Sleep Deprived? SPARK It Up!

One of the first things I do every morning is press brew on the coffee pot.  My morning cup of Joe gets me through my morning workout and usually lasts until about 2 pm when I am seeking out my next source of caffeine be it a sugar-free energy drink or coffee round two.

As Americans, we have a long history of being stimulated by beverages, dating back to the late 1800’s when cocaine and caffeine were the two active ingredients in Coca-Cola. The cocaine didn’t last long as the Supreme Court demanded it’s removal, but the caffeine stayed. The demands for increasing “liquid energy” grew over the years, and in the 1960’s the introduction of herbal extracts and vitamins into beverages was introduced. 1n 1997, Red Bull was brought to America and the consumption and evolution of energy drinks began!

Interested in nutrition and fitness, as well conducting a thesis for my masters at The George Washington University, I wanted to find out if there was a difference between energy drinks and caffeine. All these liquids were keeping me awake in my late hours of studying and early morning workouts, but were they making a difference in the classroom or in my performance? Was it just the caffeine or did the unique combination of the vitamins and amino acids make a difference?

I set out this past summer to conduct my thesis research on just that: The Effects of energy drink consumption on concentration and performance of a visual spatial task following sleep deprivation. After begging, pleading, and compromising with fellow college students ages 18-35, I was able to round up 16 caffeine drinkers. The 16 volunteers (that's right no money & no funding from the company) had to refrain from caffeine, report to the lab at 6:30 in the evening and remain awake all night until 7:00 a.m. the next morning. A concentration grid was used to evaluate concentration and tetris was used to evaluate Tetris.  Three trials were done, one at arrival, one at 5:30 a.m. and one 45 minutes after consumption of the control (120 mg caffeine) or Advocare SPARK(a no-added sugar energy drink with 120 mg of caffeine, vitamins, and amino acids), which took place at 6:45 a.m.

After collecting all the data and running the statistical analysis, I found that the SPARK energy drink improved concentration of college aged students in a sleep deprived state greater than caffeine alone, thus there is validity to the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation in energy drinks and further investigation may assess specific ingredients to a further extent.

As crazy as life gets, it is important to get enough sleep. However, being in school, that doesn’t always happen. I can’t say I have drank a full blown energy drink to keep me awake, as many of them have a surplus of sugar, which means a surplus of calories. However, I tend to go for sugar-free alternatives, and after this study, I gravitate towards SPARK. If you aren’t able to get enough sleep, it might not be a bad idea to consider the healthier alternative to an energy drink, and SPARK it up a bit! 

 For more information, references, or the manuscript feel free to email me at kmvfitness@gmail.com.

Top 5 Road Trip Treats

This past month I have been on the road quite a bit from Ohio to North Carolina, Pennsylvania and soon to be Tennessee. As much as I like to prepare and eat real food (as opposed to processed or packaged), I know realistically it won’t happen all of the time. It can be easy to let a road trip or plane ride sabotage success, but pitfalls (or in this case pitstops ) can be avoided with a little planning and the right mindset.

1.     Nuts: I prefer almonds. Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, which also provide a sense of satiety. To keep me from going over board I pre-portion them out in zipblock bags or buy the single serving size at the convenience store. Nuts provide that “munch and crunch” feeling – I am a picker so I love to be able to eat a little bit at a time.

2.     Fruit: My go-to travel fruits are apples – especially this time of year!  Apples are lower in sugar compared to some other fruits and again, are easy to eat.  Although apples might be hard to find in local convenient stores, there are often roadside stands or apple orchards on the way if you are traveling via car. Take an extra few minutes and stock up on these nutrient dense powerhouses’.

3.     Beef Jerky: Loaded with protein and not in calories, Jerky is a great portable option for increasing your daily protein intake while en route.  Just be sure to check the sodium content, as some of them are high. The other great thing about beef jerky is that there are a variety of flavors, sizes, and textures. My recent favorite is sweet n spicy.

4.     Protein Bars: For convenience, feasibility, and a good nutrient profile, I like Think Thin Bars. Taste like a dessert, but they don’t make me feel like I ate one!

5.     Coffee: Let’s face it, I am a caffeine addict and when on the road I gravitate towards it!  I prefer coffee over diet soda, coffee doesn’t get me bloated.  Nothing is worse than feeling that while sitting in the middle seat of a plane!

I hope this list helped you out some! I hope these few ideas provided an idea of how to incorporate some healthy options while on the go. Got some more ideas? Please email me or send me a tweet!

Safe Travels!

Until next week,

Kelley

Delicious Protein Pancakes

Happy October!  Start your fall mornings off right this month with these delicious protein pancakes!
A little background information: Last week I began JillColeman’s Ten Weeks to Tight. (I cannot say enough about Jill!)

 Even I need a source of accountability! Morning meals typically consist of egg whites and a starch. I decided to get a little crazy and make myself some protein pancakes.  Finally, after years of making these (since high school – yikes!), I took the time to write down the recipe, at least you get the refined version :)!

Ingredients:

1 scoop vanilla protein powder ( I like MetRx Protein Plus - blends well!)

3 egg whites

¼ cup oatbran

2 tablespoons almond milk
dash of vanilla extract

dash of cinnamon to taste

stevia to taste

Directions:

Mix to a pancake batter consistency. Turn oven burner on to a medium heat. Spray pan with Pam. Once pan has heated drop mixture onto ban with a spoon. Flip with a spatula to make sure pancakes are cooked on each side.

1 serving makes 3 slightly larger than silver dollar pancakes!

Top with sugar free syrup and/or cinnamon and stevia!  

A good cup of coffee goes great with these! If you are fortunate enough to be in Columbus, I recommend Mudslingers :).

Enjoy!

5 Beliefs to Build Your Best

I apologize I’ve been on an Internet hiatus the past 5 months but am thrilled to be back and beginning a new career. I hope you all had an amazing summer! I think it’s fair to say we are all living life striving to be our best. I’ll spare you the details of my summer but I wanted to share some things I learned over the past few months, and hopefully one or two will resonate with you, on how to captivate your best life.

1.     Choices are for oneself; decisions are for others.

“Kelley, you are a decision maker. Decisions take into account what others think. Choices take into account what you think.” - Dr. Jade Teta. I have struggled my entire life with approval. Everyone who knows me, knows I love to talk to people, I absolutely love it! But those that know me well know that I consistently have to ask others for their opinion, advice, or guidance on important choices for my life. I’m 27 now, and I still struggle with it despite moving around the country, going to various schools, and changing careers. When Jade said this to me, I felt empowered, inspired, and relieved!  My challenge to myself and to you if you choose to accept, is to make a choice today! Start with one choice for yourself and keep going onto the next. Choose how your think, choose how you respond, choose what you do with your time! I will be a choicemaker for myself and will save my decision making for the policy world when I complete the Public Health Policy degree.

2.     Quitting is OKAY, in fact it's GREAT!

Think about it for a minute. I never thought I would find myself saying this! But out of everything I have learned over summer, quitting might be the most valuable lesson.  I was in a job about a month ago where I wasn’t happy. I would cry after work every night, dread getting up every morning, hardly worked out, lost my social life, and almost cost me some of my closest relationships. However, the job was paying for my degree. Money can make us do some crazy things! I kept using self talk to tell myself to “tough it out”, “suck it up”, “it’s only two years,” “ I love the people I work with.” I would tell myself anything to avoid the “scary” thing. And then it happened. A close friend saw me at work and could not recognize me for who I was. I lost myself. I was no longer smiling, talking, doing much of anything but getting by. I wasn’t going to get better as a person and I certainly wasn’t helping others, I couldn’t even help my self. But how could I quit? And just give up tuition, a stipend, and a lot of money that I don’t have. Scared to death and not sure of the future (that’s that whole uncertainty thing we tend to fear) I made the CHOICE to quit. It was not easy by any means but I knew that alternative was a million times worse, or as Jill told me:

"Nothing is ever irreversible. There's never going to be something you can't handle. NOT taking risks is scarier!" - Jill Coleman.

3.     Expectations kill joy.

Oh my little sister, Krissy and Dr. Jillian Sarno are genius! Growing up, Krissy has always had special quality about her that is able to see things from a different perspective, a much more deep and meaningful one. Anyways, she says this saying to me a lot. I normally don’t dwell on it. But lately I have. We set ourselves up with such high expectations: to loose 10 pounds, start a business, do laundry, dinner, raise the kids, exercise, eat perfect, blah blah blah – you know what I am talking about. But then when we fail to meet these expectations we spend just as much time and energy on self-loathing and self-deprecation. For what? And then we place expectations on other people. And what happens to us when those expectations aren’t met? Same negative thought process, but it only really affects our own happiness, not anyone else’s. So be easy on yourself. We are human, and we’re fortunate to be where we are. Next time you let you down or are let down by someone else: check yourself! Was it because you expected otherwise? Was it a fair expectation? Can you change your perspective?

4.     Pain is the catalyst for growth.

After attending a conference this weekend I saw an image that looked something like this - clearly I am not a graphic designer! (Reference: The Tools by Phil Stutz & Barry Michels)  Pain is good thing! If we didn’t feel pain we would be living in our comfort zone constantly.  Pain isn’t fun; in fact, it sucks. But, in reality when we push through the pain, we grow and get closer to becoming our best self. We become better in our workouts, better in our eating habits, better in our career, better in our relationships, better in our lives. If we avoid pain, we are never going to progress. I had the opportunity to sit down with a dear friend last night and she revealed to me her battle with breast cancer. Her story was astounding, “The cancer made me better” She endured pain and has entirely new outlook on life. This brought me back to my reality. No matter what our pain maybe: a workout, a relationship, a health complication, it can teach us to grow, to become our best selves, if we choose to let it.

5.     Happiness is not an option: it is a must.

I know this blog is usually focuses on workouts, food, and a busy schedule, but I felt like we all need a mind workout from time to time. And honestly, the best way to achieve optimal health, I believe, is through happiness. The mind is such an amazing and powerful gift we have, but unfortunately, most of us don’t even know this, and if we do know it, we don’t cultivate it. The secret here is that happiness comes from within you. You can’t find it from a partner, kids, a job, money, amazing body, food, etc. When we are happy we are much likely to succeed: in our work, in our relationships, in our exercise and diet programs, and in life. When were you happiest? What were you doing? How did you feel? How was your health? Make happiness your state of being instead of the place you want to be.

In closing,

·      CHOOSE what is best for you, don’t always decide

·      QUIT what you are doing if you aren’t happy

·      LET GO of expectations and believe in yourself

·      ENDURE pain and great things are waiting

·      BE HAPPY and live your best life!

Thanks for coming back! I look forward to staying in touch with you all!

Fit. Fast. Fun.... What's Your Spin?

As I sat at my favorite local restaurant last night (Tonic) watching game seven of the Capitals vs. Bruins series (Way to Go Caps!), I was speaking with my dear friend and department chair Dr. Loretta DiPietro. I asked her what I should blog about this week.  She immediately offered her perspective and said, write about Jimmy Fallon and Obama's Slow Jam.  Perplexed I said, "Huh?" She briefly explained to me the premise of the song: congress is looking to increase interest rates on student loans to decrease the national deficit and Obama is not buying it. 

Interested in the topic, I replied, "Well, what does this have to do with fitness?"  And she replied, "Kel, you know, it is all relative."  And the reality of it is, it really is all relative. Education is key! Key to proper nutrition, key to time management, key to exercise. There are many studies that show the discrepancy in health is similar to the discrepancy in education.  So this post might not be as straight forward as my usual ones: a workout, a recipe, or a tip of the week, but it is a little deeper and thought provoking.  

So take a minute and watch the slow jam!  Please, let me know your thoughts! How does education relate to fitness?  How does this video speak to you?  Regardless of your political affiliation, education is important for us all :)!

Step Up Your Workout with Paul Holmes

Paul Holmes

This week's post doesn't have to do with wrestling, but it does involve another great person named Paul! I mentioned in a previous post that coming up with my own workouts can be daunting at times. One thing I have learned over 13 years of training is to have an open mind. There are an infinite ways to workout, some more effective than others, but at the end of the day it is being open to new ideas that makes me stronger, efficient, and compliant when it comes to my workouts. Whether you are a coach, athlete, or the working mom, we can all benefit from learning something new when it comes to our workouts.

This is where Paul Holmes comes into the picture, or at least my picture.  I met Paul a few years ago through my brother. Paul is my brother's sevens rugby coach. Paul was born in the middle east, raised in South Africa and went on to play rugby in South Africa, England, Scotland, USA and the Middle East. As for school, Paul has a degree in Exercise Physiology from Loughbourgh and the Sports Science Institute, he holds multiple PT certifications as well. His experience and education have allowed him to run a successful business for 12 years now.

I don't know much about rugby, but I do know that it takes great speed, stamina, strength, and agility to play the game well. After meeting Paul, I was intrigued by his passion, knowledge for fitness, and the successful athletes he has trained. Not to mention, the guys that play sevens are pretty bad ass. Going back to time and efficiency being of the essence, Paul's workouts are intense, fast, and efficient, and most importantly effective.

I had the opportunity to pick Paul's brain a bit regarding his philosophy for training and he was kind enough to give me some of his time and energy.

KV (Me): What is your philosophy when training athletes?  The average person?

PH (Paul Holmes): Athletes need to develop balance in all areas of power, endurance, flexibility, and agility. Many athletes need education on how the body works all together in order to optimize results. The average individual wants to feel good, play sport socially,and look good. It comes down to nutrition and a balanced workout.

KV: What is your favorite exercise?  

PH: Any exercise involving a medicine ball - normally functional,great core and power.

KV: What advice do you have for people with busy schedules and getting in workouts?

PH: Make time, there is no excuse.  All my clients are high level and highly motivated individuals, they make time. If you don't prioritize, then don't train and be unhappy.
 

KV: What are the other main aspects are key for maximizing workouts?

PH:  Sleep,Nutrition , never settle for yesterdays success , always press on to tomorrows highs and be realistic with what level you are at , so as to grow and not hinder your progress. (surround yourself with driven fitness minded people ie Ryan Cochran)

KV: Anything else?

PH: Stay true to the fact you have one body, one life, don't dream it away, do it.

 

Within the past few months I have taken a different spin on training, integrating total body high intensity workouts, a step outside the box from my traditional five day body part slit. Some workouts are longer than others, and if you don't have an hour that's fine, modify! I don't always have access to the equipment Paul uses in his videos, so I switch it up! If I don't have an Olympic Bar, I use dumbbells.  If I don't have a TRX, I modify to a similar exercise without the TRX. You get the picture.

Paul putting us through a medicine ball workout!

One of the great aspects about training with Paul is that he posts his workouts on YouTube (I am in DC and he is in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio). The distance doesn't keep him from kicking my butt. I am realizing more and more, with the constant access we have to the internet, we can have our own trainer at the click of a button.  No more excuses especially, "I don't know what to do." 

So if you are looking for a challenge or a new exercise or two, checkout Paul Holmes and give your workout a boost.  He's inspired me to grow as an athlete and a trainer, and I know he can inspire you too! Thanks Paul!

Thank You Triple H for Changing my Life- Updated ;)!

I posted this article two years ago, but thought it would be fitting to re-post since today I am celebrating my 29th birthday - and remembering the turning point in my life - that lead me to believe I could make my dreams reality.

The Athletic Training Room documented my story and I am reminded of it everyday!

It was Sunday, January 24th, the eve of my 25th birthday and I was feeling lost with life.  As I entered the Cheesecake Factory for my Sunday morning serving shift, I continued to question the purpose of my life. I knew I was a smart girl, I went to Wake Forest, had been accepted to Naturopathic Medical school, accepted to the Peace Corps, and was applying to medical schools.  However, none of these made me light up. I knew in my heart my passion lied within fitness and nutrition. But I was paralyzed, paralyzed by fear of taking a chance.

As the Sunday dragged on, my manager asked me to do him a favor and work a double - meaning close the restaurant.  So here it was the night before my golden birthday and I am serving up some more dessert making America obese.  But the next events that happened changed my life indefinitely.

It was 9:45 p.m. and I was beginning to do the closing clean up duties, or "outs" in restaurant terminology, when I heard the host tell me I had been sat.  Tired and worn out from the 12 hour shift, I mustered up a smile and walked out to greet the guests.  Surprised to see how massive these two men were, I smiled bigger and thought to myself, 'maybe they are bodybuilders'. The gentlemen began by ordering three iced teas, 'a joiner' I thought to myself.  When I returned with the drinks, the 'joiner' had joined and was wearing a black shirt with a small WWE logo.  A light bulb lit up in my head, and I remembered that Monday Night Raw was in Columbus on my birthday.  

After setting down the drinks, I began my usual introduction, but then took a seat next to this man who had long dirty blond hair and a calm voice. I kept thinking to myself, this guy looks familiar.  But my rational mind kicked in and there was no way I would know him, I was turning 25 and the last time I had watched wrestling was thirteen years prior.  So as conversation starts, I learned that these three men were in town for Monday Night Raw.  I spilled my childhood memories to them about practicing finishing moves with my dad and brother, ordering the pay per views, and making wrestling t-shirts in grade school.  One of the gentlemen asked me who my favorite wrestler was, and immediately I said, "My favorite was Triple H."  As the words came out of my mouth, the nice man with the dirty blond hair put his arm around me and said, "Well, thank you Kelley, for making me feel old!"  I felt my heart stop, I slowly turned and looked over my left shoulder and found myself looking at my childhood hero, Triple H.

I was like a kid in a candy shop, or cheesecake factory ;)!

The rest of the evening was a blast.  The four of us talked about wrestling and I felt like a twelve year old again, without a care in the world. I had completely forgotten how stressed I was about figuring out my life.  Before the men left, they had me write down my number and invited me to the show. As I drove home that evening, I had the biggest smile.  I started to reflect on life, and its purpose.  Here is this man, in his early forties now who is living out his dream. I thought to myself, 'I bet when he was in his early 20's and said he wanted to be a professional wrestler, people doubted him.  But that didn't stop him. And now he is one of the most well known entertainers in the world."

Triple H (Paul) living out his dream for spectators around the world!

My 25th birthday will always be remembered.  Not only was I at Monday Night Raw, but it was a pivotal point in my life.  I saw the power of following your passion and I started to follow mine. Within the next week I applied to The George Washington University to complete a degree in Exercise Science and left the conventional steps of medical school behind me.

I will never forget this day!

And here I am two plus years later wrapping up my masters in Exercise Science and about to embark on another journey in the world of health policy, continuing to live out my passion for fitness and nutrition.  

This past Monday I met up with the three "massive men"to go to Monday Night Raw here in DC. By the way, Terry, Jim, & Paul (Triple H) are some of the nicest men I have ever met despite their intimidating physiques.  After the event, I had the chance to talk to Paul for a little bit.  We caught up on life, family, friends, training, and goals.  I made sure to let him know how he changed my life.  Jokingly he said, "Why? Because I ate a bad meal and you thought to yourself I don't want to be like this guy." But on a more serious note, we continued to talk about following dreams no matter how unconventional they may be, and he said something to the effect of, "You just gotta do it."

So whatever your dream, make it your reality. There is no better time than now. So many people are afraid of failure or afraid of success. At the end of  the day, the only difference between Triple H and the guy stuck in the office is Triple H did it whereas the office guy thought it.  Triple H didn't wait for the perfect time, perfect opportunity, or perfect scenario: he created it for himself. 

My lovely coworkers placed this picture above my desk.  Although it makes me laugh, it is a constant reminder that I can do anything I set my mind to!  Thank you Triple H!

Thank you Triple H for changing my life! 

It's been four years since I started pursuing my passion for fitness and health. It's just the beginning. Triple H didn't become the COO of an international company in four years, but he's stayed persistent and true to his purpose. You and I both can both do the same! Now, lets go make our dreams reality!  Have an #amazing day!

I love hearing from you @kelleyvargo

Protein PB2 RC Treats

Any of you who know me well, know that my love for baking rivals my love for the weight room.  However, we all know we can eat a little cleaner when it comes to desserts.  One of my dear friends and inspirations, Dr. Jean Guiterrez has helped me develop in both the weight room and the kitchen. Last fall we spent many Tuesdays, aka Tasty Tuesdays, coming up with new high protein recipes.  One of them Jean introduced me to was her tasty protein rice crispy treats.

Per requests of my amazing Facebook friends, I was asked to post the recipe for these delicious treats.  I did some tweaking to the recipe and created a new version.  The latest addition is my new obsession, PB2.  Powdered peanut butter, with 85% less fat than regular peanut butter!  Some one is a genius

I made two versions last night, one regular and the other vegan.  The main difference being the protein powder used (hemp vs. whey/casein blend).  To be honest, next time I make a vegan version I think vanilla soy will work better.  But hey, it was a try. 

Ingredients:

40 jet puffed marshmallows

8 tsp Earth Balance vegan buttery stick

8 tbsp PB2

~ 85.5 g (2.5 scoops) protein powder

6 cups brown rice crisps

PAM

1. In microwave safe bowl melt Earth Balance vegan buttery stick and marshmallows.  (approximately 3 minutes).

 

2. Stir in PB2 and protein powder

3. Add in brown rice crisps

4. Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with PAM

5. Place dish in refrigerator for treats to cool

6. Cut into squares and enjoy!

I did venture around Foggy Bottom to get feedback on the treats and from the reviews they were a hit! 

 Steve, Manager of Devon & Blakely, Elizabeth, an Exercise Science graduating senior from The George Washington University and Nannette & Beverly of my apartment complex all loved the treats!  Below is Dr. Loretta DiPietro and Patti LaPlaza enjoying the treats over coffee and brain storming.  Dr. Todd Miller, a true food critic, asked for seconds. Dean DeLoia of The George Washington School of Public Health and Health Services enjoyed her Protein PB2 RC Treat after her healthy salad. Alex Dickman and formed GW basketball player Ivy, made sure to get some too!
These treats are great for everyone: the student, the athlete, the professor, the business owner, and yes, the DEAN!  They are great for you too!

 

Let me know what you and the people in your community think!  Have a great weekend!

The Reality... 19 minutes?

Alright, I might be repeating myself but I have to get this out. One of my first posts I wrote I mentioned that there are 1,440 minutes in a day. And I challenged you to use 30 minutes for yourself, even better to use them for exercise. But the reality is Americans use 19 minutes for physical activity and exercise... if that. My frustration doesn't stem from 19 minutes, my frustration goes a lot deeper than this. It is the very people who make health recommendations that aren't making time for exercise. Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are health care practitioners out there that DO have balance and MAKE time for physical activity. But realistically, the majority don't.

It started a few weeks ago when I was asked by my adviser, Dr. Todd Miller, to speak to the third year medical students at The George Washington University on the importance of exercise and physical activity.  Oh the irony behind this!  Just three years ago, I was grudgingly filling out medical school applications with hopes of not going.  I would say to my dad, "I do not want to be a fat doctor!" So here it is three years later and I am lecturing to the doctors of tomorrow.

I did a little research of my own before presenting and found that as of 2010 the working American exercises an average of 19 minutes a day, see a more thorough break down by checking out the American Bureau of Labor.

Action shot ... :)

I then asked the students if they exercised on a regular basis, even if it was just 19 minutes, and approximately 10% of the 90 students I spoke with that afternoon raised their hands!  I was shocked, but not really I guess. But let's step back a minute. Here I was, presenting to the Third Year medical students at THE George Washington University, located in the heart of the nation's capital, a place where policy is created, and WE cannot even find 19 minutes a day?  Really?  Is this a joke?  Ashton Kutcher, where were you? I was waiting for him to yell Punked, but that never happened.

It's the sad reality of the world we live in today.  The people that are supposed to be leading us in "healthcare" are not leading by action.  So what do you do?  Do it yourself.  Supporting my beliefs, and inspiring my voice, is Dr. Loretta DiPietro, a pioneer for the field of physical activity in  Public Health. I will leave you with a clip from her TEDex talk that I attended this past week. Warning their is explicit content, but like Loretta says, if you can't swear, you don't belong in public health.

In closing, take the stairs and take a stand! Create your own health and be the change!  Every little bit counts.  And remember, you can't change what you did, but you can change what you do!

Total Body Workout Numero Uno

Even as trainer, group fitness instructor, and exercise scientist, I like being told what to do for a workout from time to time. I spend a good amount of my days writing exercise programs for clients, students, and classes. Sometimes the last thing I want to do is write a workout for myself. Recently, I have been inspired by my brother's rugby coach, Paul Holmes, for my workouts.  Paul is an amazing coach and rugby player from South Africa, who now lives in my hometown, Columbus, Ohio.  The distance doesn't keep me from getting in a good workout, Paul posts his sessions on YouTube and tweets me when they are up.

Today's workout is a modified version of 1823Sevenstrainer's Complete Body Workout.  The KV (Kelley Vargo) version consists of 8 exercises utilizing dumbbells.  Each exercise is done for 20 reps using a moderately-heavy to heavy weight. Continue through the exercises moving from one to the next taking a one to two minute rest after the completion of the 8 exercises.  Repeat the circuit for a total of three times and aim to do so in 30 minutes or less. 

Exercise #1: Bench Press

Exercise #2: Reverse Grip Bent Over Row

Exercise #3: Squat

Exercise #4: Up Right Row

Exercise #5: Deadlift

Exercise #6: Curls

Exercise #7: Shoulder Shrugs

Exercise #8: Split Squats (20 Each Leg)

This is a kick butt total body workout.  As much as I love to train split body parts, some weeks don't afford me the ability to do so.  A workout like this does the trick and then some! Go get it in and let me know what you think!  Oh wait I forgot the ninth exercise....

Ending the workout with a bang: Tebowing for the Buckeyes!

The OHIO STATE Tebow ;)!  Had to give a shout out to my Buckeyes tonight!  Good luck! And a special thank you to Jordan Morrison for being a great photographer :)!

A Little Inspiration...

Well hello!  I hope everyone has had an amazing weekend!  I apologize for the delay in this week's post.  I was working the DC Rock N Roll Marathon Expo this past week and finished up yesterday in Baltimore for Fox 45's Baltimore Healthy Expo.  It was probably one of my most memorable St. Patrick's Days.  Conventionally, the day is spent raising a glass of green beer, but yesterday I had the amazing opportunity to educate, inspire, and be inspired.

Baltimore's best is getting healthy!

Baltimore was a great city to spend the day in with so many people coming out to learn about how to be healthier.  I have been fortunate to work many expos, but most of them are geared towards competitors, body builders, runners, cyclists, etc.  And these are great experiences: a bunch of like-minded people in the same place.  But yesterday's expo was different.  Yes, there were fit fanatics like myself, but the majority of were normal American people taking the opportunity to learn more about how to be healthy.

The best part of the day was having the chance to talk to the kids and teach them about healthy snacks.  And event better was watching them smile as they were trying out their new "treats."  Parents were eager and excited to learn about ways to feed their kids better even on a budget. The questions about working out, eating healthy, and taking better care of themselves were an endless stream and it was so fulfilling to be able to answer and provide a little insight.

 

As I was working and talking to people I looked over to see this gorgeous, fit, older woman. We immediately started speaking about training and I learned I was speaking to Ernestine Shepherd, the world's oldest female competitive body builder  (look her up in the Guinness Book of World's Records). Ernestine is 77 years old and still living a fit and healthy life! Ernestine has kind and gentle personality, and her passion and love for fitness shined through her smile and voice.  Thank you Ernestine for the inspiration - I hope I can live up to your record and who knows maybe be next to you in the GBWR someday :).

Myself, Ernestine Shepherd, & Kayla

As you go about your week this week, take a minute to inspire and in turn be inspired. Go get after it! :).

Healthly Italian: Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meat Sauce

I am Italian! Thus, I love to cook, I love to entertain, and I love my pasta! However, both time and health are of the essence for myself and I am sure they are for you too! I have always had an eye and a taste for "health-i-fying" recipes. And to my dad's credit, here is one of my favorite healthy Italian style dishes! This meal is a great one for guests and will leave them in awe once they realize it is not really spaghetti they are eating. Spaghetti squash and turkey meat sauce is simple, quick, and healthy. I threw it together last night with a friend and she was amazed at how easy it was to make and how delicious it tasted! I did my best to document my process last night, let me know if you have any questions when you give it a go!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash (1-2 depending on size and number you are cooking for)

 - I picked up two small ones: serving 2-3

1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey

1 jar Trader Joe's Spaghetti Sauce

1 12 oz can diced tomatoes

12 oz of water

Pam

The Squash:

Cut and Cleaned out!

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half vertically

3. Scoop out the guts and discard

4. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil

5. Place the squash hollow side down on the cookie sheet

6. Add and inch deep of water on the cookie sheet to keep squash moist

7. Place sheet in oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until top of squash is soft

8. Once squash is done, remove and let cool a few minutes (they are hot!)

9. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash into a bowl to make "spaghetti"                 

 

    

The Meat and Sauce

**get started on the meat and sauce while the squash is in the oven**

1. Spray cooking pan with Pam

2. Cook turkey in pan until brown

3. Pour sauce into large pot on medium heat

4. Add in can diced tomatoes

5. Add in 12 oz of water

6. Add in cooked meat

7. Once sauce starts to boil, lower heat to a simmer and stir occasionally

 

Time to eat!  Dish out your spaghetti squash with meat sauce and enjoy! Serve it up with a healthy salad topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. If you have the chance to make it, let me know what you think!  Also, as a side note, I have made this before with ground venison and ground bison, both were amazing!

The finished dish! So delicious!