Monday Speed Workout

Yesterday I posted one (actually two) of my favorite post workout meals. Today I would like to post one of my favorite workouts. My Monday Speed Workout.

I would like to preface this by saying I have yet to think of myself as a runner. I am not entirely sure I actually like running. But I do know that it is that one sure fire thing that helps me achieve my weight loss goals and after awhile I kind of crave it, especially when I go more than 3 or 4 days without some kind of run workout.

This workout is a very high intensity zone 4 and 5 workout. My heart rate gets up above 180, which is zone 4 for me when I run. I have been slowly working on my speed since before I became pregnant with my 3rd son. Then when I was cleared to workout after he was born, I ended up back at square one. I found it difficult to jog at a 5.5 on the treadmill. While I could go on forever at a 5.0 or lower, any faster would kill me. But over the past 2.5 years I have slowly built up my endurance to where I can run half a mile at a 7.3 and even a 5K at a 6.0 (or dare I say faster?). My point is that speed is relative to the individual (as the actual number your heart rate is at). So as long as you are getting your heart rate up to where you find it hard to say more than one word at a time, then you are good and can forget the rest.

For this workout I like to do a mile warm-up. I like to start the treadmill at 5.3 and every minute add one (so after minute 1 I would be at 5.4 on the treadmill). I continue this until I have run 1 full mile. Then for the next mile I do two minute intervals. I usually end my first mile warm-up at around 6.4 so I add 5 onto where ever I ended my warm-up (6.9) and run that for two minutes. Then I bump the speed back down to 5.4 for a minute and then 5.9 for another minute. Then 7.0 for two minutes. Then 5.5 for a minute and 6.0 for another minute. By this time I am close to my second mile, so I finish it at a 7.0 for a full two minutes. Then for the next mile I walk on an incline of 15 at 3.3 trying to bump up the speed 1 every minute. By then end of the mile I am around 4.6 jogging up a very steep hill, huffing and puffing.

Then I do another mile, each time going faster and faster until my last interval I am running at 7.3 for two minutes. I then do a one mile cool down, gradually going from around 6.5 taking my time until I find myself slowly walking the last minute of my mile at around 1.5. And then I am spent.

Like I said, it took me a long time to get to those speeds. For me they are a great challenge, but everyone is different. For example my husband could do his intervals starting at a speed of 10, whereas when I started I was only able to manage 6.0 for a two minute sprint. The big thing to remember is that you need to start it knowing that you will need room to grow at least 4 (or more depending on how fast you are going) up.

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Post Workout PB Banana Wrap

Today was my one of my two Intense Speed Run workouts that I like to do each week. Doing this run goes beyond my simply getting myself on the treadmill and pushing myself. Nutrition plays a very large role before and AFTER my workout.

While I don’t mind running or working out on an empty stomach, if I am too hungry I have zero concentration, let alone energy to complete even the lowest of intensity workouts. So, unless its first thing in the morning, or anytime before 8, I make myself eat something. And wait at least an hour. Today I had a Rainbow Smoothie, a bowl of Total cereal, 20 oz of water and a travel mug of coffee before my run. I had this all finished at least an hour and an half before I stepped on the treadmill.

And then I ran.

During my cool down I drank about 32 oz of water. By the time I get to my car with my son, my water bottle (2nd of the day) is empty and I am famished. After giving my two year old his lunch (we eat enroute usually, doesn’t make for a clean car but we aren’t happy when we are hungry and it’s a 20 minutes drive home), I get out my food. My favorite post workout meal is a Peanut butter and banana wrap.

Like I have said in previous posts, I am not certified as a Personal Trainer or Nutritionist, but if the ‘sum is a good as its parts” then this has to be Grrreat.

I take a whole wheat low carb tortilla and smear about 1 Tbsp of peanut butter on it. Then I sprinkle some dried fruit, today I used craisins, then I place a banana on one edge and roll it up. Yum.

I remember a friend a while back posted a question on facebook asking for post workout ideas and I of course gave this one. A friend of hers commented a big YUCK about my PB Banana wrap, so I guess it isn’t for everyone. But it does the trick for me. I don’t have the budge for fancy post workout drinks, and I wish I could afford ZICO coconut water. The times I have had it I definitely felt an energy burst and alertness with zero jitters. But alas I do not have that luxury at the moment.

As a little bonus, if you are not in the mood for the sweet of this PB Banana wrap, perhaps a Hummus Egg white wrap might be more your thing. Same concept, smear hummus on a tortilla, place egg white pieces (I usually use about 3 eggs’ whites) and for more of a nutritional boost, add some bell pepper slices, then wrap.

Enjoy!

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Titus Bucks

My two older sons fight like cats and dogs. All the time. The only time they are not fighting with each other is when they are fighting with me. Last year it was nice, Reese was home with me and he got along so well with Sean, but then once Ethan came home from school, World War III resumed @ The Titus House. THEN summer came. Ethan was out of school, and no matter how many activities I signed them up for they still found a way irritate each other enough that I developed a twitch in my eye.

To make matters worse, they were non-stop wanting to watch movies or play on the Wii. I kept trying to redirect them to reading, playing bored games, play dough, art projects, kiddie pool/sprinkler fun. But they kept gravitating to my TV room.

While I fully believe in having fun WITH my kids and doing activities WITH them, I also subscribe to the thought that a good deal of their amusement should be self directed, into healthy pursuits. AKA, I am not going to entertain them during their every waking hour. That certainly was in the Mom Job Description. (or in my Mom Job Description).

I also needed my sons to get along without my continual nagging. And my husband was becoming concerned with my wine consumption. (Just kidding.)

I remember reading way back, about a mom who would have her children hug when they were unkind to one another. I thought it was a fabulous idea. I discovered it sometime around the time my eldest was 5 and middle son was 3. I would make them hug for a count of 20. Nice and steady, no bully or rushing. They had to count together. It worked for awhile. I would safely say at least a year. But then eventually they would be on the ground wrestling with each other, sometimes they would both be happy, usually Reese would be scream/crying.

Then my teacher friend mentioned an idea one of her friends passed on. Apparently they had A Year From Hell. If you are a teacher you know what I am talking about. If you are not, I am sorry, sometimes the stars align just so when a group of kids are born and you get The Class From Hell. Its not personal, its just chemistry. Like me, they were tired of only reacting to Undesirable Behavior. It was such a drag always pointing out the bad, like me, they really wanted something to compliment I don’t remember WHAT they called their system, but they gave ‘tickets’ to the students WHEN THEY CAUGHT THEM BEING KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. The students could then trade their tickets in NOT FOR STUFF but for activities they could DO TOGETHER. This is just what I needed, and Titus Bucks were born.

Just like my friend’s system, whenever I caught my sons “being sweet” (man how lame) to one another. I gave them each a Titus Buck. We worked together to make a list of all the things they would like to trade them in for. It was a great shock when I started adding my own, like playing video games, playing on my computer, watching DVDs, or bugging me to have a friend over. What? You mean we can’t just do these things whenever we want? We have to EARN them? Uh yeah. And you can’t trade in Titus Bucks until all your chores for the day are done. Whoa. You know, like how mom doesn’t check

facebook or get to read her novel until she finishes the laundry or does her other chores for the day. I know, whacko huh?

I think the biggest shock was that after looking at our list they were all things that they could either do together or we could do as a family. There were no prizes to be won or bought. It was not a Treasure Box. It was an opportunity to earn time after getting your work done to spend time with your family members.

Sometimes I give the boys Freebies. For instance I thought they were superb at church on Sunday, and rewarded them with Donuts at a local Donut Shop

Anyway, six months later, my sons have traded in their Titus Bucks for random fun like going to the movies, playing Wii, or playing on my computer. They are currently saving up for a Family Camping Trip. They are by no means little angels with never fight. Or bicker. Or Tease. Or Nag. Or scream. Or wrestle in the middle of the grocery store when all you had to get was a gallon of milk. But we are trying. It doesn’t happen overnight.

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