Gym Guilt

workout guilt, runner's guilt, biker's guilt, whatever you call it, I had it yesterday and it got the best of me.

On Monday, I jotted down my exercise routine for the week (I will list the details later on in this post). Monday-gym, Tuesday-pool, Wednesday-hot yoga, Thursday-gym, Friday-off???, Saturday-run. Yesterday, I left work feeling a little bit tired and definitely sore from my Monday workout. My husband came home from work early so he could play basketball. He was also going to drop Calleigh off at my parents' house for an evening playdate with their dogs (yes I know it sounds ridiculous). All of this meant, I would get a nice quiet evening at home. It meant I could maybe get some cleaning or laundry done, relax and read my book or better yet, comment on all the blog postings I missed as well as post my own. It meant I would not have to rush home to cook dinner or to walk Calleigh or spend my evening entertaining her with belly rubs and football fetch. As all of these wonderful thoughts entered my mind, I decided at the end of my workday that I was going to skip the hot yoga that was on my agenda for the evening and just relax at home. My colleague (so nicely) reminded me that I had been working out hard and probably could use the break. I need to have an off day right?

Well that's what I thought up until my husband arrived home and let out a little chuckle when I told him I was skipping out on yoga because I could use an off day. The guilt set in. Was I just convincing myself that I needed an off day because I was being lazy??? Or because I didn't want to brave the cold 1/4 mile walk to the yoga studio??? When my husband left for basketball with Calleigh in tow, the house was quiet and the guilt set in even more. It got worse and worse with each minute until I changed my mind. I was going. How could I miss yoga on a Wednesday night? This was an opportunity for me to seize. I rarely get to go to yoga class in the middle of the week. The class was at the perfect time (8pm-9:45pm) and it was with my favorite instructor. I had to go. I also knew that yoga would help me de-stress and relax. Moreover, I needed to stick to the plan that I had created on Monday. The plan that I had blogged about. I don't want to be a failure in all your bloggy eyes.

So yeah, my gym guilt got the best of me. I went to hot yoga and loved every minute I sweated it out. As I laid on my mat, I smiled because I was happy I went. No regrets and so grateful the guilt got the best of me. I came home feeling tired but relaxed and cleansed. I enjoyed my 1/4 mile walk there and back. The cold didn't affect me at all and it provided a little extra bit of exercise. In the end, it was totally worth it.

As for my workout schedule, this is what it looked like for this week:

Monday:
Elliptical (30 mins)
Stretching (15 mins)
Bicep curls (3 sets 12 reps 10lb weights)
Tricep kickbacks (3 sets 12 reps 7.5lb weights)
Lunges & curls (3 sets 10 reps 10lb weights)
Deadlifts (3 sets 10 reps 50 lb bar)
Hips: two abductor machines (3 sets 12 reps on each machine, 50 lbs one machine/55lbs the other machine)
Back- hyperextension bench (3 sets 12 reps no weight)
15 mins abs (all kinds of crunches)
Hamstring exercise (2 sets 10 reps)
Push-ups with a medicine ball (3 sets 8 reps)
30 bodybuilders
50 squats with 7.5lb weights
4 Chin-ups (had to use the assisted machine with 16lbs because all the meatheads hogged up the bars)

Tuesday:
Pool: 20 min swim & 15 min run

Wednesday:
1.5 hrs of Hot Yoga

Thursday:
Elliptical (30 mins)
Stretching (15 mins)
Bicep curls (3 sets 12 reps 10lb weights)
Tricep kickbacks (3 sets 12 reps 7.5lb weights)
Lunges & curls (3 sets 10 reps 10lb weights)
Deadlifts (3 sets 20 reps 50 lb bar)
Hips: two abductor machines (3 sets 12 reps on each machine, 50 lbs each machine)
Back- hyperextension bench (3 sets 12 reps 10lb weight)
Abdominal- hyperextension bench (3 sets 12 reps no weight)
10 mins abs (all kinds of crunches)
Push-ups with a medicine ball (3 sets 8 reps)
34 bodybuilders
Longpulls (3 sets 10 reps 40lbs)
4 Chin-ups (regular bar- no assitance)

Friday:
This may actually be a rest day. I have nothing scheduled for tomorrow. I'm thinking of making it a movie night with the hubs. Any movie suggestions are welcomed!!!

Saturday:
Easy run- 2 to 3 miles outside, weather permitting

There you have it. My first memorialized workout schedule for this year and so far so good!

PS: In case you are wondering what a bodybuilder is, I will explain. It is one of the BEST exercises I have learned from my circuit training. A body builder is couple of exercises in one.
You start with a jumping jack (legs out then back in), then you squat down and kick your legs into a push up pose, then you do a push up, then (together) bring your legs back in and rise up and start all over. All of this together is what I refer to as a bodybuilder. You have to do it fast and roll right into the next one. Now go try doing 20 of those in a row and let me know how you all did!!! Good luck!