I really did hurt. Still do.

I didn't get up yesterday to get the gym.  My sons were in bed with me, climbing all over me and wanting to snuggle, and I was too sore and tired to get out of bed.  So ... yeah.

Sitting in classes all day was rough -- the longer I sat, the worse I hurt.  I did walk around the building on my lunch break and felt a little better.  I would have gone twice but it was getting cold and raining and my hoodie has mysteriously disappeared (probably into the teen's room).  But I had 3-1/2 hours of lecture left after that ... plus driving ... I got very sore again.  Took another Epsom salt bath, which was interrupted when the fighting children woke up the sleeping baby.

I was still sore when we got up this morning, but I went to the gym anyway.  Moving and lifting again helped me feel less sore, which I knew would be the case but it's hard to make yourself do it when you are in recovery.

It's interesting ... I know if I'd been more consistent the last few months, I would be seeing more/better results.  There's a lot of mind game stuff going on when you are on a journey to change your life.  Part of me still expects that after a good workout, I should have lost 10-15 pounds or something.  Logically, I know that's not how this works.  But part of my brain says, "Boo!  Go eat all the chocolate!"

Today, I'm just glad that, even though I can't quite lift what I was doing last fall, I can still lift a lot more than I could when I started out last spring.  I know eventually my body will get used to doing this again.  Last spring/summer, it only took a few weeks to get to the point where I didn't hurt after a workout anymore, even when I pushed like I did Tuesday.  I'm hoping it is soon!

I am going to hurt tomorrow.

After several months of not consistently working out or lifting weights, basically only doing some cardio and not even regularly, I made it back to the gym today.  (That's 2 days in a row; I can't remember the last time I did that.)  And today, I lifted.  Not as heavy as I'd been lifting before, but heavy enough.

Except, it wasn't enough.

I kept pushing and adding weights until I realized I have to walk tomorrow and deal with school and tiny desks and giant backpacks and homework and ... yeah ... um.  Dumb.

I did stop way before I hit my personal records for weights, and I'm sure it looked like I was wimping out.  But man, I was feeling it before I hobbled out of the gym.  I'm feeling it more now, even after an epsom salt bath.  But it is a good hurt!

Here's the thing:  I don't really get a runner's high from cardio.  I realized today, I get high from lifting.  I LOVE IT.  Add more weight, do another set, keep going.  It is what I enjoy the most when it comes to formal exercise.

I hope I get some sleep tonight so I can be at the gym at 5 tomorrow to do HIIT again before classes.

Speaking of classes ... I need to find a play to watch this weekend.  *bad word*  Since our whole family was sick, I missed opportune moments and have a paper due next week for my theater class.  Wheee.  I also have 3 exams next week, so that's going to be way too much fun!  There's a meme going around facebook about how every week feels like finals week in nursing school.  It's more like every other week at this point, but I'm only on week 6 or 7 ... so ... we'll see how things pan out.

Must get some rest tonight.

Happy Monday!

No school today.  We're all thrilled with that fact!

I told The Rock yesterday that I absolutely have to make some big changes because I am tired of being tired and fat and in pain.  He, like always, said, "I support you in that."  But sometimes, the follow through and helping with the kids doesn't compute.  

So last night before bed, he asked what time I wanted to go to the gym today.  "um, 6-ish."  He said that was a good idea, since we don't have school.  It would let me sleep in a little bit.  Then he also said, "Hey, I can take the kids to school on Tuesday and Thursday so you can go to the gym during that time."  Which is what we USED to do, but this term things changed, so I haven't been able to.  Well.  About 4-ish Little Mister climbed in bed with me because he had a bad dream, and ... that was that.  I didn't get out to the gym.

Instead of getting grouchy or mad about it, I just decided to go later.  When The Rock saw the boy in the bed, he said, "I know you're not going right now.  Please make sure you go later, OK?"  Heck yeah, thanks for supporting me for real!

So I really did get to the gym.

I'm still doing baby steps to get to where I want to be as far as conditioning, strength, and endurance go.  Eventually, I'd like to be able to run 5 miles nonstop.  I'm not sure I'm crazy enough to do a marathon or an ultra like my cousin ... So I did HIIT today -- five 1-minute runs, walking 2 minutes in between.  I am energized but also tired, and the fatigue in my body is different than the pains I get when I'm more sedentary.

Today, I'm going to plan my lifting for tomorrow, and I will be at the gym at 8 in the morning.  I just have to buckle down and do it.  End of story.