Tag: gym

Comment Contest Tuesday

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Alright, today’s Comment Contest Tuesday runs in connection with September’s Monthly Challenge.

The Monthly Challenge asks readers to think about the things they don’t have time for (a fitness class, shopping for fresh veggies instead of eating/serving frozen meals, cooking at home regularly, going for nightly walks after dinner, getting up in the morning for a 20-30 minute yoga practice, making it to the gym at least three times a week, going to bed at a regular time, etc.)

This Comment Contest Tuesday, starting today and running through Tuesday, Sept. 17, asks readers to post their challenges and wants and needs. Other readers can suggest ways to achieve these challenges.

For each challenge a reader posts their name will get thrown into a random drawing. For each suggestion to challenge posted, the reader will get their name thrown in a random drawing twice.

This is a two-week long Comment Contest Tuesday, as I want to encourage readers to post their many challenges and for my readers to take the time to come up with solutions for each other.

You have a full two weeks to post challenges and solutions. Every single challenge post gets your name thrown in one … Continue reading

September Monthly Challenge

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OK, for September’s Monthly Challenge I dug into my stockpile of ideas from readers from a Comment Contest Tuesday a few months back.

Thanks, Nicole W. for this idea.

Normally we have one nutrition challenge and one exercise challenge. This month they are kinda combined into one.

This Monthly Challenge also asks for a little extra participation by GFG! readers. You’re ready for this, right?

Like I stated yesterday, I need commitment and support from my readers. You can really show it to me with this Monthly Challenge.

This challenge breaks down throughout this month.

Week 1) Think of things you don’t have time for (a fitness class, shopping for fresh veggies instead of eating/serving frozen meals, cooking at home regularly, going for nightly walks after dinner, getting up in a little earlier for a 20-30 minute yoga practice, making it to the gym at least three times a week, going to bed at a regular time, etc.).

Week 1 1/2 and Week 2) Figure out how to make time for at least one thing. Bonus points for taking on a nutrition AND exercise challenge. I will make this a Comment Contest Tuesday this coming Tuesday, the third. Readers can … Continue reading

Exercising while on vacation

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Another great thing about Club Med is there are activities for just about everyone.

(And if your thing is to just lounge at the beach and drink, there’s plenty of that for you. That’s my favorite pastime.)

Like most trips I brought exercise clothes with me. And about half the time they don’t leave the suitcase. This trip seems to be turning out that way.

Besides, sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, scuba and other water activities “regular” exercise classes are also offered along with a gym.

There’s power walking, stretching (which I think is kinda like yoga, but since I haven’t gone I am not certain), abs and butts, Zumba, boot camp, water aerobics, etc.

There is also the circus where I tried doing tricks on the trampoline. It’s fun, but man, is that a work out. I probably did 15 minutes on the trampoline and then took a break before trying the trapeze.

The beginners got a quick lesson on how to stand, hold the bar and the few tricks we were going to do.

The scariest part for me was when I had to grab the bar with my second hand. That meant I was trusting someone to hold on … Continue reading

No excuses … Week 2

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This past week was Week 2 back to healthy living.

It was a challenging week at work. I didn’t just work long hours, they were also intense hours.

I kept my gym bag packed and ready to go in the trunk every day.

Monday and Tuesday I worked long hours but was still able to muster enough energy to exercise on my own at the gym.

By the time Wednesday hit I didn’t get home until 8 and Thursday I was just spent.

I decided to listen to my body and take a break.

I still tried to maintain my healthy eating habits with a few cheats here and there.

But as we all know life happens and some things are beyond our control.

I did take yoga with Vickie this morning, which was what I needed physically and mentally.

But my dear friends and readers, Go Fit Girl! is still here. Just know that the posts may be minimal but I will back to normal soon. I have all sorts of ideas. I hope to share them with you soon.

Stay tuned.

Continue reading

No excuses

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Monday was my day to get back on the healthy living wagon.

No excuses.

The cafe at work always has healthy options for breakfast and lunch.

(Curt and I were out of town over the weekend so I didn’t have a chance to get to the grocery store.)

Having the work cafe means I have lots of good options to choose from as well as deliciously bad ones, which I successfully avoided.

I have packed my gym bag every day and kept it in my trunk. This means if I get back too late to take a regular class whether at the gym or yoga studio I have exercise clothes with me and I can do a workout on my own at the gym.

(I would rather take a class, but that doesn’t always work out.)

Even on a hectic and stressful day like today I kept pretty good with my food intake. I did have an excuse for not exercising: I worked a 12-hour day and didn’t get home (after more than an hour commute) until 9 p.m.

And I will hit yoga tomorrow.

I really wanted a drink when I got home tonight. But I decided to keep … Continue reading

In my mind I am healthy

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Yesterday, which was Day 2 of back to healthy living, I realized that I already felt better.

I was only on Day 2 of back to eating healthy and into my regular exercise routine. And it was already making a difference in how I felt.

I think a big part of healthy living is mental as well. And I am not referring to mental health in this case.

More like, if you have the mindset to be healthy and are on that track it makes it easier and you feel better.

This is at least the case for me.

When I am “off plan” or not in my routine I feel yuck. There is guilt involved. Especially if there is no end in sight.

When I was an unhealthy person I didn’t realize how bad I felt until I became a healthy person.

When I am “off plan” I feel myself craving for my routine of my healthy living.

If you think about it, living healthy or not is one of the few things we have total control over.

I decide what I eat and drink. I decide if I exercise or not.

Here’s to three days of getting back … Continue reading

Back to healthy, clean living

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Oh man. I feel like I have been writing these posts too often lately.

I have been allowing myself to get out of my routine way too much recently.

Yup, I usually have a good reason or “excuse.”

And we all fall off the wagon and experience life.

And sometimes I give myself permission to get “off plan.”

Today I told myself that I had to get back to my routine, which includes healthy eating and exercise.

Last week I had plenty of excuses to do neither. Such as the BART strike, hectic and busy time at work, which also included staying later than normal.

In a little less than four weeks I am going on a beach vacation, where I plan to pig out and drink a lot.

But I would like to start out the vacation back to my healthy self, enjoy my week and get right back into a healthy living routine.

The BART strike is over (at least for 30 days), work is still busy and hectic. But today I got back to healthy eating.

I stayed at work later than normal tonight, which meant I missed my regular 5:30 p.m. body conditioning class.

But I … Continue reading

Training, travel and all that comes with it

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As I am writing this I am sitting at a restaurant at the Oakland airport waiting for my flight to Dallas.

I am attending the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting. The past two years I have attended the Trademark Administrator’s Conference. But because they are revamping that conference/training there is not one this year. So I decided to attend the annual meeting.

This is a great learning opportunity for me along with networking. Tomorrow and Sunday I am attending all day training on international trademark law, which is something I really want to focus on and understand better.

(Have I ever mentioned my occupation? I am a patent and trademark paralegal at a biotech. Feel free to check out Onyx Pharmaceuticals. And yes, if you are confused, I did get a degree in journalism and worked in newspapers for seven years. )

There are some sessions Monday through Wednesday that interest me along with networking and meeting up with a friend or two along with lots of parties. AND I am in Texas, so you know I am gonna get some barbecue.

For the next week and a half I have given myself permission to eat and drink … Continue reading

Long weekend for me

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As I have posted lately that lots of changes are going on in my life right now, especially at work. And frankly, I am having a hard time dealing with them.

I am finding myself more emotional than normal, exhausted, deflated …

Last Monday I decided it would be a good idea for me to take Friday off from work.

That night Curt and I were chatting and decided to head to Monterey over the past weekend to watch our good family friend Tag play golf at Pebble Beach. Beautiful golf course, sun and sometimes an occasional adult beverage to carry around and sip.

Friday morning I headed to the gym, showered, walked to Peet’s for coffee and oatmeal and sat down and utilized the free wi-fi for a bit to work on some blog posts, including this one. I ran some errands and did some stuff just for me. I did some shopping, got a mani/pedi and was a lady who lunches, which is my dream job.

My spare time lately is quite limited and I don’t want to spend most of it running errands, cleaning the house, paying bills, etc., which seems to be the norm lately. I … Continue reading

Being OK with change while taking care of No. 1

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You may have noticed that my posts are not as frequent lately.

It’s not that I don’t want to share my wealth of research with you or that I don’t want to share the posts I already have written and I just need to hit the publish button or that I don’t still love writing for Go Fit Girl! That is all still true.

There are some big changes happening at work and in my life. And it is taking an emotional drain on me, besides the regular silly things that happen in life …

When stressed I normally ditch the exercise and go nuts with the food and alcohol intake. I am really focusing on my health right now.

So the regular gym classes and yoga classes are being attended. I am tracking my food and trying to avoid alcohol during the week, even though a beer, glass of wine or swig of marshmallow vodka sounds good most evenings.

And a big part of health is mental health. And I am doing the best I can to keep myself level and balanced. I try to remember the things to be appreciative of to not take things for granted.

Some … Continue reading