toning

“Time is Money”

| cheriarmour

Time for a little story.  I’m sort of trying to become a morning person for the sole fact that I’m like…an adult, and I keep reading all of these articles that say like the main successful people in the world wake with the sun and make sure they get breakfast and a workout in before they do anything else.

Honestly, the times I’ve been waking up early, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, I have missed the part about waking up early where you actually have to go to bed at a reasonable hour the night before.  In part because both Austin and I always get into projects around 10, sweeping the floor, writing posts, or throwing in a load of laundry, and in part because I flip on Bob’s Burgers and get caught up looking at emails and texting friends.  Totally my fault.  I know it’s doable to go to bed early, but I need to make concessions for it.

But anyways, I’ve been waking up on Thursdays early, around 5am, to teach a class.  I took the class on because I thought it would be an impetus for me to get up and try to get in bed early.  I’m working on it.  So this morning, I woke up at 5:20, managed to pull on clothes with my eyes closed, and was out of the house by 5:30pm, with enough time to turn on lights and get set up for class.

Of course, an instructor’s worst nightmare happened, and I went to flip on the stereo, and I could not get the dang thing to turn on!  I ended up having to grab someone from the front desk to help me (which I’m sure they loved at 5:45am), and I ran out to the car to grab some backup speakers I just happened to have.

Anyways, in the midst of all of this happening, someone, presumably, who wanted to participate in the class, came and started to set her station up.  I explained that we were running only a few minutes behind due to the stereo issues, but that I would get them their full workout and still manage to get them out on time.

She seemed pissed.

“Time is money,” she said.  And she continued on, being aggravated.  Which I get, I mean, I wasn’t super thrilled about waking up to faulty equipment.

A minute or two later, we started class with the other participants, and she’d left her station set up, and was working out outside of the room.

I can’t say I was super disappointed, more a little lost as to why this really slight delay would completely sideline someone’s workout.  I am glad however, that she very obviously didn’t allow the hiccup to allow her to leave the gym and say “better luck next time!”

I’ll chalk that “time is money” up to the fact that she was annoyed to be up at nearly 6am.

I know I was.

What I’m looking forward to this weekend :)

| cheriarmour

Hi!

Wow.  The response to yesterday’s post was absolutely overwhelming.

In a good way, I’m pretty sure.

I did a mean thing.  I said a mean thing.  I’m still processing why I felt it necessary to say something so nasty.

It sort of was a great reminder – what my friend pointed out to me – and the overwhelming response I received on the piece, of the rules you remember before you make a comment.

  • Is this true?
  • Is this kind?
  • Is this necessary?

Sometimes I say things because I think it will be hysterical, and humor is sort of my default setting because there isn’t a ton that I can be serious about.  But I don’t realize how it comes off, or how truly negative and hurtful my words can be.

I appreciate yesterday’s yank back down to reality as a reminder that one, words mean things, and that two, we pick other people apart when we’re not 100% comfortable with ourselves.  And in my effort to be better about this, I’m gonna have to not only stop even mentally tearing others down, but also, saying mean things about myself.  It’s not doing anyone any good.

All that said, I can’t believe that we’re staring the weekend right in the face, and we’re barreling down on January of 2016.

Here are a few things I’m excited about this weekend:

  • I couldn’t find anyone to teach aerobics, toning, or step, back to back to back this weekend, so I’m going to eat a nice big healthy breakfast, and then take a crack at it.  Bring on the terrible comment cards!
  • Stacey, a trainer at the gym, told me that I could have her old treadmill that she doesn’t use anymore.  In addition to the activity I get outside of the house, it will be SO nice to hide out sometimes and just hop on the treadmill, even if it’s just for a walk while I listen to my podcasts.  I DO need to be careful though, that I don’t become somewhat agoraphobic.  My anxiety has been a little more active lately, and I don’t want this to be a way for me to hide out from all people all the time. 
  • Napping with my husband.  Sometimes, on Saturdays or Sundays, he will lay on one ratty end of the couch, and I will lay on the other, with our knees and feet all tangled in the middle.  That’s always the highlight of my week, because we work so much, and we don’t always make a ton of time.  
  • Running.  Always a good time to check in and say hi to my body. 

I’ve had quite a week.  Quite a week.

What are you excited about for this weekend?

Oh yeah, as a bonus, here’s a picture I took of one of my instructors teaching his class.

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How cool right?

As much as I damned whine sometimes, I am SO lucky.  I write.  I get to work out.  I work in nonprofit.  And I live in a zoo with my husband.  I am thankful!

Why do you work out if you’re a fitness instructor?

| cheriarmour

First things first though, I can honestly say I had a new experience yesterday.  So, I was contacted by another group fitness director sort of out of the blue a few weeks back.

“Do you teach total body strength?”

I answered yes, and especially since I started taking on a regular Toning since I got my Body Pump cert last year, I feel super comfortable with the format.

What that ended up meaning is that I was signed up for a shoot for the association where I would have to teach a pretend class.  The BEST part about it though, was that since we don’t have the rights to any of the music, I  had to teach the class in silence, and they have to go back and dub the music in later.  So for 20ish minute, I danced and bicep curled and squatted to NO MUSIC.  The weirdest experience of life.

12208383_10100666199338163_938420875333157995_nI also was told by the photographer (very politely) to put my boobs away. I forget these things get out of control sometimes, and since I don’t necessarily want my boobs plastered on the January mailer, I’m appreciative.  I can chalk that up to a new experience.

Why do you work out?  You’re a fitness instructor.  Doesn’t your class just count as your workout?

Switching gears a little bit, but I get this question a lot.  Sometimes when I mention to folks that I’m going to try to sneak a run in or hop on the elliptical for a few minutes before I teach my class (after is usually no good for me), they ask why I bother.

It’s true, when I’m up there leading a class, I’m sweating, and I’m moving, but I promise you, it’s not the same as the workout the participants in the class are getting.  My energy is 100% fixed on facilitating a good, safe, fun class, and when your energy isn’t focused inward, you don’t benefit as much.

Secondly, and this one is the big one, as an instructor, we shouldn’t be relying on our 5:15pm Zumba for our workout because the class (I’ve said it before) IS NOT FOR US.  The purpose of you teaching should never be to get ripped, and honestly, if you rely on your class to get your exercise in, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Fun fact: I was at my heaviest while teaching the most BALLER class every at NC State.  You have to do more.

What workouts have you done this week?  Try anything new?