Training & Friendships

I originally sat down to write a post about my trainer, yes another one... well he is tall, dark and handsome! Then I read a post from someone else and now my mind is on a totally different topic, so I will give a quick update on the training and then change topics...

Training is going well and I am very pleased with my progress. I'm not sure I would have said that this afternoon when he was running me into the ground, but it is going well. I haven't lost a tonne of weight, but I am definitely slimming down. We do measurements next week, but I can see my waist trimming down, my arms toning up and even my abs getting tighter. I can lift more and get through the workouts easier, well I say easier, but he keeps changing it up and making it harder. Today's focus was running and we went outside for a run together. He was walking me through a 2.5 km run and pushed me hard. It took me 17 minutes and 18 seconds and the last little bit, I didn't even think I would finish. We were running intervals, so sometimes the pace was faster and then we cooled down with what would be more of a normal pace - very tough. Anyhow at the end of May, I ran 2 km in just under 18 minutes, so I shaved some time off of that and added an extra 1/2 km. It felt good in the end, even though I sit here typing with a headache from I'm sure lack of oxygen to the brain this afternoon. After the run, we did leg press, squats, abs, leg extensions, squat press and bicycle crunches. I don't think I said a word and Wesley's comment was something like, "I know I worked you hard when you stop talking". Too true!

My workout schedule for the next few days:

Thursday: Aquafit bootcamp class
Friday: 45 minute run at home
Saturday - Hike through Gatineau Hills with family
Sunday - Bike 15 km on the Parkway
Monday - Session with Wesley
Tuesday - Abs and Glutes Class with Mariko his partner
Wednesday - Cardio kickboxing class with Wesley
Thursday - Session with Wesley to plan holiday plan of attack!

I think I may just be ready to sit in a car for two days straight next weekend on our way east to the Maritimes.

Anyhow, the post I was inspired to write about is about friends and happiness. I wrote a post on laughing, friendships and anxiety a loooong time ago, and am sort of back on the same train of thought.  The post I read today was from Joy and was all about being happy and making your friendships count.  Wesley and I talked about this the other day in a breather between stations.  I was talking about how hard it is to fit exercise into life when you aren't used to it.  How if you were already fit and active when you had children, that you probably can incorporate children into the life you already have, but when you haven't started with that, it makes it difficult to find the time and fit exercise into everything else you are doing with your kids.  I also talked about how most of our friends do not lead an overall active or healthy lifestyle.  Imagine a life with friends who hike, bike, canoe, kayak, run and just live an active lifestyle 24-7.  People who want to be outside playing games and having fun - it would be infectious to a degree, right?  

In Joy's article, she talks about listing your friends into categories and how they fit.  I started doing this, not the same way she did, but I listed qualities like: Active, Positive, Motivating, Healthy Eater, Helpful, Fun, Happy, Crafty, Good Mom and then I started listing my friends, not into categories, but just typing who my friends were.  I separated my friends list into two groups, those I am closer friends with and those that I am more acquaintances with. I would say from my list, I need to start spending more time with my acquaintances.  Many of them have the qualities I am looking for and I haven't taken the time to get to know them better.  I can say, I really don't have any toxic friends though.  Joy's advice is not to have too many friends, as then the quality of friendships goes down, so I'm not really sure how to make more friends and keep the ones I've got intact, but I plan to make it happen somehow.

I know this post is totally random and a bit all over the place, but it is what was on my mind.  To sum up, I'm already busy and I'm going to become more busy trying to make better friends with some good people who will make me happier and healthier.  I think I will have to use Oh, She Glows post idea from today: 9 Ways to be productive in your day.

3 week Maritime holiday in just over a week.  Time to get excited and start packing - woo, hoo!