Sprint 2 the Table

Appetites and Adventures

Work It Out with Jody

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New moves are my favorite.

 

I’m doing many right now and I point my toes down some ski slopes.

Today’s Work It Out post features one of my biggest inspirations – Jody @ Truth2BeingFit.  She is a big fan of changing up workouts to keep things interesting and effective, and her positive energy is contagious.  Take one look at her picture and you’ll see she clearly knows what she’s doing.  AND this amazing lady just celebrated her 55th birthday!

 

 

I’m Working It Out this week in a few different ways.  Saturday I went hiking at Red Rocks with Heather and Lauren!

Heather, Me, and Lauren at Red Rocks

 

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I want to thank Laura for inviting me to guest post today!  She is an amazing young (Editor’s Note: It’s so nice to be called young…) woman who knows how to kick some “arse” in the gym! 😉

For those that don’t know me, my name is Jody and I blog over at Truth2BeingFit.  I have been working out for over 30 years & turned 55 on the 15th of this month.  YIKES! Where did the time go!  (Editor’s Note: I sure hope I look half this good at 55!)


I know some may look at my pictures & think I can’t relate BUT I can!  I was heavy as a kid.  I lost weight in high school but did many things wrong on this lifelong journey.  My mantra: ALWAYS LEARNING & ALWAYS A WORK IN PROGRESS.


Laura asked to me to share a couple of workout moves that are different from the norm to help you mix it up in the gym & work your body in different ways.  I am a “change agent” in the gym.  I LOVE mixing it up!

I first want to link you to a couple recent posts of mine.  Many people are stuck in a rut using the same attachment for the same move all the time.  Check out this post, Variety is the Spice of Life, Cable Attachment Love!  I also have a post on a variation of drop sets here.  Drop sets are a more advanced move so if you are a beginner, leave this until you have a few months under your belt.

 

One move I love to do is using a seated row machine for bicep curls with a rope (hammer curls w/rope), straight or cambered bar or even a single D handle.  You will have to use a LIGHTER weight for this move.  Grab the bar, rope or D handle & lie back on the seat of the row machine.  Curl away.  The fact that you are lying & you can’t cheat really stresses the biceps – LOVE IT!  You can also do this by placing a mat on the floor by the bottom rung of a cable machine.  With your feet closest to the cable machine, grab attachment, lie back & curl!  (Editor’s Note: This is how I do them – SO effective!)

 

 

Another move is to place a bench by the cable machine.  Place one of the attachments in the paragraph above on the lowest rung of the cable machine.  Grab the attachment & lie back on the bench with your head closest to the machine.  From here, you can do lying cable triceps extensions/skull crushers.  Use a stability ball to engage the core or if there is not a bench available.  Always use proper form!  It is easy to hurt the shoulders if you are not very careful with form!

 

I would like to finish by saying that always be true to you!  There is no “my way or the highway.”  Find what works for you.  Of course, if you are new to lifting, you want to learn the traditional way of lifting with proper form.  Learn to listen to your body and how everything feels from day one – get that mind/muscle link!

Once you become more advanced, you can start putting programs together that meet your needs – not that friend or other person in the gym.  Life changes, we change, our body changes, our goals change along this lifelong journey.  Always work toward finding that best for you.  This does not mean we can’t learn from others BUT it does mean that we learn to recognize what works best for ourselves.

Thanks again to Laura for inviting me to guest post!  Please feel free to email at jody @ truth2beingfit.com with any questions… although Laura knows her stuff! 🙂

***

Thank you for showing us some new moves, Jody!  I’ve never thought to use the row machine for curls… can’t wait to get back and try it out!

Did anyone try last week’s 1 1/2s?

Has the way you workout changed over time?  How so?

 

Work It Out 1.5

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I love new versions of things.

Possibly taking it too far…

 

iPads, clothing, food… you name it, I want to try it.

Workouts are no different.  If I can find a new way to do an “old” exercise, I get excited.  It’s as motivating as having new tennis shoes.

That’s why my Work It Out series focuses on changing up how you perform the exercise.  Writing all-new workouts is fun, but that’s not your only option for continuing to make progress and ensuring you don’t plateau.

sprint2table-workitout

The Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I am a figure competitor and I like to workout.  A lot.  Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself or don’t look like Jamie Eason after performing these moves.

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1  1/2s

The theory behind this is similar to Fulls & Partials, allowing you to build up the smaller muscles in a group.  This is no as excuse to have bad form or to slack.  Be purposeful about how you are using half reps.  Each half rep is focusing your energy and working your muscles differently, helping to build strength.  These may start easy, but by the time you do 8-10 reps, you will be on fire.  That burn?  It means you’re going to see results.

To execute this technique, do 1 full rep and then do a partial rep.  This completes 1 rep.  You will do 1st and 3rd sets on the bottom half to the mid-point, and the 2nd and 4th sets from the midpoint      q to the top.

 

How can you use this technique?

Bench Press

 

Many people think this is just an exercise for big, burly dudes.  Notsomuch.  The bench press is a great exercise for hitting your chest, shoulders, and triceps.  It’s one of the most effective exercises you can do to give shape to your whole upper body.  Not to mention it forces you to engage your core.

To execute, Use an overhand closed grip on the bar.  Your grip width should be slightly wider than your shoulders to help ensure your elbows don’t bend more than 90 degrees as you lower the bar.  Your head, shoulders and butt/low back should remain in contact with the bench throughout the press.  Both feet should stay flat on the ground.  Common thought is that the bar should be lowered until the elbows are bent to 90 degrees… HOWEVER this may vary based on the length of your arms (shorter arms mean you can lower the bar to you chest, while longer arms may not be able to go that far).

Note: This is one of my favorite exercises.  Building up your chest muscles can give the illusion that you have bigger boobs.  I need all the help I can get.

 

Standing Calf Raises 

 

While the picture above contains a machine, you don’t need any special equipment to do calf raises.  They can be performed on the edge of a stair or a board.  To  make it harder, hold weights in each hand.

Stand tall with your abs pulled in, the balls of your feet firmly planted on the step, and your heels hanging over the edge.  Grip machine handles, or rest your hands against a wall or a sturdy object for balance.  Raise your heels a few inches above the edge of the step so that you’re on your tiptoes.  Push evenly through the entire width of your foot; pushing off from your big toe or the outside edge of your feet is more likely to result in cramping or muscle strains.  Hold the position for 2 seconds before lowering your heels below the platform, feeling a stretch in your calf muscles.

Note: Lift as high as you can onto your toes and lower your heels down as much as your ankle flexibility allows.  This is a great rehabilitative exercise for Achilles tendon injuries (ahem… runners), and for improving explosive movements like jumping or fast starts.  For those of you that wear heels, this will give you calves to-die-for in your party dress.

 

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications.  They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

 

Check out the last feature, Super 8’s, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

Want some tasty workout fuel?  Click here to enter my giveaway for a jar of Nuttzo (a $15 jar of nut butter heaven). Ends tonight at 11:59p EST!

Did anyone try Super 8’s?  What did you think?

Have you ever done 1 1/2s?  What exercises do you apply them to?

 

Work It Out Like a Superstar

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Superstar.

 

 

My workout series won’t make you as cool as Molly Shannon, sorry.

Time is flying by (or is that just me in my paranoia over this weekend’s competition?).  We are a month into my Work It Out series!  Thanks you guys so much for reading, trying out the workouts, and providing feedback!   I love all of the comments and emails.  Things are a little hectic, but I promise to answer as fast as I can.

In case you’re new, this series focuses on changing up your gym routines.  You don’t need to write new workouts to keep making forward progress – another approach is to change how you perform the exercise.

 

Another Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I’m a figure competitor (or I will be as of Saturday).  Use good judgement when trying new exercises.  These tips won’t change your body overnight, but it’s a start.  A clean diet and working out regularly will produce results.

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Super 8s

I have heard these referred to as “static,” but I prefer super… because they will make you feel super after you get over the soreness.  This method is designed to deliver the maximum possible overload to each targeted muscle or muscle group. This is done by using your strongest range of motion; in most exercises this is the last few inches of your reach.  This is the range where you can handle the most weight and are least susceptible to injury.

 

Choose the heaviest weight that allows you to hold for the length of time on the final rep.  Perform 8 reps of an exercise.  On the last (8th) rep, hold it for an 8 count.  Immediately perform 8 more reps and hold for another 8 count, and finish up the set with 8 final reps.  Repeat for 3 sets.

This is a great technique for building endurance and gaining strength.  It can also force you to make some super faces while fighting to hold the weight up.

 

 

How do you use this technique?

Standing Lat Pull-Downs 

The lat pull-down targets the back, and this standing variation especially hones in on the upper back.

Start standing in front of high pulley with close grip “v” attachment.  Reach up and place hands on either side of the V; roll shoulders back to insure your shoulder blades are tucked.  Contract the upper back, pulling your arms and hands down bending at your elbows, until the bar is below your chin.  Release the contraction in a controlled manner, keeping some tension in the back to and raise arms and return bar to the starting position to complete a rep.

Note: Placing one leg on the thigh bar helps to provide a good base during the lift to prevent the weight from lifting you off of the ground.  This will allow you to use heavier weight without worrying about going flying through the air. 

 

 

EZ-Bar Preacher Curls 

Using the Super 8 method here gives you a combination of dynamic and isometric contractions, which not only improves upper arm definition, but it also improves strength level.

Grab an EZ-curl bar with an underhand, shoulder-width grip with your palms angled inward.  Place the backs of your upper arms across the top of the bench.  The mid-part of your upper arms should be the only part touching the bench.  Lower the dumbbells until your arms are bent about 20 degrees.  Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and curl the bar toward your shoulders. Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.  That’s one rep.

Note: Proper body alignment is important when doing curls. Throughout the exercise, make sure to keep your abs tight. This will help with force production and it will also stabilize your spine.

 

 

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications.  They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

 

Check out last week’s Drop Sets, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

I am never eating asparagus again after this week.  Just let me know if you need my address to send post-competition treats.  LOL!

Did anyone try last week’s Drop Sets?  What did you think?

Are you dressing up for Halloween?  What are going as?  Let me live vicariously! 🙂

 

Work It Out – Drop Sets

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Dropping things is a part of daily life for me.

Years of softball save me most of the time – I knock things off counters but often catch them before they shatter on the ground.

This post isn’t bout my klutzy ways.  It’s the 3rd in my Work It Out series focusing on changing up your gym routines.  You don’t need to write new workouts to keep making forward progress – another approach is to change how you perform the exercise.

sprint2table-workitout

Again with the Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I just workout a lot.  Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself or don’t look like Jamie Eason after performing these moves.

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Drop Sets

Drops allow you to continue a set pushing beyond failure.  They help to increase muscle endurance, and build good-quality muscle as a result.  This is what getting lean and toning up is all about!

To use the drop set technique, do 10 reps with a medium-heavy weight (5-10 lbs less than your max).  Once you finish those 10 reps, immediately drop the weight by 10 lbs (or pick up a weight 10 lbs lighter) and do 10 more.  Drop that weight by 10 lbs and perform 10 more reps.

These are easier to do on machines if you are working out alone because you can quickly change the weight yourself.  The amount of rest between drops should be no more than 10 seconds – just enough time to exchange the weight load.  If you use this technique with free weights, be sure to have your 3 sets of weights next to you so you can move through all 3 drops without breaking.

How do you use this technique?

Leg Extensions 

The leg extension specifically targets the quadriceps.  Sit on the machine with your legs under the pad, hands holding the side bars.  Be sure to adjust the pad so that it falls on top of your lower leg (just above your feet), and make sure that your legs form a 90-degree angle between the lower and upper leg.  If the legs form less than a 90-degree angle, your knee is over your toes and this will creates stress at the knee-joint (which you don’t want).

Using your quadriceps, extend your legs as you exhale.  The rest of the body should remain still on the seat.  Pause a second in the contracted position before lower the weight back to the original position in a controlled motion.

Note: Depending on how you angle your feet (inward, straight or outward), you can emphasize different muscle fibers on the area.  Toes “in” emphasizes the outer thigh while toes “out” emphasizes the inner.  You can also perform the movement one leg at a time.

Rear Delt Machine 

If you want something to really burn your deltoids out, do drop sets on this machine.  It is great for developing the back and the shoulders, and is an especially good exercise to strengthen the muscles that become weak due to long periods of sitting (hello, fellow cube monkeys).

Sit at a pec-deck machine with your chest on the back rest.  Place your feet on the floor and grab the handles with an overhand grip.  Draw belly button in, separate your arms back and squeeze your shoulder blades together.  Slowly return back to start and repeat.

Note: Keep your chin and ribcage lifted so that you are not tempted to lean forward in an attempt to push the handles further back.

Caution: It is easy to “over train” with these modifications.  They challenge your muscles to work much harder than usual, so these moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

Check out last week’s Fulls and Partials, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

The hardest exercise for me to do these with are side lat raises with free weights.  Holy failure, Batman.  

Did anyone try last week’s Fulls & Partials?  What did you think?

Have you ever done fulls and partials?  What exercises do you apply them to?

Pumpkin Pie TVP “Oatmeal” + WIAW

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Just when you you’re getting used to a “special” diet…

…you have to go on a business trip.

I actually like travelling for work.  Airports and hotels don’t phase me one bit.  Unless I’m 17 days from a figure competition and have a diet more strict than I ever thought possible.  Between the protein, super-clean eating, and max of 500 mg of sodium per day the trip I’m taking today has been a lesson in food prep.

#sorryimnotsorry

I’m hoping to put all this together for a fun post… but that requires me remembering to take pics tomorrow!  In the meantime, my friend Kat is going to write guest post for me tomorrow!  She’s awesome – a rockstar endurance athlete, avid foodie, and law student.  I think she unlocked the secret to adding hours to a day.

Kat is going to be doing a bi-weekly feature, so please drop by and say hi to her tomorrow when she introduces herself!

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We’re still rolling with this month’s Halloween-themed  What I Ate Wednesday.  I did alright for breakfast and meal 7…. I’m not sure if the rest ties in, but it was delicious and seasonal!

Check out my “special” low sodium, high protein, super-clean eats below, and then click here to head over to Jenn @ Peas and Crayons to get to see how festive everyone else got this week!

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Meal 1:

After my morning cocktail (mix of Apple Cider Vinegar, Glutamine, and Fitmixer Aminos), I downed a grapefruit while I waited for some deliciousness to cook (not that the grapefruit wasn’t delicious… but it can’t compare).

TVP Protein “Oatmeal” has become a low-sodium staple, but I’ve had this particular version 2 days in a row so far.  It’s vegan, gluten-free, protein-filled, and involves pumpkin.  What’s not to love?

The fall spiced TVP “oats” with a creamy protein pumpkin pie mixture swirled in… I can’t even describe.  It’s the most decadent deliciouness!  Full recipe is at the bottom. 

Meal 2:

As much as I’ve been making salmon and fruit mixes lately, I don’t know if I can still call them #strangebutgood.  Strange or not, this was a good mix!

In my not-so-strange but good mix: curried salmon, pepitas, blackberries, and arugula.

Meal 3:

It’s the steak of the sea again!  Swordfish has become a weekly staple for me.  This one I grilled with onion, Herbs de Provence, pepper, and lemon juice.  Eaten with sautéed asparagus and shiitakes, and 1/2 a sweet potato.  On a hippo plate ’cause I was a hungry, hungry hippo yesterday.

Meal 4:

So I braved raw chicken again.  Last night I grilled a bunch to bring for lunch this week.  As much as I hate touching it, I do like the taste when it’s cooked to perfection (read: not dried out).

I always prepare it 1 or 2 different ways.  That way I don’t have  a pound of chicken that all tastes the same.  This piece had onion powder, pepper, oregano, cayenne, and lemon juice.  Eaten with cucumber and carrots. dipped in a quick sauce made of nutritional yeast, paprika, and cumin.  Yes, I recycled the plate.

Meal 5:

Apparently Tuesday night is pizza night.  I’ve become addicted to making a “crust” out of Kamut flour (no sodium, relatively high protein).  I make it just like socca crust, adding whatever flavors I’m in the mood for.  Lat night I added garlic, rosemary, and paprika.

My Indian-ish Pizza:

  • Curried chicken
  • Mint ricotta spread 
  • Red onion
  • Fennel
  • Zucchini
  • Arugula

The ricotta mixture  of the week was simply fat-free ricotta with fresh mint, paprika, and a little water to thin.  Like last week, I sautéed the veggies before topping the pizza and sticking it under broil for a few mins.  That mint in the ricotta was awesome with the curry chicken!

Meal 6:

For once I wasn’t in to mood for something sweet yet!  Probably because I was up prepping food for a business trip.  (Holy mother of planning – travel on a “special” diet is interesting.  More to come on this strategic extravaganza.)

I made one of my favorite simple salads.  Arugula with asparagus tossed with lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.  The protein on top is swordfish (the same pre-grilled batch from lunch).  Three cheers for food prep.

Meal 7:

Guess who’s still under her sodium for the day.  THIS girl.  Woo hoo!  Make that day 2 of successful sodium control.  My reward was a Butternut Squash Pudding.

I mixed no-salt cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and mashed butternut squash with cinnamon, nutmeg, maple extract, and vanilla stevia.  Topped with melted cherries.  #strangebutgood

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Pumpkin Pie TVP “Oatmeal”

  • 1 serving TVP Protein “Oatmeal” (without the egg whites)
  • 2 T pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (1T)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • Pinch of cloves
  • 5-6 drops liquid stevia
  • 1.5 T water (or other liquid)

Cook TVP oatmeal as instructed here.

Meanwhile, mix together remaining ingredients in a small bowl to make your pumpkin pie “filling.”

Once TVP is cooked, transfer to a bowl and swirl in the pumpkin filling.  Top as desired (I used cinnamon and cacao nibs).

Serves 1.

***

The protein count for the day: 166.1g.  The all-important sodium count: 535.7mg (a little over, but I get some allowance for naturally occurring sodium in veggies).

Quick shameless plug: in case you missed it, check out yesterday’s post for another way to vary your workout.  It’s the 2nd in my “Work It Out” series!

Has anyone started tracking or cutting back on sodium since last week?  Is it harder than you expected?

What is your favorite food to pack for the road?

Work It Out Beyond Fulls

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Sometimes being beyond full is a good thing.

I’m not talking about that oh-so-good chocolate cake on cheat day.  But it was good.

Thank you all for the great feedback on last’s week’s inaugural Work It Out.

This series is focusing on how to change-up what you’re doing in the gym to make sure you keep progressing.  Rather than always change the exercise, we’re looking at how you can simply change how you perform the exercise.  Over the next few weeks I’ll be doing a series on some ways to vary how you perform reps.   sprint2table-workitout

Again with the Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I just work out a lot.  Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself or don’t look like Gillian Michaels after performing these moves.

Fulls and Partials

These are really great for moving past “sticking” points where the weight feels heaviest.  You can move past the sticky point because that part of the muscle group is exhausted, but that doesn’t mean all areas of that muscle group are exhausted.  Partials allow you to essentially work beyond failure by working in smaller ranges of motion.

Perform 10 full reps of a movement, followed by 10 half reps.  Do 1st and 3rd sets on the bottom half, and the 2nd and 4th on the top half.

How do you use this technique?

Standing Leg Curls

The standing leg curl is a great exercise for strengthening the hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh.  Start with a lighter weight, as this machine can put some strain on the knees.  Adjust the pads so that they are in a comfortable position around the ankle – you don’t want the pads too high up the calf.

Grasp the support handles, then lift the pad upward as far as it will go toward the butt.  Lift and lower the leg in a controlled manner to complete one full rep.

Note: You can perform this exercise on a lying leg curl machine too.

Decline Dumbbell Curls

These are one of my favorites because lying on a decline challenges your brachialis more.  The brachialis lies underneath your biceps and attaches the lower portion of the humerus bone in your upper arm to your ulna, a bone in your forearm.

To start, grab a dumbbell in each hand.  Lie on an incline bench set to about 60 degrees.  Your shoulders should be near the top of the incline, and your legs can be straddled to either side.  Fully extend your arms, allowing them to hang in front of you so that they are perpendicular to the floor.  Face your palms forward with your elbows in by your side. Raise the dumbbells, contracting your biceps until your arms are fully flexed.  Take care that only your forearms move. The upper arms should remain stationary at all times.  To complete a full rep, lower the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended.

Note: You can perform using an e-z bar or a barbell too.

Caution: It is easy to “overtrain” with these modifications.  You are pushing your body extremely hard to bust through a plateau.  These moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

Check out last week’s 24s, and then get more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

Know what’s really fun?  Doing fulls and partials on hack squats.  *dripping sarcasm*

Did anyone try last week’s 24s?  What did you think?

Have you ever done fulls and partials?  What exercises do you apply them to?

Shake It Up to Work It Out

By

Insanity.

We’ve all heard Einstein’s definition, and many of us keep this in mind in our day-to-day life.  Why not apply it to your workout too?

When you stop progressing, moves become “easy,” DOMS doesn’t make an appearance… it’s a sure sign you have hit a plateau.  It’s time to stop the insanity and do something different.

My first instinct is to change the exercise, but sometimes you can just change how you perform the exercise.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll be doing a series on some ways to vary how you perform reps.  

Disclaimer: I am not a certified anything.  I just wor kout a lot.  Don’t sue me if you hurt yourself or don’t look like Jamie Eason after performing these moves.

24’s

The primary challenge with 24’s is endurance.  One set is 24 reps!

Here’s the break down:

  • Perform 8 reps of an exercise that go from the bottom of the movement to the halfway point.
  • Immediately perform 8 more reps that start half way up and go to the top of the movement.
  • Lastly, do 8 reps with a full range of motion.

For example, if you were to do bicep curls with this technique you would do 8 reps in the lower range of motion (arms straight to 90 degrees), immediately followed by 8 reps in the upper range of motion (arms 90 degrees to flexed), and lastly 8 reps through the full range of motion.

How do you use this technique?

You can apply it to virtually any weight-bearing exercise.  Bicep curls are sort of obvious, so here are a couple you might not think to do that I find especially effective:

Lying Leg Curls

Lying Leg Curls using the 24’s technique will burn your hams out better than any other exercise I can think of!

Tip: Be sure that the pads rest on the back of your ankles with your legs are stretched out straight.  Grasp the handles under the bench for support.  Be sure that your pelvic area remains flat on the bench as you curl your legs up.

Two Arm Side Lateral Raises

This one is simple: simultaneously lift your arms out to the side until they are parallel to the floor.

Tip: Keep your core tight and don’t lock your elbows.

Caution: It is easy to “overtrain” with these modifications.  You are pushing your body extremely hard to bust through a plateau.  These moves are not recommended as a long-term regimen.  Avoid doing more than 2-3 of these per muscle group on any given workout.

Check out more fitness ideas, tips, and tricks on my Fitness page!  As always, be sure to get your 20g of protein to help the muscles recover.

***

I did 24’s on the military press the other day and nearly died.  In a good way.

Do you vary your workouts?  How so?

What is your favorite body part to work?  Keep it clean! 😉

Workout Fuel + Almond Cocoa “Laura” Bites

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This may sound bizarre, but I look forward to using hotel gyms. 

They provide a good change of pace to a workout routine – the good ones have different machines and the bad ones force creativity.  The one I visited this week was one of the good ones.

The Weight Room

I did a 1 mile warm up jog on the treadmill before heading to the weight room for a 50 minute bicep/back workout.  All of this was rounded out with a quick core workout:

  • 100 sit-ups on the ball
  • 30 v-ups
  • 60 baby crunches
  • 60 toe touchers
  • 60 second plank
  • 60 second side plank on each side

Thanks to the cardio at the beginning, my heart rate stayed up the entire time and made the workout a bit more intense

Following the advice of the nutritionist I saw, I followed up my workout with a grilled chicken salad.  Apparently you need at least 20g of protein within 30mins of completing a workout.  Who knew? It is amazing what happens when you add more protein to your diet – in just a couple of weeks of aiming for 80-100g a day I have noticed a change in muscle.

First thing’s last: the fuel.  I made my own version of Lara Bars.  Lara Bars are date and nut bars that typically include some sort of fruit (creating flavors like “Apple Pie” and “Peanut Butter & Jelly”).  They are yummy, but expensive.  Half of one works well as a pre-workout pick-me-up.  Why not make my own?  They give you the ingredients on the package: dates and nuts.  I already have basically the same name.  Behold, Laura Bites.  (Yes, I am that creative corny.)

It is that easy.  You can play with the flavors – add some dry fruit, different nut varieties, coconut… anything you have in your pantry.  Just be sure not to over-mix the nuts, as it will make the “batter” too greasy.  These are approx. 100 calories per serving.

Almond Cocoa Laura Bites

  • 2/3 C Dates
  • 1/4 C Almonds
  • 2 tsp Cocoa
  • Cinnamon (optional)

Place dates in food processor and blend until chopped.  

Add nuts and cocoa and blend until mixed.  It will look like a gooey ball – don’t worry. 

Using your (clean) hands, form into 4 “bites.”  I sprinkled my formed bites with cinnamon. 

Cover tightly and store in cool place. 

Makes 4 bites.

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