WooHoo – Everyone’s Healthy!!!

January 16, 2013 Kim 2 Comments

Jordan went back to school- Yippee!! He said he was about 99% this morning so hopefully he will make it through the day and won’t have a relapse!!!

For my 43 I worked my quads (in a big way!!!). I did a sumo stomp!!

Oh, wait – that isn’t one of the pictures Hunter took (thankfully!!!).

Start in a squat –

Stick your butt back further - come on!! — Stick your butt back further – come on!!

Lift your right leg as high as you can (while staying in squat) and then lift your left leg to complete 1 rep. Continue for desired number of reps (43 for me).

Hunter - take the picture already - this is hard!!! — Hunter – take the picture already – this is hard!!!

And one more shot:

Yes - it is necessary to look like a dork!!! — Yes – it is necessary to look like a dork!!!

Even though I managed, yet again, to look like a total goof – the exercise was great!!! By holding the squat for 43 right leg lifts and 43 left leg lifts, my quads were a shaky, jelloy mess. (I’m not sure jelloy is a word – but you know what I mean!!!)

So, I wanted to work my legs even more (crazy!) so I did Les Mills Combat – Combat 45 Kata. Since I have done this work-out before, today I was able to really go hard-core with it!! That means lots of jumping kicks were involved!!! 45 minutes was over and done with before I knew it!!!

I’m actually a little sad – this afternoon is probably my last day working in the library! I have really enjoyed my time with the kids at the school (not Hunter’s school) I have been at. Plus, being a librarian or library aide is pretty great!!!

One more bit of library humor:

Happy Wednesday!!! Here’s to good health all around!!

Kim

Butt, Chest, Fitness, Running, Shoulders, Treadmill

Dumbbells & Balls & Combat & Treadmills – Oh My!!!

January 15, 2013 Kim 11 Comments

For my 43 today, I did a move similar to one that I saw on the Biggest Loser last week!!! It is one of those great exercises that uses lots of different muscle groups!! (my favorite kind of exercise!)

Start with your upper back/head on a stability ball and dumbbells in your hands (I used 8 pounds today). Do a chest press – stand – do a shoulder press- lay back down on ball and repeat.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dszS-yLSQ0′]

Loved this exercise – will definitely do it again!!!

After I took Hunter to school, I came back to the still sick Jordan and did the rest of my work-out. Today was HIIT Power with Les Mills Combat. This work-out is only 30 minutes but it is intense!!! (It also has 40ish burpees with push-ups and squat jumps or tuck jumps!!!) Fun times!!!

After I finished the Combat work-out I wanted to test my hip on the treadmill. I only ran 3 miles (+ 1 mile cool-down) but I felt good and pushed the last mile (even though I’m not supposed to!!!). Total for 3 miles – 20:34 – WooHoo!!! Happiness!!!

I can’t wait to start increasing my mileage!!!

Can you tell I’m enjoying my morning off? I got to sleep past 5:00 am and spend a little extra time working out – Yippee!!! I am just working afternoons for a couple of days so that the person who I have been working for can ease back in to her job (and I can ease on out).

I don’t know about where y’all live/work but here the flu and other illnesses are OUT OF CONTROL!!! Yesterday at the school I have been working at there were over 60 kids home sick (plus at least 10 staff members) That is about 15% of the school – YUCK!!!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Kim

Fitness, Push-Ups

Happy Monday!!!!

January 14, 2013 Kim 7 Comments

The 43 today was hard for me!!! I had to modify it in order to finish all 43 – but we all know that making a modification is better than sacrificing form!!!

The move – a push-up with a clap. (Now do you feel my pain?!) The push-up alone – great! Add in the clap – uh, what??? I did the first 13 on my toes and the next 30 on my knees. Still got to 43 and by dropping to my knees I was still able to perform a full push-up so I still consider it a success!!

Special guest for the video:

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2NQgcsrF_I’]

Thanks, Chris!!! (BTW – did you notice how many he did? 9!!! + 1 more after the video) He said, “No way am I doing 43!!!” Umm…that’s cause you’re 44 – get busy!!!! I think he left it at 10!!! 10 is much better than 0!!!

Today was another day of fun with Les Mills Combat!!! I did the Combat 30 work-out again. I’m really enjoying it now that I have done it a few times and know all the moves!!

After Combat I did something that I don’t do nearly enough of – a stretching DVD!!! I did the Turbo Fire Stretch and it felt good. I have a hard time making myself take the time to really stretch very often – I know I need it!! Gotta work on doing that much more frequently!!

More time stretching – on the list!!!

I saw this yesterday and thought it was appropriate (at least in my world)!!!

Gotta get ready to head to the library (might be my last full day!!!). Jordan will be home – still sick! Hopefully he will be much better when he gets up today – I’m sure the fact that he has had these

in the room with him will make a huge difference!!! (or not – but it can’t hurt, right?)

Happy Monday!

Kim

Circuit, Core, Fitness

Core Work – It’s Good for You!!!

January 13, 2013 Kim 5 Comments

Today I decided to do a circuit for my 43. I made this one up last night (while drinking a Cosmo) and I think it did the job of working all parts of my core!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ArUmILhVPE’]

I always look pissed off during my demos – not sure why!!! I’m probably thinking about the fact that I still have 43 of these to do!

Anyway – I did not rush this work-out because I wanted to feel each and every crunch!!! 43 times through the circuit = 215 of each of the different moves = 1935 total crunches!!! I think I might be sore tomorrow!!!

I hope y’all try the circuit – you could pick a more reasonable # of reps – like maybe 10!!!

A few random pictures from yesterday (just because I took them and now I want them on my blog!!!).

The poor ducks – it was in the 50s here most of the week. Yesterday that all changed – high of around 28 I think (same for today but at least the sun is shining!!!). The ducks looked frozen into the lake yesterday morning.

At one point yesterday afternoon, Hunter came upstairs with this on – just because, I guess!!! You never know when you might encounter a Renaissance type around here!

Hunter's Rubik collection — Hunter’s Rubik collection

This cracks me up – all together and all except the 6×6 cube solved! I think Hunter has plans to add more to his collection – everyone needs a new challenge.

Well, I’m done with the random stuff for now. Gotta go check on my sickie – Jordan is miserable!!!

Try out the core circuit and let me know what you think.

Happy Sunday!

Kim

Butt, Fitness

Ball Butt Blaster & Banning Bright Bulbs

January 12, 2013 Kim 3 Comments

Today, like the past 120 days or so, started with a daily 43. For today’s move, I used a stability ball. I started face-down with my fingers and toes touching the ground.

Then I bent my left leg to 90 degrees and flexed my foot.

Now for the real work – squeeze your butt and push your foot up to the ceiling.

I did 43 with each leg and my butt was definitely burning!!!

The rest of my work-out was back to Les Mills Combat. Today I did the Combat 30 again. I am really enjoying the Combat program with the Les Mills crew – always a great work-out and the time flies by!!

I don’t know about everyone (or really anyone for that matter) but I have ~~a few~~ ~~several~~ LOTS of sleep issues! One of them is I like it to be dark!!!

Well, some nights this never seems to happen. We have a big window, way up high, in our bedroom:

Some nights lots of light comes through this window – if someone drives in the cul-de-sac in the middle of the night (or parks with headlights on) – I see the light! Some nights the moon is just wrong in the sky and shines straight in. I think I need a remote controlled blind system for that window or something!!

Another source of light in our bedroom some nights (last night – all night long!!!):

Bright (I have no idea who those people are - default picture 7+ years later!) — Bright (I have no idea who those people are – default picture 7+ years later!)

This clock has 4 levels of brightness and at night it should be on the dimmest:

However, this is Chris’ clock (not mine!!!) and therefore on his night stand. Last night it was like a flood light shining in our room all night long.That is a lot of light for someone who wants/needs pitch blackness to sleep!!! This morning I told Chris that if he left it on bright again at night I was going to kick it and then throw it!!! His perfectly rested response, “Why didn’t you just wake me up and ask me to turn it off?” Where is the fun in that? I much prefer kicking and throwing things after I gripe about them!!!! Duh!!!!