Summa Time

First Daily Challenge: Push ups to failure

Let's talk about what excites me THIS week.  And what will be my fitness focus for the next 30 days.  I am heading up my first ever KickOffSummer Challenge, where not only am I overzealous and nagging, but everyone loves me for it!  That's my kinda group.

So what we're doing is this: getting fit.  Simple, right? Everyone can get fit. (Don't offer me any excuses.  I believe we've already covered just how I feel about excuses.) It is simple.  They decided. They've committed.  And now they're going to succeed. 

Every day, I am offering up strength moves, stretches, fit tips, mini challenges, snack suggestions, recipes...It's like a fitness smorgasboard with me as master chef.  HEAVEN.  If they complete the challenges, make the recipes, eat the snacks...they get points!  Gold stars, even!  (Well, it's all virtual, but I can say, "Hey! Great job! You get a gold star!" and they can get all happy and offer CHF's - Cyber High Fives - to the rest of the group.  Very motivating.)  And if they don't...well...I may have to get all drill sergeant-y on their asses.  Because my group is NOT for quitters.  (You're all listening, right?)

And already - SUCCESS!  We have total workout virgins all the way to workout...veterans...Anyway...we have all levels!  So there's lots of trading of ideas and advice and "this really worked for me."  Plus, those that recently started their ChaLEAN Extreme and P90X programs are already showing incredible progress.  Their pants are falling off, their arms are sore.  Stuff of beauty!  This is the sort of news that really gets my blood pumping these days.  And gets ME offa my bum and pressin' play.  I have heard it said that when a student surpasses the teacher, that is the teacher's greatest accomplishment.  Well, maybe when I'm 60 and I'm coaching a 20-year-old.  For now, I wanna be the alpha exerciser.  So I'm back to my routine FULL FORCE and joining in on all the mini challenges.  I may have to start charging for the gun show I got goin' on...

PLUS - I am that much MORE EXCITED about my NEXT challenge group beginning in July!  I'm lookin' to get insane in the membrane and crack that whip even harder.  Soooo...who's up for a CHALLENGE????  The weak need not apply...

MUAHAHAHAHAHA.

The Rest Of It

      

Yes, it's true.  I very much enjoy kicking ass on a daily basis, sometimes powering through two or more workouts in a single day.  I am very awesome that way, but there are times when my body is not.  On those days, I suck it up and rest my weary muscles.

Resting does not mean I am curled in bed with a box from Chocolate Lab, watching Fashion Police and The Daily Show...necessarily.  There are days like that, too, but I feel I earn them because I spend so many of my days kicking ass.  In general, resting means I don't do a formal workout.  I (yawn) scour the house; I (yay!) strap the babe into a stroller and stroll; I (even better!) wander the mall and salivate over fashions I can't afford.  I'm still moving, just not at quite so an accelrated rate.  Sometimes (not as often as I should), I stretch or do calming yoga, which makes my brain happy, because it can then shut up about not working out.  Because, folks, let's face it: no matter how often or how hard I exercise, I always have a some whiney little guilt in the deep dark areas of my Type A brain when I take a full rest day.  I've learned to accept it and bitch slap it every now and then when it gets too loud, but it never completely leaves.  Like me, it's not a quitter.

I do enjoy soaking up a little extra reading time on rest days.  And yes, catching up on the DVR list.  And this summer, there will be hours spent lounging poolside...if the babe agrees to nap at any point...BUT...one day is enough for me.  I need to sweat.  I need to kick and punch and lift.  I need to get back to kicking ass.