Well, well, well....haven't posted in a while.
And judging by my calendar, "a while" is actually about 6 weeks.
Hopefully I've been a little more disciplined in my work-outs than I have in my blogging abilities.
So I guess the truth of the matter is that in reality, yes, in fact I have been more disciplined in my working out than my documentation, and now that the nice weather has finally hit my neck of the woods, my work-outs have taken on a whole new dimension.
I've moved out!!
Just kidding...but actually yeah, I've moved 99% of my work-outs outside! The last 6 weeks have been this exciting, (sometimes warm!), but always refreshing variety of new challenges that Mother Nature presents. Wind, intense heat, humidity, body weight training, circuits, running, (yes, even I, who typically abhors running, have started to run outside!), and of course biking outdoors have all been added to my repertoire.
No more "hitting the living room"!
And from this change-up, boredom has now left my vocabulary, I have dropped about 4 more pounds, and my pasty winter skin has now taken on a nice, healthy "glow". (Or maybe that's the sweat...I'll let you decide!) I feel much more functionally fit, as being outside has allowed me to sort of let go of that ever-present hang-up of "will these plyometrics eventually shake my house down?", and I have been adding more and more running to my routines, which, as Jillian Michaels says, "Run, because it makes you skinny".
As for variety and motivation, I have become a fan of Pinterest and just searching random fitness routines such as "butt and thighs", or "running work-outs" in order to find something new to play with. Here lately I've been a huge fan of strength and cardio (which involves running a distance), circuits. For example...
Leg Day:
-Run 1 mile
-100 squats
-30 Plyo Plie squats
-15 jumping lunges (ea. side)
-Run 1/2 mile
-20 Split squats
-Duck walk up and back the length of the concrete
-40 deadlifts with 30#
-Run 1/2 mile
-30 squat jumps
-30 walking lunges
-10 plyo reverse lunges (ea. side)
-Run 1/2 mile
-10 straight leg bridges
-30 single leg bridges
-30 Donkey Kicks
-20 Fire Hydrants
*Repeat for opposite leg*
Usually after a work-out like this, I'm SPENT! And typically "feeling it" starting into the evening! I try to incorporate enough exercises coupled with the running to get at least 45-60 minutes in, and so far, I've been pretty darn close. I think starting next week, I might try starting to add 1 "long run" in each week of app 4 miles, which while it doesn't seem like a lot, anyone who knows me knows that 4 miles is a "long run", and around here all these rolling hills will certainly make that 4 miles count! As for tomorrow, I think I might have my sweet, sweet fiance help me throw my bike on the trainer just for the weekend, as I work all weekend, and that way I can get some "ride time" in.
Plus, with the 95 degree weather tomorrow, I can pull it outside and get some sun without worrying about heat stroke 30 miles from home!
So far, working it at home certainly has been an exciting, but very cost-savvy adventure. And my new "bikini figure" is proof-positive that extreme fitness DOESN'T require a fancy-schmancy gym membership, or a lot of expensive equipment.
I should know--I use a set of Wal-Mart dumb-bells (two 15#, 10#, 5#, & 3#), a yoga mat, and some landscaping tiles that I stacked up to make my own "work-out step".
Happy outdoor fitness!
