Jog at the ball park

Sometimes we have to take advantage of the time we have to exercise. I am speaking mostly to women who have school age children who are busy with various activities, like playing ball at different ball parks or practicing dance and piano on a regular basis.

 

Four years ago, when I became committed to losing weight and getting in better shape, I would walk around the ball field during warm-ups, rather than setting camp in my folding chair. I also decided to stand during the games. Standing is helpful because it uses more calories than sitting. Also, it becomes a stress-relieving activity. I get nervous when my kids pitch or bat or swim races. I want them to:

• play or swim or bowl well.
• play the game as it was meant to be played. 
• swim her race or bowl his game.
• use the skills that they learned.

 

The more important the game or meet, the more nervous I get for them. I guess because using their skills become even more important during the games where something is at a stake--whether it is pride or a championship.

 

Anyway, I use the ball park as a great place to expend calories.

 

Today, when we first arrived in Millbrook for a tournament, I took a 50 minute jog. I know I can take time to walk or jog during the 1 hour before the game because my girl is busy warming up, she has the essentials, and she is being taken care of because my husband is the coach.

 

This morning I jogged down a street that turned into a county road. It made for an interesting jog. As I jogged "out" of town a bit, the shoulder at times had grass taller than me and patches of briars. Oncoming traffic required me to jump to the shoulder and sometimes straddle the briars.

 

It is always interesting to jog a new route, particular in a town I am unfamiliar. When I do this I learn something about the area. I also find myself not concerned with my speed or the distance, I just jog.

 

The most interesting part of this jog was in the outskirts of town, I found the smell of the country to bring back memories of the smells at home near the creek. Hot, humid , but fresh. It is hard to describe. I am not sure what is blooming that has a fresh and sweet smell that is not overbearing. The moisture in the air near the creek and today in Millbrook because the Alabama River is nearby has feel about that is beyond humid, but an almost refreshing feel.

This morning workout included: 

• I stretched my legs a little.
• I jogged variable speed for 50 minutes.
• I walked about .1 mile.
• I stretched 20 seconds toe-touch hold with feet together.
• I stretched 20 seconds each with one leg crossed over.
• I stretched 20 seconds each for a hamstring stretch.
• I stretched 20 seconds for calf stretch.
• I stood or walked for most of the game.

 

The advantages of this kind of activity during warm-ups are:

• expending calories
• using muscles
• getting a cardio workout
• not using my time with the kids to get my exercise done.

 

The disadvantages are:

• I not available is something were to happen (like my ballplayer getting hurt) which is one reason I take my phone with me.
• Even though I bring an extra set of clothes, I look bad for the rest of the tournament.
• I smell bad for the rest of the tournament.
• I have to drink more water than normal.
• I am usually a little tired (but isn't everybody at an all day tournament?)

Trying to get back into exercising

Since Thanksgiving, my exercise regiment has slowed down. I have been very unmotivated to wake up in the mornings to jog and since being sick and having knee problems and eye surgery, I have not had much desired to go back to the regiment I was exercising in the early fall.

This week I have done better, not perfect but better.

My exercise this week:

• Monday morning: benchpress, tricep kickbacks, military press. I lifted heavy Monday---the most I have in a very long time.
• Tuesday morning: I slept in
• Wednesday morning: leg (fairly heavy leg lifts and squat machines) and ab workout. After getting the kids ready for school, and I jogged 2.5 miles at a moderate pace (for me). The temperature was below 32 degrees and the wind was brutal. Maybe that was the reason the pace was decent. Then, I traveled out of town for a meeting.
• Thursday morning (while out of town): I slept in. My apologies to a friend who worked out and I just did not want to get out in the cold weather (I am such a wimp).
• Thursday night (back home): I jogged 2.5 miles at a moderate pace (for me) in 52 degree weather. It was very nice jog.
• Friday (we'll see)
• Saturday morning: I hope to jog
• Sunday morning: I hope to jog

If I jog on Saturday and Sunday, I will have exercised a consistent amount this week. Consistency is key for me. Although I am not suffering in a major way from cutting back on my exercise, I can tell a difference.

I also feel a difference in how my body feels and what I want to eat. It seems that when I exercise consistently and I push myself to lift heavier or go faster or longer when jogging, I eat better.

The weights give my body a tight feeling, while the cardio makes me feel good. Maybe those physical changes and feelings are what I need to remember when I start to lose motivation.

Is there a definition of a workout?

What is a workout? JB defines a workout as:

Brief periods of self induced physical and mental anguish followed by a couple days of muscle soreness.

Well, that is definitely one way to define a workout. I think of a workout as an incremental step in building muscles, building strength, developing endurance, strengthening the heart, and expending calories. (I probably should add becoming more flexible and creating an ability to have balance. I don't work on those aspects too much for the exception of stretching after a workout).

A buddy of mine is exercising in functional ways--using an ax, toting limbs, clearing rubbish is his way of expending calories and building muscles.

When the workout causes the muscles to be sore, I know I have stretched the muscles so that they will tighten and strengthen. Let's admit it. After a leg workout or a run, the tightness in the legs feels great! Don't you think?

It really doesn't matter how you exercise or what your workout is. Expending calories and building endurance can happen almost at anytime. It does not have to be at gym or on the track. Stand instead of sit; walk instead of ride, jog instead of walk, run instead of jog. Do crunches on the couch while watching TV, dance with kids. Move, move move.

Another jog

I jogged 3 miles today. I did not want to jog 5 miles today like I did yesterday. I am afraid of working my knees too much. However, the jogging is helping. My glutes and hamstrings are tight--thankfully.

The jog makes my legs feel good, although they are a little sore--I know that exercise is good for me!

Each step results in a reduction in a calorie or a portion of a calorie--gotta keep moving.

Why workout?

Research gives us lots of reasons to work out. The important reasons are the ones that are meaningful to you.

The mother of my son's friend came by to pick up her son. She looked absolutely great. I told her so.


She smiled and said she had started working out at a local gym (a national chain) and jogging in the mornings. If you want reason to work out, she is a testament.


1. She looks great. Who does not want to look great? Though it may seem vain, I like it when people I know noticed the change in my physique after I lost weight and started exercising. I don't know anyone who would does not like looking healthy--looking good. We all like to feel good about ourselves. We like it when they know other people notice.


What makes her look great is not only her slimming body, but her stature--the way she holds her shoulders-standing tall, beautiful, and confident. Mind you she does not look skeleton-like, but healthy, glowing.


2. She said she also feels great. She has more energy. She feels good about herself. Who does not want to feel great? We can do so much when we feel good, when we have energy.


Working out is hard work, but the benefits can be great. My friend found the benefits worth the work. She wants to continue working out. She wants to try body pump--a combination of weight training and cardio.


It seems staying with the workout will take some persistence on her part. I hope that she continues to find encouragement and alternatives to keep her workouts interesting.

The cooler weather makes it harder to continue the jogging outside. Boredom is a possibility. She wants her husband to go jogging or walking with her.

I encouraged her to try the bodypump class. It does not require the dance moves that an aerobic dance class may require. The bodypump class gives a great way to get weight lifting and cardio in an efficient. Learn the moves and the proper way to lift, then add more weight. I personally think that women make a huge mistake by not lifting enough. Weight lifting (properly) is a great way to get the body in shape, give better posture, and provide muscles that make the cardio easier.