I don’t really do much in the way of weight training. My fitness routine consists of running and, as I have seen great results from it. I am kinda going with “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I have allowed myself some (half assed) stretching because, begrudgingly, I have seen the benefits of stretching those muscles after a workout. Strength training has remained elusive. All of the tricks and tips I try to sneak in some weights are abandoned after a few days.
Back in the day when I was younger and carefree, I would dutifully hit the gym, armed with a routine that involved some cardio, free weights and the machines. My gym visits would be a couple of hours a pop and, while I did see some results, these long workouts would feel burdensome and soon I would find reasons to skip the gym. When I started running, I made a choice to not let my workouts feel like a burden and just did running. Racking up the miles was the goal and making sure I actually ran the races I signed up to do was enough. My run group friends are always sharing their non-run workouts and I would make noises about working out but, I would get my run done and feel like that was enough. I was not going to spend hours a day working out because I got things to do.
During my last doctor’s appointment, Dr. L told me that I should start lifting weights. Something about bone health and such. I muttered something that sounded like an agreement, but it wasn’t until I was flipping through a magazine that I remembered that, maybe, just maybe, weight training was something I should give a go.
A friend posted about a 30-day challenge she was doing, and my FOMO got the best of me but since running outside in single digit weather wasn’t something I wanted to do, I decided that I should do my own challenge. 30 (ish)) days of Abs felt like a good challenge. To get started, I did a google search for beginner ab routines, picked one that was about ten minutes and boom.
The first week I was religious about making sure I did my workout. I even got The Librarian in on the routine when I did some of the standing abs. Going from zero workouts to doing these ten-minute routines was enough to make me sore the next day but not to impede my doing a routine. The latter weeks I found that even though it was only ten minutes, I would dawdle and procrastinate until I was too tired to workout.
Things I discovered doing abs daily-ish:
- Ten minutes is enough. Those days of working out for hours were not going to work with my schedule. I was able to get a workout in that was challenging but not impossible.
- Making a plan to workout is important. There were a few days that I had family over, other commitments or something else that that took time away from planned workouts. While I am pleased with the 21 workouts I completed, I know if I had spent a few moments each day planning my workouts I would have actually completed a workout each day.
- Representation is important. I was really excited to find two channels hosted by Black women. There is something powerful about seeing a Black Woman leading the routine, being fit and holding her own after years of seeing the standard for fit being a blonde woman.
- Making the time to work out was sometimes a challenge. Sure, it was only ten minutes a day but those old thoughts of working out being a burden would pop into my head and I would feel guilty. My family is always invited to join me, but I still have to push down feelings of being selfish when I do a thing for myself.
- I lost an inch off of my waist! I can’t say for sure that it was just doing these workouts, but I will say that my jeans are not cutting into my stomach.
I kept the ab challenge quiet because reasons but invite you to follow me along on the Instagram for my February Flexibility challenge. Drop a line and let me know if you too will be getting your om on.
Stay strong.
-r
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