Have you ever gotten bored with your workout? I am sure people that have been working out for years would say the answer is "yes!" I have recently become bored with much of what I am doing. My body is getting bored too. I am not building the muscle I want, and it is clear that my body is craving something new.
At the beginning of each month, I increase my resistance and weights when it comes to my cardio and lifting. It has helped, but I realize that I need to start doing different exercises. While the elliptical will always be my cardio machine of choice (low impact, burns lots of calories), I have stopped coupling it with the stair climber and recently started rowing. Rowing feels fantastic and it does work the entire body. I do miss the stair climber, so I am considering doing a combo of the elliptical, rowing machine and stair climber. I think the body will increase it.
In addition, I am changing some of my weight lifting. Right now I use barbells, cable pulleys and some circuit machines. I stay away from the heavy weights and don't do dead lifts or bench pressing. That needs to change. I want to build muscle in my chest. In addition my abs and gluteus need to be much more toned. I have to begin incorporating squats and doing more ab workouts. I stay away from crunches and the machines because I have an Insane Abs Tae Bo DVD that I love. Starting next week, the plan is to do that DVD at least three times per week.
What about you? Have you gotten bored with your workout? What are some other suggestions I should try?
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Surviving the Winter Blues
Do any of you suffer from SAD? SAD is also known as Seasonal Affective Disorder and it usually happens in the winter when the weather stays consistently cold and there is very little sunlight. I've had it for years, but the last several winters have been unusually mild for Buffalo, so there have been limited episodes with this disorder.
After I lost the weight, and I was feeling generally better about myself, I thought that most of my depression issues had been resolved. Being actively in therapy, I assumed, would take care of any issues that would come up. I was wrong.
Last week I struggled with being happy. I could not get happy. In fact, I felt no emotion. Completing a grant? Meh. Being told that a grant I previously completed was being funded for at least $10,000? Meh. Spending time with friends. Meh. Lastly, working out? Meh.
Coming from the gym and feeling nothing scared me because working out releases endorphins and you generally feel good. I work out for at least 60 to 90 minutes each day, and usually at the end of the workout I am feeling motivated or focused, but I felt nothing. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to not work. It was awful. By Friday, I was so low, that I called into work and took a "mental health day." The irony was, I had an appointment with my therapist Friday afternoon, so I really did need that day.
Surprisingly, when I got up on Friday, I called into work and then went to to the gym. I didn't want to do my full workout, but I did it anyway. It was a huge victory for me. I am an emotional eater and when I'm feeling low, I often stay in bed and eat. If I had done that, I would never had gone to therapy and I would have cancelled the "date" I had with my mother that night. The fact that I went to the gym (and didn't think twice about it), just shows that my gym attendance is a part of my life and routine. It has become second nature. For that I am thrilled.
What about you? Do you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder? What do you do to beat the Winter Blues?
After I lost the weight, and I was feeling generally better about myself, I thought that most of my depression issues had been resolved. Being actively in therapy, I assumed, would take care of any issues that would come up. I was wrong.
Last week I struggled with being happy. I could not get happy. In fact, I felt no emotion. Completing a grant? Meh. Being told that a grant I previously completed was being funded for at least $10,000? Meh. Spending time with friends. Meh. Lastly, working out? Meh.
Coming from the gym and feeling nothing scared me because working out releases endorphins and you generally feel good. I work out for at least 60 to 90 minutes each day, and usually at the end of the workout I am feeling motivated or focused, but I felt nothing. I wanted to sleep. I wanted to not work. It was awful. By Friday, I was so low, that I called into work and took a "mental health day." The irony was, I had an appointment with my therapist Friday afternoon, so I really did need that day.
Surprisingly, when I got up on Friday, I called into work and then went to to the gym. I didn't want to do my full workout, but I did it anyway. It was a huge victory for me. I am an emotional eater and when I'm feeling low, I often stay in bed and eat. If I had done that, I would never had gone to therapy and I would have cancelled the "date" I had with my mother that night. The fact that I went to the gym (and didn't think twice about it), just shows that my gym attendance is a part of my life and routine. It has become second nature. For that I am thrilled.
What about you? Do you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder? What do you do to beat the Winter Blues?
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