Its been awhile!

Once again, life has me pretty busy. I have been working out everyday though! Saturday I did back-to-back partner C-band workouts. Both of my classes had odd numbers of people, and I can't say no to that workout! Its so fun.

In short, the workout involves 2 people and a large elastic tube, shaped into a circle about 3 feet in diameter. Both people get inside the tube, and one person does an exercise (ex: running) while the other tries their best to hold them back. Then you switch. Its not only a ton of fun, its a killer leg workout.

On Sunday I did the LAST Power60 class (its being canceled due to lack of attendance). Which is pretty sad, because I love that class. But we're going to keep a group working out at Power level at the same time as Sunday FIT, to keep it alive.

Diet, as always, could be better. I wish it was warmer, so I could talk myself into smoothies for breakfast. Any ideas for good, fast breakfast foods?? I mean able to make+eat in less than 10-15 min. Energy level has been good, this rotation is low as far as time commitment, so sleep is not an issue.

K-smash I can't wait to have you back. I'm really looking forward to working out with you, although I bet I can't keep up with your running! I've been doing sprint work mostly, with the ultimate goal of running a sub-7-minute mile. I love the toning effect on my legs. That sounds vain huh? Ah well, I still like it!

Ah, this is getting long. But I have one more amazing exercise. Phoenix showed it to us in Sunday class. Basically its a supine bridge, with one foot on a medicine ball and the other one in the air. Move the foot back and forth on the ball for even more hamstring work. It made me unable to bend over today, my hammies were so sore!

One more hour!

I hate standard time. I wish that we had Daylight Savings time year-round. So what if the sun doesn't come up until 7 a.m.? I don't know anyone that doesn't like being up before the sun...oh yeah, DH....DH doesn't like being up before lunch! Ha ha! :D

So I ended up taking three days off due to knee pain (and an insanely hectic schedule - but that's not a valid excuse). Saturday, DH and I went for a 4 mile run. When we went out, we hadn't eaten in about four hours, and a mile into our run, we both realized our mistake...oh well...we still managed to run the whole thing.

Last night, DH and I were up baking cookies until 4 a.m. A group at church is collecting cookies to give soldiers returning from Iraq. Needless to say, I was pretty tired today, so I decided to go for an easy run. I ended up running 3 miles at a pretty good pace. DH was surprised when I got home and said I made good time. Back to the knee pain....its pretty much gone, except when I start getting tired. When I'm running, if I really focus on keeping the hamstrings activated, there's no pain.

As far as diet - still pretty good. Lots and lots of veggies, some fruits, some meat...I did taste the cookies we were baking, and indulged in a couple today, but still managed to keep my daily caloric intake under 1200 calories by loading up on the veggies. I'm now under the weight requirements for the job, but I intend to give myself a good safety zone before I start ramping up the calories to maintenence levels. I am still freaking out about losing muscle...but my workouts feel pretty good. At my strongest, I was able to do a few 1-arm pushups and a few pistols. I can't do those now, so I know that I've lost some strength...on the other hand, regular pushups are getting easier, and I think I'm getting faster with running...I guess we'll see how I do when I come home and you girls start kicking my butt!

I'll see you ladies soon! Be strong!

Yes, I am still alive

Hey everyone! I feel really disconnected from everyone right now! My change in employment has me working from sun up to sun down on most days. Hopefully that will even out a bit in the near future. Workouts are great and so is nutrition. All in all, I am really happy! Welcome to the blog Tex! Okay, more details later! Be Strong!

Fry-day

Not really, but like the notion of hitting the day with enthusiasm. Slept great and woke up early for a change! I think Burpee-girl's suggestion about taking my meds at night earlier in the evening is working out for me. Went for a slow run last night, only about 4 miles, actually walked for about a third of the distance, running/walking off and on. Had a beef flavored soy patty with kale and brown rice for dinner with bengal tiger spice herbal tea. Delish! Oh, I had part of a cookie too. Molasses.

What else? Going to do a workout on my own with some work colleagues later this afternoon. Won't be as good as the gym, but I'll be sure to do it which is what counts. Also, having a private yoga session with Kari tonight. She is so good. I hope she can help me with my foot alignment and all associated toubles. Have a beautiful day!!

Back to gray

I don't mean to become a blogging weather report, but I'm really struck by the change in energy level I feel with the weather. Anyway, my presentation yesterday went great, I ate really healthy except for dinner which I used as a celebration---good cheese, crackers, wine, fresh spinach, and some prosciutto.

Today, was oatmeal with cranberries and a sausage flavored soy patty for breakfast, a tuna salad sandwich for lunch, and probably pumpkin soup for dinner with a soy burger. Need to force myself to go to the gym after work. I always feel a little more optimistic about it after I visit our blog! Be strong!

Pretty good day

In the afternoon, I ran 3 miles. Steady medium pace.

This evening, I started working out and got interupted several times. Finally, I was starving, so I gave up and ate dinner. But before that happened, here's what I did:
Swings to warm up (1 12kg KB) ...didn't count reps
4x5 1 arm cleans
4x5 1 arm snatches
20 pushups
8 KB military presses
14 90 degree body rows
10 squat cleans 2x12kg
2x8 1-leg deadlifts with 24kg
20 pushups
15 90 degree chins
20 pushups
some squats while on the phone during one of my interuptions
20 pushups
10 front squats 24kg
20 pushups
60 situps

Food today - oatmeal with protein powder; watercress salad; granola bar; anti-cancer soup with Italian seasonings; salmon, green beans, and acorn squash for dinner.
I'll probably have some berries and soymilk for dessert later...

A few more frustrations on the job front, but I believe progress is being made. I had an eye exam this morning (for the job, not because I wanted one), and they dialated my eyes. My eyes were so dialated, that I couldn't read the spedometer on the way home. Then, when I went for my run, it was overcast and raining, and I wore sunglasses...got a couple weird looks. If its raining tomorrow, I'll run in the rain. If there's lightning, I'm not sure what I'll do. I guess go jump rope in the racketball court.

I feel encouraged by my five sets of 20 pushups. I only started struggling on the last set. Be strong, ladies!!!!

Sunshine!!

Even a little like right now at the end of the day gives me such a boost!! I have a big presentation at work tomorrow, and am feeling really good and prepared. Can't make it to the gym, but will be taking a run when I get home. Still seem to need a lot of sleep, but whatever. I'll be fine. Just wanted to share, K-smash, that I have a similar sort of story for myself regarding weight/build/lifestyle. I'm healthier, stronger, now than I have ever been in my life. I think that on some charts I would be considered in the overweight category. My weight pretty much stays at 150-155. Last fall, I was 145-150 for about 4 months, but I was not eating more healthy, I think I was overtraining and just eating less. My evidence for that is that I developed my allergy problem which I think was exacerbated by the physical stress my body had been under. Weight change, I experience, as both a cause and a symptom of stress. So, while I would like to be lighter, hope to be leaner, I'm approaching that now with a perspective of overall training, and not a goal in itself. Whatever I'm doing, I try to reallly appreciate my health and strength each day. Just really live in the moment of good health. To life!

So this is what's up...

Today I ran 3 miles. Yesterday I took off. Saturday I spent the entire day hiking with DH - up, over, and around Enchanted Rock.










I was so depressed and discouraged last week, that I didn't really want to get into details. Anyway, I feel like I've been given an ultimatum. Basically, a couple weeks ago I was told, "If you really want this job, you need to weigh less than xxx lbs." When I joined the MBG in 2004, my weight dropped from about 180 to 160 and then stayed there. I played tackle football in the NWFA at about 165 lbs, and ran my marathon at about 160 lbs (but with much, much, much less muscle). At my very worst, while writing my thesis in grad school, I could have weighed up to 190... Of course, I wouldn't make it an issue if my (hopefully) future employer didn't make it an issue. So anyway, now I am jumping through yet another hoop. I'm eating nutrient rich, trying to get enough protein every day, but simultaneously tracking and limiting my calories. I've been averaging 1200 calories a day, while consuming large quantities of tasty veggies. I just have this fear that I am going to lose muscle too, but if I keep training and keep making sure that I get protein, that shouldn't happen, right? This morning, the scale was just under 155 lbs. So, progress... So the plan for tomorrow is a run and a hard strength-training workout and 1500 calories.


I made Dr. Fuhrman's anti-cancer soup on Sunday. I like it, except I cut the quantity of carrots in half and it's still too sweet. And I didn't use the celery (the pots were too full already and I don't have a juicer). Its a little bland, but I have a nice selection of Penzey's spices to make each bowl different. I've had it with curry powder and aleppo pepper, zatar, and tomorrow I am going to try Italian herbs. I think it would also taste good with chili powder and adobo seasoning. Well, I'll need you girls to kick my butt when I come back next month. :D I'm looking forward to that. Be strong!

Happy Monday!

Had a great weekend! Of course, it was cold, and we still have some snow in patches, which means running/biking are not as fun, but...healthwise, energywise, I feel like I'm doing better. Slept a lot. Worked out on Sat...Jump rope, own pace, 20 minutes on Saturday, then easy run on Sunday, body power this morning---a repeat of the 15/15 from last week. It probably did help to take my meds earlier in the evening, so that I had more time to sleep off the effects. Had pumpkin soup for lunch on saturday, seafood salad for dinner. Sunday had a homemade apple tart for breakfast (not very substantial), and sauteed kale with onion and garlic with a veggie burger for dinner. Optimum power back to nature cereal for breakfast, veggie wrap for lunch, pumpkin soup for dinner tonight. That's all I have. I did about the same resistance with the 15/15 this morning. My foot felt good by the end of class, which makes me think working out in the morning could be beneficial. Stay strong! Love hard! Be good!

I don't know where I am

"I don't know where I am. Actually, I know where I am, but I don't know if I can get to where I need to go from where I am."

That's the quote of the day. I said that while driving yesterday...and had no idea how applicable it was to the rest of my life, until today. And let me tell you, today was so frustrating. Its this whole job application process...having my dream job so close, yet also knowing that the stupidest things could keep me from getting it...

So anyway...Wednesday I had job stuff to take care of, and that took most of the day, so I didn't work out. Thursday was busy too, so in the evening I did sort of a playground workout - pushups, KB cleans, presses, swings, and snatches, mountain climbers, situps, foot-up lunges...no counting, no order...just a free for all... Today, I went rowing, for maybe an hour and a half. I'm not sure - my mind was not on rowing. Tonight DH and I went for a run, a little under 3 miles...we started out at an easier pace and keep progressing to a harder pace. At the end I sprinted up a hill, and according to my heartrate monitor, I got up to 180. My resting heartrate is generally around 55 or 56 when I'm sitting. I had an EKG on Wednesday, and my heartrate then was 48. Tomorrow we're going hiking at a state park...that will be fun! I can't wait.

Today in the morning I had some soymilk with some extra soyprotein...I had no time for breakfast, so that's why I had that. Lunch was canned salmon with fresh spinach, raw broccoli slaw, a flax-oat bran-whole wheat pita, and some yogurt mixed with curry powder and a little water. I had granola bar before rowing. Tonight I made baked tilapia, steamed broccolini, sauteed mushrooms, red bell pepper, and broccoli slaw with a little teriyaki sauce, and 1/4 baked acorn squash. I really want to make that anticancer soup this weekend...the recipe looks really good. Maybe Sunday.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day...be strong, girls...

Whatever it takes...

So, the week is flying by, and you all have been so good and encouraging to me! I think I'm adjusting to the change of season, and beginning (just beginning) to re-orient toward working out. I'll also say that I think my allergy medication (I take a LOT, I mean a LOT) of medicine before bedtime, and that may be what is leading to my slow mornings, which I seem to be experiencing as a failure because my ideal situation is to workout in the morning and then have a jog or bike ride in the evening if I want. Bookending my day with exercise seems to really help me. I know many would say, cut back on that medication, but for the first time in over 8 months, my allergies are under control so I'm sticking with my current program. In the meantime, diet was better yesterday and today so far. Will be hitting the salad bar for lunch (yum) and can I just say I really miss spinach? I really do. Making pumpkin soup for dinner. Saute one finely chopped onion, add One can of pumpkin, two cups chicken broth, 1/3 cup of peanut butter, red pepper flakes to taste. I have some fresh apples from my neighbors so I'll have an apple for dessert. Maybe if I get to bed early enough I'll get up and workout friday morning. but sleep comes first! Be strong!

How long can I keep this up?

This morning...rowed on the lake for 1 hour 40 minutes. Rowing isn't really a workout for me; I'm not good enough, technically, for that yet. But it is a nice, active leisure activity.

This afternoon...walked 1 hour 20 minutes. I needed to clear my head...but being alone with my thoughts for an hour and 20 minutes didn't really clear anything...but I think I might go for walks more often anyway.

This evening (as in after 11 pm!)...ran with DH for 20 minutes.

Discipline

I'm not saying I have any. I just want it. But obviously not enough to have it! Yesterday was a 15/15 workout for 5 minutes with 4 stations. First was d-ball cleans alternating with d-ball presses. Then d-ball snatches (have to really accelerate through the clean to press transition) alternating with front squats. The chin ups alternating with push-ups. We finished with core...pike-ups with leg curls or prone thinker with supine thinker. I used a 60 or 65# for the cleans and presses, two 25# power balls for the snatches and a 65# again for the front squats. I did jump chins and push-ups with my feet up on a tire. I just did a really extended, planked-out prone thinker and worked hard on my supine thinker pose. The thing I feel best about with that workout is that I feel like I was able to find an extended action in my feet in the supine thinker. That is a very hard pose for me. Getting the action of my heels and shins is a real struggle.

Diet...I can't remember breakfast. Had a salad at the salad bar for lunch. Had an asian veggie noodle salad with shrimp for dinner and lemon drop cookies for dessert. So after the lemon drop cookies settled, I went for a short run and ended up going to bed too late. I read this and is "sounds" like I'm very dedicated, even disciplined about my fitness, and compared to how I used to be, I am. Yet, I know that my diet yesterday was more of an exception than a rule and if I want to move to a higher level of fitness I need to cut down on the portions of food that I eat, and improve the balance of protien and greens to carbs in my diet. I just don't have that energized feeling that comes with a really healthy balance of diet and exercise. I feel like I'm struggling. I won't beat up on myself, but I need to figure out how to get more structure around my time spent working out and preparing my own food. Between work and having a social life, I've lost the priority I once placed on working out and preparing healthy meals for myself. Well, I guess priority is the operative word here. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow! Keep that energy high!

"DH" stands for "Dear Husband"

Too many people have asked who this DH guy is, that I am working out with all the time...it's my dear, sweet husband!

Saturday evening before dinner, I did do pushups and situps. Three rounds of 15 pushups and 30 situps...then my sister-in-law and I made this awesome dinner...I'll have to post the recipe, because it was soooo good.

Sunday, DH and I went for a 3 mile walk together, at a nice, brisk pace.

Today, I ran three miles. Then I did a card deck workout with hindu pushups, body rows, stability ball curls, and v-ups. The v-ups seemed too easy at first, so I slowed them down, and then for some sets, I did slow tucks instead (with my hands in the air, not on the floor). After I was done with the card deck, I did 60 situps. The hindu pushups were by far the most difficult part of the workout...I really need to do those more often.

OK, here's that recipe...we made an enchilada casserole. I was going to make enchiladas, but the tortillas were way too small, and the ratio of tortilla to filling would have been too great.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, baked and shredded
1 medium onion, chopped
12 to 16 oz fresh spinach
8 to 12 oz mushrooms, sliced
minced garlic
1 to 1.25 lbs tomatillos
1 bunch cilantro, washed and leaves picked off stems
1 lb fire roasted Hatch chilis or roasted Anaheim chilis - seeded and peeled
12 to 18 corn tortillas

Sauce: Peel and destem the tomatillos. Boil them for about 10 minutes, until tender. Combine tomatillos, cilantro, 1/4 cup onion, the chilis, some minced garlic, and maybe some chicken broth or water in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Saute the rest of the onions and mushrooms until tender. Add the spinach and continue to saute just until the spinach wilts. Add some minced garlic and the shredded chicken and mix well.

Spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray. Place a layer of tortillas down in the pan. Spread the chicken-spinach mixture over the tortillas. Cover with another layer of tortillas. Pour the sauce over the top of the tortillas. You can put some cheese on top if you want. I put sharp cheddar on part of it for DH and his sister, and left the rest plain. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

I baked the chicken in a little organic chicken broth with cumin and chili powder on it. The amounts of ingredients can all be easily adjusted...I pretty much made the recipe up anyway.

I hope you ladies had a good weekend! Be strong!

Top of the week

Had some good workouts lately...Friday was a long circuit 1 time through, as many reps as possible in 1 minute of: military press, cleans, clean and press, (I was toast at this point), k-bell pulls, k-bell pushes (basically turn around and pull the k-bells dragging them behind you so it's a pushing action), straddle ups with rope or pole vaulters with chin-up bar or rings, power wheel roll outs (did this twice), then finished with foot up lunges 1 minute each leg, first thirty seconds were slow and controlled, second thirty were as fast as possible. It was a good workout. I used a 60# d-ball for the military presses, an 80# for the cleans, back to 60 for the clean and press. Saturday, I took yoga class instead of teaching. Then had a run later in the day. Run was about 4 miles, sprint then slow jog, sprint then slow, then a pretty plodding pace for the rest of the run. My feet and ankles still are not pain free, but getting better. Sunday, no workout, but did rake my front yard. Was thinking about my core strength as I worked so that action came from the twist of my hips and legs rather than spine.

Nutrition is not good. Mostly, I just don't have any motivation to prepare my own food. When I eat healthy it's something that requires minimal effort---cereal and soy milk, apples and peanut butter. I'm not being too harsh with myself about it, but am feeling the effects in terms of energy and body fat (too much carbs, not enough protein and greens).

Planning to workout tonight at 5:00. That's it!! Be powerful!

Long week

Wow...its been a long week, with plenty of ups and downs...

Workouts:
Today DH and I worked out with Crossfit Central. Great group of people. We did a kettlebell workout (I brought my KBs). Started out with a farmers walk, while walking around looking for the group. :) Warmed up with squats, pushups, line drills, Bergener's warmup, and a little KB practice. The workout was three sets of 50 pullups and 50 single KB swings with a partner - so you and your partner had to get to 50 together, not each. The swings were to straight overhead with two hands on one KB, and the pullups were all different variants - regular, jumps, or body rows. I was partnered with DH, so I tried to do more of the reps so that DH wouldn't strain his injured hand too much. On the third round, I pumped out 40 body rows divided up in three sets - 15, 10, and 15 - because DH was wasted. Then we finished with KB bear crawls. I need to work on those!

Friday - ran 3 miles (steady med-hard pace)
Thursday - way too busy to fit a workout in - I know, I stink.
Wednesday - ran 3 miles (hard intervals)
Tuesday - 15/15 workout with 10 minutes of pushups and pullups; 10 minutes of KB front squats and deadlifts; 6 minutes of situps.
Monday - I was a lazy@$$ - no workout
Sunday - sprint pyramid

OK, the 15/15 was cool. DH kept track of my reps:
Pushups: 11, 10, 9, 10, 9, 9, 8, 8, 10, 10...then I did 6 more to make it 100 total
Pullups (with assistance from DH): 3, 2, 4, 2, 2, 2 (jumps), 2 (jumps), 1, 0, 0
Front squats with 2x12 kg: 10 sets of 5
Deadlifts with 2x12kg (way too light): 8, 7, 9, 9, 9, 8, 9, 9, 9, 9
Situps (this is what was really cool): 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 14, 15
The last set of situps took a little longer than 15 seconds, but I wanted to hit 15...

Food:
Trying to eat clean...breakfast has been either oatmeal (real oatmeal) with blueberries and soy protein powder, or a ton of sauteed veggies (broccoli, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage) and some eggs (usually 1 egg and some egg whites). I have been really bad about eating lunch. Sometimes I manage a salad, sometimes its cottage cheese and fruit. Snacks are usually apples, almonds, a whole-grain granola bar, some plain yogurt, or raisins. Dinners have been pretty good - lots of broccoli, some squash or sweet potato, cauliflower. This week I've made some baked mango-chipotle chicken...some Thai curry tilapia...watercress salad and teriyaki tofu...last night was teriyaki salmon, baked sweet potato, and steamed asparagus. Drinking lots of green tea, some soymilk, some skim milk, and tons of water.

OK, so I have a weakness...raisins. I cannot keep raisins in the house!! I obsess over them and crave them constantly...so no more raisins. :( Writing about them now makes my mouth water...


Frustrations and incidents:
OK, so a few frustrations on the job front...some of its pretty personal, so email me and I'll tell you about it...I'll be back to visit and deal with job stuff next month sometime...I'm planning to stick around for a couple weeks, so I'm going to email Jon and let him know that I will be available to teach and sub anytime while I'm back.

So last night when I was running, there was this couple walking on the path. They had that wussy fake-gangster look. As I run, I always stay to the right side of the path, which is wide enough for 5 people to walk side by side. The girl moves over so that she is directly in my path, and tilts her head way back so that she's looking down her nose at me. She had a really smug look on her face. It was pretty obvious that she purposely moved into my path to make me move out of her way. I had this hilarious thought to drop my shoulder and tackle her, but I have too much common sense for that...and my training is way too important... So I just moved to the left side of the path and ran by them while they snickered. She has no idea how stupid she looked...but whatever. Why are people so stupid?

Well, that's my week. I am thinking about doing some pushups and situps later today...maybe...
I hope you have a great weekend! Be strong, ladies!

How can you go wrong with the Renegade Rows?

I really liked yesterday's workout, especially the Renegade Rows. I worked out with another super, duper, tough chick that is not on our blog spot... I shall call her Super J!

It was a pyramid 6,10,12 of:

traveling alligators
Renegade Rows with the 24k's (yeah)
overhead lunges
1-arm snatch with 16k's

I tried to snatch the 20k again and couldn't quite do it. All in due time :)

Diet yesterday was a veggie wrap for lunch, apple for snack, and a Tuna Caesar salad (no cheese) for dinner. Still upping my protein. I have been drinking the IsoPure's after my workouts which are nice cuz they have 40 grams of protein. Speaking of food, I think it is time for lunch...Be strong!

BURPEES!

You know how I love them. The Thursday workout was burpee workout, and it was so fun! All in all I did 300 burpees of varying types. That is a humbling workout for sure.

Yesterday was a day off. I did a pretty good job eating: granola + rice milk for breakfast, brown rice n veggies for lunch (ooh, and tofu, yum). Oh yeah dinner was at Unos but I had their flatbread pizza with tomatoes, feta, spinach and olives on it. Delicious. I need to cook more at home though.

Tonight I believe I will be going for a run. Perhaps a roadwork type, with intermittent pushups, squats, jump lunges and thinkers. Brrr! Its so cold out today. 30 degrees right now.

A little down time

Last workout was Saturday FIT. Card deck with burpees, russian twists, hindu squats, and running in place. I had to change a couple exercises to take care of my ankle/foot, but it worked out fine. I was pretty sore from last wednesday's body power workout too. The plyo push-ups really did me in. Nice bikeride on Sunday and took a 4 mile run that night. It helps to write this out, because I've been feeling like I haven't been very active, but I realize my expectation is a little off. Anyway, that's my story. Massage tonight, so no workout, but will be taking FIT tomorrow I think...Stay strong!

Hey

Hey tough chicks!

Whew...I have been so busy. Went to Door County last weekend and didn't really workout, but did a lot of hiking in Peninsula State Park.

I over-trained last Wednesday and couldn't move for a few days. It was a 15/15 of lunges, swings ( I did 1-arm snatches with the 16K instead), Plyo Push-ups and body rows. I did the full plyo push-ups and I did cliff hangers. WOW! talk about sore!

I was able to snatch the 20k kettlebell the other day!!!! I have been trying to get it up for a while now.

Be Strong!

A couple good workouts and a rant

Tonight DH and I went to the track and did a spring pyramid. We warmed up with line drills, then sprinted: 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m. We took a short rest inbetween every sprint to walk to the starting point of the next sprint. We ran a couple of them in the opposite direction on the track to balance out the muscles working on the curve. I was really mad at myself after the 400m, but DH said, "Sweety, this is a crazy workout. You're tough. You can do it." He really kept me going.

Friday I did the MBG online WOD, but I added a couple more exercises. I warmed up with JR 150's, so during the workout I substituted mountain climbers for the minute of JR. Then I added on a minute of situps, and as I promised, thinker. I used my KBs for everything (except pushups and PW stuff, of course). I felt pleasantly sore the following day. :)


So here's my rant - completely unrelated...I am really sick of companies trying to make money off of people by tricking them into thinking that the products are healthier than they really are. I am not a soda drinker, but when I had the flu a couple weeks ago, DH bought some 7-up for me. The label states "Now 100% natural." However, when I read the ingredients, ingredient #2 was high fructose corn syrup. Since when is HFCS natural???? HFCS is soooooo bad for you. I hate it. So I wrote 7-up a nice little letter telling them that I think their label is misleading and thus unethical.

DH has been working really, really long hours lately, and so I picked up a couple instant soup cups for him to keep at work. They are by Fantastic Foods, which is a company that makes natural convenience foods like hummus, falafel, couscous, and soup mixes. Their target customer is obviously someone who is more concerned about health. So I start reading the label, and what ticks me off about this product is the insane amount of salt they add. Using the standard 2000 calorie a day diet, the caloric value of the soup is 8% of your daily intake. The sodium content, however, is 30% of the maximum allowance for sodium. Is it just me, or is this just ridiculous? Anyone can pick up a salt shaker and add salt if they really think it needs it...but if there is already too much salt, there's no way to take it out. So I wrote Fantastic Foods a nice little email too. If enough people comment on things like this, maybe they'll improve their products...so read your labels, and if something could or should be improved, write the company!!

Well, that's it for now. Be strong, ladies!!!

Machines are for Sissies

This past week I was on a neurosurgery rotation, so my workouts were pretty minimal. Except my call night, which consisted of sprints between the OR, floor and ER. :)

I taught Saturday classes, and did the card deck (JRX10, burpee, skater, heavy russian twist) with the 9am class, which was nice. I also went on a short bike ride, around the Cap City loop. It was the most gorgeous fall day thus far. I love fall in Wisconsin.

Today I am teaching Power60, and hopefully working out as well. Its gauntlet day. I'm trying hard to get people to come to Power60, many are intimidated by its name or something, and always tell me they are afraid to try it. I wish I had a way to get the word out there that it is a good hybrid class. Haven't had much support from Jess and Jon though, so that makes it hard too. Ah well.

You all sound so happy and FIT! I'm glad, but very jealous. My stress level + time spent with school stuff is wearing on my fitness right now.

October 5...my brother's birthday!!!

So this year, the older of my two little brothers not only got married, but he turned 24!!! Happy birthday, dear brother!!!

Last night, by the time I finally got around to my workout, I felt drained. I think I kept putting my workout off because I felt tired...so I had planned on doing a prison workout, but it turned into a free-for-all...so I did a bunch of KB cleans, snatches, and presses. Then I did a bunch of situps.

Tonight DH and I went for a run. We warmed up for about 10 minutes, with jogging and line drills. Then we did three x four minute intervals of hard running. It was good. I love running with DH, because he pushes me to go faster.

That's it for now. You know how I haven't done line drills or jumprope until recently? Well, I remembered something else I haven't done....I haven't done any thinkers!!! I do it when I am doing HEY...back and forth between DD and thinker and all that, but I haven't done it and held it for as long as I can... So tomorrow, the dreaded thinker.... :D

Be strong!

Yoga me

Forgot about HEY tonight at mound street. I think I'll be heading to that instead of jiu jitsu drill workout... I think.... I've needed to get back into yoga for a while, and I feel like I'm finally ready to take on a little more activity. Well, I don't have much else that is new. Except my bike. Did I mention I have a new one?

Rain, no ride...

So, managed to squeak in a workout this morning. Plyo push-ups, rope or bar climb, foot up lunges and snatches. I did three sets of the push-ups and bar climb. skipped the lunges and snatches---instead did power wheel leg curls and pikes. It was a little something. Tomorrow I think is a jiu-jitsu style FIT class so I'm definitely looking forward to that... Diet has been o.k. except for six pieces of candy corn, consumed yesterday after of course demonstrating the fang use for my work colleagues. That's it for now!

Fun on the football field

I went to a football field for a line drill workout. I did three sets of:

1. run 3x
2. high knees 3x
3. buttkickers 3x
4. skipping 3x
5. skaters 3x
6. lateral slides 6x
7. kareoke 6x
8. crawling 4x
9. 20 burpees

Then I went rowing for an hour (that part wasn't on the football field). :D

The line drill workout was hard. I want to work up to 5 times through the whole thing, but my legs were still sore from Saturday's workout anyway. It was also hot and sunny...91 degrees when I was out there. Now I'm sitting in DH's lab, waiting for him to finish so that we can go home and make dinner. I'm hungry! Be strong!

I have a new bike!!

So, I've been riding! Last MBG workout was Friday. Burpee-girl and I started the BP workout and then jumped in on the combat conditionning class. Fun! Class ended with 40 chin-ups and 40 hindu or downdog presses with a wall sit at the end. We did jump chins. Today is the first day my triceps and lower traps are not sore! That's good news because it means that even though I overtrained, I had good form. Did I mention I have a new bike? If you can't be strong, be fast!

Still sore from Saturday!!

Oh goodness...my butt, my thighs...they hurt....when will it stop?

OK, so you know what I said about line drills? Same thing for jumping rope. Yeah, I've been an idiot.

So today, I warmed up with jumping rope on the tennis court next to my apartment. It felt great. I did two sets of 150s and then a series of skills intervals. I need to start jumping rope regularly again. I love it.

Then I came inside and did three sets of pushups (15 reps per set), chinups (2 reps per set), and situps (60 as fast as possible, followed by 30 as fast as possible).

I was going to do more tonight, but I'm too tired. I'm still not decided on whether to do the line drill workout or sprints tomorrow...

Welcome to the blog, Phoenix! I'm glad your online with us....and I love the name!

Be strong, ladies!!!!

Thurs-Sunday

Where does the time go?

For Thursday's fit we did a 15/15 of log jumps, skaters, burbees, sprints and lateral slides. It was a nice workout. They keep getting easier :D

On Friday I was sad that I missed the LOBO workout, but went to the noon BP, which is always a challenge. I did 100 cable presses, alternating between the blue and the green, 100 kettlebell swings with the 24k and 150 hindu squats.

I took Saturday and Sunday off.

Diet has been great. I won't give you every detail, but have stayed with the increase in protein and am starting to notice a difference in the intensity of my workouts. I have remained caffeine and coffee free and am still drinking a lot of herbal tea. YUM!

Be Strong!