SkinnyRunner

WORKOUT – Elliptical/bike – 45mins/30mins

Patience asked me what I do on the elliptical…

Besides checking everyone out, chewing gum, and yacking loudly on my cell phone?  I don’t have a specific personal workout; I always do the preset workouts that are on the machines, normally a gluteal one, an interval one, “kilamajaro” where you climb a mountain, etc.  I like to change them up because I think each one works slightly different muscles.

(from here)

So for an hour of cardio, I will either do 4 different 15 min preset workouts or a 30 min one and then 30 mins on the recumbent bike.  I always put the resistence up to 13 or 14 so instead of going lightening fast I go slower but it’s more diffcult.  I also don’t ever do the manual workout because I think it’s better for your body to switch it up a little.

(Today’s workout on the elliptical I did 3 15mins programs: gluteal, cross train, and interval.  I go forward for awhile and then backwards.  On the bike I did the random hills program.)

I think the elliptical is a great low-impact workout, especially for people recovering from injuries or beginners.  BUT, I don’t think it’s a “hard” workout especially compared to running.  What I mean is that it’s a great machine for my days off from running to get some cardio in, but I would never substitute a day on the elliptical for a run.

(from here)

When Lance Armstrong was training for his first marathon he said that 2 hours of biking equaled 1 hour of running, exertion-wise for him.  I think that sums it up pretty well; running is hard enough that every other workout kinda pales in comparison. 

But the elliptical is a great machine; I like to get my gossip magazines on there and space out.  That could be the reason why I don’t really work that hard on it….

One extra note:  Although I’m only a personal trainer in my own mind, I have to say this: leaning on the handrails, doubled over laying on top of the rails doesn’t really help your workout.  SO SO SO many people at the gym (especially on the stairmill) will practically sit on the handrails to make it easier.  But then your legs aren’t working as hard, right? So just lower the resistence/speed and let your leg muscles do the work, not rest your body weight on the hand rails.  Ok, I’ve done my good deed for the day.

Courtney asked what jeans I’m wearing, Christina asked where the top is from, and Amy asked where the shoes are from…

Let’s just dissect the outfit, shall we?  The jeans are Page Premium Denim, the style is Laurel Canyon.  Unfortunately, these didn’t come at a super discounted price, like all of Jessica Simpson’s straight-to-DVD releases.  My mom bought them for me 2 Christmas’s ago at Nordstrom for around $180.  Here’s the link to them.  And if you want to read more about my jeans, HERE’S another post all about them.  And if you want to know about my genes, you’re probably going to be arrested at some point for stalking…

Paige jeans are really comfortable and pretty flattering, in my humble opinion.  I’ve owned 2 pairs and love them.  The company was started by a fit model (a model who doesn’t walk the runway but tries on clothes to make sure the sizes fit) who couldn’t find jeans that flattered all types of bodies.

The top is from H&M.   I don’t think you can shop online with HM, but a lot of times they have coupons like buy one shirt, get the second 50% off.  That’s how I bought this $29.99 sweater.  Here’s another picture of moi… and the sweater:

The shoes are MICHAEL by Michael Kors.  I bought them for $60 at Marshalls.  Here’s the post about them.

Michelle asked if J takes all the pics of me…

He takes some, but most of them I take with a self-timer.  I try not to ask him like 1000 times a day because I’m afraid he’ll run off and find someone who’s not as vain or obsessed with themselves as me.  I’m kidding; I’m not obsessed with me, I’m obsessed with celebrity gossip.

My camera, a Sony Cyber-shot DSC T-700,

has a 10 second and 2 second self-timer.  I usually don’t want to wait around so I use the 2 sec setting.  This explains why in many pictures I look dumbfounded and surprised as evidenced here:

Trust me, nothing’s going on up there in that big ‘ol head.  100% pure confusion.

This is the camera that I wanted, but hubby held fast to his masculinity and said no.  I don’t blame him; he has to carry around a 4 lb dog that enough questions arise without a pink camera adding to it…

Ok I think I’ve answered all the questions.  If you have one, let me know or if you want me to mention your blog, let me know.  If you have a complaint or you hate me, keep it to yourself.

I leave you with a running quote for the day:

“Jogging is for people who aren’t intelligent enough to watch television.”   -Victoria Wood