Exercise Update

Happy weekend! Is everyone getting amped up for game day tomorrow? I sure am! Of course, I am more focused on what snacks I’m going to make than the actual game itself…but it still counts. 🙂

I haven’t really talked a whole lot about fitness lately and I want to start doing a better job of that. I love my food and sometimes I get caught up in that alone, but exercise is something that I love too and I want to include it more in my blog.

So where do exercise and I stand now? Well, things have definitely changed over the past few months with my workout schedule and what kinds of exercises I do. Cardio used to be my main form of exercise. I didn’t feel like I actually got in a good workout unless it included at least 30 minutes of running, elliptical work, etc. Now, I turn to strength training and lifting weights for the bulk of my workouts and have got to say that I am loving everything about it. In the past, when cardio was my main workout, a lot of the time I would feel really tired and drained of energy afterwards and for the rest of the day. With strength training, I feel SO energized and strong! It leaves me feeling amazing and accomplished, in a way that I never felt with cardio. I’m also working out LESS and seeing MORE results than before.

April recently got me thinking about my metabolism. I don’t count calories but lets just say for an example that I took in 1500 calories and was able to maintain my weight with that. What is going to happen later on down the road when I start to get older and my metabolism slows down? I would have to live off of maybe 1,000 calories a day to maintain. Umm, thanks, but no thanks…that does not sound like a good time to me. So what can you do to fix this? You have to EAT, that’s what! Eat clean, healthy food and eat lots of it! Pair that with some good iron pumping and in my personal opinion, you will be set. Thanks to lifting heavy weights and eating more food, I feel like my metabolism is revved and where it should be.

I have been having fun experimenting with strength training. I do not compare myself to others because it is a very individual thing. I am a smaller girl and what my be heavy to me, is light to someone else. I’m okay with that though…it’s a work in progress and if there is anything I’ve learned it’s that gaining strength and muscle take TIME. Patience and just sticking with it is key. 🙂 I do feel that I have packed on some nice lean muscle over the past few months and am excited to keep on going. Do I look like a man? Heck no. I look shapely, toned, and most importantly: healthy. Ladies: don’t be afraid to light heavier weights. You will not look like a body builder..it just simply is not in our genes to look that way, unless you take steroids or something.

Here is an example of my current workout schedule:

Monday: strength. tricep, shoulder, chest day

Tuesday: rest

Wednesday: strength. lower body day

Thursday: rest

Friday: strength. back and bicep day

Saturday: rest

Sunday: 20 minutes of light cardio, OR between 4-16 minutes of Tabata

I like how my weights workouts are split like this so that I can allow for plenty of rest for each muscle group. And can I just say how important rest is??? Why did it take me so long to realize this? Rest days are just as important as workout days. The right combination of both will have you feeling amazing and reaping full benefits of your workouts. I used to workout EVERY day and feel so ‘blah.’ Now that I have cut back, I feel so empowered and energized. I now know how to use my workouts to my advantage. If you feel tired a lot and sleep isn’t the issue, you could very likely be over-training or under-eating. This was a huge eye opener for me and I’m so glad that I finally realized it before I did any more damage. You only get one body in your life, so please take good care of it! 🙂

So cheers to strength training and good eats. Can I get an amen?!

If you need some ideas on the food part, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered…here is a glimpse of what I’ve been loving lately:

blueberry oats:

with protein cream and preserves. (protein cream = protein powder mixed with almond milk)

OIAJ:

snack plates:

Hummus toast:

post workout snack:

Scivation whey protein powder blended with almond milk and ice. With a bowl of fresh fruit.

Baked protein cake in greek yogurt:

 

1 serving Sun Warrior protein, 1/2 cup pumpkin, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, a splash of almond milk, and stevia, topped with peanut butter.

Vitalicious goods:

Stirfry action:

cajun cauliflower “rice” with shrimp, pinto beans, kale, and sundried tomatoes. I steamed a head of cauliflower and then put in in the food processor and pulsed until it was the consistency of rice. Then I added cumin, garlic, pepper, nutritional yeast and chili powder. Delish!

baked tofu, roasted brussels, and roasted parsnip bites.

Couscous with kidney beans and brussels.

sautéed cabbage (with Bragg’s liquid aminos) topped with broiled chicken, avocado, and edamame.

cottage cheese meatloaf: (recipe to come!)

 

Cabbage action:

topped with balsamic and hummus.

I hope I turned some of you to strength training with this post. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite hobbies. I can’t wait to share more of it on the blog in the future and hope you guys will like to see more fitness in addition to tasty eats.

Have a wonderful weekend, whatever your plans may be!

kristi