 Hellooo! HAPPY Thursday!! How are you? How's your week going?! I hope all is well and you're getting plenty of exercise :D Now is the time of year when many of us start to fall off the fitness wagon. Beach days are over (for most of us...lol), grilling is less frequent, and we're adjusting to the time change. I personally DON'T like it getting dark earlier! I prefer daylight and being outdoors!! Although the days are shorter and Winter is just ahead, our healthy habits should still be a priority :D Keep the positive vibe going and lets add a twist to your next sweat session! Are you ready?! You got this!!! Spell your name and that's your workout... A - 50 Jumping Jacks B - 25 Sit Ups C - 20 Push Ups D - 35 Squats E - 15 Burpees F - 15 Tricep Dips G - 1 Minute Plank Hold H - 50 Sit Ups I - 40 High Knees J - 20 Push Ups K - 2 Minute Wall Sit L - 15 Sit Ups M - 25 Squat Jumps N - 50 Jumping Jacks O - 25 Sit Ups    P - 30 Squats Q - 15 Push Ups R - 10 Burpees S - 25 Squat Jumps T - 30 Jumping Jacks U - 15 Sit Ups V - 1 Minute Wall Sit W - 20 Burpees X - 20 Tricep Dips Y - 40 Jumping Jacks Z - 1 Minute Plank Hold Complete 2 sets. If your name is short, go for 3 sets. For a bigger challenge, spell your last name too :D Don't forget to warm-up and cool-down. NO equipment needed! NO excuses!! Bring on the sweat!!! If you have ANY comments OR questions, I'd love to hear from you ;) Have a productive couple of days! You get what you work for NOT what you wish for!! I'll be posting again on Monday! See you then!! Bye!!! 
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 Hello! HAPPY Monday!! How are you doing today? Did you have a good weekend?! I had an awesome weekend! But...no matter how great my weekend is, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Mondays!! Am I the only one...lol?! It's the day of the week that I set my goals and it's those goals that keep me motivated and excited about staying fit and healthy! Setting goals for the week is power in my hands and makes me feel empowered and bada**!! Burpees are 1 of those exercises that we LOVE to HATE, right? Don't log off just yet...lol! This body weight exercise is truly the total package!! Burpees are a perfect mix of high intensity cardio and allover sculpting. Burpees engage the muscles in your entire body. With every rep, you'll work your arms, chest, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and abs. After a few sets, your legs should feel a little (or a lot...lol) like lead :D Doing 30-second sets will get you the same boost in fitness as doing sprints. This love to hate move has been proven to out burn just about every other exercise.  Burpees are 1 of the most effective exercises for burning calories. Yes, you read it right :D Not only that, but compared with other resistance exercises, such as lunges, planks, and squats, burpees burn up to 3 times the number of calories...a fat melting 9.6 per minute! SOOO, before you decide that burpees are too hard, or you're too out of shape, or you're too old, or you simply can't do it...lets give it a try!! Burpees are an awesome calorie torching, strength building, full body exercise for dripping sweat (yes, please) and getting a killer workout! AND best of all, it's so versatile, you can essentially perform this exercise ANYWHERE!! NO equipment needed! Zip!! Zero!!! Which means...NO excuses :D If you're still reading this...u ROCK! Lets get started!! Some people look at burpees as an impossible workout. But it's all about pacing yourself and most of all, believing in yourself! Your mind is powerful!! Burpees are all about speed, but don't go too fast or you'll burn yourself out after doing just a few. Trust me...lol!  THE BASIC BURPEE: 1. Stand with feet together. 2. Crouch and plant palms on floor in front of you. 3. With abs tight, jump feet back to plank. 4. Bend elbows to lower chest and thighs to floor. 5. Press up to plank. 6. Jump feet toward hands. 7. Jump as high as you can (make sure feet are under shoulders before launching), clapping hands overhead. 8. Repeat. If you're a visual person, you can find many places online that will show you these steps ;)  BEGINNER BURPEE WORKOUT: Do 5 Burpees Do 1 Squat Do 4 Burpees Do 2 Squats Do 3 Burpees Do 3 Squats Do 2 Burpees Do 4 Squats Do 1 Burpee Do 5 Squats Rest 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat. POWER BURPEE WORKOUT: Do 10 Burpees Do 1 Squat Do 9 Burpees Do 2 Squats Do 8 Burpees Do 3 Squats Do 7 Burpees Do 4 Squats Do 6 Burpees Do 5 Squats Do 5 Burpees Do 6 Squats Do 4 Burpees Do 7 Squats Do 3 Burpees Do 8 Squats Do 2 Burpees Do 9 Squats Do 1 Burpee Do 10 Squats Rest 1 minute. Repeat. Remember it's all about pacing yourself! Believe you can do it!! You got this!!! If you have comments or suggestions about burpees, I'd love to hear from you! If you haven't subscribed yet...do so...that way you don't miss any posts ;) Have a FITastic week! I'll be posting again on Thursday!!  Happy Monday!! How was your weekend?! I hope you had a good AND productive one!! I had a busy weekend and now I'm getting ready to travel to Utah with my family this week! Wooo Whooo!! Utah's such a beautiful state so I've been scouting out some fabulous trails to exercise on while I'm there! Bring fit on...lol :D Since I have "trails" on the brain, today's post is all about TRAIL RUNNING! Studies show that exercising in a natural environment improves mood, combats anxiety, and helps you stick to a fitness plan. Sounds good to me :D The treadmill is unbeatable when it comes to options you can adjust the speed and incline to suit any fitness goal but trail running on the other hand, has inclines and excitement built in! There's just something AWESOME about running in fresh air with birds chirping and leaves rustling that puts a little extra zap in your step! And your muscles, they love a good trail as well!! Thanks to the unstable surfaces, you're constantly adjusting your body from head to toe as you navigate the path, locking in your core and engaging your glutes to steady yourself. "As a result, your muscles get more toned and you burn extra calories," says John Munyak, M.D., director of sports medicine at New York's Maimonides Medical Center. Trail running is mostly putting 1 foot in front of the other but it's certainly no walk in the park! The following tips can help you run more comfortably so you're not counting down the miles or minutes ;) 1. Shorten your stride uphill. On inclines, take small, quick steps and keep your chest lifted. Leaning over impedes airflow to your lungs. 2. Use your arms. When running on uneven terrain, especially downhill, raise your arms out to the sides (like you would if you were walking on a balance beam) for stability. This is 1 sport where it's okay if your arms flail around a bit. 3. Keep your eyes on the trail. Just like in mountain biking, you need to choose your "line"- the path where you'll place your feet- to follow the smoothest, safest route. Keeping your focus a few feet in front of you will also help you react quickly to obstacles, such as tree roots. 4. Outsmart the wind. A little breeze is part of the trail running experience (extra resistance equals additional calorie burn), but nobody wants to brave a windstorm just to torch more calories! If it's too blustery outside, opt for a densely wooded or hill protected area so you don't end up running in place. 5. Layer your clothes. Even if it's cold out, you'll likely warm up much more then you think. And since many trails dip in and out of trees, or climb to higher elevations, layering allows you to stay comfortable no matter where your feet may take you. 6. Be aware of thin air. Altitude sickness- headache, nausea, loss of appetite- is a risk at 8,000 feet or higher (and sometimes even lower). It's always best to give yourself a few days to acclimate to altitude, then start slowly, drink plenty of fluids, and keep yourself fed (bring a gel or bar). Descend to a lower elevation if you start feeling woozy. 7. Beat the heat. Hydrate before you set out on a run and carry some extra water with you. Try to hit the trails early or late in the day when it's cooler and seek out shady routes. 8. Lace up in the right shoes. Those designed specifically for running tails have a wider, lugged outsole that grips the terrain and sturdier materials to protect your feet from rocks. Some are even waterproof...splashing through puddles is encouraged...lol! - A trail can be anything from a dirt road to a rocky climb up a mountain. - If you're not a runner...no worries! Hiking is an alternative :) - Don't be surprised if you're extra sore after your first trail run! Don't forget to stretch before AND after running!! Also, if you stretch a couple of times a day, for the next few days, it can help alleviate discomfort ;) You can bet that I'll be exercising on a few AWESOME trails in Utah this week! Since I'll be out of town, MY NEXT POST will be on Monday, June 22!! Have a FITastic week :D   HAPPY Wednesday friends :D
I hope you're having a good week so far! My kids are back in school after a week off from Spring break and as much as I love to play, it's nice having our schedule back to normal...lol! Summer is quickly approaching and while we've been anticipating the perks of the season, that means putting away the sweaters and showing some skin! Wooo Whooo!! Are you ready OR are you a bit nervous that your body isn't quite there yet?! Did you know that you can lose inches from your waist with WALKING?! YES...you can!! Hit the pavement and pump up the fun with the following 50-Minute Interval Routine created by Lee Scott, a Walking Coach. Walking is the foundation of this workout, but it's the cardio and strength-training that will help you blast extra calories. Because the 10 moves here focus on your core, you'll see a change in your abs! Bring it on!! Do this workout 4 times a week. The moves and format will stay the same throughout, but starting in week 3, you'll do longer cardio and strength intervals. WARM-UP 10 MINUTES: WALK for 5 minutes at an easy to moderate pace. WALK for 5 minutes at a brisk pace. CARDIO INTERVALS 10 MINUTES: Alternate CARDIO INTERVALS with WALKING. Walk as fast as you can while still allowing your breath to slow down. STRENGTH INTERVALS 20 MINUTES: Alternate STRENGTH INTERNALS with WALKING. Walk as fast as you can while still allowing your breath to slow down. COOL-DOWN 10 MINUTES: WALK for 7 minutes, moving from a brisk pace to an easy pace. STRETCH for 3 minutes, focusing on calves, quads, and hamstrings. WEEKS 1 - 2: Do each cardio interval exercise for 30 seconds, then walk for 30 seconds. Complete the circuit 2 times, for a total of 10 minutes. Do each strength interval exercise for 30 seconds, then walk for 30 seconds. Complete the circuit 4 times, for a total of 20 minutes. WEEKS 3 - 4: Do each cardio interval exercise for 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute. Complete the circuit once, for a total of 10 minutes. Do each strength internal exercise for 1 minute, then walk for 1 minute. Complete the circuit twice, for a total of 20 minutes. CARDIO INTERVALS: Do each move for 30 seconds or 1 minute, following the guidelines above. Alternate these moves with walking. 1. SKIP 2. LUNGE WITH TWIST 3. LATERAL HOP 4. CURB CLIMB 5. SIDE SHUFFLE STRENGTH INTERVALS: Do each move for 30 seconds or 1 minute, following the guidelines above. Alternate these moves with walking. 1. PUSH-UP 2. STANDING BIRD DOG 3. BURPEE 4. CURB SQUAT WITH SIDE LEG PRESS 5. SIDE PLANK What do you think? Are you going to give this a try?! GO FOR IT! WALK your way to a slim AND healthy body...get moving :D See you on Friday!!  Happy Wednesday!!
I hope you're having a productive week so far! Have you bought a new pair of athletic shoes?! :D OMGosh, I have to admit, I did!! I bought 1 pair at regular price and another pair for half off! Woot Woot!! If my husband reads this, I may get grounded...lol! Have you been exercising and eating clean?! If not, it's never never never too late to start!! :) Indoor cycling classes are more popular then ever! In a survey, more then 5.4 million people reported taking them. Research shows that a 40 minute studio cycling class can burn about 500 calories! Woot Woot!! It's also fun and accessible, regardless of your experience or fitness level! For those who don't take cycling classes BUT belong to a gym, grab a bike and do some cycling! The following workout is from Justin Rubin, group fitness manager at Equinox in Los Angeles. Don't forget the music! Good music will keep u going!! - 0 to 3 MINUTES: Warm up. Pedal comfortably with little or no resistance. - 3 to 7 MINUTES: Add resistance. Make pedaling harder and rise out of the saddle. - 7 to 11 MINUTES: Add more resistance. Slow your pace to 55 to 60 rpm. Alternate standing and sitting for 30 seconds each. - 11 to 15 MINUTES: Active recovery. Reduce the resistance and maintain a brisk, high pace (cadence) at 88 rpm. - 15 to 19 MINUTES: Flat ride. Add a bit more resistance and pedal at 90 to 95 rpm. - 19 to 23 MINUTES: Hill surges. Up the resistance and pedal at 65 rpm. Every 30 seconds, increase your leg speed and surge as fast as you can for 15 seconds. - 23 to 27 MINUTES: Fast and flat. Ease up on resistance and pedal at a fast pace. - 27 to 31 MINUTES: Steep climb. Increase resistance and slow your speed to 70 rpm, alternating between sitting and standing for 30 seconds each. - 31 to 35 MINUTES: Steady cruising. Reduce resistance and pedal at your preferred cadence. - 35 to 43 MINUTES: Speed play. Mix short and long sprints (95 to 110 rpm during sprints, 65 to 70 rpm during recovery). Start with 10 seconds and work up to 60 seconds (equal recovery time). - 43 to 45 MINUTES: Cool down. Petal comfortably (85 rpm) with little or no resistance. Cycling is a great workout! It's great for strength, endurance, toning, and burning calories!! I don't know about you but I'd like to rollllllllll into a fit body and look awesome in spandex shorts :D I'll be doing some cycling today! Bring it on!! If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear from you! Have a GREAT day!! See you on Friday :) |
Pamela Stewart, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Specialist
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