Freezing Friday

Hey yall, 

Today I walked inside because it was freezing outside. Between the wind and it just not getting warm out, I had no chance of staying warm while walking. My 4 miles went by pretty easy. I didn’t do any incline today because I figured I’d rest my legs a little bit. It went by quickly, which is probably because I watched TV. Always goes by faster then. Plus I had my Garmin Vivoactive track my walk. Granted, it’s never as accurate as when your walking outside. However, according to it I went longer than 4 miles. Generally when I use it, my watch shows me not going as far. 

The mutts didn’t really want to cooperate for a good picture.

My workout today was shoulders and chest. On one of my shoulder workouts I increased my weight, which is always fun. I did not increase my weight on chest, but I can still feel it nonetheless. As always it was a good workout that I could really feel in my shoulders. They still felt pretty sore when I started working them out today. But I managed to push through and do more weight. 

It’s crazy how you can see when I started working out more seriously. My first trimester all I wanted to do was sleep.

Good pain vs bad

Hey yall, 

Today was leg day again. I took out my lunges though because my “What to Expect When Expecting” book said that it would be better to not do those while pregnant. It’s because I’m more clumsy then normal, and I am more prone to injury. Personally I didn’t research it that much because I despise walking lunges anyways. It just made a good excuse to not do them. However, I do think I did one of my exercises slightly wrong on accident. The right side of my leg is sore and not from working it out. I’ve learned to tell the different pains in my body, for the most part. Hopefully it just heals up nicely. 

I just took this pic. It was pretty outside

I had a mixture of cardio for today. My main cardio was walking on the treadmill. I had the treadmill at different angles, so it was like I was going up a hill. Sometimes it amazes me how walking at a step incline can be challenging. I did that for about 45 minutes. My other cardio was just out walking with the dogs. I also through the tennis ball for awhile. The dogs played keep away from each other. It was entertaining. 

Family

Hey, hey

Today I walked my 4 miles inside. Between the rain from last night and it raining during the day, I knew it wouldn’t work to walk outside. Walking inside is always fun with a TV set up in front of the treadmill. I walked the first and third mile at a one degree incline. My last mile I walked it at a half a degree incline. Since tomorrow is leg day and my legs are still a little sore, I figured I better not walk the whole time at an incline. It was interesting to walk during the time I did,  because both my parents were lifting weights at that time. It didn’t end up well for them and one came back later to finish. I mean it is a home gym in a room that isn’t finished in the basement. 

Today’s lifting consisted of biceps and triceps. I’m not really sure I’m going to be able to do much with my arms tomorrow, but we shall see. I did feel pretty good about being able to still use the 15 pound dumbbells for most of my lifts for biceps. My triceps just hated me at the end. My arms were jello and begging to be done. The exercises I did were: alternate hammer curls, alternate bicep curls, dumbbell incline curl, concentration curls, bench dips, standing triceps extension, triceps kickback, and alternate triceps extension. By the end of all that my arms were ready for a break. 

I tasted good after my workout apparently

I did walk around outside with the mutts today. In the morning I let them out for about an hour and walked them around. Granted, I didn’t walk that whole time. They had to get put away, since my parents had people coming over to put stuff on the attic. Anyways after that I let them out again and played with them for about an hour. Again, I walked them around for a little bit but they were more interested in chewing on bones. When we made dinner tonight, it was fun because my hubby was involved along with my mom and I. Sometimes it’s nice to make dinner as a family. 

Isn’t it how every dog sits?

Rainy Day

Hey yall! 

Today I worked out my shoulders and chest. I was pretty excited because my new shoes came in. I was trying to not wear my other work out shoes in my parent’s workout room, since I’ve worn them outside. Anyways, I increased my weight for my chest exercises unintentionally. I wasn’t paying attention to what it was set at and just did it where it was. Thankfully, it didn’t put me over the weight lifting limits I have. However, I felt pretty accomplished since I still managed to lift more weight on the machines. That will max me out until I’m no longer pregnant, but I can always increase reps when it starts getting super easy. 

Batman socks make everything better

For my cardio I walked around outside with my mutts. It was only about a mile and a half but it was on my family’s land. None of the land is smooth and flat. Most of it consist of clumps of grass everywhere and random spots that water has dug its way through the ground. But my dogs enjoyed walking around with me and playing in the water. I figured I got a decent workout with the hills and uneven land. 

This was super smelly today and it smelled amazing

Pregnancy Workout

Hey, hey

So… Big news for those of you who don’t know. I expecting a little one in September! My husband and I are so excited. It happened a like earlier than planned, but everything always happens in God’s time. I truly believe that and it seems to be more and more true each day. Plus my husband and I moved back to my home state of Iowa. Words can’t describe just how happy I am for that. I’m a firm believer in family, and I’ve missed mine a great deal. Nothings the same unless family is nearby. Anyways we are stoked about having a baby. 

I’ve always been adamant about working out and being healthy. Well, that first trimester just about wiped me out. I was sleeping all the time and barely got dinner on the table half the time. Obviously I was a major slacker that first trimester but oh well. I figured if my body wants sleep that bad then I should give it sleep. 

However, second trimester changed that. The first few weeks of the second trimester I just walked 4 miles. I wasn’t always super consistent because of the packing and everything else that need to get done. I did manage to go at least 3 times a week. I figured that is more then most people who aren’t even pregnant. 

My pup takes attractive pictures lol

But today that changed. I figured I’ve got access to a home gym that doesn’t cost me anything, better use it. So today was leg day. Now being pregnant, I obviously have to be a little more cautious of what I’m doing. I did not push it to the extent I felt like death, but I did push it enough I felt like I was doing something. My legs felt like jello after, so I felt accomplished. It helped that I would go up the stairs on my rest to check on my dogs. They aren’t used to having lots of land to roam, so I would make sure they were still within line of site. It’s almost like extra toys to go up the stairs in the middle of a leg workout, but oh well. The workout includedbodyweight calf raises (might change to weighted), hip abductor and adductor, one legged barbell squats, walking dumbell lunges, seated leg curls, leg extensions, and barbell squats. My cardio consisted of walking with the dogs and washing my vehicle. 

They do love each other

It felt good to be back at the weights. Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I need to lose my muscle mass. It’s good for the baby and mom to be healthy, which includes working out. Plus after birth, hopefully, it’ll help to lose the baby weight. 

Colds Suck

Hey yall, 

I know it’s been awhile but I’ve been sick, so I hadn’t been able to go workout. I was crazy congested and could barely breathe. Plus I barely made it up my stairs for the apartment without having coughing like crazy. It was a great way to start off the new year. Plus on top of that I worked a lot of overtime, which didn’t help. However, the paycheck will be worth it. Anyways I’m back, not completely without some congestion still in me. 

Today I ran for about 25 minutes. Originally it was supposed to be 20 minutes, so I had time to lift. However, my apartment property manager kicked me out because they were taking updated pictures for advertising. So at the point I only had 6 minutes left, I had to stop. That’s why I decided to run longer because they took long enough I wouldn’t have time to lift. So I only added on about another 5 minutes. I want to say I ran roughly 2 miles, likely a little more but I don’t know for sure. Either way, it felt great to be back at running and hopefully I’ll have time to lift tomorrow. 

Crunch Time

Hey yall, 

I managed to actually squeeze a workout in today, since I only did cardio yesterday. I felt pretty successful. It can be challenging to get one in, since I had church and work to get to. Generally I don’t work Sundays but I picked up a shift. 

Ignore my awkward stance. I was feeling pretty today

Today was chest and shoulders. My shoulders for sure despise me because they hurt like crazy while I was lifting. To be fair I managed to increase my weight a little bit ago and it is still a struggle to lift them. My chest workout was a burner as well. I could definitely feel the burn. My workout went well considering I felt rushed for time. I managed to slow down and get in a decent workout. While I may have struggled slightly near the end to keep on working out my shoulders, I still finished… Barely. 

Found it entertaining I had make up on at the gym

I did manage to squeeze in some cardio time. It was only ten minutes and I only ran 8 of it. I walked for two minutes but I got a mile in. I felt pretty good for getting something in, considering it’s supposed to be my rest day from running. 

Terrific Tuesday

Hey yall!

It has been a few days since I’ve blogged. We’ve been busy, busy, busy with work and socializing. On Sunday I ran a short 25 minutes. I would run 5 minutes and walk 1 minute. Part of the reason it at short was because we had plans with friends all day. I needed some time to clean and get ready for church. So after my short run my hubby and I went out with friends for lunch. Afterwards we walked around Bass Pro for awhile and enjoyed all their neat products. We then went back to our apartment to let out our puppies. They greatly appreciated it and enjoyed seeing our other friends that stopped by to see us. We went and wandered around Sam’s Club for awhile before enjoying a delicious meal. It was fun to see everyone. Even though I didn’t get a long run in, I had a lot of walking I got in. My only regret is not getting up early enough to lift as well. 

Yesterday I had no time to run or lift. I was at my work from 7:00am until 11:00pm. I pulled a double yesterday and I was not going to be getting up early to workout. I’ve learned in the past I can’t workout too late or it takes me forever to fall asleep. On the note, I also believe in sleep, which is why I won’t wake up that early to workout if I have to be at work for 16 hours. I’ll always be a firm believer in sleep.

My puppy slept with me today

Today, however, I got a 45 minute run in. It was also a fun five minutes and then walk one minute. I’m not gonna lie I was a little intimidated by this because it is starting to get longer time and distance. This gives me more time to get in my head and freak myself out. However, I did pretty good in my mind. I did stop about 20 minutes in because I desperately had to use the bathroom. I’m one that will hold it unless it’s going to make me miserable, because I have to walk clear back to my apartment to use it. Anyways when I got back people had come in. They did one of the strangest workouts I’ve seen. It’s like the guy didn’t have a real plan on what he was doing and just using whatever machine looked good. The lady was on the bike but only really seemed to be going when the guy came over to talk to her. Plus they smelled bad like smoke. I’m not judging them for smoking however, I just don’t enjoy smelling it while I run. I do believe they helped me keep out of my head because I wanted to run like I was a professional or something (weird I know, I think it has more to do with looking like I was in shape). Once the left I didn’t have long to go and barely got in my head. When I did I got myself out of it early enough, my run went well. 

I also did legs and abs today. Today was one of those days I wish I had a barbell because it would make increasing weight for squats easier. The more weight the dumbbell is the bigger it is, which makes it harder to be out of the way for squatting. But I did manage to increase in weight on the leg press. I generally feel good about that every time I do. My leg curl weight increased, which I thought would never happen. My thighs were sore and hurt worse than my hamstrings when I did the leg curls (they are lying down ones). My abs felt sore today during my workout. It might have to do with the fact I did minute long planks. When I did that the first time today I wanted to scream with joy. However, there was someone else in there running. I kept my composure and just kept going. It felt good to get a workout in after having a few days off. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

Encouragement

Hey yall, 

Today for my workout it was biceps and triceps. My arms were starting to give out on me near the end. I felt pretty accomplished overall with the whole workout. I increased my weight for the majority of the exercises. I’m counting my hammer curls as half increased because I used my body to help lift them. Generally I would have just increased my weight a little bit but, again, my apartment gym doesn’t have all the weights. However, I still managed to finish everything. 

For my run today I felt a little defeated. I was starting to get inside my own head. Thankfully I have an amazing hubby who supports me and encourages me. He was always telling me to get out of my own head and just enjoy running. I do still enjoy it but on the longer runs I think I get in my head because I need to go so far like I used to. I have to constantly remind myself that I’m starting over from hurting myself and need to just relax. Plus I get super bored in the treadmill and haven’t had time to mess with Netflix. Hopefully on Sunday I’ll have time to mess with it. Towards the end of my run my hubby was coming home from lunch and came in to support me. It’s like all I needed was him to just be there and I felt like I could do it again. 

I do hope everyone has an encouragement person in their life. It’s vital for all aspects of our lives. We need someone on those days that we just feel like we can’t keep doing it. For the moments that life has us pinned down that one encouraging thing could help us win the fight. Having an encouraging person in your life is important and something will always help you. It keeps us going always. 

Lineman Shuffle

Hey yall, 

I realize I’m not in football nor have I ever been, but I can still use that terminology. My husband used to (still does once in a while) tell me about the linemen shuffle while he was in football and relieving his glory days. It basically always sound like they just wanted to get out of running, which I’m sure is true. 

My cardio today felt like I was doing the linemen shuffle. I had set the treadmill on the fat burning session. The main reason I did this is because I just felt pudgy today. I don’t know if yall have ever felt that way but today I did. I did 45 minutes of the fat burn setting. It was crazy how even though I only set it for the max speed of 4.5mph, it felt like a challenge. Not like a huge challenge that I couldn’t accomplish but how much it wore my legs out. Part of that might have to do with the fact that it went up to a six percent incline. Strangely enough I started to feel it. But I was going that speed and going between three percent incline and six, for about thirty minutes. 

Today was also leg day. I ended up increasing my weight for different workouts. It was pretty intense. My legs felt like jello after. I did feel pretty accomplished because I increased my weight for things. My buttox is sore already, which is good. Even though my legs were jello I still finished. I also did my abs today again. My abs were sore from yesterday and I feel like I’m getting muscle there. My hanging leg raises I could do all the  reps without stopping.