That argument with yourself...

After a long clinical day (I am a nursing student), my plan was to go to the gym to do an ab workout class. I've been to the class before, and really felt it the next day. My gym clothes were in the car, all I had to do was drive there, change quickly, and jump in. But I talked myself out of it :-/

I got a lot of exercise at the hospital today. Almost the self-required 10,000 steps, and I knew I could get above it doing chores this evening in between studying.

I've got two tests this week, and felt like I needed to get home to study ASAP, but that is not an uncommon occurrence. I need to learn to prioritize exercise as well as academics.

I told myself I didn't want to be ultra-sore for my 1st day attempting total care of 3 patients tomorrow. But really, sore abs would not get in the way of a nursing shift. That was a made up excuse.

Next time (Wednesday) I will do better.

Strange lack of body awareness

The other day I went for a hike, at a trail that I often use. It's hilly, public trail out on a ranch near town. Mountain bikers use it, too. I've done this trail about 10 or 12 times total probably. The first time, when I went with family, it probably took the whole group of us 2 hours or more to get around the whole thing. My fitbit rates it at about 10,000 steps and about 32 flights of stairs worth. So, it's a good, challenging workout for me at this point in my fitness.

One of the last times I went, though, I had the odd sensation that it was just OH SO MUCH HARDER than usual. It was warm out, sure, in the 80s, but not any warmer than the last time I had done the trail. Was it the week I had had previously, I wondered? Or because I was listening to an audiobook on my ipod that I had already heard before, rather than one of my nursing school lectures that I really had to concentrate on....yes, perhaps it was distraction that was key? Or maybe I hadn't slept as well or as long the night before? I even started wondering if maybe I had accidentally taken the 'long loop' instead of the 'short loop'.

It was only when I got to the end, back in my car, and peeked at my clock that I realized why. I had gone around about 20 minutes faster than the last time I did it, without even realizing it.