Summer... time for Yoga?

After losing my job about 2 months ago I have become quite stressed as you can imagine. As many of you know I have had a trainer for the last year and lucky for me I have paid for enough sessions that I can continue seeing her for the next few months without having to pay her fee just paying for the regular membership!!! BONUS! So while searching for a new job I am able to continue working out to attempt to keep my anxiety under control but apparently that hasn't been working. So Plan B it is, thanks to an amazing friend (MOLLY) I have taken up Yoga. The nice thing is that I can take it right through my gym and don't have to spend anymore money. WIN! I have already found a better peace of mind as well as inner strength while in my practice. There are defiantly some new muscles in use that I didn't realize I would be using and even though the first couple of days after I was in some pain now its great. Not only have I found that stress release that I very much needed I am getting a great workout to boot. 

Tips for Yoga: 

1. Find the right instructor for you. With any class whether it is at a gym or a studio there is probably more than one instructor you can take the class from. I was lucky to find my favorite instructor so far in my first class but if needed keep trying different instructors until you find the one that works best for you. I have tried other classes with different instructors because I wanted to go to a class on a Saturday but I found I didn't like how that instructor ran his class. So today I went back to the first instructor and had a much better experience. 
2. Don't compare yourself to others. This can really be said for any class you may take but I find it especially true for yoga. The practice is yours and yours alone. I do look to those around me to make sure I am doing the pose correctly because I don't always know what the pose is called and sometimes it is easier to look at the person next to me instead of the instructor but I also try not to compare what I can do to what the person next to me does especially since I am not all that flexible right now.
3. Use the buddy system. Find a friend to go with you it will make it a lot easier to follow Tips # 1 and 2 if you do!

Who's ready to see me Trot like a Turkey!!

For those of you not in the Buffalo, NY area the title of this post may not make a whole lost of sense but for those of you who are it should make a ton of sense at least around this time of year. Now I don't want to leave some of you in the dark so I will tell you what it means... I am running in the 119th annual YMCA Turkey Trot. Yes... I said running. An 8k... that just shy of 5 miles.
If you have read any of this blog before you may have read that one of my goals is to start running foot races. Initially I thought I would get to this in the future, you know a couple of years down the line once I have lost a substantial amount of weight. But motivation has come calling by the name of Peggy G. and I decided this could be a way for me to jump start that weight lose, RIGHT NOW. 
Now, I know some of you must be thinking... "What is this girl thinking?" This is going to be hard... She has already injured herself a couple of times this year... This was goal on the bottom of her list for a reason, it was to come after everything else. 

"Trust me these are all things that have run through my mind before. I am full of self doubt so I decided to turn over a new leaf and try something new. I mean that's the only way I am going to change right?"

Now I have consulted my favorite runner... Molly P. and she has put together a training plan for me so that I am not completely lost in what I need to be doing but it has been harder than I thought. I don't know why I thought it would be easy as I don't normally run and for the fact that I am super intimidated by treadmills. Now, put me on an elliptical for 3.5 miles I'm good... I won't be going super fast but I can finish it and be all sweaty and gross by the end but I won't be in extreme pain. I tried to attempt this on a treadmill I could not finish it didn't even get half way even with walking the majority of the time I was on it, wheezing even after taking my inhaler (did I mention I have asthma) my ankle that I twisted about a month ago was clicking in protest. My calf was as tight as a rubber band about to snap and my side was cramping... all things that I do not fine fun at all. This all happened this past Friday.
It is now Monday, I have not stepped a foot back into the gym in utter fear of failing. I have stretched some but not enough that I think that it has helped but only time will tell. I need to get to the gym today and I do believe I will have better luck as well I have to do better as I have a lot of work to do. 

See training schedule below:

THIS WEEK!!!!
Thursday (11/13)	Friday (11/14)	Saturday (11/15)	Sunday (11/16)
OFF	3.5 MILES	40-45 min Cross train on elliptical	30 Min Walk
NEXT WEEK
Monday (11/17)	Tuesday (11/18)	Wednesday (11/19)	Thursday (11/20)	Friday (11/21)	Saturday (11/22)
40-45 min Cross train on elliptical	OFF	EASY 3.5 Miles Run	30 min walk	OFF	40-45 min Cross train on elliptical
RACE WEEK
Sunday (11/23)	Monday (11/24)	Tuesday (11/25)	Wednesday (11/26)	RACE DAY
40 Min Run (take this as slow as you need too!!!)	30 min Cross train on elliptical (go super easy on this)	30 Min Run (take this as slow as you need too!!!)	30 min walk	8K	YOGA CLASS and 20 min walk

Workout Update

Day 5/100 Completed... 
As you know I also got a trainer so day one was my evaluation day, and oh boy was it bad. I was completely out of breath the whole time, every muscle in my legs were burning in the first 10 minutes oh and I got dizzy twice. But no matter what I powered through and I didn't quit so what if I had to stop for a little bit. I didn't QUIT!
Day 2 I took it a little slower since I was extremely sore after that first workout. So 30 minutes on the bike it was. 
Day 3 I did not go to the gym but I did dance when I got home from work. Some zumba, some hip hop, just moved.
Now Day 4 is where things got tough... and hour long cycling class. What the hell was I thinking! But again I powered through. I may not have done all the jumping and running and whatever else they call it but I biked over 20 miles and pushed myself do do something I haven't ever done before. I couldn't be more proud and thankful for Ray for inviting me to go. I think its going to be a regular Saturday morning thing.
Ray probably gave me the most encouragement.

"Just keep pedaling, go at your own pace and don't look around and see what everyone else is doing. Do you and after a couple of classes you will be able to do must of this stuff too."

Being that day 5 is a day off from work and a Sunday I wanted to make it a light day when it comes to working out but none the less I was up early this morning and out walking 2 miles with some amazing people. I am so blessed to have this kind of support system and I really just hope that it continues and that I also learn when to accept the help from others and know that I don't need to do everything on my own. I have people in my life that want nothing more then for me to succeed and I know that not everyone has that type of support. I would hope that eventually everyone has someone they can lean on in a time of self discovery.