Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Exercise. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Enjoy Your Cardio!

This will be short and sweet!  First of all, working out has been going so well.  Not in the way of "i'm losing so much weight."  Yes! I want to lose weight but to be honest, I haven't really been thinking that much about the weight.  I have just been enjoying working.  Being able to go to the gym and do what you want to move your body.  I think one of the reasons why I do not feel slave to it (which I have definitely felt in my past) is because I am more flexible with my workouts and don't pressure myself to do something I do not want to.  I actually really enjoy the gym and all of the aspects to it so finding something I enjoy is easy.  But, to be honest, sometimes I do not want to spend 40 minutes on the elliptical.  So I do not and I do something else.
A prime example of this is tonight.  I wasn't that motivated to go to the gym anyways because by the time I was able to it was nearly 10 at night.  I went anyways and I just didn't want to go on the elliptical for 40 minutes and then lift weights like I normally do.  So instead, I put the intensity really high as well as the incline and powered through for 10 minutes.  I went and lifted weights for 20 minutes and then after that I ran a fast mile on the treadmill.  This intensity workout allowed me to burn the same amount of calories but in a quicker time since I was not that interested in spending that long on cardio machines.  I got an awesome workout and feel great now!
I do have somewhat of a schedule in terms of weight lifting because then I know that I am rotating through my muscle groups and allowing them to heal properly.  In terms of cardio, I burn at least 400 calories doing whatever feels fun!!
Here is my flexible schedule:
Monday - Core (Abs and back)
Wednesday - Arms
Friday - Legs
Extra Day (Whatever day I have off work) - Catch up/Fitness Class
I also always burn 400 calories doing cardio!



Wednesday, January 16, 2013

What Would You Do if You Weren't Afraid?

Happy Hump Day everyone!
Health is important and it also can be skewed.  Health does not mean skinny.  There are many people who are skinny and not healthy and there are also people who would be deemed fat when they are indeed healthy.  At this point, I am in neither of those categories. I have recently gotten back on the workout and healthy eating train.  You can read about my story right here.  I actually recommend reading this before reading this post because then you can get an idea of where I am coming from and the power that some of these words hold.
With the start of the new quarter, I also wanted to begin exercising again (and when I say again, I have not consistently worked out for about two years).  I became a member of LA Fitness a few months back and have only been a few times.  Now many of you can not relate but I love the gym.  That is my preferred place to work out.  I love the fact that you can do your cardio (yes I love cardio machines and really don't get bored on them) walk 20 feet over to do lifts and then go and catch the hour long yoga class.  I love the versatility of being at the gym.  I decided that if I did not use my gym membership consistently this quarter then I would cancel it.  No use in paying for something you do not use.  Classes for this quarter just so happen to be the perfect time schedule to be able to workout before class.  I can get up around 8 or 830, go to the gym, shower and be ready for 11am class.
The first day of classes (which happened to be a Friday) came and I epically failed at getting up and going to the gym.  I laid in bed with all of my excuses and decided that I would not be going today.  So when Monday came along and I had the same plan and I was so tempted to stay in bed again.  As I was fighting with myself a question came to mind that shouted so loud I could not ignore it..."What are you so afraid of?"  Right away I knew that it wasn't because of laziness or lack of motivation that I was not getting up but rather it was out of fear.  I jumped out of bed went to the gym and thought about fear the whole time I was there.
What am I afraid of?  Jesus has been showing me how much I fear certain things and how much that fear gets in the way of me living.  What was I afraid of?  I was afraid of failing.  It is easier to make excuses and live by those beliefs than to give it a try and fail.  At least that is how I have been living in regards to the gym.  The reason why that shocked me, woke me up and got me out of bed is because I decided about a month ago that I do not want to make decisions out of fear.  I want to make decisions out of faith.  Faith in my self, my abilities and faith that God is with me and even if I do fail, "failure" is not my identity.  Since that morning I have been going to the gym, working hard and more motivated than ever.
I work at Whole Foods market as well and in perfect timing they began a 28 day Engine 2 Diet.  It is a plant based whole foods eating lifestyle.  It is not a diet in terms of Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig.  It is a way of eating to be more healthy.  So for the next 28 days, that will also be going on.
The most beautiful thing I have experienced through this new routine is that I am not in bondage the way I was in the past.  My past scares the crap out of me.  I do not want to get to that point or anywhere close to it!  With this being said, I am not going to let that fear determine the choices I make.  I am excited about this but also not so excited that it is an obsession.  I will keep you updated on "Healthy Hump Day" about my progress, how I am doing and *gasp* my failures ;).
I hope this was a helpful post for you all.  Don't be afraid, it holds us back from too many good things that can happen!




Friday, October 28, 2011

10 tips for running in the cold

It is getting cold outside!  I found this blog with some great tips on running in the cold.
10 Tips For Running In The Cold
Good Luck out there

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Today's List

Things completed today so far:
- Work from 5am-1030am
- Met my sister at the gym.  Walked on treadmill for 30 minutes and then did an hour pilates class.
- came home and made lunch.  A veggie burger and a nectarine.  I also made a coffee drink to keep me awake!
- Hung out with my sister and chatted.  Much needed!
Things I want to do today:
- Read a couple hours
- Finish making baby shower invites(I am throwing a baby shower for my cousin)
- Clean my room

I love to do lists!!!  :)
Happy Tuesday

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Needed Changes

Since starting my job, I have failed to continue with some other important things this summer.  This includes reading, keeping my room and things organized, journaling and spending time with God.  Because I have been really tired when I come home from work, all I am motivated to do it sit on the couch and watch TV.  Friday was a little different.  I was rushed when I came home from work because I had a skype date with a friend from Seattle.  Then I went to the gym for just a little bit.  After that I came home and watched TV because I was very exhausted.
I have noticed a lot thought that the more I watch TV, the more exhausted I am.  I want to try and go to bed early(around 10pm), wake up around 6am and be productive with my days.  I really need to get back into reading and baking and doing other important things rather than wasting time watching TV.  Exercise is a whole other story.  I get unmotivated to exercise the more I am out of shape.  Now that I am pretty out of shape, I need to make my self go to the gym and run because the more I go and do it, the more I enjoy it.  I am really enjoying working at the coffee house!  Because that gives me a little structure in my days, I need to focus on creating structure for the rest of my time.
I am still in the beginnings of reading 2 books, Spoken From the Heart and Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God.  After I finish with these two books, I want to begin reading youth novels and kid's books to prepare for teaching.  I want to begin building my library for when I teach in the next few years!
Lots of things to reshape in my life but they will all improve me as a person which I want!
God Bless and Thank You for Reading!!!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Experiencing Summer Goodness

So I know it has been a while but I have been enjoying summer so much!  I have been catching up with old friends as well as making new friends.  I have also been applying for lots of jobs, reading lots of books, and doing a lot of thinking about what my future has for me.  I have been thinking a lot about transferring schools.  SPU is getting very expensive and I am just such a California girl I am pretty sure I don't want to go back to Washington.  I have also been contemplating on changing my major.  I may switch from Psychology to Elementary Ed.  I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember.  Then, when I took a psychology class senior year of high school, I loved it and decided to do that!  Now, I am questioning if that is what I want to do with my life.  I would still keep a minor in Psych but be a teacher.  It sounds so great to me!  We shall see.  I hopefully will be taking fall semester off due to transferring so then I will be able to spend some time in a classroom and really be able to observe.  Lots of things going on!
This morning I went to the bike trail and rode my mountain bike 20 miles!  It was a lot of fun and the weather was perfect.  I also got a new book to read!  I finished The Case for Christ.  This book was very good.  It gives you a lot of information and the proof of Jesus' existence on earth.  I just got Spoken from the Heart which is the Biography of Laura Bush. I started it last night and just the first chapter had me hooked.  I love reading about people lives and the things they have accomplished as well as their struggles.  I am very excited to continue.  I just love summer and California so much.  It is hard to imagine returning to Washington for any long period of time.  
I also wanted to share with you a recipe I made last night for dinner.  It is from Runners World Magazine and it turned out very delicious.
Pasta Bean Toss
1 pound whole-grain penne
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves
1 teaspoon olive oil
5 carrots, cut into slices
2 cups raw broccoli
12 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 can red kidney beans
1 can white kidney beans
1/2 grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package.  While pasta is cooking, saute in a large frying pan onions and garlic in oil until tender.  Add remaining vegetables, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and basil.  Simmer for 4 minutes.  Add beans and simmer for another 2 minutes.  Add pasta and cheese and toss.