Hi there, and Happy Hump Day!
Over a week has flown by since my last autumn slim down update, so today I’m filling you all in with how things have been going the past week. Since my main thing with toning up is portion control and keeping my calorie intake around 1,400 a day, I’m happy to say that I’ve been right on track with that and lost a bit over 2 pounds from last Monday to this one. I indulged a bit on most days, but all in moderation. A few of my sweet tooth eats included a lollipop on Halloween (though I remember Blow pops being better?!), a mug of hot chocolate, and these pumpkin pancakes with dark chocolate chips:
Sometimes eating pancakes for dinner just does the soul good!
As far as workouts go, I fit in lots of good exercise time last week. One of the days I really just didn’t feel like working out, but I pushed myself to just go to the gym for 30 minutes. When half an hour came and went, I felt much more energized and into it, so I worked out for 20 minutes more. My motto on the occasion when I’m not really in the exercising mood is that not all workouts are going to be amazing, but the important thing is that I show up and give all I’ve got that day – which may be 20 minutes, or it might be 90. Here’s last week’s workout log:
In contrast to me forcing myself to go to the gym on Wednesday, on Thursday I was in the mood to workout. My arms were already sore from my strength training the day before, so I put together an interval workout that focused on legs. It consists of 4 rounds, with each round including a leg strengthening exercise performed in 3 sets, ab exercises in between those sets, and finishing off with 5 minutes of cardio.
I used to to do these types of workouts in the aerobics room at my old gym all the time, but haven’t lately because my new gym didn’t have a bike or other cardio equipment in the aerobics room I do most of my workouts in…until recently! I like this type of workout because it breaks down cardio exercise into short segments and keeps things interesting. My cardio of choice is cycling, but you can do anything that gets your heart rate pumping – running, jumping rope, the elliptical, climbing stairs, etc. Check it out:
If you’re unsure of what some of these exercises entail, here are video explanations of some of the exercises done in this workout:
Walking lunges with medicine ball ab twists
Question: What helps push you to exercise when you just aren’t feeling it?
Good job!!
About how long does this workout take to do?
With a few minutes of warming up & a few more of cooling down, it took me about an hour.
This looks like an awesome workout! I’m printing it now!
YAY, hope you like it!!
Wow! This workout looks tough! 🙂 I definitely have days when I don’t feel like working out. I just get changed and start doing it and usually I push through. Of course, it’s harder when I plan an am workout and I just push snooze, then I have to commit to an evening workout!
Oh it was, hence the yoga workout on Friday and rest day on Saturday! Haha. Since my upper body was already sore, then this workout left my lower body sore, I was just achy all over the next few days! Ohhh yea I hear ya about the early workouts… I am so not a 6 am workout person unless I really have to be!
If i’m just not feeling a workout, I just convince myself to go on the elliptical at the gym to watch trashy tv. I just pretend I’m going there for the tv (since I don’t have cable at home!) and it’s actually pretty motivating! haha
Ooooh that’s a good one! I used to do that all the time but haven’t been using cardio machines with TVs – need to remember this one for the next time I have to push myself to hit the gym!
Yes, pumpkin pancakes with chocolate chips are very good for the soul. Man, those look good.
I think it’s great that you mix up your workouts. I tend to stick to the same two classes but I’d love to get some Barre workouts or yoga in the routine. And my legs are burning just looking at this circuit! Ouch. 😉
You should, just buy a couple of DVDs so you can even do them at home for a change of pace! 😉