The Fitness Journey of FitGirl-ATX

Treadmill workout for Mippa

2011-11-26T21:17:00.001-06:00

I cannot take credit for this workout. I saw it on Coach Troy's blog from earlier in November, and I thought of my friend, Mippa, who has a Treadmill at home. I often share workouts with her - either ones that I've created myself or share workouts that I've found online. This one looks great, and I can't wait to give it a try! Personally, I have many workout days that consist of high incline treadmill walking, especially when I am trying to get lean. I thought Coach Troy put a really interesting twist on it. Let me know if any of you give this one a try!

Coach Troy Jacobson's High Intensity Treadmill Workout
This workout will crank your heart rate and make you work muscles you never knew you had. It's simple, tortuous and soooo effective. Try it, but only if you have an AED nearby!

1. Set the treadmill incline at 15% grade and the speed at 3.5-4.0 mph or at a fairly comfortable pace. Walk uphill for .5 mile.

2. Raise the speed to 4.5 - 5.5 mph (Depending on your fitness) and start to 'jog' with short steps. Drive with your arms up the hill. Go for .5 miles.

3. Increase the speed to the top of your limits for .2 miles while still at 15% grade. Hang in there and don't fall of the back!

4. Decrease the grade to 6-8% and the speed to 3.5-4.0 mph and walk the final .3 miles as a cooldown.

Hop off and collapse.

The entire workout will take around 20 minutes and you cover a total of 1.5 miles. Not much for the hardcore endurance athlete, right. Wrong! Try this workout next time you're in need for a strong hit of intensity and you'll get it.

Training Update

2011-11-12T19:02:00.001-06:00

So my training for the past month has been very solid. I'm taking a class on Tues/Thursday nights for work, so that has put a glitch in my training plans. I am working around it though. For instance, on class nights, I go to the gym right after work and get in a 45-minute workout before class, either lifting weights or cardio. Sometimes I do early morning cardio on class days, just in case I needed the hour in between class and work to do homework. I also changed my work schedule from 7:30-4:30, which has really allowed me to balance better. For the past month, I've also been boxing twice a week and lifting weights 2-3 times per week. I'll be moving that up to 4 days per week of boxing, lifting 3x per week, and at least 1 day of yoga.

I'm feeling really good. I had a sleep study done, and finally discovered the root cause of my weight loss struggles as of late. I'm under constant stress and am not getting restorative sleep. So, my doctor gave me some suggestions to change around my evening routine to improve my sleep quality, and I've dropped 6 pounds! I've always known the importance of sleep and the impacts of sleep deprivation and stress. I knew that I've been under alot of stress, but I couldn't imagine that my sleep was being impacted that badly...but that is indeed the case. I'm looking forward to making good changes and getting closer to my end of year goals.

Caio for now folks!!

Sharing Recipe: Fall Spinach Goat Cheese Bisque

2011-11-12T18:23:00.001-06:00

I was really missing my girlfriend Mippa today, and I thought of how we enjoyed apple and goat cheese salads at Grand Luxe cafe around this time last year. So, I decided to make a lovely bowl of spinach goat cheese bisque, which was really good! I adapted the recipe from one that I saw in Eating Well magazine.

Ingredients

2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 Yellow Onion, diced

1-2 Garlic Cloves, minced

Salt, Pepper to taste

1 tsp dried dill/thyme

1 medium Yukon Gold Potato (peeled & diced)

1/8-1/4 tsp nutmeg

2 tsp sherry cooking wine (or marsala)

2 Cups Unsalted Vegetable Stock

1/2 clamshell baby organic spinach

1 T light butter

1/2 cup light goat cheese crumbles

croutons for garnish

Cooking Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until onions start to brown.
2. Add minced garlic cloves to the onions.
3. Reduce heat under onions, add 2 T water, dill, and thyme. Cover onions and cook for about 20-25 minutes to caramelize. Stir often, but make sure to return the cover afterwards.
4. In a pot, heat 2 cups of water, add 1/4 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Add the potato and cook 12-15 minutes until potato is very soft and most of the water has evaporated. Do not drain potato.
5. Add nutmeg and sherry to the caramelized onions and cook for a few minutes longer.
6. To the cooked potato pot, add the caramelized onion mixture, vegetable stock, and spinach. Bring to a slow boil and heat until the spinach withers down but is still bright green in color.
7. Transfer the contents from the pot into a Vitamix blender (or you can use an immersion blender). Add the butter and goat cheese and blend until smooth and bright green in color.
8. Return to the pot and add salt & pepper to taste as needed.
9. Serve in soup bowls with croutons and a sprinkle of crumbled goat cheese.
Soup should keep for about 3 days refrigerated.

This was very filling, flavorful, and made a lovely dinner on a chilly autumn evening.
Sorry - I gobbled mine up before I could take a picture :-). I borrowed the one from Eating Well magazine. My soup was blended a more smoothly. The flavor was really incredible.

Approximate Nutritional Breakdown:
Per serving: 147 calories; 7 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono ); 11 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 447 mg sodium; 514 mg potassium.

Enjoy!

I will persist until I succeed

2011-10-08T19:58:00.002-05:00

I will persist until I succeed.

I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins.
I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd.
I am a lion. And I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep.
The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.

I will persist until I succeed.

--excerpt from Og Mandino's The Greatest Salesman in the World

Recipe: Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Apples

2011-10-02T19:16:00.003-05:00

After my workout, I was famished. I had my Coconut Milk Pumpkin Soup with Ginger Garlic Sea Scallops for dinner. Before I headed out to the gym, I prepared a recipe for 'sweet potatoes and apples' in my slow cooker with the intention of enjoying it in the evening with dinner. Well, my goodness, it was absolutely devine! My picture does not do it justice :-)
Here is the recipe. I hope that you give it a try sometime! I modified this recipe from the Fix-It and Forget-It Slow Cooker Cookbook. I had two bowls of it - LOL.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potatoes & Apples
Ingredients
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 larget tart and firm apples, peeled and sliced
1/4 tsp Himalayn sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp light, soft tub butter, melted (I use Land O'Lakes Light Butter with Canola Oil)
2 Tbsp Carey's Sugar-Free Syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp brown sugar
toasted pecans for topping

Directions
1. Place half of the sweet potatoes in the slow cooker. Layer half of the apple slices on top.
2. Mix together dry seasonsings. Sprinkle half over apples.
3. Mix butter, sugar-free syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Spoon half overtop of the apples.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 with the remaining sweet potatoes and apples.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours or until potatoes are soft, stirring occassionally.
6. To add a bit of crunch, sprinkle with toased pecans when serving.
7. Serve with pork, poultry, or seafood.

Finally Found...

2011-10-02T19:01:00.002-05:00

Well, in my last post, I mentioned how I was having a hard time finding a gym nearby that had the atmosphere that I have been missing. Well, I finally found it. I toured Lifetime Fitness, which I have belonged to in the past. It is very close to my home and has a ton of classes and amenities. My personal experience with Lifetime Fitness, though, is that I always felt it was "too nice". Meaning, whenever I'd go there to lift weights or exercise, I felt like people weren't really working hard and that it was too nice of a gym to really focus on the "down and dirty" exercise. I loved Lifetime for its amenities. I definitely found myself going to enjoy the spa and the sauna more than my regular workouts. It was also so big that I felt overwhelmed there. Anyway, I got the same feeling when I toured the gym again. So, I decided that wasn't going to be the one for me.

I revisited the new gym that opened about 2 miles from my house - Champion Fitness - which I toured a few weeks ago. I'd been dreaming about that place and had an instant energy on my first visit. The cost of the gym was about the same as Lifetime, and I think that they are both on the pricey side. However, I was so apprehensive about joining due to the administration cost, enrollment cost and monthly fee. Yesterday they had their grand opening, and I went..with the full intention of enrolling. I did just that and got a workout in while I was there. To my surprise, they had an awesome special on opening day AND a discounted membership due to my corporate affiliation. So, I felt very happy getting the membership down to a reasonable rate..still on the high end, but justifiable in my monthly budget. The gym is brand spanking new, as is all of their equipment. This made me very happy! Yesterday, I did 30 mins of cardio on the new Precors and some of the Kinesis strength circuit equipment. It was all so awesome. The gym is just the right size, and I am looking forward to more workouts there! Today I rode my bike over to the gym, did 15 mins on the Precor AMT, did an hour of a full body circuit, and finished with some stretching. I finally feel like I've found the right place for me. Yippeeee!!!

BTW - I decided NOT to join the running club after all. Instead, I decided to use the money for the gym membership, which I thought would be more long-lasting. In addition, my accupuncturist mentioned that she thought I needed a back adjustment. I thought the running might exacerbate the issue.

Consistency

2011-09-25T21:30:00.000-05:00

"Be consistently consistent and results will come." -- Greg McCoy, Owner, Metroflex Gym of Plano

Habit

2011-09-25T20:11:00.001-05:00

I was over on Marcus Martinez's blog and found a poem that a friend had written for him. I liked it, so I decided to post it here for everyone else to read as well. I think it's fitting given the post that I just wrote regarding my own challenges to be consistent with my eating and training. It all boils down to making actions & behaviors become habits. Enjoy! Thanks, Marcus!

HABIT
I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,
And I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done,
And after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men.
And, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with all the precision of a machine.
Plus, the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin;
It makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me
And I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am HABIT!

Motivation

2011-09-25T15:23:00.000-05:00

I needed some extra motivation this weekend. I find myself struggling to follow my eating plan. I run out of energy, work too long, don't prepare in advance..blah blah blah....all excuses. My life is no busier or more full now than when I would work 70 hours per week at IBM while attending grad school and still competing and teaching. However, I was still able to fit it all in. Now that I am older, I realize that entire period was really unhealthy for my body. I was trying to do too much..pushing myself to the limits time and time again. But I wasn't having this mental hurdle that I seem to be facing right now.

Anyway, I decided to go back and look at my training journals from the time in my life when I felt that I was in the best shape. Not so surprisingly, my struggles are the same. I struggled with early morning cardio..struggled with making sure that I prepared my meals in advance and ate them..struggled with giving in to cravings. However, I found myself smiling because I could remember every emotion and my mindset when I wrote in my journals then (the curse of having an amazing ability to remember events in my life). And, I realize that if I could do it then, then I can do it now. There will be ups and downs...highs and lows...life altering events..but, at the end of the day, it all boils down to me..to what I can control in my day and what I cannot. I find myself falling into my workaholic trap. At least I recognize it now, and am trying to be proactive about not letting work or my love of learning new things get in the way of balance. Right now, I am all about living a balanced, peaceful, low-stress life. My motto is that anything (or anyone) who causes me adverse stress gets cut out...period...no questions asked. Life is a gift, and I have a responsiblity to take good care of my body - inside and outside. I feel happy, even though I struggle with my fitness goals. I just try to do the best that I can with the time that I have. However, I also try to note the areas where I'm not giving it my best effort and improve.

I had my bloodwork done, and my thyroid is finally back in balance. My fasting glucose is still slightly elevated, which is the reason why weight loss is so challenging for me right now. However, I can overcome that by training and eating clean CONSISTENTLY. Right now, being consistent is my obstacle. I'll do a good job for a week or two, then I will fall off for a few days..It's been a cycle. One that can be overcome by better planning and setting better limits for myself. I took some time yesterday really thinking about what motivates me. I came to the realization that while having a kick a$$ home gym is amazing, I thrive when I am around other people. I need to go to a public setting, be in a gym, take some group exercise classes. I draw energy from others, especially those working hard to meet goals such as myself. When I drag my butt out of bed in the morning to do my morning cardio, I am still half asleep and not working as diligently as I should. I have tried a few gyms locally, but haven't quite found "the one" yet. I enjoy LifeTime Fitness, but moreso for the amenities. I never felt like I really got a good, focused workout there. I've tried a gym similar to Anytime Fitness, but the atmosphere wasn't calling me. I LOVE training at Metroflex Gym, but it's so far from my house that I only go there to lift. There is a new gym opening here that I toured and loved. It had the energy, tools, equipment, and the "it" factor that I'm looking for. It's kind of pricey, but I plan to give it a go through the end of the year. My doctor said that there is no reason why I shouldn't be losing 2 pounds per week on my eating plan, even despite having elevated blood sugar levels. So, as long as I am CONSISTENT with everything the results should manifest.

Anyway, that's my pep talk (to myself) for the day. I'm not giving up. I will not get discouraged. I will transform. I will be honest with myself and admit my own shortcomings.

I am not afraid to be great.

Now let's go get a *bleep* *bleep* snack! (ode to Rex Ryan)

Return of the FitBit!

2011-09-25T15:04:00.000-05:00

Man, how I have missed my little FitBit!! I think that I mentioned that I had a little mishap with mine earlier this year. Well, I went to Best Buy today and treated myself to a new one. I really love that thing. It helps keep me moving, since I have a tendancy to get tunnel vision at work and sit for hours on end. I also love the free, online tools provided by FitBit. I like to have the ability to easily enter in my daily food meals and see how closely I've been following my eating plan. Granted, I could have kept using the tools without the FitBit, but I didn't....

More importantly, I really wanted to track my training during my time in the 9-weeks-to-5K program. Our first session will be Sat, Oct 1st. The only down side is that our weekly group runs are at 7AM on Saturdays. Anybody who knows me knows that early morning cardio is really difficult for me. Oh well..it's just 9 weeks, and the focused cardio will do me good!

Welcome back FitBit!! Now..if I could just find my Sony wireless headphones, it would be all good. I think that I lost them when I was at the library last Sunday. I went back to see if they were in the lost & found, but no such luck...If anybody found those, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be a Good Samaratin. I'll keep searching for another week or so before I break down and buy a new pair...

Decided to join a running group..Again...

2011-09-25T15:01:00.001-05:00

Well, before the weather gets too cold, I decided to join the 9-weeks-to-5K program at my local Luke's Locker. BF has decided to join with me. The culminating event will be the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5K event, which is perfect. I try to do the Turkey Trot every other year, more if the weather is nice during that time of year. Last year I participated and it was FREEZING. However, this year, I thought it would be nice to actually train properly for it and see how I do.

This should be exciting!

Mission 2 - 5K

2011-09-18T14:57:00.000-05:00

Well, I admittedly did not train at all for the 5K event. My plan was to just walk it. However, BF and I just alternated jogging and walking. We tried to break it up into 1/4 mile each. It took 50 minutes to complete 3 miles, which for me is fantastic!

What's next....?

Mission Accomplished! - My first bike race

2011-09-11T12:08:00.000-05:00

Today has been a great day so far! This morning was my 15k bike race, which was my first organized bike event ever. I only made the decision to participate in the race about 3 weeks ago. My very short training plan was to just ride my bike every weekend (sat or sunday) leading up to the event. I kept striving to complete more than the distance of the course with each training session.

For this first time, I wasn't as concerned about my time. I just wanted to give it my best shot. Going into this event, my goals were very simple:
1) to just feel comfortable on my bike, maneuvering it, shifting gears, etc
2) to simply finish the race
3) not finish last

That being said, I was so nervous leading up to today. I even considered not doing the event all together. All sorts of things were going through my mind last night, such as:

I should have tried the course so I would know what to expect.
I should have practiced more hills.
What if I have to get off my bike on a hill and walk it up?
I've only been training for the past 3 weekends. What if that wasn't enough?
What if it's windy like it was the last time I rode? I don't do well with wind resistance.
What if I run out of energy?
I've never done the entire 9 miles straight....how many times will i have to stop?
What if my cycle starts?
blah blah blah blah...

However, I somewhat reluctantly woke up bright and early, had a nice breakfast per my training eating plan, packed up my car, and made my way over to the University of Texas at Dallas. The weather was just fantastic! It was kind of cool as I packed up my car, but once the race started, we were comfortably in the 80's without alot of headwind, and the sun was shining but not blazing hot.

There were so many participants at the venue. I was very happy to have received my cycling jersey, as they weren't going to be given to us until race day. Actually, when I checked in, I learned that some of the jerseys had been delivered to the wrong location and thus weren't available on race day. My jersey of course was in that batch. However, a few of our team riders didn't show up, so I was able to wear one of theirs. The jerseys were gorgeous, and it really made me feel like I was part of the team. Keep in mind that this was a company event, and all anyone who wanted to participate did was sign up. Today was the first day meeting any of the other riders and getting the jerseys. So, seeing the rest of the team made me realize that I wasn't in it alone. I had major butterflies in my stomach and just began to get excited as we were waiting to line up to start the race. As a team, only 4 of our riders would qualify for our overall team time. The rest of the us would earn our team participation points as long as we completed the race. At that point, all of the pressure was off. I was still a bit fearful of the unknown course, so I asked some of the riders who had participated in previous years. I was informed that there were 2 hills on the course and cautioned not to start off too fast. Riders who were going to ride for participation points only were instructed to start in the last heap, which was fine by me. The overall group taking off together was pretty large (about 75 riders). My co-workers and I (6 of us) grouped together and started the pack off. That was a great feeling. I didn't feel as nervous since I didn't see people in front of me. I knew there were alot of people back there behind me, but I didn't want to take a peek and get intimidated. Anyway, the announcer said "make you way up to the starting line.." and then "this heap will take off in 45 seconds...30 seconds...15 seconds... and GOOO!!!"

I took off at a strong pace, but not too aggressive. I actually kept pace with one of my co-workers for the first mile or so. She and I had a chance to get to know each other, and we seemed to be able to pace each other pretty well. I think that she noticed that I could probably handle more, and she said "If you need to ride ahead of me, go for it." After she made that comment, we hit the first "hill" and had to part ways. I wanted to ride a bit more aggressively, especially up the "hill" to get it over with. I put in my earbuds and begin my journey. I felt great because the "hill" that I'd been so anxious about was no big deal. It was a gradual incline, but I was able to stay seated the entire time and maintained a good pace. I saw someone get off and walk their bike up. I was envisioning a super steep hill, and I was worked up about nothing. The course was a good mix of flats and gradual inclines. I felt great up to mile 6. Then, the last "hill" presented itself, which was steeper than the first but I still conquerored it like a champion. However, when I got to the top, I started to feel my energy plummet a bit. I didn't wear my camel back today, and I had my water bottle in a hip pack. So, I felt very clumsy when I would reach for my water and fumble to put it back. Not wearing my camelback was the only mis-step of the day. Anyway, when I got to the top of the "hill", I decided to coast a bit to catch my breath and get my 2nd wind. That was a good move because I was able to raise my gears and really get an aggressive cadence for the last 2.5 miles. At one point I even clocked 92 RPM on my bike computer, which was fantastic. I was almost brought to tears when I saw the "University of Texas at Dallas" sign because I knew that the finish line was right around the corner at that point. I coasted in a bit because I wanted the photogs to get some good 'action shots' of me, and I took my time crossing the finish line because one of our company reps was there taking pictures of each one of our employees as we crossed. It was such a wonderful feeling! I can't wait for the next race!

Now that it's all over, I am so glad that I did not back out of my commitment!! I am very proud of myself for going through with it. It was alot of fun, and I surprised myself along the way. During my training, I often made stops to grab water, catch my breath, etc. Today, I kept moving for the entire race - no stopping. When I crossed the finish line, my HRM clocked in about 35 minutes. I probably could have done it in 32 minutes if I hadn't been talking and leisurely riding with my co-worker initially. However, that built my confidence and then the competitor came out. Regardless, completing the course in 35ish minutes was the most suprising accomplishment of all. During my few practice rides, I rode 11.5 miles (75 mins), 13.5 miles (50 mins), 10.2 miles (45 mins), and 4.2 miles (25 mins - very windy day). The last time I was on my bike was on Labor Day. I didn't ride yesterday because I wanted to be fresh. I am great at indoor cycling/spinning, but I am so happy to have completed an outdoor course. I accomplished ALL of the goals that I set forward for myself.

Next weekend will be the 5K, which will be yet another challenge. At least it won't be my first 5K. However, I am de-conditioned for running (and haven't really trained for the event at all), so my plan will be to jog/walk as best I can. I only put in 2 miles of track work last weekend, and it was ugly - LOL. I'll post back to let you know how next Sunday goes. This was a long post, but I want to remember every moment of today and how it made me feel :-)

A New Challenge

2011-08-22T22:13:00.001-05:00

Well, we have a corporate health challenge going on at work for the next 6 weeks. I signed up to participate in 2 events - the 9 mile bike race and the 5K. I'm looking forward to both events. I am a bit nervous, but it's nice to have an end goal and event in mind. I also decided to pick two events at which I am somewhat apprehensive. Might as well use this is as a chance to conqueror a little internal obstacle while improving my functional fitness. I've been wanting to participate in an organized bike event for quite some time. I figured this distance wouldn't be too bad to start out with. I signed up for the 5K to see if I can try to find some enjoyment in jogging. I will do a mixture of walking and jogging, but I'm still kind of excited about it.

In addition to these things, I've started working out at Metroflex again. I'm focusing on my own training & development for the last part of this year. I feel like things are finally coming together for my personal goals, and the chronic stress has subsided. I feel happy, balanced, and mentally focused. Now is my time. Let's see what the next 5 months will bring...dedicated training, consistent eating, and nothing will get in my way.

Long-term goal is Figure 2012...Bring. It. On. :-)

Anyway, today's training consisted of:
Early Morning/Empty Stomach Cardio (30 mins)
Evening Resistance Training: Legs

I'll start my new (updated) diet tomorrow. I am not eating enough, hence my lack of weight loss progress. Time to get focused and eat like a competitor.

Yesterday marked a huge milestone for me. I actually rode 11.5 miles on my bike. I was nervous because I did the whole thing on the road. However, I went early in the morning, and I LOVED every minute of it. It's so much different than my spin bike. I was tired, but happy. In the evening, I did some jogging on my treadmill (2.2 miles). I have 4 weeks until the bike race, 5 weeks until the 5K, and I'm giving myself 16 weeks to see how close I can come to my personal goals.

Fitgirl is back with a vengence...

Another Round of Bikes & Bells

2011-08-02T20:52:00.000-05:00

Wow - I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted! Anyway, wanted to share tonight's Bikes & Bells workout...it was another good one! It's similar to a workout that we've done in the past, but we kept things flowing and pushed our limits with each round. Sadly, this doesn't look as exciting on paper, but the energy in the room, adrenaline, and a kick a$$ playlist really rocked this class out. I give it a 10!

You'll need your Gym Boss for this workout. I used my iPhone to time the 5:00 bike rounds and the Gym Boss to time the bells rounds. I set my Gym Boss up as follows:
Set it for 2 Auto Rounds
0:30/0:30.
This way, it counts my 2:00 kettlebell rounds and allows me to transition every 30 seconds for rounds that call for that protocol.

Here's the workout:

Warm-up: 7:00 Bike
Rounds: 5:00 Bike + 1:00 Bike Recovery + 2:00 Bells

Round Details:
Bike 1: Seated Flat @ 90 RPM, Aggressive Resistance @ 5:00.
Bells 1: Swings - 2H, 1HL, 1HR, H2H @ 0:30/hand positions

Bike 2: Standing Climb @ 70 RPM, Heavy Resistance for 3:00, Seated Climb @ 65 RPM for 1:00, Sprint on Flat 0:30, Recover.
Bells 2: Dead Clean Ladders 1/side, 2/side,.., 5/side..then work your way back down if time

Bike 3: Seated Flat Aggressive 4:00, conclude with 1 strong 0:30 sprint
Bells 3: Snatch Ladders: 5/side, 4/side, 3/side, ..then work your way back up if time

Bike 4: 3:00 seated flat, 1:00 standing flat, 4 sprints (0:20 work/0:10 recover)
Bells 4: Presses @ 0:30/side

--- We concluded here after 50 mins (included transition time, water breaks, etc). If desired, keep going and add in any of the following rounds: ---

Bells 5: Windmill/OH Squat
Bells 6: KB Racked Squat 0:30, Mountain Climbers 0:30. Repeat both, leading with opposite side.
Bells 7: TGU's (1/side for 2:00 time)

In a rare occurrence, here is my playlist as well:
1. Tiesto - "Walking on Clouds" ... 7:18
2. Opus 3 - "It's a Fine Day (Remix)" ... 6:27 - I can't remember where I got this remix from, so here is a shorter ATB version that I've used in previous classes - http://youtu.be/_iJU0EWsn5Q
3. Kira - "I'll Be Your Angel" ... 4:25
4. Novy - "Touch Me (Radio Edit) ft. Abigail Bailey"... 4:56 - this is an awesome cover of Rui DiSilva's original version
5. Moby - "Lift Me Up" ... 3:06 - this is one of my favorite songs to climb to!
6. Sharam - "Be The Change" ... 6:58 (off of iTunes, Album: "Get Wild Special Limited Edition Bonus Track Version", Song: "Be The Change ft Ahousheh Khalili - track #1). The link i've provided isn't the actual version that I used but it will at least give you an idea for the song :-)
7. Daniel Bovie - "Love Me" ... 6:14
8. Origene - "Sanctuary Ivan Gough Remix" ... 9:17
9. Syke N' Sugarstarr - "No Love Lost Extended Mix" ... 7:17 (played this twice!)
--- Cool Down & Stretch with the remaining tracks ---
10. Telepopmusik - "Breathe Chunk Bass Mix" ... 7:17 here's a link to a similar (shorter) version in youtube - http://youtu.be/HDQw-RShRUQ
11. Jay-Z - "Run This Town (Radio Edit)" ... 4:35
12. Lady Gaga - "Poker Face (Acoustic Music Live version)" ... 3:38
13. D: Fuse - "Living the Dream (Chill Version)" ... 5:53

ENJOY IT ALL!!

20/10 Maddness

2011-07-12T21:27:00.025-05:00

I've had alot of really great changes happening over the past few weeks, which is the reason for the delayed postings. Anyway, I wanted to share a workout that was BRUTAL from tonight's bikes & bells class. It was a tough workout!! Pull out your GymBoss timers for this one, folks!

I put both of my classes through this workout tonight. One group made it through 5 rounds; the other to 4. We scaled appropriately. For those of you warriors, take it up to the next level by completing all 8 rounds.

Enjoy!

FitGirl's 20/10 Maddness Workout

Warm-Up: 5:00 bike

Circuit Rounds:
Complete as many rounds as you can from round 1 up to 8. Use your Gym Boss timer to seamlessly execute the 0:20/0:10 rounds.
* 2:00 Bike
* 0:20 work/0:10 rest for 8 rounds of the given exercise listed below

Cool-Down: 5:00 Easy Pedaling or Walking

Round 1: Swings {Try doing 1H swings, switching sides for each 0:20 work period}
Round 2: Push-Ups (if 8 consecutive rounds of push-ups is too advanced, do 4 rounds push-ups, 4 rounds planks)
Round 3: Mountain Climbers
Round 4: Snatches or {Dead Clean & Press, switching sides for each 0:20 work period}
Round 5: Body Weight Squats
---------------------
If you make it this far, you're entering warrior zone!!
Round 6: Tricep Dips
Round 7: Shoulder Presses
Round 8: Swings

Notice that I did not call the "off-bike" sessions Tabata drills. They are based on the same time intervals as Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds active rest for 8 rounds [4:00 total] ), but a true tabatata is done at 100% effort. If we were doing true Tabata drills, we'd only pick 1 of the 8 drills to complete. So, this workout would be more appropriately coined metabolic conditioning. Anyway, no matter what category you give it, I call this workout HARD (in all caps)! :-D

Let me know if you give it a shot!

Not So Bad...

2011-07-03T23:30:00.001-05:00

I took a group conditioning class on Saturday, my first one in about 2 years actually. It was so nice to be the student instead of the teacher. I absolutely loved it! Anyway, I actually caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror during the session. I was actually NOT disgusted by what I saw. I realized that I am probably my own worst critic. Even though I mentally thought that I was out of shape and de-conditioned, I still kept up well with the rest of the class and even exceeded most. I also realized that I still have very beautiful, full muscles. When I caught that glimpse, I didn't see what I thought I looked like in the mirror (i.e. carrying excess body fat with no visible evidence of being a consistent exerciser). Instead, I saw a strong, athletic woman...I didn't see all of the flaws that I see when I look in the mirror at home. I had an "a-ha" moment and realized that I am my own worst critic. Yes, there are still areas that I want to improve, but the current state ain't that bad! I know that I'll reach my other goals with consistency and dedication. I just need something from time to time to encourage me to keep going.

Anyway, I share this because if any of you deal with body image issues, realize that you are probably your own worst critic. I encourage you to really try to look at your best features and (mentally) play to those. Every person is beautiful, and I encourage you to find your own inner beauty and let that eminate on the outside. You will be much happier and the little things/negative thoughts will be defeated.

Anyway, I hope that eveyone is doing well and enjoying the festivities of the 4th of July holiday weekend! I just focused on my own exercise and diet for the weekend (i.e. getting the kitchen cleaned, meals prepared, exercise routines on the books, etc). Honestly, when I'm working out and/or planning for my workouts, I feel that I'm my happiest. The weather has been gorgeous, and all I've wanted to do is go out, enjoy the weather, soak in the sun, and just be H-A-P-P-Y!

Looking forward to tomorrow's workout.

Another great workout!

2011-06-22T23:57:00.000-05:00

Tonight I diversified my bikes & bells class slightly...It was a great workout!

Warm-Up: Bike 5-10 mins

Circuit Workout
Complete 3 Rounds of the following:
Cardio (Bike/Treadmill/Elliptical): 10:00
Corresponding Bells Round

Bells Round 1
Mixed KB Swings x 100
KB Snatches x 10/side
Mountain Climbers x 30

Bells Round 2
Mixed KB Swings x 50

TRX Squats x 15
KB Dead Clean & Push Press x 10/side

Bells Round 3
Mixed KB Swings x 50
KB Lunge & Press x 5/side
KB Squats x 10

Round 1 was my favorite bells round, hands down! I had everybody mix up their work in each bells round. Meaning, instead of doing 100 swings consecutively, do as many as you feel comfortable doing, then do 5 snatches per side, resume swings, then do 15 mountain climbers, etc.. It was pretty great! We didn't use the timer in the bells rounds, and focused on everybody being creative and getting the work done as quickly as possible, but safely. Loved it!

Coming Fall 2011: P90X2 (aka P90X:MC2)

2011-06-22T20:08:00.001-05:00

Get ready, people. P90X2 is coming this fall. I am so ready!

Recipe Post: Sunday Morning Primal Pancakes

2011-06-19T12:35:00.000-05:00

Oh. My. Goodness. I made primal pancakes for breakfast this morning. They were so fantastic. I modified a recipe that I found on Mark's Daily Apple.

Fitgirl's Sunday Morning Primal Pancake Recipe

Ingredients

1 small ripe banana

1/3 cup almond flour

Splash almond milk (unsweetened)

Dash cinnamon

Capful vanilla extract

Sugar-Free Syrup (I like Carey's)

1/4 cup fresh blueberries

4-5 pecans

Directions

1. Preheat griddle to 400 degrees.

2. Mash 1/2 of the ripe banana in a bowl.

3. Add cinnamon & vanilla to the mashed banana, and stir together until well incorporated.

4. Add almond flour and mix together.

5. Put splash of coconut oil or PAM onto hot griddle.

6. Pour pancake batter onto hot griddle. It is best to keep pancakes small in size so that they cook well.

7. Wait until the pancake edges turn brown in color and then flip the pancakes.

8. Top with butter, sugar-free syrup, remaining 1/2 banana, blueberries, and 4 crushed pecans.

The original recipe called for 1 egg, which I omitted since I already had a side of scrambled eggs ready to go with breakfast. I was in heaven eating this breakfast! My batter yielded 2 small pancakes. I also used the wrong measuring cup for my blueberries, and wound up topping with 1/3 cup instead of 1/4 cup. Oh well :-). My batter seemed to need to cook for quite some time in order to cook fully (maybe because of the missing egg) and were kind of dense. Next time, I will try to add an egg white, beaten to stiff peaks to try to make them more fluffy. My nephews are visiting for the summer, and I can't wait to give these a try for them.

If you are interested in the original recipe, follow this link to see the original recipe & article from Mark's Daily Apple : http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-many-uses-of-almond-meal/

Enjoy!

Bikes & Bells - Hill Circuits

2011-06-14T20:46:00.025-05:00

Tonight's Bikes & Bells class was alot of fun (as they all are). I was pretty tired going into it, and I wasn't quite sure that I'd have the energy tonight. However, once we got on the bike and started spinning, it was all good! After a 5-minute warmup, the rounds were designed as 5:00 on the bike and 2:00 on the bells. Tonight's bike portion was focused on hill climbs. We pushed heavy resistance and even hit a few breakaways, which were left us winded and working anaerobically for short periods of time.

Warm-up: 5:00 Bike

Round 1
5:00 Bike - Seated Climb
2:00 KB 1H Swings (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 2
5:00 Bike - Standing Climb
2:00 OH Squats (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 3
5:00 Bike - Run with resistance; Jumps on Hill
2:00 KB Snatches (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 4
5:00 Bike - Breakaways
2:00 Racked KB Squat/Presses (1:00 L, 1:00 R)

Round 5
5:00 Bike - Sprints on Hill
2:00 Dead Cleans (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Round 6
5:00 Bike - Freeform Climb
2:00 High Pulls (0:30 L, 0:30 R, 0:30 L, 0:30 R)

Cool-Down: 5:00 Bike

Enjoy!

Awesomely Difficult...

2011-06-07T19:05:00.002-05:00

The title of this post is how I describe tonight's workout. It was incredible! Our objective was to complete as many rounds as possible in the 45-minute class period. It was fantastic! We did substitute one Bike segment with Treadmill walking, as my clients felt they were reaching anaerobic segments.

Warm-Up & Cardio 1: 13:00 Bike

Main Workout: 5:00 Bike followed by Bells Circuit (as outlined below)

Bells Circuit
0:45/exercise (per side side), 0:20 rest
Racked KB Squat & Kick
KB High Pull or Snatch
1H KB Swing
Racked KB Lunge & Press
KB Dead Cleans

Stretch

Our timings weren't exactly precise, so we completed 2.5 Rounds total. We also used the last cardio round as a 5-minute cool-down. This was TOUGH and fantastic all at the same time!! If you give this a shot, make sure to emphasize quality over quantity. If the 0:45 seconds per exercise per side is too aggressive, drop it down to 0:30 seconds per exercise per side. If you need more rest in between exercises, take it! We put in extra rest before each Lunge & Press.

Enjoy!!

Tonight's Workout

2011-06-06T20:18:00.038-05:00

Tonight's workout was somewhat Grok-like. We got outside to follow our primal instincts and "play" in the sun :-). I actually did the workout with my clients for a couple of reasons:
1. I wanted to push them a bit, and since a large portion of the workout was outside, I wanted to be with them "in the trenches" pushing them along
2. One of my members had her first night back after about 2 weeks off, so I wanted to keep her encouraged. I expected that she would have a bit of a challenge in front of her tonight.
3. I wanted to get my own workout done while there was still energy in my body. I get very motivated exercising around/with others, and I do push myself harder than I would working out alone. Other than the cardio conditioning classes, I typically don't work out with my clients often, but I think that it is appropriate at times.

Here's the workout:

Circuit:
Complete at many rounds as possible in 40 minutes
Outdoor Jog/Run - 1/4 Mile
Body Weight Squats x 15
TRX Rows x 15
Push Ups x 15
DB Bicep Curl & Shoulder Press x 15

We completed 4 rounds as a group. I personally could have gotten in at least 1 more round, but I had to keep things paced for my clients. They did a great job!! Nobody in our group is fond of running (including me), so this was a good confidence booster. We jogged/ran the first half of the loop and power walked back for most rounds. I'm very proud of us for pushing through, even in spite of the hot Texas sun (which I happen to love!!). We were getting cheers from passerbys in their cars saying that we were doing a great job! :-)

Finisher:
50 Heavy KB Swings

I dialed down the rest of the workout for them. We did an abbreviated finisher and skipped the abs/core work. We did take an 8-minute stretch at the end, which was good. Here's the originally planned finisher & core work.

Originally Planned Finisher (1x):
200 KB Swings with mixed weight & grip
200 Walk-Ups "Step-Test" (each step up is counted as "1" rep. This is similar to the traditional 3-Minute Fitness Step Test. Used a 12" step.)

Originally Planned Core Work (2x):
Complete each exercise for 0:30
SB/Floor Crunches
TRX Plank
TRX Suspended Crunch
Floor/TRX Side Plank

Tomorrow night we have a Bikes & Bells Class....Looking forward to it!

Relaxing Walk - Active Rest

2011-06-04T23:15:00.002-05:00

When it cooled off, Max and I took a 2.2 mile walk in the later part of the evening. We didn't run or jog, but just decided to enjoy the scenery and the outdoors. Max really enjoys his walks. He is so little though, that I am afraid to run or jog with him. He's a very picky little dog, and is finicky about eating and drinking. He gets so excited on outdoor walks that he pants for what seems like forever. I always bring water but he drinks very little of it during our walks. I'm trying to be more Grok-like in my activities, and I thought walking outside would be a good way to support that effort.

Anyway, I'm thinking that tomorrow (Sunday) will be a rest day.

Refreshing Summer Drink...Strawberry Mango Crush

2011-06-04T19:31:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it isn't officially summer for another 3 weeks, but the weather has been so fantastic that I enjoyed a lovely drink this evening on the porch. I call this recipe a Strawberry Mango Crush. I made mine without alcohol, but I'm sure this would be equally refreshing with a splash of Vodka or Malibu Rum. Here's the super simple recipe. Add a cute little umbrella and enjoy!

FitGirl's Strawberry Mango Crush

Ingredients

Ice Cubes

Fresh Strawberries (3-4 depending on size)

Flesh of 1 Mango

Stevia (my stevia has a measuring spoon, so I used 1 spoonful)

Lemon Juice (approx 1-2 tsp)

Water (about 1-2 oz)

Directions

I simply added all ingredients to my Vitamix in the order listed and let it blend for about a minute. I'd suggest starting with just a tiny bit of water and adding more as needed, depending upon how juicy your fruits are. It was such a delicious drink!! Forgive my picture. I was almost finished with my drink when I realized that I hadn't snapped a picture - LOL!

I'm sure it would be great with any fresh fruit combination. I'll try it with raspberries and lime juice next time!

You Look Like a Sweaty Water Bottle...

2011-05-31T22:57:00.001-05:00

Tonight's Bikes & Bells Class was another good one! The humidity was pretty high and the temperature outside was about 95 degrees. The gym was hot and sauna-like, just the way I prefer it. I was full of energy and ready to rock it out tonight! We kept class very simple, but it was a really good time. This week was our designated recovery week, so we tried to keep our session relatively simple and short. We worked for about 50 mins and had 15 mins of well-deserved stretching.

The funniest comment of the night was when my client said that I looked like a sweaty water bottle. We laughed sooo hard!! I love it! I was retaining a ton of water, so the perspiration defintiely helped. I actually lost 5.5 pounds during the workout - HA!

Cheers folks! Sweat it out!!

Happy Memorial Day!!

2011-05-30T19:41:00.001-05:00

I was traveling for most of the latter part of last week, so I didn't get my planned workouts in. I was tied up with school, work, and getting ready for my trips. It was a productive trip AND I had a chance to hang out with one of my closest girlfriends (yah Mippa!!). So, it was time well spent :-). I got home late Saturday night, and I used yesterday (Sunday) as a full day of rest. I was exhausted from all of the driving. Anyway, today I was finally rested and got a great workout in. I also pulled out my dragging sled and did a few drills. I completely forgot how effective that piece of equipment is!

Anyway, here was tonight's workout; took me about 35-40 mins:
Circuit 1 (2x)
Flat Bench Press with 25# DB's x 15
KB Squats @ 16kg x 15
DB Flyes 20# on Stability Ball x 15
Front/Lateral Lunges w/ 20# DBs x 5/side

Circuit 2 (1x)
Seated Military Press with 20# DBs x 15
Seated DB OH Tricep Extension w/ 25# DB x 15

Circuit 3 (1x)
BW Prisoner Squats x 25
Alt Front Lunge x 25
Treadmill x 8:00
KB Swings @ 16kg x 25
TRX Rows x 25
Push-Ups x 25
SB Crunches x 25

Finisher
Sled Dragging @ 25#

Happy Memorial Day to all of our U.S. Military!! Thank you for keeping us safe!!

Bikes & Bells

2011-05-24T19:32:00.000-05:00

Tonight's Bikes & Bells class was outstanding!! We did rounds of 7:00 on the bike followed by 3-5 mins on the bells. We did the following KB circuit 3 times: 1 Dead Clean, 3 Presses, 3 Windmills, 3 OH Squats, 3 1H Swings, repeat other side. We then finished up with 5:00 of swings, circle style. It was pretty awesome. I didn't wear my HRM, but I know that I was soaking wet by the time I was finished. My class also enjoyed the workout, and their endurance is improving all around. It's great!

Outdoor Walk - 3 miles

2011-05-23T19:31:00.000-05:00

I got up early this morning and decided to go for a walk before it got too hot. I did about 3 miles. I was lucky because later in the day, the storm clouds rolled in and that was all she wrote :-)

How was your day?!?

This Morning's Workout: 5x5 Kettlebell Cardio Circuit

2011-05-19T12:07:00.003-05:00

I designed this workout a few days ago. My clients did it last night (completed rounds 1-4 in about 65 mins). Since I was too exhausted, I did it this morning in its entirety. It builds upon the Bikes & Bells Workout we did on Tuesday, but has longer strength circuit rounds. I called it "5 x 5" (5-by-5) because it consists of 5 minutes of cardio followed by 5 minutes of strength conditioning. It took me 75 minutes to complete the workout, and I burned approx 780 calories. I did all of my cardio rounds on the treadmill so that I could get my 2 miles in for the day. I exceeded the target slightly and completed 2.07 miles total. The cardio rounds were a little longer than 5 minutes to allow for transition time and ramp-up. The objective, though, was to have 5 minutes of active working time in the cardio round, followed or preceeded by up to 1:00 of walking/jogging to get prepared. Enjoy!

Warm-up: Treadmill 5:00

Cardio 1: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 1 (5:00)
KB Swings (Cycled through ~0:30 on the 16kg, 20kg, 24kg for the 5:00 time)

Cardio 2: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 2 (5:00)
Alt Front Lunges with KB x 5/side (10 total reps)
KB Squat & Kick x 10/side
Step-ups x 10/side

Cardio 3: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 3 (5:00)
Turkish Getups (2R, 2L, then alternate 1/side to finish out the clock)

Cardio 4: Treadmill 5:00
Circuit 4 (5:00)
Complete as many rounds as you can in the 5:00 time
KB Dead Clean x 5L
KB 1H Swing x 5L
KB Snatch x 5L
Repeat all on the opposite side

Cardio 5: Treadmill (5:00)
Circuit 5 (5:00)
Complete as many rounds as you can in the 5:00 time
TRX Squat x 10
TRX Row x 10
TRX Chest Press x 10
TRX OH Tricep Press x 10

Later this evening, I will have a 30-minute endurance cycling class with my clients. It should be relaxing. My objective between now and then is to fuel my body properly and to hydrate. I woke up this morning pretty dehydrated, so I need to work on replenishing myself today. I was also drenched after this morning's workout, so I'm sure that my trace minerals are completely gone.

Until later....

Sharing Recipe: Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Sea Scallops

2011-05-18T22:23:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned a few posts back, I'm striving to go on more of a paleo diet for the next 30 days. I am actually trying to follow and learn about Mark Sisson's Primal Diet. Well, tonight I made a coconut pumpkin soup with sea scallops for dinner. Oh my goodness, it was simply outstanding, not to mention so quick and easy to make. I was literally licking my bowl as I ate my dinner - lol. If this is eating primal, then where have you been all of my life??!! Side Note: I made a pizza for my BF's dinner. I tasted a small slice, and it did not hold the same level of satisfaction that it once did. It didn't even taste good to me anymore, which is remarkable because the pizza that I cooked actually used to be my favorite. It's only been a few days of eating "primal," and my palate has already noticeably changed. I actually find my primal meals to be so much more satisfying and filling than when I often enjoyed and craved pasta, breads, and rice. The sugar cravings are also going away. I find comfort knowing that I can have a bit of fresh almond butter and dark chocolate to fight the cravings. A small serving is all that it takes. Anyway, I wanted to share the recipe for the soup. I wasn't sure if I was going to like coconut milk or coconut-anything, as I'm not a fan of coconut, but it was very tasty!

Coconut Pumpkin Soup with Ginger-Garlic Sea Scallops

Ingredients

1/2 lb sea scallops

1 small can Canned Pumpkin (organic if you can. My grocery store only had Libby brand)

3/4 can Coconut Milk (I used Taste of Thai brand Lite Coconut Milk)

3 cloves of Garlic, chopped

1T fresh ginger, chopped
Coconut oil and/or EVOO
Sea Salt & Pepper for seasoning
Handful of Blanched & Slivered Almonds, toasted (I only had whole, raw almonds. I crushed them and toasted.)
Fresh Basil & Cilantro for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400-degrees.
2. Rinse and pat dry scallops. Put them in a shallow dish and coat with EVOO. Season lightly with salt & pepper. I added a salt-free garlic & herb seasoning that I created as well. Top with garlic and ginger. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to marinate. (This marinade made the scallops burst with flavor! Simply outstanding!)
3. While the scallops are marinating, prepare the soup base. Pour the canned pumpkin and coconut milk in a saucepan. Heat slowly to a simmer. Season lightly with salt & pepper to taste. Do not let the coconut milk come to a boil, as it will separate. Allow to warm while you prepare the rest of the meal.
4. Line a cookie sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Add the almonds to the pan and place into the hot oven to toast/warm. Watch them carefully so that they don't burn.
5. Heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add scallops and all of the yummy ginger-garlic marinade. Cook the scallops 3-4 minutes per side, depending upon the size of the scallops.
6. Prepare soup bowls by adding soup base and 3-4 scallops per bowl (get some of that yummy ginger-garlic in that bowl as well). Top with almonds, fresh basil, and fresh cilantro.

Sit down, kick back, and Enjoy!!

I did not think that I would be full after eating a bowl of this, but I was. I even had enough leftover for another bowl. I'll plan to eat it for lunch tomorrow.

On another note, I found myself feeling really tired today. I didn't sleep well, and I was hungry for a large part of the day. I kept putting off my workout, and I was simply exhausted and unable to perform when my clients left tonight. I'll get a good night's sleep tonight and come back refreshed for tomorrow. I had a really great workout planned, too!

So Inspired...

2011-05-17T23:14:00.011-05:00

I've commented a few times about how inspired I feel every time that I watch this season of the Biggest Loser. I've only actively and consistently watched 2 very recent seasons (season 10 and season 12), which are both the Couples version of the show. I really like the comraderie and the genuine good nature of the teams on these two casts. Anyway, I think that the women on this season have done an incredible job with their weight loss, especially Irene. I thought she was such a beautiful woman (inside & outside) before her weight loss, and she looks absolutely amazing now! I especially love to see the transformation emotionally that the contestants have. I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be to psychologically change as quickly as the body has physically changed. That's probably a much more lengthy process. I'm always excited to see the finale, though I do think that they don't spend enough time on the winner at the end. It's like the live show is crunched for time and they go "okay, the winner is ...blah..." end of show...LOL.

I say all of this because these people lose hundreds of pounds in the span of 4-5 short months, and then even more for the finale. I gain inspiration because my desired weight loss of 35 pounds is no where near as much of an obstacle as what they've gone through. If they can do it, then so can I. I sometimes use the show as my benchmark...like weighing in each week and competing against them in my own way. I know it's silly, but I'm like if so-and-so lost 8 pounds this week, then why can't I? HAAA :-) I do realize that it is TV and their "weeks" may not be exactly 7 days, but the point is that it's kind of fun to try to keep up (even though I fell behind in my losses long ago - lol). I get frustrated with my progress. I am actually still at a plateau, and am working hard to get through it. I sometimes feel like throwing in the towel and accepting that this must be my new reality. Then, I see how they've changed, and I realize that it is most certainly NOT the end of the road and giving up is NOT an option. Changing the game and getting more focused on my goal is the ONLY option.

Hold steadfast to those goals, people. Keep progressing toward them every day, no matter how many plateaus or roadblocks that you face. It can be done, and you will be so much stronger for having weathered the journey. When you feel sad or frustrated, think about how far you've come and celebrate that progress. It helps making the next step much easier. Lastly, try to enjoy the journey and try not to put undue pressure or stress on yourself. I never understood what the phrase "be kind to yourself" really meant or how impactful it can be on your personal progress until I actually started to live those words.

Good night, all..... :-)

Tonight's Workout: FitGirl's Bikes & Bells Class

2011-05-17T14:50:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I have my "Bikes & Bells" class with my clients. I've been feeling out of it for the past 2 days. All I've wanted to do is sleep, and I have been feeling incredibly (unusually) dizzy all day today. I'm not sure if I have a touch of food poisoning. I made some korean style short ribs last night, but I bought the meat on Friday night. It may have sat too long in the fridge. Anyway, I hope to make it through my workout tonight. I'll post back with the verdict..lol...

ETA: This workout was JUST what I needed!! It was kick a$$ and FANTASTIC!! The body of our workout was right at 60 minutes, with about 7 minutes of stretching and post-workout chatter :-).

I set my GymBoss in manual mode with 2 intervals (5:00 and 3:30 to allow 30-seconds to transition off the bike to the bells). This was one tough workout!! Here's how we broke it down:

Warm-up: 5:00 on bike
Bike: 5:00 speed drills
Bells: 3:00 Swings @ 24kg (even did some 1H swings...a first for me!)
Bike: 5:00 Jumps on Hill
Bells: 3:00 Snatches (alt 3/side) @ 16kg
Bike: 5:00 Hills (4:00 at Standing Climb)
Bells: 3:00 Alternate between 5 Squats & 5 Alt. Lunges @ 16kg
Bike: 5:00 Sprints (4-0:30 sprints, mixed with recovery on flat)
Bells: 3:00 Triple Threat with Squat used 12kg and 16kg -- was really tough to curl 16kg
Bike: 5:00 Breakaways x 3
Cool-Down: 5:00 on bike
STRETCH

I burned about 740 calories with this workout (and my HRM is calibrated per my resting heart rate and limits are set using the Karvonean formula, so it's relatively accurate as far as estimated calorie expenditure is concerned.)

Anyway, give this workout a shot if you have an indoor cycling bike at home!

Sharing Recipe: Gluten-Free Dessert Crepes

2011-05-17T14:31:00.004-05:00

In my discussion with my nutrition coach on Friday, he suggested that I may have an issue with wheat/gluten sensitivity and intolerance. This is not the first time this has been suggested to me. He actually recommended that I start following either a gluten-free diet or a paleo diet. I decided to give it a shot. Anyway, I was craving dessert last night, and I came up with this dessert crepe creation.

I actually used to treat myself by going to a dessert crepe shop and getting a strawberry-banana dessert crepe with ice cream and nutella. I came up with a much healther option, without the sugar, fat, or gluten! It was a nice treat. Let me know if you try it!

FitGirl's Dessert Crepe Recipe

Ingredients

1 Gluten-Free Tortilla (I used Food-For-Life's Gluten-Free Brown Rice Tortilla)

Strawberries (3-4 depending on size), sliced
Almond Nut Butter (just enough to lightly spread on tortilla)
Frozen Cool-Whip Lite (or Rediwhip)
Optional: 1 square of dark chocolate, broken into smaller pieces (99% would be great, but 80% at least, to cut down on the sugar...and just 1 square :-)!! I used World Market's 99% Dark Chocolate Bar)
Optional: Banana slices (I used 1/4 of a small banana)

Directions:

1. Warm the tortilla in the microwave. I used about 30 seconds, and the toritlla was frozen.

2. Spread nut butter on the tortilla. I used just enough to cover about 3/4 of the tortilla.
3. Add sliced strawberries. If you're eating bananas, add those next. (I must admit that I used 1/4 of a small banana...couldn't resist!)
4. Put dollops of frozen Cool-Whip on the tortilla. (I used 2 dollups, approx 2.5 teaspoons.) I also think that Rediwhip could work, but it won't have the same consistency as frozen lite cool whip. I compared the two to see if they were similar in terms of sugar, calories, etc.
5. If using dark chocolate, sprinkle it on top or strategically position your chocolate pieces.
6. Fold and eat!

This was so yummy. It actually made quite a large (and filling) dessert. I recommend half as a single serving size, and sharing the other half. Alternatively, you could just use half of the tortilla for a single serving.

Enjoy!

Tonight's Workout: Skogg Intervals L3

2011-05-13T20:45:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I did Skogg Intervals L3. It was AWESOME! I used the 12kg for rounds 1 & 3, and the 16kg for round 2. That workout is tough, but I love it!! I finished up with about 10 minutes on my cycling bike.

I also had an excellent check-point meeting with my nutrition coach. He offered some sound advice and suggestions. He also reminded me to keep my OCD in check and offered hints for conquering some bad habits.

Tonight's Workout: Endurance Cycling

2011-05-12T20:43:00.001-05:00

Tonight, my clients and I did a 40-minute endurance indoor cycling class. It was really outstanding. I can't rave enough about how much I love endurance workouts. When I first started taking indoor cycling classes, endurance was my absolute least favorite. However, now that I've learned to concentrate and focus on the ride, it is actually my favorite. My endorphins were on high for the next 2 days after that workout!

Tonight's Workout - Circuit Training

2011-05-10T19:55:00.003-05:00

Tonight's workout was just fantastic! I'm getting so much energy and endurance back. The eating plan for the 60-day challenge is working. I'm seeing noticeable results, feeling good about myself, and all of that encourages me to push harder & longer during my workouts and eat clean outside of the gym. I put together a really fun workout tonight. I just loved it, and I pushed myself to the limits once again.

Warm-up (5 mins): 5:00 on the elliptical + light stretching

Circuit Workout (40 mins):
Complete the following circuit as many times as possible in 40 minutes:
2H KB Swings x 20
KB OH Squat x 5/side
TRX Rows x 10
Push-ups x 10
Treadmill x 2:00-3:00 (take a few seconds to warm-up, jog or run for 2:00, take another few seconds to come down)

Cool-Down (15 mins): 5:00 treadmill walking, 10:00 spin bike

My Results: I made it through 6 complete rounds in 40 minutes, and I was going HEAVY on those swings. I really focused on getting a good bend in my knees, creating a powerful hip snap, and "hiking" the bell through my legs on the decent. I was drenched in sweat after this workout. I put my clients through the same main circuit tonight; they alternated between the bike and treadmill on the cardio segment. They did great, and made it through 4 rounds plus final 1:30 of treadmill/bike.

Exercise	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6
2H KB Swings	16kg	20kg	20kg	24kg	24kg (5-2H, 5-1HL, 5-1HR, 5-2H)!!	20kg
KB OH Squats	16kg	16kg	12kg	12kg	12kg	12kg
TRX Rows	Mid-Row	Mid-Row Alt Leg Lifts - 5L, 5R	Mid-Row Alt Leg Lifts - 5L, 5R	Low Row	Low Row	Low Row on knees!
Push Ups	On Toes	On Toes Alt leg up - 5L, 5R	Spider PushUps On Toes	On Toes Stacked	On Toes	On Knees Slow & Deep
Treadmill	2:20	3:15	2:30	2:05	2:15	2:10

Oh, and I burned about 750 calories during this workout! AWESOME!

MB45 Advanced DVD - Pre-Order now available!

2011-05-10T08:43:00.003-05:00

I posted a few weeks ago raving about the MB45 Essentials workout. It's actually one of the 2 DVDs that I have in my workout rotation for this month in conjunction with Skogg System workouts. I mentioned that an Advanced version of MB45 is in the works. Well, I received the announcement today that the pre-sale for the new Advanced DVD is here!! I think the DVD will ship sometime in early June, but don't quote me on that. You can find the MB45 Advanced workout in the MBody store. If you don't yet have a copy of MB45 Essentials, I also suggest that you pick that up too; you need it in your life :-) (and keep in mind that Essentials does not mean Easy...my any stretch of the imagination - lol).

Bottom line: I am very impressed with MBody Strength. The way they train in their gym is the way that I like to train myself. I enjoy their articles, videos, and training programs alot. Keep doing good work, MBody team!!!

Disclaimer Note: I am not being remunerated for my endorsement of this or any MBody strength product. I simply really loved the Essentials DVD and have been excited about the release of the Advanced version. I plan to add it to my DVD library and can't wait to do so!

Here's a description of the MB45 Advanced workout (from the product page at the MBody store):

The long awaited sequel to the MB45 Essentials is finally on its way!

The MB45 Advanced Workout is going to take your strength and conditioning to a whole new level with tougher exercises, combinations and sets then the MB45 Essentials.

The MB45 Advanced Plan is geared to drop serious body-fat and gain some serious strength!

You'll need two Kettlebells for this barrel of fun!
With exercises like:
-Double Snatches
-Double Swings
-Gorilla Cleans
-Outside the Leg Cleans
-Alternating Floor Press
-See Saw Press
-And much more!

With the MB45 Advanced you will get:
-Three full-body workouts that will take under 50 minutes and tons of cool new exercises. These workouts ain't yo momma's kettlebell workouts. These are the real deal! A killer combination of strength and conditioning.

-A short core workout that will take under 20 minutes. This is a great workout to loosen up from a tough week while giving your core a great workout.

-Full instructional section

-Full nutrition plan designed from our in-house nutrition specialist and trainer, Sam. She's not gonna just throw some crazy eating plan at you. This is based off of her years of research and studies.

-Full schedule that will give you the BEST results from this plan.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT SOME RANDOM PLAN!

As with all plans from MBody, this program was and is still being used by groups at the MBody Training Center with our clients getting great results as well as a handful of Secret Service agents.
The consensus has been the same all around…

This workout is BRUTAL!

However, if you don't feel ready for something that intense don't fret. There are ways to make it easier which are fully explained during each session so there is a workout for everyone.

Of course, anytime you have questions you can contact us at info@mbodystrength.com and we will be more than happy to help!

A great way to get results and show us that the plan is working for you is to take before and after pics. We love to see the results people get. They can truly be life-changing!

If you're convinced then scroll on up and hit the order button. You will not be disappointed! If you are we'll be more than happy to send your money back. That's how confident we are in this program.

Don't delay! It's time to get you into fighting shape and get your body to it's ultimate potential.

Tonight's Workout - Circuit Training

2011-05-09T20:46:00.064-05:00

Tonight's workout was another good one! I did my workout immediately after my client left. One person in the group didn't show up, so I actually did part of the workout with the person who came. Anyway, the main circuit was loosely inspired by a workout that I saw in Men's Health Magazine. Of course, I made my own modifications and substitutions to change the overall flow of the drills and account for the ability level of my class.
After class, I completed another round of the main circuit, but instead of taking the 0:30 of rest, I did treadmill work anywhere from 0:45 to 2:00 of jogging/running. I trended on the longer end of 2:00 treadmill rounds once I got the hang of it. Once I reached a mile, I did steep, slow incline walking during the transition periods. I was definitely on a mission as I completed it. As I've mentioned before, I just despise running/jogging of any type. However, tonight I was just focused on meeting the goal. I was so proud of myself. The workout was tough on its own, and the treadmill work just made it all that more demanding. I finished with 1 round of bonus circuit 1. It took me about 45 minutes. I was DRENCHED at the end of my workout!
Circuit (2-3x)
Perform each exercise for 1:00, with 0:30 rest in between.
More advanced exercisers can either do jogging sets during the rest periods or shorten the rest to 0:20.
DB Goblet Squats
Mountain Climbers/Glute Bridges (can be done on the floor, stability ball, TRX)
2H KB Swings
TRX Chest Press (could sub with Push-Ups or T-Pushups)
Jumping Jacks/High Knees (0:30 per exercise)
1-Arm DB Rows (0:30/side)
3-Way DB Lunges - Front, Side, Back (use bodyweight if DB's are too challenging)
DB Matrix: Bicep Curl into OH Press into RDL (this is a very slow, deliberate exercise)
Rest 2:00

Bonus Circuit 1
Advanced exercisers should double the reps on all exercises
KB Squat (hold bell by belly) x 5
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
Rack KB Squat & Kick x 5/side
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
KB OH Back Lunge x 5 (if back lunges are too tough, change it to a front lunge)
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
2H KB Swings x 10
KB Squat & Push Press (hold bell by belly) x 5
BW Squats x 10

Bonus Circuit 2
Beginners should complete 2 times (L, R).
Intermediate exercisers should complete 4 times (L, R, L, R).
Advanced exercisers should count one time on the Left and one time on the Right as 1 time through the circuit and do 5 total rounds.
TGU x 2L
OH Squat x 2L
Windmill x 2L
2H Swing x 10

An Interesting Observation about Swings

2011-05-08T11:30:00.002-05:00

Over the past few months, I've come to the realization that my body has become incredibly efficient at performing the kettlebell swing.... almost too efficient. What say you?? Too efficient?? How can this be?!?

Let me be very clear about my statement. I did NOT say that the kettlebell swing is by any means easy or ineffective. I simply said that after many years of swinging, my body has become used to the movement and very efficient at performing it. I do not feel the key activation in my posterior chain as much as I used to.

My efficiency with the swing really became prevalent to me when I was watching Skogg 101 - the instructional DVD of the Skogg System (yes, I do like to revisit basics time and time) and again when I taught a kettlebell orientation to my newest group of clients about 2 months ago. My training partner also commented that she could tell that I was used to high rep swings and snatches, which is true. I also recall an old AOS Minute of Strenth video (#162 - embedded below) that addressed this very issue. I actually perform my swings much like Collin demonstrates in the first part of the video.

I don't have a Bulldog Collar (shown in the video) to help make my body overcome the complacency in the movement. However, I do have a simple solution that I've been practicing on my own, and I find that it's working for me (and, like Anthony says, using a heavier bell hasn't always been the answer for this one).

My Solution: I am actually bending my knees a more and forcing ("football hiking") the bell back farther through my legs. BUT, there is a marked difference between bending my knees more to perform the swing and squatting. I am not squatting at all (nor should you). I am placing the emphasis on loading my hamstrings, using a powerful hip drive/snap, and creating the crease/fold at the top of my hips to execute the swing. Thus far, increasing the bend in my knees is accomplishing several things for me during my swing:
1) I am re-loading my hamstrings more with each repetition
2) my hip snap is powerful and more pronounced
3) my heart rate is getting up higher and feeling more like it did when I picked up the bell the very first time (and was sucking wind when I tried to do a 2 consecutive minutes of swings..lol - memories!)

I'll keep practicing, with variations of swings and kettlebell sizes, and see if this helps my body see the swing as a new exercise again.

Anyway, those are my thoughts for today.
Happy Mother's Day to all of the Moms out there!

The break down continued from art of strength on Vimeo.

Today's Workout - Keith Weber Extreme Kettlebell Cardio vol 1

2011-05-07T18:40:00.001-05:00

Today was an outstanding workout! I was very proud of myself for getting through it. Today, I wanted to conquer Keith Weber's Extreme KB Cardio, vol 1. I've never been able to complete the workout any of the three times that I tried it in the past. In fact, I only made it through the first round at with effort. I simply felt that the pace was too fast for me (but something to work up to), and I think that I kept going too heavy with my kettlebell. I absolutely love this workout, and was ready to make it mine today! Since this is an endurance workout (similar to AOS Newport), I decided to use my 8kg bell (as recommended). Instead of following along with the DVD, I wrote the entire workout down, and went at my own pace. It took me about 70 minutes to do the workout (included a few water & talking breaks :-) ). Regardless, that was the ticket...I am so proud that I finally completed the entire workout, and it was so much fun! I can't wait to do it again!! The 8kg was just right. It will take a while to graduate up the 12kg for this workout, very similar for my personal experience with AOS Newport as well. I'm looking forward to sticking to my goal of doing this workout a few more times this month. The cardio effect is incredible. This workout was a great booster, and I definitely feel it metabolically 7 hours later. I'll plan to move to vol 2 later in the summer :-)

As for the earlier part of this week, my training has been great (although my blogging has not - lol). I got in 3 KB-only workouts this week (Sun, Mon, Sat), 1 indoor cycling class COMBINED with kettlebells (Thurs), 3 treadmill cardio workouts (Sun, Mon, Wed), and 2 days off (Tues/Fri). It's been a really good week. I was very weak on Thursday due to "lady issues," but I'm back in action now. I still plan to get in some additional cardio later tonight.
My nutrition this week has also been pretty good, but there were a few days when I didn't eat quite enough (stress again). It's a constant balancing act, but I'm getting better at it.

How has your training week been?

Cheers!

Tonight's Workout

2011-05-02T20:33:00.010-05:00

Man oh man...Tonight I put together a great workout for my clients. I've been doing parts of it for the past few days. It's a good one. I did portions of the workout with them tonight :-) I'll be doing the full, uninterrputed version later this week. Yippeee!!

Circuit 1 (2x)
1:00 per exercise, 0:45 rest in between each exercise
KB Dead Squat-Catch-KB Squat (similar to AOS Providence Round 8, minus the flip)
Push Ups (or step-ups depending on how strong you feel, 0:30/leg)
Stability Ball or Floor Crunches
KB Floor Chest Press (0:30/arm)
Treadmill Walk/Jog/Run/Sprint (pick whichever option works best for your fitness level)

Circuit 2 (2x)
KB Triple Threat with Squat (KB Curl, Press, Tricep Extension, Squat; all holding bell by the belly) x 10 reps
DB See Saw Presses (in lunge position) x 12-16 (borrowed from Shaun T's Asylum Strength)
"Squat Thrust Climbers" x 5-10 (DB Squat, Jump Back, 10 Mountain Climbers, jump in, stand up)
"Triple Squat Thrust Climbers" x 5-10 (3 DB Squats, Jump Back, Push Up, 10 Mountain Climbers, jump in, stand up)

Circuit 3 (1-2x)
2:00 per exercise, 0:45 rest in between each exercise.
(alternatively, you can perform 1:00 per exercise, depending on how you feel)
Alt DB Lunges
KB Snatches (alternating 3/side)
KB Swings - Mixed
TRX Jump Squats/Squats

Finisher (1x, time & energy permitting)
Max Reps per exercise, using either your body weight or the TRX:
TRX/BW Squats
TRX/BW Push-Ups
TRX/BW Mountain Climbers
TRX/BW Planks

Tonight's group made it through circuits 1-3. They performed circuit 3 once and chose the 1:00 option. They did a fantastic job!! It's hard to believe that 7 weeks ago, these ladies were brand new to exercising, and they now have the endurance and strength to make it through a workout like this. They had never seen a kettlebell, and they are now swinging and snatching like experts. I am truly awed by them, and am very proud of all of their progress and accomplishments. Way to go!!

Almost at the Halfway Point..

2011-05-02T12:26:00.003-05:00

Well, I am on Day 28 of my 60-day challenge, and my success rate is not where I want it to be. I've let other issues (albeit very pressing issues) stress me out and deter me off of my course, particularly over the past 2 weeks. However, I am recommitting that I WILL finish this challenge successfully. I'm getting great results; I just need to be more consistent. I'll definitely try to extend it out to 90 days total as best I can. I also really need to manage my stress levels, which is a day-to-day challenge.

Anyway, I came to the realization today that I am probably like a kid in a candy store when it comes to exercise. There are so many things that I want to do/try/experience, that I get distracted by the "ohhh..shiny" mentality. I also have a hard time following just DVDs for any super long period of time. I do enjoy designing my own workouts, and I tend to do them. They integrate kettlebells, ropes, sandbags, med balls, TRX suspension trainers, etc, and I enjoy the integrated approach very much. That's not to discredit any system or protocol that I have followed to date; they are all outstanding tools, otherwise I wouldn't use them at all!

That being said, I still plan to continue focusing on at least 4 KB workouts per week, but I will use additional workouts in my library in addition to my Skogg System (which I just LOVE)!! My favorite Skogg workout is Flow, followed by Ladders in a close 2nd position. I do want to incorporate more high rep metabolic work, which is where my other DVDs will come in. This month, I want to include MB45 Essentials and Keith Weber's Extreme KB Cardio Vol 1 into my routine. I plan to do one of these DVDs as 2 of the 4 KB workouts per week. The other 2 workouts will be Skogg workouts. I want to play around with this method to see how I do. I've been reflecting quite a bit about my initial journey with kettlebells. After I learned and felt comfortable with the basics, I used AOS Providence religiously once per week and AOS Newport approx once every 2 weeks for 3 months (an entire summer). Granted, I did plenty of other things around those workouts (lifting weights, extra cardio, teaching Spinning), but my body really exceled with that combination of activity (and clean eating of course). Anyway, to net it out, sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my own DVD collection and get distracted by "the shiny". So, I think it would be fun to just focus on a few key workouts. I'll let you know how this goes..:-).

All that being said, I want to stress that for me, the most important part of this experience hasn't been the exercise component. It's absolutely the nutrition component. The plan that I'm following is very reasonable, and through it, I have discovered a love for many new foods. I also have been able to share my experience and journey with my clients, which is so much fun. I need to focus on buckling down and keeping everything aligned for the next 30 days, but I'm taking it all one day at a time.

Today, I did Paul Katami's Kettlebell Drills DVD. Yesterday, I did Paul Katami's Kettlebell Kombos DVD along with some treadmill walking (I love my Woodway Path!). A friend let me borrow these 2 workouts, so I wanted to try them out and get them back to her. I've had them for far too long and wanted to get them out to her today.

How are your training and nutrition coming along? What have you learned about yourself along the journey?

My Garage Gym Makeover

2011-04-28T16:21:00.000-05:00

I have been so excited over the past week, as I found some great deals on gym equipment. I can say that my masterpiece is almost complete. It's taken me 8 years to get the gym this far, and I'm so proud of what we've accomlished. It's hard to imagine that in 2003, we started with an elliptical, a step, and a stability ball. My how we've grown!

We've been feverishly working over the past several days to position our new equipment while making the gym functional. Aside from the addition of one piece of equipment down the road, we have finished the process. Welcome to the new look of the Underground! If you want to come train with us, just fill out my contact form! You can view our blog site anytime at http://atxunderground.blogspot.com/.

Here's a trip down memory lane.... :-)

September 2005

October 2007

April 2011

Day 22: Getting back in focus...

2011-04-25T08:19:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned last week, I tore up my hands and had to back off of my kettlebell workouts. I also hurt my wrist last Saturday when I was filling my Wavemaster with water and sand. I took some sand from my 50lb sandbag and used it to help fill the Wavemaster. Well, the filler bag (with 50 pounds of sand) fell on my wrist. It's been twingy all week.

Anyway, my hands at least seem healed enough to resume L2 workouts again, so that will be my emphasis this week. I'll take it easy with snatches and such to make sure my wrist is protected. I also stopped by Academy on Friday night and got some new gloves. I tried using football gloves with full finger coverage, but they seemed to catch and generate friction to make my torn hands worse. I found some Bionic Women's gloves at Academy. They're kind of tight, but I wanted to see if they would help. My friend, Lisa Shaffer, recommended them a while back so I decided to give them a try. They are pricer than what I like to spend on gloves, but if they help me get back into training faster and safer, then they'll be worth the investment IMO.

Focus for this week: I noticed that last week, I stopped planning and advance prep of my meals, so my nutrition is lagging behind. My emphasis and focus this week will be on getting structure and routine back. I'll have a couple of time consuming events this week, so planning will be more imperative than ever. I really want to do better about having my meals ready in advance. I do so much better about staying on track when I have them ready to go. From an exercise point of view, I want to get 3-4 Skogg workouts in this week, along with cardio at least 5 out of 7 days this week.

Anyway, I'm off to grab breakfast, plan today's meals, and start cleaning the gym.. Yesterday's delivery was cancelled due to bad weather, and we will try again today. While I am glad that they'll be coming today, it does mean that I'll be rushed this afternoon to get the gym back in order for my evening clients. It will be hectic for sure, so I better eat my Wheaties today!

I'll post back later....

Day 21: Happy Easter!!! (took day off)

2011-04-24T20:19:00.015-05:00

Today was a good day. Started it off with church and then came home to get ready for the gym delivery. I took time to make phone calls to friends and family (which is meaningful as I don't enjoy talking on the phone). I also decided to cook Easter dinner at the last minute. I hadn't planned on it at all, but it didn't feel like Easter without having Easter dinner. As a result, I'm giving myself a full day off from my eating plan to enjoy the foods that I will prepare for dinner. I'll keep it reasonable, but I do plan to have some ice cream for dessert.

ETA: the gym delivery was cancelled due to heavy rain & winds...Dinner turned out well, and there are leftovers (none of which I'll be enjoying). I had my ice cream for dessert, and made a banana pudding as well. I only tasted the pudding, as I didn't want to go overboard. The rest will be taken to work tomorrow for office treats :-) Whenever I get an urge to bake treats, I just send them to the office the next day by way of my bf.

Anyway, tomorrow will mark me getting back on track. My hands have healed enough to probably do some short KB workouts, and I'm going to try to get motivated to do more cardio this week. Last week, I was bogged down emotionally with other things and there were many days where my schedule was just packed. I can't wait for my days to become more predictable. It makes sticking to a schedule alot easier.

Hope everyone had a happy Easter!!

Day 20: Gym Re-Organization Day!!

2011-04-23T01:36:00.006-05:00

Well, I spent the better part of 5 hours today working in the gym. We got 3 new horse stall mats (from Tractor Supply Company) to complete the mat layout on the main workout floor. If you've never moved a stall mat, they are heavy. I was sweating buckets. Luckily we had a very cool breeze today, which was nice! In addition to installing the flooring (and sweeping, mopping, etc), we moved alot of equipment around to improve overall functionality. Tomorrow the treadmill and bikes will be delivered. We will finish placing everything once they arrive. I sold a few pieces of equipment that I don't use much anymore to make room for the newer stuff. Like I said yesterday, all that's left now will be to add the Versaclimber, a new rope, and a few new kettlebells once the renovation is complete. It's looking good, but I'm exhausted now :-)

Time to take a hot shower and cuddle up with a movie of some sort.

This has been a better week!

2011-04-23T00:27:00.001-05:00

My oh my how this week has flown by! I just realized that it's now Saturday, and I haven't posted an update since Monday! Even though last week was killer, this week was brand new, and I treated it as such! I was able to score some really great equipment for my garage gym at a deep, deep discount. I am adding 3 indoor cycling bikes and a Woodway treadmill (been wanting one of those for several years!). All that's left to make me happy will be my Versaclimber, a new rope, and a few more kettlebells...I know it's coming soon :-) So, I am truly having a great week so far! Next week will be even better, as my current group of clients are going to test drive my small group indoor cycling classes for 4 weeks before I launch them mainstream.

So, tomorrow I will be working on the gym and getting ready for the equipment delivery on Sunday afternoon.

Lastly, I just wanted to wish everyone who celebrates a Happy Easter. This is the most holy of Christian holidays to me. I feel very blessed for the gift and celebration of life. I know sometimes it's hard to see the forest through the trees, but I'm learning that sometimes we aren't supposed to see it until someone else is ready for us to. Be faithful and good servants... :-)

Day 15: Late Start, but Good Day

2011-04-18T23:13:00.002-05:00

Today is a full day of work, clients, and other stuff. I'm going to do my best to keep the stress levels at bay and just enjoy getting things done one at a time.

I was a bit off schedule this morning. I woke up, tended to a few things around the house, took my supplments, and immediately started working. I'd fully intended on doing my morning workout, eating, and then starting my work day. However, the minute I sit down at the computer to do something "quickly," I wind up spending time accomplishing other tasks on my to-do list. Anyway, I was still able to get in my morning workout before continuing on with my day. However, my eating schedule has been somewhat compressed as a result.

Exercise Component
I wanted to get a treadmill workout in first thing to continue flushing the lactic acid and soreness from my body. Boy, it was actually just what I needed! I took a break around 9AM to get 45 minutes on the treadmill done. I mostly walked and jogged at various speeds and inclines. I think that this week I will reintroduce more walking (either treadmill or outdoors) into my routine, striving for 20-30 minutes each day to supplement everything else that I'm doing. The good thing is that the analgesic cream was still on my skin, and I felt my muscles warming and responding to it during and after my workout.

Later today, I still plan to get in a Skogg Flow workout, but I haven't quite decided which level to do. I will more than likely lighten up the weight since I'm still pretty sore, probably to 12kg. I want to get some additional stretching and foam rolling in at some point today as well, probably before I go to bed.

Updated to add: I did Skogg Flow at level 3 with the 12kg tonight. However, I cut and filed my calluses over the weekend. Unfortunately, I filed them too low, and they started to tear and blister slightly. So, I stopped the kettlebell portion of my workout early. I made it up the ladder from rungs 1 to 5. It felt great. I love Flow. It's my favorite workout in the series. I can't wait to really tackle it with the 16kg. Anyway, until my hands heal, I'd better train smart and do short KB workouts with moderate weight. I should know better than to have trimmed them so low; I was being somewhat vain and not wanting to have hard, rough calluses when shaking hands in a professional setting.

Nutritrion Component
As a result of my workout, I was kind of late eating my first meal. I'll do my best to get back on schedule throughout the day. Updated to Add: Mission accomplished. My eating today was rock solid and in 100% compliance. I recovered even after a late start. I also managed to get in all of my supplements as well. I haven't felt hungry or had any sugar cravings today. Yippeee!! I also drank plenty of water and have generally felt good today (though still a bit sore). BTW - I am sooo on a quinoa kick (as if you couldn't tell from the quinoa for breakfast recipe post earlier today). I can't wait to have some for breakfast tomorrow morning. I also had some for dinner tonight :-) I love the fact that it counts as a carbohydrate/starch and has a substantial amount of protein as well. I think that's why my main meals have been so filling today because of the protein, healthy fat, and carbohydrate combination.

Make it a great one, people!

Sharing: Quinoa for Breakfast Ideas

2011-04-18T07:56:00.005-05:00

I always thought that I was limited to using quinoa in lunch or dinner dishes. However, yesterday during an internet search about the origin of quinoa, I discovered that it can also be eaten as a breakfast dish. Naturally, I had to try to find some palatable recipes. I came across Cookie & Kate's blog, where they'd just posted a series of recipes and photographs for breakfast quinoa recipes, which I can't wait to try! I wanted to share the information here as well. I plan to try one of the recipes for breakfast after my cardio workout today, but will not prepare the recipes with milk.

Here are a few pictures (with credits to the source) to futher entice you to give quinoa for breakfast a try:

Original Recipe from Joy the Baker
Recipe URL: http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2011/04/breakfast-quinoa-with-toasted-coconut-almonds-and-fresh-mango/

Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa from Heidi Swanson @ 101 Cookbooks
Recipe URL: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/warm-and-nutty-cinnamon-quinoa-recipe.html

Cookie & Kate's Warm Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa
URL: http://cookieandkate.com/2011/breakfast-quinoa/

Day 14: Sunday is a good day

2011-04-17T18:57:00.002-05:00

Well, today has been really good thus far. I will preface by saying that I am indeed sore from yesterday's deck of cards workout (the squats for sure). However, I have a positive attitude and have been operating according to schedule today. I'm feeling good about how this day will finish up.

Nutrition Component
Today my supplementation, eating, and hydration have all been excellent. I've been eating on schedule and am on track to get in all 5 meals today. The same with the water intake. I'll be well over 1 Gallon before the night is up. I made a delicious lunch today after my cardio workout. It was a homemade chicken salad over a bed of spinach, tomato, cucumber, and a few pieces of avocado. It was filling and fantastic. I plan to eat some bison, quinoa, and salad for dinner, post-workout #2. I also started a new supplementation regimen today. I am looking forward to how it will impact my results in a few weeks.

Exercise Component
I'd planned to get a cardio workout in this morning before church, but that didn't happen. So, I did my cardio this afternoon around 3PM. I got in 35 minutes on the elliptical, and kept my heart rate pretty high the entire time. I did an interval style workout for the majority of the session. My legs were a little sore, but I pushed through it. I needed to flush out the lactic acid from yesterday's workout. I finished my day off by doing Asylum: Speed & Agility, followed by 15-minutes of Asylum: Relief. Let me just say that Asylum is no joke! It was so tough. I went at my own pace and have alot to work up to. Adding the extra stretching at the end really helped my already sore muscles!! I also did some foam rolling and applied analgesic cream (think: Icy Hot) before bed.

Plan for Tomorrow
Tomorrow will present a Skogg workout. I want to do Level 3 Flow with my workout partner. Though, I'm really sore right now, and I'll have to play it by ear. It may behoove me to move my next kettlebell workout to Tuesday and get in cardio & stretching tomorrow instead. We will see what happens after a good night's rest....

Day 13: A better day, finally

2011-04-16T17:11:00.002-05:00

Today has been really great so far. I spent about an hour this morning finally filling my Wavemaster. I really wanted to use my bag later today for a kickboxing workout. Not to mention, I've been teaching my clients some shadow boxing, and I wanted to fill it for them to make some real contact with the bag. It took me so long to fill that thing, and it was so messy. I decided to fill it with sand and water this time around. Anyway, it's ready to rock now, so maybe I'll use it later tonight or tomorrow. Anyway, I digress...

This afternoon, I had my best workout of the week so far thanks to my AWESOME accountability partner. Today was our first workout together. Her energy was so fantastic, and just what I needed. We are going to work well together. She really pushed me through one of my nemesis exercises (squats), and it was great! For the record: Hoff, I want to look like you when I grow up :-)

Exercise Component: We did a deck of cards with all kettlebell movements.
Warm-up: 200 Swings (140 2H swings, 40 1H swings, 20 H2H swings)

Deck of Cards Workout: (all reps done on each side, except for squats)
Hearts: 1H Swings
Diamonds: Push Presses
Clubs: Snatch/High Pulls
Spades: Squats
Aces & Faces: 10 Reps
Jokers: REST

Cool-down: 200 Swings
I plan to get in some additional cardio later today.

Nutrition Component: My eating today has also been very good and back on track. My mood is still up & down, but at least for right now, I feel like I'm in a good place.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend so far!

Day 10: Full of disappointment

2011-04-13T22:41:00.002-05:00

This has not been a good day. I received many pieces of disappointing news. Most significantly, my Versaclimber had already been sold. They had one in stock, but it wasn't the model that I wanted. So, the search continues...DRAT!! I might just have to consider buying one brand new...they usually have a sale around this time of year. If something big happens in my life, I'll do it...otherwise, the search continues...I will find you my beautiful Versaclimber!!

Today's Eating: Once again, my appetite has been gone. I had to force myself to eat today. I didn't eat enough. And the disappointing news (more than just the Versaclimber) just increased my stress levels and made it even more impossible to eat. I'm baking a piece of fish and will try to eat it before bed.

Today's Workout: didn't happen. I'd planned to workout before my clients arrived (and I had school tonight), but that's when I got the other disapointing news, which I won't post about.

This is turning out to be a really shi*ty week. I'll try to improve my attitude. I seriously don't see tomorrow being any better. I have another round of interviews from 1-5PM, then clients, then class from 6:30-9:30PM. I'm going to be exhausted, I already know it...

Sleep...here I come...Tomorrow is a new day...

Day 9: A good day for a dinner party...

2011-04-12T21:59:00.001-05:00

I was truly exhausted and slept in really late today. I didn't wake up until almost 11AM. Then, I had to get the house and myself ready for a dinner party that I was hosting. I didn't eat much today. I had a protein drink shortly after getting up and then went shopping for my dinner party with my clients. I had a late lunch which consisted of simply a salad. I couldn't eat much...still feeling anxious waiting for a decision from yesterday..I really want the job...

Anyway, I invited my clients over to show them a few ways to prepare meals as part of their 60-day challenge plan. I cooked, hosted, and entertained for 2 hours. The problem with doing that is that I didn't eat any food myself. I started the ladies off with a sample breakfast. We then had a snack, followed by lunch, dinner, and dessert. I felt proud to share with them some of the ways that I've learned to make clean, healthy food taste delicious over the years. They seemed to enjoy themselves and the food. Their smiles at the end made it all worth it to me. When they left, I finally sat down to enjoy a meal.

In other news, I FINALLY FOUND a Versaclimber in the exact make and model that I've been wanting for the past 2 years. I will finalize the sale tomorrow. It's a bit premature, as I wanted to buy it only if the outcome of the interviews was positive and in my favor. However, this deal is so sweet that I'd be a fool to pass it up. So, Versaclimber, here we come baby (FINALLY)!!!! I am very AMPED about this. I don't want to get too excited, though, until the deal closes tomorrow :-) All I know is that I've been looking for a Versaclimber in this exact model for the past 2 years. I've come close to getting one several times, but have fallen short each time. This is the strongest lead that I've had in 2 years (other than buying one at full retail price). I am so excited I have butterflies. I keep dreaming about my Versaclimber...could this finally be it?!? Tomorrow will tell :-D

Well, I'm feeling tired still, so I'm going to bed early. I did not work out today, and I don't see myself doing it now at 10PM.

All in all, I really need to refocus this train and get on the right track for the rest of the week. I'm learning alot about myself in that when I get really stressed out, I barely eat, and I also turn to the wrong things. I felt so much better when I was eating the right foods that gave me energy and good health. I'm going to say a prayer before bed that I make better choices tomorrow.

Good night, all....

Day 8: Skogg Flow Level 1

2011-04-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

Man, today has been really tough to get myself on track. I had a very important meeting/interview all morning. I was under alot of stress getting myself ready for it. When that happens, I have a hard time focusing on my eating. We also had lunch as part of my interview today. I ate sensibly, which I was proud of. However, afterwards, I felt the need to "treat" myself, and it went downhill from there. I feel really lost today....lost in terms of focus. I'm making poor choices for no real reason. Perhaps this is an emotional response to the stress that I've been under. No matter what, I have to get things in check....tomorrow is a new day and a chance to start again...I did get in a flow workout (my favorite), and it felt really nice tonight!
I am having some anxiety about the rest of the week. I have class on Wed and Thursday night, which means several hours of sitting. I usually get somewhat stressed out on class nights because I am left trying to figure out how to squeeze my workout in.

I am going to sleep early, as I feel completely drained from the stress of today. I'm glad it's over (and it went VERY well), but I am so wiped out...

Nighty night all...

Day 7: Just took some time off

2011-04-10T21:45:00.001-05:00

Sundays are usually the days that I rest & worship. Today was no exception, and I did alot of running around in preparation for several important meetings/interviews throughout the week.

So, I took the day off from exercise.
Nutrition was pretty solid today, but I didn't do a good job of using my DietSnaps food journal.

Day 6: Definitely sore...but it's a beautiful day!

2011-04-09T10:51:00.010-05:00

As I expected, I woke up with sore spots in my neck and shoulders, where those trigger points were activated during the massage last night -- which is a good thing for me!  I am happy about that because I finally got some relief. I do still feel relaxed, and I slept well. This morning I lounged in bed for a little while, and then I made a protein drink. I added a little ginseng to see if it'd give me an energy boost; I'm feeling sluggish. My energy is DRAINED due to mother nature issues...yay...lol

Anyway, as also expected, today is a BEAUTIFUL day, and I want to PLAY! I'm so excited. I can't decide if I'm going to do my kettlebell work inside or outside. I'm considering going to the track and doing Providence or Newport like I used to. That was my Saturday ritual during the summer of 2006. I'd go to the track, do a kettlebell workout of some kind, and add in other metabolic drills..and sweat it out for an hour or so.  Those were the days when my kettlebell training was at its peak. I want to get that back..and it's coming back slowly with the help of my regular use of the Skogg System. There's nothing like the feeling of the sun warming my muscles and taking in the fresh air. I also definitely want to get out on my bike for a ride.

I'll post back later with my activity report and review of Challenge Day 6.

Exercise Component
I was moved to go outside and workout today. So, I packed up my bells, a mat, and my Sony Wireless MP3 player and went out to the track. I did the first 7 rounds of AOS Providence, and I did round 1-3 twice. So, I essentially did 10 rounds total. My warmup consisted of 100 swings @ 16kg followed by 2 rounds of flow intervals performing cleans, presses, windmills, high pulls, and snatches with the 12kg (5 reps per exercise). It was a great workout and took me about 45 minutes to the whole thing. Later on I still hope to ride my bike and do another short KB workout. Later in the day, I was even able to get out for a short bike ride (about 20 mins or so). It was so windy that I cut my ride short. Even still, it was such a lovely day.

Nutrition Component
Well, my day started off according to plan. It is strange, though, I wasn't able to eat all of my food for each meal; I'm not quite sure why. However, tonight for my dinner meal, I fell off track. I ate bread with my shrimp-topped salad AND 2 cookies for dessert.  Once again, failing to plan, leads to a failed effort.....I accept full responsibility and will do a better job of staying on course tomorrow.

Day 5: No Workout + A Much Needed Massage

2011-04-08T22:38:00.015-05:00

My stress levels have been through the roof lately. Today was yet another long interview day (about 4 hours straight). I was so exhausted when I got home, and I still had yet another interview pending yesterday (which never happened). So, instead of exercising last night, I took some time off and got a long overdue massage. The knots in my shoulders and neck were becoming unbearable. The pain became especially prevalent the other night when I was doing snatches; my traps, neck, and shoulders were very tense and sore, and not from DOMS. It literally felt like the knots and tension were so strong that there was no blood circulating through those areas of my body. So, I took the night off and gave my body what it needed. I'm positive that I'll be sore tomorrow - LOL - but it will be worth it. I used to get massages twice a month to address these stress issues, but that was a few years ago when I could afford it regularly.

Anyway, good night all...tomorrow is a new day!

Day 4 - Has been a blur

2011-04-07T22:54:00.004-05:00

I forgot to blog on Day 4, so I actually don't remember much of it. All I remember is that it was a non-stop day, and I was exhausted, bloated, and tired all day. I had class tonight, and then had to come home to get ready for my interview in the morning. I have a feeling that tomorrow won't be much better....but at least it will be Friday :-)

Skogg 60-Day Challenge: Day 3 + Overcoming Plateaus

2011-04-06T16:52:00.003-05:00

I've been getting to bed later than usual this week, and it's catching up with me. Today I woke up feeling very tired, and I slept in a little later than usual. I haven't been resting that well (alot on my mind these days). I'm also kind of sore today. Anyway, here's my plan for the day, and I'll update at the end of the night with my results.

Nutrition Component
I started my day off with a solid breakfast, and plan to get a workout in either at lunch time or after my clients; it all depends on how I feel energy-wise. I also plan to make another shrimp/avocado/spinach salad today! YUMMY! :-) ETA: I missed one of my evening meals due to spending time with my clients. I didn't overdo it for my last meal to compensate, but I did eat it much later than usual (around 11PM). My BF and I watched "Unstoppable" late last night, and I didn't get to bed until after 1AM.

Exercise Component
I plan to do a Skogg Intervals Level 2 workout today. I would also like to get in some cardio, and I've planned to either do a spinning workout or the elliptical.
ETA: I wound upon only getting in the Skogg workout today. I did Ladders at L2, but only made it through the first 3 rungs at 16kg. I was so exhausted, so I stopped my workout there. I actually got about 30 minutes in, as I did some swing and high pull drills before the DVD. My hands were also killing me last night, so I just decided to stop early instead of risk injury or over-exertion.

Some Reading on Overcoming Plateaus
Last night before bed, I read a post that Marcus Martinez of MBody Strength wrote about plateaus. He entitled it "Push or Be Pushed." For me, it was a very timely post, and I found some good inspiration from it. I've been hitting plateaus left and right over the past 2 years, but I haven't given up.   In fact, today, I hit a major milestone. I dropped 5.4 pounds in the past 6 days from good clean eating, consistent exercise, and not giving up!

I also found last night's episode of The Biggest Loser to have been a good one. I can definitely relate to what Courtney is going through with her plateaus. Her positive attitude about it all is very refreshing, and she helped give me a pep talk too.   Here's a link to last night's episode (Week 14) on nbc.com if you missed it. I have the utmost respect for the contestants on this show. They seem to really treasure the gift they've been given, and I really like the personalities of the people on the 'couples' show vs. the original. I also like the new trainers, Brett & Cara.

Have a great day, everyone!

Recipe Post: FitGirl's Sugar-Free Citrus Vinegrette Salad Dressing

2011-04-06T16:40:00.001-05:00

Another great lunch!
I made another spinach shrimp & avocado salad for lunch today. However, I omitted a few things from the original recipe, added some other things, and designed a new salad dressing. It was quite tasty, and I didn't use as much (healthy) fat today as compared to yesterday!! I was full for several hours after eating it. Today I used a spinach and romaine combination, added a few segments of fresh grapefruit & orange, and added some fresh raw corn off the cobb to the salad veggies. I didn't use any olive oil or nuts in today's version of the meal.

I wanted to share the dressing recipe. I adapted it from a recipe that I saw Rachel Ray make on the Food Network. My version is sugar-free, citrus-based, and I think it's full of flavor. It also makes a nice marinade for chicken. Sometimes I add garlic to this recipe, but today I didn't.

FitGirl's Citrus Vinegrette Salad Dressing

Ingredients

This should make about 1.5 servings, depending upon how much juice you use. It was more than enough for my entire salad today.

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1.5 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
fresh orange juice (I just used the juice from the piece of orange that I cut to zest)
1/2 teaspoon sugar-free apricot preserves
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4-1/2 teaspoon grated shallot/onion...start with 1/4 & add to taste
black pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon)
pinch of dried tarragon
orange zest (I used the zest of about 1/4 of a small orange. You can use more to taste.)
lemon zest (I used the zest of about 1/4 of a small lemon. You can use more to taste.)
sea salt to taste (I used only a dash of good quality sea salt)
1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil (or olive oil)

Putting it Together:
Put all ingredients, except for the flaxseed oil, into a small bowl and whisk together. After a quick taste, add any desired enhancements to taste (i.e. more zest, pepper, salt, grated shallot). Once combined, continue whisking and slowly add in the flaxseed oil to emulsify.

I just love this recipe. I will warn you that the grated onion or shallot can be strong, depending on how strong the onion or shallot is. I always start off with about half of the recommended amount and add in more after everything is combined. If you want to sweeten it, you can add some all-natural honey, agave nectar, or maybe even some stevia. I like it as-is, so I didn't add any sweetener.

Thanks for letting me share my creation. I'm learning that healthy, homemade salad dressings can be very easy to make and add alot of guilt-free flavor to your meal.

Enjoy!

Skogg Challenge - Day 2:60 and a Recipe to Share!

2011-04-05T14:16:00.006-05:00

Today has been going well so far. I am feeling very positive about the challenge. I'm finding myself to be well fed and not feeling too hungry. I also think that proper supplementation is helping me with my edema issues, energy levels, soreness. Here's the recap for today, and I'll update this post throughout the remainder of the day with my progress.

Exercise Component

I have two workout sessions planned for today. ETA: I didn't get to the evening session. This is a strange week because I have training sessions with my clients every night Mon-Friday. I usually only take clients on Mon and Wed evenings. I am making up for when I was sick. So, I knew that my personal training schedule would be impacted. Anyway, after my clients, I was so busy trying to get 2 projects done that had deadlines of this morning. So, I wasn't able to squeeze in my second session. I usually plan 2 workouts per day on most days (which is overkill). In reality, I am lucky if I get two or three days of 2-a-days in per week, which is just fine.

Morning Session: I did a short leg workout (about 35 mins - Supreme 90 Day Legs). It was effective and time efficient.

Evening Session: After work, I plan to do Skogg Roots Level 2, along with some cardio. I haven't decided if I'll add another set of 200 swings. My hamstrings were a bit tender during this morning's leg workout, so I don't want to overtrain or exhaust them.

Nutrition Component
Today has been a good nutrition day so far. I started my day off by writing out my planned meals for today. Having it written down in advance really helps me stay on track. In addition, my nutrition counselor provided some outstanding tips for battling the sweet tooth. ~~I'm on track for consuming 1 Gallon or more of water.~~ ETA - I got in about 100oz today (almost a gallon). I also didn't eat enough. My evening meals were really more like snacks. I'll focus more on getting the appropriate balance of food in, but at least I was eating and not skipping meals!

I wanted to share a great recipe that I found in this month's Oxygen Magazine. I used it to base my lunch meal off of, though I didn't follow it exactly as written. I made a homemade shrimp, avodaco, & spinach salad. It was very good and filling (recipe to follow)! I may have used a bit too much fat in the meal, so I'll tweak that a bit next time. After lunch, I had a sweet craving, so I had a mouthful of (sugar free) RediWhip and that took care of the craving. Yippee!!

Spinach Avocado Shrimp Salad Recipe

(originally printed in Oxygen Magazine, April 2011 edition, page 66)

The original recipe makes 4 servings. I only made 1 serving for myself for lunch. It was so good!

Salad Base Ingredients
12 large raw tiger shrimp, shell removed & deveined (I weighed 5oz raw, which was about 4oz cooked)
Olive oil (I omitted this an used PAM)
2 avocados, sliced (I used 1/4 of an avocado)
1 pomegranate, separated into seeds (I omitted this)
2 bunches fresh spinach, trimmed (I used a little more than 2 cups of organic baby spinach)
2 tablespoons roasted pine nuts (I omitted this and used 6 walnut pieces instead)
In addition, I added 1 roma tomato, english cucumbers, and a handful of baby carrots to my salad.

Salad Dressing Ingredients:
4 teaspoons grainy Dijon mustard (I used 1 tsp)
2 tsp fresh black pepper (I used 1/2 tsp)
1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes (I omitted this)
4 tbsp avocado oil (I omitted this and substituted 1T EVOO.)
Juice of 2 fresh lemons (I simply used bottled lemon juice, about 2.5Tablespoons)

Preparation Directions

1. Cook shrimp in a hot skillet or grill. I cooked 2 minutes per side.

2. Place avocado, spinach, and cooked shrimp in a salad bowl. Toss gently. (I also added my other salad ingredients - tomato, cucumber, carrots).

3. For the dressing, whisk together mustard, black pepper, pepper flakes, avocado oil (I used EVOO) and lemon juice until emulsified. Drizzle over the salad. (I had to toss to distribute through the salad)

4. Top sald with nuts and serve. (I topped my salad with 1T of flaxseed oil as well).

Enjoy!

Skogg Challenge - Day 1:60 - Flow Workout

2011-04-04T22:43:00.004-05:00

**Updated to document the rest of today...**

Well, today officially marks the START of the SKOGG 60-day challenge for me.

Nutrition Component
My eating thus far has been on schedule and clean. Since I've had 2 weeks to 'test drive' the eating plan, I have identified where I have some personal shortcomings. For me, preparation is going to be key to being successful. When I don't have my meals planned in advance, I tend to crave what I'm not supposed to be eating. So, I'm realizing that preparation will be very instrumental to my success. These are all basic things that I know, but there is always that 'a-ha' moment when you really understand what aspects of your own personal behavior are creating your success obstacles. Lastly, journaling is also a motivator and a way to keep me on track. My Diet Snaps application has been great! I still use it almost every day. There's just something about logging your food and knowing that someone else will see it (or even just you will see it) to help keep you accountable. ~~I forgot to track my exact water consumption today, but I polished off about 3/4 of a gallon today. I'll strive for the full gallon tomorrow.~~ I got over a gallon of water in today. I didn't measure each cup exactly, but I know made it through over a Gallon at home. Today was pretty good. Additionally, I also cooked the best dinner that I've made in a long time! I baked chicken in parchment paper with lemon juice, lime juice, Mrs. Dash, Paprika, pepper, garlic and a pinch of sea salt. I also roasted some grape tomatoes in parchment paper. I let the entire dinner bake while I did my cardio. I finished it off with some crushed walnuts and about 2 cups of broccoli and carrots. YUMMY!! I made enough chicken for tomorrow's lunch as well.

Exercise Component
Before my clients arrived, I did a Skogg Flow workout, and it felt great! It was a good time to do it since I did Ladders on Saturday and Flow actually builds on Ladders. Since it was my first time doing the workout, I used my 12kg bell on Level 1. I definitely can increase next time, in both weight and duration. This workout also did not include rests in between ladder rungs. It was continuous, and I loved it! The workout was just long enough to get my heart rate accelerated, a good sweat going and then it was over just like that! I'll look forward to the next 3 days of Skogg this week. I will commit to moving up to level 2 now. Lastly, I want to comment that usually I'm a 45-60 minute workout person, and I didn't really think that shorter workouts would 'do it' for me. However, I find these shorter workouts to be quite refreshing. In addition, starting off with shorter workouts is also helping to protect my hands. I'll make my workouts longer over time, but I like the way that I've started off and trained for the past 2 weeks. I am also fully aware and mentally prepared for intensity increases as the time duration increases.

Lesson Learned
    Slow workouts + reasonable weights + focusing on basic movements = hand preservation (priceless) :-)

Anyway, I think that my experience with Skogg thus far has shown me that workouts don't have to be super long or push you to failure to be effective. Again - something that I've always known but never really "lived it" for myself.

Warmup - 3:00 (Divebomber & Hand Touch)

Flow Drill in Ladder Circuit @ 12kg
Performed Exercises 1-6 on the Left then 6-1 on the Right for the desired number of reps.
Max Rungs: 3
Rep Order:
   1, 2, 3
   3, 2, 1
Exercises: Skogg 6 (foundation moves)

Cool-Down

What's Next?
Later tonight, after I work with my clients, I do plan to get in some additional cardio. It's really windy today, so riding my bike outside is out of the picture. I'll either do some treadmill or my elliptical. I'm focusing on finishing today strong and getting ready to do it again tomorrow! Oh, I also think that it's worth mentioning, that I am noticing some definition in my shoulders and arms. I noticed when I put on my riding gear on Saturday that my arms appeared to be more firm and starting to get some shape.

ETA: I did 40 minutes of interval work on my ellliptical and finished up with 200 kettlebell swings. It was pretty tough cardio, and there were times when I wanted to give up. I am proud of myself for gutting it out and going through it. My swings looked like this (all 2H):
20kg @ 40 reps
24kg @ 30 reps, 15 reps
20kg @ 20 reps
24kg @ 20 reps
20kg @ 20 reps
24kg @ 20 reps
20kg @ 20 reps
24kg @ 15 reps
200 swings in about 5 minutes

After my workout, I ate my dinner and took some supplements to help with inflammation (CLA, Sorenzyme, Omega 3's, & Green Tea Capsules). I also continued to polish off some more water throughout the night. I'll try to get to bed between 11:45PM and midnight. I want to plan my menu for tomorrow before going to bed, reflect on today, and then get some rest.

In closing, let me add that on Monday nights, I am going to be all over WWE Tough Enough. I thought it was great!!!

Cheers all.

So Excited - I have a friend who will join me for the challenge!

2011-04-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

I am soooo excited!! I approched my friend Hoff about joining me as my workout partner for the 60-day challenge, and she accepted!! We will start working out together after tax season (she's an accountant), around April 16th or so. We have very similar fitness backgrounds and are seasoned recreational kettlebell lifters. Hoff started her diet (one very similar to mine) 2 weeks ago, so she is ahead of me there. We are going to strive to get our 4 workout days in together and push each other through this challenge. So, my overall challenge will probably be around 75-90 days total. I am so excited and glad that Hoff agreed to partner up with me. I KNOW that we are going to get great results and really rock this thing out! Can't wait to get started, girl! I'll use the next 10-11 days as my incubator period, and then we will get super agressive once we partner up.

See you soon, Hoff!

Wake-up Workout: Skogg Ladders L1 + Turbo Fire

2011-04-02T09:54:00.010-05:00

This morning I decided to do a Skogg Ladders workout. This was my first time doing the Ladders workout, and I loved it! Whenever I do a Skogg workout for the first time, I always try each workout first with a 12kg bell and at Level 1. Next time, I'll try using my 16kg and move up to Level 2. The workout is designed with the following maximum ladder rungs per level:
Beginner Level 1: 3 Max Rungs
Intermediate Level 2: 4 Max Rungs
Advanced Level 3: 5 Max Rungs
Warrior Level 4: 6 Max Rungs

I used my 12kg bell. It felt heavy today, probably because I worked out first thing in the morning. I worked up the ladder and took short breaks in between each rung. When I worked down the ladder, I worked straight through, with no breaks in between the rungs. It was great!

Warmup - 3:00

Ladder Circuit @ 12kg
Performed Reps Left then Right
Max Rungs: 3
Rep Order:
1, 2, 3 (I took short breaks in between each rung)
3, 2, 1 (I didn't take any breaks in between rungs, and moved smoothly through top to bottom)
Exercises: Skogg 6 (foundation moves)

Took a 10minute break then moved to Turbo Fire. I was needing some Chalene today! :-) I did the first 15 minutes of Fire 45 EZ. I wanted to finish the workout, but my stomach was screaming for breakfast!
"I'm a bad girl..break me like the law.."

Here are the 2 video previews for both workouts today:
SKOGG SYSTEM

Chalene Johnson's Turbo Fire
Need I remind you how beautiful all of the women in this cast are?!?! They are simply breathtaking. I especially love the way they did the trailer. The woman in the first reel of the promo is simply amazing, and Chalene is of course one of the best! Go Ladies! I remember thinking that this series was going to be cheesy, but it isn't. It's hard work and ALOT of fun - great music, great instructor, great energy! I highly recommend it if you like intense cardio and kickboxing.

Happy Birthday

2011-03-31T20:37:00.000-05:00

My new (first) niece was born early this morning at 430AM EST. I am very happy and feel incredibly blessed that she is finally here. It's been a fantastic week!

MB45 Essentials - Workout 1

2011-03-30T20:37:00.012-05:00

Tonight I did Marcus Martinez's MB45 Essentials workout 1. This was my first workout in about a week, as I've been sick. I still wasn't at 100% today, but I really wanted to get some activity in. The workout was GREAT! It was relatively short (around 30 mins), but well sequenced and moved quickly. I enjoyed the entire thing, and I'm looking forward to doing some of the other workouts on the DVD. It's a great value for the price. You get 2 DVDS - one is instructional and the other contains 5 workouts: 2 beginner workouts and 3 follow-along workouts of increasing intensity.

I heard that Marcus is releasing a second volume of this DVD series targeted towards the more advanced exerciser. I'm looking forward to it! I'll post more details as they become known.

Skogg 60-Day Challenge: Official Start Date Selected

2011-03-28T12:46:00.000-05:00

Per my post about a week ago, I finally selected my official start date for the Skogg 60-day Challenge. Since I've been sick for the past number of days (and am still not feeling my best), I plan to officially start the challenge on Mon, 4/4/2011. The current round of Skogg participants are in their 5th week, so they're just about at the halfway point.
To remind you of what the challenge entails, I'm reposting the details from a week ago:

Dates: Mon, 4/4/2011 - Sat, 6/4/2011 (60 days)
Overview: The 60-day challenge has both an exercise component and a nutrition component, combining clean eating and consistent exercise.
Exercise Component: Commit to doing 4 kettlebell workouts per week (minimum), ideally using the Skogg DVDs. I have elected to include additional cardio and flexibility training into my own personal program, with perhaps a full-body circuit training day thrown in there every 1.5 weeks or so.
Nutrition Component: The objective for the diet is to elminate all sugar, processed foods, wheat, rice, white potatoes, and alcoholic beverages, with no cheat meals during the entire 60 days. I will also continue with 1 gallon of water per day (minimum) and a good supplementation program. My diet is going to be approximately 1400 calories per day.

My Thoughts
The diet will no doubt be the most challenging part, and will be the part that is most imperative to success. Since I don't usually drink, the 'no alcohol component' will not be difficult for me. However, I have taken a strong liking to rice, bread, and sugar again, which will be harder to overcome. Eliminating those 'comfort foods' is always the most challenging part of an eating plan for me. However, this eating plan actually seems more balanced. I know it sounds counter-intutive because on the surface it looks so restrictive, but at least it's not a total elimination of starch/grains, which will help keep my energy levels up. I'll have to pay close attention b/c my caloric intake may have to adjust depending upon my activity level. I'm pretty sure that my activity level justifies at least 2100 calories per day, but I've not eaten that much food on a daily basis in a very long time.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to this challenge. I have an incredible support system in place, and I feel strong enough to see it through this time. After all, it's only 60 days, and my body, mind, and spirit will really appreciate the consistency. (Note: I have a nutrition coach helping me with my diet this time around, which is why I know that it has variety. I won't reveal who I'm working with until the end of my challenge. If I don't get the results that I want, I don't want it to be a reflection on this person. After all, the execution of the eating plan is all up to me.)

Let's see how I do....I can only take it one week at a time and do my best :-). I've given my word that I'll commit to it, which means that there is no turning back now!

Couple of Sick Days this week...

2011-03-26T14:36:00.000-05:00

Man, this week was so crazy busy!

Not to mention that I got sick to top it all off. I was out of commission Thursday, Friday, and I'm still not feeling 100% today. I've been conked out on medication, and I'm listening to my body and giving it the rest that it needs. I actually had an upper respiratory infection, laryngitis, sore throat, fever, and chills. It hit all of a sudden from out of the blue on Thursday evening around 6PM. A friend took me to the urgent care doctor, and I got some much needed medication.

That being said, this week was pretty much a wash for me. I'm going to try starting the clock again next week. I got a few workouts in this week, but not as much as I'd planned or wanted.

Anyway, hope everyone is healthy & happy. I'm off to continue resting....

cheers!

Skogg + Circuits

2011-03-21T20:05:00.002-05:00

Activity Report: I was able to squeeze my workout in after my clients tonight. I did Skogg Intervals L1 and added a few KB circuits that I used in class tonight. I decided to do Intervals L1 again because I liked the workout, it was short, and I wanted to increase my weight to 16kg. I felt strong, especially after having gotten adequate rest yesterday/last night.

Here's the breakdown of what I did (note: my legs felt really great after the workout!):

Warm-up: 2:30 TGU @ 12kg followed by Skogg Scorpion Warm-up

Skogg Interval 1 @ 16kg
Rest 0:30
Skogg Interval 2 @ 12kg - the high pull is finally starting to feel more comfortable. I'll try it with 16kg later this week.
Rest 0:30
Skogg Interval 3 @ 16kg
Rest 0:30

2:00 Swing Circuit from class @ 16kg
Rest 0:30
2:00 Squat & Press/1H Swing Circuit from class @ 12kg
Rest 0:30
2:00 Squat & Kick/Lunge & Press Circuit from class @ 12kg
Rest 0:30

Stretch & Cool Down

Nutrition Report: My eating today was actually pretty good, and I consumed all of my water. I ran out of time before my clients, so I had to split up my (salad with flax oil) and (3oz ground sirloin/couscous) into 2 separate meals. But, the cravings were down, and I felt satisfied with each meal. I wasn't super hungry at breakfast, so I skipped the oatmeal today. I'll probably need it tomorrow though. Anyway, so far, so good :-)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I haven't planned my workout just yet, as I'm not sure if I'll have clients in the evening. I do plan to do either a kettlebell workout or a circuit workout. Wednesday will be cardio day and a rest day from kettlebells.

Cheers!

Rest Day

2011-03-20T11:09:00.009-05:00

Well, today is definitely a rest day. I slept in, and my body really needed it! If there's one thing that I've learned over the past few years is to listen when the body says it's time to rest. I also had 2 cups of Yogi Muscle Recovery Green Tea (one in the morning and one at the end of the night), and I must say that the muscle tension that I've been feeling was alleviated! That's good stuff :-).

Anyway, I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It is the start of my 60-day challenge, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm curious to see how this change in eating will affect my body composition and overall goals.

Have a great week, and I'll post throughout to let you know how things are coming along!

Remember to set goals and to be disciplined in whatever you choose to do!

Taught Kettlebell Seminar

2011-03-19T11:36:00.003-05:00

This morning I taught a 2-hour kettlebell seminar at my garage gym. I hosted the 2 women who are currently participating in one of my small groups. They did a fantastic job! They learned all of the foundational movements, plus a few more. I was very surprised at how quickly and easily they learned the snatch and the clean. They didn't even really bang their wrists! I guess I've been driving home the point about the hip drive :-).

Anyway, that definitely counted as my Saturday workout! My body is feeling really tired and drained, so I'm probably going to take Sunday off as a rest day and to get my mind and kitchen ready for the 60-day challenge eating plan.

Preparing to start the 60-day challenge!

2011-03-18T19:43:00.004-05:00

I totally forgot to mention that I will officially be starting the Skogg 60-day Challenge soon. The participants in the Skogg group had such remarkable results with the program, that I wanted to join in using the home system.

Dates: Mon, 3/21/2011 - Sat, 5/21/2011 (60 days) or Mon, 4/4/2011 - Sat, 6/4/2011 (60 days)
I am expecting the birth of my first niece in the next 10 days, which will involve heavy travel and celebration. I don't want my diet to impede the festivities. However, I figure that life doesn't have to stop because of my eating and exercise plan. I've certainly traveled while dieting for contest preparation before. It isn't ideal, but it's do-able. Anyway, I still may start on Monday and just not start counting the timer officially until the baby gets here. We will see... :-)
Overview: The 60-day challenge has both an exercise component and a nutrition component, combining clean eating and consistent exercise.
Exercise Component: Commit to doing 4 kettlebell workouts per week (minimum), ideally using the Skogg DVDs. I have elected to include additional cardio and flexibility training into my own personal program, with perhaps a full-body circuit training day thrown in there every 1.5 weeks or so.
Nutrition Component: The objective for the diet is to elminate all sugar, processed foods, wheat, rice, white potatoes, and alcoholic beverages, with no cheat meals during the entire 60 days. I will also continue with 1 gallon of water per day (minimum) and a good supplementation program. My diet is going to be approximately 1400 calories per day.

My Thoughts
The diet will no doubt be the most challenging part. Since I don't usually drink, the 'no alcohol component' will not be difficult for me. However, I have taken a strong liking to rice, bread, and sugar again, which will be harder to overcome. It's always the most challenging part of an eating plan to me, but this one actually seems more balanced. I know it sounds counter-intutive because on the surface it looks so restrictive, but at least it's not a total elimination of starch/grains, which will help keep my energy levels up. I'll have to pay close attention b/c my caloric intake may have to adjust depending upon my activity level. I'm pretty sure that my activity level justifies at least 2100 calories per day, but I've not eaten that much food on a daily basis in a very long time.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to this challenge. I have an incredible support system in place, and I feel strong enough to see it through this time. After all, it's only 60 days, and my body, mind, and spirit will really appreciate the consistency. (Note: I have a nutrition coach helping me with my diet this time around, which is why I know that it has variety. I won't reveal who I'm working with until the end of my challenge. If I don't get the results that I want, I don't want it to be a reflection on this person. After all, the execution of the eating plan is all up to me.)

Let's see how I do....I can only take it one week at a time and do my best :-). I've given my word that I'll commit to it, which means that there is no turning back now!

Skogg: Interval Level 1

2011-03-18T19:28:00.000-05:00

This week has been pretty draining for me. I've had long days and nights, and had clients every night this week. I also had graduate school class two nights this week for over 3 hours per session (we usually only meet once). I know that I somewhat overdid it because I slept in until 10AM today (and I still feel tired).
Long story short, my own workouts were somewhat pushed to the side this week. However, I still had plenty of activity through coaching my clients, especially since they are still new, I have to demonstrate alot of movements for them (which is great), and I even did some of the workout with them to keep them encouraged.

Anyway, tonight I decided to do a light workout. I choose Skogg Intervals Level 1 with a 12kg bell. It felt great! The workout got my heart rate up, but didn't leave me feeling overly taxed. This is a good thing b/c I have clients tomorrow morning for a 2-hour kettlebell lesson, so I'll need my energy. I also really enjoyed the warm-up. I tacked on a few turkish getups at the end of the workout, just to balance things out a bit.

Now, it's time to enjoy a lovely dinner, and then get prepared for the morning!

Have a great weekend. Spring is officially here in 3 days!

Cardio Day...

2011-03-11T21:08:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was a full day of (exhausting) travel. I fully planned to get some cardio in once I made it to my home state, but I was exhausted, and also felt that spending quality time with my family was more important.

However, today, I still managed to set aside 35 minutes for myself and get a cardio session in on the elliptical. I know that I'll be out of pocket for the rest of the weekend, so my workout week will end today. I'll hit it hard again starting on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Another good 'un...

2011-03-09T22:44:00.010-06:00

We put our clients at the Underground thorough the following workout tonight. It was leg intense and cardio inspired. Lift as heavy as you can, with good form, for the desired number of reps. Remember that we do have space available in a few upcoming small groups. If you're interested, check us out: atxunderground.blogspot.com

...enjoy...

Circuit 1 (2x)
SM Squat x 15
DB Walking Lunges (8-10 steps per direction) - try for 2-4 times
KB Swings x 30
Jump rope x 0:45 seconds

Circuit 2 (2x)
DB Squat & Shoulder Press x 12-15
TRX Squat & Bicep Curl x 12-15
TRX Squat & Row x 12-15
Jump Rope x 1:00

Circuit 3 (2x)
TRX Row x 12-15
TRX Overhead Tricep Press x 12-15
Stability Ball DB Chest Press x 12-15
Stability Ball DB Bicep Hammer Curl x 12-15

Finisher (3x)
Complete 3 Rounds, 0:30/exercise. Rest 0:30 in between rounds
KB Swings
Mountain Climbers
Planks

Awesome Workout!

2011-03-08T21:55:00.024-06:00

Tonight's workout was outstanding! I did a whole body strength circuit, with lots of heavy swings thrown in there. I put in work on the 24kg bell, which felt fantastic! I did a circuit, and it took me about 40 minutes to complete, including warm-up, cool down, and an unplanned interruption.

Warm-up: 3:00 rowing machine followed by swings @ 16kg
I didn't time my swings, but I did about 2 mins worth, alternating between 2H, 1H, and H2H. My grip was still a little sensistive. I wanted to do some snatches, but decided against it.

Circuit 1 - Chest: (2x)
Flat Bench Press - Smith Machine @ (Bar + 10/side) x 12
Incline Bench Press - Smith Machine @ (Bar + 10/side) x 12
DB Chest Flys @ 15# DB's x 15
TRX Chest Press x 15
*No rest in between exercises, 1:00 rest at the end of each round*

Circuit 2a - Legs: (2x)
24kg Swings x 30
Smith Machine Squats (Bar + 17.5/side) x 12
*Took 0:30 break in between round*

Circuit 2b - Legs: (1x)
Front/Back DB Lunges @ 15# DB's x 12 total
Lateral DB Lunges with reach @ 15# DB's x 12/side
*Took about 5:00 rest in between exercises, as someone came to the door and messed up my flow!*

Circuit 3 - Back: (2x)
TRX Low Row x 12
KB 1-Arm Row @ 16kg x 12/side

Finisher
Complete 3 timed rounds:
Jump Rope (0:30 seconds)
24kg Swings (0:30 seconds)

Hands, hands, hands....

2011-03-06T19:06:00.002-06:00

So, I'm having a flashback to Jan 5, 2010...when I did high rep snatches with gloves on and got blisters on my hands....Today I looked down at my hand and bam...same picture :-)

http://fitgirlatx.blogspot.com/2010/01/this-is-what-happens-when-you-do-high.html

Seriously, it's all part of the course. I haven't done 'kettlebell only' training in about a year. Yes, I've been incorporating a few moves into regular strength workouts or cardio circuits, but as for a full workout consisting only of kettlebells, it's been a minute...I'm using the Skogg System for the next 60-75 days to really get my groove back, so to speak. I highly recommend it for both new and experienced kettlebell enthusiasts/athletes. No matter how long you've been training with kettlebells, it never hurts to go back and focus on the fundamentals again. Since you're conceiveably stronger since the first time you picked up a bell, reflecting on your own journey is a good thing. I for one am always amazed at how I can redefine new limits for myself, even through the fundamental movements, by using a heavier bell and/or increasing time. I still feel so proud of myself to clean and press my 16kg bell, and even moreso when I do it with my 20kg :-)

Anyway, this week should be another good 'un. I'm going to continue with the Roots workout for most of the week, at L2, L3, and L4. I have some travel coming up, so I will only have a few days to get kettlebell based workouts in.

I'll keep you updated....Thanks for reading!

Roots Level 2

2011-03-04T21:56:00.001-06:00

Tonight I did Roots level 2 with my 16kg bell. It was tough. I took a few more breaks than they did on the video, but overall did a really good job of completing the workout. I didn't learn the snatch via the high pull, so it's never really felt 'right' to me. However, tonight I started to get the hang of it. I did have to lighten up to the 12kg for a few reps on the high pull. I couldn't believe how it really got my heart rate up! It actually made the snatches seems almost easy - lol. Unfortunately, my hands were killing me. I can tell it's been a long time since I've used my bells because I was very sensitive to the friction. I am looking forward to when that will stop.

Anyway, I am really enjoying the workouts so far. I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I'm going to stick with the Roots workout for the next few days before moving up to the next series in the rotation.

good night!

Skogg Roots Level 1

2011-03-01T17:32:00.001-06:00

This morning I finally had a chance to do the first Skogg workout. Since it's been a while since I've done any structured kettlebell work, I decided to start the program from the beginning. I started with the Roots workout, Level 1. It was short, but very effective. I can't believe how tired I was from just doing basic kettlebell movements for time. I used my 16kg for the workout, except for the warmup where I used my 9kg bell (halos). I'm sure that my endurance will improve after a week of getting back into the swing. I can't believe how 'normal' the 16kg feels to me now for most activities.

Michael was a wonderful instructor, and I liked how the workouts were filmed. I felt motivated and determined for the workout duration.

The workout was so simple, but that is where the beauty was for me! 1:00 Rounds followed by 1:00 of rest. The exercises were done on one side and then on the other. I made sure to start with my left (non-dominant) side, a trick I picked up from my good friend Mippa :-).

1H Swings
Cleans
Cleans & Presses
Squats
High Pulls
Snatches

Deceptively simple, people...

Cardio

2011-02-28T23:28:00.000-06:00

Today I managed to squeeze in a little cardio, despite a hectic day.
In addition, we had a client at the gym, so I got a mini-workout in demonstrating technique to her.
All-in-all, it was a good day.

Skogg is on tap for tomorrow...

Work Week Took Over....

2011-02-27T22:43:00.000-06:00

Man, last week was a total bust. My days and many a' late night were consumed with work (which is a good thing). I struggled to balance my fitness duties...and failed miserably at fitting any of it in. So, let's chalk it up as a rest week.

Time to start fresh this week. I'll hit some circuits and cardio tomorrow.
I'm also changing my routine to an at least 4-day per week kettlebell focus, but still including my circuits and cardio. However, my frequency of the latter two will decrease. I really miss my bells, and it's time to start swingin' them to get ready for summer! I haven't used my kettlebells consistently for about a year now. I miss the benefits that they bring my heart, mind, and body. So, I'm going to work on 'rediscovering' them for the next 60-75 days. Since I'm still not working with personal training clients, training for a show, or teaching/coaching regularly, this is the first time that I'll actually be able to use them at the planned frequency without the worry or risk of overtraining. I want to couple it with a super clean diet to see what results I can bring about.

For those who don't know, this is what my motivation is, seel the clip below. I haven't had (nor wanted) a new kettlebell DVD for a very long time...until this came along :-)

Bring on SKOGG...

My new toy....

2011-02-27T21:11:00.002-06:00

I've been wanting this for quite some time, and today, my boyfriend surprised me with a lovely gift! I'm so excited to use it when I'm training outside, walking, or on the treadmill. I love my MP3 player, but the wires really annoy me, particularly when I'm on the treadmill, jumping rope, or using my kettlebells. I'll let y'all know how this thing fares. It's currently charging on my desk getting ready for the initiation workout :-)

(not to mention, I think this is Mechad Brooks....'Eggs' from True Blood...yaaayyyy)

Starting off Strong Monday!

2011-02-21T11:37:00.002-06:00

So far, today's workouts are going very well. I feel good, albeit a little sore. I decided to do a HIIT workout today, immediately followed by legs. It was a good session - a definite sweat fest! My morning workout consisted of the following:

TF: HIIT 20
S90D: Legs
Foam Rolling/Stretching (15 mins)

The HIIT workout was intense and short (as it should be). I gave my best for each work interval and sucked wind during the active rest periods :-). I like the HIIT 20 workout. It seems just long and intense enough. I was fearful of doing the leg workout right afterward since it moves so quickly. However, I did much better with it today than on Saturday since I knew what to expect. It still moved fast (and my HR was up there), but I made it through. I did skip the warm-up since I was already warm. I used heavier weights today (15# and 30#). My form on the Bulgarian Split Squats improved. I used my BOSU today instead of the stability ball. I've always struggled with doing BSS correctly. I have a really hard time because I can't flex the top of my foot onto the target surface (bench, stability ball, etc). I also forget how close or far away I should be from the elevated surface to perform the exercise correctly. I'll keep working on it. I don't think I've ever been able to get it right, but practice will get me closer :-). Next time I do this workout, I think that I'm going to use my TRX for the 'triple heater' (hip bridge & hamstring curl) instead of the stability ball. I am very happy that I perservered and made it through!

I'll focus on clean eating throughout today and prepare mentally for my evening workout, after I'm done working. Tonight I have some cardio planned. I'll report back when I'm finished.....

Foam Rolling
I tried foam rolling last night for the first time, and it was fantastic! Last night I tried to focus on my neck, lower back, and shoulders. I even contemplated sleeping with my foam roller under my neck to continue stretching :-D. After this morning's workout, I did more of a full body session since my muscles were warm and loose, which was great. I noticed that my teres minor is very tight and sore on both sides. I recall my massage therapist discovering how tight that area is/was about a year ago. I'll definitely be stretching and rolling that area delicately throughout the week. I am very happy that I decided to take the plunge with the foam rolling. Self Myfofascial Release is an excellent daily treatment for muscular and joint health. I'm definitely a believer now! It will also help keep things pliable in between massage appointments.

Cathe: High Step Challenge

2011-02-20T23:10:00.001-06:00

Man, no matter how many times I do it, this workout kicks my butt every single time. It's one of my all-time favorite circuits. I thought it would be perfect to kick off the start of my circuit series. I was so tired that I couldn't even do my cardio afterwards. I think being hungry also had something to do with my lack of energy. I'd planned to do 20-30 minutes of rowing, but after the 70 minute workout, I only got in 5 minutes.

I also noticed that my DOMS from the S90Day Chest & Back workout from a few days ago is still setting in. It didn't help that tonight's workout included chest flys :-o! I did some stretching and myofascial release last night, and that really helped loosen up the persistent knot in my back and tension in my shoulders. I'm going to try foam rolling before bed tonight to see if that will help.

Looking forward to tomorrow...Another day, another set of workouts! Yeah :-)

P90X 6 Week Results + Program Change

2011-02-20T11:22:00.011-06:00

I enjoy the P90X program quite a bit, and I think that it works very well for my body when I'm wanting to focus on increasing muscular strength. It also has the ability to add muscular mass if that's what one is looking for, which is excellent for a home-based DVD series.

My true focus for the first half of the year was (and still is) leaning out (i.e. reducing my level of body fat, maintaining muscle mass, improving overall health & fitness). However, I realized that I was also lacking a bit of strength. Before I could focus on leaning out, I wanted to regain some of the strength that I'd lost between Sept-Dec of 2010. So, I chose the P90X program to help me focus on that. I really wanted to build my strength back up and get into a more regular routine - which this rotation did all of that and more. So, in my opinion, I've accomlished my original goal 2 weeks early! I made it 6 weeks this time around, which I'm very happy with.

P90X 6-Week Results
Overall, I'm VERY pleased with the results of the first 6 weeks of the program (but 7 calendar weeks; remember did week 5 twice). I've been so focused this week on being in a plateau that I hadn't even realized how much good progress I made. I'm proud of myself! From a body composition point of view, here are my results: (Not bad!!)

Lost 13.8 pounds
Lost 5.5" overall
Lost approx 3.2% body fat (10.88 pounds of fat!!)

Since I'm now very comfortable with my current strength level and deemed my first goal met, I've decided to switch directions. I also noticed that my body hit a plateau this week, which is also a reason why I decided to change things up a bit. I tend to change workout protocols every 6-8 weeks anyway (periodization at its finest :-) ), unless I'm doing something specific like getting ready for a show. I recognize that I struggle to follow most rotations longer than 8 weeks. I tend to get bored and like to have variety in my workout regimen.

Anyway, I know what training types/styles work for my body when it's time to start leaning out and improving endurance (muscular and cardiovascular). For me, that means a high volume, high intensity protocol that consists of circuit strength training, HIIT, and cardio intervals. More importantly, it also means following a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. The latter is where I've been struggling over the past couple of years, for various reasons. The difference is that now I truly feel mentally strong enough to take on this challenge. I know that transformation is largely 80% diet and 20% training. If the primary is lacking, the latter won't make up for it. Keep it real and keep it focused.

Strategy for the next 6-8 Weeks
It's time to get more aggressive, without overtraining (which I have a tendancy to do). My planned protocol for the next 6-8 weeks is shown below. Due to my travel schedule, I plan to do 2 weeks of high volume, high frequency (similar to below), followed by 1 week of moderate volume & frequency. Then I will repeat that for a 6 week total cycle. If I'm still feeling good, I'll finish with 2 weeks of low volume/frequency training. Again, what I'm showing below (aside from the first one, which is pervasive) are objectives for the high frequency, high volume training weeks.

Nutrition & Hydration: CLEAN EATING spread over 5-6 meals per day with 1 Gallon water per day (minimum). Allow myself 1 off day per week (BFL style) with 1 splurge meal. Note this is not a pig out day, but a day to allow myself to eat more starchy carbohydrates; I'm also factoring in a splurge meal per week (eating out, relaxing with friends, etc.). I want to keep it reasonable with 90% compliance throughout the week. There is no need to go into pre-contest mode. Slow, steady progress with consistent eating is my focus.
Strength Training: 3-4 Strength Circuits per week (using Supreme 90 Day and some of my other bootcamp/strength circuit workouts). Depending on the chosen workout, the duration may last between 35-70 minutes.
Cardiovascular Training: 1-2 HIIT sessions per week, 1-2 kickboxing sessions per week, 2-3 steady state cardio sessions per week (i.e. done first thing in the moring or post-strength training. I find that 30-45 mins of incline walking works best for me here), 1-2 machine-based cardio intervals per week
Metabolic Conditioning Training: 1 full body kettlebell/TRX workout. Since it's getting warmer, I usually enjoy doing this on Saturdays outdoors.
Stretching: 1 long stretching session per week

It looks like alot on paper, but it really is all about how you put it together. Yes, a few days there will be two-a-days, but some elements can be combined. For instance, HIIT followed by steady state cardio in the morning would be about an hour workout and a strength circuit or kickboxing later in the day. It all works itself out. I'll be listening to my body, and if I feel like I'm overdoing it, then I'll move to a moderate or low volume/frequency week. For me, it is imperative to eat properly and fuel my body, otherwise, this entire plan will be out the window. I won't have enough energy to get through it!
Time to keep on bringin' it! :-)

Supreme 90 Day: Legs & Turbo Fire 30

2011-02-19T18:08:00.002-06:00

Today's workout was really great and necessary. I started the day off so slugglishly, but as soon as I started working out, my spirits lifted and all was good. I did two back-to-back sessions, totaling a little over an hour. I started with the Supreme 90 Day Legs workout. Man oh man...it was really good! The workout is short, full of lunges, and my legs got a really solid workout. I'd like to squeeze this one in twice a week. We will see depending on how the other circuits go. I did Turbo Fire 30 right afterwards. It so hard because I was tired. My legs were shaking and recovering from the weighted leg workout :-) I gave the best that I could, but there were times when my punches and kicks were less than stellar. I'm just proud of myself for working hard and getting it done!

After the workout, I treated myself to some much desired starchy carbohydrates. I won't get many of those again until next Saturday. I had a large salad with light dressing, spaghetti with crushed tomatoes, and 3oz of grilled chicken.

I'm starting to feel like an athlete again.....

Lovely Saturday - Get Moving!

2011-02-19T13:18:00.000-06:00

Man, today I was really tired. I slept in, which is something that I haven't done in a very long time. I still haven't done any workouts yet (and it's 1:20 in the afternoon). I had a lot planned for today, but we'll see how it goes. I'm still feeling kind of tired, so I'll do as much as my body can handle. I want to get outside because it is just gorgeous! I'll report back later with what I was able to squeeze in.

Ciao for now...

Supreme 90 Day: Chest & Back

2011-02-18T17:57:00.027-06:00

I found myself time constrained for the majority of this week. Today was no exception. I didn't train on Wed or Thursday. So, instead of skipping my workout today, I decided to use Supreme 90 Day for my Chest & Back workout since it's a shorter workout. I didn't feel like spending a full hour on P90X. Anyway, S90D: Chest & Back packs a huge punch in about 30 minutes! When I was finished, I kept thinking "THAT'S how I like to perform strength circuits!" I was pleasantly surprised!

The workout consisted of a thorough warm-up, followed by 4 chest/back circuits. Each circuit consisted of a chest exercise immediately followed by a back exercise. Each exercise was performed for 12-15 reps. The objective was to complete 3 rounds of each circuit with minimal rest in between. The exercisers in the DVD were moving very quickly. I just focused on moving at my own pace. I didn't want to compromise my personal safety. The workout concluded with a relaxing stretch. The body of the workout was about 30 minutes for me (since I paused it a few times to finish my reps and sets), so I was finished with the whole thing in about 40 minutes.

I'd planned to do the Shoulders & Arms workout in the evening, but I decided against it. I was kind of tired. Tomorrow I will try the Legs workout. I still can't believe that I got that entire series for about $15 (from bed, bath & beyond with their 20% off coupon -- can we say bargin?!?).

Edited on Sat, 2/19 to add:
I'm surprised that I have some DOMS from this workout. I am actually quite sore in my interior chest (from the dumbbell uppercuts) and my lats are also sore (all in a good way, of course). That being said, some good stretching is definitely in order later today.

I really want to get a foam roller and try that out. I have this knot in my lower back that's been there for a few weeks. In addition, my neck/shoulders are always tight from sitting at the computer all day. So, I think that foam rolling might be a good way to work out some of the kinks (along with stretching, of course). When I meet my program mini-goal, I'll treat myself to a much needed, long overdue sports massage (maybe even 2 hours worth)!!!

Turbo Fire: HIIT + Kickboxing

2011-02-15T21:09:00.000-06:00

Today I did a Turbo Fire HIIT workout (HIIT 20). Took a short break and then did the Fire 30 class. I enjoyed these workouts very much! They are high intensity, fun, yet safe. I was going to do a P90X workout, but simply ran out of time. I got busy doing other things and didn't get around to it. I have a feeling much of the week will be this way. I'm starting to get bored with the length of the P90X workouts. I'm also hitting a plateau, which is not motivating me very much either. So, I have to make it through the rest of this week and then decide what to do next. I want to continue with the program, but I don't want to dread each workout either. Also, I know that when I hit a plateau, it's a sign that something needs to change. I don't want to quit, but I don't want to keep going without getting the results that I want. I'll think on it and we shall see....

Week #6: Adding Turbo Fire

2011-02-14T10:32:00.006-06:00

I've decided to start adding Turbo Fire workouts to my P90X rotation. I did my first one tonight - Fire 45 EZ, and I loved it! It was SO MUCH FUN!!! My heart rate was high the entire time. I was so tired, but I didn't want to stop. I was a bit hesitant about the set at first because I thought it was going to be dancey. I was pleasantly surprised! Yeah, it was a little dancey, but the fun factor more than made up for it :-). The workout was high energy, and I was so pumped when I was finished. OH - and the music was GREAT!!! It reminds me of an updated version of the original tae bo workouts. This is alot of fun! I actually plan to do an Insanity rotation in May or June. Based upon my experience with the first TF workout, I feel like doing the turbo fire workouts consistently will really improve my conditioning and get me ready for Insanity.

The instructor, Chalene Johnson, has so much energy. She is a well seasoned, motivating instructor. Her form is outstanding. She is so motivating and inspiring - both as an instructor and with her killer physique. The rest of the cast is also in AMAZING shape I might add. I got a little lost on some of the moves, but I'm sure they will come with time. I didn't try that 'new to class' option. I just wanted to see how much of it I could get as-is. I was amazed that I burned over 500 calories in 40 minutes (I started my HRM 5 minutes into the workout). The workout moved fast and time just flew by.

After Turbo Fire, I grabbed a quick snack and finished my workout with 50 minutes of incline treadmill walking. I've been really trying to focus on finding the right speed that keeps my heart rate out of the anaerobic zone. I am a high intensity junkie, but I've been trying to keep my cardio workouts balanced (i.e. some high intensity, some steady state).

Anyway, Week 6 is starting off great! Tomorrow, I'll do a TF HIIT workout and P90X: Chest & Back for strength.

Turbo Fire Infomercial
Here is the TurboFire infomercial for those unaware.
BTW - I have no affiliation with Beach Body, nor am I a Beach Body Coach. I simply own and like several of their home fitness programs, including P90X, P90X+, Insanity, and Turbo Fire. I plan to add Asylum (the follow-on to Insansity) and P90X: MC2 (the follow-on to P90X) when they are released later this year.

Repeat P90X Week 5: - Sun, 2/6-Sat, 2/12

2011-02-10T14:05:00.011-06:00

As I mentioned, last week did not go as planned, so I've decided to repeat week #5 this week. It's turning out much better than last week. I did have to take 2 days off due to work commitments, but I'll still finish the week out strong. Here's the recap so far:

Summary for "Week 5 Repeat"
Superbowl Sun, 2/6: P90X: Chest & Back - this was a great workout! I changed the routine quite a bit by doing weight bearing chest exercises (i.e. bench press, chest flys, etc) in place of the push-ups. I still feel sore 4 days later!
Mon, 2/7: Cathe HIIT 30/30, Treadmill (67 mins) - burned over 1000 calories from this workout. it was awesome! I was very proud of myself for finally doing the HIIT DVD. Even though I've put myself through many-a-HIIT workouts (and my clients), I was so nervous about doing this workout. It was hard as he**, but I expected it to be. I know Cathe, and she packs a major punch into her workouts. I struggled through it, and I am glad to have something to work up towards. I plan to start doing more HIIT workouts over the coming months, with more regularity.
Tues, 2/8: OFF
Wed, 2/9: OFF
Thurs, 2/10: P90X: Shoulders & Arms (this workout gets me every time! I lift as heavy as possible in the 12-15 rep range); Tracey Staehle: Cardio Kickbox Challenge; Treadmill: 100 mins Note: I broke up these workouts over the course of the entire day. My energy level was great, and I felt like I could keep going and going today! So, I did :-). My eating today was also very good. I'm starting to pull it all together again. day by day...
Fri, 2/11: OFF
Sat, 2/12: P90X: Legs & Back (substituted KB swings and KB snatches for the pullups)

All-in-all, this was a good week! I had more days off than I'd planned for, but it all worked out anyway. As Tony Horton says, "Do your best and forget the rest"!

Week-in-Review: Sun, 1/30 - Sat, 2/5

2011-02-05T22:03:00.003-06:00

Man, I've been slacking again with my updates :-)

This week (Phase 2, Week 1) was definitely interesting to say the least. We got hit with a snow and ice storm Tues-Friday and lost power for a full day. As a result, I wound up taking most of this week off. I did manage to get in 3 workouts.

Anyway, here's the recap of last week (Sun, 1/30 - Sat, 2/5):
Sun, 1/30: OFF
Mon, 1/31: OFF
Tues, 2/1: P90X - Shoulders & Arms; Treadmill 50 mins (got hit with a big ice storm)
Wed, 2/2: OFF - we lost power due to the ice storm; trapped inside the house for the rest of the week!
Thurs, 2/3: P90X - Kenpo X
Fri, 2/4: OFF
Sat, 2/5: OFF - wasn't feeling well. slept most of the day

Due to the unexpected turn of events, I've decided that it would be best to repeat week 5 of the program next week. I'd actually factored in an 'off' week into my schedule, and this was it :-).

Get Ready for Phase 2

2011-01-30T20:43:00.002-06:00

Well, today I just relaxed and caught up on my rest. I didn't do anything particularly productive. I'm looking forward to the start of a new week. I resume P90X strength training this week and will continue to try getting cardio 5-6x this week as well.

Bring it for phase 2!

Cardio Day

2011-01-29T23:40:00.001-06:00

Today was also full of entertaining, but I did manage to get in an hour of cardio late at night. I worked the treadmill again, and this time did a mix of incline walking and flat speed walking/jogging. The first 30 minutes, I tried to focus on keeping my heart rate in the 65% range, which is always hard for me to do. Then, I moved into 20 minutes of pure incline walking, and that was tough! I used a combination of 6% incline, 10% incline and 12% incline (max).

All in all, I was really proud of myself for not letting my eyes close on the day without getting some physical activity in.

Good night!

Cardio Day

2011-01-28T22:38:00.001-06:00

Well, today turned out nothing like I'd planned. We wound up having company come in from out of town, so I completely modified my exercise schedule. I got in 50 minutes on the treadmill in the morning. I'd planned to do a circuit workout in the evening, but I was busy cleaning, cooking, and getting the house ready for guests. So, I just had the one workout today, but it was a good one! I did a combination of steady state and intervals. My heart was pumping, and I was sweating. Good fun!

A Day of Rest Will Do You Good

2011-01-27T22:50:00.000-06:00

As expected, I woke up this morning feeling much better! I was full of energy and ready to get my day started!

I did 75 minutes of treadmill walking this morning. It's amazing how much of a sweat I worked up and how elevated my heartrate was by just walking!

Tonight I did Cathe's Lower Body Blast, which I really enjoyed. It was a good training session, but moved quickly and kept my heart rate elevated. I look forward to doing this workout again in the future. I didn't do any additional cardio afterwards; I was looking forward to dinner :-D.
Tonight was my mini-carb load with my dinner meal. I was so excited...amazing what looking forward to 1/2 of a sweet potato and 1/2 cup of brown rice will do to a girl. I ate so slowly and savored every bite...I earned it!

Now after a hot shower and a mini-facial, it's time to hit the sack...hard....Ciao...

Rest Day....

2011-01-26T21:11:00.007-06:00

Used today as a rest day...I pretty busy at work, and needed extra time to get some tasks completed. I was actually pretty tired and am going to bed early. I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow, after a good night's sleep.

My eating today was not great. I didn't eat enough. I also had (and indulged) a sweet craving. So, I'll try to get some extra cardio in tomorrow to try to balance out, as well as really make sure to get more protein and good fats in my diet tomorrow.

Cardio Week Continues....

2011-01-25T21:57:00.000-06:00

At lunch today, I did my own 5-minute warmup followed by 40 minutes on the elliptical (mostly steady state). I then did about 15 minutes of Cathe's Ab Circuits #5.

I was feeling tired and abbreviated my evening workout to 35 minutes. I did 22 minutes on the elliptical (again steady state) and 3 sets of high rep barbell squats (95lbs). I did some light stretching and then watched the State of the Union address delivered by the President.

Again, I know that I am going to sleep like a baby again tonight :-)....

Cardio & Stretching

2011-01-24T22:35:00.005-06:00

This week is technically recovery week (from the P90X strength workouts), and I'm using the opportunity to load up on cardio, full body circuit training, and stretching.

Tonight's workout focus was on high intensity cardio training, mostly interval style. I hit it hard with 65 minutes of elliptical work, followed by 5 minutes of jump rope. I closed my day out with 45 minutes of P90X: X Stretch before bed. I felt so proud of myself for working so diligently!

Tomorrow, I plan to get up early and do some cardio, maybe 30-40 minutes worth. Then, I will use my evening workout time doing some type of circuit workout and another 30-40 minutes of cardio. That's the plan anyway...for now, I'm going to sleep good :-)