A woman I work with said today that I'm looking thinner. :)
Your Daily Summary
18
CALORIES REMAINING
| Goal | Food | Exercise | = Net |
| 1210 | 1410 | - 218 | 1192 |
I'm trying out my Firm Fitness DVD set of twelve 22-ish min HIIT workouts. I know there's something to the HIIT thing that burns a lot of fat, but I just can't imagine HOW these workouts could help me achieve better results than my harder, longer workouts. I end them more revved up than I was when I started. Shouldn't I be exhausted after an effective workout? It's too short and too easy. I'm giving it my all, but the bursts are supposed to be the hardest parts, and they're not anywhere near challenging enough, even giving it my all. So I think I'm going to designate these workouts as back-up home workouts on days when I know I'll be active with other things - swimming or casual hiking or something else that isn't a full blown workout, but helps make a dent in my calorie burn.
OK then - Motivation Pic time:
This is supermodel Adriana Lima, who oh-so-cool-y posted a photo of herself post-workout to show how sweaty and gross a great workout can/should leave a gal. I love this, and really admire her for posting it on the internet for all to see. I've been doing workout videos for so many years that I have gone through quite a few of them in which the women are apparently instructed to keep dumb phony smiles pasted on their fully made-up faces. The old Firm workouts were the WORST for that....every women in a different pastel colored leotard, and those creepy, incessant SMILES, as if it was somehow wrong for them to grunt, grimace or sweat while working out. WHY?!?! Who the heck wants to workout with the Stepford Wives?? I want to feel (and look) like this during/after my workout:
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| (I also would like to have some fans on the side during my workouts, like these folks here, to cheer and clap and urge me on. That would be quite nice!) |
And that, is why I don't do workout videos. The fake smiles tick me off. Love your blog and love Adriana.
ReplyDelete~Enyonam
http://transitioningto143.blogspot.com
Thanks! But y'know, some newer, tougher workouts are smile-free. In fact, not only do they NOT smile in the Insanity workouts, they sometimes get bleeped when the instructor goes up to them and asks how they're feeling. I LOVE THAT!!! "How ya feeling here?" "LIKE SH>bleeeeeep<!!!!" (Seriously! That's a direct quote.)
DeleteIt's great to know I'm in good company - that even those ridiculously fit, toned people are burning, hurting and wishing they could stop, like I am, while pushing through. And since I can't afford ($ or time) gym membership, the DVD's are a Godsend for me.
"Who the heck wants to workout with the Stepford Wives??" <---Good one!
ReplyDeleteThis has always ticked me off and I interpreted the creepy grins as such: No matter how hard you're working out, you'll never going to be like us, because it's so easy for us, we are smiling the entire way....mwuahahaha
I know what you mean about HIIT workouts. I haven't done them in quite a while, especially since I'm already exhausted with everything that I'm doing now. I guess the point is to keep the body always guessing.
ReplyDeleteI, too, wouldn't mind a crowd cheering me on ;) You've got a virtual fan here! :)
Thank you!! I honestly do feel highly motivated by the group encouragement from this group. I hope I'm doing my share to contribute to that for you guys too.
DeleteKeeping the body guessing...I think I've read about the benefit of that before. It's why we should mix up our workouts too, and put aside any we're so familiar with we can do in our sleep. I've noticed Billy Blanks in the newest Tae Bo workout does some "badly" timed moves, where you want to step with one foot after kicking the other, but he has it all worked out in a way that makes no sense from a traditional aerobic or dance move perspective. Now I'm thinking maybe that's intentional, because it really does make me work a LOT harder to follow the way he's doing it exactly. My mind doesn't wander to other things while I'm step/kicking....all I'm doing and thinking is "step left, kick right, back step then step left again..." Then as soon as I think I got it, he moves on to something else.
Clever. Perhaps. Or maybe he is just a terrible dancer with no rhythm.
LOL - I see quite a few people with no rhythm or coordination at workout classes. They must be getting something extra out of those workouts! :)
DeleteI definitely feel the motivation and encouragement too!
HIIT dvd workouts don't do it for me either because you're trying to do what the video says, but I think for most people it's not challenging enough.
ReplyDeleteBUT HIIT IS AMAZING!!! I pretty much don't do any steady-state cardio anymore and only do weights/plyometrics/HIIT. It totally changed my weight/body composition so don't give up.
For HIIT, I do it on my own at the gym or just outside, switching between sprints and jogging. And you're right, you should be exhausted at the end of the 20 - 25 minutes.
OMG The Firm!!! lolol Haven't thought about those work out dvd's in a while!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the picture motivation. Yes, that supermodel is blessed with awesome genetics, but good to see her posting a pic of her ass in the gym.
And lord knows, I ain't pretty when I'm working out. If you are worried about how you look when you are working out, you're not worried about getting good results.
I have HIIT workouts on my to do list of things to research!
This was a really great post. I always feel awkward when I get sweaty and gross after working out, but you're right...if I'm working hard, I SHOULD look like it. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDelete