I ended up with some extra potatoes recently and wanted to try something different. My go-to potato recipe has been oven roasted since I haven't had great luck making tomatoes on the stove. But I decided to give it another try. This recipe for Crispy Potatoes with Spicy Tomato Sauce sounded rather appealing.
The sauce in this recipe looked quite tasty since I almost always grab ketchup to go with my potatoes. And it turned out good - just not quite spicy enough for Texans.
I made the potatoes in a non-stick pan as opposed to my cast-iron skillet and it was definitely easier. But it still took longer than what the recipe called for. I don't know what I'm doing wrong on that end.
While this was a doable recipe, I think I'll stick to my oven-roasted potatoes. They're just so easy and yummy!
Friday, February 27, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Les Mills: Combat 60 - Extreme Cardio Fighter (Review)
There are two 60 minute (though they're both a little under 60) workouts in Les Mill's Combat. If you follow the Combat Calendar, you'll encounter Extreme Cardio Fighter first.
This workout uses no weights and is filled with kickboxing, very much like Kick Start and Power Kata.
You're given a warm-up in this workout, one that is much slower (and better) than in the HIIT Combat videos. You punch, jab, and shuffle your way to a raised heart rate. You're then given a very, very short stretch.
There's not much to go into detail about with this workout. It's exactly like Power Kata and Kick Start.... You do tons of punches and jabs, so much so that your shoulders and arms ache. Kicks and legwork are interspersed.
The one section that gets me in this video is near the end, when you do knee strikes to music that has a very fast tempo. It's a challenge to even move that fast! But it makes me work and I enjoy the challenge.
You have some floorwork with this video - abs, arms, and a stretch.
This is a fun workout with a very low dread factor. The only thing that gets tiresome for me is the punching. I guess I need an imaginary enemy to want to punch repeatedly. Ha!
Bottom Line: This is a great, fun kickboxing workout for anyone who is familiar with kickboxing basics.
This workout uses no weights and is filled with kickboxing, very much like Kick Start and Power Kata.
You're given a warm-up in this workout, one that is much slower (and better) than in the HIIT Combat videos. You punch, jab, and shuffle your way to a raised heart rate. You're then given a very, very short stretch.
There's not much to go into detail about with this workout. It's exactly like Power Kata and Kick Start.... You do tons of punches and jabs, so much so that your shoulders and arms ache. Kicks and legwork are interspersed.
The one section that gets me in this video is near the end, when you do knee strikes to music that has a very fast tempo. It's a challenge to even move that fast! But it makes me work and I enjoy the challenge.
You have some floorwork with this video - abs, arms, and a stretch.
This is a fun workout with a very low dread factor. The only thing that gets tiresome for me is the punching. I guess I need an imaginary enemy to want to punch repeatedly. Ha!
Bottom Line: This is a great, fun kickboxing workout for anyone who is familiar with kickboxing basics.
Monday, February 23, 2015
Combat Challenge: Week 7
Even though my thyroid is apparently screwing up everything with my metabolism, I'm trying to stay motivated. We leave for a cruise in a week and a half (!).....so the thought of a bikini is pretty terrifying right now.
But I'll keep going...
Monday: Combat 45 - Power Kata + yoga
This one is so much easier to get in to instead of the HIIT Combat workouts. It's fun and there's not much of a dread factor - except for one move that comes about 3/4 of the way through: jumping knee strikes. I still can't do those correctly but they get me out of breath every time so I don't care! Ha! At yoga, we did a lot of leg and hip work. I had no idea there were muscles in some of the places we worked. Dang! I was actually sweating today, though it wasn't particularly difficult, just....challenging.
Tuesday: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + Ilyse's Easy to Follow Dance Moves + weights
I was not looking forward to HIIT this morning - but I kept telling myself it was all for my legs. Ha! Ilyse's dance workout eased me into the morning of fun-filled cardio. She so much fun! At lunch, I did weights....since I didn't do them last week. I still don't enjoy weights at the rec but I'll keep trying to get it done.
Wednesday: Michelle's Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + Amy Dixon's Intervals + yoga
The Combat calendar called for another round of Combat 45, but I wanted something different. I combined two Glo workouts to make a 50 minute sweat session. Ha! I love Michell's quick Cardio Blast and Amy's Intervals, while uncreative, is good because you can sub in your own moves when you want. I personally get tired of doing one move for 8 rounds so I do some different things to stay happy. Yoga was good - and difficult - today. She did some lunge twists that really opened up my hips. Wow!
Thursday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Scott's HIIT - Sports Inspired Intervals
My back was hurting again this morning. It hurt to even reach down and touch the floor. I have no idea what's going on. I eased into working out this morning and then got through everything….but I'm getting annoyed with this pain. Having not done burpees in weeks now, I don't know what else is causing it. Bad news from the scale today: I still weigh the same.
Friday: Dozois' BodyFit 360 + walk
Back to the original BodyFit 360 today - and how fun it is! My love of Michelle Dozois keeps growing as she continuously puts out great workouts, even on Glo. I gave myself 10 minutes to stretch this morning with her and it was lovely! At lunch, I got out and walked. The rec center did not sound appealing so I walked around the old neighborhood bordering campus. Very nice!
Saturday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Michelle's Cardio Strength 2 on Glo
I knew this workout would be a long one but I also didn't know how long I'd last with my back still aching. Combat started me off and I warmed up a bit beforehand. I can use heavy weights for all the lifting in this workout. Yay! I subbed the 5 minutes of burpees with other cardio. After floor work, I moved on to Michelle's CS2 on Glo. I like this one but I just can't seem to ever remember it. It's tough, though, and some of the floor sequences really get me. I was dripping sweat but it felt good! And I amazed myself by getting through it all. Then, stretching and abs. 1.5 hours of cardio and weights!
Sunday: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party + abs
Today, my legs hurt like they haven't in a very long time. I may have done a little too much yesterday. I went through Combat Live and then decided to take it down a notch. Since I've been wanting to try Ilyse's Dance Party, today seemed like a good time. At first, I thought there was no way this would give me a good workout but I kept sweating throughout and had fun. Yay! I finished off my workout with a good stretch and some ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1274
Tuesday - 1274
Wednesday - 1286
Thursday - 1289
Friday - 1375
Saturday - 1401
Sunday - 1388
After more bloodwork on Thursday, the doctor upped my thyroid meds again on Friday. I'm now taking two different pills! We'll see how this goes. With the cruise next week (!!), I won't be able to get more labs done for three weeks. I hope the higher dosage means I don't gain 20 pounds on the cruise!
I ate well this week and splurged just a bit on the weekend. I figured I burned more calories with my crazy workouts and could afford to eat a bit more. On Saturday, I made my favorite broccoli salad and chowed down on that all weekend.
But I'll keep going...
Monday: Combat 45 - Power Kata + yoga
This one is so much easier to get in to instead of the HIIT Combat workouts. It's fun and there's not much of a dread factor - except for one move that comes about 3/4 of the way through: jumping knee strikes. I still can't do those correctly but they get me out of breath every time so I don't care! Ha! At yoga, we did a lot of leg and hip work. I had no idea there were muscles in some of the places we worked. Dang! I was actually sweating today, though it wasn't particularly difficult, just....challenging.
Tuesday: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + Ilyse's Easy to Follow Dance Moves + weights
I was not looking forward to HIIT this morning - but I kept telling myself it was all for my legs. Ha! Ilyse's dance workout eased me into the morning of fun-filled cardio. She so much fun! At lunch, I did weights....since I didn't do them last week. I still don't enjoy weights at the rec but I'll keep trying to get it done.
Wednesday: Michelle's Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + Amy Dixon's Intervals + yoga
The Combat calendar called for another round of Combat 45, but I wanted something different. I combined two Glo workouts to make a 50 minute sweat session. Ha! I love Michell's quick Cardio Blast and Amy's Intervals, while uncreative, is good because you can sub in your own moves when you want. I personally get tired of doing one move for 8 rounds so I do some different things to stay happy. Yoga was good - and difficult - today. She did some lunge twists that really opened up my hips. Wow!
Thursday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Scott's HIIT - Sports Inspired Intervals
My back was hurting again this morning. It hurt to even reach down and touch the floor. I have no idea what's going on. I eased into working out this morning and then got through everything….but I'm getting annoyed with this pain. Having not done burpees in weeks now, I don't know what else is causing it. Bad news from the scale today: I still weigh the same.
Friday: Dozois' BodyFit 360 + walk
Back to the original BodyFit 360 today - and how fun it is! My love of Michelle Dozois keeps growing as she continuously puts out great workouts, even on Glo. I gave myself 10 minutes to stretch this morning with her and it was lovely! At lunch, I got out and walked. The rec center did not sound appealing so I walked around the old neighborhood bordering campus. Very nice!
Saturday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Michelle's Cardio Strength 2 on Glo
I knew this workout would be a long one but I also didn't know how long I'd last with my back still aching. Combat started me off and I warmed up a bit beforehand. I can use heavy weights for all the lifting in this workout. Yay! I subbed the 5 minutes of burpees with other cardio. After floor work, I moved on to Michelle's CS2 on Glo. I like this one but I just can't seem to ever remember it. It's tough, though, and some of the floor sequences really get me. I was dripping sweat but it felt good! And I amazed myself by getting through it all. Then, stretching and abs. 1.5 hours of cardio and weights!
Sunday: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout + Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party + abs
Today, my legs hurt like they haven't in a very long time. I may have done a little too much yesterday. I went through Combat Live and then decided to take it down a notch. Since I've been wanting to try Ilyse's Dance Party, today seemed like a good time. At first, I thought there was no way this would give me a good workout but I kept sweating throughout and had fun. Yay! I finished off my workout with a good stretch and some ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1274
Tuesday - 1274
Wednesday - 1286
Thursday - 1289
Friday - 1375
Saturday - 1401
Sunday - 1388
After more bloodwork on Thursday, the doctor upped my thyroid meds again on Friday. I'm now taking two different pills! We'll see how this goes. With the cruise next week (!!), I won't be able to get more labs done for three weeks. I hope the higher dosage means I don't gain 20 pounds on the cruise!
I ate well this week and splurged just a bit on the weekend. I figured I burned more calories with my crazy workouts and could afford to eat a bit more. On Saturday, I made my favorite broccoli salad and chowed down on that all weekend.
Friday, February 20, 2015
Les Mills: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 (Review)
In my opinion, of all the workouts in Les Mills' Combat, Shock Plyo HIIT 2 is the most challenging. It's non-stop cardio and, even though it lasts for just under 30 minutes, it's the most difficult of the workouts to get through. Your legs will burn!
You technically need one weight for a move in this workout, but that move can be done without a weight.
During the "warm-up" my heart was pounding like nothing else. You run in place, run to a drop squat, do lunges, sprints, push-ups... Oh my goodness. The first time I did this, my only thought was, "what have I gotten myself in to?!"
The first circuit is mostly burpees. You run in place to have a "breather" between burpee segments. And then you add a burpee with a run and drop squat. When that gets boring - ha! - you add a jump on to the drop squat.
And if that wasn't fun enough, the next circuit is lunge jumps and mountain climbers. You begin with double lunge jumps, the on to singles, then mountain climbers. Repeat. I never thought a mountain climber sounded appealing...until I started doing tons of lunge jumps.
For the next section you need a weight. You do squats and then add a squat, hop, and press. Believe it or not, this section is where I catch my breath.
The last standing circuit here is my favorite: ski jumps, side sprints, and then skiers side to side (or drop taps). You run in place in between moves for a breather.
After that, you move to the floor for push-ups, planks, and hovers. Honestly, this seems easy after all the leg work. You are then given a short (2 minute) cool down and stretch.
As much as I hate some of these moves, I think they're crazy effective. Despite always doing cardio, I've seen more definition after these workouts than any other cardio. From now on, I will willingly do lunge jumps and squat jumps.
Beware, however, of your form when doing burpees. When you do them quickly, your form tends to disintegrate and you can really put some bad pressure on your back.
Bottom Line: This is an advanced workout - but an effective one for anyone stuck in a cardio rut.
You technically need one weight for a move in this workout, but that move can be done without a weight.
During the "warm-up" my heart was pounding like nothing else. You run in place, run to a drop squat, do lunges, sprints, push-ups... Oh my goodness. The first time I did this, my only thought was, "what have I gotten myself in to?!"
The first circuit is mostly burpees. You run in place to have a "breather" between burpee segments. And then you add a burpee with a run and drop squat. When that gets boring - ha! - you add a jump on to the drop squat.
And if that wasn't fun enough, the next circuit is lunge jumps and mountain climbers. You begin with double lunge jumps, the on to singles, then mountain climbers. Repeat. I never thought a mountain climber sounded appealing...until I started doing tons of lunge jumps.
For the next section you need a weight. You do squats and then add a squat, hop, and press. Believe it or not, this section is where I catch my breath.
The last standing circuit here is my favorite: ski jumps, side sprints, and then skiers side to side (or drop taps). You run in place in between moves for a breather.
After that, you move to the floor for push-ups, planks, and hovers. Honestly, this seems easy after all the leg work. You are then given a short (2 minute) cool down and stretch.
As much as I hate some of these moves, I think they're crazy effective. Despite always doing cardio, I've seen more definition after these workouts than any other cardio. From now on, I will willingly do lunge jumps and squat jumps.
Beware, however, of your form when doing burpees. When you do them quickly, your form tends to disintegrate and you can really put some bad pressure on your back.
Bottom Line: This is an advanced workout - but an effective one for anyone stuck in a cardio rut.
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Frustrations with Yarn
I am a knitter. But knitting does not come naturally to me....at all. My brain cannot see patterns three dimensionally. It's very frustrating.
My friend is helping me with my first sweater and I finally finished a sleeve and shoulder. Yay! The shoulder meant I had to tackle my fear of short rows and wrap and turns (w&t). When I attempted to do it on my own, I knew I was doing it all wrong. So I waited until my friend could show me. Once she did, it seemed comically simplistic.
So why can't my brain see a pattern and make sense of how the stitches work? Once I finished my short rows on Saturday, without the supervision of my friend, I had the wrong number of stitches. Seriously? La sigh.
I love the idea of knitting. I love yarn. I love quick projects that I can interpret without aid. But I'm so tired of needing help! And part of my frustration is that I feel like there's no way I can ever know it all. There are so many tricks of the trade..... how do knitters keep them all straight?! It's overwhelming! And I'm not even a super uber novice anymore!
That's my rant for today. Thanks for listening. I may work on the cowl I recently started - a short and sweet project. At least I can do that on my own!
My friend is helping me with my first sweater and I finally finished a sleeve and shoulder. Yay! The shoulder meant I had to tackle my fear of short rows and wrap and turns (w&t). When I attempted to do it on my own, I knew I was doing it all wrong. So I waited until my friend could show me. Once she did, it seemed comically simplistic.
So why can't my brain see a pattern and make sense of how the stitches work? Once I finished my short rows on Saturday, without the supervision of my friend, I had the wrong number of stitches. Seriously? La sigh.
I love the idea of knitting. I love yarn. I love quick projects that I can interpret without aid. But I'm so tired of needing help! And part of my frustration is that I feel like there's no way I can ever know it all. There are so many tricks of the trade..... how do knitters keep them all straight?! It's overwhelming! And I'm not even a super uber novice anymore!
That's my rant for today. Thanks for listening. I may work on the cowl I recently started - a short and sweet project. At least I can do that on my own!
Monday, February 16, 2015
Combat Challenge: Week 6
My cruise packing list is all set so I need to get rid of these extra pounds.
This week means it's back to Combat HIIT, per the Combat calendar, and that does not make me happy. Oh, well. I think my legs are getting more toned - at least that's what Mr. Higgins says - so I'm going to hold on to that positive thing and keep going. We leave two weeks from this Thursday. Oy.
Monday: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + yoga
Mondays are always difficult. Ilyse made it easy to get up and going - and to get prepared for Combat HIIT. I modified most of the burpees this time around, hoping to not have lower back pain. I was able to do some other high intensity moves - and I was sweating just the same. Yoga was really nice - about 20 minutes of stretching, then 25 minutes of flowing movement. And then handstands - ack!
Tuesday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Scott's HIIT - Sports Inspired Intervals
And today it came time to modify the crazy amount of burpees in Power HIIT. Ugh. I did about 5 slow, good-to-form burpees before I subbed them for other cardio bursts. My heart was pounding all the same so it was a good workout! I even did extra lunge jumps - willingly. Ha! Seeing a difference in my legs has inspired me! At lunch, I went to hear our resident nutritionist talk on cholesterol. Very interesting!
Wednesday: Combat 45 - Power Kata
This was my only workout today since I was meeting a friend for lunch. I gave it my all and was breathless in no time. It was good to have a break from HIIT which gets tiring - to say the least - when done consecutively.
Thursday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Michelle's HIIT - Breathless and Energized + walk
I was not looking forward to Power HIIT but I got through it, subbing almost all the burpees for other cardio. After two weeks of no burpees (well, virtually none), my back is a lot better. Yay! I like knowing what makes me hurt....so I don't do it! Michelle's HIIT was fun since I hadn't done it in a week or two. At lunch, I walked at the rec, in lieu of weights. With two Power HIITs this week and a Cardio Strength over the weekend, I feel like I've done enough weights.
Friday: PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility + Core Dynamics + walk
I needed a rest this morning and Dynamic Flexibility was a great choice. This is so relaxing and un-stressful…..just what I needed after all my hard workouts of the week. I did about 5-10 minutes of Core afterward. Michelle's core work is so wicked hard - harder than anything in Combat. Ouch! At lunch, I walked at the rec to get away from the office for a while. Very nice!
Saturday: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout + McLean's Bodyweight Assault Challenge
After splurging on calories at dinner last night, I was ready to work this morning. I got through Combat in 50 minutes (minus floor work) and wanted more. Combat Live is fun but I felt the need to push a bit harder. Alex McLean's Challenge had been on my FitnessGlo "to-do list" so I went through about 20 minutes of that. Wow, that was tough! The HIIT circuits are pretty long - 60 seconds, then 45, then 30 - and doing one crazy move for a minute is tough. But I got what I wanted and pushed myself.
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn on Glo + McLean's HIIT - Strength, Endurance, and Cardio Challenge
Time for my Peak 10 fix for the week! This CIB on Glo is not my favorite but I've finally gotten familiar with it enough to like it. Afterward, I wanted something different that used weights so I tried McLean's HIIT. It's definitely a challenge! You alternate a weighted series of moves with tabata cardio. I got through the 20 minutes of the "meat" of the workout (no warm-up or cool down) and was dripping sweat. It was actually pretty gross, wiping sweat off the floor. Thankfully, I got to stretch and do some sit-ups after that. 1.5 hours of sweat.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1297
Tuesday - 1293
Wednesday - 1277
Thursday - 1293
Friday - BAD
Saturday - 1278
Sunday - 1275
I was so good this week. There were Valentine's Day goodies in the break room; I resisted. There was lunch out with a friend; I got the 200 calorie chicken noodle soup. There was dinner at Panera; I stuck to about 300 calories. And then I weighed - no change. I'm still 6-7 pounds over my ideal weight. So when Friday came along and Mr. Higgins said we could do away with dinner and a movie and just see a movie, I said no. Considering that eating healthy is having no impact, why not eat unhealthy for once. The last Friday night out we had, I lost four pounds by the next Friday. And that's the only weight I've lost.
To say the least, I'm frustrated. But I'm really disheartened. I'm not giving up by any means but I'm disheartened.
And I was super good this weekend. I tried a new vegetable soup recipe - 137 calories per serving - that we ate on all Sunday long. I might just be tired of soup by the end of all this thyroid mess.
This week means it's back to Combat HIIT, per the Combat calendar, and that does not make me happy. Oh, well. I think my legs are getting more toned - at least that's what Mr. Higgins says - so I'm going to hold on to that positive thing and keep going. We leave two weeks from this Thursday. Oy.
Monday: Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + yoga
Mondays are always difficult. Ilyse made it easy to get up and going - and to get prepared for Combat HIIT. I modified most of the burpees this time around, hoping to not have lower back pain. I was able to do some other high intensity moves - and I was sweating just the same. Yoga was really nice - about 20 minutes of stretching, then 25 minutes of flowing movement. And then handstands - ack!
Tuesday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Scott's HIIT - Sports Inspired Intervals
And today it came time to modify the crazy amount of burpees in Power HIIT. Ugh. I did about 5 slow, good-to-form burpees before I subbed them for other cardio bursts. My heart was pounding all the same so it was a good workout! I even did extra lunge jumps - willingly. Ha! Seeing a difference in my legs has inspired me! At lunch, I went to hear our resident nutritionist talk on cholesterol. Very interesting!
Wednesday: Combat 45 - Power Kata
This was my only workout today since I was meeting a friend for lunch. I gave it my all and was breathless in no time. It was good to have a break from HIIT which gets tiring - to say the least - when done consecutively.
Thursday: Combat Power HIIT 1 + Michelle's HIIT - Breathless and Energized + walk
I was not looking forward to Power HIIT but I got through it, subbing almost all the burpees for other cardio. After two weeks of no burpees (well, virtually none), my back is a lot better. Yay! I like knowing what makes me hurt....so I don't do it! Michelle's HIIT was fun since I hadn't done it in a week or two. At lunch, I walked at the rec, in lieu of weights. With two Power HIITs this week and a Cardio Strength over the weekend, I feel like I've done enough weights.
Friday: PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility + Core Dynamics + walk
I needed a rest this morning and Dynamic Flexibility was a great choice. This is so relaxing and un-stressful…..just what I needed after all my hard workouts of the week. I did about 5-10 minutes of Core afterward. Michelle's core work is so wicked hard - harder than anything in Combat. Ouch! At lunch, I walked at the rec to get away from the office for a while. Very nice!
Saturday: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout + McLean's Bodyweight Assault Challenge
After splurging on calories at dinner last night, I was ready to work this morning. I got through Combat in 50 minutes (minus floor work) and wanted more. Combat Live is fun but I felt the need to push a bit harder. Alex McLean's Challenge had been on my FitnessGlo "to-do list" so I went through about 20 minutes of that. Wow, that was tough! The HIIT circuits are pretty long - 60 seconds, then 45, then 30 - and doing one crazy move for a minute is tough. But I got what I wanted and pushed myself.
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn on Glo + McLean's HIIT - Strength, Endurance, and Cardio Challenge
Time for my Peak 10 fix for the week! This CIB on Glo is not my favorite but I've finally gotten familiar with it enough to like it. Afterward, I wanted something different that used weights so I tried McLean's HIIT. It's definitely a challenge! You alternate a weighted series of moves with tabata cardio. I got through the 20 minutes of the "meat" of the workout (no warm-up or cool down) and was dripping sweat. It was actually pretty gross, wiping sweat off the floor. Thankfully, I got to stretch and do some sit-ups after that. 1.5 hours of sweat.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1297
Tuesday - 1293
Wednesday - 1277
Thursday - 1293
Friday - BAD
Saturday - 1278
Sunday - 1275
I was so good this week. There were Valentine's Day goodies in the break room; I resisted. There was lunch out with a friend; I got the 200 calorie chicken noodle soup. There was dinner at Panera; I stuck to about 300 calories. And then I weighed - no change. I'm still 6-7 pounds over my ideal weight. So when Friday came along and Mr. Higgins said we could do away with dinner and a movie and just see a movie, I said no. Considering that eating healthy is having no impact, why not eat unhealthy for once. The last Friday night out we had, I lost four pounds by the next Friday. And that's the only weight I've lost.
To say the least, I'm frustrated. But I'm really disheartened. I'm not giving up by any means but I'm disheartened.
And I was super good this weekend. I tried a new vegetable soup recipe - 137 calories per serving - that we ate on all Sunday long. I might just be tired of soup by the end of all this thyroid mess.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Les Mills: Combat Power HIIT 1 (Review)
Combat Power HIIT is unlike any workout I've done; it's also one of the toughest. I was a bit unprepared for it. The other workouts - besides the two HIIT routines - are kickboxing. This one is not: it's pure calorie-burning fun (er, yeah, sure, fun!).
For this HIIT, you need some weights - free weights or a barbell. I used 8 lb free weights. You start with a warm-up that gets your heart pumping in no time. Jogging, squats and squat jumps, sprints, the inch worm, and push-ups. Whew!
What follows that five minute warm-up is HIIT in the form of weights. You do rows, then rest; clean and presses, then rest; squat and presses, then rest. You do a lot of squat and presses. This goes on for about ten minutes and if you're doing the appropriate amount of weight, you will sweat and your heart rate will stay elevated. I jog or shuffle during each rest, to move and stay loose.
After this you do about five minutes of squats, sumo squats, squat jumps, and lunge jumps. Oh my goodness, your legs will burn like nothing else! I have to lessen the intensity a bit after a while with all these moves - they're just that crazy when done without any break.
The next circuit is burpees. Yes, all burpees for about five minutes. You even add a squat and then a squat jump. So much fun!
A word of caution... After doing this workout several times, I noticed that my lower back was almost constantly aching - even in bed in the middle of the night. I cut back on the burpees - cutting them completely for two weeks - and learned that these burpees were causing my new-found pain. I have good form and can still do slower burpees...but Combat HIIT requires fast crazy burpees and my form apparently disintegrates with speed. I sub other cardio for the burpees. A burpee is not the beginning and end all of cardio.
The last section is ab work in the form of planks and mountain climbers. And then a stretch.
This is a very challenging workout and seeing the muscled men in the video do it with me only makes it seem tougher. Ha! During a burpee sequence, one of them says, "We don't use machines, we build machines." Ha! I do like this one and it, combined with HIIT 2 has really toned my legs. So, take it from me - it will get you results if you can get through it!
Bottom Line: This is a very difficult workout. You will work harder than you ever have before - and you'll get results.
For this HIIT, you need some weights - free weights or a barbell. I used 8 lb free weights. You start with a warm-up that gets your heart pumping in no time. Jogging, squats and squat jumps, sprints, the inch worm, and push-ups. Whew!
What follows that five minute warm-up is HIIT in the form of weights. You do rows, then rest; clean and presses, then rest; squat and presses, then rest. You do a lot of squat and presses. This goes on for about ten minutes and if you're doing the appropriate amount of weight, you will sweat and your heart rate will stay elevated. I jog or shuffle during each rest, to move and stay loose.
After this you do about five minutes of squats, sumo squats, squat jumps, and lunge jumps. Oh my goodness, your legs will burn like nothing else! I have to lessen the intensity a bit after a while with all these moves - they're just that crazy when done without any break.
The next circuit is burpees. Yes, all burpees for about five minutes. You even add a squat and then a squat jump. So much fun!
A word of caution... After doing this workout several times, I noticed that my lower back was almost constantly aching - even in bed in the middle of the night. I cut back on the burpees - cutting them completely for two weeks - and learned that these burpees were causing my new-found pain. I have good form and can still do slower burpees...but Combat HIIT requires fast crazy burpees and my form apparently disintegrates with speed. I sub other cardio for the burpees. A burpee is not the beginning and end all of cardio.
The last section is ab work in the form of planks and mountain climbers. And then a stretch.
This is a very challenging workout and seeing the muscled men in the video do it with me only makes it seem tougher. Ha! During a burpee sequence, one of them says, "We don't use machines, we build machines." Ha! I do like this one and it, combined with HIIT 2 has really toned my legs. So, take it from me - it will get you results if you can get through it!
Bottom Line: This is a very difficult workout. You will work harder than you ever have before - and you'll get results.
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Dragonfly in Amber
It took a while, but I recently finished the second novel in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, Dragonfly in Amber. I had a few books going, which is why it took a bit longer but I really enjoyed it!
My Goodreads review:
When I started this series, I had no idea how Gabaldon could make it last for so many books. I still have no idea but I'm beginning to understand just how good of a storyteller she really is. This book was better than the first, in my opinion!
The story of the Jacobite rebellions is fascinating but Gabaldon adds a new twist - telling part of that story in France. Jamie and Claire flee to France where they are recruited to help Bonnie Prince Charlie, who, incidentally, was not actually called Bonnie until he fled Britain AFTER his invasion (just a minor error there). Paris was fascinating to read about and Gabaldon does an excellent job making it real, dirty, and opulent.
Jamie and Claire's relationship matures greatly in this novel - past pure lust (though there's still lust) and into real life. I can't wait to see what will happen next. Gabaldon has made me a believer.
My Goodreads review:
When I started this series, I had no idea how Gabaldon could make it last for so many books. I still have no idea but I'm beginning to understand just how good of a storyteller she really is. This book was better than the first, in my opinion!
The story of the Jacobite rebellions is fascinating but Gabaldon adds a new twist - telling part of that story in France. Jamie and Claire flee to France where they are recruited to help Bonnie Prince Charlie, who, incidentally, was not actually called Bonnie until he fled Britain AFTER his invasion (just a minor error there). Paris was fascinating to read about and Gabaldon does an excellent job making it real, dirty, and opulent.
Jamie and Claire's relationship matures greatly in this novel - past pure lust (though there's still lust) and into real life. I can't wait to see what will happen next. Gabaldon has made me a believer.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Combat Challenge: Week 5
Has it been five weeks?! Dang!
This week, we had to eat leftovers from our Super Bowl/birthday festivities. Yay for something different; boo for the diet.
I'm happy that I get a break from Combat HIIT this week. I'm thinking that the absurd amount of burpees in those workouts is causing my newfound lower-back pain. So when I have to go back to those next week, I may sub the majority of the burpees with a different exercise. Getting hurt, permanently, does not sound at all appealing.
Monday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix + Dozois' Heart-Pumping Total Sculpting
I was home with stomach issues today. Once I felt better, I decided to get in some good, quality workouts. CS Remix is fun - and super hard! I think there's only one circuit that does not have you on the floor. Wow. After that, since I had the weights out, I decided to really make my arms and legs burn with Total Sculpting. It was my first time doing this 20-minute workout on Glo and it's definitely a challenge. My arms and legs were aching afterward!
Tuesday: Combat 45 - Power Kata + walk
This morning had me doing cardio with Power Kata. The circuit with the knee strikes - holy cow! That gets me every time. At lunch, I walked at the rec. I even jogged a bit, not to be outdone by the annoying little undergrads.
Wednesday: Amy's Intervals + Michelle's Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + yoga
This week's Combat rotation called for Kick Start, but that did not seem nearly intense enough for me today....after the weekend eating. So, I did Amy's HIIT workout on Glo. That one always challenges me. I followed it up with Michelle's Cardio Blast. All in all, a good morning of HIIT! At lunch, I went to yoga which was a good mix of stretching and strength challenges.
Thursday: BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 - Athletic Conditioning + weights
I didn't really want a rest day this week, or even a light day. I settled on BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 which was a nice compromise - 30 minutes of intense cardio and then 20 minutes of stretching. I skipped the arms and abs, knowing I'd do weights at lunch. I really do hate weights at the rec....but I did them. Ugh.
Friday: Combat 45 - Power Kata
Next week, when I have to go back to Combat HIIT, I'll be very depressed. It's been a nice break this week. Kata was fun this morning as I learn new ways to make the moves more intense. I like to get the most bang for my buck! Ha!
Saturday: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout
A new workout today! Yay! I really enjoyed the Live version of Combat 60. There were some new moves and really challenging leg work which I liked. I added some additional minutes of my own cardio to make it a full hour. Then my own stretch and ab work.
Sunday: Peak 10 More Cardio Strength
Wow. This one is always a challenge. I'm usually okay until the last circuit that has a crazy tough floor sequence - donkey kicks then sit-outs to mountain climbers, sit-outs, mountain climbers, frog. Oy. I hate that one. But I enjoyed the rest of it! I added on some additional cardio and weights to get in 65 minutes. Then a nice stretch.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - BAD - Super Bowl leftovers
Tuesday - 1388
Wednesday - 1274
Thursday - 1229
Friday - 1354
Saturday - 1279
Sunday - 1274
Good news: The doctor has increased my thyroid hormone meds again, starting this Saturday. My bloodwork showed that I'm still hypo. Bad news: I've gained weight due to my weekend of excess last weekend. It was to be expected but it's never fun to see, especially so close to a cruise. At least I was able to be good this weekend. We stayed in on Friday night.
Next week it's back to Combat HIIT and to the strict diet!
This week, we had to eat leftovers from our Super Bowl/birthday festivities. Yay for something different; boo for the diet.
I'm happy that I get a break from Combat HIIT this week. I'm thinking that the absurd amount of burpees in those workouts is causing my newfound lower-back pain. So when I have to go back to those next week, I may sub the majority of the burpees with a different exercise. Getting hurt, permanently, does not sound at all appealing.
Monday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix + Dozois' Heart-Pumping Total Sculpting
I was home with stomach issues today. Once I felt better, I decided to get in some good, quality workouts. CS Remix is fun - and super hard! I think there's only one circuit that does not have you on the floor. Wow. After that, since I had the weights out, I decided to really make my arms and legs burn with Total Sculpting. It was my first time doing this 20-minute workout on Glo and it's definitely a challenge. My arms and legs were aching afterward!
Tuesday: Combat 45 - Power Kata + walk
This morning had me doing cardio with Power Kata. The circuit with the knee strikes - holy cow! That gets me every time. At lunch, I walked at the rec. I even jogged a bit, not to be outdone by the annoying little undergrads.
Wednesday: Amy's Intervals + Michelle's Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + yoga
This week's Combat rotation called for Kick Start, but that did not seem nearly intense enough for me today....after the weekend eating. So, I did Amy's HIIT workout on Glo. That one always challenges me. I followed it up with Michelle's Cardio Blast. All in all, a good morning of HIIT! At lunch, I went to yoga which was a good mix of stretching and strength challenges.
Thursday: BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 - Athletic Conditioning + weights
I didn't really want a rest day this week, or even a light day. I settled on BodyFit 360 Vol. 3 which was a nice compromise - 30 minutes of intense cardio and then 20 minutes of stretching. I skipped the arms and abs, knowing I'd do weights at lunch. I really do hate weights at the rec....but I did them. Ugh.
Friday: Combat 45 - Power Kata
Next week, when I have to go back to Combat HIIT, I'll be very depressed. It's been a nice break this week. Kata was fun this morning as I learn new ways to make the moves more intense. I like to get the most bang for my buck! Ha!
Saturday: Combat 60 Live - Ultimate Warrior's Workout
A new workout today! Yay! I really enjoyed the Live version of Combat 60. There were some new moves and really challenging leg work which I liked. I added some additional minutes of my own cardio to make it a full hour. Then my own stretch and ab work.
Sunday: Peak 10 More Cardio Strength
Wow. This one is always a challenge. I'm usually okay until the last circuit that has a crazy tough floor sequence - donkey kicks then sit-outs to mountain climbers, sit-outs, mountain climbers, frog. Oy. I hate that one. But I enjoyed the rest of it! I added on some additional cardio and weights to get in 65 minutes. Then a nice stretch.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - BAD - Super Bowl leftovers
Tuesday - 1388
Wednesday - 1274
Thursday - 1229
Friday - 1354
Saturday - 1279
Sunday - 1274
Good news: The doctor has increased my thyroid hormone meds again, starting this Saturday. My bloodwork showed that I'm still hypo. Bad news: I've gained weight due to my weekend of excess last weekend. It was to be expected but it's never fun to see, especially so close to a cruise. At least I was able to be good this weekend. We stayed in on Friday night.
Next week it's back to Combat HIIT and to the strict diet!
Friday, February 6, 2015
Les Mills: Combat 45 - Power Kata (Review)
It's been fun having a new workout system to go through. Eight weeks gives me a while to do the workouts and then give you a good report on them. The 45-minute Power Kata is fun - and hard work!
Power Kata builds upon the 30-minute Kick Start workout. It's longer, more challenging, and assumes you now know what you're doing when you go through all the punches and kicks.
The trainers give you a warm up of punches and shuffles. You then get a tiny stretch (tiny!) before getting down to business. The main differences between Kick Start and Power Kata are:
-More complex choreography in Power Kata. The combinations include more moves - 4 to 5 - and combine punches and kicks. Most are pretty easy but even after doing this workout several times, a few of the combinations are still a bit tricky for me. I have to stop and make sure I'm doing them right.
-A higher level of cardiovascular intensity in Kata. There are some series in this workout that are really challenging. For example, one such series alternates knee strikes and jumping knee strikes. My heart is pounding during this.
After about 40 minutes of stand-up cardio, you move to the floor for some stretching.
All in all, this is a fun workout - more effective than Kick Start but not as long and intense as Extreme Cardio Fighter. For a preview, go here.
Bottom Line: With only moderately complex choreography, this workout is great for anyone who knows basic kickboxing. It'll make you sweat in no time!
Power Kata builds upon the 30-minute Kick Start workout. It's longer, more challenging, and assumes you now know what you're doing when you go through all the punches and kicks.
The trainers give you a warm up of punches and shuffles. You then get a tiny stretch (tiny!) before getting down to business. The main differences between Kick Start and Power Kata are:
-More complex choreography in Power Kata. The combinations include more moves - 4 to 5 - and combine punches and kicks. Most are pretty easy but even after doing this workout several times, a few of the combinations are still a bit tricky for me. I have to stop and make sure I'm doing them right.
-A higher level of cardiovascular intensity in Kata. There are some series in this workout that are really challenging. For example, one such series alternates knee strikes and jumping knee strikes. My heart is pounding during this.
After about 40 minutes of stand-up cardio, you move to the floor for some stretching.
All in all, this is a fun workout - more effective than Kick Start but not as long and intense as Extreme Cardio Fighter. For a preview, go here.
Bottom Line: With only moderately complex choreography, this workout is great for anyone who knows basic kickboxing. It'll make you sweat in no time!
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Tender White Cake (2015:1)
I rarely have the opportunity to make full-fat desserts. Correction: I rarely allow myself to make full-fat desserts. Recently, though, I had the chance to make a cake. A real cake. I was so enthralled by this foreign idea that I shirked the idea of a cake-from-a-box and went searching for recipes.
The occasion was my mom's birthday. She likes a white cake with chocolate icing. Since making icing is the singular most horrific experience in my cooking life (how much powdered sugar?!), I opted to buy that. But I wanted to make a cake from scratch!
I went searching for recipes and settled upon this Tender White Cake from King Arthur Flour. The reviews were great and the ingredients simple. Off I went to bake.
The batter came together wonderfully! The almond extract and vanilla made it smell - and taste! - amazing. I poured the batter into a (stoneware) 9x13 pan - and baked it. After the minimum amount of time, it was not done. I checked it again in 3 minutes - not done. Three minutes later, not done. WTH?!
After cooling, I iced it. Several hour later, when I cut into it, I was immediately alarmed. The edges were overdone. They were almost hard! Sigh. The flavor was great - lovely! - but the pan had ruined the cake. At least, that's my guess. I wanted the cake in a pretty pan, since it was supposedly too tender to move. Next time, I'll use an ugly metal pan and hope for better results. In the meantime, my mom and dad will eat the middle of cake.
The occasion was my mom's birthday. She likes a white cake with chocolate icing. Since making icing is the singular most horrific experience in my cooking life (how much powdered sugar?!), I opted to buy that. But I wanted to make a cake from scratch!
I went searching for recipes and settled upon this Tender White Cake from King Arthur Flour. The reviews were great and the ingredients simple. Off I went to bake.
The batter came together wonderfully! The almond extract and vanilla made it smell - and taste! - amazing. I poured the batter into a (stoneware) 9x13 pan - and baked it. After the minimum amount of time, it was not done. I checked it again in 3 minutes - not done. Three minutes later, not done. WTH?!
After cooling, I iced it. Several hour later, when I cut into it, I was immediately alarmed. The edges were overdone. They were almost hard! Sigh. The flavor was great - lovely! - but the pan had ruined the cake. At least, that's my guess. I wanted the cake in a pretty pan, since it was supposedly too tender to move. Next time, I'll use an ugly metal pan and hope for better results. In the meantime, my mom and dad will eat the middle of cake.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Combat Challenge: Week 4
Okay, now that I'm taking a higher dosage of hypothyroid meds, I'm losing weight - or at least, I'm telling myself that until I weigh on Friday. Ha! As per the norm these days, my motivation is sky high due to the addition of the hypo pounds.
On the Combat calendar, this week consists mostly of the HIIT workouts. Next week, it backs off of the HIIT. So, I'm not really looking forward to this week - ugh! Here we go.
Monday: Combat 45 - Power Kata + yoga
It was nice to not dread my morning workout - yay, no Combat HIIT! Combat 45 is a lot of fun and pretty easy to follow at 5:30 in the morning. The Combat instructors are a loud bunch but at least they keep me awake and moving. Yoga was nice today - a good combination of challenging work and relaxing stretches.
Tuesday: Michelle's HIIT - Breathless and Energized + Combat Power HIIT 1 + walk
I am getting a bit tired of the Combat HIIT workouts - most especially burpees and lunge jumps. But I'm going to try my hardest to stick with them this week to stay on target with the Combat calendar. It helps starting off with Michelle's HIIT; she always gets me in a good mood! At lunch, I walked at the rec. It was nice to have alone time, away from the office, co-workers (though I love them), and computer.
Wednesday: Michelle's Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + yoga
This morning, I woke up energized, which is about the only reason I got through my Combat workout. Ugh! I do not like the Shock Plyo. But lunge jumps had better be easier for me after all this. Michelle's workout is a lot of fun, especially when done before the Plyo, since there is little warm-up in that Combat video. Yoga was rough today since the instructor kept coming back, over and over, to chair pose. My legs were shaking within 10 minutes of class. This always amazes me - yoga works muscles differently than any other workout.
Thursday: Conditioning for Long Lean Muscles by Michelle Dozois + weights
Today was my Combat rest day. And I really needed it. Instead of taking it too easy, though, I did Michelle's Glo workout - basically a BodyFit 360. I was sweating and my heart was pumping while doing tons of plies, squats, and lunges between cardio bursts. These workouts seem easy....but they are not. At lunch, I went to the rec to do weights, despite my already sore arms. Sigh.
Friday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Combat Shock Ply HIIT 2
Good news! I've lost 4 pounds in a week! The hypo meds are working! I started my workout actually happy this morning - at 5:30. Ha! Ilyse's cardio in Dance Intervals is fun but basic, allowing me to wake up slowly. Combat is definitely a shock - but at least I was feeling better about myself. I took the day off from the rec center; I knew I needed a day to rest at lunch.
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix + Michelle's Quick Lower Body Shape Up
Knowing my weekend would consist of bad eating, I was ready to work this morning! Michelle's CIB was calling so I did that, having fun in the process. Next up, I wanted to do some strength; her Lower Body workout, lasting 15 minutes, seemed a good choice. All in all, about 1.5 hours of working out if you count sit-ups and stretches. Oh, and have I mentioned how easy sit-ups have become?! I'm amazed!
Sunday: Combat 60 Extreme Cardio Fighter
I was eager to get my Combat on this morning! Ha! It was fun to do this workout since it's so different from Peak 10. I can't say I love it but it's a nice change. Next week, I'll get to do a new, long Combat workout. Exciting!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1276
Tuesday - 1246
Wednesday - 1246
Thursday - 1284
Friday - bad
Saturday - 1622
Sunday - BAD!
It was my mom's birthday and Super Bowl weekend - so the eating was awful. I tried to be good on Saturday and mostly succeeded. Little victories.
On the Combat calendar, this week consists mostly of the HIIT workouts. Next week, it backs off of the HIIT. So, I'm not really looking forward to this week - ugh! Here we go.
Monday: Combat 45 - Power Kata + yoga
It was nice to not dread my morning workout - yay, no Combat HIIT! Combat 45 is a lot of fun and pretty easy to follow at 5:30 in the morning. The Combat instructors are a loud bunch but at least they keep me awake and moving. Yoga was nice today - a good combination of challenging work and relaxing stretches.
Tuesday: Michelle's HIIT - Breathless and Energized + Combat Power HIIT 1 + walk
I am getting a bit tired of the Combat HIIT workouts - most especially burpees and lunge jumps. But I'm going to try my hardest to stick with them this week to stay on target with the Combat calendar. It helps starting off with Michelle's HIIT; she always gets me in a good mood! At lunch, I walked at the rec. It was nice to have alone time, away from the office, co-workers (though I love them), and computer.
Wednesday: Michelle's Calorie Burning Cardio Blast + Combat Shock Plyo HIIT 2 + yoga
This morning, I woke up energized, which is about the only reason I got through my Combat workout. Ugh! I do not like the Shock Plyo. But lunge jumps had better be easier for me after all this. Michelle's workout is a lot of fun, especially when done before the Plyo, since there is little warm-up in that Combat video. Yoga was rough today since the instructor kept coming back, over and over, to chair pose. My legs were shaking within 10 minutes of class. This always amazes me - yoga works muscles differently than any other workout.
Thursday: Conditioning for Long Lean Muscles by Michelle Dozois + weights
Today was my Combat rest day. And I really needed it. Instead of taking it too easy, though, I did Michelle's Glo workout - basically a BodyFit 360. I was sweating and my heart was pumping while doing tons of plies, squats, and lunges between cardio bursts. These workouts seem easy....but they are not. At lunch, I went to the rec to do weights, despite my already sore arms. Sigh.
Friday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Combat Shock Ply HIIT 2
Good news! I've lost 4 pounds in a week! The hypo meds are working! I started my workout actually happy this morning - at 5:30. Ha! Ilyse's cardio in Dance Intervals is fun but basic, allowing me to wake up slowly. Combat is definitely a shock - but at least I was feeling better about myself. I took the day off from the rec center; I knew I needed a day to rest at lunch.
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix + Michelle's Quick Lower Body Shape Up
Knowing my weekend would consist of bad eating, I was ready to work this morning! Michelle's CIB was calling so I did that, having fun in the process. Next up, I wanted to do some strength; her Lower Body workout, lasting 15 minutes, seemed a good choice. All in all, about 1.5 hours of working out if you count sit-ups and stretches. Oh, and have I mentioned how easy sit-ups have become?! I'm amazed!
Sunday: Combat 60 Extreme Cardio Fighter
I was eager to get my Combat on this morning! Ha! It was fun to do this workout since it's so different from Peak 10. I can't say I love it but it's a nice change. Next week, I'll get to do a new, long Combat workout. Exciting!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1276
Tuesday - 1246
Wednesday - 1246
Thursday - 1284
Friday - bad
Saturday - 1622
Sunday - BAD!
It was my mom's birthday and Super Bowl weekend - so the eating was awful. I tried to be good on Saturday and mostly succeeded. Little victories.
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