Month: May 2013

Monday I mean Tuesday

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That extra off day can really make you think it is Monday,

 

I went to Subway after attacking  my intervals on the elliptical machine for a good 30 minutes yesterday(and burned 286 calories!), and thought I could get the Monday Turkey and Black Forest Ham special. Womp Womp! Nope! I settled for the 6 inch of the month, the Oven roasted chicken breast. Which was equally as yummy.

Today I did step aerobics which is one of my favorite aerobic exercises out there! My knees weren’t feeling up to the challenge, but I modified and pushed through. We also used some more resistant bands and the burn was not as intense as Friday. Nonetheless, it was definitely a challenge. It was the crazy lady’s class, or, we can just now call her Amina. lol She’s the cool form lady to me now! I burned a good 326 calories in a 33 minute period. Pretty good! I feel awesome. Anybody else love step aerobics as much as I do?  I feel like I’m the woman version of Richard Simmons when I see that step. (I know I’m a dork but hey it motivates me!)

 

 

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

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What a great weekend!

It was just what I needed to get away from my normal day to day schedule. Between the heavy demands at work, and my rigid study schedule I needed some downtime. Holidays do just that!

Saturday: The day did NOT start off so well, I went to my beautician and I went for my usual perm and style, but  I wanted to bring back my old hair cut. A Keri Hilson Bang look. She originally gave me that hair cut and it was amazing!

See?! So beautiful!  Looks like my beautician wanted to “experiment on my hair this time and try a new cutting technique. WHY ME LORD? So I ended up with this Dora the Explorer lopsided Beatles edition of  the cut:

5-28-2013 10-54-47 AMI proceeded to freak out…. A LOT!  She tried to blame it on the sides of my hair (WHICH WERE CUT SUPER UNEVEN! BTW) for being too short to recreate the look and that I FORCED her to cut my hair like that. She told me before she began to hack my hair, that I had enough hair. My bangs touched my chin for Christs sake. This is the second time she has hacked my bangs and even though this haircut isn’t that bad (so i have been told) I DON’T F***ing like it! So we will not be going back to her.

The day proceeded to get better when I went to a pool party. 3 cups of wine had me feeling a little better about it!

Sunday: I woke up early and grabbed some things to go to the beach with my dog, sister and friends. We had crawfish and the day could NOT have been more perfect! It was my dog’s 1st time at the beach and he ran all over, got in the water, played fetch to his hearts content. He was so pooped by the end of the day he just fell asleep literally as soon as the car started up. Perfect DAY!

Monday:  I woke up early and spent some QT with Gizzy. Then, I headed off to the pool for some poolside relaxing. I really have a tan now. I made some sangria, bonded with some of my neighbors and went to a GMAT Math bootcamp. The day was superb. You really cannot get more of a perfect weekend than that.

I cannot wait until the next vacation/holiday. It was well needed and well deserved. How was everyone elses holiday? Hopefully fantastic!  This week will be all about working out and studying, my regularly scheduled programming.

Resistance Bands

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Resistance bands,

 

Oh how they hurt so good. Today I had a formal introduction to them in the Power Hour class. My goodness, it showed just what muscles I have not been working. I have work to do. She almost made me cry. The bands were very effective and the burn…….4 alarm. I burned almost 500 calories today. Nice. I thought that the Power Hour on Wednesday was intense. Nope. No cigar….today was even more of a challenge. So, today she taught me the perfect form for a push up. I so thought I was doing it right. Nope. I felt my core get a workout like never before. I shall try it again. The lady that instructs has to be 40+ She mentioned she has grown kids, and can do one arm push ups. {insert inspiration here}

 

 

So, I really thought this Friday was the last Friday in this month. WRONG. I would have so showed up to Critical Mass today and wondered if I was on an episode of punk’d. So NEXT Friday, I will be participating in that wonderfulness. This weekend is Memorial Day weekend and I plan on studying for one, frolicking at the beach in Freeport, and having a lazy Kabob -BQ on Monday at my apartments pool. Hope everyone plans on doing something interesting this weekend!

Pilates Thursdays

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I have been staying strong with working out during  my lunch and it is a good thing. I would have never gotten the opportunity to take the classes offered.

I took a Power Class on Weds and let me tell you 440 calories later in 35 minutes I wanted my mama. The lady was tough and criticized my crunch, and push – up forms. She was just what I needed. You cannot tell me that I cannot do something. Trust me I take this as a challenge. Instant competition with myself. That was the best workout I have had in awhile. I showed a lot of enthusiasm. My heart rate reached 186!!!

Today, I took a Pilates class for the first time and it rocked! I got to stretch, work on my flexibility and concentrate on my core. It was amazing. I need to do it more often. Just taking the deep breaths and focusing on particular poses really energized me and relieved some stress!  My knee has limited my flexibility on my right side and that used to be my most limber spot.  I think a combination of this class and maybe a yoga class might help me rehabilitate my knee. It no longer aches and I have more flexibility but I prefer for it to go back to the  flexibility it used to have.

Friday I am going  back to Power Class lady’s class. To die. Well at least feel like it! LOL, and then, after work I am going to meet my sister to participate in an epic bike ride called critical mass. Every Friday at the end of the month, Hundreds of Houstonians come out to do what: Ride Bikes! It is different, it is cooky, and it is right up my alley when it comes to interesting fun. Well, I will blog about that when I have a moment!

Workouts at Work

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I decided to work out while at work and utilize the amazing gym that my job offers. I decided that my lunch break is the best time to take advantage. If I go too early, I will miss out on time with my dog, and if I stay later, my dog will suffer (Not going to the potty in over 7 hours). Lunch time works perfect. I am thinking about incorporating my last break into that as well so I do not have to worry about factoring in dress time.

Monday: I hit a Women’s Health magazine 15 minute burn with a 10 minute session on the elliptical.

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400+ Calories burned not bad for a quick workout, I also saw my second ab make it’s debut. Just call me 2 ab Davis!

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Tuesday: I did 20 minutes on the elliptical and worked on my obliques in a different way. I used the ab crunch machine and sat on it sideways and worked each side with 3 sets of 25 with 50lbs. Can you say Obliterated. This was also short and sweet but I burned 300+ calories. Not too shabby.

I plan on stepping it up each and every time I go into the gym and I have taken a few classes there. I will keep you guys updated. Pilates on Thursday and I have not decided what to do for Weds just yet. I wish I could work out in the evenings but the GMAT has my commitment for the next month. Small but effective workouts have to be done.

Workout Free Weekend

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My weekend was workout free, 

 

I decided not to be a superwoman and take it easy a couple of days out of the week. However, it was very active. I decided to sign up and volunteer with the Houston Humane Society and help them out at one of their mobile locations. We met bright and early at the facility, walked the dogs that were selected for the mobile (all still available for adoption if interested they range from 4 months – 2 years), loaded them up and went to Tom Bass Pro/Outdoor World. I underestimated the vastness of this place. It was like a mall for everything you would need for hunting, camping, fishing, atving and some. It was an amazing place. I would love to go back if I ever decide to deal with wildlife. LOL. Anyways my dog of the day was Winter. She was a 4 month old lab mix (Who I mistook for a boy LOL) and she was very cute. She was cuddly, she was a little shy but everyone who petted her she wagged her tail for. I taught her to climb the stairs and fed her a million treats and after a few hours, she was exhausted. She stopped walking with me at one point and just had the most cute exhausted expression ever. So, you know what I did? I did this:

 

 

Held her like the baby she was. She let me and I took advantage. I kept handing her off to people and they ate it up. She almost got adopted this way a few times. LOL. My dog never allows me to hold him like this he has far too much spunk to be associated with this cuddly calm hold, so I had to get my 30 minutes in. After the mobile I helped out at the facility for a few more hours and went home to shower and change. I started to study for the GMAT, and almost forgot an appointment I had at Walgreens. In order to get into school you have to have a meningitis shot and I have no clue if I ever got one. So I got one. I then proceeded to go to the store and I had a craving for Crab Legs. I made them a little too spicy but it was sooooo goood! 

 

Yum. So I ended the day with a movie. Iron Man. MAN HOLD UP! It was amazing. Must see I recommend it! So I finally passed out. Sunday I spent the day with my dog, studied for 2 hours and went to brunch with a friend at Baby Barnaby’s and the dog park and ended the night with a few Reality TV shows.  Action packed eventful, and not a single workout was done. This week however Monday – Thurday! It goes down! 

 

Revamping my Workout Schedule

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As my schedule fills up with things to do;

  • GMAT preparation
  • Humane Society Volunteering
  • Personal time
  • Grad school applications and Meet and Greets

I have to re-arrange my workout schedule. I typically workout in the morning if I work a later shift at work, but I am working a very early shift this month and I usually workout after work. No sweat. Well, Yes, Being that I have added 3 extra things to my life, I realize I did not leave anytime for working out. I mean I am finally at the place I wanted to be at in my fitness journey and I cannot let myself get back to the near 200lbs I was! So I decided the solution is to workout during lunch. Sure, yeah no one wants to do that but I feel like I just meander during my lunch. I sit at my desk, and I read blogs. That takes me zero effort. Today, I burned 348 calories with a 20 minute cardio session and 1 round of weights. I actually had a good time doing it too. Hopefully as your life fills up with things to do or accomplish, do not let them get in the way of your fitness goals! Stay motivated!

 

GMAT Adventures

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Yaaaaayyyy I’m going to take the GMAT!

*record scratch* No. I am not elated, I am currently reviewing what I am up against and I am now realizing. I should have started studying MONTHS ago. I plan on taking the GMAT sometime at the end of next month (AHHH!) I can get with reading and comprehension, those have been my strong subjects throughout my life, but the Quantitative portion of this test. Jesus, Allah, and Jehovah, help me! I have not seen an integer since sophomore year in college, and an isosceles triangle since the early 2000’s. I am rusty. I know with a little patience and hours of crunching I can wing it. I am excited to embark on this post graduate trek, HOWEVER, I believe that this entrance test is pure malarkey. I guess my student loan debt receipt and my diploma is not enough to get me into grad school.

Oh wells, many before me have had to take this test, and I have asked a few friends and acquaintances how do they feel about the GMAT? A lot of it was not that positive. One person even looked at me like I had 6 heads when I asked them about their experience. One reason a friend gave me is that it is difficult, because the test adapts to you (making it difficult to prepare and study) two because it’s about stuff we will never in life get to use unless we are an engineer, biochemist, or an architect. I look forward to spending the 250.00 and I better pass with flying colors, because Sallie Mae has a death grip hold on my bank account. I cannot afford to take this test this year again. So wish me luck!!

*disclaimer I am not usually this cynical but based on what I am reviewing I feel overwhelmed*

15 minute Ab Workout

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Happy Thursday!

I started out my day in a huge rush. My alarm did not blair this morning and I was appalled. How dare my trusty alarm I have had since 12 not go off! So I rushed to get dressed and out the house in 15 minutes. I am here, I am sore from yesterday’s workout and I have a picture! I posted it on Instagram and it looks like my one ab is getting some shine. This is so exciting. One Ab that’s my nickname!

Ignore the baby wipes. I hit the elliptical machine and did my 3 sets of 30 seconds exercise I posted in a previous blog (here). Boy my lats are feeling it. I also discovered I may have a possible groin injury. I felt a knot on my right side where my hip connects to my pelvic bone. It only mildly hurts when I press down on it and when I cough it stays in place. Meh. Today I will workout my core I found an interesting 15 minute workout for abs on Pinterest. Pumps and Iron is the name of her blog. I haven’t had a moment to read any of her other posts but trust me I will!

15-Minute Ab Workout

This workout is broken down into three sections and you’ll rest for 30 seconds in between each.

15-minute ab workout

First Sequence

Complete three rounds of the following exercises. Don’t take a break between rounds.

  • 30 seconds Windshield Wipers: Lay on back, legs perpendicular to the ground and arms outstretched for support. Lower your legs to the right, twisting your hips, until they are just hovering above the ground. Lift back to starting position and over to the left side. Continue back and forth in a windshield wiper motion.
  • 30 seconds Bicycle Crunches: Lay on back, hands behind head. When you crunch up towards your bent left knee, your right leg should be extended out and not touching the ground. Switch sides, crunching over towards the right with your left leg extended. Continue in a fluid, cycling motion.
  • 30 seconds Boat Pose: If you practice yoga, you’re probably familiar with boat pose. Sit in a “V” pose with legs held straight up at about a 45-degree angle with the ground and arms out straight. If it’s too difficult to keep your legs straight, bend them at the knee for Half Boat Pose. Hold for the 30 seconds.

Second Sequence

Complete three rounds of the following exercises. Don’t take a break between rounds.

  • 30 seconds Side Plank Lifts (right side): Start in a side plank position. Lower your hips towards the ground, and then lift upwards, crunching into an arch passed your original straight plank position. Continue lowering and raising.
  • 30 seconds Side Plank Lifts (left side)
  • 30 seconds Elbow Plank: A plank…on your elbows/forearms.

Third Sequence

Complete three rounds of the following exercises. Don’t take a break between rounds.

  • 30 seconds Reptile Planks: Bring your left knee (bent out to the side and parallel to the ground) up to your left elbow, crunching your obliques. Repeat on the right side.
  • 30 seconds Crunch Pulses: For these, you’ll be holding a crunch position (shoulders off the ground) and pushing your hands through your legs, making small ab contractions (crunch pulses).
  • 30 seconds Leg Hover Hold: Lay on your back with hands by your sides for support. Lift your legs off the ground a couple inches and hold. Really engage your core; try to keep the small of your back on the ground and resist arching your back.

Looks challenging enough!  I also discovered a very inspiring blog through fitfluential.com About a woman who was ridiculed and called Precious by her college professor and turned that embarassing painful moment into inspiration to get fit. Home girl is looking GREAT. Read her story here.

Look at her transformation! It is absolutely inspiring. She has a lot to say, she is encouraging and most of all she is so down to earth!

What are your fitness goals today?

Have you ever had a groin injury?

Who inspires you?