The ABsolutely FABulous Challenge Day 10: Do The Shuffle

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 10:

Ab Challenge:  Here is a 10 minute video of a standing ab routine.  I really like doing abs while standing and this routine made me really sore.  Exercise TV has great videos and I usually find them on my TV using Fios on Demand.

Healthy Habit Challenge:  Do The Shuffle.  I'm a self proclaimed control freak.  I'm also a little a lot OCD.  I have structured workouts with goals and playlists......I don't just GO to the gym I have a PLAN.....which can be kind of exhausting!
Instead of getting upset about it I embrace it.  Do you have workout routines structured during the week like I do?  I'm WAY to much of a structured worker outer....but not today.....I'm doing the shuffle.

It's shuffle time.  I found an old iPod I TOTALLY forgot about.  I don't even remember the music I put on it.  SO I put my headphones in and went for a run on the shuffle mode.  It was SO liberating to not have a plan and just go.  If the song was slow I walked, if the song was fast I ran.  There were SO MANY songs I forgot how much I loved.  Needless to say it was a great workout and I was happy to break my typical routine.

Positive Thinking Challenge: My mom had The Desiderata hanging by the front door of our house.  She referenced it often and while I was annoyed by it then I am appreciative of it now.  Here is one of the lines I found most useful.  

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

PS - I often have bad hair days am too lazy to do my hair.  My solution to this problem.....headbands.  Headbands make it look as if I put effort into looking stylish....even if I might not actually be stylish....I also call this Sunday hair.

Blackout by Breathe Carolina

This is definitely going on my next workout playlist and in my next spinning class routine.  They actually have several songs I love.

ABsolutely FABulous Challenge Day 9: Do The New....Dude...

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 9

Ab Challenge:  Do the new.  Anything.  At all.  If you run, bike.  If you bike, walk.  If you do both....well then you are a darn rockstar.  Bodies get bored with the same old, same old.  Cross training always helps build different muscles....especially your core and abs.  My husband and sister took a surf lesson this weekend which is a killer workout on your abs.  I would have done it too but then who would take pictures??!!  SECRET:  I am terrified of wave.  Not water, just waves.  I think it is called wavephobia.  Ok, so I made that up.....but it could be real. 

Healthy Habit Challenge:  My sister, mom & I came up with a saying over the weekend that applies to most everything in life. Zip it. Fix it. Stop it. 

Zip it = Just stop talking about it.  Talking about negative things can make it worse!

Fix it = Do something about it!  If you talk and don't act what is the point?

Stop it = Whatever 'it' is stop it.  Whether is be a negative friend, terrible boss or a bad habit.  Just.  Don't.  Do it.

Positive Thinking Challenge:  Surround yourself with people who make you better.  Invest in relationships that recharge you.  Settle for nothing less than what you want and desire.

On a random note look how cute my mom's outfit was.  At least I know where I get my sense of style....haha!  This is again where my philosophy of "belts make everything better" come into play.  That belt makes the whole outfit rock.

Jessica's Lifestyle Makeover Week 8

Goal Weight: 140 by Oct 1

Weigh in Last Week: 159

Weigh in This Week: 157

Total Weight Loss This Week: 2

Total Weight Loss Since May 30th: 15

Can I just say how incredible she looks in stripes!  

Holy cow the weight continues to drop!  Slow and steady weight loss usually stays off.  Jessica is a perfect example of someone who just changed her eating habits and exercised.  Nothing drastic.  No cabbage soup diet.  No cayenne pepper lemon drink diet.  I've pretty much let Jessica figure out the last few weeks on her own and she has done well.  Jessica has got the hang of it and has yet to hit a plateau.  If she hits a plateau we'll switch things up a bit.  For now it is just calorie counting on www.livestrong.com & exercise.  

Only 17 pounds to go!

Now back to.....

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 9

Ab Challenge:  Lie flat on your back with your legs out and your arms stretched out above your head (on the floor).  Come up in a quick move and touch your toes.  Blow out two times.  This is done in Bikram Yoga and I love it. 

Do 3 sets of 12.

Healthy Habit Challenge:  Eat something you've told yourself you don't like.  Maybe you'll like it this time.  I swore to my husband that I HATED beets.  He asked that I give them another try and I did.  Beets are not so bad.  I just had an image from when I was 12 that I hated beets.  Well guess what.  I'm no longer 12 and have changed my tastes quite a bit.....beets are good.

This also happened with goat cheese.  I actually didn't like it but kept giving it a try until I found one I liked.  Humbolt Blue Goat Cheese.....I love you.

Positive Thinking Challenge:  Send someone a care package (or card) in the mail.  Getting mail is fun and you know it.  Why mail makes my day I have no idea!!

The ABsolutely FABulous Challenge Day 8: We Are Half Way There!

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 8

Ab Challenge:  The V Hold.  

Hold this position for 30 seconds 

with a 30 second recovery.

Hold this position for 45 seconds

with a 45 second recovery.

Hold this position for 60 seconds

with a 60 second recovery.

Repeat for 3 sets.

Healthy Habit Challenge:  Floss.....just do it.  As annoying as it is.....just do it......your gums and dentist will thank you.

Positive Thinking Challenge:Ditch your rules.  Not all of them.....just the ones that are needless.  For example:  Making the bed and dishes in the sink.  Why?  I just get mad at my husband when he doesn't making the bed or leaves one coffee mug in the sink.....POINTLESS.  I should just make the damn bed and put the sink away.....it really isn't worth the energy to fight.  PLUS my where my husband lacks in bad making he makes up for in affection and good taste in home decor (phew).

I just bought this necklace.  It's not thrifted but was on sale for $20 bucks.  Love it.  Funny thing is my husband wasn't a fan.  I however saw something unique....the day I wore it we flew to California and 3 people stopped me to tell me how much they liked my necklace.  Goes to show....trust your own gut!

Song of the Week: We are Scientists

I randomly came across this song on my playlist the other day.  I have NO IDEA how it got on my iPod.  I love the song nonetheless.  Enjoy!

The ABsolutely FABulous Challenge: Day 7

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 7

Ab Challenge:  Obliques!  

3 Sets of 20 on each side. 

Please see Allison below: 

Healthy Habit Challenge: Check your labels.  If there are more than 20 ingredients and you can't pronounce 1/2 of them put the item away.....Not all snack bars are good for you.  Some of them have too many ingredients that are pretty much just sugar.  WASTE of a snack. 

Positive Thinking Challenge:  Eliminate the words no, don't and can't from your vocabulary for one day.  I did this yesterday and while I found it hard it was funny how many times I caught myself saying these words unnecessarily!  Example:  My husband asked if I could skip the gym to hang out with him on the couch and be lazy.  Saying yes felt kind of nice.....

So I've been on a roll with posting outfits this week.  Here is one that I was pretty excited about.  Just a plain dress where I added a thrifted button up and belt.  Belts are my cure to everything.  Oh and hot tubs.

The ABsolutely FABulous Challenge: Day 6

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 6

AB Challenge:  Planks. I love these but I hate these.  That is the beauty of them....I'm not just doing regular  planks but SUPER planks.  Let me show you....ok let my gracious fitness model Allison show you.

Start in plank with your arms straight
and directly under your shoulders.

Go down on your left elbow.
Keep your body as close to parallel
to the floor as possible.

Now do the right arm.

Repeat for 1 full minute.
Take a 30 second recovery.
Repeat the above for 5 rounds.

By the end you will feel like above! Haha

Healthy Habit Challenge:  Breathe.  For real.  Like Breathe in and breathe out.  10 full breaths.  When I do this I feel so much better.....and a lot less stressed.

Positive Thinking Challenge:  Smile.  Often.  I swear people look so much better when they smile.


PS - I found this belt for $3.  Woo to the hoo.  Plus don't I look serious in front of my new desk?  It is business time people!

   

Hello 150's...Are you there? It's me....Jessica.

JESSICA'S WEIGH IN WEEK 7

Goal Weight: 140 by Oct 1

Weigh in Last Week: 161

Weigh in This Week: 159

Total Weight Loss This Week: 2

Total Weight Loss Since May 30th: 13

Jessica was doing the happy dance this morning when she found out she entered the 150's!  She hasn't been there since high school and doesn't plan to go back.  Jess has had slow, steady and most importantly permanent weight loss.  Her 3 major keys to success this far:

1.  Eating 6 small meals a day & recording what she eats.....and I mean EVERYTHING.  Even the pizza and beer she had a few weeks ago.

2.  Investing at least an hour 6 days a week at the gym (this won't be the case forever but just until she reaches her goal).

3.  Only weighing herself once a week.  Getting on the scale daily can actually cause frustration.  You go up, you go down all depending on how much salt you've had, water you've drank and about a million other things.  Once a week is PLENTY!  And way more exciting.

She is pretty much doing this right now

Now back to...... 

THE

ABsolutely FABulous 

14 Day Challenge 

14 days worth of Ab Workouts, Healthy Habits & Positive Thinking

DAY 6


I got a little help from Allison on the ab exercise for today:

Ab Challenge:   Scissor Kicks.  

Healthy Habit Challenge:  Stretch for 10 minutes.  You can even do it while you watch TV.  I NEVER stretch and pay for it every time I go to yoga and the instructor tells me she can tell I never stretch.  I can't even touch my toes!

"Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Positive Thinking Challenge:  Tell someone you love why you love them.  Even if you've already told them before.....it never gets old to the person receiving.  I love my my best friend Shana from ColorBlind.  She is someone who always tells me the truth, makes me laugh so hard my stomach hurts and sometimes finishes my sentences in a way that no one else can....so freaky....seriously....

Have an amazing day!


PS - I had to post this pic of my outfit I got for $6.99.  I was pretty proud of myself!  Had a blast finding it with my friend Susie who owns this cute shop called Black Eyed Susie's.  If you are ever in DC you have to check her store out.