Oh, my aching ... chin?

For those of you that never really exercise, you should search around for Insanity/crossfit/T25/P90X/etc.  And just try ONE workout.  Oh.  Emm.  Gee.  I've committed to getting back on the T25 bandwagon after making sure my side is 100%, this time wearing shoes AND taking the modifier option every now and then, as I would certainly consider myself to be "out of shape" at the moment.  This is day 3, hump day, and I started on Monday.  Every muscle in my body hurts, including places where I didn't think you HAVE muscles, eg. under my chin.  Talk about PAIN!  But it's that GOOD pain, that pain that says I'm kicking butt and working out.

I can't remember if I've really talked about the T25 program; it's developed by the originator of Insanity, Shaun T, and it's basically a 25 minute version of an Insanity workout.  Now, if you're new to my blog, you may be wondering what Insanity is.  The Insanity program is what helped me shed 45 lbs last year.  Changing up my eating habits helped to kick start my weight loss, but Insanity shaped and sculpted my body until my size 14 clothes quite literally fell down to my ankles.  A cute dress I had that had always fit pretty well hung so comically on my freshly toned arms, it looked ridiculous, so I chunked all of those clothes into a bag and took them to the donation bin.

The problem with Insanity?  Well, for someone with a pretty strong lazy streak, it is near impossible to keep up forever.  It's a 60 day program, 6 days a week for 40-50 minutes the first month, then 6 days a week for 50-60 minutes a day the 2nd month.  It has you sprinting, doing moving pushups, walking planks, "V" push ups, burpees, suicide climbers, jumping jacks, jump rope with an imaginary rope, "power jumps" where you leap as high in the air as you can and slap your thighs, lunges, "shoulder burners", basketball jumps ... any sort of torturous gym exercise you can remember, that's what Shaun T has you doing.  It's a GREAT program ... and I found myself spending more time dreading what was coming then actually dreading the workout once I was in it ... but it was HARD to make myself push play on the computer.

T25 is modified Insanity exercises, 5 days a week, only 25 minutes.  Unfortunately, the time sacrifice is in the warm up and the stretch and the cool down, arguably the most important parts of a workout routine ... hence me straining an oblique muscle after doing only 2 days.  So today will be day 3, which I have not yet done, and I will get back to whipping my body back into shape.  Running is great exercise, but your body gets used to it ... at least mine does.  I think for ME T25 is a more sustainable workout because it's ONLY 25 minutes, and it's 5 days a week; something I can commit to by getting up half an hour earlier each morning and knocking it out.  There is a 25 minute stretch workout in there that I will fit in when I feel as though I need it (like right now!).

I LOVED my toned up body.  Problem is, it requires WORK to keep it that way.  I relaxed and let that slide; I am going to WORK to get it back again, and then I will WORK to keep it forever.  It's SO easy to allow yourself to get bitten by the lazy bug and start to slide back into old habits of making excuses like, "I've been married 14 years; why should I kill myself to look good?"  or "I'm married with a kid, who am I trying to impress anyway?"  You know what?  I'm not trying to impress anyone, I'm trying to be the BEST me I can be, and the BEST me is not fat and flabby.  The BEST me doesn't snack on m&m's all day and stuff my face with Ritz crackers at every opportunity.  The BEST me doesn't drink regular soda, or even diet soda.  The BEST me loves myself and tries to take care of ME by eating well and taxing every muscle I can to firm it back into submission.  Don't wait until Monday to change your habits.  START TODAY!  Drink water, chill on the refined sugar, and move your body!  It's simple.  I'm following my own advice!  Hope the rest of your week is great:)  OH!  And ps, David and I have found a new church to attend, I'm very excited.  Pastor Jimenez is the pastor, and he LOOKS about 25, but I think he's actually around my ageish.  Very passionate, great sermon, great Bible study.  Excited about what Sunday brings!