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Summer Bodies Weight Loss Challenge

I’m hosting a fitness challenge group over on Facebook and wanted to extend the invitation here on the ol’ bloggy.

It’s true! The time to start working on your summer body is right now! Picture yourself lighter and leaner in your favorite summer vacation spot this summer. Now let’s make that dream a reality!!!
I’m starting a fitness challenge group on March 23rdfor three weeks. What you’ll get is an entire package for transforming your body:
  • Fitness: doable yet challenging at-home workouts with such variety that you’ll never be bored. I’ll help you find the perfect match for you!
  • Food: you’ll get a meal planning book, additional help with meal planning, and 30 days’ worth of easy nutrient-dense breakfasts.
  • Support: not only do you get me, a certified personal trainer and fitness coach, for support, but you’ll also be cheered on and guided by the other participants. It’s amazing how something as simple as an accountability group can have such a profound impact on goal achievement!

The support group takes place in a secret, confidential Facebook group. My last few groups have been a huge success—people reported everything from losing weight to managing pain to simply feeling better—and I can’t wait to help more people. I’m still on a weight loss journey myself after having a baby and I myself get so much out of these groups, it’s really my passion!
Because small intimate groups really have the most impact, I am opening up the group to only FIVE people, so secure your spot right away if you want in!

Message me if you’re interested in more info.

Tone it Up and Workout Tips During Pregnancy

Tone it up Prenatal Workout. How to work out with Tone it Up when you're pregnant

 

I’m a huge fan of Tone it Up, it’s no surprise. I talk about them frequently on here. But once I became pregnant, I sort of started to ignore the workouts and motivation that K&K provide religiously. I just kind of shied away from anything that wasn’t pregnancy-specific. There really aren’t any Tone It Up prenatal workouts. And let’s face it, their workouts are geared toward young, single or newly married women looking for a beach body. Preggos/moms aren’t really their target market:)

Tone it up prenatal workout

However, during pregnancy I started to miss Tone it Up and I realized I could still incorporate a lot of their workouts into my prenatal routine, with some modifications.

Here are a few general pregnancy exercise guidelines (but always, always ALWAYS talk to your doctor first):

 

  1. Avoid lying flat on your back or tummy, especially after the second trimester. You may still be able to do booty bridges and things like that while propped up on a pile of pillows, but if anything feels uncomfortable, stop.
  2. Don’t go too intense. I enjoyed taking my workouts down a notch during pregnancy. If your doctor recommends it, you can continue with the types of workouts you were doing before becoming pregnant. However, huffing and puffing isn’t always safe. It’s usually recommended that you keep your intensity at a level where you can still speak conversationally. And you also don’t want to be working on gains during this tender period.
  3. Twisty positions are kind of hard to manage in later stages of pregnancy and could potentially be dangerous. You may want to avoid them or modify them as necessary.
  4. Don’t get up/down really fast: blood pressure drops and blood flow changes can really mess with a pregnant woman. Moves like surfboard jumps and burpees are not recommended.
  5. Jumping around: not only would this be super uncomfortable, but it can be unsafe. Moves that are jumpy or have the potential to cause you to fall are not advisable.
  6. Don’t stretch too far: the hormone relaxin can really mess with a pregnant woman’s body and stretching too far is definitely a danger. Be careful to stretch only to the point where you just feel it and be careful not to go too deep because it’s much easier to pull something.
  7. Balance is tricky. During pregnancy, a woman’s balance is compromised. Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean she shouldn’t do any balance moves at all, but she should be extra cautious, knowing her equilibrium might be off.
  8. Different goals. Most pregnant women are not working on their beach bodies or running endurance races. We’re preparing for labor, trying not to gain over the recommended pregnancy weight, trying to feel better/have more energy, and preparing to bounce back after baby. That being said, the workout needs to be tailored to those goals.
  9. Getting too hot can be dangerous for a pregnant woman. Now, our bodies are super efficient at regulating temperatures and keeping baby safe, but getting too hot is still a concern. Bikram yoga and running on a 104 degree day are probably not in the cards. Drink lots and lots and lots of water and stay cool, mommas.
  10. Preventing diastasis recti: Anything that pushes the stomach out rather than pulls it in is probably not a good idea at this point. Pushing out the abs (as during crunches) can actually increase that gap in the abs, so you need to be careful with ab moves.

With these recommendations in mind, and after a talk with my doctor, I was able to sift through the Tone it Up workouts to find some that were both tolerable and safe for me.

 

A Few of my Tone it Up Prenatal Workout Favorites:

Arms: there’s not much need to modify with arm exercises, and your tummy doesn’t interfere too much with them. Here are my top arm picks:

Legs:

Total Body

Now, I wasn’t able to follow the TIU nutrition plan at all when I was pregnant. Pregnancy threw off all my food habits from the beginning, when morning sickness made only Culver’s mashed potatoes and Pop Tarts tolerable. I wasn’t able to meal prep because thinking about preparing food nauseated me and grossed me out big time. Later in pregnancy though, I was able to maintain a relatively healthy diet, but it definitely wasn’t all clean and Hubster had to prepare most of our dinners (which turned into leftover lunches the next day). I was totally ok with that and enjoyed the break, but I sure did miss some of the recipes from the plan!

Aside from TIU workouts, I also have a few workouts other workouts that I recommend for expecting mommas:

Fresh Start Fitness Challenge

It’s never too early to get a jump-start on your New Year’s resolutions. Here’s a call for participants for a challenge group that I’m starting up on January 1. If you’re interested, leave a comment or email me and I will get in touch!

I’m looking for 5 people who are tired of looking back year after year, wishing their bodies would change and riding the weight loss roller coaster. Or maybe you’re like me and tend to hit plateaus that last…years! This year, we do it differently. This year, we lock arms on Jan 1 and forge into the New Year with renewed dedication, as a team!

The New Year is the PERFECT time to make healthy changes. It takes just 21 days to form a new habit, so we’ll spend those crucial first 3 weeks of 2015 together to set you up for a fit, successful new year. It’s only 21 days!

I myself need to lose some baby weight and I’d like to support you through whatever challenges you! From meal planning to motivation to workout support, let me give you my complete attention, guidance and support. The added bonus is that I’m a certified personal trainer and sports nutrition specialist in training, and I will be coaching you through the whole thing. I’m ready to change my life and I can’t wait to help you too!

You’ll be able to pick your challenge of choice from several rewarding options. And you can do any one of them at home! And make sure to get back to me quickly, because there are only 5 slots available and the clock to join is ticking.

If this interests you, Comment below and I’ll get in touch with you.

Together, let’s make 2015 your BEST year ever!

Three Best Prenatal Workout Videos

I’m very partial to the prenatal workouts that I picked out for this pregnancy. I did a lot of research and checked out a lot of Youtube clips in order to narrow down and pick the workout DVDs that would be best for me. I wanted workouts that were challenging enough for my already-conditioned body. It seems like a lot of workouts get “dumbed down” for pregnancy, when really, most of us are told that it’s ok to do whatever you were doing pre-pregnancy (to a certain degree). I have slowed waaaaay down, but I still want to maintain some muscle tone for birth and after.

full-body prenatal workouts

So, I wanted some real strength workouts that would still challenge me, not leave me feeling like I just did a glorified stretching routine. Even some of the mainstream pregnancy magazines print workouts that are just too effortless. There’s a time and a place for stretching and gentle workouts. I especially love the stretching ones right before bed, but I don’t appreciate these easy workouts for my everyday routine.

That being said, here are the three I picked out and have used over and over again this pregnancy. They are tried and true.

Tracy Anderson Prenatal Workout Video

1. Tracy Anderson Pregnancy Project:

I know there is a lot of controversy, and alternately, a lot of hardcore fans, of Tracy Anderson. I sometimes incorporate her workouts into my routines, but I don’t wholeheartedly agree with her overall approach to exercise (girls get bulky with weights over 3lbs, say WHAT???) However, all that aside, I found her pregnancy workout compilation to be amazing. There are 9 DVDs, one for each month of pregnancy. This is fantastic since I tend to get bored, and each workout is tailored specifically for the nuances of each month. They’re all completely different. I may just continue doing some of these workouts even after the baby comes.

Basically, every month you’ll do a 30-45 minute workout consisting of an arm segment and a leg segment, and core is incorporated into the moves by default. You still won’t use anything larger than a 3lb weight, which was definitely enough to work my muscles. And Tracy doesn’t do her typical 50 reps per leg thing. You will do at most 20 reps per leg and 10 reps per arm.

prenatal pilates workout video

2. 10 Minute Solution Prenatal Pilates

Occasionally Pilates videos, especially prenatal Pilates, don’t challenge me enough. This one does! Sometimes I find that I can’t finish all the reps. You can choose among 5 total 10-minute workouts, either stacking them together or doing them separately. I loved how I could tailor the length of the workout to how much time I had to exercise. And on days when I was falling apart or sick, just the flexibility segment was enough for me. There is also a bonus post-natal core workout to get your belly back into shape. I used this video when I was pregnant with Peanut and eagerly busted it out again this go-round.

prenatal workout video

3. Summer Sanders Prenatal Workout

Oh my gosh, thanks to this video, I am now in love with labor lunges! (Basically, a side-to-side lateral lunge where you stay low). And I love Summer’s personality. She’s so cute and approachable on the video. The workout is great and can be adjusted to your workout level. For example, there are a lot of moves with exercise bands. You can use thicker or thinner bands or hold them with more or less resistance to modify the exercise. There are three workouts, one for each semester. From there, you can either do the full workout or the express version, giving you plenty of options. You work the entire body in these workouts, which is just what a fit momma wants.

Have you seen theyogatreehouse.com? It has free prenatal yoga workout videos that aren’t too bad either! I found this website late in the pregnancy game, so I didn’t have a chance to preview them all, but I would also give this website a shot, if I were you:) There are quite a few non-birth-related workout routines too that I will be much obliged to try when I get the green light from my doctor.

Having this selection of workout options is paramount for keeping me interested in my daily workouts. By alternating workouts based on my energy level and mood, I was able to keep my workout schedule fresh and motivating. I bought all the videos above on Amazon. What are your favorite prenatal workouts?

Full-Body Prenatal Workout

I did it! I finally uploaded my very first workout video!!! I’m so excited! It has been a huge goal of mine to start uploading workout videos for people to use for free. And I could see blatantly that prenatal workouts were a pretty lacking area. It’s hard to find good prenatal workouts online for free.

Today, I’m sharing my very first prenatal full-body workout video with you.

Remember to warm up before you do this workout with at least 5 minutes of light walking, marching in place or something similar. Also, I would recommend a little more stretching at the end if you have the time. I know my body gets so stiff lately, it could use more stretching.

If you’re feeling really energetic, you can do this workout twice through. If you don’t have as much time, you can either choose the standing or the mat portions of the workout and just do those. During pregnancy, you generally don’t want to work out too intensely or get too hot. You should be able to keep a conversation going. If you’re huffing and puffing, you’re probably working too hard. Always always always check with your doctor to see what’s appropriate and recommended for you. By doing this workout you are doing so at your own risk.

Introducing my pit bull pup, Titus, where he video-bombed me at about 7:48. You can hear him whining a few times in there as well. The dangers of filming outside! Haha. And let me just share that it’s Hubster’s job to mow the grass and it’s been growing like crazy! Don’t judge…

What do you think? Leave me a comment on here or YouTube to let me know what else you’d like to see in the future.

Full-Body Prenatal Workout

The second trimester of pregnancy has left me much more functional and energized. Now that I’m back into the habit of a “regular” workout routine, I thought I’d start sharing some of my prenatal workouts with you in case you’d like to follow along or get some ideas for your own prenatal workout routine. And really, this workout would even be great for someone who isn’t expecting. If I weren’t pregnant, I’d probably do each circuit three times, moving faster between moves and increasing the weight.

This is the routine I did on my lunch break today, scribbled on a simple post-it. I had a good stretch afterward (ohhhhhh yeah) which brought total workout time to about 25 minutes. Choose a weight that you don’t struggle with. I chose 5# for most of these. It’s better to decrease weight and increase reps from your normal routine than to use a heavier weight for fewer reps during pregnancy. You should also not be working past the point of being able to speak in full sentences. If something doesn’t feel comfortable, don’t do it. Take it easy momma!

Always check with your doctor concerning your exercise regimen, especially during pregnancy. These moves are based upon my own limitations and abilities, but you’ll want to make sure to get your own all-clear.

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Some of the stretches I did: shoulder stretch, wall chest stretch, pigeon, standing quad stretch, standing calf stretch and a triceps stretch. Try to stretch the entire body since you just worked most of it, holding 30 seconds per stretch. After the first trimester, it’s not usually recommended to lie flat on your back, so that’s why most of my stretches were standing or sitting variations.
How do you stay fit during pregnancy?

Agility Ladder DIY

You can get all the supplies to make your own agility ladder at a regular hardware store, and it really only takes less than half an hour to make.

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Agility ladders are an amazing unsung fitness tool that you’re probably not using. I will be back to share some agility training drills soon too, so stay tuned for that. But these exercises shouldn’t be saved for professional football players or high school track teams. Agility drills not only increase your agility, but they also provide a great source of cardio, especially if you’re getting bored with your treadmill routine. You can get pretty creative with your fancy footwork, like sport dancing, and it also tests your mental acuity. We did some agility drills at the NASM workshop I attended and they were kind of fun and challenging and had me out of breath within a few minutes.

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Supplies:

  • Short nails/carpet tacks
  • Hammer
  • Wood shims or other flat thin wood*
  • Rope
  • Tape measure

Instructions:

1. Stack two shims on top of each other with one narrow side and one thick side of each together. Nail the end of the rope into the top of the first shim stack.

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2. Measure 15 inches to the next rung and hammer another nail into the top of that shim stack.

3. Continue until you have 15 rungs. Cut the rope at the end of the 15th rung. Now, go back and do the same thing on the other side of the ladder, hammering the string to the shims every 15 inches.

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Voila, your very own agility ladder! It’s easy to fold up and hang in your garage or shed. Be careful if you’re doing this project outside with little kidlets around. All the neighbor kids ran over when they saw what I was doing and asked if they could “help.” Um, no. And we ended up with a knocked over pile of nails in the grass that I was really trying to prevent (barefoot in the summer, ouch!). Just hand them a few shims and a little length of rope and see who can make the best godseye.

*I would actually recommend using some thin wood versus shims. Shims are what I had on-hand, but nailing into the narrow ends proved to be a bit tricky. The wood needs to be pretty thin though, so you’re not tripping over it. Also, if you have feet that are much larger than mine (women’s 8), the width of a shim might not work for you. You should be able to fit both feet inside with some room left over, so take your own measurements from there.

Weekly Workout Rundown

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Monday:

Tuesday:
  • 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Wednesday:
  • 30 min run in the AM
  • 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Thursday:
  • 40 min Tracy Anderson workout
  • 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Friday:

Saturday:
  • 35 min run

Sunday:
  • Rest

Now that I’m finally feeling a whole lot better, I’m able to work out with a little bit more consistency, albeit on a much lighter-scale version. After three weeks of spotty workouts, I’m trying to ease back into my routine and regain my endurance. This week, I was finally able to participate a little bit in the Love Your Body series, bit by bit. 
TONEDUP-bravotv-toned-up-karena-katrina-from-tone-it-up-love-your-body
Hubster just decided this week that we should look at new houses. We went from being content where we are to surveying properties at the snap of a finger. I’m kinda thrilled and terrified at the same time. One house we looked at has THE perfect room for a treadmill and weight set, not to mention a magical backyard. I hadn’t really anticipated any of this, so I haven’t had a chance to wrap my head around all the nesting details that a woman is inclined to have. I had to start a Pinterest board just for my ideal workout room. My dream room would have a wall of long mirrors, inspiring images, perhaps a TV and DVD player for all my workout videos, and a pretty place to film workout videos for you all. #dreaming
This week, I also signed the whole family up for our now-traditional yearly fun run. I ran the Half Marathon section of this the very year of its inception. Last year, we enrolled Peanut and he excitedly asked to do it again. We’re all 3 going to participate, as per tradition. I can’t wait!
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How are you staying fit this week?

Weekly Workout Rundown

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Monday:

  • 40 min walk/run in the AM
  • 20 min run at lunch

Tuesday:

Wednesday:

  • 40 min interval run in the AM
  • 27 min run at lunch

Thursday:

Friday:

  • 20 walk at lunch with mom

Saturday:

  • 45 min run

Sunday:

  • Rest

Not too eventful this week, when it comes to workouts. I started the week a little weak with that run/walk Monday morning. Not sure what my deal was, but I couldn’t muster much more than that. But I was fine by lunch and pulled a strong week anyhow. Zuzka Light leaves me feeling sore the next day, just how I like it.

I am still doing ok on South Beach. Not much more movement on the scale, but I managed to maintain through a weekend filled with big dinners. We had a big dinner with some friends followed by another luncheon at church where I filled my plates. I was just happy to come out of the weekend unscathed, and sometimes that’s the best we could ever hope for during a bustling holiday season:)

How was your week in workouts?