Fitness Challenge Update: End of Week 1

It's time for a Sunday Fitness Challenge update. I would like to declare Week 1 a success!

I'm really pleased with how this is going. I find the most difficult part is the "Shred before the clock hits double digits" rule. For 23 years I have been a morning person, always the girl who woke up hours before everyone else at slumber parties, the annoying early riser. While I still sleep lightly and wake up quickly and easily, the sleep routine is very different here. Going to bed before 1am is basically unheard of some waking up early to Shred is not always easy. I'm proud that I managed to do it every day. I often said "just get up, you can nap later" but I didn't nap once.

I also went to Boot Camp 3 day this week, as planned. That meant Monday and Wednesday I had to go to Boot Camp from 8-9 and then immediately come home to do the Shred. It was hard on Monday, but Wednesday I actually felt really excellent while shredding. Thursday I did Shred in the morning and Boot Camp at night. The double work out days were not nearly as hard as they first sounded.

Emily and I agree that adding yoga to this challenge was an excellent idea. Since the Shred is an intensive circuit training work out, you feel fine the day of but the next day you are terribly sore. The yoga really helps keep my muscles toned and well stretched. Also, with my Boot Camp stuff I am in danger of over-training or injury, the yoga helps protect me. In fact, before this challenge started I was having some bad pains in my left hip. Thanks to the yoga, the pain is almost gone. 

I keep my sticker sheet right where I can see it while I work out.

Since I finished the week, I got to reward myself. I bought myself Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford for my Kindle. I really like it so far.

I'm pumped for the next week. Halfway through we have to switch to Level 2 on the Shred. Bring it on!

The Hunger Games

Today I finished reading The Hunger Games. I literally finished it in two days. I'm not going to say this book was the best novel I have ever read or the most genius plot line but I will say that the suspense and action was perfect. I started reading it yesterday and never wanted to put it down. I told myself I was going to bed at midnight and at 1am I had to force the book from my hands and face the fact that my alarm would be sounding in 6 hours. After I got back from my Boot Camp class I was thrilled to see an email from my boss telling me to come in the evening instead of the day, leaving my day wide open to read. I hunkered down in my bed and blazed through all but the last 40 pages before I had to go to a job interview. After the interview, (which went well, by the way) I refused to go to work before I finished those 40 pages. I was immediately filled with sadness at no longer having a book. 

Here's the thing- I live in a Spanish speaking country. All the readily available novels are in Spanish. Yes, I can read novels in Spanish but to be honest, I just don't want to. I live for reading. I love savoring each word, diving into vivid descriptions and finishing books in absurdly short periods of time. Spanish is a beautiful language but it lacks the glorious array of adjectives the English language has. Also, I'm never going to be able to read a Spanish novel at my normal speed-of-light pace. I am terrible at making books last. I felt like the title of this book was so fitting for me. I was starving for a good book and I devoured it like a literature deprived maniac.

English books are sold here, but they tend to either be incredibly cheesy romance novels or teen books like Twilight. Even if I spot a book I truly want, the price is way beyond my budget. Argentina also does not have public libraries. This is a sad, sad situation for a total bookworm like myself. A few months ago I was at a Feria Americana which is basically huge garage sale (hence them referring to Americans) and I saw The Gangs of New York for only 1 peso. I bought it without even caring what book it was. I had vaguely seen half the movie, but my mind was only fixated on paying 1 peso for an English book. It never crossed my mind that I wouldn't like it.

Okay, prepare yourselves for my next statement: I hate history. Yes, I know it's important and we have to study history so it doesn't repeat, etc etc. That's great and all but I find it excruciatingly uninteresting. You know what The Gangs of New York is? A giant history book in disguise. I know people who would love this book and I can even see why. It's not poorly written and the characters are interesting enough, but when it comes down to it, it is history. I am still struggling through it. You can criticize my hatred of history all you want but before you do, ask yourself if you liked your Spanish class and remember that you can respect something and still absolutely despise studying it. 

This post really isn't about my hatred of history anyway it's about my absolutely insatiable desire to read. I forgot how much I loved tearing through a book. I was only able to bring 2 books with me and I finished them  within my first month. I am buying myself some books for Christmas. I am so glad Emily sent me The Hunger Games to remind me what reading a good, in no way related to history book is like.