I really ticked off my 4 year old this weekend. After a full week of being sick with some kind of throat virus, he was getting pretty spoiled. If he wanted fries for lunch, fries it was. I would even have a kid run out to buy them. But then, he got better. Yet, his "kingly" status that he now had was still in full form. He wanted me to go out and get grapes. I told him I didn't have grapes, but I did need to go shopping. I would try to remember, I told him, and then, later on that day, I went out. Just as I was leaving the store with a few items I'd picked up, I remembered that he had asked for grapes, but I had already gone through the cash and was literally leaving the store. "He won't remember, " I thought.....WRONG. I got home and he said, "Did you buy grapes? Where are the grapes?" "Oh, sorry! I forgot! I will have to get them next time....but I did get apples and oranges!" He was mad. I knew I had created a monster when, after storming around the house for a bit, he said to me, "Go out and get grapes and don't come back until you have them!" I guess I have some reprogramming to do.
This won't be a very spiritual post today. And, based on what I'm about to write about, you would think Nike was paying me to say all this (I might just have to see if I can get them to)...but I'm in week 4 of using their Nike + training app. If you ever need encouragement to work out, this is the app for you. I've logged over 360 minutes already and am on quite the regime. I'm heading to Florida in a couple of months with my sisters and mom again and, I joke, have to be in my best beach body. Ok, so no beach body, but I'm using that as incentive to keep at it.
My oldest daughter found the app in her own research and started using it. I was so impressed with her determination I started to check out what she was using. This app is amazing! What I love about it is that it tells you everything you are supposed to do, how long you are to do it, what the exact exercise it, and walks you through the entire workout. I used to use Jillian Michaels and I still love her, but when I was using her book with the workouts in the back, I would literally have to stop and turn to the pages that described each exercise, thus interrupting each workout. Super frustrating if you're trying to maintain momentum. Not with this one. Here's how it works:
First you enter in your goal, how long you want to work out each week, how many times a week, what level you're at, whether or not you have equipment. Then, it sets you up on a personalized program. Before, when I had 4 or 5 kids, I could go to the Y where they set me up on a personalized plan, but not now. If I want to workout, I need to get up, workout at home, with no one looking at me, and then get on with my day. Not getting into a car, loading all sorts of kids.....gear, etc...This is so much easier.
Then, each morning, I just download the workout for that day. If I miss it for some day, no big deal, but right now, I'm working out 5 x a week, anywhere from 12-45 min each time (most workouts are about 30 minutes on my plan) with just a few small weights and body weight exercises. Once the workout starts, the Nike Voice (whoever she is) starts telling you what to do, how long to do it, and then walks you through how to do the exercise the most effectively. What amazes me, is that I obey this crazy voice! I do everything she tells me to do! And, before you know it, I'm done a 30 minutes workout and it doesn't even feel like 30 minutes has gone by. I think the reason I love it is that it is all circuit training and the exercises are never the same. With Jillian's videos, it was the same thing every day. I get bored really easily and never knowing which exercise is going to come up really helps me to keep interested and to keep going. Now that I've done almost 4 weeks of this, I am getting to know which exercises they use the most, but I still enjoy it as I don't know when they'll be used or in what order.
The other neat thing about the app is that it can read your mind. I'll get a text every so often telling me, "Keep going! It's worth it!" The girl in the app must have known I was feeling like quitting! Then, the night before the week starts, I'll get another text telling me how far I've come and what to look forward to! So funny, but those little encouragements really help.
I've told my sisters and nieces about the app and now they are telling all sorts of people, too. I really need to see how I can paid to work for Nike. Is the scale changing? Actually, not too much, as they say that muscle mass weighs more than the fat, but I did notice in today's workout that I was doing exercises that a few weeks ago I could hardly do without feeling like I was dying, so I'm definitely getting stronger and most days I am in some kind of pain, good pain, that is. The day after I had my sister start on the app, she texted me, "I can't cough! It hurts so much!" That's the good kind of pain I'm talkin' 'bout!
So, if you're looking for a little incentive to try something new and you don't feel like going to a gym....this is the app for you! How's that for a sales pitch.....I really should get in touch with Nike....
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