Vegan Momma

What’s with the cartoon? Well it made me laugh. I’ve encountered many people like that… too busy to exercise. Even at my busiest (and it’s safe to say I’m there now) I make time for exercise.

Following some peoples logic I don’t “need” to exercise. Why? I’m not overweight in great shape (which is only made even better by exercise) but I realize that exercise is more than maintaining a healthy body weight. It’s actually beneficial to your health.

Today was one of the most intense workouts I’ve had in years. Although I didn’t do a lot of exercises the ones, I did I worked until muscle failure. I normally do five sets, sometimes seven sets, of whatever exercise I do. Usually 15 reps per set. Well today I went beyond that count and worked every set until I could not physically lift anymore.

What did I focus on today? Legs, calves, and abdominal exercises. D did the same routine. He had told me when we weren’t working out he didn’t push his legs as hard as he used to. I admit it; I’m a leg girl I love working them hard. D pushes me to work my upper body harder.

As I left the gym, I had to smile because It seemed that I was just going through the motions with my legs…placing one foot in front of the other and just going through the motions. Yes, my legs were that tired. My energy wasn’t depleted I could have worked out for hours as long as it wasn’t my legs. The great thing is that I had the same amount of energy after my workout as I did in the beginning. I know my eating lifestyle had a lot to do with that, also with the muscle gains that I see. Time to break the myths about vegans. I usually wear some type of name shirt promoting the vegan or raw food lifestyle when I’m in the gym.

You know what? You don’t need fancy equipment to achieve a fabulous workout some of my most intense workouts have been working out at home. Earlier this year I worked out at the home for three months straight I felt I did not have time to go to the gym but I still made time at home to work out. I have weights at home, but there were plenty of times that I worked out without weights. Some of those workout sessions left my muscles extremely tired.

Yes my life is busy. I’m actually busier than many of the people I personally know, but it doesn’t stop me from getting a workout. Realizing the impact that workouts have on my overall well being I make the time and just do it.

[tags]vegan, nutrition, fitness, exercise[/tags]

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Even though I’m an extremely active person I still got a kick out of the above cartoon. I know a few people like that man.

Today marked my official return to Ballys Total Fitness, although I have been working out daily for the past few months. Getting a good workout, at home, is a non-issue and you can get one even with the bare minimum of equipment. Although I do have my own mini gym at home their are many times when I don’t use the equipment. I always find working the muscles in a different way can bring on muscle soreness.

My workouts are usually intense and todays workout legs, calves, and abs wasn’t any different. My body is starting to talk to me but I was prepared icing down my legs. Which gives me a person excuse to relax, study, and later read.

Before I begin my workout routines, I always stretch; it’s a great way to prevent possible injuries also don’t push yourself too hard. I didn’t. I ended my workout with some sauna time. I was in their for an hour. The skin is our largest eliminative organ. I have found the sauna to be a great way to eliminate toxins within the body.

We all have them. The question is how are we getting rid of them? Some of us aren’t as effective as eliminating as others. That can be caused by constipation, variety of chemicals that we consume in the foods we eat or the products that we use. Over time, what do you think that does to us? Health related problems manifest.

Exercise, I’ve found is a simple but effective way to keep me regular. I also eat a lot of fiber, and the amount of processed foods I eat is minimal. More on this topic in a later post but for now I’m looking for someone to carry me around.

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I incorporate interval training into my weekly routine. The days I do this varies week to week but on average I do it three times weekly. Interval trainings is nothing new to me it’s been a part of my exercise routine since I started actively going to the gym at the age of eighteen.

What is Interval Training?

With interval training you alternate between high intensity exercises and low intensity exercises.

How It’s Done

Warm up for ten minutes before you begin.

Example

If you were on the treadmill move to a high intensity training (jogging or running.) The intensity will vary depending on your level of physical fitness. During your high intensity workouts, you are using more oxygen than your body has available (anaerobic exercise.)

During my high intensity trainings I run full speed, at the highest incline, for one - two minutes (My fitness level is advanced pick a pace you are comfortable with) by that time my muscles will start to fatigue and I will begin to feel the burn as lactic acid starts building up in my muscles. I start to run out of breath. This is a sure sign that I won’t be able to continue at this pace for too much longer. Once your muscles wear out slow down to a more comfortable, low intensity, pace. I usually jog.

You would continue to alternate between the high intensity & low intensity training at the level you are comfortable with. I usually do it thirty minutes for about forty-five minutes. I mainly do this type of training with free weights/nautilus equipment. The beauty of interval training is you receive an intense workout in a fraction of the time that it would take to do a normal workout.

Benefits Of Interval Training

Interval training helps boost your metabolism. It’s an anaerobic exercise (short-term high intensity activity.) You burn more calories from fat and carbohydrates when you incorporate interval training into your exercise routine. Guess what? You also keep burning the calories for hours after the exercise is over. This will boost your metabolism.

With aerobic exercise, you stop burning calories when the exercise has ended. For those who are looking to lose weight interval training has proven to be effective in weight loss.

Since weight loss is not an issue for myself. I include enough high calorie vegan whole foods (close to the original source as possible) into my daily routine. I don’t want to lose weight. My body fat is at 12% at the moment. I’m not trying to come down any lower. A few examples of what I incorporate into my weekly intake are high calorie, nutrient dense fruit smoothies, avocados, nut & seed cheeses, etc.,

Caution

If you are new to exercise, you should check with your health care provider before doing any type of fitness routine.

What’s On My Fitness Menu Today

Interval Training

• Cross Training
• Free Weights
• Nautilus Training - Leg Workout

[tags]exercise, interval training, anaerobic exercise, weight loss[/tags]

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Yesterday as I walked into Bally’s I thought “Uh oh” you see the gym was crowded. It looks as if everyone were trying to squeeze in a quick exercise just like myself, and here I thought I would be avoiding that by arriving early. I go early for a reason to avoid the crowds. I’m able to exercise on the majority of the equipment without waiting. That wasn’t happening yesterday. There were so many people in the gym that I thought it must be a holiday? I was wrong there wasn’t a holiday.

However, a positive did come out of this experience I now have a workout partner for today. D, has been going to Bally’s longer than myself and although we have chatted briefly before not to the point we did yesterday. D’s in phenomenal shape and his style of training is a lot like mine. It’s freestyle. When I was younger, I would have days where I would work on certain body parts as the years progressed I moved away from that. Whatever I feel needs to be worked on I do. I’ve noticed the most results doing this.

There are a few bodybuilders, who compete, that work out at the Bally’s I attend. We talked about competition. He used to compete. I told him about my desire to compete. Although I work out daily, I’m finding it hard to put in the time to make it happen. I told him this yesterday when he commented about my fitness level.

We talked about nutrition. He used to be vegetarian but when he wanted to put on weight he started consuming animals again. That led to a great discussion about the myths associated with vegetarianism. I talked about the ways he could still up his caloric intake without consuming animals. I also pointed out a few professional athletes that were vegetarian/vegan Robert Cheeke, Kenneth Williams, Brendan Brazier, Carl Lewis, Christine Vardaros, Charlie Abel. He was impressed.

I had one of my vegan fitness baby tee’s on and I talked, briefly, about the reasons I became Vegan. He was very interested. Since I always have my cards. I gave him a card for my website. I always have cards on hand because I never know when I might need them it helps me stand out above the crowd.

Kicking it up a notch in my exercise routine has always had a fabulous effect on my fitness levels, and I’m already starting to see more definition in my legs. I really need to take pictures so I can document the process. At times, during my workouts, I have just gone through the motions of performing the exercise. That’s not good. Thankfully I haven’t done that often. It happens when I get bored with an exercise routine. That is always a good indication for me to try something else. When I concentrate on the exercises as I do them, I definitely notice a difference after my workouts.

Today is my day to lift heavy. When I work out heavy I always hit the free weights hard. Since I have a training partner today I’ll be training to muscle failure.

Question: How much physical activity do you do on a weekly basis?

[tags]exercise, fitness, vegan fitness, free weights[/tags]

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNhR-PrTAFE[/youtube]

I’m not sure why but Under The Milky Way by The Church always made me think of autumn.

I’ll be heading out to the gym this morning. I haven’t been there in about a week. I have been doing my workouts at home.

Happy Days Are Here Again
Aiyana is doing much better today I wrote about her needing more of mommy in You Know You’re Too Busy When… Every now and again she gets like that. I can understand some of the emotions she must be feeling. I had the same feelings when my father would go to work. I’ve always been a daddy’s girl. We had a great chat, as always, but we talked about what mommy could do to make her feel even more special. She really liked that.

I want to thank everyone for commenting on my post. It was appreciated. Although I *know* I’m not the only one going through this it’s always nice, at times, to read that others have faced the same thing.

The Church:  Under The Milky Way

Sometimes when this place gets kind of empty,
Sound of their breath fades with the light.
I think about the loveless fascination,
Under the milky way tonight.

Lower the curtain down in memphis,
Lower the curtain down all right.
I got no time for private consultation,
Under the milky way tonight.

Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.
Wish I knew what you were looking for.
Might have known what you would find.

And its something quite peculiar,
Something thats shimmering and white.
Leads you here despite your destination,
Under the milky way tonight
(chorus)
Under the milky way tonight.

[youtube]The Church, Under The Milky Way, fitness, family bonding[/tags]

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