Strength training move of the week.

Chilly night last night. There actually was a frost advisory out for last night. WTH??? Didn’t seem to get any, but it sure was chilly biking to the gym – mid 40s.

Exercise Set/rep/weight Muscle worked
Barbell squats 3 sets of 8 with 55# bar Lower body
Chin ups 1 set of 2, 4 sets of 1 Upper body
Dumbbell pull over 3 sets of 10 with 25# DB Back
Reverse crunch 3 sets of 15 Abs
Incline Dumbbell press 3 sets of 12 with 20# DBs (40# total) Chest
Reverse lunge with single dumbbell 3 sets of 10 (each leg) with 15# DB Legs
Lateral raise 3 sets of 10 with 10# DBs (20# total) Shoulders
Lying french press 3 sets of 12 with 10# DBs (30# total) Triceps

I was working hard on these today. The barbell squats and the reverse lunges always get my heart rate up there! A little more weight on the squats. Not back at the 115# pre injury, but I’ll get there.

Lifting move of the week:  Reverse lunge with single dumbbell.  This move is good in many ways.  First, it’s good for the legs because lunges just are.  Using the single dumbbell also helps you work on balance – and who couldn’t use a little more balance in their life?

Do this for both legs.  I just filmed one side.  This is an older video, btw.  This was one of the NROLW moves that I like to have in my rotation.  Now that I can do split leg moves again, that’s what I did today!  John met me at the gym and we biked to bagels.  I actually started to bonk on the way there and had to eat a ginger chew.  I think it was not taking a rest day after the ride, plus a harder strength workout today.  I did have a protein drink before leaving the house, but obviously not enough.

I looked for the biggest bagel I could see, and it was a sunflower seed bagel.  Delicious!  I really had to keep from inhaling it 😀

After carb loading up, we headed home.  Total bike mileage was 14.3 miles.

Work went much more smoothly today.  So smooth that I was extra productive and did more lines in less time, so I did more than required.  I’ll take the extra money!  My new netbook is so awesome 😀

Lunch break was some greek yogurt mixed with plain whey protein, granola, strawberries and a little buckwheat honey.

This honey is awesome.  We bought it at the farmer’s market.  Need to get more.

That partial bonk this morning left me with one of those hungry things in my stomach all day.  Dislike that feeling.  I had some chocolate with my latte.

This is good stuff!

Pre dinner was some cashews while I roasted coffee for tomorrow (all done with work by this time).

Nibble, nibble…..

It was raining, but the birdies were keeping me company while I did the coffee:

(my liatris will be blooming soon – yay!)

I had that craving for BBQ from yesterday, so I had some BBQ shrimp.    1/2 of a microwaved sweet potato topped with laughing cow and sauteed broccoli.

I cracked open the Chef Hymie hot BBQ sauce for this.  Boy howdy that has a kick to it!  It actually made my nose run.  Loves the hot stuff….

I have been noticing a soreness in my left thigh lately, and I think I now understand what it is.  Before with the weakness, I was moving my leg, but not really using it.  Make sense?  Now I can actually use my leg and the muscles are sore from being worked again.  Yay!  My knee is still numb, but the feeling has come back in my calf.

Tomorrow will be a rest day for me, I think.  I also will talk a little bit about Nutrisystem, as I had done this for a while a couple years ago and was asked about it.

We are off to Starbucks for some coffee and for me to play more with my little netbook.

Question:  Do you consider the sweet potato a veggie or just a carb?

26 thoughts on “Strength training move of the week.

  1. Run Sarah

    Will have to try the single dumbbell lunge – I find strength moves that require balance help me focus a bit better! I consider SP somewhat between a carb and a veg, if that makes sense!
    .-= Run Sarah´s last blog ..Morning Workout =-.

  2. Tish

    I love seeing what you eat. Good for you things, fun things, chocolate things, crunchy things. And I love the details too–half a sweet potato. I learn things from you and are glad you’re paving the way for me as I get closer to my goal. Thank you! Fun realization about your leg–that’s great.

  3. Kimberley

    I never used to like sweet potatoes, but now I am a big fan. I love making homemade sweet potato fries…yum! I consider it a carb and a veg all wrapped up in one beautiful orange package.

    I love when you show the exercise. I would like to be able to do that one day. My legs don’t seem to bend like that though. Maybe after a few more yoga classes I will be able to do it.

    Mmm…shrimp. Need to make some soon too.
    .-= Kimberley´s last blog ..My Week Update # 12 and Week #23 Goals =-.

    1. Lori Post author

      I was the same way. Never liked sweet potatoes. Guess I was too young to appreciate good stuff LOL!

      You’ll get there if you do enough yoga! Or even Pilates.

  4. Pubsgal

    My BodyPump instructor coached me on how to achieve a deeper squat last time. I was going heavier on the weight but not going low enough, so she had me lower my weight and stack about 8 risers behind my rear and try to touch it with my bottom each time. I implemented it this week, and oh.my.gahd. I feel like I’m starting from scratch. I’ll be lucky to be able to walk tomorrow.

    I love sweet potatoes, but none of my family do, so we don’t have them very often. I have to count potato as a carb from a diabetes perspective, but I’d prefer having a little sweet potato to, say, bread. (Flavor and nutrition-wise.) The Dave Grotto video on MizFit about potatoes (you remember the Ken & Barbie nutrition series?) made me look much more kindly on them. I like the skin the best, anyhow, so sometimes I scoop out the middle so I can get more potato skin in a portion.
    .-= Pubsgal´s last blog ..In Memory of Bela, a Good Dog =-.

  5. John

    It’s been cool here at night too. Don’t mind though as there’s no snow and it’s not freezing cold 🙂

  6. Kim

    I ride my bike several times a week on a converted Rails to Trails path (crushed limestone). Today I was going to ride 20 miles, but at the last minute decided to ride 30. I realized I had not eaten enough. Garmin said I burned 1734 (5’4″, 135lb, female, age 44), but that seems ridiculously high. I liked when John said he figured he burned about 35 calories per mile because that seems more reasonable. Where did he come up with that figure?

    1. Lori Post author

      Generally when you run, you burn about 100 calories per mile. So, biking is less than that, and he figured about 1/3 as much work per mile. Plus, I think there are other calculators out there that give this general figure.

  7. Alissa

    I consider the sweet potatoes veggies. Maybe because I have a tough time eating my veggies and I have no problem eating the sweet potatoes. 🙂 It’s probably more of a carb though…
    .-= Alissa´s last blog ..A Milestone =-.

  8. cammy@TippyToeDiet

    I had a tough gym day today, too! I’m hoping for improvement on Friday.

    Sweet potatoes fall into my starchy foods category, which means no more than 1 serving total each day. Most days I don’t have any, but since most of them have a lot of nutrtients, I try to work them in from time to time. I really should try harder with that. *makes note*
    .-= cammy@TippyToeDiet´s last blog ..Out of Gas =-.

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  10. debby

    Don’t know what I consider Sweet potatoes but darn it Lori! I am having shrimp and sweet potato tomorrow night! Hey, when you go out for Starbucks in the evening, you don’t drink regular coffee, do you? I would be awake all night!
    .-= debby´s last blog ..A Simple, Lovely Day =-.

    1. Lori Post author

      We go decaf at night. Actually, caffeine doesn’t affect me too much, but just to be on the safe side, I try to avoid it at night.

  11. Fran

    I’m not so far I can do that lunge so quick and with such heavy weight as you! Wow!

    I consider sweet potato as a carb. I like them a lot but it’s difficult to buy them here, at least where I live, I think in bigger cities they are more easy to get.

  12. Rachel Palmieri

    This probably doesn’t make any sense but I consider sweet potatoes a vegetable and regular potatoes a carb. I think there is a lot more nutritional value to sweet potatoes which is why they get special distinction 🙂

  13. Andra

    When I do sweet potato, I pair it with protein and a green veg, though I consider it a very valuable orange veg it’s filling like a starch. I just love it!
    .-= Andra´s last blog ..I Fear Change =-.

  14. Jody - Fit at 52

    How exciting that you are getting back to all the things you did before the injury! Keep up the good work & I can see you are working hard to get thru it! Love your move of the week! I did legs & back today along with cardio. All was good! 🙂 Although…. I would have loved a bagel!

    I love sweet potatoes & count it as both a veggie/carb. I eat less of them than I do veggie type veggies but I love them & lots of good nutrients in them too.
    .-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..What Do You Want to be When You Grow Up? =-.

  15. paula

    Lori, I really appreciate the videos. I have access to all those weight thingies at the gym at work but don’t have a clue as to how to use it. This move is easy peazy. Thanks for sharing. I can easily incorporate that into my exericse. I don’t do enough weights. Your bagels and chocolate always look yummy.

  16. Miz

    I think I have baggage 🙂 left over from my bodybuilding days when we’d carb up with the sweet taters.
    not only do I think of em as a carb—I cant eat em any more.

    oh

    except for the fries.

    I DO LOVE THE FRIES 🙂
    off to get my strength training on!

    Miz.
    .-= Miz´s last blog ..Jen in Real Life (guest post). =-.

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