Hi guys! I hope you are doing well. I still haven’t found the time to edit my last workout video so I thought I’d talk about my current workout and eating habits. Because that’s exciting, right.

In my last post, I mentioned that living on the road in and of itself is challenge enough and I don’t need to add any more challenges to my life. I’m learning a entirely new way of life. I can’t go to the same grocery stores week to week. I gave away a number of appliances I used to use. Unlike California, the weather is unpredictable making it tough to workout. The RV is small so cooking meals and working out inside is challenging but certainly not impossible. Before we set out, I thought I would have lots of free time but the reality is I have very little. We do school in the morning and then explore in the afternoon. Sometimes we explore all day and then do school in the evening. We’ve also driven almost 8000 miles since we left in late October and, due to motion sickness, I can’t do much reading or writing during that time. Not to mention eating on driving days proves difficult with fast food always being a temptation. We’ve managed to eat very little fast food but I don’t care if I ever eat another turkey sandwich again. All this to say that I’ve had a number of things to adapt to and it took me a little longer than I expected.

I hope I don’t’ sound like I’m complaining. These are all “challenges” I’m more than happy to take on because I’m living one of my dreams. Yes, living on the road is a challenge but it’s also amazing. Amazing in the truest sense. But there are some facts to consider as I continue to learn and adapt to this new way of life.

Love me some sunshine!

Facts

Fact – I’m a sugar addict.

Fact – Sugar does nothing good for me. Not only is it related to a host of health problems it contributes to depression, a struggle of mine.

Fact – We are seeing hundreds of new places and trying the food is part of the experience. I don’t want to miss out. (Ahem…beignets in New Orleans.)

Fact – It’s important to me to support sustainable and healthful farming practices, i.e., grass fed meats, organic vegetables, ect.

Fact – I don’t want to go back to Ventura in a year or two (we are already considering doing year two) having gained a lot of weight. Some is fine but not a lot. I don’t have “skinny girl genes”. I don’t like the word skinny but you know what I mean. I have to be mindful of my food and exercise or I’ll end up overweight. I don’t want that.

Fact – I feel slightly self-conscious filming my videos. As you can see I’m NOT fat but I’m not as lean as I was. People can be really harsh and it makes me nervous especially on YouTube although I haven’t had anyone say anything mean yet.

Fact – This is a biggie. I have my RCK re-certification coming up in a few months. This means I have to re-pass all the certification requirements including the snatch test. The snatch test is 100 snatches in 5 minutes with the 12k (26.5 lb) kettlebell if I weigh less than 124 pounds. Otherwise, I have to use the 16K (35 lb) kettlebell. Since giving away my scale I have no idea what I weigh. I know it’s more than 124 but not sure by how much. (I don’t *think* it’s a lot) Which means I either have to lean out a bit or train to use the 16K but I have an injured shoulder right now. I don’t think it would be wise to use that much weight on my shoulder especially doing the explosive ballistic movements like the snatch.

Fact – I like feeling strong. It lifts my spirits and makes me appreciate my body on a deeper level despite its “imperfections”. Bottom line is being strong is good for me emotionally and physically and I’m not as strong as I was before we left.

My Solution

So considering all the “facts” of my life I have come up with a livable solution.

Food – We eat the majority of our meals at home so those meals will continue to be nourishing foods. I haven’t and don’t plan to buy any processed foods. I’ve been making an effort to get more local foods along the way and plan to keep doing. But I won’t think any less of myself for shopping at Walmart and buying non-organics. In many of the smaller towns this is the only option. We are not planning our trip around food, we are planning it around adventure, education, and experience. This means that sometimes Walmart is our only option and when we are out in about I want to experience the food including beignets in New Orleans.

Which leads me too…

Cafe Du Monde New Orleans

I’m not cutting out sugar completely. I started off the New Year planning to go back to the “no refined sugar” life style I lived for almost four years but realized that I would be too sad to miss out on beignets in New Orleans and Jeni’s Spledid Ice Cream in Nashville. I’m not going to eat or cook with refined sugar at home but when we get to Key West in a few weeks I’m going to eat a slice of Key Lime Pie.

For the last four years living in my sticks and bricks house, I’d estimate 80-90% of my food has been nourishing and the other 10-20% would nachos or other junk foods. (Let’s be honest, our bodies respond to most starches like they are sugar so it was more of a mental strategy than physical.) Allowing real sugar certainly makes it more challenging and the cravings afterwards are unbelievable. But I accept that is how my body will respond and I’ve been preparing myself mentally before I order that scoop of ice cream. I know if I eat it I will want more (and more and more) but just knowing and expecting this makes it easier to ride out the cravings however uncomfortable they are.  It also helps me to be selective about what I eat and ask myself, “Is this going to be worth the cravings that will follow?” It’s not easy but, for now, it’s worth it and doable.

My favorite workout partner

Fitness – We’ve finally got to warm sunny weather (Florida) and my sprits have lifted. I think I may have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Working out should be easier now. Although time is still an issue but it’s not an excuse. Brent and I started the Enter The Kettlebell program again. It consists of clean and press ladders 3 days a week using heavy, medium, and light days and two days of “kettlebell practice”. It’ simple, methodical, and effective plan for increasing strength. It also doesn’t take much time and can be done inside the RV if necessary. I followed it to prepare for my RKC almost tow years ago. I’m modifying the plan slightly by using double kettlebells and the other two days I’m going to practice TRX or full body metabolic kettlebell workouts to film for my state workout series.

Enter the Kettlebell - Light Day

I’m still a little torn regarding my upcoming RKC recertification. I’m leaning towards leaning out rather than risk greater injury to my already injured shoulder. I’m trying to do turkish get ups to strengthen my tweaked shoulder but I really don’t see myself using a kettlebell heavier than the 12k for ballistic exercises soon enough to be able to pass. Which leaves me with the questions to buy a scale or not? I haven’t minded not having one and now that I’m adapting to this new way of life I think my body will naturally get to where it needs to be. I think. It would be terrible to show up for my re-certification and not pass because I was, unknowingly, a few pounds heavier.

So that’s that. Where I’ve been and where I’m at now. It feels good to have a flexible livable plan. I’ve already have 5 weeks of workouts planned, written out, and ready to check off. I found a nearby farmer’s market and a farm that sells grassed meats that we will go to later this week. It’s an adventure for sure and thanks for coming along!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Good thing my locations are change each week because my outfits don’t. I could only bring so many clothes with me in the RV.

I want to say right off hand that I call these Tabata intervals but since there are 4 of them I didn’t go all out each set so they aren’t true Tabata. Nevertheless this workout kicked my butt and I felt it for days. Days.

Despite the chilly weather, this was a great place to workout. The campground was nearly empty, the sound of the stream was relaxing, and my kids played on the hillside. After we filmed my workout Brent did the workout himself.

Arkansas

Interval #1
1. Push Press
2. Jump Squats

Interval #2
1. KB Toss
2.  Swings

Interval #3
1. Hot Potatoes
2. Split Lunges

Interval #4
1. Mountain Climbers
2. Russian Twist

- Each interval is 4 minutes long divided into 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest which means each exercise is repeated 4 times (8 total work periods). All four intervals add up to a 16 minutes workout. I’m a math genius.  

- For the interval #1 I started with my left arm push presses and the second interval (after squats) I switched to my right arm so each side did 2 intervals each. This was plenty of work. I had considered making it double push presses but halfway through I was glad I stuck with singles.\

We were in Arkansas in December and have finally made it to warmer weather. I’m hoping this will help me get back into a workout routine as they have been…errrr…a bit spotty. That New Year’s 5X5 Challenge? Out the door. I should have made it a 3×3 challenge or skipped it altogether. At this point, I don’t need any more “challenges” in my life. Figuring out life in an RV with two kids, two dogs, and a cat is challenge enough right now.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

I’ve realized something.

I’ll never be a talk show host.

Nope. I’m way too awkward. You really should see the outtakes. They are funny. Or just sad. I can’t decide.

Maybe at the end of our trip I’ll do a video of all the outtakes.

It’s good to laugh at yourself right?

Anyway here is “Oklahoma”. We shot this kettlebell circuit in the morning at Lake Eufaula. (I’m pretty sure I pronounced it wrong.) Why I don’t workout early morning more often I don’t know. Oh yeah, I like to stay in bed cuddling with my favorite person and cat.

Oklahoma Full Body Kettlebell Circuit

1. Swings
2. KB Curls
3. Down Ups (Alternate Legs)
4. Side Plank Row
5. Squat and Reach (I call it a Squat w/ 2 Hand Press in the video.)
6. Single Leg Deadlifts
7. Alternating Lunges
8. Russian Twists

Repeat 2x.

I set my Gymboss for 8 intervals of 40 seconds work and 20 seconds rest.  For the unilateral moves I did one side of the body round one and the other side round two. 

Filming the workouts has been good in many ways. Not only do I know I’ll workout at least 48 times this year but they are helping me improve my form. Seriously, the first time I saw my push up on camera I cringed. I looked more like an anteater than the badazz I imagined.

As soon as I get a chance I’m going to edit my next kettlebell workout, “Arkansas”.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

I’m so excited to introduce you to a new Girl Hero! Meet Elisa! Elisa has been married to her husband for over 6 years and is a certified personal trainer and HKC kettlebell instructor. She was recently diagnosed with MS after being misdiagnosed with Guillain Barre. It’s been a rollercoaster but through it all she remains hopeful and active. Seriously, read a few posts on her blog, Cake Walk, and you’ll see what an inspiration she really is! Elisa loves to read- mostly fiction, but also lots of health and fitness books and going on long walks with her husband where they talk about life and solve all of their problems.  She also enjoys blogging, cooking and her new hobby for 2012 is going to be yoga!

What led you to become a personal trainer?

I went to school to be an elementary school teacher, but realized that I was really horrible at classroom management. I taught kids in South Korea for about 6 months and then switched to teaching adults. After a quick decision to leave Korea and move to Portland, Oregon, I needed a new career. I loved teaching and I have always loved exercise. I ran cross-country in college and even coached it for a year afterwards. Personal training sounded like the perfect thing for me, and after finishing a 6 month hands on program (National Personal Training Institute), I started training!

How did you discover kettlebells?

At NPTI, I was exposed to lots of different fitness tools. At one point we visited a Crossfit gym and my instructor handed me a 25 pound kettlebell and told me to swing it over my head. That was the only cue! I did, but it was way scary and I felt out of control. A few weeks later I came across Girl Heroes and you were talking about signing up for the RKC. You looked so strong and as if you had a ton of fun doing your kettlebell workouts. I started doing research and bought a couple of kettlebells. I kept reading your blog and realized that I should really find an RKC kettlebell instructor. Lance Coffel- was the man I found. I started with his kettlebell workshop and was so impressed with his teaching style and careful attention to even the smallest detail. I started going to his classes once a week and a few weeks later signed up for the HKC and the RKC.

What were your workouts like before kettlebells?

I ran cross-country in college, so I’ve always continued with that. the summer before I started using kettlebells, I ran a trail marathon and several trail half marathons. I also did strength training circuits 2-3 times a week.

What is it that you like so much about kettlebells?

I’ve always loved running because I could do it anywhere with minimal equipment. The same is true about using kettlebells. You can take them anywhere and do an entire workout with just one weight. They are intense and efficient. Also, I love the attention to form and detail that they require. There’s always something to work on. At the HKC, we spent the entire day perfecting the swing, goblet squat, and Turkish get-up, and there’s still more to learn.

You were diagnosed with Guillain Barre a week before your HKC certification. What was that like? What symptoms were you having?

One Thursday afternoon, my right foot went completely numb. The next day my left foot joined the right and soon I was numb all the way up to my belly button. I went to my kettlebell workout on Saturday and was so frustrated that I couldn’t do a bottoms up press with even a 5 pound kettlebell. On Monday, I limped into work at the gym and fell over as I tried to demonstrate a lunge. My client told me I should go to the ER, but instead, I went to another kettlebell class. My chiropractor who often joined the class, was there and did a quick exam. He mentioned MS and told me to get myself to the ER. In the background, I was planning my trip with Lance for the HKC in Seattle on Saturday. At the hospital, I had an MRI, which they told me was clear and thus confirmed their suspicions of Guillain Barre Syndrome. They told me to come back to the hospital immediately if anything got worse and got me an appointment with a neurologist for two days later. Two days later, I could barely walk, so the neurologist just admitted me to the hospital for immediate treatment with Immunoglobulin therapy. At this point, I started to realize that the HKC was not happening. I was in the hospital for the next 6 days and things just got worse. I could only walk holding onto something for about 10 seconds before I had to sit back down. By the time I left the hospital, I could no longer walk at all. My muscles were so weak and I couldn’t feel them at all. It was super sad, but I knew that I would get better and eventually go for the HKC and the RKC!

Then late last year you found out you were misdiagnosed and actually have multiple sclerosis. That’s intense. You filmed a youtube video where you actually say you are looking forward to the possibilities and opportunities having MS will provide you.  That’s an amazing outlook! Can you expand on that? How do you remain so positive?

I always knew in the back of my head, that something was not quite right with the original diagnosis and so finding out that it was actually MS felt like finding a missing puzzle piece that you didn’t remember you were missing. When you have always been super healthy, finding out you have a chronic disease, and that you’re not actually in control of your body, is almost too shocking to deal with. At the beginning, when the chiropractor mentioned that it sounded like MS, I remember feeling like MS would be a death sentence and I went home and cried my eyes out. During the time in the hospital and my super long recovery, I’ve dealt with a lot of emotions and have already realized that my health is not in my control. So finding out that I have MS was huge but somehow not that big of a deal to me. When I thought I had Guillain Barre Syndrome, I tried to get involved in helping people who had just been diagnosed, but that just never worked out. The MS community is much bigger and super active, so there will be lots of opportunities for me to get involved. All of my jobs have been somehow related to helping people (caregiving, teaching, personal training) and having MS gives me the “cred” to help people even more. Don’t be fooled though, I’m not happy about having MS. I just don’t have time to be super sad right now. There are sure to be times where I just curl up in a ball, cry, and feel sorry for myself. That’s not unique to MS, that’s just human, we all do it!

How has MS affected your life and training?

Well, originally, I lost my job. Since recovering, my husband and I have moved from Portland, Oregon to Boston. I’ve been working since the end of August and have not missed any days of work so far. Double vision and vertigo are some of the symptoms that I have to deal with often, so my husband drives me to work whenever those issues are a problem. My clients think that I come to work at 6am a little tipsy!

Finding out that I have MS has actually helped my workouts. Whenever I work out, my symptoms get much worse- i.e. hands and feet are numb, no muscle coordination, super exhaustion, etc.- and I have to stop the workout early. After doing some MS research, I realized that heat makes the symptoms worse, so if I can keep myself cool enough, I can workout much longer.

You ended up passing the HKC in November! Congratulations!  What was it like?

Passing the HKC was amazing for me. It’s still just the basic kettlebell cert., but I had been through so much to get there. All my kettlebell people on the West Coast were super excited, but on the East Coast, it was just another day!

I know you planned to train for the RKC. Is that still a goal?

The RKC is still a huge goal for me. Honestly, I could probably attempt to pass it now. I can do 100 snatches in five minutes, although I don’t know if I can handle working out for three days straight. But it is expensive and after a big move across the country and a lot of medical bills, we are trying to refill our savings account.

Passing the RKC is a goal of 2012, but I’m not going to let myself get frustrated if the MS gets in my way. I’ll get there eventually.

What are your thoughts on food? In other words, what does an average day of food look like for you? Has your recent diagnosis affected the way you eat?

Right now, I’m frustrated about food. I’ve cut out sugar and processed foods for the last 6 years of my life and I still got sick. There are so many people telling me to try this supplement or eat this and not that, I feel overwhelmed by information. I keep reminding myself to go back to what I’ve always believed about food. If it makes your body feel good, gives you more energy, and doesn’t make you gain weight, then eat it up. Everyone is different and what makes me feel good might make you feel terrible. For the last 6 years, I’ve eaten lots of meat and vegetables. Sugar and even fruit give me an instant headache. Grains make my stomach hurt.

A couple of months ago, I started intermittent fasting and absolutely love it. I stop eating at 8pm and don’t start eating again until 12 or 1 pm the next day. My feet and hands have not been numb since I started and it’s helped me to realize that feeling a little hungry is not an emergency.

What do you like best about being a personal trainer?

As a trainer, I get to meet so many interesting people from all walks of life. I love it when they come back from a vacation and tell me how they impressed their family by hiking up a mountain or walking around all day without having to stop and rest. Their stories inspire me.

 If you were going to write a memoir about your life what would you call it?

Driving the Rollercoaster

Thank you so much Elisa for sharing part of your story!

Don’t forget to check out Elisa’s blog, Cake Walk, and be inspired!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

I’ve been feeling a little down and decided I needed a little fun.

And a little exercise.

And a new little workout partner.

You’ll never take me seriously again. Not that you ever did.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Subscribe to the RSS Feed 2. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook, or 3. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. Simple dimple!

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

I ran across Roni’s blog, Roni’s Weigh, a few years ago when I started my own weight loss journey. Last year, I met her for the first time during Fitbloggin’ and got to spend time with her again at BlogHer. She is every bit as warm, friendly, and helpful in real life as she is on her blogs. She’s the real deal. Roni is a wife, mother of two,  full time blogger, and all around awesome girl who chose to change her lifestyle for the better.

How does your lifestyle “now” compare to your lifestyle “before”? (You can see all of Roni’s progress pictures here.)

Oh boy is it ever different! I used to do nothing, and I’m not exaggerating. I’d work, watch tv or go to movies, and eat. That was about it. Now I try my best to be active and DO things. I take walks, go on hikes, read more, run in events, play board games and do puzzles with the family. Even though I’m still pretty food obsessed I’ve channeled that “hobby” by cooking light and finding new fun healthy foods. I more active now then I have ever been in my life and in better shape because of it.

Okay so I have to ask you something. You write 4 blogs GreenLiteBites, Roni’s Weigh, Roni Noone, and Poop Butterflies. You also organize Fitbloggin’ and manage a weightloss communities called Blog to Lose with over 5000 members! How do you do it and stay sane? Any time management tips? I know I need them!!

Sane? Who said I was sane?

In all seriousness, I do what I can when I can. I know it sounds kind of simple but it’s the truth. I have conference calls while baby is napping. I write blog posts while watching TV at night. I wake up early and work out when I can. It’s a lot of juggling but I’ve always been the type of person who’d rather be busy than bored.

What does your exercise routine look like now? Is it hard to find the motivation or time with so much going on in your life?

It has been hard but I’ve learned that I am much happier and have more energy when I’m working out. I even tend to handle stress better. Right now I wake up at 5:30 AM twice a week for a BodyPump class and I take a BodyCombat class in the evening one day a week. I also joined a gym that’s just over a mile away from the house so I run there and back. It’s been hard finding a schedule that works but I try to be flexible and not let more than 1 day go by without doing something active, even if it’s just a short run.

You love Weight Watchers and it helped you to lose a significant amount of weight. In a nutshell, what did WW teach you and do you still use it to maintain?

Weight Watchers gave me a quick and easy way to judge a portion and balance my diet. It also taught me to food journal, something I still go back to when feeling a little out of control. Right now I’m counting points to lose the last 10 lbs I gained from pregnancy.

I read your 3 Steps to a Healthier You series. My favorite part of that series is when you talk about turning off the tv and dancing with your son and husband. Do you still do that? Was it hard at first to start dancing? In other words, did you feel self conscious at first?

We still do it! All the time and now I have a new little once to dance with!

I’ve always been a music lover. My mom used to crank up the volume  when cleaning, my Dad was a musician, it’s just in my blood!

I noticed that the TV was ALWAYS on in my house and I hated it. So one day I simply shut it off and blasted the radio. It’s hard to be self-conscious when you are alone and dancing with a 1 year old. You’re just in the moment BUT that being said, I am self conscious dancing at weddings or parties because what I do at home is not really “dancing” it’s moving around like an idiot singing off key at the top of my lungs.

What about internet? How do you keep moving when your job requires computer hours? I know I could use some motivation in this area!

I think this is why getting those workouts in is so important for me. Most of the time I’m at my desk or on the couch with a computer on my lap. It is what it is. I’ve learned, however, to walk away. When I’m not at the computer I’m not at the computer, if that makes sense. I don’t tweet from my phone or check Facebook. I don’t walk around the mall checking email. I disconnect completely especially when I go to the gym. I never, ever, bring my phone when I go the gym. That’s my time and I don’t want to be interrupted.

How has blogging played a part in your weight loss and enriched your life? Any advice to new bloggers?

Blogging played a huge part in my weight loss. For me it was having an outlet to face feeling I never faced before. So many people (myself included) feel alone when it comes to how they feel about their bodies or how they relate to food. Once I put myself out there I realized I wasn’t alone. I also find motivation in motivating others. I love sharing tips and ideas and doing so helps me stay inspired.

What is something quirky that you do that makes you you? (Besides being the Queen of Zucchini?)

Hmmmm I’m not sure. I am little quirky, I guess, but isn’t everybody? Things people may be surprised to learn about me: (if they don’t already know because I’m pretty transparent on the blog) I’m a big fan of horror movies, I like all music except country (did I just lose a few fans?) and I have an unhealthy obsession with McDonald’s ice cream cones.

Thank you Roni for sharing your story. You are amazing and a Girl Hero in so many ways!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

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I’ve worked out at some of uncommon places. That’s the beauty of kettlebells. I’ve worked out in parking lots, in the kitchen, and with dinosaurs.

But this was the first time I’ve ever worked out with Texas Longhorns. I have a feeling that it might be my last too.

We spent three weeks traveling through Texas. I considered filming my workout in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park or in Marfa but I was too sore. Or too lazy. I also wanted something really “Texan” and what is more Texan than a Texas Longhorn. Not only is the Longhorn the University of Texas mascot but it’s the official state mammal. Did you know there are official state mammals? I didn’t. I’m not sure if all states have an official mammal but Texas does and it’s the Longhorn.

We did have a bit of trouble finding some Longhorns to workout with. Imagine that. Apparently, Ranchers don’t have time for Californians to “visit with” their cattle. At one point, we drove by some cows grazing in the backyard of a modest house. Brent pulled over to the side of the road and suggested I knock on the front door for permission to enter their property. What was I supposed to say, “Do you mind if I workout with your Longhorns?”. No I’m not crazy. Not at all.

As it turned out there was a lovely little Longhorn ranch near one of our campgrounds. Front 30 Ranch Guest House  is run by a darling couple and who graciously allowed me to workout in their Longhorn pasture while our boys played on their beautiful property.

Anyway here’s the workout. Enjoy it. And the Longhorns.

Texas

Cleans 25, 20, 15, 10, 5
Presses 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Squats 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Renegade Rows 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Swings 25, 20, 15, 10, 5

The first round goes like this 25 cleans, 5 presses, 5 squats, 5 (each side) rows, and 25 swings. Rest. The second round is 20, 5, 5, 5, and 20. And so on.

This workout can also be done “For Time” if you like to compare scores with previous workouts.

P.S. No one was even close to being trampled during the stampede.

P.S.S. Those brown lumps on the ground are what you think they are.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

I’m skipping ahead a bit.

Texas was the next workout I filmed after New Mexico. But I’m still in the holiday spirit and the last workout I filmed has a holiday feel to it.

I mean there are bells. They don’t jingle but they are red. And best of all there is snow. Beautiful white snow flakes to catch on your tongue and make your mascara run eyelashes.

So I’ll go back and post Texas. And Oklahoma. And Arkansas.

But this week it is Indiana, the state I grew up in. In fact, we filmed the workout in front on my childhood home. Awww…

I decided to go lighter than normal for this workout. One, I didn’t want to slip in the snow and, two, it’s better not to go all out every workout. Of course, if you do the workout choose the weight you need.

Indiana

1. Double Swings
2. Seesaw Presses
3. Double Swings
4. Alternating Rows
5. Double Swings
6. Alternating Lateral Lunges
7. Double Swings

Repeat 1-7 three times for a total of 21 minutes. 

It might also be a good idea to count and write down your reps for every exercise that way you can track your progress. Just a suggestion though. Lately, I’ve not been too concerned with progress and more concerned with being in the moment and enjoying the experience.

If you only have one bell just do 1 arm presses (or rows) for 20 seconds and then switch to the other arm.

FYI working out it snow was so much fun. It made me feel like doing elf kicks the rest of the day. Just one of the many reasons kettlebells rock.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long road trip through the United States!

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Happy 2012!

I love the New Year. It’s a chance to begin a new adventure and to evaluate our choices of the past year.  What worked? What didn’t? Are we headed where we want to go? There is something fun about hanging a new calendar and seeing all the empty pages just waiting to be filled in.

More than anything this year, I really want to just focus on trying to live a simple life, be in the moment with my family and continue to love harder.

I do have one”smartie” fitness goal I’d like to accomplish by the end of this year. I would like to be able to press two 35lb kettlebells for 5 reps this year. As of now, I can press 2 26lb kettlebells. I pretty sure I could still press two 30 lb bells but due to lack of space the next weight up we brought was 35 lbs. So that’s my fitness goal for the year. I also should start thinking about my RKC recertification due this year. I’ll have to repass all the requirements.

And…

Like many Americans, I put on a little weight over the holidays. How much I don’t know exactly because I don’t have a scale. I did step on my parent’s scale and it looks like about 5 or 6 pounds but since I don’t have a starting weight on that scale it’s just a guestimate.

Five or 6 pounds are really not a big deal. I’m still at a healthy weight, love my body, and all that feel-good-love-yourself-mushy-mush still rings true.

But….

I’m not going to let that 5 pounds sit there because I love myself and my family. If I let this 5 pounds sit here what is going to keep me from doing that next year and the year after? I’d rather lose 5 pounds this year than 50 pounds 10 years from now and possibly try to correct a host of preventable issues that could arise from being overweight.

To start off of the New Year I’m doing a 5 for 5 challenge.

Girl Heroes 5 for 5 Challenge

1. Do 5 short but intense workouts a week. – I’m thinking 3 kettlebell workouts, a light suspension training workout, and a very short sprint workout. All workouts will be 20 minutes or less.

2. Reduce calories by 500 a day. - This puts me on average in the 1600-2000 range depending on my activity level. I’m going to start tracking calories again for a few weeks. It’s been so long since I’ve tracked that I don’t think I’m being honest with myself about portion sizes. It also helps curb the snacking because “I’m bored” or “want to procrastinate” habits I tend to have.

3. For 5 weeks total.

(I really wanted to come up with 2 more things to do so 5 things would be on my list but that would go against my commitment to keeping things simple and I couldn’t make 5 work with sleeping. Five hours of sleep would not be enough for me!)

This should more or less add up to about a 5 pound weight loss over 5 weeks. (Interesting how it’s going to take 5 weeks to take off what I put on over the course of 5 days. Oh well. No biggie.) I won’t know exactly how much I lose because I no longer have a scale but the point is to resume to old habits that don’t necessarily come easy for me. If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you know that I naturally gravitate towards more sedentary activities like reading, daydreaming, and sitting at the computer. I need a jumpstart for the new year.

After 5 weeks I’ll continue with 3-5 workouts a week and I will more than likely stop counting the calories but the next 5 weeks should be enough to get me motivated and and make old habits new again.

Oh and there is one more thing.

Sugar.

I’ve thought long and hard about my relationship with the white powder the last few months.  I’m decided that today I would go back to what I know works for me: allowing myself homemade sweets made with unrefined sugars. This is the most livable solution for me. In my ideal world, I’d give up all sugar completely for good but that’s just not going to happen. The choice to eat unrefined homemade treats I can happily live with. I have a lot more to say about sugar but right now I’m going to bed because getting more sleep is a priority this year.

Hope you had a Happy New Year and a wonderful Christmas!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long road trip through the United States!

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There have been many adjustments the last few months since we moved into an RV. The obvious being a small living space and the constant moving. What surprises me is those have been the easiest changes. I love having less stuff and less to clean. (I can’t even tell you how freeing it feels.) I love waking up in different places throughout the week. Brent and I don’t do much planning and I love not knowing where we are going to be week from week. That is just how we roll and we are loving it.

However, our free-spirited approach to our new lifestyle is affecting other areas of our life. Not necessarily in the best way.

I’ve always been a “loose” routine person. I’ve never been one to go to the gym every day at the same time and when I made meal plans they were always “rough drafts”.  However, my life before looks OCD compared to my life now.

While living in an RV is living up to my expectations in many ways, (Really, sometimes I afraid I’m going to wake up and it’s all going to be a dream.) there is one way, in particular, it is not. Before we left I imagined stopping at roadside markets and looking on Eat Wild and Local Harvest for places to buy food. In reality, it’s not always convenient. We may or, more likely, may not be in a town the day of their farmer’s market and, to be honest, I’d rather spend my time exploring funky towns instead searching for food.

I was spoiled in California. S-P-O-I-L-E-D. There were numerous CSAs, (I belonged to this one) food co–ops, a nearby farmer’s market almost every day of the week, two Trader Joes within 2 miles from my house, a local health food store, and a Whole Foods (that I have never even been in but still) not far away. I had a freezer full of grassfed-yada-yada-yada beef and could buy fish right off a boat. While the price at the pump in California feels like getting hit in the stomach with a brick, fresh local affordable produce was always available. California is a foodie’s dream.

We’ve been on the road living in an RV for two months and now I realize that it’s not as easy to eat healthy all over the country. Not impossible but certainly not as easy. In the big cities, it’s easier to find healthy food. I drove by the Whole Foods Mecca Flagship store in Austin and almost confused it for an airport terminal. Later in a smaller town, I found myself next to tears (Boohoo.) while I stood in the bread aisle for nearly 15 minutes searching for something suitable. A few days later, we were in a really small beautiful town where there was only one modest grocery. The produce aisle was a sad little section of fruit and vegetables. No wonder people are buying processed and boxed food. The pictures on the packaging looked really appealing compared to the wilted lettuce and bruised apples.

(This lot was from one of the better grocery stores and it takes up my entire counter.)

Add the lack of availability with a super small kitchen, fewer appliances, very little routine, lots hours in the car, and so many wonderful distractions like National Parks, friends, and mountain biking, it’s a wonder we are not living off of microwave dinners

But the thing we are adaptable creatures. Our ability to adapt is rather astounding. Every day I find myself forgetting I even live in an RV on the road. I don’t need a huge fancy 10,000 horse power “blender”, (I never had one but a girl can dream.), a CSA, and I’m certain I can cook up a decent meal even with droopy broccoli if I make the effort. I may not always be able to have my organic-grass-fed-blessed-by-the-Pope-beef but I can still do my best to make a plan.  Even if it’s just a rough draft.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we plan to take a year long road trip through the United States!

If you enjoyed this post you can follow one of three ways! 1. Subscribe to the RSS Feed 2. “like” on Facebook, or 3. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. Simple dimple!