Saturday, January 21, 2012

Hello. Is it Me You're Looking For?

I decided to take sabbatical from blogging, but I figured it was about time to check in.  Joe and I are headed to Hong Kong in May for 8 days with TCU as part of an intensive study abroad class for Joe's MBA.  It is a nice incentive to get back in shape.  After looking at some unflattering holiday photos, we really felt compelled to get back into some kind of exercise routine.

 We started the new year with the Joy Bauer detox.  We were tired, cranky, and starving, but somehow we made it through all three days without passing out or killing each other.  1200 calories a day sucked. Real bad.  Unseasoned (unsalted) food is not nearly as enjoyable to a lover of food.  From there we transitioned into Phase 1 of the South Beach diet.  The good part of the detox was that even Phase 1 low carb fare tasted DELICIOUS after 3 days of nothing but spinach salad a baked salmon with lemon.   Our grocery bill has gone up exponentially without all the cheap and filling breads, grains, and pastas, but we'll start adding those back gradually over the next few weeks.

Joe and I are in the 4th week of our running routine.  We are working back up to the Cowtown 5K in February, and hopefully we can get a few 5Ks in this spring and build up to a 10K from there. I would love to run a half marathon some day, but I have no desire whatsoever to run a full marathon. None.  We really slacked off with out running routine with the scorcher of a summer last year, but I think I have a solution this year.

Last week I went to my first hot yoga class.  There's a new studio about 5 minutes from my house, and the unlimited monthly membership is only $35 a month with my teacher discount.  It is so close and such a bargain, that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to FINALLY go to a yoga class.  After sweating profusely for an hour in 90 degree plus heat in high humidity, running when the temp gets above 70 doesn't seem so daunting.  So far, I've been to 4 classes and I'm loving it.  The plan is to cross train with yoga 4 days a week and run 3 or 4 times a week.  Joe is even getting in on the yoga action starting next week.  I didn't even have to ask him. I hope he loves it, too.

Another addition to our more health conscious lifestyle has been a weekly trail hike/run at the Dallas Nature Center at the Cedar Ridge Preserve on Sundays.  It's located across the road from Joe Pool Lake, and there is a series of varying level trails.  We can spend as little or as much time there as we want, but we try to get a 4 mile hike in on Sunday afternoons.  The weather has been lovely, and the change of scenery is really nice.

So there you have it.  That's what we've been up to lately. Bringing sexy back. Sorry no pictures yet. :)