get your back into it...

Before I begin - I would like to say that I enjoy going to the gym. I like running and when you get really into it - there is nothing better and it's a great way to clear your head. However, if for any reason (ie - a 3 week long trip home) you get out of the routine of exercising and going to the gym - it can be very difficult and stressful getting back 'into' it. Follow this easy

"GET-BACK-INTO-GYM-AFTER-A-3-WEEK-LONG-INDULGENT-HOLIDAY" plan

and you can't go wrong.

(take your time. vital.)

Consult schedule and decide that it is just too overwhelming with all the things you already have going on. Put schedule away and try again another day:

For the following several days:

(that was very rude of her)

ignore treadmill and it's evil taunts. "Nastiness will get you NO-WHERE mr treadmill!"

Do not panic. 

Death is not ok.

FINALLY,

STEP. AND REPEAT. 

yeah, it's tough getting back into it after a blissfully indulgent vacation... but it's the only way.

Anyone have any gym procrastination tips they would like to share... perhaps there should be a part two to this post... We need all the help we can get. 

Run Run

It is getting colder and colder in South Korea and yesterday we had some more snow. This whole cold/dark/snow thing makes it exceptionally more difficult to make it to the gym. So I would like to introduce you to my magical mix that gets me through the treadmill. 

(yes, I realise that most of these songs are super-cheesy and lame-old-school. but you can save your judgement for someplace else  - i really don't care. it works for me.)

Ok so treadmill-tracks:

Track 1: You're my heart, You're my Soul - Modern Talking. Good for starting - nice easy warm up..

Track 2: Eye of the Tiger - Survivor. great steady beat - good for getting into some hills. Also, this music video is super-awesome - haha

Track 3: In the Ayer - Flo Rida good running song but mainly because it reminds me of this night:

(yes, that's a pole.)

Track 4: O Saya-Ar - Rahman/MIA This song is simultaneously slow and fast. i dont know how, it just is. it tricks you into working harder than you think you are. 

Track 5: We're Alive - Paul van Dyk This is just an awesome song. And it also reminds me of the 12 hour spinning-marathon that a bunch of us did for the Rhodes University gym - where i worked - to raise money for charity:

(little bunch of champs - and that's me. in the pink. with the pink water bottle.)

Track 6: This aint a scene it's an arms race - Fall Out Boy - just to pick up the pace a little...

Track 7: Here in your arms - Hello Goodbye - something fun and its a good happy jog-along beat :)

Track 8: Paper Planes - MIA - slower beat - good for hills...

Track 9:  Harder to breathe - Maroon Five - by now it is probably getting harder to breathe.

Track 10: You're a superstar - Love inc nice and easy - you know.. for coming down the hill and picking up the pace...

Track 11: Lift me up - Moby. Moby is just always good for exercise. 

Track 12: Maneater - Nelly Furtado. yes, i warned you about this.

Track 13: Sin Sin Sin - Robbie Williams yeah.. im not sure why...

Track 14: Disaster Button - Snow patrol. I just like this song. and once, i made actions to go with the entire song. i was bored.

Track 15: Dog days are over - Florence and the Machine. Reminds me of my brother and great for the running especially.. "run fast for your mother, run fast for you father, run for your children, for your sisters and brothers..."

Track 16: Dakota - Stereophonics. always a goodie to me.

Track 17: Deep inside of you - Third eye Blind - starting to wind it down...

* and there's your running-workout. done. *

For stretching: Back for good, Take that.

now get your lazy bottom to the gym.

Happy Halloween

On Friday night when i got back from gym, I developed a severe neck pain. i took a break from gym yesterday but it still is pretty painful today and kind of makes me creak my neck out like a dyslexic meerkat. Anyway this new horrid condition plus the (obnoxious) halloween costumes that we have been made to wear the entire month have resulted in this:

a perfect little halloween treat.

im glad that worked out so well.

trick or treat

charge your ipod

I wanted to go to gym yesterday and as I grabbed my ipod...

sigh* oh well, i thought - each treadmill has it's own personal TV with separate place to put your earphones in... 

oh well.. I'll just take my earphones and plug them into the personal TV

So I get to the gym, get on a treadmill and find a TV show:

Oh, ok. How it's made - Baseball glove - yes, I'd quite like to watch that!

Don't forget to charge your ipod.