3 weeks later and 4 pounds lighter…

…I am seeing benefits of my renewed dedication to my health.

I have a significant increase in physical and mental energy.

My legs are firming up and regaining their shape, from the running and the walking I am doing.

I have been successful at integrating running workouts into my schedule. Just completed week 3 of a Couch – to – 5 K plan.

My weight training workouts  – well, I am not so successful there.  This is because it is not as easy and mindless as jumping onto the treadmill, tapping on my iPod to get the workout playing, and taking off from there.  I have to concentrate on proper form, and at this stage for me, it means referring to the print-outs of the exercises I carry in my gym bag. Plus it takes longer than my treadmill workouts. According to the Body Sculpting Bible, I am supposed to be resting for 90 seconds in between sets. So, I perform a set then…la di da di da ho hum la di da…I set up for, and read up on the next exercise. I wait for the time to pass… and fret just a bit about how my lunch hour is running long and I need to get back to work…and by that time my pretty little pink Gym Boss rings and away I go again.

So, when I feel pressed for time, I ditch the weights and jump onto the treadmill. For that mindless, feel-good workout. Yes, I do realize the stupidity of this. I am a big believer of strength training so this bugs me, that I can’t get into a regular routine with weights. I have to come up with a different solution – a faster workout to get me into the habit of lifting weights again as I am now in the habit of running again.

I have a lot of weight training DVDs that offer 10-20 minute workouts of particular muscle groups (legs and glutes, arms & chest, etc.). But I’m not really too jazzed about bringing my DVD player to the gym – I feel that would be like bringing my own personal trainer onto the gym trainers’ turf.  It just doesn’t seem too “nice” – rather rude, in fact. Like bringing a bagged lunch to a restaurant and eating it there. So I will have to be doing this at home or in my office since I am not willing to shell out for personal training at this time.  (Not that I have any thing against personal trainers – after all, it was through my former personal trainer that JD and I became re-acquainted!)

I will switch to DVD for now, and come back to the “Bible” once I am more re-acquainted with the exercises and the strength training is firmly established in my routine. There’s nothing like an exercise video to get the job done and do the thinking for you. 😉

My first strength-training goal – to be able to do a set of  12 full, on-the-toes, manly-man-type push-ups. Not going to happen soon, but it will happen! You read it here first. 🙂

Next week: I’ll be taking my measurements again after my weigh-in. (I plan to do this every 4 weeks – another measure of progress, perhaps even a better one than the scale.)

Holland Trip – May 2011

Sunset, flying east.
Sunset, flying east.

Time at last to publish some photos of the trip I took last month to Holland, with my daughter and my mom.  The purpose of the trip was many fold: spend time with, and introduce my daughter to her heritage, celebrate my mom’s 75th birthday and the successful end of her recent bout of chemotherapy, re-connect with my extended family (aunts, uncle and cousins), and just take a break from everyday life, of course!

(JD couldn’t make it this time due to work constraints, but we are looking forward to a trip to Holland together, hopefully in the not-too-distant future).

Because of space restrictions, Mizz J and I stayed with Peter and Adel in Amsterdam, and Mom stayed with her sister, my Tante Julia, in Haarlem. Even though we were apart, we did spend many days together visiting with family as the two cities are only a 20 minute train or car ride away from each other.

We did the tourist things, natuurlijk (naturally)…

Zaanse Schans
Zaanse Schans

Old style windmills (still around and some still working)…and now new style windmills, much more abundant and definitely working:

New style windmills.
New style windmills.
Mizz J and a friend, Volendam.
Mizz J and a friend, Volendam.
Museumplein, Amsterdam (of course!)
Museumplein, Amsterdam (of course!)
Fabulous architecture, Amsterdam
Fabulous architecture, Amsterdam
Statue of Hans Brinker, Spaarndam. Note Hans has his whole hand in the dink, not just a finger.
Statue of Hans Brinker, Spaarndam.

Statue symbolic of the struggle of the Dutch to reclaim (and maintain) their land from the water. Note: Hans has his whole hand, not just his thumb, in the dyke.

Organ in de Grote Kerk, Haarlem
Organ in de Grote Kerk, Haarlem
View of Haarlem and Grote Kerk from Vroom & Dreesman (Dutch department store chain)
View of Haarlem and Grote Kerk from Vroom & Dreesman (Dutch department store chain)
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Overlooking Het Strand (The Beach) at Zandvoort
Mizz J photographing the shells in the surf, Zandvoort
Mizz J photographing the shells in the surf, Zandvoort
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Afsluitdijk, North Sea on one side, Ijsselmeer on the other
Dutch engineering, transforming land and water, 1933
Dutch engineering, transforming land and water, 1933

And we really enjoyed being together with family and experiencing Dutch culture and everyday life.

Our gracious hosts, Cousin Peter and his lovely wife, Adel
Our gracious hosts, Cousin Peter and his lovely wife, Adel

Peter and Adel live in an airy, bright, spacious apartment in Amsterdam overlooking a canal. They couldn’t have made us feel more welcome and we loved staying with them. Adel treated us to delicious Indonesian home cooking and Peter spoiled us with a dish made of white asparagus with ham, eggs and smoked salmon – a more typical Dutch meal for this time of year.

Cousin Ton and Tante Julia, enjoying country living at Ton and Helen's in beautiful Breezand
Cousin Ton and Tante Julia, enjoying country living at Ton and Helen’s in beautiful Breezand

My cousin Helen and her husband Ton took a big risk a couple of years ago and moved from the city to the country, in order for Ton to set up his own business. Ton is a mechanical genius and of course, his business has become a success. They love their new life and what’s not to love? Peaceful, beautiful Dutch country village living!

Canal in front of  Ton and Helen's, Breezand
Canal in front of Ton and Helen’s, Breezand
Tante Tineke and Oom Roel's gorgeous tuin (backyard) in Driehuis
Tante Tineke and Oom Roel’s gorgeous tuin (backyard) in Driehuis
Mom enjoying a herring on the Cronje Straat, Haarlem
Mom enjoying a herring on the Cronje Straat, Haarlem
Oom Nan, far right, singing with the Zandvoort Mannen Choir
Oom Nan, far right, singing with the Zandvoort Mannen Choir

Each of my aunts,and my uncle too, belong to some kind of singing group, and perform regularly.  There’s talent in the family, that’s for sure. I think that is pretty cool.

Oom Nan, Tante Tineke, Mom and Tante Julia (Helen and Ton cutting up in the background) Mom's  75th Birthday Celebration @ Tante Julia's beautiful place in Haarlem
Oom Nan, Tante Tineke, Mom and Tante Julia (Helen and Ton cutting up in the background) Mom’s 75th Birthday Celebration @ Tante Julia’s beautiful place in Haarlem
How do you find your own bike in a pile like this? Outside of train station, Haarlem (and many more bikes behind me)
How do you find your own bike in a pile like this? Outside of train station, Haarlem (and many more bikes behind me)
Flower fields, flowers cut off to allow energy to be put into bulbs - Notice how flat the land is
Flower fields, flowers cut off to allow energy to be put into bulbs – Notice how flat the land is
Typical street scene, Amsterdam...with Mizz J. Note the ubiquitous bikes.
Typical street scene, Amsterdam…with Mizz J. Note the ubiquitous bikes.
Another typical view of Amsterdam, city of canals
Another typical view of Amsterdam, city of canals

A lovely trip. Time spent with lovely people. Many happy memories and connections re-formed. Good times, good food. Heritage, culture, art, recreation and entertainment. Everything a vacation should be.

Cousin Peter and Mizz J, in front of Centraal Station (train station), Amsterdam
Cousin Peter and Mizz J, in front of Centraal Station (train station), Amsterdam