Yesterday something part embarrassing, part flattering happened; I almost lost my skirt. The skirt that I put on slipped down from my waist, to my hips and tried to make its way down my thighs! As I wiggled my skirt back into position I was struck by the thought that even though I have trouble seeing/believing that I am making progress, progress is being made and I am this much closer to my goal of looking better naked. (Yes, yes, I want to be healthy to but come on…I am deliriously excited about the fact that I am looking so good in and out of my clothes.)
August found me working out consistently but not everyday. I’m trying to give myself a break; my goal of 365 miles in 365 days is slowly dying a slow but good death (I am at 158 miles for the year). The good thing is that I am working out more than I have all year and I am making time to get up and out and going. I am telling myself that working out five days a week is enough and that I should give myself a break for, you know, taking rest days and allowing the sore muscles to recover.
Wins:
My pace is getting faster!
It is true that I logged fewer miles in August than I did in July but yo; look at that pace! I shaved over a minute off of the average time of my wogs! Part of this is because I started picking up the pace while working out, partly to challenge myself, partly to get the dang workout done.
I look forward to working out. Honestly I used to part envy, part scoff at those people who set their alarms for o’dark thirty and went to workout. Now, I am becoming one of them! I love grabbing my sneakers and seeing what the body can do. It hasn’t been so bad, I am up and out, back before I can even think of excuses as to why I should be up and out! I am going to keep the momentum going with the school year starting; I’ll drop The Bee at her bus stop, or walk her to her stop and then do my workout.
Planks! I can actually do a minute plank! Thanks to a group I was member of on Facebook, I can plank without it being a thing! We started at 30 seconds and built up to a minute. The group was up to two minutes but I was not. I will take my minute and be happy.
Rest and Recovery Days. I had the worst shin splints and took a few days off to rest and recover. I did the stretches, iced my sore legs and took some time to take care of me. In the past this would have been an excuse to stop all workouts, eat all the things, and give up, Now…no. I am counting this as a win because not only did I not give up, I was able to workout better when I started up again!
September goals
Work up to wogging a full mile without stopping. I think know that this can be done; my body is willing but my head keeps getting in the way. At boot camp on Wednesday one of the participants told me he was in the military and worked on his pace through the cadences his drill sergeants used. I looked on YouTube and found a few examples to use for my next workout.
Workout five days a week, 40 minutes a day. At this point in the study I am doing the participants are required to workout five days a week for 40 minutes a day. At first it seemed impossible but now, not so much. I look forward to working out and I actually have been setting my alarm and NOT hitting snooze to get it done.
Adding weight training to my workout. Back in the day I used to have the weight training portion of my routine down pat. Now…I wander the weight room at the gym like a lost puppy. A few friends have given me a few tips to create a routine and I will work with the weights I have at home until I renew my gym membership.
Time Management. As wonderful as it has been that I am working out in the morning, I find that my time management skills are quite sucky. I get up, workout, return home and fool around until I am rushing off to work. Part of it is that I truly underestimate the amount of time it is going to take for me to do my morning routine. I need to acknowledge that I am going to want to read a book, play candy crush or watch TV in the morning and I have been trying to deny that that is a part of my routine. Instead of acting like I am not checking Facebook I will allow time to eat breakfast and have a few moments to myself in the morning instead of the mad dash rush that has been my life. This one is difficult. Have been rusher forever and always told myself that “I am not a morning person” so I would sleep in as much as I could. I need to change the track and allow that even if I am not a morning person, my morning routine is important and not worth rushing. I will check in and let you all know how this goes.
As of this post I reached the goal that I have been dancing around…20 pounds lost! My new goal is to lose ten percent of my current weight so I am shooting for another 18 pounds (I am at 184). This time around the weight loss feels possible and not like some pipe dream so I fee good and hopeful and ready to go.
Your turn! Tell me your fitness wins for August in the comments!
-r
Congrats on all of your fitness gains and weight losses in August. You have quite a lot to be proud of. I will say this as a personal trainer, that it is frequently worth it to pay for a couple sessions with a trainer to get rid of that “wandering around” syndrome. They can create a specific workout for you to help you reach your goals (and to look great naked!!!!)
I was thinking about hiring a personal trainer and may do so soon. I was affairs that I would start and not keep up with it as was my wont. I do feel confident that I would make better use of a trainer this time around.
wow you are doing great. You are really getting healthy.
Congrats on getting your pace up! My goals this month include beginning a consistent running schedule again. It’s not my favorite but I need to do it!
Yay for you! I am working on maintaining my weight loss – never thought I’d get to say that! Goal for September is to walk 45 miles. I have just added yoga to my routine, and my muscles are not very happy with me right now. But they will be 🙂
Thanks Tracee! I just started adding yoga to my routine and my muscles are protesting LOUDLY! I am loving the way my body is able to do more things and that I am quite as stiff.
My fitness win us that I started working out again in August. You inspire me with your success and achievements. Go, you!
Thanks Andrea! I am so excited to see your pictures on Facebook and wish you great success and you keep moving.
Well, big hats off to you! Congrats on your skirt drop — LOL. What a great visual reminder that your hard work is really paying off. Wishing you continued success as you get healthy.
I’m with you in the mornings. I don’t allow for the extras I do and then frantically run around when its time to go. I need to work on that, as well.
🙂
Traci
You have inspired me to go out and get active again. I use to walk 5 miles 5 or 6 days a week until I sustained an injury. Now that I am healed, I need to get active again.
GO for it! I feel so much better now that I am active everyday!
My fitness win is that I lost 5 pounds and I got to say that my stepper helped. I would do my stepper exercise ever time I watched TV or watched videos on my PC.
Good for you!! Keep blogging about your progress because you’re inspiring me to get back into shape! Congratulations on losing your skirt too! lol
Losing my skirt was so funny and unexpected and amazing. I love this feeling!
I recently had a baby so my fitness win is being able to walk without cupping my belly and waddling, haha. I recently discovered the Blood Type Diet while researching food allergy symptoms. Along with food recommendations (no gluten or dairy), it recommended that I do high intensity workouts. I’m so not ready…