Helllooooooooooooooo!
Let me just tell you, I heard from Sarah and she is absolutely beside herself with all of your nice comments on her photoshoot! :) She said she is glowing all day long after seeing those kind words. Awww!!!
Yesterday and today I had more fun workouts at the gym!
It is so weird going to a gym after working out at home for the past year!! I kind of liked it for a change. It was also nice to have a whole variety of equipment to use too.
I have been rocking this elliptical beast this week:
Yes it has a TV…but for some reason the TV’s at this gym don’t work! How sad.
I decided to turn my elliptical workout into a super duper cardio + strength interval workout today. Oh boy, was it awesome!
Here is what I did:
- 5 mins. incline 4%, resistance 5, FORWARD (warm-up)
- 5 mins. incline 5%, resistance 11, FORWARD
- 5 mins. incline 5%, resistance 9, BACKWARD
- 5 mins. incline 5%, resistance 11, FORWARD
- 5 mins. incline 5%, resistance 10, BACKWARD- pump arms- push + pull
- 5 mins. incline 5%, resistance 11, FORWARD, pump arms- push + pull
- 5 mins. incline 5%, resistance 9, BACKWARD, pump arms- push + pull
- 5 mins, incline 5%, resiatnce 11, FORWARD, pump legs, no arms
- 5 mins., incline 2%, resistance 7, no arms (cool-down)
Total: one awesome 45 mins interval workout!
Distance travelled: 4.65 miles
Avg heart rate: 156 bpm
Note:
- Pump arms- push + pull means that I used the arms on the elliptical to give my own arms a great workout. I pushed HARD, then pulled the arms back HARD…repeat, repeat, repeat. My arms were BURNING!!!! When I do this, I simply let my legs glide along for the ride.
- PUMP LEGS means that I did the opposite. I pumped my legs hard and contracted the muscles and simply let my arms stay at my sides or coast along for the ride on the machine arms.
My arms and legs were burning. Oh wow I loved this workout. My heart was PUMPING!
Then I went into the aerobic studio (complete with wall to wall mirrors!) and did some self-guided yoga. It was awesome. I did about 10 minutes of the yoga and then I did a few side planks and regular planks. I ended in child’s pose for about 2-3 minutes. It was really nice to have the mirrors to check on my form! I was surprised to find that my form has already improved so much since I started.
When I was doing the yoga, I had my tunes pumping (my pop+techno mix) and I actually kind of liked doing yoga to some heavier beats. It was a really fun contrast and I felt so energized! If you typically listen to the soft music while doing yoga, I suggest trying to switch it up to some fast music…it was quite fun for a change! I felt so energized afterward.
Then I came home and did 5 more mins. of HOT yoga with my Costco space heater! It makes my muscles sooooo loose as a goose.
I am really enjoying the self-guided yoga that I have been doing. I find it so much more relaxing than following an instructor on a DVD. I guess I just like silence!!!!
It is amazing how renewed I feel after switching up my exercise routine. My muscles feel so loose, I have renewed enthusiasm, and I feel much more centered and relaxed. Never underestimate the power of changing things up a little! :) The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny this weekend so I hope to either do some hiking or get in a run outside. Should be fun. :)
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In The News:
- Good news for those of us in Canada who are self-employed!!! The Federal Government just announced its’ plans to give Employment Insurance to self-employed individuals starting in 2011. This includes maternity leave too! Up until now, self-employed people in Canada have gotten the shaft. Eric and I are quite happy about this. We hope to start a family in the next few years so this will help out a bit anyways. You can read the article here.
Have a lovely day! Off to finish my orders.
Great workout! How long does it take for you to travel to and from the gym? That is the one thing about home workouts- I bet its so nice and convenient in your own home!!
Good news about the insurance!
Meant to say I think its AWESOME that they’d pay for maternity time. I always wondered how self employed women did it!
Its about 5 mins…so not too shabby at all! :)
Your insurance would pay for maternity time??? That’s amazing!!!
I have insurance through my husband’s job. It’s pretty good I guess- I only go to the doctor once or twice a year, and have never had a major problem, thank goodness!
That sounds like a fantastic work out! Might have to try something similar someday soon. Also, I love doing hot yoga to faster paced music. I feel like it makes me push myself harder.
I love the elliptical, I used it daily! We have insurance through my husband’s work. I am not too sure about maternity leave, but we want to start a family soon, too.
Great workout! I hate using the handles, but think I’ll give it a try :)
Congrats on your insurance! That’s awesome news and I’m sure a load off!
Your workout sounds awesome! I agree about the gym! I went a year not going and I absolutely love it now! I realized I missed seeing some of the similar faces (not to mention the cute boys who motivate me to go longer than 20 minutes on the machines hehe). Shh don’t tell my boyfriend! :) ;)
I’m glad you’re enjoying your new exercise routine! After about 2.5 years of intense running/training I’ve been sidelined for the past 4 months with a hip injury and I have finally gotten to the point where I don’t really miss running! I’m taking the opportunity to focus more on strength training/pilates and I can definitely tell a difference in my body from when I did mainly cardio.
Great news on the insurance!
The eliptical is one of my favorite workout machines :)
That is an AWESOME workout- I always give the elliptical the drive by at the gym because I think I should pound it out on the treadmill… But I really must try your pump arms/legs part!!
Insurance for the self employed, huh? This self employment idea just needs to come to me first!
Oh your TV doesn’t work? How about someone STOLE all the TVs in my gym night before last! Crazy, right?
I’m glad that you are finding other great forms of exercise besides running. Once the marathon training is finished, I’m looking forward to trying other stuff, like yoga, or kickboxing!
I’ve never thought that I got a very good workout on the elliptical machine before, but I think it’s because I put it on too low of a resistance and no incline.
(once my toes heal) I should try this workout! It looks awesome!!
great that you feel good after changing your workout! i am sure this is the way to go – to keep changing.
after being mainly a jogger for years, i experienced a tremendous push and a change in my body after starting to train on a stationary bike instead and doing some more strength traing/walking/pilates/yoga/whatever exercise routine i hear about :-) i never realised how bored i was with jogging before.
now, i will still go for a run sometimes…but only sometimes. i plan to challenge my body all the time with change. luckily, there are enough sports/fitness inventions on this world to try.
I love the elliptical because it’s easy on my poor knees. I’ll have to try yoga with tunes – maybe following some Yoga Download poses as I go and making up my own workout. That’s a great idea!
Did you decide to join a gym for any particular reason?
Didnt join..just have a free pass! :)
I am writing this on a post it and bringing it to the gym tomorrow! Yes, I’m going to be THAT girl! Hahaha
This came at the PERFECT time! I haven’t been able to do more than 15 mins on the elliptical because I get so bored–but I can’t run because I’m still recovering from an injury–intervals, I think, will be my savior! Or you :)
Have a great night, girl!
I am going to try heavier beats with my yoga now!
Did you see the story about EI on CTV National the other night? If so that was me!
I may try that workout! I usually hate the squirrelliptical. I am kinda jealous about the health care. US doesn’t have that. Sounds like a good idea.
That is WONDERFUL news about the Employment Insurance!!!! I was shocked when I read that – pleasantly shocked!
Sounds like a great workout! I love the gym (when I get there); such a range of equipment is awesome.
Paid maternity?!? That is awesome! With all our health insurance struggles in the US lately, Canada sure sounds appealing some days! That and its only a few hours North of here :)
Great workout!
Thanks for the workout. Since it seems the elliptical is my new best friend, I will give your workout a go!
I may have to give this a try tonight! Thanks for the workout!
I found that when I used to get on an elliptical, I would get bored quickly and rarely pushed myself like I could. A friend told me about some killer elliptical workouts on iTunes. They basically have a top-notch trainer taking you through a HIIT routine for the elliptical. It’s great for weight loss and seriously kicks my butt every time, in just 20 minutes: http://bit.ly/EllipticalExpress_iTunes.
I like the elliptical machine that it does not create too much pressure on my joints that make me can exercise for longer time.