JAG Happy Labor Day

I don't know why people always ask me if I have the day off on a holiday... Doesn't everyone know that Fitness doesn't sleep:-)???? 

I love my job and the opportunity to better people's lives no matter what the day!

 So here's a quick work out for you on your holiday! I want to dedicate this work out to all the men and women who have and do fight for the freedom of this wonderful country. God Bless the USA!!

Labor Day 2014 JAG

25 minutes Stairmaster (omit this if you are on a time crunch)

Lateral squat jumps on BOSU Ball - 15 R/L

Kettlebell Swings - 30

BOSU Single Leg Jackhammers - 15 R/L

Repeat three rounds with 1 min rest between rounds

Pull Ups - 10

Plank DB row althernating - 10 R/L

Russian Twists using one DB from previous exercise - 15 R/L

Repeat 3 rounds with 1 minutes rest between rounds

Stretch/Foam Roller

August 21 JAG!

So, I have worked 57 hours this week... but there should be no excuses!! It's about time I'm getting a good work out up for y'all!!!

This is an awesome combination of cardio and muscular endurance!! If you do not know what an exercise is on the TRX, youtube and watch a video:-)

August 21 JAG:

5 minutes StairMaster- start at medium level for 2 minutes and go up to high level for 3 minutes
1 minutes row machine sprint
:30 TRX Squat
:30 TRX Low Row
:30 TRX Biceps Curl
:30 TRX Atomic Push Up
Repeat bold exercises 3-4 times
5 minutes StairMaster- finish hard at a high level

Done. Feel the burn and let the sweat roll.....  Enjoy:-)

Work it!

First of all I want to apologize for the minimal amount of posts I've been writing.

My fellow trainer and I are revamping our fitness, rehab, and nutrition program at our gym. Lots of work and computer time in the office... I would rather be with all my wonderful clients! BUT... the program design is like none you have ever seen before and it is going to ROCK!!! 

We can't wait to really implement our hard work, please pray for success and support. 

Back to it! I found this awesome work out online the other day and decided to try it yesterday after my StairMaster climb:-) This, ladies and gentlemen is an awesome, hard, and quick work out. My booty is sore today!

Here is the link to the video:

Butt Blaster Leg Complex

Here is the sequence written down and the set/reps I did:

Single Leg Hip Thrust: 10 per leg

Bulgarian Squat: 10 per leg

Reaching Lunge: 10 per leg alternating

Split Squat: 10 per leg = 20 total

Band Rotation: 20 per side

Pull Throughs: 20 

Fast Hands: 10 per hand = 20 total

Repeat 2-3 times -- I ran out of time so I only did two rounds, next time I'm doing 3 or 4:-)

Here is a snap shot of my Heart Rate and summary of calories burned etc. during the whole work out. The first long high spike was 20 minutes on the StairMaster. The two high spikes in a row are the two sets of the above work out. Isn't that awesome! I love my VivoFit... which will be in a post very soon, so stay tuned. I forgot to take my heart rate monitor off after I left the gym, that's why it's so long for such a long period of time afterwards.

I hope you try to work out on your own! The best thing about it, you don't need to be in a gym at all. Only piece of equipment needed is a band, but you can always improvise and change the core exercise to something like Russian Twists to work your obliques.

Live a Fit, Fabulous, and Healthy life:-)

Hunger Signs

How many of you can honestly say you have never eaten food out of boredom? Or anxiety, stress, loneliness, being in social setting, frustration.... Or because the TV was on and you didn't even realize the whole bag was gone until you reached in for more?!

Remember, eating out of any of these reasons is never a good habit to develop or support. It will not help or change any of these situations. The only thing that will change is your waist line! 

Developing a habit of responding to feelings with food is a dangerous, life long uphill journey you do not want to go down. Most people end up beating themselves up after an indulging moment like this too... And that hill will just feel like it's getting steeper and longer. 

There are two different types of hunger: Mind Hunger and Body Hunger. 

Mind Hunger is the dangerous one out of the two, it's that time you sat with a group of friends and ate the whole basket of french fries, all the chicken fingers, two drinks, and a desert without even tasting the food! 

Body Hunger is when you eat because your body is naturally telling you to eat out of true physical hunger. You can eat with no distractions, taste the food, and recognize the signs of being full even if the plate is not empty yet.

KNOW THE SIGNS: Which one are you doing?

Body Hunger:

• Satisfied for three or four hours after eating
• Aware of the smell, tastes, and texture of the food(s) being eaten
• Able to consciously plan to eat and make an effort to find something filling

Mind Hunger:

• Temporarily satisfied- shortly after eating, even five minutes later, you feel hunger again
• Surprised at what they ate because they did it automatically- all of a sudden the ice cream was gone
• Didn't remember what they ate - taste, texture - who knows?

So how do we break the habit of Mind Hunger and let our bodies eat out of Body Hunger?

We need to find out why we are eating out of Mind Hunger.  Loneliness? Stress? Boredom? Why are you eating when you aren't hungry? 

There are many things we can do to stop these bad eating habits and focus on the "Why":

• Realize that eating is not a solution to a problem or bad feeling (it will only create more)
• Seek professional counseling (there may be some underlining issues you need to address)
• Stop eating in front of the TV, book, computer, or magazine
• Get yourself up and moving!
• Join a gym, walking group, fitness class
• Find a buddy, motivate each other to stay on track

Remember, there is just as much damage done when you under eat too... do not mistake being healthy as the fewer the calories the better.

Search deep when you find yourself in these situations. Find out the "Why" before you indulge.

(All of my information is from the course I am studying called: Weight Management for Teens, A Non-Diet Approach to Health and Fitness by Linda Omichinski, RD. It is through ACE. )

Our Daily Bread

Everyone is always asking me, "What do you eat?"

For some CRAZY reason, they think because I (try my best) to eat clean and healthy, there are no options and the food is bland and boring! Let me tell you, since I changed my eating habits when I was about 24 years old, food has never tasted better. 

I went from gluten free, but still eating stuff made out of corn, rice, and potato... to now mostly a paleo type of eating lifestyle. Meaning I rarely eat any kind of grain or starch. I still enjoy my sweet potatoes and full fat dairy's:-) I won't deny myself a gluten free pizza when the time calls. 

My wonderful husband is not a picky eater at all, thank god! But I do try to make him some rice, potatoes, or pasta every once and a while. The key to keeping him happy is Texas Toast!  I won't always eat this, but every once and a while I'll snag a couple bites of potatoes!

Now if you take me to a Chipotle, which I LOVE....... then you will definitely see me ordering the brown rice AND the corn salsa:-)

Anyways, I thought I would give an example of "the day in the life of Stephanie"! Here is what is on the menu for today:

Breakfast: Smoothie

1 cup spinach

1/2 avocado

1/2 banana

2 tbs raw cacao

1 tbs chia seeds

1tbs ground flaxseed

1 tsp xylitol (or stevia)

1 scoop About Time protein

8 oz unsweetened almond milk

I have a NutriBullet which is awesome!

Snack:

1 c Cabot Greek Yogurt- Full Fat

1/2 c Blueberries

1 tbs Hemp Seeds

(you can add some stevia to this to sweetened if you want)

Lunch:

Egg Bake with tomatoes, sweet potato, and black olives

1/4 Roasted Cabbage with bacon (see recipe)

Snack:

I will drink some more About Time protein with water after my work out this afternoon

Dinner:

Chicken Stir Fry with Zucchini noodles, carrots, edamame, and water chestnuts ( by the way I have no recipe for this, it just sounds good and I made it up this morning! I'll take picture and let you know how it goes.)

I hope this helps inspire you and give you some good ideas on a healthy, clean, nourishing day of eating. Take care of your bodies, love on yourself. Have a wonderful weekend! 

Positive Body Image

What is self-esteem? "It is defined as the judgement a person makes and maintains with regard to him or herself. It is a general attitude of approval or disapproval which indicates whether the person believes him or herself significant, worthy and capable" (Omichinski 31).

There are many ways we can have low self-esteem. Most, if not all come from how to feel about our bodies. In other words, Body Image. There are two main things that I see with my clients day in and day out:

1- They will complain about their bodies as a whole (constantly wanting to lose weight, etc)
AND/OR
2- If they are successfully losing weight at a steady pace or at their goal weight, they will pick apart and complain about certain parts of their bodies they wish they could change ( thighs, butt, legs, hips, arms... you name it, they complain it)

MANY people also have an inaccurate assessment of how "big" they really are. The way they view their body is actually distorted. No matter how in shape they get, how hard they push, how "skinny" they feel, they will always see themselves as being "big". They are dissatisfied with results no matter what, talking themselves down because they feel as though their results should come in larger numbers or they should have worked harder, not ate that piece of cake, worked out 10 more minutes, and so on. 

As we all know, and as I have preached numerous times, we NEVER want to fall into a lifestyle of a yo-yo diet. These body image issues are a straight path to a disastrous life of yo-yo ing... Weight preoccupation will include a life of counting calories, using exercise only for weight management (big no no!), or constantly trying to lose more and more weight.  

Did you know that studies have found a life of yo-yo ing behaviors will actually lead to "diet-induced overweight". This a permanent state of being overweight, the person is now trapped in the state of constant weigh loss and again weight gain. This is why we need to learn how to listen to our bodies, feed them food for fuel, and exercise to make life happy and healthy. 

HOW DO WE GET OUT OF THIS LIFE OF YO YOing AND BAD BODY IMAGE??????!!!!!!!!!

We must teach ourselves the Healthier Living Cycle by following these simple steps:

• Feeling better about yourself
• Self-acceptance
• Self-confidence
• Self-nurturing
• Enjoyable Eating
• Active Living

"Caring for oneself in a way that is truly nourishing and based on one's own needs, rather than society's expectations, can promote a positive body image" (Ominchinski 34).

How can I keep stressing enough that we need to learn how to love and accept our self and our bodies just as they are?! There is nothing wrong with trying to better yourself, and want to better yourself, but you must learn to do it with a positive and loving attitude!! Negative emotions and thoughts will never get you anywhere.

Take these steps to find how to love yourself:

• Find exercise that you enjoy! Don't do Zumba if you hate it, try everything until you love it
• Find time to rest and relax, we all need a little down time
• Acknowledge any health issues you are running into, see your Dr for health screenings
• Buy clothes that fit you right, no matter what the size, clothes that fit right will always make you look and feel better!
• Learn to meet your needs for food, make it your friend, use it for fuel

Please feel free to message me with any questions or concerns, this is not an easy task, and sometimes it is really hard to accept the things that we do not like about ourselves and be able to move on. But don't stop trying... you will be so much happier and healthier once you do!! XOXO

(All of my information is from the course I am studying called: Weight Management for Teens, A Non-Diet Approach to Health and Fitness by Linda Omichinski, RD. It is through ACE )

Countering Pressures to Diet

I am officially on my way to getting another certification under my Exercise Science belt!! The American Council on Exercise (ACE) Weight Management Specialist! It is a six course, six test certification that covers a wide range of topics.

I would be honored if all of you; my wonderful family, friends, clients, and followers took this journey with me. I do believe you, along with myself, will learn a lot from the studies I am willfully partaking in.

My first book is called: Weight Management For Teens

I have only read the first chapter and already my mind is spinning with information... 

Chapter 1: The Pressures to Diet

There are certain "circles of influence" for teens today when it comes to body image and how they feel about themselves including media, family, friends, teachers, and coaches. 

As all of us know, we are living in a society that puts serious emphasis on being skinny. Skinny is also significantly related to being deemed as beautiful and successful. Discrimination against anyone who doesn't seem to fit this "skinny" image are shown prejudice across all ages, race, and sex. This begins to create something called "fat phobia" as early as the age of 6:-(

Did you know that professional models used to weight 8 percent less than the average women? It makes me said to know that the ideal woman model now weighs at least 23 percent less than the average woman... no wonder we all feel "fat" and "ugly." Many people associate weight loss with feeling of being wanted, loved, accepted, and happy. Why can't we just be happy with what God gave us and learn how to take care of our bodies in a healthy AND happy way? Only 8 percent of society naturally falls into this "ideal woman" image we see plastered on TV, magazine, and social media. 

Family, friends, teacher, and coaches can almost cause more harm to a child or teenager if they are constantly worrying about their weight and the weight of the child. Here is a paragraph in the book that makes my heart hurt. "Parental dissatisfaction with their offspring's sizes and /or shapes often results in pressuring children to lose weight by making their love conditional to the achievement of this goal. For many young women, being thin is equated with being loved."

Unfortunately if we are always hearing that we need to be thin to be beautiful, we will begin to believe it. When will we all realize that we are all born different shapes and sizes?

Did you know that adolescent girls who pursue any sort of weight-management or diet regimen are more likely to become overweight. Most are also more likely to binge eat and develop an eating disorder. Almost every single young women who was asked if they felt like they needed to lose weight said yes, even if they were significantly underweight. 

I know this is talking about teen, but every person reading this should be able to relate, and I am merely skimming the surface. Unless you look like Cindy freakin Crawford, I'm sure we have all had those "I'm Fat" moments.  So how do we heal our minds and bodies from feeling these undesired pressures to be skinny and diet? 

Here are some simple steps:

-Let's redefine beauty

-Say loving words about our self and our body, aka positive self talk

-Teach each other positive self talk- communicate positive self talk (any of my clients will know exactly what this is because I am always saying "OK now say two nice things about yourself:-) )

-STOP talking about diets and learn to live a healthy lifestyle- food for fuel

- Learn to use food as fuel and to nourish the body - create a healthy relationship with food

ACCEPT YOUR BODY JUST AS THEY ARE AND CARE FOR THEM APPROPRIATELY!

Say to yourself, "I value my body and my health."

How or who has effected how you view or perceive your body? Have you come to terms with who you are and love who you are? 

Even with all the weight loss magic that is out there, you will never get the body and health you are striving for if you do not love yourself first. Learn how to live a healthy lifestyle. Make sure your "circle of influences" is positively effecting your life, not bringing you down. Be the positive influence for all the young women in your life especially, you both will be better for it in the long run!

Live a Fit, Fabulous, and Happy Life:-)

Pure awesomeness!!!!

This is one of the best kitchen appliances I have ever bought. I HIGHLY suggest getting it!! You can do so many different veggies throught this magnificent contraption. There is a slot for making "thin noodles," as seen on the right, and "thick noodles," as seen on the left.

I bought mine from Bed Bath and Beyond, but they are also at Walmart, and probably cheaper... dang it.

I've made meat sauce, meat balls, side dishes, etc with these yummy zucchini noodles. I still have not tried using any other veggie because I love the zucchini noodles so much:-) But when I do, I'll keep you updated on the yumminess!

GO GET ONE NOW! Please and thank you:-)

Best healthy meatloaf ever!

I am one happy girl right now!!! I made this meatloaf about a year ago... and could NOT find the recipe again for the life of me. It was so delicious, healthy, and easy to make. Well guess what I just found, THE BEST MEATLOAF RECIPE EVER!!!

It's a paleo recipe, meaning: gluten, grain, dairy, sugar free. There's no bread crumbs, milk, nothing! Yay! I've made this a couple times. Once with turkey bacon, and Liquid Amino Acids to replace the Tamari (http://bragg.com/products/bragg-liquid-aminos-soy-alternative.html). Once following the exact recipe with Tamari and regular pork bacon. I'm telling you it's amazing!

If I had to pick between the two... I actually liked the turkey bacon and liquid amino acids better than the tamari. But both freaking rock!

The recipe actually makes two servings, so I made one loaf, put the rest in the fridge, and cooked the other half the next night. It will freeze well too, so I may just save the second one for later:-)

What I love about meatloaf is you can make it beforehand, separate into Tupperware and just grab and go:-) How many times do you think I will repeat that statement while I'm blogging?? 

Enjoy!!

http://goddessinthehouse.com/2013/01/bacon-wrapped-paleo-meatloaf-recipe/

Be the Motivator

One of my VIP clients sporting my gym shirt in honor of me:-) 

It takes courage, strength, determination, and discipline to take your health and wellness into your own hands. For some people just getting out of the house is a feat. Sometimes we need a little push to get moving. Have you ever thought about how your journey could encourage someone else to better themselves?

Here is my challenge for you: Ask someone to get moving with you. Whether it's to take a hike, go for a walk, take a yoga class, zumba, lift weights... the possibilities are endless!!

Be the one who get's them moving and encourage a healthy and happy life:-) You never know the friendships you will develop or the great memories you will create. Accountability partners are a great way to keep motivated!!

Love one another, love yourself, eat clean, keep moving!!

Getting Back to Normal

I have been sick for over three dang weeks... for someone who rarely gets sick, the past couple weeks not only kicked my butt, but I had to fight feelings of defeat.  Every part of me wanted to work out and feel normal again. I ached to do a work out of my own, sweat, and feel great about what I had accomplished that day. Showing my clients proper exercises was about all the energy I could muster up. Then it would be home, still a healthy supper, and bed for me.  That made me start to think:

So many people have told me, "I haven't been here for a while (the gym) because I got sick and once I got out of the routine, it's been hard to start back up." Now, I  know you all think I'm some sort of freak of nature, but logically that sentence makes NO SENSE to me. When I get sick, the second I feel better I can't wait to get my butt to the gym to sweat out what feels like the last remaining germs and say hello to a healthy me again! It feels so good to remember what it's like to work out and get life back to normal.

Sometimes I start slow with a yoga class or an bike ride. Don't misunderstand my point here, it's not to get back to the gym and do a super hard work out that burns you out so fast you can't even see straight.  Nor are you supposed to kick your butt in the midst of being sick. The point is to get your body moving the second you feel well. Listen to what it needs, if rest is still a priority, take a couple more days. Or go for a leisurely walk, the fresh air will also help rejuvenate the spirits! Never let yourself get out of that habit or make more excuses.

You have heard me say it before, we are all living this thing called life, and we all could make up excuses.

People try to tell me it's easier for me because I work in the gym. Actually, sometimes that makes it more difficult. Not only do I work over 50 hours a week, I have to STAY even longer to work out!! I never get to leave the "job"... people are constantly interrupting my work outs to ask me questions. Or I see someone at the front desk who needs help, so I put a hold on what I'm doing to go help them. I could easily leave when I'm done training and say, "Uhg! I just don't want to be at work anymore." But I don't. I put in those extra hours to take care of myself. Like I said, we all have excuses... Plus I love my job:-)

Life rarely goes how we plan, and we always seem to get sick at the worst moment. Don't let it be easy for you to stop going to the gym. Don't let excuses get in the way of your health and fitness. Respect the body God has given you, take care of it and love it:-)

By the way, I am finally able to work out this week. Here is my slowly getting back into it routine so far:

Monday:
25 minutes stair-master on an easier level
Lat Pull Down 4x15
Seated Row 4x15
Hammer Curl with cable 4x15
(rotate between three exercises)

Tuesday:
1.5 hour Yoga Flow class

Wednesday:
30 minutes stair-master on medium level
Dynamic Warm Up
Woodchops with Body Bar 3x10 R/L
Glute Kick 3x15 R/L
Hex Bar Deadlift 2x15 medium weight
Straight Leg Deadlift on Smith Machine 2x15 medium weight
Incline Chest Press 3x15
Bench Dips 3x15

Fuel

Meet Jana!!

Meet Jana. She is an amazing specimen of a woman! Not only is she 66 years young, she is and should be an inspiration for all women! She hates when I tell people how old she is, but she looks so freaking good! Maybe it's the healthy lifestyle and clean eating that keeps her looking so good... hint, hint:-)

A couple days ago she called me after her fitness class. Apparently they were doing box jumps and she missed the box and scraped up her shin hitting the edge. If any of you have ever done this before, it hurts... bad. It also bleeds like crazy! The teacher was all over her asking if she was OK. I asked what she did, and she said, "I just slapped a band-aid on it and kept going!"  This, ladies and gentlemen, is my wonderfully crazy mother. Can you tell??!! By the way, the handsome man is my father:-)

If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting my mother, you will totally know where I came from. We are both health nuts and love to work out. My mother climbs 14er's in Colorado ( here is a link that describes exactly what a 14er is -  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteener ) AND does tons of group fitness classes like TRX, Pilates, and Fitwall.

First of all she needs an award for raising a fit throwing, stubborn, determined, and bull headed child like myself:-) But, I owe her for more than just raising me to be the woman I am today. My mother is the one who started me on this pathway to health and fitness. She got a me a personal trainer when I was in high school so I could get stronger for softball, and I fell in love. I also grew up with home cooked meals, home packed lunches, sugar in moderation, and always made me try everything she cooked at least one time. I was really lucky. Because of her, I am not a picky eater, love to cook, and take my own lunch to work. Remember, no matter how healthy you try to eat when you go out, it's never as good as making your own food at home!

My holistic approach to health, fitness, and nutrition also comes from her. We are that nerdy mom and daughter that could talk for hours about healthy recipes, nutrition information, vitamins, minerals, water, and clean eating. It's sad, but I think we send each other recipes and nutrition articles weekly!

My point in telling you about my mother is that you can get fit and healthy at ANY age! She has not always been a gym rat, actually it wasn't until recently that she joined a gym. My mom would stay active with hiking and getting outside to go for walks. But as time went on and she kept at it, more strength came along and she started trying new things.

She never thought she would have the strength --  "at her age" -- to do some of those group fitness classes. But after years of telling her to get her booty to the gym, she gave in and is now hooked on working out inside and outside!

My mother looks amazing! She is fit, healthy, and happy. A real inspiration for women of all ages to get over the fear of failure and find a healthy lifestyle that fits you best!

Get moving, eat clean, live happy!!

PS. My mother JUST texted me that she was getting up at 5:30 am on Mondays and Wednesdays to get to her FitWall class... that is a miracle!!! She hates getting up early! I am SO proud:-)

Stuffed Cube Steak

This was amazing and super easy to make! I used goat cheese instead of cream cheese, which was delicious. I also didn't add the sun-dried tomato or vinegar. 

The salad is spinach with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a dash of Parmesan cheese. The sweet potato is cooked in the oven. I clean the sweet potato, rub with coconut oil, set on baking sheet and cook at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour. Finish with a little grass fed better on top. 

Stuffed Cube Steak

"For every Goliath there is a stone."

I saw this on a church bulletin and loved it! Even this can be applied to our health and fitness. Rememeber, no journey is supposed to be easy. Progress is still progress, no matter how small it is! :-)

I'm still here!

Hey everyone!

So sorry I've been MIA recently! But there is good news... my husband and I just moved back to his home town and my place of work! We are so thrilled and I am so proud of him.

We have been preparing, packing, and moving for the past 3 weeks! Blogging has been very difficult, especially since I had no internet until three days ago.

I promise there are many QBG's,  JAG's, recipes, inspiration, and more to come!

STAY TUNED!

Here is a little funny for your hump day:

Deliciousness

I had no idea what to make the other night. So I decided to throw these three items together: onion, zucchini, and Chicken meatballs. I have one word to describe this dish... AMAZING!! If any of you know me personally, you will know exactly how I say the word too. I love this word, AMAZING... it just feels so good and allows me to speak with such conviction:-)

This meal was cheap, simple, delicious, easy, and nutritious!

This was my first time making Zucchini noodles, and boy am I hooked on them. I used a mandolin and changed out the flat head for the cheese grater and shredded it down lengthwise to create a longer "noodle." There is a machine you can get to actually create a noodle out of veggies, but this worked just as well. They probably turn out thinner like this, but I'm not that picky.

I'm sure you are just itching to get the scoop on how I made this amazing meal, so here you go!

What you will need:
1 yellow or sweet onion (I love the sweet onions or Vidalia)
1 package aidells Chicken Meatball Caramelized Onion
1 TBS Kerygolds Butter (any grass fed butter)
2 large Zucchini
Pinch of salt
Parsley and Parmesan to taste

The steps you will need to make the meal:

• Peel and slice onion
• Melt butter in large saucepan and add onion
• Caramelize the onion
• While the onion is caramelizing, shred your two zucchini (make sure you wash it first)
• Place your shredded zucchini in a microwavable bowl with a little water and salt in the bottom of it
• Microwave Zucchini for about 3 minutes and drain once it's steamed all the way through*
• When the onions are almost caramelized, add the chicken meatballs
• Cook the meatballs in the onion for about 10 minutes, get them nice and caramelized to add tons of flavor to the chicken
• Put about 1 cup of zucchini in a bowl, add a couple meatballs with onion, top with parsley and Parmesan and consume!

* I don't endorse using the microwave, but it was my first time steaming the zucchini and this is how a friend told me to try it first. Next time I will not use the microwave and steam it properly to keep all the nutrition:-)

I hope all of you enjoy this meal as much as I did, even my husband loved it! Smile, eat well, and keep moving!

  

JAG - aka "Just A Goodie"

So I had a great work out yesterday! SO good that I busted some blood vessels on my ring finger from my wedding band;-) Some of you already call me crazy for all my work outs, but I love every second of it. It feels so good to challenge yourself and sweat it out a little.

This is called my JAG work out. JAG stands for Just A Goodie:-) JAG's are usually done in the gym and require equipment and about an hour or so. They also require a little more rest in between exercises because you are lifting heavier. There is a surprise at the end, ok I'll tell you... you end the work out with a butt whooping interval session that kills the core! Look up any exercises you don't know on google or ask me! 

Hope y'all enjoy and have a fantastic end of the week! Sweat hard and play hard:-)

April 2 JAG

20 min intervals on cardio equipment of your choice

4x10 - Hex Bar Deadlifts

4x your max # - Pull Ups (unassisted)

4x your max # - Dips (unassisted)

-Rotate through the next three exercises with no rest between-

15 Box Jumps - challenge the height!

10 R/L Plank Up Downs

15 Glider Roll Outs

Breathe and stretch because you are all done:-)

Dirty Plantain Samich

I recently found out that I freaking LOVE plantains... the first time I had them was about 6 months ago. The plantation my husband works for has some Cubans that come up from Tampa to help out with maintenance around the place every couple of months, and boy can they cook!!

Dirty rice, pulled pork, guava jelly, and the wondrous fried plantain! Now, the fried plantain isn't coated with any flour, it's just cut up into chunks and pan fried in oil, it's delicious and heaven in my mouth.

It's only until recently that I myself started playing around with cooking plantains. I made my own healthy version of the Cubans dish, aka minus the rice:-) Here is the recipe I followed Easy Shredded Pork over Caramelized Plantains and now I'm hooked on these yummy funny looking bananas.

Did you know plantains are actually very good for you? Some people call them a fruit, some a vegetable. Whatever the case, they are a great addition to those who follow a low carb diet or healthy lifestyle low in grains and potatoes. The possibilities are endless. They can be used in place of potatoes in stews, mashed up, or pan fried and sprinkled with a little honey and cinnamon making an amazing desert. OR you can make chips out of them! Which is exactly what I did today!

First things first, here are some of the health benefits of plantains:

• High Fiber
• Vitamin A
• Niacin
• Vitamin B
• Calcium 
• Potassium

I follow a fellow blogger and fitness advocate named Neghar Fonooni, I'm sure you've seen me re post some of her other recipes before. She was my inspiration to write this blog and make the plantain chips. But, I went one step further with making some homemade ice cream to stuff into the middle of the chips:-) First things first:

The Plantain Chip:

What you need:

• (makes about 2 servings)
• 1 green plantain
• 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
• Sea salt

What you gotta do:

•  Slice plantain very thinly (a mandolin is best for this)
•  Heat coconut oil in a non-stick skillet over medium to medium high heat
•  Add plantains to the skillet in a single layer, and flip with tongs after a minute or so
•  Once fried, place on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with sea salt
•  Serve as soon as possible as they do have a tendency to get soft

The Ice Cream:

1 over ripe and frozen banana

1/4 c Unsweetened Almond Milk

4 drops Liquid Stevia

2 TBS Unsweetened Cocoa

1 TBS Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips

1 TBS Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1 TBS Sunflower Butter

Put all the ingredients in your food processor/blender/ninja etc.. I used my NutriBullet, and blend! Transport the ice cream into a container and put in freezer for at least an hour. I honestly eye balled and made up this recipe, so be creative and create a flavor you will enjoy:-)

Dirty Plantain Samich:

Now take the ice cream out of the freezer, let it melt just slightly so it's easy to scoop. Take two plantain chips, and scoop a small amount of ice cream and smoosh it in between the two chips... CONSUME!!! Ok, how much do you love it?? 

I think I just ate ten chips.... amazing!! ENJOY!

March 29 QBG!

So if you are new to my work outs, I create them to be done on a time crunch. I like to call them my "Quickie But Goodie"or "QBG." They are usually done with little to no equipment and at home.

Remember, these are called a QBG because they don't take a lot of time, but more importantly they will get your heart rate soaring in no time, and keep it soaring. If the work out is too difficult, they are easy to modify. Here are a couple ways you can modify all the work outs:

• If the exercise calls for 3 sets of 15, do 3 sets of 10.
• If the exercise calls for 1 minute, do 30-45 seconds.
• If the work out calls for 4 rounds, do 3 rounds.
• Give yourself 30 second rest between exercises.

Google is a great resource for looking up modifications to any difficult exercise. Don't let now knowing an exercise or thinking it will be too difficult hold you back. No more excuses! The key is to get up and get moving. Any exercise is better than sitting on your booty all day long:-) I hope y'all enjoy this beautiful Saturday wherever you are, and keep that body in motion.

QBG

Equipment: 1 Fitball

Approx Time: 25 minutes

Jumping Jacks - 1 minute

Body Weight Squats (hold arms above your head) - 25

Burpies - 10

Plie Squat - 25

Fitball Push Ups - 15

Fitball Knee Picks - 15

Bicycles - 25 R/L

Russian Twists - 25 R/L

*Repeat 3X*

Stretch and drink water!

-SLR

QBG! (aka Quickie But Goodie)

I love exercising on a time crunch. Sometimes I do my best with limited time because I know there's no  time to slack off! I push myself to the limit for about 30-45 minutes with no breaks.

We actually should all be exercising this way. If you are spending hours at a time in the gym, you are waisting your time. Study after study has proven that HIIT is the best way to get the results you are looking for. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. All the "at home" work outs I have posted where you are using nothing but your body weight or a ball is exactly this type of training. High intensity, fast, hard, with little to no breaks. I like to call my short and hard work outs - Quickie But Goodie, QBG!! Gotta make my own trade mark;-) 

This type of training can also been done at the gym with weights, Kettlebells, and/or cardio machines. Here is my awesome QBG work out I did yesterday, and boy am I sore. It's not quite HIIT because I had some rest periods, but all together it's pretty darn close because it was short, fast, and hard.

QBG

Stairmaster Intervals- 20 minutes

Deep Squats- 1x15 quick with minimal weight, 3x12 medium to heavy weight (rest about 30 seconds in between sets

SUPER SET THE NEXT TWO EXERCISES

Single Leg Lunge with Dumb Bells (front squat grip) 3x10 R/L 

Bench Leg Raises with Hip Thrust at top (this is an core exercise) 3x20

END with 50 Kettlebell swings moderate to heavy weight

Roll out on Foam Roller for 3 minutes and/or stretch

Enjoy!!

-SLR

Making the Change

So many people enter a gym or fitness club day in and day out, yet they see little to no changes in their weight, physique,  and/or strength. Some may see a little change, but not to the extent they were hoping. This usually lands a cancellation form being filled out a couple months later... This makes me sad, don't cancel your membership because you aren't seeing the results you wanted to see. Instead, let's find out why you aren't seeing any results.

Chances are there is something lacking from your lifestyle change. More often than not, it is the nutrition that needs some major help, but I touch on that subject all the time. Today, we are talking about the changes you need to make in your fitness routine.

Here are a couple questions you need to ask yourself:

1) Have I consistently been going to the gym at least 4 days a week for the past couple months?

2) Have I changed the exercises I'm doing at the gym in past couple weeks or at all?

3) Have I ever touched a free weight or do I stick to the machines I know?

4) Have I ever touched a weight at all or do I stick to only cardio?

5) Have I ever gotten sore?

6) Am I sweating when I leave the gym?

7) Am I working out with a purpose and plan?

8) Does my gym experience make me happy?

If you have answered NO to one or more of these questions, you will never reach your goals because you are just going through the motions. Don't misunderstand my point here, every little bit counts. If you are getting to the gym twice a week instead of sitting on your butt at work or home, that is awesome!! Don't stop! BUT, this is not how you lose weight, lower your blood pressure, prevent osteoporosis, decrease lower back pain, sleep better, and see those results you were hoping for. 

So where do you start? My first piece of advice, seek professional help. Contrary to popular belief, Personal Trainers are not a luxury, they are a means to better health. Just like going to a Doctor for a medical issue, a personal trainer is there for a physical issue. They can help get you on the right track with the right exercise routine so you aren't coming into the gym blind. 

Make sure you do your research on the trainers that are available to you. What are their credentials, are they busy, how many years have they been training, and will they help you with nutrition (Coming Soon: How to find the personal trainer that is right for you)? 

Second, try something new. What classes are available at your gym? My favorite addition to my fitness routine is Yoga. I freaking love yoga!! It can be as hard or as easy as you make it. If you have any sort of stress, aches, stiffness, or tight muscles, I highly suggest taking yoga. If cardio is hard for you to get through because it's boring, try a Zumba or Kickboxing class. Both are high energy, fun, and offer a whole body cardio butt kicking session. Gyms all over the country have so many great fitness classes to get you out of your comfort zone and offer something new, fun, and different.

Most importantly, don't give up.... Ever. Because giving up means you will never make a better and healthier life for yourself. Every little bit counts. Stay on this healthy lifestyle wagon and enjoy the ride:-)

No Equipment Needed!

Jumping Jacks - 30
Skaters - 15 R/L
Snowboarders - 30
Alternating Side Lunges - 15 R/L
Crossover Lunge - 15 R/L
Jumping Jack Squat - 30
Push Up - 20
Alt. Knee To Elbow Tuck (Spidermans) - 15 R/L
Reverse Crunch - 20

*Repeat 2X*
Stretch and drink water!!

XOXO!

PS. If you ever see an exercise you don't know, go to google or youtube to watch a video:-)

Tips From The Exercise Specialist

"No matter how much or how hard you exercise, you cannot out-train a bad diet."

I have heard this term so many times over the years it's not even funny... It is also not funny because it is so true! If there is one thing you need to be a stickler about, it is your nutrition. I often try not to use the word "diet," because it has such a negative connotation associated with it. But, at some point we need to realize what is important for our health and how to reach our goals.

Here are five great tips to stay on track with losing weight, meeting your goals, nutrition and creating a healthy lifestyle.

1) Eat clean, real, and whole foods- a calorie is not a calorie and your body will metabolize food differently, either making your body a fat holding or fat burning machine!

2) Be creative- Try new foods! Just because you didn't like broccoli when you were younger doesn't mean you won't like it now. Learn how to cook fish on the grill and roast veggies in the oven. Play around with spices! Just because it is healthy doesn't mean it has to taste bland or bad.

3) Find an accountability partner- A challenge isn't a challenge unless we have a little friendly competition and someone to hold us accountable to our goals. Find a friend to do a fitness or weight loss challenge with. Hire a personal trainer to lead you down the right motivational track. KEEP A NUTRITION JOURNAL!! Write down every single thing that goes into your mouth every day, including liquids. Note your moods, energy levels, stress levels, how well you slept, and so on. Look back at each week and see if there are any patterns you need to change.

4) Learn portion sizes- one word: Pyrex. Buy a set of glass pyrex containers. They will change your life and make it a whole lot easier to portion out your food and take it to work. Preparation is key when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

5) Learn your equation- There are many factors in your healthy lifestyle equation that will get you to your final answer/goal. What's missing out of your equation? If you are working out, eating well, but still not losing weight, you are probably eating too much and not working out hard enough. OR, you could be lacking in the sleep or water consumption department. OR, you are eating well, getting sleep, but skipping too many work out days. OR, you could be busting your butt at the gym, then going home to two glasses of red wine with dinner... alcohol my friends is not part of this healthy equation! Here is an example of healthy equation:

CONSISTENT Nutrition + Working Out + Stress Relief + Sleep + Water = Well rounded healthy lifestyle where fat loss is happening every day!:-)

Do not expect to see big changes if you equation looks like this:

RANDOM Work Outs + Alcohol on the weekends + Sleep + Some Nutrition = Little to no results

Be strong, set goals, find a partner to keep you on track, stay motivated, and be happy!! Enjoy the journey and stop stressing about the small things.

-SLR

Tips From The Exercise Scientist

"Results take time, consistency, and relatively hard work." - Charles Poliquin

Good things always come with time. There are three key steps that come to your health and fitness. Whether you are training for a marathon, learning how to lift weights, or trying to lose weight; time, consistency, and hard work are the only way you will reach those goals.

1) Time: Give yourself at least 1 year to accomplish your health and fitness goals. Every body is different, and sometimes it takes a while for your body to start making noticeable changes. Get off the scale and focus on how you feel. If you want to lose weight and keep it off... let your body and metabolism adjust slowly.

2) Consistency: If you do not make it a priority to get to the gym or eat well consistently, then you will never reach your goals. Exercise and eating well cannot be random. Just as in taking time, your body must learn what you are teaching it on a consistent basis.

3) Hard Work: Going on leisurely walks through the neighborhood, house cleaning, and your job do not count as exercise. You will not lose weight if you count everyday activity as exercise. Yes, it is great that you are not just sitting in front of the TV, but you must put your body in motion with intent to better your body composition. If you are always doing the same thing day in and day out at the gym, you will also not reach your goals. You must push yourself every day. Sweat, get sore, and learn new exercises! 

There is no quick fix to anything. Shouldn't all of our life experiences tell us this is a fact no matter how hard we try to change it? So why do we think our fitness goals will come at the drop of a hat with no hard work?

Like I said earlier, whatever your health and fitness goals are, be prepared to dedicate at least the next year to reaching those goals. If you get it in your mind that this will take a while, accompanied by consistent hard work, you will more likely succeed!

Love the journey and the lessons you learn:-)  Don't give up!