Ab Challenge

Day 8

Oh boy! Today I started my workout with an Ab Challenge that I found on a website called http://www.bodyrock.tv/. This is a website that I get a lot of my workouts from. They're high intensity, short workouts and they work best for me. I prefer quick workouts that kick my butt fast, plus since most days I'm limited on time, these are twice as good!! The Ab Challenge consists of 10 full minutes; 20 mountain climbers and 20 toe touches; as many sets as you can do in the 10 minutes. No breaks, just going back and forth between the exercises as quickly as you can. I've been doing this challenge for the last 3 Mondays and each week I've gotten better and better at the exercises. Today I completed 10 full sets in 10 minutes and to say I was feeling it would be putting it mildly. But I must say that I really like workouts that I can feel afterwards. The sore muscles and slower movements let me know that I really pushed my body and worked the muscles, but honestly, after my entire workout today, all I wanted was a big, juicy burger!! And I can happily say, I resisted. 

I typically try to workout in the mornings during my son's morning nap so I only have one child at my ankles asking me what I'm doing and sometimes I can distract her long enough with a cartoon or playdough! Now if I can only get the dog distracted long enough.......Yesterday he stood over me while I was on the ground doing an exercise breathing his hot breath in my face! I fought through because I figured if I can finish my exercise with his breath in my face, I can do just about anything!

After I completed my Ab Challenge I went on to do 15 jump squats, 10 push ups (the sissy ones - girl push ups), 12 tricep extensions, 15 bicep curls and 45 secs in the plank position. I did each of these exercises twice. So in total my workout was 20-30 mins, give or take a minute or so to ask my daughter to please move from under me while doing my push ups or planks! My tirceps need a lot of work. In comparsion to my biceps, they're pretty weak. My push ups are terrible, hence me doing the girl ones. I'm getting better though. I can complete 3 real push ups now whereas about a month and a half ago, there's no way I could do what anyone considered a real push up. So after I do as many real push ups as I can, I switch to the girl position and then complete 10. Tomorrow I'll add 5 so I'll do 15.

For my bicep and tricep workout I have tubing and bands. I don't have weights at home and the bands are really good because they're progressive resistance. So as I get stronger, I change the grip on the band and the exercises gets more difficult. There are three different color bands that I have, red (easiest), blue (moderate) and black (most difficult). The bands are pretty much a version of a giant rubber band, just wider (and made much better!) There are also three levels for the bands and they are the same as the tubing. I'm currently using blue for both.

Working out at home is great because I get to be with my kids and they're seeing me working to keep myself healthy and active. Not that a two and half year old or 7 month old need any help with being active!! My daughter (the two and half year old) loves working out with me. She "uses" the red tubing and walks around the living room with the blue band around her ankles laughing as though mocking me that "this isn't so bad!" My 7 month old son just stands in his exersaucer watching and giggling at mommy moving all over the place or sits on the floor and screeches whenever I'm on the floor out of sight....he enjoys laughing at me far too much! 

This 90 days is going to feel like it's lasting forever! Even this morning I woke up and thought to myself, "Oh God, I've got to workout today :( " But it will be such a good feeling of accomplishment at the end and I'm looking forward to setting up a new challenge for myself.

For my workout tomorrow I'm hoping to find a good time challenge on the website I mentioned. Those are the best workouts I've found and like I've mentioned, if time is a stretch you really can't beat a 10 minute workout! And once the weather is a little more consistent, I'd like to incorporate running (or at least a good brisk walk) into our daily routine. I have a good jogging stroller that seats two and I can't wait to use it!!

So my workout today was nice and tough. I had a good sweat going and even laid on the floor panting for a short while afterwards! All in all, I'd say......mission accomplished!