Schedule Notes:

The new 10 week session of classes begins Monday, January 31st and runs through the week of April 4th.  Fees due the first week of class.  10% multiple class discount.

• Group Strength (1 day) $120/(both days) $200
• Pilates $120
• High Intensity Training $225

On Saturday I am having a free High Intensity Training class.   If you are a student of this class, this is a make up class.  If you are thinking about trying this class, you can for free this week.  I need to know how many people are coming so make sure to email me if you plan to attend this Saturday at 8:00 AM for ~45 minutes.  Wear your heart rate monitor.

If you took Pilates the past 10 weeks, I owe you one class.  Let me know if you prefer $12 off next session or a personal training session. 

Slightly random thoughts from my week.

It's Tuesday morning.  I just woke up from a great night's sleep and I feel so good.  I feel like I lost five pounds overnight!  Love this feeling.  I really should get on the scale and see if I actually did lose five pounds overnight.  So tempting.  I want validation of how I feel.  I want to see a number I haven't seen in awhile.  I want rewarded for working hard and eating healthy this week.

Luckily I know better.  The scale is not my friend.  It would NOT validate how I feel.  It would probably say I gained two pounds and my happy day would be ruined.  So I'll enjoy Tuesday with pants that fit well and a body that feels strong and is responding to the new workouts I've been trying.  Love this feeling!

Now it's Saturday.  I fell asleep on my friend Mandy's couch last night while watching a movie and got home very early this morning, so I went back to bed.  I overslept and missed my spin class and I feel like I screwed up the day.  I love the way I feel when I get my long workout in on Saturday mornings.  I love seeing over a thousand calories burned on my heart rate monitor.  So frustrated with myself.  Why didn't I just come home last night when I felt sleepy.  Or not go back to bed when I did get home.   I know that missing this one workout won't make me overweight again.  I don't know how else to explain it except I wanted today!  I wanted the feeling of being proud of myself for getting up and going, of working hard and taking care of myself, of sweating and feeling good.

It was so tempting to blow off the whole day.  But the feeling kept at me.  I wanted to feel good today.  So at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Saturday I got my heart rate monitor and my water bottle and I went to the gym and worked out on my own.  Not a lot of people in the gym at that time of day!  I hopped on that treadmill and cranked it.  My mind started to change from beating myself up to "YEAH"!  This is what I needed.  By the end of an hour it turned into a really good day.

People tend to think I work out a lot.  I have been about the same weight since somewhere around 2005 or 2006.  I don't lose weight, I maintain.  It takes me working out this much to maintain.  I can fool myself all I want and say I can lower my calories, but I am where I feel comfortable with food.  The changes I made in the past to lose weight are now habits, but I am not geared up to implement any more.  So I make sure I work out.

I learned over the last ten years that peace of mind with this whole weight thing does not come from getting to the perfect weight.  It comes from having confidence that I will never gain it back.  I don't live in fear anymore.  I just know what I need to do to maintain and, with support, I do it.  Isn't that what we want really?  To feel in control of our weight, to do what we tell ourselves we will do, to feel good about ourselves.  I do.  It's my top motivator.  I want to feel good today.

All of us are capable of making changes in our lives.  If we feel undisciplined, we can change.  If we feel out of control, we can change.  If we feel like we're going in the wrong direction, we can change.  Cling to the truth about health and fitness.  Find all the support you need.  Step out of your normal routine and do something different.  Think about nutrition, not just calories.  Drop the excuses.  Find the time.  Feel good about yourself.  Peace doesn't come from thinking about it, it comes from doing it.

Now get moving. 

Ready to crank your home or gym workouts up a notch?  You need a treadmill, two 10 pounds dumbbells, a band, and steps (or the StepMill).

Beginners do this once, intermediates twice, and advanced three times.  No breaks between exercises or sets.  The heart rate should get very high and stay there.

Warm up 5 minutes on the treadmill. 

• Reverse lunge w/bicep curl 20 each side (10#s)
• 0.25 mile slow run (or fast walk) at 7% incline
• Squat/press 10# dumbbells overhead 20 times palms face each other
• 8 flights of steps
• 25 band rows in squat position (hold squat)
• 0.25 miles fast run (or fast walk)

Repeat circuit.  Cool down.

REALLY hoping to resume Highbanks hikes very soon!  I miss it!!!

For everyone new to this community, I lead a hike at Highbanks on Saturdays when the weather permits.  It's  included with your class or personal training package and it's a great workout.