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Sunday, January 31, 2010

Work it out

I don't really do New Year's resolutions, but I did want to kick off this year with getting back to a good workout schedule and eating healthier. Between being sick over the summer, the fallout from being sick and then the holidays, my gym record was spotty at best for the end of 2009. I'm happy to say that January has been good to me - I've averaged 5 classes per week and am finally, finally starting to feel my strength and cardiac fitness coming back to its pre-pertussis levels. I've been to a few early morning classes (e.g. 6am and earlier start times) when I've had other engagements for my evenings and am doing double classes on Saturday mornings. It just feels so good. After this summer, I'm not taking my health for granted any more and am loving the fact that I can make it through an intense hour class and feel good both during and after.

As far as the healthier eating bit, I'm cooking the healthy food and watching my portions, but the scale and I are in a huge fight. Let's just say that while I'm not gaining, I'm also losing at the slowest pace ever. Grrrrr. I'm really hoping to take off the 10ish lbs I've gained over the past couple of years, but at this rate, it'll take me all year to get there. Hmph. I'm trying to focus on other tangible evidence of getting healthier - being able to push myself farther in class, lifting heavier weights, seeing increased muscle definition in my arms and back - but it's hard to not focus on that scale. It mocks me.

I know there were lots of us that had health and fitness goals for 2010. So, how are they going?

12 comments:

  1. Great job, Amber!

    Doing ok myself. I'll be detailing my progress in an upcoming blog post.

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  2. Wow! That's impressive! I worked out 11 times this past month and three of those were yoga classes. I'm so proud of myself because this is more than I did all last year. I'd like to double that amount for Feb!

    I'm going to make a point to go more after work. Maybe by mid year I can TRY and work out before work. Gulp.

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  3. It sounds to me like you are doing great! 5 classes a week is impressive.

    You don't really have much weight to lose, and I think the smaller the amount you have to lose, the harder it is to do it. You always hear people moaning about "that last 10 lbs!"

    So what if it takes you all year to lose it? The experts say that this is the healthiest way to lose and the most likely way to keep the weight off in the long run.

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  4. i'm so proud of you! keep it up!

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  5. I'm doing okay. Been exercising (walking up a mountain near my house) every chance I get. I stopped drinking soda. I don't think I've lost any of the ten pounds I'd like to lose, but the main point for me is to tone up and feel better.

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  6. I was full of sloth in January. I'm kicking off my health and fitness in a major way this month. I am glad to you bouncing back after being so sick! :)

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  7. Super proud of you friend! Doing well on this end also though the scale and I were in a fight this week also.

    I am making adjustments this week we'll see if next week shows the results I was expecting this week.

    Wheee!

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  8. Nice work! I hate the scale, too! Once this baby comes out and I can start working out, I'm all about getting back into shape and eating well (guess I should enjoy these last couple weeks of donut eating ;))

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  9. i think you're doing a fantastic job. i, too, have made a non-NY resolution-y goal to work out and get back in shape, but it's discouraging to be making the effort and seeing the scale go UP rather than down. eff.

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  10. Considering that I'm eating chips as I type this, I'm not doing too hot on my health-related goals. Heh. I think you're doing a terrific job though! Keep it up.

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  11. Real shitastic. Happy for you though!

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  12. my schooling is not conducive to living healthily. however, a studiomate's boyfriend is working on getting his yoga certification and will be teaching classes on campus for free soon...whee!

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