Morning Workouts & Big Breakfasts Rock

In the week since we started trying to get up and do Focus T25 together in the morning before the kids get up, Greg and I have had a few days where circumstances or motivation (mine, not Greg’s) got in the way. The difference in my energy levels on those mornings is crazy… I’m more tired, I’m more frustrated, I feel like I’m starting the day out two steps behind and already failing.

I’m starting to realize how much better my day goes when I get up before the kids, work hard for 25 minutes, and am showered and starting breakfast by the time they wake up. We have a big meal that’s ready about when they’re out of bed, Greg stays to eat with us, and we’re done eating with an hour left before I have to leave for pre-school dropoff. Plenty of time to clean up the breakfast dishes and come home to a clean kitchen.

IT IS AMAZING.

The days that I don’t get out of bed, I wake up and run down the hall in my pajamas to get the kids out of bed, stall them while I throw clothes on without a chance to shower, go downstairs and pour cereal for a quick breakfast for them, say goodbye to Greg who now has to go buy himself a less healthy breakfast somewhere on his way to work, and am usually out the door late without cleaning up the breakfast dishes in order to get to preschool on time.

What a huge difference in the way I start my day!

I then have to try to shower during nap time, when the babysitter comes if it’s a day that I have a few hours of help, or after the kids go to bed.

I spend my morning frantically scrambling, and have a much lower quality breakfast and feeling.

All for one extra hour of sleep.

Meanwhile, if I keep getting up an hour earlier, it’ll be that much easier to fall asleep earlier. I would rather have that extra hour in the morning to work out and shower than that hour in the evening to read or watch television. I still have time to read or watch television, just not as much. But let’s face it, I’m not going to want to work out and shower after a long day with two kids… so if I keep the extra hour of time at the end of the day instead of at the beginning, it’s not going to be spent working towards a healthier, happier lifestyle.

When I first looked into the T25 videos, I was most excited about the chance to improve my strength training and work on my core muscles and tighten my abs.

Now, I’m most excited for the change it makes in my daily routine when I get up in time to exercise, shower, and start breakfast.

I am so much happier when I do it.

How can you make fitness part of your regular routine in a way that IMPROVES your day, rather than being a burden?

20140312-102129.jpg
Tofu scramble, ezekiel bread toast, kale, and roasted asparagus.
20140312-102153.jpg
Superfood smoothie!

Saturday Run & Focus T25 Update

20140308-134032.jpg

Went for a gorgeous Saturday morning run with six other moms in the local mother’s forum running group – it’s amazing how much I love it every time I go.

We split into two pace groups and when my pace group turned back at 1.5 miles to do 3 total, I followed the other group to do the 4 mile loop, running 2.5 miles alone but getting to talk before and after the run and running at both a comfortable and a challenging pace. What could be better?

Greg and I have done only a few of the T25 workouts because I went all in on the first one and injured my calves – couldn’t run for three days. The modifications are there for a reason – if you’re hurting, use them, especially on the first week!

What I LOVE is the feeling I get when I am out of bed, exercised, and showered before dealing with small children who want breakfast. I also love the “my body worked” feeling all day. More than how this might increase my strength long term, I love how I feel short term the days that we get up and do it.

This week should be our first full week starting Monday, and I will be careful to do modifications when my muscles start to burn, so that I work as hard as I can without jeopardizing my ability to work hard again the next day.

It’s in the forties today and some of the snow and ice is melting… Time to start planning for spring races and looking forward to playground weather!!!

20140308-134100.jpg
Some of our sidewalks are literally sheer ice… no wonder workout videos have been so appealing.