Week 3, Workout 7

Alternalte Post Title: She's Totally Losing It

I know, I know. I didn't work out all week. But in my defense - the treadmill is in the basement and that is where Justin was quarantined.

So here's a little bit of true confession time. I used to do this awful thing where I would read certain blogs even though they would make me so mad every time I read them. I mean, it was almost like I read them just so I would have something to spout off about. And I would. Spout off I mean. And then one day I realized just how totally yuck that was of me and I decided to just not read them anymore. Genius, I know.

And the moral of the story? If you don't like it, don't read it. So if you're a Moon With A View spouter/hater, (I know there are some of you out there.... don't worry, you too can be reformed) you might as well just stop reading now. Cause I may have totally lost it.

Here's a picture of me tonight pre work-out. You do not even know how hard it was for me to get my rear out of the recliner after a week of not working out. One of the things I love the most about working out at home is that I don't have to get dressed up. When I go teach Jazzercise I usually try to do my hair sorta cute, put on some waterproof mascara and top it off with matching pants and Jazzercise logo workout top. At home? I choose whatever is clean (and sometimes not) that I don't want to wear to Jazzercise the next day. I love that.

I know, I'm bringin' sexy back.
(note the formula stain on my left pant leg)
And see that big purple mass sticking out of the bottom
of the grey thing? (I'll spare you any alternate views...)
That is what all this working out is about.

And then....

I did this:

Intervals: pretty much the same as last time

3 min: warm up
1 min: 4 incline, 7 mph
2 min: 2 incline, 5 mph
1 min: 4 incline, 7 mph
2 min: 2 incline, 5 mph
1 min: 6 incline, 7 mph
2 min: 2 incline, 5 mph
1 min: 6 incline, 7 mph
2 min: 2 incline, 5 mph
1 min: 6 incline, 7 mph
4 min: cool down

Strength Training

3 super sets each of:

10 split squats
12 kneeling push-ups

10 1-leg hip extensions
12 1 arm DB row

8 Wood Chops
8 Side Plank w/ pulse


And here's what I put on my "cardio" playlist on my ipod:

Calabria - Enur
Here It Goes Again - O.K. Go
Shut Up and Drive- Rihanna
Check Yes Juliet - We the Kings
Perfect Day - Cascada
TKO - Le Tigre
Curious - 4 Strings
Mickey - B-Witched
Push It - De Lorean
All the Small Things - Blink 182

I'm finding that I'm partial to techno-ish hip-hop and punk music while working out. If you really want to get pumped up - download Check Yes Juliet, hop on your tread mill and "run baby run." That's my theme song.

And finally, just so you know I've completely lost it, (I'm willing to sacrifice all self dignity if it somehow inspires you) here's a picture of me post work-out and feelin' good:

Welcome to the gun show.

Yes... I did set up my camera with a timer and pose for those pictures. I'm goofy like that. In a strange twist of irony, my camera was propped atop my Martha Stewart Cookies book....

I'm Back!

Well, technically it's my laptop that's back. Finally! It was taking forever to get that ac adaptor. (That's a whole story in itself) I was going through some serious laptop withdrawals here folks. And I have so many stories to tell you. Spray parks, sunshine, parades, races, puking, dahlias, dahlia ladies, RLS ladies, chihuahuas...so much has gone on since my fingers last danced on this keyboard. I don't know if we'll get through it all. One step at a time.

I am pleased to say that the kids and I evaded this sickness somehow. It's all about the quarantine I think. If I wasn't a believer before, I am now. In the basement with you!

I don't even know where I should begin. Most recent and head back or go back and try to catch up? I think I'll start with the most recent since I have pictures of our yard. We worked all day on it yesterday and it is looking SO great! There are few things in life that make you feel more like an adult than working in the yard. Remember when you had to weed when you were a kid and hated it? And now I do this for fun and sheer enjoyment? Ok ok, so maybe I still don't weed beds. I let Justin do that part. I'm more into the planting, planning, moving, replanting etc. But still...

I hope you all don't mind me showing off my pictures. You know how it is when you work on something - you wanna show it off. And since even my own grandma couldn't come up today and see it (she said she had church or some other lame excuse) - you're it.

heh, heh. I just realized that little planter box doesn't look like I worked on it at all. That's because I didn't. Justin is going to rip it out this summer before he paints the house. It's cracking on one side and I never know what to plant in it. I had some boxwoods in there but they never got watered since they were under the eaves. I think it will look better if it's just gone. Then I'll put a bed there and plant a weeping cherry or something on the corner. Wouldn't that look nice? I should probably at least rip out the ivy I planted. That was a bad idea. It overtook everything.

This last picture is of our back patio. It has looked awful pretty much since we moved in. It used to have a little shed on that second small square of concrete - but it was falling down so we just put it out of it's misery. Way back where you see that old composting thing is where the garden used to be. Amy's husband Mike said he would bring his tractor over and scrape it all out for us. The plan is to put a little fire pit back there and then a little further to right build a swing set for the kids. I also need to plant some more hostas and plants along the back of the garage wall. I'm so excited that our yard is finally coming together. We've lived in this house for three years and I really want a nice area to have friends over and for my kids to play. I'll be sure and post future pictures of our progress.

Hope it's sunny wherever you are!

Up From The Basement He Arose!

Justin is upstairs this morning and looking bright-eyed. Well, sort of. It is still 6:30 am. But he's up!

Steele was literally running around the living room in excitement. Then he jumped up on the couch, looked at Justin, pointed his finger at him and said, "Are you not sick now?!?!"

Yesterday he was opening the basement door and yelling down, "Are you ok Justin?"

Our little family couldn't be happier than when we're all together.

Justin is back to his sweet fatherly duties... including loading up Steele's ride-around fire engine with a morning snack and water. Steele then cheerily backed it out into the living room and sat himself down for Mr. Rogers.

Ahhhhh.

I Wanted To Work Out.

But instead... oh, instead folks... I argued (yelled) with one of my instructors for an hour over the phone.

WHY DID I DO THAT?????? (yes, that's me yelling, wide-eyed, hands pulling hair out)

In retrospect, I should have just told her that I'm the boss and what I say goes.

But I didn't. Nope. Didn't do that. Should have.

And now? Let me just say that the left-over strawberry rhubarb crisp has got to go. Because a mama/business owner that has spent the last two days poisoning ants, taking care of two small children and one sick husband and trying to fit 7 instructors into 21 classes- all with no laptop available to upload pictures of happier times, no work-out since last Friday and no appropriate skin care regiment - could eat a whole pan of it all by herself.

Hmph.

Quarantined

Justin has quarantined himself to the basement. What a good and thoughtful husband and papa he is. As soon as he threw up the first time he grabbed his pillow and a big pot and headed on down. I then sprayed every door and drawer handle in the house with lysol. Our basement is partially finished - it's where our washer and dryer, tread mill, some couches, a big tv my grandma gave us and a couple extra beds are. It is NOT the place I would want to be if I were sick with a stomach virus. Oh no, I would want to be in my cozy fluffy bed... contaminating the rest of my family with nary a thought of moving myself somewhere else. But not Justin.

He just called my cell phone from downstairs.

J: How are things going up there?

C: Ok. The kids are finally asleep. I put Steele in our bed. How are you?

J: Ok. I thought I felt better but then I got off the couch...

C: I miss you.

J: I miss you too. I'll come up in the morning if I feel better.


Isn't that so sad??? Earlier when I went down to check on him he told me it was hard for him to lay in bed down there when he could hear the kids running around upstairs. Whatta guy. I love him.

And, I don't feel one bit sorry for myself but I went into the kitchen a little earlier and found ants crawling around under Steele's seat. I just chuckled to myself.

This is life folks. Real life.

*Ok. I lied. I did feel sorry for myself. So I ate a big ol' bowl of strawberry rhubarb crisp and french vanilla ice cream. There. I feel much better now that I have that off my chest...and onto my thighs.

*HA! I might just have to keep updating this. Good thing husbands are still on duty even when they're sick. Our dog Finney just came in whining and chewing at his rear so I sent him dowstairs with Justin. Whaddya know... he has a big wad of poo stuck to his bum. Justin's cutting it out as I type. Thanks hon. That mighta moved me up a whole pants size worth of rhubarb crisp.

Justin's Puking

Need I say more?

Week 2, Workout 6

I decided to keep a little log of what I've been doing - mostly to keep myself motivated and also so I can look back and see my progress. I had Justin take a picture of me last week with bike shorts and a bra top on but I'm not about to post that.... at least not yet. Maybe once you can see a DRASTIC difference between the before and after pictures. And even then... I'm not so sure.

This is about how my at-home workouts are looking. I also teach Jazzercise on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. On Tuesday I noticed a huge difference in my cardiovascular endurance while teaching which was really cool - and one of the main goals of interval training: to effectively burn fat, build endurance and not spend hours doing it.

So here goes:

Cardio:
Warm Up: 2 minutes 3 mph, 0 incline; 1 minute 5 mph, 2 incline
Interval 1: 1 minute 7 mph, level 4 incline
Active Rest: 2 minutes 5 mph, level 2 incline
Interval 2: 1 minute 7 mph, level 4 incline
Active Rest: 2 minutes 5 mph, level 2 incline
Interval 3: 1 minute 7 mph, level 6 incline
Active Rest: 2 minutes 5 mph, level 2 incline
Interval 4: 1 minute 7 mph, level 6 incline
Active Rest: 2 minutes 5 mph, level 2 incline
Interval 5: 1 minute 7 mph, level 6 incline
Somewhere in here Steele got out of bed and I spent about 45 seconds putting him back in bed and hopping back on the treadmill....
Active Rest: 1 minute 5 mph, level 2 incline
Cool-down: 1 minute 4 mph, level 2 incline; 1 minute 3 mph, 0 incline


Strength Training:

3 supersets each of:

Step-ups (8 ea. side)
Bent Over Rows (10 reps. 8 lb weights)

Prisoner Squats (10 reps)
Chest Press (12 reps, 8 lb weights)

Belly Blasters (10 reps)
Mountain Climbers (10 sets)

I finished in about 40 minutes.

Now to get the eating under control.....

*Update*

I realized while showering that you might all be wondering what the heck I'm doing working out at home when I own a Jazzercise studio. Not very good advertisement for Jazzercise, huh? Well, there are a few answers to that. The truth is, I am a busy business-owning mama of two little ones and I just can't seem to find the time to add any more classes to my life. If I could just go to the studio, take class and come home it would be different - but by the time I get dressed, get the kids dressed and loaded up, get to the studio and answer the bazillion questions everyone has for me and finish the bazillion tasks I could do while I'm there - the whole thing usually takes 2 1/2 hours. Unless, of course, I arrive after class starts and leave before it ends... but even then - I once had a class manager ask me to show her how to do something on the computer at the very top of the cardio curve... What the???

Jazzercise is a phenomenal workout - when I started over 5 years ago I was quite pleasantly surprised. As an instructor though, I have plateaued a bit. Unless I were to go to 5 or 6 classes a week and use heavier weights I don't think I could make much progress very quickly. And I certainly don't have the time (or desire) to go 5 or 6 times a week. BUT! I can work out for 40 minutes at home, 3 times a week while my kids are napping or while my hubby is feeding them breakfast. I like that. I can do that. So there's the long answer. And yes, you should definitely still give Jazzercise a try. It rocks and is way more fun any day than working out on my treadmill.