I'm officially back on the wagon when it comes to early morning workouts.  I had a small hiccup when I was sick a few weeks ago, but last week I dutifully got up everyday at 5am and busted out my workout.

I followed my workout plan last week and loved having the structure of my whole week being pre-planned.  I'm definitely going to keep it up. One thing I underestimated though, was how much time I actually spent running.  I usually just run until I don't feel like running anymore and I guessed at the distances when I typed up my workout plan last week.  But during each run, when I hit my target distance, I felt like I was just hitting my stride and wanted to keep running.  So this week, I am definitely going to increase the mileage. 

My goal is to get back to running 5-7 miles at a time during the week, with a longer run on the weekends, so eventually I won't have time to get my run and weights done before work, but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. 

Alright, on to this week's workout plan.  In addition to bumping up the mileage a little, I'm going to split the core work into rounds.  The sets of 50 weren't bad, but the planks were brutal by the end.  I need to break those up into 2 rounds for now.

Monday
Run - 3.5 miles
Legs - kill those legs (2 rounds)
Core - (2 rounds)

• 50 crunches
• 50 reverse crunches
• 30 second plank (2 rounds with 15 second breaks)

Tuesday
Run - 4 miles
Arms - tank top arms (2 rounds)
Core - (2 rounds)

• 50 supermans
  
• 50 side crunches (25 each side)
  
• 30 second plank (2 rounds with 15 second breaks)

Wednesday
Run - 3.5 miles
Legs - kill those legs (2 rounds)
Core - (2 rounds)

• 50 crunches
• 50 reverse crunches
• 30 second plank (2 rounds with 15 second breaks)

Thursday
Run - 4 miles
Arms - tank top arms (2 rounds)
Core - (2 rounds)

• 50 supermans
  
• 50 side crunches (25 each side)
  
• 30 second plank (2 rounds with 15 second breaks)

Friday
Yoga - 45 minutes

Saturday or Sunday
Hike, walk or run outside

Alright, here we go!  Earlier tonight, I talked about why I want to document my workout plans for the week and this is my first attempt.  I've been relatively active up to this point and I do workout now, but I don't necessarily tackle it with a plan ahead of time.  And I fear that I'm doing myself a disservice. 

So in an effort to change that, I'm going to write my goals down and choose workouts that get me closer to those goals.  Right now, my two main goals are increasing my running distance and gaining muscle definition. 

The workouts below are aimed at making the most of my early morning pre-work sessions and leaving my weekends to less structured activities like running outside or wandering a forest preserve.  Most of these workouts came from Pinterest or my memory banks of past workouts. 

This week of workouts is complete - my results are in blue below.

Monday
Run - 2.5 miles
Legs - kill those legs (2 rounds)
Core:

• 50 crunches
• 50 reverse crunches
• 30 second plank (4 rounds with 15 second breaks)

Monday was a good day.  The run was easy and the leg workout seemed easy, until a few hours later when the soreness set in.  But the good kind of soreness!  The kind that makes you feel like you're actually making a difference.  Each round of the leg workout took about 6-7 minutes and the core work was another 7-8 minutes. 

Tuesday
Run - 3.5 miles
Arms - tank top arms (2 rounds)
Core:

• 50 supermans
  
• 50 side crunches (25 each side)
  
• 30 second plank (4 rounds with 15 second breaks)

My run went well and I ended up closer to 4 miles because I was feeling good.  The arm workout was a good one too and each round took about 5-6 minutes.  The first round was easy and I was thinking "hmm, maybe I should do a 3rd round" but then the second round burned so good.  It was hard to complete it.  The core work was another 7-8 minutes, but I was really feeling it at the end with the planks.

Wednesday
Run - 2.5 miles
Legs - sexy leg workout (2 rounds)
Core:

• 50 crunches
• 50 reverse crunches
• 30 second plank (4 rounds with 15 second breaks)

Another run that felt great so I continued on and went for 3 miles instead of the planned 2.5  I kinda cut myself short on time for legs, but I got it done.  My legs were super sore from Monday still, so it was kind of challenging, but each round took about 7-8 minutes. 

Thursday
Run - 3.5 miles
Arms - dumbbells, smart arms (2 rounds)
Core:

• 50 supermans
  
• 50 side crunches (25 each side)
  
• 30 second plank (4 rounds with 15 second breaks)

I overslept a little bit today so I could only fit in my run this morning, but it was a good run.  I felt strong the whole time and I was able to run the last mile at 9 min mile (I'm normally closer to a 10 min mile).  I'll fit my arm workout in Friday before yoga.

Friday
Yoga - Beginner Yoga Routine (as many rounds in 60 min)
I ended up doing a different yoga routine that I have memorized since I didn't want to be looking at my computer to see what the next pose was.  It took about 45 minutes and then I did the arm routine that I skipped yesterday. 

Saturday or Sunday
Hike, walk or run outside
My friend Erin and I grabbed some coffee and took a nice walk along the beach.  It was a gorgeous day and the beach was dog-friendly so it was the perfect way to catch up with a friend. 

It's time for some new fitness goals up in here.  I've had it with my current routine, which basically consists of going for a run a few times a week (whatever distance I feel like at the time) and lifting some weights when I have time.  Not exactly a clear cut plan of action.

That changes this week.  Since I started my new job 6 weeks ago, I've been getting up before work to workout (minus a week or so when I was sick with a head cold) and I'm actually kind of enjoying the routine of it, but I'm not seeing a ton of physical results.  And I think it's because I don't have a good plan.

So, like a good little blogger, I'm going to create one and post it online.  I'm not going to do a daily post or track my weight, calories, etc.  This isn't really a workout or weight loss blog (although, if you like that kind of blog, here are a few really great ones), but fitness is a big part of our lives so I'm going to post my weekly workout plans and if anyone wants to follow along or post their workout plans in the comments, I'd love to follow yours too (and cheer each other on!). 

Since I'm not a personal trainer, I'm going to draw on workout plans created by those who know far more than I do.  Like Jillian Michaels and Pinterest.  I'll just post the combination of workouts I have planned for the week and my overall fitness goals.  Easy enough.  Well, except that part of actually doing the workouts.

I'll post this week's goals later tonight.  And I'll tag all of the posts with the category "weekly workout" so that you can see them all by clicking here.  In the meantime, tell me, what is your favorite source for workout plans?  Leave them in the comments!

This post is part of a series on Chicagoland Parks.  You can read more about how we are finding the woods while living in the city here.  You can read all of the posts in this series here.

Now that the weather is getting warmer (kinda...sorta...) I wanted to share one of my go-to routes for a run or walk with Rooney.  This one is a little over 4 miles and is in the Lincoln Park section of the Chicago Lakefront Trail, but there are so many ways to alter this route and make it shorter or longer.

I used Map My Run to track distance and to show you guys the route I used. 

• I started near Fullerton and Clark, then walked North to towards Diversey around the North Pond Sanctuary. 
  
• Then I looped back going south along the path that parallels Cannon Drive and followed it under Fullerton and kept going south on the path that is next to the Lincoln Park Zoo. 
  
• When I got down to North & LaSalle, I crossed over Lake Shore Drive and ran along the lake going north towards Fullerton again. 

It was a beautiful day and Rooney was all about the lake so we stopped a couple of times to play and cool off.  That whole area is so pretty and everyone was out enjoying it.  There's something so peaceful about running by the lake - I don't need music or anything, I just zone out and enjoy it.  

If you like what you read, we would love to hear from you in the comments section!  It's fun to get feedback and it helps us create future posts.  And be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest or RSS! 

I'm not normally a gym workout kinda girl, but this Chicago winter is starting to break me.  I can't run on the sidewalks without slipping on ice and the wind by the lake makes me wish I was back in bed.  In short, the things I love about running outside are being overpowered by the damn winter. 

Sure, I can still do yoga and lift weights in the comfort of my own cozy home, but this girl likes to run!  So, I caved.  I got a gym membership.  I tacked on to Serial's membership and took advantage of the new year specials (yep, they're still in effect) so it really didn't cost very much and we are certainly making the most if it.

Serial plays basketball there a few times a week and I mostly use the treadmills with a few yoga classes thrown in for good measure.  I keep threatening to take a spin class, but I haven't cashed in on that one yet. 

For the days that I use the treadmill, I've found that I am really easily bored while I run.  Don't get me wrong, running is my jam.  And if you give me an outdoor trail, I can zone out and just enjoy the process of running.  I don't even use music most of the time. 

But the treadmill?  Eek, so boring.  Each machine has a TV, which definitely helps, but even a Property Brothers marathon wouldn't keep my attention for a full hour.  Thankfully, I've found that using intervals and incline variations makes the time go by much faster than simply running for an hour. 

In case anyone else is in the same boat, I thought I would share one my my go-to routines.  If you run faster than 6 mph, then you can just go faster during those intervals.  Similarly, if you want more of a break in between the runs or if the inclines are too tough, you can adjust the walking speeds accordingly.  The point is just to change up running with walking on an incline. 

How do you keep things interesting on the treadmill?  I'd love to hear suggestions to help me get through these next few months!

This post is part of a series on Chicagoland Parks.  You can read more about how we are finding the woods while living in the city here.  You can read all of the posts in this series here.

This past week we had a few really cold days.  The kind of cold that you can actually see just by looking out the window.  So like the crazy fools that we are, we bundled up and made our way to a trail.  We were spending a few days at my cousin's wonderful lake house in Indiana so we had a chance to explore the area a bit.  The trail that we liked best was a short one, but a really pretty one. 

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a really large park about 60 miles from Chicago and there several different areas to check out.  Mount Baldy is a 126 foot sand dune with a trail that leads to the beach and a trail that leads to the summit of the dune.  You can read more about the park here.

We really liked this little hike and it was a great chance to be alone in the woods.  Turns out that we're the only crazies who decided to walk the park in 10 degree weather.  Go figure. 

I would imagine that this would be a gem in the summer too.  It's not the main beach at the Dunes, which is always crowded, and it's very easy to get to.  And the parking lot doesn't lead directly to the beach which, surprisingly, deters some people.  That's their loss though because the trail to the beach is short and easy enough for kids making it the perfect little jaunt.

After Mt. Baldy we drove up the road a bit and found an old forest road.  This is one of our favorite things to do.  Large state or national parks usually have several roads around the outskirts and they don't have as much foot traffic as the trails do.  We love that because Rooney can run free and we don't worry about running into other people or other dogs. 

I finally got my booty out the door and into the cold Chicago air for a run.  I am one of those annoying people who is always cold, even in the summer, so winter and me just can't be friends.  I've tried.  But every time I extend the olive branch, she sucker punches me. 

Yet I keep going back.  This time I went back for a run.  I finally dug out my winter gear, grabbed Rooney and went for it.  And you know what?  It wasn't terrible.  It's wasn't fun exactly, but I did it and I wasn't miserable.  And most importantly, I want to do it again.

If you follow me on Instagram, you already saw this picture, but I wanted to break it down a bit further and let you know where I got all of my winter running gear. 

I survived my winter run and will go back again.  Here's the stats from my workout, in case anyone is wondering.  I don't really have a plan or anything.  I am just going to ease back in and run a few times a week, for as long/far as I feel that day.  Once I'm back in the groove, I'll start setting some distance goals.

Distance: 3.33 miles
Pace: 8:11
Time: 27'21"
Temp: 39 F
Weather: Sunny
Me: Happy, Energetic

It's the just after Christmas and I'm attempting to transition from full-on "treat yo self" mode (i.e. stuff my face with chocolate) back to normal, healthy eating.  It's already annoying and I know that this week will be a pain in the butt.  Literally.  I'm bringing Jillian Michaels back into my life and she always hurts me.  Today and tomorrow I'm just going to focus on eating right and then I'll start adding back my workouts. 

First, a funny story.  We had a bunch of hikers over the other night to get our "trail talk" fix and a couple of them used the scale in our bathroom.  Someone mentioned that it seemed like it was 5 lbs off, making us heavier than we actually were.  Everyone seemed really relieved and we all unanimously agreed that there was no way it could be right and that it wasn't likely that we ALL weighed more than we thought. 

I'm sure you can guess how this one ends.  Yep, turns out the scale is right.  After they left a few people tried their own scales at home and low and behold, the same damn result.  Sad times for us hikers.  None of us are overweight or anything, but weight gain post-hike is an interesting fear for us all so even 5 lbs makes us feel like we're on a slippery slope.  On the trail, we spent months working out for 8-10 hours every single day.  We ate constantly and we were still at our lowest weight with amazing muscle tone.  It's hard to adjust back to normal life and not think about how much your body is changing. 

Side note, if you're interested in reading more about post-trail nutrition I encourage you to read this post by our friend, Badger. 

Anyway, I ramble.  But the point is, we all had a sad little dose of reality and I'm not really excited about those extra pounds.  Hence Jillian's return to my life.  My game plan is usually the same when I need to whip myself into shape.  I've tried all kinds of workouts and eating plans over the years and this one always works for me.  Probably because it's just basic science and hard work.  These are the guidelines that I use, in order of importance.

Count calories.  I know it sounds like a pain, but it's so helpful.  I use the Lose It app on my phone and it really doesn't take much effort.  There is a barcode scanner and a huge database of restaurant and grocery store foods that make logging everything pretty simple.  It saves your previous meals so if you eat the same thing for breakfast everyday (for instance) you don't have to log in repeatedly. 

Eat whole, healthy foods.  When you're trying to lose weight, "calories in" vs. "calories out" is king.  But, it's more than that if you want to lose weight AND be healthy.  My goal isn't just weight loss or maintenance.  I want to feel good and I want to get the right nutrients into my body.  I could troll the frozen food aisle and pick up a bunch of lean cuisines, stay in my calorie range and lose weight.  But what would I really be doing for myself?  I'd rather take the time to buy the ingredients and make meals from scratch so I know exactly what's going in to my body.  Personal choice, but one I think is important for my overall well being.

Weights and yoga.  Sure, I burn more calories when I run or hike, but I see changes faster when I lift weights.  My clothes fit better and my metabolism picks up.  The scale moves faster when I focus on cardio, but I care more about how I look and feel than how much I weigh.  So I lift weights and listen to my girl Jillian.  Her DVDs rock my world.  Yoga is another must for me.  I start my day with this routine and I stretch my back whenever I feel like I've been sitting at a desk for too long.  Simple steps that really help me feel good.

Cardio.  If I only have time for one, I choose weights over cardio, but ideally I work both in.  I actually like running and find it to be a big stress reliever.  And I like spending time with Rooney - he's an awesome running buddy.  He's so happy to be outside and keeps his pace the whole time so he definitely lets you know when you're dragging.  Since it's freezing in Chicago now I'm not sure how often I'll get out to run, but I want to try to work it in when I can.  I'm not a fan of gyms so mother nature calls the shots for me. 

Find motivation.  Only you can make the choice to eat well and workout, but it helps to surround yourself with others who are doing the same.  Have a friend whose fitness is enviable?  Ask her/him if you can text them when you need a kick in the pants or arrange to check in with her/him once a week to compare workouts.  It helps to have someone that you're accountable to.  If you aren't into having a virtual workout buddy, there are a TON of blogs that are motivational.  I follow them on Instagram and they always seem to be working out which makes me want to move too.  Here are a few of my favorites that I follow. 

• Elle Noel
• Mama Laughlin
• Miss Madison's Charmed Life
• Purely Twins
• Making Good Choices

So that's it.  That's my tried and true plan.  It's not mind-blowing or a new concept by any means, but it helps me to lay it out and remind myself of my goals.  The first week is always tough and after the holiday "stuff my face" marathon I know I'll be hungry and annoyed these first few days.  But once I break through that wall, I'll feel great and be back to my old self.  Which leads me to this proactive little apology, for those who might bump into me in the coming days ;-)

One of my new fitness goals is to work on my flexibility.  Post hike, I've been really consistent with my yoga routines and I'm already seeing a difference.  The stretches are easier and my back is feeling stronger and more supported. 

I've been working on a few different yoga routines lately, but my favorite is my Morning Yoga Routine.  My mornings basically look like this:  wake-up, brush teeth, down a big glass of water, morning yoga routine, another big glass of water, coffee & breakfast. 

It's a great way to get my blood flowing and stretch my body out after a night of sleep.  So today I thought I would share my morning yoga routine with you.  I'm not a yoga expert, I just do what feels good and flows well for me.  If this doesn't feel good to you or doesn't start your day off right, don't be afraid to adjust it. 

Just to clarify - this is not me in the pictures.  I wish I looked that good when I'm doing yoga!  I use the site Yoga Journal to build my routines.  They have a feature called the Sequence Builder and I save off combinations of poses that I enjoyed so I can remember it for future use.  **I have not been compensated in any way to promote this site, I simply use and recommend it.**

OK, kiddos.  On to the routine!