Group fitness frustration

Y'all know how much I love BodyPump, right? So let me tell you a little story...

On Monday evening, I got my booty to the gym with plenty of time to attend the regularly-scheduled BodyPump class. When I walked through the door, I noticed there was a substitute teacher - notable, but not a big deal. It was someone I've taken (other) classes from in the past and therefore recognized, so, fine. I set up my station and got ready for class.

Matching your shoes to your weights is critical.... ha

Right before the class started, the teacher started talking. She stated that she was not a BodyPump teacher and had never been, and had only been called on to teach the class a few minutes before. She said we were going to do weight-lifting exercises to music, but not the normal BP moves, and not choreographed to music. She was going to do the best she could. 

Hmmmm. 

Immediately, people start looking at each other skeptically, murmuring and rolling their eyes. This is a class with a lot of regulars, and a very popular teacher. Perhaps not the best start for the sub...

What went on during the class was confusing, at best. The music was blaring, the microphone was way too low, and the moves were choppy and disorganized. The instructor was clearly uncomfortable and unprepared, through knowledgeable in weight lifting moves. I think she did do the best she could... But it was a far cry from the average BP class. 

As the class went on, several people packed up and left. Personally, I find that kind of rude. However, I also understand, because if you go into a class expecting a level of instruction and certain style of education, and receive something completely different, should you have to stay the whole time? 

I'm torn over what I should have done or what others should have during that hour. Personally, I'm pretty flexible. I enjoy the group class environment, no matter what's happening. I probably couldn't have gotten a similar workout on my own. But I know others could. 

Also, we did several moves that I've never done in a BP class. I'm sore In places that I've never been sore before! I was confused at the time, and I thought it was a bit dangerous due to the sub's inability or lack of explaination about several moves, but i know enough that I think I did everything correctly. The same could probably not be said for everyone else in class. 

Also, also - I burned more calories in that "class" than I usually do in BP, due to being in the "target heart rate" range more than usual in BP. Just a side note...

This includes 75 cal burned on the elliptical before class... but still

So my question is, what would you have done? This one threw me for a loop. Would you have stayed or left? How much is too much when your group exercise class does not match what you expected (or paid for)? I am very curious to hear from others who have experienced something irregular in a fitness class!

Namaste

We got home later than planned yesterday, and I was truly bummed to be missing my favorite yoga class. I haven't made it in weeks, and I had it on the calendar as a "must do" for yesterday. Luckily, C convinced me that if I moved really quick, I could make it to class just a few minutes late (which I hate to do) and still enjoy my practice. He was right! Class had barely started as I flew through the gym doors and I grabbed a spot at the back so as not to disturb anyone. Mission accomplished!

[source]
This is not what I look like while doing yoga.

If you had told me several years ago that I would develop a love for yoga, I probably would have just outright laughed at you. As far as working out and exercising goes, I generally feel drawn toward higher energy activities - my go-tos are BodyPump and running - and I had no understanding whatsoever of the benefits of yoga, or how much I would enjoy it. My mom and I started taking a weekly yoga class on Fridays as a way to relieve stress, and over the course of a year or so, I found myself looking forward to that class more and more. When C & I bought our house and I changed gyms, I was very pleased to find several yoga classes offered that would fit my schedule. It took some trial and error (not all yoga classes or yoga teachers are for everyone!) but I definitely found a class that challenges me, taught by a young woman who I really, really like. For me, Tuesday evenings are now my yoga nights, and I crave that 60 minutes devoted to vinyasa and everything else that goes with it.

[source]
This is also not what I look like while doing yoga.

I will never be the bendiest yogini in the room, I will probably always lose my balance during tree pose, and I will doubt I will ever be able to truly clear my mind and relax during savasana. However, that doesn't mean that I can't achieve the benefits of a good practice, or that I don't get anything out of it. Yoga is the kind of thing where you get what you want to get out of it. Yesterday, in the dimly lit room with quiet music, surrounded by people, I felt that my mind was the clearest and I was the most at-peace that I've been in weeks. As I flowed through the motions and pushed myself to hold poses a little longer or go a little deeper, I felt calm and in control - something that is missing in my life right now. Knowing the way my mind wanders, I tried to focus intently on my breathing during final relaxation, pushes the unrelated thoughts away and repeating "breathe in, breathe out," with the flow of my breath. When we reached that final moment, where the teacher bowed and whispered, "namaste," I whispered it back like I always do. It felt a little different this time though - like I was saying it to her, and also to myself. Yoga benefits the mind, body, and soul. It sounds so cliche, but it's true. In that hour last night, I was able to recognize and glorify the divine within myself, and that is why I practice. Even if I can't hold crow pose for more than two seconds, and even though my knees creak during warrior one, I always come out of a class feeling better than when I went in. Is there any greater benefit, really? Methinks not.

Fact: "namaste" means "I bow to the divine in you" in Hindu. Cultural lesson for the day! :)

So tell me...

• What is a fitness or exercise activity you never thought you could love?
• Do you practice yoga? In a class or alone?
• What's your favorite or most challenging yoga pose?

All the time in the world

Welcome to the last week of March! We're a quarter of the way through 2014 - how's everyone doing with those New Year's resolutions?? ....yeah, about that. Ha!

I had a lovely weekend, and I hope you did, too. We kicked off with a True Detective marathon on Friday night (thank you, HBO On Demand!!) and fish tacos. I whipped up a batch of homemade salsa with a secret family recipe from my sister, and let that start to "get happy" in the fridge til Saturday. I also threw together our first fresh fruit salsa of the season to put with fish tacos... makes me so happy!

Fruit salsa is so easy to make, and it's a fantastic topper for quick fish tacos. I diced up a nectarine, a jalapeno, and some green onions, and added the juice of 1/2 a lime, a little sea salt, and a smidge of olive oil. Toss together and let sit for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors merry. So delicious!

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Southern Women's Show in Richmond with Stephanie. We spent several hours bee-bopping from booth to booth, trying hand treatments and wine slushies and sampling dips, cheeses, and salsas. It was more fun than either of us expected, to be honest! Once we we'd seen all there was to see, we headed to Cary Street for lunch. Stephanie had a recommendation from Twitter for a place to try, and we ended up enjoying a delightful meal at the Urban Farmhouse Market and Cafe. I went with the "Pick 2" option and had half of a salad and sandwich. My salad was the Asparagus and White Bean over mixed greens, and my sandwich was the Virginia Ham Cubano. Both were absolutely delicious! I am looking forward to recreating the salad at home.

After a quick trip to Costco (I'm thinking about getting a membership but just can't commit!), I got home just in time to freshen up and head out with C to go to his sister's house - we were having a family dinner to celebrate two birthdays: my father-in-law's and our brother-in-law's! We gorged on veggies and dip, my fresh salsa, and a cheese tray, before enjoying hamburgers and hot dogs fresh from the grill. It was an ideal spring kickoff meal! And the company wasn't too bad, either! We enjoyed several lovely hours with C's family, and then made it home just in time to see the start of a late-night Caps game (these 10:30 start-time West Coast games are killer!) I didn't stand a chance of making it through the game, though, and C woke me up hours later to tell me we won and send me off to bed. Nice way to wrap up the day!

Sunday morning was deemed a "no alarms" day, and we slept in happily! I made a long to-do list, and after C made BLATs for lunch (my fave!), we got to work. We are having the main floor of the house painted the week after next, and we needed to spend some time clearing off walls and shelves and getting organized. Unfortunately, we're back to looking like we don't really live here! Womp, womp.

Also on the to-do list was a little bit of Me Time - a BodyCombat class at the gym and a much-needed pedicure! I went bright pink to welcome Spring... and I am completely ignoring the fact that they are calling for snow tonight.

C put a pot roast in the crockpot for dinner, and while it cooked, I whipped up a batch of homemade brownies. I realized today that spending some time baking from scratch brings me to a similar Zen-like state that a yoga class does... talk about relaxing. I couldn't leave well-enough alone, and added some marshmallows to the top of the brownies when they were finished baking. A few minutes under the broiler led us to this beautiful pan of chocolatey love. Yum!!

A glass of wine and a little more True Detective wrapped up our weekend. What could be better? I got everything that fills my proverbial "cup" in the last few days: husband time, friend time, family time, me time. Full to the brim, and then some!

A first time for everything

It's an exciting day around these here blog-parts: a blogging first for me! Today, I'm guest posting over at Stephanie's blog, Never the Same Spice Twice! (NTSST is the co-home of C's favorite link-up, The Boys Behind the Blog.) Stephanie is a new mama to a beautiful baby girl named Ella, and keeps managing to inspire me with weekly meal plans and new recipes nonetheless. While she is snuggling her sweet ladybug today, I'm sharing a brand new recipe - so click over and check it out!

~~~~~

We had a three-day weekend (thanks, Mr. Columbus, for "discovering America," and yay for government holidays even in a shutdown...), and having the day off yesterday was delightful. We slept in, had lunch with C's friend, and  I got a pedicure. Plus, I had a blog-date (blate!) with my new blog-friend, Stephanie! We met up at a local coffee shop called Hyperion Espresso, and spent the afternoon sitting in the sunshine enjoying pumpkin spice coffee and lots of chatting. Stephanie and I seem to have a lot in common (right down to almost-matching phone numbers!), and we managed to kill several hours talking about anything and everything. After not having seen the sun for almost a week, it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I loved being able to be outside enjoying a nice October day!

I got home just in time to remember that is was Monday (not Sunday), and made it over to the gym for the newest BodyPump launch! For you non-Les Mills people, a "launch" is when they release the new choreography (every 10 weeks or so), and it's kind of like a party - decorations, prizes, and lots of fun! I was excited to see what the new moves were for my favorite class. This version is definitely a booty-burner - the squat and lunge tracks are no joke!

C & I wrapped up the day by watching the Caps win (what a game!) and catching up on the Walking Dead. Couldn't have planned a better day off if I tried! Now, it's already Tuesday, and that is the best way to start a week. Who's with me?

Last-minute lazy Sunday workout

We threw a magnificent housewarming party on Saturday (Oktoberfest themed! Bratwursts! Sauerkraut! Polka music!), and had a blast celebrating our new house with lots of friends and family. It sure didn't feel like October (90* out!) but we made the most of it and had a wonderful time.

Post-party, I declared Sunday an official day of rest. Trust me, it was much-needed. We've been prepping for this for weeks now - there is nothing like a looming event at your house to get your butt into gear to get boxes unpacked, pictures hung, shelves lined, and everything finally put away! So, having run ourselves ragged, then playing "host / hostess with the most / mostest" all day Saturday, C & I really needed a break.

C settled himself in for a long day of football-watching, and I parked myself on the couch with a fantastic book (The Language of Flowers - highly recommend it). I got completely immersed in my reading, and didn't look up until after 4. When I finally emerged from the story, I realized that I probably ought to get myself to the gym, since it had been several days without a workout. I moseyed around for a while, then, on a whim, looked up the hours for the gym. To my surprise, it closes at 6 on Sundays! Yikes! I threw myself together and raced over, and I was walking through the doors at 5:15. Not only that, but I was decked out in this awesome new shirt that my sister brought me:

Her school sold them for a fundraiser, and she was sweet enough to swipe me one. Perfect for October (and year-round!)

I knew I needed something quick and easy to get myself good and sweaty in a limited amount of time, so I decided to go with an old favorite: intervals on the treadmill. I used to do HIIT and interval work all the time, but once I started working on distance running, the other stuff kind of fell by the wayside.

Last night, I came up with one that is about as simple as it gets to follow along with: 2 minutes "off" (slower speed), 3 minutes "on" (faster speed), and repeat. This style of workout is great for when you have limited time, because you can do as many "cycles" as you have time for, and then call it a day. It's also super easy to modify: pick a "slow" speed that keeps your heart rate up but gives you a chance to catch your breath, and a "fast" speed that is a little outside your normal comfort zone, so that you really get your heart rate up. I went with five rounds, plus a cool-down, and was sufficiently sweaty and out of breath by the time I was done. I left the gym right as they were starting the vacuums and wiping everything down. Perfect timing!

Here's a handy chart for with the interval workout I did:

I definitely need to start adding these workouts back into my routine. While longer runs are great, the shorter stuff that gets my blood pumping definitely has its benefits as well. I'm glad I got in there and got it done before the gym closed!

Do you do intervals? HIIT? Have any suggestions for great workouts like this?

Back to my happy place

On Tuesday, I finally had the time and energy to get my butt back to my happy place: the gym!

Hello, new friend.

A sad downside to moving was having to end my relationship with my gym. It was rough signing the paperwork to call it quits, but it had to be done. I have spent three solid years with the local Gold's Gym, slowly finding what I like and don't like for exercise, pushing myself to be bigger and better and stronger. It's the place where my mom and I finally cracked down and committed and pushed each other to always go a little longer, lift a little stronger, or just get off the damn couch and go! It's been a second home, and I've formed many friendships there - so I definitely miss it!

Luckily, there is a Gold's just 10 minutes from the new house, and I'm proud to say that I am officially a member. I went two long weeks with no gym membership, and while I did go for a few runs, it was rough to not have anywhere to go take a class or use the cardio machines when I wanted to. On Tuesday, I did a quick treadmill run and then took a BodyPump Express class, and I felt like I was right at home. (My legs are still screaming at me... Fourteen days with no weight-lifting makes one WEAK! ha) It was really nice to be able to walk into the Pump class and know exactly what I was doing - a little sameness in a world that has changed a LOT in the last few weeks! It was like I never left. Plus, the new gym has a pool! Perhaps I will be changing up my workouts a bit in the future...

I am excited to explore a new class schedule, try some new workouts, and  meet some new people. I'm happy to be at the new location... but there will always be a special place in my heart for my very first gym!

Five for Friday - A Twist!

In a twist on my usual completely random "Five for Friday," I've decided to have a theme this week. Allow me to present to you the Five for Friday: Things I Can't Live Without - Sports Edition. (That's an awkwardly long, awkwardly formal title. This is the shit I need for the gym/running. Obvi.)

Five for Friday

Things I Can't Live Without - Sports Edition

1. My shoes. I have three four five pairs of athletic shoes in my closet right now. (Well that's slightly embarrassing.) I rotate through three pairs for the most part - a pair of  random Nikes (don't know what they are) that are lightweight and stable for BodyPump class, a pair of Shox for random free-weights/whatever days, and a pair of Brooks Glycerin 9s for running. I'm on my second pair of Glycerins, and I really love them. They're the shoes that were recommended to me at the VA Runner store in my area, and they have worked beautifully for me for the last 10 months! Apparently they are currently on sale, and I'm thinking perhaps I should invest in pair number 3... hmmmm.



[Brooks - Glycerin 9]

2. My pants. The infamous Suzann (my running buddy) recently introduced me to Lucy. I am in love. They have amazing clothes! I bought two pairs of pants from them - the Hatha crops and the X-Training Knee Pants - and I pretty much want to live in them. So comfortable! Great for running, group classes, yoga, everything.

[Lucy X-Training Knee Pants]

I also have a couple of pairs of crops from Under Armour that I love, and some ColdGear compression pants from UA that I wear in the winter. All are equally fantastic.

3. My shorts. This is definitely a different category from #2. Like so many other people out there, I love Nike Tempo Shorts. I don't really love the price, so I pretty much just rotate through the pairs I have, or else buy a few if I find them at a great sale price. Tempo shorts are another item that are great for lots of things - running, weight lifting, errands... totally fine.

[Nike Tempo Shorts]

4. My shirts. The Under Armour Charged Cotton Sassy Scoop T-Shirt is hands-down the best workout shirt ever. I have six of them. I would like to have 16. The Charged Cotton fabric is fantastic. It's light-weight, four-way stretch, moisture-wicking, and I absolutely adore them. This shirt is thin without being see-through, even when I'm wearing the white one with a neon sports bra and drenched in sweat. That is a sign of greatness. Seriously!

[Under Armour Charged Cotton Sassy Scoop Tee]

5. My socks. As any runner or high-intensity athlete knows, socks are super important. Socks can make or break a workout. My absolute favorite brand of athletic socks will probably come as a surprise - they're from Old Navy. Seriously. I only have three pairs, and I ALWAYS want to buy more, and I ALWAYS forget. (Shocking. From the girl who regularly goes to the grocery store for "one thing" and comes home with five bags and not the "one thing.") They are truly the best socks I have though, and my favorites for running in. They're thick but not too thick, and they don't get weird and squishy when sweaty like some socks do. AND I've had my pairs for I-don't-know-how-long, and they've never gotten weirdly stretched out or pilly. Also, they're low-cut without being too low, which is one of my pet peeves: I don't want ankle socks, but I want my whole foot covered. Why does that seem to be too much to ask sometimes?? Anyway. At $6.50/3 pairs, these socks are a steal. Reminder to self: buy more!

[Old Navy Sport Socks]

So there ya have it. The five pieces of clothing I can't live without when it comes to fitness. Obviously, this list doesn't include any of the other things I love, like pre-wrap for headbands, my iPhone armband, or my weight-lifting gloves. (If you want recommendations for any of those things, just ask!) Good workout clothes are key to a good workout - if you feel good, you will do good! Or at least that's what I tell myself. I want to be comfortable, warm & cool (both are necessary), and be wearing clothes that fit well. If I have that combination, I'm bound to have a good workout (or at least start on the right foot).

I tend to be very brand-loyal when it comes to fitness gear. If I find something I like, I buy multiples. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!! Hence, two pairs of the same running pants, two pairs of the same running shoes, four of the same sports bras, etc. Find something that works for you, and stick with it!

CLEARLY all these opinions are my own - I wasn't compensated by any of these companies, though I happily would be if they offered. :) I just love these products,and want to share what I love with anyone who enjoys a good workout.

Killer Cardio & THE Tweet

Yesterday, I was looking for a little change-up for the gym (I did BodyPump on Sunday afternoon, and didn’t want to do it two days in a row, as my lower back has been hurting  a bit [sad face]) and came across a recent post from the Fitnessista with a cardio routine  she dubbed the Triple Threat Cardio Workout. Seemed simple enough, so I printed it out and took it to the gym with me.

Part one is on the treadmill. Part two is on the StairMaster. Part three is on the elliptical. I should note that I really only ever use the treadmill. I used to use the elliptical when it was cool to be a sorority girl on an elliptical reading a magazine buuuuut…. I quickly got over that phase of my life. (And for good reason... I'm not really coordinated enough to read and move, and the elliptical is not really as fun as it seems.) So, this was two machines that were relatively foreign to me.

Let me tell ya – those two machines kicked my booty. It was cardio in a totally different way than I am used to! Reminding me once again to step outside my comfort zone and try something new every now and again. I was a gross, dripping mess by the time I was finished. I promptly did what any good blogger/social media addict does, and tweeted a picture of myself, running mascara and crazy hair and all, and credited the Fitnessista for such a great workout.

Just finished the Triple Threat Cardio Workout from @fitnessista - sweaty mess, crazy hair, running mascara. instagr.am/p/O2YnSBgnDR/
— Lindsay (@cooperla) August 27, 2012

End of story.

NOT!

The most important part of the story is the end: THE FITNESSISTA RESPONDED TO ME. No, really. The one and only!

great job! “@cooperla: Just finished the Triple Threat Cardio Workout from - sweaty mess, crazy hair, running mascara. instagr.am/p/O2YnSBgnDR/”
— fitnessista (@fitnessista) August 28, 2012

This officially made my day (week? Month?) – not even ashamed to admit it. In my head, we are now best friends and she will be my personal trainer and I will have a kick-ass body like she does. I now consider myself basically famous. And creepy. But that is neither here nor there.

I think it's so great when the big bloggers take time to see who is commenting, or tweeting, or trying to interact with them, and then take the time to actually respond. It's encouraging to those of us who are small in the social media scheme, as well as those of us who are dripping with sweat thanks to a great workout that someone else took the time to put together. I like people who feel and seem like normal people. Normal people are good.

I'll add this one to the list for my cardio rotations - definitely going to be doing it again!

Interval Training Tuesday - Feelin' the Burn

I think I may be on to something - this is two Tuesdays in a row that I've done a HIIT workout, and I kind of love it. Welcome to Interval Training Tuesday - let's see how it goes!

I had my regularly scheduled abs class tonight, but I also wanted to break in my new running shoes. What better way than with a quick jaunt on the treadmill? (um, lots of better ways - but it was humid and gross, and I just didn't feel like being outside!)

Tonight's workout was provided by my friend, Caitlin, who recommended it to me last week after reading my HIIT post. She linked me over to the blog Meals and Moves, where Janetha details a short & sweet 20-minute HIIT session. This particular HIIT workout is different from the one I did last week, in that the pace stays relatively steady, starting at 6.5/mph and increasing by 0.5 every minute until you get to 8.0/mph, and then repeat four times. The change-up is that the incline changes every round! Each time you start the four-minute set over, you also increase your incline by 0.5 until you end at 2.0 - and let me tell you, that is enough to feel the burn! I was absolutely dripping with sweat, and my legs felt so heavy by the end, even though it was just a twenty minute workout! Sheesh. I liked it, though, and it was definitely a good experiment!

It's been a pretty intense week actually, and it's only Tuesday!

On Friday night, after a few beers, I committed to an early-morning run on Sunday with my new running buddy & friend, Suzann (yes, she has a name! Hi Suzann!!) - and I do mean early. She told me to meet her at our local playground at 6:45 AM and she'd take me on her usual route. On Saturday, that seemed daunting, but on Sunday morning I was actually up and energized, excited for our date! I parked in the playground parking lot to wait for her, and after an interaction with a friendly cop (apparently, a lone girl in a deserted parking lot on a Sunday morning is a bit sketchy?... ha), we headed off. Suzann said we were going to do 7 miles - a full mile more than I'd ever done. I scoffed a bit, and said we'd see, but wouldn't ya know - my legs felt great, I felt great, my breathing was good, our pace was good.... and we just ran and ran. In the end, we got back to my car having done 7.61 miles. Just think about that for a few. My previous longest run was 6.22 miles. I AM AMAZED. The end. I felt like a freaking champ the whole rest of the day on Sunday. Talk about a runner's high!

Last night, I went to BodyPump and upped my weight a little bit on most of the tracks. I am definitely feeling the burn today - my muscles are on fire! In a good way. I like the way I feel the day after a weight increase: liked I truly pushed myself. I'm not dying, I'm just getting a gentle reminder all day of how hard I worked.

Last but certainly not least, I registered for a race today! I'll be running the Wicked 10k in Virginia Beach in October. This will be my longest race to date - and I am already SUPER excited. It looks like an awesome race, ad it's sponsored by Blue Moon! Easily my favorite beer, so that alone was pretty much enough to motivate me to register. I've already proved I can run the distance - nothing standing in my way. Boom.

OK, really finally: a few pictures of the new cat. Because who doesn't love pictures of cats?! Especially one this cute. (If you follow me on Instagram, sorry 'bout it, but you've already seen these.) Look!:

Watching TV... normal

Ummm hey guys.

OK thank you for this bed and this window.

Night y'all. Hope your Tuesday was intense!

Monday, Monday, can't trust that day...

A little Mamas & the Papas to start our week off? Okidokie.

Aaaand it's Monday again. Why does that always happen?? I've been busy, lately, and this weekend was no exception. That meant that it flew by. Another work week has begun. I figured this was a good time for  a Weekend Recap, which is really more like a Last Week Recap - sorry 'bout it. This is going to be a crazy one. Don't say I didn't warn you. There will be pictures. That makes it better, right?

My mom and I spent most of the day together on Saturday, having a little bit of girl's time, which was sort of in honor of Mother's day, but really not - just because there are things that we like to do together. We started at the gym, then got pedicures, then headed to the mall for lunch and shopping. We sat outside at Coastal Flats (one of my fave restaurants of all time) and drank mango mojitos. They were every bit as glorious as they sound.

Perfect.

Greatest restaurant group ever? Possibly.

Rockin' the Red while she chills out

The wonders of Instagram - I don't look nearly as pale as I am.

Just one problem with our lunch date:

At first glance, these appear to be sweet children playing outside in the sunshine, enjoying a leisurely game of giant chess. What you don't see is the fact that they were using the giant chess pieces to beat the shit out of the other chess pieces while their parents sat at that table with the yellow umbrella, conveniently ignoring them and the ridiculous amount of noise they were making. What. the. hell. Parents - control your children. Yikes.

Anyway. LOFT was having a sale (30% off dresses!) so I was determined to see what they had - ended up getting super lucky and finding my size in a number of cute things! Two sundresses & two work dresses later, I was happy as a clam. Mom had some good luck as well - when does that happen? The shopping stars aligned.

Saturday night was the Caps playing game 7 against That Team from New York - we shall not discuss it. I'm wearing black today at work. I'm in mourning. Good season, boys. Enjoy your golfing.

I've been discovering new snacks lately:

Frozen banana with chocolate Cheerios

Sliced up apple, microwaved with cinnamon

Workouts have been killer lately - in a good way. I was in the mood for HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) one day last week, so I headed to the gym before my abs class with a training session saved on my phone. I ended up getting there a little late, and modified the 30-minute workout into a 20-minute workout. Still a success.

Bam. One lesson learned, though: print out HIIT workouts, don't try to read them off my phone. I lost count of the number of times I almost went flying off the treadmill because I was squinting trying to read the small type or scrolling to see the other numbers while I ran. Whoops. It would have been a lot easier if I just had a paper in front of me to read from! And probably safer, too...

Also went for a trail run one day last week with one of my instructors from the gym - it was so much fun! We went to Burke Lake Park, where they have a trail that goes all the way around the water. Almost five miles later, we were sweaty and exhausted, and considered it a great "first date." So funny! We chatted for most of the run, and learned a lot about each other. I think that's how "making new friends" works when you're this age. Just gotta get out there! We talked about doing the trail again sometime, or just going running together in the neighborhood, because it turns out we live pretty close to each other. I'm excited to have another running buddy!

Killer workouts means getting extra sweaty, which I can't stand (weird, but I really don't like to be sweaty - I'm that girl with the towel constantly wiping down, because I don't like dripping. I also don't like my hair to be touching me - must be up and out of my face and controlled. I don't know how those girls that leave their hair down even do it. They are nuts.) Anyway - this happened:

Not ashamed. It's OK to be jealous, even. Go hard or go home.

Yesterday being Mother's day, C & I spent time with our mamas. We started out the day going to see The Avengers with his family - it was exactly what his mom wanted to do. Not my favorite movie of all time, but pretty good. She like it, so that was good! In the afternoon, we packed up a picnic lunch and went out to the park and hung out in the sunshine for a while. I got a sunburn. Shocking. I think the mamas had a good day - we love and appreciate them so much, and we love living so close and getting to spend so much time with them. I've realized something: everyone gets a mother, not everyone gets a mom. I am so lucky to have a mom and a mother-in-law who are amazing women - so many gigantic footsteps to follow in when the time comes. I can only hope to be half the moms that they both are. They are fantastic role models for me. I know that, down the road, they will be great examples and humongous helps when it comes time for raising our own kids. That said, yesterday at the movies, there was a couple with their son, who was maybe 5 or 6, and he was being a typical rambunctious little boy, and I said to C, "Aren't you glad we don't have kids?!" I am so not ready yet. Ha!

I feel like this post turned out every bit as whack as I thought it would. Welcome to being inside my brain. This is what it's like. Happy (rainy, icky) Monday, y'all!

Gym-spiration and pet peeves

Yesterday, when one of my best gym buddies, Caity, texted me and told me that she was going to yoga & BodyPump back-to-back, I immediately thought, “no way!” Two classes in a row seemed like too much (not sure why, but I just had a complete mental block to the whole idea), so I told her I’d see her at Pump. When I got home from work, though, I quickly changed my mind, and told Caity to save me a spot at yoga!

Let me tell you – it was great. I loved the hour of stretching and mental exercise that was yoga, and then rolled straight into weight lifting like it was nothing. I felt so good! When I got home, I was full of energy and got a bunch of things done around the house that I normally wouldn’t have done. Gotta thank Caity for suggesting I push my own envelope – Wednesdays might start being my back-to-back class nights!

In the span of those classes, I experienced two things: a gym-spiration, and a gym pet peeve. First up, the inspiration!

There was a girl near me in BodyPump who seemed like she was sort of new (at least, I’d never seen her before – who knows!) and she asked me a couple questions during class. I liked feeling like I knew what I was talking about! Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that it seemed like she was watching me during a few of the songs (again, could be completely wrong, but this was in my head!) – and let me tell you, it was such a motivator! I felt encouraged to really focus on doing my moves correctly and pushing myself to work a little harder to set a good example for this girl. I wasn’t lifting more weight than usual or anything like that, I just wanted to ensure that, for example, my hands and feet were in the right place and that my posture was good. I could be completely crazy, and this girl could have been a pro and looking out the window in actuality, but having it in my head that she was looking to me as an example completely pumped me up. Gym-spiration! I know I have those people in class who are the ones I watch to see how they are doing things, so thinking that I could be that person for someone else is pretty inspiring!

 

[source]

On the other hand – I saw not one, but two(!) of my gym pet peeves last night. The first is the girl on her cell phone during yoga – are you joking?? She had it on vibrate, but it was laying on the floor, so when it started going off, it seemed super loud! Then she picked it up and sat on her mat texting, while the rest of us were moving from pose to pose. Now, who knows, maybe she was having a family emergency, because she did eventually pack up and leave the class, but seriously? At least run out into the hallway to do whatever it is you need to do on your phone. The lights are dim and the music is low in yoga – I don’t need the fluorescent glow of your phone lighting everything up back there.

My second pet peeve is people who come into a class and then, instead of following the instructor, do whatever they want. For real? You’re opting to come into a class, where there is a set routine and a person leading you. If you want to do something else, go onto the regular floor! It makes me crazy when everyone is doing the same motion, like lunges, and there’s someone else who’s throwing everything off. Note: I don’t mean people who are modifying moves, such as for injuries or such. I mean people who refuse to go on the same counts as the rest of the class, or who want to do a completely different move than the rest of the class. There is a difference between someone who is modifying, and someone who is just doing their own thing!

Google Images is so great :)

I don’t mean to sound super bitchy or anything like that; I just think there is gym etiquette! If you’re working out surrounded by other people, in a group environment, there are just rules that you follow. It’s only polite! What’s your biggest gym peeve? Do you work out alone so you can break all the rules?