On Exercising

As I drive to work each morning, I typically pass no less than 5 people out jogging, walking, running, biking, skateboarding etc.. some look fit, while others look like they are taking control of their lives one step at a time. 

The woman I passed this morning, made me want to give her a smile and thumbs up, she looked hot, sweaty but determined to get her work out in. I didn't though. I should have. 

There is nothing quite like sitting in an office for eight hours that is more motivation for exercise. For me at least. I've been here three weeks already and I'm conspiring ways to get up and move more. That and my love affair with caffeine is at an all time high and i'm not loving the effects of that. 

Not to mention, the hours make it more convenient to think about these types of things. 

So the question is "what" do I want to take up? 

I've been really attracted to Yoga lately. Not sure why exactly, perhaps it has to the do with the lack of sweat that most Yogaites seem to demonstrate, and I would really like to become more fle.xible...(DON'T let your mind run) But I'd have to find a class, and pay for it and etc.. so maybe not. 

Zumba sounds like fun, but I'm afraid I'll be the only person under 40. (stereotyping I know. I'm sorry!) 

Spinning .... there's that... 

And of course there is always running. Long time readers know that I trained for a 5k back in 2012, and subsequently ran four 5ks since then. Running bores me however, maybe it was just running a track, or maybe it was my running partner moved away, maybe it was the change of jobs we both experienced, and the subsequent schedule change. 

Whatever the ultimate reason, I haven't really wanted to pick it back up until now. 

Now I have a whole campus just waiting to be ran, and a canine companion that needs the exercise. 

But do I really want to get back into that hot, sweaty, side stitching, leg cramping, knee killing, breath stealing exercise? 

That, my friend, is the question. 

Mission Accomplished.

Couch to 5k week 5 is officially on the books, and ladies I must say I am LOVING working out in the morning! While my spurts of energy after workouts aren't lasting as long as I would like (perhaps because I am not eating right, or perhaps because I go and sit for five hours straight) but its so nice to have my evenings free, and to be ABLE to go to bed at a reasonable time. Not that that has happened, but the potential is there you know?

Its so nice to get to work feeling refreshed though! :)

Weekly Stats: 

Day 1  
5 minute warm-up, Jog for 5 mins, Walk for 3 mins, Jog for 5 mins, Walk for 3 mins, Jog for 5 minutes
2.46 miles @ 12:31 per mile  


Day 2 
5 minute warm-up, Jog for 8 mins, Walk for 5 mins, Jog for 8 mins
2.43 miles @ 12:34 per mile  


Day 3 
5 minute warm-up, Jog for 20 mins
2.59 miles @ 11:33 per mile 


At this point, I want to publicly apologize to all those joggers I made fun of over the years, for going so slowly, for not really working out, etc.. I was wrong. Way wrong. I was naive, I had no idea how hard it really is. Please except my humble apologies and I bow to your greatness.

We have a couple more days of interval training then they are sending us out to pound pavement for the full time. I didn't even run the whole 20 minutes this morning, throwing in two minutes of walking before jogging the remaining time. For the first time in.. ever.. I actually felt I was going to throw up right before it told us to walk again. Guess that will teach me not to eat/drink anything (little) before I dash out of the house!

This week I really want to focus on eating a more balanced diet. I believe I've blogged about my sporadic eating habits before, now adding a calorie burning, exercise and my bad habits are catching up with me. More veggies (gag), more fruit less processed. No soda.

Wish me luck?

I'll need it!

Back in Shape

"I want you whipped into shape 

When I say jump, say "How high?" 

You'll know you're doing it right 

When you start to cry 

If you don't look like you should 

You've got to whip it, whip it, whip it good 

I'm sorry, ladies, no escape 

Til you're whipped into shape!"

- Whipped into Shape 

[Legally Blonde the Musical]

 Guys, I'm about to do something I've never done before.

Now I've always been classified as "skinny". However, I will be the first to tell you skinny does not equal in shape. High Metabolism? A lack in the food department? Yep. But Not "fit". I liked to think I was, and for a while I worked jobs were I had to be very active, so I could do..a bit more than your average couch potato. I used to walk 9 flights of stairs.. for fun! If I needed to get anywhere on campus, this girl would opt to walk faster than ride.

However, since I "dropped out" of school, in December I have embraced the title of couch potato. The only reason I haven't picked up major weight (I've put on a few more pounds than I have in the last couple of years combined), is due to my eating habits, which are spotty at best.

Seriously people? Eating is expensive! Not to mention time consuming! 

It wasn't until I was walking up the TWO FLIGHTS of stairs to our parking garage, that I suddenly realized I was.. winded? I literally stopped walking as I tried to catch my breath. Honestly!? What in the world has happened too me?
At that point, I knew I had to do something, I just didn't know what.

Sometime over the last couple of weeks or so, I? mentioned the couch-to-5k to Rebekah as something I'd thought about doing, when another friend urged us on, we decided we'd do this thing together. I'd wanted to do it earlier in the year, but once again, it was one of those things I pushed off to do.... later.

However, doing this with a friend, we are accountable to each other.. which is good for me..

Last night we both "officially" started the training program. We'd both "tested" it out the week before, but this was the week we'd set for our official start date. I, personally, was proud of us for actually starting and not pushing it off.

So our plan is to run the Butterfly Fund 5k to benefit East Tennessee Children's Hospital on August 21st. I'm excited!

Week 1 Day 1 - Stats
Last night I did 1.93 miles in 15:38 minutes a mile.
I actually felt pretty good, and wasn't gasping for breath as I'd been the first time I attempted this.
However more concerning (for me) was the calories I burned during that... 403. I can't burn that much? I barely consumed that much food yesterday, so obviously I'm going to have to do something about that.

Once I pay my bills.

....

#grownupproblems