Fitness Goals

Remember that we are trying to set weekly goals to help us with our motivation on our journey to better health.  These micro-goals could include:

• get up early every day this week to read Jesus Calling and work out.
• Say "NO" to dessert this week.
• Give up 1 soda a day this week.
• Try a new fitness routine!
• etc...

We are also trying to establish an "end of summer" goal.  This is a longer term goal which allows you more time to work at it, with a bigger end result! End of summer goals could include:

• run a 5k with a friend.
• drop X # of lbs.
• Bike X # of miles at one time. (RAGBRAI is coming soon!)
• Conquer an exercise you thought you couldn't do, like a pull-up! Or so many sit-ups in a row, etc.

These goals will help keep you moving and motivated in a healthy way, and remember - we are all here to pray for you and help motivate you! Last week, I failed miserably at my attempt to work out everyday even while company was at our house. And I failed even worse at getting up early everyday for my Jesus Calling time in the peace and quiet. When I shared my struggles, I had a friend step up to help me as an accountability partner - and the whole group shared in my struggle with prayer and encouragement.

Share your goals - share your struggles!  Talk to God about them, and He will use our MAC Fit group to help you channel His power into your daily fitness and health endeavors!

MMM...MAC FIT MOVES!

Try these moves to tone your temple this week!

1.) Split squats 3x16 (8 each leg)

• lower yourself into lunge position, hips lower towards the floor. Chest up and knee behind toe.
• jump yourself up into the next lunge position, staying in one place on the floor. Both feet should hit the floor at the same time.
• MODIFICATION: you can do normal lunges as a modification, or instead of jumping into the next split squat position, you can just push off your front leg back into the standing position, then step into the next split squat (lunge).  Remain in the same area of the floor. (This picture shows the 3 moving parts of this exercise, does NOT mean that you should be jumping forward in this exercise. Stay in the same area!)

2.) Seated band rows 3x10

• sitting with your legs straight out in front of  you - wrap the band around the arches of your feet.  Pull the band in towards you with your palms facing each other. Elbows need to go straight back, shoulders stay down away from the ears.

3.) Bicep curl with shoulder press 3x10 each arm

• With a weight in each hand, curl one weight up to your shoulder, then press the weight up overhead.
• Switch arms, (right curl and press, then left curl and press)
• Keep your wrist neutral at the bottom - meaning your palm is facing your leg.

4.) Runners (or bicycles as modification) 3 sets of 15 second intervals

• with your palms on the floor and feet behind you, pretend to run in place.









• If you can't do the runners, I suggest you try the Bicycle abs.  Laying flat on the floor, lift one knee up to your chest to meet the opposite elbow. Extend the knee back out, then do the same with the opposite. If you can't hold your legs up in the extended position (back issues, etc) then let them rest on the floor instead, and just focus on pulling your knee to opposite elbow - rest legs on floor - then repeat on other side!

I encourage you to do these exercises 2-3 times this week with a day off in between.  It's important to do cardio exercises everyday, and abs can be done every day as well (fast-recooperating muscle). Call up a friend and take a walk - go for a bike ride - or try something new like join a fitness class or watch you tube videos of kick boxing! (thanks Becky!)

[I want] MORE MAC FIT MOVES!

1.) Wall sits with shoulder circles

• with your back to the wall, slide yourself down so your legs are at a 90 degree angle. With straight arms, make little circles forward for 10 seconds and backwards for 10 secs and repeat until you can't anymore! Do 3 sets. (Picture shows weights in hand - no need for weights, but you can add small ones if you want!)

2.)Chest press on the ground

• laying flat on the ground on your back with a weight (moderate-heavy) in each hand, lower the weight to your chest and push back up in the air. Keep the weight controlled and lower slowly. 3x10

3.) Tricep extension with a band

• with the end of band in one hand, while the other end is under your foot, pull the band up over your head towards the ceiling. Keep the elbow near the ear! It's best to take a step forward, with the band underneath the back foot (keep the body straight from the heel to the neck) Switch arms. 3x10

4.) ABS:  

• Laying flat on the ground, with legs straight up together in the air, imagine there is a rope coming straight out of the ceiling through the middle of your feet. Pretend to pull that rope close to you, in a hand over hand action! Think chest up, contract the abs on each imaginery pull! 20 pulls x 3 sets
• Use this picture as a guide - but reach with each hand individually as if you were pulling a rope in close to your chest!

Do exercise 1-4 in order, repeat 3 times! Feel the burn, you guys are doing great!  Don't go too light on the weights for chest press - push yourself a little bit. Nothing smaller than 5lbs.  You won't see any results that way - and we want to move forward girls!

Self-control quick tip: fridge flags and pantry prayers!

If you struggle with eating when you're bored, eating too much in general, nibbling, snacking, munching, and the like - here is a quick tip to help gain self control while activating God's promised help!

Jot down a quick prayer on a sticky note sized piece of paper and tape it close to the fridge handle, pantry shelf or a cupboard door (especially if that cupboard contains the snacks!)

Prayer can be written something like:

 "Dear Lord, please help me tell the difference between hungry or bored. Thanks!"

or 

"Lord, help me shut my mouth and move my legs today!"

or

"Thank you God for this body - let's take care of it together."

or even

"Too many tasty treats taint this temple!"

These simple prayers stick the heart when you know that you are eating out of boredom, or having a munch mania lunch-a-thon. Ask God for the extra power you need to say no to the ho-ho, and say yes to the best of this life!

Keep watching for more self-control tips!

MAC Fit MOVES for the week!

This week’s MAC fit Moves are:
1.) Bicep curls with a shoulder press overhead.
- Hold a moderately heavy weight (NO LESS THAN 5lbs girls! none of you are that weak!)

 - curl the weight up, then press the weight straight overhead with the wrists remaining in neutral position.
- 3 sets of 10 repeitions

2.) Lunges
-take a step in front of you that is a little larger than a regular walking step.
-lower your hips straight downward, with your head balanced directly above the hips.
-Don’t go all the way to the floor – and watch that your knees don’t go over your toes – not even a little bit!
-Stand to feet together position – and take the other leg forward!
-3 sets of 5 lunges per leg (10 steps)

3.) Modified Pushup (on your knees)
-With your hands and knees on the floor, straighten your body into a plank position so your body is a straight line from your knees to your neck.
-Hands should be slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
-Do a push up with your elbows coming out away from your body – lower yourself down so that your elbows come to just about a 90 degree angle.
-Breathe out on the push back up!
-3 sets of 10 pushups

4.) Scissor kicks w/pumps
-Laying down on your back – lift one leg up with your hands grasping it behind the knee, the other leg flat on the floor.
-Scissor kick your legs with 2 mini-pumps at the bottom of each scissor.
-To make this a little more challenging, keep your head and upper shoulders off the floor. To relieve neck tension, let your head rest on the floor during the whole exercise, or periodically.
-3 sets of 20 scissors

 

(For those ladies who really want to firm up the tricep area (back of your upper arm) – feel free to continue to do those kitchen counter tricep pushups!) 3 sets of 10 – remember ELBOWS IN! Shoulders down, away from your ears so you don’t tense up.

Do these 3 days this week, taking a day off in between. Remember to get moving – go for a walk, a bike ride, play tag with the kids (or grandkids)! Enjoy God’s beautiful creation and get your blood pumping on a hike or a swim!

SLOW IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN NO! (just get moving!)