It’s a HIIT! 

The ladies from our Thursday night couples group decided to workout at Elorde Gym to do HIIT. I had only heard of High Intensity Interval Training from friends but avoided it because it sounded tough. Plyometrics is not fun to me and neither is weight training (which are both part of the entire session). But since the plan was to do this as a group, I decided to try it to enjoy bonding with friends.

  

(Thanks to Patricia Hizon for the photos!)

The HIIT workout was definitely challenging but I felt great afterwards. A little dizzy and dehydrated from the heat but the endorphins were surging through my body which has been really sluggish as of late. I have been trying to figure out why I wake up tired. I think it is a combination of factors — like I need to be more intentional about eating probiotics and more vegetables. Even though I don’t eat a lot of junk food, I think my body is fighting against the gravity of age.

Today’s workout felt like I jump started a rusty old engine that needed to become useful again. Plus, being with girl friends made it fun.

As moms we need to stay fit or get fit, whichever is our chicken or egg. It’s easy to hide behind our activities and busy-ness and become complacent about our physical fitness level. After all, we have good and valid excuses — so many needs around us that consume our time. But this is exactly why we need to be in te best shape of our lives, as soon as we can, after giving birth. People are depending on us, in particular, the little adorable people we call our children. Plus, the longer we wait, the harder it is to start doing something about the pounds and the increasing fat percentage.

On the one hand, eating properly and getting enough sleep makes a big difference, but I also have to be proactive about building tone and burning fat, especially at my age. When I was younger, I could breastfeed, cut down on calories, do a little bit of exercising and then presto! My body would come back and shed its maternal appearance. My belly would melt away.

After my fifth, oh me, oh my, the body of my youth has gone bye-bye. So I am considering this HIIT-ness for my fitness. It’s time, baby, it’s time! No more excuses! The only way to battle the entropy is to push myself harder. Whether it is HIIT or something as extreme, I have to put in a whole lot of effort to get the results I want. I don’t want to but I HAVE TO if I intend to give my 110% to being a wife, mom, and homeschooler.

 The look of victory and total fatigue! We survived!