This week I worked really hard.   I stepped up my weight, routine, exercises and my macro counts.  I tried new classes more than once and I added components to my routine to challenge myself like using 8 lb weights on the Stairmaster.  It was harder and I felt like I was better for it.  There were many things that I made mental notes about this week that I want to share.

You can’t make someone do something-  The guy I work with, Rich, goes to my gym.  We’re always asking each other if we are going to the gym each night.  It’s almost like an accountability thing.  He saw that I was rowing and mentioned always wanting to try it but he never did.  I told him he should try it because it was so good for you but he pretty much avoided doing it probably because he didn’t want to do it alone.  Well no matter how many times I ribbed him about trying it he didn’t.  You can’t make someone do something, they need to want to do it.  Friday, Rich walked by me on the rower and he sat down and asked me to show him how.  I thought he would do it for a few minutes then leave but to my surprise he did 2,500 meters!   I think he was nervous about it hurting his back, which it didn’t.  He just needed to try it himself because people don’t know until they try it.  I told him I was proud of him and I hope he does it again.

change is good in your routine-  THis week I took three classes, used weights in my routine, switched up macro counts and added another cardio day like I said I was going to.  It was not only a challenging week for me but a nice change of pace to what was beginning to be the same old routine and stale.  Stale because I only have so many variations of exercises and I find that I sort of stick to the same ones many days.  I felt reinvigorated and my body confirmed that I worked hard.  I was happy for Saturday which is my regular rest day.  I feel accomplished because of it.

Try new things.   I mentioned that I took classes this week.  I took PF360 burn twice and PF360 strength as a change up in routine. I’ve watched the classes going on since September and decided it was time for me not to be a spectator any longer.  These classes were hard.  Not only were they different exercises but they had me panting for breath and struggling to finish a 30 second round before going to the next station.  It’s a circuit workout for weights that seem to focus on the upper body which is my weak point.  I actually lifted 2 thirty pound kettlebells (one in each hand) over my shoulder resting on my back and did squats.  HARD!  I could barely lift those muthers!  I did it though and I was proud of myself for not quitting.

It’s ok to have more than one rest day-  I mentioned I was happy for Saturday being my rest day.  That was no lie. My shoulders were so sore and so were my legs and whole body.  Rest was well received but Sunday came and while turning over in bed I bent my left leg up and had abdominal pain.  I don’t know if it was muscle strain or perhaps something else.  No bleeding and no residual pain once I got up for the morning but between that little weird event and the 30-degree morning and not wanting to work arms today, I decided that at 50 it’s ok to err on the side of caution and rest just one more day.  I have another challenging week ahead of me like last week.  I am not in training for anything, not competing against anyone and not entering any bikini contests so I’m ok resting today too.  No one but me cares and I don’t care quite that much to push quite so hard needlessly.

So I learned a few things this week.  I am evolving my routine and mindset to improve every day and every week and I think I’m still making progress in the right direction.  It’s been an outstanding week and I hope to have another one starting tomorrow.