Trying something new

Since November, I have been struggling with being motivated to exercise. I have essentially decreased my exercise regiment from 5 or 6 days a week to 3 or 4 days a week. Interestingly, I have been able to not only to maintain my upper body strength but increase my strength. Though I am increasing the length that I jog, I am jogging less frequently. One difference is that I feel like I am not as toned and I can tell a difference in my abdomen.

 

I feel like I need to do something different, but I have not figured out what. I know for sure I need more motivation, and possibly a change in my routine.

 

When a friend invited me for a trial workout with Operation Boot Camp, I thought this would be great. Maybe I could get some motivation and direction in how I can change my workouts. The trial workout was fun--well as fun as a workout can be at 5:30 in the morning. There were lots of people there since it was bring a friend day. I knew several people including two of the instructors. They were friendly and encouraging, but not in the over-enthusiastic cheerleader kind of way. The beginning of the workout was tough--that may have been because it was so early in the morning.

 

We started out with a short jog to our first "station" where we did a few calisthenics and stretched. We jogged to each station. I cannot remember all of the exercises we did, but the hardest was the plank. We held this position for minutes at least twice. We also did one set of sit-ups, squats, tire kick-ups, and several side shuffles. I thought my legs, particularly my inner thighs would be sore, but it was my abs and obliques that were the sorest.

 

I got a great workout and I was able to do the entire workout without resting and it was very effective.

 

In this program, participation is expected – and monitored – for every single session. Instructors are with you the entire time. Although there were lots of people, the instructors were able to watch and gauge our abilities.

 

It seems that the program is a total fitness program that includes nutrition information and log book, as well as intense workouts. This may be the reason that it is so expensive--because of the individual attention.

 

I am going to participate in one of their workouts that is open to the public. But, I don't think I will be able to join this group anytime soon. Expensive is an issue. An even more important reason is that I will be traveling over the next few months that will prevent me from fully participating in the program. In each of the summer months,  I would miss at least 8 days.

 

Overall, Operation Boot Camp is a good program, but someone would have to convince me why what I would get out of it that would warrant the expense. Of course, my travel schedule will be probably be an issue.

 

Thanks Dana for the invite! I really did enjoy it and wonder what the next workout would be like.

Trying to get back into exercising

Since Thanksgiving, my exercise regiment has slowed down. I have been very unmotivated to wake up in the mornings to jog and since being sick and having knee problems and eye surgery, I have not had much desired to go back to the regiment I was exercising in the early fall.

This week I have done better, not perfect but better.

My exercise this week:

• Monday morning: benchpress, tricep kickbacks, military press. I lifted heavy Monday---the most I have in a very long time.
• Tuesday morning: I slept in
• Wednesday morning: leg (fairly heavy leg lifts and squat machines) and ab workout. After getting the kids ready for school, and I jogged 2.5 miles at a moderate pace (for me). The temperature was below 32 degrees and the wind was brutal. Maybe that was the reason the pace was decent. Then, I traveled out of town for a meeting.
• Thursday morning (while out of town): I slept in. My apologies to a friend who worked out and I just did not want to get out in the cold weather (I am such a wimp).
• Thursday night (back home): I jogged 2.5 miles at a moderate pace (for me) in 52 degree weather. It was very nice jog.
• Friday (we'll see)
• Saturday morning: I hope to jog
• Sunday morning: I hope to jog

If I jog on Saturday and Sunday, I will have exercised a consistent amount this week. Consistency is key for me. Although I am not suffering in a major way from cutting back on my exercise, I can tell a difference.

I also feel a difference in how my body feels and what I want to eat. It seems that when I exercise consistently and I push myself to lift heavier or go faster or longer when jogging, I eat better.

The weights give my body a tight feeling, while the cardio makes me feel good. Maybe those physical changes and feelings are what I need to remember when I start to lose motivation.

Christmas Eve Jog

Around noon, I finally got away for my jog. A few weeks ago my knees were hurting so badly that when I jogged one morning, I could barely finish 3 miles on the track. A few days after that I still have trouble completing 3 miles on the road.

So I have taken it easier during my jogs--not pushing myself. I also lighten up the weights during my squats. I think the heavy squats is what really aggrevates my knees, but I am not sure.

This morning I was able to jog almost 3 miles before I noticed my knees. I jogged another mile before I started to be concerned about stopping. I managed to jog a little over 5 miles without any real pain in my knees, albeit, I did not jog fast.

Over the next couple of weeks, I hope to concentrate on the jogging and not do much weight lifting. Hopefully, I can narrow down the reasons that my knees hurt.

Hope all have a very Merry Christmas...

Check out my version of a online holiday greeting

It's time to go to sleep so Santa will come.

Maintaining

It's been more than a month since I recorded my exercise. Although I have traveled for 5 weeks, spending only a day or so each week at the office. I was able to get a jog in here and there and I went to the gym a few times when I was actually in town.

I tried to maintain some level of exercise during those 5 weeks. During my meetings, I walked.During some of travels, I jogged a couple miles.

When I got back into last week,

• Sunday, I jogged around 3.4 miles.
• Monday, I walked a couple miles, we were supposed to jog and I had forgotten so I made it to the track late and since I had jogged on Sunday, I did not jog on Monday.
• Tuesday, we did bench press, I brought 85 pounds all the way to the chest. I also lifted 95 pounds, but did bring it all the way. My favorite is to lift 8 to 15 reps, 95 pounds with my legs extended. Because my shoulders began to get strained, I can't seem to lift more than 8 reps right now.
• Wednesday, we did heavy squats and ab work out.
• Thursday, we jogged a decent time. My legs were incredibly sore on Thursday afternoon. I walked like a duck.
• Friday, we worked out with a little of everything.
• Saturday, I jogged for 30 minutes before my daughters softball game.
• Sunday, I did not exercise.
• Monday (this morning), we jogged 3 miles, but the time was slower than last week. While jogging I did not feel tired, but I was not enthusiastic either.
• Tomorrow is bench press day. JS decided that Tuesday is the new bench press day because he feels he can lift more on Tuesday since he becomes lax (as most of us do) on the weekends.

Because my bone spurs seem to be acting hurting more, I have really tried to stretch every opportunity. Even at the softball game on Saturday, after I jogged I stretched on and off for almost the entire game.

Lifting Weights

Monday is bench press day--it's my workout partner ritual. Monday is bench press day. No other workout can be done on Monday. That is just the way it is with him. Monday is bench press day.

Though I did not blog yesterday, the bench press workout was very good. A couple of years ago, Jeff taught me how to bench press and I have pressed very heavy (for a woman). My problem has been that I do not bring the bar all the way to my chest, fearing that I might injury my shoulders or elbows.

In an effort to bring the bar further down, I have lighten the weights and increased the repetitions. The change in training is working. I can now perform 10 repetitions with 65 lbs bringing the bar all the way to the chest. I did not quite bring the bar down all the way for the 8 repetitions at 95 lbs, but I was close.

I went up to 115 lbs (4 reps) and then 135 lbs (4 reps, twice), bringing the bar little more than half way.

I tried another 95 lbs, almost touching the chest, then finished with 95 lbs, with legs up and stretching them out with each repetition. This particular exercise works my abs, much like extended leg crunches.

I performed more bench press repetitions than normal. I finished the workout with a few crunches, flat dumb bell presses, and incline presses. I felt great all day. I am not sure what it is about lifting heavy, but I tend to have a good bit of energy after heavy bench press and leg workouts.

Today, was leg workout, specifically squats. My knees hurt during the warm ups and wrapping them did not seem to help. Although I did a few crunches yesterday, we did about 20 minutes of ab workout to finish this morning. Today was not bad, but not great either.

I was frustrated because I did only a few reps at 95 lbs. I am now wondering how my jog will go tomorrow.