And on Mondays We Squat (plus a Presidential Debate Drinking Game)

This morning after everyone went to work, I got to workout! Today I started Week 4 of the Sweat with Kayla program.

The temperatures have dropped BIG TIME in Springfield. This morning it was only 35 degrees and I don't really have cold weather outdoor workout gear with me. Using the Sweat with Kayla app on my phone makes it easy to workout anywhere. I easily found a place in the house to do my resistance leg HIIT workout.

Circuit 1: squats with overhead press, step up knee ups, jump rope, static lunges

Circuit 2: jump squats, walking lunges, burpees, step ups

After an amazingly relaxing weekend, I needed a good, hard workout to start the week and this delivered. The whole time I was working out, I pushed myself and stayed focused on giving 100% during each exercise. When I started to feel tired, I thought about all the calories my body was burning and was going to keep burning later.

After completing the post workout stretches, I went right out for a 30 minute low intensity sustained state walk. As cold as it was when I started my HIIT workout, it was almost perfect during my walk (just a little cool after my sweaty body cooled down).

My shoes

There were some signs of autumn on my walk. I love the look of pumpkins and mums, and falling leaves.

mrC gave me a tennis ball so that I could work on my calf muscles. I'm still dealing with the stinger in my heel (that still only flares up when I stretch) and I'm hoping at some point I will pinpoint the cause. It's messing with my yoga game.

Sun in the backyard means two things:

- watering the lawn where my SIL just had a new septic tank put in.

- putting my feet up because, life is good.

Before jumping in the shower, I did a spontaneous strength workout. Just a quick one using my beloved resistance band system. I am really happy to be taking this back to China with us.

WIA

Tonight is The Big Night in politics and a lot of people will be watching the Battle at Hofstra. Some people are speculating that the candidates might come out and play it safe and the whole debate might be pretty boring. Just in case, I thought it would be unfair if I did not share this drinking game that a friend posted on Facebook with you.

Do you have a Monday workout mantra? I like "Never miss a Monday"
Favorite signs of Fall?
Ever have a stinger in your heel?
What words would you add to the drinking game? I would put Huge on Trump's list.

Shred Day 16 & 17: Resistance Training Workout & BFF Time

I have to brag a little more about the at home resistance training program that I'm loving. Yesterday I had a lower body strength workout to do, but no gym. Luckily my mom bought the system that I used last week and have been talking about ever since (I must have really been talking it up!).

I took a couple of pictures to show how I used the bands for my workout.

Modified "weighted" plie squats with arms straight and then pull your arms down as you stand up.

Side lunges with adduction resistance.

What I'm wearing trekkie joggers

Hamstring curls.

It was really easy to do all the exercises, so I did not feel like I was missing out by not having access to a gym. I also found this website that shows more ways to use over the door resistance bands for lower body exercises.

I drove to Columbus to see my BFF and her family. It was a short, but sweet visit. We had a few hours to chat and catch up in person, enjoy a dinner off the grill prepared by her husband and I got to see her daughter play at soccer practice.

Today I drove back to mom's and spent the day doing laundry and getting my suitcase organized for my return to Montreal tomorrow morning. These two weeks have flown by.

WIA

Breakfast

Lunch ---> yep, I skipped it unless peanut m&ms count

Dinner

Breakfast ---> same meal, different day ;)

Lunch ---> I actually didn't eat the celery and hummus. I started to, but it tasted funny. Not bad, just funny.

Dinner ---> last night in Cincy = LaRosa's hoagy (my mom's idea!)

What training equipment are you loving right now?
Are you near/far to your BFF?

The 'After' Blues, Dragon Boat Festival and a Workout!

I've been suffering from the post event blues. 

You know this feeling (maybe?). The day after...your big race, the wedding, big holiday...you get the idea. After six weeks of following the carb cycling and intermittent fasting program, I was so excited about the results. I rode that high for a couple of days and enjoyed the break. Between the program ending, the rain, and the humidity, I fell into a bit of a funk until this weekend.

Dragon Boat Festival came on Thursday. This Chinese holiday's origin (so I'm told) has something to do with villagers rowing their boats up and down a river and tossing zongzi into the river to prevent fish from eating the corpse of a very popular poet.

The resulting traditions celebrated these days include: watching dragon boat races and eating zongzi. Since we didn't know of any local races (only the preparations we saw at Discovery Bay), we enjoyed having our first taste of zongzi.

Zongzi is a traditional Chinese food, made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings (ours were meat only) and wrapped in bamboo, reed, or other large flat leaves. They are cooked by steaming or boiling. Besides being pretty, they were very tasty.

We also enjoyed a full plate sharing meal with friends. This is by far the best way to try new foods in a foreign country. No guilt if you don't like a dish, just move on to the next.

During our meal we were entertained by lots of good music. The band members were very interactive with the customers, even dancing with them at times, and with people who just came in to watch and listen.

After a very rainy weekend, I finally got out for Mountain Monday. It was crazy humid (85 degrees but felt like 106!), but the view and breeze at the top are worth it.

The crazy fierce summer hikers.

I've been enjoying a lot of popsicles and smoothies. 

Today I did a lower body Tabata workout from Fitness Bender. The Tabata workout: 3 minute cardio warmup followed by two 14 minute rounds of 20 on 10 off. Each exercise was repeated 4 times.

There were 7 exercises: pulse lunges on each side (I modify with the stability ball to make pulsing easier on my knee), plank tucks and extensions, side lunges and jumps, flutter kick pulse squats, bridge kicks, and jack squats.

This workout got me nice and sweaty. I'm hoping my legs aren't too sore the next couple of days!

Do you ever get the post (fill in the blank) blues?

Lower Body Exercises, a Survey, and Eats

I really liked the video workout combination I did on my last regular calorie day, so I did a repeat today. My hips and thighs still need some toning up and I like the exercises in the videos for the lower body.

Most of the exercises are combo moves. 

Side lunge with double jump in the middle. Switch to other side.

Skater jumps with reverse lunges.

The hardest exercise is a combo of warrior 3 and reverse tricep curl. It's really hard to keep my balance while trying to stay parallel to the floor.

I added on the same exercises I learned during PT again because they are good lower body exercises. I really felt these afterwards the last time I did them. I do three sets of lateral band walks. 10 steps one way, 10 steps back. 3x. Then hamstring curls on the balance ball (no picture).

I've been seeing a lot of surveys on social media lately and this one is my favorite because I love emojis!

Can you do it? Only emojis!

 Current mood: 😍

 Relationship status: 👫

 Kids: 👩🏼👱🏻👩🏼

 Pets: 🐶

 Favorite color: 💙

 Favorite food: 🍕🍉🍷

 Favorite Animal: 🐕🐈

 Favorite season: 👙☀️⛱🕶

 Favorite holiday: 🎄

 Favorite sport: ⚽️🏈🏃🏻

 Most Used emoji(s): 😘❤️😉

 Occupation: 🏡🍎📚

What I ate for regular calorie day

Breakfast: not as fun when mrC isn't here to join me.

Lunch: plus some sweet potatoe chips

Dinner: That was a bowl of chicken noodle soup...plus some Baked Lays potato chips

Macros: I did pretty well today, even with all the chip eating and the mini Oreos I snacked on. That's the thing about IIFYM (if it fits your macros) diets...you don't HAVE TO give up your favorite foods. You just have to eat in moderation.

Do you like to repeat the same workouts?

What was the last survey you did?