Category: boun-see balls

September 3, 2013

Weekly Workout Rundown: LiveFit Week 3

Monday:

30 min AM LiveFit Legs

Tuesday:

35 min AM LiveFit Back and Biceps

Wednesday:

40 min AM LiveFit Chest and Triceps

Thursday:

40 min AM LiveFit Legs
30 min casual walk at lunch

Friday:

15 min Tough Mudder boot camp at lunch
40 min LiveFit Shoulders and Abs after work
30 min run after work

Saturday:

1 hr Crossfit class (10 min warmup/cooldown, 12 min WOD)

Sunday:

Does 6 hours of pushing Hubster in a wheelchair through the Milwaukee County Zoo count? I say it does. Holy sweaty!

I tried a CrossFit class for the first time on Saturday. Our new local studio offers free community classes so you can try before you buy. I’ve read a lot about Crossfit, but never actually tried it, and I thought it would be good for a personal trainer like myself to try out. I had a great time! Our instructors were very passionate and knowledgeable about Crossfit and nutrition. By the end of our 14-minute WOD (workout of the day), I was super sweaty, shaking, and exhilarated. My favorite kind of feeling! Seriously, 14 minutes to torched! We did three rounds of the moves, four minutes on and one minute of rest. We did AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of 15 kettle bell swings, 10 air squats and 5 burpees, oh my. It was even fun to be able to chalk my hands and write on the floor, all hardcore-like.

Source

I am going strong, beginning week four of the LiveFit Series this week. By today, I am already through legs, back and biceps, with a little off-program running thrown in. I should admit that I don’t do as well with eating on the weekends as I would like. Prepping food for 5 days is quite the chore. Prepping for 7…ugh! Plus, most food doesn’t keep in the fridge for that long. Double plus, it was Labor Day weekend which meant several cookout invitations. I tried to keep it clean, but I did have a slice of cake and a few chips. And my hamburger bun was of the white variety, but what gives anyway, right?

Don’t forget to check back here tomorrow, where I’ll be posting Workout #2 of the Workout Stick series. It’s a full-body workout this time, so get ready to work everything!

August 27, 2013

Broomstick Stretch Workout

Welcome to my first official posted workout. There are plenty more where this came from! I will be releasing two more stick workouts after this, one next week and one the week after. So stop back here and feel free to Pin away. After than, I hope to continue developing even more workouts to share with you all.

So, this first installment is a full-body stretch workout. Print the poster and use the descriptions below to perform your stretch workout. I have taken my inspiration for these workouts from those broomstick workouts that you might notice in magazines, etc. I shared the Workout Stick DIY tutorial last week, so if you want to personalize this workout to your unique style, check that DIY project here! Otherwise, feel free to grab an actual broomstick from your closet or even a thick straight stick from your backyard.

Always remember that a gentle stretch is good, but discontinue any moves that actually hurt.

1. Chest Stretch: With a wide grasp on your workout stick, pull the stick up and behind your head until you feel a slight stretch in your chest muscles. Go deeper if your body allows. The stick itself allows you to go deeper into this stretch than your body could alone. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.

2. Triceps Stretch: Reach behind your back and grasp the stick, one hand from below the shoulder and one from above. “Walk” your hands closer to each other to go deeper into the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

3. Side Stretch: With a wide grasp, hold the pole over your head. Now lean to the right until you feel a stretch in the side body. Hold for two counts. Slowly return to the top and repeat on the other side. Do 8 repetitions each way.

4. Hip Stretch: Using your stick for balance straight out in front of you, (a) raise your right knee to hip height, (b) then rotate out to the side and return it to the ground. Continue in a circular motion for 10 reps. Switch sides and repeat.

5. Glute Stretch: Using your workout stick for balance, sit back into a squat bringing the right ankle over your left knee. Sit back into the stretch. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch sides and repeat.

6. Around the World Stretch: (a) With a wide grasp, hold the pole over your head. (b) In a circular motion, move the stick around to your right, down toward the floor and then up toward the left. Do 4 circles this way and 4 circles in the opposite direction.

7. Calf Stretch: Using your stick for balance, step back into a rear lunge with the right foot, toes pointed forward and front leg bent. Press the right heel toward the floor until you feel a good stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.

Stretching is so important to do before and after your workouts. It’s an often overlooked and often skipped-over portion of a workout, especially in the face of time constraints. But by skipping stretching, you’re really missing out and robbing your body of some really great benefits! Flexibility helps with everything from proper mechanics to balance to posture and so many things in between. I would especially emphasize performing a stretching routine like this after exercise, while muscles are all warm and receptive to stretching.

Check back next week for your first of two total-body strength routines using your new workout stick!

P.S.: In case you’re wondering, I created this lovely photo collage on Pixlr.com. It’s fun, you should try it:)

P.P.S.: Disclaimer: I am an NASM-certified personal trainer, however I cannot be with you in person to assess, check your form and guide you, so please remember that these workouts are done at your own risk. As always, check with your doctor before beginning this or any other exercise program and always honor your body’s abilities and limitations.

August 27, 2013

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

30 min AM LiveFit chest and tris
20 min Tough Mudder Boot Camp at lunch

Tuesday:

30 min AM LiveFit back and biceps
30 min casual walk at lunch

Wednesday:

35 min AM LiveFit Legs
15 min HIIT run

Thursday:

25 min AM LiveFit shoulders and abs

Friday:

Rest

Saturday:

35 min run 30-20-10 intervals

Sunday:

Rest

Oh, you knew I couldn’t rest for 3 days in a row, didn’t you? And I just couldn’t give up running for four whole weeks, so I snuck some in. Nothing too dramatic, just a little 15 minute-er on Wednesday and some intervals on Saturday. Previously, if you remember, I was doing 5 mile runs (1 hour) on Saturdays, in addition to four weekdays of running. I just can’t quite give all of that up yet. What Jamie Eason says about the plan is that these four weeks without cardio are necessary for prepping the body to draw on its fat stores. If you’re a cardio queen, you’re probably pulling your energy from your muscle stores. I don’t remember reading anything quite like this in my NASM textbook, but I’m willing to give the program a shot (with a little bit of cheating built in) since it was created by a bodybuilding phenom.

I am beginning my third week on the plan now, and man is my body sore! It’s a good feeling though. I have never really worked on muscle hypertrophy with intent before. I always did strength training during the week, but never in such a focused way. My weight has just about stayed the same, but I have lost an inch in my waist and hips already. I’ve been sticking to the plan pretty strictly during the week, but I do have hiccups when it comes to the weekends. I do ok for breakfast and lunch, but dinner… We had a birthday party that went well into Saturday night and we had a potluck-style picnic. I’ll admit to a cupcake and a S’more, but they were so delish and part of the party requirements:)

There’s a free CrossFit class in my town this Saturday that I’m hoping to try as well. I’ve read a lot about CrossFit but have never actually attended a class. It will be good for me to see what it’s all about. Saturday is supposed to be a rest day, but we’ll just see about that.

Until next week…Cheers!

August 21, 2013

FlashFit Workout #1

I can hardly wait until next week when I share my first broomstick workout with you. Since I’m so eager, I thought I’d publish a different workout in the meantime.

My lunchtime workout buddy and I, who hit up the gym every other day at lunch, were doing these workouts before we started training for her upcoming Tough Mudder. My partner wanted something that was hardcore, where we really felt like we did something for the 15-20 minutes we have to work out (hence, the name FlashFit). So, I designed this workout, which switches back and forth between strength and cardio. You’ll do each move for 1 minute, moving right along to the next. I also made sure that we were working every major muscle group using mostly compound moves, to use our short time at the gym more effectively.

I’ve been designing so many more of these FlashFit in anticipation of picking up a teaching slot at work. My amazing workplace offers exercise classes at lunch and after work and I’m on the waiting list to pick up a slot as soon as one becomes available. Hopefully, I will be able to post many more of these soon, so hop on over to my sidebar to subscribe so you don’t miss any:)

You can access the printable PDF file here. There are two different page designs for this workout, because I was experimenting with some publishing software. I personally like the second page better (above), but print whichever one you prefer and take it to the gym with you.

Report back here about how you enjoyed the workout and how challenging it was for you!
If you have any questions about how to do the moves, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

P.S. This workout is not for everyone. I designed it especially for myself and my workout partner, so please take into consideration your own skill level. Please consult your physician before beginning this or any other workout program. And as always, honor your body’s abilities and limitations.

August 20, 2013

DIY Workout Stick

Ever since I saw my first broomstick workout in a magazine, I’ve been smitten. I love how using something as simple as a stick can really change the angles and depth of a workout. It can give you a better stretch, offer you a bit more stability during challenging balance moves, and allow you to move deeper into certain moves.

Today, let’s make a simple fun workout stick, shall we? You can use a regular broomstick–or even a straight stick you find outside–to do the workouts. But wouldn’t it be much more fun to create an artistic workout stick that you can use whenever the mood strikes? I thought so…

Just a quick announcement: now that I’m qualified to be giving some exercise advice, I have put together three separate workouts that you can do with your new workout stick. I’ll be releasing one per week for the next three weeks! So stay tuned for that, and feel free to share on Pinterest!

Workout Broomstick Tutorial

Materials

3/4″ (or thicker) wooden dowel from the hardware or craft store
Washi tape
Decorative duct tape
Acrylic paints (or other wood paint) and paintbrush
Any other decorative items you’d like to deck your stick out in

Dowel

Washi tape and acrylic paint

Directions:

If you’d like to change the color of your dowel, use acrylic paint (or any other appropriate paint for wood) and give your dowel a few coats. Let dry. Paint stripes or designs with other paint colors if you’d like and allow to dry completely before moving on.
Now, use your washi or duct tape to create fun patterns and stripes across your stick. I went with a simple light blue and green theme, punctuated by some polka dot decorative tape on the ends.
Feel free to get creative with your stick design. Maybe you’d like to add some rubber elements for a good grip or add tassels to the ends of the stick. Your imagination is the limit!

Voila! Your very own workout stick for any broomstick workouts you might find online or here on my blog. I kept mine pretty simple, but feel free to get creative with your art supplies. It almost feels as though you get to play with a grown-up version of a baton. Check back here next week for my first of three broomstick workouts!

Project Details:

Washi tape from here and Target
Wooden dowel from Lowe’s
Acrylic paints from my own stash (maybe originally from Ben Franklin?)

August 19, 2013

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

25 min LiveFit Chest and Triceps in the AM
10 min run in the AM
20 min Tough Mudder boot camp at lunch

Tuesday:

45 min Back and Biceps in the AM
20 min casual walk at lunch

Wednesday:

30 min Leg Day
30 min walk at lunch

Thursday:

35 min Shoulders and Abs

Friday:

20 min Tough Mudder at lunch

Saturday:

Rest

Sunday:

Rest

I admit, I am having a tough time with the “no cardio” thing. And I just noticed that it’s 4 weeks without cardio, not 2 like I originally thought. I might have to start incorporating some short HIIT bursts in the morning to satisfy my runner’s itch. I mean, I’ve built up all this endurance over time and would hate to just give it up. I wish I knew the science behind this plan to allay some of my questioning. I just don’t feel like I’m doing enough by doing only the strength workouts alone. But if I’m going to do this, I want to do it all the way! And at least I have those Tough Mudder sessions to alleviate some of my need for cardio. And I do admit that it is kind of a nice break from my normal insane workout intensity. I am lifting heavy though, so the soreness does set in every day following a workout.

I’ve been going strong with this LiveFit program though, and I’ve been eating, for the most part, strictly on the plan. I’ve been doing the workouts completely, to failure too. After two full days of “rest,” I’m ready. Bring on Week Two!

August 19, 2013

Weekly Food Prep

Food glorious food! This is what mine will look like for the week. Spot any protein in there? This is what another week of following Jamie Eason’s LiveFit trainer looks like. Protein plus veggies mostly.

Breakfast:

Banana pre-workout

Smoothie with oats + frozen berries + protein powder post-workout

5 egg whites plus cooked veggies later in the morning

Snack 1:

1/2 cup cottage cheese + chives + chopped cucumber

Lunch:

Squash + brown sugar + raisins

Italian Turkey Burgers with spinach on Sandwich Thins

Snack 2:

If needed, I will have two hardboiled eggs.

Dinners:

Grilled chicken + sweet potatoes

Turkey sausage + potatoes + onions

Pork chops + Brussels sprouts

Turkey chili

Leftovers

Veggie burgers and…um…birthday cake:)

My week will consist mostly of clean eating (with the exceptions of Sandwich Thins instead of Ezekial bread). Saturday might be a different story. We’re having a late birthday party for me since I turned the big 3-0-. I can assure you there will be birthday cake involved, but I’ll still try to balance that will a lot of lean protein and produce. Otherwise, my entire week is planned out to a “T” exactly like shown above. Since the squash isn’t running dry in my backyard, I decided to incorporate them again this week. The chives, tomatoes and onions came courtesy of my backyard too. I love this growing season!

I can’t wait to try the new burgers and have delicious fruit smoothies for breakfast. This is how I spend my Sundays, peeps. Usually it’s church then grocery shopping with Hubster followed by meal prepping for the week. It’s a great way to ensure that the week is full of good things. It also helps me get to work on time when my food is all ready and bagged:) I even have all my vitamins set out for the week. Go me!

What’s in your lunch box this week?

August 15, 2013

How Does Our Garden Grow?

With green pepper bells and pungent smells
and pretty white onions all in a row.

Earlier in the season, I gave you a peek at the planting of my backyard superfood garden. Sadly, we lost our cucumbers, but we’ve been getting quite the harvest off of our humble garden these past few weeks. In fact, one week, I was able to put together an entire week’s worth of salads for my lunches with my abundant lettuce harvest.

Our acorn squash is getting a little over-zealous. Oh wait, I’m the one who was over-zealous by planting not one, but two squash plants in our meager plot. I do that every year:) I know I pack too much in, but I just can’t help myself when it comes to fresh garden veggies.

This week, I’m having a whole week of stuffed acorn squash for lunches. I shared the recipe here. It was just sort of put together with some things I had around the house and the farmer’s market.

I could lose a Peanut in all those squash plants!

While we were gone on our Mackinaw City trip for a week, my father-in-law kept our garden picked. We came home to this ginormous bag of snap peas. I ate from that bag for days and days. It’s so nice to be able to plan my clean eating weekly menu with my own backyard grown produce. It’s going to be a great season!

We have this neat program at work where you can donate all those extras from your garden to local food pantries. I think this idea is genius! We’ve always got too much zucchini or too many tomatoes or a plethora of herbs in our backyard, so why not share the green love? If I don’t eat them all myself, I hope to donate some acorn squash to this cause since that’s what’s currently taking over our garden:)

Did you grow anything this year? What do you do with your leftovers?

August 14, 2013

Clean Stuffed Acorn Squash

Healthy? check
Clean? check
Filling? check
Low-cal? check

What’s not to love about a recipe like that?

Clean Stuffed Acorn Squash

3 whole acorn squash
1lb ground chicken
1 cup cooked bulgar wheat
1/2 carton sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped tomato
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 onion, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice each squash in half and clean out the seeds and pulp. Place the halves face down in a pan in 1-2 inches of water. Cover the skins of the squash with tin foil. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until the flesh is fork-tender.

While that’s baking, start cooking your ground chicken on the stovetop until done. Drain grease, if there is any (the leaner the meat the better). Add in all your veggies and the bulgar wheat. Saute until everything is cooked through.

Once the squash is cooked through, let it cool a bit and then spoon the filling into the center of the squash and serve. Makes 6 servings.

I separated the stuffing into six different serving containers and wrapped the squash completely in tin foil in order to take it to work for lunches. I heat the filling and squash up separately and then scoop the filling inside the squash bowl at work. It looks like one heckuva meal and indeed it’s pretty darn filling. When I plugged the numbers into the Sparkpeople nutrition counter I came back with just 259 calories and loads of nutrients, vitamins, protein and all-around good stuff!!!!

This meal was a perfect match for the lunch option on the Jamie Eason plan and perfect for this harvest season. I hope to make a Southwestern version with the rest of the squash that’s coming out of my ears for next week. Check back for another taste-tested, Bounsee-approved stuffed squash recipe next week!

August 13, 2013

Weekly Food Prep

The bag of food that I brought to work this morning was rather comical. The sheer amount of food would have fit into at least two lunch bags. Oh my gosh! But it’s all super clean, super healthy food, mostly lots of greens and lean protein. It just takes up space, that’s all:) As I mentioned in a previous post, I’m beginning the Jamie Eason LiveFit series this week and trying to follow the plan as closely as possible.

Today was also chest and tricep day and my arms feel absolutely lethargic. When I try anything as simple as lifting my fork or opening a food jar, I feel shaky. Oh boy! I immediately fueled my muscles with a small smoothie consisting of 1/2 scoop of Perfect Fit protein powder and some frozen berries. Many know, and as I’ve learned through my studies with NASM, that fueling with a bit of protein and carbs within 1/2 hour of strength training makes a huge difference in results. That fuel is quickly used for muscles, but you only have that short 1/2 hour window to take advantage, and I made sure I did. I also stopped to stretch my chest throughout the day today since I know I’m going to feel it soon if I don’t.

I really take pride in eating this well, so I really hope the results are for this program are all they’re cracked up to be.

Breakfast (total 359 calories):

1/2 scoop protein powder + 0.25 cup frozen berry smoothie
1/2 cup quick oats + cinnamon + 0.5 Tbsp honey
5 egg whites + veggies (tomatoes, spinach, onion and broccoli)

Saute all your veggies and just add egg whites

Snack 1 (282 calories):

2 Chicken Muffins served inside lettuce leaves
Broccoli with Mrs. Dash seasoning

Lunch (266 calories):

1/2 acorn squash stuffed with ground chicken, bulgar wheat, onion, mushroom, garlic and tomato.
1/2 cup cucumber

Snack 2 (366 calories):

2 Chicken Muffins
Kale salad with just a tiny sprinkle or raisins and walnuts with an olive oil/balsamic vinegar dressing

Dinners:

We have steak, grilled chicken, whole wheat spaghetti, turkey sausage and pork chops planned for the week. I’ll pair my lean meats with something like a 1/2 sweet potato for my starch and Brussels sprouts for my veggies, as required by the plan.

Bedtime Snack:

1/2 cup cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with 1 tsp sugar-free jam (for muscle growth while I sleep)

Yes, this is a LOT of food, much of it high in protein, with a low caloric price. That’s what happens when you start eating cleaner. You can actually eat way more. As in, a whole grocery bag full, judging by my trek to work this morning. Ha!

When I prepped my food last night, it was quite the debacle. I was getting so tired and the food prep seemed to be taking forever (although so worth it!). I went to put something in the fridge and bumped the door. Two entire shelves of condiments fell and messed up the whole kitchen floor. Then, I went to mop up the mess and accidentally put cooking oil in the mop bucket instead of vinegar–the jugs look the same! This was all after forgetting an entire jug of protein powder in the cart at Walmart and running all the way back across town to claim it. After mopping, the floor was still sticky. I just wanted to go to bed after all of that. Luckily, I was finished with my food prepping and Peanut was already asleep so I took the opportunity to duck away. Hubster promised to mop again today. He can be sweetheart sometimes!

I was able to get most of my produce from the farmer’s market this weekend. A few tomatoes, onions, and sprigs of broccoli came from my very own backyard garden. The acorn squash was definitely from my huge backyard supply. I look forward to eating stuffed squash for at least the next two weeks. I hope to share a few of my recipes as I create them. This week, I will be able to share my chicken bulgar-stuffed squash, since that’s what I whipped together for my lunches. It took me awhile to eat that whole sucker today!

And so, Week One begins!