New Kicks

by Heidi on January 26, 2012

It was time for new sneaks. I could feel it in my bones and my knees.

So this weekend, I went out and used my LivingSocial deal for Fleet Feet in Annapolis.

First of all, this was by far the best shoe buying experience ever. I mean, I’m sure if I were to go into the Jimmy Choo store in Copley one of these trips up to Boston, I’d get one on one treatment but the Fleet Feet Staff was AMAZING and so informative and explained form and gait and all that fun stuff so well. I knew it all kind of but it was all laid out in layman’s terms so well.

I wanted to try a pair of New Balance Minimus but they showed me a pair Newton shoes and I loved them. Newton’s have a thing called Action/Reaction technology which is super intriguing and based on the thought that:

When using the ultra-efficient Land-Lever-Lift natural running gait of a midfoot or forefoot strike, the technology absorbs and then returns energy back to you. It’s a revolutionary way of building a running shoe based on Sir Isaac Newton’s Third Law of Motion: “For every ACTION, there is an equal and opposite REACTION.”

The whole light weight natural style running (which is similar to the Vibrams running phenomenon) style does have an adjustment period. I decided to do a run walk workout tonight. I knew I wanted to go for a run after my thing that I had this afternoon, it was good to just clear my head. Not to mention I did notice

Newton has some pretty basic tips to switching over and not injure yourself. You can also find more info about natural running over here.

I ran 2.78 miles in 35 minutes running for 1/2 mile and then walking for 2-3 minutes.

It felt really good. The only pain is in my calves which I think is to be expected since you’re changing your running form and using completely different muscles so they’re a little tight but I’m not going to run tomorrow so that’ll help and while I want to run 7 miles this weekend I might stick with a shorter run so that I can break in my sneaks more over the next two weeks before I officially start training for my next half marathon.

Have you tried anything close to natural style running? Vibrams or other minimalist running sneakers? How did you adjust?

Also of note can we note that every time I think of running, I can’t help but get this song stuck in my head.

All the other kids…

{PS This review is not at all sponsored by Newton nor did anyone ask me to write it. This was written by me. For free with no compensation or any free goods from Newton. I paid the OBSCENE amount for the sneaks (about $40 above my usual sneaker budget) so take that FTC.}

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 0 comments }

Weigh In Wednesday

by Heidi on January 25, 2012

It’s back jack! My weekly accountability post if you will. Huzzah! (Insert confetti here)

This morning I got up super early to get to work super early since I have to leave a bit early. I thought, as I dozed off on the bus that I was on the bus before I usually wake up. If I could do that every day? I could totes get my butt up.

I weighed in this morning at 142.2

Starting weight (10 lb challenge weight): 143 (i think?)
week 1 – 142.2

I’ve been weighing in each morning and I got as low as 138.8 this weekend but then I took two days off, drank a shit ton of  beer Saturday night and haven’t worked out since Sunday.

Sooo there’s that. I did great tracking my food last week. This week? Not so much. I did great about getting all my workouts in last week. This week? I didn’t plan and have had a lot of other things on my mind mainly a couple of very important meetings. We’ll leave it at that.

Dealing with Setbacks…

The past few days are just a couple of minor set backs. Instead of working out on Monday, I Google Video chatted with the husband which really really made my day, week, life. We’re one month out from my trip to San Antonio and I couldn’t be more stoked. All I have to do is just pick myself up, and strap on my new sneaks and break ‘em in! But you know, everyone deserves a break. If you’re not feeling it, you can’t force it (well, you can and 9 times out of 10 you’ll feel way better but sometimes you just need to sleep it off).

The thing with setbacks is that you just need to get up and brush the dirt off your shoulders. It’s a fact of life. There’s going to be setbacks in everything you do – whether it’s a job rejection,

Workouts remaining for this week: 

Wed – Run 3 miles (walk/run to break in my new kicks – post coming soon!)
Thurs – Cross train
Fri – Speed work (6×400 @ 8:43)
Sat – long run (in the AM with Pacers!)
Sun – Cross train

Rewards due…

Earlier this week I rewarded myself, my two very important meetings required me to dress up a bit only for me to realize that I was swimming in all of my dress clothes. I stopped to pick up two new pretty skirts at the JCrew outlet and realized I went down a size! I want to keep this rate going so that soon I’ll slowly be replacing all of the too big clothes in my wardrobe. I mean, let’s be honest, I never felt okay being a size 10 while being only 5’2″. The first time I realized I had gone from a size 2 to a size 6 (then to a size 8 and then to a size 10) I cried. I cried a big fat ugly cry in the fitting room. So going down a size? Was a huge success.

Huzzah!

How do you reward yourself for your successes? 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 2 comments }

Borderline Obsessive or Just Tracking

by Heidi on January 21, 2012

I’m not perfect. I readily admit that. I’ve got flaws – quite a few of them.

But I really think that this time is different.

What I mean is, that like every other American who vows to lose 20 lbs/workout more/eat better at the start of a new year, I’m really feeling that this year is finally the year. I will not just be someone who sticks with it for the first 3 weeks and then falls back into old patterns and routines.

A lot of healthy living bloggers talk about their healthy tipping point and I’m beginning to realize that hubs joining the National Guard, may have been mine.

My Tipping Point?

Let’s be honest, though I ran 4 marathons, I didn’t train nearly as hard as I could have. We weren’t active people. I tried my hardest to be but we love good food, good wine and good teevee. The problem with so many other people in our sedentary, overweight leaning country.

But I thought about the past few weeks. Talking to hubs every day we each talk about our workouts, how we’re feeling, what we’re eating. I track my food – fairly regularly as of the past few weeks (though less religiously on the weekends, I give myself a break then) and my workouts.

We’re planning trips for the summer like hiking out in the Shenandoahs again, as well as hiking up in White Mountains and in Vermont. Camping on the Eastern Shore and hopefully running hubs’s first Half Marathon this fall. We both really want to be more active. Hubs wants me to get him into CrossFit (huzzah!), and wants to run races with me. It’s super inspiring and I’m pretty sure unlike previous years when we both made this vow, now that he has to do it for the military, it’s going to stick but not just for him, but for both of us.

The most exciting part about this new lifestyle is that we’re both excited about it and we’re excited to do it all together.

It’s kind of bizarre that I function slightly better on my own. We very much fell into old routines when he was home for two weeks over exodus, but it was a different circumstance considering FIVE of those days we were traveling.

But this week for instance? I’ve worked out 4 out of 5 days. I’ve tracked my food all five days this week and most of last week when I got back on the food tracking wagon. I’m hoping that this is really the start of me sticking with everything. Not just for my sake, but because I want hubs to be proud of me and I want to look good on his handsome arm – I mean yeah, I want to be healthy but let’s be honest there’s a slightly vain part in it when your husband drops 30+ lbs.

Borderline obsessive?

It’s weird though, because I was talking to my pal today about how I’ve been tracking and she commented that she couldn’t use her iPhone to track her food, she’d be too obsessive about it. I could see where she was coming from and when I got home, I definitely wondered where the line is. When does tracking become obsessive?

I mean, plenty of healthy living bloggers track their food/habits using their blogs. Many of them attribute blogging to how they reached their goal and tracking their food kept themselves accountable.

Now whether you take pictures of your food obsessively and blog about it, or whether you use a program like MyFitnessPal or LoseIt, there is a line. I’m pretty sure I’m toeing that line, but because I feel that I need to until I make sure I’m not going to slip back into my lazy, sedentary, boozehounding ways. I mean, it’s working. At least for now and if I have to be a little borderline obsessive about my tracking (obviously while still making sure I eat enough) that’s my own ish. Right?

Now do I think there are bloggers out there who are obsessive? Well. Yes. I’ve stopped reading them because while I love recipes, and being inspired and sharing ideas for workouts and meals, I don’t want to see you shove a spoonful of froyo in your mouth to prove to the world that you’re eating. I don’t need to see that you ate oatmeal AGAIN for breakfast. I just..don’t care nor do I find that helpful or healthy. If you feel that you need to take pictures of yourself eating the food you’re blogging about, you probably have a slue of other issues right? Right. But then that’s why I don’t read those blogs anymore. As much as it is their right to blog about that it’s my right to not read it.

{Note: This is why I have never understood trolls – if you don’t like a blog? Don’t read it. There’s no reason to be a jerk.}

I’m not a food blogger though, not even close. I share recipes once in a blue moon, but I’m not a cook really, so my recipes are usually found on other blogs anyhow. I’m just a gal trying to be healthy and share my struggles with a healthy balance. That’s what healthy living is after all, it’s all balance.

I digress, this is the year that I finally stick to my resolutions and accomplish all of my goals.

Related Reading

Resolution Survival Guide (via SparkPeople)
8 apps to make your resolutions stick (via Mashable)
Three Steps to Resolution Success (via LifeHacker)

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 2 comments }

A workout is a workout is a workout….

by Heidi on January 19, 2012

Right?

Well. I had to tell myself that tonight.

I had gone – after seeing this awesome treadmill workout over on Tina’s blog I was gung ho, ready to go. I came home, got changed, walked over there and the lone treadmill was occupied. By a walker.

Granted he ran a little later. Briefly. (I later saw him yanking down on the lat pull machine downstairs -FYI if you’re yanking…the weight is probably too light).

But I was annoyed because generally, unless I workout on the treadmill I bring a magazine to read like Women’s Health, Health, Fitness or Self (or US Weekly) all of which I am a subscriber to. Because I’m a magazine hoarder like that. Today, I didn’t go prepared because that workout that I saw was 20 minutes and I was like YEAH! SHORT WORKOUT FOR THE WIN!

But no. A walker got in my way because the second treadmill? Was out of service. Don’t you hate that?

The worst part about this gym mojo killer was he was watching TV on his iPhone/iPod. WHAT THE EFF DUDE?!

So I parked my bum on the bike, and settled in for some Taylor Swift and ESPN cranky and tweeting about it.

But after I finished my bike ride (~6 miles in 30 minutes @ high resistance 70 or so RPMs) and was slightly less sweaty (but still sweaty!) and after I was done whining about how I didn’t get to use the treadmill because some slug was WALKING (not that walking is bad but I was just being selfish), I thought about it and I still broke out a sweat.  MyFitnessPal says I’m still under my calories for the day and ultimately, that ain’t nothin’ to scoff at right? Right.

So while it wasn’t the workout I planned, it really just gives me a reason to get up and do that 20 minute Tabata workout on the ‘mill tomorrow AM before work.

A workout is a workout is a workout my friends. Sweating, no matter how you do it, is all that matters.

(I found out after grabbing the mail that treadmill hog lives in my building – HILARIOUS)

How do you handle those annoying people who hog machines and mess with your workout plans?

 

{ed note: there’s nothing wrong with walking as a workout – I felt like he was one of those people who was sitting on the weight machines between sets, slowing everyone down. Just my lone frustrations with the fact that there’s only one functional treadmill at my gym at the moment – please don’t be offended!}

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 3 comments }

Not awkward

by Heidi on January 18, 2012

I’m kind of awkward. I pretend not to be. I’m often neurotic, and anal retentive. I’m a perfectionist for the most part (except when I’m not),  and though I’m mostly extroverted, in a few instances I can be very..introverted and shy.

I LOVE meeting new bloggers though. I really do, even though that awkward first date like feeling gets me a little anxious, I have adored all the bloggers I’ve met in various facets (BlogHer, meetups, etc..). I’m trying to throw myself into new crowds

So tonight I’m going to Jess’s Tasti-D-Lite meet up in DuPont.

Not gonna lie, I’m a little nervous. Generally I have a social buffer if you will. I’ll bring a pal or hubs and this time? I have none of the above. Granted, I’ll be meeting some of my favorite bloggers (hopefully) so it’ll all work out and I won’t shell up and get all anxious as I often do when I have to introduce myself to new people on my own.

Social buffer what? I don’t need you anymore! Cheers to going outside my comfort zone – a major win.

AM Workout

Since I have that event (and an alumni happy hour that I’m popping into before or after the meet up), I figured I’d get my workout in this AM. Yesterday I couldn’t drag myself out of bed to get my run in. So this morning I threw myself up at 6a (about twenty minutes later than I should have been) and ran to the gym to get a speed workout in.

total time: 30 minutes
Distance: 3.07 mi

6 x 400 @ 8:43/mi
with 400 m rest @ 10:43/mi

W/U and C/D jog .2 miles to and fro the gym.

Felt really good with that. AM workouts are such tricky things – I mean I know I’m going to feel good after working out however it’s just that initial getting out of bed that gets me every time. Seriously – I love my bed and my snooze button and these two loves do not jive well with my growing relationship with morning workouts. I’ve gotta find a balance (that will probably involve me getting to bed earlier even if that means less chatting time with the husband).

Pumped up kicks…

One thing I am excited about is to get new sneaks this weekend with a LivingSocial voucher I got to Fleet Feet in Annapolis. I replace my sneakers about every 6 months or after major races (or when i’m kicking off training for a big race) since my old sneaks got me through training for the A-10 and the Annapolis Half, I’m thinking it’s prolly time for a new pair since I’ve been feeling some knee pain. I’m thinking about trying some minimalist shoes – I’m not gung ho on the vibram five fingers – hubs has a pair that he loved (but can’t use at AIT) but I’m still wary since I tend to run longer distances. However, I have read a few good reviews of various minimalist shoes – i’m looking at you New Balance and Nike so I’m excited to go in an try a pair on and see how they feel. Worst case? I stick with my beloved Brooks sneaks.

Have you tried minimalist or barefoot running? If so what are your thoughts? If not, would you try it? 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 1 comment }

Let the games begin!

by Heidi on January 16, 2012

I’ve made no secret that my goal weight is 120 lbs. Hubs thinks it’s low for me, but I’m only 5’2″…normal weight range is like…105-125 or so for someone of my height.

I’ve been wavering between 139-145 most recently which is…frustrating to say the least. Keep in mind this time last year I was about 135 right before I went to a steady 11-8/10-7/930-630/1-10p/8-5/930-630/8-5/9-6 schedule (ranging M-F to T-S) That’s right, I’ve had eight different schedules in less than a year.

But…I’m feeling good. Not to mention, the fact that hubs works out every day because he has to, is incredibly motivating. Homeboy went from me yelling at him when we were training for the Annapolis 10 miler last summer “THEY WON’T LET YOU WALK IN BOOT CAMP” as we ran over the Naval Academy Bridge, to running a 17:05 two miler for his last PT test at BCT. I’m super duper proud of him and not to mention all that weight loss (totaling ~33 lbs since before he shipped out)? Makes him even hawter than I remember.

For me though, and this all goes hand in hand with my resolutions

I’m back to tracking my eats (a la MyFitnessPal – friend me!) 5 days per week.
I’m back to writing out my workouts each Monday. Planner and blog.

Today starts the amazing 10 lb challenge – that I’m hoping to be successful with by the time I go out to see the hubs at the end of February.

10 lb challenge starting weight – 143.4 (I think? It was 143. something when I weighed myself this weekend to see what type of damage I had done. Not surprising, I was at 141 Friday before I left but a few alcoholic beverages will do that to you)

Mission Possible…

I will cut back on my sugar intake (I’ve noticed I’ve been going over my sugar allotment on MyFitnessPal). So while I’ve been doing good at not going over my calories, I have been going over my sugar.
I will drink more water. Lay off the diet dr. p homegirl. Seriously. If you need caffeine? Drink tea :)
I will stick with workouts 5 days per week. Shooting for every day because well, why not, but if not the very least is 5 days per week.

Weekly goals to support the over all resolutions/yearly goals. Writing these out totally helps me stick with it.

(These are in addition to these tracking methods I use to keep myself focused)

Goal for 10 lb challenge (12 weeks!)? 130. Doable? I think yes. I’ll be reporting on my weekly goals/weigh ins each Wednesday starting next week (bringing back Weigh In Wednesday).

If you’re taking part in the 10 lb challengewhat habits are you changing to reach your goal? (aside from 10 lbs)?

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 4 comments }

Picking Back Up

by Heidi on January 16, 2012

I got off my #31daychallenge track. It’s my own fault really.

I think I’ll go to Boston…

I hadn’t mentioned about this because my friend Ryan and I wanted to surprise his wife (and my close pal) Jean. But I made a lil jaunt up to Boston this weekend for the Frozen Fenway game between Northeastern (GO HUSKIES) v. BC. Boston was amazing (as always) but I did not go to yoga or go running as I had originally planned/hoped to do. I mean, that’s to be expected when you’re there for hockey and birthday parties. On that aside, I also didn’t go as heavy on the drinking as I have been known to do during trips to Boston (bachelorette party NOT included…that was an exception).

Jean and I @ Jillians – I love surprising her :)

Not bad seats! Granted my boys lost. Badly but it was still super fun to be there.

I always get a little nostalgic when I go back. It’s weird going back to places where you remember so much and  just want to call up people that you no longer talk to, people who aren’t in your life anymore. Walking through places and remembering laughter and tears and long drawn out conversations into the night on benches. When I go back with hubs, I share the fun stuff – the parties, the accomplishments, the friends and memories shared. I don’t share the screaming matches that make me shiver when I remember, the tears over broken hearts gone past – the stuff that leaves behind nasty ghosts in a city I will always LOVE.  I mean, it’s a bit…just sad…when you think about all the memories with people and half of them you’ll never see or talk to again. It makes me a little bit nostalgic but grateful at the same time for the friendships I have maintained since then and the love I found with the husband and how full my life is these days. No matter what though, our little group will always share memories and be linked in ways no one else can understand. But as I need to remind myself, even six years later, that closure is over rated. 

Bringing it back to September 2004.

Getting back on track…

While I didn’t schedule time to work out this weekend, I find that that’s a common-ish I have when I travel (case in point: Hubs and I not doing any workouts when we were up north over the holidays) and something I want to work on for my upcoming trips to San Antonio and Vermont in the coming months.  I have scheduled my workouts for the week:

Mon – run 3 miles
Tues – X-train (elliptical)
Wed – Speed workout (6×400) (~4.75 mi)
Thurs – xtrain
Fri – yoga
Sat – yoga
Sun – 6 mile run

The first thing I did yesterday was go for a grocery shop. It was super convenient that Trader Joes was right on the way home so despite the fact that I had a pounding headache (that’ll teach me for not packing an extra pair of contacts on my vacation – of course my right contact lens RIPPED IN HALF ON SATURDAY MORNING and of course I FORGOT TO PACK MY GLASSES), I made a point to pick up food for the week.

I had considered popping over to the gym but given the pain of my head and the fact that I was in glasses for the night, I decided against it. Tonight however, the treadmill and I have a pre-gossip girl date.

Weekly goals

Estimated mileage: If i stick to my workouts this week, I should hit  ~14 miles (not including elliptical times)

Hit up the gym as scheduled (see above)

Drink more water. I’ve been laying on the Diet Dr. P a bit much for my liking time to limit myself and ween myself off the peppery sweet goodness.

Get to bed! Hubs and I have been chatting late and it’s affecting my AM workouts. While he’s forced to get up regardless what time he goes to bed, I have the friend we all love to hate…the snooze button.

Read 3 chapters per week  for my Personal Training Certification exam. Also, make a study guide!

Stay tuned later for my 10 lb challenge weigh in!

What are your goals for this week? Do you find it hard to stick to your workout plan when you travel? How do you prepare yourself to workout when you’re traveling??

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 0 comments }

Random Friday

by Heidi on January 13, 2012

Since Foodie Friday is on a slight hiatus as I get ready for a solo #tripnorth to my alma mater, I decided to keep it light and random.

1. My new favorite blog Annapolis Chatter – a blog I had a (small) hand in creating written by a gal pal of mine about the news you won’t find on the Capital or Eye on Annapolis. She’s like a pseudo-Wonkette of Annapolis and I loved Wonkette before it went to crap.

2. Shape Magazine featured a bunch of baller bloggers  about their favorite workout songs. Which reminded me I need to update my workout playlist. It’s just kind of m’eh right now. Suggestions welcome.

3. Did you see my blog makeover? It wasn’t a big deal but I was bored with the old design. Stop on in and check ‘er out. Now to finish up the other blog I’m working on – there’s a few CSS kinks I’ve been working out  that are driving me crazy and making me stall.

4. Had a really rough rough day yesterday. One of those days where I just wanted to curl up in the husbands arms, or you know, in the bathroom stall at work (oh come on, you’ve been there, don’t deny it…). So I may be booking a 2nd trip to San Antonio because I need to. You know how you just have those moments when you realize everything you thought were doing was either wrong or pointless? That the promises you were made that you thought were going towards something are really going towards nothing? I just broke. Something broke in me and I really just…need the husband more than ever.

5. Fitsugar had a great post about the winter weight gain (don’t lie you know what this is…) and how to avoid it. My favorite? The “it’s too cold to workout” excuse – despite my AM workout woes, I enjoy running in the cold and in the snow. Do I do it often? Wellp, it hasn’t been too cold and it’s only snowed once here. Though I didn’t run in our 36 hours in Vermont so there’s that. But I did run in 30 degree weather when I went to VT in November. So cold weather consider you pwned. At least once this season.

6. Though I failed at working out every day this week – I did workout 4 days and I’m bringing workout clothes up north so perhaps I can fit in a yoga class tomorrow AM (this means I don’t have to pack my sneaks – trying to pack light!) This AM? I fit in a speed workout – I try to fit one in a week, I know how important speed workouts are to build endurance so I might as well get in the habit before my half marathon training starts next week or so. Note to self: make training plan.

Speed workout:

.5 mile warmup @ 5.7 (10:43/mi)
5×400 @ 7.0 (8:43/mi)
with 400 m breaks @ 5.7 (10:43/mi)
.5 mi cooldown @ 5.7 (10:43/mi)

Total: 3.25 mi in ~34:00

Then I kicked my own bum with a 20 minute abs workout -

3 sets of:

1 min plank
15 pushups
25 reverse crunches
15 v-ups (lifting legs and neck up with hands under hips – but do NOT use your elbows, I know its tempting)
25 regular crunches
15 knee lifts on the standing ab machine thing – i don’t know what it’s called but you balance on elbows and bring knees to chest.

BAM. Now I’m off to finish getting ready and head out to get a couple of last minute items.

Got any big plans for the weekend pals? What are your favorite tunes at the moment to workout to??

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 2 comments }

On choosing a gym

by Heidi on January 11, 2012

One thing I forgot to add to yesterday’s post, was finding the right place to work out. Obviously, if you don’t like your gym, you’re not going to go. A lot of people join for the sake of joining a gym – whether it’s their first step to achieving their goals or merely something they do because they feel they have to, many of those people who join just don’t go.

I’m guilty as charged.

This begs the question, why join if you’re not going to go?

Well let’s nip that problem in the bud and find a place where you will want to go to work out.

Finding the right place

Figure out what’s important to you. Prioritize if you will. Example, if you don’t want to go to a gym that’s super crowded, you probably don’t want to join the hot new gym that everyone is raving about.

Things to think about:

  • How much do you want to spend? If you don’t have a lot of room in your budget, check for specials – especially if you visit at off peak times. Are you a student? Many gyms offer student specials.  Always ask for a guest pass before signing up – most gyms will offer 1-7 day passes before you join so you can try it out.
  • What do you enjoy? What makes you cringe? If you don’t like feeling like everyone is watching you or don’t want to spend a ton of moolah, consider join a smaller gym. One that might be off the beaten path that doesn’t have all the spa-like bells and whistles that many gyms sell themselves on. If you want to go for classes, make sure their class schedule fits into your schedule. If their classes aren’t convenient for your but you know you want to take classes – why bother? Are you a swimmer? Don’t join the gym nearest to you if they don’t have a pool. Think about what you want out of a gym features wise before you commit.
  • Location, location, location. If you have to go across town, in rush hour, to get to the gym before or after work…it’s probably not the right gym for you. If you work from home and don’t mind wasting gas? Go for it. Also, for me at least, if I can’t walk or bike to a gym…I might not go (case in point, I went to spinning at Evolutions once last week. I would go again but see also: morning workouts and I get home just after the last evening class begins. Wamp. Wamp.)
  • Are you really going to go? Most importantly, why do you want to go? What are your goals, what do you enjoy and do they offer it. If you’re an outdoors runner maybe rather than joining a gym make it a point to grab some LivingSocial vouchers for area gyms to try out different classes like Yoga or Crossfit or pick up some workout videos (Jillian Michaels is always a favorite) to work out in the comfort of your own home. If you really want to join a gym and feel like it’s imperative to accomplishing your goals, get a friend or your spouse to join with you so you have someone to motivate you to go when you’re really not feeling it.
Still on the fence? The Wall Street Journal had a great article about The 27 Rules to Conquering the Gym. Stay tuned for a post on gym etiquette coming up soon (just for you Resolution-ers!!)
For me? I joined Evolutions for 3 months because back in October I bid on and won a 3 month membership in a raffle. I probably won’t renew when my 3 months is up, unless I happen to get a new gig closer to Annapolis. I also utilize my complex gym, workout videos and run outside. I try it all. On top of that? Hubs and I have access to the Naval Academy or Ft. Meade MWR gyms (neither of which are super convenient).
Do you belong to a gym? What went into your decision to join??

 

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 0 comments }

Attainable

by Heidi on January 11, 2012

A friend of mine told me today over gchat that I made healthy living seem “attainable.”

That’s cause it is. It just takes some work. I’m not perfect. I’d rather stay in bed than get up at 530a to run. I’d rather enjoy a glass of wine from my couch than go work out after work but here’s the thing, if I want to reach my goals, I’ve gotta move.

Motivation. Dedication. You know, all that mumbo jumbo. It’s a lifestyle.

What’s kicked my arse into gear this time as opposed to the million of other times I’ve tried to jump start this in the 11 months since I started my job?

Hubs.

You see, he gets up every day around 4a CST. He works out for an hour. He’s lost 30 lbs and counting since he left for Basic. I was super attracted to him before (duh, he’s my husband) but holy $(@(&~!!!!

I a. don’t want to seem like a slacker. b. want to look just as seksi for him. My bum doesn’t get all hawt by sitting on it, I’ve gotta work it. c. I plan to be kickin’ it for a long time. I’ve gotta work for that too!

But really, for me, doing it for myself and the hubs is just one motivation. But motivation doesn’t get your butt on the treadmill now does it?

No sirree.

Write it down

I schedule my workouts each week. Even if I don’t stick with them exactly (for instance, in my planner I had running down for today but I ran 3 miles last night when I was waiting for hubs to call, tonight I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and a strength workout), I still have them scheduled in. On days when I know I have something planned (i.e. Thursday night when I’m volunteering for Junior League) I know I will have to get my bum out of bed at an ungodly hour to go for a run or do yoga in my living room for 20 minutes.

Plan your meals

Not gonna lie, as with much of my inspiration, I got this idea from one of my favorite bloggers Beth – every week she posts her meal plans and has some amazing ideas for super healthy and often super quick meal plans. Now, each week before I go grocery shopping, I plan my meals and try (and am often at least 75% successful) to stick with them.

Get a partner in crime

Hubs and I talk about our workouts, we talk about our plans, we’ve made plans to be more active. The main thing is we need to follow through but if you vocalize your goals and hold one another accountable, you can work towards changing your life. Which is really what it is – a lifestyle change.

So what are you waiting for? Hop to it friends!

What’s your plan of action to make your goals attainable?

Share and Enjoy:
  • Google Bookmarks
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Tumblr
  • StumbleUpon
  • Technorati
  • FriendFeed

{ 2 comments }