TABATA Workout

Yesterday, I had the honor of joining the Fit Mom Diet team on the FOX 10 News Morning Show to help demonstrate a TABATA style workout. TABATA is fun and you can do it in less than 5 minutes at home with or without equipment! 

Here is a blog post written by Fit Mom Diet and posted on their page, check it out! They even posted a workout to get you going! 

Fit Mom TABATA Workout

Tabata is a popular workout phenomenon right now.  It is high intensity exercises for 4 minutes at a time, 20 seconds intense work, followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds.  Studies show that tabata style workouts have been linked to increased fat loss and improved endurance. It gives you both aerobic and anaerobic benefits, just like you would get from a both cardio and strength workouts.

These time saving tabata sessions work your entire body in less than 40 minutes. For those who have more limited time to workout, consider breaking the tabata workout up by doing rounds one through four.

Tabata workouts can be incorporated into your routine easily as there is no equipment necessary to perform them.

Below is a tabata style workout you can do in the comfort of your own home. Make sure you warm up properly before you begin.  Marching or jogging in place is an easy way to warm-up Pre-workout. Finally, after you’re done do a cool down and stretch.  Because this style workout exhausts your muscles depletes your energy, its important to fuel your body with proper nutrition post workout. Within thirty minutes of working out make sure you eat a snack comprised on protein and complex carbohydrates. Examples include a high quality protein shake such as Isagenix IsaLean, Greek yogurt with a banana, or tuna on Ezekiel bread. Remember to also drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.

Any exercise can be incorporated into the Tabata training. However the basic outline of the Tabata training method are as follows:

•     4 minutes long (whole Tabata Session)

•     20 seconds of intense training

•     10 seconds of rest

•     Total of 8 sessions or rounds

Check out the Fit Mom Diet Team on Fox 10 Arizona Morning show demonstrating a TABATA style workout: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/video?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=9445809

I had so much fun with the Fit Mom girls and have loved surrounding myself with like-minded women. It really is good for the soul!

Stay Healthy,
Rene

Excerpt taken from an article on FitMomDiet.com, you can read the full article here.

Change.

Workouts just weren't working out (haha) for me anymore. Either I wasn't able to take my dear little one to the gym daycare because he had picked up another cold from, they gym daycare, or I had too many things going on during the day and just couldn't get myself there regularly. 

Change was necessary. 

I used to go to bootcamp from 5am-6am and friends thought I was crazy. But really it's not that crazy at all. Since my workouts weren't happening as much as I liked I figured instead of complaining about it, or making excuses, I'd set my alarm for 4:35am and get to the gym at 5. 

Today was two days in a row and I feel amazing. I took control, made a change and am already noticing a difference in my mood just from having that hour of "me" time before the rest of the family starts their day. It's nice because, I get home at the time I would normally wake up, groggily, and make my dear husband and my older son's lunches for the day. Not my teenager just gives me a crazy look when I come bouncing in the house at 6am as he's just rolling out of bed. 

I am happy with this change and happy I am dedicating myself to health and working on being a happier person. Make a change, it seems hard, but if you don't try, you'll never know what good it could bring... 

And just for fun... since I'm on a "cleanse" day (which I'll explain more about later) I did a little easier workout today. Lighter weights, enough to spark my muscles but not enough to make myself too fatigued. Here's what my workout consisted of: 

Wide Grip Bench Press with Barbell 

Push-Ups

Cable Cross Over

Planks on a stability Ball 

Side to Side Push-ups

Incline Bench Press with Barbell 

Toe Touch/ Crunch Combo 

STRETCHING! 

Make it a great day!!! And check out today's Deal of the Day from Tinyprints! It's about that time to start ordering Holiday cards!! 

Mood Booster Workout

It is so easy to forget to take care of your body. Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain weight or just stay active it's easy to fall off course and lose momentum.

Here is a quick workout that I like to do if my day is too busy to get to the gym or to a bootcamp class. It elevates my heart rate, helps burn a few calories and boosts my mood. Anytime I engage in any physical activity, I feel better. 

When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins and these endorphins trigger positive feelings in your body. Why wouldn't you want that? 

So, if you are feeling down, depressed, low energy, try this quick little workout to boost your mood!! It doesn't take very long, and it always works for me! 

Items Needed: 

Self!

Positive Attitude 

A little bit of space for burpees (yes, I said burpees)

Workout:

20 pushups (Try to do them from your toes, as many as you can, then go to your knees if you need to.

          Gradually you will be able to do more from your toes, I promise! It's all about progress!)

20 sit-ups (Actual sit-ups, not crunches!!)  

5 Burpees**

20 Squats

REPEAT! (You can repeat for as little as 15 minutes or as long as 40, however much time you have!)

**Burpees~ if you are not familiar with how to do a burpee, it's just a few simple steps! 

1) From standing position, drop down to a squat position and place hands on the ground in front of you

2) Kick your feet back, leaving you in a plank/pushup position 

3)*optional* pushup at this point

4) Return your feet to squat position 

5) Jump up from the squat position, hands reaching high, jump as high as you can

Motivation is what gets you started...

     Habit is what keeps you going. 

~Jim Ryun 

     

Training for Life

102 was the high today and I'm thinking it feels a little too early to be that hot. I can't believe summer is already approaching and we haven't replaced our air conditioners yet. (They are awfully old and one is leaking so it actually doesn't work...)

Today, I chose to workout at 6am instead of 9:30am and I was happy I did. The sun was already out and shining bright but there was still a nice cool breeze to keep me cool while I ran.

We did three separate circuits today, rotating through each of them twice, with a running lap in between. After taking a few days off towards the end of last week, today's workout was just what I needed. It was hard enough to make me sweat but not so hard that I couldn't get all of my reps in. I worked out with a new girl today and the highlight of my workout was when she said, "Wow! You are in really good shape, what are you training for?" My reply? "Life."

I have been waiting a long time for someone to ask me that so I could respond with "Life."

Who is it that has led so many people to believe that working out, eating healthy and staying fit has to be because you are "training for something"? I feel that if everyone would eat healthier, exercise and educate themselves on proper nutrition we might all be happier! I know for me, when I eat really well and workout, I am flying high. It's my drug and I'm addicted. When I don't get it, watch out.

Lately I've been asking myself what are my goals. At one point I thought that I might want to be brave enough to train and enter a fitness competition. Not necessarily fitness, but maybe bikini. I'm not sure how much support I'd have and I really don't know that I can (or have) get together enough money to pay for all that is involved in doing a show.

I had the goal of running a half-marathon, well, I've done two now.

I had the goal of participating and finishing Tough Mudder, well, I did that and have plans to sign up again next year.

So, what exactly am I "training for" now? Life. I want to feel good and look good. Inside and Out. I want people to ask me, not "what am I training for" but "what are you doing? How are you so happy and healthy?"

I'm working on a list. Maybe a couple lists. The foods I am cutting out, the new workout routines I'll be doing, some certifications I'd like to get and goals I have for my family in general. I'd love to share them with you all when I get them finished! I am excited for new things, the new doors that have been opened to me and I can't wait to look back on this post knowing that I set goals and achieved them.

The highlight of my night? My push-up and plank challenge that I did with my husband. It was fun and now I'm determined to keep up with him. He beat me by one push-up (20-21) and I beat him with a 3:10 plank. (his was 2:45). Who knows, maybe we can start incorporating this little challenge before bed every-night?

For The Love of Bread

In an effort to eat "healthier" over the past couple of years, I have cut several items from my diet.

When I was pregnant with Travis (23 months old) I stopped drinking cow milk and went to strictly almond milk. It was a bit of a transition and an acquired taste, but now I can't live without it. I can't say that I have cut dairy out of my diet because cow milk really is the only thing I've been able to say "no" to 100% of the time.

Cheese, yogurt, ice cream and some of those snacks that come in boxes or a bag (that contain dairy) are the ones I am having a hard time with. And cookies, don't forget cookies. It IS getting easier though. What really opened my eyes was when I had given birth to Travis and he had an extremely sensitive tummy, gastritis and severe food protein allergies. I had to do a total elimination diet (which you can read about HERE or HERE) and really learned how many of the processed foods have dairy, soy, wheat, eggs and are manufactured near in factories with nuts! I was amazed! It truly is what started to open my eyes.

As of now, I have gone from eating yogurt and cheese daily to eating a yogurt *maybe* once a week and stealing pieces of cheese squares from Travis' lunch or dinner plate. It has been hard, and I miss my smoked gouda cheese on crackers with apple slices!

My efforts to change my diet don't solely surround weight. I do feel blessed in the body I was given and I thank my excellent genes that I haven't ever had to battle with weight issues that so many women my age do. I have a fast metabolism and always have. Has it slowed down? Yes, but it is still fast.

I am changing the way I eat because I am trying to get the crap out of my refrigerator and pantry. I don't want my children growing up on crappy sugary cereals (that we all love, including me) and I want them to eat real, natural, not made in factories food. I can't call myself a vegetarian, yet, nor can I call myself a vegan. I just have goals to eliminate certain foods, one at a time. None of this cold turkey crap in my house. (Yes, I am an addict and I AM addicted to ice cream)

Each week I am trying to make a few subtle changes.

This week, instead of purchasing Dryers Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream at the grocery store I replaced it with SoDelicious Almond Milk Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream and I am making every effort to not eat bread. No PB&J's, toast or bread and butter. I had the ice cream last night and it was just as good as "cow-milk" ice cream so that was an easy no brainer.

Today, after my workout at bootcamp, I was craving protein but did not want my usual chocolate or vanilla protein shake. Instead, I was craving (yes, craving) eggs. Egg salad to be exact, so I grabbed two hard boiled eggs, mashed them up and drizzled yellow mustard on top to mix it in. I used both egg whites, but only the yolk from one of them.

It was tasty. Since I am making every effort to cut out bread, I went to my hydroponics garden out back and picked some fresh butter-crunch lettuce leaves to substitute as bread. Who would have thought that egg salad lettuce wraps would be so good!? They were delicious and so easy to make. I added a few stalks of celery to my lunch to give me the crunch that I crave and I had the perfect healthy bread-free lunch I was hoping for. 

Easy Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps:

2 eggs (hardboiled, 2 whites, 1 yolk)

Yellow mustard, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Any leafy greens that can be used to sandwich the salad 

Post Yoga Quinoa Salad

Friday is yoga day. I love yoga day because I get to stretch and hydrate my muscles. They are fatigued from cardio and circuit training all week. Usually, after a workout I come home and have a protein shake to curb my dinosaur like hunger that hits. On Yoga days, I like to cook more of my "normal" lunch foods. It's always a good day to make a quinoa (pronounced KEEN - WA) salad so that I have leftovers ready to be eating throughout the weekend. I made 1 C of quinoa as my base. It's so easy to make and a heck of a lot quicker than making brown rice or something like nasty Kraft Macaroni and Cheese!

All of the ingredients that I put into my Post-Yoga Quinoa were items that I already had on stock and I  had just picked some fresh kale from my garden this morning, perfect! Other items were a tomato, an avocado, 1/4 of a red onion, fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper and some cilantro to give it a little more flavor. 

I chopped everything up while my quinoa was cooking. Once it was nice and fluffy to my expectations I mixed everything together, seasoned with a small amount of salt & pepper, juice from one lemon and topped with freshly chopped cilantro. 

YUM!!

It was the perfect lunch to follow an amazing yoga flow class! I feel amazing and am ready for the weekend!

1 C Quinoa (cooked w/ 1 1/2 C Water)

1 Tomato

1 Avocado

1/4 of Red Onion

1 Lemon

Handful of Kale

Handful of Cilantro

Salt & Pepper to taste

**I'll post how I cook my quinoa in a different post!**

     

Two months later...

Today is exactly two months from when I wrote my last post about PPD. I was feeling very down and thankfully because I recognize it, I can help myself to get better.

February came and went with a blurrrr... dinner with friends for my birthday, a visit from my favorite cousin and more smiles from my two growing boys.

February also brought Tough Mudder. What an experience!! It was both mentally and physically challenging. With the help of my friends and loving husband I even faced my biggest fear. There were tears involved but sometimes that's what helps me conquer something.

















If I said I wasn't tired after all of the obstacles and the 12 mile run I'd be lying. My body hurt, everywhere but my spirits were flying high. Knowing that I set out to face the obstacles and the challenge and accomplished it was SO rewarding.

And.. if I wasn't crazy enough to do that, one of my really great friends and I had signed up to do another Half-marathon together, THE FOLLOWING WEEKEND. Crazy.

We did it and we did it with smiles.



Even though it was the dear husband's birthday he brought the boys out so that they could meet us at the finish line. THAT was my smile for the day!



I took about a week off after both of those events and then started right into my bootcamp 4-5 days a week. I can't stress enough how much exercise helps me. It truly is my drug and I choose to keep it my drug. I don't want to be on Zoloft or Prozac or whatever else there is out there, I want to stay healthy, active and enjoy my life medicine free.

Since I've gone back to bootcamp, I've started doing Boxing/Kickboxing as well which is AMAZINGLY therapeutic. I go at least once a week and for the last three weeks in a row I've gone twice. Making kickboxing my 2nd workout of the day on Wednesdays. I am learning so much more about my body, my core and my inner strength. I can't wait to see what magic it has done for me after a couple of months!!

The Magic 3's. Two of them to be exact.

I am older, wiser, more stubborn and feeling more confident than ever.

I had another birthday this weekend, yesterday. I am another year older and am excited about this. Not excited about the wrinkles that have shown up around my eyes but I am excited that the older I get, the more relaxed I get.

This last year was particularly hard for me, emotionally. I feel that it had a lot to do with something I haven't talked a lot about with many people for fear of judgement.

After giving birth to Travis in May 2011, life was not easy but it also wasn't as hard as other peoples lives. I am thankful for what I have been blessed with inside and out but I was left with deep depression. One that I never thought possible of feeling.

I sought out help in November 2011, at which point both my doctor and the therapist she referred me to said I was "fine and just needed to get out more".

Ok.

Well, at the time I was running 5-6 times a week and granted I wasn't sleeping or going out with friends (which I didn't really have at the time) I felt I was "getting out".

A few more months went by and I was still feeling these sad moments, happy moments and I had a lot of anger built up inside. Towards what? Who knows..

I sought help again.

This time I met with a therapist once a week for about 6 weeks. She was great and helped to instill confidence in me again. I started "getting out" and actually made some really great friends during this time. I stopped seeing her and it's been almost a year since.

Life is such a learning process. We are constantly learning about ourselves, our family, our friends and where the flavor of vanilla comes from (yeah, I won't go there). I know, looking at the past year and a half that I have battled PPD. So many suffer from it, and so many don't get help. I don't believe you always have to turn to medicine for help but sometimes it is necessary.

Today is a new day and I am greeting it with open arms and new habits. I am going to continue eating healthy and exercising and focusing on me and my family while still moving forward in my journey away from postpartum depression.