Interval Addiction...

I say: "Hi, my name is Jen, and I maybe addicted to intervals."

You say: "Welcome Jen."

Tonight's plan was an upper workout with Sabrina joining me. She had mentioned earlier in the day that she'd like to get a good run in, so me being the interval addict that I am becoming created a cardio plan that really gave us both a workout.

First you should know Monday's are the craziest at the gym, and coming across an open treadmill isn't always easy. I anticipated this so I created a plan that required one treadmill for two people.

We each did 1 minute sprint intervals alternating turns on the treadmill. During our non-sprint minute we did the following actions:

Round 1: Tricep Extensions
Round 2: 30 sec plank
Round 3: Bicep Curls
Round 4: 30 sec side plank (right)
Round 5: Crunches
Round 6: 30 sec side plank (left)
Round 7: 10 push-ups
Round 8: 30 sec plank
Round 9: Crunches
Round 10: Dumbbell Rows

After we completed our 10 sprints and 10 non-sprints, we decided to push it for 5 more rounds. For the last 5 rounds we each chose our own non-sprint set. Needless to say this was an awesome workout and made the time go fast. Each time we switched spots on the treadmill we used the pause button and then gave it a few seconds to get back up to speed before timing ourselves. In 40 minutes we covered over 4.5 miles between the two of us!

Normally I would only do Fastest Payoff once a week, but since I changed things up a bit I consider them different workouts. I guess my suggestion would be to give yourself at least one day of rest between high speed intervals, and always listen to your body!

Intervals- do you love them or hate them?


If you really want more, scream it out louder,
If you're on the floor, bring out the fire,
And light it up, take it up higher,
Gonna push it to the limit, give it more.
-More, Usher

Fastest Payoff..

I happy to see a few other enjoy edamame...they are quite tasty! This weekend was again fairly busy, nothing terribly productive but just a typical weekend.

Normally I workout Friday evenings, then take Saturday and Sunday as rest days so that I can "sleep in" and we can just have some fun. Well I woke up today (Sunday) at 7 so I figured I could squeeze in a workout before going out breakfast and heading to church!

So I went with the best quick workout around- Fastest Payoff! It is a great combination of cardio and strength training intervals that will having feeling great in no time, and maybe a bit sweaty. Sweat = Progress.



Here's the plan:

Set 1: 60 second sprint, 10 squats, 3o second plank of any style
(Complete 5 times in a row.)
2 minute active walking recovery

Set2: 80 second sprint, 10 bent-over rows w/dumbells, 15 sit ups (any-style)
(Complete 4 times in a row.)
2 minute active walking recovery

Set 3: 40 second sprint, 10 push-ups, 10 Single-leg Twists
(Complete 3 times in a row.)
2 minute active walking recovery

Set 4: 60 second sprint, 30 second planks
(Complete 2 times in a row.)
5 minute active walking cool-down

All you'll need is a yoga mat, 2 weights of your choice (I use 10lbs), and a treadmill. I grab everything I need and set up a little station behind my treadmill at the gym. Your sprints can be at any speed you're comfortable with, today I was sprinting between 6.5mph and 7mph- which is quick for me. Nobody seems to mind that I keep jumping on and off the treadmill, but I'm sure they are wonder where I came up with this idea.

My husband actually came across this workout about 2 years ago when we were in the earlier stages of our lifestyle change. I must say that back then I was probably doing my sprints at 5mph and feeling the burn. This workout is great because it grow with you!

Do you have any great workouts to share? Include a link if you have one!

Going green...

This week at the grocery store I decided to pick up a package of baby spinach in addition to the normal package of mixed greens. I picked them up to use in my protein shakes and to increase my intake of green goodness.

Tonight after work I made a quick green shake before I hit the gym. I used 2 cups water, 1 cup almond milk, 1/2 a banana, and 3 big handfuls of spinach. All of it went into the Vita-mix, and out came the lovely green drink below. Be sure to note that radiant light beams are coming from the cup- it is not a coincidence- it is that good!



I know you're thinking- 'It looks a bit like swamp water.' I promise it tastes great! And it kept me well fueled during my upper body workout, and my 30 minutes of intervals!

All the doors that I had to close,
Everything I knew but I didn't know,
Thank God for all I missed,
Cause it led me here to this...
-This, Darius Rucker

Current Workout Plan...

On the last post, ELC asked what workout program I was using so I guess it is as good of time as any to show you what I'm up to in the gym.

To give you a little background I should let you know that I am not a professional, and do the workouts because I've learned about my physical abilities/limits. If you don't normally workout, or aren't familiar with the exercises, please seek help from a professional prior to taking on anything new.

I have been using "12 Weeks to Your Hottest Body Ever" by Derek Charlebois. The program is set up to help you evolve your strength of 12 weeks (see page 32). I'm currently on week 5, and have definitely seen an important in the amount of weight I can lift. Also, the meal plan is based on body weight, which not every plan takes into account (see page 14). After reading the entire 49 pages, I decided to do the strength training routine and include portion of the meal plan suggestions.



After having done the lifting workouts for a month, I decided that I also wanted to include a more planned cardio routine and stretching routine as part of my weekly plan. While reading Self Magazine (January 2011) I found just what I was looking for- a yoga based workout and different cardio plans to use along with my normal cardio.

I've only completed one of the yoga workouts so far, but definitely feel good about it and there is plenty of room for improvement. And with that I'm off to get some sleep because Thursday morning is yoga workout number two!

Do you have any workout routines to share?

"I throw my hands up in the air sometimes, Saying AYO, Gotta let go, I wanna celebrate and live my life..."
-Dynamite, Taio Cruz

Move it...

Today was quite the gym day. It all started at 6am when I headed out to the gym for a morning workout- yeah I know am I crazy? The answer is no, I'm determined.

I found a yoga based workout that includes 6 moves performed as a set, then repeated five times. It took about 45 minutes, then I was on my way home to get ready for work.

After work it was back to the gym for round two- yes round two, but don't worry Wednesday is my rest day. Tonight's workout was weighted lower body movements and cardio. Cardio consisted of 25 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the stairs- I got a great workout in and I'm feeling good!

So now I leave you with this bit of lyrics to consider...

"I dare you to move, I dare you to move, I dare you to lift yourself, to lift yourself off of the floor..."

-Dare You to Move, Switchfoot

What is today?

Well I guess I should tell you that I know it is Monday, December 20, 2010. But someone needs to let the crowds at the gym know that it isn't January 1st yet...

Today it was packed! I was there for almost two hours, and noticed that it got busier as time passed.

Normally I don't go to the gym for two hours, but tonight was different. My workout was doubled up to cover both upper and lower body today so that I can avoid missing workouts due to the holidays. I plan to try to work something into the holidays excitement, but just in case our plans get too hectic.



When I got home dinner could not be prepared quick enough...luckily everything was precooked and just needed to be heated through. I created a protein bowl to fill my very hungry self.

My protein bowl contained:

-Baked Chicken
-Black beans
-Quinoa (I think it might be my favorite grain!)
-Greek Yogurt
-Salsa



It didn't photograph well or I'm not good at using my camera- either way it tasted great!

Gettin' my glow on...

Monday night is a gym night, and with the holidays coming I wanted to make sure I got in a really good workout.

I started with some stretching and a light warm-up, then headed for the weights and completed the following upper body workout:

Bent Over Row- 60 lbs for 3 sets of 12
DB Shoulder Press- 20 lbs for 3 sets of 12
Lying Tricep Extensions- 30 lb barbell for 3 sets of 12
Barbell Curls- 40 lbs for 3 sets of 12
Bench Press- 45 lbs for 10 reps, 65 lbs for 10 reps, 75 lbs for 8 reps, 80 lbs for 4 reps, and then reversed back down to just the 45 lbs bar

It sounds like a lot, but it actually is a pretty quick workout. Then I headed over to the treadmill, my mind wasn't feeling the cardio at first but once I got going it felt good. I did the following cardio workout:

2 miles of intervals that were run at 1.0 incline:
1 min @ 4.0mph
1 min @ 6.5mph
1 min @ 4.0mph
2.5 min @ 6.0mph
1 min @ 4.0mph
1 min @ 6.5mph
1 min @ 4.0mph
2.5 min @ 6.0mph
Repeated for a second mile.

Total time was 22 minutes and 10 seconds- that's great for me!

Then as my "cool" down I walked at 10.0 incline @ 4.0mph for 6 minutes then brought it down to no incline for the last 2 minutes of my 30 minute cardio. And believe me that I looked like I had worked out...




Did you get your glow on today???

I'm in the mood...

...for some protein after that workout! Matt and I had the opportunity to work with one of the new trainers at the gym today. He took us through a 60 minute workout that was intense! The first time I looked at the clock I was covered in sweat and feeling it- then I realized only 15 minutes had passed. We made it through somehow, but definitely know that we have plenty of room for improvement. It felt good and I'm sure we will be feeling it tomorrow.

So to fill the protein needs caused by our intense workout I made something with a little Mexican kick. Tonight's meal came together in an odd way, and it all started with a yellow squash. After that I just kept grabbing random items until it looked like it might turn into something tasty.

Here's what I gathered:
1 yellow squash
1 purple onion
1 pepper
1 can black beans (protein!)
1 small can green chilies
1 cup quinoa (protein!)
2 spicy black bean burgers (protein!)
taco seasonings

I cooked the 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water until all the water had been absorbed. Meanwhile in large skillet I sauteed the chopped squash, onion, and pepper. After the veggies were cooked down I added one can of rinsed black beans, green chilies, and taco seasonings.

At this point your quinoa should be done, so add it to you veggies. Then add taco seasoning to your liking, we like it spicy so we added extra cayenne pepper. Then add in the cooked and chopped spicy black bean burgers. (Note: feel free to leave them out and substitute chicken or any other meat you'd like.)

Mix it all together and then top it as you like. Our toppings included greek yogurt, sliced olives, grape tomatoes, and some crumbs from tortilla chips for a little crunch.



Does that look yummy or what? It was very tasty and it was super filling. In total the above recipe made four servings, so we also have lunch tomorrow!

Maybe something Italian tomorrow??? Or maybe I'll be inspired by something else during the day!

I must confess...

It's the end of day three here in Dallas, and I must confess I haven't gotten in any of my strength training yet. And I miss it!!!

Unfortunately at the end of the day, we are still kind of working through dinner. It is a little more casual talk, but at the same time there are some important topics I should be around for- so I haven't made it to the gym at night. I guess it is good that I'm getting up for my runs before work!

Tomorrow's plan is to get my strength training in at 5:00am, since I only run four days a week. So here's the modified plan as it appears to be working itself out:

Sunday: Long Runs w/ strength training (completed in the morning or afternoon)
Monday: 3 mile run (5am on the treadmill)
Tuesday: Strength Training (5am in hotel gym)
Wednesday: 5 mile run (5am on the treadmill)
Thursday: Strength Training (5am in the hotel)
Friday: 3 mile run (5am on the treadmill)
Saturday: Rest & Relaxation

How does that sound? I figure I might as well get up at the same time everyday so my body's clock doesn't get confused. On weekends I don't plan to get up at 5am, but I'm guessing my body will wake me up by 6 or so. I'll have to let you know how it works for me.

Have a great night!

New Workout Plan...

So I thought I'd take some time to share my new workout plan with you all. Since Matt and I started our healthy lifestyle journey about a year and a half ago, we've cycled through many different workouts. Here's what we did, or at least what I remember doing:

Personal Trainers
We both had one over a period of three months when we first started at the gym, which is part of how the gym became permanent part of our weekly activities.

Men's Health Belly Off- Body Weight
This was a program offered free through Men's Health online that provided 4 days of planned exercises over a week, along with a suggested meal plan. The good part about this plan is you use the weight you are trying to lose to your own benefit. We definitely saw progress with their 8 week plan. The great thing about Belly Off is that it gets your heart rate up throughout the exercises, so you're getting your cardio while completing your strength training.

Men's Health Belly Off-Fully Loaded
This 8 week program required us to begin incorporating weights into our exercises. We were sweating it out during this phase of workouts, and we were able to take it to the next level. Again it's all laid out for you, you just complete it as instructed.

Velocity Training
This was an 8-week program we did after our wedding to get our weight loss kick started again with some muscles building. It was quite the program too, we definitely saw results. And it helped us to make body measurements more of a regular thing too. The tape measure is a much better indicator of progress than the scale.

5x5 Program
This program was centered around getting stronger over a 12 week period. The program was set up with two rotating routines that are made up of 5 exercises to be completed in five sets of five repetitions. Each time you repeat a routine you add weight steadily over time, if you are losing form you hold at the weight until you have mastered the lifts. The workouts were completed Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Men's Health Belly Off- Dumbbell Challenge
I just started this plan on Monday, and I can already feel it. Again Men's Health has set up an 8 week program that lays out your weekly workout for you, all you have to do is complete them. I don't follow the meal plans, but they are provided if you want to make it easy on yourself. I picked this plan because I think it will go well with the half-marathon training. Also, picked it because hotel gyms are not always that best- so as long as they have a few dumbbells then I should be good to go!

Summary
So if you haven't noticed we like to switch things up after each phase, which has worked for us. Since your muscles get use to completing movements after a period of time, it is important to introduce new things and to challenge your muscles. If you wonder why I like to challenge my muscles it is so they will get stronger. Strong muscles help burn fat and calories.

There are also other plan choices, so if you're just starting out don't be scared. Best part is that it is all free. What 'plan' are you following in the gym?

(Note: If you are just starting exercise, please know that I am not an expert. Check with your doctor first.)

It's like a circus...

So last night at the gym was like a circus. I decided that it was because it was a Monday, and the first of the month. A second chance, if you will, for those who made the resolution on January 1st to lose weight. Basically that just means that the cardio equipment was all being occupied, and I mean every single machine.

I looked around to see who might be getting finished soon, and then stood off to the side waiting. It took 10 minutes or so before a treadmill opened up, so I grabbed it even though it was one of the ones with the TV. While the TV is nice to occupy yourself on a slow walk- when you're running it makes you kind of sea sick because it is so close to you. I had to turn it off, but I did use it to watch my form in the reflection.

Even though there was a wait I got the run done and it felt good.

3 miles in 35 minutes

I try to remember I'm not looking for fast, I'm looking for endurance.