taking a stand for my health and fitness

Things just got a little rough for Jer & I. His contract got cut short, and now he’s unemployed and looking for a job. Not something either of us are particularly happy about, but it’s not the first time he’s faced unemployment. This time though I have decided to take a stand for my health. I decided even with the information that we were now short half of our income I was still going to sign up for another 3 months of Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping.

1. I feel guilty if I don’t go, and this is motivation for me to go (sad but true)
2. The people are great, I mean it they are really fun people
3. I like the workouts, I feel like I’ve done everything I could do in 45 minutes after every session
4. I get strength training in
5. I feel better
6. I am more likely to go because it’s close to work and I have to drive by it to even get home

Normally when the budget takes a slashing all of “my” stuff gets cut immediately because it’s a bit expensive & I always count it as auxiliary. I don’t “neeed” a gym membership, I can work out at home or at work for free. This time I looked at what has happened every time I try to use the work gym or work out at home. Total failure is the easiest way to put it. I decided that even though it hurts me to spend $200 for 3 months more of Farrell’s (the 3 extra months doesn’t start until June) that it was worth every single penny. A gym membership would cost about half of that, which is far easier to swallow, but it’s not as motivating to me, and I am less likely to go. I don’t regret my decision to spend the money on my Farrell’s membership.

I think in some ways I need to make sure my health is a huge priority in my life, regardless of and maybe even in spite of the stresses going on in my life. I don’t always do that, in fact history shows that my health is the first to suffer in times of high stress or financial distress (though usually they also go hand in hand). I stop exercising, I do nothing but stress out, my eat habits go to hell, and I gain weight because I stop taking care of myself.

I didn’t gain weight last time Jer was unemployed, but I did stop exercising beyond the bare minimum. I tried to work out at work, but it slowly just fizzled to a stop instead of gaining momentum. Strength training was completely forgotten, and well overall and even then while I maintained calorie counting there was a lot of fast food $ menu items in my diet. Cheap fast, I knew about how many calories it was, and I was still losing weight. SO it was working, why change what isn’t broken? Maybe because I know better, I know it’s not healthy, and being lazy is just not a good excuse.

This time I KNOW to some extent things will have to change a bit with my diet, but it won’t be back to the fast food lane. It’ll be to stop purchasing the $6/lb organic/free range chicken. I can by 6 lbs of Tyson chicken breasts on sale at Wal-Mart for like $12. They taste just fine, and are a good source of lean protein. The turkey burgers I can buy at wal-mart instead of other places (different brand) and save $. I can cook my brown rice at home ahead of time instead of getting the Birds Eye microwavable packs, etc.

So this time I’m taking a very firm stance. … and hoping Jer has a job before 3 months is up because seriously I’m not sure how things will go if we get to a 3 month period with no job. BUT I’m going to remain confident he can find a job in a relatively short amount of time, and that my health is worth the $200 for 3 months and that it’s worth keeping a healthier lifestyle.

5 Week testing for Farrell’s

5 Week testing for Farrell’s

So I have made it through 5 weeks and completed 5 week testing for Farrell’s Extreme Bodyshaping.

I am “mostly” happy with the results

Test Name	Week 1	Week 5
Body Fat:	44.7%	44.0
Weight	259	260
Sit & reach	18”	20”
Sit-ups	0	15
Push Ups (from knees)	21	40
Mile Run	15:32	15:13

·         No measurements were taken, no picture was taken.  That is all reserved for week 10. 

·         So I was irritated by the body fat loss because I have the same machine at home and it showed a 2% loss the evening before.  BUUUT it’s still a loss I guess and I’ll take it.

·         I gained a lb… which I was also not happy with, but at least I’m getting closer to ground zero considering at the end of week 2 I’d ended up gaining 8 lbs.  

·         The sit & reach I’m happy with, but I’ll be honest I don’t really have an opinion on it to start with. 

·         The sit-ups I was darn happy with.  I don’t know that I could have done more than 15 because that last one I really struggled with and failed twice before finally hauling my top half up into the sitting position, plus it’s WAY better than 0. 

·         The pushups I was really happy with. I was hoping to at least do the 21 I’d originally done, but I managed to almost double my pushup count. I still can’t do full from the toe pushups.  BUT I can do a few plank ups. 

·         The mile run I wasn’t as pleased about. I mean YES it was a 19 second difference, but I had really been hoping for a minute.  I re-affirmed something too. I REALLY hate running outside. Shin splints, weather, concrete, all equate out to an unhappy me.  I don’t (oddly) mind jogging on a treadmill, but if the weather is nice enough I’d rather walk outside for my daily stroll than hang out on a treadmill.

I admit I really wasn’t happy with my mile performance, but I was even less happy with what happened afterward.  I joined the strength training class that had just started & very close to passed out.  I had done all yellow bands, even though I’ve been doing green for many of the workouts, and it felt like I was using purple ( the hardest color).    It was the first l class I had to drop out of.  It was go sit down or fall down.  I couldn’t catch my breath, etc.

Today I have a doctor’s appointment after class.  For about the last week and a half I have felt  like I can’t breathe properly.  I’m stupidly tired after workouts (more so than usual), and even when the workout got easier (Monday) I felt like it was 30 x harder.  I want to make sure there isn’t something wrong.   The breathing thing is really kind of freaking me out.  I frequently feel like I can’t get quite enough air, and when I lose my breath during a workout it takes forever to recover.    I’m not sure if my body is telling me it’s just tired, or if there’s something else going on.

What I’ve learned though is as long as I don’t feel like I’m dying I really like the workouts.  I love the people, and I really do intend to stick with this.  I think it’s the best fit out of everything else I’ve found.  I am considering when Jer gets permanent employment also re-upping my gym membership at 24 hour fitness too for the pool & hot tub along with a variety of exercise equipment that sometimes I want to use, but currently can’t without going to work on my off days (generally never going to happen)… mostly though I miss the pool.  I may be able to get a membership for “one” gym for $19.99/mo which isn’t much at all.  I’m going to have to check though that will wait until I know what’s going to happen with Jer & his current work situation.  His contract with ConAgra ends at the end of May.  We both still kind of hope they’ll just hire him, but I’m not sure that’s even an option.  

BUT if they hire him or he gets a job pretty quickly after his contract ends I may discuss the possibility of us getting another 24 hour fitness membership that we only plan on using a couple times a week.  I REALLY love the pool. I miss it the most.  I also liked their elliptical.  Some days after Farrell’s (str days) I have tons of energy and want to go do something.  Going from Farrell’s to 24 hour fitness by my house and banging it out on the elliptical or doing some laps sounds to me like a great plan.   I think I may becoming somewhat masochistic lol. BUT in a good way for the most part.  It’s just this last week that I’ve felt like the walking dead. I don’t feel sick, I just feel exceptionally drained.