Cardio for 4-22-9

It was so gorgeous out when Candi came over yesterday. Finally, daylight past 7 PM! I wanted to be outside. Ah, an opportunity! I suggested tennis. I have some rackets. We had to go buy some balls, but that was only a minor setback.

Maybe it was how fast I was walking, but I noticed her breath was increasing as we walked to the tennis courts near me. Whoops. We’ve noticed that even at rest, my ventilation rate is about half of hers. Interesting.

We weren’t really playing tennis for real. Sure, I can return most of her wild serves or returns, but my own returns are freaking crap. I quickly took off my jacket, as I was wearing a black wife-beater underneath. It was perfect weather for tennis, too. Cool, but not cold at all. We commented on how our asses felt sweaty. She was a little tired from the sprinting around. I felt like I had exerted myself, but otherwise felt energized. I guess I’m in shape?

On the way back from the diner, as we were rather hungry, we stopped by blockbuster. Random urge. Haven’t been to the one near me in a long time. Used to go there with Cliff and rent bad movies. And man, did I find a bad movie. It was titled, “18 Year Old Virgin.” I thought it would be a bad movie involving low-brow humor and wacky hijinxes. It was actually a low-budget film full of uncomfortable moments and a virgin so sexually stupid… Ugh, it could have been so much better. We watched one of the bonus features where it’s just the actors talking, and they’re SO MUCH MORE LIKEABLE as actual people. Not to mention more attractive without make-up.

For a virgin “desperate” to get laid, she sure didn’t seem that interested in ACTUAL PENIS. I thought it might be a change of pace from all movies where a guy is trying to stick his penis in a Vagina. I thought maybe there would be a series of interruptions, like the condom breaking, or parents coming in. You know, to prevent her from getting her cherry popped. Nope, instead she’s at a party with lots of teens doing alcohol and drugs. And for some reason there’s this idea that virgins are not desirable?

If this movie pretended it was a movie, it wouldn’t be so bad. A lot of movies acknowledge they’re a movie, and you can enjoy it as such. Instead, the low-budget nature of this film made it seem like they were TRYING too hard to be like real life. Which just makes you facepalm way too much.

I’m still trying to remember what it is I have against high-budget special effects extravaganza films with famous actors. I should just go ahead and buy that Rocky boxset like I’ve been meaning to. ADRIAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Car-Dee-Oh this afternoon.

5-minute warm-up then:
18 minute jog followed by two minute walk x2
5-minute cool-down

I only realized shortly into my second interval that I didn’t set the incline to 3%. That would explain why I was able to maintain my breathing at a very consistent 4:3. I never felt like I was going to lose my breathing pattern at any point. I may just try for 30 minutes straight next week. I’ve been using a 3% incline simply because I think, “Life isn’t a flat ground!” Or some delusion that when I go to a flat plane it’ll be easier. Which. Admitedly, it was.

This may be nothing for the average cardio bunny, but it’s all new territory for me. In terms of getting myself up to a 5K level, I only need to do 45 minutes straight, given that I set the treadmill to 4.1 mph. Ooh, I can practice those equations I learned last week, see what my MET level was, and my caloric expenditure. Believe it or not, treadmills and other things are programmed with actual formulas that use exercise intensity, duration, and your weight to estimate caloric expenditure. Now I’m curious. :: does math ::

Ah. Answers that question. The output on the treadmill must have been gross calories burned, rather than net calories burned. In simpliest terms, gross calories burned = net calories burned + resting metabolism. That is, your body always requires energy for basic functions. Those functions don’t disappear during exercise. So it’s more useful to know how many calories you’ve burned in addition to rest.

Fascinating. Though, I haven’t factored in my warm-up and cool-down into this. Maybe it is net calories after all. :: twirls finger :: Ha, I can claim I was studying for class with a practical application.

Based on the scale in the cardio room and assuming my clothes weigh about a pound, I’d say I lost around 8 lbs during Fat Loss I. Feels like it was almost all fat. Woo. Girlfriend says I look great. Ready to take it to the next level. The fourth round of HIIT, a permanent third day of cardio. I just feel so freaking full of energy. I love it.

Oh, and today was our half-year. Woo. Go us.