Day 7

Today I let myself rest… and no sore muscles today!

Now it’s definitely way too early to see any real results from my first week of exercise. But I’m not doing this as a quick shape-up scheme. The real short-term plus is that I got rid of that little guilty voice… that little voice that always said “you should have gone to the gym today; why didn’t you go to the gym today.” Ahh, I am glad that is gone.

Well tomorrow is a gym day… an arm day to be specific.

The last stretch: “To insure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” (William Londen)

Day 6

As promised I gymed it today. Though I’m not going to lie to you – it was hard. My motivation was there. My drive was there. My legs just weren’t there. My leg muscles are still tight. I think I may have overdone my leg workout on Wednesday particularly since I haven’t exercised like that in quite awhile. And particularly since my legs are still sore three days later. A lesson learned: Just because I love leg days, that’s no reason to overwork them.

But that didn’t keep me from doing a workout worth being proud of – 30 minutes on the elliptical and then back and core exercises. Although I made a point of taking it a lot easier on the elliptical today. I figured there was no reason to punish my body while it was still recovering.

Now tomorrow I am looking forward to – tomorrow I rest.

The last stretch: “Little by little one walks far.” (Peruvian proverb)

Day 5

So the ironic thing about today was stress. I like to use exercise to relieve stress. But, similar to yesterday, had I taken the time to gym it today, my day would have become even more stressful. So I stretched this morning and that was my exercising for the day – I know, it’s disappointing.

Now this really isn’t an attempt to hide behind a weak excuse and I’ll prove it you – I’m switching up my schedule slightly and gyming it tomorrow instead. So even though today was rough, tomorrow will be better simply because it won’t be ruled by the clock.

The last stretch: “Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.”  (Etty Hillesum)

Day 4

This morning was rough. The power went out so my alarm didn’t go off… the doorknob fell off my bedroom door so I couldn’t get out of my room… my core ball deflated itself overnight … and my car had a flat tire.

…

Sorry, that’s a lie. That’s all a lie. And not even a good one.

This morning was rough though. But only because I refused to set my alarm any earlier than 8 a.m. so I didn’t have time for any exercising before running out the door.

I did do some quick stretches to get my body warmed up though and that felt good. My poor sore muscles needed a good stretch.

Tomorrow… tomorrow is a gym day of cardio and core. And I am still not looking forward to it.

The last stretch: “To begin, begin.” (Peter Nivio Zarlenga)

Day 3

Day 3 and I hit the gym this morning – but first I had a good 5-minute inner debate with myself in whether I should allow myself to skip the gym today or not. Ultimately I decided I had to go because of this blog.

My gym workouts usually begin with 30 minutes of cardio on an elliptical machine… I generally stick with the elliptical machines or the stairmasters. I admit it – I am slightly intimated by the treadmills. And I even know that my reasons for my intimation are very weak:

• I think treadmills are generally overpopulated by intense gym-goers who can run for a really long time.
• I don’t enjoy running — I have never experienced this “runner’s high” people talk about.
• I can’t run for a long time.
• I feel like I will be silently scoffed at if I can’t run for a long time.
• The treadmills are positioned front-row, center stage, so I feel like I’m being watched when on the treadmills.

See I said they were weak reasons. Hopefully once I am back in my routine for a few weeks and once I start getting bored with the elliptical, I’ll have the guts to transition over to the treadmills. I’ll keep you posted.

Then after the cardio I go on the weight machines for about 30 minutes, and of course I end with post-workout stretches. The gym schedule I made for myself is:

• Monday = cardio and arms
• Wednesday = cardio and legs
• Friday = cardio and core

Today was a leg day and I looovve leg days. When I first started at the gym three years ago I would often allow myself to skip Mondays and Fridays (I have considerable less enthusiasm for arm days) but I always got myself to the gym for my leg days.

The reasoning behind my unabashed enthusiasm for a leg day is because I believe I have more strength in my lower body than in my upper body simply because I’m a girl. I use the same logic in explaining why guys generally love to work on their upper body and not their lower body.

As I’m writing this, my muscles are sore – my whole body seems sore right now and I’m not looking forward to another gym day this week. But I know that it is simply because I haven’t worked these muscles in quite awhile and in building muscle you are actually making tiny rips in the muscle fiber so that it will grow bigger and stronger as it heals.

So tomorrow is another yoga/core day. It should be nice.

The last stretch: “You only ever grow as a human being if you’re outside your comfort zone.” (Percy Cerutty)

Day 2

I let myself have a nice easy workout today in the comfort of my apartment. My arms are still sore from yesterday’s workout so I didn’t want to push myself too much. I set up my schedule so that my intense gym days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tuesday and Thursday I get to focus on stretching, balance and strengthening my core (which consists of all of your abdominal muscles and your lower back). I basically follow yoga, Pilates or core books and videos on these days.

For Christmas this year, my friends surprised me with a core ball. I told them that if I were a more sensitive or insecure person, I would be insulted by this gift. But I know they got it for me because they know I struggle with making time for the gym and they know there are only so many core balls available at the gym.

I love doing crunches on the core ball — you can just feel your muscles pull more on the core ball than on the floor. So today I did yoga and crunches (and of course post-workout stretching).

Tomorrow is another gym day. I just need to make sure that I don’t allow myself to accept my own weak excuses to not go tomorrow morning.

The last stretch: “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.” (Chinese proverb)

Day 1

It began today… this whole re-injecting of regular exercise into my life.

So I went to the gym this morning and it really was good to be back. It was good to be back in my gym gear, back to my regular workout routines (I’ll talk about those later), back to counting my reps, back to watching other people workout – and back to having sore muscles.

Now everyone has different reasons they go to the gym and it’s time for me to level with you about mine. But first let me tell you my non-reasons:

• I’m not trying to lose weight.
• I’m definitely not trying to bulk up.
• It’s not a delayed New Year’s Eve resolution.
• I’m not trying to pick up a hot trainer.
• And this is not a reaction to the approaching swimsuit season.

I just want to get back into shape – back to where I was when I was working out regularly, back to having some lean muscle on me and back to having more energy. I had never felt better about myself than during that time period. I just want to get back to that.

So I’m not here to help advice people on how to lose weight, bulk up or get with a hot trainer. I’m here so you can learn from my fitness blunders; witness my struggle with keeping myself motivated, and realize the benefits of regular exercise.

Check in with me tomorrow… it’s going to be a yoga/core day.

Finally, everyday I’m going to post a motivational quote or fact (a “last stretch” – if you will) to help keep motivation up or simply provide something to think about.

The last stretch: “There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” (Beverly Sills)

Well, maybe I’m a lazy gym rat…

First and most important, I do value taking care of myself, but I generally end up being lazy. I joined my local LA Fitness three years ago. I would love to tell you that I’ve been a regular at the gym for those three years, but that would be a lie. My motivation seems to come to me in short bursts. So when left to my own devices, I go to the gym for a while and then fall right back out of it.

Today can’t really be considered Day 1 of my new “healthy living” plan because I didn’t go to the gym today. That starts tomorrow. Today I took my camera and took several unflattering pictures of myself wearing really tight gym gear… you know so I can have the all-important before and after comparison to help keep me motivated. I considered sharing the photo here, but we’ll wait for that until later.

The real difference between this attempt and my other tries at getting back into the gym is that this time you get to follow me.