Tag: fitness

Goals for the year – 2017

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Since active seasons in Florida are October – April, I decided I should set my goals accordingly. I reached my 2016 goal in February simply because that was when my races were. So, my top 3 fitness goals are:

  1. Complete the 6 month plan in The New Rules of Lifting for Women

Yea, My plan was to start this yesterday but my dental appointment nixed that one . So, I’ll be starting this today.

2. Run a 2:45 half marathon

St. Pete run fest in November is my current goal race!

This is one that I have been chasing for over 5 years. My half marathon PR is from 2011 and it was a 2:48. I came so close in February but a headwind killed that. I’ll be spending the summer training and getting stronger to hopefully hit this goal by the end of the year/beginning of 2018. This is going to take actual planning and stuff! My goal race is the St. Pete Run Fest in November! Super excited about this inaugural race (and goal race). You should join me!!

3. Stick to eating less sugar

Blueberry picking

Ok, we’ve been trying to go sugar free but it is crazy impossible! The hubby and I have decided to go low-sugar, low-carb, less crazy! This means more natural goodies and less processed. It has been an interesting but enlightening experience the past three weeks! Hopefully, I will be able to say we are still sticking to this in 6 months (or more).

Here’s to sticking to focusing and striving towards these 3 goals. Thanking for joining me virtually!

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Figuring out weight training and nutrition

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So I have pretty much entered into my off season. I have a 10K in October that I am running but that is it. So I’ve decided that this winter instead of focusing on running I’m going to focus on weight training. I’m doing this for 2 reasons:

1) I need more upper body to hold myself up in the drop position on the road bike.

2) If I ever want to switch to aerobars on my bike I need to get rid of the belly. Stupid pooch.

 

Since Jon is basically beginning to train to do an Ironman next year (today he is riding 62 miles on the bike after riding 34 yesterday) I’ve had to really look at our nutrition. He is eating for a family of 4 and I am desperately trying to remember that I am not training like him. I’ve also had to get protein in him in other ways since he is NEVER full. Welcome Nutribullet

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I bought this little thing last weekend and it is amazing. We have made smoothies and post-workout drinks everyday. It is so simple even he will use it. Yesterday, we even went to the Vitamin Shoppe and started looking at things to add and researching supplements . We came home with Matcha Powder (green tea powder, more for me) and Cacao powder. We still have protein powder to use up but we are looking at different ones now (these things are pricy).

I can honestly say that this is a confusing area of fitness. There are lots of mixes and pills it is cray-cray. So, now I’m off to try and learn more about weight training. I’m not a fan of looking stupid at the gym. I think I’ll be doing a lot of reading in the next few days.

Have you figured out the nutrition mix? Any recipes you recommend? 

Keeping the promise

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Ok first I have to start with exciting news! My super awesome husband decided to give me my Christmas gift early! So I am the excited new owner of an iPad 3!! It is so fun! I got to open it yesterday and now I’m downloading fun apps!!

In other news, I am proud to say I am keeping my Jiminy Cricket promises. I have weight trained 3 days this week. On Friday I also decided to try running a little bit. I have the foot doctor appointment on Tuesday but I miss running. So I hopped on the treadmill and figured I would do just 5 minutes of running, in my old shoes. Amazingly enough I had almost no pain! So I’m going to try it again tomorrow and see if I can go a little longer!

Just have to keep going and keep moving! How is your training going?

 

Finding your Fit!

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Ok so after lots of research after yesterday’s post I found these really handy workout videos. A lot of my issues with weight training is that I really don’t know how to do the moves when listed. I’m one of those people who really appreciates the “how-to” video.

Luckily I stumbled across these helpful videos call the Bond Girl Bikini Workout she totally gets it. I don’t want to be bulky I just want to be fit! So I’m going to be giving her workout/videos a try this week. I don’t know about you all but I prefer to be told exactly what to do and when. I would benefit from a personal trainer but alas there is no money in the budget for that one. Instead I find the budget friendly ways to make it work.

She has a 2 day or 3 day split. Since I’m new at this I am going with a 2 day split. She recommends Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday as rest days. Since I’m a runner I will be doing a long run on 1 of those weekend days. But here is the recommended 2 day split schedule. She also shows you how to do all the workouts with dumbbells which is great cause I don’t own a barbell and can’t always get to the gym!

2 day split:

M- chest, back, abs, cardio

T- biceps, triceps, shoulders, cardio

W- Off or optional leg day

Th- chest, back, abs, cardio

Fr- biceps, triceps, shoulders, cardio

 

So today’s workout (this afternoon after appointments)

Back & Chest, Abs & cardio

Workout Breakdown:

-Barbell row 4-5 sets 5 reps; 30lbs

-Standing dumbbell pullover 4-5 sets 5 
reps; 15lb

-Barbell bench press 4-5 sets 5 reps; 25lbs

-Dumbbell flyes 4-5 sets 5 reps; 12lbs

-Ab wheel

-Cardio: Sprints on treadmill followed 
by steady state cardio (30 min total not 
including warm up and cool down)

sprints= 30s sprint at 8mph followed by 60s rest
10 intervals; 15 min total

 

Check out her videos, they are super helpful and really doable. I think tomorrow I will break it apart and do weights in the AM and cardio in the afternoon.

Hope everyone has a happy Monday!

It is ok to ask for help…

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…but it can be hard. To ask for help means that we have to admit that we can’t do it on our own. To me, it means I have reached the limit of my knowledge and now I need someone else to share theirs. My weight-loss and fitness goals are not going as planned. I’m terrible at tracking meals and apparently not so good at working out when I want too.

Then it dawned on me, I don’t have a plan. I’m just trudging along hoping for the best and that NEVER works. Ok it works for a luck few but the old saying it true “those who fail to plan,plan to fail”. So in an effort of not failing I have admitted that I need help. Thankfully, I have the running thing down and the cross-training. Where I fall short is weight lifting. I know it is important but I don’t know the first thing about it. Now, I could read every book and spend a lot of time doing it myself. Or I can call upon one of my oldest friends (15 years?!?! say what??) who happens to be a form competitor.

If you don’t know about her, you can learn more about Rebecca Mitchell on her Facebook page. Her dedication to her craft really is impressive. And even though sometimes I don’t get it, I can not deny her commitment and the results.

Now, I have no desire, what-so-ever, to be a form competitor. My goal is fitness, and if I drop a few or 20lbs, in the process even better! She loves competing, I much prefer running (this is where we differ greatly, lol) So, when I realized that what I was doing wasn’t working, I sucked up my pride and asked for help. Becky, being the awesome friend that she is, has accepted the…challenge?

So, I now await further gym instructions (in the past she has gotten her jollies off of making me a guinea pig, I fear this will be no different). However, I am confident that with a little instruction and guidance, I will be able to become the me I would prefer to be. So, followers, take it from me and don’t be afraid to ask for help from time to time! I promise it is worth it!