Working Out Update

So I had some big goals for 2011: enjoy Shabbat (aka Saturday, where you are supposed to relax and not work in Judaism) if I wasn’t shooting wedding and working out to get my body in shape for shooting and being able to shoot for many years.

Well, here’s an update. I’m still struggling with Shabbat. It’s really hard for me not to work 7 days a week, almost all day. Because as they say, if you run your own business, it’s never done. There is always something else you could be doing. And I’m trying to find balance in my life. It’s a work in progress. I’m trying to set up official ‘work hours’ so that I’m not constantly feeling the pull. I’m not scheduling meetings or shoots other than weddings on Saturdays. I’m trying to give myself a day free from the internet, my phone, and be in the now. Ya….you know. It’s hard.

On the working out side of things, it’s mid-April and I’m still doing personal training twice a week. Which means I’m still doing weight training twice a week. And instead of doing cardio 3 times a week for 15 minutes, I’m now doing cardio 4-5 times a week at 35 minutes. I could never have pulled this off without having a personal trainer. No way. I need someone to hold me accountable- it’s like a client meeting, I can’t miss it! I can’t disappoint and say I didn’t do cardio. I also started a clean diet. Not one of those cleansing programs where you eat grapefruit for 7 days and drop 8 pounds only to gain it all back the next week. But I’m not eating processed foods and only having food with spices- no butter, salt, etc. This has been going on for 3 months now and I’m not going to lie. I cheat. I would quit the whole thing if I couldn’t cheat…and I don’t feel guilty. I’m eating way healthier than ever before and my body is feeling better than ever before. My entire body is changing. I have muscles and definition all over. I’m not a body builder folks, but I can see a big difference. As I said in my first post about working out, I have never done this before.

This has been the best thing ever. After being together for 9 years, my wife looks at me everyday and is like “God, I have never seen you like this.” I catch her totally checking me out. It’s funny and fun all at the same time. So I’m keeping up with working out, I’m eating healthier than I ever have, and the biggest thing of all? When I shoot a wedding? I’m not pulling muscles. I’m lifting my bags the right way. Ya, I’m still sore. But I bounce back way faster than I ever have.

P.S. If you are in the CT area, check out my personal trainer Gretchen. She’s the personal training manager at Planet Fitness in Branford. She’s funny, will push you, but not make you hate working out. Her number is (203) 488-8804. I would love to have work out buddies!