Design Your Own Deck of Cards Workout

Design your own workout!

~ Deck of Cards ~

A Deck of Cards workout is a GREAT way to get an intense workout in a short amount of time. Not only that, but you can usually do the workout with minimal space (if that is your situation) and you can choose exercises that don't require any equipment.

Simply assign one exercise to each suit. Shuffle your cards. Flip one card over. If it's the 10 of hearts, do 10 of whatever exercise you assigned to hearts. Continue until you have flipped and completed every card!

Face cards = 10. 

Aces = 15 or assign aces their own special terrible exercise- like a run around the block!

Sometimes, you may want to assign a certain exercise to be done in intervals of 10. For instance, when I do jump rope for clubs, the 3 of clubs is 30 jump rope rotations (not three!). 

Tips to create your own Deck of Cards Workout:

1. Pick 1 exercise that uses your entire body.

        Ex: jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers

2. Pick 1 exercise that targets your core.

        Ex: sit ups, bicycles, leg lifts

3. Pick 1 exercise that targets your upper body.

        Ex: dips, push ups

4. Pick 1 exercise that targets your lower body.

        Ex: squats, squat jumps, ski jumps, high knees

** Or ignore the previous tips and do your own thing! Want high cardio? Pick exercises that will get your heart rate up. Want to target your core? Pick all ab exercises.  **

Seriously, there is no wrong way to do it!

Now that I have given you the basic guidelines, you can create your own! Feel free to share your own Deck of Cards Workout in the comments section below!

However, if you'd rather follow something I came up with, choose from one of the following workouts:

                                                Beginner:

                                     **Push ups can be modified and done on your knees

Intermediate:

Aces = Mountain Climbers (r + l = 1)

Advanced:

**Jump rope should be done in intervals of 10. Ex: 3 of clubs = 30 rotations

**Bicycles should be doubled. Ex: 4 of diamonds = 8 bicycles. (r + l = 1)

Aces = Run around the block!

Challenge: Pick one of my workouts, or  design your own. 

Get up 20 minutes early tomorrow morning and get your sweat on before your day beings! 

You will feel fabulous!

Feel free to share your own Deck of Cards Workout!

What I prefer not to run without!

Some runners like to have all kinds of gear with them while they run. They'd never dream of leaving their house without their Garmin, Ipod, Iphone, salt tabs, hydration belt, etc... Others are minimalists and simply stick $5 in their sports bra and hit the pavement. I understand both philosophies because I've done it both ways. And I'm not going to turn my nose up at runners who love having all their gear, nor the ones that are more laid back and "run with the flow".

Where I fall on the running gear spectrum depends on the weather and how far I am running. Once, on a 20 mile run on the Appalachian Trail in freezing temperatures, I had my hydration pack, toilet paper (never run trail without it!), my phone, 2 extra pairs of gloves, a turkey sandwich (which I ended up feeding to a stray cat) and a Fiber One bar. That's a lot! But on the other hand, when I run around my house, I rarely ever even take water.

However, there are some creature comforts that make my runs more enjoyable!


1. Mizuno Wave Riders- size 7.5 - I've been wearing these shoes for the past 8 years. I hope they don't discontinue them! Much of the time, I find them for 50% off at Holabird Sports. Check it out... they may have YOUR shoe!

Mizuno Waver Rider

2. Garmin - Would you believe I have been running for years but didn't get a Garmin until this past Christmas? Honestly, you don't NEED one. I survived with years without one. But I do think once you have one and use it regularly, you will feel lost without it!

Garmin Forerunner 410 GPS Spotswatch

3. MP3 player w/ NPR pod casts uploaded! - I'd rather listen to pod casts on a run than music. I know, I'm weird!

4. Sunglasses - If it's sunny, of course. A sunny run without sunglasses is MISERABLE! I just get cheapo black ones at Wal Mart. Nothing fancy, because I don't want to have to worry about them.

5. Hydration Pack - If it's a hot day or I'm running long, you better believe I'm bringing water! I've been using this exact hydration pack for years and it has held up just fine. It's a North Face Sailfin, but I know there are other wonderful packs out there. The only thing is I bit through the mouthpiece- but they sent me a replacement for free! I also had to buy an insulator to go over the exposed tube to stop the water from freezing in the tube during really cold runs. It was a good investment.

North Face Saillfin Women's Hydration Pack

One thing you will notice is not on this list is some sort of ID tag or bracelet. I had an awesome ID bracelet I wore on every run. You can find it at RoadID. But when I moved (5 years ago!) and my address changed, I never got another one! This is something I would like to get.

What do you take on a run?

Ask Meg Go Run: How do I keep up a healthy lifestyle at college?

Question: I recently started exercising and eating healthy. I'm doing this to achieve a healthy lifestyle as well as lose weight. I've been doing brilliantly so far, but I go back to school in September. I'm definitely a stress eater- and I'm going to be more stressed than ever this year with all the exams coming up. I don't want to lose my progress or put all the weight back on. Also, I'm worried I won't have time to work out as I'll be tired from classes and studying. Do you have any tips that could help me maintain what I'm doing for when I go back to school?



Answer: 

Great question! I think I can help you. First of all, congratulations on the healthy changes you have made so far, and your determination to keep up. Here are my suggestions:

1. Look at your schedule and plan your workouts accordingly. It may be best to get them in first thing in the morning. That way, you don't have to wait until the afternoon or evening when you may be tired, overwhelmed, and more likely to skip the session. Treat your workout as a permanent part of your schedule. You wouldn't skip a class, right? Then don't skip a workout. It's just as important.

2. Keep healthy foods in your dorm, in your backpack, etc. That way, you always have something healthy to grab when you're in a pinch.

3. Do NOT get caught up in what others are doing. Focus on you. If people judge you for not ordering pizza at midnight of for not drinking alcohol, or urge you to stay up late and miss your morning workout- DON'T LET THEM PRESSURE YOU. It's your life, your health. You have to do your thing. Do not let others judge you for that.

The fact that you are looking for strategies to help you stay on track before a set back occurs makes me confident that you have what it takes to continue your healthy lifestyle! Keep up your hard work and let me know how it goes! 

If you have any fitness questions for future Meg Go Run posts, leave me a comment, or email me!

I've temporarily lifted my ban on Weis Markets.

I can be stubborn. REALLY stubborn. So stubborn that I banned a whole store for over a YEAR!

On July 8th, 2012, I banned Weis Markets from our lives. It is easy to remember the date. It was my 30th birthday and also my friends got married that day.

I did not inflict this ban on a whim. I experienced many, many awful trips to Weis. The trip on that fateful day was simply the straw that broke the camel's back.

Here's the story! (I know you're dying to hear it!)

I'm pretty quick in grocery stores, and I had to be on that particular day. I needed to get my shopping done, then go home and get ready for the aforementioned wedding. Everything was fine until shit hit the fan at the check out. (It always does.) First of all, it was a Sunday afternoon and there were only two lanes open. Really!? Self check out was open but what most people don't know is that the self check out at Weis NEVER WORKS and it ends up taking longer than if you waited in line for an actual cashier to ring you up

I eyed the clock, then bit the bullet and gambled on the self check out. Of course, something didn't ring up correctly. I got some yummy gourmet buns from the bakery that were supposed to be free because I bought 1 pound of turkey. There was a sign stating this sale, and I took great care picking out just the right buns that I thought my husband would like. (I would have never gotten those expensive buns had they not been free.)

So I go up to the self check out counter. There stood a bored looking teenager. I explained my dilemma about the buns.

She was clearly very uninterested in solving my problem. "Where did it say the buns were free?" the Bored Teenager asked through squinty eyes.

Me: "There was a sign right on the counter at the deli."

Bored Teenager: "Oh, okay... well, they're not ringing up free."

Me: "I know."

Bored Teenager: "Yeah.... well......" (long pause)

Me: Nevermind, I don't want the buns then.

I didn't have time for that shit! But of course, it took a few minutes for the girl to void my bun purchase. In the meantime, another clerk was bagging my groceries. You may think this would be nice of them to do, but it is not. Weis (like Wal Mart) is NOTORIOUS for using as many plastic bags as possible.

Example: Cereal and toothpaste simply cannot go in the same bag!! What if the cereal box magically opens and so does the plastic bag the cereal comes in.. and then also the box the toothpaste comes in opens and the cap screws off and the cereal and toothpaste mix and you ingest it and DIE!!!!!!????

It's a legitimate fear.

So finally I pay, pick up my 15 plastic bags (even though I probably really only needed 3) and head home. I put the groceries away and notice.... THE ONE POUND OF DELI TURKEY IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!! (You know, the pound I bought and then tried to get the free buns?)

I look at my receipt. I PAID for the turkey. It cost over $6 but it was not in my bag and it was not in my car. I call Weis.

A woman at customer service answered the phone. She laughed and brushed it off. "Oh my hahaha your turkey is here hahaha! Oooooh hahaha, how silly is it that your turkey is here? Hehehehe!"

Me: "I guess I will come pick it up then..."

Customer Service Woman: "Ooooh hehe okay see you soon hehehehe!"

I drove back to Weis. I stood in line at the customer service counter for over 10 minutes. Finally, it was my turn and they gave me my turkey.

Me: "Do you have any idea how the turkey failed to get into my bag?"

"Not a clue! Hehehehe!!!" (You know who said that.)

And from that day forward, the Weis store has been BANNED!

Do you think I over reacted? I don't. I wrote them a letter, but didn't get any response. (I hear Giant sends you a gift card when you mail them a complaint.) Weis Markets just ignores you. And remember, this was not my first, second, or third bad experience at Weis Markets. It was simply the last time I was going to let them crap on me!

Why have I suddenly lifted my ban on Weis?

Well, my friends, my husband really likes the Weis. And since he is not driving right now, (He did not have his license revoked or anything like that!) he can't go there. No way am I driving there! But I was feeling especially loving a few days ago when we needed to run some errands and I told him that if he really wanted to go to the Weis store I would take him.

He was so happy!

We went in and grabbed a few things. We had no unfortunate incidents. I even discovered some yummy Weis Quality prepackaged angel food cakes that had only 70 calories and 16g of carbs.

But Weis is still up to their old "Let's Use As Many Plastic Bags As We Can" shenanigans. 

Take a look:

It took the cashier 5 plastic bags to bag my items.

She put a pack of gum and a pack of mints in one bag. I am totally serious.

Another bag had two 12oz bags of vegetables. That's it.

A third bag had two 1 liter tonic waters and two rolls of toilet paper.

That's nothing!

The other 3 bags were semi full- BUT LOOK!

I successfully bagged all of my items into only TWO grocery bags!

You probably think I am crazy now, but using too many bags is one of my big pet peeves.

So that is my story about how I banned Weis for over a year and how I am temporarily giving them a second chance. Honestly, the only reason I am being so lenient is because of those deliciously low carb angel food cakes...

Have you ever vowed never to step foot into a store again?

A Day In My Life... 8-13-13

In honor of today being my first day back at work, here is a "Day In My Life" post I wrote a little over a week ago. I would reread it before posting (like I usually do, to look for typos!) But I fear it will depress me! (Teacher problems, I know!)

Which leads me to mention, from now on you can look for my blog posts during the 5am hour! That is when I'll be posting them.

Enjoy!!!!

A Day In My Life - 8-13-13

Tuesday is a pretty busy day for me during the school year and during the summer. 

For some reason, a lot of my piano lessons fall on a Tuesday. 

So I got up bright and early to eat some breakfast and relax before it was time to teach.

Coffee and Special K Protein Plus- A great way to start the day!

(I ate all the cereal before I remembered to take a pic... oops.)

It was sort of dreary out this morning- bummer!

Then I taught 4 piano lessons

I had an hour break at one point, so I took advantage of the time and recorded my study notes into my mp3 player. That way, I can listen to them and essentially study while working out, driving, cleaning, or whatever! This system is really going to save me some time! 

(I'm used to listening to podcasts when I workout, anyway! I never listen to music!)

After lessons, I had to rush out the door to see the best chiropractor in the area- Dr. Olivetti. 

I see him for all my running related injuries!

When I got home, my husband and I decided to have a little disc golf/running date at Pinchot Park! I was starving though, and had to get some fuel in my before our adventure.

I can never get enough of this stuff!

I also had a Powerbar. I bought a ton of these at Amelia's last week.

 They were only 50 cents apiece and no, they were NOT expired.

My husband played a round of disc golf while I got in a 7 mile run. 

I ran on the road, but it was still just as pretty as the trail, as you can see from these pictures...

And I made some interesting animal friends along the way!

Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling that great during my run. In fact, I was feeling pretty shitty.
Oh well, my next run is sure to be better!

Back at home, I refueled with a Grahamful, 2 c. milk and a scoop of vanilla whey protein.
Lately, I have been craving milk HARD. 

Then I enjoyed some "me" time and messed around on my computer, blogged, paid some bills (yuck!) and flipped through my favorite magazine that came in the mail!

They have a website too!

It's pretty much a magazine that sells clothes with phrases sassy older-middle aged women would wear. 

Some examples: 

"Don't make me put my hands on my hips!"

"It is what it is."

"ACD: Accumulative Cat Disorder"

"Sassy, Classy, and a little Bad Assy"

"Jesus loves you but I'm his favorite."

And of course, this t-shirt of simply the face of a humming bird.

Should I wear this on the first day of school and scare the kids?

You get the idea... This magazine has been coming to our house ever since we moved in. 

I can only assume the woman who lived here before us read it.

Then Paul whipped my ass in Monopoly Deal! If you have not tried this game, you are missing out!

Drink and dinner time... Paul made the chicken (He's the best!) and I made the steamed the veggies.

vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice, water, 12 ice cubes

While we ate, we watched the new Netflix show, Orange is the New Black. I LOVE IT!

Then we caught up on Dexter...

Dinner did not fill me at all, so I ended up having to have some oatmeal with Greek yogurt mixed in (I used too much and it turned out disgusting!) 4 chocolate covered coffee beans, and then a few bites of this yummy vanilla ice cream. 

Dare I say it is WAY better than Aldis ice cream!

I stayed up pretty late. I was craving something salty, so I had 4 of these yummy almonds and 5 chips that were leftover from game night. Yes, I count. If I don't, I could easily eat the whole bag!

These are like CRACK!

I started drinking a casein protein shake before bed. Casein is a slow digesting protein. 80% of the protein in milk is casein, so if you drink milk, you've had this... just not in the powdered form!

Why do I drink it before bed? Well, when you sleep, your body is fasting. 

When your body is fasting, it breaks down MUSCLE for energy. NOOOO!!! I worked HARD for that muscle! (And I don't have much of it to waste!) 

If you eat a slow digesting protein before bed (like casein) it will keep your body from breaking down your precious muscle for protein... AND it keeps your metabolism humming along overnight because it has to work hard to break down that protein you just ate!

Whey protein (which is what I have after a workout) as a faster digesting protein. It's better to consume whey after a workout, when you immediately want to replenish!

Sorry, I didn't mean that to be a lecture in protein powders!

I always log my food on a website called MyNetDiary. I highly recommend it if you want to track calories or macro nutrients. I'm not trying to lose weight, just keep myself in check. According to MyNetDiary, today I consumed 1963 calories and burned 656 calories via exercise.

Well, that was my day! It wasn't super exciting, but I don't like summer days to be too crazy.

Are you watching Orange is the New Black?

How about Dexter?

Top 5 Reasons I Am Excited For The School Year To Start!

1. I feel like I am not contributing anything to the world during the summer. It's all about "me" and my little family- husband and cats. And while I thoroughly enjoy this time, it will definitely be good to feel like I'm doing my part to contribute to society. I'll still have plenty of time for my family!

2. I get to see my friends! The people I work with are VERY fun, and I am more inclined to call them my friends than my "colleagues", though they are both!

3. I get to dress up! In the summer, I'm either in my workout clothes or my pjs. Dressing up for work is FUN!

4. It will be nice to hit the gym bright and early. There will not be any scrawny 22 year old boys hogging the assisted pull up machine at that hour!

5. I have so many great ideas for my music classes this year! Summer has given me time to relax, clear my head, and brainstorm.



And a few things I will miss about summer...

1. Not setting an alarm.
2. Warm weather.
3. Eating when I am hungry, not when I have "time."
4. Peeing whenever I feel like it.
5. Spending massive amounts of time with Paul and the cats. I love them!


Are you ready for fall?
What will you miss about summer?

Weekend Wrap Up!

It is the last Monday of my summer! I'm ready to get back into a routine. My CATS are ready for me to get back into a routine! Anyway, here is the wrap up of my last weekend of the summer!

Friday

I did "Jack Squat" Friday morning.

Okay, I'll be a little more specific.

Friday morning I...

1. Slept until 10:30am
2. Took a shower.
3. Messed around on my computer for way too long.
4. Studied.
5. Practiced piano.

Then I went to Planet Fitness and did chest, triceps and abs. A finished off with some HIIT, so I was dripping with sweat by the time I was done!

When I got home, I had a pbj!

I also had a scoop of whey protein powder mixed with 16 oz. milk. It was SO DELICIOUS!

Next, I got out my day planner and my new HUGE calendar that is going to go on my desk at school. Here it is:

Sorry it's sideways!

There is nothing that excites me more than filling out a calendar or day planner. I love dates, scheduling things, and organizing. I am a record keeping GEEK! (aka a teacher!)

At around 6pm, it was time for my husband and I to go out on our BIG FRIDAY NIGHT DATE!!! First, we got wild and crazy at the Verizon store (Paul needed his two year upgrade), then we got jiggy wit it at Karns, and then we hit the MOTHERLOAD at Amelia's and swiped up some Powerbars!!

Do you think I got enough? They were only 50 cents and they don't expire until October.

Let's quick jump back to the Verizon store. Did I ever tell you I HATE Verizon? It all started a little over two years ago, when I got a free upgrade for my phone. It was one of those pay $50 up front and get a $50 rebate in the mail type of deal. Well, I wasn't completely sold on the phone, but the sales girl assured me that if I didn't like it, I could return it within 14 days. Sounded good to me!

Well, by the next day, I was so frustrated with my new phone. It was not user friendly at ALL and I just wanted to go back to my old phone. So I decided to return it. Well, it turned out there was a $25 restocking fee that the gal didn't tell me about!!!! I'd basically be paying $25 to GIVE the phone BACK. Or I could just keep it and not use it for $0. I kept the dumb phone and it's been in the basement ever since.

On this particular trip, they did something ELSE to make my shit list. My husband went in the store simply to get the free upgrade he was entitled to. Again, a $50 payment with a $50 rebate... so it ends up being free. Well, after the sales dude got the phone out for him, activated it, transferred all his contacts, he THEN tells Paul there is a "one time $30 upgrade fee".

What!!!??

That's NOT A FREE UPGRADE.

So Paul says, "A one time fee?"

Clerk: "Yes, then it goes away."

Paul: "Until I upgrade again, and then I will be charged $30 again?"

Clerk: Right.

AUGH!!!!! It's not the $30 fee that is annoying, it's the advertisement that upgrading is FREE, AND the fact that the clerk activated the phone and everything so it would be extremely awkward for Paul to back out at that point. It was a trick! Now me, I am the bitch that would say, "Oh, well then no thank you," and take my old phone and leave...

We capped off our wild and crazy Friday night at home with a few rounds of Monopoly Deal, Big Brother, and Orange is the New Black.

Before I wrap up our exciting Friday, here is the yummy dinner I had:

That is  sandwich thin (like pictured above) with pizza sauce, cheese, turkey pepperoni,

garlic, pepper, salt, and oregano. I broiled it, and it was DIVINE. A dinner is not complete

without grilled chicken! I was in the mood for cheese tonight, so I topped the chicken with cheese, too!

Saturday

My cats woke me up at 4:30am. They have several tactics to do this. They range from laying next to me and purring really loud, licking my face, crying, or scratching the closet door. All four tactics were used this morning, and at 5:30am, I declared the cats the victors and dragged my butt out of bed.

Luckily, I had something to look forward to! I met the Crispy Balance Running Group for a beautiful 8am run through East Hanover Township. I haven't run with the "Crispies" since... probably over a year. It's been way too long! I picked a good morning to meet up with them because there were so many familiar faces. I got to run 8 beautiful, hilly miles with my pal Charlie. He's an amazing runner. I think we do well at pacing and pushing each other.

Aren't we a colorful bunch!?

It was great to see all of these familiar and friendly faces bright and early!

That evening, my hubby and I took a stroll around City Island. There was a baseball game about to start, so we had plenty of opportunity to people watch! We were going to sit on the deck at Duke's afterward, but then realized we could just sit on our back porch and have dinner for free! So that is what we did.

I was extremely tired from getting up at 4:30am, but I managed to stay up until 10:30pm on Saturday night! I better start getting back on a normal sleep schedule if I don't want the first few days of work to be painful...

Oh, I also have to mention that I had my second slip up of the summer. I drank some Crystal Lite. Right before I went to bed. Don't worry, I feel really bad about it.

Sunday

What a dreary day! My hubby and I didn't let that stop our plans. We had a disc golf/running date at the Middlesex Township Park in Carlisle. I got done first, so I sat at a picnic table and opened up to chapter one in this book:

Holy hell, it is going to be HARD to learn chapter one. It goes into GREAT detail on the seven main systems of the body, as well as the muscles, bones and joints. I knew I would have to learn all of this... but all in one CHAPTER? I am officially getting a little freaked out about school starting and having time to study.

I shall calm myself by looking at some pictures my husband took of the beautiful disc golf course. I hope you enjoy them!

After our little date, I did some grocery shopping, cleaned out the fridge, and did some cooking. I made a batch of quinoa for the next couple days and then a batch of these chocolate chip brownies:

My hubby was wrapped up in his fantasy football draft for the duration of the night, so I took a few hour and stockpiled some blog posts. That way when school starts, I will have some blogs already written in case I have a busy week and don't get online much. I've got some great posts coming up... Like the story on how I banned Weis Markets and other topics more fitness related.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend!