Workout 5 for March

Todays workout,

we chose six exercises and did 30 seconds of each with a 5 second transition. (except for the skipping)

We repeated all six exercises for a total of 5 times.

This was a killer workout we got done in less than 30 minutes.

Skipping (1 min, so two of the intervals)

Bulgarian split squat weak leg ( this is where one leg is resting on bench or chair behind you)

Bulgarian split squat strong leg

Push ups

Stiff legged deadlifts ( remember to tip in the waist and not use your back)

Stability ball plank OR Burpees (you know how Erick likes burpees so I had to add these!)

We finished up with a bit of stretching, was so ready for a shower after this one :-)

March workout 6 - Body Weight Only

4 Sets 12-20 Repetitions

Push-ups

Bicycle crunch or elbow to knee crunch

Lunges-forward

Arm rotations*

Plank hold**

Body weight squats

*hold arms up to shoulder level, palms facing down. Rotate arms forward in small to medium circles for 60 seconds, rotate backward 60 seconds.
**as long as you can

What you going to drink this weekend?

Read this and then decide do you really need that drink. 

Daily alcohol consumption will slow or stop your results. Weekly drinking can also slow down the results.

The drawbacks are probably going to far outweigh any health benefits. Your liver can’t metabolize alcohol and fat at the same time. It will always get rid of the toxic substance (alcohol) first. That means that as long as there’s alcohol in your system you won’t be burning any body fat. If you have one or two drinks, you might stall your fat loss for about 12 hours. If you have quite a few drinks, it might be as long as four days before you’re metabolizing fat again.

Drinking also dehydrates you, raises cortisol levels (goodbye muscles), raises estrogen levels (hello hips), lowers inhibitions (pizza anyone?). Combine that with the fact that alcohol promotes abdominal fat storage (of all places!) and it’s really not worth it, not even on free day, not if you’re serious about making a major transformation.

The Effects of Alcohol on Fat Burning…

What most people don’t realize is that drinking has a far more damaging effect than you can predict simply by looking at the number of alcohol calories in a drink. Not only does alcohol reduce the number of fat calories you burn; it can also increase your appetite and lower your testosterone levels for up to 24 hours after you finish drinking.

The infamous “beer belly”

According to conventional wisdom, the infamous “beer belly” is caused by excess alcohol calories being stored as fat. Yet, less than five percent of the alcohol calories you drink are turned into fat. Rather, the main effect of alcohol is to reduce the amount of fat your body burns for energy. Recent research published in the that fat metabolism can be reduced by as much as 73% after only two drinks of vodka and lemonade in a one hour time period. What this tells us is that the primary effect of alcohol on the body is not so much how much of it gets stored as fat, but how it shuts down the body’s ability to access your fat stores for energy.

Alcohol in the body is converted into a substance called acetate. In the previous mentioned study blood levels of acetate were 2.5 times higher than normal after only two drinks. And it appears that this sharp rise in blood acetate puts the brakes on fat burning. Unlike a car that uses primarily one source of fuel, the body is able to draw from a number of different sources (carbohydrates, fats and proteins). To a certain extent, the source of fuel your body uses is dictated by its availability. Consequently, when your blood acetate levels rise, your body simply uses more acetate instead of fat.

Summary of alcohol metabolism after only two drinks
* A small portion of the alcohol is converted into fat.
* Your liver then converts most of the alcohol into acetate.
* Other acetate is then released into your bloodstream, and replaces fat as a source of fuel.

Alcohol increases appetite

The combination of alcohol and a high-calorie meal is especially fattening, mainly because alcohol acts as a potent appetizer. A study shows that an alcoholic drink taken before a meal to increase the appetite will increased calorie intake to a greater extent than a carbohydrate-based drink. In fact, the more you drink the more you tend to eat. And unfortunately, having just two drinks in an hour will leave your liver struggling to convert the alcohol into acetate, which means that other foods are more easily converted into fat.

The bottom line

Drinking will not only put the brakes on your fat loss efforts; it will also prevent you from building muscle tissue. The bottom line is that alcohol and a leaner, stronger body just doesn’t mix. Our bodies were never meant to have alcohol put into them. It is poison for our bodies and should be eliminated. Any client that has done this has seen dramatic changes in their health and fat loss.

Well, don’t get mad at me, I am simply the messenger. But, I do hope that you have a great night tonight, just be a bit more careful and remember to have someone help you drive home safely!

Cheers

To Your Health

March day 5 workout

Today's workout

Jump rope 100x
Use a dumbbell weight for the following but if you don't have some you can substitute anything or take them out all together

Lunges w/ dumbbell press x 24
Elbow to knee crunch x20
Reverse flies x12
Step-ups 45 sec
Push-ups w/ swiss ball x12

* do this three times each then move onto the next round


Hamstring flexion with swiss ball x12
Step-ups 40 sec
Plank hold*
Rows w/ dumbbells
Bicep curls
Squats w/ dumbbell press and calf raise
*as many as you can
take a walk or jog if you are up for it for a good 10 min

Enjoy

Healthful muffins

These healthful muffins freeze well. Low-fat buttermilk and applesauce help lower the fat, and the whole-wheat flour and flax seed add fiber. Make a batch on the weekend for a quick and tasty snackt, or serve with a piece of fruit and a glass of low-fat milk for Breaky if you in a rush.

Minutes to Prepare: 10
Minutes to Cook: 15
Number of Servings: 14

Ingredients
1 cup quick oats (do not use instant oatmeal)
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1⁄2 tsp baking soda
1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1⁄4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3⁄4 cup brown sugar
1 cup blueberries, washed and dried
1 tbsp flaxseeds, roughly ground


Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 180° Spray the muffinpan with nonstick cooking spray or line the wells with paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk and let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine
the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix with a fork to blend and set aside.
3. In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the egg, applesauce, and brown sugar at medium speed for 3 minutes.
4. Blend the oat-buttermilk mixture into the egg mixture, then stir in the flour mixture until just combined (try not to overwork the mixture).
Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3⁄4 full and top with a sprinkle of ground flaxseed.
5. Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

Enjoy!

March day 4 workout

Today's workout

Do each of the following exercises fo 1.30 min each..... Getting in as many reps as possible in the time allowed

Step-ups (left leg leading)

Sit-ups w/ swiss ball ( if you don't have a ball use the floor)

Modified push-up ( on your knees)

Hamstring flexion with swiss ball ( no ball do hip raises with left leg raised)

Cardio - do 1 min skipping 1 min squats and 1 min jumping jacks

Then finish of with the following....

Step-ups (right leg lead)

Sit-ups w/ swiss ball ( if you don't have a ball use the floor)

Modified push-up ( on your knees)

Hamstring flexion with swiss ball ( no ball do hip raises with rightleg raised)

Enjoy!

Quick easy meal hints

Healthy Meals in Minutes

We talked about shopping yesterday so now that you have the ingredients on your list, here are some quick and healthy cooking. These meals pack fibre, veggies and protein into a quick-cooking (and flavourful) meal. Whether you're cooking for one or a family of four, you can adapt the quantities of ingredients to suit you.

* Lightly sauté fresh vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, peppers and eggplant and simmer with spaghetti sauce.
* Top frozen pizza with extra tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli and onions.
* Add diced tomatoes, shredded carrots, raisins and pine nuts to quick-cooking brown rice or couscous. Season with a dash of balsamic vinegar.
* Add canned and rinsed black-eyed peas, thawed and drained okra, diced tomato and sliced green onion to reduced-sodium tomato soup.
* Stir-fry chopped vegetables and serve with rice and beans.
* For breakfast, top a cinnamon raisin bagel with light cream cheese and apple slices.
* Heat fat-free refried beans in the microwave. Add veggies and salsa and roll the mixture in a tortilla.
* Add frozen corn, steamed and diced green and red bell peppers and cilantro to a can of reduced-sodium black bean soup.
* Stir-fry cooked rice, chopped vegetables and leftover meat with low-sodium soy sauce.
* Add grapes, chopped celery, walnuts and dried cherries or golden raisins to pre-washed salad greens; toss with your favourite low-fat dressing.
* In the morning, place chicken, vegetables, broth and spices to your liking into the Crockpot to come home to a wonderful stew that evening.
* Top a baked potato with non-fat yogurt, barbeque sauce, low-fat cottage cheese, chives, sautéed onions and vegetables or chilli for a super spud!
* Add canned or fresh fruit to muffins, quick breads, pancake batter, or cold cereal.
* Puree fruit and top your pancakes, waffles, oatmeal or roasted chicken.
* Marinate raw or cooked veggies in a non-fat