WOW: A New Workout Time

Oh, my dear readers…. I got the BEST news about a week ago.

You probably remember that I changed jobs about 6 months ago, and I’m very lucky to work for a fantastic company.  That same company made the decision about a week ago to change my job responsibilities DRASTICALLY.  And, as part of this shift, they are changing where I work on a daily basis.

Changing where I work??  Why the heck does that matter?

When you commute in Denver traffic to the Denver Tech Center on a daily basis… you get VERY excited when you hear that you don’t have to do this every single day.

It was just a matter of time before I went Michael Douglas on someone.

I know that Denver is not like LA or Atlanta (not nearly as bad.)  However, if you live in Denver, the LAST place you want to commute daily is the Denver Tech Center.  EVERYONE works there, and they all take the same interstates to get there.  It’s adorable once you arrive, but quite the bear to get to.

Now, I’ll still make trips to our office from time to time, but more often than not, my new office will be fairly close to home.  Saying goodbye to the two plus extra hours I’ve spent in my car for the past 6 months does not break my heart.  Think of what I can do with those extra two hours!!

How I Plan to Spend the Morning Hour

I have always thought it would be amazing to have the option to workout in the morning.  When I was leaving my house at 6:30am, working out in the morning was completely impossible.  Afterall, my gym doesn’t even open until 5:00am.  Now, however, working out in the morning is TOTALLY a possibility!  I worked out on Tuesday morning (my first day on the new job) and I plan on doing it moving forward!  If I’m at the gym by 6:15am, I can be home by 7:15am and ready to work by 8:00am.  That’s PERFECT!

I’ll still get to see sunrise in Denver, but the skyline won’t be in the backdrop.  Instead, I’ll see a view of the mountains (which I can see from my gym.)  I’m definitely okay with that.

ALSO… I’ve never mentioned it here, but I am NOT a morning person.  So, let’s also pause for a moment to consider that waking up an hour later and getting those morning endorphins will also make me MUCH more pleasant.  Maybe that was my boss’ real goal in re-designing our department??

How to Spend the Afternoon Hour

Wait a second, when I get home from work… I don’t have to rush to the gym because I already did it??  That’s the best ever!  Instead, I can do whatever I’d like.  Keep up with my DVR, experiment with new recipes, run errands, enjoy an evening with friends, do laundry, write more blog posts, take classes I’ve been thinking about taking… I mean, the list of options are ENDLESS.  The great news is that the time is MINE.

I don’t really plan to sit in a grassy field like this… but it’s my hour and I’ll do what I want to…

I’m also not opposed to doing an extra workout in the evening.  I always have that struggle between cardio and yoga… which one to do.  If I do cardio in the morning, the afternoon is wide open for yoga (or a second walk at the gym!)  There’s also a few classes that traffic always keeps me from (i.e. 6:00pm Zumba on Mondays, and 5:30pm Yoga on Wednesdays.)  These are all possibilities now!

Let’s pause to talk about steps for a moment.  I am also REALLY excited about bringing more steps to the table on a daily basis!  As many of you know, I’m an avid Fitbit fan and I love to talk about how it helps me with my daily fitness goals.  Over the past 6 months since working at my new company, my steps have been EMBARRASSING.  Walking out of the office at the end of the day with less than 3000 steps can be a little disappointing.  And, many many steps from my goal.

Those days are over, my friends.  Yesterday, I clocked about 6,000 steps from the workday alone.  Uh-Mazing!

Even though I’ve been given the gift of time, I always remember this as well….

There’s always time to get it done.  Always.  I’m just thankful to have a little more flexibility in choosing when exactly I do it moving forward…

Do you workout in the morning or the afternoon?  Any tips for morning workouts for extra energy throughout the day?