Nothing happening with the scale at the moment, but I’m losing around my waist.

No change in my weight from last week, but I noticed that I’m down another notch on my belt. So the scale maybe stubborn, but my waist is shrinking…and that is always a good thing.

It’s also another reason you can’t rely on the scale for success. Little things like how loose your clothes fit or being able to cross your legs are far more important.

New Month, New Challenges
My trainer wants me to build up my upper body strength. I can’t argue with her. It seems like any upper body workout is a struggle since my month off in April.

In fact, it seems like my whole workout routine isn’t as routine as I’d like. Consistency is so important. Not only to build muscle and improve cardio, but it’s a great reminder to eat better.

Unfortunately it’s difficult to get back on track, especially after a long trip. Time to set things right. My plan of attack?

I’m taking the 30-Day Arms Challenge to make up some ground I lost during my April sabbatical and build upper body strength.

1. 30-Day Arms Challenge Is Back! Time to start building up my  arms, back, chest and shoulders. I’ve done this before, but it can’t hurt to do it again. This particular routine involves 3 exercises — Tricep Dips, Push Ups and Mountain Climbers — daily.

I’m going to try to do 2 reps of each, but we’ll see. I just got back from an upper body workout with my trainer. Lifting my arms at the moment isn’t that easy.

2. Earlier Workouts. I’m shifting my workout schedule to earlier in the day. The weather is getting hotter and more humid. So the earlier the better.

Typically I’d never do early morning workouts. Getting to bed early was always a challenge in and of itself. But for the last 3 weeks, my head is hitting my pillow before 10:00 p.m. Since I’m getting up at 5:00 a.m. (without an alarm clock!) I might as well put my time to better use than just making/drinking coffee.

It’s all about creating a ritual out of this new morning routine so my mind and body expect it.

3. Doing What I Love! This is a biggie. The best way to get my workout routine ritual going is sticking to what I love. That means cycling, running and weekend hikes. I am going to allow time for trying new things (yes, I’m seriously considering Parkour!).

What is Parkour?  This…

4. If It’s Scheduled It’s Happening. I’m back to setting up exercise appointments in my iPhone’s calendar. That way, a scheduled visit from the guy fixing our fence won’t overlap with my cycling class.