Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred

I am a lemming. Not really, but I thought I would jump on the bandwagon. The winter weather is driving me crazy and I need to mix up my workouts a bit. Others seemed to have some mild success with the 30 Day Shred DVD, so why not give it a try? With my super saving deal I purchased this and 6 Week 6 Pack for only $9.

I am going to keep a running tally of my 30 day's in this post. It should be noted that I am also mixing in my traditional running and weight workouts. This is only going to be a supplement to my regular training schedule.

Let's rock it out!

DAY 1, LEVEL 1: Did not realize I needed hand weights. Need to buy some of those. Oops. Temporary replacement, two cans of corn. It worked. I can feel it in my biceps, triceps, biceps femoris and sartorius muscles. This may also be from my 5 mile run last night, but I suspect the lunges in the workout have something to do with the it all. Surprisingly, after 20 minutes I actually did work up a bit of a sweat.

DAY 2, LEVEL 1: I messed up my calve muscles and was walking around all day with the "saddle walk". Since I was so cramped up this morning, I waited to do the workout in the evening. Still did not buy weights, so the corn cans had to do. A twitter buddy suggested, "Cans work... so do water bottles.. and if you are feeling adventurous gallon jugs :)" To which I replied, "I'm only up to half gallon jugs o_0" I'm waiting for the 6-pack to develop, but alas, right now I will settle for my calve muscles cooperating.

DAY 3, LEVEL 1: I was a slacker and didn't do it. Okay, not really a slacker, I ran 7 miles and think that qualifies as enough cardio. Back to the grind tomorrow though.

DAY 4, LEVEL 1: I went out today and purchased some cheap 3 lb hand weights. Apparently they do make the exercises more difficult than cans of corn. Who knew? And to think, I almost sprung a couple extra bucks for the 5 lb weights. Thank goodness I am cheap because my arms were crying at the end. I also decided to multitask a bit and watch the season finale of "Downton Abbey" on PBS with Jillian on mute on my computer. FYI ~ Jillian is just as effective as a trainer with or without volume.

Swimming, Kale Chips, Greek Yogurt, & Yoga, OH MY!

Kale Chips

I have read about these little buggers in a few different blog posts. The first time, I think was on Eat, Live, Run in her archives. Since then, I have seen the little buggers all over the place. Not to be a lemming, but I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about. Most of the recipes seem to be about the same. The first time around was so good, that I have made another batch to enjoy and perfected my methods a bit.

5 leaves of Kale
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of seasoned salt (sea salt worked too)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While it is warmin' up, wash the Kale leaves and use a salad spinner to dry them out. Or the old fashion way, swing them around in the sink to get the extra water off.

Cut out the inner steam with kitchen sheers (I find it fastest to fold the leaf in half and make a quick cut). Then cut the remainder of the leaf off into small bit sized pieces.

Now here is where artistic paths diverge. I like to get a little messy, and I do not like wasting a plastic bag. So instead of putting the Kale pieces in a baggie and mixing in the olive oil that way, I toss them into a bowl, drizzle the olive oil over top, and start using my hands to mix it all up. Or you could use salad tongs, but it is much more fun my way.

Taking a piece of parchment, lay it over a non-insulated baking sheet, and begin spreading the Kale pieces out. Take the seasoned salt and sprinkle over the top.

Pop the baking sheet into the oven for about 10 minutes, or when the Kale starts to get brown edges. This is the tricky part because the leaves can burn rather easily. Slightly brown edges-- just perfect. Totally charred Kale--an atrocity.

Put them out and let them cool off. Best when served fresh. Although I brought them into work the next day and my officemates sang their praises, so as long as they are packaged up, they will hold.

Swimming & Breakfast Goodness

This morning I was able to pull myself out of bed and drive over to the gym. It was pouring outside and although I will run through light raining, when it downpours I draw the line.

Instead I threw on my swimsuit and started in on laps at the pool. When I walked into the pool area the serious swimmers were still doing their morning workout. Taking motivation from their impressive style, I grabbed some flippers and hopped in.

Warmed up for five minutes with an easy breast stroke. Then went into some 50 meter freestyle sprints without the fins, and then a lap of easy backstroke for rest. I liked to equate them to my swim version of a fartlek workout. Maintained this for thirty minutes, and finished with a five minute easy breast stroke cool down.

I'm feeling stronger in the water and hope to build on that this winter so I can be ready to start training for some open water swimming in the spring.

Patting myself on the back for a workout well done, I headed home and made one of my favorite breakfasts.

Honey Vanilla Greek Yogurt was the star of the bowl. Sprinkled on French vanilla granola (YUMMY!), and finished it off by drizzling on about a teaspoon of organic honey. Definitely hit the spot.

Topped it all off with a slice of whole grain bread, and what other than -- NUTELLA!

Yoga with Whiskers

At work I realized my upper back was stiff. Probably had something to do with overexerting them when I was doing my strength training last night. Evening plans revolve around making a little dinner and stretching it out with some yoga in the living room. Good activity to do on a chilly evening.

My kitties think so too, because they are already running all over the mat.

Mingling with the Gym Buffs

The weather is recking havoc on my run schedule. A little light rain I can work with, but as a general rule I do not like to take on thunderstorms. As a runner I like stats, graphs, anything that helps to track my progress. I believe in the power of well executed statistics. So when the U.S. National Weather Service tells me the odds of being struck by lightening in my lifetime are 1 in 6250, I pay a little attention.

And I figure my average is higher since I run outdoors and the stat encompasses the couch potatoes and gamers who perpetually live in doors and pull the number down.

While the last few days have been threatening with severe weather I have moved my workouts indoors and added in some strength training.

Which brings me to the gym buffs.

I have never been a tiny gal. Even at my peek physical form in high school, I had some meat on my bones. On an all girls team I did not necessarily stick out, but I did not have the average teenage physic.

By my astute *cough* statistical analysis, about 85% of the people that workout at the gym while I am there are male. And not just any breed of male, manly men. The kind of men that talk to the hair on their chest and encourage it to grow. The kind of men that crush beer bottles with their fists (note, not cans, but glass bottles). The kind of man that can bench press me and my extra pudge without even batting an eyelash.

It is always with some trepidation that I enter the gym for my workout, because by my outward appearance I always feel like I am being judged. When I walk in with my Peto Bismol pink shirt and frou frou pony tail there are side glancing stares and raised eyebrows. The men pound on their chests a bit and let out grunts to show that this is their territory, and I am merely a visitor.

My little chubby behind wattles over to the treadmill to warm up for a couple miles. Any longer on the dreadful thing and I contemplate taking a dumbbell to it. Of course a couple minutes after I start the thing I am flanked by two runners who push up their speed to seven minute pace miles after glancing over and seeing that I am merely at a 9:30 pace, in order to show their awesomeness. They jump off after a mile and hold back their wheezes until they think they are out of sight.

At least I imagine their wheezing and chalk that up to my own awesomeness as an endurance athlete.

I finish up my run on the devil treadmill and scurry through the gym and out into the open track area for some stretches and ab workouts. There is a girl who cannot be more then 12 years old out there and I think she looks adorable in her little purple tank and pigtails. Then she drops to the floor and starts pounding out push ups like she is in the Navy. Her military precision is intimidating. I lower my head in defeat and retreat to the back weight room.

It is quieter in here. The bulk of the serious gym buffs are out by the free weight section, so I have the standard machines to myself for a bit. A couple other guys come in and I hold my breath expecting more judgment. But then I notice they are like me, slightly skittish and trying to stay out of the eye of the more serious weightlifters.

I finish up my arm and leg circuit and know it is time. The final workouts for the day are the free weights, and it is time to come face-to-face with the gym buffs. When I enter the main room I am meet with the worst possible scenario.

The power lifters.

These are the ultra gym buffs. They compete all over the country, and I know a couple of them are world champions in their weight class. Not only can they bench press me and my flub, they can do it standing one handed and dancing a jig.

"Hi Clarkie!"

Oh, and they know me too. So I cannot just hid in the back and go through my reps, I have to walk over and engage them in polite conversation. To be fair, they are pretty cool people who really work well together and encourage each other. They look like they belong here at the gym, because they do.

And so do I.

We chat a bit, I let them get back to their massive weights, and I go grab my little ten pounders. It is then that suddenly something in the gym drastically changes.

Everyone stops looking at me funny. They just acknowledge me and go on with their workout. I am almost positive it is because the power lifters who are the kings and queens of the gym have shown me their favor. But I also want to think that it is my confidence in myself that I exude changes their view on me. Whatever it is, I am thankful for acceptance.

Thanks to the weather, I will probably be back there again tonight and postponing my long run until tomorrow. Here's hoping that newfound grace follows me through.