Tag Archives: friends

One-on-One

March 5, 2013 Kim 8 Comments

One of the blogs I enjoy reading is The Great Fitness Experiment by Charlotte. Today she had an entertaining story about her and a gym buddy trying new “moves” on the treadmill. After seeing some of their antics, I decided to use my treadmill for my 43 today. I didn’t do any of the moves they did but I’m going to try to figure out how to make some of them work. (I don’t have space between the back of my treadmill and the wall – I think I can use the front, just have to experiment!!)

So, the 43 today was a sliding squat on a moving treadmill!!! I just kept the speed at 1 mph since this was the first time I’ve ever tried these. Because the lead leg takes the brunt of the work, I did 43 facing right and another 43 facing left.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Teh1OrA4Z98′]

After I finished the first sets (at 0 incline) I decided to up the challenge and do another set each direction with the incline at 5%.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBu8SKnaxjo’]

Little more challenging but still I wanted more!! I put the incline at 12% and did another set of 43 in each direction.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFBBwFJ9WRA’]

This was a fun way to use my treadmill. I’m going to work up to a little higher speed and 30% on the incline!! (maybe not for 43 though)

Today was Plyo HIIT with Les Mills Combat. My legs always feel like jelly after all of the jumping lunges and squats on this workout!! 30 minutes of plyo!!! I also did another round of Jillian Michaels – Six Weeks to a 6 Pack – Level 1. I like the fact that even though it is an ab work-out, she includes cardio and multi-muscle exercises. It is a brutal program!!!

One-on-one (and I’m not talking about basketball or personal training!) time with my boys is so important! I love the time I get to spend with just Jordan or just Hunter!! (and they are at an age where it’s not a lot of time anymore)

I think my favorite part of school days is in the morning when I take the boys to school. Because Jordan is in middle school which starts an hour earlier, it means 2 separate trips. In August, I wasn’t sure that I was going to like driving them every day (they could ride the bus you know!) but now I wouldn’t give that time up for anything!!!

This morning Jordan and I talked about friends. He is fairly quiet and completely OK with doing his own thing (which I love!!) but he does have a couple of good friends. He also deals with people every day (because he is in middle school and it’s how some kids are) that aren’t very nice.

Earlier this morning I read a great quote that Monica at Run Eat Repeat had on her post. (and it is to good not to share!!)

I shared this with Jordan as we were driving today because I think it definitely applies to the life of an adolescent! I just want him to always know that even when other kids say things that aren’t nice – it doesn’t change who he is because it really doesn’t have anything to do with him – just their need to be hateful!) 12-15 minutes (depending on the carpool line) every morning that I wouldn’t trade for a million dollars!!!

Hunter I spend most of the time talking about the song/artist playing on the radio or his newest technique for solving one of his many cubes.

Hunter's Rubik collection — Hunter’s Rubik collection

Every once in awhile we do something crazy like solve difficult math problems in our head! He’s 11 and still in elementary school (6th grade) – life is good for him!!!

So, for the next 3 months I will continue to treasure and enjoy every minute of these times that I have with my boys!!!

Happy Tuesday!

Kim

Fitness, Lunges, Running, Treadmill, Triceps

A Big Dose of Fun Friday – just the thing to cure the February Funk!!!

February 16, 2013 Kim 3 Comments

I don’t know what I was thinking when I picked my 43 today!! I dug out my Tae-Bo bands:

Sometimes I forget about these but they are really cool. You can see the loops that slip over your feet and they have 1 pound weights that you can take out if you only want to use the resistance from the band itself.

For my 43 I left the weights in! I did a triceps extension in a static lunge (why I thought I should hold a lunge while I did 43 of these I don’t know – cause you know I also had to do 16 wall-sits today at 1 minute each!!!

bend arm - elbow still! — bend arm – elbow still!

I know this seems like an easy 43 but the resistance tubing is no joke!!! And, 43 reps (or even 10) is something you will definitely feel!

You know I can’t be unbalanced, so I switched sides and did another set of 43.

For the rest of my work-out today, I decided to run. This week I have done a long run and a short easy run so today I decided to do a hard run. I kept the treadmill at 1.5% incline and did 6 miles in 30:50 + 2 cool down miles.

It felt good to get in a hard-paced run but I am really trying to keep my focus on just putting in the miles. I think that between now and mid-October (50 mile race) I will spend more time working on nice easy runs and even some long runs that have a run-walk pattern to get my body used to that. I’m also focusing on making my legs as strong as possible (wall-sits, static lunges…..)

Yesterday was truly a

Hunter and I met a friend of his, Zach, and his mom, Renee (who is a friend of mine) at one of my all time favorite places –

We ended up hanging out for 3.5 hours – catching up on each other’s lives while the boys entertained each other!! At one point we moved into the cafe and ate lunch (they have great sandwiches). Fun times for sure!

Yesterday evening, Chris and I went out with friends. We met up with 7 other couples for dinner at a Mexican food place which means – Margaritas!!!Then we all headed to the theater to watch Identity Thief. I haven’t laughed that much at a movie in a long, long time!!!

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uO12W35DpsQ’]

After the movie we talked about going somewhere for a drink but figured every place would be too loud for conversation so we just invited everyone over to our house for awhile!! So much fun to just hang out and talk!! (no pictures – just fun)

It was a great day and the perfect cure for

What movies have made you laugh loud and long lately? Do you laugh uncontrollably at movies?

Can’t wait to see what today has in store!!

Happy Saturday!

Kim

Core, Fitness

What Makes you Happy?

February 13, 2013 Kim 23 Comments

Today for the 43 I pulled out my Turbo Fire band and used it for a great oblique move (also from Turbo Fire!).

I started by standing on the band with my right foot and holding both handles in my right hand.

Then, I did a slow, 3-count side-bend to the left. (The slight forward bend helps to really target your obliques!)

On the 3rd count, reach down as far as you can.

Return to start and repeat 43 (or whatever # of reps you choose) times. Then, of course, you have to switch sides with the band.

umm....start but you don't have to look so mad about it! — umm….start but you don’t have to look so mad about it!

wow!! gotta work on the facial expressions!

I know you didn’t really need all of those pictures but Hunter took them so I figured I might as well use them!! I really need to quit looking so mad during these pictures – maybe we can just call it my focused look!!

You can see from the pictures that I busted out (not completely literally) my compression shorts again. I figured that they would help the residual stiffness in my hips from yesterday’s long run! I know that I’m way behind the gravy train on the compression stuff but after this morning I know I need more!! Compression everything!!! I really NEED to get some socks – I know it would help my Achilles!

I switched up my Les Mills Combat a little today. It was supposed to be HIIT Power but I decided to save that for tomorrow and do the Combat 45 today. Even though the 45 work-out still has some plyo, it is not as much. It was a great cardio work-out but I still feel like it was good for a recovery day!

I think this is a question that we all occasionally think about. At least, I hope I’m not the only one who sometimes struggles with this!! I think that January and February are sometimes the hardest months of the year. Still a lot of winter left but no major holidays to look forward to or plan for. When I was working, these 2 months weren’t as hard for me but now I’m back to not working and have more time for reflection (or something!).

The past few weeks I have really been thinking a lot about happiness and what really makes me happy.

1. Family

2. Friends

3. Running (usually on my treadmill)

4. Wine!!

5. The beach

I know I could go on and maybe even put some really profound things on here but even with the list – sometimes I feel like I have to work hard to be happy!

I think that somedays I feel like I need to be doing more with my life. I know that I’m a Mom to 2 great boys, a wife to the greatest person I know and I love being both of those thing. But…….

Overall, I’m a pretty happy person. But occasionally I have times that I need to remind myself that it is OK to just be me and do the things I do (or maybe don’t do) – being a surgeon, or chef, or world-class athlete or whatever doesn’t automatically make you happy.

So, what makes you happy? Do you feel happy all the time or do you occasionally have to step back and remind yourself of all the reasons you have to be happy?

Hopefully, we will all have a Happy Wednesday!!!

Kim

Core, Fitness, Running, Treadmill

2013 – Off to a Great Start!

January 1, 2013 Kim 4 Comments

Even though it was after 2am when we went to bed this morning, we were still up by 8 – crazy!!! No need to sleep the day away I guess (although I think a nap might be on tap later today!).

For the 43 today, I went way back to my days as a college track coach – sprinter abs. It is similar to a crunch: keep your core contracted and move your feet and arms sort of like you are running. (maybe the video will help – my brain is sort of mush today!!!)

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTMV5ATLrNg’]

I counted a right knee and left knee as 1 rep. This was a quick 43 but I definitely felt it.

I’m still keeping up with the 12 Days of Fitness – today was day 7!

I wore my new running outfit for the first time today!! MizFit running skirt and sports bra – super cute. (I was getting frustrated with the picture taking – hard to get a shot that didn’t make my gut look disgusting!!!)

Because last night had a lot of this:

I needed a good work-out today. Plus, I always start the New Year with a run!!! 4 weeks ago when the DR said no weight-bearing, blah……for 8 weeks I knew that would never work! I also knew that I would run today – gotta ~~sweat out the tequila~~ start the New Year right!!

Chris said – how about 1 mile? Really?!! I’ll just do 5. I did run 5 miles (on the treadmill at 1.5 incline in 40 minutes) – I am out of shape!!! It was awesome to run again – hopefully I don’t pay a high price in the next day or so! (I’m sure it will be fine!)

We had a great time last night (into the early morning) bringing in the new year with friends! I’m looking forward to a great year! I truly want to enjoy every part of my life this year – the small, daily things as well as the big “high-light” events!!

Happy 2013 – I hope y’all are all off to a great start!!

Kim

Core, Fitness

Time to Buckle Down

December 27, 2012 Kim

Today, I needed a partner for my 43. Thanks, Jordan. (Except, he only did the easy part. When I offered to switch with him he said – no, that’s OK. Weak!!!)

The 43 was a partner leg lift. I laid on the ground in front of Jordan and held onto his ankles. I raised my legs to 90 degrees and he pushed them down. I had to hold my abs (very) tight to control my legs on the way down and then bring them up for another rep.

[youtuber youtube=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo3vFjI–y4′]

Sorry for cutting your head off, Jordan. (Hunter was still sleeping and apparently, the timer function on my camera doesn’t work for video.) Oh, well – you get the point!

The last 8 or so were HARD!!!!

Yesterday, the Fitnessista, started a 12 Days of Fitness Challenge. I think it will be a fun addition to my daily work-outs. If you are interested, the challenge is here. I like that each day ends with a 1 minute plank hold – hopefully this will help me be able to reach my goal of holding an extended plank (on hands with arms fully extended) for 5+ minutes!

I feel like I have lost a lot of my cardio in the last 3.5 weeks and that is going to change!!! I still can’t run but I’m going to increase my work-outs again!

Today I did one of The Firm DVDs – Dangerous Curves Ahead. The thing I like about most of the Firm work-outs is the combination of cardio and toning. This one is almost an hour and I did keep the entire thing low impact (even though I hate doing that!!) so that my hip will hopefully heal!

Chris went back to work and the boys and I have a couple of projects to get done around the house today. Good news – tonight is Thirsty Thursday!!! Looking forward to hooking up with some friends for!!

Happy Thursday!

Kim

Day With KT