Oh yes, today was one of those days where it was just a little chillier outside of the blankets than my sleepy body/mind could overcome. The snooze button maxed out this morning and I slid out of bed early enough for the mere fact that I needed to relieve myself. I turned on the heater on my way to the bathroom, so by the time I got back to the room – I was able to start my exercises without a robe on. Push-ups and squats were completed relatively easily, just a small soreness in my left knee towards the 12th squat and beyond. Then, it was time for the planks and my poor body was not ready for these this morning! They were just really difficult for one reason or another, quite possibly due to my extended amount these past two days.
I believe I already mentioned that I follow some health, fitness, nutrition, etc. pages on my social media accounts. There are actually quite a few of them that are friends, prior colleagues, or classmates of mine – but I digress… One woman who has a fitness business with her husband posted a reminder that for women, it can be very detrimental to weigh yourself and stay in the mirror for the first 30-45 days of any new diet / exercise regimen. Simply for the fact that with cycles, bloating, and recent post-partum bodies, they fluctuate like CRAZY. You will drive yourself mad when you do not see the type of results that you either feel (you feel better, more energized, stronger, etc.), or feel like you should have earned / gained by now. Not to mention, you may have lost excess fat – but also gained more muscle, doing something of a balancing act on the scales. In addition, every woman’s body is soooo different, so areas you may be focused on trying to lose the weight, it may have shed elsewhere.
I share this because (maybe I am just delusional these days…) but I seem to recall being able to gain “definition” much more quickly in my early adulthood. I mean, I used to exercise incessantly, but if I had an off couple of weeks due to finals, sickness, (insert other crazy event living as a young woman in l.a. with no car here…) I feel like after 2 workout sessions, my abs and calves were crispy again. These days, as I look at myself in the mirror, or just look “down” – it seems to be taking much longer than I recall. Now thankfully, I smile and move on with my day, happy that I am finally doing something about it. But as a woman, an ex-athlete, a petite framed individual – I have to constantly remind myself that I essentially took close to three years off, I co-created a human life, and I am in my thirties now. The air looks different up here & so does my body, lol.
I am challenging myself daily to remember I am doing this to be healthy & physically feel better and stronger each day, more than how I look externally. Outward appearances will come as it comes in the way my unique body expresses optimum health AND that this unique expression may not be the ideal promoted through mainstream.
But here I am, day #11 down & early awaiting the next 88 🙂
Day#11 was a success! 1.25.18 = Complete
Most Difficult: Planks # 8-10, I was seriously struggling on these last few! Currently Feeling: Pretty good, my back has been acting right for the most part today, only a tiny bit of left knee pain with this cold weather. No headache and I am feeling energized!
Totals for day 11/99:
120 push-ups (+2 for the “Level up)
120 squats
65 plank rotations
65 seconds holding yoga pose (Tittibhasana)
55 minutes of deep breathing
>>Respectfully submitted & Always thankful<< ~Mai