Equalizer workout, and tobacco free!

heyhey!! yea so i'm bad at this blogging thing. i've been keeping busy, and keeping up with my challenge.. and what a challenge it has been. i still hit up my runs, but not for as long as i had been. unfortunately the motion has taken it's toll on my hips. i wonder if maybe running will be easier on my body once i lose some more weight, which has been the biggest part of this challenge.

i have officially been cigarette free for one month today! i feel better. i'm kind of sensitive to the smoke now, as in if someone is smoking in a closed space with me it chokes me out.. but i'm fine standing in the smoke hole at work and not lighting one up. i am commended daily for my willpower, as most of my peers know how hard of a time i had last year trying to quit.

the diet portion of my challenge is going so-so, i have successfully added many healthy things to my daily routine such as NutriVerus by Mannatech, and white chia by Salba. the month that i went without my Mannatech was a horrible, sluggish month for me. i truly realized how much of an impact this product has had on my overall energy levels, as it helps to support thyroid function, something i have had issues with all my life. as for the chia, talk about keeping you regular! i also take fish oil, and another Mannatech product called Plus, which is an amino acid supplement.

that being said, it's not all supplements that i survive off of, although i love the looks i get at lunch when i'm mixing scoops of chia seeds into my applesauce. i have been doing my best to incorporate more whole foods and fresh fruit and vegetables during my work hours. i have no problem with this at home but i do spend a lot of time on the move, and it's hard not to reach for convenience food at times. now that i have quit cigarettes i know i have the willpower. i set a date and i did it. i think now i will set a date to phase out the few processed foods that i do still consume, with a few minor exceptions. perhaps i should make this my birthday gift to myself and set the date for tuesday! ..my 28th birthday.

on that note i know i must be doing something right, i'm turning 28 and i still get carded any time i go into a bar [even though i don't drink!] i just look that young. i had to pull out ID to buy cigarettes too, but those days are long past :)

anyways, i found something incredibly awesome that makes working out actually enjoyable, and very challenging too. a friend at work recommended the Lebert Equalizer workout system and after hearing her stories of finding muscles she never knew she had, and then watching some of the videos, i knew this was exactly what i needed.

a Canadian born product, the Equalizer system is such a simple concept yet incredibly versatile. it is simply two bars, shaped sort of similar to hurdles, that you can use to assist you in a bazillion different exercises and stretches, and very effectively use your own body weight as resistance. the fact that they are easy to maneuver makes exercises that i would typically have a hard time with much easier to perform. like push ups and pull ups for instance.. when i was young i broke my wrists and i find it incredibly painful to hold them in certain positions like flat against the floor to push up, or straight across as to grip a bar for a pull up. i won't be making my own videos any time soon to demonstrate, but i do highly recommend checking out their website and YouTube videos for workout ideas, the possibilities are endless. and man are my muscles ever sore, i've never felt the burn like this before!

i placed my order for these badboys last saturday and they were shipped by tuesday. likely because they are only a few towns over, but either way, very fast service and an excellent product. even though i am certainly sore after a routine with these things, it is not discouraging. they are just so much fun to experiment with, theres a million different ways i can challenge myself and easily focus on specific muscle groups that i want to work on. i have made time for a workout three days out of the past four and i am excited to hit them again today. the challenge now is not to overdo it, quite the switch up from trying to make time. and i don't even mind working out with these things in front of the boyfriend, when before i wouldn't do workouts while he was home. they are a confidence builder as well as a muscle builder and resistance trainer! excellent! and highly recommended for anyone who finds standard workouts too challenging and discouraging. kudos Lebert!