Spring is here!

I'm so glad that spring is finally here! I know, it's actually been spring for several weeks, but now it's starting to feel like it. I've been soaking up the sunshine while planting the garden and playing on the swing set with my sisters. It's glorious! Now if only we could get the wind to die down a little...

I love this time of year, because there are so many things you can do outside - and many of them even count as exercise. On a beautiful day, there is no reason to stay inside and sit. Good grief, that's what we did all winter long! Let's get outside and get moving.

My younger sister, Bethany, and I spent time outside before her nap today. I pushed her on the swing, and then she decided that we should go and sing on the stage. "The stage" happens to be on our feed floor between the barns where the concrete is higher on one side than the other, making it a perfect stage. (Right? C'mon - think like a 3 year old!) While jammin' and dancin' to "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt", Bethany started jumping on and off of the stage, and then she grabbed my hand so I could do it with her. Jump up, jump down, jump up, jump down. We did it over and over again. It was simple. It was fun. And it was exercise! That little girl will whip me into shape yet.

But now I remembered, I still haven't posted about last week yet. My week was wonderful in the exercise category. I pushed myself hard and tried to simply do more - more reps or more weight on the weight machines, and more time on the cardio machines. And believe me, my knees and my lower back could feel the difference. =) I didn't pull a muscle, but I did make them sore. I always left the gym feeling exhausted, but also refreshed.

However, in the eating category I believe that overall I consumed too many calories. This would explain why I gained one pound last week. Yes, I was rather disappointed when I saw 176 pop up on the scale. It's hard not to feel like a whole week of exercising was for nothing! Now, I didn't indulge in chocolate cake or have one meal where I blew it, but I think the combination of a few days where my calorie counts were slightly higher than they should be (between 100 and 200 calories over) is to blame. Which is actually me to blame. =) So this week, I'm sticking hard and fast to my calorie limit, no matter how much I'd like an extra helping. When I balance my calories out during the day and eat the correct combo of fuel, (proteins, fats, and carbs) I honestly do not feel hungry until meal times. And that's how it should be! Speaking of which, my tummy is telling me it's almost snack time. =)

Today, I decided to stay home from the gym and do things the old fashioned way. I grabbed a jump rope and my water bottle and set out for the feed floor. I made up a list of several different cardio exercises to do in a circuit and took off. I began by doing the "run and touch the cone and then run back to start" 6 times, followed by jumping rope 50 times. Then 30 seconds of standing mountain climber, (get the picture in your head!) 30 seconds of butt kicks, 30 seconds of double jumping to the side, 20 sumo squat jacks (like jumping jacks only harder), and 30 seconds of shadow-boxing. I completed each part of the circuit as quickly as possible and moved onto the next exercise without a break. I did this whole thing 5 times and then followed it up with some more jogging and step ups. (Remember the concrete that makes a good stage? It also makes a good place to jump and step up.) After I finished outside, I came in and did one 30 minute workout with the DVD. My whole time spent exercising this morning was an hour and 20 minutes, and it felt great.

Okay, now I'm really getting hungry. I'll have to write more later! LOL

Blessings on your week ~
Bekah