Sunday, January 25, 2015

Get Angry

I know for a fact that I have posted this quote in another format before, but I feel this is necessary for today's post..


I am not a runner by any means, but here's what I need you to remember about this picture:
The getting angry part; Angry that your body won't do what you know it's capable of doing; Angry that you're pushing as hard as you can, and you're not seeing the results you want.

Today, the workout I did was SUPER simple to understand.
7 Minutes, As Many Rounds As Possible
3 Clean and Jerks
3 Toes to Bar
6 Clean and Jerks
6 Toes to Bar
9 Clean and Jerks
9 Toes to bar
etc...

Before we began, we were doing squat cleans. This is where I first started to get frustrated. I'm trying to remember to pull my body up out of the squat, and straighten myself up before pulling the bar up, and only pulling it up enough to slip myself under it in a squat, but to pull it up with enough force that it just sort of floats in the air for a second (with weights on it, mind you), and jump my feet out 2 inches (ONLY 2 inches) when I land in the squat, and to keep my elbows up when I land in the squat....

Feeling the frustration yet?

After realizing that I just need to work on my front squats for awhile, I spoke with the trainers and was told to just break apart the clean for the workout- so I would do a power clean, then a squat, then up to a jerk. It would be a killer workout, but I could focus on the movements.

This is when my knee started to be a total jack ass.

For those of you that know, my knee was injured almost 5 years ago at Camp Dodge during some training. When I put too much stress on my knee, the pain comes out again full fledged. I start doing the front squats and cue the splitting pain through the back of my knee cap. Then, when I go to do Toes to Bar, I can't get my body to fold up to allow my toes all the way up to the pull up bar.

At this point, I am so pissed that I'm almost crying, wanting to throw my weighted bar, just angry that my body was betraying me and not showing the amount of effort I was putting into the workout. The workout ends with a 1000 meter timed row, which was honestly my saving grace. (That was about the only part of the workout that I wasn't swearing like a sailor.)

After I finished my row, I spotted Trishia, my completely fantastic yoga instructor, and all was saved. That yoga class was completely relaxing and the savasana was EXACTLY what I needed.
(Trishia, you are fantastic and can never be replaced.)

The one thing I kept hearing today, from everyone else, was that I needed to quit being so hard on myself. I kept expecting so much from my body, and when it didn't do exactly what I wanted, I got upset, rather than just listening to my body and taking it down a notch. Both trainers told me to quit bend hard on myself, several other people working out said it to me, and it took Trishia telling me to listen to my body during a very particular yoga pose for me to stop and notice that I was pushing way too hard.

So I'll leave you with this one:


Until we sweat again!

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Barbie Arms and Other Stuff

I know, I know. Barbie dolls set an unrealistic standard because any woman with those breasts, that tiny waist, that ginormous head, those hips, and those itty bitty feet wouldn't be able to hold her own body upright. But seriously- just look at her arms.


This is what my arms looked like for several days after doing 75 pull ups last Thursday. I could not for the life of me straighten my arms without using my other arm to force it. OUCH. (Barbie knows the struggle. And it's real.)

That being said, I got myself into a yoga class on Sunday (where I could barely do anything) and by Monday morning my arms were straight(ish) once again!

Moving on- because the title of this post was seriously just for that one little tidbit of information. I'm cool.

So far this year, I have managed to stick with my whole "working out at least 2 times a week" deal. (I refuse to call it a resolution. Those always fail and I will not be failing at this.)

Granted, I don't always look pretty after those workouts... (See "If You Look Pretty, You're Doing It Wrong" for more on that.)
See? I'm all sweat-tastic.

However, yesterday, I actually maintained some semi-cute hair during my workout!!!
Plus, check out them guns!

I won't lie- I definitely have to talk myself into the gym literally every time I go. Most days, YOU get me to get my butt in gear because I know you'll be reading the blog.... Yesterday, my big reason for going was that I was ticked off and exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make you happy. (And happy people don't just shoot their husbands.)

Today, I totally bailed to have family dinner and get nails done with my mom instead. I realize staying healthy is important, and that getting super fit is kind of my end goal here, but- Priorities. 
Without my mother and father, I wouldn't be here to write this obviously fantastic blog, so let's just give a great big shout out to the two of them.
They're just so adorable.

WOW- who's off topic?
Certainly not me.....
(Admittedly I had a lot of sugar today.)

My point! I have one! I think...

My point is that I'm having a lot of fun with all of my crazy ridiculous workouts, and I'm still finding time for family, so I want to hear about how much fun you've been making your workouts- and especially what other fabulous things are taking place in your life. YOU are MY inspiration, so keep ME updated as well!!

Until we sweat again!

p.s. you can always comment in the comments section directly on my blog as an anonymous guest. I would love to hear from you!!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Healthy Eats- On the Go

Hello, lovely people!

Quick update before I get to the food portion of our program: Still doing Crossfit almost daily, still kicking my butt, still taking lots of selfies.

See? So sweaty!

I've even been taking super blurry pictures of other people working out!

She really didn't want this to happen
However, on to the harsh reality about eating healthy.

I suck at this gig. Seriously- if I could, I would eat every single thing containing sugar that I could possibly get my hands on. One of my cheerleaders offered me an Almond Joy tonight, and I seriously WOULD NOT let another cheerleader eat it because I am SUCH a sugar addict. (I actually feel kinda bad about that one...)

Admittedly, I was doing okay for the most part today. I started with a protein shake, had a few organic tortilla chips with organic salsa for a snack, lettuce and turkey wraps for lunch, jicama for my afternoon snack.... (then a kindergartner offered me a cupcake. Tiny hiccup.)

And then..... my night of coaching cheerleading happened.

There is just no way that I can bring Romaine lettuce, turkey, and hummus to a wrestling meet and expect to be able to make lettuce wraps that won't be immediately stolen away. I have to survive on nachos and bunless burgers and hot dogs. They don't sell fruit in high school concession stands- the healthiest option available is water. The meet was a bust- and everyone got to listen to me complain about how hungry I was all night.

Now enter fast food options post-meet. At first I thought, "I'll have a chicken sandwich sans the bun from Wendy's..." then it became, "I'll grab an asian salad from Panera..." ..... and then I couldn't remember where I put my debit card so it became, "Maybe my sister will use Mom's debit card to buy me dinner." (She was an hour and a half away. No dice, grandma. I was SO hungry.)

Where did my little merry-go-round land me? Well, I just peaced 8 hot wings from Domino's. (I found my debit card.) However, this was after I talked myself out of 3 different pizzas. Lesser of 4 evils? I think so.

Why am I telling you this ridiculous story? Because we all slip up from time to time. I had a FANTASTIC day. I felt incredible, I didn't yak up a cupcake during my workout, and I talked myself out of my favorite fatty food- 3 times. Am I going to regret those fatty wings in the morning when I'm trying to toss around a medicine ball? Heck yes. But am I going to let one bad meal tear down everything I'm working for? Not at all. Tomorrow is a new day- with lots of Romaine lettuce ready to go- and new challenges to face (like the birthday party let's-all-go-to-a-bar deal I've got to deal with. SO many calories to turn down!!) Right now, I'm enjoying not having to do any more pull ups, or burpees, or rows. I can just sit, enjoy the pleasantly full feeling in my belly, and remember that one fat meal doesn't make you fat, just like one healthy meal doesn't make you healthy. 5 am can't come soon enough :)

.....well, actually...

Until we sweat again!!!



Sunday, January 11, 2015

Busy Body

Alright folks- It's been another crazy busy week. And this time, I'm not saying that as a "This is why I wasn't working out/blogging/etc."

I don't know if I ever posted my fitness goal on here, but shortly after Christmas my sister, Mary, and I talked about it and I stated "I'd just like to get at least 2 workouts a week in before summer. 24 weeks until summer- that's less than 50 workouts. I can do that."

If I had only worked out yesterday- I would have had my two workouts in. But let's go beyond that even...

Earlier this week, my mom asked if I'd like to start designing workouts for her morning routine, and possibly for other staff members, and coming to lead those workouts in the mornings before work. 

This Friday, I gave it a try with just my mom. We did the medicine ball workout, with a few small changes in reps to get her started. For example, rather than 20 lunges per leg, we did 20 total. We did the same with the hip to hip hits and the weighted boat rocks. Mom also started out with a 2 lb. ball rather than the 10 lb. (We've since decided to buy a ball somewhere in between.) And Whew, boy, mom is feeling the burn!

Saturday, I went into Crossfit to try my hand once again. I've decided that I want to do another competition this summer, so what better time to start training than 6 months in advance? Since I'm just starting again, I did the first day of on ramp, which looks a little something like this:


Look familiar? I've done it twice before. However, I think this was my best time. I did this workout in 6:29, two minutes ahead of one of the other guys working out yesterday. 

That's right. I'm a beast.
After listening to this man come up with reasons as to why a little 130 lb girl beat him by 2 whole minutes, I then went on to do the actual workout of the day... 


I didn't actually use 75 lbs- more like 55. And I really only got through 3 1/2 rounds within the 15 minute time cap. (Part of me wishes I had stayed and just finished out the 5 rounds.)

Today? I'm bruised like a peach. I feel like I have softballs in my shoulders, my inner thighs feel like I've just jockeyed a horse in the Kentucky Derby, my buns feel like I'm 10 again and in some major trouble, and my abs.. well actually my abs don't hurt that badly. There's a bonus!!

I once heard someone say it takes 2 weeks of repetition for something to become a habit- which is what I'm hoping will happen with all of my ridiculous workouts. 

Watch for starting "before" pictures this week- because way sooner than anyone thinks, we will be at the "after".... (I'm so excited!!!!!)

This week, try doing the 40 squats, 30 sit-ups, and 20 push ups. (I won't ask for the pull ups and rowing for obvious reasons... unless you have access to a rower and a pull up bar with bands..)

Or at the very least, do each in sets of 10- or even 5. You'll get it done eventually and you'll feel better for doing it!

Don't give up on me just yet- we have got an exciting road ahead of us!!

Until we sweat again!

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Snow Day Sweat

Happy Snow Day, Iowa folks!

If you're currently in Iowa, like myself, then you are probably noticing the subzero temperatures we've been enjoying as of late. If not, let me just give you the short version- the HIGH today is -2. That is 2 degrees below zero... for the HIGH.  Due to the ungodly cold, the schools have been closed for the day.

I'm choosing to see this as a positive, because, thanks to these freezing temps, I now have all day to sweat!!

Today, I decided to put my 10 lb. medicine ball to some use. I generally only use it to do some of those "on your butt, knees at 90 degrees, hit the ball on either side of your hips" deal... Clearly I need to learn the name for those...

However, I looked up "10 lb. Medicine Ball Workouts" this morning. (No lie, those were the exact words I typed into Google.)

Here is what Google came up with for me:

15 reps Cross Chop
15 reps Figure 8
15 reps Split Pushup Knee Tuck
15 reps Balancing Burpee
20 reps Front Lunge Pass Under
15 reps Tricep Matrix
20 reps Extension Pass
20 reps Hip to Hip Boom
20 reps Weighted Boat Rock

I suck at giving explanations for all of these, so if you'd like detailed accounts of what to do, click on the link for this Awesome Medicine Ball Workout!!!

To give you some context of my transformation from, "oh hey, you don't look too terrible in the morning" to "Damn. You did a workout, huh?" I took a before and after picture.

Before this hellish ordeal
 And, drumroll please......
After.

Okay, admittedly not a HUGE difference, but that's only because I kept wiping the sweat off my forehead using my t-shirt. Don't let my smile fool you- I was in pain.

Had we not had a snow day today, I was planning on waking up 30 minutes before I had to be at work, and working out with my cheerleaders after school at practice- and let's be honest, I was probably going to be in a crummy mood so I would've bucked working out at that point. Don't follow my lead on that one. Bad lead.

You, however, can do something positive for your body at any point during the day. Take 5 minutes of your 15 minute break and do calf raises by your desk, or try to keep your knees up and feet off the floor for as long as you can while you work. Do squats during commercials while you watch television. Heck- do just 25 lunges across your classroom while the kids are at specials or recess. This whole workout took me less than 15 minutes, and that was with me whining and stopping to catch my breath after every 5 reps. You have the time to get a workout in- you just need to find your motivation!! And to be honest, all of you reading this are my motivation. I know we can do this and I can't wait to see all of the results- not only mine, but yours as well!!

Until we sweat again!

P.S. You also need a rocking playlist. Check out the playlist entitled "100 Top Workout Songs in the World" on Spotify. (It's free- don't worry.) The songs are upbeat, and fun, and are sure to help you get your butt in gear! Now get up and do something!!

Monday, January 5, 2015

Fastest Post EVER

So apparently waking up to workout is not my thing.

5 a.m. rolled around and I hit the snooze button 4 times.... It would have been more but my phone eventually went to "Either get up now or be late to work later, slacker." So then I rolled around in my bed not wanting to get up and, get this- my brain actually spoke to me and said "Get up and work out or you're going to regret it later."

My brain is a genius......


So what did I do? I got up and did the damn thing!

This was my workout today:
Admittedly kind of difficult to read
I like this workout because it's QUIET. I live with my family, on the top floor above someone else's room, and even if I went downstairs and did a workout in the living room, any bouncing or jumping would wake other people up.

So- Have kids? A hubby? A roommate or two? Or even neighbors?

No more excuses! I was a sweaty mess after this, AND it was SILENT.
See? All sweaty.
I warned you- this is the shortest post ever, but I didn't really plan a time to post to the blog today... so I'm just going to leave you with this....

Get up, get moving, and get healthy. You've got this, I know you do!!

Until we sweat again!!