Fitness Thursday?

Well, I had wanted this to automatically post tomorrow, but I couldn’t figure it out.  So Fitness Thursday it is! : )  There was a request for workouts that work the abs this week – so here ya go! 

The dvd featured today is Tracy Anderson’s Post Pregnancy Workout.  This dvd is NOT just for post partum women.  In fact, I think if a freshly post partum woman tried to attempt this dvd – they’d probably injure themselves.  Even after the usual 6 week required exercise hiatus after giving birth – I still think it would be pretty tough to do.  I mean, this DVD is hard for me at times and I had a baby 13 months ago!

It starts out with a “warm-up.”  If you’ve never done a Tracy video, let me tell ya – her warm ups are whacky.  So I don’t do them!  Then she moves right on to abs – which is the main part of the workout.  There is a series of crunches in various positions.  Tracy’s variations are pretty unique and you feel a burn in your abs quite quickly.  Then she moves on to what she calls the “piking series.”  These. Are. Hard.  If you can do half of them, you’re doing good!  Basically, you are laying on your back with one light weight(1-3 pounds) in your hands and your arms outstretched over your head.  Your bring your arms and legs up to meet in the middle at the same time.  Sounds easier than it is, probably.  I usually end up dropping the weight half way through.  Then she does a series of side planks and regular planks.  I used to be really, really bad at these, but now I think I’ve gotten pretty good at them thanks to this DVD.  That is it for abs.  The abs portion runs I think 30 minutes or so.  And then after that, she has you doing some “all fours” butt exercises that also burn real bad.  Or burn real good, depending upon how you look at it! : )  Finally, she works your arms with her signature unweighted arm routines.  I believe there is a short weighted portion too (I favor her “Mat” DVD for working on my arms, as it’s longer and more intense.  Yes, I am glutton for punishment!).   There is NO cool down.

This DVD leaves my abs sore for DAYS.  Especially my obliques.  I happen to like the soreness (it’s gotta mean its working, right?!) but if you don’t you could stretch your abs out really well afterwards with perhaps a cobra stretch. 

Here’s a clip from the DVD.  Sorry I couldn’t find a better one with more of the actual “workout” instead of Tracy babbling on and on about her super cool “Method.”  Oh well, you can at least get an idea what it’s like. 

                         Another abs workout that I like is “8 Minute Abs.”  (Back me up here, my people!)  It’s super old and kinda cheesy, but it totally WORKS!  And, the best part is – you can just pull up good old YouTube to do this one!  And if you want, you can download it to your computer using RealPlayer (I downloaded the free version of RealPlayer for purposes such as this).  Here is the link to 8 Minute Abs:

 

 

 

                              

 

Next week I think I’ll probably blog about Barre.  It’s my fav and I simply must discuss it with you all!   As to which barre workout – that remains to be seen!

Amateur Cookie Eater

Well, first things first -  Avery doing what she does best lately – CLIMB.  She hasn’t felt very well the past few days because of her new teeth coming in, but when her baby Motrin was working, she was busy, busy, busy.  I went to go do something and came back into the room to find her on Dylan’s kitchen stool trying to get the puffers down off the counter.  She was quite pleased with her skills.

                                                  

You can tell she knows she’s up to no good.  We see that little smirk on her face quite often.

As for Dylan – I’ve just been trying to keep him busy while he waits for camping.  He is BEYOND excited and talks about it nonstop.  I hate to think of how he’ll feel when its all over, but then again, he’ll probably be too tired to care.  Anyway, here he is playing with Eric’s old He-Man toys.  Sorry Uncle Tommy – these aren’t your long lost toys.  Eric’s mother had Eric’s toys in a marked box instead of hidden in a wall of a junky old cabin.  Perhaps he’ll let you play with them, though?

         

Remember this guy, Tommy?  Rarrrr!                    

And finally – what do you think – amateur cookie eater or amateur mother?  I’ve been feeling so bad for her the past few days since she’s been in so much pain.  She hasn’t been eating much and has been pretty fussy.  So I decided to treat her to a cookie.  I’m not sure if she even liked it.  I thought if anything, she’d at least be eating SOMETHING.  Instead, she decided to wear her cookie.  Oh well.  She looked cute anyway and was placed in the bath tub upon completion of this photoshoot.                       

She was examining the chocolate on her fingers here.  “Hmmm what IS this?”  Before I gave her the cookie, I asked her if she wanted one and it was like, “Um, what’s a cookie, Mom?”  And no, she is NOT deprived of sweets.  I guess we just don’t make cookies all that often!                            

Well, that’s all for now.  Not sure if there will be a post tomorrow before we leave or not.  Fitness Friday is going to be set up to automatically post.  I wouldn’t leave you all hangin!  I know you are just dying to read about fitness!

Later!

Countdown to Camping

We go to Cass Lake on Thursday for a week of camping, fun in the sun and fun times with our families.  Eric’s entire family, my parents and also some family friends will all be there for this annual trip.  We are having Miss Avery baptized on July 18 on the sandbar where we got married 2 years ago – also on July 18th!  Dylan was baptized that same day, so we thought it would be special to have her baptized on the same date.  Her cousin Easton will also be baptized in the mythical Cass Lake at the same time.  Double baptism!  Very exciting!  : )  So anyway, we are looking forward to the next week of fun, but also very busy trying to get everything packed up and squared away.  Not Dylan though.  He’s busy talking about camping nonstop.  Yesterday morning I got his sleeping bag out for him and showed him how to use it.  This will be his first year actually sleeping in the tent in a sleeping bag.  His first year there, he did sleep in the tent, but in his pack and play.  Then the following 2 years, he slept in Gma and Gpa Puppy’s motorhome.  This year, he gets the boot so his sister can have the warmth and luxury of the motorhome.  She does have to tent it for one night though because Gma and Gpa are coming a day later than us.  This also means that I have to tent it for one night too!  Eek!  J/K!  I don’t mind.  I just worry that the princess will be too cold!  But we’ll work it out.  So anyway, here is Dylan “practicing” camping:

And here’s Avery being my little shadow.  She had a tough day yesterday with her new teeth coming in.  Fever, fever, fever.  We spent a lot of time snuggling on the couch.  Can’t say I didn’t enjoy it a little!  She’s usually so busy and unwilling to hold still, so this was nice.  Not that I like her not feeling well, but I still enjoyed holding her for awhile.  Now if we could get the 4th tooth to pop thru before camping – that would be splendid!  Because she is NOT in a good mood as a result!  Keep your fingers crossed.  Her teeth have a track record of being slower than molasses.

She’s sitting under my chair while I”m at the computer.  

Goo Goo for Gaga

Good evening!  The boys are outside playing baseball and Avery is tucked into bed, so I thought I’d post a new blog for your reading enjoyment. 

Lady Gaga was on the Today Show on Friday morning, so we had it on for the kids to dance to.  They love to dance to Gaga, so when I turned it on, Dylan was definitely intrigued.  Not just because he was familiar with the tunes, but because of Lady Gaga’s appearance.  He kept asking lots of questions - “whats on her head?”  “What is all over face?”  “Why is she dancing funny?”  “Who are those weird people with her?”  and so on.  I guess he wasn’t TOO freaked out by her though, because later he asked me if we could watch it again.  : )  Recently, Avery was having a meltdown in the car and Dylan started singing a tune to cheer her up.  It was his own words, but to the tune of “Paparazzi.”  Eric and I were both chuckling away.  Apparently we listen to Gaga too much!   So here they are watching the show:

                                       

“WHAT is she DOING????”

                               

Avery being dramatic.  She was throwing her head back.  All for dramatic effect.  She does it well.                          

                               

Never without a finger point!

                              

Playing outside.  She had been smiling until I got the camera out.  Story of my life lately.

                             

Here they are in the hot tub earlier this evening.  Avery has just finished cutting THREE teeth at once.  1 lower incisor and 2 molars!  And there is 1 more lower incisor that is still beneath the surface.  So she’s been pretty moody the last couple days.  Glad that they are finally through tho!  Anyway, she was feeling crabby and wanted out of the tub.  Thats so unlike her!  Normally she wants to swim, swim, swim.  Dylan stayed in for quite awhile longer.  He probably should have gotten out when she did b/c he ended up drinking too much pool water and then throwing up all over his dinner after he got out of the tub.  He was most concerned about his ruined pizza.  Gets that from me! 

                                    

And finally, here is the solution Eric came up with to our stair problem.  Its a box made out of floor mats that we no longer use!  He just loves to recycle!  Ha!  And then on the side is an old crib mattress.  So far its been working good.  Fingers crossed that it KEEPS working!                       

                               

Well, that’s all for now!   G’nite!