Personal Training
Snowed in? At Home Workout+Coconut Oil!
Well, well, well, we had quite the little snow day here in the Northeast yesterday. We never ‘really’ know the severity of the storm until it acutally happens. So many times the weather and newscasters say one thing and then the complete opposite happens. Weather is definately uncontrollable so we here are used to just waiting it out and seeing what happens. Well I woke up at around 7:30am on Wednesday morning and I honestly was a bit scared to look out of my window, knowing that I had work at 11:30am. I opened it up and BOOM, snow everywhere, weighing down trees, covering everything in sight.
It was the heavy, wet snow too, not the fluffy stuff that is easier to deal with. When this heavy stuff hits–its dangerous to drive and extremely hard to move.
Oh, Hi snow!
I went straight for this to warm me up! Just looking outside gave me the shivers!
Coffee with a splash of light cream and liquid stevia
And in the midst of this treterous snow storm, there was still a birdie coming to get some food!! I guess he missed the whole “fly South” train.
After some calls, emails and figuring out done–it was declared a snow day and no work! This meant I get to hang at home and relax. I loved staying in my PJs until about 10am!
I made myself a delicious breakfast (nothing crazy, just the usual oats and egg whites with some fresh berries and all natural peanut butter)
I cooked up 1/2 C egg beaters (I was out of egg whites, but I much prefer the whites to the beaters!) I simply scrambeled them up in a pan and when they were still hot, threw on some frozen raspberries and fresh blueberries on top
Next layer is the oatmeal! I cook it low and slow on teh stove top (I find it gives it a more doughy and thick consistancy) I added nutmeg and cinnamon towards the end. Extra cinnamon on top!
Perfect to eat while watching the snow!
I checked some emails, did some blogging and then I decided I should work out and get it over with. We happen to have a mini gym in my basement which is great for days like these! We have a treadmill, full set of weights from 3-20lbs, a stability ball, bosu ball and about 4 mats (why 4? I don’t know but I do know that we will never need more mats!)
I hit the treadmill for 30 minutes starting off with incline walking
- Speed was set at 3.8 and I started at an incline of 5, increasing the incline by 1 every 2 minutes (trying to maintain the speed)
- Incline 4, minutes 1-4 (warm up)
- Incline 5, minutes 4-6
- Incline 6, minutes 6-8
- Incline 7, minutes 8-10
- Incline 8, minutes 10-12
- Incline 9, minutes 12-14
- Incline 10, minutes 14-16
- Incline 11, minutes 16-18
- Incline 12, minutes 18-20 (<---speed decreased to 3.7)
- Incline 13, minutes 20-22 (<--speed decreased to 3.6)
- Incline 14, minutes 22-24 (<--speed at 3.6)
- Incline 15, minutes 24-26 (<--speed decreased to 3.5)
- Incline 10, minutes 26-27 (<--speed at 4.0)
- Incline 15, minutes 27-28 (<-- speed at 3.5)
- Incline 10, minutes 28-29 (<--speed at 4.0)
- Incline 0, minutes 29-30 (<--sprint at 9.0 speed)
This workout sounds easy, it is NOT! It is a fun change from boring old running on the treadmill (which I don’t even do anymore because I don’t enjoy long distance running) and the workout flys by!
Then I hit the mat for an abs circuit
**In between each abs circuit I went back on the treadmill for 5 minutes alternating between sprints and walking) SO, I completed 1 abs circuit, then 5 minutes on treadmill, then back to the mat for abs circuit then back to the tread and repeat once more for a total of 3 circuits
- Plank reach throughs (12 on each side)
- Bicycle crunches (45 seconds)
- Elbow plank on Bosu Ball with alternating knees to chest (12 each side)
- Reverse Crunches on mat (20)
**You do NOT need a gym to workout, I know I preach about this all of the time but I cannot stress enough that it is so true! You can use my workout bible to create your own workout. These workouts can be a combination of cardio and resistance training (using your own body weight!) Workout DVDs are also a great option when you are stuck at home!
Lunch time was eaten quickly after a shower! I recieved this Tropical Traditions coconut oil in the mail a couple of weeks ago. It came to my doorstep and I just stood there with my jaw open, I have never seen so much coconut oil in my life! I am a total coconut oil newbie–so please if you love the stuff and know fun ways to use it, just comment below and please share any insight! I am still getting used to using it!
From the Tropical Traditions website: As a cooking oil, its chemical structure is kept in tact and therefore is resistant to mutations of fatty acid chains even when used in higher cooking temperatures, unlike most vegetable oils. Research shows that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil boosts the body’s metabolism, raises body temperatures, and helps provide greater energy which can lead to weight loss.
I decided to give some coconut oil a try in my lunch! I sauteed some zucchinni and escarole in a pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil. At room temperature, the oil is solid but as soon as it hits heat it turns into a liquid which I discovered as soon as I held the spoon over the hot pan
I made a salad with arugula, mushrooms, cucumbers, red pepper and then I poured on the coconut oil vegetables right on the salad.
It was delicious! It has a light nutty flavor, but not too overpowering like a Pina Colada (I was scared it would taste like body lotion)
After I got some major cabin fever, I got creative in the kitchen for a bit. Next weekend I am going skiing with my family and so I decided to bake some cookies to freeze. For these cookies, I was not skimping on flavor, fat or anything of that sort! I turned to the Queen of baking, Ina Garten
Oh Yeah. The pictures do these cookies no justice. They are perfect, doughy middle, crispy bottom.
**Note I cut the recipe in half–below is the original recipe
- ½ lb unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- 1½ cups chopped walnuts, optional
To-Do
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cream butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or just use electric hand mixer). Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at at time, and mix well.
- Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter with the mixer on low speed, mixing only until combined. Fold in chocolate chunks (and walnuts, if using).
- Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1¾-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or a rounded Tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Yield: 36 to 40 cookies
ENJOY!!
Question of the day: What is your favorite cookie?
