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! 

Motivation Monday: Beauty Must-Haves for the Gym Bag

It seems a lot of ladies are deterred from working out, not because the time it takes to actually workout, but because of the travel/workout/shower/get ready time...which can be a lot. (See this Post by the Hollywood Housewife.)

When I leave the gym, I usually go straight to my afternoon nanny job. While this doesn't require a full shower/blow dry session, I usually like to freshen up. There are other times I'm going somewhere I need to look a bit more presentable...Here are a few of my beauty must-haves.

Tinted moisturizer- This is a double-duty product to use after wiping off my face when a workout is over. Evens out my skin, and gives me a little moisture as well. I've also used the oil-free (in the summer) and both are great! 

Dry Shampoo- I've tried several brands of dry shampoo, and I keep coming back to this $2 baby from Target (although I did recently try the Dry Bar brand Dry Shampoo and loved it, but for $20 I'm just going to pretend it never happened)

Body Spray- The little bottles of PINK body splash at VS are great. They are perfect for tossing in your gym back. The scents are fresh, but not too heavy.

Cucumber Wipes- I love these. They are great for taking make-up off before a sweaty workout or cleaning up after. I don't always take my make-up off before working out, but if I know it will be a particularly sweaty day (yoga, cardio, leg day) then I will. The cucumber scent is fresh and not over-powering at all. 

Lip Gloss- I usually just throw on some burts bees, but for some extra color these NYX lip butters are great. They go on so smooth and are only a few bucks at Ulta! 


Other musts: 

Deodorant- Obviously. I love Degree Men's deodorant!

Burts Bees- My ultimate must have. My husband and I have several tubes lying around. I've tried a lot of chap stick and lip balm, but this is the best (and the only things that works in dry Utah winters).

A Hat- When all else fails, and your hair isn't cooperating. Fortunately, ball caps are in! I have a black nike cap to wear with workout outfits and a navy JCrew cap I picked up on sale. There are tons of caps available right now- perfect way to cover up a bad hair day, protect your skin from the sun, and look chic while doing it! 

Bronzer- Again, depending on where you are heading will change how much make-up you'll want to throw on, but a nice dust of bronzer will give a little color and glow. I'm currently looking for a new one, so I don't have any good suggestions in this category! 



What are your post-workout beauty go-to's?

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! 

via 

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! 

Motivation Monday: Spring Break

Happy first week of March! Daylight savings is around the corner, and so is Spring Break! My family is spending spring break at a cute little beach house in Santa Barbara which is just the motivation I needed to get my butt in gear. I got serious last week and got all 6 of my workouts in (a nice change form the week previous, when I was lazy and sick). 

As additional motivation/bribery for myself, I told myself I could schedule a facial once I got all my workouts in. I had a 30% off facial at my gym, and I'm scheduled for next week. Worked like a charm. Figure out what motivates you and do it! 

Last week's workouts were as follows: 

Monday- Back/Bi's
Tues- Cardio/Abs
Wed- Shoulders
Thurs- Cardio
Fri- Legs
Sat- Chest/tris and light cardio

I plan to stick with a similar schedule for the remainder of the month pulling from the Jamie Eason bodybuilding.com workout plan as well as the Muffin Topless workout plan. Both are great.

SO. If you are looking for motivation, just remember- spring and summer are around the corner! Now that the weather is warming up, get outside for a little extra physical activity and enjoy the fresh air. I believe that any body is a "bikini body", but that everyone should also feel confident on the beach or when pool-side. It's no fun being self-conscious when you should be enjoying life and having fun. So do yourself a favor and put in some extra work this month. Make YOURSELF proud. 

Happy Monday! 

W.O.W: Leg Day

Happy Workout Wednesday! 

In honor of Hump Day I'm sharing my most recent leg/glute workout. I started doing legs on Fridays a few weeks ago. I switch up my other workouts, but I always do legs on Fridays because I get off early and don't have to be anywhere after my mid-day workout....which is good because I'm always a hot mess after leg day. You will be seriously sweating after this workout..... 

Enjoy!! 

W.O.W

Happy Wednesday! I can't believe the week is already half over! Can I just say, Monday should just be part of the weekend? I LOVED this long, lazy, labor day weekend. Spent plenty of time lounging and watching netflix, and was able to find some great deals at the labor day sales. 

And....we took the plunge a couple weeks ago and bought this baby! We don't have a TV, but we have a nice blender haha....I guess we have our priorities straight ;) 

This week I am linking up for Workout Wednesday! 

Ironically, I left my gym bag at home this morning (fully packed, and waiting by the door....) so I didn't make it to the gym for a workout. BUT here is the back/bicep workout I did yesterday. 

only girl in the weight area and wearning pink pants, naturally. gotta love lulu.

Warmup- 10 min elliptical/ cardio of your choice 

Back:

cable seated row 

one arm dumbbell rows

barbell deadlift

wide grip lat pull downs

Biceps:

dumbbell curls

cross body hammer curls

21's

[I did 3x 8-10 on all of these-- remember, weight, reps and sets depend on your individual goals!]

By the time this was over, I was wiped out! 

matchy-matchy in all pink in the locker room....



Happy hump day!!!

What's in my gym bag....

A few of my gym essentials....

1. A huge Under Armour bag to hold all of my stuff- and big enough to shove my work clothes and shoes into for post-work workouts. 

2. Yes to Cucumbers Face Wipes- These are perfect for wiping off make-up before a workout, or for freshening up after getting sweaty. You can pick them up at target. 

3. Lulu Lemon Capris- I find that these are worth investing in. Some women need high quality sports bras, but I buy cheap tank tops and sports bras and for me- a nice thick pair of capris is essential. 

4. Lulu Lemon headbands- these will stay put for your whole workout! 

5. Burt's Bees chap stick- use once and keeps your lips moisturized for your whole workout, plus it has no color and isn't sticky. You can get this at target.

6. Hot pink nikes- need I say more?

Back at it....

I took a last minute trip out of town last week to see my family in California. Since I knew we'd only be there a few days, I let myself induldge a little (okay, a lot) It's just rude to say no to Mom's fresh blueberry muffins and stuffed french toast not to mention amazing BBQ on the 4th of July--but by the time I left I was feeling yucky. I feel a huge difference in myself when I'm eating well vs eating junk!  I think every once in a while I need to remind myself of why it's so important to keep a clean diet!

Fortunately, since I've been back I 've stayed consistent with my meals and workouts. I honestly think the key to getting back to work is having it in your mind that you'll be back at the gym soon after getting home- and then going-- No excuses! I knew I'd only feel worse if I put off my workouts, and I'm glad I had the will power to force me to get off my butt and go.

I don't regret the indulgences I had, and to be honest I felt like I needed a break. I was feeling burnt out, and no longer looked forward to my workouts before we left. With a few days off I felt rejuvenated and excited to be back in my normal routine....listen to your body!! There is reason that when starting a new workout routine you shouldn't go crazy hitting the gym 5 days per week, because after a few weeks, you probably won't enjoy it anymore. Start slow. Habits change over time, not overnight! 

A few tips for getting back into a healthy routine after some time off:

• drink a lot of water
• get your butt up! if you don't feel like a full workout, go for a long walk or jog to get your body moving again
• stock up on healthy food- no need to tempt yourself with more crap
• go easy on yourself- what's done is done and you can only move forward

I made this for dinner on Monday and it was so good! Quinoa salad made with roasted corn and peppers topped with blackened chicken and avocado- delish! Even my husband (who doesn't usually lie quinoa) loved it. 

Happy almost weekend!!

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!!

Back and Biceps

Today was my favorite workout of my split- Back and Bi's. I've seen progress much quicker on my upper body than on my lower body....unfortunately I fall in to the category of women (which is most) who lose weight from the top down. My trouble spot has always been my legs, and it's going to take a lot of work to get to where I'd like to be. Fortunately I continue to see progress in my upper body and that really keeps me motivated.

Tonights Back and Bi's workout:

(I always start with a few warm up sets for each body part.)

cable seated rows 
one arm dumbbell row 
wide grip pulldown behind the neck 
dumbell incline curl 
cross body hammer curl
dumbbell alternate bicep curl 
21s  


Reps and sets are different depending on the weight used, and of course what your goals are. I did 3 sets and my reps varied depending on the exercises-- at this time I am doing lower reps and higher weights (except for 21's, obviously).

Now that it is summer time, I'm enjoying tons of fresh salads and fruit and I'm loving every minute of it! 

Happy hump day! 

Memorial Day Weekend & Healthy Living

A little weekend recap- but first! My take on the "healthy lifestyle" concept.

Everyone talks about the importance of a healthy "lifestyle". In reality everyone's life is different, and you just need to figure out what works for YOU! This takes trying different things, and also depends on what your goals are. If your health is a priority (which it should be) make time and feed your body and soul with good nutrition and endorphins!! Living a healthy lifestyle is all about balance- not deprivation, starvation, or punishing yourself. Everyone deserves to feel good in their own skin! :) Find something you enjoy and do it! 

I love a good 3 day weekend, and this weekend was excellent. It was spent working out, cooking good food, and spending time outside (with my best friend obviously). 

I didn't workout Friday morning, so we went to the gym Friday night, then came home and made a delicious dinner (stuffed flank steak- so good). It was so nice just to stay home and relax! 

[what a babe] - contact me if you need a personal trainer- 
Brian is doing online training! 

Saturday I worked out in the morning while my sweet husband took our car to have the safety/emission inspections and get it registered :) I am so glad  I didn't have to participate in that. We also went to a baby shower and hung out in Salt Lake for a bit. 

Sunday was beautiful- none of the kiddos showed up to my Sunday school class, and of course Arrested Development is back-- yes! We finished the night with a walk around the lake- the weather was perfect! 

perfect. 

Monday morning we slept in for the first time in a long time. I did a quick interval workout, then we went on a picnic by the lake in our neighborhood. I am obsessed with our neighborhood-- so open, so many trails, and of course the lake that's a 5 minute walk from our house. As much as I miss California, I sure do love Daybreak.

fruit with greek yogurt dip, multigrain chips with salsa, and little sandwhiches- yum!

We finished off the weekend with froyo from Menchies. And then I cried about having to go back to work ;) 

nothing better than napping in the sun!

SO-- this post just goes to show that you can be active, eat healthy and not be deprived!! I have never felt as happy (mentally and physically) as I do now- and it's because I love and take care of my body. Everyone deserves the same happiness!

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....)

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!

Plan Ahead!

"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail" pretty much sums up the importance of making preparations ahead of time. I've always been a planner- almost to a fault. I like to plan out almost everything (except for my weekends, oddly enough) outfits, meals, workouts- you name it.

I realize that this isn't something that comes as naturally for everyone. It's important to plan ahead so when the time comes to act (whether that be on eating a meal or doing a workout)  you are prepared. It's a lot easier for me to get up at 5am when I know I have my pre-workout on the counter and my gym clothes laid out- it's less work for me. Here are a few tips for success when it comes to planning


1. Use your down time wisely- If you have an extra hour (or even 20 minutes) in the evening, you can easily prep your breakfast and lunch for the next day, so you aren't left to get takeout if you end up sleeping through your alarm. Even while you're watching TV you can throw some chicken in the oven and chop a few veggies during commercials- easy peasy!

a little meal prep

2. Make a list- Always make a list before going grocery shopping. Make sure to buy plenty of healthy options to have for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Just don't forget the list!

3.Use a planner- It doesn't matter if it's an actual paper planner or in your phone- just use it. I use mine to plan the workouts I'm going to do during the week, and the meals I have plan to have.For me- once it's written down I'm more likely to stick to it. This is also beneficial because I can plan my workouts around my schedule depending on what I have going on for the day. Some days the morning is better, and other days I prefer afternoons or evenings. 

my planner

4. Know yourself- If you hate running, don't plan your gym time around the treadmill. If you hate chicken or broccoli- don't buy it! Try new things and have fun! Working out and eating healthy should not be miserable- it should be about making your life healthier and happier. If you have the opportunity- go to a new class at the gym or try a new recipe. You may just find your new fav!

Remember: Planning is all about making your life easier in the long run!

Calories: Quality Over Quantity

Quality over quantity-I think this mantra can apply to many aspects of life, but definitely has application in health and fitness. When it comes to calories (whether you're counting them or not) quality is always more important than quantity. I'm sure everyone has seen the diagrams comparing 2000 calories of junk food compared to 2000 calories of healthy food- and with healthy food, you always get a lot more bang for your buck. 

If you are just starting out or are trying to lose weight, I'd suggest counting calories only at the very beginning- just to get an idea about how each thing you eat is adding up. After that, put your focus on eating clean foods instead. 

By clean foods I mean foods that are as close to their natural form as possible i.e, vegetables and fruits, leans meats (nothing from the deli counter), whole grains etc. [I do not mean eating Smart Ones and packaged protein bars.]

I always prep my food for work the night before!

At this point I probably eat about 1800 calories per day. I eat clean 80-90% of the time and I work out about 5 days/ week. I'm trying to gain muscle and lose fat, but my body needs fuel to gain that muscle!!
 
It's much easier and less time consuming to not have to stress about counting calories. I started using MyFitness Pal about a year ago to count calories, and it became an unhealthy obsession for a little while. Focus your energy on eating foods that will benefit your body, and you'll be a lot happier!

 Remember-- "You can't out train a bad diet!


An update on the early workouts-- I am still loving it! I'm still aiming for at least 3x per week and my body is starting to get used to it.... 

this is becoming my best friend for early a.m. workouts

I LOVE the quiet gym in the morning

leg day this morning- slowly seeing progress