Weekend Challenge May 18th and 19th… Almost

Excuse my tardiness! It almost doesn’t count as a weekend challenge when I post something on Sunday. GOSH, silly me. Between my roommate going out of town, a Skype session, and addictive jewelry making, I forgot about you! Please don’t be mad.

So today, and maybe yesterday, your challenge is/was just to be active. Do something outside, do everything outside. Go for a walk or run, go canoeing, go to the beach, plant new flowers and veggies in the garden, anything. I hope you could do this yesterday without me asking you to, but today I’m telling you to instead.

I leave for a family vacation to the Grand Canyon on Wednesday. Before that I am hoping to post some two-for-one exercises that work your whole body (for the days when you just don’t have much time, or for those who really don’t like using weights).

Have an awesome rest of the weekend!

Good Things 🙂

FS&JJ

Weekend Challenge May 11th and 12th

Here’s to the weekend! Time to kick back and relax, whether relaxing means hanging out on the couch or doing something active with every moment of your free time, it’s the not-being-at-work part that really counts. So, how are you spending your weekend?

Hopefully you incorporate this weekend challenge into your Saturday and Sunday morning. When you roll out of bed, whether it be before you wash your face and brush your teeth or while breakfast is cooking, try to get your metabolism awake with this mini total body workout.

50 Jumping Jacks
20 Push Ups
20 Lunges (each side)
30 second Wall Sit
50 Crunches
1 minute plank

This week I made this crock pot macaroni and cheese recipe. However, instead of using two cups of macaroni I substituted half of that with about a cup or cup and a half of cauliflower. I used frozen cauliflower, heated it up a bit so I could tear it into “macaroni-sized” pieces, and dumped it in the crock pot. It was good! Something needs to be added to the recipe to give it a bit more flavor. I used a little ketchup this time, but I’m hoping to find something else to make it taste cheesier. Any suggestions?

Tomorrow is the first Lil’ Kickers (soccer) practice. The soccer portion of Lil’s is my FAVORITE! A friend I’ve known from 4th grade is visiting this week. We’ll hit up the beach and hopefully head to Disney on Sunday. One of my life mottos: When in doubt, DISNEY!

Everyone have an awesome weekend. Spend some time outside. You’ll feel better, I promise.

Good Things 🙂

FS&JJ

Weekend Challenge May 4th and 5th

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In honor of the weekend holiday you have one and a half challenges. The “one” because you have to and the “half” because it would be cool if you did. So here you go.

One: Try this holiday-inspired exercise. Lay something down on the floor, like a jump rope or long towel, use a tile line in the kitchen, the meeting of the wood floor and carpet, a sidewalk crack etc. Basically, you need something to jump over. Start on one side, and simply hop back and forth from one side of the line to the other. I’m calling this the “Mexican Jumping Bean.” Hop as fast as you can back and forth for 30-60 seconds Saturday and Sunday before every meal and every time you get up from sitting for a long time. Wake up those stiff limbs and that metabolism. Play some spicy music while you do it for extra credit.

Half: Find a healthy Mexican recipe to make once this weekend. Whether it be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A family favorite or a new experiment. You may find some ideas here, or you can easily google something like “Healthy Cinco de Mayo recipes”.

On an unrelated noted, National Star Wars Day, tomorrow is. Use the force and stay healthy!

Good Things 🙂

FS&JJ

Beach-Ready Arms

Hi all! Here’s another arm day set to try. I did it this morning and I’m starting to get a little sore already. Must be an acceptable workout.

Finish all exercises in the set, rest, and then repeat a total of 3 times before moving on to the next set. How-to pictures are posted for *ed exercises below the workout.

1st Set
*Bicep Curl with 90 degree hold  3×10 each arm
*Hammer Curl with 90 degree hold   3×10 each arm
*Wide Bicep Curl with 90 degree hold   3×10 each arm
Lat Pull-Downs 3×20

2nd Set
*Single-arm tricep kick-backs 3×15 each arm

3rd Set
*L-Raise   3×10
*L-Rotation   3×15

4th Set
Regular Pushups 3×15
Diamond Pushups 3×15

Bicep Curl with 90 Degree Hold- Step 1

Bicep Curl with 90 Degree Hold- Step 2

Hammer Curl with 90 Degree Hold- Step 1

Hammer Curl with 90 Degree Hold- Step 2

Wide Curl with 90 Degree Hold- Step 1

Wide Curl with 90 Degree Hold- Step 2

Tricep Kickback- Step 1 (one arm at a time!)

Tricep Kickback- Step 2 (one arm at a time!)

L-Raise- Step 1

L-Raise Step 2

L-Rotation- Step 1

L-Rotation- Step 2

I used 8lb weights for every exercise that used dumbbells. Use a weight that you really feel but can finish through all sets. The first couple times you do it, you may need to drop down in weight for your third set. That’s fine. Just finish all of the reps!

Let me know how you do!

Good Things 🙂

FS&JJ