I thought i was at an intermediate Pilates level...

...until i took a class at The Pilates Room in Mclean. It's actually right down the street from my regular pilates studio, Pengu Studio.

First, let me just explain what I love about pilates (and yoga, for that matter). I love the body awareness I gain from it. Its amazing how a pose, stretch, or movement can feel completely different if you tilt your tailbone one way or the other, or pull your abs in or let them go, or move your head to one side. Yoga gives me this great sense of balance, Pilates gives me a sense of length and both make me feel so much more gracefull - and for a klutz like me that's a huge thing.

In a recent interview, Julia Roberts, talking about exercise said "I do love how I feel afterward: accomplishment, clarity, energy, strength, joy. These are all things I give myself through working out, and I can feel it in everything I do." Right on!

So, Pilates last night. Through the magic of Groupon, I've been able to try out a bunch of different pilates studios, especially since, unfortunately, Pengu doesn't offer a lot of evening pilates classes that fit my schedule. (and the one I used to take, Jumpus Ultimus... I think I need to be in better shape before I start taking it again). So I get a groupon for The Pilates Room and sign up for my first class right away. Class started at 6:00, and is less than 5 miles from work, so i left at 5:15.... and still got there late. Oh northern VA rush hour!

This was one of the most challenging (non jump board) pilates classes I've ever taken. The instructor, Janine, gave me so many corrections and I couldn't even do a lot of them. Aparently I've been doing neutral spine wrong (somehow I have to get my tailbone and my lower ribs on the mat without tilting my pelvis. when I crunch I lead with my head which throws off my position.) We did some work on the Wunda chair, which I've only ever done a few times in the past, and I couldn't get a lot of the movements.

After class, Janine suggested that if I could make it, to come to the 5:00 class which she said moves a little slower (it's still an intermediate class) but, no way I could do that with my work schedule. So she said "no problem, we'll work with what we've got!". She showed me a little more about why my posture is wrong, and told me I did a good job on the reformer, reminded me to use a pillow to help get my ribs down until I can do it on my own.

Today, I feel sore. Duh. But, I'm planning on going back and possibly becoming a regular.

On a side note, I weighed myself yesterday... 178. Down 5 lbs in less than a week. I'm pretty sure its just normal fluctuations, not that I've actually lost 5 lbs. still, I'll take what I can get!

Yoga

So, yesterday was my third yoga class at Sun and Moon. I was a little nervous. The first class i went to seemed pretty easy. A lot of back bends (which I overdid and then had a sore back and chest for a few days). The second class, our regular instructor was out and her sub did stuff focused on the heart chakra (so, chest openers, mostly) and it was another easy class. So I was nervous that this mixed level class was going to not be challenging enough for me. Granted, an easy class isn't such a bad thing. It teaches you how to slow down, enjoy each movement, etc. We did a lot of pranayam (focusing on breathing) in both classes. I know it's important... I just... I wanna DO stuff.

So, last night, we did planks. A lot of them. I never liked planks. Which means, they are probably really good for me. We did a lot of side planks. I disliked side planks even more because I was never able to get into them and feel balanced or strong. Until last night.

The way she instructed them was in baby steps. Our first side plank was one leg straight, and the other one bent in front (as shown in the first picture). The second, both legs were straight but the feet were one in front of the other. The third one was the traditional side plank, with the feet stacked. I was able to do all three. Then we did a fourth variation... Like in the second picture except we were up on our hand instead of on our elbow and our foot was on the ground in front of us, instead of in the air.

The instructor gave me two corrections. In Down Dog, I hyperextend my elbows (because i'm double jointed) so I have to conciously turn my arms in towards each other without also moving my hands to point towards each other. Also, aparently in Chaturanga Dadasana, another one of those poses that I find very challenging, I squeeze my shoulder blades together and collapse into my chest. The instructor told me I need to broaden my shoulders.

We did some more pranayam again, and then into savasana (corpse pose) and I just can not seem to relax. Something always hurts. Last night it was my chest, neck, and chin. Plus, I couldn't turn my brain off. Once it started going away... she started reading a poem and it was time to end class. The art of sitting still... gotta work on that.

obligatory "sorry i've been gone" update

So... last you heard, Joe, Bill and I had joined a gym. We have since gone on "stand-by" there, so we pay a $10 monthly holding fee. The summer has been a lazy one, other than the Pilates classes I took in June at Thrive Pilates because of a Groupon. We were going to sign up for a bootcamp class (another Groupon), but only Bill actually used his. The times they offered sessions (all outside) didn't actually work with our schedules.

I started taking yoga classes once a week, on Mondays, at Sun and Moon Yoga Studio. I was inspired by a yoga class I took at Thrive - I was able to hold bakasana (Crane Pose) for the first time ever. For maybe 2 seconds, but it was something! So far I've had two classes at Sun and Moon - an all levels class. They have both been very relaxing classes, and seemed very "easy", though it hasn't stopped me from being sore the next couple of days. Eventually I'd like to be taking two classes a week. One maybe more challenging than this one, though.

Being outdoors has been really hard this summer because it has been SO HOT. I used to go on walks at lunch almost every day but going outside is near impossible. Its even been too hot for me to run in the mornings before work... not that I've been making a valiant attempt or anything.

There are some mornings I wake up and walk to my car for work and think "If only I'd been able to wake up earlier this morning...." I do need to get a better handle on my sleep schedule. For a while, I had my phone set to an alarm at 10:30, which meant it was time to stop what I was doing and get ready for bed. Eventually I just kept hitting snooze, like I do in the morning, and before I know it, its midnight. Should stop doing that...

We've also not been very good about what we've been eating. We try and make it out to the farmer's market every weekend but even then, we do a lot of take out and a lot of going out to eat.

Overall, this summer I've gained some weight. Not only has the number gone up, but I can see it in how my clothes fit, and feel it in how my body feels. Some friends and I went out dancing on Saturday and I was getting cramps in weird places, almost like side stiches, and my knees still hurt - I actually had to ice them when I got home. Regardless that I weigh 183 now (and my goal is 160), I need to feel like my body is actually working. I want to be able to challenge it - learning to surf, going hiking and rock scrambling, a high ropes course I want to try out, holding bakasana for more than 2 seconds...

In addition, I recently told a friend of mine that he needs to take care of himself - eat healthy, maybe lose a bit of weight - because I care about him and his well being. I was giving him all of this advice and realized I hadn't actually been practicing what I preach. That was a good kick in the pants to get back to SparkPeople and start tracking my food and exercise again as well.

title of blog

So, when I started this blog the title "Hit the Road, Jac" was a play on words: from the song "Hit the Road, Jack" by Ray Charles, made popular by this weird TV show that had a talking rabbit... and the fact that I was literally hitting the road by running and otherwise getting in shape. I forgot, however, that I'm also "hitting the road" because Joe and I have lots of vacations planned. What better motivation to get healthy (again) than awesome vacations to hot places?

In addition to the long-weekend type vacations, these are the trips in the works. I do plan way ahead...

Next spring, we're heading to the golden coast of California. Starting in San Diego, we're going to work our way up the coastal highway, visiting friends along the way. I also want to learn how to surf. This means I'll be in a swimsuit in public and that I need to have a nice strong core for balancing on a surfboard.

Sometime (probably spring again) in 2012, I'm coordinating a Caribbean cruise. Realizing that a lot of my friends and I are turning 30 soon (Joe in September of 2011, me in October of 2012) I thought rather than everyone planning their own celebrations, it'd be much easier and cost effective (not to mention fun!) to have everyone on a boat, so that the majority of the people on the ship will be connected in the "6 degrees of Jac in a bathing suit". How's that for motivation? Plus, I don't want to limit myself of any excursions that might otherwise be difficult for someone not in shape.

Fall-ish of 2013 will be our 5 year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we'll be heading to Italy. Details are naturally in the works since this trip is more than 3 years away, but still worth mentioning I think. Though, I do keep thinking "how much gelato, wine, and other yummy food can I enjoy before offsetting all of my working out?" Right now... not much.

I mentioned me in a bathing suit a few times. Of course it is something I'm thinking about, but to be honest, that's only part of it. When I FEEL healthy and fit, it doesn't really matter what my body LOOKS like. Still, the thought of it is certainly motivating. So is wanting to challenge this body at 30 more than I did at 20 and really celebrating life, since it is the only life we get.