Week 3: Workout #1

Ugh.

Last night was probably the worst workout I’ve had since I started Beginner Fitness Junkie.

I’m almost reluctant to post about it, since I barely consider it a workout, but I promised myself that I would document every fitness-related thing I do, so here’s the recap.

I’ve discovered that I have basically three levels of energy when it comes to exercising and how I feel before and after I work out. They are:

A) I have TONS of energy that I burn off when I work out, and I feel great afterward;

B) I’m tired, but I decide to go work out rather than take a nap, and the workout re-energizes me and I feel great afterward;

C) I feel tired and gross before I start, and I never really get the energy that I need, and I finish the workout feeling even more tired and gross.

Last night was definitely a C day.

I’d had a long day at work and a hellish commute home, but I hadn’t been to the gym since Sunday so I put on my shorts, laced up my sneakers and headed out the door.

I should have known it’d be bad from the second I got to the gym. It was HOT in there. I checked the (non-adjustable) thermostat and it was set to 77 degrees. Ick. Plus, it was busier in the gym than it’s been the last couple of times I’ve gone, so there was additional body heat. Still, I hung up my bag and started up the treadmill.

I attempted the same walking/jogging segments at the same speed as I had on Sunday. I noticed almost immediately that the same level of exercise was getting my heart rate a lot higher. On Sunday, walking at 3 miles an hour and jogging at 3.5 mph got my heart rate hovering right around the 65% “fat burn” zone, so it was a comfortable workout. Last night, the same intensity resulted in my heart rate pushing the 85% “cardio” zone, which wasn’t what I wanted. I don’t know whether it was due to the heat or general tiredness or what.

I felt tired and sluggish the whole way through, and ended up stopping at the 18-minute mark. Bleccchh.

Here’s the mini-recap:

• 5-minute warm-up walk
• stretch
• 18 minutes on the treadmill, alternating 90 seconds of walking and 60 seconds of jogging
• 3 sets of 10 bicep curls
• stretch

This was the first time a workout hasn’t rejuventated me and given me more energy. I just felt gross and tired afterward.

Let’s hope the next one goes a little better.