20. December

PHEW!
We are leaving for holiday tomorrow!!!!!!
And I did some gift-shopping, packing, driving in queue, packing, cleaning. All this typical "last-minute-before-leaving" kind of things.

Although I did actually have time for getting amused and a bit annoyed at this product.... A complete package for all your needs of five-day fasting. HÖ? you need a bunch of stuff to eat while not eating? And its supposed to "freshen you up"??? I have probably a million things to say about a crap product like this, but then again. kinda in a hurry to do other things more fun/important....

New trends in the gym and the holy Finnish Friday

...not when it comes to fashion or something, but a behavioral pattern that I have discovered lately on my gym. The classes given on friday evenings have become more and more popular! Here in Finland generally the friday evenings are holy and people rarely do anything outside of their home or cottage. People tend to leave work at the earliest point possible to get the weekend started, and get to their destination of weekend-celebration asap.

But in my gym (for women only) the customers have gradually increased in numbers. Especially for happenings after 1630. Yesterday I looked at the almost full Zumba-lesson that I was attending (at 1800) with a bit of disbelief.... Normally we have been 20 people, tops. Now it was over double.
And afterwards, there is quite the gossip-gathering in the sauna, which means, there is not any hurry to get anywhere for many people. And this was not the first week that it has happened.

This is very un-Finnish behavior! Positive, Hell Yes! But quite suspicious. What has happened? Nothing starts from nothing....

Workout-aholic

After unsuccessfully going through my closet this week to throw out and give away old/unwanted stuff, I met a mood in downhill. I had to throw out several pants because they had become too small...

The will to continue with this task then fluttered away very fast.
Upon telling this to some coleagues, they could hardly believe me, and laughingly accused me for putting it upside down, that they had become too big. Alas, no. Why they couldn't believe this; I'm the sporty one. The one that jogs home from work, or take the bike. I'm the one that hopes to inspire to healthier snacks (if any) on the coffe break. I'm the one that actually use the value of my gym membership to what its worth. I'm the one that get a great feeling writing workout diary.

I've been doing Zumba and gym 2-3-4 times a week, plus all the jogging/bicyckling to and from work. Also I do pilates at home about once a week. I have an active job, and eat way healthier than many I know. So the reason for this grouwing-out-of-pants is to me quite tough to absorb and analyze the reason why. Only different that could have effect is; I don't do as much weightlifting as before, and I'm getting older... :S *brrr*

SO: today I'm going to the gym together with Moni from work, to teach eachother how to do Kettlebells, as none of us know much about it, other than that I tried last week some simple movements and got impressed by the force and feeling these handled globs of pounds kan create.

Today is day one of Kettlebell'ing, exercise routine is found from norwegian magazine "iForm".
All movements is continous, one-rep per movement in same hand. Alternate hands and repeat routine for 20 minutes.
1: one-handed swing
2: one-handed swing with row
3: Clean
4: Shoulder press up
5: Front squats
6: Back lunge

I'm planning to try keep this routine for 3 weeks if, after testing it later today, I find it to be suitable for my shoulder(which has the knack of messing up many workouts). Two times per week, plus at LEAST one hour Zumba (I'm hooked)
After this, I'll change program, maybe to some BodyRock inspired routines.

Let the burn begin!