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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Gymnastics


I love gymnastics! For kids it teaches discipline, coordination, and fun. If you live in the Salt Lake area and are looking for a fun activity for your kids, you should check out Bailies Gymnastics. Yes, I work there and No, I am not getting paid for this advertisement. I just love the way my kids (my own and my classes) look while learning fun tricks. Summer can be HOT and sometimes boring unless you have something planned. Why not introduce your boys and girls alike into the world of cartwheels, flips, foam pits, rock walls, spring boards, cheese mats, and tumbling trampolines?

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Arm and AB workout

3 minute warm up

pull up (or modified pull up): 10-15 reps
back extensions on ball or machine: 30 reps
cardio: 1 minute

REPEAT 2-3 more times

DB chest press: 15 reps
plank: hold 1 min.
cardio: 1 min.

REPEAT 2-3 more times

concentration bicep curl: 15 reps
incline reverse curl: 20-30 reps (lay on an decline bench with head higher than legs, holding onto the bench near your head lift hips off bench pressing feet to the ceiling)
http://www.menshealthsa.co.za/images/article_images/0-255/a20/49_44_orig.gif

cardio: 1 min.
REPEAT 2-3 more times

bench dips: 20 reps

pendulum: 10 each side (on your back with feet in air and legs straight, drop both feet to one side without lifting back off ground; return to top and drop to other side)
cardio: 1 min.

REPEAT 2-3 more times

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

4th set

Anyone else getting tired of the same old exercise routine? 3 sets of 12-15 reps for the same old exercises 1 minute cardio in between...blah blah blah. Me too. On a whim I decided to change things up. So I cut down the number of exercises from 6 (for legs) to only 3. I changed the repetitions from 15-20 to about 10-12 and added significant weight. And I decided to do 3 minutes of cardio at the end of each set instead of 1 minute between each exercise. That's a lot of numbers. What does it add up to? Soreness! Pretty simple tweaks, less to think about and less total time and you've got yourself a great new workout. Here is what one of my Leg days looks like:

  • Smith Machine Quarter Squat 12 reps with 85 pounds
  • Single Leg Curl with Stability Ball 10 reps each leg
  • Single Leg Smith Machine Squat 10 reps each leg with 65 pounds
  • 3 minute elliptical on Level 10

Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 sets

  • Hanging Crunch 15 reps
  • Weighted Back Extension 30 reps with 25 pound dumbbell
  • Incline Reverse Curl 25 reps
  • Weighted Standing Side Bends 15 reps with 20 pound dumbbell
  • Plank 2 minutes

Repeat AB section once more for a total of 2 sets

I like to supplement this with another leg workout that same week of only body weight exercises and one arm and ab circuit boot camp style.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Fine!

I guess I'll come clean. After 10 days and one mental breakdown I've decided to not follow through with the original plan. I guess there are more important things out there than worrying about getting fat. Yep, fat. I said it. Probably my biggest fear in life and it's really no big deal. So this is the end of my blog about my body image issues. I guess I will bury them and eventually they will go away. Here on out, if you choose to read this blog, you'll get fitness tips and occasional nutrition facts. Let's be professional here.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Day 10

I can't believe it's already day 10. I know I am getting lax about the all fruits and veggie thing. But it's better than doing nothing, I guess. Last night I had nothing at the movie...no candy, no soda, no popcorn (it always smells better than it tastes anyway). And at Sweet Tomatoes I filled up my plate with veggies and salad, added a little salad dressing (this is where I am lax) and had two bowls of vegetarian soup. If it is vegetarian does that mean there is only veggies in there? I took it as a yes, and ate up. Not one brownie morsel made it past my lips. Still, I feel like I ate too much while there and didn't feel at all skinny that night when we got home. It was probably because of the sodium in the dressing and soup.

I am looking forward to today. No plans to eat out so I can really stick to the diet. I also bought my first watermelon of the season and I can't wait to cut it up and sink my teeth in. Imagine how great it will taste after all these months of winter. My plan:

Breakfast: banana drizzled with honey (my new favorite meal)

Lunch: green smoothie

Snack: fruit salad

Dinner: green salad and watermelon

I'll also drink plenty of water, take my vitamins, and get in a great workout. Peace out.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

So far so good

Just a little post before we head out to the movie and dinner. So far I've done fantastic (in my mind) and wanted to recognize that fact before I face temptation. Not that it is any temptation, because I've already made up my mind about what I will and will not eat. Over and out.

Ooopps!

No one is perfect, right? No one expects me to be perfect, do they? I didn't think so. With that in mind, day 9 can be flushed right down the toilet. I'm not sure what happened but my resolve dissolved into a food mess. I won't post what I ate, just know that is was not a fruit or vegetable. But that was yesterday and this is today. I can't do anything about the past...all I can do is move on and focus on today.

Which, BTW, today is Tre's birthday. Happy 9th Tre! Celebrations are always tough. This is what I will do to get through it:

  • Dinner is at Sweet Tomatoes...great for me (salad, fruit, no preparation!), and great for Tre (unlimited ice cream and chocolate sauce and sprinkles).
  • He is not a huge fan of cake so I am making mint brownies. He loves them and I don't care for them at all. Mint and chocolate does not do it for me...it's kinda like brushing your teeth then biting into chocolate. All that gooey chocolate is ruined by the fresh mint taste.
  • I'll be busy today with wrapping, baking, watching the Dance Festival at his school, and going to see Speed Racer right after school. No time to get bored and eat.

That's the plan. And if I stick to the diet today I'll be pretty happy.