It’s been two weeks since I started my new habit of going to the gym after work, and it’s going well so far.
The first week
My first week I did cardio four days in a row. On Monday, which was a work from home (WFH) day for a change since our office had just been painted, I ran 4 miles. Tuesday I went after work for the first time, and man was it crowded! I can’t remember if I’ve ever gone at that time before. There was a line for the treadmills, but luckily I wanted the elliptical. Forty minutes.
Wednesday I almost didn’t go, although it was a working day and my bus passes my gym. Instead I got off about a mile and a half before my stop and hoofed it. The thing was by the time I reached my gym, I felt like working out. I went in and ran three miles on the treadmill. Woot!
Thursday was WFH and 40 minutes on the elliptical. I also did one session of weights – on Sunday, I think – and two one-hour sessions of yoga during the week.
It was great waking up on Friday, knowing that I didn’t have to worry about going to the gym for the WHOLE weekend.
The second week
This past week I did pretty well, though not 100%. Monday I went to the gym after work – 40 minutes on the elliptical. Tuesday was WFH, but I only did yoga for an hour. (Well, “only.”) I was kinda busy with work and was also helping MB with a book he’s self-publishing so I didn’t really have time to get away for the gym.
Wednesday I went after work again – ran four miles. It felt really good to run that day because I had totally fallen off the wagon in terms of eating. When I first got to work, I was slightly hungry but not starving. I usually have oatmeal or peanut butter toast at home before I leave, then some nuts when I get to the office. That day I decided to have this delicious chicken roll that a nearby coffee shop serves. It has no cheese, just grilled chicken breast with pine nuts and other goodies.
The thing was it screwed me up for lunch. I ate some sushi rolls (eel and cucumber) just to eat something, though I wasn’t hungry, and because I had had a too-sugary cup of coffee-milk-tea in the late morning, I was totally craving carbs by the afternoon, and had – yes – a package of goldfish crackers.
I know that’s not so bad, but one of my main goals is to cut out processed carby snacks, so I felt bad. Hence, I really felt the need to run that night.
Thursday was WFH and again I didn’t have time to go to the gym. Yoga to the rescue! This time I incorporated some new moves.
Chaturanga, or Four-limbed Staff Pose
Vasisthasana, or Side Plank Pose
For some reason, my yoga teacher never had us do these. (Oh, in case you’re wondering, the fitness studio at my gym is closed indefinitely. Something’s wrong with the floors. The yoga class I love is being taught at another branch, but it’s all the way in North Point! One of these Tuesdays/Thursdays I’m not too busy, I’ll have to schlep my cookies out there.)
Friday after work, I ran another four miles. At first I was going to do a more intense three, but I felt good so I kept going. I ran it much faster than I normally do, and with an increasingly steep incline for the last mile. It was tough but I felt both awesome and exhausted afterward.
Saturday I felt perfectly fine not doing cardio and just doing yoga. I incorporated even more plank, holding for about ten slow breaths, and four-limbed staff poses, holding for three (very difficult and not as slow) breaths. I probably did about ten, sprinkled through my routine, and was sweating profusely. Today I’m pleasantly though not insufferably sore, though part of me wants to be insufferably sore.
Today I’m not sure what I’ll do. Probably nothing except take a walk and some minor stretching.
It was only after my run Friday night that I started to feel trimmer, even though I had done “only” three cardio sessions. I’m starting to feel that’s okay if the cardio is intense, and if I’m doing yoga too.
Here’s to continued progress!
Images via Yoga Journal.
[…] can’t believe it’s been two weeks since my last check-in. I was sure it was just one. No wonder working out as a habit this week felt a bit […]