Make them "STAIR" workout

Good Morning Everyone! Ok, if you have worked with me at some point in your life, then you know about the stairs. So this is your challenge for the rest of the month. Take the stairs whenever you can for the rest of the month, and if you make them part of your daily workout add the other stuff in between. It's great for the glutes, calf, hamstrings, and quad muscles. It's also a great for your endurance. Please be carefully when coming down the stairs, and if using it as a full workout
warm-up/stretch/cool-down.

As with all forms of exercise, you should consult with your physician or healthcare professional before undertaking any of the fitness training discussed in this blog. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this blog should be used as a guideline. Always do a proper warm-up, stretch, and cooldown.

PICK-ME-UP SNACK- Peanut Butter Banana Graham Crackers

So my sister sent me this recipe that she found on pinterest. I changed it up a little, and it's a great little middle of the day pick me up snack.

Ingredients

2 TBS Peanut Butter (I used JIF Natural) (190 calories)

1 medium banana (110 calories)

2 TBS milled flaxseed (60 calories)

1 sleeve of low fat cinnamon grahams (2 full crackers is 120 calories)

Mix together with a fork- the banana, flaxseed, and peanut butter.

And...this is what it looks like. Take a spoon of the mix and put it on the cracker, cover it with the other.

And YUM! It ready to eat!

You can always put them in the freezer, even better!

Breakfast Energy Shake- Peanut Butter Banana Flaxseed Shake

If you are always on the go, and have little time, then this is quick and easy. I make it the night before, put it in the fridge in a to go bottle, so I can just grab it in the morning. It perks me up right away! Remember that breakfast should be your biggest meal!

Ingredients

2 TBS Peanut Butter (I used JIF Natural) (190 calories)

1 medium banana (110 calories)

2 TBS milled flaxseed (60 calories)

1/2 cup of milk (I used 2%) (60 calories)

6 cubes of ice

Mix all the ingredients together in the blender.

Pour, and it's ready for your enjoyment.

Total Calories: 420 

Motivational Monday

We all have those days where we just don't care what we eat. We eat everything in sight, and it seems to be worse when we are trying to make better choices, it's like events just start happening when you don't want them to. Birthday parties, cook-outs, dinners, family shows up and wants to go to all these different restaurants. So, we end up eating way more then planned, and then we tell ourselves, well I'll go workout out later, and end up eating even more. Then when it's all over, that's when the guilt sets in, and yada, yada, yada... and you've gone off the deep end... blah..blah..blah. CALM DOWN, TAKE A DEEP BREATH, and MOVE ON. You can't change what has happened, right?  It's done, and it is in the past.  One day, or one weekend, should not affect you to the point where you should give up. Get up, and start again, and learn from it.

HAPPY MONDAY!

Workout of the Day

Modifications

Sprinting: This can be on a treadmill or outside. The goal is to push yourself beyond your usual jog. Should be breathless after your quarter or 3 minutes!

Pull-ups: If you are doing this at home, I usually use a normal table that is high enough, and can be used for and do sitting pull-ups. It's pretty low range of motion, but it's better than nothing.
Form: Without moving your lower body, pull yourself as high as you can; your chin should rise above the bar/table. Pause momentarily, then lower your body until your arms are straight, and repeat.

Push-ups: Remember this can be done on your knee. If you are doing them elevated use a small low step of any kind,  or a medicine ball.
Form: Look at my 6 day push-up challenge for proper techinque and form.

As with all forms of exercise, you should consult with your physician or healthcare professional before undertaking any of the fitness training discussed in this blog. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this blog should be used as a guideline. Always do a proper warm-up, stretch, and cooldown.

Hydration- How much water should I drink?

I hear this question all the time- How much water should I drink? There is so much information out there with so many different thoughts on this, that I myself also become confused.

Based on my research 45-50 percent of our water intake does come from drinking fluids, which includes juice, milk, soda, and yes even coffee. Another 35 percent is from foods, and the rest tends to come from metabolism.

Have you ever heard- Drink before you are thirsty? Well, now the new thing is to drink as you are thirsty. For a long time we have been told by experts that if you feel thirsty you have become dehydrated. From reading different studies, it seems that this has shown no negative impact on health nor an individual's performance.
Since there appears to be no perfect indicator of thirst- I have come down to this conclusion- balance. Drink as your thirsty, eat plenty of fruits and veggies to get some of your flluids, and just see what works for your body.  I personally like to take little sips of water every 10-12 minutes when I am working out, instead of guzzling it all at once (stomach can't handle that). We are all different (duh) so different things may work for us that may not work for others.









sources: http://www.active.com

Workout of the day!

Workout Wednesday- In honor of my 31st birthday this past Monday, I did this 31 workout. So here I pass it on to you, but instead (if you are feeling frisky) replace it with your age!

Jumping Jacks

Stand with both arms down at your side. Feet should be close together. Body should be straight and comfortable. Knees are slightly bent. Jump or step out and spread your legs apart as you raise your arms to the side and over your head. Land back down with your legs together and your arms back to your sides. That's one!

Crunches

Muscles: core

Lie on mat with lower legs on bench. Place hands behind neck or head.

Flex waist to raise upper torso from mat. Keep low back on mat and raise torso up as high as possible. Return until back of shoulders contact mat. Repeat.

Leg Lifts

Muscles: core and hip flexors

Lie faceup on the floor, and raise your upper legs until they're perpendicular to the floor. Bend your knees slightly. Without changing the arch in your lower back or the angle of your knees, brace your core and try to take 3 to 5 seconds to lower your feet as close to the floor as you can. One trick: Press your lower back toward the floor as you perform the movement. Once your feet touch the floor, raise them back to the starting position and repeat. 

Bridges

Muscles:glutes and hamstrings

Lay on your back with both hands down by your sides. Your knees are bent, and feet are flat on the floor. Raise your hips up to create a straight line from your knees to shoulders, and squeeze your buttocks, and tighten your abs as you are pressing up. gently lower yourself back on the floor

Chair dips

Muscles: Triceps

Sit on the edge of the chair with your feet together. Make sure hands are on either side of thighs with both feel flat on the floor. Bend those elbows 90 degrees and lower yourself toward the floor. Straighten those arms, and raise yourself back to starting position.

As with all forms of exercise, you should consult with your physician or healthcare professional before undertaking any of the fitness training discussed in this blog. Any application of the techniques, ideas, and suggestions in this blog should be used as a guideline. Always do a proper warm-up, stretch, and cooldown.

sources:http://www.womenshealthmag.com/

http://sportsmedicine.about.com