A Post for December

So not only have I been lousy as blogging, I have been lousy at running. Having two kids is hard. Getting out the door with two kids is hard. Motivating myself to run when I either have to push two kids or get them to the gym is hard. But I have been running at least once a week, so that is good.

To help get me moving, I'm joining Mommy Run Fast's challenge to Run 5 by the 5th. You are supposed to run a 5k or a 5-miler by the 5th of each month through May. I'll be starting with 5ks and hopefully move up to the 5-milers by the end. This is pretty much the only running goal I have made for the new year. I will be looking for some races and other goals in the next few weeks.

I'm doing another healthy eating challenge for twelve weeks with some friends. Overall it is going well. The last few days have not gone well in the sugar category. I can definitely say that I'm making better choices during the holiday season because of the challenge than I would have done otherwise.

I am making it to the gym about two or three times a week. I usually swim once and run once. Yesterday, I ran a mile and headed to the weight machines. A personal trainer approached me, offered to workout with me, gave me a great workout, and tried to sell personal training to me. I wish I could afford it. I pushed myself hard and felt good during it. I'm sore now and still feel good about it. Oh well, money doesn't grow on trees.

What are your goals for the holidays?
I'm going to try to limit my sweet intake! And do something active each day.

My First-ish Swim

I finally bit the bullet and went to LA Fitness and purchased a membership. I also got the Kids Club daycare thing, so El and I can go during the day. But first and foremost, I shall swim in the mornings before Drew leaves for work. I am really excited to start swimming again. I think it will strengthen my hip and really help with the pain I've been experiencing during this pregnancy.

The night before my early morning swim was rough. I think I was too excited to sleep well. I was just waiting and waiting for my alarm to go off. In the morning, I thought, if I am this excited to go for a swim, I rally should have dived in a whole lot sooner. I got up at 5:30, did my hair in french braids (I couldn't find my swim cap), grabbed an apple and my bag, and headed out. I got into the pool at 6 and swam for 30 minutes.

The swim was really nice and hard. I am out of swimming shape! There are four lanes, at the busiest part of my swim, there were 8 swimmers. I was slow. I need to work on my form. I should get a kick board and maybe some other tools. But I was out there for a half hour! It was nice to feel so light and to float in the water. I love to swim, and even though it isn't the best pool ever, a pool is a pool when you need to swim.

After my swim, I have felt pretty great. I experienced no hip pain or round ligament pain during my swim---hooray! All day, I have felt pretty energetic and happy. I would say this swim has been a good thing.

Basically? I'm excited for my swim on Monday morning! I think I'll wake up a little earlier so I can get home and showered before El wakes up. I am also going to read up on technique this weekend and work on one thing each week, until good form becomes fluid (ha ha). I will also be on the lookout for a new swim cap. Pretty much, I will revel in my post-swim happiness!

Swim and Spin

On Friday, I swam a half mile at the gym and it was lovely! I cannot believe how much I have missed swimming in the past two years. It was nice to be in the pool. But the pool was fine, just a little murky, just because it isn't the point of the gym, but it was just fine. Having a pool at my disposal is really a selling point for me.

And then on Saturday I went to a spin class. Those are the nicest spin bikes I have ever been on. They were so quiet and smooth and had a nice display. I also have missed spin class in the last two years too. I went 22.6 miles in the hour class. Great time at spin class.

I'm planning on another swim tonight (!) and a spin class in the morning.

I'll report back when I report back.

Some Yoga

Last night, I started my free trial at LA Fitness. And just walking in, I knew I liked it better than tho their place. Talking to the sales rep was great; he did not badger me and cause me stress. And the equipment is much nicer. Plus, they have a pool, classes, and racquetball courts! Andrew says the salesman probably didn't stress me out because they aren't competing for my business. They just let me loose and let the facility convince me. Then, when I want a membership, the stress will begin.

Anyway, last night I went to the yoga class. I like yoga and I felt good after the class, but I did not like the style the teacher taught. I like a little more flow through the asanas. She practices Kundalini yoga, which I guess is about energy flow. We flowed between two poses for a few minutes and then did a completely different pose. It wasn't my kind of yoga, but that's ok. There were about 30 people there, which I thought was really cool.

Tonight when Drew gets home, I'm going swimming! I'm so excited. We went to a nearby pool on Saturday and I have been itching to get back in the water. There's a part in the movie Big Fish when the Dad gets in the bathtub because, he says, "I'm drying up." I understand exactly what he means. Maybe I am more swimmer than runner? Ahhh well, we shall see.

I haven't done much running lately. It's been nice to just go on walks with my neighbor and El in the stroller. Sometimes taking things slow can make you like it more when you start back up again. Or it can make it harder to start.

Do you swim? What's your favorite cross training?

Do you like yoga? Do you have a favorite yoga blog?

Personal Training for the First Time

This morning, I met up with Ashlie for my free 30 minute session with her. She weighed me, took my measurements, and I held the BMI measuring thing. Ugh. I need to lose fat (and weight). But that's ok. Then she took me through a basic arm workout.

We didn't have time, but she told me to do them in groups of two, and to do three sets of twelve of each exercise.

Pulldown
Row

Chest Press
Push Up

Shoulder Press with barbell
Bicep Curl with barbell

Tricep Pushdown
Lateral Raise

It wasn't anything fancy for the routine, but I appreciated it all the same. She told me about form on each of the movements and really focused on the breath. Ashlie described three stages in weight training, first, Stabilize; second, Strength; and third, Power. She encouraged me to build a base and then to increase the weight. Don't be afraid to lift heavy! I was glad that she said this, because that is what I believe.

Overall, I would like to work more with Ashlie or any trainer. I think being accountable to someone would help me with weight loss. The monthly personal training session is the thing I like most about this gym. When I look at other places, I will ask about personal training and what is available to members.

Today's workout
15 minutes on elliptical
1 round of all exercises
20 minutes of strength training at home before El woke up
Core

What is your favorite weight lifting move?

Do you have a personal trainer?

A Lot of Music and Not A Lot of Running

Pretty much all my posts this week have been about music. It's Christmas time which means amateur musicians are working hard to entertain their community groups. I'm working hard for our Church programs. A lot has been going on musically for me, but not a lot athletically.

Until today.

Yesterday I went to a small gym, Vision Quest, and got a free one-week pass. We'll see how I like it.

So far, I'm not super impressed. The man who showed me around was very nice, but then he stressed me out talking about how much I could save if I signed up today. Finally I left with my pass and not having signed up. I love a good deal. But I think I love a good fit better. He asked me what I thought a good fit was. I said I didn't know, but I would know at the end of my week trial.

After hearing the benefits of membership, I only noticed two things. First, it is cheap, only $20 per month. Second, you get 2 free personal training sessions at the start and then 1 each month after that. I think that is cool.

Today I woke up at 5:15 and headed to the gym. All the treadmills were full. Ummm, that's why I wanted to go to the gym. So I did the elliptical for 20 minutes until I had a good workout (it's OK, I do like the elliptical) and the treadmills cleared out a bit. Then I ran a mile and came home.

So what I didn't like today was that there were about 10 treadmills and they were full and 20 ellipticals and there were 3 people on them. Obviously, they need more treadmills and less ellipticals or I won't be a happy gym-goer. I noticed that the cardio machines, though very well maintained, were old. They were the same models I used at USU in 2006, which they have gradually been replacing since 2010. Not a big deal, but kind of ridiculous since I'd used those same machines 7 years ago. The final thing was the cleanliness factor. The room seemed like it needed a good scrubbing and paint job, especially the window I ran in front of. I only noticed one other person using the cleaner on their machine when they were done (I did, too). Is that too snooty of me? Those are the things I did not like about my Vision Quest experience today.

There are a few other things I don't like about the gym. One, it is small and there are no classes. I would like to go to a spin or yoga or strength class. Two, there is no pool, and I enjoy lap swimming which means I would have to pay for another pass to a pool. Three, the parking lot shares with too many other things and between the coffee shop, gas station, day care center, fast food place, and gym, it gets crazy. Four, are free personal training sessions too good to be true? I believe that you get what you pay for.

There are still 6 days left of my trial and I am going to take full advantage of it. However, I don't think I'll be signing on. The low price isn't enough to change my mind about the other things.

Today's workout
20 minutes, elliptical
1 mile run, 10:45
core

Do you go to a gym? What do or don't you like about it?