TOTAL24FIT | Health and Fitness Tips: 2017

Sunday, December 31, 2017

12/31: Meals and fitness for the week

Hi friends! How’s your weekend going? We’re enjoying the time together and getting a lot done around the house. 9 months later, we’re officially moved in! The Pilot unpacked the last boxes in the garage, set up the home gym, and cleared out the office. We spent yesterday taking down the Christmas decorations – it was our last day to get it done before heading back to the normal routine – and the house feels so empty. At the same time, everything feels fresh, clean, and ready to start 2018. (That rhyming tho.) Happy New Years Eve!

We capped off the day of packing and cleaning with a little date night: dinner at Giulio’s.

Dinner at guilios

Here I am, Sunday blogging like the good ol’ days. I’ve had some requests to bring back my weekly meal and fitness post, especially since it’s a great way to share some fitness and eats motivation with each other. So I’m going to try it out for a while and if ya like it, it will stay! This is also when I’ll be posting the weekly Winter Shape Up info so you have it before each week begins. (The WSU fun starts January 15!)

Working out

I feel like so many of us are back into the meal planning and prepping mojo, especially after a holiday season that tended to revolve around delicious and treats and on-the-fly meals. I’m definitely inspired to get my meal prep pants back on and set us up with healthy eats, especially since the girls are headed back to school, gymnastics, dance, and all that fun stuff. Things get a little more hectic around here! (I’m already mourning the fact that I can no longer wear my pajamas all day.)

Here’s what I have on the menu this week:

Dinner ideas:

Sunday: Dinner in Jax

Monday: Chicken tacos with homemade tortillas, guac, and beans

Tuesday: Sunbasket (use my code to get $35 off! We rotate between Sunbasket and Blue Apron and love them both. I prefer Sunbasket on the weeks I want to eat really clean, and the girls love the meals from the family plan, too.)

Sunbasket chicken w chimmichurri

Wednesday: Sunbasket

Thursday: Coconut shrimp curry with rice and salad

Friday: Out!

Saturday: Homemade pizzas (I’ll do BBQ chicken for everyone else and Caulipower for myself)

Breakfast and lunches:

Protein baked oatmeal (recipe on the way) + side of scrambled eggs

Daily Harvest soups and smoothies (I’ve been loving these so much lately! I’ll just add some protein powder and collagen to the smoothies for a little boost, and on the days I’m frozen, the soups have been warming and hearty.)

Daily harvest 2

Salads: grilled chicken, chopped veggies, Primal Kitchen dressing and a sweet potato on the side

Eats-wise, I’m doing something starting this week: No Sugar January. I’ve done this a few times, and it’s an easy way to reset my cravings after a sugar avalanche. Too much sugar zaps my energy, and when I have a ton sugar (usually during the holidays), I find that it becomes a habit instead of something I truly enjoy. (Like cramming a Justin’s peanut butter cup into my mouth as I wait for the water to heat for tea.)

Anyone want to join me? I’m looking forward on focusing on protein, healthy fats, produce and grains for the next month. (I’ll probably take a day off for Liv’s birthday because cake.)

Here’s what the fitness plan looks like for the week:

Workouts:

Sunday: shopping cardio in Jacksonville. I really get my heart rate up in Nordstrom and Trader Joe’s

Monday: HIIT and legs (testing workouts for a little something new headed your way)

Tuesday: Easy steady state

Wednesday: Upper body + dance cardio (I also teach barre this day)

Thursday: OFF

Friday: today’s Orangetheory workout

Saturday: Easy steady state

For more fitness ideas, there are lots on the fitness page to mix and match.

So tell me, friends: what’s on the menu this week? When you set up your fitness plan, do you have a format you follow or just take it day by day?

Cheers to the end of 2017!

xoxo

Gina

Meal prep posts:

Healthy meal prep for a week

$60, 1 hour, 5 days of daytime eats

Plan and prep: 1 hour of clean eats

$20 daytime snack ideas

The post 12/31: Meals and fitness for the week appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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The Catch: Weightlifting’s Most Complicated Movement

The benefits of catching the bar in Olympic weightlifting are not emphasized nearly enough for the value they can bring to athletes in other disciplines.

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Saturday, December 30, 2017

The Catch: Weightlifting’s Most Complicated Movement

The benefits of catching the bar in Olympic weightlifting are not emphasized nearly enough for the value they can bring to athletes in other disciplines.

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Subversive Fitness: Day 269 of 360

Breathe, drive, and empty the tank.

Day 269 of 360

5 rounds of:

4-position kettlebell squat drill:

3 Kettlebell front squat (Left)

5 Kettlebell back squat (Left)

3 Kettlebell front squat (Right)

5 Kettlebell back squat (Right)

3 + 5 + 3 + 5 = 1 round. Goal is fluid, seamless transitions from front to back, and left to right. Each set should pose a significant challenge weight-wise- weakest lift/ transition governs weight.

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Friday, December 29, 2017

Carla’s 3-Year Running Streak Started as a Personal Goal and Became Much More

When Carla began her running streak of at least one mile a day, she never imagined she would still be at it more than three years and nine months later. When she realized she could use her running to raise money and awareness for muscular dystrophy, a disease both her grandmother and brother have, she became even more dedicated to the streak and set out to reach new heights.

The post Carla’s 3-Year Running Streak Started as a Personal Goal and Became Much More appeared first on Under Armour.

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Subversive Fitness: Day 269 of 360

Breathe, drive, and empty the tank.

Day 269 of 360

5 rounds of:

4-position kettlebell squat drill:

3 Kettlebell front squat (Left)

5 Kettlebell back squat (Left)

3 Kettlebell front squat (Right)

5 Kettlebell back squat (Right)

3 + 5 + 3 + 5 = 1 round. Goal is fluid, seamless transitions from front to back, and left to right. Each set should pose a significant challenge weight-wise- weakest lift/ transition governs weight.

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End of 2017 Superstar Challenge Workout

Workout equipment:

Workout type: Challenge

Timer setting: Stopwatch

Repeat 3x:

20 Squat jumps
2 Handstand wall walks
50 Double unders
20 Side lunges
100 High knees w/ jump rope
15 Triceps push ups
10 Candlestick leg lifts
75 Mountain climbers

——————————————————

Leave your time in the comments below.

My time for today’s workout: 16:53

Did you do this workout?

Tweet It!

The post End of 2017 Superstar Challenge Workout appeared first on 12 Minute Athlete.

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Subversive Fitness: Day 268 of 360

Accumulate as many high-quality rounds as possible. Move seamlessly and aggressively, and take no rest. Mind your breathing, mind your mind, and make some progress.

Day 268 of 360

Bench press: 3 x 10 @ (up to) 70% of 2RM

Kettlebell row 3 x 10L, 10R @ as heavy as possible

Strong, positionally sound sets of each movement. If sets require interruption, or position breaks, adjust accordingly and continue safely.

Today: Perform

30 Mace front pendulum @ 10kg. W, 12kg.

M immediately following each set of lifts, and then rest.

Then, 10 minutes of:

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Why Linear Periodization Sucks for Hypertrophy

The old Russian training principles weren't conceived with your goals in mind.

We have all heard the clichés and truisms along the lines of “failing to plan is planning to fail,” or “a goal without a plan is just a wish.” These phrases have become popular because they are true. Building muscle is no different. To maximize your results, you must create an individualized plan that matches your goals. A roadmap to guide your way to bigger muscles. In the world of sports science, this plan is referred to as periodization.

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Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday! Anyone else feel like this week has been a weird blur? I feel like I’m just now crawling out from under the avalanche of cookies, cocktails, gift wrapping, and fun. I’ve been enjoying this in-between time a little tooooo much, and I’m kind of dreading the girls going back to school. We’ve been spending a lot of time playing outside (even though it recently got cold!), watching movies in our pajamas, and enjoying little adventures.

Birdies brunch

Walking with livi bear

(Boots on sale right now)

Tom and the rose

Thank you so much for checking back in here after a couple of days off. I’m back to regular blogging action and have ideas for fun and fresh content heading into the New Year (especially after all of your incredible survey responses).

I’d love to hear about what you’ve been up to this week! Any fun New Years’ plans? We’ll probably order Indian food and watch the ball drop here at home.

In usual Friday fashion, here are some faves from the week and around the web. Please share something you’re loving in the comments below if you’d like to join in the fun.

Holiday:

Planning for the New Year. If you still haven’t ordered your 2018 planner, you can use my Erin Condren link for $10 off. (Use code PLANON2018 for 20% off all planners right now!) If you’re still deciding on a 2018 planner, check out my KITLife review here, too.

I’m making a list of all of my 2018 goals and can’t wait to hear about yours.

2017 14 ZF 3736 94943 1 013

Some of my previous New Years’ posts:

–Getting inspired for the New Year

–2017 goals are here (it was fun to go back and read these! I accomplished quite a few, and dropped the ball on some others. #standard)

–Fitness gear for the New Year

Party recipe inspiration:

Food Network’s suggestions

Kombucha cocktails

Seared halibut with Romesco sauce

My fave kale salad

Random:

This sleep mask. It was in my stocking from the Pilot, and I LOVE IT. I’ve been sleeping really lightly lately – we’re still going through some major sleep disturbances with the kiddos – and was having the worst time falling back asleep after being up. (Once I’m up, I’m UP. I’ve thought about just waking up to start the day, but alas, it’s like 3am.) This eye mask is like my shut-off button. I slide it over my face, and farewell, world. The silk is super soft and luxe.

Sleep mask

This little cast iron pan was also in my stocking. So perfect for my morning egg patty.

Hamilton’s America. If you’re a fellow Hamilton-obsessed friend, this is a must-see. I tried to record it on PBS but the recording failed, so I found the full thing on YouTube. Thankful for the internets.

Hamiltons America logo jpg resize 710x399

Source

Good reads:

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. My friend Danielle once described her favorite type of books as cupcakes with buttercream frosting. Not overly complex, but meant to be devoured and thoroughly enjoyed. This book is my cupcake. It’s not too dark or intense (yet?), but completely fascinating. I started it earlier this week and am sucked in. It’s type of book you dread finishing because you don’t want it to be over. (Also, if you have new cupcake book recommendations, please send them my way!)

Seven husbands

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is about a young writer who’s given the daunting task of writing the autobiography for a famous Hollywood starlet. The book delves into Evelyn’s life (which had previously been an object of extreme speculation) and is segmented into seven main pieces: one for each of her husbands. It’s entirely captivating, and I highly recommend it so far.

Living with anxiety and depression. I loved reading this heartfelt and informative post from Lee. As someone who experiences anxiety on a regular basis, and has struggled with postpartum depression and anxiety twice, I think it’s so important to share these messages to reduce the stigma. It’s ok not to be ok and to get help when you need it.

Fitness:

The daily Orangetheory workouts. While I’m living a roadtrip away from a studio, it helps me get my OTF fix at the gym. They have a water rower so I can do everything I need to do! Now if I could just find a coach to yell at me in a motivational and loving way, that’d be cool.

Otf workout

Killer legs and glutes workout.

Great tips for 2018 fitness goals.

Eats and recipes:

Tempeh bacon is life.

Another reason to take a break from dieting.

Thrive Market goodies! If it’s your first time ordering, my referral link will get you 25% off. This past week’s order included a lavender candle, Paleo coconut cereal (uhh I could eat the whole box), snacks for the girls, Four Sigmatic reishi mushroom hot cocoa, and a couple of sheet masks. Some of my favorite Thrive groceries are in this post.

Coconut flakes

Hope you have a happy Friday and end of 2017!

Gina

The post Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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Thursday, December 28, 2017

2017 Year in Review: Top 25 Recipes and more.

The sun is setting on another year in blogging for me. 2017 was an adventurous year filled with a whole bunch of video content, yummy new recipes galore and some awesome brand collaborations. I did a bit of exploring and experimenting, a few hits, a few misses (failure is good, right?!) and it was just a jam-packed year of content. So today I am happy to share this 2017 Year in Review as my final post of the year. Here are my top 25 recipe posts, honorable mentions, hits and misses, goal in 2018 and a few other end of year highlights. Thank you for showing up for me in 2017, I am excited for the year ahead....Read more »

This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

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Best of 12 Minute Athlete from 2017

It’s hard to believe it’s almost 2018!

I don’t know about you guys, but this year has absolutely FLOWN by for me. It’s been a bit crazy to say the least… but overall I’m both proud of what I’ve accomplished this year and am looking forward to a new start in 2018.

As you guys probably know, we’ve covered A LOT this year, and sometimes it’s hard to keep track! So here are some of our best articles, workouts, training tips, and recipes from 2017. We hope you enjoy this roundup, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Programs

We kicked the year 2017 off with a brand new Beginner Handstand program! It’s been a dream for so many of you guys to learn to do handstands, so this program has all you need to know to get started.

In summer, our calisthenics-based Bodyweight Strength + Power program came out. This 12-week program based on calisthenics and plyometrics was put together with our friends at Rubberbanditz and will get you stronger and more athletic than ever before.

Working Out

We do a lot of tutorials here on the blog, so earlier this year we posted two roundup articles of some the most common exercises we do in our workouts. If you’re not sure about your technique, check out these two posts: Basic Bodyweight Exercises and Advanced Bodyweight Exercises. Because although HIIT is all about moving through the exercises as fast as possible, technique should always come first, and speed after that.

After a tough workout, self-massage is a simple way to recover quickly. Check out how to do it here.

Do you stretch? If you want to continue getting stronger, fitter, and increase your athletic skill set, keeping your muscles open and flexible is crucial. Here are six stretches that you can do with a resistance band.

If you had a long workout break for whatever reason, it’s important to take it easy when getting back to it. We share some tips and tools on how to get back to working out safely.

A lot of people work out in order to look better… which is a fine goal, but the main reason for why we actually work out is to get stronger. Here’s why we care so much about building a strong body!

Nutrition

Food is fuel—you know it, right? So don’t try to cut your calories too much, as your performance may suffer. Read more on how not eating enough may hold back your progress.

Fat is good for you! Make sure to take care of your daily fat intake. Check out this quick guide to find out why fat is good for you, as well as some of the best sources of dietary fat.

Did you know that if you’re not sleeping well, eating too little can be part of the problem? Learn more about why this might be happening... and don’t skip your meals!

We’re big believers in treating food as fuel for the body. The right snack between meals can help boost your workout performance and get you closer to your health and fitness goals.

Motivation and Inspiration

For many of us, every new year starts with a new fitness related resolution. Unfortunately, not too many people follow through… In this post, you’ll find action steps that help you to set your fitness goals and actually accomplish them.

We love reading! In this post, we tell you some of our favorite books that have helped us to truly unlock our potential and we hope they help you to do the same!

Working out should never be boring. You shouldn’t dread your workouts, there’s a better way! Here’s how to bring play back to fitness.

Did you know that the success of your performance has a lot to do with your thinking? Whether you believe you can or that you can’t, you’re right… Learn how to get your mind right and crush your fitness goals.

Favorite HIIT Workouts

Here are some of our very favorite workouts from this past year:

January: Slam It 12 Minute HIIT Workout

February: Punch Jump HIIT Workout

March: 520 Rep Full Body Challenge Workout

April: Springtime Track HIIT Workout

May: Leg Day Sandbag HIIT Workout

June: Speed + Strength HIIT Workout

July: Super Strength Kettlebell Workout

August: Full Body Pull Up Bar Workout

September: Jump Rope Star HIIT Workout

October: Fierce Athlete HIIT Workout

November: Stress-Busting Boxing HIIT Workout

December: Challenge Yourself December HIIT Workout

And of course, if you ever need a workout idea, you can always find a free workout on the 12 Minute Athlete Workouts page.

Favorite Recipes

You know we love food, right? Here are some of our favorite recipes from this year:

Healthy truffles: We’re pretty sure you haven’t tried using matcha powder in snacks, but you’ll be surprised how good it tastes!

Smoothies: Find three smoothie recipes that taste like dessert but are actually good for you.

Muffins: These chia blueberry muffins call for a lot of ingredients, but the end result is worth it so much. We hope you check them out.

For chocolate lovers: We love chocolate too! This recipe roundup features 7 healthy chocolate dessert recipes that anyone can make.

Happy Holidays and here’s to a super successful 2018! Thanks for being part of the 12 Minute Athlete community!

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Big Green Smoothie Bowl

Get halfway to your produce quota for the day with this 5-ingredient smoothie bowl recipe from pro yogi Liz Arch.

The post Big Green Smoothie Bowl appeared first on Under Armour.

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Subversive Fitness: Day 268 of 360

Accumulate as many high-quality rounds as possible. Move seamlessly and aggressively, and take no rest. Mind your breathing, mind your mind, and make some progress.

Day 268 of 360

Bench press: 3 x 10 @ (up to) 70% of 2RM

Kettlebell row 3 x 10L, 10R @ as heavy as possible

Strong, positionally sound sets of each movement. If sets require interruption, or position breaks, adjust accordingly and continue safely.

Today: Perform

30 Mace front pendulum @ 10kg. W, 12kg.

M immediately following each set of lifts, and then rest.

from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2C5NKdr
via IFTTT

Why Linear Periodization Sucks for Hypertrophy

The old Russian training principles weren't conceived with your goals in mind.

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Wednesday, December 27, 2017

It's Time to Stop Being Ashamed of Fat

Stay healthy and educated in your pursuit of happiness and know that leanness and our societal constructs that drive our desires are not always the healthiest option for your body.

My 47 year old body has changed. My 47 year old body has gained some fat.

Menopause can be a very confusing time for a woman. This might be down to a lack of awareness about what is happening, but it seems that every day brings with it a new physical or emotional challenge, then on top of this our body starts to look and feel different.

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It's Time to Stop Being Ashamed of Fat

Stay healthy and educated in your pursuit of happiness and know that leanness and our societal constructs that drive our desires are not always the healthiest option for your body.

My 47 year old body has changed. My 47 year old body has gained some fat.

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Green Goddess Smoothie

Get 3 servings of fruit and vegetables in this creamy vegan smoothie, containing over 9 grams of filling fiber.

The post Green Goddess Smoothie appeared first on Under Armour.

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Subversive Fitness: Day 267 of 360

Rest is not mandatory today; If taken, use it to maximize performance in subsequent rounds. If not taken, don’t use it as an excuse to under-perform in subsequent rounds.

Day 267 of 360

5 rounds of:

20 Kettlebell “Short swing“ @ 50% of 5RM

1 Sled drag (20 yd. each @ BW)

10 Pull-up

1 minute rest

Stay powerful and attentive, and- safety considered- take no rest outside the designated duration in each round.

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Subversive Fitness: Day 267 of 360

Rest is not mandatory today; If taken, use it to maximize performance in subsequent rounds. If not taken, don’t use it as an excuse to under-perform in subsequent rounds.

Day 267 of 360

5 rounds of:

20 Kettlebell “Short swing“ @ 50% of 5RM

1 Sled drag (20 yd. each @ BW)

10 Pull-up

1 minute rest

Stay powerful and attentive, and- safety considered- take no rest outside the designated duration in each round.

from Breaking Muscle http://ift.tt/2pJpXKo
via IFTTT

Conscious Breathing Strategies in Strength Training and Recovery

Breathing can brace us for extremes of pressure and it can release us to explode out of the starting gate. Develop good habits to unleash the power of your breath.