Burn Baby Burn

Like I expected, BURN kicked my butt (in a good way)!! The trainer pushed us hard while we worked between running on the treadmill and strength training circuits on the floor. On the treadmill, we frequently changed speeds and inclines for interval training-- at one point, I was running at 9.2 mph on the treadmill, which was a first for me! For the strength training portion, we did a mix of free weights and core/stabilization exercises. By the end of the 50-minute workout, I was pooped and absolutely drenched in sweat! BURN is SUCH a great workout! I'm positive that I will be taking another class very soon! 

When I arrived home, dinner was already made and waiting for me. (Best husband ever!) Mal cooked homemade pizza with green peppers, onions, mozzarella, and sliced deli ham. Delish! 

I also made myself a side salad with romaine, grape tomatoes, carrots, green peppers, and Claire's relish. Lots-o-volume. 

From above...

Sorry that I am short-winded tonight. BURN was tough! I'm looking forward to my bed, an episode of the Hills, and sleeping in tomorrow. I need a little break from super early mornings. 

Sleep well, blog land! 

30-Minute Treadmill Run

Time: 30 minutes 

Incline: 1%

Minutes Run (mph)

0-5 5.5-6.0 (warm-up)

5-7 6.0

7-9 6.5

9-10 7.0

10-12 6.0

12-14 6.5

14-15   7.0

15-16 6.0

16-17 6.5

17-18 7.0

18-19 6.0

19-20 6.5

20-21 7.0

21-22 6.5

22-23 6.3

23-25 6.0

Back to School

Mr. Mal is back to school today! I couldn't tell if he was excited or dreading the first day back. I can't believe the summer flew by so quickly. I feel like it was just June!

Workout

I worked out at home today... well, in our building gym. I'm glad that I can still get a good workout there, especially when I am crunched for time and can't easily go downtown to HW.

This morning, I did a modified version of my trainer's strength workout (2 sets, no leg exercises) and 30 minutes on the elliptical. My legs were a little sore from yesterday's run, so I decided to give them a rest. I was actually surprised at the soreness-- I guess I need to get back into running again. I've been slacking! Maybe I should sign up for a fall race?

Breakfast

I had trouble deciding what to eat for breakfast this morning. (My cravings have been weird lately!) I was in the mood for sweet (surprise!) and chewy, so I automatically thought 'raisins.' (FYI-- This is basically how I build my meals. I think of 1-2 foods that I want to eat, and then create a meal by adding other ingredients from different food groups.)

Breakfast = raisins + honey + Barney Butter + banana slices + whole wheat toast

I cut my sandwich into 4 smaller pieces-- much more fun and easier to eat. I also drank some iced coffee with vanilla hemp milk while eating breakfast and hanging out with Mal before work. (I'm not going to lie, I like that we are back into a routine again!)

Question of the Day

What health/fitness websites do you visit most often and/or find most useful?

My few of my favs:

Food Network

Start Cooking

Women's Health Magazine

Map My Run

Yay, short week ahead!!!!!

Quick Ab Workout

Flat Bench Abdominal Pull Ins

20 reps

Hip Lifts

20 reps

Side to Side Toe Reaches (alternate right-left)

20 reps

Bicycles 

45-60 seconds

Repeat series 2-3 times. 

Full Body Workout

This workout was designed using a variety of exercise equipment, including a Bosu, exercise ball, dumbbells, and various machines. If you do not have a gym available to you, resistant bands can be substituted for many of the machine exercises.

High Row Machine
Wt: 25 lbs. Reps: 15

Chest Press on Ball (alternate arms)
Wt: 15 lbs Reps: 15

Bosu Hops
Wt: Body Reps: 45 seconds

Lunges on Bosu
Wt: Body (or 12.5) Reps: 15

Gravitron Machine
Wt: 90 Reps: 10

Cable Cross Chestfly
Wt: 20 Reps: 12

Cable Cross Lateral Raise
Wt: 5 Reps: 12

Open Arm Bicep Curl
Wt: 12.5 Reps: 15

Overhead Tricep Extension
Wt: 45 Reps: 10

Single Leg Press (machine)
Wt: 10 Reps: 15

For all exercises: 2-3 sets.

Treadmill - Dumbbell Workout

Approximate time: 50 - 55 minutes
Tip: Try not to rest too long between exercises; keep moving!

	Incline	Speed (mph)	Minutes
Warm-up	1%	6.2	5
Hill 1	3%	6.2 – 6.5	1
Recovery	1%	6.2	1
Hill 2	5%	6.2 – 6.5	2
Recovery	1%	6.2	1
	Sets	Dumbbell Weight	Reps
Single Arm Row	1	20	12
Rear Deltoid Fly	1	8	12
Push Ups on Bench	1	Body Weight	15
Lunge with Knee	1	12	15
	Incline	Speed (mph)	Minutes
Hill 3	3%	6.5 – 6.7	1
Recovery	1%	6.2	1
Hill 4	7%	6.0 – 6.2	2
Recovery	1%	6.2	1
	Sets	Dumbbell Weight	Reps
Lateral Raises	1	8	12
Overhead Tricep Press	1	8	12
Single Leg Squat	1	Body Weight	15
Repeat from Hill 1
Cool Down	1%	6.0	5

Formatting Issues!

I'm having formatting issues on our Mac, so I will have to post the new workouts tomorrow from my PC. Sorry, guys! 

In the meantime, check out my current Sample Workouts:

• 30 Minute Elliptical Workout
• Total Body Dumbbell Circuit
• Interval Workout with Dumbbell Circuit
• Chest, Shoulders, Biceps
• Butt-Kicking Glute Workout
• Quick Full Body Workout
• Cardio Crunch
• 45-Minute Treadmill Workout
• Cardio Leg Slam

30 Minute Elliptical Workout

Time: 30 minutes (or 50 min. if you repeat min. 5 - 25)

Workout Intensity: High

Time     Level

0 - 5  3 (warm-up)

5 - 7 8

7 - 8  5

8 - 10 8

10 - 11 5

11 - 13 10

13 - 14 6

14 - 16 10

16 - 17  6

17 - 19 4

19 - 20 12

20 - 21 10

21 - 22 4

22 - 23 12

23 - 24 10

24 - 25 4

25 - 30 3 (cool down) 

Wednesday's Workout

Total Body Circuit Training

Circuits: 2-3

Reps: 12-15

Weight: Dumbbells, various weights (5 - 20 lbs)

Chest press on bench

Front dumbbell raise

Triceps kickbacks

Hammer biceps curls

Bent over dumbbell rows

Squats

Stationary dumbbell lunges

The Plank (60-90 seconds)

Repeat

More sample workouts

Tuesday Total Body Circuit

Circuits: 2-3

Reps: 8-12

Weight: A challenging weight, but allows you to "eek-out" the last few. (I used 10-25 lb. dumbbells.)

Rest: 10 seconds or less between exercises; 1-2 minutes between circuits

• Dumbbells Squats
  
  
• Single Arm Dumbbell Row
  
  
• Crunches (20-25 reps)
  
  
• Upright Rows
  
  
• Military Press
  
  
• 21's (biceps)
  
  
• 5 minute run on treadmill (fast pace)

Repeat

Check out my other sample workouts and workout music!

Be back later for breakfast!

Very Blueberry Oatmeal Pancake

Good morning! I love Monday holidays! It feels like a Monday, but it is already Tuesday. Love it!

Breakfast this morning was an oatmeal pancake with fresh blueberries. So delish! The blueberries totally made this meal! Yuuuuumm!


Blueberry Oatmeal Pancake

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/3 cup liquid egg whites
  
• 1/2 cup blueberries
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  

Directions:

1. Mix together oats, egg whites, and blueberries with baking powder, vanilla extract and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Preheat a skillet, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and pour batter into skillet. I recommend using a small (approx. 8") skillet to help mold the batter into a "pancake" shape.
   
3. Cook pancake until batter is firm on bottom, then flip and cook another 60 seconds (or until pancake is cooked all the way through).
   
4. Top with maple syrup (or whatever else you like!)
   

Breakfast from above on our new placemats... I received a set of four (with matching napkins) at my wedding shower this weekend. The pattern reminds me of the Vera Bradley prints. So cute!


Workout

I haven't posted a workout in awhile. Here is today's legs, triceps, and biceps workout. I used dumbbells ranging from 8 - 20 lbs.

15-20 reps, 3 sets

Barbell squats

Walking lunges with dumbbells

Wide stance squats

Stiff leg dead lifts

Triceps extension

Dips off the bench

Bicep dumbbell curls

Bicep hammer curls

Cumin Mango Chicken

8:30 already?! This evening has flown by!

Workout

I had a great chest, shoulder, and biceps workout this evening! 

Sets: 3
Reps: 15
Weight: Choose a challenging weight; I used 8-20 lbs

Chest press on bench (dumbbells, 20 lbs.)
Cable one arm lateral raise (machine, 10 lbs.)
Front raises (dumbbells, 10 lbs.)
Upright rows (dumbbells, 15 lbs.)
Preacher curls (machine, 15 lbs.)
Hammer curls (dumbbells, 10 lbs.)

After lifting weights, I did an easy 3 miles on the treadmill, alternating between walking and running. My total time on the treadmill was close to 40 minutes.

Cumin Mango Chicken

Tonight's dinner was built around a very ripe mango. Also inspiring our recipe was the wonderful smell of curry in our hallway from our neighbors and some chicken breast in our fridge... and soon our dinner brainchild was born!

Here's the recipe...

3 cooked chicken breasts, chunked
1 mango (ripe), peeled, pitted, and chunked
1 small onion, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can diced tomatoes (drained)
4 garlic cloves, pressed/finely chopped
2 tsp canola oil
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup couscous (or rice)

1. Throughly cook chicken breast. (We grilled in a skillet.) Cut chicken breast into hardy chunks.
2. In a skillet, combine canola oil, garlic, red pepper, and onion, and cook until the vegetables soften, approximately 3-5 minutes.
3. Add cumin, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, and salt, cook and stir for approximately 30 seconds.
4. Add chicken breast and canned tomatoes to skillet. Cover and turn down heat to medium for about 5 minutes.
5. Turn heat to low and add raisins and mango to mixture. Discard bay leaf.
6. Serve warm with couscous (or rice).

Cumin Mango Chicken

Vibrant colors up close... my serving of couscous is on the bottom of the bowl.


All together with wine and ice water...


Afternoon Snack

My afternoon snack was peppermint tea, a big orange, and 2 hermits. Yum! This snack held me over all afternoon and through a workout. That's my kind of snack! :)


My mid-morning snack ended up being a piece of homemade banana-walnut bread that my boss baked for the office. It was delicious and went great with my soy milk misto! Coffee and baked goods... mmmmmm!


Lunch

Sorry no lunch photos-- I forgot my camera on my desk at work! Boloco was fabulous... and surprisingly inexpensive. My friend Sarah and I both ordered the same lunch: a garden salad with chicken and hummus and salsa on the side. The hummus was actually a black bean hummus-- I loved it! I'm a huge fan of Boloco now! I'm sure you'll be hearing a lot more about it in the future!

Quick Full Body Workout

Here's the workout that I did this morning. It takes about 10 minutes to complete a set. All you need is a set of dumbbells.

• Lunge with Overhead Press: 8-10 pound dumbbells, 20 reps (10 each leg)
  

• Squat Thrusts: 15 reps
  

• Push-up with Leg Raise: 10 reps. Start in a full push-up position. As you bend elbows, lift right leg. Push back up and lower leg. Alternate legs.
  

• Tricep dips: 10-12 reps

• Stiff-Leg Pullover Crunch: 10-12 reps

Repeat 2-4 times.

Dangerously Low

We are running dangerously low on food, which is apparent by my food selections for lunch. First, I made a plate of what was supposed to be brussels sprouts, carrots, and a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Unfortunately, we are out of peanut butter (like everything else), so I made some toast with jelly. The jelly was absolutely vile! The texture and taste were disgusting, and the semi-stale bread didn't help either. (I'm such a drama queen!) After tossing the toast with jelly, I made an open-face egg sandwich with Tabasco, which hit the spot. I finished off lunch with the last two Ginger Betty cookies, which made the meal at least somewhat decent.

Brussels sprouts: 50

Carrots: 50

Whole wheat bread: 110

Egg: 80

2 cookies: ~300

Lunch total: 590

Workout

After breakfast, I did a TV-based workout. I went down to the gym a little before 9 am, when the Regis and Kelly show was starting. Reese Witherspoon, Simon Cowell, and a balloon-popping dog were guests today, so I used their appearances as cardio time and the commercials as lifting time. I switched between running on the treadmill and free weights for the whole show, which was an hour. Afterwards, I stayed on the treadmill and walked for an additional 30 minutes on an incline.

Cardio Crunch

This is the 60-minute treadmill workout that I did today; it can be shortened to a 20 or 40-minute workout. It makes running on the treadmill a little more interesting!

Time Speed

0:00-3:00 4.0 

3:00-6:00  6.0

6:00-6:30 8.0

6:30-7:30 6.5

7:30-10:30 Repeat minutes 6-7:30 twice

10:30-11:30 7.0

11:30-12:30 6.5

12:30-16:30 Repeat minutes 10:30-12:30 twice

16:30-18:30 7.5

18:30-20:00 6.5

Repeat 1-2 times. 

45-Minute Treadmill Workout

This is one of my favorite workouts-- both the running and walking! These are awesome, especially if you get bored out of your mind on the treadmill like I do. This morning, I did the walking workout, followed by 30 minutes of free weights (back and biceps).

45-MINUTE TREADMILL WORKOUT
Burn up to 450 calories walking or 550 calories running with this 45-minute treadmill workout from Jeanette Soloma at Crunch Fitness. You'll mix up the inclines and speed to increase your heart rate and sculpt legs and butt.
Minutes	Walk mph/incline	Run mph/incline	RPE
0:00-5:00	3-3.5 / 1%	3.5-4.5 / 1%	4-5
5:00-7:00	4 / 3%	5.5 / 2%	6
7:00-9:00	4 / 5%	5.5 / 3%	6-7
9:00-11:00	4 / 7%	5.5 / 4%	7
11:00-16:00	3.5 / 10%	5 / 6%	8-9
16:00-21:00	3.5 / 8%	6 / 3%	8
21:00-22:00	4.0 / 4%	5.5 / 2%	6
22:00-23:00	4.5-4.8 / 4%	7 / 2%	8
23:00-24:00	4.0 / 4%	5.5 / 2%	6
24:00-25:00	4.5-4.8 / 4%	7 / 2%	8
25:00-26:00	4.0 / 4%	5.5 / 2%	6
26:00-27:00	4.5-4.8 / 4%	7 / 2%	8
27:00-29:00	3.5 / 10%	5 / 8%	9
29:00-31:00	3.6 / 8%	5.2 / 6%	8
31:00-33:00	3.7 / 6%	5.4 / 4%	7
33:00-35:00	3.8 / 4%	5.6 / 2%	7
35:00-38:00	4.5 / 2%	6.5 / 2%	8
38:00-40:00	4.0 / 2%	5.5 / 2%	6
40:00-45:00	3.5-3 / 1%	4.5-3.5 / 1%	4-5