Take the Stairs

Since I got back from the cruise, I've really been focused on working out and not eating everything around me just because it's there. A cruise is the greatest catalyst for this epiphany, or for getting one into the place where she needs this epiphany.
Some days I just don't have time to go to the gym or it's just too bloody hot to run outside. (Apparently I think I'm from London. Although, if I was from London, it wouldn't be too bloody hot to run) Today, I work from 7-5 and then have a 20-30 club meeting until around 11 pm. Yes, you read that correctly. If I was more insane, I would have worked-out before work, or when I get home at 11.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I'm only slightly insane.

 A perk of my job is that little kids take naps. Another perk is that little kids take naps in their houses, sometimes with stairs. So, on some days where I know I can't fit in gym time or a run, I take advantage of the 16 carpet covered stairs that bridge the first floor play zone/war zone to the nap/amazingly quiet zone.
If you're interested, and you have a set of stairs you can borrow, check it out.
 Sometimes I just don't have the energy to work out, and am grateful to cut this work out in half, which seems pathetic, but you know how that goes. The ability to burn calories for an hour one day, and barely get through 10 minutes the next, is one of  life's greatest mysteries.

Another great mystery? Why I have songs like "Slow Motion" by Juvenile, on my itunes. Yet, I do, and I listened to it today when I did this work-out.

Last note, I do not use a watch timer for these intervals because I didn't have one on me: I just picked songs whose times matched up/skipped the song to the appropriate time so I knew when to stop. That also provides a quick little break between intervals, woo hoo!

Stop staring at the Stairs: A work-out

Put on some good cardio shoes.

1. 4 minutes: Walk up and down stairs, moving arms back and forth. You should be tired, but no out of breath that you can't talk

2. 1 minute: Run up and down the stairs as fast as you can

3. 2 minutes: Walk briskly up and down the stairs while holding 3-5 free weights at a 90 degree angle above you. Each time you go up, raise one arm, return to starting position, then raise the other. Hold free weights at that starting position as you walk down.

4. 1 minute: Run up and down the stairs, skipping a step while you run up. You should be more out of breath here. To the point where it's hard to get the words "shit", "f this", and "kill me now"

5. Repeat steps 2-4 three or four more times, depending on how much you wanna puke.

6. 4 minutes: walk up and down the stairs- this is your cool down!

7. Drink some water, take a shower



P.S. I am not a trainer and this work-out was not designed by one. My belief is, if you sweat, your muscles burn and you're endorphines are happy, you must be doing something right. Unlike P90X, this work-out does not promise to make you look like Victoria Beckham.