Good evening! I feel so much better now than I did earlier.  I hate to admit this — but I had yet another wedding-related freak out around 3 PM.  I just put my head on my desk and cried.  In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t deal with stress very well.  It just overwhelms me! Focusing on the positives (marriage, love, presents) helps! 🙂

But after a sweaty elliptical session (I did 30 minutes on the elliptical while reading New Moon), I feel much, much better!

December Challenge – Making Abs Fun, Day 3

Introducing…. the Captain’s Chair!

Photo courtesy of some random webpage I Googled and then lost.  Sorry, dude! At least you look hot!

Anyway, the Captain’s Chair is a fun contraption at the gym that can give you a GREAT, EFFECTIVE, and SHORT ab work out.  Basically, I love it!

The best exercise in a Captain’s Chair is exactly the one shown in the picture —

• Position yourself in the chair and let your legs hang loose.  Don’t let your shoulders creep up to your ears!
• Bring your knees to your chest and hold for a beat. 
• Slowly let your legs move downward, and pause. 
• Don’t use the motion to help you lift your knees back up (that’s cheating!!). 
• Start off trying to do 10 or 12 repetitions and at least three sets (which is what I did at the gym tonight and trust me…. it was challenging!).

According to this website, you probably don’t want to do straight leg lifts, unless you are super strong and can maintain proper form.  Incorrect straight leg lifts can be bad because you can strain you back.  Specifically:

• You increase the weight that you have to lift (and not in a good way). Whenever you move your legs, you increase the challenge on your lower back. And when you straighten your legs your ab muscles and hip flexor muscles have to work much harder.
• You stretch the back of your thighs (hamstrings). If you are stiff and inflexible, you will have to fight against you own stiffness and will have trouble lifting your legs to the correct height.
• You shorten the muscles in the front of your thighs (rectus femoris/ hip flexor). When your knees are straight, the front of the thigh does not work as well to lift your legs, so the hip flexor muscle that attaches to your back has to pull harder to lift your legs.

To recap, here’s the December Challenge so far:

• Day 1: Planks!
• Day 2: Table Leg Leg Lift
• Day 3: Captain’s Chair

Today’s Eats!

My mid-afternoon snacks consisted of Grape Nuts…

And an Apple with PB…

Most of the PB went on Maggie and James’ noses. Is it mean that I like to torture them by putting PB on their noses….just out of tongue’s reach? 🙂

She looks pissed, huh?

Dinner was whole wheat ravioli with steamed broc!  Yum!

Sorry to cut this short, but I’ve got tons to do… and the best way to deal with stress is to take ACTION!  So, "to-do" list, here I come!

Oh, PS – Dress fitting went well! I need to let it out a little on the sides, but the seamstress did comment: "You look skinnier. Not skinny enough for that little dress, though."  HAHAH!  Oh lord.  Well, now she gets $50 extra to left out the dress. 🙂

Goodnight!