Finally, an update.

I haven't posted in this blog for a while, mostly because there hasn't been much to say. I've been training a lot (or at least a lot for me) in the off-season, and really enjoying myself.

When I saw AD at Best Fest this past weekend, we talked briefly about a week-long no-sugar diet she'd gone on recently. I'd been eating a lot of sugary foods over the past month or so, and it sounded like a good way to give my eating habits a bit of a rehaul. I'm on day two of seven. I've had the urge to buy a chocolate croissant about 3,284 times, but thus far I have refrained.

AD mentioned that she was surprised by the amount of sugar many foods had, even foods you might expect to be non-sugary. I've been shocked by the number of kinds of foods I had to give up for this, not because I didn't expect them to have it, but because I didn't realize how many of my meals were so high in sugar content. I always eat a couple of bowls of cereal in the morning, with soy milk, both of which have low fat content but pretty absurd levels of sugar. I have to admit that I hadn't even looked at the sugar content before. (I've switched out an egg-white omelet for the cereal, which takes a while longer but actually keeps me full until lunchtime.)

Mp3: Ladytron - Sugar ('M' Ladytronomy Mix)

Something else worth mentioning: I have a new hamstring exercise, which I love. If you work out by yourself, shove your feet under something to hold them down, put your hands behind your head, and lean forward from the knees, keeping your butt tucked in and your back flat. Hold it for a second, then use your hamstrings and the tops of your calves to pull yourself back upright. I could only manage about an inch the first time I did it; if you have to, you can pike up or use your hands to return to start.

If you're doing it with a partner, you can either have them hold your ankles for you, or you can go for the full range of motion. For the latter, have them lie down opposite you (their face is below yours, but upside down), and put their hands up. They do something like a bench press, and you get a little bit of a boost to keep you from collapsing face-first on the floor. (My workout partner came up with this version, so kudos to her.) I've been doing three sets of ten, once a week, which is more than enough for me.

Academia is sort of on hold right now, as I recuperate in preparation for beginning the PhD process. I say sort of because there are a few projects I have to work on: I'm going to the Academy of Natural Sciences on Thursday to do some research, I have a book review that is hideously, hideously overdue, and I have a syllabus to write for my summer teaching gig. Otherwise, nothing doing; I'm not even reading books from my areas of specialization. I'm hoping that this vacation will save me from the dreaded burn-out, but only time will tell.