Fitness – Page 2 – Boots Bikes + Barbells

7 Holiday Workouts

If you’re anything like me, the holidays are a time to eat as if the calories don’t count. Another serving of cheesy rolls? Yes, please! More wine? Duh! Donuts or cinnamon rolls? Both, por favor! But that sort of carefree eating can start to bring you down, so here is the secret to enjoying the holiday feasts without regretting it later.

The Holidays are not an excuse to stop working out!

That’s right. You heard me. Holiday vacation is a vacation from work or school… not from your health and wellness. But this is part of a larger shift in your attitude toward exercise. It’s time to stop thinking of it as “work,” and start to think of it as “me time” or “play time” or “the best damn 30 minutes of my day!” Ok, that last one might be pushing it.

Once you make this shift, you’ll find yourself looking forward to working out, even when you’re on vacation. So, this holiday season, maybe try one of these fun ways to keep yourself and your family members active in between feasting!

Take a hike!: Hiking is an activity that all family members can enjoy, including our furry friends. Depending on the hike you choose, it can be a quiet nature walk, or it can be more rigorous, like mountain climbing. Get the family outside to enjoy a healthy activity together! Tip: If it’s really snowy, find someplace to rent snowshoes!
Make a cameo!: Visiting a relative who has a membership to a gym? Find out their policy on guests and have a gym-date. One of my favorite things to do when I visit my mom, is to go to the gym with her. We take turns picking a workout or weight machine and we both come away with new activities to try and very sore muscles!
15-minute jam!: Busy holiday schedule? Lazy family members? Not a problem. The Nike Training Club app has tons of 15-minute workouts that are perfect for getting in a quick, but effective workout without needing any equipment. Tell mom to stop complaining about her knees; tell your sister so stop worrying about her kids’ meal schedule. All you need is 15-minutes and a good attitude. More on Nike Training Club.
Run like the wind!: Gather up
Snowshoeing at Beaver Creek in Avon, CO

your fitness-minded friends and family and take them on a group run. One of my favorite, recent Christmas memories is of running around my boyfriend’s hometown when we were visiting his family. We ended up at his high school and spent a while roaming the halls while he shared some pretty cool memories with me. Check out my post about running while on the road.
Grab and go!: If you’re road-tripping to your holiday destination, there is no excuse not to bring some exercise equipment with you. A couple of easy-to-pack items include TRX gear, a jump rope, resistance bands, a yoga mat, or P90X dvds. In addition, you could always pack a set up dumbbells, a medicine ball or a kettlebell.
Lend a helping hand!: What if you could win Daughter/Son-of-the-Year status AND get in a great workout? All you’ve gotta do is offer to help rake leaves or shovel for your parents, grandparents or their neighbors. Seriously, put in 1 good hour of raking leaves and then try to tell me your obliques aren’t on fire.
Go sledding!: If you’re going sledding with friends and family, try running up the hill after each turn. The snow, coupled with heavy boots and bulky layers will prove to be a great leg workout. You’ll quickly feel it in your calves and quads. For an EXTRA good workout, take a lazy friend or a young kid with you and PULL them up the hill. I did this with my nephew last year and let’s just say that I was pretty embarrassed how sore I was the next day. But he had a blast and so did I!

So there you have it. Don’t stop enjoying the home-cooked goodness of a holiday meal. Don’t turn down a refill of a great Malbec. Just find some time to enjoy a bit of exercise while on break, and avoid having to play catch-up when you’re back to reality.

December 11, 2015April 11, 2016 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, Good for the Soul, Gym, Healthy Eating, Motivation, New Years Resolution, Running, Strength TrainingTags: Becca Payne, Fitness, Gym, Habits, Health, Mental Blocks, Motivation, Nike, Running, Workout Leave a comment

10 Tips to Get Out of Your Rut and Back in Your Groove

We’ve al been there. Go a couple of days without exercising, a couple of days of mindless, unhealthy eating and your motivation further and further out of reach.

I am currently recharging my own batteries. So, let’s explore some ways we can get out of these ruts.

Find a buddy. As soon as I decided to make a schedule, I texted my friend and we started with just one day that we will workout together every week.
Kat and I working on our hip mobility and glute strength after a workout
Make a schedule. Just like you do with work and making social plans, carve out time to exercise each day. Paying for group classes creates great accountability as well.
Make it known. Yes, posting about your workouts and healthy eating might get annoying and old for your social audience, but it also keeps you accountable.
Start small. I used to think SMART goals were silly, but they work. Specific, Measurable, Action-based, Realistic and Time-based. The key word for me is realistic. Start small, conquer it, move on to the next one.
A new journal and new mindfulness practice
Journal or Blog. This not only keeps you honest with yourself, it might enhance your awareness.
Practice mindfulness. Take a couple of minutes at the beginning of each day to set your intention. Decide what kind of day it’s going to be. Starting with your intentions set allows you to live each day honestly. (Note: Intentions are different than goals. Set your intention and let it float away)
Forgive yourself. This is a big part of mindfulness. If you slip up or get off track, treat yourself like you would a friend or loved one. It’s not the end of the world. Forgive yourself and move on.
Make it tangible. I love pictures, quotes, vision boards, images of meaning and the like. Keep them visible.
My bedroom wall.
Stop saying should. “Should” implies someone or something is driving you. Ask yourself, “says who?” whenever you say, “I should exercise” or “I shouldn’t eat that.” If the answer is not “I say so,” figure out what it is you want to do.
Play. Play around with both your exercise routine and in the kitchen. Cooking new, healthy recipes and trying new classes can help inspire you to find a new routine you won’t want to stop or de-prioritize when life gets in the way.

Share your own tips for getting back into your healthy routine in the comments below.

November 16, 2015November 18, 2015 by Molly Bruh Categories: Good for the Soul, Molly Bruh, MotivationTags: Fitness, food, Health, Molly Bruh 1 Comment

Locker Room Gossip: Fitness Myths

Hi friends. I’ve missed you. I recently joined the gym at my office, which means that I am now actually using the locker room as more than a storage facility for my coat on cold days. I actually get ready there.

In just two weeks, I have overheard countless comments from my fellow gym-rats that have caused me to worry about some of the myths and ideas that float around. So I am going to use this platform to try to debunk a few of them, and also to help empower some of my girl friends who may struggle with meeting fitness goals…speaking of, I’ve got a bone to pick with the word “goals.” More below.

GOALS: Your goal should not be so extreme or so definite that you are constantly letting yourself down. For instance, defining an amount of weight that you want to lose isn’t a great goal, because if you’re working out properly, you’re likely losing fat weight and gaining muscle weight. In fact, don’t focus on the weight at all. Put your hands up, and step away from the scale! Instead, make a broader goal that you can measure such as, “I want to run three miles without stopping,” or “I want to more clearly define the muscles in my arms,” or “I want to be proud walking around in my bathing suit this summer.” Build your goals around positive achievements, so when you meet them you can pat yourself on the back, hold your head high and be damn proud of the work it took to get there. #AllTheFeelings

BUTTER: At some point, butter got a bad rap. The delicious dairy spread was being replaced with margarine and was villainized as an evil, obesity-causing condiment. Hold the knife! Let’s think about this… we know that eating foods with as few ingredients as possible is important. Also important, eating foods with ingredients that you know and can pronounce. Let’s look at the ingredients in my favorite butter:

Simple. Natural. (source: http://bit.ly/1jXqmRR)

And now, let’s look at a stick of Land-o-Lakes margarine:

Um... WTF? (source: http://bit.ly/20gts3T) — Um… WTF? (source: http://bit.ly/20gts3T)

Holy biscuits, that is scary. What exactly are the artificial flavors? Why is there color added?! Preservatives, really? Seems highly unlikely that anything made from science could be better than something made from a cow. I believe it was Patrick Henry who said, “give me natural ingredients, or give me death!” Or something like that…

ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL WORKOUTS: I have talked about this before, but it cannot be stressed enough that not all workouts are right for everyone. What you do in your fitness routine depends on various factors, including what you’re trying to achieve, what your physical restrictions may be, the time you have, the access to equipment you have and more. The other day, I overheard one woman recommend to another woman that she should not try CrossFit because they push you to do things you do not want to. I, myself, have not tried CrossFit. I am happy with my current routine, and have not had much interest in trying the philosophy that they adhere to. However, we are not cats so curiosity will not kill us. Asking people for their opinion of a workout or class is great, but don’t let them deter you based on a bad experience that they had. It may end up that CrossFit is the perfect exercise for you! In the end, you’ve gotta do you and do not compare your workout or your body to others.

Don’t get stuck being the gossip girl of the locker room. Be smart, be supportive of your friends, and for God’s sake eat some butter!

October 30, 2015October 30, 2015 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's WorkoutsTags: Becca Payne, butter, crossfit, Fitness, food, goals, Gym, weight, Workout, workouts Leave a comment

I Know I’m Annoying; It’s Because I Love You

I hear myself. I know I’m annoying. It’s because I love you (even if I don’t yet know you).

Over-zealouness really bothers people when it comes to health.

I was recently watching Last Comic Standing, and one New York-based comedian said that he turned Vegan for a bit. There is a certain negative connotation with Vegans. The comedian continued by saying something like, “Yup, I decided to be a Vegan. So, you know, I gave up meat, and dairy and friendship.”

MTO Kombucha, sold at TRUE Health and Wholeness

I can sense my family’s annoyance with me, though my persistence seems to be paying off a bit, as I now have both my oldest brother and father drinking Kombucha daily and my brother sent me a picture of something with “Ancient Grains” in the title. So, yay!

On a recent family trip, I tried to sneak in some organic options of typical foods we eat, like peanut butter and salad dressings. I tried to convince them to use regular butter instead of substitutes like margarine. I tried to have sourdough and flax seed bread available as an option along with their whole wheat loaf.

Now, I know most of you read that last sentence and thought, soooo you want your family to be fat. I’m pretty sure that’s what they think.

Note: I am a certified personal trainer, but I am NOT a nutritionist; I listen to and I am surrounded by some pretty smart people at work (TRUE Health and Wholeness) and I read a lot. I have also been turned into a believer by following certain food rules myself.

Food, though, is just one part of health. There’s exercise for the body and mind, and there’s wellness, again, of body and mind. No one has all the answers, but we have to talk about the possible solutions, the successes and the failures in order to weed out the stupid ones, right?

My family, being health conscious, focuses mostly on calories. As a female who used to struggle terribly, and still struggles daily, with her body image, as most women do, I understand subscribing to this calories in vs. calories out method. Again, I don’t have all the answers, but here is what I do know.

I feel better when I avoid processed foods to the best of my ability. Now, I don’t have the budget nor the time to cut processed food from my diet all-together, but when I make a conscious effort to cook my own food from real, whole ingredients, my body thanks me,
I feel better when I spend the extra $ on antibiotic-and hormone-free meat. I choose organic and grass-fed as well. When it comes to eggs, I always choose free range. I do this for two reasons.
- In this day and age, we take enough shit to combat illness, stress and genetics that we don’t need whatever that cow was given on a farm you’ve never heard of.
- We need to be kinder to the animals we share this planet with.
I feel better when I combat aches, pains and illnesses naturally. As an athlete, you’re body is your livelihood. If you’re hurting, you take something to make it feel better so you can play. Being hurt, as a competitive athlete, is a reason to keep you sidelined, not a warning sign from your body to slow down. These days, if I can take something naturally occurring in nature to help with something as simple as inflammation, I will try that first.
I feel my best, my most beautiful, my most feminine, my most boss, my most accomplished, my most whatever you would like to fill in that blank with when I leave the gym. Lifting weights, lifting heavy weights helps you lose weight by increasing your muscle mass, speeding up your metabolism and dropping your body fat.

Now, back to the beginning. I know I’m most likely annoying you with my talk of holistic this, whole foods that, heavy weights whatever, but here’s why I keep telling you this.

I love you very much and would like you to be in my life at your healthiest and happiest, for as long as possible. The goal of this post is NOT to have you say, ‘okay, Molly makes sense, she must be right and now, I am ONLY eating organic from and am going to spend 3 hours a day at the gym.’ I want you to Google, to research, to ask questions, to explore, to try and fail, to try and succeed and figure it out. I want you to wrap the people you care about up in huge hugs of knowledge and love in order to help them be the happiest and healthiest them they can be, and maybe, together, we can slowly create a healthier society.

Over and Out

-MB

August 26, 2015August 26, 2015 by Molly Bruh Categories: Good for the Soul, Healthy Eating, Molly BruhTags: Fitness, Health, Kombucha, Lifting, Love, Motivation, Organic, TRUE Health and Wholeness Leave a comment

Random Playlists

Hey Homies,

I haven’t posted in a minute, so I figured I would post my last three SUPER RANDOM Spin playlists. They’re a mix of old and new, tried to incorporate all types of music from country, to dubstep, to rock, to rap.

I’m also working on a post about the amazing humans I do Boot Camp with three mornings a week. Thats’s coming your way soon.

Songs I’m feeling right now (new and old): I Don’t Really Care by Kalin and Myles, Becoming Insane by Infected Mushrooms, Heartbreaker by MSTRKRFT and John Legend and Marvin Gaye and Get It on to cool down to.

Ride 1:

Above and Below: The Bravery

All Day and All of the Night: The Kinks

All or Nothing: Fake ID

Becoming Insane: Infected Mushrooms

Bills: LunchMoney Lewis

Don’t Stop the Music: Bart B More

Don’t Turn the Lights On: Chromeo

Girl All the Bad Boys Want: Bowling for Soup

Jump: Kris Kross

White Noise/Red Meat: Dada Life

Superstar: Aeroplane

Tilt Ya Head Back: Nelly feat. Christina Aguilera

Mr. Birghtside: The Killers

Be My Escape: Relient K

Low: Flo Rida Ft. T-Pain

Leon On: Major Lazer & DJ Snake

Marvin Gaye and Get It On: TnT Bass

Ride 2:

Aint No Rest for the Wicked: Cage the Elephant

Heartbreaker: MSTRKRFT (feat. John Legend)

Cross the Dancefloor: Treasure Fingers

Ballroom Blitz: The Sweet

Call 911: Florrie, Bart B More Remix

Bodywork: Bart B More & Tommie Sunshine

Fix You: Coldplay

Right Now: Akon

The Other Side: Jason Derulo

Come With Me Now: KONGOS

You’re So Beautiful: Empire Cast

Paralyzed: The Used

Wonderwall: Oasis (cool down)

Ride 3:

Love Me Like You Mean It: Kelsea Ballerini

Work This Body: Walk the Moon

Untouched: The Veronicas

Until You’re Mine: Demi Lovato

I Don’t Really Care: Kalin and Myles (My New Fave!)

Love Like Woe: The Ready Set

Don’t Want to Miss a Thing: New Found Glory

Trampoline: Kalin and Myles

Trouble: Gloriana

Worth It: Fifth Harmony

Heels Over Head: Boys Like Girls

Where’d You Go: Fort Minor

Until Next Time,

-MB

August 20, 2015August 20, 2015 by Molly Bruh Categories: Molly Bruh, Molly's Music, Molly's WorkoutsTags: Fitness, Motivation, music, Spinning Leave a comment

iPhones can be Personal Trainers Too

Hmmm… what to say about the Nike Training Club app? Well, for starters, it’s Nike. Fuelband aside, name me a product or program that Nike has launched in the past five years that hasn’t been amazing.

I take a lot of pictures of my feet... — I take a lot of pictures of my feet…

I had heard about the NTC app before, but I kind of stuck my nose up at the idea of an iPhone app being able to provide me with a good workout. I had a gym membership, I was running a ton, I was participating in November Project and the occasional yoga class. What else could the app do for me?

It all happened one rainy morning. I had recently quit my job, and had been FUNemployed for about a month, and was already tired of running. The rain was coming down in buckets, and there was no way that I was going to go outside. Hesitantly, I opened the app, which I had downloaded months before. I selected a 15-minute workout led by pop star Ellie Goulding, which was supposed to be a total body tightening and toning workout. Riggghhhhhttttt, a musician is going to lead me through a grueling exercise. But much to my surprise, when I completed the 15 minutes I found myself short of breath and completely drenched in sweat. The following days, I could feel the muscles that I had worked. I was actually sore!

So this is me, apologizing to the NTC app creators. I should never have been such a #workoutsnob about your product. And now this is me, telling all of you fine people to get moving and download the app now and be my Nike+ friend! Here’s why:

Benefits of the NTC app:

Russian twists with Christen Press and Nike Training Club

No purchase necessary – The app is free, and very few of the workouts require much more than a pair of dumbbells, medicine ball or a step. You can improvise, like I do, with a pair of beer cans, a soccer ball, and a coffee table or park bench.
Time equals money – The workouts range from 5-minute stretching/warming up drills to 45-minute total body sculpting drills. There are plenty of 12, 15, 18-minute workouts that I recommend (below).
It’s everywhere you want to be (yeah, I stole that from Visa, so what?) – Most of the workouts can be completed in a very tight space. Put out your arms, spin in a circle. If you didn’t hit anything, then you’ve got yourself plenty of room.
One size does not fit all – Luckily, you can take what you want and leave what you don’t. Like star jumps. No me gusta star jumps. When I am given an activity that I don’t want to do, I either modify it or choose something else in its place. Plank, sit-ups, push-ups and squats are all easy and effective options.
Tips of the trade – The entire workout is narrated and tips for safety and success are given throughout.

My favorite NTC workouts:

Goal Getter with Christen Press (yay soccer!): 18 minutes – strength moves to sculpt your core and lower body. Keeps your heart rate up, while you tone. Favorite activity: diagonal bounds.
Butt Buster: 15 minutes – tone your tush in 15 minutes? Yes, please! All girls have that one area of their body that they’re super self-conscious about. Mine are my legs and butt. Favorite activity: hip lifts.
Ab Burner: 15 minutes – abs on abs on abs. Keep crunching! Nobody every complained that their stomach was too flat, or that their six pack was just too prominent. Nobody. Ever. Favorite activity: Russian twists.

So, I’ve done my best to leave you with no excuses not to try the NTC app. It’s not meant to replace all of your workouts, but it is a great option for days when you’re crunched for time or it’s raining and you can’t bring yourself to leave the house. You can also bring your phone to the gym and try these workouts there! Now get out there and get toned, you beautiful people!

August 19, 2015August 19, 2015 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's WorkoutsTags: Becca Payne, christen press, crunches, ellie goulding, Fitness, funemployment, Gym, Habits, Health, hip lifts, iphone, nike training club, November Project, ntc, personal trainer, Running, russian twists, situps, squats, Yoga 1 Comment

Run with Hart

That is my hand, overly excited and ready for a high 5 with Hart at the finish line.

You know who kicks ass? Kevin Hart. Not only is he absolutely hilarious, but he’s a workout enthusiast who preaches a healthy lifestyle to his fans. My kinda guy! The comedian-currently out on his “What Now” tour-teamed up with Nike’s Run Club to host 5K’s across the US and Canada. And today, Hart made a few hundred people in the DMV VERY VERY happy, and hopefully a little more healthy!

”What I saw today were people who have never ran come out, and have the will to finish, simply to become the best version of themselves,” said Hart. “For me, you guys don’t understand how refreshing that is. I honestly believe that being great is a mindset. People, don’t let today be the last day of your start. Continue this with or without me.”

He’s awesome, right?

Loving this free t-shirt. Thanks Nike & Kevin Hart!

Events like this are not only fun and full of awesome gifts and prizes, but they represent the strength and excitement of the fitness community. They’re happening everyday, in cities all across America. If you aren’t sure where to look for these events, check out local running shops and Nike stores. Here’s a list of upcoming running events in the DC area. In some cases, like today, registration is free. Some races may cost something, but the money is usually to benefit a non-profit. Go find yourself a race or a fun run, and get moving because today is as good a day as any to make your start.

One of the best parts of these races, free schwag!

Nuun – Paige has talked about Nuun before, but I finally got to taste it today. Mmm! The hydration tabs, which are enhanced with electrolytes, dissolve in water and taste amazing.
Kind Snacks – A friend in Colorado introduced me to Kind years ago and I’ve been a longtime fan of their products and their movement. It’s not everyday that you find a company who stands for something. But aside from their social responsibility awesomeness, Kind products also boast ingredient lists that you can actually read. They’re made from simply whole and raw ingredients like quinoa, chia seeds, various nuts, various dried fruits, salt, honey. So tasty.
Nike – See pic of free shirt above. I love it!

More pictures, because pictures are fun. You’ll start to see that I really love pictures.

The whole gang, minus Tricia. (Photo Credit: Nike)

James and Paige (Photo Credit: me, over my head, while running)

This is how running makes me feel on good days. On bad days, not so much. (Photo Credit: Nike)

Yes! Finally a picture of Paige, Molly and I. (Photo Credit: Ella Rash)

Found Mickey in the crowd! Mickey and I ran high school track together. By that, I mean we found clever ways to skip practices. (Photo Credit: James Armold)

August 7, 2015August 7, 2015 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca's Workouts, RunningTags: Fitness, Georgetown Waterfront, Hustle Hart, Kevin Hart, Kind, Kind Bars, kind snacks, Motivation, Newton Running, Nike, Nike Run Club, NRC, Nuun, pacers, Pacers Running, Run with Hart, RunDC, Running, RunVA, WashingtonDC, What Now Tour Leave a comment

Taking my Newtons on the Road

If you run back and forth across the Red Rocks stairs, it equals a 5K!

This might sound strange, but my favorite part of traveling, whether for work or vacation, is finding new and beautiful places to workout. It is pretty interesting that, like many other sports, fitness is a universal language.

I find that running is the easiest workout to plan. You don’t have to rely on hotel gyms, or bring any extra equipment. Do you have any big trips planned? If so, here are some running tips to keep in mind:

Bring your runners. My choice of running shoes are Newtons. Don’t just run in your regular walking shoes, that’s a good way to get hurt.
Running is the best way to navigate a new city. While you’re out, keep your head on a swivel (soccer term, sorry) and look for restaurants, bars, stores, cafes, parks, and museums that you may want to try.
Check a map before you head out, or use Nike+ Running App‘s built in map, there may be a park or running trail nearby that you can easily hop on.
Always bring your phone and the address of the place you’re staying with you, you don’t want to get lost!
Don’t feel bad if you want to stop to take a picture, or in my case, too many pictures. Those are memories, CHERISH THEM!
Wave to other runners. Or give them a friendly smile. One thing that I’ve found is that in every place I’ve run, including foreign countries, this is pretty standard etiquette.
Document those miles using a GPS-based app, like Nike+. It’s a souvenir that costs you nothing.
Stretching on my balcony in Cancun, Mexico.

Always remember to take care of your body. On the road and at home. Hydrate and stretch really well after every run. You don’t want any injuries to put a damper on your trip.
Have a blast and love yourself for getting out there. You’re #betterforit.

If you’re thinking that I am crazy for wanting to work out while I am on vacation, just try it and you’ll see. It doesn’t feel like a chore, it feels amazing and will probably help create some of your favorite travel memories. Plus, you won’t have to feel guilty for indulging in incredible local cuisine the whole time.

If you haven’t already, check out more running tips from Paige, and more tips on getting creative with your vacation workouts from Molly!

August 5, 2015February 4, 2016 by raypayne33 Categories: Becca Payne, Becca's Workouts, RunningTags: Becca Payne, Cancun, Fitness, Fun, Gym, Habits, Health, Hydrating, Inspiration, Mexico, Newton Running Shoes, Red Rocks Amphitheater, Running Tips, Stretching, Travel, Vacation Leave a comment

Short Term Goals

After last week’s Flywheel class I had a minor breakdown. I lost to James again, which I am totally at peace with after 1 full week, but I also finished in the middle of the class. The class wasn’t packed and I left feeling so discouraged. I thought to myself, I work my rear off and there is NO reason to not finish the class in the top 3!

On the way home I phoned my Dad and expressed my concern over not knowing how to push myself. He used to be a coach and always got the most out of his team, I figured he could provide some solid advice. His response, “Paige you run marathons, what do you mean you don’t know how to push yourself?” Bottom line, running long distances has become pretty easy and doesn’t require much extra effort on my part. It’s the nitty-gritty exercises that live outside my comfort zone that really challenge me. November Project, lifting weights, the list goes on…

We came to the conclusion that I need to set short term goals to reach my long term goal. Little baby steps and small achievements go very far mentally and give you something to hold onto at that current time and place. It is tremendously easy to get caught up in ONE bad run if you expect to see your long term goal in short term time. This is something that needs to be avoided before you fall down a rabbit hole that does not lead to wonderland. Set small goals to help avoid these hurdles.

Short Term August Goal – One track workout/one mile repeat workout per week

This sounds pretty easy, right? Negative. It is SO much easier to get outside and coast. Running is typically a one stop shop. Going to the track requires walking to my car, driving, parking, putting on all of my go-go gadget accessories, working out, getting in the car, driving home, parking, walking home, blah, blah, blah, such a process.

Last night I attempted to run to the track for 6 x 800 meters but the running gods had another plan. The track was closed so I had to improvise and do RFK (don’t go after dark – it is a little slim shady) parking lot sprints. Improvise is not a great word for me. I always need a plan. After pouting to myself for a few minutes I found the longest straightaway and got to work. It was very hard to keep track of what I was doing so I let my Garmin run the entire time and analyzed the results after. It is very hard to keep track of distance, splits and recovery time on one watch. Too much math for me.

2.50 mile warm up

+/- .17 sprint – 5:40 pace x 13

Total Mileage – 5.40

Not bad, but not what I had in mind. I am anxious to see how it translates next week when I do a proper long distance sprint workout. Because my distance/paces were ka-plunked last night, my scale for pushing myself was interesting. How close is Paige to throwing up? I know this is not the safest option but it was a good scale for me. I know I am getting a great workout and my heart rate is bumping.

Throughout the past two years I’ve learned a ton about my body and continue to do so every day. I encourage everyone to get out there and push yourself with me and let me know how it goes! I would love to hear your experiences and metrics when it comes to your personal satisfaction after a workout.

July 31, 2015August 5, 2015 by pgberg5 Categories: Marathon, Paige's Workouts, RunningTags: Fitness, Flywheel, Mental Blocks, Running Leave a comment

Bodyweight Workouts with Mama Bear

Mom Adam Liv — Mom on the left, Adam on the right, Olivia living the life.

I promised y’all a bodyweight circuit with my brother and Mom, but the day after those killer sprints, Adam and I decided to do them again. What doesn’t kill you…blah blah blah. It was awful, but felt oh so good when it was done.

Yesterday, I brought my mom through 4 rounds of circuit training. Each round was five minutes, and for the fourth round, you chose which circuit you wanted to repeat. (Adam hurt his quad and starts preseason soon, so he is taking it easy to recover.)

*Shameless Plug: Some of these exercises were inspired by the wonderful, strong and awesome Nina Elliot, my amazing boss at TRUE Health and Wholeness.

Below is my circuit, my mom’s, which is a bit modified (no jumping, burpees, etc) follows mine.

Round 1: Legs

– Jumping Lunges 20x

– Burpee to tuck jump 20x

– 25 mountain climbers

– bodyweight squats 10x

Round 2: Arms

– Pushups ladder: 1 on knees, 1 on toes, 2 on knees, 2 on toes, to three and back down (courtesy of Nina!)

– Seated Tricep Dips 10x

– Uneven push ups (right hand in front of left, then switch) 5 e/a

Olivia Rae! — Olivia Rae/Weight for Exercise

– Push Press with a 7 1/2 month old child who was crying and getting restless in her bouncy seat watching us workout–> these turned into diamond pushups once she settled.

Round 3: Abs

– High plank, knees to elbow 1 e/a

– Quarter Squat, dumbbell front raise to row

– Slow cross crawls 10 e/a

– Power Tuck Jumps 10x

Mama Bear’s Circuits: Mom repeated arms/abs for round 4

Round 1: Arms

– Lateral plank walk, pushup on knees, lateral plank walk back down the mat, push up on knees. Repeat 3x

– Thrusters, 10 lb dumbells 10x (I know I said bodyweight, but weights make my mom feel cool and strong!)

– Seated tricep drips 10x

– Single Arm, Bent Over Row with 10 lb dumbbell 8x e/a

Round 2: Legs

– Walking lunges holding dumbbells 8x e/a

– Squat, Squat Jump 8x

– Sumo Squat 10x

Round 3: Abs

– Half Burpee, Fire Hydrant e/a side 5x

– Slow Cross Crawls 20x

– Quarter Squat Straight Arm Dumbbell Raise to Row 10x

Then, I made some Flax and Grain toast with avocados and an egg white, had some Kombucha Tea and headed out to teach my niece and nephew to fish. It was a wonderful day!

Until next time,

– MB

July 31, 2015August 5, 2015 by Molly Bruh Categories: Gym, Molly's Workouts, Running, Strength TrainingTags: Fitness, Habits, Health, Molly Bruh Leave a comment