(sigh of relief.)
I"m really excited but nervous too.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Yardwork and a wheatberry recipe!
Again, I started the day with a plan to get to the gym in the morning. But instead I picked up a shovel and dug up a patch of my backyard and let me tell you, that's damn hard work! I wasn't wearing my HR monitor but if I had, it would have been beeping like hell. I did this off and on for a couple of hours (probably less, but it felt like longer.) My feet, hands and face were covered in mud. I tasted dirt. It was good.
In the summer I make myself limeade or lemonade spritzers. That way I can drink something fizzy without the extra calories. Today I did something even more special:
Fill glass halfway with Raspberry Zinger tea (I sweetened mine with homemade jam that never set)
Fill rest of glass with fizzy water (we make our own)
Top with a sprig or two of mint
Kick up your feet and marvel at the results of your (very hard) physical labor.
For lunch I enjoyed my wheat berry tabouleh. Two months ago I was obsessed with quinoa, this month it's all about wheat berries. They are so easy to make and add a nice texture to any salad. Here's my recipe:
1 cup wheat berries
1 bunch of parsley, stems removed and chopped.
1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Juice of 1 lemon (2 if a small lemon)
A few (2-3) tablespoons of olive oil - I'm pretty stingy with this stuff
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover wheat berries with at least 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an hour, adding water if necessary - very important, I forgot to do this and burned them once!
While they're cooking, mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.
When wheat berries are ready, they will be a bit chewy. Rinse under cold water. Strain and add to parsley mix. Can be covered and stored in the fridge for a 3 days. Best the first day though. Perfect for a summer picnic. Enjoy.
Be well.
In the summer I make myself limeade or lemonade spritzers. That way I can drink something fizzy without the extra calories. Today I did something even more special:
Fill glass halfway with Raspberry Zinger tea (I sweetened mine with homemade jam that never set)
Fill rest of glass with fizzy water (we make our own)
Top with a sprig or two of mint
Kick up your feet and marvel at the results of your (very hard) physical labor.
For lunch I enjoyed my wheat berry tabouleh. Two months ago I was obsessed with quinoa, this month it's all about wheat berries. They are so easy to make and add a nice texture to any salad. Here's my recipe:
1 cup wheat berries
1 bunch of parsley, stems removed and chopped.
1 cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Juice of 1 lemon (2 if a small lemon)
A few (2-3) tablespoons of olive oil - I'm pretty stingy with this stuff
Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover wheat berries with at least 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for an hour, adding water if necessary - very important, I forgot to do this and burned them once!
While they're cooking, mix the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.
When wheat berries are ready, they will be a bit chewy. Rinse under cold water. Strain and add to parsley mix. Can be covered and stored in the fridge for a 3 days. Best the first day though. Perfect for a summer picnic. Enjoy.
Be well.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Some interesting reads
Some of the best articles about living a fit life can be found in unusual places. Here are a couple of my favorites.
Need to get to that spinning class but little Lucy is still asleep. sigh.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Back to the gym
There are a few things that I never thought would happen; looking forward to getting back the gym is one of them.
The last few weeks have been hectic with Lucy being out of school and then my trip to help my mother move. As I stated in my last post, I was active during the move but it really wasn't the same as a gym sweat fest! Plus, towards the end it was just hot and I continued to give in to my cravings for bad (read unhealty) Oklahoma food.
So yesterday I put on my exercise clothes, ate some egg whites with goat feta and made my way to the gym. First I hit the treadmill for some serious walking. I never thought that I could get an awesome cardio workout from walking but with the combination of a higher incline and increased speed, I kept my HR around 75% pushing it to 85% for a few minutes. And then the endorphin rush arrived around 25 minutes which reinforced that walking can be an aerobic activity!
Then I did the following:
On the Cable Machine
15 two arm pushes
15 two arm pulls
Then
15 squats to near sitting
Repeat above for a total of 3 sets.
Then:
15 Woodchops using 10lb dumbbell, repeat other side
12 squat, overhead press with 4 kg medicine ball
Repeat above for a total of 3 sets.
A note: I got a second endorphin rush towards the end of the 3rd set of these but that's mostly due to the USA scoring a goal and winning their game.
Lots of stretching.
55 minutes. 525 calories. yahoo!
I'm hesitating a bit on this personal training thing and I'm not sure why. I look in the mirror and think who would choose me to be their trainer? But I have to remind myself that this is also my own personal journey with fitness. My hope is that others will want to create their own journeys too with me as their guide, that is until they find the strength to do it themselves and then they can refer their friends. haha. Seriously, I'm putting myself out there in a way that I've never done. Midwifery is not at all about me, it's about my patients and their families. I know that personal training isn't really about me, but by getting certified I am making the statement that I am fit and that I care about fitness. My personal physique should reflect this, right?
Let me think about this and write more tomorrow after my *outdoor* spinning class. It's crazy that they are going to move the spin cycyles downstairs but if they're willing to do, then I'm willing to go.
Be well.
The last few weeks have been hectic with Lucy being out of school and then my trip to help my mother move. As I stated in my last post, I was active during the move but it really wasn't the same as a gym sweat fest! Plus, towards the end it was just hot and I continued to give in to my cravings for bad (read unhealty) Oklahoma food.
So yesterday I put on my exercise clothes, ate some egg whites with goat feta and made my way to the gym. First I hit the treadmill for some serious walking. I never thought that I could get an awesome cardio workout from walking but with the combination of a higher incline and increased speed, I kept my HR around 75% pushing it to 85% for a few minutes. And then the endorphin rush arrived around 25 minutes which reinforced that walking can be an aerobic activity!
Then I did the following:
On the Cable Machine
15 two arm pushes
15 two arm pulls
Then
15 squats to near sitting
Repeat above for a total of 3 sets.
Then:
15 Woodchops using 10lb dumbbell, repeat other side
12 squat, overhead press with 4 kg medicine ball
Repeat above for a total of 3 sets.
A note: I got a second endorphin rush towards the end of the 3rd set of these but that's mostly due to the USA scoring a goal and winning their game.
Lots of stretching.
55 minutes. 525 calories. yahoo!
I'm hesitating a bit on this personal training thing and I'm not sure why. I look in the mirror and think who would choose me to be their trainer? But I have to remind myself that this is also my own personal journey with fitness. My hope is that others will want to create their own journeys too with me as their guide, that is until they find the strength to do it themselves and then they can refer their friends. haha. Seriously, I'm putting myself out there in a way that I've never done. Midwifery is not at all about me, it's about my patients and their families. I know that personal training isn't really about me, but by getting certified I am making the statement that I am fit and that I care about fitness. My personal physique should reflect this, right?
Let me think about this and write more tomorrow after my *outdoor* spinning class. It's crazy that they are going to move the spin cycyles downstairs but if they're willing to do, then I'm willing to go.
Be well.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Moving On
My mother is moving out of her house this week so I'm here helping her get things organized. Each day has consisted of lifting, packing, carrying, cleaning, pushing and pulling. There's been no time for a formal workout but I feel confident that I've been getting plenty of exercise. By the end of the day my body just crashes and I sleep well at night.
The hardest thing has been eating healthy food during the move. There's no fridge and all of the cooking tools have been back so I'm reliant on restaurants for meals. Thankfully the motel offers breakfast so I start each day with two hard-boiled egg whites and instant oatmeal. Lunch is usually some sort of wrap or sandwich. In general I'm not eating the bread. And dinner can be hit or miss. Some of my favorite comfort foods are here in my hometown so I'm constantly fighting the urge to eat fries, greasy burgers and Mexican food. I have allowed myself the occasional fry but for the most part I'm avoiding all of the "bad" stuff that I used to eat when stressed. This to me is a good sign - I've developed different and healthier coping skills in instead of resorting to old habits. And the weirdest thing is that I actually crave push-ups, squats and lunges.
Next week it's back to my routine.
Be well.
The hardest thing has been eating healthy food during the move. There's no fridge and all of the cooking tools have been back so I'm reliant on restaurants for meals. Thankfully the motel offers breakfast so I start each day with two hard-boiled egg whites and instant oatmeal. Lunch is usually some sort of wrap or sandwich. In general I'm not eating the bread. And dinner can be hit or miss. Some of my favorite comfort foods are here in my hometown so I'm constantly fighting the urge to eat fries, greasy burgers and Mexican food. I have allowed myself the occasional fry but for the most part I'm avoiding all of the "bad" stuff that I used to eat when stressed. This to me is a good sign - I've developed different and healthier coping skills in instead of resorting to old habits. And the weirdest thing is that I actually crave push-ups, squats and lunges.
Next week it's back to my routine.
Be well.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sunday
Wow, is it hot here! But I still managed to ride my bike for 45 minutes. Stretch for 10.
Keep cool!
Keep cool!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Kettle Bells Again and Personal Insight
It's nice out today so rather than go to the gym I chose to workout in my (mini) backyard.
Using a 15lb kettlebell:
10 one arm swings, repeat other side then
10 one arm swing and press/punch, repeat other side
Repeat above for a total of 3 sets
10 clean, squat, overhead press, repeat other side x 3
10 one arm reverse wood chop, repeat other side x 3
5 snatches, repeat other side, rest 15 seconds. Repeat until unbearable or HR is over 90%.
I was able to do a total of 80.
Plus this morning I rode my bike over to the mall to meet a friend for coffee. 15 minute ride roundtrip.
My 20th HS reunion is in one week! 2 years ago this moment would have been quite stressful for me for all the usual reasons: I'm not thin enough, I have nothing to wear, my hair is going grey.... Well, it gives me great pleasure to report that I am thrilled to be going to my reunion. The last 20 years have presented me with both opportunities and obstacles but I'm still here and feeling pretty good about what I have achieved professionally and personally.
My body is no longer an obstacle, it has become an opportunity. An opportunity to be stronger, healthier and (hopefully) to create a new career for myself. I will continue to work on this body and all that comes with it. But it thrills me to no end when I...
walk up the hill to work without effort.
ride my bike to the farmer's market.
stand on my feet all day at work without feeling like sitting down.
play (run) with my daughter outside.
swing kettle bells for 40 minutes.
dance with Lucy for no other reason except that it's fun.
see muscle definition in my arms, back, calves, abs....
And as far as what to wear and my greying hair, problem solved: adorable pink and orange dress with fabulous patent leather platforms and even more fun punk hairstyle colored a lovely shade of brown.
Be well and enjoy!
Using a 15lb kettlebell:
10 one arm swings, repeat other side then
10 one arm swing and press/punch, repeat other side
Repeat above for a total of 3 sets
10 clean, squat, overhead press, repeat other side x 3
10 one arm reverse wood chop, repeat other side x 3
5 snatches, repeat other side, rest 15 seconds. Repeat until unbearable or HR is over 90%.
I was able to do a total of 80.
Plus this morning I rode my bike over to the mall to meet a friend for coffee. 15 minute ride roundtrip.
My 20th HS reunion is in one week! 2 years ago this moment would have been quite stressful for me for all the usual reasons: I'm not thin enough, I have nothing to wear, my hair is going grey.... Well, it gives me great pleasure to report that I am thrilled to be going to my reunion. The last 20 years have presented me with both opportunities and obstacles but I'm still here and feeling pretty good about what I have achieved professionally and personally.
My body is no longer an obstacle, it has become an opportunity. An opportunity to be stronger, healthier and (hopefully) to create a new career for myself. I will continue to work on this body and all that comes with it. But it thrills me to no end when I...
walk up the hill to work without effort.
ride my bike to the farmer's market.
stand on my feet all day at work without feeling like sitting down.
play (run) with my daughter outside.
swing kettle bells for 40 minutes.
dance with Lucy for no other reason except that it's fun.
see muscle definition in my arms, back, calves, abs....
And as far as what to wear and my greying hair, problem solved: adorable pink and orange dress with fabulous patent leather platforms and even more fun punk hairstyle colored a lovely shade of brown.
Be well and enjoy!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Weekly update
Sunday:
40 minute walk in the heat listening to Sleigh Bells, which, as I've written before, is seriously a great album. I tried to do some push-ups and dips but it was too hot so I went inside and took a shower instead.
Monday:
Errands. Lots and lots of errands. Bought a new swimsuit with the hope of getting back to the pool.
Tuesday:
We went to the Philly Zoo and walked for about 3 hours. That has to count as some sort of activity. Lucy was more interested in finding the Lego animals than the real ones. Managed not to eat a hot dog. We brought PB&Js with us instead.
Wednesday:
A return to real exercise. Using a 15 lb kettle bell:
10 one arm swings on each arm
10 swings and press on each arm
Repeat above for a total of three sets
15 single arm kettle bell row x 3 on both sides
30 "around the world" kettle bell swings alternating sides x 3
15 kettle bell burpees x 3
Stretch.
Be well.
40 minute walk in the heat listening to Sleigh Bells, which, as I've written before, is seriously a great album. I tried to do some push-ups and dips but it was too hot so I went inside and took a shower instead.
Monday:
Errands. Lots and lots of errands. Bought a new swimsuit with the hope of getting back to the pool.
Tuesday:
We went to the Philly Zoo and walked for about 3 hours. That has to count as some sort of activity. Lucy was more interested in finding the Lego animals than the real ones. Managed not to eat a hot dog. We brought PB&Js with us instead.
Wednesday:
A return to real exercise. Using a 15 lb kettle bell:
10 one arm swings on each arm
10 swings and press on each arm
Repeat above for a total of three sets
15 single arm kettle bell row x 3 on both sides
30 "around the world" kettle bell swings alternating sides x 3
15 kettle bell burpees x 3
Stretch.
Be well.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Garage Sale
No workout today. Garage sale from 9 - 2 which really meant 7:30 (set-up) to 3 (pack-up). Crazy hot here - I can't seem to keep hydrated enough!
After I cool off I'm headed over to Macy's to spend my earnings on a new blender so I can make yummy power-smoothies. I don't put yogurt in mine since I'm lactose intolerant. My recipe is water (instead of juice) frozen fruit and Whole Foods whey vanilla protein powder. They're pretty tasty and perfect for summer. I'm not going to lie - I will also be using this blender to make mixed drinks. yum.
Keep cool and be well.
After I cool off I'm headed over to Macy's to spend my earnings on a new blender so I can make yummy power-smoothies. I don't put yogurt in mine since I'm lactose intolerant. My recipe is water (instead of juice) frozen fruit and Whole Foods whey vanilla protein powder. They're pretty tasty and perfect for summer. I'm not going to lie - I will also be using this blender to make mixed drinks. yum.
Keep cool and be well.
Friday, June 4, 2010
That long-overdue workout
Here it is:
6 minutes on the upper-body cycle machine, alternating 1 minute forward, 1 minute backward
Then the following routine:
15 box step-ups with overhead dumbbell press using 10 lb. Repeat with left leg
15 medicine ball pushups, 7 on R, 8 on L
30 forward rows with 10 lb dumbbell
30 seconds jumping side to side over rope
15 medicine ball swings (1st set stop at shoulders, 2nd set overhead, 3rd set at shoulders)
20 (16,18) plank rows with 10 lb dumbell
15 wood chops with 10 lb dumbbell - repeat on other side
30 seconds on balance board
Repeat all of the above for a total of three times.
Then:
9 Burpees using Bosu. When jumping, hold Bosu at chest. I wanted to do more but my body mutinied.
Finish with 3 sets of medicine ball abdominal exercises. Sit on floor, hold ball at chest, raise feet off floor. Rotate ball side to side for a total of 30.
Stretch.
60 minutes. 566 calories burned.
Last year this workout would have been too hard for me. But today it was hard but felt good. A note about the reps - I found that the plank rows were pushing my HR too high so I decided to do them until I heard by HR monitor beeping. In general I tried to take only a little rest between each exercise - just enough to allow my HR to come down to about 75%.
Yesterday I had every intention of going to the gym but meetings during the day kept me from making that a reality. After I picked up Lucy I drove over to the gym with her which did not make her happy. My thought was that it was too hot to be outside, so she could hang out in the daycare until 4:30 or so and then we would head home. Her response was that it may be too hot to play outside but it was just the right weather for swimming. I thought about this and decided that she was right. So, we stopped for a cool treat at Stewart's and then went home, put on our suits and jumped in the community pool. It was the perfect thing to do. Swimming with Lucy was a blast and it felt great not to be as self-conscious about my body as I used to. Sure, I'm still overweight but I feel better so the opinions of others just don't matter to me. And I don't want Lucy to see her mother sitting by the pool in a chair, all covered up for fear that someone will catch a glimpse of her thighs!
This goes to my point that it's not about exercising 7 plus hours a week, it's about being active and engaged in your life.
Be well and get outside!
6 minutes on the upper-body cycle machine, alternating 1 minute forward, 1 minute backward
Then the following routine:
15 box step-ups with overhead dumbbell press using 10 lb. Repeat with left leg
15 medicine ball pushups, 7 on R, 8 on L
30 forward rows with 10 lb dumbbell
30 seconds jumping side to side over rope
15 medicine ball swings (1st set stop at shoulders, 2nd set overhead, 3rd set at shoulders)
20 (16,18) plank rows with 10 lb dumbell
15 wood chops with 10 lb dumbbell - repeat on other side
30 seconds on balance board
Repeat all of the above for a total of three times.
Then:
9 Burpees using Bosu. When jumping, hold Bosu at chest. I wanted to do more but my body mutinied.
Finish with 3 sets of medicine ball abdominal exercises. Sit on floor, hold ball at chest, raise feet off floor. Rotate ball side to side for a total of 30.
Stretch.
60 minutes. 566 calories burned.
Last year this workout would have been too hard for me. But today it was hard but felt good. A note about the reps - I found that the plank rows were pushing my HR too high so I decided to do them until I heard by HR monitor beeping. In general I tried to take only a little rest between each exercise - just enough to allow my HR to come down to about 75%.
Yesterday I had every intention of going to the gym but meetings during the day kept me from making that a reality. After I picked up Lucy I drove over to the gym with her which did not make her happy. My thought was that it was too hot to be outside, so she could hang out in the daycare until 4:30 or so and then we would head home. Her response was that it may be too hot to play outside but it was just the right weather for swimming. I thought about this and decided that she was right. So, we stopped for a cool treat at Stewart's and then went home, put on our suits and jumped in the community pool. It was the perfect thing to do. Swimming with Lucy was a blast and it felt great not to be as self-conscious about my body as I used to. Sure, I'm still overweight but I feel better so the opinions of others just don't matter to me. And I don't want Lucy to see her mother sitting by the pool in a chair, all covered up for fear that someone will catch a glimpse of her thighs!
This goes to my point that it's not about exercising 7 plus hours a week, it's about being active and engaged in your life.
Be well and get outside!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
On the road
This Memorial Day Holiday was essentially a biking weekend extravaganza for me. After riding around on my Electra Townie Saturday and Sunday, I decided that it was time to hit the pavement on my Specialized. So I got on my gear and headed outside and onto the road.
I've mentioned before that I usually ride around in an office park but I'm trying to be adventurous and ride real roads. Yesterday after riding around the neighborhood, I crossed the main road and cycled into uncharted territory, for me that is. I did stoplights, left turns and bridges. And what is really cool is that I felt confident about my strength on the bike. I wore my HR monitor so I was careful not to overexert and I stayed on roads that I knew well. Still, it was challenging for me - 1 complete hour on my bike only riding in the office park to get home. 550 calories burned.
Sadly, that was the best part of the day. I'm kinda joking but this is what happened: the dishwasher broke, the water heater started leaking and I left my sunroof cracked not expecting a torrential downpour. Lesson learned. Everything is fixed today but I really think I must have ticked-off the water goddess!
Due to the above activity, I was not able to get to the gym as planned. I'd really been looking forward to a long cross-fit style workout today complete with medicine balls, Bosu, jump rope and weight disks. Instead I went out in the heat and humidity to jog/walk for 30 minutes. I know that I'm not really supposed to be jogging with this IT band thing but I just couldn't get excited about walking briskly. So I jogged a mile then walked backed home while listening to the new Sleigh Bells album, which it turns out is a pretty good work-out album. Hmm.
Tomorrow I'm working so it's a day off from exercise. Not sure what Thursday will bring. Perhaps that long overdue Cross-fit routine!
Oh and I completely forgot! My kitchen is back to being a functional part of our house. I've never been so happy to see water coming out of a faucet! Tonight we enjoyed bounty from our farm share: lettuce and radishes. Radishes can be a bit harsh raw so I like to saute them in a bit of butter (just a bit, honest) and finish it off with vinegar. This mellows their flavor. I served them on the side of a simple salad tossed with salt, olive oil and white wine vinegar, some cucumbers and shrimp. It's hot here so this was the perfect meal: crisp and refreshing.
Be well.
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