May 12, I finally got our treadmill set up in our workout area. I began my 20 days of 20 minutes fitness. I am starting slow, with just devoting 20 minutes a day to treadmill walking. From there, I hope to build and add to my workout and eating plans, but for now - It's the diary of 20 Days of 20 Minutes Fitness...
I don't really do BEFORE pics, but for the sake of this blog I am taking a "Before" pic and will decide if there is enough of a change at the end of 20 days to disclose it to you side-by-side with my "After" pic.
Day 1 - I got the treadmill set up. The workout area has a lot of work to be done, but it's usable. I'll tackle the rest of the clutter as we go, but for now I'm happy that I did 20 minutes my first day.
Day 2 - I know this sounds crazy, and it can't possibly be making a difference so fast, but I already feel like my legs and arms are more toned up. I definitely feel more energy today than I've been feeling lately, but both of my calves are so sore. I took a magnesium supplement and ate a banana to help alleviate potential leg cramping. I did my 20 minutes, and then added an extra 5 minutes at the steepest incline to prepare myself for climbing those sand dunes in September in Michigan on my hubby's musical tour.
Day 3 - I was afraid I would wake up with leg cramping since my calves hurt so badly yesterday. But, to my happiness, I didn't. They are still mildly sore from yesterday's incline workout, but not as bad as they hurt yesterday.
Day 4 - Woke up this morning with extremely sore calf muscles, but I still plunged into the 20 minutes on the treadmill which became 28, with 5 minutes of steep incline added at the end. I'm really starting to enjoy my 20 minute time windows, which actually are a bit longer because I have also added 20 arm weight pull downs and 20 ab machine crunches as well.
TIP OF THE DAY: I BRING MY WATER FILLED WITH ICE AND WATER WITH ME AND MAKE SURE I HYDRATE WITH SEVERAL SIPS BEFORE I GET STARTED AND THEN PART-WAY THROUGH THE WORKOUT AND DIRECTLY FOLLOWING THE WORKOUT.
Day 5 - I woke up today with a bit of a headache. I sometimes get headaches when storms are moving in, and it's stormy today. I still plunged through my workout but really felt it today, especially when I added the 5-minute incline at the end. But, I did it! I took a magnesium supplement to help alleviate the calf pain and ended up dealing with nausea and such which sometimes happens to me with magnesium.
Day 6 - The workout was easier today than yesterday, and I even went on a late-night real walk around the block when my hubby got home. I know this sounds crazy, but I'm already feeling like I'm thinner. Still not brave enough to actually get out the measuring tape. I will know when my clothes start fitting better. But, I walked so hard today that I literally walked my sock off.
WHOOHOO! IT'S BEEN ONE WEEK TODAY!
I know it sounds crazy, but I feel like my muscles are more toned. If anything, it's enough of an incentive to keep me going!
THE START OF WEEK 2
Day 8 - Did it! Today I upped my walking pace from 1.7 to 2.0 for part of the workout.
Day 9 - Got some disturbing news today about a teacher at our co-op, and so I decided to work off my stress by hitting the treadmill. I actually went way over my 20 minutes today. I think I topped out at just over 37 minutes. Plus, I went mini golfing with my kids and a teen homeschool group (though, I didn't golf, just walked around following them). And, I went for a walk around the block with my family. So, I'm pumped!
Day 10 - Today I upped my pace for most of the workout to 1.8 and kept it at 2.0 on the 15 incline for 5 minutes. And, something special happened.... My 13-year-old daughter joined me. She walked the treadmill for about 17 minutes while she read a book.
What I'm really enjoying is that I'm starting to be able to feel a waistline that indents again. That's a good feeling. Also, my arms don't seem so huge when I look in the mirror. Instead, they're actually starting to have some definition on the top shoulder.
THE HALF-WAY MARK!!!!!!
Day 11 - Today was an absolutely gorgeous day outside, so I took my two girls to the park and we walked around the lake. I then, still, kept to my schedule of 20 minutes on the treadmill. Only today I did closer to 30, and my teen daughter did the treadmill for the second time. I feel excited but tired.
Day 12 - Day 3 of my teen daughter joining me, so now I have to share and wait for my time on the treadmill, but I'm happy for her to get the health benefit as well.
Day 13 - Whew! Today was the beginning of Memorial Day weekend, so my hubby and I got the bikes out of the shed and got them ready to ride. We took our first family bike ride. Of course, my trip around the block with the family meant hanging back with my youngest, who actually did a really great job on her training wheels this year..... In addition to my regular 20 minutes on the treadmill, which turned into more time.
Day 14 - Worked out 30 minutes on the treadmill today. I'm actually feeling like I have some muscle tone, and my hubby has started commenting as well. My daughter has been joining me almost every day in the workout room.
Day 15 - Today, I upped my 15 incline speed to 2.1 for awhile. I also upped my walking speed to 1.9 for the latter part of my workout, and I walked until I hit ONE MILE!
Day 16 - Today was stormy, and part way through my workout, the treadmill suddenly came to a jolting stop, all lights went out, and it took me a second to realize that the electricity had gone out. Since I wasn't looking directly at my time when the electricity went out, I wasn't sure if I had reached my 20 minutes yet or not. When the electricity came back on, I just added 10 minutes to my workout and think I probably actually did more than 20 minutes, but I'm not sure. I also walked in Target quite a lot just trying to locate an item we needed.
Not quite an AFTER pic, but almost to the end of 20 days. It's hard to get an all out full body pic of me without calling on someone else to take the picture, and I'm just not ready for that.
Getting there, 20 minute by 20 minutes at a time...
Day 17 - I actually worked 7 minutes and 59 seconds in my highest incline today and didn't feel too much out of breath! PROGRESS. Also, the last few days, I've done about a mile each day and closer to more than 30 minutes total than 20 minutes.
Day 18 - I started today doing my highest incline of 15 at a pace of 2.1 during the first 5 minutes instead of the last 5 minutes. I know it's good to do a warm up first, but I found I was less tired when I jumped into the hardest part first.
Day 19 - Did the highest incline and highest pace again during the first 5 minutes. This time, it was while my daughter was talking to me the entire time. So, I felt more tired than I had felt the day before simply because I was also focusing on answering her questions and talking. But, I was still amazed at how I really didn't feel it exhausting until the last minute or so.
Day 20 - LAST DAY OF MY 20/20 GOAL! I am feeling more muscle tone, and my hubby is commenting on my muscle tone and shape. I still feel far from my goal of having my clothing feel loose, at which point I will have confidence to step on the scale again. But, when I look in the mirror, I'm seeing more of a normal sized person than seeing a fat, old, out of shape woman.
YAY! I did it. Now, on to set more goals...
What do you think my next goal should be?
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