Mother Teacher Scatterbrain

Today, I am officially back on the band wagon. I will be starting my 30 day challenge that I quit in June: the squats, the crunches, the planks, and the push ups! I will also be starting my Couch to 10K.

I am so excited. So for today here is what I have to do:

• 50 squats
• 20 crunches
• A 20 second plank
• 5 push ups
• And walk 5 min., jog 5 min., walk 5 min.

I can so handle this.

I also have to get in about 100 oz. of water and 10 servings of fruits and veggies. Will update when done!

The first day, I was able to do about 5 minutes before stopping with my heart about to explode from my chest. Then my knees were hurting. I thought that it was the squats, but now I think that it is the push-ups. You see, I do the modified push-ups. I have never really done push-ups, but I have done squats for years. I never have knee problems! I also jump rope so I know it is not the jumping jacks. It has to be the push-ups.

For this, I think knee pads, but to save money, I use a pillow.

I intend to finish this workout by Monday. Then, I will start the challenge.

UPDATE: I went back and tried the workout again. This time I made it to 14 minutes. Half way! Like I said, Monday, I start the challenge!

Additionally, I will not engage in jumping jacks because they are hard on the knees like running. I will be wearing my new shoes and jogging in place. I may even incorporate some of the Leslie Sansone moves that used to wear me out (side steps with arms, jogging with arms flying, that tap out with arms, knee lifts with arms, etc.). There are too many low impact cardio exercises that i can substitute to ensure my knee safety! Besides jumping jacks aren't even that demanding!

School is about to start back and I need a fitness routine that I can stick to. I am taking two summer school classes so time will be a hot commodity. For this reason, I am rescinding my original June 30 day challenge with the squats, planks, crunches and push ups with additional cardio in favor of a something more compact. I have chosen to do the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Slimdown. That is my new June Challenge. I will post when I feel it is necessary, but it is unlikely that I will post daily.

Aka. The June Challenge in the Top Menu

Since the summer semester is upon me, I am thinking seriously about doing this challenge because I can read as I stretch which I will likely have to do as a full time student, but I don't want to have to give up my health and fitness, teaching my baby, or my Bible study. I think that I will try to do the two mile walk too because it is only 30 minutes. Or maybe, I will use the treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, Jillian Michael's 30 Day Slimdown, jogging outdoors (with interval playlists and a stroller suggestion), and jumping rope. I will be doing squats, planks, crunches, and push ups. Be sure to check out my Progress on the Challenges! (Join me and get your own 30 Day Progress Chart!)

So starting June 1, here is my plan:





How to Do a Squat


How to Do a Crunch


How to Do a Plank


Push Up Challenge--I will be using a beginner variation






And to stretch:


Yoga for Splits Videos

Squats are very good for you. Below, I have an image depicting all of the muscle groups worked by a squat and directions on how to do one correctly. Then I have several variations.

So I plan on getting my cardio in using one of these each day. We will see how far I get and which one I choose: elliptical, treadmill, or stationary bike. I have chosen interval training because it burns more calories and ones that are supposed to build butt muscles because muscle builds fat. Another cardio option is jumping rope. (More on outdoor jogging workouts with playlists and a suggestion on a jogging stroller.)

Elliptical

Treadmill






Spinning




For outside and beginners (the link has the playlist on Spottify)


Stair master (Stairmaster)

After yesterday's rest, I am back stronger than ever! I read up on PMS fatigue and will post about it as soon as it is written up. If you rad it, some people lighten up or just rest. Well, I rested yesterday and today I thought that I would just give it my best go.

Today was a lazy day. I have been dragging lately and couldn't bring myself to workout. I needed a day, and when I get back to my routine, I will have a little more fire in me.

I came across this article, Tame the Tum: Spare tire or stress bulge?. It may prove to be an invaluable resource in my battle against my only trouble zone: my gut!

I woke up this morning feeling particularly tired and a bit sore. This week, I added in some body weight exercises for building muscle. I have been doing squats and planks. Since I was feeling a but funky, I was going to take it down a notch and do low impact like yoga or something, but when I got out of bed, I realized I had some time so I changed my mind. I mean, I want to run in two weeks, right? Gotta get it!

I amped it all the way up today by starting Leslie Sansone's Five Mile Fat Burn. I did the first mile and a half this morning. Then I did the first two miles this afternoon. I have come so far in two weeks! At first I couldn't get in one mile--let alone two or three! I totes feel like I can conquer the world. I am so going to finish this workout within the next two weeks.

Since my biggest issue with finishing the three mile walk tape was time and fatigue, but I feel that it is time to step up my workout anyway. So for this week, instead of doing the three mile walk, I will do three miles of the five mile walk using the warm up from the one mile walk to cool down.

So, Friday and Saturday, I shopped with my mom and son. Plenty of walking because we made a day of it.

Today, Sunday, May 19, 2013, after less than two weeks, I finished Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home Three Mile Walk tape! I did take two brakes, but I pushed myself! I fully intend to finish it tomorrow morning. I learned that my biggest barrier to finishing is time. On day 3, if my baby wouldn't have woke up, I would have finished. Today, I learned that I had made it to the cool down on that day. So, I got this. I am going to amp up my moves tomorrow and kill it! I will work this one for the rest of the week and then I am moving on to the five mile. Once I master the five mile (I give myself two weeks!), I will begin to add running into my program. In the first post about exercise, I expressed the desire to run a 5K (3.1 miles). I am going to be there in six weeks with my own program. I bet in three weeks when I begin running, I will be able to run the whole three miles on the first time!

Lets see!

Today, I did the one mile walk and about thirty seconds worth of planks. I also added in some shopping and some more cleaning.

Ate two coneys though! :(

Drank my water though. :)

Bought some fruit so now we have strawberries, blueberries, bananas, and apples. We also have green beans and broccoli. I should be good this next week. It is so on! No more crappy diet. Now off to bed!

I got up this morning tired again. I got on Facebook and visited my favorite group, The F.I.T.CHES, INC. and my girl, Ms. Utley posted this pic:

So today, I was feeling particularly sluggish, and while I am extremely proud of my progress last week, I am going to take it easy this week. I have been particularly inactive for several years and so this high level of exercise may be causing my immune system to be suppressed. That may be the reason that I am feeling particularly funky. So this week, I will be doing the one mile walk and calisthenics or yoga for the rest of this week.

Here is my progress, but be sure to get your own 30 Day Progress Chart.

Yesterday, I did no exercise whatsoever. I was just having a lazy bum day.

Today, I dragged myself out of bed reluctantly and did my workout. I made it to the two-mile mark with no trouble before baby woke up. I had to stop when he got up though. I was out of dishwasher tabs so I stood and washed a dishwasher full of dishes. Then I picked up all the toys we didn't clean up on our lazy day.

I ate pretty healthy this morning too. Yogurt and cereal, oatmeal, blueberries, lots of water! By 3:00 pm, I was already 50 ounces in on the water.

I am totally ready for a nap. Will post an update later on.

I Know I Said Rest, but This Is So Cute!