In my seemingly neverending quest to find that “something” that will help me curb food cravings, this time I am trying out the herbal supplement, moringa oleifera. This is actually powder of a tree cultivated in 3rd world countries as famine food. It contains high amounts of 11 antioxidants, vitamin C, protein, and fiber — and has been shown as a miracle plant for providing necessary nutrients in areas where they simply don’t have enough to eat.

Thus, seems a shame that  it is also available as a supplement to fat-assed, overindulged Americans, but so it is. Just because we eat a lot, doesn’t mean we’re eating what we should to be healthy. Studies have indicated that “cravings” were originally the bodies way to telling us we were lacking in some nutrient, though our chemically altered food in this century has wreaked havoc with that natural process. Never-the-less, I’m interested to see how a nutritional wonder supplement, essentially nature’s daily vitamin, will affect my usual food cravings.

“Recommended” dosage is 4 x 375mg capsules daily, but I’m going to start small and see how it goes. I don’t really think I eat all that crappy. We’ll see.

I’m hoping the best part of this supplement will be no added crap to boost metabolism that will make my heart race or just make me sweat at random. Yay vitamins, boo diet pills.

And — I may have, I guess I should say I as good as promised to go back for a month of bootcamp. It’s a new trainer and a new venue at a somewhat later but still early morning timeslot, and it’s supposed to be a true “lower-impact” version but still a great workout. He was looking for the previous drop-outs, the previous injury-prone, and the previously unmotivated. Apparently I’m not the only one out there with pre-paid time they haven’t used, as he said this class isn’t being advertised yet — so it will be all “vets”. It is 7am Monday-Thursday, and starts Feb 7th. I’ve said I’ll try it a month and give him feedback, but there’s a big part of me that can already say I don’t want to get up and workout four mornings a week right now.

According to the American Heart Association:

The 3 best ways to improve cardio fitness

When considering improving your cardiovascular or cardiopulmonary fitness there are really only three ways to do this or more accurately there are three techniques to get you much fitter.

But before i get to these there are also three other points to consider and these are the three main principles of fitness Frequency, intensity and duration. Frequency being how often – ideally 3-5 times per week, intensity how hard – ideally 70-85% of maximum heart rate or slightly hard to hard on a RPE scale and duration being the length of the exercise time – ideally somewhere between 20 minutes and an hour.

The three technique to use when improving cardio fitness are:

1. Steady rate training – This is when you can maintain the pace you are working at from anywhere between 10 minutes and 60 minutes approximately. This in heart rate terms is about 70% of maximum heart rate and is termed aerobic training. This is when you are jogging, running, cycling or swimming for any length of time. You utilise fat and glycogen jointly as well as improving your general fitness.

2. Interval training – This type of training is defined broadly as high intensity work followed by periods of recovery i.e. run fast for two minutes and then walk slow for two minutes and repeat, this has been proved by many studies to be far more effective at fat loss than steady rate training as for the same time period you burn more calories, keep your metabolism higher after exercise for longer and also keeps the body guessing as to what is coming next.

3. Fartlek training – This type of training is a combination of the above and more. Typically you could walk fast, run fast, jog up hills and constantly change terrain. You can basically run whatever distance at whatever pace and keep changing the pace. Originally derived from the Swedish word speedplay.

If you use the three techniques described above in a structured training programme and manipulate the principles also described above then you will achieve a very good level of cardio fitness.

So far so good, week two working out with Skittles during the day at the gym. Week two of running trainer done now. Feeling pretty good doing the trainer, though it feels like such a short workout right now — at about 20 minutes, which includes a 5 minute warm up and a 5 minute cool down.

Usually, I’ll finish up, then just walk some more to keep the heart pumping until Kit hits her goal, about 3 miles or so, but I feel like such a slacker just walking it, even briskly, as she’s trying to run. So today, after the running trainer, I glanced over and she was just around 2 miles, I was feeling okay, so I decided to keep doing some 90 second running intervals just to music. So just as I was cranking back up for a run interval, I kind of half-way noticed she was slowing down. By the time I was done, she was back jogging, so I just kept going. Walking and jogging, I put in an extra mile doing 3 more intervals, then did the cool-down.

What’s funny is, afterwards she comments “Way to go!” and tells me that she was ready to quit at 2 miles today, but since I was still going, she kept going. Only, I was just pushing it because I thought she was still going. If we’d only communicated better we might have both slacked off, but as it was we unintentionally motivated the other to keep going!

No climbing today, but we did do our workout machine circuit — minus the rowing machine which somebody had just put so many weight plates on that the notion of removing and putting them all away was just daunting since it’s so near the end of our routine. Had to seriously cut back weight and reps on the arms today, because I was really feeling pain and weakness in the left one. Both biceps and triceps were killing me after our bit of Tuesday climbing, but I think I’ve moved past that overall. I’m still just not quite right on that left side. Good thing I get to see Dale again tomorrow.

Some notes for next time:

1) Take my fit-pod to see if it will record my runs for Nike+

2) Drink more water before and after, was feeling really light headed turning to headachy after working out, which I have to blame on dehydration

Lovely Laura has piqued my interest with her adventures in belly dancing. She just lights up talking about and can’t wait to show off her skills and props, and I mostly love the way she said it makes her feel more beautiful — apparently it’s quite the confidence builder.

At her direction, Saturday I grabbed a groupon for 6 classes at Nazeem Allayl Belly Dance Studio, usually $10 a class, for $25. I’m really looking forward to trying it out, though it won’t be as soon as I’d thought. I apparently never learned to read a calendar, and what I thought started THIS Thursday, is actually a Thursday in Feburary — the 24th. So, I emailed them today to find out if I can use the certificate for six drop-in classes instead of waiting for a 6-week course to start. Indications by their website would point to yes, but I didn’t want to just show up without making sure. If they do allow it, then they offer Monday and Wednesday night options plus a Saturday morning option.

Of course, the groupon is good through July, so I can wait and see. I was hoping for a Thursday evening option, figuring some kind of workout class would get my blood pumping to be productive for the rest of my Thursday evening plans to study study study. http://www.atlantabellydance.com <– is the website.

The only thing I need before I can go to a workout are some non-slip yoga socks, which looks like about $9 at Target, or some other kind of “slipper” shoe, as no rubber soles are allowed — which knocks out the Vibram, too. Of course, if I end up doing a 6-week course, then most of those require some prop, scarf, skirt, etc., but Laura did say she had extra of those I can borrow.

At present, Laura is going to the Windy Hill location, and I’ll be going to the N. Peachtree location — mainly because Laura is already in the midst of a course there. Hopefully, we can manage to hook up and take something together in the future. More workout buddies = more accountability! I’ll update when I have concrete details on what I’m doing when.

Also, there is a half-off depot coupon here for the same deal, that doesn’t say for new clients only like the groupon does:

http://halfoffdepot.com/atlanta/catalog/product/view/id/5099/s/six-classes-at-atlanta-belly-dance/

Today I saw the first ad for the Curves circuit featuring Zumba fitness moves for cardio. It feels like the universe just slapped me.

1) this motivates me to go back to curves, which I already love but can’t afford.

2) this motivates me to find another source of income stat.

Also, the nearbyish Dance & aerobic center sent me spam today that Zumba is back, with $10 drop-in classes to try. Starts tonight.

Instead of bizarre mind reading, I guess I’ll attribute these to the usual January fitness media push.

I have to say I am thankful for the years I’ve spent, if somewhat sporadically, keeping a journal that includes my workout and diet efforts. I’ve repost and tagged a couple entries as “way-back machine” which are a couple of my usual “this time I REALLY mean it” posts, and it’s painful to sit here and know how little follow through I’ve had. Depressing really. Almost makes you just want to give up trying.

On the other hand, though I didn’t repost them, I did read through some pretty inspiring entries again, mostly bootcamp in preparation for Jessie’s wedding, where I recorded myself doing some amazing things that I can’t even imagine doing right now, like two bootcamp classes in one day?!? I walk/jogged at 10K in Sept 2009. Seriously, I did that.

Project 40 is a year down, with about 9 months to go, and my weight has yo-yo’d around but come back to settle right in the spare-tire area at about the same starting weight. I am grateful for the treadmill desk, in that my former life as a continuously neck/shoulder pain having chair-person has gone away. I may not walk while I work as often as I’d liked, but I do still stand or dance or sometimes walk, and in general I’m in much less just general pain that I used to be. Hasn’t really put a dent in the weight-loss, though.

So now, to really achieve my Project-40 goal, I need to lose about 10lbs a month, which seems way too much to be achievable. That being said, I’m not going to change my goal. This is either going to be a redoubled effort, a massive fail, or only a moderate fail that is actually maybe half my goal, but losing even half that sounds pretty damned good to me right now.

Honestly, I don’t know how I’m going to do it. I’ve got a workout buddy again, which really lifts my spirits. I’ve got a twice-weekly climbing group keeping me more active. I’ve still got the treadmill desk, and the new videos and workout game gadgets from Christmas in my newly setup upstairs workout/tv area. The opportunities to move and workout surround me, so if I’m a sloth, then I must be a REALLY good one to ignore all that.

I probably ought to make a more concerted effort to log calories at the very least, but I am notoriously a failure at that longterm. So much so that it is depressing to consider starting again. Thus, perhaps, a compromise is in order. Perhaps one strict calorie-counting week a month is doable? And the rest of the time will be the rest of the time.

Anyway, that’s the way it is, depressing as it may be. If I’m fat at 40, then it’s nobody’s fault but my own.

I must remember to actually get a stopwatch….

Kit and I have decided to make the best of our current situations by planning to work out twice a week during the day. This is made possible by our non-real-job-having status at present, and will use the monthly gym memberships we already pay for at the climbing gym.

We are still going with the group there to climb two nights a week,as well, but our daytime meetings will be for cardio and strength. Kit just needs to remember how to run, but I’m planning to finally make it through the couch to 5k plan and learn to run in my Vibrams.

Neither have really mentioned a specific diet plan we intend to strictly follow, just try to cut back on everything. I’m still making Abs diet Smoothies, but that’s about it. As opposed to their recommended food first method, I’m opting to try to build the exercise habit first before I complicate things.

I must recap a little since my last update to note a few things.

One, though I loved Curves, its just too much cost monthly, so it is out.

Two, operation bootcamp finally has an indoor nearby location for me to finish out my prepaid classes, but alas, they are all at 5:30am. If my job situation changes so I can only workout beforehand, then I will look at that option again.

Three, I am enjoying climbing very much, but find it is actually killing my general mood as each time we go I realize I’m not going to get much better until I lose a lot of weight. And, surprise, just like bootcamp I have pushed myself to the point of injury, but this time shoulder versus ankle.

Lastly, I am opting out of Thursday night gaming, even though I did enjoy it and it is a creative and social outlet. My reasoning is that I want a no-excuses night to myself to devote to studying and improving my job skills. I find I’m not really making the time consistently during the day, so a one night a week commitment should ease that tension I’ve been feeling from not making progress. I want to study and job hunt online in that time each week.

And from here, we move forward.

Oh yeah, and the reward for my project-40 this year will be a week at a beach house in Florida with friends and family! Now THERE is motivation!

Oh woe are we, trapped desperately in our home while our streets are covered in ice and snow.

Of course, with the AWD engaged on the Suzuki, we could actually get out, not that we needed to. The house was well stocked with groceries, and we never lost power or water. So it was more like a week to appreciate all the crap you already have to do in the way of cable, dvds, internet, game systems, etc., play with cats, enjoy the warm gas-logs, watch a dozen bad old movies. I even browsed books online at one point and had two new ones sent to my kindle app in moments. The Social Network came out on DVD, so we finally saw it.

But still, we get stir-crazy — a testament, no doubt, to the overstimulated state of being we live in.

So we ventured out to return a movie. Then we ventured out to check on Motley. We even made an attempt at going to the climbing gym, but so had everyone else and without their back-lot open due to ridiculous iced-over steep hill, we didn’t have a place to park, and weren’t anxious to leave the car by the side of the road.

Didn’t spot any gravel or salt or dozing evidence anywhere around us in Stone Mountain, but once we made it to the interstate it was being scraped, and the bridges were pretty well graveled and handled. Traffic was moving, in fewer lanes than usual and actually closer to the speed limit than usual.

Still, though, people are retarded, and we worry more about other people on the road than ourselves. Over by the climbing gym Is aw a car try to hop into an iced-over turn lane and head into an apartment complex after being on a fairly clear road. He didn’t slow down nearly enough, just hopped into the lane where he then couldn’t really slow down, yet still tried to make his turn and went into the concrete around the entrance sign.  Dumbass.

Some bridges and ramps really only had one lane clear, but that didn’t stop people who wanted to go faster from trying to zip around you in another lane and give you a good honk — even as they then discovered their lack of control on the new driving surface of the unclear lane. At least on this day I could curse other drivers with “I hope you spin out of control!” and know they might actually. 

And you really couldn’t suggest that people not drive and talk on their phones, even as they spin off the road doing so — it’s a God given right, or something. As is being able to take your truck, any truck, big, small, 4×4 or not, out in this weather. It’s a right. Of course, we then have the right to laugh at your truck when the back wheels have slid into the ditch and you don’t have the weight in the back for traction to get it out again.

The news on Monday had an interview with a BMW owner whose car had burst into flames at a gas station off of Windy Hill. Some spectator had filmed that part of it which hit YouTube as “guys car burst into flames when touches snow!” but the news had actually been filming along that road and caught the whole story.

The man had come up the exit ramp from the interstate onto 285 and tried to power his way up  the icy hill by holding the pedal to the floor for several minutes. Not only did he not make it, sitting in place spinning his wheels fiercely as smoke poured out, but when he eventually stopped and went backward into the gas station to park, his car burst into flames from the effort.

In his interview, the driver told the news “When I came off the interstate I just lost traction, and I don’t know why.”

Could it have been the solid sheet of ice that was the road? And we’re not talking black-ice here — where, as Cathy clarified, the ice is clear and the road is black — that might just look like wet road. Our conditions in Atlanta are a few inches of fluffy snow topped with an inch or two of solid ice. So, it’s white-ice. It’s not stealthy. It doesn’t look like road, because you can’t see road. People are getting stuck on medians and hitting curbs or ditches trying to figure out where the road might be.

So, was that beemer driver a complete idiot or just driving distracted by a cell phone or other device? Doesn’t matter. All that matters that you know that they’re out there — stupid people, distracted people — and they’re in just as much of a hurry to get from A to B as usual, despite the conditions.

In essence, I’m thankful we have a home and a life where we didn’t really have to be anywhere during the worst of this week, and could still stay on top of our work. I consider us lucky for surviving the couple little forays we did make into the outside world.