#15

Today I wanted to share my top 5, holy grail, couldn’t live without workout items!!!!  These 5 things are a good starting place if you are wanting to get started going to the gym.  By no means do you need the exact brand I have.  There are a ton of different brands that are just as effective… these are just my personal preference.

1. Headphones

I currently use the Wireless Powerbeats 3 and I love them!  They are great to block out all distractions and even though they are on the pricier side I highly recommend splurging!

2. Tennis Shoes

I don’t know about you all but through the years I have tried many different brands of shoes. I have to say I have found two that I can say are my favorite.  I have two because when lifting weights, I like to have a flatter shoe that doesn’t necessarily have much support, but when I am doing cardio I like to have something that is very light and has lots of support.  I like to lift weights in Reebok shoes (I really love the Nano 8 CrossFit shoes) and I love to run in Asics (Asics Fuzex Lyte 2). 

 3. Water Bottle

Blender bottles are my go to water bottle.  I use Amino Acids as a pre-workout and to help with soreness and so the blender bottle is great to help mix the powder into my water. 

 

4. Waist Trimmer “Fat Belt”

Before I tell you why I love this product so much I want to clarify that this is not the same as a waist trainer that I am sure you all have seen that the Kardashians wear… haha. I wear what I call a “fat belt” almost every time I go to the gym especially on cardio days. I love the way that it makes my posture better and makes my stomach sweat a lot more than usual. This is something that is sold at sporting goods stores but I can always find them at TJ MAXX also. (I’m all about a better deal; and who doesn’t love TJ MAXX)

 5. Good Positive Attitude

Out of all 5 of these items this is the most important of them all and it is the only item that is FREE.  I have heard all of my life “attitude is everything” and I really didn’t think anything of it.  Throughout high school I was very active in sports and so being active was something that was a part of my daily routine.  Well now that I am in college it can be very easy for working out to fall out of your daily routine.   Having a good positive attitude is the first step to making and keeping physical activity in your daily routine.  “Attitude is everything.”

#dominatehumbly

#14

“It always starts with discipline and it ends with delight.”

Last Thursday night I was at ‘One’ which is a college worship service at Church of the Highlands.  During the message Pastor Bubba Massey said, “It always starts with discipline and it ends with delight” and that quote really hit home with me.  This quote is one that applies to every aspect of our lives.  In both our spiritual lives and fitness lives, which is what this blog focusses on, it can be applied.   In today’s world nobody wants to work for anything, and everyone wants everything handed to them on a silver spoon.  But, anything worth having is worth working for and, I don’t know about you, but it feels SO, SO good to work for something and to have something that you are striving for.  To want something, put in the time and hard work, and be disciplined to achieve it personally gives me a mission and I love something to work towards. Take that first step and become disciplined in whatever you are trying to achieve and in the end, you will be amazed at the delight you receive because of your hard work and dedication.

Whether you have been working out for years or you have just begun this workout below is one that can be done by anyone.  The number of reps and amount of weight used are just suggestions and can be modified to fit any type of person. 

Set your goals for the week, write them down, and check them off as you accomplish them.  That is something that I like to do, and you will be amazed at how accomplished you feel!

Warmup:

2 miles on the treadmill (run ½, walk ½, run ½, walk ½)

*Get a good stretch afterwards before you start your workout.

3 rounds

10 one legged SLDL (each leg)

15 goblet squats

3 rounds

10 good mornings

25 weighted calf raises

3 rounds

10 weighted lunges

12 weighted step ups

Abs:

5 rounds

25 crossover crunches (left side)

25 crossover crunches (right side)

25 regular crunches

#dominatehumbly

#13

When I sat down to write this blog my mind went blank and I had no idea what I was going to write about…. I began to pray for God to give me ideas of some good topic to talk about. I opened my Bible and began to read, and then I began to read in a book I am reading right now written by Ben Stuart.  I just was not hearing anything or finding anything in my reading that I felt like I should talk about.  I was not too concerned about it… I knew God would reveal what he wanted me to talk about in His own time. MADELINE, I’M GOING TO REMIND YOU OF THAT NEXT TIME YOU ARE IMPATIENT. (FYI… in case you don’t know me, patience is not one of my strong suits!)  Anyway, that night while showering after I had finished the workout that I posted below.  I had my “Jesus Jams” going and it came to me.  Music.  Who doesn’t love music?  It’s a huge part of our lives.  When we get in the car, what’s the first thing we do?  Find a good song.  When we are in church, what sets the tone for the service?  Music.  When we workout, what gets our blood flowing?  Music.  I have tried in the past listening to pop, hip-hop, Christian, rap, etc… (pretty much any music genre you can think of) while I work out!  Rap is always my go-to because listening to upbeat music hypes me up a better workout.  As much as I love my Christian music, it just doesn’t cut it sometimes when I am trying to work hard and push myself.  So, I often listen to an assortment of pop/rap stations on Pandora.  I have found though that I can just listen to Christian rap… duh, Madeline!  So, I wanted to share some of my favorite artists/Pandora stations. I hope you can find the music that gets your blood flowing and hypes you up for your workout.  It makes a difference!

• ·      KB’s album “Today We Rebel” (or any of KB’s music)
• ·      Lacrae
• ·      Christian Workout Radio on Pandora
• ·      KB (Hip-Hop) Radio on Pandora

Shoulder Workout:

I like to pick 4 exercises within the muscle group that I ma trying to work that particular day.  Do 20 reps of each exercise, and the 15 reps of each exercise, then 10 reps of each exercise, and so on and so on.  My weight for each exercise differs, but I try not to decrease any in weight within that exercise as I go through them all. Sometimes I decrease the weight though so good quality reps can be achieved.

20,15,10,5,5,10,15,20

1. Arnold Press

2. “L” side raises

3. Rear deltoid flies

4. Plate raises “Look throughs”

ABS

5 exercises-- 100 reps each exercise-- repeat this twice totaling 1000 abs

1. Heel Touches

2. Russian twists

3. Flutter Kicks

4. Regular Crunches
5. Oblique Crunches (rights side one round and left side the other round)

#dominatehumbly

#12

Purpose.

It can be so easy sometimes to get lost in the busyness of life and become chained to the lies of the world is constantly telling us. The devil is constantly feeding us with these lies that are mind warping and so easy to believe.  I was reminded last night as I was laying in bed that I do not have to me defined by what the world thinks of me and what the devil is telling me.

I’m not good enough.

I’m too out of shape to go to the gym.

I have no purpose.

Who am I to share the Word of God?

Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” We are created in the image of God. Wow.  You are a daughter/son of the ONE TRUE KING!  Who is the devil to tell you that you are or will not be good enough.   Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”   The call the Lord has upon your life is bigger and greater than anything you could EVER imagine yourself.  Devote yourself to go and He will deliver Himself and His blessings to you.  

#11

It can definitely be hard to put down the fork or get out of the stocking over Christmas break; and it seems as if the food and candy just keeps getting better and better...  but luckily this workout can get you back into the swing of things. Try it out for a definite leg burn!!!

Exercises:

1. Goblet squat 

2. Good mornings

3. Weighted step-ups 

4. Weighted calf raises

20 reps

15 reps

10 reps

5 reps

10 reps

15 reps

20 reps 

Do 20 reps of each exercise and then rest a minute or so.  Repeat this process until all (15, 10, 5, etc.) reps are completed!  Try to stay consistent with the amount of weight that you use, but if you have to decrease the weight to ensure all good quality reps then do so!

#dominatehumbly

#10

"New Year, New You?"

This is a saying that many people begin to say around this time of year.  The new year is a great time to start over and set new goals… but can’t we do that all year around?  Don’t get me wrong I think using the new year as motivation to achieve new fitness goals or grow in our spiritual lives is great, but we don’t always have to put off till tomorrow what could be done today.  Lots of times we, including myself, lack motivation to take that first step towards a new goal that we have or simply think we don’t have time.  Well I want to encourage each and every one of you to take that leap of faith and and go after the goals that you have always wanted to achieve. If you haven’t begun yet you can start today and give it your best to make a lifestyle change, not just a temporary change.  I totally understand that this is easier said than done.  Find someone in your life that is positive and that can build you up, encourage you, and push you.  If you are struggling to find someone like that in your life I would love to be that person.  Feel free to message me on instagram @countingblessingsandreps and we can journey along both our fitness and spiritual journeys together!

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  This bible verse is so relatable to the new year and new goals.  In our fitness journey we are able to start over and change our old habits and old ways of unhealthy eating or not exercising our bodies.  We are also able to leave behind our old ways of the world and follow Jesus.  I have never seen anyone try to get in their best shape before ever going to the gym… so why do we try to get everything in our lives perfect before we go to Jesus?  We depend on going to the gym to help up get our physical bodies into shape.  So let’s start depending on Jesus to get out spiritual lives into shape.  Everyone has to start somewhere.  Why don’t you start today?

#dominatehumbly