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

Jumpstart Your Strength Training Routine With This

Pulldown exercise to the front (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It's tough to get a strength-training regimen going when you're not sure where to start, but when I saw this print-out this morning, I thought it was a great way to at least introduce a few exercises to those who have yet to take the plunge—particularly if you have a gym membership at your disposal.

While I don't believe in remaining stagnant in your strength-training plan, I do believe in incorporating as many muscle groups as possible in order to give your body the balanced, toned, and strong look so many of us crave.

My suggestion is to use the above routine as a template—a nice starting point—and then, as you gain strength and confidence, vary it to make it more amenable to what you need and want for your body.

For those who might be wondering if it can be incorporated into a home workout, trust me it can.

If you don't currently subscribe to a gym, your best bet is not to concentrate on the exercises, but rather on the muscle groups they are meant to train. For instance, the wide-grip pulldown (shown in the picture above) focuses on the upper back and the shoulders. Exercises like tricep push-ups, wide grip pull-ups (using a chin-up bar), incline/decline push-ups, and dumbbell flys all offer a great alternative to those same muscles.

It might take a little extra research on your part to find the home alternatives that work for you, but it certainly can be done.

It's Monday...Again!

Okay, true confession time: I hate Mondays!

My weekends are typically very relaxing, enjoyable. and laid back. Unlike some of my more hard core fitness fanatics, I trust in my weekend activities for my "exercise" as opposed to actually conjuring up a routine. That said, by the time Monday gets back to town, I am not motivated or ready to put on the sports bra and get back yo business.

The cure for me is to go to my on-line vision board or my Facebook page—where I subscribe to tons of health and fitness pages—to find something to get me going. I usually succeed and manage to get Monday conquered in short order.

So, straight from my timeline, I share with you this gem for the gym:

You Mean It Doesn't Matter When I Eat?

I love reading informative fitness articles, even when they touch on things that I already know after years of self-study, and the link below should be a bookmark on everyone's laptop because it is an invaluable resource to anyone who is either just starting out or considers themselves to be somewhat informed. 

It speaks of the "26 Myths..." of fitness and two in particular are heard by me on a regular basis:

...Myth #1 – If you eat after 7 p.m. you will gain weight.

Truth: Energy balance determines your bodyweight. If your energy intake (food and drink) is greater than your energy expenditure, then you will gain weight. If your energy intake is less than your energy expenditure, then you will lose weight. What time of night you eat does not make you gain weight!

G-Tip: I would suggest decreasing your carbohydrate intake later in the day and into the night when you are less active. Eat lean proteins, fiber and fats.

Myth #2 – If you are a woman and you lift weights, you will get bulky.

Truth: Women do not have enough natural testosterone to build large muscles. You will only get harder, leaner and firmer! Lifting weights will also help you burn calories and fat— during and after your workout.

G-Tip: Lifting weights is an essential component in any fitness program. No matter what your goals are, lifting weights will help build not only an amazing, well-sculpted, firm body, but keep you strong and build overall confidence and self-esteem!...

...Myth #10 – The best time to exercise is in the morning.

Truth: The best time to exercise is based on you. Some people are “morning people” and find they are most productive before noon. If this describes you, then you should exercise in the morning. However, others, whether through personal preference or due to their schedules, find it easier to work out in the afternoon or evening. This is what they should do. You will build the same amount of muscle in the morning or in the evening.

G-Tip: There are theories about when is the best time to do this or do that and everyone has their beliefs. For everyday lifestyle living, the bottom line is to get in your daily workouts no matter if that means you do so in the morning, afternoon or evening. Everybody's lives and schedules are different so you have to do what is best for you.

And that's just a few of the common misconceptions.

Personally, I've always heard the one about when to not eat and wondered how much sense it made simply because, like the article states, just because it's past 7 doesn't mean your day has ended. You could conceivably burn just as many calories in your nighttime activity (dancing, playing a sport, swimming, running, or otherwise) as you did during the day.

Quite frankly, during the summer months, when the days are longer, it's not unusual to find me in the yard or out and about.

So it makes sense that you would eat according to what your body needs but just resolve to eat smart. 

I highly suggest giving the link a look if you're even a little curious as to how many of those tried and true "facts" of fitness you might still be hanging onto for yourself. You might be surprised what you find.

26 Fitness Myths Revealed

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Abs: They Take Time and Patience

If I could take a pill that would take my mid-section from what it is to what I intend it to be—minus the 1,000's of crunches and pain-inducing planks and ab workouts—believe me I would. However, even I know that these things take time and a lot of patience.

Keep at it, you'll get there if you stay the course and keep working hard.

Source: google.com via Kimberley on Pinterest

Incorporating More Functionality Into Your Routine

The other day when I attempted to open a particularly stubborn bottle of nail polish, I found that I simply could not get the job done. So, I decided to stop wasting my energy on a task so simple and just hand it to the hubby. He took one look at me and said, "please don't tell me those things are for nothin'." 

The "things" he was referencing were the muscles in my arms and the thought I immediately had was, he's right! All the weights I lift and exercises I do and I can't open a friggin' bottle of nail polish—what gives?!?

Well, I found my answer this morning while browsing the web; a task like that would be labeled a "functional" activity. Or basically an action that includes movements and muscle groups you wouldn't normally target in your fitness routine. 

So how does one begin to incorporate more functional exercises into their regimen to ensure they aren't short-changing themselves?

You first start by thinking about common actions you take on a regular/semi-regular basis, and then determine what you can do to closely replicate that in your routine.

"Functional fitness exercises can be done at home or at the gym.

Health and fitness facilities may offer classes that include functional fitness components like boot camp classes, while personal trainers will utilize tools like free weights, fitness balls, steps or kettle bells in functional fitness workouts.

Think about when you pick up a box in your garage and lift it to store it on a shelf above shoulder level. An example of a functional exercise that would address this type of physical challenge might be a squat, while holding dumbbells in each hand, and moving directly into an overhead press. This type of real life movement is not generally achieved using cardio or weight machines."

Read more: http://www.lompocrecord.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/put-more-focus-on-functional-exercises/article_da4de0c4-73e0-11e1-9ab6-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1pr41gNgg

I swear, I learn something new about this old body of mine every day.

Stay Committed, Stay True, Stay Toned

I fall and fail as much as I get up and succeed. This is my truth and it applies to everything in my life—including my workouts. I often ask myself on any given day, particularly on the days where the biggest challenge can be just getting out of bed, "what is my motivation?". It's a fair enough question, wouldn't you say?

Each of us whether we realize it or not, begins our journey towards a better body or sense of self for a reason: to get into that pair of skinny jeans, to look good for an upcoming social event, or because we are tired of looking in the mirror and not loving the body we see. In all of those cases, there is something external to motivate us. We have something material we can look at and work towards to keep us on the right track.

But, what happens when that thing no longer exists? Where do you find the internal motivation once you reach your goal?

As easy as you consider the answer to this question to be, please understand that it is much harder than you think. We all to some extent become satisfied enough with our progress to start making allowances for our actions.

It may start with an act as simple as eating a slice of pie or skipping a workout. Before you know it you're justifying eating out and cutting back on your cardio because "one day won't hurt me"—believe me, I've been there, and it's a miserable feeling to wallow in the guilt you feel when your "one day" turns into one week, one month, and so on.

You have to commit everyday to being the person who is dedicated to keeping his/her workout regimen in tact. If you don't, you run the risk of seeing all your hard work go down the drain.

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Pain: The Body's Way of Saying "I'm Challenging You"

It's not easy to work out five days a week and, I admit, some weeks I don't reach that goal—being a mother, wife, and woman of infinite responsibility can make that hard sometimes—but I put forth the effort to do something everyday no matter what; as long as I'm physically able.

That said, you can only do so much of the same thing before your body gets bored and requires something more to produce results. So I am always challenging myself to do more, push harder, and test the limits of what is thought possible.

Sometimes that approach is met with resistance of both the physical (sore muscles, a deep burning sensation—hint, hint, that's your muscles saying "gimme more", and fatigue) and mental kind (questioning your ability to do the routine and wondering if it's actually worth all the physical consequences).

I cannot tell you the number of times I've felt like doing nothing or opting for the easier, more manageable routine, that I know can be completed with ease. After all, if I believe those around me, I should be in "maintenance mode" now, so there is purpose in coming up with more challenges for my body to meet.

For those of you who can understand the latter point, here's a word of wisdom from a simple woman of faith: there is nothing wrong with being satisfied with where you are, physically, but if you're not, you will never get to that point without finding new ways to both challenge yourself and present your body with a reason to get stronger, leaner, and more physically fit.

Part of the beauty of learning a new exercise routine or fitting in one additional set is the great feeling you get from the knowledge that you are progressing.

Maybe last year you couldn't last five minutes on the elliptical machine before bailing on it altogether but, as you did more, your body became accustomed to the rigor and now, maybe, that five minutes is what you do to warm-up your body before advancing to the more intense levels of your regimen.

Progression makes you feel good. Progression is what keeps us all fired up to do more and you should try to never lose your desire to do more.

Your body is your temple to build and glorify. There is nothing arrogant or conceded about doing that if your intent is the overall goal of being balanced on every level and feeling as good about yourself on the outside as you do about the inside.

Celebrate yourself, challenge your will, and try to be better everyday.

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