Workout Wednesday: Cross(fit) My Heart, I'm Actually Dying

You'd think I'd get bored with a wide-open schedule and no reason to leave my apartment... but I don't want to leave my apartment. It's hot. I've got a cute, cuddly puppy on my lap. I want to watch old episodes of Parks & Rec. So even though I have valiant plans to go to my favorite kickboxing class at the gym, sometimes I just don't.

I was starting to feel really bad about not working out very hard - mostly because I had to see myself in those multi-angle Target dressing room mirrors and I could pretty much see every bag of microwave popcorn and every bucket of movie theater popcorn. All I eat is popcorn. And I need to be photo ready by the wedding on August 9th!!! Oh noez!

I thought back to a crossfit workout that my super fit college athlete sister Brooke invited me to do with her one day when we were both at my parents house. We did 10 burpees, 9 squats, 8 pushups and 7 situps, starting on the minute every minute for 10 minutes. If you finished in 40 seconds, you had 20 seconds of rest until the next round started, 50 seconds/10 second rest, etc. It was INSANE!!! I was literally dripping sweat and ripping off layers of clothes. I was sore for seriously a week. Yet, it was over in 10 minutes and I saw a difference in my fitness level that week at the gym, even after just one session.

So when I saw a crossfit-style workout called Plank-a-thon (below, original link), I thought - "Hey. I could do that. At home. While watching Parks & Rec. As Glen Coco tries to attack my flying ponytail." We went for it.

I use a free app called Gymboss - you can create intervals of any length or intensity. For this one I did 30 seconds of work/10 seconds of rest for 24 rounds, so you do the 12 exercises twice. My plan is to do this workout every day until I can do the entire 30 seconds solid (I'm so weak I often can only do 15-20 seconds during the second round), then mix up my crossfit workouts.

 

It's rough - I'm not going to sugar coat it for you. But you kind of love it. And you get out of it what you put in. Obviously if you're getting tunnel vision and lightheadedness, you better calm it down, but push yourself and you'll see results pretty quickly.

I have pinned tons of workouts, and I've used BodyrockTV (daily workouts posted, but beware of sweaty, almost naked people!) to create crossfit workouts, but really you can do whatever you want! Pick a few natural movement, bodyweight exercises you like or need to target a problem area (squats for butt, pushups for arms, plank for abs, etc) and set up an interval timer. My mom does Insanity every day (wow right?!) and loves it, so I think I may give that a try this winter when I'm in a workout rut and lazy and cold. :)

Anybody else do crossfit at home or in a gym? Inspire me!

My Happiness Project: Week Three

You guys this might be my best week yet. I'm fitter, more energetic, making some good life plans and feeding my brain. Don't let my tweets about watching tons of episodes of cheesy teen dramas let you think I just sat on the couch last week. I freaking got shiz done.

Physical

- Exercise every day and push myself.
-- It was hard some days to drag myself off the couch when I had a sleeping puppy in my lap, but I worked out every day but Sunday. Zombies! Run, gym rat lifting, Kickboxing classes, jogging in the park with Glen Coco and yoga - I'm feeling good. You seriously never regret a workout. There's something about that sweaty, weak, tingly feeling after a tough workout. You want two things

1. A high-five or pat on that sweaty back
2. A ton of carbs

- Sleep 8 hours
-- Since May I haven't slept well. I've been staying up late, tossing and turning all night, and getting up early. Even in Hawaii the jet lag had me sleeping so weird, then I came home to crazy packing, 5k training, Mitch's Farewell, Boston, moving and settling in. I tried hard to go to bed at a reasonable hour, do my meditation/breathing exercises before bed and hit at least 8 hours a night.

- Eat Right. I really do feel like a million percent better when I eat tons of fruits and veggies and kick the sugar.
-- There was a huge batch of my homemade chocolate chip cookies on the counter all week. I'll have you know I only ate like 2 of them and didn't eat a thousand calories worth of bread. And I ate like 8 bags of Steamables veggies. Straight up nutrition over here. 

Learn

- Apply for Grad School.
-- I did it. I applied. It still makes me a little sick to my stomach to think that I will have homework again. But if I get in, I'll be able to get a Master's in under 2 years. Then I can make slightly more than nothing as a teacher.

- Learn more about dog training
-- We never got Glen Coco as socialized as he should have been. He LOVES people, especially little kids, but he gets really nervous around people/places/things he isn't familiar with. And as The Beard puts it "He's a barky little doosh." I checked out a few books from the library and read up about it. We're trying a few new techniques and he's already less barky and more calm! It's like I always say - the library can fix anything.

- Figure out Education Plans with The Beard
-- This one is still in the works, so hopefully I'll have some good news to share in the next couple of weeks, but we made some huge progress this week. The Beard went to some meetings and found some really cool programs that we're interested in. We're getting all kinds of grown up over here.

This week I'm tackling Finances and Spirituality -Already hitting it hard with my 30 day BOM schedule! Join me if you like! :)

My Happiness Project: Overview
My Happiness Project: Week One
My Happiness Project: Week Two

Workout Wednesday: Zombie Chase!

Look at these regular posts you guys! It's amazing what not having a full time job can do for your blogging life. Being a teacher is pretty cool sometimes.

Workout Wednesday is back in full force and you know why? The Zombie Chase. On Saturday, me, my sister-in-law Haley and some of our friends will be running the Zombie Chase 5K through the ghost town/obstacle course in Eureka. The run goes through buildings, zombie traps, rope courses and a paintball shooting finale - all under the light of a luminous full moon. (If you want to run with us - slowly - there's still space! Sign up for the 10 pm wave and email me so we can meet up!)

That's pretty much the only thing that can entice me to run. At all. Like any sane person, I hate running. I'm so bad at it. I play sports, it's true. But when I get on a treadmill I seriously can't even run a mile. So I'm counting on my adrenaline and my competitive nature to get me through this.

To prepare, I finally downloaded Zombies! Run on my iPhone. In a word (2 words): WORTH IT. It is so much fun. Never in my life have I TRIED to find time to run. Each day I download a mission, in my role as Runner 5. It might be a routine run for supplies or to save a lost child - the story plays between the songs of my selected playlist. As you run you collect supplies and you build up your base after your run. Sometimes during a song you'll hear "ZOMBIES DETECTED 50 METERS" and it beeps until you evade them.

 

So picture this. Danica. Laboriously jogging at an embarrassing pace on a treadmill at a busy Gold's Gym. All of a sudden she lets out a short low "OH!" and turns up the speed to an all out sprint. "Come onnnnnnn Come onnnnnnnnn" she spurts between pants. Finally a "Yessssssss!" and she's down to a walk, red-faced and hyperventilating. 

Because that's what I accidentally did the first time I tried it. I was so into it I completely lost awareness that I was in a gym, surrounded by bros and old ladies.

SORRY EVERYONE. JUST TRYING TO SAVE WHAT'S LEFT OF THE WORLD OVER HERE ON TREADMILL 8. DON'T MIND ME. 

Since then I've been running outside. I've taken Glen Coco with me twice, and it's over.

Time #1 - Joy

 

Little kids, puppies and birds to chase? THIS IS THE LIFE

Time #2 - Heat Stroke/Defiance

We cut this run short, obviously because SOMEONE decided to just let the Zombies eat us. If you noticed how show my pace was on the iPhone screen above it's because after coaxing him into a sprint to evade a zombie horde, in 90 degree heat, when he desperately needs a haircut, I allowed him a much needed walk and then he gave up. Sorry, Abel Township. That child is not getting rescued.

Manic Mondayz

Having all summer off, and then two weeks of no Mondays (first week of school and then Labor Day), I had forgotten how bad Mondays can suck. It even starts to hurt on Sunday morning when I realize my weekend is basically over. I have to make some adjustments to make Mondays do-able, what with my exhaustion, 200 grumbly 13 year olds, and a whole week of whining ahead of me (I still love it by the way).

I start by planning a new outfit that I'm excited about. It makes me feel better about climbing out of bed. This Monday I wore my new red pants - snagged at H&M for 30% off during Fashion's Night Out (blog post still pending).

I indulge in a little "treat yo self!" Sometimes I get a smoothie on the way to work. Sometimes I'll get an extra Diet Coke from the gas station during lunch. Sometimes I'll sneak a treat into my desk for that lull between 5th & 6th period. I'd never survive otherwise.

I try to exercise on Mondays. I shoot for 3 days a week, sometimes more, but I always try to make one of those days a Monday. I find it helps me to reset my sleep schedule that I completely screwed up over the weekend, and it just sets my week off in a great productive manner.

FHE! Don't get me wrong. We don't really do FHE, although we should. We try to set up Classy Dinner Parties (CDPs) as we call them, with our married friends for Monday nights whenever possible. It always keeps me excited all day long. Next week is soup in breadbowls and making caramel apples with the Findeis'.

Monday night we went to Happy Sumo with my family to celebrate the Beard and Mitch's birthdays! Mitch turns the big 18 on Saturday. Can you believe it? Most people think he's already 18, and he certainly acts it. This kid is as athletic as Brooke, smarter than me and cooler {taller} than both of us. He's the kind of kid who does the right thing because he wants to, not because anyone tells him or expects him to. I can't wait to judge and scare off all the girls that swarm him when he gets back from his mission in 3 (!) years. He's one of my best friends and I just love him so much.

Look how good looking my 2/3 favorite guys are? (Ed Budge not pictured, but also good looking.) Yes, this is how the Beard takes pictures. You should all be more thoroughly impressed with our engagement photos now.

Happy Birthday boys!

Workout Wednesday: The Barre Method

The Barre Method is the hot new thing in fitness. You know, it was Tae-Bo, then Pilates, then Yoga, then Zumba, well now it's Barre Method.

Barre Method is a combination of ballet, Pilates/Yoga and aerobics. The idea is to tone and define your body to achieve a long, lean physique, like a dancer. It's a full body workout, but the legs/butt are definitely going to feel it the most. (My legs are already PISSED at me. Seriously, I'm so sore and so spent. This workout is for real.)

Barre studios are popping up all over the place, but a place like Pure Barre near where I live in Draper is kind of pricey unless you are super dedicated to the barre method. There are online and DVD options as well, but it seemed like the kind of thing that is more beneficial in a real studio. So when the Sandy Gold's Gym offered a Barre class, I jumped on it.

Since it's a Gold's Gym aerobics room, they didn't have the bar on the mirrored walls, so we used chairs, in addition to mats, squishy balls and light hand weights. We started off with a light aerobic warm up and then jumped into leg work with the chair. Basically it's moving your legs all different direction with fluid, controlled movement. We placed the squishy ball behind our knees to work the hamstring and calf during the reps.

Then we moved to the hand weights, coordinated with lunges and heel raisers. Even if your upper body is strong, opt for 1-3 pound weights. You'll be holding and moving them for 10 minutes, so they'll start to feel like 50 pounds.

Finally the class ends with a Pilates-based ab workout on the mat and some serious stretching.

What to Wear: Leggings or Yoga pants that will cling rather than hang loose. A yoga tank or somewhat tight shirt will stay out of your way during swing and crunch movements.

Other tips:

• Drink lots of water and make sure you eat something substantial a few hours before you go. I hadn't had enough water and only ate some yogurt with granola and started feeling light headed during the class.
• Go to a Barre class fresh. It's not like yoga or something gentle that you can just go to after your regular workout. It's a challenging, KILLER workout on its own. I was sore from a new lower body workout I tried on Monday, and it made me much less effective during class last night. 
• Stretch before, immediately after, and long after the class. You'll get super tight otherwise.
• If you have a background in dance, you'll have a slight advantage, but I don't and I survived.

My final word:

It was a crazy workout that I'll definitely see results from. However, I was expecting it to be more graceful and yoga-like, so when it turned out to be more "aerobics for former Drill Team members" I got a little bored and found myself watching the clock. They've only been doing this class at Gold's for a month and it's still in a "trial" phase, so maybe they'll tinker with it. Hopefully.

Also it didn't help that the girl next to me set her mat less than 12 inches from mine and thought she was auditioning for Step Up 7: Samba in Space. Really? No one is that impressed by you Miss "Never Gave Up My Dream."

I don't think I'll go to another class, just because it was a little too tedious for me. Everyone in the class seemed to be stretched a little thin as well, but a few people (Step Up girl) were loving it. If you are into dance/ballet/controlled leg movements/flexibility, then this might be the class for you. Give it a shot with this YouTube workout and see what you think!

Workout Wednesday: Running with Tayler Christiansen

Today's post comes from my smart and sporty friend Tayler. We met in England on our Study Abroad and now we talk all the time about history teacher stuff. :) Check out her blog about her book reviews, yummy recipes and her upcoming wedding and first year of teaching at my alma mater, Springville Junior High. And this post is the push I needed to get out and run today!

Why run? I hate tracks. Always have, always will. That is why I was never on track although I admired my younger sister for doing so. She was in great shape, able to run in such heat and at such distance. I was jealous of her legs.  But I hate tracks. Round and round and round and round. Going in a circle. That’s all it is—getting nowhere. I am a hamster running, trying to get somewhere, but am trapped in the same place.


I run (not on tracks, but outside exploring Provo) because I can. That is the reason.

I run away. I away from stress, from sickness, from bad days. When I am feeling down, I change into my shorts and running shirts, put my hair in a braid, turn my iPod up super loud, and head out the door. About 15 minutes in, whatever bothered me before is history. I am flying, I am fighting, and I am winning.

But, I am stubborn. I run towards a goal. I run because I am stubborn. Every step is a fight and I will prove to my body I can win. It is a test of courage, a test of diligence, of determination, of ambition, of spirit. But, it is mainly a test of strength. To see how far I can push myself. Can I make it all the way up this hill without walking? How many stairs can I run up? What is the longst, fastest sprint I can do? Who will give up first, my legs or my spirit? It is something I can prove to myself. Something I can strive for and show that I can achieve it and more. Besides, that high that you get after running is enough to keep you gong for the rest of the day—the satisfaction and knowledge that you just defeated your own body and made it do the impossible.

This mantra not only applies to running, but to whatever I (or you) do to work out and stay in shape. After I run and stretch, I like to do other exercises to build my muscle tone. Again, I like to push myself: 10 more seconds on core exercises, 5 more pushups, etc. 

So go out and go running. Don’t get stuck on an endless track. Find a windy, shady trail. Try some stairs. Run past your friends headed up to class and smile, showing off. Explore neighborhoods you’ve never been to before. Have a soundtrack going. Make sure to include Rocky Story music, such as “Gonna Fly Now” and “Training Montage” (even include Mulan’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You.” When you hear these songs, push yourself to the utmost limit and DO NOT STOP NO MATTER WHAT until the song is done. Then, don’t stop even then! Keep going!

So my challenge for you is to listen to Lowell Thomas. Do a little more each day than you think you possibly can. You will thank yourself afterward. Because, it’ll surprise you—you can actually do it. Mind over body. Determination over mind. Be stubborn. Go run.

Workout Wednesday: Yoga

I always thought Yoga was for Hindus, Californians and skinny girls who hated sports. Two of my good friends in high school, Danielle and Michelle, were super into yoga and were just so graceful and flexible as a result. So when I signed up for my Gold's Gym pass my freshman year, I thought maybe I'd mix up my weightlifting with some yoga. Unfortunately it took a whole year for me to actually try it out. And I've been hooked ever since. Especially when I can do Star Wars yoga.

Yoga is in essence a spiritual practice that links the mind and body in harmony. It releases tension, increases flexibility, realigns joints and strengthens core muscles. You really can vary your yoga practice to target whatever physical needs you are trying to meet.

Your basic yoga tends to be more strength, core, and flexibility building. I leave sweaty and I'm almost always a little sore (in a good way!) the next day.

More intense or intermediate yoga practice includes more balance poses and emphasis on vinyasa, or flow, which becomes a very mentally rigorous challenge. This yoga emphasis is especially great when I can't stop thinking or worrying about something, because it forces you to let it go and focus on not falling on your face. I've never tried bikram or any other intense forms, but I've heard great things. I'm still a noob, anyways.

Relaxation yoga is awesome. Most yoga classes end with some relaxation poses and nap meditation time. You release tension in your neck and shoulders that you didn't even know you were holding. You're breathing deep and free, your body feels like tingly jello and you don't walk - you glide.

A good yoga practice includes a little of all three. Every instructor is going to design their class differently, and it's just about finding what works for you.

Options for practicing yoga:

• On Netflix, I like 10 Minute Solution Yoga and Crunch: Candlelight Yoga.
• YouTube Yoga is pretty cool, actually. Check this tumblr for a list of YouTube videos that target anything you want. Perfect if you are stuck at home/too lazy to go anywhere. 
• The Everygirl just did an awesome feature for beginners, so check it!
• On your own! Once you have learned the basics, you can do it yourself! I sometimes do yoga on vacation or when I'm feeling really tight and inflexible, without a video or instructions. 
• I personally believe classes are the best, because they are different every time, they modify poses for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and you work harder when there are other people around you trying. 

What to Wear:

Tight/form-fitting clothes. You don't need to pour yourself into the thinnest spandex you can buy, just lose the baggy basketball shorts. When you lift your legs in the air or turn upside down you don't want to be tugging your shorts away from your bum and your high school choir t-shirt from suffocating your face.

Victoria's Secret yoga pants are my favorite. I like the capri, but I also have the ankle boot cut and the yoga booty short too. Leggings are also a great option.

A sports bra with a tank or slim v-neck or a racerback sports tank are my favorite top options. Athleta has some seriously cute stuff. Almost makes you WANT to work out. Almost...

Pull your hair into a top knot or Katniss-style side braid and use a headband to keep the hair out of your face when you are upside down and changing positions.

Other Tips:

If you love yoga, buy your own mat. There are always yoga mats in the back of the aerobics room, but having your own is way cleaner/better. I got one on Amazon with a bag for pretty cheap and I use it all the time.

Get to class early, find a spot near a mirror so you can check your form during poses, and stretch a bit before class starts.

Do yoga on an empty (but not rumbling stomach).

No one cares if you fall over or can't hold a stretch the whole time. Seriously. No one cares.

Tune in next week for a Workout Wednesday Guest Post by my good friend Tayler about why she runs like a crazy person!

All That Glitters is not Gold('s Gym)

Starting next week I'm doing a fitness series on my blog. I've been an athlete all my life and once I got to college, fitness became a conscious decision, rather than a bi-product of whatever sport I was playing. I've tried a lot of new things and now that summer is here we're all taking a good look at our bodies and our fitness.  I thought a fitness series would be fun and helpful, so tune in for the next few weeks if you are looking to get in better shape or have fun trying something new. I'll have guest bloggers and maybe even a giveaway! (Keep your fingers crossed!)

So here's what I need from you. I need stories. What crazy/stupid/funny things have YOU (or a friend/roommate/etc) experienced at the gym? If you have ever entered a Provo Gold's, I guarantee you have at LEAST one awesome story. Rumors and hearsay are 100% acceptable so long as they are hilarious. I want to hear them. I'll be sharing them during the aforementioned series, and I really just can't wait.

For example, I once watched a guy eat a candy bar whilst walking on a treadmill. Good for you buddy.

Start sending them this way! Shoot me an email at dholdy{at}gmail or message me on the Face.