Sixty Minutes

Today was my second spinning class. It was harder than the first.

For one, my pubic bones are bruised. I can't sit on anything except my cushy leather couch without pain. So getting back on that stone seat was not pleasant.

For two, the instructor was different and MUCH more hardcore. She really, really pushed us. I did not do any popping the whole class. However, if the sweat dripping off my nose, down my back and off my knees was any indication, I still got in a good workout.

I've never sweated so hard to "You spin me right round, baby Right round like a record, baby Right round, round , round" ever in my life before. Honestly, all I wanted to do was go into the ladies locker room, sit on a bench and read Eat, Pray, Love. (Which, by the way, I am genuinely intrigued and inspired by. And even had in my gym bag.)

However, I've heard it said that bikers may have the sexiest legs, so that kept my tush firmly (no pun intended) rooted to my seat. For all sixty minutes. All grueling, sweating, panting, torturous sixty minutes.

I'm glad I stuck it out. It's not easy. I'd rather be relaxing and eating, fo sho. But I'm not going to get in shape that way, nor will I gain cardio strength and health. So I'll keep at the spinning.

Monday is yet another instructor, an Asian man named Jee who loves "climbs". Yippee. Climbs are long periods (20 minutes or so) of steady, increased resistance. Lord, help me. The man was participating in my class today and his legs are solid muscle. My legs are solid wet noodles. So it'll be interesting to see how THAT goes.

I bought some new workout gear, and they only had size small (4/6) workout pants, which I bought. I thought I'd resemble something like stuffed sausage, but they actually fit quite nicely! Yeah, they are a little snug on my thighs and booty, but not immodestly or unattractively so. And guess what?! NO SADDLEBAGS!! OR MUFFIN TOP! Ok, ok, I may or may not have pulled those suckers up to just below my bellybutton in order to accomplish the no muffin top feat, but so what. No one could see. :-P

My tops are a size medium (8/10) and fit nicely. They also have a supportive built in bra, and since I'm cycling and not running they fit the bill nicely, eliminating the need for a sports bra. AND they are cute! Score!

In other news, I'm slowly easing into clean eating. I need to buy the magazine and then a subscription of Clean Eating.

LAURA-THANK YOU so so so much! She tipped me off to the fact that the magazine has a section of feeding your family clean foods on $50 a week. I can do that!!

And Dawnie-YES, PLEASE. I await the zucchini bread recipe with bated breath!

So. I'm thinking of starting a food journal. Not counting calories, but keeping track of what I eat in a day. I don't want to blow all my hard work at spinning class on mindless snacking.

Yesterday I had:

1 mug coffee with peppermint creamer and 1 chocolate almond biscotti
A big salad with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, a few french fried onions, salt and olive oil.
1/8 of a fresh tortilla and cheese
1 mug of homemade white mocha (which I seriously wanted refuse seeing as it was made with whole milk and condensed milk! EEEK! But I was a guest and it was made for me, so I drank it.)
1 mug of herbal tea
1/2 slice of pumpkin cranberry bread
1/2 an organic gala apple (SOOOO delicious)
1/2 cheese bagel with mayo, turkey, cheddar cheese, tomatoes.
Handful of tortilla chips with organic salsa from Costco--super yummy.
12 peanut butter M&Ms
2+L of water

I have no idea how many calories that adds up to, but I'm assuming too many. Especially because most of it wasn't clean. But it's a start.

Today I had 1 oatmeal pancake made with egg whites, oats, vanilla, unsweetened applesauce, salt and baking powder. Topped with organic peanut butter and a tiny bit of real maple syrup. I ate that before my workout, hoping it would give me the energy I needed to make it through. I'm not sure it worked.

Any tips on good pre-workout meals or snacks?

I got home and made a protein shake with chocolate protein powder, walnuts, rice milk and flax seed. I tried drinking a shake before my workout on Wednesday and got very nauseated.

Well, now I am freeeeezing cold because my sweat is drying. That's how devoted I am; I post before I shower. I'm intense like that, what can I say? ;-)

I hope you all have a very, very wonderful weekend!!!