I’m about three weeks into my latest fitness challenge. The challenge is staying with it. I’m great at starting to workout, but usually by week three or four, the enthusiasm wanes and my workouts get less frequent and then non-existent. A few weeks or months will go by and I’ll begin again.
So far, I’m still good with the motivation, but I weighed myself this morning and was somewhat discouraged by the number. Then I remembered that I hadn’t weighed myself before I started this challenge, so I had no reason to be disappointed. My stomach looks flatter and I’ve had more energy so things must be working.
This morning I changed my strength training routine because I’ve read that’s what fit people do. I decided to time myself holding the plank position. I can’t remember the last time I did planks, but it’s been awhile. I thought I could hold it one minute. After all, one minute isn’t very long.
Until you find yourself in the plank position. I started the stopwatch feature on my phone as I assumed the position. I thought surely my minute was almost up when I chanced a glance at the timer. Thirteen seconds! A very long thirteen seconds, but I held the pose still thinking I could get to a minute. By twenty seconds, I knew there was no way I would make it to a minute, so my new goal became forty-five seconds. I gave out at 33.71 seconds.
My immediate reaction was, “I’m such a wuss!” Upon reflection, I realized that 33.71 seconds was a good first attempt. After all, when I first started doing men’s style pushups, I could barely do two and now I can do a couple of sets of ten. I just need to keep adding one or two seconds each time I do it and before I know it, I’ll be at a minute.
There is probably a metaphor in there somewhere, but I’ll let you find it on your own. In other news, I’ve had to enter my sundress wearing phase. Normally, I don’t venture out in sundresses until May, but we have been having delightful warm weather, so I have shifted into sundress mode. It’s always nice when I get that little breeze under the skirt on a warm day.
To celebrate the vernal equinox I was going to dance naked under the full moon. Then I checked and the moon won’t be full until March 30th. Maybe next year the planets will align so that the moon can cooperate and be full on the vernal equinox. Instead, I painted my toenails a lovely bright orange.
Orange is such a happy color. And I hope each of you is happy on this first lovely day of spring.
I suck at pushups. Good luck with your workout routine! BTW…I wore a lovely bright orange sweater today in celebration of spring…and now, it’s snowing. *sigh*
I hope the snow is short lived and that spring is just around the corner for you.
Isn’t it state law in Florida to like orange?
Unless you’re a Seminole fan.
Happy Spring, sandy!
I’ve been exercising too. I’m up to 3000 beer curls!
Ha! Is that in between rock climbing and surfing?
I dug out my flow-y spring skirts as well 🙂
Oh, & I really hate when people say ‘but muscle weighs more” – I dont care !
I don’t like that saying either.
Hmmm …. quite a shift from hoping to dance naked in the light of a full moon to painting your tail nails bright orange. Happy first day of spring!
Happy first day of spring to you, too!
Orange is supposed to be the trendy color this spring. And it simply goes with sun dresses! Enjoy the weather.
Cool, seeing how I have several orange tops and dresses. I’ve been told it should be my signature color.
Sit up weren’t working for me at all until I figured out that I should probably give up the Lemincello.
There are some things I refuse to give up – wine and dark chocolate being two of them.
………….but muscle does weigh more. I say go with it!
And it looks better………
We do plank over and over in yoga. I used to have to put my knees down after a few seconds, but now I can hold it a little longer. Takes a lot of strength. Thirty seconds is great!
I like lavender toenails!
I like lavender toenails, too. The orange is a vast improvement over the mint green my toes sported for St. Paddy’s Day.
The only thing that’s worked for me is drinking tons of water and eating lots of low-calorie foods like lettuce and potatoes with salsa. For a desk job, the water keeps me cool, keeps me full, and makes me have to get up and walk around every 30 minutes or so.
Oh, and walking/running 3 miles a day 5 days a week.
Sitting under a ceiling fan keeps me cool.
We no have ceiling fans at work. We do have dozens of small fans, though.
Knock bread on the head as part of your regime!
It would be much better than what I usually do with bread.
Slap a roll!
Punch some dough!
Anger management for the kneady!
I hate exercise…I know some people love it, and it is good for you and all that crap, but I have not and don’t think I will ever love it. My exercise now is supposed to be my physical therapy stuff, but it just seems so pointless. Anyway, I hope it works out for you!
I do feel better after I exercise, but for me the best exercise is the kind that doesn’t feel like exercise – dancing, hiking and kayaking come to mind. I’ve also set a goal for myself that I want to reach by a milestone birthday this summer.
Setting goals is very helpful, but the commitment is the tough part for me.
I have commitment issues, too. I’m hoping that setting a goal with a time frame will help me stick with it.