Pie charts for pies, or, apping EVERYTHING.

I'm not a micromanager in general, but I do get obsessed with things. At the moment it is record-keeping apps. I've really enjoyed recording my spending using Smart Budget on my ipad. I like to be able to SEE what I've spent, rather than feel like my money is vanishing into the ether. I like to see a breakdown for groceries, music, things like that.

I've decided to start using a food and exercise journal app for the same reason. I usually catch a bus now instead of walking every day, and after a year it has caught up with me and I'm not as fit. I want to rebalance my kj budget. And I want some more accountability with Jillian and so on. And some of my friends are dedicated users of food apps. Especially because they take difficult calorie counting out, you can just search a food product or scan a barcode and enter your portion size.

I've downloaded myfitnesspal for free. It has a 5 star rating and pie charts. You can see if you are meeting nutritional goals like iron and stuff. It seems to take a bit of effort to measure things the first time, like weigh out breakfast cereal, or figure out how many calories a Jillian workout burns, but a repetitious lifestyle is an advantage here, and other people have already done some estimations on Jillian DVDs if you google them.

I've already noticed the app is changing the way I think. Firstly, it makes my behaviour matter, because I can see the change. Picking up some M&Ms from the staff room to eat with my cup of tea actually counts now, whereas before, in my mind, it didn't. Secondly, I've heard myself thinking "I can just eat this marshmallow secretly and not app it, and it won't count".

DVD workout: morning v night.

I've been experimenting with Jillian in the morning for the last week. There are pros and cons. Con: I have to have two showers, one in the morning after Jillian, one before bed. I will always be a night showerer. Pro: It's nice to have free time after work, especially at this time of year, where Jillian keeps getting pushed out by things to do after work. But it's always harder to work out in the morning—although supposedly you get more out of it and you benefit more for the rest of the day, metabolically. I hear people say that morning exercise gives you more energy for the rest of the day, but I haven't found that with Jillian, it probably is true for a morning swim, walk or light jog, but Jillian makes me muscle-tired, which I like, it's a pleasant tiredness, but it's not easy to feel energised and tired at the same time. I'm occasionally more likely to feel sick in the morning if I've pushed too hard, which is the main reason I have avoided mornings, but I've found that if I am fit, it's just a matter of carefully putting a little bit of food in my stomach but not too much. A few spoonfuls of yoghurt, or a small banana. SOME energy to burn, but not a full breakfast. I love googling and reading forums about these things. When I'm trying to find the best way to do something, the internet is full of obsessed people.

DVD workout: clothing and stuff.

Now I said before that it doesn't matter what you look like, because you can do a Jillian DVD in complete privacy. But for me, it still does matter what I wear. It's part of the motivation side of things.

Don't add irritation to effort, is my rule for exercise and housework. If I'm going to be doing something hard, I don't want to be annoyed or handicapped by ANY difficulty whatever. It is POSSIBLE to do Jillian in your pyjamas and bare feet, but I can't tolerate my pants falling down or anything, so I have a pile of purposed clothes just for Jillian. They aren't pyjamas, or mooching around the house clothes. When I put them on, I mean business. I feel like business, too.

And I have quite a lot of clothes. I haven't spent a lot of money, but I have been deliberate about building my stock. Some is old tshirts and stuff. Some is proper exercise gear from a girly fitness shop—I've got a pair of fast-drying black trackpants that I used all winter, they've been brilliant. I happily take scissors to old clothes to cut the sleeves off skivvies or widen the necks on tshirts or cut the legs off old trackpants. I'm the only one who sees me in these chopped-up clothes, it's all about repurposing and dressing functionally. And if I have an ample supply of clothes, I don't have "need to wash clothes" as an excuse for not working out. I've never opened my bottom drawer and not found something to put on. I keep my sneakers right at my bedroom door, as well. I don't want to waste time hunting around, when my motivation is low or it's early in the morning before work.

The equipment: a yoga mat if you have hard unsuitable floors, and 2 hand weights. Hand weights are cheap, the 0.5kg are $6 per pair, the 1kg are like $10 per pair. Really, you could just use some water bottles or tinned food or something, but they are uncomfortable to hold, so eventually it's worth getting weights.

The setup: Again, I keep this stuff handy so that I can efficiently spring into action. My weights live right on the DVD player, the disc is usually in the machine and my yoga mat is rolled up and slid under the couch. Quick to get out and put away. I also have a cheap pedestal fan, which is indispensable at this time of year already. This is what my workout zone looks like:

It's all about making the start of workout as easy as possible, having everything available and handy.

Motivation: don't think.

I've blogged about the big motivation stuff, like wanting to be healthy. But that's not always enough to get exercise to happen daily or regularly. It's a whole lot of smaller things like having a strong routine, doing things you enjoy, doing things with friends.

However, I have one special tip. This is the best motivation advice I've found. It's counter-intuitive, but it makes a lot of sense: Don't think, do.

Don't think about something you don't want to do, or you'll use up all your willpower too early. Which means, in the middle of the afternoon I sometimes feel really tired. I hate the thought of exercise. Actually, I hate the thought of doing anything after work, like grocery shopping. This afternoon I actually googled "I need a grocery shopping list" because I know I need food but I'm too sluggish to anticipate the supermarket.  Massive energy dip. And I start thinking "I'm too weary to do Jillian today, should I skip it? I should do it, but I'm really not in the mood" over and over and then I exhaust myself mentally way too early and by the time I get home I hate myself and I've given up and there is no energy to do anything.

But I googled this, and realised I should just cut out the whole afternoon of thinking part. I try and not spend 3pm onwards worrying about how tired and unmotivated I feel and use up all my willpower long before I actually need it, hours later. The amazing power of not thinking! Harness that power, my friends. I try and block out the thoughts, forget about future exertions, go home as normal, put my Jillian clothes on, put the dvd on, and start warming up. None of that is hard, it's only hard if you think about all the actual exercise. So don't think. Once I'm warming up, it's usually not so bad. Sometimes it IS so bad, I find I actually AM genuinely tired, but I really can't tell until I start.

DVD Workout: Boredom.

I always thought a workout DVD would be boring. Actually a challenging DVD is less boring than you think. I am generally happy just doing the one DVD over and over—I like not having to make a decision, it makes the habit of doing it stronger. And although boredom does sort of mean I don't look forward to Jillian time, it doesn't stop me from doing it. General laziness is a bigger barrier.

The best thing that stops a workout from being boring is doing it with a friend. I have exploited many friends to this end. But they have enjoyed it too, so that's OK.

When I'm on my own, though, I enjoy the "time out" of going through the same familiar routine. If you are focusing on your form, there is enough to keep your mind busy in just keeping your toes pointed or whatever. If your mind wanders, that's good too, exercise is a great time to defrag the brain.

DVD workout: reviews.

You probably won't be interested in this series of posts unless you are also doing some kind of fitness program or routine, but a lot of my friends are doing Jillian or do training for some mudder or other. I'm going to blog everything that's in my head, because that is why I have blogs.

Ah, the many advantages of fitness DVDs! The VALUE! A one off spend of $25ish (plus a mat and 2 weights if you are too fancy for a towel and 2 tinned foods) for unlimited training! The PRIVACY! It doesn't matter how ungraceful you are or what you are wearing or how ugly you look when you sweat, nobody is judging you in your own lounge room! The EFFICIENCY! No commuting to and from a gym or pool or park. The only disadvantage is a lack of accountability to spur you on if you get tired, bored or lazy, so I find I need a really good routine to stick to (my Monday is all about leaving work at 5pm ON THE DOT so that I can be doing Jillian before 6pm). It is really good to work out with a friend, so I sometimes do that.

If you are considering converting to Jillian Michaels, here are three DVD reviews. There are other DVDs I don't own or haven't tried. I have tried Tracy Anderson once and some kick-boxing woman once, but I prefer Jillian. Once you get over her intimidating abs (she has no body fat) she is a good trainer. Not too bright and perky. She just gets down to business.




NO MORE TROUBLE ZONES
This is where I began. It takes the best part of an hour to do the whole thing, and it mixes and combines a lot of different moves in short sets so you don't get bored. It's pretty much all just strength training: circuits of lunges, squats, planks, crunches and arm stuff. The moves are good for beginners, as they don't require much skill or balance: they are simple, but tiring. I feel like this workout covers the whole body, so for me this is the DVD to use regularly. If you want to begin, start with 3 or 4 circuits which will take you about half an hour, and don't go too hard on the lunges and squats for about the first week, or else you won't be able to walk. (I only did Jillian once last week, lost a bit of fitness, and am walking a little stiffly today from my session last night!) Build up to the 7 complete circuits over a month or two. Start with no hand weights, or just 0.5 kg. Do the DVD 3 to 5 times a week. 3 times is about enough for me to maintain.

KILLER BUNS AND THIGHS
Yes, the name is funny. But "killer" is not an exaggeration. This is the hardest DVD I've tried. It's not a friendly workout, it's a maniac workout. There is a stuff like balancing on one leg and kicking slowly in the air. It's the sort of workout that I feel amazed at even finishing. It's a little bit shorter than NMTZ, about 45 min to do the whole thing. George gave me this DVD and I do it occasionally, when I want a real challenge.

30 DAY SHRED
This is for when you do a 30 minute workout every day, which doesn't suit my routine at the moment. I've never gone past level one. There is a good mix of strength and cardio on this DVD, whereas NMTZ doesn't have any pure cardio at all (NMTZ still gets your heart pumping though). I like it, it is short and manageable but I still feel physically tired at the end, particularly my upper body.

Jillian DVDs are pretty much all hard. They are a proper, sweaty workout for a fit person. But they are easy to use and get into if you start small and work up, adding circuits and weights over a few weeks.

My SMART goal.

I forget what all the letters stand for, but I'm setting a goal that is inSpiring, Measurable, Amazing, Realistic, and Timed. I'm doing some fitness training from a workout DVD with Anna, and one of my goals is to be able to do a push-up. I am pretty fit from the waist down because I walk everywhere, but I am completely feeble in my upper body. The hardest thing I do with my arms is braid my hair. Which is really tiring, I'm not joking.

I'm writing it here: One real push-up, nose to the floor with no knee rest, by the end of September.

Anticipation!!!!!!!

I love expecting goodies in the mail, even if I have to pay for them myself. Last week I won two 2nd hand sewing patterns on Ebay and ordered a Jillian Michaels workout DVD on JB Hifi. I was a bit worried about the DVD because my interest in hard exercise is fickle, and it took a week for JB to get it in the post. What if it took 3 weeks to dispatch and my whim had changed? I'd already bought a yoga mat, too! But if all goes well with Australia Post I shall have sore guns before too long.

That's a photo of my letterbox. I made it look all arty, and I do think these old ones are pretty quaint, but they are the most USELESS things ever designed, manufactured and installed on a massive scale. The minimum requirement for a letterbox is to fit a business envelope through the slot. They must be the bane of postmen.

Puma Love Run

Puma Love Run. Meet someone fit. The weekend before Valentine's Day. Love the concept!

Not just a personal trainer

I am such a fan of the current season of The Biggest Loser. I have noticed that the personal trainers on the show aren't just personal trainers - they are also quasi-therapists and counsellors. I wonder if this will set up the expectations for personal trainers to be more than a fitness expert.

Jillian Michaels, the trainer in the American version of The Biggest Loser, says in this feature article from Success Magazine:

Underneath every self-destructive behavior is a self-esteem issue. Period. End of conversation. Those are symptoms of a deeper problem, and understanding the root of your self-esteem issues will help you rectify that symptom. Obesity is never because somebody wanted an extra margarita on their vacation. It's about some sort of, 'I was never good enough,' 'I was never worthy,' 'I'm afraid that if I do embrace life, I won't have the ability to achieve or succeed.' And until you get to the root of the problem, you'll never be able to remedy the symptom. That's why self-exploration and self-awareness is a critical first step when it comes to achieving any goal.

Michelle Bridges, one of the trainers for the Australian The Biggest Loser, also subscribes to a similar philosophy in her book Crunch Time.

It's not just personal trainers either. It's professional organisers as well. I've seen a few episodes of Neat TV, where Canadian professional organiser Hellen Bettegieg steps into someone's home to get it into order. It's never just about the stuff or the clutter. The underlying issue causing the clutter always comes out e.g. "We lost everything in our last home in a fire and now we're holding to everything we've got in case we lose it all again" or "I really like having my kids close to me and that's why the air hockey table, the tv, the computer, the treadmill are all in the master bedroom".

I don't know if this applies to everyone, but definitely for some, decluttering will uncover underlying issues (I know it did for me).

My point is this: what seems to be the initial problem (obesity, clutter, whatever) might actually be sign of a deeper issue that is causing it. It does make me wonder: we all know about the sex scandal a famous golfer is currently embroiled in, but what is the deeper issue that is causing it?

Exercise theory.

I think there are 2 schools of thought. Not counting people who avoid exercise.

1st group are all about goals. Exercise is intensive, because you are trying to lose weight, or run a marathon, or something. You do hard exercise because you want results. I sometimes try this way but I can't sustain it for long because it takes a lot of willpower.

2nd group are about being generally active. I can easily say that I am an active person, because I walk to work and stuff, do a little bit of swimming, carry my groceries home from the shops, etc etc. Being active is good for your health, keeps you in good shape if you eat lightly, and I find it is easily sustainable— you just don't get peak fitness or any other measurable results.

Get over it

I've recently started exercising regularly again. It's taken me about six or seven years to reach this point (i.e. the last time I can remember exercising at this level of intensity and regularity was about six or seven years ago). I know it has to be a lifestyle change, so I was getting a little freaked out by the fact that I will be exercising nearly every day for the rest of my life IF I want to stay healthy (God willing).

Then I read this tip from Michelle Bridges (a trainer in The Biggest Loser Australia) in a recent Sunday Life:

Get it in your head that training is something that you do every day. You make your bed every day, you take a shower every day, you train every day. Big deal. Get over it.

Okaaaay. I've started making my bed every day now.

I make my move!

Labeling posts is a good way to look back and see what rates in the lives of Jelssie. Food has so far notched up 11 posts, whereas Fitness has only 1. Please see my only other mention of fitness here, before you read on.

I am proud to announce that I woke up this morning at 6.30am, and got out of bed, and went for a 35 minute mostly jog! This is a massive leap forward, as you will see in my summary of How To Start Morning Jogging.

1. Ponder starting jogging.
2. Decide to start jogging.
3. Start going to bed earlier.
4. Start setting your alarm earlier.
5. Start waking up to your alarm.
6. Start staying awake and getting out of bed earlier.
7. Start getting out of bed when the alarm goes off.
8. Plan your route.
9. Start going to bed at night in your track pants.
10. Start jogging.

You can follow these steps methodically, or do them in spurts. I spread them out over several weeks, and then just shot ahead in a fit of motivation and did steps 7-10, so I may need to back-track.

A step on the road.

I have decided to start morning jogging again. I am gradually working towards it. I got the idea a few weeks ago, and just let it sink in. Yesterday I set the alarm for 6:30, woke up, changed my mind and slept another hour. Today I woke up, changed my mind, but stayed awake and got up after half an hour. See? Progress. I am gradually resetting my body clock and aim to start jogging one day soon.