A Fit Friday to be Proud of! (A Few Days Late…Oops)

I’m sorry I’m just putting this post up now, I had it all drafted and then got so busy this weekend, so better late than never!

I’m happy to announce that after last week’s embarrassing “I didn’t workout at all” post I can now successfully say that I accomplished my workout goals for this week! Woohoo! And you know what? Even on the days I said I was going to go but then got tired (read: cranky) I still went and was happier that I did. Which is basically what everyone always says about working out. Isn’t the go to quote “your only bad workout is the one you didn’t do”? Or something like that.  Well I get it. As Nike says “Just do it”.

Friday: Didn’t happen..

Saturday: ^ Same

Sunday: IT HAPPENED! I worked out! Here is the workout I did at my parents house. You can do this workout anywhere you have a floor and a spare 20 minutes or so.                                                              

Monday: It was Monday…

Tuesday: I finally made it to a boxing class and let me tell you, wow. I had taken kickboxing classes before and they was not like this. I’m pretty sure one of the men taking the class was a boxer, or trying to be one (he had boxing shoes on). Everyone in the class knew what they were doing and were in fantastic shape. It was one of the hardest classes I’ve ever taken but I plan to go back next Tuesday! It was very fun and exciting and I knew I was getting a good workout, and not even just because I’m STILL sore.

Wednesday: I physically couldn’t do anything after Tuesdays class.

Thursday: I finally tried Pilates! I had tried yoga in the past but had trouble getting into it because I found it to be slow. Maybe I’m taking the wrong type of yoga classes but Pilates was the happy medium I was looking for. You’re still stretching, which is what I like about yoga, but I felt like my muscles got more of a workout and it was faster paced so the class flew by.

This week I also didn’t take a cab once so each day I walked 3 miles altogether going to and from the train. All of the walking is definitely a huge plus of living in the city. Basically no matter where you’re going you get a mini workout in!

And to end this post, a super sweaty screenshot of the SnapChat I sent my friends after the boxing class on Tuesday…                                                                                      

                                                                    #notcute

Have any of you ever taken a class that just left you so sore for days? Did you go back to it? What do you think about yoga versus Pilates? Do you like both or are you more partial to one class over the other?

Fit Friday: 7-18-14

Oy. That’s basically all I can say for the past workout week, or should I say lack of working out week? It feels like life just got in the way this week and I could not make it to my workout classes. I know that sounds like a very poor excuse but sometimes it happens.  I think I’m at the point where I need to suck it up and if I have something after work I need to wake up in the morning to workout, which I have yet to be successful at. I don’t know if it’s just me or not but when that alarm goes off at 5:00am I always choose sleep and then regret it later on when I’m tired anyways.  I wasn’t completely lethargic though, which is better than nothing. I walk the 1.5 miles to and from the train every morning, a few times I even ran it (not on purpose I was just late haha).

This week I’m not going to make a schedule I’m just going to say that I will workout three times this week. Maybe with a little less pressure I will actually do it and can make ya’ll proud! Am I allowed to say ya’ll even if I’m not from the south?

If you’re like me and having trouble getting started here’s a great workout from Fit Sugar’s 21-Day Flat Belly Challenge. In place of jumping rope you can do any heart pumping exercise, such as running in place, jumping jacks, high-knees, toe taps, ect. Good luck!

How are you guys doing with your workout commitments? Do you find it’s harder to workout when you have a set schedule or when you just say I want to work out 3-4-5 times this week? Have you found any great new workouts lately or any new moves you’re finding to be effective? 

Fit Friday!

Happy Fit Friday everyone! As promised I said I would keep up my half of the bargain and keep track of what I did last week and declare what I planned to do in the week to come.  Then, your half is to comment with what you did or what you plan to do. Heck, you could comment anything and I’d be happy haha! Exercise questions, comments on my workouts (it’s okay, you can tell me if I’m not working hard enough!), or just to even say hi!

So for this week it went like this:

Friday: it was the 4^th so nothing, sorry America

Saturday: Relaxed

Sunday: Relaxed

Monday: I was supposed to do the arms, abs and assets class but it was full! I worked out on my own instead but I forget exactly what I did. I’ll keep better track from now on in order to give everyone ideas for their own workouts, plus it’ll make me work harder if I have to post it…hopefully.

Tuesday: this was my designated rest day

Wednesday: I took the Fluidity class again and I’m still really enjoying it. The teacher is awesome and it reminds me so much of the things we used to do during my dance classes.

Thursday: I did the half hour with the trainer (the one that came with signing up for the gym). I felt it was a great workout and he really showed me what I needed to work on; cardio, my arms, and my outer thigh. I’ll have to find classes that work these parts more!

Two exercises I really enjoyed with the trainer:

1) The only way I can describe it is as toe taps on the bosu ball, you know one of those half balls? It felt like I did it forever but I think it was 30 seconds of alternating tapping my toes on the ball, then rest, X4 times. Majorrrrr cardio workout, but yet it was still entertaining and wasn’t just running on the treadmill. Nothing against people who love that, but I get wayyyy too bored. I blame my undiagnosed ADD on that. Or maybe my impatient-ness.

2) This is a good partner exercise but it can also be modified to do it alone. I held a 6lb medicine ball and stood with my legs past hip distance apart, or in ballet as they would call second position. The trainer would throw me the medicine ball and I would have to squat, come back up and throw it back to him.  The squats were wide leg squats, or sumo squats, in order to work the outer thigh (aka the area he said was my fault area. Thank god for honest people). If you don’t have someone to workout with you can squat and then extend your arms straight out so you can still get the arm workout as well. Or you can just use the medicine ball as extra weight for your squat. Or if you’re still new to working out body weight squats are still so beneficial!

Now my plan for next week:

Friday: on my way to Bill while writing this…so no workout

Saturday: rest

Sunday: I plan to do body weight exercises as a small workout, I’ll let you guys know what I do!

Monday: rest

Tuesday: I want to find a new class to take so I’ll keep you updated on this! I’m looking to take some sort of high cardio class because I know I need it.

Wednesday: Fluidity! Woohoo!

Thursday: Ditto to the finding a new class!

I hope everyone has a fun and healthy weekend!

What were your workouts this week? Did you try any new classes or exercises? Do you have any fun weekend plans?

A New Healthy Beginning: Joining a gym!

Happy 4^th of July and fit Friday!

I did it! I took the plunge and granted it’s only been a week but I think I’m going to be happy with it! Last week I went with a friend as her guest to New York Health and Racquet Club and it was love at first site when I saw the class schedule. Wow. Just wow.  There were more options than I think I’ll ever even be able to try.  There is no way I can get bored here, it would be impossible. Click here to see the class descriptions.

For my first week I went to two different classes.  On Monday I went to an arms, abs and assets class and it was exactly how it sounded.  When I say I was terrible, well, that’s an understatement.  I had to stop during basically every exercise and at some points I just sat there looking at the instructor with what I can only imagine was my “please save me” face.  But I made it through the class and it can only get better from here! I think the pain I was in the next day was a good indicator of how effective the class was and all of the good results I will (hopefully) be seeing one day.

Wednesday I took my second class, I didn’t take one Tuesday because I was watching the USA soccer game and let’s be honest, I really couldn’t move the next day haha. This time I took a Fluidity class.  The description on Fluidity is “a combination of ballet barre, yoga, Pilates and strength training to create a longer and leaner body.” So basically for me it combines into one class four different things I wanted to try so I basically hit the jackpot of classes. The teacher was sooo patient with me and corrected my form without embarrassing me or making me feel like an idiot for not knowing how to do the exercises.  I think this is definitely going to go into my weekly class lineup because not only did I feel like I got an amazing workout but also the stretching helped my sore muscles from Monday and also helped me to not be as sore the next day.

On a different yet still similar note: While reading different blogs, I’ve found that a lot of bloggers do a “weekly fitness” post.  Some do it as a tracking device for themselves and their followers, some do it to post different workouts and some are a mixture of both.  I’m going to start a “weekly fitness” post each week to not only have to put out there what I plan to do each week/what I actually did in order to hold myself accountable, but also to post great workout ideas that I come across so everyone can reap the benefits!

So this is my upcoming workout schedule:

Monday: arms, abs & assets class (I have to show my face again! Maybe this time I’ll be able to do more. Yes I know, wishful thinking)

Tuesday: rest please

Wednesday: Fluidity class

Thursday: personal trainer (no I’m not fancy, I got it for free when I joined the gym)

Friday: if you can call driving to Boston rest then yes I’m resting haha

Saturday: maybe a light jog or some body weight exercises. If I do this I’ll let you know so everyone can try it too!

Sunday: no way jose!

Hope everyone has a fantastic and patriotic 4^th of July!

Have you recently joined a gym? Taken any good workout classes lately? Any recommendations for classes or exercises to do at home?  What are your 4^th of July plans?