It's quick, easy and SO good. This is my go-to breakfast almost every day of
the week. Even better...it is only 180 calories!!
You can switch this recipe up with just about any fruit you want. I Use the
Ovaltine to make it a bit thicker. Yogurt can also be used. Need more protein
in your diet? Add some peanut butter!
2. Michelle's "Brown" Smoothie
2
cups spinach
8 oz carrot juice
2 kiwis
4-8 oz coconut water
1 cup blueberries (frozen) or 1 cup frozen cherries
Blend together
3. Island Breeze Smoothie
1 banana
1 cup chopped mango
1 cup unsweetened coconut almond milk
Ice
Place in blender and blend till smooth and creamy!
Serves 1
225 calorie
1.3 g fat
45 g carbohydrates
4. Banana Smoothie
1 banana, peeled and sliced
½ pint milk
Handful of ice
1-2 tbsp honey
Preparation method
1.Place the banana, milk, ice and honey in a blender and then blend until
smooth.
2.Transfer to a serving glass and serve at once
5. Watermelon, Strawberry, Banana Smoothie
Freeze all of the cut up fruit,
after frozen throw in blender with some ice if you want (I don't)
pour and enjoy
6. Sammie Smoothie
A quick and healthy breakfast when I haven't got a lot of time.
-Natural fat free but flavored yogurt,
- Handful of x2-3 berry types (blueberries,
raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, boysenberries),
- a banana
- a tablespoon of honey to smooth out the tartness of some berries,
- Blend (Add a splash of milk so
it's not quite so thick & easier to drink)
Can also make with fat free frozen yogurt instead, when
you want a more refreshing drink on a hot day, or swap for OJ or natural apple juice as the base, instead of yogurt, as a more
juicy type flavor, then change the fruits to more melon based, like watermelon.
How are you doing this week? Are you feeling the work? Are you seeing results? Is it spring in your neck of the woods??
Here's the rules (in case you didn't remember them): FIRST: Choose 3 (not many, right??) exercises you will do ~ out of the 14 listed below. SECOND: Choose what level you will perform each exercise at ~
Novice Level ~ no specific number
required. The idea is to encourage you to try an exercise and not be
overwhelmed by a set number, just be honest with yourself about it.
Beginner - repeat the exercise TWICE
Intermediate - repeat the exercise THREE TIMES
Advanced - repeat the exercise FOUR TIMES
You can be at different levels for each exercise. The goal is to challenge yourself and ~ most of all ~ get in the habit of moving!!
THIRD: Respond to your team captain that you completed your daily challenge (and have earned another point for your team.)
1. The Royals video Workout - only 3 minutes and so much fun!!
We've all done bridges, right? Lay on your back and lift up your core as high as you can. To feel the burn in your thighs, keep you thighs together as you do the lift and hold it for 15 seconds.
3. 15 - LUNGES (I admit these are NOT my favorites!!)
When I do these I go down my long hallway, one lunge at a time, holding the lunge for 5-10 seconds before making the next one.
4. 30 - Squats (It sounds like a high number, but if you do 10 each time you use the restroom they will be no problem!!)
5. 20 (per leg) - Inner Thigh Leg Lifts (don't point your toes!!)
LOOK ~ directions on the picture!!!! Yay!!!
6. 20 (per leg) Side Leg Lifts
I apologize for the picture being so small and hard to read. The photo for this exercise is the bottom one on the left.
While holding onto a chair, keep your leg straight and raise it to the side.
7. 20 (per leg) Backward Leg Lifts
YEP ~ SAME PICTURE AS ABOVE. BOTTOM PICTURE ON THE RIGHT THIS TIME.
While holding onto a chair, keep your leg straight and raise it to the BACK this time.
8. 20 (per leg) Diagonal Lifts
YEP ~ SAME PICTURE AS ABOVE. TOP PICTURE ON THE LEFT THIS TIME.
While holding onto a chair, raise you leg to the back, bend it at the knee and LIFT it up. If done right, I promise you will feel this one!
9. 5 - 15 second Wall Sits
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ~ Just kidding. I still think this is hillarious, but no on to the real wall sits.
Here is the PROPER way to do a wall sit.
10. 5 (per leg) Leg Circles ~ I know that doesn't sound like much, but wait until you try them!!
While laying on your back, lift your leg straight up in the air and SLOWLY draw a BIG circle in the air. The slower the circle, the deeper the burn!!!
11. 1-3 Minutes Tennis ball squeeze
Squeeze and release the ball in a slow, controlled motion.
12. Climb those stairs! Work those buns and thighs, and build stamina!
13. Flex & Relax Kicks (Works the back of the thighs (behind the knee) and stomach muscles. Also helps strengthen knee muscles)
Lay on your back with both feet pointed straight up in the air.
With toes pointed, kick each leg up. Alternate right and left foot. Do 20 of these.
With flexed feet, kick each leg up. Alternate right and left foot. Do 20 of these.
Put your legs down and breathe for 10 seconds.
Repeat depending on your fitness level."
14. Quad Strengthening Contractions:
Sit in chair.
Move forward so that you are sitting at edge of chair.
Extend legs, heels to floor.
Keep knees straight (or as straight as possible if you have arthritis.)
Tighten thigh muscles.
Hold for count of 10.
Relax for count of 3.
Do 10 repetitions.
You can do this several times throughout the day. You can build up to 2 or 3 sets of 10 repetitions at a time
15. Full Length Leg Slimming Routine
Length:15-30 minutes
Focus:Legs & thighs Equipment:None
***Beginner level workout, but
it does tire the muscles.
***If you have balance problems, there's a
5 minute sequence that is challenging but still do-able
***This instructor is very
good - mindful that different people aren't all at
the same fitness level
***Instructor provides encouragement and modification options
17. SHORT VIDEO - Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" (4 minutes)
***Focuses on lower body
***Lots of squats ***Beginner to intermediate level ***Fast Paced
18. SHORT VIDEO - Katy Perry "Dark Horse" (4 minutes)
***Requires a lot of stamina
***Choreography is not difficult, but it is fast paced ***Great for thighs and calves ***Could be tough on knees ***Intermediate to advanced level
19. Leaning Camel
This
exercise actually works more than just your legs it will also work the core,
but the front of you upper legs are where you notice it the most. The exercise
is not for those with knee issue since your going to sit on your knees.
Beginner - 10 reps
Intermediate - 10 reps with a weight
Advanced - 20 reps with a weights
20. Step Ups Step
Up Steps:
Step 1: Stand upright in front of a step with feet shoulder width apart
Step 2: Place one foot on top of the step and straighten the leg to stand up
Step 3: Keep the trailing leg free, do not place it on the bench
Step 4: Pause briefly at the top and focus on maintaining balance and posture
Step 5: Place the trailing leg on the floor & step down to return to the
start position
Step 6: This is one repetition
Step 7: Swap legs to complete the set
All levels (I'm guessing at reps since I'm a beginner; box/stair height,
weights, speed will determine reps)
Beginner - 15 reps, each side
Intermediate - 20 reps, each side
Advanced - 30 reps, each side
Good for: people who struggle with lunges due to knee issues or muscle
imbalance
21. Fire Hydrants
Get
on your hands and knees with your elbows on the floor about shoulder width
apart. Your knees should be comfortably spaced but not too far apart. Now lift
your right leg until it is at a 90 degree angle with the floor keeping the knee
bent. straighten the leg until it is almost fully extended and the return to
bent position. Do 5-10 reps at a time on each leg until your behind starts
screaming and you want to die.
21. Sumo Squats
Focus
on the inner thigh when doing this move, not the quad.
1) Stand with legs wide and toes pointed outward slightly. Hold a pair of
dumbbells in your hands with your arms straight and your palms facing down.
2) Bend your knees until your knees are over your ankles while raising your
arms to just below shoulder height. Arms should be in line with your legs — you
should see the weights in your peripheral vision.
3) Straighten your legs and lower your arms simultaneously.
Last month we had a challenge to gather recipes that contained fruit. Here are a few of those recipes.
1. Mixed
Baby Greens Salad with Mandarin Oranges
Ingredients:
1 bag mixed baby greens, 10 ounces
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1/4 English or European seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons rice wine or white vinegar, eyeball it
2 teaspoons sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, eyeball it
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Sesame seeds, for garnish, 2 tablespoons
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Combine greens, oranges and cucumber in a salad bowl. In a small bowl, combine
vinegar and sugar. Whisk in vegetable oil and sesame oil. Pour dressing over
salad. Add sesame seeds, salt and pepper and toss.
2. Salad with Fruit & Greek Yogurt
5-Cup Salad
Mix 1 Cup each
Pineapple Chunks
Mandarin Oranges
Shredded Coconut
Sour Cream (could probably substitute Greek Yogurt to make more healthy)
small Marshmallows
Can eat immediately or allow to sit in fridge for flavors to combine.
I know the marshmallows aren't exactly healthy, but the sugar from the
marshmallows combines with the sour cream which makes it very tasty. You could
put in less marshmallows or cut completely since the juices from the fruit will
flavor the sour cream to an extent.
3. Spinach & Fruit Salad
1 bag of cleaned spinach
broken into pieces
1 quart of hulled and sliced strawberries or
16 oz can mandarin oranges
1 pkg of toasted slivered almonds
Dressing:
1/2 c sugar - sweet n low
1/4 c oil - veg or olive
1/4 red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp poppy seed
1/4 c worcestershire sauce
optional:
pinch of paprika
2 tsp strawberry flavoring or orange flavoring
Place Spinach and strawberries or oranges in salad bowl. Mix together sugar,
oil, vinegar, sesame and poppy seeds and Worcestershire sauce and flavorings.
Pour over salad just before serving. and top with almonds.
4. Layered Fruit Salad
2 medium bananas, sliced
2 cups pineapple chunks
2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned
2 kiwi fruits, peeled and sliced
1 cup red seedless grapes
1 pint strawberry, sliced
1 medium grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
1 In a medium saucepan, combine the orange juice and zest, lemon juice and
rind, brown sugar and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
2 Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
3 Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
4 Layer the fruit in a glass serving bowl.
5 Remove the cinnamon stick from the sauce; pour the sauce over the fruit.
6 Cover and chill for several hours before serving.
Welcome to Middle Monday Exercise!! Isn't this great! We get to start the week over with our core strengthening exercises. We have added several new exercises (some with video!!)
Here is what you need to do:
FIRST: Choose 3 (not many, right??) exercises you will do ~ out of the 18 listed below. SECOND: Choose what level you will perform each exercise at ~
Novice ~ Do the best you can...try something out of your comfort zone, and be honest with yourself
Beginner - repeat the exercise TWICE
Intermediate - repeat the exercise THREE TIMES
Advanced - repeat the exercise FOUR TIMES
You can be at different levels for each exercise. The goal is to challenge yourself and ~ most of all ~ get in the habit of moving!!
THIRD: Respond to your team captain that you completed your daily challenge (and have earned another point for your team.)
You can either hold this position shown (push up position) or with your knees down (like a girlie push up)
4. 30 Bridges
Lie face up on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips so your body forms as straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Pause in the up position, then lower your body back to the starting position.
5. Torso Twists – 1-3 Minutes
6. 20 Belly Busters (bicycle crunch)
7. Side Sizzler – 1 -3 minutes
8. 30 Jiggle jabbers
9. Chair Abs – Crescent Knee Sweeps
Sit on the edge of your chair, hands outside of hips on the edge of the seat. Press your knees together, bring your legs to the right corner of the chair, and lift your heels. Brace your abs in tight and lift your legs (keeping knees bent and together) and trace a half circle so that your legs land at the left corner of the chair. Repeat, alternating sides each time, for a total of 20 reps.
10. Standing Side Crunch
Stand behind the chair with your left hand on the back, right hand behind your head. Shift your weight into your left leg, tap your right leg out to the side, keeping heel lifted, and lean your torso towards the chair. Bend and lift your right knee up (knee faces forward as you lift) and do a side crunch by pressing your right shoulder down towards your right hip. Hold for 1 count and then return to start. Do 20 reps on the right, then switch sides and repeat.
11. C - Curve
12. Twisting Dumbbell Bends (1 set is 10 reps)
This exercise really works on the middle section. In this variation you hold one dumbbell (I used my 5lb) by the end (or a kettle-bell would likely work) and do the bends and turns slowly, Count all three as one rep and 10 reps as 1 set.
13. 10 Standing Mills
Stand with feet just wider than shoulders, toes turned out slightly, holding dumbbell in left hand with arms extended out to side at shoulder height.
Slowly bend torso to the right, bringing right arm toward ground and left arm toward sky
Hold for 1 count and return to start; repeat.
Do the given reps, then switch sides.
14. Standing oblique crunch
A. Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart, with your weight on your right leg and a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell in your left hand. Stretch your left hand up and overhead to the right so you feel a stretch in your left side waist (aka your oblique).
B. Crunch your torso to the left, bringing your left knee up and left elbow down toward each other as if trying to crack a nut between your ribs. Return to previous position. Do 12–15 reps, then switch sides and repeat.
Trainer tip: For maximum core challenge, tap the ball of your foot on the floor after each rep instead of putting your whole foot down.
15. Upside-down pendulum
A. Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Hold a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell between both hands, and extend your arms toward the ceiling.
B. With head between arms, bend to the left as far as possible, keeping hips and shoulders square. At the last moment, rotate toward floor, then rotate back to forward-facing position and return to arms overhead. Repeat on other side, moving smoothly (like a pendulum). Do 10 reps per side.
16. Warrior III balance crunch
A. Stand with feet together, holding a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell with both hands. Extend arms and slowly tilt forward at the waist, lifting left leg so it and your upper body are parallel to the floor and your arms are by your ears.
B. Bend elbows to bring the weight in toward your chest. At the same time, bring left knee in toward your chest so elbows and knee meet at the midline. Return to previous position. Do 12–15 reps, then switch sides and repeat.
17. Squat sweep
A. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a 3- to 5-pound dumbbell between both hands. With your shoulders and hips square and knees pointing forward, lower into a squat and bring the weight down by your right hip.
B. Push from your heels up and out of squat position, sweeping the weight diagonally across your body until it’s above your left shoulder. Do 15 reps; switch sides and repeat.
Trainer tip: Need help maintaining proper form? Hold a yoga block or ball between your legs.
18. Partial Plank on an Exercise Ball
Place a stability ball at one end of an exercise mat. Kneel just behind the ball and place your forearms on the ball.
Exhale, press into your forearms and lift your knees slightly off of the mat. Hold for 5-10 seconds, inhale, then lower yourself back to the start position.
Repeat the exercise 5-8 times, rest, then repeat the entire exercise sequence if desired.
That said, do what you
can (I sure as heck was modifying - also shown - and doing some flat out
crunches when I just couldn't Superman anymore) and work up. It's 10 minutes, it works the whole area and
you're done.
Length:Less than 15 minutes Focus:Cardio/core Equipment:None **This is a 4 and a half minute zumba workout
set to the Black Eyed Peas "Rock that Body." **It is totally do-able
for a beginner, doesn't require any jarring high-impact moves or any motions or
poses that would be difficult for a novice to do. **Very little jumping
around - doesn't even require much coordination (a sense of
rhythm helps though) **Really focuses on and BURNS the core, and packs a serious cardio
punch in those 4 and half minutes.
Length:Less than 15 minutes Focus:Cardio/core Equipment:None **Clear instructions **Beginner level **Works out your core and keeps the rhythm and movements changing. **Add hand weights for additional difficulty.
14. SHORT VIDEO - Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines " (4:12 minutes)
***Full body workout
***constantly moving
***Basic moves
***Beginner level and higher
***Lots of fun
15. Alternating Superman Exercise
•Lie
face down on a mat with your arms stretched above your head (like superman)
•Raise your right arm and left leg about 5-6 inches off the ground (or as far
as you comfortably can).
•Hold for 3 seconds and relax.
•Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
Lie on the floor with the knees bent and the feet on the floor around 18-24 inches apart. Your arms should be extended by your side. This will be your starting position.
Crunch over your torso forward and up about 3-4 inches to the right side and touch your right heel as you hold the contraction for a second. Exhale while performing this movement.
Now go back slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
Now crunch over your torso forward and up around 3-4 inches to the left side and touch your left heel as you hold the contraction for a second. Exhale while performing this movement and then go back to the starting position as you inhale. Now that both heels have been touched, that is considered 1 repetition.
Continue alternating sides in this manner until all prescribed repetitions are done
I
also did a different version of this where I held a ball and threw it to my
daughter while in the V position (legs off ground in V position) and we threw
it back and forth as many times as possible while I held that position. Hard!
You will feel it.
Kneel
in front of a stability ball with your knees hip-width apart, then place your
forearms on the ball, hands in loose fists (a).
Keeping your back flat, brace
your core and slowly roll the ball away from you by straightening your arms;
extend as far as you can without allowing your hips to drop (b).
Pause, then
bend your elbows to roll the ball back to start.
Beginner: 10 reps X 1
Intermediate: 20 reps X 2
Advanced: 25 reps X 3
