Discouraged but Determined

 I keep getting discouraged. Instead of improving lately on my workouts I seem to be falling back. 

After last weekends disappointing workouts (or lack of)  I had hoped to bounce right back this weekend. My Friday workout while not a total failure it was a struggle. Since it had been a week since I had made it to the gym I decided not to push myself and just use it as a weekend warm-up. I didn't even do 1000 steps on the stair-master. I did do an hour on the treadmill with half of that at 15%. I think I did 15 minutes on the rower.  I was worn out by the end of it. I had not slept well the night before and was just feeling a bit worn out. I did sleep well the next two nights (well for me anyway) and was feeling a bit more optimistic. Saturday, I did make it to 1500 steps on the stair-master, an hour on the treadmill with half at 15% and then 15 minutes on the rower. Sunday I increased to the steps to 1800, but the treadmill kicked my butt and I maybe di 20 minutes at 15%. I did last 20 minutes on the rower though.  

I really feel that I should be easily doing 2000 steps on the stair-master by now. I've done it in the past, so what is wrong now? I looked back at some old posts and when I was regularly doing 2000 plus steps on it I was only on the treadmill for 30 minutes afterwards. I think my total workout time was just over an hour each time. I am now working out an hour-forty five to two hours each time and have added the rower to the workout. I have less than four weeks left to work before retirement so I am looking ahead to what my workout schedule should be. 

Monday - Go hiking, anywhere just get out and go!

Tuesday - Full workout (2000 steps stair-master, 1 hour treadmill, 20 minutes rower)

Wednesday - 1+ hour treadmill, 20 - 30 minutes rower

Thursday - Full workout

Friday  - Stairmaster  1 hour, rower 20 minutes

Saturday and Sunday - Full workout

Any of these are subject to change if I decide to go camping and hiking on a whim or one of my scheduled trips. I think the best judge for if I will be ready for the Inca trail will be how well I can do out on the trails. I will start pushing myself to take on a few 8 - 10 mile hikes with some altitude changes. They can be hard to locate in my part of the state, but I will have the time to get out and travel to them by October. 

My lack of energy has been a bit of a concern too. I am going to take a hard look at my diet and see where I can make improvements. I have added a protein shake, but I'm really not a fan as they seem to depress my appetite. I don't think I can go back to eating a meat based diet, but I am open to adding more fish. I am hoping to that I will sleep better once I have retired as the worry and stress of work should no longer be a concern. I have already seen a bit of an improvement over the past two long weekends I have had. 

Just one last bit of news - my retirement date is now official as I gave my written notice to my boss last Wednesday. She already had it about figured out as someone in HR posted a congratulations on my up-coming retirement on the city web-site. I had been working with HR to get my paperwork in order prior to my written notice but had asked them to keep it under wraps until after the 14th. It was posted on the 13th. Oh well, it sure is nice  though to not be tip-toeing around it and to have it out in the open. 17.5 more days in the office!