16-Minute Medicine Ball Mashup

Workout equipment:

Workout type: 16 minute

Timer setting: 24 x :10 x :30

1. Burpee box jumps
2. Ball transfer push ups
3. Step ups
4. Medicine ball slams
5. Squat step overs
6. Medicine ball twists

Bonus: 45 Medicine ball jackknives

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Leave your reps in the comments below.

My reps for today’s workout:

Burpee box jumps (7, 6, 6)
Ball transfer push ups (14, 14, 14)
Step ups (14, 14, 14)
Medicine ball slams (24, 23, 23)
Squat step overs (11, 11, 11)
Medicine ball twists (39, 38, 40)

Did you do this workout?

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The post 16-Minute Medicine Ball Mashup appeared first on 12 Minute Athlete.

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just like the good ol’ days

Hi friends! How are you? Hope you’re having a wonderful long 4th of July weekend. The Pilot has been home since Friday afternoon, and I feel like we’ve done so much already! I thought I’d pop in and share a quick weekend recap. 

Our friends Ashley and Aaron were here for a couple of nights since they’re doing a cross-country move. It was so awesome to see them and catch up. Friday morning, Ashley and I hit the gym for a workout (I did some total body strength work and hopped on the spin bike for a 30-minute Peloton HIIT ride), and got breakfast at Birdie’s. <— the best

The usual (eggs, potatoes, and fruit with an almond milk latte)

After an amazing breakfast, I came back home to hang out with the girls for a while. We ventured to the park and enjoyed lunch and rest time, then later that evening, the Pilot and I met up with everyone for drinks and dinner at the Salty Snapper. It was our first night sitting out on the patio, where they have live music. Anne Cline performed -I shared some video on Snapchat and IG stories- and omg. She was AMAZING. We definitely need to go back when she’s playing. 

It was seriously like we went back in time 8 years, hanging out, enjoying drinks, and laughing with the same people we hung out with last time we were here. It’s funny how so many things can change over time, and yet remain exactly the same. We’re fortunate to have friends all over the world from this crazy lifestyle, and I love that we can meet up with them when our paths cross and we just jump back in where we left off. 

After dinner, we all ended up at the Friends bar (where we met up with some other friends who were hanging out there. Valdosta is a small world haha), and was buying each other drinks. We ordered some desserts to share: peanut butter pie, Bourbon bread pudding, and pound cake with Oreo coffee ice cream.

Take a bite, pass it on.

It was an amazing night, and I don’t think I’ve laughed that much, or that hard, for quite a while. 

Saturday morning, we grabbed coffees and breakfast, and hit the road to Jacksonville for a beach and shopping day. We stopped at Tacolu for takeout as we got into Jax -the tacos were incredible!- and enjoyed a little picnic under our Sunbrella.

When we drove into the parking lot, it was looking a little dark and ominous. I thought FOR SURE it would rain, but somehow it held out so we could enjoy 2 1/2 hours playing in the waves and building sand castles.

Last time, P was a little hesitant about the water -she went in, but took her time getting used to it- and this time it was ZERO fear. I had to keep reminding her to hold my hand, because she kept pushing me away and wanted to run in the waves by herself. She also spent a lot of time under the Sunbrella, digging in the sand and giggling on the boogie board.

Liv swam like a fish, and was bodysurfing and boogie boarding like crazy.

(She can swim on her own now, but we still make her wear the puddle jumper at the beach or when I take both girls to the pool by myself.)

Like destiny, it started to sprinkle just as we’d packed everything up and started driving to St. John’s for shopping.

We grabbed ice cream and macarons, and enjoyed strolling around *real* stores.

I picked up a couple of new face masks from Sephora and am excited to try them out this week. I’ll be sure to report back!

Of course, we hit up Trader Joe’s on the way back home. It’s kind of hard to not go crazy because who knows when we’ll be at another TJ’s. 

This week, I’m subbing a lot for friends who are out of town, and am counting down the days until madre visits again.

Hope you have an amazing day and thanks for stopping by the blog!

xo

Gina

4th of July sales:

Express: 50% off tees, shorts and dresses

J Crew: extra 50% off sale items (code: SALETIME)

Banana Republic: 40% off regular-priced items (code: BRNEW) 

Old Navy: up to 60% off

Athleta: hundreds of new markdowns (ordered this shirtdress)

Victoria’s Secret: $15 off $125 (code: 15OFF125)

Tory Burch: 30% off sale (code: EXTRA30)

The post just like the good ol’ days appeared first on The Fitnessista.

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5 Things to Eat in July

July marks the beginning of the peak summer-to-fall harvest season. It’s a prime opportunity to get the most iconic of summer foods at their very best. Here are our top-five picks to add to your shopping basket this month. Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables is a key way to eat better no matter what diet, eating plan or health goals you have, so go ahead and overload.

CUCUMBERS

“Cool as a cucumber” isn’t just a clever saying. Cucumbers contain high amounts fiber and water, both of which contribute to healthy digestion and give them a cooling effect. Technically a gourd and in the same family as pumpkins and watermelon, they’re also loaded with a slew of B vitamins, which are thought to aid in easing feelings of anxiety or stress.

Shave them lengthwise and roll up the thin slices with salad ingredients for a hand-held snack. Cut them into a small dice and toss with dressing for an easy relish over grilled meats or whirl and strain them with mint and a pinch of sweetener for a refreshingly cool drink.

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READ MORE > SALMON CUCUMBER ROLLS

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GREEN BEANS

Tough and flavorless out-of-season green beans have given these veggies a bad name. July is the beginning of their natural season in much of the U.S. and Europe. Fresh, local green beans are tender and come with a vibrant snap and a clean, grassy flavor that explains why anyone bothered to eat them in the first place. Every 1/2 cup of these green giants contains 2 grams of fiber and a mere 10 calories.

Steam beans and serve them with a pat of butter or a few fresh herbs to appreciate their delicate flavor. While many like their beans crisp-tender, cooking them until they’re fully tender mellows their flavor and gives them time to soak in any flavors from a sauce or herbs. Green beans pair well with fellow summer veggies corn and tomatoes — try them together in salads, tossed with pasta or cooked into a summer vegetable medley.  

SWEET CORN

While it’s still on the stalk, corn is like pure sugar. Once it’s picked, it immediately starts to convert into starch, so the freshest corn is truly the best. Corn kernels are loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin, two phytochemicals that promote healthy vision, and 1/2 cup contains just 30 calories. Sweet corn is also high in vitamins B1 and B5, vitamin C, phosphorus, manganese, folate and a whole lot of dietary fiber with 5 grams in every 1/2 cup serving.

Coat ears in a bit of low-fat mayo before grilling. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and a splash of soy sauce. Or cut the kernels from the cob and sautée with a handful of fresh thyme leaves and a pat of butter. The freshest of fresh corn can be cut from the cob and tossed — gloriously raw — in summer salads.

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READ MORE > GRILLED ZUCCHINI CORN SALAD

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TOMATOES

There’s likely no other fruit (yes, they’re technically a fruit) that causes more frenzy at farmers markets than tomatoes. Tomatoes, especially the sun-ripened heirloom varieties that have exploded in popularity recently, are likely the most iconic of all summer produce. Beyond taste and versatility, they’re incredibly good for you. Tomatoes contain all four of the major carotenoids: alpha- and beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene. Each carotenoid (they protect against chronic diseases) has individual benefits but when found together, as in tomatoes, they’re incredibly healthful.

Slice them thick and serve poached eggs on top with a crack of fresh black pepper for a healthy twist on eggs Benedict, whirl them with cucumbers and a splash of vinegar for a quick take on gazpacho or cut into wedges and drizzle with good olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse salt for a simple side dish.

WATERMELON

Watermelon is a surely a favorite treat for the dog days of summer. Sweet and juicy, it also has less than 50 calories per 1-cup serving and is fat-free and naturally low in sodium, making it as guilt-free a snack as any we can think of. Watermelons, which are 90% water, are also dripping with healthy nutrients, like vitamins A, B6 and C, with lots of lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids. And watermelon even has a touch of potassium.

Serve chunks of watermelon with tomatoes in your next Caprese salad, whirl and strain it with mint for a refreshing drink or freeze it to make ice cubes to drop in your sparkling water.

The post 5 Things to Eat in July appeared first on Under Armour.

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