Tag: monthly workout

Fitness for April 2016

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This month sure went by fast.  It seems like it was just the end of March.  I actually missed doing a post on fitness for the month of March because I was pretty busy.  I did workout – even when we went out of town for Spring Break – but I just didn’t have time for a post that month.

Cathe Friedrich Xtrain dvd workout for April 2016 from Kimberlees Korner

In the past month of April I followed my Cathe Friedrich Xtrain program for most of the month along with yoga every other day.  I actually started the month just doing Cathe workouts but then the past two weeks I decided to get back into yoga more so I have been doing a schedule of cardio or weights one day and then yoga the next.  So the past couple of weeks my schedule was:

Mondays –  Xtrain, cardio or weights

Tuesdays – yoga

Wednesdays –  Xtrain, cardio or weights

Thursdays – yoga

Friday – Xtrain, cardio or weights

Saturday – yoga

Sunday – off

The yoga workouts varied for me.  I either used my Shiva Rea dvd’s or checked out some Yoga Journal magazines from my local library and used some of the sequences in those.  I enjoy doing the Yoga Journal sequences and the variety they offer.  I also like that I can check out the magazines at the library and not have to buy them.  The library keeps up to the past two years so there is a variety to choose from.

I also found a new book at the library about the Vitamix blender.  I was looking for a book about using a blender for more than just smoothies and came across the Vitamix cookbook.  At the time of checking this out a few weeks ago I did not own a Vitamix blender – I just had my older model Ninja Ultima blender that I bought about three years ago.The Vitamix Cookbook

Well, after getting this book and seeing the great recipes and then watching some videos on YouTube about the Vitamix I was convinced I needed one.  There are many things you can do with the Vitamix that the Ninja will not do, believe me, I tried.  Thankfully my husband was agreeable to me getting one as they are not cheap.  I ended up getting the Deluxe Complete Kitchen set that comes with the 5200 blender, the smaller blending container and also the dry grinding container that you can grind your own flours in.  There were also some other bonuses like cutting mats, spatulas and the Whole Foods cookbook-binder with lots of great recipes.  This set was on sale through Vitamix  for Mother’s Day so I told my husband this could be my Mother’s Day gift.Vitamix 5200 Blender - Kimberlees Korner

So far I love this new blender.  I have been using it daily – at least twice or more a day – since I received it.  The smoothies are really good and the green ones turn out super smooth.  I have even gotten my oldest son to start drinking one daily and he likes them.

I have also used the Vitamix to dry chop some vegetables and to wet chop vegetables.  I have made a frozen dessert, nut butter, salsa and soup.  The soup was not a big hit with the family – it was okay.  I made it directly in the blender – it was tomato soup.  It seemed kind of foamy which is what my family disliked.  I think next time I would just blend it in the blender for about a minute and then cook – heat it on the stove.  The strawberry frozen dessert I made was a big hit and I love how it only had 3 simple ingredients and very low sugar.  I have also tried out the dry grinding container and made my own oat flour to use in my homemade bread and rolls that I bake each week.

Vitamix Blender - Kimberlees Korner

Well, tomorrow is the first of May and I will continue my Cathe and yoga workout rotation for at least the beginning of May.  I may change it up to something different by the middle of the month, we’ll see.  I hope you are having a great Spring so far and getting in some workouts.

-Kimberlee

Fitness for September 2015

For the past month I took a break from my normal routine of using fitness videos and used some of my book and fitness magazine routines.  I have a collection of workout and yoga books and lots of fitness routines from magazines that I have clipped out and saved.  So, the first couple of weeks of September I used the magazine routines alternating in some yoga.  It was fun to put on some good workout music and do those sets of exercises for 20 to 30 minutes.

The second half of the month I chose to use some of my workout books and alternate those with yoga from my yoga magazine.  I also got a new Pilates book from Sams at the end of August so I mixed that in this month as well.

pilates book

I really like this Pilates book.  It is a full color book with step by step photos of the exercises.  At the end of the book there  are several different Pilates routines that you can do – like one is classic Pilates, another called spinal call and  working the leg-core connection.  There are twelve total routines at the back of the book.

cat and pilates workout

As you can see my other cat likes the Pilates book, too.  She has been out more lately since I have started this new routine.  She is usually more shy and quiet than my other cat who loves to join me for my daily workouts.  I guess she is a Pilates fan.

Some of the other books I used for my workouts this month were some that I have had for a while.  They are books that use an exercise ball and some of the exercises use weights.  So a lot of these workout are more for toning and strength training.

ways to workout on the ball book

workout books for daily exercise

As you can see I own a few fitness books that are about working out on the ball.  The exercise ball is probably one of my favorite fitness tools.  I know it is not exactly convenient for storing but there are so many things you can do on the ball and so many areas you can tone up much better than just doing traditional exercises.  I think working out with weights on the ball is a lot of fun as well as some of the abdominal work.

So, for this past month I enjoyed creating my own routines or using some from the books.  Most of them were about 20 to 30 minutes long.  On my yoga days I usually did about a 20 or 25 minute yoga sequence from my Yoga Journal magazine that I bought several months ago.  It is a great magazine and I never get tired of the routines in there.

yoga journal magazine with great yoga practices and other info
Yoga Journal Magazine with lots of great workouts

For the coming month of October I have decided to go back to using my Cathe workout dvd’s and alternating yoga or the Pilates book in between video days.  I find I do best with variety which is why I am constantly changing my workouts each month.  I also think it helps your body stay in shape to do different things.

What kinds of workouts have you done lately?  Let me know by leaving a reply.

Kimberlee