Perfect 10 Update

Perfect 10 Challenge Update

1) I am going to try at least one new fitness activity every week... even if it is just a new piece of equipment at the gym or some group exercise class.

I was at a loss for what to try this week. I was on my long stretch of hours at work and no class fit into my schedule and I tried every piece of cardio equipment at the Y. On a trip to the local Walmart to buy cat food and garbage bags I started flipping through $5 DVD's and found a Billy Blanks Tae Bo. I remember this being really popular for a while so I decide cardio kick boxing would be my new work out this week. I put the DVD into the player and made it through without much trouble at all. I doubt I will use this DVD often or maybe not at all, didn't really enjoy the workout but I worked up a good sweat and got in an hour of cardio.

2) I am going to workout a minimum of 4 hours each week... even when I work everyday.

I got in one run , two zumba classes, time with the personal trainer, and one hour of Tae Bo. Total hours 5.

3) I will lose at least 10 pounds.

Didn't weigh myself.

And lastly the thing you might not know about me...
I cry really easily... reading a story, listening to a song, watching commercials, I just start crying. I would guess that most people I know don't know that about me because I seldom cry in front of people (unless you include from laughter). I avoid situations where I am going to cry including going to see sad movies. When I went to see "I Am Legend" (um... spoiler alert ahead) I started sobbing like a baby when the dog died, so much so that a guy sitting three seats down from me leaned over and asked if I was going to be okay.

The Perfect 10: Update

Perfect 10 Challenge Update

1) I am going to try at least one new fitness activity every week... even if it is just a new piece of equipment at the gym or some group exercise class.

This week I tried a BOSU class... Have you ever noticed that you determine how difficult a class is going to be by how fit the people are that show up for the class? When I showed up to BOSU I knew it was going to be tough because I outweighed everyone in the room by at least 50 pounds and they all looked like they were in great shape. It was a 1 hour class and was mostly strength training with just enough cardio to keep the heart rate up... I was expecting more cardio. All in all a great workout and I am so close to being able to do the girly push-up. I will conquer the push-up!

2) I am going to workout a minimum of 4 hours each week... even when I work everyday.

I got in one run (stupid snow storm), two zumba classes, time with the personal trainer, one BOSU class, and a couple workouts on the elliptical. Total hours 7.

3) I will lose at least 10 pounds.

Didn't weigh myself... however, since I was at the end of my month with the personal trainer I had her remeasure. I lost 1/2 an inch off my waist, chest, each arms and each thigh and 3/4 and inch off my hips. Not too bad.

And lastly the thing you might not know about me...

I didn't go to college right out of high school. I enrolled when I was 24 and I am really glad I decided to go back to school, not only because of the education. Being in college really helped me evolve into a more happy, outgoing, and confident person.

Perfect 10 Update

Perfect 10 Challenge Update

1) I am going to try at least one new fitness activity every week... even if it is just a new piece of equipment at the gym or some group exercise class.

This week I wanted to try something that would workout my arms... I was thinking about sledgehammer training. However since it is still very cold outside and sledgehammers in the living room sounds like a bad idea I tried a 10 pound kettle ball instead. I followed mostly upper body workout with the kettle ball but a few exercises involved squats and lunges. All in all a good workout, I liked it.

2) I am going to workout a minimum of 4 hours each week... even when I work everyday.

I got in two runs, a zumba class, time with the personal trainer and a workout at home. Total hours 5.

3) I will lose at least 10 pounds.

I did weigh myself this week but I wasn't thrilled with the results. 189.2... well I did break the 190 barrier but this is only a 2 pound loss. I am going to ask my trainer to measure me this week to see I am losing inches. I am also going to cut back a little on calories and treats. The first six months I did not have have any treats, no cakes on birthdays or anything lately I have been cheating on special occasions. I have to get back into diet mode if I want to loss weight like I was in the past.


And lastly the thing you might not know about me...

I am terrible at parking legally in big cities... when I first moved to Milwaukee I only looked at apartments that had off street parking. I found one I liked but due to maintenance problems the garage space wasn't going to be ready until two weeks after I moved in... which meant street parking for two weeks. I got three parking tickets and my car was towed once.

Mile marker 250

Today I was feeling the after effects of strength training... my legs protested every time I tried to stand up or sit down. I decided to skip Zumba and opted for a run to get in my hour of cardio today. Thanks to the endorphin fueled runners high it was the only hour today that my legs felt really good. But that isn't what this post is about... at the end of my run I took my ipod out of my pocket and scrolled down to "End Workout." If any of you have the Nike+ ipod attachment you know they have famous athletes give you a little "good job" at the end of a workout that was a personal best (distance, time, duration, whatever). Today I was not expecting any kudos from one of these athletes because my run was nothing special. I was surprised when Lance Armstrong's voice came through my headphones and congratulated me on running 250 miles.What is more I don't always use my ipod when I run so I have actually run further than 250 in the past 6 months.

I have run over 250 miles! That is like running from my little town in Northeast Wisconsin to Chicago. If you had told me at this time last year that I would run 250 miles I would have called you insane.

Sometimes you surprise even yourself.

umm... excuse me... winter. You are in my way.

Lately two things have been getting in my way of living life the way I want to... winter and work. This week I got called into work when I was supposed to be off and we had another snow day (although not too bad). I wanted to go for a run today but after checking out my icy parking area and road I opted for indoor exercise. Doing an hour of cardio/strength.

I am still looking for something new to try this week... if anyone has any ideas.

Was that really a week?

Perfect 10 Challenge Update

I almost missed the week it went by so fast. This morning I was happily humming my way through Wal-mart because my weekend starts today. I picking out streamer colors for my nieces birthday when I realized it's FRIDAY! I knew it was Friday but I forgot it's FRIDAY. I haven't been on my blog all week and it is the last minute for me to account for my Perfect 10 Challenge goals. I did a quick mental list... hours working out... check... tried something new... check (thank you trainer). So here I am down the last minute and ready to check-in with my Perfect 10 Challenge goals. I am off for the next week so I promise to be a much better blogger and comment on all of your posts this week.

1) I am going to try at least one new fitness activity every week... even if it is just a new piece of equipment at the gym or some group exercise class.
This week I put in a lot of hours at work so I asked the personal trainer at the gym to give me something new that I could talk about... I won't be doing that again. She had me "walk the plank." It's as difficult to describe as it is to do... but it involves being in the same position you would be in when you start a push-up (kind of like a plank but on your hands) next to you is a step (the kind they use for step aerobics) you "walk" your hands onto the step and then off the other side and then back up on the step and back to your original position trying to shuffle your feet along with your hands. She had me do several of these and I sure could feel them the next day.

2) I am going to workout a minimum of 4 hours each week... even when I work everyday.
Again I got in two runs, a zumba class, time with the personal trainer and an extra trip to the gym. Total hours 4 1/2.

3) I will lose at least 10 pounds.
Weigh in day is coming on the first of the month.

And lastly the thing you might not know about me...
I live in small town but I really enjoy living in bigger cities. I would like to try living in New York City for awhile... or maybe Chicago. But when it comes right down to it I enjoy living in my town because my nieces and nephew are here and they bring me a lot of happiness.

Perfect 10 Update

Perfect 10 Challenge Update

1) I am going to try at least one new fitness activity every week... even if it is just a new piece of equipment at the gym or some group exercise class.
I didn't have a lot of free time this week so I tried out the elliptical machine at the gym. I was meeting the gym's personal trainer at 10:30 and she wants me to have at least 30 minutes of cardio before strength training so I warmed up at a slow pace and then really worked out hard for the 30 minutes. The things I liked about the elliptical is that it is easier to stay on for a klutz like me. I am always stepping off the belt of the treadmill and stumbling a bit. On the elliptical machine your feet stay in the same place. I also liked that I could feel the work out days later in my legs and butt. I don't think it was great to try before strength training because I was exhausted. It didn't feel strenuous when I was on it but I just flat out had very little left for training that day. In the future, stick with the treadmill on strength training days and save the elliptical for off days.

2) I am going to workout a minimum of 4 hours each week... even when I work everyday.
I got in two good runs this week thanks to nicer weather and less snow. I went to Zumba twice. I worked out in the gym once and with the personal trainer once for a total of 5 1/2 hours this week.

3) I will lose at least 10 pounds.
Weigh in day is coming on the first of the month... fingers crossed.

And lastly the thing you might not know about me...
In Zumba class the instructor often asks people to come up on the stage and dance one of the songs with her. She has asked me several times and I always say no. I would like to because I think she is really friendly and she makes the class really fun and comfortable. I never go up because I think I am a big klutz and I can see myself taking a header off the stage and the thought of being up there scares me a little... and it isn't the potential injury that worries it is having so many witnesses to the injury that worries me. In some other multiverse I am a rock star... in that multlverse I am also better looking, more fit and for some unknown reason own a couple fur-less cats. Go figure.