Today I will embark on a second stab at Yoga. Now I think of Yoga as a sort of self-torture that reminds me of just how unflexible and out of shape I am. I have done it a few times and I always feel like a Hippo. I found one person on YouTube that I like so it’s going to me and her and me tonight and by that I mean her leading excellently with me grunting and groaning along. 
It’ll get better because I know all things get better with practice. It’s a lazy way to say I did something without fighting the crowd of resolutionists at the gym this time of year and smelling like a hog. My hope is that I can like it more and incorporate it regularly into my new fitness regime. My belief is that I can use it in addition/conjunction to learning how to meditate (another goal for me this year). Strength comes from all sorts of exercise and one thing I need more of is small muscle strength and flexibility. Both can be achieved through Yoga. Tonight I’ll be sure to remember to use my Yoga mat and take my socks off. Last week I didn’t do either and I kept slipping on the carpet.
I did go to the gym two nights ago and ran on the treadmill. I had only intended to walk but I got there and thought to myself, “Self, a run doesn’t get any easier / convenient than on the treadmill”. 1) It’s not cold inside. 2) the bathroom is not far away. So I bullied myself into it and did 3 miles, alternating walking and “running” (more like trotting) the whole way. It got done and I felt successful having pushed a little more than I was going to. Actually just going in was a success since I had convinced myself that it would be packed with the resolutionists ( one of which I sort of am now having not run in a few months) and that the chances of my getting a treadmill were slim. I drove by (which by the way was the whole goal originally anyway) and to my amazement, there were a few open DM’s so in I went.
There you have it. How the lazy man’s mind works when it comes to getting back on track.
ATF (After The Fact) – I did not do Yoga last night. Why? Because i was so tired from work that I could barely keep my eyes open. I tried meditation but fell asleep. Try again today..
Turns out we think it’s musculoskeletal which means there’s nothing I can do about it except take muscle relaxers but by the time they kick in, the episode is over and then I’d be drowsy. No thank you, won’t work. So I have to deal with this. As I thought about it, the episodes have increased in frequency and intensity only in the last year or two. I have figured out that I started lifting weights regularly about a year and a half to two years ago which would explain the exacerbation of this problem. I’m positive that’s why it’s happening which means, I need to scale my workouts with weights back down from 5 weight days a week to maybe 2 and keep it lighter like 5 & 10 pounds.
So, without looking desperate or going home like some wimp, I jump on the first machine I can get to and I begin to formulate a new workout plan. When my routine is planned out ahead of time it’s normal and predictable and totally ok. Today was supposed to be leg and ab day but now it’s no. So now I’m on said machine, which happens to be an elliptical machine, and I start running or trotting whichever you prefer. As I’m now off my plan and a little miffed as I rearrange my plan. When this happens it’s almost always over the top or more than I need to do like I’m making it up to myself like some terrible dead beat dad that sees his kid once a month and just buys him or her things to make up for everything else that they aren’t doing to be a good parent. Ok, maybe that’s a little exaggerated but I begin to justify my actions and the change in plan. My mind first goes to the fact that I promised myself that I would add another cardio day to my weekly routine. Ok, that’s good and that alone would make this change in plan a success. BUT NO! I must do more and then justify that as well.
I’ve only spent 32 minutes on the elliptical which would make this a less than average workout at best. I should at least put in the hour or 50 minutes minimum. Push harder to meet your standard gym visit but don’t go crazy because tomorrows plan calls for a cardio day. So we want to do more but not so much as to ruin my legs for tomorrow which holds the stupid stair master, running on the DM and the all mighty rower.
minutes would have been just fine and no one but me cares. This is what happens with a change in my routine. It throws me for a crazy overachieving freefall where I feel I have to do extra to feel good about what I’ve done.
Fifty. Now What? 