She’s Baaaaaaack! :D
Guess who finally had a great workout today?
[insert toothy grin here]
All it took was simply telling myself this:
‘I decided I’m going to go have a kick-ass workout on the treadmill today!’
And something kind of clicked inside me. All I had to do was change how I perceived the situation.
Ok, ok, I also pulled out all the stops to get myself motivated:
On the TV…my fav fashion duo:
![IMG_0933 IMG_0933](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/img-0933-thumb.jpg)
Both race medals. I told myself, this isn’t even CLOSE to the effort you exerted for the races!Suck it up! lol
![IMG_0945 IMG_0945](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/img-0945-thumb1.jpg)
Within view was my 10 miler race bib for motivation…
IShuffle fully charged and ready to go should I need it. Also had Amazing Grass (wheatgrass + water) for added mojo:
Runner’s World. It was really just there for show since I have already read it cover to cover.
Pre-workout fuel: A S’moore Glo Bar
![IMG_0949 IMG_0949](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/img-0949-thumb.jpg)
This spider has been tormenting me all week! He hovers right above my head on the ceiling above me. GAH!!!!! I know he is going to just ‘free-fall’ and land on me one of these days! Knowing me, I would probably freak out and fall off!
![IMG_0927 IMG_0927](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/img-0927-thumb.jpg)
I also used a new treadmill trick today.
I typically always go by the clock on the treadmill to judge when I can take mini breaks, right? Well, watching the clock can get really boring!
So today I simply focused on the visual laps on the screen. I told myself I could take a quick break after every 4 laps on the treadmill (roughly 1 mile). This visual trick helped keep my mind off the timer! I also broke up the 4 laps into individual or half-way markers. So for example, on lap two I would tell myself, only two more laps until I can take a quick break. Or just one more lap to go. So simple, yet very effective for me today.
The workout:
- Duration: 1 hour 5 minutes + core work
- Hill workout: Speed 4.1 mph, incline 15%
- Core work: See Jodie’s moves below!
- Max heart rate: 170 bpm
- Avg heart rate: 157 bpm
- Distance: 4.25 miles
I totally felt like I was my old self today. It was a good feeling not to have to ‘pull teeth’ to get myself to workout! My body also felt well-rested which is always a wonderful feeling. I think it was a good thing that I gave it proper rest days following the race last week. It can be hard to discern what is actual fatigue (mental/physical or both) and what is just the blahs! Either way, I have learned that sometimes some extra time off or reduced intensity can be a good thing regardless of the reason why.
![summerglowbanner copy3 summerglowbanner copy3](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/summerglowbannercopy3-thumb12.jpg)
We have a special fitness guest post tonight by Jodie who is a Personal Trainer/ Pilates Instructor! She is showing us her 3 favourite core moves.
Of course, being a core move freak myself, I was just delighted to feature some new ways to change it up!
1. Balancing Star Plank
Get into the side plank position. So if you start on your left side, your right arm should be extended to the ceiling, now here is the twist, instead of raising your right leg, you will keep the right leg firmly planted on the floor and swing your left leg forward. Hold for 3 seconds and repeat on the other side. 3 reps each side.
2. The Bird Dog Plank
Start in the plank position, feet hip width apart. Your head and spine should be in a straight line, while you raise your right arm out in front of you, and your left leg a few inches off the floor. Hold for 3-5 seconds, keeping body level and stable. Repeat on the opposite side. 8 reps each side.
![Bird Dog Plank Bird Dog Plank](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/birddogplank-thumb.jpg)
3. Reverse plank with Leg Pull Up (this is a classic Pilates exercise).
It’s imperative to keep your wrists under shoulders, and the hips should be lifted as high as possible and should remain steady.
Inhale and kick left leg towards the ceiling twice. Exhale lower the leg and repeat on the other side. Do 6 reps on each leg.
Thanks Jodie! I did these core moves in between my treadmill workout today and they are really effective and a great way to mix up the moves I have been doing. :)
~~~~~
I’m off to bake an order and then cook dinner.
Tonight’s question:
Can you think of any names (1 word only) that might be good for a S’moore Glo bar?
Some ideas myself and other Tweeters have come up with so far:
Fire, campfire, crave, dangerous (let me know if I’m forgetting anything…)
Ideas??
Have a good one!
![Angela_Signature Angela_Signature](/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/angela-signature-thumb73.png)
I must apologize for my quotes of the day being MIA lately…too many things on the go! ;)
The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.
Robert Cushing
I need to try those moves!
Congrats on a great workout today! The mind is such a powerful thing, and it looks like you did every positive thing in your power to change your own mindset! That’s awesome, and I will definitely be using your tips when I need them (we all do sometimes) :)
Great core work!
Congrats on the energizing workout! When I use the treadmill I never look at the time – I just put it on the average pace – that way I kind of (hopefully) lose track of time and when I check back it will have been half an hour! Your motivation techniques are clever! Also didn’t know the new issue of RW was out – need to pick that up.
I love What Not to Wear! I vote for Campfire, or what about Summercamp? That may be too long, though.
Congrats on accomplishing your goal – I love the little helpers you had surrounding you :) And thanks to Jodie for the great core tips – awesome!
As for the Glo bar…what about bonfire, embers, smolder, warmth, sparks, hearth, inferno…using my Thesauras brain…
Way to go with the awesome workout! OK..as for the spider he would be so exterminate if he were above my head! BAH!!!
I think I like “campfire” the best! Or Jenn’s “bonfire” idea!
How about “threesome” *giggle*.
I vote “campfire”!
For your globar- maybe ‘Haunted’? or ‘Spooky’?
Also- you should realyl get a swifter and smash that spider! I don’t know how you can even workout with it up there, hahaha, I’d be so scared of it falling on me!!
I can’t wait to try that star plank at the gym tonight!
I love s’mores! I try not to eat grains or processed foods but sometimes I can’t resist a s’more around the campfire. Maybe you could call the bar “Charmed”? Name inspired by Lucky Charms, which are more marshmallow than s’more, but still related. Or maybe “Gooey”. Yum!
Heat
Fluff (kinda silly… like marshmallow fluff… )
Retreat (like, you go camping to get away)
Ok, I know these were kinda weird, but trying to think of things that hadn’t been suggested yet!
I also thought of Spark. Or how about “Memories”? I always have great camping memories, and I thing a lot of people will make smores at home when feeling nostalgic (hey- how about “Nostalgia” or “Nostalgic”?) for a camping trip!
…”and I thing”… should be …”and I think”…
How about “campout”? Although I do like the idea of “nostalgia” mentioned above. Either way it sounds yum!
I vote for “Campfire”! Great job on the workout!
I think the mental aspect of working out is always the hardest. That is what I struggle with the most.
I also like “campfire” for the S’more’s bars. I looove s’mores and hope to get to try them at some point!
I suggested this on Twitter too, but how about Bonfire instead?
Gahh someone already suggested it :) Good job!
Hey Ange, if you need to keep track of quote of the day, you could always RSS feed thefreedictionary.com’s quote of the day, or http://icanread.tumblr.com which also has some great quotes..
RSS feed = best. invention. ever. Never do I have to search out a quote of the day for I have it waiting for me.. in my RSS feed~!!!11two +______+
hehe.
I really like Jaime’s suggestion of “campout”. I know if I was looking through your glo bars and saw campout, not only would I be intrigued by its fancy, yet simple name… But I’d also be able to guess that it’s a s’more bar. “Campfire” is cute too, but “campout” just more.. elegant?
P.S.
We all fall on the treadmill atleast once in our lifetime. I’ve done it before.. Nothing is more traumatizing then falling flat on your face on a fitness machine while there’s cute boys in the room. -sob- Excuse me as I dig out my linkin park soundtrack…
(On the upside, I got the COOLEST scar ever on my knee. Seriously, it’s a pretty lookin’ one. ;) )