Exercise Accountability Update!

Hey guys! sorry I've been a little MIA. I've been a little homesick lately. Luckily my in-laws are coming next week ... and I am so happy to have some family coming! I think it's just what I need to rejuvenate myself.

Last week was my first week of this "challenge" and... it's been challenging, ha ha!! I worked out 3 days last week. Hey that's up 3 times from what I was doing before, so I'm not being too hard on myself. I did 2 weight lifting days and 1 cardio day last week. This week is going alright - I've done 2 cardio days so far and today and tomorrow I am doing weight lifting. That's the plan and I WILL work out today and tomorrow. I had a certain goal of how many days I'd lift weights and how many days I'd do cardio, and I know the reason I have been choosing cardio over weights is because of my gym. Like many places in China, there are many people working somewhere - way more than needed, so some people really don't have anything to work on. Last Friday as I was doing bicep curls at the gym, the trainer, who is not training me, was standing 3 feet away from me staring at me the entire time. Awkward! I know he probably has the best of intentions but let's face it, I'm a little antisocial sometimes and when I'm lifting weights, that is definitely one of those times.

I think I may have chosen a bad time in general to start a challenge like this - the in-laws will be here for two weeks, and in those two weeks we will be doing a lot of sightseeing and traveling! I don't know how I will workout on the road, so I might have to be a little forgiving of myself - or just count the extensive walking and hiking we will do (we are going to Huang Shan in Anhui Province).

So, let's see - that's 3 days last week and it WILL be 4 days this week. One of my readers pointed me to an article with the theory of doing things gradually - so, maybe this is how I am supposed to do it.... 3 days the first week, 4 days the next, and 5 the third week, which of course was my goal (as well as consistency).

And I leave you with the 5 things I miss most about home:

1. my dog


2. good Western food
3. driving myself everywhere instead of relying on the subway (sardines) or taxi drivers (potential attitude)
4. the ocean


5. fresh air and blue skies (see above)

.... but I also thought it would be good to think about 5 things I like about China

1. the adventure of never knowing what to expect
2. cheap massages
3. the history practically everywhere you look
4. the beautiful parks great for people watching
5. the opportunity to use my Chinese every.single.day.

Steph