A Week of Unrecorded Progress

Well, it's been a long and active week... so active that I haven't had time to sit down at the computer to record any of it!

This past weekend, M and K and I went out to the coast for a few days.  On our getaway weekend we helped to spiff up K's beach house with some painting and closet cleaning, as well as a nice walk on the beach.  The weather was gorgeous, and the company was divine.  We came home rested, worked out and ready for a nap!

Then Monday was all about helping M move into her new apartment, so Mr. Kawaii and I spent the morning running up and down a flight of stairs with our arms full of boxes and the afternoon unloading, unpacking, cleaning and lining the shelves of M's new place.  It is a great little apartment, and once we helped to get her unpacked it felt like more of a home than her last place.  So happy to see her growing her independence with this move!

Yesterday we were back in the office, trying to get some work done between naps... and today... well, I am going to do my best to get a walk in but I certainly am not in a position to make any promises!

Walk This Way....

There is nothing that calms one's nerves after a long day at the office like a walk through the neighborhood with a friend.  Something about the combined movement of body, and the ability to vent unencumbered about annoyances big and small brings a sense of relief from the daily grind.

T and I walked about 2.5 miles (she also walked to my house and back home - she knows how to show that sidewalk who's boss).  The weather was nice, although the spring blooms did start to get to our various allergy senses near the end of the loop, and I was glad to retreat back indoors to escape the terror of pollen.  It was a beautiful evening, and I am resolved to have more of these walking excursions to keep my momentum.

I'm also feeling a little high today because I was able to bring my new belt down one more notch.  Score.

The Garden Is Growing

I spent a couple of hours out in the yard this morning with M, doing our best to chop through the overgrown bushes and rake up the leaves that have been hanging out on the ground since... October.  The time flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for lunch!  Although the dent in the yard work isn't a huge one, it is finally Springtime and so no longer is foul weather a valid excuse for failing to go outside and be in nature.

Today the bushes were conquered... tomorrow we head back outside for some paintball! :)

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?

Feeling the CRUNCH!

Continuing to browse through the many exercise video offerings of Netflix, this morning I worked out along with Crunch Fat-Burning Pilates.  The Crunch workouts are classically some of my favorite routines, and I have used their workout videos off and on for nearly 15 years.  I recently discovered that Crunch also opened a gym within an hour of my house, and I am struggling with the urge to check it out since I know it is too far for me to visit regularly should I fall in love with it.

But I digress.  I have never really gotten into Pilates, but the Crunch workout married it with a cardio routine to make it feel a bit more familiar to me.  The first 20 minutes really got my heart pumping and sweat beating, and then the last 20 minutes which was a purely Pilates routine made my core scream... in a good way!  The good news is that I got the workout in and completed it from start to finish, something I doubted I'd be able to do because of an achy shoulder (I really do wish I'd stop getting older). Now I'm crunched on time and late for my next To-Do, but at least I'm worked out!

Wii Played

Mr. Kawaii and I had an unsuccessful round of house hunting this afternoon, and when we came home we had to decide if we were going to hang our heads in mopey despair or find some other way to blow off some steam. In a moment of brilliant healthy and proactive thought, we decided to turn on the Wii and play some Wii Sports games to shake the blues out of our systems.

A few rounds of tennis, 9 holes of golf and a game of bowling later, we both felt much better about the world in general.  It is amazing how a little jumping, waving and twitching around the living room makes the world seem a little brighter.

Dancing Away the Morning

This morning I was having some difficulty getting into motion (is it just me, or does it seem that most mornings are that way?) and as I scrolled through the many selections for my daily workout I struggled to find one that could inspire me to get up off the couch and up on my feet.

I finally stumbled upon some dance videos and decided, why not?  I got started with Dance Off the Inches - Tummy Tone Party Zone with Marie Forleo, intending on spending 15 minute or so moving around the living room.  Just enough time to say I gave a workout a shot.

45 minutes and three segments later, I am winded and sweaty, and surprised that I was able to keep moving well beyond what I had intended.  And my abs are KILLING me!

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!

This Workout Brought to you by... Netflix

Recently, Mr. Kawaii and I joined the golden age of video rental by joining Netflix.  Although it's been around for years now, it took our local video rental store closing down for us to finally make the leap to give Netflix a try.  As we have been browsing through the instant downloads on our Xbox, I noticed that there are quite a few workout videos available to watch instantly, and DVDs available by mail.

This morning when I poked my head out the door and a blast of cold air hit me in the face, I decided to stay in and give the Netflix queue a try.  I quickly found Self: Bikini Ready Fast! and decided to give it a shot.  It was a pretty low-impact strength training workout, and I pulled my trusty Kidney Bean cans out of the cabinet to substitute for weights.  It was easy to follow along, and I was SUPREMELY pleased when at the end of the exercise the instructor gave tips on eating a healthy diet including a little bit of everything.  She spoke of the importance of including fats, carbs, protein and fiber into well-rounded eating habits as well as giving ourselves a break now and again to splurge on our favorite foods.

With all the hype of wildly popular shows like The Biggest Loser focusing on how to lose as much weight as possible - and fast - a big gap has been left for people who are looking for sustainable solutions.  Restrictive diets and hours-long exercise routines are difficult for most people to follow for more than a few weeks at a time, and it takes a big reality check for those of us who need to come to terms with understanding that eating 1,100 calories and spending 3 hours at the gym every single day is just not something we can do.

I have learned over the last year that the most difficult and rewarding part of living a healthy lifestyle is finding patience.  We need patience for ourselves so that we can move at our own pace and find long-lasting results, we need patience for others who think we aren't getting "enough" results and we need patience for our bodies to know that they will change in their own way and time.  Changing the way we live is a very difficult task, which is why so few people are able to see their goals through to the end.  The most important thing for me, and for you, is to just keep trying.  We'll get there when we get there!

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!

Get 'Er Done!

I've been feeling a little... sloth lately.  It's been difficult with the cold weather and abundance of yummy holiday treats to get motivated to keep with the workout instead of curling up on the couch and eating chocolates, and I've got to admit that the couch and chocolates have been winning the battle more and more lately.

I talked to T about my lethargy this morning and she reminded me that it's those days when we'd just rather stay in bed that we need to get out and do something the most.  With a heavy sigh, I agreed, and because of our chat I pulled together all the energy and determination I could muster.  The result?  20 minutes of Yoga on my "done" list for the day and a healthy dose of sweaty reminder that I can do this stuff!

Now I'm off to battle the rest of my day, but wanted to pass my exercise endeavors onto the internet before I forgot.  If you're having the same problem of getting your workout going, fear not! You are not alone.  Together we can fight the flab and win!

Walking and Contemplation

I haven't been doing a great job of blogging (obviously), but I have been trying to get a little activity in as my back has been healing.  Gettting in a few squats here and there, burning calories cleaning up the house after my time stuck in bed and taking short walks have helped me to feel less like a bump on a log.

During the clean sweep of the house, I managed to find a very old roll of film that has been floating around the house for years, and after many reminders from my mom I was able to finally remember to drop it off to get it developed.  After another week, I finally remembered to pick UP said pictures from Walgreens and Mr. Kawaii and I sat down to go through them last night.

The photos ended up being from waaay back during the first Christmas Mr. Kawaii and I spent together (4 years ago).  It was fun to look back to the beginning of our relationship together, but inevitably the thing that I paid the most attention to was how thin I was 4 years ago.  I've gained a solid 50 pounds from that Christmas, and at first I got a little down on myself for my "failure" but on my walk this morning I re-thought my stance.

Back when those photos were taken, Mr. Kawaii and I had only been together a few months.  Just a year before, I had gone through a terrible divorce.  I spent months walking between 3 and 6 miles a day in addition to going to the gym and doing an hour of yoga every morning... I worked out constantly because I was miserable and quite honestly couldn't afford to do anything else.  I was in great shape, but I was unhappy.  I had no friends, no money, was at risk of losing my apartment and was very unsure of whether or not I'd get another paycheck.  Life sucked, and although I fit into some really cute size 8 jeans back then, there is no way I'd want to go back.

I reminded myself again that I haven't gained any more weight in 12 months - which is a huge improvement to where I was, gaining 15 to 20 pounds a year.  All I have to do is keep focusing on finding time in my schedule to get exercise in and continue eating appropriate portions and I'll be able to watch that waistline start to shrink.  I can do it!

It's Raining! It's... Sunny?

I had a strange walk this morning, 2 miles around the block through what seems to have been a wide enough loop to go through a couple of weather cycles.

It was nice and warm this morning (a balmy 53 degrees last I checked) so I headed out into the world to get a walk in before buckling down for a consultation with a tax accountant.  I'm trying to get myself psyched up for a chat about tax filings, exemptions and deductions and I figured I should put my best face forward.  So, to get clear-headed and pumped full of energy I hit the pavement in what started out as a light sprinkle.

About halfway through the walk I was suddenly drenched as the cool, calming sprinkle turned into a sudden downpour.  The benefit of the downpour was that it inspired me to walk faster... and I apparently walked so fast that I escaped the cloud altogether because the skies broke loose and sun spewed forth!  My walk ended with me wet, warm, sweaty and wondering... is Mother Nature off her meds?

Round Two!

Lo and behold, I was able to make another trek outside today!  Another mile down on the road to fitness, and another great burst of energy that has helped me through a hectic day at the office.  One thing that I have noticed is that even after taking a couple of weeks off of my quest for a smaller bottom, going a mile just doesn't take very long.  Roughly 15 minutes or so and I'm done!  This got me thinking today; as someone who seems to never take the chance to take a "real" break from work, perhaps I should push myself to do a 15 minute stroll 2 or 3 times a day to get my labor-laws taken care of AND my workout at the same time!

Should do... but will I?  Only time will tell.

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.

ReBooting the 21 Day Yoga Challenge

As it often happens, the day after I initially started the 21 day Denise Austin Fat Blasting Yoga challenge I came down with a terrible chest/head cold that kept me in bed for almost a full week.  Even though I've been up and about for a couple of days now, anything too strenuous was sending me into coughing fits and so I avoided exercise like the plague.

It wasn't until this morning that I felt confident in giving yoga another shot and re-starting the challenge to follow a 1 hour yoga routine 3 times a week for 3 weeks.  I blew my nose, grabbed a glass of water and very tentatively started the workout.  I made it through most of the hour, only having to take a couple of breaks to de-congest after hanging out in a downward-facing-dog position for a little bit too long, and surprisingly feel better now than I did when I woke up.  The tightness in my chest and back is still there from all the congestion and a week of coughing, but it is lessened and I feel much less stiff in my shoulders and neck as well.

I am hopeful that the gentle exercise will help to jump-start my ability to breathe fully again, and hopefully wipe out the remains of my cold before I head out to play paintball in the rain on Saturday.  The idea of shooting wet elves and reindeer with my paintball marker during a drizzle will sound much more appealing if I'm not having to blow my nose on soggy tissue paper the entire afternoon.

Sweating Out the Turkey

After a few of days of nothing but turkey, yams and apple pie, I figured it was probably time to get back into the workout groove.  Luckily, when I woke up this morning I was full of energy and ready to go, so I ran with the feeling and popped Denise Austin's Fat Blasting Yoga in and pushed play before I had a chance to talk myself out of it.

Even though it's been a while since I last practiced any yoga poses, my body fell right back into it as if it hadn't taken a break at all.  I couldn't believe that I had enough energy and strength to complete the first segment, let alone all three, but here I sit an hour later with every muscle stretched and pose completed (except for the one where you sit cross-legged and push your body off the floor with your hands - that is just crazy talk).

When I first purchased this particular workout DVD years ago, it came with a 21 day challenge.  "In 21 days, you'll see great results," Denise promises at the beginning of the program.  So, what the heck.  I haven't done a fitness challenge in a while so I think I'll give it a go.  I've got nothing to lose but inches 'round the middle!

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!