JACKED-o-lantern total body strength workout

Re-posting this workout today for Halloween! Hope you have a happy and safe holiday and I’ll be back in the morning with Friday Faves. Grab your gourds and work out with me.

Hey friends! How are ya? Thank you so much for your wonderful comments on the Family page yesterday. It was definitely an interesting day. The full moon was in full.swing around here, and I’m so looking forward to the weekend. We had a surprise roadtrip planned, but the potential hurricane may be crushing our plans so we shall see. I thought we were done with hurricane and tropical storm-type things…

Can we please talk about fall TV?? I used to not really be much of a TV fan, until my surgery. After watching hours upon hours of Netflix and trashy TV shows I was like, “Waaaaait. This is awesome.” I’ve gotten back into my productive ways, but I was stoked when The Voice and This Is Us came back. What are your fave fall shows that are back right now?

As the weather cools down and fall TV coerces us into parking on the couch each night, it can be really tempting to stay home instead of hitting the gym. This when we can get a little creative! Who has one of these things lying around?

I like to say that you can use anything for resistance: wine bottles, gallons of water, cans, pumpkins. You do what you need to do.

Here’s a little festive workout I put together using a rather large pumpkin from a roadside stand. The hilarious part is that I was walking around picking up all of the pumpkins to see if I could easily press it overhead for this workout, and this was the smallest one they had.

Here’s what this Halloween workout looks like: (As always, talk with a doc before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed.)

Pumpkin Workout Form Cues

Lunge and curl: Take a big step back to come into a lunge position. Watch your alignment and make sure your front knee is stacked over your front ankle, and your chest is lifted with a tight core. As you rise from your lunge, complete a biceps curl using the pumpkin (squeeze your biceps and exhale as you curl. That’s one rep.

Pumpkin press: Exhale as you press the pumpkin up overhead, and inhale to lower it back down to your chest with control.

Lunge and overhead triceps extension: Take a big step back to come into a lunge position. Watch your alignment and make sure your front knee is stacked over your front ankle, and your chest is lifted with a tight core. As you rise from your lunge, complete a triceps extension using the pumpkin (use your triceps to straighten your arm as much as possible before bending and lowering back down). Make sure to keep your elbows framing your face, and arms close to your head.

Single-leg pumpkin row: Hold the pumpkin with both hands, and tap one leg behind you. You can keep it here, with the weight in your front foot as you tilt forward, bringing the pumpkin just below the knees. For more advanced variations, you can float this top foot off the floor. Make sure to keep hips parallel to the floor. Exhale as you squeeze between your shoulder blades, and bend your arms (elbows stay narrow) to bring the pumpkin back towards your belly. Straighten the arms with control. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the opposite side.

Woodchop: Be sure that you are rotating at your ankle to protect your knees as you twist. As the pumpkin comes up, exhale. Complete 10 on one side before switching to the opposite side.

Gourd curl: You’ll start on your back with your feet in on the pumpkin, toes pointing up. Exhale to lift your hips off the floor, keeping your shoulders grounded into the floor. Take an inhale, and then exhale to bring your heels towards your glutes, rolling the pumpkin towards your booty. Keeping the hips lifted, extend the legs back out. That’s one rep.

Weighted sit-up: Hold the pumpkin at your chest as you lie onto your back and bend both knees to place your feet flat on the floor. Exhale to sit up, keeping your back straight and your belly button pulled in. (Avoid letting the stomach muscles push out!) For a great modification, especially if you have Diastasis Recti, check out this post.

Plank: Make sure that your body is in one straight line from your head, all the way back through your knees or toes (depending on whether you’re modifying). If you’re on your toes, press back through your heels, and no matter what, keep your hips in line with your spine. Tilt your chin away from your chest so your neck stays long, and take some nice deep breaths. You can do this with your hands on the pumpkin, or your feet on the pumpkin. Modify by placing your knees on the floor, and keep your hips in line with your torso. 

Please let me know if you give it a try!

After we finish our workout, we can put our boots and sweaters back on (jk it’s like 80 degrees) and go out for pumpkin spice lattes. Maybe Target, if we have time.

xoxo

Gina

Wearing: Zella Live-In leggings (<— the PERFECT leggings), Lorna Jane tank (on sale), Nikes

Photos and super cute fall plants courtesy of the lovely Lindsay Colson

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045: How sugar affects your brain and how to deal with cravings

In today’s episode, I’m chatting all about sugar cravings and how I deal with them, especially during the holiday season.

Short transcript:

During the holidays, it’s pretty much an avalanche of sugary treats. I think it’s important to note that the holidays can’t derail your fitness and nutrition progress. Focus on the healthy habits that make you feel good, enjoy the holidays, and give yourself grace. I thought for today I’d talk about sugar cravings, especially since Halloween is tomorrow and from now until New Year’s, there’s a chance that some type of dessert will be staring at you in the face for the next three months. Let’s chat about sugar cravings, why sometimes they’re more prevalent and intense than others, and what I do when I’m constantly craving sweet treats. 

Here’s what happens to your brain when you consume sugar:

Sugar affects your dopamine response, which is your brain’s reward system. Frequent consumption of sugar affects the gene expression and availability of dopamine receptors in the brain. Over time, it takes more and more sugar to attain the same level of sugar high in the brain, which causes you to crave more. Rodents in studies exhibited the same response to sugar that they did to addictive drugs, like heroin and cocaine. They also exhibited intense withdrawal symptoms when their access to sugar was removed, like teeth chattering, head shaking, and paw tremors. (Source.)

When you’re constantly exposed to sugar, you will crave it more and more often. It’s also added to everything, whether it’s being used as a preservative or to improve taste (like in pasta sauce!). 

Here’s what I do if I feel like I’m craving sugar more often than usual:

– I try to assess if I’m overtired, hungry, or dehydrated. These three things usually cause me to turn into a bit of a sugar monster because I’m seeking cheap energy. When I have a ton of sugar, I feel energized for about a half hour and then crash hard. If I’m sleep deprived, I go to bed a little earlier that night. If I haven’t had a real meal in a bit, I make myself something nutritious to eat before diving into the chocolate chip bag. 

– I also assess my stress levels. The dopamine response from sugar can provide relief when you’re feeling anxious or stressed. If I know I’m more stressed out than usual, I’ll take a little CBD, meditate for 5 minutes, or spend some time outside with the girls. 

– I focus on more balance in my meals. Sugar cravings are usually a good clue that your diet isn’t macro-balanced. Each meal and snack should contain a mix of protein, fats, and carbs. This combination is going to stabilize blood sugar and help prevent sugar cravings. I think it’s important to have some type of carb with most meals, even if it’s a vegetable or fruit based carb for satiety. 

– Once or twice a year, I cut out processed sugary foods cold turkey for about a month. This helps to reset my cravings. I know it’s usually time for a reset when fruit doesn’t taste sweet to me. If biting into an apple tastes like water, I know it’s time for a little reset. I’m not super strict about it – like I still have dates, honey and maple syrup – but I do avoid processed sugary treats like cakes, cookies, and brownies. 

– I eat it and enjoy it! If I eat a dessert, I want it to be worth my while! I focus on things that look indulgent and exciting. Store-bought stuff doesn’t usually do the trick for me. If I find myself truly craving something, like a pizookie from Oregano’s, nothing but a true pizookie is going to quell the beast. I’m a huge believer that deprivation leads to binging. If you want something, eat it and enjoy every bite! Then move on with your life. 

– My thoughts on healthified sweet treats: I think they’re awesome for more frequent treats. If you’re the type of person who wants a brownie every single day, I think having a sweet potato brownie on a regular basis is a healthier choice than a Duncan Hinds brownie or one from the local bakery because you’re getting bonus nutrients, like healthy fats and fiber. I’m a huge believer in balance, and absolutely think that sweet treats can and should be a part of your life. If there are healthy treats you like to have on hand, especially if you’re the type of person who likes a sweet bite after meals, there are so many amazing options out there, made with whole ingredients and less refined flours and sugars. 

Some of my favorite healthier dessert options: 

Pumpkin cheesecake

Crumble in a jar

Raw brownies

Microwave chocolate mug cake

Double chocolate protein muffin 

Chocolate avocado chia pudding

Click here to get 21 days of Les Mills on Demand for FREE. This is the perfect way to try new workouts during the busy holiday season, especially if you’re traveling or your schedule changes. The instructors are amazing and there’s so much variety to choose from. 

Thank you so much for listening and for all of your support with the podcast! Please leave a rating or review if you enjoyed this episode. If you leave a rating, head to this page and you’ll get a little “thank you” gift from me to you. 

You can listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play.

 

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Fix Your Lower Back Pain: From Posture to Strength

Beyond aesthetics, poor posture can also lead to chronic pain, most commonly lower back pain.

“Stop slouching.”

 

“Sit up straight.”

 

“Your posture is just horrendous.” 

 

Posture bullies are the worst, aren’t they?

 

Chances are your mom was the biggest posture bully of all. And chances are your reaction was to want to tell her to f-off (even though deep down you knew she was right because bad posture isn’t attractive).

 

read more

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Fix Your Lower Back Pain: From Posture to Strength

Beyond aesthetics, poor posture can also lead to chronic pain, most commonly lower back pain.

“Stop slouching.”

 

“Sit up straight.”

 

“Your posture is just horrendous.” 

 

Posture bullies are the worst, aren’t they?

 

Chances are your mom was the biggest posture bully of all. And chances are your reaction was to want to tell her to f-off (even though deep down you knew she was right because bad posture isn’t attractive).

 

read more

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315 Rep Equipment-Free Challenge Workout

Workout equipment: None

Workout type: Challenge

Timer setting: Stopwatch

Complete 3 rounds, resting as little as possible in between reps and sets.

15 Squat jumps
20 Handstand shoulder touches
20 Side lunges
10 Burpees
20 Plank hip dips
10 Superman raises
10 V ups

Bonus: Handstand practice

——————————————————

Leave your time in the comments below.

My time for today’s workout: 14:11

Did you do this workout?

Tweet It!

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Full Body HIIT Circuit

Trainer Sydney Torabi takes you through a full body HIIT workout.

The post Full Body HIIT Circuit appeared first on Under Armour.

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Party people

Oh hello there. I feel like I’m coming out from a cloud of partying and planning all week long! It feels weird to be back in real-life mode.

We celebrated the Pilot’s birthday, went to Trunk or Treat, and the following night was P’s birthday party at Pump It Up with all of her little friends from school. She requested a Frozen theme, and my friend Amy one again made the most gorgeous cake. Can you believe it tasted even better than it looked?

 (The mountain LIT UP! She also made Liv’s Toy Story birthday cake and Meg’s baby shower cake. Her designs are insanely gorgeous and the cake itself tastes like a dream. If you’re in Tucson, hit her up if you’re looking for a special occasion cake or cupcakes!)

The kids arrived, jumped their little hearts out, and they also did a balloon drop – 100 balloons were dropped from the ceiling. They went crazy!

We hired a glitter tattoo artist to do glitter tattoos for the kiddos,

and ate pizza, wings, veggie tray, popcorn, cake, ice cream, and cupcakes.

The lil treat bags:

(I wanted to play off the “Do You Wanna Build a Snowman?” song and ordered these melting snowman kits for each kid. I also added some candy and a Frozen slap bracelet to each bag. Easy peasy.)

The birthday girl herself: 

Everyone had a great time, but we decided Pump It Up isn’t our favorite birthday party spot. (I think we like Get Air much better. Get Air lets you bring in whatever food and drinks you’d like, and Pump It Up forces you to order from a limited menu that they mark up and order from Domino’s. I totally get that it’s how they make money, but it’s kind of a bummer to have a party and not be able to bring in food or even order what you’d like. They were also super regimented about weird things – like some kids came out of the room to get glitter tattoos and they didn’t let them go back in, even though they still had 10 minutes of jump time left – and it was kind of a buzzkill if that makes sense.) For Liv’s party, we’ll prob scope out other options, especially since a couple of fun new kids’ spots have opened.

The partying continued through the rest of the weekend! P’s birthday was Saturday, so we all went to Prep and Pastry for brunch after dance class, 

(when your Bloody Mary has an appetizer as a garnish)

and later that night, everyone came over for dinner and pumpkin carving.

The Pilot wins the prize for best pumpkin. He did the guy shrugging emoji.

Our masterpieces: 

(Wearing my fave Amazon shirt)

One of my favorite things in the world is having everyone over at our house, hanging out, eating, and the cousins all running around. The Pilot asked what I wanted to do for my bday (it’s in November) and I said, “This. Food, drinks, cake, and the fam.” That’s all you really need, right?

HIIT Bootcamp started this week and I’ve loved seeing everyone’s check-ins on social. It’s going to be a great 4 weeks.. and I’m excited for a little group motivation this time of year.

Hope your week is off to a lovely start and I’ll see ya soon! Thanks for checking in today. <3

xo

Gina 

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What You Need to Know to Start Working Out After 50

Age ain't nothing but a number, and it has never been truer than it is today, with many people starting exercise programs later in life.

If you're new to exercise, or coming back to it after many years of a layoff, it is very challenging. You don't have the same sense of fearlessness that you had in the past. You may lack confidence for many reasons. If you are over 50-years-old and starting out, the challenge can seem overwhelming.

read more

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Getting the Most Out of Seated Cable Cuff Tricep Extensions

A unique advantage of this exercise over other triceps extension variations is the use of cuffs rather than a hand-held attachment.

A key benefit of the seated cable cuff tricep extension exercise is the stability it provides. Because you have a bench for support, you can keep your shoulder blades locked down. This helps prevent your shoulders from shifting and means you can focus purely on directing tension through the triceps.

 

Using a cable has the advantage of providing a fairly constant tension throughout the rep meaning it challenges the entire range of motion well.

 

read more

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via IFTTT

What You Need to Know to Start Working Out After 50

Age ain't nothing but a number, and it has never been truer than it is today, with many people starting exercise programs later in life.

If you're new to exercise, or coming back to it after many years of a layoff, it is very challenging. You don't have the same sense of fearlessness that you had in the past. You may lack confidence for many reasons. If you are over 50-years-old and starting out, the challenge can seem overwhelming.

read more

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12-Minute Bodyweight HIIT Workout

Workout equipment: None

Workout type: 12 Minute

Timer setting: 18 x :10 x :30

1. Box jumps
2. Reptile push ups
3. Squat step overs
4. Pike Shoulder Touches
5. Step ups
6. Mountain climbers

Bonus: 5 Bridges

——————————————————

Leave your reps in the comments below.

My reps for today’s workout:

Box jumps 30, 29, 29
Reptile push ups 16, 15, 15
Squat step overs 12, 11, 11
Pike shoulder touches 21, 20, 20
Step ups 14, 13, 13
Mountain climbers 77, 78, 77

Did you do this workout?

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5 things that help my anxiety and my experience with CBD

This post is sponsored by Equilibria Women but the opinions are my own. Click here or enter the code FITNESSISTA at checkout to get 15% off.

I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life. It’s varied from the small amount of anxiety that elevates my heart rate yet keeps me productive and on-task, to the debilitating, room is spinning, struggling-to-breathe variety. Over the past handful of years, I’ve found some things that have helped dramatically with my anxiety and thought I’d share them in today’s post:

1) Prioritizing sleep. I’ve noticed that when I’m sleep-deprived, everything feels worse. I’m obviously more tired, but also more hangry, stressed, and anxious. It’s no wonder that I felt my anxiety ramp up after we had kids, not only because there was so much more to be worried about -you’re keeping additional humans alive! and you love them so.dang.much – but because our sleep went down the drain. Now that the kids are sleeping and the adults are sleeping, I feel remarkably better.

2) Daily meditation. I try to meditate every day, even if it’s just for 5 minutes before bed. (Ideally I like to meditate for 7-15 minutes before getting started on work for the day.) I use the Calm App on my phone, which has a ton of different options to choose from. I especially love the sleep meditations and often crash out before they’re over. On the same note, it’s made a huge difference to add yoga back into my routine. Yoga is like a moving meditation and gives me the chance to drop all of the external stressors and tune inward for an hour. It’s one of the only times I stretch each week and slow down, and I look forward to it every weekend. My favorite classes are the hot ones that leave me in a puddle of sweat. So good.

(Bella has always supported my yoga endeavors)

3) Therapy. I can’t recommend therapy enough if you’re struggling with anxiety or depression. It’s helpful to have an outside professional source that can listen to your concerns and provide an action plan. I haven’t been able to find a therapist since we’ve been back in Tucson – it seems like everyone is cash-only, which is fine, but no one is taking new clients – but am going to keep trying until I can get one. 

4) Making thorough to-do lists, and checking things off. A majority of my anxiety is related to to-do lists, since I’m juggling my work schedule and deadlines along with the girls’ routines and extracurricular activities. Often, I’ll find myself listing things in my head, like, “Finish this draft, hop on the Peloton, take a conference call, shower, pick up P, take Liv to piano, roast a chicken for dinner” etc. When I stop and take the time to write everything down, it keeps me from feeling like I constantly have to check things off in my head. Write it down, cross it off, and move on.

5) Adding CBD into my routine. This has been a gamechanger for me. To be honest, I heard about the benefits of CBD a couple of years ago but was too sketched out to try it. Since it’s not regulated, you could be buying a product that doesn’t actually contain CBD and could be shipped from another country. (I actually tried a brand that I had researched a bit and found out that it was produced in Mexico. It went in the trash.) I knew that if I was going to give it another try, I had some serious requirements the brand had to meet, and Equilibria met all of my personal stipulations. 

So what is CBD and how is it different from marijuana?

CBD is a compound found within industrial hemp flowers that has been shown to improve mental and physical wellbeing. It’s completely safe and legal. (From what I understand some government positions don’t currently allow it just in case trace amounts of THC are found. For example, the Pilot is not able to take it.) Industrial hemp is a Cannibis Sativa plant grown to express 0.3% THC or less. That’s why CBD does not make you feel impaired or high. Anything above 0.3% THC is not considered hemp; it’s marijuana and federally illegal. 

CBD can help bring the body back to homeostasis and is often used for sleep, mood, and pain regulation. It can also work by reducing inflammation, which can be the root cause of various ailments in the body.

Our body has a natural endocannabinoid system which, as we age and experience stress, functions less effectively. By consuming CBD, which is a phytocannabinoid and interacts with our endocannabinoid system, we help to increase our production of cannabinoids and more efficiently use what’s already been created.

Is CBD regulated?

The FDA hasn’t worked out regulations for CBD, so this is why researching is so important.

Some of the things to look out for:

– Make sure that it’s full-spectrum, which means they use the whole plant to maximize the benefits

– Make sure it’s produced in the USA on the same farm

– Ask for third party lab results. This one is HUGE. Since CBD isn’t regulated, some brands are heavily leaden with chemicals, pesticides, or don’t contain much CBD at all. 

*As always, talk with a doctor before adding any supplements or changes into your routine. Just sharing my experience

Some of the things I love about Equilibria is that they are organically produced here in the US on their own farm in Colorado. Their lab results are incredible (they’re also extremely transparent with lab results) and I also love that they individually help with dosing. Dosing takes a little experimentation to figure out at first (don’t worry, you can’t overdose on CBD), so they make sure you’re taking an amount that makes you feel your best. 

Here’s what my personal CBD routine looks like #MyEq:

– One (10mg) softgel before bed

– One dropper of the oil under my tongue during the day if I know it’s going to be a stressful or intense day

– Using the salve as needed on my thumb. I had nerve graft surgery a few years ago, and while my thumb feels SO much better, it still aches occasionally. The salve takes the aching away within a few minutes.

CBD is one of those things where you might not notice a huge difference when you take it, but you do if you forget to take it. I forgot to take it last week, and I just felt like I was on edge throughout the day. I was like, “Hmm. I’m kind of a spaz right now.” I’ve been sleeping more soundly (and going to sleep faster) and it helps to quiet my buzzing anxiety throughout the day. I was trying to explain it to Tom, but when I take the softgel at night, within about 15-20 minutes, I feel like I slipped into a warm bathtub. I don’t feel weird or high, just incredibly relaxed. It helps to stop me from obsessing over the ol’ to-do list at night so I can just relax and go to sleep.

It’s made a dramatic difference in my life and I hope that if you give it a try, you love it as much as I do!

My friends at Equilibria offered 15% off if you’ve been interested in trying CBD (or switching to a brand that’s responsibly produced and made for women)! Click here to check it out. They also help with individual dosing support if you have questions along the way.

Fellow anxious friends: what are some of the things you’ve found to help?

xoxo

Gina

Photos: Kristi Harris

*Equilibria makes no claims that CBD can cure or treat symptoms as these are my own opinions.

The post 5 things that help my anxiety and my experience with CBD appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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Getting the Most Out of Seated Cable Cuff Tricep Extensions

A unique advantage of this exercise over other triceps extension variations is the use of cuffs rather than a hand-held attachment.

A key benefit of the seated cable cuff tricep extension exercise is the stability it provides. Because you have a bench for support, you can keep your shoulder blades locked down. This helps prevent your shoulders from shifting and means you can focus purely on directing tension through the triceps.

 

Using a cable has the advantage of providing a fairly constant tension throughout the rep meaning it challenges the entire range of motion well.

 

read more

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via IFTTT

Workout Inside to Improve Performance Outside

No matter what activities you enjoy doing outside of the gym, there are weight training exercises you can do to boost your potential.

No matter what activities you enjoy doing outside of the gym, there are weight training exercises you can do to boost your potential. Golf? Google your favorite golfer’s name and there’s a good chance you can find a sample of their favorite gym workout. Skiing? Follow Lindsey Vonn’s Instagram page for some serious fitspiration—holy cow can that girl work! Think that the only way to improve your running is by running more? False! Add some weight training to your routine and feel the miles start to become faster and easier.

 

read more

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Workout Inside to Improve Performance Outside

No matter what activities you enjoy doing outside of the gym, there are weight training exercises you can do to boost your potential.

No matter what activities you enjoy doing outside of the gym, there are weight training exercises you can do to boost your potential. Golf? Google your favorite golfer’s name and there’s a good chance you can find a sample of their favorite gym workout. Skiing? Follow Lindsey Vonn’s Instagram page for some serious fitspiration—holy cow can that girl work! Think that the only way to improve your running is by running more? False! Add some weight training to your routine and feel the miles start to become faster and easier.

 

read more

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