| High Hopes Wellness |
|
1 Comment
I think I've admitted before that I am not a natural born runner, so I'm always on the lookout for programs like this! On the books: Color Run- August 18, St. Louis Hell Run- September 1, Chicago Car-X Crazy K- September 9, Chmpaign If anyone wants to join me for any of these races, please let me know! Always the more the merrier:o) 
Made improvements for the most part!
Today was rough! My quads are killing me and I'm just spent in general, probably from the craziness of yesterday! (All day in the sun, Group Boot Camp style workout, Insanity.) I'm seeing great results though, and after only 2 weeks!!! I know you can't get instant gratification in fitness and weigh-loss, but this definitely happens quickly. Feeling good :o)  I've been doing Insanity for the last couple weeks, so I decided to design a Dirty Dozen for this weekend's workout using exercises from the series. Get ready to sweat! What you'll need: A timer/alarm, water, towel, & some kick-ass tunes!
 1. Power Jumps Begin in a squat. Using your arms to propel you, jump and bring your knees up as high as you can. Land softly in the starting squat position.  2. Suicide Drills Sidestep to the right as fast as possible, touching the floor with one hand after 3-4 steps. Repeat on other side. (Each side counts as one rep.)  3. Push-Up Jacks Begin in a plank position. Jump your legs out wide while lowering yourself into a push-up. Jump back to plank while you straighten your arms.  4. Low Plank Oblique Begin in a forearm plank. Bend your right knee and raise it toward your shoulder, engaging your obliques the entire time. Return to starting position. This is one rep. Switch sides until you get to 12.  5. Upright Mountain Climbers Your legs are running with high knees, while your opposite arm reaches toward the ceiling. Keep your torso erect & abs engaged. One on each side= 1 rep.  6. Ski Down Begin standing up straight with your feet together. Slightly bend your knees and jump laterally, landing softly with slightly bent knees. Switch directions. Use your arms to propel you, keep your body facing forward, & your feet close together.  7. V Push- Up Start in a plank and walk your feet in toward your hands until your butt is in the air & your body makes a V. (Ignore her foot in the air in the picture; both feet should be on the floor, raised onto your toes.) Turn your hands in so fingertips are facing each other & lower into a push-up, elbows going out.  8. Ski Abs Begin in plank position. Keeping your feet together, hop to one side of your body towards your hands while keeping your palms firmly planted on the ground. (Pictured right.) Hop back into plank, then hop to the other side of your body. One side= one rep. 9. 1-2-3 Heisman Shown in video below 10. Vertical Jump Pretty straight forward. Start standing with feet about shoulder width apart. Bend knees slightly, use arms to propel you, and jump as high as you can, raising your arms over your head while you're in the air.  11. Triceps Dips Get into a tabletop position on the floor. Push your hips toward the ceiling, then bend arms and dip down. Return to starting position.  12. In-Out Abs Start in a plank. Jump in toward hands, keeping feet together. Jump back to plank. REPEAT!Good luck, have fun, and KILL IT!!!
Good morning & happy Monday, folks! I thought I'd make a quick post about how to start your week on a positive note by giving back. Last night I was browsing active.com for local races, and I came across the Nike Grind charity, which I had somehow never heard of before. As fellow gym rats/fitness junkies, I'm sure you have a pair of shoes or two that have become too funky for even the hottest, sweatiest lawn mowing days. Donating them would be downright cruel, so they probably end up getting tossed & ending up in a landfill, right? Well, no more!
Nike accepts old tennis shoes of any brand, no matter the condition (must not contain any metal), and makes them into a grind that can be used to build tracks, tennis courts, inter-locking gym flooring tiles, playground surfaces, and even new Nike products. For more info on how the process works and how to get involved, check out the website: http://www.nikereuseashoe.com/get-involved/individual-shoe-recycling Hope everyone has a great week! Warning: BRUTAL metabolic meltdown coming through!
Sounds like fun, right?!? This is another weekend killer brought to you by Chichi Kix (http://fitvillains.tumblr.com). I have personally tried all the weekend workouts that I post & I have to say, Chichi is one of my biggest role models for sure. And MAN, can homegirl plan a circuit!! GET READY TO SWEAT;)
9 exercises. 1000 reps. INTENSE. CRAZY. AMAZING. How To Do It
Beast Unleashed Circuit
FURTHER EXPLANATION OF EXERCISES & MODIFICATIONS AFTER THE JUMP!! 
Knock out your fiber needs with cholesterol-lowering oatmeal! Just one serving of oatmeal (1/2 cup dry) has 2 grams of soluble fiber. According to the Mayo Clinic, 10 grams or more of soluble fiber daily decreases your total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. We’ve got tasty ways to get your day started right by enjoying high-fiber oatmeal. For each bowl, start with 1/2 cup of instant or dry oatmeal. Cook according to package directions, then add our delicious themed toppings. • Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal You’ll definitely love the pumpkin flavor in this sweet bowl of oatmeal. Ingredients: * 2 tablespoons fat-free vanilla yogurt * 1 tablespoon pumpkin butter * 1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice Nutrition: 137 cal., 2 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 44 mg sodium, 27 g carb., 2 g fiber, 4 g pro. • Cheesy Hash Brown Oatmeal This recipe is a staff favorite! The oats blend right in with the hash browns for a south-of-the-border taste. Ingredients: * 1/4 cup cooked hash brown potatoes * 2 tablespoons shredded Monterey Jack cheese * 1 tablespoon salsa Nutrition: 244 cal., 11 g total fat (4 g sat. fat), 13 mg chol., 310 mg sodium, 29 g carb., 3 g fiber, 8 g pro. • Tropical Coconut Oatmeal Get whisked away to the tropics with a bet-you-never-tried-it combo of flavors in this oatmeal. Ingredients: * 1 tablespoon macadamia nuts, chopped * 2 tablespoons toasted, shredded coconut * 2 tablespoons dried pineapple Nutrition: 262 cal., 13 g total fat (6 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 54 mg sodium, 34 g carb., 4 g fiber, 5 g pro. • Hot Cocoa Oatmeal Think hot cocoa mix only goes a mug? We’ve re-envisioned it as an oatmeal topper. Ingredients: * 1 tablespoon instant hot cocoa mix * 2 tablespoons mini marshmallows Nutrition: 221 cal., 3 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 156 mg sodium, 44 g carb., 3 g fiber, 5 g pro. • Bacon & Salsa Oatmeal This oatmeal recipe proves that you can still enjoy bacon on a heart-healthy diet if you eat it in moderation. Ingredients: * 1 strip chopped, cooked bacon * 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cheddar cheese * 2 tablespoons diced tomato * 1 tablespoon sliced green onion Nutrition: 172 cal., 8 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 17 mg chol., 295 mg sodium, 16 g carb., 2 g fiber, 10 g pro. • Blueberry Nut Oatmeal No pancakes here! Transition traditional flapjacktoppers into oatmeal flavor-boosters. Ingredients: * 1/4 cup blueberries * 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts * 1 tablespoon maple syrup Nutrition: 204 cal., 7 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 7 mg sodium, 34 g carb., 3 g fiber, 4 g pro. • Apple Crisp Oatmeal Crisp apples, granola, and almonds put bite in your oatmeal bowl. Ingredients: * 1/2 cup chopped apple * 2 tablespoons low-fat granola * 1 tablespoon chopped almonds * 1/8 teaspoon apple pie spice Nutrition: 200 cal., 6 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 40 mg sodium, 34 g carb., 5 g fiber, 6 g pro. • Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal A dab of peanut butter and a sprinkle of chocolate chips are all you need to jazz up your oatmeal. Ingredients: * 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter * 1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips Nutrition: 257 cal., 14 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 78 mg sodium, 27 g carb., 3 g fiber, 8 g pro. • Turtle Sundae Oatmeal Pure indulgence, this sweet treat hardly seems like another boring oatmeal breakfast. Ingredients: * 1/4 cup fat-free whipped dessert topping * 2 tablespoons pecans * 1 tablespoon sugar-free caramel dessert topping Nutrition: 252 cal., 12 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 45 mg sodium, 34 g carb., 3 g fiber, 4 g pro. • Trail Mix Oatmeal Bring trail mix to your breakfast table by tossing the grab-and-go bits on your oatmeal. Ingredients: * 2 tablespoons mix dried fruit bits * 2 tablespoons dry-roasted mixed nuts * 1 tablespoon flaxseed Nutrition: 276 cal., 14 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 18 mg sodium, 33 g carb., 6 g fiber, 8 g pro. Can’t get enough oats? Read on for even morerecipes that use this heart-smart whole grain. 
Cardio Power & Resistance I forgot to mention yesterday that I first tried Insanity about a year and a half ago. I couldn't even make it through the fit test, and I think I just wasn't ready. (It was a big reality check as to how out of shape I had become-I joined a gym about a week later!) I digress...I am READY NOW & I'm feeling great so far! Day 2 is over & I'm not gonna lie, it was hard! Just like yesterday & probably most days will be. I had to take a couple breathers, but I kept pushing (Shaun T is my hero!) and I made it through. Even though there are moments you want to give the TV the finger, you end up feeling amazing at the end. Not sure if you can really tell the extent from that picture, but I went through 3 bottles of water & sweated out about the same amount!! For some reason the hardest exercise for me today were the Globe Jumps. A big goal for me during this program is to improve my endurance so moves like that get a little easier. I'm going to share my fit test results and keep a journal on here to chronicle my insane little adventure and track my progress. So here we go! Fit Test One
 ...and it was GREAT! We started with the Plyometric Cardio Circuit &I think we have a really amazing group of people who want to continue improving their lives, and I get excited about that:) I'm really looking forward to encouraging, challenging, and pushing each other over the next 60 days and I CAN'T WAIT to see what the photo from our LAST workout is going to look like! This program is hard, but it's honestly FUN, especially with the group atmosphere.
Working out was always my "me time" until I took my first Body Pump class. Then came Boot Camps, Fit Clubs, and now Challenge Groups. If you've never worked out in a group setting before, I would encourage everyone to get out there & try something new. I see it changing lives every day, including my own, & that's something I want to share with as many people as I can!! Now it's time to prepare for workout #2- Cardio Power & Resistance. Wish me luck:) Another Zuzana Workout of the Week killer! I had to post this one, if not just for the reptile burpees;) Most of the ZWow's are 10-15 minutes and are an amazing jump-start to your day! Try sharing with a group of around 5 friends and share your results to keep each other accountable! | Author27 year old on a mission! Love to cook, exercise, and get inspired. I'll be posting about all those things here. :o) ArchivesCategoriesAll |
RSS Feed