I started a 100-day Workout Challenge last year and this is a record of my experience. I’ll post a week at a time until I am through it, then I will update where I am now and will start posting real-time weekly journals thereafter.
100-day workout challenge: Pre-Season Day 1. My friend Arwen had a post on her page about a woman who took a 100-day workout challenge. It intrigued me. I figured I should give myself these 5 days as a preseason warm-up. If I can’t even manage 5 days, I sure can’t handle 100. So today, I went to the Y and swam 12 laps. I wanted to do more but got up too late as it is a workday. Tonight after work I’ll walk about a mile or so. I’m in the process of setting up some ground rules, and it’s still a work in progress, but the basic plan is alternate between walk/swim each day. And 4 times a week do weights. Two days upper body, two days lower body with a rest day in between each. (So upper day, rest day, lower day, rest day, then resume). I also want to post every day. After about 6wks, if I am able to honor this, I will go public and invite friends to this page, to follow along. But I need to see if I can actually stick with this first.
100 Day Workout Challenge Pre-Season Day 2. So after work, I did the 1-mile walk. I got a rude awakening of just how far I’ve fallen. Within no time I was sucking wind, my ankles, knees and hip hurt and my lower back were especially excruciating. The pain was almost unbearable. About halfway through I finally caught my breath but the pain remained unabated. I finished my walk but have decided for the time being to just swim each day instead of the alternating swim/walk schedule. I am still doing the weights and will still do the 1-mile walk on nights I am scheduled regular work. (nights I work OT won’t count. I just need to tell myself I can get past this eventually. I realize that diet is also important. For now, though as not to overload, my only focus on that is no wheat, no sugar, no fast food. I will revisit that later if I am able to stick with this. Tomorrow weight training begins with the upper body.
100 Day Workout Challenge Pre-Season Day 3 So after work last night I did the one-mile walk, definitely less pain than the night before plus I seemed less winded, not sure if it’s scientific thought. Last night I had my phone and headset so I was able to listen to music, and that probably made a difference. I don’t think I will walk tonight. The idea was to walk on reg work nights and although I am here tonight (and will be Tues and Weds also) it’s all OT so walking is optional I may give my legs a rest. Did swim for three days in a row did 12 laps Friday and 14 laps Saturday and today.Tonight after work and doing weights with upper body emphasis. Since this is the first night, I will mostly just figure out what weight is right. My goal is three reps of 10 each for now.
100 Day Workout Challenge, Pre-Season Day 4. Just one more day until I am official. I am scared and excited, mostly scared though. I’ve been through the ringer before and am afraid of getting disappointed when I give up. It always seems that I can rock it for a week or two then this overwhelming wave of anger comes up from inside of me. I am sitting on some anger and it seems to come up when I try to improve myself. The only advantage I have is I know it’s there and maybe I can prepare for it. Swam 15 laps today and will do the mile walk after work.
Yesterday I ended up doing the mile walk even though it was optional and found the pain and shortness of breath still there but perhaps slightly diminished from the night before. Did the arms weights but since was the first time just spent most of the time trying to figure out the right settings and weight for each machine. Tomorrow is legs weights will probably be very similar.
100 Day Workout Challenge Pre-Season Day 5. Tomorrow is the big day. And I am wondering if I somehow summoned my anger wave by mentioning it yesterday. I didn’t end up doing the after work walk even though yesterday was a full workday. I justified it by saying to myself that since I had walked the day before even though it was an optional day that it made up for not walking yesterday. This is how it always starts with me, getting angry/tired/stressed and then trying to compromise or justify my way out of doing it. I am supposed to do legs weight tonight and part of me is already looking for a way out. How will I ever make 100 days if I try to look for loopholes to avoid a commitment?
I finally talked to Jane about what I am trying to do, she was very supportive. She did bring up a good point. I need to do this out of self-love, not from a play where I am doing it to punish me or out of anger for having a part in letting me get so out of shape, (part of it was due to Grave’s disease but I’ll talk about that on another night.) But I need to do this in a spirit of self-love. Also, I need to be ready for the times when my inner emotions get the best of me.
Swimming is still going strong, I’m enjoying it, Did sixteen laps today, tomorrow will do 17, adding one per day until I get to 25.
