Welcome, Elise from 9toFit!!!

January 31, 2014 Kim 60 Comments

Today’s 44 was a simple move. I did an oblique reach – lay on your back with shoulders off the ground and reach your right hand to your right foot.

And, of course, this move has to be repeated for a 2nd set of 44 on the left side.

I’m fixing to hop on my treadmill and run my virtual race with Kristen (in spirit – she is in CA and I’m in KS) for the STUFT 60 Challenge – 37 miles on tap so it will take a chunk of my Friday!! (and then I will be done!!!)

I’ve been excited for today all week!!! Because today I have a very So, no more wasting time let’s meet my guest!!

Please welcome Elise from 9toFit. If you haven’t read her blog yet you need to – this girl is amazing. She works full time (actually these days she is working way more than full-time!!!) as an accountant and still manages to come up with some incredible workouts and recipes that she shares with all of her readers!!! Plus her insight on different topics, like the fact that weight is just a number, is amazing!!

1. I read that you were a college athlete (basketball on what sounds like a great team). What are a couple of your favorite memories? My favorite memories all involved just hanging out with my teammates. Even though it was serious when we were on the court, as soon as we got off we knew how to have a good time! One of our best memories with them was probably the 2^nd time going to Elite 8, when we got to go to San Antonio and see the Riverwalk and everything. Just an awesome experience!

2. Did you have an athletic scholarship and if so did you feel extra pressures from it? Yes, I was a 5 year scholar athlete at Bentley University, since I red shirted the first time I blew out my ACL. Being on scholarship at Bentley was like having a job. When we traveled for games we treated those trips like business meetings. So I don’t know if I’d say extra pressure, but it was definitely very serious, and you are expected to win!

3. As a team athlete in college, I’m sure that team support is still vital for you. Who makes up your support team?
Yes, I feel like it’s so important to surround yourself with positive people in your life. What is it they say, you are most like the 5 closest people to you or something? Therefore I try to surround myself with people who have similar goals and values. My main support team is definitely my boyfriend of 4 years, Mike, my family (my dad gets up with me 2 days out of the week to work out at 5:30am!) and a few of my best friends I’ve had since 7^th grade.

4. Do you love your job as an accountant? Is this something you always wanted to do?
Haha, short answer No & No. My job has its up and downs. I am a public accountant, so for those of you who know about the dreaded busy season, you feel my pain. The days can be very long and working weekends is never fun! But I ended up getting into accounting because Bentley is a top business school in the Boston area, and numbers have just always been something that clicked for me. Do I want to work in accounting forever? Definitely not, I’d love to be in the fitness industry but, on the bright side, I’m getting a lot of business experience!

5. I know you use the Cody app. Will you explain it for those of us who still don’t know all about it?
Yes! I love the Cody app! So it is basically like instagram or twitter but for fitness (you can download it on the app store on your iPhone). You are able to track your workouts with pictures or statuses. Just like on instagram/twitter you can follow people and be followed, and also like or comment on people’s workouts. On top of that there are a ton of “coaches” who have training plans, both free and paid, that provide you with great fresh workouts. Really the community on there is amazing and growing quickly! If you haven’t checked it out yet I recommend you do, it’s a great way to track your workouts and be social at the same time.

6. Is your 6 Pack ab training an ongoing group or is it just part of the time? Is it in conjunction with the Ab of the week?
The 6 Pack ab training plan is a series of workouts that people can subscribe to and have forever. The people at Cody actually came to me to be a “coach” on their app. So I put together an ab training plan which we named 6pack abs. Over 1,500 people have subscribed to it either on their phones or online! I actually just launched the 2^nd version recently, a 2.0 version! It has 8 different ab workouts, with 3 different intensity levels for each. So no matter what your fitness level you’ll find one that works for you. I’d love for you guys to check it out online here or on the cody app. The plan costs $9.99 but you pay once and it’s yours forever!

And back to your original question, the ab of the week section on my blog is kind of what started the training plans. People who followed me, and the cody team saw these and that’s what inspired the training plans you guys can now subscribe too.

7. Are you a vegetarian or do you follow any specific diet? Do you have any foods that you completely avoid?
Definitely not a vegetarian, I love meat way to much! I’m not a big diet person and I don’t completely cut foods out. I try to just not eat like crap but if I feel like ice cream, I’ll eat some ice cream. I can honestly say the only food that I won’t eat is like McDonalds cheese burgers or something. If I am eating fast food I would choose something like Panera or my favorite.. Chipotle!

8. If you could go anywhere for a month, where would you go and what would you do?
Well I’m super excited that in September I will be going to Italy! So right now that’s where I would want to go! lol I can’t wait to just unplug for all my electronics and explore some place I’ve never been.

9. What if your favorite form of social media? Do you have any tips for how to integrate all of the various forms into a normal day? Besides Cody, I would have to say Instagram. I love instagram, because I like pictures so much better than words. Maybe that’s the lazy in me talking. I think it’s interesting to see what people are up to and there’s no better way than through pictures.

10. Do you have a favorite form of exercise or do you prefer to mix it up?
I like mixing it up, every week I think I have a good mix of running, weight lifting, spinning etc. I’ve tried a ton of workouts from actually getting in the ring and sparring, to doing zumba. Right now if I had to pick though hot yoga has been doing my body some good. Flexibility is not something I was blessed with so it’s a challenge for me but so needed.

Didn’t you love learning a little about Elise?!
Make sure you check out her site and learn even more about her!!!
And today I’m actually the Feature Friday over on her blog so feel free to join me over there for a Fun Friday!!!

Happy Friday!!

Kim

Fitness, Quad, Triceps

How Do You Celebrate Special Days?

January 30, 2014 Kim 1 Comment

Today’s 44 was another move from Nellie (Brooklyn Active Mama) and her Weekly Wednesday Workouts. This move is called a crab dip and Nellie said in her post yesterday that it’s not for the faint – she was definitely right about that!!!

The set-up is basically a reverse table top position –

From the table top position you lower your butt until it’s close to the ground (I never let it touch) – the work is going to come mostly from your triceps but my quads were feeling the burn by the end of all 44 reps.

The last 6 or so were brutal!!!

Since I’m trying to work my way through some of the workout DVDs that I haven’t done lately, I pulled out another new one today – Skinny Bitch Fitness. This is one of those workouts that really is a pretty good workout the cueing is completely absent – you just have to watch and figure out each new move.

The workout is mad up of 4 sections that are about 20 minutes each – abs, legs, arms and butt. I do like the format – I just sort of tune Rory (instructor) and Kim (side-kick) out because they are pretty goofy!!! It was a perfect workout for today since I wanted minimal cardio before tomorrow’s 37 miles!!!

So, yesterday was Kansas Day! Ummm….I think it is the birthday of Kansas – I’m not really sure, I just know that all through elementary school January 29th is a big deal day (if you live in Kansas).

Since I’m not a Kansan (I just live here – but we all know I’m a Texan!!!) I don’t really do much to celebrate Kansas Day. However, yesterday I thought it would be fun to make a special Kansas themed dinner.

Coming up with a Kansas themed menu was actually not that simple but here is what I ended up with:

Kansas City Barbecue Sauce (which, traditionally, is a combination of sweet and spicy) –

Corn (because people in Kansas grow corn) and this recipe was from a true Kansan –

Buffalo Chips (we all know that the buffalo is the official Kansas animal –

So, a nice Kansas dinner!!!

a food photographer I'm not! — a food photographer I’m not!

And, I don’t normally make dessert but I thought since we were celebrating and all that I should so I made “Kansas” Dump Cake!!

Since it has pineapples and cherries (well cherry pie filling but…) I think it counts as fruit!!

And that is how we celebrate Kansas Day!!!

Do you like to plan themed meals to celebrate certain events/days?

Happy Thursday!!

Kim

PS – I have a special guest tomorrow – I’m super excited!!!

Fitness, Push-Ups

Do You Work Harder When Someone Is Watching You?

January 29, 2014 Kim 104 Comments

Today I did a push-up variation for my 44. I used my yoga blocks –

clearly they don't get much use for Yoga — clearly they don’t get much use for Yoga

I just put my hands on the blocks for the push-ups so it was a very slight change from a standard push-up.

And, I sort of cheated because I counted these 44 push-ups as part of my 50 for the core challenge. (I did the 90 second plank first and then did 50 instead of 44 push-ups.)

Today was the first time in months that I did a Turbo Fire workout and it was so much fun!! I did Fire 55EZ – don’t let the EZ fool you – this is 55 minutes of high intensity, non-stop moving.

During the cool down, Chalean made a comment that has me curious. She said that people tend to work harder in group settings because someone is watching them.

This statement really got me thinking because I rarely workout with a group – usually I’m in my basement alone either with a DVD or on the treadmill – however, I feel like I put in just as much effort as I would if I were at the gym.

The way I see it, I get up at 5:00 am for a reason!!!

I don’t want to waste that time putting in a half-hearted effort during my workouts whether I’m running, lifting, cross-training -whatever I’m doing.

I think that this is something I will really focus on for the next few days and make sure that I feel like I’m working as hard as I would if I were surrounded by other people doing the same thing – definitely something to think about!!!

What about you? Do you work harder when you are in a group setting?

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

Cardio, Fitness, Hamstrings, Lunges, Plyo, Quad, Running, Treadmill

500 Days of Activity!!!

January 28, 2014 Kim 99 Comments

Today’s 44 was a challenge!!! I did a back lunge – front kick – back lunge (all right leg) – jump lunge to switch sides and then repeated the moves on the left side for 1 rep. Between all 3 moves (lunges, kicks and jumps) I was definitely breathing hard!!!

I liked this move but 44 reps was a lot!!! Sometimes I don’t think these things through very well!! Oh, well – it’s good for me!

It was also a run day – 1.5% incline 7 miles (51:04) + an easy cool down mile.

I probably won’t run again until Friday – big run on tap!! I’m doing a virtual race as part of Kristen’s (Stuft Mama) STUFT Challenge for Run Sixty Feet. Kristen is raising money for Run Sixty Feet with her run on Friday (she’s running 37 miles since it is her 37th birthday – what a great way to celebrate a birthday!!). I’m planning to do the same (37 miles) on Friday in support of both Kristen and the cause (Run Sixty Feet).

Today is my 500th day of daily moves – 365 days of 43s and 135 days of 44s!!!

I started this adventure on September 16, 2012 when I turned 43 with a goal of doing some form of activity every single day. Using my age is a great (although sometimes not so great) way to have a set goal for each move.

After a year of Daily 43s I enjoyed it so much that I decided to continue with Daily 44s.

There are occasionally days that I’m not as motivated to do 44 reps of anything (so I usually pick something fairly easy and just get it done) but most days I love the challenge of doing something 44 times!!!

I plan to continue the rest of this year and when September rolls around again I will decide if a year of Daily 45s is on tap or if it is time to do something else. Who knows?! I might still be doing Daily _____ when I’m 75!!!!

Oh, and I guess this is also my 500th day in a row to write a blog post since that is sort-of part of my goal, too!!! At some point I might switch to weekly updates on the daily moves but for now I enjoy posting everyday so I’m just going to keep going!!!

Do you have any Daily Streaks?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Squats

The Law of Diminishing Returns

January 27, 2014 Kim 69 Comments

Today’s 44 was another squat variation – this time with alternating glute lifts.

The key is to squeeze your butt on the way up and when you lift your leg behind. Since I counted a right and left lift as 1 rep, I actually did 88 squats to complete the 44.

I pulled out another workout DVD that I haven’t done in years – Michelle Dozois – Your Best Body Circuit. This was a good workout that included some nice cardio sections with plenty of strength training. I liked that the strength training included moves with dumbbells and resistance bands. The workout is almost an hour (58 minutes) and does a great job targeting all body parts and keeping your heart rate up!!!

OK – I have never studied economics so this isn’t going to be about economics in any way, however, I think that this statement is also true in the fitness realm!!!

I have been participating in a challenge this month that Taylor (Lifting Revolution) has going on – the Core Challenge.

The way this challenge works –

Week 1 – 45 second plank followed by 20 push-ups (every single day)
Week 2 – 60 second plank followed by 30 push-ups (every day!)
Week 3 – 75 second plank followed by 40 push-ups (still every day)
Week 4 – 90 second plank followed by 50 push-ups (also every day!!)

I’m still doing this every day – I haven’t missed a day yet but near the end of week 3 I noticed that my push-ups were becoming more and more of a struggle.

This week doing 50 push-ups is a downright hard. I feel like I’m going backwards on the push-ups some days!!! I break them into sets of 10 and then do a quick stretch break usually to complete all 50. There have been some days that I’ve had to drop to my knees in order to complete all of the reps with good form.

I thought about dropping back down to 20 or 30 push-ups to finish the challenge but I’m hoping that if I keep pushing through I will see the results once the challenge is completely over.