Thoughts About Workouts and Other Stuff

Things that make me go hmmm. (I'm linking up with the Friday Five 2.0 - join the fun here)

It was leg day on my workout schedule. I started with a one mile warm-up run on the treadmill. I had already walked to the fitness center, so my legs felt good during this run. For some reason the Nike Run Club app on my watch thought I had run for 50 minutes? Hmmm.

Another thing that makes me go hmmm...why doesn't the treadmill and my watch distance ever match up?

My FASTer Way to Fat Loss® strength training workout was broken into three parts:

LEGS: squats and deadlifts
SUPERSETS: thrusters/plie squat jumps and scissor step-ups/calf raises
GLUTES: kickbacks, clamshells, bridges, abductors

It was a good workout, but I had trouble figuring out how to do the scissor step-ups in the fitness center. There are several weight benches that are the right height and some low step platforms that are kind of too low. I used the low step platform today because I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to put my shoes on the weight bench. I did wonder though, do people step up on weight benches? Hmmm.

Another thing that makes me go hmmm...what is the proper etiquette for wiping down mats in the gym if you didn't leave sweat marks?

After our workouts (mrC ran a 5k on the treadmill, yay!), we walked back to the apartment for our cool down and enjoyed the amazingly pleasant fall-like weather we are having right now.

Let me side-track for a minute...The nice weather actually started yesterday. Here I am all dressed up and waiting for the bus to go to lunch with the girls and NOT sweating to death. (PS - I love my sandals ((affiliate)) but for the life of me, the right heel strap will not stay up, no matter how tight I make it. Ugh, but I still wear them)

And since I brought up lunch, here is the freshly made pasta I had for lunch. If you are ever in Hong Kong, I highly recommend dining at Cucina at the Marco Polo hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui. They have spectacular views of Victoria Harbour (you can see the table where we sat on the Cucina website here - right in the corner). My friend's husband is the General Manager of the hotel, so we might have had some VIP treatment thanks to her ;)

How about more good food? I'll share our post-workout breakfast from today: Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pancakes. I've been looking forward to making these ever since we brought the box back from our trip to the US in September. First I was saving them to eat in October (anyone else do that?) and then it was just a matter of time to make them.

They are soooo good! Why, oh why, don't they sell these year round? And why did I only buy one box? Hmmm.

mrC had to run to the airport, so I got caught up on some TGIT on Hulu. When he gets back we are going out to dinner.

What do you have going on for the weekend?
Do you like pumpkin pancakes?
Are you a Grey's Anatomy, Scandal or How To Get Away With Murder fan?

Wrapping Up September with a Running Survey

I don't always remember to do a monthly mileage post, but when I run more miles than usual it helps.

This month I did more runs over two miles. Since joining the Discovery Run group, I've started working on being able to run a 5K with as few walk breaks as my knee can handle. I might be running my first fun 5K soon ;)

Here's a fun little survey to use to look back on your month. Feel free to answer any of these questions in the comments below or copy and paste in your own blog post (just be sure to tell me about it so I can read all your answers!).

How many times did you run? 7 runs

What was your total mileage? 19.12 miles

How many races did you run? zero - working on that ;)

What time of day did you run most often (morning, runch, evening)? morning

How many different running routes did you do? a variation of 4 routes

Did you run mostly solo or with others? mostly with at least one other person

How many pairs of running shoes did you use? 2 - Mizuno Wave Sky and Wave Horizon

If you bought new running gear, what was your favorite purchase? Athleta Ready Set Go shorts 

Did you run in different states or countries this month? Hong Kong, Ohio, Budapest

What type of animals did you see on your runs this month? a lot of dogs and some deer

What was the best part of your favorite run (or worst part of your least favorite run)? My favorite run was in Budapest (it was cool and flat) and the best part was running with mrC and youngestC!

What type of cross training did you do this month? yoga, hiking, SUP and lots of walking

The last week of September has been a busy one - challenging my ability to get workouts in.

Sunday - We helped a friend celebrate her birthday on a junk boat ---> did you see my hula hoop skills on Instagram?

Monday - I had a Hong Kong Hosts meeting and ran errands in Central. Night run with Discovery Run group.

Tuesday - I had a laser hair removal appointment ---> sprinted to catch the ferry (workout for the day)

Wednesday - Got my SUP board (price reduced on Amazon) back in the water

Thursday - Went to the American Women's Association Welcome Back Breakfast at the (yep) American Club

Friday - Exercises in the pool and some relaxing too

Saturday - REST (almost ran but it was stormy)

Sunday - went for a morning walk

Looking ahead: October is the month I get back on my carb cycling wagon and really focus on strength. There's a new Faster Way to Fat Loss group starting on October 16th. If you have been thinking about joining and are looking for a way to reboot your body (like I needed), take a look at my results. I have been carb cycling for over a year now and it is the easiest way to maintain my weight.

How was your week? month?
What are you looking forward to in October?

Linking up with Tricia and Holly for the Weekly Wrap!

Great Places to Run for Visitors in Budapest

Can I just tell you that runners in Budapest have some amazing choices for where to run?

Budapest actually used to be two cities (Buda and Pest) separated by the Danube. While visiting our Corvinus scholar, we stayed at the Marriott in the heart of the city on the Pest Side. The Buda Side was just a walk across a bridge away. Right outside our door we had access to some great places to run in Budapest.

The Danube and Bridges - on the very first day I knew I wanted to run along the Danube, so that's what we did. On our third day, after getting a lay of the land sightseeing and with our very own University local (youngestC), we laced up for an easy loop using the bridges. (Runfession: I love putting international miles on my Mizunos)

On the Pest Side of the Danube, the walkways are wide enough for runners and walkers to coexist. And there's plenty of room for all getting across both the Chain Bridge and the Elizabeth Bridge. The Buda side offered designated lanes for running/walking and biking. It was easy to see why that section was a favorite among runners.

Margaret Island - we took the Hop-On Hop-Off boat to explore the island and upon seeing the spongy running track, I declared that I would be back to run. The rainy weather during the week of our visit made it challenging, but we finally squeezed in a run on the morning of our departure. (Runfession: I'm glad I held firm in wearing shorts and a long sleeve (short sleeve here) because the sun popped out and it was a little toasty)

Because the island is about a mile plus from our hotel, we took the convenient yellow trolley to our starting point at Margaret Bridge. That way we could do our miles on the island and enjoy using the soft running path ---> which we learned is a 5K loop around the island. With its path and the views, the island is a perfect place for running.

Gellert Hill - if you wanted to do some hill running, this would be a great place on the Buda Side. We did not run, but we hiked it so I can show you why it would be a great place to run.

There is the option to run the steps or follow the smooth pathway (which I think will get you most of the way to the top). At the top you can take in the amazing views while running around the Citadella with the Liberty Lady statue standing tall above you. Overall the elevation gain is around 350 feet and estimated mileage starting from the entrance would probably be about 2 miles. Perfect for a hill workout. (Runfession: I prefer to hike hills than run them)

Fitness and Health Club by Marriott - when all else fails, go to the fitness center. Guests of the hotel can use the facility with amazing views of the Danube and Buda Castle, but so can locals.

When rainy weather drove our workout indoors, we were not disappointed. We used the state of the art treadmills (the kind with virtual courses) and weight training equipment, but the club also offers classes. The treadmills were so nice, I was inspired to run a full 5k through the valleys of...somewhere! (Runfession: I was kind of in a bad mood because of the rain, but this run definitely lifted my spirits!)

Running in Budapest, especially with youngestC, was amazing.

If I lived in Budapest, I would be one happy runner!

What city have you visited that is a runner's dream?
What are you runfessing this month?

I'm linking up with Lacey and Meranda and Rachel for the Friday Five 2.0!

I’m linking up with Marcia for the monthly Runfessions

Friday Five: What I Learned in August

Does anyone else feel like August went by in the blink of an eye? Maybe the old adage, time flies when you're having fun, is true because there were a lot of good times happening in August. I had fun trying new things and learning new ways to do the things I love to do.

I love that we are never too old, young, etc. to try something new. At any given time we may find our fitness changes because of life events, age, injury, or whatever. Being able to embrace new things and look at familiar passions with a new perspective is important to being happy and having fun.

Here are a few things I learned this month (some links are affiliate):

1. Discovery Run group - I learned that I can still run with a group. I started joining this Monday night social running group a couple of weeks ago and I'm so glad that I did. I'm not a huge fan of running at night, but being part of a group (of at least 30+ people) running through the streets of DB is quite fun. I was craving the days when I would run with my MRTT friends in New Hampshire, but apprehensive about whether I could "keep up" with my knee. It was the perfect environment to run my run. I even got mrC to join the fun!

2. SUP racing - I learned how to race on my SUP. I thought being on the cover of the Around DB Magazine as part of the DB Ladies SUP group was exciting until I participated in my first SUP relay race with the Paddling Section of the Lantau Boat Club. Racing on a stand up paddle board is hard but fun! My arms have never been so tired and I only went 500 meters. It's definitely something I hope to do again.

3. August Miles - I learned that I'm ready to run in a race. As the temperature increased, my running days in Hong Kong decreased. A lot of people run on the treadmill in the summer, but with my knee I do not feel super comfortable doing that right now. Most of my miles for the month came from sprint workouts on low carb days and the Monday night group. I ended the month with 8 runs for a total of 12.85 miles. The group runs have let me know that I could do ok in a race situation. I've got my eye on a 5k (and possibly a 10k) in November, so I'll be making sure to log some longer runs each week moving forward.

4. FWTFL VIP - I learned how to make the carb cycling fitness plan work for my every day lifestyle. I started carb cycling in Spring 2016 because I was working out all the time, but continuing to gain weight ---> especially in my belly. I had moved to China, stopped running almost completely because of my knee and just seemed stuck in a rut. The results were so amazing that I have continued the program and recently joined the FASTer Way To Fat Loss VIP group. The VIP group allows me to maintain my weight, get stronger and leaner all through brand new workouts each month. This program works for me because it is challenging and I can incorporate the things I love to do (running, Bodystep, hiking) into my workouts. Amanda is starting a new FWTFL group on September 14 ---> learn more here (affiliate link).

5. New gear - I learned that you can always find another pair of awesome shorts :) (and other things). A good sale by my favorite brands will get me every time. I ordered the Trekkie shorts from Athleta in flint grey and crossed my fingers that they would work even though I hadn't tried them on. I think I wore them almost every day for a week, ha! I'm also loving this pair of running shorts that I ordered at the same time (and I put these from Lululemon on my wish list). I also got a great deal on this tank and this one too. This new running bra goes great with my new shorts and tanks.

What have you learned this summer/month/training cycle?

Today's post is part of the Friday Five 2.0 with Lacey and Meranda and Rachel and I'm also joining  Nicole for the Fit & Fashionable Friday link-up.

Strength Training at Bodypump

I'm battling a terrible case of jet lag since returning from our amazing Cape Cod summer vacay (recap here), but I finally took the plunge and signed up for a Bodystep class. Turns out I was the only one. Summer in Hong Kong means that every is doing what we just did ---> taking a holiday.

Instead of not taking a class at all, I accepted the offer to be put into the Bodypump class.

Admittedly, I was a little nervous about going to Bodypump because it has been awhile, but it was a nice fit for my carb cycling workouts. 

Regular calorie day - the workout 

Warm-up - It was a nice morning, so I walked to the HIT Room. I went in knowing that I was going to be sore after this workout, so I thought it was the perfect time to wear the new workout tank that the kids gave me. I couldn't find it on the website, but I found this one that is just as good.

Strength training - On the weekly workout plan (that I'm sort of jumping into), day 3 is legs, triceps, shoulders and day 4 is back, biceps, abs. Bodypump turned out to be a great option because we did all that and more. 

It was a tough workout for me. Not only because I haven't strength trained like this in months, but I also felt lightheaded toward the end of the class. I don't know what caused it: jet lag, dehydration, empty fuel tank (I did the class fasted), the heat? It was semi-scary. 

Cool down - mrC met me after class and we walked to the Siena Club pool. I let the pool water cool my body down for an hour before heading home.

Regular calorie day - the meals

broke fast around 12:30 - scrambled eggs with ham, pb&j apple cinnamon rice cakes  (we smuggled them in our carry-on from the US ;) and watermelon.

lunch - frozen berry protein smoothie and pb&j apple cinnamon rice cakes. PS - I'm currently reading The Husband's Secret on my Kindle app and it is soooo good. 

Dinner - took mrC out to dinner to MooFish for his yearly big day ---> fettuccini carbonara with chicken plus a couple of strawberry daiquiris :)

Happy birthday mrC! 

I highly recommend this racerback cami from JCrew Factory 

Are you taking a vacation this summer?

Ever get lightheaded during a workout?

Do you prefer going out or staying home for birthday dinner?

For more info about the FASTer Way To Fat Loss program, use my link to join and start carb cycling with me! Click here.

Wrapping Up FWTFL Week 3 (with Weekend Workouts)

We've literally been living under our umbrellas for the past few days, but I haven't let that stop my motivation. I did change things up a little bit, but it's my workout and I have to make it work for me.

Lorna Jane tank (similar here)

Here's a look at my workouts this week:

Monday - Took my sprints and HIIT workout outside for my last sunny day workout.

Tuesday - Active rest day

Wednesday - Learned about strength training with Supersets

Thursday - Another training day at the gym. I think I'm becoming a gym rat.

Friday - My Bodystep instructor returned from Oz, so I took my speed burst workout to The Hit Room.

Saturday - Regular Calorie Day - Leg Day - the workout 

I started the day with a trip to the beach for a pre-arranged meet up of the Discovery Bay Ladies SUP group. Four of us braved the rain to participate in an upcoming local magazine article.

I usually SUP in my bathing suit, but the rainy weather had me in a normal Chi tank and Costa shorts. One of the ladies wears full coverage rash guard, wetsuit like gear so she won't get stung by jellies if she falls in the water.

Warm up - I was over the rain, so I looked up the at-home workout for the day. My warm-up consisted of me digging out the free weights, getting out my yoga mat, and that's it.

Strength training - It was leg day: squats, deadlifts, lunges, step-ups, calf raises. 4 sets of 12-15 reps. Plus FINISHERS - curtsey lunges, side lunge with squat, jump squats, jump lunges. 40 reps. Repeat ---> I did not repeat. This was one of those calls I have to make to keep my knee happy.

It sucks that I have to limit my workouts on one of the larger muscle groups, but I do. The old me would push through and finish the workout exactly as it's written. I would pressure myself to not quit because a leg workout burns a lot more fat calories than an arm workout. But then I would be out of commission for a couple of days with knee pain. I've learned to modify my workouts so that they work for me and be ok with that.

Sunday - low calorie day - active recovery - the workout

Warm up - For once it wasn't raining so we were able to walk to the fitness center. mrC had a strength training day and I tagged along.

Slow paced run - I chose to do the interval progression run today. It looks like this: 1 minute walk, 1 minute run, 2 minute walk, 2 minute run, 3 minute walk, 3 minute run, 4 minute walk, 4 minute run, 5 minute walk, 5 minute run. At the end, I was almost to a 5K, so I repeated the 5 minute run. 

I admit that the longer walk breaks were HARD! I've gotten used to my one minute recovery intervals, but I stayed focused on the goal of low intensity and keeping my heart rate in the fat burning zone. PS - I'm falling more in love with my Mizunos every time I run in them. Have you read my review?

Bonus - I tossed in a couple sets on the adductor machine because my inner thighs are nice and flabby. I'm hoping the use of the machine will supplement the leg day exercises.

Cool down - I did some stretching on the stretch machine. If you've never used the stretch machine at the gym, I highly recommend it. It looks like this one on Amazon. I don't have a lot of experience, but it made getting a really good stretch of my hamstrings, glutes, and quads so easy. I did not use heavy weight during my leg workout yesterday, but I was feeling the results of the high repetitions.

Regular calorie day - the meals

Broke fast at about 11 - 2 scrambled eggs with ham, gluten free pancakes, red grapes, and orange juice

Lunch - 3 turkey roll ups and microwave popcorn

Dinner - Buffalo chicken quinoa and green beans

Snack - mini YPP

Low calorie day - the meals

Broke fast at 11 - 2.5 scrambled eggs with ham, one PB&J rice cake and red grapes

Lunch - leftover buffalo chicken quinoa and green beans

Dinner - leftover buffalo chicken quinoa ---> it's THAT good! (recipe here)

How was your week?

Linking up with Tricia and Holly for the Weekly Wrap!

You Can Do Speed Bursts at Bodystep

Today I made up the low carb day I missed on Tuesday. I've said this before, but I really love how easy it is to make carb cycling work for you. If you need to, you can switch up days because of work, appointments, parties, or whatever. It's no problem.

(If you are interested in joining the FASTer Way To Fat Loss program, here's a link to join and start carb cycling with me! Click here).

Week 3 Low Carb Day - the workout

The FWTFL workout for the day was a choice of Speed bursts followed by an ab circuit. My favorite Bodystep instructor is back from Australia after an extended (almost 2 months) leave, so I had to go back to class.

There are 12 workout tracks in a typical class which means there is a lot, I mean a lot, going on. The whole class is high intensity intervals: cardio followed by strength and ends with a powerful core workout. Here are some of the things I remember doing today, but not necessarily in the right order (after the warm up).

Warm up - step moves mostly on the floor
Warm up part 2 - step moves on the step
Cardio peak - basic stepping with glute leg lifts, burpees, lunges, knee repeaters
Mixed strength - lunges, squats, glute leg lifts with weight plate
Speed track - skaters, speed step, plyo jumps and burpees ---> I thought I would be sick!
Another Cardio peak - I honestly can't remember what we did ;)
Core - oblique focus: side crunch with weight, bent leg side drops, and plank twist with weight
Stretch

After a couple of weeks of missing cardio classes and a couple of months since my last time at Bodystep, this was a tough class. Good, but tough. It felt awesome to see how many calories I torched.

mrC did his low carb day workout outside at the fitness center and then met me in the North Plaza after my class. We probably could have walked home, but the sky looked too unpredictable. We took the bus instead.

OOTD: tank, capris (similar), shoes, bag

Low carb day - the meals

Broke fast at 12:00 - 2.5 scrambled eggs with ham, 3 sausage links, one PB&J rice cake

Lunch - 4 turkey rollups, peanuts and a chocolate protein shake ---> last one, ran out of this protein that I can get on Amazon.

Dinner - leftover chicken and green beans


Has your workout ever caused you to throw up?
I need to buy protein. What's your favorite brand for chocolate shakes?

Today I'm linking up with Nicole for the Fit & Fashionable Friday link-up

Rest Day Fun and Strength Training with Supersets

I'm playing a little catch up on my carb cycling posts, so today you get a double. Our almost-typhoon Merbok passed by Hong Kong on Monday night and has left behind the most deplorable rainy weather. One rest day and one strength training day complete regardless.

Week 3 Low Calorie - Rest Day 

(I love that I can switch my days when necessary on this program)

My rest day was LHR (laser hair removal) instigated (no sweating for 24-36 hours) which coincides perfectly with needing to run some errands. Rain or shine, out we go. Thank goodness for rain boots and rain slickers. We went from LHR, to lunch, to the GAP, to two groceries and back. All in the (sometimes pouring) rain.

In case you are wondering what the inside of a LHR treatment room looks like, I took a pic yesterday. It's looks scarier than it is and everyone is so friendly and nice.

Week 3 Low Calorie - the meals

We happened to see a sign for Ruby Tuesday's on our way to my appointment and decided that was a great place to break fast and they opened at 11:30. Perfect timing. We don't eat out that much, but I love a salad bar.

I made several trips and also had some Cod on the side.

Dinner - BBQ meatballs and green beans

Snack - popcorn and watermelon

Regular Calorie Day - the workout

Warm up - our normal walk to the fitness center was interrupted by, you guessed it, rain. We took the bus instead and grabbed a treadmill for the warm-up. After walking for 5 minutes, I decided to run. I ran for 10 minutes without intervals and my knee was OK! Interested in my shoes ---> check out my review here.

Strength Training - Supersets. Four Supersets. Arms, legs, legs, arms.

Cool down - 10 minutes walking on the treadmill while mrC finished his workout and then we walked home because it wasn't raining.

So what is a Superset? If you are like me (not a gym rat), then you might not know the term. Directly from my workout: "A superset is performed when two exercises are performed in a row without stopping." The exercises can be opposing muscles or the same muscle groups. Even though there are two sets it is considered one set. A Superset. The purpose of the Superset is to improve performance, build muscle, and burn more fat in less time. 

Regular Calorie Day - the meals

broke fast at about 11:15 - 2.5 scrambled eggs with ham and two PB&J rice cakes and watermelon 

Lunch - 4 turkey roll ups and red grapes

Dinner - leftover chilaquiles and corn

Snacks - two mini peppermint patties

Here's what I do for fun, wearing a new linen tee that I picked up at GAP yesterday. I don't think it looks so see-through in real life. 

Do you like salad bars?
What do you think about Supersets?

I'm linking up with Annmarie, Nicole and Jen for Wild Workout Wednesday!!