Workout With Me Wednesdays

Okay ya'll, if you're getting on the "New Year, New Me" train just recently - IT'S NEVER TOO LATE! Today, I'm going to be posting a Back & Biceps work out. If you've read my previous post (click here), I talk about how exercising & eating healthy is a lifestyle. I don't go on diets (I really don't think they work), and I try to balance my schedule to be able to work out or get moving in some way. When it comes to working out, I try to focus on one to two muscle groups PLUS a little bit of cardio. Not gonna lie to ya'll, cardio is not my fave. If I do cardio, I try to do 30secs sprint + 30sec rest for about 15 mins on the treadmill, walk on an incline, OR jump roping, but that usually doesn't last as long TBH.

As with any workouts, it's important to switch things up so your muscles don't get used to the same exact thing, week after week. My typical schedule is as follows:

• Mondays: Leg day (quad focused) 
• Tuesdays: Chest + Tris
• Wednesdays: Back + Bis
• Thursday: Leg day (hamstring + glute focused)
• Friday: Shoulders
• Saturday + Sunday: Rest day or catching up if I missed a day during the week. 
   

Now, I said this is my typical schedule. I don't ALWAYS do the same order. In fact, I've been switching it up lately depending on my energy levels and just so my muscles don't get used to the same routine. Also, I want to mention that most of the workouts I do are more-so weight-lifting exercises. Keep in mind that most require free-weights, dumbbells and and some machines! Don't be intimidate to use those and if you do, make sure that you are using proper form (Safety First! If something does not feel right DONT DO IT - you can always switch things up; just my disclaimer). 

So today I want to share with you guys what I did for Back + Bi Day. FYI: I go to the good 'ol YouTube for lots of Fit-spirations such as: Whitney Simmons, Taylor Chamberlain, Christina Capron, and the like. So go check them out!) 

Warm-Up:
1. So cardio is tough for me cus I find it boring (cardi-no). BUT for that day, I decided to speed walk on the tread mill, with an incline. Do a speed + level that is comfortable yet challenging for you.
2. Stretch the arms and back (I like to do some light stretching, and leave the deeper stretches for after the work out.

Actual Workout:
- Bent-over rows with under hand grip
- Bent-over rows with over hand grip
DO 4 sets of 10. (These are super-sets and what that means is you do 10 reps of the first one, then 10 reps of the second one and that equals ONE SET. Now do it for 3 more times).
(PS: you can do these with dumbbells as opposed to a barbell.)

-Lat Pull Down Variation: do a lighter weight than you normally do and you will pull on one side first, then the other, and then both (as you would normally). That equals ONE rep. 
DO 3 sets of 8. (PS: I couldn't find a picture on the google but check out Whitney Simmon's YouTube vid here) 

-Seated Cable Rows: Use the narrow-grip attachment and once you pull, squeeze at the end (think like you're about to snap the pencil in half that's in between your back muscles haha!)
DO 4 sets of 10

-Alternating Bicep Curls with one arm that's stationary: For this exercise, you want to start out with one arm at your side (holding the dumbbell) out at an angle and bent elbows. The other arm will be doing the bicep curls (same angle in which you are hold the stationary arm), while the other is stationary. 
DO 3 sets of 8 reps (each arm)
(PS: the video shows the girl doing it at the same time: for this exercise you would one one arm at a time while the other is holding the dumbbell out)

-Hammer Curls: hold the dumbbells as you would normally and you will do a curl on both arms at the same time. 
DO 4 sets of 10 reps

Don't Forget: Take 1-2 minute break IN BETWEEN SETS! 

Cool Down: 
-Stretch: here I take more time doing deeper stretches for my arms, side body, and even legs. 
-Sometimes I get back on the treadmill for 5 more minutes and walk at an incline. 

There you have it! I hope this helps you & your work out routine ;) Whenever I take some time off, I try to do some yoga or just rest my body. It's always good to allow your body to rest + recover so don't forget that! Also, I have linked a visual for the exercises as well as the links to the YouTube Channels of the people I like to get fit-spirations from! 

What do you like to do for your workouts?


 

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xo, Dorothy 

It's a Lifestyle

Practice what you preach, they say. 

But let's be real, unless you have more than 24 hours in one day, how are you going to be able to do medical school, eat right, exercise, sleep enough hours!? 

It's truly about learning the act of balancing everything, and keeping priorities straight - and treating yo'self!

One of my goals during this year was to keep up with working out and eating healthy. Last year, I was pretty flaky about it, especially since it was my first year of medical school & trying to figure everything out. You'd think by the time a few weeks rolled around, I would have a routine down - but nope. So this year, I am really making it a goal to make sure I'm fueling my body right by eating healthy and working out consisitently. 

Food - I love food. I love good food. So I have to get real creative about meals that I can prep for about 5 days that I won't get tired of eating. I'd usually make 2 dishes (one for lunch and one for dinner). Then I'll just mix it up for breakfast, depending how much time I have. If I have less time, i'll go for fruit and granola/cereal, but lately I've been making oatbran or cream of wheat and mixing a scoop of protein powder in it and adding fruit on top! 

Working Out - Okay, I'm guilty: I love working out. I try to go 5-6 times a week (sometimes 4 if it's an extremely busy week). Basically, I'm going off my sis's workout sched (for the most part, sometimes I switch it up), for what I do that specific day. With such a busy schedule, I really have to make time for going to the gym and other activities. I try to keep my workouts for an hour to hour and a half - the way I think about it, if I just sit in front of my study materials all day and take 346284 breaks, the time it took for those breaks could just instead be put into my workout time. That way, I'm able to study more efficiently too! 

But listen, I'm human so I go through those times too when I just want to sit in front of the tv, watch netflix, eat ice cream, and chips. So no need to think I'm perfect at eating healthy and working out - I'm not and that's okay! I get it, us type-A's are too hard on ourselves (a lot of the time), but it's not the end of the world if you have a bad day or bad week. Just get back on track - that's what matters! 

I really do love that I'm at an Osteopathic Medical School, where I get to learn about how we are to take care of our patient's body, mind, and spirit also - which reinforces that I have to take care of myself as well.

I too, have to practice what I preach. 

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A Balancing Act

Has anyone ever felt like they were trying to balance plates on a stick on the palm of your hands, and on top of your feet while trying to walk? I've never actually attempted that before but that's how I feel sometimes when life along with school gets extremely hectic. So how in the world do I find balance with the ever-growing demands of school, and life in general?

1. Staying Grounded - Whether it's by reading my bible, or praying, or getting together with a group of girls where we pray with each other and talk about how our weeks are going. These things are such important parts of my life that I basically wouldn't know how to function without it. This is how I stay grounded, and if life is throwing you all the lemons that the world can find, try this or find something that will help you remain grounded. It's so important to not only take care of your physical body to stay healthy, but also address and take care of your spirit. 
    
2. Nutrition & Fitness - another very important part of how I stay balanced is by eating healthy and working out. Don't get me wrong, I do indulge (which I will talk about in point #4) - maybe sometimes a little too much ;) But these two things help keep me healthy and also boosts mental health! So if I'm gonna prevent going nuts, I'm going to take care of my body. When I'm at school, I find that prepping meals for at least 3 days at a time is helpful so that I don't end up just eating out all the time. I say 3 days because I get tired of eating the same thing over again. I'm going to be trying out some different ways to prep my meals this coming school year - so stay tuned for how that will be going. Also it's so important to be smart about what you're eating. Being in class and studying all day, I tend to snack a lot! I have to make sure that I'm packing something healthy (or at least somewhat healthy) - otherwise I'd end up getting chips from the vending machine (which happens occasionally haha). Second, I find that I feel much better when I am working out on a regular basis. During medical school, it's so easy to put off working out and to just keep studying - BUT the endorphins from working out truly does help especially with stress. Don't over-do it though. This summer, I am able to work out for 2 hours at a time and do so much more, but I know once I get back to school that's just not possible. First of all, I simply don't have the luxury of spending 2 hours working out. Second of all, I find that after studying/sitting in class for a long time I'm mentally drained, which also in turn makes me physically drained. So I have to know my limit and not overwork myself to a point where I won't be able to go back to studying after my workouts (sometimes I work out for so long that I don't want to do anything else after).
    
3. Taking Breaks - this is something I want to work on more this coming school year. I didn't take breaks the "right" way. I would take breaks in the same spot where I study but that's not a true break. It's better to study and take breaks in different spaces if possible. Also, I'd like to try to take more trips outside of the town where school is. As much as I love where I go to school, I also miss bigger cities so I hope to be able to manage time better and squeeze in some trips out of town and go exploring! 
    
4. Rewarding Myself - After exams, my friends and I would usually do a movie night, or go out to dinner! Giving yourself something to be excited about after something stressful like exams may help you push through the grueling studying - this is something that seems to help me! Also, as I mentioned earlier, I like to stick to a healthier diet but I do reward myself with food - whether it's dessert or a hearty meal. 

The challenges of medical school and life gets overwhelming, but it's important to first take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. That way, we can give our 110% to whatever we are doing! There's nothing worse than trying to pour out from an empty cup.