Gym Rat

The other day my husband called me a gym rat.

Me? I asked in shock.  You think I'm a gym rat?  

With your P90X you work out way more then me.  I only committed myself to minimum of two days a week and yeah, I do more some weeks but not enough for me to be a gym rat.  

First I couldn't get you in the gym and now I can't get you out.  You go every chance you get and you get upset if you plan to go and don't get to.

My goodness.  I had refused to work out for so long.  How did this happen?

I thought about it for a minute and had to admit there is some truth to his statement.  Lately I have been more committed to exercise then ever.   This week for example.  I went on Sunday to compensate for a Pizza fest the day before.  I went Monday morning on my off day.  Then I went Tuesday after work.  Then I went Wednesday morning before work.  I did 60 minutes on the Elliptical for four days in a row burning between 590-650 calories per session.  Tuesday and Wednesday in particular, I was really in that zone that everyone talks about.  I was pumping my arms and legs like nobodies business and it felt amazing to push myself.  I probably looked like some kind of lunatic mouthing the words to my favorite songs, bobbing my head up and down and grinning for apparently no reason.  I was sweating but I was literally breaking out in goose bumps on my arms and legs because I was so into my work out and the music.  I felt like I could go on forever and the time flew by.  It was awesome.

I've learned to push my after work fatigue aside and head to the gym without even thinking twice about it.  I even worked out when I was sick.  Exercising has just become something I do.  Something that I make time for.  I was always athletic growing up participating in gymnastics, track and cheer-leading.  After high school my parents put me on their gym membership and then I worked out at my College gym too.  It was so much easier then.  Yeah, maybe I had school and part time jobs but I also didn't spend 45 hours a week at a full time job and have a house to keep up.  And I'm not as young and energetic as I used to be.  I managed to stay committed to working out for the most part with some off and on until I fell off the wagon big time for years and didn't see how I would ever find my way back. 

I really love it that I'm doing something good for my body and that I'm actually enjoying it.  I really love it that I CAN.  It's one thing to just be lazy and not exercise and entirely another to be physically unable to.  I am lucky that I have a gym membership (that I don't even pay for) that gives me access to a really nice gym that's close to home.  I am lucky that I can exercise and I finally realized that needed to take advantage of that and not take it for granted.  I still haven't gotten to my new exercise videos but I will.  I do hit the gym consistently and I just bought my 2nd package of classes at a dance and fitness studio.  I've gotten a lot of my lost flexibility back and I'm even starting to see some of those hard to get oblique muscles coming in on the sides of my stomach.

So when I think about it I don't really mind being called a gym rat.  It's actually taken a lot of time and energy to earn that label so I'll proudly accept it.   It's way better then being known as a couch surfer...although I am guilty of that too!

How to Get a Runway Body

Candice Swanepoel and Erin Heatherton tell us how it's done

Caution: Watching this video might turn you into a supermodel.  If only it were that easy right?  I don't doubt that these ladies work out to stay fit, toned and runway ready but I'm also pretty sure that most of what they got is the result of hitting the gene pool jackpot.  We all know that Victoria's Secret models are well done genetic aberrations who's likeness cannot be duplicated with mere boxing, Zumba or jump rope sessions.  No workout regime on the planet can stretch a body to 5'10", reformulate metabolism and totally rearrange the placement and dimensions of waist to hip ratio.  They can't exactly stand up there and admit that they are simply born that way.  I do agree with what they said at the end.  "If your body feels good you look good."

Source:  Victoriassecret.com

Victoria's Secret has a new line of workout wear.  VSX Sexy Sport.  They've got everything right down to a very sexy water bottle and yoga mat.  Such cute stuff.  I might have to get some...after it hits clearance.  I'm well aware that it won't magically turn me into a Victoria's Secret Angel but it'll make me feel good to look cute at the gym.

I Work Out

Over the last year I've been an elliptical junkie but I don't want to burn myself out.  I have started to add in the treadmill and I seriously need to venture over to those machines to work on muscle building.  I want to work out at home more too so I ordered some new exercise videos to add to my collection and mix things up a little.  I love ballet and my goals are to increase my flexibility and tone so I got a bunch of ballet inspired and yoga workouts.  I actually already had Time Saver Cardio and Balletone in VHS which was almost like not having them at all.  Who has the patience for VHS tapes?  Or a VCR for that matter!  Time Saver Cardio is so old school that it was only .50 cents and the shipping cost was more then the actual DVD!  Over this month I've got a package of classes I need to use up so I might not get to these right away but I'm looking forward to trying them out.  A good source for exercise videos is Collage Video.  They have tons to choose from.  There are lots reviews, sample clips and a detailed breakdown of every workout.  I ended up buying these on Amazon.com though because some were cheaper there.  

Kathy Smith Time Saver Cardio

Balletone:  The Dancers Work Out for Everybody
Xtend Barre: Lean & Chiseled with Andrea Rogers
Tracey Mallett-The Booty Barre-Total New Body

Element: Ballet Conditioning with Elise Gulan  

Jillian Michaels: Yoga Meltdown

Power Yoga - Total Body Workout with Rodney Yee
Elle Make Better Series:  Elle Workout Yoga with Brooklyn Decker (not pictured)

I've been watching TV during my elliptical work outs for a while now.  It's been a lifesaver keeping me entertained especially during the hour long sessions which sometimes feel like forever.  I'm usually lucky enough to get a machine with a TV attached but last night I didn't so thank goodness I updated my i Tunes.  My music was so stale.  It wasn't motivating me and I didn't even want to listen to it anymore.  I created one play list using the new ones and mixed in some songs that I already had.  Now my workout mix has 93 songs and they are all in one place so I can frantically navigate to that one song I need to get me through those last 5 minutes when I feel like I'm gonna die.  If anyone needs any ideas here they are.  Some of them might not be the newest....but again it's been a long time since I bought anything.

Give Me Everything (Tonight), Pitbull Ft. Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer

Stereo Hearts (feat. Adam Levine), Gym Class Heroes

Without You (feat. Usher), David Guetta & Usher

We Found Love (feat. Calvin Harris) [Calvin Harris Extended Mix], Rihanna

The Edge of Glory, Lady GaGa

Firework, Katy Perry
California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg), Katy Perry
Dynamite, Taio Cruz

Raise Your Glass, P!nk

Stereo Love, Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina

Fly, Nicki Minaj & Rihanna 

Here is my exercise summary for the last two weeks.  No, I don't count my house cleaning as a workout but if I'm going to spend 2 hours slaving away you can bet I'm giving myself credit for calories burned.  Last year I started out slow committing to just 2 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes after not working out for over a year.  I figured doing something is better then doing nothing at all.  I didn't want to push it and it worked.  I've stuck with it and now exercise actually feels like part of my life again like it used to.  Having the time and energy to exercise during Christmas Break reminded me of how much I actually enjoy it.  It's hard fitting it in but once I just accepted the fact that going to the gym on a weekday often means barely having time to come home and eat and fall exhausted into bed it was all good.  Last year working out was a NYE resolution and this year it's a lifestyle.

Mj lost 3.5 pounds after the first week of his Beach Body Challenge.  He's following his meal plan and work out plan and is off to a great start.

Do you have any new workout plans or fitness goals for the new year? 

Monday Dec 26- Sunday Jan 1:  
Worked out every day except Tuesday and Friday

Exercise Summary		Calories
Yoga	45 Min	110
Elliptical 280	30 Min	280
Yoga	1 Hour	220
Situps	5 Min	11
Elliptical	1 Hour	520
Stretching	10 Min	40
House Cleaning	2 Hours	214
Elliptical	30 Min	290
P90X2 Stretch & Recovery	55 Min	195
Elliptical	1 Hour	550
Total	2431

Monday Jan 2- Sunday Jan 8:
Worked out every day except Monday and Sunday

Exercise Summary		Calories
Pilates	50 Min	130
Situps	10 Min	44
Mix Technique Class: Yoga, Pilates, Ballet, Cardio	1 Hour	330
Walking	30 Min	175
Elliptical	30 Min	250
Elliptical	30 Min	260
P90X2 Yoga	1 Hour 5 Min	190
Yoga	1 Hour	220
Total	1599

Early AM Work Out

I've always said I'd love to be one of those super human beings that goes to the gym at the crack of dawn before work.  I'm a little bit envious of that iron will determination that draws them out of their warm cozy beds and off to the gym to sweat it out so early.  I like the idea of it but it's something I've emphatically claimed that I would never in a million years ever do.  I tend to take a long time getting to sleep and then have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning.  I love my sleep way more then I love the gym so even though I hate how long going to the gym after work makes my day feel I've never once considered weekday mornings an option.  I just didn't think I could do it.  Not even once.  Mj decides he wants to give AM workouts a try and that he would really love my support to help him kick start this effort.  I sighed, smirked, rolled my eyes upwards, told him NO WAY....and then reluctantly agreed.  Just this once with the disclaimer that he better not ever expect it to happen again.  If he wants to continue after this he's on his own.  So this morning I drag myself out of bed at 5:10am so we can arrive at the gym by 5:30am where there are several other nut jobs already huffing and puffing away.  Oh goodness.  What am I doing here?  Time is of the essence so I head straight to the Elliptical to get started on my hour so we can get back home and get ready for work.  As I'm working out the wake up alarm on my i phone goes off.  It's 6:22am (not that I ever actually get out of bed at that time). 

I got about 1 hr and 35 minutes less sleep then usual.  Might not seem like a lot but every minute counts when I'm hitting that snooze button.  Walking into work I feel accomplished.  It's only 8:00 am and I've already burned 500 calories when normally I've just barely gotten out of bed.  As I sit at my desk I'm trying to gauge if I'm more, less or equally tired then I usually am.  I conclude that I'm equally tired as I normally would be and actually a little bit worse off.  My eyes feel glazed over and I'm waiting for all those endorphins that everyone talks about to kick in and energize my day but it never happens.  So was it as awful as I expected it to be?  Not really.  Getting up early sucks for me no matter what the time and I'm pretty much tired all the time during the work week these days anyways.  I do like it that I got it over with in the morning instead of having to tag it on to the end of a work day.  In fact, I got a work out in that I otherwise might not have gotten in at all.   I haven't quite made up my mind yet if it's worth the loss of sleep or if I'll ever do it again.  I may not have it in me to become one of those super human early AM gym goers myself but I'm at least glad I finally gave it a shot.

Tomatoes & Exercise

Home Grown

The tomato plant we planted in April is thriving.  The leaves have started to wilt a bit but it's gotten so big and the tomatoes started to grow in earlier this month.  Still no oranges on the orange tree but we expected that and the herbs are doing well too.  Mj put me on plant patrol and I'm in charge of the watering since he's been gone.  I'd be in big trouble if anything dies on my watch.  I don't really eat tomatoes although these are so bright and pretty it almost makes me want to!! I plucked all the red ones off and took them to my mom's house for her to enjoy.  There are plenty of little green ones that haven't quite matured yet that will be ready for Mj to have when he gets home. 

My little nephew is walking now!  He'll be 1 years old next month, has five teeth and is still just the cutest thing ever.  I had him to myself at my parent's house for a couple hours on Sunday and took him outside and watched him go.  We had lunch at a friends house then my sister and I went and got our favorite yogurt from Golden Spoon.  It's all Non Fat and Fat Free soft serve and I got my three favorite flavors Coffee, Peanut Butter and Peanut Butter Cup.  Next time, I'll try do something different and get the Red Velvet.  I had a great time with my family.  There was lots of fun, wine (what else is new) and lots of eating. 

Which led me to this sudden and quite unusual desire to go out running on Sunday night when I got home.  I don't do this very often ever and I know my endurance is pretty low so I started out doing 5 minutes running then 5 minutes walking and so on.  By the end I ran 8 minutes straight which is pretty good for me.  After 40 minutes I ended up doing 24 minutes of running and 16 minutes of walking.  Even though it kinda sucked when my legs felt like lead and it seemed like I was running so slooooow it kinda felt good to do it.  I'm basically an Elliptical junkie so it was good for me to do something different and with a higher impact.  I should probably keep my running on the treadmill though.  The next day I was painfully reminded of why I don't run on the unforgiving concrete too often.  My left hip felt like it was going to snap off!!   I'm definitely not in running shape.  My hip got better as the day went on but my legs were so sore I could barely walk myself into the gym.  I am proud of myself for slogging my way through my 1 hour Elliptical work out anyways.  I have successfully managed to work out twice a week (or more if I'm feelin' it) all year so far which is a huge victory coming from someone who refused to go for well over a year.  I'm even going again today after work.  Le Sigh. Burning 500 calories in one shot gives me this huge sense of accomplishment, which is part of the reason that I stick to the Elliptical and haven't done Pilates or anything else in a while.  Building muscle helps speed up metabolism so I'm trying to get myself to branch out into using the weight machines.  Plus, it's probably a good idea to mix things up so I don't get too bored.  I'm such a creature of habit.

Since Mj has been in Australia we've only gotten to talk here and there for about five minutes at a time.  There is a 17 hour time difference and he's usually asleep while I'm in the middle of my work day.  He FINALLY comes back Saturday and I'm really looking forward to having him home again.  The week is almost half way over and I'm glad!  Hope everyone is having a good week so far. 

I'm at The Gym

me approaching those double doors

 I've had quite the love hate relationship with the gym and working out over the last few years.  Mostly hate hate if I'm being honest.  I boycotted the place for close to two years and only worked out sporadically after my work schedule changed from getting off at 3:30pm to getting off at 5:00 pm.  Morning work outs are so never happening for me and I have only so many precious hours each night.  After a hard days work I feel entitled to come straight home and relax.  I never made excuses for myself.  I just knew that when the right combination of cosmic forces came together just so that eventually I'd be back.  I could not force myself to go and that was that.

So where have I found myself twice a week every week for going on 3 months?  The gym!  It is practically a miracle but somehow I found it within myself to start going.  It was a goal of mine for the new year but I actually started taking action in December.  I went once or twice before Christmas.  Then, when I had that long 10 day Winter break from work I went quite a bit.  I was hoping it would kick start me into the habit of going once I went back to work and it did. 

My rigorous exercise regime:

• Two work outs per week minimum at home, the gym, or any other form of exercise of my choosing for a minimum of 30 minutes.  So far, I've mostly been going to the gym and doing the Elliptical but I could do classes or home exercise videos or anything else. 
• Every other week those two work outs need to be 60 minutes minimum and include some hard core cardio.  I usually do 1 hour on the Elliptical where I burn between 500-600 calories but it could be anything else that gets my heart pumping and my body sweating...a lot.
• Thorough stretching at least 1 time per week up to and including the splits.  This could mean doing an exercise video or just making the time to get some stretching in on my own.
• I also throw in a minimum of 100 crunches while I'm watching TV or whenever randomly if I didn't do them at the gym.

That's it.  I am so not hard core.  Some would call my work out schedule pathetic but I don't care.  It's what's working for me right now.  I figure some is better then none and if I push myself more then I want I will grow to hate it and go on strike again.  If I worked part time or not at all I could definitely see myself going a lot more and enjoying it but not with an 8-5pm full time job. 

When I've had a long day at work and didn't get enough sleep the absolute last thing in the world I want to do is drag myself to the gym, change clothes and spend an hour sweating but I've been doing it.  I used to exclusively do the treadmill.  I can't believe how long its taken me to discover the Elliptical.  I can burn more calories on it in a shorter amount of time AND it's still low impact.  I used to only listen to music but right now the only thing getting me through those work outs is TV.  There are tons of flat screens around the gym and mounted on some of the machines.  A couple weeks ago it was Basketball Wives on VH1 and Judge Judy on KUSI.  I watched Hugh Hefner and his new fiance on CNN and there's always Dr Oz or catching up on the local news.  I also downloaded some new uptempo techno work out music.  Whatever gets me through the work out.  On my light days it makes it easier to go knowing that I will be in and out.  I'd like for at least one work out per week to be at the gym to keep me in that habit and so far I have.  I've even exceeded my work out minimums some weeks just because.

And what is my reward for giving up my beloved couch, DVR and pajamas right after work every day?  I feel better about myself and a little bit less like a lazy bum.   I'm getting my long lost flexibility back too.  As a former gymnast it made me feel sad and down right old when my splits started to get too uncomfortable.  I'm back to putting my face to my knee in the splits on both sides.   I love food but have a tendency to under eat so even with just these work outs I've lost weight.  My mom wouldn't be too thrilled but I'm not mad about it.  I weigh less then I did on my wedding day and the only downside is that some of my pants are hanging off of me.  Not a cute look.  It sucks getting myself there sometimes but I really feel great after a work out.  I enjoy feeling fit, toned and active.  It's not just about losing weight.  I'm giving my heart, my bones, my body what it needs and that's a good thing.  If  I was physically unable to exercise I know how upsetting that would be so simply because I CAN is a good enough reason to go.  Getting back in the gym was a long time coming and now that I'm there I need to stay.

Movin' My Lazy Butt

Saturday I did something that I sadly have not done in quite a while. I put on some tennis shoes and some spandex and got my lazy butt moving. Nothing big. I just tagged along with Mj to the rec center for basketball and used the time to get in a little bit of exercise for myself. I strapped on my i pod and started walking. Let's just say I really needed it too! Friday date night was a Comedy Club/dinner date where I devoured some cheese sticks and a giant greasy [delicious] Chicken Casadilla, DESSERT and had no problem meeting my 2 drink minimum requirement.

My neighborhood is a little suspect so I am not very comfortable walking around there lest I run into the barefoot, basket pushing mentally ill folks talking to themselves that I normally only see at a safe distance from my car. I don't have room for exercise videos in the house and I can't seem to drag my butt to the gym at 6:00pm after getting off work. It was much more doable when I got off at 3:30pm. Making matters worse, they shut down the old Active Club when they built the new Sport Club and I have not upgraded to Sport level. No excuses! I am truly to blame for being so lazy and not figuring out a way to fit in exercise.

After about 1 hour of brisk walking I found a corner to do some stretching and could feel that I have lost a lot of my flexibility over the years. I used to be a regular gumby and now I have to struggle a little bit to get my nose to my knees. There was a ramp railing and I put my leg up and did some stretching and plies that reminded me of my old ballet classes. Which I dearly miss. I could just feel my body aching to dance and leap and arch gracefully. It's the gymnast in me. I miss movement. I miss pointing my toes and extending my fingers just so. I miss standing on my hands in a perfect split and coming down in a lunge and the feeling of exertion it takes to control the movements of my body and push it further and further. Granted, I know I will never be able to do what I used to but I can't think of much better exercise then standing on my hands even if it's just cartwheels and back walk overs. Yoga and Pilate's is a great way to maintain and I haven't been since August when I went along with my mom. You know you are out of shape when you are sore and doing the stick up your butt walk just from walking and heavy stretching.

My old gymnastics days along with diet is what's kept me in shape to this day. Appearance wise anyways. Despite my lack of working out the abs and the little biceps don't seem to go away no matter how much I neglect them. I am so grateful for the foundation of fitness it has left me with but it has also made me complacent. Just because I don't need to loose weight [of course this is debatable] doesn't mean that I don't need to work out. My endurance is down and my flexibility is lacking. My heart and body needs a work out to stay healthy.

I'm not into making promises I may not be able to keep but I am going to see what I can do about getting myself active again. The last time I had a work out routine and was going to the gym regularly was in 2008!!! It's been far too long and even if my mind is lazy enough to keep me away from the gym it's obvious that my body still craves it.

Back To The Gym For Some Yoga

So, a monumental thing happened today. For the first time all year I went to the gym. This is huge for me because I have really fallen off the wagon this year when it comes to exercise. I am so far off the wagon that the wheels have rusted and broken off. It all started around the holidays. Probably around November. I just got really lazy-no excuses. Then, by the time February rolled around and I had still not gone back to the gym. I had a schedule change because I switched offices and went from working 7:00-3:30pm which I have done my whole working life to 8:00-5:00pm and going to the gym that late just seemed undo able. At least in my mind. So, I just didn't go. I used to be a gymnast, then a cheerleader in high school, then I took ballet classes for about three years. I have had a gym membership for a while so in between anything else I was doing I could always get to the gym for some exercise. I'd do weights and run on the treadmill. Last year I'd started doing Yoga and Pilates there pretty regularly. I also went through an exercise video phase when I couldn't stand going to the gym and wasn't doing anything else. That started around the time of my major weight loss and I used to do one every day without fail. I guess I felt the world would end and I would get fat if I didn't. I found that it was a nice break from the gym and did keep that up for a while. Since I've re arranged my little studio last December there really isn't room for exercise in the home. I have been maintaining my weight with diet alone and so I guess I'd just been feeling like I can get away with it-but no matter what size you are the heart needs exercise. This isn't the first time I've quit the gym. I've kind of had a love hate relationship with it for a while. Sometimes it just seems like such a chore. After a long day at work, usually the only thing I want to do is get home. I'd love to get back into ballet for variety but the classes are expensive and not in my budget anymore.

I went straight to my mom's on Saturday after the Spa and spent the night. It's still really hot (82 degrees even at night) so I was definitely better off there then at home. We had a really nice visit. Hanging out, watching a movie, running errands. My mom knows I am "off" the gym so when she mentioned she was going to Yoga she didn't really even ask me at first. Then, she said "would you like to go?" I said no at first and then for whatever reasons just decided to go ahead and go. She's been wanting me to and I was there. So why not? I ran around getting dressed and out the door in about 5 minutes flat and off we went. It felt good. I love movement. I love pushing my body to do more. I can tell I am out of shape because I was fatigued not too long after class. Yoga didn't used to make me sore at all.

So, I am not making any promises yet about when I'll be going back. I somehow have to get over this whole schedule hang up, get some motivation, and stop being so darn lazy. I just haven't figured out when all of this is going to happen yet. They are building a brand new 24 Hour Fitness near my house and if I upgrade to a Sport membership I could actually go to it instead of the dank and funky Active one that I was going to before. I think that when MJ comes back I might be more likely to make an effort with his influence but for now at least I broke my no gym streak for the year.