Biceps, Butt, Cardio, Fitness, Shoulders, Thighs

Before and After

November 15, 2013 Kim 58 Comments

Today’s 44 was a great one to work my whole body and I got my heart rate up – bonus!!!

I did a plie while holding a dumbbell (10 pounds) – stood and pressed the DB overhead and to the right while lifting my left heel – lowered to plie – repeated to the left for 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSIK5CzLlhE’]

The video is super dark because Jordan doesn’t believe in light in the morning – he’s 15!!!

2 weeks ago, I walked into a nasty disgusting apartment and had a little freak out!!!

Today we have new tenants moving in!!!! In a short (BUSY) 2 weeks the apartment has undergone a huge transformation!!!

Kitchen Before (left) & After (right) — Kitchen
Before (left) & After (right)

Bedroom #1 Before (L) and After (R) — Bedroom #1
Before (L) and After (R)

Bedroom #2 Before (middle) After (sides) — Bedroom #2
Before (middle)
After (sides)

Living Room Before (L) & After (R) — Living Room
Before (L) & After (R)

After shots of the bathrooms and built-in

In the last 2 weeks – we hauled out 2 dumpsters full of stuff plus a couch and several other pieces of furniture, cleaned the nastiness, primed, painted, repaired numerous broken things (good thing Chris is super handy!!), did another cleaning (that’s how gross it was) and hung curtains.

The apartment went from being a place that I couldn’t stand to a super cute apartment with a lot of character!!!

In 2 months, we’ve turned over 2 of the 3 apartments – I hope that we don’t have to do this again any time soon!!!!

Happy Friday!

Kim

Core, Fitness

I Need a Boot Camp Alternative!!!

November 14, 2013 Kim 66 Comments

Today I used my Bender Ball –

and did sit-ups for my 44.

I like doing full sit-ups on occasion as opposed to just crunches and having the ball behind my back is a great time to really extend my range.

So now that the weather is getting colder, I don’t think my boot campers want to work out in the garage anymore but I don’t really have any other options.

I sent out a text last night to see if anyone was coming and they all said the same thing –
Too Cold

On Tuesday morning it was only 17 degrees and I don’t think yesterday morning started much better. Today actually wasn’t awful –

So, I need a new plan or we will have to cancel boot camp until the weather is nicer!!!

I know that lots of y’all run outside in arctic weather but you know I don’t do cold weather.

I would hibernate for the winter if that were an option but since it’s not I just try to avoid the cold as much as possible!!!

Bring on the heat and sun and I will definitely be outside!!!

Do you like to be outside (working out or whatever) in the cold?

Happy Thursday – try to stay warm!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

I Choose Happiness!!!

November 13, 2013 Kim 81 Comments

Today’s 44 is one that Josie @ Yum Yucky demoed the other day. It is called a living plank and it is fun!!!

Start in plank with a kettlebell (you could use a dumbbell) above your head. With your right hand, move the KB down near your thighs. Use your left hand and return the KB to the start = 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3Xd89TPqBQ’]

Try this for a new way to spice up your plank. The last few reps were hard – I had to work hard to lift the KB and not drag it!

Yesterday I wrote a post full of griping and complaining and then proceeded to let myself be in a major funk all day!

Today, I choose to be happy and share some happy things.

Saturday – Wrestling Tournament:

waiting - lots & lots of waiting — waiting – lots & lots of waiting

I don’t totally get all that goes along with wrestling – it is new to me – but Hunter had 3 matches on Saturday – he lost his first then came back to win his 2nd which sent him to the consolation round. He won that match by pinning his opponent!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5VMlstalXk’]

3rd place in his category at his very first tournament!!

Sunday – Jordan’s Birthday:

For several years now, Hunter has been trying to get Jordan to give him 5!

come on - give me 5 — come on – give me 5

Sunday – Cello Group Concert:

This concert was Hunter’s cello group, a clarinet group and a flute group – all were great. The cellos ended the program with a version of William Tell’s Overture – it was awesome!!

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

Monday – Veteran’s Day:

Monday – Birthday Dinner (a day late because of the cello concert!):

cookie cake - 15 candles — cookie cake – 15 candles

After looking at all the awesomeness around me – how can I not be happy?!

We all know I love to exercise and today I’m going to exercise my happy!!!

Happy Wednesday!

Kim

Fitness, Triceps

Shots, Shots and More Shots

November 12, 2013 Kim 85 Comments

Today’s 44 had to be fairly simple so I did triceps dips using 2 chairs.

And, no other work-out today because I have to take a day or so off thanks to yesterday’s miserable experience!!!

Some of you may remember from way back in April that I had the varicose veins in my legs stripped. And, you may remember that the recovery was not at all what the DR told me it would be. It was long and painful!!!

I moaned and complained a lot about my legs – here, here, here, here and here.

Yesterday was, hopefully, the final part of this process to get rid of the varicose veins. I had a procedure called sclerotherapy done.

HOLY HELL – this HURT!!!

I’m not sure what exactly was in the needles – saline and something else.

I took one picture and then quit watching – I blocked the view with my Nook!!! I tried to count the # of injections but lost count after 20 or 25.

I think the ones on my left foot and ankle hurt the most but by that point I was in so much pain that I really couldn’t tell for sure.

I tried to chat with the nurse and DR while they worked but it was hard to talk much with my teeth clenched!!!

you can't see the top ones but this is what my legs look like under the ultra tight wraps! — you can’t see the top ones but this is what my legs look like under the ultra tight wraps!

It has been 6.5 months since I had my initial surgery and I still DO NOT recommend this procedure. I know that, according to my DR, my results were rare but the fact that I went into this thinking it would be a week long recovery and I have had pain in my legs (especially my left ankle) every day since I had the procedure done makes me wish I had never started this whole process.

Hopefully, this is a short (1-3 days) recovery like the DR said this time!

still wrapped - should only be for today — still wrapped – should only be for today

I’ve been telling myself that maybe after this step I will finally be happy that I had all of this done – I’m not there yet but maybe in another day!

I try not to live my life with regrets but this whole experience has definitely been a regret!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

Biceps, Fitness, Quad, Running, Squats, Treadmill

Veteran’s Day

November 11, 2013 Kim 76 Comments

For my 44 today I did a bicep curl (with 10 pound dumbbells – plenty for this many reps!) while staying in a squat position for all 44. My quads were burning!!!

curl - stay in squat — curl – stay in squat

Nice sweaty pictures since they were after my workout. I ran today because it will probably be the only day this week that I can run. I did 10 miles with the treadmill at 1.5% incline (73:27) + 2 easy miles to cool down.

Veteran’s Day is to celebrate the service of all of the US military – past and present!

The Commonwealth countries celebrate Remembrance Day or Armistice Day on November 11.

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem “In Flanders Fields“. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilled in the war.

This day marks the anniversary of the end of World War I – the major hostilities were formally ended at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

I think that now more than ever it is important to show support for all of the military men and women who willingly serve their country in ways that many people would never dream of doing.

Since Chris is in the military, we have lots of friends who are Veterans but I have 3 people that are the most special Veterans in my life.

Chris who is still serving our country –