FitPoint Assessment and New Shoes

Did my FitPoint Assessment at Lifetime today. Apparently my body age is 27! Cool! I wonder if I can start telling people I'm 27 when they ask my age??? I did great in the Cardio and Body Comp assessment. VO2 approx 46. That's supposed to be good, I'm told. Body fat 13% and BMI of 18.8%. My strength was above average, but not super, but where I really tanked was flexibility. It was rather embarassing. Sitting down with my legs straight out in front of me, I was supposed to reach as far forward as I could. Well, I made it less than 4 inches!! Ack! The trainer was shocked! He thinks I should do Yoga or Pilates. hahaha! Not in a million years. If he can find me a class that includes stretching and flexibility training without the mind, soul and spirit crap, then sign me up. Otherwise, I'm not interested. Anyway, overall, I did really well! He got me more interested in heart rate based training, but that would take a significant $$ investment in a monitor, so I'll have to start saving up!

Getting new running shoes is always exciting. I was so thrilled when I found Brooks Adrenaline GTS 7s on sale for 40% off. I'd run in the GTS 6 before and they were great. I tried on the 7s and they felt good running around the store (I got lots of funny looks - it wasn't a running store), so I picked them up. Gotta save money when you can, right? Well, I was sorely disappointed. Good thing I tried them out on the treadmill first. The left shoe felt great but my right foot was not comfortable at all. I had read reviews about the GTS 7 not living up to the previous model year, and I guess they were right. I should have listened to the Runner's World reviewers! ha! Anyway, I took my supposed money-saving shoes back and found some Brooks Infinitis at the local running specialty store. They have been awesome! Yay! The Infiniti is much more cushioned, especially in the forefoot, where I need it with just a touch of medial stability. Just perfect! I'm a happy runner again.

Paula the Fitness Freak

I probably overdid it a bit today, but I was having fun at Lifetime. I ran over 7 miles on the treadmill, then did some weight training, then did 12 min on the rowing machine, and finished with 20 min on the bike. Oh, then when I got home, I practiced some chin ups on our new chin-up bar that hooks onto a door frame ("as seen on TV", haha! - but it really works!). The chin-up bar was a mutual gift to each other for Christmas. We're loving it. I know, we're fitness freaks. We'll freely admit it. It's our own type of health insurance since we can't afford real health insurance (without completely changing our lifestyle, which I personally am not willing to do). I realized another reason I spent so much time at Lifetime today is that I'd have been home alone with no excuse not to clean otherwise. hehehe!

Since I posted recently on how spoiled I've been since joining Lifetime, I thought I'd post this quote from runnersworld.com. It makes sense and also makes me feel less guilty. After all, the weather really has been crappy the past week. Here it is,

"...there's a point where running outdoors in extremes is more about ego than wisdom, and the marathon gods don't care much about ego."

I bow to the marathon gods. I will choose wisdom over ego and run on a treadmill when the weather stinks!



Lastly, here's a photo of the super special gift I got Matty for Christmas. The one I have been teasing him about relentlessly. He is "giddy" about it (Matt-ism).

My Review of The North Face Cascade Full-Zip Hoodie - Women's

Originally submitted at REI

Keep comfortable in cool climates with this lightweight hooded top from The North Face.

The North Face Cascade Full-Zip Hoodie - Women's

Stylish, Practical Fleece with Many Uses

By lvt4cats from Rochester Hills, MI on 12/25/2008

 

4out of 5

Gift: No

Chest Size: Feels true to size

Sleeve Length: Feels true to length

Pros: Stylish, Warm, Dries Quickly, Lightweight, Breathable

Cons: No chin guard for zipper

Best Uses: Casual Wear, Travel, Running, Cold Weather, Hiking and Camping

Describe Yourself: Casual Adventurer

I run between 30-40 miles a week even in cold weather. This fleece is perfect as the outer layer on dry days when the temperature is between 20-40F. The hood fits perfectly even without drawcords, so I don't need to bring an extra hat. The inside pockets are nice and deep to make sure nothing bounces out of them. I also wear this fleece casually frequently. I just love it!

(legalese)

Spoiled

I'm already starting to feel spoiled. We've been twice to Lifetime Fitness now. I haven't run outside since I opened my gift (which, granted, was only two days ago and the weather has been crappy!). However, I would have run outside despite the weather if I didn't have the membership, so I am definitely getting soft! haha!

Today we did some strength training right after running. They sure have some nice equipment and it is laid out well. All the chest equipment is in one row, all the shoulder equipment in another and so on... Of course, they also have free weights, barbells, dumbbells, you name it. It was awesome.

All members get a free fitness assessment which they can periodically redo to see how they are progressing. It includes a health/fitness history, body composition, VO2 assessment, strength and flexibility assessment and I think a nutrition assessment as well. We made an appointment for our "Fitpoint" assessment for Monday. I'm actually looking forward to it. I know I'll rock the cardio fitness assessment considering my running training, but the rest of it may be eye-opening. We'll see!