That's all she wrote!

February 1, 2015

I reached the end my friends. I did a 31 day challenge and took 4 rest days, 1 a week. I'm pretty proud of the progress I made towards my fitness and health goals. I feel better, I'm sleeping better, I feel more attractive, and am almost excited for bikinis and summer.

On day 30 (Friday) I did the pin "Long and Lean Full Body Yoga Flow" https://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112856127/ This was great for lengthening and stretching out sore muscles. It was also a good wind down for Friday night. If you do this one, make sure you do both sides.

 

Day 31 (Saturday) I did a few different pins. First I did the "20 minute calorie burning treadmill routine" https://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271113008027/ followed by the "Full Body Circuit with Weights." https://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271113000334/



 The treadmill one was killer. I could only do the top speed and incline for a minute before my asthma got too bad and I had to stop the treadmill and breathe for a bit before I went on. That was a first for me during my runs. My asthma sucks but I can normally just slow down during a run and catch my breath.

The circuit workout I did with 5 lb weights. It wasn't too bad, but I feel it today in my legs and abs.

And now for the after pictures. I'm going to keep going, but I think you can see after 4 weeks, I have baby back muscles, my stomach is tighter, my butt is lifted, and my legs are much better. I think I will continue doing pins with more yoga and running as opposed to lifting. I'll keep you updated, thanks for supporting me and reading my blog!!

 Two not flexing...

 Two flexing...grrrrrr (see baby back muscles!)

A Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

January 29, 2015

Day 29, almost done! Well yellow isn't really my color, but I might but a new bikini for the summer if I keep this stuff up! Today I did the pin "Do Anywhere Bikini Circuit." http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112938610/

I really like these three circuit set exercises that PopSugar puts out. It seems that the hardest exercises are first and then, while they are all challenging, the last set is a bit nicer on you. This one was great for abs and legs. I walked for 5.5 minutes at the beginning (.35 miles). It was a nice warm up. The workout kept me nice and warm too. Tomorrow is a run and yoga!

Little Less Conversation, a little more Action Please

January 27, 2015

I know you have heard from me once today, but here is my workout from today. I repeated a pin **gasp** I wasn't planning on it, but it was a bicep and back day and this one just works well. Plus, I was at school and all the weights were here just waiting for me. "Back and Bicep Challenge" http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112768936/  is certainly a challenge. I added an actual barbell today at school (25lbs) plus two ten pound weights for the "bent over barbell row" and then just 5lb weights for the "barbell good morning" The rest of the exercises were done with 10 lbs weights (except the flyes, which I did with 5 lbs, I'm weak). Everyone's got to start somewhere, so while the guys around me bench in the 100s, I feel pretty good that at least I'm doing something. I might have used the baby bar, but I felt pretty cool with my weights on them.

After I lifted, I jumped on the treadmill and walked for 2 minutes at 3.8, then ran for 4 minutes at 6.1 for a total of .5 of a mile. Nothing big, but a little cardio. The basketball crowd was coming into the gym (which is outside of our weight room) so I went back to my room to do abs.

I wanted to give you a new pin, since I repeated one. I did the "5 minute Pre-Cardio ab workout" http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271110766705/ Except I did it after cardio, and it took me way more than five minutes. I wanted to be on a beach with this lady. Let's be real. Also, I didn't have a kettle bell or any other weight, so these were weightless. I did 30 sit ups and 30 Russian twists, a 1 minute full arm plank, 60 butterfly crunches (15 each side, 30 center), 14 superman planks (I super suck at those, I kept tipping over), and then 50 bicycles. So yea, more than 5 minutes, but I felt like I needed to do something that pushed me a bit and made me sore. Tomorrow's a rest day. 

A day late and a dollar short

January 27, 2015

So I'm good at working out every day, turns out I'm not good at blogging every day. Yesterday was a leg and glute day. I did the pin "Your Best Butt"  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112764577/

This was a really quick workout and it left me sore and sweating. I didn't take much for breaks between the exercises and I did have to google what some of these meant. Today I feel it in my legs, not so much my butt. I did 40 side lunges (20 per leg), 30 glute kickbacks (also known as donkey kicks), and 15 side leg circles. If I do this one again, I will add weight as it suggested. I didn't think I was to that point, but since I don't really feel it today, I guess I am. Today is arms and abs. Whoohoo!

Working on the weekend!

January 26, 2015

Today you get another weekend special-a 3 for 1!

Friday, I rushed in a quick arm workout before people came over to do some crafting. I did the pin "5 Moves to Toned Arms" http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112768892/



Saturday, I did a core workout that focused on abs, back, and legs. I felt this one in the hamstrings on Sunday. It was called "The Better Body Workout: Abs and Core" http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112959703/ I really like this type of pin, it has a lot of variety and it goes pretty quickly. I did one of these types of pins last week and I felt it for days. This one wasn't nearly as painful. It may be that my abs are in better shape than my legs so they took it better, who knows. I walked about 4 minutes before (did .25 of a mile) then walked another 8 or so after for a total of 3/4 of a mile on that day. I also stretched out well.



Sunday was a rest/cardio day. I didn't really follow a pin, though if I have to mark one, you could say I did the Couch to 5k, week 5. I walked for 5 minutes at 4 mph, then ran for 10 minutes as 5.8, then walked another 5 at 3.8. Total I did 1.6 miles. That was the most I have ran continually since I started this project and it actually felt pretty good.

That was my weekend! Tada! In addition to the Finer Things Club Friday, Saturday I went to Anything Goes at the Lied Center with Brett and then Sunday, Ashly and I binge watched Pushing Daisies and finished crafting. I'm such a party animal.

My Finer Things project, something like this:

Walk like an Egyptian!

January 23, 2015

Man guys, let me tell you, when I have musical late, I'll get a workout in, but then I am just too pooped to type up my post. That was the deal last night. Yesterday I focused on legs and glutes. I did the pin "The Lean Legs and Tight Butt Workout" from Women's Health http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112926387/

This was nice short workout (in comparison to some I've done). I did 15 reps of each exercise, and two times around. After the first one, I did at 20 calf raises on the stairs, just because I didn't feel like this exercise set focused too much on those. The reverse lunges with kicks were the most challenging to me. In total, this took about 10-15 minutes per circuit (I did do the 60 seconds rest between each set, or maybe a bit more). 

I'll get in a short arms workout tonight before I go out, then tomorrow is abs and yoga!

JockJams Vol. 1

January 21, 2015

I missed my post yesterday because I was tired and went to bed, not because I didn't workout. So, I'll take the time on my rest day today to catch up. Yesterday was an arms and yoga day. I had musical at school followed by speech, so in my 45 minute window, I slipped into the school gym and borrowed their weights.

I did the pin "Upper Body Workout Routine for Women"  http://www.pinterest.com/pin/273312271112768883/

Not sure why it's only for women, I think this would be a challenging routine for anyone. I had to Google a few of the terms on this one (lateral fly, tricep kickback, up and down planks) and this one did take me most of the 45 minutes I had. I walked 4 minutes before I started to warm up, then I stretched out. My legs and glutes were pretty sore after the Monday workout (so keep that one on your radar). I may dislike  up and down planks as much as burpies. That really rock abs and arms. I did most of these with dumbells ranging in weight from 5 lbs (for lateral raises) to 10 for most everything else. I did 2 sets through because I ran out of time, but I don't think I would really want to do it three time.

I am starting to see some definition on my arms, which isn't hard since I started with nothing. I am sore today in my shoulders, but not so much my arms. I'm assuming that will happen tomorrow.

After I got home from speech, I did some basic yoga moves. I wasn't following any pin, but just stretching out what felt sore and tight. Next month may be a 28 day yoga challenge...