Don’t be intimidated by Stability Balls. They are a great modality to take your workout up a notch and you’ll increase balance and stability at the same time as working your core. Who doesn’t love multi-tasking in the gym!!??! If you can do over a 2 minute plank, it’s worth going out and buying one of these because you’re wasting time on the floor in ISO prone plank position, when you could be challenging yourself more in the same time, or even half! Trust me, you’ll feel it.
My personal challenge to you — try this today and keep at it for 30 days. Then try it again and see how much strength you’ve gained in your core. I’d take pictures too, if you’re planking every day, there’s going to be some visible changes :)
11 workout hacks --> get out of bed and get shit done!
1) Get enough sleep - sounds so easy right? Who doesn’t love sleep, but this is a major issue for most of my clients whether they’re up through the night with little ones, awake from drinking caffeine too late in the day, or wine disrupting their REM sleep. 7-9 hours is the suggested length of deep sleep and the best ways to get this are:
a) make the room as dark as possible - I love black out blinds,
b) use a white noise machine (this is my FAVORITE and under 70 decibels), a sound machine, or white noise app on your phone. The differences are: White Noise Machines offer a steady sound, simulating a fan, it’s doesn’t have a repeating pattern so your brain doesn’t get trained to listen for it, which is stimulating for some. A Sound Machine will have an “ocean”, “outdoor sounds”, “wind”, “babbling brook,” “white noise,” etc and they are usually repeating patterns. Honestly the crickets make me feel like there are things in my bed and the babbling brook makes me want to pee, so neither make me drift off to sleep, LOL, but the kids seem to like them and it works.
c) invest in soft sheets, these sheets on Amazon are my favorite, I have 4 sets.
d) keep the room temperature between 60-67 degrees,
e) drink a warm cup of tea when you start winding down, but make sure it’s herbal, not green or black tea, as those have caffeine and produce the opposite effect,
f) you’ve heard this one a million times, but I’ll remind you again, limit screen time. It stimulates your brain and eyes and sends you to bed with lots of thoughts swirling around and lastly,
g) journal things you're thinking about. When I have a lot of things to do the next day, I worry I’ll forget and it keeps me up thinking / stressing about it. If I make a list of everything I need to do / am thinking about, I’m able to put it at rest and fall asleep much faster.
2) Lay out exercise clothes the night before - I especially do this when I travel because it’s very easy to wake up on vacation and talk yourself out of it. But if everything is ready and staring me in the face, I remember I had intentions of getting moving and I’ll be thankful later. I’m 99% more likely to follow through with my workout plans. Some even wear them to bed, I might have done that before, just make sure if you do this, that your workout bra doesn’t have underwire in it.
3) Put alarm out of reach - the snooze button can be the devil and ruin your day. I never would have believed it till I listened to this podcast on the snooze button by Mel Robbins. Check it out and you’l be moving that alarm clock tomorrow :)
4) Schedule coffee maker to go off at a certain time - the smell wafting from your kitchen will give you just another incentive to get up and crush your workout and it’s been proven that small doses of caffeine on an empty stomach can help you push harder, thus get more, out of your workout,
5) Let the light in - expose yourself to natural light as soon as you wake up. Getting blue light from the sun turns off your brain’s melatonin faucet, which in turn can erase any morning fog you feel and give you energy to get going,
6) Sniff Peppermint oil - a small study found that drinking 500 ml of mineral water spiked with peppermint oil improved power and performance and lengthened the time to exhaustion. Young Living oils are the only oils approved by FDAA for consumption.
7) Fuel up / don’t sit down - chose a bite to eat that’s carb-focused and 100-150 calories. ½ banana and peanut butter or Shakeology stirred with water (as a bowl) are my two favorites, both with 16-20 carbs quickly available for your workout.
8) Drink up - dehydration can have a huge effect on physical performance since you lose ~ one liter of water during your sleep through sweat and breathing. I have a lot of ideas for ways to flavor your water without adding extra calories, so try to drink 16 oz. water when you first wake,
9) Stay accountable with a group - telling yourself you can’t work out is easy to do; making that excuse to someone else is a whole other story. studies have shown those that check-in with an accountability group are 20% more likely to succeed and get better results than those that go at it alone. I offer BOD Groups every single month and you’re always invited to join so make that commitment to show up every day and let do this together,
10) Download a new playlist - create a “wake-up” list of energizing songs to get you motivated to move. Research shows that music can reduce the perception of effort and increase endurance up to 15%! Beachbody Super Trainers shared their favorite playlists if you need some new ideas; now go crush that workout,
11) Workout @ home - you’re more likely to workout when your living room, playroom, study is your workout space and you walk by it and hear it call your name. You’ll save money, miss out on germs and save the commute time so there’s really no reason you can’t fit it in. Beachbody on Demand has programs from 10 minutes up to 90 minutes so there are plenty of options to fit the time you have available.
Lemonade Popsicles
Since it’s summer, what’s better than lemonade when you’re sweating outside or lounging by the pool? I’ve got a super easy lemonade popsicle recipe for you! And if simple isn’t your style and you want to elevate the flavor, add ¼ cup fresh herbs or seasonings wrapped tightly in cheesecloth to the water and honey mixture; boil for 5 minutes. Allow to steep for 1-2 hours and strain. Play around with this! Try ginger, rosemary, thyme, basil… you do you!
Ingredients
* 1½ cups water, divided use
* 3 tbsp raw honey
* ½ cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
1) Heat ½ cup of water and honey in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until well-blended. Cool to room temp.
2) Combine honey mixture and lemon juice in a bowl or pitcher. Gradually add the remaining water, to desired taste.
3) Pour evenly into 4 ice pop molds; freeze for at least 4 hours, or until set.
Portion Fix Containers: ½ Yellow
2B Mindset Plate It: Enjoy as an occasional treat - be sure to track!
What’s your go-to summer snack?
Physical therapy isn't easy, but it works!
Leg Extensions - 50 each side, twice (200 total)
In January 2020 I injured my achilles skiing in Japan. By the time we returned to Australia, Covid was in full effect and treatment options didn’t feel safe. I know this won’t require surgery, but it will require lots of rehab, time and dedication to get better. It’s amazing how quick doctors are to operate when quite often, a good trainer and give you the exercises and stretches to keep you away from the knife! That his it’s own recovery time, plus medication we don’t want to expose our bodies to if we can help it.
To make matters worse (and more exciting), we then learned all four of us had parasites, likely from the water in Singapore. B U M M E R! We all took very strong medication for 6-8 weeks to kill the bugs, but during all this, my achilles got put on the back burner. Fast forward a few months and Covid is sort-of under control and we are parasite free, I’m finally getting treatment!
It is soooo hard to “unlearn” a habit. Whether it’s related to nutrition, fitness, things you say or do, etc; your brain is used to a certain way of doing things. But, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible. This is just one of the 6 exercises I do to work on my quad strength and am back to squatting low and lifting heavy.
I’m excited to be able to help clients work on compensations, posture issues, flexibility constraints, and more! Assessments are a great starting place so you can experience the same JOY I have been fortunate to experience, in being healed.
Change your MINDSET!
I love this!!! Lets all learn to know, and LOVE, our own body!
Regardless of how intense the workout, if I start with my 'old mindset', I never see results. If you leave your workout thinking “I earned a frozen yogurt,” you should stop. I used to do that, no joke, after Stroller Strides. I passed Golden Spoon on my way home and it was unlimited toppings, so I told myself it balances out the fat free yogurt. NO. IT. DOESN'T. And these days, life is too hard to waste a workout. Anyone else agree with me on that???
Our bodies were designed to move, and there is a form of exercise for everyone. If you don't enjoy it, or even like it, you haven't found it yet then. Keep trying new kinds until you find something that feels like “that was awesome, whoo hoo!”. Personally, every time I used to do an intense spin class, I'd go home overeat, gain weight, and feel icky. Sometimes I didn't even have to leave the gym to do that! Have you seen what's in their "healthy shakes???" Oh my word...wasted that workout! :(
The instructor might tell say you burned 500 calories in an hour class, but that isn't always what matters on your body. Cardio and weights burn fat so differently. Sometimes the least sweaty pilates class makes me look and feel the longest, leanest and best. If you’re looking for a new fitness routine, Beachbody of Demand has thousands to choose from and I can help you! Lets get started! I have a new group starting next week!
How to go on vacation without losing all you've worked for!
Hotel gym post Upper Fix Extreme (30 minutes)
Exercise:
I try to stay on top of exercise when I travel even if it means choosing a shorter program because when you get home, it's much easier to eat right again, but it's harder to get back into an exercise routine. After 3 straight days of no working out, it's hard as heck for me to start again. And I enjoy exercising ;) I find it pretty easy to fit something in, whether it's in my hotel room while kids are napping, showering, while they ask the front desk a question, whatever.
Most places you stay will have gyms, walking paths mapped out, but bring your 80 day obsession loops & sliders, resistance bands, jump rope, frisbee, etc. that are easy to pack and get you moving. These can be fun with the kids too. Pack exercise clothes because if you don’t bring it, you definitely won’t do it! None of these ideas take up a lot of space!
The following programs require NO EQUIPMENT so you don't need the hotel gym, your hotel room is sufficient:
- Insanity Max 30 (cardio / body weight)**
- Focus T25 (cardio / body weight)
- PiYo (barre)
- Core De Force (martial arts)
- Cize (dance)
- Country heat (dance)
- most abs (10-15 min)
Dining out / Road trips:
Vacation should be relaxing and restful, but you take the vacation, your diet does not. Of course you won't be perfect, but don't bring desserts, chips, etc. from home which add fuel to the fire. JUST DON'T! I ALWAYS take Energize and Shakeology whenever I leave home; Energize more because I feel sluggish when traveling because I'm not eating my best and need the pick me up (I don't drink coffee, this might not apply to you). I take Shakeology because I believe in it and that it's important for my body every day. I feel worse when I don't eat / drink it, crave more sweets, snack more, I'm not as regular, and it's hard to get enough veggies when traveling so I find it even more important to get those 70 Superfoods in.
If I can drink Shakeology + exercise, I feel like I'm winning; anything else is a bonus. Try to make food a PART of the trip, not the PURPOSE.
Stay on your "3 meals and 2 snacks" plan every day. By doing this you regulate your blood sugar which will help your metabolism. Watch for next months' featured tip on Low vs High GI foods.
If you're driving, pack a cooler with these, if possible: boiled eggs, string cheese, hummus-to-go-packs, cherry tomatoes, celery, cucumbers, carrots, KIND bars, Larabars (STAY TUNED, BEACHBARS LAUNCH IN APRIL), fresh fruit, Greek yogurt tubes (freeze and they double as ice packs), oatmeal balls (pictured), non-buttered popcorn and pumpkin muffins. They are filling and healthy. Invest in a double walled tumbler (Yeti or the like) and your Shakeology will stay cold for hours so you could even pre-blend your shake and have lunch / breakfast / pre-party snack in the car or hotel (lots of hotels will make your Shakeology for you! Their continental breakfast has everything you need for it!). **The 1st ingredient in a snack should never be potatoes. They are just disguising that it’s really a potato chip by calling it “veggie straws” or something. Read the back of the bag, not the front!
When dining out, tell them you don’t need bread or chips. The typical restaurant chip is 25 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. We don’t count calories, but why blow your yellows on that when you could chose wine or other carbs all day long?! If you are starving at a Mexican restaurant, ask for a corn tortilla (~50 calories instead).
Ask concierge or travel agent for healthy restaurants (mention Paleo as a guide, even if you're not). Although 21-day fix is not that restrictive, it’s a pretty healthy alternative and most restaurants know what that means.
Avoid buffets if at all possible, and the free cookies in the lobby (I know they look tasty…reminds me of Otis-Spunkmeyer cookies and I can almost smell them now!)
I try to chose EITHER alcohol OR dessert, and I don't have them every day. I try to omit carbs as much as possible, not because we can't eat them, but they are everywhere so naturally I'll get them in through snacking on kids stuff (yes 😫) or save for an unplanned surprise.
If I order a salad, I ask for Balsamic vinegar on the side, or olive oil, vinegar and lemon wedges. Restaurants typically don't mind modifications! So far, no one has spit in my food (that I know of).
I asked them to replace the Sourdough with veggies. Those tomatoes look way better and I won't crash afterwards from having high GI foods. Portions are always larger at restaurants so make wise choices where you can or split a dish with someone! You save calories and money! They are willing to work with you, but you have to ASK!
Hotel:
Avoid the mini-bar. It will help your wallet and your waist! Ha!
Think about renting a condo, Air Bnb or VRBO and bring food rather than booking a hotel and eating out for every meal. Again, gentle on the wallet and waist and allows you to splurge a little more when you really want.
Flying:
Drink 1 glass of water for every hour of flight to prevent dehydration and jet lag. For every 1-hour of travel you lose 1 pint of water.
Cruises:
Fill your plate with 50% vegetables, salad, etc. and only for back for seconds for steamed veggies.
Ask them to prepare a sack lunch for your day excursions. Boiled eggs and fruit are usually an option.
Ask to order from the Spa Menu, which is smaller portions, and tell them you don’t need to see the dessert menu. (Seeing the choices is all that much more tempting)
Chose a ship that offers lots of activities. The average person gains 15 lbs. on a week cruise. YIKES! Think of coming home to all! All tan and bloated??! No thank you.
If you don't ask, you won't receive. This is your vacation and coming home feeling like crap and sluggish is no fun and harder to get motivated to jump back in. You are paying for it so gain control of some of your daily choices. You'll thank yourself at the end :)
Day 4: AAA
Get ready for AAA!
The name of this workout stands for “Abs, Arms, and A**”, and it’s a full-body workout that focuses on these key areas. Hello booty gains!! It’s ~50 minutes long and uses weights, Beachbody resistance loops, Beachbody strength slides, and a mat. For week 1, Phase 1, we will do 2 sets of 15 reps.
This is your first week, you’re pushing yourself hard and eating in a new way. You may be sore. That’s OK! Do some extra stretching or one of Autumn’s bonus self-care workouts—Roll & Release or Stretch & Release if you need it. You can do these any day, or every day! Listen to your body!
How do feel about eating around your Workout Block? Some people don’t like to eat too much before a workout; did you know that you can swap Meal Option 1 with your Pre-Workout Meal? Then just eat according to your meal plan for the rest of the day. Meal timing is important to fuel your body, so keep pushing forward! The only days I find I can't do this swap is on Cardio days because it's too much liquid bouncing around. I thought this timed-nutrition thing would be hard, but I've enjoyed eating breakfast with my kids every day now rather than working out and rushing around to eat after they go to school.
This is ham & spinach roll ups (1 red, 1 green), toast with peanut butter and 1/2 sliced banana (1 yellow, 1 purple, 1 teaspoon)
Pre-Workout Meal: Scrambled eggs with sautéed spinach and olives, with a side of toast. (1 Green, 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 Orange). Make sure this matches the containers in your plan. If you have a teaspoon in this meal, you can add some ghee or peanut butter to your toast. Or if you get a Purple add a cup of fruit on the side.
Not a fan of savory breakfast? Try baked butternut squash, sprinkled with cinnamon and serve with a side of plain Greek yogurt (2%) topped with 2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut and ¼ cup toasted rolled oats (1 Green, 1 Red, 1 Yellow, 1 tsp.). If you get a Purple, sprinkle your yogurt with a cup of berries. See how easy that can be?
Post-Workout Meal: Your post-workout meal is similar to your pre-workout meal. In general, it’s Green, Red, Yellow, and a teaspoon. Depending on your plan you may get more of one of the containers. I love 2 eggs cooked with spinach or arugula and then place in a wrap with sliced apple and peanut butter on the side. (1 Green, 1 Red, 1 Purple, 1 Yellow, 1 tsp.
Why do I need a foam roller?
Foam rolling is essentially a self-massage that allows you to apply deep pressure to certain points of the body to release tightness and muscular tension. Adding foam roller exercises into your workout routine can help prevent muscle soreness, tightness, and more. So if your budget is tight, don't let your muscles be too! Do this at home! Keep reading for Do's and Don'ts!
Benefits of Foam Rolling
The idea behind foam rolling is that by applying a direct load to muscles and tissues, you stretch and massage the underlying tissues. This is believed to reduce fatigue and tension of the fascia [connective tissue] and muscle, enhance range of motion, promote blood flow, lengthen muscles, reduce pain and soreness, and aiding in recovery and relaxation. Ever see people who lift heavy weights look tense and like their arms can't relax or hang properly... this would help solve a lot of issues!
How Often Should You Use a Foam Roller?
Ideally, every day. “The more you foam roll, the more your muscles respond to it,” says Dipple. “Ideally, you should do it daily—as you would stretching—although ease yourself into it by gradually building up the number of sessions you do.”
He recommends dedicating 10 to 20 minutes per session to foam rolling exercises at least once a day to simply get out the kinks. “When you find an area of tension, work around it for about 30 seconds using short, slow rolls and follow this up with longer, slower (and more soothing) strokes over the whole length of the muscle.” When you first start it might feel uncomfortable, or even hurt, but don't give up! “When you’re working an area of tension, you’re applying your body weight to a tender area;" discomfort is ok, but excruciating pain is not.
4 Foam Roller Mistakes to Avoid
1. Avoid rolling directly onto your lower vertebrae. Dipple says, “Your lower back muscles will contract to help protect the spine which can cause discomfort or injury.”
2. Do not hold your breath, though it’s tempting when discomfort hits. Instead, says Dipple, take long deep breaths as you roll in order to increase blood flow to the working muscles and derive more of the benefits of foam rolling exercises.
3. Stop rolling evenly on each side. “If it’s your right leg that has an issue, spend more time on that side,” says Dipple. This isn't like lifting weights, you don't need to be completely even on each side. The next time, your other side might need more time.
4. Avoid rolling too quickly! Long and slow rolls while taking deep breaths, will cause your brain to send a message to your muscles to relax. Think ... at home massage ... and ENJOY!
Click HERE for 8 easy foam-rolling exercises.
Shift Shop results are in!
The results are in from round 2 and Justin and Chelsea crushed Shift Shop!! I'm so proud of both of them and know they were 100% committed to daily exercise, drinking Shakeology and eating clean...and guess what...it paid off!
Many have asked how Shift Shop works:
🙌 week 1 you are doing daily exercises that are 25 min long and eating carbs like you would on 21 Day Fix
✌️ week 2 you increase the intensity to 35 min exercises and drop some of the carbs
👊 week 3 you drop all carbs (just for 7 days) and exercise 45 min / day. I bet you already spend more time than that just driving to your gym, parking and getting to class round trip. This is on your TV, tablet, phone or computer and 25-45 min and you are DONE! How amazing is that? And you get streaming for 365 days so at the end of Shift Shop, you can move on to whatever program you want to do next (p90x3, Shaun Week, Insanity Max 30, Core De Force, etc).
This is for all ages and all levels. The trainer, Chris Downing, is just like you and I. Super humble dad that took his son to work out too, got it done and went on with his day. His exercises are efficient and change each week so there's no boredom here!
TODAY ONLY YOU CAN STREAM THIS PROGRAM FOR FREE!!!!! Sign up here if you don't already have Beachbody on Demand and check it out. I'll be doing it with you and can't wait to see you sparkle :) https://www.teambeachbody.com/signup/-/signup/club…
For more information or to save a spot in the July 17th challenge group, submit an application here: https://www.eatsweatpray.com/shift-shop/
I am going to run a private CHALLENGER TEST GROUP and I have lots of prizes ready to go. I can't wait to cheer you on!!
Shaun Week - as scary as Shark Week!
This guy is NO JOKE!!! And he's starting a new program on Monday and it's all ... you guessed it...SHAUN T!! Who is ready for 7 days of SHAUN WEEK? I busted out 30 min with him this morning, and even if you need to modify, he will do things, and encourage and push you, in ways you never knew you could!! I promise you that! He even has a chair modifier - no excuses 😜
Tired of feeling tired?? Jeans being tight? Getting the munchies or afternoon slump between 2-4?? I can help!! Pm me now so you get everything in time.
This summer, rock your swim suit instead of your cover up and make a liar out of those dri-fit shirts 😂😂
$160 = 365 days of streaming to EVERY PROGRAM, 30 servings of Shakeology, 25 oz blender bottle, weekly meal plans, and portion control containers. You won't find a better deal and this is money-back guarantee!! AND you will be included in my next 30-day group starting right after this!! Talk about lots of support!! 👊🏻👊🏻👊🏻
Insanity Max 30 / Shaun Week
I love my kids. I do. But I've said the Serenity Prayer no less than 136 times today I'm sure!! They are little 👿👿 right now and I'm convinced they're trying to make me drink by 8am. 😬
Literally today they fell asleep at 8am (tells you how early our day started) and I chugged my Energize to wake up and rocked Insanity Max 30: Tabatha Power. It made me remember how much I like Shaun T and get pumped for Shaun Week starting June 12!!! ❤️ me some Shaun T!!!!
I still have space and here is the plan for most challengers:
✅ 3-day refresh June 7-9
✅ Shaun Week June 12-18 (he has hunter there might be more content than j st 7 days too 🤗🤗)
Let me know if yo want details. All Access Kickstarg Challenge pack will get you:
🥛 30 servings of Shakeology
🥗 my portion controlled clean menus
🏆 Free exclusive streaming to EVERYTHING we currently offer and will release in 2017
🥝 3-day refresh cleanse to drop 3-6 pounds as a "kickstart"
I don't know about you, but it's not a chore on vacay to squeeze 30 min in and right now, it's giving me the grace I need for jet lag drama. What are your goals?? Me time? Not skip meals? Get free weekly meal plans? Lose weight? Tone? Whatever it is, I promise if you stick with the program, it will work. MONEY BACK GUARANTEE!! What do you have to lose except your excuses!?!??