Lifting All the Weights + The Great Home Flora Exchange of 2k12

I was on track to go to the gym, like, 1 million times last week... until Dave got home from the Diavik Diamond Mine. Then I just ate chocolate and watched movies and went on the occasional brisk walk with me boyf.

Here's what I did with myself at the gym during my workouts last week:

10/29

30 mins elliptical

.  swimmers  .
.  screenshot from toneitup video

12 overhead press, 12 lbs each hand

70 weighted v-sit twists, holding 15 lbs

12 deltoid flys, 7.5 lbs each hand

50 Brazilian crunches

12 bicep curls, 12 lbs each hand

40 weighted side bends, 12 lbs each hand

on exercise ball, 10 lbs each hand:

   - 12 chest press

   - 12 close grip chest press

40 reverse crunch w/ leg lifts

12 tricep extension on exercise ball, 10 lbs each hand

30 weighted crunches on exercise ball, holding 12 lbs

12 chest flys on exercise ball, 10 lbs each hand

- 1:00 plank

- 100 "swimmers"

10/31

30 mins elliptical

40 squats, 12 lbs each shoulder

40 weighted side bends, 12 lbs each hand

40 deadlifts, 12 lbs each shoulder

50 plank knee to elbow

30 jump squats, alternating wide and close stance

40 reverse crunch w/ leg lifts

60 side lunges + plyometric push off, 30 each side

30 weighted crunches on exercise ball, holding 12 lbs

- 40 bridges

- 20 single leg hip lifts, 20 each leg

- 20 alternating core kicks from bridge position

- 1:00 plank

- 100 "swimmers"

11/4

30 mins elliptical

12 bicep curls, 12.5 lbs each hand

80 weighted v-sit twists, holding 15 lbs

12 overhead press, 15 lbs each hand

45 reverse crunch w/ leg lifts

12 deltoid flys, kneeling on bosu ball, 7.5 lbs each hand

40 dynamic side planks, 20 each side

on exercise ball, 15 lbs each hand:

   - 12 chest press

   - 12 close grip chest press

30 weighted crunches on exercise ball, holding 12 lbs

on exercise ball, 10 lbs each hand:

   - 12 chest fly

   - 12 alternating shoulder raises

40 Brazilian crunches

12 tricep extension on exercise ball, 10 lbs each hand

- 1:00 plank

- 100 "swimmers"

20 jump squats, alternating wide and close stance

20 side lunges + plyometric push off, 10 each side

Re-reading through my workouts makes me even more excited for my next workout. I love how it feels knowing I'm pushing myself by increasing the weight used for an exercise (like going from 12 lbs to 15 lbs for my overhead presses, or going from 12 lbs to 15 lbs with my v-sit twists), or increasing my number of reps for an exercise (like pushing out 5 more reverse crunch/leg lifts). 

I recently subscribed to a YouTube fitness channel by the girl who co-founded BodyRock.tv - Zuzana Light. I never watched BodyRock.tv videos, but they were always on my radar due to my profession and the resulting website circles I've been running in for the last 5 years. I don't know why she left BodyRock, but Zuzana has moved to her own channel on YouTube, ZuzkaLight. The channel has been around for awhile, but I just subscribed and started actually paying attention last week. Good. Lord. This woman's body is incredible, and what she pushes herself to do with it is both amazing and inspiring. Go check it out right now, and watch one of her videos for more than two minutes. Seriously, go ahead, I'll wait here.

...

If you actually went and looked, you're probably exhausted right now just watching her. Also, isn't her accent ADORABLE? If you're lacking in workout motivation, do the following: 1) Watch some of her fitness videos, 2) Go to the gym, 3) Tell yourself, "If she can do it, I can do it!!", 4) And then push yourself!  She's got me feeling like the human body is capable of amazing things... and that I should believe I'm capable of doing amazing things and then really challenge myself to do them! GIRL POWER! SPICE UP YOUR LIFE! Sorry. #90s.

Speaking of the 90s... nope, sorry this doesn't have anything to do with the 90s. #seguefail.  This past Wednesday, I stopped at a flower shop up the hill from my apartment and picked up a "welcome home" plant for Dave, who would be returning to me the next day. The shop, called Celsia Florist, smelled wonderful and both girls working there were very friendly. Here's what I picked up:

.  no idea what this plant is, but i like it  .

On Monday night I came home from the grocery store and Dave had left some flowers for me on my desk! What a sweetheart :)

.  purdy .

I was never someone who gave much of a crap about plants until I started dating David. Now I'm very happy to have many of them in our apartment and am always on the lookout for new inexpensive plants to bring home. I'm even pretty decent about remembering to water them! Hollllllla!

Did you go to the gym or admire any beautiful plants this past week?