Workout #34

38:100

I had the idea to write about this for almost two weeks.  And here I am finally doing it.

In my journey to accomplishing 100 workouts I knew that there would be a few mountains and a lot of molehills.  For example, as I write this, I am potentially going to be dealing with a knee injury thanks to an accident I had with my boyfriend on the couch, lol.  (I feel like most athlete-type fitness fans ALWAYS hurt themselves; doing nothing, at any given moment.)  On this day in particular, the day of workout #34, it was an interesting day.  Read on for more...  

It was a normal day.  Like any other day.  And I originally planned on doing my workout that morning before heading in to work.  Alarm goes off and as I began to rise, my inner voice says:  "OR...Or...you could sleep IN.  Huh?  Huh?" *nudge nudge*  I say to myself.. "Girl!  You right!" and pull the covers back over my body and close my eyes to enjoy an extra hour of sleep.  I go to work and am complaining in my mind all day about how much I don't want to do this workout when I get home.  (I'm actually working on my inner voice through meditation over the past week and a half.  More details soon.)   So I get home from work and chill, eat dinner, watch t.v. (I never watch t.v.--I was desperate for a distraction.), and I lie there.  Just staring at my ceiling.  Knowing that my laptop was calling.  

I am kinda doing the Barre 3 #ALLin challenge.  Barre 3, to me, is the most amazing barre method in the whole entire universe. *Vera from Harlem Nights voice*  To kick off the year they are doing a five-week fitness challenge.  Since I am doing Soul Cycle and Studio Lagree, I am not doing five classes a week as planned and I'm not eating every meal in the cookbook either because cost.  Because I live with another human.  Because I don't want to cook every day of the week since we split the cooking responsibilities.  (I like a snatched waist.  I also like living life.)  Unfortunately, Chicago does not host a Barre 3 barre studio within its city limits.  Very unfortunate.  The great thing is that the studio does online classes that you can subscribe to and do in your own living room.  They're SO good.

So I'm chilling on my couch.  T.V. blaring in the background.  Scrolling on Instagram.  And I finally shout in my head:  Get up!  Get it done!  You guys.  15 minutes in to the workout I was feeling so strong and the sweat was really starting to build.  45 minutes into it, I was verbally exclaiming that I was glad I got up and did it.  By the hour mark I'd decided to add the triumph to my Insta Stories and not until then did I realize that it was 10:30PM.  I cleaned up and scurried to bed, but I learned a few valuable lessons on this day.

1.  Some of that negative self-talk at work was that "I was going to fail horribly at my goal of 100 workouts."  That "I had missed so many by now and I knew that it would come to this"... Wrong!  I was actually coming off of the appropriate amount of rest days and was/am still on track to reach my goal.

2.  Just do it.  (Self explanatory.  Thanks Nike.)

3.  Keeping perspective when the odds seem stacked against you is vital.  

4.  Calm TF down.

5.  Self-scanning will help break through the wall more quickly.  Seriously.  Understanding where the "stop" is and why it's happening.  Taking a few moments to think about it will save you a few hours or days.  

So here's to the next 59 workouts (Lord willing) and here's to you and whatever journey that you are on for yourself.  Woo!

Melissa

Mood

What's your workout mood?

Me? I'm grateful to be able to get in the gym 5 days a week this past month, but I'm also feeling like not working out when I don't want to.

Not in a take it easy just chill way, but saying that I am sometimes just tired and that's okay. The other day I went to Shred415 just DREADING the idea if breaking a sweat. I even told myself (and my boyfriend) that I would just leave after 30 mins.  By the time there was just 15 mins left on the clock of the 60 min class, I had a talk and decided I'd already passed my plan of "just 30" and I was feeling so good that I just had to finish it off!

Yesterday, however, I really just passed on the sweat. It had become work by the time it popped up on my calendar.  I was going to squeeze in a workout and shower before a dinner and after having been up since 5AM.  It just wasn't gonna a work.

So that's my mood. When I'm moaning and complaining about the opportunity to sweat, I get after it; but when it's making me angry and anxious, maybe it's time to just chill and come back the next day!

Today I was moaning and complaining so you know what that means!  It's a sweat date!

Melissa

New Gear

I decided to treat myself to some fresh new gear to workout in. Check it out:

105F Tank in Inkwell
All Sport Bra in Black
Journey Crop in Black

Today I broke a sweat at the new Flywheel spin studio that opened in Old Town.  This morning's class was subbed by Kyla B.  I've never done a spin class that does the upper body work at the end.  It was really tough even though the weights were only 2 and 4 lbs (with the option of combining the two to make it 6).

The space is super sweet and not as intimidating as I had thought it would be.

But let's talk about this gear!

The 105F Tank is dope because it's "stink free".  And I'm not putting it in quotes to say as if.  It's just the term used to describe how the shirt won't ever stank!  I also like how breathable and relaxed-fit it is.  At one point I actually wiped sweat with it instead of my towel because it seemed like towel made me feel hotter.

The All Sport Bra is my favorite bra from lululemon athletica, this is actually old, but I did buy a new patterned one.  Great support and wicks sweat quickly so you don't feel heavy on runs (or in a bootcamp or spin class).

The Journey Crop is a piece I missed out on last year and just bought yesterday.  It's three panels of fabric and is extremely versatile for most sweaty endeavors.

There's the classic yoga fabric, the staple run fabric, and a panel of mesh down the back of the leg.

I felt so cute and ready! Haha. Sometimes you really do need a boost in your workouts that can only come from a fresh crop of gear in your drawers.

I'd never had the 105F Tank before this and it's definitely one of my faves now.  Covers the butt and doesn't stick to the skin. YESSSS!

*If you aren't aware, I do work at lululemon athletica, so this post isn't sponsored and I do take more of a liking (more like loving) to their product.