My home gym & routine

Here's a little look into my at home (garage) gym. I often do the stair(s) in my garage. I do them normal, side ways, and backwards. These different ways all work different muscles. I really need a lot of work in my upper leg/butt area...badly!

One of my favorite leg workouts is the fire hydrant. You get on all fours and hike up your legs, like you're peeing on a fire hydrant (I didn't name  it).

I also do backward leg lifts (not sure the right name for it). Again, you're on all fours and lift your leg behind you, straight up (with a bent leg).

Santa brought me a great gift...a new weight bench! I'm getting so much use out of it already! I do my ab workout on it and it really pushes me. It's because I need to balance on it (and try not to fall off). It's a great way to push myself a little harder (which I'm already needing). I feel like my normal routine isn't doing what I need it to do, so I need to do it another way or add more weight. 

Are you an at home workouter or an at he gym? I use to be only at the gym person, but kids have changed me (of course).

Free Tickets & Gas with a Side of Stairs

Yesterday, I put in for a drawing, through my gym, to win a free pair of basketball tickets (for our local team). I just needed to pick them up before 6. The only thing is that I work until 5 and my yoga class starts at 5:50 about 15 minutes away from the other gym (multiple locations). So, I decided to change up my plans for my workout last night. I also had another errand to run afterwards. 

So, I picked up the tickets and headed straight for the stairs. I ended up spending a full 35 minutes ms on the glorious stairs. I really worked up a sweat and loved every minute. Except, I didn't really care for this location. 

When I walked in, it reminded me of one of those gyms you see on tv where a boxer in Jersey works out at. It's smelly and not taken care of very well. Plus, it was 2 stories. For some reason, I don't like 2 story gym (I'm not afraid of heights), and you don't have a view of outside. They point all the equipment inwards. So, you stare at other people. But, I was happy to have the free tickets (the game is on Thursday).

After I left the gym, I headed over to the car dealership, where I bought my car. Because I bought a car from them, I now have free gas for 10 months. Love the freebies yesterday!

Tonight, I am going to my spin class that I love so much! I can't wait. 

Any cool freebie your way?

Calluses Do Running Good

Earlier yesterday, I pulled some sort of muscle in my chest region. I don't know what I did or how to make it feel better. It was really strange. I'd never had this pain in this area before. It hurt to stand up straight or stretch. I was hoping it would go away in a few hours, so I could spend some quality time with the stairs and my yoga class.

Right before my lunch break, I noticed that I was finally standing up straight and wasn't in any pain! I enjoyed (only) 15 minutes with the stairs and a wonderful 60 minute yoga class, stretching. I say "only" for the 15 minutes, because I really wanted to spend more time. I got off of work on time, but traffic was a pain. It doesn't matter, I got my sweat on!

I've been noticing that when I get home, and get out of my shower, my feet are back to looking horrible. It's pretty embarrassing when I take off my socks in yoga class. 

 

I can't wait until I build up the calluses back up, so my feet won't hurt as bad when I do my long runs. Calluses really do running good. It's like they add a little protection between my feet and  ground (besides my good socks and my awesome shoes).

I can't wait for my spin class tonight. I've also declared that Wednesday nights are sprints night. Sprints and spin. How do you spend your Wednesday night?

How do your feet look? Do they look worse while in training? How do you hide your horrible looking feet when you must show them (yoga class or sandal season)?

All Alone

After work, yesterday, I needed some extra energy, so I was very excited to hit up the gym. Plus, I hadn't gone to my spin class in over a month. When I got there, it was not as busy as it normally is (when I go at night, I go right after work, the busiest time). I went into the locker room to change and I never saw anyone. Usually, other women are getting dressed right next to me (very awkward).

I loosened up my legs with an easy 4 mile run, then headed over to hang with one of my favorite instructors for 1 hour (spin class). I took the class easy, since I'm getting back into it. I didn't want to kill myself on the first day back. Don't worry, I was a sweaty mess by the time class was over. We did so many intervals. They've really became my friends. I love them so much!!

I went back in the locker room, to get my stuff, and not a single person was in there, I was all alone. So strange.

This morning, I went back, and I was the only person waiting for the gym to open (usually there's a group of us). The person opened the gym 10 minutes early (yeah!!) and I was still the only person in there, I was all alone (very weird). I think that once I get into the gym, it's another dimension and people are disappearing. I worked very hard this morning. I climbed stairs (level 8) for 15 minutes, did a 20 minute core workout and ended with lifting with the legs.

I am going to go cuddle on the couch with my warm cup of coffee and try to wake up some more. You know, when you come from somewhere where it's loud and wide awake, then come home where it's dark and cold and people are still sleeping, you tend to start getting sleepy yourself. That's where I am at. After I eat breakfast, I could definitely go back to sleep.

What's your routine after a nice, hard workout?

Sweatastic Morning

I was still pretty sore from the am workout that I didn't go back to the gym for my RIPPED class that I love so much. I was also so extremely tired from going to bed waaay past my bed time on Sunday night and still getting up at 4 on Monday morning. I know my body needs sleep in order to function (plus I can get pretty mean when I don't get enough rest), so I took last night off.

When I got home, I was starving. So I made myself a nice, cool salad. I had bought a bag of pre-chopped salad fixings. So, I through that in a bowl and added some croutons and non fat ranch dressing and called it a salad.


I was still a little hungry after the salad, so I fixed a piece of toast with a little butter and some cinnamon. That hit the spot!

Look how happy I am when my belly is full, I'm not lined with a thin layer of sweat and I'm resting!

In my house, I always have to have some sort of dessert. I remember when you guys laughed when I had carrots one night for my dessert. This time, you guys will be proud! Jason & I shared the last bit of ice cream.

Since there really wasn't enough for 2, we needed to make it bigger. So, I added a cherry, chocolate chips, almonds, a little banana and PB. It was a great way to finish off the ice cream!

I was back at the gym before the crack of dawn (seriously, you can't see light in the sky until at least 5:15). I decided to push myself a little harder today, because I didn't go to last night's class. I ran a hard, but great 6 miles. It felt really good to push myself that hard.

After the tm, I headed over to my boyfriend, the stairs. They have been great to me. I can't believe how much sweat cam off of me. This morning was such a great sweatastic workout. I can't wait to go back tomorrow!!

Do you have any off things you eat for dessert, that many people wouldn't consider dessert?