Strong Day Workout!

When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.

African Proverb

Warm Up

Bottom to Bottom Tabata Squats 8 rounds

then...tabata abmat situps vs  jump squats

Sprints, outside 15X

"Death by Kettlebell Swing"
Do 1 KB swing the first minute, two KB swings the second minute, three KB swings the third minute… etc.
Continue until you can no longer do the required number of swings in the minute allowed.

Bar Burps

10 Barbell Burpee Clean & Press
20 reverse crunches
Pushups....50 men, 25 women

Israeli Salad
2 medium roma tomatoes, cubed
1 1-pound English cucumber, cubed
1/2 medium red onion, cubed, or 4 scallions, finely sliced
3 tablespoons finely minced fresh, flat-leaf parsley
Juice of half a lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons sumac powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
You can either toss all of the vegetables in one large bowl, and pour over it the parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and sumac mixture you whisked separately in a small bowl, or if you’re in a hurry just toss everything all at once.
Other additions: 1/2 to 1 cup crumbled or cubed feta, 1 bell pepper, cut into cubes, 1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained, 1/2 to 1 cup coarsely chopped olives, 1 to 2 tablespoons finely minced mint or dill.

 Click here to go to our Cool Store!!

have you checked out our line of cool t's tanks and hats?

HAVE A STRONG DAY!

Mid Summer Madness Workout!

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“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

Remember to hydrate! You have to drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated during the workout. Don't  sip on a small bottle of water right before we start and expect to be ok.

Complete 3 rounds for max reps
3 minutes Box Jumps  30 sec rest
3 minutes 1-arm Dumbbell Thrusters -- alternate arms
30 sec rest
3 minutes Jump Squats rest

Run, Babies, Run! This is a partner workout, one of you will run around the parking lot, while the other does the conditioning, then switch!
Box Jumps....run
lunges....run
chest press....run
Burpee box Jumps....run
Overhead Plate carry...or those who are having shoulder issues, farmer's walk...run

There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going.

"Death by Kettlebell Swing"
Do 1 KB swing the first minute, two KB swings the second minute, three KB swings the third minute… etc.
Continue until you can no longer do the required number of swings in the minute allowed.

If Time, Hill Sprints!!!!



"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Step Combo...with breakdowns!

Check out this combo! Email me if you want the breakdown....Lisl

Treadmills and Hot Legs Workout!

The pain you feel today will be the strength you feel tomorrow.

 

Today's workout!
Meet at the treadmills, it's interval time!!
then outside

Every 45 seconds, do 10 walking lunges, one clean, one strict press, one front squat, all with either 2 dumbells or a barbell. Continue until you've traveled to the fence and back. I love this! (for those of you who are not at our club, plan on finding space to hit this for 25 minutes, this is how long it will take to get done!

Greek yogurt 

is a favorite snack option.  First of all, what is Greek yogurt?  Greek yogurt is yogurt that is thicker and creamier than American yogurt.  It has a texture that is rich and velvety, which makes it perfect for cooking with, and for use as a base for dipping sauces (in addition to eating in a bowl).  The texture reminds me of sour cream.  You can buy it in the grocery store, right next to the other yogurts.  It comes in a 2% version and a fat free version, both of which are far superior to the American yogurt.

Why even bother eating Greek yogurt at all?  Because it is a superfood.

Not only does yogurt promote intestinal health, it helps build stronger bones , and helps to enhances immunity.  More specifically...yogurt helps to prevent yeast infections, and it can help prevent urinary tract infections.  It is also safe for the lactose intolerant.  At only 120 calories per cup, and zero fat, you will not find a better source of protein.  20 grams of protein per cup and 25% of your recommended calcium for the day!!!  Plus, I rarely eat an entire cup in one sitting.  By the time I add in my mix-ins, I have a huge bowl of food.  I eat half of my bowl in the early morning, and the other half about an hour before lunch.  Greek Yogurt is gluten free, safe for diabetics and vegetarians, and with the 2% variety being only 120 calories a cup, it's perfect for dieters of all kinds.  Its higher in protein and there are 0% fat options to choose from! Remember to be sure and check the sugar content, pre-sweetened yogurts are LOADED in sugar and are not a good choice for a clean diet.

Here are my top ten favorite ways to use Greek yogurt.  Once you try Greek yogurt, you will never go back to American yogurt.....

1 - In a bowl for breakfast with fruit, nuts and/or cereals.

2 - Tzatziki sauce - a Greek cucumber sauce made by adding the following ingredients to a container of greek yogurt:  juice of one lemon; 2 T. dill chopped, 1-2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cucumber, minced; salt and pepper to taste.
 3 - Add into tuna as a substitute for mayo.  Also add in Dijon and spices for extra zest.
 4 - Add it into a bowl of oatmeal with a little Splenda and cinnamon. Actually, I don't eat oatmeal, but I hear this is delicious.
5 - Add to mashed potatoes instead of sour cream, my children don't even know there is a difference!
6 - Mix with low sugar jam to make a fruit flavored yogurt.  Right now I have some yummy homemade sugar free strawberry jam a neighbor gave me that is so yummy with my yogurt!

 7 - Use in a smoothie in place of water or milk.  Your smoothie will be tangier and thicker and have a ton of protein. 

8 - Make chicken salad - Take boiled or left over baked chicken and add yogurt,celery, onion, Mrs. Dash, pepper, dill cubes, fresh cucumbers...uh yummy! 9 - Make frosting: Whisk together 1 c. Greek yogurt; 1 T. vanilla extract; 1/2c. powdered sugar.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to thicken, then spread on cupcakes, or cake.
10 - Add a package of ranch dressing mix to the yogurt (using it in place of sour cream), and make a dip for raw veggies.


Here's one of the many ways I have found to get the protein I need to stay strong and healthy!

Lisl's Protein Pudding

1 cup of 0% fat Greek Yogurt
1 scoop whey protein
1 tbs Cocoa Powder
stevia to taste to sweeten

mix all together...yummy snack full of protein!

Make your own Greek yogurt

Would you love to make your own Greek yogurt?? I tried and it's awesome and easy!

In an effort to make some better food choices in our house, we have been using non-fat Greek yogurt in recipes.  So far, so good.

The one thing we don't love is paying for Greek yogurt.  It's very expensive--crazy expensive.

First, you need plain non-fat yogurt.

This is the tightest mesh strainer that I own.  I would recommend a fairly deep bowl for this process.

Next, put a coffee filter (or you can use cheese cloth) into your strainer.

Spoon your yogurt into the filter-lined strainer.  This will drain the whey, and change the consistency of your yogurt.

I cover mine with plastic wrap or foil, and leave in the refrigerator for a few hours.  The clean up is easy, and you can just transfer the yogurt to another container and drain the whey. 

Progress is directly proportional to participation

Monday night STEP CLASS! Whoot!

Check out my AMAZING Monday night group! I love love to teach step, I hope I always am lucky enough to have a group of people who want to keep taking it. Awesome and fun way to stay in shape...and what a wonderful group of people to spend every Monday night with!


Many thanks to my friend Cindy who helps me to take these videos!

Cupcake Workout!

When you speak the truth, have one foot in the stirrup.
-John Wayne

Well, not exactly!There are so many misconceptions about how exercise, food and fitness change the way you look.  Going to the gym, taking a group fitness class, going on a run, or a walk is awesome, but, it's more about the type of activity and the intensity of that activity that will change your fitness level and help reach your goals. Those that weigh more, need more fuel, so they use more calories.  In my experience many people think they burn way more than they actually do and this common misconception can keep their fitness goals at bay.  Truth be told, you might not be burning as many calories as you assume and this can put a halt to weight loss. Did you know that a 135 pound woman burns about:

55 calories per hour sleeping

60 calories per hour sitting

75 calories per hour waiting in line

90 calories per hour typing or doing light office work

120 calories per hour driving

125 calories per hour cooking

140 calories per hour shopping

(note: just 8 hours of sleeping and 8 hours of sitting adds up to 920 calories burned)

Of course, the calories burned per hour exercising are much greater:

150 per hour doing hatha yoga

300 per hour walking at 4 mph

450 per hour on the elliptical

500 per hour intense circuit training

600 per hour swimming laps

If you want to look like an a fit athlete, you need to train like an athlete.  How does one train like an athlete you may be wondering.  For one, athletes and people with lean, athletic, healthy builds, don’t simply go on the same run everyday and expect to keep losing weight.  Cross-training is the key to success, along with high-intensity interval training. (HIIT) 

Look at the whole picture:

• calorie needs. You can use an online calculator which takes into account your activity level.
• Know how much you are eating. Do you know how many calories you are actually eating?  Most of us underestimate how much we are eating and few hundred calories here and there can add up.  Keep a food record.  I love www.livestrong.org

Know how much you are burning. Don’t rely on those gym machines either – many of the overestimate how many you are burning.  How many calories you burn during exercise depends on many factors such as weight, gender, muscle mass and intensity.

SO, Get MOVING! EAT CLEAN AND STAY ON TRACK!

Tonight's Workout!

Warm Up

Bottom to Bottom Tabata Squats 8 rounds

then...tabata abmat situps vs biceps 

Sprints, outside 15X

Then...

Painstorm... Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes (AMRAP):
5 x Deadlifts (75 lb/ 45 lb)
5 x Power Cleans
5 x Front Squat
5 x Push Presses
5 x Overhead Squats

Bar Burps
Ten rounds for time of:
10 Barbell Burpee Clean & Press
20 reverse crunches
Pushups....50 men, 25 women

Spinach Basil Pesto 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Blend the spinach, basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor until nearly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Drizzle the remaining olive oil into the mixture while processing until smooth. 

I made some today, spread it on my chicken before I baked it...yummy! I also froze some in small portion ziplock bags for later. BTW, I left off the Parmesan cheese this time.

BootCamp Hotties and a summer tomato quinoa recipe

check out Pressly, Julie and Jennifer sporting their cool t shirts and tanks!

rear view! cute!

Somehow I was forced to pull a double bicep pose...lol!

 My veggie garden is blowing up with Cherry tomatoes and basil, so, here is one way I will use them, a delish way to use one of my favorite grains, quinoa...pronounced KEEN-WAA

Quinoa Summer Salad

Ingredients: 

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• About 1/2 to 2/3 cup cooked quinoa per person
• 1 generous cup washed organic baby spinach leaves per person
• A handful of organic grape tomatoes per person, halved
• 1 scallion per person, washed, sliced
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Sprinkle of fresh or dried herbs- parsley, thyme, basil, or mint
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice 

Gently heat a large pan.  Pour in some extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic; stir and warm the oil for a minute. Add the cooked quinoa and heat through.

Add the baby spinach leaves, tomatoes and scallions. Season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. sprinkle with herbs. Stir to mix. 

Sprinkle with lemon juice and stir. When the spinach begins to wilt remove from heat (I don't like soggy spinach so I cook this very quickly).

Perfect for a hot night, light and fresh and I love that I grew all the veggies and herbs!

Leave Your Fears Behind!

Today's Workout!

For time:
10 Abmat situps
1 Heavy Kb Swing
9 Abmat situps
2 Heavy Kb Swing
8 Abmat situps
3 Heavy Kb Swing
7 Abmat situps
4 Heavy Kb Swing
6 Abmat situps
5 Heavy Kb Swing
5 Abmat situps
6 Heavy Kb Swing
4 Abmat situps
7 Heavy Kb Swing
3 Abmat situps
8 Heavy Kb Swing
2 Abmat situps
9 Heavy Kb Swing
1 Abmat situps
10 Heavy Kb Swing
Abmat sit-up (aka reach-throughs, butterfly sit-ups and crossfit sit-ups); all it requires is an Abmat positioned under the lower back. We will roll up a towel and position it horizontally in the small of the lower back where the lower lumbar curve is.
Butterfly or spread the legs open allowing the soles of the feet to come together—this takes the hip flexors out of the equation and allows the abdominals a complete full range of motion.
On the descent back down, keep the back straight without rounding and allow the shoulder blades to completely touch the floor. Then come back up keeping the back straight, using the abs to pull you up by tightening the abs, and touch the wall as instructed above.

2 rounds...
run
50 Box Jumps
50 Kettlebell Swings on the front porch
50 Squats - go HEAVY
50 leg raises (abs)
50 OVERHEAD walking lunges outside
50 tuck jumps....... you can sub squat jumps!
finish with 50 ab ball throws against wall