My New Plan for Exercising

Okay, so ever since school started, I haven't been exercising as much. (This week has been particularly bad because Halo 3 came out - I was playing that whenever I had free time). But I think I've come up with a plan for working out that should work alright with my school schedule.

I have class all day both Tuesday and Thursday, and then Wednesday night as well. So as long as I am not working, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday are pretty much the same as during the summer. I'll be able to workout in the afternoon, which is the time I like working out. Sure I'll have school things to worry about, too. But at least I'll be able to workout at a time I like working out, and at which I usually feel like working out.

So, what about Tuesday and Thursday? Well, thanks to the yoga class for the next 5 weeks or so, I do workout on Thursdays. So I have decided to leave Tuesday as a day of rest for exercising for now. Once yoga is over, I'll have to re-evaluate what I am going to do on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But I think this should work for now.

Yoga!

My mom and I have been taking a yoga class these last 3 Thursdays and it's a lot of fun! We took a class last year at the same studio (www.restingfrogyoga.com) but this year we have a different teacher. So far we've really enjoyed the class! It's an all levels class, so even my mom and I, who have only taken one other yoga class, are able to do everything no problem - we're encouraged to try harder things, but it's totally okay if you can't.

My one problem with the class is that it's a bit long at an hour and a half. Personally, I feel an hour would be better, especially for my diabetes (I went low last week near the end of class - I was okay this week because I didn't correct my supper glucose of 9.5 mmol/L and I was okay).

Tone Trouble Zones!

This is the newest dvd that I have added to my collection, and wow am I glad I did! I have used it twice so far; both times I experienced an intense workout! Like the other 10 minute Solution dvds, this one has 5 10 minute segments which you can mix and match as you see fit.

So far, I have only tried the Butt and Theigh Blaster, and the Sleek & Sexy Ab segments. Both times I tried this dvd, I was planning on doing 30 minutes, but instead I ended after doing the ab segment - it's really intense!

Needless to say, I can't wait to try out the other 3 segments....but after I've given my body a bit of a rest!

I Think It's time to Redefine My Exercise Goals for the Next While

So, as I originally stated, my goal was to get down to 160 lbs by June 1st of 2007. That didn't happen, so I have been sort of thinking to make June 2008 the new goal date.

However, I am having a little bit of trouble deciding what to focus on. Yes, I want more defined arms, but that is the least important of the areas I would like to shape up. The top two problem areas are my theighs and abs.

I do not consider myself big - if you were to look at me, I look normally proportioned. However, my theighs rub together a bit when I walk. It's funny that I never really thought anything of this until recently, even though it has been a problem for a number of years now. I have worn through a number of jeans on the theighs, and I would like to prevent that from happening to the new pairs that I bought coming home from writing the GRE.

The other area I would really like to improve is my stomach. If I stand tall, my stomach looks not bad. But I think I slouch a bit in normal, everyday life. Plus I would love to look good in shirts that are a bit tight on the mid section.

So, having discussed my two bigger problem areas, I think it might be a good idea to focus on getting my theighs toned and slimmed down a little bit. I think that they are the area where I carry excess weight, so it would probably be in my best interest to try to shape then up. Plus I'd rather not wear through any more jeans in the near future.

I will still work on my abs a bit, but I am going to try to concentrate on my theighs for the next while, and see if that helps my progress a bit.

I Think It's Time To Try Something New . . .

Well, during the last month, my weight has been yo-yoing around 185 lbs. I think I was 184 last week, and now I'm 186 today. I know that I haven't been working out all the time like I was before school, so I have to find time to fit it in (well, that was one of the goals of this school year anyway - develop healthy habits in preparation of going away next year). Also, since school has started, I've had a major disruption in my schedule - now I am up in the morning some days, when before I rarely was; this means that I then have an extra meal (a real breakfast in the morning) that I rarely had during the summer. To compensate during the summer, I had a planned, larger snack in the evening as I was up anyway (my dietician recommended this).

I also need to find a new workout time; during the summer I was working out in the afternoon, but that doesn't work when I have classes in the afternoon. Maybe I'll have to do a workout in the evenings on days with afternoon classes. I'll have to try out different times, and see what works and what doesn't.

What's Been Happening since My Last Post

Well, the biggest thing that has happened since last weekend is that I wasn't feeling very well, starting around this past Thursday. I think it has been mostly caused by a lack of sleep - partially from not being used to getting up for classes, and partially from my cat insisting on being fed extremely early! Normally my parents feed her, but they were away for almost two weeks, so she had to come and wake me up!

So anyway, I'm feeling a bit better....and just in time for a new week that'll be even busier than last week!!!

Hurray for Exercise!

I guess I really started getting back on track yesterday with the exercising. I was at my aunt's house for dinner, and afterwards my cousin and I played some DDR. Well, not just some DDR, but 6000+ steps worth of DDR. Whenever I think of working out, I usually forget that DDR is a great way to get your daily exercising in without feeling like you are exercising.

So anyways, today I decided to do a half hour of strength training, using the routine from Prevention's Get Moving. I was rather tired, and in the middle of a good book that I'm reading for school (Beowulf), and I didn't really want to work out. But wow was I glad I did! I felt like a million bucks afterwards!

Getting Back on Track: What's Happened Since Tuesday

Alright, so what has happened since Tuesday?

I had wanted to start using my pedometer again, but so far I keep forgetting. I haven't been sleeping very well lately (and my cat keeps waking me up early!) so I often get up and remember a lot later. But hopefully I can get back into the habit again soon!

The one thing I have been really good with has been the Self Diet Club. Since the weekend, I have been able to get back into entering everything online (and I even managed to lose a pound!)

So the last thing that I need to get back on track with is exercising. This past week, I've barely done anything! Of course, it doesn't help that I've been so tired, as I then don't feel like exercising when I have the time! So hopefully, over the weekend I can start getting back on track with that, too.

Of course, I'll need to work on integrating exercise with studying....

First Day of Classes!

Well, today was my first day of classes. I went to three of the four that I am signed up for, and so far, I think this year is going to be a lot of fun! I am taking mostly English classes, with one Sociology class; this year is really different, as I am not taking any Psychology classes (Psych is my major).

I am especially excited for the writing course that I managed to get into; it sounds like it will be quite interesting! The only one I'm a bit worried about being overwhelmed with is the 1st year English class: I have to read Beowulf in its entirety by next Thursday! Hopefully it isn't a struggle to get through!

Getting Back on Track Once Again

Alright, today (well, later today) I am going to get back on track once again. You see, this past weekend has been brutal for my exercising and healthy eating habits: it was my bro's last weekend in town before he heads back to school in Toronto, so of course it was a weekend of partying!

Saturday night was the big party, which was a night of drinking, eating cookies and cheezies, and fun! However, we (everyone who stayed the night at my house) went to sleep rather late, then got up rather earlier than I normally do to go to breakfast. So in the middle of the afternoon, I ended up having a nap instead of exercising.

Then today, my Aunt invited me over for supper at her house. So I got up a bit late in an attempt to catch up on sleep, and after cleaning out the fridge and whatnot (I wanted to see what groceries I should get to help me get back on track) I went to their house and stayed until about 11 pm. I had wanted to work out a bit tonight, but now it's a bit late and I feel like I should try to catch up on sleep a bit first.

The other thing I haven't been using is the Self Diet Club. I haven't recorded my meals all weekend. So I'm also hoping to get back to using that tomorrow.

Finally, I think I'm going to try to use my pedometer again. I haven't used it in a couple of months.

Last Day at the Dollar Store!!!!

Yesterday was my last shift working at the Dollar Store!!!! I started working in the snack bar at the Dollar Store at the end of May as I was in need of a summer job. I was a bit frustrated with it at times (I almost quit part way through the summer) but I am proud of myself for sticking with it! Now I can happily put this experience on my resume!