Friday Links + Giveaway Fun
Before we get down to the Friday Links, I want to remind everyone to submit an entry for the Spring 2012 MCLV Giveaway! It’s easy to enter, just pick one of the four ways to enter listed in the Giveaway post, and you could win a $50 gift certificate to Bloomingdale’s. Just tell me what you’re looking forward to for Spring…
Good luck!
Health/Fitness:
Do you like to have a cup of coffee before your morning workout? Read Christopher Williams’s article on the Robb Wolf blog Caffeine & Performance about the relationship between physical performance and your daily caffeine consumption.
Need some new ideas for healthy breakfasts? OhSheGlows has the goods, from desserty goodness like Chocolate Cake Batter Overnight Oats (OH YUM) to fresh Spring produce filled Blueberry Vanilla Banana Soft Serve Overnight Oats.
Have you tried nutritional yeast yet? Personally I like to use it instead of cheese as a topping when I cook and love it in vegan cheese sauces, but it has even more uses. Interested in learning more? Check out One Green Planet’s Nutritional Yeast: Health Benefits, Tips & Recipes.
With the new Reebok backing, CrossFit is becoming even more mainstream. Are you interested in learning how CrossFit style workouts can potentially improve your health and tone your body? (You can even see my experiences here: Do you… CrossFit? My Personal CrossFit & How To Survive A CrossFit Meet)
- Carrots ‘n’ Cake – How 3 Months of CrossFit Changed My Body
- Holly Would If She Could – Discomfort & the Oboe Principle
- FitSugar’s Everything You Need To Know About CrossFit
Don’t have time for a full HIIT or Tabata cardio workout? Still hit the gym, jumping rope is a phenomenal workout and only takes minutes! Check out Jackie Warner’s 5 Favorite Jump Rope Moves from FitSugar.
Fashion:
Not sure what bag to invest in for Spring? FabSugar and Refinery 29 both have a gorgeous list of options for you – from Phillip Lim and Diane Von Furstenberg to Club Monaco and Zara.
Brave enough to try printed pants for Spring? Mama’s A Rolling Stone has done the leg work for you – Top Buys: Printed Jeans. Need some more convincing? See how Olivia Palermo and Jessica Alba make this trend work oh-so-well for them.
I found Refinery 29’s 29 of Fashion’s Biggest Mysteries, Solved! pretty interesting to read. From reality show myths debunked to background on prints, fashion insiders and brands.
In the mood for some more DIY? Check out this super easy & stylish decoupage tray from Refinery 29.
While I’ve never seen The Rachel Zoe Project, I do have to say that I love Rachel’s styling for clients as well as her personal style. Check out FabSugar’s segment: In Dress Distress? Rachel Zoe Answers Your Most Frequently Asked Styling Questions.
Links You’ll Love
Health/Fitness:
Need some good reading materials? Here are two healthy & nutrition related pieces to check out: Is Fructose Being Blamed Unfairly For The Obesity Epidemic from Science Daily and Dr. Terry Wahl’s video – Minding Your Mitochondria, about the unparalleled benefits of following a Hunter/Gatherer diet.
How to Fall In Love With Healthy Living from the amazing & hilarious Rachel Wilkerson – her latest article for Shape Magazine.
Interested in probiotics but not sure where to start? Here are a few pieces that you can read to help educate yourself: FitSugar’s The Pros of Probiotics and Choosing Raw’s Probiotics: To Take or Not To Take.
If you’re beginning a new workout regime or interested in really focusing your energy in order to get the best results possible at the gym than the word for you is INTERVAL. Intervals, Tabata & HIIT are the most effective ways to drop weight and build muscle through cardio. Here are some good basics to get you started:
- The Fitnessista – Tabata Training Intervals & Focus On: Tabata Training (scroll below the recipes)
- Erin Stern – Star Jumps
- Interval Training – Tabata Training : The Fastest Way to Fitness & Fat Loss
- Lean Gains– Intermittent Training & Stubborn Body Fat
- Jeanette Jenkins – Fat Blasting 10-Minute Workout
Fashion:
If you haven’t seen Garance Dore’s hysterical Fashion Week diaries they’re a MUST: Pardon My French Part I, Pardon My French Part II & Pardon My French Part III. Gorgeous shots from the shows, backstage and the parties & events, all narrated by . Too cute.
Spring staple to get your hands on? The shirtdress! The Stylist’s latest recurring series is called Lessons For A Modern-Day Lady and their most recent piece is titled: How To Wear A Shirtdress.
Fun boots were all over the runways for Spring, what version are you going to live in? Modelinia has models loving their brown, low heeled ankle boots, FabSugar has the How To on wearing Winter boots with breezy Spring looks, The Stylist shows chic celebrities in Rain Boots or you can try combat boots a la Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. What is the right style for you?
In the mood for some grown up arts & crafts? Check out FabSugar’s DIY: Make A Sequin-Collar Top video, Design Sponge’s DIY Project: Leather Lunch Tote or the great DIY: Beaded Collar Blouse post from Moda, Moda that found when I was working on the Freckles In April 10 Day Style Challenge.
Gym Goddess – Part V
Welcome to How to be a Gym Goddess Part V, if you’re new to this series feel free to check out Part I, II, III & IV at your leisure.
The goal of Week V was to increase Liz’s endurance further with longer cardio bursts, more HIIT and additional rounds & repetitions to lengthen the workouts.
*Note: Discuss changes to your fitness regime with a doctor in advance to avoid injuries.
Day 1: All HIIT, all the time.
10 minute cardio warm up
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
Repeat for 15 minutes of intervals
Change machines and do an additional 15 minutes of intervals (if possible you should use three different machines for the warm up, first 15 minutes and second 15 minutes, or you can jog in place or outdoors).
This ended up being the perfect start to the week, we were both suffering from a severe case of the Mondays and battling through headaches and knew that as awful as the gym sounded we’d be more well-adjusted individuals if we went. And we were!
Day 2: Play time! This workout was inspired by two articles that I read in Men’s Health (15 Minute Ski & Snowboard Workout and The Immortal Workout). What? My boyfriend just left it lying around… Couldn’t let it go to waste!
10 minute cardio warm-up
3 Rounds:
- Bosu medicine-ball twists – 10 (one twist left + one twist right = 1 rep)
- Bosu 180 jump – 10
- Lateral medicine-ball hop – 10 (one left + one right = 1 rep)
- Bosu Medicine-ball goblet squat – 10
- Bosu medicine-ball swings – 10
10 minute cardio warm-down
This workout was really fun once Liz got the hang of the individual moves — I suggest that you take some time to play around with them after you check out the Men’s Health descriptions, it’s a perfect little warm up.
Day 3: Mini workout – The goal with these smaller workouts is to get your heart rate up, so head down to the gym even if you only have 20 extra minutes. You’ll thank me afterwards. Promise. (And if you have more holiday traveling to do, why not try airplane yoga?)
10 minute cardio warm up
5 Rounds:
- 250M row
- 15 squat jumps
- 30 mountain climbers
10 minute cardio warm down
Stretching
Day 4: Shorter HIIT workout
5 minute warm up
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
Repeat for 15 minutes of intervals, change machines and do an additional 15 minutes of intervals
5 minute cool down (i.e. walking on a treadmill etc)
Weekend Goal: Before the weather gets too cold, get outside for some exercise. Go for a jog, take a long walk after dinner, walk to run your errands instead of driving, go for a hike. Do something outside and aim for at least an hour’s worth of exercise.
Looking for some new ways to spice up your workouts? Why not take a look at The Fitnessista’s Favorite Workouts of 2011 – From Bodyrock to fitness DVDs to dance classes, there’s something for everyone!
Need a little inspiration and entertainment before hitting the treadmill? Check out Modelinia’s Cardio Boot Camp with model Julie Henderson and trainer David Kirsch.
Happy almost Friday!
Gym Goddess – Part IV
Welcome to the next installment of the How to Become a Gym Goddess series (if you’d like to catch up, here are Week 1, Week 2 & Week 3).
Week IV ended up being particularly busy so it was the perfect example of how to squeeze workouts in whenever and wherever you can. Whether you’re trying to get in shape, working on changes in your life to make yourself healthier or trying to maintain your existing fitness regime, you need to make a committment to your health. You need to prioritize yourself – your body, your health, your sanity – over other things in your life. I’m not saying that you should miss deadlines to log a little gym time, but you need to make an effort to put yourself first. There will always be something that comes up, a work assignment, a dentist appointment, an illness in the family… But you’re better equipped to handle what life throws at you if you’re healthy & well nourished.
Note: Check with a doctor before you begin a new fitness routine.
Day 1:
10 minute cardio warm up – moderate speed on stationary
3 Rounds
- Plank arm raises – lift each arm 10 times
- Bench step ups – 10 each leg, knee up
- Back lunge w/ medicine ball twist – step back into a lunge & twist holding a weighted medicine ball out w/ straight arms, twist to each side 10 times
15 minute cardio warm down
Stretching
Day 2: Medicine ball workout! Grab a 4, 6 or 8 pound ball and let’s go! This is inspired by the workouts featured in the November Women’s Health – Body By Anna (in the magazine only) & Get Fit in Only 15 Minutes. And if you’d like a little more motivation check out model Julie Henderson w/ fitness guru David Kirsch using medicine balls over at Modelinia. Even models aren’t perfect!
10 minute cardio warm up
3 Rounds:
- 20 Wall sits w/ rotation
- 20 High-Low chop
- 20 squats w/ overhead ball raise
- 20 Russian twists
- 20 bicycles
10 minute cardio warm down
Day 3: A quickie inspired by The Fitnessista. Even if your schedule is as crazy as Liz’s has been there’s no excuse for slacking off, in the long run you’ll be glad you took a few minutes for yourself.
- 5 minutes cardio of choice
- 30 seconds of jumping jacks
- 30 seconds of high knees
- 30 seconds of plie squats (plie low, jump & bring legs together and arms straight up)
- 30 seconds mountain climbers
- 30 seconds push ups
- 30 seconds burpees
Day 4: HIIT
5 minute warm up
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
Repeat for 15 minutes of intervals
5 minute cool down (i.e. walking on a treadmill etc)
Results: This fourth week was really a testament to Liz’s dedication, with work and family issues popping up all almost daily she put forth a lot of effort to make sure that her workouts came together. Once you get into a routine and start to reap the benefits of regular exercise, it’s a great motivator to keep things going. So don’t let yourself get led off course by your busy life – if you make the time, you’ll see the results.
Joining a fitness program or hiring a trainer can be a great way to go if you’re interested in changing your fitness regime and aren’t quite sure where to start. Finding the right program or trainer is important though, not all gyms and trainers are created equal. Check out these suggestions from some of the experts for how to find the perfect fit: PrecisionNutrition, FitSugar, The Fitnessista and The Huffington Post. Also, when to break up with your personal trainer, something else you should definitely keep in mind if you decide to go for one-on-one sessions.
Gym Goddess – Part III
Welcome to week III of the How to Become a Gym Goddess series (if you need to catch up, here are Week 1 and Week 2).
Note: Check with a doctor before beginning a few fitness routine to avoid injuries.
Day 1:
15 minutes of intervals on the elliptical (30 seconds as fast as you can, 1 minute 30 seconds at a fast but manageable pace, repeat for 15 minutes)
100 walking lunges (each knee touching the ground is 1 – try to keep moving for the whole 100 even if you do have to slow down)
20 burpees as quickly as possible (How To – Do level II or III if possible, there are also other variations on burpees that we’ll try later one)
3 x 20 mountain climbers
Stretching
Day 2: CORE!!!
1o minutes of cardio, any machine, moderate pace
5 rounds of:
- 1 minute plank
- 30 frog crunchies
- 30 squat jumps (bend knees, touch ground, jump up, clap at top, repeat)
- 30 leg lifts
- Row 100 meters as fast as possible
* Rest for under 1 minute between each round
10 minutes of cardio – Warm down
Stretching
Day 3: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – Pick a machine and go-go-go
5 minute warm up
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
Repeat for 15 minutes of intervals
Switch machines and repeat for an additional 15 minutes
5 minute cool down (i.e. walking on a treadmill etc)
(Same) Weekend Mini Workout:
To be completed at any point Saturday or Sunday (***Bonus points if you get a workout buddy to join you and race!)
Sprint the length of the street, walk back to your starting point, 5 burpees (how to) – Repeat 10x
Starting w/ your feet together, jump as far as you can & repeat for the length of the street. To the end of the street and back to your starting point = 1, complete 5x
Results: This week wasn’t about change, it was about creating a consistent fitness routine and really trying to make time a couple of days a week to go to the gym even when you’re tired and/or busy. Squeezing in just a small workout can improve your mood and productivity, which is especially important as the holiday season is starting to gear up and your schedule will get more and more hectic.
How do you stay motivated for your workouts? Any tips that always work for you? I like to workout first thing in the morning because in addition to giving my metabolism a little burst, it sets a healthy tone for the day and encourages me to stay on track. I also have to have a great playlist to keep my workouts upbeat. My brother got me the Nano for Christmas last year which is great because it has a clip and it holds such a small number of songs that I update it at least once a week. As for long-term goals, I’ve found that it’s all about giving myself something to look forward to. Like, say, a weekend trip to the Lululemon on Union Square. (Rachel agrees, clearly) Not only do the promise of Lulu’s keep me going, once I have them I’m doubly motivated to hit the gym because I can’t wait to show them off!
As your workouts are progressing and you’re beginning to feel (and see!) results, you should start thinking about your recovery time. We’ve talked about stretching and rest days to help you stay loose and prepare for your next workout, but your choice of foods immediately before and after a workout can also affect your performance (as, obviously, your food throughout the day can affect your fitness goals in general). Shape shares their tips here, Women’s Health shares their top fitness food picks here and fitness guru to the stars David Kirsch shares his post-workout recovery smoothie here. And if this topic interests you and you’re heading to a book store, definitely pick up any of Brendan Brazier’s Thrive books which discuss this in-depth.
Stay tuned for Week IV!
Gym Goddess – Part II
Welcome to Week II of How to Become a Gym Goddess (you can check out Week 1 here). To recap, this is the journey of an individual who has taken some time off from the gym, is in the process of making some big changes to her diet and would like to start getting back into shape.
Week I was primarily about measuring her abilities and testing her boundaries in a safe, controlled manner. In week two we increased the amount of cardio and worked on her core so that she has a good base to start doing weight in another few weeks.
*Note: Please talk to your physician prior to attempting a new fitness routine.
Day 1:
10 minute cardio warm up – moderate intensity
5 rounds – As quickly as possible w/out sacrificing form
- 15 box jumps
- 10 push-ups (on knees if necessary)
- 20 sit-ups (chin up to the ceiling)
- 20 squats
10 minute cardio warm down
Day 2: HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – Pick a machine and go-go-go
5 minute warm up – moderate intensity, you want to get your heart rate up
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
- 30 seconds as fast as possible
- 1 minute 30 seconds recovery – moderate speed
Repeat for 15 minutes of intervals
5 minute cool down
Stretching
Day 3: Stability ball play time! (See The Fitnessista’s Focus On Medicine Balls for inspiration & safety tips)
10 minute cardio warm up – moderate intensity
Using a medicine/bosu ball, complete the following as quickly as possible:
- 30 push ups w/ feet on ball
- 30 crunchies (chin to the ceiling)
- 30 hamstring curls (laying on back)
- 30 seconds plank w/ feet on the ball
10 minute cardio warm down
Stretching
Weekend Mini Workout: To be completed at any point Saturday or Sunday (***Bonus points if you get a workout buddy to join you and race!)
Sprint the length of the street, walk back to your starting point, 5 burpees (how to) – Repeat 10x
Starting w/ your feet together, jump as far as you can & repeat for the length of the street. To the end of the street and back to your starting point = 1, complete 5x
Results: After finishing her second week of regular workouts Liz was even more motivated and enthusiastic than before. The number one thing that she noticed? Even if she was dreading a workout and was exhausted by the time the last rep finished, she ended every workout more excited to start the next. Endorphins at their best!
* Trick To Try: Set an alarm on your cell or an Outlook calendar reminder for multiple times a day and spend a few minutes thinking about your core and your posture – especially important if you’re sitting in front of a computer or in class room for hours a day. Flex your stomach muscles and concentrate on your abdominal wall for 30 seconds, take a few deep breaths and repeat a handful of times, until you begin to feel fatigued. By staying in touch with your body over the course of the day you’ll be less likely to hunch or maintain harmful posture for extended period of time.
And in a fortuitous turn of events, The Fitnessista also recently did a post on getting back into shape, if you want to check out her expert advice here it is!
Moi Contre La Vie 