Day 7 - Week One Recap

So my first official week of being back to working out is over, and I have to say it's been a pretty interesting week. To be honest, I'm not sure I would have done it if it wasn't for this blog, and everyone out there reading and responding to it. Like I said last week in the "Why I'm doing this" post, I wanted this blog to hold me accountable and it really has. I look at going to the gym as not only something to make me healthier, but every day I think I better go or else I won't have anything to blog about later! And here are a couple of things I've learned this week - not only about getting back into working out, but also about myself.

Number 1: Make sure to pack up your gym bag the night before. It's really a huge pain to have to run around in the morning to find your sneakers or yoga pants. And I'm not sure how many times my boss will be okay with the "I was late because I couldn't find my workout clothes" excuse.

Number 2: You can't be so hard on yourself. Not only did I get on my own case for not being able to make it through a workout without modifying the exercises (which is crazy seeing as how I haven't worked out since I got married 15 months ago), but I also felt guilty about not working out the last few days. Both times the emotion was pointless, and did nothing but make me feel bad, and what's the point of that? There are plenty of things out there that I can't control that can make me feel bad, why would I want to contribute to it?

Number 3: Stretching is key. I really wish I had stretched post 30/60/90 on Day 3. I think today was the first day I could go up and down the stairs without pain, and I really don't want to get lapped anymore on my way up and down the steps by my cat.

And Number 4: Life is too short to not do what you love. And I know everyone has heard that before and probably at some level accepts that to be true, myself being one of those people. But I really started thinking about that more and more this week. I want to be healthy. I want to be able to go hiking with my friends without the embarrassment of having to stop every 5 minutes. I don't want to dread putting on a bathing suit! But at the same time, I love eating - especially sweets. I love sitting around and watching TV. And I love having a few drinks with my friends. So I've determined that I can, and I will, have all of it. Because life's too short not to. And if that means going to the gym Monday - Friday so I can take Saturday and Sunday off to go out with friends, have some drinks, then lay around watching TV then so be it. But you do have to make some sacrifices, it's just a matter of what you want in the end.

Power Yoga Monday kicks off Week Two. Til tomorrow!

~Catie

Total number of minutes spent working out this week: 255

Day 6 - Regrets and Guilt

It's funny - this has only been my first week of working out, and I already feel guilty for not going yesterday or today. Maybe guilty is not the right word, but I just feel weird about not going. Is it possible to already form a habit after 4 days? And if it is, is it possible to lose that habit in as many days?

Yesterday was strange. I got up, and didn't need to pack my gym bag. I was leaving work, and went a different way home because I wasn't going to the gym. A week ago it would have felt weird to do those things, and now it feels strange to not. And then I went out with friends last night, and this morning I am feeling serious guilt for 1) not working out 2) drinking a few too many glasses of wine last night, and 3) being hungover enough today to not want to get off my couch.

On a side note, when did I become old? I used to be able to go out and stay out until 2 am and not feel a thing the next day. Now I go out, come home early, and can't get rid of my headache all day. I guess it was around the same time that I realized I can't eat pizza or cheese fries at 2am and not gain weight from it. I miss those days...

Back to the point. A friend of mine retweeted this quote the other day on Twitter, and it got me thinking - Never regret anything because at one time it was what you wanted. And I agree with this. But what if the things I once wanted are bad for me, like eating pizza at 2am or drinking too much? Should I still not regret them because at one point I did enjoy doing them? And what if that regret makes me change something about my life for the positive? Should I regret my regret, even if it makes my life better?

I guess there's no answer to that, because no one can decide how you feel except you. And in this case, I'm following this philosophy - sometimes the reason behind why we do something good doesn't matter. It's just that we did it. Til tomorrow.

~Catie

Total number of minutes spent working out this week: 255

Day 4 - The Art of Zumba, Part 2

So today was my second attempt at Zumba, and as much as I really wanted to like it, I just didn't. I had pretty high hopes for it too. And the funny thing is, my issue with this class was the opposite of my last one, and I still didn't like it.

Last class (Day 2) I thought the instructor was really fun, and there was a great vibe to the class, but she didn't give enough instruction and I got frustrated. This class the instructor was better at giving cues and direction, but she just seemed cold. She clearly had more skill at teaching Zumba than my Tuesday instructor, but she just seemed indifferent. Like she had to be there, put in her hour, and be done. Not a smile, not a "keep it up ladies!", nothing. And I'm sorry, but if I'm giving you an hour of my time - especially an hour where I could be at home being lazy - you better damn well make me at least enjoy my time.

I still got a decent workout, but I just didn't have the same energy as I did on Tuesday. Even with my frustration I was still jumping around and trying hard because the instructor acted like she was having a great time and didn't want to be anywhere else but Zumba. I apologize if I'm ranting, but seriously! It's hard enough to go straight from working all day to then go spend an hour working out. There are enough reasons for me to go straight home. But I got myself there, ready to have a good time dancing around, and instead I ended up being annoyed at the end of the class. If the instructor can't bother to put in the effort, why should I? I realized that was a bad attitude about halfway through, but for some reason I just shake it.

I think the reason I'm so upset about Zumba is because I was really excited about it. I love to dance (just ask anyone who has seen me at a bar after a few beers), and the idea of getting to spend an hour dancing to fun music as my workout seemed perfect! And I do think that I would enjoy Zumba, maybe in a bigger city or with instructors who were better trained, but for the time being I will be sitting out Zumba and trying to find another cardio class.

That's life I guess, right? Sometimes the things you look most forward to are not all you hope they could be, and the things you dread (like 30/60/90) are actually the things that pleasantly surprise you. Til tomorrow.

~Catie

Total number of minutes spent working out this week: 255