Workout quickie: Stability Ball Blitz
Maybe I should have just braved the eye claw.
I’ve worn contacts since 4th grade, and really haven’t had any probs with them until now. They discontinued the style I’ve worn for years, so I’ve been trying to find another brand/style that will work. The eye doc gave me a pair that’s fantastic, but you can’t sleep in them and I need something I’ll be able to snooze in during the day while the baby sleeps. I’ve tried 3 other pairs in the past week, and they haven’t been working for my eyes.
I debated Lasik two summers ago, but ended up being too afraid of the eye claw and reading too many horror stories through Googling. …
So tonight I called it quits with the newest pair of contacts, put on my glasses (which need to be tightened badly- the obtuse angle makes them fall off my head) and went to the base gym for a walk.
I love walking on the upstairs track, and can usually see the classes going on on the basketball court below. It’s fun to observe different instructors for best practices, tips and tricks for my own classes. Two of the major things I pay attention to are verbiage and cueing. As an instructor it’s easy to say the same things over and over (“go ahead and…” “Ok, now…” “Great job!”), and as far as cueing goes, it’s so important to make sure everyone’s form is spot on and that they know which muscle group(s) they’re working in a strength-based class.
Some eats from the day:
This is the first one that came up- the filling from a piece of Costco pumpkin pie <— BEST pumpkin pie
(I eat the filling and Bella has some of the crust. We make a good team)
Salad with turkey bacon, spinach, goat gouda, carrots, Goddess dressing and my daily afternoon Zevia
Crackers from TJs:
They’re coated with a green pea powder- super salty and amazing
Just got home from running some errands and about to start dinner.
See ya in the morning!
xoxo
Gina
Something to talk about: What helps you to improve at your job? For me, watching and taking classes always helps, and blog-wise, I like to read as many blogs as possible.
Workout quickie!
Try this superset workout on your next strength training day for a short, total-body burn. Bonus: all of the moves include the stability ball, which forces us to utilize our core muscles even more to stabilize.
For each superset, alternate between each move to do 3 sets total for each exercise. For example, for the first superset, you’ll do 12-15 chest presses, 12-15 reverse flyes, 12-15 chest presses, 12-15 reverse flyes, 12-15 chest presses and 12-15 reverse flyes before moving onto the next exercise on the list. The goal is to complete as much of the total workout as you can with minimal rest, maximizing calorie burn.
Estimated time: 30-40 minutes
| Warm-up | Cardio of choice | 5 minutes |
| Superset 1: Stability ball chest press and stability ball reverse fly | Challenging weight | 3 sets 12-15 of each |
| Stability ball push-ups | Bodyweight | 1 minute: as many as you can |
| Superset 2: Stability ball back extension, stability ball weighted crunch |
Bodyweight | 3 sets 12-15 of each exercise |
| Cardio blast: step touch on stability ball | Bodyweight | 30 seconds to the right, 30 seconds to the left |
| Superset 3: Ball squat with squeeze and split squat on the stability ball | Bodyweight | 3 sets of 12-15 of each exercise (do right and left legs for the split squat before going back to the plie squat) |
| Core burner: stability ball twist | Bodyweight | 1 minute with control. Make it more challenging: twist the ball while lowering your legs towards the floor and bringing it back up |
| Cardio bonus (optional): 4 minutes of Tabata intervals |
Cardio of choice: bike, elliptical, run, plyometrics | It’s only 4 minutes- make it count! |
| Cool down and stretch |
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I just had Lasik two months ago and it is hands down the best decision/money I’ve ever made/spent. I was totally freaked out going into it, but it really is so quick and the results are fantastic, I really do recommend it. It’s the most amazing thing to wake up and be able to see the clock across the room (little things!!).
I’m jealous! That’s something that I definitely want to get done! I’ve been wearing glasses for almost 18 years…and I’m over it. I need to just save the money up and do it.
I remember having my first shower after Lasik. I saw a big spider in the corner of the room, squealed, jumped out and went to get the spider catching other half. He informed me that this spider had been living in the corner of the shower for several weeks.
OMG, I remember my first shower afterwards too…and yelling to my friend in the other room that I could read the shampoo and conditioner bottles! LOL!
I miss being able to see while I shower! Wow
haha! wow
Oh, oh, oh and what about the novelty of plucking your eyebrows without having to stand nose to nose with the mirror? Actually every bathroom ritual is a lot easier when you can see. I never wore my contacts in the shower – they were really expensive ones: my eyes were unbelievably bad – the second worst that have ever been Lasik’d in the whole of New Zealand, according to my eye dr.
I had Lasik just over six months ago and I agree, it was one of the best decisions I made. The best part for me was seeing my alarm clock in the morning without having to put on glasses. My only regret is not having had the surgery sooner!
I have been obsessed with TJ edamame crackers for over a year and buy them in bulk still! I’m so scared they will stop making them!!
they might be my new fave cracker- i LOVE them!
Why dont you just wear your glasses? I also have a hard time with contacts, after about 10 hours they drive.me.crazy. I would LOVE LASIK and would brave the eye claw, if only someone else would pay my bill 🙂
I am a nurse and the thing that helps me improve at my job is it is my job to make that patient as comfortable as they can be. It truly is a customer service job, all it takes is a crappy nurse to ruin a patient’s day, and I dont want to be that nurse. I want to be the nurse they reflect fondly upon.
they drive me crazy! i have really poor eyesight, so they’re thick and bulky.. especially when i’m teaching fitness or out and about. i think i’d like them more if they turned into sunglasses, because otherwise i have to layer them 🙂
i would love a nurse like you. sweet nurses make the experience <3
I’m in the same boat as you! Mine are so bulky they even sit crooked on my face and constantly slide down my nose. Contacts have been bothering me lately and I’m starting to tell my husband I NEED Lasik.
And just like your glass, mine are all stretched out! How does that happen!?
I’ve found that when you take off your glasses do not fold them up, just leaving them open does not stretch them out all crazy.
I don’t know why that works, maybe the screws don’t get loose because of the movement. But I got new glasses about 6 months ago and I never “close” them and they are still perfect!
I did Lasik a year and a half ago and it was seriously the best decision I’ve ever made (just like Lindsey!). I live in Tucson, so I went up to Schwartz Laser Eye Center in Scottsdale…and while it was pricey and definitely more expensive than having it done in Tucson (still, best money I’ve ever spent), I figured if he does it for the professional athletes of our state, then he could do it for me. They also can get you in quickly (I was in for my consultation and had surgery within a week of my initial informational phone call). And…if money is part of the issue, they offer 2 year financing at 0%. Seriously DO IT!!!! 🙂
WHOA. ok, i might have to go for it. how bad was the eye claw?
I’m not gonna lie, I was terrified…but it didn’t hurt at all. The noise of the laser and the thoughts in my head were the worst part, but it was over in less than 5 minutes. You’re supposed to go to sleep for a few hours after and yes, it hurt pretty bad trying to fall asleep after the numbing drops wore off, but after I woke up, zero pain and I could see! I was running around reading things out loud to prove that I could! LOL!!!
OMG, 0%? That.is.awesome. Gina, I would call whoever you are looking into and ask- the doctors in my area won’t do it if you are pregnant or nursing. So it may give you a lot of time to look into it.
yeah i’ll have to wait a while before i actually get it done
I’ve always wanted lasik but I’m way too scared! I’m such a baby when it comes to surgery, but I hear the effects are supposed to be great!
My husband and I had LASIK 2 years ago and it was the best decision I ever made! I had no idea how clear things would be!! I had terrible eyesight and now I wake up daily with 20/10. My friends joke I have X-ray vision. I would highly recommend talking to people in your area and finding a reputable dr. I had no pain and was fine to drive later the same day. Well worth it! Love your blog!
i waited 2 years after having my son til I got lasik, but really wish I hadn’t. late night feedings kind of suck when you can’t see, but I was very blind without my contacts/glasses. I am so happy with the lasik even though it cost the equivalent of a family trip to europe. I wake up every morning and I can just see, it’s a friggin miracle truly.
I had Lasik not once, but twice, and the second time I was not freaked out at all (my eyes were very bad and I was warned that it would probably not be perfect at first. After the second time I have better than 20/20 in both eyes). YOU SHOULD DO IT. Honestly, life without either glasses or contacts is so fantastic. Things like travelling and exercise (and er.. in my case, natural disasters) are just SO much less hassle.
And, I’m sure it will occur to you that if you can do childbirth, you CAN do Lasik. BTW, the ‘claw’ is outdated here and should be there I’d imagine. What I had was a kind of springy thing that holds your eye open and you don’t need to avoid blinking. You can’t blink really but it feels like you do because of the springy thingy. The suction is a bit freaky, but… if you can do childbirth…
What I do have is slightly sensitive eyes now, in terms of dust and sunlight, but that’s easy to deal with and I’d still do it again. I did everything right after my surgery.. drops, slept with the guards on, more drops, polarised sunglasses, limited TV and computer time. In less than 10 days you should be good to go if you do everything right. Therefore, I conclude that you should either have Lasik ASAP or wait until Ms Fitnessista is able to be cared for by someone else for at least a few days. You don’t want baby arms flying into your newly Lasik’d eyes.
that’s an excellent point- now would be trying to figure out a good time to do it.
I got LASIK this summer as a graduation present and I have loved everything about it. You honestly don’t feel a thing and they give you anti aniexty meds to calm you down. I am nervous wreck when it comes to needles, doctors etc. but this was not bad at all. I watched so many people do it that day which helped calm my nerves. And you can see instantly afterwards! You wake up in the morning with 20/15 vision-best morning of my life. It’s seriously something to reconsider doing-you won’t regret it!
Your TJ’s crackers reminded me of something new I tried at TJ’s – their wasabi almonds! I know you love wasabi peas so if you haven’t tried the almonds, you should give them a shot. I’ve been snacking on them and they’re awesome. 🙂
I say go for the eye surgery! It really is a simple procedure, and to be free of glasses and contacts is awesome!!
Watching other people get Lasik has me totally freaked out! Maybe if I had to wear contacts or glasses more on the regular, I’d be willing to go for it. I hope it never comes to that!*
When I teach I say the same thing over and over, “way to work”!
For me, both in nursing and waitressing, it’s talking to people about their experiences! Finding out what they like and what they don’t like, and definitely observing others in the profession! It’s easier to critique someone else’s performance, so I use those thoughts as a yardstick for my own behaviours!
This isn’t related to my job, but I thought you would get a kick out of it… I went to a Zumba class at my gym the other day so I could check out the new instructor they hired. I could tell just by the warm up that I wasn’t feeling her. She just wasn’t a good dancer at all and you could tell she had no real dance background, which I think is something that can make a huge difference. She didn’t have a playlist set up on her Ipod so after each song she would say, “okay grab a drink of water while I find the next song!”. The real tip of the iceberg was when we were right in the middle of the song and she stopped and said, “I’m not really feeling this one today, we’ll just skip it and move to the next one”. Her inconsistency really ruined my workout, so I left the class. Do you think this is something I should bring to the manager’s attention since she is new?
Oh my God! I can’t believe you posted this today – my baby is 6 weeks old and I am DYING to get LASIK’d. Scrambling to put on my glasses ten times in the night to see what the cause of baby’s funny noises in the bassinet is horrendous. WHen my husband proposed I get the surgery as this year’s anniversary present I was over the moon! So I’ve spent the past two days researching LASIK. I absolutely cannot wait to do it!
This might be a little of an off answer, but at my job, what helps me is to take mental breaks :). Like, reading food and health blogs, like yours! I love taking short breaks to help me, mentally, stay focused in the long run.
I love Oasys by Acuvue. You cant sleep overnight in them, but I totally take hour long naps in them (or more I am sure when I have had the flu or something). I just need to put a drop of saline solution in my eyes when I wake up and all is good.
I have known several people who had Lasik done. Some it was great, some not so great. One guy stood out to me as he always felt like he had sand in his eyes. Yikes!
Hey Gina….just some advice for you on your contacts. Your vision WILL change while you are pregnant. Changes in hormones, metabolism, fluid retention, and blood circulation can all affect your eyes and your eyesight during pregnancy. Pregnancy isn’t a great time to invest in a new pair of glasses (new lens) or many months worth of contacts. In most cases, these changes are temporary and will reverse themselves after pregnancy.
Oh and don’t go cheap w/ Lasik…….you will get your moneys worth and sometimes that’s not a good thing!
From a reader and Ophthalmology/ contact Technician 🙂
Lori
I used to wear glasses but now I’m mostly fine without them and improving more every day – google ‘natural vision improvement’ or ‘the bates method’. It can take a LONG time but it’s free, completely safe and has a lot of other emotional/psychological benefits, kind of like a form of meditation.
Get the Lasik. It’s worth it. It’s super simple, relatively low risk, and improves quality of life IMMENSELY. I can’t express how much better my life is not having to screw with contacts or glasses. I’m getting a touch up done in my right eye in May… the only thing that isn’t as great now is my night vision. It was worth the trade. The Ativan they give you prior to surgery makes it so much lower stress, and my hubby took care of me and woke me up to put the antibiotic, steroid and lubricating drops in (which you do every 4 hours for the first day).
If you can go for it, do it. You can get good financing, and look for a reputable clinic. Mine does pro athletes as well, and is one of the most trustworthy in Colorado as a whole. Horror stories come from ghetto, half-arsed clinics that do it for less than $500/eye and don’t use the full laser (bladeless) technology. Those clinics tend to approve *everyone* including candidates who shouldn’t have been, and then they have bad experiences. That’s where the Google review madness comes from.
🙂 You won’t regret it. I work nights, go to school during days, and flip my sleep cycle all around all the time… the Lasik has made it super easy to deal with!!
As a high school teacher I actually like to hear the students’ feedback (well, most of them). Some of the more articulate ones will tell me that they don’t like it when teachers do things certain ways, or that maybe they remember info better through certain activities. No matter what field you’re in, feedback is a must.
What really helps me perform in my job as a fitness professional on a weekly basis: taking online webinars for Fitness Pros at Elevate Education. My mentor, Shannon Fable, leads them and they are beyond excellent. The next one up is called the “Fitness Professionals Creed”. Heres the description for the 30 min. webinar: “A perfect thought as we roll in to the New Year … very soon, you will have plenty of fresh faces mingling (sometimes not so peacefully) with your veterans. What’s a girl (or guy) to do? It’s always challenging to meet the needs of folks that have been regulars for years with those that are scared to death but set on making this year the year it happens. Finish out the year with this motivational conversation that will leave you with FIVE guiding thoughts that should help you throughout your year to make the biggest impact in changing the world one person at a time.” http://www.elevatefitness.com/index.php/webinar-the-fitness-professionals-creed.html
Im enrolled in this one and cant WAIT! You should check it out, its a good way to learn from the industry’s best inbetween going to fitness conferences 🙂
I had one eye done by one of the pioneer doctors. He is amazing. I got that bad infection and was told I could never wear contacts again. Since I love mono vision I had to get the lasik done. The cost was better only have to pay for one eye. Gina, you will love it!!! Worth every penny. Even though the infection was really really bad it sorta pushed me into the lasik which was/is a good thing.
If you want GF pumpkin pie and many other GF goodies, go check out Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery/Bistro on Oracle (they usually have a tent up at the farmer’s market you like).. it opened last month and is fantastic!! They even have holiday cookie tins and cup cakes and pizza crusts and cakes and muffins and stuffing mix. I could go on and on =)
hi there, i am with LORI,
i got really troubled with my contacts through pregnancy and was really scared that i had to use glasses,
3 months after birth everything got back to normal and i am with contacts now…and a baby of course,
so maybe you should give your eyes a little time 😉
I’ve heard that eye and vision changes during pregnancy are super common…the pressure in your eyes change due to the extra fluid you have in your body and all sorts of intricate things are happening and I think it’s pretty common for contacts or wearing them to change a bit. I dont wear glasses or contacts so have no experience but I’ve read things like that…but I’m sure I’m not shedding any brand new info that you haven’t googled already 🙂
That pumpkin pie….I want. Now!
How do you do a step touch on the stability ball? I have been googling it but no luck so far.
I want bacon so badly…but feel badly because I can’t find the natural/hormone-free stuff…I just want to buy it anyway…tired of needing to be “better” or “good”…just wanna eat 🙂
You must try an oatmeal smoothie. I wondered if you’d like it since you like smoothies and you like oats:
1/2 cup oats (soaked overnight in almond milk)
1 scoop protein powder
3/4 cup almond milk (including that in the soaked oats…but you might want to add or subtract depending)
1 TBSP Sunflower seed butter
1 tsp chia seeds
1/2 banana (optional)
Yum. Doughy . Just all in the blender and eaten by spoon.
Love the stability ball workout ! (: Also, I have been contemplating Lasik for years too. I wear glasses and contacts, depending on my mood and what I have planned for the day, and whether or not I’ll be napping LOL because I can’t sleep with mine in. Did once and it was HORRIBLE !!!! It was like peeling off my eyeball taking them out. ): !! I hate how I look in glasses but sometimes just don’t feel like putting them in if I have to be up at 0500 for some work days .. I really want to do the Lasik I think. A lot of my friends had positive experiences. (:
Eating those upside down is the best! 😉
I thought I was the only one who ate pumpkin pie guts. lol
Gina! I used to loathe wearing my glasses until I got a pair of Coach frames (style 517, Hilary). Comfy enough to sleep in! (…definitely guilty of that one myself, haha)
I can’t tell enough people not to waste their money on Lasik. I got it 5 years ago but have needed glasses again for a good year. It’s a horrible experience and a waste of money as far as I’m concerned! My former boss had the same experience, as did my friend who got PRK. Smart choice to avoid it!
I got LASIK a year ago, and it has been one of the best things I have ever done. I have better than perfect vision now (ha, sounds like bragging), and it is so, so, SO nice not to deal with contacts/glasses. I can wake up and SEE every morning!
My brother wore his contacts for a month or two straight, when they were 2 week lenses. When we went to get lasik, his corneas were worn so thin it was no longer an option for him. Since he was having the procedure to become a firefighter, he did the next best thing: lenses implanted behind the cornea. YEEKS! It worked out great for him though.
I’m also too nervous for lasik. Plus, at 24 my eyeballs have not stopped changing. I haven’t had a consistent prescription yet :[
As an optometrist who sees Lasik patients all the time, I have to say I would never get Lasik! Sure, everyone loves it at first until a few years down the road when you need either a touch up or glasses again. I see patients all the time who tell me they wish they had never had it done because now they have horrible glare at night or severe dry eyes. You’ll also still need reading glasses later in life no matter what. Ask around and see how many Lasik surgeons have had it done themselves. You’ll be very surprised at how few of them have had it done and that tells me all I need to know.
Even if you decide to have it done, you’ll need to wait until after you are done breastfeeding as your vision can change significantly both throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Get a good pair of frames you love and pay extra for the thinnest lenses and you’ll be much happier when you wear them!
I’ve worn focus night and days for probably ten years. They are the only ones that fit me b/c I’ve been told my eyeballs are big, haha. But even though I can sleep in them, I’m really tired of contacts. My allergies were awful this year, which made wearing them a nightmare any time of day. I’m seriously considering Lasik b/c like everyone has said, all my friends say that it’s the best decision ever. My only concern right now is, so many people tell me their eyes change after they have babies. I don’t have kids yet, and that worries me a little bit, but is something I’ll definitely talk over with my doc! Good Luck!! My glasses are super thick too, and not my current prescription. Plus, I hate not being able to see under me or out of the corner of my eye!
me too- i feel like i’m going to run into things when i’m walking around
The same thing happened to me, I wear Focus 1-2 week contacts(for 10+years!) and they have been telling me for the last 3 years they were going to be discontinued and this time they really were. I found a place online that still had them(Lens.com) and bought about a year and a half’s worth… At least this gives me time to decide what my next move is! I would love lasik but like you am a bit terrified of it. I have tried at least 4 different kinds of contacts and none are as comfortable as my focus weeklys! (Formerly nuvues or something like that). Good Luck!!!
Lasik is absolutely worth it! Don’t let the claw scare you off. It literally lasts *maybe* 60 seconds. Agreed, it is creepy as it can be but not dealing with contacts and glasses is so very freeing. I had mine done a little over 10 years ago and do not regret it at all.
I’m getting Lasik in 16 days, so I’m really glad you posted about this – reading all of the feedback from others who have gotten it makes me feel soooo much better! I can’t wait to see the TV before bed and not have my husband ask me “what do you want to listen to tonight” when asking what movie to put in before bed!
I debated Lasik as well – even went to the eye doc on two separate occassions to mull it over, and was always to chicken bc of that eye claw thing haha. Maybe one day….?
I want some pumpkin pie now!
For work, since I’m an attorney, I read … A LOT. I keep up to date on new laws. Also, when I have to draft documents, I look at the law to see WHY the provision is in there, so that in the future, I will know what to do without looking a million examples.
Geez, I sounds really nerdy. Haha.
Love the stability ball workout. This is a must try!
love your blog! where did you get those white bowls? everytime i see them i want to ask but never do!
kohl’s 🙂
My brother had lasik a few years ago and said it was the best thing he’s ever done- he wore glasses since he was a teen and now loves being able to see perfectly all the time!! I didn’t know they had contacts you could sleep in?! I wear Focus dailies which I LOVE (I like being able to throw them away at the end of the day) but I’d love to hear about ones you can sleep in if you figure it out! And on another note, those crackers look delicious!
How do you do the stability ball step touch move? Love your blog ! Thanks!
here ya go: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/gear/equipment/stability-balls/?page=9
Those crackers from TJ’s are one of my faves- the soy ones are also mighty fine! I love making “pumpkin pie filling” yogurt and topping it with animal crackers- a knock-off, quicky pie?!
My big girl job – unfortunately, just time. I’m a financial controller, so there are so many nuaces and different people to deal with that the learning tends to happen by trial and error.
When I coached figure skating, it was helpful to go to conferences and to listen to how other people taught things. Often they would just change one word in there explanation or have different analogies and that would make all the difference with my kiddos.
I’m getting at blogging (at least I think so) because of practice and making an effort to be more honest.
Gena,
I thought you might want to know at my last check Costco’s Pumpkin Pie is NOT gluten free. They add wheat flour to the FILLING as well as the crust. I made the mistake of eating the filling and skipping the crust before reading the ingredients, thinking I’d be okay. Sadly no. 🙁 Those two bites sure tasted good though. I found out I have gluten intolerance about 3 years ago so I read labels like crazy.
I am really enjoying your blog and learning a lot.
why would they do that to me? that was my favorite pumpkin pie :/