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.

Core, Fitness

What Makes you Happy?

February 13, 2013 Kim 23 Comments

Today for the 43 I pulled out my Turbo Fire band and used it for a great oblique move (also from Turbo Fire!).

I started by standing on the band with my right foot and holding both handles in my right hand.

Then, I did a slow, 3-count side-bend to the left. (The slight forward bend helps to really target your obliques!)

On the 3rd count, reach down as far as you can.

Return to start and repeat 43 (or whatever # of reps you choose) times. Then, of course, you have to switch sides with the band.

umm....start but you don't have to look so mad about it! — umm….start but you don’t have to look so mad about it!

wow!! gotta work on the facial expressions!

I know you didn’t really need all of those pictures but Hunter took them so I figured I might as well use them!! I really need to quit looking so mad during these pictures – maybe we can just call it my focused look!!

You can see from the pictures that I busted out (not completely literally) my compression shorts again. I figured that they would help the residual stiffness in my hips from yesterday’s long run! I know that I’m way behind the gravy train on the compression stuff but after this morning I know I need more!! Compression everything!!! I really NEED to get some socks – I know it would help my Achilles!

I switched up my Les Mills Combat a little today. It was supposed to be HIIT Power but I decided to save that for tomorrow and do the Combat 45 today. Even though the 45 work-out still has some plyo, it is not as much. It was a great cardio work-out but I still feel like it was good for a recovery day!

I think this is a question that we all occasionally think about. At least, I hope I’m not the only one who sometimes struggles with this!! I think that January and February are sometimes the hardest months of the year. Still a lot of winter left but no major holidays to look forward to or plan for. When I was working, these 2 months weren’t as hard for me but now I’m back to not working and have more time for reflection (or something!).

The past few weeks I have really been thinking a lot about happiness and what really makes me happy.

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Running (usually on my treadmill)

4. Wine!!

5. The beach

I know I could go on and maybe even put some really profound things on here but even with the list – sometimes I feel like I have to work hard to be happy!

I think that somedays I feel like I need to be doing more with my life. I know that I’m a Mom to 2 great boys, a wife to the greatest person I know and I love being both of those thing. But…….

Overall, I’m a pretty happy person. But occasionally I have times that I need to remind myself that it is OK to just be me and do the things I do (or maybe don’t do) – being a surgeon, or chef, or world-class athlete or whatever doesn’t automatically make you happy.

So, what makes you happy? Do you feel happy all the time or do you occasionally have to step back and remind yourself of all the reasons you have to be happy?

Hopefully, we will all have a Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

BOSU, Fitness, Push-Ups, Running, Treadmill

150th Day = 150 Minutes of Running!!!

February 12, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

Today I decided to use my BOSU again for the 43. This time, I combined it with my stability ball to have double the ~~torture~~ benefit!!!The set-up was a bit tricky – legs on stability ball and support yourself with your arms on the BOSU. I had a hard time extending my legs all the way (without rolling off!!) so I kept a slight bend in them. If Once you manage to get in position, then the true fun begins – push-ups!!!! 43 hard push-ups!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E95OU0xrfQI’]

I know that it looks like these would be easy since my legs are bent – almost like doing push-ups on your knees, right? NOT the case!! This was hard!!! But…gotta push myself if I’m ever going to get those one-arm push-ups done. 2nd push-up move this week!!!

Today is my 150th day of 43s and blogging so I wanted to do something to celebrate!!

My idea of celebrating? Running for 150 minutes!

I kept the incline at 1.0% and the pace between 7.5mph and 8.0mph. (average speed ended up being 7.73mph or 7.47, I think)

Between the glare and the sweat marks it’s a little hard to see but the total distance was 19.41 miles. My timer rolls over at 100 (that’s why it looks like only 50 minutes).

A lot of y’all look so cute when you run (and after!). I just look like a nasty mess!

After 150 min - nice! — After 150 min – nice!

So, now I’m off to soak my tired legs so they will be up for whatever tomorrow might bring!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

Oh, yeah – 12th day of February = 12x 1 minute wall sits – DONE!!!

BOSU, Fitness, Hamstrings

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It’s Off to the Doc I Go!

February 11, 2013 Kim 10 Comments

For my 43 today, I had Jordan take a couple of pictures yesterday since I knew it would be an early morning! (However, I’m a complete dodo and set my alarm for 5:00 PM instead of AM – good thing I still woke up at 5:08!!!)

Anyway, the 43 would have been easy – a dead lift holding 15 pound dumbbells – but I decided to add an extra challenge:

Yep – I stood on the BOSU!!!

start (try to not slump those shoulders!!!)

Standing still wasn’t too hard – the difficulty came when I started moving!!

I really do have my shoulders back - they just look schlumpy! — I really do have my shoulders back – they just look schlumpy!

I love the extra benefit of using the BOSU for this move! (I can’t believe that this is the first time I’ve ever used it for dead lifts!!!)

Dead lifts are one of my favorite moves – I think because they are so great for my hamstrings and butt!!!

After the balancing act I moved on to the rest of my work-out. Les Mills Combat – Combat 60 Ultimate Fighter!!! Perfect way to start a Monday!!! Other than my 11 wall-sits at 1 minute each, that is the extent of working out today. Super big plans for tomorrow’s work-out!!! One I’m really looking forward to!!!

Today is my yearly physical/well-check – WooHoo – Good Times for Sure!!!! Actually, I’m sort-of glad because this getting older is really not working out like I thought! I’m pretty sure my DR will be happy when I leave today cause I have quite a list of stuff to ask her about!!! Sadly, I’m sure I will be wearing one of these lovely items:

Can hardly wait for that – I hope I can leave my socks on so I don’t freeze. (Fashion is over-rated sometimes!!)

I’m sure that even with my list (just petty little things, really!) I will walk away and not see her again until next year! (Rare for me to go to the DR other than for my physical – except when I crack my hip!!!)

Happy Monday!!! (hopefully y’all have as much fun this morning as I know I will!)

Kim

Fun

Welcome Back, German Wine, I’ve Missed You!!!

February 10, 2013 Kim 7 Comments

One of the “perks” of Chris’ job is flying to other countries. Germany is my favorite place for him to go because – I love the wine!!!

Chris (and a lot of the other pilots/air crew) have gotten to know a guy who owns a Winery in the Mosel region of Germany. Bart knows me well (without ever even meeting me!!) and he knows exactly which wines I will like the most (the sweeter, the better!)!!

Chris didn’t go on the most recent trip over to Germany but one of the super cool pilots who did offered to bring some back for us (by us, I really mean me!!!). Chris emailed Bart and told him that we would take 4 cases (he pitched in a little extra for us me!).

So, this afternoon this happened:

What a great Sunday evening treat!!!! Some of my very favorite wine while I fix dinner (and eat dinner, and….!!

Oh, and check out my awesome T-shirt:

I just received it yesterday (good timing!!!). I ordered it from Run Pretty Far. They have all kinds of cool stuff (running gear besides cutsie things like my shirt). I think I ordered this on Monday or Tuesday so it came really quickly!!!

Now, I’m off to make dinner and drink some wine!!!

BOSU, Fitness, Push-Ups

Somedays are just made for Relaxing!!!

February 10, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

Today I convinced Jordan to do the demo for my 43 – it has been awhile since he has made an appearance on here! (Maybe cause he’s 14 and too cool for this?!)

Anyway, the move was a push-up with one hand on my favorite piece of equipment!

Do a push-up then walk your hands over so that you switch hands on top and repeat.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxlc4mXgwIY’]

Jordan kept his feet in place but I think I moved mine a bit – either way is fine!! I counted each push-up as 1 because I don’t think I could have done 43 on each side for a total of 86!!! Maybe I should have tried since I’m still trying to build up to doing 1-armed push-ups!!!

Here is a picture of me on #36!

#36 - Hurry!! I'm dying here!! — #36 – Hurry!! I’m dying here!!

(You can see that I did walk my feet to make my body more of straight line.)

The rest of my work-out today – NOTHING!!! I’m trying to take a day off most weeks (whether I want to or not!!!).

Maybe I will just spend the whole day relaxing – except for doing the laundry, cleaning some, a quick trip to the grocery store after I plan out some meals for the week, making dinner…

Well, at least I’ve already done my wall sits for the day – 10x 1 minute each!