Core, Fitness, Hamstrings, Shoulders

Labor Day

September 2, 2013 Kim 26 Comments

The 43 for today was a sit-up but it was also a great move for my shoulders and a nice hamstring stretch!!!

I did a 1-arm weighted sit-up. Start with left leg bent and right leg extended, weight in right arm overhead –

Sit-up making a half-circle with right arm (from floor to right foot) –

Slowly lower down and repeat x 43. Then, of course, you have to switch sides and repeat the whole process!!!

I love moves that target a specific area but also work bonus areas!!! BTW – I did this move with a 5 pound dumbbell and that was plenty for me!!

I pulled out a DVD that I haven’t done in awhile – Gaiam Cross Training for Fitness. This is a fun workout with 5 – 15 minutes sections: Cardio Kickbox, Strength & Flexibility, Lower Body Balance, Core Power & Flow, Relax & Restore. I did the first 4 (I know I should take the time for the Relax & Restore but I’ve got other things to do!!). The hour went very quickly and I loved the intensity of each of the segments. I feel like I got a great whole body workout with this DVD!

Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It was created by the labor movement in the late 19th century and became a federal holiday in 1894.

I find it very ironic that people have to work on Labor Day – a holiday that was created to honor the laborers. I realize that there is never a day when everyone can be off but just in my lifetime things have changed a great deal! When I was a kid, holidays and Sundays meant that there was no shopping (not even at the grocery store!!) and very few (if any) restaurants were open.

When I was growing up, Labor Day meant that school started the next day!!!

Now, my boys have been in school for 3 weeks already!!!

One of my favorite things to do from 6:00pm on the Sunday before Labor Day till about 6:00pm on Labor Day was to watch as much of the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon as possible.

I remember being amazed that Jerry Lewis could stay up the entire time!!! Watching him decline over the years was sad for me.

One thing that really hasn’t changed much – Labor Day has always been a big day for family & friends to get together and have a cook-out!!

And, growing up we didn’t enjoy time at the lake or the pool (my mom thinks swimsuits in mixed company are inappropriate – oops, I guess I’m inappropriate a lot these day!!!), but now Labor Day always includes some time at the swim beach and on the boat!!

I hope that even if you have to work today you are able to celebrate with friends/family and enjoy the day!!

Happy Monday!! Happy Labor Day!

Kim

BOSU, Core, Fitness, Push-Ups

September Is Going to be EPIC!!!

September 1, 2013 Kim 32 Comments

Today I started with a plan for my 43 and ended up having to do an extremely modified version!!! I used my BOSU & stability ball for some hard-core push-ups!!

I put my legs on the stability ball and my hands on the upside down BOSU to do push-ups. Not easy because the BOSU wobbles when it is upside down and the stability ball wants to roll every where – good for the core though because you have to work so hard just to maintain your balance.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdmA00gKnfg’]

My original plan was to put just my feet on the stability ball and roll the ball in close so that the push-up was more of a pike position – Um…..that move needs some serious work!!!

I did one of my favorite workouts – Turbo Fire!!! Today I did Fire 45 – 45 minutes of nonstop cardio that is super fun because Chalean keeps the energy high and the music going!

September – so many fun and exciting things coming up this month!!

1. Friday night high school football games – Jordan is in marching band and has his first game in just a few days!!

2. Cross country meets – Hunter is running middle school cross country. The meets are on Saturday mornings, Tuesday afternoons, a Wednesday meet (it varies). He has 6-8 meets in the next month!!!

3. Texas Longhorn football!!! College football is back and I’m hoping that the Longhorns have a better season than they have the past few years.

supporting the Horns even when dressed for church!

They are off to a good start with a 56-7 win last night!!! Hook ’em Horns!!!

4. This is the first month of our new business! This month we have several weddings/receptions booked and I’m going to work on some of my plans to add in more events at our venue!!!

5. In 2 short weeks (just 14 more days!) I will have accomplished 2 huge goals:
365 consecutive daily 43s
365 days with a daily blog post

6. And – IT’S MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!!! 2 weeks from tomorrow I will start in with a new goal and a new challenge – Daily 44s starting with my birthday run – 44 miles!!!!

What is going to be epic in your September?

Happy Sunday & Happy September!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Sleep-In Saturday

August 31, 2013 Kim 28 Comments

Today’s 43 was actually really fun! It involved my stability ball – I put my upper back on the ball with my feet on the floor (sort of a reverse table top), clasped my hands together and started with them overhead, then I did a slow twist to the right, to the left and back to the center for 1 rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ2Z_aWJpB0′]

Even though the main target in this move is your core (especially obliques), you will start to feel it in your butt & hamstrings because of holding yourself up!!

When the boys were younger, every Friday night when we tucked them in we would remind them – “Tomorrow is Sleep-in Saturday!!” I’m not sure it really ever worked for them but at least they knew that we (Chris & I) weren’t going to get up as early as we normally do.

Last night when I fell into bed, I was so excited to remind myself that it was sleep-in Saturday.

And that (see above) is pretty much how things went!!! I guess I sort-of slept in since I woke up at 6:25 (instead of my normal 5:00) but I was really hoping for closer to 8:00!!!

Oh well, up and getting stuff done for the day – always a good thing!!! Chris & Hunter left at 7:30 for a gun safety class so they didn’t really sleep-in either.

At least Jordan got the memo!!! He is still snoozing away!!! (all those early mornings for band are taking a toll on him!)

One day I will sleep-in again but not today!!!

Do you have sleep-in Saturday? How late do you sleep when you sleep-in?

Happy “Sleep-in” Saturday!!!

Kim

Butt, Core, Fitness, Quad

Friday Funnies Are Back!!

August 30, 2013 Kim 52 Comments

Today I tried a move that completely intimidated me – a wall climb! Ever heard of it? I hadn’t either until the other day when 6 Pack Momma @ She Runs Everywhere did a little video demonstration. Well, that move did not end up being my 43!!! I did a grand total of 4!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq5GZLzYlYU’]

And, even those weren’t very good because you are supposed to get your hands much closer to the wall and take yourself all the way to vertical – like I said – I was totally intimidated by this move!!!! A 43 FAIL!!!

So, for my real 43 I did a killer lower body move!!!

squat with feet together
stay in squat & step right leg out then back in
lift right knee
extend right leg (while your knee is up)
bring leg in & lower foot
Repeat (x 43)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JikMbSaL7A’]

And, once your left hip is totally burning and your quad is shaking (and you have completed all your reps!!!), switch legs and do some more – 43 more for me!!!

I decided to change things up with my workout today and do some yoga. I did Denise Austin’s Fat Burning Yoga. It was pretty good – a total of 60 minutes with plenty of strength work, core work and of course, flexibility. I can only take Denise in small doses but I usually like her workouts!!

And, because the past week has been full of extreme emotions I decided that it was time for some more humor over here!!!

HaHa - I think this was me a few weeks ago!! — HaHa – I think this was me a few weeks ago!!

Love this - even though I might be a bit of a grammar nazi myself! — Love this – even though I might be a bit of a grammar nazi myself!

Still haven't learned this one!! — Still haven’t learned this one!!

I've said for years that if the label doesn't show the calories there aren't any!! — I’ve said for years that if the label doesn’t show the calories there aren’t any!!

especially if everyone around you is in the same boat!

Good plan - I'm going with it! — Good plan – I’m going with it!

Yep - about the time I finish my workout I realize that my productivity is gone! — Yep – about the time I finish my workout I realize that my productivity is gone!

Hope you enjoyed a smile and maybe even a little chuckle today!

Happy Friday!

Kim

BOSU, Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

Why do I stay up till midnight?

August 29, 2013 Kim 44 Comments

Today for my 43 I decided to do a move that Kristen @ Stuft Mama demoed. This move involves one of my favorite pieces of equipment –

Kristen called the move a scissor move on the BOSU – I’m not sure if I did it exactly the way she did but either way it is an incredible way to work your core!!

Just balancing myself was a challenge!!!

I counted a right leg up and a left leg up as 1 rep. 43 of these were hard!! And, I had to hold lightly to the ball otherwise I kept rolling off!!!

I also taught Garage Boot Camp this morning. We did another repeat workout – 7 mini workouts or 1 Super Boot Camp one of my favorites!!! (I really do have a lot of favorites, I guess – oh, well all the favorites match all of my exclamation points!!!)

I decided to do another short run – I’m so happy that I’ve been able to run on consecutive days again. I’m trying to not get too crazy with the running though because I have some big runs coming up – 44 miles in about 2.5 weeks (birthday run) and 50 miles in mid October – no time to end up injured due to running too much!!

Today I just did 5 total miles – 4 hard (24:19) + 1 much easier (almost 12 minutes) all with a 1.5% incline. Other than my left Achilles which stays swollen all the time, my legs are feeling really good these days!!!

For the past 6 years, I have become one of those people who gets up at the ~~butt~~ crack of dawn and therefore, I rarely stay up past 10:00pm. This works well because Chris has gotten up early forever so he likes to go to bed fairly early, too.

However, lately, I haven’t had time during the day to spend blogging so when Chris (and the boys) go to bed at night I sit down with my laptop (and HGTV!) to play catch-up. All good until this happens –

Midnight!!! 12:00 am!!! 5 short hours before my alarm will start screeching at me and I will start all over with another day!!!

Yikes – how did it get to be so late with me still up?! And why am I up? Maybe tonight will be the night that I don’t ring in the new day!!! (doubtful but…..)

How late do you stay up on a normal night?
What time do you get up in the mornings?
Alarm or natural wake up?
How many hours do you generally sleep at night? (I’m to the point where it is rarely more than 6 & staying up till midnight is making it even less!)

Happy Thursday!

Kim

Day With KT

Labor Day

September Is Going to be EPIC!!!

Sleep-In Saturday

Friday Funnies Are Back!!

Why do I stay up till midnight?

Fitness – Food – Fun