2013 Fitness Goals

Please disregard the fact that it is February 4th and I am just now laying out my fitness goals for the new year. In my defense, I had to wait at least 6 weeks after my c-section before I could start exercising again so I decided to take the time over the past two months to figure out what my goals would be. Also I procrastinate, a lot….so there’s that.

The gym: I canceled my gym membership in my second trimester when I realized I hadn’t gone in several months. I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to continue using the gym I was at because it didn’t have child care and it’s not anywhere near work or home. I had plans to join the pricier gym near my house because it has child care options and it’s really nice. But,  I struggled to make it to the gym pre-baby, I realistically know I’ll go  even less now that Zachary is here. My plan is to save the $50 a month I’d spend on a gym membership for other fitness related things like yoga classes and race registration fees.

Running: I’m going to fall in love with running again. Before law school I really got into running and I lost 30 pounds in 3 months, it was therapeutic and I loved it. I tried to continue running in law school and even trained for a marathon with a friend of mine. But, I never gave it the time or dedication I needed to and I ended up injuring myself and essentially giving up on it. I think the key here will be to start slowly and build from there. I plan on starting with the Couch to 5K program in a week or two. I’ve been eager to start but unfortunately I got a nasty heel spur when I was pregnant (I guess I shouldn’t have been wearing wedges and heels at 9 months pregnant, whoops) so I’ve been patiently waiting for it to heal. I used to be a treadmill runner but since I don’t plan on rejoining a gym anytime soon, I’ll be doing all of my running outside. I’m excited about this; I prefer running outside and I like the idea of building my pace naturally. Once I get into a routine I hope to get a gps watch so I can track my running stats more efficiently; I’m currently eyeing the Garmin Forerunner 10 (Hey Anthony, this would be a perfect Mother’s Day present… hint hint, cough cough). My goal is to run 2 to 3 times a week and in the long term work my way up to running the Tallahassee Half Marathon next February. In the mean time I’m going to work my way back to 5K shape and start signing up for some local 5Ks.

Yoga: I’ve taken a couple of yoga classes in the past but I’ve never practiced on a consistent basis. I always feel so strong and balanced after a yoga class and wonder why I don’t go more often. Then I remember how pricey it is. Now that I won’t be sinking money into a wasted gym membership, I won’t feel as guilty attending a weekly yoga class. I think yoga will help me strengthen my core and help relieve some of constant neck and back pain I’ve suffered from for the past 17 years thanks to a bad car accident and some undiagnosed scoliosis. I’m going to start with some intro classes and work my way up to hot yoga eventually. I’ve always wanted to take a hot yoga class so I’m pretty excited about this. I hope to attend a yoga class at least once a week for now and maybe increase this to two times a week as I settle into my schedule as a full time working mom.

Core: Having a baby destroys your core. Having a c-section destroys your core even more so. I didn’t notice a deterioration in my core strength during pregnancy but, I didn’t have much to begin with. However, after my c-section any semblance of core strength went out the window. Much to my horror, I realized the other day that I can’t even suck my stomach in. I’ve started doing some post-partum core strengthening exercises including joining Nathan’s PlankaDay challenge. I hope to continue daily core strengthening exercises.

Walks: During my pregnancy, Anthony and I walked the dogs a lot. I really hope to maintain this with Zachary in tow. He seems to like stroller walks so far. The dogs also love walks and they’ve been feeling pretty neglected these days.

Other: I’ve always struggled with upper body strength. I failed the presidential fitness test in 5th grade because I couldn’t do a single pull up or chin up. Since I’m not rejoining a gym anytime soon I plan on utilizing the myriad of exercise DVDs I’ve purchased over the years (after I dust them off that is) to work on improving both my upper and lower body strength. I’m hoping to get at least one session in a week and to keep it varied.

So there you have it, my 2013 fitness goals. I’ll be checking in regularly to recap how I’m doing with these goals among the other health related goals I’ve set for myself this year. Wish me luck!