Fit Mommy: Excellence Takes Time, Discipline, and Ingenuity

The one thing that I've noticed about those who choose to work out at home—for whatever reason—is how much more disciplined and dedicated they are than those who don't. Now, before you go wild and accuse me of being short-sighted, keep in mind that I'm not saying that going to the gym four, five, or maybe even six days a week doesn't take discipline. I did that for years and I know it does, but if you're at home with only a set of dumbbells and a a pair of gym shoes, then you're really having to work hard to find a regimen that works for you because you have to be creative when there are no machines or trainers to guide you.

While there are tons of at-home workout programs at your disposal—from television to DVD's—let's face it, those items can only be used so much before you start to get bored and yearn for something more, or worse quit altogether.

That said, keeping things fresh is a challenge when the only person planning the activities is you.

In my personal experience I've found that no matter how hard the way gets, I am always continuing to look for another challenge. If I start to get bored, I research other exercises I haven't tried or look into refining my fitness goals a bit.

For example, if my abs are finally showing, but my back needs a bit more work, then I focus on doing more to enhance it. If my strength training regimen is no longer producing results, I increase the repetitions or the weights—and along the way I continue to add to my home gym and, eventually, there is little I can't do in my own home.

I know that excellence—based on my standard of what that is—takes time, and every ounce of my being wants that excellence in the worst way. So while I may not be the best-of-the-best, I will work my tail off to prove that I'm every bit as focused as the next person.

It's all about continuing to succeed in my goals and reach the next level and, come hell or high water, I will do just that!

Source: Uploaded by user via Kimberley on Pinterest

Fit Takes Sense, Not Dollars

I'm as obsessive about my workouts as I am about just about everything else in my life so that means I am almost always looking to challenge myself in new ways. Now, I have to admit, I'm all about being frugal these days so if I can't do it in the comfort of my own home, I'm not likely to do it at all.
(True story: massive debts built in college lead to massive accumulated debt once you become a married couple with kids to raise. I freely admit that I have a lot of work to do to get as financially fit as I am physically. That said, I have always been a sucker for being creative and using this rather expensively built brain my mama paid for to get the job done minus a gym membership).

So, back to my obsessiveness.

For those of you who might not know it, I am a football fan....wait, let me rewind that statement, I am more than a football fan, I am a GEORGIA BULLDOG fan! I love the Bulldogs and I love talking Bulldog football on college football Saturdays in the fall. And, one of my favorite all-time players is former Georgia Bulldog running back Herschel Walker.

Walker grew up in the rural south, and he didn't have access to great equipment or fitness programs. However, he never let that stand in the way of his success. And though many have questioned the truthfulness of his claims over the years, I believe it when he says he never used a weight or supplement to look like the physically chiseled specimen he did whilst playing running back for the University of Georgia because my personal experience planning and executing my own fitness plan has proven to many around me that much is possible if you're truly motivated.

That said, if you don't have a structured environment to walk into everyday, you have to be diligent in finding new techniques and avenues by which you can better assist your body in reaching it's potential.

At present, my home gym consists of several sets of dumbbells, a 20-lb barbell, a pilates ball, and an exercise bike. Those are my staples. However, using just those items, I am able to create a diverse workout routine that helps me build muscle, increase physical stamina, and tone and lift the parts that I most wish to emphasize when the weather is warm.

For example:

(using 20 lb dumbbells)

shrugs: 1 set/15 reps 
100 jumping jacks
shrugs: 1 set/15 reps
rest :20
curls: 1 set/12 reps
100 high knee runs in place
curls: 1 set/12 reps
rest :20
overhead tricep extension: 1 set/12 reps
Mountain Climbers for 30 seconds
overhead tricep extension: 1 set/12 reps
rest 1:00

The above is the upper body portion of my workout from last week.

I always do full body workouts because that works well for me and each workout typically includes 6-8 exercises per muscle group. So on that particular day I also did arms, legs, glutes, back, and abs. It was a 70 minute workout with a total rest time of 5:00 minutes.

Some days I increase the sets and decrease the repetitions just so I'm not overtaxing my muscles—leaving them susceptible to injury.

This is an approach that has worked well for me and I'm fairly satisfied with the results I've attained over the last year or so.

My point in sharing this with you is only to say that if you're honest about your fitness goals and you truly want to make a positive change to your body, you have to be willing to think outside the box.

My dedication to getting my family financially fit and debt free means that I am less inclined to spend money on luxuries like going to the gym. That's the plain and simple of it.  But by no means am I willing to let that be an excuse for me to not feel or look how I want.

Source: healthy-is-the-way-to-go.tumblr.com via Kimberley on Pinterest

Nuff' said.

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Tuesday Triumph: Two Workouts Down, Three To Go

After pushing through my Monday routine, it was nice to feel energetic and ready to take on another, more focused, one today—it was all about the arms and shoulders this time.

The one thing I'm willing to guess most every woman loves to have are those nicely toned, beautifully sculpted, arms to flaunt when wearing that sleeveless top or dress. But those things don't come easy and you have to be willing to put in the time to get those showstoppers.

Here's a small sample of my routine from this morning. Using 25lb dumbbells (lighter is fine, too, just increase your reps):

Standing Dumbbell Shrugs (4 sets of 12): lots of women scoff at this exercise because it seems like such a "man" thing. However, it does wonders for helping to build that sleek neckline and accentuate the collarbone (or clavicle) which gives most women that "hey, I DO work for this body" look.

Standing Alternating Hammer Dumbbell Curls (4 sets of 10): I love curls! I'm obsessed with them, quite frankly, and I try to incorporate a set into nearly every routine—no matter what I'm working on that particular day. It's a phenomenal exercise for the biceps and a must do in my opinion.

Standing Overhead Tricep Press (4 sets of 8): My cousin used to comment that the one thing she didn't want to have was "flabby arms"—somehow having them just made wearing a tank top seem pointless to her.

Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises (4 sets of 10): I transition back to my 5 lb dumbbells for this one because my focus is more on form than repetitions. You really want to make sure you're giving your deltoids (that muscle just along the back ridge of your shoulders) a good workout.

Strengthening the deltoids can not only give your upper body a more statuesque look but also aids in forming great posture.

Aside from that, cardio is always a must for me. I never know what kind of mood I'll be in when it gets to that point, though, because I detest cardio—DETEST! I've never been a runner (although I have a great deal of respect for those who can do it on a regular basis) and biking is only fun if you're in a scenic landscape.

That said, mountain climbers, jumping jacks, high knee runs, lateral hops, wall sits, and other such exercises can be every bit as challenging, particularly when done in quick succession, and don't require much beyond a few feet of space and your own body weight to get the job done. 

Lastly, the abs. I'm on a mission to get the tummy as lean and flat as possible and that means a lot of attention to every muscle hidden within.

I stopped relying on crunches long ago to get the job done and, instead, look to a number of different exercises to target the various points in the abdominal area. As of now, I do a cocktail of reverse crunches (lower abs/side obliques), plank poses (both side and basic), boat crunches (lower abs), etc., but there are literally hundreds of exercise that can help you strengthen you core.

Start here for ideas and then just keep being creative and mixing them up.

Well, that's me for today—what are you going to do to get moving?

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