Two Months of Fitness
Two months since Noah got me a Peloton!
I have talked on and off about it for years but it always seemed to be a frivolous splurge. Well now I have it! It's a dream come true, and the catalyst we needed to prioritize fitness in our daily lives for the first time in almost a decade.
We are still planning out a good routine, but now we make time for exercise in our days and actively work it into our lives. It’s a strange change of mindset. I'm still getting used to it.
A few thoughts I've had in the new honeymoon phase of this journey:
Gamified fitness. Yaaas. I love badges from stupid flash games and this is preying on just that, for a good cause. Even if I know deep down that the new Lanebreak game is just a new visual representation of the same instructor-guided workout, i’m still conditioned to feel good hearing those video game sound effects. They’re taking advantage of my weak mind! and I’m here for it.
Sam Yo and Hannah F have become my favorite instructors. Their pacing and motivational style really works for me. Not too yell-y and not many cheesy motivational one-liners. Just good pushes with recovery at the right times.
Other than that, I still like to revisit my progress in the Blackpink ride. That class just feels perpetually too hard for me. So many long stretches of out of saddle jogs and runs without much recovery. Ally is very bright and energetic but I think her vibe just doesn't fit my workout needs. But she’s the blink I'm stuck with for better or for worse
The next thing to actively work on is endurance? Part of me just gets bored, I think, when trying to pedal fast for a long time. My goal is to complete the All Too Well 10 minute section in Taylor’s Red ride. So I revisit that once in a while too, but not too often.
Still trying to figure out a routine. The best time for me to exercise is about 2-3 hours after a moderate meal, and the only days where I can actually schedule that are on my days off. Have to figure out a sleep/eat schedule so I don’t feel like I’m forcing myself on the bike everyday.
In January I set out a goal to ride 6 days a week, 5 “real” rides + 1 recovery ride + 1 full rest day. It was a good routine and I think I only took one extra day off. February I figured I had the schedule and routine in me so I should give myself an extra rest day per week but it actually made the riding days less fun and more pressured. So I think I might go back to a 6-day schedule with more flexibility as long as I get a ride in.
Stretches! So great! Actually makes me feel a million times better. We’ve started to incorporate beginner yoga or stretches into our night routines. Matty maggiacomo is our favorite stretch coach. I wish he did cycling!
What's next?
We're dealing with some life issues recently, so right now it's about trying to figure out how to balance everything while keeping anxiety at bay. Trying to maintain a routine and keep up with this now that the luster of a new toy has worn off. It will be harder to maintain but I hope to still keep it fun. Maybe starting the power zone program?
Aside from Noah's birthday weekend I've been meal prepping and keeping a tight track of what I'm eating. Unfortunately it means I'm not eating much interesting stuff or nearly as much stuff. That means the recipes I share may not be as fun either. Maybe that's the next post.