Challenge....Schmallenge....

30 day challenge? Please. What's so hard about doing a repetitive motion on a daily basis with a slight increase in reps. I know I can do it....no problem.

Fast forward 7 days......

OMG!!!! Owwwww......

Yes, just a mere week into my challenge and I'm starting to see stars and tears are beginning to well at the thought of squats, crunches and planks.

Over the past couple of weeks, I kept seeing friends and family members posting how they are starting up 30 day challenges to prepare for the upcoming bikini season. I usually just scrolled right past them on facebook, twitter and instagram, thinking to myself, "What's the challenge in doing that? I'm sure I can do a 30 day challenge". Then, one day as I was looking at the mirror (a very scary activity) I realized that I need to get myself in gear. I need to get in shape and become a healthier person. So, I decided to add the 30 day challenge idea into my routine (which is Zumba classes every so often).

I was determined.....30 day challenges don't scare me, in fact, I'm going to make it a REAL challenge and do a challenge incorporating 3 different exercises.

So off I went to my computer, looked up various poplular challenges and I decided to go with the 30 day Crunch-Squat-Plank Challenge. I copied the formatting from a few different sources and borrowed an image of a fit individual and titled my workout : I'm doing it for ME!

I quickly sent an email to my sister and one of my best friends and encouraged them to join me in this little quest to fitness. My sis.....(the smart one) declined, stating that she is already engaged in the 30 day plank, so it was left to me and Rita.

That evening as I was explaining everything to my family, I was very happy to see that my husband didn't poo-poo the idea....in fact, he agreed to join me on this crusade. We did our crunches, squats and planks with ease and for the first couple of days things were hunky-dory.

As the days progressed, it started to get more and more difficult.

....sad to say my hubby has since dropped out, stating his need to do the taxes, working late and then last night he was sound asleep and wouldn't get up. (YES! he stopped on Day 4 ~ WIMP!!!!)

My friend Rita and I are still at it, trying to encourage each other with daily text saying "Done", "Did it".... and telling each other that we are turning a new leaf, blah blah blah......but now, the text are beginning to show our fatigue and AGE.....such as sad thing - getting older.

Rita's text to me

However, we are determined to finish, although to be honest with you all, I'm not sure I'm going to make. So, to all those people who are doing various fitness challenges....."Hats off to you!! Keep it up and I'm sorry to ever think that these challenges were a piece of cake."

How about you? Have you ever done a fitness challenge? Would you consider doing one? Let me know, I would love to see what everyone is doing to get healthy.

Off to do my daily workout.....wish me luck (I think I will have a piece of cake when I'm done..... mmmmmm).

A Date with the Fitness Torturer

It's a dreary rainy day here in my neck of the woods and last night I was up till 2 am writing a post that I'm not sure will ever make it into my blog. Needless to say, I got up at 6:45am and proceeded to get my kids off to school. One by one I would send them off to be educated and I can crawl back into bed. Then it hit me.

I have to go to the GYM! Ahhhhh

A couple of months back I was on this rampage of trying to get healthy. It wasn't a New Years Resolution thingy, because that never works for me....rather, it was something more like "killing two birds with one stone". I figured, that if I got serious about working out, it would not only help me become more fit and healthy, it would also keep me busy enough that I wouldn't be tempted to spend my empty hours at the stores -- especially Anthropologie, Free People and Home Goods.

"Healthy Body = Healthy Pocketbook" right? (does anyone use the word pocketbook anymore?)

Anyway, in my whirlwind of work outs and gym classes, I made the decision to go ahead and sign up with a trainer. 

Now, I'm perfectly capable of sliding a disc in the DVD player or driving myself to a Zumba or exercise class, but my problem is my eventual lack of discipline. I can be all set....sneakers on, disc in, power on - play....ring ring....pause....hello? lunch? sure, I'm not busy, be there in ten....and off I go.

The great thing about my current plan is I have to go! Sure, I can cancel, but that takes effort too.

So, today, I reluctantly dragged myself out of the house, into the cold and dismal day to rendezvous with my Fitness Torturer. Only kidding, this guy is great! (I should actually say kid - he was born the year I graduated High School! Boy, do I feel OLD) Dan is quiet, reserved and totally committed. You have to be to have me as a client. I feel sorry for him, because I am not the easiest of people to train....I try to take the easy way out...I arrive right on time so I can waste some time in the locker room...I cut corners like standing a little more erect than I should, doing push ups from my knees....taking very, very long pauses between reps and scoping out the gym for my friends so I can chat. But, Dan sees all! No matter how much I complain, he just smiles and we move on to the next exercise. If I scream no more, I'm done....it hurts....he just says nope one more, keep going.

This was our conversation after my first session

In all honesty, I'm happy he pushes me. I want to be healthy and darn it, I want to look good in my bikini. 

So, with circles under my eyes, hair in a clip I made my way to the gym. Dan was already there setting up all the wonderful things that I would be doing while in his care. I held my breath, crossed my fingers and hope that I would make it to the end of the hour. I worked hard and in between breaths I was able to mutter...are you kidding me? I don't want to do that...this is way too heavy.....help.....

When the hour was up, I realized that I was still alive. I thought to myself, okay, not so bad.... in the end it will be all worth it. Summer is coming. I confirmed our next meeting and off I went to sit in the car for an hour while my body recuperated.

While writing this post, I remember that just the other day, my sister asked a question on Facebook..."When is it time to start working our for swimsuit/tank/shorts season?"

The responses were quick,  ranging from: "ummm....last year" to "I've been working on this summers swimsuit season since 1994"

I guess with Spring finally around the corner, we are all starting to primp ourselves....why not. We are as young as we are ever going to be! What are you doing to get fit? Do you have any workout programs you recommend?

If you're the disciplined typed, grab a DVD and pop it in....if, you are like me.....go make a date with a local torturer of your own for an hour.....I made it and I survived....You can too. Now, I need to go shopping! What time does the mall close again?

A Spring in Your Step

Now that Spring is in the air, have you been thinking about that dreaded eight letter word? Need a hint? Think warm weather, summer vacation, pina colada, beach, cute guy standing at one o'clock….yup, you’ve got it…EXERCISE! This has been circling around in my head for weeks and I’ve come to the conclusion that I may need to start working out (sigh).

I know, you were probably just thinking about that four letter word? No, not the S word, the D word…..Diet! Right, well, anyone who knows me knows that is totally out of the question (at least for me). I’m a gal that loves her food. In fact, that’s one of the things that my husband and I had in common when we first started dating (of course that wasn’t the only thing…but it was an important commonality).  I needed a guy who wasn’t squeamish about eating different things….someone who could appreciate what other cultures had to offer, so…. good job honey!!!

I was never, ever the type of girl who would eat before going out and then order a salad for dinner so that I would seem more ladylike….please….I can’t even believe people actually do that…think about it! Hello….he’s taking you out, free meal (only kidding, but seriously, ya gotta eat!) Honestly, if I ate a salad for dinner or for lunch for that matter, you can be sure that I’ll be pilfering the pantry for something to eat within 30 minutes.

You see, I’m a meat and potatoes girl…as well as seafood…and pasta…and….well, you get the picture, and boy do I love bread, especially when it’s right out of the oven – nice and warm with a light, crunchy crust and a soft, airy inside just waiting to soak up the butter and provide me with a delicious savory treat….mmmmm (I’m making myself hungry). Anyway, this love of food is of course, carried on into my cooking. If you were to ever come and eat at my house, don’t expect me to do you or your waistline any favors. I don’t lighten things up. If it calls for four sticks of butter, that’s what’s going in. If it calls for regular cream cheese, you know I’m not putting in that light and fluffy stuff. Heavy cream? You got it. I’m all about the fat! Whatever the recipe calls for, that’s what I’m using! Here is my motto when it comes to cooking: Say NO to LOW! (I think my heart just protested.)

Needless to say, when the winter months roll around and I’m enjoying all the holiday dishes, the ever present muffin top starts grow. Occasionally, I wonder if I should retool my recipes and try eating light….but after much deliberation, I’ve decided against it — for now — maybe next year (more like when pigs fly) and as I said before I love food to much to diet…..so, the only solution is to exercise.

Now, I must applaud my girlfriends. They have such amazing self motivational skills when it comes to the E word. They go to the gym doing all sorts of crazy classes, some spin, some climb, some dance, some lift, some run….I hide. What's your favorite thing to do at the gym? 

My sister, who has two little ones at home, just ran a marathon in Maryland – hello?! That means that she trained every day and then drove herself from boondocks Pennsylvania to Maryland, just to run a marathon…(congrats Jen!)…me? There is absolutely no way I will ever do that. 

I have a wonderful girlfriend who has been so patient and wonderful with me.She knows that I “want” to exercise, so she’s been draggin’ my you know what to the gym and making me workout with her…little does she know, I’ve been using the lightest weights and resistance when we work out on the machines….shhh mum’s the word.

I have to say, though, it’s been fun seeing the faces of the people who work the reception desk at my gym. I’ve been a member there for almost two years and they have no idea who I am…it’s not their fault, it’s because I NEVER go. How many of you are like me, paying gym-support and haven’t yet exercised your visitation rights? Tsk tsk tsk….ha!

To be truthfully honest, I’m just not that into working out. Do I want to be fit and healthy? Of course, who doesn’t? But, I’d much rather be eating a delicious molten chocolate cake with raspberries coulis and a light dusting of confectioners sugar…while surfing (the web that is). Don’t get me wrong, I do “exercise.” I enjoy playing golf, I luv tennis (ya like the play on words? Cheesy, I know) and when I was younger and more agile I was a huge volleyball player — couldn’t get enough of it. I also try to make sure that my kids are active and do some type of sport and now my sister and I are getting our mom the Wii Fit. Yes…I said the Wii Fit.

Here's a little tidbit. Did you know that recent studies have actually shown that these so called “exergames” are a great alternative for exercising. Researchers have reported that when kids are playing these “exergames,” they expend at least if not more energy compared to running on a treadmill for the same amount of time.and in some cases they doubled the amount of energy spent(and they have fun doing it!). How awesome is that for the unplug-able family. Do any of you have these in your homes? Do you like them? Do you use them?

So, now that Spring break is literally right around the corner and Summer not that far off, I will of course try my best to go to the gym on a regular basis. I’ll use the elliptical, climb the Stair Master thingy and I will even up the resistance and increase the weights on the machines. But, in case I slip, I always have my fallback routine to keep me fit. Please feel free to include this in your daily workout regime – it’ll spice things up a bit!

1. Cardio Workout:  Quickly clean the house by straightening, dusting, vacuuming and mopping. Remember to push and pull through your core and keep breathing.
2. Cardio Blast: I do this occasionally, it’s called CTD or “chase the dog”, because he just ate my lunch or is gnawing on something he shouldn’t be in possession of…make sure you have good sneakers that allow you to cut corners. This is especially useful when the dog is playing “catch me if you can” around the coffee table.
3. Strength Training: Every other day carry heavy loads of laundry up and down 2 ½ flights of stairs and oh, don’t forget to count the vacuum cleaner — that sucker is heavy, so remember to lift with your legs not your back.
4. Abs: During all the above exercises, keep your tummy taut — center strong – so you also get a great abs workout throughout the day.
5. Cool Down: My favorite...Hop into the car and drive to the mall and work out your wrists with the “swipe and sign” exercise…this activity gets the heart pumping, it’s great for the soul and it’ll put a spring in your step

If any of you have an awesome workout routine, please share with us...I would love to try something new.

* This is an article I wrote for an online news site