Weekly Food and Fitness: What To Do When You Didn't Meal Prep

**Hey there, I thought I'd bring back my rundown of my weekly workouts and menus to perhaps inspire others to prepare in advance for a week of healthy eating and give you menu and training ideas. Now that I have more of an established schedule and all, it's easier for me to organize.

I have been doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every morning, 6 days a week, alternating strength training and cardio days. And for cardio, I've been alternating steady state and interval training.


Workouts:

• Monday: 30 min upper fix extreme
• Tuesday: 30 min interval run
• Wednesday: 30 min Supreme 90 Day legs
• Thursday: 30 min TurboFire HIIT
• Friday: 30 min Tracy Anderson arms and abs
• Saturday: 35 min interval run
• Sunday: 30 min Shiva Rae Yoga Trance Dance

Meal Prep:
None!


Oh my goodness, this week was a bit "off" for me with no meal prep, but I'm hanging in there. We had unexpected company over on Sunday and didn't get the chance to grocery shop or meal prep like we always do. I definitely don't eat quite as healthy when this happens. But, I have a few tricks to share on what to do when you haven't meal prepped, so you can still maintain a healthy diet.

1. Always have some backup food in the freezer or cupboard. I always have a supply of Boca Burgers in the freezer and usually a can of Amy's soup in the cupboard. I also try to keep a few of those new Protein Steamers on hand. These are not entirely the "cleanest" meals ever, but they're still very nutritious and a much better alternative.

2. Grab just a handful of ready-to-eat things at the grocery store--or even Kwik Trip! We grabbed eggs, cottage cheese and bananas to fill in my snack gaps for the week. There's no reason to have to whip up something complicated every week.

3. Use dinner leftovers whenever possible. My hungry boys usually eat up everything we make for dinner, so this one can be a little difficult at times. But if I'm able, I will sneak away a few things before we start eating so I have food for the next day. This helps prevent me from having to go out to eat.


What do you normally do when you haven't meal prepped for the week?

Weekly Food and Fitness

**Hey there, I thought I'd bring back my rundown of my weekly workouts and menus to perhaps inspire others to prepare in advance for a week of healthy eating and give you menu and training ideas. Now that I have more of an established schedule and all, it's easier for me to organize.

I have been doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every morning, 6 days a week, alternating strength training and cardio days. And for cardio, I've been alternating steady state and interval training.


Workouts

• Monday: 30 min arms
• Tuesday: 30 min interval run
• Wednesday: 30 min legs (workout below)
• Thursday: 30 min run
• Friday: 
• 30 min Tracy Anderson Precision Toning arms, abs and butt
• 30 min brisk walk with a friend
• Saturday: 35 min interval run
• Sunday: 15 yoga from Slim Calm Sexy Yoga

Wednesday's leg day looked like this. I broke the workout down into

circuits of three moves each. I did two sets of each move.

Friday's workouts came from this DVD I just ordered on Amazon. I always like to do something different on Fridays, like barre or Pilates. Whereas, Mondays and Wednesdays are usually traditional strength training. The Tracy Anderson Method is one of those things I like to do on Fridays. Kills my muscles in a whole different way.

Sunday is always rest/active rest day and I did an active rest day this past week with a few stretches from this book. I like how Tara Stiles creates routines for different desired effects, like anxiety relief or muscle toning.

On the menu

• Breakfast: smoothie, eggs and veggies
• Snack: grapefruit
• Lunch: rice salad (see below)
• Snack: two hardboiled eggs + apple
• Dinners: Asian drumsticks, broccoli chicken bake, hot dogs, chicken salad, etc.

My breakfasts always kinda look the same not only because I'm hooked but also because it's such a good way to get lots of protein and extra veggies into my day. Plus, grapefruit are in season and I'm happy to partake. I had to make an extra-large batch of hardboiled eggs because Kayne is a huge fan and wanted his very own carton, haha! I'm happy to oblige. Eggs were on super sale, they're easy to make, and I'm always happy when he requests a healthy snack.

I found this super simple rice bowl recipe in a recent issue of Shape Magazine I was reading on the treadmill. All it requires is white beans, tomatoes and rice along with a few ingredients for the dressing. The prep was so easy. It's such a simple, cool, summery salad that goes perfect with the unseasonably warm temperatures we've been having this week in Wisconsin--like 64 degrees today!!

What's it like where you live? How are you getting healthy this week?

Weekly Food and Fitness

**Hey there, I thought I'd bring back my rundown of my weekly workouts and menus to perhaps inspire others to prepare in advance for a week of healthy eating and give you menu and training ideas. Now that I have more of an established schedule and all, it's easier for me to organize.

I have been doing at least 30 minutes of exercise every morning, 6 days a week, alternating strength training and cardio days. And for cardio, I've been alternating steady state and interval training.

Workout Schedule

• Monday: 30 min 21 Day Fix Extreme
• Tuesday: 30 min run
• Wednesday: Rest, sick
• Thursday: Rest, sick
• Friday: 30 min Flashfit (my own workout)
• Saturday: 35 min interval run
• Sunday: Rest

This week was a bit of a bummer because I was sick for several days. The first day it hit, I had a wicked sore throat, and Hubster has been complaining about me snoring every day I've had the sore throat. Sorry Hubby!

On the menu this week:

• Breakfast: superfood smoothie, eggs with veggies, grapefruit
• Lunch: Quinoa Pecan Peach Salad from the Tone it Up Nutrition Plan
• Snack: A hefty serving of squeaky clean cucumber salad
• Dinners: we have clean parm chicken, ham and cheese sammies, homemade blueberry pancakes, pizza burgers, etc.

Look at this juicy bowl of goodness. #mealprep #cucumbersalad #cleaneating #eatclean

A photo posted by Jessica Collins (@boun_seejess) on Feb 28, 2016 at 2:57pm PST

Look at this beast! I get excited every day when snacktime comes around. I made my cucumber salad with 3 cucumbers, 1/2 onion, a carton of cherry tomatoes and 1 can chickpeas. For the sauce, I used about 1.5 cups of plain Greek yogurt, garlic, vinegar and dill. I'm tellin' ya, you don't miss the mayo!

This week I also had an appointment with my doctor and asked him about my weight, again. And again, they checked my thyroid!!! That's been checked so many times, my blood should have its own spot in the lab. I'm getting a bit frustrated. Thinking about doing a video about it, because I have a lot to say, haha! I'm eating pretty clean, working out 6 days a week, and my body is not responding whatsoever. My diet and food plan here would make anyone else lose weight...just not me. Oh well, will keep you posted on what I find out.

How to do the LiveFit Series at Home

For those of you that don't know, bodybuilding.com offers a bunch of free 30 to 90 day fitness programs for both men and women on their website. You can choose a program to lose weight, muscle up and everything in between. I have tried the LifeFit Trainer before in the past and enjoyed it. It's one of the most impressive workout and clean eating programs that I've seen anywhere for free. But, it requires access to a gym. Until now.

Hubster helped me film a video this weekend showing how to do Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainer at home. I filmed substitutes for most of the moves that require specific gym equipment. To do the LiveFit Trainer at home, you need little more than a chair, weights, resistance bands and maybe an exercise ball. I did a few moves in the video with ankle weights, but you could even skip those and put a weight plate between your feet instead.

• Seated calf raise: use ankle weights and/or place a weight plate on top of your knees.
• Leg curls: wear ankle weights, lie on your stomach and bend legs behind you. Keep upper thighs off floor to make it tougher.
• Leg extensions: put on ankle weights, use a sturdy chair and do extensions. You may also put a weight plate between your ankles.
• Adductor: Squeeze an inflatable ball between the thighs.
• Abductor: wrap tubing around upper thighs and perform an abductor press.
• Back extensions: perform on ball
• Reverse Fly: belly on ball, do a reverse fly.
• Cable Rope Overhead Extension: Stand on one end of a resistance tube and perform a tricep extension with the other end.
• Leg press: it's difficult to do this move at home, but you can do heavy squats to get a similar effect. Use heavy weights or resistance tubing to intensify the squats.
• T-bar row: perform rows with similar arm position using a heavy dumbbell.
• Incline Press and Decline Crunch: any incline/decline moves can be done on a stepper. Put the risers under one side of the step to create the slant.
• Standing calf raise: hang heels off any step in your home and lift up onto the balls of your feet.
• Seated cable rows: I wind my rubber tubing around my treadmill and do them that way. Use thicker brands and choke up on the bands as you get stronger.
• Triceps Pushdown: anchor the stretch tubing a little higher and perform the move.
• Lat Pulldown: same position as triceps pushdown, perform a pulldown.
• Underhand Cable Pulldown: same as lat pulldown, but switch hand position to underhand.
• Cable Crunch: same anchor point, grab both ends of the tubing in your hands and perform a kneeling crunch.
• Straight Arm Pulldown: same anchor point, pull arms straight down to your sides.
• Cable Crossovers: I wound my tubing around both handles of the treadmill and did the crossovers kneeling.
• Donkey calf raises: my little boy happily obliged climbing onto my back to do these.
• Roman chair leg lifts: use the corner of your kitchen cupboards to rest your arms on. You can still pull your knees up to target abs.

Not shown:

• Hanging leg raises and pullups: use your pull-up bar or monkey bars at the park. I don't have these in the video because I didn't have the equipment readily available while I was filming.
• Lying T-bar row: belly on ball, perform a row

I hope this helps some of you tackle this excellent program at home. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

50 min 12WBT run in the AM with 10 min hard intervals

Tuesday:

50 min 12WBT total body tone in the AM

30 min casual walk with mom at lunch

Wednesday:

50 min treadmill interval run in the PM, 3.43 miles

Thursday:

50 min 12WBT run in the AM with 10 min of hard intervals

30 min moderate walk at lunch

Friday:

25 min brisk walk with 5-10% incline at lunch

50 min 12WBT yoga stretch in the PM

Saturday:

55 min 12WBT run with 10 min hard intervals

Sunday:

Rest

Friday's lunch workout is what happens when a girl forgets her workout bra. #FitnessGirlProblems. If I couldn't run, I could certainly walk on enough of an incline to get my heart rate just as high. It worked! I swear, I need a checklist or something for those lunchtime workouts. I'm always forgetting my towel or gym shoes or something. Ha!

This week, I'm entering the 4th and final week of my 12WBT preview. I'm going to be sorry to see this program go, but I might just sign up for it when it goes live in the US. I'd totally pay for it! You must check into it if you're looking for a fitness plan that not only helps you with food and fitness, but also motivation and underlying issues that might be preventing you from losing weight. The food alone is worth so much in my book--it takes sooo much guesswork out of food prep and most of the recipes are super easy and practical. And you'll find your favorite things in there, like nachos! I printed the recipes and had them bound in a notebook so I will always have them as a reference.

I'm going to start creating my own workout schedule this week, so I'm prepared to challenge myself once the program is over. I'm definitely going to set it up like this plan though. Three days of cardio and abs, two days of strength training, one day of yoga stretch, and at least one day of complete rest. I've neglected yoga for awhile now and could really use the release, flexibility and calm in my life. I always love it when I do it, I just don't always actually do it. I also think core work is absolutely essential and highly neglected. In my NASM training, core work is prescribed for every workout, so this plan is even in line with my studies. I can't wait!

Side note: I've decided that these weekly workout posts definitely need more pictures, so I'm going to make an effort to include some "setting" pictures for you, to make it more interesting and motivating. Perhaps inspirational images, pretty views from my lunch walks, or sneak peeks into my very own workouts. What do you think?

How do you plan your week in workouts? Do you follow a prescribed plan or make up your own?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

• 45 min 12WBT cardio and abs in the AM
• 25 min LiveFit legs at lunch

Tuesday:

• 50 min 12WBT total body tone in the AM
• 30 min mod walk with mom at lunch

Wednesday:

• 50 min 12WBT Tabata cardio in the AM

Thursday:

• rest

Friday:

• 25 min run at lunch
• 50 min 12WBT yoga stretch in the PM

Saturday:

• Rest

Sunday:

• Rest

Well, I ran myself down pretty good this week. I had to skip workouts on Thursday and Saturday because I was feeling really rundown and sick-like. I came down with a cold, but the effects were widespread and I was pretty much out of commission. There were many naps and curling up in blankets involved. The weekend was kind of a bummer, but I'm feeling much better today. And Hubster and I were able to sneak in a secret breakfast date on Sunday morning because we were up so early with the time change, so not all was lost.

The 12 Week Body Transformation is so great, aside from the restrictive calories. Just to show you how restrictive, I followed the food to a "T" a few days, and Tuesday night I went to bed feeling hungry and ended up not being able to fall asleep for quite a long time because of my hunger. I finally went downstairs and ate some cottage cheese and then slept like a baby. Those 1200 calories are definitely not enough to live on with that kind of activity. I wore my HR monitor, and we're killing like 800 calories with these workouts. 1200-800=400 calories to live on. Not enough!!! I am however really loving the workouts and the new recipes. The forums and myriads of motivational videos are really inspiring. The 12WBT crew is quick to answer any questions you might have, which is like having personal trainers and nutritionists at your beckon call.

This week, I plan on easing back into the plan a bit, doing more of the beginner moves than the advanced ones. I'm still stuffy and recovering, and I don't want to feel like I did toward the end of last week again, that's for sure.

Next weekend, we're heading out on a small weekend trip to soak up the last of fall here in Wisconsin. We're staying at a little cabin relatively close to home and it's Hubster's birthday weekend. We're planning on doing a whole lot of nothing. And by nothing I mean, some casual hiking, picture-taking, apple roasting, movie-watching and partaking in some other comfy fall pleasures. This fall trip is meant to be a yearly tradition of going away. We went to Crivitz and visited waterfalls last year. You can read the story of this yearly tradition there. Can't wait to share the weekend pleasures with you next week!

How was your week?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

• 45 min LiveFit quads and calves in the AM
• 25 min run at lunch, 2.22 miles

Tuesday:

• 45 min arms and back in the AM
• 30 min PM run outside, 2.63 miles

Wednesday:

• 45 min chest, abs and shoulders in the AM
• 30 min run at lunch, 2.45 miles

Thursday:

• 50 min hams, glutes and calves in the AM

Friday:

• 25 min run at lunch, 2.23 miles
• 45 min arms in the PM

Saturday:

• 50 min chest and triceps
• 30 min run, 2.63 miles

Sunday:

• Rest

This week, I start the 11th week of the LiveFit Trainer. This week and next are about pumping out 30 of each exercise all without stopping, then repeating the circuit 2 more times. All the exercises change every two weeks, which is what I love about this program. You never do a set of exercises more than twice. This not only prevents boredom, but it also keeps the body from adapting.

I've finally decided what training program I'm going to start after this. I've been invited to try out the first 5 weeks of the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation. The program hasn't launched officially in the US yet. It's still in testing mode here, so I'm really excited to be a test dummy before it's even released! I'm doing some of the "preseason" work which includes eliminating excuses, taking measurements, setting goals and that sort of thing. I'm very familiar with all of these techniques already, but it's still healthy to reclaim and face these goals and hurdles every once in awhile.

In the most exciting news for the week, I have purchased another website that I'm hoping to fuse with this blog, officially opening up shop as a personal trainer. I had to do a lot of research and brainstorming to get this thing rolling. In fact, I had the perfect name picked out and found out someone already owned it. I even contacted the owner, who wasn't ready to relinquish the domain. I came up with the most brilliant solution, and I'm so happy with where this is going. The website is only in its infant stages, but when it's ready, you'll be the first to know!

How did you MOVE this week?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

• 50 min LiveFit quads and calves in the AM
• 25 min run at lunch, 1.98 miles

Tuesday:

• 50 min back and arms
• 30 min interval run in PM, 2.58 miles

Wednesday:

• 45 min chest and abs in the AM
• 25 min interval run at lunch, 1.93 miles

Thursday:

• 50 min hamstrings, glutes and calves in the AM

Friday:

• 50 min back, biceps, abs in the AM
• 30 min AM interval run

Saturday:

• 50 min shoulders, triceps and calves
• 30 min interval run, 2.64 miles

Sunday:

• Rest

If you're paying that close of attention, you'll notice my interval runs are a little short. LiveFit Phase 3 interval runs are supposed to be 30 minutes long, but sometimes my workout buddy and I only end up having 25 minutes at the gym during our lunch break. Gotta do what you gotta do. That Monday run was "extra credit," so I figure that evens everything out.

Tuesday I took a run outside with my pup, which I haven't done in awhile, and it felt great. Since I have Peanut with me in the early mornings, I can't go any farther than my living room treadmill, so needless to say...it's just been awhile. At work this week, I entered my fitness minutes for our company wellness program and was beyond shocked that I've accumulated 12,228 minutes of pure sweaty exercise this year! Just looking at this week's workouts alone, it's no wonder I've come that far!

Three weeks to go on the LiveFit Sereis, baby! Now, what shall I do next? I'm already starting to ponder my next challenge. Oh the possibilities.... any good suggestions?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

• 30 min AM run, 2.58 miles

Tuesday:

• 50 min AM arms and legs
• 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Wednesday:

• 40 min AM chest and abs
• 25 min run at lunch

Thursday:

• 30 min moderate walk at lunch
• 30 min PM shoulders
• 35 min PM barefoot run, 2 miles

Friday:

• Rest

Saturday:

• 55 min back/delts and legs

Sunday:

• Rest

Well well well, I made it to Phase 3 of the LiveFit Series. This past week was a little tough in the motivation department, but I think that's going to go away in Phase 3, because I think Phase 3 is my favorite phase. Monday, I skipped my strength workout in the morning. I couldn't get up Monday morning and the thought of strength training after work was absolutely not happening. Sometimes, you just have to listen to your body. I made up for it on Tuesday by super-setting Monday's and Tuesday's workouts together. Friday, I had another weak day and made up for it on Saturday, the same way, by fusing Friday and Saturday's workouts together in super sets. However, I didn't get in my Saturday cardio. I got on the treadmill and my body felt weak and strange, and I didn't want to push it past the brink. I have the strongest self-motivation and willpower ever, so I knew that it was my body and not my head talking.

On Thursday, I took a barefoot run on my treadmill. I tend to run on the balls of my feet when I'm doing that, but I was still running strong after 2 miles. I never did get the courage to try barefoot running outside this summer. Barefoot running on the treadmill will probably be as close as I get for now. I have to admit, I was a teeny bit motivated to go barefoot running because I didn't feel like digging out socks and shoes. #TrueConfession

I am so pumped about Phase 3 of the LiveFit Series. I did the first workout this morning and love it. Phase 3 is about pairing up strength and cardio intervals. For example, you'll follow squats with squat jumps and calf raises with jump roping. I've always gotten results from this kind of programming so I'm really loving this. The countdown to the end begins! I'm so glad I made it this far.

What about you? Have you ever felt so completely bone dry during your workouts that you've had to throw in the towel?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

• 20 min LiveFit arms in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.58 miles

Tuesday:

• 30 min moderate walk at lunch
• 70 min legs and abs in the PM

Wednesday:

• 25 min chest in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.6 miles
• 20 min FlashFit workout at lunch

Thursday:

• 25 min shoulders in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.6 miles
• 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Friday:

• 45 min legs in the AM
• 20 min walk at lunch

Saturday:

• 35 min shoulders and back
• 30 min run

Sunday:

• Rest

Holy man! Looking at that workout schedule, I'm actually quite proud of myself. That is a LOT of hard work that sometimes I don't even realize I'm doing. 

My mom and I have really picked up the pace on our lunchtime walks. She's in serious training mode now. She even took a bike ride with Peanut on Saturday so I could get some freelance work done. She hasn't ridden a bike in years, so I'm so stoked for what this personal training experience will do for her. We're doing "homework" each week along with her personal training, and this week was all about water. I even got her a cute purple water bottle. We measured how many ounces it holds and figured out how many times she needs to refill it during the day. She's a coffee fiend who constantly has a coffee cup in her hand, so I'm trying to help her fuel with water instead. Next week, we'll be working on thought transformation. I can't wait! 

My lunch workout buddy and I have decided to run at lunch instead of strength train or do FlashFit workouts. This will save me some time in the morning that I've been slowly losing. Instead of having our lunch workouts just be an "extra" workout for me, now they'll actually be dedicated to parts of my training plan, which will really help me as long as neither one of us cancels. Plus, there's just something about running at lunch that makes the rest of the workday seem much easier. You have to break up all that computer time with something active!

I head into Phase 3 of the LiveFit Series next week, and I can't believe I've made it so far! I tend to get really bored or overworked with other plans (the Supreme90Day schedule actually made me sick), but this plan has kept me interested and progressing without the complete burnout. I always have enough self-discipline, just sometimes not the interest or lactic acid-reduction capabilities, ha! I think I may have even thrown in an extra run this week that wasn't on the plan. I'm feeling so so strong on this plan. I always have a berry protein shake within 30 minutes of completing a workout, and that is definitely helping with my recovery and muscle building capacity.

See you next week, when I enter Phase 3, the final phase, of LiveFit. What did your workouts look like this week?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

• 15 min LiveFit back workout in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.44 miles

Tuesday:

• 20 min LiveFit chest and abs in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.55 miles
• 25 min walk at lunch with mom
• 20 min rest of LiveFit from Monday and Tuesday

Wednesday:

• 45 min LiveFit legs workout in the AM

Thursday:

• 25 min LiveFit arms and abs in the AM
• 30 min run, 2.55 miles
• 30 min bike ride

Friday:

• 15 min LiveFit shoulders in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.57 miles
• 15 min FlashFit workout

Saturday:

• 60 min LiveFit legs and more of Friday's shoulders

Sunday:

• Rest

I am past the halfway point of the LiveFit Series, baby! Every day since I got to add cardio back into my routine, I've beat my past mileage by at least a smidge. It really helps to have that little personal competition to be ~Better Every Day. 

Today I feel like junk, so I'm not really that talkative. I was thisclose to leaving work early, but slugged my way through the day and actually got some things done. Can't quite pinpoint what is wrong, but I'm just not feeling up to snuff.

This past weekend, I went to the Sports and Fitness Expo in Oshkosh and had a great time. I'll share more about that hopefully tomorrow. I also started training my mom, who gets to be my first personal training guinea pig. I'm so excited about doing this! And I really hope she gets some great results, because she deserves to feel good about that. After that, I worked on a writing project while watching a Big Bang Theory marathon. #BigBangBinge I've been challenged to put together a 4-5 page document for my church, so I've been giving that some of my undivided attention. Well, sort of...

Sunday was just as busy with church, followed by a Donut Date with my Peanut (yes, I am human!) and then a living room screening of the Great Gatsby. That is one of my very favorite books of all time, so I love anything to do with the Great Gatsby. After that was Bible study and bedtime. Now, I'm dreaming of bedtime again. I just want to curl up and have someone sing Soft Kitty to me. Only my fellow Big Bangers will understand what that means:)

Donut date after-church tradition

How to Stay Fit on Vacation

Our family has taken several trips this past summer, including one that was an entire week long. Like almost every trip I take, I never put my health and fitness on vacation. No, it's not because I'm crazy; it's because it makes me a better, healthier person. Keeping up my running habit not only energizes me for a day of sightseeing, it also keeps me centered and happy.

How to Stay Fit and Active on Vacation

1. Bring a few supplies: and by supplies, I mean as simple as sneakers, workout clothes, a jump rope and resistance tubing. I don't want you to haul all your dumbbells and fancy schmancy equipment along. Keep it simple and packable. If you're bringing resistance tubing, you'll want to find some easy resistance workouts that you can do anywhere. For cardio, a good pair of running shoes and/or a $1 jump rope is all you need to get in a good sweat session. You can even add 1 minute of jump roping between each resistance tube move to knock strength and cardio out at the same time.

2. Get up early: and by early, I mean earlier than 10am. No need to get up at 5am like you do at home (unless you want to), but earlier than your travel companions. Then, sneak in a workout before you even get started with your day. It will be much easier to tackle if you get it out of the way first. You won't want to go for a run after a long day of sightseeing. Knock it out right away and feel that great feeling all day!

3. Scout out the trails, running routes and hotel equipment. Although hotel equipment can be pretty unpredictable (every treadmill is "out of order"), it can be a great option when it's storming or cold outside. Many hotels nowadays have a workout room at your disposal. Do some research beforehand to find out what's available and check customer comments about the conditions of the equipment. Even if you don't have equipment at your disposal, you can always run outside. Use the user-created running routes on Map My Run to see where the locals are kicking up dust. Or check out American Trails to locate nature trails in your vicinity. I found a running trail when we were staying in Port Washington that now is part of one of my most cherished memories ever. I saw two deer and shared the magic of lightning bugs with my son for the first time ever. It was beautiful.

4. Build active activities into your itinerary. Obviously, Mackinac Island is navigable by foot, bike or horse only. We did a ton of walking out of necessity, just like on our Crivitz trip last year where we walked miles of trails to see all the waterfalls. But we also like to kayak, hike, swim, snorkel, and so many other active things. We naturally build many of these things into our vacation days. Take a walking tour, rent a bike, take para-sailing lessons, swim in the local lakes, just get out there! Vacations should naturally have an element of fitness to them already, so take advantage.

5. Eat out only once or twice. In a previous post, I discussed travelling on a budget. One way our family does that is by bringing or buying most of our food from local grocery stores. Not only do we save cash this way, but we also save our waistlines. It is much healthier to eat this way. Yes, splurge while you're away from home, but only a few times, not for every single meal. Keep healthy snacks like bananas, trail mix and dry cereal with you everywhere you go so you're less likely to binge when you're suddenly stricken by severe hunger between meals.

6. Use what you have: in the Resources section below, I offer a link to a hotel room workout. It's possible to get a sufficient workout in with only a chair, a wall, a stick and/or your body weight. Put together or search for a workout before you leave that involves the "equipment" that you have available to you. There is no shortage of workouts tailored to these types of conditions.

7. Borrow your kid's portable DVD player: Peanut has a DVD player that I used in Chicago to do the Tracy Anderson workout that I picked up there. All I needed to work out was a chair! This is one super portable way to bring your home fitness DVD collection to good use out on the road. If you're lucky enough to have a DVD player in your hotel room or cabin, you could trim even more from your luggage. If you're bringing your laptop and it can play videos, you have yet another option.

Taking in sites on-foot is one of the best ways to navigate your destination. When you run through local parts of town, you will see parts of the city that you never would've noticed in a car. In Mackinaw City, I found some neat footpaths, took in gorgeous sunrises and learned the layout of the land much better during my runs. The trail below is one such path that I discovered while running. The city workers use it to get to their day jobs, but it made for such an amazing scenic running route. Peanut even went for a "run" with me on this trail. We had to stop a lot to track chipmunks;) Another beautiful memory.

It's hard to resist views like this on a run (Lake Huron, Mackinaw City):

I hope that these tips have made it easier for you to fit in fitness out on the road. It definitely is more than possible! Once you can find ways to eliminate the excuses for exercising, you can stay fit for life.

A few resources:

1. I did this killer workout on YouTube while staying in Mackinaw City, MI. We brought our Google Nexus tablet and had free Wifi, so it worked out pretty swell. You could just do a search for "hotel room workouts," and get thousands of hits like this.
2. I always use the Runkeeper app to track my outdoor runs, including time, pace and distance.
3. I also use the Spotify app while I'm running to listen to tunes, if I'm not surrounded by the lovely sound of waves and birds.
4. Rubber tubing routines abound on the internet if you do some searching, like this great do-anwhere routine. I also like this Chady Dunmore one from a recent issue of Fitness RX. If the bodybuilders are using it, then it must be good, right?

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday: 

• 30 min LiveFit Series back in the AM
• 30 min AM run 2.35 miles

Tuesday:

• 30 min LiveFit chest and abs in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.22 miles
• 20 min casual walk at lunch with mom

Wednesday:

• 45 min LiveFit legs in the AM
• 15 min FlashFit workout at lunch

Thursday:

• 30 min LiveFit arms and abs in the AM
• 30 min AM run, 2.4 miles

Friday:

• 20 min LiveFit shoulders
• 30 min AM run, 2.45 mi
• 15 min FlashFit workout at lunch

Saturday:

• 90 min LiveFit legs, triceps and abs

Sunday:

• Rest

On weekday mornings, I only have a set amount of time that I can dedicate to my workouts. When 6:45 rolls around, I have to hit the shower or Peanut will be late for school. That's my cut-off and there's no compromising it. So what happens when I hit snooze an extra time and don't complete a full workout? I save the moves for a day when I have more time or for after work. This happened on Thursday. I didn't get to my triceps and abs, so I did them on Saturday with legs. It worked out pretty well because my arms weren't too tired by Saturday. Plus, I had time to spare on some really good stretching and self myofascial release while watching the amazing Veria channel.

I can't even tell you how sweet it is that I can run again!!! I betcha in heaven, there will be running involved. I feel like myself again, only a bit stronger version of myself since starting the LiveFit series. I play little games with myself, trying to eek out just a little extra mileage every day in my 30 minute runs. I always warm up and cool down for three minutes each, so I try to play with that other 24 minutes. I'm nearly halfway through Phase 2 and can't wait to see what Phase 3 does to me when HIIT runs and hypertrophy training are involved. I can already notice a difference in my strength level. I was pulling down our garage door a few days ago, and it felt like such a smooth simple move that I even had to stop and make sure nothing was wrong. Ha! Nothing was wrong...with my muscles!

I found a pull-up bar at a local second-hand sporting good store, so I can finally perform a real pull-up. I was modifying my workout at home by just doing extra pull-downs with my stretch tubing. Then, whenever I took Peanut to the park, I would practice pull-ups on the monkey bars. Now I can do the workout properly. The only door frame that the pull-up bar fits around is Peanut's door though, so I have to wait until he's awake to eke those bad boys out, one measly pull-up at a time. I'm loving the convenience of the bar though. I'm planning a full post on how to do some of the LiveFit moves at home, since it seems to be a recurring question. You can be really clever and resourceful and do all the moves just fine at home. I'll show you how soon.

Going strong so far! See you next week.

Broomstick Full-Body Workout #2

Here is your third and final installment in my broomstick workout series. It is another full-body circuit that hits every major muscle group. You can also turn this into more of an interval workout, which I explain below. Or, combine the two stick workouts on days when you have more time for a real scorcher.

If you missed them, check out the other parts of this fitness series:
1. Workout stick DIY
2. Full-body broomstick stretch workout
3. Full-body workout #1

1. Stir the pot: (a) Kneel with the stick out in front of you. (b) Push the stick out and around in a circle pattern, leaning your torso into it with control. Do 12 clockwise rotations and 12 counterclockwise rotations.
2. Reverse crunch with curl: (a) On your back, legs up in tabletop, (b) perform a reverse crunch and bicep curl at the same time. Do 15-20 crunches.
3. Curtsy lunge: (a) Stand with right knee and arms raised out in front of you. (b) Bring right foot back behind you and to the left into a lunge. Return to knee-up position. Do 12 reps per leg.
4. Shoulder rotation: (a) Hold stick in right hand out to side, palm facing forward. (b) Rotate arm and stick until palm faces backward. Perform 25 reps per arm. You should really feel this one!
5. Stick jacks: Perform 15 regular jumping jack with the stick in your hands.
6. Inner thigh sweep: Stand on mat, holding stick vertical near the right thigh. Sweep the right leg across the body to the left, kicking the stick up with your foot. Perform 12 reps per leg.
7. Deep squats: Holding the stick in front of you for balance, feet shoulder's width apart, drop your butt down into a deep squat. Return to standing, squeezing your glutes as you come up. Do 15 squats.
8. V-step: With your stick laying vertically on the ground, perform a V-step, stepping over the stick. Feel free to put a little jump into your step:)

Remember to do a good stretch after this workout. You can even use your stick to do so with my Broomstick Stretch Workout. To turn this workout into even more of a fat burner, you can pull out the Stick Jacks and perform 25 of them in between each strength move.

I hope this workout series has inspired you to work out a little differently. You can get quite an effective workout using simple household objects, or even just your own body weight.

I will continue adding FlashFit workouts and other series as I design them, so I hope this is the third workout in a long series to come! 

For more free workouts, sign up for updates in my sidebar. Either sign up by email, through Bloglovin' or through Feedly (or another feed burner).

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

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday: 

• 40 min LiveFit legs in the AM
• 25 min incline interval run in the AM

Tuesday:

• 30 min LiveFit back and biceps in the AM
• 25 min moderate walk at lunch

Wednesday:

• 35 min LiveFit chest and triceps in the AM
• 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Thursday:

• 40 min LiveFit legs in the AM
• 30 min moderate walk at lunch

Friday:

• 30 min LiveFit shoulders and abs in the AM
• 25 min run at lunch, 2 miles

Saturday: 

• Active rest (jet skiing)

Sunday:

• Rest

I am now 1/3 of the way through the LiveFit series, entering Phase 2. Even though I threw a few runs in during the past four weeks, I am excited to get back into my full-on running habit in Phase 2. I finally get to run 4 days per week! The younger me never thought the older me would be making such a statement, ha. This morning was the first allowable run and it felt great!

Our jet skiing adventure on Saturday worked out my lung muscles more than anything. Hubster is quite the beast on a toy like that, and I swear, the screaming that I did was completely instinctive and unintentional. When you feel like you're going to flip, you just scream. And I was flipped off three times at lower speeds, so the worry was not unfounded. Oh boys! Peanut was even braver than I was, laughing through the scariest moves. I was just happy to be dropped off at a public sandy beach while the boys went crazy.

Other than that, not much to report this week. I haven't yet seen the results on the LiveFit plan that I'm sure will come, especially with the addition of cardio again. I have lost a few inches, but the scale seems to be creeping up, which can only mean that I am gaining muscle, and I'm happy about that. I'll keep you posted!

Jillian Michaels Hard Body Review

I was killing some time at a two-story Target in Chicago, waiting for Hubster to pick me up after my NASM workshop. I perused the workout section and was a little hesitant to pick up this video. I have three of Jillian's videos already, and sometimes they can be a bit repetitive. But it was only $10, so what difference does it really make, right? Plus, Hubster had bought himself something from me for our anniversary, so I decided to buy something for myself from him. Old married people, I tell ya. I put this DVD and Tracy Anderson's Mat Workout (the only thing related to her that sells for $10!) in my cart. I have to say I'm pretty happy about this purchase, because Jillian really mixes things up in this series.

Let's break this down:

The video consists of two levels, 45 minutes each.

These were my stats for Level One:

Heart Rate: I averaged 130bpm and stayed inside my target heart rate zone for 21 minutes.

Calories: 527 (based on my body weight, exertion level and heart rate)

Pros:

• In each circuit, there are three versions of most of the moves. One model shows the basic move, one model shows the intermediate move, and Jillian sometimes chooses one model to take it up to the advanced level. Given the three levels of the moves within the two levels of the workout, there is plenty of room for growth.
• The moves are mostly compound moves, hitting multiple muscle groups at once. For instance, there's one move where you perform a sumo squat with a calf raise and shoulder press for a total-body hit. You get a really effective workout in a short-ish amount of time because you're targeting more at once. I never once felt like I wasn't getting anything out of a move.
• Like the back panel states, Jillian finally uses some fresh new moves, even some that I've never seen before. Such a relief! This coming from a person who gets bored with workouts quite quickly.
• Jillian is always great about giving proper exercise form cues. She stops to point out different aspects of the exercise on her models, which is really helpful especially when working out at home.

Cons:

• The only drawback I really saw with this video is the scant amount of stretching at the end of the workout. I would suggest doing quite a few more stretches after these workouts, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds. 
• I would also be hesitant to suggest this video for beginners. You can modify most of the moves, but it might be a bit too much for someone who is just dipping their foot in the fitness-spiked water. Something like Barefoot Cardio would be a much better option for a beginner.

Bottom line: If the 30 Day Shred feels tough to you, this will feel tougher.

My favorite motivational sentiment from Jillian in this video is her encouragement to dig deep, to think about what you're doing this all for. She says to think about why you're here and let that motivate you. It really is important to reflect on that to keep your athletic spirit from waning. 

Thanks Hubster for the Anniversary gift. You're the best:)

Tracy Anderson's mat workout is up next. I hope to share a post about that too, just as soon as I can.


*This post is based only on my opinions and results. I was in no way compensated for this post, I just thought it was a great DVD to share.

Broomstick Full-Body Workout #1

As promised, here is your broomstick workout for the week, a full-body regimen that hits all the right spots.

Print or pin the poster and use the description below to follow along.

1. V-sit with twist: (a) Sit on your mat with knees bent and lean backwards, back straight, until your torso is at about a 45 degree angle. Hold the stick out in front of you. (b) Twisting your torso from side to side, touch the ends of the stick down to the ground. Alternate sides, 15 reps per side.
2. Quad squeeze with triceps raise: (a) Kneeling on your mat, hold your workout stick behind your back, palms facing away from the body. (b) Lean your whole body back, feeling a squeeze in the front of your thighs, trying to maintain that straight line from head to knees. At the same time, use your triceps to push the stick out behind you. Return to start. Do 12 reps.
3. Side lunge with side lean: (a) Stand facing forward. Step right foot out to side and press into a side lunge, keeping knees in line with the toes. (b) Once in the side lunge, lift your stick over your head and lean over to the right. Return to start. Do 12 reps per leg.
4. Rear lunge with a twist: Stand facing forward. Step right foot behind you and lower into a rear lunge, both knees at right angles. As you lower into the lunge, twist your torso and stick over the bent left knee. Return to standing. Do 12 reps per leg.
5. Ab V-reach: (a) Lie on your back and extend your legs straight up. Separate legs so they form a "V." (b) Hold your workout stick over your body and lift your shoulders off the ground, using your abs to reach the stick toward your toes. Lower and repeat 15 times.
6. Knee crackin': (a) Stand facing forward, arms holding the stick straight up in the air. (b) Bring your knee up toward your chest as you bring the stick toward your knee. Alternate sides quickly, doing 20 reps per side.
7. Hop-overs: Place your stick on the ground and stand next to it. (a) Quickly hop over the stick, landing on one foot. (b) Then, hop over to the other side, landing on the other foot. Perform 1 minute as quickly as possible.
8. Superman Raises: Lying on your belly, hold the stick in your hands behind you, palms facing away from your body. (b) Lift your arms up behind you as you lift your torso. Try not to hyper-extend your back. (a) Lower to a few inches above the floor and repeat 12 times.

To make this workout even more of a fat burner, do one minute of hop-overs between each move. Repeat the whole circuit once or twice, depending on your ability and time. Don't forget to stretch afterwards. You can even make your very own DIY workout stick to follow along.

Check back here next week for my third installment of broomstick workouts. It will be another full-body circuit.


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

Weekly Workout Rundown: LiveFit Week 3

Monday:

• 30 min AM LiveFit Legs

Tuesday:

• 35 min AM LiveFit Back and Biceps

Wednesday:

• 40 min AM LiveFit Chest and Triceps

Thursday:

• 40 min AM LiveFit Legs
• 30 min casual walk at lunch

Friday:

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

Saturday:

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

Sunday:

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

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

Source

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

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

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

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

Tuesday:

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

Wednesday:

• 35 min AM LiveFit Legs
• 15 min HIIT run

Thursday:

• 25 min AM LiveFit shoulders and abs

Friday:

• Rest

Saturday:

• 35 min run 30-20-10 intervals

Sunday:

• Rest

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

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

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

Until next week...Cheers!

FlashFit Workout #1

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

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

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

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

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




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