Category Archives: Butt

Biceps, Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness, Lunges

In Case You Were Wondering….

February 21, 2014 Kim 69 Comments

Today’s 44 was one of those that worked multiple muscle groups – my favorite kind of moves!!!

I used 1 dumbbell (10 pounds) and started with it in my right hand –

Step back to right lunge with your leg extended and touch the dumbbell to the ground –

Stand with a knee lift and bicep curl –

And, after you finish 44 on the right side you have to switch sides and do 44 more!!

I enjoyed this move because it was pretty much a full body move and since I was working upper and lower at the same time, I really got my heart rate up.

Today was a fun workout day – Turbo Fire!!! I did Fire 55EZ which is not easy but a 55 minute workout that flies by!!!

I feel like sometimes I talk about stuff on here and then never really get back to it so today I thought I would share a few

1. I don’t set New Year’s resolutions but in January I did share a post with some things I wanted to do and try this year. So far I haven’t made a lot of progress but we did try something new to us the other night!! I made a Greek Barley Salad –

We had never tried barley – not sure why??? The entire family enjoyed this side dish!!!

2. I’ve been wearing a FitBit Force since the start of the year and I reviewed it after just a few days. I still pretty much just use it as a pedometer but that is working out well!! The first few weeks I didn’t really do anything different – just wore it to track and I realized that the only days I reached 10,000 steps were running days. Now, I try to get 10,000 steps in addition to whatever number I reach during my workout.

One way that I increase my steps is through the use of my Christmas gift – my standing desk!!

I love using this desk and when I read blogs I either pace around in between each one or I jog in place while I read!! Yesterday I hit 20,000 steps by the end of the day!!!

3. I mentioned that Hunter wants to run a half marathon this spring to celebrate turning 13 and we all know that I think running your age for your birthday is the best way to celebrate so we are going to do one together. We were going to run a large one in Kansas City in April but when it came time to start training and the weather looked like this –

Hunter wasn’t a fan of the training (and I’ve made it clear how much I hate running in the snow and cold!). For some reason Hunter didn’t want to log his miles here –

Weird but true!

So we picked a different race that I think will work better. We are going to do a race that is smaller the first weekend in June. He will start his official training in March and hopefully by then all of his runs can be outside.

4. Last week I shared a dilemma concerning our event venue and a couple who had sort of strung me along about turning in a contract and paying. Well, they did turn in the contract and full payment by the weekend so they are officially booked.

However, they are still causing me stress!!! They called early this week to set up another meeting at the venue. I let them set the day and time. Yesterday at 11:00 we were supposed to meet. I drove over in the sleet – waited for 20 minutes (past the time) – drove home in blowing snow – in other words I wasted an hour of my day and never saw them!

You know how sometimes you just don’t have a good feeling about a situation? That’s pretty much me with this whole deal!!!

5. I have mentioned that this year I’m trying to increase my mileage and still be smart about it and this morning I looked to see how many miles I have for the year compared to this time last year. I have more than 2x the miles already compared to last year at this point!!! Actually, it is about 2.36 times more!!! (yes – I did the real math!!!)

What updates do you have to share?

Happy Fun Friday!!!

Kim

Butt, Core, Fitness, Hamstrings

Dallas Buyers Club and The Biggest Loser

February 19, 2014 Kim 80 Comments

Today’s 44 really worked my hamstrings!!! I did a single leg dead lift (starting with the right leg) followed by a right kick. About the time my right leg was jelly, I switched to the left for a second set of 44!!

Yikes – I should have sucked in my stomach during this move – oops!! I used 15 pound dumbbells for this move and I know that I will feel this in my hamstrings and butt later!!

Still trying to juggle Michelle Bridges with other workouts. I’m pulling out parts of some of the daily MB workouts to do in addition to other workouts and that is working well for me. Today I did TaeBo – Extremely Ripped. This is 60 minutes of fast pace TaeBo with weights for the 2nd half!!! I started with 8 pound weights but because of the fast pace had to drop down to 5s!!

The other day Chris and I watched this movie. It wasn’t at all what either one of us were expecting!!! I truly thought the premise of the movie was gambling – WRONG!!!

The basic premise is that Matthew McConaughey’s character has AIDS. He is given 30 days to live – goes to Mexico finds a DR that is using medicine that hasn’t been FDA approved yet and 3 months later has improved. He sneaks the drugs in and instead of selling the drugs/vitamins he sells monthly “memberships” to the Dallas Buyers Club with access to unlimited meds.

Beyond the movie itself, I think what really got me was the drastic weight loss that McConaughey underwent for this role. Depending on what source you read he lost approximately 38 pounds and went from being fit to a skeleton.

He is about 5’11” -6′ (again depending on the source) and went from 170ish pounds down closer to 130 for this movie.

Actually, several of the actors in this movie underwent drastic weight loss to play their roles.

Here is my problem – actors do this kind of extreme weight loss (or weight gain) for roles fairly often and aren’t criticized by the media. In fact, often they are praised and rewarded by nominations for awards.

However, for 2 weeks now, Rachel from the Biggest Loser has been blasted by the media for her weight loss. Whether she lost too much or not isn’t up to me to judge – I think that she played a game (because that is what The Biggest Loser really is all about) to win and she did just that.

I don’t think she looks any worse than McConaughey and he lost the weight much quicker than she did!!

I guess my whole point is that the extreme weight loss happens in lots of areas and while I don’t think it is ever healthy, I don’t understand why in one case the person is overly criticized and in the other case they are praised.

Have you seen The Dallas Buyers Club?
Do you think that it is more acceptable when actors go through extreme weight changes (very quickly) to play a role than when other people do the same thing?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Sunny Saturday

February 15, 2014 Kim 34 Comments

Today I worked my hips with the 44 – I did an airplane move.

Start on all 4s (table top position) and extend your right leg out to the side –

Lift your right leg and hold for a 2 count before lowering –

About the time that your hips are dying (you will feel it on both sides!!!), you should be done with however many reps you picked (44 for me) and then you get to switch sides!!!

This move looks easy but I always feel it after I’m done!!!

I’m fixing to head down and run – my mileage has been a little low this week so I’m hoping to get in a nice long run – 10 miles or so!!

Kimberly @ All Work and No Play Makes Mommy Go Something Something nominated me for the Sunshine Award earlier this week and today seemed like a great day to share some sunshine!!!

Kimberly had some fun questions – lets hope I can answer them all!!!

1. If Jane had 3 apples and John had 78 nails, how many layers of clothing are you wearing (how is the weather in your neck of the woods?)?
I’m just wearing shorts, sports bra and short-sleeved shirt (see above pictures) with a fleece jacket on while I type – fixing to run on my treadmill!! It’s currently 28 degrees but we are supposed to get to 50 today!!! Good-bye snow (I hope!!).

2. What is keeping you sane during these long winter months?
RUNNING and looking at pictures of the beach!!!

3. If you were on a boat with a box of chocolate and your Mother in Law, who would you throw overboard?
Well, hmmm…..my Mother-in-Law passed away almost exactly 7 years ago and I have days where I can take or leave chocolate so….If it is warm and sunny, I will just hang out and soak up the sun – otherwise I’m going in!

4. What’s in your underwear drawer besides underwear?
Ummm…my little nightgowns – pretty boring over here!!

5. Do you trust yourself with sharp objects near your face? (as in do you pluck your own eyebrows? Do you have any eyebrow horror stories?)
I only pluck when it’s absolutely necessary. For the most part I let Jennifer (my hairdresser of 13ish years) take care of my eyebrows – she can wax them but no way would I try to do that on my own!

6. I am terrified of dead bodies, spiders and the dentist. What are you scared of?
Snow!!! Well, not really scared of it but I have an aversion to it that gets worse every single year!!!

7. Does your husband cut up the back of your legs with his long toenails when you sleep?
HaHa – sorry Shawn (Kimberly’s husband) – NO!!! And, if there are ever times that they do feel too long I just scootch over – the beauty of a king size bed!!!

According to the rules I’m supposed to nominate more people and keep this going but I suck at that. It causes me far to much stress to pick just a few people because all y’all deserve Sunshine!!!

So instead of picking a few, I’m just going to give everyone the Sunshine Award – Happy Saturday – I hope your day truly is full of sunshine!!!

Kim

Butt, Core, Fitness, Quad

Random Ramblings

February 14, 2014 Kim 68 Comments

Today’s 44 was great for balance work. I did squats with a knee raise.

Start with a dumbbell on one shoulder –

ready - make sure you try to look bored! — ready – make sure you try to look bored!

I did all 44 with the right side and then I moved the dumbbell to my left shoulder and did 44 more.

left side - side view — left side – side view

I love moves that provide some toning/strength work but also add in the balance challenge!!

Today was yet another day of Michelle Bridges. I like the program but I don’t think that I will keep doing it every day – too hard to fit in all of the other workouts I want to do.

Some weeks I feel more scattered than others and some days my brain just runs a million directions – today it is all over the place so I thought it would be a great day for some…..

* Thank you so much for all of the great advice on yesterday’s post!! I feel like I have a plan and way to deal with both issues now!!! (Side note: the first couple actually called early this morning and want to meet me AGAIN this morning to “go over details.” I told them that they can drop the contract and full payment in the mail drop and we can meet next week. I had my day already planned and the payment does not have to be hand delivered – plus, I am not going to invest more time until they actually pay.)

* Yesterday we got all the way to 45 degrees and some of the snow finally started melting!!!

look - you can see the grass!!! (even if it is brown) — look – you can see the grass!!! (even if it is brown)

* I had my yearly physical on Wednesday and my DR filled out this Heart Quiz on me. I WON!!! Well, maybe those were my words and not hers but still she was impressed! My LDL and HDL were both 79 which she said is amazing!! And my cholesterol was 158.

* My office (dining room table – same thing, right?!) is a complete and utter mess all the time!!!

Good thing we eat on our kitchen table!!!

* I’m thinking about starting a Bridal Bootcamp at our venue. It wouldn’t be just for brides but the name is catchier that way!!! I’m still working on details and ideas.

* Valentine’s Day is mostly just another day to me. My husband knows – I would far rather get a “mushy” card from him on some random day “just because” than a card on a day that society has turned into a commercial holiday! (just my personal opinion)

* Do you read the 3 Cheap Runners blog?

You should if you don’t – they always have some great stuff over there! And today, you really should check it out because while they are sunning themselves on the beach in the Dominican (I’m not jealous – much!) – I’m guest posting!!

OK – enough rambling for one day!!

What is something random in your world right now?

Happy Friday!!!

Kim

BOSU, Butt, Fitness, Hamstrings, Triceps

Is Curling Really a Sport?

February 12, 2014 Kim 94 Comments

Today’s 44 is a move that Kristin (Stuft Mama) did with her class and showed on her blog. I had to try it because it uses my favorite piece of equipment -the BOSU!!! It is a triceps dip with alternating kicks.

Start with your hands on the BOSU and feet on the ground –

Dip (triceps) and kick right leg –

Go back to start position –

Dip and kick left leg –

Since I counted a right kick and a left kick as 1 rep, I had to do 88 tricep dips to complete the 44!!! My arms were shaking!

The February challenge with Taylor (Lifting Revolution) is a fun one! Last week we did 100 walking lunges every day. This week it is 400 push-ups split however you like. Yesterday I did 135 push-ups and today I did 80 so in 2 days I’m over half-way!!!

And, I added in Les Mills Combat – Extreme Cardio Fighter today. 60 minutes of kicking, punching, twisting and just plain fun!!!

Curling – is it a sport or just a past-time? I don’t even get the concept. Chris keeps saying it is like Shuffleboard. Well, I’m pretty sure that shuffleboard is a game they used to play on The Love Boat so I’m not convinced it is a true sport.

pushing the stone

Here’s what I’ve figure out about curling – one person pushes the stone.

The rest of the team does a sweeping motion to speed up (or maybe it slows it down?) the stone. Pretty sure the object is to get the stones into certain parts of the ring or something and try to knock your opponent’s stone out of the circle.

What I do know is that there is ZERO cardio involved and I’ve never seen any of the participants even come close to working up a sweat.

In the 2010 Vancouver Olympics one of the competitors was actually 6 months pregnant – So, if you compare curling to some of the other events in the winter Olympics, is it really a sport?

Ski jumping – look at the strength required to hold the body in the jump position!!!

Snowboarding – Half Pipe: These guys (and girls) are flying up to 15 feet in the air on some of their flips. And, then they have to land the jump and do another and another and another….

Have you seen how fast these athletes guy down the mountain while still dodging the gates?! Look at the leg strength required to hold the position without falling!!!