My Favorite Body Part to Work Out
Let’s Be Brutally Honest
What is your favorite body part to work out? Do you look forward to working out? Are you psyched every morning and ready to tackle the morning workout? Or do you find yourself hitting the snooze button when your alarm goes off? Not a bad thing if you eventually get out of bed, get dressed, do your morning routines, and make it to the gym, be it a gym away from home or in your basement. Let’s be brutally honest. There are days when we just do not feel like getting out of bed. The thing you need to be mindful of is - are you feeling this way because you are being downright lazy or is your body trying to tell you something? “Hey! This body is not feeling up to par today. Let’s take a day off and pick this back up tomorrow!”
You have made a commitment to yourself to address areas where you have fallen short when it come to your health and wellness. The steps you take from here on out will determine whether you are successful in achieving your goals. Are you creating habits that will keep you on the path to success?
SMART Goals
We talked about goal setting in the first few episodes of the All the Things podcast. An important idea to remember when it comes to setting your goals is the SMART concept:
Specific = your goal should not be broad or too generic
Measurable = your goal should identify what measures to track
Attainable = your goal should not be so lofty that it becomes unattainable
Relevant = define why your goal is important as it helps to keep you motivated
Time-based = there should be clear parameters associated with your goal
Setting a goal of losing weight is too general as it lacks the elements that:
Keep your focus
Help to determine if you are making any progress
Keep you motivated
Let you know that you have achieved your goal
How to Set SMART Goals for Weight Loss
Setting a goal using the SMART concept not only provides you with a long-term vision, but it also gives you the necessary short-term motivation needed to achieve your goal. Its purpose is to help you organize your time and your resources so that your successes are many as you set out on your health and wellness journey. Find your SMART goals worksheet here.
Let’s use the example above to set a SMART goal.
Specific
Goal: I will go to the gym to help me lose 10 pounds and a total of 10 inches from my arm, legs, chest, waist, and hips.
Measurable
Modified Goal: I will start going to the gym two days a week to help me lose 10 pounds and a total of 10 inches from my arm, legs, chest, waist, and hips.
Attainable
Modified Goal: I will start going to the gym two days a week to help me lose 10 pounds and a total of 10 inches from my arm, legs, chest, waist, and hips by September 10th.
Relevant
Modified Goal: I will start going to the gym two days a week to help me lose 10 pounds and a total of 10 inches from my arm, legs, chest, waist, and hips so that I will look lean for my family reunion on September 10th.
Time-based
Modified Goal: On Monday, March 7th, I will start going to the gym two days a week to help me lose 10 pounds and a total of 10 inches from my arm, legs, chest, waist, and hips so that I will look lean for my family reunion on September 10th.
To help keep you motived, a strategy you can use is to set smaller goals:
Modified Goal: So that I will look lean for my family reunion on September 10th, I will go to the gym two days a week starting Monday, March 7th. I will lose 2 pounds and a total of 2 inches from my arm, legs, chest, waist, and hips by April 7th.
Sometimes setting a goal of six months out can seem too long. So, setting goals in smaller increments or a shorter time span can help to keep you motivated as you begin to recognize your WINS more frequently. Feel free to play around with the frequency. Make sure you are comfortable with the goal you set and that the goal is not too lofty.
Supplements
Depending on what your goals are and where you are on your fitness journey will dictate whether you want to incorporate supplements into your workout. In case you do not know what to use, I have included what supplements I use for my workouts as well as a little blurb on what the supplement is and why it is important.
Pre-workout: Pre-workout supplements are meant to give you energy when you work out, help you recover, and ease the fatigue of an intense workout. The main ingredient in pre-workout supplements is caffeine and they often come in a pill or powder form. Other ingredients include Beta-alanine, which is meant to help you do high-intensity exercises and Creatine, when combined with exercise, helps you gain strength. Creatine works to replenish your ATP stores, which gives your muscles energy to contract. It can also help you increase your levels of lean body mass. (WebMd/Fitness, 2021) The pre-workout I use is Naked Energy and I use the unflavored product, adding a little Mio for flavor. I chose the unflavored powder in case I wanted to mix it in with a protein shake. If you want a flavored pre-workout, they do have a Fruit Punch flavor. Now this pre-workout has 200 mg of caffeine, so it does give you that tingle after about 10-15 minutes; just enough pump to get you through your workout. If you don’t like caffeine in your pre-workout, Jacked Factory offers a stim-free pre-workout powder called Pump Surge (pictured above). Works just as good, without the tingle.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): BCAAs are essential nutrients that include leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAAs have been shown to promote muscle growth as well as reduce damage to your muscles after an intense workout. BCAAs stimulate the building of protein in muscle and possibly reduce muscle breakdown. (WebMd/Vitamins, 2022) I absolutely love XTEND Sport Blue Raspberry Ice. I mix it in an 18oz shaker bottle and sip it throughout my workout.
Post Workout: Post workout supplements aid in muscle recovery and muscle building. I take this immediately after my workout. So, I do pack an 18 oz shaker bottle with this supplement and store it in my gym bag. I just started using Jacked Factory Mixed Berry Post Workout powder. Since it has been a few years since I used creatine, I forgot the affect it has on me (intestinal distress that sends me running to the bathroom). After a week of using this product, I decided to modify the serving size to half a scoop (10mg) as a serving contains 3,000mg of creatine. My stomach has recovered since the first week and I am back to using creatine! Remember from my last blog, there is a little tart after taste, but nothing that would make me stop using this product.
Protein Powder: Protein is an essential macronutrient that helps build muscle, repairs tissue, and makes enzymes and hormones. Protein powder has always been a staple supplement for me. Just recently, I started experiencing some stomach issues with whey protein. So, I decided to try Naked Energy Chocolate Pea Protein. It is vegan and vegetarian friendly, made with only three ingredients - Yellow Pea Protein, Raw Cacao and Organic Coconut Sugar. I do have to say that the flavors (it comes in vanilla too) can sometimes be chalky. So, I just add some Mio to change the flavor. The inconvenience of adding a squirt of Mio is nothing compared to the digestive problems I experience with some whey proteins. If you are looking for an organic and clean protein, check out Orgain's Vanilla Bean protein. It mixes well, tastes great, and they have three other flavors to choose from.
The Workout
So, what is my favorite body part to work out? Truth be told, when I created the title for this post, it was meant to be sarcastic. I should have revised it to read, “What body part do I least like to work out?” Well, that would be my legs. Primarily because I have had two surgeries on my left knee, and I had a microdiscectomy (back surgery) that resulted in a continuous feeling of pins and needs in my left foot. Many weaknesses there; ones that contribute to a feeling of insecurity when it comes to balance and strength in my left leg. A good leg workout session leaves me crippled. You know that feeling… where it hurts to walk up the stairs; going down the stairs is worse so you wuss out, have a seat on your bum, and go down that way.
This workout is designed to be done at home. I would say if you have not worked out your legs in quite some time, it will leave you crippled. But work through it! This is one of those times where PAIN IS GOOD! As you do the workout repeatedly, the pain goes away. I promise. If you have any health issues, be sure to get clearance from your doctor.
Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Total Exercises: 5
Total Sets: 15
Equipment Needed:
Dumbbells
Chair or Flat Bench
Straight Bar (subbing a broom stick works)
1. Superset: 1A: Leg Curl (hamstrings) followed by 1B: Leg Extension (quadriceps), then rest
Set 1: 10 reps Set 2: 10 reps Set 3: 10 reps Rest 45 seconds between each set
How to do it?
1A: Lie on the floor, place the heels of your feet on the yoga ball (this is starting position). Extend your legs/yoga ball. Use your arms for balance while keeping the mid to top part of your back on the floor. Bring your legs to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
1B: Sit on a chair. Place the foam roller under your hamstrings for lift. Place a weight on the floor in front of you. Put the weight between your feet (this is starting position). Use your feet to pick up the weight and extend your legs. Bring your legs to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
2. Superset: 2A: Back Lunge (quadriceps) followed by 2B: Thigh Abductor (abductor), then rest
Set 1: 10 reps Set 2: 10 reps Set 3: 10 reps Rest 45 seconds between each set
How to do it?
2A: Stand upright, with your hands at your hips. Take a large step backward with your left foot. Lower your hips so that your right thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your right knee positioned directly over your ankle. Bring your left leg forward so you are standing upright. Next, step back with your right foot. Lower your hips so that your left thigh (front leg) becomes parallel to the floor with your left knee positioned directly over your ankle. Return to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
2B: Lie on your left side on the floor, bend your knees, keeping your knees together (this is starting position). Place the booty band above your knees. Open your legs (feeling resistance from the band). Return to starting position. That’s 1 rep. Switch to your right side and repeat. You will complete your first set after doing 2A and 2B, both sides.
3. Superset: 3A: Lying Leg Curl (hamstring) followed by 3B Thigh Adductor (adductor), then rest
Set 1: 10 reps Set 2: 10 reps Set 3: 10 reps Rest 45 seconds between each set
How to do it?
3A: Place a weight at the bottom of your mat. Lie on your belly, extending your legs so that your feet are on either side of the weight (this is starting position). Grip the weight between your feet. Bringing your legs towards your glutes, stop when you are just past 90 degrees. Return to starting position. That’s 1 rep.
3B: Lie on your left side on the floor. Keep your left leg extended, bend you right leg and place it in front of your left leg (this is starting position). Raise your left leg towards the ceiling, then bring it back down. That’s 1 rep. Switch to your right side and repeat. You will complete your first set after doing 3A and 3B, both sides.
4. Stiff Legged Barbell Dead Lift (hamstrings)
Set 1: 10 reps Set 2: 10 reps Set 3: 10 reps Rest 45 seconds between each set
How to do it?
Grasp a bar using an overhand grip (palms facing down). Stand with your torso straight, legs shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent (this is starting position). Keeping your knees stationary while bending at the waist, lower the bar to over the top of your feet. Keep your back straight. Continue until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Start bringing your torso upright until you are at starting position. That’s 1 rep.
5. One Leg Split Squat or Bulgarian Squat (quadriceps)
How to do it?
Start by standing about 2-3 feet in front of a flat bench or chair with your back facing the bench or chair. Move one foot back so that your toe is resting on the flat bench (this is starting position). As you inhale, lower your leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Your head should be up, back straight, knee over your toes, chest directly above the middle of your thigh. Elevate your leg until you are at starting position. Switch legs and repeat. That’s 1 rep. You will complete your first set after doing both sides.
So. What did you think? I hope you enjoy this workout and experience that “good” ache!
Let me know how you made out with this workout! Are legs your favorite body part to work out?
