Creating A Personal Exercise Plan

Creating a personal plan can help you design how to fit fitness into your life.  It takes into account your likes and dislikes, your circumstances and other things to get your wheels turning.  Hopefully it will help motivate you and solve any problems or hurdles that you need to overcome.  At the very least it will hopefully pinpoint areas you need to focus on to make it successful.

The following are some of the questions I go over and ask myself when I start getting in a rut, or find that I'm really not enjoying my workouts anymore.  I will go over them in more detail this coming week, but for now you can start going over them and pondering them for yourself.

Step 1

Are you a social exerciser? Or a solo exerciser? Are you an indoor exerciser or an outdoor exerciser?

Step 2

List your options. What is currently available to you?

Step 3

What are your excuses? And what are some solutions to these excuses?

Step 4

What is your motivation? What motivates you? Why are you doing this? List some reasons or benefits.

Step 5

What is your goal{s}?

Step 6

What active things do you like to do? What active things did you like to do as a kid? What would you love to learn? What active things does your significant other enjoy? 

Step 7

Write down your measurements. Weight, waist size, thigh size etc so you can marvel at the changes!

Stay tuned!  

I'm going to give you my answers to all these questions coming up.
Okay, maybe not for question #7 though!
~wink~wink~

Greek 7-Layer Dip

After seeing this recipe over at Our Best Bites, I decided I absolutely had to try it.  I mean a Greek variation to the Mexican 7-layer bean dip seemed so different and fun!  So here we go....

Greek 7-Layer Dip

8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 tsp lemon herb seasoning {not the kind with salt or pepper in it}

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cup hummus

1 cup cucumbers, peeled, sliced and quartered

1 cup tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup Kalamata olives, chopped

1/3 cup green onions, chopped

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/8-1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Combine cream cheese, lemon herb seasoning, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until well combined and fluffy.  Spread on the bottom of a small shallow baking dish.  Then spread a layer of hummus followed by layers of the rest of the ingredients in order.  Wrap and chill at least 2 hours. 

I served them with thin slices of a sourdough baguette and some wheat bagel thins.   You could use pita chips, fresh veggies or anything else that catches your fancy. 

Mmm! Refreshing!  Definitely a lighter step up from the heavier Mexican variation.   It had a light, lovely summery taste to it.  I can see myself making this one like all the time!  It was so yummy!   I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Fresh and Happy Citrus Fruits!

I have long had a love affair with citrus fruit.  I absolutely adore it!  It's fresh and happy!  I craved fresh orange juice during one of my pregnancies.  Not canned ~ eww!  It had to be fresh!  There is absolutely nothing like fresh squeezed orange juice!

When I lived in Brazil we used to go to the market to these big machines filled with oranges that would squeeze fresh juice into your containers.  The machines are so cool {not to mention the fresh juice is divine!} that I really think schools ought to consider putting in fresh orange juice machines instead of soda machines ~ I bet Jamie Oliver would approve of that, right?

Anyway, all this to say that a friend of ours brought over a huge box full of oranges {and pomegranates too!} the other day sent straight from California and I am in heaven!  Heaven I tell you!

Fresh homemade orange juice ~ already made!  Now the peels are just waiting to spread their happiness across the kitchen once they find their way into my garbage disposal. Ahhhhhhhh....

Thank you Angelia!!!

In Christ Alone

I love music. 

It has such a way of speaking to the soul. 

This one speaks to me beyond what words can express.

Kind of sets the tone for my new year!

Enjoy!

If you're reading in a feed reader...

then come join the party over here!

In Christ alone, my hope is found


He is my light, my strength, my song


This cornerstone, this solid ground


Firm through the fiercest drought and storm


What heights of love, what depths of peace


When fears are stilled, when strivings cease


My comforter, my all-in-all


Here in the love of Christ I stand

There in the ground His body lay


Light of the world by darkness slain


Then bursting forth in glorious day


Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory


Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine


Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me


From life's first cry to final breath


Jesus commands my destiny


No power of hell, no scheme of man


Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home


Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

~ Owl City

The At Home Workout Club: Month 1

Welcome to month 1 everybody!  Since some of us will have to spend a little money to get set up, this months selections will focus on the ultra~cheap to free selections we can add to get our workout libraries all set up.  Later this week we will also discuss creating a personal plan for yourself as well.

Since variety is key to our success {at least for me anyway! I really hate getting bored with my workouts!} then we need to stock up with a bunch right from the get go!  So let's get down to it and add a ton of free stuff to our workout libraries!

Free Selections To Add To Your Personal Workout Library

Exercisetv.tv ~ Lots of selections you can watch online for free.  If you really like them, you can download them relatively inexpensively {most are under $5}.

FitTV ~ Online videos and healthy tips you can watch for free.

YOGAmazing ~ Free yoga podcast class run by a yoga instructor from Kentucky.  You can purchase past episodes for $3.99 each.  I'm not sure how often the free podcast is changed to a new class though. 

YogaJournal ~ 20 minute classes you can download as audio or video.  These videos tend to have more advanced poses than YOGAmazing.  

YogaToday.com ~ Free yoga classes.  You can even purchase them for $3.99 if you really want to keep it for your own library.

YouTube videos ~ YouTube is a goldmine!  Just put in search terms like Bollywood workout, or yoga, or whatever you're in the mood for and see what pops up.  

Free Things You Can Do At Home

or In Your Own Neighborhood

Jump roping ~ Jumping rope is great exercise!  I hear you can squeeze in the same amount of benefits as a 20 minute workout in only 10 minutes of jumping rope.  That's half the time!   So I usually do this when I am short on time but want the maximum benefits of a longer workout. 

I have a pretty basic jump rope, but I've always wanted a digital jump rope  that actually counts for me!  I just put on some peppy tunes and jump for a few songs.  Vary the tempo with fast and slower jumping, double skips, single skips, knee to chest skips etc. 

Or spice it up with jump rope rhymes. { Download this cute pdf put together by a girl scout troop with lots of jump rope rhymes.}   You could also grab some cute little girls and try your hand at double dutch again {I'm sure the girls would get a kick out of it}! 

Stair climbing ~ Just watch this tutorial first, then go find some stairs!

Walking / Running ~ Take it outside and go for a walk {or run}!  Grab a buddy if you want!  Sunshine is great for you ~ especially in the winter!  Go around your block, to the local high school track or around the mall ~ you decide!

Next month we will add some fun selections to our library again but in the meantime have fun exploring your free options.  If you come across anything I haven't covered that is free then please let me know and I can add it to our list!

The At Home Workout Club: Getting Set Up

Before we get started we need to make sure you have the basics in place so that you can be successful at this.  Let's first do a quick check:  

Do you have all the basics?

New pair of gym shoes ~ The new year is always a great time to replace your gym shoes.  We don't want to hurt your cute little piggies and increase the risk for injury now do we?  Nope!  So go find a cute new pair to wear.

Sports bra ~ This is an important one especially if you are {ahem!} well~endowed so to speak.  Excessive bouncing is uncomfortable {trust me!}.  If bounce or size is an issue for you in this area, then spend the money and get yourself a really good one.  Trust me, it is sooo~ worth it!  It will make a difference in how enjoyable exercise can be for you.  {I get mine from Title Nine, and Athleta, by the way!}  But if size isn't really an issue {lucky you!} then you can find basic ones for pretty cheap at places like Target or Walmart.  

Simple hand weights ~  Weight bearing exercise is an important aspect of  any weight loss or maintenance program.  They don't have to be fancy.  Walmart sells them in a variety of weights that you can choose from.  You should probably have a few different weight sizes ~ I recommend from about 5 lb up to 15-20 lb sizes.

A cute new workout outfit ~ Sure you could just exercise in your old duds, but if you're like me, a ratty ol' tshirt and sweatpants really don't make me that excited to go workout.  No!  Never underestimate the power of a new outfit!  It can make me so excited to wear it that I actually want to go workout!  Now that's an accomplishment!  ~wink~wink~ It's one of the easiest head games for me to get my exercise in!  And if you stick around for a while, I think you'll find that I'm all about the head games! 

Ok!  Now you're all set up and ready to go!  I'm proud of you!  Coming up I will give you my selections for Month 1 of The At Home Workout Club!  Ready?  Let's get moving!

image via

Try One Of These On For Size

Still looking for some New Year's resolution ideas?  Don't let a blank page get you down!  Try any of these on for size.  Originally it was from a Christmas address, but I think these are wonderful ideas year round.  Go ahead.  Pick one or two.  Or more.

This [year],

Mend a quarrel.

Seek out a forgotten friend.

Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.

Write a letter.

Give a soft answer.

Encourage youth.

Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.

Keep a promise.

Forego a grudge.

Forgive an enemy.

Apologize.

Try to understand.

Examine your demands on others.

Think first of someone else.

Be kind.

Be gentle.

Laugh a little more.

Welcome a stranger.

Gladden the heart of a child.

Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.

Speak your love and then speak it again.

~Howard W. Hunter