Running Thoughts

Short post to see if this actually works on this computer... Today was lower body, biceps, back. Here's what I did... frog jumps and squats (15 pound dumbbells in each hand) reverse flyes til near death and backward rows concentrated, one arm bicep curls with 15 pound dumbbells and hammer curls Eats are good. Salad with blackened chicken tonight from my favorite restaurant in town coming up for dinner!!! It's yummy and on program! Free day starts for me tomorrow morning.

First, in anticipation of the 3 B's, I found this bicep exercise, called the baby curl, on a site called yummymummy.ca. Isn't it fun?? Finished up the day with abwork... cross-crunches, really holding that crunch hip-ups Done, superset style.

Yes, here I am jumping rope in the snow. It felt good...after I got my blood warmed up a bit! Have I mentioned how much I like my new rope? The workout seems to fly by. I would say that my neighbors all think I'm crazy as you may suppose, but there is this one guy in town who runs in the snow with SHORTS! At least I wear something warm! I guess you noticed that I figured out a way to get my pics onto my blog. I have been having all kinds of technical difficulty. But now that I've found a way, I can post my new bicep pics soon! Eats continue to be on track, and maybe my metabolism is finally responding to the eating and exercising...I finally experienced the energy high from my workout. I haven't felt that this whole time. My thyroid basically is non-functioning, so I expected things to take a while to kick in for me, especially as long as it's been like this.

I tried to post a long, most interesting composition earlier in which I solved several world problems and issued my theories concerning global warming. Unfortunately, it floated off into cyberspace, and the nobel prize will never be mine. So, in light of my disappointment, I will make this one short and sweet. Here is the gist of my earlier post, minus the important stuff I listed above: I did upper body. I like mustard on my boiled eggs.

superset of abwork from "Sculpting Her Body Perfect." I can't remember the names of the exercises. http://www.highnrg.com/ Here is the site of Brad Schoenfeld, the author of the book. It has some exercises. Lots of them you can do at home. g'nite!!

Here is Braeden's recipe for "butterfingers"...rub your fingers in butter or peanut butter. Enjoy! OK, so that recipe may not be on your eating program, so save it for a special occasion. I didn't get to do my bicep workout yesterday, but went to the gym for lat pull-downs, roman chair, leg press, and hamstring curls. I did biceps this morning after my windy, windy cardio. I woke up to sleet and wind and thought, "I can either run the stairs inside this morning and be done or I can wait a while for it to warm up and jump my new rope outside." I decided to wait. The sun came out and all was well except the WIND (I don't think we're in Kansas anymore!). There were several annoying factors... my pants kept falling down after 10 jumps (I realized later they have a drawstring...duh?) my earbuds kept falling out the wind kept blowing my rope around the wind kept my hair in my face So, I came back inside and finished on the stairs. Still an ...

Well, I'm on Ruth's team. We are making changes. So, I followed her lead and changed my blog in anticipation of the changes to come! I am aiming high, so here is a list of goals as I begin a new Body for Life 12 week challenge. I want to wear and feel good about a new swimsuit on my June carribbean vacation (and every vacation after that one)! I want to wear a size 6. I want to lose 10-15 pounds, lowering my bodyfat percentage to 15%. I want to see my abs. I want to enjoy a healthy lifestyle of moderation and pass that enjoyment on to my children. I want to feel the energy that a raised metabolism affords. Where am I at my Challenge 3 Starting Point? Excited about feeling good in a swimsuit for once in my life. Comfortable size 8. 141 pounds and just under 20% bodyfat. Little roll around middle... after 2 unofficial challenges, I have learned to enjoy my new lifestyle, not worrying about food or workouts, but just knowing that I will follow ...

Well, as the title suggests, I have decided for today's upper body to be my last upper body workout. That's right, I will no longer be lifting weights for lower body workouts either... UNTIL MY NEXT CHALLENGE!!! which begins on Monday! So, farewell, Challenge #2! It has been a pleasure. Tomorrow and Sunday will be free in celebration of Challenge #3's Monday arrival. Well, except that I will want to jump rope with my new jump rope tomorrow! And then, I may as well eat right....So, we'll see, but alas, I bid Challenge #2 adeu.

I'm so excited! DH just called (he's out of town) and said that he got me a new jump rope. It is weighted and has 1 lb handles too. I had told him that I had so much fun jumping rope with the kids the other day for cardio, and he got me an actual adult rope. I guess this means I have to give Gracyn back her hot pink one.

Woke up in the night as I turned over...sore! My buttocks seem to have had a good workout from my squats and lunges yesterday. Abs are still sore too, but I will still do some light abs. I ran the stairs this morning. We have several inches of snow outside, which I would like to run in, but I stayed in and ran the stairs. I wasn't sure how far I'd get without having wet, cold feet.... I loved Ruth's post today...did you read the review of the running skirt? I really may have to get one of those. So cute, and cool for summer. Have I mentioned that my body fat percentage is now below 20 ( I started off near 40)? And I've lost more on the scales too. New swimmy suit coming up!!

See how good I look in this one? Hee, hee! I like all the ways to wear it. And it comes in black as well. Today was booty, bi's, and back. I did bicep curls, inclined bicep curls, plie' squats, lunges, and backward sit-ups. I'm sore in many new ways after jumping rope and abwork yesterday!

Well, I just finished cardio--I walked and jumped rope. Van Halen wailed, "Ya might as well JUMP!" Remember that old song? Or am I that much older???? I also did declined twists. I will try to do more abwork later, but if not, then at least I got that much done! I'm feeling some better to answer Ruth's question. I'm not 100%, but I have to keep going...I've only got a few more days in this challenge! I don't have fever any more. That's good, more energy. I discovered some things today... I'm not the world's greatest jump-roper, but not the worst either, to my surprise Jumping rope is a fun change Jumping rope could kill a person New music on the MP3 is good for cardio Shania Twain has some fun songs Early spring is a fun surprise...beautiful here today, short sleeves Now for the next swimsuit that I have bookmarked. I think it only comes in this color (bummer) and it does have a halter strap, but still is a little skimpy on...

Here is a pretty swimsuit that I'm lookin' at for our summer vacation. I like the skirt-coverup for going straight from the beach into the dining room for dinner. Whaddya think? I'm on my way to lookin' good in it because I just finished my upper body workout. I did chest press, inclined chest press (which uses the shoulders too), then shoulder press, tricep dips, and kick-backs just for kicks! If I keep it up, don't ya think I'll be lookin' hot in these swimsuits? Or at least one of them! Which one is your vote so far????

Here is another swimsuit I like. More coming. Then, you have to help me choose! I did abwork yesterday, so ya know! Today is upper body! I will get it done!

I ran the stairs, but with less "push" than usual. Then, I walked out in the sunshine for a little while. I still plan to do my abwork. We are still feverish over here. It's a shame, too, because it is a beautiful day! I will be posting swimsuits I'd like to look good in this summer...just for fun and inspiration. Here is one of them...

Yay for Ruth who got back into the swing of things by changing her diet and exercise routine, facing her fears and goals in bravery and determination! We are sick over here, so I will take it easy on cardio today if I do it at all. I'm not miserable, but don't feel well either, and may have a slight fever. I don't think a walk would hurt me, so I will let you know later what I decide! Ruth, what did you do for abs that made you sore? Please describe in detail, so I can do it too! Sarah, did your sit-ups get ya?

We still have our sweet guests for spring break! So, not much time! I did my upper body today while others napped. I did chest press and flyes, shoulder press and upward row, tricep extension and lying extension. OOPS! Can't believe I forgot abwork again yesterday!! I had a good cardio workout in our snow adventures, but I completely forgot abwork...I will try to get that done before bed. I hope I can manage it (remember it) because I haven't missed a workout this challenge. I will most likely take tomorrow as a free workout day and do that cardio on Saturday. I'm going to Colorado Springs tomorrow to the Focus On the Family headquarters to visit Whit's End and Imagination Station...any Adventures in Odyssey fans out there?? We will spend the night and return on Friday. So, lower body will be later in the day on Friday. Eating should be easy enough, so I probably won't take a free day from eating until Saturday. Happy trails!

Today's "unofficial" workout was spent snowmobiling and sledding and climbing through thigh-deep snow. I'm exhausted! It was a beautiful day, and we all have sunburned faces in spite of the sun screen. Tomorrow's workout is upper body. Ruth, your run sounded great and fun! Sarah, get up!!!! You can do it! :)

We went to the nearest town for groceries yesterday, and I had hopes of cardio between getting back home and our sweet guests' arrival. But, alas, they were here waiting for us when we got home, so no cardio yesterday. I did, however, manage the 3 B's today. bottom: squats and plie' squats back: pullovers biceps: curls and hammer curls Eating on target! Kids are having fun! Life is good! Did you see Ruth's blog???!!! She caught fire or something! And what about Sarah and her fitnessfrenzy?? I need to know more about those "navy" crunches! Cooool! It's fun to be in this with friends!

Happy Saturday, Everyone! It's a surprise that I can lift my arms to the computer this morning after arnold curls yesterday...here's what else I did...inclined press, inclined flyes, lying tricep extensions, tricep dips, and superset of cross-crunches and hip-ups. Today is my free day. :) Winston Churchill: Success Quotation Sure I am of this, that you have only to endure to conquer. Charlie Finley: Success Quotation Sweat plus sacrifice equals success.

I decided to try a different computer, and it works! The problem is that the pictures I wanted to post are on the other one! Oh well... You should know that I did my 3B's yesterday, plus abs that I forgot the day before and I ran hiits on the stairs today. I'll do upper body and abs tomorrow. Sounds fun, huh? I've been working on adding balance into my life, you may remember...so, I've added daily guitar practice into my life. Here is a video of Andres Segovia playing, "Asturias Leyenda," (legend of the stars) which I am working on right now. He is incredibly talented... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9efHwnFAkuA The arrangement I'm learning is a shortened, less intricate version, but still beautiful. Enjoy!

I'd forgotten all about abwork! I did it and I thought I'd share something I realized last week. When I do 100 declined twists, I never even get sore. When I do 15 very intense (concentrated effort) declined twists, then rest for 30 seconds, do another set of 15, rest for 30 seconds, then another set of 15, I'm sore the next day... Supersets are really good. Pick 3 ab exercises that each target a different area of the abs and do 15 reps with high intensity of one exercise, immediately move to the next exercise for an intense 15, then the 3rd; rest 30 seconds, do it all again, rest 30 seconds, then do it all one more time. This is killer for my abs, but I'm not the least bit sore the day after 100 of something.

YIPPEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm posting Friday's workout on Saturday because we had a family night last night and I didn't want to break away from my fam to blog. I hope you don't feel neglected! LOL Yesterday's workout was squats and frog jumps, reverse flyes and pullovers, bicep curls and hammer curls. Then, I did abwork that I had put off from the day before when I had a terrible headache--part of the sickness that my body has now fought off-yay. Abs were declined twists and hip-ups. So, here's the good news... When I began this program, last September, I weighed 165. I now weigh 145. My BFP back then was around 40%. I'm now down to 22% which means that I've really lost lots more fat than the scales show. I couldn't breathe, my joints ached, I had a weird rash on my legs.... Now, I can keep up with my family and feel good instead of feeling like I might pass out, no more aching joints, and the rash went away immediately upon beginning this new l...

well, I took some airborne yesterday and am about to take some more. That stuff really helps fend off sickness. I'm better today, but still have a headache. I ran the stairs this morning and will do declined twists and hip ups later on. Hopefully, I won't go ahead and get sick. I'm ordering a new e-book off the internet. It is "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle." The reviews are good, and it sounds like just common sense stuff like BFL, but it includes some information about body types that I'd like to read as well as exercise stuff for when your body hits a plateau. I'm still hoping to win Sarah's book in another contest! :) And in the meantime, our librarian is going to get it for me from another librar y. Here is the author of the e-book. He is known as a natural body builder. No drugs, no supplements, etc. He looks like he should know a couple of things.... I wonder why my words are being underlined now??? it's a mystery.