No food in this post... just some workouts.

I know, I know... it's been a while.  Thank you to the few who have stuck with me. 

This Whole Life Challenge/Paleo challenge is really cutting into my delicious snacks and treats posts on this blog.  I've had no shortage of new cooking experiences, but I'm just not creating things I'm so in love with that I think the world needs to hear about it. 

And by "the world" I mean the 6 people who read this blog. (It's you! Congrats! You made the cut!)

But one thing I've been loving with this challenge, is my added fitness challenge.  I was working out 4-5 days a week, doing spin, yoga, cardio/weights class, riding my bike, walking, bla bla bla.  But in the last 5 weeks, I've been more intentional with my workouts, and I'm really feeling the effects. 

I've been running 2-3 miles 3 days a week, I've been lifting weights, I've been crunching my abs, I've been getting 7 workouts in a week (one rest day of slow walking or just ab work) and I've been inviting my friends to go with me!

Yesterday, I brought a friend from work out to Gray's Lake and we did sprint intervals and some CrossFit-ish workouts.  Gray's is the perfect place for intervals, because you can use the lamp posts as measurements. 

Here's the plan:
1-2-3 sprint intervals
Sprint to the first light pole, then walk two light poles, sprint 3 light poles, walk 1 light pole, sprint 2 light poles, walk 3 light poles...  You get the idea.
We did that about half way around the lake and the we went up and down our CrossFit Ladder:
50 air squats
40 crunches
30 lunges
20 crunches
10 calf raises
20 crunches
30 pushups
40 crunches
50 air squats

We walked back to our cars and stretched out.  We're both suffering from some DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) today.  My hamstrings are screaming at me (they have been since last week) and Rose is limping. 

Today's workout was at the Southside Y.  I met my friend Amber who just had an adorable baby not too long ago, and she's looking to get fit. 
I'll just tell you what I did, because I'm not sure what Amber's time was like because she snuck in a little later than I did.  (I hear moms adhere to the baby's clock.... not their own)
35 minutes on the elliptical
1 mile run (Amber walked it)
My signature arm workout:
Biceps: Bicep curls
Triceps: Overhead tricep extentions
Chest: Hand weight chest press
Shoulders: Overhead press
Back: Flys

I'm super excited that this girl is gonna join the Y with me!

I'm also dangerously close to convincing another work buddy to join the Y with me...  I gotta get some man-workouts for him!

So there ya have it! I love working out.  It helps me make good choices the rest of the day, I am starting to do things I never thought I would (like enjoy a run) and I'm bringing friends along with me. 

I have been throwing around the notion of becoming a personal trainer in my head.  Definitely not right now, but sometime down the road.  I love encouraging others to workout, and I like creating tough workouts to meet the needs of my workout buddies and myself.  I took some PT classes in college, but I would love to be officially trained and certified one day.  I guess I can just add that to my bucket list!