Fitness

On this page (scroll down to find these topics or click on the link)...

• Angie's Weekly Fitness Routine
• Our Fitness Equipment / Home Gym
• Elaine's Diet Plan - Calorie Counter Spreadsheet
• Elaine's Exercise Plan - Weekly Routine Spreadsheet
• The Benefits of Walking During your Lunch Hour

Angie's Weekly Fitness Routine:

I usually stick to this routine and/or variations of it each week.  Sometimes I increase mph on the treadmill, I do some extra resistance training, or play inside with Vlad instead of going on a walk.  Also, depending on what is going on with work or my social life, I may need to move my main workouts around.  But, I always get 5 good workouts in per week.

I should also tell you that I am an evening workout person.  Back when I was in college, I was able to get up everyday at 6:15AM to workout.  Not anymore.  I am at my best in the evening for my main workout.  Plus, I'm able to use my workout to unwind after work, releasing a lot of pent up stress.  It works great for me.

The "Vlad Walks" (Vlad is my dog by the way) are just extra fitness time for me.  I don't ever count them as my main workout.  I like to keep my walks with Vlad easy going so that both he and I enjoy our time together, and I'm not just concentrating on burning calories.

I generally workout Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday. 
Friday and Sunday are my "rest days."

Monday, Wednesday & Friday
5:00AM
Vlad Walk, 30 minutes

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday
5:30PM
Main Workout, 50 minutes

Treadmill Walk/Run, 40 minutes
- 5 minutes, 4.3 mph, 8.0 incline
- 10 minutes, 6.4 mph, 2.0 incline
- 5 minutes, 4.3 mph, 8.0 incline
- 15 minutes, 6.4 mph, 2.0 incline
- 5 minutes, 4.3 mph, 8.0 incline

Additional cardio moves
- 50 jumping jacks
- 50 jump rope jumps
- 10 plyometric jumps

Abdominal Exercises
- 50 bicycles
- 3 ten second v-sits
- 40 flutter kicks
- 50 standing oblique twists
- 50 standing side bends
- 25 vertical crunches
- 4 ten second side planks
- 2 hover planks
- 2 pilates teasers

Arm Resistance
- 40 triceps curls (10 lb weights)
- 15 overhead presses (10 lb weights)
- 40 tricep kickbacks (5 lb weights)
- 20 chair dips
- 20 butterflies

Other resistance exercises
- 25 to 30 pushups
- 20 lunges
- 20 "sitting" squats
- 20 bend over rows, using hand weights (for back)

3-4 stretches

Thursday:
4:45AM
Main Workout, 40 minutes

Treadmill Walk/Run, 40 minutes

- 5 minutes, 4.3 mph, 8.0 incline
- 10 minutes, 6.4 mph, 2.0 incline
- 5 minutes, 4.3 mph, 8.0 incline
- 15 minutes, 6.4 mph, 2.0 incline
- 5 minutes, 4.3 mph, 8.0 incline

Additional cardio moves
- 50 jumping jacks
- 50 jump rope jumps

Abdominal Exercises
- 50 standing oblique twists
- 50 standing side bends


Our Fitness Equipment / Home Gym:
We have a few pieces of workout equipment in one room, that I like to call our home gym.  I only workout at home, though Carl does go to the "gym."  He's a FTE Police Officer for UW-Eau Claire, and has free rein of the Crest Wellness Center on campus.  Every other day he goes to the gym to lift weights in their weight room.  I think for Carl, going to the gym is important.  He has to get away from the house, and in a different mind set to feel like he had a good workout.  I on the other hand, love the convenience of having my workout room here at our house. 

Here is what we have in our home gym:

• Treadmill, Landice L7:  This is a commercial grade treadmill.  We've had it since 2005, and it's been a great machine.  I highly recommend it.  I run on the treadmill 5 days a week all year.  It takes a beating and keeping going.  It's very sturdy and doesn't make a lot of noise while running.  It was worth the price to us to get a great machine because we knew we would use it all the time.

• Kettle bells, 35 and 25 pounds:  Carl bought these to use for his "functional fitness" workouts.  There are lots of exercises out there now that use kettle bells.

• Hand weights, 10, 8, and 5 pounds:  I use these hand weights during each of my main workouts for my arm resistant exercises.  I use the 10lb ones for bicep curls and over head presses, the 8lb ones for butterfly presses, and the 5lb ones for tricep kickbacks.

• Medicine ball:  I sometimes use the medicine ball when I do standing oblique twists.  There are a lot of exercises out there that use a medicine ball.  Sometimes it's nice to have some additional weight.

• Fitness Ball:  I hardly ever use the fitness ball anymore, but both Carl and I used to do abdominal exercises on it.

• Foldout Chair:   Good for chair dips and putting on your tennis shoes.

• Punching bag (not currently hanging):  In our old house, we had an anchor for the punching bag, but we haven't put one in yet in this house.  Carl used to practice his punches and some karate moves on the bag.

• Floor mats: These are mats that Carl used to use for his Defense Training Classes.  He used to teach defense tactics to the cops at the UW-Eau Claire police department.  He hopes to use these later for karate or something.

• Clock:  To time workouts, and know when you've got to head upstairs!

• TV and DVD player: For workout videos and for watching tv shows while running on the treadmill.

• Ipod: Both Carl and I each have ipods.  Carl uses his ipod for working out all of the time, but I hardly ever use mine.  I prefer to watch tv.  I do use it though when taking Vlad for walks, and if I decide to run outside during the spring and summer months.

• Workout DVDs:  We have a large library of workout DVDs including Billy Blanks Tae-Bo, The Firm Cardio and Strength Training, Kathy Smith Cardio and Strength training, Pilates, and numerous yoga DVDs just to name a few.  I used to do almost all of my workouts to DVDs, but over the past couple of years I've gotten bored with them and haven't really gone back.  But, they do serve a great purpose, and they really taught me about different exercises and how to do those exercises properly.  Learning from workout DVDs has given me the luxury of being able to come up with routines on my own.  I know what works for me and what doesn't, and I can easily change up my routine because of all of the exercises I have learned over the years.

• Ankle weights:  A long time ago I bought these ankle weights to give me some extra weight while walking on the treadmill.  I really haven't used them in a long time.

• Hand wraps:  Carl used to use these when he would workout with the punching bag.

• Steps:  I have two steps that I used to use with my THE FIRM workout DVDs.  These still come in handy every now and then.  I use the steps to make up my own workout sometimes.

Other items we have in the workout room are trophys from some of Carl's karate competitions, Carl's sword, his karate equipment (sabres, conditioning sticks, etc.), and Carl's karate belts.  I would like to add some mirrors and a poster of the anatomy of the human body.  I really like that our workout room has lots of windows, and the sunshine streams in throughout the day.  I can even see the bird feeders outside the glass doors while I run.  GREAT!

Here are some pictures of the workout room...