It's Saturday and it's cold and very windy. No running group for me.

Did my 20 minute Turbo Jam DVD, then wanted to do a bit more. Switched to ExerciseTV and found a 10 minute upper body strength one--unfortunately it used the stability ball alot (which I didn't have out) so I did just about 5 minutes of it with modifications. Then I switched to a butt one--Bootylicious Buns (11 minutes). Ooooh, that one literally kicked my butt. It was short, but intense and focused just on the butt, with some quads too.

Last night I realized the my body was just tired from doing something every single day. Although I alternate what I'm doing, certain muscles get used every single time...like the quads, core, etc. Therefore no matter if it's running, cardio, strenth, Anna, or whatever, some muscles just aren't getting a break.

I should have gotten up this morning to exercise, but didn't. Then we were going to go out for drinks after work, so I know I wouldn't do anything then. Now what? I had taken my tennis shoes to work on Wed with a goal of going for a walk sometime throughout the day. It's been so slow, I thought I could fit it in. Well, both Wed and Thursday it was slower in the morning, but I thought I'd do the walks later and then naturally I got busier in the afternoon.

Well, since I hadn't exercised in the morning and wouldn't at night, and my body was just tired, I decided to modify my "20 minute" goal of exercise every day. My goal was originally to do something vigorous--running, high intensity cardio, strength, or Anna. Well, I'm tired....but I don't really want to break this goal as it's good for me to keep up with 20 minutes of at least something every day. So today I put my tennis shoes on and went for a walk at walk. It takes about 3-4 minutes to get to the gym, then I did 20 minutes at an incline in the treadmill--walking, then walked back to the office. With brief little breaks to change the TV channel and get a drink of water, I figure this is a good 25+ minutes of walking....at least it's something. I broke out in a bit of a sweat (luckily it was already 4pm so I didn't have ot be tood worried for the rest of the day at work) so it got my heartrate up.

I can't decide if I'll keep this "every day" thing going in February, or maybe I'll take one day off each week--a recovery day. But I know me, and if I allow myself a day off, I can easily slide into 2 days, to 3, then have all kinds of excuses. If I have a streak going, I'm less likely to break it. So maybe I'll just have to allow myself to have a "light day" of just walking for 20 minutes, or...once it gets nicer outside, maybe just my one mile run (therefore only about 9 minutes...but more vigorous than walking). Just something lighter to give my brain and body a break. We'll have to see what I decide.

We might have stuff after work tonight, so I decided I better get up and get going. I'm still a bit sore from Anna, so I thought I'd do more cardio than strength. Decided on the Boot Camp 20 min DVD.

Another day that I should have worked out in the morning, but didn't. I didn't want to do the All Saints gym again, so I didn't bring clothes to work and figured I'd just do a DVD at home. Did the 30-day shred, level 1, after getting home from work.

Should have gotten up to exercise this morning, but didn't. Brought stuff to work to go to All Saints gym after work. Was going to run 2 miles on the treadmill, but just couldn't really get into it. Ended up running 1 mile, then walking til I got to 25 minutes of exercise. That's all for tonight.

Woke up early this morning so I decided to exercise, even though we have Anna tonight. Did the 20 minute TJ. Then had Anna at night--a good overall weight workout again with arms, legs, back, and core.

Really lazy Sunday. We didn't leave the house all day...just did laundry, dusted, vacuumed....that's about all. Finally decided to exercise in the evening. I wasn't in the mood for one of my DVDs, so I looked on ExerciseTV and found a 20 minute workout called KickboxBootyCore....doing just that, intervals of kickboxing, booty exercises, and core stuff. Not too hard, but definitely could feel a few of the moves.

Still too cold to run outside...biting wind and a flurry. The run was Cemetaries this week, so I decided to go to All Saints gym so I was close for coffee. Ran 2 miles on the treadmill and walked for another .5 mile.

It's Friday (TGIF) and I know I'm not going to want to workout after work, so I made sure to get up this morning to get going. Did the new Denise Austin 20 min Boot Camp. It's not too hard, but really keeps you going and with a 3-4 minutes of abs at the end, when you're already tired, it does get you sweating alot by the time you're done.

Was going to go to the All Saints gym, brought clothes to work and everything, but then as I left work I wasn't in the mood for a treadmill or bike. Called Bill and heard he was going to be a work a bit longer, so rushed home and changed to get going on a DVD. Decided to do a longer one tonight so I did the 40 minute TJ Cardio Party. Tiring, but feeling good.

Had our appt with Anna tonight--did a good mix of lunges (on the high stepper), rows, triceps pull downs, obliques, partner pushups, regular situps, and another thing or two I can't think of.

Went to the All Saints gym tonight after work. Thought about running, but not really in the mood. Hopped on the treadmill for a brisk walk with a good incline. At one point I decided to try to run and I got about .15 into the run and realized I just didn't have it in me tonight. Therefore slowed it down and just did a full 25 minutes at a brisk walk pace with a good incline. Then jumped on the bike for 15 more minutes....wanted to do 20, but at about 13 minutes I was bored so I stopped at 15 telling myself that a good 40 minutes cardio is OK.

It's my birthday and I'll...... I was going to get up and exercise at the hotel this morning in their workout room, but Bill had other plans for me. ;)

Then breakfast at the hotel was only til 9am, so I figured formal exercise would wait til later. After getting home from Chicago, I procrastinated a bit, but then gave in. I really want to stick to at least 20 minutes of exercise a day. I decided to try some new things off of ExerciseTV. I did a 10 minutes Ab workout and a 10 minute butt/thigh workout, plus a dance-stretch workout for about 3-4 minutes. I really have to get motivated to do some good cardio soon.

We're leaving for Chicago today for my mini-getaway...yippee. So got up early to do a workout as the rest of the day will be play. Did the 30-day shred as I haven't done weights since Wed (although the ab workout was a strain after doing the TJ one yesterday).

It's still bitterly cold out like it's been the last few days, so I'm definitely not running with the group. Decided to do the 20 minute Ab workout from Turbo Jam, then I did the regular 20 minute cardio Turbo Jam workout. Good combo workout to get something a bit longer in, but with good variety.

I have Tom's goodbye party tonight, so I knew I had to get up and exercise this morning. I did the Bosu DVD...very lazily. I just couldn't get into it. I did it, but not with the ooomph I should have.

Decided to go to the All Saints gym tonight. Amy DeMatthew was there on the treadmill. Got on a treadmill and since we were chatting, I decided not to run. Just did 15 minutes of faster walking, with 8-9 minutes at a good incline. Then I did 15 minutes on the bike. Kind of a wimpier workout, but still got some aerobic activity and broke a sweat.

Tonight were back with Anna after over a week off. I'm still a bit sore from lunges the other day, so I told her to stay away from those. We did measurements--not good!!! I really need to work on my calorie control and food intake. We did some cardio, then a good mix of weights.

Again, didn't get up this morning...although I should have but I also had to go to work early and just couldn't get motivated. Therefore got out of work and had to decide between working out there, or coming home to do a DVD. Decided to go home and exercise right away, before I lost motivation. Opened up that last of my new DVDs--the Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD. Did the Level 1 cardio workout with Bob...a total of a 30 minute workout, including 5 minutes of warmup, 20 minute workout, and 5 minute yoga cooldown.

Worked late tonight getting ready for the rough day on Tuesday. Didn't get up early, as I should have, to exercise, so had to exercise late. Just went over to the All Saints gym and ran for a mile, then walked to round out 15 minutes. Then did 15 minutes on the bike...keeping the pace up pretty good.

Went to the Y today. Ran for 10 minutes, increasing the speed 0.2 every 0.1 mile after half mile. Then we did weights: both arm press machines, hamstring curls and leg/quad extensions, rowing machine and lat pull down, situp machine and back extension machine.....then stretching.

It's Saturday....but it's snowing alot and windy and really cold. Not my kind of running day...there are a good couple of inches on the ground that haven't been plowed and it's still snowing. I received some new DVDs recently, so I decided to try one of those. To make up (a bit) for the running, I decided to do a more cardio-focused one. I got a new Denise Austin bootcamp DVD, so let's see what that one has. It has a 20 minute cardio interval set, a 20 minute strength interval, and a 10 minute flexibility one. Did the 20 minute cardio...was a little disappointed as it's less intensity then the Turbo Jam. Since it's a Boot Camp, I expected more....it was OK, but a little easier than I expected. Since I still had a little time before having to leave for coffee with the group, I did the 10 minute flexibility one also.

It's the GOP Holiday Party tonight and I know I won't want to do anything after that, so another morning DVD. Back to cardio more again, so did the 20-minute Turbo Jam one. Getting better at this one and realizing all the changes without voice prompts so that I can bump up the intensity a bit as I don't have to watch the TV so closely for changes and I can just get into it and switch movements fluidly.

Got my hair appointment tonight, so have to get up early to do something. Decided since I did weights on Tuesday, and cardio only last night, that I'd do something with weights today. Did Level 1 of the 30-day shred DVD.

Bill has Planning Commission tonight, so I brought workout clothes to work to go to the All Saints gym after work. Ran 2 miles on the treadmill....ran 1 mile, walked .15, then ran another mile. At this point, I was into the show on the TV, so I ended up walking for another 13-14 minutes or so just cuz I wanted to see the end. Therefore I spent about 35 minutes total on the treadmill and finished with some stretching.

We didn't have anything tonight after work (the only night this week we're both free) so I coaxed Bill into going to the Y. By the end of work, neither of us wanted to, but knew we should. We weren't seeing Anna this week due our schedules, so we needed to get some weights done.

Gym was packed....you can tell it's January!! ;)

Did 10 minutes on the elliptical to warm up, then we did about 30 minutes of weights--adductors and abductors, pullups and tricep dips, roman chair and hamstring curls on the ball, bicep curls and static lunges, finishing with what Bill called the metronome (laying on back, legs in air at 90 degrees, rotating them from left to right hitting knees to ground--working obliques).

I really like that Bill is working out with Anna and me, he's more motivated to do weights and partner workouts with me. And it's helping his running sooooooo much, so it's a win-win!

Monday morning and we have a GOP meeting tonight. Therefore got up this morning to do a DVD. Did the Turbo Jam 20 min workout.

It's a lazy Sunday. Doing lots of house stuff today....lots of cleaning, organizing, and trashing of stuff.

Home all day, so finally exercising in the evening. Did the 30-day shred DVD, level 1, for a good 20 minute workout with weight training.

Saturday morning running group. It's quite windy out and we're doing the Towers run. Several of the group ran early and reported that the wind off the lake was quite brisk. Therefore we decided to stay on Main Street for the whole run to have a little block from the wind. Ran 5 miles.

Have off of work today, so got up early to do an exercise DVD. Haven't done the Bosu one in a while, so did that one...about 20+ minutes or so of a variety of exercises on the Bosu.

OK....so it's been quite some time since I logged here. I had an injury--a little pain in my ass, literally---that I got in June 08 and it sidelined me quite a bit. I ran very little for a few months, did PT, Xray, MRI, drugs, home exercise....arrrgh! Finally after trying the rest and PT route, an ortho doc said to stop resting and get back to normal---work through it basically. Just before Thanksgiving I kicked my running back up, ran nearly 18 miles in a week (including the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot--beating the previous year by a few seconds, even), then started back up with my DVDs. Unfortunately I'm not 100% yet, still have pain occasionally (but the drugs I'm now on I think help a bit), but it's not worse and it only bothers me a bit. I did Nutrisystem in July-Sept and lost about 12 pounds, but unfortunately have been eating terribly for December and have gained it all back.

Therefore I decided I really need to get back to my exercising...and be more consistent. I'm struggling with motivation, but I love how I feel after--I do have more energy and just feel better. I thought about it and figured out that there was no reason I didn't exercise at least 20 minutes EVERY DAY. I can do something...DVDs, running 2 miles, gym, weights, Anna, something. So, that's the plan.

I'm going to try to do this for 31 days, the month of January. When Bill and I decided to do the "mile a day", we started thinking it was just a month. Then it was more, then more, then I did it for over 5 months before I finally decided it was getting old. I did it for 6 straight months. I can't make a goal for 6 months as that's too daunting, but I can focus on trying to make it for 31 days....then go from there.

It's January 1 and we did our annual running group New Year's run. Greg hosted from his house and I ran with Melissa (who's still recovering from having Evan--so she's running slower). We ran 4.25 miles together. A great way to start the New Year.