As students return to campus, hauling precious possessions across campus and into compact dorm rooms, I'm reminded of just how young these adults truly are. I'm surrounded by them whenever I wander outside my building - and we have some who work for us - but they always appear older than their 18-22 years. Sometimes.
I work out with them at the rec center and cringe at their obvious insecurities - or minimal amounts of clothes. It's so painfully obvious that each and every one of them wants acceptance. And does that feeling, that need, ever truly go away?
If I could give them a few pieces of advice, it would sound something like this....
1. When faced with the horrific question of "What do I want to be?," think instead, "What would I enjoy doing everyday?" Ask any adult you know - going to work is not fun. But, hopefully, with some guidance, you can find something you can tolerate doing every single day. Go to work with your parents, with your grandparents, aunts, uncles, neighbors.... See what the real world is like.
2. Don't change for anyone in order to gain acceptance. Don't wear revealing clothes because a guy likes it. Don't change your hair to please a guy. If they - guys, girls, friends - don't like the natural you, then they will never make you happy because you will never feel accepted.
3. Don't wear workout clothes for any reason other than working out. Have some pride in yourself. No one wants to see your butt hanging out of your shorts. And anyone who wants to see that, doesn't care about anything that matters. Common decency and dignity are no longer in style....but they're the only things that will get you to a good place in life.
4. Don't fee rushed. There's no hurry to date, to drink, to lose your virginity.... These years will pass in a blur. Work hard and have fun - but don't rush anything. There's time enough for everything you want to do.
5. Start a retirement account at age 18 and put $20 into it every month. You will thank me. Compounding interest is an amazing thing.
There you go. Now, go and have fun. But study hard!
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Monday, August 6, 2018
Cathe Mish Mosh: Week 2
I'm back from a short trip out of town. While my muscles and feet may have rested, I came back tired from all the driving and late nights with friends.
Life is never perfect, eh?
Monday: Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Muscle Definition (#2) + walk
These Kelly Coffey-Meyer Muscle Definition workouts are great! There are some very different exercises that really make me hurt the next day! Ha! KCM is no Cathe or Michelle Dozois but she creates an effective workout. And I like her 30 minute workouts (which are really closer to 40 with warm-up and stretch). At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did my sit-ups. I was happy to know that four days off don't make sit-ups more difficult!
Tuesday: Cathe's Compound HIIT
Wow! Talk about a crazy good, fast workout! This Compound HIIT clocks in at 37 minutes - but you work hard for those 37 minutes! Cathe takes you through a HIIT move, a compound weighted move, a HIIT move, a compound weighted move... There are no "easy" moves in this workout but at least it's over quickly!
Wednesday: Cathe's Vertical Loading + walk
I've been curious about this workout since Cathe posted it. Vertical loading refers to strength training that starts at the top of the body and works its way down. So, shoulders, biceps, chest, triceps, back, legs. That order may be incorrect but it's something like that. There are 3 sets of 6 exercises that are repeated twice. Whew! This was a good, sweaty strength workout!! At lunch, I walked at the rec center to get some steps. I'm coming down with a cold, it seems, and everything has been snowballing after our trip...meaning I'm really worn out. Oy.
Thursday: Dozois' Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn
This morning, I woke up early, thanks to the beginnings of a head cold. Sigh. While I wasn't incapacitated by it, I decided to do this CIB. It's not easy but I did the best I could and got through 4 peaks before having to stop. It felt good to work hard but 4 peaks is about all I can do before my feet start hurting. Thank you, plantar fasciitis. I managed 50 minutes of work, including a warm-up and cool down - so that was great!
Friday: YWA + Dozois' On the Go Workouts (abs)
For my rest day, I had every intention of doing a Body Fit 360... But my head cold (thank you, travel stress) has slowed me down a bit. I decided to do a YWA instead, to help my body rest a bit. And this one is really nice - a good flow without being too intense. It felt so good to do yoga after a 1.5 week hiatus. I tacked on ten minutes of abs as well, to feel a bit more productive.
Saturday: Dozois' PeakFit: Anytime Anywhere + YWA
I hate this workout. I love Michelle but I hate this workout. In my defense, this one is unlike anything else Michelle has choreographed - and she pretty much admits it was her husband's creation in the video. So, there you go. I worked hard and was happy I got through as much as I did - all of it - but the last two HIITS almost did me in. This one always feels like an accomplishment. I rewarded myself with a short YWA to cool down. Then, a stretch.
Sunday: Dozis' Peak 10 More Cardio Strength + Nordin's Butt Bible 1 + Dozois' On the Go Workouts (abs)
This morning, I was feeling a bit better so I attempted a harder workout. And almost died. LOL....oy. This CS is one of the toughest - and it is the toughest in many ways. You go up and down from the floor so much, it really wears me down. I got through 30 minutes, barely, which was my goal. I then tuned into Pauline Nordin's first Butt Bible video, which is 20 minutes long. Ouch! I'm going to feel that one. Then, my second round of abs for the week, followed by a stretch. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
This week was all messed up. I was good when I could be but some days were not at all good. Sigh.
Life is never perfect, eh?
Monday: Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Muscle Definition (#2) + walk
These Kelly Coffey-Meyer Muscle Definition workouts are great! There are some very different exercises that really make me hurt the next day! Ha! KCM is no Cathe or Michelle Dozois but she creates an effective workout. And I like her 30 minute workouts (which are really closer to 40 with warm-up and stretch). At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did my sit-ups. I was happy to know that four days off don't make sit-ups more difficult!
Tuesday: Cathe's Compound HIIT
Wow! Talk about a crazy good, fast workout! This Compound HIIT clocks in at 37 minutes - but you work hard for those 37 minutes! Cathe takes you through a HIIT move, a compound weighted move, a HIIT move, a compound weighted move... There are no "easy" moves in this workout but at least it's over quickly!
Wednesday: Cathe's Vertical Loading + walk
I've been curious about this workout since Cathe posted it. Vertical loading refers to strength training that starts at the top of the body and works its way down. So, shoulders, biceps, chest, triceps, back, legs. That order may be incorrect but it's something like that. There are 3 sets of 6 exercises that are repeated twice. Whew! This was a good, sweaty strength workout!! At lunch, I walked at the rec center to get some steps. I'm coming down with a cold, it seems, and everything has been snowballing after our trip...meaning I'm really worn out. Oy.
Thursday: Dozois' Peak 10 Cardio Interval Burn
This morning, I woke up early, thanks to the beginnings of a head cold. Sigh. While I wasn't incapacitated by it, I decided to do this CIB. It's not easy but I did the best I could and got through 4 peaks before having to stop. It felt good to work hard but 4 peaks is about all I can do before my feet start hurting. Thank you, plantar fasciitis. I managed 50 minutes of work, including a warm-up and cool down - so that was great!
Friday: YWA + Dozois' On the Go Workouts (abs)
For my rest day, I had every intention of doing a Body Fit 360... But my head cold (thank you, travel stress) has slowed me down a bit. I decided to do a YWA instead, to help my body rest a bit. And this one is really nice - a good flow without being too intense. It felt so good to do yoga after a 1.5 week hiatus. I tacked on ten minutes of abs as well, to feel a bit more productive.
Saturday: Dozois' PeakFit: Anytime Anywhere + YWA
I hate this workout. I love Michelle but I hate this workout. In my defense, this one is unlike anything else Michelle has choreographed - and she pretty much admits it was her husband's creation in the video. So, there you go. I worked hard and was happy I got through as much as I did - all of it - but the last two HIITS almost did me in. This one always feels like an accomplishment. I rewarded myself with a short YWA to cool down. Then, a stretch.
Sunday: Dozis' Peak 10 More Cardio Strength + Nordin's Butt Bible 1 + Dozois' On the Go Workouts (abs)
This morning, I was feeling a bit better so I attempted a harder workout. And almost died. LOL....oy. This CS is one of the toughest - and it is the toughest in many ways. You go up and down from the floor so much, it really wears me down. I got through 30 minutes, barely, which was my goal. I then tuned into Pauline Nordin's first Butt Bible video, which is 20 minutes long. Ouch! I'm going to feel that one. Then, my second round of abs for the week, followed by a stretch. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
This week was all messed up. I was good when I could be but some days were not at all good. Sigh.
Friday, August 3, 2018
Friday!
Dooku is wishing everyone a very happy Friday. He doesn't usually differentiate his days but today was a living room napping day. LOL!
Ah, the life of a cat.
Monday, July 30, 2018
Cathe Mish Mosh: Week 1
This week starts a new 13-week rotation of my very own creation. I wanted to do ALL the Cathe workouts and this is what I came up with!! Ha!
This rotation, though, starts out with a slight break from Cathe. I'll still do a few of her workouts but I'm going to visit some others, too. But after that, it's almost all Cathe again. And the last five weeks are very similar to the Metabolic Rotation from earlier this year.
But first, this week will be a short one due to a friend's wedding in Colorado. Only three days of workouts - and that actually makes me happy. I'm dangerously close to being burnt out in all areas - work, weather, and workouts. So, this actually comes at a great time.
Monday: Cathe's PHA 3 Live + walk
Cathe gets to start this rotation off with a bang - well, actually, more like an "ouch." This PHA training was great and I was feeling it in my legs by mid-day. You only repeat the set of exercises twice, which is great; too much reception is a bit boring. But there are three sets of exercises so, your muscles, especially your legs, get a thorough workout. To get some steps, I walked at the rec center. There won't be any YWA this week because there's too much to do before the trip!
Tuesday: Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Muscle Definition (#1) + walk
Taking a break from Cathe, I tried KCM's weight training video today, which I got at Christmas. Yes, it took me this long to try it; I'm a bit Cathe-obsessed. But KCM was good - and tough! - because she had some completely different exercises that my muscles were not expecting. And that's good! My one complaint - she never suggests dumbbell weights. And I didn't like the music...but that's not a big deal. At lunch, I walked at the rec center - and was so happy to be done with that!
Wednesday: Dozois’ PeakFit Pure Cardio
My last workout before our short trip. This one is so good - and this morning, I fast forwarded to the last section right off the bat, since it’s the most difficult and usually gets cut off. It’s also the one with lunge jumps, which are never my favorite. They’re a little easier thanks to Cathe but Michelle puts them in the midst of so many other jumping moves….. Whew! It’s tough. I succeeded, though, and really enjoyed the sweat fest!
Thursday - Sunday: REST
Since we were out of town, I used the opportunity to rest and give my poor feet a chance at relief.
Calorie Counts:
I was great on Monday and Tuesday. Then, I weighed on Wednesday morning - and was down an additional 0.6 pounds. Yes!!
This rotation, though, starts out with a slight break from Cathe. I'll still do a few of her workouts but I'm going to visit some others, too. But after that, it's almost all Cathe again. And the last five weeks are very similar to the Metabolic Rotation from earlier this year.
But first, this week will be a short one due to a friend's wedding in Colorado. Only three days of workouts - and that actually makes me happy. I'm dangerously close to being burnt out in all areas - work, weather, and workouts. So, this actually comes at a great time.
Monday: Cathe's PHA 3 Live + walk
Cathe gets to start this rotation off with a bang - well, actually, more like an "ouch." This PHA training was great and I was feeling it in my legs by mid-day. You only repeat the set of exercises twice, which is great; too much reception is a bit boring. But there are three sets of exercises so, your muscles, especially your legs, get a thorough workout. To get some steps, I walked at the rec center. There won't be any YWA this week because there's too much to do before the trip!
Tuesday: Kelly Coffey-Meyer's Muscle Definition (#1) + walk
Taking a break from Cathe, I tried KCM's weight training video today, which I got at Christmas. Yes, it took me this long to try it; I'm a bit Cathe-obsessed. But KCM was good - and tough! - because she had some completely different exercises that my muscles were not expecting. And that's good! My one complaint - she never suggests dumbbell weights. And I didn't like the music...but that's not a big deal. At lunch, I walked at the rec center - and was so happy to be done with that!
Wednesday: Dozois’ PeakFit Pure Cardio
My last workout before our short trip. This one is so good - and this morning, I fast forwarded to the last section right off the bat, since it’s the most difficult and usually gets cut off. It’s also the one with lunge jumps, which are never my favorite. They’re a little easier thanks to Cathe but Michelle puts them in the midst of so many other jumping moves….. Whew! It’s tough. I succeeded, though, and really enjoyed the sweat fest!
Thursday - Sunday: REST
Since we were out of town, I used the opportunity to rest and give my poor feet a chance at relief.
Calorie Counts:
I was great on Monday and Tuesday. Then, I weighed on Wednesday morning - and was down an additional 0.6 pounds. Yes!!
Friday, July 27, 2018
Green Fingerless Gloves
Pattern: Happily Ever After Mitts by Susan B. Anderson
Yarn: Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino
Needles: US 2.5 (5mm)
Made for: ALJ
Time to completion: 3 weeks
After making Mr. Higgins’ fingerless gloves in January, I decided to make some belated gloves for my friend. I really owed her a pair after she picked this yarn out in - ahem! - 2011 for this specific purpose. Wow. I suck.
These were fun to make. I always love watching the colors of variegated yarn come together. And these are such a quick knit!
Oh, and I’m posting these super late (I made these in February) because I just got around to seeing my friend to give them to her.
Monday, July 23, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 8
My last week of Cathe's XTrain and Ripped with HIIT rotation! Wow. I'll be coming back to these workouts again and again. They are so, so good.
But for now, it's time to get the last week done!
Monday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Back, Biceps, and Shoulders + walk + YWA
I like doing weights on Monday mornings. It's not quite as traumatic a start to the week as cardio is. Ha! But this workout is no joke. Before you know it, you're rowing the heaviest weight you can. And Cathe moves you quickly from one move to the next. I worked up quite a sweat - and I went up in weights a few times. Yes! At lunch, I walked because I needed steps. But it was so hot this week, there was no motivation to step foot outside. This YWA was great after a Monday that left me exhausted.
Tuesday: Cathe's XTrain: All Out Low Impact HIIT + YWA
This workout is always good - and low impact! The headache that's stuck with me since Saturday was still present this morning, so low impact was very much appreciated. But I worked hard and my heart rate definitely got up there. After work, this YWA was great! Adrienne's Yoga Revolution was such a good series!
Wednesday: Dozois' Peak Fit: Pure Cardio + RWH Abs 1
I wanted straight cardio for a change so I turned to my first love, Michelle Dozois. This workout is great - and even a bit of a shock first thing in the morning. But Michelle always makes me happy and this is a fun workout. So, a very productive morning. I went to a heart health luncheon today to learn all about both preventing heart disease and the newest technology to fix heart problems. Very cool! After work, RWH Abs made me sweat!
Thursday: Crunch Super Slim Down: Pilates Yoga Blend + YWA
It's been a while since I've done this workout so today seemed the perfect opportunity. Ellen always creates a calm atmosphere, which is very much appreciated in the early morning hours. This was an excellent way to ease into the day! And at the end of the day, this YWA always helps me to unwind and settle down.
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps + walk
More weights today! And let me just say....it is so much easier doing weights first thing in the morning than it is to do cardio. Ha! This one really works your chest...and shoulders. It was tough but I kinda like the pain. At lunch, I braved to 100+ degree heat to go walk at the rec center. I was super proud of myself for getting out and doing that. I even planked - adding another five seconds on to my longest plank. Yes!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs + RWH Abs 2
I've done this RWH workout quite a bit in the last 8 weeks. And it's good - really good. Today, I increased my weights by two pounds and, though that may not sound like a lot, it felt like a lot. In a mostly good way. Ha! I felt like I got a great workout, which is all that matters! After that 45 minutes, I did this RWH Abs workout for the last time....for a while. Yes! It's always a challenge for me!
Sunday: Cathe's XTrain: Tabatacise
So when you need serious cardio, Tabatacise is the way to go. There are five tabatas - each contains 4 moves that last for 20 seconds, followed by a ten second rest. You repeat those 4 tabatas and are then given a "recovery" step segment. And you do all that five times. It's exhausting but super effective. I was wiped out after today's 45 minutes. I stretched for a good ten minutes. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1193
Tuesday - 1193
Wednesday - 1255
Thursday - 1210
Friday - 1187
Saturday - 1188
Sunday - BAD
I weighed on Friday and was at my lowest weight in a year - just a few tenths of a pound under five pounds. Yes!
But for now, it's time to get the last week done!
Monday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Back, Biceps, and Shoulders + walk + YWA
I like doing weights on Monday mornings. It's not quite as traumatic a start to the week as cardio is. Ha! But this workout is no joke. Before you know it, you're rowing the heaviest weight you can. And Cathe moves you quickly from one move to the next. I worked up quite a sweat - and I went up in weights a few times. Yes! At lunch, I walked because I needed steps. But it was so hot this week, there was no motivation to step foot outside. This YWA was great after a Monday that left me exhausted.
Tuesday: Cathe's XTrain: All Out Low Impact HIIT + YWA
This workout is always good - and low impact! The headache that's stuck with me since Saturday was still present this morning, so low impact was very much appreciated. But I worked hard and my heart rate definitely got up there. After work, this YWA was great! Adrienne's Yoga Revolution was such a good series!
Wednesday: Dozois' Peak Fit: Pure Cardio + RWH Abs 1
I wanted straight cardio for a change so I turned to my first love, Michelle Dozois. This workout is great - and even a bit of a shock first thing in the morning. But Michelle always makes me happy and this is a fun workout. So, a very productive morning. I went to a heart health luncheon today to learn all about both preventing heart disease and the newest technology to fix heart problems. Very cool! After work, RWH Abs made me sweat!
Thursday: Crunch Super Slim Down: Pilates Yoga Blend + YWA
It's been a while since I've done this workout so today seemed the perfect opportunity. Ellen always creates a calm atmosphere, which is very much appreciated in the early morning hours. This was an excellent way to ease into the day! And at the end of the day, this YWA always helps me to unwind and settle down.
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Chest, Shoulders, and Triceps + walk
More weights today! And let me just say....it is so much easier doing weights first thing in the morning than it is to do cardio. Ha! This one really works your chest...and shoulders. It was tough but I kinda like the pain. At lunch, I braved to 100+ degree heat to go walk at the rec center. I was super proud of myself for getting out and doing that. I even planked - adding another five seconds on to my longest plank. Yes!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs + RWH Abs 2
I've done this RWH workout quite a bit in the last 8 weeks. And it's good - really good. Today, I increased my weights by two pounds and, though that may not sound like a lot, it felt like a lot. In a mostly good way. Ha! I felt like I got a great workout, which is all that matters! After that 45 minutes, I did this RWH Abs workout for the last time....for a while. Yes! It's always a challenge for me!
Sunday: Cathe's XTrain: Tabatacise
So when you need serious cardio, Tabatacise is the way to go. There are five tabatas - each contains 4 moves that last for 20 seconds, followed by a ten second rest. You repeat those 4 tabatas and are then given a "recovery" step segment. And you do all that five times. It's exhausting but super effective. I was wiped out after today's 45 minutes. I stretched for a good ten minutes. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1193
Tuesday - 1193
Wednesday - 1255
Thursday - 1210
Friday - 1187
Saturday - 1188
Sunday - BAD
I weighed on Friday and was at my lowest weight in a year - just a few tenths of a pound under five pounds. Yes!
Thursday, July 19, 2018
My Fingerless Gloves
Pattern: Happily Ever After Mitts by Susan B. Anderson
Yarn: Sundara Yarn Fingering Merion - Love Like Lightening
Needles: US 2 (2.75mm)
Made for: me!
Time to completion: 3 weeks
I made these for Mr. Higgins and someone else (look for that soon) so, of course, needed a pair myself! And because my office is freezing, I wanted these to come up higher on my arm for when I'm wearing short sleeves. I love this yarn; Sundara dyes up some beautiful colors. It also goes well with our school colors!
For this pair of gloves, I casted on 63 stitches and made a thumb-hole 14 rounds wide. Another FO that makes me super happy!
Monday, July 16, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 7
Only two more weeks! Unbelievable!
I'm enjoying this rotation but I'm missing some of Cathe's other workouts. I guess there's just no making me happy. Ha!
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: SuperCuts + walk + YWA
My legs were still sore this morning, this time from a wicked Cathe Live workout yesterday. But I powered through this metabolic strength program, which can very easily kick my bum on a good day. It moves fast and never, ever stops! At lunch, I walked at the rec center and then really stretched out my legs. And it helped, thank goodness! At the end of the day, this YWA got me just a bit sweaty. I love this one!
Tuesday: Cathe's Hard Strikes Low Impact Boxing
I've done this boxing workout several times and really enjoy it. The official rotation had Cathe's original Hard Strikes on the calendar (from XTrain) but I really don't like that workout. It's too cardio-heavy - and too light on the boxing! So this one was really good for today. I worked hard and had fun! A busy day meant that this was my one and only workout.
Wednesday: Cathe's Lower Body Confusion + walk
The official rotation had two low impact workouts scheduled for this week. I decided to do two leg workouts instead! This is a newer Cathe Live workout and it was great! Cathe runs you through all kinds of leg exercises - HIIT, strength, barre - to totally confuse your muscles. I loved it! At lunch, I walked at the rec center - getting a little too sweaty - and then stretched really well. Oh, and I planked!
Thursday: YWA + RWH Abs 1
Today's rest day was very well timed as I woke up feeling not great. I was going to do abs along with a YWA but that didn't happen; my stomach wouldn't have it. So this YWA was a great way to wake the body up slowly and calmly. I added on a bit of my own stretching and had a nice morning! After work, I did this RWH ab workout - which I just couldn't face at 5:30am.
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit
My last time to do this workout in this rotation! Yay! I've grown a bit tired of this one so I'm glad to be done with it. That's not to say it's not effective - it is! But I'm just tired of it. And I'm super tired of snowboards. I couldn't quite get all of them done this morning and that made me mad. But. I got it done and worked my muscles really well! So, success!
Saturday: Cathe's XTrain: Cardio Leg Blast + barre + YWA
I really enjoy this leg workout. Cardio, weights, cardio, weights.... On and on....but fun! My legs always feel this one and today I went super low in my squats to really make it hurt. Ha! After that 50 minutes, I did the last 10 minutes from Wednesday's Lower Body Confusion, which is all barre work. I couldn't finish the workout on Wednesday and that bugged me. The barre work was brutal after having already done so much leg work - but I liked it! And finally, a stretch and this YWA to wind down.
Sunday: Cathe's Low Impact HIIT Circuit Live + RWH Abs 2
This was a new-to-me Cathe Live workout....and it was great! It alternates two cardio moves and two weighted moves for a metabolic sweat-fest! Ha! Despite it being low impact my heart rate was super high during the cardio. The weighted moves were mostly compound, which also helped the heart rate. After that 50 minutes, I did RWH Abs 2 - which is not easy. And finally, after that hour, a stretch.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1171
Tuesday - 1390
Wednesday - 1243
Thursday - 1131
Friday - bad
Saturday - 1697
Sunday - 1677
I ate salads for dinner every day this week - except Friday! I need to look good for our friends' wedding in a few weeks so I need to buckle down a bit!
I'm enjoying this rotation but I'm missing some of Cathe's other workouts. I guess there's just no making me happy. Ha!
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: SuperCuts + walk + YWA
My legs were still sore this morning, this time from a wicked Cathe Live workout yesterday. But I powered through this metabolic strength program, which can very easily kick my bum on a good day. It moves fast and never, ever stops! At lunch, I walked at the rec center and then really stretched out my legs. And it helped, thank goodness! At the end of the day, this YWA got me just a bit sweaty. I love this one!
Tuesday: Cathe's Hard Strikes Low Impact Boxing
I've done this boxing workout several times and really enjoy it. The official rotation had Cathe's original Hard Strikes on the calendar (from XTrain) but I really don't like that workout. It's too cardio-heavy - and too light on the boxing! So this one was really good for today. I worked hard and had fun! A busy day meant that this was my one and only workout.
Wednesday: Cathe's Lower Body Confusion + walk
The official rotation had two low impact workouts scheduled for this week. I decided to do two leg workouts instead! This is a newer Cathe Live workout and it was great! Cathe runs you through all kinds of leg exercises - HIIT, strength, barre - to totally confuse your muscles. I loved it! At lunch, I walked at the rec center - getting a little too sweaty - and then stretched really well. Oh, and I planked!
Thursday: YWA + RWH Abs 1
Today's rest day was very well timed as I woke up feeling not great. I was going to do abs along with a YWA but that didn't happen; my stomach wouldn't have it. So this YWA was a great way to wake the body up slowly and calmly. I added on a bit of my own stretching and had a nice morning! After work, I did this RWH ab workout - which I just couldn't face at 5:30am.
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit
My last time to do this workout in this rotation! Yay! I've grown a bit tired of this one so I'm glad to be done with it. That's not to say it's not effective - it is! But I'm just tired of it. And I'm super tired of snowboards. I couldn't quite get all of them done this morning and that made me mad. But. I got it done and worked my muscles really well! So, success!
Saturday: Cathe's XTrain: Cardio Leg Blast + barre + YWA
I really enjoy this leg workout. Cardio, weights, cardio, weights.... On and on....but fun! My legs always feel this one and today I went super low in my squats to really make it hurt. Ha! After that 50 minutes, I did the last 10 minutes from Wednesday's Lower Body Confusion, which is all barre work. I couldn't finish the workout on Wednesday and that bugged me. The barre work was brutal after having already done so much leg work - but I liked it! And finally, a stretch and this YWA to wind down.
Sunday: Cathe's Low Impact HIIT Circuit Live + RWH Abs 2
This was a new-to-me Cathe Live workout....and it was great! It alternates two cardio moves and two weighted moves for a metabolic sweat-fest! Ha! Despite it being low impact my heart rate was super high during the cardio. The weighted moves were mostly compound, which also helped the heart rate. After that 50 minutes, I did RWH Abs 2 - which is not easy. And finally, after that hour, a stretch.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1171
Tuesday - 1390
Wednesday - 1243
Thursday - 1131
Friday - bad
Saturday - 1697
Sunday - 1677
I ate salads for dinner every day this week - except Friday! I need to look good for our friends' wedding in a few weeks so I need to buckle down a bit!
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Chocolate Pudding Pie
For our vacation/staycation a few months ago, I wanted a decadent dessert for our time at home. I had something in my mind and this Chocolate Pudding Pie turned out to be pretty close to it.
I made a few changes - mainly leaving out the pecans. I always use skim milk and fat free whipped topping. Next time, I'll halve the amount of baking chocolate because the amount used in the recipe meant that you could barely take a bite of the pie without the hard chocolate bottom layer causing crumbs to go flying everywhere.
But this was delicious. And decadent. And super-chocolate-y without being overwhelming. The pudding and whipped topping keeps it light and fluffy. I'll definitely be keeping this recipe!
I made a few changes - mainly leaving out the pecans. I always use skim milk and fat free whipped topping. Next time, I'll halve the amount of baking chocolate because the amount used in the recipe meant that you could barely take a bite of the pie without the hard chocolate bottom layer causing crumbs to go flying everywhere.
But this was delicious. And decadent. And super-chocolate-y without being overwhelming. The pudding and whipped topping keeps it light and fluffy. I'll definitely be keeping this recipe!
Monday, July 9, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 6
I can't believe this rotation is winding down so soon! Time really does fly!
After eating horribly over the weekend...and knowing that it'll happen again on July 4th, I'm definitely wanting to burn as many calories as possible.
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: Bi's and Tri's + walk + YWA
After another rough night due to stomach issues (this is neverending!), I was glad that this workout was scheduled for today. So, no jumping! Cathe really works the biceps and triceps, though; this is not an easy program. But I had fun! At lunch, I walked in order to get some steps - and burn calories. And after work, this YWA sure did stretch out my legs! For some reason, I've been in the mood to revisit Adriene's Revolution series from 2017... It's just so good!
Tuesday: Cathe's RWH: Plyo HIIT Two + Step Moves + YWA
I think this was the first time I'd attempted Plyo HIIT Two. The first one is super, super difficult. This one wasn't as tough, thank goodness! It's a challenge and I'm always glad these Plyo HIITs are only about 25 minutes! After that ended, I tuned into another new-to-me Cathe workout, Step Moves. And I hated it! I just can't pick up these complicated step patterns. I tried - and still moved a lot in the process. After work, this YWA was very nice - on a day when I needed to decompress.
Wednesday: Cathe's Lift It HIIT It Legs Live
The last time I did this workout was May. I didn't really remember it but it is very similar to the original RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs. The main difference is that the cardio blasts are repeated in sets of 10 or 12. I don't know if that makes it easier or harder, honestly. But I like working my legs so this was great. I added on five minutes of my own cardio to get in 45 minutes on this holiday at home.
Thursday: Dozois' Body Fit 360 + YWA
This morning, I wanted to move, just a bit, and then really stretch well. So, I did about 20 minutes of the cardio from Body Fit 360 - which I love! Then, I did the full stretch at the end. And it felt marvelous! After work, I was a bit stiff from all that marvelous stretching...so I stretched some more with Adriene. Very nice!
Friday: Cathe's XTrain: Chest, Back and Shoulders + walk
Cathe's XTrain series is excellent. There are so many options for weighted work, which makes it her best strength series since STS. This workout is great. Your chest, back, and shoulders get worked from every angle! I lifted as much as I could and got nice and sweaty! At lunch, I walked at the rec center in order to get some more steps. It was so humid outside, it was a chore just to get to the rec!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lower Body Circuit + RWH Abs 2
This is always a nice change from Lift It HIIT It Legs - it's different enough to shock your system but still super effective. I used 15 pound weights for most of it and my legs were screaming. It didn't help that Cathe threw in a lot of pulsing reps. Ouch! After that 45 minutes, I did RWH Abs 2 - which is a lot harder than the first RWH Abs. And, finally, a stretch.
Sunday: Cathe's Total Body HIIT
This is an amazing workout. Cardio blast + lower body strength + upper body strength + total body strength. Repeat. There are seven rounds of this and it is tough. The cardio blasts - even the "easy" ones - are not easy. My heart rate stayed super high throughout. I used 12 and 6 pound weights. My legs were a bit sore from Saturday's workout...so I felt this one. This lasted for about 55 minutes. I gratefully stretched afterward. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
I was pretty good this week until Wednesday....and Friday and Sunday. Oy. The next two weeks will have to be better.
After eating horribly over the weekend...and knowing that it'll happen again on July 4th, I'm definitely wanting to burn as many calories as possible.
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: Bi's and Tri's + walk + YWA
After another rough night due to stomach issues (this is neverending!), I was glad that this workout was scheduled for today. So, no jumping! Cathe really works the biceps and triceps, though; this is not an easy program. But I had fun! At lunch, I walked in order to get some steps - and burn calories. And after work, this YWA sure did stretch out my legs! For some reason, I've been in the mood to revisit Adriene's Revolution series from 2017... It's just so good!
Tuesday: Cathe's RWH: Plyo HIIT Two + Step Moves + YWA
I think this was the first time I'd attempted Plyo HIIT Two. The first one is super, super difficult. This one wasn't as tough, thank goodness! It's a challenge and I'm always glad these Plyo HIITs are only about 25 minutes! After that ended, I tuned into another new-to-me Cathe workout, Step Moves. And I hated it! I just can't pick up these complicated step patterns. I tried - and still moved a lot in the process. After work, this YWA was very nice - on a day when I needed to decompress.
Wednesday: Cathe's Lift It HIIT It Legs Live
The last time I did this workout was May. I didn't really remember it but it is very similar to the original RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs. The main difference is that the cardio blasts are repeated in sets of 10 or 12. I don't know if that makes it easier or harder, honestly. But I like working my legs so this was great. I added on five minutes of my own cardio to get in 45 minutes on this holiday at home.
Thursday: Dozois' Body Fit 360 + YWA
This morning, I wanted to move, just a bit, and then really stretch well. So, I did about 20 minutes of the cardio from Body Fit 360 - which I love! Then, I did the full stretch at the end. And it felt marvelous! After work, I was a bit stiff from all that marvelous stretching...so I stretched some more with Adriene. Very nice!
Friday: Cathe's XTrain: Chest, Back and Shoulders + walk
Cathe's XTrain series is excellent. There are so many options for weighted work, which makes it her best strength series since STS. This workout is great. Your chest, back, and shoulders get worked from every angle! I lifted as much as I could and got nice and sweaty! At lunch, I walked at the rec center in order to get some more steps. It was so humid outside, it was a chore just to get to the rec!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lower Body Circuit + RWH Abs 2
This is always a nice change from Lift It HIIT It Legs - it's different enough to shock your system but still super effective. I used 15 pound weights for most of it and my legs were screaming. It didn't help that Cathe threw in a lot of pulsing reps. Ouch! After that 45 minutes, I did RWH Abs 2 - which is a lot harder than the first RWH Abs. And, finally, a stretch.
Sunday: Cathe's Total Body HIIT
This is an amazing workout. Cardio blast + lower body strength + upper body strength + total body strength. Repeat. There are seven rounds of this and it is tough. The cardio blasts - even the "easy" ones - are not easy. My heart rate stayed super high throughout. I used 12 and 6 pound weights. My legs were a bit sore from Saturday's workout...so I felt this one. This lasted for about 55 minutes. I gratefully stretched afterward. Whew!
Calorie Counts:
I was pretty good this week until Wednesday....and Friday and Sunday. Oy. The next two weeks will have to be better.
Thursday, July 5, 2018
Fourth Pair of Socks
Yarn: Long Dog Yarn's Bounce Sock in Dark Dimension
Needles: 2.5mm
Made for: me
Time to completion: 4 weeks
My June knitting project was for me! Yay! I made myself socks - for the first time since my very first pair...which are a bit sub-par. I wanted the most basic pattern - vanilla socks - for this colorway, which I fell hard for at this year's DFW Fiber Fest. Knitting with it was such a joy - there are so many colors that pop up throughout! I love yarn! Soft, squishy, bouncy, pretty, yarn....
Ahem. I'm very happy with these socks. I'm learning more and more about the intricacies of knitting socks with each and every pair. It's fun! Now I just need to block them and get used to wearing hand-knitted socks. As funny as that sounds, these felt funny on my feet. So, come winter, I'll have to wear them enough to get used to them. Which means..... I need to knit more socks!
Yes, I'm crazy.
Monday, July 2, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 5
Starting the second half of this rotation feels like an accomplishment, for sure!
I'm still liking these workouts but I may sub some out for a few live workouts - just to change it up a bit.
Monday: Cathe's Cardio and Weights + walk + YWA
This live workout contains mostly upper body work for the weighted moves - so I decided to sub it for RWH: Upper Body Circuit....which I'm getting tired of. The cardio in this workout really taxed my feet, after so much jumping on Sunday. I had to make a few moves low impact. At work, I walked at the rec center at lunch to get more steps - and I planked. This YWA got my core even more fiery than earlier in the day!
Tuesday: Cathe's Low Impact Cardio and Strength with Step + YWA
I'm so glad I opted out of the suggested low impact HIIT for this live workout. This one isn't HIIT - it's straight cardio and I love mixing that with HIIT workouts. This one is a bit repetitive but still very, very good. My heart rate went up very quickly and stayed up. I didn't use weights for the strength portion and I had to stop before the upper body exercises... But this was a nice change! And this YWA helped me relax after a stressful day.
Wednesday: Cathe's XTrain: Legs + walk
My bum was a bit sore from all the squats yesterday so this workout sounded a bit daunting when I woke up. But I did it and felt great doing it! The one move that burns like nothing else - low pulsing lunges - still hurts like crazy but I did it! I had to cut out some of the floorwork due to my time constraint (45 minutes), but I got most of this done! At lunch, I walked at the rec center and then did my sit-ups. Fun.
Thursday: Cathe's Jabs and Kicks
Today, I had weird work obligations which meant I could be a tiny bit later going in. That meant I wasn't rushing so much and I could do a few more minutes of this workout, which I really enjoy. This was my second time through it and it was just as fun this time around. Cathe does a lot of combinations with punches and kicks, which I love! A fun morning!
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs
I made a huge mistake this morning and did the wrong workout! I was supposed to do Upper Body Circuit but my brain was apparently too fried to remember that. This workout, however, is such a good one! I love the cardio/weight format. After it finished, I did some upper body weights - biceps and shoulders - since I did the wrong workout. Ugh!
Saturday: Cathe's To the Max + RWH Abs 1
Lots of cardio this morning! This workout is fun - but a lot of hard work! Step, tabata, HIIT, and then compound leg work! Whew! I was sweating up a storm. That lasted for 45 minutes. I then did some upper body weights - back, triceps, and chest. Then, RWH abs - which were almost fun compared to the XTrain abs. Ha! I stretched and called it a morning.
Sunday: REST
Calorie Counts:
I won't lie: it was an awful week. A work retreat meant too much snacking and unhealthy foods. Then, over the weekend, we celebrated July 4th early - so we ate horribly! Ugh!
I'm still liking these workouts but I may sub some out for a few live workouts - just to change it up a bit.
Monday: Cathe's Cardio and Weights + walk + YWA
This live workout contains mostly upper body work for the weighted moves - so I decided to sub it for RWH: Upper Body Circuit....which I'm getting tired of. The cardio in this workout really taxed my feet, after so much jumping on Sunday. I had to make a few moves low impact. At work, I walked at the rec center at lunch to get more steps - and I planked. This YWA got my core even more fiery than earlier in the day!
Tuesday: Cathe's Low Impact Cardio and Strength with Step + YWA
I'm so glad I opted out of the suggested low impact HIIT for this live workout. This one isn't HIIT - it's straight cardio and I love mixing that with HIIT workouts. This one is a bit repetitive but still very, very good. My heart rate went up very quickly and stayed up. I didn't use weights for the strength portion and I had to stop before the upper body exercises... But this was a nice change! And this YWA helped me relax after a stressful day.
Wednesday: Cathe's XTrain: Legs + walk
My bum was a bit sore from all the squats yesterday so this workout sounded a bit daunting when I woke up. But I did it and felt great doing it! The one move that burns like nothing else - low pulsing lunges - still hurts like crazy but I did it! I had to cut out some of the floorwork due to my time constraint (45 minutes), but I got most of this done! At lunch, I walked at the rec center and then did my sit-ups. Fun.
Thursday: Cathe's Jabs and Kicks
Today, I had weird work obligations which meant I could be a tiny bit later going in. That meant I wasn't rushing so much and I could do a few more minutes of this workout, which I really enjoy. This was my second time through it and it was just as fun this time around. Cathe does a lot of combinations with punches and kicks, which I love! A fun morning!
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs
I made a huge mistake this morning and did the wrong workout! I was supposed to do Upper Body Circuit but my brain was apparently too fried to remember that. This workout, however, is such a good one! I love the cardio/weight format. After it finished, I did some upper body weights - biceps and shoulders - since I did the wrong workout. Ugh!
Saturday: Cathe's To the Max + RWH Abs 1
Lots of cardio this morning! This workout is fun - but a lot of hard work! Step, tabata, HIIT, and then compound leg work! Whew! I was sweating up a storm. That lasted for 45 minutes. I then did some upper body weights - back, triceps, and chest. Then, RWH abs - which were almost fun compared to the XTrain abs. Ha! I stretched and called it a morning.
Sunday: REST
Calorie Counts:
I won't lie: it was an awful week. A work retreat meant too much snacking and unhealthy foods. Then, over the weekend, we celebrated July 4th early - so we ate horribly! Ugh!
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Picnic in Provence
I started Elizabeth Bard's Picnic in Provence while we were on vacation last month. Due to my knitting obsession of late, reading has fallen a bit by the wayside. But I finally finished this memoir, which I really enjoyed!
My Goodreads review:
Somehow I managed to not read Elizabeth Bard's first memoir, about meeting her handsome Frenchman. But I really enjoyed this second memoir, about starting a family and settling down in Provence with that Frenchman.
A theme of this book that I did not anticipate liking, was Bard's struggle with motherhood. It takes her a while to find her stride and, as her son grows, to continue her motherly connection with him. It's refreshing to see someone talk candidly about these issues.
As with any memoir that contains recipes, I want to make everything mentioned by Bard. And I was fascinated by the cultural differences she encounters throughout her time in France. There is so much Americans could learn from other ways of life!
My Goodreads review:
Somehow I managed to not read Elizabeth Bard's first memoir, about meeting her handsome Frenchman. But I really enjoyed this second memoir, about starting a family and settling down in Provence with that Frenchman.
A theme of this book that I did not anticipate liking, was Bard's struggle with motherhood. It takes her a while to find her stride and, as her son grows, to continue her motherly connection with him. It's refreshing to see someone talk candidly about these issues.
As with any memoir that contains recipes, I want to make everything mentioned by Bard. And I was fascinated by the cultural differences she encounters throughout her time in France. There is so much Americans could learn from other ways of life!
Monday, June 25, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 4
After eating too much on Father's Day, I'm definitely motivated to work hard this week.
And after so much cardio last week, I'm happy to see a lot of strength training this week. My feet need a break!
Monday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Back, Biceps and Shoulders + walk + YWA
Despite the Lift It HIIT It title, there is no cardio in this workout; it is pure strength. And I loved it! Cathe leads you through 3 sets of each exercise, most with 12 reps, and then you end with a "finisher" - usually using the band. I liked being able to lift heavy! At work, I walked at lunch to get steps but it was so nice getting away from the office. I was not ready for Monday to arrive so quickly. This YWA was more stretch than anything - which was good, considering how exhausted I was by the end of the day.
Tuesday: Cathe's XTrain: All Out Low Impact HIIT + XTrain Abs 1 + YWA
I hadn't done this Low Impact HIIT in a while and it was a nice change from the RWH low impact workouts. There is no doubting the intensity of this workout but I like that it's not super long - around 40 minutes. After work, it was time to do this core workout - which really, really hurt me last week. Thankfully, it didn't have the same effect this week. I followed up that core with this short YWA. Very nice!
Wednesday: Cathe's Cardio HIIT Metabolic
Yay, a metabolic workout! This one isn't on the official rotation but I wanted to add in some of these because I love them so much. Unfortunately, this morning was awful - catastrophe after catastrophe - so I was a little distracted. I got through most of this - up to the core - which was good. But it was not as enjoyable as anticipated.
Thursday: Dozois' PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility + YWA
After last week's forced rest day (Father's Day), on which I did nothing, I was happy to have a regular rest day. I still love this flexibility workout from Michelle and really wish I could find more like it. After work, this YWA was really nice. I should have done a more flow-y yoga, but it was good to stretch and relax after a stressful day.
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders + walk
I'm loving these new RWH Cathe workouts! This one was very effective. My arms were burning! This was similar to Monday's workout - you do 3 sets of each exercise followed by a finisher to make you really burn. Most sets consisted of 12 reps and I went as heavy as I could...and frequently had to go down in weight for the third set. Ouch! And the finishers are just brutal. At lunch, I walked at the rec center in order to get steps. It was so hot outside! Just getting to and from the rec was torture!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs
I love this workout. It's tough but I love it. I love taxing my legs. I love weight work that keeps my heart rate sky high. I love alienating cardio and weights. Cathe does such a great job of pairing a cardio move that works the muscles you just taxed with weights. This video lasts for almost 40 minutes. Afterward, I did my own cardio to get in 45 full minutes of work. Then, I stretched really well. Deadlifts frequently make me sore the next day so I always try to stretch more when I do them!
Sunday: Cathe's XTrain: Tabatacise + XTrain Abs 2
Wow. This workout may be the most consistently intense workout in Cathe's vast repertoire. You don't get a break. There are five tabatas. Each one contains four exercises, which you repeat once for eight exercise. After that, you do a short stint on the step for "an active recovery." That lets you get your breath and your heart rate goes down just a tad before the next tabata. My heart rate stayed at or above 150 for most of this workout. Whew! I added on a bit to get a full 45 minutes of work in. After that, I did my last XTrain Ab workout of this rotation. YES! That was the best thing about this day! And then I stretched.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1230
Tuesday - 1230
Wednesday - 1313
Thursday - 1191
Friday - 1557
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1550
I needed a better eating week and mostly achieved it. Next week will be awful! I weighed and was up just a bit from where I'd like to be....but that's understandable.
And after so much cardio last week, I'm happy to see a lot of strength training this week. My feet need a break!
Monday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Back, Biceps and Shoulders + walk + YWA
Despite the Lift It HIIT It title, there is no cardio in this workout; it is pure strength. And I loved it! Cathe leads you through 3 sets of each exercise, most with 12 reps, and then you end with a "finisher" - usually using the band. I liked being able to lift heavy! At work, I walked at lunch to get steps but it was so nice getting away from the office. I was not ready for Monday to arrive so quickly. This YWA was more stretch than anything - which was good, considering how exhausted I was by the end of the day.
Tuesday: Cathe's XTrain: All Out Low Impact HIIT + XTrain Abs 1 + YWA
I hadn't done this Low Impact HIIT in a while and it was a nice change from the RWH low impact workouts. There is no doubting the intensity of this workout but I like that it's not super long - around 40 minutes. After work, it was time to do this core workout - which really, really hurt me last week. Thankfully, it didn't have the same effect this week. I followed up that core with this short YWA. Very nice!
Wednesday: Cathe's Cardio HIIT Metabolic
Yay, a metabolic workout! This one isn't on the official rotation but I wanted to add in some of these because I love them so much. Unfortunately, this morning was awful - catastrophe after catastrophe - so I was a little distracted. I got through most of this - up to the core - which was good. But it was not as enjoyable as anticipated.
Thursday: Dozois' PeakFit Dynamic Flexibility + YWA
After last week's forced rest day (Father's Day), on which I did nothing, I was happy to have a regular rest day. I still love this flexibility workout from Michelle and really wish I could find more like it. After work, this YWA was really nice. I should have done a more flow-y yoga, but it was good to stretch and relax after a stressful day.
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders + walk
I'm loving these new RWH Cathe workouts! This one was very effective. My arms were burning! This was similar to Monday's workout - you do 3 sets of each exercise followed by a finisher to make you really burn. Most sets consisted of 12 reps and I went as heavy as I could...and frequently had to go down in weight for the third set. Ouch! And the finishers are just brutal. At lunch, I walked at the rec center in order to get steps. It was so hot outside! Just getting to and from the rec was torture!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs
I love this workout. It's tough but I love it. I love taxing my legs. I love weight work that keeps my heart rate sky high. I love alienating cardio and weights. Cathe does such a great job of pairing a cardio move that works the muscles you just taxed with weights. This video lasts for almost 40 minutes. Afterward, I did my own cardio to get in 45 full minutes of work. Then, I stretched really well. Deadlifts frequently make me sore the next day so I always try to stretch more when I do them!
Sunday: Cathe's XTrain: Tabatacise + XTrain Abs 2
Wow. This workout may be the most consistently intense workout in Cathe's vast repertoire. You don't get a break. There are five tabatas. Each one contains four exercises, which you repeat once for eight exercise. After that, you do a short stint on the step for "an active recovery." That lets you get your breath and your heart rate goes down just a tad before the next tabata. My heart rate stayed at or above 150 for most of this workout. Whew! I added on a bit to get a full 45 minutes of work in. After that, I did my last XTrain Ab workout of this rotation. YES! That was the best thing about this day! And then I stretched.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1230
Tuesday - 1230
Wednesday - 1313
Thursday - 1191
Friday - 1557
Saturday - BAD
Sunday - 1550
I needed a better eating week and mostly achieved it. Next week will be awful! I weighed and was up just a bit from where I'd like to be....but that's understandable.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Winter Capelet
Pattern: Winter Capelet by Paulina Popiolek
Yarn: Sundara Yarn Aran Merino in Hawaiian Nights + Manos del Uruguay Maxima in Blueberry
Needles: US 7
Made for: my mom
Time to completion: 3 weeks
I've had this FO for quite some time but couldn't post about it until I'd given it to it's recipient! And I was a little nervous about that - the gauge was so different from the pattern that I was a bit worried about it fitting. Thankfully, it did!!
**My mom specifically asked for this capelet - and she picked out the Sundara.
I love this pattern. I wish I had used stitch markers in the lace because I did make some mistakes - but stitch markers would have helped me keep the pattern. Lessons learned! The yarn was gorgeous but since my gauge was off, I quickly realized I wasn't going to have enough. And Sundara didn't have anymore! So, I went to my LYS and found this Manos which I used for sporadic rows near the top. I don't think you can tell - too much. And I cast off with the Sundara.
So, success! I'm enjoying all this knitting so much. I can't even tell you. I'm a bit obsessed.
Monday, June 18, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 3
I'm liking this rotation so far....but not quite as much as the metabolic one I did last. Oh, well - you can't love them all.
Despite being scared, I was glad I weighed last week. With Father's Day and work obligations, this week will not be great. I'll have to work hard to shave off as many calories as possible with Cathe.
Monday: Cathe's High Energy Kickboxing Live + XTrain Abs 1 + YWA
I woke up feeling horrible. I did this YWA just to get moving because it was super light. At the end of the day, I tackled my main workout. I love Cathe's kickboxing! My only gripe with this workout is that I wish it had more punching combos. But at least it kept my heart rate up there! It was fun and got me a ton of steps! I then tried this ab workout, since two are on the agenda this week. These XTrain ab workouts are some of the hardest ever. Ever!
Tuesday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit + YWA
After doing this workout for the third time in just over two weeks, I'm not sure how many more times I can do it over the course of the next five weeks. I may have to sub out some of Cathe's live workouts instead. I like this workout, don't get me wrong.... But doing something over and over bores me. I've also done this YWA several times but it's such a good, short one!
Wednesday: Cathe's RWH: Low Impact HIIT 2 + Rhythmic Step + walk
So much cardio this week! The rotation is good in alternating heavy cardio weeks and heavy weight weeks but I almost wish it was more balanced every week... All this cardio hurts my feet! This HIIT 2 is really good. It lasts for about 25 minutes so I then tuned into an older Cathe step workout to cool down and lower the heart rate for a bit. At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did ab work.
Thursday: Cathe's RWH: Low Impact HIIT 1 + Basic Step
More cardio! I'm so glad I had two days of low impact after Monday and Tuesday. This HIIT is good - tough, actually, because of how fast the moves are in order the keep the heart rate up. After that 25 minutes, I tuned into another old step workout in order to cool down. I just can't jump and hop so many consecutive days!!
Friday: Cathe's XTrain: SuperCuts + walk
So I completely forgot how much work SuperCuts really is. This workout is amazing - my heart rate was sky high because of all the fast-paced compound moves. I was even able to add a pound to my previous weights - going from 8 to 9 to make it just a bit more intense. Talk about huffing and puffing! At work, I walked outside for about 20 minutes. Considering all the cardio this week, I didn't beat myself up for not going to the rec.
Saturday: Cathe's XTrain: Cardio Leg Blast + XTrain Abs 2 + YWA
Metabolic leg day! I love this workout. It works you so hard yet you feel so accomplished afterward. It alternates a cardio blast and a leg strength move. You work every angle of the legs and it's amazing. After that 50 minutes, I did abs.....these are so tough but I think this one is easier than the first one. And then, a nice YWA to cool down and stretch. It was a great morning!
Sunday: REST
For Father's Day festivities.
Calorie Counts:
It was a bad week. I'll leave it at that.
Despite being scared, I was glad I weighed last week. With Father's Day and work obligations, this week will not be great. I'll have to work hard to shave off as many calories as possible with Cathe.
Monday: Cathe's High Energy Kickboxing Live + XTrain Abs 1 + YWA
I woke up feeling horrible. I did this YWA just to get moving because it was super light. At the end of the day, I tackled my main workout. I love Cathe's kickboxing! My only gripe with this workout is that I wish it had more punching combos. But at least it kept my heart rate up there! It was fun and got me a ton of steps! I then tried this ab workout, since two are on the agenda this week. These XTrain ab workouts are some of the hardest ever. Ever!
Tuesday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit + YWA
After doing this workout for the third time in just over two weeks, I'm not sure how many more times I can do it over the course of the next five weeks. I may have to sub out some of Cathe's live workouts instead. I like this workout, don't get me wrong.... But doing something over and over bores me. I've also done this YWA several times but it's such a good, short one!
Wednesday: Cathe's RWH: Low Impact HIIT 2 + Rhythmic Step + walk
So much cardio this week! The rotation is good in alternating heavy cardio weeks and heavy weight weeks but I almost wish it was more balanced every week... All this cardio hurts my feet! This HIIT 2 is really good. It lasts for about 25 minutes so I then tuned into an older Cathe step workout to cool down and lower the heart rate for a bit. At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did ab work.
Thursday: Cathe's RWH: Low Impact HIIT 1 + Basic Step
More cardio! I'm so glad I had two days of low impact after Monday and Tuesday. This HIIT is good - tough, actually, because of how fast the moves are in order the keep the heart rate up. After that 25 minutes, I tuned into another old step workout in order to cool down. I just can't jump and hop so many consecutive days!!
Friday: Cathe's XTrain: SuperCuts + walk
So I completely forgot how much work SuperCuts really is. This workout is amazing - my heart rate was sky high because of all the fast-paced compound moves. I was even able to add a pound to my previous weights - going from 8 to 9 to make it just a bit more intense. Talk about huffing and puffing! At work, I walked outside for about 20 minutes. Considering all the cardio this week, I didn't beat myself up for not going to the rec.
Saturday: Cathe's XTrain: Cardio Leg Blast + XTrain Abs 2 + YWA
Metabolic leg day! I love this workout. It works you so hard yet you feel so accomplished afterward. It alternates a cardio blast and a leg strength move. You work every angle of the legs and it's amazing. After that 50 minutes, I did abs.....these are so tough but I think this one is easier than the first one. And then, a nice YWA to cool down and stretch. It was a great morning!
Sunday: REST
For Father's Day festivities.
Calorie Counts:
It was a bad week. I'll leave it at that.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Bacon Potato Salad
Mr. Higgins loves every kind of fattening salad out there - chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, pasta salad, macaroni salad, potato salad, bean salad.... I have my light chicken salad that we love but I want to find a good - not necessarily low fat - potato salad recipe that I can take to family gatherings.
I've decided that this is my summer goal: potato salad For my first test run, I chose this Bacon Potato Salad recipe. I omitted the spinach and accidentally forgot the parsley. And....I didn't use as much bacon. This was potato salad - not bacon salad, after all. I used six strips of center cut (lean) bacon and that was plenty.
Mr. Higgins and I both agreed that this recipe was missing something. Maybe more dressing, maybe another spicy ingredient... It was very, very tasty but not quite the recipe for us to keep.
So the search continues!
I've decided that this is my summer goal: potato salad For my first test run, I chose this Bacon Potato Salad recipe. I omitted the spinach and accidentally forgot the parsley. And....I didn't use as much bacon. This was potato salad - not bacon salad, after all. I used six strips of center cut (lean) bacon and that was plenty.
Mr. Higgins and I both agreed that this recipe was missing something. Maybe more dressing, maybe another spicy ingredient... It was very, very tasty but not quite the recipe for us to keep.
So the search continues!
Monday, June 11, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 2
Well, I'm afraid to weigh because I feel super fat. The only saving grace is that my clothes fit - even my dress pants, which are always the marker.
This week in the rotation features pure strength arm workouts, like last week's pure strength leg workout. It seems to be a well-balanced rotation, and I love all the metabolic workouts interspersed throughout!
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: Bi's and Tri's + walk + YWA
After a weekend of cardio, I was ready for weights today. This workout taxes your biceps and triceps in every way, shape, and form. Cathe is a master at exhausting your muscles and here, she does it in only 40 minutes. My weights have gone down a bit since STS last summer so I'm anxious to do more strength with XTrain. At lunch, I walked at the rec center - and it was so good to get away from the office. This YWA was good to do at the end of a long day.
Tuesday: Dozois' BodyFit 360 Vol 2: Dance Conditioning
Time to have fun this morning! Michelle makes me happy so this was a good workout after a restless night of sleep. I didn't quite do all the cardio and then I fast-forwarded to the abs and stretch. Lovely! YWA didn't happen but I did make up my own short, 5-minute flow. That was nice.
Wednesday: Cathe's XTrain: Chest, Back, and Shoulders + walk + YWA
My arms were still aching from Monday...but it was time to do more weights. This was a new workout for me and it was just as effective as Monday's XTrain. Whew! I was, finally, able to get back to some of my STS weight amounts, but only for one exercise, then I'd have to go down in weight a bit. And let me say this - I hate shoulder presses. Hate them! At lunch, I once again walked and did my sit-ups. And after work, this YWA really helped calm my mind and body.
Thursday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs
Leg day! This cardio leg workout was not new to me....but that didn't make it any easier. Dang! I went lighter on weights - 8 lb - to save heavier weights for the weekend...and that didn't help at all! Cathe takes you through the circuits - one cardio move, a weighted move, cardio, weights, cardio, weights.... For about 40-45 minutes. This one is tough but good!
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Plyo HIIT One + Basic Step
So all this time with Cathe and I've really tried to avoid the two Plyo HIIT workouts in Ripped with HIIT. They are tough, especially the first one. I was huffing and puffing like nothing else! It only lasted for 25 minutes so I did about 5 minutes of Plyo HIIT Two - much easier - and then tuned into a Cathe oldie - Basic Step. I wanted to keep moving but cool off and this was a great way to do it! A good morning!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lower Body Circuit + XTrain Abs 2
A new-to-me workout! Yes! Beforehand, I was a bit confused as to how this Lower Body Circuit differed from Lift It HIIT It Legs. Well, LIHI Legs is very structured: one cardio move, one strength move, over and over. Lower Body Circuit is all over the place and unpredictable as to what comes next. Even the cardio is varied - some sections are lighter step combinations and some are straight HIIT. It was fun! After that 45 minutes, I tuned into yet another torturous ab workout. And then I stretched. Finally.
Sunday: Cathe's Crossfire
Yay, the one Cathe workout I dread above all others. This one always gets me. But there's one thing I like about it - all the leg work. Really, Cathe manages to tax your legs in every workout but this one really gets them. You start with straight cardio circuits and then add in some weighted/cardio HIITs. There's even a section that uses the fire walker band for all the moves. That spiked my heart rate! I like that it's broken down into sections....but it's just not my favorite. After that 50 minutes, I was done. I stretched.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1199
Tuesday - 1196
Wednesday - 1241
Thursday - 2150
Friday - 1593
Saturday - 1368
Sunday - 1335
Thursday was horrible due to Mr. Higgins' birthday, but at least that was the only awful day. I weighed that morning, and I was still down four pounds from my big weight - so only one over what I was before the cruise. That makes me happy!
This week in the rotation features pure strength arm workouts, like last week's pure strength leg workout. It seems to be a well-balanced rotation, and I love all the metabolic workouts interspersed throughout!
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: Bi's and Tri's + walk + YWA
After a weekend of cardio, I was ready for weights today. This workout taxes your biceps and triceps in every way, shape, and form. Cathe is a master at exhausting your muscles and here, she does it in only 40 minutes. My weights have gone down a bit since STS last summer so I'm anxious to do more strength with XTrain. At lunch, I walked at the rec center - and it was so good to get away from the office. This YWA was good to do at the end of a long day.
Tuesday: Dozois' BodyFit 360 Vol 2: Dance Conditioning
Time to have fun this morning! Michelle makes me happy so this was a good workout after a restless night of sleep. I didn't quite do all the cardio and then I fast-forwarded to the abs and stretch. Lovely! YWA didn't happen but I did make up my own short, 5-minute flow. That was nice.
Wednesday: Cathe's XTrain: Chest, Back, and Shoulders + walk + YWA
My arms were still aching from Monday...but it was time to do more weights. This was a new workout for me and it was just as effective as Monday's XTrain. Whew! I was, finally, able to get back to some of my STS weight amounts, but only for one exercise, then I'd have to go down in weight a bit. And let me say this - I hate shoulder presses. Hate them! At lunch, I once again walked and did my sit-ups. And after work, this YWA really helped calm my mind and body.
Thursday: Cathe's RWH: Lift It HIIT It Legs
Leg day! This cardio leg workout was not new to me....but that didn't make it any easier. Dang! I went lighter on weights - 8 lb - to save heavier weights for the weekend...and that didn't help at all! Cathe takes you through the circuits - one cardio move, a weighted move, cardio, weights, cardio, weights.... For about 40-45 minutes. This one is tough but good!
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Plyo HIIT One + Basic Step
So all this time with Cathe and I've really tried to avoid the two Plyo HIIT workouts in Ripped with HIIT. They are tough, especially the first one. I was huffing and puffing like nothing else! It only lasted for 25 minutes so I did about 5 minutes of Plyo HIIT Two - much easier - and then tuned into a Cathe oldie - Basic Step. I wanted to keep moving but cool off and this was a great way to do it! A good morning!
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Lower Body Circuit + XTrain Abs 2
A new-to-me workout! Yes! Beforehand, I was a bit confused as to how this Lower Body Circuit differed from Lift It HIIT It Legs. Well, LIHI Legs is very structured: one cardio move, one strength move, over and over. Lower Body Circuit is all over the place and unpredictable as to what comes next. Even the cardio is varied - some sections are lighter step combinations and some are straight HIIT. It was fun! After that 45 minutes, I tuned into yet another torturous ab workout. And then I stretched. Finally.
Sunday: Cathe's Crossfire
Yay, the one Cathe workout I dread above all others. This one always gets me. But there's one thing I like about it - all the leg work. Really, Cathe manages to tax your legs in every workout but this one really gets them. You start with straight cardio circuits and then add in some weighted/cardio HIITs. There's even a section that uses the fire walker band for all the moves. That spiked my heart rate! I like that it's broken down into sections....but it's just not my favorite. After that 50 minutes, I was done. I stretched.
Calorie Counts:
Monday - 1199
Tuesday - 1196
Wednesday - 1241
Thursday - 2150
Friday - 1593
Saturday - 1368
Sunday - 1335
Thursday was horrible due to Mr. Higgins' birthday, but at least that was the only awful day. I weighed that morning, and I was still down four pounds from my big weight - so only one over what I was before the cruise. That makes me happy!
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Nostalgic Tummy
I'm so hungry. I miss vacation and food like this. Ironically, my stomach does not miss this food but I'm so hungry.
The book I'm reading claims that Americans don't know what it is to be hungry. I disagree. Anyone who eats at or less than 1200 calories knows, intimately, an ongoing, never-ending hunger. It may not be starvation, but I wake up in the middle of the night, hungry. And then I can't sleep because I'm - oh, yeah - hungry.
Monday, June 4, 2018
RWH + XTrain Rotation: Week 1
I'm back from a relaxing vacation! And I even got some workouts in while we were away - and staying home!
I only had one day last week where I did nothing - due to travel. That was Tuesday. On Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and the next Sunday, I did YWA, trying to finish up Adriene's 30 Days of Yoga. Then, on the other days, I did a Dozois Cardio Interval Burn and a Cardio Strength. I even tried a Kelly Coffey-Meyer strength workout one day. It was good to do some different things and they all worked me hard.
I only had one day last week where I did nothing - due to travel. That was Tuesday. On Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and the next Sunday, I did YWA, trying to finish up Adriene's 30 Days of Yoga. Then, on the other days, I did a Dozois Cardio Interval Burn and a Cardio Strength. I even tried a Kelly Coffey-Meyer strength workout one day. It was good to do some different things and they all worked me hard.
Now I'm ready to start Cathe's RWH + XTrain eight week rotation. XTrain is supposed to build muscle; Ripped with HIIT is designed to shed fat. That sounds like a great combination!
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: Hard Strikes + ICE Blizzard Blast (kickboxing)
Monday: Cathe's XTrain: Hard Strikes + ICE Blizzard Blast (kickboxing)
This was a tough day. We let Odo go and buried her in the country. Before all of that, I managed this workout. Hard Strikes is not my favorite kickboxing workout - mainly because it's about 80% cardio and 20% boxing. Oy. I jumped a lot and my feet were hurting. That lasted for 30 minutes. I then decided - rather insanely - to jump some more with this Blizzard Blast from Rock'm Sock'm. It's fun but I could have used something softer. After a stretch, I was done.
Tuesday: YWA
Today was a travel day for Odo's burial. I got to work at noon, which meant there was no time to work out. After work, I did this YWA - my last day of Adriene's 30 Days of Yoga. Yes! It feels good to accomplish all of these practices. Some were definitely difficult.
Wednesday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit
In my Cathe Metabolic Circuit, I did this workout a few times - so it wasn't new to me. And it still kicked my butt. I don't know if it's the sudden onset of brutally hot temperatures or the humidity, but I'm dying in these workouts. And then I can't cool off. Sigh. But I got a good workout and really taxed my arms.
Thursday: Cathe's XTrain: Legs + walk + YWA
I haven't done this leg workout in a while, and I think this was only the third time I'd gone through it.... It's not my favorite. I think Cathe has much better leg workouts - even in her live workouts. But this one is varied and contains quite a bit of excruciating floor work. At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did all my ab work. Then, after work, this YWA was a great way to stretch out the legs for a final time. And it got me a bit sweaty. Ha!
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Low Impact HIIT 1 & 2
Cathe has some great low impact workouts and these may be some of the best. Each of these workouts run about 25 minutes. So I did all of the first one and part of the second. They're different only in that the second one uses weights throughout to increase the intensity. For both, my heart was pounding. It felt great to work hard without all the jumping.
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit + XTrain Abs 1
I'm strictly following Cathe's RWH + XTrain 8-week rotation and it does have Upper Body Circuit twice this first week. At least I remembered it from Wednesday! It really gets me out of breath - lots of super tough HIITs interspersed with all the arm work. I added on five minutes of my own cardio to get in 40 minutes. Then, I finished up just a few exercises on the floor from Thursday's leg workout. And then - abs. Ouch! This ab workout is tough. But at least I got to stretch and relax afterwards!
Sunday: Cathe's To the Max + YWA
This morning, I had Cathe's Crossfire in my head....so I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was doing To the Max instead. Whew! The two workouts are similar but Crossfire is even tougher than this one. To the Max worked me hard. I did the warm-up, solid step, step tabata, HIIT, and compound leg work. I then cooled down for five minutes - so 45 minutes of work. Whew! I then stretched and did this nice, short, relaxing YWA.
Calorie Counts:
This week wasn't great but I had a few good days. I was annoyed that I only got one walk in at lunch, but sometimes, life happens. Maybe I'll feel confident enough to get on the scale next week; it wasn't happening this week.
Thursday: Cathe's XTrain: Legs + walk + YWA
I haven't done this leg workout in a while, and I think this was only the third time I'd gone through it.... It's not my favorite. I think Cathe has much better leg workouts - even in her live workouts. But this one is varied and contains quite a bit of excruciating floor work. At lunch, I walked at the rec center and did all my ab work. Then, after work, this YWA was a great way to stretch out the legs for a final time. And it got me a bit sweaty. Ha!
Friday: Cathe's RWH: Low Impact HIIT 1 & 2
Cathe has some great low impact workouts and these may be some of the best. Each of these workouts run about 25 minutes. So I did all of the first one and part of the second. They're different only in that the second one uses weights throughout to increase the intensity. For both, my heart was pounding. It felt great to work hard without all the jumping.
Saturday: Cathe's RWH: Upper Body Circuit + XTrain Abs 1
I'm strictly following Cathe's RWH + XTrain 8-week rotation and it does have Upper Body Circuit twice this first week. At least I remembered it from Wednesday! It really gets me out of breath - lots of super tough HIITs interspersed with all the arm work. I added on five minutes of my own cardio to get in 40 minutes. Then, I finished up just a few exercises on the floor from Thursday's leg workout. And then - abs. Ouch! This ab workout is tough. But at least I got to stretch and relax afterwards!
Sunday: Cathe's To the Max + YWA
This morning, I had Cathe's Crossfire in my head....so I was pleasantly surprised to see that I was doing To the Max instead. Whew! The two workouts are similar but Crossfire is even tougher than this one. To the Max worked me hard. I did the warm-up, solid step, step tabata, HIIT, and compound leg work. I then cooled down for five minutes - so 45 minutes of work. Whew! I then stretched and did this nice, short, relaxing YWA.
Calorie Counts:
This week wasn't great but I had a few good days. I was annoyed that I only got one walk in at lunch, but sometimes, life happens. Maybe I'll feel confident enough to get on the scale next week; it wasn't happening this week.
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