Cindy

Scanning my calendar for the week ahead, I check to see what my work hours are, what meetings I have, and any other appointments that are pre-scheduled.  Then, I make appointments with myself to get my workouts in.  I commit to them as much as I commit to my appointments with others.  For this week, most mornings seem to work, but for a few days I will have to do afternoon and evening workouts.  Three of the evenings are yoga and dance classes….a bit of an easier commitment as I am going to meet others.  Knowing there is a specific time encourages me to ‘get there’.  Perhaps signing up for a class is a good idea for you….or meet with me, your personal trainer, and let me  help you get started making the commitment to work out.

To be sure I get my workouts in  for the week, I scan my schedule ahead and make plans to get them in.  Here’s the plan:  Tuesday-Strength/yoga, Wednesday-spinning, Thursday-Strength/dance lessons, Friday-bike, Saturday-5k run.  Now, it’s possible that I may have to deter a bit from the plan and make adjustments, but I will get much accomplished still.  It’s best to plan, because if left to chance, excuses will come too easy.  So, have a seat, check out your week’s schedule in advance and decide when those workouts will get in!

Here’s my workout today: 1 legged hamstring curls/assisted pullups -4 supersets x 12-15 reps, 1 legged hams pulldowns (bowflex machine) 4 x 15 ea leg, 1 arm bowflex back flyes 4 x 12 reps each arm.  1 legged heel raises 3 sets x 15 each leg.  Pre workout breakfast was 1 boiled egg and cream of buckwheat with ground flaxseed and 1% milk.  The post workout meal was 1/2c. lentils with garlic and onion, and collard greens.    Good start to the day!

To keep your body stimulated and changing, and to avoid boredom, you’ve got to change up your routine about every 4-6 weeks.  I’ve been on a upper/lower/arm split for some time, and now I’m changing to a frontside/backside split.  For a backside workout this week I performed DB Rows/Leg machine curl superset, 5 sets x 10-12, and Assisted pullups/foam roller leg curls (ouch!) superset, 5 x 8-10.  For a frontside workout, I performed incline chest presses/front db squats superset, 5 x 8-10, and cable chest flyes/leg extension supersets, 5 x 10-12.  Change it up!

Today was an easy day.  At yoga class, the focus was on sun salutations, forward bends, hip openers, triangle pose, half-moon, and plank push ups.  After my leg workout yesterday, the hip openers were a great way to stretch my glutes!  And, the calming of mind, body and spirit with relaxation time.  I encourage you to try yoga as a balance to other activities you are engaged in.

While vacationing, many think that it’s a time to eat as they please and exercise little.  QUITE THE CONTRARY!  If you have seriously committed to a LIFESTYLE of good health and fitness, these things don’t stop because you are on vacation.  While here in Maine visiting my mother, I do a variety of activities.  She doesn’t seem to like it when I leave, so I’ve got dumbbells and a fitball and a jumprope.  Lately, I work it like this:  day 1-chest/bis/abs, day 2-back (upper/lower), tris, day 3- legs, shoulders, abs, day 4-30-60 mins pure cardio, then repeat the cycle.  SO, DON’T GIVE ME ANY EXCUSES!

Along with taking the nutrition up a notch, it’s also time to put some ‘ZING” in my workouts!  This week will be a push/pull combination of exercises, along with figure skating, and olympic lifts.  I’ve not done those lifts since I learned them in school, so it should be interesting.  Today was dumbbell chest presses, band flyes, leg press, leg extensions, dumbbell shoulder overhead press, dumbbell shoulder shrugs and ball crunches supersetted with cable overhead tricep extensions.  A great workout using all my pushing muscles.  Tomorrow I will do the Olympic lifts.  I’ll let you know how that goes.  Larer in the week will be pulling exercises.  I’ll tell you about that too.  For now, get your workout in!

Hello everyone!  Monday workouts can be the best of the week.  You may have rested yesterday and/or just done some fun recreational playing around.  All good stuff!  Now it’s Monday, and you’ve got energy for a great workout, right??!!  Today, I spent an hour supersetting legs and shoulders, with very little rest between sets.  I want to work hard and fast to get the best calorie burn.  I am going to Tucson next week for vacation and would like to trim up a bit.  I finished legs and shoulders with obliques and upper abs.  It was great!    What is your workout today?  Let me know!