I love to exercise.  Exercising makes me feel healthy and productive.  It also makes me feel like I don’t have to worry as much about all the delicious food I eat. So, why is it that I sometimes don’t get in as many exercise sessions as I want? As much as I love to exercise, it is sometimes hard to get myself to the location where the exercise happens. Once I get there, though, I always feel really good about having gotten my workout session in. I never ever finish a workout and regret having done it. In fact, the harder the workout, the better I feel. I recently went traveling and didn’t have much time to get workouts in. We did walk for miles and miles but I missed my regular workouts. I thought I’d get right back into it after coming home, but a combination of jet lag, a strained neck, catching a cold, and being overwhelmed with catching up on work all made it difficult for me to get back to the gym. I have every intent of getting workouts in on a regular basis.  I take workout clothes to work or on days when I don’t work, I get dressed in workout clothes at home. Being motivated to go doesn’t necessarily translate easily into getting to the gym. I’m still trying to catch up on work and life details (and blog updates).

One recent day,  I got dressed, even got my socks on and was about to go to the UHH Student Life Center (my gym) and get a quick run in before joining a scheduled yoga class. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it to the gym. Something came up and I had to take care of some household details and couldn’t make it to the gym. Things like this happen all the time and I need to figure out a workaround.

I’ve purchased DVDs in the past.  I have purchased many different ones, but I can’t stick with them. I’ve tried Tae Bo to P90X to T25.  I love the workouts, but somehow the DVD format isn’t my thing. I started doing what I could at home with dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, and a jump rope.  I also started looking up workout apps for the iPhone and finally found one that I loved.  Gain Fitness was perfect! It had customizable workouts and was exactly what I needed. I recommended it to my friends and they loved it too. I used to be able to customize my workouts for location (gym, home, or hotel) and for equipment availability.  It was awesome while it lasted.  After a few years, they decided to change the app and removed the customizable workouts. I think they wanted to head into the direction of personal training rather than app-based workouts.   I’m so sad that this app isn’t available in its previous form anymore. I gave feedback (along with hundreds of other users) and waited months and months to see if they would listen to the feedback from their loyal app users, but to no avail. So, after researching and trying other workout apps, I finally decided on an app called Gym Goal 2. It cost me $3.99 which is a deal considering that gym memberships and trainers cost much more than that.  This app has customizable workouts, but isn’t quite as pretty and as easy to use as Gain Fitness was. However, I think that as I start using it and learning the details of the app offerings, I’ll learn to love it.

I like lifting weights much more than doing cardio-based workouts. I don’t like cardio all that much. But, I know it is necessary so I get a little bit in. I have some friends who love cardio workouts and actually enjoy running.

I’m taking a trip with some friends soon and the Bay to Breakers 2016 is happening in San Francisco while we are there. So–my friends and I have registered. I’m feeling a little apprehensive about my ability to do well in this event, but I’m excited to participate in an event like this with great friends.

I just hope they will still be my friends after they realize how much I slowed them down in this crazy race.