Day Twenty-Five: Breakroom Breakdown

So, yesterday during my lunch break I decided to throw decorum to the wind and bust out some Pilates right there on the breakroom floor. The not-so-clean, rather crummy breakroom floor. I managed to put aside my squeamishness and promptly tossed off my work shirt, unloaded my pockets of my keys and wallet, kicked off my shoes and went into a Pilates position.

I decided not to do a video this time around since I didn't have a lot of time to sit there and watch one. I could have, my phone is more than capable, but I didn't. I wanted to do this from memory and see if I could get the same feeling.

I started off with a couple of roll-ups (the one that is equal to six crunches) and then progressed to some 100s. It was different doing it on the break floor and I was surprised to find myself limber. I suppose working a few hours on my feet and lugging stuff around made me easier to pull it off, but things came easy.

It still felt good, though. After the 100s I did some cobras and then went into leg work with some triangles. I finished up with a few more roll-ups and then did some stretching afterwards to keep me loose. Overall, the workout took about fifteen minutes and I came away feeling quite good.

I was concerned that someone would walk in on me, but I suppose this is risk that I'm going to have to endure. I love the lunch break Pilates ... it's fast, it's quick, it gives me a chance to refocus for the rest of my shift, and it leaves me feeling good. I had wanted to work my way up to actually being brave enough to pull this off in the gym, so starting in my breakroom is just a way of getting there I guess.

I awoke this morning pleased with the results (a bit of soreness, favorable numbers on the scale) and that's adding in the five hours of baking cookies (that includes clean-up). That baking also includes a few cookies sneaked in (I'm bad). But the way the day went and everything, I was majorly pleased.

So, I'm going to standardize lunch break Pilates during my work-days and file a blog post after the fact.

I'll catch you folks later for Day Twenty-Six. Thanks for reading.  

Day Twenty-Four: Cracking Backs and Accountability

So, I jumped back into Pilates once more today. I've been feeling run down pretty much all week, physically and mentally, just from the constantly changing weather. It's gone from warm to cold to rainy and tomorrow it's supposed to be snowy. My allergies are taking a toll on me and I'm not feeling particularly atop my game, but I decided I needed some Pilates.

I hit the Beginner's Workout video and I managed to do it all. Breathing was difficult this time around with all the gunk in my nose, and I struggled to keep proper form as I struggled to breathe, but I managed. I was able to do something I haven't been able to do before -- I was able to tap fully behind my heel this time around while doing the triangles.

Now, this isn't a a super impressive thing, but I've never been able to fully do it before. I was only able to sorta halfway do it before. I was quite pleased with that. More so, I was very pleased with the multiple times in the video where I could hear my back crack and feel my muscles stretch.

Oh, it felt good. You never realize how scrunched up your spine becomes doing daily tasks (like sitting in front of the computer) until you hear your back crack as loudly as mine did. Between the back cracking, the muscle stretching, and the feeling of my abs working (hey, abs, you still exist!) I came away from this workout pleased.

Admittedly, that feeling is a good one and one I want to last, but I've been having some serious accountability issues of late as far as my workouts go. I somehow manage to talk myself out of them because I don't "feel" like it. That's a weak sauce excuse and I've been justifying it for too long. I'm not suffering too negatively but I don't feel as well off as I did during the summer when I hit Pilates on a near daily basis.

Thusly, I'm just gonna set aside a time of day to do Pilates automatically, probably after work. I work better on a set schedule. Yes, I do have a gym membership now so I'll be doing the Pilates in addition to the gym stuff. This will allow me to get back to feeling good and in-shape. Sure, I technically pass for in-shape but I don't feel it anymore.

I've felt bleh a lot of days this week. As the holiday season approaches, maintaining good habits will be crucial in fighting off the dreaded holiday backslide. I don't want any part of it this year. I was able to minimize it last year, I failed utterly the year before, but this year I want to completely eliminate it (or at least get really close). The holiday season is rife with easy routes to bad decisions.

I aim to do my best not to make bad choices. So in order to do that, I need to make good choices and Pilates is one of those.

I think keeping on a regular schedule will also help keep me more accountable. I'll admit, it's harder to find motivation now than it was when I first started Pilates (or even when I first started working out in general). Before it was about weight loss and making myself more flexible. Now, it's about maintaining that and maintenance is comparatively boring. It doesn't hold my attention nearly as well and it doesn't inspire a sense of "working towards the greater good" like weight loss or increasing my flexibility did.

I am a goal-oriented person so without those two, tangible goals sitting there I find myself at a loss. The goal for the next two months or so is to avoid backsliding. That's more abstract than I'd like but I have plenty of horrible pictures of myself that I'd rather burn than look at ... so maybe I'll look at those to remind myself what the holiday season can do to a person.

Fear doesn't seem to be a good motivator in the long-term but for a few months it might work.

Whatever the case, today was a good workout. I sweated. I was tested. I come away feeling better than I did.

See you folks for Day Twenty-Five.   

Day Twenty-Three: Back to Pilates

Well, two months later and I have returned. It's been busy. From moving, to finding a new job, to getting settled, and more, there has been little time for Pilates. I must say, I missed it. It seems to be the common theme when I go without Pilates.

Today I set forth to do it after work. I had the closing shift so I didn't get out of there till 10 o'clock at night, and I had a busy day. My job in retail is full of variety and labor, and I run all over the store. Literally. I'm the only one who does but I can cover distances faster that way. Plus, it's a decent workout.

So, I was pretty tired when I came back this night. I thought I'd pass on it and wait, but I had made a commitment to myself to do it. Hell or high water, I was going to at least try. So I tuned back into the Beginner's Workout video and expected to get nailed.

The first few minutes were a good refresher course on what I needed to do properly, namely my breathing, and then the real work started. And after the first set of 100s, I was back in it. It was a struggle at first, I'll admit, but I was pleasantly surprised to find my form was in decent shape. I can only attest this to the fact that I've practiced her breathing techniques and some of her exercises for a few minutes during my lunch breaks.

That and sucking in my belly button during the course of the days kept me in decent enough shape to tackle this video. I found my form and I proceeded to do the video well. I felt the burn, mind you, and it felt good. I missed the feeling of ... well, feeling my muscles work. Shaking from the strain and concentrating on getting to the end of the movement.

I thought for sure I was going to get blasted by this video but instead I found myself not dying. Which felt awesome.

Today, in general, has been one of feeling pretty good. My mood has been good all day and I think having Pilates to look forward to really helped with that. Furthermore, now that I'm in Ohio, I think I'll search out a real Pilates class. There's a nearby gym that might have one, but I want to go ahead and show up in public. Sure, it's probably not going to be pretty, but I'm ready I think.

I can fit into teenage boy clothes thanks to Pilates. I find that a success worthy of sharing. ;)

I'll be hitting up Pilates on an every-other day basis I think until I work myself back into everyday shape, but I'm very pleased with tonight's effort. Once again, I highly recommend this to anyone. Just thirty minutes a day and you can see some definable benefits after a month or so.

At the very least, it'll make you feel good about yourself and that can't be undersold.

Thanks for reading, folks. See you for Day Twenty-Four.

Day Twenty-Two: I Have Endured

So, I took nearly a week off from Pilates and not on purpose, mind. Last week I got super busy and just lost track of it all. I was gonna try and do some on Saturday, but decided to be a major bum and do some writing. Yesterday, I set forth on doing some major cleaning.

I cleaned an entire basement. Organized, swept, vacuumed, washed, and more. I'm proud of the work. It looks good to me and it was quite a workout.

But today was the day to get back onto Pilates because, holy mess, was I ever sore this morning when I woke and sore for most of the day. I missed Pilates fiercely and I was looking forward to it today even though I anticipated sucking it up big time.

The first video was just a nice cardio warmup. These types of videos don't present an issue to me and I gladly did it. I needed the warmup as the last two days have been rainy and cruddy, which means I barely got any outside time in because I hate dealing with rainy and cruddy.

The second video was one focused on slimmer calves and thighs. My calves, I've been told, look good. I mean, they're huge, and that's to do with all the walking/running I did previously in my weight loss regiment. I wish they weren't so huge but they are. My thighs are large, too, and I would very much like to see them slimmer but they don't touch anymore. Back when I was in the 200s, they would touch all the time. I destroyed a lot of jeans thanks to those thighs.

So, the focus of this video was a focus I'm all for. But this video was a challenge and not a cakewalk, not at all. Majorly important for this video (and all Pilates videos) was proper breathing technique. I was out of practice early in the video but I managed to find my form.

Once I did, this video became a lot easier. I kept my breathing and my form, I kept my pace, and I felt it working. I know this video so well now that I can close my eyes and just listen to what she says, as I've committed the movements to memory.

Cassey is easy on the eyes but often distracting ... at least for me, a male.

I was able to do a lot of this with my eyes closed and I found that much more relaxing than usual. I peeked every once and awhile to make sure I was doing things right, but overall my eyes were closed as I felt the burn.

Did I ever feel it. I was close to cramping up a few times but my breathing kept me from getting to that point. I was on the edge of it, but I wasn't there.

Once I got done with the video I exclaimed, "God, I missed Pilates." And I did. My body loves this and I share its sentiments, the Pilates have been a real good thing for me.

But then the third video arrived. I anticipated this being harder than the last time I encountered this video. This time I upped the weights in the bags by five pounds, getting me close to 15 pounds in each bag. Last time was too easy. I needed to feel it this time.

I felt it. Oh, did I felt it. My calves and my legs were in agony after the first minute of the movement. Things were tense and I was shaking from my waist down. Standing on the balls of your feet for such an extended period and pulsing on those same feet is difficult. It was hard.

But I got through the video.

My endurance has really picked up thanks to Pilates and not just for Pilates things either. Yesterday's clean-a-thon in the basement was a testament to that, as well as the previous weekend's house work.

Hell, I may just be brave enough to do these in a class. I'm nearly done with the beginners videos and, seeing as I'm moving to Ohio this week, finding a legit Pilates class (that doesn't charge preferably) would be fun.

...

Maybe.

At any rate, the benefits are so good with this that I won't be quitting. Pilates is awesome and even on days when I'm tired and sore (today) I can still summon the energy to do it.

Thanks for reading folks and I'll see you for Day Twenty-Three.

Day Twenty-One: Fatality, Mortal Kombat Style

Wow. I got beat today in embarrassing fashion. There's no real way around it. I sit here before you, thrashed.

The first video was a nice one, something that lulled me into a false sense of security. I saw it, recognized it, and loved it for what it was. Three weeks ago that video would have been tough. Today, I did well on it and was pretty confident the next video would be one I could do.

I was wrong. Oh, I was so wrong.

The second video was not kind. It was brutal. It was brutal to the word "brutal". I felt like I was in the middle of a Mortal Kombat fight. Cassey didn't hold back today, not at all, and the workout in this video was not for those who were looking to get started on this. This video was for those who thought everything would go well.

This video did not go well. In the beginning, I was thrown for a loop by this movement. It looks like a normal lunge, something that I was fine with, but then she puts that bottom leg out so far ... she then precedes to lower it. Over and over. Without moving the rest of her body.

I was at a loss how she achieved that. I don't have that body control and though I certainly do appreciate Cassey's body control, I can't begin to tell you how she does it. She just busts it out like it's casual, like it's simple, and I couldn't for the life of me figure how. I tried, struggled to do, and ultimately failed.

The rest of the video pretty much falls in line with that. I tried, I struggled to do, and I ultimately failed. I couldn't keep up with her and my form broke down. I was pressing, I'll admit that, and I certainly didn't want to sit there and do nothing.

But this video beat me. This was a fatality as I couldn't do the third video, ABC Abs, at all. I was spent and quit. I did not accept the continue, I quit to main menu.

I can only assume that my long weekend and my lack of sleep has had something to do with this. I feel a bit let down considering how well yesterday went, but I guess that's the price one pays for lack of sleep. It kills you in a lot of ways.

I'm on my last week of Beginner's Pilates, and I'd like to go out on a high note. This won't do it.

Thanks for reading folks, and I'll see you for the (hopefully better) Day Twenty-two.

Day Twenty: Weekend Workouts and Monday Madness

So, Friday through Sunday I skipped Pilates because I was going to be working on a house and did I ever work. There was scraping. Painting. Drywalling. Plastering. Carrying. Moving. More carrying. Many flights of stairs ... it was a major amount of work. I only got 11 hours of sleep all weekend long. Last night, after getting back, I managed to snag eight hours.

I should be sore. Majorly sore. But I'm not. I'm tired, I'll admit that, but I don't hurt at all. I'm not in top condition but I'm more than able to function.

All weekend long, with all the lifting and moving, I kept the Pilates breathing form in mind. I kept Pilates in mind throughout it all, really, using what I had learned in the workout videos to aid in keeping me from hurting myself.

The crazy thing is that it worked. I didn't hurt myself (minor the cuts/blisters) and I didn't suffer any collapse from exhaustion. I could have easily kept going a long time. The drive back made me sleepy, but I made it back.

Today, I wasn't sure if I was going to do Pilates, but in telling my friend (who turned me onto Pilates in the first place) the weekend's events, we both admitted we had missed Pilates. It's a great way to keep in shape, make you stronger, and just relieve some stress.

I was pretty stressed when I woke this morning. I just wasn't in a good mood. My long drive back had done nothing for me and the lacks of sleep made me a bit ill. I wanted to rip some people's heads off. I got better as the day progressed, the crappy feelings going away, but I totally was looking forward to Pilates. I wanted to do it.

So, I did. The first video was the Beginner's Workout and I must proudly say, I made it through. No breaks, no cheating, and no break down of form. The video is kind of a trip back in time because three weeks ago, when I started this, that workout kicked my tail. I was using all the shortcuts and taking breaks to get through it.

Now, three weeks later, I'm making it through the video without any breaks. I was proud of myself. Yes, it still takes some effort, but not a backbreaking amount. Not an amount of effort that makes me feel like I got hit by a bus afterwards.

It's amazing what gains I've made with this in just three weeks time. I thought I was fit before but, based on these past four days, I have to say I'm way fitter now. It's probably not going to sell more people (guys in particular) on the idea, but there have been strength gains. Flexibility gains. The fact I didn't pull anything this past weekend is astounding considering the amount of stuff I was hauling around. Multiple 18 pound bags, a few 50 pound bags, buckets full of tools, buckets of five gallon paint, and I was doing this across multiple terrains: flat, sloped, stairs, and more.

I didn't pull anything. I would normally have pulled something but I didn't, and I didn't on less sleep than normal. Pilates has definitely made a positive difference here, a noticeable one, and I think everyone should get aboard and do this. You may not see the same amount of success as I have in the same amount of time, but you'll see it sooner rather than later if you really put the time in.

My success with the first video was not repeatable with the second, however.

The second video kicked my tail. The pace and the reps really make this a tough video to follow up on ... I won't pretend I did well on it. I was in a heap after about two minutes of it. Considering the wear and tear of this past weekend, I don't count this as a loss.

Overall, I'm quite proud of my efforts today and hope to repeat it as the days go on.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you folks for Day Twenty-One

Day Nineteen: No. Just No.

Rarely do I ever pitch a fit as badly as I did on today's workout videos.

The first one was a favorite of mine, one based on stretching, and I liked those. They're laid back, they're easy to me, and they make me take the time to consider my movements. I wish that there were more videos like those ... sitting there, stretching out, thinking about the movements and all the many parts of it is a good exercise for the mind.

The second video was the one I cursed at. A lot. Who knew these seemingly basic movements would be so hard? It's not so much the actual, physical, movements that bothered me. It was the length of them. I was sitting there for minutes, tail stuck in the air in a basic bridge, sweating it out.

This video required an endurance I just didn't have. My legs struggled to stay up, my breathing struggled to keep up, and I felt cramps coming on. I didn't make it through this video. I had to break a few times. These made me hurt. I don't know how she managed to do it for as long as she did (it was like five minutes, seriously) but I had to take a break midway through and I didn't want to do the rest. Not. At. All.

That video kicked my tail.

The third video was just ... no.   

I didn't see the new Great Gatsby movie. I heard it was decent but as far as respecting the source material, it really didn't. I love the Great Gatsby as a book. I hated it at first, like everyone else, but it just got better and better every time I read it. It's a book that really ages well.

I can't stand what the new movie did to the music. It's just horrible. They took modern pop and infused it with period music. I looked at this video and just didn't do it. I fully admit it. I won't be caught dead dancing to this music.

I can dance in the shower and make up for it.

Anyways, today was not as much a success as yesterday. I feel like I got beat by that second video.

Thanks for reading. See you guys next time for Day Twenty, which will just be observations of what's gone down so far.

Day Eighteen: ABCs Rule

I thought today was going to be a major pain. The videos were stacked against me ... tough ones, ones I've struggled with in the past. It was going to be a triple threat of agony. Instead, I'm here having found my second wind (surprisingly) after not getting a lot of sleep last night.

The first video was the a quickie workout, done at a fast pace, and done without any wasted motions. Her faster pace videos still give me trouble, but I found myself keeping up better this time than I have in the past. This video really set the pace for me today.

I next moved onto the second video, which was the dreaded ABC Abs. This video has kicked my tail more often than not. I struggle doing it a lot, but I came into this one warmed up. I came out of the gates with a roar, blazing through the first set of ABCs with the upper abs. Once we hit the lower abs, I started to give out, and I was definitely shaking.

I've noticed that my lower abs seem to have more difficulty than my upper abs, and this isn't surprising to me as my lower abs is where the bulk of the sagging skin is. It makes sense to my warped mind that they'd be the weaker of the two.

I got about to 'I' before I started breathing pretty heavily. My form began to break down and though I struggled to finish strong, I did finish without taking a break. Admittedly, at the end of the video, I just sat on the floor for about five before I moved onto the next one.

The last video was the Lady Gaga workout one. Bleh. Bleh. Bleh. I still have difficulty doing the Lady Gag Crunches but I was able to do a few of them before my form completely broke down. It's progress. The rest of the video was relatively painless and I sit here, before you, energized.

I definitely feel like I'm slimming up, though the scale barely nudges past the usual number. My shirts feel a bit looser, my pants do as well, and I look slimmer to my own eyes. Admittedly, this is all based on perception so it could be entirely wrong. But I think some truth is there.

My flexibility in my back has improved considerably and I feel like that's the biggest gain so far. I can do things with my back that I haven't been able to do since I was a child. My legs still refuse to bend as far as hers do or stretch as far back ... it hasn't really changed a lot since I first began, but I think I've made a very small difference there.

I'm quite pleased by today's efforts and look forward to tomorrow, where I'll be concluding this week's workouts and trying to get on a regular schedule for next week (where things will hopefully begin on a Monday). Thanks for reading, and see you for Day Nineteen.

Day Seventeen: No Butts About It

So, I was an absolute bum and took the last three days off from Pilates. It was the weekend. That's my excuse. I got caught up in a myriad of different projects and, by the time I remembered Pilates, I was tired, it was late, and I wasn't going to do them.

I got back aboard the train today for a few reasons but mostly because I missed it. I generally do better on the days I do Pilates than the days I don't. Yesterday I ran for the first time in awhile and I think I might have pulled something ... that knowledge in mind, I decided to do today's videos, which focused on stretching.

I started with the first video, which was a stretching one and one I liked. It's relaxing, challenging, and all together a good workout. I didn't have trouble with most of it. Not until I reached The Bridge anyway. That movement still befuddles me.

Admittedly, I'm a few days out of practice and by this point in the video I was just starting to find my form. But this movement requires a level of flexibility I haven't achieved yet. The way she gets her hands to bend back like that is hard enough but then to LIFT myself with those hands, that's where I find it superbly difficulty.

I did better this time around. I managed to get about a fourth of the way up before my body came back to the carpet, but I don't know how she manages it. That kind of flexibility seems impossible for me to achieve, but what looks impossible now may not be impossible later.

I moved onto the second video after that, which I found a bit laid back as well. I'm glad it was, because I needed to ease back into this today. The video focused on, you guessed it, the butt. Cassey and her followers seem to have a fixation on their butts being firm, toned, and good looking.

I want to tangent off into the psychology of this, because males (speaking as one) don't frankly give a damn about butts. They're good for sitting. They're good for making funny noises. They're good for ... more sitting. That's about it. I kinda care about how mine looks, but no one has mentioned to me one way or the other how it's perceived. Until someone does, I'll continue on with the assumption that it's fine.

But it seems for females/women/girls/chicks (anymore?) that the butt is a central focus of attention. This has been confirmed to me a few times throughout my adventures in life (if one can call them adventures) and I get they want it to look "sexy" and "toned" for others, hopefully for themselves as well.

I just feel that, as a society (and the human race overall), we place way too much emphasis on the butt and how it looks. I know that in history, at least as far as I'm aware, a nice butt and set of breasts meant the woman in question would be fertile. Fertility is good.

But modern society has moved well beyond that at this point and we've objectified both things to insane levels. I'm not saying we should jump to the other direction and just say "Hey, be as slovenly and out of shape as you want!" but I am saying there's a difference between healthy and sexy. One does not necessarily mean the other in my mind.

Okay, end of tangent.

Anyways, the second video was challenging as well, though no one particular movement stood out to me as tough. All were mildly so but I succeeded (to varying degrees) at all of them.

I'll be trying to do the next two days of Pilates workouts. Thanks for reading, see you next for Day Eighteen.

Day Sixteen: Stretches of Doom

Boy, my legs are sore. It's not that yesterday's workouts made me hurt a lot. It's that the stretching in today's videos was tough. Way tough. I generally like the stretches as they are easier to do than most of Cassey's other videos.

But not today's. The way she was stretching today was amazingly difficult.

We started with the first video, which was merely cardio once more. Again, I have no problems with this type of workout. It's like, simple, for me.

We came to the second video and I looked at it and thought it would be easy. Every other stretching video was easy. Every other time I've tried I've found success.

This time, I did not find nearly as much success. I should have known because she uses a belt in some of the stretches. I don't do well with belts. I took one out this morning to put on but got frustrated when I couldn't quite get it to go right. So, I left it on my bed.

Low and behold, I needed to use it again this evening. I busted it out and started to stretch. And it hurt. Using the belt to pull back on my leg, to straighten it out, was SUPPOSED to make things easier but honestly I was struggling pretty bad to keep it together.

There wasn't a movement in this video that I didn't have difficult with. It was hard. It was tiring.

I'm pooped.

I managed to roll to the third video, did that, but I'm quite disappointed that I struggled so much with stretching. After yesterday's breakthrough, I thought for sure I would be able to lick today's videos. Instead, I feel like I lost.

Admittedly, I know I didn't. But I feel like I did. My tail got kicked by that stretching video. I cursed. I pleaded. I begged. I definitely want to do any other video other than that one.

My report today is one of embarrassment, disappointment, and a whole new respect for stretches. These stretches were not feel good. Not at all.

Thanks for reading. See you for Day Seventeen.

Day Fifteen: PROGRESS

Well, today was a surprise. Really. I didn't expect there to be definable progress today. Not after staying up late, once more, last night. I have stayed up late a bit too much this week, admittedly, but I haven't paid for it dearly.

But it has impacted my daily recovery from Pilates. Woke up this morning and my arms/legs were both killing me. They've been stiff all day and that can only be attributed to my lack of sleep. The body isn't getting time enough to heal. By the time I get to the evening I got enough to go another round, but I need to do better about getting sleep.

The first video was beginning stuff. I am no longer that much a beginner, but the movements were still challenging to me. However, I was able to make it through the video without getting winded. I was able to do every Roll Up in the video (sitting up from the floor unassisted never felt so rewarding).

The second video was the one where definable, real, progress was found. It wasn't apparent at the beginning of the video. I did the movements but was feeling my endurance begin to slip. But I was able to do the Single Leg Jack-knife   much better than last time around. I didn't feel like I was straining all that hard at all.

When we got to the back-end of the video, I wasn't looking forward to it. I audibly groaned. We were going to do the Butt Lift and the last time around with this video I came away unhappy with my performance. This time, I found I could actually do these and keep up.

I mean, I really could do them. I felt like my back discovered a key and unlocked itself. I was able to move my lower back and get it up there, without really straining.

The euphoria was short lived as we moved on to the Roll Backs. I could not do these the last time around, not at all. Getting my legs to go that far back, getting my back to cooperate ... no way. But it was part of the video. So, I started it when she started it.

And I got stuck. My legs DID in fact go back as hers did and I sat there, half-scared I was stuck, half-giddy with the fact that I was actually doing it. I was laughing at this as she continued on with the workouts. I managed to get back down, get calm, and I repeated the movement.

It wasn't a fluke. I was able to do it multiple times and it was FUN. This is by far the most fun I've had with these videos, this one movement. It was a stupid little thing, but I can't remember the last time I was able to do anything remotely like that. I could have backflipped, maybe, if I really wanted to be brave.

This represents the first definable progress as far as Pilates movements are concerned. I've made other, smaller gains, so far but this is big. My lower back just got free, more free than it has been in years (maybe dating as far back when I was a young child).

I was very, very pleased, with the way this went today. The ability to do the Roll Backs is awesome. It's fun, just hanging there ... upside down. I'm a bit euphoric at the moment.

PROGRESS

So good. Very pleased with this, especially as I was yet again reminded during the first video of how my sack of loose flesh still just hangs there nasty-like. I hate it but the unlocking of my lower back (or perhaps the strength gain in my abs?) makes up for that cringe-worthy moment.

I did double-check just to make sure I didn't imagine it. Still able to do it. :)

Thanks for reading, folks. See you for Day Sixteen.

Day Fourteen: Losing a Leg

My left leg needs a medic or maybe it needs to be replaced. The workouts today were tough, majorly tough.

I woke up this morning properly sore in my arms/shoulders. Don't ask me to lift my arms up even now (I got more arm workouts in today) because they are tired. I'm lucky that I'm tall enough for most things not to reach up but still ... ouch. Happily, today was rather easy as far as physical labor went, so no additional stress was added to my poor body.

But that changed when we got to today's workouts. The first video was the standard beginning one. Yes, I know, I technically should take today off but I'm going to take Sunday off. Today's Wednesday. So I went and started the next week of videos, which is why the beginners one is back. Now, it wasn't very difficult but it is an endurance test. I still groaned loudly at the Mermaid, but for some reason today I was able to do it much better than before.

I don't think for an instant it's because I suddenly got more flexible, but rather because I finally understood the form. The way my legs were sitting before was just too far out to the side. I brought them in closer this time and found the movement much easier to do. I'm still not able to get as much bend as she is, but I was able to get closer. Pilates is just as much about form as it is about the movements themselves.

The last video was a major challenge. This is the toughest video I've encountered in a few days. The first three minutes of it are killer. I could not get my legs to straighten at all as I rose up. My legs and my back both have a limitation that was glaringly present in this video. By this point, my left leg was hurting and threatening to cramp.

After those first three minutes, I had to break for two to deal with the cramp. My outer thigh muscles were hurting. I could touch them and feel them throbbing pain. The heavy focus on the leg exercises meant balance. I lack balance. I nearly fell over a few times in the course of the video.

The Open Clamshell was the toughest thing in this video for me. The stretching back and forth between the legs were making me strain. My form fell into a pile of garbage and came out crap. It just wasn't pretty. My legs were not cooperating, my balance was threatening to topple me over, and my patience was waning.

I was so happy to see this video over with. I really don't want to see it again but I know I will. I'm not confident I'll be able to do much better.

Overall, I'm feeling the Pilates today. My arms. My left leg. My pride. All of them are hurting, in one way or another.

I'm also getting tired of Cassey insisting I want a nice, round, booty. Cassey, hate to tell you, but I don't have any shot of getting that. And even if I did achieve it, it's not like I have any admirers.

I can only hope that, if I am so fortunate, my future wife appreciates all the work I've put in. It's on the Internet, it's well documented.

Other than that gripe, I'm looking forward to tomorrow and hoping my left leg doesn't hate me for today. Thanks for reading, see you for Day Fifteen.

Day Thirteen: Good for the Soul

Ah, I feel so much better today. Pilates is good for soul. At least my soul, anyway. Yesterday I got done with it, felt wiped, but stayed up late to write (FUN). I woke up feeling kinda out of it this morning but by lunch I was ready to take on the world. Soreness didn't make itself know to me, but I was a little stiff.

Today, got some decent pre-Pilates exercises in. Did some laundry, and ran around outside (beautiful weather). I was pleasantly surprised to find that that today was a day where we did some targeted workouts on areas not called the abs (thank goodness).

We started out with the first video, which was all about stretches. I liked this video a lot before and still like it now ... if I have this to look forward to every day, I'd be happy. I like the stretches. It has a very yoga feel to it and, though some find that a negative, I find that a positive. Yoga was considered as a method of exercise but it just wasn't challenging enough in terms of effort. I'm sure many of the positions would have been challenging, but I wanted to get a sweat up.

This video doesn't make me sweaty but it certainly gets my pulse going. It's also one of the few videos Cassie has that doesn't have any pop music in it (major plus). I recommend this video for anyone looking to for something to relax with.

The second video was new to me. This one looks to be one of the first she ever made, judging by the feel and tone of it (as well as the upload date). It targeted the upper body and a main focus was push-ups. I'm not a big fan of them. Years of being unable to do them soured me. But, since I've gotten into better shape, I've found them to be a nice little side workout.

She introduced some push-ups here that I have never before attempted. These Triangle Push-ups   (she doesn't give an official name) are really hard to pull off. I struggled a bit with them before I got my form down. I've never tried to do that before and I'm intrigued as to how much my arms will be hurting tomorrow. Judging from how they feel now, I find that they'll be in a bit of pain.

The third video was all about squats to "Call Me Maybe" (detest that song) and so I tried to get done with it as fast as possible. They were challenging, I really felt my inner thighs begging for a rest, but I powered through it.

Overall, I found today's efforts much better than yesterday's, despite less sleep. I also feel a ton better in general than yesterday. Pilates helps me relax and doing it in the evening hours is a great way for me to wind down the day.

Thanks for reading, folks. I'll see you next time for Day Fourteen.

Day Twelve: Pass the Pillow

Well ... if taking one day off to rest was bad, taking two days off was worse. I. Am. So. Tired.

My energy levels prior to Pilates were good. I thought, hey, I might get through this all right. I was so wrong.

First, let me explain why I slacked off the last two days. Saturday, what would have been Day Twelve, I was invited by some friends to head to the lake for the day. I accepted, of course (grilled food was involved). It was a blast. I swam, I did underwater Pilates (with strange looks from everyone nearby), and ate some great grilled food.

Admittedly, I cheated like a dog with the grilled food. They had smores. And a sweet potato/yam thing that was DELISH. So, I ate my fill. But I didn't pay for it horribly the next day, and I didn't do Pilates because I was wore out from the previous day ... so I decided to skip Sunday. That way I could take my day off next Sunday. Though I'd be a bit off schedule, I'd rather have the day off on Sunday and be a bit off schedule than to try and double-up.

But that decision looks bad in retrospect. Because by the time I hit the last video, I was spent.

Let's break it down.

The first video was a nice warm up, though the challenge was there. The Single Arm Press was more difficult to pull off this time around than last time, and I have no doubt the lack of Pilates the last two days (plus Saturday's major cheat day with food) was the cause of this. I struggled a bit with them. At the end of the video I was warmed up and feeling confident enough to go on.

The second video was the 80s video, and I still enjoyed it this time around though my patience with the overuse of the 80s phrases is beginning to wear thin. This looks like a parody video that's going to get on my nerves rather than endear itself to me before it's all said and done. I was able to do this video better than last time, however, and I think once I got past the first video's sluggishness, I was able to get a bit of a second wind.

But that wind died a quick death once we hit the third video. Death be to all those who face ABC Abs and its terrible fury. I was gasping for air on this one and feeling really, really, tired. My energy levels dropped like a stone and I half-passed out on the floor a time or two.

So, what have we learned? Well, the ever repeatable lesson that eating poorly is not conducive to a good workout. I spent Saturday and Sunday being a cheater. I paid for it today. Okay, lesson learned (again).

I'll be looking to do right the rest of the week and shouldn't encounter any major difficulties in that respect ... I think.

I find my overall performance today disappointing, but not soul-crushing. I'll see you all for Day Thirteen (lucky?). Until then, thanks for reading and have a good one folks.

Day Eleven: Felt the Burn

I did not get a lot of sleep last night. I was tired but I stayed up till near two in the morning, and didn't manage to go to sleep till three. I was up by seven and the day has been a DRAG. It has just gone so slow. This has been one of the most exhausting Fridays in recent memory. I hate to say it, but I'll probably end up going to bed after this post has gone up and I shower.

The day was filled with no shortage of exercise and I didn't get to Pilates till nine tonight. But I came in determined to do them, as tired as I was. My energy levels definitely had a negative effect on me.

I began with the first video, a simple cardio routine that shouldn't have made me work as hard as it did. But it worked me. It wasn't much of a challenge last week and, just from a video critic standpoint, it could have been edited much better. It was a bit challenging this time around and I have no doubt it was because how tired I was (and still am).

It was short, though. The second video was not. This video was designed clearly for the women who wanted the sexy, slimmed body. Cause she states it a few times throughout the video how "sexy" and "seductive" the movements we were doing appeared. I wasn't feeling sexy or seductive. I was amused.

I was dancing like a chick in a rap video in some parts of this. Not a very good imitation, mind you, but if you could have seen me ... I was making the infinity symbol with my hips and slithering like snake.

All that aside, I found the movements to be challenging, though a bit repetitive. The later movements in the videos concentrated on the legs and were mostly the same stuff, just slightly different. The most challenging movement in this video was the Narrow Squat. Squats are tough stuff and my body ached, a lot, getting so low so often. It's not easy for me to hold my knees and feet together like she says I need to, and my concentration was split between that, my breathing, sucking in my abs, and the movement itself.

I felt the burn.

The last video would continue the burn. It's a workout to a song I actually kinda like, but I scoffed at the purpose of the video: to obtain runner's calves. My calves are pretty big as is (people point this out to me from time to time) and I run plenty.

I sure as heck wasn't going to be wearing any heels to show off my calves, so I thought of skipping the video. However, I hate doing that, so I sucked it up and did it. The weighted bags, combined with the toe-on-ground-only-exercises really got me hurting. I was beginning to cramp up by the end of the video.

So, yeah, my calves are apparently in need of some fine tuning. Go figure.

Today's workout was tough and I'm aiming for a well-rested night to make tomorrow's workout a better one. Thanks for reading and see you for Day Twelve.

Day Ten: Amped Up

Yesterday was a tough day for me. This morning I awoke with a ton of energy, though. More than I've had in two days. I think that's because of that day off I took on Monday for Pilates. It took me about two days to really get my energy levels back, but I bounced back big time this morning.

I woke up and felt almost as perky as Cassey. Almost.

It was a beautiful day outside. The morning was the best. It was like fall out there, perfect weather, not a cloud in the sky, and some seriously good air. The air was just a whole other level of sweet tasting. So, I went and got about two hours of morning outside time.

It was a fun two hours. I didn't feel that sore from yesterday's workout at all and throughout the day I was bounding with energy.

When we got to this evening, I was feeling ready to conquer whatever was before me.

The first video was merely a revisit of last week's cardio video. It wasn't difficult then and it wasn't difficult now. Again, I found it fun, but I didn't find it challenging. I ate it alive.

Video two was a different beast all together. This video concentrated on the legs, working them, and it required some serious balance to pull off. Now, as some of you may be aware, balance and I have a tense relationship. We've had many issues over my long life and I probably still hold the record for "number of chairs flipped over backwards in" at my high school.

There was no sitting in this video, but as you see we did need a chair in the beginning. These are very dancer-centric exercises and I couldn't get my legs as far up or as far back as she could. I still did it to the best of my abilities, but after the first set of exercises using the chair, we went without.

Later on, it was about balancing on one leg and not falling over. It was tough for me. I could easily blame my room (not exactly the widest space available) but I was tipping pretty bad on some of the one legged exercises. I was using the wall and the chair every so often to keep my balance (yeah, I cheated a bit) and it was tough. I felt it.

But my favorite exercises out of this video, the ones I found most challenging, were the squats. These really got my blood pumping and my legs a shakin'. After the first set we move on to squatting and keeping our heels off the ground, which I found fun and challenging. No wonder dancer legs look so good.

Once these two were done, all we had left was the last video. It was a workout to a Britney Spears song (she was still around in 2011, I must have banished that fact from my mind) and it was INTENSE. I hate to admit it, but in the last minute of the video I was a pile of hurt.

Just hurt.

My abs were throbbing and the pacing, though not as fast as some of her other videos, was a big challenge after everything else I did. I didn't finish strong. I finished very weaksauce.

So, I didn't quite own this video like I thought. But man, I was happy with the way things went today. I had fun. I got a good workout during the day doing various things (trash hauling, stair climbing, ect.) and then I got some Pilates at the end.

And, to make the day even better, I got word this morning that my grandmother seems to be back to her normal self. No serious damage they can find.

This makes today one of the better ones in memory.

Which is awesome because today is my two year anniversary of going Primal (yeah, I'm linking it again ... it's important). Two years, at least 133 pounds lost, a year in maintenance (scary word) for me, and I'm in the best shape of my life.

I gave you the short version of the events yesterday and that's where I'll leave it. But I continue to grow and get healthier.

Pilates is key to that right now. Will it be a year from now? I don't know but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts. The benefits continue to make themselves apparent. My body prefers Pilates days to non-Pilates days, based on feeling. I just FEEL better with Pilates ... my muscles aren't so tight and tense. My back actually works, sort of, without slouching. My posture is improved. My body, overall, seems to be getting a bit more toned.

For the first time today I noticed my calf muscles were kinda defined. As I sit here, I'm in small t-shirt that, when I bought it, fit but was tight. It's not tight today. A bit roomy. Maybe this is due to multiple washes, but I haven't worn it in weeks because it was tight.

I've shed about a pound since I started this, which is fine by me, I don't mind, but the pound on the scale seems to represent more. My body is definitely liking this, even though I'm hurting now (and will be sore in the morning I'm sure), the feeling of accomplishment is good.

I think the unwinding aspect to this is even better. I get to look forward to this at the end of the day. Pilates just helps me relax. I've slept better these last ten days, overall, than the last ten days. A small sample size, to be sure, but I find it nice to be able to get decent sleep.

Two years into this new life of mine, into this new body, and I still have a lot to learn. I'm still discovering new things I can do and I hope I'll continue to do that as I go on in life. I don't want to ever get to the point where I'm stagnant. Progress, small as it is, is progress.

That's it for today, folks. Thanks for reading and I'll see you tomorrow for Day Eleven.  

Day Nine: Perspective

You know, there are always those days when the exercise regiment and the little choices you make during the course of the day seem to have more significance than others. Today's been a day like that for me so, before I get into the observations from today's videos, let me take a moment to tangent slightly.

Health is important. By any measurement, I'm in pretty good shape. I'm easily in the best shape of my life (though that says less about my current state and more about my former state) and I take care to maintain that. Tomorrow, July 25th, 2013, marks the two year anniversary of me taking control of my health and going Primal. That was, easily, the single best decision I've made in my entire life. I went from being 273+ to being 140 in about 11 months time. I didn't do it safely (I ended up in the hospital for days after nearly two weeks of vomiting my guts out), I starved myself some days to hit a weekly goal, and my unsafe methods have resulted in permanent damage to my gallbladder, which now works about half as well as before.

But I took control of my health. I did it with the full expectation that it was going to be a total failure and my life, from that point on, would not be about achieving an unobtainable goal but rather drowning myself in my favorite foods. I was famous saying that I would die with a glass of ice cold sweet tea in one hand and a slice of cheesecake in the other.

Death seems so far off now, at least for me.

I was going to put all that, and more, in a post tomorrow. I still may.

But today's events have made me think about that more. They've made me think about Pilates and exercise more.

Today, my grandmother had a stroke. Technology being what it is, I was informed via text that this went down. My first reaction? Apathy.

It sounds cold. It is cold. But my grandmother had a heart attack last fall. She was taken to the hospital, told to get healthier, given meds, and sent home. At Christmas, I spent a large amount of my time explaining what I did to myself.

And it was, and probably still is, perceived as "what I did to myself" as opposed to "what I did FOR myself". Getting healthier is generally a good thing but the extremes I went to have negatively colored my methods (and Primal in general) with my overall family. I can't blame them.

But at Christmas I was still good. Still me. Still fitting into clothes I hadn't worn since the third grade (I was wearing an adult medium in third grade ... let that sink in). I had maintained it and I didn't slide back like others suggested I would.

I stood by my position. I took on all comers and did my best to stick to my guns at Christmas. Tough? Sure. Was I entirely successful? No, I broke over a few things (pumpkin pie) but I did all right.

I stood there, made my case, gave the people the information and the links (welcome to the 21st century). My grandmother has internet. I walked her through the Primal main page. I told her what I do, what I avoid, and what other people in her age group have achieved with this. It's not a cure all, but it got them off a lot of meds ... it helped heal the body. Shed excess weight. Strengthen their bodies, allowing them to have an active life that most in their age group can no longer have.

But my grandmother, like my family, is from the Deep South. Healthy equates to Splenda instead of cane sugar. Diet soda instead of regular. Privately, I confided in some friends that I didn't see this heart attack serving as a wake-up call for anyone in my family, especially my grandmother.

She's stubborn. The stubbornness I have is inherited from her.

So, when the news arrived via text this afternoon that she had a stroke, I wasn't surprised.

I wasn't angry at first, though I did find that for a few moments an hour later, once the news sunk in.

I was angry no one seemed to take their health seriously. I was angry that I didn't make my case louder. I didn't know how bad it was. I was waiting for the news to arrive.

Strokes are bad things. They generally don't end well. I doubted my grandmother was in danger of dying, but the thought occurred to me that she might be in danger of losing motor control. Or her mind. Or anything in between.

News arrived in the evening hours that she hadn't suffered any paralysis, but she was confused. Flustered. Words that have never been associated with my grandmother ... so the possibility of brain damage is there. Maybe her memory. I don't know for sure.

Nor do I know how this came about ... I asked for the circumstances, trying to find somewhere to assign blame, but the exact details aren't known either. They may never be known depending on what happens.

I realize it sounds horrible to assign blame to my grandmother, as she currently sits in a hospital bed, for her current state. Even the healthiest of individuals can suffer strokes.

But I am assigning some blame to her. A person controls their own body. In this day and age, with the information we have at our fingertips, ignorance can't be an excuse. I stood there, before her, as I am (more or less) at Christmas.

I was 133 pounds (at least) less. Those pictures of me on the wall through the years in high school? I wasn't that person anymore. I, the habitual-routine-bound-inflexible SOB that I am, had changed. I made a choice. I took a desperation shot in the dark.

And it worked. Yeah, I'm younger than her or my parents or my aunts or my uncles. Yeah, I might be the most extreme minded out of everyone.

But I did it.

And grandma sat there, heard me, participated, talked to me in her kindly grandma voice ... but I didn't get through. I knew it then. I know it now.

I don't know what happens next with her. She's had a heart attack and a stroke in less than a year's time. She's likely not going to change after this. I want her to, desperately. I'd like to be able to say she saw me get married (if I ever manage to figure out the whole "social" thing). I'd like to be able to have her meet my kids if I'm lucky enough to have them.

But that looks like a slim possibility now.

So, yeah, I'll assign some blame to her. Not all of it. But some. She's responsible for her body. Her food choices. She buys it, she earns her money, and spends it on these things.

Because of all this, I got some perspective on things. My own success, as "amazing an accomplishment" as others tell me it is, is ultimately empty when my example is so readily ignored. I hate it but it drives home the point that taking care of myself, of my health, is direly important. Every little decision makes a difference.

Pilates makes a difference.

Which brings us to today's videos and the difference I was making (poor transition, I know, forgive me).

Today's first video was a refresher from last week, concentrating on the abs. I have grown to like these specific exercises. I was mentally preparing myself for this to be as brutal as it was last week. I remembered how tough it was.

My memory did not match my experience. I got through this video without feeling gassed. I got through the video feeling pretty all right. I even managed to do some of the more advanced movements I was too afraid to try last week.

The second video brought a smile to my face. It's classic 80s workout cheese. Clothes, sound effects, speech patterns (she overkills on the 80s phrases) ... it was a welcome change from the usual presentation of the videos.

As much as I liked the presentation and the 80s theme, the movements in the video were all somewhat challenging. The ones that stood out to me most were the Oblique Crunches. As easy as these looked to pull off, I found myself straining a bit to do them. My obliques seem to be a weak area of mine so far and I can't say I'm shocked. I have rarely, if ever, used them extensively. At least I think so.

Other than that, I found the videos today to be a welcome relief from life. Something to get lost in.

Thanks for reading. See you for Day Ten.   

Day Eight: A Throne of Lies

The rest day is a lie! It is built on a throne of lies!

...

Okay, so maybe it has its benefits but I certainly didn't find it very beneficial during today's workout. The first ten minutes were me getting re-acclimated to Pilates. I appreciate that Cassey (with an"ey" and not an "ie") put the Pop Pilates for Beginners Workout at the top of the list, to help get me back into the swing of things.

I needed it. Everything was stiff all day long today as I tried to get myself prepared for Day Eight. I even did some running around outside, in the hot weather, just to help ease myself back into the workout mindset. That, however, only made me tired and during the afternoon I was somewhat alive, but mostly glued to my chair.

So, we arrived here, tonight, and the first ten minutes were just full of me berating myself mentally for ever taken a day off. I felt like such a stooge trying to do these exercises but I eventually found my groove. Once I did, I began to transition to all the exercises much easier, much simpler, than this time last week.

I was able to do every exercise, with her rep count, with pretty decent form. All except one. The Mermaid.  I could not, for the life of me, get myself to bend even close to as far as she did. I barely bend at all on my sides. That entire exercise was, much like the first time, a struggle. Me, sitting there, desperately straining (red in the face, swearing under my breath) to get some movement.

Nope. Nadda. Nothing.

I can't understand how she does it. I can bend with my arm over my head but when she asks me to throw both my arms to the other side, flexing my back, I got no movement at all. I'm wondering if I'm missing something in the form or, perhaps, that by the end of the video I'm just not up for it. Perhaps my muscles just don't have enough left to do that movement.

I tend to think, however, that my form is the main issue. I feel like my spine might be pretty messed up from years of bad posture, excess weight, and genetics (I have a bit of Scoliosis, was diagnosed way back in the 7th grade). If that's the case, this movement might be out of my range to perform. I will keep at it, though. It can't hurt (too much) to try.

The first video is a well-paced 28 minute workout.

The second video is an intense, fast-paced, burst of fury. If there's one complaint I have about Cassey's videos is that the pace is so different in some of them. We went from moderately relaxed to a speed workout.

Nearly six minutes, designed for quickness, it's a pretty wide variety of movements. Ten reps of ten, making 100 reps total.

I had major difficulties keeping up with this video. It was too fast for me so what I did was watch the movement she did, pause it, and then did ten reps myself. I had problems doing any of the Roll Ups this time around, as they were already covered in the first video and my core was pretty much done giving me significant help. Or any help, really.

Two movements here really caught my attention. The first, The Star Abs, might be the most ridiculous move I've done so far. I felt like laughing as I imagined looking at myself doing this. It was a workout, too, as it really hits the abs hard. The sneaky part about this is that it looks really simple ... until you pay attention. If you look closely, after she extends both her arms and legs out, she brings them back in BUT she raises herself off the ground with her core and meets her legs. She does not let her legs come to her.

This threw me initially and I brought my legs to me. I was wondering why it seemed to easy, but reviewing video evidence showed me that I was wrong. With a heavy heart (or core) I restarted and did them as properly as I could.

By this time my core had hung it up, gone home, grabbed some leftover Chinese, and plopped down on the old recliner. It was watching old reruns of Jeopardy and making itself feel awesome by answering all the questions (but it already knew all the answers).

In other words ... yeah, got little from it. I got, maybe, a quarter of an inch up before my muscles refused to move anymore. I wasn't able to do them as well as her or even get close. But I did ten reps as best I could.

Then I encountered the second movement, The Leg Outs. These are reminiscent of this video (do Russians secretly do Pilates and we just don't realize it?) and made me feel very ... comrade-like. I lost my balance here. Balancing on your tailbone while extending the legs in and out is far tougher than most will give you credit for. I fell over a couple of times (set embarrassment level to ten) and wasn't entirely pleased that I couldn't seem to stay upright.

Once those got done, the rest of the video wasn't THAT bad. I was happy when I was done.

I'm also pretty sure that I will never go on vacation while I'm doing Pilates.

Overall, I did find some positive things in today's videos. My endurance, I feel, has definitely improved as far as Pilates go. I made it through the first video in pretty decent shape. I was tired by the end of it but not wiped. I could do more (though not at the intense pace of the next video) and I did do more.

My core actually exists and has some strength to it now. I wouldn't call it decent. Not even close. However, I think it's shown clear improvement and that is a positive sign.

I would like to figure out why some movements are out of my reach, but that's a question that can be further investigated at a later date.

But I think the whole "rest day" thing is about to hit the junk pile for me. I'd rather be loose and a bit tired than be stiff as deadwood and rested. We'll see how I feel later in the week, but at the moment I am strongly considering letting the rest day fall by the wayside and instead using that day to try and fine-tune some of the movements I'm having difficulty on.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you good folks for Day Nine.  

 

Day Seven: Reviewing Week One

And so, my first week of Pilates has officially come to pass. I have to say, today being a rest day has found me missing Pilates. As I write this I'm stiff. I don't feel as relaxed or comfortable as I have this last week.

One of the most underrated benefits of Pilates is the way it just makes your body ... I don't know, flow, easier. The muscles don't stiffen up as badly. Having the ability to do Pilates in the evening, having that to look forward to, was missed today. I really wished I could have done Pilates today but the calendar said take a rest day, so rest I shall.

I've learned a lot of new things this week. This entire experience has been new for me. My body has been subjugated to numerous new things and it's taken a while for it to get used to that, but I feel like my body is really starting to adjust.

Pilates isn't just a physical discipline, though, it's also a mental discipline. Having to focus on the proper breathing and proper form is tough at first but as the days have gone along I feel like I've gotten better at it. I still get sloppy towards the end of the videos, when I start getting gassed, but I feel like that'll get better with time.

I have some things I need to work on, though. My mental discipline is being a bit hampered by that voice in my head. You know the one, the one that says "You look like a freakin idiot doing this, why are you even here?" That voice has been bugging me all week. On some of the more embarrassing videos, it has been screaming in my ear.

It breaks the concentration and I need to do a better job just getting over it. Sure, what I do looks ... strange ... but its working. It has definable results and it's a challenge, something my body hasn't really had in quite a while.

Physically, I've found the workouts this week to range from intense to a bit relaxed. As Cassie (the instructor in the videos) says, we all are at different levels. I can do cardio fairly easily but the super flexible movements are beyond me. I'm not that flexible. I don't know if I'll ever be, but I need to do a better job of relaxing myself during those frustrating bits.

Being frustrated and tense can't possible help me be more flexible. I need that from a physical standpoint as we progress in the videos.

Speaking of the videos, I do wish they weren't just specifically targeted towards women. I understand completely why they are. Women make up the majority of the demographic for Pilates. The comment section of the videos, the Facebook page, her site, and various other sites confirm this. You have to appeal towards your audience.

I can't name one other guy I know who's ever thought about doing Pilates, let alone actually do it. So, yeah, the videos are going to be targeted at women. The music is going to be pop infused. I know, through research, that the majority of the Pilates movements can be done by men. I'm not confident I can do all of them but I can do some.

Making this appeal to a broader audience would help me not feel so singled about. But that's kind of the point here. I'm engaging in a form of exercise most men stay clear of. Being singled out is what it's all about.

Other than me being bothered by the target audience of the videos, I find them generally appealing. Cassie is super-perky (too perky) and the various pop music bits she uses are not my taste (at all). But she gets results. I can deal with it as long as I get results, and so far I have.

Week one was a challenge. I have been tested physically and mentally. I like that.

I would fully recommend this to anyone, male or female. It's really a great way to get a good workout while also learning things (like the stretches) that can be used without the workout.

In conclusion ... do Pilates. Give it a week. Heck, four days. It's good to you. Thanks for reading. See you good people tomorrow for Day Eight.  

Day Six: Backless Dresses and Booty Shorts

When I got up this morning I was sore. I was sore everywhere. My legs, my thighs, my core, my shoulders, and just about everything in between. All sore. All hurting and stiff. Very uncooperative. Luckily, today was Sunday so there was little I had to really do. I conserved my energy for today, expecting the videos for Day Six to be tough. I was already sore and lacking on energy.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find Day Six's videos, for the most part, slower paced and not as intense. It was a welcome break.

I began with the first video, which was all about stretching. I like the stretches and, judging by the comments left by others on the video, most other people do as well. They find it different and not as taxing. I agree, this video wasn't taxing despite being the longest of the bunch.

I found it relaxing. I think some of this has to do with the background music, as it wasn't her usual pop stuff. It was a simple piano piece, very evenly paced and not urgent. It helped just keep things calm for me. Despite the video being easier than I anticipated, I did find one movement in particular to be a challenge. It's a variation on The Plank (found here) and it seriously works about, oh, five different sets of muscles at once. It's not easy at all. I was shaking while keeping myself up.

That was the only movement in the video I found challenging.

I next moved to the second video, which worked on shoulders. The video was aimed at women who wanted to sculpt those shoulders for backless dresses. I have no use for that at all. None. But, it was a workout all the same and part of the lineup for today. So, I did it. These movements were also relatively simple to pull off but they worked my shoulder muscles. I could feel them working.

One doesn't encounter that often, when they can feel the muscles working. Despite my initial assessment early on in the video that this would be easy, she busted out this little gem. It's harder than it looks. I didn't have trouble with my left arm behind my back and my right arm over my head, but when we switched arms up I couldn't make my fingers meet. There was no budging my right arm, which seemed stuck on my back and incapable of movement while my left arm was sitting there waiting.

I find this surprising. I'm right handed and the right side of my body generally dominates my movements. I lead with my right foot, I lean towards the right, I'm a righty through and through. Struggling to get my right arm do what my left found so easy to do, I nearly pulled a muscle. I couldn't make them meet but I gave it a darned good effort.

With the first two videos down and both relatively easy, at least compared to yesterday, I expected the third video to follow suit. After all, it was the shortest of the three and didn't look that bad at first glance.

I was wrong. I'm not sure what hurts more, the muscles in my butt or my pride.

The video was focused on the "booty" and she advices to throw on my favorite pair of "booty shorts". I was already in my short-shorts (80s shorts, FTW!) so I was as close as I was going to get. I should have expected the video to contain music I hated, but I didn't expect to see One Direction.

No, not them.

I cursed something fierce when I realized what the song was. I have had my fill of them. They need to go away. I hate that band.

This video was tough and ultra-embarrassing to do. I was sitting there, on the floor, THRUSTING to One Direction (I am unbelievably pissed about that). The movements were coordinated (very well, I have to admit) to the beat of the music and so I was working out my butt muscles to One Direction. It was an intense few minutes. I felt my butt muscles today. The other days, maybe, but today I really FELT them and it hurt.

Once the video was (thankfully) over, I was pretty sure that tomorrow morning would be one full of pain and soreness.

Overall, I was very pleased with my efforts today. I successfully pulled off every move she showed me, albeit it with varying degrees of flexibility. I still need to get way more flexible, however, I felt for the first time today that I was more flexible than before. I was able to go further on some stretches than in previous days. Not by much, mind you, but every little bit of progress is a good sign.

Tomorrow, Day Seven, is a rest day. Thank God, I need it, as I'm sore all over. The six on/one off schedule is killer but I managed to get through the first week without severely injuring myself or getting super frustrated.

For tomorrow's entry, I'll go over my first week observations about myself, the videos, and Pilates in general. Thanks for reading and see you for Day Seven.

Day Five: A Quivering Pile

So.

Wiped.

I woke up with plenty of soreness this morning, surprisingly in my upper arm area. I think those are the triceps but at this point I'm not sure. But I was sore this morning in my arms and in my sides, a testament to the workout I did yesterday. I decided this morning to look over myself in detail in the mirror (not a favorite pastime of mine due to the large amount of nasty ugliness leftover from my previous obese self) to see what changes, if any I could spot.

Unfortunately, the loose skin remained. I don't figure to see any progress there for weeks at the earliest. No other visual changes could be identified but there are other types of changes that I can measure. So, I decided to throw on my "sexy jeans" as I've come to call them.

These would be the ridiculously expensive jeans I found on sale at Kohls back in the fall for like, 26 dollars. I tried them on then and the name "sexy jeans" popped in my head. Truth be told, it's really a character's idea to call the jeans that, not me, (I write, it's how it works) but they looked good and I bought them. They've been worn many times since then and I have been happy with them each time.

Last week, prior to starting Pilates, I tried them on again as I hadn't had the occasion to wear them in months. They were tight. I could get them on but if you begged me to get a wallet in my pocket, I wouldn't be able to do it. No room for that at all.

I tried them on this morning. They fit well. I could definitely get a wallet, some car keys, and a cell in there. To my surprise, they were somewhat loose so I tried taking them off without undoing the button or the zipper. Low and behold, I was able to do it without much issue.

I have never, ever, been able to do that with those pair of jeans. They're size 29, I have a size 28 pair that fit well, but those 29s are a special case. They don't quite work with my body the way the other jeans do and despite being a 29, they're definitely my measuring stick as far as clothes go. If I can wear them comfortably, I'm all right. If they're tight, I'm trending in the wrong direction.

But I could actually take them off without undoing the button. I tried on the 28s to see how they felt and they too felt better than usual. The Pilates have had their first clothes related result and this one made me smile.

So, with that boost of confidence, I came into Day Five on a high. Research into the workouts for the day indicated things would be tough today. I was on a high and said "Bring it on."

Oh, Pilates brought it on. They brought it, owned me, and left me a quivering pile of muscles and pain.

Today was intense.

We start with the first video, which was a fast-paced quick workout. The pace was killer in this one and I was tired by the end of it, I won't lie. I didn't expect the pace to be so fast. Nor did I expect for me to be able to keep up with it as well as I did. I've struggled the past few days with her pace but, in this video, I kept up better than before. I felt the burn early.

This was because of the Dogging Cobra which was hard. The up down motion woke up pretty much every nerve in my body, from my knees to my wrists, and the video didn't really let up from that point on. I was breathing in through my nose, out through my mouth, harder and faster than I ever have with Pilates.

I had hopes the second video would relax the pace some and let me catch my breath. Nope. Things picked up again here. The Side Planks were tough but the killer movements here were the Lady Gaga Crunches. This gives me yet another reason to hate Lady Gaga and I nearly named this post after these, but I'm not going to give Gaga any more credit than she deserves. These crunches were the devil. I was cursing them out as I did them.

It took me a few minutes with the video paused just to figure out how she did it together, because I could do the movements separate. Lift legs and butt in air, check. Crunch up and back down, check. Do them both together ... while breathing properly and maintaining good form ... give me a few.

I was laboring after these and by the end of the video, I was gassed.

And I had another video to go.

We get to the third video, which I entertained skipping but my pride overruled me. Cause it's got a great track record of doing good things for me (NOT). We began the workout with some basic stretches, which helped me get a bit of a second wind, but things quickly picked up. We jumped back into Pull-Pull-Switches, which I am a bit proud to say I can do competently now. My pace was still off hers, but I kept up better than when I first encountered them.

I encountered two movements in this video that tested me. The first is called The Wiggle. You take your knees, make a diamond, put your arms behind your head, and bring the knees towards your elbow. I did not expect the agony sensors in my lower body to scream so loud. Then my already sore triceps joined in and I was breathing like I was in labor. I can only assume that's the closest comparison there is because my entire chest was so sore and hurting from the inhaling and exhaling. I could feel the muscles begging for more air each time I did it, I could feel myself a step or two away from a major cramp somewhere if I didn't keep the breathing going.

But I did keep it going. My lungs ached, my mouth was dryer than a desert, but I got through that one.

By the time we reached The Rollback I was spent. She busts this move out that must require a separate spine or some form of augmentation via technology. I have no idea how she got herself to do that but it requires something I don't have. I spent the last two minutes of the video huffing, puffing, trying to get my legs to go as far back as hers. No go.

I got nothing. Even giving myself momentum I couldn't get it to go back. This I don't find surprising, considering the genetics at play (family history of back issues) but I was boggled she could even manage this. Then again, she's incredibly flexible and has displayed as much in her other videos ... but holy crap woman, that can't be legal!

I'm done for today. I got barely enough in the tank to make it to the shower and back. Then, lots of sitting.

Today was the most intense workout so far. I was sweating everywhere by the time we hit the midpoint of the third video. My hair was covered in sweat and when the video was over I spent a good five minutes curled into a ball on the floor, arms wrapped the towel I had near me.

If I had a teddy bear, I'd have totally hugged it.

Day Five is over. I hurt now. I'll hurt in the morning likely. Thanks for reading, see you for Day Six. 

Day Four: Bridges and Grasshoppers

Day Three resulted in my going to bed early. Like, ten o'clock at night early. I was wiped and pretty much done with it all. I slept till eight this morning and STILL felt like I needed to be in bed, though the amount of soreness was not great by any means. The only things that were sore were my side muscles. Those hurt.

I spent the last hour or so prior to today's workout outside running about, almost skipped one video, but I am here to learn them all. I am here to do them all. So, I began today thinking I was going to encounter significant resistance. I'm on Day Four. I haven't noticed any visual changes (loose skin still hanging grossly: check) but I definitely feel as though I have a core. I can feel my abs. Admittedly, the feeling is soreness, but I can feel them. I consider that an improvement.

Day Four began with the first video, Quiet Cardio, which wasn't challenging at all really. Cardio is easy for me now and the video was a breeze. No challenge at all, though it was a bit entertaining as the folks in the video were doing this supposedly to spare others from hearing the cardio. I can't say they hit their mark but I found the premise amusing.

Once that was done, we moved on to some stretching in the second video. I found this to be more challenging than I initially thought. Stretching has never been this intensive for me and the entire video was tough. She displays some impressive (impossible?) flexibility and I tried my best to do as she did, but it hurt. I was stiff, tense, and my body was like "WHOA, NO SIR" as I leaned and moved in ways it has likely done few times in my existence.

The toughest thing in this video was the Bridge. I tried during the initial run of the video to do it, but I failed. She placed her arms and wrist in such a position that it's difficult for me to lift up on. After the video ended, I went back and tried again. I barely managed to get about halfway up, really straining (shaking, red in the face), before I gave out. I surrender, she wins this round. I can't get any strength in my arms/wrist to help get my upper body off the ground.

I wonder if it's a core thing. Later on, when my upper abs (existence has been confirmed) get stronger, I might be able to do it. It might be the alignment of my back. I'm not sure but I came away feeling that I missed something or didn't do something correctly.

The stretching video was a real challenge. The last video focused on the ... well, the butt. She introduces the video pretty much stating that a lot of women worry about how their butt looks. Among other things.

Not exactly my favorite commentary ever. But the workouts in it were different. I think I speak for just about every male when I say I don't do a darned thing for butt in terms of specific exercises. It could certainly use some training ("attention" was my first word, but that's crossing into weird territory). So, I grudgingly continued on in this video.

I'm glad I did because, at the very end, she busts out a workout called the Grasshopper. This was something that looked quite simple and easy. It ended up not being that at all. At first, when she tells me to lay down, stick my legs in the air, and rest my head on my chin I was like "Sweet, time to relax" but then she busts out the workout.

Which is, simply, to lift your legs off the ground so your knees aren't touching it. Then lower it back down. Rinse and repeat. Sounds simple, right? Not for me. I was straining to get my knees off the ground at first. Once I found a good rhythm it got a bit easier, but towards the end I gave out. Had to take a minute break before finishing out the video.

Today was challenging in some different ways. Seems to be the theme with Pilates. A lot of these workouts target areas that often get left behind in the traditional workout mindset. I have never taken the time to work the muscles in my butt (strange sentence to type) and I certainly haven't worked on my posture.

My favorite workout from today would have to be Palms in and Palms Out found at the beginning of the second video. It worked me more than I thought and felt very zen.

Disappointed I failed at the bridge, but it's something to work towards. Thanks for reading, see you for Day Five.

Day Three: Learning Hurts

I woke up this morning with sore abs, a soreness that didn't really go away. It hurt when I sneezed. It hurt when I breathed too hard. I didn't get a lot of sleep (Netflix sucked me in) and by the time I hit the late afternoon, I was pretty sure I was going to pass out in my chair.

Yet, I still had Day Three to look forward to and I was looking forward to it. In the previous two days of workouts I discovered some movements that were both challenging and (dare I say) fun. Sure, it's not exactly the most "manly" of movements, but they work. I can feel them working. I strain, I struggle, but I get it done. Admittedly, I still can't do it at the pace of the woman in the video, but I was improving.

Today was a total body workout day, and from what I read it was easier than the previous days stuff. I was looking forward to an easier day as Day Two killed me.

Day Three started out with our first video, which was a cardio workout. Cardio? I can do that in my sleep. Running, walking, jogging, what have you, I got it. This wasn't hard at all for me. It got my pulse up, as all cardio does, but I wasn't taxed at all. At least not physically.

Mentally, I was taxed. The movements in the video are profoundly embarrassing to do. Especially for a guy. I curled like a pussy cat doll (yes, I linked it) ... I attempted to anyway. I tried to get as low as she did and get my spine to cooperate, but let's be honest, I'm not that flexible. In body and in mind.

So, I did that ... and felt like a complete freak doing it. Sure, I was in my own room, away from anyone else, out of sight and mind, but that video made me pretty self-aware of my own movements. I was judging them as I went and it took me out of it. It's that type of Pilates video that makes me understand why a lot of guys don't give this a shot.

But, I got through that video and we moved onto the second video, where we were back to doing regular Pilates stuff. People on a mat (in my case, carpet and a bit of a concrete floor), doing movements that over the past two days I've become more comfortable with. This video started out kinda slow as far as challenges went. A lot was already covered in Day One and Two here, so I didn't come in unfamiliar with things.

Once we reached the midpoint of the video, however, we got to some new stuff. Mainly, Kneeling Side Kicks. Holy crap, these were hard. On one knee, the other leg parallel to the mat, your hand on the ground, the other arm bent behind your head ... muscles overloading with unknown input, secondary systems failing, pain, PAIN.

Who knew such a strange formation could elicit such a reaction? I was taken by surprise at how HARD it was to do the simple movements with one leg up and one arm behind my head. Just ten up downs with that one leg (little pulses as they call it), 20 circular movements (ten forward, ten reversed), and I was hurting.

Then we switched to the other leg. More difficulty.

By the time we reached the last workout of the video, the Double Leg Lift (two legs, together, straight up in the air making your body appear in the shape of an "L"), I was struggling. The last half of the second video kicked my tail and I lagged behind in the Double Leg Lift. I had to take a minute after to finish the exercises myself as I was just too spent to keep up. But I did finish.

Overall, I felt today was indeed "easier" in a lot of ways than the first two. Not because the movements were easier but because I was familiar with them. I had learned them in the last two days and that learning was painful, but worth it as it prepared me for today's workout.

But those Kneeling Side Kicks are a different beast all together. I did not know so many muscles could be worked in just one exercise. My arms, legs, side muscles (obliques I believe), and upper back were all feeling the burn there.

I would like to state, for the record, how I would rather run a mile than do that first video in front of anyone I know. No way. My body is not meant for that type of display.

Other than my wounded male self-image, the workout today was good.

Thanks for reading. See you for Day Four. 

Day Two: Ab Agony

I woke up this morning with use of my left leg, which cramped majorly last night during Day One of Pilates. It was stiff, it was sore, but it didn't hurt as badly as it did last night. I was limping around last night (especially up the stairs to the shower, which was a trip fraught with peril) and it hurt. Not so much this morning and it loosened up as time passed during the day.

Today was hot as hell, so I got outside during the morning hours and chilled the rest of the day inside. That gave me plenty of time to research today's workout, which was focused on the abs. According to what I saw from the comments, I was to expect pain and some serious struggling.

I got that in the second video. In the first video, where it explained the proper movements and showed the basics of it, it tested me but I didn't struggle too badly. In fact, I was able to do things that I wasn't able to do yesterday, primarily the Roll Up, which was sitting up without use of my arms or legs using my core only. I managed to do that about three or four times before I had to stop.

I hesitate to call this improvement, especially based on one day of doing this. I wasn't able to do this yesterday, true, but we didn't start the video with them (they occurred in the midpoint of it) and I wasn't as tired today. I did like doing it though and the perceived improvement was a boost to my confidence.

In the first video, I really found a lot of movements I liked. They were challenging and different ... they were fresh to me and I really appreciated it. The movements were easier to do today but most were new to me, however, I still found myself having to remind myself to "suck in that belly button to my spine."

The second video was the killer one. ABC Abs, where we had to name a food and draw the letter in the air while sucking in the abs, maintaining proper form, and breathing. The video is divided into two workouts: the upper abs and lower abs. The upper abs part was difficult, but I wasn't dying. They hurt when I was done but moving onto the lower abs was where I began to fall apart.

My form began to break down pretty severely by the letter "F" and by the time we hit "K" I was struggling to breathe properly, draw the letter, and keep my abs sucked in. I was gasping for air, really feeling the burn. I had to pause the video about six times to catch my breath in between "K" and the end of it.

I have to take issue with the second part of the second video, simply because the foods we were supposed to be naming were "unhealthy" foods and she named bacon.

Um ... no. Bacon is not unhealthy. BACON IS AMAZING.

Other than that minor thing, the second video was good. It really worked me out, to the point where I could no longer do a Roll Up at the end and I was on the floor, gasping for air, for a good five minutes after it was all over, just trying to find some will to move. I was wiped.

As I type this I feel like I need to pass out in bed and call it a day. My chest HURTS, upper and lower, and I just wanna curl up into a ball and sleep. I have more things to do tonight, however, so that's not happening. But still, the sign of a good workout is how spent you feel afterwards. In a thirty minute session I went from having plenty of energy to being gassed.

I call that a darn good workout.

Overall, I found today not as taxing as yesterday ... yesterday was a total body workout. Today focused on the abs, so everything doesn't hurt. But enough hurts to let me know I did work.

Whether or not I improved my core strength from yesterday to today is up for debate, but I feel I didn't. The difference between yesterday's Roll Ups and today's is when they occurred I think. Still, the confidence boost was nice during the workout.

I worked my upper abs (existence confirmed as of today) for probably the first time ever. That was pretty cool. I was also able to replicate just about every movement in the video, though admittedly she didn't show off her flexibility nearly as much as yesterday. But I was able to keep up a bit better.

I come away satisfied today and hopeful that tomorrow I am indeed as sore as I think I will be. If I'm sore, it means I actually did it right. Here's hoping.

Thanks for reading. See you for Day Three.