Julie Ferrario's Fine Art Journal

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Art and Exercise

STRIVE FOR FIVE

This is a quick sketchbook entry of what my exercise partner and friend "dreamed" up one night. She is trying to get us into shape to be able to to 5 miles....we hope running 5 miles...but in the end we want it to really be about cardio workouts. So she dreamt up the plan and the name, "Strive for Five: Cardio Blast 5 weeks to 5 miles" and asked if I would work on the other parts of our exercise routine. We have worked out together for about 5ish years now, doing classes, trainers, getting to the gym, dog walking, and just fitting in any exercise we can.

We have kept each other motivated!

It has been great to have someone to work with.

I then "dreamed" up the second half of the workout...I call it

"STRIVE FOR FIVE: COMPLETING THE CIRCLE OF FITNESS"

In an

ideal world

I think you should include in your fitness routine the following things...

Cardio Workouts (3 x week, which she worked out our plan)

Strength Training (2 x week, upper and lower body weight training)

Flexibility/Yoga (daily, a plan of stretching)

Core Strength (daily, a plan of core muscles)

Nutrition 5's (don't forget to think about healthy eating at least 5 min/day)

Meditation 5's (take 5 min/day or up to a total of 35 min/week)

Extra 5's...organizational routines...ideals....attempts...can't hurt to try

How the Heck do you Fit in All In???

Well in our plan we focus on
flexibility, accountability, and variety!

Flexibility....

in that you can pick which days or what times to get your cardio in. Also you don't have to do all the core and yoga at one time, split them up in the day or do your meditation during one of the more relaxing yoga positions. You can plan around your schedule. My friend and I plan to get together at least once a week for some part of this or more if our schedules work out that way.

Accountability...

Having a workout partner keeps us accountable. I check in on her, and visa versa. Inviting to join each other or letting each other know what they did helps to motivate us. At the same time we get to keep up with each other. Never do we make each other feel guilty...it is more about supporting and encouraging each other to just get it done when you can and not to give up. I also put on the second sheet tally boxes so we could check off what you have completed.

I like to check things off?!?

Variety...

Both changing up the activities weekly and new thoughts on nutrition and meditation, we hope to keep it fresh. We are also going to be changing up where and how we do the cardio blast running. Some days a loop, sometimes run walk, change intensity levels, sometimes run the distance and walk back when we have more time or want to chat.

Here is a sample of a "workout" sheet I made up for us for the first week...we can take it with us to the gym or just at home and mark off what we have done, and easily see what we need to do for the day. Each week I was planning on changing up the exercises....so far...we are on week two.

Oh yeah...the "Extra 5's"...

Just an idea I had of having a checklist ?!? to cover your basic routines and add in some much needed clutter/organization quickies to keep us motivated and on top of things.

LIFE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS....SO IS EXERCISE, ART, AND THIS NEW PLAN!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

In the HEAT of Summer: Part Two Plein Aire "PLAYING"

Besides taking a class at college, I tried to put my birthday present (a new plien aire easel) to use this summer. These pictures are backwards in time, but I started in late May at Point Pinos in Monterey and the last location is here at home at Vasona Lake. It is my intention to keep working at capturing a painting quickly on location.