I Shaved This Morning

No, I didn't shave my legs. I hate shaving and will avoid it at all costs. Since it is winter and some days cold and some not, I will err on the side of caution for the extra layer of warmth. BUT, what did I shave you ask? Well, I will tell you. I shaved a minute and a half off of my walking time with NO RUNNING involved! That's right! A whole minute and a half. Now, I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but it is! I just did one simple thing: I pumped my arms faster when I was walking. When you walk, as you well know, your left arm will move forward as your right leg is moving forward. So, I just pumped the arms faster. Aaaaah sweet victory!!! I may make my 10 minute mile by New Year's! That would be a fantastic way to start 2012. Still no interval exercises. I am not sure what is holding me back from doing them after my walks. Maybe I am just so pooped after. Or maybe I am still a bit lazy. But, I am going to make a concentrated effort to add them AFTER Thanksgiving, which happens to be my favorite eating holiday! So, I will probably NEED to add them after. hahahahaha
A little story about why I am amping up the workouts.............
I have a cousin, Sherry. I love her, I truly do. Things haven't always been great in her life, most due to her own doing but some things were beyond her control. Regardless, she is family and loved unconditionally. Well, sometimes she says things that aren't very nice. Some of the time this isn't due to what she says but how she says it. So, I started exercising again around the same time she started going to my brother in law for personal training. One day we were in the kitchen and (this was before I did walking) I was telling her about the brutal torture of interval exercises I put myself through and how I can sooooo feel it in my thighs. Thinking we could exchange pity parties about our exercise regimes.............Well, she was like "this is different. We change it up and it isn't like watching the same video every day." I told her I didn't do that. There are routines to do but you can take the individual exercises and make your own routine. Well, she said, "He has us using the medicine ball with the handle." I said well, there are exercises on this web page (Body Rock) that do use one. I just don't have one. Then she was like, "Well, the treadmill........" I cut her off and said interval exercises give you the cardio. Ok, no biggie. Meh, whatever! So, a couple of weeks go by. There is a man in the neighborhood who some days is standing out in his yard in the dark and he just watches me. Doesn't say good morning when I say it or wave or anything. He just stares. It has creeped me out to the point I am thinking about getting some pepper spray. Yeah, big time creeped out. So, I was telling her about this. I mean, it really does scare me. Did she show concern? Oh no. She proceeded to say "So, I guess this means you're going to quit walking now". My answer: "Un, no. This means I am going to get pepper spray. Why would I quit walking in the mornings?". Sherry: "I don't know." Yeah, this ticked me off royally!!!! Again, not what she said but how she said it. It is hard to convey in writing (typing) how something was said. But, believe me, I am one to give people the benefit of the doubt. So, if something bothers me this much, it was said in a not nice way. Anywho, it made me mad enough I felt a gauntlet was thrown down. Challenge accepted! So, it is my personal mission to not only get in shape but do it better and faster than her. Just to show her that you do NOT need personal training to get it done. I do NOT need to follow someone else's exercise and eating plan in order to do this. AND, just to throw it in her face. She has much more weight to lose than I do. Mine is more of a lose 20 pounds and get parts that jiggle when they shouldn't firm. I know this is a little vindictive but hey, I'm not perfect. So, this is my motivation. THIS is what helped me shave off that extra time this morning. THIS (among other things, of course) is what is getting me up before 5 am and going out no matter the weather and sweat my butt off!!!!!!
Eating: So far today I have only had my coffee. I keep some stuff at work so if I don't get a chance before I have to be at work, I can just eat there. I have some soup for lunch and to snack. I have some oatmeal, granola and some Greek yogurt at work as well. Oh, and grapefruit. So, that should get me through my work day.
Speaking of that, time to get up off my booty and get there!!!!
So, before I go, I will leave you with this: Find your motivation. No matter what it is, find it and use it when you workout! Think about it all the time. Think about it when you want to put something in your mouth you KNOW you will regret eating. BUT if you do happen to go off the wagon for one meal, do NOT let it keep you down. Just start again the next meal.