Friday's Funnies

Happy Friday!!!  

Thought this little corkscrew person was cute.  They do work hard! ;)

Thursday's Total Body -- HIIT Mash Up

Today's workout has something for everyone.  

From jessicasmithtv, this workout includes kickboxing, sculpting, HIIT, cardio, Pilates, toning, and fat burning.  It is one hour long.  You will need a set of weights, a mat and two paper plates if on a carpet or two small towels or wash cloths if you are on a regular floor for sliding.

A warm up and cool down are both included.

Wednesday's Wild/Warrior Workout -- HIIT -- Inferno Fat Burning

Today's crazy workout comes from D180Fitness.  It is a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that consists of 7 circuits.  He explains each of the exercises performed for the circuit before you do them.

There is no warm up--it's really important to do one, especially when doing a HIIT workout.

The first circuit is for the upper body.  It consists of 3 exercises:  dive bombers, plank jacks and break dancers.  He gives a modification for the dive bombers and the break dancers.  You will do 5 reps of each and then repeat the circuit for as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) for 50 seconds.

The second circuit focuses on the lower body.  The exercises are:  jump squat and glute busters, 10 of each continuing again for 50 seconds.

Circuit 3 goes back to upper body.  Here you will do 3 reps of the following 3 exercises:  inch worms, donkey kicks and plank hops (watch the video to see how all of these are done), again for 50 seconds.

Circuit 4 --lower body--alternating jump lunges and cross squats, 10 reps each for 50 seconds.

After a break, you will now repeat each of these circuits again with less time between circuits.

Circuit 5 -- upper body --starts with a plank challenge--60 seconds in front plank, 30 seconds in side plank,  30 seconds on the other side--he gives a modified version if you absolutely need it.  You will do this 3 times.  Remember, for the front plank, keep the abs engaged and the body in-line from the crown of your head to your heels--don't let your hips drop either.  For the side plank, keep your chest open and your shoulders back and down--envision your upper back is pressed against a wall.  This one is 6 minutes long--hang in there!

Circuit 6 --lower body--30 seconds of speed squats, 30 seconds alternating (jump) lunges, 30 seconds of glute busters and 30 seconds of jump squats--1 time each.

Circuit 7 is a tabata--4 minutes total 20 seconds work 10 second rest for 8 rounds.  The exercise is pulse push ups--do what you can in that 20 seconds.

Circuit 8 is another tabata--1 arm burpees 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds--again he gives a modification using both hands--if that's too much you can step it back and forward instead of jumping.

Don't forget to cool down and stretch afterward--this is a total body workout--stretch your entire body.

The link to the workout video is below the picture.

Inferno Fat Burning Session

Tuesday's Trunk & Core -- Stability Ball Core Workout

Today's workout comes from .  It is Day 23 of her 30 day workout challenge.

All 10 exercises use a stability ball.  If you don't have one, she gives an alternate workout on her website, benderfitness.com.  The exercises are done for 50 seconds with 10 seconds rest.

No warm up or cool down are provided, please do those on your own.

If you have back issues, don't do the back-bend over the ball--too much risk.

Monday's Motivation + Challenge of the Week

Happy Monday!

Here is this week's challenge:

I want you to change your mindset and attitude about fitness this week.   Being fit and healthy is not supposed to be something that you do and then you stop doing (like a diet--I really hate that word).  Being fit and healthy is meant to be a way of life.  Nobody else is in your way to a healthier life except you.

So, choose (what you do and what you eat) wisely.  If you do that, you are on your own way to a fitter life!

Sunday's Recipe Share -- Pumpkin Banana Baked Oatmeal

Breakfast for dinner, yay or nay?  In my family, it's a big YAY!!!  My family loves breakfast.  Last night I wanted to do a breakfast for dinner, but I wanted to do something different.  So, I looked through my multitude of Pinterest pins and found this recipe for Pumpkin Banana Baked Oatmeal.

I haven't really been eating much oatmeal since going gluten free, but I found some gluten-free oats at Trader Joe's and decided I could have these once in a while.  (Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they are usually processed on the same equipment as wheat products--the oats I bought are not).

This baked oatmeal is AWESOME.  I changed a couple of things from the original recipe, but not too many.

I got the recipe off of the Skinnytaste website.  The link to the recipe is below the picture (I totally forgot to take my own picture--it did look just like the one here though).

 Pumpkin Banana Baked Oatmeal

Here are the changes I made--First I used gluten free whole oats.  Second, I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.  Third, my version is dairy free--I used almond milk--that's what I had in the fridge--I'd also use coconut milk.  Lastly, I'd use less pumpkin pie spice next time, maybe just the 1 tsp--it was a little too much clove for my taste.

The family loved it.  I will definitely be making this again.

I served it with a side of bacon and a large family sized omelet that we shared among 4 of us.  For breakfast, I'd eat it with just the bacon...in fact, the leftovers are calling me....