threeculbersons

Archive for the ‘exercise’ Category

Three Weeks.

In endurance, exercise, Marathon, Road race, Running, San Diego on January 8, 2013 at 4:03 am

Three weeks until Carlsbad Marathon here in San Diego.

Life as a “single” mom is never done. My sweet daughter has had a rough three weeks, making my last three weeks rough. Except for my long runs, running and training has taken a back seat to a sick little girl.

Here’s a rundown:

1. One urgent care visit (on New Years)

2. Three Dr. appointments

3. Three pharmacy visits/two anti-biotics

3. Spontaneous, unexplained vomiting

4. Severe double ear infections

5. Pink eye in both eyes

6. I was down for 3 days over Christmas with stomach bug

7. One week of missed school

8. Lastly, I was running a 100.4 temp on Saturday, keeping me down all day.

When it rains?  We are hopefully both on the mend.

I had my last long run today, a 20 miler. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I even had the energy to start this run, much less finish it. But my good friend and training partner helped push me through despite this nasty head cold and weak body. It’s amazing what the body will do.

I’m not sure I’ve ever felt sheer exhaustion (ok, maybe after giving birth) but I’m fairly certain I was close to it this weekend.

I refueled during this run by eating Chot Blocks and Craisins (best thing ever while running). I went through almost 40oz of liquid, water and gatorade combined. That seemed to work pretty good. I tried to eat every 5 miles and drink often. This will be my race day strategy.

Final thought…“What’s harder than steel? The last six miles.“

, , , , , , , ,

Stairs of Death

In exercise, Fitness, Running, San Diego on November 3, 2012 at 2:20 am

It’s been a great training week…40+ miles of cardio and tons of strength conditioning.

I climbed stairs today. After a 10 mile (hard) bike ride. Rode with a friend at Lake Miramar, which is a 5 mile loop, one way. But it’s quite hilly and curvy. So got to work on some bike handling skills. Afterwards,  we decided to run the “Stairs of Death”…that’s literally what they are called when you google them. No joke. Tierrasanta Stairs of death. Awesome. Let’s run them!

That’s how us endurance athletes roll.

Tierrasanta Stairs

View from the top!

Our legs were pretty shaky, so we kept it to 5 sets. I’m so bummed I’m flying out next week, I will definitely add these to my weekly workouts!

1. Warm-up 2. Lunges (every other step) 3. Side lunges 4. Run 5. Fast walk

Not only is it a great aerobic exercise, but also an anaerobic one as well. I don’t think my little heart has ever worked quite so hard! Great for lower body conditioning and power as well. The workouts are endless. You don’t  have to run up and down over and over to get a kickbutt workout.

My run interval

Waiting for Danielle…ha ha.

Danielle, who mind you, did 8 sets of them last night. Bless her!

Oh, and if it looks like I have shorter hair, well…

This happened yesterday!

2 10″ ponytails are going to Locks of Love!

Hope you found time to sweat today!

, , , ,

Track HIIT

In exercise, Fitness, Life, Running, San Diego, sock monkey on November 1, 2012 at 3:23 am

For the love of my sanity, I had to switch up my workout today. I knew I needed to get a few miles in, but just was NOT feeling the regular routes I run.

So I sucked it up and put together a track HIIT and decided that would have to do. It’s still rather warm here in San Diego, it was probably near 80 today. Made for a warm workout. This was my first “organized” track workout…

I did some dynamic stretches/moves and then a 2 mile warm-up at a 7:14 pace.

4 rounds: 400 m sprint, 1 min jump rope, 10 burpees

Can I just say my admiration for Usain Bolt has skyrocketed. I mean, I loved him before…but man! I know he typically races the 100 & 200 m…but 20 seconds??? I’d be cocky too…just sayin’.

Track HIIT #getafterit

Get your own Reebok #getafterit tee here.

If you can’t make it out to a track but still want a @ home HIIT to do..try this.

4 rounds for time: 10 – 35lbs overhead walking lunges, 1 minute jump rope, 10 burpees. 

WOD gear

Use a weight plate or a pair of dumbbells, whatever you have. Jump rope and some sort of interval timer. That weight plate has been one of the best fitness investments I’ve made this year!

So far I’ve logged 30 miles this week in cardio…go me!

GNC energy bites

I LOVE GNC’s Total Lean energizing bites. And right now you can snag them for $10.99!

Happy Halloween!

My sock monkey.

, , , ,

Tabata That

In exercise, Fitbook, Personal Trainer on October 31, 2012 at 4:43 am

Do you do tabata workouts? They are high-intensity workouts that only last for 4 minutes.

A few reasons I love them…

1) Increases your HR hours after you are finished, therefore increasing calories burned.

2) Utilizes many muscle groups to burn more calories.

3) Increases aerobic capacity.

4) Short and effective.

The breakdown of a tabata is 4 minutes, 20 second intense training, 10 second recovery/rest. 1 tabata is 8 rounds. Typically you want to repeat that 2-3 more times for maximum results.

Full-body tabata workout:

1) Renegade row w/ wide jump

2) Jump squat w/ reach over

3) Mtn. Climbers

4) Weighted skaters

All you need is an interval timer (I use a Gymboss) and a pair of free weights/dumbbells.

Do a 5-7 dynamic warm-up to help raise that core temp and HR and then start the tabata.

Disclaimer – Even though I am a certified personal trainer, you should still consult your Dr. before beginning a new workout program. If at any time you feel pain, discontinue workout. 

, , , , , ,

No Rest Sunday.

In CrossFit, exercise, Fitness, Food, Running, San Diego on October 1, 2012 at 5:49 am

 

Hodads

If you are ever in San Diego, allow me to treat you to the best burger in town (at least I think so). Hodads is this tiny little hole in the wall burger joint downtown, and it’s amazing. We ate there for lunch today. Sophie is telling a big story above, how cute is she? But with that delicious burger, had to come an intense workout.

GNC Pro-Scuplt – Fruit Punch

Pre-Workout

So, pro-sculpt is growing on me. You mix 1 scoop with 10oz of water. It reminds me of some sort of childhood medicine. Each time I use it, I like it a little better. The best thing is, I get the kick I need. I typically use pro-sculpt if I’m going to be doing lots of cardio. If I’m doing strictly strength training, then I’ll take the GNC Meta-Ignite. So far, no complaints.

The Workouts:

Fitbook

WOD: 10 rounds – 10 hand-release push-ups & 10 squats

By round 6, my triceps and shoulders were on fire. I went through those 10 rounds with very little rest. All you really need is a mat (if you’re on hard surfaces).

HITT: Provided by BlondePonytail.com I’m loving her GNC series workouts. They are the bomb! 

I switched it up a little bit since I technically just did 100 push-ups and don’t have a medicine ball (yet!)

Equipment: Jump rope, medicine ball/or dumbbell/kettlebell – whatever you have. An interval timer.

1. Thrusters/Jump rope – I used a 15lb dumbbell instead of a medicine ball.

2. Plank toe taps/Jump rope

3. Wood chops R/Jump rope

4. Wood chops L/Jump rope

You can check out the link above and watch her video demonstration. You set your interval timer to 30:30. 30 seconds of first workout then 30 seconds of jump rope. No rest. I was sweating right off the bat. I did plank toe taps instead of the push-ups.

Followed all that up with 30 minutes on my bike trainer doing speed intervals.

New favorite treat.

Sophie and I have fallen in love with Trader Joe’s Almond chocolate ‘milk’. It’s so good and a nice little treat. It’s a little high on the sugar side, so I don’t drink a full serving. But it’s sweet and tastes good after a workout.

Tomorrow starts trying to get my body back in decent racing form. 1 month till Ragnar TENNESSEE!!!!!!

Disclaimer: These are workouts and supplements that I do and take. I’m in no way recommending you do or take them. Always consult your physician before starting a new workout program. I use my blog as a way to share workouts and products that are beneficial to myself. You assume all risk of workouts and supplements you take. 

, , , ,

Making Time.

In exercise, Fitness, Life, Personal Trainer, Weight loss on September 23, 2012 at 11:01 pm

Make time.

Over the course of studying for my PT cert, I learned about several major diseases that affect Americans and how many of them can be prevented or at least modified. And how my role as a PT is not just to “whip” someone in to shape, but to teach people to be pro-active about their well-being. Which is so much more important than how many bicep curls you can do.

Coronary Heart Disease = leading cause in death in U.S. and most of developed world. So strokes, heart attacks, & hypertension.

Cancer = Just a few short years ago, the American Cancer Society suggested that 1/3 of the 570,280 cancer deaths to occur were related to nutrition, physical inactivity, & obesity. So they could have been prevented. In short, 2/3’s of all cancers are preventable. So cancers like lung, breast cancer, colon cancer, cancer of pancreas, skin cancer, liver cancer – all have risk factors that can be avoided.

Diabetes = National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion says 23.6 million Americans have diabetes (8%) of which those 8%, 90-95% are type 2. Meaning their body does produce insulin but has a high tolerance to it. It used to be called adult-onset, but more and more children are developing type 2. Physical activity and exercise help improve a person’s insulin sensitivity, in turn making it easier for our bodies to utilize the glucose. Obesity is also another major cause of type 2 diabetes.

COPD = 80-90% of individuals suffering from COPD are caused by cigarette smoking. Totally preventable.

You get my point? 

Those numbers were a little sobering to read. Most of which can be controlled and maybe prevented by things like diet, exercise controlling obesity & stress, and avoiding smoking. Now yes, there are intrinsic risk factors that we can’t change RIGHT this second. But the above suggestions are things we can take control of.

Something else that is really crazy…a sedentary lifestyle is characterized as anything less than 30 minutes a day/3 times a week/3 months or less. Basically meaning, if you can’t find time for low-moderate (3.0 speed on a treadmill) intensity workouts 30 minutes a day, at least 3 times a week, you are sedentary. And guess what? That’s a risk factor for CHD. So by adding 1.5 hours A WEEK of low-moderate intensity exercise, you are eliminating a risk factor. 1.5 hours a week…that is seriously not hard.

A huge misconception is people think exercise has to be painful. Like I said above, low-moderate intensity is classified as a speed of 3.0 on a treadmill. Leave the ‘no pain, no gain’ mindset for the elite. Work within your level of fitness and you will start seeing results and eliminating your chances for disease.

My passion is seeing people live their lives happy and healthy. I want to help people become and stay pro-active about their well-being. The above quote is SO true…ignore eating healthy and exercise today and pay for the illness later. Or slowly start turning those positive risk factors in to negatives.

Disclaimer: I am NOT a health specialist. These are all facts obtained by my own research and studying. Consult with your Dr. if you have questions regarding positive risk factors for above diseases. 

, , , ,

Workin It Out

In CrossFit, exercise, Fitness, Food, Life, Running, San Diego on September 20, 2012 at 4:09 am

Morning run

I had an awesome 3 mile short run this morning. It was 70*, perfect running weather!

Not a soul on Coronado!

Came home and combined a WOD and sprint exercise. It was tough. I really hope CrossFit will help me run on tired legs during the Tennessee Ragnar Relay race. Especially since I’ll be running two legs. :/ Guess I should start seriously training, eh?

Wednesday WOD

I don’t why I put 5 rounds. You only go through this once, but you sprint 200m 5 times.

I buy all my “training” food from REI. Anybody else love that store?? I mean, it’s addicting. I can’t go in there and NOT spend at least $100. They are running their 20% off 12 or more nutrition items…can’t pass that up! I’ve also been eyeing Teva sandals for Sophie. Some people like Chaco’s, I like Teva’s.

For my inner endurance junkie!

My workouts warranted Chipotle, right? Well, my parents have never been to this amazing place. So of course, any excuse to go is good enough for me! Steak burrito and chips/salsa. I love that all of their meats are hormone/anti-biotic free.

Food for my running soul…Chipotle!

The wild ones.

The little beasts!

So, I ran in my new Reebok CrossFit Nano 2.0. They aren’t classified as running shoes, but they are “minimal” inspired. They felt great and are super light. Now, can I have a red and grey pair??

Hope you guys worked it out today. Another beautiful day in San Diego (sorry, don’t mean to brag ;))

, , , , ,

Avoiding Burnout.

In exercise, Fitness, Running on September 11, 2012 at 8:05 pm

That’s right!

Some questions to consider:

  1. Has physical performance declined?
  2. Decreased appetite?
  3. Increased injuries or sprains?
  4. No motivation?
  5. Elevated resting heart rate?
  6. Are you bored when exercising?

It’s either one of two things (or possibly a little of both), you’re overtraining or you’re burnt out. If you can answer yes to those first few things, you’re overtraining. Especially if you engage in high levels of exercise, high intensity, duration, etc… I’m constantly having to remind myself that it’s ok to rest. That’s the key to overtraining, rest. Your body needs adequate rest between exercising, especially high-intenisty ones.

But how can you avoid burn out? Answer: cross-train. I’ve come to love cross-training, it’s what brought me back to running. Cross-training is perfect, especially if you work out at the gym most days.

For cardio, try 10 minutes on the elliptical, 10 on the treadmill, and 10 on the stairclimber. Now you have 30 minutes of cardio taken care of! 🙂 Play an actual sport. You don’t have to be perfect at it. A favorite of mine? Tennis. Replace a run with a tennis game every now and then. Cross-training can change by seasons as well. Focus on swimming during the summer months, cycling during the fall, skiing/running in the winter. Whatever you love! Take a new class at your local gym. Bodypump classes are a great way to get in strength training if you find machines boring or are intimidated by free weights. The instructors are great and will familiarize you with the equipment needed. You can also burn up to 600 calories in an hour. Take a spin or yoga class. If you love cycling or running (like myself) hit up the trails! Make mother nature your gym.

My love of cross-training is why I started doing CrossFit workouts. Every day is different. While the format remains similar, the intensity, weight, duration, & movements change daily.

Avoid the “bored as hell” stage (as I call it – sorry mom!) and switch it up. Your body will thank you.

My favorite form of cross-training.

, , ,

Sweat it out Saturday

In CrossFit, exercise, Fitness, Life, Running, San Diego on September 8, 2012 at 10:05 pm

Time – 9:20

Sophie and I started off the weekend with a 3 miler on Coronado. I forget how heavy she is to push, but makes for a great upper body workout. Then came home and did my WOD workout (above). That’s 950 squats for the week. And yes, I totally plan on hitting 1000 tomorrow.

Afterwards, I did this short but heart-pumping set from BlondePonytail. I told you, she was my trainer. 😉

Squat jumps, plank jacks to spidey, split-jack lunges, burpees. 

Set timer to 20:10 for however many rounds you want. I did 3. It was roughly about 6 minutes.

We are lucky to live in San Diego and the tourists have all gone home! So after our run, Sophie and I did some more running up and down the beach playing in the water.

I mean, how cute is she?

California Girl!

Beach babe!

So, I’m in the market to buy a few weight plates (rubber). Any recommendations? I would rather purchase in store so I could play around with them, but am open to online if recommended. 

Enjoy your weekend!

, , ,

Track Your Progress

In CrossFit, exercise, Fitness, Food, Life on September 7, 2012 at 6:17 pm

I’m a firm believer in tracking your nutrition and exercise. It helps keep you on target and also lets you look back and see how far you’ve come and/or what needs improvement. I use the fitBook and websites like DailyMile.

There is also another good website called SlimKicker – it helps you create challenges and rewards for yourself when you achieve a short/long term goal. It has a great community sense and an inspiration feed that I like to read through. It helps you track nutrition and exercise. There are groups and you can invite friends, it also lets you blog your achievements!

Disclaimer: SlimKicker asked me to mention their website, opinions are my own.

Another early CrossFit WOD:

More squats??

Squat count: 850 this week. Beast mode.

Pre-workout!

Post-workout yummy goodness.

I have my AFAA personal trainer certification next weekend. I’m seriously on study overload. I think I will be so happy to have next weekend over with, passing or failing won’t matter anymore. (Well, I’m sorta kidding, but for real.)

TGIF!!

Sophie enjoys the foam roller too!