Set Backs

"If people are trying to bring you down, it only means that YOU are above them." -Anonymous.

Over the last year, my fitness level has suffered and there are several reasons for this. 1) I allowed someone who put me down, make me believe in the 'no you can't, no you don't, your're not worth it' mentality that he was feeding me; and 2) I suffered some medical set backs as well. 

You have to surround yourself with people that lift you up and support you in what you do! Even your fitness goals! I've always had that! And I've taken it somewhat for granted, until I had just the opposite. Lesson is, if there's someone in your life holding you back or telling you that you aren't who you know in your heart that you are, let them go! You will better off for it. 

I also had set backs with my physical strength. I suffered somewhat of a medical anomoly when I contracted a severe infection deep inside a muscle. I was laid up in the hospital off and on for over a month. I couldn't walk, sit up, or bare to even lay down without a pretty good dose of pain medicine. I was given 8 different iv antibiotics and a heavy concoction of oral medications. I thought I might never walk normally again, and doctors had advised me if that risk. But I slowly improved!

After getting rid of a pretty bad influence in my life, and beginning to heal physically (and emotionally), I've re-dedicated my self to some fairly simple fitness goals. 

I'm running again, working out again, doing regular circuits (see some of my other posts), and eating right.

I hope to be able to run a complete 5k just two short weeks from now. I've always hated running, which you know if you've followed this blog. So it's a particularly significant challenge for me both mentally and physically. I feel like I need to prove to myself that I can do this, and I can set some higher goals. I need to know my legs and mind can carry me anywhere I want to go. 

I challenge you, to also set a plan in motion to conquer whatever has been setting you back! :)

Being an All Star, My Personal Story

The Work is Worth it.- National Cheerleading Association

Something I don't post a lot about is my personal experience as an all star cheerleader and gymnast, the catalyst of my crazy fitness journey. 

 

I can pin point for you the exact moment I became obsessed with all star cheerleading. It was a moment that has shaped my life forever there after. I was maybe 6 years old, watching tv, and on ESPN there they were- These college all star cheerleaders from Kentucky. It was the early 90's and they were incredible. I was taking gymnastics at that time and just about the age to start on a competitive gymnastic team, which would require my mom to drive me 30 minutes away to a new gymnastics gym. She always supported whatever activity I wanted to pursue but she was not so keen on commuting me to a big competitive gym. I watched these cheerleaders and I announced to my mom that I wanted to be a cheerleader like that. I distinctly remember because she said ok, and she signed me up to be a part of a pop warner cheerleading team. I quickly realized that this was not the same kind of cheerleading. It was a friend who I met through this who showed me a video of Florida's Top Gun cheerleaders. Girls my age, on an all star team, doing the things I had seen those college cheerleaders do. We decided we needed to start an all star team then and there.

In 1993, we got a coach from pop warner to leave her job and the first all star team in Santa Cruz county was born!

 We were not very good. We didn't win any championships that year, but we did compete. And I loved it. The blinding lights, the cameras, the roar of the crowd, I was hooked. Fast forward a few years and you would find me winning national championships, being on ESPN myself, and competing on multiple teams.
 
I spent 10 years of my life deeply entrenched in that world and have since found no workout like it. I still follow the sport, and many of my fellow alumni are still cheering or owners of their own gyms. It's a world that once you enter, you never really leave. 

But all star cheerleading for one of the worlds greatest Cheergyms, has left me with injuries and limitations in my adult life that I can't deny. I've posted about how I can't run because my knee swells, but the extent my injuries is so much more than that. I have a torn rotator cuff in my shoulder, cartalige and ligament damage to my knee, nerve damage in my elbow and hips, pain in my back and hips from years of over stretching, I have generally bad ankles, and tendentious in both my feet. 

Still all of that has been worth it. I know my body, I know it can do much more than appears, and I developed true strength of heart and confidence in myself. I can say that, for the time I cheered, I was one of the best. And I credit that experience with my obsession to push my physical limits and for playing an important role in a lot of my achievements in life. As of yet, I've found nothing as challenging, but I love working out and will still tumble around a cheer gym from time to time ;) and am always down to try a new workout or class. 

 

It's so important to know yourself, own it, and to share our fitness stories. I was a cheerleader, what's your story? 

30 Minutes a Day

I said in my mind, 'Keep fighting.' - Kim Clijsters

Exercising for 30 minutes a day to fight cancer!

Moderate exercise can reduce your risk of cancer, that means 30-60 minutes per day and probably includes activities your already doing regularly. Cancer runs in my family, and this is a big motivator for me in my workouts. When I'm getting to my limit, I remind myself that I'm doing this for someone I love who is fighting cancer. It makes running for 5 more minutes suddenly feel doable compared to the fight for your life.

 

Surfs Up

"It's like the mafia. Once you're in, you're in. There's no getting out." -Kelly Slater

For my birthday my bf bought me a wetsuit and surf board.
 I never asked for that or even thought I'd like to learn to surf, as I generally don't even go in the water at the beach and am not the best swimmer.

However, once I got out there I found out that surfing is not impossible for a non-water person. The key thing about surfing is being confident and going for it. For me, my discomfort in the water did hold me back from being fully confident but surfing was a lot easier than I expected. For one- your wetsuit helps you float and once you get used to diving under the waves, it really is much nicer than getting smacked in the face with a wall of white wash. Also having a good teacher and a good location to learn make it comfortable.
 

Think about it- if surfing were so hard not many people would do it... and I don't know about where you live, but where I live almost everyone surfs... even kids and old people! 

There are several things that have held me back from trying it in the past:

1) swimming. As I said, I'm not a strong swimmer, and breathing in the water is hard for me. I think that's just something I have to work on. When I was out in the water, I would get very out of breath after exhausting very minimal effort. Maybe it's just that way when you learn something new because you don't have the muscle memory to support you yet, but I think, at least for me, the added element of water was a big challenge. Having a good teacher helped me to overcome that. He kept me calm, helped me when I needed it, and boosted my confidence level.

2) crowded surf. Learning to surf in a place like Santa Cruz, CA, where I live is intimidating because I feel like your always in the way of the real surfers. And surfing in my town is taken pretty seriously. Feeling like your in everyone's way is no fun, and stressful. But down in Mexico where the waves were smaller and the surf was less crowded was perfect. Finding a good location for learning is really important. 

3) my fitness level. Core strength is key. You have to be able to stand up and balance and lean and move your body in ways while keeping your core stable. In a past articleI wrote about getting out of shape in my new relationship. I haven't been feeling at my optimum fitness level for a while now, but since I've picked back up with circuit training and yoga, I was pretty confident about my strength which helped me out a lot.

Once I tried it, I really loved it. Surfing is a fun activity that works you out without feeling like a workout at all. And because it feels like an activity, not a workout there is still room in your day after for a circuit or intense power yoga session.

 

surfing alone is great because it works your arms, back, shoulders, and core. while surfing looks like its all legs, at least for me, as a beginner, it was really far more upper body work.

 

It's also motivating. Now, I'm more motivated to get into swimming and try to build more confidence with that. I have tried swim workouts in the past and always found them to be very difficult for me to get through. It is just such a different kind of workout than I am used to, and I haven't been motivated to stick with it. But now I'm more motivated to build my confidence surfing! 

Cross Training Sets

"Adopt what is useful, reject what is useless, and add what is specifically your own." -Bruce Lee

I think one of the biggest benefits to taking workout classes and trying new workouts is that you can take even just one piece of it you love, and adapt it to change the way you work out at home or on your own. If you were a runner, use those workout you love even if you don't run anymore. If you were a gymnast, you can still use pieces of that workout in your gym routine. Our workouts are unique to who we are and where we have been. Cross training in your workout not only gives you a great workout, it lets you express that, and shapes your body to reflect our varying life experiences! Think about that, that's a wonderful thing! So, I just thought I'd share a couple home cross training workout sets I love to do outside my regular circuit training workout. These are three exercise sets of 10 reps each 3 times... I just do these every once in a while. They are a combination of things I've learned from gymnastics as well as boxing, ballet workout, and various fitness classes which I have put together to target my own biggest problem areas with exercises I love.

Push up set: 

Military push ups-my fav!- these are a push up with a body roll up, followed by a push up with a a body roll down.

http://www.athletebychoice.com/totalcircuits/total-circuit-015/

 

 

Sumo push ups-Push up touch each of you shoulders, push up again 

Tricep push ups- push ups with your elbows in to your sides, not out.

Ab set:

Tuck ups-my fav!- lay flat arms up and legs out, tuck legs in and roll up to shoulder stand or as close as you can get) and then roll back down. 

V ups- lay flat arms up keeps arms by ears and lift arms and legs to sky and touch together ( this is more of a lift up than a v)

 

Bicycle- military kicks and hold your head is regular push up position, alternate knees to elbows. 

Butt set:

Frog leg lifts-my fav!- knees bent laying on your side, lift one leg up and alternate just your foot up and down keeping legs open.

 

Donkey kicks- on all fours lift leg at 90 degree angle and pulse (flex your foot, and make sure to keep a flat back).

Straight leg pulse- same as donkey kicks, but straight leg (flex your foot, and make sure to keep a flat back).

I love these little sets and do them every so often as supplemental to my workout. They really give you a boost in those areas like lower belly, fat part of your arm, and that spot right between your butt an thigh, while also strengthening your core! 

You really could do these as a circuit once in a while too, but I'd pick two from each group for that.

My Fitness Pal

"If Everyday Were Like Today, You'd Weigh 102 lbs in 5 Weeks." - My Fitness Pal

God, I love when my fitness pal tells me how fast I'll be fit and thin if I stay on track like I did today! And for that reason, the instant gratification I get even though I can't see my results yet, I find this app totally addicting! It's the easiest way I've found to track my calories and my exercise to get to a weight and fitness level where I want to be.

It's so easy to use. You put in your weight, your goal, your activity level, and set a calorie goal per day. Then, you enter the foods you eat and the exercise you do each day. Fitness pal tells you if your on track and your progress each day.

What's better is you can find your friends on facebook, or from your phones contacts, and share your food and exercise diary. Or, you can chose to keep your diary private. I like to share mine, and I enjoy getting snack ideas from my friends.

Before I started using fitness pal I would sometimes not eat enough before going to the gym, and get dizzy or tired. Which can be dangerous. On fitness pal, I can literally see if the breakfast I ate is going to be enough to get me through my gym workout. If my breakfast was 300 calories and my gym workout burns 500, that's a good thing to know.

I used to also think I was eating healthy, without understanding how many calories are in things or the breakdown of how much fat, protein, sugar, sodium I was getting each day, and what I still needed. Now I can see all of that on my fitness pal. I can actually look at the nutrition in my food and see if I need to eat more protein for dinner, or if I have extra calories to have that piece of cake for desert.

Whatever your using to track your progress, it needs to work for you. There are a lot of other aps and websites out there that work in ways similar to the fitness pal, and you should find the one that is a good fit for you. By tracking your progress in every meal, and every workout, its easy to stay inspired and on track. It's also impossible to lie to yourself when you see your not!

Losing Your Fit Factor in a Relationship

"I don't know how girls in relationships can let themselves get so fat."- things I used to say... until now.

I admit that like many people over the past year, I have fallen of the wagon as far as working out. I have always been a single girl and had and the drive to hit the gym everyday and stay fit- MORE Than fit- in addition to my regular gym routine I've always done yoga, and either boxing or gymnastics on the side, as well as have many active hobbies. So how did this happen?

Why do we do this ladies? Why is it when we get into a relationship staying fit is so much harder? Well, I have a few theories:

• First, our men eat more than we do, and we eat with them. Men are always hungry and they eat a lot. I found myself eating so much more than I normally would. And while my boyfriend eats pretty healthy most of the time, eating significantly more food more often is not good for staying fit! So I recently decided that it's ok to just say i'm not hungry if he is, and to say i'm full when I am. 


• Second, I like to workout at night, and that's the time I now spend with my boo. My usual gym time is now taken up with my significant other. I go to his house at night, we eat dinner, we watch a movie, we go to bed. I used to go to the gym at night, and while over the last year I wouldn't say I've let myself go by any means, I certainly have not been nearly at my most fit shape. In fact, I'll admit that I will make it to the gym a few mornings in a row, and then just drop off all together for months.

The realization- "OMG, I'm like... getting fat!"

 

These things might be simple realizations, but they took me a longtime to come to. I don't think I realized I was becoming out of shape till I'd already been out of the gym for almost a year. It hit me when I put on a BIKINI and actually looked at myself. While I'd say I am a very good looking girl, I'm thin, I'm generally tan, I just didn't look fit..... and that's when I realized.... I have "the relationship syndrome" that other girls have and I've always criticized them for.

 

So I've decided to take up my blog again and to start trying to get back into not just adequate "relationship" shape, but to get FIT.

 AT HOME WORKOUT

 

Almost everything I do at the gym, I can do at home. At the gym, I mostly workout with free weights and run on the elliptical. I can get just as good a cardio workout jumping rope, running, doing step ups, jumping jacks, etc, and I also have a lot of workout equipment at home (though nothing crazy). And the bonus is that it's cheaper than the gym and more convenient.

I LOVE MY GYM BOSS TIMER! 

You will need a good circuit timer if you wanna get into working out at home and get results. Timers keep me on track, and force me to pre-plan a workout and complete it. I have a gymboss timer, which I love! I can set it for two varying time intervals which rotate in sets. For example I can have a 1 minute interval, followed by a 30 second interval which repeats however many times I want, or whatever. Right now, I am programing it to give me 30 seconds in between each exercise to get prepped for the next and take a breather. I highly recommend the gymboss timer. You can get it here: buy a gym boss timer

I am choosing 5 of the following activities each day and working it in a circuit 3 times, with 30 second breaks in between each. when I was in better shape, I'd do 30 seconds in between each set, and add ankle weights to jump roping, and the legs/ butt workouts, as well as increase my time to at least a minute for each.

cardio-
jump rope- 1 minute
step ups- 1 minute (on chair or step)
jumping jacks- 1 minute
1/2 mile run- at end of circuit.

core-
plank- 1 minute
side plank- 30 seconds each side
push up jumps onto yoga blog- 1 minute

legs/ butt-
jump squats- 1 minute (10 lbs in each hand)
side  step squats with a band- 1 minute
lounges- 1 minute

arms and chest-
on yoga ball- triceps- 30 sec. chest press-30 sec. (10 lbs in each hand)
biceps/triceps with a band- 30 seconds each
lunges with bicep curls- 30 sec. (10 lbs in each hand)
squats with a military press- 30 sec. (10 lbs in each hand)
lawn mowers- 30 seconds each side

(lawn mowers- I do these in a lounge for added difficulty and core work)

Some of these are really hard and can be modified to be easier: Especially the jump squats, the plank, and push ups. If it's too hard, and it was for me the first time, I recommend doing it in a girls style push up position on your knees. Similarly, if you can't hold a body plank for one minute to go down to a girls style push up position and hold it, but, don't drop it!!!

If the jump squats are too hard- hold a a wall squat, but don't drop it!! 

Spin Class

"Get up out of the saddle, double time, for all those times you wish you could be working out and you couldn't!" -things they yell at you in spin class.

So, I took my FIRST spin class this weekend, at Santa Cruz Power Fitness. I was expecting it to be super tough and literally exhausting, but it actually was not what I expected at all. Spin class just sounds super intense to me. I've walked by spin classes before and seen all those crazy people sweating bullets on their bikes for longer than I'm pretty sure I could even ride a bike down the street.

...But here's the thing, it's not like riding a bike down the street, it's like riding a stationary bike, because that's what your doing!

Also, I've said it before, but I'm not a big cardio person. I hate it and I usually have to kind of trick myself into doing it. I honestly really didn't think I would get that great of a full workout from spinning. I mean, I figured it would be just one really long cardio workout. But, it wasn't!

The Truth About Spinning
It's not so intense of cardio that you can't do it, believe it or not. Spining has its bursts of cardio, but also is a good muscle workout too! I am actually even mildly sore in my legs today from it, which is a big deal for me! I think riding a stationary bike for an hour, is way easier than people think, and especially with all the motivational stuff they yell at you in class, the music, and constantly changing what your doing on your bike, the time goes by pretty fast! By the end I could still breathe, my heart rate was up, but not TOO high, and I did get in some new muscle work. All in all, pretty good!

I'll definitely be going back for more.

If you haven't tried it, I highly recoomend that you at least give one spin class a shot to see what it's all about! It's well worth the time.

The one thing though, my butt was killing from the uncomfortable seat. Maybe try sitting on a towel? I don't know. Also, to be fair, I do have a rather large tush, so that tiny seat could barely accomodate me. If yout hinny is tiny, it may be a whole nother story.

Staying Motivated

"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." -Mahatma Gandhi

Finding motivation to get up and workout can be soooo rough. I try to tell myself that even on a lazy day, I can do something. When I'm at my breaking point, I remind myself that every second makes my body better. It works for me. Finding inspiration is key.

 

 

 

 

 

Jumping Rope

"Cinderella,  dressed in 'yella,  went upstairs to kiss a fella..." Come on, don't act like you don't know this one.

You will hear me say it time, and time again! I'm in love with jump roping! There is nothing better for you than jumping rope! I'm obsessed with it! It's fun, and it really is a great workout. Jumping rope is a FULL BODY workout, and nothing burns more calories for a longer duration of time! Studies show that jumping rope for just two minutes can boost your metabolism for the whole day!

The act of jumping rope will only burn about the same amount of calories as, say, taking a run, for example. So, at first, it's hard to understand why everyone is so into it. BUT, the key to the jump rope secret is that it can increase your metabolism and work every muscle in your body.

...Literally, every muscle in your whole body is activated while jumping rope!!

My secret-

Since jumping rope is really tiring, and cardio is really not my strength, I like to work it in between weight circuit sets which helps to maximize it's impact and because i need a breather to recover (Honestly, I could probably jump rope for a about 5 minutes before I'd just pass out)!This works like a tabata workout, or a high-lo workout. intervaling intense cardio with weight training maximizes calorie burn.


Also, John Basedow does it, maybe.
I've heard, from a reliable source, that John Basedow goes to the gym and can be seen there just jumping rope for hours. Seriously, that might be true. 

Muscle Memory

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again
and expecting different results." -Albert Einstein 

I can't tell you how annoyed I get when hear my friends complain about how great their workout used to be, but it stopped working for them, because they are getting older. Or, how they have been a swimmer all their life, and it's the best workout, so they don't do anything else, but they've put on 10 pounds.

That's B.S!!

Honestly, the reason why workouts stop making such dramatic impact is muscle memory. Your body will always automatically modify itself to find the easiest way for it to perform a given movement. It's genetic! It's part of what makes human's so adaptive and efficient as a species! But, it also works against you when you work out. This is why it's so important to vary your workout, and change what you are doing constantly. This doesn't mean you have to suddenly take up thai boxing or rock climbing to keep your body on it's toes (though, those are both great activities which I encourage you to try if you have not).

By adding weight to a movement, you make it harder. By adding variation to a movement, you make it EVEN HARDER. Adding weight to a workout it the BEST way to maximize it's impact, even if it's just 5 pounds. It can make a beginner movement advanced, and it can help you add variation of movements to your routine!

If you do yoga, VARY YOUR PRACTICE! take twists where you haven't, try flipping the dog, work in a new balancing pose. It's the same concept for any workout you do.

My Problem Area: Lower Ab's
The place where I have found the most difficult to get that after workout burn no matter how hard I push myself, is in my ab workout (and believe me when I say, I have no 6 pack abs). I do it all! I've tried everything! I do every kid of ab workout under the sun, 7 days a week, and I still found myself developing that lower belly pooch which we all complain about. I admit that I want to complain that it's because I'm getting older but I refuse to accept that. I finally found the best and most consistent results when I strap on a extra 5 pound of ankle weights, incorporate a  medicine ball twist here and there in my routine, and mix up my routines regularly. I feel the burn, I see results, and so will you!

Bellow are some links with great movements that you should try incorporating into your workouts, if it's too easy for you and you're not feeling the burn- AD SOME WEIGHT or VARY IT or BOTH!

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/reverse-plank-with-leg-raise?workout=6204

http://www.bodyrock.tv/2011/05/31/amazing-abs-workout/

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/real-plans/celebrity/brooke-burke-workout/?page=2

http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/bikini-belly-bootcamp?page=3

Pinterest

Let's be honest, based on what you pin on pinterest, are you more a deep fried cheese bread kind of person or the light tabouli chicken salad type?

It seems that it's so much easier to eat poorly these days and leave it up to your workout to burn it off. But eating healthy doesn't have to be a chore, and working out doesn't have to be a solution to your poor eating habits. Similarly, there will always be a great excuse to skip the gym, or to open up a box of mac and cheese for dinner. It’s the kids favorite meal anyways, right? But the harsh reality that you must remember is that someone out there IS busier than you and they ARE making the time to eat healthy and work out! In law school, I would spend crazy hours in the school library and work long hours late into every night of the week, but I managed to make time to stay healthy! I made the time because I couldn't afford not to be healthy and neither can you!

Here are some tips to get you started on the right track:

• sweet tooth? I love dipping berries in greek yogurt and freezing them. Hello low cal fab pre-gym time snack! :) 
• No time to work out? On study breaks, or even during commercial breaks from a tv show, try doing various workouts durring each commercial. I like to hold a body plank for the duration of one commercial, then switch it up! Do sit ups for the next, and jumping jacks for the next!  Everyone has time for this one! It only takes 3 minutes or so.