Exercise

Getting back in shape

Sometime in the middle of my pregnancy I stopped exercising because it made me feel sick. So I’m pretty out of shape. In July I started taking a conditioning class at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts, and now I’m ready to get back to working out on a regular basis.

Philadelphia School of Circus Arts

Finding time to run has been a challenge since moving to Philly. I’m not a member of a gym down here, so on days when it’s hot, rainy, or otherwise inhospitable I don’t get any exercise. The little baby-free time I have is usually spent doing work, and even if I spring for one of those fancy jogging strollers she’s still a little too young to put it in. We go on lots of long walks, but runs are few and far between.

Hopefully that will change soon, I’m getting a treadmill! It’s not the most thrilling thing in the world, but it’s something I can do in the short intervals Bitmap naps. After a lot of research I bought a Livestrong 13.0T treadmill. If you’re in the market for a treadmill definitely check out treadmilldoctor.com, which has extensive buying guides for both new and used treadmills.

I’ll be re-running the Couch to 5k program, as well as doing the Hundred Pushups Challenge. Currently I’m on week 1 of C25k and week 2 of hundred pushups.

My friend Dawn posted her workout schedule to keep herself accountable for her workouts, and I’m doing the same. Starting next week my schedule is:

Sunday – Couch to 5k, hundred pushups
Monday – Aerials technique class at PSCA
Tuesday –  Couch to 5k, hundred pushups
Wednesday – Rest!
Thursday  – Aerials conditioning class at PSCA
Friday – Couch to 5k, hundred pushups
Saturday – Rest!

It’s an ambitious schedule! I’m signing up for a 5k in October, and want to do better than last year’s time of SL:OW (I don’t remember my actual time, but it pretty pathetic). I’d like to at least get up to (down to?) a 12 minute mile split time. Who wants to place bets on whether or not I can do it?

4 thoughts on “Getting back in shape”

  1. ok, i love that you’re going to a circus arts school b/c…awesome! and i can totally commiserate on the slow mile time thing. I recently finished couch-to-2k and if i can get a 13-min mile it’s a good day. still working away at it…one slow step at a time. 🙂

  2. Glad to see I’m helping 😉 That circus school class has GOT to be one of the coolest things ever! My schedule this week is ambitious as well, but hey, all we can do is try to make it happen.

  3. My hubby Andrew works with your hubby and he shared your blog with me. I’m working on getting back into shape, too(7 months postpartum). I bought an elliptical to work out at home since A eats pretty much constantly all day – it’s hard for me to get away long enough for a good work out at the gym. Good luck to you!

    1. Yeah, getting out to exercise is a challenge, which is why I opted to buy a treadmill instead of a gym membership. Plus, the gyms in our Philly neighborhood were just as expensive as my gym in Jersey City, but not nearly as nice. Super weird.

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