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.

BOSU, Butt, Chest, Core, Fitness, Plank, Running

Still Not Running (11/2 – 11/8)

November 8, 2014 Kim 40 Comments

Sometimes as runners/athletes we make choices based on what we want to do and not what we should do – at least I know I’m like that. This week was one of those times – I just tried to do what I wanted as far as working out. It didn’t really work but…..

Sunday 11/2 – 45 machine gun kicks.

balance on right leg - left leg kicks — balance on right leg – left leg kicks

These go quickly – the challenge is supporting yourself on the standing leg and staying balanced while moving your leg back and forth!! And, both sides have to be worked equally –

This move is actually one I learned from TaeBo!!!

After a week almost completely off and a couple other minimal weeks, I decided to try and run. It wasn’t great but I pushed through and did a slow 5 miles. (sometimes I’m not very smart!!!)

Monday 11/3 – 45 star crunches – right hand to left foot, down, left hand to right foot = 1 rep.

Return to extended position then switch sides –

And, since I was already working my core I decided to do TaeBo Insane Abs. This workout always makes me sore for a few days!!!

Tuesday 11/4 – 45 standing crunches (hold each crunch about 3 seconds).

round and squeeze - blow all the air out and hold — round and squeeze – blow all the air out and hold

I really like standing crunches like this even though it looks a little odd!!!

I wanted to run again but it only took about 3 steps to realize that wasn’t going to happen. So I walked 6.35 miles at a 10% incline.

Wednesday 11/5 – 45 elbow plank with knee tap to a leg lift – alternate sides (right – left = 1 rep).

Return to plank then do left side –

This ended up being a LONG time to hold plank by the time I did all 45 reps!!!

I pulled out another older DVD – Denise Austin: Personal Training System. Many years ago this was my go-to workout when I had a stress fracture in my foot and we were traveling – 20 minutes of cardio, 10 minutes upper body, 10 minutes lower body, 10 minutes abs and 10 minutes stretching.

Thursday 11/6 – 45 fly to pull-over. (8 pounds because 45 is a lot!!)

bring arms back to certain and push weights together — bring arms back to center and push weights together

pull arms over head (don't touch the ground) — pull arms over head (don’t touch the ground)

Keeping this movement slow and controlled is the key (especially on the down part!!). My chest is still sore from this one!!!

I’ve mentioned before that I love the 10 Minute Solution DVDs. I chose Sculpt, Tone & Reshape with the Figure 8 for the workout. The figure 8 is a resistance band.

I like the combination of moves in the workout using the band!!

Friday 11/7 – 45 side plank dips on the BOSU. This move is a move I got from Nellie (Brooklyn Active Mama) and her weekly Wednesday Workouts.

Holding plank while lifting and lowering your hips is a challenge – holding the plank on the BOSU makes it an even better challenge!!!

And, I tried and failed at running again!! So I just walked 4.25 miles at a 10% incline.

Saturday 11/8 – 45 standing pilates leg circles.

to back – squeeze your butt at this point to help with balance!!

If you look closely you can see that my foot is barely off the ground. Even to close the circle (half circle actually) you keep it just above the ground.

I did all 45 on one leg before switching sides.

I like this move even though it is small – after several reps you will start to feel it in your thighs, core and butt!!

I’m not thrilled that I can’t run still but I guess I will just keep doing things that don’t make my leg hurt worse until I get some answers from the DR(s)!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Uncategorized

Friday Is for Fun and Favorite Things

November 6, 2014 Kim 64 Comments

I feel like I’ve been way more negative than I really want to be on here lately so today is all about fun and some of my favorite things!!!

I could spend every day just like this!!!

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned a time or 500 that the beach is my favorite place!!!

If I can’t be on a beach then a pool with full service and one or more of my favorite people is the next best thing –

see - a tan is always a good thing!! — see – a tan is always a good thing!!

I might have mentioned that I collect cookbooks. My favorite cookbooks are the Taste of Home books –

Taste of Home & hick Cooking — Taste of Home & Quick Cooking

My other favorite cookbook is the book that our MOPS (Mothers of Preschool Students) group put together years ago –

This is the book I go to when it is after 5:00pm and I still don’t have a dinner plan!

I also collect martini glasses. I had a hard time picking a favorite so I went with 3 of my favorites –

Five O'Clock Somewhere Texas Decisions (shoes) — Five O’Clock Somewhere Texas Decisions (shoes)

Even though summer is my favorite, I also appreciate the beauty of fall –

Pretty sure that I have talked about how much I like the wine Chris brings back from Germany!!!

My favorite way to workout will always be running!!!

Patriot run – Hunter was a great crew member!!!

And, the fact that both of my boys like to run now makes running even better!!

before the 4th of July race around the lake

Some days I look out my kitchen window and feel overwhelmed by the beauty of the lake –

And, lately my boots have been making me happy many days!!! It is hard for me to pick a favorite pair (I’m not saying how many pair of cowboy boots I have!!!) but here are a few:

maybe I like these the best... — maybe I like these the best…

Boots and dresses are my favorite thing to wear if I’m not wearing workout clothes!!!

What are some of your favorite things?
Do you wear cowboy boots?

Happy Friday!!!

Kim

Uncategorized

Family Dinner

November 4, 2014 Kim 80 Comments

I know that a traditional family dinner doesn’t work for everyone but it is something that we have always done and I look forward to it every day (well most days)!!!

I don’t set a formal table

but I do set the table (or the boys set it for us!!) every night.

Not fancy but it works – we use cloth napkins because I grew up using them and I like them at dinner.

Most nights I put the meal on the table and we self serve or pass bowls around.

We have had some of the best conversations ever during dinner. Everyone is happy because they are being fed and it is a great time to talk about the day.

We had the boys at the table with us when they were still in high chairs. (When it was just Chris and I we didn’t always eat at the table – the couch worked perfectly fine!!!)

Some nights we dish the food (soup in this case) from the stove and just have any sides on the table.

I try to keep things simple so that it isn’t an ordeal because I want it to be something that we all enjoy and look forward to.

We used to have a rule that whoever cooked didn’t clean. When the boys were really young I changed it because working in the kitchen cooking and cleaning was my quiet time (Chris would play with the boys downstairs). Now the boys usually handle most of the clean-up!!

I know that if I’m not home for dinner Chris and the boys usually watch TV while they eat which is fine. Some nights we have to watch important stuff – the end of The Masters, part of the NCAA basketball tournament……but mostly we leave the TV off while we eat.

Some nights we can’t all sit together because of different activities. But, the majority of the time all 4 of us (or 3 if someone is gone) sit down and eat dinner together while we share things about our day and/or solve all the problems in the world!!!

The carton isn’t typical for our dinners but it made me laugh!!!

Do you have family dinners regularly?
Do you use cloth napkins?

Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

Uncategorized

Do You Know Your Purpose?

November 2, 2014 Kim

Purpose – the aim or goal of a person : what a person is trying to do, become, etc. (Merriam-Webster)

There have been many times in my life that I have questioned my purpose. I spent years going to school, college and grad school. I basically have a small collection of degrees that I’ve never really used.

My BS is Chemistry & Biology.
My masters is Sports Medicine.
Then I took graduate classes to get my teaching certification.

I actually used my teaching certification for a few years to teach middle school science. Then I had Jordan and pretty much overnight became a stay-home mom.

And I struggled trying to find my purpose.

I know that taking care of Jordan (and later Hunter) was/is important but I always felt like I should be doing more.

I grew to love my years staying home with my boys and feel blessed that I had the opportunity to be with them every day.

When both boys were in elementary school I took a job as the head secretary/book keeper (still not using any of my education!!) at their school and loved it!! I made a decision to enjoy all parts of the job and be the best secretary I could be to help all of the teachers/staff and students.

After 5 years I knew it was time to move on because I was bored and not putting 100% into the job anymore.

Now we own a business and because Chris is busy (now more than ever) with his job, I pretty much run the business – the good and bad parts!!!

But, there are many days that I still struggle with knowing what my true purpose is.

I know that the roles of being Mom to Jordan and Hunter, wife to Chris and business owner are all important and I love that I get to do all those things.

But……sometimes I still feel like I don’t have a purpose. When I was young I thought I would do something to make a difference in the world. Now I just hope that at some point I make a difference in someone’s life.

For some reason, this fall has been one of those major times in my life (sort of like when I became a new mom) that I feel like I’m sort of searching around trying to make sure I have a purpose and that I’m fulfilling that purpose.

Who knows?! Maybe this is my mid-life crisis!!

Or maybe I just need to run again!!!

Do you ever struggle with knowing and/or living your purpose?

Happy Monday!

Kim

Back, Core, Fitness, Plank, Push-Ups

Daily Moves (10/26 – 11/1)

November 1, 2014 Kim 32 Comments

This week I did a new 45 every day but that was pretty much the only fitness that I was able to do. My body/mind is screaming for some cardio and sweating but……

Sunday 10/26 – 45 push-ups on the boat.

Best 45 ever because it was such a gorgeous day and I got my movement in while enjoying the last boat ride of the year!!!

Can’t beat the fresh air while doing some push-ups!!!

Monday 10/27 – 45 leg drops with a band pull.

I kept my upper body off the ground the entire time to make this move harder – it was definitely hard!!!

I did do The Firm – Cardio AbSession & Burn, Shape & Tone. This ended up being the same as the Cardio Core Fusion that I did last week with the fun pink balls –

Tuesday 10/28 – 45 side lying scissors while on wobble disc.

Over course I had to do another set while lying on the other hip.

I liked the added balance challenge from the wobble disc!!!

Wednesday 10/29 – 45 plank – partner hand slaps.

Because I’m not working out in the mornings my whole routine is off. On Wednesday I didn’t actually do my 45 until about 9:30 at night (rare to not do it first thing!!).

This move was fun to do with Jordan – he did awesome and completed all 45 with me – that’s a long time to hold plank since we counted 1 rep as 2 hand slaps!!

Thursday 10/30 – 45 bent over wide row with dumbbells (12 pounds).

up - squeeze shoulder blades — up – squeeze shoulder blades

This is one of those moves that always seems like it should be easy and it is until after about 20 reps!!!

Friday 10/31 – 45 double arm overhead press with dumbbell (15 pounds).

And, I look like the “stay-puff guy” because I have on so many layers in those pictures. Remember at the beginning of the week we were enjoying a final boat ride???

look - no shirt even! — look – no shirt even!

Well, Friday was COLD!! I spent the morning at the high school state cross country meet and needed every layer I had on plus some!!! The windchill was in the 20s!

Saturday 11/1 – 45 repeaters – knee up with a twist – knee up front = 1 rep.

Bring your knee up with a twist, return to start (tap toe if you need to), bring knee up in front for 1 rep. This move actually goes quickly and is at least a little bit of cardio.

Of course, you have to be equal and fair to your legs so set 2 is on the other leg.

By pumping my arms and moving quickly I did get my heart rate up a little for the first time in awhile!!! And, this move is great for your core because of the knee lift (get it high!!) and the twist!!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Day With KT

All posts by Kim

Still Not Running (11/2 – 11/8)

Friday Is for Fun and Favorite Things

Family Dinner

Do You Know Your Purpose?

Daily Moves (10/26 – 11/1)

Fitness – Food – Fun