Positive Reinforcement

I am not one who generally wants to receive compliments, though if I happen to receive them, I appreciate that someone felt some kind words were in order.

One thing that I never expected since I began this process 8 weeks ago, is how I would be complimented. I think I have received more compliments from strangers in the past month, than I have in the past few years combined. People that I see once a week, are also able to see the difference in my body composition and my size.

Now, the compliments themselves aren't satisfying due to them being kind words spoken about me, to me. But it lets me know that there is a difference in how I look.

Two of the complements are from random people at my gym that I have never spoken to, but who I have seen occasionally in the past. Both asked if I was specifically training for something, and then complemented the changes they saw in my physique.

My personal trainer also has been giving me the positive feedback when he sees me at the gym. Though we are taking a break from training to restart back up when it gets a little closer to the competition.

Tonight I changed up my work-out a bit. Instead of doing my usual lifting, then hitting a cardio class in the morning, I headed to the gym in the evening. I lifted back and arms, then (and this is the good part) RAN STAIRS! Yes, it's true! One of my BSC's is in a building that has 10 flights of stairs that are well-lit, clean, and free for the members to use!

I used it as a 30-minute high-intensity cardio workout. High intensity Interval Training (or, HIIT) is short bursts of intense cardio exercise, followed by lighter sessions of cardio, then back and forth. So tonight, this is what I did:

- Run up 7 flights of stairs (about 30 to 45 seconds)
- Jog in place a bit (about 10 seconds) to let the leg burn simmer down and catch up with cardio
- Run up 3 flights of stairs
- Turn down and quickly jaunt all the way to the first floor.
- Jog in place for 5-10 seconds
- Repeat

The jaunting back down to the first floor is also helpful because the movement of going downstairs and the impact of the feet hitting the floor helps clear out the lactic acid build-up in the leg muscles.

Oh my gosh, I love this workout, I need to do it more often.

It reminds of my college days when I used to go to one of the academic buildings late at night. The only difference there was that I'd run up one flight of stairs, run all the way across the top floor to another flight of stairs, then jog down. It was always one of my toughest workouts, but I like how I'm sort of in my own world. There are no distractions, and hardly anyone ever comes into the stairwell. I like the solitude.

With the humid air, it was just me, some stairs, and Armin Van Buuren's A State of Trance as soundtrack, I felt like I could conquer the world. I felt and feel amazing.

I am also grateful that the staircase did not look like this one.