#SweatySelfie Contest

In case you have not heard Beachbody is running a competition with the winners receiving Beachbody products.  The contest lasts until September 3rd so get on it quick.

5 winners will receive:
1) 3 Day Refresh Kit
2) 1 bag of Shakeology
3) 1 Recovery Formula
4) Beachbody workout program of your choice (basic kit only)

How to enter:
1) Follow @BeachbodyHQ on Instagram
2) Upload you #SweatySelfie to you Instagram acount
3)Caption #SweatySelfie & Tag @BeachbodyHQ

SUP Summer

With this beautiful weather continuing to grace our presence, I have been able to get outside and go for some runs and longer bike rides (which, by the way, rule). This past weekend officially marked 'Summer' at the Jersey shore, even if the calendar says otherwise. My Memorial Day consisted of laying on the beach and later on grabbing some food and drinks on the water with my closest friends....the absolute best way to spend a beautiful day, in my opinion.

With this nice weather, I always want to find different, fun activities that I can do outside. Luckily I live in an area where there are tons of things to do! Stand up paddle boarding or SUPing is rapidly becoming popular and I have started to see them everywhere in New Jersey. I have always grown up on the water here, but in 2012 I lived in San Diego, California for a year and a half, and that was the first place I saw SUP as often as you see a boogie board. Anyone and everyone was using them. Whether they owned the board or they were renting it, they were everywhere. I think shops around here are just catching on to renting out paddle boards, but trust me, in a few years shops that rent out bikes, chairs, etc. will soon be renting out boards. Ok, sorry for the ramble. Moral of the story to living in California was that I first tried SUP there in Mission bay and rented boards about 3 times. Every time just as fun as the previous! When I moved back home, my friend had purchased a SUP and we had gone out on the ocean [first time SUPing on the ocean--very, very different--and a lot harder--but still just as fun!]

Fast forward to now, my close family friend mentioned that a company in Belmar was starting to offer SUP yoga classes and on a whim, we signed up and attended a class last Tuesday! One of THE coolest fitness experiences to date. Anyone who likes yoga, fitness, SUP, or just likes to try new things, HAS to try this.

We did this class in a lake, but most take place in Shark River. Each board has an anchor attached on a rope so you stay in one place. The paddle floats, so you just wrap an elastic band around the handle on the same rope and drop it in the water. It's a 90 minute class, and you initially go over how to paddle board for those who have never been on one before. The instructor paddles around the whole class, talking to you about what moves to go into, just like a normal yoga class! For moves like crow and headstand, she shows you the different ways you can get into the position and if you don't have those moves perfected on land yet, no worries! It's a class for all levels, so don't be discouraged - and trust me, I have yet to do a headstand on dry land yet.

The company is called The Endless SUP Company and they are located in Belmar, New Jersey. They are currently setting up classes for a total body workout as well, which I will most definitely be trying out.  If you are in the area, or come here for vacation, I highly recommend checking them out for a class or even to rent a board!  

Oh, and GO RANGERS! [ had to throw that in there somewhere ;) ]

Stretching Out a Back Injury

It feels like spring is finally here in NJ and I am beyond excited!

I was unfortunately out of commission last week due to a back injury. I wasn't able to workout last Saturday or Sunday (3/29 & 3/30) just because I was busy with different engagements. I was showering before work Monday morning when I was suddenly overcome with intense pain in my lower back! I felt nauseous, couldn't breathe well, and had a constant sharp pain in my lower right back. I went to see my chiropractor twice over the week and went to my internal doctor just to make sure it was nothing with my kidneys, appendix, or anything like that. I was diagnosed with a lumbago sprain, which can last up to 6 weeks! Fortunately I started feeling a whole lot better Friday afternoon and was even able to go for a jog and attend some gym classes this week.

I have always known that I neglect stretching, especially when it comes to my back. After this injury, I will definitely be making stretching post workout a priority. Stretching your back and legs are crucial, even when you aren't active, and many injuries are caused due to lack of stretching or stretching improperly. Here are some stretches that are great for your back and legs and will help prevent injury:

Back Stretches

https://www.athletico.com/2012/03/28/stretches-to-minimize-back-pain/

[Prone Press-Up, almost like cobra, is my favorite for a lower back stretch. If you have lower back pain or you have a chronic tight lower back, use this exercise daily] 

Leg Stretches

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=1565&page=3

[When you have a back injury, your hamstrings are also directly affected and become tight. Make sure you pay more attention to stretching your hammy's during and after sustaining any back pain] 

* Neglecting your body only makes your fitness journey more difficult! *

{Trying} New Things

On March 9th, I decided that I would remove sweets from my diet until my last day of T25, which was 3 weeks away. I love cookies. I love candy. I love cupcakes. I love coffee ice cream. The list could go on and on. While I'm not one to add sugar to things like my cup of coffee or my bowl of corn flakes, I do crave an Oreo or 2..or 3. I try to never over indulge, but for the most part, I have a sweet treat of some type at least once a day. Something struck in my brain and I made the rash decision to cut sweets out of my life until I finished T25. I want to see how I progress without delicious sweets in my life and would like to see how my results are with vs. without them in my life. So far, I caved and ate one Vienna Finger, but I found great motivation when I said no to all of the St. Patrick's Day goodies at my works pot luck yesterday...even denied trying any of the {professional looking} Guinness cup cakes I baked.

RIP sweets. You will be dearly missed.

People all over America, the Facebook world, and the Twitter universe, are giving things up for Lent-- even if they aren't Catholic, religious, human, etc, everyone and their dog is giving something up for Lent. So I started to think...if everyone and their dog's are suffering from giving some favorite food up, there should be some tips out there to help us! Thankfully I've made some up:

     1. Start Your Day Off Right - eating a healthy, filling breakfast could be one of the simplest ways to ensure you don't get a sweet tooth craving. Oatmeal and a fruit/veggie smoothie are my favorites to start off my workday.

     2. Pack Your Lunch - eating out can cause you to spontaneously choose unnecessary foods, such as a dessert or 0% nutrition filled snack. Be sure to include a variety of veggies, fruits, dairy, etc. that are sufficient enough for breakfast, snacks, and lunch. Even if you eat breakfast before you leave for work/school, I advise you pack some type of breakfast or early morning snack item so you aren’t starving by 11:30am.

     3. Increase Your Water Intake – when you crave things you are often times just dehydrated/thirsty, so remember to constantly drink water throughout the day. Get an insulated, reusable cup to drink out of everyday and even add a lemon for a bit of flavor. It will not only be yours and you can carry it everywhere, you are also helping the environment but not throwing away plastic bottles or cups!

     4. Still Have a Craving? Have no fear, green tea is here! Drink a hot cup of green or chamomile tea when you are getting seriously tired of water. You can even add a bit of organic honey and some lemon to it.

     5. Proper Sleep – I’m sure you hear this everywhere, but it’s true! Getting proper sleep sets you up for your entire day. Not getting proper amount of sleep is proven to cause you to over eat, and usually over eat on the sweets and fatty foods.

You can do it!

Recent Recipes

Well not 'recipes' per-say but more like foods I've kind of combined lately. Some have been paleo, some are really yummy, and some have been just a fun kind of snack. Over the past couple of weeks I'd make some food and say, 'wow, this could be pinterest worthy!' So I'd snap a quick pic and then it winds up just staying in my phone...oops :) Anyway, I've listed some of my favorites that I've created below!

Lunch: Egg, Avocado, and Pesto Sandwich

 

• Toast 2 slices of bread and put a light layer of pesto (in a jar) on one slice 
• Cook eggs over easy (or anyway you'd like to have them) using a bit of coconut oil on the pan instead of Pam 
• Slice half an avocado 
• Enjoy!

Dinner: Eggs, Sweet Potatoes, and Bacon..?

This concoction was made by my best friend's boyfriend. He gets into making some Paleo recipe's and he tried this one out. It may look odd but it is extremely delicious. Luckily those who only eat Paleo can enjoy this one as well! 

• Hard boil eggs, slice in half (I would do it long ways like a deviled egg instead of the way he did), and remove the yokes 
• Mash sweet potatoes (we used our NutriBullet) using a little bit of coconut oil and fill the eggs
• Cook bacon well done, break pieces into thirds, and place over top of eggs (you can alway opt to only have some or none with bacon) 
• Feel free to bake or grill some chicken to go along with it! 
• Enjoy!

Snack: New Twist to Apple and Peanut Butter

• 1 spoonful of organic peanut butter 
• A sprinkle of dark chocolate chips 
• 1 sliced organic Pink Lady apple 
• Enjoy!

Onto The Next One

Five weeks later and I have completed the Alpha side of Focus T25!! [I'm doing a happy dance right now]

My results have been continually improving and I am excited to see what Beta brings to the table! Like I said in the last post, I have finally started to see results rather than just feel them! I took another progress picture to record the 5 week mark: 

A bit more in-depth information about my results thus far: 

• I weighed myself last Tuesday, and my weight has not changed 
• Chest muscles and shoulder are a lot stronger 
• Abs are noticeably more defined
• Triceps are more defined 
• Glutes are bigger and stronger

And a little bit more about how I have improved over the 5 weeks: 

• Increased number of pushups by vast amount and can do them all on my toes (Total Body Circuit has a ton of pushups)
• Stamina has increased 
• Able to do more reps of the higher intensity moves 
• Arches and calves don't tighten up like they originally were 

I took a 'before' picture when I first started but unfortunately I only took one of the front of me not even thinking my back, hammys, and butt would change significantly. When I am completely done with T25 I will post my 'before' picture along with my final 'after' picture. I will also dig through and try to find a decent photo of the back of me to show those results as well. 

I'll be starting the Beta portion of the program today! 

T25 Calendar

Week 2 of Focus T25 has come and gone.

I have been busy moving to a new house, and still wanted to get to the gym for my power class, so I got a bit behind with the workouts this week. I challenged myself by doing 2 days of double workouts rather than the 1 that is on the calendar to make up for those missed days! Cardio is still a killer. I have to remind myself to stretch and massage out my arches before doing the cardio workout...you're on your toes almost the entire time, which makes my arches cramp up like crazyy, but as long as I stretch them out properly beforehand they are fine.

The calendar has honestly been SO helpful. Since I have never done a Beachbody workout before, I didn't realize that they provide you with something so detailed. There are 2 sides, Alpha and Beta. You start off with Alpha, and then after the first month (5 weeks) you are ready for Beta. It goes into a lot more detail about Beta workouts on their site, but I assume Beta gets more intense: http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/focus-t25-workout.do They set the calendar up having a sprecific workout for you to do Monday-Friday. Friday is your suggested double workout day.  Saturday is your STATurday, where you reflect on your week and review how you are doing, statistic wise. Sunday is your stretch day! (Which always feels sooo nice)

I was a bit excited the first time I opened the calendar..

Each day is labeled with a workout that you are meant to do and has a mini check box that either says 'Nailed It' or 'Barely Made It' (Friday has 2 workouts listed and has check boxes under each workout). This way you can track your progress. If you 'barely made' one workout but 3 weeks later you 'nailed it' that shows you're making progress and gives you a little something to be extra excited about! I've been trying to make myself feel like I 'nail' every workout. Some are definitely more tough than others, but so far I've been able to make my goal!

Ready for week 3!

Proper Stretching Techniques for Pre and Post Exercise Part 2

                Today we are continuing our discussion of proper stretching for pre and post work outs.  To summarize what we covered on our last post it is important to perform dynamic stretches prior to any workout or sporting events.  Dynamic stretches run the body through its range of motion and properly warms up joints and muscles for any activity.

                Once you have completed you work out or event it is now time to cooldown and to do static stretches.  While dynamic stretching brings the body through a range of motion static stretching stretches the muscle to the point of tension and can be held for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.  Static stretching helps increase flexibility and range of motion.

                Static stretches include triceps stretch.  For this stretch you place your hand in the middle of back between your shoulder blades and with the opposite hand you push your elbow down and hold.  A chest stretch has you lock your hands behind you back about waist level and slowly lift arms straight up.  Some static stretches for your legs include hamstring stretch also known as toe touch.  For this stretch you can either be sitting or standing.  You bend at the waist and touch your toes and hold.  Another leg stretch is the quadriceps stretch.  This is when you lift your foot and grab with the hand on the same side and lift up towards your butt.  These are just a few static stretches that can be done.

                So in closing it is important to remember that for any physical activity that you are conducting, you warm up to complete dynamic stretches before you activity and you conduct static stretches during or after your cooldown.  We stretch to maintain flexibility and range of motion, this helps prevent injuries and properly prepares your body for your next activity.

Stay safe and have fun

Inspiring

The other day Youtube suggested a video for me to watch titled "Letting Beauty Speak Up Itself", I saw it was Crossfit's channel and was interested. I am just going to leave you with this what an inspiring video.

Proper Stretching Techniques for Pre and Post Exercise

            Hello everyone and welcome.  For this month I decided to make my posts around stretching.  There will be 2 posts about this with the first post being about stretching prior to exercise and the next post will be about proper stretching after you exercise.

            Muscles are important to our bodies, they allow us to move.  In order to allow us to properly move, bend, and flex, our muscles need to properly work.  Not only will having tight non flexible muscle prevent proper movement and full range of motion, they can also leave a person prone to serious injury.  Therefore it is important to properly stretch prior to exercise as well as post exercise.  Stretching properly also increases blood flow to muscles which allows more oxygen into the muscles.  This increase of oxygen helps keep lactic acid at a minimal by using the lactic acid to help create more energy.

            Before stretching even begins, the muscles need to be warmed up for greatest efficiency.  A good way to properly warm your muscles is to take a light jog around a block, a lap on a track, or even jogging in place.  The warm up allows blood to travel to the muscles and helps stretch farther.  There are two forms of stretching and each has a proper time and place.  The first type of stretching is the dynamic stretch, which “involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both” (Kurz, Tomas, Science of Sports Training, page 236).

            Once your muscles are warmed up it is now time to start your dynamic stretches.  These can include arm circles, windmill toe touches, butt kicks, non-weighted lunges, leg swings, and open the gate.  All of these stretches involve movement of a specific joint or muscle.  This brings the area through its range of motion and causing blood to flow to the area which carries more oxygen and prepares muscle or joint for any activity.  If you do not do dynamic stretches prior but do static stretches instead you run the risk of damaging your SEC (Series Elastic Component), this is the part of your muscles that allows your muscle to stretch and retract back to its normal shape.  As with what Tomas Kurz says you want to stretch gently with no jerking or bouncing movements.  You muscle does stretch but it is not a rubber band and bouncing can cause injury and does not help to properly stretch your muscle.

            So remember that we warm up to stretch our muscles prior to an exercise.  Having our bodies warm and properly stretched before our activity will allow us to be more prepared for our work-out or sport activity.  Stayed tuned for my next post on Static Stretching.

Till Next Time

Bogo Out