Whole 30- Week 3

We're now into the last part of our third week on the program! I can honestly say that it has been MUCH easier to follow the past 2 weeks. Week one was a bit torturous. Feeling the effects of ridding your system of sugar, dairy, and wheat feels very hard before you start to feel the benefits.

A simple chart that helps you understand what the "rules" are:

Week one I had cravings, like I just wanted to get a candy bar or ice cream. I never eat candy bars really, so that was kind of strange. Looking back, I think my body was just craving the artificial sweetness that sugar (artificial and added refined sugars) adds to food. I really encourage anyone aiming to try this program to read up on it first, but the fact is this: food additives and sugars (both fake and "real" added sugars) trick your body into craving tastes that do NOT exist naturally in nature. Once you detox yourself from those tastes by cutting them out, you can really appreciate how food actually tastes. I swear, apples taste sweeter to me now.

Week two I felt like I was really into the groove. I wasn't feeling as hungry as I did in week one. I figured out how to cook enough for dinner and leftovers for lunch the next day. Breakfasts have been either hard boiled eggs or a banana with almond butter or almond milk (some people disagree with almond milk on The Whole 30, but I'm using an unsweetened one). I've had a bunch of really great dinners that have been filling and flavorful. Spices are your friend here, and if you under season, things will be bland.

Snacks are either an apple, a few nuts (almonds or cashews), or a lara bar. Tonight we're doing breakfast for dinner with poached eggs, bacon (nitrate and sugar free from Trader Joe's), and sweet potato home fries with peppers and onions. Sliced avocado on the side. That's a perfect example of a meal that will NOT leave you hungry! Tomorrow night I'm making Barbacoa Beef from Paleomg. Her blog is one of my favorite resources, and her recipes have been hits with us.

Matt is feeling really good as well, and has officially hit the 30 pound weight loss mark! His weight loss started back in October, so it's been slow and steady. I think he should be most proud of getting through the holidays without gaining anything back, even it things stalled slightly then.

So, are we going to turn the Whole 30 into an ongoing food regimen? No. Because that would mean cutting out alcohol (not gonna happen!), never enjoying deserts, and not being able to enjoy some favorite foods that aren't necessarily that healthy (pizza). We're going to stick to a mainly Paleo diet, and allow splurges now and then. I'm not going to say we'll have one "cheat" day, or meal, or any real count of when to splurge, rather we will try to do our best with diet and indulge when we feel it's worth it.

I will say that the biggest effect I feel physically is having no bloating. My stomach has been completely flat since we've started, and I'm sure cutting dairy is the reason. I've seen a lot more muscle definition as well. I didn't take any pictures before, but I might post an after to show it off!

I've officially filled my last notebook with workouts- I always write out my class design and workout for that day. Yesterday, I picked this one up:

 

 

 

Maybe a little cheesy, but the cover says "Live Your Dreams, Discover Your Purpose". I really feel that teaching fitness enables me to do just that. Every single person that stays after class to tell me that my class is the best they've ever taken, or that they love how each class is a totally different workout, really inspires me to keep working at being the best instructor I can be. Helping people achieve their weight loss, fitness goals, and lifestyle changes is such a wonderful motivator to continue living my own healthy lifestyle.

 

This weekend we'll be having some fun with built in babysitters, I mean grandparents, visiting. Connor can't wait to show off how big of a boy he is. New words are keys, and "cheesus" (you don't want to know the translation there). Let's just say Matt and I now know we have to watch our mouths. Shit just got real.

 

 

 

Quick Workout

A friend and former client texted me this morning and wanted some input on an at home workout. Hi Kristin, I know you're reading!! 

Try the workout I sent her, and Kristin, make sure you do it because I'll be checking in later ;)

Meals lately/ How to maximize the results in your workout

We are now into week 2 of the whole 30. Only (well, that's an understatement) 3 weeks to go! I've been reading a lot of other people's experiences on the program, and I relate to a lot of what they're reporting. Basically, I've read that many people say the first week is tough, and you start to feel a little discouraged by how restrictive the program is. I felt that way 100%. I also was dealing with feeling a constant sense of hunger in the evenings. I'd have a snack of an apple and almond butter most nights, but then worry that I was taking in too many calories. I'm not trying to lose weight, but I'm not trying to gain weight by any means. Matt has also been frustrated because he gained a pound in our first week (despite feeling like he's hungry)! He's going to stick with it and weigh in again next week. I know the program suggests to not weigh in, but that doesn't really work for Matt (who has been doing so well with his weight loss) and it also goes against how I maintain my weight.

This program can be tough if you're not a big meat eater, which I am not. I eat meat (not much red meat), but it's not something I crave, and I don't have large portions of it. That can make it hard to get full, especially at dinner. I've been eating sweet potatoes with a lot of our dinners to help get full.

I loved our dinner last night. We had fajita style chicken, peppers, and onions. Instead of cooking it in a grill pan like I usually do, I baked it in the oven. It was easy clean up, so I think I'll stick with this method.

I sliced up boneless/skinless chicken into strips, and sliced one (very) large onion and 3 bell peppers. Then I added cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt on top (just estimated amounts). I squeezed the juice of half a lime on top before baking at 400 for about 40 minutes.

Keeping it easy, I cubed avocado in the shell, juiced the other half of a lime on top, and added chopped cilantro. It was a VERY easy version of guacamole. We each had half of the avocado with our dinner. This was nice and filling!

 

On to a little workout stuff. One method I use in my classes to really get the most effective results is to pulse or hold a movement at the most challenging part.

 

For example, instead of doing a regular squat, try squatting low, pulsing up halfway up, bring it back down, and then come all the way up. You really get double the muscle work done in that one squat. Try that method with other simple exercises to get the idea down, and then you can move onto more complicated moves.

 

I always love to work total body instead of just one body part, so combine a lunge and curl with the pulse. Start low in the lunge, come up halfway with your legs (they will be working the entire time) as you do a bicep curl halfway. Pulse it back down as you lower your arms, and then come all the way up with legs extended straight and arms curled up. It's a great way to mix things up!

Workout and some treadmill running

It's been way too long since I've posted a workout, and for that, I am sorry! I'm up to teaching 6 classes per week, so my workouts have mainly been teaching my classes with a run thrown in here and there. This weather has put a serious cramp in my running because I really hate running on the treadmill. I'll run outside in the cold, but with the snow totals we've had, the sidewalks have been kind of non-existent. I was all dressed and ready to run this morning and then saw the freezing rain. That's just a little too much for me, honestly. Rain? I'll do it. Freezing rain? Get the hell outta here.

Snow days brought out our creativity, and Connor found a new love for coloring and play dough.

 

 

Yesterday we were still dealing with the clean up from almost a foot of snow, and my morning class was cancelled. After a snow day on Thursday, I needed to get out of the house, so I bundled Connor up and headed to the Y. I geared my self up (mentally) to get on the treadmill, which is one of my least favorite activities. Once I was going, I felt really good and did 4 miles. My mental capacity on the treadmill is usually 3 miles, so this was big! It's crazy how I can run really far outside, yet inside each minute drags on so slowly.

You might be wondering why I forced myself to get on the treadmill when I clearly dislike it. That really goes against everything I believe with working out. I'm a huge advocate for finding something you really enjoy, and sticking with it.

I love running outside which is why I am not a treadmill runner. A few months ago I signed up for the Philadelphia Love half marathon, which is on March 30th. I really haven't mentioned it here though because between the snow and teaching so many classes each week, I really haven't trained! This is also something that goes against everything I believe about working out! To say I'm a little nervous is an understatement. My longest run has been 6 miles last weekend. I felt great, so that combined with doing other workouts so often is making me think I'll be able to finish the race without a problem. Fingers crossed. The forecast looks like it should be warming up soon, so I still have time to get the long runs in there. I'm hoping to do 7 next weekend, and then add a mile each week to build up to 11 before I taper. Not a training schedule I'd recommend!

After my 4 miles I did a circuit of:

Bosu crunches- opposite hand to toe reach for 30 secs, switch sides
1 min plank holding sides of bosu
1 min ab cincher- forearms in plank position on round side of bosu, aim hips side to side while drawing belly button to spine
12 kettle bell snatches per arm

I repeated that twice and was done.

This week I'll be trying out a few more new recipes to keep on the Whole 30 plan, so look out for those! I have to say, the

 

Day 3: Whole 30 and a Recipe

We have officially completed 3 days on the Whole 30! Only....27 more to go, ha!

When I first read about what the plan consisted of, it looked like more of a list of what you couldn't have vs. what you could eat. I'm sure that is pretty intimidating to most people (including myself), but it honestly hasn't been that challenging.

What I've learned in the past few days about how to succeed on this plan: you need to meal plan in a new way. When I typically meal plan, it's for 4 dinners. Sometimes we have leftovers that are taken for lunch, other times Matt picks something up and I'll have a few different snack type things for lunch. Many of those items include granola bars, peanut butter and an apple, a yogurt, cheese stick, etc. ALL items that are banned on the Whole 30. Meal plans need to include breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and we can't just plan on eating out Friday and Saturday nights. I'm cooking a crockpot meal tomorrow that will be dinner for Thursday and Saturday nights. We're having Whole 30 friendly pulled pork. Of course, the difference with this recipe is that there is no sugar (which is always one of the first ingredients with any bottled or prepared sauce). This recipe uses pineapple to sweeten it. I'll serve it with roasted broccoli and carrots.

Matt and I are both feeling really good. We haven't been having any crazy cravings (thankfully), but Matt has had a few headaches. From what I've read, this seems pretty typical. I think it's probably a mixture of sugar withdrawal and caffeine withdrawal. We have both only been having one small cup of coffee each morning because unsweetened black coffee basically sucks.

So far this week we've had Chili:

 

Salads with veggies, grilled chicken, and roasted veggies on the side.

 

 

And, Curry Chicken with peppers, sweet potatoes, and onions.

 

 

Now, the picture of the Chicken Curry really doesn't do it justice (forgot to take a picture until I had packed up the leftovers in tupperware). This recipe is SO GOOD. And I'm completely patting myself on the back, because it's something I pretty much winged without a recipe. I love the Trader Joe's Thai red curry sauce, but one of the first ingredients is sugar. I looked at the other main ingredients in the recipe, and made this version. Try it!

 

 

1-1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1 can light coconut milk

4 red/orange bell peppers

1 large white or yellow onion

2 sweet potatoes cut into medium chunks

1 T cumin

1.5 T curry (more if you like it spicer, less if not)

2 t garlic powder

1 t powdered (more of fresh if you have it) ginger

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro on top (as much as you like)

1 lime wedge per serving to squeeze on top

Olive oil to saute

 

Pre-heat oven to 410. Throw the chopped sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until fork tender, I do about 15 minutes, flip, and another 15 minutes.

 

In a small sauce pan, combine coconut milk and all spices and heat over medium  low heat. Whisk it together as it heats. I let it simmer while the chicken and peppers cooked, it will continue to cook in the larger pot with the chicken and veggies.

 

In a large pot, brown the chicken pieces on medium high heat in olive oil (or coconut oil), set aside. Add a small amount of oil back into the pan, and throw in the veggies. Sautee until browned, about 8 minutes. Add chicken back in. Pour the coconut milk/spice mixture over the chicken and peppers. Let it simmer on low for about 20 minutes.

 

I served this with the sweet potatoes on the bottom of a bowl with the chicken curry mixture on top. Yum!

The Whole 30

I can't stop reading about or hearing from people who have done The Whole 30 program, and my curiosity recently made me start to read more about it. Trying to sum up the Whole 30 isn't easy, so I'll give you some basic info straight from the source.

What is the Whole30®?

Certain food groups (like sugar, grains, dairy and legumes) could be having a negative impact on your health and fitness without you even realizing it. Are your energy levels inconsistent or non-existent? Do you have aches and pains that can’t be explained by over-use or injury? Are you having a hard time losing weight no matter how hard you try? Do you have some sort of condition (like skin issues, digestive ailments, seasonal allergies or fertility issues) that medication hasn’t helped? These symptoms may be directly related to the foods you eat – even the “healthy” stuff. So how do you know if (and how) these foods are affecting you?

Strip them from your diet completely. Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health. The most important reason to keep reading?

This will change your life.

We cannot possibly put enough emphasis on this simple fact—the next 30 days will change your life. It will change the way you think about food, it will change your tastes, it will change your habits and your cravings. It could, quite possibly, change the emotional relationship you have with food, and with your body. It has the potential to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. We know this because we did it, and tens of thousands of people have done it since, and it changed our lives (and their lives) in a very permanent fashion. (Need convincing? Just read some of our stunning testimonials.) The Whole 30

I first thought it was a "diet" intending to cause weight loss, but that really isn't the main point. People do lose weight on the program often, but not always. Even though I try to maintain a healthy diet, I've been feeling like too much sugar and dairy have been creeping in (I have a minor Reece's addiction). I'm hoping that by being pretty strict and cutting sugar and dairy out completely, I'll be less likely to reach for them. I gave up dairy for about two months when Connor was a newborn because I thought he might have a dairy intolerance. While I don't think he really did, what I noticed was how much better I felt off dairy. I didn't feel bloated, and my skin was completely clear.

Cutting out legumes isn't something I've ever done, or wanted to do. I'm going to get rid of them during the Whole 30 and then re-evaluate when I incorporate them back in. I like the idea of starting from a "clean slate" in terms of diet so you can really see what works for you, and even more importantly, what doesn't work for you.

Matt has agreed to sticking to the plan for the 30 days, and I'm trying to make it easier for him by preparing our dinners and helping him decide what to eat or bring for lunches.

This week I'm making a new chili recipe from a paleo blog that I found, Chocolate Chili. The blog is called The Clothes Make the Girl, and the author writes a lot of tasty looking recipes. I'm also going to make a chicken curry with peppers, onions, and sweet potatoes, which is a recipe I made up and already make on a regular basis. I'm making big batches of everything so that we can either have leftovers for lunches or other dinners. For breakfast I'm going to either do hard boiled eggs and a piece of fruit or an egg scramble with veggies. Lunches will either be leftovers from the previous night's dinner or a veggie packed salad with grilled chicken on top.

I'll report back with my take on the Whole 30 periodically, and while I'm not in it to lose weight, I'll certainly update you with my results! Hopefully he won't kill me for writing this, but Matt is down 22 (or 23?) pounds and looking amazing! He's really been so on point with food, and it very motivated to give the next 30 days a shot.

Focus on Bosu Training

Hi All! Something I've been loving recently is the Bosu ball.

The purpose of the Bosu is to challenge your balance by providing an unstable surface (instead of the floor, which is a stable surface). This forces you to find your balance by using your core. You must utilize your stabilizing muscles in order to stay balanced on the ball.

If you're new to Bosu training, start by taking a simple exercise and incorporate the ball. A good move to try is plank up and downs. Start in high plank with your hands on the ball and lower down to your forearms. You'll need to draw your belly button back to your spine and really fire up the core. Try and keep your hips somewhat level to the ground. They will move a bit, but shouldn't be flying side to side.

Using the Bosu is a good way to switch up your workout routine, and most gyms have them readily available. Bosu training can provide a total body workout without having to use any additional weights.

 

I'm very excited to announce that we are starting a Bosu Training class at the Y this upcoming Tuesday at 10:30 am. The focus will be total body training with the Bosu, focusing on body weight training, cardiovascular conditioning, and core work.

 

Try out this circuit of my favorite Bosu exercises. I alternate higher intensity cardio moves with strength moves to give you a chance to catch your breath, but not enough of a break to let your heart rate get too low. Work for 45 seconds, and then rest for 15. Repeat this circuit for 2-4 rounds. I did 4 on Wednesday.

 

Funny aside before the workout- since we've had a crazy week with snow, Wednesday's am class was cancelled. The Y opened at 10, so Connor and I were waiting for the doors to open. I had a Bosu workout ready to go, and went to the group ex room since I knew it would be open (classes were cancelled in the morning). As I was working out, two women that attend my classes popped in to see if I was doing a class. I told them I wasn't, but they were welcome to join my workout if they wanted to. They did, and a few minutes later another woman (that I didn't know) came in, grabbed a Bosu, and started the workout! I didn't tell her that I wasn't teaching a class, because we were almost finished, and I didn't want her to feel awkward!

 

Try this circuit- 45 seconds WORK, 15 seconds rest.

 

BOSU

Out and ins (start on top of the bosu, jump your feet off to the sides, and back on) keep knees bent

 

Pushups with an optional leg raise (raise leg up as you lower into the pushup)

Bosu burpees

Mountain climbers

Plank up and downs

Squat jumps from floor onto top of ball

 

Crunch get ups (hands behind ears, crunch and stand up at the top)

 

Plank with toe taps (hands on floor, feet on top of ball, walk feet off and on the top of the ball)

 

Have a great day!



And I call myself a blogger?

It's true, I've been terribly neglectful of this blog. Truth is, just like everyone else in the world, the holidays and life completely took over. No excuse! We've been up to a lot of the same things, working out and teaching a ton, spending family time, and of course getting together with friends.

One tradition we've started is a spin on something we already did. Friday pizza night! So creative, right? The "spin" is that I've been making my own pizza. I've made pizzas before, but usually just bought ready made naan bread and used it as the crust. I've broken my streak with unsuccessful bread recipes with a really easy pizza crust. I also don't have a pizza stone, and thought that it wouldn't come out well. Wrong! I found a really easy method on popsugar (randomly found while googling) that works SO well.

The way to cook the pizza without a stone is really easy, and it totally changes how the crust tastes and looks. Preheat a cookie sheet to 500 for about 10 minutes. When you pull it out, drizzle the sheet with olive oil (I lay down tin foil for easier clean up). Lay your rolled out dough onto the cookie sheet, top with your toppings, and bake. That's it!

The basic dough recipe is:

1 packet dry active yeast
1 Cup warm water
3 Cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 t sugar
2 T olive oil

Combine the first two ingredients in a mixer and let stand for about ten minutes (you're just activating the yeast). Once that starts foaming a bit, add the other ingredients into the mixer with a dough hook attachment. Let it rise for about an hour. I split it in half to make 2 pizzas.

My best pizza yet came from a very complex and difficult combination of ingredients. Not really, it came from a magical item you can find in your local Trader Joe's. Or Trader Giotti's. Their bruschetta is amazing, and it worked perfectly as a pizza "sauce"- chunky and flavorful without being too much like a regular chopped tomato bruschetta. I also use the bread dipping seasoning herb grinder on the left to season the pizza. Sometimes I even throw it into the dough as it mixes.

 

I put a blend of Parmesan and mozzarella on top of the bruschetta, and then baked at 500 for about 10 minutes.

 

 

Connor loves to cook in his new kitchen as well!

 

 

His latest favorite toy is very high tech....a diaper box. It's the simple things!

 

 

Happy weekend!







Christmas Time

Christmas is in full swing over here, and I've had more fun this year getting everything ready than ever before. I know having Connor is what has made the holiday season so exciting; watching him experience new things and actually be "old" enough to get exciting is just thrilling.

We've been doing a whole lot of baking, decorating, and yes, still working out.

Our tree is fully decked, and I'm happy to say that Connor hasn't attacked it yet. Pretty much all of our ornaments came in a set, and they're hard plastic. That is KEY with a toddler. If the ornaments were all glass I'd probably be too paranoid to let him play around the tree.

 

I think our mantle is one of my favorite holiday decorations. The garland came pre-lit from Costco, and I used twine to hang Christmas cards from clothespins (that was an idea I stole from my friend Beth).

 

Connor visited Santa, and was NOT feeling it. Honestly though, the Santa was pretty intimidating, so I don't blame him!

 

These picture are pure gold in my eyes. The sheer terror Santa incited is just too much to handle.

 

 

One tradition we decided to start this year, and look forward to the kids taking part in, is baking cookies throughout the season, assembling cookie baskets for friends and family, and delivering them right before Christmas. If you're a friend that I'm getting together with next weekend for a certain holiday party, you *might* have some cookies coming your way ;)

 

So far, I've made: oatmeal chocolate chip, regular chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms, and gingerbread cookies. My favorite recipe happens to be a new one I found googling. It's seriously the easiest peanut butter cookie, and it is SO good.

 

1 C sugar (you can use brown or white, I do half of each)

1 C peanut butter- I use chunky

1 egg

 

I throw all of the ingredients into my mixer, and let it go until combined. Bake at 350 for about ten minutes. SO GOOD!

 

I also do the Hershey's kiss in the middle directly after baking. Try these, you will not be disappointed.

 



 

And now, you have to burn off those cookies, right? Try a HIIT workout. High intensity interval training. Use the easy formula of 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest. You really can pick any total body moves for this. Here's a great example of a HIIT workout you can do at home or in the gym. Remember, there are no reps listed because you should be working for 45 seconds, and that could end up being a different number of reps for every person. The purpose of only having a short rest period is to keep your heart rate up, and have maximum calorie burn.

 

HIIT workout- repeat 3-4 times

45 seconds work/15 seconds rest

 

Burpees

Squat jumps

Butterfly push-ups

Plank

Alternating forward lunges with bicep curls

Squat with shoulder press

Bicycle crunches

 





Keep it simple!

Stroller strides has officially moved inside for the winter. To be honest, I totally prefer being outside, and using things like benches and fences as part of the workout. Inside, you're a bit more limited. I've decided to take a more basic approach, and work circuits, just like I do in my group fitness classes.

The nature of a stroller strides class is very different than a group ex class, so the workout will be too.

Today was PACKED and it was so fun! Everyone was really sweating, and it was a hard one for sure. 

The workout:

4 rounds of:

15 jacks

15 squat jumps

15 burpees

15 push-ups

1 min plank

Walking lunges down the basketball court and back

2 laps

The KEY here is to make this as hard or modified as you need. Here's the truth. By the end of this, if you're not dripping sweat, you need to push it a little harder. Full burpees, getting all the way down with the squat jumps, sprinting the laps, full push-ups, get it? On the flip side, if you're really struggling, modify! Reach up and down instead if jumping, push-ups from the knees, etc. Take every workout this way, and you'll always get a GOOD workout.

Something Connor has now been introduced to, courtesy of his stroller strides friends: snacks in the stroller. We can see how well that turned out!

Frittata Cups

 

I have a new favorite dinner that is both easy to make AND healthy. Those are usually my 2 requirements for a meal, so this fits the bill! Frittata cups made with veggies, eggs, and bacon. So good. This really isn't a "recipe", but more of a method that you can adapt depending on what veggies you prefer or have already at home.

 

Crack a few eggs and egg whites into a bowl (for 3 people I've been doing 3 regular eggs and adding 4-5 egg whites), add a splash of milk, seasonings (I do salt, pepper, and garlic powder). Whisk that all together. Sautee whatever veggies you have, I usually do onion, pepper, and spinach. Wait until the veggies cool, and then whisk that into the eggs.

 

Before you start prepping the eggs, spread your bacon onto a sheet pan lined with foil and bake at 375 for about 6-7 minutes. You want the bacon to pre-cook a little so it crisps up nicely in the muffin cups.

 

Using either a muffin pan or cupcake tin, line the cup with a slice of bacon, and then laddle in the egg mixture about half to three quarters up the tin.  You can also top it off with a little cheese if you're feeling that.

 

Bake for about 20-25 minutes until the center is firm.

 

 

 I also wanted to share a few pictures we had done recently for our Christmas cards. Unfortunately, Connor was sick the day of the photo shoot, and he wasn't his usual smiling self. We got a few that will be cute for a Christmas card, even if he isn't smiling brightly!

Another big update on the baby (I guess toddler now!) front- he started walking yesterday! Just over 14 months. Everyone has always warned me about how much harder things will get (at pretty much every development), but Connor is such an easy little guy, and I don't worry too much about it.

Sorry I've been absent recently. Between teaching classes, starting a new part time writing job, and taking care of Connor, I really haven't had any down time. 

My teaching schedule has changed a bit too. Now I'm doing weekday (mwf) mornings at the y, and teaching mon and tues evenings at PSC. Stroller strides is going to be either Tuesdays or Saturdays (alternating) this month. I've realized that two nights per week is the max that I'm ok with being away from home. Having dinner as a family really is important to me, and if I teach any more than two nights, it feels like I miss more dinners than I'm home for. I'm lucky that Matt is so great at taking over when he gets home from work. Bath time and putting Connor to bed has been Matt's job for a long time. It's nice that they have their own time together, and if I'm not teaching, it gives me a nice break! Even if its just to clean up, it's easier to do it without watching Connors every move.

Speaking of moves, Connor has officially taken steps! He's certainly not full on walking, but he's on his way!

Here's some recent favorite pics:

This one kills me; almost exactly one year difference:

Ok, enough showing off my boy!

Time to get to the important stuff- the workout. Below is what I did in my 8:30 class today. It was a nice mix of body weight moves combined with strength and cardio. Definitely a total body workout that will leave you drenched.

Preform each exercise for about a minute, and repeat each circuit twice.

Have a great day!

Quick and Healthy Dinner

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite places. It's also one if Connors (they give out free samples). I love it because they have lot of prepared food that is actually healthy. Most frozen foods are high calorie, high fat, and loaded with sodium. 

My favorite frozen staples are the Thai shrimp and veggie dumplings. They're pretty low calorie (under 300 for about 6) and make a good lunch with added veggies. The quinoa with roasted veggies is really flavorful and filling. One bag is good for about two lunches for me (and Connor). Organic waffles are a breakfast staple for C. The frozen fish is amazing, too! We especially love the miso glazed cod.

The refrigerated section has great options as well. I LOVE the eggplant parm stacks. About 300 calories for a portion (two per package). I add roasted broccoli and its a really filling lunch or dinner. 

The grilled marinated chicken breasts are perfect for building salads. Last night I took the lemon pepper chicken, added a ton of fresh veggies, and dressed it with tj's peanut salad dressing. Matt was raving that this was "seriously a restaurant quality salad". Now, that's huge. It takes a lot to get that man excited about salad for dinner.

Trader Joe's lemon pepper chicken breasts

Shredded carrots

Butter lettuce

Pea shoots

Thinly sliced celery

Scallions

Peanut dressing 

Try this!

How To: Design Your Own Workout

If you feel intimidated walking into the free weight section of the gym, you're not alone. When I talk to friends and people that come to my classes, a lot of them tell me they will only ever come to a class or do cardio machines, because they feel like they just don't know what to do with the weights to maximize their time. It IS hard to put together a good strength workout if you haven't done it before.

Follow my "formula", and you'll see how easy it really can be. This "formula" is how I design most of my classes, and it's a great way to vary the moves in the workout. If you come to my classes, you know that I never repeat the same exact workout twice, because it's boring! Swapping circuits, mixing and matching, and taking favorites from different workouts is a great way to switch things up.

People always ask what I think the best type of workout is; yoga, weights, running, cardio machines, etc. Hands down, if I have only 30 minutes to do something and I want to get the most "bang for my buck" it's going to be a strength based circuit workout. What does that mean? Strength based circuit training uses free weights (but some of these workouts won't), short but intense cardio bursts, and body weight exercises.

For the workout design, think 4 movements per circuit. I like to start each circuit with a cardio burst. Think of moves that get your heart racing very fast, and also incorporate a strength movement, like a squat jump. After that, pick 2 total body exercises, and then add on something that engages the abs at the end.

For example:

Perform each exercise for 1 min, repeats circuit 2-3 times

1. Cardio- squat jumps
2. Total body- reverse lunges with a front arm raise using dumbbells
3. Total body- squat/press (squat down and press arms up at the top of the squat with dumbbells)
4. Abs- plank with shoulder taps

You can pick any moves you'd like, but once you've designed a workout, it will start to seem easy!

Below is a page from my book that I bring to each class. I switched up this class by doing the same circuit 3 times, the first was for 1 minute, second was for 45 seconds, and third was for 30 seconds. It helped to make it feel a little easier, since the hard time was going to be the most challenging.

 

Write out your workout, bring it with you, and feel confident in the weights section of your gym. You know what to do!

 

Pasta Fagioli Soup

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the cooler temps and pretty foliage, and I love being able to make a one pot meal that is super easy and tastes amazing.

My girlfriend Alia gave me this recipe. It's meant to be done in the slow cooker, but mine is pretty small, and I realized early on (after throwing a bunch of ingredients in) that it wouldn't fit. I threw everything into my big soup pot and brought it to a boil, reduced it to low, and let it cook for hours on the stove.

This was so good, and will be great for leftovers throughout the week. Now that I'm out teaching 2 (soon to be 3) nights a week, I like to have something easy for Matt to heat up for dinner.

I've also done a little fall decorating around the house. Trader Joe's has mini pumpkins and squash for on 69 cents. I bought a bunch and put them around pillar candles on my dining room table.

 

On our buffet table in the dining room, I added a glass container with fake artichokes and wine corks. I finally hung my favorite (target) missoni prints. They were such a steal, and I don't know why I didn't think to hang them there. It's the perfect spot! 

 



 

 

I found these cute little glass figurines for my mantel.

 

 

Enjoy the soup!

 

Pasta Fagioli

 

1 lb lean ground beef

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 C carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped (I used 4)

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with juice

1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 oz) cannelini beans, rinsed and drained

4 C beef broth (I always use low sodium)

1 jar prepared pasta sauce

2 t oregano

1 T hot sauce

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 C dry pasta, add at the end of cooking time until done

 

Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker, cut the recipe in half, or cook on the stovetop.

 

Brown the meat in a pan, drain well. While meat is cooking, chop up the veggies, add to the crock pot or large soup pot. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot. Add diced tomatoes with juice. Add in pasta sauce, beef broth, and seasonings. Once drained, add beef. Cook on low for 6-8 or high for about 4 hrs. Every crock pot is different, so keep an eye on your soup and taste to see when you think it's done.

 

This recipe is from my friend Alia, who originally found it on abcnews.com





Work Updates!

I've had a lot of changes happening work wise, and I'm really excited to share them. If you're a reader, you know that I was previously teaching at Sweat (where I started teaching group fitness) and training women in a small group setting at ZAKTi. The way my schedule was working, I would be in the city on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and then head way out to King of Prussia in the evenings. Matt had to rush home from work in order to watch Connor so I could get to Sweat. Although I enjoyed both work experiences, it was pretty clear by this summer that it wasn't working.

Balancing Connor, home life, and part time work is not easy. I now understand the struggle working moms, part time working moms, and stay at home moms all have. Each role presents it's own challenges. For me, part time work as a fitness instructor has been difficult, because it simply doesn't make sense to pay a babysitter while I'm working. That would essentially defeat the purpose (money wise). So, I had to start pursuing work options where I could bring Connor.

Just like the saying "when it rains, it pours", work opportunities have been popping up all over!

I'm now proud to say that I am working (or will be starting very soon) at three different fitness companies: Philadelphia Sports Clubs, The Haverford YMCA, and Fit 4 Mom/Stroller Strides Media.

I'm teaching total body strength/cardio at 2 (soon to be 3) Philly Sports Club locations- Society Hill, Radnor, and Ardmore (soon). So far, I've been loving it, and the club members have been so welcoming. The Society Hill front desk informed me that I was taking over for an instructor that had been there for 15 years, and had a very loyal following. Not to make me nervous, or anything! At the end of my class, the participants were happy, and one even told me it was the best class she had ever taken. I was so flattered.

Philly Sports Clubs also offers babysitting during my class times (early evenings), so I can bring Connor if Matt isn't going to be home that night. I brought him last week, and he fell asleep on the babysitter-so out of character for him, but so cute! He's now a favorite member there :)

 

The Haverford YMCA is brand new, and opening today, October 1st. I haven't started yet (as the doors literally opened this morning at 5 am) but am so excited to teach on Fridays and Saturdays. The facility is absolutely beautiful, and is walking distance from our house. I can't wait to have Connor play around with all of the other kids in the Kid Zone while I teach.

 





 

My final venture is Fit 4 Mom/Stroller Strides Media. Stroller Strides offers moms fitness classes at outdoor locations (and alternate indoor locations in the winter) where mom can bring the baby. Again, it's so key for moms to have something to do where they don't have to worry about or arrange child care! Not only are these classes a good workout, and fun to interact with other moms, but the kids/babies have fun too. There are different songs, activities, and rhymes done while the moms are working out. The owner of the Media branch, Erin, also organizes things like story time and birthday parties for the kids after certain classes.

 

I'm so happy to be so busy, and looking forward to meeting a lot of new people! Email me if you'd like to try out a class!

 

I'll leave you with some recent pictures from a trip to the zoo :)