One year blog Anniversary

So last night was indeed get my ass kicked at the gym night. Honestly, as much as mentally sometimes I might not initially want to do it, afterwards I ALWAYS feel epic and accomplished. This is how the story goes. I arrived at the gym at about 5:15 PM. The last couple months there has been a class at 5:30 PM. Last month there was such poor participation in the class they took it off the schedule this month. No 5:30 class. Shit. Guess that’s what happens when only 3-4 people show up each week. My personal training session is at 6 PM. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do.

I was talking to Amanda, my friend the trainer, who normally teaches the 5:30 PM class. Last night 2 other people showed up for class but again, it was cancelled. Anyway, we were up front and she was supposed to have a 5:30 client but she cancelled so Amanda was like, hey let’s go workout. So away the two of us went into the “class” room and Amanda decided we were doing a quick 500 rep workout. Um, there is nothing particularly easy about a 500 rep workout. This was supposed to be my light workout before personal training which was supposed to kick my ass. However, this little workout was pretty hard.

This is how it went down. We started with 50, yes 50 in a row, lye on your stomach and raise your body up, superman’s, into a push up. However it was more than a standard push up, it was a jump your entire body off the ground from the push up position. I can’t explain it but it was intense. Back and shoulders were on fire. Then we did 100 knee jumps. Jump up in the air and slap your hands on your knees. You know, knees in the air kind of jumping. The it was 50, yes, 50 freaking weighted burpies. You heard that right. I have never done 50 burpies in a row before. A weighted burpie is when you have a pair of weights (8 pounds in this case) in your hands and when you go to jump up you raise the weights above your head for extra torture. That was BRUTAL.

After the burpies we moved into 100 jump lunges. Which honestly weren’t that horrible. Then it was 100 mountain climbers and then we finished with the most brutal of them all, 100 knee tucks. This is performed much like a mountain climber. In push up position instead of of sliding one leg at a time, you literally hop both legs at once up to your knees and then back. These were so ridiculous on the quad muscles that they literally had to be done is sets of 10 and then a stretch and pause. 100 is BRUTAL. So overall, 500 reps. I was dripping sweat.

What was funny about this workout is that it was me and Amanda doing it together and there were other people in the room watching us who showed up for the 5:30 class but since there wasn’t one they just watched us. It was kind of weird actually. But Amanda didn’t get paid to teach a class so I understand that she didn’t want to have a class but apparently she likes me and we work out together for fun so I guess it works. It felt strange but also kind of like I got a free personal training session but slightly different because she was working too. It’s actually better, plus I adore the girl. Honestly I do. She is such a sweetheart and seriously a good friend so I guess that’s why it works for us.

Afterwards my legs were on fire and I had to go to my personal training session. And guess what, it was leg day :) Of course, right. So I put on a resistance band. One of those rubber band type things around your ankles that you have to keep your legs extended to keep it on, and I had to squat shuffle across the entire length of the gym. It is a lot. Back and forth and then do squats. And then step up on the boxes with weights above my head. All legs. I welcomed the few exercises that were for my arms. A few chest presses and then some tricep extensions. And then back to legs. I was dripping sweat and hating/loving every minute of it.

And then if that wasn’t enough when I was done with that half hour I jumped right into the second half of Turbo kick, another 30 minutes of ass kicking. When that was done I was ready to go home. 1.5 hours of intense work and I was one exhausted puppy. But it was amazing!!! Of course I think it’s amazing afterwards when I have actually completed the entire workout.

So despite not having an official class at 5:30 I still got an awesome workout in anyway. Stuff I would not have ever done on my own. Because seriously who are we kidding who in their right mind would just do 50 burpies on their own along with the additional other 450 reps. Yeah… not me and I am kind of one of those crazies who loves this shit. This is exactly why there is great benefit in having a personal trainer or at least taking classes at the gym. Pushing yourself to do things you normally would not do. Keep surprising the fuck out of your body I guess. That is always important!

Tonight is Iron Power, my favorite class of the entire week. It is 1 hour dedicated to lifting weights and burning out each major muscle group in the body. It is taught by the lovely Amanda. I spend a lot of time with that chick at the gym! She somehow has seriously become one of my best friends. Anyway, I never miss a Thursday night Iron Power class. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. After Iron Power I am calling it quits, as this is day 6 in a row of exercise and I’m ready for a break. Tomorrow is rest day, much earned I might add, as clearly despite my heart not being 150% into this shit this week, clearly I didn’t let that stop my body from performing at 100% capacity. I had some great workouts despite it all.

I had a thought this morning that made me smile. I woke up today and was once again happy that it was Christmas time. And then I smiled because I started to think back to a year ago at this time and while I was solidly 2 months into the process of losing weight and feeling good, I am so ridiculously happy with how much of a difference a year can make. I am happy. I am so happy. I am so happy to wake up each day and love myself. Not be ashamed or embarrassed to live my life or afraid to do anything that I want to do. That today is a good day simply because I am alive and breathing and healthy. And I have to admit that I am honestly very thankful that I am not at the place I was a year ago anymore. I am glad that I am not only still going strong a year later but I am thankful for every blessing this past year has brought me. I am thankful for my gym, and the strength of the physical and mental kind I have developed this past year. I am thankful for my online friendships. I am thankful for my gym friendships that I have developed. I feel happy, full and complete. Something that has taken me a very long time to feel.

You know what else I am thankful for? Honestly… I am thankful that I get to enjoy myself this year around Christmas and eat a few cookies and indulge in some alcoholic beverages and treats and not worry about gaining weight. Last year, I remember trying very hard to be mindful of everything because I was deep in loose weight mode. I am thankful that this year I will still be mindful of my choices but I don’t have the same pressure anymore. The past 6 months have taught me that I can indulge mindfully and still maintain because I have a good calorie burning engine in place now. I did not drink alcohol last Christmas. Not that I am a heavy drinker my any stretch of the imagination, I am not, but it would be lovely to enjoy a glass of wine here or there and relax. I am very much looking forward to that. This is just one of the many amazing things that I adore about my lifestyle. I get to be healthy and strong and enjoy all aspects of my life. Perfection.

And you know what else? Seriously, today, one year ago, is when I wrote my very first blog post again on this website. Today, 1 year ago is when I started my online journey again. I have officially documented one entire year of my life via this blog. This is the very first time I have ever consistently blogged an entire year of my life. That just put a huge smile on my face. I did it, another milestone, and another sign that this really is it for me.

Wednesday December 5, 2012 I posted an entry called Silent Descent, which chronicled my efforts to do this all over again. According to the post I was down 21.2 pounds which means I weighed 198.8 pounds exactly 1 year ago. Yup, SOOO grateful this past year has happened. I am fulfilled in a way that I have never been in my entire life.

So today I will raise my metaphorical wine glass (metaphorical because I don’t have any wine in the house, wait I do, but I’m not drinking it now!), and celebrate 1 entire year of blogging my journey and toast to all the adventures that will come in the next year.