I am a creature of habit and I enjoy a routine. I have now been home for an entire week and I am EXTREMELY happy that this past week I was able to get back to my usual routines.
First and foremost I have been missing my workouts - I am so proud of myself because this past week I have been able to work out five days. I started a new program this past week that they are offering in the Parisi School of my gym – it is called “High Intensity Performance” and it is challenging as the school is dedicated to working with high school and college athletes.
It is only a 30 minute program; but, I can tell you that on Friday my heart rate got up to 196 during the program. I also enjoy it because it is pushing me out of my comfort zone and it makes me aware of what I do well, where I need to improve and that I have gotten fairly athletic in these past three years that I have been religiously going to the gym.
So, what is a “High Intensity Performance” workout? In 30 minutes it consisted of the following
1. Ten prisoner squats, Ten jumping jacks, Ten penguin jumping jacks and Ten
cross jumping jacks – repeated three times
2. Push the sled 50 yards, run 100 yards, do 10 upper rows on the TRX and then work
the ropes for 1 minute – repeated twice
3. On an 18 inch box step up 10 times on my right leg, then step up 10 times on my
left leg – repeated twice
4. Do 20 drop downs on the box – repeated twice
5. Bang down the medicine ball twenty times – repeated twice
6. Twenty tricep curls, twenty bicep curls and twenty overhead press with the
elastic band – repeated twice
7. Ten in/outs, ten outs with a squat and walking lunges for 20 yards – repeated
three times
8. And, finally the cool down consisted of two planks held for 30 seconds each
I am soaking wet and dripping when I finish – but, I have such a sense of accomplishment. The nice thing is that it is only 30 minutes and I take the class at 7AM so I am out of the gym and home by 8:15. I also took my aqua aerobic class and Zumba this morning.
What I am always most surprised at is that my muscles quickly remember how to work out and although they protest a little I know I can do it; and, like I said I enjoy the challenge. Also, I hate to admit that I gained 4 ½ pounds in the last three weeks from not exercising and/or watching what I ate; but, I have managed to already lose 2 ½ pounds this week and I know the rest will come off quickly.
Now that my exercise routine is back in place – and since it has been very hot I am back to my normal eating habits and not craving chocolate to help me with the stress. I have been able to come home and go through my mail each day; and, not have a week's pile of bills, catalogs, etc. – I have culled all the catalogs and read all the magazines and am ready to pass them on to my niece.
This past week saw me washing two loads of laundry, off to Hallmark’s to buy the July birthday cards and a wedding card for a wedding I will be attending next Sunday. I went to the cleaners to drop off items to be cleaned and picked up things that I had dropped off during my travels. While traveling I finished two books – and have selected the next one to read. Today’s local newspaper listed this year’s summer reads and there are a couple of books that I want to pick up and read in the next few months.
On Friday evening, it was a joy to pull out clothes for the next couple of weeks and press them and have them ready. I bought a new dress for the wedding I am attending and I pressed that and have it lying on the bed in the spare bedroom. Since the wedding is two hours from my home and it is at 11:30AM next Sunday I made arrangements to stay at a nearby hotel – it will give me a chance to have a nice dinner on Saturday, do a workout in the hotel on Sunday morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then get ready for the wedding – the function is only 10 minutes away from the hotel.
And, what has been the best of all is reconnecting with the people I have missed these past couple of weeks. My aqua aerobics instructor Abby – who is having an “initials” party on Thursday evening – I am looking forward to that. Tonight my Club Fit pal, Linda who I managed to convince to come to the “High Intensity Performance” class with me on Friday we will be having a nice dinner together. But, most importantly my boyfriend who himself has been very busy this entire year – we made time in each of our lives to spend yesterday afternoon and evening together to talk, to cuddle and to have a great meal together.
Most of us are creatures of habit and routine – that is what makes us feel comfortable and safe. I live my life in a disciplined and routine manner – now, if my sleeping patterns could understand that we are home now and it would be nice to sleep through the night.
Routine and discipline, “that’s a very good thing”.
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