Fitting those neglected things back into our lives
I know that I’m tired when I find myself doing a set of 25 front raises, only to realize partway through that it was my second set of front raises I’d already completed that day even though the 200 Reps Challenge for the day was to do arms curls- not front raises. Oops. Bonus front raises, I suppose!
My sides and butt are still sore from Day One, I’m not going to lie. It’s a good sore, though. It reminds me of boot camp. It reminds me of why I love exercising. It reminds me of why it’s important to really care about our bodies and treat ourselves well. We are so privileged to be able to be in the position where we actually have to concern ourselves with staying in shape to be healthy, and I think it’s good to be reminded of that. Two hundred reps of two exercises every day for 31 days is no simple feat, and after all of the nutrition challenges we’ve been hosting here at Living Healthy in the Real World, it sure feels great to incorporate a little bit of fitness in there too! Sometimes we start focusing too much on one aspect of being healthy- nutrition, fitness, mental health, emotional health, and so on- that we neglect the other parts. That isn’t to say we should stop paying attention to whatever we’ve been focusing excessively on, but it is to say that we should be aware of it and try to get the other aspects in occasionally too. Including an exercise challenge feels really good amidst all of our nutrition challenges.
What have you found yourself neglecting lately? What are you going to try to fit back into your life, starting this weekend?
Day Four of the 200 Reps Challenge
20 overhead triceps extensions (targets triceps)
20 knee lifts with weight (targets cardio, lower body, and core)
Do this set ten times for a total of 200 overhead triceps extensions and 200 knee lifts with weights!
For the overhead triceps extensions:
1. Grasp one (or two) dumbbell in both hands; stand with you feet hip width apart, back straight, abs tight. Raise the dumbbell overhead and bend your elbows, bringing the weight behind your head. It should be about at your shoulders, with your elbows poking out of your head.
2. Contracting your arms, lift the weight overhead so that your arms are straight and the dumbbell is directly over your shoulders. Lower your arms to bring the dumbbell back behind your shoulders. This is one rep.
TIP: Don’t let your body act as momentum. Your back should be straight the whole time. Use a lighter weight to prevent yourself from rocking your body.
For the knee lifts with weight:
1. Hold a light dumbbell or medicine ball in both hands. Stand with feet hip width apart. Bring up one knee, tightening your abs as you do so, touching the dumbbell/ball to your knee as you bring it up.
2. Lower your leg and bring up the other knee, touching the weight to it as well. Lower the leg. This is one rep.
TIP: Perform this move quickly to get that heart rate up while you strength train!
Don’t forget to answer this month’s poll!
Great point about how easy it is to focus on one goal and neglect all the rest. It’s a constant struggle for balance over here in Crabland, and balance usually loses!
These columns on the 200 reps challenge have been terrific! Not only that you are doing them, but how you are making the workouts accessible for everyone else to do also. You are not just lighting the candle, you are being the candle!
You make such a great point about the fact that we need to make an effort to achieve balance in all things. It’s so easy to get single minded.
Amen to this: “We are so privileged to be able to be in the position where we actually have to concern ourselves with staying in shape to be healthy, and I think it’s good to be reminded of that.”
Well said! It brings a lot of things into perspective. We’re lucky to be able to take care of our bodies…so do it!
Crabby- Balance is DIFFICULT to achieve sometimes!
Dr. J- Thanks 🙂
Diane- It really is. Have to keep such a broad perspective all the time.
Sophia- Hear hear!
Great post. I got some very valuable information from it. I’ve been trying out some new Asian recipes lately and am having a great time experimenting with them. Do you have a favorite cookbook? If you’d like to see my blog it’s here. Thanks again for this blog – it is really well-done.
Appreciate it, was looking for something along the lines of this for a while. Where’s the subscribe button? Ha 🙂
Oy vay. I’m stopping at two again today.