I'm going to admit something this morning: I've been really bored at the gym lately. It began before we went on our trip and didn't skip a beat when we got back. I was hoping a week away would re-energize me, but that didn't seem to work. My problem is that I've been so limited in what I've been doing over the past 3 months (yes, 3!) that it's getting really old. While my heel injury continues to improve, the pain is still determining what I can do physically, which means I still haven't run!! All I really want to do is go outside and run, but I haven't even ran on a treadmill yet.
The stationary bike is getting old. I'd love to take a class, but cardio is out of the question and the yoga teachers at my gym aren't that great.. I decided last week to try the row machine one day for a few minutes to try it out. It wasn't bad; my biggest complaint is that there aren't TVs for the machines so your eyes end up wandering. I also need to figure out how the computer works so I get the most out of it. I wasn't sure if it would bother my foot, but yesterday I tried the StairMaster. That wasn't bad either! Since I don't put pressure on my heel, it seems to be okay. I did 20 minutes after my hr on the bike both yesterday and today. It really works up a sweat! I may try the Stairmill one of these days soon if one is free. I'm also trying to add a few different strength training moves into the mix, focusing a bit more on my legs. Perhaps strengthening those muscles will create more support for my foot.
It's not uncommon to hit a plateau or to get bored when following an exercise routine. A key part of staying fit, challenging your body, and staying present in your workouts is mixing it up often. Usually that can be pretty easy - try a new class, try running (or run a new route), try a new cardio machine, start jumping rope, workout with a friend. Unfortunately, having an injury limits what I can do, but I'm finding a few things and will get that spark back! And hopefully, sooner than later, I'll get to start running again!
On another note, I made dinner last night for Woody and me. Nothing too special but these green and wax beans I bought at the farmers market are amazing! I mean, seriously amazing. I spray a skillet with a bit of olive oil spray, throw the beans in, add a few cranks of fresh pepper and cook for about 10 minutes on low-med heat and they are crunchy and delicious! I also baked chicken with Cherry Republic's Southern Rub Cherry BBQ Sauce and made a light slaw using TJ's broccoli slaw as the base and adding shreds of zucchini, yellow squash, dried cherries, and a dressing of lemon juice, evoo, pepper and a dash of salt (the dressing was a bit off, but I think it can be remedied for the leftovers). The chicken was really delicious. The sauce was great and it was cooked just right. Oh, and we had pears, too. Here's a picture of my plate - Woody's piece of chicken was a bit larger! One thing I've learned cooking for him, is that he needs more calories than I do, so I have to make sure his portions are a bit larger than mine. Oh, the joys of learning to cook for a guy!
How do you liven up your workout routine when you start to get bored?
************
workout stats -
13miles bike
20minutes StairMaster
3x10 tricep extension
3x10 tricep kickback
3x10 single leg cable pull standing crunch
100 crunches
stretching
