Find Your Greatness!

Workout 107 - Olympics Workout!

Olympic fever is here!  You hopefully had time to watch some olympic events this weekend, so now it's time to incorporate them into your workout!  The following circuit contains moves used in different sports.  Your goal is to earn a gold, silver or bronze medal by completing the specified number of rounds to medal.  Good luck!

Warm Up:  1 min jog/march, lateral plank walk, standing oblique twists, sumo squats 

30 secs each of:
basketball jump shots (basketball) (like a jump squat just add a shot on the top of your jump)
jabs (boxing)  (go as fast as you can!)
high knee sprints (track and field) (go as fast as you can!)
flutter kicks (swimming)
bicycle crunches (cycling)
rest 30 secs and repeat

8 rounds = gold
7 rounds = silver
6 rounds = bronze

Friday Funny! Most Interesting Man in the World

I don't always feel like working out...

but when I do I always do burpee's!  

Stay thirsty my friends...

Workout 106 - Tabata Makes ya Hotta!

We did a post a while back on Tabata intervals and the benefit from interval training.

We're back with another Tabata post.

Download this great FREE app for timing the Tabatas or use a Gym Boss timer.

Warm-up (thoroughly):
jog in place
Frankenstein kicks
standing oblique twists
heel / toe walks
butt kicks
high knee run
gate swingers

Workout:
Each exercise: 20 seconds on / 20 seconds off - 8 rounds non-stop!!!


Burpees
Squats (or squat jumps)
Push-ups
Bicycle Crunches


or create a Tabata workout with your own exercises.  Possibilities are endless.


Just remember that you should move as hard and as fast as you can.  Intervals are meant to only last 20 seconds(no longer).

Wednesday Wisdom - Weight Loss Help!

We wanted to share this study with you that was just released providing evidence for 3 key components in successful weight loss.  Areas of emphasis are highlighted in yellow, but highly recommend reading the whole article!!   

Want to lose weight? Keep a food journal, don't skip meals and avoid going out to lunch, study suggests

SEATTLE – July 13, 2012 – Women who want to lose weight should faithfully keep a food journal, and avoid skipping meals and eating in restaurants – especially at lunch – suggests new research from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

The findings by Anne McTiernan, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues – from the first study to look at the impact of a wide range of self-monitoring and diet-related behaviors and meal patterns on weight change among overweight and obese postmenopausal women – are published online in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the Journal of the American Dietetic Association).

“When it comes to weight loss, evidence from randomized, controlled trials comparing different diets finds that restricting total calories is more important than diet composition such as low-fat versus low-carbohydrate. Therefore, the specific aim of our study was to identify behaviors that supported the global goal of calorie reduction,” McTiernan said.

Specifically, McTiernan and colleagues found that:

• Women who kept food journals consistently lost about 6 pounds more than those who did not
• Women who reported skipping meals lost almost 8 fewer pounds than women who did not
• Women who ate out for lunch at least weekly lost on average 5 fewer pounds than those who ate out less frequently (eating out often at all meal times was associated with less weight loss, but the strongest association was observed with lunch)

“For individuals who are trying to lose weight, the No. 1 piece of advice based on these study results would be to keep a food journal to help meet daily calorie goals. It is difficult to make changes to your diet when you are not paying close attention to what you are eating,” said McTiernan, director of the Hutchinson Center’s Prevention Center and a member of its Public Health Sciences Division.

Study participants were given the following tips for keeping a food journal:

• Be honest – record everything you eat
• Be accurate – measure portions, read labels
• Be complete – include details such as how the food was prepared, and the addition of any toppings or condiments
• Be consistent – always carry your food diary with you or use a diet-tracking application on your smart phone

“While the study provided a printed booklet for the women to record their food and beverage consumption, a food journal doesn’t have to be anything fancy,” McTiernan said. “Any notebook or pad of paper that is easily carried or an online program that can be accessed any time through a smart phone or tablet should work fine.”

In addition to documenting every morsel that passes one’s lips, another good weight-loss strategy is to eat at regular intervals and avoid skipping meals. “The mechanism is not completely clear, but we think that skipping meals or fasting might cause you to respond more favorably to high-calorie foods and therefore take in more calories overall,” she said. “We also think skipping meals might cluster together with other behaviors. For instance, the lack of time and effort spent on planning and preparing meals may lead a person to skip meals and/or eat out more.”

Eating out frequently, another factor associated with less weight loss, may be a barrier for making healthful dietary choices. “Eating in restaurants usually means less individual control over ingredients and cooking methods, as well as larger portion sizes,” the authors wrote.

The analysis was based on data from 123 overweight-to-obese, sedentary, Seattle-area women, ages 50 to 75, who were randomly assigned to two arms of a controlled, randomized year-long dietary weight-loss intervention study: diet only and exercise plus diet. Study participants filled out a series of questionnaires to assess dietary intake, eating-related weight-control strategies, self-monitoring behaviors and meal patterns. They were also asked to complete a 120-item food-frequency questionnaire to assess dietary change from the beginning to the end of the study.

At the end of the study, participants in both arms lost an average of 10 percent of their starting weight, which was the goal of the intervention.

“We think our findings are promising because it shows that basic strategies such as maintaining food journals, eating out less often and eating at regular intervals are simple tools that postmenopausal women – a group commonly at greater risk for weight gain – can use to help them lose weight successfully,” McTiernan said.

The National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Research Resources funded the study, which involved collaborators at the NCI, the University of Washington and the University of Minnesota.

Motivation!

Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one


-Pocahontas


Remember this as you achieve your lifestyle goals.  Those short cuts that are being thrown at you (diet pills, weightless supplements, spot reducing products, surgeries) are not the answer to achieve your goals.  A little hard work will help you embed healthy habits into life and stick with you for the duration! :)

Workout 105 - circuit style

Circuit training is great for combining strength and aerobic components in the same short workout.
This workout will burn a TON of calories!

equipment needed: set of dumbbells

Warm-up:
jog
inchworms
sumo squats
gate swingers
clap behind and in front

Workout:

Circuit 1 (3x):
DB shoulder press (15 - 20 reps)
Bent over DB rows (15 - 20 reps)
1 minute Jumping Jacks

Circuit 2 (3x):
DB chest flyes (15 - 20 reps)
DB plank rows (15 - 20 reps each arm)
30 seconds Mountain Climbers

Circuit 3 (3x):
DB swings (20 reps)
DB woodchops (15 - 20 reps each side)
Crunches ( 30)
1 minute Squat Thrusts (aka burpees without the push-up)

Done!

Friday Funny - Ever Feel Like This?

Workout 104 - Unilateral

Unilateral = Relating to, occurring on, or affecting only one side of an organ or structure or body.


With this unilateral workout, you may discover weakness and imbalances (right leg stronger than left leg, etc).  Focusing on equalizing strength on both sides will help increase your strength in your regular movements (when using both limbs).


Equipment Needed:  dumbbells


Need help with the exercises, check it out on our Youtube channel                                         (note you won't find chest flies or triceps kickbacks--use the power of google!)


Warm Up:  1 min each of  march or jog, high knee raises, standing oblique twists, lunges with chest press, jab punches 


Workout:


Group 1
Perform these exercises on the right side only
15 plank rows
15 bottom 1/2 lunges
15 step ups
Immediately perform these exercises on the left side only


complete a total of 3 sets without rest 


rest 1-2 minutes


Group 2
Perform these exercises on the right side only
15 lunge presses
15 side squats
15 chest flies (lay on ground or bench)
Immediately perform these exercises on the left side only


complete a total of 3 sets without rest 


rest 1-2 minutes


Group 3
Perform these exercises on the right side only
15 bicep curls
15 superman planks
15 tricep kickbacks
Immediately perform these exercises on the left side only


End with this Ab blast:  
1 min lateral plank walk 
rest 15 - 30 secs
15 hip dips (each side), 15 superman planks, 15 bicycle crunches
repeat again if your abs aren't tired!! 

Wednesday Wisdom - NEAT

This post is all about Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT).

I know, you're thinking: WTH?!
NEAT = about 16 hours of your day...you should listen up.

NEAT is basically all of the activity you accumulate through normal activities of daily living (such as blow drying your hair, walking to and from parking lots, fidgeting, or pacing).  NEAT is basically anything that requires movment that isn't scheduled exercise.

Current research says that even the dedicated 3 day per week exerciser may still be at risk for being overweight or obese because....

• We have sedentary jobs
• We have sedentary transportation
• We choose sedentary entertainment
• and enjoy our quiet time maybe a little too much.

These sedentary activities mean that we are getting less and less NEAT.  In turn, instead of burning excess energy we are storing the energy (i.e. getting fat).

Unfortunately, some of us cannot change our jobs where we sit for 8+ hours per day but there are things you can do.  To burn more calories throughout your day just simply be aware!

• take the stairs
• park in the furthest parking spot
• choose to stand instead of sit while talking on the phone (or even better, walk around)
• for those that work, schedule "walking" meetings where you can walk while discussing

Take this information and be aware as you go about your day.  See where you could make changes and do so.  Only you can make a difference.

Tuesday Motivation!

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.
Bill Cosby

Workout 103 - 3 at a time

What's up Monday workout-ers?

Here's a workout to get your week started.

Warm-up:
Gate swingers (1 minute each leg)
Plank to sumo squats (jump or move feet one at a time into place), repeat 10x
Side shuffle (1 minute each leg)


Workout(3x):

DB shoulder press overhead 15 - 20 reps
1 minute jumping jacks

DB plank rows
1 minute burpees

DB chest flyes 15 - 20 reps
1 minute speed skaters

DB reverse flyes 15 - 20 reps
1 minute high knee runs


Finish with extra ab work like the sequence below that can be repeated 3x.
1 minute bicycle crunches
1 minute crunches
1 minute prone (on belly) back extensions

Friday Funny

Fitting for a Friday during summer! haha...don't forget the water too :)

Workout 102 - Ladder of Success

Equipment needed:  dumbbells

Warm Up:  1min jog/march, 1 min standing oblique twists, 1 min inch worms, 1 min squats, 1 min jumping jacks

Complete the following ladder without stopping:

1 burpee
2 star jumps
3 jumping lunges
4 squat presses
5 plank to pushup
4 squat presses
3 jumping lunges
2 star jumps
1 burpee

rest 30 secs then perform again repeatedly (including 30 sec breaks) for 8 minutes 


Then, move on to this ladder, this time just go up the ladder and then repeat from the bottom...


10 plank rows
15 reclined knee ins
20 bicycle crunches
25 upper cuts
30 jumping jacks

rest 30 secs then perform again repeatedly (including 30 sec breaks) for 8 minutes 


Bring heart rate down and stretch to release muscles.


Ladder of success is done!  (insert pat on the back)

Wednesday Wisdom - Summer Vacation Tips!

Make this Year’s Summer Vacation a Healthy One!  

Your bags are packed.  The itinerary is set.  Summer vacation has arrived!  It’s time to leave the hectic schedules in the rear-view mirror, relax and indulge.  Wait a minute!  You are taking time off from work, not your diet and exercise regimen! 

Most people on vacation feel they have a free “hall pass” to abandon all healthy habits.  So unless you want to return home from vacation to find out your pants in the closet have shrunk, the following are tips to make this year’s vacation a healthy one:

Fitness

•  Look for a hotel with a fitness center or fitness classes
• Check with your gym and see if they have an "away" program, your membership may be valid in other cities!
• Bring along an exercise band or do body weight exercises like squats, planks and pushups to maintain strength
• Hike, swim, golf, or take the family for a long walk

Nutrition

• Bring healthy snacks for the car or plane ride.  Most airports and gas stations offer few healthy options and it will save you some money.
•  Only indulge once!  If you order an appetizer, don’t order dessert and vice versa.
• Stay hydrated.  Make sure you get your daily allowance for water.  Most people become dehydrated while traveling.

Tuesday Motivation!

Clear your mind of can’t. 

-Samuel Johnson

Workout 101 - I can't get enough

What does this song say?

"I can't get enough!!!, whooa, oh!"....Own this workout!
Listen while completing your Monday workout!  Hopefully you can't speak for the hangover part.


Warm-up (each 1 minute or more)
heel to toe walks
side lunges holding inner thigh stretch
jog in place or use your space
sumo squats
side plank walks

Workout (everything is 25 reps)

Round 1 (complete 3x with no break between exercises or rounds)
Squat to Overhead press with dumbbells
Plank rows
Bicep curls

REST

Round 2 (complete 3x with no break between exercises or rounds)
Lunges with shoulder press
Side plank hip lifts (right)
Side plank hip lifts (left)

REST

Round 3 (complete 3x with no break between exercises or rounds)
straight leg deadlifts
DB chest flyes
tricep push-ups


Try for another time(or two) through all 3 rounds if you have time.

Friday Funny

Workout 100 - 100's

Warm Up:  Jog or march 30 secs, butt kicker run 30 secs, inchworms 1 min, standing oblique twists 30 sec, walking lunges with chest press 1 min

In honor of our 100th workout...

Complete 100 reps (doesn't have to be all at once just need to be completed at some point soon!) of the following exercises:

100 pushups
100 squats
100 bicycle crunches (each side)
100 cross punches (each side)
100 step ups (50 each side)

Finish up with 100 secs of plank (1 minute 40 secs for those who hated math)*modify as needed to complete.

We've enjoyed proving the first 100 workouts and look forward to the next 100!!

It's Independence Day!

Here's to a safe and happy 4th of July holiday!

Get ready for our post-holiday workout tomorrow!!

Motivation

You want me to do something...tell me I can't do it.


-Maya Angelou

I bet you can't workout today...


;)

Workout 99 - all 9's

Warm-up:
Inchworms
Jog in place
sumo squats
standing oblique twists
gate swingers

Workout:
9 rounds / 9 exercises.  Rest only between rounds.

30 seconds plank hold
30 seconds lying hip extensions (on back push hips up and down)
30 seconds push-ups
30 seconds mountain climbers
1 minute alternating forward stepping lunges
30 seconds squat jumps
30 seconds X-men jumping jacks
30 seconds high knees
30 seconds burpees

Rest then complete 8 MORE TIMES!!!

The hardest part of this workout is keeping track of what round you are on.