





But the clip... oh my god ... we sent a clip....??

Edit: I guess if it woke you up nicely that's a good thing.

Nice post about the gym, felici. Pretty soon you'll be the pro there that people come to for advice!

Hey! I love your humor You are really working hard...It just made me realize its time for me to get off the computer and onto some excersize! Have a great day! or I hope you had one anyway

Thanks I did have a great day. Aside from the gym, I got in a walk before dinner. Actually it killed my appetite. I still have to actually eat the dinner.

I worked this morning in a stimulating centre that really revved up my appetite to do some planning for work. I had heaps of fun with the kids.

Tomorrow I have the day free to go to my daughter's school swimming carnival - that should be good too.

Breakfast ~9:30 2 weetbix,. 1C lowfat soy milk. 1/3 C tinned peaches. 1 boiled egg. 1 slice wholemeal toast with minimal margarine and strawberry jam. 1 C coffee with 40 ml Hilo.

Snack 10:30 1 coffee with milk. 1 banana.

Lunch 1:00 2 Salada crackers. 100 gms low fat cheese, 1 tomato.

Exercise 2:15 30 minutes on cross training machine.

Snack 3:30 1 coffee with milk.
5:00 ½ Salada cracker.
7:00 1 carrot. 1 stalk celery.

Exercise: 8.00 pm. Nice walk around my own suburb. I added a few extra loops to get it up to an hour. I have been really loving it outside at night lately. There’s been a big fat moon and everything has been so still and quiet. I found it totally relaxing to be out tonight. One of my new loops took me up to a park that’s high enough to see through to the city. I loved that too - feeling physically high.

Dinner 9:15 140 gm lean grilled rump steak, 1 microwaved potato. Giant salad ~ about 2 cups – 1 tomato, 2 black olives, snow peas, capsicum, cucumber, broccoli, spinach. A splash of balsamic vinegar.

You are doing terriffic!! That was too funny!! My first time on the eliptical at my gym was pretty funny. I like did it for 15 min and thought I was dying and then had to go DOWN STAIRS to leave. I had jelly legs and didn't think I'd make it. I can do it for a good long while now!! Have a great eveinng???

Loud LOL!! I'm looking forward to being able to do it for a long while some time, too.

Good evening was close, but now it's more like the wee hours here and I should go to bed. Thanks for the post, Mechelle!