August 30, 2013
Cross-Training Elliptical Workout
This week has been the weirdest. All I have been craving is long walks, chill music, and mellow surroundings. Maybe I’m just getting older?
Actually, this morning I read an interesting article Char posted on her Facebook page about tell-tale signs you are an introvert. I always thought of myself as an extrovert, but after reading that I might be wrong. Perhaps I am little intro and a little extro? It could just be that my introvert qualities are coming out more than usual lately.
Anyways, I want to thank you for reading and commenting on yesterday’s post! It was kind of an awkward subject for me to write about, so it is comforting to know a lot of you can relate to what I’m feeling. I enjoy writing from the heart every now and then, but I think it’s time to get back into the normal swing of things around here.
Right.
Today I wanted to share something related to the fitness world, which I am sure a group of you have been missing!
By now, most of you know I have a favorite group fitness class at my gym called Fitness Pilates. I have written about it several times, and can best describe it as an hour of upbeat, fast paced Pilates moves that focuses on toning every major muscle group of your body with an emphasis on core.
Last night’s class required both a medicine ball and dumbbell weights for majority of the exercises, and both Scott and I were dripping sweat ten minutes into it.
That’s right, I convinced Scott to join in on the Pilates fun/torture. That was his third class he has taken with me and even he admitted last night’s class to being a bit on the rough side. Victory!
25 Min. Cross-Training Elliptical Workout
I was one hundred percent tempted to walk downstairs after class, grab my stuff, and head out the door, but I pushed myself over to the cardio machines instead. (Okay, fine. Scott wanted to play basketball and I had thirty minutes to kill.)
The thought of running didn’t sound pleasant, so I turned to my other go-to machine for a guaranteed cardio sweat session: the elliptical.
When creating new workouts, I usually start with some kind of program already entered into the machine and tweak it to my liking. Usually, this means downing the time to 20-30 minutes (does anyone really do 60?) and upping the incline and resistance levels.
This workout started off easy, then gradually got harder. The exact middle section is the worst, and I made it an extra minute longer for you to truly enjoy the peak before heading back down to the easier stuff again.
You’re welcome.
*As with any elliptical or treadmill workout I post, please keep in mind that each machine is different. These are the levels I use for my personal workouts, but feel free to adjust to lower or higher when needed.
Leaving sweaty and feeling accomplished, we then proceeded downstairs to the cafe for recovery smoothies.
In my Almond Delight this time: organic strawberries, organic mango, almond milk, VeganMax Protein and Dynamic Greens.
I know I could easily make a smoothie like this at home, but I felt like they were calling to us on the way out the door. Plus, Scott doesn’t really like smoothies based with almond milk, so I would probably have to make separate ones. Aint nobody got time fo dat.
(Yup… still using that phrase. Judge me.)
We got home on the later side around 9 p.m. and finally caught up to watch the live Big Brother shows with the rest of America.
Do any of you watch it too? I’m officially hooked, and I want to go on SO bad. Every time we watch a season, I share my strategies and tell Scott exactly how I would handle situations, challenges and people. It’s a lot of drama, but the element of having to play a game and fight for your survival fascinates me.
Well, I guess that’s it about last night. Today I am sticking around the house for a while to knock out a few projects before a weekend full of festivals in our area! Both Scott and I are working one tomorrow, but want to check out a few others while they are in town for Labor Day weekend.
Happy Friday! 
That smoothie looks soooo good! Yum! Happy Friday!
It is! I need to make a version of it at home, although I must admit that I am loving the VeganMix Protein + Dynamic Greens mix I don’t have there.
I love when I can convince the hub to take a fitness class with me
It;s always so much more fun with your other half, right? Have a great weekend!
Usually! Unless he keeps hitting you with towel and tries to make you laugh, lol.
My husband says I’m an extrovert, but I do love my alone time! I probably fall within some gray area. Great article!
[…] I had some extra free time, I also completed Heather’s 25 Minute Cross Training Elliptical Workout—it’s a good one! (Kind of weird that I burned 450 calories on both Saturday and Sunday, […]