Happy Thursday! As usual, it’s time for some Thinking Out Loud…aka my weekly random collection of thoughts that don’t go together:)
1. I bet that you guys didn’t know about this added benefit of foam rolling: a serious arm workout. Actually if you have ever foam rolled than you may already know this. I have been spending a lot of time with my foam roller as usual but I think focusing on my calves and hamstrings REALLY tires out my arms. They were actually sore on Tuesday and I hadn’t done an arm workout since the previous Wednesday.
2. Speaking of arm workouts, I haven’t been to body pump in over 2 months. Which means I haven’t been to my gym in 2 months. It feels like such a waste of money to pay for it when I don’t go, but I know I will need it again once marathon training is over. And we all know the second that I discontinued my membership I would get injured and want to cross train. So really that monthly fee is insurance that I can run, in a very twisted way.
3. Not only do I pay a monthly gym fee, but I also buy packages of yoga class from a studio. It’s crazy the things I will spend money on. But I really prefer the studio classes to my gym’s yoga classes. I went to a different instructor on Monday night and it was an awesome class. I wish I could devote more time to yoga, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day.
4. There are always enough hours in the day for wine, however. I feel like I always need to set aside a little bit of time at the end of the day to relax and unwind, while still getting to bed around 9. My usual evening routine is dinner, a little bit of blogging stuff, some foam rolling, and then relax. I think that really helps me to fall asleep easier than if I kept doing stuff right up until the time I went to sleep. I’m not saying I have wine every night, but I do set aside some time each evening to relax. And if wine is a part of that process, even better:)
5. I started reading Eat the Yolks over the weekend and I am so intrigued. I hope to write more about it when I finish the book, but I have already been preaching about some of the things I have learned. (Side note- my coworkers think I am crazy when I tell them this stuff. So does my husband. But if it means he can eat meat then he is fine with it).
Thanks Amanda for hosting another week of Thinking Out Loud!
Do you have a gym membership? If so, do you take yoga classes there?
What interesting books have you read lately?
I haven’t had a glass of wine all week and I DESPERATELY need it!
GO DRINK SOME WINE! That’s what I am doing right now while I reply to comments:)
Here’s my thing about the whole Eat the Yolk phenomenon, and I have to say, nothing against you or the rest of the book, but statements like the fact that people with higher cholesterol are healthier get my goat because they are a) quotable and b) lies of omission because it is all about the ratio of healthy to unhealthy cholesterol. But people will miss that message. Sorry rant over.
I don’t have a gym membership because we have a gym at our apartment, but I do kind of have one through yoga for trade. And I love it, but it does mean that I haven’t been strength training as much of late.
That is really such an important point! I mean, I guess I should finish the book before I really make any decisions about it but I just think that some of the information is helpful and refreshing to hear. I absolutely know what you mean about things being taken out of context. I would never make my goal to just have high cholesterol but I am sure some could interpret the information that way. I really just liked the explanations so far about why it is important to get a wide range of nutrients from real foods. My take on nutrition is basically to read and get a lot of information and then figure out a balance that works for me.
I really wish I had a community gym. At this point all I need is a treadmill for when the weather is bad and an elliptical for occasional cross training. But the yoga membership just seems to be something I can’t replicate at home.
I loved the book Eat the Yolks and I love Liz Wolfe’s podcast with Diane Sanfilippo Balance Bites. Good stuff! I read it after eating paleo for a while but it was still really informative and enjoyable.
I hear you on the arm workout. I’m glad you said it too because I thought I was doing it wrong!
I do want to check out that podcast. Glad you liked the book!
Oh and yes the foam rolling can be SO tiring for the arms! I’m sure you are doing it right if you arms feel sore and if it hurts a little in the area where you are rolling your muscles out.
I think a night time routine is so, SO important, and definitely believe that it helps you sleep better! I like mine so much that I get cranky if I can’t be at home to carry it out 😆 And although I”ve been thinking about signing up for one, I don’t currently have a gym membership. I just use the facility in my building and it works… for now.
I also get extremely cranky if I am not home for my normal nighttime routine!
That’s really great that you have a facility in your building! I think I would be happy with that since it would save so much money and all I really need is a few pieces of cardio equipment. I used to go to group fitness classes all the time but lately I just can’t fit it in.
I have heard about this book on another lady’s blog awhile blog. It seems very interesting. I may have to add it to my list. You can never go wrong with a glass of wine. It helps me relax and unwind in the evenings as well.
The book is really interesting, but I am only about 1/4 of the way through. I really enjoy reading information about nutrition so I can make informed decisions about my eating.
A nice glass of wine in the evening is a perfect way to relax and unwind:)
Looks like things have been going well! We dumped our gym memberships a while ago because the schedule just doesn’t really allow for enough use to justify the cost of a family plan.
A solid ‘wind down & relax’ plan is definitely key … and wine is never bad 🙂
And I am always suspicious of these didactic statements such as ‘don’t believe the hype – high cholesterol is good!’ I think that the reality is that we need to learn to not accept or expect a single number to dictate our state of health. I just went through all of my blood work with my doctor (including cardiac follow-up) and it is very interesting to see how things interact and how they track and trend over time. A singular number? Not enough data.
The gym thing is definitely a matter of cost/benefit. I have always felt like my membership fee was ridiculously high but I kept it because of the location, group fitness classes, and pool (which is only opened in the summer). But now I am feeling like it is such a waste. I will have to figure out what to do once my next marathon is over!
Great points about health information. For myself, I love to read information so I can make informed decisions about what I want to eat- most likely I won’t make any major changes to my diet. But if I am going to stop eating something I want have a reason why, if that makes sense. As you said, I don’t think we can base things on any singular number.Thanks for sharing your perspective!
I have a similar nighttime routine. If I don’t wind down before going to bed I’ll be up all night.
I hate that feeling! If I do too much thinking right before bed I just can’t shut my brain off to let me go to sleep!
We have a gym membership but use if for the pool (me) and basketball (my husband). The rest? A big old waste. I do all my strength work and the occasional yoga routine at home.
Wine is a must in the world!
I do all my strength/core work at home now, too. And the gym I go to only has an outdoor pool so I only get the benefit of that in the warmer months. I would love to someday just have a few pieces of equipment at home to avoid having to use a gym at all- and maybe just get a pool membership and occasionally take yoga classes. I will just have to convince my husband that buying an elliptical and/or treadmill is a better investment than years of monthly gym fees!
Nighttime routines are so important! I totally agree- if they include a glass of wine, all the better 🙂 i need to have a morning routine too, where i wake up an extra hour before i technically have to so i can read emails, have coffee, watch the news and wake up slowly.
I am such a morning person so as soon as I wake up I am on the go! Once in a while I try to slow down and have a relaxing morning of coffee, blogging, etc, but it doesn’t happen very often:)
I’ve sucked at using my (expensive!) gym membership too recently! But I can’t bear to get rid of it, it’s just such a comfort to know that it’s there if you’re not able to run.
Exactly! I am so glad I am not the only one who does this.
I canceled my Lifetime Athletic membership last summer when I realized I was slightly wasting my money. I loved the features and classes, especially spin, but it was a hefty hefty price and I was not utilizing it to the best of my ability for it to make sense. I have a beautiful gym in my community which serves enough purpose for the days I don’t run outdoors. I do miss it sometimes though!
I think that makes sense- I would probably have done the same thing. At one point I was living in an apartment complex with a fitness center but I still kept my gym membership for the classes. I’m sure I would miss it but it sure would save a lot of money every month!
I have the same foam roller – I got it for Christmas last year and it’s my favorite one I’ve ever had.
I have been thinking about getting a gym membership so I can do some type of body pump or HIIT classes…I am really bad at strength training on my own and as I am preparing for my first ultra I think it’s important to start doing it (plus back when I was regularly doing yoga and other strength training classes and my whole body was fitter as opposed to just running, I felt a lot better/healthier.)
The trigger point foam rollers are the best!
There are definitely benefits to having a gym with group fitness classes and stuff. I took advantage of body pump and spin for years but lately I have just been too focused on running to make it there. I wish I could just freeze my membership for a few months, but unfortunately that’s not an option.
So true about the gym membership being insurance for running! I do like the yoga classes I’ve tried at my gym, as well as the spin classes. I just struggle to make it to them on time…
I think the yoga classes are probably good at my gym but they get really crowded and the times are way later than I would like! Maybe once day I will get back into spinning. I am just too obsessed with running right now to make it to any classes:)
I kept my gym membership for sooooooooong and didn’t go, I can’t even believe I did that because I hate wasting money!!! I would love to devote more time (or let’s be real-ANY time) to yoga but you are right-not enough hours in the day to do All The Things!!!
I think the best we can do is figure out a balance that works. For right now if I make it to yoga once every 2 weeks, that’s good enough for me. Maybe when I take a break from running I will get back into other types of exercises.