Fit Tid Bit: What are you missing?! This could be it

Fit Tid Bit: What are you missing? This could be it!!!


We are creatures of routine. We are scared to step out of our comfort zone and push our limits. Many people get on their treadmill, set it at 4.2 and 6% incline and walk away for an hour, run for 60 minutes at a 9minute mile pace, or cycle constantly for 60 minutes. BUT if we go into uncomfortable territory when it comes to exercise...great things just might happen. I have been learning about the benefits of pushing anaerobic limits and high intensity training. As an avid endurance girl....I am not the biggest fans of sprits and all that jazz...but I do believe in pushing your body to reach new levels and see results. Here are some of the major benefits of doing all out, high intensity training...


1. Metabolism boost after exercise
2. Glycogen (Carbohydrate stores) are depleted rapidly, so fat is more readily utilized as a fuel source
3. Fat metabolism increases GREATLY during recovery after high intensity exercise. Therefore you are using FAT as your primary source of energy!


What qualifies as high intensity?
-Usually above 75% of your predicted heart rate maximum. Heart rate max. is 220- your age.


Try these High Intensity Moves to shock your body out of the ordinary:

1. 30 seconds Burpees as fast as you can, then 30 seconds recovery
2. Push- Pull Exercises (ex. Pull-sled pull, pull up) (ex. Push-weighted dip, push-up)
3. High Intensity Sprinting (400m run)
4. High Intensity Intervals on bike (30 seconds as hard as possible, 30 seconds recovery) *make sure to have enough resistance on the bike to keep your buttox from bouncing when sprinting
5. Box Jump/ Jump squats- **One of the BEST ways to build power
6. Medicine ball throws: find an open area throwing med. ball down as hard as can, squatting and thrusting when doing so
7. Medicine Ball Wall Shots: find a wall, squat and toss ball high on wall, squatting and catching when it falls. It should be a arch, like throwing it in a basketball hoop.
8. Mountain Climbers, skiers: in plank running knees into chest as fast as possible, 30 seconds on 30 seconds off.

Here are some ideas! High intensity is KEY in improving power, performance and strength in fitness. Please let me know how it goes! 


Below are some pictures of what some of the exercises look like.

Finally, I am sorry I have been MIA. School has been CRAZY but I am back for awhile! Hope you are all staying FIT AND HAPPY! :)

Medicine Ball Throw

Mountain Climber

Box Jump

Nutrition for Fruition: Becci's No Bake Bars....Delicious and Healthy

Nutrition for Fruition: Becci's No Bake Bars...Delicious and Healthy


I do not know about you all, but my life has been crazy the last few weeks. I have missed blogging and talking with you all. This last week has reminded me how important it is to have time for yourself. Have time for yourself to stay healthy, happy, and sane. Sharing my tips with you all makes me you happy and I hope you are all continuing to maintain your healthy and fit lifestyle.

I have had the pleasure of getting this recipe from my good friend Becci! She gave me this wonderful healthy "bar" recipe for a great healthy snack on the go!
I hope you love it too! and BIG thank you to Becci...You ROCK!

Becci’s No Bake Energy Bars

Dry Ingredients:

·         1 ¾ C rolled oats

·         1 C crisp puffed brown rice cereal

·         ¼ C pumpkin seeds

·         ¼ C sunflower seeds

·         ¼ C chia seeds

·         ¼ C unsweetened coconut

·         1/8 C finely ground flaxseed

**You can also add ¼ C of dried fruit if you like (cranberries, blueberries, cherries, etc.)

Wet Ingredients:

·         ½ C brown rice syrup (you could also try pure maple syrup, agave or honey.. they might not bind quite as well, but you can try)

·         1/3 C peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

·         1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1)      Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.

2)      In a separate (microwave safe) bowl, mix together the wet ingredients, then microwave them for about 20-30 seconds. This will make it easier to mix and add to dry ingredients.

3)      Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix. Keep mixing until all wet ingredients bind to dry. Use your muscles!

4)      Put the mixture into a shallow pan and flatten down with the back of a spatula.

5)      Refrigerate and then cut into bars. You can store in the pan or in individual containers/wrapping.

Nutritional Stats (when cut into 12 bars)

Calories: 189

Total Carbs: 24.6g

Dietary Fiber: 4.4g

Sugars: 9.3g

Protein: 6.0g

Please let me know what you think friends!! Thank you again Becci!

Nutrition for Fruition: My NEW Favorite!

Nutrition for Fruition: My New Favorite!


I am always looking for new veggies to try out because I pretty much love them ALL! Except beets! :)
I choose alot of the foods I eat by their texture. I love crunchy flavorful food! 
So I wanted to share with you my new favorite add-in to salads or just to snack on!

**SLICED WATER CHESTNUTS!


They are delightful, healthy, and have GREAT texture!


You can throw them in vegetable stir-fry, salads, on your sandwiches.

Short and sweet today! Sorry I will throw some great tips up soon! :) Happy Friday!

Burn it...QUICK!

FIT-TID-BIT: Burn it...Quick!

Ok...you have 60 minutes to get a good, solid workout in! You want to burn the most in the shortest amount of time with cardio and strength training. FULL BODY! Here is how to do it friends!

Cardio #1

• Start with 20 minutes of INTERVAL CARDIO 
• Choices:
• make sure to come back to these choices for Cardio #2
• Stationary Bike:
• 5 minute warm up, 30 second sprint--30 second easy hill X10 (REPEAT for 10 minutes), 1 minute STANDING HARD hill climb, 30 seconds HARD HILL seated, 3:30 cool-down. 
• This is a total of a 20 minute Stationary Bike Interval workout, it is meant to be fast and hard. **Make sure to turn up enough resistance on the bike when sprinting so that you are solid in the saddle. 
• *Option on the "30 seconds easy hill" inbetween sprints, you can take it to a standing hill climb. 
• Running on Treadmill 
• 5 minute easy pace warm up (after warm-up increase incline to 2-3), 1 minute fast run, 1 minute slow jog X3 (total of 6 minutes), 30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds slow jog (or quick walk if needed) X4 (total of 2 minutes), 3 minute high pace jog (this should be uncomfortable but manageable), Finish with 4 min fast pace-walk hill climb (increase the hill to 5-7 and decrease pace to a brisk walk)
• BEGINNER RUNNERS: you are new to running, do not have an incline when sprinting. Make sure to listen to your body, take the jogs slow and FULLY recover inbetween sets. You are also able to walk inbetween the sprints if a slow jog is not enough. Make sure to NOT hold the hand rails when running or walking.
• 
  
• **When you hold the rails you burn about 30% LESS CALORIES
• 
  
• EXPERIENCED: If you are an old time runner, make sure to keep an incline of 1-2 when doing sprints and running and really push your heart rate!
• NO CARDIO EQUIPMENT??
• Get out that jump rope, run stairs, do short sprints... be creative!
• It will be difficult to do for 20 minutes but necessary...DONT FORGET you can RUN pretty much ANYWHERE you are! 
• Following the Cardio we move into the 25 Minutes of Interval Training

• INTERVAL SETS (following Cardio #1)
• 
  
• Each set should take around 3 minutes
• COMPLETE EACH SET 2X with the selected Cardio inbetween.
• 
  
• 1st Set: **All with weights
• 20 Quick Squats (these should be quick, keeping heart rate up)
• 10 push ups (start on toes, then go to knees if necessary)
• 16 (8 on each leg) walking lunges (holding weights next to ribs, parallel to floor, to engage the biceps)
• cardio:
• 1 minute jumping jacks
• 1 minute fast stair climb (run up and down a single step)
• 
  
• 2nd Set: 
• 10X Single Leg dead lift (each side, weight stays close to the thighs)
• 10X Jump squats (NO WEIGHT)
• 15X Overhead Tricep Extension (Stand on one leg for balance, switch legs second time through)
• cardio:
• 1 minute skaters (jumping side to side and touching the ground)
• 1 minute Jump rope (with real jump rope or an imaginary jump rope!)
• 
  
• Set #3:
• Time check: should be 16/17 minutes into the workout.
• 
  
• 8X Wide Squat with Side kick (each leg- make sure to bring the thigh into the chest before kicking)
• Plank- tapping legs side to side 8X each (engage obliques)
• 15X Squat with Bicep curl (while standing) then PUSH weights straight up to ceiling- shoulder press (at the top of the squat)
• This should engage ALL muscles with the squat, bicep curl and shoulder press at the same time!
• cardio:
• 1 minute mountain climbers (this is in plank and running your legs towards your chest..this should be HARD!!)
• 1 minute hold plank

YOU SHOULD NOW BE AT about 45-15 MINUTES into the Workout, if it is slower than you know what to work on. If you are at the this point and only been going for 20 minutes....you did something wrong :)

FINISH:

• CARDIO #2:
• YOUR CHOICE OF CARDIO FROM THE SELECTION ABOVE (but shorten sets for 10-15 minutes instead of 20)
• You want to finish the workout at 60 minutes
• 
  
• This is meant to be a high intensity, fast burn, metabolism boosting workout! Make sure to keep good form and let me know if you have ANY questions! I want to know how it goes!!!
• GOOD LUCK...think how good it will feel when your DONE! 

Fit-Tid-Bit: Choose Your Goal!

Fit-Tid-Bit: Choose Your Goal!


So right after the new year I asked you to choose a goal, to tell someone else, and hold yourself accountable! Well we are now almost a month in and I am wondering how your goals are coming? Are you sticking to your exercise, healthy diet, and happy lifestyle?




It is hard when life gets busy and it is easy to put things on the back burner, BUT you cannot put YOURSELF on the back burner! You must always remember that your health is a priority!
So, whether you have lost your motivation, or not, I think it is time to choose a goal! It does not have to be far out there or super monumental, but it needs to be something!


This post is not about an abundance of information, but this post is about holding you accountable! So check in with yourself, and be honest! Are you being "fit to be happy?"

Nutrition for Fruition: The Nitty Gritty

Fit-Tid-Bit: Lose the Stubborn Five


Are you wondering how or why you cannot lose the last stubborn five pounds? Or how to just tone up that little bit more?  Even if losing weight is not your goal but just figuring out how to make those little changes to your body that will make you feel more confident, healthy, and happy! :)
If you are on a regular exercise routine and dialed into 70-80% of your diet, I almost guarantee that the change lies in the nitty gritty aspects of you diet.


Sooo what are the "nitty gritty" foods that you can dial into to change your body?
Here is a starting list:


The Nitty Gritty:

• The Obvious:
• Butter
• Alcohol
• Full fat salad dressings (try balsalmic vinegar or lemon juice with a Tbs. of Olive Oil)
• Cheese (1 ounce of cheese is as many calories as a full apple or small banana!)
• Egg yolks
• The Sneaky Calories:
• Coffee...I mean the stuff you add into it!
• Juice or drinks with calories 
• Croutons 
• Nuts (although nuts are great and packed full of healthy fat, you must keep the serving size in check!)
• Trim the extra fat off your meat (chicken, ham, etc.) before cooking
• Ketchup (I love ketchup! But it is high in sugar, so you have to watch it!)
• Sweet sauces (found a lot in asian food) 
• BBQ sauce 
• 
  

This is just a start...but it is food for thought! Do not go crazy with these little changes, but just have it at the back of your mind. 

Nutrition for Fruition: Healthy Turkey-Jo's

Nutrition for Fruition: Healthy Turkey-Jo's


There are always healthy alternatives for your favorite family dinners. One of my favorite things to do is cook and I always tend to make everything "weirdly healthy." This is something my family sometimes appreciates...and other times truly regrets, because my cooking can be some what of an experience sometimes. But, it is always a fun and learning experience. Here is a wonderful recipe for a healthy dinner that everyone will love! 




Turkey Sloppy Jo's

• 10 ounces Lean Turkey Meat (Preferrably Lean 97/3)
• 1/2 Onion
• 8oz can of Black Beans (or 4oz black beans and 4oz garbanzo beans)
• 1/2 cup of chopped baby carrots
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• Veggies can be added...as much as you want for whatever taste you want. 
• 1 tbs Chili powder
• 1-2 tbs Cider Vinegar
• 1 Clove Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Wheat Pitas

Cook the lean turkey meat, and pour out the extra fat. Set the meat aside. Next cook the onion on the skillet and add veggies and garlic. Re-add the meat to the onion mix, next adding the veggies and spices. You can adjust the spices to your liking. I tend to like alot of Chili powder, and love to add garlic salt as well.  Once it has simmered together for 5-10 minutes. Spoon onto or half of a wheat pita. YUM :)

Please enjoy! Let me know what you think!