Baby Mama Got Back

If  you do a considerably intense lower body work out, it is close to a cardiovascular workout as well because your legs are the largest muscle group in your body with your Back following in second. As a women, I love doing legs and I am just now starting to recognize the old shape coming back. Have I done anything different?  Yes. I am getting more serious.  Working out each muscle group twice a week really helps. All I know it does, is it keeps that “pump” in your muscles. I have noticed in the last week my Bum lifting.  Hallelujah!

Here is what I do:

Leg press (free weight room):  1-2 sets w/ two 45 lb weights, follow up w/ 2-3 more sets adding a 10 lbs weight to each side. sets of 10-12.

Squats:  using the smith machine  3 of 10  25-35 lbs weights each side

Walking Lunges:  down a hallway, 2 round trips  12-15 lbs dumbbells

Hip Hinge: using a 60 lb bar 3 of 10

Leg extensions: free weights or machine. This is an exercise for definition not growth so go lighter on the weights. Too much weight can put strain on your knees. It does mine. 3 of 10-15

Leg Curls:  follow same instruction for extensions. Sometimes I change it up & workout my hamstrings on the “negative” which means you use a weight you can curl UP fast and then let DROP back down very slowly. This is also a good example how to change up an exercise to keep your muscles guessing to avoid that plateauing.  3 of 10-15.

Sometimes I’ll add in a machine that is very spot specific like those machines that target the outer &  inner thighs. Just remember, the leg press, squats, and lunges are hitting those areas. Unfortunately, we have no control over where our bodies tighten and tone more or first.

I forgot to mention, I only rest about 30-60 seconds between each set and move on to the next exercise immediately. I get bored and I like to be in and out quick.

Whew, this was tough. I like to go home and have protein shake after this one.

Back:

lat pull down  3 sets of 10  80 lbs

seated row       3 of 10 60 lbs

bent over row 1 arm w/dumbbell  3 of 10  15 lbs

Triceps:

alternating kick backs w/dumbbell  3 of 10  10-12 lbs

extensions  on machine 20-30 lbs  3 of 10

finished up with some basic crunches on a ball, about 3 sets of 15-20.

I also used the Smith machine w/the rope attachment. You stand on your knees hold the rope close to body or around your neck & crunch forward lowering your head to the floor. I dont know what these are called but if you ask a fitness attendent at your gym, they will know.  3 of 15  110 lbs.

No cardio today.

So, today is Saturday, Im not planning on working out and I have already eaten three slices of really greasy pizza.  I am going to start posting my daily workouts on here. I dont know if  I should do a weekly re-cap, or post them as I work out. If anybody is out there  and is following my blog, I would love your input on this.

Besides the fact that I have thrown watching my calorie intake out the window today, I did get my hair done and am looking HOT.  So, Im good.

So, this week started out with me having to back out of a self-obligated duty rather embarrassingly.  VBS (vacation bible school) started at our home church and I was asked if I could help out.  Me being the stay-at-home Mom and having a desire to help if I can, agreed but explained that where I go my toddler must also go . Challenging? No doubt. Possible? Don’t know unless you try, right?  Forty minutes into it, I realize this is obviously not possible with my child. Apologies spewing from my mouth, I exited, quick.  This is not the first time I have bitten off more than I can chew trying to be a “helper”.  I used to teach the Tuesday morning 6:00 A.M. step aerobics class because it was hard to find anyone else at that time willing to do it. The problem for me was I struggle to get up early enough to have time to eat a quick meal and time for it to settle a bit, but I would drink 1-2 cups of coffee. I have recently learned that doing this (a heavy work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach with coffee) is actually a new craze for mostly athletes called “Bonking”. This is an extreme concept probably not very safe, and that is more than likely why I would feel so aweful physically when I would teach that  class.  I am scheduled to teach it next Tuesday but it has been over a year since I have done so. I will be needing to prepare myself for it before then. I think I will try to get up very early and eat a protein bar or something, and save the coffee for when I get home.

Furthermore, I have never counted calories before but am now coming to terms with the need existing.” Maintaining”, is where I have always been fitness wise. My body type is primarily an ectomorph, so after babies 1 & 2, I needed to work out but never needed to change my diet. Here I am older;  I have weight to lose and therefore the same rules that apply to “maintaining'” do not apply to losing.  I believe I have plateaued and in order for me to lose the last remaining pounds, I am going to have to shave about 300 calories from my daily diet. Now, I still don’t believe in counting every single calorie, but you do need to educate yourselves on the issue. Knowing that I only need to cut about 300 cals to be in the zone for weight loss for me, it will be easy for me to make that adjustment with out counting every thing. I suggest checking out the website I have in my “favorite Sites” called “super skinny me”. It has some very useful calculators on there.

Balance. This is the answer to life really.  In our personal engagements as well as our fitness lifestyles.  It is my goal from here on, to bring more balance into my life. From knowing when to say “No” to lending a hand, to just following a more “balanced” diet ( i hate even using that word “diet”), instead of going crazy reading all the labels, and stressing over disappointing people if you can’t help, lets just be Happy.

Happy= Balanced and/or vise versa.

Transition is definitely how I would classify every aspect of my life at the moment; from creating this weblog because I have never blogged before, to where I am at in my fitness routine. As you may have read in the “about” section, my third child did not come along until my first two were fifteen and sixteen years old. So I had a few years of freedom in-between. You know, once a child reaches a certain age you find yourself able to leave the house again without packing a travel bag each time, and also feeling some since of security your children wont burn your house down. This was when it was really easy for me to dedicate myself to working out 4,5, sometimes 6 times a week. Now, with an infant in-tow again I am stuck wondering how I did it before.

As I mentioned, my old routine just isn’t cutting it for me any more. I am not sure why (thought for another day). Step aerobics and indoor spinning (cycling) along with alot of strength training is what I have always done with great results, but I have been in such a rut the last 18 months since my daughter was born. Aerobics is no longer appealing. I still like to cycle. As a matter of fact I feel spinning is one of the BEST activities you can do for weight loss and no doubt TONING. Every time I have “started back up again” and needed to tone up, I always go to spinning because I know I will see results in as little as two weeks and that is just doing it maybe twice a week. It is awesome. I do warn you though, invest in a gel bike seat; Even with a seat cover your bum is sure to be sore for a few days. Also ladies, I would be doing you a disservice if I did not suggest that you NOT wear g-strings or underwear with a thick outline. After all, you will be sitting on your derriere for the length of the class on this rather uncomfortable seat, bouncing a little at times.

Outdoors is one of my favorite places to be so I have been trying to take up running/jogging. I love the idea of this. You can do this where ever you are, even if you are traveling. However, i find there must be a “sweet spot” for every individual where pace is concerned because I tend to have issues with knee pain . What works best for me is a jogging pace, and I love intervals (light jogging with bursts of 30 sec sprints). I usually save these for the local high school track. If you are a seasoned runner I would love to hear from you.

Looking into a more sport (athlete) inspired workout, I have 20 minute cardio routines involving moves like: Burpees, boxer shuffles, and hop squats. I haven’t tried them yet. Still trying to figure out the best time to borrow our local YMCA’s aerobics room so I have ample floor space minus all the baby toys. I love the idea of these types of routines and how they offer cardio as well as hard core toning at the same time. I am sure you will agree, a Mom’s time is precious.  Hopefully this “transition” period won’t last much longer and I finally settle into new Momhood (again) with a routine that works best for me soon. I am thinking about adding a personal journal on here soon to hold myself more accountable.

From Cyberspace,

Stephanie