Lead a Fit and Healthy Life
Archive for December, 2010
End of a Year: Just be yourself
01 year ago
by Stephy
in General Reflections
As the year comes to a close – I like to take some time to look at what I have done this year and find new inspiration to start the new year with a renewed commitment to health.
I saw this on a Facebook status this morning:
“Every new year people make resolutions to change aspects of themselves they believe are negative. A majority of people revert back to how they were before and feel like failures. This year I challenge you to a new resolution. I challenge you to just be yourself.” — Aisha Elderwyn
It resonated with me — and goes along with the quote that continues to inspire me:
Be the Change you wish to see in the world…
—Ghandi
Start living the You, you want to be — if you want to be a fit & healthy person, just start walking the walk – fake it till you make it! There are probably thousands of other metaphors we can come up with to get the point across. Being the best you can be doesn’t mean being perfect either. Living a good life is the goal – acting with good intentions, being kind to yourself and those around you and handling Mother Earth with sensitivity and care. Work on just those actions, and we all have enough to keep us all busy year round!
Thank you for following my journey the past few years — my goal in sharing my story is to offer support and inspiration to anyone out there that wants to come along. Living Fit and Healthy is not always easy and there are peaks and valleys to my journey, but I can honestly say – the benefits I have received and have shared here have brought me more joy and fulfillment, inspiration than I can put into words. The amazing people I have met, the lessons learned, opportunities that have developed, the sense of pride and accomplishment I feel every single day and the amazing physical transformation in myself speaks volumes.
This past year has been one of my best for many reasons. Here are a few stand outs:
my family is healthy
my kids are smart & fun little people
my niece, Amelia was born
I can’t wait to see what next year holds for me — it’s going to be even better!
Murph Workout at Crossfit
0When someone says ‘nope, no running outside in the winter’, I tend to believe them. Apparently I am naive because I got up and went to a WOD at Crossfit Impavidus. And what to my wondering eyes should appear? 2 half mile runs OUTSIDE! I did get to sleep in 45 extra minutes – so that was a bonus!
Warmup
General Stretching
1/4 Murph
1/2 m run
25 pull ups
50 push ups
75 air squats
1/2m run
Total time: 19:08
Coach Conan suggested to benchmark my first Murph WOD, I should do the 1/4 but next time I should do 1/2 murph. Looking at the actual full Murph — it looks grueling….
Murph WOD
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
Even the score workout
01 year ago
I headed to another workout for the day — partly it’s to keep me busy during my week off and partly it’s because I have been totally out of control eating wise the past 3 days. Not that I am eating a ton but I have been having bread/wheat and I totally feel horrible. I can feel what that crap does to me after I eat it. I know I feel better eating paleo — but knowing and doing are 2 different things. Holiday time is a time of temptation and while I can usually stay strong under my normal routine, it seems to be a much bigger challenge for me when I am home hanging out with friends and family. I am so paranoid about it all that the work outs are my way of evening out the eating –
And Crossfit Impavidus is still holding friends and family WODs to test out the space — so I cant pass up a free WOD
Warmup
2m jump rope
bear crawl x2
crab walk x2
Skill
deadlifts
WOD
10m AMRAP
10 pull up
10 135# deadlifts
20 double unders
Call me Larry Bird Workout
11 year ago
by Stephy
in Fitness/Exercise
Met up with the ladies again at LA Fitness for our week break from boot camp at 6A. We did a good overall routine -
WOD
2 rounds (12-20 reps/round)
70lb back squat
bicep curl 30
chest press 20lb
back lunges 25lbs
10 burpees
20lb step ups
Corex2
plank push ups
back extensions
crunches
30 push ups
Treadmill Intervals – 15mins
And to add a bit of fun to the workout – I went and shot some hoops. While I was in there a guy came in and helped me work on my shooting form. I was getting frustrated bc I wasn’t making a shot. He showed me how to set up the angle of your elbow and your hand on the ball — and sure enough – Call me Larry Bird!
On a related note: I have always been insecure about my arms. They have always been big and I have always wanted those dainty thin arms that so many women have. You can’t change genetics though, so I have worked hard in the last year or so to embrace what I was given and tone and strengthen them. This guy mentioned how I should be pretty good at shooting because my arms looked good — so needless to say, that made my day! That guy has no idea how much hearing that meant to me today!
Crossfit Impavidus WOD
11 year ago
by Stephy
in Uncategorized
I headed over to Crossfit Impavidus for an evening workout. The thing about crossfit is you never know what the WOD is going to be. Sometimes its a long one, sometimes short — the actual WOD today was 10 min time frame. I finished in 8:30m. The first part of the workout is a warm up, then a skill review, then WOD.
Warmup
jump rope
walking lunges
heel to butt
rockette kicks
side shuffle
high knees
high knee lunges
Skill
air squat
WOD
25 wall ball squats 10lb dynamax ball
12,15,9
KTE
ring push ups
25 wall ball squats
LA Fitness Workout
01 year ago
Got up and headed to LA Fitness to workout with my boot camp pals. I am so happy I made plans to meet people there. It’s way too easy to just sleep in when you are off work and have no commitments for the day — Stac! had a rough night of sleeping, but she showed up. She woke up and said to herself - I have to get up an in hour or so anyway and I know I will feel better physically and mentally if I just go workout — and she did and she does! That’s what it takes to live healthy and fit living. It’s not any magic formula. We are all continually challenged and it’s how we talk to ourselves and how we feel that makes the difference –
Warmup
10min treadmill run
Corex2
bicycles
12lb ball twists
stability ball exchange
30 push ups
10 negative push ups – do a regular push-up and bend your knees on your way up. It helps improve your upper body strength which is key to doing a good push up!
WODx2
Iso lat bends 40lbs
Scoop and press 35lbs
Bulgarian lunges 20lb
25lb backward rows
25lb db swing squats
15lb Arnold press
Post WOD
10m Treadmill Run
Now if you notice – you can still do a boot camp like workout at a regular gym. Now in all reality – I probably don’t push myself quite as hard as I do with a trainer looming over my shoulder but it’s a good, solid workout. I certainly burned as many calories and got my HR up – so no excuses, get out there and get fit!
Workout Fun
01 year ago
by Stephy
in Fitness/Exercise
I skipped my workout yesterday — I was worn out from the holiday and just needed a rest. The mental game I play though sometimes makes skipping not worth it. I start to feel the guilt of every bite I eat and then the thoughts of am I am slipping into the abyss. I know these are irrational thoughts — we all get a break and a few days of eating less than ideal foods isn’t going to kill me. It may set me back a few days but this is a journey and I can recover — I have before and I will again. Also
In order to hold me accountable - I emailed a few of the boot camp ladies and we met up at LA Fitness in Leesburg and did a boot camp session at 6A. I feel so much better!
Warmup
stationary bike
corex2
crunches
6inches
crunch holding 15lb weight above
WOD
EIO, STAC!, Skullcrusher
1m stations x2
Shoulder Press 55lbs
20lb tricep kickback
power clean squat 20lb
25lb walking lunges
Finished with 30 push-ups and practiced kip pull ups.
If you think there is a chance of you not keeping your commitment to fitness during the holidays– figure out a way to make it super hard for you NOT to. Emailing my friends and setting up an appointment to meet up was the perfect way for me to ensure that I got up and headed out the door on time. And bonus – I got to hang out with my friends and have fun for an hour. If you are up that early, working out – you may as well as well make it fun and worthwhile.
Restaurant trends for 2011
01 year ago
Eating out in 2011 will be about health! Although skeptical, this is great to read because it shows that it’s on the minds of those in the food business. Of course the fact that they are mentioning improving kids’ nutrition makes me even happier! Let’s keep our eye on this one –
Happy eating in 2011!!
Ahead of the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans and impending regulatory standards for calorie postings in restaurants, smart chefs and restaurateurs are aligning their plans with the changing nutritional tide. Thus, eating out in 2011 will be all about health and flavor. Here are some of the predictions: Locally sourced ingredients. After a few tough years with outbreaks of food-borne illness and frequent food recalls, consumers want to know where their food is coming from. The closer, the better. Roof top and back yard gardens are supplying restaurants with the freshest herbs and produce available. Smaller portions. Whether it’s supersize fatigue or a sluggish economy, restaurant patrons are opting for smaller portions or sharing entrees. Fixed price meals and other cost-saving deals will continue to be on the menu. Big flavor. The portions might be smaller, but the flavor is bigger. Ethnic and artisan foods turn a meal into a taste experience. For your consideration: coconut-infused flavor, ancient grains, flavorful cheeses, and local, artisanal beers and liquors. New twist on kid friendly. From the White House to the school lunch room, childhood nutrition is getting a much needed overhaul. Instead of the traditional fried strips of chicken and potatoes, look for more nutritious meal offerings to include fruit, veggies, and milk. Dessert anyone? Yogurt, gourmet popsicles, and pie are topped with or filled with fruit and flavor combinations to delight. Allergy awareness. For those with food allergies, dining away from home is a gamble. Smart restaurants know that clean kitchens and food handling practices that prevent cross contamination could open the doors to new patrons.
Sleeping In
11 year ago
I have got to get back on the clean eating program again. I have had cookies, pie, ice cream, whipped cream, and BREAD! Yes i did — last night when we were out for Scott’s birthday. I feel like crap though — not sleeping very well, overall fatigued. Shows what crap eating does to your body when you have been away from it for a while –
I am going to go workout tonite. The kids are home and Scott had to work – so since I didn’t get up super early, my only option is to go to the gym tonite. Boot camp is off this week – so I am giving my body a rest and extra time to sleep in. And let me tell you – it feels good to sleep past 5a!
