Archive for category Core

Believe Me I’m Lying

Hello lovelies!!

 

How is it going? Things here are muy bien!

I just finished this book:

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This was a good and interesting read. I was occasionally disturbed by the language and …hmm…imagery (Virgin Mary writing here) but it was interesting and powerful. I have not watched the movie yet although the sister gave it to me last night. Better say, I watched about 20 minutes and turned it off. I have a thing for Eric Bana but books are always better than movies and I don’t want to be disappointed.

In the meantime I am going to start on something else till my new books arrive. When they do I shall share!

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I am on a week holiday. I hate being on vacation. It drives me insane. I feel like my entire schedule is messed up. For example, instead of my usual 5 AM call I ended up waking up at 8. I don’t want this week to mess up my sleep habits. So its early to bed tonight!

 

In other VERY IMPORTANT NEWS (which should have been written at the start of this post) I run outside on Saturday!!!

Yes people, after over a month and a half, I actually headed outside. It was lovely after the first 2 KM. I did a total of 6.3 KM and am supposed to run longer tomorrow (assuming the winds here will slow down, its been crazy these last couple of days). I have to say, that my run was okay in terms of cardio only thanks to INSANITY. I cannot even imagine in what shape I would have been if it weren’t for Shaun T’s kick ass workouts. Amazing. My abs and quadriceps are extremely sore. I guess its the whole total body cardio that got to me.

 

Alright kittens, this girl is out of here. I am gonna update the playlist for manana and will post it up here later. I also need to update my training

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El Dia de San Valentin

Hey Hots and Fits!!


 

How are ya’ll doing? Big Valentine’s Day plans ? Nothing too romantic happening at this end. I know many people are going to hate me for saying this, but I absolutely do not get the point of Valentine’s Day. Its a highly commercialized holiday which encourages people to spend money. And besides, we do not need a calendar to celebrate love. We still love every day.

I was sent this interesting tale….Why Do We Celebrate Valentine’s Day?….so click on the link if you are interested.

 


On The Hot and Fit front I have thus far (in the last week) completed 3 of Insanity’s Max workouts. Because I am so in love with them, I thought I would post some reviews…

The main differences are the duration (60 minutes as opposed to the 40 minutes), the different drills during the warm up, and doing three different workout circuits as opposed to two (obviously cause its longer)


INSANITY MAX INTERVAL CIRCUIT

I did this workout twice this week. I was very nervous and scared and if it wasn’t for this lady who kept reassuring me that I would love it I would have probably postponed it some more.

The warm up started with the following drills:

  • Jog
  • Jumping Jacks – Arms Up
  • 123 Heisman
  • Jump Rope Side-to-Side
  • High Knees – Arms Out
  • Switch Kicks
  • Hit the Floor - Bend down at each side to touch the floor
  • Side-to-Side Floor Hops

First two sets are 4 minutes each, and the last set is 2 minutes

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Side-to-Side Floor Hops. You will be feelings your obliques. Oh yes.

 


Circuit #1

First circuit is 4 minutes, last two are 3 minutes, 30 seconds break in between.

  • Pedal/Power Lunges – sprint and do 4 lunges.
  • Ski Abs – Push Up Jacks – In and Out – Oblique Push Ups
  • Power Strike – punch twice left, twice right
  • Frog Jumps

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Power Strike

 


Circuit #2

First circuit is 4 minutes, last two are 3 minutes, 30 seconds break in between.

  • Hook Jumps – 4 hook punches high, 4 hook punches low, 4 high jumps. Switch sides.
  • High Knees with Elbow Twist – High Knees run with elbows moving from side to side.
  • High-Low Jab with Squat – Jump high and punch, squat down as you land and punch down.
  • Floor Switch Kicks – Kind of like a tricep dip position only you are kicking your feet up and down.

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Floor Switch Kicks

 


Circuit #3

First circuit is 4 minutes, last two are 3 minutes, 30 seconds break in between.

  • Side Suicide Jumps.
  • Squat Hooks – Squat and hook punch
  • Full Body Drill – run in place 8 times – walking push ups – 8 knee to elbow running in place.
  • Plank Punches - In a plank position, punch straight out, changing hands.

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Plank Punches. Abs, Shoulders, Arms…I cannot thing of something that was not burning.

 


There are also three “bonus” moves in between the sets, which last 30 – 50 seconds each.

 


INSANITY MAX PLYOMETRIC CIRCUIT

I did this workout yesterday. I don’t think I have ever done something that hard. I used to think my high school track workouts were tough. I am not too sure anymore…

The warm up started with the following drills:

  • Jog
  • Jumping Jacks – Arms Up
  • 123 Heisman
  • Jump Rope Side-to-Side
  • High Knees – Arms Out
  • Switch Kicks
  • Hit the Floor - Bend down at each side to touch the floor
  • Side-to-Side Floor Hops

First two sets are 4 minutes each, and the last set is 2 minutes


Circuit #1

First circuit is 4 minutes, last two are 3 minutes, 30 seconds break in between.

  • Switch Jumps
  • Squat Push Ups
  • Wide In – Out Abs
  • Power Jumps

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Squat Push Ups. Just when I thought I was starting to master normal push ups.

 


Circuit #2

First circuit is 4 minutes, last two are 3 minutes, 30 seconds break in between.

  • Pogo – standing on one foot, bend down to touch the floor then jump up using your arms
  • Power Push Ups – from Push Up position, jump up to bring finger to toes
  • Globe Twists
  • Level 3 Drills – 16 Push Ups, 16 Running in Place

 

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Pogo.


Circuit #3

This entire circuit lasts just over 6 minutes.

  • Side Push Ups – palms are in L shape
  • Kickstand Touch the Floor - similar to Pogo in a way
  • 8 Power Knees – 4 Diamond Jumps
  • Balance Push Ups

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Balance Push Ups. Total kick ass. I can’t even depict the feeling.

 

 

I have said this SO many times before – this program is a total kick ass. It is tough, it will make you so much stronger and it will make you that much leaner. Basically you get what you put in it (and I am not getting it 100% cause I am majorly slacking with my diet).

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Moving Stink Bomb

Hey Hots and Fits!

Sorry for being so annoyingly MIA in these last few days, but I was taking it easy and getting back on track. Nothing too interesting happened, so here is a list of my highlights thus far!

 

MONDAY

Did INSANITY’s Plyometric Cardio Circuit and Tracy Anderson’s Upper Body Workout.

I also got two of her DVDs, The Tracy Anderson Method – Mat Workout and Dance Cardio Workout. I haven’t tried it yet so I cannot review. Looks very tranquil from what I’d seen thus far. Oh, and Gwyneth Paltrow appears at the end of the DVD. I can’t stand her.

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TUESDAY

Woke up for yet another INSANITY sesh, this time it was Cardio Power and Resistance. Warm up was okay, but once the actual workout started, and I got into those Power Jacks, something went wrong I believe because I was overcome by a huge pain in my lower back. I have always suffered from this pain. Used to be in immense pain when I did track and field in high school. I still managed to pull through, but canceled my Yoga sesh with Women’s Health because I did not want to push it.

 

 

WEDNESDAY

Went for Plyometric Cardio Circuit which is an awesome INSANITY workout, then headed to the grocery store and found some Pitted Prunes from San Jose, CA! Wow, all the way to the EU! it was the highlight of my day. Came home, and did The Fitnessista’s Winter Shape Up challenge.

I am doing it, guys. I did her Summer Shape Up and got amazing results, so I have faith in the woman. Go to her site to this the whole plan, you can start any time, but here is what I did:

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THURSDAY

Back pain not going away anywhere, I was determined to head out for a run. However, the reason I have not been running has been the snow. Well, snow slightly disappeared, but the temperatures went down by about 10 degrees centigrade that it was about -15C at night. Which means black ice.

I was however, in a true Hot and Fit fashion, determined to TRY. And to be honest, I did not think it would be that bad. Well, I started running, with my awesome running gear I was not feeling the cold at all. But my feet were feeling the ice. I was kind of skating occasionally. It was not longer amusing after 2 KM when I hit the floor. My right arm has been hurting quite a bit since. Irresponsible and careless, but I completed 4.5 KM.

In the afternoon I did INSANITY’s Cardio Recovery. Again, my assumptions were wrong. I honestly thought this was going to be a fairly easy workout. But when is INSANITY ever easy? Shaun T mentions its not cardio, its recovery. But he works your muscles really well. I could feel my quadriceps the day after like never before.

In the evening I found myself presented with three cakes:

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Semolina, poppy seeds and chocolate.

Lets just say that I had too much and it was not good. But my home dwellers will not stop putting junk every where. It is very hard to eat properly when you have an over variety of food and a lot of it is junk. The cakes are one thing. There is a whole crazier fiesta going on in the pantry.

I am very blessed, I know. But I do wish I could just keep my diet simple stupid.

FRIDAY

I have not done P90X in a while so decided I’d do that for recovery purposes. Kenpo X was on my list on preferences. Now, I do not know whether it is the effects of the Cardio Recovery or simply Kenpo X, but I felt my abs SO much during this workout, especially my obliques. I actually still feel it now.

After all the Friday afternoon errands I came home and did The Fitnessista’s circuit again. For the record, I repeated it three times cause my back is still hurting, and I am modifying the burpees and back extensions.

 

WEEKEND PLANS

So here I have it all. Now the plan for Saturday is to do nothing, then take my car to the service for the hundredth time, watch Avatar, and in between squeeze in a workout.

Oh and I am using

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To relieve my back pain. But it stinks. SO BAD! My home dwellers are considering kicking me out. Also, I cannot put it on at work because I know I will get fired for being a moving stink bomb. Besides, I do not feel it is that effective.

In some TWITTER news – you can follow Shaun T here. I am already following him! And if you wanna follow me then you can do so here. Come on, I am just as cool!

Anyhoo, hope you all have an amazing Saturday!! I might take today off working out but I have a lot to do around the casa so I will consider it a workout.

Sig

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Get Hot and Fit: Pushup Jacks

Greetings lovelies!!

 


I am thinking right now about the whole concept of global warming. I wonder if it is the cause for the freezing weather we have had here this past week (looks like its going to say the same for the next few days, too!!!)


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I am freezing. This morning I went out to get into my car, however the door was frozen shut. So I struggled with it a bit, got inside, realised the windshield wipers were frozen, too, and that I didn’t even have anything to scrape off the windshield with (I left it inside in the garage). After about 7 minutes or so, I was finally able to drive off!


Anybody who knows me will tell you – I was born, created, to exist in environments which average 25 C annually.


Running is still not happening, which makes me wonder whether my half marathon or marathon will happen. I really am not chickening just cause of the cold. Its all ice here. I would fall, I am pretty certain.

Instead, I did INSANITY. OHHH SHAUN T, HOW I LOVE THEE!

Seriously, I can never get enough of these workouts. SO challenging. My new BFF Katie is already doing the MAX workouts, which you are supposed to do after a month or so into the program. I just peeked last night, and OMG they are almost 1 hour long!!! I cannot imagine that ! I am dying from just 40 minutes!


Get Hot and Fit: Pushup Jacks

Even if you don’t have/do INSANITY, I really recommend doing a move that was on Pure Cardio today called Pushup Jacks!


How to:

  • Start in Plank position, shoulders in a straight line with your wrist, palms spread wide on the floor
  • Tighten your core, keep your back straight
  • Bend at your elbows and bring your chest towards the floor, while at the same time jump your feet wide
  • Jump your feet back to starting point, while straightening your arms again


Reps: really depends on how strong you are. I am not strong, so I could maybe do 10 and then my form starts to slack.


On another note, I do not understand why anyone would go jogging with this outfit:

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Her boyfriend, on the other hand, didn’t look too bad:

 


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Sig

 

 


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Get Hot and Fit: ChaLEAN Extreme

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So, I have had this sitting around for quite some time now.

15 workouts on 6 DVDs.

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ChaLEAN (the instructor’s name is Chalene) is divided into three phases (information taken from the official Beachbody website):


PHASE 1: BURN

You start lifting weights to jump-start your metabolism and break down those “extra” reserves of fat. In these moderate training workouts, you’ll work your upper body then lower body, and learn how “Lean Phasing” will help you see major results every 30 days!


PHASE 2: PUSH

Chalene shows you how to lift heavy—beyond your comfort zone—so you build the muscle you need to burn fat. Chalene makes it easier than it sounds with incredibly fast results.


PHASE 3: LEAN

Here is where you really bring it home with new routines and dynamic moves that literally melt the fat off your body. You will be blown away with jaw-dropping results and rewarded with a brand-new body!

 


If you owe the deluxe DVDs, you also get:


EXTREME CARDIO

During each phase, Chalene ignites your metabolism with super-intense cardio and strength-training routines, and then rejuvenates and lengthens your hard-working muscles with an invigorating flexibility workout.


POWER CORE

Shrink, tighten, and tone your tummy with two targeted ab routines for a rock-hard midsection!


 

I have to let you know in advance that I have just read the program manual, skimmed briefly through the DVDs and did the first workout of phase 1. As time goes by, I will do more and be able to give your better reviews.


Anyhoo….

PHASE 1 – BURN CIRCUIT 1

Was just over 35 minutes long, and included a good warm up as well as a good cool down in my opinion. Chalene has 4 other people with her in the Imagestudio, one of them using bands, another one using lighter dumbbells, so you could follow whichever suits you best.

She really explains everything. She is also very nice. But fitness wise, she really tells you what you need to know in terms of reps and weights, which I like. I notice Tony does that too, and I think its very important. This really enables you to get the maximum results without forcing an injury on your body

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So, what’s The Hot? Quick, much quicker than P90X’s 50-60 minutes workouts. Chalene really explains a lot, so what you are doing actually starts to make sense. Variety is key too, you wouldn’t get bored, actually time went by very quickly. Also, you work your whole body. Every single muscle. The Spit? I am a cardio whore, and this isn’t a cardio workout. Yes, there are some DVDs that focus merely on Cardio. But most of this is mainly toning. Which is not a problem as long as that is your goal. This is why I did INSANITY in the morning and then this. So I get a bit of both.Sig

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