Orange you glad you worked out?

Ok, I don't think I have mentioned this yet, but I joined Orangetheory Gym.  I haven't talked about it for a couple of reasons:

1) I have been too tired
2) I wasn't sure how long I was going to last
3) I was just too tired

The premise of the whole thing is that it is heart rate based workouts.  I wear this little heart rate monitor

and on the big screen in the gym I can see my heart rate throughout the whole hour.  I start out in grey, move to blue which means I am good and warmed up, then to  green which means I am really engaged, then to ORANGE which means I am in my optimal heart rate and red is the final category which means you are above and beyond....I have only seen red once or twice.

You get this little report sent to your phone after each workout.

The goal is to get at least 12 minutes in the ORANGE zone or above each workout.  Apparently this particular day I got 9 orange points and 3 red points.....rockin' it out....yes ma'am!


Now I hear people talk all the time about how energized they are and how much better they feel when they exercise and I just have two words to say about that " Not me".  I don't look forward to gym day.  I don't feel like I could move mountains when I finish a workout.  I feel like I want to drive through Krispy Kreme and have them give me a cup of glaze and a straw.

But here is what is working for me by going there
1) I am a value minded person.  So if I am spending money, I want to get my dollars worth.  It is pricey but that has made me go at least 4 times per week.....yes, I know this is psychological but it works for me.

2) It is an organized class with a coach in every session.  Someone is there telling me exactly how long I have to row,

Photo from Orange Theory site

exactly what exercises I am to do in the weight room

Photo from Orange Theory site

and how much to incline my treadmill as I power walk.......

Photo from Orange Theory site

literally, they sometimes say "put your treadmill at an incline of 10 or greater" with a straight face....I know....who are these people? But I need this because otherwise I just think ......meh that's enough and get back in the car and drive home

3) The class is different EVERY TIME......yes, this I need too because I just get bored with the whole gym thing.  I show up now, someone has a structured workout all set up for me and all I have to do is spend an hour doing it.

4) It is a really good workout.  I mean the reason I pulled pictures from online and they are not of me is because I must maintain a shred of dignity and it is nothing pretty to see.

My other motivator is these two lovelies joined with me

So we have made it a fun thing.....dress alike....go to class together....take ibuprofen together.....good times!!!

They will be headed back to school soon so I will be solo.....unless one of you wants to join me.

Make it a great Monday and a wonderful week.....I am off to get in my orange zone.