I have so much to share after two weeks!!
Cardio: Let's change things up! This cold weather is killing my usual routine sooooo I've been throwing in different cardio routines. I finally decided to substitute HIIT (high intensity interval training) into my cardio sessions to try to get the pain of indoor cardio over quickly :-P You can pretty much pick any cardio activity to do this with including running, cycling or the elliptical.
There are so many variations of HIIT, but I typically use a routine shared by Bella Falconi:
Warm-up
4 minutes of a high but sustainable pace, 4 minutes of easy pace
3 minutes of a high but sustainable pace, 3 minutes of easy pace
2 minutes of a high but sustainable pace, 2 minutes of easy pace
1 minutes of a high but sustainable pace, 1 minutes of easy pace
30 seconds of full on all out speed, 1 minute easy pace - repeat this last part 4 times
Cool-down.
Although HIIT is great for a quick calorie smash and has the added perk of increasing your metabolism for a length of time beyond your workout, I do not enjoy it Nearly as much as I enjoy a nice long jog (especially with a friend, hubby or sister) but since it is so cold outside that it is SNOWING, I felt the need to change it up. HIIT is not my idea of a good time...maybe I will get used to it as I do more and more of it, but for now, it just serves its purpose and doesn't bring me any real joy.
Weight: My weight has pretty much stabilized but I definitely feel myself getting stronger, Stronger, STRONGER!! Right now, I'm really focused on seeing my body change shape more than seeing any real loss of pounds.
Gym membership: The big health news around here is that my Hubby & I finally got gym memberships! We were so spoiled by our at home equipment & community fitness center but definitely faced some frustration about the fitness center being closed...so we found an alternative. It is so awesome getting to lift weights with Ryan. I like seeing him push himself and work towards goals. Training with Ryan has helped me get some perspective on how far I've come in the last several months. First, I actually know what some exercises are called & the proper form for completing them. Granted, I had to look up some exercises, review youtube videos, and ask one of the trainers at the gym a few questions, but overall I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what I'm doing at the gym. Second, although we both push ourselves at the gym, the simple fact that Ryan is a beginner means he has to deal with much more soreness than I do. He could barely move after the first couple of workouts but he is recovering better after our lifting sessions this week. I definitely get sore and exhausted but its not nearly as bad as it was when I was starting out! Lastly, I realized how I've made lifestyle changes in order to accomodate my exercise schedule....
Lifestyle changes: Planning, planning, planning. I plan my meals ahead of time to ensure that I have several meals throughout the day and especially to ensure that I have the nutrients and energy that I need in my body in order to handle my workouts. We're still working on getting Ryan's eating on track so that he is taking in enough protein, fluids, etc. to meet the demands of working out several times a week. Water intake can be quite the chore but your body needs lots of water to function properly. Most days I drink some almond milk, a cranergy, a coconut water, a vitamin water zero and some plain old water in order to stay hydrated. My daily goal is 64 ounces & if I'm not deliberate about taking in fluids, I will not reach that goal. I usually make a food/liquid plan for the day first thing in the morning. As far as the bigger picture, I grocery shop about once a week so I try to plan meals, snacks, and fluids for an entire week prior to going out and getting groceries. This helps me eat clean & often while getting all the things my body needs & enjoying a variety of different foods.
30 to 30: Ok y'all. I have now entered the final 30 days before my 30th birthday. I am going to be so super focused on making these 30 days awesome at work, at home, at the gym - everywhere! I will be reporting on these 30 days of awesomeness frequently! But for now my stats...
My stats are alright for the last two weeks. I am pretty pleased with them considering the fact that most of the people I know took breaks during the holidays ;-)
Week 19:
- HIIT January 1st
- December 30th, January 1st & 3rd strength training
Week 20:
- HIIT January 6th and 9th
- 3.2 mile run on the 11th
- January 6th and 9th strength training
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