Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Disheartening

8 out of the past 10 days, I’ve been working out at the gym for at least 1 hour each time. I feel good, I sweat rivers, and am looking forward to some changes to how I look and feel.

I’m also easily drinking at least 1.5 liters of water a day.

Okay, so it’s a bit early, but still… kinda disheartening to check step on the scale in my parents’ room, only to see NO change to my weight despite the 1.5 weeks’ efforts.

Ugh.

I guess part of the reason is I’m not doing cardio per se: previously back in Urbana, I’d spend also an hour at the gym, 40mins of which would be cardio @ elliptical cross trainer and the rowing machine.

For the record, cardio workout options for me are kinda limited: after all, I don’t like doing the treadmill (I might as well go walk in the park... and running will “activate” my shins!) or stepper (concentrates too much on only the “front” quads on top of the knees); cycling isn’t load-bearing, is too focused on legs, and sitting down makes it too easy to “take it easy" ... oh, and the seat isn’t comfortable on *my* seat :p

... which is why I tend to gravitate to the elliptical cross-trainer thingy in gyms. … but the one in the gym downstairs, while new, is so dinky that it squeaks with every “step” I take! Bleh! And the rowing machine is weird, seeming to have no resistance??!! And there doesn’t seem to be any way to fix that ...

Based on all that, I’ve ended up making my workouts more weight-training than anything else. I’ve been using the cycle pretty much just to warm up and cool down, about 5 mins each time. Occasionally I will do some “intervals” i.e. normal pace for a minute, then increase speed for 30secs, normal 1 min, speed 30 secs, etc… But I get bored fast :p I think the most I’ve done on the cycle is 8 mins :p

So... how to add cardio to my daily routine?

Am thinking of going for evening walks in the nearby park in the evenings. Go there 6 - 630pm, walk for an hour, head back to the apartment, cool down, shower… then have something light to eat/drink for “dinner”, cos usually after workouts I have no appetite.

And that may enable me to avoid the OTHER reason for the stagnant weight: dinners with parents.

Like most Malaysians/Malays, my father insists on having his rice for dinner. Wouldn’t be bad if we ate dinner at 6pm… but usually he isn’t back from his golf sessions till 730pm or 8pm… by the time you head to a restaurant, order, get the food, it’s 830pm… And what is ordered? Curry, rice ... sure, got veggies, but overall still way too many (bad) carbs, & not much protein! Dinner's done at 915-ish pm: waaaaay too late to be eating so heavy maaaaah!

Of course, meals are about the only “whole family interaction” opportunities we have... but seeing the quality of such interactions, I know I’m more than fine sacrificing these opportunities :D ... especially when I am starting to meet up with friends and ex-colleagues, usually over lunch – so I will have had my one good meal for the day already, no need to have another with the parents “just to be polite”, eh?

See lah how... unfortunately the park is NOT within walking distance, so my heading there would require use of my mom’s vehicle (have driven dad’s car just once, if ever: besides, HE would still be at the 19th hole at that time!). The parents would then need to head to dinner in dad’s car. And those in the know will, well, know, why that’s not an option my mother would be happy with: occasionally yes; on a daily basis: no way.

Sigh.

2 comments:

  1. I have no words of wisdom but the hard work is bound ot pay off. :)

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  2. TNC> thanx dearie :-) I'm sure it will... I just need to stick to the routine for another week or two and i'm sure i'll start seeing results... and if I don't, well, i'll cross that bridge when i come to it :p

    snglguy> perhaps i wasn't clear - i *am* doing essentially all free weights now! While that is all well and good, I need to "balance" that with some cardio workout... and I am bemoaning the lack of "appealing" equipment that would have me doing at least 20-30mins of cross-training cardio type workout...

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about two months later...

 ... hi again. This return to blogging is really not working out, is it? Actually, I am writing, three pages of mind vomit and affirmations ...