Here is one of my favorite songs to workout to. When I hear this song, it just gets me pumped and ready to hit the gym.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Volunteering at Ironman
I'm SO stinkin' excited. Every May, they do the St. George Ironman. This is a qualifer for the big race over in Kona. My personal trainer, BJ, does this race every year.
This year, I'm volunteering at the St. George Ironman!!! I'll drive down the day before the race and then the morning of the race I'll be a body marker in the morning (write their bib # and age on their arms and legs). And then, 12 hours later, I'll head to the finish line and I'm going to be a catcher!!! If you're unfamiliar with what a "catcher" is, basically after you're done competing in an Ironman, your body is like Jell-O, therefore, they have the "catchers" at the finish line to help you walk over to the transition area/family/first aid/food, or whatnot.
I'm SO excited. This is going to be very inspiring. One day I hope to not be volunteering there and actually be a participant.
5 Seconds & 20 Strokes
I'm SO happy. I've improved my swim time by 5 seconds. Last time I did intervals in the pool with BJ, he had me swim 6 x 100 and my average time per 100 was 2:05-2:15.
Thursday night we did intervals again. We did the 6 x 100 and my average time was 2:00 per 100!!!! Wahoo!!! I think my best time was 1:57.
I was telling my brother about this (he's an awesome swimmer) and he said that it usually takes someone about a year to improve their time that much.
On another note...one of my last posts said that my swim strokes per 25 yds had decreased from 28 to 24. Well now, I'm consistently doing 20 strokes per 25 yds!!! I'm SO happy. Every once in a while, I'll be able to do 18 strokes, but that's pretty rare.
Now if I can just figure out how to do a damn flip turn! Lol. I have NO coordination, so this will be a challenge.
Thursday night we did intervals again. We did the 6 x 100 and my average time was 2:00 per 100!!!! Wahoo!!! I think my best time was 1:57.
I was telling my brother about this (he's an awesome swimmer) and he said that it usually takes someone about a year to improve their time that much.
On another note...one of my last posts said that my swim strokes per 25 yds had decreased from 28 to 24. Well now, I'm consistently doing 20 strokes per 25 yds!!! I'm SO happy. Every once in a while, I'll be able to do 18 strokes, but that's pretty rare.
Now if I can just figure out how to do a damn flip turn! Lol. I have NO coordination, so this will be a challenge.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Delicious Lasagna
This blog isn't just about exercise and what I've done to lose all my weight and my races, etc. I haven't been very good about posting about food, etc. And I feel bad.
But, the other day I found a vegetable lasagna recipe that sounded good, so I made it on Saturday for dinner and it was SOOOOO good!!! It's really healthy too. There's only 380 calories a serving. So...I thought I'd share it with ya. (P.S. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com)
Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles (If you get the "oven ready" noodles, you can skip the step about boiling the noodles)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (8 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
24 ounces ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat oil in a large caste iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot add broccoli, carrots, onions, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic. Saute for 7 minutes; set aside.
Place flour in a medium saucepan and gradually whisk in milk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Reserve 1/2 cup spinach mixture. In a small bowl combine cottage and ricotta cheeses; stir well.
Spread about 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, vegetables, spinach mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ending with noodles. Top with reserved spinach mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
But, the other day I found a vegetable lasagna recipe that sounded good, so I made it on Saturday for dinner and it was SOOOOO good!!! It's really healthy too. There's only 380 calories a serving. So...I thought I'd share it with ya. (P.S. I found the recipe on allrecipes.com)
Cheesy Vegetable Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles (If you get the "oven ready" noodles, you can skip the step about boiling the noodles)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 small zucchini, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (8 ounce) container small curd cottage cheese
24 ounces ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Heat oil in a large caste iron skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot add broccoli, carrots, onions, bell peppers, zucchini and garlic. Saute for 7 minutes; set aside.
Place flour in a medium saucepan and gradually whisk in milk until well blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, or until thick, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in spinach. Reserve 1/2 cup spinach mixture. In a small bowl combine cottage and ricotta cheeses; stir well.
Spread about 1/2 cup of spinach mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer noodles, ricotta mixture, vegetables, spinach mixture and 2 cups mozzarella cheese, ending with noodles. Top with reserved spinach mixture, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool for approximately 10 minutes before serving.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
A Word for the Wise
Last week I learned a fine tip from my personal trainer.
I had gone running 4 miles on a treadmill and then went straight down to the pool to do swimming with my personal trainer.
That is SO not a good idea!!! I got serious leg cramps about 4 laps in to swimming. I don't know what causes the leg cramps, but my personal trainer was telling me that it happens with him too.
So...just a word for the wise, if you're going to run and then go swim, take a BIG break in between. Spread it out. If I'm going to do this, I will run in the morning and then swim at night.
I had gone running 4 miles on a treadmill and then went straight down to the pool to do swimming with my personal trainer.
That is SO not a good idea!!! I got serious leg cramps about 4 laps in to swimming. I don't know what causes the leg cramps, but my personal trainer was telling me that it happens with him too.
So...just a word for the wise, if you're going to run and then go swim, take a BIG break in between. Spread it out. If I'm going to do this, I will run in the morning and then swim at night.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
From 28 to 24
BJ is now working with me on swimming. He says I'm a good swimmer, I just need to work on being a faster swimmer and not "snake" through the lane.
When I say that I "snake" through the lane, it basically means I don't swim in a straight line and I weave back and forth through the lane.
When I swim, I swim in a 25 yard pool. BJ has me doing some pretty good drills and stuff like that when I meet with him. BJ wants me to get to the point where I can swim 2 laps in 55 seconds and currently, it takes me about 1 min. 05 secs. So, he's working with me to get my time down. BJ also wants me to be able to swim a lap in 18 strokes or less.
When I saw BJ last, every time I was swimming, it would take me 28-30 strokes a lap. I just wasn't getting it. Well, two days later when I was swimming, I was able to get down to 24 strokes a lap!!! I was SO excited!!! There was one lap where I was able to swim the lap in 20 strokes!!!! I was SO stinkin' excited!!! I'm finally making improvements.
My First Week Back
The last week of 2010 and the first week of 2011 was completely crazy at work. Because of the job I have, it's like that every year. But, I worked like 120 hrs in those 2 weeks, so I had NO time whatsoever to work out. I was sad.
This last week is my first week back at the gym. It's been kind of rough, but I did it.
Over the holidays, I gained 14 lbs, but this week, I lost 7.2 lbs!!! I was seriously shocked!!! I worked out every day this last week and if I missed part of my workout, I made up for it another day.
I think the hardest part to get back used to was running. Monday morning I ran 4 miles. It was rough. There were a couple of times where I wanted to stop and walk...but I didn't. Before the 2 week hiatus from working out, I had got to a point where I could run at 6.5 mph, but I'm back down to 6.0 mph.
The swimming wasn't too bad at all. The first time I got back in the pool, I was getting winded pretty easily, but after that, it was no biggie at all.
Biking...I'm not able to use as much tension as I used to, but I hope to up the tension on the bike this next week and get back to normal. I'll keep you updated.
Weights, I can still do the poundage, but I wasn't able to do as many reps.
One thing about being in shape for so long and then not working out for 2 weeks, you get out of shape, but it doesn't take you long to get back in shape and get in to a routine.
This last week is my first week back at the gym. It's been kind of rough, but I did it.
Over the holidays, I gained 14 lbs, but this week, I lost 7.2 lbs!!! I was seriously shocked!!! I worked out every day this last week and if I missed part of my workout, I made up for it another day.
I think the hardest part to get back used to was running. Monday morning I ran 4 miles. It was rough. There were a couple of times where I wanted to stop and walk...but I didn't. Before the 2 week hiatus from working out, I had got to a point where I could run at 6.5 mph, but I'm back down to 6.0 mph.
The swimming wasn't too bad at all. The first time I got back in the pool, I was getting winded pretty easily, but after that, it was no biggie at all.
Biking...I'm not able to use as much tension as I used to, but I hope to up the tension on the bike this next week and get back to normal. I'll keep you updated.
Weights, I can still do the poundage, but I wasn't able to do as many reps.
One thing about being in shape for so long and then not working out for 2 weeks, you get out of shape, but it doesn't take you long to get back in shape and get in to a routine.
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