I'm Trying the 7 Minute Workout

I downloaded the 7 Minute Workout app months ago. I never even opened it. I'm pretty sure it cost me like $3. I figured if I paid for it I would be more likely to use it. Apparently that was not the case.

I tried doing Yoga a couple times during January and while it was fulfilling and lovely the videos were almost an hour long. I'm not willing to get up extra early in the morning just to watch a yoga video. Not when the options of location are in my living room where my roommates can see me, or in my bedroom with my husband still trying to sleep.

I do stretches at work when I'm bored and I was content with that for now. I visited a bunch of friends and family this last weekend and it reminded me that I really do want to get in better shape. So I decided I had to get back on the fitness wagon. I thought about starting up the yoga again but then decided to try out that crazy 7 Minute Workout app that I had downloaded.

This is what happened.

I looked through the exercises. They all seemed fairly straightforward. I didn't really look at the science behind the exercises or really anything about how this worked I just hit start and decided to see what would happen.

Jumping Jacks: I love jumping jacks. This is an easy enough place to start. Oh... I should have worn a bra for this. But okay, I'm breathing fine. I'm okay.

Wall Sit: Okay, I'm a little out of breath but wall sits aren't that hard. I've been trying them a little at work. I made it through about 20 seconds.

Push Ups: I tried doing regular and managed to do one, so I settled for doing girl pushups. Now I'm really breathing hard.

Abdominal Crunches: I was the master of these in middle school. I had abs like steel. Now I can barely get my shoulder blades off the floor.

Step Up Onto a Chair: I have short ceilings in my bedroom, luckily I had just enough space to manage this. Also an easy exercise.

Squats: I actually like this one. I think I might do this at work more often.

Tricep Dips on a Chair: I have no idea how to do this exercise. I feel like I'm moving the wrong parts of my body. I think I'm supposed to be using my arms but I feel like I'm just hip thrusting into the air.

Plank: I'm good at planking. Just keep breathing and you're fine.

High Knees Running in Place: I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die.

Lunge: Ahhh, my body hurts so bad. Why am I doing this to myself? Every time I lunge I worry I won't be able to straighten back up again. My whole body is pain.

Push Up With Rotation: This is really hard when you're doing girl push ups. Again, I have no idea what I'm doing.

Side Plank: I don't know how to do this either, but it would probably be easier if I were wearing shoes and not on carpet.

I did not realize a 7 Minute Workout would drain me like this one did. I feel good, I feel accomplished, I feel like I deserve the shower I'm going to take.

So we'll see how long I can keep this one going.

Also there are a ton of free places you can do this workout online and a bunch of other apps that aren't as pretty as this one but are much cheaper.

Working Toward a Healthier Me (Also I Made Sushi Today)

I recently got a membership to the YMCA. I'm not in college anymore and I need to lose the weight I've put on over the last five years. To be honest I actually gained most if it this last school year. I only had a couple classes and didn't really go out much. I also drank a lot more often because I lived off campus.

I'm an adult and it's summer time so changes had to happen. My roommate Chris got a YMCA membership too. Josh is in the process of quitting his second job which will leave his mornings open which means he has to get a membership too. Then we can all go work out together and get super healthy and in shape. Okay, I'm not really expecting us to all get super healthy and in shape but every little bit counts and every little bit helps.

I made myself a promise that if I drink I have to do a full hour on the elliptical the next time I work out. I had a few drinks with my friends on Wednesday night which mean today I had to do a full hour. Which I did. I'm so proud of myself. Actually I just wanted to see the end of "What Not to Wear." I caught it at the beginning of the episode and made myself see it out.

5 miles on the elliptical took me just over an hour
(it stared the cool down phase so it only says 13 seconds).

 Chris and I got home from the YMCA and made sushi because I've been craving it lately. It's just so fun and easy to make. It also gives me an excuse to eat a lot of avocados. I bought some seafood snackers to cut up and put in them. Raw fish scares me so I try to find alternatives to put in them. Josh doesn't like it if it's just vegetables. Walmart was out of cucumbers so most of them are just avocado, carrot, and seafood snackers. I also put some cream cheese in some of them with the seafood snackers. Best decision ever. But that might be because cream cheese is magical.

Sushi!! Chris and I made sushi as a reward for our workout. The blue plate is the ones I made for Josh.

Healthy Lunch

I've been trying to pack my lunch more often for school this semester. So I bought myself this really awesome Tupperware container divided into three sections. I do not want my food touching.

Today's lunch is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with two clementines, sliced peppers, hummas, cucumbers, and jalapeño string cheese.

I'm proud of myself. Doing this is usually enough to fill me up and if I've had a good breakfast and lunch I'm more likely to make good decisions for dinner.