I did it. Thirty minutes of cardio followed by my wonderful Hip Hugger Abs DVD. I *really* did not want to walk today on the treadmill but I was kept entertained by my copy of Conceive (one of my pieces is in there!) and the latest edition of Redbook (which I am subscribed to as a consolation prize for my Lifetime Magazine subscription - the mag folded a few months back). Plus the kitties were doing this funny thing on the washer where they try to stretch to the backdoor window and look at something interesting in my neighbor's yard, without falling.
If you're like me and you get inspiration from various fitness magazines, you will want to read what I'm about to write.
We all know that magazine subscriptions can get pretty pricey. Ranging from $12 to $20 a year on average, they can really add up. But last year I discovered a way to get two- and three-year subscriptions for HALF the cost of a year's subscription. The answer? eBay. There are tons of magazine subscription wholesalers on there just waiting to sell you discount subscriptions. This week I bought a two-year subscription to Self for $8.98 and a two-year subscription to Body & Soul for $8.99. Pretty good, considering one year would cost twice that if it was ordered straight from the publisher. Some, like Martha Stewart Living and Yoga Journal, are more - but still fairly cheap.
I dunno how they do it, but it's a good deal. And I wanted to tell everyone about it.
Yesterday I didn't work out at all. When Mark leaves for Fort Worth today I think I will do both cardio and abs. I'll update after I actually do it.
I had the Blogger page open and was getting ready to post this afternoon when my former boss called with two magazine assignments for me. So the post never happened. Funny how someone else's demands suddenly take precedence when they're offering you a sizable wad of cash. (Don't get me wrong - I'm not exactly rolling in the dough here, but it was enough to make me sit up and listen. And happily accept, of course.)
Anyway, I thought I was going to skip my workout today due to a sore arch on my left foot. But it felt OK this afternoon, so I ventured outside and actually walked somewhere other than my treadmill. I had written a profile for my alumni mag of this woman in town and I wanted to walk down to her little art shop and give it to her. So all told, that was about 35 minutes' worth of cardio - not bad at all. Of course the whole trip was a waste because the university already sent her some copies without telling me, but what can you do? At least I got something out of it. It would have been an entire waste had I driven there.
I have really got to stick with my workouts in the coming weeks. All of a sudden zero assignments has turned into four assignments and I have other pitches out there, so it's highly likely that even more will come in. Ah, the life of a freelance writer. One day you're watching SATC in the afternoons and the next day you're chained to your desk wondering if you will ever leave. But it's much better than working at my last job (reporter for a teeny tiny newspaper) so I'm not complaining.
The other night my mom likened me to a workout Nazi. Well, sort of, in a nice way. She and I have this thing going on where we check on each other every night to see if the other has done her workout. When I called around 9:45 she was huffing away on her treadmill, she says because she was afraid the "workout Gestapo" (AKA: me) would get on to her.
This kind of shocked me. I mean, we're in this together...why shouldn't I call? And it's not like I would have bitched at her if she had decided to skip. I guess she was just resentful because most nights she can't get on the treadmill till after work and that's only if my niece lets her. That kid is 3 but she rules the roost, I tell you. Meanwhile, being self-employed, I have the freedom to work out at 10 a.m. if I choose to. But a workout Nazi, I'm not.
More of the same today. Motivation is still there. Did 30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill, varying the incline. I know that 35 minutes was the plan, but my left foot has been a little sore lately and I wanted to give it a break.
Also did the Lotte Berk abs DVD again. I really like that DVD, although the instructor comes pretty close to yelling at certain points in the workout, which unnerves me a bit. I found a bonus workout on the special features menu, so I might try that one sometime too. I'll probably sit out on the abs tomorrow.
What a difference (more than) a year makes. So much has happened since I abandoned this blog. We moved. I got a job. My husband was in a horrible accident and lost his right foot. We bought a house. I quit my job. I began working for myself.
And let's just say exercise wasn't a priority during all this crap. The sole gym in my small town costs $50, way too much for cheapskate me. So we bought a pricey treadmill, which I only used sporadically. Surprise - I didn't lose weight!
But last week something happened. I was watching an episode of Sex and the City via my HBO on Demand cable service. There was this three-second shot of Carrie standing at Big's front door wearing a cropped top and low-riding skirt. Her abs were impossibly, beautifully flat, not a trace of flab anywhere. They weren't particularly muscular or cut, mind you, just smooth and flat. I felt envious and wished that I could get those abs.
Then it struck me: I could get them. They weren't out of reach. They just couldn't be obtained by eating Hot Pockets in front of the TV.
A day later, I got on my treadmill. Two days later, I read through an old issue of Shape and found an "ab plan." I started following it. I rented an ab workout DVD from my Blockbuster online service.
Now, five days later, my abs are pleasantly sore and my cardio routines are up-to-date. For accountability's sake, I'll lay out the plan here.
1. Do 35-50 minutes of cardio 5 days a week. (I did it Sunday but skipped Monday, and did 35 minutes today. So I've knocked out 2 sessions.)
2. Do the ab exercises in the magazine 5 days a week. (I'm not following these moves religiously; I did them on Sunday but substituted the abs DVD today for variety's sake. Basically, any thorough ab workout counts here.)
3. Eat wisely. (There's no outlined diet or plan here. I'm just going to watch my portions and scale back on the snacking.)
If you'd like to learn more about my DVD, you can find it here. I've only done one session but it was tough. My back wasn't sore afterwards like it normally is with ab exercises, so that's a plus too.
It feels good to be back. And if you're reading this: Welcome back!
Name: Jen Location: DFW, TX Occupation: Journalist WHY this stupid blog?: To lose the 20 pounds I've packed on since high school and to entertain you with stories about my fabulous life. Current Weight: 138 My Goal Weight: 115 Pounds to Go: 23
