Workout Burnout

Its been awhile since I was here. I really just walked away from working out on a regular basis and I didn't miss it at first. Life has a way of getting in the way of some goals and some things need to take a back seat for more important stuff.

I still ate well, at first, even if my portion sizes started to get larger. As time progressed I started eating more unhealthy snacks like Twizzlers and licorice. More breads and high carb foods. But after about 6 months I started to notice things. Disturbing things.

My clothes started to fit tighter. My motivation was down. I needed a nap in the middle of the day. Mid-afternoon coffee was becoming my friend again. No Energy. All. Systems. Down.

I'm paying for a Gym membership I'm not using and my Wife hasn't been able to workout much either due to a couple of injures & surgeries that take months to heal. We started this together and I feel bad for leaving her behind.

Well, slowly we are starting to get the eating right again. That was the very first thing we fixed when we started to get fit in the first place. We have had more salads for dinner with a side of beef, chicken or fish in the last 3 week than in the last 6 months. We eat less bread and pasta and I've begun to track my daily calorie and water intake again, an important step in the right direction.

Next is to ramp up the exercise again. My previous goals were too lofty which I think was partly to blame for stopping. I'll turn 50 this year and I am starting to feel my knees a little more and one of my elbows gives me problems. I'll just have to devise a workout routine that is flexible and interesting for me to drop a few pounds and tone things up again.

The bottom line is that I recognize how I have strayed and I know how to eat properly to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I just have to get back to it. If this has happened to you, don't beat yourself up over it. But do something about it.

Just! Get! Moving!

Leg Day

 When I go to the gym I always do cardio. I always do some AB workouts and I always do some weight work.

I work my biceps and triceps.  I work my chest and shoulders. I work my back. I don't always work my legs. My legs have always been larger than my arms so I feel out of proportion most of the time. I do try to work the legs once a week to keep them strong and toned.

I usually work out alone most days and don't have a gym buddy so I have nobody to remind me about leg day.

I'll just leave these photos down here to help motivate you to remember to work the legs too.

Morning Workouts

When my Wife and I started eating better and exercising more we had joined a local nutrition club where we learned a lot and we exercised with them as well as at home. They helped us get started but they have moved their club to be closer to where they want to be. I'm very happy for them but I miss the Boot Camp workouts they did weekly.

Since they moved I've had a harder time doing workouts at home. Many of us have busy lives and fitting in a solid 30 to 45 min workout sometimes is hard between helping with homework or cooking dinner or the thousand other things families have to do.

We decided that if we wanted to maintain our level of fitness that we would have to workout at different times during the day, so we joined a gym. My wife goes during her lunch break for a 30 min workout and heads back to the office.

I can go to the gym after work, but I sometimes cook dinner so we plan it out that my afternoon sessions coincide with a slow cooker dinner. What I really enjoy is hitting the gym before work. There are only a handful of people there, I have my pick of the machines and the locker room is cleaner. I only have to get up a half hour earlier and can get in a 45 min workout most days and still get to work on time.

I pack my lunch the night before and put my work clothes in the car. I get up, put on my gym clothes and head straight out. Then I feel good for the whole day and I can still go home and walk the dog after dinner and maybe squeeze in 20 min of yoga for a good end of the day stretch. We still get out on the weekends for hikes and bike rides or just a walk around town when time allows. The goal is to find what works for you.

Find the time to workout when you can, wherever you can, for as long as you can. Just Get Moving!

Workout Calendar

I was looking for some new motivation as Iv'e just got back from vacation and needed some motivation and came across this image. I like the idea of putting a sticker or stamp on a calendar to mark when I do a workout and what type. If I do Yoga or hit the gym and do cardio. Each activity can have a different sticker. Or simply mark the calendar with a marker, sharpie or highlighter.

Just put the calendar in a place where you will see it everyday and know of you skipped a workout or not.

You can find this and much more Motivation over at The Berry.