Werkin' It Out
Back!Back in the saddle again...I'm back to working out and it feels aaawwweesssooommmmeee.For some reason, I always get on an exercise kick in August. And, like I've mentioned before, rock climbing has become the end to the means. I want to eat well, sleep well, drink enough water, strength and tone my muscles because I want to CLIMB.Yesterday, for the first time ever, I went to the rock climbing gym by myself. It was great. I warmed up on the stationary bike, climbed a few routes on the auto-belays and then did a HIIT workout. For the first time in years, I spent an hour at a gym.But what is a "hiit workout" you ask?Well, it's high intensity interval training and it's magical.It's everything I love about lifting weights and strengthening my body and most days it takes 12 minutes.Yes - TWELVE MINUTES.My lovely SIL who introduced me to this awesome concept explains the benefits of hiit. She got pretty ripped working her tail off (to really see results, you do have to do more than 12 min, but I'm not there and I don't care. I feel awesome anyways). I figured if it worked for her, it could work for me.On our Alaska trip, we worked out a few times together and she created this little hiit for us. This is also the routine I did yesterday at the gym.And this morning, after rollerblading with the dog, I found a spare 15 min and did another one. I use the BodyRock YouTube videos.It's been about 3 weeks of running 2m (slow, slow, slow 2m with the dog) or rollerblading in the morning, followed by a HIIT. Or I just run. Or I run in the morning and climb later in the day. Or I skip a day and do yoga. (Free yoga at doyogawithme.com h/t my SIL again).It sounds like a lot, but it really isn't. I'm probably burning no more than an extra 300 calories per day and I'm not seeing a huge change physically because those calories come back in delicious adventures like my recent addiction to hot chai lattes despite the heat wave or our trip to Rita's this week.Where I am seeing a difference is in my energy levels. All of a sudden, I feel like I have tons of energy. Feeling healthier makes me want to eat better, so I am making good choices despite the sugary treats I'm enjoying. I'm less interested in alcohol (again, can't climb well if you feel hungover and dehydrated). And I'm climbing better and better.So that's how I'm working out lately. If you've done HIIT before and have any advice, ideas or want to share your experience - feel free to write a comment. Cheers to good workouts!