Fit To Be Tied

I am not a gym rat. Not by a long shot. But for the last few months, my face has become a lot more familiar to the staff at my gym. Here’s what I’ve been doing the most of lately:

ZUMBA
Zumba is awesome! It gets you moving, burns tons of calories, and it’s FUN! If you find a good teacher, the hour will fly by! My teacher gets my heart rate up in the 180s for about 75% of the class. Love it!

RUNNING
I have started (and stopped) Couch to 5K about 897 times. OK really like 4, but still. I want to complete a whole set for once in my life and actually *gasp* run a 5k! I am currently farther than any other attempt I’ve made in the past. I am on week 6 of Ease into 5K (a different version of c25k with the same premise).  Just today I did Day 2 of this week.  I ran 10 minutes, walked 3, then ran 10 more minutes.  It was challenging but not unachievable.  My next run is just exactly that…a run.  I’m up to the daunting part of the training.  I warm up for 5 minutes then…run.  For 20 minutes.  Straight.  Yikes!  I’ll let you know how I do.

YOGA
I have never really been a yogi.  In fact, up until about two weeks ago I hadn’t really done yoga.  Not officially anyhow.  I had gone to a couple yogalates classes at my gym, but I really wanted to try a straight yoga class.  It’s definitely more challenging than I expected, but I really liked it!  The problem with this class is that it’s at 7p on Monday.  When Jake was going to bed early (and by early I mean 6:30p) it wasn’t a problem, but he stays up until 8p these days.  I just can’t miss hanging out with my buddy to go to yoga.  Luckily, my gym has introduced a new class at 11p on Fridays.  This will leave me just enough time to shower and get to work after if I close that day!

NEW OPTIONS
There are several things I haven’t really included in my workout routine that I am looking into these days.  One is P90X.  I’m still not convinced I want to start this program, but I might.  One of my coworkers loaned me his copy of it to try out.  I decided to complete Couch to 5k first before I attempt P90X as I want to actually finish Couch to 5k for once in my life.  I’m nearly there.  Then, I will think about starting P90X.

Another option I’m considering is checking out Pure Barre.  I’ve heard lots of good (and bad) things about this class.  Well, not really bad per se.  I’ve just heard it’s difficult at first.  One of my old coworkers told me she loved it, though it is tough at first.  I read on the website that the first class is free, so what’s there to lose?  If you don’t know what Pure Barre is:

Pure Barre is the fastest, most effective way to change the shape of your body. Using small isometric movements at the ballet barre set to motivating music, Pure Barre lifts your seat, tones your thighs, abs and arms and burns fat in record breaking time. Clients see results in just 10 classes, lose inches in weeks and have fun doing it!

Pure Barre was founded by dancer, choreographer and fitness guru, Carrie Rezabek Dorr. Carrie opened her first studio in the basement of an office building in Birmingham, MI in 2001. With no initial clients, staff, signage or even a bathroom, Carrie has grown Pure Barre in to the company it is today.  -From the Pure Barre Website

Finally, and probably most importantly, I am trying to spend as much time playing with Jake as possible.  Chasing a toddler around is fun and a workout in itself!  He could probably make me burn more calories than any other exercise program out there!  Last Sunday before work, we took a long walk to a local playground.  The playground is a mile away so I loaded him up in his wagon and we walked down there.  After we played a bit, I loaded him back up and we walked home.  I didn’t exert myself, I didn’t even try to walk fast.  But in 75 minutes I burned nearly 600 calories!  Bonus!

Basically, I am just trying to move more lately.  Instead of coming home and sitting until it’s time to go to bed, I find myself leaving the house at 8p after Jake goes to bed to hit the gym.  I like going to the gym that late because there’s not a whole ton of people crowding the machines.  I also feel like I can take my time and really focus on my workout instead of constantly thinking I need to rush home or rush to work.

I feel better about my health than I have in several years and I love the results I’m seeing!  I’ve lost 12 pounds since January 1.  I still have a ways to go, but seeing the results makes me want to work that much harder!

What is your favorite workout?  What new things are you hoping to try in the future?

I Like to Move It, Move It

If you don’t know, I have been spending a lot more time on Twitter lately (@OneGirlsTaste).  Part of the reason is to connect with other bloggers (and part because I like tweeting funny pictures of myself and the boy).

One day, after clicking around on the Internet, I landed on Fitness Cheerleader’s blog a day writing challenge.  Basically she listed out a bunch of topics and you wrote about each one on the given day.  Now, being as I don’t write a daily blog, I didn’t have answers to all the questions, and I just found the article about 2/3 the way through the month, I am not going to be participating.  Or am I?

I looked at each of the questions and picked several out that I could use as inspiration for those times that I don’t have a recipe or an update to share.  Today is one of those times.  It’s really quite handy to have a list of blog topics at your disposal!  I’m very excited she is going to continue this into September.

I chose to talk about workout songs today.  I am one of those people that has to listen to music to really get going at the gym or outside.  Fast, upbeat music makes my feet faster, my heart rate speed up, and just makes me happy in general.  Here are the top 5 workout songs that really get my feet flying:

1.  Hurricane Streets – Hey Monday

hurricane streets

2.  Ignorance – Paramore

ignorance

3.  Got It Made – Theory of a Deadman

got it made

4.  Can’t Stop – Maroon 5

can’t stop

5.  Stronger – Kanye West

Bonus Song:  Real World – The All-American Rejects  (probably my favorite running song)

Man, listening to all these songs this morning has made my feet itch to go for a run!

What is your favorite running/workout song?  What gets your feet moving?

Race to a Healthy, Happy Me

A few weeks ago, my life looked a little different.  I would go to work, come home, and sit.  Sure, I would play with my child and cook dinner for my husband and myself, but the thought of working out was just not present.

Yes, I had a baby almost eight (!!) months ago and it was definitely past time to start getting myself healthy, but I just couldn’t bear the thought of being on my feet at my retail job every day and then coming home to do even more physical movement.  I already had the tasks of making dinner, cleaning, doing laundry, taking care of my boys, etc on my list.  Could I really add another one?

I thought long and hard about adding in some exercise.  Well, actually it was a pretty short internal conversation:

Me:  I hate feeling tired all the time.  I have to work on my feet all day.  Why do I need to come home and do more physical movement?

Me:  You want to know WHY you’re so tired?  You’re out of shape!  If you get your butt in gear, maybe you’ll find energy you never knew you had.  And WHY should you do more movement?  To get healthy!  Duh!  You want to be a good role model for your little boy, right?  That’s why you make healthy dinners.  That’s why you keep the house clean.  That’s why you try to make healthy decisions, right?  Well, exercise is all part of that, my friend.  Now MOVE!

Me:  But I really don’t want to.  I’m fine the way I am.

Me:  Remember that picture you took when you were at a healthy weight and not classified as obese?

Right, that one.  You’re not gonna get that way by sitting on your butt.  Make a decision.  Be fat and lazy or be healthy and in shape!  Whatever your decision, just shut up and do it!

So, after that dialogue I made my decision.  Healthy and in shape is definitely the choice I choose.  I went to the gym the next day and started Couch to 5k!

Now, telling myself to move is one thing.  Having motivation that pushes me is another.  When Jo‘s husband said he was running in the Ghost and Goblin 5k in October, I made my second great decision.  I would sign up to run in it.  Before I could talk myself out of it, I paid the $20 and joined.  No turning back now!

Then, a few days ago, my manager told me our community at work was creating a group to walk in the Step Out Walk to Stop Diabetes.  Walgreens is an avid supporter of walking and getting healthy.  This is just one more way to get the word out there.  I immediately agreed to walk!

Last weekend, Jeff, Jake, and I went to visit Carolyn in Louisville.  While at breakfast at Wild Eggs (if you live in Louisville, you MUST go!), all these people had on white shirts covered in splotches of color.  What the heck?  Carolyn informed me there was a race called the Color Run that weekend.  Basically the concept is to run the 5k while being splattered with paint powder.  I’d never heard of such a thing, but it looked really fun!

(source)

Well, this morning I was talking to a different friend who mentioned there was a color run coming up in Cincinnati in October!  Yay!  I watched the video below and started to get really excited.

Please tell me…who wouldn’t want to be a part of “the happiest 5k on the planet”?  I’m stoked!

So, my friends, the morale of the story is I made the decision to be a healthy, happy me.  I started running again, I started going back to Zumba, I started eating better.  Basically I started caring for myself again.

And I’ve never been happier.

How are you making yourself a healthier, happier you?