Back from vacation and back on the bandwagon!

Well, I just got back from vacation in Athens, Greece and Barcelona, Spain. It was fabulous! I had a great time seeing all the sites, shopping, and of course, indulging in TONS of delicious food and fancy drinks! I exercised in my hotel room only 4 out of the 14 days we were away, ooops! We walked everywhere at least. I found it very difficult to eat healthy. I think that while we were in Greece, I probably ate my weight in olive oil...

Anyway, now I am back and getting into my daily exercise routines and heading back to work (yuck!). I went to the gym Monday and did my weight training and 50minutes of cardio. Whoa was I ever sore yesterday! Today, is weight training day again so I am off to the gym later this afternoon. I am actually finding the exercise part easy to get back into...It's the eating part that is the most difficult. I am finding that I feel hungry all the time, I guess because my body is used to eating more now after 2 weeks of indulging. I am trying to find ways to distract myself, but I am struggling. I found this article so I'll give it a try... http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/appetite-control

Anyway, the fall weather is gorgeous! I find it so motivating to get outside!

Day8: yesterday

Late entry. Oh well. Life is busy!
Who am I kidding? I went shopping yesterday and got pedicures with my friend. Ha. I am spoiled. I am going to have to start working overtime to keep up this lifestyle! It was cardio day yesterday. I procrastinated for quite some time, but I finally got off my ass and headed to the gym around 8. Lucky for me, the place is open til 11pm every night. Anyway, I rode the bike and did two sets of 5 intervals. 15seconds of hardcore biking at about 135rpms then 1minute of regular biking. Also, make sure you are not doing it at level 1, that is for people who want to read a book and bike at the same time. I did it at level 1o. Next, I jumped on the treadmill. Walk 5, Run 10min. And I did this twice. But the most important part is the stretching afterwards. It's good for your muscles and it helps you relax. There's no reason to skimp out on the stretching.
From: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stretching/HQ01447

Benefits of stretching

Most aerobic and strength training programs inherently cause your muscles to contract and flex. That's why regular stretching is a powerful part of any exercise program. Consider this:

• Stretching increases flexibility. Flexible muscles can improve your daily performance. Tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring.
• Stretching improves range of motion of your joints. Good range of motion keeps you in better balance, which will help keep you mobile and less prone to falls — and the related injuries — especially as you age.
• Stretching improves circulation. Stretching increases blood flow to your muscles. Improved circulation can speed recovery after muscle injuries.
• Stretching can relieve stress. Stretching relaxes the tense muscles that often accompany stress.

Day 7: New Week!

Well, it's been a rough weekend that's for sure.
Day4: I walked for 1.5 hours. No weight training or yoga though.
Day 5: Went to the gym, ran for 20min, walked for 25. Did the bodysculpting workout for that day with abs.
Day 6: OFF. I was working nights and then no sleep and a funeral. It was not happening. Went out for dinner and much-needed drinks.
They say sleep is a HUGE contributing factor for weight gain. So I went to bed and slept 9 hours last night.
Day 7: Ahhh...massage today. It was just what I needed. I felt relaxed finally. She massaged my hamstrings. I didn't even think they were tight until she touched them! Ouch. Too many lunges last week. I went to the gym this afternoon, 10min warm-up run. Weight lifting as per the bodysculpting workout with abs. Then 20min on the treadmill of interval running: 1 minute at 6mph then 40seconds at 7mph. Sweated up a storm then had a nice, long stretch afterwards.
It feels good to be back on track. I am looking forward to the rest of the week!