Thursday, October 24, 2013

Meet My Elliptical

True to form, I have come up with my latest 'get fit' plan and, as usual, it involves spending way too much money. I have purchased (well AJ did) a fancy new elliptical machine for my apartment.

This is not the first time I have tried to buy an elliptical for the home, the last time I bought a cheap model online and it was such a piece of crap that I could never actually use it and I got rid of it in hard rubbish collection two months later. So this time I knew I had to go to the shop and actually try before I buy. AJ and I went to a couple of different fitness shops and both fell in love with this one. We had set a budget before we went shopping and this was twice our budget... but we couldn't go back after we tried this one. We are such suckers!

This is my lovely new torturer:

 
It was delivered last Friday and it took AJ about 3 hours to put together, but he had a ball doing it, he loves doing things that involve tools! We put it in the spare room, which is now 'the gym' and have it all pimped out with our weights, fitball, yoga mat, TV, music and even a water filter. I did have photos, but blogger is being a shit and just refusing to upload photos right now.
 
I was away all weekend looking after my mum so I didn't get to have my first session with the elliptical until Monday night. I got myself dressed for a big work out, put on my music, got on the elliptical and started going for it... and then 3 minutes later I was done. Holy crap I was absolutely stuffed!
 
I am just shocked and appalled by how unfit I am right now. I managed to get back on after I had a break and do another 3 minutes, but it almost killed me. So much for striding away on the elliptical while I watch an episode of Mad Men... I'll be lucky if I can make it through an ad break!
 
This is the most unfit I can remember being since I was at my largest weight. I really feel like I am back at square one again. It is quite discouraging, but I figure I can either sook about it and eventually weigh 130 kilos again or work hard and eventually weigh 75 kilos again. Obviously I am aiming for the 75 kilo option! 
 
So I will keep exercising in my little 3 minute (and even 2 minute) increments until my fitness builds. I certainly won't be smashing out any 500 calorie workout sessions, but I am doing this for fitness and toning, not for weight loss. I find it best to separate exercise and weight loss in my head because otherwise I play mind games with myself like:
  • Lazy brain: This work out will burn 300 calories, so I could just skip lunch and then also skip the workout and it evens out
  • Obsessive brain: This workout is only going to burn 300 calories, I need to do it twice a day, 7 days a week to achieve anything
Instead I am trying to find the balance and work out for reasons other than to lose weight. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY want to lose weight, but I will do that (hopefully) with the food choices I make.
 

5 comments:

  1. Yay for new toys! Hey, 3 minutes is 3 minutes and you've gotta start somewhere :)

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  2. haha, we didn't discuss this last night! 3 mins sounds about right - this is a killer piece of equipment.

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  3. yay!! 3 min increments to start with is plenty! Have a 60 sec break (our until you catch your breath - on in my case until my lips turn more pink than blue) & do some crunches or a floor based exercise then have another go on the elliptical. Even if you go 1 minute at a time - make it a station!!! You don't need luck :0) you'll be kicking butt before you know it!!!!!

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    1. Hi,
      I am thinking of buying one of these - I'm interested if you have any more comments - I tried the E8.2 and quite liked it, but like you my budget doesn't stretch to this

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  4. Like you, I separate fitness from weight loss. We have a Cross Trainer too... you call it an Elliptical machine, same diff.
    I can only do 2 minutes right now before I die of exhaustion!

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Awww thanks so much for the comment!