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all right so I haven't checked yet. whatever.

(here's hoping i can organize my thoughts tonight...)

um. hello new year (soon)! new possibilities, etc. resolutions, anyone? mhm. i know you're out there. well i had a mini new years this past weekend that's fortunately stuck for the most part, barring days of absolute laziness with very little accomplished. it's been a so-so week.

let me tell you, i am of a different mind as of late. i have a new appreciation for those who struggle to get into the routine of the elusive active lifestyle. because life is busy, and not only busy it can be tiring (so much worse). i can handle the busy. the tiring is new. this past term was brutal, and as of late, my ability to get up at 4am for a good workout is gone. yes, i used to get up at 4am.

so, if i ever suddenly become some form of a motivator or personal trainer (oddly, a career i'm considering on the side), i've definitely benefited from these struggles. i did have a pretty relaxing summer and as a result i was able to program myself with ease. however, lately it's been rough.

furthermore, my home gym moved out back in november, so i've had to switch up my training routines to make up for a lack of a full set of equipment. let me also point out that the routine i used to follow took me five months to fine tune. i don't consider it a blow necessarily, but it's been a challenge. there is the good news that i believe i have figured out the routines for the upcoming months (ultimate goal being birthday in three months), but it's been difficult determining my new limits (very tired). turns out a lack of equipment usually means a more basic approach to fitness, so the workouts were relatively easy to plan. where i struggled was the when.

when do we exercise? oddly, through my exams, i was aiming for twice a day, morning and night. yes, that worked never. it was weird to aim for. so if you were to do it once a day, when would you choose? i used to preach morning cardio for ages, as it is technically the most efficient way to burn fat calories, because your body is out of carbs.

however.

the truth that i've come to discover (also, let me point out that i went most of the summer without cardio, so this is relatively new territory), is that the best time to do cardio is whenever you can.

if mornings don't work, then who cares. do it later. i've discovered that my favorite time is right before bed. possibly weird, yes, but it works for me. in fact, last time i mass (/excessively) dieted, i remember that my cardio was always in the evening. i also didn't eat. ever. another story for another time.

so. do it when you can. just do it. and if it feels horrible, then try another time of day.

there. go be cardiovascular.

FITNESS TIP: i cannot claim ownership of this wonderful idea, as it's existed long before my time (in the guise of sweat yoga). whenever i do my cardio on the exercise bike, i set up a space heater next to me to raise my body temperature even more. since biking doesn't really take much endurance, it's not so much torture. just sweaty.