Happy MONDAY!!!
I woke up bright and early for a lower body workout at home in my apartment this morning. It’s usually tough for me to motivate myself at home (especially in the morning), so I got all of my equipment ready last night, so all I had to do was wake up, throw on some sneakers, and exercise.
Bosu + resistance band, which I forgot that I owned! The resistance band is going to make a come back in my workouts!
Last night, I also made a “To Do” list of 5 lower body exercises for this morning. It can be so difficult to get motivated, especially when I am groggy and slow moving. If I have a list of exercises, I always know what to do next, so I am not wasting time or thinking about what exercises to do. It keeps me focused! 😉
The Workout:
- Grand Plie Evlis Squat, 10 lb dumbbells, 2 sets
- Front Lunge Push-Off, 10 lb dumbbells, 2 sets
- Lunge-Reach Combo, 10 lb dumbbells, 2 sets
- Curtsy Squat and Lift, 10 lb dumbbells, 2 sets (this one is a killer!)
- Walking Side Lunges with band, 10 lb dumbbells, 2 sets
As you guys know, the fastest way to sculpt big, sexy muscles is to work them to fatigue. Personally, I am a rep gal, which means when I plan to do 12 reps, I mentally (and physically) shut down after 12 reps. This way of strength training, however, often prevents me from getting that lifting “intensity” that I want. So, I tried a new approach that I recently read about in one of my fitness magazines.
This morning, I gave myself a ballpark number of reps that I wanted to do for each exercise (12-15 reps) and then kept going until my muscles couldn’t handle another rep. (Although, I did keep the number of reps the same if I did a single-leg exercise for the right and left sides.) My buns and thighs were burning by the end of 2 sets! I definitely recommend giving this strength training approach a try!
Breakfast
Mmmm… peanut butter-banana oats! My favorite!
I splurged at the grocery store yesterday and purchased the all-natural, freshly ground peanut butter. It’s surprisingly not THAT much more expensive than the stuff in the jar.
In the mix:
- 1/2 cup dry oats
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal
- 3/4 cup hemp milk
- 1 banana, sliced
- Peanut butter!
In the News
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Uncover the health benefits of exotic produce
Reader Demographics
I’ve been curious for quite awhile now about my blog readership. I “know” quite a few of you through your blogs and emails, but there’s a lot of you that I don’t know anything about at all. I thought it would be fun to have a little “Reader Survey” to find out what the readership of Carrots ‘N’ Cake (CNC) is all about. (Plus, you guys know so much about me— I want to know about you!) So, lurkers, please make yourself known! 😀 (Feel free to use an Anonymous name if you’re uncomfortable using your own.) FYI: I’m gathering this info because of my own curiosity, so don’t worry about me using it for anything else. I thought you guys would be interested in knowing who’s out there too!
Age:
Gender:
Location (City, State):
Occupation:
How long have you been reading CNC?
How did you “discover” CNC?
What is your favorite aspect of CNC?
Thanks for your input, guys!