At the beginning of the year, I made a small resolution to try and get up earlier at least one day a week to get a workout completed in order to make the rest of my day's schedule easier. Phil and I started going to a Bootcamp class at 5:30 am on Friday mornings, at a YMCA 21 minutes away from our home, which meant we were waking up at 4:45am.
Now I'm the girl whose alarm goes off at 7:01 and needs to walk out the door by 7:20 latest in order to drop off the kids to school and then get to work on time, so this was quite the accomplishment. Every Friday, we would feel so empowered to have done the class, and then so exhausted by 3pm which made Friday nights a lot less fun. So I'm not sure if we will go back to the class in the future (though it's a great one!) but those six weeks did inspire us to wake up earlier on other mornings to get a workout in.
Since it's dark and freezing on these New England winter mornings, I was looking for an indoor workout we could follow from home, so as not to waste time driving to the gym when we could be sleeping. Gosh I love sleep.
That's when I discovered Caroline Girvan's workout videos for free on YouTube. She's from Ireland and so incredibly strong (she uses 33 pound dumbbells!) and her routines are fire. She's not annoying, and only talks in the beginning to explain the workout for the day. The program we are doing is EPIC III which is 50 workouts meant to be done over 10 weeks. We skip the HIIT workout each week and go for a run instead, so we try to do 4 of her videos and 2 runs and an active rest day each week. We did have to buy some
heavier dumbbells,
bands, and
yoga blocks (we already had
mats) but that's all you need.
I honestly wish I had been doing these at home morning workouts all during the kids' fall and winter sports seasons, because the afternoon goes so much smoother when we only have to coordinate their schedules, and not also fit in when we need to workout. I just honestly thought I could never be a morning person. And while I don't love waking up early, I certainly love being done and showered by 7:01am instead of just waking up by that point. I guess you can teach this old dog a new trick.
Wednesday, February 21:
EPIC III - Day 7 before work
4 mile walk with dog after a shorter work day
Thursday, February 22:
1 mile walk with dog before work
3 mile walk at lunch
4 mile run after work + 3/4 mile walk cooldown with dog and littles
Friday, February 23:
Day off from work!
EPIC III - Day 8 (Triceps were sore for daysssss after this one) + 2 mile walk with dog
Saturday, February 24:
6 mile run + 1 mile walk cooldown with dog and littles
Funny story - When we finished our run, I proudly showed Phil my Move Calories because running burns so many, which were Six Hundred Sixty-Six (I don't want to type those numbers!!) and I said:
"This is why running is.."
and he cuts in and says "From the devil".
"...so good for us, is what I was going to say".
Sunday, February 25:
EPIC III - Day 9 + 4 mile walk with dog
Monday, February 26:
3 mile walk at lunch
1 mile walk after work with dog
EPIC III - Day 11 at night (with Declan and Brendan joining in!)
Tuesday, February 27:
3 mile walk at lunch
EPIC III - Day 12 at night (will go back to mornings, but I've been a bit under the weather this week and needed more sleep).
How about you? Any good workouts this week?
Good for you for getting up early and changing your workout habits! I keep telling myself I will do this but haven't gotten around to it. I also love sleep!
ReplyDeleteLOL to your husband's "running is from the devil" comment.
Everyone seems to love CG so much! I have tried a few of her workouts and just can't get into it. I guess I find her too quiet! LOL. But I have serious FOMO when other people are doing something so maybe I will give her another try.
My favorite workout this week so far has been this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXGVYW5ZJ8o
I used to do Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, where she basically couldn't stop talking and commenting on the other ladies in the video, it was cringe. Same with P90X...less cringey but still so much talking. It was fine for the first time I used the video, but I just couldn't take it every time! I do wish I could play my own music instead of hers, but I'm afraid I wouldn't hear the beeps to know when to switch moves. I should try that though, or maybe listen to a book or podcast. I also like how she does the whole workout with you, and sometimes needs to take a break - very relatable :)
DeleteOh and my husband thinks she's "too smiley" so I know she's not for everyone!
DeleteOh I am an early workout girl! I get up at 4 AM - now it has not gotten easier,especially, to your point in the winter, LOL. But I just love the quiet, the empty gym, no one on the roads, and feeling like I can conquer the day like I conquered my workout. I'd get more of my fave, sleep, if I worked out in evenings but I just don't have it in me after a long day!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed!! On the days I can't get it done in the morning now, it does seem so much harder to make myself exercise in the evening. So crazy that evening exercise was my norm for so long!
DeleteI am not a morning person and I am not a sweat-liking person. I find the CG things soooo long! I want something 30 minutes or less.
ReplyDeletePhil's comment is on point.
I did a 10-minute weights workout two days ago and I am in AGONY today. But in happier news I continue on with daily yoga and am LOVING that. I actually did two (shortish) videos today.
Maybe when you get to be middle-aged, you too will have some weird switch turn on that makes you try mornings!! I don't know, it's weird. Phil always has lots of snarky fitness comments, you'd think the guy hates to workout ;)
Delete