New workout idea.....

At work today I started doing squats to get the blood flowing and to wake myself up. It hurt so bad because I had done a tough spartan workout (http://fitfx.com/training/spartan-training/) the night before that had me doing more than enough squats, push-ups, pull-ups, and much, much more! But there I was.....at work! And doing squats. My mindset has shifted. Working out is not a chore, it is something I feel rejuvenates me...rehydrates my body, and pushes me to feel better, happier, when I am stumped. Don't get me wrong, I will still drink coffee to wake up!!! But, I will also incorporate some office-friendly exercises! :) These are some plank exercises....if you haven't done a plank before, your core is in for a real treat! Push yourself to the limits! (By the way....my legs were killing me by the end of the day....so I went on a 3 mile jog)!

xoxo

M

The truth about sugar.

Yes, this is a long video (90 minutes) but make the time to listen to it. I listened while I was working the other day--there is a lot of good (and crazy!) information in here. Prepare yourself... it's not good news for those of us who have a sweet tooth.

I personally find "The Coca-Cola Conspiracy" part most entertaining.

Sugar: The Bitter Truth by Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics

- Kristen

It seems so obvious.

I have been becoming more and more aware of processed foods and what is actually in a lot of packaged foods, and feel like I am constantly searching for SOMETHING that is both convenient and tasty. It's difficult sometimes and I always find myself trying to think of what I can eat that doesn't count as "processed"... since it seems like everything is. But this weekend I read something in a magazine and suddenly it seemed like it was the dumbest question I have ever asked. The easiest way to determine what is processed: if it has a label with ingredients, it's processed. Wow. Why had I never considered that, and of course that makes sense. Eating less processed foods is something I really want to try to make a priority. I know there will be dinners out and roadtrips where it will not be possible all the time, but I know that I have room to at least dramatically reduce my intake. This rule just makes it one little bit easier, don't you think?

- Kristen

Pinterest wins again!

I am beyond obsessed with Pinterest... you can literally find anything and spend hours doing nothing without even realizing it. Looking for fitness inspiration and healthy recipes is the easiest thing ever, and there are THOUSANDS of things for you to browse through. Check out my fitness board here for lots of exercising tips, routines, and ideas.

- Kristen

Jillian Michaels: genius.

If you're looking to shake things up a bit and try a new routine, I suggest giving this DVD a try. I tried this for the first time yesterday. O. M. G. I am so sore today! It really feels like it's working, even as your're doing it--plus, it's only 20 minutes! There are 3 levels, so you should be able to mix it up for quite a while without getting bored. And, hey, if you really do lose up to 20 pounds in 30 days... I'm in.

- Kristen

Get yours here: Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred at Amazon

No Pasta, No Way!

When my husband told me a couple years ago that he didn't like hated pasta, I thought...who HATES every kind of pasta! There is so many different ways of making it! After many failed attempts of proving him wrong...I (Failed). However, if you know me, failure is not an option, so here I am on to the next venture of bringing "pasta" into our lives!

Adapted from: http://fooddoodles.com/2013/01/10/skinny-spaghetti-squash-alfredo/

If you are feeling up to it and feel that your muscles are strong enough from all your working out, you can cut the spaghetti squash in half (long ways). Remove the seeds and pulp (you can keep the seeds to roast separately, if you want!). Place those two sides "meat" side down on a baking sheet and place in 375 per-heated oven for 30-40 minutes, check after 30. While the spaghetti squash is in the oven prepare the homemade Alfredo sauce from the recipe link above. I added chopped parsley on top, and added red pepper flakes. Next time I will add shrimp. Possibly breaded (take shrimp, peeled and de-veined, roll in flour, dunk in egg mix, cover with bread crumbs (I always use panko). On your stove top heat oil on medium, place shrimp in oil, it will only take a couple (30-40) seconds on each side. Take out and place on a plate lined with a paper towel. sprinkle with salt or other flavoring. I then place in heated oven for about 5-10 minutes).

Not only was this recipe easy to follow and make, but the ending product was a huge hit, for my husband as well, score! We are looking forward to trying different varieties of "spaghetti" very soon!!!

If you happen to try the recipe and put your own spin on it, please leave a comment and let us know how it turned out, what you liked and didn't like about it.

xoxo

M

The journey starts today.

 



 

 



What is CrossFit?

You've probably heard people talk about CrossFit, but maybe you haven't tried it... or even really knew what they were talking about.

CrossFit describes its strength and conditioning program as “constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement with the stated goal of improving fitness which it defines as "work capacity across broad time and modal domains." Workouts are typically short—20 minutes or less—and intense, demanding all-out physical exertion. They combine movements such as sprinting, rowing, jumping rope, climbing rope, flipping tires, weightlifting, carrying heavy objects, and many bodyweight exercises; equipment used includes barbells, dumbbells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars, kettlebells, medicine balls, and boxes for box jumps. (From Wikipedia)

Watch the above video for more details, and follow this link to find a CrossFit gym near you to give it a shot!

- Kristen

Hello, world!

Thanks for stopping by!

We're a group of lifelong friends starting this blog to have a place to record workout progress, fitness tips and ideas, healthy recipes and more. We want this to be a resource for all of our friends (and friends we haven't yet met) to share their experiences and ideas about health and fitness for motivation. We gotta stick together, ladies!

We want to be healthy, active, and happy! Hope you find lots to read...