Category Archives: Butt

Celebrating Russia (host of the 2014 Olympics)

February 10, 2014 Kim 90 Comments

Today’s 44 was fun even though I look like a total dork!!! I did a roundhouse with a back fist.

I did all 44 on my right side and then switched to the left for another set. This got my heart rate up and worked my butt and core!!!

I didn’t do Michelle Bridges today – I’m going to keep doing the program but not 6 days a week – it is too hard to balance those workouts with my running so I’m going to mix them in a little differently this week and see how it goes.

The Olympics have always been one of my favorite times – I like the summer ones more but still enjoy watching as much of the winter ones as possible!!!

We decided that we should have a Russian meal to celebrate the host country of these Olympic games. Good thing we have such a great resource with the internet!!!

For the main dish I made cabbage rolls (in the crock pot!!) – I used ground beef and brown rice as the filler. The boys liked this – I think next time I won’t boil that cabbage first since it cooked even more in the crock pot.

As a side dish, we made zucchini pancakes. This is the first time that I’ve ever tried a savory pancake and these were really good!!! Might have to make them again!!!

And, I’ve said many times that I don’t bake but I felt like a Russian meal wouldn’t be complete without Russian Tea Cakes. Surprisingly, these came out OK!!!

Of course, since we had a Russian meal there had to be a bit of Vodka! We weren’t going to do straight vodka shots though!!!

Can’t do the Russian thing without a bit of Vodka even if it is in the form of chocolate cake!!!

(no vodka for the boys!!)

Hunter decided to make a sandwich with a couple of the pancakes and his cabbage roll-up.

This was a fun way to “travel” to Russia and also to try some new (to us) dishes!!!

Did you watch the Opening Ceremony Friday night?
Summer or winter Olympics?

Happy Monday!!

Kim

Butt, Core, Fitness

The Gift of a New Day

February 9, 2014 Kim 54 Comments

Today for my 44 I decided to take a move that I’ve done on the floor and do it on a stability ball. I started in plank –

From here I did alternating lunges –

Not gonna lie – holding plank on the ball was a challenge and then doing a total of 44 lunges with each leg – HARD!!!!

Since today was a day off with the Michelle Bridges program, I did one of my all-time favorites – Les Mills Pump – Combat. I love this workout!!! 45 minutes of punching and kicking that goes by so quickly and I always feel like I got a good workout afterwards!!

This morning I realized that I need to get back to waking up and being excited for the day ahead instead of being so consumed by my To-Do list. I need to appreciate the beauty that I have every morning when I wake up and have an entire day ahead of me to use however I want.

Each day is like a gift – a clean slate full of hours to use any way we choose!!!!

I am choosing to close out each day at the end of it and start fresh each morning! Instead of carrying things over from the previous day, each morning will be a completely fresh start!!!

I think that far to often I go to bed feeling like I didn’t accomplish enough or that I wasted time and then I wake up feeling the same way and it sets a negative tone for the entire day. However, I’m choosing to focus on the beauty and newness of each day and let go of the mistakes from the day before!!!

What a great idea – don’t count the days and don’t dread the days!!!

Make each day count because it really is a gift!!!

It truly is a new day which means the possibilities are only limited by the choices I make.

Today (and each new today), I choose to start fresh and live the day to the max – enjoying each new exciting challenge that comes my way!!! Bring it!!!

Happy Sunday!!! It’s a new day!!!

Kim

Butt, Cardio, Core, Fitness

Someone Stole My Identity

February 7, 2014 Kim 109 Comments

Today’s 44 sort of reminded me of my track days – I did a knee up with a little twist to that side.

Obviously not me but I needed the beach picture!!! I did all 44 with my right knee up and then switched to the left side.

Still not me but this picture is pretty accurate for how the move looked (minus the fact that this is a guy!) – almost a bounce each time you lift the knee – plus he’s on a track!!!

So, this week I have spent hours on the phone because someone stole my identity. It is a little creepy to know that someone knows things they shouldn’t about me.

This person knows my Social Security number – he/she has opened up at least one new account using it.

They know my home address (this one really freaks me out!) – the new account they opened is using my address.

They have used other accounts of mine by walking into the store and having the someone look up the card number – in one case the store worker even changed the ID to theirs.

All of these things happened in Florida in about a one week period. (unless there is more that I don’t know about yet)

I have filed a police report, cancelled credit cards, called about my social security card, put a fraud alert on my credit. One of the worst parts is that many of the people I’ve had to talk to on the phone act like this is my fault.

Needless to say, this has been a very frustrating week and I’m sure it will continue to be a stressful process. Sort of scary because you never really think about something like this until it happens to you. I truly hope that none of you ever have to deal with this!!!

Happy Friday!

Kim

BTW – since it is Friday and therefor supposed to be fun, if you missed this FUN post yesterday over at Cranky Fitness head over and see how you can mix exercise and wine!!!

Butt, Calves, Fitness, Squats

Snow Days – Productive or Play?

February 5, 2014 Kim 1 Comment

Today’s 44 was actually a simple move (some days I need it to be a little easier!!). I think it is a ballet stance (1st, 2nd….???) – anyway start with your heels together, toes slightly turned out –

From the start, squat down and reach your hands to the floor –

Then stand up on toes and reach to the sky –

See, a nice easy move – more of a stretch than anything!!! Maybe these should be called a ballet squat & reach (closest I will ever come to ballet!).

Day 3 of Michelle Bridges – There were 3 different program options (I think 3) and I chose the Lean and Strong plan. Lots of lifting which is good since I haven’t done much lifting for awhile. Yesterday I also managed to get an 11 mile run in!!

So, the call to cancel school yesterday ended up being a smart choice. The snow started around 9:00am and it was still coming down at 10:00 when we went to bed.

I think that I saw about 13″ as the general consensus. UGH!!!!!

back deck - snow almost up to bottom of chairs — back deck – snow almost up to bottom of chairs

Sometime yesterday evening they made the decision to cancel school again today. The snow has stopped and the current temperature is 3* with a high of about 14 for the day. Actually based on the upcoming week’s forecast, we are going to have snow around for a LONG time!!!

mountain in the cup-de-sac from the plow — mountain in the cul-de-sac from the plow

So – how do you handle snow days? Do you use them to be uber productive or do you treat them as a bonus day?

When I worked full time at a school, I always viewed snow days as a gift – a day to relax and watch movies and play games with the boys.

Now that I’m technically self-employed and the work never goes away I still view snow days as a bonus day to enjoy. No alarms, no rushing around, extra time lounging. Yesterday and today are double treats because Chris even got snow days – rare for the base to close!!!

Today I might have to do a little bit of work stuff but overall I’m going to keep to my rule and let this be a bonus day. I think we are even going to try and get in a game of Monopoly later!!!

My #1 snow day rule is always this – I NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE ON A SNOW DAY. NOT EVEN TO GET THE MAIL!!!!

I’m not a fan of snow. I don’t look outside and think it’s pretty or fun or any of those things. I look outside and just see cold and slick and mess. UGH!!

Snow days – do you treat them as a bonus day or is it a day to be productive?
Do you like snow?

Happy Wednesday!!

Kim

Butt, Fitness, Squats

The Law of Diminishing Returns

January 27, 2014 Kim 69 Comments

Today’s 44 was another squat variation – this time with alternating glute lifts.

The key is to squeeze your butt on the way up and when you lift your leg behind. Since I counted a right and left lift as 1 rep, I actually did 88 squats to complete the 44.

I pulled out another workout DVD that I haven’t done in years – Michelle Dozois – Your Best Body Circuit. This was a good workout that included some nice cardio sections with plenty of strength training. I liked that the strength training included moves with dumbbells and resistance bands. The workout is almost an hour (58 minutes) and does a great job targeting all body parts and keeping your heart rate up!!!

OK – I have never studied economics so this isn’t going to be about economics in any way, however, I think that this statement is also true in the fitness realm!!!

I have been participating in a challenge this month that Taylor (Lifting Revolution) has going on – the Core Challenge.

The way this challenge works –

Week 1 – 45 second plank followed by 20 push-ups (every single day)
Week 2 – 60 second plank followed by 30 push-ups (every day!)
Week 3 – 75 second plank followed by 40 push-ups (still every day)
Week 4 – 90 second plank followed by 50 push-ups (also every day!!)

I’m still doing this every day – I haven’t missed a day yet but near the end of week 3 I noticed that my push-ups were becoming more and more of a struggle.

This week doing 50 push-ups is a downright hard. I feel like I’m going backwards on the push-ups some days!!! I break them into sets of 10 and then do a quick stretch break usually to complete all 50. There have been some days that I’ve had to drop to my knees in order to complete all of the reps with good form.

I thought about dropping back down to 20 or 30 push-ups to finish the challenge but I’m hoping that if I keep pushing through I will see the results once the challenge is completely over.