Day #28 of 30 Days to a Simpler Life --- Get Physical!

Make an appointment on your calendar to exercise three to four times a week for an hour, or daily for 30 minutes.  This is a manageable amount of time for most people.  With a simple routine, you won't have to think about when to exercise---it's prescheduled!  (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 175)

OR for serious simplifiers only...

Each day, exercise for at least an hour and stretch for 15 minutes.  On weekends, set aside time for recreational exercise.  You will be more relaxed and refreshed for the coming week.  On your next vacation, be more physical.  Plan a golf, walking, trekking, biking, river-rafting, or cross-country skiing vacation.  (30 Days to a Simpler Life, p. 179)

Back on January 11th, I blogged about how I was "skinny fat."  I had gone to the rec center, been assessed by the trainer, and found out that I was extremely unhealthy.  Since the first week in February (barring extreme weather or illness), I have been going to the gym three mornings a week to lift weights and do cardio with my friend Colleen.  I usually get there between 530 and 6AM and am home before 730AM so the Cobbler can go to work for 8AM.  The first two weeks were killer.  I seriously thought I wouldn't make it.  My body hurt all over, I was wheezing after 5 minutes on the elliptical machine, and I was having shortness of breath during the day even when I wasn't exercising.  It was not a good scene.  

Amazingly though, it has gotten easier and easier as time has gone on.  The first week my arms shook when I did the Arnold press using only 5 pound weights.  Last week I made it through three sets of "the Arnold" using 12.5 pound weights.  When I was assessed, I could only do 12 modified (AKA "girly") push ups.  I just dropped as I was writing this to see how many can do today.  I just did 28 plank push ups.  My body feels stronger and although my weight hasn't changed (that wasn't my aim---I was actually trying to gain muscle and weight), I feel like my body has rearranged itself.  I keep telling the Cobbler to feel the back of my arm because there's a muscle there that wasn't there before!  It's not like I look ripped or anything, but I teased Colleen last night that I'm going to go five days a week in August and September so I can have Michelle Obama arms for my sister's wedding in October.  :-)

Today is the first day of spring break --- no school all week---and it's snowing here!  I don't think I remember a time when it snowed this late in the year.  I'm really disappointed because I had all these grandiose plans in my mind about all the things we were going to do outside today.  Maybe we can make a snowman instead?