Long Hair Don't Care : Workout Day 2

Dinner picture from last night, my hair is getting long!

Today was a HIIT cardio day, my new favorite since real leg days are no longer allowed to be a thing ( still looking into alternatives ). That feeling of dripping in sweat after a workout is all too satisfying. I felt a little sore/stiffness after yesterday's workout so that was nice 👌 

Moving on to today's workout which I took on to the sand! 

Warm up: 

1:00 butt kicks

1:00 toe touches

3:00 jogging

Workout:

Tabata style (:20 work, :10 rest --> for 4:00 minutes = 1 round) 1:00 rest between rounds

Sprint/ walk along beach

I did 4 rounds for 20:00 total and followed it with barefoot skips along the beach. And yep, sun was out so I came back to our cabin dripping in sweat. 

Currently sitting on the porch eating whole fat Greek yogurt with blueberries and granola, it's delicious bad packs in 20 grams of protein

 🍴😈

Day 1 of Vacation Workout

Here's a panorama of my workout location on the beach  ☺️ Today I did a calisthenics workout since I have no weights or equipment here other than my jump rope. Started it all off with meditating, good way to start ( or end ) any day! 

Warm up: jump rope ~5 minutes

Workout: squats 3 sets x max reps

Wall sits 2 x max

🐠🐠superset🐠🐠 3 sets x max

Walking lunges 

Side lunges

Curtesy lunges

Step ups

🐠🐠🐠

One leg calf raises 3 x max 

Push ups 2 x max

Incline push ups 2 x max

Decline push ups 2 x max

Super mans (torso raises) 2 x max

🐚🐚🐚triset🐚🐚🐚3 sets x max

V-ups

Bicycle crunches

Leg raises 

🐚🐚🐚 

I took what I could do here on vacation from a workout I found on bodybuilding.com which is a great resource for workouts, tips, lifts, etc. 

Reworking my blog!

Okay, I made a blog back in the day and really did have the intent to regularly use it. But at this point instead of putting more personal details and updates on here I am using it to focus more on fitness and health and etc. So for this post we'll go through a quick summary of background information on my experience with athletics and working out and then share links to what I am doing and find to be worth reading. There will probably still be the occasional personal post on here every once and a while.

Short summary: Back in the day, elementary school days, I played a lot of sports. Volleyball was my favorite. Thus I focused my athletic pursuits  on volleyball (personal trainers, private coaches, private elite clubs, elite camps..) Shitty high school politics sort of wrecked volleyball for me since I wasn't in the coach's inner circle so I quit after high school season during my junior year. From there I joined the speech team and by senior year I was competing on the debate, student congress, and speech teams. I had taken to distance running somewhere along these lines, had a stint with anorexia during my senior year. College came and I joined intramural volleyball and the mock trial team. I was working out semi-regularly in the midst of the normal stress of starting college. Was over my eating and body image issues for the most part. After freshmen year I got back into lifting and fell in love with it (who doesn't love seeing gains!? ;) ) Now we'll flash forward to about a week ago.

I met with my cardiologist (they discovered my heart deformity when I was about 12 or 13, bicuspid aortic valve if anyone wants to look that up) who told me that I had to stop heavy lifting. Obviously I was devastated, argued with her for a while, and am working on bitterly accepting that my lifting days are over. With that news I decided to revamp this blog and stop placing my passion for fitness behind closed doors. I had a private Instagram account for my fitness posts for almost a year now and then I decided I didn't care what all you people thought of them. I like that stuff, if you don't then don't pay attention to it. (I'm trying to be courteous of people by not posting my stuff all over Facebook...) ANYWAYS, despite this limitation I am looking to become a certified personal trainer (CPT) in the next 2-3 years to help pay for graduate school and because it's something I would like to do.

Given that it's almost 11:00 I'm keeping this part short and sweet since I plan to be up around 6:00 to workout on the beach! (Perks of being on vacation). The following link provides a tabata strength workout that is within my workout bounds: http://exercise.about.com/od/circuittrainingworkouts/l/bltabatastrength.htm
It only requires a timing mechanism, ~30 minutes, and some dumbbells!
Eating related, I attempted to make these and while I think I burned them, they still tasted good and are a good way to get protein! http://dailyburn.com/life/recipes/chocolate-banana-protein-pancakes/

Will be posting more workout ideas and eating ideas and health/fitness stuff with time. This week will be primarily workouts that can be done with minimal equipment since I'm on vacation and have minimal equipment. Feel free to comment or contact me if there is anything you would like to see or have questions about! (Keep in mind, I'm not a professional and would be merely giving advice as a friend).

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

I guess my first one is to actually update and utilize my blog. I mean I made it back in the day for that purpose, right? So in general, a lot of people all scoff at New Year's Resolutions, right? But I'll bet those exact people are all making resolutions themselves and just not admitting to anyone else so that they can continue to scoff. But to validate their perspective, I understand the cheesiness of new years resolutions. "NEW YEAR NEW ME!" Uh, really? I don't think that you're entirely new person because the year changed. But I can understand where people think "oh new year--> I could make some changes in my life this year." That logic I get.

Now I wouldn't exactly call what I'm doing "making new years resolutions" but refocusing on things. And those things are as follows:

--> Live up to my potential. You know, actually putting in the time and effort to be the best I can be. Whether that be in mock trial, leadership positions, classes, or within my majors (research, internships, additional scholarships). I hate looking back on things and wondering how they would have turned out if only I had given them my all.

--> Strengthening my relationships with people. There are a ton of great, fantastic, incredible, inspiring, caring people in my life. I really want to do more to let them all know how much I value having them in my life and having those people there for me when I need them. Maybe even you know, expressing more emotion to show it? Ha, the thought of that. I think my point is made though. Make more time for people essentially.

--> Learning to love myself. Not that I don't like myself or anything, but I could care for myself more. Learn more about who I am, what I value, what I want, instead of trying to fit to a mold of what I think all of those answers should be for me.

--> Be healthier. Which is probably the most popular new year's resolution but actually commit to my fitness and build a body that I like because I like it not because of some meaningless number on a scale that measures the effect of gravity on my mass.

Running Adventures in DC and Accompanying Deep Thoughts

      Currently I write this blog post while I sit in our hotel room during our last night in Baltimore. We've done a bit of hotel jumping during this trip, the past two nights we spent in the heart of DC which led to me indulging in morning runs on the National Mall for the two mornings that I could. (Basically all these boring trips are foundational to get to where I'm going with this). College gives you a lot more independence in general and with that I've had a lot of time to think about who I am as a person and who I want to be. Do I know much about either of those, not really. But I could tell you more about the latter than the former. Back to the DC bit, so morning one I woke up around sunrise to get my run in before going to watch mock trial rounds. I was determined to run down the National Mall and to the White House. Got a bit lost finding the National Mall, instead found the US Botanical Garden, then the National Mall, then got lost trying to find the White House and then eventually found the White House. Morning two went a lot better: Hotel --> National Mall --> White House. 

     One of the reasons I enjoy distance running (or my idea of distance....) is that for me it's time where I am all alone and how far and fast I run is solely dependent upon me and my mindset. I also tend to do a lot of the deep thinking while running. Now to elaborate upon all those, "I'm actually thinking about who I am" thoughts:
       I know precisely what  I want to be when I'm older but have no clue who as a person that is. Sure I have my morals and values and beliefs set in place but the emotional/personal side of me is where I have no idea who or what I am. The superficial: What one sort of style do I like? What sort of music is my main choice? Even trying to answer those I just feel all over the place. The deeper complexes in my mind: According to the Myers-Briggs test, I am very strongly a 'T' for thinking over a 'F' for feelings. Which I'm actually pretty proud of, I like the idea of being seen as unemotional and rational. I don't like the idea of being perceived as being dominated and controlled by my feelings. Nor do I typically like to display any form of them. But then I worry that despite what I want to be and want to be seen as, what I portray is the exact opposite. When I acknowledge feelings/emotions/whatever you want to call them, I get scared that those affect me too much and I let it show and then lose all appearances of not being that. Going with that (in a way), reaching emotional connections with people terrifies me. I find it hard to believe in people on personal levels, which admittedly probably has to do with the fact that I tend to chose to believe in the wrong people. The couple mantras that have been running through my head for the past week are as follows:
     1. I don't know that I believe in people but I believe in myself and that's all I'll ever need. 

     2. There was an Aztec song we read for my American Literature class and the line that has been stuck with me is, "If it is jade, it shatters." I'm not sure how many things last, they all tend to break and shatter at some point since every little piece of life is so fragile.

      So for anyone who does read all of my  self-reflective, I have no idea what I'm doing, sleep-deprived, exhausted thoughts: This one of the more personal posts I've had in a long time. With the growing and searching and discovering I've done thus far in college, I've become a lot more comfortable with myself even if I don't know who that is.  I am who I am and I'm over letting other people's thoughts of me influence who I try to be. 

And another, I feel it's necessary disclaimer: The tone of this blog entry definitely makes me sound like a really sad person all the time. But I don't mean it in that way at all, merely that I've been more reflective than usual as of lately. Quite honestly, I am a really happy-go-lucky person. If you don't believe me, ask anyone staying in hotels with me this morning how excited I get for breakfast in the early morning :)

To go with the story of my running experiences in DC pictures are posted below:

This was the, well I'm lost in the Botanical Garden, that is a really nice fountain/statue combination. I'll document that and take a picture.

I could see the Capitol Building from the Botanical Garden and seeing it helped me to navigate where the National Mall was relative to where I had been. So here's the Capitol Building at sunrise!

This was along my National Mall portion of the run: the Smithsonian Castle. Such a gorgeous building, as much of DC is. I wish I had more time here to see everything!

Washington Monument, at one end of the National Mall. I never got to the Lincoln Memorial which I had hoped to do. The Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument with the massive reflecting pool in the middle remind me of Booth and Bones sitting at the Lincoln sometimes at the end of the day. As a very devoted Bones fan, I have an additional appreciation for both.

This was my final success. So I was still some distance from the White House, but I really don't care that much. I was able to see it after all.

(This is still Day 1 morning run). This is the National Museum of Natural History. Probably my favorite building on the National Mall. Actually walked around inside the day before and was amazed. Made some effort at an impromptu meeting with Douglas Ubelaker, yep, didn't work. Worth a shot though, next time I'm in town! Which I really wouldn't mind spending a few months here, future internship?

Day 2 it was much easier to find the White House, I actually knew where I was going and all. And I was fortunate enough to get my picture taken in front of it! Woo!

Where Did the Past Two Months Go?

   Quick answer (if you know me at all, you already know the answer): MOCK TRIAL. Anyways, this title for a blog post seemed like it would enable me to be somewhat random in everything I want to cover with this post. Topics include: Where my time has gone, Facebook chat, men, and religion.

TIME: So since January, mock trial was a significant time commitment. Not at all a bad thing, in fact I loved it! I am so incrediblly glad that I joined mock trial this year. It was such a wonderful experience and I have met so many people that I would consider my new family in college. They are some of the funniest, most caring, respectful, well-spoken individuals and I look up to a lot of them. I'll really miss the seniors next year! :'(

FACEBOOK CHAT: I usually leave my facebook chat off. Why? I really do not enjoy talking to people over Facebook. Or texting for that matter. I much prefer in-person contact, you know, instead of superficial, technology-dependent forms. Really, I just feel like anything that's not in person is so forced and unnatural. If we're going to have a conversation, can we please just keep the bulk of it in person, face-to-face?

MEN: (***DISCLAIMER: I am not using this as a blanket statement for all men or as a generalization for what I think of all men.***) I really don't find the "player approach" to be attractive or effective. The way I see it, if you present yourself as having girls all over you, then why would I want to think that I would be any different to you than they are? I find the lady's man persona to be a turn off. Get over how many girls you could get, choose one and keep it at that.

Next point of contention here. I won't lie, having a guy tell me I'm attractive is extremely flattering and does boost my self-esteem and make my day as it would any girl. But when you ask my on a date for that reason and that reason alone, I'm not so inclined to say yes. Call me crazy, but I would want someone to want to date me for who I am not who I appear to be. (In other words, know who I am as a person, my goals, interests, etc.)

RELIGION: While I am not a religous person at all, I hate when people tell relgious jokes or make assumptions about other's religous views. I honestly do take offense to it when one individual chooses to insult another's belief system, even if it is in the most mild form. You could call this one of my pet peeves.

Other pet peeve: Not being direct. People, people, people. Can someone tell me what good it does to be ambiguous and beat around the bush? Anyone? Okay, even if you can, I still much prefer being blunt.

Until next time, there is my life advice and personal preferences!

Consequences of Honesty

      Something that has began to bother to some extent is that people can't be honest with each other if the truth hurts. We all say we want to hear the truth but when it hurts us we suddenly get mad that we were told the truth. Leaving whomever has the unshared information in an uncomfortable position. If we have information or a critique that is favorable we don't hesitate to tell someone, but if it's negative in any way. We avoid it. Or even lie. You know, when you're asked what you think of the new jeans your friend got. And while you think they would look better if they were shredded and no one laid eye on them again, you actually tell your friend they look great. That's a more cliche example, but you get my point. We don't want to be honest if it could hurt someone.
     So here's my advice, people need tougher skin and to take everything less personally. Knowing the truth helps you to make the best of any given situation or improve yourself in some way. This is also a two way street however. I want people to speak their mind and be as bluntly honest as they can. Oh, and not worry about the consequences of being honest. Life is too short to censor what we say.