Workouts abound

This week working out has been good.

Monday: 30 minute walking intervals on the treadmill - what a workout for walking! We started at an incline of 5 @ 3.5mph and every minute increase the incline by 1 up to 15 and then back down. 3 times. Except I only did up to 10 and back down twice. Then we did about 5 minutes of abs.
Tuesday: 30-40 minutes of kettle bells. My friend is teaching me the way of the bell. It's fun.
Wednesday: 20 minutes on an elliptical, 5-10 minutes of abs, 1 hour of kickboxing at night
Thursday: 20 minutes of kettle bells, about 30 seconds of abs. We were beat. 2 hours of shopping in the evening.

For week one we did pretty good. I'm sore all over today. Kind of petered out towards the end, but we worked out at 6AM every day. We did something at least. Next week I sense greater success!

The only somewhat sad part is that I didn't run at all. I was busy most nights so wasn't able to get out. I'll run on Saturday and/or Sunday. I've enjoyed my no-goal-oriented running. That's why I'm only somewhat sad that I didn't run. All the other workouts were fun and good.

I'd like to go to this class called STRIKE on Monday nights at the gym, I'd like to incorporate at least 1 weekly yoga session, the perfect amount would be to run 3X a week, I'm interested in the kickboxing I did on Wednesday - doing that once a week, continuing with the 6AM workouts is a must, an occasional spin class would be fun and I'd like to get back to the abs workout class on Saturdays or Sundays. Oh and swimming - one or two sessions of swimming would be fun! And bike riding; I like to bike ride. And that's it. Obviously all of that is NOT going to happen. So how do I schedule it all, or plan for it all to happen occasionally? I guess I have to prioritize and rank. Like spin, STRIKE, swimming might only be a once a month kind of thing.

The most important thing is that I have a positive outlook towards working out again. That's a step in the right direction.

Onward and upward

I was in somewhat of a time crunch on Saturday so I ran a little over 4 miles instead of 5. My goal for next weekend will be to make it around 2 lakes. This morning I went to the gym before work and it felt really good. A person really does motivate themselves by doing. If I were to sit around and wait for the motivation to strike, I'd probably still be sitting. Over the past 4 months I have attempted countless times to start a new regimen, only to "seriously this time" start again the next week. I feel like I've been trying to stand up after lounging in a super cushy papasan chair or something. I tried to hoist myself up and out so many times, and many times when I fell back in I just thought - OK, I'll rest up and attempt to get out later. Other times I would try several times in a row, only to fall back into the cushion in frustration.

I feel like I finally made it out of that chair though. So that's the struggle with motivation. You just have to keep pushing and pushing and believe that one day you will get out again. I just keep thinking it's not over yet. I'm only a quitter when I quit trying.

It's going

Monday: ran 3 miles
Wednesday: Walked Lake Calhoun
Thursday: ran Lake Calhoun

Saturday: Run 5ish miles

I am pleased. Not tickled, but content. It's not easy, but I just keep reminding my self to enjoy. Enjoy the outdoors, enjoy running and the sites. Just have fun. Because if I don't have fun, I get tired and think about how far back I am and how I just want to be faster, better, stronger. Instead, just be. As I am just doing, just be. And that is going well.

I can't remember the last time I just exercised simply because it felt good. For the past 3-4 years I've had a goal. To run this race or that event. When I first started to lose weight I exercised for weight loss. Then I had goals. But what about running because I just like it. I just want to. I have enjoyed running these past years or I would have stopped long ago, but still - there has always been a goal. So in the tradition of letting go, not being afraid to lose, I'm just running and exercising focusing on the feel good aspect of it. For the sheer enjoyment.

This is not easy. I don't always WANT to go to the gym or go running. But I'm trying to remain focused on why I am doing these things. Goals are great. They give you the extra nudge you need to keep going. Don't give up on goals. I'm not. I'm just trying a new angle. Which, when I think about it is just another method to keep me going.

Serioulsy though, did the change the distance around Lake Calhoun? What is it, 3.5, 3.8 miles around now? I don't remember it EVER taking me 38 minutes to run it. But it did yesterday. Huh. No change? It's me? Huh.