Now that I have had some time to reflect (and to recover from the cold/plague that my children so generously shared with me), I have thought about my goals for 2012. But first, I wanted to recap my 2011 Goals:
2011 Goals
1. Post on blog more often. Hmmm, not so successful on this one.
2. Run a marathon. Check.
3. Be more personable. I think I accomplished this, more so in the latter part of the year.
4. Spend more time with my family. Double check. (Also more so in the latter part of the year.)
Here are my goals for 2012. I came up with a few more this year....
2012 Goals
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet. I recently read Craig Ballantyne's 14-Day Fast Fat Loss Guide where he gives a complete 14-day Fast-Track guide to fat loss using the exact plan he gave to a college buddy who had gained 25 pounds since the birth of his baby. Lots of great advice in that article. This would be a great kick-start for 2012, even for me. I gained a couple pounds over the holidays and would like to quickly lose them (see Goal #2).
2. Maintain my weight. After losing those couple "holiday pounds", I'd like to maintain my weight. At the end of TT Contest #12, I felt like I was at a good weight. I'd like to stay around 145 lbs.
3. Be present and focused in every workout. No more listening to October Project during my workouts. I need more girl-power, butt-kicking music. :)
4. Increase number of pull ups I can do. I am beginning Shawna Kaminski's Pull Up Challenge Workout next week and I would like to increase the number of pull ups I can do in a row to 10. Mini goal: 5 pull ups after 4 weeks of the program. I haven't been able to do that many in a row for a while now. I am looking forward to working toward this goal.
5. Get my chin ups count back to over 10. I used to be able to do that many, then I stopped working on it.
6. Hug my children more often. :)
7. Post on my blog 2-3 times a week. I plan to post my progress with my workouts, and am hoping to start posting recipes again.
8. Keep up with the housecleaning. I am a horrible housewife. ;)
That's about it. Hope everyone is having a great New Year!
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Showing posts with label Craig Ballantyne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craig Ballantyne. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, April 12, 2010
Bikini Workout - End of Week One
I have been sore all week. I love new workouts! :)
One particular exercise that made me really sore was in Thursday's workout. I had never done it before so that probably was part of the reason it made me so sore. Basically, you lay on a bench and then hold a stability ball between your feet. You raise your feet until your legs are perpendicular to your body and then you lower until your legs are about parallel with the floor. Not only were my abs really sore, but my legs were sore as well!
I forgot to weigh myself when I started this program on Monday, but I'm down a little over a pound since Wednesday. Of course, that could just be natural fluctuation, so I'm not reading too much into that.
On another note, there is a new Turbulence Training special that begins today. It's a brand new follow-along-at-home DVD set so you can actually "work out with" Craig Ballantyne. You get 12 TT for Abs workouts, plus 9 bonus workouts, and a Nutrition DVD. I used TT for Abs during my third TT contest and thought it worked great! You can check out the details here: TT for Abs DVD
The special price runs until midnight on Wednesday, April 14. I probably will not be buying the DVDs, mostly because I already own the TT for Abs program, and have completed it, so I don't feel that I need to watch the DVDs. But if you are someone that likes to "follow along" to DVDs, you may want to check them out and see if they are right for you.
Have a great week! :)
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase the product, I will receive a small portion. I don't get paid for reviews, and I only review items that I actually own.
One particular exercise that made me really sore was in Thursday's workout. I had never done it before so that probably was part of the reason it made me so sore. Basically, you lay on a bench and then hold a stability ball between your feet. You raise your feet until your legs are perpendicular to your body and then you lower until your legs are about parallel with the floor. Not only were my abs really sore, but my legs were sore as well!
I forgot to weigh myself when I started this program on Monday, but I'm down a little over a pound since Wednesday. Of course, that could just be natural fluctuation, so I'm not reading too much into that.
On another note, there is a new Turbulence Training special that begins today. It's a brand new follow-along-at-home DVD set so you can actually "work out with" Craig Ballantyne. You get 12 TT for Abs workouts, plus 9 bonus workouts, and a Nutrition DVD. I used TT for Abs during my third TT contest and thought it worked great! You can check out the details here: TT for Abs DVD
The special price runs until midnight on Wednesday, April 14. I probably will not be buying the DVDs, mostly because I already own the TT for Abs program, and have completed it, so I don't feel that I need to watch the DVDs. But if you are someone that likes to "follow along" to DVDs, you may want to check them out and see if they are right for you.
Have a great week! :)
Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase the product, I will receive a small portion. I don't get paid for reviews, and I only review items that I actually own.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
End of Week 3 - Phase One Complete!
Phase 1 of my new workout program finished this week. It was fun! It had different techniques that I have never done before (like peak double contractions). Phase 2 starts this week and it's more standard supersets, but they are "pre-fatigue" supersets - I will be doing more reps of the first exercise with lower weights and fewer reps of the second exercise with heavier weights.
Overall, workouts this week went well. The reps were low for most exercises so I added more weight. I was still sore a few days after the workouts, so I was happy because I knew I was working hard and my muscles were not adapting to the workout.
Yesterday, I ran 6.5 miles outside. Whoo-hoo! Because of the really cold weather I had been running at the gym, so that was a nice change. It was icy in a number of places so I had to slow down, but the run felt really good. My time was 1:07:40 (about a 10:25 pace) and I was thrilled with that. It was still pretty cold out, though. When I got home, my legs were numb. When I took off my hat, I discovered there was "snow" on it. It wasn't snowing so I couldn't figure out how snow got on my hat until I realized that it was sweat that had frozen! :) Today I am going to go out and run an easy 2 mile recovery run. Yesterday my hips really started hurting during the 5th mile, so I want to try and run a little more during the week, instead of just one day.
My big change this past week with nutrition was to eat breakfast immediately post-workout (about 6:30am), and then have a snack at work around 9:15am. Prior to last week, I would eat a snack post-workout and then eat breakfast at work at about 8:30am. I'm not so sure I liked the larger post-workout meal - time is short in the morning and a quick snack is easier.
This week I will be back to more of a snack post-workout (e.g., a scoop of whey and a banana) and then I plan to eat about every 2 hours, consuming between 200-250 calories each meal. Even during my most zealous calorie-counting days, I never counted calories for individual meals, only for the entire day. However, I don't plan on using fitday for my counting; I'm just going to estimate calories for the most part. So my day will look like this:
6:30am - meal one
8:30am - meal two
10:30am - meal three
12:30pm - meal four
2:30pm - meal five
5:30pm - meal six
7:30pm - meal seven
If I stay between 200 and 250 calories per meal on average, my calorie range should be between 1400 and 1750, which is just right for me for fat loss. I've gained about 10 lbs since I finished my last TT contest. Since I was using a muscle-building program, I hadn't been counting calories at all, just trying to eat clean foods. However, even though phases 2 and 3 are still considered muscle-building, I'm going to start watching calories so I don't gain too much more weight. I'm hoping some of this is muscle! :)
If you are interested, here's the link to this week's TT Call -> Weekly Fat Loss Call. A few of the things Craig talks about this week are his Transformation Tip of the Week, updates to the TT2K4 workout, and the Bodyweight 200.
Have a great week!
Disclosure: This post does not contain an affiliate link. I just think the calls are fun to listen to. :)
Overall, workouts this week went well. The reps were low for most exercises so I added more weight. I was still sore a few days after the workouts, so I was happy because I knew I was working hard and my muscles were not adapting to the workout.
Yesterday, I ran 6.5 miles outside. Whoo-hoo! Because of the really cold weather I had been running at the gym, so that was a nice change. It was icy in a number of places so I had to slow down, but the run felt really good. My time was 1:07:40 (about a 10:25 pace) and I was thrilled with that. It was still pretty cold out, though. When I got home, my legs were numb. When I took off my hat, I discovered there was "snow" on it. It wasn't snowing so I couldn't figure out how snow got on my hat until I realized that it was sweat that had frozen! :) Today I am going to go out and run an easy 2 mile recovery run. Yesterday my hips really started hurting during the 5th mile, so I want to try and run a little more during the week, instead of just one day.
My big change this past week with nutrition was to eat breakfast immediately post-workout (about 6:30am), and then have a snack at work around 9:15am. Prior to last week, I would eat a snack post-workout and then eat breakfast at work at about 8:30am. I'm not so sure I liked the larger post-workout meal - time is short in the morning and a quick snack is easier.
This week I will be back to more of a snack post-workout (e.g., a scoop of whey and a banana) and then I plan to eat about every 2 hours, consuming between 200-250 calories each meal. Even during my most zealous calorie-counting days, I never counted calories for individual meals, only for the entire day. However, I don't plan on using fitday for my counting; I'm just going to estimate calories for the most part. So my day will look like this:
6:30am - meal one
8:30am - meal two
10:30am - meal three
12:30pm - meal four
2:30pm - meal five
5:30pm - meal six
7:30pm - meal seven
If I stay between 200 and 250 calories per meal on average, my calorie range should be between 1400 and 1750, which is just right for me for fat loss. I've gained about 10 lbs since I finished my last TT contest. Since I was using a muscle-building program, I hadn't been counting calories at all, just trying to eat clean foods. However, even though phases 2 and 3 are still considered muscle-building, I'm going to start watching calories so I don't gain too much more weight. I'm hoping some of this is muscle! :)
If you are interested, here's the link to this week's TT Call -> Weekly Fat Loss Call. A few of the things Craig talks about this week are his Transformation Tip of the Week, updates to the TT2K4 workout, and the Bodyweight 200.
Have a great week!
Disclosure: This post does not contain an affiliate link. I just think the calls are fun to listen to. :)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
"You Might Think I'm Crazy..."
My penchant for 80's music aside, I officially signed up for another 5K race. A big thank you to everyone who gave me a pep talk and/or advice after my last race! :)I have about 4 weeks to train for this next one, so this time I am mapping out a real training plan. I'm currently using Turbulence Training 2K6, which appears to be a good workout choice. It's 2 alternating workouts - one upper body, one lower body - 3 times per week. The lower body workout has 3 exercises that are lower body-specific, and 3 exercises that are more ab-specific (and 1 other exercise that's more arms), so it shouldn't be too tiring for my legs since I will be running more. So after consulting a few websites and a few friends who run, here's the plan:
Mondays: 4 mile run, TT Workout (later in the day)
Tuesdays: 1 mile warm up and cool down, 4 pace intervals (length will vary week to week)
Wednesdays: 3 mile run, TT Workout (later in the day)
Thursdays: Off
Fridays: 3 or 4 mile run, TT Workout (later in the day)
Saturdays: 5 or 6 mile run
Sundays: 1 mile run, increasing speed each week
The week before the race is a little bit different than this, but I'll tell you about it when I get there. :) Since I'm such a beginner, I didn't want to make the training too complicated. I wanted to put a lot of focus on gaining endurance. Any opinions?
So yesterday was my first 6 mile run. I re-used the course from the 5K race I ran last weekend and mapped out a course that ended up being about 5.8 miles. I ran at a pace that was "easy" for me. (Run along to Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and that was my pace.) It probably looked like I was running in slow motion. :) It took me 1 hour, 19 minutes, and 49 seconds. But I was able to run the whole way, except for the few seconds I stopped about every mile to check my heart rate. (My heart rate monitor watch is kind of diva and won't take my heart rate while I'm actually running.) My first few miles were at about a 13:15 mile pace, the middle miles took a little longer. But my last mile was at about 12 minutes, so I was proud that I was able to speed up at the end. (And I was still able to sing along with The Outfield's "Your Love".)
Today my quads and hips are sore, but not near as sore as I was expecting. I ran "down to the tracks" and back, which is about a mile. It took me about 11 minutes so next week I will aim to be a little bit faster.
Well, that's all the news I have today! Although I will hint that I found a recipe for doughnuts that I've being playing around with so perhaps look for a doughnut recipe soon for Recipe Wednesday! :)
Oh, and here's the link for Craig Ballantyne's Weekly Fat Loss Call ==> Fat Loss Program Call I keep forgetting to post the link on Sundays when they come out. This week he talks about dreaming big, foam rolling, and the first 5 day per week Turbulence Training Program (TT Reconstruction Program).
Have a great week everyone!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
New Veggie Meal Plans, Part II
Ha, ha! I knew I wouldn't make it long before I had to buy them! Ooh, shiny new recipes!
I bought the Deluxe Easy Veggie Meal Plans this morning. ;) I am having a total information overload! There is so much to read, I wasn't sure where to begin. I finally decided on The Lazy Man's Guide to Vegetarian Eating. I actually do like to cook, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking for "Easy Button" every now and then. :) Craig Ballantyne goes through everything he ate and what he thought about it for about the last 2 months (he's been eating nearly vegan). It's kinda cool to see what he's been eating and it gave me a few ideas for variety.
Next I read through the "Quick Start Guide Call" transcript. (There's an audio file too, but with 2 kids I couldn't possibly hear the audio file. I got interrupted enough trying to read it!) Kardena Pauza talks about her background and why she has chosen the diet path that she did. It also talks about steps to take if you are trying to ease into the vegetarian lifestyle. I'll be honest, my goal is not to be fully vegetarian. I'm just trying to eat healthfully and am looking for more variety. But to be fair, I may go meatless for a week and see what I think!
Next I looked through the Easy Veggie Lifestyle Guide. In the first chapter, Kardena talks about how it is important to eat the right kinds of foods, and how just being vegetarian does not automatically make you healthy. She also touches on how a vegetarian diet could give you more energy, how it's environmentally-friendly, budget friendly, and how it can be just as convenient as any other weight loss meal plan.
The second chapter goes through the different types of vegetarian. (I would be "Semi-Vegetarian - Eats less meat than the average person.") Chapters 3 and 4 talk about how to make your vegetarian diet healthy and foods to avoid. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 deal with vegetarian proteins, carbohydrates and fats respectively, and how much you need (and good sources of each). The last chapter is about soaking your own beans, nuts and seeds to make them sprout. Kardena says this makes them easier to digest and absorb the nutrients. Quite a lot of information!
There's also 101 Delicious Vegan Recipes, a 90 day meal plan for men and another 90 day meal plan for women. I only printed the 101 Delicious Vegan Recipes and the 90 day plan for women for now (that one is 175 pages long!) and I saw lots of yummy looking recipes. I've only paged through, but I got a lot of ideas. (A few I want to make immediately: carrot ginger oatmeal cookies, garden patch gazpacho, and the breakfast quinoa.) I'm pretty set on variety for quite a while! Although I probably won't use the meal plans exactly as they are written. I'll jump around and just use the recipes for ideas.
There is a short smoothie guide, with a couple of yummy-looking smoothies. I don't make smoothies very often, but the strawberry one looked pretty good (it has dates in it!)
Lastly, there is a guide on defending the vegetarian lifestyle. Kardena offers tips on how to answer people who may criticize or ask questions. I just skimmed through this transcript. It's also an audio file if you have the time to listen to it, maybe at the gym or something. :)
So that's the Easy Veggie Meal Plans package in a nutshell. It gave me a lot to think about and a lot of good ideas for meals!
I bought the Deluxe Easy Veggie Meal Plans this morning. ;) I am having a total information overload! There is so much to read, I wasn't sure where to begin. I finally decided on The Lazy Man's Guide to Vegetarian Eating. I actually do like to cook, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking for "Easy Button" every now and then. :) Craig Ballantyne goes through everything he ate and what he thought about it for about the last 2 months (he's been eating nearly vegan). It's kinda cool to see what he's been eating and it gave me a few ideas for variety.
Next I read through the "Quick Start Guide Call" transcript. (There's an audio file too, but with 2 kids I couldn't possibly hear the audio file. I got interrupted enough trying to read it!) Kardena Pauza talks about her background and why she has chosen the diet path that she did. It also talks about steps to take if you are trying to ease into the vegetarian lifestyle. I'll be honest, my goal is not to be fully vegetarian. I'm just trying to eat healthfully and am looking for more variety. But to be fair, I may go meatless for a week and see what I think!
Next I looked through the Easy Veggie Lifestyle Guide. In the first chapter, Kardena talks about how it is important to eat the right kinds of foods, and how just being vegetarian does not automatically make you healthy. She also touches on how a vegetarian diet could give you more energy, how it's environmentally-friendly, budget friendly, and how it can be just as convenient as any other weight loss meal plan.
The second chapter goes through the different types of vegetarian. (I would be "Semi-Vegetarian - Eats less meat than the average person.") Chapters 3 and 4 talk about how to make your vegetarian diet healthy and foods to avoid. Chapters 5, 6 and 7 deal with vegetarian proteins, carbohydrates and fats respectively, and how much you need (and good sources of each). The last chapter is about soaking your own beans, nuts and seeds to make them sprout. Kardena says this makes them easier to digest and absorb the nutrients. Quite a lot of information!
There's also 101 Delicious Vegan Recipes, a 90 day meal plan for men and another 90 day meal plan for women. I only printed the 101 Delicious Vegan Recipes and the 90 day plan for women for now (that one is 175 pages long!) and I saw lots of yummy looking recipes. I've only paged through, but I got a lot of ideas. (A few I want to make immediately: carrot ginger oatmeal cookies, garden patch gazpacho, and the breakfast quinoa.) I'm pretty set on variety for quite a while! Although I probably won't use the meal plans exactly as they are written. I'll jump around and just use the recipes for ideas.
There is a short smoothie guide, with a couple of yummy-looking smoothies. I don't make smoothies very often, but the strawberry one looked pretty good (it has dates in it!)
Lastly, there is a guide on defending the vegetarian lifestyle. Kardena offers tips on how to answer people who may criticize or ask questions. I just skimmed through this transcript. It's also an audio file if you have the time to listen to it, maybe at the gym or something. :)
So that's the Easy Veggie Meal Plans package in a nutshell. It gave me a lot to think about and a lot of good ideas for meals!
Monday, July 27, 2009
New Veggie Meal Plans
Today was the first day in as long as I can remember that I did not have any meat at all. Didn't necessarily plan it that way, just sort of happened. I originally planned meat for dinner, but at the last minute I decided to go with broccoli quinoa frittata (woo-hoo, how's that for being flexible!)
So the menu today was:
scoop of whey protein (pre and post workout)
pumpkin oatmeal (nectar of the gods)
1/2 oz almonds
business lunch - ordered spanakopita (spinach, onion, walnuts in phyllo dough)
broccoli quinoa frittata with small salad and pineapple
plum
whey protein shake
Calories: no freaking clue (man, that felt good!)
Also today I got the email for Kardena Pauza/Craig Ballantyne's Easy Veggie Meal Plans (50% off until July 30th). I haven't purchased it yet because ever since we got home from vacation we've been trying to save more than we spend, but I'll probably cave very soon. :) I was on vacation when the freebie download thing happened so if anyone would like to share, just let me know. ;)
So the menu today was:
scoop of whey protein (pre and post workout)
pumpkin oatmeal (nectar of the gods)
1/2 oz almonds
business lunch - ordered spanakopita (spinach, onion, walnuts in phyllo dough)
broccoli quinoa frittata with small salad and pineapple
plum
whey protein shake
Calories: no freaking clue (man, that felt good!)
Also today I got the email for Kardena Pauza/Craig Ballantyne's Easy Veggie Meal Plans (50% off until July 30th). I haven't purchased it yet because ever since we got home from vacation we've been trying to save more than we spend, but I'll probably cave very soon. :) I was on vacation when the freebie download thing happened so if anyone would like to share, just let me know. ;)
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Another Fun Video
Here's a fun video from Craig Ballantyne - Diet vs. Exercise. Say it with me - "You can't out-train a bad diet!" :)
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Week Eight Update
Only 4 more weeks to go! I am feeling very excited about completing this contest. I've had a great week and feel like my enthusiasm is gaining more momentum!
1. I will make every workout count
Workouts were great this week! Completed Turbulence Training 2K9 and am moving on to TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks!
2. I will drink less diet soda
Renewing my commitment to this one this week. Really going to work on it!!
3. I will weigh myself ONLY once per week
More than once this week. But I am not stressed about it. I am going to try this week to not weigh myself so much, though. Then hopefully I will get a nice surprise at the end of the week!
4. I will eat 1800-2000 calories per day on workout days and 1500-1600 on non-workout/light workout days (updated goal).
Workout days were: 2016, 1374, 1625, and 1664 calories; Non-workout/Light days were: 1490, 1692 and 1511 calories. A little low on workout days, but good on non-workout days. Since I am cycling carbs/calories now, I am aiming for 1200-1400 calories on "low" days and 1500-1700 on my "high" days, irrespective of whether or not it's a workout day. I am only going to do this as long as it doesn't make me too crazy (see goal #8).
5. I will eat cleanly, but will allow treat meals
Did good this week. My big treat was 3 "fresco-style" crunchy tacos from Taco Bell. I will probably not have any big treats from here on out. I want to finish strong! I am still following Precision Nutrition, although I haven't been posting my Feasts as often. Life has been busy and I haven't had as much time to upload the photos.
6. I will eat 5-7 fruits/vegetables per day
Achieved!
7. I will not worry about gaining extra weight while building muscle
I have officially gone into fat loss mode, so this goal isn't really applicable at the moment.
8. I will not be neurotic with my diet
Did good this week. No neurotic episodes! :)
9. I will not be grumpy at my family
I felt great this week. I got to bed early by making a new rule to have the computer off by 10:00pm. I didn't make it every night, but I did get to bed a lot earlier on average. Plus, my kids were sick this week, which actually helped me chill out. I had to put things on hold and just be Mom.
10. I will enjoy the contest and will not allow it to stress me out
Not stressed, but still getting nervous. Took some 8 week pictures this morning and I still have lots of hard work ahead of me.
This week's 7-day fat burning workout talks about TT 2K8, Craig's take on cardio, and the 10 best bodyweight exercises.
Have a great week everyone!
1. I will make every workout count
Workouts were great this week! Completed Turbulence Training 2K9 and am moving on to TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks!
2. I will drink less diet soda
Renewing my commitment to this one this week. Really going to work on it!!
3. I will weigh myself ONLY once per week
More than once this week. But I am not stressed about it. I am going to try this week to not weigh myself so much, though. Then hopefully I will get a nice surprise at the end of the week!
4. I will eat 1800-2000 calories per day on workout days and 1500-1600 on non-workout/light workout days (updated goal).
Workout days were: 2016, 1374, 1625, and 1664 calories; Non-workout/Light days were: 1490, 1692 and 1511 calories. A little low on workout days, but good on non-workout days. Since I am cycling carbs/calories now, I am aiming for 1200-1400 calories on "low" days and 1500-1700 on my "high" days, irrespective of whether or not it's a workout day. I am only going to do this as long as it doesn't make me too crazy (see goal #8).
5. I will eat cleanly, but will allow treat meals
Did good this week. My big treat was 3 "fresco-style" crunchy tacos from Taco Bell. I will probably not have any big treats from here on out. I want to finish strong! I am still following Precision Nutrition, although I haven't been posting my Feasts as often. Life has been busy and I haven't had as much time to upload the photos.
6. I will eat 5-7 fruits/vegetables per day
Achieved!
7. I will not worry about gaining extra weight while building muscle
I have officially gone into fat loss mode, so this goal isn't really applicable at the moment.
8. I will not be neurotic with my diet
Did good this week. No neurotic episodes! :)
9. I will not be grumpy at my family
I felt great this week. I got to bed early by making a new rule to have the computer off by 10:00pm. I didn't make it every night, but I did get to bed a lot earlier on average. Plus, my kids were sick this week, which actually helped me chill out. I had to put things on hold and just be Mom.
10. I will enjoy the contest and will not allow it to stress me out
Not stressed, but still getting nervous. Took some 8 week pictures this morning and I still have lots of hard work ahead of me.
This week's 7-day fat burning workout talks about TT 2K8, Craig's take on cardio, and the 10 best bodyweight exercises.
Have a great week everyone!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday Workout
Must be Friday, time for the DB 10 x 10 Circuit (AKA TT 2K9 workout C). For whatever reason, I didn't feel like going to the gym this morning. And I didn't feel like doing this workout. But I made myself get up, telling myself that I only had to do 3 circuits instead of 4. But once I started doing the workout it felt great and I completed all 4 circuits with my best times yet! I used 15 lb DBs for all exercises.
DB 10 x10 Circuit
DB Bulgarian Split Squat (4x10 ea side)
DB Shoulder Press (4x10)
DB Step up (4x10 ea side)
DB Chest Press (4x10)
DB Row (4x10 ea side)
DB Lunge (4x10 ea side)
DB Swing (4x10)
DB Shrug (4x10)
DB Incline Press (4x10)
DB Squat (4x10)
First round: 4 min, 46 sec
Second round: 4 min, 25 sec
Third round: 4 min, 19 sec
Fourth round: 4 min, 17 sec
And don't forget that today is the last day to take advantage of Ballantyne's Day. heehee :)
Here's the link to the "I Love My Abs" sale going on until 10pm EST tonight: I Love My Abs!
This special offer includes the Turbulence Training Home Abdominal workout programs and bonuses of TT 2K9, the new TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks plus much more (including 3 months free to the TT Members' forums!)
I've used the TT Home Abdominal workout program (Intermediate and Advanced) and liked them both very much!
DB 10 x10 Circuit
DB Bulgarian Split Squat (4x10 ea side)
DB Shoulder Press (4x10)
DB Step up (4x10 ea side)
DB Chest Press (4x10)
DB Row (4x10 ea side)
DB Lunge (4x10 ea side)
DB Swing (4x10)
DB Shrug (4x10)
DB Incline Press (4x10)
DB Squat (4x10)
First round: 4 min, 46 sec
Second round: 4 min, 25 sec
Third round: 4 min, 19 sec
Fourth round: 4 min, 17 sec
And don't forget that today is the last day to take advantage of Ballantyne's Day. heehee :)
Here's the link to the "I Love My Abs" sale going on until 10pm EST tonight: I Love My Abs!
This special offer includes the Turbulence Training Home Abdominal workout programs and bonuses of TT 2K9, the new TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks plus much more (including 3 months free to the TT Members' forums!)
I've used the TT Home Abdominal workout program (Intermediate and Advanced) and liked them both very much!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Happy Ballantyne's Day?
Craig Ballantyne is declaring this weekend to be Ballantyne's Day! LOL
To celebrate, he's giving you TWO free workouts (including the workout I am currently using, TT 2K9, and the workout I plan on using next, TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks) and 25% off his NO-crunch Turbulence Training for Abs workouts. Plus, you'll get 3 months free to the TT Member's site for even more workouts and you'll be able to ask him your personal workout and diet questions.
Check out his "I Love My Abs" Ballantyne's Day sale here:
Turbulence Training for Abs
The sale ends on Friday, February 13th!
To celebrate, he's giving you TWO free workouts (including the workout I am currently using, TT 2K9, and the workout I plan on using next, TT for Buff Dudes and Hot Chicks) and 25% off his NO-crunch Turbulence Training for Abs workouts. Plus, you'll get 3 months free to the TT Member's site for even more workouts and you'll be able to ask him your personal workout and diet questions.
Check out his "I Love My Abs" Ballantyne's Day sale here:
Turbulence Training for Abs
The sale ends on Friday, February 13th!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Quick Bodyweight Workout
Here is a new video with Craig Ballantyne showing a very easy way to get in a very fast workout using timed intervals.
I used this as the basis for my quick workout at home. I didn't go to the gym this morning (it's -17 degrees!) but I have no excuses to not work out.
200 Kettlebell swings
30 sec swing, 30 sec marching in place x10
BW squats
20 sec squatting, 10 sec hold at bottom x8
Push ups
20 sec push ups, 10 sec hold at top x4
Stability Ball roll out
20 sec roll outs, 10 sec hold extended x4
Jumping Jacks
20 sec jumping, 10 sec rest x5
Burpees
20 sec burpees, 10 sec rest x5
Took about 25 minutes total time. And got a pretty good workout!
I used this as the basis for my quick workout at home. I didn't go to the gym this morning (it's -17 degrees!) but I have no excuses to not work out.
200 Kettlebell swings
30 sec swing, 30 sec marching in place x10
BW squats
20 sec squatting, 10 sec hold at bottom x8
Push ups
20 sec push ups, 10 sec hold at top x4
Stability Ball roll out
20 sec roll outs, 10 sec hold extended x4
Jumping Jacks
20 sec jumping, 10 sec rest x5
Burpees
20 sec burpees, 10 sec rest x5
Took about 25 minutes total time. And got a pretty good workout!
Monday, January 5, 2009
A New Year, And New Bonuses
Today is the day a lot of you are officially beginning your New Years resolutions. If losing belly fat and transforming your body are on your goal list, then now is the time to purchase Turbulence Training.
Beginning today at noon (EST), the first 25 people who order Turbulence Training will receive bonus copies of Craig Ballantyne's #1 best-selling book, “Just Say NO to Cardio” and UNLIMITED email support!
PLUS, the first 200 people to grab a copy of Turbulence Training for Fat Loss also get access to an exclusive coaching call to help you lose more fat this year than ever before!
And you’ll get a free 6-month Turbulence Training membership. Social support is an amazing motivational factor, and one that I highly recommend.
Be ready at 12 noon (EST) on Monday, January 5th (today!) when Craig opens the doors on the Ultimate Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Solution.
Here’s the site where you’ll grab your copy and bonuses:
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss
Happy New Year and Happy New You!
Beginning today at noon (EST), the first 25 people who order Turbulence Training will receive bonus copies of Craig Ballantyne's #1 best-selling book, “Just Say NO to Cardio” and UNLIMITED email support!
PLUS, the first 200 people to grab a copy of Turbulence Training for Fat Loss also get access to an exclusive coaching call to help you lose more fat this year than ever before!
And you’ll get a free 6-month Turbulence Training membership. Social support is an amazing motivational factor, and one that I highly recommend.
Be ready at 12 noon (EST) on Monday, January 5th (today!) when Craig opens the doors on the Ultimate Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Solution.
Here’s the site where you’ll grab your copy and bonuses:
Turbulence Training for Fat Loss
Happy New Year and Happy New You!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Weekend Challenge
The Challenge for this week was the brand new TT DB 10x10 matrix (more below). I gave this a try yesterday morning. I used 10lb DBs, but for the DB rows, I put both DBs in the same hand for a total of 20lbs.
1. DB Bulgarian Split Squat (4x10 ea side)
2. DB Shoulder Press (4x10)
3. DB Step up (4x10 ea side)
4. DB Chest Press (4x10)
5. DB Row (4x10 ea side)
6. DB Lunge (4x10 ea side)
7. DB Swing (4x10)
8. DB Shrug (4x10)
9. DB Incline Press (4x10)
10. DB Squat (4x10)
First round: 5 min, 11 sec
Second round: 4 min, 47 sec
Third round: 4 min, 19 sec
Fourth round: 4 min, 21 sec
I took a 1 minute rest between each round, so my total time, including the 3 rests, was 21 min, 55 seconds. I think I will go up to 12lbs next time I try this.
Also, I just read the email from Craig with the recap of this week's Turbulence Training phone coaching call...
I like these new "coaching calls". I get a lot of good ideas and advice. I can just sit and listen while I'm checking email or whatever. Good stuff!
1. DB Bulgarian Split Squat (4x10 ea side)
2. DB Shoulder Press (4x10)
3. DB Step up (4x10 ea side)
4. DB Chest Press (4x10)
5. DB Row (4x10 ea side)
6. DB Lunge (4x10 ea side)
7. DB Swing (4x10)
8. DB Shrug (4x10)
9. DB Incline Press (4x10)
10. DB Squat (4x10)
First round: 5 min, 11 sec
Second round: 4 min, 47 sec
Third round: 4 min, 19 sec
Fourth round: 4 min, 21 sec
I took a 1 minute rest between each round, so my total time, including the 3 rests, was 21 min, 55 seconds. I think I will go up to 12lbs next time I try this.
Also, I just read the email from Craig with the recap of this week's Turbulence Training phone coaching call...
- The Inside Scoop on the Original Turbulence Training Workout
- The One Physical Change 52% of Women Want to See in Their Man
- How to Take the Best Transformation Photos
- The 10 Secret Exercises of the New TT DB 10x10 Matrix
- Vegetarian Protein Recommendations
Or you can read the tips on Craig's blog here:
I like these new "coaching calls". I get a lot of good ideas and advice. I can just sit and listen while I'm checking email or whatever. Good stuff!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
A Year of Turbulence Training
Today is Day One of my next 12 week TT Transformation Contest. I didn't see any reason to wait until after January 1st since this is a lifestyle and not a "New Years' Resolution". I posted my new goals on last Friday, but I wanted to start this contest today just looking back over the past year. The picture on the left is my before picture from the first TT contest that I began on December 31, 2007. The picture on the right is my after picture from the third TT contest that I finished on November 23, 2008. Between 12/31/07 and 11/23/08, I lost over 30 lbs and I lost 28 inches (including almost 7 inches off of my abdomen). I am excited to be beginning my fourth TT contest and I wanted to take a minute to sincerely thank Craig Ballantyne and Turbulence Training for giving me the tools to get into the best shape of my life this year. I've lost a little of the definition I had in my final picture (love that holiday family cooking) but I know I'll have it back in no time! :)New Years Day is just a few days away. Have you made the same resolution you make every year, only to still look the same when December rolls around? There is a woman at my gym who I see every morning on the cardio machines. She is always there, chugging away on the elliptical or treadmill, book or magazine in hand. She looks EXACTLY THE SAME as she did when I joined that gym over 18 months ago. Don't be that woman. Make your goals this year and stick with them. Make your goals specific! Don't say you want to lose weight, say you want to lose 10 pounds of fat. Don't just make "Resolutions", make lifestyle changes that will allow you to achieve your goals! Find a training program you like and that gives you results, eat healthy foods instead of junk, and find the support you need to be the best you can be in 2009!
Sunday, December 21, 2008
7 Days of Fat Loss
Craig's new Turbulence Training 7-Day Weight Loss Call this week includes his 7 tips to help you get through the holidays guilt-free. I am definitely going to listen closely. My willpower gets a little weak over the holidays. :)
Here is the link:
7 Days of Fat Loss
If you can subscribe to the TT podcasts on iTunes:
TT on iTunes
And here's a Christmas present from Craig - free 10-minute workouts!
Free 10 minute TT workouts
Here is the link:
7 Days of Fat Loss
If you can subscribe to the TT podcasts on iTunes:
TT on iTunes
And here's a Christmas present from Craig - free 10-minute workouts!
Free 10 minute TT workouts
Monday, December 15, 2008
Turbulence Training Finalists Announced
Well, I didn't make the finals this time. There were so many fantastic transformations! And I don't envy Craig's job of narrowing it down. If you would like to vote, here's the link:
Transformation Contest Voting
Congratulations and Good Luck to all the Finalists!
Transformation Contest Voting
Congratulations and Good Luck to all the Finalists!
Monday, December 1, 2008
A New Week, New Workout, and the Arrival of Winter
I woke up at 5:00am this morning to the sound of my neighbor scraping ice off of his car windows. Lovely. It's the most wonderful time of the year... After a week of rest (complete with a little viral gastroenteritis), I began my new Turbulence Training workout this morning. I chose TT Fusion Muscle Building from May of 2006. I wanted a muscle building workout, but wasn't sure I wanted to go to the gym 4 days a week, as per most TT muscle building programs (see today's weather for reason why). This particular program is 3 days per week. My workout this morning took me about 35 minutes. After I got home, my arms were still shaking. Not just "fatigued" - I mean my arms were literally shaking. Everytime I took a drink of my whey protein drink, my whole arm would shake. Putting in my earrings was difficult, and just forget about mascara! LOL
In other news, Craig Ballantyne has created a "7 Day Call" that everyone can download. Here is an email he sent out yesterday with a look at what is included in this week's 7 Day Call:
Monday
You need to focus on starting NEW, healthy, fat burning habits today. Don't wait till January 1st when Monday, December 1st is an even better time to start! Two habits I recommend are getting up earlier to exercise, and being sure to record all of your workouts and nutrition. I promise those two habits will help you lose weight.
Tuesday
New research shows that a 15-minute brisk walk can help you overcome chocolate cravings! Use that tip OFTEN this December.
Wednesday
My three favorite medicine ball exercises for office workers are: Woodchops, Golf Chop Squats, Lunge Chops. Listen to the call for more direction, or download the Medicine Ballworkout and watch the videos in the member's site.
Thursday
Take Bally The Dog's "Fruit and Vegetable Challenge" to make sure you are eating more fruits and vegetables than him. If you aren't eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, start to add one new fruit and vegetable to your day - immediately!
Friday
If you want to gain muscle, research shows that doing 40 reps per bodypart in a workout is necessary. So 5 sets of 8 or 4 sets of 10. I share one of my new workouts on the call.
Saturday
Research shows women eat the most fat, calories, and cholesterol at family meals. That means we need new recipe ideas! Share your cookbook ideas please!
Sunday
Today's the day when you should be planning, shopping and preparing your food for the week. Here's "what's in my fridge". You can see the photos HERE.
So don't miss the call, go and listen to it or download it HERE. It's about 30 minutes long. I listened to it this evening and it's full of great tips! Keep 'em coming, Craig!
Don't wait for January 1st - December 1st is the perfect time to start your Turbulence Training workout! Give the 21-day trial a try!
In other news, Craig Ballantyne has created a "7 Day Call" that everyone can download. Here is an email he sent out yesterday with a look at what is included in this week's 7 Day Call:
Monday
You need to focus on starting NEW, healthy, fat burning habits today. Don't wait till January 1st when Monday, December 1st is an even better time to start! Two habits I recommend are getting up earlier to exercise, and being sure to record all of your workouts and nutrition. I promise those two habits will help you lose weight.
Tuesday
New research shows that a 15-minute brisk walk can help you overcome chocolate cravings! Use that tip OFTEN this December.
Wednesday
My three favorite medicine ball exercises for office workers are: Woodchops, Golf Chop Squats, Lunge Chops. Listen to the call for more direction, or download the Medicine Ballworkout and watch the videos in the member's site.
Thursday
Take Bally The Dog's "Fruit and Vegetable Challenge" to make sure you are eating more fruits and vegetables than him. If you aren't eating at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, start to add one new fruit and vegetable to your day - immediately!
Friday
If you want to gain muscle, research shows that doing 40 reps per bodypart in a workout is necessary. So 5 sets of 8 or 4 sets of 10. I share one of my new workouts on the call.
Saturday
Research shows women eat the most fat, calories, and cholesterol at family meals. That means we need new recipe ideas! Share your cookbook ideas please!
Sunday
Today's the day when you should be planning, shopping and preparing your food for the week. Here's "what's in my fridge". You can see the photos HERE.
So don't miss the call, go and listen to it or download it HERE. It's about 30 minutes long. I listened to it this evening and it's full of great tips! Keep 'em coming, Craig!
Don't wait for January 1st - December 1st is the perfect time to start your Turbulence Training workout! Give the 21-day trial a try!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Weekend Challenge and Week 11 Update
This week's TT Members' challenge was the Tar Heels Ultimate Medicine Ball Workout as featured in Men's Health. There are ten different exercises using a medicine ball that you complete in a circuit (20 reps each) and once completing the circuit (200 total reps) you can go again for 400 total reps. It has a lot of non-TT type exercises (like crunches) so it was something quite different than what I have been doing. I did it twice through with a time of 20:48. Two days later, I'm still a little sore. Not too bad, though. Using four different TT for Abs programs in the past year (including my current workout: TT Home Abdominal Workouts) has given me a nice, strong core. Craig said he was actually going to film a TT version of the the workout, so I'll post that when it becomes available. (UPDATE: Craig has posted the video on You Tube - I've added it to the end of this post below.) Here's the workout (CLICK HERE for pictures of the exercises):
2x through circuit:
Big Circles - 10/10 = 20
WoodChoppers - 20
Standing Russian Twist - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Squat to press - 20
Med ball Sit ups - 20
Rocky Solo’s - 10/10 = 20
Toe Touch - 20
45 Degrees torso Twist - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Suitcase Crunch - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Diagonal Crunch - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Be careful if you try this workout. Many of these exercises can hurt your back if performed incorrectly.
In other news, the pink beast is gone! We finished painting the kitchen last night. We left the one wall yellow (it looked better after it dried), and painted over the rest of the pink with the same beige as the living room. It's much brighter, and much less pink! :)
And finally, for those of you who are counting, there are only 6 more days until I take my final pictures. I'm getting a little nervous. The competition is looking really fierce on the forums. I hope to finish strong!
UPDATE: OK, here is Craig's version of the medicine ball workout:
2x through circuit:
Big Circles - 10/10 = 20
WoodChoppers - 20
Standing Russian Twist - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Squat to press - 20
Med ball Sit ups - 20
Rocky Solo’s - 10/10 = 20
Toe Touch - 20
45 Degrees torso Twist - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Suitcase Crunch - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Diagonal Crunch - 20 (left + right for 1 rep)
Be careful if you try this workout. Many of these exercises can hurt your back if performed incorrectly.
In other news, the pink beast is gone! We finished painting the kitchen last night. We left the one wall yellow (it looked better after it dried), and painted over the rest of the pink with the same beige as the living room. It's much brighter, and much less pink! :)
And finally, for those of you who are counting, there are only 6 more days until I take my final pictures. I'm getting a little nervous. The competition is looking really fierce on the forums. I hope to finish strong!
UPDATE: OK, here is Craig's version of the medicine ball workout:
Friday, October 17, 2008
New TT 6 Minute Abs Video
Here's a new Turbulence Training 6 minute abs video from Craig Ballantyne. This is a beginner circuit and is great to work in a couple times a week after your regular workout.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Turbulence Training 3 Minute Arms Workouts
Here's a video for you with Craig Ballantyne explaining his new "3 minute arms" system. The video is 5:25 long so you could be watching the video longer than it takes you to do the workout!
Stay tuned this week as it's the last week for the 4-week Turbulence Training Twitter Transformation Contest. I will try to post my results right away on Sunday!
Stay tuned this week as it's the last week for the 4-week Turbulence Training Twitter Transformation Contest. I will try to post my results right away on Sunday!
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