Christmas Comes Early Workout!

Sumo Squat with Side Leg Lift
Grab a weight and hold it at chest height in both hands. Stand with your feet wider than hip distance apart, drop your shoulders and engage your core. Bend your knees into a deep squat. When you stand, transfer your weight to your left leg and lift your right leg to the side. Return the right leg to the floor in a squat and as you stand, lift your left leg to the side, lower the leg into a squat and repeat, switching legs with each repetition. Continue for 1 minute.

Sumo Push-Up
Begin in plank position, the up phase of a push-up. Engage your core, drop your shoulders away from your ears and maintain a straight line from your head/neck down through your tailbone. Lower into a push-up and as you press back up, lift your right palm to the ceiling and twist your torso. Return the right hand to the floor dropping straight into another push-up, switch hands/torso twist as you press back up. Repeat for 10 – 20 repetitions. If you begin to feel your stomach sag toward the floor and a sway in your low back, press back to child’s pose to rest. These push-ups can also be done on your knees.

Jump Lunge
Begin with your feet hip distance and parallel with your hands on your hips, your shoulders down and back and your core engaged. Focus on maintaining your core engaged through out! Step your right leg back bending your left knee into a deep lunge. Spring up (jump) and switch feet, lunging with your right knee bent/left leg bent. Keep your front toes pointing over your toes with each lunge. Repeat the jump lunge for 30-60 seconds. This can also be done without the jump, quickly switching legs from lunge to lunge.

Repeat this entire sequence 3 to 5 times, drink lots of water, have fun and happy holidays!

Killer Booty Swing!

Quick & Easy!

Grab a weight of some sort, stand with your feet a few inches wider than hip distance and parallel. Drop your shoulders, engage your core and hold your weight in both hands, pick something mid-range, too heavy and if you begin to tire you may compensate with your lower back...not good!

Begin by swinging the weight down between your legs and using your core, hamstrings and glutes, swing the weight out in front of you to about chest height, swing it back down between your legs; 1 repetition. Keep it up for 3 sets of 30 swings and your booty will thank you!

Remember to maintain your posture by keeping your core engaged and your shoulders dropped down and back!

When you are finished drink some water and give yourself a pat on the back(side)!

Super Girl (Person) Push-Ups!

Assume the push-up position, the up position.

Make sure your fingers are pointing forward to ease the strain on your wrists, engage your core, drop your shoulders away from your ears and make sure that your spine is a straight line from your neck down to your tailbone.

Lift your right leg off the floor and do a push-up. Return your leg to the floor and lift your left leg, push-up. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 repetitions pressing into child's pose or downward facing dog to rest.

To modify this exercise, stay in the up position of the push-up and alternately lift and lower your legs, exhaling your breath as you lift, inhale as you lower.

Super BLAST Squats!

Five minutes of leg burning bliss to start off the workout for this week! Get a time piece of sorts to keep track of your time, this will be broken down into 20 second intervals adding up to 5 minutes with your rest coming when it is all said and done...

Begin standing with your feet slightly wider than hip distance apart and parallel, your spine in neutral alignment, core engaged and shoulders down and back.

If you choose, hold a weight in both hands at chest height but your body weight will most likely suffice!

20 seconds #1; bend your knees into a deep squat, engage your hamstrings and glutes and return to stand, repeat for 20 seconds.

20 seconds #2; continue squatting, lowering 1/2 way down.

20 seconds #3; in the 1/2 way squat, mini pulses for 20 seconds.

1 minute down...without taking a break start the cycle again and continue for a total of 5 cycles = 5 minutes.

Shake out your legs, stretch and drink some water when you are finished and have fun, it only takes 5 minutes...not much in the scheme of things.

The Snow Plow Widow's Workout...

When winter hits, like it just did in Montana, my hubby drives a plow truck. If winter happens to hit in full force over a holiday weekend, my girls are not in school and my workout schedule changes.

Here are a few thoughts on getting plenty of exercise around your home, with your kids and everyone having a great time.

Find a big sled and haul your kids around. I just returned from pulling my girls down the road to get the mail. They laughed the whole time and I was shedding layers after the first uphill stretch. Drag em through the deep snow and give your hamstrings and glutes a workout!

Chop & stack some wood. Use your core muscles, your arms and shoulders will feel just as much as they would from a trip to the gym.

Shovel, shovel, shovel! Think about your core and posture and clear off your sidewalks, decks and pathways. Great exercise for your whole body!

Put on your boots and trudge through the snow. Walking around in the snow is an amazing workout for your legs, heart and lungs!

It feels great to sit down after spending a day outside! Remember to drink lots of water! It is really easy to get dehydrated in the colder months when we are not so focused on staying hydrated in the heat. No matter the temperature our bodies always need plenty of water!

Enjoy these beautiful winter days and play hard! It is really fun!

Ready for ski season?!?

It is snowing at my house in Whitefish, MT! As we are heading into a new season, I decided it was the perfect time to resume my blogging.

So, here in the wintry land of Whitefish we are all getting ready for ski season! When I think of the first weeks of ski season, what always comes to my mind? My sore quads...and all the fun that goes along with those muscles aching of course.

Your body, a wall and a clock are all you need to start prepping for using your quads at the mountain.

Stand with your back against a wall, your feet hip distance, parallel and +/- 18 inches from the wall (far enough away so that when you bend your knees, your knees line up with your ankles while pointing over your toes). Bend your knees so that your quads are parallel with the floor and hold. Hold the squat position for a few deep breaths working up to a minute or two. Repeat this exercise 3-5 times.

Did you know...that 85% of what happens in your body is directly related to what you put in your mouth?!? Think about that for a while and there will be more to come.

Happy snowy days!

Lole Love Blog...

Here is a post from the Lole Love Blog, Lole makes amazing clothing for women who love life, about a run/hike that my amazing friend Lisa and I did this summer!
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A lovely adventure!

The Lazy Days Of Summer...

...sucked me right in! This was my realization on my long, VERY SLOW, meditative run today. So I thought it a great opportunity to refresh some memories as to what I, and Body Forge, is all about.

I, Erin Sabin, am a Certified Personal Trainer, Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant and Genesis Transformation Coach living, working and enjoying the days in Whitefish, MT. I am also the mother of 2 young girls, Lillian and Sage.

My goal as a Fitness Consultant is to provide my clients with enjoyable, realistic and successful tools to transform their lives and allow them to achieve their ultimate health and wellness goals. Genesis Transformation provides an individually designed path for fat loss and increased overall fitness. I guide clients through a proven system combining clean eating, accountability, sound science and emotional support to get fantastic results. This is accomplished with our award-winning online food journaling tool, Genesis, and weekly phone coaching.

Helping people realize their health and fitness goals is something I truely enjoy and I am grateful each day to be on a career path that allows such great rewards.

The Body Forge blog provides workouts and exercises that can be done with minimal equipment, often all you need is your body, at your convenience. The exercises are simple and fun. Set aside some time and pick a few; there is something for all your amazing body parts!

I hope your days of summer are lovely!

A Twist on the ABC's

When I am having trouble falling asleep I go through what I have named my "Affirmation Alphabet."

I close my eyes and take a few deep breathes and start with A.

I come up with a positive, personal attribute for the letter A, on to B and so forth. If I am really struggling with sleep, I continue with all the words for each letter I can think of.

I have found a few things with the "affirmation alphabet":

I rarely make it through the entire alphabet without falling asleep and my attitude is always positive as I doze off.
Words that I use to define myself are a projection of who I am and who I want to become; I can create my personal mold by starting with how I think and speak about myself.
It is a great mental challange to end the day.

Happy summer! Have fun creating your list of positive attributes!

What Makes My Legs Burn?

Body weight squats and lunges...

O.K. This is fun, have a water bottle close by and get ready to count!

1. Basic squat: feet hip distance & parallel, hands on your hips, basic squat with your core engaged and chest up X 10 reps

2. Sumo squat: step your feet apart to about a leg's distance with your toes pointing out, squat, core engaged, chest up X 10 reps

3. Squat jump: begin with your feet together, your knees bent into a squat and your hands at the back of your head; jump your feet (parallel) out and back together, repeat X 10 reps

4. Side leg lift: take a wide stance, your feet just wider than your hips and parallel, squat and as you straighten up, lift your bent right leg up to the side, lower into a squat and repeat X 10 reps and switch legs

5. Lunge jump: step your right leg back into a wide lunge, jump up and switch legs, repeat X 10 reps per leg, 20 jump lunges total

8. Single leg squat: root yourself on your right leg, lifting your left foot of the ground or propping the toe of your left foot behind you as a balance; single leg squat on your right leg X 10 reps and switch to your left leg

9. "Monkey" Lunge: step your right leg back into a wide lunge with your arms extended overhead, bend your right(extended) knee down toward the ground and straighten, repeat, maintaining the bend of your left knee throughout X 10 reps, step your right foot to your left and switch legs

10. Shake your legs out and grab your water bottle. You just did over 100 squats and lunges! Fun!

All Over Blaster!

My lovely friend Gerda first introduced me to these absolutely fabulous treats; Dolphin Push-ups!

Start out in plank position with your forearms in a straight line on the floor and your fingers pointing forward.

Inhale and lift your hips so your body becomes an inverted V; similar to Down Dog. Slowly lower your hips back into plank and repeat for 12 repetitions. Press back into Child's Pose to rest.

This will target your core, arms and legs!

My Sore Muscles...

The last couple weeks I have been feeling pretty run down and my weight training has taken a back burner.

Yesterday, without wanting to "over-do" it, I knew I needed to get started again with my routine. What follows is what I came up with to ease back into weight training and now I am feeling a bit sore in places.
Set #1
1. Pull-ups: not many, I can only do 3-5 so on the last one I come down as slowly as possible
2. Push-ups: I did 15
3. Oblique/Center/Oblique/Center crunches on the BOSU: 15 each

Set #2
20 Reps of:
1. Squats with my feet hip distance apart
2. Jump Squats on the BOSU
3. Forward Lunge with and overhead press using a medicine ball
4. Alternating Jump Lunge

Set #3
1. Reverse Lunge: 20 reps with each leg with a torso twist/press using a medicine ball
2. Tuck Jumps: 10, this is just a standing jump pulling your knees up as close to your chest as possible
3. Hamstring Curl with a stability ball: lie on your back with your feet on a stability ball, press up into a shoulder bridge and straighten your legs to roll the ball away from your body, bend your knees to bring the ball back, repeat for 20 repetitions.

Then I did it again. This was quick and pretty fun. My biceps, back and chest are feeling the pull-ups and push-ups and my quads and glutes are also twinging a bit.

I followed it up with stretching and water!

Slow Down #3...Lay Down!

This post was in my head for last week as the 3rd installment of the importance of slowing down and then I got sidelined by one of the worst colds in my personal history. Losing out to a cold for the better part of a week and still feeling the tail ends of it is inspiration to wrap up with a trio of suggestions for optimal health and wellness!

This one is simple! Lie down and take a nap. You don’t have time you say; at least that is what I always say, but research shows that people who nap actually perform better in test taking situations, are more focused and therefore more productive.

Getting enough rest is one of the most important aspects of optimal health and most of us don’t get it. I am not advocating a 2 hour nap in the middle of a busy Tuesday but finding a quiet spot to lie down and let your body totally relax for 10 minutes is pretty simple to fit and will leaving you feeling refreshed and energized for what is yet to come in your day.

Over the last few months I have been scheduling in “nap” times here and there, I don’t get them in too often, but when I do, I turn off my phone and set my alarm for a few minutes ahead, rarely more than 20. Sometimes I fall asleep; sometimes I completely relax into a deep meditative state. When my alarm goes off, I get up, splash a bit of water on my face and feel as though I am starting new in my day. I am calm, focused, my mood is elevated and I completely avoid the late afternoon sluggishness that often hits.

Try and schedule a quick nap into your week, drink a lot of water and enjoy feeling energized knowing you are truly taking care of your health!

Slow Down #2...Take Notes

For a few years of my early “adult” life I thought I would grow up to be a writer; I have the student loans and a piece of paper somewhere to prove it. The funny thing about me and writing is that sitting down to write was just about impossible and usually done only when a poem or short story was due the following day.

When I started as a G.T. client, my coach “suggested” that I start keeping a daily journal. I started writing in my journal as recommended, initially keeping track of my weight, water intake, exercise and tips that my coach gave me. I didn’t go into much detail but I wrote something down each day. As the weeks progressed, I got more specific with the things that were going on in my days. Before long, writing in my journal became enjoyable and now I am committed.

I have found my journal to be a valuable tool for several reasons. Not only does it provide a record of the basic info, but now I write about the details of my day. My journal is a tool for contemplation and brainstorming and allows me to process things and leave them behind if necessary.

Now that I have been keeping a journal for the last 1 ½ year, I am able to look back and see the changes that I have made physically and mentally, I can look at my weight and reference it with my food from the G.T. food journal and pinpoint things in my diet that affect my body in certain ways. I know that when my weight goes up a few pounds it could be an indication that my immune system is compromised and I may be getting sick or that there may be intolerance to something in my diet.

Not only are my journals packed with information about my body; writing in my journal has become a means to calm my mind and often forces me to stop the busyness that I fill my days with. It is rewarding to look back at the stack of filled journals and know that I set my mind to something and have been dedicated and consistent. There are a few things in my life that I am a bit “obsessed” with and perhaps writing daily in my jouranl is one of them but as someone who shunned journaling for years I am a dedicated convert.

My suggestion is to set a goal and make notes in a journal every day for 2weeks or everyday for a month; whatever feels doable. It may become enjoyable and if that is the case, the information about yourself that you will be able to reference in the future will serve as the material for one of the most in depth and valuable educations available. And who knows, it could be fun!

Slow Down!

As a Genesis Transformation coach and personal trainer my intention is to offer support and guidance to my clients as they strive to achieve their optimal health and fitness goals. I receive great joy and satisfaction from having a job that I truly love.

As a G.T. coach, I am also a Genesis Transformation client and work with my own coach who supports me and helps to direct the path I am following.
Recently she added a “long, slow run” to my cardiovascular routine.

I realized on my last run that the long run is as much a benefit for my head space as it is for my cardio health. For years running has been my “thing.” In the past I ran obsessively to process the chaos in my brain from all the crap I was putting into my body. Over the last year the reasons why I run have changed. Now a run for me is an opportunity for meditation; it allows me to quiet my mind and organize my thoughts and I often return home full of clarity and motivation for the tasks in front of me.

A long slow run is also a great training tool for your heart (research “aerobic base building”) and body. Your heart is a muscle and just like the rest of the muscles in your body it will perform with greater efficiency if it is properly conditioned. Slow training will also allow you to be mindful of your posture and body position.

This week I am recommending taking time to condition your mind. Take a long walk, run or bike ride in the woods. Leave your music at home and enjoy the world around you. Notice what changes are occurring as spring comes into full bloom. Where do your thoughts lead you? What happens in your body? Are there areas of tension, specific aches and twinges that need attention? Take notes of what you learn about your body and your mind while out and about.

Remember to drink your water and enjoy some quiet time on your own. It is a great personal gift! Happy spring!

Lessons!

I was having a conversation the other day with the mother of one of my daughter Lillian’s classmates about math and working at home to improve comprehension. I walked away thinking to myself that I don’t really love math and I don’t even care much for trying to explain first grade math.

I consider myself lucky in the fact that Lillian has a good head on her shoulders and can figure out a lot for herself, despite my floundering explanations. In thinking of the lack of enthusiasm I have for working on sums with Lillian, I started thinking about how I encourage her math skills in other aspects of her life.

As a Genesis Transformation Coach, Personal Trainer and someone who has always been conscious of diet, I am pretty meticulous with what I feed myself and my family. The nature of our diet puts me in the kitchen for a fair amount of time. I have few complaints, I love to cook! The enjoyment I get in the kitchen seems to be transferring over to my girls; Lillian and I have been cooking together for years and now Sage is following right behind.

The lessons my girls are learning from our kitchen are valuable! When I follow recipes, I tend to alter them. As Lillian and I cook together and change the ingredient amounts, I encourage Lil to figure out how to increase some ingredients or decrease others. As we are cooking, we are developing her math skills. Math may not be my strong suit but I am a great cook and I am able to help my daughter develop her math brain in the time that we cook together; we also have a lovely time side by side at the counter.

My two year old, Sage, also loves to stand at the counter and ‘help’. The lessons we are sharing with her are not yet mathematical, but she always wants to participate and the enthusiasm she has for her creations is addicting. When Sage asks for juice, she wants to make it; she wants to put carrots and beets, peppers and apples, fresh ginger and mint, celery and spinach into the juicer. She loves the color, loves the pulp and loves the results. For breakfast, she often wants pancakes and that means that she will be making them. We add pumpkin and applesauce, fresh local eggs and honey. She doesn’t use syrup and eats stacks. At dinner she will eat a rainbow of veggies double dipping, at least, in hummus.

We are not perfect. Both my girls love sweets and pizza, french fries and tacos made with frozen fish sticks are favorites. But all in all my girls eat a well rounded diet and the lessons they are learning out of our kitchen will stay with them throughout their lives. They are both strong, healthy and enthusiastically use their well fueled brains. I get to enjoy time in my kitchen with my girls and share my love of good food with them as well as reap the rewards of children who usually eat what is in front of them, even if things are hidden and disguised occasionally.

Last Week...A Recap

Last week was a series of cardio activity and full body resistance exercises.
The routine goes like this...

1. Start off with a good 5-10 minute warm-up and then move into...

2. One minute of cardio activity working between 75%-90% of your maximum ability.

3. Sumo Squats with a dumbbell shoulder press for 30 seconds

4. One minute of cardio

5. Walking Lunge with dumbbells for 30 seconds

6. One minute of cardio

7. Push-ups for 30 seconds

8. One minute of cardio

9. Finally...Squats with your feet together for 30 seconds

10. Cool down for 10 minutes or repeat the entire cycle for as many repetitions as time and energy permit!

As always...remember to drink lots of water and have lots of fun!

Finally!

Finish the series with push-ups for 30 seconds, another minute of cardio and last but not least...30 seconds of squats with your feet together.

Begin the squats standing with your feet together, holding dumbbells in your hands by your sides.

Keeping your shoulders down and back, your core engaged and your chest up, bend your knees into a deep squat. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to return to stand and repeat for 30 seconds.

Next...

Set up for 30 seconds of bench dips.

Begin with your hands grasping the edge of a chair or bench with your feet extended out in front of you. Slide your butt off the edge of the chair so you are balancing your body weight with your arms. Lower your torso, bending your elbows to 90 degrees, keeping your shoulders down and back and your chest up. Press back up and repeat for 30 seconds.

Follow the bench dips with another minute of your cardio activity.

After the minute cardio, have some water and come to stand with your feet hip distance apart and parallel, your shoulders down and back, your spine in neutral and your core engaged. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.

Walking lunges for 30 seconds. Take a step with your right leg, plant your foot heel to toe and bend your knee into a lunge with your thigh parallel to the floor. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to stand and switch legs. Repeat.

Then another minute of cardio...see a pattern?

What Comes Next?

Follow up your warm-up and one minute of cardio with sumo squats.

Begin stands with your feet about a leg's length apart, your feet pointing slightly out. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with your palms facing in.

Bend your knees into a deep squat keeping your weight back on your heels and your toes pointing over your toes. Pause at the bottom and press through your heels, engaging your hamstrings and glutes to bring you back to standing.

When you have returned to standing press your dumbbells overhead without locking your elbows, lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders...1 rep.

Repeat for 30 seconds and gear up for another minute of your cardio.

Drink a lot of water, have fun! More tomorrow!

This Week...Full Body Blast

This week I am providing a series of exercises that will come together for a quick and easy cardio/strength series. You can go through the entire routine once or three-four times, depending on your time availability, energy level and enthusiasm.

Start off good and warmed up! A 10 minute walk would suffice!

This was one of last week's posts and is a great way to get your heart rate up, jumping jacks, running in place or moving your furniture and dancing are also great options!

Begin standing with you feet 1-2 inches wider than hip distance apart and parallel. Drop your shoulders and engage your core.

Drop into a deep squat with your chest up and plant your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Hop your legs back so you land in a plank position, pause and hop your feet back to your hands and return to standing. Repeat for 1 minute!

If you just can't wait for the next exercise in the series, feel free to head to the wall for wall sits, as long as you wish!

Don't forget stretching and water! Have a great day!

Hamstrings & Glutes To Finish Off The Week

Start this on your back with your feet planted on the floor hip distance apart. If you are so inclined, put a weight on your pelvis.

Inhale to begin and press your hips off the floor as high as possible with your exhale; inhale and lower. Inhale at the bottom and repeat for 12-15 repetitions.

If your hamstrings and glutes need a bit extra after completing your set, press your hips up and pulse for 12-15 pulses, lowering your hips only 2-3 inches. You may also do this exercise with your heels lifted. Play around a bit and see what muscles are activated in different positions!

When you are done, hug your knees to your chest and relax!

Get Your Heart Beating!

For this exercise, please make sure you have warmed your muscles up!

Begin standing with you feet 1-2 inches wider than hip distance apart and parallel. Drop your shoulders and engage your core.

Drop into a deep squat with your chest up and plant your hands on the floor in front of your feet. Hop your legs back so you land in a plank position, pause and hop your feet back to your hands and return to standing. Do it again…and again…and so on for 8-12 repetitions.

This will hopefully get your heart rate up and your blood circulating, as well as target the muscles in your arms, shoulders, core and legs! Have fun!

Lateral Bridge!

Begin lying on your side with your forearm under your shoulder and your legs extend with your feet flexed and stacked. Engage you glutes and abs and press your hip off the floor to create a straight line from your shoulder to your ankles. Bend your top leg and bring your knee to waist height, hold for 5 deep breaths, return, repeat and roll over to the other side when you have completed 5-8 repetitions.

Feel free to prop your top foot in front of your bottom for balance, or do this exercise with both your knees bent.

This will target your core and your shoulders. Don’t forget to breathe; keep your head and spine aligned and drink lots of water!

Stability Ball “Mini” Squat

Begin standing in front of a stability ball with your feet hip distance and parallel with your arms by your sides. With your shoulders pressed down and back and your spine straight, bend your knees, into a squat just enough to touch your tailbone on the ball. Exhale to stand, inhale squat and repeat for 15 repetitions.

Stability Ball Plank!

Come into plank position, the “up” position of a push-up with the tops of your shins resting on your stability ball.

Stack your shoulders above your wrists and make sure the middle fingers of your hands are facing forward. Drop your shoulders down and away from your ears, engage your core muscles and do not allow your stomach and low back to sag to the floor. Your goal is to create a strong, straight “plank” from the top of your head down your spine and through your heels.

Hold this position for a predetermined amount of time making sure to keep breathing. When you have reached your goal, slowly lower your knees and remove your feet from the ball, press into child’s pose and relax.

Aim for 3-5 repetitions! This is challenging and can be just as fun with your feet on the floor!

Patience...Growth...Excitement!

This afternoon I left the beautiful spring we have been experiencing in Whitefish in a bit of a rush. I am on my way to Chicago for a fitness expo.

Genesis Transformation, www.genesistransformation.com, is setting up a booth and my friend Chrisy and I are on our way to participate. I have been excited, the learning opportunity is fantastic, and apprehensive, networking with over 5,000 fitness professionals! I am about to get a crash course in marketing and promotion!

Unbeknownst to me our flight was canceled out of Kalispell, mechanical issues, and Christy spent the morning getting us situated on an earlier flight out of Kalispell. I came out of a session with a client this morning, list in hand, thinking I had plenty of time to run around, prepare food, shower, the basics and was quickly informed that if I could get out of Kalispell it was going to happen 2 hours sooner than I had planned.

I got the bare bones done, skipped the shower and trimming my bangs, probably a good thing, additional food prep and kitchen cleanup, zipped my bags and got to the airport in record time. We both got on the early flight and landed to dreary weather in Salt Lake.

In the last hour we have watched our luggage get loaded on the plane. Been told of another mechanical delay, mechanical fixed; boarding in 10 minutes, not fixed; not boarding, $6 meal voucher; more water, luggage taken off the plane, plane pushed away from the gate, new plane...maybe, canceled...maybe, oh not canceled; new plane...yep, leaving? When?

When I heard about the initial problems I panicked and for 30 minutes or so I was frantic. I lost my money, couldn't find my cell phone, ran around the house in my underpants, wasted time. After a bit I remembered the tattoo I got this winter, "engage" and I stopped to breathe. I told myself all was a-ok and I relaxed. On the flight to SLC I wrote in my journal. I identified my goals for this upcoming weekend. I considered my weaknesses and ways to tackle them to fully take advantage of this upcoming adventure.

So, I am excited. I am excited to share the information I will learn this weekend and will certainly come away with some new exercise ideas at the least!

Round It Up!

Begin this exercise laying on your right side with your right upper arm on the floor, your head resting in your hand and your legs extended. Lift your top (left) leg a few inches off the floor and make small forward circles, continue for a predetermined time, 30 seconds for example, and switch directions.
When you have finished circling in both directions, lower your leg, take a deep breath and lift the leg again for 15-20 small pulses. Lower and roll to the other side! You will feel this in the small muscles of your butt, the ones we often forget!

When doing this exercise, flex your feet and reach your top leg out beyond (will be VERY slight) your bottom leg. This will help to engage your core muscles and lift your right (if you are on your right side) oblique muscles off the floor.

Overacheiver!

Begin lying on your back. Bend your knees toward your chest and grasp your shins and engage your core muscles, do not allow your low back to arch.

Drop your shoulders away from your ears and with an exhale of your breath, lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor and extend your legs. Hold your legs a few inches off the floor and straighten your arms over your head with your palms facing in. Bring your knees back to your chest grasping your legs again.

Important points…keep your shoulders down and away from your ears, do not allow your stomach to “pop”, if you feel pressure or arching in your low back or your stomach pops toward the ceiling, do not lower your legs quite so much.
Continue this with your breath for 10-15 repetitions and have a fantastic day!

Roll Back!

Begin seated with your knees bent, feet on the floor hip-width apart. Sit up tall you’re your shoulders down and back. Suck your navel in so your torso forms a C and keeping your back rounded, slowly roll your torso down toward the floor, vertebrae by vertebrae. Take a deep breath when your torso reaches the floor and tuck your chin to your chest and slowly roll up to seated, vertebrae by vertebrae.

It is important that you do not allow your navel to “pop” toward the ceiling, if you feel tension in your low back or your navel does, assist yourself by placing your hands on the back of your thighs and be sure to keep your shoulders away from your ears!

Repeat this roll down for 8 – 12 repetitions with the flow of your breath. This is great work for your core, glute and hamstring muscles! Fun!

Plank Push-ups!

Begin in plank position, the up phase of a push-up with your hands flat on the floor beneath your shoulders. From here, lower your body and with your core strength, press back up, one (1) push-up. Pause at the top and lift your left hand off the floor with your arm extended out to side. Hold here and lift your right foot off the floor. Lower your hand and foot back to the floor, do another push-up and repeat with opposite hand and foot. Continue, alternating sides for 8-12 repetitions.

Please remember...do not allow your stomach to sag to the floor, maintain your core strength, keep your shoulders down away from your ears and don’t forget to breathe! Have fun!!

Your Arms Are Loving You!

Hold a medicine ball or dumbbell in both hands and come into a table top position on a stability ball with your head and shoulders resting on the ball, your knees bent with your feet hip distance and parallel. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to lift your torso so that it is parallel to the floor.

Engage your core and extend your arms, with the weight, toward the ceiling over your shoulders. Shift the weight to the left hand and open both arms into a T, bring your arms back together, extended toward the ceiling, shift the weight to the right hand and open again into a T; 1 repetition.

Continue with this motion for a series of 12 – 15 repetitions!

Tricep Crunch!

Begin seated with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor, setting up to do a few sit-ups! Hold a weight in your hands in front of your chest with your elbows bent in to your sides. Lean your torso back to form a wide V with your torso and knees, think 10 and 2 on a clock. As you come back up to seated, keeping your elbows in to your sides, press your weight overhead. Bring the weight back to the front of your chest as your lean back again.

Some points to remember: do not allow your shoulders to creep up to your ears, keep your core engaged, do not allow your stomach “pop” and if you begin to feel pressure in your low back, you need to decrease the angle of your V.

Repeat the movement for a series of 15 – 20 repetitions! Feel free to do this without weight if you choose!

Lunge & Press!

Begin standing with your feet hip distance and parallel with your spine in neutral and your core engaged. Hold a medicine ball or a dumbbell in both hands at your chest with your elbows bent in to your sides.

Step your right leg back into a reverse lunge and at the same time twist your torso to the right. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to come out of your lunge, lifting your knee in front of you and at the same time, returning your torso to center and pressing your weight overhead.

Continue on: reverse lunge with a torso twist, knee lift, over head press and so on…for 10 – 15 repetitions and switch sides.

Tabletop Pullover

For this week grab your stability ball and a weighted medicine ball or light dumbbell. This first exercise begins in a table top position with your stability ball.

To get into a proper table top position begin seated on your stability ball with your feet hip distance apart, your shoulders down and back, your spine in neutral and your core engaged. Begin to walk your feet out away from the ball so you can come to create a table of sorts with your head and shoulders on the ball. Maintain your proper body position and engage your hamstring and glute muscles to keep your core in a level table top position.

Hold your medicine ball in both hands with your arms extended to the ceiling. If you are using a dumbbell, hold on to the weight horizontally with your hands grasping either end of the dumbbell. Using your core strength, inhale your breath and extend your arms overhead so they create a straight line with your torso. Exhale your breath and lift your arms back up to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 15 repetitions, 2-3 sets.

More Lessons From A 7 Year Old…

How we go through life is just a matter of perspective and looking at things through the eyes of a 7 year old is often the best vantage point.

I don’t usually enjoy the days when I look around and it is obvious that I need to spend a few minutes on home maintenance. I am not the most organized or immaculate and neither is the rest of my family. On top if that, we have a lot of things and not a lot of space or storage which leads to piles and clutter.

Today was one of the days when our home needed a touch of attention. I pulled out the vacuum, got all the corners, headed for the cobwebs. Before long, I started to get frustrated by the dust on the shelves developed a bit of a “poor me Cinderella” complex.

I pulled Lillian away from the movie she was watching and told her that if I was cleaning I wasn’t going about it on my own. She wasn’t too happy about putting on her Cinderella shoes until I handed her the dust rag and set her on the “un-dusting” task (remember the very literal Amelia Bedelia). She couldn’t have been more excited to spend an hour “un-dusting” our house.

The enthusiasm Lillian had for her task completely changed my perspective on cleaning my house. I might not have the most organized home, I don’t have a lot of storage space for all our stuff, but my small house is comfortable and just right for my family and working on cleaning things up with my 7 year old couldn’t have been more enjoyable.

What else did I realize? Life can be a bit like house work; if one is not careful it can be somewhat tedious. It can be easy to get through life with just the bare minimum, not dusting the shelves. Put in a little effort and enthusiasm and the results are fantastic. Just a little attention to the small details brings the greatest rewards and blossoms into bigger ideas and greater possibilities.

Look at life now and again through the eyes of a 7 year old. “Un-dusting” is a great Sunday morning pastime and a jump rope can take you where you headed quicker than just a pair of feet. The possibilities are endless. Just a small change in a point of view can present what lies in front in a whole new light. Pretty fun really!

Get Up Off Your Arse…

I watched my friend Tracey do this at the gym today and it is a good one! This will target your hamstrings and glutes with a bit for your quads thrown in for good measure. It is also great for balance and stability!

Begin seated on a chair or bench with your feet flat on the floor. Extend your right leg out in front of you. Press through the heel of your left foot and with the strength of your glutes and hamstrings, don’t use your arms; come to stand on your left leg. Keep your leg extended and return to seated. Repeat for a series of 8 to 12repetitions and switch legs.

If this is too easy, grab a set of dumbbells and don’t forget to breathe!

Find Your Inner 7 Year Old!

My 7 year old daughter Lillian is the inspiration for this week's exercises so embrace your inner child and...

Find a sturdy piece of rope and start jumping. Jump rope for 5-10 minutes. Jumping rope is great exercise, can be done anywhere and is fun.

Aim to get your heart rate up for a minimum of 20 minutes, 3 days per week. Be sure to warm up for at least 5 minutes before you start jumping and have fun!!

Dinner...

Dinner tonight was easy and yummy!

What?
1 clove garlic
1 medium shallot, sliced
1 small eggplant, peeled and diced
2 roasted red peppers, diced
salt & pepper to taste
* polenta
* pesto
* tomato sauce
* fresh mozzarella & parmesan cheese
* determine amounts by personal taste

How?
Saute the onion and shallot in a bit of olive oil until translucent, add the eggplant and saute until tender, stir in the red peppers.

In a med um baking dish, spoon a bit of tomato sauce and top with polenta. Spoon the eggplant mixture on top of the polenta. Top the eggplant with the pesto, fresh mozzarella, parmesan and a bit more tomato sauce.

Bake at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve with a green salad!

Spring Break!

This week my girls are out of school so in observance, I am taking a break from the exercises.

Instead, as things come up that are enjoyable for my girls and I, I will share those experiences/experiments instead.

Recently Lillian (7) and I were working on a few gift ideas for Sage (2).

We decided upon multi-colored, heart shaped crayons. We found a mini-heart shaped muffin tray at a craft store. We peeled the papers off crayons and broke them into small pieces. We put the crayon bits into the muffin molds and melted them all together at the lowest bake temperature in our oven.

They ended up with a clear layer on the top which probably could have been avoided if we had stirred them a bit but this falls into the experiment category. They are a great size for chubby little hands to hold on to and Lil and I had fun putting them together!

Happy Spring!

Row Row Row

High Row

Begin standing with your feet hip distance apart, your spine in neutral with your core engaged. Hold a set of light dumbbells in your hands with your fingertips facing your thighs.

Inhale and with your exhale reach your elbows up to the ceiling with your hands sliding along your torso.

Points to remember: keep your elbows higher than your hands through the entire exercise and your shoulders down and back.

Plyo Lunge

This lunge adds a jump in the middle so make sure you are mindful of your landing and have a strong base level of cardiovascular fitness!

Begin in a lunge position with your left foot forward and both knees bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides if you wish, keeping your arms straight.

From your lunge, jump straight up and switch your leg position in midair so you land in a lunge with your right foot forward.

Keep your upper body still throughout the exercise and make sure you don’t bend your forward knee past 90 degrees. Repeat in a continuous motion, doing four sets of 16 (eight per leg).

Elevated Push-Up; The Tried & True But Different

Start in push-up position with your feet on a chair behind you. Drop your shoulders down and back, away from your ears, contract your core and do not allow your stomach to sag toward the floor. Lower your torso toward the floor and press back to the up position with the exhale of your breath. Repeat for as many repetitions as can be performed in proper position!

Mantras

This quote was on my "Yogi" tea bag tonight; it is worth considering!

"Mantras you shouldn't say: I don't know; I'm not ready, I can't do it."

These are three statements that should be wiped off of our verbal slates!

What about this?
I KNOW! I am READY! I CAN do it!

Pretty simple switch!

Better Late Than Never..

...Round The World Lunges! These lunges I am borrowing from a workout posted on the Genesis Transformation Blog, the link is posted on the side bar. Sheri Lynn, the GT founder, provided this gem. Enjoy!

ROUND THE WORLD LUNGES: Imagine a compass, and use the directions N (north), NE (northeast), E (east), SE (southeast), S (south), SW (southwest), W (west), NW (northwest) and back to N. Stand in neutral stance, come forward with your right leg into a front lunge (N), and back to neutral . Then lunge with the same leg NE (45 degrees) to the front, and back to neutral. Next, a side lunge (E) with the right leg, so that the left leg is extended and the right thigh comes parallel to the floor, and back to neutral. Next lunge is SE, again lunging so that the right thigh comes parallel to the floor, and back to neutral. Finally a reverse lunge (S or South) and back to neutral. Now switch legs.

The left leg comes back into a reverse lunge (S), back to neutral. Left leg lunges SW, thigh coming parallel to the floor, back to neutral. And so on, as with the right leg, completing lunges for W, NW, and completing the round with left leg lunging N.

NO, YOU ARE NOT DONE. Now work your way back around, starting with the LEFT leg – lunging N, NW, W, SW, S and switching to right: S, SE, E, NE, N.
Do that whole sequence, all the way around 3-5 times.

Thanks Sheri, have fun!

Toe Touching!

Lie on the floor with your legs straight and arms out to your sides. Lift your left leg up toward the ceiling. At the same time lift your shoulders off the floor, reaching your right hand to touch the toes of your lifted leg. Return to the starting position. That's one rep. Repeat on the other side and continue for a total of 12-15 repetitions.

Remember to use your core muscles to perform this exercise!

Have a great Friday!

Arm Toning Tricks!

Lie on your back, with your right arm extended to the ceiling holding a weight. Keeping the arm raised, roll onto your left side propping yourself with your left forearm and thigh, bent knee. Push your self to kneeling then to stand keeping the arm extended through the entire motion. Reverse the movement to return to start. Repeat for 10-12 repetitions and switch sides.

An Embarrassingly Easy Chicken Pot Pie

I recently made a couple Chicken Pot Pies for some friends and my family. This was embarrassingly easy and equally unhealthy.

For 1 Pot Pie
1 roasted whole chicken, shredded
1 premade pie crust, from the freezer in the "health food" area of the store
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed and cut into 1 inch strips
1/2 package frozen mixed veggies, peas, corn, carrots & green beans
1/2 stick of butter
1/2 pint 1/2 & 1/2
1/2 diced sweet yellow onion
salt, pepper & thyme to taste
a little bit of flour +/- 1/4 cup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt the butter in a large pan. Add onion and saute until translucent, stir in veggies, chicken, salt, pepper and thyme. Sage, basil and tarragon would also be good additions. Stir in the 1/2 & 1/2 and flour, continue to stir until the mixture thickens a bit.

Add the chicken mixture to the pie crust and top with the puff pastry strips. Bake at 400 until the pastry is brown and fluffy, about 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes and serve. I actually made a green salad to go with this in an attempt to counter act the butter and 1/2 & 1/2.

Outdoor Babes!

I am blessed with two super great girls. Lillian is seven and her sister, Sage, just hit two. They are constantly teaching me about this amazing world that we live in. Personally, I have always known that life is better when lived outdoors. I love the feeling of being blissfully worn out after a day of outside adventuring. Lucky for me, both my girlies love to get out and about as much, if not more, than I do.

Sometimes Lillian takes some prodding, she is also content with her nose in a book, but get her out the door and away she goes. She recently had an amazing breakthrough on her bicycle and powered through breakfast all week for a few minutes on her bike before school. No big deal right? Well, we live in North West Montana and though we haven’t had much of a winter, morning temps were hovering around 20°, burr!

Now Sage, she could live outside. We actually have to lock the doors to keep her in, she opens the door and leaves, sometimes she will say “bye-bye,” most often not, and away she goes. There are the obvious dangers with a stray 2 year old and at our house we also have a pond, the potential of bears, mountain lions and other creatures and acres of raw land. Fencing her in is easier said than done and sometimes I have the vision of a dog-run/tether apparatus just to keep her somewhat contained. But I know her routes and make certain to keep her in my sights.

Those of us with children in our lives know what joy they bring to our days and for me, having two girls that thrive in the outdoor world we live in just multiplies that joy. Both my girls are fascinated by the plants and animals in their environment. They love the mud, how the moon hangs in the sky when they first get up in the morning and the birds that come in and out over the year. Their enjoyment and curiosity has broadened my view of the outdoors. I am learning the native plants and developing a bit of an obsession about caterpillars with Lillian and I am taking the paths that offer the most puddles with Sage. It really is a gift to look at the world around us from the perspective of growing, curious minds. The view is different from down there, it is fun and brand new; and, at the end of the day, minds and bodies full of fresh air settle into their beds without a fight!

Reverse Fly With a Stability Ball

Come to lie with your stomach on a stability ball, reach your legs behind you with your feet on the floor and pressing against a wall. Lengthen your spine so you are in a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. Extend your arms to the floor below your shoulders, inhale and with your exhale, lift your arms laterally to shoulder height. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions! Grab a light set of dumbbells to increase the challenge!

Building on Plank!

Begin in plank position with your shoulders stacked above your wrists, your spine in a straight line from your head down and your leg muscles engaged, reaching through your heels.

From this position, bend your left leg, engaging your core muscles and bring your knee across your body’s midline, toward your right elbow, return to plank and switch legs; continue, switching with each repetition, for a total of 10-15 reps with each leg.

Have a great day!

Side Leg Lifts...With A Stability Ball

This is a lot of fun!

Lay on your side with your head propped in your hand and a stability ball held between your legs. Squeeze the ball with your legs/feet, feet flexed. With and exhale, lift your legs off the floor and lower. Repeat for 3 sets of 15 repetitions! Lovely!

A Week of Great Glutes!

This Week...Great Glutes!

#1: Start off standing on a sturdy bench or chair. Have your feet together with your palms facing your thighs. If you choose, hold a set of dumbbells or other weight. Squeeze your shoulders down and back and engage your core. Hinge at the hips and bend forward with your legs and back straight, lowering the weights toward the floor. Engage your glute muscles and return to stand. Repeat for 12-18 reps!

#2...Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet planted hip distance apart and your arms resting by your sides. Lift your hips, engaging your glutes, off the floor as high as you can coming up to a shoulder bridge. Hold for a count of 3-5 and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions.

#3…For this exercise you will need 2 paper plates and a hard surface (not carpet).
Stand with your feet hip distance apart and a paper plate under each foot. Find yourself centered, preparing to balance on your right leg. Keep your feet parallel and slide your left foot out to the side, bending your right knee into a lunge.
From the side, slide your left leg behind your right, crossing your left leg behind your right, maintaining your lunge. From here, still in your lunge, slide your left leg back out to the side slide it back to your starting position, standing with your feet hip distance apart. Switch legs and repeat for 12-18 repetitions on each leg.
Points to remember: keep your back straight, your knees pointing over your toes, your shoulders down and back and your core engaged and have fun!

#4...and hamstrings and core!
Begin this exercise on your stomach with your arms bent, your hands stacked and your forehead resting on the top hand. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, bringing your navel up toward your spine.
Extend your legs out behind you engaging all your leg muscles. Using the strength of your glutes and hamstrings, maintaining your core engagement and keeping your shoulders relaxed lift your legs a few inches off the floor. Hold for 6-8 counts and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions.
When you are finished, press back into "child's pose" and relax!

#5...And last but not least...
From child's pose, come to your hands and knees. Lift your left leg, still bent with your heel pressing toward the ceiling. Engaging your glutes, pulse your heel toward the ceiling for 30 small pulses. Lower and switch legs. When you have finished with 12-15 repetitions on each leg press back into child's pose and rest.

Cycle these glute exercises in together for a total of 2-3 sets and be sure to stretch!

Great Glutes #5

And last but not least...

From child's pose, come to your hands and knees. Lift your left leg, still bent with your heel pressing toward the ceiling. Engaging your glutes, pulse your heel toward the ceiling for 30 small pulses. Lower and switch legs. When you have finished with 12-15 repetitions on each leg press back into child's pose and rest.

Cycle these glute exercises in together and be sure to stretch! Have a great Friday!

Great Glutes #4...

...and hamstrings and core!

Begin this exercise on your stomach with your arms bent, your hands stacked and your forehead resting on the top hand. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, bringing your navel up toward your spine.

Extend your legs out behind you engaging all your muscles. Using the strength of your glutes and hamstrings, maintaining your core engagement and keeping your shoulders relaxed, lift your legs a few inches off the floor. Hold for 6-8 counts and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions.

When you are finished, press back into "child's pose" and relax!

Great Glutes #3...

For this exercise you will need 2 paper plates and a hard surface (not carpet).

Stand with your feet hip distance apart with a paper plate under each foot. Find your self centered preparing to balance on your right leg. Keeping your feet parallel, slide your left foot out to the side, bending your right knee into a lunge.

From the side, slide your left leg behind your right, crossing your left leg behind your right, maintaining your lunge. From here, still in your lunge, slide your left leg back out to the side slide it back to your starting position. Switch legs and repeat for 12-18 repetitions on each leg.

Points to remember: keep your back straight, your knees pointing over your toes, your shoulders down and back and your core engaged and have fun!

Happiness...

"You will never find happiness if you do not conquer your own doubt."
Hmmmmm............

Great Glutes...

#2...
Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet planted hip distance apart and your arms resting by your sides. Lift your hips, engaging your glutes, off the floor as high as you can coming up to a shoulder bridge. Hold for a count of 3-5 and lower. Repeat for 12-18 repetitions.

*Increase the difficulty by doing this with a weight plate or other weighted item on your abdomen.

Patience...

"Patience gives the power to practice. Practice gives the power that leads to perfection."
-Unknown

Recognize that being patient is indeed a challenge that often times requires strength and courage but can lead to amazing results.

This Week...

...Great Glutes!

#1: Stand on a sturdy bench or chair, feet together with your palms facing your thighs. If you choose, hold a set of dumbbells or other weight. Squeeze your shoulders down and back and engage your core. Hinge at the hips and bend forward with your legs and back straight lowering the weights toward the floor. Engage your glute muscles and return to stand. Repeat for 12-18 reps!

Love the sun!

Privilege...

"It is not a privilege to know others, the privilege is knowing yourself."

Take some time and get to know who you really are. It will be time well spent and you will be amazed!

Have a great day!

All In One

Core, quads, arms and balance!

Start seated on the edge of a chair grasping the edge with your hands next to your hips. Slide your hips off the edge so you are squatting in front of the chair. Maintaining your squat, extend your right leg, engaging all your muscles and pressing through your heel. At the same time, extend your left arm so both your leg and arm are parallel to the floor. Hold for 1-3 breaths and return. Do 8-10 repetitions and switch sides. Cycle in with the other exercises of the week and have fun!

So Easy To Forget...

…our calves!
Another simple exercise! Find a set of stairs and additional weight if you choose. Stand on the bottom stair on your ball of your right foot with your left foot off the stair. Hold a rail/wall for balance with your right hand if necessary and your weight in your left. Lift and lower your supporting leg, engaging your calf muscle for 3 sets of 15 – 20 repetitions and switch legs. Easy!

From Skater Lunge To...

Reverse Lunge.

Stand with your feet hip distance apart and parallel, shoulders down & back, core engaged. Step your right leg back, bending your left knee into a lunge, keeping your left knee tracking over your toes and not bending your knee past 45 degrees. Engage the hamstring and glute muscles of your supporting leg and return your right foot to it's starting position.

Repeat with the same leg for 12 - 18 repetitions and switch legs.

Fun times!

In Honor Of...

...All those skaters!

Skater Lunges!

Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, your shoulders down and back, your core engaged and your hands on your hips, or by your sides holding dumbbells if you wish.

Maintaining the parallel alignment of your feet, step your right foot out to the side, about a leg distance, and bend your knee into a lunge. Engage your hamstring, glute and core muscles to press your foot back to parallel. Repeat with the other foot and repeat for 2-3 sets of 12-18 repetitions on each leg.

Tips to remember with this exercise:
Keep your feet parallel but to not allow your knee to point out to the side
Maintain your posture
Keep your gaze up and forward
Do not allow your spine to arch, keep your neutral alignment
Focus on the muscles you are engaging
Have FUN!

A Week Of "Making Do" With What's In Front Of You!

This last week of exercises all centered around one amazing prop; our bodies! Here is a quick recap.

1. Begin kneeling with your knees about hip distance apart. Rest your palms on your thigh muscles, your core engaged spine in neutral and shoulders down and back.
With your breath and keeping your torso straight, slowly lean your quads and torso back to about 45-50 degrees. Take 3 deep breaths and return to upright. That is 1 repetition. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions!

2. Stand facing a wall with your palms on the wall at shoulder height, feet hip distance and parallel, preparing for a standing push-up. This will become more difficult the further away from the wall you stand, begin 2-3 feet from the wall.
Engage your core muscles, drop your shoulders and maintain your neutral spinal alignment.
Lower your torso toward the wall, maintaining your posture, hold in the "down" position for 5 deep breaths and return to the "up" position, 1 repetition.

3. Stand with your forearms lightly resting the back of a chair or resting on a counter top. Stand far enough away from the support so you can lean forward and rest your head on your forearms with a straight spine.
Lift your right leg with your foot flexed and bend your knee so your heel is toward your butt. Lift and lower your heel for 15 repetitions. After 15, make small pulses with your heel for 30 seconds and repeat with the left leg.

4. Begin on your hands and knees with your core engaged, drawing your belly button in toward your spine.
Maintaining the engagement of your core and keeping your shoulders away from your ears, lift your right leg to the side, inhale and lower.
Lift and lower your right leg for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, cycled in with the previous exercises and switch legs.
Focus on your small hip rotator muscles and the engagement of your core.

5. Find your way to plank pose, the "up" position of a push-up. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, no stomach sag!
Option #:
1. Hold plank for several deep breaths or a predetermined time, 30 seconds for example. Holding plank with your knees on the ground is perfectly suitable!
2. From plank, lift first your right arm straight in front of you and then your left, continuing with your breath for 10-15 repetitions with each arm.
3. From plank, lift your opposing arm and leg, take a deep breath and lower, continue on, switching arms/legs for 10-15 repetitions.

Aim for 2 to 3 sets of this cycle of exercises and love the body you've got!

An AMAZING Dinner!

Thank you Amy!

What you need for this fantastic meal:
Halibut Filet 4-6 ounces per serving
Fresh tomatoes, I used small vine ripened tomatoes, cored
1 small zucchini per serving, sliced
1 small red pepper, for 2 servings, sliced
¼ yellow onion, for 2 servings, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, per serving, chopped
Salt, fresh pepper, olive oil
Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Place halibut filets on a large piece of parchment paper. Top with tomatoes, zucchini, red pepper, onion and garlic. Drizzle with olive and add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Fold the parchment paper around the halibut & veggies. Bake until the fish is white and flaky. I served this on a bed of spinach that had been very lightly dressed with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper and steamed broccoli.

This meal was really easy and absolutely delicious! A new favorite for sure!

Oh Plank Pose...

Now find your way to plank pose, the "up" position of a push-up. Drop your shoulders away from your ears and engage your core, no stomach sag!

Option #:
1. Hold plank for several deep breaths or a predetermined time, 30 seconds for example. Holding plank with your knees on the ground is perfectly suitable!
2. From plank, lift first your right arm straight in front of you and then your left, continuing with your breath for 10-15 repetitions with each arm.
3. From plank, lift your opposing arm and leg, take a deep breath and lower, continue on, switching arms/legs for 10-15 repetitions.

Cycle one of these variations of plank pose in with the previous exercises of the week. This will offer great core strength and stability as well as shoulder and arm strength.

Press back and rest in child's pose when you are finished!

Hello Hips

Begin this on your hands and knees with your core engaged, drawing your belly button in toward your spine.

Maintaining the engagement of your core and keeping your shoulders away from your ears, lift your right leg, still bent as if it were on the ground, up to the side, inhale and lower.

Lift and lower your right leg for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, cycled in with the previous exercises and switch legs.

While performing this exercise focus on your small hip rotator muscles and the engagement of your core.

Enjoy the little muscles that are easy to forget!

Hamstrings & Glutes!!!

For this exercise, stand with your forearms lightly resting the back of a chair or resting on a counter top. Stand far enough away from the suppport so you can lean forward and rest your head on your forearms with a straight spine.

Lift your right leg with your foot flexed and bend your knee so your heel is toward your butt. Lift and lower your heel for 15 repetitions. After 15, make small pulses with your heel for 30 seconds and repeat with the left leg.

Cycle this in with the previous exercises and have FUN!

More From Home... Or Where You May Be!

Another simple at home exercise!

Stand facing a wall with your palms on the wall at shoulder height, feet hip distance and parallel, preparing for a standing push-up. This will become more difficult the further away from the wall you stand, begin 2-3 feet from the wall.

Engage your core muscles, drop your shoulders and maintain your neutral spinal alignment.

Lower your torso, maintaining your posture, hold in the "down" position for 5 deep breaths and return to the "up" position, 1 repetition. Repeat for 3 sets of 15 repetitions, alternating with the kneeling torso lean.

Fun, simple, can be done anywhere!

Starting The Week Off..Core & Quads!

Begin this at home exercise kneeling with your knees about hip distance apart. Find your posture with your palms resting on your thigh muscles, your core engaged, spine in neutral and shoulders down and back, just as if you were standing.

With your breath and keeping your torso straight, slowly lean your quads and torso back to about 45-50 degrees. Take 3 deep breaths and return to upright. That is 1 repetition. Perform 3 sets of 15 repetitions!

Simple and easy! At home! No equipment, except your amazing body!

Clearing The Head

Today I went for a bit of a skate ski. My friends at the Stillwater Mountain Lodge & Nordic Center held their 2nd annual Broken Binding ski race; www.stillwatermtnlodge.com. There was a 48k category and I have wanted to ski that distance for several years. Early this winter I decided that their race would be the perfect opportunity. Sounds easy huh?

I have gone on long athletic outings in my past. I have run a couple marathons and1/2 marathons; I have run from Logan Pass to Waterton Park through Glacier National Park, etc. With those experiences, I have realized that when I sign up for organized events my head tends to get in the way of my fun. As today approached, I came up with a laundry list of why I was not going to participate in the race.
*I am in the “rotation” phase of my Genesis Transformation process www.genesistransformation.com and didn’t want to interrupt my cycle
*I have been feeling pretty great mentally, know my history and did not want to get lost in my head
*The race started at 10 and I did not want to spend an entire Sunday afternoon skiing
*I did not want to feel horrible at the end of it all…(these are just the a few of my reasons)

After going back and forth for days, I realized that alone was creating chaos in my head, exactly what I was trying to avoid. I signed up and decided I would stop skiing whenever I was ready, even if it was less than 48k, I would not get caught up in the competition and I would make sure I felt good the entire time.

The first of three out and back laps I spent in my head, analyzing how my body felt, wondering what it would feel like the next lap, if I could catch the person ahead of me, and so on. The 2nd lap I was able to relax and it was a beautiful day. I was in back of the pack and I didn’t really care, there are a lot of benefits to the back of the pack.
*It is quiet. I had a lot of time, the better part of 3 hours, to contemplate the day, my life, my goals, blog posts, etc.
*No one was breathing down my back or vice versa. The pressure to compete was only as big as I wanted it to be. I chose today to eliminate the pressure.
*When I had to pee, I didn’t have to worry about showing off my bum to the other skiers.
*No one had to listen to me talking to myself and making up songs.
*Meditation…see above…
The 3rd lap, well I was ready to take a break, but by then it did not matter. Once I finished the first two laps, the 3rd was just a formality, deep down I always know that my body can carry me long distances.

Tonight I have a few tight muscles but I skied 48 kilometers, something that has been in my head for several years! The sun was shining the entire time. I had a great opportunity to contemplate the amazing life that I live. I did not let my head talk me out of a really fantastic opportunity. There is a part of me that wishes I had pushed myself harder but more than that, I am so glad that I didn’t let all my “reasonable” excuses take charge. I spent a beautiful day outside, I got to use the body that I was given, I was witness to some amazing athletes and I had fun!

Thanks Stillwater, The Broken Binding was a great start to the week! You all put on a fantastic event!

Don't Leave Out The Abs!

And finally in the stability ball series, great fun for ab muscles!

Return to plank position with your feet on the ball. Hug your knees to your chest using your core strength and extend back to plank, this is one repetition. Continue with this crunch for 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions being mindful of your posture and remembering to BREATHE! Great fun!

Make Do With What’s In Front Of You!

The other day I had my schedule all figured out. I had a plan for my workout, I was lifting weights and it was time for my legs. There were a few exercises I had not done in a while and they were circling around in my head. I left my house to meet my first client and suddenly my schedule changed, not in a bad way, just different, and with the change, my exercise window narrowed.

I work with my clients in a small gym that is equipped with what I need but not all the bells and whistles of the bigger, local health club. My plan was to work with my morning client and head across town to the health club. With the schedule change I still had time to work out, but not to drive to another gym and therefore not what I was anticipating for my leg workout. Of course I was going to be fine changing my workout but for a few minutes I was frustrated and thrown off track. I loosened up a bit, reworked my routine and "made do with what was in front of me".

The point of all this? How often do we get thrown off, mentally or physically, when something doesn't go as anticipated? Does exercise or preparing a healthy meal get put aside because there just is not “enough time” or we don’t have the “right” equipment or ingredients? How trapped are we inside the “little boxes” we create around the elements of our lives? Are there areas where we could be more flexible?
In this, the first of ? installments, I ask you to look at areas that are stumbling blocks in your life. Is there room for flexibility? Is it possible to break down some preconceived walls and “make do with what is in front of you?”

Coming down the pipes will be an at home workout and a couple quick exercise fixes as well as a few, or a lot, of words on the simplicity of healthy eating along with a recipe or two. Stay tuned and give yourself a few minutes to get your blood flowing!

Just For Fun...

...Stability Ball Push-ups!

Find yourself in plank position with the tops of your feet/shins on your stability ball. Make sure that your core is engaged, your stomach does not sag toward the floor, your shoulders are away from your ears and stacked over your wrists. From this plank position, do a set of push-ups; only as many as you can in do in good form and no more than 15. If you are not in the mood for push-ups, hold plank for a determined amount of time, 30 seconds for example. Perform 3 sets in good form.

This is challenging and will be felt in your arms, chest and core. Enjoy!

A Different Stability Ball Squat!

Sorry...this is coming at the end of the day, better late than never.

Begin with your feet hip distance and parallel...hold your ball out in front of you at chest height with your arms extended. Bend your knees into a squat with an inhale of your breath and press through your feet to straighten your legs. Continue your squats for 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Things to remember: proper posture, core engagement, do not lower your bum past your knees, keep your knees pointed toward your toes (if you have a yoga block, squeeze it between your knees, it will keep them aligned), and keep your chest up, not breaking your torso at the waist.

Have fun!

Quote For The Day...

"Wise folks count their blessings, fools count their problems."
-Michael Franti

Rolling On...

Stand again with your feet hip distance and parallel…hold your ball with your arms extended in front of you at chest height. With an inhale of your breath and keeping your feet parallel, step your right foot out to the side, about 18 inches beyond hip distance and bend both knees into a squat. With the motion of the squat, press the ball to the opposite direction.

Continue to squat, alternating legs for 3 sets of 12 repetitions. Remember to twist your upper body, holding the ball with your extended arms, in the opposite direction of your squatting leg.

Points to keep in mind with this exercise are: Keep your hips centered, your core engaged, your shoulders dropped and your spine in neutral alignment.

Roll Away

The series of exercises will center on a stability ball. The stability ball is a great, versatile and inexpensive fitness tool. In addition to use as an exercise prop, they are great to sit on and help to improve core strength and stability and if you have kids, they will love having a giant ball around.

The first exercise is simple enough. If it seems too easy just keep at it for a bit and the results will show themselves!

Begin standing, with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back, spine in neutral, core engaged. Hold the ball just below chest height with your arms extended out in front of you. With your breath, hinge forward at the waist to touch the ball to the floor. Continuing with your breath, use your core to lift the ball overhead.

As I said, this is a subtle exercise. Continue to lower the ball to the floor and lift it overhead with the rhythm of your breath for 15 to 20 repetitions. Be aware of your posture, core strength, engaging the muscles of your arms and the flow of your breath.

Have a great Monday!

This Week...Stretch!

This week’s exercises turned into a series of stretches that will also engage and strengthen your muscles. In this review I changed the order a bit to improve the flow, finishing it up with the sun salutations. Next week the exercises will be done with a stability ball. If you don’t already have one, it is a great fitness tool to have in your home.

1. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, bend your torso into a forward bend and walk your hands out to plank position keeping your shoulders away from your ears and your core engaged. Take a deep breath in plank position and press back into "downward dog". If your hamstrings are feeling tight, keep your knees slightly bent. From down dog, walk your hands up to meet your feet, ending in a forward bend with your hands on the floor. Take a breath, walk your hands out to plank, press into down dog, walk your hands to your feet and so on.
Great to get your blood flowing, engage your arms, core and legs, stretch your hamstrings...love it!

2. Begin standing, feet together, shoulders down and back, core engaged and your arms by your sides. Take a deep breath and bring your palms together with your arms straight out in front of your chest. While opening your arms to your sides, just below shoulder height, reach your chest forward, hinging at your waist. As you are leaning forward, find your balance on your left leg and extend your right leg out behind you, lifting your leg off the ground and keeping your hips level. Take a deep breath and return your lifted leg to the ground. Repeat the cycle, balancing on your right leg and extending your left leg behind you.
Repeat this series for 10 repetitions, switching legs each times.

3. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, drop your shoulders and engage your core. Take a large step, about leg length, back with your right leg and drop into a low "runner's lunge." Engage all the muscles in your extended leg, reaching back through your heel. Reach your arms straight overhead, all the muscles in your arms engaged.
Take a deep breath and on an inhale, bend the knee of your extended leg while maintaining the lunge of your front leg. Straighten your extended leg and continue to bend and straighten your leg for a series of 15 repetitions, working with your breath. Step your back, extended leg up to meet your other, lower and relax your arms. Take several deep breaths and repeat with the other leg. Perform 2-3 sets.

4. Root around in your cupboards for a couple paper plates and sit on a hard surfaced floor. Place your heels on the paper plates with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart. Sit up tall, drop your shoulders and engage your core with your palms rooted to the floor, fingers forward, just behind your sits-bones/butt/hips…inhale and slide your heels forward on the plates, bending your elbows and leaning slightly back. With your exhale and maintaining your core engagement, slide your heels back toward your body and return to your seated position. Repeat for 3 sets of 15.

You can modify this by maintaining the upright body position, sliding out one leg at a time, twisting and engaging your obliques when you return to seated, crossing your arms at your chest and eliminating them as balance, etc.
This will target your hamstring, glute and core muscles. Have fun!

5. Sun salutations 6-10 to get your blood flowing and welcome your day!

Have a great weekend!

Paper Plates: More Than Just For Picnics...

Root around in your cupboards for a couple paper plates and find yourself seated on a hard surfaced floor. Place your heels on the paper plates with your knees bent and your feet hip distance apart. Sit up tall, drop your shoulders and engage your core with your palms rooted to the floor, fingers forward, just behind your sits-bones/butt/hips...

Inhale and slide your heels forward on the plates, bending your elbows and leaning slightly back. With your exhale and maintaining your core engagement, slide your heels back toward your body and return to your seated position. Repeat for 3 sets of 15.

You can modify this by maintaining the upright body position, sliding out one leg at a time, twisting and engaging your obliques when you return to seated, crossing your arms at your chest and eliminating them as balance, etc.

This will target your hamstring, glute and core muscles. Have fun!

Art For The Outdoors!

My husband Jason is really creative and full of great ideas. His mind is also going all the time and he tends to get a little "cagey" in the winter. The other thing about his mind is that when he points it in a direction, the rest of him follows and the result is usually pretty amazing.

When the ground is not frozen he owns and operates a landscape design company and is fascinated with creating beautiful outdoor spaces. Coming off the landscape months he decided this winter he wanted to explore the vast possibilities of outdoor living.

His mind and creativity came up with this amazing collaboration; art for the outdoors! All of these images are Jason's photographs. He has blown the pictures up and printed them in such a manner that they will withstand weather and ultraviolet exposure.

They are stunning! Hanging outside, they bring color and dimension, can serve as privacy screens, divisions of space or as fences. These photographs bring ART, art that is suitable for the indoors, outside to your landscape.

Elements Landscape & Design, Inc. www.elementsld.com

Help For Your Hamstrings!

This is more of a stretch that a "workout" exercise but it will challenge your balance and core stability and feel great.

Begin standing, feet together, shoulders down and back, core engaged and your arms by your sides. Take a deep breath and bring your palms together with your arms straight out in front of your chest. While opening your arms to your sides, just below shoulder height, reach your chest forward, hinging at your waist. As you are leaning forward, find your balance on your left leg and extend your right leg out behind you, lifting your leg off the ground and keeping your hips level. Take a deep breath and return your lifted leg to the ground. Repeat the cycle, balancing on your right leg and extending your left leg behind you.

Repeat this series for 10 repetitions, switching legs each time, finding your balance, maintain your core stability and posture and moving with your breath.

Move Along

Here is a wonderful, moving stretch that also helps strengthen your core, arms and legs. Find an open space that will allow you to move freely.

Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, you know the drill, bend your torso into a forward bend and walk your hands out to plank position. Remember to keep your shoulders away from your ears and your core engaged. Engage all the muscles in your arms, through your core and down your legs, pressing back through your heels.

Take a deep breath in plank position and press back into "downward dog". If your hamstrings are feeling tight, keep your knees slightly bent. From down dog, walk your hands up to meet your feet, ending in a forward bend with your hands on the floor.

Take a breath, walk your hands out to plank, press into down dog, walk your hands to your feet and so on.

Great to get your blood flowing, engage your arms, core and legs, stretch your hamstrings...love it!

A Twist On The Lunge!

Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, drop your shoulders and engage your core. Take a large step, about leg length, back with your right leg and drop into a low "runner's lunge." Engage all the muscles in your extended leg, reaching back through your heel. Reach your arms straight overhead, your shoulders dropped and with your core and all the muscles in your arms engaged.

Take a deep breath and on an inhale, bend the knee of your extended leg while maintaining the lunge of your front leg. Straighten your extended leg and continue to bend and straighten your leg for a series of 15 repetitions, working with your breath. Step your back, extended leg up to meet your other, lower and relax your arms. Take several deep breaths and repeat with the other leg. Perform 2-3 sets.

My Kids Will Always Eat A...

Dutch Baby.
I have altered, surprise, the yummy, baked pancake that my mom used to make for my brother and I. This is a delicious, protein packed breakfast and can easily be made savory for dinner.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Heat a medium skillet, cast iron preferably, while the oven is warming up
Melt a bit of butter in the bottom of the skillet as it warms.
Slice an apple and place the slices around the skillet.

In a blender...
add 4 eggs, blend for the count of 30,
add 1/2 cup milk, I use rice, blend again
add 1/2 cup flour, I have been using a mix of coconut, rice, spelt, etc. and blend once again
I also add in ground flax meal, a bit of honey, vanilla, cinnamon and whatever else strikes my fancy;
grated coconut, fresh ginger, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds/almonds/walnuts...
Pour mixture, it will be like a smooth pancake batter, into heated pan, over the apples, and bake until it is golden brown and puffy.

The apple on the bottom is not necessary and sliced peaches, nectarines or berries sprinkled on top once the batter is in the pan is also great. My girls like this with yogurt, I used to like it with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar. Whatever your fancy, it is quick and simple and usually a breakfast hit.

Here Comes The Sun

This morning seems like a good one for a few sun salutations, a series of yoga poses that flow together with your breath. These poses will target the entire body and help with mental focus for the day.

1. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel with your arms by your sides, palms facing forward, your shoulders dropped and your core engaged
2. Inhale and raise your arms out to your sides
3. Exhale and "swan dive" forward hinging at the hips bringing your hands to the floor, palms flat if possible, on either side of your feet
4. Inhale and come up with a flat back bringing the chin up and the finger tips to the floor, not standing up completely
5. Exhale bringing your hands back to the floor, hanging in a forward bend, palms flat on the floor if possible
6. Inhale while extending your right foot to the back of the mat, coming on to your finger tips in a low lunge
7. Exhale while bringing the left foot back to meet the right and press back into Downward Facing Dog
8. Inhale and bring your body forward into plank position
9. Exhale and lower to your knees, chest, and chin or into the down phase of a push-up
10. Inhale and come forward into a low cobra position
11. Exhale, pressing back into Downward Facing Dog
12. Inhale, step the right foot next to the right hand into low lunge
13. Exhale and bring the left foot forward next to the right and hang in a forward bend
14. Inhale and lift the arms out to the sides and up, reversing your "swan dive" to stand
15. Exhale and drop your arm back to your sides

Repeat, switching sides. Allow your mind to relax and your body movements to follow your breath!

http://www.yogasite.com/sunsalute.htm
this site shows images of the sequence along with directions if needed!

A Great Quote...

"One of the best actions we can take, with courage, is to relax."
-Unknown

There is always something that can be done, a dish to wash, a sock to put away, a phone call to make. Most of the things in our lives that keep us from really relaxing will still be there and probably won't suffer if they are put off for a bit.

What are the things that allow you to quiet your mind and relax. For me it is fresh air, a yoga class, taking a nap on a Sunday with ear plugs (thanks for the tip Jason) and laying down on the floor when my girls are both asleep and listening to them breathe, to name a few. When I allow myself to relax, for real, I find that I am a better parent and wife, I smile more and I feel better about myself.

I have come to learn that it is impossible to effectively take care of those around me if I have not first taken care of myself. Sounds selfish perhaps but ultimately I am the only one responsible for my happiness and it is easier to be happy with a relaxed mind. Don't get me wrong, my mind is certainly not always relaxed, I was in tears after not being able to hook up to the internet for 2 days last week, it is an ongoing work in progress.

As a gift to yourself, look at your list and pick one! Allow yourself to relax! It is truly an act of courage.

Arms, Back and Core!

This week I wanted to focus on our arms and back so in looking back, pun intended, here is a quick recap of the exercises.
Starting off, after taking a few moments to contemplate your life’s distractions, bang out a set of 15 bench dips or a few push-ups.
Follow that up with:
• “Y”: Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended out from your shoulders forming a ‘Y’ position overhead. Engage the muscles in your arms all the way through your finger tips with your thumbs pointing toward the ceiling. Slide your shoulder blades down and back and engage your core. Using the strength of your core and with an exhale of your breath, lift your torso, head and arms off the floor, inhale, lower and repeat. If you are looking for an extra challenge, lift your legs, with your muscles engaged, off the floor at the same time.
• Begin in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!
• Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back and your core engaged. If you have a set of light dumbbells, hold one in each hand. With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm. Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!
• Begin this on your hands and knees. Balance your weight on your knees and one arm, engaging all the muscles of your balancing arm and pressing through your palm and all your fingers. Make a fist with your "working" arm and with a slightly bent arm, bring your fist to your rib cage. This is your starting position. With the muscles in your arm engaged, squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arm, still slightly bent, laterally, (to the side) to shoulder height. Return and repeat for 15 repetitions and switch arms.
Cycle through these exercises for a great arm, back and core series. Have a great weekend!

Back Again...

Begin this on your hands and knees with your shoulders down away from your ears, your core engaged and your spine in neutral. Balance your weight on your knees and one arm, engaging all the muscles of your balancing arm and pressing through your palm and all your fingers. Make a fist with your "working" arm and with a slightly bent arm, bring your fist to your rib cage. This is your starting position. With the muscles in your arm engaged, squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift your arm, still slightly bent, laterally, (to the side) to shoulder height. Return and repeat for 15 repetitions and switch arms. Do 3 sets of this exercise. You will feel it in your core, especially you obliques, your arms and shoulders!

Happy Friday!!

Loving Your Arms!

This is a great one for your arms and shoulders. Stand with your feet hip distance and parallel, shoulders down and back and your core engaged. If you have a set of light dumbbells, hold one in each hand. Two soup cans also make effective weights, the action without weight is great as well.

With your palms facing forward and your arms by your sides, bend your elbow, engaging your bicep, into a curl. At the top of the curl, turn your palm to the front again and extend your arm into a shoulder press. Lower your arm to your hip. With the same arm, extend it up into a diagonal overhead. Lower back to your hip and again with the same arm, punch across your chest. Lower your arm to your side and repeat the entire series with the opposite arm.

This is a bicep curl to a shoulder press, lower to your hip, lift to an overhead diagonal, lower to your hip and punch across your chest. Switch arms.
Repeat this series of exercises for 3 sets of 10 repetitions on each arm. It is a fun one!

More For The Core

And shoulders, arms and back!

Begin this one in plank position. Engage the muscles of your arms up to your shoulders, your core and your legs, reaching through your heels. Maintain a straight, neutral spine, not allowing your stomach to sag to the floor or your tailbone to reach to the ceiling. Take a deep breath and "roll" on to your right hand, coming into a side plank. Take a breath and from there roll toward to your back into backward plank position. Take another breath and roll over on to your left hand in another side plank. Breathe again and return to your starting plank position. It is important to maintain your core integrity and spine alignment through all these positions!

A great and challenging modification is to start in plank on your knees, roll to side plank, also on your knees, roll over into a crab position(remember crab walking in kindergarten?), over to another side plank on your knees and back to your starting position.

Repeat this in each direction being mindful of your shoulder stability, your core, your spine and your breath. Complete 3 sets of the number of repetitions that you can complete maintaining your body integrity and drink a lot of water!

Have fun!

The Irony!

My internet connection is down at home for the 2nd day. When I noticed had quit working yesterday I spent at least 45 minutes unplugging, resetting and restarting, no luck. When I woke up this morning, the first thing I checked was the internet and packed up my things to get to a wireless spot. I also went through the resetting ritual and shared 45 minutes of my day with tech support. My internet should be back up tomorrow and I am still checking all the lights on my router each time I am in the vicinity.

Distracted? Yep. Mindful? Nope. Enjoying the moments in my day? Not really, I have
missed several.

So my thoughts are heading in this direction. What happens when distractions we take for granted are gone? How much of our days are dictated by the convenience of technology? We are living in an immediate world, that is not ground breaking information. What parts of our lives do we take for granted? Immediate information, instant contact, food in a moment, we live for the quick fix.
As I am sitting here wondering when I will be able to surf the internet again, I am also trying to identify the things that I have come to take for granted and what my life would look like if those things were not always available. For now I need to refocus and enjoy the moments without the World Wide Web. The reminders just keep coming.