Today's workout was Yoga X, which is an hour and thirty minutes long of different stretches and balance postures that are meant to increase flexibility. During my first round, when I looked at what was in store for me on the schedule for day four, I laughed when I saw Yoga X sitting there. I thought to myself that it was going to be like a recovery day. I was way off. Not only did I work harder than expected during Yoga X, I was left cursing in my room for an hour and thirty minutes. I hated Yoga after the first time I did it.
The main reason I hated Yoga X was because my flexibility was terrible. I was as flexible as a cinder-block before I started doing Yoga. Seriously, I would have probably tweaked every muscle in my body if I played Twister. I actually felt angry when doing Yoga X the first couple of times and I thought to myself, "Wait, I'm suppose to feel calm during Yoga, not the opposite". Yeah, it was pretty rough during the first few weeks, but I was also impatient.
During the fourth week or the first recovery week during round one, I noticed that my flexibility vastly improved and I actually grew a like for it. Now, I like when I see that I have to do Yoga X. It's enjoyable. The key to getting past Yoga is that you have to hammer out the first 45 minutes. They are the toughest minutes in the workout, no doubt. It is a bunch of warrior moves and there is plenty body-twisting and turning involved. The standing splits are killer on my legs as well. I think once you get past the first 45 minutes, it's all downhill from there. The balance postures are pretty fun such as tree and royal dancer. The Yoga Belly 7 is a great mini ab workout that is pretty enjoyable too, despite the intensity you have to bring for that.
While doing Yoga today, I decided to put some music on over Tony again. I put something soothing and calm on, that would give a good mood to doing Yoga. So, I grabbed my handy iPod and played some Sigur Rios. The "( )" album is very soothing and mellow, and therefore, a great option for Yoga. I really felt calm and care-free for majority of the workout because of the album. It seemed like the first 45 minutes flew by, and then it was all downhill from there. Crane is a pretty tough move and I am only able to hold it for a handful of seconds, and then I have to come out of it. I'm going to have to research how to tackle that move better. Yoga Belly 7 went fine today, and I was able to do all seven moves without stopping to catch my breath. Then I finished with the corpse and the om's at the end. Many people complain about doing the last five minutes and skip it, but I actually enjoy it so I do it everytime.
On a side note from the workout, I got into a conversation with my mentor at work today about working out and healthy nutrition and trying to implement it as a life-style for the rest of my life. Everyone at work seems to know I live a healthy life-style currently because they always see me eating healthy food often in the break room. I usually take at least three or four meals with me to work everyday. Talk about carrying a heavy lunch bag! Anyway, I got into this conversation with my mentor and he seemed to have the opinion that living this lifestyle for the rest of my life is impossible and wouldn't bring me much happiness even if I were able to achieve it. It made me ponder about it a little and when I asked "Why?", he brought up a point that although I enjoy it, I won't be able to convert my future wife or girlfriend to live that type of lifestyle. I also think there was a reason that I would get sick of eating the same types of food everyday. Now these are some valid points but here is how I think it goes:
1. My goal is not to convert people to live the same type of life-style I live. My primary concern is my health. When you grab weights and start pumping away, you are the only one who gets the results. I can't give any muscle gains I make to someone else. Therefore, I could really care less what people do or what they think when it comes to that kind of thing. But at the same time, I'll gladly help anyone out who wants help with eating more nutritously or working out.
2. I don't think I could live this type of life-style for the rest of my life. I know it. I currently enjoy it more than when I was eating less healthy. Why stop doing something that makes you happy? Simple as that.
3. A good little trick to make sure you don't get sick of eating the same types of food I discovered is to switch up your diet everynow and then. Don't just set a slate menu for yourself everyday during every week with the same meals over and over again. Add a little variety. That's the key to continuing something: switch it up and make it interesting. For example, although I eat the same types of foods everyday, I will make subtle little switches here and there that actually make eating enjoyable. Maybe I have a protein bar and protein shake everyday at 10AM, but that doesn't mean I have to eat the same exact bar everyday. I'll throw a little switch with flavors or maybe I'll try some bar I never tried before every now and then. How boring would it be to have the same protein shake everyday with the same bar? Therefore, my hypothesis is that set meals in stone are a bad idea to continuing a healthy lifestyle. Add some flexibility to your diet and you won't feel shackled to it.
4. Not only do I get enjoyment out of working out and eating healthy, I get benefits in terms of:
- feeling good
- living longer
- looking good
Another thing I have heard from people is the statement that you should enjoy your life and that following a healthy diet is not worth the hassle for just a couple of extra years. This one always sets me off. Oh really? So you're saying I should enjoy my life without worrying about health problems from a poor diet? My thought process is this: If I can live to be over 80 and still have solid health from eating a good diet, wouldn't I have more opportunity to enjoy my life more than the guy who clogged his arteries and died at the age of 40? He would have only lived just 1/2 of the life I lived. Hello people! Just look at Jack Lalanne. He was able to achieve a great life and lived to be 96 years old. He pulled a bunch of boats in the ocean while being shackled up at the age of 70!There you have it. I got all philosophical (and probably put you to sleep) to back up my reasons of why achieving this type of life-style for the duration of a life is not difficult or complicated at all. Speaking of which, the diet was pretty clean again today. Here's how it went:
Meal 1:
- 2 whole eggs, 3 egg whites
- cup of oatmeal
- granny smith apple
- glass of soy milk
Meal 2:
- tbsp olive oil
- carrots
Meal 3:
- protein bar
- protein shake
Meal 4:
- whole wheat pasta (cup)
- whole grain brown rice
- banana
- 1 0z dry roasted peanuts
Meal 5:
- turkey on whole wheat wrap
- rice cakes with peanut butter spread
- orange
Meal 6:
- recovery drink
- protein bar
Meal 7:
- grilled chicken breast
- glass of V8 low sodium
- tbsp olive oil
- natural whey protein powder and water
- yogurt (non-fat fruit flavored)
Meal 8:
- scoop of casein protein before bed
Thanks for reading,
K-Dawg
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