Thursday, July 31, 2014

Lift Weights Faster



The best way to get that cardio in through weight training is to lift weights faster!  Not the kind of fast you are thinking…….if you were thinking of yourself doing bicep curls as if you were in a movie that you are fast forwarding, that is not what I am talking about.  You will more than likely get hurt doing it that way.  


To get a cardio workout in at the same time you are weight training a good approach would be to try CIRCUIT TRAINING.  Circuits are performed with no rest between exercises.  Rather than performing all your sets with one exercise before moving on to the next exercise, you would do your exercises in a circuit- one set of each exercise on your list with no rest between the moves.  So take 4-5 exercises and do each one for a set number of reps and go right on to the next exercise and so forth.  Catch your breath and rest after you have completed every exercise on your list one time through.  Then repeat the list of exercises.  


Doing exercises back to back with no rest will get your heart rate and breathing rate going and this is considered cardiovascular training as well.  This type of training also allows you to get the most out of your workout when you are pressed for time.  That's a win in my book.  And if you still crave that cardio and just don't feel the weights are enough then lift heavier!  OR- you can do a lighter weight but do more reps, about 15-20 reps per exercise OR-you know I love my "ACTIVE REST" do something between your circuits for 45 seconds to a minute; jump rope, high knee run, mountain climbers etc….these will help increase endurance, lean muscle mass and metabolism. But hey, if you have the time for a cardio session and love the slow pace and focus of a weight training session with no rush, then great, enjoy!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Shoulder and Bicep Burnout

If you want a little push following a shoulder workout or bicep workout, these two burnouts are my go to plans.  Do your regular bicep/shoulder workout on your agenda and then give these a try at the end to really burnout those areas.  Sometimes if I am pressed for time, I will resort to these workouts and call it good for a shoulder or bicep workout!


ENJOY!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Can You Be Too Sore To Workout?


Rolling out of bed with throbbing muscles proves yesterday’s workout was a challenge.  But what does that ache mean for your next workout session? 
While it’s tempting to suck it up and power through the pain for the sake of a good sweat, exercising sore muscles could spoil that workout and might even lead to injury.
Dull pain after a workout results from microscopic tears in muscle fibers caused by intense activity they’re not used to performing.  Which when this happens it usually leads to- Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or "DOMS." This occurs when muscle pain doesn’t completely set in until 24 to 48 hours after exercise.  When the pain limits strength or range of motion, it’s best to take a hint from our bodies and give them a day or two off.  Working out damaged muscles often opens the door for further injury and setbacks in a routine.

The pain we feel from DOMS means, muscles have been pushed harder than normal, and the body just needs time to recover. When torn muscle fibers rebuild, they need time to heal.  That time can take anywhere from 2-4 days.   
What about light exercise on sore muscles or low impact like walking?  When DOMS is happening any pain relief from light exercise will likely be for a brief moment.  And be warned that if the muscle hurts to the touch or is seriously limiting mobility, you may be overtraining…..whoops!  In this case it is best to stay out of the gym for a bit longer.  Which is exactly what I knew I needed to do. 



What can you do to help with soreness or speed up recovery and alleviate DOMS?


My first suggestion is always an Ice Bath!  Cold temperatures will restrict blood vessels (reduce swelling) and slow down the process of tissue breakdown.
Next, I would say to foam roll and stretching.  A deep tissue massage will break up that lactic acid, loosen up the muscles and keep the blood flowing.
And drinking some BCAAs following a workout is also great for muscle recovery!

ALL OF THESE THINGS I DID NOT DO!!!!

I do legs on Friday and this past Friday I got home and had enough time to change out of my gym clothes, feed and dress my kids and be out the door for my nephews baseball tournament.  Saturday morning was the exact same way.  But shame on me for not doing any of this when I got home on Friday.  By the time Saturday rolled around I was too miserable to even think.  Shamed to admit but I was even sore to the touch on the entire fronts of my legs.  I could barely sleep at nights all weekend because it hurt to lay on my sides and especially my stomach.  I had to wait for my husband to get home from work to carry the laundry from the basement to our room…..RIDICULOUS!!!


Monday morning rolled around and I was still sore.  So opted out of the gym for another day.  At this point it had been almost 3 days since leg day and I was feeling like some light walking may do me good.  I walked to my grandmas down the street and mowed her lawn and then walked home.  By the end of Monday I was feeling a lot better.


I think I learned my lesson to take care of my body but I am also proud of myself for listening to my body and taking the time it needed.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Day After Leg Day…..


I'll be honest, my workout today consisted of mowing my grandmas lawn! 
 Last Friday's leg day did a number on my legs.

Pioneer Day


Was feeling Festive on this Pioneer Day here in Utah.  I am wearing my blue pants and Bull Shirt!  The shirt is from Forever 21.  I had a great workout before the festivities began.

Back and Bicep with some cardio on the stair master….

Level: 100
5 Minutes forward stepping
5 Minutes side stepping left
5 Minutes side stepping right
5 Minutes forward, skipping every other step

Happy Pioneer Day Utah!

My Bones and My Soul


Because my bones needed some brownie bites and reeses tonight!  

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Leg day that lasted a week…..


This leg workout left me feeling it for a week!  I was sore clear until next leg day….not sure that is a good thing but I was sore in all the right places!  Outer butt, outer thigh.  I think this is on my agenda for this Friday's leg day.

ENJOY!

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

The 5 THEN 5 Workout


WALK for 5 minutes at the incline and speed suggested THEN run for 5 minutes changing the speed at each minute with no incline, Repeat 3 more times, THAT IS IT....pretty easy to remember!


Here is a tip:

 For the walking part is actually the hardest part ONLY IF you DO NOT HOLD ON. This speed is what I do but I am 5'9" and I know shorter legs need slower speeds to keep up, so adjust the speed if needed, just push yourself to not hold on.  Same with the running....you can go up by .5mph at each minute, it doesn't have to be an increase of one full speed.

ENJOY!

Monday, July 21, 2014

Questions from the pool


While vacationing in Las Vegas we hit up the pool at the Flamingo.  FYI, this pool is a party!  So if that is the crowd you are going for….. like booty shaking contest, seriously it was crazy, then you would have a blast here.  We opted for a more relaxed day the second day and went with Caesars Hotel pool.  It was much much more laid back and with an older and more mature crowd.

While at the pool I got all sorts of questions but the fitness related ones were such:

"Do you workout?"     YES!
"Do you lift weights?"    YES!
"Do you lift heavy weights?"     YES!
"Do you do cross-fit?"     NO!
"Do you drink beer and still look like that?"     NO!
etc…..

These people then go on to tell me how they want to workout and want to lift weights but they LOVE their alcohol.  Well I KNOW alcohol is not good for the diet if body fat is what you are trying to lose!  And people can want and wish all they want but actions speak louder than words.  

I got very nice compliments and it sure makes you feel good about yourself.  ONLY because I work my butt off!  I don't go through the motions when I workout.  I know I push myself very hard and don't take my workouts lightly.  I rarely miss a workout and it's nice to know hard work pays off.  





Running the Vegas Strip


This picture is simply because you can't go out for one of your most favorite runs on the Vegas Strip and not take a selfie!

If you have never ran down the sidewalk strip in Vegas it is a must next time you are there.  Make sure you head out early enough to beat the heat.  Trust me, you will not be the only runner/walker you pass. It is so dang much fun because sometimes you come to point along the sidewalk that makes you take stairs up and over to get to the connecting sidewalk so that always keep things interesting.  The sidewalk takes all sorts of twists and turns.  Then of course the people watching is awesome.  You will bump into folks just barely making their way home from the night before.  Brace yourself for some comments from drunks and what not.  And sadly you will pass many homeless people asleep on the sidewalks along the way.  Sure makes you feel blessed for all that you have.  Especially thankful  for good health, clean clothes, and showers!!!!!

(You can push play and join me for one sprint up on my instagram feed @haleya_fit_happens or on my Haley Adams- Fit Happens Facebook page). 


These are the stairs out in front of Fashion Show Mall on the strip.  These stairs are not part of the sidewalk so don't worry. HA HA HA!!  However, they did make for a great finale at the end of my run.  I sprinted up them skipping every other step as fast as I could then walked down catching my breath along the way.  Then repeated for a total of 10 stair runs.   




Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Peanut Butter Banana French Toast


Peanut Butter
Banana French Toast

2 Slices of Bread
dipped in a mixture of:
-1 whole egg 
-Almond milk
-dash of cinnamon

Cook. Cut.

For the Spread:
-1 TBS Almond Butter
-1 TBS PB2
mixed with almond milk to a spread like consistency

Cut up a banana and place on top of spread.
Top with sliced bread.

ENJOY!!!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Back & Tricep Workout


LOVED this workout I did last week.  Left me sore for a loooong time!  Do each circuit with reps of 10, 3x through.  Then move onto the next circuit.  Try it out!!  Don't give up on it cause you don't know what a move is, GOOGLE the exercise and a picture will show you.  Like those bent arm BB pullovers are awesome for your back and triceps!

BB=Barbell
DB=Dumbbell
SA=Single Arm

ENJOY

Monday, July 14, 2014

SWEAT or REGRET!



I am sure I don't know one person who has ever regretted working up a sweat with a workout...BUT I do know that I have regretted missing one! I hate that feeling, so I choose sweat! 

YOU DECIDE... 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Don't Forget to Ice Bath!!!


I finished my last workout of the week and I had a feeling there was no way I was getting around not taking an ice bath.  They make me feel so much better and I never regret not doing it and I always regret when I don't.  My glutes are sore to the bone in both cheeks!

How I take my Ice Bath:

Turn the faucet on to cold, no hot AT ALL (no cheating).

Dump your entire ice tray holder and any extra ice you have in the water.

Fill the water up until when you sit down you are completely covered from the waist down.

Keep your toes out.

You can wear a shirt, scarf, coat whatever on top.

Hold a hot drink or check out things on your phone to pass the time.

10-12 minutes is all it takes.

AND last but most important…..WEAR UNDERWEAR!  that little bit helps between you and the water, TRUST ME!!  Talk about pain, I know from my experience.

Go ahead and look up all the amazing benefits of ice baths for sore muscles.  They are a must!


Friday, July 11, 2014

Some Cardio AND Legs/Outer Thigh Work

To see this actual exercise, you can find it on my INSTAGRAM feed:

@haleya_fit_happens


These are also great for your legs/outer thigh AND it gives you a little bonus of some cardio.

INCLINE: 5.0% - 8.0%

SPEED: 5.0 mph

TIME: 30-45 seconds left and don't forget the right!!!

CATCH YOUR BREATH

REPEAT

ENJOY!!!

Chicken Salad

CHICKEN SALAD



Canned chicken breast (like tuna but chicken, Costco)
Grapes
Slivered Almonds
Plain Greek Yogurt
Chopped carrots, celery, onion
Dash of onion salt
Dash of garlic salt


You can eat this many different ways:

Tortilla or Wrap
Sandwich Thin
Pita
OR-
just eat it right out of the bowl

So Easy and Delicious!

FIRE WALKS

To see this actual exercise, you can find it on my INSTAGRAM feed:

@haleya_fit_happens



FIRE WALKS: I don't know what they are called but it's what I call them cause if they don't set your flutes on FIRE then you must have buns of steel (or you are doing them wrong).

-Stand on a resistance band with feet barely shoulder width apart.
-get low.
-5-10 steps right pushing the band out with a knee drive across when you switch directions.
-5-10 steps left.
-2x each way
-For the burn, in place drive your knees across your body pushing your legs out, back and forth until your buns are smoking.

This is a great little extra credit move to throw in on your leg day between exercises.

ENJOY!

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Slow and Steady Wins the Race


If weightloss is your goal, this is something cool to think about!  Sounds like an attainable goal to me…


You want true, honest, fat loss to take time and be slow.  That is the kind of weightloss that you are more likely to keep off.  Losing 5 pounds in a week sounds fabulous but I hate to break it to you but a good chance none of that 5 pounds was any fat :(  

SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

COTTAGE CHEEEESE

One of my favorite snacks and sources of protein:

COTTAGE CHEESE!


Cottage cheese has always been around, long before greek yogurt come around and started becoming so famous.  Cottage cheese is not only an awesome source of protein but it's very high in calcium.  Also an essential amino acid and great source of vitamin B12….that's some good stuff!  Brands like Daisy low fat cottage cheese have just four ingredients, so it's a "clean" food that packs in some serious nutrition.  I get my cottage cheese from Costco.  It is Darigold brand.


I know some people just can't like cottage cheese or even learn to like it.  I guess it's a texture thing or that it's a dairy product.  Thankfully I have always loved cottage cheese, even plain by itself.  Lately I have been loving cottage cheese with sliced bananas, cinnamon and almond butter (just try it).  Cottage cheese goes great with almost any fresh of frozen fruit.  You can even throw in a handful of nuts too.  If you are one to not like cottage cheese but are dying to get in all the nutritious benefits, I often use cottage cheese in my pancake/waffle mix.  When you blend it all up in your blender it becomes like a pancake batter, smoooooth….no weird texture!

mmmmmm good! 

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Muscle Beats Fat


Obviously!  But still women worry that building up your biceps and shoulders will make them bigger.  Stop Worrying!  All that muscle can actually help you slim down, even while you are sitting in a lounge chair at the pool.  A pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat while just sitting at rest.  


Women tend to forget about the post-lifting burn…..what happens after a post lifting workout?  Your body uses oxygen to refuel your tired muscles and this gives you a metabolic boost you don't get after simply doing cardio.


And to state the obvious, muscle is more compact than fat which gives us ladies a leaner appearance the more you have.

LIFT WEIGHTS!

Monday, July 7, 2014

MOVE ON


Aren't holidays the best?!  I hope you all had a great long weekend and enjoyed every minute!

For some Monday Motivation for you and myself, I found this little reminder and loved it!  This can describe some individuals MOST important weight loss tip.  Let's do our best to make our week 100% and we fall, get up and MOVE ON!

Afternooner…….


I missed my morning workout for some Hot Air Balloons in Provo with the family.  Totally worth it to spend time with them.  However, I do hate missing my morning workouts because a good workout sets a good tone for my day.  It is my morning medicine but sometimes I have to take my medicine in the afternoon but I always make sure to take it!  
I took myself some C4 by cellucor because I knew I was going to need a major boost.  And mind you minutes before this workout I sat on my butt for 3 hours and watched the new Transformers in theaters.  So I needed something MAJOR and I also knew that if I wore my polar watch and set a calorie goal it would be a little more motivating.  I did my "mile, on mile, on mile" workout.  I really really like this workout method.  
Pick a cardio machine of choice and go for one mile.  Choose another and go for one mile.  Choose another and so forth.  You can repeat a mile on the same machine if needed.  You can go at your pace or push yourself past your comfort zone.   For this day I was able to get in 7 miles on various machines in under 1-hour.  The time flew by!

I also grabbed an old T-shirt and cut it to make a new racer back workout tank.  Super easy to do.  I have posted a step-by-step on how to do this a while back.  There are also several how to do's on Pinterest for making workout shirts from T-shirts.  

Thursday, July 3, 2014

The STARS and STRIPES Workout



Here is a FULL BODY WORKOUT you can enjoy before all of your 4th of July festivities begin!  Don't just do cardio, add in some weight training and burn double the calories and keep those calories burning all day long while your muscles work hard to repair themselves!  After this workout you should have no guilt indulging in some holiday BBQ's.

What you will need:

Grab yourself a few pairs of different weighted dumbbells because some exercises you will not be able to lift as heavy as others and vice versa, a mat in case you need some cushion for your back during a little ab work and cozy up with a treadmill.  When I do these types of workouts I pick a treadmill on the end or in the corner and own that space.  People will be wishing they were doing what you were doing instead of boredly ellipticizing away!  Sheesh, they might even burn a few extra calories for themselves watching you kick your own butt!  Push yourself, little to no rest between exercises and on those 1-minute treadmill runs, SPRINT as fast as you can, it's only 1 minute :)

Not sure what a move is- bodybuilding.com or Google are great.  Just type in the exercise and images and videos will help you out.

ENJOY!


Wednesday, July 2, 2014

There Is Still Time To Enter the GIVEAWAY

There is still time to enter the handfuls of Cellucor samples and Alpha Amino giveaway- "One for you, and one for @______" All you have to do is go a few posts back in my feed to the ORIGINAL giveaway photo from Monday and tag your friend , That Is It! 




The only rule that guarantees your win is that both you AND your friend are following: @haleya_fit_happens -that's me,  Easy and fair enough right? Winners will be announced Friday, July 4th!

Are You Good 2 Go?


These bars…… SOOOOOOO YUMMY!  They have been my life saving on the go snack!  I take one with me everyday everywhere I go.  I store them in my freezer and take one out and by the time I need it it's ready to go.  They have been my favorite treat to take to the pool lately.  It's so hard not to eat 3 a day.  This flavor, peanut butter chocolate chip…I am very fond of!  I like these more than any protein bar I have had.  Yes, even more so than the Quest bars! 

-18g protein
-4g fiber
-gluten free
-low sodium
-no trans fat
-essential fats
-no preservatives
-naturally flavored
-contains omega 3's
-WHEY protein isolate

If you live in the Utah they can be found in the refrigerators at Good Earth, Harmons, Macey's, Real Food, Whole Foods, Ridleys, Dan's, and BYU campus.  BYU, Utah, USC, Florida, and Villanova all buy these bars for their college athletes!

For non-Utah people, you can order them at www.g2gbar.com I may or may not just have ordered 7 boxes that I have hidden away in my freezer.  This flavor……Is worth every penny.  If you get yourself some and decide I am up in the night, I will buy them off you!

You can also follow them on Instagram: @g2gbar 

When you eat one, you'll know!

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Tricep Workout W/ Active Rest and BONUS abs



This is similar to the Bicep, Back and Shoulder workouts I posted last week. It follows the same concept: complete each lettered circuit 3-4x. Go from one exercise to the next with no rest. Catch your breath at the end of each ab exercise before repeating the circuit. ✅ EX: do the exercises in "A" back to back with no rest. Rest after you complete the ab exercise. Repeat "A" 2-3 more times for a total of 3-4 total rounds.

P.S.  If you don't know what an exercise is, www.bodybuilding.com has a search box.  Just type in the exercise and an image and demo will show you.  Or GOOGLE will also show you images of all these exercises.  

ENJOY!!!