Navigating 2016

The New Year has started and is in full swing.  It seems just like any other year, and still has all the problems and glitches that were present on December 31st.


One of those things I'm trying to fix is the muffin top I seem to have developed over that past year or two.  Stress used to make me drop weight like crazy.  Apparently over time my body has become immune.  I am no longer losing weight during times of increased stress.  I think I can partially blame that on getting older.  I'm staring 40 straight in the face, and I've decided that I don't want to look at it with this muffin top anymore.  I'm having some issues with hand strength and the quality of my grip, so I don't think going back to crossfit is a good fit for me.  There's too much that requires I hold tightly or with a specific grip to very heavy things.  My fear of hurling one of these VERY HEAVY THINGS at someone unintentionally, or dropping one of them on any part of my body does not seem appealing.
I think I may have found the answer to my issue in 9 round fitness.  https://www.9round.com
It's a heck of a workout in 30 minutes.  I did this yesterday and I thought I was going to die  , felt like I was going to pass out , Ok felt like I actually got a good workout, and was  sweating, glistening, sweating like I had just worked out.  It really wasn't that bad.  It was definitely like exercise.  Hard exercise.  But having a new activity every 3 minutes made it easier to get through.  The "I can do anything for 3 minutes" mentality heavily played into this.  I really did work hard, but know ing in just 3 minutes I could stop what I was currently struggling with, and move onto a different kind of struggle made it easier to get through.  When that bell rings to let you know there's 30 seconds left it makes you say "Thank God.. Only 30 seconds left"  but it also makes you push just a bit harder to do just that much more before the 30 seconds runs out. 


I am sore today.  I feel muscles that I haven't felt in a while.  My arms are screaming at me any time I try to lift them above shoulder level, and my thighs and calves are crying just a little every time I sit down or stand up.  I'm just hoping I don't have to squat for anything tonight.  I'm not entirely sure I could get up without help.  That being said, I'm still going to run the stairs tonight.  Maybe not with the intensity I usually do (this means it may be just walking the stairs and not involve running at all)


My plan is to go work out at least once a week, or maybe twice.  I really don't see me going much more, mostly because of my schedule and things that need doing,  but also because I plan on working out a bit at home on my own some days too.  I'm aiming to exercise 3 or 4 days a week total.  The plan is to get in better shape and lose most if not all of the muffin top before I have to wear a bathing suit in public again in April.  The only issue I see here is that when I lose fat in my muffin, I lose fatty tissue in other places too.  And I kinda like the booty and the boobs.  I'm going to be sad to see them go.