Gym Celebrity

When I got back from my trip to Savannah last week my first order of business was getting back to my gym routine. I didn’t want to fall off the wagon, which is why I went spinning at 6 am the morning we left for the trip and why I used the hotel gym on Wednesday while my boyfriend slept in. When we got back to Orlando on Thursday though, I was exhausted and my feet were covered in blisters from all the walking we did. I still felt exhausted on Friday, so I didn’t go then either.  Saturday, though, was a must-go day. I knew I couldn’t skip Saturday.

Before I headed to Body Pump on Saturday I tweeted and made a Facebook status update about how it was my first day back to the gym in four days and how I hoped they greeted me with hugs and party favors and cake. I was serious totally joking. But listen to this.

There were no hugs or party favors, or cake, surprisingly enough, but when I lay down on the bench for chest presses I noticed some stray balloons up in the rafters in the Fitnasium where Body Pump is held. That was curious. Then on my way out, one of the trainers stopped me and said “Hey! Why haven’t I seen you all week?” I told her I had been out of town and she said “Well, we missed you!”

I was pleased. I felt like it was a true indication of how dedicated I am to my workouts that I was missed after being gone for only four days. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN!

Yesterday I showed up for spinning and first, the woman who was swiping membership cards took mine and said “Hey Jaclyn,” without looking at my card. I was surprised that she knew my name. Then I passed the spinning instructor on my way up the stairs and she said “I missed you last week, where were you?!” I told her I had been in Savannah and she said she was glad to have me back.

When I first started going to the Y almost a year and a half ago I noticed, with great interest, the interesting dynamic between people who were clearly frequent exercisers and the trainers. I never thought I’d be one of those people who was known by name and frequency. Until last year when I started at the Y, I had never stuck with a gym program for more than a few weeks. Now I’m so seasoned I’m known by name and missed when I’m gone!

I’ve decided that being known by name at the gym is a true measure of success. I rule.

I’m also taking a rest day. I hit it hard the last four days and now I feel like the Tin Man.

They better miss me.

Jobless? Go Work Out.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but a lot of people are unemployed these days.

Whatchoo talkin' bout, Willis?

Source.

I know, I know, but it’s totally true.  The unemployment rate in the United States is currently around 9.1%, and it’s 12.2% in Florida, which is where I live.

Welcome to Florida! Hope you're here to retire, because you're sure as shit not going to get a job!

I was laid off from a job I’d had for 5 years in 2008.  I got the job when I was 19 years old, worked my way up in the company, paid for college out of pocket (after scholarships), and they were reimbursing me for my graduate classes.  I had actually decided to stay in Orlando and go to the same college for grad school partially BECAUSE that job was paying for the classes.  They let me and all of my coworkers/friends go with no pomp and circumstance.  The company was cutting costs and we were the first of many to go.  We finished out the month, got our severance checks, and I found myself unemployed with a Bachelor’s degree in English, a full graduate course load, and really no idea what to do with myself.  I applied for as many jobs as I possibly could every day and that was really all I could do.  That’s really all you CAN do when you’re unemployed and looking for a job in a saturated market. You apply for jobs and you sit.  And you wait.  And wait.

Now, people obviously get really depressed when they’re out of work, are unable to pay bills, and are constantly being asked “how’s the job search going?”   Seriously, fuck people who ask how your job search is going. I know how this is.  I’ve been there.  You can easily fall into a rut and sit around eating boxes of macaroni and cheese and ramen noodles and potatoes, because that’s all you can afford, but one way to get out of the rut or even stave off the rut before it happens is to exercise.

Research has proven that exercise helps fight and treat depression. When I was unemployed I started working out every day, and while it certainly didn’t help all of my problems, it definitely helped me from being in a complete funk.  I’d wake up, work out, then apply for jobs for the rest of the day.  It gave me a reason to get up in the morning and it got me out of the house. I live in a condo complex with a little gym, so I was able to use that, but exercising outside is free.  Depending on where you are, there are lots of outdoor activities that you can do that cost you virtually nothing.   Few things are as depressing as being stuck inside all day with nothing to do and no one to talk to, and nothing is worse than being a jobless bum and feeling like a jobless bum.

Unless you're my cat, Gideon. Then your life rules and being a jobless bum is your job.

If you’re currently unemployed it might worth your while to think of this as an opportunity to get into a good exercise routine. You’ve got the time, after all.  Start slow and work your endurance and stamina up so when you get a job you’re not a mealy ball of miserable dough and so you can blow your paychecks on a sweet gym membership and new workout gear.

Goals for January: With Resolve

Whew.  Happy New Year, y’all.  I just sobered up.

All right, that’s not true.  I’ve been sober this whole time, actually.  I didn’t even get drunk on New Year’s Eve.  Talk about a fail.

I’ve been out of commission since the beginning of the new year, but I’m working on getting back to life, starting first and foremost with a few goals for January.

In December I made goals to get back to yoga, to write more, and to cut down on guilt.  I did make it to a yoga class in December, but only one; that being said, I went to the first Saturday yoga class of the new year and I’m planning on making it part of my regular Saturday routine again.  I felt much better after yoga this past Saturday and I’m looking forward to doing it again.  I did some personal writing in December.  I didn’t do as much as I would have liked, but I did get words on paper, so it’s a start.  That’s something I’m going to keep working on.  I definitely cut back on my workout guilt, but I find that I just feel better on days that I work out.  I got a lot of work and writing done in the evenings during bouts of insomnia I’ve been having (even with my Lunesta!) and while I have a lot of progress to make, I at least feel like I’ve been productive in my professional life lately, which is good.

So, I’ve thought a lot about New Year’s resolutions.  The last post I made in December highlighted some of my resolution suggestions for those who are looking to make realistic and very helpful changes.  Those were all changes I made in 2010 without resolving to do any of them.  Like I said in that post, I didn’t make any resolutions last year, but when I look back on everything I accomplished without making arbitrary promises about them, I’m fairly pleased with my progress.  As a result, I’m not going to make resolutions this year either.  If I could just pretend like New Year’s never happened, that would actually be ideal, so that’s what I’m going with.

I am, however, going to make goals for January, even though we’re already 11 days in.  Better late than never, y’know?

Goal #1: Find a place to volunteer for–This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time and since I do tend to have extra time on my hands due to a flexible work schedule, I really have no excuse not to do it (other than laziness.)  I have a meeting with a volunteer coordinator at a great organization that helps children who have lost a parent or sibling this afternoon and I have high hopes for it.  I’m also thinking about volunteering with animals in some capacity, but I’m kind of afraid I’ll end up with 200 cats and 75 dogs.  There’s no risk of me wanting to bring children home, ever.

Goal #2: Sign up for a 5k–I got beautiful new cross trainers for Christmas and my trick knee hasn’t been hurting nearly as much.  It’s amazing what a good pair of shoes can do for your workout.  As the case happens to be, I think it’s time that I finally find a 5k to sign up for.  The real lure for me is the pre-race carbo-load, but I’d also really like one of those pictures of myself decked out in my exercise gear with the number pinned to my chest. Also, I guess it would be some good exercise.

Goal #3: Eat fresh veggies with lunch and dinner every day–Since the holiday madness is over and I’m no longer feeling entitled to participate in “All You Can Eat Week” it’s time to seriously lighten up.  I hate it when I get to dinner and realize I’ve had many fruit servings, but no vegetables.  I definitely gravitate toward fruit, but vegetables make me feel good too, so I declare the need for fresh veggies with lunch and dinner every day. Today I paired my Amy’s Alphabet soup (it’s awesome) with slices of red pepper and cucumber along with a package of my latest awesome discovery, Wholly Guacamole 100 Calorie Snack Packs.  I’m not usually a fan of 100 calorie packs of anything because they’re usually complete bullshit, but these are great!  Guacamole isn’t known for keeping well, so I always feel compelled to eat all of it if I make it from scratch or if I buy the regular sized pack of Wholly Guacamole, which means I’m taking down 300 or 400 calories for a snack, and that’s not including the vegetables or chips.  No good.  These are 100 calorie packs that are really worth the extra money. They’re perfectly portioned and you don’t have to worry about storing leftover guac that will just turn sad and brown.

Goal #4: Amp up the cardio–Of course, I’m all about the strength training now because I realize what a huge difference it’s made in my body and my overall exercise routine, but if I’m going to do this 5k I’m going to be able to endure, you know, running a 5k.  I’ve been adding bursts of cardio after my strength workouts (usually a 30 minute jog on the treadmill) and of course I’m still going spinning 2-3 times per week.

Tune in for February’s goals, in what?  Two and a half weeks?  Jesus Christ, it’s practically 2012 already.

Slow down, everyone.

A Balancing Act: Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream Vs. My Ass

If you don’t live in the South, I feel sorry for you.  You’re really missing out.  Not just on hurricanes, blatant racism, and the religious right, but on the greatest supermarket of all time:

 

You're goddamn right it's where shopping is a pleasure.

 

Around this time of the year, Publix Supermarkets start to carry all kinds of seasonal goodies, like cinnamon brooms, special cookies, candies, and the greatest ice cream of all time:

 

I might as well just buy a carton of crack

 

I’ve been searching high and low for this ever since a friend told me it was back in the stores.  I went to several different Publix stores and they were all sold out!  Out, out, out.  It became clear to me that Publix was trying to ruin my life, even though I’ve never done anything but love.

Today, Publix loved back.

As I spooned out a portion of the ice cream, I considered the consequences, as I often do, of what this magical ice cream would do to me, and more specifically, what it would do to my ass.  Last night I eeked out about a billion very painful lifts and curls in Body Pump.  Today, I spin and do functional training.  Tomorrow, I do core work.  I thought about all the work I do, and that I’ve been doing, and that I will do, and I wondered if the ice cream was worth it.

And it is.  It definitely is.

Moments like that reiterate how truly awesome exercise is.  To be able to eat what I want without panic is insane.  It’s as thrilling as I imagine riding to work on a golden unicorn would be.

 

Never say never.

 

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And I know, I know, it’s terrible and horrible to suggest that there’s any ounce of panic in eating something I want that isn’t whole and organic and low in fat/calories/carbs/whatever and that Marie Claire will accuse me of having an eating disorder and that I’m the devil, but seriously, whatever.  I don’t have an eating disorder and when I say “panic” I don’t mean hate myself for days and do self-destructive things, I mean regret what I ate or feel sorry for myself.  I don’t have regret and I don’t feel sorry for myself when I eat delicious things like Publix Pumpkin Pie ice cream, because I know I exercise enough to work it off, just like how I spin for cupcakes.  It’s totally fine.  In fact, it’s awesome.

It’s especially important to remember how this calories in/calories out thing works around this time of the year.  People tend to  take a lot of liberties around the holidays, and if you’re going to do that, you’re going to need to counteract it with a good amount of exercise and a generally healthy diet otherwise.  I personally prefer to pick and choose.  I’d rather have some of that magical ice cream than some shitty “fun size” candy bars.  Those things are bullshit.

What’s your favorite holiday treat?

But Seriously, Get a Workout Buddy

For a long time, I was resistant to working out with a friend.  First of all, I don’t ever like to be on anyone else’s time.  Ever.  I volunteer to drive anytime anyone wants to carpool because if I want to leave, we’re leaving.  If I want to stay, we’re staying.  I’m the driver, I call the shots.  Understood?  Second of all, I was never crazy about having a friend bear witness to my butt-jiggling, my makeup-less face, and my buckets of sweat.  Finally, it’s so much easier to just not work out when you don’t have to answer to someone.  I like to have options.

Yep, lots of options. One starts with "c" and ends in "ouch." The other starts with "C" and ends in "heez Doodles."

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Yeah, it sure is easy to quit when you have no one to answer to. Reaaaaally easy.  When you have someone who’s counting on you to show up to a workout, though, a miracle happens.   You suddenly find your once unmotivated self putting the Doodles down, getting off the couch, and strapping your workout sneakers on.  After all, someone is waiting on you.

Say hi to my friend, coworker, and workout buddy, Chiara!

The cocoa to my cream

See that delicious crepe?  Yeah, we ate it.  Then we worked out!

Chiara and I started working out together when we joined the Y through our job.  At first, we didn’t know if we’d last.  We both had long histories of starting workout programs on our own, kind of following through for awhile, then eventually giving up.  Again, it’s really easy to give up when you don’t have someone cheering you on. Once we started working out together, though, something just clicked.  We stumbled through several different classes together and even though we don’t like or go to all of the same classes (she loves to Zumba, I have no rhythm, I love to spin, it makes her want to die), just knowing that we’re cheering each other on makes a huge difference in my attitude toward working out.  Sometimes I don’t feel like working out, but I know Chiara is setting up in Power Yoga and saved a spot for me, so I make myself go.  Sometimes I wonder if all the work I’m putting in is really making a difference, and she’s there to assure me that it is.  Sometimes something hilarious happens in a class and I can’t tell the story right, but Chiara is there to fill in the blanks (and provide the voices) for me.  It makes working out a lot more fun.

Of course, having a workout buddy isn’t always a failsafe.  You still have off days during which you can’t really find time for the gym, even if your workout buddy keeps calling and texting you.

Fuck off, I’m busy.

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But seriously, get a workout buddy. It makes all the difference.