Consistency...

Consistency is key and it is, unfortunately, not something I've been doing well. Now before there is a collective gasp, allow me to explain. I have been consistent with exercise the past week and a half. And I've been consistently making better choices when it comes to food (for lunch yesterdays I had chicken and quinoa). The part about consistency I'm struggling with is keeping up with my documentation. I guess I should be scheduling times to blog just like I schedule times to eat and times to exercise, but it's difficult when my day is so busy.

I'll take this as an opportunity to attempt to develop an actual blogging schedule and stick with it, but no promises. I can only handle so much change at once, and right now scheduling time to pre-prepare meals for the week has taken up a lot of time. Plus, the new season of Teen Wolf has started. So lets begin with a recap of the weekend and how I have succeeded.

Wednesday morning had the potential to be awful. I woke up and I was tired and I decided to go back to sleep instead of going to the gym. Eyes closed, covers up, and internal monologue begins: What are you doing? You're really going to go back to bed after you've decided to insist on going to the gym 5 days a week? What's wrong with you? This is what's going to happen. You're going to open your eyes, roll out of bed, wine for exactly three seconds, and then you're going to the gym. And it worked. I went to the gym (a little late) but I got in another day on Couch to 5K. And I felt better for it.

Thursday's personal training was successful, too. I went into it determined to enjoy myself. I refused to stall or wine and just agree to do whatever Justin told me to do. And he had me do the exact same thing we did on Tuesday. The circuit was easier this time around, though I think it was more because of my attitude than anything. After the circuit, I learned a new exercise called the inchworm. Starting in a plank position, you walk your feet up as far as you can with your hands on the ground, then you walk your hands out into a plank position, again. I went from one spot to another with push ups in between for a total of four times. It gets really tiring, though. And I think Justin has figured out a way to stop me from resting when I don't need it. He is very aware that I hate burpees and so he told me that on my last inchworm and subsequent push ups, that if I put my knees down more than once, I would have to do burpees. You'd be amazed by what you can do when the consequences of failure are what your nightmares are made of.

Friday, I convinced Fit Andrew and Lisa to join me at Zumba. I had a good time by myself the other week, but I want to enjoy the experience with friends and they are lucky enough to have been chosen. Plus Shaina is teaching which is always a good time. We get there to discover that it is, in fact, not Shaina teaching. A sub is covering, but Lisa and I think she's pretty awesome. Andrew, on the other hand, sulks and complains that he doesn't feel comfortable until about halfway through when he finally decides to enjoy himself.

Saturday, I wake up early and go to spin at 7:30 with Best Friend Rachel. It's nice to have someone so suffer with during spin. After spin, I head to CX Worx. Rachel has a wedding to get to, so she doesn't stay. But CX Worx coupled with spin and how sore my shoulders are from that stupid inchworm means I spend the rest of the day feeling exhausted, which isn't ideal when you work a double.

Now, I've learned something significant that I feel the need to share. I've found that it's my attitude to certain situations that really shapes my experience. I can whine and complain about how much I hate exercise and my experience has shown me that I'll leave that workout in a bad mood. Look at Andrew: he felt uncomfortable in Zumba. but as soon as he decided to have fun, he had fun. So I'll spend the coming week choosing to enjoy things that I may not be enjoying, and we'll see what happens. Maybe everything will not seem so miserable. I'm hopeful. I'm also going to post more pictures.

Late...

I've decided to get a semi-headstart on this whole 'challenge' thing because I'm an impulsive person and don't really excel when it comes to patience. So all day I plan on going to Zumba and then CX Worx. Two classes in a row. I've done it before (though not literally back to back. I've usually had about a half hour of down time) so I'm not too worried. Here's the problem, though. I'm a social person and I enjoy being with people I know, especially when I have to sit through something that I expect to be even remotely miserable. Every single person I texted (a grand total of two) had already gone to the gym or were going to be busy.

This is where I start to lose steam. I can have a plan, but if the people I assume will be participating aren't available, I lose all motivation. Unless I say it outloud, for some reason. If I make my plans known to anyone verbally (like Fit Andrew, for example) it makes me feel an obligation to follow through. After my declaration of intent, I grab my gym bag and hustle out the door because I am very close to being late. So close, in fact, that I am late by about a minute and a half. But I spoke my plan into existence and I can't turn back now. Into the room I go and fall into a place in the back.

I have not been to Zumba in a very long time. Shaina stopped teaching on Monday nights and I have been busy with Target (an excuse that will no longer fly). It is painfully obvious that I am out of practice. I'm typically really good when it comes to dancing and that's not just me bragging. Ask anyone. My natural talent has apparently abandoned me because I find it incredibly difficult to keep up. Most of the songs are brand new to me, so I don't even have the luxury of slowly remembering. By halfway through the class, I am sporting quite the wreath of sweat from all of this physical activity. Is anyone else sweating? No.

I'll attribute my sweat to actually trying. If you aren't sweating during Zumba, you're not doing it right. It's quick movements and fancy footwork that should bring a little bit of perspiration. Unless you are dehydrated. The second half of the class is really where I start to lose it and I spend a good amount of time simply laughing at my feeble attempts to follow along. Thankfully those around me are not taken out by my flailing arms, or I would feel absolutely awful. As we're doing the final stretch song, I briefly entertain the idea of leaving before CX Worx starts, because I am beat. But Justin is teaching and for some reason I feel the need to let presence be a big 'ha, I'm starting early' after he told me not to make a decision until Thursday.

Was it a good idea? For sure, because it's exercise. Did this really end up being a big 'stick it' to Justin? No. Because it was difficult and I was probably very obvious in my struggling. Especially coming right off of Zumba. It's strength training instead of cardio, but every leg exercise kills. Squats are my worst enemy and forget stepping on that friggin' tube thingy. And while on the subject of the tube, there needs to be a tube for tall people. At 6'4", I put significantly more tension on that thing by holding the handles at my chest. It's far more difficult for me than these 5'6" women who are making me look incredibly weak. Not that it bothers me at all.

At the end of my workout I feel like I accomplished a lot. Two classes in a row and lots of sweat. Sweat makes me feel accomplished. Any good feelings quickly vanish when I look at my phone and see that I have a text saying I was supposed to be working at Target. Thankfully I still have time to change and speed to work and only be two hours late. Only. Ha.

Obligations...

Basically all weekend long I've had this awful cold that will not go away and it has made me not want to do anything. I did Pilates on Saturday but between moving a couch into the house that ended up not fitting and working at Target, I have been exhausted all weekend. And today is not different. I have made plans with Best Friend Rachel to go to Zumba, but she texts me and has to cancel because she has a date, which I take as a sign from God that I should give it a rest and focus on getting better.

I'm home from work and ready to crash when I get a text from Lisa asking if I'm going to go to Zumba. I tell her I'm going to pass on Zumba but that I'll probably be at the gym doing some lifting. I make a little dinner and as I'm eating, the skinny person inside of me screams 'Go to the gym, you lazy poop'. Skinny Me has a point. I really should just go. Plus I always enjoy Zumba and I could use a little pick-me-up. So I hop back on my phone and tell Lisa I will be at Zumba and she had better be there, too.

An hour later, I'm dressed in my gorgeous gym apparel (I've decided to embrace it, what else can I do?) waiting outside the studio, telling Lisa all about how I might pass out from oxygen deprivation. Either that or I'll be taking frequent breaks to prevent death. Either way I think I'm doing a good thing by coming to the gym despite feeling ill. 

We enter the studio and Lisa stops in the back, so I have to correct her and tell her that we dance up in front, because we're awesome.I think it's funny that after this long of consistently attending classes at the gym, I still get a tinge of nervousness before classes begin. Like suddenly the class will be completely different and I won't be able to do it, or I'll be asked to demonstrate for the entire class. That whole demonstration thing never happens, so I have no idea why I'm nervous about it, but I am.

Turns out Zumba was exactly what I needed. It's a ton of fun dancing around to songs with a good beat, learning dance moves and feeling like I'm a part of a massive choreographed impromptu dance party. It get's my heart rate going which only makes me less aware of the cold that has been plaguing me, and I don't need to break at all. Also, I think I worked my magic and dug out that ingrown toenail that had been bugging me so I have no more foot pain, either. What a wonderful Monday this has morphed into. 

After the completion of our Zumba workout, Lisa insists on using the 'women only' area to do her weightlifting and refuses to accompany me to the regular weight room. So I go by myself and do some arms and chest. Arm-Candy is back with the most ridiculous looking bun ever, balanced precariously on top of her head. Honestly it's hard not to laugh at people when they take themselves so seriously. Plus she's helping me by bringing a smile to my face, so it can't really be that bad.

I head to the grocery store after the gym because tonight is the only night I'll have available to grocery shop. This is what my life becomes when I pick up a second job and try to squeeze in gym time. I'll keep you posted on how that endeavor goes. 

Perseverance...

Best Friend Rachel and I have decided to be workout buddies this week because she works days at the hospital instead of random evenings and tonight is Zumba. I'm really excited to go because I haven't been since before Sandy caused all classes to be cancelled. Although immediately after I get home, I realize it would be much more enjoyable to sit at home and watch TV for most or all of the night. So I text Rachel and attempt to convince her that Zumba is not actually what we want to do. Fortunately or unfortunately, Rachel can not be swayed and insists we do Zumba.

I pack my bag and drag myself to my car to drive to the gym, all the while cursing the fact that I'm not home watching HGTV at this present moment. Even if that couple had ridiculous demands and no budget for their first home and be incredibly entertaining. I get to the gym and say hi to Carla.

While in the locker room, I have a conversation with myself and it goes something like this. "Suck it up. You may not want to be here but you know you should be." "Yeah, maybe I should be but I'm really grumpy about it." "Grumpy people piss me off and I don't want to be pissed off when I start Zumba." "Well I can't help it." "Yes you can. You can choose to be grumpy or you can choose to have the best time you can. And you better choose the latter because it can't be fun if you won't let it." "Wow. I'm really smart. Thanks for helping me adjust my attitude, me." "Anytime."

I have conversations like that with myself on a semi-frequent basis and I am not ashamed. So I meet Rachel upstairs and tell her thanks for making me come because I totally didn't want to. We take our regular place towards the front of the room and high five each other for the awesome workout we're about to experience.

A third of the way in I get the all too familiar cramp in the right side of my stomach. I hate this part. But I know from experience that I can work through this pain and I'm not actually suffering from something serious like appendicitis. And sure enough, after 2 more songs, the pain is gone and I'm still having a blast.

Here's my complaint with Zumba, though. It is so focused on feet movement and my legs get tired and be arches of my feet KILL before class is over. No, I don't want to move my foot really fast right now. I'd rather do squats than kick ball change. And that's saying something because I hate squats, as all of you know.

By the end of class we've done some new dances, we've done some old dances, and I have greatly increased my club dance repertoire. Watch out for me next weekend, Boston. I'll wipe the floor with you. 

Knot...

I wake up this morning with an awful feeling in my left leg. It's in the calf/shin area and it kills. I have no idea what's wrong but it lessens as the day goes on, so I don't really think anything of it (side note: I've also had wicked chafing on my inner left thigh, an awful side effect of being a fat person who decides to start exercising). I mention it to my coworker and she tells me I should probably not do Zumba tonight. Negative. I WILL be doing Zumba. I missed the last 2 weeks and I've been looking forward to Zumba all weekend. Especially since I had to miss yesterday's gym time because I went after the gym closed.

So, against her advice, I go to Zumba and meet up with my best friend Rachel. We're a little early so we chat outside that class and pity the people who are currently in the studio doing a class that I won't be ready for for at least three months. We also talk about going to a Body Combat class.

When the class ends, I head in and take my spot right in the front row. I'm not going to be shoved to the back, this time. I am going to shine and everyone will be jealous of me and my smooth hips. Before we start, Best Friend Rachel makes me promise not to mock her for having no rhythm and guarantees me that she will sweat more than I will. Challenge accepted.

As class starts, I fall into a groove. Moves come back to me and I'm feeling the burn, which is really great. But about 10 minutes in, my left leg starts hurting and my whole back feels like its cramping. Why does this happen to me? I take it easy when I have to and I stretch after each song, but it still doesn't feel super great. I am thankful for every song that is slower that involves less moving.

At the end of class, I'm so relieved I could cry. And I totally win the more sweat contest. I could ring out my shirt and collect s fair amount of sweat. And Best Friend Rachel is not struggling in the rhythm department.

I decide that I need to do some swimming in order to cool myself down and so I head to the pool . I can only do a total of ten lengths before I have to call it a day. I decide that the steam room may be the perfect thing for me, since I was feeling so tense in Zumba. I go in for six minutes and come out feeling a little better.

But then I stumble. From the gym, on my smartphone, I order Domino's Pizza to pick up on my way home. There should be a law against ordering junk food while inside a gym. Now, I used to get Domino's fairly frequently. So frequently, in fact, that the employees of Domino's greet me by street address when I arrive to pick up my pizza. Talk about embarrassing. 

While I did take one step back, I would say that I took two steps forward. Before when I would order Domino's, I would have no problem consuming an entire pizza, and then some, in one sitting. Tonight, I limit myself to two slices and now I basically have a week's worth of lunches.

I also figure out that I have a wicked bad knot in my calf muscle, and that is why my leg has been hurting. I attempt to massage it out before going to bed by resting it on a metal water bottle and on my bed post. It kills, but I know I have to keep doing it if I want to get rid of the knot faster. 

I just posted a picture of me in my underwear on the internet. I'm such a rebel.

So if anyone has any suggestions of how to get a knot out of a calf muscle or if anyone wants to help me by massaging it, let me know. 

Shake...

I get home from work and my fit roommate is exercising. Gee, thanks for being so fit and still exercising and making me feel incredibly lazy. You're lucky you're so encouraging with my journey towards fitness or I'd want to kick you into a wall. Plus, it gives me good perspective that even fit people struggle and sweat while exercising, so I take it back. Keep up the good work Fit Andrew.

I have plans to go to Zumba with some friends later, but I still want to get in my yoga for the day. Fit Andrew has graciously bequeathed one of his old yoga mats to me, which makes a surprising difference in my workout. I don't fret about my sweat hitting the mat, I don't have to worry about getting crumbs on my back, and I don't slip around on the carpet when I do bridge pose. 

I leave for the gym as soon as I'm done with yoga and meet up with Christine and Lisa. Much like my Pilates experience, I'm the only male in the class and I'm the only person who has no experience with Zumba. This should be fun. After a brief explanation about what will be happening for the next hour, the instructor starts the music.

Let me take this opportunity to say, I have found my calling and my calling is Zumba. Zumba combines my need to workout with my desire to constantly bust a move. And I am REALLY good at busting a move. Many people are surprised to learn that I'm such a good dancer, but it's one of my favorite pastimes. The music is pumping and I'm jumping around, working my hips and flailing my arms in a very controlled way. I am oh so seductive. And 10 minutes in I am oh so sweaty. 

I mean, look at me go. I'm amazing.

Throughout the class, I do find myself having to modify the moves so that I don't keel over, but I surprise myself with my ability to keep up and have fun while exercising. The instructor comments on what a vocal class we are, and I credit myself for that. If anyone wants to do Zumba, I will absolutely go with you and you will absolutely have a blast. 

As the class winds down, we do a final stretching dance. This is the most fun I've ever had at a workout. One of the other members of the class, who must be a regular, tells my friends and me that we should come to the Sunday one too, because we made the class so much more enjoyable. You bet lady. You will see me there.