Superbowl Snacks

Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner which means junk food and beer!  If you're trying to keep it healthier this Sunday, check out some healthier snack ideas below!

 I get Food Should Taste Good Multigrain Tortilla style chips or Beanitos black or white bean chips!

*Homemade Guacamole
-Combine chunks of avocado with salt, pepper, lemon or lime juice and chopped red onion (or onion powder!)

*Fresh Salsa
-Most grocery stores should have fresh made salsa in their produce section.  Check out the ingredient list though, as i've found some places put in sugar while others don't.  If your looking to make your own fresh salsa, mix together the following ingredients: (chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, diced bell pepper, diced/seeded jalapeno, minced garlic, salt, pepper, lime juice, parsley and a little olive oil.

*Veggies & Hummus
-Sliced peppers, carrot sticks, celery sticks, almost every veggie that you enjoy raw would be great with hummus!

*Jalapeno Yogurt Dip (play around with amounts of spices to your liking)
-Greek Yogurt or Low Fat (Plain) (Drain yogurt first)
-Jalapeno (or more if you like hot)
-Onion
-Bell Pepper
-Garlic or garlic powder
-Salt
-Paprika
-Chili Powder
--chop jalapeno, onion, bell pepper and garlic and mix in food processor

Stick to ligher beers and watch for the sugar consumption if drinking liquor drinks.  Watch portion sizes and most importantly, have fun and enjoy yourself!

HIIT Workout

30 seconds work 10 seconds rest
5 rounds

Bosu Hop Overs (could do on a mat or bench)
MB V Raise
Bosu Mt. Climbers
Quick Lateral Hops
Bosu Push up with Cross Overs
Plank Push Up/Plank Jack
High Knee Fake Jump Rope
Starters

Pushing yourself as fast as you can for those 30 seconds!  work work work!

Gym Pet Peeves

I see a lot of things going on in the gym on a daily basis.  Being there everyday has lead me to observant of everything going on around me, so I thought i'd make a fun little post about my gym pet peeves!

1.  Not wiping off equipment.  While I rarely use the machines, I witness many people not wiping down the equipment after they hop off.  It takes 2 seconds to wipe it off, so just do it.  No one wants to sit down in your sweat!

2.  Holding onto the treadmill handles.  I see this alllllllllll the time.  And not just with walkers, but with sprinters!!!! The only time I don't mind seeing this is if the person is older or if the person has balance issues.  Otherwise, if you are a perfectly healthy person, pick a speed or incline in which you don't have to hold on.  Holding onto the handles makes you not work as hard and gives you bad form.  I've seen sprinters holding on to the very top while leaning back or leaning way forward.  It hurts just looking at them.  

3.  Taking someones equipment without asking.  Unlike some, I put my stuff away when i'm done.  If it's not put away, i'm still using it.  I have no problem sharing equipment while i'm doing a different exercise.  Just be polite and ask first :)

4.  Cardio queens.  I see so many woman from week to week using the same cardio machine for at least an hour.  Same machine.  Same Pace.  Same amount of time.  Every week.  And no strength training.  I understand everyone has their "favorite".  But i've seen girls before hop on a different machine because their normal ones weren't available.  And the minute someone gets off they run to it.  While cardio is important for our health, our bodies are great at adapting.  That means if you only do 1 machine at the same pace and the same amount of time week after week after week, your body will get so used to it and it won't be as effective anymore which means you won't be burning as many calories.  Best advice is to change up your cardio on a weekly basis.  Do different machines and intervals so it'll keep your body guessing.  And add in strength training!

5.  The people drinking a soda or eating M&M's while working out.  Yes, i've seen it.

6.  Reading or watching the tv while on a machine.  This wouldn't be so bad if you were working hard enough, but everyone I see who is "reading" or really getting into what their watching are going at a very slow pace.  Try making a playlist with some good beats, and leave the book/magazine at home and turn off the tv.  You'll push yourself more when you aren't distracted!

7.  Healthy people taking the elevator.  Really?!?

What are your gym pet peeves?

HIIT Cardio Workout

Some days, the last thing I feel like doing is cardio.  You could say I have a bit of cardio ADD.  For this reason i'll try to make my cardio workouts more creative to try to make the time to go by faster.  Here is the last HIIT workout I did this week...give it a try!

Get creative and feel free to use different machines if there are ones you like better.  I just like switching up between 3 machines sometimes as it keeps me from getting bored!

Rower: 5 minute warm up, 5 minute speed intervals (1 Minute super fast, 1 minute slow)

Stepper: 10 minutes total.  1 minute speed intervals with 1 minute recovery interval

Arc Trainer: 5:00-1:00 X 5

Minutes 5:00-0:00 30 second speed intervals with 30 second recovery intervals
*After your first round of 5 minutes, hop off and do 10 mt. climbers with a burpee 5X and 15 plank jacks
Hop back on the arc trainer and now do 4:00-0:00 hop off do your bodyweight cardio, then 3:00-0:00, 2:00-0:00, 1:00-0:00

So you will have done this set for about 15 minutes!  You'll be a sweaty mess by the end!