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My New Best Friend!

Guess who showed up on my doorstep this morning? If you've been paying any attention lately, you know I've been waiting for a special delivery for a few weeks and the waiting has been driving me crazy. But today my true love arrived....


Getting a little frisky...
You know what they say about when kids get christmas presents, and they end up more excited just playing with the box? That was me. Hubs was working so hard putting it all together and I just kept interrupting for photo breaks with the freakin' box. In my defense, it was propped up against the wall and looked JUST like a mummy's sarcophagus and then a vampire coffin. Promise.



After playtime I had to try out the treadmill out myself. I got the Nordictrack 1750--thanks to Kari's recommendation. Already happy with my choice. I did my speed work on the treadmill today, and it looked like this:

2 Miles easy - 9:42 pace
1 Mile HARD - 8:11 pace
400 meter recovery (walk/jog)
2 Miles HARD - 8:20 pace
800 meter recovery (walk/jog)
1/2 mile HARD - 7:55 pace
400 meter recovery (walk/jog)
1/2 mile HARD - 7:55 pace
1 Mile cool down easy

Total: 7 miles in 63:51. I'll take it. 


I totally don't have the hang of all the technological stuff yet, but I'm working on. 

P.S.--HOLY calorie burn! Did you see that in the photo? 1062 calories my sweet ass. I don't think so. Can I use that to justify two desserts tonight? Awesome. 

Also: when I'm bored on the weekends, I browse blogs and watch movies made for tweens. Hubby spent his Sunday building a table. I feel incredibly unproductive. 

Update! Tim built this table back in 2011. It was okay, but he has moved up in the world. He now runs a mid-century modern furniture restoration and sales business called Trystcraft. If you're into mid-century modern and vintage design, he has some incredible stuff you'll want to check out.

Hubby's handiwork (the table, not me)

How do you judge calorie burn when you run? HR Monitor, guesstimate, or not track at all?
I usually just estimate. Daily Mile puts me WAY too high, as do most treadmills. When I wear my HR monitor, it's much more accurate, around 75 calories per mile of running easy.

Do you have any special skills/talents/abilities to make anything?
I can come up with (very bad) songs or poems that rhyme on the spot. THAT COUNTS, stop laughing! Seriously, if anyone wants to hire a jingle writer I could come up some real gems. Just saying.

Comments

  1. New follower here! We have such a similar story (I read your weight loss journey) While I havent lost as much as you (get it!) it's so good to know that someone experienced basically the same things I did. :-)
    ps, the new treadmill looks badass!
    *Susan

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  2. The table your husband made is beautiful! So jealous! Glad you are having fun with your treadmill!

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  3. Did you set up your ifit account? Once you put your info in it gets more accurate. Mine went down by about 60%

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  4. YAY! I am so jealous! I want a treadmill SO BAD!! I'm with you on the calorie burn. Those things are ridiculous. I burn about the same as you. I don;t think I have any talents. Kind of sad. Actually, I can probably re-create any picture you show me. Im a really good "copy artist" if that even makes any sense. I can draw just about anything. Words in different fonts, cartoons, you name it. I'm not good at creating things myself (my imagination sucks), but give me something to duplicate and I've got it ;)

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  5. whoa whoa whoa!!! that is a fancy pants treadmill. so excited for you!!!!

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  6. um hi, can I please come live with you to use your treadmill?? Special talents? Uhh..i make up songs to everything and I'm double jointed in my hands and feet...I can bend my big toe back to touch the top of my foot.

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  7. Nice treadmill and very nice table! You are so spoiled :)

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  8. holy fishpaste - that treadmill looks pretty sweet and techy.

    Hooray for treadmill! :)

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  9. AHHHHH TREADMILLLLLL!!!! even though i don't love running on them, i'm completely jealous that you have one of your own for the house. :)

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  10. I am BEYOND JEALOUS!!! I want a treadmill SO BAD! enjoy it!!!

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  11. as much as I don't like running on treadmills...I would LOVE one in the winter! speed workouts on the track when it's wet and freezing= no fun! you are SO lucky! and nice workout!!

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  12. Yay!!! How fun!!! I want one!!

    I use my HRM for calories.....the treadmill at the gym tells me I burn WAY more than I actually do.

    Special skills? Causing Raucous....and creating organized spaces. SO NERDY I know!

    xo
    Sarah
    Get UP & Go

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  13. LOL girl you always make me laugh :) If we lived close I would totally want you to be my neighbor. You're so funny.

    YAY new treadmill!!

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  14. You are so adorable! Great job and CONGRATS on the new toy :)

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  15. Whoa your treadmill is fancy! And your house is beautiful.

    I so wish I had a talent, but I don't. I'm very good at badgering people into running.. does that count?

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  16. i know you are all excited about the treadmill, but i'm loving the table!

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  17. It's funny how many calories machines claim we burn, sometimes it's over twice what my body actually burned. I just bought a polar watch this week and it is the most accurate way to counting cals that I've stumbled accross so far.

    Nice speed work! That treadmill looks super fancy.

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  18. They say that 1 mile = roughly 100 calories for a 150 lb person...so 75 sounds right for someone as lean as you :)

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  19. Wow! That is a fancy fancy treadmill screen! I love it!! I inherited a treadmill from a neighbor, not realizing the screen does not work. LMAO. WHich is why I don't use the treadmill. It just SITS there.

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  20. I just ordered one too- supposed to arrive on Thursday and I'm SO excited. I've heard that each mile is about 100 calories, whether it's hard or easy (apparently the two balance out). Obviously if your body composition is on either end of normal it may be different. 75 seems a little low- always go for the higher ;)

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  21. Nice that your new love finally arrive and even better that you really DO love it!

    I agree that these devices tend to overestimate the calories burned.

    I see that lots of people are now posting their calorie burns for the week, but it is only pertinent to your own calorie intake.

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  22. Guess I should have said THEIR own calorie intake. Or is it some new competition?

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  23. I need to get aboard the speed work wagon! You seem to be keeping up with it which is awesome! I'm sure your speediness overall will improve bigtime!

    Sweet table, your hubs got talent!

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  24. I don't generally care about calorie burn. If my pants still fit, I burned enough. :)
    Totally laughing at you taking the sarcophagus photos, that's the sort of thing I would do, too!

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  25. Enjoy the new treadmill! Props to your husband for making the table-it looks really nice!

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  26. oh wow, LOVE the table!

    Love the treadmill...maybe I'll add that to my wishlist!!

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  27. Spoiled girl!!!! I would love a treadmill sometimes. (Mostly when it's -10 outside). The table is super awesome, too! I don't keep track of calories, so I can't help you there. I am an excellent cook and I'm the best at making desserts (good thing I don't track calories!!!).

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  28. Look how absolutely pixie you look next to (and inside) the box!!!!! Wow! That's either a super HUGE box or you shrank A LOT!!!

    Your husband never ceases to amaze me. Not sure why building a table is impressing me so much AFTER HE BUILT YOUR ENTIRE HOUSE but it is very impressive!!! Hope you have many happy meals and super fun times together around that table! Now, just for fun, tell him to knock off his overachieverness and just sleep the freak in! :O)

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  29. Ugh, I dream of a new mill! ENVY! It looks super fancy.

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  30. yay for the treadmill arriving!
    I actually don't pay attention to the calories burned. I generally know that for every mile its about 100 calories burned give or take 20 or so. I'm the type of person when I eat healthy, i eat healthy... on the opposite end when I gorge... I gorge. I guess it all balances out (hopefully) in the end :)

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  31. I need to get a heart rate monitor so I can start getting more accurate calorie readings. I've heard of some people using the Body Bugg, which is supposed to be super accurate and tracks your calories all day, which would be nice when I start marathon training so I can be sure I eat enough... Hmm... I might get one! (any excuse to buy a fitness gadget! lol)

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  32. Can we swap hubbys for a while just long enough for yours to put together all the stuff I'm about to order ;-)
    Love, love, LOVE the treaddie.

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  33. Jealous of the new 'mill! Love that kitchen... well, what I can see of it. :)

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  34. I want a new treadmill! I'm going to send a link to your post to my husband just to remind him that a treadmill is on my Christmas list :)

    Thanks for stopping by my blog from a new follower!

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  35. So SO sO jealous! Tell your husband the table looks awesome and enjoy your treadmill!

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  36. Even though I hate treadmills, I know I'll be jealous of you guys when the ground is covered with snow and ice. Congrats though, glad you are happy with your new BFF! I sometimes look at the calories burn on DM and laugh. Recently though, my Garmin all of the sudden started saying I was burning was more calories than previously, which I thought was weird. I don't really use that number for anything, but I'm just curious.

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  37. I think you can go online and set up your account with the ifit and put in your weight, etc. and the calorie burn with level out to something more normal. Do you LOVE it???

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  38. The coffin pictures... hahahaha. So glad that thing finally got delivered! So exciting!!!

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  39. ahh so jealous of the treadmill! I have room in my bedroom, but I think Tripp would freak! Also, the pricetag is a little over my head with all this medical business with my leg. Maybe next year :)

    I don't track calorie burn - I used to be obsessed with what the treadmill said, but I realize it is not exactly the god of calorie burn :)

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  40. Wearing my Garmin/HR monitor showed me that treadmills and ellipticals especially overestimate my count by about 40% each time. Ridiculous no?

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  41. You've got a husband like I do...they can build or do anything! So glad you got your treadmill! And my kids wish they had your box!

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  42. Nice workout! The house is looking nice too!

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  43. I love your husbands table. My hubs is a Cabinet maker but he rarely makes us stuff :P lol ALSO - OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!! your treadmill is a dream tready :D it looks amazing. Maybe I'd actually like running on mine if it looked that amazing-ly awesome!!!!!

    Love the coffin pics - but don't do that again, it made me feel a little sad inside :p

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  44. Ummm that treadmill is SO FREAKING SWEET!!! I am so so jealous but so excited for you.

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  45. Wow, that's a fancy treadmill!! Mine is much less fancy, but I still love it.

    My treadmill assumes I weigh 150lbs (which yours does too probably) and that's why the calories are off. You have to input your weight to get a more accurate read out. But really, just assume 80-100 calories a mile, you don't need a machine to help you with that math!

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  46. That table is gorgeous! Your new treadmill is very cool! My treadmill estimates high so if I'm not wearing my garmin, since my polar died, I just guess how many calories I burned.

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  47. Eeee I am jealous of your treadmill, and nice job on the speed work!
    Calorie counts on machines are always off... I heard the only ones that are (semi) accurate are rowing machines

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  48. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee I want a treadmill!!!!!!!!!!! :)

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  49. Great job breaking in the new treadmill!! You look so tiny in that huge box - LOL!

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  50. No special talents.

    Jealous of the 'mill!

    As for calorie count...I use Daily Mile and made sure to put in my weight to get an accurate calorie count. Then I just hope it's close! I don't check my heart rate. I figure if it's still beating I'm okay! (What a bad runner am I).

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  51. yeahhhhhhhhhh!! that TM is GORGEOUS! jealous girl right here ;)

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  52. Yayyy congrats. I think we could technically race our two treadmills against each other, how crazy it that

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  53. Wow that's a fancy treadmill! LOL Great calorie burn, I'm always amazed at how many calories a long run burns lol

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  54. FANCY Treadmill!
    I Love it!!!
    Christmas came early for you. I cannot wait to get mine!!!!! :)

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  55. HAAHA! I LOVE that you played with a box! I mean I'm sure the treadmill was fantastic as a gift, but don't ever discount that box. Hours of endless fun I tell ya.

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  56. 75 calories per mile?! heck nah. My Garmin says about 120 per mile, and while I think thats a little high, I believe it. I also believe it because I eat about 3000 calories a day and haven't gained weight in 4 years....if I was burning 75 a mile, I'd be gaining!

    I'm very jealous of the beautiful treadmill. Such a dream. But strangely, I'd rather have an elliptical so that whenever I wanted to run, I had to go outside....and take it easy at home on the elliptical

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  57. I don't track at all, but I really want to get a Polar HR monitor watch soon. I borrowed one for my first half marathon training and would love to have one to train for my first marathon that I'm hoping to tackle in the spring.

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  58. Very cool!!

    And I fully support your fun with the box. I mean how often do you get something like that in your house for photos??

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  59. CONGRATS on the treadmill!!! the day i got mine it was like the clouds parted and light shined down. i call it my baby. :)

    as for cal burn, the reason it's so high on most settings is that it's calculated off of usually a 150 lb person or heavier. since u're a lot lighter the total will be lower. but, a general estimate for an awesome runnerchick ur size is 100 cal's per mile that u run. :)

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  60. Yay! You finally got your treadmill in! It looks so awesome! I am jealous because I don't have all of those cool gadgets.
    I also use my heart monitor for my Garmin because of the same issues you listed.

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