Workout Updates!

Shoveling!

My back is sooooooar! Somewhere around 8-inches of snow. I used the snow blower for much of it, but I still ended up shoveling a fair amount by hand. Yesterday morning, a giant, almost-frozen plow drift blocked my driveway; I spent thirty minutes digging a path through. I should have used dynamite. There were moments when I honestly didn't think I would be able to do it (if you'll recall, I recently busted two shovels digging out my car, and I'm down to my last one!)--I thought about hiring someone to bust through it. I was able to chop through, however, and now I feel like I've got a secret bat entrance to my driveway. The drifts are high enough you can't see the small opening I made (just big enough for the car) until you're right on it. I live on a corner lot surrounded by sidewalks that require shoveling, and the four entrances to the sidewalk were all in the same condition--I spent another forty-five minutes chipping those out after work. Quite the workout!

Starting a New Workout Program on Monday!

I did push ups and sit ups whenever I thought of it this week, so I feel strong enough to start some 'real' exercising. I'm implementing a workout scheme come Monday. It's a ten-week challenge, which I've tried twice, and I have YET to get through it! The difference this time? I've developed a new work ethic at school. It's about forsaking perfection and just getting things done. Not a perfect workout? That's fine. As long as I get through it.

MS150!


I signed up for Minnesota's MS150! The MS150 is a two-day, 150-mile charity bike ride across the state, with proceedings going to MS research/assistance. My mother has a form of MS, and I think it's a great cause. It's also great incentive to get on my bike. MS150s are held around the country so there's ample training material out there.

Traveling Light Sports has a schedule broken down for 'beginner' and 'advanced' riders. I probably fall into the 'advanced', but I'll play it by ear. I'm not going to begin training "for real" until the end of March, when I'll hopefully be able to start biking to work again.

That is all. I think.

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Fessing Up

I didn't workout yesterday (as was my goal). I haven't worked out today either. I've also been pretty bad about writing. That's not to say I haven't done anything; far from it! I've gotten all the assignments done for my graduate program, which is not a small amount, and I have my full time job. But.

I was talking to my GF about maybe taking a break this weekend--I said I was burnt out. I was tired of making goals and not meeting them. She said maybe I should sit down and work diligently this weekend on the projects I have. I'm torn--there's some definite truth to both statements. I am burnt out, but some of my burn out is due to inefficient use of time (I'm spinning my gears).

So.

A little positive talk. I'm NOT going to spin my wheels tomorrow. Whatever I set out to do, I'm going to set realistic short term goals (to work for 45 minutes, or to do a short workout), and I'm going to accomplish those goals.

I'm going to do a short workout tonight. Nothing substantial. And I'm going to finish reading the assignments for my class. Nothing fancy. It's 10! I'll report back any successes or failures in my comments. That's my real goal. Fessing up.

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Mental Health Improvement

I felt so good when I woke up this morning. I felt rested, which I haven't felt in a long time. I felt energetic; I found myself sprinting up the stairs today, instead of plodding one at a time. I'm still not feeling 100% (I'm not even at the point where I would start training for a triathlon), but after a week of lazy excercise, I already feel much better.

I'm trying to avoid excess coffee and drink a load of water. I have a healthy curry lunch in the fridge, ready to go.

I didn't throw my shoes in my gym bag this morning, which means I can't really go to the gym, so my plan is to do a short workout at home, after class (around 9:30). Having the correct gym clothes at work has been a problem. I have a friend who solved this by bringing a pile of workout clothing and storing them in a desk drawer. I only use one of my 9 drawers, so this seems reasonable. She loads her gym bag with clothes before she heads to the gym (we have a gym onsite, at my company), then brings that bag home after her workout. Every week or so, she brings another set of clean clothes to work. It seems like a good system, and would remove a barrier between myself and a little fitness.

Nothing else, really. My goals today are to get a short workout in, and get some writing done.

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General Update: the gym, performance review, and salmon

I made it to the gym! I didn't run! Oh well. I'll get there. I mostly did upper body workout. I need a haircut--I look like a stalker in the gym mirrors!

In other news, I just got my performance review and did fine last year; this is good, because I really didn't think I was going to have a good review, but my manager went to bat for me and pulled me through. I also received a nice bonus from another department for a big project I helped wrap up last year. It felt good to get all that good news today. It seems like I get a 'do over' at work: despite the fact I wasn't working to my full potential, it was good enough to get me through, and then some.

I'm going to stop by the store and pick up some salmon for dinner. For those who like salmon, I have two tips. 1.) If you like salmon patties, buy canned salmon and bake a bunch of this. It's cheap and really healthy (you have to be okay eating canned salmon, however). 2.) I buy frozen fillets from Super Target. You buy the entire flank and it comes in a bag (like frozen chicken (but don't buy the chopped up fillets--those don't seem to be as good a value)); it's $7, which is good for a few meals. That's about 1/2 the cost of the fresh salmon, but seeing as its shipped in from the coast, I almost would rather have them flash freeze it.

That is all.

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Fate Sends Workouts

I have a narrow driveway that empties out onto a busy road, with low plow drifts on either side of the driveway entrance. As I pulled out this morning, I was paying more attention to the traffic and not enough attention to the drifts. Yep. I found myself hung up, and bad. The drifts were solid from an early freeze-thaw cycle; I tried digging out with a snow shovel, but the blade quickly bent when I started chippping away at the solid mass under my car. I went and got a sturdy ditch-digging shovel, and was making good progress when that too bent, this time at the junction between the blade and the handle. I found a very solid pitch fork in my garage (the tines were about 3/4 inch thick) and was able to remove the rest of the ice, or at least enough that I managed to free myself with the help of a friendly passerbyer who gave me a push.

Anyway, it was invigorating, and while I plan to hit the gym, I think I can count that hour as a workout.

I also did thirty pushups and about thirty situps this morning. I did the situps to help ease my soreness from a more intensive Saturday situp routine.

Yesterday, I got a workout from moving a friend. Nothing proves your metal like wrestling a couch up and down a few flights of stairs.

So I'm very slowly on my way! I don't feel great, but I feel like I have a small amount of momentum. I'm still experiencing significant brain fog; it's not something I'm even that conscious of, but I know from experience that after a few weeks of working out, my brain will suddenly start working at an entirely different level, and I'm really looking forward to that. I've described it as feeling like I'm swimming under a frozen lake, beating at the ice and trying to free myself. When the workouts kick in, my brain feels like ice has broken away and I'm able to breath again.

Soon enough!

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Weights!

I bought a set of dumbbells and worked out for about forty-five minutes! I used to have a cumbersome set of dumbbells, which I sold about six months ago; the weights didn't match and you had to put them on the bar in a certain order. They worked for several years, but I wanted to both upgrade and get a set that took up less space. Today I bought the Reebok Speed Pack 25lbs Adjustable Weight Set. I intended to buy this set a while ago, but they're kind of expensive (the set cost $150). Since I'm trying to get back in gear, however, I figure now is as good a time as any. Actually, two weeks ago would have been a better time to buy, when they were $20 cheaper!

I'm probably going to start up the Body For Life workout program--it's a little gimicky, but I've done it before and I really enjoy the system. I'm past the official "start" date for the contest (Body For Life has an actual challenge that you can compete in, with a cash prize). This is a shame, because I kind of enjoy the competitive angle, even if it's silly. Just so you know, the whole challenge is an effort to get you to buy their nutrition products. I'm not getting into a conversation about the good/bad of using supplements right now--maybe later! Some are fine, some are probably not as great.

The thing I like about Body For Life: 1.) it has a sensible eating plan (again, ignore the supplements they recommend if you're not into that--the eating plan itself is well-balanced and both nutrient and energy rich), and 2.) the weight plan is probably one of the better I've run across. I bought the Reebok Speed Pack because the workout program requires you to use a wide variety of weights, and the Speed Pack allows you to switch between weights easily. I'll probably skip or modify their cardio workout; it's made to complete in 20 minutes, but even though it's a great workout, I'd rather go for a long jog.

Okay, enough of the selling! Whenever I re-start my workout program, I inevitably take about a week to casually life weights and walk/run; this gives my body time to acclimate to a schedule and get a little wind back. If I were to start a workout program now (writing down my weights and keeping track of my miles run, etc), I've always found things look really different after Week 1, so I don't bother.

That's it! I still haven't gone for run, but with the shovelling, I've done two small workouts today!

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Shoveling Is Great Exercise

Ever get in one of these cycles?

Stressed out = not having time to exercise = increased stress = not having time (and on and on!)

I did not go for a run after my last post on Wednesday. It was well-below zero. And despite intentions, I didn't go to the gym on Thursday or Friday. However, I had a little intersession from above that's helped with the stress level: snow. I woke up to about five inches of the light fluffy stuff covering the yard and sidewalks, and that meant I had to shovel. I could have started the snow blower, but I knew I needed to get my blood moving again, and with fluffy snow it's such a pain to snow blow (it inevitably flies into your face). So I shoveled for about an hour, and my head feels like it's on semi-straight again. My "to-do" list no longer seems impossible (or even long).

My goal tonight is to go for a stumble around Lake Harriet after I spend a few hours working on my book. Then I'm going to get a workout routine figured out.

I think I need to lose about 20-25lbs. My bathroom scale has me at 190lbs, and I'm probably in my best shape between 165-170lbs. I've put on about 5lbs a year since I graduated from college (I was too skinny back then, coming out of school at about 145-150lbs).

That's all. I'm just posting to keep myself honest, right now. Eventually I'll probably come up with a sidebar with some goals, similar to the sidebar I had when this was a personal finance blog.

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A Blog(ger) Under Construction

The sun is shining through a high window in the coffee shop where I've been holed up for the afternoon. Some suitably hip music is playing on the radio, chosen by the incredibly hip baristas, all sleek bodies and ironic threadbare t-shirts. I cashed in a vacation day to relax after a long weekend.

So.

Indebted 2 You was started two years ago to help me get a handle on my finances. It's been a long, successful journey. My credit card debt is gone, my car debt is gone, and I have a significant savings. My school debt still hangs out there, but the orginal purpose of this blog was to help me become more financially responsible, and I've done that.

I long-ago lost my desire to write about my finances, day-in and day-out. I don't need to, because the habits I've created are second nature. I continuously update my spreadsheets to keep my spending in check, and I've arranged my life so I don't have that much cash flowing out. I know where my money is coming from and where it's going to. I have no desire to become a financial consultant (nor would I be any good at it). Writing this blog has become something of a waste of time, an action kept up more out of guilt than any real need.

I've been thinking of taking this blog down for a few weeks; it has served its original purpose. At the same time, however, I've been less-than-pleased with other aspects of my life. I have other issues I need to address, issues that have in some ways become more apparent now that I'm not scraping to get by dollar-to-dollar.

As of this morning, this is a blog, and a blogger, under construction.

I don't know what I want to build. I know I have some big challenges ahead. My writing program needs a new draft of my novel by the end of this summer. I need to get in better physical shape. My eating habits have become attrocious. I have other problems, but I don't think this is the area to discuss them (in part because I believe people I know have tracked this blog down... shoo!... go away!).

I have a feeling this is soon to become a blog about getting in shape. The reason being: when I'm physically active, I am emotionally prepared to tackle my writing, my finances, and all the million things life throws at me.

I've thought about writing about writing, but I would become self-conscious about posting, because I'd feel that posts about writing would have to be perfect, and I would be paranoid people would judge my fiction by my blog entries.

So, that's it, I think. I'll chat about my finances and I'll chat about my writing, but the main bent of this blog will be my physical well-being.

And I guess I want to get started right now.

Here are some goals for the next year:
- run two triathlons (short courses)
- bike with my girlfriend
- start tracking my miles like I track my finances
- get a grip on my eating habits

I'm not crazy about the triathlons--I've run a couple already, so this is a reasonable goal for me. I'm in pretty lousy shape right now, but I stumbled through one without much training last year, so I'm sure if I make a concerted effort this year I can do a couple.

That's it, for now. I'm going to go for a run. I don't have any other chores today, so I'll probably toss another post in before I go to sleep.

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Writing Conference

I'm just back from the AWP writing conference in Chicago. I'm beat, but it was a great experience. I felt like I really belonged among the people there; I was quickly able to make friends and we had so much in common. It was one of the greatest weekends of my life. I'm EXHAUSTED right now, and heading to bed.

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