I don't know about you, but I am incredibly ADD at the gym. I cannot handle doing one task for a long time and I end up getting frustrated and bored and then usually leave the gym before I finish my intended workout. But last week, my favorite spin instructor told our class that interval training is not only one of the best things you can do for your body, but also one of the best ways to lose weight.
After she mentioned this to us, I spent some time reading different bloggers and other information that I could find and everything supported this notion. Intervals burn more fat and are great for your body.
Here is my favorite interval workout:
AG Interval FUN
Time: 40 minutes
Machine: Treadmill
Minutes 1-3: Walk at 3.5mph, taking long strides to stretch legs
Minutes 3-5: Run at 6.5mph for to get heart rate up
Minutes 5-5:45: SPRINT at 8.2mph*
Minutes 5:45-7: Walk fast at 4mph
Minutes 5-15: REPEAT INTERVAL!
Minutes 15-16: Walk at 3.5mph
Minutes 16-21: Walk at 4mph on 15% incline
Minutes 21-23: Walk at 4mph without an incline
Minutes 23-30: REPEAT INTERVAL!
Minutes 30-32: Walk at 4mph
Minutes 32-34: Run at 6mph at 9% incline
Minutes 34-36: Walk at 4mph
Minutes 36-38: Run at 6mph at 9% incline
Minutes 38-40: Walk at 3.5 and COOL DOWN
I have this printed out and keep it on the treadmill with me. It is the perfect workout if you're looking to shed some pounds and speed up a workout. This is 10x LESS painless than running at a constant pace for 40 minutes.
Quick note: Go at your own pace. When I started committing a lot of time toward my health this past January, I was doing this much slower. My warm up run was around 5.7mph depending on the day and my sprint was 7mph. Do what feels right and watch yourself get stronger and faster.
Remember that time that my life was insane and I didn't have time to blog? Me too. It was last week.
I've ended my week-long craziness with a relaxing weekend weekend 1-credit class for my Master's program. Gag me. I've been in class starting at 9am, which means I didn't get any time to catch up on sleep this weekend, but there is free coffee so I'm staying positive.
We got let out pretty early for lunch so I enjoyed the rest of my quinoa (from last week!) and an apple outside on the quad to soak up the beautiful weather. I really don't spend enough time outside. Must add to to-do list.
Zoning out in class has really allowed me to think about how I need to start dealing with crazy weeks. I know all it needs is planning, organization and lots of sleep...but somehow I never seem to get there.
But this week will be different:
Here's a blast from the past and my new mantra for the week.
Please watch this video. I like to think I'm best represented around 1:13.
I'm publicly stating that this week will be my PERFECT week. Here's what it entails:
1. Meal Planning
This is probably the thing I do the worst at. Meal planning helps me eat better and save money. I'm thinking about pre-making all of my lunches tonight and storing them in tupperware for easy access in the morning...but tupperware takes up more room than we have in our fridge. I'll update on this attempt later.
2. Getting Enough Sleep
Oh Lord. I do not sleep enough and I do not have good sleeping habits. Because I'm constantly stressed out, my brain doesn't turn off at night. In order to actually clear my mind of the 1,000 things going through it, I have to pre-occupy myself by watching something mindless on TV. Eventually, I will fall asleep but it takes longer because of the mental stimulation. To remedy this, I'm going to read a book EVERY night this week (right now I'm reading: A Place of Yes by Bethany Frankel (LOVE her). If I can't focus because my mind is racing, I'm putting a notebook next to my bed so I can transfer my thoughts to paper rather than laying awake worrying all night.
3. Completing Morning and Evening Routines
Why is this so hard? No one knows. I'm usually really good at completing my morning routine, but this week I'm adding 3 morning workouts. Oddly enough if I'm able to get up and get into the gym, the rest of the morning is seamless because I always have time to fit everything in (having a good breakfast, packing my lunch, getting coffee and tea, picking out clothes, making my bed). My evening routine falls to the wayside 75% of the time though. This week I resolve to do a 10-minute cleaning spree of my room, make a to-do list for the following day, put my clothes out for the morning and go through my hygienic routine (will post this later).
4. Being Productive
This is self-explanatory. I need to be productive at work so that I'm only at the office from 9-6. I need to be productive at home so I can tackle my post-work to-do list and have time for the rest of my evening and morning tasks. My lack of productivity is a major source for the lack of organization that leads to my stress. I will be productive. I will be productive. I will be productive.
5. Not Sweating the Small Stuff
My job is stressful. My family is stressful. My roommates are stressful. School is stressful and at times even my relationship is stressful. But there are things to worry about and things to dismiss. This week I'm going to keep the "Oprah" method in mind while facing obstacles in any of the previously stated areas. The Oprah method (which a good friend of mine learned from watching her show once) is thinking about problems in terms of the length of time they will matter. They are either day problems, week problems, month problems or year problems. Anything that won't be effecting me in a day or week, I will fix and move on.
This blog has been a long time coming, but I'm glad to say it's finally here.
Let's start with the name. When I started dating my boyfriend last summer, he told me once that he had to leave my house because he was "tiredroni". Since then, the addition of "roni" to emphasis words has worked it's way into my daily vocabulary.
Very mature, I know.
But when you find something that works, you stick with it.
I read a lot of different blogs. I want this one to be a combination of all of the things I read about. I want it to be a blog that i'd love to discover. I'm going to talk about fashion, food, fitness, friends and failure (ohhh so many F's). Those, to me, are the pretty things. Prettyroni. I'll loosely document my work life and my love life. Finally, I'm going to write about the every day stuff that happens in the life of a 20-something and how much red wine I have to drink in order to get through it.
So, here's a toast. To you, to me, to this blog. I hope that you'll join me.
Here's to you, here's to me.
Friends forever we shall be.
If we ever disagree, then f$*% you...and here's to me.
;-)
axoxo,
-A
P.S. My name is not PAUL. It's a line from RENT and I just couldn't shake it. Just run with it.
