I bake, therefore I run

Hoppin' down the bunny trail ...

I've been in the kitchen, again.  Baking is one of my favorite hobbies, and while I'm quite a novice, I get a kick out of trying new things ... especially for the kids.   I know one day soon they'll be way too cool for mom to bring cutesy cupcakes to class for them, so I'm enjoying it while it lasts.

Hand-in-hand with my love for baking is a love for BAKED GOODS!  I have not always been *blessed* with such a sweet tooth, it seems to have come on around the time I started having children.  Growing up I enjoyed a candy bar or ice cream just like everyone else, but I don't remember being obsessed with having something sweet to satisfy my palate after every meal.  I feel downright jipped and can turn rather cranky if I don't get a sugar hit when I'm craving it.  I'm hoping I'm not the only one with such a dependency!

So, given my natural tendency towards all things sugar-related, regular physical activity has become a neccesity of life in order to feel less guilt.  (I don't feel guilt for eating one cupcake by the way ... it's the next 4 or 5 that I can easily pound one right after another.) Running has become a regular activity of choice, though I have to say over the last couple of years my love for it has come ... and gone ... and come back again.  I enjoy cross-training on the elliptical and am pretty fond of the always-busy stairclimbers at the gym.  I've dabbled in yoga.  I've sweated along to all my favorite Jillian videos.  I've lifted weights with my husband.  And my plan is to keep doing all of the above.  I hate to peg myself as just a runner (and quite an amateur one at that), because honestly there are days that I would rather do anything but run.  And there are days when I can't wait to get on the stairclimber and climb my heart out (I know, gag ... but I REALLY do get excited to workout sometimes!)  Mixing things up keeps a smile on my face ... both in the gym and in my kitchen.

OK, so now that I'm ready to quit doing cupcake curls, I wanted to share an arm workout from Fitness Magazine that I just started doing yesterday.  I haven't been doing regular strength training for over a month now and I feel WEAK.  This workout kicked my butt!  My favorite move is the "Strap Happy Shaper" where you start in plank and use your shoulders to move your body forward until your face is almost touching the floor.  Yikes!  Another bonus to this routine is you don't need anything but YOU!  You can find the video version of all these moves HERE.

Plank Arm Row and Rotate

Targets: Shoulders, upper back, chest, triceps, biceps, and abs

• Start on floor in full push-up position, balancing on hands and toes, body forming a straight line from head to heels. Move feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Keeping hips level, lift left hand off floor and bend left elbow behind you to bring hand next to shoulder.
• Return to start.
• Repeat, this time rotating torso to right so that left elbow points up (as shown). Return to start to complete 1 rep.
• Do 2 sets of 10 reps, alternating sides.


Dip Kick
Targets: Shoulders, upper back, and triceps

• Sit on floor with knees bent, feet flat. Lean torso back 45 degrees and place palms on floor under shoulders, fingers facing out. Bring left knee to chest and place left foot atop right knee.
• Bend elbows directly behind you and lift hips a few inches.
• Straighten arms to lift hips higher, extending left leg up. With leg extended, do 8 to 10 pulses, bending elbows slightly and then straightening arms without locking elbows.
• Switch legs and repeat. Do 2 sets

Pilates Press

Targets: Shoulders, back, chest, triceps, biceps, and abs

• Start in full push-up position, balancing on hands and toes. MAKE IT EASIER: Keep both knees on floor.
• Bend right knee 90 degrees so that toes point up.
• Bend elbows directly behind you, keeping arms close to body, and lowering only a few inches toward floor. Press back up.
• Do 8 to 10 reps. Switch legs and repeat to complete 1 set.
• Do 2 sets.

Strap-Happy Shaper

Targets: Shoulders, upper and middle back, and abs

• Start on floor in plank position, balancing on forearms and toes, elbows directly under shoulders. Clasp hands together.
• Press through toes to move body forward, bending elbows until face is almost touching floor. MAKE IT EASIER: Move only 1 inch forward.
• Press backward with shoulders (not from hips) to return to start position.
• Do 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps.



 

Down Dog to Up Dog

Targets: Shoulders, back, chest, abs, and butt

• Start in full push-up position, balancing on hands and toes. Lift left foot a few inches off floor.
• Press hips up and back so that body forms an inverted V, lifting left leg behind you toward ceiling.
• Lower leg and hips toward floor, bringing them slightly lower than start position so that back is arched and chest faces forward.
• Do 8 to 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat. Do 2 sets.

 **I did modify the first exercise in this series.  I held my plank position on two 5-lb dumbells and then instead of just lifting my arm to a bend at the elbow, I extended the arm past my chest all the way up till it was straight towards the ceiling, dumbell in hand. I'm sure there's a name and/or example photo for this modification somewhere out there, but I couldn't find one.    

ENJOY!!!