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New Year’s Resolutions and Exercise Videos

Posted on January 10, 2013
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Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to be healthier, to get into shape in 2013? Hopefully your fitness endeavor is still going strong when we are 10 days into new year. Even if you feel discouraged, keep going for another 20 or so days – after that it will get a lot easier. We usually need to stick with a new fitness related behavior for  4-6 weeks until it really becomes a routine that is easier to maintain, and sometimes even addictive.

While I wholeheartedly promote healthy lifestyle – eating low-fat, quality food, exercising on purpose and for necessity, there are some fitness trends that make me shake my head. Exercise videos. Home workouts are absolutely awesome for the busy people who don’t have an access to other kinds of fitness facilities and need ideas for an effective fitness programs but at the same time they should know what they are doing, and be in a decent shape already. The discouragement of fitness routines easily comes from pain and agony caused by workouts – either in the form of post-workout soreness after doing too much too soon (there is positive post-workout soreness too, though) or injuries.

Especially the new fitness enthusiasts would greatly benefit from group lessons with a real instructor, or a few hours of Personal Training. In these real human connections, a trained professional can show the correct, safe movements. Did you for example know that in a forward lunge your front knee needs to be lined up with the heel, and a little bit behind the foot when the front knee is at a 90-degree angle? If the knee leans over your foot, there is a good chance to create patella injuries. Patella (or any knee) injuries are a real pain, literally, to recover from. And they  are also frequently seen among overweight exercisers.

So if your goal this year is to get into shape and shed extra pounds, and it has been a while since your active workouts, check with your Doctor that you are good to go before doing anything. And if the Doctor finds any restrictions that you should be aware of, make a note of them. Then, start working out in a safe environment on group classes or consult a professional trainer or fitness knowledgeable friend to get started. This will save you from unnecessary pain, and helps you to stick with the fitness routines. After all, there is nothing better than a great workout.

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” (Jim Rohn)

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The inspiration for this blog posting came from my discussions with fellow Personal Trainers who I have recommend to some of potential new PT clients during this post-Christmas personal training season.

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Namaste!

Posted on August 3, 2012
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I have tried to like yoga so hard. And I kinda like it but I don’t love it. Or so I thought. Some of my good friends in Seattle were yoga enthusiasts and tried to get me to hang out at their favorite studio.

However, I was always too busy with work (single girl’s love número uno!), triathlon training, teaching spinning at YMCA, and escaping the city life to various hiking spots… But the thought of yoga was planted in my brain. I didn’t go to yoga studio though, but picked up some other activities from eastern cultures: Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do. I loved the discipline, I loved the strength and self confidence I gained.

Then I moved to Alaska in 2009.

The martial arts scene is Alaska is, well, not so great. I haven’t been able to find a reputable, friendly place to practice Kung Fu, and a few Tae Kwon Do places I have checked look shady. Yes, another reason to miss Lower 48, and Kim’s Tae Kwon Do in Renton, WA. No luck with martial arts, so I decided to try yoga.

I found a couple of bigger yoga studios in Anchorage. Apparently there are quite a few yogis in the area since the downtown studio was more than packed on those times I have been there. Extremely packed. The studio was like an overflowing state fair parking lot – mats were so close to each other that one could hardly place a water bottle next to the mat. No thank you, I don’t want my yoga neighbor to be sweating on my mat. Gross.

The other yoga studio, slightly outside the downtown was a lot better experience as far as the crowds go. But the friendliness of the staff and instructors has been varying quite a bit. Some of them are absolutely awesome, some …. well, represent the typical unfriendly Alaskan attitude. Yes, I want to get better at yoga but I am sorry if I don’t know you yet. I’m a paying customer and would deserve at least greetings, thanks you’s for coming, and wishes to see me again. You know, a couple of friendly words. Instead of paying monthly membership fees, I have stopped by at the yoga studio occasionally and then practiced more on my own.

This week I was again shopping at Lululemon, mainly the running gear but one of the sales associates chitchatted with me about yoga, and it only got me to purchase a couple of yoga shirts but also recommend yoga studios in the heart of San Francisco. Timing was great. My back was aching after a box jump accident, and my thigh has a giant bruise so my muscles would definitely deserve some TLC. Because of my experiences in Alaskan yoga scene, I was hesitant to pay arm and leg for yoga classes but thought what the heck, $20 is nothing for just trying. So I looked at the schedules online and walked in.

There I am, in the world of Lululemon and prAna. Oh man, I’m gonna die, and I will, for sure, be the yogi who tips over on downward dog or something. But at least I had the Lululemon trendy gear. And I was so wrong. I was welcomed very, very warmly. Instructor made an effort to introduce herself, welcomed me to the studio. How friendly and professional! The yoga class was strenuous – 90 minutes of hot yoga kicks the butt, but awesome, fun, energizing!

I had fallen in love.

It was not the yoga that I didn’t like but bad experiences associated to yoga. I have done yoga practices every day this week in San Francisco. I am going to give another try to the Anchorage studio – maybe more self-confident yogi in me can just ignore the negativity that some people may have. And meanwhile, I count days to my next yoga retreat in California. There is a yogi in me.

Namaste!

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Health Check

Posted on July 29, 2012
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Sports injuries…. Oh boy what a week. Apparently Ironman success doesn’t come without some battle scars already in training. It has been an eventful week on my athletic department….

First I and my bike collided so badly that I ended up to getting a giant bruise on my thigh. Then a couple of days later, thanks to doing way too many bike/run brick workouts my toe nail decided to give up and peeled off. Lastly I then got a blister on my heel. And sunburns in Alaska.

But I am still anxiously waiting for my run in the morning. With a new running team.

I’m writing this in San Francisco, hanging out here for work this week. Since I love to be a social butterfly with other athletes, I tracked down local running clubs prior my trip, and have new running buddies for every day during my stay here. Tomorrow morning meet-up is for semi athletes, running pace 7-7:30 min/mile, or according to the leader of the club, “sometimes even less”. Hopefully I have a great running day tomorrow. Or hopefully it is a short run. Updates to follow either through my blog or maybe I make to the newspaper headlines by been the runner who passed out after two miles.
Meanwhile, I’ll leave you with a picture of my bruised thigh. I’ll save you from the grossness of my poor toe, at least for now….

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MilSpouse (First) Friday Fill-In #73

Posted on July 7, 2012
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The first week of July is pretty much behind us…. time is definitely moving fast.  And it’s time for another MilSpouse Friday Fill-In. So far the summer days have been few and far between: few warm, sunny days here and there, and more gray, overcasted days. But at least it is not raining nonstop like last year. I have been lucky to keep my running and biking miles up (read: Ironman training is progressing), as well as have been playing golf quite a bit. Earlier in the spring I made a decision to get my golf handicap down to where it used to be before moving to Alaska, around 2. Right now I am closer to 20 than 10 but direction looks good.

But let’s check out this month’s questions! Thank you to Wife of A Sailor  for hosting this lovely tradition of getting to know fellow MilSpouses.

1. What’s one thing in the past month you would have changed? Nothing. Not a single thing. June was a great month, even though work was crazy busy, and I was running behind on my research stuff, including the IRB paperwork.

2. What was your favorite thing that happened in June? Super awesome bear photography excursion on McNeil River. We were incredibly lucky to get a spot to go there, and furthermore the weather truly cooperated. Even a little bit too much based on my sunburns. Photos turned out great, and my photo agencies’ editors have been praising them. I also started two new blogs. While Adventures of The K Family is not going away or anything, I wanted to have a separate blog for my professional writing in the field of behavioral sciences: Action Potentials, and From Rough To Green, covering my golf adventures.

3. What did you do to celebrate Independence Day? Not a whole lot. We went to see the parade in downtown Anchorage, as well as saw the flag ceremony and reading of the Declaration of Independence. After that we were just hanging out at home, cooked steaks with steamed vegetables. And of course had corn on the cob! Jason had Thursday off but I was working, and since the Independence Day was (awkwardly) in the middle of the week, it was hard to get into any longer adventures. But nevertheless, we had a great 4th of July!

4. When you PCS, what items do you take with you and not let the movers pack, and if you do a DITY, what do you take with you and not box up (thanks to Sespi at And You Never Did Think for inspiring this question)? Important papers, some clothes, all the external hard disks and data storage system, laptops, iPads…. Everything else I can usually find along the way or at the destination if the HHG are taking for a while.

5. What are you looking forward to in July? Getting the IRB approved for my research, keeping on track with Ironman training, ….. and we have our Anniversary on Monday, July 9, as well as my birthday is coming up in about 20 days, followed by my husband’s birthday a few days later (in August though). So lots of celebrations in this month. I will also head out to California for a business trip, which is always a blast!

And I am also coaching kids’ soccer on post this summer. I can’t wait to get the practices started – that should be fun!

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New Year’s Resolution for 2012

Posted on January 1, 2012
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First day of 2012. New year, expectations, hopes, wishes, and goals. While 2011 was such a wonderful year, I look forward to 2012 being even more awesome. Only time will tell how the year turns out to be but meanwhile, there are some goals that I have set for the new year.

Resolution 1: Live, love and laugh often. Be happy. Be a wonderful wife. I am committed to do whatever I can to be as good wife as I can be to my wonderful husband. He truly deserves it.

Resolution 2: Travel more, and stay adventurous. We both love the see the world and enjoy traveling. While I doubt I can exceed my records of flying over 200,000 miles a year now when living in Alaska, I am hoping to get close to it.

Resolution 3: Finish a full Ironman race. 140.6 miles of pure torture fun, and I can’t wait to grab the challenge! This goal is just a continuation of my never-ending fitness challenges, and fueled by the desire to improve myself day after day.

Resolution 4: Continue working on Fine Art gallery, and develop the artistic skills in photography. Some exciting projects are in the horizon, so stay tuned by following KominiakPhoto’s Blog.

Resolution 5: Dedicate some time for crafts such as knitting, and try to learn some crocheting – beyond a couple of crocheted flowers.

Resolution 6: Continue excelling at studies, and keep working hard in order to get into a PhD program in biology. This will mean a bunch of biology, chemistry and math in my future. As well as completing my senior thesis with the highest grades.

And last but not the least….

Resolution 7: Be a better blogger. I need to catch up on the book and wine reviews, as well as update KominiakPhoto’s Blog more often.

“Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.” –Douglas Pagels

I wish you Happy New Year and diary full of best stories ever written in your life!

 

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