At Home Workouts

Morning!  How's your day going so far?  We're doing much better over here. :-)  Back into our routine.  I'm a routine kind of girl, so that makes me a happy Mama.

If you know me at all, you know fitness is a huge part of my life.  Its something I love to learn about, love to talk about and love getting as much of it in as I can make time for.  Being a new Mom, that can be a little trying sometimes.  I've found that having workout equipment in our garage has been a HUGE help.  If I'm on my own for the day, I can't just walk out the door and go to the gym whenever I feel like it.  If there is a class I want to take, chances are Tripp will decide he's hungry 5 minutes before it starts.  I don't always have time for a long workout and after getting 5-6 hours of broken sleep, chances are I don't really have the energy by the time Patrick gets home.  I like having a "gym" in our garage.  I can make my own workouts, I have a decent collection of DVDs (Chalene Johnson is AMAZING), and there are tons of free online resources when I want to switch it up a little bit.  Love me some BodyRock.

My workout apparatus:

Weights (2-15 lbs), 8 lb medicine ball, resistance bands, pull-up bar, yoga ball, yoga mat and a jump rope (not pictured: quality workout shoes, a heart rate monitor and the jogging stroller).  Additions on my (birthday) list: a BOSU, a 30 lb Body Bar, a 10 lb kettlebell and a new heart rate monitor (mine is about to hit the crapper after several years). 

You honestly don't need much though.  You can improvise with weights: soup cans, jugs of water, a backpack with books, the baby, etc.  There are a ton of exercises that can do a lot for you just using your own body weight:

pushups

 pullups (assisted or not)

squats

lunges

Plyometric moves get you a lot of bang for your buck: jump squats  (like a regular squat, but from the squatting position, press off and jump, landing in a squat again), jump switch lunges (same idea - from a lunge on one side, jump and switch your legs), speed skaters (see below - start on one leg and then jump to the other side)

Some people find that paying for a gym membership motivates them to get in there and actually workout.  If that's you, awesome!  You've found what motivates you and you get it done.  You're a few steps ahead of a lot of people.  If you're just getting started with fitness, having a few sessions with a personal trainer would be helpful so that they can coach you on your form to avoid injuries.  Everyone's needs and fitness levels are different, so find what works for you and make it happen.  What are you waiting for?!

xo
Shaina

Reward Yourself

Happy Friday morning!  

How has everyone’s week been? I killed a monster to-do list yesterday and it felt GLORIOUS.  Everything is in place for the big move!  I confirmed the movers in Seattle and here in CA, got all of our utilities squared away/appointments made, I pick up the keys next Thursday and our stuff comes a few days later! In case you couldn’t tell – I’m very excited. J

I actually had my first *awesome* prenatal yoga class yesterday.  I’ve tried a few different ones and, for the most part, its just an hour of stretching.  Not to say I don’t need to stretch, but I still want a workout!  This was the first “prenatal” class that actually got my heart rate up.  I’ve been going to regular vinyasa classes and just modifying as needed – but the belly is making me have to modify about 75% of the class lately haha.  Yesterday’s class at Yoga Kingdom Sanctuary was a winner.  

Because I’m trying to dwindle down my grocery stash in the fridge before I move, I’m trying to just use what I already have, but I thought yesterday’s accomplishments deserved a farmer’s market reward:

monstrous sweet white grapefruits and

kumquats!  Amazing little orange balls of glory.  There also might have been a pile of bean and cheese nachos shared between me and Colleen….maybe.

We’re up early this morning to go to the gym with the brother-in-law.  He has requested my assistance getting familiar with the free weights section of the gym…he’ll be sorry. ;-)

Then we’re off to a doctor’s appointment, dress shopping for some maternity pictures this weekend (!), a workout, and off to work.  Have a wonderful Friday everyone!

Cranky Pants

I'm probably one of the least negative people you will meet, but I need a vent sesh…I have some serious cranky pants on this morning.  

This came about through a series of events, mostly having to do with our upcoming move.  Everything is fine and it is all falling into place, but the amount of work I’m having to do to make that happen is unreal.  The lack of personal responsibility on the part of many people is just astounding to me lately.  Maybe its because of my job and the emphasis that our company puts on personal responsibility that I’m noticing this more and more, maybe its because I'm almost 7 months pregnant and my tolerance for other people's silliness is much lower (trying to not be super negative here)…but YIKES.  People just assume someone else will take care of it, they think no one will notice, they blow stuff off and hope it takes care of itself, etc.  REALLY?!  Please do your job, get back to people in a timely manner, don’t assume someone else took care of it…and if you can’t do that, at least communicate with the person on the other end so they can know what to expect.  That would honestly alleviate half the problem….just a little communication.  Am I asking too much? 

Thanks for listening. J  Cranky pants are off.   Now back to your normally scheduled program….

Last week was a little hectic…hence the lack of blogging.  I did manage to squeeze some fun in though!

The party was fantastic, and I even managed to keep from stuffing myself – its all about some will power.  You can come back to that post before the Easter feast. ;-)

Breakfast was a quick and easy favorite over here: Deliciousness.

Grapes, cantaloupe, banana, walnuts, flax seed, cinnamon, goat yogurt and honey.   Nom nom.

I think a walk on the beach for some fresh air sounds good today...its GORGEOUS outside.  Mom wants to see Santa Monica so we’ll probably head west this afternoon after some errands.

Here’s a workout quickie to burn off those potato calories from St. Patrick’s Day!

-run in place for 1 minute

-jumping jacks for 1 minute

-25 body weight squats (or add weight if you like)

-15 pushups

-25 flutter kicks

-15 lunges on each side

-20 T pushups

-plank for 45 seconds

Repeat 1-2 times! J  

Have a fantastic Tuesday everyone! <3 Shaina

Leap of Faith

Good morning!!  I’m in a good mood.  I’m pretty sure I’m finished house hunting. J

It’s a little tricky to pick out a house with Patrick still on deployment  – he is THE pickiest man alive.  However, if we wait until he comes home, we have about 3 weeks to find a place, move in and unpack before Baby Anderson is due to arrive.  Mmmm notsomuch. 

I found an awesome 3 bedroom townhouse not far from family with just about everything we wanted.  No granite countertops for me in the kitchen, but I’m sure my food will still taste just as good.  That was pretty much the only thing I had to compromise on…so I jumped and put the application in.  I did see a few more places after this one and they were all big fat no’s.  Patrick liked it from the pictures I sent him, so I think that’s it.  Cross your fingers they don’t like someone else more and we get it – but so far, it’s looking good!  I'll post pictures of the finished product once we're in.

(The MIL approves!)

I’ve got the day off today – no work, no errands and no house hunting.  Whatever shall I do with myself?!  I think a good workout is in order.  I'm going to go for a long walk and check out a new-to-me prenatal yoga class.   You get an extra day to work out this year – make it a doozy!  Try The Fitnessista's Leap Year Leg Workout.

Something to ponder:

A 'No' uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a 'Yes' merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble. -Mahatma Gandhi