Good morning! Ready for a High Intensity Circuit Workout? Keep on reading below!
So, I realized last night after reading many of your comments from my marathon baking session that I never really explained to you all why my mom and I go ‘balls to the walls’ with our cookie baking every year.
Basically, we just love to bake Christmas cookies! It’s been a tradition of ours to bake up a bunch of different varieties every year, so we can share them all with others.
Yes, we do share them. As much as I’d like to hoard them all for myself.
We both usually make up a few different trays to send in to work with the men, bring into work ourselves, and put together for little gifts, too. We keep them stored in the freezer (which is where they are now…out of sight, out of mind…sorta) and then just put the trays together as we need them.
I’m actually thinking that there may just be an opportunity for some of them to be given away here on the ‘ol bloggy. Keep your eyes peeled.
*****
Workout
Last night, Jay ended up showing me a workout that he’s been looking at trying out from Men’s Health called the Spartacus Workout.
This, honestly, could not have come at a better time for me, since I was pretty clueless on what I wanted to do this morning. I looked it over, and immediately decided that this was the little kick in the butt that I needed, so I made a little variation of my own.
The only equipment you need is a set of dumbbells (I used 10lbs.) a stopwatch (looks like my Halloween costume turned out to be pretty handy), and a motivated body.
(**For directions on how to perform any of the moves listed above, you can check out the original Spartacus Workout.**)
Let me just tell you…this workout is intense. By the first circuit, the sweat was happening, and by the third circuit, it was outta control.
The workout incorporates a mix of reactive and strength exercises, targeting the whole body, giving you a high-intensity, calorie-torching workout. (<—When I was originally talking about this with Jay this morning, he proceeded to tell me that I need to stop talking in “nerd talk” which I found pretty amusing.) In any case…give this workout a try!
Once I completed the circuit workout, I finished up with a quick abs routine:
- 25 stability ball crunches
- 25 leg raises with stability ball
- 50 bicycle crunches
- 20 alternating side planks (on hands and toes)
- 1 minute plank (on forearms)
PHEW! Talk about gettin’ my sweat on!
*****
Post-workout, I quickly showered and got ready so I could make breakfast because my stomach was grumbling a lot faster than usual this morning (not surprised).
On tap for today was another egg, provolone, and jam sandwich on a toasted whole wheat English muffin.
Of course, coffee was also involved, which was making the neatest little steamy-swirls this morning.
Workout and breakfast are DONE and now it’s time to head off to that little thing called work.
Have a great Tuesday!
Questions for the Morning:
What’s one workout/exercise that you hate to do, but continue to do it because you know it’s awesome and gives results?
Mine would have to be burpees. We definitely have a love/hate relationship.
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health says
Oh totally agree with you on the burpees! I also don’t really enjoy ab work…but I love the results so I continue to do it! That workout looks great :). I’m pinning it right now!
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat says
Jumping lunges for me!
Hope says
Your breakfast sandwich looks so delicious! You always have me craving breakfast sandwiches after reading your blog. Too bad I already had breakfast this morning. ;) Happy Tuesday!
chelcie @ chelcie's food files says
I love high intensity circuits! well I guess its more of a love/hate while I’m doing it, but after I feel great! I can’t wait to try out this circuit over my break!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen says
Pushups, plain and simple. Why are they soooo hard? But they do totally work.
Cat @Breakfast to Bed says
I agree with Gina. Also? Burpees.
Khushboo says
Lunges! I hate performing them but I love that they give me a cute butt :)
Angela @ Health Happiness & Harmony says
Alternating forward and backward dumbbell lunges! Bleh. They give great results though. :)
Mallory @ Have Your Cake and Eat It says
i hate to do workout dvds because i find them tedious (i’m a self-proclaimed treadmill whore) but jillian michaels dvds kick some serious butt!
Lena @Fit on the Rocks says
Ugh, I hate tricep and ab work, but I do them out of neccessity. Maybe someday I’ll learn to love them, too?
Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile says
I love the Spartacus workout! I do it aaalllll the time. It’s a good one!!
Julie H. of Spinach and Sprinkles says
Ouch! I think I would have called it a done day after doing the Spartacus workout. You go girl!
Jodi @ Southern Flavored Life says
Wow; you’ve got me excited about the *possible* cookie giveaway!
I need desperately to try a new workout today. I’ve got a bad case of boredom…
Ashley @ My Food 'N' Fitness Diaries says
i love the looks of this circuit workout! intense circuit workouts are always my favorite. i have a bittersweet relationship with any sort of plyometrics. i always feel so good and accomplished when i’m done, but they always kick my butt!
Chantel says
Sparticus is great! I did it along with my bf all summer. I can’t rave about it more. Its always good to change it up every after doing it 5 or 6 times. I also found it to help me when it came to bodypump too. And doing the burpees after your tired hurts so good ;)
Brandi says
I would probably have to agree with the burpees…. Ugh! There is just something about them that just…..well…..they hurt. ;)
Can’t wait to see pics of all the cookies you guys made!
Have a great day!
Cat @Breakfast to Bed says
I should never read foodie blogs when I’m hungry. Now I want breakfast for lunch.
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
I have a hard time doing any workout I hate to do..but sometimes I dread different things different days and still do them for the sake of keeping up with the schedule. Like I’ll really, really, reallly not want to get up for a 5:30 spin class but know I should to have the rest of the week set.
Alyssa @ Life of bLyss says
I’m convinced burpess were created by satan. I was forced to do them in field hockey; therefore, I never want to do them again.
which presents a problem at certain fitness classes. but ya know, I grit me teeth and push through. after my initial pouting.
Andrea @ Andrea Out Loud! says
squats and lunges!! YUCK! but so good. I dispise pushups as well, but I try to avoid those :) haha
Katelyn @ Chef Katelyn says
I love coffee swirls. Make my morning!
Every year my mom, sister and I all make chocolate-covered pretzels and put sprinkles on them. We send/bring them to all of our family and friends every year since I was about five years old. My favorite tradition, by far.
Tina @ Best Body Fitness says
Oh that does look like a goody! And let’s nerd talk together sometime soon because Peter says the same thing to me. LOL
Courtney says
Hahaha, that’s too funny :)
Olivia @unleashingmymind says
I have been reading your blog for a while and notice that you really love the egg sandwich with jam. Doesn’t sound very appealing but I think I will have to give it a shot (;
erica says
SQUATS! oh how i hate them!!!!
Laurie says
Absolutely burpees…I’m terrible, I usually leave them out of a workout that calls for them, oops :)
Erin says
I absolutley HATE burpees and all their variations but they always seem to creep into my workouts! Another one that I dread doing but I find really challenging is something I think is called “up/downs???” You basically go into push up position and rest on your forearms and then push your self up one arm at a time-I’m probably not explaining it very well but its really painful :)
Michelle B. says
Definitely pushups! I hate them but I can tell they bring results!
Marykate Sinnott says
Thanks for the workout inspiration Courtney (and Jay!) my quads are still shaking…Those goblet presses are not joke and by the 3rd set…phew!
Love the hair, btw ;)
Courtney says
OMG, ME TOO! So glad you tried it out and liked it! I’m afraid to see what I’ll feel like in the morning ;)
Marykate Sinnott says
Yup…Still feelin it ;-)
Abby says
This workout is absolutely nuts. My husband and I just knocked it out in our living room and literally wanted to sprawl on the floor at the end.
Killer.
(I used 10lb dumbells as well and had to take a few extended breaks beyond the 15 seconds, for sure!)