Last Week in Workouts: The Longest Run

Last week, at 2:00 in the afternoon with a cloudless sky and 82 degree heat, I ran my longest run yet. It was hot, It was sunny, but it was also incredible. I keep doing the math and checking on my run keeper apps and Google maps to see that I actually ran that far, because my ody just does not feel like it usually does after a 3+ mile run. 

Maybe it was the heat that helped lubricate my joints and loosen my muscles. Maybe it was the incredible views of running next to the bay and by the beach. Maybe it was the run-walk-run time that I was using, but something was definitely different from the prior week's 5-miler from hell, and I am so happy for that!! 

Other than running this week, I did a wee bit of yoga and walked. That was it. I know, should have done more. But, with Easter, work, and just not wanting to, I just did not want to. So here is my workout sum-up and a hope that next week your will see a bit more yoga on my list! 

Oh, and the picture above, that was taken while on the six-mile run. With that view, running really cannot be too bad! 

Monday: 5-mile long run. This was definitely the hardest run yet. My pace slowed to an 11:33 average and my knees and ankles hurt like nothing else. There were also plenty of side stitches and lots of exhaustion when done. Yuck. 

Tuesday: Rest day. Still in pain from Monday. But, have been using this, and it makes everything better! 

Wednesday: 30-minute run using the 3/1 Run-Walk ration. Ended up doing a bit over 3 miles! 

Thursday: This new yoga sequence from Candace! 

Friday: 6-mile long run. This week I only fit in one 30-minute run since I was still catching up from last week. But, this run was incredible and my pace ended up being 11:16. Getting better!!

Saturday: Some nice walking :)

Sunday: I cooked a lot, but as far as a workout goes, that's about it. 

Happy Monday! Do you have any fun workouts planned for this week? 

How was Your Weekend?

Happy Monday! We had a wonderful weekend which included a mystery dinner party. It was Hollywood 1950's themed and I played the role of Grace Killy, a talentless actress who came from wealth. Style-wise, I was meant to be a mash-up of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. It was great. The hubs played the reporter so he could snap plenty of pics. Him in the first act and me in the second. Up until my most unfortunate death, I was calling everyone "darling" and competing for the next big movie role. It was pretty great, but then I died. Hmph.

There ended up being four killers and I guessed one. Ha! Guess we know who should not be a detective. Me.

It should also be noted that I was totally in character and even wore a girdle that night. Yes, my poor character died in a girdle. I think getting down to the floor was enough to kill me in real life. Those girdle and corset wearing girls have my respect. They had to be some seriously tough ladies!

Earlier in the day on Saturday I was also able to take my favorite advanced power yoga class and go on a jog before it started. Needless to say, Saturday was a pretty busy and pretty fun day- which left Sunday for relaxing! Our local Pottery Barn (right across the street now!) was having a Christmas decorating workshop that I was able to attend yesterday morning. It was pretty fun and gave me tons of DIY ideas along with a discount that just had to be used. All pillows and throws were 30%-50% off, plus I got a 15% discount on anything bought the day of the workshop! Yes, our has has plenty of new pillows now and a few holiday decs starting to show.

Since I was in the holiday spirit, I followed in a good friend's footsteps and started wrapping presents this weekend as well. Five are done and only about a billion to go! Wouldn't that be wonderful, though, if we could have all gifts wrapped by Thanksgiving? I think it just might be a holiday goal of mine this year.

Wrapping also seems a bit more cumbersome than usual because we have opted for a classic Christmas theme this year with browns, grays, golds, white, and green. This also means all gifts are getting the brown paper package treatment and binging finished off with simple string. It is so pretty, but brown paper is quite thick. If anyone has any suggestions for wrapping with thick paper, I am all ears! 

I am also thinking we will have a how to decorate post in the days leading up to or just after Thanksgiving. There are a few DIY workshops that I am signed up for as well and cannot wait to share the info with you!

As for workouts, yesterday's post did not get out for some reason, so I will fill you in real quick today. Sunday was a rest day since last Saturday my hot power yoga class did 108 sun salutations and I was sore until Thursday. Monday was a simple 2.5 mile jog in the morning followed by hot power yoga that evening. Tuesday was a 1.5 mile jog. Wednesday was this yoga flow which was great! Thursday was a break for our anniversary, and Friday was a simple bum workout that I will have to share on the blog soon!

Also, I was going to add a motivation bit on to this, but think the post is quite long enough already. Let's get some motivation in tomorrow instead! It is going to be one of my favorites and a mantra for the holidays!!

The Why and How of Working Out Twice per Day

If you are looking to increase your weight loss or workout results, working out twice per day just might be your golden ticket. When you workout multiple times in one day, you are giving your metabolism multiple jump starts that will help increase the carbs burned, muscles developed, and overall physical fitness. Multiple workouts per day really is a win-win and could be the difference between a successful weight loss regimen and the dreaded plateau phase. 

That being said, there are some dangers of working out multiple times per day. The first, of course, being fatigue to the body. When we overwork our bodies, we can risk getting muscle fatigue and overuse along with all the not-so-fun things that go along with it. If you begin having muscle aches, uncontrollable shaking, or extreme pain, you are overworking that body. To avoid this costly error, it is best to complete one heavy and one light workout per day.

It is especially important to slowly increase your workout regimen. Those that are already extremely physically fit will have less of a problem jumping in to double workouts than those who are not. Be sure that you are listening to your body and not having any single workout be longer that 90-minutes. Keeping workouts shorter will also decrease the risk of workout burnout which could happen twice as fast if you are working out super hard and twice as often.

A great equation for double workouts is to workout between 4-6 days of the week with one hard and one light workout per day. This will give your body plenty of rest time to recover and still keep you on track for all those incredible fitness goals. My favorite way to do this is one cardio workout that increases my metabolic rate at the beginning of the day and one toning workout towards the end- preferably before a big meal like dinner.

By doing one cardio workout and one lighter workout you will be increasing your metabolic rate twice in one day (the big one coming from your cardio session), toning muscle along with burning fat, and increasing physical fitness without increasing the risk of physical injury. This is also a great way for those training for a race to get more results from there workout regimen in less time. Run training twice in one day can be detrimental to the body, but, run training once with a recovery training later in the day can, actually, improve race times while decreasing time needed between long runs.

Now, for after the workouts. What we do to our bodies' directly after a workout can have as big an impact on our physical fitness as the workout itself. Keep your metabolism going strong by eating a post workout snack rich in proteins and complex carbs. These are exactly what the body needs to recuperate and continue the positive effects of the workout the whole day through.

Here is an article all about what to eat before, during, and after a workout.

Likewise, it is important to increase the amount of water you are drinking since you are increasing the amount of hydration your body needs. A good rule of thumb for me is to increase my water intake by 20% to 40% on double workout days depending on the duration and intensity of the workouts. Days where my workout includes a 10-minute toning and 3-mile run will need less hydration than a hot yoga session and a jog.

Working out twice in one day can turn fitness goals into fitness realities faster and decrease risk of injury. This also means that the workouts can be less intense or shorter while still having the same effect. Just be sure you are being smart while getting fit. Plenty of the proper nutrients from your daily diet and a good multivitamin along with lots of water are vital for this step-up in your physical fitness. My favorite vitamins are those that are 100% organic and have all the daily nutrient content in them already. These are my go-to and they are buy one, get one free for September!

What is your biggest workout tip?

3 Great Workouts to do with Kids

Did you exercise as a kid? I loved exercising with my Mom when I was little. We would do step aerobics together- my Mom with her real weights and me with my pretend ones. This "workout" time for me may have been nothing compared to the energy my friends and I put out riding bicycles and running around outside all day, but I believe both instilled a love of physical activity in me at a super young age.

Finding my favorite workout video, the  Barbie Dance Aerobics was like finding a missing piece of my childhood a few years back. I loved doing this workout... Even though doing this workout usually meant participating for 10-minutes then asking a family member to fast forward to the end. Hey, it may not have been long, but it was an organized workout that was fun. That Barbie Dance Aerobic video may be past it's prime, but the workouts below are some that most kids would enjoy. If we can show them the fun and importance of organized exercise at the beginning of life, maybe there will be less of a gym-love learning curve as they age.

Circuit Training

It may sound crazy, but if you have a kiddo who gets bored super easy, circuit training could be a perfect fit! In circuit training we are constantly changing what we are doing and, if done right, there is hardly time to get bored! Of course, it would not be recommended to have your little six year old try a tabata class off the bat, but something easier that adds fun things they love doing could be a hit.

A good circuit workout for kids could include some running, jumping jacks, crab walks, down dogs, planks, pull ups on monkey bars, hula hooping, hopping on one foot, and running up and down some stairs. Exercises like these will increase core muscle strength, motor functions, coordination, and athletic performance. Like running, circuit exercises will also help better understand one's own body and learn about heart rate changes.

This website has some great workouts for kids along with some handy advice!

Dance

This may not be for your ten-year-old son, but if you have little girls, look out. Dancing is something most children do for fun anyway, so having a dance class or a video they follow may seem more like super fun time to them than a group activity. Dance also encourages mental strength (memorizing all those moves can be a challenge!), social skills in a classroom situation, joint health and flexibility, healthy living, and a proper self image.

Children starting at two to three years of age can start dancing in some form, whether it be hip hop, ballet, gymnastics, or just a fun freestyle class. All of these will encourage healthy lifestyle choices early on. If there are no dance classes in your area or you do not want to shell out a couple hundred before knowing if your little one will actually like it, you can try some workout videos first.

Jogging

I cannot even believe the number of kids I know who have participated in 1-mile of 5K races by the time they are six years old. If your little one is not the dancing type, jogging can be a great option- especially for children. This is something that kids and parents can do together and has nearly instant gratification. Children will be able to see fast changes in the amount and time they can run much quicker than us adults may be able to. Races and group running events are also great ways to have them socializing and being rewarded for their work.

Running is also a fantastic way for children to better understand their heart rate, how physical activity changes the way they feel, breathing, mental fortitude, and goal setting. Starting can be the biggest hurdle so start small. The best way to begin is to have a goal such as a 5K fun run that you can do together. Three miles may not be the easiest for all parents, so why not form a love of running together? Just be sure to take things slow, 15-minutes may not seem like long to us, but to a five year old, it can be an eternity.

I simply loved this article on helping your child love running. For more tips on running with kids, be sure to check it out!

If you want to kick it up, this article talks about getting your child into the triathalon lifestyle.