A Life of Moderation or a Life of Extremes – Can the 2 Combine??

Today I used a simple little band for my 43.Band

This band is fairly small and provides a lot of resistance.  ( Note:  you could do the move without a band.)  I started with the band around one ankle and the bottom of my other shoe:

start
start

(Check out my super cute running skirt!!  MizFit workout skirt – check it out here.)

From this position, I pushed my foot straight back (it’s not a big move) and then brought it back to the start.

push foot back
push foot back

After 43 of the back-push move, I did another set of 43 where I flexed my leg down (without touching the ground) and back up.

 going down
going down
push leg down (don't touch ground)
push leg down (don’t touch ground)

These moves may look like nothing but if you squeeze your butt as you do both of them, you will feel it for sure!

Of course, I don’t want my hamstrings or butt to be lopsided so I had to repeat both of the 43s  on the other leg.  I think the second leg is always harder because it is already a little fatigued from supporting you while you work the first side.

Today was a running day for a couple of reasons:  it’s been a few days since my last run and that’s about the only thing I can do because my arms HURT!!!!  I’m not sure who thought doing thousands of jumping jacks was a good idea!!  Moving my arms to run was OK once I got started but lifting my arms to the side or over my head – painful.  I had no idea that jumping jacks could do that to a person – maybe it is because I’m an idiot and did 4,300!!!

Anyway – I ran on my treadmill (I don’t run in snow, you know) at a 1.5% incline – 8 miles (52:17) and then 2.5 more miles much easier for a total of 85:00 minutes.

Screen shot 2013-03-26 at 8.17.54 AMModeration can apply to so many things and areas of our lives.  We all know that I like wine and cosmos and… but I do try to always use moderation in that part of my life.Screen shot 2013-03-26 at 10.43.58 AMPotato chips – ummm…..hard to have moderation here!  (I have to just not buy them!!!)

What about other areas of life (not just food/beverages)?  Is moderation important?

In a lot of ways, I’m an all-or-nothing person.  I know that isn’t always for the best butScreen shot 2013-03-26 at 8.15.31 AM

I don’t really think that (all the time)!  Some days I need to work on moderation (like when I have a stupid idea to do 4,300 jumping jacks!!!) but other days I kind of like extremes!

What are you – moderate, extreme, mixture of both, neither?

Happy Tuesday!!

Kim

Jumping Jack Palooza

Screen shot 2013-03-25 at 10.04.23 AM

Today for my 43 I did jumping jacks.  However, I thought (rather stupidly) that 43 jumping jacks wasn’t enough.  So I turned it into my own little jumping jack party (or palooza!!).

I did 43 sets of 100 jumping jacks!!!  That would be 4,300 jumping jacks!!!!

I feel quite sure that tomorrow I won’t be able to raise my arms above my head and my upper back will be sore!!!  (I touched my hands at the top – straight arms – on each and every one!)

I know that some people think jumping jacks aren’t a real workout or that they are just part of the warm-up  – but I’m here to tell you – they would be wrong!!!!  This was no joke!!!

This may be TMI but the worst part of all those jumping jacks?? –  I thought I was going to totally pee myself!   (glad running doesn’t do that to me!!)

Chris was off Friday and we decided to get a dehydrator.  I just got an inexpensive one (plus, it was at Bed Bath and Beyond so I had a coupon!!) to try it out.Dehydrator

Yesterday I used it for the first time – squash and zucchini chips.  Super easy – slice the veggies and put them on the trays.Dehydrator

I sprinkled them with just a very small amount of seasoning salt and then let them dry for about 8 hours.Dehydrator

They made nice little chips!!!  Much healthier than my regular potato chips!!!  The only downside – 2 zucchini and 3 squash only made this much:Dehydrated Chips

Better make some more!!!  I think this will be a great way to wean myself off of potato chips!!!  Gonna try out some mangos today.

Happy Monday!!!

Kim

Sunday Morning Killer Circuit

Today I decided to do a circuit for my 43.  I wanted to get some toning, cardio, plyo – basically some of everything in one quick round (well actually 43 rounds!).  Looking at the circuit you might think it is no big deal – try a few!!!

Screen shot 2013-03-24 at 9.11.19 AMThe first 10 or so weren’t terrible – but the last 10 were brutal!!!  A tough 43 for sure!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MA0zujPxHA’]

I think part of the challenge came from the fact that I kept going from floor moves to standing – constant up and down.  It was a good workout for sure!!!

I’m not sure what is going on with Phil the groundhog – I think he was a little off this year.Screen shot 2013-03-24 at 9.01.54 AM

On a happy note – I finally figured out how to make a picture collage!!!  Thanks  to Lindsay at  The Lean Green Bean for sharing her favorite 30 Apps for the iPhone the other day – I learned about Diptic!!

Even though my Grandmother is no longer here, today would be her birthday – Happy Birthday, Mema!!  I miss you every day!!!

aren't they cute!!
aren’t they cute!!

(My Mema never looked at the camera – only at the people in the picture with her!)

Happy Sunday!!

Kim

Running a Pyramid

Today’s 43 was quick and fun!!!  I did a straddle jump on a bench.  Start by straddling the bench with your hands on the front of the bench.  Jump both feet up on bench then back to floor.  Repeat (x 43).

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDq-NWEEtvc’]

This is one of my favorites!!!  I think I will do more of these jumps soon!

For my run today I did a pyramid!Screen shot 2013-03-23 at 10.25.11 AM

OK – not that pyramid but it sort-of felt like it on the way up!!!

Screen shot 2013-03-23 at 10.40.24 AMYou can see that I increased my speed every 2 minutes (until I finally got to the top!) and then I decreased every two minutes on the way back down – much better!!!

This was fun and different for me – I usually try to get my fastest miles at the end of my run instead of  during the middle so this is a good change.

1.5 % incline – 44:11 = 7 miles   + cool down of 20 minutes  for a total of 64 minutes (8.4 total miles)

I like to do different things with my speed (or incline) while I run – probably why I don’t get bored on my treadmill very often!!!

Screen shot 2013-03-23 at 10.48.15 AMI can’t believe how fast spring break has gone!!   Even though we just stayed home, we had a great week together!!!

This weekend, we are all about basketball!!  My bracket took  several hard hits but I still have a chance to win and it’s fun to watch some of the underdogs do really well!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim