So I've decided to do another FitnessGlo Challenge. I debated between that, Les Mills, or Cathe (who now has streaming videos)... But for now, I'm going to do Glo again. In the new year, I'll do the other two.
This time around, I need to make this Challenge more difficult. It needs to progress - start a bit easier but get harder and harder. Last time, while following their Advanced Program, I wasn't always challenged. That needs to change.
So here we go!
Monday: Dozois' Burn Calories, Release Stress + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove + walk
After four days of very high-impact workouts, I needed to back off just a bit today. Thankfully, I had these two workouts scheduled for this week so I pushed them to Monday. Michelle's workout is definitely low-impact and Ilyse's is just fun. With hers, I had to be careful not to jump. At lunch, I walked at the rec center with a co-worker. It's much easier when you have accountability!
Tuesday: Amy's Cardio Combo + Conditioning Drills for Results
It was time for weights today so I tuned into Amy's workout....which I didn't remember from the last Challenge. It was good - but low-impact so I made it high-impact. Ha! I didn't get too far into the second video before my stomach started getting very unhappy. So, I had to cut this morning's workout short by about 5 minutes. Ugh.
Wednesday: Petra's High Intensity Drills + Ilyse's Just Dance
My stomach was a bit better this morning - or so I thought. I tuned into Petra's interval workout......and I can't say that I enjoy this one, but it is effective. I was huffing and puffing very quickly. After that workout, I finished off my morning fun with Ilyse, whose dance always makes me smile. And then....my stomach got very unhappy. Sigh. No lunch workout but I walked around campus a lot!
Thursday: Shape's Bikini Body Camp Transforming + Scott's HIIT - Sports Inspired Intervals + weights
Time to work hard today....and thankfully my stomach had no objections. Yay! I started off with Michelle's cardio on the Bikini DVD. Such a good mini-Peak workout! Then, with my remaining 15 minutes, I did Scott's HIIT - a challenge but not too, too hard. At lunch, it was a struggle to go do weights on this rainy day, but I did! I was able to keep my same weights...I just couldn't do as many reps after missing a week. But I'm so glad I went!
Friday: Bob Harper's Yoga for the Warrior + walk
I wanted super light today - after seven straight days of cardio - so I chose yoga for my Friday workout! Bob does a good workout - and he forces in some push-ups which really got me, for some reason. But it was a nice, light morning. At lunch, I walked outside for 20 minutes.
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix + cardio
Knowing my eating would be horrible today, I decided to do Peak 10. I love this workout - it's so much fun! The peaks are difficult but at least the rest is mostly enjoyable. After the video ended, I did 15 minutes of my own cardio to work a bit longer. Then, a nice stretch followed by some ab work.
Sunday: Cathe's Cardio Core Circuit + Amy's Sports Sculpt + weights
I was not looking forward to Cathe's workout...but I did it anyway, knowing I needed a hard workout. It's tough, all the jumping, but I got through it with a lot of sweat. After that 45 minutes, I tuned into Amy's workout which lasted an additional 20 minutes. Then, I did some weights for about 5 minutes, using the 12-pound weights. Whew! My stretch afterward was very nice (the sit-ups, not so much).
Calorie Counts:
Ugh. So the weekend was horrible for eating. Horrible! Any weight I'd lost since vacation got put right back on, I think. The week wasn't too bad; I had some good days. But.....ugh.
Monday, November 7, 2016
Friday, November 4, 2016
Butternut Squash Soup
Lately, I haven't met many soups I didn't like. And my soup horizons have broadened a lot, thanks to a co-worker's love of it. Last year, I made my first Carrot Soup - a big step for Mr. Higgins and we both loved it.
For my next soup adventure, I thought Butternut Squash seemed a good choice. I actually don't love squash, except for a bit of zucchini now and then, but when I saw this recipe, I thought I could like it.
I followed the directions exactly - a rarity for me. Ha! My only substitution was dried sage instead of fresh.
And....I didn't love it. Maybe it needed more spices for me, I don't know. Mr. Higgins (a squash lover) really enjoyed it. I froze the leftovers so maybe I'll take one up, spice it up, and try it again.
For my next soup adventure, I thought Butternut Squash seemed a good choice. I actually don't love squash, except for a bit of zucchini now and then, but when I saw this recipe, I thought I could like it.
I followed the directions exactly - a rarity for me. Ha! My only substitution was dried sage instead of fresh.
And....I didn't love it. Maybe it needed more spices for me, I don't know. Mr. Higgins (a squash lover) really enjoyed it. I froze the leftovers so maybe I'll take one up, spice it up, and try it again.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Paris Letters
Vacation was so nice and relaxing. I read two books in that week - just lovely! One of the two, I'd recently bought on a whim: Paris Letters by Janice MacLeod.
My Goodreads review:
My Goodreads review:
| Who doesn't dream of leaving their mediocre life for one of fun and adventures? Janice tells a story of how she did just that. It was not an easy process, which is refreshing to see. It's also nice to see just how she accomplished such a task….and kept on accomplishing it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I wish I'd known about her letters: I would have subscribed! |
Once home from vacation, I ordered one of Janice's Paris letters - an archived one - to frame for my office. It's nice to dream of leaving behind the real world.....
Monday, October 31, 2016
Vacation Weeks Workouts
Y'all know I do not work out on vacation....unless I'm hiking in a beautiful place. I jump, hop, and burpee enough the rest of the year; vacation is all about relaxation for the mind and body.
Our vacation this month is from a Wednesday to the following Wednesday, which means two work weeks of two days. Wow! That's nice!
Monday: Ilyse's Your Best, Sweaty Self + Dozois' HIIT - Breathless and Energized
Now that Peak 10 is over with, I feel a bit bereft. Thankfully, Ilyse's workout kept me working hard this morning. Whew! Tucks jumps AND air jacks, oh my! After that finished up, I did Michelle's HIIT workout, which is just fantastic. I like her HIIT circuits, which combine two moves, generally, instead of just one, done over and over.
Tuesday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix + weights
I was missing Pure Cardio this morning so I did something different - this CIB without the peaks...which means it's just like Pure Cardio! Cool! And I just love this CIB - the dance moves are so much fun. At lunch, I forced myself to do weights and was proud of getting to the rec. Yay! My last workout before vacation!
VACATION(!) for a week
Thursday: Dozois' Rockin Body Cardio
Back from vacation... I did my traditional first-workout-after-vacation: Michelle's old but good Rockin Body Cardio. It's fun and gets you moving without killing you. Ha! It's a good way to ease back into the workout regime.
Friday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Groovy Dance Party + walk
I needed more cardio - tons more! - so I tuned into two of my favorite workouts from Ilyse. Dance Intervals is non-stop jumping for the first 7 minutes (after the warm-up) - talk about a challenge. After that workout, I did her Groovy Dance - so much fun. At lunch, I walked for 20 minutes outside.
Saturday: Ilyse's Your Best, Sweaty Self + Full-On Cardio Blast + Amy's Cardio Intervals + Core!
Today, I wanted to work long and hard. I opted out of a Peak 10 workout, wanting more of a break from it after the Challenge. So I pieced together my own cardio workout with two videos from Ilyse and one of Amy's - for a total of 75 minutes of jumping and jogging. Whew! I'll not lie - my feet were aching. So I did Amy's Core! workout - effective and not too daunting. Then, a nice stretch.
Sunday: Cathe's Intensity + Amy's Total Body Sculpting
After yesterday's cardio fest, I was afraid my feet would really protest today. And they did a bit, but I was able to get through Cathe's workout - all the cardio plus some of my own for a total of 60 minutes. Yay! I then did some weights with Amy - 15 minutes (out of 20). It felt so good to stretch after all that!
Calories Counts:
Thursday: 1358
Friday: 1191
Saturday: 1177
Sunday: 1322
Vacation was great - and as usual, we ate and drank way too much. But that's what vacation is for! So it's back to being strict until next weekend, when we'll have company to celebrate my belated birthday.
Our vacation this month is from a Wednesday to the following Wednesday, which means two work weeks of two days. Wow! That's nice!
Monday: Ilyse's Your Best, Sweaty Self + Dozois' HIIT - Breathless and Energized
Now that Peak 10 is over with, I feel a bit bereft. Thankfully, Ilyse's workout kept me working hard this morning. Whew! Tucks jumps AND air jacks, oh my! After that finished up, I did Michelle's HIIT workout, which is just fantastic. I like her HIIT circuits, which combine two moves, generally, instead of just one, done over and over.
Tuesday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix + weights
I was missing Pure Cardio this morning so I did something different - this CIB without the peaks...which means it's just like Pure Cardio! Cool! And I just love this CIB - the dance moves are so much fun. At lunch, I forced myself to do weights and was proud of getting to the rec. Yay! My last workout before vacation!
VACATION(!) for a week
Thursday: Dozois' Rockin Body Cardio
Back from vacation... I did my traditional first-workout-after-vacation: Michelle's old but good Rockin Body Cardio. It's fun and gets you moving without killing you. Ha! It's a good way to ease back into the workout regime.
Friday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Groovy Dance Party + walk
I needed more cardio - tons more! - so I tuned into two of my favorite workouts from Ilyse. Dance Intervals is non-stop jumping for the first 7 minutes (after the warm-up) - talk about a challenge. After that workout, I did her Groovy Dance - so much fun. At lunch, I walked for 20 minutes outside.
Saturday: Ilyse's Your Best, Sweaty Self + Full-On Cardio Blast + Amy's Cardio Intervals + Core!
Today, I wanted to work long and hard. I opted out of a Peak 10 workout, wanting more of a break from it after the Challenge. So I pieced together my own cardio workout with two videos from Ilyse and one of Amy's - for a total of 75 minutes of jumping and jogging. Whew! I'll not lie - my feet were aching. So I did Amy's Core! workout - effective and not too daunting. Then, a nice stretch.
Sunday: Cathe's Intensity + Amy's Total Body Sculpting
After yesterday's cardio fest, I was afraid my feet would really protest today. And they did a bit, but I was able to get through Cathe's workout - all the cardio plus some of my own for a total of 60 minutes. Yay! I then did some weights with Amy - 15 minutes (out of 20). It felt so good to stretch after all that!
Calories Counts:
Thursday: 1358
Friday: 1191
Saturday: 1177
Sunday: 1322
Vacation was great - and as usual, we ate and drank way too much. But that's what vacation is for! So it's back to being strict until next weekend, when we'll have company to celebrate my belated birthday.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Vacation
We've been on vacation for a week and though I planned on getting my blog posts in order before I left....that obviously didn't happen.
So, here's a picture! And I'll have more posts soon!
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Maisie Dobbs
I just finished a novel, chosen by my book group last month (I'm a bit behind), called Maisie Dobbs. Jacqueline Winspear has created a character, and a series, that is surprisingly, very moving.
My review:
I'd long heard Winspear's series, Maisie Dobbs, but, for some reason, didn't feel the need to read it. After watching Downton Abbey, it seemed to be in that very similar vein and, unlike every female I know, I don't have an immediate love of everything British. Quite the contrary.
And so I expected a rather emotionless novel based on a character born of privilege. I was wrong on one account - Maisie comes from the lower classes and is able to get a good education only because she happens to gain the attention of wealthy benefactors. And then World War I happens, whereupon Maisie goes to nurse wounded soldiers in France. After the war, she becomes a private investigator, using the skills she learned earlier in life from her mentor.
Maisie makes a good private investigator - she's very analytical. She's not completely emotionless but her emotions are frequently unknown to the reader. I really enjoyed her story, though, especially of how she nursed in the war and fell in love for the first time.
I'm tempted to read more, though mysteries are never really my favorite. Maisie's story, however, may keep me interested.
My review:
I'd long heard Winspear's series, Maisie Dobbs, but, for some reason, didn't feel the need to read it. After watching Downton Abbey, it seemed to be in that very similar vein and, unlike every female I know, I don't have an immediate love of everything British. Quite the contrary.
And so I expected a rather emotionless novel based on a character born of privilege. I was wrong on one account - Maisie comes from the lower classes and is able to get a good education only because she happens to gain the attention of wealthy benefactors. And then World War I happens, whereupon Maisie goes to nurse wounded soldiers in France. After the war, she becomes a private investigator, using the skills she learned earlier in life from her mentor.
Maisie makes a good private investigator - she's very analytical. She's not completely emotionless but her emotions are frequently unknown to the reader. I really enjoyed her story, though, especially of how she nursed in the war and fell in love for the first time.
I'm tempted to read more, though mysteries are never really my favorite. Maisie's story, however, may keep me interested.
Monday, October 17, 2016
Week Eight: Peak 10 Challenge #6
My last full week before vacation! Also, my last week of this Peak 10 Challenge! Wow!
This Challenge has flown by, like so many others. Where does the time go?! It's definitely a challenge and after 4 weeks of doing that additional Cardio Strength workout, mid-week, my body is tired. It needs a vacation!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio + walk
Mondays are always difficult but at least I had Michelle to look forward to. This workout is so much fun! I did it backwards again this week, in order to do the lunge jumps and get them over with quickly. I like doing it this way! At lunch, I took a walk outside - between 20 and 25 minutes - because it was just so lovely!
Tuesday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength
Mr. Higgins had to get to work early so I woke up, 30 minutes early, with him. And had tons of time to work out! I slept badly so I wasn't as enthused as I was the night before about doing this CS....but I did it. I even added five minutes of cardio to it, before and after, to warm-up and cool down. Nice! This one is tough, especially in the morning, so I was proud of myself for getting through it!
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere
I felt better this morning after getting more sleep last night. But dang! I sweated so much during this workout!! But I love, LOVE, at the end of these Challenges, seeing how much easier it is to get through this workout. It's always so difficult in the beginning but at the end, though it's still difficult, it doesn't kill me anymore. Awesome!!
Thursday: Michelle's Total Body Cardio and Strength + weights
This morning, I was ready to have a day of no jumping. And I didn't! Well, kinda with some burpees and squat jumps....but at least no real high-impact cardio. I kept this cardio light and still got a great workout, as usual. At lunch, I did weights at the rec center. Whew! I really worked up a sweat. I walked a few laps, to get more steps, and then had a nice stretch.
Friday: Jillian Michaels' Six Week Six-Pack + Ilyse's Lengthening Stretch to Feel Good
So I decided to do some serious core work this morning. I got through the Level 1 workout - well, most of it in the 30 minutes I chose to dedicate to it. Ha! Jillian definitely works your abs like crazy! Someday I need to do the Level 2 workout again. Sigh. After that, I did Ilyse's stretching video - not great, but okay.
Saturday: Dozois' Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster + Amy's Body Weight Training
I was ready to work hard today - feeling gross and bloated - so this CIB was just the right thing. I love it! It works you hard but you have fun, too! And the peaks don't kill you - well most of them don't. After that 55 minutes, I tuned into Amy's workout for an additional 20 minutes of work. Whew! I did all the hard stuff, though I didn't want to. It felt good!
Sunday: Dozois' Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + McLean's Bodyweight Assault Challenge
This morning, I was a bit headache-y. Ugh. But I had to get through this CS….which is, at least, a bit more fun than the others. The last circuit, though, is the toughest. Yikes! After that 50 minutes, I did 15 of McLean's workout, skipping some of the floor work for cardio instead. After all that, I was tired. But I did 5 minutes with the 12-pounds weights and then stretched and did sit-ups.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1179
Tuesday - BAD
Wednesday - 1198
Thursday - 1179
Friday - 1139
Saturday - 1382
Sunday - 1159
I tried to eat well this week but Tuesday was my splurge day - out to eat with a friend to celebrate our birthdays. We got cake. Oy. But then I was good, resisting every tempting thing put in front of me at work.
This Challenge has flown by, like so many others. Where does the time go?! It's definitely a challenge and after 4 weeks of doing that additional Cardio Strength workout, mid-week, my body is tired. It needs a vacation!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio + walk
Mondays are always difficult but at least I had Michelle to look forward to. This workout is so much fun! I did it backwards again this week, in order to do the lunge jumps and get them over with quickly. I like doing it this way! At lunch, I took a walk outside - between 20 and 25 minutes - because it was just so lovely!
Tuesday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength
Mr. Higgins had to get to work early so I woke up, 30 minutes early, with him. And had tons of time to work out! I slept badly so I wasn't as enthused as I was the night before about doing this CS....but I did it. I even added five minutes of cardio to it, before and after, to warm-up and cool down. Nice! This one is tough, especially in the morning, so I was proud of myself for getting through it!
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere
I felt better this morning after getting more sleep last night. But dang! I sweated so much during this workout!! But I love, LOVE, at the end of these Challenges, seeing how much easier it is to get through this workout. It's always so difficult in the beginning but at the end, though it's still difficult, it doesn't kill me anymore. Awesome!!
Thursday: Michelle's Total Body Cardio and Strength + weights
This morning, I was ready to have a day of no jumping. And I didn't! Well, kinda with some burpees and squat jumps....but at least no real high-impact cardio. I kept this cardio light and still got a great workout, as usual. At lunch, I did weights at the rec center. Whew! I really worked up a sweat. I walked a few laps, to get more steps, and then had a nice stretch.
Friday: Jillian Michaels' Six Week Six-Pack + Ilyse's Lengthening Stretch to Feel Good
So I decided to do some serious core work this morning. I got through the Level 1 workout - well, most of it in the 30 minutes I chose to dedicate to it. Ha! Jillian definitely works your abs like crazy! Someday I need to do the Level 2 workout again. Sigh. After that, I did Ilyse's stretching video - not great, but okay.
Saturday: Dozois' Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster + Amy's Body Weight Training
I was ready to work hard today - feeling gross and bloated - so this CIB was just the right thing. I love it! It works you hard but you have fun, too! And the peaks don't kill you - well most of them don't. After that 55 minutes, I tuned into Amy's workout for an additional 20 minutes of work. Whew! I did all the hard stuff, though I didn't want to. It felt good!
Sunday: Dozois' Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + McLean's Bodyweight Assault Challenge
This morning, I was a bit headache-y. Ugh. But I had to get through this CS….which is, at least, a bit more fun than the others. The last circuit, though, is the toughest. Yikes! After that 50 minutes, I did 15 of McLean's workout, skipping some of the floor work for cardio instead. After all that, I was tired. But I did 5 minutes with the 12-pounds weights and then stretched and did sit-ups.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1179
Tuesday - BAD
Wednesday - 1198
Thursday - 1179
Friday - 1139
Saturday - 1382
Sunday - 1159
I tried to eat well this week but Tuesday was my splurge day - out to eat with a friend to celebrate our birthdays. We got cake. Oy. But then I was good, resisting every tempting thing put in front of me at work.
Friday, October 14, 2016
Ranking Peak 10 Workouts
As I was typing out my workouts one day, I thought it'd be cool to rank the Peak 10 Cardio Strength and Cardio Interval Burn workouts. I often say, "I love this one" or "that one kills me every time".... So why not put them in order.
First, which ones are harder? And then, which ones are more fun than others?
Cardio Strength workouts - Ranked in order of toughness
1. Peak 10 More Cardio Strength - the floorwork is just so tough.
2. Cardio Strength 2 on FitnessGlo - again, the floorwork is killer.
3. Peak 10 Cardio Strength aka PeakFit Cardio Strength - super tough plus challenging Peaks.
4. PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 - challenging cardio and Peaks.
5. Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix - more challenging choreography.
6. Cardio Strength 1 on FitnessGlo - tough but at leas the Peaks aren't as bad.
7. Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster - complicated choreography but easier Peaks.
Cardio Interval Burn workouts - Ranked in order of toughness
1. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster - the choreography takes a long time to master and the ascents typically involve jumping.
2. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix - some jumping in the ascents and tough Peaks.
3. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn aka PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn - the original has some of the toughest Peaks.
4. Cardio Interval Burn on Fitness Glo - tough ascents, climbs, and Peaks.
5. Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn - tough but at least the Peaks don't seem as hard.
Cardio Strength workouts - Ranked in order of fun factor
1. Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster - once you get the hang of the more complicated choreography, it's a lot of fun!
2. Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix - this one flows very nicely.
3. Cardio Strength 1 on FitnessGlo - being a live recording, it's fun to hear Michelle and the ladies.
4. PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 - fun cardio!
5. Peak 10 Cardio Strength aka PeakFit Cardio Strength - eh.
6. Peak 10 More Cardio Strength - oy.
7. Cardio Strength 2 on FitnessGlo - do not want.
Cardio Interval Burn workouts - Ranked in order of fun factor
1. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix - love this one - fun, fun, fun
2. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster - after you get the choreography down, also, fun, fun, fun.
3. Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn - good kickboxing sequences in this one.
4. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn aka PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn - easy and fun cardio.
5. Cardio Interval Burn on Fitness Glo - not bad but a bit clunky compared to the others.
There's not a bad workout among these. My least favorite overall is the 2nd Cardio Strength on Glo. I just don't like it. But even that one has its moments.
First, which ones are harder? And then, which ones are more fun than others?
Cardio Strength workouts - Ranked in order of toughness
1. Peak 10 More Cardio Strength - the floorwork is just so tough.
2. Cardio Strength 2 on FitnessGlo - again, the floorwork is killer.
3. Peak 10 Cardio Strength aka PeakFit Cardio Strength - super tough plus challenging Peaks.
4. PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 - challenging cardio and Peaks.
5. Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix - more challenging choreography.
6. Cardio Strength 1 on FitnessGlo - tough but at leas the Peaks aren't as bad.
7. Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster - complicated choreography but easier Peaks.
Cardio Interval Burn workouts - Ranked in order of toughness
1. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster - the choreography takes a long time to master and the ascents typically involve jumping.
2. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix - some jumping in the ascents and tough Peaks.
3. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn aka PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn - the original has some of the toughest Peaks.
4. Cardio Interval Burn on Fitness Glo - tough ascents, climbs, and Peaks.
5. Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn - tough but at least the Peaks don't seem as hard.
Cardio Strength workouts - Ranked in order of fun factor
1. Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster - once you get the hang of the more complicated choreography, it's a lot of fun!
2. Peak 10 Cardio Strength Remix - this one flows very nicely.
3. Cardio Strength 1 on FitnessGlo - being a live recording, it's fun to hear Michelle and the ladies.
4. PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 - fun cardio!
5. Peak 10 Cardio Strength aka PeakFit Cardio Strength - eh.
6. Peak 10 More Cardio Strength - oy.
7. Cardio Strength 2 on FitnessGlo - do not want.
Cardio Interval Burn workouts - Ranked in order of fun factor
1. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn Remix - love this one - fun, fun, fun
2. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster - after you get the choreography down, also, fun, fun, fun.
3. Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn - good kickboxing sequences in this one.
4. Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn aka PeakFit Cardio Interval Burn - easy and fun cardio.
5. Cardio Interval Burn on Fitness Glo - not bad but a bit clunky compared to the others.
There's not a bad workout among these. My least favorite overall is the 2nd Cardio Strength on Glo. I just don't like it. But even that one has its moments.
Monday, October 10, 2016
Week Seven: Peak 10 Challenge #6
Six down, two weeks to go!
This far into the Challenge, I won't lie: I'm exhausted. The past month at work has been awful. All that stress is taking a toll and now my body is feeling it with these tough workouts. I'm going to scale back my lunch time workouts again this week....unless I miraculously become re-energized.
Monday: Amy's Intervals + Cardio Intervals
It was a bit hard getting going with Amy this morning but once I got in the groove, it felt good to work hard. I like doing these interval workouts because I can switch up the moves when I get bored. It is hard, after all, doing one move for extended periods of time. So these are flexible and fun! At lunch, I took a short walk outside since it was a nice day!
Tuesday: Amy's Head to Toe Body Sculpt + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove
Insomnia has some advantages. I got two workouts in this morning! First up, my weights for the week, this time with Amy. I hadn't done this Sculpt in a while and I really like it! I kept all the cardio low-impact (too much high impact these days) but still got a great workout! Next up, about 20 minutes of Ilyse's fun dance workout, which I love. A great morning!.... Outside of the not sleeping part of it.
Wednesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits
The only good thing about this workout today....it's my last time to do it until my next Peak 10 Challenge! Hallelujah! As much as I complain about it, McLean leads a great workout....it's just not very fun for me. They can't all be fun and that's why I keep doing this one. I felt good when it was over - such a relief!
Thursday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 + weights
I did this CS on Sunday so I don't why I had it on my schedule to do again today... But since I like it, I did it. It's a good CS - and it's not as daunting as some of them. At 5:30am, though, it's tough to get through. I did all I could in the time I had and will do the rest on Sunday. At lunch, I did weights at the rec.
Friday: PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility
This was just what I needed today - some flexibility work and that's it. I love this workout. You can see how Michelle's BodyFit 360 series grew out of this workout. It's fun and super light. So nice! I finished off the morning with some core work.
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn + Scott's Multi-Level Cardio Drills
After a light Friday, I was ready to work hard this morning. I did Michelle's second CIB which is one of my favorites. So much fun! And challenging! The first circuit gets me every time. After that (55 minutes), I tuned into Scott's Drills for 20 minutes of additional cardio. Yes, I'm a masochist. Ha! Then, a nice stretch and sit-ups.
Sunday: Michelle's Cardio Strength 1 on Glo + cardio
This morning, I felt a bit gross. I took comfort in the fact that I knew the peaks in this CS wouldn't kill me. Ha! And I made it all the way through this CS with no problems. Yay! After that ended, I finished up the CS from Thursday…and added on a few minutes of my own cardio for a total of 70 minutes of work. Whew! I finished off with the 12 pound weights for 5 minutes. I then did some ab work and had a nice stretch!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1156
Tuesday - 1139
Wednesday - bad
Thursday - 1483
Friday - bad
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1163
We had a spontaneous date night on Wednesday…..and that blew my diet out of the water. Sigh. When I did my measurements on Saturday, they were still pretty good….but I feared stepping on the scale. I'll have to do that in a week, no excuse!
This far into the Challenge, I won't lie: I'm exhausted. The past month at work has been awful. All that stress is taking a toll and now my body is feeling it with these tough workouts. I'm going to scale back my lunch time workouts again this week....unless I miraculously become re-energized.
Monday: Amy's Intervals + Cardio Intervals
It was a bit hard getting going with Amy this morning but once I got in the groove, it felt good to work hard. I like doing these interval workouts because I can switch up the moves when I get bored. It is hard, after all, doing one move for extended periods of time. So these are flexible and fun! At lunch, I took a short walk outside since it was a nice day!
Tuesday: Amy's Head to Toe Body Sculpt + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove
Insomnia has some advantages. I got two workouts in this morning! First up, my weights for the week, this time with Amy. I hadn't done this Sculpt in a while and I really like it! I kept all the cardio low-impact (too much high impact these days) but still got a great workout! Next up, about 20 minutes of Ilyse's fun dance workout, which I love. A great morning!.... Outside of the not sleeping part of it.
Wednesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits
The only good thing about this workout today....it's my last time to do it until my next Peak 10 Challenge! Hallelujah! As much as I complain about it, McLean leads a great workout....it's just not very fun for me. They can't all be fun and that's why I keep doing this one. I felt good when it was over - such a relief!
Thursday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2 + weights
I did this CS on Sunday so I don't why I had it on my schedule to do again today... But since I like it, I did it. It's a good CS - and it's not as daunting as some of them. At 5:30am, though, it's tough to get through. I did all I could in the time I had and will do the rest on Sunday. At lunch, I did weights at the rec.
Friday: PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility
This was just what I needed today - some flexibility work and that's it. I love this workout. You can see how Michelle's BodyFit 360 series grew out of this workout. It's fun and super light. So nice! I finished off the morning with some core work.
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn + Scott's Multi-Level Cardio Drills
After a light Friday, I was ready to work hard this morning. I did Michelle's second CIB which is one of my favorites. So much fun! And challenging! The first circuit gets me every time. After that (55 minutes), I tuned into Scott's Drills for 20 minutes of additional cardio. Yes, I'm a masochist. Ha! Then, a nice stretch and sit-ups.
Sunday: Michelle's Cardio Strength 1 on Glo + cardio
This morning, I felt a bit gross. I took comfort in the fact that I knew the peaks in this CS wouldn't kill me. Ha! And I made it all the way through this CS with no problems. Yay! After that ended, I finished up the CS from Thursday…and added on a few minutes of my own cardio for a total of 70 minutes of work. Whew! I finished off with the 12 pound weights for 5 minutes. I then did some ab work and had a nice stretch!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1156
Tuesday - 1139
Wednesday - bad
Thursday - 1483
Friday - bad
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1163
We had a spontaneous date night on Wednesday…..and that blew my diet out of the water. Sigh. When I did my measurements on Saturday, they were still pretty good….but I feared stepping on the scale. I'll have to do that in a week, no excuse!
Friday, October 7, 2016
The Fiery Cross
After two months of reading, I've finally finished the fifth book in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series, The Fiery Cross.
My Goodreads review:
My Goodreads review:
| This book took me awhile to get through. To be fair, it's 1400 pages. Somehow, Gabaldon continues to make life interesting on Fraser's Ridge. Even the day-to-day chores are intriguing to me. But not everything is mundane in this novel. The unhappiness of the American colonists continues to grow and Jaime is pulled into the drama more than he would like. Roger has his own set of trials and tribulations….and his character grows immensely in this fifth installment. This may be the least action-packed of the series, so far, but that does not mean the story stalls. Gabaldon does a good job of keeping the story moving and the reader engaged. |
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Monday, October 3, 2016
Week Six: Peak 10 Challenge #6
Three more weeks. Holy cow! That means - 3.5 weeks until our vacation....and a bikini. Oy.
But, my spirits are buoyed by my 2-pound weight loss last week so let's get to it!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio
I made a last minute decision this morning to do this workout backward, meaning I'd get the lunge jumps in the last circuit done ASAP. And they weren't horrible! Go figure! The rest of the workout went smoothly, knowing those were over and done! My lunch workouts may taper off a bit with the addition of my midweek CS. But hopefully I can get two lunch workouts in a week.
Tuesday: Dozois' Tip Top Shape + weights
Today, I really needed to take it down a notch. So many high impact workouts in a row gets to be exhausting. So I kept Michelle's weighted workout low-impact, except for the burpees with weights. And it was a good morning workout! At lunch, I did weights at the rec center....but I forgot my worksheet so I had to wing it on weight amounts. I still got a good workout!
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere
After two nights of little sleep, I felt very lethargic this morning. But I reminded myself that this workout is slow to start with the high intensity....so I was able to ease into a full workout. And in the end, I made it all the way through this workout without changing or subbing a thing. Wow! I was proud of myself! At lunch, I walked a mile (round-trip) to a cafe - and did more walking around campus later in the day.
Thursday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength
Doing my extra Cardio Strength workout in the morning is tough. This one has burpees in the first five minutes. Oy. My energy was seriously lagging so I didn't do them. And I felt guilty. But I got through the rest of this workout - well, all that I could in 40 minutes. We have auditors on campus today and tomorrow, which means no lunch-time workout.
Friday: Dozois' BodyFit 360
I wanted to move a bit this morning, while still taking it easy, especially since I wouldn't get to work out at lunch. So, 360 it was! The original is so much fun! I cut the cardio short so that I could fit in all the stretch. Lovely!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + Amy's Metabolic Meltdown
Time for some serious cardio this morning. This CIB is a lot of fun - but still a challenge with some very tough peaks. I made it through and then did an additional 30 minutes of cardio with Amy's workout. It's good because it's not all high-impact. I was a bit tired after all this so I did a long stretch and called it quits.
Sunday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2
I was so not feeling it this morning. We went to brunch for my dad's birthday so this workout happened after a big meal and I felt gross. I got through it - somehow - and then finished up the CS from Thursday morning. And I was exhausted. I did five minutes of my own cardio to cool down for a total of 65 minutes of working out. Oy.
Calorie Counts:
This week wasn't bad but it wasn't great….and it was hard to track. I ate a lot of lunches out because of work events. But I tried to keep it healthy whenever possible. It's always fun to get a salad at a pizza place….and watch all your co-workers eat pizza. Sigh.
But, my spirits are buoyed by my 2-pound weight loss last week so let's get to it!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio
I made a last minute decision this morning to do this workout backward, meaning I'd get the lunge jumps in the last circuit done ASAP. And they weren't horrible! Go figure! The rest of the workout went smoothly, knowing those were over and done! My lunch workouts may taper off a bit with the addition of my midweek CS. But hopefully I can get two lunch workouts in a week.
Tuesday: Dozois' Tip Top Shape + weights
Today, I really needed to take it down a notch. So many high impact workouts in a row gets to be exhausting. So I kept Michelle's weighted workout low-impact, except for the burpees with weights. And it was a good morning workout! At lunch, I did weights at the rec center....but I forgot my worksheet so I had to wing it on weight amounts. I still got a good workout!
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere
After two nights of little sleep, I felt very lethargic this morning. But I reminded myself that this workout is slow to start with the high intensity....so I was able to ease into a full workout. And in the end, I made it all the way through this workout without changing or subbing a thing. Wow! I was proud of myself! At lunch, I walked a mile (round-trip) to a cafe - and did more walking around campus later in the day.
Thursday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength
Doing my extra Cardio Strength workout in the morning is tough. This one has burpees in the first five minutes. Oy. My energy was seriously lagging so I didn't do them. And I felt guilty. But I got through the rest of this workout - well, all that I could in 40 minutes. We have auditors on campus today and tomorrow, which means no lunch-time workout.
Friday: Dozois' BodyFit 360
I wanted to move a bit this morning, while still taking it easy, especially since I wouldn't get to work out at lunch. So, 360 it was! The original is so much fun! I cut the cardio short so that I could fit in all the stretch. Lovely!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + Amy's Metabolic Meltdown
Time for some serious cardio this morning. This CIB is a lot of fun - but still a challenge with some very tough peaks. I made it through and then did an additional 30 minutes of cardio with Amy's workout. It's good because it's not all high-impact. I was a bit tired after all this so I did a long stretch and called it quits.
Sunday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2
I was so not feeling it this morning. We went to brunch for my dad's birthday so this workout happened after a big meal and I felt gross. I got through it - somehow - and then finished up the CS from Thursday morning. And I was exhausted. I did five minutes of my own cardio to cool down for a total of 65 minutes of working out. Oy.
Calorie Counts:
This week wasn't bad but it wasn't great….and it was hard to track. I ate a lot of lunches out because of work events. But I tried to keep it healthy whenever possible. It's always fun to get a salad at a pizza place….and watch all your co-workers eat pizza. Sigh.
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
Monday, September 26, 2016
Week Five: Peak 10 Challenge #6
A month has already flown by in this Challenge. Wow!
With the next four weeks, a new challenge is added into the mix: an additional Cardio Strength workout each week. This will be tough for me, as these are hard to do at 5:30am....so my schedule will need some tweaking....
Monday: Cardio Strength 1 on Glo
And I decided to just jump right in with the additional CS this week. I wasn't 100% today so this one left me a bit more winded than usual. Thankfully, I remembered this workout, having done it a few weeks ago. I tend to get the two CS Glo workouts mixed up. But this one is the easier one, thank goodness! In the end, I was just glad to have it done for the week!
Tuesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove
I had some extra time today so I got in two workouts, instead of walking at the rec center. This is my "off" week with the PeakFit workouts so I did McLean's HIIT instead of AA. Neither one is fun and I'm always glad when they're over. I did 20 minutes of Ilyse's fun dance workout.....which I love! I sweated bit didn't work too hard.
Wednesday: Amy's Kickin' Cardio and Conditioning + weights
This week, I also took a break from Michelle's weighted Glo workouts, choosing to do one of Amy's instead. I kept the cardio low-impact and still sweated like crazy. Sigh. Maybe it's my thyroid. Anyway, it was a good workout. At lunch, after doing my arm weights, I learned some new leg machines with our trainer at the rec. They were good! I'm sure my legs - and arms - will hurt tomorrow.
Thursday: Amy's Intervals + Cardio Intervals
Today it was time for Pure Cardio - but it's my alternate week which meant Amy's interval workouts. They're good because they're very different than Pure Cardio. I think it helps to alternate these to change it up. Your body should respond better if you work out in different ways. These were tough this morning but I got through it. Yay!
Friday: Michelle's Barre Fusion + McLean's Ab Lab
I love Fridays! And I love this Barre workout from Michelle. It's like BodyFit 360 but you don't go to the floor quite as much, which is appreciated on a light day. I felt great after this workout! After it ended, I did McLean's ab workout, which consisted mostly of planks. Ugh. Then, more stretching. Nice!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster + Amy's Body Weight Training
Lots of Peak 10 this weekend! I was excited to do the Fat Blaster duo - they're so much fun because they're more dance-y than the other ones. And it's always good to have fun when you work out! After that 55 minutes, I tuned into Amy's workout in order to do some more….without jumping too much. My stamina waned after 15 minutes so I then stretched and did sit-ups. A good morning!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + McLean's Cardio Hip Hop
Working out did not sound fun this morning - but doing the Fat Blaster CS seemed different at least. And it is fun - outside of the floor work! Ha! I sweated my way through this 50-minute workout and then tacked on 15 minutes of Alex's dance workout, which is one of my favorites on Glo. I kept it high impact to work harder. Fun! Then, 5 minutes with the 12lb weights followed my a stretch and ab work. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1406
Tuesday - 1161
Wednesday - 1161
Thursday - 1161
Friday - 1350
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1255
So when I had my crazy stomach spell a few weeks ago, I dropped two pounds. I wasn't too excited since I knew why it happened. But now, after eating good two weeks in a row - mostly - I'm still down a solid two pounds. Yes!!! Awesome! My weight will budge! I can't tell you how happy that makes me! Yes, it's only two pounds but when you've only got about 7 to lose, 2 is a lot!
Happy dance time!
With the next four weeks, a new challenge is added into the mix: an additional Cardio Strength workout each week. This will be tough for me, as these are hard to do at 5:30am....so my schedule will need some tweaking....
Monday: Cardio Strength 1 on Glo
And I decided to just jump right in with the additional CS this week. I wasn't 100% today so this one left me a bit more winded than usual. Thankfully, I remembered this workout, having done it a few weeks ago. I tend to get the two CS Glo workouts mixed up. But this one is the easier one, thank goodness! In the end, I was just glad to have it done for the week!
Tuesday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove
I had some extra time today so I got in two workouts, instead of walking at the rec center. This is my "off" week with the PeakFit workouts so I did McLean's HIIT instead of AA. Neither one is fun and I'm always glad when they're over. I did 20 minutes of Ilyse's fun dance workout.....which I love! I sweated bit didn't work too hard.
Wednesday: Amy's Kickin' Cardio and Conditioning + weights
This week, I also took a break from Michelle's weighted Glo workouts, choosing to do one of Amy's instead. I kept the cardio low-impact and still sweated like crazy. Sigh. Maybe it's my thyroid. Anyway, it was a good workout. At lunch, after doing my arm weights, I learned some new leg machines with our trainer at the rec. They were good! I'm sure my legs - and arms - will hurt tomorrow.
Thursday: Amy's Intervals + Cardio Intervals
Today it was time for Pure Cardio - but it's my alternate week which meant Amy's interval workouts. They're good because they're very different than Pure Cardio. I think it helps to alternate these to change it up. Your body should respond better if you work out in different ways. These were tough this morning but I got through it. Yay!
Friday: Michelle's Barre Fusion + McLean's Ab Lab
I love Fridays! And I love this Barre workout from Michelle. It's like BodyFit 360 but you don't go to the floor quite as much, which is appreciated on a light day. I felt great after this workout! After it ended, I did McLean's ab workout, which consisted mostly of planks. Ugh. Then, more stretching. Nice!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn - Fat Blaster + Amy's Body Weight Training
Lots of Peak 10 this weekend! I was excited to do the Fat Blaster duo - they're so much fun because they're more dance-y than the other ones. And it's always good to have fun when you work out! After that 55 minutes, I tuned into Amy's workout in order to do some more….without jumping too much. My stamina waned after 15 minutes so I then stretched and did sit-ups. A good morning!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + McLean's Cardio Hip Hop
Working out did not sound fun this morning - but doing the Fat Blaster CS seemed different at least. And it is fun - outside of the floor work! Ha! I sweated my way through this 50-minute workout and then tacked on 15 minutes of Alex's dance workout, which is one of my favorites on Glo. I kept it high impact to work harder. Fun! Then, 5 minutes with the 12lb weights followed my a stretch and ab work. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1406
Tuesday - 1161
Wednesday - 1161
Thursday - 1161
Friday - 1350
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1255
So when I had my crazy stomach spell a few weeks ago, I dropped two pounds. I wasn't too excited since I knew why it happened. But now, after eating good two weeks in a row - mostly - I'm still down a solid two pounds. Yes!!! Awesome! My weight will budge! I can't tell you how happy that makes me! Yes, it's only two pounds but when you've only got about 7 to lose, 2 is a lot!
Happy dance time!
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
More Baby Socks!
This picture is horrible. These socks are actually a nice soft green. I had a hard time thinking of colors for a baby boy and finally settled on green, since I'd already knitted little James some blue ones. This pattern continues to delight every time I knit it. It's quick, easy, and simple!
Pattern: Baby Socks by Joelle Hoverson
Yarn: Queensland Collection Bamboo Cotton
Needles: US 3 dpns
Made for: Baby James
Time to completion: 25 days
Monday, September 19, 2016
Week Four: Peak 10 Challenge #6
This Challenge is flying by. That's a good thing since it may stagnate next week when I have to add an additional Cardio Strength workout into the mix.
But as it is, I'm having fun!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio
I had a rough night of sleep....but was still motivated to work hard this morning. After the warm-up and first circuit of PC, I fast forwarded to the last circuit and those lunge jumps I loathe. It felt good to get through that circuit and then go back to the easier ones. Yay! It's the little victories. Like lunge jumps.
Tuesday: Dozois' Total Body Cardio and Strength + weights
My workout schedule will be a bit different this week so I went ahead and did weights today. Michelle's workout is so good. As usual, I kept it low-impact to give my knees - and body - a break. But I was still sweating like crazy. And speaking of sweating..... I did weights at the rec at lunch.....and they apparently don't turn the A/C up very high in that building. It's usually bad but today it was terrible. Ugh! Too much sweat!
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere + walk
Oy. Wednesday mornings are not my friend. The best thing about this workout: it didn't kill me! Yay! I can never believe how much it makes me work. Wow. At lunch, I went to the rec center to walk the track. I was feeling a bit gross - like a cold was coming on, again - but I went anyway. When I got back to my office, I felt really shaky. WTH?! I didn't run a marathon! Thankfully, food helped and I felt better.
Thursday: Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party + Amy's Sports Sculpt + walk
I needed some fun this morning and Ilyse's Dance Party provided it! This workout always makes me happy - I move and jump and punch and party. Ha! After that, I tuned into Amy's workout, which I didn't remember very well....and it was fun, too! When it all ended, I felt good! At lunch, I was good - yay! - and walked at the rec again. No shakiness today. I got a good walk in along with sit-ups and ab work.
Friday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2
There will be no Sunday workout this week so that means a CS today. It wasn't as difficult doing this at 5:30am as I remembered……but I couldn't get through it all. It was a great workout, though - and very challenging. This CS is really good and I look forward to it during every Peak 10 Challenge.
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn + Scott's Sports-Inspried Drills + Amy's Kickbox Power
Today is my marathon workout day…..since I won't work out tomorrow, I wanted to hit it super hard today. I started right after waking up with this CIB - always a great one to do. And not easy! But I got through it and, thankfully, had some energy left. So, I did Scott's Drills - not exactly my favorite of Scott's but tolerable. Next up, Amy's level 3 kickboxing workout. This one is definitely tougher than her level 2 workouts so it was nice this morning. That equaled 100 minutes of cardio! Whew! After a stretch and sit-ups, I was done.
Sunday: REST
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1522
Tuesday - 1159
Wednesday - 1159
Thursday - 1159
Friday - BAD
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1544
I actually felt skinnier and my measurements had gone down a bit on Thursday night….. And then I blew it. Mr. Higgins is to blame. But I'm realizing, slowly and surely, that my thyroid - or lack thereof - means my metabolism is no more.
But as it is, I'm having fun!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio
I had a rough night of sleep....but was still motivated to work hard this morning. After the warm-up and first circuit of PC, I fast forwarded to the last circuit and those lunge jumps I loathe. It felt good to get through that circuit and then go back to the easier ones. Yay! It's the little victories. Like lunge jumps.
Tuesday: Dozois' Total Body Cardio and Strength + weights
My workout schedule will be a bit different this week so I went ahead and did weights today. Michelle's workout is so good. As usual, I kept it low-impact to give my knees - and body - a break. But I was still sweating like crazy. And speaking of sweating..... I did weights at the rec at lunch.....and they apparently don't turn the A/C up very high in that building. It's usually bad but today it was terrible. Ugh! Too much sweat!
Wednesday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere + walk
Oy. Wednesday mornings are not my friend. The best thing about this workout: it didn't kill me! Yay! I can never believe how much it makes me work. Wow. At lunch, I went to the rec center to walk the track. I was feeling a bit gross - like a cold was coming on, again - but I went anyway. When I got back to my office, I felt really shaky. WTH?! I didn't run a marathon! Thankfully, food helped and I felt better.
Thursday: Ilyse's Groovy Dance Party + Amy's Sports Sculpt + walk
I needed some fun this morning and Ilyse's Dance Party provided it! This workout always makes me happy - I move and jump and punch and party. Ha! After that, I tuned into Amy's workout, which I didn't remember very well....and it was fun, too! When it all ended, I felt good! At lunch, I was good - yay! - and walked at the rec again. No shakiness today. I got a good walk in along with sit-ups and ab work.
Friday: PeakFit Cardio Strength 2
There will be no Sunday workout this week so that means a CS today. It wasn't as difficult doing this at 5:30am as I remembered……but I couldn't get through it all. It was a great workout, though - and very challenging. This CS is really good and I look forward to it during every Peak 10 Challenge.
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn + Scott's Sports-Inspried Drills + Amy's Kickbox Power
Today is my marathon workout day…..since I won't work out tomorrow, I wanted to hit it super hard today. I started right after waking up with this CIB - always a great one to do. And not easy! But I got through it and, thankfully, had some energy left. So, I did Scott's Drills - not exactly my favorite of Scott's but tolerable. Next up, Amy's level 3 kickboxing workout. This one is definitely tougher than her level 2 workouts so it was nice this morning. That equaled 100 minutes of cardio! Whew! After a stretch and sit-ups, I was done.
Sunday: REST
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1522
Tuesday - 1159
Wednesday - 1159
Thursday - 1159
Friday - BAD
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1544
I actually felt skinnier and my measurements had gone down a bit on Thursday night….. And then I blew it. Mr. Higgins is to blame. But I'm realizing, slowly and surely, that my thyroid - or lack thereof - means my metabolism is no more.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Beer Pork + Cornbread Waffles
Oh, boy. I wanted to make pork tacos. I was craving tacos. Carnitas. When searching for recipes, I settled up on this one, which I call Beer Pork. Ha!
We're not beer drinkers so buying a can of beer at the 7-Eleven was a bit traumatic. Especially since the guy in front of me was buying a six pack and cigarettes. Oy. But I bought it and went home to happily pour it over pork.
Mr. Higgins likes tacos.....but he likes cornbread more. When I showed him a recipe for Cornbread Waffles, he requested them with the pork. Because he actually requests very few things, I decided to make them for him.
I followed both recipes exactly and they were tasty. I probably won't "crisp" the pork again - this seemed unnecessary and dried out the meat. But it went well with tortillas and cornbread waffles.
YUM!
We're not beer drinkers so buying a can of beer at the 7-Eleven was a bit traumatic. Especially since the guy in front of me was buying a six pack and cigarettes. Oy. But I bought it and went home to happily pour it over pork.
Mr. Higgins likes tacos.....but he likes cornbread more. When I showed him a recipe for Cornbread Waffles, he requested them with the pork. Because he actually requests very few things, I decided to make them for him.
I followed both recipes exactly and they were tasty. I probably won't "crisp" the pork again - this seemed unnecessary and dried out the meat. But it went well with tortillas and cornbread waffles.
YUM!
Monday, September 12, 2016
Week Three: Peak 10 Challenge #6
Already a quarter of the way through this Challenge. Wow!
Monday: REST
For Labor Day, we went to see my parents, which meant a forced rest day. And that means no yoga/light day - again - this week.
Tuesday: Amy's Intervals + Cardio Intervals + weights
Time to get back to it today! I was so sleepy this morning but that didn't last long once Amy got me going...and going. This is my Pure Cardio substitute for the week and it's definitely a challenge, too! After this first interval workout, I finished off my workout with the second one, which has longer intervals. What a sweat-fest! At lunch, I went to the rec center for weights. It was a frustrating trip but at least that's done for the week!
Wednesday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Groovy Dance Party + Sweaty and Sassy Dance Fit
I decided to split up my harder workouts because my plantar fasciitis is really bothering me. That means....fun today! I love these two workouts that Ilyse put together. Dance Intervals is definitely more of a challenge, especially with all the jumping in the beginning. But I did all of this workout before tuning into the lower-impact Dance Party. All in all, a fun morning! I left work early to go to the dentist. Once that trauma was over, I manged to do 20 minutes of Ilyse's Sweaty workout....and then a nice stretch and ab work. I needed to do something since I couldn't walk at the rec this week.
Thursday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits
Ugh. I have not missed this workout. This one is my alternate to Anytime Anywhere and, just like AA, it really works me hard. McLean loves going to the floor. He loves it more than he should. Ha! At lunch, I walked to a cafe (about 15 minutes) to meet a friend for lunch. Not a great workout but at least I moved - rather quickly!
Friday: Michelle's Tip Top Shape
I wasn't 100% this morning, with a sore throat and sniffles. Ack! I cannot get a cold! I kept this workout low-impact...but I still worked hard. No one does weights like Michelle Dozois. She's so innovative and non-repetitive.... I love it! I was dripping sweat by the end of this one - but it felt like I'd accomplished something!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + Amy's All-Around Energy
Yesterday, I started having some new and different foot pain. This morning, the pain was still there, making me a bit apprehensive about my ability to work out this morning. But I made it through Michelle's original CIB. And it was mostly fun! I really enjoy that one! Then, in order to not go too crazy on my foot, I did Amy's lighter workout, which combines body strength exercises with low-impact cardio segments. It's really good! After that 20 minutes, I did 15 minutes of stretching and ab work.
Sunday: Michelle's Cardio Strength 1 on Glo + BodyFit 360 Vol 3 - Athletic Conditioning (cardio only)
My foot was better today - yay! I couldn't quite remember this CS so I just got into it - and it came back. It's a good one! And it's tough! After it finished, I did 20 minutes of the cardio from Athletic Conditioning. Dang! I always forget just how crazy tough this is, especially after already working out for 55 minutes. Whew! My stretch after all that was much appreciated!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - a bit bad (Labor Day)
Tuesday - 1169
Wednesday - 1169
Thursday - 1433
Friday - 1315
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1189
I really wish I could have a good 5 days in a row. Sigh.
Monday: REST
For Labor Day, we went to see my parents, which meant a forced rest day. And that means no yoga/light day - again - this week.
Tuesday: Amy's Intervals + Cardio Intervals + weights
Time to get back to it today! I was so sleepy this morning but that didn't last long once Amy got me going...and going. This is my Pure Cardio substitute for the week and it's definitely a challenge, too! After this first interval workout, I finished off my workout with the second one, which has longer intervals. What a sweat-fest! At lunch, I went to the rec center for weights. It was a frustrating trip but at least that's done for the week!
Wednesday: Ilyse's Dance Intervals 101 + Groovy Dance Party + Sweaty and Sassy Dance Fit
I decided to split up my harder workouts because my plantar fasciitis is really bothering me. That means....fun today! I love these two workouts that Ilyse put together. Dance Intervals is definitely more of a challenge, especially with all the jumping in the beginning. But I did all of this workout before tuning into the lower-impact Dance Party. All in all, a fun morning! I left work early to go to the dentist. Once that trauma was over, I manged to do 20 minutes of Ilyse's Sweaty workout....and then a nice stretch and ab work. I needed to do something since I couldn't walk at the rec this week.
Thursday: McLean's HIIT - Bodyweight Circuits
Ugh. I have not missed this workout. This one is my alternate to Anytime Anywhere and, just like AA, it really works me hard. McLean loves going to the floor. He loves it more than he should. Ha! At lunch, I walked to a cafe (about 15 minutes) to meet a friend for lunch. Not a great workout but at least I moved - rather quickly!
Friday: Michelle's Tip Top Shape
I wasn't 100% this morning, with a sore throat and sniffles. Ack! I cannot get a cold! I kept this workout low-impact...but I still worked hard. No one does weights like Michelle Dozois. She's so innovative and non-repetitive.... I love it! I was dripping sweat by the end of this one - but it felt like I'd accomplished something!
Saturday: Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn + Amy's All-Around Energy
Yesterday, I started having some new and different foot pain. This morning, the pain was still there, making me a bit apprehensive about my ability to work out this morning. But I made it through Michelle's original CIB. And it was mostly fun! I really enjoy that one! Then, in order to not go too crazy on my foot, I did Amy's lighter workout, which combines body strength exercises with low-impact cardio segments. It's really good! After that 20 minutes, I did 15 minutes of stretching and ab work.
Sunday: Michelle's Cardio Strength 1 on Glo + BodyFit 360 Vol 3 - Athletic Conditioning (cardio only)
My foot was better today - yay! I couldn't quite remember this CS so I just got into it - and it came back. It's a good one! And it's tough! After it finished, I did 20 minutes of the cardio from Athletic Conditioning. Dang! I always forget just how crazy tough this is, especially after already working out for 55 minutes. Whew! My stretch after all that was much appreciated!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - a bit bad (Labor Day)
Tuesday - 1169
Wednesday - 1169
Thursday - 1433
Friday - 1315
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1189
I really wish I could have a good 5 days in a row. Sigh.
Friday, September 9, 2016
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cup Chocolate Chip Cookies
Along with Zucchini Bread, I've recently tried another new dessert. This one, again, for the neighbors.
I love chocolate....and peanut butter. Put them together and I'm a happy camper. When I saw this recipe for cookies that contained both PLUS peanut butter cups....oh, boy.
The neighbors were the perfect excuse to try this new cookie. I made no substitutions to the recipe - for once. Ha!
And they turned out great! They didn't knock my socks off....but then, few things do. Everyone else raved about them, which is a good sign. My one complaint was that they fall apart a bit too easily. Oh, well....they taste mightily good!
I love chocolate....and peanut butter. Put them together and I'm a happy camper. When I saw this recipe for cookies that contained both PLUS peanut butter cups....oh, boy.
The neighbors were the perfect excuse to try this new cookie. I made no substitutions to the recipe - for once. Ha!
And they turned out great! They didn't knock my socks off....but then, few things do. Everyone else raved about them, which is a good sign. My one complaint was that they fall apart a bit too easily. Oh, well....they taste mightily good!
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Zucchini Bread
We've had two new neighbors move in - actually on the same day last month. It was really weird to have two huge moving trucks on our tiny street at once!
Anyway, Mr. Higgins thought we should welcome the neighbors with goodies so I decided to try something new - much to his annoyance. Obviously, I would not give away something bad....but I wanted to try something new!
I've been looking for a good Zucchini Bread recipe for years and I've finally found one! This one caught my eye because it was a bit lower in sugar than others - and it contains Greek yogurt. So it must be super moist!
My modifications... I used all white all-purpose flour and brown sugar. And I opted out of the chocolate, unsure of how that would taste. I made sure to squeeze the moisture from the zucchini really well. I made three smaller loaves with the recipe - which are a great size!
Mr. Higgins really liked this bread, as did I. And my co-workers loved it! I haven't heard from the neighbors yet but then I'm rarely outside and sociable. I'm keeping this recipe, though, for future use.
Anyway, Mr. Higgins thought we should welcome the neighbors with goodies so I decided to try something new - much to his annoyance. Obviously, I would not give away something bad....but I wanted to try something new!
I've been looking for a good Zucchini Bread recipe for years and I've finally found one! This one caught my eye because it was a bit lower in sugar than others - and it contains Greek yogurt. So it must be super moist!
My modifications... I used all white all-purpose flour and brown sugar. And I opted out of the chocolate, unsure of how that would taste. I made sure to squeeze the moisture from the zucchini really well. I made three smaller loaves with the recipe - which are a great size!
Mr. Higgins really liked this bread, as did I. And my co-workers loved it! I haven't heard from the neighbors yet but then I'm rarely outside and sociable. I'm keeping this recipe, though, for future use.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Week Two: Peak 10 Challenge #6
Another week of summer here in Texas...and my second week of Peak 10!
I'm totally excited about this Challenge. I want to get into great shape for our October vacation - for my 35th birthday!!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio
I was definitely tired this morning but Michelle got me going with Pure Cardio. This one is so much fun. I debated doing the last circuit since I never make it that far along in the video due to morning time constraints....but then decided to do it next time. Lunge jumps did not sound fun after a weekend of Peak workouts. Whew!
Tuesday: McLean's Unleash Your Inner Strength + Amy's Skills and Drills + weights
Today was cardio - but a bit lighter cardio, thank goodness! I started with McLean's workout....but I opted out of the floorwork, jumping rope or jogging instead. After that, I tuned into Amy's kickboxing workout. This is a fun one! At lunch, I got to the rec for weights! Yay! They were not easy but I was so glad to get them done!
Wednesday: REST
So I was up, literally, all night long with severe stomach issues. Somehow, I got out of bed and went to work....but there was no working out. It makes me sad - that means no "light" day for yoga or something. Sigh. Stupid stomach.
Thursday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere + walk
Since I missed Wednesday, I had to get up and do my hard workout today. My stomach was still a little apprehensive about being sloshed around, but I got through it! And my stomach was much better today! (I changed one "peak" move because it was too jumpy.) At lunch, I had to escape the office so I walked the track at the rec center.
Friday: Amy's Complete Strength and Conditioning + walk
Time for weights today! I'm mixing up Michelle's weighted mid-week workouts with a few of Amy's, just so I don't get bored. And I really like this one! Michelle's are definitely more challenging….but Amy made me do 50 push-ups. Whew! At lunch, I walked at the rec center. And I was proud of myself for getting over there!
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove
This was my first ever Peak 10 CIB so it holds a special place in my heart. And I still love it! It's super tough but also a lot of fun! I got through it all today - with a lot of sweat. Yay! Then, 10 minutes of Ilyse's cardio to cool down. Wanting a good stretch, I did five minutes of abs and then about 10 minutes of good stretching. It was lovely!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Scott's Intense Athletic Drills
So I started this CS and was having fun. The choreography is cool and the weighted sequences flow nicely. Then the last two circuits happened and I almost died - from all the floor work. Whew! Somehow I managed to do 25 minutes of Scott's video - after having already done 50 minutes with the CS. Then, five minutes with the 12lbs weights followed by a stretch and ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1213
Tuesday - 1256
Wednesday - BAD
Thursday - 1229
Friday - 1229
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - a bit bad
The holiday weekend was not kind to me. I was good four of the five weekdays but I made a special end-of-the-summer dessert for Mr. Higgins. That meant my calorie counts stayed above 1200. Ugh. Must do better!
I'm totally excited about this Challenge. I want to get into great shape for our October vacation - for my 35th birthday!!
Monday: PeakFit Pure Cardio
I was definitely tired this morning but Michelle got me going with Pure Cardio. This one is so much fun. I debated doing the last circuit since I never make it that far along in the video due to morning time constraints....but then decided to do it next time. Lunge jumps did not sound fun after a weekend of Peak workouts. Whew!
Tuesday: McLean's Unleash Your Inner Strength + Amy's Skills and Drills + weights
Today was cardio - but a bit lighter cardio, thank goodness! I started with McLean's workout....but I opted out of the floorwork, jumping rope or jogging instead. After that, I tuned into Amy's kickboxing workout. This is a fun one! At lunch, I got to the rec for weights! Yay! They were not easy but I was so glad to get them done!
Wednesday: REST
So I was up, literally, all night long with severe stomach issues. Somehow, I got out of bed and went to work....but there was no working out. It makes me sad - that means no "light" day for yoga or something. Sigh. Stupid stomach.
Thursday: PeakFit Anytime Anywhere + walk
Since I missed Wednesday, I had to get up and do my hard workout today. My stomach was still a little apprehensive about being sloshed around, but I got through it! And my stomach was much better today! (I changed one "peak" move because it was too jumpy.) At lunch, I had to escape the office so I walked the track at the rec center.
Friday: Amy's Complete Strength and Conditioning + walk
Time for weights today! I'm mixing up Michelle's weighted mid-week workouts with a few of Amy's, just so I don't get bored. And I really like this one! Michelle's are definitely more challenging….but Amy made me do 50 push-ups. Whew! At lunch, I walked at the rec center. And I was proud of myself for getting over there!
Saturday: Peak 10 More Cardio Interval Burn + Ilyse's Heart-Pumping Groove
This was my first ever Peak 10 CIB so it holds a special place in my heart. And I still love it! It's super tough but also a lot of fun! I got through it all today - with a lot of sweat. Yay! Then, 10 minutes of Ilyse's cardio to cool down. Wanting a good stretch, I did five minutes of abs and then about 10 minutes of good stretching. It was lovely!
Sunday: Peak 10 Cardio Strength - Fat Blaster + Scott's Intense Athletic Drills
So I started this CS and was having fun. The choreography is cool and the weighted sequences flow nicely. Then the last two circuits happened and I almost died - from all the floor work. Whew! Somehow I managed to do 25 minutes of Scott's video - after having already done 50 minutes with the CS. Then, five minutes with the 12lbs weights followed by a stretch and ab work.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1213
Tuesday - 1256
Wednesday - BAD
Thursday - 1229
Friday - 1229
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - a bit bad
The holiday weekend was not kind to me. I was good four of the five weekdays but I made a special end-of-the-summer dessert for Mr. Higgins. That meant my calorie counts stayed above 1200. Ugh. Must do better!
Friday, September 2, 2016
Individual Cobblers
When I made a certain White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake, I had raspberry filling left over. And so I searched Pinterest - love it! - for a way to use it up.
When I saw this recipe for Single Serve Cobblers, I knew I'd found the thing. It looked easy, simple, and the best part....I'd finally get to use my ramekins....that I've never touched. Yay!
As advertised, these were easy and I was able to go a bit lighter on the butter, cutting it down to 1Tbsp per serving. I was even able to fit them in my toaster oven instead of the big oven - which is great if you live in Texas and it's August.
These turned out great! I can't wait to try them with fresh berries instead of pie filling. That'll really cut the calories down!
Mr. Higgins approved!
When I saw this recipe for Single Serve Cobblers, I knew I'd found the thing. It looked easy, simple, and the best part....I'd finally get to use my ramekins....that I've never touched. Yay!
As advertised, these were easy and I was able to go a bit lighter on the butter, cutting it down to 1Tbsp per serving. I was even able to fit them in my toaster oven instead of the big oven - which is great if you live in Texas and it's August.
These turned out great! I can't wait to try them with fresh berries instead of pie filling. That'll really cut the calories down!
Mr. Higgins approved!
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake
You read that correctly... White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake, oh my!
I've still been searching for good cake recipes. And so for a co-worker's birthday celebration, I decided to try something that looked totally decadent. White chocolate + raspberries?! Yes, please!
And so I went a'baking. The first "oops" I discovered was that the pudding I'd purchased (white chocolate) was only 1 ounce. Ugh. I used light sour cream but other than that, made no more substitutions. Because I had less pudding mix, I did not chop up my white chocolate as I wanted make sure there was an abundance of white chocolate flavoring. (I was also a bit lazy on this week night.)
When the cake came out of the pan, I realized too late that I'd made two mistakes.... It could have baked for 5 minutes longer and the raspberry filling needed to be blended more. The cake separated in places where the layer of filling was. But I was able to salvage the cake and though it didn't look great, once sliced and served, it got rave reviews.
Mr. Higgins really liked it and pointed out that I could make it with blueberry filling instead (hint, hint). Ha!
So I'll keep this recipe and try it again with, hopefully, better results.
I've still been searching for good cake recipes. And so for a co-worker's birthday celebration, I decided to try something that looked totally decadent. White chocolate + raspberries?! Yes, please!
And so I went a'baking. The first "oops" I discovered was that the pudding I'd purchased (white chocolate) was only 1 ounce. Ugh. I used light sour cream but other than that, made no more substitutions. Because I had less pudding mix, I did not chop up my white chocolate as I wanted make sure there was an abundance of white chocolate flavoring. (I was also a bit lazy on this week night.)
When the cake came out of the pan, I realized too late that I'd made two mistakes.... It could have baked for 5 minutes longer and the raspberry filling needed to be blended more. The cake separated in places where the layer of filling was. But I was able to salvage the cake and though it didn't look great, once sliced and served, it got rave reviews.
Mr. Higgins really liked it and pointed out that I could make it with blueberry filling instead (hint, hint). Ha!
So I'll keep this recipe and try it again with, hopefully, better results.
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