September Sweat Sessions: The Challenge

September 4, 2015September 5, 2015 | Megan

I posted a call to action on Monday, but I didn’t do a very good job of explaining my intent or promoting my purpose before diving right in to my September Sweat Sessions. Typical.

Plus, then I posted the most perfect Peach Upside Down Cake on Wednesday. The consumption of which is totally counter to my September fitness goals. I wanted to slip that delicious recipe in there for you before all of summer’s perfect peaches were gone!!! So if you, my wonderful readers were a bit thrown off, I understand!

Or if you are just tuning in to accept the challenge to Sweat with me this entire September, WELCOME to my second challenge post!

Allow me to elaborate with part of my story. (*Or skip directly to the challenge.) I am looking to lose some summer weight. Unlike some, I actually find that I gain the pounds more during the summer than I do during the winter. Call it reverse hibernation, call it falling off the proverbial wagon, call it lack of self-control, and love for all of summer’s juicy foods. It is all of those, I’m sure, and this has been my cycle for many years.

In fact, maybe last summer was the first time that I maintained my exercise goals through summer break. I’ll credit that to an incredible personal trainer, and the fact that I was prepping to for bikinis all day, every day in Costa Rica.

I feel that my summer weight increase goes all the way back to my college days in Alaska working in the seasonal tourism industry there. I always kept up a rigorous workout schedule while I was in college. I ran nearly every day and had periods where I was weight lifting three or more times a week. This kept me in great shape.

But when summer hit and I headed north (for seven glorious summer seasons, mind you!), the weight came on. I let all of my working out and healthy eating habits slide. I can cite all of the reasons for the slide– I was constantly traveling, it was an every summer reunion with some of my best friends, I was making up for all of the stricture and schedule I placed myself under during school, work was long but the days were longer. I was hungry.

I find a similar cycle in my life now. When summer comes I’m ready to cut loose! I’m ready to break the rules. I’m ready to eat all the shaved ice. I’m ready to NOT pass on the french fries. I’m ready for a milkshake-a-day, and I can assure you that it is NOT the same as an apple, kids. I also tend to eat more meat as we grill and entertain during summer months, and look the other way when it comes to making sure I am eating my veggies.

My meal planning game gets weak. Because another thing that has kept us eating healthily over the years is definitely The Scramble. Roll your eyes, I know that I talk about it all the time, but the meals in this plan are healthy and filling. This is the Goldilocks of meal-planning sites if you ask me. The meals aren’t too big and they aren’t too small. They are JUST RIGHT.

But sometimes in the summer even those meals go out the window! And that doesn’t even cover VACATION and TRAVEL! OY-VEY!

Then comes September. NOW. I’m ready to shape up and lean out. I’m ready to eat clean and leave the junk behind. What is the point of all of this fitness/exercise/eating talk? The point is it is ALWAYS good to reset. Health and well-being of our bodies require it. Again, and again, and again.

What about you?

What are your fitness cycles? Do you see a pattern in your exercise and eating habits? What are your get moving and eat clean weaknesses? What are your motivations? What keeps you working out? What help you to make healthy food choices? Are you prepared? I hope you are prepared to:

Be prepared to Sweat

Be prepared to Work Hard

Be prepared to Hurt

Be prepared to be Out of Breath

Be prepared to Want to Quit

Be prepared to Keep Going

Be prepared to Drink more Water

Be prepared to Eat Healthily

*Here is my plan. I am going to work out every WORK day in September. That’s five days a week. At least. I am going to split my time between indoor cycling and weight lifting with a smattering of yoga because those are my go-tos. I will be posting an indoor cycling workout here on the blog once a week. This week’s workout is posted, here. You can repeat this workout 2, 3, even 4 times a week if you’d like to.

Then I am going to keep my weekends active, and by active I mean FUN! I am going to go out there and revel in Autumn. Whether that means going on a hike with my boys, taking a walk around my neighborhood (I don’t do that nearly enough), hit the paddle board for a sunrise moment, or pedal down to town for some more peaches.

I am going to reign in my sweet eating. For me, I’ve found it’s best not to cut treats out altogether. So I have a sweet or two each week. Fine. But it will not do for me or you to be eating something sweet EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. It is counter to all of the hard work you will be putting into your workouts.

I am challenging you to do the same.

The reality is that you can do this. My advice is that you shouldn’t be afraid to sweat, don’t be afraid to grit your teeth and dig in to your workouts, and don’t be afraid to smile while doing it. My advice is to take it easy on the food. Don’t go slashing carbs and burning all of your refined sugars. Moderation. (I say this as a person who could pound a pint of ice cream in one sitting, so please understand that Moderation is a constant practice for me.)

I really want that extra pick-up in metabolism. I want to feel a little lighter, and I want to have that strong edge. I’ve also noticed that as my boys have gotten older, I have actually had to work HARDER at my weight training goals simply because I’m not lifting them and hauling them around anymore!

You can cardio until you’re blue in the face, but if you really want to CHANGE your body for the better, if you really want to be in the best SHAPE (and it will be YOUR SHAPE, friends. You will also have to love the package that your body is altogether, because it is a beautiful thing), you will need to incorporate strength training into your workouts.

I’ve often said that I didn’t have biceps until I had babies. For me, having children made me stronger– both mentally and physically. Chanel whatever makes you feel strong and use that as your impetus to get moving!

Plus, I hope you’ll think of THIS SONG every time you head to the gym– the treadmill downstairs, the stairclimber, the weight lifting class, the kick boxing circuit, the elliptical machine, the yoga flow, the core blast, your insanity tapes, or Pilates video.

If you do those things consistently, you will see a DIFFERENCE in your body. Coupled with healthy eating you will begin, gradually, to feel better. You will have more energy. You will have more endorphins. Your pants may fit just a little bit better. You will certainly see an increase in endurance for the stairs at work, and the local walk-a-thin, and chasing after your kids, and that hike with your buddy into the hinterland. You will most likely even breathe easier.

SO, in the words of Snoop Dog, “I want to make you sweat.” Will you join me?

Let’s do this!!!

XX, Megan

P.S. Another cycling workout will post Monday, and we’ll check in again on Friday, shall we?

September Sessions: Let’s Sweat

August 31, 2015 | Megan

Well, this is it friends, the final day of August. I can’t figure out if it is a being-old thing, a being-a-mom syndrome, or just plain reality that summertime literally FLEW by!

We had one of the most wonderful summers on record. You may have already seen my post about our Epic Road Trip, here, or checked out my Fall Style Mash Up, here. You may have already read about the blessed opportunity we had to ride horses all summer, and I’m working on a post about how much this summer meant to us, so more on that later.

How was your summer?

For me, summer also meant taking time to indulge. Maybe a little TOO much in the food department. And while I don’t regret even ONE of my chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cup milk shakes. I AM seeing the results of my laissez-fair attitude toward food– and rich food, and treats, and drinks– NOW. On the scale.

In that vein I bring you the September Sessions. Opportunities to have a good long SWEAT. In fact, we can do it together. Virtually. Come sweat alongside me as I re-lose some of what I’ve gained. I’ll miss those chocolate Reese’s peanut butter cup shakes, but I won’t miss that little tire creeping up around my middle. I’ll miss the anytime snack times, but I won’t miss those flappy arm backs. I’ll miss sugary drinks and sweet bites, but I won’t miss tight pants or button fights.

I’ll be posting a weekly spin workout, and coming at you with lots of other workout tips and tricks. Well… are there really any tricks? The trick is to get up, get out there, and do the work. Like that picture of the hand penned sign at my local gym. Stop Wishing. Start Doing.

NOTE: This is advice from me and from my experience. None of this is directly linked to (but definitely based on) medical or professional opinion, so before you begin this or any other workout program, speak with your physician! This week’s workout BELOW!!!

Today’s workout is an exercise in CONTRAST. Heavy hills and high cadence “descents”.

So strap on those spin shoes (or cinch your tennis shoes down), and come with me!

First, the profile. You’re going to be going from one of your hardest resistance levels, down to a much easier, much faster resistance/cadence. You’re time split will look like this: 3 minutes on heavy resistance (as if you are climbing a hill), followed by 2 minutes of light resistance (as if you are on a true flat and really pumping out the speed).

When we talk about heavy resistance if you imagine you have a sliding scale of resistance 1-10 available on a standard spin bike. 1 being your easiest “gear” and 10 being your hardest “gear”. So in this profile you need to choose two totally contrasting levels of resistance. You need a solid 8 or a 9 (those will be the hills, friends), and you need a 3 or a 4 (this will act as your “descent” or for this workout you can feel for a true flat because you should still feel some resistance against your fly wheel even when you hit those two minute “descents”)

WORK OUT 1:

Warm-up: No gear for 3 minutes, add 1 gear for sprints 30 on 30 off for 4 minutes, add one gear every 45 seconds for 4 minutes. Take all of your gear off for 1 minute, then find that first hill!

3 minutes: 8-9 Heavy Hill Climb

2 minutes: 3-4 A “descent” or a true flat, find that speed, that high cadence. But make sure that you are not rocking around or flopping in your saddle. This will be a sign that you DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH RESISTANCE on your wheel.

Repeat this 2 more times. THEN…

5 minutes: 8-9 Heavy Hill Climb

2 minutes: 3-4 High Cadence “Descent”

Repeat this 1 time. THEN…

Repeat those 3 minute hills and 2 minute descents 3 MORE TIMES.

Cool Down.

This workout should last just over an hour. An hour of true ride time plus about 10 minute warm-up and 10 minute cool down. Feel free to tweak and tune for the time and the ride YOU NEED!

I like to do a spin work-out two to three times a week.

XX, Megan

P.S. Next week we’ll talk about this monster (pictured below). The stair climber. Such an unassuming machine. Some folks may even see it as old fashioned. But will give you a killer workout, no sweat spared! See you next Monday!!!!

The Great Middle America Road Trip

August 28, 2015August 30, 2015 | Megan

Before:

I had some ideas of what I expected of our Great Middle America Road Trip from the get-go. These preconceived notions came from summers traveling from my childhood home in Utah to my birthplace in Huron, South Dakota. We made that trip– often as a mom with four young kiddos in a cream and brown Ford Club Wagon van, three, five, seven times, I don’t know– A LOT.

So when the idea was hatched to take my two little boys and my sister’s two little girls on the same roadie across 957 miles, five states, countless corn fields, and famous mid-western landmarks to celebrate our Grandfather’s 90th Birthday I was interested.

I was also trepidatious. Driving solo for nearly two thousand miles (roundtrip) with four small children sounded BIG and LONG and NOT overly appealing at times. There were several points along the way when my tired 4 year-old pointed out that flying would have been MUCH faster. He was right.

But the thing about flying is that you don’t get into the heart of those miles. You don’t get the full flavor and force of those hours spent looking, watching, staring, smelling, and taking in the land in all of its GLORY. Plus, flying into the heartland into the middle of nowhere can be an expensive endeavor! (We’ve done that before too, but our littlest was still too young to remember.)

I have to be honest that my husband was my biggest fan and supporter. He was my deciding factor. He was stoked that we were taking this pilgrimage. He was happy that our boys were going to be able to experience the sights, and sounds, and places of the Mid-West. He wanted them to be his representatives at the celebration for my Grandfather. He championed the trip from the beginning.

During:

So early(ish) one Wednesday morning we set off! The commentary in my head was something like Tom Brokaw meets Charles Kuralt– telling, direct, frank, but imbued with underlying love and respect and heart-aching humility and pride for the places and people we saw.

When we arrived in South Dakota the love of my extended family was palpable. These are people that I am VERY close to– my mom’s siblings and their partners. But I wasn’t prepared for how much their LOVE ENGULFED me and my children! We were treated and taken care of so well.

The kids swam nearly every day, ate mountains of ice cream, listened intently for the rasp and whir of the cicadas’ song, and gathered buckets of cicada exoskeletons (shudder).

They got a personal tour of Burnison Plumbing and Heating from it’s founder, their Great-grandpa. They played with a set of farm toys for hours, and spent countless minutes chasing treats and prizes by maneuvering Uncle Billy’s pint-sized version of “The Claw” arcade game (quarters already included by Uncle Bill) :). It was magical.

We celebrated Grandpa Earl at the Riverview United Methodist Church, the Church my grandparents have belonged to since before I was born, certainly for as long as I can remember.

We hugged great-aunts age 91, talked to distant cousins who felt like longtime friends, heard stories about Madonna Scherschlict the local telephone operator– “What line, please?”, and remembered my great-grandfather, S.E. Burnison’s service station. We soaked up all the love and care that surrounded us, and hopefully we gave some good love and gratitude in return.

Post-Huron, we headed west into the Black Hills hitting Mount Rushmore, and then on to Yellowstone before traveling past more farms and ranchettes than I can count till we reached home. It was epic.

After:

Upon returning home (12 days later, mind you!) there are still some feelings I will carry with me from our trip.

First, that America is BEAUTIFUL! Her land is VAST, and OPEN, and AWE inspiring. I had the proverbial wind knocked out of me more than once at the sweeping force of if ALL.

I wish I could fully convey how BEAUTIFUL the things we saw and experienced were. I wish I could properly paint with words the blue of the sky that stretched above us on those travel days, the fluff and flow of the clouds. The relative quiet of those untrafficed State Highways– SD 14 was my favorite. I wish I could lay out all of the corn, and alfalfa, and sunflower fields stretching forever into the horizon for you, but you’ve got to see it for yourself.

I wish I had the words to write a compelling story about all of the hard, honest, back-braking work I witnessed as well. From my tiny glimpse into farm life this summer through our good friends, the Bells, I am learning that working on and with the land is HARD. Hard as hell. But so GOOD. So REAL. So RENEWING. Renewing to death, maybe, but that kind of applied work cannot be recreated in any other way. That kind of accomplishment cannot be won other than by hard fought, hand-to-land, hard work.

I saw them. America’s farmers. Repairing wheel lines, opening irrigation on their ditches, directing combines, harnessing the power of huge machines to haul hay. Often they were alone. Sun baked men in cowboy hats and muck boots. Sometimes they worked in pairs, but mostly the farmers and ranchers I saw were alone. Solo on in their work. I hope they are never forgotten.

We live in a beautiful country, with beautiful people, seeking beautiful things. I hope I’ll always remember the wonder and grandeur I felt about the Middle of America. The heartland is a growing, greening, spectacular place. For me, it will always hold a place and a piece in what I call HOME.

XX, Megan

Wild West Bakery

August 14, 2015August 16, 2015 | Megan

How appropriate that we find ourselves in Wyoming today on our road trip. Forever West, as their welcome signs proclaims. Today we’re sharing a Kiwi Crate project we rolled out last week– a decorate-it-yourself baker’s hat and apron.

We’ve had this crate for a while because I try to stretch out the activities through the month. The kids really enjoyed the decorating process. Better yet, THEY suggested that we use our baker’s apparel to start a bakery complete with a cash register, Hostess Zingers, water, and an Open/Closed sign, of course!

I give you the Wild West Bakery!!!!! I hope you have an awesome Friday and a wonderful weekend.

XX, Megan

Seven Summer Reads (For Kids)

August 10, 2015August 4, 2015 | Megan

We love to read over here at Refined + Rugged. Though I don’t have the opportunity to read as often as I’d like to, I set the goal to read three books this summer and I’m nearly finished with the third. Along with reading for personal enjoyment it is a pleasure and priority to me to read with my children.

Together as a family we finished Winnie the Pooh last Spring, and before school begins again, I wanted to offer up a few books we have embarked upon this summer. What are some of your reading picks for children? Do you have any sensational books you’ve read together as a family?

I hope you have a magnificent Monday!!!

XX, Megan

1. Shel Silverstein (anything, everything)