Personal Training

Exercise Tips and TEA!

Posted on by Naomi

PLEASE UPDATE YOUR READERS IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING UPDATES!!Whats shakin?! How is everyone Monday going? Mine is just great. It is weird going back to work after 2 weeks off, but work hard play hard, right? Are some of you back to work after a long hiatus? happy? sad? mixed emotions about it?



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I left you Saturday and that night, J and I went out to dinner to a great local restaurant.

We started with the special salad which was arugula, blue cheese, fresh avocado, pears and artichoke heart (s) I say that because there was only that measly little one in the bottom left corner. Oh well, the salad was still great! I am not a huge fan of blue cheese but once in a while its tasty!


Crusty bread and hummus

I got the spicy chicken sandwich with lettuce tomato and a side salad instead of the fries. It was slathered with a cajun mayo aoili. So tasty! I never order grilled chicken sandwiches at restaurants and I have no idea why! I think of them more as a lunch food, but in no way was this just a lunch meal. I loved it! I didn’t eat the bun either because I had some flat bread out of the basket.

J got the meatloaf that was as big as his head! I am not a fan of meatloaf, but its one of his favorite comfort foods, so mashers and meatloaf it was!
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Sunday was filled with lots of errands! 
Breakfast was first. Berry berry oats w/ 1/2 banana and lots of cinnamon!

We stopped at the mall and walked through Bloomingdales. Look what I found!
The cutest espresso cups!
We had some amazing tea at a restaurant the other day and were determined to buy some loose leaf tea. Teavana was the perfect spot!

We got two different loose teas. Blueberry Bliss and Rooibos Chai
Blueberry Bliss. Look at all the large pieces of blueberries and cranberries in there. It smelled like heaven.

Dropped 1.5 Tsp per 8oz of water in the tea pot.

Pour in the hot water and let it sit for about 4 minutes. Then simply place it over a cup and press down. The tea falls into the cup and leaves the loose tea in the container. I forgot to snap a shot of the final product but it was beautifully purple-y red. It tasted so fruity and sweet. I couldn’t believe all that flavor came from this tea! 

Dinner was broccoli rabe, roasted cauliflower, italian zest tofu and a piece of Joseph’s pita which was dipped in hummus.
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Today started off with a 4.3 mile run BRIGHT and early at around 6:15. I had work at 5, so  I just snuck this right in at work! It felt great! I really wish it wasn’t cold out so I could run outside, I know this is so much better for my training for a possible half marathon or at least 10k
1/3 C oatbran, cinnamon, 1/2 banana, 5 frozen cherries, chia. (Crazy Richards on the side!)
Chob’s with cinnamon a few hours later

WIth some of these babies (Kays Natural’s Cookie Bites)

Lunch was a ensalada grande
  • black beans
  • yellow pep
  • cauliflower
  • lettuce
  • snap peas
  • balsamic vinegar
Side of the When pigs fly low carb bread, italian zest tofu, dollop o’ hummus
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I also recieved my bottle that I won from Eatcleanlivegreen. Thanks Allison!!

Its perfect! I cannot wait to use this in the gym today! 
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So many of us have new years resolutions having to do with ‘getting healthier’ and ‘exercising’ or changing up our routines. New year, new you, no time like the present right? At work this week I have already had many newcomers join our gym and ask for a new kick start program to shake things up and really kick them into gear! I love how the new year gives so many people new found motivation to start getting healthier and THIS is why i LOVE being a personal trainer. I am not only a trainer, but a motivator, a little kick in the butt for those who need it and I love giving people the gift of health!

Here are some great tips to change up your routine and blast out of that rut!
  • instead of normal plie squats, try 10 normal plie squats, then 10 raising your left heel, 10 raising your right heel, then 10 with both heels lifted off the ground
  • Instead of walking lunges, try walking lunges with a bicep curl. Everytime your foot hits the ground, slowly curl your arms up, keeping them close to your body engaging your biceps. 
  • Instead of walking uphill on a treadmill, try one minute side shuffling LEFT leg first, then switch to the other side, then try walking backwards, alternating a minute each. (keep your speed at about 2.5 and incline at about 5% grade)
  • Instead of squats, try squats throwing the medicine ball up and against a wall. Squat down and every time you come up throw the medicine ball against the wall, catch and squat back down. Repeat for 1 minute.
  • Instead of the plank on the mat, try the plank on a stability or BOSU ball. If you are really feeling strong, try bringing one knee into your chest, then alternate bringing the other knee in.
  • Instead of shoulder press with a bar, try a upright vertical row–>shoulder press with the bar. Two moves in one!
  • Instead of oblique crunches on the mat, try side crunches on the stability ball. You may need to anchor yourself during this exercise by placing your feet against the base of a wall Lie with you left side on the ball. Stagger your feet so that your right leg is in front of your left leg. Place your hands behind your head. Crunch your body to the right side, lifting your left side off the ball. Move in a straight line. Hold at the top for 1 second as slowly lower to the starting position. Repeat on the other side.
  • instead of warming up on the stair master, try facing backwards and doing it this way. You will hit different muscle groups then facing the ‘normal’ way. It hits your inner and outer thighs.
  • Instead of doing doing dumbbell chest press with your back flat on the bench, use the stability ball as your bench. Rest your neck on the ball and extend your feet so they are flat on the ground. Keep your hips up and this will hit your glutes while performing your chest exercise at the same time!

I am off to the gym for a weight training session with my trainer! I will be sure to spill the workout afterwards!

  • What is your ‘instead of’ to make a normal exercise more challenging?
  • What have you been doing to make some of your 2010 goals attainable
  • Do you use an aluminum bottle or do you refill plastic bottles?
LOVE YOU!



Naomi
Naomi

34 thoughts on “Exercise Tips and TEA!”

  1. Jessica @ How Sweet says:

    I love plie squats with heels rasied! They are TOUGH! Also, I just love your freakin’ pink oats everyday!! I need to start adding berries. I wanted to eat pink oats everyday, too. 🙂

  2. Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga) says:

    “Blueberry Bliss. Look at all the large pieces of blueberries and cranberries in there. It smelled like heaven.”—you have painted such a great pic that I think I need to hunt this tea down. BAck in san diego i lived 5 mins from a teavana but never bought anything b/c i always assumed it was too $. I need to try their stuf though!

    Aluminum vs. plastic…TOOO ironic. I was JUST going to post something in a partially prewritten post about this. Re-useable bottles all the way for us. for the past 4 yrs. We’ve been on this path for awhile 🙂

  3. Abby (Nibble, Nourish, Run) says:

    Oooh Teavana yay! Heart that place. Great tips too – must implement a few of those in my workouts! To make my 2010 goals attainable I make them realistic! No drastic diets or crazy workout routines…just refocusing on being happy and healthy!

  4. Missy says:

    Great workout tips! I do intervals instead of just walking at one speed the whole time! To make my goals attainable, I’ve been doing lots of Core Fusion! Eek plastic bottles. Haha I’m bad.

  7. chrystad72 says:

    Teavana rocks my world!! they have the best stuff. The Blueberry bliss tea you got sounds amazing. Id love to try that out.

    Thanks for the awesome workout routine suggestions. They are fabulous. Im looking to change up my routine, kind of stuck in a rut and these examples you gave were great! Thanks!

    For my cardio Ive been really working on intervals. My HRM has been such an amazing tool through out this. Ive also started taking some different classes at the gym and started a 30 core fusion challenge! So makes my workouts more challenging and is helping me to stick to my goals!

    I always use aluminum bottles at the gym. Just always have=) I have a couple I rotate between.

    Have an awesome Monday (and first day back to work!)

  8. Marisa (Loser for Life) says:

    Don’t ya just love hummus?! YUM!

    Loving all your eats – that ensalada grande was fabulous!

    Thank you for sharing those tips. I never thought about the side shuffle or walking backwards on the treadmill!

  10. homecookedem says:

    I was back to work after 2 weeks off also. Is it bad that I’m already counting down the days until spring break??

    I love tea so much!! I drink a big cup of green tea every day and I swear it’s the reason I don’t get colds very often (watch me get sick tomorrow, haha!).

  11. sprinkledwithcinnamon says:

    All that Hummus!! Haha we eat very similarly ;)…humhum goes with everything!
    And I have one of those Bloomies mugs! I just love the place, what can I say- along with Nordstrom I consider it to be my mothership (especially the shoe section).
    I tend to use the rubbermaid refillable plastic bottles- but I do want to get an aluminum one for when I get back to school! I love the tips you gave- I’m going to try to mix up my lunges and plies a little…those along with squats are my fave moves 😉

  13. Julie says:

    i’ve alwaaays wanted to dabble with looseleaf tea! and the honkin huge blueberries look so good! i have got to get my hands on some looseleafers sometime soon.

    i’m a big ole fan of the water bottle to go. i’m always a thirsty mo fo so its good for those things!

  14. MelindaRD says:

    Great tips. I am just happy if I make it to the gym. I did make it for 45 minutes of cardio today, which was a good start to a new year. I actually had time. I agree it was hard to get back into work after 2 weeks, and subbing at the middle/high school got crazy today, but when the day ends at 2:30 I love that I can head to the gym 3-4 and then go home and it is not too late.

  16. Mari says:

    yums those berry oats look so good…how exactly do you make that? just cut up berries and mix it around the oats?

    I love these workout tips!

  17. lizzy says:

    i wish you lived closer too so we could train for half marathons together! perhaps we could do virtual bloggie runs. keep eachother motivated!!! something we can think about!!!!! Hope your monday was fab love! xoxoxo

  20. Kate says:

    I love teas with bits of real things in them – like almonds, blueberries, etc. That selection looks awesome.

    As for the exercise challenge, I can’t take credit for this one (talk to Jillian Michaels) but something called “plank jacks”: while holding plank position, move your legs like you’re doing jumping jacks – only parallel to the floor – it’s one of my favorites.

  21. greensandjeans says:

    That tea sounds incredible! In order to make some of my 2010 goals attainable I’ve set up some training calendars and started doing some research into some travel plans I want to follow through on! I have been on the SIGG train for a couple of years now with no plans to turn back!

  29. april says:

    I’m so jealous of that tea! I drink tea so much that I’d be in heaven at that place!

    And I love the squats with heel raises.. it kills your calves! haha.

    Oh and I’ve always had wordpress so I’m not sure about your questions about switching over 🙁 haha

  30. healthhappinesshope says:

    Sounds like a great weekend! That tea looks fabulous… what a fun store!

    LOVE your tips to switch up exercises. It is important to try new things in the New Year and expand our horizons, and exercise is the perfect way to do that.

    xxoo
    Heather

  32. findinghappinessandhealth says:

    these are some really gerat tips!! making me wish i could work out right about now 🙁 and omg thank you so much for the link for the reader- it wasn’t working and it was making me angry haha. your eats look delicious- i love huge salads !! i wish we lived closer too so we could have a meetupp.. maybe one day? haha

    xoxo
    shelley

  33. swankyrd says:

    Thanks for the workout tips! It might be just what I need to spruce up my routine.
    My biggest goal for the New Year is just to be more consistent with exercise since I am known to skip out on a workout from time to time. So far so good!
    That tea looks amazing.

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