Cross Fit

 Cross fit is one of the largest upcoming workout activities!

Cross fit was designed to overcome the traditional workout style. The traditional workout style with weights and aerobics is now a lot more entertaining. It incorporates your full body weight with movements that are brought back from child hood days. A lot of these exercises can be performed on set-ups like a local jungle gym.

5 day cross fit Workout:

 

Day 1: Military cross fit

Run 800 meters
Then two rounds of:
50 Burpees
40 Pull-ups
30 One-legged squats
20 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
10 Handstand push-ups
Then,
Run 800 meters

Day 2:College cross fit:
 2 Full rotations

10 Minute jog on the treadmill
15 Pull-ups
25 cable crossovers
20 pushups
15 triangle pushups
Plank hold on cross bars

 
 

Day 3: Crossfit wednesday rest day

Day 4: Suburban cross fit bar day

5 minute jump rope

3 sets of 15 pull-ups

Barbell overhead press

Chain ring dips

Wide grip pull up with 10 second top hold 6 reps

2 minute plank with 35lb plate on back

Day 5: weekends here cross fit
2 mile run
25 non weighted barbell rows
25 kettle ball swings
50 body weight squats
30 back exstensions

Find Your Fitness Muse

One step to motivating yourself to get in the best shape you can be finding your fitness muse. Like all women our age, it is easy to say our fitness muses are any of the Victoria's Secret Angels. Just looking at the famous VS Swim Catalog makes us not only crave for buying new bathing suits for summer, but makes us dream for those fabulous bods. Why not use that catalog to not only empty our wallets but motivate us to get us those model beach bods! The new and upcoming angel sweeping in store VS marketing and on almost over cover of a magazine is Candice Swanepoel, my fitness muse. Swanepoel always looks toned, whether she’s donning sexy swimwear or VSX exercise gear. She says, “For me, mixing workouts like boxing, jump rope, and basic ballet works best,” the South African-born Swanepoel says. “Boxing works my arms and core, ballet elongates my muscles, and jumping rope is a great way to warm up before any workout.” As good as she looks in a bikini, it’s only natural for Swanepoel to enjoy working out oceanside too: “My favorite exercise is something that doesn’t feel like I’m exercising at all, such as swimming in the ocean or playing paddle ball,” she says, adding that she sticks to a healthy diet of organic foods and lots of fruits and veggies.

 

Many might say wanting to look like someone else may be detrimental to one's self esteem. However, I believe aspiring to have the work out ethic and healthy lifestyle as someone like Candace who's career is talking pictures in barely any clothing is only motivation. So why not look up to someone lives a healthy lifestyle?

So who is your fitness muse? Is it a VS model or perhaps an Olympic athlete? Either way, we all must be comfortable in our skin, but it always nice to have a fitness muse to give us that extra push to be better! 

So if Candace wasn't enough motivation for the week to get to the gym or at least eat healthy this week, here is so motivation to get you moving getting closer to the end of the semester! 

Yogurt or Nogurt?

While checking out the Shape Magazine website, I saw an article that caught my eye immediately. The article is called, "Should You Stop Eating Yogurt?" I automatically thought, oh no, not something I claim as my go to healthy and now its not! My go to yogurts have to be Chobani, especially in the flavor blood orange (you should definitely consider trying it sometime). 

As I read on, turns out yogurt contains carrageenan, which is a compound extracted from red seaweed that is added to improve the texture and mouth feel of foods. Its widespread use as an additive in foods began in the 1930s, initially in chocolate milk, and now it is found in yogurt, ice cream, soy milk, almond milk, deli meats, and meal replacement shakes.Carrageenan has the potential to damage on your digestive system.

So college guys and gals, what should you do? Right now there really isn’t any data in humans that shows it poses adverse health effects. However, there is animal and cell culture data that does suggest it could cause damage to your gut and exacerbate inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease. For some people, the red flags from the animal data is enough to warrant removal from their diet, while others would prefer to see these same negative findings in human studies before swearing off a particular ingredien (me being one of those individuals).

Not only did this article scare the greek out of me, but scared for no reason. No worries for all you yogies out there (not only someone who loves yogurt) because I will continue to eat this delicious snack weekly!

If you want to read more of the article from Shape Magazine, click here.

I hope all you are getting all your projects in on time and you are not stretching too much! Here is so motivation to get to the gym at least a couple times this week.

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Working Out, Youtube Style

Hey guys! Today, I thought I would share with you some of my favorite workout accounts on Youtube! These accounts are great for days when you need to workout at home or if you are looking for a new workout plan to do at the gym. So here are the direct links to my 5 favorite, in not particular order.

1. Runtastic Fitness (she had a killer stair workout that got me hooked to her channel)
2. LIVESTRONG Woman (anything LIVESTRONG is fabulous, need I say more?)
3. BODYNOMICS (always has great leg workouts for toning the booty)
4. Tone It Up! (beachy spin on their workouts and has the catch phrase, COWABUNGA... how cute?!)
5. Be Fit (overall great general workout videos)

So if you decide to try out any of these great Youtube accounts, let me know and tell me which one is your favorite! If you know anymore that I didn't mention please list your favorites too. My workout routine is starting to get boring and tedious so I definitely will be getting ideas from these accounts to spice up my workouts.

So are we all stressed about getting our beach bod ready along with trying to finish craziest and last month of the semester in full swing? I know I am.  Lets not give up... workout when you can and eat as healthy as you can. Here is some motivation of the week and some brain foods that we can all use to fuel up our noggins:

Beach Workout

  Start your morning 

 With The Enhanced

Beach Workout


Begin by marking out a section on the beach about 30 yards apart. It can be marked by beach towels, flags, landmarks or whatever is easy for you.

Jog in place to warm up your body. Stretching is very important so make sure you do so for at-least 5 minutes. 


1) Walking lunges -- 45 seconds
Start at one marker, feet together, hands on hips. Step right foot about two feet forward and lower until right thigh is almost parallel with ground. (Make sure right knee doesn't jut past toes; if so, step feet wider.) Step left foot next to right and repeat with left leg. Continue alternating until you reach second marker. If time allows, turn around and repeat.


2) Plyo lunges -- 45 seconds

Assume lunge position, right leg forward, left leg back, legs about two feet apart. Lower body toward ground until right thigh is almost parallel to ground. Jump up and switch legs mid-air so left leg is now forward, right leg back. Continue repeating. (Modified: Rather than jumping, do alternating lunges, stepping one leg back at a time.)


3) Jog -- 45 seconds

Jog back and forth between your markers.


4) Box sprints -- 45 seconds

Start at one marker and sprint to second marker. Face first marker and shuffle right 8 times. Turn so you're facing second marker and jog backward to first marker. Facing second marker, shuffle right 8 times. Repeat as many times as you can. 


5) Squats -- 45 seconds

Stand in place, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on hips. Lower body toward ground, keeping knees behind toes, until thighs are almost parallel to ground. Release to start and repeat. 


6) Squat thrusts -- 45 seconds

Stand with hands by sides. Drop to ground in crouched position, hands on ground. Hop feet behind you until body's in plank, one long line from toe to head. Hop feet back to hands. Stand and repeat. (Modified: Step one foot back at a time to plank position, then feet back to hands, roll to standing.)

Check out www.thatsfit.com for more options

30 Day Squat Challenge

Hello all! After a fun filled Easter Break spent with my boyfriend and family, eating was number one thing on our to do list. So this week, along with getting ready for the last month of undergrad, getting my fitness on is a main priority (hey, I have to prepare for the warmer weather... that will come eventually!)

I came along this 30 day squat challenge many times while surfing through Instagram. This intensive work out is making me wonder, could I handle such a thing and did any of the women posting this scary workout actually finished it? If you haven't seen this already, take a look at it for yourself.

Do you think you could do it? I guess that is why they call it a challenge! Squats are not only great for getting those always desired glutes but they overall are a great workout. Squats work practically every single muscle in your body.  Okay that’s an exaggeration, but it’s not far from the truth.  If you’re looking to burn fat, you want to do exercises that trigger as much of your body as possible so it’s all getting worked and exercised.  On the other side of the coin, if you’re looking to build muscle, your legs and back can put on the most muscle in the shortest amount of time.

I think I'm going to try it and see if it is worth the hype since squats are one of my favorite exercises.

And here is a squat themed motivational picture for you guys! I hope you have a good week and keep powering on.