Don't Give Up On Me

Quick thought - in my EJC zoom conference call this morning, I gave a plug for the current album that I listen to every morning when I exercise - Wonderful Wonderful by The Killers. The Man is always my warm up cause it just makes you want to get up and bust a move. That song is about Brandon Flowers and how he used to feel when their group first started out, that he didn't need anyone's help and he knew everything, that's what he's said and what the music video shows. Anyway, song #3 on the album is Rut, which he has said is about his wife when she was struggling with suicidal thoughts. The chorus line says "Don't give up on me, cause I'm just in a rut. I'm climbing but the walls keep stacking up..." When I first heard it, before I knew what it was about, it made me think of my husband and his business. "I'm doing my best to fill them but the cracks are starting to spread.... I've done my best defending but the punches are startin' to land...." My husband has been trying so hard for so long to get it going, but after each crack/punch/problem he fixes or overcomes, there is another usually even bigger wall in the way. It's so hard, but as the song says "I'll climb and I'll climb, and I'll climb and I'll climb, I'll climb and I'll climb" Ugh, it just doesn't end and probably won't until we're dead, so keep climbing.  

Then I also thought about how I'm in such a rut with feeling discouraged sometimes, esp during PMS, and I know it's hormones, but I just feel like giving up, so recently as I listened to Rut on a treadmill walk, I was looking at myself in the mirror that's in front of my treadmill and was talking to myself, and I was surprised that I got a little teary as I told myself "Don't give up on me, cause I'm just in a rut" and I also thought of this facebook video that I shared earlier by Truth Bomb Mom about the things we tell ourselves - 

https://www.facebook.com/littlethingscom/videos/1012553822287323/

I wouldn't tell those things to my 5 year old self, and I'd call out anyone who WAS saying that to little kindergartner me and tell them to stop, and guess what self, that little girl IS still ME! So call 'em out and stop and shut up those mean and negative things in my head. Which came full circle in my head back to the EJC and the Courage Challenge, where Holly taught about acceptance and that we need to accept ourselves and talk to ourselves and we would talk to a child - with support, love, and encouragement. So, now I've put a picture of my younger self there by my treadmill mirror, to remind my current sometimes overwhelmed self to say good things to my little 5 year old cute self and encourage her on her goals and dreams. Don't give up on me!

Jan 29 - Feb 3

Monday - 25 min, 2 miles
Tuesday - up and exercising at 6:00. (Was a kinda messy workout with interruptions and stuff.
3 sets of 10 reps of push ups on toes,
3 sets of 10 reps chest fly on ball with two 12 lb dumbbells
superman Ts with two 5 lb weights, three sets 15 reps
15 more push ups on toes, 15 more flys on ball
Two 70 second treadmill sprints, .4 miles in 4 min
bathroom break!
blue elastic band over head tricep extensions. 3 sets of 15 reps. It was too hard, but couldn't find the red elastic.
found red elastic. 3 sets 15 reps of shoulder side raises
center plank 1 min three times
2 more sprints, 70 sec each. Done at 7:12
Wednesday - "The Man" warm up dance, 2 mile walk on treadmill while I watched the Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse on youtube since Salt Lake City was all overcast, boo!!
Thursday - made up this workout for myself this morning - I was going to do one round with 50 reps each, but after the first 8 burpees I decided to go for 2 rounds of 25 reps instead. I shall call it the Brutal 500.

1. Burpees with a jump (but no pushup)
2. center plank on hands, reach out for a wall tap
3. deadlifts with 2/30 lb dumbbells
4. high knees
5. static lunges with 2/30 lb dumbbells (first 25 on left leg, 2nd round right)
6. clean and press with 2/25 lbs
7. mountain climbers
8. assisted pull ups (these killed my forearms!)
9. shoulder lateral raises then bend over for back fly, 2/8lbs
10. jump lunges

Friday - Treadmill walk/run with 4 springs - finished 2 miles in 29 minutes
Saturday - Around noon I did 26 minutes of Danette May's ab dvd - warmup, then all 3 ab videos for beginners, intermediate, and advanced. Tonight at 7:00 I did 300 walking lunges as I walked around the block 2 times.

Jan 22 - 27

Monday - A few one arm ground squat to ceiling curl & press with 20 lbs, 10 each side repeated 3 times. The kids didn't take good naps today though so that's all I got it. Plus it's pms week. I have no energy and I want to eat cookies. I can feel my Hulk-ette coming on, watch out family, I'll try to keep her under control, we'll make it though this! Anyone have pms survival tips? I still got my gbombs in tho
Tuesday - Had a horrible night sleep last night, Daniel was so mean to me. I'm tired. Three center planks on hands for 1 min each in my closet here and that's it for today. got in my gbombs. And ate a package of chocolate coated pretzels.
Wednesday - woke up with a spark of motivation. 3 one minute wall squats while doing lateral and front raises, then 30 min on treadmill.
Thursday - 30 min walk outside with 230 walking lunges, plus shoveled the driveway tonight.
Friday - shoveled the driveway in the morning.
Saturday - Six 20 second let downs and 10 second hangs. 3 center planks on hands, 1 min each.

Jan 15 - 20

Monday - 10 a.m. in the fitness center at Park City Summit Watch. 3 sets, 10 reps

• bicep curl and shoulder press - 15 lbs/20 lbs/15 lbs
• fixed pulldown with 60 second hang - 70/100/85
• calf raises on seated leg press machine with 60 calf pulses - 130/150/130
• seated leg press with 30 squat pulses - 130/150/170
• tricep lying extension on bench and hold 35 sec - 15 lbs each time

followed by 33 min "nature" walk, 1.76 miles, on treadmill, "visited" Queens Garden in Bryce Canyon, Emerald Pools in Zion Park, Six Mile Trail in Kaibab AZ, Toadstood Rock Garden in Grand Staircase, and Cottonwood Canyon in Tonto, AZ. Hope to really go visit all those places. Very pretty.
Tuesday - 2:21 pm - kids are in Park City or in school, except for O and D who are taking naps. Time for me to exercise. Made up this little workout for myself after looking in vain for a Melissa Ioja workout and only finding this clip. So, started at 2:21 with a quick "The Man" warm up dance (cause you can't help but dance to that song!) then four rounds of:

• 10 burpees with push up
• 10 jump lunge with 3 knee hits (like in the Ioja clip above)
• 2 let downs
• 60 second hang
• 10 renegade plank - right arm with 15 lb weight
• 10 renegade plank - left arm with 15 lb weight
• 1 minute sprint
• 1 min wall quat
• 1 min center plank

Repeated that 4 times. First round was 14 min, 2nd - 12 min, 3rd 11 min, 4th 15 min. Total time 56 minutes.
Wednesday - Started at 2:25 pm while the kids nap. From the past two days it seems I have more energy at this time and am able to get a really good/hard workout in, versus just doing the bare minimum in the mornings. Did 3 rounds of the following:

• 10 right leg forward backward lunge with knee up
• 100 mountain climbers
• 10 left leg forward backward lunge with knee up
• 100 speed skaters
• 30 deadlifts with 2/30 lb
• 100 high knees

Round 1 and 2 were 10 min each, round 3 was 9. Then cool down walk on treadmill .2 miles for 3 min, then 20 minutes of stretching, thanks to Natalie for the great leg stretch from her laying on my back! Finished at 3:15 for a 50 min workout.
Thursday - Did 3 rounds of the following:

• 10 Push ups (some on toes, some on knees) with T-up - 5 lb weigh, t-ups on toes
• 1 slow let down - 20 seconds long
• 10 bicep curls 2/15lbs
• 1 slow let down - 20 seconds long
• 10 chair dips
• 1 slow let down - 20 seconds long
• 10 side raises 2/8lbs

After 3 rounds did 40 min stretching on the foam roller that I got last week, mostly on my upper back. Felt so good, I hope the roller is able to loosen me up!
Friday - Still super sore from my leg workout on Wednesday, and upper body slightly sore from workout yesterday. So just did a 30 minute walk today listening to "Wonderful Wonderful" of course, but ran during "Run for Cover" cause you just have to run during that song!
Saturday - nothing

Jan 8 - 13

Monday - Lower body - 10 reps 3x of:

• Static lunges with 2/30 lb weights
• calf raises

and 4 treadmill sprints - I meant to do planks and wall sits later, but didn't get around to it.
Tuesday - Upper body - 10 reps 3x of the following

• bicep curls with 2/15
• Lying Triceps extensions with 2/12, and hold after each set
• chest - fly on ball with 2/12
• 2 sprints - 1 min each, went .4 miles in 4 min
• back - six 10 second let downs on the pull up bar, plus a 60 sec hang
• shoulders - lateral raises with 2/8 lb weights
• 2 sprints - 1 min each, went .4 miles in 4 min

Wednesday - sore from the let downs yesterday! 30 min walk
Thursday - 12 min of planks
Friday - nothing. Went up to Park City tonight.
Saturday - 6 letdowns

Jan 1 - 6

Monday - Our family went skiing today. I didn't ski, but I did hike up and down the hill from the car to the cabin about 5 times. On one trip up, I was carrying a sleeping Owen, who got crazy heavy during my little hike. Good bicep burn.
Tuesday - Back to reality! Kristi Approved workout today at 6 am -

• wall sit 60 seconds 3 times
• froggy jump 15 reps 3 times
• static lunges alternating legs - 15 reps each with 2/30 lb weights 
• reverse planks down and up - 15 reps 3 times
• deadlifts - 2/30 lbs 15 reps 3 times

Then 16 min of cardio on the treadmill - 4 sprints, 1.25 miles
Wednesday -  Busy morning with carpool and getting Joseph to the airport. No am workout, but got it in at 10 pm. Did a 10 min "I'm the man" dance for a warmup, followed by 10 reps each 3 times:

1. Tricep chair dips, straight leg
2. push ups on toes
3. lying triceps extensions 2/12
4. bicep hammer curls 2/15
5. center planks 60 sec
6. upward rows 2/15
7. renegade rows alt 2/15
8. back lawnmowers alt 1/30

Then a 1 min hang on the pull up bar. Also, today I stumbled upon Dr. Sara Solomon on youtube - I loved what she said at min 7 about intermittent fasting, as I've been experiementing with fasting, I agree with what she says and think that it is the easiest for me to fast all day and then eat dinner. I'm going to do it!

Thursday - Like Dr. Sara said, just get up and do it before your body has a chance to protest. Took kids to school at 6:15 then home and to the basement for my workout - 4 min dancing to "The Man", then:

Friday - no exercise this morning. I'll be glad when Joseph is back to take carpool and I get my mornings back. Tonight I was going to try and make it up, but didn't - but we did have date night at the temple, that's a big WIN! yay
Saturday - nothing again, but had a good day working and cleaning house with the kids, I think we're now back on track after the Christmas break, yay

Dec 25 - 30

Monday - 11 pm workout, good job me for getting it in on Christmas. 10 reps each 3 times:

1. Tricep chair dips, straight leg
2. push ups on toes
3. lying triceps extensions 2/12
4. bicep hammer curls 2/15
5. center planks 60 sec
6. upward rows 2/15
7. renegade rows alt 2/15
8. back lawnmowers alt 1/30

Tuesday - nothing. Took down the Christmas tree by myself, that was a little bit of a sweat
Wednesday - 8:17 pm workout for an hour - same as last week, but just a little lighter on the weights -

1. push ups - on toes - 15 reps 3x
2. lying chest fly on ball - 2/12 weights, 15 reps 3 times
3. dumbbell bent over row - 2/15, 15 reps 3x
4. Renegade rows - 12 lbs, 15 reps 3x
5. standing bicep curls - 2/12, 15 reps 3x
6. triceps chair dips - legs straight out, 15 reps 3x
7. center plank 60 seconds 3x
8. side plank raises - alt, 15 each side, 3x
9. wall sit - 60 sec 3x
10. Stationary lunge left foot forward - 2/30, 15 reps 3x
11. Stationary lunge right foot forward - 2/30, 15 reps 3x
12. Romanian Deadlift - 2/30, 15 reps 3x
13. Froggy jump - 15 reps 3x

Thursday - nothing but a 1:18 center hands plank. PMS is almost over
Friday - nothing.  Doh. I think I'll be glad when the break is over and things get back to "normal"
Saturday - 7:05 pm. Going to try to exercise, but also want to try and blog... hmm. Maybe I'll go exercise until 8 and then blog after that... Ok! 9:30 pm, done and bathed and ready for bed. I did the following - 10 reps each 3 times:

1. Tricep chair dips, straight leg
2. push ups on toes
3. lying triceps extensions 2/12
4. bicep hammer curls 2/15
5. center planks 60 sec
6. upward rows 2/15
7. renegade rows alt 2/15
8. back lawnmowers alt 1/30

Then a 1 min hang on the pull up bar, then 4 sprints on the treadmill, 1 min each, walking and dancing in between - went 1.13 miles in 15 minutes. Then a good 20 min leg stretch. When I was doing the lying tricep extensions, I tried to do one 25 lb dumbbell, and as I did I lost my grip and dropped it on my face - hit my chin on the right side. I turned over and got on my knees immediately, SO grateful that I didn't drop it on my teeth, I seriously would have knocked them out, so lucky. My chin hurts a bit, we'll see if it's blue tomorrow, but I am blessed, I said a prayer of thanks.

We're going up to a friends cabin tomorrow night and skiing on Monday, then ready to kick it in gear on Tuesday as we get back into the swing of the school year. Oh, and I have 4 cold sores! I've only had them on my bottom right lip, but a few days ago I got one on my top right lip, and now I have them coming in on my bottom right and on my top and bottom on the left side!! Am I stressed out!??! or is it cause I ate junk food over the break? yikes!