What I’ve Been Up To

Well hello gang. So I know I said I was going to take a week off or so from the blog, but I realized I missed writing. I think some days my blog felt like more of a chore to me and that is NOT why I blog. I blog because it makes me happy 🙂

So from now on if I don’t post something it’s because I felt like it was something I had to do rather than something I wanted to do. But I really needed to sit by my computer again and just type away. It’s my little therapy session I guess?

These past couple of days I got some much needed rest and then yesterday went back to my normal weekend gig. It included a lot of time playing with my iPhone. Can we discuss how AMAZING the new iOS7 software is? Seriously life changing. I am a technology freak so you can imagine my complete joy at how beautiful it is. I started playing this new game called Luminosity. Does anyone out there play it? Basically it is similar to that game ‘Brain Age’ that was popular when the handheld Nintendo was the big thing. It gives you small games daily to work your brain and cognitively stimulate you. Actually it stresses me out a bit because I like being right and hate having to press buttons under pressure, but I’m a little addicted to it! I like things that challenge me mentally.

I also ordered my new gold iPhone 5s yesterday. I won’t get it until October, but I’m okay with it. I will wait for something that is going to be so good 🙂

After morning coffee… by the way I saw this in the store yesterday and was intrigued. I didn’t buy it, but was wondering if anyone has had it before?

Anyway I headed to the gym early for me and started with my cardio. Really it doesn’t matter which part of your workout you get your cardio in, but for me I like doing it first because it sets the tone for the rest of the workout. If I leave it for last I often slack off a little more. Plus even though I LOVE lifting now, cardio will always have my heart. I could never be without it. I just love sweating my butt off!

I decided I needed to sweat out some stuff so I went into the spin room, blasted my music and went at it. An hour later I had burned this:

That is a lot of calories for me! I pretty much was in the 150s-180s the entire workout. I taught spin class when I was in college and I’ve been doing it for over 10 years so I know what I like and I know what I have to do to get the burn.

Oh and I also carried my gym bag around the gym since I switched bags and forgot my lock… yeah people stared because of my little pink object on there. Oh well 😉

And then I hit legs! Spin class really is a leg workout in itself, so I stayed away from any of the heavy machines that might mess up my knee and stuck with things I love but things that also challenge me. Here was my leg workout:

• Machine glute kickbacks, 45 lbs, 10 reps x 3 sets each leg
• Smith squats, 95-115 lbs, 10 reps x 4 sets
• Smith plie squats, 115 lbs-120 lbs, 12 reps x 4 sets
• Side bends, 25 lb plate, 20 reps x 2 sets each side
• Good mornings, 50 lb bar, 12 reps x 4 sets
• Bosu squats, 15 reps x 4 sets
• Single leg side squat, 10 reps x 4 sets each leg
• Pushups on bosu, 10 reps x 4 sets
• Box step ups, 10 lb kettles, 10 reps x 4 sets (change starting leg)
• Kettle bell swings with squat, 35 lbs, 20 reps x 4 sets

The kettle bell swings and box step ups REALLY got my heart rate up, I was surprised when I looked at my Polar watch that it was in the 160s. Do these!

After 508 calories of spin, then 45 minutes of strength training, and 10 minutes of stretching, here was my total calorie burn

Pretty darn good! That’s 329 calories just doing legs and stretching out! Thank you body.

And just to show you guys that you are constantly burning calories, I left my monitor on for the drive. 30 minutes later I had burned over 900!

I picked Phoebe up from G-Mama and Pop Pops, headed home, showered, and met my BEAUTIFUL friend Patricia for girl chat and coffee

Patricia is a future MD, and we met when she did her surgery rotation at my hospital a few months ago. I don’t click with many people, but we hit it off right away. I think because she’s super sarcastic like me and a tough girl on the outside! I guess you have to be with 6 brothers (wow!). Besides being smart and a looker, she is the most wise and mature person I know for someone so young. Sunday she is introducing me to my first Bikram yoga (hot yoga) class. I’m excited to try something new, but also scared… plus the whole people smelling thing, yeah not sure about, but I will try it!

Phoebe and I decided to stay in and make it a movie night. No spoilers here don’t worry you can continue to read. We watched Side Effects with Jude Law, Channing Tatum (yum), and Catherine Zeta Jones. Can we all say a little rest in peace for Jude Law’s hairline? At least he’s finally accepting it now!

Let’s turn on the movie mama, but hit the lights!

She looks so small here, like a little bunny

And then the dog passed out on me

I think I am going to follow her lead.

Have a great day, and it’s good to be back!

XOXO With a Cherry On Top,

-Minnie