Let's Reassess

Warning: Extreme navel gazing starts here. Feel free to skip down to Jan & Feb workout reviews!

It's performance review time at work, so I've been spending time looking over the past year of work, and thinking about the year ahead. One thing that has been constant in my career is that things are always changing - processes, priorities, technologies, people - there's always something new. Which is good, it keeps one challenged and, also employed. :)

I've been whining that I've had a hard time with my fitness routine over the past 6 months or so, blaming it on lack of energy, lack of motivation, stress. Those things are all part of the challenge, but I think there are other factors as well, namely: some things have changed.

I am a creature of routine. I like my day to day life to be somewhat predictable. A small change here, a change there, can be good...Too much all at once can really throw me.

For the past couple of years, I've mostly been in a Zumba + circuit training DVD routine. Husband was either traveling, or he was working at home.

Last fall, the studio I was going to stopped offering Zumba classes. Husband has transitioned to a new job, and he's going in to the office every day again.

Also last fall, Husband had this weird health issue, and had to sit with his feet elevated. Usually he spends a lot of time in his computer room, sitting at a desk, but he started sitting out in the  living room so he could sit in a chair with his feet elevated, and got a table that he can use for his laptop. And now he pretty much sits in the living room all the time, instead of his computer room. Up side: more time spent together. Down side: sometimes I opt to stay sitting in the living room with Husband, where before I would have been up doing other things, including exercise.

Those things don't sound all that huge, and if I wasn't already having the energy, motivation and stress issues, it might not have been a big deal. But, suddenly, I'm having to replace Zumba, and I'm not in control of the car any longer (husband and I travel together, which is fine, but in his new job, he is often held up at the office, and I have to wait around for him).

Adding to that, over our holidays in December we rearranged our living room, did some de-cluttering of both living room and kitchen....and deposited a bunch of stuff in the basement, where all of my exercise equipment is. And, after many years of trying, my husband has finally got me playing a couple of video games; I always said I didn't have time for that, and I kind of think I was right, but now of course I want to keep playing.

So...home late from work...cluttered basement that I don't want to spend time in...in need of a new exercise routine...hanging with Husband and playing a video game sounds like more fun.

So this is a lot of complaining about nothing right? After all these years I just don't want to do it anymore? I should just quit whining, suck it up, and do it?

Now I kind of want to delete all of that because it sounds ridiculous. Mountain out of molehill. Somehow, when I was searching my mind, trying to think of reasons why my exercise habits have died, it seemed like I had more. Now I just don't know.

Anyway...I have been slowly climbing back out of the hole.


January was not fantastic...I think my list may be missing a workout or two that I forgot to write down (my tracking habits disappeared along with the exercise habits), but that's most of it.

February has been better...Not exactly inspired workouts, mostly pretty short, but at least more consistent.

I've been putting in a lot of treadmill time. Then I decided to start adding a "Mini Circuit" at the end of my treadmill session...Sort of working my way back up to things.

A couple of weeks ago, my company sent out an email about a "million miles" campaign. I am totally blanking on the details right  now...but we could sign up with this coaching website and track our miles, with the idea being that the company together will get to a million miles. Of course, when you sign up, you fill in all your information, and it assigns you a program to build up to running a race. I am incapable of ignoring it when a program is assigned to me...at least for the first few days...

First workout was cross training. I pulled out my Jackie Warner Power Circuit DVD, which I have not done in at least a couple of months. I attacked it as if I had never been away. I was a mite sore the next day, but I tried their run program anyway...which kind of sucked because legs: ow! And then I remembered why these programs don't work for me. So, I'm going to just log my miles, whatever I happen to do, but I'll walk/run as I feel like it, because following a specific program never works for me.

I will eventually get back to my full circuit training  workouts.

I want to do more yoga, and throw some Pilates in there too.

Also, I took a day off a couple of weeks ago and cleaned up the basement. I feel much better now.

January Workouts
06: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
07: Zumba[20 mins]
13: Treadmill walk[30 mins]
14: Treadmill walk[45 mins]
15: Treadmill walk[40 mins]
27: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
29: Treadmill walk[25 mins]

February Workouts
03: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
05: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
10: Treadmill walk[22 mins] + MC#1
12: Treadmill walk[25 mins] + MC#2
13: Treadmill walk[22 mins]
18: Treadmill walk[25 mins] + MC#1
19: Jackie Warner Power Circuit UB+LB
20: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
23: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
24: YDL Moon Salutation Flow #1
25: Treadmill walk[25 mins]
27: Treadmill walk[25 mins] + MC #1


Mini Circuit #1
Inchworm
Squat + shoulder press w/dumbbells

Mini Circuit #2
Pilates tricep pushup
Deadlift + wide row w/dumbbells

I want to come up with a couple more combinations to add to this...Have some ideas, but open to suggestions!

If you made it this far...I thank you; have some cat pictures!

Cat television: