TA/Meta Continuity & anything else Spring 2020

[Buzzer]

Rest day yesterday (unintentional)... done.
Body Beast build Chest, but not tris... DONE!

I slept in yesterday because I was awake from 2-3:30am for no reason. Plus we didn't go to bed until about 10:30pm. So I slept in until 7:15ish, and decided to do my workout later in the day. I got my reminder on my phone that LB had a dentist appointment at 10, so I thought I'd get it done after that. THEN, DH said "don't we have to drop my truck off today?" and I panicked, since we were supposed to drop it off at 8am.

So I pushed back the mechanic appointment, I took LB to the dentist. We got home about 12:30, and DH said he had 1:30-4 free, so we'd do the truck drop off then. Well, he farted around until about 3, then said we have to go and that LB and I would have to kill time in town while he went to do an interview at 4 at his shop. But it'll only take about 1/2 hour, he said.

We did some school while we waited, then left at 3. The interview did NOT take 1/2 hour, it took almost 2 hours. LB and I sat at sonic eating tater tots and drinking (diet for me) cherry limeades while watching a whole movie. Then we sat in DH's parking lot. Finally he was ready to go at about 6pm. Then he announces he needs to go to Office Depot for a calculator for one of his college classes, so we drive him across town to OD, and also get him dinner at a drive through. We got home about 7:15pm. We spent most of the day in the car, and I got no workout in.

So today was build chest and tris. I pushed myself HARD in the chest workout, and previewed Rip60 week 1. I did extra sets, went up in weight, and was making all the noises that would get me kicked out of planet fitness. By the time triceps came along, I was tired. I did set 1 of overhead extensions, and realized that I could do it but it wouldn't be my best. it would just be doing it. So I decided I would do it tomorrow.

I did such a good workout though!! I got 40 pound weights a few years ago, one at goodwill and one at Walmart. I am so glad now, because I use them LOTS on chest and triceps. One 40 pound weight for overhead extensions, and chest presses.

So tomorrow will be triceps and either legs, or a Firm.

We have violin today, which is too bad because we have not practiced ONCE this week. We also are meeting friends at Urban Air, so we have to get school in early!

Ebianco: so good to see you! I am actually happy to hear your stress will be over within the next few weeks. Even though there's a chance of some bad news, at least you will know. So much stress in not knowing. Then you can formulate a plan on how to move forward. I hope it all works out in your favor though. Family stress doesn't help. Families can be the worst sometimes

Interesting that you are losing weight! Good for you though, as long as it isn't because of something bad! Hopefully it's the probiotics going to work for you! Good to take those anyhow since stress kills off good gut bacteria.

So do you have the fit tower? or do you just do the workouts without it? I think since the garage should be done this winter, that I finally want to ask for my smith machine I have wanted for years and years. Would I be able to do the fit tower workout with a smith machine? That was always my favorite piece of equipment at the gym!!!

Eventmom: I guess make the sacrifice and eat salty potato chips Or drink a gatorade. Or eat salty chips!!

I remember thinking I had to get a chair just like hers, and looking all over tarnation for it before realizing that was stupid. Her chair didn't fold up, and would have forever been in my way. I'm glad I came to my senses before I found it and bought it!

[eventmom]

Tuesday - essentrics sculpting + dancy moves (fitprime)
today - kundalini for adrenals and kidneys

ebianco - I've never had this type of muscle cramp it was so painful relieved to know that someone else has experienced something similar. I'm glad things are moving toward resolution for your dh. great workouts! Did you see on GD that simone has a free 14 day program on youtube?

buzzer - I think salty chips are happening at future horse shows! Wow that is crazy to be stuck that long waiting on things I'd be cranky. The chair thing with TA is annoying - in meta she uses chairs with arms - and moves that need arms - in other workouts a chair with no arm so it's crazy. I tried looking on line for something but no luck. So I use this huge outdoor chair which mostly works but sometimes nope.

[Buzzer]

Body Beast build Legs... DONE!
Body Beast build triceps... DONE!

I kinda did the build legs workout, kinda didn't. I did leg presses instead of squats, I did extension and curls mixed with the sumo squats instead of the one leg on a step lunges and step up with a back lunge. I kinda followed what the workout called for, and kinda did my own thing. I was sweating, tired, my muscles were worked, and it ended up being great! I didn't want to do triceps afterwards, but legs only took about 40 minutes and I had told myself I would do it, so I did it. I didn't do the last set of dips though. I was done.

I did the tricep pushups on my knees too. I don't like tricep pushups, I hate the ones where you pushup with on hand while laying on your side (I don't do those at all!) and I hate dips. I would rather do skull crushers and overhead triceps and kickbacks.

I was tired when I was done! My legs were close to jelly, and my triceps weren't very happy with me. So I guess that was good.

LB and I are doing school in the camper, and I love it! the table is a booth table, and it is working PERFECTLY for school. I mean, so perfect! So much better than being on the floor. I feel more relaxed, less edgy, my hips, buns and legs don't hurt, we aren't mauled by the dogs... we just seem to get more done. She is thinking better too. I plan on moving our school to the camper!! We have been sleeping in the camper too. DH doesn't like sleeping there, but we do and we probably will a few more nights. I really like it, all except that it is winterized so I can't use the bathroom and it's a cold, dark walk to the house or the workout room to use it there, so I usually hold it too long in the morning!

So we got school done, LB is doing a "practice every day in October" challenge on her violin, so we did that, we trained the horse... she rode the horse, and had some trouble with getting the horse to listen. She usually does really well, but she was getting super discouraged today. She did good though.

Now she's with DH in town, and I feel like I need to do something but I don't know what! I don't get a lot of time to myself, and I rather have time to plan what I want to do instead of having it sprung on me. Today it was sprung on me with about 1/2 hours notice and I feel lost and like I wasted it. Oh well. At least I got some time to myself to check in!!

Eventmom; I do get cranky, but I try not to. I know sometimes things are beyond his or my control, and having LB sure has increased my tolerance for things. I try to push the crankiness down and appreciate I had tater tots and some time with LB where we could just watch a movie and relax. Even if it was in the uncomfortable car. I hate not knowing how long it'll be though... waiting for the call to come get him. ugh. I do try to maintain calm though! HA!

Waves Ebianco!

[ebianco]

Happy Friday!

Catching up on my week:

Wednesday I did Fitprime Strong Bear with Keli again, this is a great workout.

Yesterday I did Cathe ICE series Metabolic Total Body, I really liked this one! It definitely had a similar feel as her other ICE workout I have Boot Camp or something. In fact kept thinking "haven't I done this workout already?" maybe because the music is very similar. Anyway I really enjoyed it. This one didn't have any cardio but was all total body training. There was one exercise that was like a kettlebell swing which reminded me how I've been missing kettlebells lately.

Today I plan do so some light cardio and yoga, then a long strength Firm tomorrow and Pure Barre on Sunday. My Fitprime/Cathe/yoga/Firm/Pure Barre five day routine seems to work really well for me right now! I'm still surprised my weight is down, but I'm thrilled. I'm at the lightest I've been since pre-COVID in February.

Eventmom I noticed about the Simone 14 day series on youtube! Actually, the music is great on these, the same she uses on her DVDs. I've been tempted (whenever I have time) to download these in case she pulls them off at some point. They all look awesome!

Buzzer No I don't have Cathe's Fit Tower, although it looks like a really nice product. I use the Fluidity Bar which I've been pretty happy with since I got it a few years ago. I was slightly leery of doing pull ups on my fluidity bar since it's kind of creaky feeling, so I only did one set with Cathe. I had to look up a smith machine LOL you can tell I don't go to the gym . Yeah I would think you can easily modify to Cathe's Fit Tower! To be honest I like her Bootcamp DVD for this fit tower series better than the Total body, and there is a third DVD just for legs and core which I don't have, and I think she uses the tower on her live workouts too.

No news yet on DH's issue, but should be over the next week or two. Yes, it is the not knowing that is really stressful. Of course if it doesn't turn out well, that will be stressful too but then at least I can move forward like you said.

Wow you are so strong with your 40# weights!! I really only go as high as a 20# kettlebell which I use for lat rows. I have a 25# kettlebell too but haven't had the desire to move up yet, LOL!

[eventmom]

thursday - TA 2.4 day 8 + 30 min charlene
today - gut pain last night today no idea why so did 20 min up to the beat fitness and 20 min TA band workout. I think I would have been happier doing two chapters off her express workout.

Buzzer - tator tots and movie can fix most any situation ! LOL. tell LB good job taking on an every day practice challenge - she'll probably be surprised how much better she is at the end of the month.

ebianco - I'm tempted to do SdlR workouts as a 7 day - tack on the cardio after the muscle work, once I get this TA level done. They look great. Congrats on the weight loss!

[Buzzer]

Body Beast Build Back and Bis... DONE!

I don't know why, but suddenly I feel like I am finally pushing myself hard. Before, I would have a tough workout. Now, I feel like I used to when I had a tough workout... I would feel it afterwards for hours if not the next day too. I ended up working out late, like around 12 something in the afternoon. I took LB to a homeschool day where she got to learn about horses, ride horses, and take a hike. It's a 30 minute, on the NOSE, trip to get there, I left 40 minutes early. It's all going up further into the foothills than us, away from town, so I didn't think anything about traffic or anything that would delay us. It's usually a quiet, non eventful drive.

Of course, you know with that build up, it wasn't. We got stopped in traffic the last 5 miles, and those 5 miles took us about 40 minutes to do! It was stopped. There was an accident, and since this "highway" is two lanes and often goes down to one lane, we sat there. We both were stressed, I had to pee so bad, and we sat in traffic. We ended up being 35 minutes late. we followed a parade of cars into the camp though, so it wasn't just us!

So that killed 90 minutes getting her to camp and going back home. I came back home, oh and during the sit in traffic, my check engine light came on. Nothing like making a stressful trip more stressful.

I thought about just staying up there, but I wanted to call the mechanic to see if I could get my car in, and if I could, I wanted to be closer to them so it was a shorter drive. I left them a message, and drove home. So by the time I got home, annoyed and late, I sat for a few minutes and ate, then worked out. Then I only had about an hour until I got LB again, and the inspector showed up for our garage (we passed!) and then I had to go get her.

So the day FLEW. Next thing I knew, it was dark and dinner wasn't even thought of and it was like 2 hours to bedtime!!! What did I do with the day? I guess the good thing was, I worked out!!

I am definitely feeling my back and bis today! I don't know what clicked, but suddenly instead of just doing the workout and getting it done and it was hard, I am feeling it a little deeper, I guess is the way to describe it. Hopefully that leads to losing some weight, but I'm not counting on it. At least I love to lift and workout, and I am doing that.

Ebianco: I don't ever consider myself "strong", because it always seems like there is a higher bar to hit. However, for me, I am strong. If that makes sense! The 40's are hard to lift to get into place which is why I don't like them, but for overhead presses it's basically 2 20 pound weights in an easier to manage form. I would rather use a real bar for chest press, which is why I want a smith machine, but I settle for the clunkiness of 40 pound weights. I would never be able to use them for anything else though! They are heavy. Just not too heavy for a few exercises.

Funny you should mention kettlebells. I was just looking yesterday at my workouts while I was cleaning, and wondering if I should do a KB workout! I have a 20 and a 25 bell, and I think like a 10 or 12 or something really light too. I remember LOVING RKS (Reinhard kettlebell system, I think is what it is) and it was short and fun. I also loved the AOS workouts. So many workouts, so little time!

Hmmm.. so you can use a fluidity bar instead of a fit tower. That's good to know! I remember looking at the fit tower and it was another piece of equipment, over priced, and I passed. Isn't the fluidity bar a little thick for pull ups? I'm not sure I could get my hands feeling secure enough. I will have to try it out today with pull ups! My fluidity bar has gone in and out of use a million times over it's life with me!

Eventmom: So my teaching style has always been tell, show, do, teach. LB is going to do a great job with her every day challenge because she has decided to use part of it to teach me the violin! I practiced with her at the beginning, but then became the teacher and she progressed. She is going to try to teach me the violin this month in addition to her practice. So she will probably get even better at her form especially, since she has to teach and correct me!

My legs are still sore and a little uncomfortable if I sit too long, my biceps are sore, I can feel my back a bit... today is either shoulder day, or a firm day. Or, a firm with lots of shoulder work! I could count that too. I guess when it's time to workout, I'll figure out what I am capable of. Have a happy Saturday!!!

[ebianco]

Hi all,

Yesterday I did Turbo Jam the Fat Blaster workout, this one used to be one of my favorite cardio workouts. I love this one! Not exactly an easier cardio but it was fast and fun, then I did my own yoga for an overall 40 minute workout.

Today-Firm Total Body Shaping Mix. I love this one too!

Tomorrow I will finish my workout week with a Pure Barre.

Eventmom That sounds like a great way to use the Simone workouts! Let me know how you like them!

The weight loss seems like an anomaly to me although I'm 7 days into lower weight on the scale, so we'll see but thank you!

Buzzer Wow you seem awfully strong to me, great job!

I LOVE both RKS and AOS!! Those are my absolute favorite kettlebell DVDs. I also have the Lauren ones which I didn't really use in my kettlebell stage a few years ago but I think I would like them too, they are AOS-like. When I was really into the kettlebells, I used a 35# and even 45# for swings and the 20# and 25# for snatches and everything. Now I'm glad I can start at 10# and I also have a 15#. I also have the cute little 4# kettlenetics and 5# Firm kettlebell but they're just for novelty

Yes, the Fluidity Bar is pretty thick for pull ups. Also like I mentioned, the whole structure is a little creaky (at least mine is!) but it's still a lot better than nothing. Yeah if you have one, you may as well try it!

[Buzzer]

Firm Hare... DONE!
Body Beast Shoulders.... DONE!

So I was feeling a little sore and didn't want to do anything too strenuous. I used to LOVE tortoise and hare, and I know hare is lighter weights, so I did it. It was pretty easy going the first half. Lots of ballroom aerobics, which I LOVE, and some light weights just moving around. Then the floor work came. It's always the floor work with Firm, isn't it? The legs I kept my shoes on, and it was hard but not tough. Then came the abs. Then came the abs AGAIN. Lots of abs. So many that my stomach was sore for the rest of the day!

The leg work was OK, not too tough, but if I added weights it would be. I think this is more a cardio with legs and ab workout. If I added weights to my legs it would have been tougher and a great leg workout for sure!

Today was shoulders. I liked it. I watched KCM weights workout while I did it, and the music moved me in a perfect 2 count up/2 count down pattern, so I used the music a lot. the workout looked good too. I think I have done it in the past, but don't remember. Looked like something I'd enjoy, a circuit workout of lifting.

My shoulders were feeling it for sure! The slower count, the heavy weights, the longer rests so I could go heavier. It was a great workout and I know I will feel my shoulders today.

I didn't have any sheets printed out for bulk next week, but did have "a week of hard labor" sheets printed out. So I decided to do AWOHL next week. The first day will be chest and back. Lemme see how long it takes me to get through it! There's only 4 workouts, then a full body workout. So I can always divide them up.

AWOHL is a Tony Horton program. I don't remember why he did it, but it's on bb on demand (which I don't have) so I will just do it off the worksheets. I am familiar with how bb does their workout sheets, so I think I'll be fine.

I am loving my workouts still.

Yesterday LB and I spent 2 hours training the horse. She rode, stayed on when the horse bucked a bit (and we had a heart attack), and also the horse started going faster than what we were comfortable with on her own. LB is learning to control the horse better, and we think she had too much rein before, and now she's shortened it so the horse can feel her. It could also be that the horse isn't used to 2 hours of training! She's lazy, which is good for us!

Anyhow, LB made us dinner (I supervised) and brought some up to the lady that's letting us help train. She found out she is celiac and is having trouble knowing what to eat, so we made some orange garlic chicken and brought it to her (gluten and dairy free!).

I don't know if tomorrow will be an off day or if I will do a Firm. My legs are kinda sore, my delts, my biceps I feel when I flex, and today I did some of the standing abs (tick tocks like squeeze) and felt my triceps when I did tricep extensions without weight. So tomorrow will be light weights (VERY light), cardio, yoga or rest day.

We are still sleeping in the camper. I am loving sprawling out on the bed to sleep! Usually DH and I share a queen size bed, and now I have a whole queen size to myself. I have to admit I am loving it!

Probably going to work on the garage today too. DH also bought a landscaping program for the computer, and I need to download it and play with it. So probably a kinda quiet day.

Ebianco: I don't think it's just your fluidity barre that is kinda shaky! I tried the pull ups with mine, and I thought it was shaky. I also thought the bar was too thick for me to hold on to. I did a few, then decided that was enough. It would be good for elevation during pushups though! I felt like I had to hold on too hard because I didn't feel secure though.

I do have one of those weight machine thingies with a pull down, leg extension, leg press, a low pully for biceps, deadlifts, and whatever else, and a high pully for tricep press downs and some back work, a lat pull bar, and a chest press. so I modify when I want to use the machine. I don't like the machine work as well because it's easy to just be pushed into one range of motion, I like the free weights because sometimes I am bent more in the elbow, or sometimes I am wider in my ROM... the weights just don't take the same set path. I like it, don't love it. I would probably use that in place of cathes fit tower anyhow.

I was always a heavy weights lifter. I don't know why, I think it's in my genes. My mom was a nurse and used to move patients and lift things and people were always impressed, and she didn't lift weights. So I think I come by it naturally. Like I said, I think it bulked me before, but I am naturally kinda bulky so I am just going with it. I do like to lift heavy though!

I am kinda interested to see how I do in the WOHL. He takes it down to a set of 6, and I don't have anything heavier than the 40's to do a set of 6 with. I may add my ankle weights to my wrists and see if that helps.

I have a 20# KB and a 25#. I remember using the 20, and thinking the 25 felt heavy. I think I also have a 12# that I got from TJ Maxx. I don't remember which KB's I liked and didn't like, but do remember using the 12 for something. I guess I will have to pull out my check ins or look through my notes and see what I used it for!! I did love KB's. I wonder if I could get DH to do them?

I loved Turbo Jam. I will forever keep those because they are just fun.

Eventmom: I am going today or tomorrow to get LB a riding helmet. She used the ladies, but I think it was too big. Probably after church I am going to look for one. I would rather she get bucked with a good helmet on than a large one or her bike helmet!! This horse is huge. I swear, she makes the Arabians look like miniature horses. She's so sweet and lazy though, I don't think she'd hurt LB on purpose. They really seem to have a connection, and I don't see the horse hurting her intentionally. LB was scared afterwards though, so we made her stay on and walk in circles around the arena so the horse knew that wasn't OK and so LB could get her confidence back.

[eventmom]

yesterday - ttapp basic +, kathy smith cardio 20 min, then after I rode in a dressage clinic ttapp floor workout that is somewhat stretchy

today - TA hip 2.4 day 9 + popstar for cardio

buzzer - LB will be playing great at the end of the challenge. a helmet should fit such that if you put it on her head, then have her bend over, the helmet should not fall off (but put your hands out to catch as b/c even falling on the ground can compromise the integrity of a helmet). yes, a good helmet is worth it. some big horses are very docile, it's really temperament more than size. My small horse (younger one) is super quick and sensitive, not a good horse for kids or beginners.

ebianco - of course I'm contemplating the body by simone youtube and just bought the valerie walters movie star dvds on ebay (cheap like $20). who knows what I'll do next!

[Buzzer]

Rest day... done.
P90X Yoga... DONE!

I woke up on Monday with a crick (best way to describe it) that went from the middle of the shoulder blade up to my neck. So I took the day off exercise. I don't know if it was my shoulder work or a sleeping issue, but I took the day off so it wouldn't get worse. Yesterday I slept like crap, maybe 4 hours of sleep. So I did P90X yoga, because that muscle still hurt and was making it hard to turn my head. I used my yoga blocks, and also used my weight bench for balance during the warrior 3 and all the poses with that one. I was able to stretch and feel it more that way.

I slept like crap again last night, almost 5 hours but not quite. I was able to take a nap yesterday for about 90 minutes, so hopefully it'll all balance out. I was sleeping so good for a while

So today I might do yoga again. My neck is better, but not great. I still feel the muscle. I was hoping the yoga would put my bones and muscles back in alignment and get rid of the crick! I took an extra magnesium to hopefully let me sleep and also to get rid of some really achey muscles I have been having in my legs and glutes/hips. I have just been uncomfortable.

I don't know if this will end up being an off week while I try to get rid of these aches and pains, or if I will get back to lifting. Right now it's looking like a yoga week though.

The weather has been nice, in the 70's. We have gotten a little more done on the garage, but we are still stuck at 6'. DH is suddenly listing all this stuff we have to do before we build more or pour concrete in the existing walls... rough in plumbing, electrical, seal the foundation, put in drains around the foundation, get the dirt. I don't know how to do a lot of it, so it's frustrating and sounds like it's going to take a lot of time and money. I have a feeling that the garage will be built, but the house will not. We have already taken a year and have to get this done before February (when our building permit expires, and we are not allowed to renew) and I was feeling optimistic that we could do it, but now with all this busy work and winter looming, I am not feeling optimistic at all. I think we are going to be doing a LOT in the snow and it's kinda making me mad.

DH took time off from doing anything with the garage to work on his shop when he moved to not only remodel the space but also to get it up and running. He is definitely integral to getting all this done, I don't have the knowledge. We lost most of our 1 year permit by killing the spring and summer with all that, and now winter, I am afraid, if it's a bad one will kill our 6 month extension. I dunno. I am just feeling frustrated and in a "hurry up and wait" zone. I just don't see how this will get done. I was under the impression it would be cheaper and easier. We build the walls, the rest would follow and we could do when the snow hit, in the comfort of being inside the enclosed space. Now it's looking like the walls being built is the last thing we are doing. I just don't see how this will work. ugh.

Plus the "stuff we need to do" keeps climbing, along with the expense of doing it. I told DH that if we ever build the house, we will just have someone do it for us. There's no way we can get it done in the 1 year + 6 months the permit is good for. He said, rightfully, that it would be more expensive. However, I am thinking for everything that needs to be done and the time limit to do it, that might be a trade off we have to make. We can't even get a stinking garage done in the time frame allowed. A house would be impossible.

Ok, that was a long vent, but I am basically frustrated to tears. I felt like I was finally getting the space/garage I have been wanting for 15 years, and now it's more expensive, taking forever to build, and becoming a problem. I told DH I wanted it done before the snow and cold and I don't think it will be, he said it will. I don't think he's realizing we only have weekends to work on it due to his job/shop/school (he's also a full time student, so we have the working against us too). Winter here is knocking on our front door. We always start getting uncomfortable cold and our first snow by Halloween!!

Ugh. So, I will instead focus on my workouts, focus on school with LB, and focus on getting healthy. I need to just take my mind away from the garage, try to relax about it, and live like I always have for 15 years. In the crap house, but at least I have my workout room!!

Eventmom: LB rode the horse again on Tuesday, but she is nervous. That bucking and unexpected trot scared her, and she has her confidence shaken. She knows she needs to not show it and try to regain her confidence to ride, but she is really having trouble with that. I probably didn't help by staying closer than I usually do to try to make her feel more at ease like I was going to be able to help if something happened, but that may have made her feel less relaxed because she felt like I was doing it because I was nervous too. I was, but I guess not doing it because I was nervous, but because I want her to feel comfortable again.

I just feel like everything is falling apart right now, and I can't fix it. Both with the horse and with the garage!!

I think having the saddle on helps her. I got her a riding helmet, plus we discussed how it would be hard for her to fall off with the western saddle on, with the stirrups and the saddle horn to hold on to. I am feeling like I need to take a few days off from everything, and regroup. My brain is just feeling scattered on everything, which I know isn't helping with the horse thing!!

The horse she is on is basically obese, lazy, and just wants to be pet. Which is good, because LB is a beginner. The horse is just so big though, that it is intimidating! I told LB I might ask to just do ground training for today if we train, just to see if we can get some confidence back. And so I can just relax whatever in me is in high gear. Maybe that's why I'm sleeping so crappy.

I did inquire to sign her up for Westernaires to start in October 2021, so hopefully that will help us also! She's excited.

I hope everything is working out well for you, Ebianco. We need you to relax too!!!