All posts by Kim

I am a 44 year old wife, mom and athlete. I started running in high school and have loved it ever since. As I got older, I had to stop running every day so I added in weight training and all sorts of fun work-outs like Insanity, P90X and Turbo Fire. I'm a certified personal trainer and I love all aspects of fitness.

Cardio, Core, Fitness, Push-Ups

Sibling Love

April 13, 2013 Kim 4 Comments

Today’s 43 is compliments of Hunter. I gave the boys free reign to come up with a move and make the video and told them I would get it done! Hunter came up with this whooper of a move. (Chris said Hunter wanted to add more but thankfully, Chris saved me. Hunter said, “she can do it – she did 4300 jumping jacks!”) I think maybe deep down he is proud of me!!!

Anyway, the move is called “the Cube” – I’m not sure why except for the fact that Hunter performed it with his Rubik cube in place.

jump back to plank
push-up
20x mountain climbers
push-up
jump back in
jump

The above is 1 rep – 43 of these was no joke!!! I struggled to finish all 43 today (maybe because it was 860 mountain climbers and 86 push-ups plus all the jumping!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGpxsQS8-Hw’]

Thanks, Hunter!!

After the killer “Cube”, I did some Turbo Fire. I did Lower 20 – which is 20 minutes of lower body work using this “cute” band and will leave your legs and hips shaking!!!

Innocent - I think not! — Innocent – I think not!

Then I did Upper 20 (20 minutes of upper body work – including more push-ups!) using this band:

A great workout to start my day!!!

So, I spent the bulk of yesterday hanging out at the hospital. My dad was in the ICU until about 5:45 or 6:00 in the evening when they finally moved him into a private room. At least then he could sit in a chair for a few minutes. He looked pretty good – he said he wasn’t in pain just really uncomfortable.

One nice thing about my impromptu trip is seeing all of my siblings. The last time all 4 of us were all together was over 2 years ago!!! My younger brother drove in from Levelland and my sister came from Sherman so by mid afternoon we were all together!! I always enjoy catching up with my siblings (in person).

Tim (twin) & me Aunt Jackie & me Mandi & me Sam & me — Tim (twin) & me
Aunt Jackie & me
Mandi & me
Sam & me

And, while I was hanging out with my brothers, sister, aunt and dad here in Texas, Chris was busy at home!!

Hunter had 4 friends over 4 a sleep-over last night for his birthday. That means a total of 6 boys (counting my 2) + Chris!!! For weeks I had been planning to make a special cake for the event. However, it’s hard to make a cake when you aren’t there!

Chris and Jordan to the rescue:

Can you tell what the cake is? Didn’t they do an awesome job?!

Pretty sure Hunter was happy!

Hunter knew that I had a cake planned but he didn’t know what it was going to be – I think the choice was pretty appropriate for him!!!

And….Look – a close match for my “happy place” –

OK – it’s not really a beach – but it is a lake that I could see from the window in the waiting room!!! Close enough for now!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

PS – I will announce the winner of the I AM FEARLESS necklace tomorrow!!!

Biceps, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Shoulders

Curveballs

April 12, 2013 Kim 30 Comments

Today’s 43 has a super special video. I was driving for 8.5+ hours yesterday and I called home and asked Chris and the boys to make the video for me. (I told them the move I had in mind – they did the work.) Thanks to Jordan for the awesome video (complete with intro and credits!!)!!!

The move – a bicep curl to a shoulder press – reverse the move then drop down and jump back to plank (hold) – jump in and stand = 1 rep x 43!! (I used 10 pound dumbbells)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMdX7ZrghbE’]

(Jordan dropped the weights when he jumped back but I actually held onto them the whole time.)

Here is the hotel fitness center:

There were also 2 treadmills but a man was on one and I figured he didn’t want some creepy girl taking his picture!!

I started by walking a mile to warm-up before my 43. Sweat was dripping off me during this 43 – good thing the fitness center wasn’t packed! Then I came back up to my room (4 flights of stairs – bonus!!) for the rest of my workout.

I did Les Mills Combat – Combat 45. I hope the people in the room below me weren’t still trying to sleep since there was quite a bit of plyo jumping!!

Sometimes life throws a curveball at you and you have to learn how to time your swing to hit it.

Yesterday morning (while I was doing my timed wall-sit), my twin brother (Tim) called me and told me our dad was in the hospital. He didn’t have many details at the time but a bit later he called me back with more info. My dad had a massive heart attack, had surgery yesterday morning and was in the ICU. I felt like I needed to make a trip to Texas because I don’t want him to be in the hospital alone!!! (scary being alone in a hospital!)

A few plans (hotel reservations, stuff for Chris & boys….), packing and I was on the road by 1:15 for a long drive. Poor planning since I hit Oklahoma City at high traffic time:

This is a drive that I have made more times than I can count and it never really changes!

look - a small hill! — look – a small hill!

It is hard to take pictures while driving (and probably not very safe) in case you were wondering. I tried to get the Welcome to Texas sign but there was another sign in front of it (RUDE!!) and I was zipping along and …. no sign but I made it safely!!!

So, the next few days will be crazy but it’s important – it’s my DAD, after all!! And, I will get to see my 98 year-old grandpa while I’m here!!

Happy Friday! Last day for to enter the giveaway for this necklace:I will announce the winner this weekend!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Finding Your Happy Place

April 11, 2013 Kim 18 Comments

For my 43 today, I did a standing crunch combo. I started with my hands behind my head and lifted my right knee to the side with a side crunch – lifted my right knee to the front and twisted my left elbow to it while crunching – kicked my right leg out to the front and reached my left hand to my toe – repeat all 3 moves on the left = 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeOiU1pY7gk’]

Besides working my core (and balance), this move was good for my hip flexors!! I’m pretty sure I ended up doing more than 43 because I was talking to Hunter and kept losing count so I would go back to the last number I remembered saying – I figure extra is better anyway!

Today seemed like a good day to spend some time with Chalean (since we’re such good friends, you know!!). I did Turbo Fire – Fire 55EZ. It was a great 55 minutes – high intensity cardio leaving me a sweaty mess – perfect!!

During my workout I realized that I haven’t done a plank or wall-sit challenge in awhile so I decided to get that done.

Wall-Sit: 3:20 (new record for me!)

Plank (extended arms) – 4:15 (also a record!)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z5qpyxRR-A’]

I love the movie Happy Gilmore – his happy place is pretty random but whatever works for you!!

I think that there really is value in the idea of finding your happy place. Sometimes just picturing it in our minds can be calming and remind us that even unpleasant times will pass. Or, in the middle of a really tough workout or run it might be helpful to escape to your happy place.

My happy place looks like this:

with these guys thrown in!

In my real life it is 30 some degrees outside and cloudy but in my happy place it always sunny and warm!!(my happy place definitely includes a fun cocktail!!)

Do you have a happy place? What/where is it?

Happy Thursday!!! I’m going to pretend I’m here today (close version of my happy place!):

Kim

Crock Pot, Recipes, Soup

Crock Pot Taco Soup

April 10, 2013 Kim 10 Comments

I love soup!! It is easy to make, filling and the possibilities are endless!! Taco soup is one of my favorites – pretty much anything goes when making taco soup.

For tonight’s soup (crazy that April 10 it is only in the mid 30s) I used my crock pot.Anytime I can use my crock pot I’m happy!! I put this together and then spent the afternoon volunteering at Hunter’s school (library).

2 pounds ground beef (you could use ground turkey if you prefer)
onion, chopped
2 cans diced tomatoes
can of kidney beans
can of pinto beans
can of green chilies
can of tomato sauce
package of dry ranch salad dressing
package of taco seasoning
frozen corn (amount is up to you)

Brown the meat and onion.

Mix everything in crock pot and set on low for several hours (today I set it for 5 hours).

Serve with whatever toppings you like – sour cream, avocados, cheese)

Enjoy!!!

Fitness, Lunges

Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock

April 10, 2013 Kim 18 Comments

For the 43 today, I tried a new variation on a standard move – a spiced up lunge!!!

I did a right lunge with my left knee barely touching the ground – stayed in a low stance to pivot 180 degrees and did a left lunge (right knee barely touching ground) = 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3k9zIyXDoo’]

(clearly I had some balance issues!) My quads were burning and my legs were shaking by the time I reached 43!! (the sign of a good move, right??)

My workout today had me ready to totally cuss Bob Harper!! It was hard, long, intense and great!!! I did Bob Harper – Inside Out Method – Pure Burn/Super Strength. 66 minutes of torture with Bob. So many reps and holds – my arms are still shaking while I’m trying to type. Even the 3 people in the video struggled to do all of the reps and holds! Every time Bob said just 15 more seconds I had to tell myself that you can do anything for 15 seconds!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9Vn5kCasUo’]

The clock just keeps ticking – sometimes I feel like I’m barely keeping up with it and other days it can’t keep up with me!! Lately, every time I look at our calendar I think I either need to move faster or the ticking needs to slow down. And I know that compared to lots of people we aren’t really that busy because we are all 4 home-bodies!!

I’m going to adapt to the ticking today and not lose sight of what really matters – Chris and my 2 boys!!!