Belated Manic Monday

Workout: 3 mile run and Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Video Level 3

My run got cut a little short due to rain.  However, the positives of running before a storm: no sun, more wind blowing, you tend to run faster if you know a storm is coming (maybe, not a guarantee) and the rain can sometimes be refreshing. I did run through a huge bunch of gnats that I didn't see until my face felt them- blech! Thankfully my mouth wasn't hanging open for once!

Got home after my run and grabbed some water. My quads felt really tight during that run. Fortunately I found this little buddy...it was a lifesaver after my second 1/2 marathon. Wish I had had this bad boy from the beginning.

Let's just say if your quads are already tight doing jump squats and lunges may be a little painful.  I do love that Jillian does a lot of plank exercises such as plank rows with leg lifts.  Plank exercises are great for strengthening your core.  

 Oh Jump Squats

This I love, shadow boxing with dumb bells (a few seasons ago on Biggest Loser one of the guys couldn't do all the cardio activities so he shadow boxed and lost a lot of weight. Now, mind you, he was severely overweight, so any form of exercise will help to lose weight).  Gives you a nice work out in your shoulders. As Jillian would say, "Gives you that nice groove on your shoulders."  Along with this we did jumping jacks with the weights and butt kicks with weights held at 90 degrees. Nothing like a little extra muscle toning. 

Where's your favorite place for salad?

Yesterday's Workout:

10 mile run

1 mile walk with the pup

After running I crashed! Does that happen to you? I dunno....I don't know how some people do it EVERY day! Jealous!  Gary and I went for some scrumptious salads and froyo. One thing I love about Sweet Green is that use local and organic produce from the farms in the area. They are helping to sustain local economy. Their silverware is biodegradable- SCORE! 

I had a mesclun with quinoa, corn, green apples and candied walnuts with a balsamic vinaigrette. YUM! Then I also had a small froyo with strawberries, blueberries and almonds, which I shared with Gary.  I was almost too tired to eat!

I'm up to 22 burpees now....only 81 away from the 100 goal. HA! I laugh at that right now....but if I can get to 25 I'll be 1/4 of a way there.

I just signed up for another half marathon. This will be my second, my first I haven't even run yet.  I will be on March 17th.  Who knows how I will do for that race, or what the weather will be. Our weather in DC is always wack around this time of year. I'm hoping for not freezing and not windy. I'd rather have cold and no wind than wind. But I can't really control that.  The second half that I signed up for with a good friend is the Zooma half in Annapolis, MD in June. It's just for women. YEAH! Plus there are massages and bubbly after. Now that sounds like a good post-party. They say it will have a "girls weekend" atmosphere.   None of that beer nonsense.  It's an early run- yeah.....but I'll most likely be dragging Gary along to act as my support.

I've surpassed my 30 day shred with Jillian....I wasn't as consistent as I should have been.  Started off well, but with adding running in there or additional gym classes it doesn't work out so well. I only have so many hours in the day. I will say that I used to only be able to do maybe 5 push ups and now I can do over 20! So, there has definitely been improvement in those areas.  One thing that's hard for me with Jillian's workout is her jump routines. I have bad needs and can't jump and bend them as high as I would like. I have been doing her workout in bare feet instead of shoes. Kinda like that whole vibram toe shoe things, going back to the way we were designed. I can control my landings a lot more in bare feet. I'm going to keep doing her routines though.  Who can argue with an intense 20 minutes? Of course you can also say, "20 minutes? Why can't you fit that in!?"  Well...it's intense and after running my legs are way tired.....

I'm not totally sold on the whole vibram shoe craze.  I have heard a lot of good things, but those things so totally creep me out.  I was never into the whole toe sock thing either. I like gloves, but actually prefer mittens. There's something about separating my toes that weirds me out and I think that it freaks them out a little too(my toes). One thing I read is that spacing out the toes gives each toe a "job." The pinky toe always gets squished in shoes especially where running is concerned. With these shoes the pinky now has a job. I've also read that these shoes can help prevent or help avoid injuries. 

Do you have Vibrams? Do you love them?

 What's your favorite thing to do after running?

Where do you like to get salads from?

Double Work Out

So, today is day 23 of Jillian and day 15 of doing it on level 2.  I am a little nervous to move it to level 3.  I am still no perfectionist at level 2.  I figure the title of the video is 30 day shred.  I'm probably going to go longer than 30 days, but I have to say I have seen some change, especially in my push-up ability and toning of arms.  I think that I might even be toning out the stomach section....maybe..... 

I also have one of these:   I got it because I had ordered P90X.  I have absolutely NO upper body strength, or at least I didn't used to.  No I can actually do 2 sets of three pull ups. When I say that I "can" I don't mean that I am amazing. My husband laughed at me because I don't lower myself very low. When I first bought this I was terrified that I would hang on it and pull the door frame down- I didn't....nor did my husband or friends. PHEW!

This is why my thighs and arms kill, well...one reason

Today my body is angry at me.  Yesterday I did my 20 minutes of Jillian on level 2 and then took a break and that night went to Pole Class. Yes, Pole.  No, I don't have another profession and I'm not looking to start, although an extra grand a week?! I could go for that! No, wait I couldn't justify that at all.  Pole is AMAZING! That has also added to my upper body strength, trying to lift my body off the ground with my hands/arms and stay there without plummeting to my demise- you better believe I am HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE! My hands kills after that class from gripping so tightly.  One of the instructors lost something like 50 lbs doing Pole and another classmate has dropped something like 30lbs.  Pretty intense, but they also did it like 5+ times a week and most likely have their own poles which I do not in our teeny tiny condo.  But you sure need both abs and arm muscles to do some of the, most of the work.  Flexibility is also somewhat necessary, but not a requirement.  I am NOT Flexible. I would LOVE to be able to touch my toes or do a split.

I CANNOT do this 

I will keep working.......

Day 14 of Jillian!

Hobby of the day: Working Out

Ok...so there are 58 days until my F.I.R.S.T half marathon!!! Ahhhh!! It's the DC Rock n' Roll half and full.  NOT doing the full. I really have no desire to run a full, but I'd be more than happy to do lots of halves, I think..... My DREAM, to run the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon!

58 days = Half

72 days= Jamaica, Spring Break 2012

We've never gone on an out of country Spring Break, nor have we ever gone with friends.  We have twice gone to New Orleans! NOLA, but never once in college did I go on a SPRING BREAK, too poor lol.

P.S. I love NOLA, the food is amazing and so much to do, plus drinking on the streets isn't so bad.

Anyway, Gary and I had set goals for ourselves to get in better shape, eat healthier, etc.... so far so good.  I am currently on Day 14 of Jillian Michaels 30 day Shred, I better be Ripped in 17 more days haha.  The hardest thing is to run and then do Jillian, I'm real tired after my runs and then to do 20 min of Jillian hardcore, HA. You say, "20 min? That's nothing." I thought that too, and while 20 min isn't bad, but if you add an additional workout onto that. Eek, not to mention my upper body strength is almost non existent.  Here's to toned arms! CHEERS!

Jillian Michaels

Hobby of the Day: Working Out

I just purchased Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred....we shall see friends, we shall see....

I am currently on day 3 of 30. Bring it on Jillian! 

Her workout consists of a 20 min workout.  3 min of weights, 2 of cardio 1 of abs or her 3,2,1.  You do the 3, 2, 1  three times during the twenty min, but each set is different, thankfully.   I think I should be able be diligent with this workout regime, as well as throwing in my running and gym time.  In the past I have tried P90X.  Don't get me wrong, that workout is beastly too, but I can't do that and run/gym.  Just takes up way too much time, but an extra 20 min I can do.

Goal to be toned like this!

I also wouldn't mind her arms, or body....

Oddly enough after day one I wasn't in too much pain, don't get me wrong, when I move a certain way I can feel it, but I don't feel the inability to move.  My friend after one day did, perhaps that means I am in better shape than I realized......We'll see how I feel tomorrow.  I'm starting out easy on her level 1.

I figured I would do 10 days at level 1(unless I really feel ready to move on)

10 days at level 2 and

10 days at level 3

= 30 day shred.....I'm ready to shred off that weight!