Skip to main content

Sometimes You Just Gotta Get Started

Gym Day
Today was a gym day for me, though I was really debating a rest day. While not enjoying the elliptical, I've been enjoying getting my back workouts in at the gym where I can do assisted pullups/chinups. I can already feel the strength gains from working on those.

Today was STS Meso 2, Disc 21. I did omit the band work and deadlifts and added in pullovers and low back extensions on the stability ball. I did warm up for 10 minutes on the elliptical first.

Pull Ups Overhand - 12
Chinups Medium Grip - 12
Chinups - 12
Barbell rows - 12,10,8
1-arm Row - 12,10,8,12,10,8 (double dropset)
Pullovers (in lieu of deadlifts) 12,10,8
Low back extension on stability ball - 2x16

After the back workout, I headed back to the elliptical for about 25 minutes. I have been less than enthusiastic about  working out lately and I contribute that to the weather and also not being able to get in the cardio I really would love to be doing. When you aren't doing what you enjoy, it makes working out feel so much more like work. Once I am done, though, I do feel good. It's just getting psyched up to get started.

Oh, and I just realized that somewhere along the way I skipped one of the weeks for chest, triceps, and shoulders (I think it was week 2) meaning that this week I did week 4 at 80% of my 1RM when I should have been at week 3 and 75% for those exercises. Oops. So next week will be a repeat I suppose or I could go back and do the missed workouts at a higher weight. I feel like I've screwed up with this rotation and should just start over.

Salad Day & Holiday Stress
We had some veggies that needed to be used pretty soon. Rather than taking the easy way out with veggie burgers, I got my salad - a Roasted Tofu & Veggies Salad. I marinated some tofu in balsamic vinegar with a bit of honey then baked until browned. I roasted up some kabocha squash, yellow squash, zucchini, bell peppers, and red onions. It's really a simple meal but so tasty and surprisingly filling. 
 

I did have some leftover roasted red bell pepper hummus that I added on the side along with some toasted up homemade whole-grain French bread. I think roasted veggie salads may be my favorite salads (other than grilling the veggies). I love the flavors that roasting or grilling impart and the textures of the various veggies.

So now the stress part: So I have to ask, anyone else behind on Christmas shopping? Please let me know I'm not alone. I have never waited this late before and am starting to get a little stressed when I think about how much I have yet to do. It means traffic, crowds, more traffic, lots of jerks in the stores. I used to be the one who was finished in October. Do you like to shop early or do wait until the last minute?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I Run to Feel Alive

Today is National Running Day . Guess what I did this morning? Cycling? Nope. Lifting? Nope. I bet you thought kickboxing right? Nope. Running? But of course! I actually sort of planned my running days this week just so I could participate this year. I didn't get to run last year and didn't even know about it the year before. But running has become such an integral part of my life and who I am, that I couldn't miss this year. Basically, I run to feel alive . It calms me, it helps me work through life, it's often a reason to get out of bed. No matter how tough a run is, it makes you feel ... period. My plan was to get in 5 miles (got in 5.5 actually). It was about 10 degrees warmer this morning and definitely more humid. That always makes for a tougher run. We decided to take a different route today. Well, it was really only a few streets over different, but still. The point is we took a different street. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not. I did realize th...

Love in Photos

In honor of Valentine's Day - Love in Photos Husband Family and Furbabies Friends Even if you're not a fan of Valentine's Day - I hope you have a wonderful day and remember the loves in your life.

Weights, Run, & Road Trip Details

Two on Tuesday This morning my eyes opened wide at 4:55 am. I tried to go back to sleep, but quickly realized I was only fooling myself. So I got up and got my workouts done. Today was leg day with quad focus. Wide-stance squats - 3x8 Rear leg elevated lunges - 3x10 Firewalkers - 8 total Narrow-stance squats - 3x10 Static lunges - 3x10 Squats with low-end pulse - 3x8 Wall squats with ball - 6 reps of squat with 10 sec hold Outer thigh raises with ankle weights on ball - 2x24 We had storms roll through last night, so the temperatures dropped finally. It was 74 this morning, so I decided to take advantage of that and get in a short 20-minute run. When I first started out, I seriously didn't think I was going to get very far. My legs were already yelling at me. But, about half a mile into the run, they loosened up and it felt good. What's the Deal With the Road Trip? I am really glad I got the workouts done early. I feel like I still have so much to do to get ready ...