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Losing Water Weight and Lucky 7's

I genuinely hope you didn't come here for actual water weight loss tips. If you did, my sincerest apologies. But you definitely don't want to be taking tips on drinking more water and eating less sodium from me after last night. I stumbled upon a great deal at my local theater where on Tuesdays at a certain time, movies are $5, and small drinks AND small popcorns are $1 each. Boom! I'm so there. One of each, please. We saw this little heartbreaker:


This movie is how I lost 3 pounds of salty tears. I'm estimating, but if my eyes were never dry I can only surmise it was a gallon + of lost fluid. Hence the water weight loss. Don't worry, I rehydrated with plenty of diet coke.

Now, I will admit that it doesn't take much to make me cry. A sad movie (ok, fine...a sad commercial) leaves me bawling. But 50/50 really was the grandaddy of all tear jerkers. I would definitely recommend it if you can handle a good cry. 

With all my movie galavanting cutting into workout and work time, I had about 45 minutes to fit in a run yesterday. To get the best use of my time, I devised a plan while I was running my warm-up on the treadmill. We'll call them "Lucky 7's". It makes me feel all cool like I know how to gamble.

Warm-up : 2 Miles easy
Hill Interval: 7% incline, 7mph for 1/4 mile
Cry, walk for a minute to catch your breath, and repeat.
Cool-Down: 1 Mile, Easy

The crying isn't necessary, but it just came naturally for me. I managed five of those hill sprints, and I truly have never felt my cardiovascular system working so hard. Definitely try it, and adjust it for your own speed (i.e. 8mph @ 8 incline for you speedy guys, or 5% incline @5mph if you want to slow it down a little). Of course, you can do the same thing at any big hill on your running path. Just sprint up it for 2 minutes or so, run down (cry?) and repeat.

Do you like sad movies? Favorite one? Anyone else cry at songs/commercials?
I love sad movies. That might sound weird, but if I am in the mood for a good cry I just want to watch a tearjerker. Favorites = Stepmom and A Very Long Engagement. So good! And yes, I cry at certain songs. Big emotional baby over here.

Do you do any hill sprints? Any advice or how it has helped you?
I am used to running hilly areas and trails, but I generally run SLOWER up hills, and never sprint up them. This was a new challenge for me, and I would love to incorporate it every once in a while to my workouts. 



Comments

  1. I'm not sure how I did it, but I didn't manage to cry through "PS I love you". But I'm sure if I was needing a good cry that that one would hit the spot!!

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  2. I really want to see that movie! And what a good deal :) Great workout! I have never done "hills" on a treadmill, but will do hill repeats outside…it kills and is absolutely no fun, but I do think it has good rewards.

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  3. We ALMOST went to see that movie on the weekend, but went more light-hearted with Footloose instead. Even THAT had me crying some salty tears! LOL! Great deal on the movies, who can turn that down?!

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  4. Beaches is probably my favorite movie and it makes me cry, a lot!

    I like hill sprints and they feel like more work than anything else. It makes runnin on a flay surface so mUch easier

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  5. A really good sad sobbing movie ("mommy movie" I like to call them) .... sometimes it is the only way forwards - feel cleansed afterwards.

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  6. I can't say I've ever done a hill workout. If I run by my house, I run hills, there's no way getting around it. Because I hate hills, I always run as fast as I can up them. It actually seemed to help my marathon. People kept commenting that I was motoring up hills, but they felt like nothing. Doing them on a treadmill, though sounds like torture and I love my treadmill.

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  7. I want to see that movie Sooo bad. I cry so much in movies and books, especially if they're by Nicholas sparks. Nice work on the hill sprints! I try to work em in, but I def don't do it enough

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  8. Stepmom is SUCH a good movie for a good cry. I cry over everything too. Also, that workout would make me cry.

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  9. i still cant get over your hill sprints!!! you are awesome! i cry in pretty much every movie. doesnt matter the genre. i am awesome like that.

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  10. I have just started adding more hills into my workouts. One day I hope to buy a real treadmill (mine you can't change the incline unless it's off and you adjust the pegs....yep it's old) I got some great tips from that 64 year old lady on my group run, I am planning on writing about it once I feel like I've "mastered" the hill! lol

    Great workout!

    I am sorry for this essay but I wanted you to know that I NEVER cried at movies, it was like I was heartless or something...than I got pregnant and I cried at almost anything...then Logan was born and now I can cry quite a bit at a sad commercial or movie...it sucks!

    I really want to see that movie but I am too scared to go to the theatre b/c I know I will cry A LOT...and loudly :P lol

    you're not allow!

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  11. good workout! I needed a new interval set to add into my treadmill return (the weather is getting chilly and dark which means I will be returning to the tm)

    i want to see that!! I am hoping the guy will go with me, but he hates movies...so i am betting no dice

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  12. I'm a massive cryer. It's depressing sometimes. Just about anything can emit some tears from me, even just a short emotional bit in a tv show. it drives sean nuts. :)

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  13. My friends and I watched that movie the day of our 1/2 marathon that started at 10pm and let's just say it's not the best movie to get you pumped for a race. I was depressed after!!

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  14. Really want to see that movie, but I'm a sap when it comes to matters of the heart. I think the movie that makes me weep like no other would be Marley and Me, that movie KILLS ME! But I love it. Now when I watch it I just stop it before Marley starts to age so that it can end on a high note.

    Um that treadmill workout would kill me! Last week I did an incline workout at 2% and I thought that I was going to go into cardiac arrest...I don't think that my weinie legs could handle 7% incline for a 1/4 mile.

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  15. Oh, so good. I cried too. It was... ohhh just thinking about it makes me all emotional. I like your Lucky 7s! I might try that!

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  16. I like the work out! I haven't played with incline on my treadmill too much + I have tons of hills right outside my door. I'll have to give it a try when I get stuck inside this winter and don't want to face plant on an icy slope!

    That movie looks good. I am not a crier, at all, but I do have a heart (even though some might not think so!) so I'm sure I would enjoy it.

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  17. I love sad movies and a good cry. I cried this week when a good prayer was given. So I cry very easily too.

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  18. I haven't seen the movie, but have seen/heard/read several interviews and it's on my list of movies to watch!

    As for sprints... I'm more of a track girl than a hill-sprints girl, but I like to mix it up. There was one hill near Balboa Park... my running group would meet there once a week. You had to announce to the whole group how many repeats you were going to do BEFORE you started. Killer! (But also awesome workout!) :)

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  19. A hill sprint should be shorter and more intense than that--10.0 mph + (you know, SPRINT speed) at between a 6-8%, ideally, for 8-12 seconds each. (This is according to Brad Hudson). You're talking about hill intervals, which are alo great. But hill sprints, which are essentially strength and power training in disguise, are a different thing! They're great for building raw speed.

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  20. @ Anonymous: Ah! Yes, I used hill interval first and then switched to "hill sprint" later on, thanks for letting me know the difference. Although I'm not sure if I could handle your SPRINT speed myself. It's something I can aspire to! If you're still reading (or anyone else please chime in) how many of these might you do? If they only last 10 seconds apiece?

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  21. I so cry at EVERYTHING! Commercials, blog posts, movies, TV shows. You name it I am tearing up one way or another :) I think I want to see it tho. I love a good cry! I heart is phenomenal! I know nothing about sprints. :( Sorry I cant help there.

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  22. 50/50's commercial almost makes me cry! I def want to check it out!

    Your speedwork inspires me. My next goal is to run a 1/2 and incorporate speedwork since I find that unattainable when training for fulls. Long distances and high speeds generally equal major fail for me so I need to work myself up at lower distances.

    Have a great evening!

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  23. I cry at music videos, so I don't need a movie. Which is good, considering I haven't seen on since I gave birth. :)

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  24. Thanks for the hill sprints advice - I haven't heard (read) it explained so easily before - I'll definitely add some of that into my training early next year. Sounds hard, but sounds like a nice way to spice things up and prevent boredom. Thanks!

    I prefer happy movies - shocking I know :)

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  25. For real? Seth Rogen in a tear-jerker? That seems weird.

    I typically don't like to watch sad movies. Life is sad enough--I like for movies to be my escape from reality! But having said that, I've seen The Notebook half a dozen times and cry every time.

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  26. I love that movie. It is raw and real and SO GREAT. What a simple story that was so profound. I cried at least 2 pounds....My husband handed me tissue before I started because he just knew......

    xo
    Sarah
    Get Up & Go

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  27. I saw that and LOVED it. I was a hot mess too. I forgot to bring tissues and screwed myself. That workout will probably make me cry even harder though, if I was ever brave enough to do it. Love how you named it.

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  28. I want to see that movie. It looks really good. I don't mind sad movies. I still cry when I watch The Notebook.

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  29. yes I love sad movies and I cry a lot usually and I watch them more then once also. carzy I know

    PS I love you. ahhhhh
    Blue Valentine
    Sophie's Choice
    Steel Magnolias
    Philadelphia
    Life is a house.
    Life is Beautiful
    I could go on and on...

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  30. Want to see that movie. I love old movies so my tearjerker would be Gone With The Wind. Can't comment on hill sprints....still working my fartleks. I've got a need....a need for speed. Another fav movie!

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  31. Hill sprints are fun! I run them every Wednesday with my running group.

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  32. Sad movies are the best, even better when you just want a good cry. Even watching christain music videos set my tear ducts off. I am such a girl sometimes lol.

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  33. Oh A Very Long Engagement is such a tear jerker. I love devastating movies and I cry like a dang baby in them. Dancer in the Dark and Dear Zachary might be the most heartbreaking movies I've ever seen.

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  34. Sometimes I just NEED a good cry you know? You can kind of feel it building if you haven't cried in long enough. And that's when I tend to burst into tears for no reason. Like the time I walked into a wall with part of my forearm (I know that made no sense but trust me it was utterly painless) and I sobbed for 10 minutes. Yeah. I'm not crazy though I SWEAR!

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  35. I haven't done any hill sprints, but I am going to jot down your little, but extremely hard, workout and give it a go. I always find something from your posts to write down, I love them.

    As for the movies, I cry at just about anything and like you there are times when I just need a good cry (apparently it's good for you) so I pull out Steel Magnolias or Beaches, just to name a couple. When I said I cry in just about anything I meant it, I cried at the end of Die Hard 2 when John was running (half dead) through the snow yelling "Holly, Holly" looking for his wife - I am so, so sad!

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  36. Ok, this is going to sound ridiculous, but I just watched Real Steel and cried like a baby! Crying over fighting robots sounds so embarrassing but this movie was awesome!!

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  37. we do hill sprints in the summer wiht the running group. ouch. just ouch.

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  38. Wow, I am impressed with your workout! 2 miles easy-- 2 miles are never easy for me! lol Someday...you're an inspiration!

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  39. We are thinking about going to see 50/50 this weekend. I should bring tissues. :)

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  40. I've been known to cry at toilet paper ads...

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  41. i loved 50/50 too! just thinking of stepmom makes me want to cry my eyes out... the ones that get me are the blind side and green mile... every freaking time.

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