Saturday's Stretch & Flexibility -- 20 Minute Full Body Stretch for Flexibility and Pain Relief

Today's workout comes from Psychetruth.  It is a yoga routine that concentrates on stretching the muscles starting with your feet and moving upward through the body.

Remember when stretching, go only as far as your body wants you to go.  She is very flexible, don't force anything or you could end up hurting yourself.

I suggest that you do a quick, simple warm up first, nothing too intense, just enough movement to get the blood flowing to the muscles first.

Friday's Funnies

Happy Friday!  Have a groovy weekend!

Thursday's Total Body/Cardio -- P90X 10 Minute Workouts

I first tried P90X by checking the set of DVDs out of the library.  I really liked the program because the workouts were divided for cardio, upper body, lower body, yoga, kickboxing etc.   It was not boring at all.

Just a note--these workouts can get pretty intense.  You can always modify and/or bring it down a notch if it gets too crazy.

Today I'm posting two 10 minute workout videos from P90X creator Tony Horton via POPSUGAR.

In the first workout and bonus exercise video a medicine ball is used, but you can use a 5-8 pound dumbbell or kettlebell.

These workouts alternate between strength and cardiovascular exercises--10 total--each done for 1 minute.  You can do the workouts separately, or one after the other for a bigger challenge.

There are a lot of push-ups in this workout--modify if needed--either drop to your knees, or lower your entire body down and then push it up.

Same thing with the plyometric exercises--modify to a lower impact exercise if needed.

There is no warm up or cool down included.  Please do those on your own.

More push ups are done in this second video.

Here's your bonus:

Wednesday's Wild/Warrior Workout -- Brutal Kettlebell Cardio HIIT

Today's workout comes from FitnessBlender.  It is a HIIT (high intensity interval training) workout that incorporates cardiovascular exercises and kettlebell exercises that will provide a great total body workout.

As usual, if you don't want to jump, modify the move by making it bigger and more dramatic.    Watch your knees on squats and lunges, making sure to keep the knees bent at no further than 90 degrees.  When doing either move, you should be able to see you big toe.  If you can't, then your knee is shooting forward past 90.

When doing the kettlebell swing, remember to pop the hips forward--if you don't have a kettlebell, you can use one heavier weight or you can use a gallon jug filled with water, or a gym bag with short handles filled with books or magazines.

Be really careful with the clean and press.  If you can't control it without banging your forearm with the weight, go with a lighter dumbbell instead.

Most of the exercises will be done tabata style--20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest.  The exercises are divided into pairs (labeled A and B below) You will do each exercise twice (AABB) and then repeat the both twice again (AABB) for a total of 8 rounds or 4 minutes total.  The kettlebell strength exercises range between 1 and 2 minutes.

Here's a list of the exercises:

HIIT A: Pop Squats

HIIT B: Broad Jumps + Thigh Slaps

Kettlebell: Kettlebell Swings

HIIT A: Switchfoot Mt Climber

HIIT B: Lateral Burpees

Kettlebell: Clean & Press - one minute each side

HIIT A: High Plank Twists

HIIT B: Switchfoot Jumps

Kettlebell: Around the World

HIIT A: Double Burpees

HIIT B: Lateral Jumps + 3 Knees

Kettlebell: Long Lunge + Extension

You will then do a cardio burnout section--20 seconds each exercise with no rest:

- High Knees

- Jumping Jacks

- Butt Kickers

- Fly Jacks

- Boxer Shuffle

- Toe Touch Crunches

- Torso Twists

- March in Place

A warm up and cool down are both included.

Tuesday's Trunk and Core -- Revolutionary New Weight Loss Product!

I just found the most revolutionary new product out there for weight loss!!! Usually I'm skeptical, but this one is legit!!!  It's called the Clean Sponge!!!

Check out this informative video:

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HAPPY APRIL FIRST!!!!

Monday's Motivation and Challenge of the Week -- I'm Back!!!

Happy Monday!!!

I hope that just because I wasn't posting last week, that you didn't stop exercising and watching what you were eating.  That's not what the word vacation means!

Although, I'll be the first to admit that I didn't work out the same amount of time I would have had I been working...after-all, my job is working out, but I did get a few great workouts in, and I move quite a bit while I'm writing my choreography....

Since I gave up the whole "being on a diet" mentality and decided to just eat real food, it's been much easier for me to make healthy substitutions and not feel deprived at all.  My birthday was during this "break." It didn't stop me from going out eat for a great meal, or having the most delicious grain-free chocolate cake (recipe will be in a future post).

So, following the motivational poster below, here's your Challenge of the Week:

Too much sugar is really bad!!!  And, it's found in so many things!

Start with the obvious--the pre-sweetened, processed stuff like soda, cookies, cakes, and cereal, especially anything that has high fructose corn syrup on the label, along the white stuff itself--throw it out if you're afraid it will be a problem.  Eliminate these things first, use raw honey or pure maple syrup instead--and use less of these than you would sugar.  Make your own cookies and other snacks--try making some of the trail mix bars that I shared the recipe for.  DO NOT use artificial sweeteners!!!

If calories are your concern, use stevia (powder or liquid) or monk fruit sweetener.  I still think honey or maple sugar are better though--in moderation.  Lastly, change out one of your sweet snacks for a piece of fruit with some nut butter or a small handful of nuts like almonds or even a small piece of dark chocolate*--it will keep you fuller much longer than a cookie will.  Just don't overdo it on the fruit--there's a lot of sugar there as well.

*The one exception to the sugar rule is dark chocolate--the darker it is, the less sugar it has.  So go ahead and eat an ounce or two of that if you like it.