What I’m Loving Lately: Trader Joe’s Cocoa Nibs & Three-Layer Hummus

August 19, 2016August 22, 2016 by Ali ♥ 2 Comments

*I’m not affiliated with Trader Joe’s and have not been sponsored for this post, I just love sharing my recent items with all of you!*

I’ve always loved shopping at Trader Joe’s! Or what I like to call TJ’s 😉 I love it there because of the wide variety and creative products they sell as well as the quality of their produce, meats, coffee, etc. Basically TJ’s knows what’s up. I actually like it better in some ways over Publix. Although Publix is great for quick, essential items, I feel most creative with my grocery list when I go to TJ’s. It’s like they promote being creative! Which I like. Don’t get me wrong, Publix has a place (namely their pub subs), but my go-to for big grocery trips will be at TJ’s.

We got our TJ’s here in Tampa a couple years ago and we have one in the Tampa area. Best part is that it’s not far from me either! However, if you have been to TJ’s then you know the parking is TERRIBLE but well worth it every time. Over time I’ve learned to accept it the distrastrous parking and go when it’s less busy during the morning or in the evenings. I found a pattern when I went into the TJ’s in Delray Beach (where I’m from) and in Portland, OR when I went for the first time and BOTH places also had small parking lots. Hmmm…anyways, they may not have the parking situation down at their locations, but they sure do have the food part down!

When I go into grocery shop, I keep in mind the grocery shopping rule: stick to the perimeter first. If you haven’t heard of this “rule” basically it means all the healthy, quality type foods (produce, meat, dairy, etc) are around the outside and the “less quality”(processed snacks, bread, chips, soda, etc) for lack of better words because its all good in moderation 😛 is in the middle isles. I find this consistent in all grocery stores, and believe quality still exists in the middle to an extent. Nut butters, whole grains, canned beans, nuts, dried fruit, etc. are also there! You just have to pass the various types of cookie butter to get to them in some cases. *begins drooling*

So according to the topic of today’s post, I did have to pass through the middle isles a bit to explore a couple new items that I’m really excited to share! The first item being cocoa nibs. OMG. I love love love chocolate and when I saw these little morsals, I thought of a few things they would go SO well with beyond just keeping them as a sweet. If you haven’t seen them before, they kinda look like the nerds candy. They’re crunchy and delicious and satisfy that sweet crunch. Even without putting them in or on top of anything, I’ve poured some straight into my hand and throwing them into my mouth as is! Simply delicious.

When I’m not just eating out of the pouch, I’ve put them on top of plain yogurt mixed with peanut butter for a little indulgent snack, put some in trail mix for a salty sweet taste, or on a mug cake! (blog post still TBA on this one, can’t quite get it yet). The list goes on, but this is basically what I’ve enjoyed the most using them for! Putting them on oatmeal, baking with them, smoothie bowl toppings, ice cream, etc. A decent amount in a pouch too and not too expensive either. A good buy to make whatever you eat a little more indulgent without going overboard.

The other item is three-layer hummus. Now this wasn’t in the middle isle because of refrigeration (of course) but the idea of three flavors in ONE container got me. I really enjoy their beet hummus as well, but hummus can be flavored so many ways, I figured I’d give this one a go. IT WAS AMAZING! To be honest, I’m more of a traditional hummus fan. However, I love garlic flavored anything too. Garlic though was NOT a flavor of the three. From bottom to top: spicy, cilantro jalapeño, and traditional on top. No so much into spicy, but it was tolerable and something I did get used to! Cilantro Jalapeño also spicy, yet tangy, and somewhat savory at the same time. Lastly, traditional because it’s just my favorite and also a winner.

Perfect for dipping carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, celery, etc or dipping tortilla chips or veggie sticks are some of my favorite things to dip into! Using hummus as a spread in place of mayo or replacing the yolk in a hard-boiled egg are some of my favorite combinations. One of my favorite breakfast go-tos is to use hummus on toast with an egg on top! A feel-good easy breakfast idea.

So many variations for both items, each to pair with something different! Enjoy!

YOUR TURN:

-Do you have two new grocery items you’ve been loving?

-What are some items you’ve been pleasantly surprised with or have been ultimate disasters?

Challenge Your Core: How To Nail The Perfect Plank

August 5, 2016August 5, 2016 by Ali ♥ 1 Comment

Happy Friday!! Figured I’d add a workout-type post this week since I’ve been switching up my planks lately. I practice a lot of them on myself and then add them to my workouts for my HEAT class and with my clients. In case you’re reading this and am like, “hmm what”- listen here!

FullSizeRender-7 — Standard Forearm Plank

I LOVE planks let me tell you. If I can’t figure core-wise what I wanna do, my go to is a plank of some kind. There’s so many options and you don’t need any equipment to get the most of this exercise. Switching your arms, legs, and movement patterns throughout your torso and you’re bound to challenge yourself differently every time.

A plank is an exercise used to isolate your core (abs and low back). Planks are all about contracting, namely through isometric movement, known as holding/squeezing.

Tips to good plank form:

Back flat
Butt down
Hands under shoulders (modified plank)
Forearms/elbows unders shoulders (standard plank)
Breath!

Planks are all about time. No need for counting any reps. What I would suggest to someone doing a plank for the first time is focus on good form first. Time doesn’t mean as much if the form isn’t there. Seeing yourself in a side view using a mirror using my tips above is the first step. However you hold yourself, keeping the core tight and engaged is key to get the most out of your plank. The goals is to have good form first, then start the timer!

Once your form is good, start the timer and hold as long as you can until you lose form. Once form is lost, stop the timer and make a note of the time of course!!! 😉 Adding five to ten seconds at a time with good form is a good way to start. Working up to fifteen seconds then to twenty, thirty, ultimately a min or more is the goal!

FullSizeRender-9 — Modified High Plank (hands come under shoulders here ;P)

YOUR TURN!

-Favorite plank variation?

-What’s your go-to core exercise?

My Five Favorite Yoga Poses For Runners

July 15, 2016 by Ali ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hello! I’m really excited to share this week’s post (as I usually am), but am especially excited to share a few of my favorite yoga poses that I have found that have helped me as a runner.

Now, to be honest, I haven’t done a legit yoga class in a few months. *Cringes.* Yeah, it’s not my thing, fitness-wise. I think it’s great and I love how I feel after I’m done, but yoga doesn’t have the same amount of sweat involved as a run or strength training…sorry to any hardcore yogis reading this! 😛 I do enjoy the stillness and the series of movements to help open me up and help me relax. The music, the vibes of the class, and learning a new pose are all something I look forward to when I attend a class. Getting that challenge from stretches and new movements does intimidate me a little, but I have to constantly remind myself that just like anything else, it takes work and patience to see some improvement. Hence, why going to a class regularly like I should would be helpful!

I was going pretty regularly during my undergrad since I enjoyed one instructor in particular, the type of class she taught, and the day/time of the class. Plus it was our school gym so I basically walked across campus and I was there. Now real life has set in and I have to find a new place to go not a part of UT! This has been part of the issue of finding a studio to go to among other factors like instructor, timing, type of yoga, etc. I have learned to use YouTube in a pinch, which does help. Better then nothing right??

Post class, I feel a sense a re-newness while being aware of my being. I leave every time saying, “I forget how much I enjoy this.” Sometimes we forget what our body actually needs instead of what our mind wants. I try to remember the “post” feeling of something when I’m not at first interested in doing something. This happens most often with yoga, but simply reminding myself how good it is for me is enough to put in on my calendar and make it happen. Another thing that helps me prioritize, is knowing it helps benefit my running. Both those reasons combined and I make it happen. Yes, as a personal trainer, I’m following my own advice as a way of putting it on a calendar or in my schedule to make it a priority!

Okay so I’ve told you my thoughts on yoga and what works and what hasn’t for me. I love keeping it real and open here, especially since no one is perfect, even us personal trainers! Watch, after I finish writing this, I’ll look up a couple options for yoga YouTube videos I can do at home! Told ya it doesn’t take much. 😉

Anyways, yoga poses for runners. Tight hips, low back/core, and hamstrings are my tightest spots. I foam roll about three to four times per week but getting a good stretch is something completely different. Like I mentioned above, I enjoy the series of movements to gradually open up and relax me. You’ll find one of my favorites in last week’s post: the cat-cow! Great for low back and core.

Below are my five favorite yoga poses for runners. Add them to your post-run cool-down routine or add them to a morning or evening to start or end the day.

Runner’s Lunge (1)
- Great for: tight hips
Pigeon Pose (2)
- Great for: tight hips and glutes
Swan Dive to Downward Dog (3)
- Great for: lengthening the upper body and hamstrings
Triangle Pose (4)
- Great for: total body, especially inner thighs, hips, obliques
Child’s pose (5)
- Great for: low back and core (I love finishing my stretches with this–helps me become centered in cool-down)

LET’S CHAT!

-Do you have a favorite yoga pose?

-Do you stretch post-run? What kind of stretches do you do?

-Do you do yoga?

Strengthen The Low Back: Deadlifts & Core Warm-Up

July 8, 2016July 8, 2016 by Ali ♥ 2 Comments

Happy Friday! Finished my first six week grad school class last week, and started my second one this past Wednesday! One down, last summer class to go. Before I start writing this, I checked out the syllabus and wrote out the semester in my planner for due dates of assignments, class topics, etc. I love my Erin Condren planner and it being so easy to plan and use, I highly suggest it if you like to write everything down!

Even with being in school, I decided to change up my goals and routine to incorporate one more extra day of strength training. I figured add in another day because I can make it happen with my schedule and having that extra workout keeps things fresh. See my post on squeezing in strength training into a hectic schedule here. One exercise that is great for fitting into this time frame, is deadlifts, or any core exercise for that matter. Just like upper body or lower body, core deserves it’s own day too. What better way to fill the extra day of strength with all core, lower back, and abs?? I do core at the end of each upper body and lower body day, but I’ve really been enjoyed having these days just to focus here too along with mixing it up with a shoulder or arm day.

One thing I’ve concluded while working with clients that have desk jobs is that their core and lower back are especially tight and/or weak. No surprise right? I didn’t actually think of this, but I was getting a lot of the same comments from everyone like, “I feel so tight in the middle of back”, “I’m stiff constantly”, and “I have occasional neck/back issues.” Unfortunately, sitting for such long periods of time affects this. Yes, walking around during your lunch hour and taking the stairs helps, but at the end of the day, desk job employees can’t do a whole lot about the sitting part of their job. Unless, they get a stand-up desk which in my opinion, is the best option out there.

This is where I come into play. Although I’m not at work reminding them to walk around (although I’m sure they would like that!) I try and focus on regaining that strength and improving their low back and core when I do meet with them.

One key component of the dynamic warm-up (stretching with movement) I’ve done with them are:

Cat-Cows: It’s a yoga move it’s a great way to warm up the spine and core. It gently moves the core and spine up and down while easing low back stiffness.
Child’s Pose: No movement here, but a great way to release any tension between sets of Cat-Cows.
Torso-Twists: Rotating side to side from the waist gently twists the core and spine.

Perform each movement one after the next, ten to fifteen times each, three rounds through. Once warmed-up, I show my clients the proper form of the deadlift before giving them the weight. Deadlifts are tricky since they do incorporate the low back, an area of concern for some people. Once done correctly, they’re easy to grasp and provide so many benefits!

One mistake I find often is that people tend to add a squat to the movement. The squat isn’t necessary and tends to take away from the purpose behind the deadlift. The deadlift works to use the core, namely the low back, to lift from the hips up. I like to think of hinging at the hips/sticking the butt back as a way to describe the movement. Check out how to perform a deadlift here!

Another thing that worries people about this movement, is that we’ve been told our whole lives to “use the legs, not the back.” Yes, that is true, but properly recruiting the legs AND back is what is really key. Keeping the core tight is something that we don’t think of right away, but keeping it mind throughout the warm-up and into the exercise can help keep form together.

If you’re nervous about trying the deadlift alone, start with supermans. They work the low back the same way, but without the weight. You’re also on the ground which takes the thinking out of the movement. Check out how to perform the superman here!

Be sure to cool down and stretch the core once you’re done! The child’s pose is a good one post workout as well as the hamstrings toe touch. *BONUS* perform hamstring stretch sitting. It’s more intense this way because the floor is keeping your legs supported as opposed to standing up. Feel free to add a slight bend to the knees if you have tight hamstrings like me 😉 Work up to keeping the legs as straight as possible.

LET’S CHAT:

-Do you suffer from a tight low back? How do you keep it from getting cranky?

-Do you do yoga?

-Thoughts on stand-up desks?

My Fifteen Minute Foam Rolling Routine

June 17, 2016June 17, 2016 by Ali ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Hey Everyone! Happy Friday!! Hope you all have had a productive and good week. I’m on my fourth week of grad school and so far so good, but is quite the challenge. I’m definitely being pushed out of my comfort zone with studying since it really is a whole new level of knowledge. I’m more then half way through my course, then I’ll have about a week and half or so off then return to my next six week course after the forth of July.

First off, what is foam rolling? Foam rolling is a recovery mechanism that releases adhesions, or knots in the muscle from repeated stress. It promotes blood flow to the affected area through rolling the muscle. Scientifically, this is called myofasical release, meaning ‘myo-‘ for muscle, ‘fasical-‘ referring to fascia meaning connective tissue, and ‘release’ from releasing tension on muscle.

With that being said, I figured I share my foam rolling routine and talk recovery since that is equally important too. I’m always go-g0-go. Constantly having a plan of action is my jam. For me, each week (even if its not set to a tee) has some kind of workout in it. It’s either just one workout of cardio, usually running or weights, either body weight or some kind of resistance. Twice a week I work out twice a day, usually in the morning then in the afternoon either a run then weights or weights then speed work. Then I have a rest day or two. One thing that is weak in my own program is recovery. YEP, I said it. In fact, it’s probably my biggest weakness. Yep, I said it again. It really takes a lot out of me to focus on this. But I’ve learned over time that it is equally important in order to bounce back well from workouts. That doesn’t mean I get massages every week. I’m on a student on a budget, so that’s not happening! BUT I can do my own job of recovery instead and it starts with a foam roller.

Way back when I started running I was hurting a lot because of a lot of things like not strength training, stretching, and eating well (I ate Bud’s Chicken– a “nice” local fast food drive through post cross country and track meets). One big culprit (although all of them are significant), was foam rolling. I got to college and I had terrible IT Band Syndrome. It was so bad I could hardly walk AND on top of it I was training for my second half marathon. How I did that feeling like sh*t I don’t know but I ran it. Dealing with severe tightness, I learned from a professor I took a class with what foam rolling was. Thank you Exercise Science degree!! 😉 I was so tight and uncomfortable I hated it, but is showed me how much I really needed it and how it important it is to do regularly.

To this day, I’m not great at it, but I do it often enough now that I have my tightness under control and my IT Band Syndrome at bay. I’m still tight there from time to time, but it was WAY more manageable then when I wasn’t doing it at all! I was seriously like a grandma looking back now. How I went that far without rolling was my bad BIG TIME. Sometimes it takes a hard lesson to be reminded how important it is.

Okay, so fast forward to TODAY and I probably roll out two to three times per week. I could more, but I don’t always. I know. I can be better. It is something I struggle with and realize it is something to work on so I try to make it part of my routine somehow. So, I do it before bed as part of my bedtime routine. It takes about fifteen minutes, but it is well worth it. I especially love rolling while watching The Bachelorette or American Ninja Warrior. Roll and watch, it’s a good combination.

If you don’t have a roller and you workout, run, or train multiple days a week rolling is especially beneficial and definitely worth the investment. They come in all different kinds of firmness, treds vs. no treds, brand, etc. However, they are on the pricy side depending on what you’re looking for. I suggest starting with a softer roller (like a pool noodle type softness) and go from there. My favorite is Trigger Point brand recovery tools. They have a great variety for all types of recovery needs! Although I focus on legs, foam rolling can be for all over. If I roll out my whole body, it usually takes a half hour to forty five minutes. I find I have the most amount of time for this on the weekends. During the week I stick with rolling for about fifteen minutes.

For my routine, this what I do two to three times each week. Starting easy from the bottom and working up or vice versa. Roll a little bit at time, about an inch more in one direction before go back to your starting point. If you feel a particularly tight or tender spot, hold there and breath. I broke it down here, but feel free to check out my video for a visual on Instagram to help get a better idea!

-Starting at the bottom of foot roll five to ten times up and down

-Foam roller under ankle, foot is resting on top, achilles tendon side down:

dorsiflex and plantar flex five times
circle the ankle in one direction and reverse
turn inside then outside ankle to roller and circle one direction and reverse

-Roll up shin to calf until back on knee (it’s safe with light pressure)

-Roll from bottom to top of hamstring up to the glutes

~Switch legs and repeat!~

Meal Prep: How You Can Fit It In & Not Be Overwhelmed

June 3, 2016 by Ali ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Happy Friday! Meal prep seems to be a common thread everyone seems to be battling with at one point or another. It also can be intimidating AF because where do you start?? I’ve had a few thoughts, which have turned into excuses:

I don’t meal prep AT ALL and I end up paying for my laziness by eating out and choosing less then healthy options
I’m not sure what I’m in the mood to cook
I’m not in the mood to prepare it
There’s other things I’d rather be doing and meal-prepping isn’t one of them

Have you had these thoughts? I have, but have limited them and have changed them for the better. Once I meal-prep, I can officially consider myself set up for success. I spend less money, feel the need to not waste food, and having it prepared for me gives me ZERO excuses for eating healthy. Three killer reasons why I make these reasons alone the reason I *try* and do this every week.

On the other hand, life happens and this doesn’t always get done. And guess what? Does the world end that I didn’t meal prep? NO! Does that mean I’m not gonna be set up for success and therefore fail with my meal choices? NO! It just means I have free reign…both good and bad 😛

Roasted sweet potato with salt, pepper, olive oil, and cinnamon; hard-boiled eggs

So the question is, how do you fit it in?

I start by figuring out what I’m in the mood for that week. Sometimes I know instantly what I want. Other times I look through my Meals on The Run cookbook from Runner’s World, use Instagram for inspiration (check out #bgbcommunity on Instagram–you’ll be drooling over your phone in no time HA!), or tbh–the grocery store itself, although I try not to do that too often. I find flavors or ingredients that interest me or I look at factors of a recipe like time and servings to decide.

For me, I prep on Sundays. It’s a slower day for me usually so I grocery shop then come back and whip up whatever I’m making so its fresh and ready to use. I like one-pot meals a lot or one-bowl type dishes like salad since they’re both something you heat up or assemble in as little as a half hour and it’s ready to eat! I don’t have time to stand in front of a stove and cook fresh every. single. night. and I’m sure you don’t (or want to) either. So why make it tougher then it should be? Meal prep for the week ahead and you’ll have a fresh, healthy meal at your finger tips!

There are weeks I don’t have time to make a full blown meal with all the fixings on a Sunday, or I simply just don’t want to. But instead of not doing nothing at all, I pick one or two items that are quick cooking so I have at least some kind of snack, vegetable, or carb ready to be thrown in to something during the week. Recently, I love cooking hard-boiled eggs, which take about fifteen minutes, and sweet potatoes which take about twenty. Both go at the same time and you don’t really need to watch either too closely! Between the two, both are done in about an hour or less. Seriously, NO EXCUSES! And even though it isn’t “meal prep” it’s more like “meal prep-prep” it’s still setting you up for success in one form or another right? Isn’t that the whole point??

Another thing that doesn’t always come with the actual prep, but something to keep in mind, is how much food you’re really getting out of the food you’re making. I cook for me, so I pick dishes that have about four servings in them. That number works for me because I get bored of eating it as the week goes on–for real though and once I get bored of it, I tend to waste it which doesn’t do my wallet any good. Any dishes six to eight servings, I tend to not look too closely at just because it feeds too many for just me! Looking at how many you’re cooking for and who you’re cooking for (hungry husbands, a family, someone who always traveling/on-the-go) is one factor I feel is most important when it comes to meal prep.

Now the type of person you’re feeding is another whole topic in itself since you want to please whoever you’re feeding too. Getting the kids, husband, whoever involved will make meal-prep an easier thing to tackle. If it just you, like it is just me, make whatever you want!! #perksoflivingalone

The funnest part of the whole meal-prep idea is the CLEAN UP! lol…just kidding. It’s my least favorite part of the whole thing to be real, but it’s gotta happen. You can make it easier by using foil or parchment paper to make clean-up easy too. Here’s a tip: DON’T use Parchment paper to broil hahaha. I made that mistake and I created a small fire in my kitchen one night making mini english muffin pizzas. All is good!! I put it out but instead of Parchment paper, use foil instead *face palm*–no flames to worry about with that. Anyways, clean-up is cut in half and makes the whole meal-prep process that much smoother.

Hoping this post leaves you feeling more inspired to try meal-prepping! Taking it step by step and not feeling intimidated is key. See it as a learning experience! Either you’ll enjoy learning to cook new things or you won’t…and in the latter case you know you at least made an attempt!

Good Luck and Happy Meal-Prepping!

YOUR TURN:

-What are you favorite go to snacks or dishes to meal-prep?

-What is one thing you want to work on or try with meal-prepping?

-Any fails with meal-prep or kitchen disasters? LOL

Push-Ups: Three New Variations & Why They’re Good For You

May 11, 2016 by Ali ♥ 2 Comments

Cue the *UGH* when told to do push-ups. I did this before getting into fitness and cringed hardcore. I admit, I didn’t love doing them either because I felt WEAK. And who want’s to feel that way? It wasn’t until I told myself, “this is the sh*t that makes your stronger. Just do one at a time.” That’s when I forced myself to try. Now I LOVE (well, tolerate more like) push-ups because they do exactly what I want them to do, make me feel accomplished without overdoing or wearing myself out.

If you saw my post on my sandbag and stair workout, I did a similar workout, but changed it a bit and added push-ups for my upper body routine! I did two variations of push-ups: basic push-ups using the sandbag and lat tap push-ups. I didn’t do the bird-dog, but its another great addition, so I figured I’d add it here.

Having a sandbag with me was self-motivation for me to get LOW on the push-up. I made myself TOUCH the bag every. damn. time. OI! Not to mention, I am feeling it today! Two sets of twenty reps, forty total push-ups. Every time I do them I’m reminded how great they are. Even without a sandbag, using a weight to touch or some kind of marker to get low are great self-motivators. During a personal training session, I hold my fist under my client’s chest and it works the same way. They aren’t a fan of it, but when they see their push-ups improving, they thank me.

Check out my Lat Tap push-ups on my Instagram! These I do on my knees because the focus for these is a little different. Although you do wanna get low to the floor, you want to touch your torso to the ground. Extend your arms in front and wide, tap the ground, bring hands to the sides of your armpits/shoulders, keep that core tight as you lift from the ground up. The lifting from the ground after tapping is the hardest part for me. I tend to bring up my chest first then my lower back follows. This is an indicator of a weak core/low back, as your torso should come up together. This push-up alone is another reason I do this! Making sure your keeping that core tight as well as using a mirror from the side is a good way to monitor your form. I hate admitting my weakness, but this is an obvious one to me and something I continually work on! Sometimes I have to cut my reps on these. Try doing five solid, quality lat taps with a straight back (as straight as possible) then rest.

Another good push-up variation I didn’t do in my workout, but is great for core stability and balance is the bird-dog pushup. Either on your knees or standard, perform a pushup, then extend your opposite leg to your opposite arm. For example, lift and extend your right leg and left arm. Repeat the push-up then extend your left leg and right arm. This one is SO good and incorporates balance and core that doesn’t always come with the other two.

Long story short: Push-ups are great because they have so much variety to them while gaining upper body strength without equipment. By far, my favorite upper body exercise to do with my HEAT class because NOTHING is needed and variety can be as complex or as simple as you want. Adding different componets like balance (bird-dog), core/lower back/lats (lat-tap), and the use of the sandbag to get lower (self-motivating), challenges all components, not to mention– a killer upper body workout!

Add them to your next workout the next time you’re low on equipment or you want to improve and challenge your upper body!

Join the conversation:

-How do you feel about push-ups?

-Any other good bodyweight upper body moves you do?

-How often to you strength train?

Beat Plateaus with Cardio Post Strength Training

April 13, 2016 by Ali ♥ 4 Comments

Good morning! We’re officially half way through the week…YES! If you need to freshen up your fitness routine, check out my new workout idea. I wish I had done this combination of cardio post strength day sooner, since it really is a great way to see how well you perform on tired legs (or just a tired total body) while torching extra calories.

Have you ever warmed up with some light cardio or gotten it done first, then hit the weights, and finished with a cool down? Nothing wrong with that! Pretty standard and it works. But if you always do it that way, plateau is likely to set in sooner than later. A plateau is a period of maintenance where there is no decline or progress of fitness. You maintain and that’s it. This can either be seen as good or bad depending on the person and their goals. This can happen to anyone, from the elite to the average joe.

As we improve and progress, we become more fit with a need to be more mindful of new challenges/ways to make us stronger and more fit. For someone who is very fit (think of someone working out six days a week) constantly changing the stimulus pretty often is necessary to reach goals, whatever those are. For someone new to exercise/never exercised before and needs to lose weight, they may see results with this standard routine for a bit. Eventually after keeping up with their exercise routine, they could plateau later and need to adjust. Different timelines and goals for different people!

For those of you not really in a plateau right now (or just are good with where you are now) but just wanna add variety, this is just as good for you too! Especially those of you not really into losing weight, but wanna up your running game and have a race coming up. I tried this concept to switch up my running most of all: Running AFTER strength training! WHAT WHAT! yeah, it’s hard AF. But its great and really gets your body working. Running tired especially after a leg heavy strength day last Thursday was not really on my agenda, but I felt great so I figured why not. Although five miles was not on my list either, I really did enjoy that different kind of push. The first one to two miles were tough, then my legs kinda figured it out. The last mile was definitely tough though *insert fire and explosion emoijis.* I kinda wish I had done this more during my marathon training #MyOneRegret, but know I know for next one! 😉

If running five miles post strength seems to far too soon, stick to one to three miles and keep in tough or just above a conversational pace. See my post on pace runs to add the idea of an intense and short amount of cardio. I took it slower, and still felt I got a challenge out of it. If your legs feel like they’re gonna fall off, you’re doing it right! The point is keeping the cardio for after the weights, so regardless how fast or far you’re going, you can keep it easy or tough and still get benefits from it.

All ya gotta do is tack on the cardio at the end of your strength routine (whatever that is for you) and BOOM you will feel a huge difference! Even if running isn’t your thing, a bike ride, elliptical, walk, etc. works too! Keeping the heart rate going post weights is key!

YOUR TURN:

-Any new workout routines you’ve tried recently?

-What is your preferred form of cardio?

Squeeze in Speedwork with Pace Runs

March 30, 2016March 31, 2016 by Ali ♥ 4 Comments

Hi Friends! Within the last few weeks, I changed up my speed work sessions since I needed a switch up from the usual tempo and interval runs. I’ve found myself kinda lazy at getting up to run, even though I still go–time change hasn’t helped that. Or I just don’t feel like running far. Both realities prompted me to push for harder, shorter, and more intense runs. I figured, get an extra half hour of sleep, not running as far, AND boost my speed? Can’t beat that!

Quick back story: I’ve not added speed work into my running routine because I never felt that I needed it. Silly I know. I always thought until my sophomore year of college, “why bother when my goal is just to finish?” I finally tried it until I heard after the upteenth time that it would be good to enhance speed, boost metabolism, become more efficient, burn more calories etc. That’s when I decided to use UT’s track for intervals. I sprinted the straightaways and walked the turns for two miles. After a few weeks of adding it twice a week, I experimented with longer intervals/shorter rests and tempo runs. Then I got my Garmin Forerunner 15 watch and have kept it up ever since! I made sure I added it to my marathon training as well since I was determined to complete it in less then four hours. Which I did! I truly believe speed work was my secret weapon in that race besides just the long runs. Read about my marathon journey and training here and here.

I routinely added pace runs to my weekly running because of time, convenience, and benefits gained in such a short amount of time. What are pace runs? Runs that are thirty minutes or less, ideally twenty minutes, of intense effort without stopping. Think of a sprint, but controlled aka PACED. You should not be able to talk and should be huffing and puffing. If you’re reading this and are thinking WTF…you can see how twenty minutes is about all you can do! For me, that’s about two-two and a half miles. I’m pretty spent let me tell you haha. Guess what though, in twenty minutes you’re DONE! You’ve heard of “minimum thirty minutes of exercise a day” yes, this is true, but INTENSITY is where its at! Pace runs up the game because they incorporate this factor. Adding this along a HIIT workout pairs for a great strength and cardio combo!! BOOYAAA kill two birds with one stone. I did this on Easter last weekend to burn up those Reese’s eggs and chocolate bunnies I ate…definitely can say I put those to good work. Check out it out here.

Sunrises make pace runs worth getting up for or worth hitting snooze 😉 its all about the PACE

Before heading out for your pace runs, make sure you do a good warm-up. Although at times, I’m not the best at this, especially since I just wanna get going ASAP, I try to make sure I get as warm as I can before heading out the door. A easy jog around the block, jumping jacks, walking calf stretch, hamstring toe touches, squats, butt kicks, high knees etc. for a minimum of five minutes to get ready. Remember you’re GOING FAST for a continuous amount of time, so being properly warm is important. Sometimes I start warming up in my PJs if going in the morning, before even getting dressed to run LOL just so that I can hit the ground running literally, once I get outside.

If twenty minutes is too much at first, break it down by distance. Run one mile fast to start or try running hard for five to ten minutes. The point here is INTENSE meaning you can’t talk and may feel winded. Remember not too winded though that you could pass out…not THAT haha. You feel challenged and legs should be burning. In case you’re an exercise science nerd like me, you’re tapping into anaerobic respiration, a form of oxygen consumption that breaks down energy fast resulting in high lactic acid buildup. This buildup creates that “burning” sensation in your legs. You’re burning fat here at a more elevated rate as well. Another perk of pace runs especially if you’re running for weight loss.

Post run, just like a proper warm-up, make sure you get a get a good cool-down too. Walking around allowing for your heart rate to get back down and stretching well helps get you recovered. Foam rolling after these runs is important too! Adding pace runs starting once a week and working up to twice or even three times is ideal. GOOD LUCK!

YOUR TURN:

-Do you do speed work? What kind and how often?

-Do you hate to love speed? Is it your fav? Are you meh?

-Best music for speed?? I love anything with a fast beat and motivating lyrics. Specifically #thatPOWER by will.i.am

Train Smarter, Not Harder: My Compound Movement Workout

March 21, 2016March 21, 2016 by Ali ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Happy Monday!! I’ve been trying a couple things for my workouts on my own and with my classes and decided this past week (and with my sandbag workout) to switch it up. I added combined movements together, using more total body, all in one exercise. Before I would isolate just legs, back, abs, etc. While that is good too, I would spend A LOT of time–sometimes two hours on a workout. As of a couple weeks ago, I decided to ditch that idea and decided to train smarter, not harder. I took basic movements like a push-up and added to them. In a recent Instagram post, I posted about my double plank push-up. It’s nuts, one small change, and the movement is completely different!! Each of the movements incorporates total body, so there’s no need to do extra sets of anything at the end. I was wiped by the end and sore the next couple days!

This workout took me about 40-45 min. Back to back each set. Rest once completed all sets. All you’ll need is:

Mat
Weight/plate
Weight/kettlebell

Compound Movement Workout

–Overhead Walking Lunges with Plate; Holding a plate over your head, lunge forward on leg at a time to one end of a room, switch legs coming back) 3x both ways

–Kettlebell Squat + Row+ Press–in that order! Using a kettlebell, make sure you use one arm at a time squatting to reach opposite arm to opposite foot, rowing to your shoulder, ending with pressing weight overhead; 3x 15 both arms

–Double Plank Push-Up; Starting on forearms in a plank position, use one arm at a time to push yourself into a high plank. Add pushup then lower down to forearms alternating sides. 3x 15 (alternating 5 reps each arm until you get to 15)

–Plank Row on Cable; Using the cable machines, make sure pulleys are placed low to the ground. In a high plank position, grab pulley with one hand and row forward stabilizing though the core. I needed a wide base with my feet for balance here. For more of a challenge, bring feet narrow. 3x 15 each arm.

YOUR TURN:

-Any movement you’ve tried with an extra challenge that you found to be tougher or easier then you thought? What did you do?

-Do you prefer bodyweight workouts, heavy weights, or both?

-Do you find yourself taking time to learn new ways to incorporate weights or you get in, do what you do, and leave?