The Texan and the Redhead

YMCA Adventures – Days go by

In case you’ve been keeping track, it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. No, I haven’t fallen totally off the wagon. I prefer to think of it as hanging on by my fingernails while life serves up a bowlful of changes (good ones!).

Thanks to an amazing business opportunity – I took a major leap last week and left my FT job to go to work for my own company, The All Night Party.  Scary? Definitely. Thrilling, exciting and liberating? Totally. Only five days in and I’m loving my newfound sense of freedom and responsibility. And stress – oh definitely, an increase in stress. Since I’m a stress eater, I can tell right away when I’m eating out of anxiousness or worry.

So back to the YMCA. While I’ve not been able to go three times a week, which was my original goal, I have been able to go once a week. Since it’s only once a week, I’m trying to maximize my time and try something a bit different each time.

First, I tried a different Y. Everyone who has read my previous blog posts, knows that I’ve got an issue with locker rooms, too few hooks to hang your stuff and towels. To anyone who shares these issues – GO TO THE DOWNTOWN Y! Not only do they have a spacious locker room with plenty of hooks, but they have towel service. Nice, warm and toasty towels, ready for you after your workout. I love it! Yes, the building is older and the equipment isn’t as new as other locations – but seriously, the amenities make up for it. And for those concerned with parking – there’s a lot, right behind the building for members. I learned this after the meter birds left an “expired meter” ticket on my car.

Second- I worked out with my BFF, Julie (Wine Me, Dine Me). There’s a whole new level of accountability when you make plans to work out with a friend, whether it’s at 7:15am, or not…no excuses. Warming up on the elliptical while catching up on gossip and work rocks. The other cool thing is that ActiveTrax has a feature called”Workout with Friends”, which means exactly what it sounds like – it’ll plan a workout for both you and your friend – using machines that are either the same, or in the vicinity of one another.

Third – remember I mentioned stress? Turns out, working out is a great stress buster. I still haven’t had that mythical “high” that some people get from a workout – but I do find that cardio releases some of the adrenaline and works out the tenseness in my muscles. So it’s worth it to me to hop on a treadmill for 20 minutes if it means I’ll feel better when I’m done (even if I’m not wild about the activity while I’m doing it).

Moving ahead – I’m hoping to take advantage of my newly flexible schedule to take in a class or two at the Y. I’ve heard the yoga is relaxing, the spinning intense and the boot camp is ass-kicking.

For anyone keeping count, we’re t-minus 18 days til my wedding…