Gym is Open (Wednesday 12/12)

Opening the gym early.  I hope to actually get out of the house and do some real exercise other than shoveling snow!  I don't know how I survived being homebound all those years, maybe it was because I was too sick to care. What did you do to move your body today? Kix

5 min warm up elliptical 30 min lower body weight training and that was it.... gave up and went and took a hot shower.... sigh will have to dig out the treadmill and use it this evening.... it's buried under a pile of boxes I was using to wrap Christmas presents last night... LOL

I would love to get a treadmill, but there isn't a spare spot in the house to put it.  I'm thinking about getting a mini-trampoline to use when I'm stuck at home.  At least it will fit under the bed. 35 minutes of exercise is pretty good, don't knock it! Kix

20 minute walk this morning - 3 more 10 minute walks since I got to work.   I'll probably try to get in a few more before I leave this afternoon.  I have a lot of energy today, for some strange reason.  I won't argue with it!

You go, girl!  I have days like that sometimes where, when I'm finished exercising, I'm all energized and want to continue being active.  I don't argue with it, either!  Kix

Hey there lady, I actually envied you, being able to stay inside - it was FREEZING when I headed home last night. All I wanted to do yesterday was make some hot chocolate and sit by the fire and read -well, that and take nice, long naps. Today was the first official day of my school break - no class this morning! So I got to sleep in a little and then went to the gym to run  - I was just going to do about 33 minutes but felt so good I did the entire 5K! And I improved my time by a minute, so I felt pretty good about that. Now if I could just get the guts to do this outside I also did about 15 minutes of warm up and cool down walking - it took a long time for my legs to warm up this morning, they were pretty tight from last night. Have fun being outside!

Ha!  Don't envy me!  I went outside to get the mail last night and 2 more inches of snow fell since the last time I had shoveled the driveway.  I had on a jacket, gloves, my lounging jammies that I bought on sale at Lane Bryant (yes, I'm still in plus sizes, but the low size of plus), and my shoes that don't have a grippy tread.  I decided to stay out there and shovel the snow again, which was good exercise but my fingers were blue by the time I was done.  I have decided that we need to get a new snow shovel.  The one we have is from my parents' house in Utah, and that house was sold in 1975.  My sister must have bogarted the shovel when my folks moved. I don't know how you do as much as you do.  Next thing I know, you'll be competing in the Ironman. I will accompany you to Hawaii and hand you bottles of water along the way! Kix

I hope you got out of the house to do some real exercise.  I like the idea of being stuck at home because of crappy weather, but the reality of it just isn't that great.  It's usually fun until I've had coffee and read the paper (if the paper guy delivered it).  After that, I start to feel trapped - Today's a 2-a-day for me, but I'm reversing my usual schedule.  I did cardio at lunch -- 40 minutes on the rowing machine -- and will lift weights after work.  I got my Newgrips rowing gloves and used them today; what a delight!  I was able to row for 40 minutes and my hands feel fine; no blisters, further development of callouses, etc.  All in all, well worth the $24.99 investment.   After work, I'm meeting the the exercise specialist to review her recommendations for switching up my routine, and she will show me how to use some of the free weights.  I'm excited about meeting with her and hearing what she suggests to help me take my fitness to the next level.  Will let you know what she suggests - hopefully it won't require becoming a contortionist!!! Good luck to everyone finding the time, energy, and motivation to move today! Kellie

Kellie, I totally relate to the concept of feeling trapped inside the house.  I finally made it outside today with only a couple of hairy experiences on the road.  I plan to buy new tires next week, so it should help in terms of driving on slushy/icy/snowy roads. I'm thinking about investing in exercise gloves, too, if only to keep from getting nasty germs from the folks who are too lazy to wipe down the machines after they use them. It sounds like you had a great workout.  How's the weather in Cleveland? Kix

OK, after creeping down my slick, hilly road, I made it to clear roads and went to the mall.  My plan was to do two laps (2 miles) around the mall.   I arrived at the mall, and not a parking place to be found, anywhere!  Not even in the faraway parking lots.  Don't people work any more in the middle of the day on a Wednesday?  I searched for parking for 15 minutes before I gave up and went to the rec center.   I got to the rec center, and every machine in the place was occupied.  Oy.  I waited around for 15 minutes, and nothing freed up.   I finally did a couple of errands, came home, walked up and down my hilly street a couple of times, then did half of the "Walk Away the Pounds" DVD.  I have a hard time with the parts of the workout where she does leg kicks -- my knees don't like kicking. So, not a total success today, but not a failure, either.  I did get in some exercise, just not as much as I'd like. Kix