So…I am getting my workout groove back.  I even woke up at 5:15AM this morning in order to go to this awesome conditioning class at the yoga studio. I got there at 5:57 and the doors were locked.  The last few times that I went, I double checked the online schedule but go figure, I didn’t check this morning.  And now…the Tuesday morning class has been moved to Friday’s.  Total bummer standing in the parking lot in the dark with your yoga mat.  I wasn’t the only one…another guy drove by and was asking why there were so few cars here today.

 

 

I headed back home as the sun was just starting to rise.  I was debating what I wanted to do with my morning.  I thought about going back to sleep, but since I was already awake, I made myself a hot tea and blogged a bit.  It was a beautiful morning, so I didn’t want to go to the gym, but I’ve been running the last two days so I didn’t want to run.  I debated back in forth while I enjoyed a still and quiet morning.  Then I figured out a compromise…

 

 

 

Open the back door, so I got a nice breeze in the house and started doing some body weight strength exercises in the house and a few out back.

 

 

Who wouldn’t want to do some triceps dips in the back yard with this view???

 

 

I was a little intimidated to do start doing lunges out back in my not-so-active neighborhood, so I eventually moved myself back indoors.  I used a magazine cut out for some leg strengthening exercises (Fitness March 2012) and alternated them with my ‘favorite’ (I use that word lightly) abs and arm exercises (ie pushups, side planks, and bicycles) for a 30 minute workout.  It was not as challenging as the conditioning class, but much more fun than staring at the meatheads at the gym.

 

 

Here are some of the best leg exercises.

Add them in to your next workout or combine them for a total leg workout.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then once you’ve worked up a sweat on this 80 degree spring day, cool off with a Chocolate Peanut Butter Green Smoothie!

 

 

Into the Blender:

Spinach

1 cup almond milk

1 tbsp peanut butter

2 tbsp cacao powder

1/2 banana

Ice

 

 

It is a delish green smoothie with a hint of chocolate and peanut butter.  I promise you can’t even taste the spinach!

 

 

It was a refreshing post workout breakfast (my pre workout breakfast was oatmeal) and a great start to a morning with a REALLY early start!