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Married to My Workout

Lisa Eirene

About Lisa Eirene Lisa lost 110 pounds through calorie counting and exercise. She swims, bikes, runs, hikes and is enjoying life in Portland, Oregon. Her weight loss story has been featured in First Magazine, Yahoo Health, Woman's Day and Glamour.com.

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16 Comments

  1. Stacie @ Snaps and Bits

    I am totally married to my workouts. Or, I was. I have been having an issue jump starting my old routine, which was suspended when I broke my foot. My plan is to start the weight lifting again next week, I miss it!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I’m sorry about your foot, that sounds awful. How did you change your routine to accommodate the injury?

  2. Lori

    I am not married to my workouts. I switch up my weight training every month to a new routine – and I have been following the Female Body breakthrough workouts for the last 4 months, which has been great because I haven’t had to think about what I am doing. My workouts naturally change with the seasons. I drop down lifting when biking season comes around and do less walking.

    And yes, I can change a flat. LOL. After getting about a dozen last year, I am pretty good at it, but haven’t had to change one yet this year since I got my puncture proof tires (fingers crossed). Most bike shops have clinics on how to change a tire. I never leave the house without a spare tube, tire lifters and my mini pump. Those are permanent residents in my bike rack bag.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      My weight lifting needs a change. After the cycling season is over, I will definitely be addressing that.

      I took a class on how to change a bike tire but then I never had to use the skill. I could probably do it. It would just take me FOREVER. We usually have spare tubes on hand (and on our bikes) but we were having issues recently with my new tires. I got 3 flats and we don’t know why.

  3. Beth

    I’m married to my running, but I do different types of workouts (intervals, etc.) so it’s not the same thing every day. I suppose I’m also married to my training plan, unless illness or injury come up, but I like that because I don’t have to wake up and think about what workout I should do. I just look at my training plan and do it. Makes my groggy mornings much easier.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I think changing up your running with intervals and tempo runs, etc are a great way to not be “married” to the workout. I’m sure that changes up things for your body not to get too comfortable.

  4. Carbzilla

    I’m dating my workouts and it’s been going well. 😉

    The scale hasn’t moved but I can see changes in my shape in just a few weeks (can’t remember if it’s 4 or 5). My goal is to be able to do it consistently 3 days a week. I’ve been running more than I ever have in my life, and I’m really afraid of injury.

    I’ve really proved to myself that diet alone does nothing so exercise is not an option – it’s a necessity! Plus I feel so much better. When I’m sore, I feel so much more fit than when I’m not sore. It’s a head game, but I like it.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Haha! Just dating–that’s awesome.

      Sometimes seeing a change in body shape is better than the number on the scale. I loved it when I first started weight lifting and saw visible changes. Huge motivator. I had no idea you started running. Way to go!

      I agree with you — you CAN lose weight just by dieting but I don’t know that it will be quite as beneficial without exercise.I think there needs to be a balance of both.And I also agree, I love feeling sore. I feel accomplished! 🙂

  5. Heather

    I love this topic! Great job! It is very easy to get set in our ways with exercise and it becomes boring and not as much fun any more. I love adding new things and trying new work out DVDs. Thanks for talking about this!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Thanks, Heather!
      You make a good point I forgot to mention–being married to the workout can also lead to boredom!

  6. Mary @ Fit and Fed

    Hi Lisa, I am ‘married’ to my workout, figure skating, and it is a bit problematic, not just for weight loss (or maintenance) but also in terms of avoiding overuse injuries. To improve at figure skating you really need to do it a lot of days a week. I’d say three days is enough to maintain my skills, more days are needed to improve. I do at least mix it up a little by working some days on footwork and other days on jumps and spins. And yet…. sometimes I need to jump every day when I’m getting a freestyle program ready for an event.

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Mary, you bring up a good point that I didn’t even mention–OVERUSE. Doing the SAME activity every single time is a recipe for injury. I learned that the hard way with my running when I got diagnosed with “overuse of the IT band” and I thought I had been doing really well with my cross training (I was swimming and I was also training for another event on the bike). I still got injured!

  7. Sarah Ohm

    I just came across your blog and love it! I’m totally married to my workouts. I definitely have my “go-to” machines, like the stepper… I’m in love with the stepper!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      Hi Sarah, thanks for reading!

      I used to LOVE the stair climber at my gym. I did it so much that I got a strain in my sacrum. Make sure you aren’t bending over when you climb it. Unfortunately I haven’t gotten back on the stair climber since. 🙁

  8. Beki

    Umm, I have no idea how to change a bike tire. Learning that should definitely be on my ToDo list.
    I’m practically schizophrenic about my workout. Today I jogged/walked and did a variety of core and arm activities at the gym. Sometimes I’m hiking, sometimes I’m going to spin class and sometimes I’m jogging outdoors. I’m still just trying to stay in the habit of working out a minimum of 3 days/week. I know I need to do more but this is where I’m at right now. My major goal is being consistent with the strength training. I know that I’m going to need this as the lbs melt away if I want to be when I’m done.

    Help me out, do you have a post about how you got over the anxiety of wearing a swimsuit when you first got started? I’ve been procrastinating on my summer goal to hit the pool at the Y for laps.

    I’ve said this in previous comments but you have no idea how inspirational you are to me! I see your blog as a major tool in my fitness journey. I look forward to every new post. Thank you, thank you!

    1. Lisa Eirene

      I think it’s probably a GOOD thing that your workouts are schizophrenic. You change things up enough to avoid plateaus and overuse injuries. I do agree that the strength training DOES need to be consistent, otherwise it doesn’t really work. That’s the mistake I made, not being consistent and half-assing it. I didn’t SEE changes until I did it a few times a week.

      Thank you so much for the compliment! That is so awesome that my blog has helped inspire you. As for a post about the swim suit…I don’t think I wrote anything specific (maybe this? http://www.110pounds.com/?p=30800). I don’t know HOW I got over the fear, other than I knew I just HAD TO DO IT in order to lose the weight.

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