Every once and a while I like to change up my exercise “routine.” Though I get more than enough HOURS of exercise, teaching 9 classes a week and working out with some of my clients, my body, like every body, needs to break out of routine and do different things. That is one of the reasons I love swimming in the 6 or so warmer months of the year, but what about November – April? I have been trying to take more steps with Blaze, but he ends up doing a lot of sniffing and sometimes those walks are clearly more for him, than me. Jane and I get in some running, but for neither of us, is it “our” thing. A couple of weeks ago, I bit the bullet and pulled out my P90X discs and have been revisiting some of the workouts on days that my fitness feels unchallenged. A little Cardio X, some Core Synergistics and on days that I need only a little something, Ab-Ripper X. Speaking with Kyle last night, he is also supplementing his elliptical work with some of the P90X routines. While we both admit that it can be a little boring revisiting workouts that we did religiously for several months, they do get the job done! In fact, I think I was in the best shape, definitely of my post-menopausal life, after following the exercise part of the plan over an entire summer. Being a vegan, I certainly could NOT follow the high animal protein part of the plan, but it didn’t change the fact that I was stronger and more defined than I have been in years. I still highly recommend this fitness program for anyone who wants to get into better shape. Whether one follows the 6 or 7 day a week fitness plan for 90 days, or whether one wants to use the videos as they see fit, it’s a great tool to have in the home.
I have also been trying to get in some elliptical workouts…even if it’s only once a week, which is usually all I can afford, physically! Last Friday, I stayed after my SilverSneakers class and did just 20 minutes on that wonderful machine, but I really worked my butt off for those 20 minutes. Backwards, forwards, arms, legs, fast, slow, little resistance, lots of resistance…I kept changing it up every 2 minutes. Went super quickly and I was dripping in sweat. Here was the kicker, though. When I was done with the elliptical I went over to a treadmill and did a few minutes of “pushing the cart,” which involves NOT putting the treadmill on and with hands on the front of the machine, pushing with the legs in big strides and trying to get the “floor” moving as if it were on…It was definitely the cherry on top of my Friday workout and I definitely felt it for days to come.
Get outside YOUR box and try something new, or revisit something that has worked in the past. It’s a great way to supplement your routine and fire up some new muscle fibers while keeping yourself from getting bored with the same old same old.
Speaking of boxes, thanks to Erica and Jeff for the box of food for the food pantry and the soup kitchen. They cleaned their pantry to get rid of foods with gluten and wanted to make sure the food would get to someone in need, quickly. That food will go in the pantry TODAY and make it’s way to some hungry mouths by the weekend. We all need to clean our pantries out from time to time and make sure to get rid of expired foods, spices, etc. Mitch and I did it recently and threw out way too much food. Erica and Jeff threw out a lot as well. I ask everyone reading this to make time to clean out their pantries every so often and after discarding expired foods, perhaps you, too, will find yourself with things that you will never use, or that are about to expire and you won’t be able to use before that date. Make a box and drop it off at a soup kitchen or pantry near you. If you are local, I would be happy to get it off your hands and get it out to Ft Lauderdalewhere bags of groceries are distributed to poor families every Sunday. Additionally, if you are local and would like an invitation to attend a cocktail party in Parkland, next month, to help raise money to renovate the kitchen, please send me an email with your address ASAP. The party is Thursday, March 29th and tickets are $50.00 per person. 100% of the money raised at this event will go to the renovation of the All Saints Soup Kitchen as well as to stocking the pantry for daily meals and Sunday grocery distribution. Thanks to those who have already replied to my group email. Please remember there will be MANY people invited so NO PRESSURE, but I did NOT want to leave out anyone who may want to be there!!! Also stay tuned for the date of the evening decompress and destress class that I will be doing to raise money for this cause. Tentatively looking at Friday, March 23rd at Tamarac Fitness Center. If you are interested, pencil it in and I will keep you posted.
If we can keep taking care of ourselves and keep taking care of each other, it’s all good. Remember, we are all connected. Make it a terrific Tuesday and don’t forget, Biggest Loser, tonight…back to it’s regularly scheduled 8pm slot.
