Treadmill BLAST

TREADMILL BLAST 

For those of you who don’t want to run outside or want a fast workout that burns a ton of calories, this is a good one for you to try!

OKAY, don’t be nervous. This is a fun, fast, AMAZING, fat blasting treadmill workout. Try it once and see what you think, then try doing it a couple times a week. You will definitely see and feel yourself getting stronger.

NOTE: modify the speed and incline to fit your needs

START

5 minutes - Warm up with fast walk or light jog

1 minute - incline 5, speed 6.0

30 seconds sprint - no incline (between 7.0 and 9.0 speed - whatever works for you!)

REPEAT X5

5 minutes - cool down at around 3.5 speed (no incline)

YES! Go and get some water and a bite of a protein bar ;) 

Arm/Shoulder Workout

SATURDAY MORNING 20 MINUTE ARM/SHOULDER WORKOUT!

Let’s whip our arms into shape!

A couple years ago, I decided that I really wanted to work on building strength in my upper body because I have always been stronger in my legs. I now do strength training 3-4 times a week and can feel a huge difference. I do variations of the workout below so I hope you feel inspired to try it and start to add in your own favorite arm exercises!

This is a quick workout that will help give you sculpted arms and shoulders. Try working out your upper body at least 2 times a week where you totally burn out your muscles by the end. It WILL pay off!!!

ARMS AND SHOULDERS WORKOUT:

Warm-up

Jumping Jacks (50) - Make them FULL jumping jacks, get your heart pumping!)

Opposite Elbow to Opposite Knee - 10x each side

Strength/Endurance CIRCUIT:

1.  Side Arm Raises (10) - Start with arms at side, raise to shoulder level, arms straight, palms facing the ground

2.  Tricep dips (12) - on bench or chair (legs all the way out)

3.  Bicep curl to shoulder press (12) with 5 or 10lbs

4.  Pushups (10)

5.  Stay in pushup position for 20 Mountain Climbers (high intensity - as fast as you can!)

Rest 1 minute - REPEAT X3 BABY!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Almond Cocoa Cookies

ATTENTION: CHOCOLATE LOVERS:

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Almond Cocoa Cookies 

Can we say, “YES!”? These cookies have everything you could want in them, but you gotta love chocolate. I’ve made them a few times for friends at work and they seem to go over quite well : ) never a cookie left! See below for deliciousness:

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup bittersweet or dark chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, oats, and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, stir together peanut butter, oil, water, flax, vanilla, sugars and cocoa powder.

4. Add dry ingredients to wet and stir until blended.

5. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds.

6. Dough will be a bit dry and crumbly.

7. Form into tablespoon size balls and place on a slightly greased baking sheet

8. Press dough balls down slightly.

9. Bake for 12 minutes.

10.Let cool on a wire rack and serve yourself a glass of cold milk!

Kathryn’s Banana Bread

Kathryn’s Banana Bread 

I’ve been excited to share this recipe because it is just so darn yummy AND GUILT-FREE! 

Get to your kitchen and start baking!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-4 mashed ripe bananas
• 1 t. baking soda
• ½ c. cottage cheese or plain greek yogurt (vanilla works, too)
• ¼ c. canola oil (or coconut oil)
• 2/3 c. brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 1 egg OR 2 egg whites
• 1 ½ t. vanilla extract
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• ½ c. All-purpose flour
• ½ t. ground cinnamon
• 1 t. baking powder
• ¼ t. salt

Highly recommended, but optional: 

(you can also sprinkle on top before baking)

½ c. dark chocolate chips

½ c. walnuts

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place the rack in the center of the oven.  Spray an 8X4 inch loaf pan with a nonstick vegetable cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl, mix the mashed BANANAS with the BAKING SODA and COTTAGE CHEESE/YOGURT. Allow to sit while you prepare the rest of the batter.
3. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the OIL, BROWN SUGAR, EGG, and VANILLA.
4. In another large bowl, whisk together the FLOURS, BAKING POWDER, CINNAMON, and SALT.
5. Then, combine the banana mixture with the oil mixture and add that to the flour mixture.  Stir with a spatula just until all the ingredients are moistened.  Pour into prepared pan and smooth the top.
6. BAKE for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Pour a cold glass of milk and enjoy a warm slice ☺

Chocolate/Banana Protein Shake

Start your morning off right (and delicious)

CHOCOLATE/BANANA BREAKFAST SHAKE

This is what I make just about everyday….along with a couple scrambled egg whites and a big cup of coffee...I love breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (almond, coconut, from a cow, whatever kind you like but keep it low fat)
• 1 banana
• 1/2 scoop of chocolate whey protein                                                                                   
• 1 spoonful of ground flax seed
• dash of cinnamon 
• 3-4 cubes of Ice (sometimes I fill my ice tray with leftover coffee and make coffee ice cubes, yum!)

and….If you don’t mind the texture, toss in:

• two spoonfuls of quick oats
• small handful of almonds

Throw all ingredients in your blender and get your butt to work!

Enjoy!

Abs and Butt Workout

Okay, let's get our lunch workout on....
Print this out and bring to the gym!


ABS AND GLUTES!

I love simple exercises that don't require much equipment!


TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes


NEED:
Bench or chair to step on
yoga mat
5-10lbs dumbbells 

PLAN:

- 30 second intervals alternating between 2 exercises (no rest, TOTAL: 2 minutes )

REST 1 minute

- Do the same for the next two exercises

REST 1 minute

- Same thing for the last two exercises

REPEAT the whole sequence 2 more times!

EXERCISES:

SET 1 -

BENCH STEP-UPS

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

SET 2 -

SQUAT PRESS w/ 5 or 10lbs in each hand

LEG LIFTS ON BALL (hips on ball, hands on the ground in front and lift both legs while squeezing your glutes)

SET 3 -

SIDE LUNGES

HIP RAISES (ON MAT)

BONUS CALORIE BURN: 10 burpees at the end (sequence: jump/squat/push-up/squat)

READY, SET, GO!

DIY Felt Garlands

DIY FELT GARLANDS

I have so much fun making these! For one thing, they're adorable, but they are also super easy to make!

All you need is:

- felt (get from any craft store, maybe even a dollar store)

- scissors

- needle and thread

1. Cut shapes out of your felt

2. Lay them out so your garland is long enough for what you want

3. Put your thread through the needle and weave in and out through each felt piece and tie the ends

5. Hang it up over a big window, on a mantle or anywhere you'd like!

SO many felt shape ideas on Pinterest, but here are a couple that I've done:

HEARTS

 DOTS

 HAPPY CRAFTING!