Downward Facing Wet Dog

I have a little beef with this whole exercise DVD thing.  This morning, I was feeling a little stiff so I popped in my trusty Yoga DVD and started to follow along.  About 15 minutes in, I could feel the sweat start rolling off my back and I looked up to the screen to find that not one of the group of people on my big-screen-you-can-see-every-arm-hair-and-extra-nipple HDTV had even started to break a sweat.  There was no glistening skin, no darkening spandex, no need for a hand towel to mop up a damp brow.

It may surprise you that I have been using this very same DVD for nearly 7 years now and I am just noticing this issue, but I would like to point out that because I've had this disk for so long I rarely actually watch it - I just have it playing so that I can listen to the position changes and not find myself stuck in an Eagle pose for 10 minutes while I get lost in a daydream about chocolate fudge brownies.  Also, I am not observant and even if this same issue has bothered me in the past I have no memory skills, both counts of which my husband will happily confirm.

I ended the routine smelling quite like a wet dog (there's nothing like realizing halfway through your workout that the carpet smells like your dog used it for an extensive back-scratching), and I just had to share this injustice with the internet.  Whether these exercise gurus have the air conditioning turned on full blast in their studio or have had their sweat glands removed is beyond me, but I am going to start a petition to have some production studio intern at least spray them down with a mist of water in the future so that they appear more human, and I feel less like a slimy toad.  Who's with me?

Getting the Workout In

When I woke up this morning, I couldn't muster up the "gumption" to work out.  I found myself wandering around the internet, checking e-mail and making phone calls instead... until finally I puttered through my workout hour and had to move onto other projects.  The day, as far as exercise was concerned, appeared to be doomed.

I did manage to get the workout in though, amazingly enough!  As a part of my project of getting my novel published, I have been asked to read a pile of books to try to classify the book (it's somewhere between adult fiction and romance) and I have been feeling very sloth as I've been curled up with Pooch on the couch and a book.  This afternoon I had a fantastic idea: Why not do squats while reading?  I made it through a few chapters of squats and lunges, and then decided to walk to the grocery store for some odds and ends so I got a mile of walking in too.

Hooray for multi-tasking!

The Poop Walk

Mini-workout rant:

I don't know why it is that when I take Pooch out on the long loop around the neighborhood... 2 and a half miles... he insists on pooping 2 blocks from the house.  It's like he knows that we're going on a long walk and that I will have to carry his steamy gift in a plastic bag for a half hour and takes pleasure in making me do so.

If you haven't already caught it, Pooch and I did the long walk around the neighborhood this morning and I rushed through it in hopes of finding a neighbor's trash can left out and open on the curb after the garbage man drove by.

It's mornings like these when a long hot shower after the workout is much appreciated.  Yuck!

Starting Off On The Right Foot

I woke up bright and early this morning to flip all of my calendars to "March" and get a workout in before moving on to work, errands and family responsibilities.  This drive to start the month off with a 30 minute yoga workout instead of a bucket of doughnuts came from talking to my most beautiful friend, E, about her firefighter training.  After our chat last night I decided that if she can get up in the rain, sleet, hail and snow to run 5 miles a day then I can certainly do some Warrior Stances for a half hour in the comfort of my warm and cozy living room.

When I'm feeling discouraged it often (if not always) helps to know that I'm not the only one trying to get a smaller bottom.  There are many others out there sweating on sidewalks, treadmills, monkey bars and in swimming pools in search of a more fit self.  It makes the whole early morning yoga endeavor seem like part of a movement far bigger than me.  Together, we can find fitness!

Housework and Yoga Go Hand-in-Hand

I began my morning workout by discovering that nothing makes you aware of the need to vacuum more than a poorly-situated Downward Facing Dog.  So it seems that I will be spending a fair portion of this beautiful snowy day indoors tidying up.  I've already gotten my yoga, vacuuming and dusting out of the way but it appears that sweeping, mopping, laundry and dishes are all equal parts of my future.

The nice thing about starting the day with yoga is that once you get used to the poses it isn't an overly thought-consuming activity and it gives you an opportunity to reflect on what you hope to accomplish during the day.  It gives you time to reflect on the things that are going on in your hectic life as you ascend into Eagle Pose, and makes you think that if everyone just took 5 minutes out of their day to perfect Pose of the Dancer then the world would be a much better place.

Another thing yoga in the morning does is punish you for skipping breakfast and remind you sternly that it is the most important meal of the day.  As I type, I am clutching a cereal bowl and vowing that tomorrow I'll eat before I attempt the Warrior Series.

Goodness, Yoga teaches me a lot.

30 Minutes Isn't Really That Long...

This weekend we are celebrating a milestone in M's life... she's turned 50 this week and is embracing her new life with gusto!  Our family decided to start her out on her 50th year on the right foot, so we are headed to the casino for the next two days for fun, gambling, family and delicious eats.

I figured I probably would need whatever extra "feel good" energy I could muster to keep up with her this weekend, so I popped in my Yoga DVD and for the first time this week was able to make it through to the end of a 30 minute session without succumbing to my body's cries for a break.  Whenever I get back into the groove I am amazed at how quickly a 30 minute workout can fly by when you aren't focusing on how hard it is or how sweaty you're getting, and I am glad that I made it to the last Sun Salutation without falling over.

I am hoping (fingers crossed) that I am building workout momentum again.  It feels like I am making more strides in this arena after putting the endeavor on "pause" the last couple of months.  I am glad that even though some days this winter have made fitness seem like an impossible endeavor I never gave up on myself completely.  I think it will be a good year for not only M, but for me as well.

Flexing Fannies

I hit the living room for another round of yoga today and managed to stay on the mat for about 25 minutes before my left knee took on a life of its own and began dancing and wiggling in a kind of muscle spasm I've never seen before.  Rather than push myself through the last 5 minutes of the workout and risk my Jello-knee going completely haywire I did a little cool-down stretching and then walked away.

Unfortunately as the weather has started getting nicer and my friends and family have realized that spring is quickly approaching, our group has become littered with twisted ankles and pulled muscles.  We're all in a rush to get back into our workout routines and while getting back into shape after a winter of hibernating under a stack of pumpkin pies, roasted turkeys and chocolate covered strawberries is rapidly climbing to the top of our list it is best to tread softly during these first few weeks of workout weather.

My knee has stopped jiggling, so I think it's time to hit the showers.  On to the rest of the day!

Leave Your Attitude At The Door (But Please Bring Your Deodorant)

I had a very enjoyable night last night, falling asleep somewhere in the wee hours of the morning only to rise again at the sound of a 6a.m. alarm.  OK, to be fair said alarm was snoozed until 6:30 - but still.

The brief sleep didn't put me in a terrible mood, per se, but it did make getting a move on my morning a difficult proposition.  Especially when it came to the workout.  I debated skipping it altogether, dreaming instead of losing myself in a batch of cheesecake-chocolate-chip cookies courtesy of a certain nephew's school fundraiser.  But my guilt and desire to attempt to stick with my ongoing progress won out in the end.

I made it about ten minutes into my yoga routine when I began thinking, "Huh.  I don't know why I always psyche myself out of working out.  I always feel better once I'm doing it."  This thought was immediately followed by arms going up in an overhead stretch and a smell of... yuck.  I hate it when I forget to put deodorant on before a workout!

I battled through the sleepies (and the smell) until I made it to the end of the routine.  After I put my arms back down to my sides it dawned on me that I no longer feel like a sloth reaching for a morning caffeine kick to jump-start my day.  I'm suddenly awake, feel like I've accomplished something and am ready to take on the next project with gusto.

Funny what a little morning exercise will do.

Weathering the Wii

It was too crisp and chilly outside this morning to convince anyone to head outdoors for an early morning stroll, so instead I grabbed Mr. Kawaii and we worked up a sweat battling each other on the Wii.  5 rounds of tennis got our hearts pounding, and then a set of bowling helped us to cool down.

It's great to have options like Exercise TV, the Wii and workout videos to keep us moving even during icky weather.  It certainly helps me to feel like less of a slouch!

 

A Return to the Living Room

Although I have it on my "Things To Do" list, I haven't yet called the good folks at Oregon Athletic Club to find out about their memberships (Mr. Kawaii was a doll last week and got me an "in" with one of the staff there for a tour and a spin on the treadmill).  I'm hoping to get to it later today, but I just never know what I'm actually going to accomplish in a given day.

I was up and raring to go this morning though, and so I decided to pop in the trusty old Denise Austin Fat Blasting Yoga DVD and give it a whirl.  I haven't visited Digital Denise in months, and haven't been practicing much yoga at all recently and it showed within the first several seconds of the workout.  I hadn't realized how tight my body had gotten until the first downward facing dog when I realized I had to really work to touch my toes!

I pulled through the end of the DVD, barely managing to bend myself into some of the poses, and decided that I need to bring yoga back into my workout focus at least a couple times a month to keep things limber.  I'm probably also not stretching enough before or after my other workouts, so I'm going to work on focusing on that as well.  Hopefully I'll be able to bend into a pretzel by Christmas!

My Final Day At Curves

(Yesterday) My third workout with Curves also marked the end of my week trial of their gym, and it was with a mixture of excitement and determination that I went into my workout feeling like I had no choice but to make the most of the workout.  I pushed, pulled, huffed and puffed my way through my final 30 minute circuit; halfway through realizing that my shoes were dirty and were leaving a trail of sawdust and paintball residue from walking the indoor field at Warpaint International on Tuesday... (oops)  And then I continued on working out as hard as I could without stepping, kicking or jumping too hard in an attempt to keep more gunk from falling off my shoes.

By the end of the workout, I had solidified that while I can see the value in the "sisterhood" at Curves and their ability to cram a low-impact total body workout into 30 minutes, I don't think that their gym is for me long term.  I get bored of exercise easily, and so I need a wide variety of activity to keep me engaged and willing to stretch beyond the comfort of my couch.

I do applaud the women at Curves for their dedication to changing their lives through exercise, and the people who have created the workout circuit for finding a way to help women get over the "scariness" of beginning a workout routine.  I am sure that I'll head back to Curves to visit in the future since I have met some great ladies there, and hopefully we'll all be a few steps closer to our weight and lifestyle goals!

(Today) The weather seems to be... maintaining... for the moment anyway.  Showers are in our future, and hopefully they will hold off long enough for M and I to spend some time in the garden.  K and I should be walking again tonight too, and I can't wait to hear more about the 10k she completed a couple of weeks ago!  Nothing makes you feel better about your decision to exercise than meeting physically challenging milestones head-on and coming out a winner!

Round 2 At Curves

I found myself with a very busy day ahead of me, and an appointment at Curves at 10:30.  I was determined to not reschedule the workout even though I worried it would impede me getting back for a business meeting on time, and left 15 minutes early in hopes that if I started a bit early I'd get back in time to get down to business.

Sure enough, there was a slot for me in the Curves circuit to get started a little early and I dove right into the workout.  I've decided that the benefit of the structured 30 minute workout routine that Curves has set up is that it's always only 30 minutes.  I can see how the program would work well for someone who has a busy schedule and doesn't know how they'd spend hours and hours at a gym each week between jobs, husbands, kids and regular "life" activities.  Cheers to Curves for carving out a program that's perfect for women on the go!

I did try to push the equipment as hard as it would let me go today, after some assurance from one of the trainers that "you can't break it".  I was able to really put my muscle into each of the machines and get my heart rate up within just a couple of minutes of starting, and maintain it throughout the workout.

Now that I've got the workout out of the way, it's time to hit the desk and crank out some projects.  Yay work!

Aha, Curves! I got you!

So on my third trip to Curves, now that introductions and paperwork are out of the way, I had the pleasure of being introduced to the Curves workout machines and 30 minute circuit.  Stacy (my lovely morning Curves trainer) showed me around the small gym and gave me a demo of each of the machines, helping me to get my stance and form correct and showing me that hydraulics are man's best friend when it comes to changing machines ever 30 seconds.

The gist of the Curves circuit is pretty simple.  They have 13 strength training machines, interspersed with "recovery stations".  You use each machine for 30 seconds (music in the gym includes a timer to tell you when your time is up), then move to the next machine or recovery station.  The combination of the machines gives you a workout that reaches your entire body, and the recovery stations give you a chance to walk, dance or jog your body loose between exercises. (Click here to see the circuit for yourself)

I was more than a little skeptical about the effectiveness of the Curves machines initially, wondering how they could give an effective workout to women of varying fitness levels since there is absolutely no adjustment to weight, resistance, height or depth of any of the machines.  Stacy explained that Curves' machines work entirely on hydraulics, so the harder you push against the machines the harder they push back, and so you manage the intensity of your workout yourself.

Some of the machines were familiar to me from my experiences at gyms in the past, and some of them were new contraptions that had I not had instruction on, I may have never figured them out.  In the end, all of the equipment was easy to use and I had a healthy sweat going by the time my 30 minutes were up.  In addition to getting my workout done, I felt like I got to know a couple of the ladies at the gym and I can already tell that it isn't just a place the women go to work out; it's also a place that they go to escape judgement, catch up with friends and take a break from everything going on in their lives.

I look forward to my next two scheduled workouts.  We'll see where they take me!