What I Learned at CrossFit

These are just a few things I learned at CrossFit. 

CrossFit is for every one.  We can all do the same workout because they can all be tapered to our personal abilities. If you watch the CrossFit games, you might think you can't do it.  Those people are the best of the best.  Most of us are not elite athletes. Start at the base and work your way up.

The coaches want you to succeed.  They are there to encourage and help and teach.  The coach had us demonstrate each of the moves that we would be performing during the WOD.  When we did burpees, he told us that we need to hop up with our feet as wide as our hands, not in between our hands. I had been doing burpees wrong my whole life.  That is why my Achilles and calves killed the other week. That little bit of info will save me from popping my Achilles because of bad form.

I can push harder than I do and vary my workouts. That is how I will see improvement.

Everybody stays until the last man is done.  It is a team sport as much as an individual thing.  We all cheered on the last team and stretched together.  Complaining about the burpees the whole time.

 

I am not a super crossfitter.  This is my experience. Take what you can from my ideas and try it for yourself.

 

 

 

First Official CrossFit Class

This is a good story. No really it is.  It borders on ridiculous.
 

So, you all know that I love my chiropractor.  I mean, he can fix any problem I have.  Anyway, he texted me to see if I wanted to try out CrossFit at his friend's gym. We had talked about CrossFit once and he mentioned some friends and that he was going to a Box over by the river.  So that is about as specific as the conversation got. 
 

He told me the class was at a box closer to my house, so I went to the only one I knew.  I told the guy why I was there and who I was supposed to meet and he told me he didn't know him and that I must be in the wrong place.  I asked if there was another CrossFit place around there that I didn't know about.  He said, "No, we're the only one."  Pretty sure he knew there was another one just a mile down the road.    

 

I didn't have my phone with me, so I couldn't text my friend.  I was really just going to go home, but I didn't want to leave him hanging.  Anyway, I take off down the freeway, over the river and hope that I will find the place that I knew he had worked out at previously.  I figured I must have read the text wrong.  When I get there, I am 10 minutes late. 

The owners wave me in and ask what I needed.  I told them my whole story and how I was supposed to meet a friend and that I was sorry I was late.  I told them I would come back on a different day.  They said they needed another partner and that I should just jump in.  So, I did.  They were very nice, very helpful. Unlike the other dude.

 

We warmed up doing defensive slides, at least that's what I did.  That not what they called it and I probably did them wrong. Then we did a few karaokes, air squats, and a little shuttle run.

 

 

The WOD was with a partner.

 

5 Rounds

150 m run

10 tire flips

20 burpees (alternating partners)
 

I had a great time.  My partner was super nice.  She was probably 60 and was on her second class ever.  It wasn't terribly hard because it was a beginner class, but I did sweat. 

And now for the rest of the story...

 

I get home and wonder what the heck happened?  I send a message to my "friend",

ME: "I think I went to the wrong place. Where was I supposed to go?"

HIM: "Haha! Wrong one!" ---then he tells me which one I was supposed to go to.

ME: "Yeah. We never talked about that one."

HIM: "Did you do the class? Were they suspicious?"

ME: "Yes.  It was fun.  Pretty sure I'll sleep well tonight."

HIM: "Well good." You can still try the other one tomorrow.

ME: "Thanks for the intro."

HIM: "Anytime."

 

Miscommunication at its finest.

 

 

I looked up prices and the CrossFit I went to has the best price.  It is not as fancy as the others, but it was really no pressure and very friendly.  I will have to try to other one to compare.

Good times.

 

 

 

Workout (morning):

30 minutes--AMT--16/18 Interval

40 minutes--treadmill

• sprints--4.5 miles (walking breaks)

Modern Penny Deal

I just ordered this, so I thought I would share.  It is so cute!  I got one of each color option. The best part is I wore one of these guys in 6th grade.  I have good memories with wide headbands. The good thing about these girls is that they ship out almost immediately.  You don't wait for six weeks to get your goods. With other sites, I have gotten packages and forgotten that I even ordered it because it took soooo long.  Great price too!

 

Only $5!

Go now to their website and get a $5 coupon! You need to use your tablet or PC to get the coupon prompt.
 

ModernPenny.com

 

 

 

I got mine!

cream w/ black lace

 

 

I am going to a free CrossFit class tonight.  I was planning on a run and some lifting.  But I think I'll leave the lifting for tonight.  I don't want to over do it.  I am kind of nervous and excited (insert grunty exclamation of your choice). Argh!  

 

 

Disclosure:  These guys are my friends, but I have nothing to do with the company and do not receive any product or payment for this post.

I'll Never Learn

Just before I ran out to Booty Barre class I remembered that I didn't shave yesterday, so I did a pit check.  Then, I did what I know I should never do--dry shave.  I patted a little water under my arms and ended up scraping/burning my underarms.  I should have just not worried about it.  Probably no one would notice, but I always feel like I need to shave. Now I can't shave for a few days so my skin can heal. What is the answer? Anybody do lasers or waxing?

 

 

Last time I tried to get in on Booty Barre it was packed.  This time I arrived 10 minutes early and got a good spot in the front row.  I can tell that my posture is getting better.  I can stay on my toes for longer and I am squeezing my glutes during most of the class.  I may have found the antidote for my hereditary rear flatness.

 

 

Today is the last day of my cleanse. I have not cheated like I normally do.  A bite of something here or there.  This time I was really good.  I did eat more snacks--apple with peanut butter or celery and PB, so I wouldn't be tempted by the other treats in the house.  I could have done better with my water consumption a couple days, but all in all it was  a successful 10 days.  I just need to keep up eating every couple of hours and making sure to eat after a workout.

 

Costco.com

 

My favorite food I used this round was the Light Muscle Milk premade protein shakes from Costco. I put one in the car to have after the gym.  They were like a treat, but gave me a good 20g protein shot.  I also ate carne asada with corn tortillas and avocado.  You could just use the meat as a tortilla and add avocado, lettuce, and tomatoes.

 

We've had gray, cold days for a few weeks.  The sun finally broke out this afternoon.  Time to go soak it up.  Hopefully it stays for a while.

 

 

Athleta Bare To Run Knicker

 

When these knickers arrived in my mailbox, I was so excited to try them on.  The Chatarunga knickers that I normally wear are made for Yoga and these guys are made for running. The differences between the 2 kinds of knickers are huge.

 

1. The Bare to Runs are thinner.  Therefore, you feel cooler when you run, but still have leg coverage. I almost felt "bare."  I kept thinking these must be see through. Not made for cold outdoor runs.
2. There is venting behind the knees.
3. The waist sits a lot higher than the Chatarungas, so I don't pull up my pants all the time.  There is also an invisible drawstring.
4. It has a zippered pocket above your rear.  Nice for races or to hold cash for a smoothie at the gym.

As far as sizing goes, I always go down a size in the bottoms.  For tops, it depends if they are fitted or not. Athleta has a workout guarantee.  Wear them and if you don't like them, you can return them.  Just save all the tags and wrappers. These are $59.  I also got a printed pair that was $5 more.  Today I looked and they have some on clearance for $34.99.  I usually only buy these if I have gift card, so they aren't so expensive.

Running Just As Fast We Can

Are you a child of the 80's?  Then you know what song I'm referring to.  Or maybe you know the Tommy and the Shondells version. I didn't know that one, I had to look it up.

Taking a little break from running only made me want to run more.  But I didn't feel so awesome when I was running .  My legs were tight for the first 1.5 miles and then I did 3 more miles and had to switch to sprints because I was tired. The other thing is that I don't want to be sore before Booty Barre tomorrow.  I intentionally held back a little.  You've got to plan these things out.

At the end of my run I felt great! Nice and sweaty and I finally broke 5 miles.  That is my longest run in more than a month,  I  think.

Total mileage: 6.5 miles (1.5 miles, then the other 5+)

I thought I got my belly in the shot.  I had a 5 inch band of sweat going all the way around.

 I didn't realize that my time was in cool down mode. My time was just under 45 minutes for the 5 miles.  Then I walked to cool down.

 

 

This was "fake naptime" a few days ago.  He pulled out all of my socks and swimsuits and made himself at home.  He snored three times and said, "I'm awake!"

 

 

 

Workout:

8 minutes--warm-up--AMT

35 minutes--lifting

• Assisted pull-ups (50 lb. assist x 5, 60 lb. assist x 8, 70 lb. assist x 12)
• bench dips
• hammer curl with cable
• triceps pull down with cable
• overhead triceps extension
• lateral raises
• shoulder fly
• standing military press

58 minutes--treadmill--about 6.75 miles total



CrossFit Workouts--week 3

Another week of at-home CrossFit from Simplysadiejane.com

 

Is anyone keeping up with these workouts?

 

I do them in place of lifting some days. But I am not caught up.

Zumba

After going to Bokwa on Saturday, I thought I should try out Zumba to compare them and decide if either was worth doing.

The instructor was totally into it and she looked good doing all of the moves, but most of the crowd looked lost and not sexy in any way. It wasn't too hard for me to catch on to most of the moves, but when I was finally getting to the full body motions, the song would end.  Each song is a new set of dance moves.  Yes, dance moves.  This is not a floor aerobics class, it's a dance class. And if you are a dancer it would probably be great for you.

We did salsa, merengue, cumbia, and other latin dance moves.  The songs that switched to more hip hop moves were a lot easier for me.  I guess you can't really judge after only one class, but if I don't do another one, I'll be okay.

At the end, people asked what she could improve and if they were ready to move on to harder choreography.  These ladies have done the class 3-5 times and didn't have a handle on the moves we were doing.  I don't know how they could handle anything more difficult. I mentioned that maybe she should do the Bokwa next time because the moves are more basic.  So, next Monday instead of Zumba they are going to have Bokwa and then decide what people want.

I did feel like I got a workout.  I was a little sweaty and I laughed a lot.  So I guess it was a good use of an hour.

After class I lifted for about 20 minutes.  Tomorrow is a running day.  I can't wait.

I ordered some running knickers from Athleta.  They came and they are cute!

I am on day 8 of the cleanse. I'm down 4 lbs. but still 1 lb. over my norm. Thank heavens for the cleanse reset.


Are you a Zumba lover?

Bokwa

Sweat the Alphabet is their slogan.  And it is very true. 

The moves are easy to follow--letter and number shapes on the floor (L,C,1, and 1+1), but then they do remixes and combinations that make it a little more difficult and a little more dancy.  

 

There are 9 levels to Bokwa.  Each level has different letter and number patterns that they follow.  Level 1-3 each have 13 moves that they use and each workout usually draws 4-5 moves and repeats them for the whole workout.  The tempo of the music increases after all of the movements have been introduced. What this (basic moves) really reminds me of is step aerobics without the step.

 

The trainers were wearing FitBits and said they burned 600-650 calories in 1 hour.  It was a good workout, very different from what I normally do.  I definitely have no groove.  Not sure if I could learn to have it.  At the end of class, they asked if any one wanted to get certified.  There are only 2 instructors in my part of Washington.  They said that Bokwa is on fire overseas and we could all get in on the ground floor of the next aerobics craze.  Nobody bit.

 

They asked us to write comments and let them know if we want the class at the gym.  I can't say yes and I can't say no.  It was fun.  You probably need 4 or 5 classes to really get it. If they brought it back, I would try it again.

Overcoming the Speed Trap

Today was Yoga at the gym.  I love that class. It gives me a chance to slow down, focus, release tension, breathe.

My normal mode when it comes to exercise is harder, faster, sweatier.  Apparently there are a lot of people with the same mindset.  Your body has to have a break or it will start to breakdown.

My latest realization when it comes to running, is the SPEED TRAP!  Which for me means thinking that running a mile isn't worth it unless it is a certain speed. I haven't really been pushing my pace lately and I feel like I need to go faster.  It really isn't necessary and actually can be counterproductive.  Easy runs, sprints, tempo runs.  Variety is the spice of life, right?  That has been a shift for me that isn't easy to make.  My body likes me better when I mix it up.  Slow, fast, walking even is good.  I don't want to end up having knee surgeries or other problems. I need to make goals and make them realistic. I go in at out of the "Run for Fun" mode.  It should always be fun and always be a positive experience.

They are introducing another new class at the gym.  This one is called Bokwa. This is a dance aerobics class where the movements follow number and letter patterns on the floor.  The instructor said it is similar to Zumba with a non-Latin base.  I need to try it with a Go-Pro on my head.  That would be awesome. Maybe that can be my thing--post videos of my running and lifting from my perspective.



What is your exercise motivation?

Do you shake it with confidence? There was a lady in her 70s working out in a sports bra.  That takes confidence.

Roasted Sweet Potato Recipe

Preheat oven 350 degrees

1. Peel and chop sweet potatoes into approx. 1" chunks. (3 medium sweet potatoes filled a 9x13)

2. Toss with:

• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pinches salt
• 2 pinches pepper
• 2 pinches dried oregano
• dust with garlic powder according to your taste

3. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until tender.



Other options: 2 Tablespoons Olive oil and 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar (along with salt and pepper)

*Can be roasted at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes.  Stir occasionally while cooking.

*A pinch is defined as 1/8 teaspoon.  I literally poured the spice into my palm and took a pinch. Of course a pinch is not exact.

Modern Penny

Modernpenny.com

 Everybody loves a deal!  These ladies have put together a "Deal-a-Day" website that will bring you stylish items for your self, your friends, and your family.  They have jewelry, hair accessories, craft items, baby accessories, and much more. 

 

They will be selling sporty headbands for all you runners.

 

 Sign up for their newsletter or check back daily to find a steal of a deal at

Modern Penny!



 

 

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Buying Running Shoes

I have had good luck finding shoes that I love wearing.  My research starts online and then I go into the shoe store to try some on.  Take your time trying out shoes in the store and don't go for what's popular, go for what works with your foot.


Shoe Fit Guide  Runner's World asks a bunch of questions to help you find the right type of shoes and gives you similar shoes in different brands. These mistakes are common when it comes to choosing running shoes. (via)

Mistake #1: Buying for looks. It's easy to go for cute or trendy shoes.  But you will have pain and you will have to get another pair if the shoes are the wrong fit.

Mistake #2: Not asking for deals. I ask for a deal usually when I know it is the old model and the new one is available.  I don't always get a discount, but when I have it is around 20%.

Mistake #3: Buying shoes that are too small.  There is a rule of thumb for buying shoes.  You want a thumbs width of space at your toes to allow for swelling. Some shoes actually say "Go up 1/2 a size."

Mistake #4: Shopping at the wrong time of day.  Your feet are smaller in the morning than in the afternoon.  Try on shoes after a workout or toward the end of the day.

Mistake #5: Assuming your size. Just like jeans, shoe brands don't size the same.  Your size in a Nike might not be the same in Brooks.  Get sized, it only takes a second.



Workout:
Sometimes I get to the gym and I do it to get it done.  Today I had energy, wasn't sore, and it was great.

5 minutes--dynamic stretch
20 minutes--AMT-16/18 Intervals
35 minutes--lifting--legs

• sumo squat
• hamstring curl (machine)
• leg press sled
• leg extension
• calf raises on deck, heels off the back
• single leg hamstring curl

44minutes--treadmill--5.2 miles--run, walk, sprint mix

Trip to Target

The Target gift card I got for Christmas had been burning a hole in my pocket and I finally made the time to use it.  My error of the trip was letting the little man walk around the store.  He did well until he decided it was more fun to run with his head down and turn the corners really fast.  Luckily, the store was relatively empty.  And I learned that he is not ready for in-store freedom just yet.

 

Always remember to walk the perimeter of the departments so you see all of the Clearance sections.

These are my "awesome" finds. 

 

1. If you invite me to your Superbowl party, this is one of the things I will bring.



2. Tide Sport with Febreze.  We will see if this stuff really makes a difference. Being on clearance makes you wonder?



 

3. Valentine's Day Fun Dip. My girls think this stuff is incredible.  Let's be honest, this is one of the worst candies known to man. Just buy Jell-O and lick it.

 

4. Blingles. I originally found one of these on clearance at Wal-Mart and it was actually fun to do.



 

 5. Telestrations. This game was really fun when we played it at the cabin at Priest Lake.   I looked in the regular game section and didn't see it anywhere and then I happened to walk by a Clearance end cap and there it was.

Workout:
10 minutes--dynamic stretching
35 minutes--AMT--16/18 Intervals
40 minutes--lifting--biceps/triceps

• outer bicep curl
• hammer curl
• triceps pulldown
• overhead triceps extension
• easy bar bicep curl
• concentration curl
• squat, curl, shoulder press
• abs on decline bench

10 minutes--stretching

Advocare Cleanse

This is lunch. Garlic Tilapia, Roasted Sweet Potatoes w/Garlic and Oregano, and Blueberries.

I'm on Day 2 of the cleanse (post) and I already feel so much better. I had been overloading on bread and sugar and my body wasn't happy.  I love that this cleanse just resets my cravings and lets me enjoy yummy food without starving.

After my ice bath yesterday, I feel 98% healed. My plan is to do another ice bath today and roll some more.  Not eating sugar will help with the inflammation too.  I'll be good as new in no time.

I met a runner who is doing her first half marathon and she seemed a little apprehensive.  I hope I run into her more so I can encourage her while she trains. Her husband is trying to Boston Qualify and she is just starting to run.  I hope she learns to love running and has fun doing it.



Workout:
20 minutes--AMT--16/18 Interval
30 minutes--lifting

• 15 minutes--10 assisted pull-ups and 10 sit-ups AMRAP
• 36 push-ups with shoulder taps (3 sets of 12)
• decline sit-ups
• kettlebell side bends

45 minutes--treadmill--5 miles (2 miles of sprints)


Any one else feeling like doing a cleanse after the holidays?
What races do you have coming up?

Crossfit Workouts WEEK 2

Go to Simplysadiejane.com for a video demo of most of the moves.

Chiro to the Rescue

After Power Pump, I knew I would need some extra stretching and foam rolling, but when the kids finally went down, my roller was no where to be found.  Since that thing entered the house, they have been playing with it, biting it, and karate chopping it.  I searched the house in the dark and couldn't find it anywhere. I stretched, but not long enough or deep enough. 

 

The next morning I ran a few miles and all of the sudden my calf turned into a rock and my Achilles felt like it was a piece of wood.  I tried to stretch and massage, but I couldn't kick it.  I hobbled to the truck and hoped it would go away.

 

It does seem like any time I jump, I have pain in my lower legs.  I must have some tears that need to heal.  The Chiropractor said I have "2 bogs of inflammation" and said I need to stretch my hamstrings and calves, foam roll and take an ice bath.  Then I asked him if I could still run. He said it was fine as long as I did the ice bath.

 

 

Next time I will make it deeper and add more ice.  I stayed in for 20 minutes and then took a shower.  It has been hours since I did the bath and my leg is still cold.  In all honesty I was a little afraid that I wouldn't be able to stay in long enough.

 

But I did run and that makes me happy.  This week, I am going to skip all classes, all jumping, and just stick to the ground.

 

 

 

Workout:

35 minutes--AMT--12/16 Intervals

40 minutes--lifting--shoulders

22 minutes--treadmill--2 X 9 min. mile, 4 min. half mile

10 minutes--stretching

Power Pump aka Body Pump

Today was the Fun Friday class.  When I got there, I asked what the class was and they said a mix class, but when the instructor came she said we were doing Power Pump.  That is the class I had wanted to try because I was sure it would be tough and fun at the same time.  If they had this class normally in the morning, I would try to go every time.  It was fantastic.

The instructor does her own choreography so it can't be called Body Pump.  But everything she did was very similar to this. It really was a great work out and I left with a sense of accomplishment.  The only tricky thing was knowing how much weight to put on the bars. It is different working one body part for 5 minutes versus doing 3 sets of 12 of one or 2 movements, with breaks in between.  The only real breaks in this class are to change weights which might take 30 seconds.

After this class I didn't have time to run, so I just did 20 minutes on the AMT.  But it felt like enough.

Do What Works For You

Since classes have been added to the gym, I have felt pressure to try all the classes.  And it isn't like any one is really pushing me, but they ask if I have tried this or that and how the workout was.  I think classes are fun, but as far as being a tough workout, it hasn't felt like I have made any gains from attending the classes.  Probably the most useful class has been yoga. Tabata was a good workout too, but I won't be getting up at 5:00 to attend.

I don't usually feel peer pressure or a desire to follow trends or competition with other people.  In the case of these classes, I have felt like I should like them because everyone else likes them.  But a lot of people don't lift on their own and a lot of people walk or do the elliptical and don't get super sweaty.  For those people, the classes are a challenge and I love seeing people improve their fitness. I need to challenge myself to feel like I am using my time well.

Before Christmas I had a good schedule and I felt like I was really improving my strength and my speed.  So I am going to go back to what I would normally do and be very selective with the classes I attend.  If I want to race I need to do the work that will help me get there. Do what you like and whatever helps you reach your goals. Go to the gym, workout at home, play outside, ride a bike, Crossfit, aerobics, lifting.  Just do what works for you.

Yesterday, I did the first 2 Crossfit WODs and 35 minutes on the AMT.

• 5/5 squats with 25 lb. dumbbells
• lunges with 30 lb. easy bar
• girl push-ups

Workout:
12 minutes--AMT--Warm-up
45 minutes--lifting--back and shoulders

• assisted pull-ups
• back extension
• chainsaws
• plank with shoulder tap
• single arm snatch
• single arm shoulder press

30 minutes--treadmill--3 miles Fartlek Sprints (8.2-10.5 mph)

Crossfit Workouts

SimplySadieJane is a blog I have been following for a few years.  She was one of the first "real" women that I had seen do Crossfit and show a progression of her weight loss and strength gain. I thought her blog was mainly about family, home, and fitness.  Now she does a lot of Fashion stuff too.

 I emailed her asking if she would do more fitness/crossfit posts and today she posted a weeks worth of Crossfit style workouts you can do at home with very little equipment.  She will be doing 6 weeks worth of workouts.  If you want a jumpstart to your fitness goals you could try these. She says they will kill you if you are a beginner, but remember sore is good.  Injured is not.

6 Week at-Home Crossfit Plan

Day 1:

Strength

Weighted Squats (hold weights on hips)

5-5-5-5-5

WOD

21-15-9

Jumping Squats

Push Ups

Mt. Climbers

Sit Ups

Day 2:

Strength

Push Ups 20-20-20-20-20

(Rest 2 min between)

WOD

5 Rounds

25 Lunges

25 Burpees

25 Bear Crawl (25 ft)

Day 3:

Strength

4X400 Meter Sprints

(Rest 2 min between)

WOD

4 Rounds

20 Dips

20 Push Ups

20 Sit Ups

20 sec Plank

Day4:

Strength

Front Squat 8-5-2-5-8

(Hold Weight above chest)

WOD

Run 1 Mile

Day 5:

Strength

Alternate Wall Sits & Planks

10 Min EMOM

(Every Min on the Min)

Wall Sits (1 min)

Plank (1 min)

WOD

4 Rounds

50 Double Unders (150 Singles)

50 Lunges

Day 6:

Strength

10 EMOM (Every min on min)

10 Burpees

Total 100 Burpees

WOD

10 min

15 Air Squats

10 Push Ups

Roll and Run

Yesterday I ran about 5 miles and didn't have the best time. I figured today would be better, but it was just as hard.  Little man woke up a few times and I just couldn't get back to sleep. I didn't eat breakfast either, that was a bad choice.  I took some gummies with me because I was going to shoot for 8 miles on the treadmill. They helped give me some energy, but my body was heavy so they could only do so much.

I used the foam roller when I first got to the gym.  The instructions say to find the "hot spot" and then roll for about a minute or until the pain decreases by 50-75%. It actually hurt and I had to breathe through the pain.  It really works.  I don't know why I don't do it more often.  Actually, I do know.  I didn't have one at home.  Until today.  I just bought one at Wal-Mart.  It was $18. Nothing fancy, but it works.  I know they have them at TJ Maxx too.  I don't know the price.  Walmart.com has several options, if you are willing to wait for shipment.

 

You can foam roll in your jeans while you watch the news.  This is what I will be doing tonight during the Biggest Loser.

 

Workout:
20 minutes--foam roller
61 minutes--treadmill--7 miles (6.5-9.0 mph), walked when I ate my Stinger gummies.

Foam Roller Instructions

My calves are super tight after Tabata class and I haven't been able to stretch them much, except on my stairs.  Today's mission is to stretch, foam roll, run, foam roll, and stretch.

This link has a million ways to use the foam roller. Some are stretches and some are balance work moves.  Look through the diagrams and descriptions and you can roll like a pro in no time.

Foam Roller Technique (pdf. with balance work) 

or Chart below

Do you foam roll?

Why Run?

This morning, my daughter asked if I needed to lose weight.  She said, "You still go to the gym and run that means you want to lose weight."  I bristled immediately.  Why does she think that? 

The last time she was at the doctor, he talked to me about her losing weight and me monitoring her weight.  She is active, but very tall and big for her age. I check her weight maybe 2x a month, but I just say, "Let's see how big you are." 

I think that as a child, getting bigger is something they want, equated with getting taller, older, more capable.  I don't think she looks at it as weight=fat. I don't talk about weight as fat with her.  We talk about being active and eating good food so your body can function like it should and you can play for as long as you want without getting exhausted.

My response about going to the gym was something like this. "You like riding your bike and playing with your Barbies, right?  I like to run and lift weights.  Its kind of like playing.  It makes me happy and it is fun. " And with that she ran back to playing with her Barbies.

source

 



Crockpot Orange Chicken--Tomorrow's Dinner

I haven't tried this recipe yet, so don't get super excited yet.  It is from Oprah.com so it must be good, RIGHT?

I need to start planning meals better. I usually just decide after lunch what I feel like making for dinner. That is not a helpful strategy for grocery shopping and even worse for cooking.  I have a list of things you should always have in your pantry.  Like hundreds of items.  I probably have 10 of them.

Time to turn over a new leaf and make real meals and have "fun" doing it.


Crockpot Orange Chicken
Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1/2 cup flour (such as Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix)
• Olive oil, for browning the chicken
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 6 ounces (1/2 can) frozen orange-juice concentrate, thawed (preferably little to no pulp, since the pulp can taste a bit bitter when cooked)
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp. ketchup

Directions

Note: Use a 4-quart slow cooker for best results.

Dredge the chicken pieces with the flour, and shake off the excess. Go ahead and throw away any remaining flour; we won't need it. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on the stove and brown the chicken on all sides. There is no need to fully cook the chicken, just sear it enough for the flour to stick to and coat it nicely.

Plop the chicken pieces into your slow cooker. In a small mixing bowl, combine the orange-juice concentrate, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and ketchup. Taste. If you'd like the chicken to be a bit sweeter, add a touch more sugar. Pour sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, and toss gingerly to coat.

Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3 to 4. Serve over white or brown rice.

Tabata Review

Class this morning was fun.  There were at least 20 ladies.  Most of them had done the class before and I was one of the few newbies.

 

Really, Tabata is anything you want it to be.  The instructor really emphasized going at your own pace and showed several modifications.  The songs had timers with the music, telling you when to start and when to break.  20 seconds goes by really fast when you are doing almost anything.  20 seconds of pretend jump roping is a lot easier than 20 seconds of pushups.

 

Round 1: Jumping Jacks(A) and Reverse Lunges(B).

 

20 seconds A

10 seconds rest

20 seconds B

10 seconds rest

*Repeat 4 times

 

Round 2: Forearm Plank and Deep Squat Jump

 

Round 3: Skaters and Pushups

 

Round 4: Superman and Swims

 

Round 5: Jump Rope and Jump Squats (or Burpees)

 

Round 6: Various Planks

 

Round 7: High Knees and Hop Side to Side

 

Round 8: Bicycle Crunches and Squats

 

Cool down

 

It was a simple workout. The instructor said to expect delayed soreness.  I did knee pushups, but did the harder mod for the other exercises.  She recommended doing this type of workout during commercials when you watch TV in the evening. It would be easy to get the whole family to do it. Let everybody pick a move and have fun!

 

Sports Bra Deal of the Century

That might be an overstatement, but I felt like I hit the lottery. Sports bras are not generally my friend.  I have to have some kind of help otherwise my front looks just like my back.  So this bra is great because it has a soft cup with some padding inside. The fabric is like swimsuit material and feels like it could last for 10 years.

 

TJ Maxx had a load of Brooks brand workout clothes.  This is the Glycerin II printed sports bra.  Cute and comfortable.  No one will ever see it, but cute makes it fun.  I have been paying $12 at Wal-Mart for plain ones that fell apart after a few months.

 

$14.99

Retail is $40.00

 

You often have to hunt at stores like TJ Maxx, but you might be surprised at what you can find.

 

Yoga and Tabata

Now that I feel all stretched out and relaxed, it is going to be hard to get the rest of my housework done. Class today was amazing. It was a substitute instructor.  She had a different style than the normal one, but she was great.  I love that such simple movements can release all of the tension built up from lifting and running all week.

My favorite part is the nap at the end.  It is crazy relaxing, hard to get up and put my shoes on, makes me want to go to sleep for real.  I try to relax on my own, but this technique turns me into putty.

 

This is my post yoga nap hair.  So relaxed. 

 

Last night for dinner, we had steak, sausage links, eggs, and toast.  I could not sleep because I was so hot.  Protein overkill.  I tried to drink a lot of water to settle my metabolism, but it didn't work. No more super mega protein dinners for me. Have you ever noticed that you run hot if you eat lots of protein and low carbs?

 

 

 

I was planning on trying the class before yoga, but I wanted to lift too.  I ended up lifting upper body--chest and arms. But I saw that the class tomorrow morning is Tabata. So I made a date with one of my neighbors to meet at the gym tomorrow for class. 

 

What is Tabata Training? (source)

 

"With Tabata training you exercise for 20 seconds then rest for 10 seconds, and repeat 8 times. This with a short preparation time before starting is a Tabata. It's that simple.

 

 You can do Tabata training with weights or simple body weight exercises. First choose what type of exercise you will do. Start with a short preparation to get ready and alternate between work and rest periods for eight cycles. During the work period exercise continuously and as rigorously as you can for the entire 20 second period. During the rest period, stop exercise, catch your breath, and get ready for the next work period. Repeat this for eight cycles.

 

Tips:

• Do Tabata Training in the morning to raise your metabolism, and burn more fat throughout the day.
• Alternate exercises if you wish to give your work out a variety. For example, maybe you do squats on work period 1, and then on work period 2 you do jumping jacks, and you alternate between the two.
• Find a good Tabata timer, we recommend Tabata Pro for the iPhone and iPod touch, or our free online tabata timer at tabatatimer.com
• Start off light. Treat your first few Tabata workouts as practice. Ease in to the routine."

This site offers a free Tabata timer.  I am sure you can get other free ones for your phone too.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow.  I am thinking it will be like the Insanity DVDs.




Have you tried any classes lately?  What is your favorite?
Any plans for the weekend?

-- Go Seahawks!

 

 

 

 

Run, Run, Run

Today was a cardio day and HALLELUJAH tomorrow is yoga.  Sheesh, I am tired. I felt like I had to prove to myself that I could still run today.  I haven't been following the training program that I had planned on doing to prep for the half marathon at the end of February.  I needed to do a little checkup to see where I stand.

This is what happens when you tuck your sleeves under your sports bra even with a tech shirt.

So I did an all out cardio, plus some stretching today.  Let's see, I have 44 days before the half marathon.  That means I have 3 more weeks to train this time than last race (about 7 wks total). This is what I should be doing this week.

Half Marathon Training Week 5

Sunday--rest

Monday--4-5 long hills

Tuesday--4 miles

Wednesday--6 miles

Thursday--6 miles

Friday--3 miles

Saturday--11 miles

I have not followed that plan, but I will probably hit the same total miles this week.


Workout:
42 minutes--AMT--16/18 interval (5 miles)
10 minutes--foam roller
41 minutes--treadmill--5 miles
4 minutes--treadmill--walking warm-down
10 minutes--stretching

Post Pregnancy Workout

This post was inspired by my sister-in-law. Several family members, neighbors, and friends have recently had babies.  Probably the hardest thing about working out post baby is finding the time and energy to do it.  Lack of sleep is a killer.

A 20 minute workout can be a great workout. Even a 10 minute walk everyday helps build your strength.

For reasons obvious to any mother, Do Your Kegels.  This exercise will help you as you add intensity to your workouts.  I have had several mothers say they can't workout hard or jump because they will have an accident. It seems silly, but it might be a solution to that problem.



Planks on your elbows/ forearms until you are strong enough to go on your hands. Add variations like tapping your knees on the floor while you hold or change to a side plank.

Push-ups on your knees. Wide arms or triceps push-ups.

Bodyweight squats can be killer.  Hands on hips while you squat.  Hands in the air. Touch the floor then reach for the sky.  Lots of options with these.

Ab twists--hold a squat position and punch straight forward (jab) or across the body--twist at the waist (cross).  Squeeze abs while you do this move. Try other standing ab exercises.

Start easy, be patient with yourself, be consistent.

Piece of Advice

When you get tired of wearing the same shirts to the gym, do not wear a light gray 100% cotton shirt instead.  It will immediately show sweaty pits, sweaty neck, sweaty back, and when you get super sweaty, a sweaty belly button.  This no light gray rule applies to all cotton knit shorts.  Not pretty. If you are going to go all cotton, stick with dark colors.  On top of that, my shirt had 3/4 sleeves. 

 

Dri-fit and other wicking fabrics totally make a difference. Eventually, sweat marks will appear, but it is more gradual. You can get good deals at TJ Maxx or Target.  I haven't tried any Old Navy stuff, but they do have a large selection these days. Time to go get a new shirt. Maybe this one.

 



source