Channel Your Emotions into Something Healthy

Wow today has been an emotional roller coaster. My brother has left the state for two years and we won't be able to see him! We had an emotional good-bye this morning and it was not fun watching him kiss my little kids good-bye for a little while. My sister and I and our families made our way down to our parent's home last night to spend time as a family before he left. It is crazy we would be laughing, then I would start crying or my mom would or sister, then we'd be laughing and teasing each other again! I have an amazing family, and I will miss my little bro!

Last night my brother was able to pick whatever meal he wanted for his last night at home for awhile and he had Philly Cheese steak sandwiches. I said I was going to enjoy whatever he picked and eat up...I did. I didn't feel good in my stomach that night, but I enjoyed the meal with my family. It got me thinking on emotional eating. Have you ever been an emotional eater? I have. If I was feeling down, I'd eat...usually something sweet. For date nights that were filled with fun and excitement we always had to have buttery popcorn or cookies. When I was stressed I'd eat. Well I have found a good way to channel emotions so I avoid the emotional eating....fitness. I'm not a guru on fitness, I try and be active. My main focus has always been my diet. But I find that fitness is an awesome way to blow off steam, take your mind of issues or de-stress. I wanted to write out a simple guide to starting a fitness routine for those who may find it difficult to be consistent with fitness

- First I find it very important to assess your fitness levels. You don't want to over-do it. If your like I was you'll have a hard time starting up again

-Assemble your fitness equipment. Running shoes, weights, arm bands whatever. At home you can use just about everything. I've used a huge dictionary before that was stinkin' heavy for a weight.

-Write out your plan. I stick to a plan where I integrate Cardio and weight training. If I do an intense cardio day I do weight training the next day. I try and do 4-5 cardio days with 3-4 weight training days

-Have a goal in sight. I have found if you have something your reaching for it makes it soooo much easier to work hard. Whether it's training for a race or trying to get to a certain weight keep your goal in sight.

- Find a work out buddy. It is so much easier to stick with it when you have another person there to cheer you on.

- Just get started. It seems simple to say, but sometimes not so simple to do. Instead of watching a movie one evening, go for run or pop in a workout video. You'll be glad you got started.   

Develop your routine and you will be so much closer to a healthier lifestyle!

Physical Finess, where it fits in!

Honesty is important to me on this blog. Honestly, I didn't do so great yesterday! We had a huge family get together for my brother and I have never seen so many TREATS! I did really, really good when we were actually eating. I didn't eat the pork sandwiches, the baked beans since they had bacon, I only had salads and fruit and one of my cashew cookies!

Then we went to my mom's house to help clean up. Well everyone brought EVERY TREAT back and put it right in front of my face! So I didn't ever eat a whole dessert, but man I started picking, a little here a little there! I felt so....blah by the time we left!

When we were driving home, I thought to myself  'no way can a few bites of a few desserts make me feel so gross so quick."' I did a recount of my activities over the last few days and realized I haven't done anything fitness oriented (except chase my kids around) for four days! I've either been baking in the evenings or working on my eBook! I feel less energetic and I don't have that "tight" feeling in my muscles. Oh, I miss it.

I never would have thought that some day I would miss being active...I used to hate every second of working out~

Physical fitness is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle.It not only helps you be a stronger, leaner person, it helps bring oxegyn to your muscles, it helps strengthen you joints, and very importantly it helps strengthen your cardio vascular health! It holds hands with a healthy diet! They work together. Diet is more important in my opinion. You can work your butt off but if you're eating cheeseburgers and fries everyday, your not going to see results! But you can also plateau in a healthy diet if you aren't coupling it with physical fitness! It can be easy to start! You don't need to go to a gym for two hours, you can get a great workout there, but if you're like me and have no where to take your kids while you go you can do a great workout in your home! I choose to workout in the evenings when the kids are asleep since I wake up so early to go to work. There have been many a time when I've used tupperware filled with toys as my weights! It works those things weigh close to 7 pounds! Or I've used a gallon of milk! Crazy huh! But it works. I've ran stairs on my stairs, it works.

Physical fitness is so important to disease proofing our bodies! Don't neglect healthy eating or your exercise routines, or trust me it calls for some tough  Mondays!

Challenge yourself this week, if you don't have a fitness routine try and add some workouts to your week! Even if it's only 20 minutes a day, couple that with tons of water, and more fruits and veggies and less grease!  By Saturday see how you're feeling! You'll prove it to yourself, I don't need to preach about how good you will feel! Let me know what workouts you enjoy, do you get creative with your workouts sometimes too? What has worked for you? Let me know how your week goes!

Bootie Building!

Okay the focus for me this week is the rear! It's summer and a lot of us wear swimming suits, so I would like a toned up booty! Some of the best work for your backside are squats and lunges! Here are the exercises on my line up today and throughout the week that I found from here.

Tip-Top Toner

Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes out, hands on hips. Squat until thighs are parallel to floor, then lift both heels. Lower heels for 1 rep. Repeat.
Works butt, thighs, calves
More: The Ultimate 10-Minute Butt Workout

Rear Raiser

With feet shoulder-width apart, squat all the way down, fingertips on floor slightly in front of feet. Keeping fingertips on floor, lift hips, extending butt toward ceiling with knees slightly bent. Return to start for 1 rep. Repeat.
Works butt, thighs

Soccer Sculptor

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Squat, then stand and forcefully bring right leg across and in front of body, leading with heel, as if kicking a ball, left arm swinging in front, right arm behind. Return to start. Switch sides to complete 1 rep. Repeat.
Works butt, thighs

Bicycle Buffer

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands behind head. Squat, then stand, lifting left knee across body toward right elbow at center. Return to start. Switch sides to complete 1 rep. Repeat.
Works butt, thighs, abs, obliques
More: 4 Workouts to Sculpt Your Abs

Get-Lean Lift

Stand with feet hip-width apart. Squat deeply, extending arms behind torso. Stand, then raise left leg and lower chest until parallel to floor, extending arms forward. Hold for 1 count, then return to start. Switch sides to complete 1 rep. Repeat.
Works butt, legs, shoulders, back, abs

Wall Whittler

Squat with back to wall, feet together, thighs parallel to floor, hands on hips. Maintain back and butt contact with wall as you lift left knee toward chest. Return to start. Switch leg to complete 1 rep. Repeat.
Works butt, thighs

The Perfect Squat

Perfect your form with these tips from Kim.
Go Low: Drive butt back (as though sitting on a chair), keeping thighs parallel to floor and knees over toes.
Get Grounded: Position feet shoulder-width apart and slightly turned out with your weight on heels. You should be able to wiggle toes.
Open Up: Place hands behind head. Lift chest, and draw shoulders back and down.
Stay in Line: Keep a neutral spine without arching your back; engage your stomach.


It's nice to add a variety of workouts that you can integrate into your routine. With the ab workouts from the ab challenge and now some back end work I'm hoping to be feeling toned and awesome by the start of the new school year!!!  I've integrated the ab routine into my workout on top of my cardio, I usually run or do a cardio workout video, and then I do lower body and upper body workouts with weights, now bring on the butt!

Final Day of Ab challenge

For those following the ab challenge, I'm sorry I wasn't able to post it yesterday! We are in the hiring process of a part-time nanny for when my husband starts school in August...yuck! It's always a nerve racking process trying to find someone you feel comfortable with leaving your sweet kids with. Luckily it's only for a few hours a week for us, but still it's kind of stressful, so I was doing interviews...then to destress my husband took my out...and I'm not passing that up...you understand!

So this was to be done yesterday. You are going to have to go to the link because there is a video that is followed for an ab workout sequence! It's an awesome way to finish off the challenge! I hope everyone who has participated has enjoyed it as much as I have! I've really loved pushing through those sore muscles and getting some different, effective Ab workouts that I can incorporate into my typical workouts!

Now that is just what we're supposed to do with this! Take what you've done this week, and incorporate some intense Ab training every 4-3 days in your workouts, I know you'll get results! The baby pouch is my problem area...triceps are next, but I'm really looking forward to kissing that baby pouch good-bye

Final Ab Challenge

Bob Harper’s Ab Challenge – Complete entire routine (follow video)
Bob Harper’s Set ups – Complete 25 reps (Follow video for correct form)
Leg Lifts – 25 reps
Push Through – 25 reps


Link For Videos

Day 6 of 7 day Ab challenge

Well we've just about made it through! I'm so excited it's so much fun to feel like you conquered something especially when they say the word challenge! I've love this challenge, it's quick, but I have felt a great workout on my abs each day! I hope you have to. For the Saturday challenge here is the line up, sorry it's taken me so long, it's been a busy day! Tomorrow is my rest day, if you chose to rest on Wednesday then  do the Wednesday workout tomorrow

SATURDAY
Side Plank – 20 (10 each side)
Rest – 10 seconds
Side Burpees – 10 reps (5 each side)
Rest – 30 seconds
Plank – Hold 1 minute
No rest
Mason Twist – 50 reps (25 each side

Finish Strong and hard, you can do it!

Day 4 of 7 day ab challenge

Well I don't know about you but my abs are KILLING me! During my workout last night I know I had the intense pain face going trying to push through those reps, but it feels sooooo good at the same time...isn't that crazy how it hurts, but feels good! Anyways here is the workout for today...it is short, but needs to be repeated 3 times. We're hitting the obliques today...good by muffin top!

THURSDAY…Complete 3 reps of each – move from one exercise to the next with little to no rest.
Flutter Kicks – 30 reps (15 each side) (raise your head off the ground, legs straight out in front of you, alternate stacking your heels on top of your toes.
Side V-ups – 20 reps (10 each side) (lay on your side raise your head and legs straight up about 2 inches off the ground into a V shape)
Push Through – 30 reps


As always here is the link if you'd like to watch the Thursday videos for a visual demo! Keep going we're halfway there!

Day 3 of 7 day Ab challenge

Today on the Ab challenge was supposed to be a rest and recovery day, however I'm using Sunday as my rest and recovery day, so I'll be doing Sunday's workout today! If you'd like to take today then make sure you do this set on Sunday! Last night's was awesome! It was super fast, but my legs and abs were feeling it! I love after you finish your workout the tired, worked out muscle feeling...it may not be super fun during the workout but if you just push through to the end you'll feel accomplished and awesome!

 Complete 1 Circuit = 200 reps…move from one exercise to the next with little to no rest.
Bicycle Crunch – 50 reps (25 each side)
Reverse Crunch – 50 reps
Mason Twist – 50 reps (25 each side)
Leg Lifts – 25 reps
Push Through – 25 reps

Get tough and it'll be awesome!!!





Intense Toning...and going out on a limb

I love toning workouts...but even better when you can't get to the gym I love ones that are just as effective that you can do right in your home. I like to get my kids to sleep then knock my self out in my living room using my furniture for my gym :) Now you by all means can take this to the gym, but if you can't get there use your living room...this was tough, but I loved it! It's fast so go ahead and double it....if you can move after! Don't cheat on these moves and you'll feel your work!!!

Start-

10 pushups

20 tricep dips, use a chair or your couch

30 10 lb bicep curls

40 second plank or bridge

50 tummy tucks ( get in push up position but alternate bringing your knees to your chest, stay low to the ground as much as you can don't stick your bum too high)

40 second plank

30 5-10 lb bicep curls

20 tricep dips

10 pushups

20 full sit ups, not crunches

50 bicycles (lay down on back, raise legs up and pedal in the air)

12 lunge jumps, each side. Get in lunge position jump straight up and land back in lunge position, alternate legs

50 second wall sit

20 squats

20 calf raises alternate on each leg!

Repeat if you can!!!

Me looking lovely I know doing my wall sit!

Okay now on to the hard part of the post for me. I'm going out on a limb here posting this. We all have problem areas that we want to tone up or fix, for me, it's my baby pouch, I've had two kids and man after my second that thing is tough to get rid of! I'm working on it though, I've gone down four pant sizes since my son was born so I am proud of myself

but I do want my flat tummy once again! So this is a hard picture for me to post!  Anyways  my goal for the next week is to hit the abs super hard! I think it's good to take pictures of yourself doing your journey...it motivates you and also can let you have some pride in yourself for the work you've done, but most importantly it'll show you your improvement from when you started. So get brave, get out those cameras, get working, get tough!!!! 

Yes you really can get into shape

I was not a runner. I didn't like it, it was hard, it hurt, I felt like I was going to die  because I couldn't breathe I said bad words in my head the whole time :) Then my wonderful sister and brother-in-law really started getting into running, they both ran a half marathon a few months ago and I was at the finish line with a sign cheering them on. I saw how hard they had worked and how they had started from being out of shape too and I also saw how pumped up all the runners were, so I was motivated. My husband was motivated so we've signed up for our first race. My husband is just going for it and doing a half, I'm doing a 5 K. I felt whimpy at first for not doing the half, but now I've set my own difficult goals for a 5 K. 

-I want to run the whole time

- I want to be smiling when I cross the finish line

- I want to do it in under 25 minutes

I can't wait to do an update and let you know how it goes!

I don't enjoy getting into shape and I don't know many people who do, but if you just get started and keep at it and really play that mental game with yourself and push yourself hard even when you want to stop you can do it. Signing up for a race has really helped motivate us, it's given us one more reason to get into shape, having family or friends do it with you is always a great way since you have a support group so on your hard days someone else can push you! 

I now look forward to my time when I get to work off some stress from the day or when I get to go out in the morning when it's still cool outside and just clear my head. I love the feeling after you work out of your muscles being worked, I like the "good pain" feeling of tired muscles. I know you can get started just get out and do it. I've got to run with a double jogging stroller with 50 pounds worth of kids in it....lets get tough that's what I keep saying...you can do more than you think you can... it doesn't matter if you run, strength train, walk, bike whatever just get dirty, grit your teeth and get tough! :)

Some great exercise plans

This is a link I use from my pinterest account, I love pinterest, it has great guides for workouts! This is a very simple plan, but I hope you'll feel the benefits like I have!!!

Three week guide!

Toned Up Legs