The Pretty Workout Has A Spring In Its Step

Flowers from my spring garden, enjoy!

Snapdragon

Passion Vine

Clematis Vine

The Pretty Workout

 Spring Issue

 By Mary Lou Preston

The Pretty Workout Has A Spring In Its Step

          Let’s spring into action this spring! It’s now officially springtime! Perennials are popping up out of the ground.  Blooms are getting ready to burst open with explosive, vivid colors.  And, so are we!  As the weather warms up we are also ready to pop on outside and burst with enjoyment in the colorful and warm springtime weather. Let’s walk confidently with a spring in our step, and here is how to do just that this spring.

 

The cardio, plyometric, resistance exercise to put a spring in your step is the power squat jump.  For this exercise one hand weight for resistance is needed and a step, if available.  Stand in a straddle position over the step.  Hold weight in hands for resistance with arms bent.  Begin by bending legs and  proceed to a squat position with hips in alignment with knees or as close to a 90 degree alignment as you can for your pretty workout.  Perform safety check by keeping knees in alignment with ankles, not over toes!  Once in proper squat position with body weight on heels, touch hand weight down to top of step. This action deepens the squat.  Next, spring into action by jumping from straddle squat position to on top of the step and while holding weight in hands land softly with both feet together.  In summary:  1) squat, 2) touch weight down to further deepen the squat, and 3) spring or jump to top of step. Repeat for your pretty workout level!  Voila! The Pretty Workout has added a spring in your step this spring!       

 

 Pop Click and See: 

 

http://www.bestfitlife.com/7-agility-moves-to-fire-your-fibers/

 

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/videos/m/32072194/plyometric-squat.htm

 

http://www.fitnessrxwomen.com/fat-loss/cardio/fire-it-up/total-body-plyo-cardio/

The “pretty must be” fit tip is to smile, laugh and have fun in your day and your pretty workout. No matter what challenges or hiccups the day throws at you, remember perserverance and to spring back  because gray skies clear up and the sun will shine again.  Smile.

 

 “The Pretty Workout” Quote (s)

 

“I do squats until I fall over and pass out.”  -Arnold Schwarzenegger

 

“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.” – Robert H. Schuller

 

 

Happy Spring!

 

From my heart for your heart,

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

The Pretty Workout’s Love Potion is Portion Size

The Pretty Workout’s Love Potion is Portion Size
The Pretty Workout
Valentine’s Day Issue
By Mary Lou Preston

The Pretty Workout’s love potion is portion size for healthy eating habits in order for one’s body to be healthy overall, whether it is maintaining weight, weight loss, or to reduce the risk of disease. Click and read more to learn about the amount of portion size for you!

http://www.choosemyplate.gov/amount

Another love potion of “The Pretty Workout” is a good portion of cardio workout!  Cardio exercise, also, helps one’s body to be healthy overall, whether it is running, walking, biking, or swimming, to name a few cardio choices. The cardio “love potion” is to elevate your heart rate into to the target zone to increase cardio fitness level. So, get out there this Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart, and love your heart with the love potion of a healthy portion of a good cardio workout!

Love Potion # 9 Song ( Listen on youtube, might be fun)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ8b7iEgJog

Love is in the air because it is Valentine’s Day!  I love chocolate and flowers!  And, of course, a beautiful dinner, going out or staying in, is always a must. The “Pretty Must Be” is to look and feel healthy!  So, remember to not only eat healthy, but portion size is The Pretty Workout’s Love Potion!

The Pretty Workout Quote

“Everything in Moderation. Nothing in excess.” –Socrates

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”— Socrates

Happy Valentine’s Day!

From my heart for your heart,
Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

 

The Pretty Workout Gets Back into the Swing of Things

The Pretty Workout Gets Back into the Swing of Things

By Mary Lou Preston
Happy New Year 2016 Issue

          When was the last time you sat on the swing of a swing set?  My Grandpa swung a rope with a tire and a big tree in a large, Wisconsin yard and made me a tire swing when I was younger. Those are pretty, happy memories of a pretty, young girl swinging on a tire swing in the stress free world of a child. Should we go swinging again? It is good exercise and a de-stressor. Do you have a swing set in your yard?  Well then, let’s go to the park. First, we have to get there. Our options are to bike, walk or jog?  Great, meet you there to get back into the swing of things!

The “Happy New Year” is to get back into the swing of things like working out, eating healthy, detoxifying the body or cleansing the system from all of the holiday food enjoyed, and to conquer the other resolutions made. Did you say, yeah or ugh?  It is okay if it is a little bit of both attitudes.  So, to get back into the swing of things let us rediscover the swing set and, why not, the kettlebell swing exercise too!

Click here for energy to ignite exercise ideas to get back into the swing of pretty workout things:

http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/1045041/ab-exercises-on-a-swing-set

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/moves-that-torch-350-calories

Kettlebell Swing Core Workout

“The Pretty Workout” Quote

“Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait, the grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas.” –Henry Ford

Hope 2016 is treating you well!
Love,
Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

The Pretty Workout and Skull Crusher are BFFs 4EVA

The Pretty Workout

Halloween Issue

By Mary Lou Preston

The Pretty Workout and Skull Crusher are BFFs 4EVA

          Happy Boo-tiful October!  It’s party time!  Have you received an invitation to a Halloween costume party?  Maybe you are the host?!  I enjoy theme parties, or is it a – Boo?  Getting dressed in costume, taking in all the autumn decor and eating all the themed holiday foods!  Decorations and foods displayed as bat wings, pumpkins, leaves, tombstones, and skulls to name a few popular ones. It is fun to think, to pretend, to be the character of the costume choice. In fact, everyday, we can have a theme, a motto, an affirmation to be who we want to become, and to tone the triceps so not to have bat wings on the back of the arms. Smile.  And, therefore, this is why the Pretty Workout and Skull Crusher are BFFs 4EVA.  Confused about their relationship?  Read on to learn more about their character . . .

          Skull Crusher, alias DB Lying Triceps Extension, is a resistance exercise to tone and strengthen the triceps.  In other words, “Bye, bye bat wings” and “Hello, pretty, good lookin’ arms!”  Commence by placing dumbbells on floor next to you as you get into position by lying on your back with knees bent and feet placed flat on the floor.  Hold dumbbells in each hand with palms facing in and extend arms perpendicular to floor and in alignment with shoulders.  Slowly (and carefully) bend arms, 90 degrees, towards, yes, your skull, hence the name, but actually, allow dumbbells to stop next to ears.  Extend arms back to starting position as you exhale.  Repeat desired repetitions and sets for your pretty workout.

A “Boo-tiful” pic of Pretty Workout & Skull Crusher together:

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/35176832/image/35178330/Skull-Crushers

Character info on skull crusher:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/417397-skull-crusher-exercises/

          The “pretty must be” fit tip is to keep a positive mind-set.  Choose a positive affirmation to read and affirm in your mind daily.  Display your affirmation, as decor, maybe written in a picture frame or simply taped to your mirror.  A positive affirmation to affirm daily, in your mind, who you want to become!  Best wishes always!

The “Pretty Workout” Quote

“As you think, so shall you become”  -Bruce Lee

From my heart for your heart,

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

Autumn Poetry

September strews the woodlot o’er
With many a brilliant color;
The world is brighter than before,
Why should our hearts be duller?

–Thomas W. Parsons (1819–92)

Give me the splendid silent Sun with all his beams full-dazzling,
Give me juicy autumnal fruit ripe and red from the orchard,
Give me a field where the unmow’d grass grows,
Give me an arbor, give me the trellis’d grape.

–Walt Whitman (1819–92), Leaves of Grass

The golden-rod is yellow;
The corn is turning brown;
The trees in apple orchards
With fruit are bending down.

–Helen Hunt Jackson (1830–85)

It is the summer’s great last heat,
It is the fall’s first chill: They meet.

–Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt (1836–1919)

Happy Fall Y’All!

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

The Pretty Workout for International Talk Like A Pirate Day September 19

Passion Flower

The Pretty Workout

International Talk Like A Pirate Day Issue

By Mary Lou Preston

Captain May I?

Visit   http://www.krispykreme.com/pirate   for a treat on International Talk Like A Pirate Day!  Captain may I?  Ye may get a treat!  Then do yer exercise and read me message below.

       Ahoy, me Hearties! Blimey! Are ye exercising? Blow me down! All hand hoay! Batten down the hatches. Avast ye. It’s time ye get shipshape. Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! We’ve found yer booty! Aye, an exercise treasure that works more than yer booty. Captain may I? Aye, ye may walk the plank me matey!     

       Walk the Plank and Dive into Hot Fitness is the resistance “treasure” (or “booty” as pirate talk continues) exercise where ye will collect yer doubloons, or ye will shiver me timbers while performing the plank and yer core will feel like a buccaneer cleave ye to the brisket. Savvy? Stand yer feet shoulder width apart keeping knees slightly bent. On the count of eight, pieces of eight ye can think, bend at yer waist to reach down to walk yer hands out and walk the plank. One yer hands touch yer toes, two yer hands touch the floor, three walk yer hands out more with four, five, six, seven, and on eight ye are in the plank! Hold plank for eight, yer pieces of eight. Now, walk yer hands back the plank on a count of eight till ye stand up straight. Repeat. Heave Ho!

Avest ye scallywag- http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Plank-Variation-Exercises-17932974#photo-28254031

And for ye scurvy dog- http://projectputthatcookiedownnow.com/2013/six-body-weight-plateau-buster-exercises-to-do-every-day/

The “pretty must be” fit tip is to find yer treasure for good health. Treasure as in pirate talk is “Booty!” Aye, a nice booty is also classified as a “treasure” in the exercise world, but (pun intended) yer treasure in exercise talk is to find an exercise routine that works for ye, whether swimming, walking, running, lifting weights, Zumba, yoga, or cross training, ye name it, if ye enjoy it, then it’s yer treasure. Aaaarrrrgggghhhh me booty! Yo Ho Ho.

A “Pretty Workout” Quote

Captain Hook, Peter Pan- “Yo ho, yo ho, the frisky plank, You walks along it so, Till it goes down and you goes down To Davy Jones below!”

From me heart for yer heart

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

       Visit http://www.piratetreasurenow.com/pirate-phrases.htm or http://talklikeapirate.com/translator.html

for pirate talk to prepare ye for International Talk Like A Pirate Day, September 19, every year, me matey! Below is me pirate dictionary.

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! – exhortation of discontent or disgust

Ahoy, me Hearties! – the same as saying “Hello, my friends!”

All hand hoay! – comparable to all hands on deck

Avast ye – stop and check this out or pay attention

Aye – yes

Batten down the hatches – put everything away on the ship and tie everything down because a storm is brewing

Blimey! – exhortation of surprise

Blow me down! – expression of shock of disbelief akin to “Holy Crap!”

Booty – treasure

Buccaneer – a pirate

Cleave ye to the brisket – to cut across the chest, from one shoulder to the lower abdomen

Davy Jones’ Locker – fabled, mythical place at the bottom of the ocean where the evil spirit of Davy Jones brings sailor and pirates to die

Doubloons – other coins or found in pirate hoards and stashes

Heave Ho – give it some muscle and push it

Me – my

Pieces of eight – coins or found in pirate stashes

Savvy? – do you understand and do you agree?

Scallywag – mild insult akin to rapscallion or rogue

Scurvy dog – the pirate is talking directly to you with mild insult

Shark bait – will soon join Davy Jones’ Locker

Shipshape – cleaned up and under control

Shiver me timbers! – comparable to “Holy Crap!”

Walk the plank – punishment in which person walks off a board jutting over the side of the ship while at sea. The consequence is drowning and a visit to Davy Jones’ Locker.

Weigh anchor and hoist the mizzen! – pull up the anchor and the sail and let’s get going

Ye – you

Yer- your

Yo Ho Ho – cheerful exhortation to demand attention

The Pretty Workout Balances Back to School & Keep Learning!

As you walk to school take note of your surroundings;  Bradford Pear Leafs Presenting Texas Fall Foliage

The Pretty Workout

September Back to School Issue

By Mary Lou Preston

The Pretty Workout Balances Back to School & Keep Learning!

           Ahhhh!   The smell of new books, the feeling of excitement in the air, meeting new friends, learning new things – all are things presented in the back to school environment.  Stressed?  Yes, but you can choose to balance your surroundings by understanding to focus on your objective for a successful learning environment. Start here with a pretty workout exercise to destress.  Let us focus to keep learning new exercises for your pretty workout to stay balanced as we go back to school.

          School is in session and the balance resistance exercise to learn is the One Leg Balance with One Arm Lat Row.
Hopefully, this balance exercise will destress your body and place you in an eustress environment (smiley face).  I will remind you here to remember to focus on your objective, surround yourself in a positive, learning environment with pretty thoughts on success of your objective.  Begin standing with feet shoulder width apart, and knees slightly bent.  Hold dumbbell in left hand and place right hand on right hip which helps to align posture.  Slowly lift left leg off floor, and pike upper body forward while holding weight on left side of body and balancing on right leg.  Hold balance position in a challenging hold for your pretty fitness level.  Bend or row left arm up to feel squeeze in left shoulder-blade area and exhale.  Return left arm to starting position, inhale and repeat row on left side for desired repetitions for your pretty workout objective. If need help to balance, place right hand on chair or bench for support in your pretty workout environment.   Repeat exercise for balance on left leg and right side lat row of body to keep your muscles balanced.

Pics for the Visual Learners:

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/28185620/image/31035937/Tipping-Row

1. By Marta Montenegro
2. • 

     Unilateral DB deadlift to back row: Keep the back straight, chest up and maintain the neck aligned with the spine. Don’t rotate the hips and go as low as you can while keeping proper form. When rowing keep the arms close to your body and bring the elbow back. If the exercise is too challenging, put your leg down or hold onto something until you can progress. (ANDREW MEADE)

     Here is a pic with one leg balance with triceps extension in lieu of lat row. Keep learning!
     

     http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Warrior-3-Triceps-Extension-38257784

The “pretty must be” fit tip is to surround self with good, pretty things and to learn new things.  This is not referring to  material purchases, even though shopping is a pretty fun activity!  Guilty?  Yes, of engaging in this fun , and actually it could be classified as a learning activity, oh, I am now off point.  Let me sharpen my pencil.  I was really meaning to surround self with love & forgiveness, beginning at the home environment with your family and friends, and extending it out towards your community environment.  Next, surround your home with pretty things such as; reading materials to keep learning new things, performing the dirty, but good job of cleaning and recycling things, creating a pretty workout environment of drinking water, eating the colorful rainbow of healthy foods and exercising for good health and well-being, planting pretty flowers, gardens and/or trees, all which extends the beauty to help others out towards your community environment.   Also, surround yourself in quiet time meditating in a prayer environment, learning new prayers and extending prayers out for your community. Our world needs a global cleanup of peace and environmental beautification, and it all begins at home learning to surround self in the good and pretty, always learning, environment.

A “Pretty Workout” Quote

“You are a product of your environment. So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective. Analyze your life in terms of its environment. Are the things around you helping you toward success – or are they holding you back?”   – W. Clement Stone

From my heart for your heart,

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

The Pretty Workout is Not Idleness

My cat left me a smiley face! Eat, rest & be happy      -a cat’s motto

The Pretty Workout

August Summer 3 Issue

By Mary Lou Preston

The Pretty Workout is Not Idleness

          The googled definition of idleness is disinclined to work or be active; lazy.  The googled definition of lazy is unwilling to do work or use energy. The googled definition of couch potato is a person who spends little or no time exercising and a great deal of time watching television. Well, do I have an exercise for you!  It is a pretty workout exercise you can do even while watching TV, and this exercise will be the bridge to connect or, I want to also say, erase, any idleness from your mind on how to schedule your pretty time.

          The Glute Bridge is a resistance exercise for the glute, core, quads and hamstrings. Begin by relaxing on the floor or choose a comfortable mat.  Rest comfortably on your back.  Slowly bend legs, and rest feet flat on mat.  Gently place arms alongside body with palms facing down.  Take a deep breath, inhale, relax, think pretty thoughts, exhale slowly and watch you TV show.  With a count of 8, slowly raise glute off mat, shoulders, palms of hands and feet are gently pressed in contact with mat. Stop raising glute at point when knees and shoulders are aligned, like a straight board.  Hold glute and squeeze contracted glute muscle for a count of 8 while exhaling and pressing abs to lower back. Slowly, with a count of 8, lower glute back to mat. Rest a second and repeat glute bridge for your pretty workout level of fitness.

Glute Bridge Pics

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/glute-bridge-with-knee-squeeze

http://sassyfitgirl.com/bridgeexercises

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/photo-gallery/7102627/image/7102638/Glute-Bridge-Marching

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/glute-bridge-with-triceps-extension

Rest info

http://www.livestrong.com/article/374066-how-much-rest-between-workouts-for-muscle-growth/

http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/importance-rest-periods

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Should-You-Exercise-When-You-Sore-18180506

           The “pretty must be” fit tip is to incorporate rest time into your pretty workouts.  Rest is important!  Rest times in between your pretty workout sets, and in between your pretty workout days are not idleness.  A synonym for idleness is inactive.  Rest is important and an active time for the muscles to repair, grow, strengthen, tone and to reenergize for your next pretty workout.  If rest time is not incorporated into your pretty workout routine, injury, fatigue, and even disinterest will appear because you will not see results.  In order for the results to happen, REST in needed!  So, you want to see your pretty workout results, right?  Schedule your rest times in between sets, exercises, and your pretty workout days, and this will allow your muscles to repair, grow, strengthen, tone and reenergize !  You will be happy with the pretty workout results!      

A “Pretty Workout” Quote

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” -John Lubbock

From my heart for your heart,

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

The Pretty Workout Is Like A Summer Picnic

The Beautiful Monarch Butterfly picnics on a Butterfly Bush in my backyard.

The Pretty Workout

August Summer 2 Issue

By Mary Lou Preston

The Pretty Workout Is Like a Summer Picnic

          The Pretty Workout is like a summer picnic. There will be clear, blue sky, pretty workout days or summer picnic days with a sprinkle of rain surprise.  There will be aches, pains, or tiredness in your pretty workout much like the ants crawling onto your picnic blanket.  There will be days when listening to music to motivate your pretty workout much like listening to the sounds of nature and loved ones laughing on your summer picnic.  And there will be the summer picnic with a visit of a pretty butterfly floating by just like the pretty workout with the posture perfect exercise called the rear delt fly!

          As you sit on the picnic blanket in life, are your shoulders rounding forward?  Is your stomach pooching out?  If you answered, “yes”, a solution is as simple as rolling your shoulders back to correct your posture to appear healthier.  The resistance exercise to perform to have better posture, which means stronger posture in this case, is the Rear Delt Fly.  The rear delt fly exercise is the resistance exercise to visit in your pretty workout more often. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, and with knees slightly bent.  You guessed it, roll your shoulders back to align your posture.  For resistance, you may choose hand weights or band. If holding hand weights, slightly pike upper body forward.  If holding band resistance in hands turn palms facing downward. Raise arms in front of body, slightly below shoulder level, keeping elbows bent.  Do not lock elbows. Move to open arms out to sides and feel the squeeze in the shoulder blades area.  Hold muscle contracting and breath out,exhale.  Return arms to front of body position and inhale.  Repeat rear delt fly with consistent and even movement.

Need a pic, go to:

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Posture-Exercise-Upper-Back-22692815

http://www.livestrong.com/article/538295-how-to-do-a-dumbbell-rear-delt-fly/

Hey Boo Boo, It’s time for a picnic!

http://www.marthastewart.com/1074539/pack-and-go-summer-picnic-recipes

http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g783/picnic-recipes-0609/?

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/five-star-picnic-recipes

The “pretty must be” fit tip is to listen to your body.  If you are having a sunny, clear, blue sky picnic day or “I am feeling great today” pretty workout day, then you give 110% in your pretty workout.  This is explained by getting out of your comfort zone, or trying a new challenging exercise.  Push yourself hard on these days.  If your picnic day has a slight surprise of rain or you are feeling tired in your pretty workout, then you give 100% because most likely you will feel revived, and surprisingly refreshed after your pretty workout!  If you listen to your body and you feel exhausted, then you rest and plan your summer picnic and your pretty workout for another time. Shhhhh, LISTEN to your body.  Thank you and your healthy body will thank you too!

A “Pretty Workout” Quote

 “I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” –  Ernest Hemingway

From my heart for your heart,

Green Garden Flower Fit Girl

My Backyard Nature Channel

Ducks, birds and rabbits together in nature’s harmony.  Wisteria with duck pond view.  Red cardinal visits the verbena.

Turtle visits and decides to head back to the pond.  Catalina spies on baby long-tailed grackle.  Nighttime view of fountain.

Mallard ducklings visit.  Bunny Rabbit eats apples and fallen peaches from tree.  Black swallowtail enjoys flowers too!

Beautiful climbing rose view.  Garden Angel Trellis stands guard.

Below meet the viewers of the Backyard Nature Channel – Catalina, Catsandra and Princess, all three are sisters.

 Check out their book, Do You Know What Wildcats Do at School in P.E. Class? Wildcats’ First Day in Class, written by Mary Lou Preston is available at http://www.Amazon.com and http://www.Dorrancebookstore.com

LOVE, Green Garden Flower Fit Girl