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NOMORESTALLING's Recent Blog Entries
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Tuesday, January 20, 2009
As the 18th day of the fitness challenge begins, this is a great time ask yourself how you're doing. Do you feel good about the challenges you've tackled or do you feel you could do more? While pondering that question, get started on today's challenges which will help you build some strength, focus on what you're doing and take some time to enjoy the little things in life.
I sure do! I feel so much more energetica and alive! I finally feel like I'm actually getting somewehre!
Your Active Challenge
Set an alarm to go off every hour. Take at least 2 minutes to stand up and stretch, walk around or take a break.
Is this challenge starting to look familiar? This is the third time you've done this one, so it should be getting a little easier. Be sure to do this challenge all day, if you can.
Couldn't really do this one while at work but I did remember to take the two minutes to stretch every chance I got!
Your Exercise Challenge - Strength
Spend 30-60 minutes today doing strength training exercises for the entire body.
You can choose any of the previous workouts I've highlighted, such as those listed in the Total Body for Beginners, Special Situations section. But, if you're ready for a challenge, take a look at the following intermediate/advanced total body programs and give one a try, if you think you're ready:
Total Body Workout (Intermediate)
Total Body Strength, Balance & Stability (Int/Adv)
Total Body Challenge - Supersets
As always, stay within your fitness level...you don't have to do the harder workouts unless you're ready.
Well this one was easy to do On the job today I did nothing but cardio and strength training with all the walking ( almost 16,000 steps according to my pedometer!)and heavy lifting and carrying all morning and into part of the afternoon It was stalk day!
Your Flexibility Challenge
Perform the exercises listed in this Total Body Stretch after your strength training workout.
Do each stretch at least once (more if you have the time) and hold for 30 seconds.
Again I acheived this on the job today!
Your Nutrition Challenge - Savor your food
For one meal or snack, take your time by chewing each bite slowly and putting your fork down between each bite.
By slowing down, you allow yourself time to savor your food. Eating slowly also helps your body provide appropriate cues for when you're full, which can help cut down on eating too much.
I have no problem with this one! I do that without thinking about it now!
Your Mind/Body Challenge
Choose three strength training exercises and perform them with very slow, controlled movements, concentrating on the muscles you're working.
This mind/body challenge is all about paying attention - something we often don't do when we exercise, especially when it comes to strength training. For many of us, lifting weights feels uncomfortable. Our muscles burn, the weight starts to feel even heavier than it is and it becomes harder and harder to complete each rep with good form. But it's just that discomfort, that challenge, that helps us become stronger.
To do this challenge, pick any three exercises from the workouts offered above or from your own strength workout. For those three moves, turn off the TV or your MP3 player (or any other distractions), and do the following:
Slow each rep down so that you're lifting 4 counts up and 4 counts down.
During each part of the move, concentrate on the muscles you're working. Feel it contract and lengthen as you go through each part of the exercise.
Don't count your reps, simply keep going until you no longer have good form.
After each exercise, take a moment to write about the experience in your journal. What exercises did you focus on and where did you feel it? Did the exercises feel different when you slowed down and concentrated?
Oh believe me I pay attention to the muscles I use on stalk day! I make good and sure it is my largest muscles (thighs) I use to lift everything!
Your Day Eighteen Checklist
How'd you do with your challenges today? Use this checklist to cross off everything you accomplished or make notes on what you didn't accomplish and why. You can also use the checklist to make substitutions for any challenges that didn't work for you or create even more challenges for yourself.
I think that even though I have to moderate these daily challenges on work days I still benefit greatly from everythign I have been doing!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Can you believe you're already on day seventeen? Or maybe it feels like day one hundred...if so, take a deep breath and remember that you're in charge. The idea is for you to push past self-imposed limits...this shouldn't feel like torture. That said, your challenges today involve some challenges you've seen before as well as a couple of new things for you to try. Do your best and always modify anything that doesn't work for you.
Your Active Challenge
Do the following Morning & Evening Yoga workout when you get up and before you go to bed.
These moves should take you about 5 minutes or maybe a bit more and are great for both waking up the body and relaxing you before bed.
Well I am not flexible enough to do anything Yoga so i did afew of my own relaxation stretches!
Your Exercise Challenge
Do 35-50 minutes (altogether or split throughout the day) of steady-state, medium-intensity cardio.
The idea is to work at a level just out of your comfort zone, or at around Level 5 on this perceived exertion scale. Try this 35 Minute Endurance Workout on any cardio machine, choose a different Cardio Workout or do your own thing. Remember, if you can't do 30 minutes, do as much as you can and make a note in your journal so you can do more next time.
And of course i rode my stationary bike for 30 minutes!
Your Flexibility Challenge
Perform the stretching exercises listed in this Relaxing Stretch on the Ball after your cardio workout.
You can also choose your own stretching exercises or other flexibility workouts.
I don't have a ball yet!
Your Nutrition Challenge
Reduce your portion sizes for at least one meal.
For this challenge, you'll need the numbers you got from measuring your meal in yesterday's challenge. Today, you'll again measure each part of your meal and, this time, reduce each portion...how much is up to you. It can be a little or a lot, just make sure you're eating less than you did the day before.
I reduced my lunch; Normally I have a soup and sandwich today I just had the sandwich
If this challenge doesn't work for you (either because your portions were healthy or you're eating a different meal), feel free to do a previous challenge or come up with your own nutritional challenge.
Your Mind/Body Challenge - Play Dead
For at least 3 minutes, stretch out on the floor or bed in 'Corpse Pose'.
To do this, Lie on your back with legs and arms out a comfortable distance from the body. Let your feet flop out and relax your fingers. Close your eyes and relax the muscles round each eye as you breath deeply. Starting at your feet, consciously relax each part of your body, letting all your tension go as you breathe.
Believe me once I got off the bike I felt dead! Had no trouble playing dead after that! LOL
Your Day Seventeen Checklist
How'd you do with your challenges today? Use this checklist to cross off everything you accomplished or make notes on what you didn't accomplish and why. You can also use the checklist to make substitutions for any challenges that didn't work for you or create even more challenges for yourself.
With exception of the yoag and not having a ball I still completed enough of the exercises and made the changes they suggested Over all another successful day!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Hopefully you're ready to go and feeling energetic after yesterday's rest day. If so, there are some new challenges for you today and I think you'll enjoy them...well, some of them at least. The active challenge is for any TV-watchers out there so, if you don't watch TV, you may need to come up with your own challenge here. For your exercise challenge, you'll be focusing on lower body exercises. I've given you some workout choices but please do what works for you. You may find the nutritional challenge a bit difficult because you'll be measuring out your foods. Don't worry - you only have to do it for one meal...you can handle that, right? You'll enjoy the short mind/body challenge which should leave you feeling a bit refreshed. If you're ready, let's get started.
Your Active Challenge
While watching TV, get up every 30 minutes and perform the following exercises:
Standing Cat Stretch (10 reps)
Spinal Twist (3 reps on each side for 15 seconds)
One-Legged Bridge with Leg Drop (8 reps on each side)
Back Extension (15 reps)
Chair Squats (15 reps)
Repeat these exercises at least three times. As always, feel free to come up with your own challenge if this one doesn't work for you.
Your Exercise Challenge - Strength
Spend 20-30 minutes doing lower body exercises for the glutes, hips and thighs.
You can choose from the following lower body workouts
Hips, Butt & Thigh Workout
Short Lower Body Workout
Lower Body Supersets (more advanced)
Basic Exercises for the Lower Body
Feel free to choose your own exercises for a complete workout doing 1-3 sets of each exercise for 12-16 reps, depending on your fitness level and goals.
Your Flexibility Challenge
Perform the stretches detailed in this Lower Body Flexibility Workout after your strength workout.
You can also choose your own exercises or any of these Flexibility Workouts.
Your Nutrition Challenge
For at least one meal today, measure each food you eat and record the numbers in your food journal.
Use whatever tools you have available - measuring cups, spoons, a food scale, etc. and carefully determine how much of each food you're eating. Next to each item, write down the serving size and the amount of calories in each serving according to food labels. Looking at those numbers, are you surprised? Are you eating more or less than you thought? Could you eat a bit less and still be satisfied? Answer these questions in your journal for future reference.
Your Mind/Body Challenge
Take at least two minutes to do the following relaxation:
Sit in a chair with your back straight and feet flat on the floor.
Close your eyes, if you can, and shrug the shoulders up towards the ears as high as you can.
Hold for 2 seconds and release.
Repeat the shoulder shrugs five times.
Slowly roll the shoulders backwards three times.
Roll the shoulders forwards three times.
Take five slow, deep breaths, feeling your belly expand with each inhale and contract with each exhale.
Use each exhale to ease any tension in your shoulders, neck and forehead
Your Day Sixteen Checklist
How'd you do with your challenges today? Use this checklist to cross off everything you accomplished or make notes on what you didn't accomplish and why. You can also use the checklist to make substitutions for any challenges that didn't work for you or create even more challenges for yourself.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
If you've made it this far, congratulations! I know it's not easy staying on track day after day, but that's what it takes if you really want to get healthy. Today is your chance to sit back, take stock of how far you've come and reward yourself for all your hard work. The challenges are all very easy today, so enjoy this break and gather your energy for your new challenges tomorrow.
Your Active Challenge
Accumulate at least 10 minutes of extra walking today.
Remember, you can split it up or do it all at once...just keep track of the time.
Your Exercise Challenge
Rest.
You have no structured routines today except for some light stretching, so take some time to rest your body.
Your Flexibility Challenge
Take 3-5 minutes to perform the exercises in the Seated Stretch Workout.
Your Nutrition Challenge
Check in with yourself.
Take at least five minutes today to flip through your journal and checklists, reading through all of the nutrition challenges you've completed. Write down the hardest challenge you've experienced so far and the easiest. Keep this information handy for future challenges.
Your Mind/Body Challenge
Reward yourself.
Take at least five minutes today and think or write about what you've accomplished so far in the 30-day challenge. Then make a list of five things you could do to reward yourself for your hard work. Choose one thing from that list and either do it today or make plans for doing it in the future. Some ideas:
Schedule a massage for next week
Download a new song for your MP3 player
Buy a book or magazine you've been wanting to read
Rent your favorite movie for an afternoon treat
Sleep in one morning
Go to bed early one night
Your Day Fifteen Checklist
How'd you do with your challenges today? Use this checklist to cross off everything you accomplished or make notes on what you didn't accomplish and why. You can also use the checklist to make substitutions for any challenges that didn't work for you or create even more challenges for yourself.
REST? That would be what you say? LOL
Today I definetly did different thing from the norm I did my bulk cooking so that i would have three different kinds of soups in single serving sizes for our lunches on the days that we both work. I did my cleaning of course Not all of it but most of it I will finish the rest of it tomorrow Plus I want to make up a few low fat pizza pops ahead so that we have our suppers premade on the days we both work too!
Then I changed out the old seat on my stationary bike adn got on it for a half hour! No day of rest for this chick!
Friday, January 16, 2009
I hope you're feeling energetic today, becauseour challenges are getting a bit more difficult. Today you'll actually be combining cardio and upper body strength training, but remember that you can always modify the workouts to fit your schedule and fitness level. Your nutrition challenge will also be a tough one - you're not changing what you're eating, but how you're eating so you may need to take some time to think about how you'll change your eating habits. The good news is, you're only doing it for today and it's just an experiment. Do your best to follow through with all the challenges today and to be creative if some of these challenges don't work for you.
Your Active Challenge
Sit on an exercise ball for at least 5-10 minutes today.
You can do this while working, watching TV, reading, etc. If you don't have an exercise ball, spend 5-10 minutes standing rather than sitting at some point during the day
Your Exercise Challenge - Strength & Cardio
Part one: Do at least 20 minutes of medium-high intensity cardio exercise.
Begin with a warm up, then increase your intensity (either by going faster, higher or increasing resistance) so that you're at a level 5-6 on the this perceived exertion scale. Stay there for 3 minutes, then increase your intensity to Level 7-8 for 1 minute. Alternate 3 minutes at Level 5-6 with 1 minute at Level 7-8 for 20 or more minutes.
Part two:
Either before or after your cardio (or at a different time today), perform 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps of the following upper body exercises, using enough weight that you can ONLY complete the desired number of reps. 1-2 sets of you're a beginner, 2-3 sets for int/adv.
Pushups
Chest Press
Back Extension on the Ball
Lat Pull with Bands
Seated Overhead Press
Tricep Extension w/ Bands
Bicep Curls
You can find details as well as substitutions for these moves at this Upper Body Progression Workout.
Your Flexibility Challenge
Part one: Stretch for at least 5 minutes after your workout.
Your options:
Lower Body Stretches
Total Body Stretch
Part 2: Perform this Seated Stretching Routine at least once today. Another option is to perform each of the following stretches:
Neck Stretches
Back Stretch
Trunk Twist
Shoulder Stretch
Lower Back Stretch
As always, feel free to substitute with any moves you like.
Your Nutrition Challenge
Change your eating habits for one day.
Using the information you got from yesterday's challenge, change your normal eating patterns to see if this new way of eating works better or worse.
For example, if you usually eat three large meals and two small snacks, split your larger meals and eat half at one time and the other half when you feel hungry again (or 2-3 hours later). If you usually go long periods of time between meals, have a snack in between. If you usually skip breakfast, try eating something in the morning. At the end of the day, write down what you did and how you felt. Were you more energetic? Was this way of eating better or worse? If it was better, could you eat that way more often?
Your Mind/Body Challenge
One-Minute Meditation. Find a quiet place to sit and close your eyes. Breathe deeply and focus on your breath by counting to three for each inhale and three for each exhale. Continue this for at least one minute (or more if you have the time). If your mind wanders, notice what you're thinking about and then gently focus on your breath.
If you have a hard time finding a quiet place, try your car, the bathroom, your desk during a lull or, if you're at home, a time when the kids are occupied.
Your Day Fourteen Checklist
How'd you do with your challenges today? Use this checklist to cross off everything you accomplished or make notes on what you didn't accomplish and why. You can also use the checklist to make substitutions for any challenges that didn't work for you or create even more challenges for yourself.
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