Fitness. There is no wagon.

I can't even begin to count the times I have 'fallen off the wagon' when it comes to working out consistently.  I used to beat myself up when I took a workout hiatus and it wasn't helpful.  Perhaps I'm not as consistent as I'd like to be... but I keep showing up.  I keep trying.  I keep beginning again and again, and that's something to celebrate.  I never give up... and I never quit!

Today I'm proud to say that I worked out for the first time this month.  I just did a few quick tabatas in the board room of my office... but I got the blood pumping and worked the muscle groups and it feels great.

I've read a great deal recently about motivation.  I don't think motivation is my problem. My focus right now is building a fitness habit.  My problem is not scheduling my workouts like I schedule everything else in my life.  My problem is not putting myself first and dropping workouts to meet the family obligations that come up constantly.

For the longest time, I've been thinking that in order to be more consistent with working out, I'm going to have to get up earlier.  But I adore that last hour of sleep I get between 6 and 7 in the morning, and I'm not sure I'm willing to give it up just yet.  For now, I'm going to take a little time from my workday and just do something each day.

Great article from Girls Gone Strong about 'Comply or Die' mentality and how it doesn't work for fat loss.  Zen Habits has written some great articles on building the fitness habit too.

Consistency

4 stars on my calendar means I met my weekly 4 workout goal for the first time in forever.  Here's my current workout plan (put together by Michelle Piccioli who is awesome btw).  She is a strong, and badass woman who works with the Handsome Firefighter. Michelle is a personal trainer and former strength competitor.

DAY ONE - PUSH DAY
1 PUSH UPS SS CHEST FLY (4 SETS)
2 DIPS SS KICKBACKS (4 SETS)
3 STANDING BAR SHOULDER PRESS (4 SETS)
4 SQUATS (4 SETS)
5 WALKING LUNGES SS SUMO SQUATS (4SETS)

DAY 2 - TABATA
1 KB SWINGS
2 MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS
3 FIGURE EIGHTS
4 GET UPS
5 ROCKY'S
6 JUMP SQUATS

DAY 3 - PULL DAY
1 NEGATIVE CHIN UPS
2 DUMBELL ROWS (4 SETS)
3 BAR CURLS SS DUMBELL CURLS (ONE FOOT - 4 SETS)
4 SIDE AND REAR RAISES SS (4 SETS)
5 LYING SWISS BALL CURLS SS HIP THRUSTERS (4 SETS)

DAY 4 - TABATA
1 BIKE/SKIP/TREADMILL
2 JACK KNIFES
3 BOX CENTRE JUMPS
4 GRASS HOPPERS
5 GET UPS (NO KB) WITH JUMP
6 FLUTTERS

My favourite is Day One.  Left to my own devices, everyday would be LEG DAY :)

It's good for me to get out of my comfort zone.  The Tabatas are designed to be repeated 6 times, and to be honest I suck wind at about 4 rounds but I'm improving.

Keep on keeping on!

Still struggling with building a consistent fitness habit.  I haven't been to the gym in quite a while.  I can make all the excuses in the world:  illness, children, effing cold winter... but none of them are really valid.

So back to the beginning for me.  I'm going to shoot for 4 gym days per week and I'm going to shoot for daily physical activity each day regardless of going to the gym.  I think building the habit is the key.

http://www.girlsgonestrong.com/why-motivation-is-overrated/

I'm going to try to build the exercise habit like this:

Step 1: Identify the cue that triggers the habit you want to replace. What sets you in motion?

I think for me, exercising first thing in the morning might be the best fit.  

Step 2: What’s the routine you go through to complete the habit?

So the habits I need to create are getting up a bit earlier, ensuring fit gear is ready to go, and ensuring my a.m. jobs are done the night before.

Step 3: What’s the reward — the underlying reason you’re following through with this habit?

I want to feel better and stronger.  I want more energy.

Just do it!

I worked out yesterday.  The handsome firefighter and I worked out together at the Y... no formal routine, but I'm pretty sore today.  It feels good.

I am a chronic procrastinator.  I'm waiting to find the perfect workout... the perfect timeslot to fit working out in my schedule.  This has led to me doing a ton of thinking about working out.  I've read countless magazine articles, researched different fitness options ad nauseum... made myself workout plans... but haven't actually worked out on an ongoing basis, regularly or consistently for a very long time.

Perfect isn't ever going to happen in my life.  I work fulltime.  We have six children.  I just need to do something.  I need to get moving.  I need to get to the gym.  I need to JUST DO IT!

Just get my ass off the couch and get moving.
Just get my ass into the gym and get lifting.
Just build a daily habit of using my body actively.

Just do it!

Beginning again... making the fitness habit stick

 

Still working on making fitness a habit.  Life, unfortunately keeps getting in the way.  My life is reasonably active... I've been swimming with the kiddies at the pool quite often and I walk the dog a couple of times a day... but I need to rebuild some of the muscle I have lost over the years.

For the short term, I plan to take even 20 minutes a day (while I'm at work) and thrown on the trainers and walk.  The goal is to add more activity to my work day and get my face away from the dang computer for a short while.  So today.... I begin AGAIN.

Crossfit Fundamentals Completed

this gorgeous woman is a coach at crossfit Kitchener

So, today we completed our Crossfit Fundamentals... my hamstrings are already screaming at me.  We do still have one session of training left and I feel like I really need it.  There are so many complex and non-intuitive (to me, anyway) movements involved in crossfit.  My brain is completely scrambled with all the olympic lifting terminology...  I can't keep my snatch straight from my clean and jerk!  I know... it all sounds a little dirty doesn't it?

The first few sessions of crossfit were intensely painful.  In hindsight, we needed to pace ourselves more; to slow down and focus on the skill building.  The next two sessions we had a different coach and we came back refocused but not wanting to destroy ourselves like we had previously.  Today's session we had a different coach again and we focused on the olympic lifting side of things.

So the next step is to actually sign up for a workout.  Ack!  I'm a little bit fearful but everyone there seems really friendly and open so we shall see how the first official workout goes.

Day 3. No Quit Get Fit.

Already fell off the wagon.  Day 3 fitness routine consisted of:
1)  Couch.
2)  Red wine.
3)  Chocolate chip cookies.
4)  Considering it a rest day :)

But imma gonna get back on the wagon.  Yes I am. 

Day 2 - No Quit. Get fit.

Motivation is a byproduct of taking action.  I've been going about this exercise thing ass-backwards... thinking that finding my motivation is the thing that will keep me on track with exercising.  This time I am DOING.  By doing something everyday.... whether it's a 30 minute walk... or getting my butt off the couch for some squats... I will be motivated to continue.

It was freezing cold... and I wasn't dressed weather appropriate... so I cut my dog-walking a little short.  Then the kids and I did:
50 shoulder bridges
30 lunges
40 squats
40 one legged bridges
40 clams (on each side)
40 (donkey kicks on each side)
50 shoulder bridges

My form was so bad with the jumping lunges that I substituted normal lunges... plus the ol' mommy bladder can't handle much jumping.  
Once again, it was not pretty.
But exercise done badly is definitely better than exercise not done at all.

Day 1 - No Quit. Get fit.

Day one was a success.  I took Ellie the doodle for a 30 min walk (with a coupla sporadic runs thrown in there).  Felt good.

Then the kiddies and I did: 
30 Shoulder Bridges
40 Plie Squats
30 Jumping Lunges
30 Regular Squats
30 Mountain Climbers
40 Donkey Kicks
30 Shoulder Bridges

It was not pretty... but I did it, and that's the important thing. 

Quitting the quitting habit?

It has been very challenging for me to stick to any sort of exercise routine.  I struggle.  I start things, and I don't finish them.  I am a great beginner.... but not such a great completer.

Lack of time?  Kids? Work?  It's never going to be easy... but I need to keep at this fitness thing.

So for this week... I'm going to get moving someway, somehow for a minimum of 30 minutes per day.  I'm going to stay the hell away from the late night nachos, the pie-binge and the over-indulging in wine.  I'm going to get some appointments booked at Crossfit (although I get a swirly feeling in my stomach... when I think of how scary and painful Crossfit is).  Part of me wonders if it's really supposed to hurt that much.

Here I go again!

Crossfit - Torture Session Part 2

this is SOOO not me!

So today we learned a bunch of moves.  For me, most of them were quite new.  At this moment, I actually can't remember the names of most of them.... deadlift, something something dunno?  I am definitely out of my element.  We also did lunges, box jumps etc.

The end of session workout was:
10 front squats
10 presses
10 kettlebell swings
100 m rowing

I was relatively delirious, but I believe I made it through 4 times.  It appears that counting is important... which is not one of my strong suits :(   Crossfit guru/trainer Pauly made me laugh by telling us that the workouts aren't enough for him and that he likes to row an additional 10k before and after.  BWAHHHHAA!

I purposely scaled way down for this workout.  I began my workout telling the trainer that I would rather give birth to another child than have my body hurt like last week.  There is no way in double hockeysticks I want to feel as sore as I did the last workout.  I didn't want to vomit at the end.  We shall see tomorrow how sore I am.  The back was already hurting from shovelling snow, and I think it's going to really hurt in the morning from all the deadlifts.  Ergh!

DOMS Doh!

Holy Mary mother of muscle pain!  Never before have I been so sore for so long after a workout.  It's day 4 post workout and for the first time this week, I can manage stairs.  I can finally sit to pee without grabbing the sink for support.  Today is the first day I have managed to go without Ibuprofen.

I am not a whiner.  I have a pretty decent pain threshold.  I have given birth to 4 children without any drugs.  I never again want to work out to the point where my body is in this kind of agony.  There is no way I would have been able to do another training session this week.

Sooooooo.... we need to scale this %!!7%$ down in a big way... or crossfit is just not going to work for me.

Crossfit - Cindy

Today was our very first time at Crossfit Kitchener.  In order to get started, you do a fundamentals course, which teaches you the proper movements and form for crossfit.  It can be done with a group or in private/semi private sessions.  Our schedule is so dang wonky that there is no way we could manage the group sessions.

So far my experience is that people at Crossfit Kitchener are very friendly.  The trainer we worked with today was Pauly... overall a positive experience... although I'm still concerned about potentially doing too much too soon.  I suppose it's up to me to ensure that I don't go overboard in the beginning.

Cindy made me suck wind.  There was a point in time where I probably could have vomitted/passed out/done both at the same time.  My legs are arms are jello and I know that I will pay for this tomorrow.  I am having slight difficulty raising my coffee cup to my mouth.  Where's my coffee straw?


“Cindy”
Complete as many rounds in 10 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups (I did it with bands)
10 Push-ups (most on my knees)
15 Squats 

I'm not entirely sure because I was a little delirious... but I do believe I finished 4 full rounds (some with knee pushups) and I think I got in about 4 more pushups at the end.

Gonna drink the koolaid

So, I signed us up for Crossfit... and here we go!  I'm actually really hoping this is an exercise regimen that will 'click' for me.  I have been wanting to try it for a long time.  I have researched the snot out of crossfit on the internet.  We shall see what happens from here.

Starting tomorrow the Handsome Fireman and I have the first of 6 one hour personal training sessions, designed to get us acclimatized to the type of movement and exercise done at crossfit.  My main concerns are "Hopefully I like it" and "I really can't afford to get hurt."  My main goal is to feel better and stronger... and build an exercise habit that sticks.  Wish me luck!

My Fitness Journey - Beginning Again

I think I was a fairly active child... and reasonably athletic.  I figure skated competitively for several years, and can probably attribute muscle memory plus a little genetics to my current physique.  I have managed to bounce back from 4 pregnancies.

our first 'house' purchase was this trampoline

Truthfully... I am in horrible shape.  I have very little cardiovascular fitness.  I'm winded climbing a staircase.  My energy levels are not great.  For my age, and lack of consistent exercise... I have decent muscle mass.  I like my body.  I like the way I look in a bathing suit.  But I would like to be fitter, stronger, and have more energy... kinda like the lovely Gabrielle Reece... strong and gorgeous!

Not me.  Gabby Reece

At 40, I believe that I have entered the threshold where if I don't start taking care of myself.... it will truly be downhill from here, and I don't want to go downhill.

I have started many a fitness regime over the last few years and quit every single time.  Some programs I have really enjoyed, like the Thrive 90 program.  Some activities have bored the living snot out of me.

My biggest challenge is how to fit in fitness.  Somehow, in the queue of family life.... I come last.  That is the paradigm that needs to change in order for me to succeed.  I need to put me first.  So for the next month... or so I am going to get up early and do something/ANYTHING active.  It might be a walk... maybe a little weights... maybe the Thrive 90.  I'm going to begin with simply trying to build the habit of putting myself first and doing something active every day for at least 30 minutes per day.

OXYGEN and CLEAN EATING are coming back!

It was a sad day when Tosca Reno declared bankruptcy of the company responsible for Oxygen Magazine.  I've read it since it's beginning... and it's one of the only women's fitness magazines that doesn't make we want to vomit with ridiculous fat burner advertisements on every page.

Thank Maude!  Oxygen is back in business.  I can't wait to get the November issue!

OXYGEN, CLEAN EATING AND MUSCLE MAG SUBSCRIBERS - WE'VE GOT YOUR BACK - Tosca Reno

Grand River Rocks!

We are constantly looking for fun family activities that are free, or relatively low cost. 
6 children = expensive outings.  If you have a larger family and are looking for family fun on a budget.... I highly recommend Grand River Rocks.

photo from Grand River Rocks

We have taken the kids there a few times, and are seriously considering becoming members in the future.
Family Pricing for one day is $40 (for us that works out to $5 per person).  Anyone can come to Grand River Rocks, sign a waiver, have a little safety lesson and you're good to go for bouldering. 
Bouldering is climbing this crazy 13ft tall structure that is dotted with little hand and footholds.  All our kiddies loved it!  Hubby and I enjoyed it too... but MAN it is hard work!

With a little more money, and a little planning.... you can do Top Rope climbing (harnessed climbing up a wall).  You need to take a lesson to learn how to belay (intro lesson $55 per person).  Info. for first time climbers here.

Five of our six kiddies participated in this summer's Climb, Dive, Bounce camp through Grand River Rocks.  They learned rock climbing, springboard diving, and trampoline skills.  This camp was a winner!  Everyone had a ball!  They adored the instructors!  More info. on camps here.

photo from Grand River Rocks