Calling All Hamsters! April/May/June 2007

[Amy SF]

On behalf of CaptainSwab:

Here is the intro:

Please do all posting here for the next three months, and let the other thread go!

Mission: The VeggieBoards Hamster Club is a group of fitness/health minded vegans and vegetarians who support each other in their endeavors in fitness, diet, and health. Anyone who chooses can post to this thread. There are no dues or fees, just a desire to share our efforts and support one another.

Go Hamsters!!! Have fun and get sweaty!

:hamster: :sunny: :hamster: :sunny: :hamster:

[gaya]

I've finally joined a gym that has a ton of yoga classes. I've done one class so far and it was tough. I'm also trying to get on my bike 15-30 minutes in the morning and 15-30 at night (or longer). I've read that it's good to do some exercise in the morning b-4 breakfast because cortisol (sp?) levels are high and it helps fat burning.

[karenlovessnow]

I'm debating on whether or not to join a gym. There's one undergoing some renovation. They're offering a special, $29 fee up front and $19 a month but you have to commit for a year. Not too shabby pricewise. I just know myself. I'll go for the first month and then I'll get tired of it. I do better exercising at home.

[janie]

I joined a gym recently... I love it! They have TVs on each treadmill and elliptical trainer! :hamster: I try to go early in the morning or late at night, when it's not as busy. And I'm still keeping up with yoga.

Gooooo hamsters! :hamster: :hamster: :hamster:

[Dirty Martini]

I recommend joining a gym that doesn't require a long contract. That way if you don't like it after a couple of months, you're not stuck paying for a year or more.

[beatricious]

I haven't been to the gym in like a month. I keep meaning to go early in the morning (which I like better than other times of day because it's less busy), but when I wake up I just turn off my alarm and go back to bed. I'm not trying to lose weight, but I feel gross when I haven't worked out in a while. Any advice for staying motivated?

[ArtemisNYC]

I haven't been to the gym in like a month. I keep meaning to go early in the morning (which I like better than other times of day because it's less busy), but when I wake up I just turn off my alarm and go back to bed. I'm not trying to lose weight, but I feel gross when I haven't worked out in a while. Any advice for staying motivated?

To get more excited about the gym, I check out a new class, or I set new goals (e.g., I'll do 30 preacher curls @ 45 lbs., as opposed to the 20 I've been doing for the last 2 weeks). I also mark the days and times I know I can hit the gym on my calendar for up to 2 weeks in advance. So if I feel like wimping out on those dates, that gnawing sense of guilt will call me back to the gym :) I'd also set up an appointment with a personal trainer; s/he can teach you new exercises and how to properly use previously unfamiliar equipment.

On the days I really don't want to go to the gym, I'll work out at home. It looks like this:


Jump rope as fast as I can for 30 seconds
20 jumping jacks or side-to-side jumps (lay your jump rope on the floor and jump left to right)
Jump rope again for 30 seconds
20 jumping jacks/side-to-side jumps
15 squats
15 reverse lunges
15-20 bicep curls (I usually use a 5 lb. dumbbell, but a heavier weight is more challenging)
15 tricep presses
20 crunches


Repeat this 2 more times, and with no more than 15 seconds rest between each exercise.

Hope you find this useful.

[harper]

I just recently started running again. I used to be in pretty good shape, I rowed in college, but have let myself go over the past few years. I'm looking into gyms nearby so that I can use the treadmills and weight equipment. Its always good to get some weightlifting in!

[harper]

Anyone have any tips on how to become a faster runner?

[Jinga]

I forgot about this thread. I've started the process of getting back in shape. Slowly, but surely ...

Monday - Run 30 minutes.
Thursday - Run 30 minutes.
Tonight I'm going to the gym with Alex. It'll be a combo of cardio and weights. I'll have to update on that later.

[Jinga]

Anyone have any tips on how to become a faster runner?

I like to run slow :p ... Have you tried interval training? Short bursts of increased intensity might help build up your speed. Add in a minute of increased speed every 3-5 minutes of your run. You may also want to do a search for interval training and running.

[harper]

Thanks, I'll give that a search!

[Brandon]

I like to run slow :p ...

Slow and steady wins the race. :D I generally like to run more slowly too, as it helps my body be relaxed and I can go and go and go so much further than if I book it.
Not discounting the occasional sprint, I do enjoy feeling my body go fast.
Honestly, I generally run with the tempo of my music that I'm listening to. :)

[Jinga]

Slow and steady wins the race. :D I generally like to run more slowly too, as it helps my body be relaxed and I can go and go and go so much further than if I book it.
Not discounting the occasional sprint, I do enjoy feeling my body go fast.
Honestly, I generally run with the tempo of my music that I'm listening to. :)

Running is my meditation. Fast running would mean I'd have to focus more on what I'm doing and not let myself be lost in the moment. That'd just ruin it all! Like you said, though, the occasional sprint is fun. Sometimes at the end of a run I'll pick up the pace and see how fast I can go.

Friday (or was it Thursday?), I went to the gym. I did a 10 minute fast walk warmup, 30 minutes of weights, then 10 minutes of jump rope alternating 100 single jumps with 50 high knee jumps... totaling 750. Needless to say, those jumps wore me out.

This morning, Addie and I explored a new part of the neighborhood and manged 35 minutes of running. Only one train encounter this time.

[Jinga]

This morning I walked 35 minutes w/ Jake. He's six today, the sweet doof :smitten:

Tonight, Alex and I are going to the gym.

[harper]

I have officially started bike commuting again now that the weather is a big nicer and I'm past my "I don't want to get out of bed" phase. 12 miles this morning, another 12 on the way home :D

[kathym]

I'm excited...I attended my 1st runners club meeting at my gym today and it wasn't bad at all. I've been putting it off for almost a year because I'm sooooo much older than everyone else...but they all welcomed me and made me feel GEAT! Even though I was the last runner to come in, I still felt good about this huge (insecure) hurdle that I overcome. The run wasn't even as hard as the exercise at the end. I will be sore tomorrow. We did 3 sets of 8 push-ups and my upper body is VERY weak.

[harper]

I'm excited...I attended my 1st runners club meeting at my gym today and it wasn't bad at all. I've been putting it off for almost a year because I'm sooooo much older than everyone else...but they all welcomed me and made me feel GEAT! Even though I was the last runner to come in, I still felt good about this huge (insecure) hurdle that I overcome. The run wasn't even as hard as the exercise at the end. I will be sore tomorrow. We did 3 sets of 8 push-ups and my upper body is VERY weak.

Congrats!! :bobo:

I've been thinking about joining a club too. It's nice to have people to run with :) I'm glad you've have such a good experience with it!

[Jinga]

A running group sounds like it could be fun. The few times I've been in 5K's, I've found it motivating to push myself a bit more to keep up with others. Too bad, Addie can't join me in those things. It's usually no doggies allowed.

Tuesday - 10 min walk warmup, 30 min strength train, 10 min stairmaster
Thursday (today) - 31 minute run. 10 minute miles are definately my natural stride. I tracked my route on maymyrun and it was 3.1 miles. It felt good. I've been trying not to overdo it in the beginning, but I really feel like I can start increasing my distance. I must have good muscle memory or something.

[harper]

I used mapmyrun and found a 3.1 mile course around my area too. I an planing on running it this evening when I get home from work.

I agree that 5k's are a lot of fun! It's neat having a bunch of people on all different levels around you. I'm amazed at how fast some people can go!

[Fromper]

I need to start exercising again. I've never really exercised very regularly, but I started around Feb/March, just jogging around my neighborhood, and doing push ups, crunches, and curls with little hand weights at home. I was getting into a routine of exercising 4-5 times per week, and building up my distance that I could jog before breaking to walk (maxed out at around 2.5 miles).

Then I went on vacation in the first week of April, got a bad cold a few days after I got home, and I've been "almost recovered, but not quite" from that ever since, which is taking long enough to be worrying. I've juggled a little bit at home here and there the last few weeks, but not enough to break a sweat, and I haven't done any other exercise in about a month.

Today, I'm just a little tired from not sleeping well last night, but I finally feel like I'm fully recovered from being sick. So I think after work, I'll go out jogging again before the sun goes down. At the very least, I'll try to jog one lap around my neighborhood (about .85 miles), then walk another 2 laps or so, just to ease back into it.

--Fromper
:juggle:

[Fromper]

Today, I'm just a little tired from not sleeping well last night, but I finally feel like I'm fully recovered from being sick. So I think after work, I'll go out jogging again before the sun goes down. At the very least, I'll try to jog one lap around my neighborhood (about .85 miles), then walk another 2 laps or so, just to ease back into it.
I was too tired by the time I got home, so I didn't exercise. :( I juggled a little, but nothing serious.

And now I'm doing the insomnia thing again, which is why I'm here at 2 AM, so I'm unlikely to have the energy tomorrow either. :(

--Fromper
:juggle:

[hopi100]

Ooh, the Hamsters! Can I come back to play?

I was a Hamster in 2003 and am finally venturing back into the world of Veggieboards. I had no reason for leaving other than life got in the way -- when I was posting in '03, and having a blast, my computer expired and by the time I'd gotten a new one, I'd fallen out of the VB habit. :( And the Hamster habit, too, I am very sorry to say!

But in the last few months, I've become a triathlete, finishing my first tri last month. :bobo: Competing in tris and road races is making me stay on the fitness wagon, because the punishment is just too great if I miss too many workouts -- I find I have to start way back at the beginning of my training if I slack off.

Anyway, enough of all that. I just wanted to pop in and say hello. I look forward to reading everyone's posts and getting back into the mix!

Hopi :)

[Brandon]

I'm bad about posting here. :o

I've been doing most of my running log on mapmyrun.com

So far for May I'm at 34 miles.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I broke the 5 mile mark at 5.52 miles.
Today (Wednesday) I ran 5.76, though I did walk a few times but not a lot.

I'm gonna keep pushing a little til I can do this distance w/o walking and then I'm gonna push towards 6 miles.

My shoes are thrashed. I really need to replace them, as I think that's what's mainly causing me to need to walk. My knees and ankles start bothering me, it's not a matter of having enough energy or breath or anything. It's a matter of OUCH.

I'm gonna try to pop in more regularly here, at least to keep updates on my progress.

:hamster:

[harper]

My shoes are thrashed. I really need to replace them, as I think that's what's mainly causing me to need to walk. My knees and ankles start bothering me, it's not a matter of having enough energy or breath or anything. It's a matter of OUCH.

I just went through this with my boyfriend. I'd been telling him for weeks that his shins were hurting because his shoes were falling apart. Well last weekend he finally broke down and bought a new pair and has been amazed about how much less he is hurting. Now he's much more motivated to run with me! :D