Post hunting

I took a break from working out the week before hunting and the week after hunting.  My workout while hunting consisted of walking/hiking lots.  The best part about it this year was that even though there were times when I was winded, I did not once have to stop because I was in pain or couldn't breathe (which, in certain places, was a miracle).

Today I got back into my routine, starting with my leg workout.  I've been talking a lot with my dad recently about ways I can make my workout better.  He told me to start with my weights and then do my cardio.  I didn't believe him, but I decided to try it today, and he was right!

My warm up was a 1/4 mile walk.  I then had the best leg workout I've had to date!

Leg press: 30 reps at 100 lbs
Calf press: 30 reps at 100 lbs
Leg extensions: 30 reps at 50 lbs
Leg curls: 30 reps at 60 lbs
Outer thighs (machine): 30 reps at 40 lbs
Inner thighs (machine): 24 reps at 130 lbs

Then I ran a mile, and hit my runner's high WAY faster than I usually do.  I was actually pretty bummed when I had to stop to go get ready for work.  I could have kept running much longer!

TMI alert:
I think the best part about this last week was when Neal told me he has been noticing a big difference in how my body looks already, and how much he loves it.  This is the quote I thought of when he made his comment, and it made me smile:

Back into the groove

Another confession.  A semi-obvious one I think since I haven't posted in a while.  Previous to this week, I did not work out for about 3 weeks.  Life got crazy busy, my schedule changed twice, and I literally had to choose between seeing Neal and working out.  I chose seeing Neal.

However.

Now I'm back on a consistent schedule since I've "graduated" from my first part of training, I have been able to get back into a routine.  This week I have worked out every day, no matter how sore I am from the previous day.  Some of the days, since my body isn't used to my new schedule yet, its been difficult to get excited about it, but I'm working on it!

One of the things I've been trying to do since beginning this journey is eat better, even on days I can't/don't work out.  The best part?  I've lost about five pounds just changing what I eat.  Boo-yah!

Stupid shoulders and shins

Last couple weeks I've done things like yoga and rollerblading to work out.  Nothing to straining.

Yesterday I got back into my routine, just in time to leave on vacation again (I know, right?).  I ran 1.5 miles @ a 5 mph average yesterday, and worked out my legs pretty good.

Today though, was a different story.  I barely made it to a mile running because of shin splints.  LAME SAUCE.  It literally felt like my left shin was on fire and I limped the last little bit.  Then I moved on to working out my arms.  After 2 sets of going through everything, my old shoulder injury flared up (the one the Dr said was tendinitis but I'm convinced that my collar bone dislocated and my shoulder hasn't been the same since....ya.  That one).  I'm home now and can't lift my arm above my head without really pushing it.  Awesome shoulders.  Awesome.

I'll just keep plugging away.  At least, if nothing else, I'm determined.

Yoga and meditation

I will admit, I've been a bad girl this week again.  I've not only skipped on my cardio and weights since last Thursday (so literally a week), but I've eaten really really bad.  On that note.

I took a yoga class at school before I got my degree.  I went to a 1 hour 15 minute class twice a week.  The stretching and relaxing truly helped with my back problems.  I attributed it to a new mattress originally, but looking back now, I'm convinced it was the yoga.  So my question to myself (as seems to be a recurring question with my health in general) is WHY did I stop doing it just because I stopped going to a class?

My first realization of the effect that yoga truly had on me was about 3 months ago when the muscles in my back started spazing.  I noticed that if I did just 15 minutes of yoga my muscles would be stretched enough that they could relax, and then if I meditated for about 10 minutes, I could actually relax.  This did wonders with my back, and I could actually feel the tension releasing in my back.  Again though, the problem was temporarily "fixed" and after that one day, I didn't do yoga again until tonight.

Let me tell you, I was not in the best mood tonight.  I've been grumpy for the last few days (I'm still trying to figure out why) and I've had the beginnings of a head cold that I've been fighting off since yesterday afternoon (yes, I was crabby before that, so its not the cold).  When Neal originally left for work, I decided to sit and mope that I was home by myself.  I got the laundry folded and the kitchen cleaned, but then I sat down with the intent to watch tv for the rest of the night.

Then I decided I really should do SOMETHING exercise-wise so I actually had something to talk about this week.  Since I wasn't up for driving all the way to work to use the gym, I decided to try my at home yoga routine again.  Plus, my back was starting to spaz again (grrrr....).  Can you guess how I'm feeling now?  I'm feeling WONDERFUL!  Although I am still tired, I don't feel nearly as grumpy and snappy as I did about an hour ago.

As I was finishing up my actual stretches, I was trying to decide which meditation to do.  I remembered a meditation that one of my fellow students in my class did as a presentation that I felt REALLY good about after.  I remembered that it was a Chakra meditation of some sort, but I couldn't remember exactly how it went.  I decided to look on this wonderful tool we have called Youtube, and I found it!  I didn't even feel like I was meditating for 10 minutes!  I really felt like the video was moving super fast, but it wasn't.  Before I knew it, I had been doing this meditation for a whole 10 minutes!!

The meditation seems kind of strange at first, but if you really do what it says and give it a chance, you can feel the movement of the energy in your body (I'm not crazy, I promise).  When I was done, I felt quite a bit more balanced and definitely in a better mood than earlier.  Even if you don't have time to do the full yoga, I suggest doing a few breathing exercises and then following this meditation.  I think you'll be surprised how much of a difference it will make in your mood!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs_DuZigRzY

Oops

I didn't post at the end of last week because, well, I honestly didn't work out any day other than Thursday (aka my amazing workout day) which I had already posted about.

So.

I'm doing better this week.  Finally getting into a routine (which, of course, will change next week when I change schedules again....)

I'll post about this week at the end of the week!

It couldn't wait....

Normally I don't post until the end of the week, but I have to brag about today.  Today my average mph went up to 5.2...that's a whole 1 mph average increase since I started running three weeks ago.  Woo-hoo!  The best part?  When I got to my mile and a half I felt like I could have kept going!  If I hadn't been under a time crunch, I could have gone farther at my 6 mph!  It was WONDERFUL!

I am also excited because one of the supervisors at work is a physical trainer, and she is drawing up a workout plan for me, focusing on mostly my upper body strength.  I'm stoked.  I started doing some of the exercises she showed me quickly last night, and I can already feel a difference.

One last thing, I have found that if I go sit in our pool for about 15 minutes after I work out, my muscles don't hurt NEARLY as bad (specifically my elbows which hurt like crazy last week after I started bench pressing).  Neal suggested it today, and when we did it today, it helped SO much :)

More after I actually finish working out this week!

Good news, and bad news

This week is week 2 of my "healthy life" blog, and I have good news and bad news.

Good news first: my running is getting better/faster.  On Monday I had a fairly good run, but it was cut short because Neal wasn't feeling well (he accidentally took 2 servings of pre workout rather than 1) so I ran 1.29 miles at an average 4.6 MPH.  Wednesday my workout sucked.  There is no other word for it.  I did a quick workout because Neal still hadn't really recovered from Monday.  I had a crappy run, and when the treadmill didn't even give me my workout summary so I could figure out my average, I got so fed up that I stretched and we went home.  Today, however, was an AWESOME workout.  I ran 1.6 miles at an average 4.8 MPH.  That's .7 MPH faster than I was running 2 weeks ago, and .5 MPH faster than I was running a week ago.  Boo-yah!  I also went up to 10 lb free weights for most of my arm exercises today, which was 5 lbs more than what I was doing.  So, at the end of my free weights piece, I was feeling pretty good.

Then, I went over to the bench press...aka the thing I have been avoiding for the last 2 weeks.  When I worked out regularly before, I would press 3 sets of 8 at 90 lbs.  I decided to use just the bar to get myself worked up, and to show myself that I hadn't lost as much muscle as I secretly knew I had.  I kept thinking, "Oh, the bar will be easy and then I can move up quick."  WRONG! I did 3 sets of 8 with a standard bar (45 lbs) and could barely get the last set done!  What was even worse is that when I was done, I stood up to stretch, and my arms were stiff and would shake any time I tried to push/pull on something.  Awesome.  My strength has literally been cut in half in my arms.

BUT, being the person that I am, this has just motivated me even more.  Here are my goals:
Run 1.5 miles at an average 5.5 MPH (which, mean running actually faster than 5.5 MPH because I include my warm up and cool down in that average).
Be able to do 3 sets of 8 @ 75 lbs on the bench press.
Use 10 lb weights for all of the free weight portion of my workout.

Hooray!
(Can anyone else tell I'm still hyped up on endorphin?  Bahahaha!)

Skinny does not equal healthy

A few years ago I worked out all the time.  I was in fairly good shape, and I was fairly strong.  I had a goal to pass the police department physical.  Then, when I decided I didn't want to be a police officer anymore, I kind of just gave up.  I didn't have a goal anymore...and Neal and I started dating so I "didn't have time" anymore.  Since then, I have gained about 15 pounds, I'm unbelievably weak, and my asthma and allergies have become worse.

When I got this new job, I found out they have an exercise incentive program; up to 20 hours of paid vacation time every 6 months if you pass a test.  You get 5 hours just for trying.  We also have a pool in our new apartment complex, and I did NOT like the way I looked in a swimming suit.  A couple weeks ago I saw a picture that said "Skinny girls look good in clothes.  Fit girls look good naked."  I thought to myself, "Ya, I'm skinny.  I look good in clothes...the other part though........."  I decided I'd had enough.  There is one thing in life I have complete control of, and that's how in shape I am.  So, those two things combined have kicked my butt into gear.

I'm starting this blog to help keep track of things.  I'm getting better at being consistent, and Neal is doing really well at gently helping me decide that I need to go work out, even when I don't want to.

Here are my starting "stats":

August 11, 2012: Run - 1.75 miles @ 4.1 average MPH

                            Weight - 136 lbs

August 16, 2012: Run - 1.22 miles @ 4.2 average MPH

August 18, 2012: Run - 1.50 miles @ 4.3 average MPH

                           Sit and Reach - 21

                           Weight - 136 lbs