Wed 19 Jan

5min Warm up on Cross Trainer
45min Zumba Class - loved it today so really pleased as wasn't sure if it was my thing or not

Wed Jan 19:
- 3 min run, to see how my feet were doing. They felt okay.
- 3 sets bench press @35#, 7 reps, 6 reps, 5 reps
- 2x10 reverse crunch
- 3x10 bicep curls with resistance band alternating with
- 3x10 tricep dip on bench, feet on floor
- 25 each upper back exercises (snow angel, rotate, push back)
- 30s downward dog
- few min stretching

I was feeling extremely un-motivated today. Oh well.

Wednesday, January 19:

30 minutes Pilates routine on my own
45 minute spin class

This is just a reminder to myself that, after a tense day at the office -- in my manager's absence, trying to round up someone in my dept. to fly to San Jose with less than 24 hours' notice for a writing assignment -- nothing feels better than the gym. I went in full of angst, hating the weather, depressed by a phone call from a friend whose mother died of cancer a few days ago, my shoulders still hunched up around my ears from my job. I came out laughing & talking & walking with one of the instructors & his partner. Anything that has this effect is something that I need to hang onto.

January 19: 60 minutes UJAM class

Totals:
17 days
1033 minutes

Thursday, January 20:

60 minutes elliptical, resistance at 8, random intervals, half of it backward, a little over 6 miles
60 minute Pilates class, with someone subbing for the usual instructor, someone more merciful, so I think I won't hurt as much as usualtomorrow

Friday, January 21:

15:06 rowing on the Concept 2, 2:27 for 500 meters, 2,776 meters, 45 s/m, and regaining speed
60 minutes weights
45 minutes arc trainer, intervals, resistance at 9

To make it to the gym by 6:30 AM, I put on snow boots with my YakTrax strapped to the bottoms & trudged through unshoveled snow, in the snowy dark, following a commuter headed to the train station (which is in the same direction as the gym but only another block further) & being followed by other commuters. I felt like part of a small polar expedition.

Wow Saef, you really are one dedicated gym goer! Kudos to you.

Friday 21 Jan

10min warm up on Cross Trainer
60min PT session - which was AMAZING!!! I had so much more energy this week than last, really felt like my head was in the right place and loved it.

Great feeling. Perhaps this is one of the things you've been training for? Go to the gymn to get fit enough to join a small polar expedition to get to the gymn to train to .. well who knows what next time?

But yes, great feeling.

Birchie, I like to think that we were part of Amundsen's expedition party, rather than Scott's.

Saturday, January 22:

45 minute spin class
60 minute Pilates class

Both classes were full, and the studio floor nearly carpeted with mats for Pilates class. There were several new faces. An impressive crowd on a bitterly cold day, when it is tempting to stay home, looking out the window at the snow, & eat one's oatmeal (and eventually, everything else in the kitchen) rather than venturing out.

"I may be some time." So sad.

I went to the gymn today for TM and yoga/stretching. And then I came to work. Oh oh oh. It is theoretically home time now. Should I go home, sleep on it and return on Monday to finish, or just push a little more and finish now? I think I'll go home. Thanks for listening.

January 20: none-- exhausted-- just couldn't drag myself to the gym at 9 pm and that was the earliest I could have made it there.

January 21: 51 minutes running (5.05 miles)

Totals:
18 days
1084 minutes

Saturday 22 Jan

60min Advanced Step Class - same instructor as last week (not the normal one) and still found the routine way too complicated, but did much better than last week with it so pleased.

January 22: 75 minutes boot camp

Totals:
19 days
1159 minutes

Sunday, January 23:

15:07 on the Concept 2, at 2:24 500/meter, for 2,765 meters, 42 s/m, for a projected 5,861 meters, and this felt like hard labor today
60 minutes weights, with me bench-pressing the 50-lb. barbell for 12 reps, a personal record
45 minute spin class

Really busy at the gym this morning, in spite of (or maybe because of) the bitter cold and the forthcoming Jets game.

Sunday 23 January

Sunday is usually my rest day, but have actually spent about 5hrs in the garden picking up rotten apples, helping to cut down apple trees, chop the trees into logs and then make a start on tidying our deck.
I'm tired now but not exhausted tired and it just feels amazing to me that I could actually do this when a year ago there would have been no chance. DH also commented that there is no way he could have done it on his own and that we both never stopped. At one point my shoulders and arms ached from holding the tree loppers above my head for so long, but other than that I had no issues and didn't struggle at all.
I think my arms are probably going to ache tomorrow from the different kind of exercise, but other than that I feel great, it's just still so weird and amazing to be able to do anything I put my mind to! Major NSV today.