Although I have been a Coloradan for more than half my life, I am not a skiier. Or a snowboarder. On occasion, I like to snowshoe...on groomed, packed trails. Hmmm, maybe my lack of affinity for snow sports can account for why I normally hate winter? Still, I'm enjoying the simple beauty of all the white stuff we keep getting!
I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, mostly about the fact that I feel like school has led me to live a very boring, mundane life. Pre-school, the boyfriend and I took more than a few very spontaneous trips whenever we had more than two days off together. We drove to Los Angeles simply so that we could be near the ocean for about 10 hours. We embarked on a weekend camping tour of New Mexico hot springs in the winter, and had to quickly adapt when it began to snow mid-trip. And after finally making up (at 11pm) following a pretty bad fight in our first year of dating, we drove from Denver to Breckenridge, enjoyed the mountains and lakes by moonlight, and got a swanky ski lodge room for a very large discount after the hotel clerk found out we'd only be there for a few hours.
Now enter ourselves during this foray back to college. We spend our weeknights mostly doing homework, which is about how our weekends look as well, just with more beer added into the mix. Since this school year began in August, we have taken two weekend trips in-state (to, lo and behold, the same place) and went to Gunnison for five days over Christmas. We have also dreamed a lot about vacations to, among other places: Mexico, Cuba, Hawaii, and Australia.
I don't want us to think that school is some horrible life event that has sucked the very fun out of our existences, because in reality it is setting us up for much better, more comfortable lives than we were headed towards before. In that respect, I have brainstormed a list of five things we can do in the next year (meaning from today, February 10th, 2013 until February 10th, 2014) that will not only be compatible with our new school-centered lives, but will also be affordable life experiences that we will cherish for the rest of our lives. Call it a baby bucket list that's grounded in reality and affordability :)
1. Go skiing together (I might need a skiing lesson beforehand!).
2. Hike three 14ers (peaks over 14,000 feet) this summer.
3. Do a big volunteer project (i.e. Habitat for Humanity).
4. Run a race (we had fun doing the Warrior Dash a year and a half ago, but a simple 5k might be more up our alley).
5. Explore a National Park nearby that we haven't been to before: (Zion (UT), Canyonlands (UT), Dinosaur National Monument (CO), Petrified Forest (AZ), Carlsbad Caverns (NM), White Sands (NM), or Grand Teton (WY) are all ideas.
Summer Prep - Workout and Life Plan (for the foreseeable future)
No-Meat Mondays
~ 20 minutes of cardio
~ 1 hour of resistance/weight training -LEGS
~ eat vegetarian all day long!
TV-Free Tuesdays
~ Ab work for 15-30 minutes
~ 45 minutes to 1 hour of cardio
~ absolutely no TV allowed, unless its a workout DVD. Read a book for pleasure instead - at least 30 minutes.
Wheat-free Wednesday
~ 20 min cardio
~ 1 hour weight training - ARMS
~ no wheat products allowed, including grain-based liquor!
Thirsty Thursday
~ 15-30 min ab work
~ 45 min-1 hr cardio
~ make today include water! That can be lap swimming, extra water or tea intake, or even a long, leisurely walk along the river trail. Be creative! It doesn't mean you actually have to set foot IN water.
Fabulous Friday
~ 20 min cardio
~ 1 hour weight training - BACK/SHOULDERS/CHEST
~ if it's been a good week, treat yourself to some new makeup, nail polish, or anything else that makes you feel fabulous, as well as a fitness magazine.
Sexy Saturday
~ 15-30 min ab work
~ 1 hour of cardio
~ Be sexy! Have a sexy breakfast, wear some sexy underwear, get all dolled up and go out for the evening, or stay in to make yourself a cocktail and watch movies starring your favorite hunk!
Sleepy Sunday
~ Sleep in if you want!
~ Do at least an hour of the workout of your choice. It can be a fitness circuit, an outdoor hike, a long run...anything you want to do that you enjoy.
~ Make a game plan for the coming week including a menu, workouts, and goals.
~ Go to bed early to prepare for the new week ahead.
*I love loose plans like the one above, with set exercise durations/focus areas, and day-specific goals, like all-vegetarian Mondays. We'll see how this goes. I want to be ready to meet summer head-on with a fitter body and lots of energy. Winter will be over in no time!
xo
amanda
No comments:
Post a Comment