Getting Back on Schedule

Wow! It's been a long time since I've written anything on my challenge. Getting ready for Nora's birthday and then recovering from her birthday I was exhausted. I finally got to the gym yesterday and this morning. A total of 1,000 calories burned! Hope I am keep it up the rest of the week!

Great Song: Do Everything!

I heard this song on the radio on my way back home from the gym. It caught my attention because of the first verse:

You’re picking up toys on the living room floor
for the 15th time today
Matching up socks and sweeping up lost
Cheerios that got away
You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips
and head out the door


That seems to be my wonderful life right now! And then he went on to sing: 


Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace
With every move that you make
And every little thing you do


And it made me think: I love being a mom. It is the most amazing blessing ever! This past weekend we were at the outlet mall in a store and I was walking around with Nora in my arms. She was so happy and giggling. I was bouncing her to the beat of the music. We were having so much fun! And at that moment I thought - this is what it's all about. These moments when you are just loving life, loving your daughter, loving the fun you are having together...these are the moments that God gives us to enjoy and to make more moments like this. Everyone around us could tell how happy we were. We were sharing our happiness with people around us. While I was putting a smile on Nora's face, I was putting a smile on mine and on other's I don't even know. That day I am sure I put a smile on the Lord's face as well.


So remember, with every little thing you do, put a smile on your loved one's faces, on a stranger's face....and you will put a smile on HIS face too.


To tie this into my workout, hearing this song after my morning workout routine I thought: I did that to the glory of the Lord! 


So each and every day. Remember, when you do something good for yourself (such as working out) you are doing it to the glory of the Lord!


I got my 500 calories burned. I did get 8 cups of water in yesterday and I am working on my water intake today. 1500 calories left to go!


"Do Everything" by Steven Curtis Chapman

Still a Headache

I accomplished another 600 calories burned on the elliptical this morning and my ab exercises. I also drank 3 cups of water during my workout!

I still feel like I have a bit of a dehydration headache, which is frustrating. But I am doing my best to get water in. Hopefully by the end of the week my headache is completely gone!

Once I get my other 5 cups of water in I will comment with my progress. As for now I am 1400 calories down and have 2100 calories left to burn! How is your water intake going?

Getting Hydrated

I accomplished drinking 9 cups of water yesterday. I was so proud of myself. I don't take the time to make sure I am drinking water throughout the day, but yesterday I persisted. It took me constantly thinking about my water intake. And at times, just downing water to make some progress.

Today I am doing a little bit better. I have already had 3 cups of water. I finished 3 cups while working out. My water bottle holds 3 cups, so my goal from here on out is to finish a water bottle when I workout. Getting the first 3 cups is the hardest. If by the middle of the day you don't have 3 cups in, you are struggling to catch up!

I also burned 600 calories on the elliptical this morning! yay! I stretched and started my ab exercises, but was called to the daycare because Nora was upset. Hopefully, I will finish my ab exercises this evening. Maybe my husband will do them with me ;)

So yesterday I got my minimum of 8 cups (= 100 calories) and today I burned 600 calories. I won't count another 100 calories for drinking 8 cups of water today until I accomplish it. So for now I am 700 calories down and have 2800 calories remaining!

Week 25: The New 3500 Challenge!

If you have been keeping up with my blog, you know that I try to burn 3500 calories in cardiovascular exercise (mainly elliptical) each week. 3500 calories equals 1 pound of fat and I wanted to lose my baby weight and maintain my weight loss. This challenge has definitely helped me accomplish this!

This past winter I was pretty good at getting my 3500 calories in each week. This summer has been a different story. I find myself getting to the gym fewer days so I can enjoy other activities in the nice weather. And I've been OK with not meeting my goal for that reason, since I know summer won't last very long and I have been maintaining my weight loss. Other weeks I haven't met my goal due to myself or Nora being sick - those days are inevitable and you just have to go with the flow of your week.

Another side goal that I wanted to meet when I started this challenge back in January was to drink 8 cups of water each day. I am terrible when it comes to drinking water! I was dehydrated most of my pregnancy and recently I have been suffering from bad headaches - thinking from dehydration again. This isn't good! I am finding that I need some extra motivation to get my water in each day!

Due to having a difficult time meeting my 3500 calories recently and not having the motivation to drink 8 cups of water each day, I have decided to update my 3500 challenge to include water intake. Here is how it works:

Goal Each Week: Burn 3500 calories

How To Reach Goal: 

1. Burn Calories during Cardiovascular Exercises (Elliptical, Walking, Running, Biking, etc)

2. Drinking 8 cups of water in 1 day = 100 calories

This means, If I drink 8 cups of water each day for 7 days I can count 700 calories towards my 3500 goal, making it easier to reach my 3500 goal. This means I still have to burn 400 calories each day of the week (or 560 calories 5 days each week or 700 calories 4 days each week).

If with my water intake I "burn" more than 3500 calories, GREAT! And that would probably be my goal in the long run, once drinking 8 cups daily is a habit.

RULE: 8 cups equals 100 calories - is all or nothing. If I drink 6 cups of water one day I don't get any calories towards my goal. I have to get 8 cups or I don't get to count the extra 100 calories towards my goal.

RULE: Cups of water do not carry from one day to the next. I can't drink 4 cups one day and 4 cups another and count that as 8 cups. Each day my water count starts over. I either reach 8 cups or I don't (I either get 100 calories or I don't).

Try this updated 3500 challenge with me with week. Maybe you are really good about your water intake and this will make the challenge easier or more attainable. Or maybe you are just as bad about your water intake as me and this will motivate you too! Either way, try it and post your progress with me.

Once I get my workout and 8 cups in today I will comment on my progress!

9 Minutes of Plank!

On Friday, Chris, Katie, and I accomplished our 9 minutes of plank challenge. This is how we completed the challenge:

1 minute: Right Side Plank
1 minute: Left Side Plank
1 minute: Plank (regular)
1 minute: rest

Then we repeated this series 2 more times!

Thanks to Katie for pushing me to complete my challenge.

Week 25 starts tomorrow! I didn't get 3500 calories in the past week, so we will try for week 25!!!  Join me in the challenge. I know its a lot of work, but it seems to do the trick. I am back in my size 2 jeans from college today and feeling great!

Another Evening Workout with Katie

Last night Katie and I went to the gym again. It's been a really fun routine for us! We burned 450 calories on the elliptical. Did our ab exercises. And even did a total of 6 minutes of planks!

Today we are planning on working out again and bumping up our planks to a total of 9 minutes. If we accomplish that, I will have accomplished my Plank Challenge from the other week!

2 Workouts!

Katie and I went to they gym Tuesday and Wednesday evening. Burned 500 calories each night and did ab exercises each night! 2 Great workouts and ready to workout again tonight.

Katie even taught me some new ab exercises I am going to add to my routine!

And Nora has Pink Eye!

So no gym for a while. I can't be taking Nora to the gym's daycare with Pink Eye. Poor Baby!

Week 24! My niece is here for the week!

I am so lucky! My 14 year old niece, Katie, is staying with us for the week! Not sure what my workout week is going to be like, but we are sure to being having lots of fun! If the weather holds out, we are off to the pool this afternoon!

When we fit a workout in, I will post!!! When you fit a workout in too, comment on it here and share it with me!

Summer Fun

Yesterday I didn't make it to the computer to post my workout. Burned 262 calories on the elliptical and ended up stopping my workout early.

Today we went on a walk around the neighborhood, maybe burned 200 calories. Then its time for Nora's nap and off to spend time with my family. So I won't be making it to the gym. And I probably won't be making my calories goal. I know it seems I have been failing a lot recently. 

I love summer. In Wisconsin with the short summer that we have I struggle to enjoy as much as I can. I have a hard time trying to get my normal chores and gym activities in along with relaxing and enjoying outdoor fun activities with Nora and my family and friends. It seems either my house is in order OR I am having fun. So I am taking the rest of the summer to focus on enjoying the weather as long as we have it. The means I may not get to the gym as much as I hope to plan. But I will keep going and working hard. I just don't want to look back on my summer and think - why wasn't I enjoying more of it.

I will still be working towards my goal each week, but I am guessing that when fall/winter hits, I will be making my goal so much more often than I am now.

So stick with me. I may not burn 3500 calories each week and maybe you won't be either, but that's ok. As long as we continue to stay active! :)

Great Day So Far!

I'm going to do this exercise today, promise!

Nora woke up in a wonderful mood! So we were able to get up, have oatmeal and get to the gym! Burned 820 calories on the elliptical and did my ab exercises (minus the planks). It is an awesome feeling when you do an ab workout and you are able to move from one exercise to the next without stopping because your muscles have become strong enough for those exercises! LOVE IT! I guess next time I get to up the intensity on my exercises!

I'll comment later when I get my planks in!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day and a wonderful workout as well!

Now off to bake cupcakes and cookies with my mom the rest of the day! Getting ready for Nora's big day - she's turning 1!

Day Off

Nora and I didn't make it to the gym this morning. Hope to get to the gym tomorrow!

WEEK 23: The 9 Minute Plank Challenge Starts Today!

Burned 800 calories on the elliptical this morning. And completed my ab exercises.

One of the goals my physical therapist gave me was to hold a series of plank exercises for a total of 9 minutes. This includes holding the regular plank on your elbows and feet for 1 minute 3 times. Then turn to your side and hold the side plank on feet and elbow for 1 minute 3 times. Then repeat the side plank on the other side for 1 minute 3 times.

The plank isn't my favorite exercise so I have been skipping this challenge in my ab workout. But my goal is to complete this challenge by the end of this week!

How do you feel about the Plank? Do this extra challenge with me. If you are new to the plank, try it on your knees instead of being fully extended.

Here is a link to show you how to do a front plank: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/32/front-plank

Here is a link to show you how to do a side plank: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/101/side-plank-with-straight-leg

Here is the side plank on your knees: http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/100/side-plank-with-bent-knee