Runner's Arms & Back Workout

I've been running a lot more recently.  (By a lot more, I mean once or twice a week.)  And I have noticed that my quads and hamstrings are getting strong (by strong, I mean sore).  On my days off (not teaching Zumba or running) I needed a workout that would strengthen all the muscles I wasn't getting running and dancing, while still giving my quads a day off.

Behold:
 The Runner's Arms and Back (and other body parts besides the quads and hams) Workout

The sets go like this: Upper Body, Abs, Run Drill, 10 Push Ups (Repeat 10 times)  By the end of the workout you will have done 100 push ups, PLUS 500+ crunches (ab reps), PLUS a ton of arm work. Sounds exciting YES?  We tried this out last week and I was so excited to have fresh legs on a run (bragging... 7.5 miles :)  the next day!!!  Plus we finished in less than an hour.

I am breaking this down into Upper Body, Abs, Run Drills.  Pick one from each category for each set.

Upper Body
Biceps (2 Sets of 15)
Military Presses (2 sets of 20)
Peck Flies (2 sets of 15)
Tricep Push Ups (3 sets of 15)
Super Mans (3 sets of 10)
Lat-rows (1 set of 25)
Skull Crushers (3 sets of 15)
Peck Squeezers (2 sets of 10) (holding weights squeeze elbows together above the bust)
Delt Flies (2 sets of 15 -forward and side)
Lateral Biceps (2 sets of 15)

Abs
Sitting Legs In & Out (2 sets of 25, wide leg and narrow leg)  Sit on the floor with your feet in front of you.  Keeping your feet on the floor, push your feet out & drag them back in to you)
Laying Bicycle (25 each side)
Cross Leg/Wide Leg Sit ups  25 each kind (reach opposite arm to leg)
Laying crunches with legs straight crunch 20, cross one foot over the other crunch 20, repeat other side
Sledge Hammers standing in a half squat with a weight held in hands , with controlled power, swing weight over head then slam toward floor
Side Plank  hold for 15, 15 body wraps, 15 hip dips each side
Low Plank hold 20 second, calf raise 20 times, toe tap 20 times
Scissor Crunches (25 each side)
In and Out seated with feet off the floor, take your feet out and in-- balance on the bum
Misery-- My favorite Set!!!  20 Crunches w/feet on the floor, 20 Crunches UP with one foot on the knee, 20 crunches Across to the ankle, 20 Reverse (with ankle still on knee, bring knee toward chest while lifting bum off the floor, 20 Crunch with both feet on the floor.  Repeat for the other side

Run Drills (run the length of the gym or 100meters)
Walk on toes
Walk on toes (Heels in)
Walk on toes (Heels out)
Walk on Heels
Walk on Heels (Toes in for half, and out for the other half)
Butt Kickers
Karaoke
Skipping with high knees
High Knees
Run Backwards then Sprint forward

HAPPY WORKOUT!!!

Smart Women

A book at the library caught my attention.  Its title?  Men Like Women Who Like Themselves.  Learning to love myself has been a focus of my self improvement quest and this book fit the bill.  OK the book was all about building relationships with men from a single women's perspective and wasn't as awesome as I had hopped it would be, but the title got me thinking.  People generally like people who like themselves.



This paragraph in the introduction caught my attention...

The smartest women is a women who has a clear indisputable sense of her worth and her power.  She knows what she brings to a relationship, and she knows what she deserves in return.  The smartest Woman knows how to meet and survive difficult challenges; she also knows how to "tend the field" during gentler times.  The hard work of relationships is rewarded because she is getting back as much as she puts in.  In simple terms, the Smartest Woman knows and respects who she is.  Because of this inner knowledge she is in control of herself and her life.

Then a little later...

The Smartest Women knows... If you want to be successful in your personal life, you have to "come to your senses."   You need a sense of balance, a sense of worth, a sense of values, a sense of priorities, a sense of self and a sense of humor.

When I know who I am and what I stand for, my life flows more smoothly and happily.  I am in control of myself-- It doesn't matter if the world is falling to pieces around me.  I have inner peace because I am centered.   Love It!


Men Like Women Who Like Themselves (And other Secrets That the Smartest Women Know About Partnership And Power).  Steven Carter & Julia Sokol; Delacorte Press, 1996. pp2-3

Confessions of A Picky Eater-- A call for recipes

photo credit: jeffreyw via photopin cc

We were visiting my parents a few weeks ago, and we had a delicious picnic dinner.  Chinese BBQ, Chips, Jello Salad, Potato Salad, Veggies, Lemonade, Watermelon.... The Works... (I may be exaggerating the menu)  But I do remember the potato salad.  My kids looked at it and asked, "Potato Salad?  What is that?"

Hi, my name is Erica.  Growing up I feared, disliked and generally abhorred mayonnaise and miracle whip like substances.  As an adult, I have learned that I don't have to fear it, but I still don't like it. I still avoid using it in recipes.  As a result my kids don't know potato salad, pasta salad, and deviled eggs and the like.  My preferences have warped my kids perception of what an American picnic ought to include.

Besides the mayo issue, Potato Salad seems like a ton of work-- cooking the potatoes, the eggs.  Chopping stuff, chilling stuff...  All for a measly side dish.  It has never been worth the effort to me.

This summer I am repenting.  I want to find a potato salad recipe worthy of my time, taste-buds, and effort.  Will you help me?  PLEASE!?!  I can't have my kids growing up and going away to college without knowing what potato salad is! (Thankfully I have a couple years left to make amends.)

Thus, I hereby announce the TriHarderLiveBetter Potato Salad Recipe Collection Week--  Reply with your favorite potato salad recipe (German, Pink, Purple, what have you).  Everyone can try some new recipes and I will FINALLY learn to like potato salad.

Yeah, I'm a Geek

I saw this picture today and had to share.  Enjoy the laugh.

Where do you fit in the spectrum?

photo credit: technovore via photopin cc

Father's Day Favorites

Do you make breakfast in bed for the father in your life.  Me? Sometimes, well, not really, maybe.  I love cooking, but Sunday morning I am more interested in sleeping than getting up.  That will change this year-- we have a special church service an hour and a half away from home that starts at 9 am.  So I will use recipes that are quick easy and require as little work as possible in the morning.

Behold the breakfast casseroles!  Prep them the night before.  Toss them in the oven and return to sleeping or for me showering and the next thing you know, breakfast is served. (These are not healthy choices!  But it is a special day, right!?!)

Sausage, Egg & Hash Brown Casserole
3/4 of a package (2 lbs) of frozen hash browns
1 lb sausage, browned
1 small onion, diced
1 green or red bell pepper, diced
1 cup milk
8 eggs
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 lbs hash browns
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Pour hash browns in a greased 9x13 baking dish; bake hash browns 15 min.  

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, milk, spices, peppers, onions and sausage.  Pour over browned hash browns.  Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. During the last 5 minutes of baking sprinkle cheese over the casserole.

Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

For a fun Southwest twist, add diced green chilies and 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning to the egg mixture.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Creme Brulee French Toast
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn syrup
1 lb country white bread (about 12 slices) cut in half
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cup milk (or half and half if you want is crazy good)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a small sauce pan, melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until smooth.  Pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.

Arrange sliced bread in one layer in the baking dish, squeezing slightly to fit (I overlap the edges).

In a small bowl combine the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt.  Pour evenly over the bread.  Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours (overnight) and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 375.  Pull the casserole out and let it come to room temperature.  Bake, uncovered, until puffed and pale golden, 35-40 minutes.  Serve hot.

While this definitely doesn't need syrup, I love eating this with buttermilk syrup.  HEAVEN!

Chineese BBQ Sauce

I'm Back!  It has been a crazy, fun filled few weeks at my house.  No, at the grandparents' house. And our house.  Well Both!

Quick Recap:  Bought a van, visited Draper temple, Drove to Gig Harbor, Played on Anderson Island, Played with cousins, played with uncles and aunts and grandparents and random non-relatives, Drove home, Visited Logan (temple for a nephew's endowment and with friends), and yesterday Drove to Cedar Fort to celebrate National Ice Cream and Doughnut Day with almost-cousins.

And now I am home for a week!  (I plan on driving as little as possible!) We love family.  We love home.  I love sleep.  More importantly, I love the Chinese BBQ sauce I was introduced to at Nana's house.

No, really it was AMAZING!  I would eat it off a spoon, and on a hot dog, and on some ribs, and on some grilled pineapple and on some well, I might just eat it with everything this summer!

Be warned, this makes a LARGE batch.  Half of the recipe is more than enough to marinate and cook a 9x13 tray of chicken.  I might just double the batch then seal it in jars for later use.

Chinese BBQ Sauce
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup hoisin sauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 cup red current jelly (substitute with any tart red jelly)

Combine ingredients in a large sauce pan.  Cook over medium high heat until reduced and thick, 10-12 minutes.  Serve with everything!