I hope that everyone is having a lovely holiday, regardless of whether you’re celebrating Christmas! This year I’ve had a tough time getting really excited about Christmas. The sisterroommate, as most of you know, is travelling and living in Cambodia right now with the father dear. While the father dear has been away during holidays before because of his work with the United Nations, I have never celebrated Christmas without the sisterroommate. Even when she was attending university in Istanbul, I flew there for a few weeks over the holidays so that we could spend Christmas together. It seemed appropriate; growing up, we were the only children with the extended family that we celebrate the holidays with, so Christmas was very much something that the two of us shared an excitement for.

Although the father dear and the sisterroommate are away, the mother dear stayed at my apartment last night. We had a toastie-off; she made toast with cheese and bacon broiled in the oven, and I made toast with vegan cheezy sauce and “facon bacon” made of tempeh for dinner before settling in for the night. The mother dear preferred her regular cheese and bacon on toast, but I actually quite enjoyed the vegan version!

We are celebrating brunch at my apartment and then dinner at the mother dear’s condo, all of it with our usual extended family- including my little twin cousins, Taylor and Alexa (only 14 months old!). The excessive month-long celebrations that I’ve participated in the past aren’t something I’m so interested in anymore, but it’s nice that in the next couple years there will be children running around with anticipation for the holidays. I’m happy to pass along the excitement and traditions to Taylor and Alexa and enjoy a quieter holiday, myself.

Today I am thinking of the sisterroommate and the father dear and appreciating my loved ones very much: when we’re without the people that we are so used to seeing at certain times of the year, we’re reminded of how much they mean to us and how important friends and family really are.

I’d let you off the hook with the 200 Reps Challenge if I were really the sentimental soul that I appear to be in the above musings, but instead I’ll play the part of the slave driver. After all, who else is going to tell you to perform 200 reps each of two exercises if I don’t? Precisely. Enjoy!

Day 25 of the 200 Reps Challenge

20 Standing Calf Raises (targets the calves)

20 Stability Ball Crunches (targets the abdominals)

Perform this set ten times for a total of 200 Standing Calf Raises and 200 Stability Ball Crunches!

For the Standing Calf Raises:

1. Stand on the edge of a step so that your heels are off the step but your toes and middle of your foot are resting on the step. Your feet should be hip width apart. Hold onto a wall lightly with one hand for balance. Let your heels drop and stand tall with your shoulders back and your core engaged.

2. Slowly rise as high as you can on your toes, keeping your abs tight. Slowly reverse the position so that your heels are dropped below the step level. This is one rep.

TIP: Don’t allow the momentum to propel you; instead, use a slow and controlled movement.

For the Stability Ball Crunches:

1. Sit on top of a stability ball so that your lower back is resting on the ball. Put your hands lightly behind your ears so that they barely graze them (do not tug on your neck or grab your head!).

2. Lift your upper back off the ball, feeling the crunch as your abs do all the work. Reverse the position. This in one rep.

TIP: Stare towards the ceiling the entire time to maintain balance and to prevent your body from twisting or straining. If you don’t have a stability ball, simply perform a regular crunch on a mat, as detailed on Day 15 of the 200 Reps Challenge.