Final Day of Boot Camp: Zzzzzz.....

Final Boot Camp Day:  Rest & Relaxation.....

My cure to everything is 8 hours of sleep.  I love sleep.  I know this because I love to go to sleep and I hate getting up.  So in those 8 restful hours something magical must be transpiring!  

Honestly, today was a lay on the couch and just be lzy day.  Best end to a full week of Boot Camp.  Enjoy!

Boot Camp Week: A Little Music To Pump You Up

Boot Camp Week: Mid Section Extravaganza

I had to take a break from the outside boot camp for a day!  It is almost 100 degrees PLUS an obscene amount of humidity.  Holy Hotness Batman....

The below shirt I bought for $5 and feel so happy when I wear it.  Who doesn't love a shirt with Super Woman, Wonder Woman & Cat Women?

Ok, let's get to business.  You are probably wondering what the heck I am doing.....That's ok so was my husband.

Meet my 2 pound Reebok ankle weights that I keep under my bed. Purchased at Target (also found at Marshall's) for $12.99.

We can't forget about the Mid Section during boot camp week.  Do 75 bicycle crunches with 2 pound weights to show your abs who's boss!  You can obviously do these without the weights too but the weights will create more of a challenge for you.

Why Are Bicycles So Effective?

The reason why it's so good is that it brings more abdominal muscles into play than any other ab exercise. That also makes it even more important that you have good form throughout.

TIPS on the Perfect Bicycle Crunch

--Breathe steadily, try and get into a rhythm.
--Keep your core muscles braced throughout, this will ensure your lower back stays pressed against the floor.
--Focus on making your abdominal muscles do the work.
--Don't push your head forward with your hands, this will put pressure on your neck. Lightly support your head with your fingers behind your ears.
--Your elbows don't need to touch your knees.
--Don't lose form just to complete the set. If you're struggling then stop and rest.

Boot Camp Week: One Time In Band Camp........

Spend 30 minutes doing the bleachers workout for a little splash of cardio with a side of muscle building....

Ok, here we go!  If you are in a city that is too hot to be outside you can go to a recreation center and use a basketball court with bleachers.  Worst case scenario go to the gym and use a stair step machine.

1.  Warm up for 5 minutes with a power walk or jog. 

2.  For 5 minutes go up the stairs using every step (slow and steady pace).

3.  For 5 minutes go up the stairs using every other step (slow and steady pace).

4.  For 5 minutes go up the stairs at a fast pace (safely) using every step.

5.  Repeat steps 2, 3 & 4 for 5 minutes each.

6.  Cool down for 5 minutes with a brisk walk.

Enjoy!

xo,

Sarah

High School Boot Camp Day 2: Don't Just Sit The Sidelines

Don't Just Sit The Sidelines!

Haha....while Jessica & I were doing a training session at the local high school we ran into some high school seniors from the football team.  They were laughing at us as we did sprints around the track and took pictures.  They kept screaming and asking if we were taking pictures for Facebook.  So we asked them to pose for a picture and they did.....what great sports they were!

Instead of sitting on the sidelines we created our own boot camp (day 2).  

You know the term what goes up must come down?  Well on day 2 we incorporated some hills.....long steep hills.  Slow, steady and multiple hills.  You can also do these inside on a treadmill (thinking about my Vegas people).  Thankfully I live in a hilly neighborhood and can run about 6 or 7 hills in one run.

Jessica helped pose for the "must come down" part!  

BOOT CAMP DAY 2:  HILL WORKOUT

1.  Warm Up:  Jog/Walk for 5 minutes on incline 1.0 at speed 4.0. 

2.  Work: Either find a hill outside or on a treadmill go to incline 7.0 and run at speed 6.0 for 5 minutes.

3.  Recovery: Walk at incline 1.0 at speed 4.0 for 3 minutes.

4.  Repeat step 2 & 3 for 35 minutes.

5.  Cool Down: Walk for 5 minutes 

Why hills you ask?  Hills burn fat, build muscle and make our legs look amazing!

High School Boot Camp Week

GET READY:  It's High School Boot Camp Week!

Are YOU up for the challenge?

I wanted to incorporate some cross training into my workout routine so I jogged my way over to the local high school.  

Each day this week I will present to you a fun new way to change up your regular workout.

FIRST UP:  Sprints     

1.  Go to any track.  

For those of you in really hot places (Las Vegas for example) you can go to any recreational center and use a basketball court that has AC.   

2.  Walk four laps at a warm up speed.

3.  Jog four laps at a moderate speed

4.  Run four laps at a healthy pace where you are not sprinting but you can't carry on a conversation without losing your breath.

5.  Here is where the work begins:  Walk half way around the track and sprint full force ahead around the remaining half.  Time yourself & write the times down.  If you have a heart rate monitor record your max heart rate.  Repeat the sprint cycle for 10 laps.

6.  Run four more laps at a healthy pace where you are not sprinting but you can't carry on a conversation without losing your breath.

7.  Jog eight laps at a moderate speed

8.  Walk 10 laps to cool down

9.  If you do this 2-3 times a week and record your sprint times and heart rate maximum you can see your sprint speed improve (as well as your overall pace for running).  Pushing through your fitness threshold helps keep your body from plateauing.

Enjoy!  More BOOT CAMP to come tomorrow!

Jessica's Lifestyle Makeover Week 5

Goal Weight (by Oct 1): 140

Last Week's Weight:  164

This Week's Weight:  164

Total Weight Lost This Week:  0

Total Weight Lost Since May 30th: 8 

Win of the Week:  Jessica now fits back into her skinny jeans!  That is a reason to celebrate!  We all have those few articles of clothing we hang on to in the hopes of fitting into them someday!  Well.....Jessica actually fits into her favorite skinny jeans again.  She was pretty happy and wore the jeans a few night in a row out of sheer pride.  LOVE IT!

Lesson Learned:  Holiday Weekend + Guests In Town = Lots of Beer, Food & Celebrating.  Yikes!  It is SO HARD to follow a diet and exercise plan with a guest in town over a holiday weekend that revolves around BBQ's.....and honestly you don't want to pass those moments up.  So while Jessica didn't lose weight she didn't gain it either which is pretty exciting.  We will just incorporate a more strict regiment next week.     

My Recommendation for Holiday Weekends:  

1. Eat before you go to BBQ's so you're not STARVING when you get there.  If you are famished when you arrive it is likely you will have one piece of pie too many.
2. Meet up with people after everyone is done eating.  If you just don't have the willpower (that is me) then arrive a few hours after the party starts.  Then you won't be tempted at all....This of course is the less fun option....
3. Limit beer!  The term "beer belly" was not created from the lack of drinking beer.  It is empty calories, has no nutritional value and LOADED with calories. Check out my BBQ beer recommendations from a previous post HERE.

Float On by Modest Mouse

Happy Sunday!

Enjoy this song on your playlist

Skinny White Sangria

Here is my solution to a low calorie summer beverage for the holiday weekend:

Skinny White Sangria

(Thank you Bethenny Frankel)

8 peaches, pitted and sliced
4 white plums, pitted and sliced
1 pound green grapes, cut in half
3 bottles Prosecco (an Italian sparkling wine)
One 12-ounce can Fresca or diet lemon/lime soda
One 12-ounce can club soda

Below is a picture of my version.  I didn't exactly copy Bethenny's genius recipe but basically I put a bunch of fruit in some white wine with a bit of Fresca.  It turned out AMAZING!

This Counts As A Work Out Right?

If you need some Get Up & Go give me a ringy ding!

This is why you should coordinate what you wear
with your family PRIOR to leaving the house!  We are pattern OVERLOAD!

I am a VERY routine person on a daily basis (boring I know) so when I go to a new location I find it difficult to do my typical workout.  Especially when I am the same city as my family and friends (Las Vegas).  So being in Las Vegas for 7 days with a million distractions I defined workouts a little differently. Oh and did I mention it was 110 degrees outside?  There goes my daily outside runs....I thought I could work out at my sisters house but I totally forgot that people keep their AC at around 80 degrees....which to me is still too HOT!   I did the best I could and found a workout that suited my needs.

Check out my 5 hour workout that left me SO tired but incredibly satisfied....

My AMAZING friend Shana Dahan from ColorBlind took me on an adventure I will never forget.  Thrifting!  Yes, I count 5 hours of trying on clothes a workout.  I was sweaty and starving afterward and had to have burned at least 500 calories.  I tried on over 75 outfits people!  That is NOT and easy task.  

Shana basically took me to a few thrift shops with the intention of getting me out of my fashion comfort zone.  I bought things like 70's onsies and "Oksie Woksies" which are shirts made prior to 1990.  Every time she picked something up I made a "that's ugly" face but she still made me try things on.  To my surprise I loved many of the items that looked "ugly" on the hanger.  You can see some of the items I tried on by clicking HERE.  I kept saying things to Shana like "I don't wear that style" or "that would look better on you."  She called me out and said I had too many rules.  Which was true.  

So my Lesson Learned: Get rid of your rules both in fashion and fitness.  Yes it was too hot in Vegas (still just an excuse not to work out) and NO I do not think onsies are my style (now I do though).  Change & personal growth don't happen by setting tons of expectations and rules for yourself.  Break out and do something a little different.