Workout weekend & annoying people

Well it's day 11 and I've been keeping up with my goals of working out & I've been trying to be really conscious about what I'm eating and I'm really proud of my progress.

Because my usual Monday meeting was canceled for Independence Day, I weighed in Friday morning. Unfortunately the scale went up a bit, but I wasn't discouraged because I know I'm working hard. Plus I went right to the gym after that.

Even though my official training for my half marathon is done, I'm continuing to do weekly runs with the group. Plus workouts. I ran four times this week which I'm pretty sure is a record for me, even in the best of my training. It helps to have the amazing group of girls I run with who help the time and miles pass.

At the gym I've discovered a new machine...I call it the in-line skating machine. I think it's called a floating elliptical or a sand-elliptical or something because it imitates the action of walking in sand (you know...where your foot sinks a little and you need an extra push to keep the momentum). I think it feels a lot like inline skating. Either way, it's a GREAT workout for my problem areas (abs, butt, thighs...chub-rub...). I have only been able to do 10-15 minutes on it but I can definitely feel it working where it needs to.

I also had a free personal training orientation at my gym. The stats weren't great, but he helped me develop a short routine which include a lot of weighted squats (since lunges are my nemesis), and even kettlebells. Yay. Low weights, high reps & I am good to go.

Since I'm currently working part time, I have two days off which I can devote to actually working out. No excuses. It's great. Of course the other half of the day I have to devote to job hunting, but it's a lot easier knowing that I have burned a ton of calories & am working towards my weight goal again.

Speaking of which, I had a really frustrating encounter with a really annoying old woman yesterday during my run. I parked to wait for my teammates and while I was waiting this woman pulled in the spot next to me. She asked for help to figure something out on her car, which then turned into a how-to session on Toyotas. Batty-old-lady syndrome aside, I was patient & friendly with her & then excused myself when my teammates got there to go run.

When I got back, I apparently made the mistake of spending a little extra time stretching & found the same woman coming back to her car. Before I realized she was there, she said hi, and almost immediately ruined my day by telling me in her thick european accent--"You know if you want to lose weight you should really cut out gluten" and proceeded to go into a whole explanation of why gluten is bad and I should go gluten free (which I was toying with the idea with anyway since I've been having some digestive issues, but that's totally besides the point).

WTF??!?!?!?

First of all, if I wanted to know, I would have asked. But I didn't.
Secondly, what is it to her what I look like? I obviously just came back from a run so I'm doing something rather than just sitting around wasting time.
And thirdly, mind your own business!!!

Most of all I got mad at myself afterwards for how I handled it which was to basically defend myself by saying how I already lost weight & am still working on it and that I love bread so it would be hard for me to eliminate it, and basically made excuses instead of just telling her to bugger off or something.

I mean up until that point, I felt really good about myself, my run, and my overall recent fitness. And within SECONDS I felt fat & sweaty and the insatiable need to hit something. Or eat something.

I've had these experiences before where people need to put their two cents in...often in a backhanded compliment kind of way. Like "oh you're so pretty, you just need to lose some weight". Why do people feel like they need to be helpful in a completely insulting way? My dad has been guilty of this too--saying things like "so how much weight have you lost...you better not put it back on!" or "those jeans look a little tight--are you still losing weight?" I know he's saying it to help me, but it just makes me feel like shit. Especially if I actually AM working to keep my diet under control.

And I'm never any good at handling it the right way other than to get defensive.
Have you ever had this type of backhanded compliment or "helpful" suggestion happen to you? How did it make you feel? How did you handle it?

Anyway-all I can do is keep plugging along and keep my goals in mind, keeping my blinders on. And avoiding little old ladies who drive Toyotas.

Until next time.