Whoops we missed yesterday’s post so we are going to do both days 8 and 9 here today.
One of the hardest things is staying consistent, and quite frankly not getting bored with what you are doing. In the beginning this is all new and fun and you will be pretty good for a few days or even a few weeks. Then the novelty starts to wear out and you miss a day here or there, and suddenly it isn’t a part of your day. Our aim here is to embed this into a daily routine you just do….without thinking about it.
Quite frankly going to the gym 5 (6 or 7) days a week is pretty boring (at least for some of us 😅). Many people hate it, even if you are doing different classes. Suddenly it becomes a chore and you may look for reasons not to do it.
Saying that however some people religiously go to the gym and go to classes, and they have been doing so for months and years……but by no means are we saying this is right or wrong. You have to find that sweet spot and what works well for you.
For us as a team we personally need to mix it up. We work on the beach so we have a great opportunity to use the outdoors and everything it has to offer.
This includes:
- Beach running. This is quite hard and not for the faint hearted. The sand will provide significant resistance and will not be stable requiring greater stability through your feet, knees and hips. Many people that do not regularly do sand running wake up with sore feet and knees. If you are going to do this do it gradually and work up your strength
- Workout outside (equipment free). In our case we are able to do it at the park or in-front of the ocean on the sand
- Playing a sport such as tennis. Tennis will test your dynamic movement and is great cardio. Football and ultimate frisbee are other popular sports here down under… as is rugby league, union, cricket…..and so many more!
- Swimming and running – Many of us do this anyway. Great for endurance and cardiovascular development
- Yoga and pilates – different form of strength and stability training
GM Report. How has Ro been doing?
The last couple of days have been a mix of up and down and it has been a challenge to stay consistent.
Yesterday I felt flat and the last thing I wanted to do was exercise, especially anything of high intensity. It was important for me to think about doing something different.
- Pilates in my living room. Man some of these exercises look so easy but reality is they are bloody hard and I have no idea how these people do it with such ease. I have tight everything…..so getting into these positions is a real mission. Saying that however, pilates and yoga are great forms of exercise and really work and stretch the muscles. No matter how silly you think you look keep at it, as it will get easier and is extremely rewarding. The benefits for me have been that my stride is improved significantly due to looser hips and hamstrings. This has allowed me to run more pain free – post my surgery 12 months ago.
- Tennis with my partner in the latter parts of the afternoon more than anything was just fun. The additional benefit is I got some exercise and got to test my dynamic movement, all without having to think about it
- Today I had a heavy legs session – squats, bulgarians, lunges
Subsequent to my weights session I was back outdoors in the sunshine doing some speed work. This consisted of fast run throughs with rapid change of direction. This type of work is dynamic and really helps with stretching the fascia. Taking care of your fascia is so important in terms of developing and maintaining that ‘spring’. An important story for another day 😀
This is necessary for me to test the graft in my knee that is holding all my ligaments together 😂😂. So far so good!
All in all two pretty solid days of exercise, but all quite different so I don’t feel like any of it was a chore or difficult….I just did it and got on with it.
Fuel?
I haven’t been so good with the calorie consumption to match my exercise. It is important that you eat commensurate with your activity. Otherwise you run a risk of becoming tired and then binge eating later in the day. Contrary to belief calorie deficit can be harmful…impacting and slowing your metabolism, because your body isn’t getting enough fuel to cover your basic day to day functions. Calorie deficit whilst impacting your fat stores and theoretically you will lose weight….you are also impacting your muscle mass and ability for you to improve strength and endurance. Not to mention all the other health issues you will realise if you are in severe calorie deficit.
Long and short of it I need to practice what the Team preaches, ensuring my calories in match my day to day activity – full of good fresh foods and nutrients to ensure I am getting the proteins, carbs and fats that I need.
Happy training….Find your Titan and keep on fighting. PS – Thanks for your those of you that has messaged in with your own personal challenges. Great to see and keep up the good work.
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