New 52 | Week 4: Fitness Calendar

This week I created a new fitness calendar in Google Calendar to help me get back to consistent exercising. It's been a long time since I've had a consistent training schedule. Training for what, you ask? Well, nothing as of now. That was my problem. In 2009 I joined West Coast Road Runners and trained for the Rock N Roll Seattle Half Marathon. In 2010 I continued running with WCRR and trained for the Rock N Roll San Diego Half Marathon. After that my right leg was injured and I had no consistent exercise schedule.  Now after weeks of physical therapy, I am finally on the mend and getting back into the swing of exercising.

I had a few goals in mind when I devised this 12-week schedule.  (I will be evaluating after 12 weeks to see whether to continue with schedule or make up a new one.)

• I wanted my activities to be varied.  Running was great, but too much running hurt my leg and I neglected other fitness goals that are good for me.  Varied activities will prevent boredom and save my legs.
• I wanted to get back to regular morning exercise again.  I find that without a schedule, it's very easy for me to not set my alarm clock and just sleep until it's time to get up to go to work.  Morning exercising ensures that I get it done and helps me energy for the rest of the day.  It also works WAY better for showering schedule.  I hate showering twice in a day.  Having a set exercise schedule will hopefully force me to go to bed earlier too.
• The schedule incorporates doing the same exercise on the same day of the week, yet when I add up the week, I'm doing many different things, like yoga, rowing, running, swimming, weights, and gym class.  

Fridays are rest days.  I don't believe in exercising every day of the week.  Body needs rest to recover.

I am excited to give this schedule a try.  If I am feeling well with everything and I'm not injured by the end of the 12 weeks, I will consider signing up for a race.

You may have noticed that I did not start out the New Year with grandiose plans for improving EVERY aspect of my life.  Why not?  Because will power is limited.  (See this lifehacker article:  You've Got a Limited Supply of Willpower, so Use It Wisely.)  Lifehacker also has another great article about using a monthly approach on adopting new habits.  That's my plan for this year:  one project/thing a month to improve my life, while incorporating New 52. 

I wanted to provide some updates to my previous New 52's.

New 52 | Week 1:  Noodle Came Home - we are adapting to life with Noodle.  When he first came home, he was in a new environment and a little bit sick with a cold, so he was very snuggly and let me pet him and handle him whenever I wanted.  Now he is over his cold and used to his new house, so he is a rambunctious kitten who wants to play quite a bit.  When he gets into a playful mood, he likes to bite and scratch.  (Not vicious, just play.)  But we don't like it, so there are times when we just have to play with him without touching so he can get his energy spent.  This is an adjustment but we are learning about him everyday.  I think I had forgotten what having a kitten was like.  :p

New 52 | Week 2:  Swim Class - Swim class is progressing nicely.  With each class, I am able to swim further and stronger, with less breaks in between.  I'm learning and honing my swimming skills.  Tonight I get to swim in the 25 yard lanes.  I have three more classes left in this session and I really hope to be able to swim laps back and forth for an extended period (like 30 min) by then.  In my new fitness schedule, every Thursday morning is swimming.  This is a completely new thing for me, swimming for exercise!

New 52 | Week 3:  Weight Watchers - the first week I lost one pound.  I'm really happy with it, since I only want to lose 10 lbs.  This week my eating wasn't as good as last week, so we'll see how much I can lose, if any.  Mind you, this week I'm still eating within my points for the week, it's just that I ate more than last week.  Keeping track of food is now a habit.

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About This Project

New52 is a project started by Peppermint and I to encourage each other and others around us to try something new every week in 2011. The "new" each week doesn't have to be something big. It could be something as simple as ordering a new dish instead of old standbys at your favorite restaurant. It's simply opening your heart up to NEW possibilities.

Don't worry if you're late getting started on joining in. It's totally OK if you miss a week here or there. We encourage everyone to keep an open mind about trying something new. This is a life project, and a photography/blog and even scrap challenge if you wish. If you participate this week, please leave a link to your blog post in the link list below. You can also post images to our New 52 Flickr Group! We would love to see what you were inspired to do.