Favourite Work-out

I get bored pretty quickly when it comes to work-outs! I can go a week or two doing the same thing and then I get discouraged because I don't feel like it's effective anymore! I up the weights and reps, but I think I start to get lazy. So, I have started cutting out work-outs from a magazine and putting it in a notebook. Every Sunday night, I look through the notebook and pick though the different work outs to create my own! I write them on a small piece of paper so I can have something to remind me for the first few work-outs. I learnt from Rachel, my mom's personal trainer, that its good to rotate through 3 different work-outs and to do 3 sets of each. I'm not big on just focusing on legs one day, arms the next... I like to do a full body work out every time! And thanks to this new system I have a favourite! Granted, I have only been doing it for a few days now, but I actually get excited to go sweat. 

Here's how it goes:

1. Elliptical: 10 minute warm up on the elliptical with the resistance on a 10

2. Modified Prowler Sprints: I start with a modified version of prowler sprints. I don't go to a fancy gym, so they don't have this actual piece of equipment, but I modify by using a 45-pound flat free weight. I push it about 80 metres up and down. I like these because they get my heart rate up and work my entire body!

3. Twist Tucks: I LOVE these! You get into a full push-up position with your shins resting on a medicine ball. Then you bend your knee's and bring them towards your chest, first to the left -roll back- then repeat and bring the ball to your right. I also like to bring the ball straight forward. You have to keep your upper body as still as  possible. I do 12-15 reps each time depending on how balanced I am feeling. 

4. Lunges on a step: I love this because, again, I feel that its a good full body exercise that keeps my heart rate up! I start with the 8-lb dumbbells up by my shoulders. I step up on the bench/step with my left foot, bringing the weights over-head, and bring my right foot up near my left knee. Then as I put my right foot back on the ground, i bring the weights back down to my side and bring my left foot behind me into a lunge. I do 8-10 sets on each leg. 

5. Plank: I like doing the plank for 30-60 seconds after the above exercise because I needed a filler in between those and the prowler sprints. I enjoy doing the plank the traditional way and on a medicine ball. I usually just switch back and forth. 

6. After doing 3 sets of each exercise I have been finishing my work-outs with interval training on the treadmill. I don't go crazy, but I usually sprint at around a 7.0-7.5 for 30 seconds to a minute, then walk/jog for 30 seconds to a minute. I also always have the treadmill elevated at 3.0 or higher. I have been trying to do this for 20 minutes and hopefully I will be able to up my time as I get fitter. 

*All pictures found via google images*

And thats my new work-out! Everyone should try it! xx

Exploring Santiago: Day 8

Wednesday was a really relaxed day. Since we had walked over half a marathon the day before I was quite happy to lay around and do nothing. It helped that it was the big Virgin Mary holy holiday too. Everything was closed and the streets were pretty empty.

This is how Reese and I spent most of the day:

(Thank you, self-timer)

I know, I know. Lazy bums! But seriously... there was nothing else to do and the last thing I was going to do was climb back up San Cristobal Hill to swat bee's in the hot sun. When Reese and I went to go find somewhere to eat lunch even that was a struggle. There wasn't even an icecream shop open in sight! (Then you know everything is closed in Santiago) Finally, after 30-45 minutes of walking around, we found a bar open. Figures right? A bar doesn't exactly scream come to church. Anyways, the food was surprisingly good. Again I can't actually be too surprised since so far everything we have eaten here in Santiago has been divine. Wait- except for Tuesday night's dessert. We got creme brulee and it tasted like salmon. Not even joking or exaggerating. It tasted like they made the creme brulee and then before they put it in the oven or whatever, they put some salmon flavoured drops in it. Gross hey? But other than that everything has been quite tasty. Reese got a Chilean hotdog and I got spaghetti. And as usual the complimentary bread, butter, and salsa. I have left no carb, sugar, calorie, starch, oil, veggie, or fruit untouched (except for beans and olives- gross). You can tell in my face. My cheeks are melting over onto my lips. It's really attractive. 

After lunch we went back to the hotel and assumed the day's position:

(Yup, it's the only picture I took of the day)



We did manage to go to gym. But I have a hard time really working out properly since I don't feel like walking or running since we do that most days, so the treadmill is out. And one can only be on the eliptical so long. Reese has figured out how to use the stationary bike as a weight, but it's too heavy for me. So I stand there lifting the water bottle up and down untill I get bored.

The rest of the day was spent watching TV, reading, and playing online. Luckily it seemed that a few restaurants decided to open up for dinner, so we were able to eat. Not that I needed it. We could have gotten dessert from the restaurant, but deemed it unnecessary since we have successfully gotten dessert at least once (if not twice) a day since we've been in Santiago.

Hopefully day 9 will be a little more entertaining!

Payton- Youngest Gym Member Ever

Liisa and I try and work out together everyday. This past Friday was a little different. Payton wanted nothing to do with the baby center, so we let him work-out with us. I have to say, he's quite the fit one-year-old and he's a great 22-lb. weight to squat and lunge with. (note: pictures were taking off the phone, so they're not the best quality)

Liisa lunging with Payton piggy-back style with a creepy man in the backround staring at us like we're weird or something.

Trying to balance...

Ready to start stepping...

 He was also a good weight for sit-up's.

 More piggy-back lunging...

 Inspecting the 80-lb. bar...

 And preparing to do dead-lifts...

Ready, set, lift...

Surprisingly we still got a pretty good work-out thanks to our additional weight!

It's Namaste, Not Wednesday

So I am a HUGE fan of Bikram Yoga. If I could afford to go all day, everyday, I would! Bikram Yoga is 26 yoga poses in a 105 degree fahrenheit room for 90 minutes. Each pose is held twice, once for 1 minute and again for 30 seconds.

When I first started practicing Bikram, Reese thought it was a joke! He would always say "how hard can it be to do yoga in a hot room?". Well lets just say I've gotten Reese to go with me twice in the last 2 1/2 years and both times he got his bum kicked!

After every class, you're left in the room for a few minutes in savasana and as the teacher is walking out the room he/she thanks you for letting him/her be part of your practice and ends his/her sentence with namaste. When I took Reese his first time to the class, he thought the teacher said "wednesday". See- I told you the class kicked his bum! In Bikram you sweat a lot. Like- every single inch of your body dripping in sweat. Its amazing! I looooooooove it!

Now, why should you punish yourself for 90-minutes?  Everytime I practice Bikram, everything in life is better.

I have more energy and my brain works better.

I am more flexible.

My skin glows (cheesy, but true).

I don't eat as much and I make healthier choices.

I drink tons more water.

I get curvier. Ok... not that curvy...

My muscles are more defined.

I get a great full-body workout.

I breath better.

I am more in balance with my body. Yes, I googled "in balance with your body" and this is what popped up!

I sleep like Cheyenne at night.

I don't have back pain.

I am an all around, happier person.

My Bikram Yoga dream is to become a teacher... As soon as I have $11,000 of spare cash laying around and don't mind leaving Reese for 2 months I will do it!

If you've never tried Bikram Yoga, you should do it! Anyone can try it and I bet you'll fall in love like I did!

Today is Thursday and hopefully I will have good news to blog about ove the weekend!

Poo and other random stuff

Earlier this week I had false hope of this:

Luckily that was shattered quickly when I walked outside one morning to find this:

Fantastic!

It was great trying to see clearly. Luckly I successfully made it to work with no major injuries. (Minus the frost bites I suffered on my entire body)

On to better news... I got what I like to call a promotion at work. Some people might look at it as punishment, but I am quite happy.

Yes, you guessed it! I get to go in an hour earlier, and leave an hour earlier. That means I will be up around 5AM so I can have this Utah hair:

While I speak to people through the phone.

No, that is not the most exciting part. The MOST exciting part about it is that I get to leave at

!!!!

What difference does an hour make you ask? Well, it means that I get to spend quality time doing this:

And not feel bad for neglecting or starving him...

Sometimes he even gets lucky when I wake up early enough during the week.  He gets a early wake-up call to this:

Good breakfast = a good day!

On totally random news, I got my hair trimmed the other day. It was in much need of half inch trim... So of course the girl cut off two inches. I clearly wasn't specific enough when I showed her with my fingers, hair, and the 78 times I reiterated it to her. After I sat in the car staring at the hair I had left, I saw a Pet Shop in the corner of my eye. This is where I found Tuck and his family. For those of you who haven't watched baby TV lately, Tuck is the turtle from The Wonder Pets.

Of course he is not wearing his Wonder Pet attire in the picture below, but when Reese and I buy him you know I will purchase the ensemble.

They made me forget about my missing 1.5 inches of hair for a few minutes.

On even more random news, I love passing by the Hot Topic gothic weird store because it reminds me of one of my best friends/cousin, Mary-Ann.

No more tonge

On Friday night Reese had a basketball game, and of course being the good wife I am I attended. Anyways, Reese had the ball quite a bit and EVERYTIME he had it... the tonge was sticking out. Whether he was running down the court, bouncing the ball, or shooting it his tonge was out. And actually now that I think about it, his tonge was out when he was trying to block guys as well! On the drive home, I let him know that everytime I saw that tonge come out I cringed because if anyones elbow/hand/anything hit him in the chin or anywhere around the face... he would bite his tonge off. What did he have to say about my concerned-ness? "Ha ha, my mom used to tell me that when I was younger all the time"

So I think I am going to bring a bucket of ice to every game now. Just in case Reese does bite his tonge off, we'll need something to keep it cold on the way to the ER.

Zumba

So Zumba is fun, right? Well when I went on Tuesday thats all I thought. I didn't feel like I got the one hours worth of work-out that I usually do doing my own routine with the cardio machine and weights. I went to gym tonight thinking I was going to a kick-boxing class (like the schedule said), but they landed up cancelling it and doing Zumba instead. I could either go upstairs and wait for a cardio machine since thursday's are cardio days OR I could dance around for an hour. I chose to stay in the class, but this time since I kind of knew what to expect from the instructor, it kicked my bum! I actually felt like I was burning something, so it was a sucessful night.
Wait... I actually have one complaint... The aerobics room at 24 Hour is weird. It's got this random beam that pretty much seperates the room in two, and the instructor can only be on one side at a time because of this beam and thats annoying, because its a choc-a-block class. So you land up bouncing around half the time trying to see what the lady is doing. Oh, and common courtesy says give other zumbians (i just made that up) their space. At least breathing room you know? Some dummy girl (childish, i know) I guess couldn't see the instructor so moved right behind/next to me... so close I could feel her breath, and just continued trying to dance around normally. HELLO? Did she not realize me and all my tallness was right there? Flip, it made me madder than it should of. So I look at her, and she does nothing. So I move to another spot, when everything inside me wanted to punch her. But all I could muster up was my "Courtney look" as Reese calls it. Then of course I couldn't see the instructor. But you know if she wanted a good spot, she should have got there early like I did. Ugh, it just made me so cross. I told Reese if she does it next time I am actually gonna say something. And no, I would never actually punch someone. But it doesn't mean I didn't think about it. Ok, that was two complaints. Other than that though, sucessful calorie burning night.

Basketball

Reese is playing basketball tonight. My feelings on this are a bit iffy...
Why do you ask? Well why don't I show ya...

See how swollen and gross that toe is? Reese broke it on a stair last year, and ever since that tragic day his poor little big toe has been stepped on, dropped on, twisted, hit by the doorway, hit by the chair, hit by things left on the floor, had surgery on, etc... You get the point.

So you see why I am a bit worried with him running around with hot headed BYU guys who THINK they are the best at basketball and trodding their big feet around my Reesey's poor toe.

Game one went well, Reese was only pushed to the ground 5 times but no sore toe. We'll just have to wait and see and hope nothing happens!

 

He is number 12