Last week I decided that it was time to get back on the horse, per say. It's not that I had really fallen off, but I let certain things slip. I was eating out more with friends, drinking beer a few times a week, and otherwise enjoying life and my limited time left before I moved. Last week I moved out of state to start my orientation for my new job, leaving all my friends and family behind. Surprisingly, adjusting to a new place hasn't been so bad and has in fact inspired me to really tighten down the hatches and get back on track with proper food intake and consistent workouts.
Otherwise, in the past few months I've done some biking (a VBT biking trip in Massachusetts to be exact), ran a 10k, and sadly finished up my LA Boxing membership that I have so enjoyed. Currently I have been doing Dance Central 2 fitness mode to keep me moving until I get access to the gym at work. My workouts right now are inspired by a post I read (cardio + weights) and have really been helping me sleep like a log at night :) I also stopped working on my 100 push up set due to a terribly pulled muscle last month but have started again, doing them through the daily drill this time.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
100 pushup challenge
This week I start a new challenge. I enjoy setting challenges and goals as a way to keep myself progressing. It's so easy to settle into what is comfortable and easy. It's when we push ourselves that we begin to realize our full potential.
I'm starting a 100 push-up challenge. This means that I am aiming to do 100 push-ups in one set! Given how many I've done thanks to kickboxing, I'll be starting on week 3 of the 6 week program (ie, I can already do 25 in a row.) I'll try to keep this updated with how many I can do by the end of each week.
Start your own 100 pushup journey!: http://www.hundredpushups.com/index.html
I'm starting a 100 push-up challenge. This means that I am aiming to do 100 push-ups in one set! Given how many I've done thanks to kickboxing, I'll be starting on week 3 of the 6 week program (ie, I can already do 25 in a row.) I'll try to keep this updated with how many I can do by the end of each week.
Start your own 100 pushup journey!: http://www.hundredpushups.com/index.html
Friday, April 6, 2012
Mentality
I've always been amazed at how simply the way we think about things can completely change the outcome of what we set out to do. I've always been jealous of those individuals who can walk confidently into a situation. Their positive attitude and self-confidence greatly increases their chances of success. If you walk into a situation full of self-doubt and fear, you're more likely to give up early for fear of looking dumb or simply because we tell ourselves that we can't do it.
This is amazingly true for any work out. I have never once considered myself a runner. I hated running in high school. Gym was the bane of my existence, and I thought I would die after the mile run! Even just a few months ago, the thought of running one mile scared me. Yet over the course of these few months, I've seen my self image change. I'm more confident, proud of what I've accomplished, and more optimistic about the things I can achieve when I set my mind to it.
Today, I ran 4 miles. I may not be very fast, I may struggle along the way, I may have to take frequent small breaks to catch my breath, but I am a runner!
This is amazingly true for any work out. I have never once considered myself a runner. I hated running in high school. Gym was the bane of my existence, and I thought I would die after the mile run! Even just a few months ago, the thought of running one mile scared me. Yet over the course of these few months, I've seen my self image change. I'm more confident, proud of what I've accomplished, and more optimistic about the things I can achieve when I set my mind to it.
Today, I ran 4 miles. I may not be very fast, I may struggle along the way, I may have to take frequent small breaks to catch my breath, but I am a runner!
Thursday, March 29, 2012
It's a way of life.
This week has been a reminder of how difficult it is to continue exercising while working long shifts with weird hours. My current shifts are from 9am until 7pm. It's lovely to be able to sleep in, but getting off at 7 is terrible. I have never been fond of morning workouts. Half awake, stumbling, devoid of my morning coffee, I am never able to push myself the way I am later in the day. But working out when I get home is its own struggle of motivation. This past Tuesday was the perfect example.
I was at the hospital from 9am-7pm for my shift. I got home around 7:30, ate a small snack and changed. I arrived at the gym around 8pm after finally talking myself into going (mentally and physically tired after being on my feet all day), where I did my first day of real training for the race: 2 miles walking, 1 mile running, 2 miles speed walking. This took me an hour and 12 minutes. I didn't end up eating dinner until 9:30 or showering until 10. I was in bed within an hour after that.
I love working out, especially after a long, rather frustrating day. But I also love to relax, surf the internet and watch mindless TV. They both produce the same sort of result at the end of a long day, but one is 10 times easier. It's not surprising that just last year I would come home and immediately become an extension of my couch.
I'm not writing this to whine about my hours or how difficult my life is, but as a reminder to myself that you make time for those things that you really want in life. It doesn't matter if it leaves you with less time in your evening for other things, if it is important to you, you just do it. This of course applies to many things beyond fitness, but fitness is often so far down people's list of priorities that it is one of the first thing to fall off when life gets crazy.
One of my favorite quotes is "Fitness is not a destination; it is a way of life."
And what a journey it has been so far. :)
I was at the hospital from 9am-7pm for my shift. I got home around 7:30, ate a small snack and changed. I arrived at the gym around 8pm after finally talking myself into going (mentally and physically tired after being on my feet all day), where I did my first day of real training for the race: 2 miles walking, 1 mile running, 2 miles speed walking. This took me an hour and 12 minutes. I didn't end up eating dinner until 9:30 or showering until 10. I was in bed within an hour after that.
I love working out, especially after a long, rather frustrating day. But I also love to relax, surf the internet and watch mindless TV. They both produce the same sort of result at the end of a long day, but one is 10 times easier. It's not surprising that just last year I would come home and immediately become an extension of my couch.
I'm not writing this to whine about my hours or how difficult my life is, but as a reminder to myself that you make time for those things that you really want in life. It doesn't matter if it leaves you with less time in your evening for other things, if it is important to you, you just do it. This of course applies to many things beyond fitness, but fitness is often so far down people's list of priorities that it is one of the first thing to fall off when life gets crazy.
One of my favorite quotes is "Fitness is not a destination; it is a way of life."
And what a journey it has been so far. :)
Monday, March 26, 2012
Running; training for an 8k
I have never been a person that enjoys running. I remember in high school how we would have to do the mile run, and we'd be timed. It was the cruelest form of punishment, especially since I would be one of the last people to finish. I was happy if I got under a 13 minute/mile. There were so many things about it that I couldn't stand. I couldn't breathe, my muscles would burn, and I'd inevitably get a terrible stitch in my side every single time.
While I still can't say that I enjoy running any more than I did back in high school, I can say that it has gotten somewhat easier and that it's something I want to improve upon. Why? All you need to run is your shoes and a little bit of motivation (and preferably an ipod with good music.) There's gotta be something said about the convenience of it.
I was recently surprised with the realization that the cardio and muscle strength that I had built since the beginning of January with boxing and kickboxing had translated nicely into endurance with running. Where I couldn't previously complete a simple interval training (running at 6.0x2 min followed by 6.5x1 min was something that I couldn't do...) yet I found myself going above and beyond that. Now I can run a solid mile at 6.5 (equates to about a 9 min/mile!)
So where does that leave me? Training for an 8k. Yes, that same person who couldn't stand running is now training for an 8k. At first I was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of it. It's scheduled for 4/22/2012 which puts it a little under 4 weeks away. I would actually like to run most of it (if not all) and so I have found myself with the need to train.
I ran across a half marathon training schedule geared towards individuals who can run 2 miles comfortably. Around the 4 week mark, the training reaches about the length of an 8k. So after manipulating it a bit to fit my schedule, I have settled on my schedule for training.
Here goes nothing! :)
While I still can't say that I enjoy running any more than I did back in high school, I can say that it has gotten somewhat easier and that it's something I want to improve upon. Why? All you need to run is your shoes and a little bit of motivation (and preferably an ipod with good music.) There's gotta be something said about the convenience of it.
I was recently surprised with the realization that the cardio and muscle strength that I had built since the beginning of January with boxing and kickboxing had translated nicely into endurance with running. Where I couldn't previously complete a simple interval training (running at 6.0x2 min followed by 6.5x1 min was something that I couldn't do...) yet I found myself going above and beyond that. Now I can run a solid mile at 6.5 (equates to about a 9 min/mile!)
So where does that leave me? Training for an 8k. Yes, that same person who couldn't stand running is now training for an 8k. At first I was a bit overwhelmed by the prospect of it. It's scheduled for 4/22/2012 which puts it a little under 4 weeks away. I would actually like to run most of it (if not all) and so I have found myself with the need to train.
I ran across a half marathon training schedule geared towards individuals who can run 2 miles comfortably. Around the 4 week mark, the training reaches about the length of an 8k. So after manipulating it a bit to fit my schedule, I have settled on my schedule for training.
Here goes nothing! :)
And it begins.
My fitness journey began 3 months ago, January 31st, 2011 when I attended my first LA Boxing class with my brother. He had invited me for months to join him for a class. Many things had held me back from saying yes: I was out of shape, I didn't have time, and I didn't want to look like a fool. Looking back, I can't believe I let those excuses hold me back.
My first class was hard. I was out of breath, I felt awkward, and I even had to sit out for part of the class when I began to feel light-headed. But something during that class clicked. I was enjoying myself. Fitness for me had recently become equated to boring sessions on the elliptical (and avoiding the treadmill at all costs), mediocre weight-lifting exercises, and sub-par motivation. In one hour, that vision was shattered. And since then, in the past three months, everything has changed.
I started simply doing class with my brother and one of our good friends 4-5 times a week. With some free time in my schedule and good company, exercise became something I looked forward to. The classes consist of approximately 50% boot camp type material (squats, lunges, push ups, ab work) and 50% bag work (combinations and endurance drills). My form, speed, and endurance slowly improved, as did my confidence! I even started doing sparring training with one of our instructors at the gym.
On one of my off days from boxing/kickboxing last month, I went the small gym in my apartment complex. Instead of avoiding the treadmill like the plague, I was drawn to it. I had found an easy interval training routine (that I had tried unsuccessfully to complete previously a few months ago) and wanted to try it again. I jumped on the treadmill and was elated to finish it strong. While I still don't like running, it was a clear sign of the progress I had made. I've had many of those moments in recent weeks, moments where I can hear that voice screaming in my head, "Yes!"
Moving forward, time will be the hardest constraint for me as I graduate and start a very challenging career. It won't be easy to balance everything, but I am hoping with a strong foundation of fitness knowledge and my new found motivation will carry me through.
My first class was hard. I was out of breath, I felt awkward, and I even had to sit out for part of the class when I began to feel light-headed. But something during that class clicked. I was enjoying myself. Fitness for me had recently become equated to boring sessions on the elliptical (and avoiding the treadmill at all costs), mediocre weight-lifting exercises, and sub-par motivation. In one hour, that vision was shattered. And since then, in the past three months, everything has changed.
I started simply doing class with my brother and one of our good friends 4-5 times a week. With some free time in my schedule and good company, exercise became something I looked forward to. The classes consist of approximately 50% boot camp type material (squats, lunges, push ups, ab work) and 50% bag work (combinations and endurance drills). My form, speed, and endurance slowly improved, as did my confidence! I even started doing sparring training with one of our instructors at the gym.
On one of my off days from boxing/kickboxing last month, I went the small gym in my apartment complex. Instead of avoiding the treadmill like the plague, I was drawn to it. I had found an easy interval training routine (that I had tried unsuccessfully to complete previously a few months ago) and wanted to try it again. I jumped on the treadmill and was elated to finish it strong. While I still don't like running, it was a clear sign of the progress I had made. I've had many of those moments in recent weeks, moments where I can hear that voice screaming in my head, "Yes!"
Moving forward, time will be the hardest constraint for me as I graduate and start a very challenging career. It won't be easy to balance everything, but I am hoping with a strong foundation of fitness knowledge and my new found motivation will carry me through.
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