Work-Out Update: Closing Out 2012

Wow, I can’t believe another year has gone by.  I’m now three months into my fifth year of regular work outs.  I’ve been working out, on and off, since 1987, but this is the longest stretch where I haven’t taken significant time off.  This consistency has a lot to do with convenience (I work out at the gym at my place of work) and the fact that I have a fairly flexible work schedule (I can sneak away when I like).  That may change if I choose to pursue a new job (possible) or end up with a boss that is not as supportive as my former one (also possible).  Fingers crossed. 

Typically, this post would have appeared at the beginning of January, but last year it came out late, and this year, I just decided to follow suit.  Besides, I think people get hit over the head with work out stuff in January (resolutions), so that was part of my reasoning for posting it later in the year. 

Figures for 2009: Worked Out for an hour plus 220 times or 4.23 times a week – averaging 18 times per month.

Figures for 2010: Worked Out for an hour plus 206 times or 3.96 times a week – averaging 17 times per month.

Figures for 2011: Worked Out for an hour plus 215 times or 4.13 times a week – averaging 18 times per month

Figures for 2012: Worked Out for an hour plus 230 times or 4.42 times a week – averaging 19 times per month

Up from the previous year; my best year ever.

A couple of new things added into the mix: I took classes, and not just Zumba and Step.  I also did 2 hours of naked yoga in the evening for 12 sessions, and did two semesters of Kick Boxing!  I enjoyed both, but dropped kick boxing because I kept yelling at the instructor and I was afraid he was going to punch me.  How did this come about?  Well, I get really worked up, punching and kicking and he would start grabbing parts of my body to correct my form and I would just LOSE IT; calling him names and basically acting like a total douche.  The second time it happened, I knew I had to quit.  You see, I didn’t mind him touching me or correcting me – it was more that in the heat of the moment my mind would be in this weird attack/fear of attack mode and well, let’s face it… I was out of my element.  Plus the dude could have snapped me in half.  So… best to step off, don’t you think?

I haven’t been back to naked yoga either.  I liked the instructor a lot.  He took his time with us (all men) and would correct our form.  It was also a kick to be naked in a room with a bunch of others.  But after the initial sessions I never went back.  Cost was one issue.  The other?  Maybe it had to do with this one dude I used to date who acted like I was not in the room.  He looked great, by the way.  And I can’t remember the specifics of why we stopped seeing each other, but it was obvious, from the way he treated me, that one of us was a total dick. Other than that, I did not find the experience sexual, except when the instructor would hug me naked after the class was over.  That was always kind of… questionable.  And this was odd, because he would be promoting these weekend and week-long male touch excursions that he would conduct.  I was tempted, but didn’t want to go expecting one thing (sex) and only to find out it was like this tofu/guru thing. 

No major injuries this year.  Though the front pads, under my big toe, on both feet, took a beating when I did three hours of Zumba in a single day (for charity).  They have never recovered.

My company closed the gym down during our mandatory week off from work over the winter holidays.  And there were a few days of vacation in 2012, but no major trips.

Again this year, I don’t count any of the hiking/walking time that I put in, figuring that is part of routine life and doesn’t really count as exercise.  And on the weekends or during holidays, I rarely exercised, except for push-ups and a few dumb-bell exercises – doing so only if I was going out somewhere where my upper body would be on display. 

This year I stopped taking Zumba for three months.  It was a different instructor (my favorite was on maternity leave), and I tried adapt, but wasn’t feeling it.  So I stopped going until my regular instructor returned.  She has since left the company and this week was my first Zumba class with a new instructor.  Her style is very ‘athletic’ and not very dance oriented, but I will need to adjust.   That said, and in light of the other classes I added to my roster, I am now in kind of rut and need to shock my body again.  I know it’s time to change things up again.  Not sure what to do, because I still want to keep Zumba and Step in my life.

I dropped Turbo Kick.  I simply did not like it. 

I’ve incorporated a lot of what I learned in my yoga classes into my daily warm-up (which I have recently been informed should be taking place after my work out and not before – not gonna happen).  I do lots of daily push-ups and crunches and have it in my mind that one day I want to be able to do the splits (also, probably not gonna happen).

I picked up a series of glut exercises that I do daily.  I don’t think I’m winning that battle, but I am at least trying to stem the effects of gravity.  It has gotten to the point where I die a little inside whenever I’m standing face to face with a hot dude, embracing, and he grabs my ass.  I always want to apologize and assure them it’s better when I’m on all fours or bent over!

In addition to the warm-up activities mentioned above, a typical week currently goes like this:

Monday: Lats/Shoulders

Tuesday: Arms

Wednesday: Zumba

Thursday: Step

Friday: Chest

I plan on fitting legs back into the equation sometime soon.  I remain unsure of what I want to give up in order to make that happen. 

The nice thing?  Other than that ass thing, I have come to accept my body as is.  I don’t think my body is all that great, but it’s okay, and sometimes I am quite happy and even proud of what I’ve managed to accomplish.  Getting older needn’t suck.  I may not be able to eliminate the ravages of time, but I can do my best to make sure my stuff looks as good as I can naturally make it.

I still get a thrill walking into the locker room.  Love it when I am there by myself so I can fool around in front of the wall-to-ceiling mirrors.  This year, on two separate occasions, I invited a dude to work out with me.  It was on a Saturday, and nobody was in the gym.  We had a blast in the locker room both before and after our workouts.  I might consider doing more of that. But it has to be the right guy. 

And summer is just around the corner.  I totally plan on roasting my near-naked self as often as possible.  It has something to do with my new comfort level with my body.  Last year, I fell in love with natural tanning – and yes, I am aware of all the health risks.  But I can’t help myself.  It just feels so damn good. 

Almost as good as sex!

I said ‘almost’!

(P.S. Please pardon my toothpaste spittle!  Should have cleaned the mirrors.)