Fitness Update: November

Y'all it's been a minute since I've updated on my "fitness progress." July to be exact. While I have been going to Crunch and trying to stay more active with yoga and walking, I wouldn't say I have done great.

One thing that has changed, my mindset. I don't feel pressure to go to the gym everyday (which weirdly ends up making me go less), I don't feel pressure to lose weight or get more fit. All of these things I do are for myself.

I have started to choose 30 minutes of yoga or stretching over driving to the gym at 6am. When I get a chance, I go to the gym after work. I try to go 3 times a week. I go on the weekends now because I can make my own schedule.

A beautiful fall, means walks around the museum with my girl aka my favorite workout

But here you go, my open, honest fitness journal from August through November. You will see missed alarms, challenges attempted, overall laziness, but also some awesome victories.

AUGUST

August 1 - 10 minute yoga sequence since I didn’t make it into the gym this morning. I do a “hip opening sequence” since I got an assessment and was told I have tight hips.

August 2 - Slept through my alarm and missed The November Project.

August 4 - Slept through another alarm. What is wrong with me?

August 6 - Long walk with Pheebs on a pleasant Sunday evening.

August 8 - First time to the gym in AM in a long time. I started a new 10 minute routine that involves plank, pushups, squats, bird dogs and hip raisers. Biked for 20 after that. I think my recent kick into the stationary bike has really helped my thighs. I also like that I can read or listen to a podcast while I do it!

August 9 - slept through my alarm. (Why do I do this regularly?) but still did my little 10 minute workout.

August 10 - ripped my ankle opened yesterday. Tried to get to the gym this am but limped on my way to the bathroom at 5am. No gym for me. 10 minute workout at night. Supposed to do it 6 days in a row.

August 11-? - Ripped open ankle still a problem and I added to it with a busted up big toe on the same foot. (A violent game of beer pong with some of my girl friends.)

SEPTEMBER

September 5 - finally was able to work out again. After gaining 15 pounds in NYC it was about time. I biked and did a little 10 minute exercise thing. Felt great. Listened to the Hamilton soundtrack.

September 6 - raining like crazy after work but I did some yoga and my other little 10 minute exercise routine.

September 7 - nice long walk with Phoebe around the museum and neighborhood.

September 9 - hour long walk with Pheebs to Scott's Addition and back.

September 12 - rode my bike to yoga in the park. Felt good to stretch.

September 14 - first time at the gym in the AM in so long! Met Lauren there and we rode bikes for 20 then did some mat workout for about 10 minutes. I felt energetic throughout the day but also starving.

September 15 - another AM gym.

September 20 - Went to the gym this morning. Did some of the Tone it Up workout.

September 21 - Ditto.

….I failed again. See ya in October.

OCTOBER

October 4 - Back to the AM routine with Lauren. We bike for 15 minutes then do the Tone it Up Workout of the day.

October 5 - Same.

October 6 - Three AM days in a row. I am a goddess.

October 7 - Walked to and from the Farmer’s Market with Courtney 1.2 miles each. With dogs. It was an accomplishment.

October 9 - Slept through my AM alarm, so I walked Phoebe after work.

October 10 - I thought I was back in college and stayed out until 11:30 on a Monday night, so I needed sleep. No gym this AM.

October 11-15 - I sucked and missed the gym all week. :(

October 16 - Up and ready on a Monday morning. 10 minutes of biking, then the Tone It Up 21 day challenge.

October 17 - Ditto, except it is Tuesday.

October 18 - made it without a buddy! Biked and did tone it up! I'm gonna make it everyday this week. I'm determined!

October 19 - Woke up at 6am, but I have been suffering from a terrible sore throat and decided that it was more important to rest this morning.

October 20 - not working today, so I decided to do some yoga at the museum and take Phoebe for a walk as my workout.

October 21 and 22 - walked a lot doing weekend activities but did not do specific workouts

October 23 - trying out Kimberly Wilson’s yoga CD. I did the shortest version to get a feel for it. I really liked someone walking me through it via the CD, versus me reading the poses from something on Pinterest. I will definitely be coming back to this. Kimberly has 4 different versions you can do on the CD, shortest, shorter, short and full. I think that is awesome.

October 24 - 10 minutes of biking and the TIU 21 Day Challenge with Lauren. I’m extra sweaty today. Cute.

October 25 - Woke up at 6am, but I just didn’t feel like going. Sometimes I feel like it’s better to say OK, you get a break today. I snuggled with Phoebe instead.

October 26 - When you forget to set an alarm it is really hard to wake up on time. (Funny, I could have gone yesterday, but did not.)

October 27 - Made it to the gym. Biked and TIU.

October 28 - Met up with Kristie for a 40 minute walk with the dogs around the Fan. This is my ideal “workout”.

October 30 - Started the Tone It Up 21 day challenge. Also had a 20 minute bike ride.

October 31 - Short 5 minute bike then TIU challenge day 2.

NOVEMBER

November 1 - Biked and TIU! Sup November.

November 2 - TUI at home since I have an early morning.

November 3 - Mad at myself for not working out today.

November 4 - gGt myself to the gym after my sad excuse yesterday. Did the TIU for the day and added in more abs exercises since that is what I missed yesterday. Biked for 20 minutes.

November 5 - Gym on a Sunday? Oh yea! TIU workout and 10 minutes of biking. My legs are so sore. Took Phoebe on a 20 minute walk after as well.

November 6 - Yoga for 30 minutes in the AM. Gym at night, first time in awhile, a lot busier. Did 10 minute bike, then TIU, then another 10 minute bike. My legs are super duper sore.

November 7 - Legs are still so sore, but I got up and went. This feels like a big accomplishment. I would normally make that an excuse to “rest my body.” Biked for just 10 minutes due to the soreness (and because I needed to make time to vote) and did the TIU workout.

November 8 - Lauren joined me today. We ended up doing the elliptical for 10 minutes. It was a nice change up from the bike, but I won’t leave the bike forever. We did TIU, but had to modify the third round. Turns out pistol squats are hard af.

November 9 - My body told me no this AM. I had a slight headache (apparently that’s what 3 beers will do) and I was just tired. Did make it to the gym though! Did the TIU and biked for 10 minutes this afternoon. I also walked Phoebe around the museum.

November 10 - gym in the AM for TIU and biking.

November 11-14 - I didn't work out all weekend and it really killed my motivation. Lesson learned is that I need to really find ways to motivate myself and still go on the weekends.

November 15 - Woke up but still had no motivation/willpower. I cleaned my apartment instead. It has been messy for days and I think that was really throwing me off. There has been a lot going on in my personal life too that I feel like has totally distracted me. Not having an organized life really throws me off.

November 16 - Woke up to my alarm at 5:45 and still was not motivated but today I decided to look into fixing that. I found routines on my amazon Alexa and put together a little flash briefing - dad jokes, motivational quote, a quote from Oprah, news and the weather. After I did that and listened to it, I got up and did yoga.

November 20 - After a weekend of being “too busy” to workout (read: lazy), I woke up this morning and did yoga. The TIU challenge is over I did 11 of 21. Not amazing. My first week I killed it but that may have burnt me out a bit. Went to the gym and biked for 30 minutes after work. (I read while I bike. Is that nerdy?)

November 21 - Yoga this morning. Gym after work for a 30 minute bike ride.

November 22 - Can't yoga this am because we have a doggie visitor. Biked and did some arm exercises after work.

November 23-25 - Took a mini break for the holiday.

November 26 - Sunday sesh. Decided to walk on a steep incline. 33 minutes.

November 27 - No workout (had to leave my apartment at 6:45).

November 28 - Back to yoga this am. Biked for 33 minutes after work.

November 29 - I wasn’t feeling yoga, so I did 10 minutes of stretching instead.

November 30 - Nothing.

#fitness #workout #yoga #rva