Fitness
Babymoon Fitcation in Aruba
Mary Davis Fitness Stand-Up Paddleboarding in Aruba
The hubs and I snuck away to Aruba for a decadent babymoon this March. We LOVE to travel, and because of his profession and his ability to rack up an obscene amount of Marriott and Southwest points, we are able to travel often without breaking the bank.
It was our first time in Aruba, and we stay at the Ritz Carlton, recently built and full of amazing amenities. Our vacations typically go like this:
Wake up at 7am, workout, breakfast, lay on a beach chair all day, fancy dinner, asleep by 9pm. We are early birds and typically hit the early bird specials for dinner. Essentially, we are the oldest thirty-somethings you’ve ever met.
This Rtiz included some great perks that we partook in daily including a great gym and complimentary stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking.
Mary Davis Fitness Resistance Exercises
I decided to take one of my workouts outside.
Lunges, 3 sets of 20 lunges (each leg)
Planks, hold for one minute
High Knees, 30-45 seconds
Donkey Kicks, 3 sets of 25 kicks (each leg)
The hubs did a lot of swimming on our trip! (I just had to post this one because he is such a hunk!)
Until next time Aruba!
Running with The Raven in South Beach
Mary Davis Fitness Vacation to South Beach
Justin and I headed to Miami for a mini vacation this past week. He gets some time off in February and in March, so we usually try to sneak away to somewhere warm during those times to relax and recharge. We are very compatible vacationers! There are three things we like to do most when we travel: hit the beach (or pool), workout and eat great meals.
When we planned our trip to Miami, I got some recommendations from friends on the hottest workouts to try in the area. There are so many to pick from, but the top few were Flywheel, Barry’s Boot Camp and running with the Raven. We only had time for two, so we decided to save Barry’s for another time, since that workout is also available in other large cities. Justin had read a few articles on the Raven and seen a documentary on him recently, so he definitely wanted to run with him.
On the second day of our trip, we met up with Robert Kraft (a.k.a., the Raven) at 5th street at the lifeguard stand and joined him for his daily 8-mile run along South Beach. A few words to describe Robert include: committed, die-hard, inspirational and caring. This isn’t just some ordinary runner. The Raven has been running 8-miles on South Beach every day for the last 40 plus years. Yes, you read that correctly.
8-MILES.
EVERYDAY.
FORTY YEARS.
No rest days, no calling in sick, not even any vacations or runs in other parts of the country. Rumor has it he took a day trip to Daytona once, but of course he was back in time for his run. He has run with people from 82 different countries, and he has not run alone once in the past ten years.
Robert arrived to that lifeguard stand on 5th promptly at 4:15pm like he does each day. He performed the same 15-minute pre-run ritual which includes stretching, applying suntan oil on his arms, and disrobing from his signature pair of black pants and black leather jacket to small black running shorts. By 4:30pm he was ready to run. We introduced ourselves to him along with another new runner named Dave who was in town from Philadelphia. Dave had heard of the Raven too and wanted to join in on the fun.
At 4:30pm, we started to run. Up and down the beach on the packed sand. For two hours. We talked to the Raven about his journey and he gave us all nicknames like he does with all of the newcomers that run with him. Justin was dubbed “Morning Kool-Aid” after he told the Raven he was going to give a motivational talk (often referred to as a kool-aid) about his story to the Navy Football staff during spring ball. I was “Oregano,” since I loved to cook and was particularly good at recreating my Dad’s homemade spaghetti sauce. The Raven also told me that I was runner number 2300. Pretty cool. After you complete the run, he writes down your birthday and your nickname. He never forgets the people he runs with. Many times we passed people on the beach that he has run with in the past and he called them out by their nickname, told us something about them and recited their birthday.
It was a little weird to run in my body that was not really my body. At 18-weeks pregnant and plus ten pounds, everything felt a little off. My hips were a little sore, and my legs were heavy, but I kept pushing through and finished pretty easily. At the end of the run, we got some pictures with Robert and told him we would definitely see him again during our next trip down south. It was an experience we would soon not forget, and it was truly inspirational to meet a man who was so dedicated to his craft.
Bump Photos!
Before I got pregnant, I was nervous about what would happen to my body during and after pregnancy. You can call that vain, I call it vulnerable and honest. It helped me TREMENDOUSLY to see my close friends and people in the fitness industry show their bumps and show what was possible with proper diet and exercise during pregnancy.
I have had an easy pregnancy. I have not been sick at all or tired, so it has been easy for me to keep up my level of exercise which involves 60 minutes of cardio 6x a week + weight lifting 3x a week. I also count my macros (carbs, protein and fats) 80% of the week and leave 20% open for indulging, consuming between 2200-2600 calories each day.
My goal is to help others, like so many have helped me, get over any fears and insecurities about getting pregnant. Here goes!
Mary Davis Fitness Fit Pregnancy 17 Weeks
I have been working hard in the gym to keep up with my weight training program to make sure I don’t lose too much muscle tone.
Mary Davis Fitness 21 Weeks
21 weeks pregnant, and here comes the bump! I really did not know what to expect with my weight gain during pregnancy, and I immediately gained some weight around my arms, butt and thighs. Before I got pregnant, Bod Pod gave me a body fat reading of 11%, so I was not surprised to add a little fat on. My body is getting ready for our baby girl! I try not to obsess over it, and overall I am happy with my progress so far.
Mary Davis Fitness 22 Weeks
This photo was taken in Aruba on our babymoon. It was so nice to visit somewhere warm and enjoy some alone time with my hubby! We don’t plan on slowing down our travel (or our alone time) once our baby girl arrives! We already have our post-baby trip planned for next Spring. I am still feeling great and was able to do a lot of swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, and body weight exercises on our trip!
Mary Davis Fitness 24 Weeks
There is NO DENYING this bump now! Off to spin class! I am still teaching intense spin classes 5 times a week (including doubles on Tuesdays) and lifting heavy weights 3-4 times a week.
Mary Davis Fitness 25 Weeks
Hello 25 weeks! Off to the gym for leg day!
Mary Davis Fitness 29 weeks
Hello baby girl! I am not sure how much bigger my stomach can possibly get. It is definitely getting harder to do the little things like lacing up my sneakers. My exercise routine has not really changed. I just taught 2 spin classes at 50 minutes each. A Saturday double! I have found that my heart rate rises faster than usual, so I always keep an eye on it when I teach, and I use the “talk test” to make sure I am not overdoing it. I have gained about 20-22 pounds so far.
Flywheel Review in South Beach, Miami
The next morning on our trip, we headed to Purdy Street to try out Flywheel. We were definitely hurting a little from our 8-mile run with the Raven (link here), but we stretched a little and hoped that an intense 45-min ride would loosen us up. I have tried SoulCycle before (link here), so I was super excited to check out Flywheel to see the difference.
We had to reserve our bikes on Sunday at 5pm the week before. That is when the reservation block opens online, and at 5pm on the dot, I watched before me as bikes were being reserved left and right. You actually chose your bike online. It’s a lot like when you are choosing your concert tickets; you reserve your seat. Luckily I was able to get two bikes next to each other. By 5:05pm, the class of 60 bikes was nearly sold out.
Along with the common questions that are asked during a registration process like name, address, and payment info, Flywheel also wants to know if you want to opt in for the Torqboard and if so has you create your username. This is where things get interesting. The Torqboard is a competitors dream, and an exercise novice’s nightmare (which is why you can “opt out” if you want). About ten times during class, the instructor turns on the Torqboard, and you can see where you rank among the other 60 or so riders in class. There is a male and a female side, and the stats are based on speed and power (torq). So for instance, if you are cycling quickly at a low resistance, you won’t rank as high as someone who is cycling at the same speed with more resistance (and is essentially working harder than you). More to come on this…
Usually the workout is all about two things – the instructor and the music – so I did my homework and picked an instructor who came with an awesome and hard-core reputation. After all, when you are paying $25-30 a class, you want to leave sweaty and satisfied.
We arrived about twenty minutes early for our 9:30am class and checked in on iPads at the front of the studio. Our cubby holes coincided with our bike numbers, and slot 44 already had my size 7.5 cycling shoes in there waiting for me. The shoes are no additional cost. We changed, found our bikes, and were ready to roll. Class started promptly at 9:30am, and it was full of heart-pumping, exciting music that really got you motivated for your workout. I was so excited and energized (the pre-workout coffee helped) that I really had to try hard to stay under my max heart rate of 170 for the ride. It is very difficult for me to reign it in during my workouts, but I know that my body is working twice as hard since it’s supporting 2 people now. I was pedaling along, enjoying the class, and then it happened…the Torqboard flashed up for the first time…and I was FIRST. “MaryDFit” right there. Number one on the girl’s side, and beating a few on the guy’s side as well.
Oh it was on.
I wasn’t first by a long shot at all. There were two other riders that were right on my tail. How much longer did we have of class? Oh 30 minutes?! Oh boy, this was going to be one killer workout. For the rest of class, I was pushing myself so hard to remain in that first place spot while also making sure that I wasn’t overdoing it. It was not easy. There were many times when that Torq flashed up that I was second or third. It was so close. It shows where the other riders were located too, so I was eyeing up bike 28 and 48 the whole time.
At minute 25, we started to incorporate weights into the workout using weighted bars that were located on either side of the bike. You had the option of using one or two bars. Each weighed about two or three pounds. That segment lasted for about five minutes, working the shoulder, chest, triceps and biceps. By 30 minutes we were back to just riding, and I was back to super competitive. At the end of class, I ended up tied for second place, a little disheartened but also proud that my body could sustain that level of endurance and intensity for that long. Good work body.
I can officially say that I am hooked on Flywheel. Justin travels to Atlanta for work this spring, and I am planning to hop in his suitcase for a few days so I can check out their Buckhead studio and do a little work from the road. If you have the opportunity to try this amazing workout, please do so. At the end of class you’ll think to yourself, “Torq down for what?!”
Mary Davis Fitness Flywheel South Beach
So What is CYCLE all about?
Have you ever taken an indoor cycling class at your local gym? If the answer is no, then I encourage you to read on an learn more about this amazing exercise.
Many people have told me that they are hesitant to take the class for two reasons:
1) It’s too intimidating
2) My butt will hurt on those little seats.
Well I am here to tell you that step one is to get over your fear of group exercise. I am going to let you in on a little secret. Most people (except your instructor) only care about THEIR OWN workout. So give yourself a pep talk, walk right into class, and tell your instructor that you are new! He or she will make sure that your bike is set up properly and tell you how the resistance works, to ensure that you are ready for a safe, low impact, and challenging workout. The resistance is key! If you feel that you ever need a break from class, just turn your resistance down enough that you just feel “the road beneath your feet” and coast along a flat road for a while. Once you are ready to rejoin the group and kick up your effort level, you can add on more resistance to challenge yourself again.
As for the little seats, well, your butt just gets used to it. I have six foot five, 250 pound men that take my class and sit on those little seats. After a few classes your butt won’t know the difference (and you’ll end up with a great looking butt after a few more). There are padded bike shorts available for men and women as another option if you need it.
Why should I take a class if there are stationary bikes right outside of the room that I can use?
Great question. Does that stationary bike come with an instructor who is going to push you, challenge you, and motivate you to work to your max for the 45-60 minutes? Probably not. Group exercise is such a beneficial way to improve your overall cardiovascular system. Not only are you motivated by fast-paced, exciting music, but you are with a group of 20-30 other people who are in it just like you! I have made many new friends by taking group fitness classes because you typically see the same people when you take those classes each week. People build their work weeks and personal schedules around their favorite classes for a reason! I have a friend that told her boss that she wouldn’t take a lunch break at all as long as she could use that hour to take a 9am spin class a couple of times a week. Exercises makes you more productive at work, so he was happy to oblige.
What’s so great about indoor cycling when there are so many other cardio options available?
A few things!
First off, indoor cycling is very low impact. I have been injured many times during my days as a runner, having to take time off for stress fractures and sore chins and knees. I teach indoor cycling 5-6 times a week, and I have never been injured or needed a break. Proper bike set up is key, so make sure that your bike seat is at the proper height. Have your instructor help you with the initial set up, and then you’ll know how to set your bike up each class.
Depending on you height, weight and effort level, you will burn between 500-800 calories during that 50-60 minute class. A heart rate monitor is a great way to help you get an accurate estimate of your calorie expenditure. I recommend the Garmin Forerunner 110. You can find out more information about that product here.
Cycling classes often are so great because of the music and the instructor! If you attend one, and you are less than thrilled, try out more. Each instructor has a unique style. With many options and several classes held each day, you are sure to find one that fits!
Are you convinced yet!? I hope so! Once you try it you’re sure to get hooked like me. Happy cycling (and sweating).
Back, Biceps, and Core
I hit the gym today for a weight session focused on back and biceps. If you’re new to weight training, it is common to group these muscles together in one day. I also try to add in core work as an “active rest” between sets that are not supersets. (Those are tough enough as it is, and I usually need the rest). As a reminder, a superset is performed when two exercises are performed in a row without stopping. This workout should take you between 60-75 minutes.
Superset
Lat Pull Downs – 3 sets of 15 reps (65#)
Seated Rows – 3 sets of 15 reps (65#)
End of Superset
Bent Over Rows – 3 sets of 15 reps (27.5#)
(Active Rest) **See photos below** Exercise Ball Pull-Ins – (see photo) during active rest, 3 sets of 20 pull-ins
Reverse Flys – 3 sets of 15 reps (10#)
(Active Rest) Rope Crunch – 3 sets of 15 reps (120#)
Bicep Curls – 3 sets of 15 reps (20#)
(Active Rest) Wood Choppers on Cable Cross Machine – LEFT side, 3 sets of 20 reps
Bicep Curls with Barbell – 3 sets of 22 reps (30#)
(Active Rest) Wood Choppers on Cable Cross Machine during active rest, RIGHT side, 3 sets of 20 reps
Happy lifting!
Today's Workout: Chest and Triceps
There is something about feeling STRONG that feels better than racing up hills or speeding on a flat road as fast as you can for 60-90 seconds.
One day I came across a picture of my friend Anya holding her one year old baby, and I texted her and said “daaaaaaaaamn girl. you look amazing. how do you do it?!” And that’s when she let me in on a little secret. “Lifting heavy weights makes you lean.” I kept on reading more about it and seeing more girls in the gym with rocking bodies, and they weren’t getting them by running on the treadmill. They were all lifting heavy weights. When I say “heavy weights” I am referring to weight that is heavy enough that it is HARD to complete that last rep in each set. REALLY HARD. You are struggling. As a result of lifting these heavy weights, I’ve gotten really, really strong! You can actually see my muscles, and I am more confident in my body. The scale has crept up a couple of pounds, but I am okay with that because I know that muscle weighs more than fat.
In this section I will share with you what I know about lifting weights, what my favorite muscle crushing exercises are (the kind that will leave you sore and wanting more), and some of my favorite groupings of them. Then maybe one day, you’ll have to keep the same secret I keep from your favorite piece of cardio equipment. Shhhhhh, don’t tell…
Today’s Workout – Chest and Triceps
VIDEO: Cycle Sample Rides
Soon I will be uploading more cycle videos for you to download and workout to at home, on the road, or in the gym. Stay tuned!
https://vimeo.com/113119815
Weight Training Workout One
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