2016 Halfway Done: Goal/Resolution Progress

I like writing mid-year posts about my New Year's goal/resolution progress. Writing this though, I literally had to go back and find that blog post because I had know idea what my goals for the year were. Obviously, I'm off to a great start!

I started the year just happy that it was no longer the Year of the Knee. I wrote about pretty much the same goals I have year after year regarding traveling, friends and family and buying a house. It was still too early to say anything then but 2017 is most definitely the Year of the Baby.

I had some quotes posted but this one pretty much sums the year up so far and what is ahead.

(Photo Credit: Pinterest)

Read

I've been reading a lot lately. Not really following my original reading list but working on a summer one right now. I've read some great books, which you can read about in my other posts.

Organize

I had hoped to be further along organizing by now but it's been busy. Obviously something worked though because the office is finally a nursery!

Travel

We went to Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder in April! What a great trip! I loved the mountains and riding the train to Pikes Peak. Next stop, Key Largo to see Annie!

Workout

I found yoga this year. After three-four months of prenatal yoga, I think I actually learned to relax and I feel much more flexible. Hopefully, continuing it after Baby Lane arrives.

How are your 2016 goals coming?

Getting in Shape...Again

A year ago almost exactly my fitness world was knocked completely out of the ballpark when my kneecap came out of place during a run. It was all down hill from there and I'm not getting into all of that again but needless to say I spent the last year not being very fitness minded. Granted, I did join a gym to workout, spin and swim when I wasn't in and out of physical therapy. After the surgery, I literally sat in the recliner for months. Needless to say my muscle mass is pitiful now except for my upper arms from two months of crutches. Physical therapy went until the end of June and so finally in July I could rethink my workouts and decide how I was going to get back in shape and stay in shape without running.

This is my plan, which I have to adapt weekly as to my schedule. I'm two weeks in and its going pretty well. What's nice is that I'm not going to the gym right now because its so nice outside but everything I'm doing can be moved inside when the weather gets colder.

Monday

I do my core workout on Monday. In a few weeks I will add some short cardio on as well and then later some short bursts of HIIT. For now, Monday is a day that if I need to miss a workout I can and just add it on to another day.

Tuesday

I do between 30-60 minutes of cardio and since I'm not running, I walk on Tuesdays. I've found the best calorie burn walking is to do hills. So if you are familiar with Pittsburgh and where we live, I walk Stanton from our apartment through Stanton Heights and down to Lawrenceville and back. It's only a little more than a four mile walk but it takes approximately an hour because the incline is so steep part of the way up from Lawrenceville and on the other side from Morningside/Highland Park.

Wednesday

I do an upper body workout on Wednesday focusing on my arms, shoulders and back. Eventually as with Monday, I will add light cardio and HIIT.

Thursday

Thursday is a repeat of Tuesday with cardio and the time amount. The only thing I change is that I bike (or try to) on Thursdays. Right now, I'm riding Dennis' bike since I don't have one but I'm not sure how long I can do that because it sucks. I might even go rent one of those ones that are all over the city.

Friday

I do a total body strength workout on Friday.

Saturday

Same as Tuesday and Thursday, although on Saturday I swim! My favorite cardio day! 

Sunday

Sunday is supposed to be a rest day but I think I'm going to start doing yoga again at the gym. I need to improve my flexibility again and hopefully it will help me relax.

I'm not perfect. So believe me, there is rarely a week that goes by  that I get some sort of a workout in everyday. Sometimes I do more than on on the weekends to make up for a lousy week. I'm happy with getting a workout in five days a week.

Alright, let me know if you want to work out sometime together!

And Apparently Lightening Does Strike Twice

Yes, lightening does strike twice - at least in my world. This weekend my bike was stolen...AGAIN!

Many of you might remember the first time the bike was stolen and I fully admit that was all my fault. I was at an exercise class at Lakeside and putting full trust in my beloved gated community, left my brand new, very expensive bike unlocked outside the Pavilion. An hour later, the bike was gone. Panicked I called Lakeside Security and spend endless golf cart rides looking for my bike on the grounds to no avail. I left Lakeside that year completely disappointed and without a bike but in the middle of winter I received a call from Lakeside Security that my bike had been found in the woods behind the schoolhouse.

After that, I learned my lesson. The bike was constantly locked. I would even go so far as to take the seat off, so that even if you did take the bike you wouldn't get far. Well, for almost three years the bike has been chained without incident to the deck in the back yard (it's titanium and doesn't rust, which is why I can keep it there). Until now...

The weather has been so rainy in Pittsburgh lately, so I haven't been on my deck as much as normal. That was the case Friday night. Saturday morning we were in and out of the apartment cleaning and taking the trash out but I didn't notice anything different until we came home from Home Depot. The bike was missing and the spliced lock was under the deck.If you have been to our apartment, you have seen how the bike is stored. Only people walking or driving up the ally or who are actually in the yard would have noticed it. I was in so much shock I think that it happened TWICE that I couldn't really comprehend.

Unfortunately, the bike has not reappeared. I called the police and filed a report right after the incident. Then on Sunday I filed a claim with the insurance company. I've been trying to look in people's yards as I ride through the neighborhood - creeping. I'm not holding my breath that it will show up but I was even more disappointed because I was allowed to start running.

So, for now I have to just wait and see if it appears or if insurance will cover it. No more bike riding for awhile.

Spinning is the New Running

Last night I attended my second spinning class at LA Fitness. The free spinning classes was one of the reasons I wanted to join there among other amenities. This was my first time spinning after all of my knee problems in December.

During grad school, I did spinning classes at the Kent State Recreation Center but was unable to afford classes until I found ones included in a gym membership. I hadn't realized how much I missed it until I got back on the bike.

It is such a great workout. It's low impact. There is awesome music. And it's just fun. I love it.

I've decided spinning will replace running in my life.

Originally, I was going to do one spinning class a week but I'm enjoying it so much, I'm going to try two sessions a week. The instructor I had last night was great. She had us visualizing that we were actually on the road. It was a little weird though doing it with your eyes closed, which she wanted.

I'm still having knee problems but the spinning helps. I rode the bike in physical therapy every week. Yesterday my knee slid out mid spin but I was able to get it back in place in a few minutes and finished the workout pain free. I guess that's just what will happen from now on.

Here's to my new workout of choice and a year of low impact exercise!

In 2015, I will...

Honestly, I'm happy to say goodbye to 2014. Yes, I went on an absolutely fabulous honeymoon cruise and got an amazing new job but everything was overshadowed by the almost five months I spent wearing a knee brace, receiving physical therapy and other treatments and visiting UPMC Sports Medicine too many times. My knee and further treatment are in limbo right now but that's another post for another day. So, 2015 I'm more than happy to welcome you today!

Here's to 2015 and some accomplishable goals (a few repeats from 2014):

Do a weekly RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS.

Sometimes I feel like I get to caught up in myself and I forget to think about others. In 2015, I want to be a better person and do simple random acts of kindness for others.

Get back in shape with LOW IMPACT EXERCISE

Due to my knee injury, I haven't been able to do much the last few weeks. In the New Year, I have developed a work out schedule to get back in shape by doing all low impact workouts - swimming, cycling, roller blading, ellipitcal, etc.

(Pinterest)

READ.

I've already made a list of 28 books that I want to read this year, in addition to the book club titles. I met my goal last year, so I'm confident I can get some great reads in this year.

SIMPLIFY.

TRAVEL.
This year, we are hoping to take a trip to Williamsburg in the spring, New York City in the summer and Montreal in the fall.

BLOG.

Obviously I never make this goal and my blog goes neglected for months. That's changing today.

ORGANIZE the apartment.
This was one of my goals two years ago. Well, we are still in the same apartment, so it needs done again and I want to be prepared to move easier.

Save money and BUY A HOUSE.

Be HEALTHY.

Spend more time with FRIENDS and FAMILY.

Well, goodbye 2014. Take the knee brace with you! Looking forward to a happy and healthy (sinus infection free) 2015!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

I'm A Ballerina

The marathon is over, so I've had to rethink my workout routine.  I'm still running a few times a week but I've added something new (thanks to Pinterest!).  Believe it or not...I'm doing ballet.  Check out the workout here.

Just started today but it was a lot of fun and my muscles hurt.  I don't have a barre, so I use the kitchen counter.  The workout plan actually says to use that since most people don't have a barre.

Some of you might remember that my ballet days started and ended rather fast.  I was the kid hanging on the barre instead of holding it to the other positions. I also made a spectacle of myself in a Nutcracker performance.  That was the end of ballet.  Annie was more talented in that department.  I had no grace.

I always had the urge to do ballet though.  The last few years I've wanted to sign up for the adult ballet for exercise class at CCAC but that never happened.  I think my prior experience scared me away but I can definitely handle dancing in the kitchen.  I wonder what he neighbors walking by in the ally thought.

This is what I look like dancing..

I even wear the tu-tu. Not!  Ha ha!