30 minute workout

I have been using the GymPact app for about 83 workouts. It has motivated me to not skip Trips to the gym. They have recently added the option to workout at home. Your phone senses your movement. I wear my phone in an armband and get moving. You are required to move for at least 30 minutes within a one and a half hour time frame. I have been using this option on my elliptical at home. Last night I decided to try something new. I tried very hard to drag myself to the gym but that didn't happen at all. At about 10:45, I decided to just workout at home, but what to do??? I decided to make it up along the way. I ended up really liking the workout. I need to work on the order of things. Here is what I did: 3 sets of 20 push-ups (I can only do 20 at a time), 3 sets of 20 full sit-ups, 60 squats, 60 walking lunges, 60 jump squats, 60 jumping jacks, 60 high knees, 60 butt kicks and 60 seconds of running in place between each workout. This worked out nicely as a cool down between each set but also kept my heart rate elevated. I will be working on perfecting this workout over the next few weeks because I was pleasantly surprised at how great I felt afterwards and I feel that it would be beneficial to incorporate it into my workout.

Exiting the comfort zone

I have been looking for additional workout opportunities lately. I perused the websites of  two Barre classes in the Cleveland area. They are both too expensive for my budget. I am a new employee at University Hospitals so I decided to check out their discounted fitness opportunities. They offer a discount at 121 Fitness on the CWRU campus. With the discount, the cost for a monthly membership was 4 times what I pay at my current gym. I decided that I would just look in to taking a couple classes at the gym. While looking over their webpage, I happened upon a free running group. There are many reasons that I am not a running group type girl. The two most important ones are 1. I am socially awkward. I do not do well in social settings with people that I do not know. You should assume that if you invite me somewhere where I do not know at least one individual personally, I will bail on you. In the event that I am forced into one of these situations, I will replay my awkward conversations over in my mind to evaluate just how weird I may have come across to the people that I spoke with. NUMERO DOS: I am a slow runner. I am always anxious about being the slowest runner. This fear is often reinforced by my performance in races where 90 year olds, men running in Tevas pushing strollers or hugely pregnant women pass me *insert sad face here* I decided to try this group out anyway...When I arrived at the meeting spot, I was immediately intimidated. Everyone looked like a runner. I mean, they all looked like they were about to dust me. The group leader introduced himself to me and we headed out from the gym to the CWRU track. This run was about one mile. I would have preferred a nice jog but the group was RUNNING! I kept up with a gentleman in the back. When we got to the track, people introduced themselves to me. It made me no less nervous. I had no idea what to expect. I kept track of my run on my NikePlus app. While moreover than not the times are pretty accurate, the first mile was not as accurate. I let the timer run during some of the group leader's instructions. If I remember correctly, the workout was a 1600, a 1200, an 800, a 400, two 200s, a 400 and an 800. The group leader noticed that myself and 2 other runners were slower and altered the workout a bit for us. I ran an 800 instead of the 1200 and at the end I was a little tuckered out and ran a 400 instead of the 800. When the group ran back to the gym, I followed suit. I stopped running about a quarter mile away from the gym. I wish I had realized how close I was!! I would not have stopped!!My total mileage for Saturday was 4.7 miles. My fastest mile Saturday was 8.55. I find it easy to run for prolonged periods of time at an easy, comfortable pace. This run on Saturday was challenging and forced me out of my comfort zone socially and physically. I am nervous to run with the group again when they run on the street. I may just be running by myself as I am a lot slower than everyone else. I did enjoy the track workout though. I am always excited to see what new things my body can do. Rolling up on forty does not mean that my life should slow down. It means that I may have to try new things and push a little harder to get the results I want. I am prepared to do this. And I will roll into 40 veeeeeeeery slowly. I have 2 more years!

Early Morning Workouts

This week has been very interesting. I decided that in order to fit my workouts into my new schedule, I would need to get up at 5am a couple of days during the week and head to the gym. My goal every week is to work out 5 days out of seven. 3 of those days are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I needed to fit 2 early morning workouts in this week to reach my goal. I didn't make it to bed until late on Sunday night, so an early morning Monday workout was out. On Monday night I made it to bed by 9:30 and planned for a 5am start. I woke up at 3am. Ughhhh! I could not go back to sleep and toyed with the idea of rolling over and skipping this workout. I decided to go for it! I made it to the gym at 5:45 and ran 3.5 miles. I was super sluggish all day and realized I may need a later bed time. I thought I would have a difficult time staying up on Tuesday night but I had a burst of energy and was able to get some cleaning done and stay up until 10:30. I made it to the gym at about 5:30 and worked on legs for 40 minutes. This day was great. I was energized all day! My goal next week is to hit the gym for 3 early morning workouts. I think it's doable as long as I get enough sleep and don't push myself too hard in the morning. I am not yet sure if I am a fan of the 5am workout. I will definitely keep you guys informed!

See that time there at the top???????

Accomplishing goals...

In December of 2012, I cleaned out my cubicle. I packed up 4 and a half years of pictures, notes and junk and took it home. I had not found a job but I was determined to do so. I set a goal at the beginning of the year to not be employed at my job on Sept 2, 2013 (The 5th anniversary of me starting my job).  I was working for an insurance company as a social worker but was not doing any thing remotely social work related. I had also been assigned a new supervisor whom I had no respect for. I needed a new job so I started looking for a social work position.  Last month I was hired by a hospital system here in Cleveland, Ohio working in an outpatient HIV/AIDS clinic. People consistently ask me about how difficult my job is. This line of questioning is confusing for me. I don't find that I am working with a difficult population or that it is depressing. Daily I see the advances in care for persons with a diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. I see hope and perseverance. I see people who would have had no chance had they been diagnosed in the 80s living for decades with the diagnosis now. I see people dedicated to research to find treatment and answers. I see that fewer babies are being born with HIV due to aggressive treatment. I am so excited to work in a position where my mission is to help people who genuinely need it and appreciate it. Friday was the end of my 3rd week of work at my new job and I am optimistic about this opportunity. The one draw back to my new position is that I am getting used to new hours. I work until 5, and despite the fact that I live 15 minutes away from work, it takes about an hour to get home. It has been difficult to fit my workouts in the way I used to do. I would really like to get up in the morning and run, but I have not been able to actually do that. I plan to try this week. I will run during The Joes 30 minute music lessons on Monday and Wednesday. I will have to remember to pack my gym bag so that I am prepared and cannot use not having a chance to get dressed before lessons as an excuse. I am going to run outside at least one morning this week.I will do my usual weight training in the gym. I have been consistently squatting 100 pounds. I squat 5 sets of 8. I have also been pressing 400 pounds on the leg press consistently. I have discontinued starting the leg press on lower weights and have been doing 10 sets of 10 on 400 pounds. It is now time to switch machines as 400 pounds is the heaviest weight I can press on this particular machine. This is pretty exciting for me. I have made a lot of changes so far this year. I look forward to many more! This will be a year of change for me!!!