Monday, August 21, 2017

Post Journey Movement

I had a busy weekend of travel and running around with two high energy boys, three and seven years old! Luckily, I was able to get a decent amount of sleep, even after being karate chopped in the back numerous times from my nephew during our sleep over.

But still, coming home from a 10+ hour drive in less than 48 hours can leave the body feeling tired and stiff! My plan was to do this work out last night when I got home, but se la vi! Life happens and here it is tonight.

OH my goodness, does this feel amazing!!!

The session only took me about 15 minutes and I feel like I could either sleep for 10 hours or run a marathon now. It is a perfect combination of yoga, pilates, body weight exercises, and stretching. If you do not know what an exercises is,  feel free to message me! OR google is your best friend!

Have fun, enjoy, and feel the yumminess!

head circles- 5 per side
seated cat cow- 8
cat cow- 8
bird dog- 8 per side
downward dog- 20 seconds
sun salutation- 3
lunge- 10 per side
sun salutation- 2
elbow plank- 30 seconds
sun salutation- 2
inch warms- 5
squat- 15
side lunge- 10 per side
wide legged forward fold - hands clasped behind back- 20 seconds
downward dog- 20 seconds
sun salutation- 2
plank- 20 seconds
side plank- 20 seconds per side
sun salutation- 2
cross body mountain climbers- 10 per side
downward dog- 20 seconds
pigeon- 30 seconds per side
single leg stretch (knee bent)- 10 per side
Single straight leg stretch- 10 per side
super mans- 8
child's pose- 30 seconds
child's pose thread the needle- 20 seconds per side

XOXO



Sunday, August 6, 2017

The Local Lunchbox

The Local Lunchbox


Check out this article by clicking on the link above!

I researched all the local restaurants in our small town of Thomasville, Georgia and picked the "healthiest" items on the menus! This was really fun for me and I hope you get to experience a little of our fun, southern style. The article starts on page 32.

XOXO

Accountability Partner

Accountability Partner

What is one of the best ways to keep your health and fitness on track? Having an accountability partner!

I do believe every article I write has the phrase, “find an accountability partner” in there somewhere. That is because it really works! This is one of the main reasons why people hire a professional, is because they just can’t, or won’t, do it on their own. Having an awesome and reliable accountability partner will not only keep you on track, but will also make your path to health more fun! It provides a great stress relief and social time for those who find it hard to take time for themselves. It also serves as a means of bonding for individuals such as family members or co-workers.

Today I’ll be giving you two great partner workouts that can be done at home or in a gym/studio. The only equipment needed is one medicine ball and two resistance bands. Both are available to buy at Wal-Mart or Target for a decent price. I will also give you some ideas on how to utilize an accountability partner for more then just working out!

A) 1-3 sets/8-12 reps
Squat with ball toss
Lunge with ball toss
Plank hold with lateral jump
Push Up Claps
Russian Twist ball toss

B) 1-3 sets/10-15 reps – use resistance bands for all exercises except swimmers
Squat hold with row
Squat hold with biceps curl
Lunge with Chest Press
Triceps Extension
Trunk Twist
Swimmers
 *Many of these exercises can be found on Google search or YouTube.

For many people, accountability partners are crucial to the success of their health journey. It is very important to find someone with whom you share similar goals. Keep encouraging each other, even on days when you don’t want to do it either. Make the appointment to meet, no excuses. Stay positive and find ways to keep the work outs fresh. Keep track of your progress, when you hit goals, reward yourself. Go shopping for new work out clothes and shoes.

So how else do we get the benefits of having an amazing accountability partner? Easy, you now have another cook to help you! One day of the week, each partner doubles the recipe, and meals are exchanged! Partners can discuss the meals at their work out. It’s easy to double a recipe and then you both have one more healthy meal planned for the week! If you do not want to double a recipe, just split the meal in half. Here are some great ones to start with. I have made it super easy with two crockpot meals found on Paleomg.com.
  
Enchilada Chicken Stew

Ingredients
  • 2lbs chicken breasts
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 (4oz) can of chopped jalapenos
  • 1 (4oz) can of chopped green chiles
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 (14oz) can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 (7 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • bundle of cilantro, to garnish
  • avocado, to garnish
Instructions
  1. Pull out your crockpot and add your chicken breasts.
  2. Then add the rest of the ingredients on top, in any order.
  3. Put on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8.
  4. After it's done cooking, use tongs to pick at the chicken to shred it in with all the ingredients.
  5. Top with cilantro and some avocado.
  6. Eat up!!

Mushroom Gravy Slow Cooked Rump Roast

Ingredients
  • 1-2 lbs beef rump roast
  • 3-4 cups organic low sodium chicken broth
  • 1-2 large onions, roughly chopped
  • 5-6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1 container of mushrooms, sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ cup full fat coconut milk, canned
Instructions
  1. Pull out your crockpot and add in your broth, coconut milk, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and spice to your crock pot and mix together.
  2. Make a little room in your crockpot around the mushroom mix and plop that cute little rump roast in the pot.
  3. Turn on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
  4. Then you eat it!!


Exercise For The Busy Woman

Exercise For The Busy Woman

School is in full swing, homework and laundry piling up, practice, games, bills, groceries, and the list goes on. For working moms, stay-at-home moms, or the businesswoman, finding time to work out is essential and quite honestly missing!
Being in the fitness industry for over nine years, one of the most common excuses I hear for not exercising: “I just don’t have the time”.

I want to get straight to the point -- there IS time to work out. The key is finding the little things to do and adding them all together. You can do small things every day that will keep you working better, looking better, handling life better (eh huh… kids), and most importantly feeling better.

If you can dedicate only 10 minutes a day to exercising, aka exercise, your mind and body will thank you for it. By the end of the week, that’s over an hour of exercise you would not have done! Simple exercises like:

·      Jumping Jacks
·      Running up and down the stairs (whoo that’s a tough one!)
·      Squats
·      Split squats
·      Burpies
·      Goodmornings
·      Push-ups
·      Reptile plank

The list can go on and on. Great news is we have so many resources at our fingertips for on-the-go women. Pinterest, exercise blogs, and even Instagram have some great workouts you can follow daily. Here’s my only request; seek professional help first to make sure you won’t injure yourself.

Now for the rest of you out there… those who say you don’t even have 10 minutes. So what am I to do for you? This is when the little things really add up. If you have kids, this is a fun game for everyone. Make a calendar of exercises, each day of the month you have to do the same repetitions as the date. So, on August 15, you do 15 squats; September 3, three burpies.

Sample Calendar:
Sept 15

15 Squats
Sept 16

16 Burpies
Sept 17

17 Walking Lunges
Sept 18

18 Toe Touches
Sept 19

19 Plank Toes Taps
Sept 20

20 Good-mornings
Sept 21

21 sec Mountain Climbers

OR do two exercises a week in September. At the start of each week do five push-ups, and five squats. Add one a day, and by the end of the week you’ll be doing 12 push-ups and 12 squats. Then pick two new exercises the next week.

Remember, every bit counts. Take the stairs, park farther away from the grocery store, go for a walk after lunch or dinner, wake up five minutes earlier and stretch. Believe me, all these little exercises will make you feel more energized and possibly find more time for exercise! Or, maybe you will even begin to like exercise! That is your main goal, didn’t you know?


Natural Ways To Boost Your Metabolism And Energy

Natural Ways To Boost Your Metabolism And Energy

Hopefully we have been doing our best to stay with our New Years Resolutions and are excited for the summer season. Our metabolisms and energy have been boosted and we are ready to hit the sand running. Or, maybe we have fallen a few flip-flop steps backwards over the past few months. Instead of looking and feeling like that perfect pool float you could lie on for hours, full of energy and stamina; our resolutions look more like those pool floats that have the resemblance of a limp noodle. Feeling like we have little to no energy, and definitely no stamina. With all the gimmicks, fads, and vast amounts of information being slung at you from all directions; it is sometimes hard to wade through the muck to find some simple answers. Yes, we all want to look awesome in a swimsuit. Bay Watch has nothing on us! But let’s face it, all we really want at the end of the day is to feel good, full of energy, and have a steady metabolism.

So why not make it simple and apply some easy lifestyle changes to fuel your metabolism and energy:

Move: How many times do we have to hear this word until it really sinks in? The importance of movement cannot be stressed enough. Your body will love you back very quickly for just getting up and moving it every day, multiple times a day. You do not have to do anything crazy like run a marathon or bench press 500 lbs. Our bodies were made for movement, so anything is better than nothing. Here are some simple ways to get moving:
·      Create a Walking program with some friends
·      Follow a steady work out routine
·      Play a recreational sport
·      Train for a 5k
·      Walk around your office building once every hour
·      Try a fitness class
·      Hire a personal trainer

Soak up some sun: Go outside and breath the fresh air every day. The sun has some incredible benefits, including Vitamin D. Vitamin D helps fight infection, boost your energy levels, and prevent chronic disease. Here are some more amazing benefits we receive from the sun, just don’t forget your sunscreen:
  • Pain-killing (analgesic) properties
  • Increased subcutaneous fat metabolism
  • Regulation of human lifespan (solar cycles appear to be able to directly affect the human genome, thereby influencing lifespan)
  • Daytime sun exposure improves evening alertness
  • Conversion to metabolic energy (i.e. we may “ingest” energy directly from the sun, like plants do)

Start your day off right: How many of us chug a caffeinated drink, or two, first thing in the morning? Guilty as charged! How about we try feeding our bodies a sweet little mixture that has countless benefits. Apple Cider Vinegar was discovered around 5000 BC, and was soon known for it’s medicinal purposes. Listed below are the many benefits and aids of consuming ACV first thing in the morning and/or before a meal:
·      Antioxidant- rick in bioactive components
·      Antimicrobial- kills bacteria and fungus
·      Diabetes- lowers blood sugar levels
·      Heart health- found to lower LDL and triglycerides
·      Weight-loss-increasing satiety and reducing the total amount of food consumed
·      Sinus Congestion- breaks up mucus
·      Sore throats- antibacterial
·      Digestion and Acid reflux- improves acid content in stomach
·      Boost Energy-contains potassium and enzymes to help banish fatigue

The Apple Cider Vinegar Recipe:
1 tsp of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey (or stevia to taste) optional
*I like to add turmeric powder; it is a great anti-inflammatory remedy
 Mix all ingredients in warm water and drink first thing in the morning, before a meal, or mid afternoon for a quick pick me up. The sweetener is optional, try it a couple different ways and find what you like. You can even add some Cheyenne pepper to spice it up! If that’s what you are into…