What's Your Motivation? & Daily Exercise Log (11/11 - 11/17)

Image via 365 Days of Happiness
What motivates your fitness goals? Are you training for a particular physical challenge like a race, a triathlon, a fitness competition? Are you trying to look better in your clothes? Look better naked? Be an inspiration to your friends and family? Improve your mood? Stop the hands of time? Fight off disease?

I'm trying to do it all. Exercise is a mood booster, and I know that it pumps up my endorphins and just helps me keep a more positive outlook on life. I talked about exercise being a mood booster in one of my past posts, check it out here. When I exercise, especially when I run, I have time to think about where I am in my life and where I would like to be. I've come up with a lot of good ideas while trying to keep my feet moving!

When I challenge myself physically and succeed, I feel like I've accomplished something - even if all I did was continue to go forward when I wanted to stop. And I love that I've been able to see a real change in my body over the past few months. My stomach isn't sticking out like it used to...quick and true story: A few months ago I thought that I had become ill because my stomach looked distended. I went to my PCP, and after examining me for a few minutes, he told me that he thought that he had a diagnosis. Middle age. It was likely also due to my habit of eating chicken nuggets and fries, but I digress. I'm being more consistent. I'm making better choices. They are paying off. I've chosen to find joy in exercise, and it's working.

I'm not training for anything right now, but even the years when I barely exercised, I had to spend a month or so preparing for the Peachtree Road Race (a 10k or 6.2m) run held every year on the 4th of July. My parents used to run it with me, and I REFUSED to have my parents have better times than I did. That at least got me up and on the road. And I want to increase my chances of living a long and healthy life. And women with lower BMIs are more likely to survive a bout of breast cancer than those with higher BMIs, so I want to do whatever I can, when I can. Exercising helps to ward off disease, and a strong body can fight off disease better than one that is weak.

Finally, I want to be like the generations that have come before me. I love seeing people that are 70+ go bike riding, jogging, or hiking. If I have my way, I will have a body that will take me wherever my mind leads.

Please stick with whatever motivates you - sign up for a marathon that allows you to make a vacation of it, join a group of like-minded people and make new friends, find an activity that you want to master, and stick with it until you do, encourage your friends and family to become your "gym-buddies", find an outfit you want to get into and get into it. Just stay motivated and keep moving because it's worth it.
=====================================================
Monday

Goal: Boxing/Nifty November

Nutrition: Green smoothie - pear, carrots, grapes, lime, kale, and pineapple. I had fried rice (only about 1/3 of a cup, from Trader Joe's), meatloaf (93% lean turkey) and green beans (no butter, oil or salt) for lunch. I've also had a lot of Chessmen for the day. Later I had a small serving of veggies and chicken, and finally I had a side salad, with two chicken strips, and a small order of waffle fries.   

Hair: I did the latest hair inspiration yesterday, and I have to put up photos and instructions.

Outcome: I did the routine that began with planks. I held one for almost 2 minutes, two more for over a minute each, but I had one that I could only hold for about 30 seconds. The routine included 50 tricep dips, 50 push ups, 50 jumping jacks. I added some sumo squats and Hindi squats later on in the day. I went to boxing and had a good workout.

==========
Tuesday

Goal: Boxing/Nifty November

Nutrition: I started the day with a purple smoothie today - I added some of the cherry berry frozen fruit from Trader Joe's, carrots, kale, grapes, pear, and a little lime juice. I brought spinach tortellini with turkey meatballs for lunch. I also have some Moroccan Style Chicken with Chickpeas to eat at about 4. And we'll see what I end up eating for dinner. - I ended up having a Twix bar, a piece of pineapple, and a small piece of pizza.  

Hair:  Still inspired.

Outcome: I started the day by completing my Nifty November challenge - 5 minutes of Burpees, 50 sit-ups, 50 curtsy squats, and 50 plyo lunges. I also added some Hindi and sumo squats for good measure because I'm still working on getting a better butt. The Burpees were, as always, a challenge. I didn't go for the most repetitions, I just tried to do them steadily and somewhat slowly for the entire time without stopping. I think that will help me for times when I am trying to get in a certain number in shorter periods of time because my body will be used to doing 40+ burpees at a time. - Jokes on me because last night we did 3+ minutes of Burpees (an entire round)!!! Overall it was as always, good exercise. 

==========
Wednesday

Goal: Boxing/Nifty November

Nutrition:  I started the day with a purple smoothie today - I added some of the cherry berry frozen fruit from Trader Joe's, carrots, kale, grapes, pear, banana and kiwi. I had a Snicker's (with almonds). Lunch was Trader Joe's fried rice, citrus shrimp, and green beans. I later had Sunchips and a turkey sandwich on a bagel.

Hair: Inspired, but with a twist. 

Outcome:  I did my Nifty November challenge - 5 minutes of weighted squats, 50 push ups, 50 triceps dips, 50 plyo lunges, and some additional lunges (not part of the routine). I didn't end up going to boxing.

==========
Thursday

Goal: Boxing/Nifty November

Nutrition: I started the day with meatloaf, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans. I later had 2 pieces of homemade pizza, soup, and later a purple smoothie with pineapple, very berry blend, carrots, grapes, and banana. And 2 chocolate chip cookies and blue potato chips (130 calories).  

Hair: Still inspired

Outcome: I did my Nifty November challenge - 50 frog jumps, then I did squats of several varieties (squats were not part of the routine)... I went to boxing - and we did Burpees for a whole round and frog jumps (of several varieties).

===========
Friday

Goal: Training/Nifty November

Nutrition:  Taco salad with salsa, chicken, tortillo chips, queso and sour cream. Mini-churros, a chocolate chip cookie, and blue potato chips (130 calories). I had a smoothie for dinner, and a little Poppycock. 

Hair: I undid most of my twists and put it up in a 3-part bun.

Outcome:  I trained at the boxing gym this morning, but I still have to do my Nifty November routine. I ended up going to sleep without doing any additional exercise.

=========
Saturday

Goal: Boxing/Nifty November

Nutrition:  I ate Toblerone, Poppycock, and a entire thin-crust pizza, and a smoothie.

Hair: I finished untwisting my hair and put it in a bun.

Outcome: I ran just over 5 miles in just over 50 minutes! I did 100 sit-ups, and I went to my boxing class.

==========
Sunday

Goal: Boxing/Nifty November

Nutrition:  More Toblerone, a handful of popcorn, a Mango Lassi, and chicken sausage, biscuits, eggs, and hashbrowns.   

Hair:  I started a new hair inspiration, but apparently it is a multiday process because I did not have time to finish it in between activities. I did try the Oyen line - and I love it!

Outcome:  I woke up in the middle of the night and did my routine that started with planks, and I added some additional squats.


You have read this articleexercise / fitness / health / motivation with the title What's Your Motivation? & Daily Exercise Log (11/11 - 11/17). You can bookmark this page URL https://twisthairstyles.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-your-motivation-daily-exercise-log.html. Thanks!
Write by: Unknown - Monday, November 11, 2013

Comments "What's Your Motivation? & Daily Exercise Log (11/11 - 11/17)"

Post a Comment