My Favorite 5

When it comes to total body strengthening, I believe there are 5 basic moves that EVERY woman should be doing.  Most you can do right at home, and most have several variations.  These are my favorite 5.

1.)  Squats.  Basic enough, right?  These work basically every muscle in your legs, and when engaged in proper form, they will strengthen your core as well.  They really make for nice quads and a booty.  No one wants a pancake butt, right?

Lots of variations:  Barbell squat, front squat, plie or sumo, split or bulgarian, dumbbell, pistol, prisoner, goblet, etc.

2.)  Push ups.  Another really basic move.  Good form is key.  If that means dropping to your knees until you build strength to do them on your toes, go for it.  These are great work for chest muscles, triceps and delts.  Once again, proper form = engaging the core = tighter abs.  Win, win.

Variations:  Regular, modified, Tricep or diamond push ups, bench or chair, one arm, etc.

3.)  Deadlifts.  Strengthens the hamstrings, booty and back. 

Variations:  Barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell, Sumo, Romanian, side, Back or "rack" pulls

4.)  Bench Press.  Works the chest muscles, delts, and triceps.

Variations:  Flat bench, incline, decline, alternating arms, machine, etc.

5.)  Pull Ups.  This basic move targets your entire upper body.  Lats, shoulders, arms, abs, etc.

Variations:  standard, supinated grip, pronated grip, neutral grip, weighted, behind the neck, mixed grip, one arm, climber's pull, chin up, kipping, muscle up, etc. You can also do assisted pull ups using the assisted machine or bands.

There you have it.  My favorite 5.  These are the exercises I repeat week, after week, after week.  I never get bored with all of the variations!  Mix it up and remember, form is key.  It's okay to start out at a lower weight.  Once you perfect the proper form, you can gradually add in more weight.

 

Quick and Easy Energy Snack Mix

I am a big time snacker.  At my desk, in the car, on-the-go.  It's no joke.  I mostly reach for the sweet and salty mixes.  As time has evolved, I am proud to say I no longer depend on store bought, pre-packaged snacks.  You know, the trail mixes, chex mixes, and bags of all things mixed together to create utter goodness. They are usually high in sodium and processed "stuff."  So, I scoured Pinterest and tried several recipes and then kind of created my own. 

Here's the link to the recipe that I based it off of:
http://cookeatpaleo.com/chili-spiced-mixed-nuts/

I made a few "tweaks," such as leaving out the cumin, and adding in banana chips and pumpkin seeds.  (And honestly, I don't measure a thing when I cook.  This leads to trouble when kind folks ask me for the recipe.  Apparently not everyone knows or understands my lingo..... a dash of this, a squirt of this, a dollop of that....)  You could also add dried cranberries or raisins, wasabi peas, etc.

The honey and coconut oil create a glaze that I cannot even describe.  That, mixed with the spices, make a great sweet and salty snack.

The one thing I will say is smoked paprika ROCKS, however too much might be overpowering.  Taste as you go, and add more if necessary!

Temptations and Willpower

How do you deal with temptation?  Have you tested your willpower to see just how strong it is? They say it's like a muscle -- the more you use it the stronger it gets. Unfortunately willpower is not my strong suit.  (I suppose I've never used that muscle enough!)  I've always been good about putting in the work at the gym, and for the most part my diet is clean.  BUT, there are always those few things that I struggle with giving up.  Ahem....pizza.

Today at work we were "treated" with pizza. I've had a great week of eating and workouts. I knew today would be the true test. Could I resist one of my very favorite foods?  Of course I could. But would I have the willpower?  It's pretty simple folks. To get results you've never gotten, you have to do something you've never done. Today it was about giving up pizza. 

Sometimes you just have to give up the goods, and by goods I mean those foods that tempt you most, to reach your goal. Besides, today is National Peanut Butter day.  And that's another favorite. 

Un -Ordinary Salad

Who gets bored with the same old salad week after week?  ME, ME, ME!  I love salads because they are quick to throw together and a great way to get multiple veggies in throughout the day.  But, I get bored with the basic lettuce, spinach, blah, blah, blah.  Here are some variations that I like to change things up.

Diced Tomatoes
Avocado
Cucumer

Toss in a basic oil / vinegar / lemon juice dressing with fresh cracked pepper.  YUM.

Chopped broccoli
Chopped bell peppers
Chopped cucumbers
Chopped snow peas
Chopped tomatoes

Toss in a basic oil / vinegar dressing with a couple of drops of sesame oil.

Chopped romaine
Chopped tomatoes
Chopped cucumbers
Chopped pepperocinni's
Chopped turkey pepperoni
Chopped black olives

Sprinkle with Mrs. Dash tomato basil seasoning and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.

I don't do bottled dressings.  They are packed with junk.  Low fat is usually high in sodium and sugar.  Low sodium is higher fat. Low sugar means artificial sweetener.  And most are filled with preservatives.  Make your own!  It's so simple.  I use a basic oil / vinegar and either fresh or dried herbs or Mrs. Dash.  You can also change out your oils, ie - olive oil, sesame oil, infused olive oil etc. for different flavors.  Balsamic vinegar is a great option as well.

 

At Home HIIT Workout

Here is a quick HIIT workout you can do right in the comfort of your home with NO equipment!


It's tabata style, so 20 seconds of all out intensity, followed by 10 seconds rest.  You can download a FREE tabata timer on most smartphones.

-Air squats (intervals 1, 3)
-Jumping Jacks (intervals 2,4)
-Mountain Climbers (intervals 5,7)
-Sprint in place (intervals 6,8)

This is a 4 minute workout.  If you aren't dying at the end of those 4 minutes you need to up the intensity!

 

This is How You Do It....Meal Prep That Is

When trying to manage a family and full  time job, eating on  the go is often easy.  I know my family eats out way too much when I don't plan ahead.  So Sundays I spend a good 2-3 hours in the kitchen prepping meals for the week.  As the old saying says, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."  So true.

Here is a quick run down of my meals planned and prepped for this week:

Breakfast:
Boiled 18 eggs
Baggies of pre - measured protein powder for shakes
Oatmeal scooped in containers with cinnamon and stevia
fruit sliced and diced for kiddos

Lunch:
lettuce, green peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes chopped for salad
Chicken diced, cooked and divided into containers
oil and vinegar for salad measured into containers
mango diced and divided into baggies
roasted sweet potatoes 

Snacks:
carrots and snap peas washed and sliced
hummus measured into containers
apples sliced and soaked in salt water (keeps them from turning brown)
almonds divided out into baggies or container

Dinner:
turkey chili made
pre-made turkey meatloaf
pre washed and diced veggies for roasting
chicken thawed to throw in crockpot one day
will also thaw tilapia for one night this week

And that my friends, is how you meal prep.  Those 2 -3 hours on a Sunday afternoon will save you tons of calories at the drive thru window, and it will leave you feeling healthy and accomplished!

My Favorites!

Here are a few of my favorites in the fitness world:

1. Oxygen magazine - This magazine is packed with creative workouts, clean recipes and tips from the pros!

2. Opti Women Supplement - a great supplement for women; full of daily vitamins and minerals that WE need

3. UMP protein powder - BEST protein powder out there! Great for shakes, baking and I love it in my coffee!



4. Quest Bars - delicious protein bars that are LOW in sugar



5. Saucony Kinvara running shoe - lightweight semi-minimalist shoe. MY FAVORITE. On my 3rd pair. If you are a neutral runner and don't require support and stability in your shoe, get yourself a pair. Thank me later.

6. Femme Fitale lifting gloves - save yourself from callused hands AND look sassy

7. Nike Pro Fit capris - don't ride up, hugs your body in all the right spots



8. Blue Diamond BBQ Habanero Almonds - Delicious.

9. PB 2 - If you love PB as much as me, run and get this stuff. Seriously.

10. Carbmaster yogurt - Low fat, low carb, low sugar.
 

That Time I Ran a Sub - 2 Half

Years ago I used to be the non-athletic girl. The girl who never gave fitness a second thought. The girl who dreaded PE. The girl who would get sick when we had to run the mile for time. Because I. Was. Slow.

Something clicked when I started having babies. I was responsible for raising these little beings. It was me that they would look up to. I can't remember the very moment that I decided I wanted to be healthy. And fit. I wanted to be what I always had feared. But I do remember my babies were my inspiration. 

Rewind 8-9 years. I started my fitness journey at a local women's gym. I quickly lost interest due to not being challenged. So, I did some research and decided I would join a real gym, with real weights and real equipment. I quickly learned I didn't know where to start or how to use half of the equipment.  So, I hired a trainer.  She quickly changed my life.

Through peer pressure, I also started to run.  The one thing I had always feared the most.  I was always self conscious about the way I looked when I ran. Pretty sure my form was much like Phoebe's from Friends.  But I didn't let that stop me.  My husband was a runner, my friends ran, so why shouldn't I?  If they could do it, I could too.

A few 5k's turned into a 10k, which led to a 15k and then a half marathon. I ran a half marathon.  The girl who used to get nauseous at the thought of running a MILE.  That half led to another, and then another.  Faster each time, but never the time I had in mind.  My super secret desire to run 13.1 miles in less than 2 hours.  Could I do it?  Mind you, when I started out running, I was a 10:30 - 11 minute mile.  Could I really shave that much time off?

Fast forward to April of 2013.  Just weeks after the Boston Marathon tragedy.  And I was signed up for my 4th half marathon.  I listened to my body more when training for this race.  I only ran 3-4 times a week.  But I cross trained.  And I sprinted my butt off.  I still didn't feel "ready" when race day came.  I was still sure that my dream of running a sub 2 half was just that.  A dream.

I'm not sure what happened that day.  I remember being very emotional at the start line.  I always get choked up before I run a race.  I have no idea why, other than emotions are very HIGH for me.  Accomplishing something I always feared.  Crossing the line.  It's such an exhilarating feeling.  Back to the start line.  I remember the moment of silence for Boston.  The National Anthem.  And then the gun to start the race.  I started out with a good friend I had trained with.  She was sub 2 half runner and I aspired to be like her.  So we started out together.  Her pace was quickly uncomfortable for me around the 3 mile mark, so I insisted she go ahead.  I didn't want to exert too much energy at the start of the race, and then crash at mile 10, which was always the case for me.  She took off ahead and I kept a comfortable pace.  I could see the 2 hour pace group and I caught up with them around mile 8 - 9.  I let that group lead me.  I wasn't sure we would finish in under 2, but the course was rolling and I was tired.

I kept going.  And going.  And going.  I never stopped.  Never walked.  Just. Kept. Running.  I remember glancing down at my garmin around mile 12.  I was on target to finish in under 2.  Something kicked in and took over.  Almost like the song "Jesus Take the Wheel."  I just remember zoning out.  I was tired.  So tired.  But my legs kept moving.  I crossed the line at 1:59:07.  I did it.  I ran a sub 2 half.

Long story short, YOU can do anything you set out to do.  When you overcome those negative thoughts, your body is capable of doing whatever you want it to.  You just have to believe.  :)

Online and In Home Personal Training

Moving forward with chasing my dream of becoming a full time personal trainer and fitness coach, I have decided to take on a limited number of online clients as well as in home clients.

Details:

Online Training

For $75 /month you will receive 3 workouts a week via email.  The workouts will be tailored according  to what equipment you have access to, and will include video links for demonstration of those exercises.

In Home Training

Individual sessions:
$30 / 30 minute session

Packages:
10 sessions / $270
15 sessions / $382
20 sessions / $480

Payment for packages may be broken up into 2-3 payments if needed.  All packages expire 6 months from date of purchase.

In home plans will include a fitness evaluation and assessment to determine your current skill level, abilities and weight / body measurements. Progress will be monitored monthly via weigh ins, measurements and progress pics.  Sessions will take place at my house in Brownsburg.

There are LIMITED spots available for both online and in home training.  First come, first serve!

Make time for your health!

For availability and inquiries, please contact me via email:  shae_simpson@yahoo.com

Accountability

How do you hold yourself accountable when it comes to resolutions and goals?  Like many others, I always have a goal.  Whether it be a personal goal or a fitness goal, I am always striving to do better.  Along the way, I have found the following things helpful when it comes to staying on track.

1.)  Spread the word!  Don't keep your resolutions a secret.  Tell everyone you know!  The more people who know your goals, the more people you have on your team!  It's so easy to give up when no one knows your goals.
2.)  Keep a journal.  So cliche, but it helps to write your goals down.  If it's a weight loss goal, track your food.  Track your workouts.  Track your weight and measurements.  Take progress pictures.  Trust me, pictures DON'T lie!
3.)  Set small goals and rewards for meeting those goals.  Often times the goals we set seem so far away.  If we set smaller goals, and accomplish them, we are more motivated to keep going!  Work towards the "big picture."
4.)  Use the buddy system.  Sometimes it's easier to accomplish our goals when we have a buddy striving towards the same goal.
5.)  Never give up!  So what if you mess up.  Pick yourself up, and KEEP ON GOING.

I'm BACKKKK!

It's a new year!  Has anyone noticed I've been MIA for the last 10 months or so?  Along with everyone else in the world, I have been busy making excuses.  Yes, I'm married, work full time and have 3 kiddos, but this blog helped me be accountable when I was keeping up with it.  SO, one of my resolutions is to try and make weekly entries. Surely I can find the time to make a mere 52 entries!

Not much has changed in my world.  Still working out and still striving for progress.  Remember, "progress, NOT perfection."  I am seeing gains in the strength department, and this makes me smile.  Some days I think I can lift heavier, but without a spotter I get nervous.  My hubby has committed to lifting a couple of days a week again, so I might get a little crazy when he's with me!

I haven't really ran since July.  I always break from the pavement in the summer months.  The heat and humidity really mess with my allergies.  Normally, I am back at it by now, but have procrastinated due to the bitter cold and snow.  I have convinced some of the teachers I work with to sign up for a 1/2 marathon with me.  It looks like we will run the Women's half here in Indy in June.  Training will not have to officially start until March, but I plan to pick up my runs in February.  This excites me.  I have always had a time goal in the past, and my only goal this time is to get all of my friends across that finish line!

In other news, my little ol' blog had 1600 hits last year! That's not a lot to some, but to me it's great!  Especially since I haven't made an entry in almost 10 months!  So, for those of you who do read, leave me a comment and let me know what you'd like to see me post.  More workouts?  Recipes? 

I'll leave you with a recipe that is a staple in our house.  Actually one of the hubby's favorites.


Paleo Orange Chicken
courtesy of Health-Bent

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite size pieces)

3 T fat (coconut oil works well here)

juice of 2 oranges*

zest from 1 orange

1 t fresh ginger

3 T coconut aminos or wheat-free soy sauce

1 t chili garlic sauce or sriracha

3 green onions, chopped

 

In a medium size sauce pot, add the orange juice, zest, ginger, coconut aminos and chili garlic sauce or sriracha. Set over medium heat and let simmer to reduce and thicken while the chicken cooks. In a saute pan, heat 3 T of the fat of your choice, over medium high heat. Add the chopped chicken thighs and cook until a nice brown crust has developed on the chicken pieces, about 6 minutes. Add the chicken to the sauce pot and stir to coat with the orange sauce. Serve topped with sliced green onions. *Taste your oranges. If they don’t taste orange-y, then neither will this dish. Use tangerines if you gotta or add a teaspoon of sweetener until you’re satisfied with the flavor.

This is super easy and SO good.  Since we don't follow the paleo lifestyle, we usually serve this with a side of whole grain basmati rice and a veggie or side salad.  We have also used chicken breast, and it is equally as tasty!

Enjoy!