Day 2: Thoughts on Cardio

I've done my fair share of cardio over the years.  What is always the most difficult thing for me is getting back on a cardio machine after taking a break from the gym for awhile.  I hadn't been on a cardio machine in about 3 weeks (because of snow and my sinus surgery).  I hadn't lifted weights during that time either, but for some reason it's always easier for me to get back to lifting than it is to get on a cardio machine.

Greg told me to get on the elliptical, instead of the treadmill, because I lifted calves yesterday.  Because he is my trainer, and in incredible shape, I listened.  I had wanted to run on the treadmill since I think that is the most effective form of cardio-- more calories burned and better results in less time.  But...I figured for once in my life I would listen and get on the elliptical.  I started out feeling OK but after about...um....THREE minutes I felt like I was having a heart attack.  OK...I exaggerated again...but I did get that feeling in my chest that you get when you run outside in the cold.  I couldn't believe it!  Three weeks I'm out of the gym and I feel like a 90-year old emphysema patient.  I took my resistance down a level and forced myself to continue.  I was supposed to do 45 minutes of cardio so I figured if I was having trouble after 3 minutes, I was gonna have a few issues.

There was a TV in front of my elliptical so I got sucked into some news program about some chick who had sulfuric acid thrown in her face by a hired hitman...hired by her boyfriend.  Yikes, I hope he wasn't her trainer too...Anyhoo, that program distracted me for a good 4 minutes, so that helped me forget about my burning chest.  As I continued I started thinking about the elliptical a little more...here are my issues with the elliptical, although I love it more than any other piece of cardio equipment:
 1) the TVs are so high that you either have to look up the entire time OR stare at your sweaty, nasty face in the mirror straight ahead as your pony tail swishes back and forth...haven't figured out which is better.
2) I don't know if it's the way I move my legs on the elliptical but my feet ALWAYS go numb...anyone?  Bueller?  Without fail, every time I get on there, at some point my freakin' feet go numb.  I feel like my feet have literally turned into nubs.
3)  I don't hold on to the arm handles on the elliptical, I just move my arms myself (same motion as when I run).  This is usually not a problem EXCEPT when I need to get a swig of water.  It's like playing f'ing Frogger so my hand doesn't get chopped off by the wild, swinging arm handle.  I have to time it just right to grab my bottle and get it out of harm's way...then I have to attempt drinking it while not holding on (while the wild arm is still swinging away)...then I have to play Frogger one more time in order to get it back in the cup holder...sheesh!

I made it for 40 minutes today on the elliptical and ended up: extremely sweaty, had watched my reflection and pony tail swish for way too long, had two numb feet, and no more water.  But...I felt a great sense of accomplishment.  I stumbled out of the gym and home to shower for work (thankfully we had a 2-hour delay which was awesome).  Greg told me to stretch in the shower but I was a) in too much of a rush and b) felt as though I was in a prison shower when I held onto my ankles to stretch my hamstrings (you get the picture).

Tomorrow is another lifting day, bright and early on a Saturday!  Going to hang out with some friends tonight but not go out to a bar (trying to balance, trying to balance...).  Guess I should go stretch since the whole shower stretch didn't work out so well :)

Thanks for all the nice notes and messages about my blog; hopefully you all will continue to stop by :)
Pounds lost: 1
Foods I'm already craving: Snack Pack Pudding, peanut butter, and gluten free pizza.

Until next time!  xoxo