Day 28-30 of Bodyrocking!!!

I did it!!!  I finished my challenge!!!

Okay some thoughts...

• 30 days is a really long time to do something everyday.  There were days, when it was very difficult to force myself to do anything, and I would say "omg I still have 'blank' days left, it feels like I have been doing this forever".

• my body is firmer and stronger

• I want to continue Bodyrocking 2-3 times a week

• I bought myself a dip station!!!

I recommend to anyone out there to try a 30 day challenge and here are some ideas of what I want to eventually try, maybe not next month, but next year for sure.

• spiritual challenge (read the Bible every day, pray every day, can make all of this as specific as you want)
• fast Wednesdays and Fridays
• read an article everyday (for me, in German)
• 30 day cleanse, no alcohol, coffee, sugar, dairy, gluten etc.
• watch TV everyday for 1 hour, this is specifically to learn German ;)
• 30 day movie marathon, of all the classics you mean to always watch but were never really in the mood.
• cook everything at home, no eating out for a month
• etc

I think I need to implement the TV watching and the article reading, because I know how much that would help me with my German.

On a completely random note, everyone should make these baked stuffed apples!!!  This is not an apple of my childhood, oh this so much better then that. 

Stuffed Baked Apple

I stuffed mine with a mixture of crunchy peanut butter, butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, rum and dried cherries!  It was absolutely divine, the best desert EVER!!  And so easy!  Try it, you will not be disappointed.

20-27 Day of BODYROCKING!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!   I wish everyone health, love and peace and hope that everyone is enjoying quality time with people they love.

This has been a pretty busy week, and everyday I have been putting off posting my workouts, good thing I was not putting off actually doing my workouts, I promise.  I will not bore you with detailing of my workouts in this post, don't worry.  I will just write that the workouts ranged from 4-20min depending on the day and my mood, lots of abs and push-ups I think I am getting better :)  I have been using a lot of moves from this post and doing the short 3 min ab workouts.  I think my favorite workouts are the ones with jump rope, because they really murder me!!!

Can you believe it, I have only 3 more days of this challenge.  I almost did it, ahhaha.  In the next year I hope to do more of these type of challenges and if you anyone has any cool suggestions, please share!!!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Day 19 of BODYROCKING!

So today I did the second workout of the 12 days of Christmas The Girl with the Dragon Abs!  The workout was in three parts and 11 min long. 

I am almost 2/3 done!!!! whooo hooo, 11 days left!

Day 17 and 18 of BODYROCKING!

Man oh man, I am so tired!!!  these workouts are brutal!!!

Yesterday I did a two part workout 4 Minute pre-Breakfast Workout, but I did at night ;) and I did the abs from the 1 Day of the 12 Workouts of Christmas, so in total it was a 7 min workout.  

Today I did the whole Pumped up Kicks Workout from the 12 days of Christmas series!  It was incredibly brutal.  I did not use any weights, just my body-weight, which is trust me, enough. 
My knee has been acting up, I think I really hurt it during out last hike I hope it will get better soon, because it worries me a little :(  for that reason I have not been doing the jump lunges just the regular ones. 

hope everyone is having an awesome day!

Day 16 of BODYROCKING!

I wrote yesterday that I wanted to do some jump-roping, and today I did just that!  The workout challenge consisted of skipping 1000 times or just skipping at moderate pace for 20min.  I skipped 100 times and then took breaks.  In the middle it was quite difficult to do all 100 in one go so I took smaller breaks between 50 skips and the last 200 skips I pushed really hard to take only one break.  All in all I finished the workout in 15:44 min, which meant I did not have to skip for 20min :)

BodyRockTv website is doing a 12 days of Christmas exercise challenge, which is perfect for me!!!  I cannot believe that I am more then half way done with my challenge! 

Hope everyone is having an awesome Tuesday!!!

Day 12, 13, 14 and 15 of BODYROCKING!

How was everybody's weekend?  Mine was somehow exhausting or at least I feel exhausted right now. 

I know I said this several times already but am really happy I am doing this challenge, which is by the way challenging.   The hardest part for me is the mental challenge, and I think with almost any program/challenge that used to not be part of our routine can be mentally exhausting.  As I mentioned before there are several reasons I decided to do this challenge, mainly I think is because I thrive when I have a buddy system, and this blog is my buddy substitute, keeps me accountable.  Unfortunately, it did not keep me accountable with my Advent calender :( 

Friday, Dec 9th, 2011 I did On The Floor Abs Challenge  and I completed 8.5 rounds.  I was pretty dead after this, granted I did this workout after 2 hours of dancing and wandering through Munich ;)
Saturday, Dec 10th, 2011 15 Minute Extreme Workout and I completed 13 rounds.
Sunday, De 11th, 2011 I did sort of my own 'Bodyrock' routine.  I did three sets of max out girl pushups and then 20 min of running.  I really want to start running regularly again, nothing too traumatic, want to work my way to 10 miles a week.  I miss the burn and the endorphins.  My arms and back are so soar from my awesome girl pushups.

Today's workout was Rock It  which I completed in 30:19 min.  It was pretty sweat inducing!!!!
I did not do one-armed-pushups, hahaha, just once again of the knee pushups. 

I want to do rope-skipping workout tomorrow, lets see what I can find.

Hope everyone had a great start for the day!!!

Day 11 of BODYROCKING!

The One That Got Away was today's workout!!!

I am having really hard time doing the reptile pushups, since I can barely do real pushups and the split lunge is incredibly hard for me.  Granted my legs are super soar, but this type of lunge just requires so much more power.  I did the best I could and I do feel the burn!!! 

I am having a lot of fun doing these workouts and hope to do them throughout the whole winter!!!

Hope everyone is having a great Thursday :)

Day 10 of BODYROCKING!

Today I did the Pound Melting Workout!!!

I altered it a bit, since I barely could do the moves that Zuzana was doing.

1.  Girl push up...15, 23
2.  Side lunge knee up, left leg...18, 16
3.  Side lunge knee up, right leg...19, 19
4.  Crab fighter, left leg...15, 13
5.  Crab fighter, right leg...14, 14
6.  Squads...20, 18

I hope one day I do not have to modify the workouts and can do the advanced exercises!!!

I want to do more upper body workouts, since my quads, butt and calfs are dying.  We will see what I find to do tomorrow!!!

Hope everyone is having a great day!!!

Day 8 and 9 of BODYROCKING!

I got a bit behind with the posts, oops, but don't worry I am not behind my workouts.

Needless to say I am exhausted, even these 12 min workouts kill me!  I guess it wouldn't be hard if it wansn't a challenge, ha.

So yesterday I did a Fat Exorcism Workout, in 21:44 min.  I recommend that everyone would try divebombers, they are awesome, even though I cannot really do them in perfect form yet. 

Today I did, Pretty Fly Exercise Challenge, and I completed 10 sets!  Not so hot :(  Zuzana completed 17.5  I am just feeling pooped and hoping for some second wind!

What to do next!?

Day 7 of BODYROCKING and Christkindlemarkt!

Today was probably the hardest day, muscle soreness wise. It seems like everything hurts, my shoulders, my back, my legs, ouch!  BodyRock is kicking my butt, that is for sure ;)

Today, Ludwig, his mother Ursula and I went to the Fraueninsel's Christkindlmarkt. It took us a little while to get there, two different trains and a ferry later we were on the island eating fried fish, crepes, and roasted chestnuts. It was a great day to be outside and enjoy the Christmas cheer.

Wood carving is very popular here.  Ludwig loved this model of a church.

Having your own cute boat on an island is a must.

Obligatory Glühwein/Mulled Wine!

Baby lama

I burned my mouth with this awesome sandwich.  Grilled in butter fish fillet on a bun, yum!

On the way back home, this was the line to get on the ferry!

This was the sunset, and no picture could ever capture how amazing it actually was.  I did not manipulate the colors at all!!!

So on the way home, I was surfing the bodyrock.tv website to find a workout for today and I was oh so dreading it, you have no idea how.  After the whole day of walking the last thing I wanted to do was to work out!  I am so sore!  Well, I feel like I am cheating but this is the workout on the bodyrock website Heel Toe Express Exercise Challenge, basically walking as an exercise.  This workout is to walk for 40 min anywhere, well, I walked around for half the day and I am freaking tired.  I did a bit of yoga, next thing is that I need to convince Ludwig to give me a massage and then it is bed time!!!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and looking forward to the new week :)

Day 6 of BODYROCKING!

My oh my am I soar or what!?  I had no idea that your Trapezius could hurt so much from spiking rope, OMG!!!  And my calfs, yikes.  I will for sure repeat this workout, I even might make it a weakly thing :)

Today's workout was Game On! 300 squat challenge!  And I completed this challenge in 11:58.  I did not do the squats the way Zuzana tells you to do them, because my knees cannot do that yet.  I did my best, but I still need a lot of improvement with the form, making the squat deeper and more controlled. 

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Ukraine, November 2011

This was my 4th trip to Ukraine since my family moved to the United States and my first trip since I moved to Germany.  The first three visits, I always came in the summer for minimum of three weeks.  This time it was different all around, shorter, colder and quieter.  In the summer, with my cousin Irina I roam the streets during the night, when it is bearable, because during the day it is just too hot.  I love walking the city in the night, it is so perfect and alive!!!  In the fall, it is just cold and miserable and all you want to do is stay home, drink tea and eat your grandma's pilmeni.

As a welcoming feast my grandma Valya fried me some 'chebyreki'  I think she and Paula Dean would get along great, and bond over ridiculously fatty food :)

Also, this visit had a bigger purpose.  My best childhood friend Olya, who I know since the 1st grade, had her first baby, who's name is Andrey.  She asked me to be his Godmother and come for the Baptism.  I am so glad I got to be part of this important moment in their lives. 

Mom and Son!  Isn't he supper cute :)

At the Baptism there were two sets of Godparents and everyone got to hold the cute Andrey :)  He really enjoyed his 'bath'!

Olya's brother, Dima, holding Andrey after the immersion.

It was really interesting, because this was the first Orthodox Baptism I have attended, besides my own, which I do not remember, since I was only 4 or 5. 

After the Baptism in front of the Church.

After the Baptism we went to Olya's parent's place for celebratory dinner.  It was fun and merry!


Even though Odessa was pretty chilly we still did some walking around the city with Irina.

Odessa at night!

We also laughed a lot, especially Irina, she laughed so hard she cried!  This was all thanks to the PhotoBooth effects on my iPad.

My aunt Lora, my mother's sister!

Aunt Lora was going back to Reni, here with her son Milan and mother Antonina.

Milan and Aunt Lora.

Irina and I decided to also go to Lvov. I have not been there in probably 16 years or more, oh goodness I don't even want to count. We took the night train and in the morning Uncle Serezha picked us up from the station.

Apparently my brother George and uncle Serezha were big buddies.  George even gave his 3rd grade photo which uncle Serezha still keeps as a memory.

George also signed the photo and gave him a silver fork when were moving to the USA.  My brother is the best!

We had a lot of fun reminiscing and looking at old photo albums.  It is just crazy how time really flies.

Looking at the photo albums with great-aunt Raya!

In front of the Opera Building.

It was really cold and I was unfortunately sick so we ended up siting at a cafe for 3 hours drinking tea and coffee.  I think we are both obsessed with stripes ;)

Lvov is a really neat city, it is not as loud as Odessa and is a lot more quaint.

The next day we went to visit more family with aunts, cousins and babies :)

On the left is aunt Sveta and on the right is her daughter Anya with her daughter Liza. 

She has her father wrapped around her finger.  Here he is reluctantly giving his phone away.

.

Liza is an amazing multitasker!!!  She can go to the bathroom, used the cell phone and watch TV at the same time.  She was great, so much energy and spunk :)

Liza with her favorite blanket that she cannot live without :)

I wish we got to stay in Lvov a bit longer and that it was warmer but that is for the next time.  I really would like to take Ludwig there and show him where I come from. 

My last meal was of course my grandma Valya's famous pilmeni.  They are honestly the best I ever had anywhere from anyone. 

This picture perfectly shows how these two feel about their picture being taken ;) 

Last walk around the city!

Silly cousins :)

I am very happy I got to visit my family and be there for the Baptism, but the next time I go to Ukraine is only with Ludwig :)

Day 5 of BODYROCKING!

 Today's treat was a chocolate puppy :)

I started to grow sprouts to put on my salad.  I always wanted to try it and when I saw this 'green house' I decided to finally give a go.  I bought a mix of mustard seeds, mung beans and brown lentils.  After a week they were ready to be harvested and eaten. 

So easy and oh so tasty!

So today I did 15 Minute Cardio Workout with jump rope.  Yeah, jump-roping is not easy as it used to be in childhood.  I cannot even tell you how much time I spend outside jumping in Ukraine, not just jump rope but all kinds of other games, like Chinese jump rope and Hopscotch.  Now just 15min, and I am dead!!!  I did 8 sets, thus I jumped 800 times, with breaks of course ;)
So my review, of the 5 days of doing BodyRock is that I am never bored, every time I can do something new and different.  I have been sleeping VERY well and overall I feel great.  I am pretty soar, but nothing too painful.  I definitely think I will need a session of relaxing yoga this weekend to better stretch out those soar muscles. 

Have a great day everyone!!!

Day 4 of BODYROCKING and Day 1 of ADVENT CALLENDER!!!

Today I started my Advent calender!!! I have bought them before but never could eat only one candy per day and the calender always ended up being just a snack.  Lets see how this year will be.

First day of Advent and I got a snowman :)

Today's work out was the 500 Rep Fat Massacre!!!  I needed to burn off the snowman I ate, hahah, jk.
So this was a time challenge, meaning there are 11 exercises, 50 reps each, and you time yourself to see how fast you can complete these series. This workout was ridiculous: of course I could not do real push-ups and the side plank lifts were very difficult. I finished the whole thing in 29:29 min.  I think this is a great workout if you have absolutely no equipment!!!  You can do this work out basically anywhere, home, gym, hotel, etc.  I think so far this was my favorite work out and maybe I should repeat it towards the end of my challenge to see if I have at all improved.  Eventually, one day, I really want to be able to do real push-ups :)

Happy 1st of December!

Day 3 of BODYROCKING!

So what can I tell you....If I did not make my challenge public I would definitely not do today's work out.  Even though only few people read this blog I felt like I would let my reader's down if I did not keep my promise.
So today's work out was pretty awesome.  Only two exercise and 15min long!

10 elevated ab crunches
10 low jumping jacks

I did 18 sets, filled with sweat and a bit of cursing, ahhaha.


I am so glad I did this work out and I am very thankful that I able to stay accountable to my readers :)

Have a great day everyone!!!

DAY 2 of BODYROCKING

Day two :)

So I just finished the Burpees are Forever Workout!  Ok, first of all I cannot even remember the last time I did a burpee and in this work out there are three different kinds.  Ironically after months of not really working out I was surprised that I could barely do this work out with the beginner modifications.  This work out is short but it did kill me.  I am sweating buckets over here :)

So here are my scores!
1.  One leg burpee and side jump:  2, 3, 2, 1.5
2.  Side burpee (alternating sides):  5, 7, 6, 6
3.  Starburst burpee:  5, 5, 5, 5

This was one awesome work out!!!  I have no idea what will I do tomorrow :)

You guys have a great day!

DAY 1 of BODYROCKING!

Day one!!!

So today I did my first work out of the 30 day challenge and let me tell you it was humbling!!!

I have done this work out once before but did not record my scores

The work out is called Sexy Supremacy!!!

So here are my scores
10 mountain climbers/1 push up (sometimes it was a girl push up :/ ) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
One arm rows with 3kg dumb bells 30, 35, 34, 30, 33
Forward and backward Lunge 8, 9, 8, 8, 8
Girl push ups 17, 17, 19, 15, 18
Bicycle, 42, 38, 36, 40, 40

I have modified the workout a bit since I do not have the dip station or the sand bag.   My form was not perfect at all, but I honestly tried my best without overdoing it.  I am focusing on quality not quantity right now.

Now I am shaking and sweating and cannot believe how exhausting a 20 min workout can be.  This is going to be a real challenge!!!

30 day challenge!!!

This past Wednesday I got back from Ukraine.  I am incredibly happy to be back home with my honey!

I am preparing a long post with lots of pictures to share and will try to have it up in the next couple of days.  

But for now, I wanted to share something with you!  So, I always wanted to do a 30 day challenge.  I know people do 30 days of yoga, running, reading, juicing, fasting, eliminating alcohol, caffeine, sugar, etc.  I basically wanted to try all of them, but was always too chicken; I feared failure and then embarrassment.  Right now, I feel like it is a perfect time for me to do a chalenge, no more fear, and if I do fail, which I do not plan, who cares ;)  

Here is the challenge: 30 days of BODYBOCK!  What is BODYROCK, you might ask.  Well, it is like the most awesome thing I have ever found on Internet :) Zuzana and Freddy are the creators of this website which has fully explained, high-intensity, short (12-30 min) workouts.  This website has evolved into a huge community of people doing these workouts, sharing struggles and successes, food recipes and life experience.  It is a great place to get motivated.  The best part it is all free!!!  I have already done a few of the workouts, and let me tell you, I was sore for days, days.....  

So I will post my work outs, the scores I got and how I generally feel.  

The reward that I will give myself if I complete this challenge is I will buy myself a dip station or a 10lb Ugi ball!

One of the obvious reasons I want to do this challenge is to, of course 

1.  get back into some sort of shape and then...

2.  get used to working out at home, winters here are bruttal and I do not forsee being able to do regular       running and biking.

3.  do not want to ever again have to join a gym

4.  hopefully we will soon start doing crosscountry skiing and I want to get some of my endurance and strength back.

5.  I want to do something challenging and see myself succede.

Also, I wanted to invite anyone out there who is reading this little blog to join me in a 30 day challenge. You can pick your own activity or BODYROCK with me.  I hope this will be a rewarding experience.

Zuzana, the creator and the star of BODYROCK!!!

This woman is insane, she looks like someone from a video-game.  In the next 30 days I hope to challenge myself and carve out a routine that I can stick to through out this winter!!!  In spring I can focus more on running and biking but for now it is BODYROCK time.

Wish me luck!!!

Our First Wedding Anniversary!

Time really does fly, when you are with the person you love!!!

Today is our FIRST Wedding Anniversary :)

I decided to share some of my favorite photos of us.

Having fun with my Bavarian cowboy in Fort Collins, CO.

Our first trip together was to New York City. 

I hope we get to visit it sometime again.

I had to learn a lot of things about soccer, while we were watching the World Cup.

Hiking my first and so far the only 14er, Mount Bierstadt!

Okay, maybe it is not my favorite picture, but it is hard to look good when you are trying not to die.

I am very thankful to have someone I can share my interests with and I am glad that person is Ludwig!


Now fast forward to our wedding day.  It was a crazy weather day with friends and family from out of state and oversees.  I remember it like it was yesterday!  

Married!!!

It was very cold and I was freezing!

And the honeymoon was in Paris!  I wanted to go there since I was 9, all I got to say it was worth the wait ;)

 A year later, we are both in Germany, living a new life together!  It still seems a bit crazy and I am not used to everything, but I would not have it any other way.
Right now I am reading My life in France by Julia Child and I really identified with a quote from her husband--'If variety is the spice of life, then my life must be one of the spiciest you ever heard of.  A curry of a life'.  Variety in my life is not something I am lacking these days.

So to celebrate our first anniversary Ludwig and I ventured out to Mittenwald, a little town close to the border of Austria.  I think we picked the best time to get married, since it is off season, hotels are cheaper, towns are less crowded and the weather is still amazing.  We were the only ones staying at this perfect little B&B, Baeckeralm, with perfect views of the Alps.

Saturday and Sunday after breakfast we ventured out into the mountains.  The weather was simply magnificent!

My mountaineer!

There were these soft lumpy hills everywhere, all you want to do is roll around in them.

Happy Anniversary Ludwig!  Thank you for being the best husband in the world!

It was a great weekend!!!