Friday's Funnies -- I do wish that I was taller!

Thursday's Total Body/Cardio -- Total Body Shred

Today's workout comes from BeFit.  It is part of a 30 Day Fat Burn program.

The first video is an introduction to the 30 Day Fat Burn program:

The second video is a 12 minute total body interval routine that alternates between strength and power exercises, each performed for 30 seconds and then 30 seconds rest.

You will need a set of dumbbells.  The "warm up" they provide is NOT enough, please do a longer one on your own.

They do have someone showing modifications.  The "power" moves are variations of the strength exercises done prior.

Here is a list of the exercises performed:

Squats

Squat Jumps

Dumbbell Row

Power Rows with Rotation

Reverse Lunges

Power Lunges

Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Alternating Power Press

Bicep Curl

Push-Up

Push-Up Shoulder Taps

Plie' Overhead Tricep Combo

Please cool down and stretch on your own as well.

Here is a link to the video playlist so far:  30 Day Fat Burn Workouts

Wednesday's Wild/Warrior Workout -- Cardio HIIT

Well, yesterday was Fat Tuesday, so it's only appropriate that the wild/warrior workout be set for today.  I hope you didn't have too many Pazckis!  Thankfully, I don't like them.  So, if you ate it, negate it!!!

Today's workout comes from Melissa Bender.  It is day 2 from a 30 Day challenge that she has on her YouTube channel and website.  It is a 16 minute HIIT (high intensity interval training) routine.

The first video is a tutorial that goes through each exercise you will do, which is nice.  I recommend watching this first.

The second video is the actual 16 minute workout.  Neither warm up nor cool down/stretch are included.  Please do those on your own.

Tuesday's Trunk and Core -- ABC Abs

Today's workout comes from blogilates.  It is basically a set of two challenges.  First, you will be in a sit back position with 1 leg extended and will draw the letters of the alphabet in the air in front of you, switching legs half way through.  Great for core stability and strength.  The more you lean back, the more challenging it is.

In the second challenge you are on your back and the letters are made with your legs.

Please warm up first.

Give your lower back and abs a good stretch at the end--for lower back, hug your knees (grab behind the thighs) to your chest--hold for 30 secs to 1 minute.  To stretch you abs, take your hands overhead and legs straight out (like a pencil) --breath in and stretch from fingertips to toes, hold for a second and breath out.  Do this several times.  

Monday's Motivation and Challenge of the Week

 Happy Monday!!!  What motivates you to become healthier?

Challenge of the Week:

Plan your meals for the entire week.  Sit down and plan out all, or at least most of your meals for the week.  It's when we don't know what to eat, or think there isn't anything good to eat, that we go off track and eat the wrong thing.  Plan it out, even put some snacks into baggies in the fridge or the cupboard.  The more prep you do ahead of time, the easier this challenge will be.

Sunday Recipe Share -- No Bake Trail Mix Bars

Today's recipe is a marriage of a couple of recipes that I found on Pinterest.  Jeff and I collaborated to try to mimic a trail mix bar that I had bought from the grocery store.  The problem was that that bar had peanuts in it (something I'm trying to avoid), so after reading the ingredient list on that bar--basically it was peanuts, raisins and honey, we decided to try making our own.

The quantities of ingredients was the only thing we needed help with.  One recipe used whole nuts/seeds and honey, but didn't make very many.  The other recipe used a food processor to chop the nuts (too finely for our liking.  So, we did a bit of both, we roughly chopped the chopped the nuts so that they weren't whole, but were still in pieces.

Here's what we came up with (the container was full--I just didn't think to take the picture until after some were already eaten.

Here's the recipe--change the nuts, fruits any of the ingredients to your personal liking.

2-1/2 c. chopped nuts/seeds (we used almonds, pecans and sunflower seeds
1/2 - 1 c. dried fruits (we used 1/2 c dried cranberries)
1/4 c. unsweetened shredded coconut (I'll use more next time)(if you don't like coconut, omit it and add more nuts/other fruits)
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/3 c. nut butter (we made and used cashew butter)
1/3 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla
you can use optional spices as well--cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.--we kept them plain

Mix the nuts, fruits and coconut together in a large bowl.  Put remaining ingredients into a small saucepan.  Heat to melt and mix together.  Remove from heat.  Add to bowl mixing thoroughly with the nuts mixture.

Dump batter into an 8 x 8 inch square pan that has a piece of parchment or waxed paper bigger than the pan (this will make it easier to get out to cut into bars).  Place pan in freezer for 2 hours.  Cut into bars/squares.  Store in fridge.