This is how I currently use my Baby-Sitters Club stationary. Heather, enjoy!
For those of you who didn’t know, I was an official member of the Baby-Sitters Club. My mother had to pay for me to enjoy this privelege.
Spin
Today in spin we did something I had never done before — TURNS. For example, a turn to the left entails putting your left hand on the bottom of the left side of the wheel (is that the right word for a spin bike?), place your right hand on the very top of the left side of the wheeel and twist your body to the left, looking over your left shoulder. A turn to the right is the same thing on the right side.
We did a few of these during class, and then at the end the instructor explained that people had come up to her and said that they wanted spin to be a better workout. They wanted to work more parts of their bodies. In some spin classes (like the one IÂ took at SoulCycle but none at my gym), the instructor will have the class bend forwards and backwards while standing for more of a workout. My instructor today said doing that is very bad for the neck and the back. She said the turns are a great way to engage your core and work more of your body.
I enjoyed them as a nice change, although I was a little off at spin today. I don’t know if something was wrong with my HRM or with me, but my heart rate was MUCH lower than it normally is in spin. It was in the 140s a lot — even when I felt like I was working a great deal harder than that. I’m never that low during class, and it just kept dropping. Even when we did a bunch of jumps (usually my failproof way of increasing my HR) it stayed low. I felt like I was working hard, but I was distracted by the low numbers. I wonder if it is related to a new medicine I am on, or if my HRM isn’t working properly, or it it was just a fluke. At the end of the workout, it said my max HR was 190, which is a normal max for me. I did burn about 100 calories less than the HRM usually says I burn. (I know that HRM cannot accurately tell calories, since that is based on more than just heart rate, but I like that stat for comparing one workout to the next).
I’ll see what happens next time I use it and hopefully get the answer that way.
Have any of you ever done turns in your spin class?
Biggie, Biggie, Biggie, Can’t You See… Session #1
So last night I had my first hypnotherapy session. It is a program designed for IBS, which I do NOT have, but could be beneficial since it falls under the umbrella of improving gastrointestinal health.
I was nervous. After waiting in the waiting room, I was called in to the office. The psychologist has an office at the hospital where my doctor is and another one where I went last night, which is in a much more convenient location for me. The office was a big room. It had big comfy leather couches. I kind of stood there at first not knowing what to do, and the doctor told me to sit down. So I sat and we talked a little about how I have been doing. She explained again that the hypnotic state is not like on TV. If a fire engine is outside, I will hear it. If she tells me to go into the corner and stand on my head, I won’t do it if I don’t want to.
And then we began.
I’m not going to get into specifics of what was said for privacy reasons, but I will give a general overview.
I sat on the couch and the doctor told me to find a spot on the ceiling and focus on it. The ceiling was that material that isn’t smooth, it’s a lot of little nooks and crannies like an English Muffin, so I was able to focus on a little spot. My neck hurt from craning.
The doctor began speaking and it sounded like she was reading a script. I think she was. She was talking in a funny, sing-songy voice that was meant to be soothing. It was.
There was a lot of repitition. She would say the same things over and over, but not necessarily in a row. She would come back to the same sentence, in the same tone of voice, at alternating times. It was like she was reminding me of something. She was.
I had to close my eyes. I felt uncomfortable knowing that she was watching me. Also, I don’t know if i did what she said because I was trying to be good and do what she wanted, or it really just happened on its own.
After going through some more general ideas and themes, she got into the GI part. Again, not going to give detail. And then she “woke me up” so to speak.
I have to say, I felt extremely self conscious there, which I think defeats the purpose! I tend to be awkward, so I felt like I was sitting awkwardly, holding my hands in my lap awkwardly. After craning my neck to look at the spot, and after my eyes closed, I didn’t exactly move my neck. It was still tilted back against the couch. And I kept having to swallow, which I was extremely aware of every time. I wasn’t sure if I should move it because then I might start struggling to find a position that is okay, so I left it. She noticed and said, in the voice, that I could move to be in a more comfortable position. But I didn’t because I was worried (don’t think you’re supposed to be worrying about things like this during hypnosis!) that I would not like my new position, and would have to keep trying to find one that was okay. So I stayed how I was.
Not the smartest idea, I know. Next time I will think of the most comfortable way to sit beforehand. There were some throw pillows on the couch but I don’t want to fuss over finding the best way — I need to just choose one that is all right and be done with it!
I am not sure how I feel about doing this 7 times. I will go to the next one on April 20Â and see how it goes. It is expensive, but I can submit the receipts to my insurance for a bit of a reimbursement. I think actually laying out the money now is freaking me out — at least it did last night.
So that was my first hypnosis experience! I am glad I did it; I think I would have been too curious, knowing about the program, not to. And I wouldn’t have done it with just anyone — this doctor works at my gastroenterologist’s office, so it just made sense. Please contact me if you have any questions.
And here is very easy to read information on how hypnosis works!
Books and Eksusize DVDs
I am really into Rethinking Thin. It is fascinating! I read about studies where thin people had to eat a lot and get fat, where fat people had to live in a hospital on 600 cal a day and get thin — and what happened to both groups after. I read about a group of already thin men who were basically forced to starve, and what happened to them psychologically as a result. I read about weight studies comparing the weight of twins who were separated at birth and a study comparing adoptive children’s weight in relation to their biological parents and adoptive parents weight. I am a little more than halfway through and I will describe in greater detail once I am done.  More TK!
Another nonfiction book I want to read is Brain Lock. This was recommended to me by a few people, including the psychologist I saw last night. It is supposed to be extremely helpful for anyone with OCD tendencies who want to change their way of thinking. I plan to read it as my book after my book after Rethinking Thin! (Yes, I have lots of books lined up!)
And DVDs lined up as well! After loving my Transfigure experience (and eagerly awaiting my next class!) I ordered Exhale Core Fusion Body Sculpt and Pilates! I really liked the way Transfigure worked my muscles and I am excited to continue working this way. I will use the DVDs every now and again when I have some time.
And, really — who wouldn’t want this tush?
Housewives News
What are your thoughts on Countess de Lesseps recent split from the Count? I think it showed poor class on his part to end if over email.