Monday Fun Day... Not!

I hate Monday's... Like with a passion!  I think my workouts hate Monday's as well!  It was extremely hard for me to get going this morning and I don't think I really ever did!  Here is what today's work out looked like...

• Elliptical - 30 minutes at level 10 resistance... For a total of 4 miles. *Usually I can get 5 miles in the 30 minutes I'm on there but like I said I was lagging this morning.*
• Weights-  This switches from day to day hitting different muscle groups.  Today we did a series of ab work and what Trainer Jeremy likes to call "Iron Mike's" (there's a meaning behind that name but I'll spare you the back story!) For the ab workout we used the bench ...

 Seat yourself on the edge of the bench and bring your legs up so that you're balanced on the bench.

Like this guy...

Now kick your legs in and out (count to 15)... feel the burn... oh yeah!  But we're not done!  Next, keeping our legs out we would raise them high, middle, and the very worst, low (don't touch the ground), then back to the middle.  Now open, close, open, close, one leg up and one leg down (like scissors), switch, switch again, switch again, and kick outs... 5 more. 

That's one set... we did 3 sets of these.

In between the ab sets we did what Trainer Jeremy calls "Iron Mike's."  Basically they're lunges with weights... and they really suck!  Today I used 10lb weights and Trainer Jeremy used 20's and we did 10 "Iron Mike's," took a quick rest (like grab a sip of water and get your butt back here) and hit the abs again.  We did 3 sets of these also.

•  Cardio Hell- I call it this because, really, there is no other way to describe this next portion of our workout!  Since one of the jump ropes went missing we've been using the medicine balls and doing my very favorite *said in a very sarcastic voice* Jump Squats... Yea!  For these I use the 10lb ball and Trainer Jeremy uses the 12lb one.  Here's how they go... Start down low with the ball at your chest like this chick here...

 Next... do as the name says and JUMP lifting the ball up over your head

kind of like she is here... just don't throw the ball, keep holding it!

Today we started with 8... then did 9 in the next set... and for the last set we did 10.  We have been known to get up to 20 of these bad boys at a time but like I said...

It's Monday and neither of us was really feeling it! 

In between our jump squat sets we did more sit-ups (20 holding the medicine balls) and went right into a push up set.  5 push ups, then hold at the top lifting one hand up to the ceiling and keeping one hand on the ground... then switch so the hand on the ground is up and the one that was up is on the ground.  Back to push up position and get ready for mountain climbers... counted off like this... 1, 2, 3..1.  1, 2, 3...2 all the way up to 10.  Back to push up position and 3 more push ups....

We did 2 sets of these between each set of jump squats.

•  Treadmill - This brings us to the end of the work out... Treadmill time.  Today I did just 10 minutes and an easy-for-me pace of 6.0 (or a 10 minute mile) finishing up today's mileage at 5 total.  Most days I get about 15 minutes on here and will change up the work out so that I don't get board... adding sprints, or bringing up the pace a little, or going at a really slow pace and bumping the incline up to a 15... If you think running is hard, try this... It's killer!

So there you have it... My Monday in the gym... We spend about an hour there... maybe more, depending on how many times the snooze button is hit!  I hope this helps give you all a glimpse into what my mornings are like and maybe helps give some ideas for you to change up your routine.  There are other things we do in there as well... Like the step ups onto the bench mentioned above with a 25lb weight plate held over my head... yeah, that's one of my favorites too!  I'll try and keep updating everyone on what my workouts are looking like... and maybe even be brave enough to bring my camera to get pictures of me actually doing the exercises (if I can get Trainer Jeremy to take the pictures, he's usually all business when it comes to gym time)!

On the weight loss front I'm still doing really well!  This morning I very cautiously stepped on the scale and was shocked to see that I was down another 3 lbs.  I'm not going to change my weight thing until I've held there for a few days... my body is crazy and will be down one day and up the next and after the week I've had with the kids on spring break I'm really having a hard time believing that I actually lost weight!  I was expecting a weight gain!  So keep tuning in to see if my little ticker over there actually goes down!

Three Things Thursday...

I know it's been a while since I've updated!  Not much has changed as far as my workouts go so I don't want to bore you all with posting the same things over and over!  I figured I'd just give you a quick update on what's been going on lately... Complete with pictures!

1.  March 15th marked the halfway point of my weight loss journey!  At that point I'd lost a total of 18lbs and Trainer Jeremy was down a total of 15lbs!  Here we are in our St. Patty's Day green ready for a night out...

Here's a before and after...

The before is Dec. 24th and the after is March 17th

2.  Jeremy took Lady K out for her Girl Scout Troop's annual Daddy/Daughter Dance, so I thought I'd show off some of my good looking family! 

Jeremy & Lady K before the dance...

They were the best looking couple there...

If I do say so myself!

3.  This week is spring break so we decided to get away for a few days!  We usually will spend a night or two at an indoor water park about 30 minutes from our home but this year we headed up to the Wisconsin Dells and spent a few nights at The Wilderness Waterpark Resort... and for the first time in over 10 years I rocked a bikini!  I'm not gonna lie.. at first it felt a little strange... almost like I was naked but after a while I just didn't care!  I worked hard for what I have... and darn it... I'm showing it off!

"We work out..."

My Babies...

So there you have it... just a little update on what's been going on!  Trainer Jeremy and I are still working hard 6 days a week at the gym and I still have a good 10-12 lbs left to lose!  My next goal is to really be able to rock a bikini come camping season!  We have a few big trips planned this year and for the first time in what seems like forever... I'm excited for summer and the warm weather!

Tuesday Tid-Bits

Today's post shall be done bullet point style...

• Yes, I'm still alive... Duh!  And yes, I'm still trucking along on my weight loss journey!  I've been skipping Weigh In Wednesday's (well at least one of them) because I feel like they're all I do!  I'm still updating my ticker so if you're curious to see where I'm at... Just check it out.  14 lbs... that's right! 
• Speaking of weight loss... do you remember that weight loss contest I told you I signed up for?  Well, by some sort of miracle I'm in second place... 2nd PLACE!  Ummmm.... I haven't been in the running this whole time and now all of a sudden... BAM (sorry Emeril for stealing your saying) I'm in second place.  And it's not like I'm far behind the first place person... they're at 4.3% body fat lost and me, I'm at 4.1%...  It's that close people!  Let me ask you this... do you know what happened when Trainer Jeremy saw the numbers?!?  Yep... My daily ass kickings workouts got a whole lot harder!  See, Trainer Jeremy, he's a bit competitive... ok not a bit... maybe extremely competitive is more like it so when he saw how close I was to winning his game (and mine) stepped up!  He says it's for me and the wonderful feeling I'll have when I win but really I think he just wants the prize that comes with winning... a 42" flat screen TV!  Can you blame him?!?
• Yesterday I signed up for my first race of the season (and after the cost it might be my only race of the season)!  I'm so excited to do this run because it's not just a run, Ladies, no it's the Dirty Girl Mud Run!  Oh man am I excited!  It's a girls only mud run that raises money for breast cancer research.  My beautiful friends and I have formed a team and plan on KILLING it at this race!  I couldn't think of a better way to spend the last Saturday in June... Getting down and dirty with my favorite girls... and all for a good cause... HOLLA!
• I'm coming up on the half way point of my weight loss journey... and number wise I'm about half way there as well!  Soon I'll be posting a new picture of me and Trainer Jeremy so you can see our hard work first hand!  It doesn't seem like it should be March already... Where is this year going?!?  How are all of you doing with your goals or resolutions you set for yourself back in January?

Weigh In Wednesday

It seems as if these are all I do anymore, maybe I should call the blog "Weigh In Wednesday!"  Nah... 

This week I'd say I had another good one!  I stepped on the scale and was down...

3 lbs

Seriously, I'm amazed and how well I'm doing!  I take that back... I'm not amazed... I'm working hard for these pounds... Damn hard!  This 3 lbs brings me to a total weight loss of 13 pounds!  Just 2 more pounds and I'm half way to my total weight loss goal!  HOLLA!

I'm not the only one who's losing weight, so is Trainer Jeremy!  So far he's down...

14 lbs

He really dropped the weight quick when we first started!  I think he was a little scared to share his weight loss with me in the beginning... only because it was coming off so quickly for him and not so much for me!  But it didn't matter... I was (and still am) so proud of him! 

Right now we have two different goals when going into the gym.  Mine is to still lose weight and to slim down... To build long lean muscle not bulk up, and his is to actually bulk up now that he's slimmed down!  Boy has he slimmed down and I sure can tell he's building muscle!  I've made it a rule that he is to walk around the house without a shirt so that I can look at his yummy abs that have showed up (he's going to kill me for saying that)!

All kidding aside... I'm glad he's there pushing me and helping me to reach this goal that I thought was impossible! 

After all, how does the saying go...

"Nothing is impossible,

the word itself says 'I'M POSSIBLE'!"

~Audrey Hepburn~



Weigh In....

... What day is it?  Oh yeah, it's Friday not Wednesday!  Opps!  Sorry guys, I totally skipped my Weigh In Wednesday post!  Is it just me or has this week gone by way too fast!  I can't believe it's already Friday!  I did weigh myself on Wednesday and was down...

1 pound

Not the greatest, but hey, a pound is a pound!  I'll take what I can get!  Also, with that 1 pound it brought me to the 10 pound lost mark!  Do you even know how long it's been since I've been in the double digit weight loss category?  No?  A long time!  I'm proud of myself and proud of how far I've come in a little over a month's time!

A month ago I looked in the mirror and thought to myself, "I wish I could be skinny!"  This morning as I was getting ready for the gym I looked in the mirror and thought, "Look at that, my wish is coming true!"  Although it's not my wish that has been granted... it's my hard work that has paid off! 

You can sit there and wish your life away, but unless you get out there and actually do it, it's just not going to happen for you!

Here's to a new week of making it happen!  Happy Friday!

Playlist Favorite:

This is seriously one of my favorite songs to run to right now!  The other day I asked Trainer Jeremy if he could hear me singing this while on the treadmill!  He runs without headphones and sometimes to help my breathing I'll quietly sing along with whatever song is playing... and while I love this song I don't think the person next to me would appreciate some of the lyrics being said out loud!  Thankfully, he said he couldn't hear me!
Limp Bizket's Rollin'...
[Parental Advisory]

Weigh In Wednesday

This morning I woke up in a really, and I mean really, bad mood!  I stepped onto the elliptical and my shoe was sticky because I must have stepped in something and it was making this annoying sound and for some reason that sorta threw me over the edge... Poor Trainer Jeremy didn't know what hit him when out of the blue I looked at him threatened to take my shoe off and throw it through the effing wall!  Luckily, he's used to my temper tantrums moods and quickly checked me and all was well!

After an ass kicking by him and a round two work out with a friend who does a boot camp at the gym I'm feeling much better... Plus my shoe is no longer sticky so that makes me happy too, because after all, my happiness is what we all strive for, right? Yes?  No?  Ok, maybe not!

Now onto the good part... my weight loss!  This week I am down another...

2 lbs

Did you see my little ticker on the side over there?!?  I'm down a total of 9 pounds... HOLLA!  Last night I was telling Trainer Jeremy that for the first time, ever, I feel like I can really do this!  I feel like I can really reach this goal... and it feels GREAT!  In all honesty though I don't think I could do it without the help he's given me!  He's taught me so much about myself and I don't think he even knows it!  Anyway, enough mushy crap... How is everyone else doing?  January is gone and February is here!  Are we all still keeping with our goals or have we fallen off the "resolution" wagon?