It’s Monday again. It wasn’t the greatest, but once I was finished, I was very glad I got up and out the door. I had a really nice weekend of stairmonster sessions at the gym. My new routine is to do that Sat-Sun pretty hard at super oh dark thirty. I like sleeping in on Sundays, but I like breaking up the running and those 2 early mornings, there’s nobody there. It helps my anxiety tremendously where there are 1-3 people (0.5-1% capacity) vs 15-20. But now I am working out 7 days/week. I may start sleeping in one workday/week, but that just feels wrong after a couple of decades of getting up early M-F. We will see. I figure if it’s snowy/icy/cold rain - that might be the day to skip, LOL
Anyhow, my run was very slow. The second half got better. Lifting session was P90X legs and back. I can tell I’ve improved on this workout a lot in the last couple of years.
I just can’t get myself to walk outside when it is super cold and windy, like it was this weekend. I know there is no bad weather, only “bad clothing” but I still don’t enjoy it. So I am happy to stay inside on a bike. And now looking to add more yoga or something to work on my core. Been plagued by lower back pain off and on for years, which I know is because of a weak core and too much sitting for work.
I do miss yoga in a studio. A virtual class is a poor substitute but will have to suffice for now.
Good Morning everyone. I haven’t posted lately but have been very active.
I signed up for a January challenge and that keeps me busy. This is my third year and I am re-thinking it somewhat. On one hand it really makes me mindful of doing something every day. Only miles count so my yoga classes have to be supplemented with walking/running which is fine. What I am struggling with is not feeling like I can take a rest day because you have to do something EVERY day. Also the competition is my age group…I enjoy a bit of healthy competition but its getting out of hand IMO. There are three of us at the top and one person clearly waits to see how much activity I post each day and then makes sure to add just a bit (0.1 mile) more! And another person recorded 45 miles yesterday! Um…OK. Maybe an ultra? Or was that biking? The first year I did this particular challenge a friend and I noticed that there were folks recording 26 miles/day - every day! Is it even possible to do that?
For my own sanity, I have decided that I am going to ignore the standings and just do my 5 miles/day (including at least one mile outside). I can do that for the remaining 6 days. I’m letting the rest go. I’m pretty sure I will not sign up next year.
Oh yes. I can relate. I try to avoid challenges for that reason. I did a step challenge at work and it just went to the extreme between me and one other guy (who I suspect of cheating or padding somehow lol). I wound up running over 100 mpw and walking even more and lifted every day and did yoga. (You got equivalent steps for other activities) it was dumb but I just couldn’t stop. Fortunately, it was only 2-4 weeks or so. And for all of that, what did I win? A duffel bag and an umbrella
I also have to be careful with hard number goals. Because I feel the urge to get ahead in case something goes wrong, and then I figure I should up the goal because obviously it was too low, and then if something does go wrong, I have to push through so I don’t get behind, etc.
LOL @FallGirl that’s laughable. What a piece of work that person must be! I vote also to ignore the leader board. You’re AWESOME without that leader board!!!
I’m as a competitive as the next person, I even have a t-shirt that says “Compete Every Day,” but you have to take rest days for muscle building and recovery.
CA is now mostly in a purple tier and my gym is reopening. We’ve been closed down here for almost two months. I just have to be there before the owner leaves and I’ll be closing up tonight. I just hope that one guy, who never wore a mask, has left the gym forever.
After my post-shingles-shot lull from running, I was back out at the lake trail today. Love being retired! I am able to cherry pick the warmest part of winter days, today in early afternoon. The 35 degree temp did not seem all that appealing, but oh my it was quite lovely with the very strong sunshine. After my normal 5k I ran another 1.7k. I considered going further… but after almost a week of not running it seemed best to not go too far.
Gooooaaaal! When I played competitively, goals were few and far between.
I’m back to my normal local gym for the last two days. While my county and most of CA is now in the lower purple tier, I’m not sure gyms can have any indoor operations. But I’m back anyway.
The owner has activated my key fob and he’s going back to 24/7 access. But he’s going to bring members back slowly. Right now, it’s only me and him. His other partner is gone or now a silent one.
Feels like old times. It’s nice having the entire place to myself. And I can blast the music.
It’s raining and cold here, and the gym has a really solid treadmill. And I actually did some muscle ups, kipping toes to bar and handstand push-ups today, which were almost non-existent at home for the past two months. So happy!
thanks for the reminder @jmnva06 to take my fitbit off the charger. It was there overnight, I did remember it after I had gone to bed but didn’t feel like retrieving it.
My big news is that we found some neoprene dumbells in stock at a walmart! I got 10lbs to bridge the span between my 8s and 15s. DH got 3s, which is a good start, 5lb had been my lowest and he wanted something lighter for some things. I did use the 3s for one exercise which I had been doing without weights. I’ve used the new weights twice and it is a good step up for several things. We also replaced the metal weights with neoprene and sold off all but one set of the metal. Our workout room has hardwood floors so the neoprene are better. The price was good at walmart, $1/lb.
I’ve also continued to do the step ups twice on my walking route. Even when there are people around. I am doing 15 reps each leg each time out and back. Focusing on form. I think I’ll be at this height for quite some time before needing to look for a slightly higher spot. We had snow overnight so it may be a few days before the area is dry.
Good for you and hubby, @jackief , for getting some new weights.
I am wimpy, use low weights. I have sets of 1lb, 2lb, 3lb (most commonly used - sometimes in combo with the 1lb and this week tried 3+2=5 on one of the video the exercises). Alas, I had a 4lb set stashed at the old work gym and left there. I also have a 6lb set, but I have not worked up to them yet.
I do the Fitness Blender Tank Top Arms video (9 minutes). This Reverse Fly pulses is the exercise I find hardest, still using 2lb weights because it is tough for me to maintain form with heavier. But in the beginning I had to do it without weights.
@Colorado_mom that is the exercise I am using the new 3lb-ers for. I could not do it with the 5s so had been just doing it without weights. I can do it with the 3s.
I am still doing an upper body “for strength” but when I want to switch it up I will start doing one “for toning” also
