Woke up wondering what ab workout I was going to do today.

Does This Dirty House Make My Butt Look Big?

I am so proud of myself!  Today, I got my exercise time out of the way early in the day.  It was so nice to "not have to be somewhere".   I put in a 5 mile advance walking dvd which took about an hour and 10 minutes and then I did some yoga stretches afterward for about 15 minutes.  I spent a good long time on myself today..."because I am worth it!"  I didn't get very much house cleaning done, but then again, you can't fit a clean house into a pair of jeans!...

1 mile walk warm up and Jillians Shred

Yoga!

I love yoga!  I love the feeling of stretching out my muscles and joints, but it does not feel like I am burning many calories because it does not raise the heart rate or stress the cardio system.  I tried the exercise tv yoga with Maura Barclay and it was intermediate to advanced yoga.  I was able to do the static poses but the flow routines went a little quickly and I was not that famaliar with the vocab.  It was hard to see the tv and pose my body in a static pose!  I love yoga and I plan to incorporate more into my workouts.

We're Just Burning Fat...thats all

I came home tonight at about 6 pm and right into my exercise clothes and got right to it.  I got down to bizzzz-nesss, no messin around, did not wait, did not procrastinate, got er' done!  I put in a walk dvd just to warm up, popped it out and shoved in Jillian's 30 Day Shred (level two).  I crunched it out....just burnin' fat ....thats all!....

Dear Anonymous

I decided to follow your advice and I tried the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader Boot Camp.  It was different and I really liked Jay Johnson's comments, "crawl, walk, run" and "leg kicks will make your glutes salute".  The cadence was a little too cutsie for me, although it was meant to feel like the Marine Corp and Jay is totally built solid like a tank. My favorite comment of his was, "Some people drive in a Ferrari, we just live in ours."  Overall it was a good workout and it was fun being out on the Dallas football field!  I am... "on my way to a power squad bod..."  whooo, hoooo!

Do I Hear Delight In Your Voice?

I love Monday nights.  When Monday nite rolls around it essentially means the "day", of Monday, is over.  Today was a rough one, I got up late, and still felt sleepy, went to work and worked hard at "delight", sounding delightful,  feeling delightful, and trying to convince myself and others that today is a perfectly delightful day!  I can't really admit that my exercise time tonight was all that "delightful"   It was the Biggest Loser Cardio Max dvd and I got all sweaty, winded and just plain worn out....but tomorrow is delightful Tuesday!...followed by delightful Wednesday....you get the idea....

Keep Exercising

I love the health tip that is posted everyday on my blog.  Today's tip is especially meaningful, " Did you over eat this holiday weekend?  Don't feel guilty about it, because it is o.k. to let go every now and then.  But, recommit today to eating well and keep exercising."  In the past this has been something I haven't done very well at all!  I have "fallen off the wagon" more times than I can count.  The best thing I like about this project is, I exercise 30 minutes, no matter what happens in my 12 hours of day.  In my 12 hours today I did 4 miles of a walk dvd.  Keep exercising....

Addiction

I find that after a day or two of a physically challenging workout, especially if it involved a trillion squats and lunges, that I need a day or two of a gentle walking workout to let my legs recuperate.  Today, I very actively and agressively cleaned the house and did a 4 Big Miles dvd with Leslie Sansone.  As I was cleaning the house I reflected on my exercise journey thus far and decided that I am not getting addicted to the idea of exercise as I am getting addicted to the feeling of extra energy and good health that I feel because of the exercise.

All About The Abs

Tonight it was all about the abs.  I came home from scorekeeping at an Upward basketball game and an after game dinner family bonding time to do a workout at 10:00 pm and I really did not feeling like going at it very hard, for fear of tossing my "cookies".  I turned on the television and looked through the Ab section of exercise tv until I found some I could try.  I found two, but I had to pick throught quite a few to find a routine that wasn't too fast or weird.  One routine was Ab & Back Workout and the other was Standing Abs.  Standing abs seems like it will be a great tie in to a Zumba class I signed up for starting Febuary 4th...I can't wait!...

Put A Lid On It...Will Ya?

My one hundred percent, purely enthusiastic husband joined me during my exercise time tonight. I always ask him which workout he would like to do and he always replies,with a deadpan tone of voice, "I don't care, just pick one."  Tonight I chose Chris Freytag's Cardio Shape Up on exercise t.v. and it is a very fast paced cardio walking and sculpting 48 minute routine.  My husband was tired to start with and when he started out exercising his head started to "bobble" on his neck like a bobble head doggie in the back window of a car.  I started to laugh so hard that I think my belly got a great workout from the laughter!  Let me just tell you that half way through the routine I told him, with a sarcastic attitude, to put a lid on his excitement, because it was starting to get all over the living room....

Seven Days of the Week

Wednesday nites are really easy to fit in exercise.   There is no reality television worth watching on Wednesday, and I realize my life is a little pathetic when you line up reality tv with the days of the week.  I can't help myself, I like people watching, and reality tv is extreme people watching!  When the season starts, Sunday is Amazing Race, Monday is the Bachelor, Tuesday is Biggest Loser, Wednesday is BORING!, Thursday is Survivor, and Friday is Wife Swap (talk about extreme!).  Saturday I get to catch up on any shows missed or watch them again through On Demand television,  now there is a great invention!   Tonight, I did a one mile walk and Jillians Shred, level two, and I felt pretty strong doing it!

Cabin Fever

I have been exercising indoors for so long that I have found myself fantasizing about going to other peoples homes to exercise.  Today, I got a big break when the weather warmed a few degrees.  I came home from work and went for a walk "outdoor style". 

Reschedule

I am literally dripping with sweat right now.  I just got done with Biggest Loser Cardio Max and it is 11 pm.  I really wish I did not wait so long to engage in my workout time.  I just do not have the energy when I get home from work.  I wait until my son gets off the x-box at 5 pm and by then I am having a nap.  Then I get involved in watching some favorite reality shows and when those are over its 10 pm!  So, here I am dripping with sweat and blogging about it.  Someone needs to rework the schedule!

The Right Path

When I woke up today, my face was a little puffy around my eyes.  I didn't put "two and two" together until I was sharing about my food festival yesterday to my friend Cindy.  " Yes, all that salt and sugar", she said and suddenly the light came on (no, it was not the refridgerator door!).  So, today I took it easy on the nibbling and resisted all the leftover pop, chips, popcorn, and cake.  I ate lightly and worked out hard, doing Jillians level two workout and a one mile walk.  Its not easy to get back on the right path and even harder to stay on it!

Pig Out In the House

Every year at River Front Park they have a food fair called "Pig Out In the Park" and its a four day event usually in September.  Tonight, I created my own  food festival and named it "Pig Out In the House".  It was not a planned event for me, it was meant for my teenage son, and some of his buddies.  To celebrate his 18th  birthday he had some friends over.  They went paintballing and I went food shopping for snack foods.  Before they came home I fixed lil smokies in B-B-Que sauce, Taquitos, and Pizza Rolls and covered the table with a buffet of chips, pop, and baked a bithday cake.  When they came home it was fun to hear them tell their stories while sitting around the table snacking,...me, munching, right along with them.  After all was fed and satisfied they went to the living room and played x-box games, and I went to my room and rode my stationary bike for 30 minutes...to be honest, I felt a little sick to my stomach....sugar? or guilt?

Giving Up

If you read yesterdays blog, you would know about the "Wild Beast", growling at the scale, and scaring the nurses at the Doctor's office.  Today, the Wild Beast has morphed into  "Complacent Cow". Not able to figure out why I haven't dropped an ounce in a months time, my brain down shifted and parked in "Complacent-dom".  Its a place where all cows go to chew their cud, stand around and blink. I just don't care about it anymore.  Its a good thing that I have gotten into a routine of exercising everyday for 30 minutes or else  my spirit would have had my body give up.  I did a 3 mile walk tonight after I got home at 10 pm.

Where the Wild Thing Was

I dropped into the Dr. office today, on my way home from work, to weigh in on their scale.  Its been a month since my last weigh in and I had really expected a pound or two would have disappered into thin air or rivers of sweat.  The office nurses eyed me as I dumped my coat, purse, and shoes on the floor next to the scale and then smiled at me as they realized what I was about to do.  They must have heard me sigh as I stepped on, because I heard a giggle as I let out a low growl. "That doesn't sound good, did I just hear you growl at the scale?" said the voice around the corner. "You aren't going to bite me are you?"  Then came all  the "thought stretching" as they were reaching for something positive to say to calm the wild beast that was still growling.  "Are you exercising?", growl, growl, moan..."Its muscle weight!" they exclaimed, "All muscle weight!"....I don't know if that was comforting to the beast or not.  All, I know was that the beast went home and did a 2 mile walk...

"No Biggie"

As I reflect on today the words that come to mind are "no biggie".  Remember when that was the phrase to toss out there when something was not a" big deal"?  Today was not a big deal, a "no biggie" day.  I would like to say my workout was "no biggie",or "no sweat",....but, I turned on Exercise TV and did Walking, Cardio, Shape Up whith Chris Freytag.  It was 48 minutes of dragging my "biggie" through a routine that was plenty sweaty, "uh-huh"...."oh yeah"...

A Bit More

I've fallen into the "routine" a bit more everyday.  I have gotten into the pattern of blogging after every workout, I haven't missed a post in some time now.  I don't question myself about working out each day, I just do it.  The Bickering Selves have not spoken to each other in a couple of months, I think their relationship is broken....hopefully, beyond repair.  The only behavior I want to improve on is the time of day I am choosing to workout....this late night stuff is not healthy.  I watched the Biggest Loser tonight and I got  up off the couch right after it was over and I did a fitness ball routine for 30 minutes, 10 minutes each of upper body, abs, and lower body....it seemed like nothing compared to a "Last Chance" workout!

Biking It

stationary bike...1 hour....Bachelor...vroom, vroom...

Wide Sizes

My husband and I went to Penneys after Church today to take advantage of an Athletic shoe sale.  I was trying on shoes in my size but I started to notice the normal width of the shoes were a little tight so, I started to try on the "wide" sizes...  Now, I had heard that your feet spread as you get older, but then again so does everything else...  It seems that your hips, booty, and middle spread wide.  I am relieved that we don't have to shop for clothes advertised as "WIDE"...."Excuse me, but could you tell me where the "WIDE" department is?"   There are Petite Departments, Womens' Departments, did you ever notice there is not a Petite Mens Department? and that there is a Big and Tall depatment for men but not for Women?  I used my "wide" shoes to exercise tonight putting them through 4 "BIG" Miles...

Funny Thing

I did a funny thing today.  It all started when I went to visit my niece Andi, to view her masterpiece dining room wall.  She has three wild and crazy dogs, that bark, yip-yap, chase, jump, lick, slobber and look precious when they are laying down on the couch looking at you.  I had an enjoyable time watching them do somersaults over each other trying to get my attention.  While I was there, toward the later part of my visit, we popped in a 2 mile walk dvd and we did 30 minutes of exercise.  I had to laugh at myself going to someones house to visit and exercise. I pondered this on the way home...should I drive over to a friends house,... visit and exercise?  Should it be a requirement?  "If I come over today to see you, we will have to exercise!"  I wonder how my family and friends would feel about this, maybe I could start a trend.  This project is starting to get out of hand...

                                                             

Pilates at 11 pm

Clarity of Mind

Noticing the change is half the battle.  As we age, lots of things start to happen and I will spare you the details as the list is long.  When it all starts to go "down hill" you start to notice the differences.  But, as you get even older you start to lose sight of the changes and don't even know there is a difference.  Let's start with clarity of mind.  My friend Cindy has started to notice she is starting to forget things quickly and easily and to be fair I have noticed too......that I am suffering the same loss.  I have heard that exercise will sharpen the body and mind, and I think the "foggy brain" is starting lift a bit.  Tonight my husband and I did the Biggest loser dvd levels one and two....I think it was helpful?

All Was Right

Nothing special to report about today.  I came home from work a little early, I was having a really rough day.  It was a sunny blue sky day and on the drive home I was torn between going home for a nap or taking out my camera to see what I could capture.  When I got home, I still had that dilemma swirling in my head.  But when I went to the kitchen to make my lunch, I saw the perfect opportunity...I was given a hyacinth bulb as a gift and it was in full bloom in my kitchen window, I immediately grabbed my camera.  I was able to take time to capture and enjoy the flower and have time for a nap!!  I exercised at 9:15 pm going for a Leslie Sansone 2 mile walk...all was right with my little world...

A Revealing Show

I watched the Biggest Loser show tonight, it was the first show of season 9.  I missed most of last season, only watching it every now and then, but I plan to watch every minute of this season.  I understand the pain, sweat, and frustration.  I have one of the Biggest Loser dvd's and Jillian's Shred dvd....it is not easy!  I could not even imagine Jillian yelling in my face during a workout, she is scary enough on the tv screen!  Tonight I did Jillian's dvd level one and about 10 minutes of level two....I wonder what my "weigh-in" at the Doctors office on the 14th will reveal?  I am so happy I did not have to weigh in at the start of this project in my skivies....a revealing show....

Could Not Wait

I could not wait to get home today and exercise away the stress of the day.  I am starting to want "it", to want the feeling I get after I exercise.  It is a feeling of relief and accomplishment, to know that what I just did will make me stronger, healthier, and smaller.  My mind is still reeling from the fact that I could not wait to go home and sweat, get out of breath, feel my legs burn, and be happy about it!  I did Steve Maresca's "Make-Me-Over" workout and I chose that one because it is the hardest one I have done so far....I loved it!

Lets Take A Sunday Stroll

After church today it was sunny and warm (40) and I said to my friend Cindy, as we both headed off to our cars, "It's a great day to take a walk!"  About 2 minutes later, I have not even backed up and I see her car pull into a spot next to mine.  She rolled her window down and said, "Lets go take a walk!"  "Really?, right now?" I replied.  "Yes, right now" Cindy said.  So, we both locked up our cars and off we went down the road.  We walked for 15 minutes in one direction, turned around, and walked 15 minutes back to our cars.  What a great way to end our sunday sermon....a walk with a friend in the sunshine!

Yipee!

I am feeling great!  I am sleeping soundly, eating lightly, and getting exercise everyday.  I can feel the muscles in my quads getting tighter, my lower back is aching less often, and my clothes have gotten baggy.  I know I have gone down a whole dress size as the population of Tummy Town and Bootyville have decreased!  Tonight, I did Jillian's Shred dvd level one, and I feel ready to advance to level two.  Almost 4 months done (January14th) and I am starting to enjoy working out!

Lazy Day

We had a lazy day at home today.  My husband watch college football games all day.  I, however, was somewhat lazy as I washed the dog, cleaned the kitchen, washed the shower curtain liner, put away the Christmas tree and ornaments, and got on the internet to order photos from Costco.  I got caught up in watching a movie "Because of Winn Dixie" (that just became my favorite movie).  I definitely waited until it was late (11:00 pm) to exercise, but I got it done and posted.  I did 30 minutes of a dvd titled "Simply Gym Ball", it was the free dvd that came with the ball when I bought it.  It basically was a warm up, toning and flexibility exercises.  I like my fitness ball and I want to look for more exercise dvds that use it, I just wish it didn't freak out my dog Chance when I bring it out of the closet and down to the living room!