Quickie Manicure

I have little time to do little things like manicures these days. And if I was going to have childcare for time enough to get a manicure, I’d get my hair cut. But I still like my nails to look nice. When I can, I get it done quick by myself…with a little help from Sally Hansen 😉 I use the Complete Salon Manicure in Pink Slip. It’s base/topcoat/color all in one and this color is light so it’s both tough to mess up and doesn’t scream “look at my nail polish coming off” if you don’t get back to it for a while. Not that I let my nails go weeks without looking at them. Except that I do.

So I did my nails today and also made these super easy cookies with chocolate chips because that’s what i had. I definitely want to try it with cranberries soon!

I need to work on my photo skills!

Lots of workouts done…
Friday – TurboFire Fire55EZ and lifted weights
Saturday – couch to 5K, TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch10
Sunday – TurboFire Core20 and Stretch40
Monday – couch to 5k, walk, TurboFire Fire45EZ

 

 

Timing

It just hasn’t been right this week. Baby awake, husband ill, now a headache for me. So I’m getting to bed early tonight and hoping tomorrow will be the day I get back on track.

I did get back to the gym and back to running. I have started the Couch to 5K program in hopes of running some this year. Now was a good time because the gym child care vented will take 3 month olds! And I have one of those. I’m not doing anything too long because neither of us are really ready to part yet. We have to get used to it though…I return to work 3/15.

Another thing…looking for a workout program? Love Shaun T and his abs? Get them both in your living room for an awesome price with Hip Hop Abs…just $19.95 for a limited time!

Workout Monday –couch to 5K
Workout Tuesday – lifted weights
Workout today – couch to 5K

Pump it up!

Look what came in the mail the other day!

I am seriously excited to try Les Mills Pump. It is the home workout version of Body Pump which I have been wanting to do for a long time. I’m also looking forward to having a barbell at home. It comes with the workouts…how cool is that? I still want to finish up two more weeks of TurboFire and will use it during Pump as well.

Workout Friday – TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch10
Workout yesterday – TurboFire Fire55EZ

So Crafty…

Or not. I have some basic ability to sew and otherwise create but I am not exactly creative. And I am not exactly great at sewing (please see my couch pillow covers which need constant seam fixes). On occasion though, I find some things I want to make and see what happens. As I’m sure you can guess, Pinterest fuels this sometimes. Doesn’t it for all?

First, the project that didn’t work. A nursing shawl that seemed simple enough with just one straight line to sew. But making it out of knit proved difficult and I can’t get it to look as lovely as it does in the picture. I plan to try this one again in the near future, depending on nap times as everything does these days.

Next the one that worked well enough to see the light of day. I had wanted baby leg warmers but didn’t want to spend a lot. I looked a bit on Etsy and saw both some items to order and a bunch of leg warmers made out of target socks that were on clearance. Back to pinterest I went and found this tutorial. The first set, I tried using the sewing machine. Not so easy on a sock! I then tried it by hand, which worked well but seemed like the thread might break. I picked up some elastic thread yesterday and now have made two pairs, which came out well enough to be worn on a baby. At least my baby. I wont be attempting to sell them to others or give them as gifts or anything.

Here are some pics of the process…

Socks to start

One sock cut

Using the foot – fold in like a tube (starts as right, goes to left)

Sock goes into tube

Pinned to keep proper layers together and help rolling

Done. One still folded up, the other unfolded

Different pair, same process!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Workout Tuesday – TurboFire Fire30 and Sculpt30
Workout today – TurboFire Fire30 and Tone30

Took a rest day Wednesday!

Happy Baby Workout

I tried the Happy Baby workout yesterday.  I expected it to be a easy sail along workout but it was tough!  We got through the first 18 minutes before Zoe got cranky, but I watched most of it.  I definitely felt my muscles working!  Zoe liked a lot of it, especially when I held her for knee raises, bumping her with my knee.  We will do it again and when we can do the full workout, I will write a full review.

One thing I like about the yoga workout I have over this workout is that it is broken up into 20 minute pieces that you can do separately or together.  It is hard to entertain Zoe with one task for very long and it seems 18-20 minutes is when she is done.  I know that this span will get longer as she gets older.

In other workout news, I decided to do Les Mills Pump next instead of ChaLEAN Extreme.  The only reason is that I haven’t done Pump before and I am so excited to check it out!  I will let you know what I think.  I bought it now and I think I’ll start in March.

I did some sewing today, but I’m not quite ready to share.  I need another trip to the store and a little more time to myself.  Stay tuned!

Workout Saturday – TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch 10
Workout Sunday – TurboFire Core20 and Stretch40
Workout today – TurboFire Fire55EZ

 

Gym-Pact Take 2

I started using the Gym-Pact App last year when it first started up.  If you haven’t heard of it, you risk an amount for completing workouts.  So I risk $5 that I will log 3 workouts with them (starting small and will up it as I get more confident in the app working!).  If I fail to complete my workouts, I lose my money.  If I succeed, I get a share of the money of those who did not complete their pact proportionate to the amount of workouts I wagered (so if I bet I’ll do 6 workouts, I’ll get more money than the 3 I’m doing now).    From January to May of last year, I made about $50 and never paid in.

I had some issues though.  I tried to cash out 4 times before deciding to quit.  Two out of four times, I had an issue with the transaction and had to deal with customer service.  Customer service didn’t get back to me in a time frame I found acceptable (I’m talking weeks, not hours).  I also had many glitches with the app logging me out during my workout or saying the workout was complete but having it missing later.  It was more of a hassle than a motivator, so I quit.

A friend of mine used the app also, and made awesome progress last year.  You can check her out on Gym-Pact’s blog.  This year, they launched Gym-Pact Anywhere, allowing you to use the app for home workouts.  At first, you could only workout at a gym (had to be verified) and then you could do a run with RunKeeper.  Anywhere uses the accelerometer on the iPhone to judge if you’re moving enough and you have (I think) 150 minutes to get 30 minutes above their threshold for a minute.  So far TurboFire cardio workouts hit the threshold but the strength and stretch workouts do not.

So I’m trying it again, actually starting next week though I’ve been logging workouts.  I am having an issue with the app not counting past 16 minutes with the lock screen on (it resumes when unlocked) which I am told they are working on.  But otherwise it’s good.  I wish there was a way for it to work for less intense movements but that’s one of the reasons I wanted to try before going all out into 6 workouts a week.  I probably can’t guarantee time for more than 5 every week that will make their threshold.  But that’s still good!  I’ll post any updates as to how I do with the app.

Workout yesterday – TurboFire Fire30 and Tone30
Workout today – most of TurboFire Fire55EZ and foam rolling

First Mommy and Baby Yoga workout

I tried the first of the Mommy and Baby workouts I ordered…from Shiva Rea’s Mama & Baby Yoga.  The DVD has three workouts on it.  I had hoped to do all three, or at least two, but we needed a diaper change instead.  I preferred it over the class I had attended for a few reasons – I could go as long or short as Zoe was feeling, I could do it at any time, and no one had their class interrupted when Zoe wasn’t up to continuing.

There was one downside.  It was more mommy focused than mommy and baby focused.  I liked that the class had massage and movement for the baby.  This was more yoga for mom with a little extra to keep the baby watching so you could do it while the baby was there.  One of the poses Zoe loved though.  She was on my knees with me on my back, shins parallel to the floor, like she was flying.  Lots of smiles!

Maybe I will try to find a baby yoga workout.  Then we can mix them…a little for you, a little for me.  We will definitely do this often, it just isn’t exactly what I was looking for.

Workout today – Mama & Baby yoga – Mother’s Body Toning and practicing TurboKick round 49

Workout update

Wow, I haven’t updated much and haven’t updated my workouts in a week!  So here is that…

Wednesday – TurboFire Fire45 and Stretch10
Thursday – HIIT20 and Sculpt30
Friday – Fire55EZ
Saturday – Core20 and Stretch40
Sunday – Fire45 and Stretch10
Monday – Fire55EZ and Stretch10
Tuesday – Fire30 and Sculpt30

I have moved on to a new month of TurboFire.  These weeks have more straight cardio and strength training and none of the HIITs (though the cardio workouts usually have intervals of higher intensity – the Turbos).  My toe still hurts, but I don’t notice it much in all but one pair of sneakers.  So I don’t wear them much now.  Good thing I have others.

I’m also enjoying my Shakeology so much.  I had it for dinner today (I may have dropped the crockpot lid into dinner and didn’t want lid chips with my chicken) and I am EN-ER-Gized!  My husband is drinking it mostly daily too!  Sometimes I think he forgets that he has it until I mention it.  He had salad and Shakeology for dinner.  He goes straight Shakeology and water plus a little Coffee Mate.  I usually do frozen berries, almond milk and water.  So good!

My mommy and baby workouts came yesterday and I hope to try them tomorrow.  We have a very busy week with lots of appointments and friends.  Fun stuff!  And it’s all after nap time.  We like nap time.  Zoe has one good nap a day most mornings and everyone is happier when that happens.  Happy baby = Happy mommy!

Lulu Looney

I am not one to discriminate against workout clothes (or regular clothes for that matter). My clothes are from a mix of places…Target, Marshalls, lululemon, Turbowear. I do have a tough time spending a bunch on clothes to sweat in. Most of the pricier stuff, I’ve bought on sale or for a special occasion.

When I found out there was going to be a lululemon warehouse sale nearby, I jumped on it. Good times were had and good clothes were bought. And the scarf. Oh the scarf. We were on the prowl for the vinyasa scarf that was $9. The box was empty when we got in, but the three of us left with four scarves with some great eyes and a wonderful worker who found one for us.

Zoe came to and spent most of her time in the sling. She was just brimming with anticipation before the sale.

So here is most of my purchases. Not pictured is a running head band.

We had a great time even with the lines and got terrific deals! And a bonus workout carrying a baby the whole time.

I’ll update my workouts tomorrow. Today was my favorite TurboFire Fire55Ez.