What’s blooming and biking!

Happy Friday!  I was up fairly early and had my pre-workout protein drink before heading out to the gym.

Why do I look worried in the picture??

I think I may be able to convince some ladies to do free weights!  The Curves in the town closed, so some of those members joined my gym.  There are 3 ladies in their 60s who now work out at the same time I do, and I keep talking to them about the free weights.  😀  I’ll get them over there…

I rode the stationary for 15 minutes to warm up and the lifted:

  • Incline dumbbell bench press:  3 sets of 12 with 20# DBs (40# total)
  • Rail squats:  3 sets of 8 at body weight.  Getting easier.
  • 1/2 chin ups:  3 sets of 3.
  • Reverse crunches:  3 sets of 10 (first time back with these)
  • Alternating bent over dumbbell row: 3 sets of 15 (each arm) with 15# DBs (30# total)
  • Cable triceps pull down:  3 sets of 15 with 30#
  • Arnold press:  3 sets of 12 with 10# DBs (20# total)
  • Cable biceps curl:  3 sets of 10 at 30#

It felt good today.  I notice more of a difference today with leg pain, as I am not limping much.  Yay!

Been thinking about pumpkin lately, so I made pumpkin custard oats topped with toasted pecans and maple butter when I got back.

Yum!  It’s the start of my weekend, although I debated working a little bit to make some extra $$ today.  I will probably do that tonight after this post.

After eating breakfast, I puttered around in the garden a little bit.  It’s about time to bring back the Friday What’s Blooming series.  I have more tulips coming up.  I planted early, mid and late tulips, so there is a nice variety.

Queen of the night.  One of my faves:

I forgot the name of this one.

Purty.  Flowers just make me smile 🙂

Lunch break was some greek yogurt, all bran cereal, strawberries, and honey.  A classic:

Beautiful weather on tap today, so I wanted to test a longer bike ride.  I decided to go to the library, which is about 6 miles each way.  I snacked on a date with nuttzo before leaving.

You know, I still get calluses, even though I wear gloves when lifting and biking.  There go my career aspirations of being a hand model…

The path is greening up nicely:

Feeling pretty good here!

I felt good after I got to the library.  A little stiffness in my leg, but no back pain.  That’s good.  Progress!  I sat and read at the library for a while.  Ended up getting the 2nd Twilight book out, even though I am not all that impressed with the series so far.  I am finding myself annoyed with it.  Isn’t that weird?  I also got a book on cupcakes 😳

I texted John and he agreed to meet me for a snack.  I biked to Baker’s Dream, a tiny bakery, where I got a small coconut cream puff and a cup of coffee:

One of those 3-bite treats.  The owner of this place is an excellent baker.  I almost thought about asking her for a job LOL!

Then we biked home.  I am still somewhat slower than normal.  I averaged about 10 mph.  I realized that what is missing is my power.  That’s a nerve thing, and only time will bring it back (I hope).  Successful 16 mile bike ride today, and further than I planned.  That means a yogurt bike ride tomorrow is going to happen 😀

By the time we got home, it was dinner time!  John grilled up some pork and I put mine on a sweet potato with laughing cow and more BBQ sauce.

Let’s have a closer look, shall we?

Yum.  John and I eat our potatoes differently.  He does his sweet. I do mine savory.

Other than some work, not much planned for the evening.  I will be  making a pumpkin pie snack later on.  Have a great night!

Question:  Favorite spring time flower?

28 thoughts on “What’s blooming and biking!”

  1. Sarah

    I have a question about your strength training. Do you go with a plan in mind or do you just do whatever comes to mind when you are there? I worked with a trainer for about a year and loved the strength training but now that I am on my own I find I can never decide what to do.

    1. Lori Post author

      I work out a plan the night before. I currently do 3 full body workouts a week. I choose an exercise to hit lower body, upper body, abs, shoulders, back, triceps, biceps (not always).

      I would recommend getting New Rules of Lifting for Women, or any book by Brad Schoenfeld. That will help you plan workouts.

  4. Rachel

    I don’t know if they are spring flowers but daisies are my absolute favorite! And for the record, I hated the first Twilight book and was also quite annoyed. The other books have more plot lines that help placate that annoyance…at least a little bit 🙂 Congrats on the nice bike ride. You are well on your healed way!

  6. MB

    I’m so happy to see you back on your bike and smiling.

    I love tulips because their the first to bloom but my spring flowers are lilacs.

  7. Kimberley

    I am a big fan of the crocus because they are usually the first spring flower I see.

    I also love tulip trees in full bloom.

    So glad you are feeling better and were able to take a long bike ride. You are definitely making progress.
    .-= Kimberley´s last blog ..Worthy Cause Wednesday =-.

  8. roxie

    Yummy, yummy food! Makes me hungry to look at it. Hmmm, favorite flowers? The flowers of my youth in the Pacific northwest – tulips, peonies, and delphiniums. Glad you were able to get a good ride in today. I’m going to try tomorrow, but the weather may not cooperate. Expected rains and 40mph winds, darn it.
    .-= roxie´s last blog ..Staying In Acceptance =-.

  9. Barb

    Yay for biking! You’ll get your strength back. I’m hoping to get some riding in this weekend. I’ve also been doing a lot of planting. I didn’t have any bulbs in the ground this year..will do that in the fall. You seem to have so many cute bakeries and restaurants around! Looks like a fun little town. Enjoy your weekend!!!
    .-= Barb´s last blog ..Checking In. =-.

  10. debby

    Hey, that’s a good day! And yogurt tomorrow is even better. I am all about the frozen yogurt nowadays. And I can’t believe I ever missed a post of yours, but I don’t remember that pumpkin custard microwave snack. Seems like an excellent idea, and I think I will try it in the next few days. Thanks for linking back to it.

    Sounds like you are really doing well progressing with your lifting and your moving in general. I think I am having some sympathy back and knee pain (if I knew how to make one of those sad faces I would!

    Have fun tomorrow.
    .-= debby´s last blog ..Feed Your Cravings =-.

  11. Shelley B

    What a nice bike ride – glad you are back in the saddle!

    I think it would be great if you can get those older ladies lifting…it’s never too late, and they might really like it. You are setting a good example for them – have they seen your article?

    I like the idea of having you along for the 15 pound ride – or however much you want to lose…:)

    Oh, and to answer your question, I would say the daylily.
    .-= Shelley B´s last blog ..Friday Randomness – It Ain’t Pretty, Folks =-.

  12. michelle

    You go with your recruiting Lori – get those women liftin’!!!!

    Oh tulips by far as my fave flowers esp. parrot tulips. Second would be a tie btwn gerbera daisies, hydrangea and sunflowers.

    I still have the first Twilight book sitting in the office, unread.

    And yum! anything coconut I would love – a job around baked goods would spell disaster for me! lol

    Have a great weekend!

  13. Jinx

    The Twilight series got better with every book i read. By the end of the second book i was hooked! LOL!

  14. Alissa

    So sorry that you can’t be a hand model. 😉 hehe. I haven’t read the twilight books but I’ve watched the movies. I haven’t been as impressed as everyone else has been, I guess. So glad that you can bike again! Have a great weekend!
    .-= Alissa´s last blog ..Finally Friday! =-.

  15. Susan

    Have you considered becoming a personl trainer? You are so passionate about weight lifting and fitness in general I bet you would be good at it!
    Glad you are getting better and able to exercise again. I bought Shape this last month so I could see your article it was very nice.

    We don’t have much spring here in Florida per say so my favorite flower is still roses specfically my roses. I posted pics last week if you care to see.Have a great weekend.
    .-= Susan´s last blog ..My Search =-.

    1. Lori Post author

      Funny, but I have no desire to be a personal trainer at all. Maybe as a fleeting thought, but I don’t know how I would feel to have clients that would stop coming and wonder what I did wrong LOL.

  16. CertifiablyFit

    Your eats look yummy!

    Hopefully you can inspire those women at your gym to get into using free weights. Would be a great addition to their workouts.

    The tulips were nice. Those are some of my favorite flowers this time of year. There are a ton of them all over the place here where I live. I have been taking a ton of pictures lately of them.
    .-= CertifiablyFit´s last blog ..Weight Loss Expectations Study =-.

  17. Amy

    So glad you are getting back into the swing of things with your workouts! That looks like a really nice bike path. I have to say, I agree with you on the Twilight books – I read the first one and was really turned off and yes, annoyed. Will be interested in what you think about the 2nd one.
    .-= Amy´s last blog ..Look Ma, no chafing! =-.

  19. Deb

    I couldn’t even finish the first Twilight book and I NEVER don’t finish a book. I hated the characters. I thought Edward came across like an emotionally abusive withholding a-hole. And the main girl in it (can’t remember her name) was just annoying. I honestly can’t imagine why these books are so popular.

    That’s just my opinion and, based on books and movie sales, I am clearly in the minority. 😉
    .-= Deb´s last blog ..Pictorial Evidence =-.

  20. Susan

    I love that Queen of the Night flower!! A wonderful colour. The water drops also added an extra prettiness 😉 I have no idea which flowers are spring ones, but lilies are my fave. In fact, I have a pot of dead lilies on my window sill right now. They shrivel just from being in my presence.

    I read the Twilight series twice :\ In all fairness though, I typically only enjoy “fantasy” novels (nerd alert!) and I’m way more of a hopeless romantic than I let on. Don’t tell! 😛
    .-= Susan´s last blog ..Reflections, Flashbacks, and Lessons Learned =-.

  22. Jody - Fit at 52

    Big congrats on the workout & biking! So glad you are feeling better! When I saw you did reverse crunches, I was like, WOW! Good for you!

    I so love tulips!!! Beautiful pics! And the trail you ride on.. amazing!

    Hope you had a great bike ride today.. and yogurt! 🙂
    .-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Colorado Cookie; Saturday Funny =-.

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  25. John

    Tulips are nice. I see them a lot in my travels in Ottawa. I mean they are the tulip capital of Canada I believe and they hold a tulip festival in May. Long story behind this that I don’t feel like typing out right now 🙂
    .-= John´s last blog ..April Challenges Review =-.

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