I met all of my exercise goals today except one. I am getting disappointed in myself constantly missing one of my planned exercises, but my body really has been getting in my way. My intention was to meet my step/distance goal, finish Day 4 of the 5 monthly challenge calendars I am currently following plus the next video in the Yoga series I started last month.
I did finish my step goal of 6,500 steps and 3 miles by getting 6,563 steps and 3.14 miles. I finished Day 4 of the Eat Drink and Be Skinny (eatdrinkandbeskinny.com) Planks and Push Ups Challenge. Today was Push up day. I could not meet my benchmark of 16 push ups on my knees. I could not get past 8 today. I tried several more times and couldn't make it. I finished Day 4 of the Blogilates Challenges - (blogilates.com) Butt Lift Challenge (8 Squats, 8 Pointed Butt Lifts, 8 Fire Hydrants), Flat Abs Challenge (8 Roll Ups, 8 Ankle Reaches, 8 Double Leg Lifts), and the Thigh Slimming Challenge (8 Plie Squats, 8 Leg Swings each side, 8 Side Lunges each side). I also finished Day 4 of the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans Lose the Love Handles Challenge (shrinkingjeans.net) by doing my modified version of just doing 1 set of the exercises - 7 Side Plank Dips on the knees, 7 Russian Twists, 12 Bicycle Crunches.
What disappointed me though was that once again when I finished these exercises, I was breaking out in cold sweats. I have been ill with nausea and dizziness for well over 2 weeks now, going on 3. Just when I think I feel better, I start to exercise and the dizziness and nausea come back. I feel like I am boiling inside and break out in a sweat all over, but my hands and feet are like blocks of ice and my skin is cold to the touch all over. I really don't think I am pushing myself too hard. I started out last month doing 5 challenge calendars and doing Yoga videos 5 days a week and even snuck in Blogilates videos a time or two before I got sick. I am not even doing very many reps of any of these exercises right now as it is very early in the challenges. I love doing my Yoga as my last exercise of the day and love having it be the last thing I do before I get ready for bed. It is the perfect way to calm my mind and help me wind down for sleep. Plus, I have found that it is a great metabolism booster for me while I sleep. I really really miss doing Yoga because it has been a long time since I have completed a video. I just can't do it when I am about to pass out or vomit that is for sure.
Last month after I felt the worst for 6 days I got back into doing my challenge exercises and was spending all my time focusing on trying to catch up to finish as many challenge calendars as I coudl by the end of the month. I discovered that it was easier for me to take on one calendar at a time coupled with walking 10 or 20% of my daily step goal before/after the challenge exercises. Then I would rest for 30 to 60 minutes before doing another set of exercises coupled with more walking. This worked really well for me being able to get through a lot of the exercises in a short amount of time. This also really did a wonder on my metabolism. I shed the most weight past month in the past 1-2 weeks thanks to doing my exercises in that manner.
However, now that the new month has started, I reverted back to saving my exercises to do right before my Yoga at the end of the day like I did the first week and a half of last month. I push to finish my steps before midnight and then rest for an hour or two and start in on the challenge exercises. By the time I get through all the challenge exercises at once, I have the burning insides and cold sweaty skin feeling coupled with dizziness, nausea and shakiness. I don't know if this is something left over from the stomach illness or what is wrong with me at this point, but when I get to this point, all I can possibly do is lie down. I am very disappointed to have been missing Yoga for so long. It is my biggest love when it comes to exercise. I love it both physically, mentally and spiritually. It completes me.
I have to make changes to my routine again, so that I can work the Yoga back into my regular routine. I think my body and I will ultimately benefit if I do. Tomorrow, I am going to go back to the way I was doing the walking and challenge exercises last week. I will go in short bursts alternating walking with doing exercises off one or two calendars at a time followed by 30-60 minutes of rest in between before doing more. I will get these challenge exercises out of the way with the walking by midnight, or finish them shortly after. Then, once I rest for an hour or two like normal, I should find a renewed energy for Yoga before bed. Or at least I hope this is the case. I will post again tomorrow to see how it works.