Today is the last day of the Move, Nourish, Believe Challenge by Lorna Jane and Sweat Pink. Iāll be posting my recap tomorrow, and thereās a big Twitter party for the event next Wednesday (woohoo!).
Iām still participating in the Winter Miles Challenge, although I believe next week is the last week.
Activity:
Today has been a good week! The weather has been gorgeous- possibly the best week all winter. Weāve had temps up in the 50s and 60s for highs, perhaps even the low 70s. Iāve definitely taken advantage of it, and weāve been outside, getting active.
I didnāt keep track, but most days this week, I have been doing pushups, crunches, various ab exercises, and free weights.
Iāve been reading a lot lately online about the benefits of heavy lifting for women. I donāt have barbells or a bench, but I do have adjustable dumbbells (they go up to 50 lbs) and an ottoman. That will have to work for now!
Obviously I need to be consistent about which days I lift and for how long. Right now my exercising is all over the place, which is totally me, unfortunately. Iām rarely organized and have difficulty sticking to schedules. :/
Monday– I skipped running today. Since I didnāt work out on Saturday or Sunday (other than some weights here and there), I probably shouldāve done some cardio, but it was the coldest day of the week (high of 30s), so I decided to wait for warmer weather. Why didnāt I do a home cardio workout? Good question. Being more motivated and consistent is a constant battle for me.
Tuesday– I put 5.88 miles in. After reading about the benefits of interval training, I completed walk/jog/run intervals. I didnāt time them; I just went by landmarks, how I was feeling, and the wind. If I was on a really windy area of the trail, I walked. If the wind died down, I sprinted and then slowed to a jog after 30 seconds or so.
Interestingly, I felt exhaustion in my hamstrings more from the speed walking than the sprinting.
The Army has an alternate physical training test. Certain Soldiers that have āprofilesā (due to injury, etc.) may be allowed to speed walk the 2-mile run, instead of running it. The first time I heard that, I rolled my eyes. But when I actually witnessed how fast some of these troops have to walk in order to pass their testā¦itās no joke. Speed walking can be a great workout.
I think because I was trying to walk fast and push the jogging stroller into the wind, I must have been digging into the ground with my heel and pushing off more. Somebody who actually understands muscle can probably explain this more, but anyway, I did get a good burn from it.
My averaged out pace was 11:13 min a mile.
Wednesday– I was busy cleaning and blogging earlier in the day, but Baby J and I broke out the bike and toddler seat in the afternoon! We just did 3.34 miles, but it was very refreshing.
Thursday– More walk/jog/run intervals for us today. We did 3.35 miles. I also spent probably 45 minutes chasing Baby J around the playground and climbing equipment with him. It was a lot of fun!Ā Ā Average pace was 10:40 min a mile.
Friday– Well, the dayās not over yet! While I was babysitting earlier this morning, I spent a bit of time just playing outside with the boys, tossing and kicking a ball around. Thatās one of the reasons I want to be in shape- just to be active with my family and friends.
Iāll update later this weekend, but my plan is to do a Brazil Buff Lift workout DVD this afternoon (itās supposed to storm outside), and put a long run in tomorrow morning. I donāt know how far. Ten miles would be great, but Iāll be satisfied with 6.
As I mentioned above, Iāve been doing strength training every day this week, and that will continue today.
Diet:
Iām really struggling with this, but not quite as bad as last week. Earlier this week I bought ice cream from the grocery store and ate 2/3 of the pint in one night (Baby J ate the rest). Usually I can pass the frozen foods aisle, and yes, my mouth will start watering, but Iāll ignore it and resist. I just couldnāt do it! Then Tuesday I ate over at some friendsā home and instead of sticking to one brownie, I had two and a piece of cake. Yesterday at the grocery store, I couldnāt resist buying a deeply-discounted box of mini apple Danish. Today Iāve already eaten half a cinnamon crust bagel from Panera that someone gave me (this bagel is in no way healthy).
So clearly Iām having an issue with processed sugars. On a positive note, Iāve been eating lean protein, legumes, and tons of raw veggies and some fruit.
Statistics:
Next month Iāll measure inches and report back. My weight is still at 149 lbs., which is fine. Iām assuming this is a combination of building muscle and the crap Iāve been eating. But my arms look more muscular, so thatās great! I feel good too.
Goals:
I would like to get my sugar cravings under control, first of all. I did well for months, so Iām not sure why itās flaring up suddenly. I guess I should do some research.
A big goal for me right now is to lift heavier weights and build muscle. I would like to see my jeans size go down, even if my weight goes up.
As far as running, Iām confident I could finish a half marathon in decent time if it were today or tomorrow. However, I may have to walk some of it. Because of this, my goal in the next 50 days would be to continue interval training and run longer distances, so I can at least jog all of the half (if not actually RUN).
Fitness sites I’m loving this week:
Iāve found a couple of websites this week that have really inspired me: NerdFitness.com and NiaShanks.com. They both share practical, realistic advice about fat loss and muscle gain. You wonāt find any fat diets on these sites.
NerdFitness also has a couple of great articles that explain why the number on the scale doesnāt matter, lower body fat isnāt always best, constricting calories often backfires, and that what you eat is 80 percent of the weight loss/fitness battle.
38 Comments
I to have had a good fitness week.. gym already 4 days, and planning on 5 maybe 6!
Oh awesome! You are doing better than I, because I still haven’t gotten my 4th workout for the week in!
It;s great that you are so active with your kids.
Thanks, Melodi! It’s definitely easier when the weather’s nice.
i’m on a bit of a plateau right now….but it’ll come back…. š
I’m sorry to hear that, but yeah…you can do this!
thanks, booboo….. š
What a cute little boy! I can’t wait for this snow to melt so I can get out with my baby for some fitness.
What state are you in? I know my parents in Minnesota are really having a tough time with all the snow they’re getting!
I love working out especially with my little one!
Awesome! I definitely think it’s great when we can get our kids involved.
My exercising is all over the place too. I wish I had a good schedule to stick with. I’m just glad I’m exercising.
And I need to get my sugar craving under control too.
Good luck! And thanks for sharing.
I’m glad I’m not alone, thank you! =D
Great work!!
Thanks!
muscle tone is way more important than weight anyway! You should be so proud of everything you have accomplished! š
Thanks, Nicole!
It is amazing that you are putting in all those miles. I admire that. It can really be a challenge, especially with children. You are doing great!
Thanks, Coralie!
Great fitness week! I missed one run but other than that my week went according to plan with strength training, yoga and running.
Thanks for linking up with Fitness Friday!
Awesome! You’re an inspiration to me, Jill!
Those are great temperatures!! Good luck w/the sugar control, those cravings can really be a beast!
Thanks, Rosey!
You seem to be doing a great job, being so active. I am a big fan of such a healthy lifestyle and try to incorporate exercise in anything I do, even if I don’t have time to set aside fitness sessions.
That’s really key, I think…incorporating activity and exercise in your lifestyle! It doesn’t have to be a traditional workout to be beneficial.
I did 5 days at the Dailey Method Barre classes and 5 days of running! Jealous of your weather!!!
Sounds fun! I’ve wanted to try a Barre class for a while now, but haven’t had the opportunity yet.
It looks like the little one is double checking your helmet to keep you safe.
He is! I’d just unsnapped it, since we’d finished our ride, and he was clearly wondering why I’d done so.
Don’t beat yourself up about a cheat here or there you are going a great job!
Thank you!
I have the same difficulty with resisting delicious foods! Sounds like you had a great week of exercise, though, and it’s great you can include your little one!
I recently started a “Shaping Up For Summer” link-up, which will run every Saturday through May, and I would LOVE it if you wanted to link up your fitness posts. Hope to see you there!
Hi Megan, I’d love to link up! Thank you so much!
Working out with the little ones can be a challenge but I feel it sets a good example and I remember my mother taking us to the gym with her. I’d like to think those things stick in their noggins
I hope it does! I’m trying to be a good example to my son, most definitely. š
Wow you had a really great week – I SO want to be like you haha! I would LOVE if we had 50’s or above – I’m dying to try out the trail by my house with my girls. We moved here last year but we never ran it. Oh and I’ve heard a LOT of great things about interval training… it’s supposed to be really good for you. I we’re kind of doing that – but only because we’re not great at running straight through just yet. Anyway… thanks for linking up with me again. I can’t wait to read this weeks post!
Well, this week I’m in Florida! Temps yesterday and today got up to 70! Even better than 50s. =D