A Challenging Workout

I found a workout plan online that seemed really tough, but I wanted to see if I could meet the challenge.  The original routine called for 5 sets of 10 reps of each of these exercises.  I challenged myself to try to do as many sets as I could.  After the first set, I was so exhausted and thought I was going to pass out.  After reminding myself I need to eat more protein before an intense workout, I made it through one more set before I REALLY thought I was going to pass out - I even had to put my head between my legs when the room started spinning.

Not to scare you guys out of trying this challenge! Just know your limits.  I really wanted to do at least half of the sets in the challenge, but I knew I needed to slow down. Plus, I had to walk home from the gym.  Remember in a previous post where I said my goal for today would be to jog at least a .25 of a mile to the gym?  I have no idea how far in miles the distance was, but I did make it pretty far down the street - farther than I've made it before!  I'll try to remember to chart the distance when I make the drive next time.

Anyways, here is the 10 rep challenge that I did.  If you are competitive (like me), try to beat my number of sets! Can you do three sets of these?

Weight Training

I hadn't been to the gym for a few days and was not feeling up to a super intense calisthenic workout today.  I promised myself I would go to the gym extra long tomorrow (hubby is off of work so I have freedom while he stays home with baby Haley) if I did a quick weight lifting workout tonight.  It took about 30 minutes and my arms and legs are pretty sore, so I know I got good exercise even though it didn't tire me out too much.  Here is what I did:

Tomorrow my goal is to jog to the gym - which is a mile and a half.  I'm going to jog until I'm truly tired, which will hopefully be at least a quarter of a mile.  I used to be able to run much longer without getting winded, but hey I just had a baby.  Its going to take some time to get back that endurance.

One way that I like to train myself to start running longer distances is to do interval running.  I'll walk at a fast pace for 2 minutes, run for one minute, then repeat for a total of 20 minutes.  Every week I'll change the intervals so that I am running longer and walking less each week.

Would you like to be able to run longer?  Have you already tried interval running? Did it work for you?

Working out With a Buddy

I am a huge advocate of the buddy system while working out.  Having a friend exercise with you is not only motivating and encouraging, it keeps you from getting bored!  I love going for runs with friends as opposed to by myself.  My competitive nature kicks into high gear as I struggle to keep up the pace.  Or, if there is something I happen to be good at, its a lot of fun to show my workout buddy what I know.

One of my best friends was in town this past week, and we were able to go to the gym together. While doing our cardio warm up, she told me that her arms are something she wants to work on.  My arms are actually one of my strongest points due to all the heavy lifting I've had to do in the restaurant business.  My core/abs are my weakest point that I need to work on.  Keeping in mind what we both wanted to work on, I created a super intense arms and abs workout for us to do at the gym.  It was tough and we are so sore now, but the difference in my work out ethic was incredible when having someone to go to the gym with.  I can't believe how much I was able to do!

Here is the plan:

My arms were jello when we finished this workout!  My friend has plans to come visit again this summer, and we made a promise to each other that we will be a couple of confident, fit girls ready for bathing suit season next time we're together!

Do you have a workout buddy?  I'd love to hear what you and your friends do to encourage each other to workout!

Lower Body Workout and Some Pies!

Two things that don't go together - pie and exercise.  The only connection these two have had in the past for me is that I eat so much pie at Thanksgiving that I inevitably begin working out for the week following the holiday.  But today I had lots of baking to do for an upcoming family gathering at our home, which included making these delicious mini pecan pies.  The recipe is super easy so I thought I'd share it with you all.  Skip the tutorial to find the full, printable recipe below.

To prepare for having pies in the house, I first did a super intense workout at they gym early this morning.
 I'm gonna call it the Super Sweaty Lower Body Workout cause it will really make you sweat!

If at any point, the reps feel like too much, just do as many as you can.  You will build up an endurance and one day soon will be able to do this and more!  Remember to drink plenty of water, and rest about 30 seconds between exercises.

Now for the tutorial and recipe:


First, make the tart shells. 

With the paddle attachment, beat 5 oz butter, 3 oz sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla on low until butter is pea sized

Next, add 8 oz Bread flour and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. It should look like this:

 

Roll the dough into a ball and divide into two disks.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 20 minutes.  This would be a good time to make the pecan pie filling!

To roll out the dough, make sure you use a well floured surface.  Don't worry too much about overworking the dough - the bread flour has a higher level of protein and will help keep the flour strong and resilient. However, you should always let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes between rounds of rolling it out. 

To best roll out any dough, lay the disk in front of you and place the rolling pin in the middle of the disk.  Then roll the pin away from you.  Next, turn the dough 1/4 of a turn (45 degrees) and repeat.  Turning the dough helps prevent it from sticking to your surface.  Roll to about 1/8 inch thick.

 

Then take a mini tart shell mold and place it over the dough as a guide for what size you will need.  Cut a square around it, with a little extra around the sides.  

You can also use a small round cookie cutter - just be sure to measure it against the mold and cut a little larger than the mold.

Lay a square over one of the molds and just barely press it into the sides of the mold with your fingers.

 Place the palm of your hand over the top of the mold and use the edge of the mold to cut the dough cleanly

Then gently push the dough into the sides and clean it up a bit.

 

Place on a sheet pan and freeze for about 20 minutes.  Making the shells cold prior to baking will prevent the dough from bubbling up or shrinking in the oven.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes, until lightly golden brown.  Halfway through the baking time, rotate the sheet pan 180 degrees.  

Once the shells are cool, you can fill them with the pecan pie filling.  It's super easy to make and so delicious.

Heat 3.5 oz of butter and 7 oz of corn syrup over medium heat until the butter is melted.

Hint - for a no mess solution to  measuring corn syrup, spray a glass measuring cup with pan spray (PAM or Bake Easy) and then measure.  The corn syrup will easily slide out of the measuring cup!

Once the butter has melted, add 3.5 oz sugar to the pot and stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.  Take off the heat before it boils.

Have a bowl ready with 3 eggs and 1/2 tsp vanilla extra whisked together.  When the corn syrup mixture is hot and ready, temper it into the egg mixture by SLOWLY drizzling it into the eggs while quickly whisking.  You do not want too go to fast or else you'll end up with bits of scrambled eggs in your pies!  If you do end up with this issue, just use a fine mesh sifter to strain the mixture before baking.

Remember to pour slowly and keep whisking!

Next, Place your shells on a sheet pan lined with parchment (very important that you line your sheet pan so the shells don't break).  Fill with a large pinch of pecan pieces, and then use a spoon to drizzle in a small amount of filling, to just barely cover the pecans.

left - filled too high, right - just right!

 Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly bubbling.  Do not over bake.

 

 

 

These freeze really well - just put in a ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months.  Let thaw at room temperature (not in the fridge!) an hour or two before needed. 

Here is the recipe:

These are the perfect size to satisfy any sweet tooth and not ruin the great workout you did today (or will do today)!  What other sweets do you let yourself enjoy a little of while dieting? Or do you have incredible will power and not allow any desserts?

Full Body Workout

Today I completed a full body workout at the gym in my neighborhood.  Instead of driving the 1.5 miles to the fitness center, I braved the walk, and I'm so glad that I did! I incorporated my walk into the workout circuit I wanted to do by beginning with the walk and adding in some high-incline treadmill walking in the middle of the circuit.  I would've jogged to the gym and back but I haven't mastered jogging while holding various items (keys, waterbottle, phone, etc).  And when I tried jogging with all these things in my hands, I was sorely reminded that I need to invest in a darn good sports bra if I'm going to work out while I'm still nursing!

Here is the circuit, but feel free to change out the walking with jogging, stair master, elliptical, bike, etc, as long as you get your heart rate up!

I used the machine for most of the weight lifting exercises except for the bicep curls, deadlifts and leg presses.  Here are some great links for how to do  leg raises, hip lifts, dead lifts, and how to do a leg press without the machine.

I used 10 pound hand weights and 20-30 pounds on the machines.  Go at your own pace and do not use more weight than you are comfortable with.  You will build up to a higher weight eventually.

At the end of every workout, I do 10 vertical arm raises using 5 pound hand weights.  This is my challenge to myself.  It is extremely hard for me to do just ten of these so I'm using this exercise as a tool to measure my fit level. 

On my way back from the gym, I took a more scenic route for my cool down walk.  I live in a gorgeous neighborhood in a small suburb of Houston, Texas.  I do not take enough advantage of my surroundings, but hopefully this summer I will make more use out of the beautiful walking trails my neighborhood has to offer.

Where is your favorite outdoor spot to go for a walk?  Do you have a place close by you would like to start spending time at this summer?