In a better place. Literally.

Well, it’s been a while!  My main excuse is that my puppy chewed my laptop charge cord and it’s literally been months since I’ve used a computer at home.  I finally sucked it up and ordered one on Amazon.  My second excuse is that I’ve been busy working out!  And third, helloooooo…. It’s been so nice out!  I’ve been gardening and swimming and taking my dogs to the dog park and doing everything possible to spend time outside! 

So, it’s not you, it’s me.  

Anyway, on this journey of mine, I have found a new path to take, and I'm in a new place.  Literally.  I go to a new gym that I LOVE!

I love this place.

The biggest change since I’ve blogged last is I joined a gym called “Real results fitness and performance” in Grayslake and I ended my membership at LA fitness because it was just too damn busy!  I was sick of writing out an entire workout plan for the day just because there wasn’t room or a machine/bench or enough weights to accomplish what I set out to do.  I would even go in with alternate exercises.  “If “X” machine isn’t available than proceed to “Y” machine and do this instead…”  I would have to power out all my sets on one machine instead of alternating between 2-3 machines at a time to do supersets.  Maybe I’m spoiled, but this is how I like to work out, and it just wasn’t working for me.  God forbid I get up to get a drink of water, I’d come back to some dude sweating and grunting on the machine I was using.  I would spend twice as much time at the gym than I needed to.  Ain’t nobody got time for that!

As a result, I no longer work out with personal trainer once a week.  Instead I work out with 2-4 personal trainers multiple times a week!  It’s a bootcamp style gym, and they also do crossfit.  It’s pretty much group personal training, and even though you're not alone, you get a ton of personal attention.  Every day you come in, there’s a different plan to work specific muscle groups so it involves no thinking on my part.  I just do what I’m told and get a killer workout!  I have never sweat so much in my life (check out the sweaty selfies sprinkle in this post.... I look like that EVERYTIME I leave!)

The team atmosphere is absolutely amazing.  The other bootcampers are so encouraging. (<--Look at them go!)  We laugh, give each other sweaty hugs and high fives, cheer each other on, motivate each other, challenge each other to complete another rep, and it’s just great to know that you’re not alone.  It doesn’t just suck for you, it’s hard for other people too, and together we keep pushing and sweating.  We even cry!  Everyone has a different story, we all have different struggles and weaknesses, and we are all there for each other when there’s a challenge or obstacle to overcome. 

Sweat game is strong.

Also, they have an entire nutrition plan for members based on what YOU want to accomplish, or where you’re at in your journey.  There’s always an open dialogue going on in class about food, and nutrition, and macros, and cheat days, over eating and /or eating ENOUGH, etc.  The trainers answer questions, offer suggestions, sit down with you if you’ve hit a plateau, go over your food diary with you to see how they can help you, and they’ve all made it their personal goal to help you reach your goals.

I’m excited to share more with you as I continue to my weightloss journey, especially since I’m so PSYCHED to be at this new gym.  So far, since 7/13 I’ve lost 10 pounds, officially. 7 of that in my first week, 3 my second.  I’ll let you know what my third week progress is on Friday.  My weigh-ins are Saturday mornings, so I’ll be back to check in, share my progress/struggles and hold myself accountable.

July 13th, 2015.  Day 1

Here is a picture after my very first workout at Real Results.  Hopefully you'll see a difference in the next picture I post!

1st training session

Well I'm alive and only a little bit sore after my first personal training session!  

Our first session was all body weight exercises.  No weight room...yet.  Rob says that'll come on our 2nd or 3rd session.  

I thought I'd share what exercises he had me do in the 30 minute session we did.  I was dripping with sweat, literally.  I was staring at a little puddle on the mat growing from the sweat dripping off my nose as I was doing planks.  True story.  It was sick.  I spilled my water just so people wouldn't think all that water was my sweat.  That's a lie.  I spilled my water because I'm a clutz.  I just got lucky that it helped camouflage my sweat puddle.

Anyway....  this is what we did:

Wall-Ball Squats with hold:  Stability ball between you and the wall about in the middle-ish of your back.  Feet about shoulder width apart, squat 10 times with top of your thighs at a 90 degree angle.  On your 10^th rep, hold the squat for 30 seconds with arms extended in front of you. (For an extra challenge while you’re holding the squat, hold hands out in front of you, palms together thumbs up.  Have a partner push left on your hands as you resist and push right, then switch as you push left and they push right.  Then rotate hands and have them push up/down as you push down/up.)

Do 3 sets.

Push-up followed by plank:  Fingers pointed forward, hands wider than shoulder width, lower all the way down until chest touches floor and raise back up. (You can do the push-ups on your knees to start, and then do push-ups on your toes once you’re stronger.)  10 push-ups followed by a 30 second plank (elbows bent, forearms on mat, body flat/straight).

3 sets

*Alternate the following two exercises do back to back.  1 complete set of bridges, and then 1 complete set of hydrants on left leg, 1 set of hydrants on right leg and then start over.  Do this rotation for 3 total sets.

A.      One leg Stability Ball bridges:  Roll out so shoulders are on ball keeping your body flat and knees bent at right angle.  Raise one leg to be parallel to floor, hold it up as you dip your butt down and bridge back up again.  It’s ok to touch your hands to the floor for extra balance, just don’t cheat by “aiding” your core and butt.  Dip 5-10 times (or as many as you can) on one leg.  That’s one set.  Take a breath and do 2 more sets on the same leg.  Once you’ve done 3 sets on the same leg, switch legs and do 3 sets.  It’s important to “burn out” one side at a time-it’s more effective that way.

3 sets left leg, then 3 sets right leg.

B.      Hydrants with hold: Get on hands and knees and with knee still bent, lift to the side and return 10 times.  After 10 reps, kick leg straight out to the side (like the picture on the right) and hold for 5 seconds.  This is 1 full set.  Do 3 sets on one side, and then 3 sets on the other.

3 sets left leg, then 3 sets right leg.

Triceps Push-up followed by side plank: Lay on right side, knees slightly bent.  Hug right arm around either your opposite shoulder or your waist so you aren’t encouraged to cheat, and plant your left palm firmly on the mat and push to raise your body off the mat while straightening your left arm.  Your hips or feet shouldn’t rise up.  You should feel the burn in your left triceps.  Do 10 reps on your right side and then follow each set with a right side plank and hold for at least 10 seconds… try for 30!

Once you’ve done 3 sets of each on your right side, flip over and do 3 sets on your left.

The reason he had me do one side of my body at a time is because he wants to burn out once side of muscles at a time with each exercise.  I guess it's more effective that way, I dunno, I'm not the expert... I just do what I'm told.  :)  One side gets totally exhausted before you move on to the next.  This makes sense, but it wasn't what I had always done.  I've always done left, right, left, right to give myself a slight break in between.  If you're truly trying to build up lean muscle tissue and rev up your metabolism you need to be taxing your muscles in order for them to start the repair and build process to give you more muscle.  

I'm a creeper, but....

THIS is the lug! See? He's been sitting there for the last 10 minutes! I had to be creeper like and snap this picture. SERIOUSLY dude! Stop. Taking. Up. Space!

I never run with Scissors.

Those last two words were unnecessary. 

Well hellooooo there!  Nice of you to join me.  As I approach the new year and I'm trying to figure out what my exercise plan is I'm perusing Pinterest and finding a bunch of goodies.  I thought I'd share two workout calendars that I found on my Quest.  But first.... this seems appropriate.  I just love these stinkin little e-gems that make you laugh.  I can't get enough.

  

Ahhhhh, I feel better now.... 

Anyway, on to the healthy stuff...

I follow Daily Hiit/Body Rock on Pinterest and they post a lot of good stuff!  The two calendars below are posts from them.  They might be useful for you too!  If you visit the links I provide below, it gives you a breakdown and you might find some helpful tips and instructions there too! 

The calendar below progresses so as you get better at Pushups/Squats/Burpees, etc... Your reward is more Pushups/Squats/Burpees, etc! Exciting, right?  (I need a sarcasm font right about now.)  But seriously, with where I am at right now (sedentary) something like this looks like it's doable!  I can barely do 10 push ups right now, and doing 50 push ups seems impossible, but MAYBE I can make it by the end of the month!  Check it out!  <-- Here's the link, or you can see below.

Just Go January Challenge

Here is another calendar for those of you that find being upright and bouncy is more your style.  If I can get off the ground after doing the exercises above, maybe I can join you for these.  Who doesn't want to Jump the Juggle off?

Jump the Jiggle Off January Workout Challenge