Week 2: Freeletics Improvements Already!

I've been slacking on the blog, but posting on Twitter.  Improvements already!  I can't believe it....

Day 2 of Week 1: So sore after first day, break yesterday, workout today. Did fine once I began. Improvements already. Stickin' to it!

Day 3 of Week 1: Little by little. One of these days I'll do a sit-up...and it's going to shock the crap out of me when it happens. :)

Day 1 of Week 2: Nearing full sit-up. Mid-back came off the floor 6 times!!!...then back to crunches. Good squats and push-ups too! :)

Day 2 of Week 2:  I did SEVEN REAL sit-ups tonight! WOO!!!...then 136 crunches.  :)  Not bad for a bit over a week of working at this.  :D

I can hardly believe I achieved 7 sit-ups after just over a week of this program. I guess all this kicking butt is bound to have such rapid pay-offs. I am astounded at how much my body has been able to do here in the beginning. And there's more to come! Already noticing a flattening of the round belly that's gradually developed over my past couple years of having a desk job. I'm doing very well with push-ups too, even though I still have to modify them with bended knees. Squats...I'm just impressed I can do so many, and now I'm able to do them without modifying how low I go.

This is awesome. There's no stopping me! :)

Freeletics - Day 1 of 15 weeks

So, I've begun a 15 week challenge called Freeletics.  Starting today, I will be doing an intensive bodyweight-only workout 4 times a week.  Today was Day 1.  I am exhausted and I feel like I suck.  I could've sworn I had more strength than I do, especially in the abs.  I guess not, since I couldn't do more than 5 push-ups and couldn't do a single sit-up.  The first 4 weeks of this workout has me doing burpees, which look great when you're able to do them...but I cannot right now.  I had to take a lot of pauses and drink water.  I was drenched with sweat and I had trouble at times getting myself to keep going.  BUT, even though I had to modify my sit-ups and burpees, I did ALL the repetitions required in the workout.  I should be proud of that.

Another thing I noticed was that throughout this entire workout, my ankles were not swollen at all.  Because they are flat, and one of them is partially fused, I'm used to them being swollen to some degree everyday.  So, to see that they were not swollen during a workout is very significant.  I'm hoping this is a sign that working out will improve my ankles.

After the workout, even though I was super tired, I had a lot of water, stretched my muscles, and did two rounds of my Tai Chi.  Oh, and I took a couple ibuprofen for what I knew was coming.  I feel like this "cool down" ritual would be important to ease the impact of what I'd just done.

Now to see how sore I am in the morning....oh and to take a photo of myself so I have something to compare to later on.

In the meantime, I'll have this guy's video to keep me motivated...




QUICK FOLLOW-UP: It's the next morning and I had feared this exercising would give me more struggle with upper body tension than I already experience.  I'm surprised to say I woke up feeling more relaxed than I have been.  Well, I guess I have nothing to lose then!  :)

And I'm Back!

Ok...definitely fell off the blog wagon.  Life happened all at once with intensity, with all the laughing, crying, wanting to be dying drama.  But, I survived, dusted myself off, life is going on and I'm more determined than ever to keep living it well.  I'm drawing again (even when I'm depressed), I'm doing Tai Chi again (more on this miracle later!), I'm finally teaching myself drums, I'm even starting a 15 week strength/endurance workout to get in shape again.  (I may be skinny, but I'm so not in shape.)  Also, I have fully accepted my depression and am not ashamed to tell people that it's a part of my life.  I'm learning to work through it and be patient with it, and as I said I'm beginning to draw it.  I feel this is the beginning of a new phase revealing the potential I've known has always been in me.  Here goes.