No more trouble zones!

I did 4/7 circuits of Jillian Michaels' "No More Trouble Zones". Ran out of time and had to stop and make dinner (curried meatballs w/ green beans over brown rice - sooooo good), but it was still a good half hour workout (lots of strength exercises - sort of the opposite number to her "Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism" dvd).

-Jess

Shred Take 2 - Workout 1, Day 1

So Naomi had another bad night last night. I woke up with a throat that felt sore at first, so I immediately started the Zicam and Vitamin C. Hopefully it will catch it. I also hope to take another nap today. (Speaking of which, I did actually lie down yesterday and try to nap. I didn't fall asleep, but I at least could feel my breathing get deep and my pulse slow and all, and I felt much more rested afterwards. I always like naps more when I actually do them than when I think about them.)

I know some people think Workout 1 is boring, but I like it. Then again, I like running and swimming long distances alone, so monotony in physical stuff must not bother me. I think it actually helps organize my internal world a little - at least running and swimming do. I think with the Shred, I then notice ways I'm improving or ways I can challenge myself more.

So today was easier than Workout 3 for sure, but still challenging (except for dumbbell rows and chest flies - those never are. I just need heavier weights). I used the 5 lb weights all the way through, whereas before I was using lighter weights. With that step up, though, I could only do the first set of pushups in the full position, then went to knees. I still don't really like squat+press - it makes my knees feel odd. Same with the anterior raise / side lunges - I just can't do those right. I also noticed my outer shin muscles (?) feeling tweaky, maybe from running? I used the weights for the shadowboxers (ahhhhhh! couldn't keep good form, it was so hard), and then on the whole last set of cardio. I'm planning on trying to make the workout harder with weights or other Wkt 2 and 3 moves (like double jumpropes instead of singles, etc), as I'm able. Don't know of a way to make the ab stuff harder though, and that's too bad. I can feel it when I focus on the best form I can with the bicycles, and maybe I could just do those for all the ab moves throughout.

Had a conversation yesterday where I hurt so much for the person and wanted to help them put up better boundaries, but caught myself from getting enmeshed in it like part of me wanted to. It was hard, but I let their stuff be their stuff. And prayed for them. I also anticipate an event this weekend where I will be with someone who triggers my own internal critical voice and makes me feel insecure. If you think of it, please pray for me to be centered and steady in my interaction with them, and in my anxiety as I anticipate it.

Starting Slowly

Last week was my first week exercising, and I only managed to get in two workouts. I intended to start slowly, but not quite that slowly. This week is a new week and I hope to learn from scheduling attempts that didn't quite work last week. I don't think I should be working out every day quite yet, but I should be able to do every other day.

I did the shred this morning about an hour after breakfast and right before Dan had to leave for school. It worked pretty well, but this way does mean that I have to sacrifice morning mommy sanity time (tea and book) for exercising. We'll see how it goes.

For the workout, I used heavier "weights" swapping my 14.5 oz soup cans out for 26.5 oz spaghetti sauce cans. I appreciate that the movements in the workout are simple enough that I can concentrate on maintaining the proper posture and thus really working out the muscles that I'm supposed to be strengthening.

Emily, what is GS?

Personal Training with Jackie

I did the Personal Training with Jackie dvd this morning. It's forty minutes of circuit training with weights.

Much as I love the Shred, it's fun to do this one sometimes because it's so orderly. She systematically takes you through all your major muscle groups, destroying them. Hamstrings, quads, glutes, back, chest, bi/tri/shoulders, upper abs, lower abs, obliques. And it moves so quickly that it's hard to get bored or to feel like you can't keep going, because you keep moving on to something new.