Fitness recap

I have been far too lax on my workout routine, so much so my tight pants have started to remind me that I need to do more exercising and not just fiddle around at the gym and hope for the best.

fitness recapThe other week I’ve decided to write down my athletics in a notebook to keep myself accountable. If I see a day where I didn’t get the recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day, I don’t beat myself up over it. I just walk Alfie extra long on his business-duty for the evening.

Each week, I’ll do a fitness recap on my blog — Tuesday seems like a good day as any? I’m missing my CrossFit weekly workouts that I used to do. I’m scared of re-joining. It’s been since January since I have done a WOD and I’m just a wuss right now.

bouldering, LaSportiva, Katana'sI got a membership to Planet Granite climbing (which has CrossFit & Yoga classes!!!) gym this weekend, so I’m heading down there a few times per week.

Alright, getting’ into it. This one will be a little longer because I kind of want to backtrack at my workouts. Then we’ll be back to a regular weekly schedule.

Friday May 16: 2 mile run

Saturday May 17: 3 mile run

Sunday May 18: 2 mile run

Monday & Tuesday May 19-20: Off

Wednesday May 21: 3 mile run

Thursday May 22: Climbing for 3 hours with Ellen!

Friday May 23: 2 mile run

Saturday May 24: Bouldering for 2 hours

Sunday May 25: Hiking up some mountain, for 2 hours in some random city

You may notice I don’t like to run more than 3 miles at a time. In fact, 2 miles is my sweet spot.

RunAfter a long long break from running, I can fully run 2 miles without stopping again. 3 miles, no way buddy. I have to stop about 3-4 times in that last mile. Wish I wrote down my times. I’ll do that this week, to keep track. Still definitely nowhere where I want to be. I do recall one of my 3 milers finishing at 31:30, which is not cool in my brain. When I was running with my friend Tanya back in the day, we were running 27-28 minute 5k’s. That’s where I want to be, and I want to start running slower, for longer distances. That’s where my mentality issues kick in. Oh negative talk.

I have a huge love/hate relationship with running.

post run faceThen people tell me, if I hate it so much why do I keep doing it? Plain and simple, I actually crave it. It’s easy for me to jump on the treadmill and go — but it’s hard for me to maintain any length of distance. I hate that it’s hard, and I hate that I get so winded after 2-3 miles. So if I truly hated it, I clearly wouldn’t do it, would I? That’s just silly. For instance, I despise biking. It hurts my you-know-what, so I never ever go to spin classes nor do I own a bike. My husband makes up for my lack of bikes though ;)

Planet Granite BoulderingI’m heading back into the climbing gym later this morning so I can work on getting some strength back. I can top rope more difficult routes fine, it’s just the bouldering strength I’d like to have back, and it’d be nice to be able to do my party trick again ;)

Come back tomorrow, because I’ll be posting something I’ve never done before! Ooo!

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One exercise that every woman should be doing

FAQ questions answered again!

Candi asks: What is the one exercise that every woman should be doing? I know I’d never be able to do cross-fit or even climb a wall but is there anything else you have learned over the years that we need to be doing?

One exercise I suggest women, and every one in general should do is get at least 30 minutes (the recommendation is 60 isn’t it?) a day of physical activity. I say, exercise no fewer than three days per week.

The easiest suggestion I have is simply going out for a walk, whether it be a stroll or a brisk walk. That can be hard during the winters (especially in Newfoundland where I know Candi lives) but there are tracks at MUN (uni back home) and other fitness centres, that you can take part in. Getting your heart rate up is beneficial.

Some great exercises you can do anywhere:

  • Swimming
  • Walking outside
  • Climbing the stairs
  • Yoga
  • Lifting weights

Swimming is great since it’s not as hard on your joints as other physical activities can be. 

Even yoga is great. It helps you with breathing, can relax you after a long day, or even start your day off right. Yoga is great for practising your balance and flexibility. Since falling is a common problem in older adults — it’s a major cause of broken hips and other injuries — practising yoga builds up your leg muscles. Other exercises improve your balance by briefly standing on one leg. I’d be careful picking out yoga classes though. I felt as if I’d get kicked out of one yoga class already this summer.

Climb the stairs, over and over! It increases your breathing and heart rate which can overall improve the health of your heart, lungs and circulatory system. For instance, it improves your stamina for the daily tasks you need to do — elevator broke? Climb those two flights and not be winded.

Lift weights (or cans of soup, or bags of flour). It builds your muscles, makes you stronger and believe it or not — improves your independence. I can now open those pesky jars of pasta sauce without the help of the boyfriend. Sometimes I do need to put on a rubber glove to open it because those suckers can REALLY get stuck on!

Even working out for 10 minutes at a time is fine. You don’t have to do it all at once. It’s best to spread out your activity during the week, and breaking it up into smaller chunks during each day. as long as you’re doing your activity at a moderate or vigorous effort for 10 minutes, at least — at a time.  Try it out for yourself. Go for a brisk walk three times a day (in the morning, during lunch, and after work) and do that FIVE days a week.

Lace up those boots and git goin’! You’ll notice a difference, I promise!

Have you ever taken a yoga class?
I have only attended about 10 yoga classes ever. Loved them, but they were pricey to add into my regular workout regimen so I haven’t kept it up.

What do you do for exercise?
I CrossFit, run outside, play indoor soccer, yoga occasionally, and trying to still incorporate climbing but there’s just not enough time in my week!

How often do you workout?
I try to do something active each and every day. Some days I really need a break and even a weeks worth of break. I usually get 3-4 workouts in per week though.

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My CrossFit Journal (Year 1, week 25)

Thanks to those who participated in my poll last week. I was questioning whether or not to do a post each time I work out, or save it all for Monday’s into one big ol’ collaboration.

The short:

  • CrossFit x 2
  • Running x 2

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year 1, week 25, day one

Ring Dip:
max-max-max  (so annoying, I’m so bad at this) My legs were even still on the ground

Back Squat:
20 Minutes to Establish 3RM

I ended up back squatting 95lbs (!!!). We had a few minutes left and I tried to go for 105 and did one. So that’s awesome right? lol I can almost back squat my own weight, that’s ridiculous.

“Mad Cindy”
AMRAP 10:
5 Pause Pullups
10 Clapping Push Ups
15 Jumping Squats

This WOD killed my arm pits, lol.

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year 1, week 25, day two

15 Thrusters; 135/95lbs 55lbs
Run 200 meters
20 Thrusters; 95/65lbs 45lbs
Run 400 meters
30 Thursters; 65/45lbs 35lbs
Run 800 meters

This one was pretty tough. We just had an 18 minute time limit and I was on my last 800m run, and I think the buzzer went off just as I was coming back, finishing up my run. Not bad!


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year 1, week 25, day three

Didn’t go to CrossFit but ran 6k with my co-worker. PROOF!

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year 1, week 25, day four

Hilarious story. I was pigging out on junk food because my Boyfriend was away, and I decided to watch the documentary SUPER SIZE ME. Silly mistake. I was feeling already full and feeling like the dude was describing me as one of the folks he was talking about in the film. I had to pause the movie half way through and ended up going for a speedy 4.23km in 24:03! That’s clippin’ er. Mainly because it was almost 9pm at night, and in a sketch area of town and any random dude I passed, I pretended I had fresh legs and was feelin’ no pain. Though, I was feeling quite ill due to the popcorn and pizza sloshin’ around in my belly. It would’ve made for a “better” story had I have puked on the run. lol But thankfully I did not.

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