Jillian Michaels DVD

Some Days Workouts Are Just HARD

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 11 Comments

I had one of those days. Busy, running late for everything and then I knew I needed to get my workout it and TRY to get to bed at a decent hour. Life doesn’t always work the way you want it to, nor do some of your workouts.

I woke up Thursday morning with tired legs (thighs to be exact). It was from a great run the night before (7k) and I was okay with the feeling. I was going to run in the evening but then thought about it and decided a DVD workout would be good enough.

I was late picking up the girls, late getting dinner on the table and late getting the girls to bed. Then I remembered I needed to get the garbage and recycling ready…..six bags later and a bunch of broken down boxes, I got it done. I said “screw it” to the laundry pile and put on my workout clothing.

Down I went to the basement and popped on Ripped in 30, Jillian Michaels. A workout I normally love. I went straight to week 4 – bah ha ha…..normally, I would love this workout but I just didn’t. I did enjoy the “abs” part 🙂

jan 28th workout

It took me a while but the reason I didn’t like it was because it was HARD! Good lord Piper, get a grip…it’s not supposed to be easy especially when you jump right to week 4. I recollected my thoughts and felt thankful for the workout, did love it but I got it done in the end.

Thanks goodness it’s now FRIDAY!!!!!! We are in for a snow storm 15-20cm – whoop, whoop. Guess my Saturday morning run might be a snowshoe trek just to get out of our subdivision 😉

Ever have one of those workouts? 

What do you do when you have tired legs? (I’m going to foam roll tonight). 

What are your weekend plans?

I Took Your Advice

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 13 Comments

First off, thanks for your comments on my last post….it’s hard when you lose your motivation to do one of the things you love the most. I’ve talked a lot about what running is to me and what I have learned from it in the last little while. Taking time off before a race is a scary thing to do but sometimes it has to be done.

Yesterday, I really wanted to run but just wasn’t feeling it after the girls went to bed. I did a few things and then changed into my workout clothing! Why? Well, I just felt like I needed to move a little, to sweat a little, to do something for myself.

So, I did this:

Extreme shred

Looks like I need some sunlight on these 🙂

I went to my basement and filed through my DVD workout collect and found this one. I’ve never tried it so I thought it would be a good time to do so! I’ve always been a big fan of her workouts…they are hard and work! I popped it in and had the baby monitor on the TV has Hilary was still awake playing in her crib! Lilly was fast asleep.

All the moves where different then the 30 Day Shred or Ripped in 30 so I liked that. I was concerned with the first move being “burpees” – kinda freaked me out for what was still to come. As I got going it wasn’t so bad and it almost didn’t feel like a workout at all. “Didn’t feel like a workout = gonna hurt the next day”.

I finished the workout and felt great…it was just what I needed. I’m still trying to decided if I’m going to run today or not…we’ll see. I am however going to get in a little workout tomorrow at a GYM! Woah…gym you say? Well, I have to be in Halifax for a meeting and they have a Good Life Fitness Gym in the same building. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone to one and thought this would be a good way to change-up my workout and get it in during the day. I can have my evening free to start getting ready for Lilly’s 4th birthday party!

Oh my, we are about to have a 4-year-old in the house!

Thanks again on your comments yesterday, I gotta tell you, this blogging thing is far more rewarding than I ever thought. Oh and by the way….my arms and legs feel like jello today 😉

Ever workout and have it NOT feel like a workout?

Jello arms/legs anyone?

Do you ever hit  up a gym when you travel for work?

LAST Operation “Get Fit” Week 8 Workouts 16/6/13 – 22/6/13

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 1 Comment

This is what my last week of Operation Get Fit looked like:

Sun – Rest Day

  • No major workout but I did walk around the Zoo with some cuties.
Funny, how they both look a little grumpy! We had an awesome day.

Funny, how they both look a little grumpy! We had an awesome day.

Monday – Walked 30 & Ripped in 30 Level 4

  • If you follow me on Facebook you would have seen this: Not really feeling motivated to workout tonight, good thing I have my gear on already. #noexcuses #sweatpink Off to workout.

 

  • And then this: Happy I pushed through that workout, the sweat is a drippin’#workinghard #feelinggreat Did you workout today?

 

  • Clearly working out is good for me; puts me in a better mood and I always feel great afterwards.

Tuesday – Ripped in 30 Level 4

  • Good workout but ready to be done and move onto something else.

Wednesday – Walking 40 minutes

  • Hilary and I went for a walk for 40 minutes – beautiful day to be outside.

Thursday – “Main Event” by Brad Gouthro Live Lean Workout (30 minutes)

  • Talk about an intense workout! This is what I wrote on Facebook after I finished it: Feeling like I am getting in shape; all these workouts are paying off. Done Ripped in 30. Did #liveleanmeltdown Brad Gouthro Fitness (main event) tonight. So much better than my first attempt 2 months ago. #feelinggreat #hardworkpaysoff
  • I did this workout about two months ago and was dying after the workout…actually I was dying during the workout. This time around it was a lot easier…not to be confused with it being easy because it wasn’t, but it was easier and I felt stronger and I have improved my fitness over the last eight weeks.

Friday – Nothing!

  • Lilly was home from Day Care so we had a busy day with both girls.

Saturday – Nothing!

  • Really, I should say I did nothing.  We went to a birthday party mid day…a pirate birthday party for Lilly’s best friend. Then I spent any free moment I had packing for the wedding. I had to pack for all of us, well, my husband took care of himself.
  • We also stopped our TV connection today! WHAT????? Your probably thinking, why would you do that? Well, we rarely use it and thought the $50 could be spent somewhere else…or saved. My husband and I sat outside on our deck to watch the “Super Moon” in its glory. It was so bright and we solved 95% of the worlds problems by talking for 2 hours! No wonder why I didn’t have time to work out!
Rrrrrrrrrr! Pirate Lilly!

Rrrrrrrrrr! Pirate Lilly!

Not the best week’s of workouts but I had a lot going on especially with my husband away for 10 days, I feel like I got as many workouts in as I could.

You are probably wondering (if you’ve been following my last 8 weeks) if I fit into the dress. Well…..you’ll just have to wait for the “revealing post” coming up in a few days.  Common’, a girl’s gotta keep you hanging…just this once!

If you are just reading this for the first time, you can read about the other week’s here:

Why Operation Get Fit

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3 

Week 4

Week 5 

Week 6 

Week 7 

 

Operation “Get Fit” Week 5 Workouts 5/26/13 – 6/1/13

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 4 Comments

Last week’s workouts; week 5 in Operation “Get Fit”:

Sunday 26th – Ripped in 30 Level 2

  • I was feeling pretty good after my workout, especially after taking two days rest because of this nasty head cold that I have. I am starting to get bored of level 2.

Monday 27th – Ripped in 30 Level 2

  • It’s official, I am bored and not interested in level 2 anymore …. during the whole workout I was thinking I should move up a level. Yikes!

Tuesday 28th Ripped in 30 Level 3!

  • I decided it was time to move up to level 3 and was dreading it for a few days. I’ve planned on doing each level for 2 weeks (not every day but most days of the week plus running or another workout).
  • I didn’t feel like I had two left feet when I went from level 1 to 2 – so that was good
  • BUT, I felt like I was completely out of shape! This level was by far the hardest for me and I was already not looking forward to level 4.
  • So glad I did it.

Wednesday 29th – Unplanned rest day

  • Was still feeling super sick and my body was worn down. I rested in the evening instead of working out…and by rested I did the dishes, swept the floor, folded laundry and started planning for Lilly’s 3rd birthday party.
  • Ah well, you win some you lose some.

Thursday – Ripped in 30 Level 3

  • I have to admit, I was pretty pissed off at the beginning of the workout – something I haven’t felt in a long long time! I didn’t want to do it – simple. I wasn’t in love with the thought of working out let alone the exercises I had to do.
  • I had quite a few emotions during that workout and by the end I was happy and pumped that I got through the workout feeling so much better. It’s amazing what a workout can do for your mind, body and soul.

Friday – another unplanned night off

  • Just wasn’t feeling it tonight. I had been on my own with the girls as my husband had been on a fire call for about 9 hours – crazy nasty fire. The girls and I had a great night, bed time was awesome but it took me a long time to clean up dinner, dishes, toys etc. I was just spent by the time 9 pm hit so I went to bed.

Saturday – Ripped in 30 Level 3 

  • It was super hot today: 32 C plus humidity. My parents came to visit after having an amazing trip in Scotland and Sai had another fire call that night. I was supposed to go over to a friend’s house with the group of women I am running the Mud Hero with in July but after our busy and scattered evening I couldn’t pull it together to go.
  • So, I worked out instead.  Crazy – YES. But I had miss a few days this week and felt like I needed to get it in. Plus our basement was the coolest spot in the house to be.
  • It was an awesome workout but during the last “abs’ section I almost lost my dinner. That was a terrible feeling.

It’s funny, all week I thought I wasn’t getting enough workouts in and after reading each day again I realised that I managed to workout 5 days this week. Not too shabby! Week 6 has started and it’s hard to believe we are getting so close to being finished this “operation”. I am already planning my next round of workouts – not an “operation” but more of a commitment to myself to be active 4-5 days a week; more running and looking at 5k’s / 10k’s for the fall!

If you missed the first four weeks, you can find them here:

Why Operation Get Fit

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3 

Week 4