Get Fit For Friday ~ Something New!

Get Fit For Friday….Get Fit For New Things

This week’s challege is to try some sort of physical activity you haven’t tried before or haven’t done in a long time. Whether it is trying a Zumba or barre class or playing soccer, challenge yourself to do something completely different that you think you will enjoy!

#TrainingOpportunity

We hope you all have a wonderful long weekend and enjoy the holiday! We have a group heading up to Lake George for a Half Ironman. We are very excited for the race and the extra day off to relax and recover from it! We wish everyone luck in the race and hope your hard work pays off! 

Articles you might enjoy reading:

Fruit breeders have new ideas

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cotton-candy-grape-20130801,0,3456231.story

What zero calorie pasta? False!

http://www.foodnavigator.com/Legislation/Zero-calorie-pasta-No-actually-it-has-seven-calories-says-UK-advertising-watchdog

Some tips to preventing the “Freshmen 15”

http://muscatinejournal.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/tips-to-avoid-the-freshman/article_241fb6ca-d4a9-5148-a0cf-039bf9d326a2.html

Get Fit For It,

D & K 

Take-In Thursday ~ Beet Salad

This week's recipe incorporates an ingredient from our "superfoods" list. We hope you try this recipe out and enjoy the combination of flavors from the beets and wild rice!

Beet & Wild Rice Salad

4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 cup of raw wild rice

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

2 cups of raw beets sliced in long thin sticks

1/2 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped

2 scallions

1 fresh tomato

2 lemon juiced

1 tsp hot sauce

Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to its instructions.

2. Wash and peel the beets. Then slice them into long sticks.

3. Chop the rest of the vegetables and set aside.

4. Once the rice is cooked, add the olive oil, lemon juice and hot sauce to the pot and stir together.

5. Add the rest of the ingredients mixing until evenly distributed.

6. Serve warm or refrigerate for later.

We hope you enjoy this versatile salad! Feel free to throw in anything else you have in the fridge that you think would go well in the salad!

Get Fit For It,

D & K

Photo from:

http://tasteinspired.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/roasted-beets-2.jpg

Workout Wednesday ~ Simple But Challenging

For this week's workout Wednesday, we are going back to the basics. Don't worry, this doesn't mean it is going to be easy! You make your workout as hard as you work - if you do this right, it can be extremely challenging for you. Remember you have speed, power, number of rounds  work & rest intervals to manipulate to make it harder or easier depending on what your fitness level is today. Lastly you must remind yourself that the most important thing is to keep smiling during the whole routine because the benefits of the workout are worth every moment of struggle! Now get to it! 

Workout Wednesday 

Warm up: 3 minutes of jump rope 

Main Set: "X" number of rounds x 60 second intervals (do as many reps of each exercise as you can)
1. Pull ups 
2. Squats
3. Push ups 
4. Hollow hold 
5. Alternating lunges or lunge walks
6. Dips  
7. Bicycle crunch
8. Wall sit
9. Plank 
10. Superman 



Do this circuit as many times as you feel you need to have a hard workout! Remember unless the exercise is a hold, you should be shooting for as many reps as possible in the one minute! Of course, please modify as needed including making the intervals shorter if you need to. 

Have fun and Get fit! 

Get Fit For It,

D & K 

Tunes Tuesday ~ Drew's MIKA Selections

Tunes Tuesday

Drew is excited for his MIKA recommendations! Check out these songs and see if you want to add some of these songs to your playlist.

Drew’s Picks of the Week:

1. We Are Golden

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEhutIEUq8k

2. Elle Me Dit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiHWwKC8WjU

3. Overrated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsJrRfjhQdA

4. Make You Happy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9YeRSsMmak

5. Emily

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIZhPIfFaq0

Did you like the French or English version better? Tweet at us to let us know your thoughts!

Get Fit For It,

D & K

Photos from:

http://media.jukebo.com/news/mika.jpg

Motivational Monday ~ Appreciation (Part 1)

Motivational Monday ~ Appreciation Part #1

This week is part one of a two-part series focusing on appreciation. We hope to draw your attention in today’s post to those closest to you and all they do for you. In the midst of our hectic lives, we tend to lose track of the people we value the most because our minds are preoccupied with the craziness going on around us at that moment.

We ask you to take a few moments and think of the 3 nearest and dearest to you (friends or family) who you think knows you the best and would do almost anything for you. Take a blank piece of paper and draw three columns. Place each of the three names at the top of a column. Now, think about each of them individually and how they enhance your life. What is it about them that caused you to write down their name specifically? What are the things that they do or say that you are grateful for the most? Write down why you appreciate each of these people. It can be a couple things or as many as you can think of - but don't take more than a two minutes per person. You can set a timer if you need to so you don’t sit there frantically trying to make the longest list possible. The point of this exercise is not to measure quantity but to recognize the impact those that have a special place in your heart have on your life. Their influence and guidance shouldn't go unseen no matter how busy your life gets. By taking the time to think about what it is that means so much to you, you will find yourself realizing how much these individuals have changed your life for the better. Acknowledging your appreciation is the next step. Reach out to one or all three people and let them know you are grateful to have them in your life. It doesn't have to be something extravagant or time consuming, a text or short email will do the trick!

As you go through your daily routine for the week, think about your behaviors and thought processes that have been influenced by them and every time something comes up, take a moment to appreciate your growth and development due to these great people. We can learn so much from others and sometimes we don’t realize how much we have gained from until they aren't present in our lives anymore. Even if they are not directly affecting your life the same way, you can always reflect on the positive shifts you have made because of them.

Go out and celebrate with all your best friends! Have a great week!

Get Fit For It,

D & K

Get Fit For Friday ~ Tricep Push ups

#TrainingOpportunity

Get Fit For Friday ~ Tricep Push up

This week’s challenge asks you to add 4 sets of tricep push ups into your day either all at once or throughout the day. We want you to do sets to failure, that will mean 5 for some and 50 for others. Do the amount that is right for you. Whether you do these on your knees or on your toes, focus on having great form and full, deep breaths.  

#ChallengeAccepted

Articles you may enjoy:

How Exercise Changes Fat and Muscle Cells

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/how-exercise-changes-fat-and-muscle-cells/?ref=health&_r=1&

Sesame Oil as a cooking oil

http://www.boldsky.com/health/nutrition/2013/sesame-oil-cooking-benefits-034515.html

NY appeals soda ban

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-30/ruling-striking-new-york-large-soda-limits-upheld.html

Why is it so hard to stick with a diet, or exercise plan?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/why-is-it-so-hard-to-stick-with-a-diet-or-exercise-plan/2013/07/22/a6cda4f8-eb28-11e2-aa9f-c03a72e2d342_story.html

Get Fit For It,

D & K 

Take-In Thursday ~ Apple Pumpkin Soup

This week's recipe is a pumpkin soup with complementing flavors of apple and ginger. We think it is a great combination! We hope you enjoy it!!

Apple-Ginger Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1 qt vegetable broth, low sodium

1 cup water (more if needed)

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium apple, peeled and diced

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger root, grated

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Place over medium high heat until vegetables and apple are cooked and soft.

2. Once everything is cooked, take off heat and blend until it has a smooth consistency. Then add salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Get Fit For It,

D & K

photo from:

http://www.manifestvegan.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/20091103-img_4256.jpg

Workout Wednesday ~ Try This One Out!

Workout Wednesday

Here is a workout I created a year ago. I wanted to let you try it out. It was one of Raven’s favorite classes. This workout is for you Raven! I hope you have fun with it and remember to modify when necessary!

Warm up: 2 rounds of 20 seconds

Jumping Jax

Squats with knee-elbow twist

Lunges with Twist

Side shuffle

Set #1: 2 rounds of 30s intervals

            2-foot hops horizontal - 2-foot vertical

            Left foot Horizontal- Right foot Horizontal

            LT Foot Vertical - RT foot Vertical

water break

            Quick feet in-in-out-out -backwards quick feet back

            Lunge jump -  Skater jumps

            Squat Jumps - Jack-push-climb

Set#2:  2 rounds per set of 1-min intervals/ex  

1a. Crab walk w/ dips

1b. Rotational Lumberjack w/ MB (10/side &switch)

2a. Backwards bear crawl

2b. 1-leg deadlift w/ row (w/dumbbells)

3a. Shoulder push press w/ squat 1-arm 1-leg (10/side-raise same leg as arm)

3b. front & reverse lunge same leg (10/s & switch)

Set# 3: 3 rounds of 20 reps

               -Russian twists w/ MB

            -MB b/w legs

            -Feet to ceiling pulses w/ MB in hand

            -MB V-up~ pass overhead to feet

 Set 4: 3 rounds of 20 reps

            -push ups

            -superman pulses

            -windmill w/ hip dip

            -Plank w/ shoulder taps

               -Reverse crunches

Set 5: 1-minute holds

-plank

-bridge (switch raised leg)

-side plank (switch sides after 30s)

-Reverse plank

Stretch and cool down for 10 minutes

#ChallengeAccepted

Get Fit For It,

D &K

photos from:

http://l.yimg.com/ea/img/-/130115/10_dumbbell_straight_leg_deadlift_row_18f9agj-18f9ahh.jpg?x=450&q=80&n=1&sig=3Bn1Vuvo.6PVStb7NEemOg--

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/exercise/exercises/superman.gif

Tunes Tuesday ~ Drew's 5 picks of the week

Tunes Tuesday!

This week Drew has selected 5 songs he would like to share with everyone. You might not have these songs on your favorite playlist yet so check them out!

Drew's 5 picks of the week: 

1. Same As Before - Hoodie Allen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0Esu0M7WSA
2. Applause - Lady Gaga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bHhpufKRjs
3. Give It 2 U - Robin Thicke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RafBVjElPCQ
4. Wild - Jessie J
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPLP7CAQ7Ow
5. Roar - Katy Perry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9SeJIgWRPk

Get Fit For It,

D & K 

photos from: 

http://www.wallpapersfolder.com/user-content/uploads/wall/o/93/hoodie_allen_wallpaper.jpg

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1KQmA2WMThc0OF_3cvYDjMRKdJvKbeGvGe7S8SdcZ4ynNFFFQ