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Weekly Workout Rundown

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Monday:

  • 40 min AM run, 3 mi
  • 25 min interval run at lunch, 1.93 mi

Tuesday:

  • 50 min Piloxing in the AM
  • 25 min moderate walk with mom at lunch

Wednesday:

  • 40 min 30-20-10 run in the AM, 3.04 mi (get the printable here)
  • 25 min run at lunch, 1.83 mi

Thursday:

Friday:

  • 25 min fast incline walk at lunch

Saturday:

  • 30 min run
  • 20 min ZCut cardio workout

Sunday:

  • Rest

I’m down 5lbs from last week!!!! South Beach, how I love you right now. I’m finally winning this struggle with weight and reactive hypoglycemia and anxiety! It’s truly amazing to be learning so much about how all these things are so interrelated. The reactive hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar after eating, can cause that anxious feeling. I intuitively knew that my panic was somehow related to blood sugar, I just didn’t know how. I’m learning more and more every day, especially since I got this little tome in the mail.

The most difficult workout this week was that tiny little inconspicuous-looking ZCut workout on Saturday. Only 10 minutes of it was the workout and the other 10 was the cool-down. My heart rate was up to my max and my body was so sore the next day, it was incredible! Zuzka Light does not kid around. If you haven’t found her page on YouTube yet, you must subscribe. There are plenty of free workouts there, or on BodyRock, which she co-founded. However, I got this little three-pack as an early Christmas present (thanks mom!) and it’s amazing. I will definitely be taking these on road trips with me, along with Peanut’s portable DVD player. I’ll also follow up with a product review soon, once I try more of the workouts. Basically, you work all-out for 10 minutes, in addition to the warm-up and cool-down, and you’re done for the day. And you will be done for the day, trust me.

How about you, how are you working out this week?

Five Best Christmas Workout Songs

I wanted to bring a little bit of holiday cheer to your workouts this week, since it’s finally appropriate to do so. But the beats had to be fast, the message uplifting, and the song not over-played.

I have some bad memories of hearing Susie Snowflake and Mariah Carey over and over and over when I worked at JCPenney in high school, to the point where it hurts to hear them today. Don’t worry, I don’t want to listen to those anymore either. My picks today are fresh and uplifting, after hours spent listening to new releases and good ole classics on Spotify. Plug these into your playlist and let them take you away.

I included the beat counts after plugging the songs in to Songbpm.com. Double the beats in the songs with the 70-80 bpm range to hit your pace.

Here are 5 Great Christmas Workout Songs:

1. Leona Lewis: I wish it could be Christmas Everyday. 3:52, 74bpm. This song has a great beat in the chorus. It would make a good treadmill song for intervals. Run fast during the chorus and slow it down during the verses.

2. Kelly Clarkson, Underneath the Tree. 3:50, 80 bpm. Has some great hooks in the music. I was toe-tapping listening to this song, which means it makes me want to move. I hope it makes you want to move too. Plus, it’s a new song, so it sure isn’t worn out yet.

3. She & Him, Sleigh Ride. 2:44, 106bpm. I always love the S&H sound. They do a fun job on this classic tune. Plus, the fast beat is definitely workout-worthy.

4. Glee Cast, Deck the Rooftop. 2:30, 97bpm. I’ve never watched the show, but this tune sure is catchy and it blends several classic numbers into one upbeat song.

5. SheDaisy, Deck the Halls. 3:50, 119bpm. This has always been one of my favorite renditions of this song. Whenever it comes on my playlist, I get all excited and stuff. That excitement should come out in a stronger push through runs.


Bonus: Straight No Chaser, Hey Santa. 2:47, 200bpm. Love the swing-y sound this group has, and their amazing a capella sound. This song is really catchy. Their entire Christmas Cheers album has great beats, so check them out.

I added a bonus so you have a solid 20 minute workout playlist. Let me know what you think. What songs would you add?

Weekly Workout Rundown

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Monday:

  • 50 min run in the AM
  • 25 min run at lunch, 358 calories

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

  • 30 min moderate walk with mom at lunch
  • 30 min PM fast walk

Thursday:

Friday

Saturday:

  • Active rest

Sunday:

  • Active rest




We’ll just call last week the South Beach practice week, alright? Thanksgiving fell in the middle of the week, and although I brought a carb-less dish to pass, aside from the turkey, everything else was a carb. And I didn’t want to think about, so I just ate until I was somewhat, but not overly, full. Then Friday left me with a weird headache that I couldn’t run with, so I took a little time off from working out. In fact, that 30 minute walk on Wednesday was all I could manage with my stressed-out heart rate. I was in my normal HR range, just at a much slower pace.

I’m calling Saturday and Sunday active rests because I wasn’t a complete couch potato. With 3 hours of mall walking on Saturday and Christmas-tree hiking on Sunday, I still felt pretty active, just not enough to get sweaty.

South Beach, here I come. This week’s menu includes Jamie Eason’s turkey meatballs and turkey chili, along with cucumber salad and cottage cheese for snacks. I’m soooo ready for this midsection baggage to be gone. I am completely mesmerized by Dr. Agatston’s work now. Before, I wouldn’t have given him a chance, because this seemed like another fad diet. But for someone with insulin resistance such as myself, the research behind it is convincing, compelling and fascinating. Now that I’ve read a little bit more, I feel like I’m now better prepared to tackle the first two “strict” weeks as well.

How are you staying fit during this holiday season?

Headaches and Christmas Trees and Shopping, Oh My!

These past four days off were such a thrill ride. I started with not feeling too well and ended up with some great memories.

My head felt weird on Thursday night and Friday. I even tried to run on my treadmill, and my brain felt like it was bouncing and made me kinda dizzy. I was having some anxiety about it, debating about visiting the walk-in or not, but sometimes a headache is just a headache. A few Tylenol later, and we were bowling at the local lanes. My FIL is in a bowling league, and we’ve had the pleasure to help him get his practice in. We’ve gone bowling probably 4 times in the last 3 weeks. Such a fun, active experience for the entire family.

Thursday was all about turkey, pecan pie and being thankful for our family. I hope yours was too!

Did you try my Burn the Bird challenge? This li’l workout burned me some 262 calories in just 18 minutes. And I had some achy muscles to contend with the next day. Hurt so good. And it hardly felt like 18 minutes!

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Friday, with a revisiting headache, I laid low, read through some of my South Beach Diet books and hung out with my nephews. My sister dropped them off amidst the Black Friday shopping so I could spend some quality time especially with the youngest one, who usually runs away from me. Without his mom there, I finally got some good solid snuggle time with him. I just love those boys!

Saturday, I had had it with sitting home, so Peanut called grandma up to see if she wanted to go shopping, because Hubster had put in two long days and he just wanted to relax. We hit the mall the day after Black Friday, and I have to say, it wasn’t that bad. Peanut was an angel child. We broke up bits of shopping with a Build-a-Bear run and a stop at the indoor play area. We just had such a good time. Knocked off some Christmas shopping and even made a refresh to momma’s wardrobe just a little.

Sunday, we made a trip to cut down our Christmas tree. The place we usually go to has gotten quite picked over in the last few years, but we managed to find this gem in the jumble of half-dying, balding and Charlie Brown trees. The experience is always complete with a tractor ride and apple cider and popcorn afterward. We took my FIL along for the trip too. The weather was perfect for tree-cutting. Some years we have to trudge through a foot of snow and face sub-zero temps. This year, it was mild and snow-less. Perfect!

On our way home, I saw some odd things in people’s yards. Don’t know if I just never paid attention before, but only in Wisconsin… Remember those old Burger King playgrounds with the hamburger jailhouse? Totally saw one in someone’s yard. Hubster thought I was crazy to want to stop, so I don’t have pictures, but I totally remember hiding in these back when I could fit, circa the 1980s. Such great memories!

Another yard had an actual Ferris Wheel in it! Again, asking Hubster to pull over was futile, but I’ll get that picture someday. I mean, a Ferris Wheel! That’s like a grown-up kid’s dream backyard right? Cue Phineas and Ferb music. Haha!
What a fun few days off!
I have a longer stretch of days off coming up real soon that I’m really excited about planning, the days around Christmas. I’m going to start my to-do list now, so that I’ll be prepared and ready to take on new projects and memories when the 23rd rolls around. Right now, I’m dreaming up Advent calendar activities. I realize it’s already December 2, so I need to get on that already. We might have a 15-day countdown to Christmas instead of the standard 25, but that’s ok with me:)
What are you planning to do on your holiday vacation?

18 Minute Thanksgiving Workout

I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Take time to relish in those meaningful family moments, thoughts of thankfulness, and tables full of tasty fare. Allow yourself this one meal on this one day this week to indulge without remorse. That’s what I’m going to do.

But before you stuff yourself with all the familiar fixins, get in this quick 18 minute workout. You’ll feel better, and likely make a few better choices, if you get a little sweat going on this national holiday of food. It’s completely equipment-free, so you can literally do this anywhere. I’m going to be doing this very same workout before heading out to our family potluck on Thursday, so I’m right there with you:)

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Enjoy! Let me know how you do!

Weekly Workout Rundown

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Monday:

  • 50 min 12WBT run in the AM

    • Tuesday:

  • 45 min Jillian Michaels Hard Body in the AM
  • 30 min casual walk with mom at lunch

    • Wednesday:

  • 50 min 12WBT treadmill interval run in the PM, 4 miles

    • Thursday:

  • 30 min Quick Fix strength workout: 10 min abs, 10 min arms, 10 min legs
  • 30 min moderate walk at lunch

    • Friday:

  • Active rest


    • Saturday:

  • 60 min 12WBT run 


    • Sunday:

  • Rest

    • We are officially finished with our 4 week sneak peek at the US launch of the 12 Week Body Transformation. I really loved the resources that this program provided. And even though I didn’t lose the weight I should have (due to medical reasons), I really think that Michelle Bridges did a top-notch job putting together this program.

    Friday was the only day I kinda “skipped.” It was reserved for yoga, but became an active rest day instead. I took a 1/2-day at work and went to the park with Peanut instead. We jogged and played and although I didn’t stretch out like I should have, I still had a pretty active day.

    This week I’m moving on to the South Beach Diet, because it’s what the doctor ordered. Today was the first day on the plan, and I’m doing ok so far. I’m thinking ahead to Thursday–Thanksgiving–and hoping there are lots of veggies to go with the turkey. I’ll bring some of my own with my dish to pass–cheesy stuffed mushrooms, so at least there’s that. In the big picture though, it’s only one meal on one single day, so if I have a little pecan pie, I’m not going to worry about it, because pecan pie is the jam!

    A girl from work graciously offered me her stack of dust-collecting South Beach diet books, which I told her would be put to good use. Type A that I am, I scarfed up a handful of low-carb cookbooks from my library too, and have been typing the recipes that I actually liked and know I would make into a Google document. I’m so ready! This week, I prepped egg whites with veggies and sausage for breakfast, a big salad with toppings and creamy feta dressing for lunch, roast cauliflower and cottage cheese for snacks, and meat- and veggie-based stuff for dinner. And it all sounds really good to me! So let’s just pretend there never was such a thing as carbs, ok?

    How was your week in workouts?

    Weekly Workout Rundown

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    Monday:

  • 50 min 12WBT run in the AM with 10 min hard intervals

    • Tuesday:

  • 50 min 12WBT total body tone in the AM

  • 30 min casual walk with mom at lunch

    • Wednesday:

  • 50 min treadmill interval run in the PM, 3.43 miles

    • Thursday:

  • 50 min 12WBT run in the AM with 10 min of hard intervals

  • 30 min moderate walk at lunch

    • Friday:

  • 25 min brisk walk with 5-10% incline at lunch

  • 50 min 12WBT yoga stretch in the PM


    • Saturday:

  • 55 min 12WBT run with 10 min hard intervals


    • Sunday:

  • Rest

    • Friday’s lunch workout is what happens when a girl forgets her workout bra. #FitnessGirlProblems. If I couldn’t run, I could certainly walk on enough of an incline to get my heart rate just as high. It worked! I swear, I need a checklist or something for those lunchtime workouts. I’m always forgetting my towel or gym shoes or something. Ha!

    This week, I’m entering the 4th and final week of my 12WBT preview. I’m going to be sorry to see this program go, but I might just sign up for it when it goes live in the US. I’d totally pay for it! You must check into it if you’re looking for a fitness plan that not only helps you with food and fitness, but also motivation and underlying issues that might be preventing you from losing weight. The food alone is worth so much in my book–it takes sooo much guesswork out of food prep and most of the recipes are super easy and practical. And you’ll find your favorite things in there, like nachos! I printed the recipes and had them bound in a notebook so I will always have them as a reference.

    I’m going to start creating my own workout schedule this week, so I’m prepared to challenge myself once the program is over. I’m definitely going to set it up like this plan though. Three days of cardio and abs, two days of strength training, one day of yoga stretch, and at least one day of complete rest. I’ve neglected yoga for awhile now and could really use the release, flexibility and calm in my life. I always love it when I do it, I just don’t always actually do it. I also think core work is absolutely essential and highly neglected. In my NASM training, core work is prescribed for every workout, so this plan is even in line with my studies. I can’t wait!

    Side note: I’ve decided that these weekly workout posts definitely need more pictures, so I’m going to make an effort to include some “setting” pictures for you, to make it more interesting and motivating. Perhaps inspirational images, pretty views from my lunch walks, or sneak peeks into my very own workouts. What do you think?

    How do you plan your week in workouts? Do you follow a prescribed plan or make up your own?

    Weekly Workout Rundown

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    Monday:
    • 45 min 12WBT cardio and abs in the AM
    • 25 min incline interval walk, 1.51 miles
    Tuesday:
    • 50 min 12WBT total body tone in the AM
    • 30 min mod walk with mom at lunch
    Wednesday:
    • 50 min treadmill interval run in the PM, 3.43 miles
    Thursday:
    • 50 min 12WBT total body tone in the AM
    • 30 min moderate walk at lunch
    Friday:
    • 25 min run at lunch
    • 50 min 12WBT yoga stretch in the PM

    Saturday:

    • 50 min 12WBT cardio and abs


    Sunday:

    • Active rest, 45 min nature hike
    Well friends, I am just coming back from a short little 3-day weekend vacation. I will have much more on that tomorrow, but I must say it feels so good to have had that time away. We stayed active and even though I didn’t track my food, I managed to maintain my tiny bit of weight loss so far on the 12 Week Body Transformation program.
    This week I knocked out every part of the 12WBT plan and then some. My lunch workout partner and I are still working out at lunch, which means an extra sweat session for me. I try not to go overboard though to prevent overtraining. For example, Monday I just walked on the treadmill, but I had the incline up to 10%. I wasn’t on the route to overtraining but I wasn’t working out for naught either. I’m still walking at lunch with my mom the other days at lunch too, actively combating sitting disease.
    I have to say I’m pretty impressed with the recipes on the 12WBT. I’m definitely going to save these for the future and start incorporating more for variety. They’re mostly pretty clean and pretty darn easy. There have been only a few references to ingredients that I’ve never heard of, but it’s easy to make a few simple substitutions if the ingredients aren’t available. I’m still adding a few calories to the 1200 daily calories recommended to stay alive, and it’s still working. Only two more weeks left to go! The US Sneak Peek version is only available for 4 weeks right now on a trial run, so I just think it’s neat to be part of the very first US tester group. And I’m learning a whole lot about training others by watching Michelle train us;)
    How did you work out this week?

    Weekly Workout Rundown

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    Monday:
    • 45 min 12WBT cardio and abs in the AM
    • 25 min LiveFit legs at lunch
    Tuesday:
    • 50 min 12WBT total body tone in the AM
    • 30 min mod walk with mom at lunch
    Wednesday:
    • 50 min 12WBT Tabata cardio in the AM
    Thursday:
    • rest
    Friday:
    • 25 min run at lunch
    • 50 min 12WBT yoga stretch in the PM

    Saturday:

    • Rest


    Sunday:

    • Rest



    Well, I ran myself down pretty good this week. I had to skip workouts on Thursday and Saturday because I was feeling really rundown and sick-like. I came down with a cold, but the effects were widespread and I was pretty much out of commission. There were many naps and curling up in blankets involved. The weekend was kind of a bummer, but I’m feeling much better today. And Hubster and I were able to sneak in a secret breakfast date on Sunday morning because we were up so early with the time change, so not all was lost.

    The 12 Week Body Transformation is so great, aside from the restrictive calories. Just to show you how restrictive, I followed the food to a “T” a few days, and Tuesday night I went to bed feeling hungry and ended up not being able to fall asleep for quite a long time because of my hunger. I finally went downstairs and ate some cottage cheese and then slept like a baby. Those 1200 calories are definitely not enough to live on with that kind of activity. I wore my HR monitor, and we’re killing like 800 calories with these workouts. 1200-800=400 calories to live on. Not enough!!! I am however really loving the workouts and the new recipes. The forums and myriads of motivational videos are really inspiring. The 12WBT crew is quick to answer any questions you might have, which is like having personal trainers and nutritionists at your beckon call.

    This week, I plan on easing back into the plan a bit, doing more of the beginner moves than the advanced ones. I’m still stuffy and recovering, and I don’t want to feel like I did toward the end of last week again, that’s for sure.

    Next weekend, we’re heading out on a small weekend trip to soak up the last of fall here in Wisconsin. We’re staying at a little cabin relatively close to home and it’s Hubster’s birthday weekend. We’re planning on doing a whole lot of nothing. And by nothing I mean, some casual hiking, picture-taking, apple roasting, movie-watching and partaking in some other comfy fall pleasures. This fall trip is meant to be a yearly tradition of going away. We went to Crivitz and visited waterfalls last year. You can read the story of this yearly tradition there. Can’t wait to share the weekend pleasures with you next week!

    How was your week?

    Weekly Workout Rundown

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    Monday:
    Tuesday:
    • 25 min abs and shoulders in the AM
    • 30 min run, 2.75 miles in the AM
    • 30 min brisk walk at lunch
    Wednesday:
    • 25 min chest and calves in the AM
    • 30 min PM run, 2.7 miles
    Thursday:
    • 20 min biceps and abs in the AM
    • 33 min run in the AM
    Friday:
    • 25 min run at lunch, 2.23 miles
    • 10 min shoulders
    Saturday:
    Sunday:
    • Rest
    I only slipped up a tiny bit this week with shoulders on Friday. I was so tired, just not feeling it whatsoever, so I stopped, and forgave myself right away. You have to listen to your body when it’s screaming at you and I can say for certain that I’m pretty proud of myself for working out hard at least once, sometimes twice, per day and for sticking this program out and for doing it almost to a “T.” Saturday, I was able to come back full force, so I know I made the right decision. The LiveFit Trainer prescribed 60 minutes of cardio on Saturday. I chose a 60 min Fire video from the TurboFire series as my cardio. And holy man, burned over 800 calories! That set me up for a good day, especially when there was an all-you-can-eat birthday party spread that night. I ate extremely sensibly so as not to deter my progress.

    I actually start my new plan, the 12 Week Body Transformation with Michelle Bridges (a cute Aussie Biggest Loser personal trainer), this week too. I’m just going to allow the two workout systems to dance with each other this week. I want to finish the LiveFit Trainer like a boss, since I’ve put sooooo much time and energy into it so far. But, the 12WBT begins, and everyone begins together, so I can’t start it next week. It will be a song and dance, but I’m going to make it happen anyway.
    The only thing I’m worried about is the 1,200 calorie prescription on the 12WBT, which seems a bit excessively restrictive. I’m pretty sure a person needs more than that to just survive for one day, let alone move at all! I will most likely be adding to that calorie base–with unlimited veggies and some lean protein–especially on hard training days. I don’t want to pass out or lose all the muscles I’ve build up on the LiveFit Trainer. I know better than that!
    So far, I’m loving what I see with the 12WBT. It’s like having a personal trainer right there with you. They’re smart over there at 12WBT! They’ve built a strong social aspect into the training, which is scientifically proven to be essential for exercise adherence. They have little videos explaining a lot of the FAQs. The menu plans are all mapped out for you, so you don’t even have to think–and you can swap out meals as you see fit. The meals are pretty darn easy to prepare too, so there’s not so much fuss in my meal prep. The workout videos are all done and ready for you in the mornings, so you just have to follow along. Michelle also includes something that a lot of other trainers don’t include–mindset training. You can prescribe diet and exercise to a person all day long, but if you don’t break through their thoughts and mental challenges, you will get nowhere. I’ve only seen this strategy one other place, in Chalene Johnson’s 30 Day Push. This plan is pretty much perfect! I’m not only trying to squeeze out a few extra pounds, but I’m also gleaning some fantastic strategies for my own personal training business in the process. Learn from the best!
    How did you work out this week?