2. I am an exercise freak! I am an amateur bodybuilding competitor, so exercise is like a second job to me. Well…on a typical day, yes. I am recovering from knee surgery right now, so I am not able to exercise the way I would really want to. I can only do upper body lifting/activities, so this is hard for me right now. But typically, I would be exercising 6 days per week, moderate to intense, usually 1-2 hours per day, depending on the activity. Some activities don’t require the time, because they are more intense.

3. What are your favorite activities?

4. My favorite form of cardiovascular exercise is running. There is nothing that compares to it. Right now, since I am not going to be able to run for a while, I will choose to swim when I can. It is also a great form of cardiovascular exercise. And, of course I do weightlifting.

5. What do you do to motivate yourself when you are less than inspired to get up and out the door? What are some additional incentives to maintain a regular exercise regimen?

6. When I am feeling sluggish or tired and not sure if I feel like heading to the gym or out for a run I simply tell myself that there are so many people out there right now doing what I should be doing and that I am just being lazy. It usually doesn’t take much to change my own mind, because I have a strong work ethic when it comes to exercise. I don’t have to talk myself into it much. Sometimes I feel that it may be good for me to talk myself out of it once in a while!

7. Exercise is my priority because of being in good health. I pride myself in being a very healthy individual. I always think about my son and my husband. If I want to see my son grow up and spend many quality years ahead with my husband, than I need to help my body my making it stronger. I don’t ever see my perspective changing when it comes to exercise. I think that when I am 70 years old I will still be out there. Maybe not running, but going to the gym, walking, biking, aerobics, lighter activity load…same benefit. It is a way of life and a state of mind. A person can always find time to exercise, that is my belief.

8. My typical weekly workouts:

9. DAY 1 MONDAY: Run 30 minutes, swim 30 minutes, abdominal work

10. DAY 2 TUESDAY: Run 30 minutes, lift chest

11. DAY 3 WEDNESDAY: Run 45 minutes, lift back and light legs

12. DAY 4 THURSDAY: No cardio, just lift shoulders, abdominal work

13. DAY 5 FRIDAY: Run 30 minutes, lift arms

14. DAY 6 SATURDAY: Run 45 minutes, abdominal work

15. DAY 7 SUNDAY: Rest

16. *Sometimes I combine two days of lifting Wednesdays and give myself Thursdays off, depending on how I am feeling. My time of day for exercise varies, but during the work week I have to do everything in the evenings. On the weekends it changes depending on what I have going on.

17. Exercise 28.2 My Body, My Physique

18. I have to say that overall I am satisfied with my physique. I have fairly low body fat, I like the size clothes I wear. I wouldn’t want to be any skinnier, because that looks unhealthy. I have that X shape. I have broad shoulders, from lifting. Toned arms and I am thin through the ribcage to my waist. I definitely have a lifter’s butt, meaning there is a little more there from squatting and running. My legs are toned with good shape. I am not perfect by any means, and don’t claim to be. I am just confident in the way that I look.

19. Of course I compare myself with others! And anyone out there who says they don’t is full of crap! If you weren’t comparing yourself to someone else, why change anything! My weight is not a concern to me. I weigh a little more than you would think by looking at me, but that is because of the muscle. This weighs more than fat. I only have 13% bodyfat, and by standard that is considered unhealthy for a woman. But by no means am I unhealthy. If anything, sometimes I think I am too hard on myself when it comes to my physique and keeping everything just so. I need to give myself a break once in a while!

20. Exercise 28.3 Your Circadian Rhythms

21. Week of October 10th thru October 16th

22. 1. Time that you awake each morning 7 a.m.

23. 2. Time that you go to bed11 p.m.

24. 3. Time that you fall asleepHonestly, I don’t pay attention to this. It is usually within I would say 10-15 minutes after I lay down.

25. 4. Time that you eat breakfast8:30 a.m. It is always after I drop my son off at school.

26. 5. Time that you eat lunchSun-11:30 a.m.Mon-didn’tTues-1 p.m

27. Wed-12:30 p.m.Thurs- noonFri-noonSat-didn’t

28. 6. Time that you eat dinnerEvery night this week it was 6pm, oddly enough.

29. 7. Times that you snackI don’t snack

30. 8. Times of bowel movementsAlways after my morning coffee…. ;)

31. 9. Times that you exercise I haven’t exercised this week knee surgery

32. 10. Times that you have sexI don’t discuss this

33. Exercise 28.4 My Body’s Rhythms

34. I can definitely notice the pattern of sleep. I am used to going to bed at 10 pm for work, so my body seems to start winding down from the day around 9 pm in preparation of that. I am used to getting up at 6 am, so even on the weekends I find myself waking up at that time, looking at the clock, and maybe rolling over for a brief period of time. I know that I am a person who needs 8 hours of sleep, or I don’t function very well during the day. Other than that, my general sense of my body’s rhythms seems to be in check as far as I’m concerned.

35. Eating and exercise vary from day to day, but sleep I keep in check because I recognize what my body needs for rest to function well during the day.

36. I don’t spend time outdoors everyday. I think that I am a little more irritable during the fall, even though it is my favorite season of the year. For me, that is because I am not a fan of the harsh winters that we have here in Wisconsin. I am not a winter sport person. Snow is not for me! I definitely see my spirits rising when we transition from winter to spring. It is just natural I think.

37. As far as that time of the month, I am like clockwork. The birth control pill does that to you. I do notice around a week or so before I get very snacky, and then day 1 I am not hungry at all. This is how I know that it’s coming! SAD!