I'm going to try this again.
::crossing my fingers::
1 –
Chiseled Upper Body Blast (370), 38 mins.
I was on my feet ALL day until 9PM (got all my indoor decos up!), so I was EXHAUSTED!!!
I wanted to start the month off on a positive note and get SOMETHING in so I settled on this, and it was totally worth it!! I was able to go up in weight on some moves!
Felt AMAZING afterwards and SO glad I WedO! This was a great little WO.
(Clearly, you and I have very different opinions about this WO,
AMD! LOL)
I was wide awake for hours afterwards, though! Doh!
2 –
Plyo Legs w/Step (422), 49 mins.
(Did all my outdoor decos today! Every year I think/hope I can get everything up T-Day weekend, but aside from all of the Harvest decos I need to take down and put away and all of the celebratory prep and cooking, this year was busier and more active than last. I needed the entire weekend and THEN some to “recover”. LOL)
EXCELLENT WO. Feeling SO strong. I had a leg WO 3 days ago and short UB WO yesterday, with 2 days off so no wonder, but I felt GREAT! And, I just love leg WOs that alternate cardio and strength. Used an 8” step.
3 – Sooo, the day got away from me, and before I knew it, it was 11:15PM!!
All my holiday lights had already shut off, and I took it as a sign. So, no WO, but I think my body appreciated the break. (My shoulders and upper back were feeling tight and knotty.)
I felt bad about “wasting” the lights, though. (I LOVE Wing O during the holiday season when all my WOs feel MAGICAL with the lights and decos, but clearly I can't WO every day of the month.)
And I was doing things until the very end of the night, not just sitting on my butt. So, I’m giving myself a pass. LOL
4 –
Total Body Metabolic Challenge (355), 48 mins.
(Another late night WO. I don’t think I will ever be able to overcome my embarrassment about the hour in which I get my sweat on to actually reveal to you all just HOW late I get these WOs in!)
This was an AWESOME WO, though, and I was SO proud of myself throughout. Feeling STRONG again despite being a bit apprehensive and dubious of my ability this evening. FANTASTIC WO, though!
JTW, I get SO full of myself during my WOs sometimes. LOL
Like, if I could drop DBs like people do mics, that would TOTALLY be me!
I can get a little ridiculous sometimes. Honestly, though, I’m not so complimentary to myself the rest of the time, so I can live with my over-the-top mental high fives and pats on the back once or twice a week.
5 – Unplanned rest day, but shoulders SORE! And lats ALL around upper ribcage. From yesterday’s WO?? I tried so hard to muster the strength and energy to get a quick WO, but my whole body was feeling off and protesting.
6 – having a couple of “days”. SO tired today. Everything was a hardship, and I had to, literally, FORCE myself to do ANYTHING. (Shoulders STILL SORE!)
7 -
Lift it, Split It - Chest and Triceps (419), 41 mins.
So. This was an experience. I was not feeling very solid going in to this. I had a fairly busy, running around kind of day, a little mentally draining. It was SO LATE, but I REFUSED to have a THIRD day go by without a WO!
On top of the late hour, I pulled what I now call "a Jane"
and exercised in my pajamas. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't because this WO had me super sweaty LOL, way more than I anticipated, but I was doing whatever I had to to get it done!
I had PRs in here, though, and lifted heavier than I have before on several of the exercises! Arms were DEAD after this, esp. shoulders!! They felt SO heavy, and I had a hard time lifting them up afterwards!
8 –
Pole Class (first one in almost two weeks!) + Flex Class + Cardio Kick and Punch (420), 46 mins.
Pole was humbling. Well, more frustrating and embarrassing. It felt like I had never taken a class before! It started off not-so-great, but it DID end on a good note.
Since starting Pole, I feel like it has uncovered/highlighted learning disabilities. I have a pretty hard time picking moves up, esp. if it involves spinning or twirling and doing moves in both directions. I call it "pole dyslexia”. LOL
(The instructor I had tonight is NOT great, though. If students don't get something after a try or two, she just kind of throws up her hands and says, "Ah, you'll get it." as she walks away or "Not everyone can do every move." If my favorite instructor had been there, it would have been a completely different experience.)
On top of that, I don’t retain most of the moves in my head very well, which makes it so much harder to cement them and learn new ones that are similar to or build off of previously learned ones.
I struggle not getting down on myself about it, but it can be frustrating and discouraging, but, more than that, just downright demoralizing.
I muddle through, though.
I'm hoping, with time, that things will begin sticking more!
On a positive note, I HAVE moved up a level and have been told I could even probably go up ANOTHER level if I wanted, so progress IS being made. I am concentrating more on that than the other. Well, I'm trying to, anyway!
I picked this CL because I wanted something short and light, that didn't use weights. I used just 1.5lb gloves, and less than 2 minutes into the WO, I realized how ill-conceived my WO choice was. My arms were BURNING just during the WU!! And, of course, they were. I just did an UB WO yesterday! I was extremely dubious about my ability to finish the WO, but things loosened and warmed up and got much better as the WO went on. Overall, it went by quickly, but it was surprisingly more intense than I thought it would be! Just the right amount of challenge, though.
9 – This is a ridiculous reason for not getting a WO in, but I was on the phone almost ALL day, literally. 6 hours with my cousin (whom I have never actually spoken to before and have only ever met ONCE, at my grandmother’s funeral when I was 10!). Afterwards, I immediately called my mom (she had been trying to reach me during my phone marathon) and chatted with her for almost an hour, then immediately called my sister and was on for over 3 hours with HER. It was nice checking in with my peeps, but geez Louise! I didn't get a chance to do anything ELSE! (And it’s not like I don’t talk to the latter 2 all the time! Esp. my MOM! It is NOT unheard of to get a dozen phone calls from her in a several hour time span.
)
Went to bed without a WO and TIRED.
10 –
Pole Class + Lift It, Split It: Legs and Shoulders (421), 50 mins.
No surprise that I loved this WO. My grip was failing before my legs were, though!! I need to get back to Caroline's WOs to build up my grip strength again!
11 – I had planned on getting a WO in. Sadly, it did not happen. I was running around most of the day, but, really, that is just an excuse.
On a side note, my obliques are Ca-RAZY sore from my Pole class yesterday. Like, mind blowingly sore. 1. because OUCH, and, 2. Because, the move that I think did it to me, I just did a few times!!! And 3. I can’t remember when I have EVER had sore obliques!
On ANOTHER side note, not even related to fitness, I bought myself a winter hat (my first one! I've always done fleece headbands) about 10 days ago and PROMPTLY misplaced it over a week ago, the Friday before last. I haven't been able to find it since, despite MULTIPLE intensive searches EVERYWHERE in my house – EVERYWHERE – , and it is driving me BANANAS!!! (
Update: Still no luck in finding it. I had to buy another one!!)
12 – Back to Caroline!!
FUEL Day 29 Full Body + Functionally Fit Express (413), 34 mins.
This was the last man standing WO from her FUEL series. I fell off with things for a bit the end of Sept./beginning of Oct, and, once I got back in to things, I never got this one checked off.
(I was so bummed that she hadn’t put out another series after this or even another WO so I was in no rush to "officially" finish the series.)
SO TIRED going in to this and didn’t have as much as I wanted.
WHOO! Good to be back with CG! WedU with CL 413 about 8 mins in to the WO. I was huffing and puffing and needed a couple of longer breathers, but I made it through! I was pretty chuffed about that. I really wasn’t sure how I would fare or if I could even make it through after all this time away, but, yay me!
13 –
Barre Class + Yoga Class.
This was my VERY first yoga class/WO.
I bought a 3 month unlimited class package at the studio that has my Pole classes, so I have been trying things out, taking as many classes as I can to really utilize and make the most of my purchase.
Sadly, I did NOT enjoy this class. AT ALL. There were several factors, I think, contributing to it, but yoga is definitely not for me.
That being said, I have already booked a spot in next week’s Yin yoga class.
LOL
(And how POed am I at Wanderlust TV??? I subscribed to their site last year with a deep discount during BF. For years, I have tried to get yoga in my life, and, despite my aversion to it, I have always deluded myself that I would just start doing it. I figured at $60/year, WTV was worth a try, and that having a streaming site of JUST yoga would encourage me to finally incorporate it in to my life.
Well, if you read above, you know that that never happened! Never used it. Not even ONCE!
THEN, TODAY, I get an email congratulating me on my purchase for a yearly subscription for $170! WHAT?! My initial purchase made NO mention of it being an automatically renewing subscription NOR did they send me an email alerting me to the end of my previous subscription or that I would be charged if I didn’t cancel. I know this has happened with some others on VF for some other streaming sites, but since all I ever do is Cathe, it never really crossed my mind to "keep tabs" on WTV. (Cathe is VERY clear and explicit in what is auto renewing and what isn’t. I also had a subscription to GHUTV once upon a time, and, THEY warned me that my membership was about to expire and would be charged if I didn’t cancel.)
I told my hubs, whose card the streaming was on, that he would have to open a dispute with the CC company. He immediately asked to see their terms of service, where, halfway down the page it states, “If you purchase a subscription, it will automatically renew for the next period until you cancel. […] ALL PURCHASES, INCLUDING RECURRING CHARGES, ARE FINAL AND NON-REFUNDABLE. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GRANTED.” He said, “Yeah, we can try and dispute it, but it won’t go anywhere. I’ve had this happen before, and, as long as it is stated in the TOS, for public viewing, cards won’t refund the charge.”
(*$%@#*!
I found it ironic that a site that is exclusively yoga, meditation and breathwork would engage in such duplicitous, deceitful practices. Regardless of whether it is common or standard operating procedure for these platforms, IMHO, it is still dishonest and borderline fraudulent. Not very yogi-like of them! HMPH!!!
(
Update: They refunded me in FULL! The Universe has been absolutely ADORING me lately!)
Barre class I liked, though. I’m not sure how barre-y it is. It was billed as a fusion of barre, pilates and yoga. Seeing as I have never done a single WO of any of those modalities, I have nothing to compare or measure the class against.
For some parts, it was almost PAINFUL (from all the burning and near seizing of the muscles), but I REALLY enjoyed working my body in a different way than I usually do. Class went by REALLY fast, too. The instructor had great variety so I never got bored or overwhelmed by the workload. I am going to try and work it in to my schedule regularly.
(
Update Class did, literally, turn out to be painful. It is two days later, and my calves are SO sore that my eyes water if they are even LIGHTLY touched!)
14 –
Metabolic Circuit (321), 47 mins.
Another late night WO, but glad I got this one in. I was SO tired.
I spent all day driving to, around and home from the BRONX. My aunt broke her wrist, so I was taking her to a Drs appt and pharmacy and helping around her apt.
JTW, I was NOT looking forward to this.
I have NEVER driven in the Bronx before (other than going to my aunt's apt., which is RIGHT off the expressway), and it is BONKERS. Manhattan, I am fine with. (At least I used to be. It HAS been quite a while since I've done that.) The Bronx was just OFF the HOOK insane. AND, unlike Manhattan, they don’t even have parking garages! Not really. MAYBE, if you search for one, you can find one or two covering a 20 block area, but not very practical when you are accompanied by an elderly aunt with a broken wrist who has vision and balance issues in 30* temperatures!
And I'm a suburban driver!
Let me tell you, though, I had a parking guardian angel on my shoulder today! We got parking EVERYWHERE we went – RIGHT in front of wherever we went!
The whole thing was quite an experience! And, boy was it a DAY!
So, tired, but, OMG, SO glad I squeezed this WO in!!!!!!
15 – Do you all ever do something – . Scratch that. Sometimes I do things and think to myself, “Really? You’re a GROWN ADULT. You should have your stuff together by now and know better than to keep walking into these pitfalls.” Nothing CRAZY. (I am VERY well-behaved. LOL) I just mean like, I will do my WO late, eat late, be up WAY later than I want to, then just pass out before I get to do all my nightly routine things. Stuff like that. Like I haven't already been on this Earth for DECADES, certainly long enough to have established SOME kind of system for myself. I try not to beat myself up too much over it, but, sometimes, it’s just like “Oy vey!”, ya know? LOL
I can’t make Pole or Flex class OR Barre tonight, which has me DYING. (
Update: Classes ended up being cancelled due to bad weather, which made me feel SO much better! I was so BUMMED about missing class, but the universe was like, “Hey, girl. I gotch you!”
Honestly, I was really kind of tired, anyway.
Plus, my unplanned night off let me finally catch up with JTW!
Also, I have had it on my to-do list to make (my own version of) Pfeffernuse, and I think I am going to take advantage of my night and finally get it done. I’m looking forward to experimenting in the glow of my Christmas lights and seeing how my first batch turns out!
I do NOT have high expectations, though. LOL
It’s been over 20 years since I last had Pfeffernuse (closer to 25, I think) so I BARELY remember what the taste and texture are even supposed to BE! If I can get something that makes my taste buds happy with a decent texture,
I’ll be happy.
Update: GAH! I completely missed the part where I am supposed to refrigerate for 1-2 DAYS! The flavor is great so far, but I will just have to wait for the finished product until tomorrow. (There is NO way I can wait til Saturday. At least I don't THINK I can. LOL) Oh, cruel world!
On the flip side, I am feeling like the baking bug has bitten me, and now I am wanting to try out a few more cookies...
16 -
Totally Toned Legs (56), 56 mins.
First of all, just glad to get this WO done. I was stuck in my head ALL day and despite all my best efforts to get out of there, there I remained until my head hit pillow in the evening. <sigh> But, this WO was a welcomed respite from all of that. I like how Cathe mixes INTENSE bodyweight moves here with heavier weighted ones. NOT super heavy, but on the moves I wanted to heavy up on, I just slowed my pace down and got in as many reps as I could. The floor work was BRUTAL for me. BRUTAL, but I made it with having to take just 2 2ct rests. Looking at all the moves, I don’t know how this WO clocks in at almost a full hour, but it does.
17 -
Pole was EXCELLENT today. I went in feeling like it was going to be “one of those days”, but I was able to do every move successfully, INCLUDING getting in to the piece de resistance, a move called the seahorse. Shoulders were a little cranky later, but it was worth it! I felt proud and accomplished afterwards and really feeling grateful for, as our instructor always says, showing up and for my body for doing everything it managed to do for me today.
Hoping to get in an actual WO later. I HAD planned on doing an UB one, but I'll need to see how my shoulders are feeling. OR just go REALLY light on those moves...