The gym was dead this morning.
I think many people are on vacation this week, so the typical 5 a.m. gym crew was nearly non-existent.
No gym-goers = No wait for weights
My workout began with 20 minutes of light cardio on the elliptical while reading about the traditions that surround the royal family during Christmastime in the United Kingdom. (There is no lounging around in pajamas on Christmas morning which would totally bum me out if I were Kate. But, then again, I’d be a duchess, so I guess it all works out.)
After a cardio warm up, it was time for an upper body workout that looked like this:
This was my first time attempting bicep cross body hammer curls and I really liked the way they challenged my biceps in a different way.
(Source)
I have a feeling they’ll be popping up in my future workouts.
Breakfast
Breakfast this morning was the typical egg, jelly and cheese English muffin sandwich.
My plate also included some sweetness in the form of fresh fruit. Gosh, I love strawberries!
Now I’m sipping on a hot mug of coffee. A cold front came through Ocala last night and it was in the upper 30s this morning!
The coffee warmed my belly. Mmm.
After nearly a week of lackluster work, it’s time to get my head back in the game today!
i was reading about kate’s christmas in us weekly and thought the same thing! she has to be up and ready in fancy schmancy clothes by 7 am! no fun if you ask me….. but i guess the perks of being a princess balance it out.
kathleen @ the daily crumb
ha! that was the magazine i was reading, too!
peanutbutterfingers
Empty gyms are my favorite–I love going late at night or early in the morning since it’s so much more low-key and there are no lines!
Now that January 1 is right around the corner, I am thinking about switching back to the 5am workouts to avoid parking a million miles away at the gym and waiting in line forever to snag an elliptical.
I have never heard of that hammer curl and can’t wait to try it tonight at the gym!
Laura @ LauraLikesDesign
i loved it! not sure how i missed it all these years, but it was a neat new exercise for me.
peanutbutterfingers
My gym was dead too, and it was awesome!
Tiff @ Love Sweat and Beers
That is too funny about Will & Kate. I always think about how good (or maur bad…privacy and normal life wise) she has it. But can you really feel sorry for her?! Lol…I think she’ll be fine.
PS: I LOVE the idea of cross body bicep curls. I like to switch biceps up by doing hammers (candlesticks) and like to learn about different variations
Heather @ Health, Beauty & Sweet Homelife
Wow the first thing I do when I come home is change into sweats- I bet Kate doesn’t have that ‘luxury’
Khushboo
Haha I hate to wait for weights! Hmm I haven’t had strawberries in forever!
Lauren @ What Lauren Likes
*maybe…not maur. Dang you, iPhone autocorrect!
Heather @ Health, Beauty & Sweet Homelife
Yum – I love strawberries! Do you workout out at a small gym? I’m switching from a large chain gym to a smaller park district gym, and I’m nervous. They have a 30 minutes limit on all cardio machines, something I’m not used too! Do you like smaller gyms?
Heather H. @ Run Eat Play
our gym is a big gym… but not a HUGE gym like an LAFitness or a Lifestyle Family Fitness. i like small/medium gyms best, but big ones have perks – more classes, etc. i think it’s a toss up and you really just have to judge a gym by how you feel when you workout there… hopefully your switch will be a good one!
peanutbutterfingers
Thanks Julie! I actually switched because the big gym has no classes and the smaller gym has tons – including BodyPump!
Heather H. @ Run Eat Play
I have that same coffee mug (only with a K on it!)
Kelly
Can we talk about the illustration for the hammer curl? That guy looks like a monster!
Hillary
ha! i know!! and is that his head? if so, it’s freakishly small.
peanutbutterfingers
Must be the steroids ; )
Hillary
I initially thought he was Santa pumping iron.
Angeline
Stop talking about this 30 degree nonsense!! I want it to be in the 70′s when I come!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey
Hahah I love the picture of the man doing the bicep curls…he looks so awkward. I’ve never tried those type of curls, I’m going to have to! My biceps are one part of my body that I never feel like I challenge (prob because I do the same couple of exercises) so it would be great for me to try something new!
Lindsay @ In Sweetness and In Health
NO WAIT at the gym?! THOSE ARE THE BEST! i use my school’s gym and the rugby team ALWAYS takes the whole weights section up- GRrr
carrie
I LOVE it when the gym is empty! So easy to do whatever you want, whenever you want!
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats
I too like when the gym is not so full–makes it nice to get in and out quickly AND have an awesome workout.
I like the cross body curls too–they work the biceps in a new way by using 3-D motion!
I too would hate to wake up that early to get into nice clothes–but being a duchess could be fun….;)
Annette @ EnjoyYourHealthyLife
I love the cross body hammer curl, I learned of it doing Supreme 90 Day’s “Arms and Shoulders” Video! I’m adding those back into my workout rotation starting next week!
Janine @ThePurpleGiraffe
I love when you post weight routines that look doable! I am a newbie to weight lifting and some plans can come off a little intimidating with their proper explanations and medically termed wording. I like it simple and to the point! Also, your strawberries look delicious! We haven’t had berries that look that good in Ohio for months!
Jana
i love when the gym is dead – it’s so nice to not have to wait for anything! great new bicep exercise! i always like new bicep exercises to try because traditional curls get tedious and boring after awhile.
Ashley @ My Food ‘N’ Fitness Diaries
Such a yummy breakfast! I had strawberries with my breakfast this morning too..so yummy!
Shannon from Healthiful Balance
I miss strawberries! So goood. It’s the best when the gym is dead. That will totally change come January 1st. Enjoy it now!
Brittany @ GOtheXtraMile
I did hammer curls for the first time last week with kettlebells, and boy did it burn afterwards!
Lena @ Fit on the Rocks
Thankful for your bright lil mind to invent the combination of egg+cheese+jelly! I eat it almost every morning until my supply runs out (like today:-( Strawberries are at the top of my most favorite fruits… Love them. When I get back from Christmas break and start incorporating free weights, I will have to give the cross body hammer curls a try. Thanks Julie
MIndy L @ Clueless Nut
Too funny- I’m reading your post while eating the exact same breakfast! Hard to beat
I’ll have to try those hammer curls. I feel so clueless when it comes to lifting and I always go to the same moves.
and if I was married to Prince William… I’d deal with the no bumming it on Christmas rule
Katy @ A Shot of Life
I read that article as well!!
I thought one of the parts was funny that said, “Kate is to laugh at all the Queen’s jokes.”
I mean I don’t think Kate would just stare at her…
Nicole @ Giraffelegs
haha i know!
peanutbutterfingers
Hey Julie, just wondering if you still walk Sadie everyday or not? I remember you all did in Orlando but since you got a large backyard, do you still? I walk my pups two to three miles everyday and run one of my dogsa few days a week (unless it’s too cold..like today!!) and I count it as my cardio. I mainly do weights at the gym or home after my walk a few days a week.I have come to love weights and way more than cardio…they tone you like no other! Have a good day
mel
yes, definitely! she still gets two walks a day – one in the morning and one after dinner (or sometimes before).
peanutbutterfingers
better take advantage of a dead gym now cause you know after jan 1 hits it will be a madhouse! haha!
Mallory @ Have your cake
I have never done cross body hammer curls! I think I may need to try those!
Hilliary @Happily Ever Healthy
I’ve been working more on my arms and this seems like the perfect new move to try!
Steph @ StephSnacks
That breakfast looks yummy! And yeah, as much as I love a lazy loungey christmas I feel like if I was a princess I probably wouldn’t mind having to wake up early! ;P
Erin @ Girl Gone Veggie
Super random question but have you ever had chia pudding for breakfast?
Sarah
I can’t even imagine not hanging out in pj’s on Christmas morning! Those stuffy English people
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
It’s amazing to me how much bigger my arms get if I DON’T use weights in my usual strength routine. I still envy you for having the willpower to workout in the mornings!
Bailee
Love your strength training workouts. Really motivating!
I need to try this egg/jelly/cheese sandwich, sounds interesting!
Chels R.
I’ve totally been looking for a new bicep workout and this will be perfect! I love finding workouts that challenge my muscles in new ways! Btw, is jelly on an egg sandwich good? I see that on your breakfast quite a bit and I’ve never heard of that before.
Brittany @ It’s Gonna Be Somethin’ Good
yes!!! definitely worth a try!
peanutbutterfingers
Just wait until the New Year, the gym will be packed then!
Rebecca @ Naturally Healthy and Gorgeous
as soon as you figure out how to get back into it, lemme know, ok?
Cat @Breakfast to Bed
I love an uncrowded gym. I’m currently in our house in Orlando (vacation home) until January 7th, and there is a small community gym that is free to use. I went on the first day and all 3 treadmills were taken so I hopped on a janky (falling apart basically) elliptical for a half hour, didn’t even sweat. Then wanted to lift, but almost all the machines were being used and I had no patience to wait.
I immediately went across the street and signed up for the anytime fitness 2 week package while I’m here…weights and treadmills as far as the eye can see. Glorious.
Shannon
empty gyms are definitely great. it can feel a bit awkward trying to fit yourself in between two huge dudes when you wanna lift too…its always kinda weird, but im always happy i lift!!! i love feeling sore!
Amy
Empty gyms are a treat. I have to go compete for one of the four treadmills now. Oy!
Sarah (I Dream of Beets)
I love cross body hammer curls! In my opinion they make it much more challenging to lift even the weights we’re already used to.
Ellie@Fit for the Soul
I love it when the gym is dead. It makes me feel like I own the place. Ha!
And I don’t think I would ever want to be a princess or a duchess. Not as fun as it seems I would think. But then I like being able to lounge and be “unproper” lol
Amber K
Great tip for the bicep hammer curls! I will be doing a few sets of this tonight at the gym!
I’ve been back to work for a couple days now, its so hard when everyone in the house is sleeping!! Oh well, we are ahead of the game!
Have a wonderful day!
Jessica Corbin
Wish I was off all week!
Claire @ Live and Love to Eat
I wish I could have some strawberries too!
Gen
I work out at my apartment’s gym and there is usually only one other person in there when I go at 6:30 a.m. It’s pretty nice to have my run of the place!
Megan
My future sister-in-law gave my Dear and I some mugs from Antro for Christmas- love them! I got the one with spotty pink dots and my Dear got the white with a big black initial [seen both on your blog lately]
It’s always nice having a family member who works at one of your fave stores, family discount!
Allison
I love this workout! I don’t have a gym membership, but when I did I loved it when I would get there early and no one was there. Ahhh free reign!
Brandi @ Faith Fitness and Laughter
Oh hey I have one of those mugs from Anthropologie just like that from when my parents were on vacation in Boston a few years ago – cute, but I only ever use it as a pen cup! I thought it was too awkward to drink from!
Olivia
I’ve never tried that bicep move before either. I’ll have to give it a whirl to switch things up!
Jessica @ Sushi and Sit-Ups
Hey Julie. I don’t mean to bother you again (the workout design nazi!), but you really need to include back exercises somewhere in your workouts… you hit chest all the time, as well as shoulders and arms (biceps, triceps), but I rarely see anything for your back (rows, pull-ups, chin-ups, pulldowns, etc.). You did upright rows, but those are more of a shoulder exercise. Work those back muscles! (You’ll be stronger overall AND burn more calories since it’s a large muscle group!)
K