Cardio Killers

Here's a workout to get you out of your Monday slump!
(Actually I'm enjoying today off since it's President's Day, so if you are one of the unfortunates who have to haul your ass to work today then this is for you.)
These cross-fit inspired cardio sets are most definitely up there on the list of things I dread... yet push myself through it because I am, probably by this point right now, quite nuts. And because every time I work consistently at something like that I treat myself to a new handbag. ;p
I paired this with another 10 minutes of jumprope and 5 minutes of a light jog for some steady-state cardio.

5 sets of:
*2 min sprinting on the treadmill (for me with my short little legs a consistent faster pace that won't cause me to fly off the TM is like 7.0 to 8.0-ish)
*5 Burpees
*10x 5 meter back-and-forth shuttle runs, 10 sec active recovery halfway (marching in place)
*20 V-ups

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 Short post today; still working on getting the laptop back up, though we might have to buy a new one. Uploading pictures on this computer literally takes FOREVER, and I still haven't figured out how to get pics from my camera to load onto here without crowding out my mom's files, so fingers crossed I'll have a more blogger-friendly computer to use soon.

Best Ever FREE Workout Videos!

Ran a lovely 2-3 miles today with my dad walking Lulu, with lots of breaks and running in circles to look for them as I wandered around the winding dog trail. The sun finally came out after three consecutively bleary days and it felt like Spring. Hope this weather stays around for a while; working out indoors gets boring fast. Terrible pun unintended.
But as I can obviously foresee more basement workouts in the upcoming weeks (and because my computer can't load pictures right now) here's some of my fave workout videos on Youtube. Blogilates is perfect to add to my yoga/strength mix, and the rest are videos that cater to my inner cardio junkie and are short, super intense, and torturously sweet.
Plus all of these require NO equipment!
Which means no more excuses- why not fit a workout in if you need minimal space, little time and no equipment besides willpower?

Prts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of a 20 minute Cardio Workout in Tabata intervals by Bodyrock.tv
(Prt. 1 is posted on here)

Blogilates Bikini Boot Camp/ Corset Workout

Some random dance video that is pretty great for days you just want to attack the treadmill with a sledgehammer (and I do have those days. Often.)

BeFit also uploads a bunch of other workouts with super-perky blondes too; kinda old-fashioned but effective.

I like to keep a resevoir of workout videos for days I just don't feel inspired enough to make my own, or just need another voice to keep my going.

Hope y'all enjoyed it, and I think I'll have a laptop running at full capacity soon!

I'm alive! (though possibly returning a zombie)

Sorry I haven't been able to post lately! Our laptop is broken and now I'm stuck using the home computer, which is super slow. Hopefully I'll be getting a new laptop soon!
Nothing much is new, besides my guilt for not posting in so long...

Grrgh this computer does not load pictures very well, so no pictures today :(
But will try my best to figure this out when I have time!

Interestingly, besides a major English paper, I don't feel like I'm getting as much homework or am as overwhelmed as first semester right now, though that could be just because I'm getting into the swing of things and am organizing my time better.
Which means I'll probably have more time to post, though please don't hold me to that as my plate is still stacked full!

Happy Nutella Day!

I've got to say- Nutella day (and pretty much all the other food-themed holidays) ranks right up there on my list with my birthday and CNY.
An excuse to indulge in this heavenly spread for a whole day? I'm on it!

Sadly, I don't have any time today to make any special nutella-related goodies, but that will definitely be one of my to-dos for the immediate future! But since I didn't do anything or National Peanut Butter Day, Cake day, chocolate day etc due to temporary amnesia, it's a wonder I even remembered it's Nutella Day at all- thanks to a few food blogs I frequent.
I guess I saw other foodies talk about cake day and peanut butter day ...but I forgot the minute I left the site and checked my email?
Ah well. Wish I could forget my homework with such immunity.

But I did fuel/celebrate before my tennis lesson this morning with a banana and some nutella!

I wonder why this spoonful of nutella is covered with mini marshmallows... and where is it going to go?

You know you want it.

The Good Stuff

I am by no means a connoisseur, but I do love my chocolate. A lot.
As in, you touch my chocolate and I'll happily call my fave salon and get booked for a manicure in your blood.
And not a bit over the top (though I'm sure y'all think I belong in a mental institution other than public high school by now lolz), seeing as how these 70% cocoa organic dark chocolate chips are like 12 bucks per pound, and coming out of my meager monthly allowance.
So hands off, dad!

The chips were quite large so I chopped them up a bit

Envisioning many chocolate chip yogurt parfaits in the future!
Of course, my inner hoarder has me being totally OCD about this, so I'll probably have a perfectly measured and leveled tablespoon every night to make it last...

Ok I'd better stop before someone I know reads this and calls a psychiatrist.

Gotta go stretch out my sore quads from the killer 3-part hour long workout I did after coming home from individual speech practice today!

Yoga arm workout

Ahhhh! Been so busy (and will continue to be so for the rest of the week) I've had zip time to post. I know, I know, it's not much of an excuse, but between extracurriculars, volunteering, quick but efficient workouts, and six hours per weekday of that sleep-depriving public institution full of budget-cuts that I call school, I'm on the brink of going on a spiritual quest and asking god to create another hour of the day. Or maybe discover a portal into the wizard world and steal one of those time turners Hermione so wisely employed. Not that I have time to do any of those things...

Anyways, I'm rambling scribbling out a post right before I get started on my history homework, to procrastinate ease my guilt for not posting in a while.
(Btw I may be the last person in the blogsphere-haha I love that word- to discover the crossy-outy-word function... loving it as a way to procrastinate even more time-saving humor device.)

Quick rant on my arms:
I've got mildly toned and muscular arms, but they are disproportionately thick and with a slight layer of fat. And it's not because I've gained body fat- I've dropped a pant size this month and lost 1/2 an inch around my waist, though my thighs and calves have gained more muscle bulk :(
My arms have gotten a hint more evened out as I've been working my upper body more for the past 2 months- I now am the proud owner of semi-defined shoulders and triceps. However, they're still a bit grossly flabby and thick... and I guess it's just genetics because the first places I gain weight (I'm a vase shape) is in my arms and kinda in my love-handles.
So my goal before summer is to get slimmer arms and be able to rock a tank top without gross bulges from the tight armholes.
Here's a set of yoga exercises that I'm going to incorporate into my workout and do them at least twice to three times a week. Word is that yoga is how Jennifer Aniston gets her well-defined (and attainable looking) arms, and I'm pretty optimistic this will work for me as well since she gains weight proportionately but mainly in her upper body just like I do. Which I know because I'm a crazy ditzy teen who procrastinates by stalking celebs on gossip sites.


Hold each pose for 10 seconds (or about 5 breaths)with no rest in between, and repeat 3 sets

 

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(hold 10 seconds per leg)

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