M. I. F.

I tried a new workout video today, thank you Netflix.  Moms Into Fitness, Third Trimester.  Maybe it's because I'm still in my 2nd Tri, but I had a hard time getting into M.I.F.

The instructor was OK.  Too much talking, but they all tend to jabber.  She kept saying "buncakes" instead of "butt", which was just puerile.  Her cueing was off or absent altogether.  It's pretty bad when the ladies making your video with you are getting confused.  But her energy was pretty good; enthusiastic but not overly perky.

The workout itself was pretty basic.  I'm sure I'm going to feel it in the morning, but it was easy.  The toning/cardio section was only about 34 minutes long.  There is nothing wrong with a short, intense workout, but there was no intensity, just lots of slow repetition.  So it's not a huge calorie burn but a decent strength training session.  She did a lot for the upper back, which is an area I tend to forget.

The 26-minute yoga session was similar; not impressive but not at all bad.  My conclusion-  I need to give it another try.  I'm thinking this will be a good workout to do when I can't decide what I need my focus to be for that day.

Rodney Yee and Me

I've been using this 10K training schedule to get ready for the Ed Hanson Memorial Run in Ontonagon on Sept. 4th. Today, Monday, is stretch and strengthen, so I combine the two with a little yoga.

I really enjoy yoga. It reminds me of my years of ballet; get into a really uncomfortable position and then "hold, hold, hold, forever, forever, forever"... and then do a push up. I always work up a gooey sweat doing yoga, even though I'm basically standing, sitting, or even lying down on a mat only a little bigger than a bathtub. If you like twisting, reaching, perspiring heavily, and breathing only through your nose, yoga is the workout for you.

The Yoga X workout from the P90X system is a great routine, if you have an hour and a half to spend on your practice. I like Tony Horton's style as an instructor, and the routine is by far more complete than any other I've ever done. But it is 90 minutes long!

So, today I did Rodney Yee's Total Body Power Hour Starring Rodney Yee's Really Tight Blue Shorts.


That's not what the DVD is actually called, but it's something like that. This is a "Three Bears" workout: not too easy, but not too difficult. Just right for Mondays when I have an hour and a half to write a blog post, hang more laundry, cook lunch, nurse the baby, and get ready for work.

While I was twisting, reaching, and perspiring, Chuck and some of the kids went for a bike ride. When they got back, Daniel flopped himself on the couch with a sigh and said, "I need a recovery cookie." Joseph accidentally made way too much oatmeal for breakfast, so we are going to try this recipe for Leftover Oatmeal Cookies. Healthy and frugal. And since they are oatmeal cookies, I won't be tempted to eat the batter.