Goals For The Long Weekend

Happy FRI-YAY to all you beautiful people :)

I decided to make goals for myself this weekend, I am still trying to find my routine and get into the swing of things here. Who knew moving and starting a new job could be so stressful! 

I started my new job this past week, three days of training and then one day in the clinic. It went well, overwhelming but good. 

So about these goals I set, here they are

run every day (shorter run, intervals, longer run)

increase my weights while doing the Rock Hard Challenge

sunday = prep day for the next week

get my fitbit steps in daily (at least 10,000)
and lastly... being super duper happy :)

I also wanted to mention that I haven't lost much weight or inches but I know I am getting a heck of a lot stronger- I actually have muscles in my arms, my back, and I've always had stronger legs.. but holy crap they're getting even more stronger and it makes me feel so good about myself and my journey. This is the feeling that keeps me going, that gets my butt to the gym, that gets me to keep choosing healthier food choices, and that makes me a better, happier person. 

"Once you start seeing changes, you become addicted."

I will be posting on Sunday about the recipes I prep for the upcoming week, so stay tuned and have a wonderful weekend!

oh and here's a super cute picture of my puppies!

Back At It

Finally...

We are back it my friends!

Yesterday, Dillon and I got a gym membership at Anytime Fitness. I am so excited to get into the routine of things (eating and exercising). It has been a rough couple weeks with moving, my grandpa passing, and settling in. 

My eating and exercising has not been so good. My mental wellness has been in a rut too, it has been emotional, not wanting to workout, not planning meals for a couple weeks. It's definitely hard finding your groove and routine but I can't wait to start running and lifting again. 

I also had planned to start my Advocare journey earlier this week, but with everything going on I didn't want to not give 100%. So today was my day to start. With the gym available, able to have time to plan my meals etc - I thought I will start and give it my all!

Today's workout was one mile jog (4.8 speed), one mile inclined sprints (6.5 incline, 6.5 speed), one mile on the stair master.  Then later today, we will go back and do our rock hard challenge upper body workout.

In struggles like I've had these past couple weeks, you just have to remember to pick yourself up and remember why you started. Just have to keep chugging along and move closer and closer to your goals. 

Happy Fri-YAY :)

hello there

hello there,

So if you haven't heard, my grandpa passed away last Thursday morning. It was very unexpected and difficult to be going through. On top of that, Dillon and I were moving that weekend two hours south. 

The last week and a half has been a little crazy, emotional, and tough. I had to say goodbye to amazing co workers and then my incredible grandpa. My co workers had got me a beautiful cake and made lemonade with denture looking ice cubes - which was adorable!

 

Last Monday, I decided to take a week off my running schedule because I knew I'd be busy with packing and moving. Now looking back at last week, I am so glad I did. But now that we've moved, we have to find a new gym. The two gyms here are Fitness Connection and Anytime. Later this week, we want to look at both of them and see what they have and how much they cost. 

I also recently purchased the Advocare 24 day challenge. I wanted to start it yesterday and I did. But I don't think I'm in the right mindset right now (my brain is all over the place) and I decided I want to wait to keep going until we have a gym so that I can get back at it in there throughout the challenge. 

 

Dillon's College Graduation 05/08/15

My beautiful family, please keep them in your prayers through this difficult time.

sorry for being MIA

Hello everyone :)

Sorry for being MIA for a while, its been a crazy week and another one yet to come.

Dillon and I are in the process of moving, so trying to pack as much as we can and get things cleaned up. It's definitely bittersweet, I have to leave a wonderful business and great co-workers but now we will be a lot closer to family- which will be nice because I miss them all like crazy!

This is our last week in Bemidji, we have a lot of stuff packed so I made Venison Chili in the crock pot for our dinners. I add black beans, garbanzo beans, corn, peppers, onion, and diced tomatoes. With a can of tomato sauce and some water. 

We are still getting our fitness on though, so that's good! I've really been liking inclined sprints on the treadmill. Yesterday I did incline at 7.0 and speed at 7.5 - 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off - 15 times. It's such a high intensity workout and I love it! Today, I set the incline at 11.5 and walked at 3.3 speed for 20 minutes. Plus weight training, squats with 145 lbs, dead lifts with 95 lbs, and then arms from The Rock Hard challenge (info in previous post). 

Now to get stuff done before the Wild game tonight!! 

Happy Sunday everyone!

Active Weekends!

Happy Sunday everyone!

This may be a longer post - you have been warned :)

I have two more workouts for you guys, one lower body and one upper body from The Rock Hard Challenge! These are challenging but very efficient. 

Lower Body

Goblet Reverse Lunge (4 sets, 6 reps each side) - hold single dumbbell vertically with palms at your chest and perform reverse lunge

Sumo Squat to Stand (3 sets, 8 reps) - set your feet wide, squat low and grab your toes with your hands (palms stay in contact with the tips of your toes throughout exercise) Stand up while keeping your hands in place

Stability Ball Leg Curl (4 sets, 10 reps) - lie on your back with your heels resting on a large stability ball, rest on your back with your hips off the ground, dig your heels into the ball and bring it in toward your body so your knees are at a 90 degree, slowly extend your legs to start position

Leg Lower (3 sets, 8 reps) - lie on your back with your hands under your hips and your legs fully extended, slowly lower your legs (squeeze your abs) when your legs reach the floor, quickly bring back up

Pallof Press (3 sets, 8 reps each side) - hold handle with both hands at your chest, extend in front of you- holding for a couple seconds and bring back in 

*this can be used with a cable pulley OR a resistance band at home tied to a door knob*

Single Leg Box Squat (3 sets, 8 reps) - set up a bench/box directly behind you (should be high enough so when you bend your knees they are at 90 degrees) extend both arms in front of you for balance, then extend one leg in front of you, then sit down on the box, then stand up pushing through your one foot

Glute March (3 sets, 8 reps each side) - lie on your back and dig your heels into the floor bringing your hips up "march", bringing one knee as close as you can to your chest on each rep

Kneeling Hip Flexor Mobilization (3 sets, 10 reps each side) - drop to one knee and push your hips forward, stretching your hip flexor on the rear leg, hold for two seconds

Upper Body

Single Arm Overhead Dumbbell Press (4 sets, 6 reps each side) - hold one dumbbell at shoulder height and press upwards with the other hand on your hip

Renegade Row (3 sets, 8 reps each side) - hold a pair of dumbbells and get into a pushup position, supporting your body on the handles, brace your core and support your body with one arm as you roll the other dumbbell to your shoulder

Inverted Row (4 sets, 8 reps) - set a barbell on the spotter bars on the rack about two feet off the ground, lie under the bar and pull your chest up to the bar, keep body in straight line

Incline Dumbbell Press (3 sets, 10 reps) - on an incline bench, hold dumbbells at shoulder height and press upwards

Scapular Wall Slide (3 sets, 10 reps) - stand flat with your shoulders against the wall, put your hands up with the tops of your hands against the wall, move them up above your head making a "V", hold for two seconds and then go back down to shoulder height

Close Grip Pushup (3 sets to failure) - get in pushup position, making a diamond with your hands

Incline Dumbbell Curl (3 sets, 8 reps each side) - on an incline bench perform dumbbell curls, alternating arms each rep

Plank (3 sets, 30 seconds each)

This is a lot of information again, but I recommend using it as a resource when you want to work certain areas. If you have any questions about these exercises you can always comment below!

This weekend for me was full of activity and it was amazing! We did these workouts above, got some running in, were able to bike around the lake, go for walks through Itasca State Park and see where the Mississippi started!

Cheers to another healthy, happy, active week ahead :) 

When You Don't Want To Work Out

Before I talk about not wanting to workout I just want to update you on my weekend. It was my birthday, YAY.. but for dinner we went to a restaurant called Paleos. It was AMAZING. If you're in the Lino Lakes, MN area - it is a must try! It is a little spendy, but so worth it. Given the name, they follow the paleo diet - so the burgers don't have buns, no potatoes (cauliflower in place) etc. but it is delicious. I had the protein patty, it was a burger (no bun) with almond butter and an egg on top which came with bacon brussel sprouts. Let's just say, my plate was clean!

On another note, today I got home from work and was not motivated AT ALL to go to the gym. I had planned to run for 20 min (5 min warm up, 2 min at 6.6 speed, 1:30 min at 4.9 speed X3 and a 5 min cool down) along with the Rock Hard Challenge- Lower Body Workout as previously posted. But I just wasn't feeling it, I would rather just sit down wrapped up in my blanket.

But Dillon got me out the house and to the gym. I did my run and lower body workout, and I am so glad I did. Sometimes you just need someone to push you to get you going and then it all goes up from there. My run went better than expected and I was able to really focus on my legs and glutes today. I was sweating so bad- but that just proves that I was working hard!

If anyone out there is having a day where you want to sit on the couch, eating, watching Criminal Minds like me- well here is your sign and push to put your big girl/boy pants on and get your workout in. You will feel SO much better that you did and you will thank yourself!

Later this week, I will have a couple different upper and lower body workouts for you guys to try.. so stay tuned :)

Lower and Upper Body

Alright so today I have The Rock Hard Challenge upper and lower body workouts that we did the last two days. I really liked these workouts, I am still sore and was non stop sweating while doing them. If you're interested, keep on reading :)

*

Lower body 

Dumbbell deadlift (4 sets of 8 reps) - grab dumbbells of your size (I did 20 lbs), bend your knees while keeping your arms down by your side and keep your back straight

Kneeling Hip Flexor Mobilization (3 sets of 10 reps EACH SIDE) - drop to one knee and push your hips forward, stretching your hip flexor on the rear leg, hold for a couple seconds then repeat

Bulgarian Split Squat (4 sets of 8 reps) - set one foot behind you on a bench/chair/couch and hold onto a pair of dumbbells (I used 20 lbs again) and bend your front knee down into a squat as far as you can, return up and repeat

Ankle Mobility (3 sets of 10 reps) - place one foot at the base of the wall keeping your heel down and your toes against the wall, bend your knee and push it closer to the wall to feel a stretch in your calf, ankles and repeat

Side Plank (3 sets of 30 seconds EACH SIDE) - lie on your side propping yourself up on your forearm (elbow). Keep your body in a straight line, hold for time and repeat

Single Leg Hip Thrust (3 sets of 8 reps EACH SIDE) - sit on the floor and brace your upper back on a bench/chair. Fully extend your right leg so your knee goes to the ceiling and press your left leg into the floor, do each side and repeat

Sumo Squat Stretch (3 sets, 20 seconds) - squat into a wider stance with toes pointing out, hold and repeat

Goblet Squat (2 sets of 10 reps) - hold dumbbell with both hands at your chest and squat

Upper Body

Lat Pull Downs (4 sets of 8 reps) - use machine at your desired weight. IF you don't have a machine, sit on a bench with your legs shoulder width apart, grab dumbbells at your desired weight, press your arms up into the sky and hold and then lower down to a 90 degrees and repeat

Scapular Wall Slide (4 sets of 10 reps) - stand with your back against a wall with your arms raised and also against the wall, the start position will resemble a "W", raise your hands above your head to resemble a "V" hold for a few seconds and return to starting position and repeat

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press (4 sets of 8 reps) - find a bench or a coffee table, use your desired weight for dumbbells, lay flat on the bench and lift your arms up into a press and repeat

Stability Ball Roll Out (3 sets of 10 reps) - go onto your knees, place your hands into a fist and onto the ball and roll out working your core and come back to starting position and repeat

Face Pull (3 sets of 10 reps) - you can do this with dumbbells, use your desired weight, place straight in front of you and pull in towards your face with your elbows going out to your sides

Feet Elevated Push Up (4 sets to failure) - set your feet on a bench/couch, set your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart and perform a push up. Do as many as you can 4 times

Alternating Dumbbell Curl (3 sets of 8 reps) - use dumbbells at your desired weight (I used 20 lbs) and perform curls alternating arms

Reverse Crunch (3 sets of 12 reps) - lay on your back with your hands behind your head, when performing the crunch- bring your legs in along with your upper body

*

I know that was a lot of information! These were broken into two different days, lower body one day and upper body another day. I would recommend it with 20-30 minutes of cardio if you can fit it into your schedule. The workouts take about 40 minutes. They really are a good workout and you will be sore the next day! If you have ANY questions you can comment down below, email @ meganmzabel@gmail.com or use instagram @ meganmichellejourney 

If you give them a try please let me know so I can hear your feed back :)