Days 233-236: Calf Muscles: Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Day 233:  It’s becoming apparent to me that I need some help with time management.  Lately, I feel stressed all the time due to lack of hours in the day.  I am guessing that 99.9% of the world can relate to this.  I would love to hear any time management suggestions and how you fit in your workouts on those days.

On Thursday, the only workout that I felt I had time for was to ride my bike to and from work.  Round trip it takes me 40 minutes, which feels like a nice workout for a normal day, but since I have tried to ramp up my workouts lately, I felt as though that was a bit of a slackjob.

Day 234:  On Friday morning I woke up at 6 a.m. to fit in a TRX workout in my family room/dining room/kitchen.  If you’re wondering why there are so many slashes, then I invite you to come check out our 550 sq ft two bedroom apartment!  I hit walls, couches, tables and cabinets with every TRX workout I complete.  Have I mentioned how excited I am for our soon-to-be house to be built?

Day 235:  Yesterday I helped out at the Great West Insurance tent at the American Heart Association Walk and gave away some on the spot coaching tips. It was an awesome event filled with people so full of life.  At one point, I even got to coach Peyton Manning!  Well not really, but I did see him from ten feet away (see picture above).  Same thing, right?   After six hours there I went to work at lululemon for the next seven hours and used my bike as my form of transportation to help me squeeze in a workout on this packed day.  I also spent 30 minutes wandering downtown at 6 a.m. for a cup of Joe, can I add this in as a workout?  Seriously…

Day 235:   I just got back from the Denver Athletic Club and my body is so happy with the workout I was able to complete.  I have not run in quite some time, so I figured I should try out the ol’ IT band on the treadmill before heading outdoors.  The treadmills at this gym are actually touching mirrors.  Have you ever run while staring at yourself for the whole time?  I’m not sure I have.  It’s  an eye-opening experience.  Try it out, I bet you’ll be more impressed with your body than you think.

As I was pounding away at the hamster wheel I thought back to five years ago when a rather mean ex-boyfriend told me that my calves had “zero definition or muscle.”  Three days after that comment, I threw half of a Subway sandwich at him and asked him never to contact me again.  All rational people have their irrational moments- that might have been mine, but his meanness deserved a little chicken teriyaki to the head!

Fast forward five years, add in some experience with a good man, 236 consecutive days of working out and  a running mirror at the DAC and what do you get?  A Betsy with a sense of body pride that has never been felt before.   I saw muscles that I never knew existed in my legs and there was even a rather large muscle bulge protruding from my calf.   There have been many things that I have been proud of throughout this challenge, but seeing the results in my body has become my favorite part.  I was tempted to ask the man behind me to take a picture of me running on the mill, but I thought he might try to get me kicked out.  I did promise some readers that I would post some more body pictures along the way and I will get there…I still promise.

After my three-mile run I spent 30 minutes on the elliptical, followed by an hour of weight lifting and arm work.  Don’t you just love taking your time at the gym?  What a luxurious day to finish out a busy week.

Days 131-133: Gentle

“I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired,” says Jim Carey’s character from Dumb and Dumber.   This really insightful quote nails what I am feeling on the head.  February has been a month wham-jam packed of one bug after the next for me. Typically my body acts like a black belt in karate and fights off anything that looks like a bug, but this year- nut uh.  It’s taking a break and letting every darned bit of sick hit me like a ton of bricks.  Great timing black belt, grrrreeat timing!

Day 131:  Regardless of how I am feeling, I am determined not to let this month of yuck let me break my challenge.  On day 131 I also worked in three ten minute walks.  My body was thankful when each of those walks was over.

Day 132:  Yesterday my fiance and I went to the home and garden show at the Denver Convention Center and walked around for over three hours.  After that we walked about two miles total to and from to get lunch.  Hey- after that, my body was done.  Therefore, that had to be my workout.  Walking that much really does count as a low impact workout and that’s what I am all about until my black decides to make a much anticipated appearance.

Day 133: Today I moved our coffee table out of our living room, set up my yoga mat and practiced my own (much needed) flow.  I turned on some country music and just listened to what my body needed.  It was screaming at me to open up my hips- so I did a runner’s lunge, lots of warrior’s and finished off with a long time in child’s pose.  I wonder if sickness likes to hangout in the hip joints?  Just a thought.  Listen, be kind and be gentle.  Those things have always been important, but it’s even more important when all your body wants to do is take it easy.

Day 92: Woodsy Walk

Do you know that feeling the day after a big holiday when all you want to do is walk with your loved ones?  Inexplicably, I had that feeling today.  I have had a continuous food hangover from celebration after celebration in DC and a long walk was all my body could muster up.  My fiance and I grabbed my brother’s dog and headed to the nearby woods.

We wandered around the woods for 45 minutes, while the pup Leila stopped every few minutes to mark her territory.  After we were done playing there we walked in a beautiful neighborhood nearby and gazed in awe at every house and said, “no, I want that one.”  Hand in hand, pup in tow, futures in mind, happily exercising.

Day 84: Walk and Talk

My friend Sarah and I went for a walk in Washington Park today.  One might think that I would need a change of scenery, but that is definitely not the case.  The almost 60 degree sunny weather refreshed me and my love for the park.  My body needed a little break after yesterday’s run, which made the decision to walk today a no-brainer.

Sarah and I walked a little over three miles.  I stopped to take a picture of  seagulls hanging out on the half-frozen lake.  It was ironic and beautiful.  I loved it.  I could have watched those guys hangout there forever.  This is getting weird.  I haven’t slept in a few nights due to increased excitement to see Mike.  I will blame my lack of creativity on that.   That and those out-of-place seagulls.

Day 26: Friendly Walk

My friend Jenny and I walked around Washington Park twice (a little over 5 miles) and dished out about our lives.  It was one of those talks where you do not even realize that you are walking or doing anything good for yourself.  Doubly awesome when you consider the benefits:  talking + walking = a healthy soul.  If you have someone in your life that you can talk to for hours, then do it while walking.  Take advantage of the beautiful outdoor days of Fall and get to steppin!

Tonight I am working at lululemon and practicing (youuuuu guessed it!) another hour of yoga.  Two lovely workouts in one day.  I am so grateful to live a life that supports this lifestyle.  So grateful to have turned in my business pants and heels to embrace a life of stretchy pants and head stands.  I am blessed to get to talk about life goals and dreams everyday and share them with the world.  I am so happy that I get to help guide my clients down a path of a more inspired life.

What about you?  What would you change in your life to guide you to more happiness? 

Day Fourteen: Deer and Tractors

Day fourteen started off with my Dad waking me up after coming home very late from the wedding last night and me saying, “I think I’m hungover.”  What I really meant was, “the wedding last night was fantastic and I can’t wait to go to the Anchor Bar and get buffalo wings.” 

Which it was and we did.  I ate lots of wings and am eternally grateful for Mother Teressa (the creator of the original “buffalo wing” in 1964).  After a snooze on the way home from Buffalo, I thought it would be a good time to workout.

My workout consisted of a 70 minute walk around my Dad’s beautiful town.  I got passed by a tractor carrying hay and saw four deer running around in a meadow.   It was really a beautiful day that made me reflect on how grateful I am for everything in my life.

Three weeks ago I never would have made an attempt to do anything that required moving today.  However, two weeks into the challenge and I did not even question whether or not I would get moving today.  Hopefully I will feel the same way after my wedding day in ten months.