Progress and Adjustments

 A little update:

So far I have remained (more or less) committed to my goals - and I am feeling great - both physically and mentally. Physically speaking: it was time. I had done very little exercise since becoming pregnant and, frankly, I no longer felt like myself. And it's about more than unused muscles and creeky joints - I just didn't feel right. 

I feel the need to choose my words quite carefully when writing about this stuff so as not to suggest that things like body weight and fitness are, or should be, universally-sought goals and aspirations. I want to be clear that, in this space, I am only talking about how I feel and about what makes me tick and feel more authentically me. 

Anyway, my progress towards all of my goals has been imperfect but steady and that's all I can ask of myself.

As stated, (for now) I am sticking almost exclusively to Peloton content. I have not been disappointed and figured I'd share some highlights:

1. I continue to prefer power zone workouts (w/Matt and Denis) on the Bike, though Wendy has prescribed me some fun "low impact" classes with Tunde, Robin, and Hannah C. that have been great and particularly motivational. 

2. The Cardio HIIT classes are incredible. I loved these types of classes at my former gym and I am enjoying these just as much. Classes with Jess Sims and Adrian have kicked my butt in the best kind of way.

3. On the Tread, I discovered hikes! (Thanks, Wendy). They are incredible! Hikes are basically walks on the Tread utilizing incline. Sounds simple and lame but they are anything but. Jess Sims' hikes are great (and hard!) - and a better workout than some runs I've done!

4. Hannah Corbin's barre, stretch, and foam rolling classes continue to be just so, so good. Good for me and, also, SO FUN! Hard but productive in the so many ways. Relaxing and affirming in even better ways.

Anyway, hit me up if you'd like any specific suggestions or recommendations.

Also, I bought a new (essential) toy for my Bike. If there is one, universal complaint about the Peloton Bike it is that it is not an awesome fit for short people. (And, as well all know, at 5'0" I am the shortest kind of short person). There is no adjustment that allows you to move the handlebars forward and back - you can only move them up and down (albeit at an angle). Well, I held off for a while, but Coach Wendy strongly encouraged that I get an aftermarket add-on called "The Adjuster." It costs a million dollars, but I highly recommend for fellow short Peloton riders who are able to find the cash. (I was able spread out my payments, which helps; I also bought it when they were having a sale). It really makes a big difference and it's hard for me to understand why Peloton hasn't either (1) added something similar to their Bike, or (2) cashed in on offering this ad-on. Whatever the case - Top Form Design, the company that makes the Adjuster is AMAZING and super accessible. So, I am happy to support them.

So, that's it, for now. It's cold. The snow is deep. It's still January. Not much else to report. However, posts always seems too dry and boring without a picture so, here is a black-and-white-filtered picture of my kiddo dunking on his basketball hoop. Be well, and get to it, friends.

Resolutioning

I hesitated to write this post - and, well, to partake in resolution-making (and sharing it). Pop culture tells me resolutions "don't work" and I so want to be too cool and above all of this. But one aspect of this journey for me (and by journey, I mean shift in my life's focus and purpose) is embracing being unabashedly me. There is so much hubbub out there telling us how to think and believe and be. And, frankly, I am tired of the noise. You can find a HuffPo article or Medium thought-piece that supports any whim, position, opinion, or view. But confirmation bias is weak, lazy, and a way of kidding oneself. So here's where I am at:

I love a new year! I love a new...anything. A new training plan. A new semester (fresh syllabus, fresh planner, new books!). A new home. New shoes. I like fresh starts. They feel really, really good and hopeful. And, if I look back at the many (many, many) restarts that I've had in my adult life, I think that, in the aggregate, they've helped me thrive. They've certainly made me who I am today. And the problem, for me, has been less about not "sticking with" things to keep the energy flowing and more about losing trust and belief in myself. The world - the noise - has intimidated or exhausted me and I've lost faith in the value of the work. And that's what I am trying to change.

I shared some of my current goals in my last post, but I'll bullet point some more concrete goals and intentions here:

1. Return to fitness/athletic competition participation
2. Address my physical health, including: nutrition, weight loss, and heart health
3. Address my mental health/overall wellness: be more consistent with self-care and mindfulness
4. A bunch of stuff related to parenting
5. A bunch of stuff related to my professional life and community service

Super original list, right? It could be a super-fascinating article in Cosmo. But I admitted up front that I was embracing clichés with my reboot. And I refuse to attempt to be overly deep and profound if it's not authentically me.

So, how am I tackling this realness? In a list, here is the "plan:"

• Peloton (cycling, running, strength, stretch, etc. - utilizing all of the content)
• Working with (fitness) coach
• Official running/other events TBA
• More walking, less sitting
• Eating less sugar
• Temporary eliminating alcohol
• Reducing alcohol overall
• Joining WW 
• Working with a therapist
• Working with a (life) coach
• Revisiting my mindfulness materials
• Less time on social media, TV (I love TV)
• Blogging
• Parenting stuff (snooze)
• Work and community service stuff (TBA)

To be honest, it feels a bit gooey and nauseating to share all of this. I am fully aware that there is nothing earth-shattering or notable here. But as I said up front: part of the work that I have been doing is realizing the power of vulnerability. (Yes, I love Brene Brown). 

So there you have it. My completely unoriginal but nonetheless accurate list of resolutions. 

I'd love for you to reach out if you have ideas, questions, encouragement, or similar challenges. And, if you decide to get on the Peloton wagon, let me know and I'll get you a referral code for a discount!

Happy 2022, y'all. 

 

Back again (again): Seeking accountability through vulnerability

Hi, Blog! It's been a minute. I had to re-learn how to use this darn thing - a lot has changed on Blogspot (apparently now "Blogger"?) since July of 2018! July of 2018 was really the end of me doing any purposeful fitness training or even planning. Well - that's not exactly true. I had planned to run 50K in San Francisco to celebrate my 40th birthday. I didn't train. And, fortunately (?) for me San Francisco was smoke-filled during our visit and the race my pals and I intended to do was cancelled. (As was nearly everything we'd planned to do during our visit). Alas, I had to celebrate the big 4-0 with incredible friends on a Napa/Sonoma winery tour instead of running a bunch of hilly miles on trails. 

San Fran for 40

Anyway. I am 43 now. And I have gained no significant fitness since traipsing through those wineries. And, any residual fitness I was able to hang on to for a spell has also disappeared. I am truly at "zero." I have some fairly legitimate excuses. Just before that 40th birthday trip + run that did not include a run I started my job as public defender in Minneapolis - a challenging job that had a steep learning curve. Fitness was just not part of my life at that time. Then, in January of 2019 I started trying to get pregnant (by myself, with an anonymous donor, using intrauterine insemination. It's called being a single mom by choice. SMC. It's a thing). This was an emotional and challenging journey that involved a lot of artificial hormones. Again, fitness was, for the most part, not a part of my life at that time. In August 2019 I was fortunate to get pregnant. Then, of course, I had to carry the damn fetus for 39 weeks and 2 days. During most of that time I went to bed around 7pm and ate a LOT of Dots candy and pie. Then my baby - Max - was born on April 19, 2020 in the midst of a statewide shutdown - Covid, of course - which made for an interesting hospital stay. And, well, now I have a 20 month old and we are back living on my hometown of Duluth, MN. 

There have been brief moments when I've tried to get back into the swing of things. Exhibits A and B are the Peloton bike and treadmill that I now own:

But I have struggled with consistency and commitment and I have been unhealthy, uncomfortable, out-of-shape, and grieving the loss of running and fitness in my life. 

I want it back. So, here I am. Trying again. And, as always, I have a plan. I am nothing if not a planner. And, of course, that plan includes Coach Wendy. It also includes Coach Wendy's best friend: Peloton. Wendy is a full-fledged member of the Cult of Peloton. And, like any compliant cult member, she dragged me in with her. I resisted, mightily. But, long story short - I gave in and I love it. I love the machines. I love the quality of the content. The classes are top notch and the App access is convenient and simple. Between Max, Covid, and just life, it'll be a long time before I join another gym. I've done a lot of videos and on-demand programs through the years, but the whole Peloton universe is just a great fit for me. I am now in the cult. You should join us - you'll love it here. 

Okay! So. Wendy has graciously* agreed to program workouts for me using all and only Peloton content. Why? Because it's fun. And that's the schtick. For cardio, I do workouts on the Tread and the Bike (I am a big fan of power zone rides). Sometimes I do classes and sometimes I use "just ride" or "just bike" so I can listen to my books and tunes. And then I am prescribed a smattering of strength, stretch, barre, yoga, meditation, etc. We "stack" those classes to give me complete workouts. Peloton instructors teach their classes live, but I do classes almost exclusively on-demand. While the competitive part of the Peloton experience is important for many, I have no interest in or focus on the infamous Leaderboard. 

*Okay, but for real: Wendy is a Peloton junky, remember? And she also likes coaching. So though I am exceptionally grateful that she is willing to put her time into doing this for me, I also know she loves doing it.

Here is a snip example of a week of my training: 

The thing I love is that I can program all of these workouts as a stack into my App, and then go seamlessly from one to the next without too much fussing around. Ain't tech grand?

So, here we go! The official start is January 2022. Because, what can I say: I joined the cult. I can't avoid clichés at this point, so I might as well go all in. 

For my fellow cult members, you can follow me at: SaraJane_Duluth. 

Wendy is: Midwest_Wendy. 

Currently, my fave instructors are: Matt W., Denis, Tunde, Jess S, Hannah C. 

And, honestly, I will appreciate any support, feedback, kudos, check-ins, ideas - whatever! I have avoided blogging for a long time because it felt attention-seeking and self-involved. Turns out what it really requires is that I embrace vulnerability in a way that gives me the accountability that I want, that I crave, and that I need.

Oh, and I do have one goal event on the calendar. More on that later.