Yesterday I was worried about my heart rate being too high, and in true extremist form, today (Friday, Dec 24) I had the complete opposite problem.

It happens to all of us. We come to the gym dressed and prepped then the unthinkable happens…

Some one is on YOUR machine!

Anyway, the softball team was working out this morning and I got stuck on the oldest and worst bike in the gym.

I was trying to maintain a healthy heart rate but that translates into a really unfulfilled workout. The heart rate range the machine says I should be in for weight loss makes me feel like I am not doing anything.

I don’t understand!

Moreover, today is Day 5 and I have not lost a single pound. However, I might have lost inches.

I will be working out twice today to make up for this setback.

200 measley callories burned in 20 minutes.

Workout 1 (6:30 am):

20 minutes on a stationary bike
Put the tension on 20 (the hardest setting)
and peddled slowly to keep my heart rate in the “fat burning” level.
This was not a challenge to me at all…

Workout 2 (3:30 pm):

20 minutes on elliptycal

10 to 18 in 2 step intervals.

Heart rate got up to 185 but it was normally around 170.

Burned 338 calories in 20 minutes!

This was a much better workout. Before starting at 10 and increasing 1 difficulty level per minute did not challenge me enough. But starting at 15 was too hard.

Starting at 10 and jumping 2 per minute to 18 is perfect.

Food:

Breakfast: oatmeal, table spoon of cinnamon and two table spoons of sugar
Snack 1: 2x carrot sticks
Lunch: Chipotle Burrito (PDF): tortilla, chicken, white rice, tomatoe, onion, green peppers, mild sauce (660 calories 14.5 grams of fat). Will not get a flour tortilla again! Alone it’s 290 calories and 9 grams of fat!!!
Snack 2: small dinner roll with half a tablespoon of jelly and two cups of applesauce
Dinner: Salad Bar, some pasta, light italian dressing

Note on Food: your body works like your bank account. The more money you have the more you feel comfortable spending. The more energy (healthy food) you eat the more your body will burn.

BUT! Deny it food and it’s like a recession. Your body will hoard the fat, slow down your metabolism and make your workouts useless!