Tips to stay motivated through the holidays!

November 10th and winter has arrived at our house!  Today I was thinking about what motivates me to exercise.  I know the way I think is not the norm so I was trying to think about the average person and what would help motivate them.  Two things came to mind.

The first was feeling good about your body.  You don’t have to be in the perfectly fittest shape to love your body right here and now.  When I feel good about myself I want to workout more.  Get rid of the negative thoughts about ANY body part.  Focus on what improvements you are working on and forget the rest.  For example, I thought the dumbest thing the other day.  Someone gave me a compliment on my arms and I instantly thought, “Well, what about my legs?”  They must not look good since they didn’t mention them.  OH!  Never do that!  I LOVE Demi Lovato’s new song, Confident!  Check it out:

Second motivator and almost more important than the first is to have a good support group or just ONE friend!  Today my friend and I taught our HIGH FITNESS class and we had our best turn out yet.  I looked around the room and almost every person had a friend there.  When it’s cold and 6 am, you need that!!

Crazy Fitness Friends!

This one is from 3 years ago!  My besties on a cold winter run.  Why oh why would I want to run in the dark and cold if I didn’t have my friends pushing me along.

Here are a few other ideas to keep you from gaining the dreaded holiday weight!

• Keep up with your workouts!  No matter how busy you get, don’t miss your workout.  When you stop exercising you start eating more and more of all the tempting food that’s everywhere this time of year.
• Eat healthy food often!  Don’t let yourself get too hungry and whatever you do, never go to a holiday party on an empty stomach.  Drink a big glass of water and eat something small before you go.  A little bit of protein and veggies is your best option.

Lastly, I have an amazing lower body/glute and ab workout for you to try brought to you by my favorite fitness gals, Amber Dodzweit and Jamie Eason.  I’ll be doing this tomorrow with my friends!

Have a wonderful day and stay warm.  I’m off to make lunch for my son and his friend now (:  Work Hard Forever!

Workouts and Sweat

Hello!!  Today is mostly workout stuff!!  I’ve been a little forgetful this week!  Monday was my friends 40th birthday that I have been excited about forever!!  I made her a photo book and we surprised her with a friend lunch and lots of love letters.  It was perfect and she loved it.  I was so happy!  Because of all that, I forgot my daughter’s sewing class and volunteering with my kindergartner.  I also double booked a field trip on top of a literature group.  Geez!!  Oh well!  Here are a few shots!  They are a little grainy!

Yes, my life is super fun!  Alrighty!!  I talk on my blog and instagram about all the healthy meals and snacks I eat.  I have to admit, I’m not 100% healthy, not even close.  We went out of town over the weekend and made lots of yummy meals and treats.  Lots of birthday parties.  I had to make sugar cookies…and the list continues.  I did however keep my workouts up and the next 3 days I am pre race eating!  Can’t wait for my 1/2 marathon this weekend!

I’ll share the workout we did at the church yesterday!!  It was hard.  I love to sweat and almost always drip buckets twice a day with a run or a class.  We did each grouping 3 times before moving to the next one.  Notice this first one is a little crazy with burpees AND pushups.  I substituted biceps on a few rounds!

40 prisoner squats

20 burpees

40 pushups

20 burpees

40 sit ups

40 side to side lunges

20 jump squats

40 triceps

20 jump squats

40 side to side situps with cross punches

40 hip raises

20 split lunges

40 high sumos

20 split lunges

40 zombie situps

I’ve been doing an ab routine that I read in Oxygen magazine this month.  I’ve already done it twice this week!  My daughter took a few pictures of some of the exercises.  Once again, only a couple turned out o.k.  Look it up!  I did 3 sets of 15 reps.

swiss ball oblique crunch

medicine ball v-up 

Well!!  I must be off.  FOOD talk will be Monday with the start of serious weights and strict eating.  Imagine!!  Love this time of year!  Happy sunny FALL day!!  Be back POST 1/2!!  Enjoy!!  (:

Strengthen your core and abs

Hello!  Today is workout day.  As I said earlier this week, I’m working on abs.  Here are a few ab workouts to choose from.  Lately I’ve been alternating a few.  My ball workout that I posted a couple weeks ago and this one:

3-4 Rounds

25 Kettlebell side to side abs: While holding the kettlebell in both hands, twist from hip to hip touching the kettlebell to the floor on both sides.

20 Reverse crunches with stability ball between legs:

 

15 Ab crunch machine:

15 Roman chair legs raise:

I also found this gem of a workout I’d like to try!

In the next few days I’m going to post an updated workout song list.  Yesterday I posted a song called Phoenix by Fall Out Boy.  Something weird happened with that song.  It shows up on my cell phone as a totally different song.  I only meant to post Phoenix.  Look it up.  It’s good!!  Have a wonderful day!  Run hard!

 

 

Monday turn around

     So far Monday has left me a little unorganized.  My alarm didn’t go off this morning and I was planning a 10 miler with my Boston bound buddies!  I hate it when that happens and I stare at my clothes all laid out that didn’t get RUNNED in!  Then, it’s off to the races with getting kids ready for school, one home sick, and the window installers showing up at 8:15 a.m. and I didn’t even know they were coming.  Hmm…  I wanted to eat a whole plate of sugar cookies by this point and start being FIT tomorrow!  I’m good, I didn’t do that.

     I will get out sometime today for a run and weight workout.  I’m starting WEEK 8 of Jamie Eason’s Live Fit program.  It looks like I’ll be doing a lot of bi’s, tri’s, and abs.  I might throw in a little back and rear delts too since I missed that workout on Saturday.  Sometimes I need some slack when people think I workout too much!  I analyzed my daily life and I get a H*%@ of a lot done in a day.  My proudest claim to fame is that I don’t watch a stitch of t.v.  I’m sure most of the world watch at least an hour a day.  I’d rather use that hour to exercise.  Better for me (: That’s what I love!

     I also love making FOOD!  We had our good friends over for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner.  If I was a foodie blogger I would have taken more pics.  It was yummy!!!  I made Honey Lime Green Chile Enchiladas, mexican rice, fresh black bean salsa, and a couple GREEN desserts, Oreo mint fudge ice cream and shamrock sugar cookies!  I ate a little more than I should have from about 3:00-7:30 p.m.  But that was all for the whole week!  Here we are with our girls!

MOTIVATION part of the day is this AB workout I found on bodybuilding.com.  Get your abs on for summer!  I’ll be doing this 3 times this week for fun (:

Abs Workout

•  
  

  Old School Sit-Ups

  1 set to to burning (about 15-30 reps)

•  
  

  “Hands on Hammie” Sit-Ups (standard sit-up shown)

  1 set to to burning (about 15-30 reps)Place hands on hamstrings to assist with sit-up motion.

•  
  

  Sit-Ups To Each Side (shown with feet elevated)

  1 set to to burning (about 15-30 reps)Place hands on hamstrings to assist with sit-up motion.

•  
  

  Labor Sit-Ups (crunch motion shown)

  1 set of 10 repsSit up fully and reach throw to touch your feet.

•  
  

  Ab Wheel

  1 set of 15 reps

•  
  

  Leg Raises (shown two-legged)

  1 set of 15 reps per leg

•  
  

  Knee-Ups

  1 set of 15 reps (be sure to focus on the eccentric)

•  
  

  Sit-Up With Oblique Twist

  1 set of 10 reps each side

And…classic MUSIC for your workout!!   I LOVE DEF LEPPARD!  I remember this video from MTV!  Long live the 80’s (:

Arms/Abs and Total Body

As I look through workouts and photos on the computer I think some people are a little bit over PSYCHO on their physiques.  Whenever I think I’m a little crazy, I needn’t look far to find a WHOLE lot of people crazier than me.  I like a lean muscular body, but serious overkill muscles on men and women is NOT attractive.  I don’t even want to post example pictures.  You know what I’m talking about!  I’m sure some people think the photos I post are still too muscular.  So whatever, do what you like as long as you take GOOD care of your body!!  Yesterday I had a GREAT workout at the gym I want  to post and my WEDNESDAY WORKOUT.  First of all, I love this:

For years I was a CARDIO fanatic.  Recently, I’ve gotten into lifting weights and it has made me LOVE my body more now than when I was 20.  Weights will change your body like nothing else.  I love running, but so many people run and run and run.  FOR WHAT?!  It won’t get you anywhere.  Add weights and cut back on the running and you’ll be MUCH happier and healthier!!  Enough chat, here is a killer ab and arm workout I did thanks to JAMIE EASON.  I tweaked it a little and then ran 5 miles afterward (:  Hee hee, I still like to run, just not HUGE miles!

SUPERSET WITH 30 SECOND REST BETWEEN SETS 

3 SETS OF 12

 

Wide grip barbell bench press

 

Bench Dips

SUPERSET 3 X 15 

 

Pushups

 

Cable Crossover

SUPERSET 3 X 15

 

Smith Machine Incline Bench Press

 

Jack Knife sit ups or Leg Lifts holding weight plate above head

SUPERSET 3 X 15 AND 30 CRUNCHES ON BALL

 

Side to side pushups

 

Exercise ball crunch

SUPERSET 3 X 15 AND 30 MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

 

Cable Crunch

 

Mountain Climbers

My arms were shaky and sore and my abs really felt it.  I think the cable crunch was what got them.  Doing something different will get you every time!!  I have LOVED Jamie Eason’s workouts!  She has a 12 week program I have followed sporadically.  I just recommitted myself to do the last 8 weeks of the program again AND (big KEY here) FOLLOW THE DIET!!!!!  I even took before pictures to help motivate me!!  I’m 3 days in!  I have a goal to have my body fat tested too, so with that in mind I WILL stick to my 8 weeks.  NO SUGAR is really all I need to remember!!!  O.K.  Here is WORKOUT #2

8 EXERCISES AT 1 MINUTE EACH FOR 5 ROUNDS  (My workout friends like to talk.  I had to remind them to push hard, keep going, and to move to the next exercise fast.  We didn’t take breaks.  Only quick water breaks if needed.)

FROG HOPS

BICEP IN AND OUTS

THRUSTERS

TRICEP PUSHUP

STEP UPS WITH WEIGHT

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

SIDE TO SIDE LUNGES

PUSH UPS

I ❤ ABS more than any exercise.  Legs are a close second.  We did a great AB BLAST at the end.  Complete 2 times

50 CRUNCHES

40 MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

30 SIDE CRUNCHES

20 IN AND OUTS

10 SCISSORS

20 IN AND OUTS

30 SIDE CRUNCHES

40 MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

50 CRUNCHES

We discussed stretching too.  Some of the girls are having injuries and I told them how important it is to stretch, especially AFTER working out!!  IT HELPS A TON!!  Here is a chart I found that is very informative.

Last but not least, strong chicks.

KEEP PUMPING AWAY!!!

Sweat

Push

Bring it!!

Monday Mezcla

Today is music day and I feel more like a mezcla day.  That’s a spanish word for mixture.  I’ll talk about a few random thoughts.  I came across two motivational websites I like.  They are muffintop-less.tumblr.com and livelifehappy.com.  Check them out.  Here is a thought from livelifehappy.

This next one is from the muffinlesstop site.  I want to try this ab workout AND add my own challenge to do 1000 situps!  I won’t do them back to back of course.  For the next two weeks I want to be super strict.  So, I’ll do this ab workout 3 times a week and then on another day I’ll try 1000 situps!

Killer Ab Workout:

• 25 Stability ball crunches
• 20 Leg lifts (with ball between legs)
• 30 Regular Crunches (with heels on the ball, legs at 90 degrees)
• 40 Bicycles
• Plank to failure

Repeat twice!!

This is great, but we all know that ABS ARE MADE IN THE KITCHEN!!  So, I will follow the MTLC (muffintop-less challenge) along with my abs!  Here is the MORE important part of the equation!

Breakfast – 

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal + 1 whole egg + 3 egg whites

OR low sugar cereal with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk  + 4 egg whites

Snack 1- 

Protein shake with 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

OR 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese + small serving fruit

OR 1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt + small serving fruit

OR 1/2 serving nuts or nut butter + small serving fruit

Lunch – 

4 ounces of fish, chicken or ground turkey + 1 serving fibrous veggies + 1/2 cup brown rice (quinoa or 4oz yam/sweet potato or 1 slice whole wheat bread)

Snack 2- 

Same options as snack 1

Dinner – 

4 ounces of chicken, fish or ground turkey + 1 serving fibrous veggies

Post-workout (this is non-negotiable girls)- 

Protein shake with 1 cup almond milk or water (I like to blend mine with ice)

Sounds exciting!  I was o.k. with my weekly goals last week.  I had a terrible weekend though in the eating department.  Way too much birthday cake and MORE!  I could hit my head against the wall because I’m so dumb!

So, once again, I’m going to go for the I want to weigh 129 by SEPT 1ST!!!  Wish me luck!  This is also my “Get Ready for Europe Diet!!!!”  I haven’t really mentioned this, but my husband and I and a couple friends of ours are going to Europe!  This is NOT normal for us.  I went to Spain about 16 years ago and have not been back.  I lived there as a missionary for our church.  I have had the most hectic summer ever and have really kept my thoughts about our trip on the back burner, until now because it’s right around the corner!  I looked up our itinerary and found a few pictures of our first stop!  It’s a small village close to Barcelona.  We are pretty much getting off the plane and heading to this town.  Just reading the description of exploration almost took my breath away.  Hiking, overlooking mountains, valleys, waterfalls, wooded trails, streams, cobblestone streets, 500 year old stone houses, an authentic Catalan meal and pastries.  And that is DAY 1 of our trip.  Here are a few pictures I found MOST BEAUTIFUL!!

Mi Espana

LOVE LOVE!!

My music thoughts have been all over the place.  I went on a 12 mile trail run today with 3 of my friends in the early morning sunrise hours.  One of my favorite places to be is in nature.  So quiet and peaceful.  I wanted to lay down on the grass in a clearing by a lake and stay there all day.  I’d bring a book of course!  We had a great time!  It was tiring and I fell on my bed when I got home and just closed my eyes for about a half hour.

I did think of how grateful I am for my health and that I’m injury free at the moment.  I feel for my friends that trip up or over exert themselves and end up with pain!  I’ve been there and it never gets better.  It does make me appreciate my healthy days more!!

Sometimes we get down, sad, or simply grumpy.  Exercise will make you feel better, helping someone else, and a great song!!

Last but not least, a classic and calming Neil Diamond song!  Take care!