Missing the exquisite torture...

I've been out of town for a couple day and I'm really missing the exquisite torture of Pilates, so much so that I've been doing it on my own in my queen-sized bed that overlooks Market St. in San Francisco, CA. If a completely naked guy can walk down Market St. in the Gay Pride Parade, I can do Pilates on the 5th floor of the Palomar Hotel for everyone in the offices across the street see.

This last week I was introduced to some movements that really taxed my triceps. Those girls complained for days, and yet, they continued to complain when I didn't work them. So, I caved and complied and now I'm sitting in a web designer's conference in the most delightful discomfort from the waist up. The triceps, lats, ribs and abs are singing a symphony. The pain from the waist down is about having to sit in a chair for far too many hours listening to people who frequently discussed concepts way over my head. I need to do a little work involving my tailbone before I go to bed.

(Is there Pilates for the auditory system? I think my ears are finally falling victim to too many hours spent using headphones. I'm overwhelmed with new information from the conference!)

Getting back to the Pilates - I'm really progressing with my capabilities. I'm now keeping up with most of the other students. I'm even succeeding at some of the more advanced positions, which is exciting for me. I've been known to yell out in class, "Damn! Look at me! Look at me!" Sometimes, I'm soooooo like a four-year-old.

I'm struggling with another physical setback, but Pilates is really helping me through this. After weeks of intermittent knee pain, my doctor is sending me for x-rays and a trip to an orthopedic surgeon. She could tell the cartiledge (in my right knee especially) has just about had it. But, she could also tell my supportive muscles are much stronger than they used to be. So, while I might have to have surgery, I'm not feeling so bad about it, because with the Pilates, I am kicking ass!

I had the opportunity to chat with a really lovely gal for the last two days. A fellow web specialist (Hey G!) who shared with me a really great tip for insuring that she remained in deficit-mode while working towards losing weight. She tracked her meals as well as checked her Body Bugg at the end of every day. If the caloric output did not overtake the caloric intake by enough, no matter how late in the day it was, she committed herself to burning those extra calories before she went to bed.

Ooof! I never even considered that! Usually, I've committed to a certain amount of activity during the day, plus stuck to a specific eating plan, but by the end of the day, if I was still hungry, I ate. And I never measured that against my caloric output. Quite honestly, I always listen to my appetite. And I always limited the scope of my activity during specific times of the day, mostly because cardio later in the day keeps me up at night. How much weight training can I do before bed to burn enough calories to make up for a snack? This is something I have to think about.