Workouts of the Week + Weekend Highlights (Pink Bath Water, FroYo, #Werk)

Last week was one of self-permitted demi-laziness as I prepped for my mom's arrival and then spent the second half of the week showing her around Vancouver... rather than pumping serious iron at the gym, as you know I generally do. This week has been back to the grind!

5/5 (core and cardio)

10 mins biking (2 miles)

40 weighted v-sit twists, holding 15 lbs

40 Russian get ups, holding 5 lbs

40 Brazilian crunches

40 crunches on exercise ball, holding 15 lbs

40 lying overhead raise + double crunch, holding 5 lbs

40 leg raise + reverse crunch

10 mins elliptical

10 lat pulldowns, 30 lbs

10 lat pulldowns, 40 lbs

10 lat pulldowns, 50 lbs

10 lat pulldowns, 60 lbs

5/6 (lower body and core)

3:10 jumping jacks

20 deadlifts, 15 lbs each hand

1:00 plank

20 sumo squats holding 15 lbs

1:00 plank

20 (on each leg) single leg squats + front arm raise, 3 lbs each hand

40 calf raises, 15 lbs each hand

1:00 plank

20 single leg bridges + leg adduction, each leg

40 alternating lunges, 15 lbs each hand

1:00 plank

40 diamond clamshells each leg

12 squats, holding 15 lbs

12 squats, holding 20 lbs

12 squats, holding 25 lbs

12 lat pulldowns, 30 lbs

12 lat pulldowns, 40 lbs

12 lat pulldowns, 50 lbs

5/8 (upper body and core)

3:10 jumping jacks

12 chest press on exercise ball, 12.5 lbs each hand

30 crunches on exercise ball, holding 12.5 lbs

12 deltoid flys, 8 lbs each hand

30 lying overhead raise + double crunch, holding 8 lbs

12 bent over rows each arm, 12.5 lbs

30 weighted v-sit twists holding 12.5 lbs

12 deltoid raises, 8 lbs each hand

30 Russian get ups, holding 8 lbs

12 close grip chest press on exercise ball, 12.5 lbs each hand

30 alternating weighted side bends, 12.5 lbs each hand

24 alternating shoulder raises on exercise ball, 8 lbs each hand

30 leg raise + reverse crunch

12 overhead press, 12.5 lbs each hand

30 Brazilian crunches

12 tricep extensions on exercise ball, 8 lbs each hand

30 cobras

40 crab bridges + alternating arm reach

5/10 (lower body and core)

5 mins elliptical

2x:

   - 40 calf raises, 15 lbs each hand

   - 30 Russian get ups, 8 lbs

   - 40 crab bridges + alternating arm reach

   - 30 Brazilian crunches

   - 40 deadlifts, 15 lbs each hand

   - 30 lying overhead raise + double crunch, holding 8 lbs

   - 40 side lunges + plyometric push-off, each leg

   - 30 plank knee to elbow

40 bridges

The Tone It Up girls launched their 2014 Bikini Series a couple weeks ago, and with that comes all-new workouts from those sexxxxxay ladies! I'm particularly loving some of the new exercises featured in their updated Bikini Booty workout, which you should check out here, if you're tryna work on DAT ASS DOE this season. I know I am.

I had a dinner out with my friend Rose on Friday night in Vancouver's Gastown neighborhood. We tried out a new-to-us restaurant called 131 Water Kitchen & Bar, where I enjoyed my cherry-infused vodka drink but wasn't in love with my salmon salad. But we were there early enough to order some half-priced appetizers from their happy hour menu, and our tortilla chips and yam fries were both quite yummy. It was a great night to sit out on the patio and do some people-watching. 131 Water was certainly a nice place to get some post-work drinks on a Friday night, but you can probably do better in terms of good food in Gastown.

Yesterday was a day of multi-tasking, while getting all of the tasks done. It was awesome. My afternoon was spent doing laundry, washing a sink full of dishes, cleaning/reorganizing an overflowing-with-crap closet, buying and re-potting a new plant for our balcony, and disposing of a dying palm tree that had literally just been rotting inside its pot. 

By the end of the afternoon, all of my chores were done, my apartment was clean, my balcony was swept and spotless, and I'd even managed to get to the gym for a lower body workout. I rewarded myself with a relaxing bath using one of the Lush bath bombs that I purchased back in November from their holiday collection...

.  this is the end of the bath - it was a magical navy/purple swirly splendor earlier  .

And the rewards didn't stop there because after a dinner of spaghetti squash, steamed kale, and apple slices, I walked to Scoop and got myself some raspberry frozen yogurt with plenty of sweet toppings! There would be a picture of this masterpiece but... I devoured it too fast. 

.  this is a random picture of english bay in vancouver  .
.  i didn't think you'd mind  .

Other highlights from the weekend so far:

• Big slow rain drops on my head as I walked through downtown Vancouver after dinner on Friday night. Charming at first, and then a good reason to hail a cab.
• Finished watching The Rescuers Down Under (I started it probably 2 months ago and never finished it).
• Rented 12 Years A Slave from RedBox. Cried several times while watching it.
• Chocolate croissant with my breakfast Saturday morning from Viva Fine Foods & Bakery.
• Finding a couple of shirts in my closet that I can get rid of/donate to Salvay.
• Swapped out my winter-ish shoes and boots and replaced them in my closet with my warmer weather shoes and sandals.
• Tiramisu donut from Lucky's Doughnuts... mmm.
• Picking out an outfit for the wedding I'll be attending in Massachusetts in June! My outfit is nearly narrowed down, but the questions of footwear and accessories have yet to be addressed. Such a fun "problem" to try to resolve though, wouldn't you say? By the way, so far I'm completely shopping my own closet for that shit. 

So basically, WHO EVEN KNOWS what today holds for me?! What else is left to do?!

Oh, snap, that's right. It's Mother's Day. Gotta call Momma! You should, too.

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