Trainerpack Workout: Chest and Back

Head to the Trainerpack site to download free workouts, including this new chest and back killer. Trainer Vesna says:

This workout is designed to target your chest and back muscles which are one of the largest muscles in the body. This is why it is very important to train them as they consume a large number of calories. The workout is a circuit of 6 exercises each performed in sequence to also work on your endurance and strength. At the end of the 6 exercises you take a break. I guarantee your muscles will be sore!

While you’re there, be sure to check out some Nutritionista articles!

Burn It: Making the Cut

Last night, my sister’s friend let me borrow her copy of Making the Cut by (who else?) Jillian Michaels. The book is a 30-day program for fairly fit people who just want to tone up and lose those last 10-20 pounds. I was really excited because:

1. I love Jillian with all my heart and would give my left arm for a chance to train with her (guess she wouldn’t be training my left arm, though).
2. Now that my half marathon is over, I don’t really have a workout plan. Lately, I’ve been meandering through the gym, pretty much doing whatever I feel like at the moment. But what do I always tell you guys? YOU NEED TO HAVE A PLAN! That’s one of the main points of the Winter Shape Up.
3. I was curious to see what kinds of recipes Jillian offers in her book.

I managed to skim most of the book last night, including taking the test for what kind of oxidizer I am (yeah, I’ll admit, I skipped most of the explanation behind that). Turns out, I’m a balanced oxidizer, but I’m fairly convinced that doesn’t mean anything. Sorry, Jill.

Anyway, my impression of the book was mixed. I was highly, highly disappointed that many of the recipes in the book contained a plethora of artificial ingredients/products, including Splenda and all these low-carb shakes and powders. I immediately knew that the Making the Cut diet plan was not for me. I’m never in favor of using artificial ingredients to cut calories.

The workout plan, however, was another story. It looks pretty kick-booty, and I’m excited to try Day 1 today at the gym. The workouts in the book are all based on circuit training, which means you do a set of exercises without rest, rest for a minute or two, and then move on to the next circuit. From what I’ve seen, the workouts in the book combine upper-body, lower-body, and core work in the same day.

Because the circuit training workouts in Making the Cut don’t include very much cardio (just some short intervals of sprints, etc.), and because I want to maintain my running stamina, I think my plan going forward will be this:

Alternate between Making the Cut (or similar circuit training) workouts and running.

Pretty simple right? On days I don’t make the cut, so to speak, I’ll run (ideally for at least 30 minutes). And vice versa. My goal is to do three days of each (with maybe one overlapping day).

My question for you guys: Has anyone tried to follow the 30-day Making the Cut program? What did you think?

Shape Up for… Winter?

Starting around March, fitness magazines come out with a bevy of articles all about “looking hot in your bikini” and “shaping up for summer.” But what about us snow bunnies? Can’t we look cute in our… snow pants sweaters? Going beyond the superficial, with the dwindling light and chilly temps, winter can be downright depressing. Seasonal Affective Disorder, anyone? I went to college in Minnesota, where SAD was actually a huge issue. One surefire way to combat it is getting enough physical activity and making sure your nutrition is on point. Lots of white carbs combined with cold darkness can make anyone feel pretty sluggish.

Anyway, I was chatting with my friend Eric, and we decided that we want to take our fitness to the next level this winter. He says he’s reached a sort of stand-still in terms of his weight loss/fitness goals, and I’ve managed to pack on a few pounds this summer from all the eating I’ve been doing for my half marathon training (which I found out is pretty common). So we made a little bet, Biggest Loser style. Who can lose the biggest percentage of weight by December 31st? Keep in mind, we’re doing it in a healthy way (kicking booty in the gym and eating well). And it’s not just endless weight loss… Our goal is to lose between 5-10% of our body weights.

This is where I need to stop and make the point that this challenge is NOT just about weight loss. We’ve both been slacking in our own ways lately, and we want to make sure we don’t slide down the slippery (icy!) slope that winter can become. So we’re taking action. Even if you don’t want or need to lose weight, having the goal of staying fit, healthy, and energized during the cold winter months is a good one.

So on that note, who’s with us? Your goal could be weight loss, or just making sure you get enough exercise to prevent the sudden onset of SAD. For anyone who does want to take part in our weekly weigh-ins, we’re recording our starting weights on Oct. 19th (the day after my half marathon and Eric’s triathlon) and weighing in every Monday after that until the end of December. We made a friendly bet and the winner’s going to get $50 worth of prizes courtesy of the loser (though really, we’ll both be winners, right? Right.).

I thought I’d extend the offer to my lovely readers. If you take part in our Shape Up for Winter challenge, you could win a $50 gift card to a store of your choosing (provided they sell gift cards online).

There are a few ways you can participate:

• Weight Loss: Report your weekly percentage of weight loss to me by doing your first weigh-in on Oct. 19th and then sending me an email each week with the stats, starting on Oct. 26th. I’ll be posting percentages lost here, but I won’t post anyone’s actual weight. In your weekly email, you can also report how you felt that week, and ask any nutrition or fitness questions you might have for me.
• Fitness: If weight loss isn’t your goal, you can report your physical activity progress to me also starting on Oct. 26th. Every Monday (starting on Oct. 19th), you’ll decide your fitness goals for the week and the following Monday, you’ll report to me via email how you did. I’ll be posting fitness progress here as well.
• Nutrition: If you already do well with your fitness but want to make it a goal to eat better, you can do that, too. Similar to the physical activity goal, you can set small weekly goals for yourself (that I can help you determine) and report to me weekly, beginning on Oct. 26th. Goals can be things like eating more fruits/veggies each day, or simply cooking your own dinner a few nights a week instead of going out. It’s really up to you, but I’m here to make sure you stick to it!

You can choose one, two, or all three ways of challenging yourself. The only criteria for being in the running for the $50 is that you email me weekly and show that you’re making progress. Only people who manage to report to me every Monday (regardless of what happened that week) will be entered to win the grand prize. This is a great way to keep us all accountable. A week from today, I’ll remind you guys about the challenge and to do your first weigh-in/create your first set of weekly fitness goals. I’m happy to help you create your weekly goals. I’ll also be posting plenty of workouts, healthy recipes that will warm your body and soul, and other tips for beating the winter doldrums.

Who’s excited?!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies from Carrots ‘N’ Cake

Sort of like a more indulgent breakfast cookie, no? I think I might make these and use them for pre-workout fueling purposes. I’m thinking the sugar and oats would give me just as much energy as any energy drink or bar could.

Friday Day in Food (and Exercise)

Workout, 11:45am: My friend Sophia has to work one arm more than the other because she’s hopped up on steroids, but it only works on half her body. Just kidding, she’s normal (sorta).

Here’s the short back & shoulders-focused workout I did during my lunch hour today:

Back

• one-arm rows: 12, 12, 12
• back extensions (machine): 15, 15, 15
• seated rows (machine): 10, 10, 10

Shoulders

• arnold presses: 12, 10, 10
• lateral raises: 10, 10, 10
• front raises: 10, 10, 10
• upright rows: 10, 10, 10
• military presses: 10, 10, 10

After the Run Ritual

I woke up at 5:45 to join my running group for an 8-miler (which I finished in 1:14… not too shabby). This has become my after-the-Saturday-long-run ritual: bath with epsom salts and a green monster, extra green. In the mix this time:

• 1/2 C almond milk
• 1 nectarine
• 1/2 C watermelon
• 1/2 banana
• 3 T hemp protein
• about 2 C spinach
• a few ice cubes

All the fruit made this monster super sweet. It’s amazing how sweet something can get with absolutely zero added sweeteners.

I have to say, today I was reminded again about the incredible things the human body is capable of when trained correctly. For a mile or two, I was running with a drop-in runner who said the longest he’d ever run was 4 miles. But this was the type of guy who just looks like a natural runner. He was tall, thin, and looked pretty athletic. He was one of those people you look at and think, “I’m sure he could run if he wanted to.”

But he was lagging and had to slow to a walk before we reached the end of the run. I had slowed down so as not to leave him behind, but I wasn’t going to start walking, so I  had to pull ahead. I felt bad for him, but at the same time, I realized once again the power of proper training. Six months ago, I could barely run a mile, but now, 8 miles is starting to feel normal. I’m not injured (besides the mega-calluses, but thanks for all your great suggestions!) and I feel great. The human body is capable of adapting to nearly anything.