Going in Circles

December 12, 2012 Kim 3 Comments

Today’s 43 really tested one of my weakest areas – shoulders! Plus, I sat on my stability ball while doing the 43 so that gave me a little bit of core work!!!

The actual move was ~~sort-of~~ totally old school – arm circles!! I sat on the stability ball and held a dumbbell in each hand (I used 5 pound dumbbells today) with my arms fully extended to the sides. Then, I did 43 circles to the front and another 43 to the back. The circle part wasn’t really bad – the challenge came from holding my arms at shoulder height and keeping them fully extended the entire time.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giIxWpjlfA0′]

(for the demo I just did 5 and 5 – those didn’t count as part of the true 43)

I decided to take a little Pilates break today and do a different non-weight bearing work-out. I did a Bender Ball work-out. You do traditional core moves using this little ball:

I know that tomorrow I will feel this in every part of my core!!!

I decided that I was on a roll (ha-ha – I entertain myself sometime!) with core and shoulders today so I thought it would be fun to see how long I could hold plank. (I know some of y’all can hold it a long time!!!) I got in position with my, iPhone right under my face, and hit start. I lasted for ……3 minutes!!! I know that is the longest I have ever held plank at one time – not sure if I want to try to go longer or not – maybe next time I will hold plank on my elbows instead of with my arms fully extended! (or maybe I won’t let my competitive nature take over and push me to try and go longer & longer & longer….hmmm)

Time to go get my nails done! (I know – completely frivolous and unnecessary but it makes me happy!!!)

This afternoon I get to help in the library at Hunter’s school – my favorite!!!

Happy 12-12-12!!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Quad, Thighs

Breaking the Rules (barely!!)

December 11, 2012 Kim 4 Comments

I did a lower body 43 today and it was awesome (and hard!!). It involved this cute little band around my ankles.

I stayed in a semi-squat (just enough to feel the burn but not a true squat) and did the following:

2 steps to the right
2 steps left
2 steps right with a left leg abduction
2 steps left with a right leg abduction
abduction – left, right, left, right

The steps listed above = 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed4slDnqMyI’]

43 of those and I felt all of them – especially in my outer thighs/hips. I had to do a quick stretch 2 times before I finished all of the reps. I did this hip stretch:

Put all of your weight into one hip and push that hip back. Nice!!

So, I know that this little move goes against Drs orders (non-weight bearing and blah, blah, blah) but it was less than 15 minutes and it was sooooooo great to move and work my lower body!!!

Hair night – WooHoo!!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

BOSU, Fitness, Push-Ups

Favorite Things

December 10, 2012 Kim 5 Comments

The 43 today was another version of the good ‘ol push-up! I love trying all different types of push-ups and today’s was a good one!

I used my BOSU again!

Today, however, I flipped it over for the move.

After Jordan did a few awesome push-ups, I did 43 using the BOSU. I was able to do all of them on my toes – just had to stop and do a quick stretch 2 times before I finished!

I also did my standard (standard for these days – while I can’t do a real work-out) work-out: Pick your Spot Pilates. I did all 3 sections again – belly, butt, thighs.

This morning when I was driving home, after dropping Hunter off at school, I heard the song My Favorite Things by Lorrie Morgan.

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

The song made me think of some of my favorite things (it is an ever-changing list except for the top). Here are some of my favorites on this bitterly cold Monday:

Chris, Jordan, Hunter
seat heaters in my car (even though Jordan always puts on the seat cooler for his seat – even today when it is only 10 degrees – crazy!!!)
hot Chai
crockpot (with tonight’s dinner cooking away!)
Christmas lights in every room!
text from a friend
running (just not today or for awhile)
sappy, predictable Christmas movies on Lifetime
fleece (doesn’t matter what really – shirt, pants, blankets…)
music
pictures

I could go on but I have to get busy addressing Christmas cards!!! Normally I used the kind of envelopes that you just peel off the back and stick – not this year for some reason (oh yeah, the size of the picture). I’m not sure about licking 150+ envelopes.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt8E_27iyOk’]

Maybe I will find a damp sponge!!!

Happy Monday!

Kim

Back, Fitness

Don’t Quit!!!

December 9, 2012 Kim 1 Comment

Today was the first time since I started my quest of completing a 43 every day this year that I almost didn’t do one. However, I decided that it didn’t have to be super hard – it just needed to be!!!

So, the 43 today (Yeah!!!! there was one!) was a lateral raise while laying face-down on a stability ball. I just used 5 pound dumbbells for this move.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfpBJikZC48′]

The main thing I focused on during the 43 was trying not to jerk my arms up and to use control when lowering them.

Yesterday after the fun family photo shoot, (more great pictures on the family page)

Jordan decided that he would make dinner. He had plans to concoct a unique creation (beef, ketchup, honey, barbecue sauce, Italian seasonings, lettuce, tomatoes,scrambled eggs and who knows what else were mentioned) cooked in some ~~crazy~~ manner. He and Chris worked together in the kitchen (I was banned) and I truly thought they were making Jordan’s stuff because of the conversations I could hear.

When they called me in, they actually had a baked spaghetti dish (very tasty!!). However, Jordan did make up a new dessert:

Not sure if it has a name but it was pretty good. He mixed blackberry pomegranate yogurt, some sugar, some graham cracker crumbs, some craisins, granola and honey to make the above treat! Maybe he will be the next Bobby Flay or Gordon Ramsey!!!

Happy Sunday! I’m excited because I’m going to see the Nutcracker with some friends later this afternoon – should be fun!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Quad, Thighs

Family Picture Day – Fun Times!!

December 8, 2012 Kim

This morning when I picked my 43, I really wanted to do something that would work my legs but it still had to be non-weight bearing. I finally came up with a good 43 and even sitting here typing my legs are still feeling the burn – Ultimate Success!!!

I used a couple of 8 pound medicine balls for the move. One of them I just held over my head the whole time just to add a little extra and to make sure that I didn’t try to cheat on the move by pushing off with my hands! I started like this:

I’m just sitting on a flat stool and have the medicine ball between my knees – just holding it in place took some major effort. Then I lifted my legs straight up (knees still bent at this point).

The final part of this move was to extend my legs – this was the hard part and I had to lean back a little (I figure that’s OK – I could work my core some, too!!!).

I tried to keep complete control as I reversed the move (pretty sure that a couple of the reps I just sort-of dropped my legs – oops!!). 43 – worked my legs today!!!!

Today we are going to take our annual family picture for our Christmas card. This is always an ~~ordeal~~ experience ~~to be forgotten~~ ~~that requires a drink (on my part)~~ in the true joy of the Christmas season (thats what we are going with). Jordan typically wears white Nike shorts and a white Nike T-shirt every day of the year (summer & winter) so the fact that he has to put on something different never goes over well. Then the timer on the camera and smiles and eyes (open preferably) and poses and locations and…..Anyway, I hope we get some good shots (of tequila, maybe!) later today!!

Today is a foggy, cool day – perfect for hanging out at home as a family (and taking pictures!!!).