Some mornings, you wake up ready to conquer the world.
And some mornings, the world can go ahead and conquer itself while you stay under the covers.
Today was definitely the second kind of morning. 😂
After staying up too late, sleeping in, and waking up to a gloomy gray sky, I was not exactly bursting with enthusiasm for Tuesday. The sky was giving us a big gray blanket of clouds, and my motivation was somewhere back in bed, probably still holding a pillow.
But I had Jazzercise on the schedule.
And sometimes, you just have to get yourself there and see what happens.
🚗 Coffee, Clouds, and a Little Doctor Who Energy
I made it to the Jazzercise parking lot with my Starbucks coffee and my usual assortment of opinions about the weather.
The sky was gray. The mood was gray. My enthusiasm was questionable.
At least I had my Doctor Who leggings and TARDIS earrings to bring a little time-and-space energy to the morning. If I was going to drag myself through a workout, I might as well do it in appropriate attire.
Allons-y!
Actually, that would be the wrong Doctor. Geronimo! 😂
I wasn’t feeling particularly energetic, but I was alert and capable of getting through class. I was simply tired, pouty, and already thinking fondly about returning to my cozy bed.
Today’s goal wasn’t to be spectacular.
Today’s goal was to show up.
💪 Jazzercise #63: The Shoulder Gets a Vote
I made it into class, got moving, and discovered that my right shoulder had some opinions of its own.
When it started acting up, I made a decision: I put the weights away and continued with the movements without them.
I also spent extra time gently stretching my right shoulder, trying to give it some love and attention without pushing it too hard.
The weights weren’t worth aggravating my shoulder. I could still participate, move my body, and get a workout without insisting on doing every exercise exactly as planned.
And that’s an important reminder: modifying a workout doesn’t mean you failed at the workout.
It means you paid attention.
I kept moving, got gloriously sweaty, and ended up having a good class after all.
Jazzercise Receipts
📊 The Fitbit Receipts
My Fitbit and Coach data had plenty to say about the morning.
– Jazzercise: #63
– Recorded movement: 1 hour, 5 minutes
– Calories burned: 429
– Average heart rate: 115 bpm
– Cardio load: 45
– Zone Minutes: 73 — daily goal completed
– Vigorous zone: 25 minutes
– Moderate zone: 25 minutes
– Light zone: 15 minutes
– Readiness score: 58
– Sleep: 5 hours, 38 minutes
I also had 4,201 steps showing on my Fitbit dashboard at 10:31 a.m.
That’s a pretty substantial morning for someone who started the day wanting to crawl back into bed.
I had 50 minutes in the moderate and vigorous heart-rate zones combined, and my daily Zone Minutes goal was already complete.
One thing I’m learning is that I don’t have to chase more exercise just because I have the opportunity. Especially after a workout like this, with less sleep than I’d prefer and a shoulder that needs some kindness, it’s perfectly reasonable to let the rest of the day unfold without trying to squeeze in extra intensity.
The numbers are useful information. They’re not a command to keep going.
🍽️ Plot Twist: Lunch with the Jazzercise Girls!
Here’s where Tuesday took an unexpected turn.
Apparently, the girls were migrating to Moon Valley Grill & Patio over on Seventh Street for lunch.
And instead of finishing class, heading home, and immediately returning to my regularly scheduled programming, I decided to join them.
Social adventure unlocked!
Moon Valley Grill is a casual neighborhood sports bar and grill, and the menu offered plenty of possibilities. I went with chicken sliders, tater tots, and mac-and-cheese bites.
The chicken sliders were the main event. I ate those and then nibbled on the tater tots and mac-and-cheese bites.
There were plenty of leftovers to bring home, which means another meal is already taken care of.
Honestly, this was a nice little surprise in the middle of an otherwise ordinary Tuesday. I went to class, got my workout in, and ended up spending extra time with the women I see at Jazzercise.
Exercise can be about more than the exercise itself. There’s the movement, of course, but there’s also the camaraderie, the conversations, and the opportunity to get to know people a little better.
I might have arrived feeling pouty, but I didn’t have to spend the whole morning that way.
💜 Wellness Without Perfection
Today wasn’t a perfect wellness morning.
I didn’t get enough sleep. I wasn’t excited about getting out of bed. The weather wasn’t particularly inspiring. My shoulder needed a modification, and I had to adjust my plans as I went.
But I showed up.
I put the weights away when my shoulder complained. I kept moving. I got sweaty. I completed my Zone Minutes goal. And I said yes to lunch with the girls.
That’s what I want to remember about Jazzercise #63.
Not that I pushed through everything regardless of how I felt. Not that I had to earn my lunch. Not that every day needs to be a high-energy, perfectly executed fitness adventure.
I listened to my body, made adjustments, and enjoyed my day.
There will be time for the blog posts and pinball recaps waiting for me at home. I have things to finish, including my Starfighters October Monthly Tournament recap, and I’m getting a little behind on my pinball writing while I keep up with my walking challenge and other adventures.
But those posts can wait until I’m ready to tackle them.
Today, I showed up when I wasn’t feeling it, took care of my shoulder, got my workout in, spent time with the girls, and brought home leftovers.
I’ll call that a win.
Jazzercise #63: COMPLETE.
Still counts. Always. 💜
Read more.
Carrots for a Cause – American Cancer Society 62-mile October Walking Challenge
Starbucks Carrot Method – North Phoenix Walking Series and Jazzercise