A Sunday Well Spent...

I've seen this pin floating around recently, and it is SO true! After a nice post-church Sunday nap, it feels good to get a few things done. Spending some extra time on Sunday- even just an hour or two can help you start your Monday on the right foot. 

A few things that I find helpful are prepping some food to make meals easier during the week- this can be as easy as a grain, a veggie, and a meat to throw add into lunches or dinners. 

Options for food prep to make your week easier:

• wash and chop lettuce for salads
• cut up fruit to have for snacks or add to your yogurt
• grilled chicken to add to salads or lunches 
• make a large batch of quinoa or brown rice
• chop veggies to have as on the go snacks
• boil eggs
• make a large batch of soup in your slow cooker 
• overnight oats
• pre-portion your usual go-to snacks (pretzels, pirates booty, pita chips, etc)
• mason jar salads

This week I prepped boiled eggs, tuna salad (basically just tuna + mustard+ some boiled egg white), ground turkey, green beans, and brown rice. I made the rice in my rice cooker for dinner tonight (we had lettuce wraps) so it was easy peasy to add a few extra servings in to have for left overs (tomorrow we'll have burrito bowls). Ground turkey is one of my favorites to prep- it tastes delicious re-heated and its easy to mix up with rice for a yummy protein-packed lunch. 


Other easy things to make your work week start off on the right foot: make sure you have (at least some) laundry done, pack your lunch and gym bag, make sure your keys are in the right spot ;), wash sheets/towels, etc. It always feels good to go to sleep in an organized home on Sunday night...

Have a great week!

Living with a sweet-eater (while trying to live a healthy lifestyle)

You would never guess by looking at my husband (5% body fat and chiseled abs) but he has the biggest sweet tooth on the planet...and he isn't afraid of a few (dozen) cookies. When we first got married, I'd make him his favorite cookies all the time- peanut butter cookies with mini Reeses cups. Of course, I'd want a few. So I'd eat them. After a while I realized the two of us have very different metabolisms. He's an ectomorph and I can gain weight pretty very easily. 

I eventually eased off on the cookies (although I still make them a few times per month), and they are no longer the temptation they once were. Fortunately we've both changed our eating habits quite a bit in the last 3 years. We eat a healthy diet and live a pretty active lifestyle. I've lost about 10 lbs since we got married (....and I think my husband has gained 10lbs in muscle, but that's neither here nor there...) How do I continue to stay on track with sweets in the house??

my love <3

• I realized that he's not eating sweets to punish me. This sounds silly, but for a while I would get upset that he could eat so many cookies and not gain an ounce. Eventually I realized, he will eat cookies from time to time. It's not the end of the world if I  have 1 or 2 cookies, but I always need to remind myself that if 1 cookie is good, 6 is NOT better. 
• If I don't feel like eating junk I'll blend up a protein shake...which to me basically tastes like a milk shake. OR I will pop some popcorn, and if I'm really feeling crazy I'll throw some dark chocolate chips in. 
• The key is to know YOURSELF. If you can't just eat 1 cookie, then don't even start! Find a healthy snack you enjoy, and eat that instead. There are tons of healthy recipes for mug cakes, clean cookies, protein pancakes, shakes/smoothies, etc that will satisfy any sweet or chocolate craving. 
• If you do have self-control, then have a cookie or 2, and forget about the rest. I usually do baking on the weekends. If we sit down to watch a movie or netflix, I will have my cookie(s), and B will have his...and I will bag up the rest. Later in the week I usually am not even tempted, since I've already had a few...and he eats the rest in no time at all...

Again, the key is moderation, self-control, and not obsessing. If having sweets in the house (that you are forbidding yourself from) makes you crazy, then tell your significant other about it. Enjoy your favorites in moderation, and if you feel it's necessary, just ask them to eat their sweets when you aren't home. Having your partner on board (or at least support you) is a huge part of being successful with a lifestyle change, but just remember your goals! 

W.O.W 3/26

It's been a while since I've done Workout Wednesday, so I thought I'd share the back/ bicep workout I've been doing....

Warmup: 5-10 min cardio of choice

3 sets 8-12
(sets/reps vary depending on your goals)

Back:
Assisted Pull-Ups

Cable Seated Row
T-bar Row
Lat Pull Down
Single Arm Dumbell Row

Biceps:
Alternating single arm bicep curl- Dropsets*
Cross body hammer curls
21's


*Drop Sets means starting with a heavier weight (that you can still get atleast 6 -10 reps with) and then dropping the weight, and continuing until failure with the lighter weight. This really fatigues the muscle, and improves strength! 

Happy Wednesday! 

Weekend Faves

This past weekend was pretty laid back. We had a few errands to run, as it was our last weekend before going out of town. I indulged in 2 of my favorites! Chipotle and Menchies...so good!

On Saturday night we hit the gym. It was so quiet!

Sunday was perfect. After church we had a Sunday nap, I made a yummy dinner, we took a walk, facetimed with my family, and I made some delicious blueberry bread. All of my favorite Sunday activities :)

sauteed grape tomatoes, red peppers, and kale with olive oil and garlic. Panko breaded tilapia, and garlic brown rice/quinoa. Yum! 

Happy Tuesday!

Progress not Perfection...

It's been a long, strange week. Lots of changes. Lots of stress and anxiety. But mostly, a lot to look forward to.....

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I saw this on my pinterest this week, and it really resonated with me. It also made me thing of the saying  "if you aren't moving forward, you're moving backwards". I felt like some changes needed to be made in my life. I felt like I was stuck.  But that's the good thing...we can always make changes. Always tweak. Improve. Decide what's no longer working for us. And that's the beauty. 

We decide what works for ourselves. Not what works for your friend, or sister, or coworker. Who the hell cares what they are doing??? Focus on improving yourself, and you'll always be on the right path. It might be stressful at times. It won't always be a walk in the park. But nothing worth having comes easy. 

On that note...TGIF!

Try Something New!

Happy Sunday! Spring is almost here and I am loving the longer days. It's always good to switch up your routine when in a rut, especially after a long winter. This week I tried spin for my first time and I loved it! I plan on making it part of my Saturday Morning from now on. I can't believe how much fun it was, and how much I worked up a sweat.... I'm excited to bring my husband next week! 

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Accountability for the last week....

I have been sticking to my plan this month and it feels great. Here were my workouts for the last week:

Monday- Back/bi's 
Tues- Legs 
Wednesday- shoulders 
Thursday- Cardio 
Friday- chest/tries
Saturday- Spin 
Sunday- Rest day 

I made a big effort to increase my weight or reps in my workouts because I felt I was getting into a rut, and not pushing myself. I noticed a big difference and was super sore! You will be amazed at what your body is capable of if you just push yourself! Staying in that comfort zone isn't doing you any favors...

This time of year it's so much easier for me to hit the gym, and get out and be active. I'm happy I've stayed pretty consistent in the gym this winter, but I've kicked it up a notch this month, and I feel really good. It's amazing what those endorphins can do for you. It's not only easier for me to get my exercise in this time of year, but I also crave fruits and veggies like crazy! I've been on a smoothie kick and I don't see it stopping any time soon. Smoothies are difficult to drink when it's snowing out, but now that it's a a bit warmer I cannot get enough! I'm perfecting my green smoothie and will be posting soon...


SO...Try something new this week...a new recipe, vegetable, workout-- anything! 

Happy Sunday! 

New on the grocery list...

It takes a lot for me to permanently add something to our rotation, but recently a few loves have been found.

Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Chips I've been getting these from costco for a while and they are so good, I don't even miss "real" chips. They are delicious with salsa, hummus, or guac.

Cream of rice I used to eat oatmeal everyday (with some concoction of egg whites, almond milk, pb2 or whatever else sounded good) but I've been dealing with some GI issues and decided to try cutting some things out of my diet. I went with cream of rice instead and it's delicious. I've always liked cream of wheat and it's very similar (but GF). I add a scoop of protein powder and it's delicious.

Questbars These are seriously the best protein bars. If you bake them they turn into cookies. I've gotten a few samples over the past few months, and finally bought a box at the fitness expo we went to a couple weeks ago. 20 grams of protein and 3-5g net carbs you cannot go wrong. My favorite flavors are Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and White Chocolate Raspberry. 

Ezekiel Bread It took forever for me to try it, but thanks to Jazzything's suggestion at the motivational event a few months ago I tried it. And loved it. It's flourless and is made from sprouted grains. It makes the best toast and is delicious with avocado (but what isn't?)

Coconut flavored La Croix I've tried a few flavors and this one is the best! It's really good with a little pineapple juice too.

Zevia This one is for my husband. It's soda sweetened with stevia and it's delicious. He likes the cream soda flavor. We get this at sprouts, but I've seen it at Whole Foods and Harmons.

Superfood salad mix Also from Costco, this delicious blend of kale and a bunch of other greens is delicious. I've used the craisin/pumpkin seeds it comes with in a chopped salad (with apples, chicken, etc) But I've never used the dressing it comes with. 


Have you come across any new faves recently? 

Get Some Beauty Sleep!

Let me preface this by saying, until very recently,  I've never been the early to bed, early to rise type. In high school I stayed up late and got up early. In college I stayed up later and slept in. It wasn't until I finally got a 9-5 job that I started getting into better sleep habits. A few months after that, I got a wild hair and started getting up at 5am to work out. With a new job, I've been forced to get up even earlier. Now that I'm used to it I feel better than ever, and am sleeping like a baby. By some miracle, it's not too terrible when my alarm goes off at 4:45 (unlike in college, when i wanted to curl up and die if I had to face the world before 10am).

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Obviously I have to get up early now, but I honestly feel SO much better being on such a good sleeping schedule.  I used to have problems falling asleep at night, but now I'm tired by 9 and fall asleep easily. I realize 9 is pretty early, but hear are a few tips for anyone trying to change their sleeping habits:

• The first day you wake up early, do not take a nap. This is very important. I realize you feel like you could fall asleep mid-day, but just stay awake until at least 8 and your life will be so much easier. I made this  mistake, and it actually makes it harder to sleep at night, then you feel even more tired in the morning. Lose-Lose. 
• If you have trouble going to bed so early at first, do something relaxing before bed. Take a hot bath, read a book, whatever. Some people say no phones/TV, but I find it easy to fall asleep to a show or movie in bed. If you find yourself getting sucked into your phone or a TV show before bed, don't even start!
• Prepare the night before. Lay out your clothes, pack your lunch, whatever you need to do to make the morning go more smoothly. I'm usually far from peppy at 5am, so this makes things easier for my tired self. 
• Slowly change your bed time. If your usual bedtime is midnight, but you try hopping into bet at 10, you probably won't be tired. Change your bedtime 30 minutes at a time, and slowly make it earlier. This will give your body a chance to get used to a change.

In the past I always felt tired, used caffeine to stay awake and had to deal with the caffeine/sleep deprivation vicious cycle. I think this is the first time in my life I feel awake throughout the day, have plenty of energy to work out, and am sleeping like a baby at night. 

Motivation Monday: Weekend Motivational Event Re-cap

This weekend I attended the Motivational event put on by the Instagram Famous Amy- aka @fitamysuzanne. She lives in the area and I actually met her through mutual friends a few years ago (before her fitness journey started), so it felt a little "stalker-ish" going, but I am so glad I did. My husband came a long and he enjoyed it just as much as I did.  Amy shared her story of how she went from a mom who wanted to lose a few pounds to an IFBB pro in a very short amount of time. It was so inspiring to hear from someone who was so "normal" but wasn't content with remaining average. There are so many people who claim they "don't have the time" and she really puts that excuse to rest. She's a nurse and a mom, and trains for competitions a few hours a day. She talked about priorities and basically said, if it's important enough- you will make time.

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Her coach Shane, of Team Heugly also spoke at the event. He talked about the importance of having goals- goals that seem so far out of reach, you question whether they are achievable. This really made me think. Shane's words about setting specific goals and taking steps each day to get there really stuck with me. It really made me think about what I want out of my life, and what it will take to get there. He emphasized having someone who believes in you, and this made me so grateful for my husband....


The last speaker was Jasmine- aka @jazzythings- The healthy dessert extraordinaire. She spoke about having passion and healthy food (which is her passion). She left her high profile job a while back to follow her passion for cooking and you can tell she does everything 100%. Not only is she insanely motivating, but she is hilarious! I am excited to attend the event she is hosting next month! 

I left this event feeling so inspired. Even though the speakers mostly talked about health and fitness, their words really apply in any aspect of life. I'm still buzzing from the event. It left me feeling so positive, uplifted, and motivated to work for what I want in life....it also reminded me of an experience i had last year....

I remember sitting at my cubicle (at a job I held previously). I looked around and I felt like there were so many people who were just content being there. It was a great company and an ok job, and they felt fine about their current situation, and most didn't really seem to have any intent to make any changes. As I looked around I felt bad, and I knew that I wasn't going to just hang out and let life take me along. I knew that I had to work hard, but that it would be worth it! I think I should mention that this wasn't coming from a place of conceit or arrogance. I didn't feel bad for them. I just knew I wanted something different. I'm still working for my "something different" but the event this weekend really made me want to kick it up a notch.

(really poor iphone camera quality haha)

Motivation Monday: Beating the January Blues

As much as I love the fresh start of a new year, January may be my least favorite month. Coming down off of the holiday high is unpleasant enough. But after the post-vacation unpacking,taking down Christmas decor, re-stocking the house with groceries, and looking at the December credit card bills- there is still a whole 31 days of January (not to mention 2-4 months left of winter). [insert #whydidileaveSanDiego? here]  This year seems even worse because there are 5 work weeks in January. Woof. So to combat the winter blues, I've been thinking about what keeps me going (i.e, not staying in bed/crying). And this month I can't even shop, so there goes retail therapy.....

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• Take a long, hot bath. The more bubble bath, bath oil, and candles- the better. I'm still planning on trying this lovely little idea via Into the Gloss. Oh, and don't forget your favorite Pandora station. (for baths, I enjoy Lily Allen or Lana Del Ray.)
• Get outside. I don't care if it's for 5 minutes just do it! Bring along that music and it won't seem so gruesome. 
• Keep working out. The only thing that's worse than the winter blues is the fat winter blues. Avoid that at all costs. Just remind yourself that summer bodies are made in the winter, and keep thinking about the pool/beach/warm body of water you'll be hopping in as soon as the temps are above 50*) 
• For the nights when staying in is the only option (I'm looking at you, Polar Vortex) there is one word- NETFLIX. Some favorites on Netflix include Gossip Girl, White Collar, Psych, New Girl, Breakfast at Tiffany's.....and just this week I realized all 8 seasons of Desperate Housewives are on there. SO if you don't see me for a few days, that's where I'll be. (Don't forget the popcorn, and if at all possible, warm/bearded husband ;)
• Find something to look forward to. A long weekend, a girls night, a ski trip, date night, ANYTHING. Just put it on that shiny new 2014 calendar and let the count down begin. This makes a huge difference.

 Here's to the next few months of wishing I lived in a warmer climate....

What are your tips for beating the January/Winter Blues?

Motivation Monday: New Years Goals/Resolutions

This year, I've decided to do resolutions differently. Instead of trying to overhaul my whole life in January (which is neither realistic nor practical), I'm breaking things up month by month and giving each area 30 days to focus, and hopefully establish new habits. I was inspired by this post by the Hollywood Housewife, the book I read in December (The Happiness Project), and this post which I came across on Pinterest.

Rather than plan my whole year right now, I'll be breaking goals down into categories, and assign each category a month of it's own to focus on. In my situation--early 20's, husband in college, and lease up on my townhome in the summer-- it's really not possible to plan a whole year at a time, so this is a good way to ensure success.  I will plan the first couple of months (and may not even do this every month--and continue as the year progresses. I really think this isn't so much about "resolutions" either- more like goal setting and implementing in an organized manner. But I just so happen to be starting in January. 

This month will be focused on Finances. I'm 23 and feel like I don't have a lot of budgeting and financial experience/knowledge, so I will be reading Dave Ramsey's book, while doing a spending freeze for the month. The holidays did a number on my bank account, so this is the perfect time to get back on track. I plan on only spending on the necessities (groceries, bills, gas) in addition to one planned ski day we have while my husband's cousin is in town. Other than that, the only other thing I want to buy is a planner, which I actually intended on purchasing last week. 

February my focus will be on organization. I will divide the month into segments in order to focus on small projects including cleaning/organizing my closets & bathroom cabinets, and re-vamping my filing system. I also plan to use some of the tips on this post by a Healthy Slice of Life. 

The following months will include things like spirituality, emotional health/positivity,enjoying the great outdoors, and love & marriage. I love this method because it's not overwhelming and actually gives me a plan to accomplish what I want. A win-win, really. 

I will probably be doing updates as the year goes on giving more specifics of each month, and what's working/what isn't.

What are your 2014 goals and resolutions? What's your plan to stick to them this year?

Motivation Monday: Finding Balance

Finding balance can be difficult at all times of the year, but especially during the holidays. The season is in full swing, and the parties and family gatherings will continue for the next few days. Everyone puts so much emphasis on what happens between Thanksgiving and New Years, but really- if the emphasis was placed on what happens between New Years and Thanksgiving, the last month of the year wouldn't (and shouldn't) really matter. 

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Vacations and parties can be difficult health-wise, especially when you aren't the one buying the food for the occasion. But if you practice balance (eat some of your favorites, but don't forget some fruits and veggies) and make a commitment to get back to your normal routine as soon as possible (i.e. don't wait until New Years Day unless absolutely necessary) then there will be no harm done. What's worse than feeling guilty about eating too much pie, is looking back on your life and realizing that you haven't been enjoying it. Obsession is never healthy, and it's important to relax! The holiday season brings the importance of family traditions. While some (or all) of those traditions may be food related- try starting a new tradition  that isn't- anything from a Christmas walk in the afternoon, ice skating, etc. But remember to enjoy. 

Merry Christmas!

xoxo

7 weird foods I'm loving

Here are a few (strange) recent food loves. Kind of an odd bunch, but once I find something I love, I'm obsessed with it for a few weeks (or months) then it's on to the next thing....


1. PB2 I was a bit late to the PB2 party because I couldn't find anywhere that sold it in Utah until the last few months (although it is available on amazon). I first found it at Harmons (local grocery), but now my closest Wal-Mart carries it. I love it in smoothies as well as on rice-cakes. Mix it with apple sauce instead of water for a yummy treat!

2. Rice cakes-- I love these things. My favorite used to be the Trader Joe's brand, but they stopped carrying them. It was a sad day, and I think I'm positive I gasped out loud when the guy at TJ's told me they were discontinued. :(  Now I love the Mother's brand from Whole Foods. Only 35 calories each- can't beat that! Top with peanut butter, PB2, bananas, hummus...the options are endless! 

3. Egg whites- I use a lot of egg whites (plain and in things like protein pancakes, etc.) but I hate separating eggs and throwing away the yolk. These babies are amazing. Once again Costco is my favorite! I have been loving egg whites cooked in coconut oil topped with cinnamon. I'm such a weirdo, but don't knock it till you try it! 

4. Silk Coconut Milk- I've loved the Dark Chocolate Almond milk for a while, but I recently picked this up and it is SO good (It was used in the smoothie I posted yesterday). Tastes amazing by itself and especially in smoothies. 

5.   Luna Bars- For an emergency snack, these are great. My favorite flavor is chocolate peppermint stick! So yummy! 

6.   Popcorn-  one of my favorite treats. I'm obsessed with topping popcorn with a little cinnamon and a few chocolate chips for a sweet and salty treat! My husband thinks I'm crazy, but it's seriously amazing.

7. Cinnamon! Lately I cannot get enough. I put it on everything! Like I mentioned above, on popcorn, egg whites, and even cottage cheese with apples. Naturally I have the big boy from Costco. Never enough cinnamon. 

What foods are you loving lately?

Workout Wednesday: Shoulders and Abs

This week I am linking up with Skinny Meg for Workout Wednesday! 

Tonight was shoulders and abs for me- one of my favorite workouts! Strong shoulders are a very important part of sculpted arms-- it's not all about the biceps!


shoulders

3 x 8-10

[remember to always do a few warm up sets first!]

standing front dumbbell raises
dumbbell arnold press
dumbbell lat raise
dumbbell upright row
standing dumbbell press
dumbbell shoulder shrug



abs
when doing abs i usually do a circuit of 4 movements
repeat circuit 2-4 times, with 20-25 reps

tonight I chose:

mountain climbers
crunches w/ heels on swiss ball
plank 
russian twists w/ medicine ball 

annnd  my shoulders ;) 

happy hump day!!

Motivation Monday

It's Monday and the first of a new month. The perfect time to start working toward your goals. I'm setting myself up for success this month-I am choosing to set my self up for success by planning my meals and workouts ahead of time. If you need help doing the same let me know! 

I indulged a little this weekend, but I also made healthy choices in restaurants-- which used to be a very difficult thing for me-- it's all about the small victories!!

saturday morning in a quiet  gym = my favorite

Brian is doing a lean bulk and has put on about 12 pounds of muscle in the past few months. I am so proud of his hard work!! If you need help with your workout planning, Brian is the man for you!! 

Happy Monday and Happy July!!

Motivation Monday: Positivity

I saw this on Instagram (@laurengleisberg) tonight and it it really struck a chord with me. I feel that people shouldn't be so focused on what everyone else is doing- especially if they don't have anything nice to say about it. 

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If you like something, show support. If you don't- there is no need to comment. I have been told multiple times in the past few weeks that I am  "health freak" and I don't really understand why people need to make comments at all on my lifestyle. I would never call an obese person a "food freak", so why is it ok to comment on people who are choosing to love and take care of their body? I really don't get it. 

If you feel strongly about something, do your own research (please!!!!) and then have a conversation. Don't bash. Period. The world has enough negativity- choose not to fuel the fire. Instead support the people around you- just trust that everyone is doing the best they can, and doing what they believe is best for themselves -- not you. 

The Rest Day & This Weeks Workouts

Today was my rest day and it felt amazing to sleep so long. I went to bed super early last night which made it even better! This is my first rest day of the week- my second will be on Sunday.  Here is this weeks workout plan:

Monday: Legs
Tuesday: am- chest/tris   pm- cardio/ abs
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: am- shoulders/abs  pm- cardio
Friday: back/bis
Saturday: cardio
Sunday: Rest

Rest days are so important because your muscles need time to repair themselves- this is also why it's important to get plenty of sleep at night! Working out is when you break down muscles, but they recover outside of the gym! I usually feel antsy on rest days like I should be in the gym, but today it felt great because I am so sore (which is a good thing).

obsessed with these new nike shorts!

In other news my husband and I are now health coaches for Herbalife- if you are interested in improving your health, let us know! 

my hardworking husband!
(also don't mind the costco recycling in the background....)

Spice up your Salad!

Salads can easily get boring. I've actually let a lot of lettuce go bad in my fridge because I didn't want another boring salad- fortunately salads are easy to change up! I recently switched from romaine to spinach - even just simply switching your greens can make things more interesting. Since salads are such a great way to pack a lot of nutrients into one meal- don't cut them out of your meal plan! 

the salad I had for lunch yesterday:
 spinach, tomatoes, peppers, avocado, strawberries, grilled chicken, & balsamic

Here are a few other options to add some spice to your salad:


almond slivers
pecans
seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc)
beans (black or kidney)
boiled eggs
avocado
peppers 
chicken 
fish
quinoa 
shrimp
lean strips of beef 
red onion 
apples
strawberries
mandarine oranges
cherry tomatoes
olives
salsa  

Motivation Monday

It's a brand new week! If you had a few cheats this weekend, get back on your game and start off strong! I definitely had a nice cheat meal this weekend- it had been too long since I'd had one and it was delicious! But now that it's a new week lets set some goals and make it happen! I really think that everyone should set weekly goals- even if it's as simple as "drink more water" (which I am really trying to do right now) Set goals and keep making progress!

I started my week on Sunday night by meal prepping to make things easier on myself this week. I had everything ready for when my alarm went off at 5am! I can't emphasize enough that planning ahead is really just making your life easier in the long run! My morning went so smoothly because my lunch and breakfast were ready, my outfit was laid out, and my workout clothes were out. Easy peasy! 

supplements ready to go!

meals prepped and ready! 

I  have my workouts and meals planned, and I am excited for a great week! Happy Monday!

Switch it up!

The body is an amazing thing and adapts easily to workouts. To see improvement and make gains, switch up your workouts regularly and keep your body guessing! 

Cardio 
I used to be one of the cardio bunnies in the gym, spending a good 45-60 minutes at a steady pace. There is a reason I wasn't seeing results! Doing cardio at a steady pace for a long period of time is not an efficient way of burning calories or changing your body. Unless you are training for a race (or you just love to run) I really don't see the point in logging hours and hours of cardio per week. 

ways to switch it up:

-intervals: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a very efficient way to do cardio. Not only are you burning more calories in a single workout, but your body will continue to burn more calories when you are done. Interval training is a combination of full intensity and recovery. Another benefit of HIIT is that the workouts are shorter! You can complete a great HIIT workout in 25-30 minutes. HIIT can be done on any type of cardio machine and even outside! 

-inclines:  Walking at a high incline (10+) will keep your heart pounding and is a great workout for your legs too, you can also run at smaller inclines for a great sweat 

-circuit training:circuits are a way of performing exercises one after the other with no break in between to keep your heart rate up during the whole workout. I posted a circuit workout here

Strength
Muscle memory is an amazing thing and if you want to make progress, don't do the exact same workout more than 2 weeks in a row

ways to switch it up:

-change your reps/sets 
-increase weight 
-change up the exercises performed
-rearrange the order of exercises
-muscle groups (i.e back and biceps vs triceps and biceps)


A great tool to keep track of workouts is the Jefit app available for free in the app store! 

gorgeous sunset after the gym the other night 

trying to make progress on my stomach/abs!