Personal Training

This morning I met with my personal trainer for an hour. I've been doing this for a few months now, and I have to say, I really love it. My trainer is a woman in her 50s, and started the training thing a few years ago after a teaching career. I find this inspiring - she is way more fit than me, and I like the idea of doing something completely different.

One of the things that has really struck me about this process is her observations about me. Not many people really see me work out. And since she trains people every day, I feel like her opinions are more informed than most. So here are some of the things she has said which have made me think:



1. "An athlete like you ..." Um, what? She says I'm an athlete? I just really don't think of myself this way. Yeah, I've done some races, I try to stay fit, but ... athlete? I like it!

2. "You don't have to worry. You aren't obese at all." What!?! Hey now, wait a minute ... saying that I'm not obese is like saying that I actually am kind of fat. Ouch. But hey, maybe a little touch love isn't so bad. After all, Mom, friends and even Husband aren't going to say it. And I don't really think they see it. I basically put on 2-3 pounds a year for the last 10 years. She doesn't know that. She only sees someone with some extra pounds around the middle. Ouch again. The truth hurts.

3. "Your balance is amazing. My other clients never get it the first time." I never knew I had great balance! She likes to say that we are "multi-tasking" - many, if not most of the exercises we do, involve dumbbells PLUS the balance ball, or the bosu thingy, or standing on one leg. Who knew?

4. "Have you lost weight? You are looking a lot more toned. I can really see a difference." Thanks! Although I haven't actually lost any weight, I have lost inches and can see the difference. Husband has said so too. It's nice when someone else notices.

I doubt that she has any idea of the effect that these offhand comments have. It's interesting to me. And it does motivate me. So it's all good.

Montauk

More exciting blog maintenance ... I started a training log (get one here) and added it to the sidebar. Cute! I'm thinking about putting weather back up as well.

What I really need to work on is getting some races on my schedule. My husband and I live in Brooklyn, but spend a lot of time in Montauk.

Ah, Montauk ... it is really a triathelete's paradise. Not only are there several races held here, but there are wide roads for bike riding (I am really a chicken about bike riding in NYC), clean water for swimming, and beautiful routes for running. Now that Spring is almost here (can't wait), I need to start taking advantage of the great outdoors.

Saltwater air makes me happy ...

I miss my blog!

It was this cool thing I used to do ... train for triathlons and write about it online. It's been awhile, and I even cheated on this blog with another one, but I want to come back.

Although I haven't been blogging, I have actually been working out. I bought some personal training sessions in late December, and I have been going 1-2 times per week to work out with my trainer Christine. Been trying to do cardio - running, rowing, biking or ellyptical - at least 2 times on top of the strength-building training sessions. I haven't been swimming in ages.

I really like working with a personal trainer. I have definitely struggled with motivation, and having an appointment and spending money on it makes me actually go to the gym. Plus, she has me do things I would never do myself. Much more focus on strength and also balance. I can't tell you how many exercises I do while standing on one leg, or on the ball, etc.

And I have definitely been seeing results! Although I still haven't lost any pounds (why!? why?!), I have definitely gained muscle and lost fat. I've lost a solid 1.5 inches from the waist. So I can't complain. I've got a swimsuit-required vacation coming up in mid April, so I'd planning to ramp up the cardio in hopes of budging the scale and looking good in my bikini.

That's it for now, but I did just spend some time fixing my links on the page and such. Enough blogging time for one day. Plan to be back tomorrow!