Burn, baby, burn

Move that body: 3.11-mile run (two walk breaks totaling 0.5 mile)

10-pound weights … arms … next day … ow.

Ow, ow, ow.

Yesterday, I decided to switch up my routine and just use the 10-pounders. It sounded good at the time. Then again, it was about 6:30 a.m. and I might nod my head to anything at 6:30 if I haven’t had any coffee.

I did eight reps of each exercise, going through all of them, before starting the second set – and I did three sets.

• Hammer curl with overhead press
• Tricep kickback
• Bentover Row
• Alternating lateral raise
• Wide-grip bicep curl
• Tricep extension
• Alternating front raise
• Bicep curl
• Wall push-up

It wasn’t too bad – at the time – with the exception of the lateral raise. I suck at those. Probably why I should keep doing ’em. After all, I have just 6.5 weeks to get in baby lifting shape!

If you’re wanna shake things up or looking for a little something different, you know, from people who know what they are talking about, here’s a workout I found at Women’s Health:

I think I might have to add that reverse fly to my circuit! (I also like their idea here – from a different workout – for a twist on the tricep kickback!)

What’s your fave upper body move?

Three Things Thursday: Giveaway winners and a big hug

Move that body: 20 minute upper body circuit with 10-pound weights

Drum roll, please …

The winners of the Old Navy Pants are: Holly @ Rust Belt Runner, Rebecca and Kim @ Girl Evolving. E-mail me mailing info to hlthystrides (at) gmail (dot) com so I can get those out to you. Thanks for entering!

Now onto business …

I have to thank you all so much for the kind words on yesterday’s post. I was a bit embarrassed to be reprimanded for gaining too much weight and even more so to admit it. The encouragement was unexpected and very welcome. And I loved all the comments that involved the words punching, bitch slapping and jerk. Made my day!

I’m feeling much better about the situation and think I’ve come up with a solution.

Step 1: Go to Target and buy a bikini and kiddie pool. After all, everyone loves to see a pregnant woman in a bikini.

Step 2: Stop at the grocery and pick up nuts, berries and vegetables. Those are healthy, right?

Step 3: Make Mark fill the pool while I put on the bikini, make a virgin mojito and prepare a plate of jerk doc-approved foods.

Step 4: Take the next seven weeks off work and do nothing but lie in the pool and watch the dog play in the yard thus satisfying my doctor’s suggestions that I eat healthy and not run. Heck, I won’t even have to move when the “time” comes.

So what do you think?

Yeah. I think I’ll pass on the not running part.

Here’s my real plan:

1. Take the doctor’s words for what they are: just words. Yes, I have gained the 30 pounds he wanted me to gain but is there really any harm in gaining 37? I’m active, I don’t have gestational diabetes and I have only had one Big Mac my whole pregnancy. The extra 7 pounds will come off – it’s just an extra month of work.

2. Acknowledge that the reason it upset me is partly because I knew I wasn’t eating my best. For me to eat well and stay eating well, tracking is critical. I will be mindful of what I put in my mouth and will write it down – if only to shove it in the doc’s face at my next appointment.

3. Eat bread. I don’t believe in eliminating entire food groups from my diet. However, I can make good choices and make sure the carbs are good and complex. Like me.

Say … WTF?

Move that body: 2.78-mile walk with Denali

Last day to enter my giveaway for one of three vouchers for a free pair of Old Navy active wear pants.

This morning, about half-way through our walk, Denali and I saw a woman running toward us on the opposite side of the street. I have to admit that I was sort of jealous. You know, she was running and at a decent pace. Then I noticed something: She was pulling something behind her. At first, I thought it might be a wagon with, you know, kids in it. As she approached, I saw that it certainly wasn’t a wagon and there certainly weren’t any children. She was towing a kayak as she ran along the hilly street that runs next to the park. Mind you, the kayak was on some kind of wheely thing but … yeah.

WTF.

Last night, “The Biggest Loser” made a big reveal – and it wasn’t contestants at weights they’ll never be able to maintain. Nope. It was the newest trainer.

Anna Kournikova. The chick who flirted with tennis and played with Enrique Iglesias.

WTF. I may just have to stop watching next season.

And then there’s the biggest WTF of the week:

I got called out by my OB … for gaining too much weight.

I hit a benchmark yesterday, one I’m not comfortable sharing, and he warned me to watch it.

“You lost a lot of weight,” he said. “You don’t want to go back there.”

Thanks for the newsflash, Doc. But you could at least give me some credit – I’m not on track to gain the 40, 50 - heck, 60 - pounds my friends have.

“Eat healthy,” he said. “Fruits and veggies.”

WTF, doc. I lost 120 pounds – I think I know how to eat healthy. I’m not going to play stupid and say, “But I have been eating healthy.” I know I’ve slid, allowed some things in my diet that weren’t there pre-pregnancy. HOWEVER, I’m also not eating fast food and crap all day long.

“No sugar,” he said. “No bread – it turns into sugar. No pasta – it turns into sugar. No cookies – they start with sugar.”

WTF, doc. You want to, for all intents and purposes, tell her she’s getting too fat and then take away carbs. What do you expect me to eat? Ten servings of fruit. Well guess what, jerk face, there’s sugar there, too. (Clarification: I know that the sugar in fruit is better for me than the sugar in a Milky Way.)

“What are you doing for Memorial Day?” he asked.

Not eating cookies, I thought.

“Weeding my garden,” I said.

“That sounds good,” he said, making sure to add in something about a barbecue. A healthy one.

WTF, doc. Make small talk just to make your instructions sting a little more? Thanks. Really.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a low-sugar diet to conjure up.

What’s your WTF moment for today?

Meal of staggering genius

Move that body: 2.65-mile run (two walk breaks totaling 0.3 mile)

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for one of three vouchers for a free pair of Old Navy active wear pants. Even if you don’t like them for real exercising, who doesn’t need a pair of yoga pants for lounging?!?

Steak tacos – it’s what’s for dinner. Or what was for dinner.

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the Dang Nabbit Steak Un-Taco.

You see, the tortillas that were supposed to be the taco portion of the evening’s meal had been hanging out in the fridge since the last time we had tacos, umm, a few weeks ago. And, as it sometimes goes, the tortillas got hard, making them suitable – at best – for Denali to snack on.

When I showed Mark the problem, he looked at me. He looked outside. He looked at me.

“Does this mean I have to go to the store?” he asked begrudgingly.

I looked at him. I looked outside. I looked at him.

“I guess not,” I said much to his relief. I may have been disappointed and really wanted a taco but I wasn’t going to pull the preggo card and make him go out in the monsoon (one of many we’ve had here lately) to get some dang tortillas.

And so the Dang Nabbit Steak Un-Taco was born.

Jealous aren’t you?

Don’t worry – you can make your own.

Step 1: Forget to buy tortillas at the store. Instead, pick up some lightly salted peanuts. For funsies.

Step 2: Marinate a steak (we used sirloin) using this recipe from Picky Palate.

Step 3: Cook steak on a grill pan or outdoor grill according to your taste preferences.

Step 4: Make corn relish/salsa/whatever you want to call it while the steak is cooking. Sautee diced red bell pepper and red onion – about 1/2 cup each – in a bit of canola oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup to 1 cup frozen corn and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and stir in a handful of chopped cilantro. The goal of this is for the vegetables to be warm but have some crunch.

Step 5: After steak has cooked and rested, slice on the bias as if you were actually going to put it on a taco.

Step 6: Top steak with corn mix and guacamole (we use Wholly Guacamole over here) and serve with rice or salad or whatever you feel like.

Step 7: With every bite, tell yourself that you don't miss the tortilla. At all. Seriously.

***

In other news, my run today was pretty good. I was a bit wary after last week’s groin pain so I took it slow, took more structured walk breaks (run 0.85, walk 0.15) and enjoyed a new route. I will say that I did have some discomfort – pressure in the baby maker because I think a certain someone was kicking me in the cervix. He’s super kind like that. It didn’t hurt really and didn’t really stick around. So yay for me!

What' did your Tuesday workout look like?

Weight it out

Move that body: Upper body session in front of “GMA” and 2.15-mile walk with Denali

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway for one of three vouchers for a free pair of Old Navy active wear pants. Even if you don’t like them for real exercising, who doesn’t need a pair of yoga pants for lounging?!?

For the past two weeks, I’ve only managed to fit in one session with the free weights per week. I wouldn’t be so bummed about it if I had a good reason … but I don’t. Sure, I could blame being tired or the fact that I don’t have Exercise TV in our new cable-free house or I could blame Denali because, well, it’s fun.

The blame game gets ya nowhere quick, though, and after seeing photos from that August wedding, I set my mind to doing more this week. I woke up, “enjoyed” a bowl of Raisin Bran, rested my aching back for a few and then got to work.

I did one round of the following exercises with 5-pound weights, just going for one minute and then transitioning to the next exercise. For the second round, I switched to 10-pound weights and did 8 reps.

• Hammer curl with overhead press
• Tricep kickback
• Row
• Alternating lateral raise
• Wide-grip bicep curl
• Tricep extension
• Alternating front raise
• Bicep curl
• Tricep extension
• Wall push-up

It took about 20 minutes to finish the two rounds, and I was glad to really hit my shoulders, triceps and biceps. I’d like to do more for my back but I don’t know of my exercises that would be comfortable for me right now. Any suggestions?

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

And the winners are … plus another giveaway

 

 

20lbsby2years said...

You should try the AYAMi™ Windpant too. B/c they look so comfy for post baby.

May 16, 2011 10:58 AM

 

 

 

 

Ally Simons said...

I follow you! And I'd love to try the Cross Back bra- I think it would be nice and supportive, since I'm "blessed" with a large chest.

 

 

 

Congratulations gals! E-mail your addresses to me at hlthystrides at gmail dot com so I can get those out to you!

And now, if you remember correctly from this morning’s post, I have another giveaway for you!

A few months ago, I signed up for Crowdtap - a website that will reward you for giving input on various brands and products. Most of the time I answer survey questions but every once in a while I accept an invitation as a member of Old Navy’s Style Council. Earlier this spring, I received a coupon for a free spring dress – and coupons for three of my friends.

Yesterday, I got another round of coupons as part of the promotion “Get in Summer Shape with the Old Navy Style Council.” The coupons one coupon for me and one each for three friends – are good for one free pair of Women’s Active Wear Pants. And since you all are my “blends,” I thought I’d offer you the chance at a free pair of pants.

What you should know:

*These coupons are only valid between May 26 and June 9.

*If you win, I just ask that you fill out a short survey at the website printed on the coupon.

*I am in no way being compensated by Old Navy.

*Old Navy pants are available in sizes XS to XXL.

*Because of the coupon window, entries will be accepted until Thursday, May 26, and winners will need to respond by Friday, May 27.

What you should know to win:

*Receive an entry for the following (be sure to leave a comment for each):

• Mandatory: Be a follower or read me via Google Reader.
• Post a link to this giveaway on your blog, FB page, Twitter feed, etc. The more you spread the word, the more entries you get.
• Leave a comment telling me which pair of bottoms you’d most like to have.
• Ask me a question, any question, for a future FAQ post.

Good luck and thanks for reading!

Dog gone it

Move that body: Shoes, which were hosed off yesterday, too wet to do anything. Runner fail. Plan to walk this afternoon

Mark and I had a discussion. A big discussion. About why I run.

He was worried that I was obsessive or exhibiting unhealthy exercise habits.

I assured him that I wasn’t being obsessive.

I run because I like it. Even if it doesn’t feel like it used to, it still feels good.

I run because it’s a lot less boring than walking. Even with Denali, who is a jerk never responds to my queries, and an audiobook.

I run because it’s good for the baby.

But I really run because I’m selfish. I’ve given up sangria, my body, goat cheese, 8:30 miles, sleeping through the night, mojitos … it’s enough. I’m going to keep the running for myself.

But someone …

Yes, that cute someone … he had another idea.

He decided that its’ good for me to run so that when he decides to go exploring, finding the one hole in the fence, I have the energy, fitness and stamina to sprint down the grassy alley to chase him. Yep. Let’s just say I had a fun afternoon yesterday – filled with dirt, tears, screaming, some speed I thought I lost and my first foray into barefoot running.

And while I told Denali that I hated him about 3,456,795,321 times yesterday, his little adventure was a great reminder that I can run – and that’s a good thing.

Who knows how long I’ll go but I definitely think I have a few more selfish miles in me.

As for Denali, he has a tie-out in his future.

Stay tuned this afternoon for giveaway winners AND a new giveaway.