Fitness Week 5

This was the first week of month two!  This week I analyzed the last month and thought about some things that I could work on or what things I feel are going well!

Things to work on

1: Weekends.  They ruin me. I lose control and I eat every single sweet thing in sight.  I don't eat a regular portion and then feel satisfied.  I go crazy and eat way more then I should.  I am going to exercise self control.  I don't want to feel mad at myself on Monday about eating half of an entire cake.  It makes me feel like I ruined an entire week of hard work.  I will still enjoy some treats but work on portion control.

2:  Sleep.  I know this is a hard one with a baby but one thing I know I can work on is getting to bed earlier.  Asher goes to bed at 8pm and we don't go to bed until midnight.  I know that a major key to a healthy lifestyle is getting enough sleep.  This will help me to wake up more energized in the morning instead of rolling out of bed wishing for another hour. 

3:  Cardio.  I know that I need to step up the amount of cardio I am doing.  I have been doing a maximum of about 30 minutes/day besides days I go to spinning.  This is a great amount of cardio but I want to have one day per week where I do one hour and 15 minutes of cardio only.  

4:  Food journal has been slacking! I've been forgetting.  It really helps a lot so I will do a better job remembering. 

Things that are great!

1: I'm consistent! Doing this challenge has helped me to get to the gym or exercising consistently.  I have been going about five days a week and am really loving getting into a routine.  

2:  I'm feeling better! I really can feel a difference.  I have more energy, I'm happier and I'm loving the "me" time.  That may sound selfish but don't take it that way.  I like to have one hour to think to myself and feel like I am achieving something.

3: Schedule.  I now have a set schedule of what I do each day.  Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday is spinning and abs.  Monday, Thursday and Friday is treadmill or elliptical for 30 minutes and weights for 30 minutes.  Pushups challenge is MWF.  I am at the gym for one hour per day.  Some days a little bit longer but I am amazed at what I have been accomplishing with a set schedule.

4:  Food. Other then going crazy with sweets on the weekends, I am eating better! I have been eating a lot more fruits and vegetables, cooking healthier dinners and really paying more attention to what I fuel my body with (minus sweets. my bad!)

5: Measurements! My measurements are going down! YAY!

Measurements Friday, April 6th

Thighs: 22 inches (down!)

Hips/Waist: 31.5 inches (down!)

Butt 37.5 inches (down!)

Bicep: 11 inches (down!)

Weight: 138 (no change)

It's not too late to start a challenge! Do this last month with me! Summer is just around the corner and you want to feel strong and healthy in your swimsuit! Hop on board...

Guy Fieri

I forgot to blog about something a few months ago and I thought I better jot it down so that it can go down in our books of remembrance forever and ever.  This is something to never be forgotten.  GUY FIERI helped Asher and me through security at the JFK airport.  We were traveling back to Turkey in February after visiting Kim and Tyler in New York.  I had my hands FULL! Going through security is stressful enough but adding a baby, stroller, car seat, huge bag and another duffle bag to the mix takes it to a whole new level.  I noticed Guy when we were checking in and I was totally star struck.  Is there a chance he is getting on my flight? nah.  I wish.  I have a feeling he wouldn't care much to go to a dive in Turkey.  Yikes.  I watch Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives religiously and I am even obsessed with Minute to Win It.  My friends and family know that I find any and every occasion to play some Minute to Win It games!  He walked away from the check in counter and headed to security.  I thought for sure my chance to meet him was gone.  Luckily, with a baby I got some extra help and got escorted to the front of the security line with you named it...Guy!  He started chit chatting and Asher was in a charming mood.  He was giggling at Guy and reaching for his so very famous sunglasses that he so awesomely wears behind his neck.  As we approached the conveyer belt Guy asked where I was going and I told him Turkey.  He couldn't believe how far I was going all by myself and he called me a rockstar.  I about passed out.  He then asked to hold Asher so that I could get things organized.  That's right, Asher was held by Guy Fieri.  I told him that we watch his shows together all of the time in Turkey.  He said Asher was a stud and that we have great taste in t.v. shows.  I was debating the entire way through security if I should ask him for a picture or not.  I chose NOT to ask and WHY DID I DO THAT? I am still kicking myself.  At the time I felt bad asking because he had been so helpful and I didn't want him to think I was annoying.  The second I walked away I was seriously angry with myself.   He may have thought it was a nuisance but I will never see him again and frankly I don't care if he thinks I'm annoying or not! I guess I will just have to think I was being considerate because after all, he did hold Asher, lift my stroller onto the conveyer belt AND call me a rockstar.  I guess I'll just have to live with the memories.  I love you Guy.

Lean Legs and elliptical workout

My friend Emily gave me this "killer" leg workout.  I don't ever use the word killer but this seemed like the perfect time.  I did it today at the gym and within 15 minutes after leaving, my legs were sore.  My butt and hamstrings are feeling it and I love when that happens! Also, below I shared a elliptical workout I made up (I'm sure many of "made it up") and it will leave you huffing and sweaty. 

Thank you EM!!

(email from Emily)

LEAN LEGS:

Ok, I did this workout with only five pound weights in each hand because I was doing so many reps Warm up: I did 7 minutes on the elliptical to get a little sweat

Equipment needed: 5 pound weights (optional) and one aerobic step or stair in your house! Jump rope or just jump in place as if jump roping.

Exercises:

A. Backward lunge off box- 15 reps each leg

B. Military walk outs into push up, then squat with shoulder press-So start with the dumbbells right by your feet. Walk out into a pushup position and do 2 pushups. Walk back in, grab weights by feet and do 10 squats with shoulder press. Do a total of 10 pushups (50 squats)
C. Jump Rope 1 minute
D. RDL with pull- Keep knees slightly bent, bend torso over (working hamstrings) with weights almost at feet, slowly pull back up with weights up to shoulders (in front of chest). Do 15 reps
E. Forward lunge onto box- 15 reps each leg. Start standing behind the box and step forward with one leg as if doing a lunge but end with foot on box.
Repeat 2-3 times  Stretch after! xoxo, Em

TRY THIS! You will not regret the pain.  

Elliptical Workout

I also wanted to share my latest, greatest elliptical workout. Very simple steps but great cardio workout.

Choose Quick Start:

Every minute take the elliptical up one level

Minute 1:  Level 1

Minute 2:  Level 2

Minute 3:  Level 3

(you get the idea)  All the way to level 10!!

When you complete minute 10 drop down to level 4 for 5 minutes.  At 15 minutes take level back up to 10 and do the process in reverse.

Minute 15: Level 10

Minute 16: Level 9

Minute 17:  Level 8

(you get the idea)  All the way back to level 1

When minute 25 is completed take it back to level 5 for minutes 25-30. 

Finished! 

TRY to keep the elliptical at 75 RPM or above.  On the high levels this is REALLY tough but make sure to keep a quick pace.

I have been doing this a couple times a week and I love the burn I feel in my legs when I'm finished.

Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

Tay Park II

Today we took another stroll over to the Tay Park where the mini horses live.  Unfortunately, there were no horses.  They had been put in their barn to sleep and eat for the evening.  We didn't know they do this at night!  I was actually happy for the little guys to get some rest from all the people.  We still enjoyed looking at the billy goats, rabbits, sheep and cats.  Asher was in a silly mood and would not stop chuckling and screeching at the rabbits.

What a fun evening! I am loving that it isn't dark until 830pm.  Glorious!

11 months old

This little guy is now 11 months old. Where is the time going? I say this every month. Time is passing way too quickly.  Asher is changing so fast and I feel like I can't soak everything in fast enough.  His personality has really been coming through and I am loving getting to know him even more.

 He is doing a little bit better in his car seat.  He doesn't scream quite as often and has actually even fallen asleep a few times! That's a big change

 He LOVES pears and kiwi.  This month he has taken an interesting change and hasn't loved any solids that he used to.  He doesn't seem to care too much about food and would much rather nurse.  He makes a weird face as if the texture is disgusting.  He pushes it out with his tongue and lets it dribble down his chin. We have a problem because this is why Ryan weighed 100 pounds as a freshman in High School ;)  All about texture.  One thing that Asher has eaten a lot of is pizza.  He can eat an entire piece by himself.  Am I a bad mom? At least he ate!

 He cracks me up!!

Other 11 month changes:

Started clapping!!

Sucking his thumb again! He stopped for a little while but now it is back in full swing

Saying mama, da, ga, ba, no and du and rambles on and on telling me stories

Pointing at pictures of Ryan and saying "da"

He is getting a big, chubby belly

He is nonstop on the go and crawls full speed ahead

His favorite toy is the vacuum and broom

He has become really great at creating messes

He plays peek a boo.  He holds up a towel and then drops it and laughs every time.  He does it about 100 times before he moves on to something different

He does what my brother Cody would do when he got home from his mission to India.  He bobbles his head side to side like a bobble head doll

He is wearing 12-18 month clothes

He always wants to reach his hands in the toilet bowl

He is getting more timid with strangers and doesn't want to be passed from person to person which is great for me! I was getting sick of telling people they can't hold him. Awkward but I was sick of him being sick every other week

 Luckily, he still loves daycare at the gym

It is a war every time I try to change his diaper

He still loves bath time

Has no interest in walking 

Takes his shoes off almost immediately after I put them on.  He has even figured out how to get off shoes that have velcro and laces

He screeches every time Ryan walks in the door

He loves slow walks along the water while relaxing in his stroller

He had bronchitis and RSV (SCARY!)

He learned how to suck through a straw

His favorite book is "In My Tree" and he giggles every time we read it

He loves to swing at the park

We love and adore Asher so very much.  What a fun time in our lives.  We miss family and we are so excited to get home so that they can see all of his changes!

Happy 11 months little man!

Easter Play Date

Last Thursday the International Women's Association hosted a Easter themed play date.  I don't go to a lot of these play dates because it is usually during Asher's first nap.  I definitely wanted to go to this one because of the Easter theme!  I was excited from the second we woke up.  Asher played like crazy all morning before we left.  I think he could sense the excitement.  

 His favorite toy right now is a whisk.

He LOVES to play with the broom and he even pushes it around as if he is cleaning. He begs for food at the table. He opens his mouth really wide and stands there until you drop something in, just like a bird! 

The Play Date!

 They had an Easter egg hunt and Asher got two eggs!

 He was absolutely exhausted after the two hours of playing.  He kept up with the older kids really well and followed the girls all over the house. I think  he found some new crushes.  He took a three hour nap and then we went out to the swings!

It was a perfect Spring day!