Month: August 2017

Wednesday Workout: 5 Exercise 20 Minute Bodyweight AMRAP

Leave a comment

Hey there! Two times blogging last week and this week – I’m on a roll! 😉 In all seriousness, I do WANT to blog more regularly about things with substance, but, as I’m sure a lot of you can relate to, it’s been a busy one and rather than taking the time to blog about it, I’d rather live it.

Another thing I’d rather do this summer? Workout outside! I’ve only gone to the gym during my lunch break when I’m at the office since I can jog there in 2 minutes and be in and out in 30. However, last week it was a beautiful day (and I was still sore from the race) so I opted to take my workout outside. I always have my resistance band and jump rope with me so I took those and created this 20 minute workout… and a 5 minute finisher!

I liked this workout because it worked a little bit of everything: lower body, upper body, core and cardio. And I was done in 25 minutes – can’t beat that!

The way it works is you’ll do the first 5 exercise circuit as a 20 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible), and then you’ll do the 2 exercise circuit as your 5 minute finisher. If you do it outside, you can work on your tan, too 😉

 

5 Exercise 20 Minute AMRAP

Couple of notes:

  • Pendulum lunges: with these, a lunge forward and backwards on the same leg is 1 rep. Make sure that when you step forward, your front knee doesn’t go past your toes and when you step back, that your back knee is right under your hips.
  • Push-up with shoulder tap- make sure to keep your hips nice and quiet, ie: no rotating or lifting as you lift your hands. you can do the push-ups on your knees if that feels better.
  • If you don’t have a resistance band for the seated rows, you can do a superman pull by lying on your stomach, lifting your chest and legs off the ground and pulling your elbows behind you.
  • If you don’t have a jump rope, you can use an imaginary one!

I think that should do it, but if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me! This is a great, quickie workout to do while on the road, vacation or if you’re short on time – Enjoy!

Questions for you: What have you let slide from your normal routine this summer?

5 Ways to Get Fitness In Without Spending Hours In The Gym

2 Comments

Good morning! I’m re-posting this post from a guest post blog that I wrote for my girl Sam  while she was recovering from brain surgery. Since I thought my readers over here at B2B might find it interesting and helpful, I thought it was worth a share!

If you’ve been following B2B for a while, you’re probably aware that a growing passion for me lately has been how to make fitness work for you and with your busy life. While magazines and some fitness trainers/professionals may tell you that you need to go to a gym, you need to do an hour of working out 5 times a week, etc., I realize that with a full time job, after work commitments, kids, spouses, friends, etc., that type of workout format is not always an option. Most of us don’t have the ability to do hour long workouts at a gym 3-5 times a week, right?

Here’s the thing: that’s OK! You don’t need to spend that much time at a gym in order for a workout to bee considered a workout. When I was younger and had essentially no commitments besides a 40 hour a week job and going out on the weekends, sure, I had ability to spend hours a day at the gym, but as I get older and have more things going on in my life, I just don’t have the need or want for that anymore. I want to be done my workouts in 45 minutes or less and I don’t want to have to rely on going to a gym in order to get my workout in.

There are so many ways you can still get fitness in even with a busy lifestyle, which is why I want to share my 5 favorite ways to get fitness in without spending hours in the gym.

  1. Invest in a medium set of dumbbells and a resistance band so that you can workout at home. The beauty of at-home workouts is that you eliminate the time it takes you to get to the gym and back home. Granted, some exercise programs do require a gym if you need to use a barbell and heavy weights, but if you’re just training for life and to be strong, all you need is a few sets of weights and you an achieve that in the comforts of your own home. In the spring, summer and fall I like to take my workout to my back patio! If you need inspiration for at-home workouts, check out my page, my friend Lauren’s blog and my friend Athena’s blog – combined, we have HUNDREDS to choose from.
  2. Grab a friend and take a walk, but with a twist! Instead of just walking, add in 10 squats, 10 push-ups (inclined if you can!) and 10 triceps dips every 5-10 minutes. The beauty of working out with a friend is they hold you accountable to show up and get a workout in AND it’s more fun! Plus, you can kill two birds with one stone by getting in movement and catching up with a friend or friends. If you’re a runner, you can also do this with running instead. I have some run/walk bootcamp workouts here if you’re looking for some ideas. 11542058_911614432224807_7160125865652676253_n.jpg
  3. Pick your 4 or 5 favorite exercises and do 10 reps of each for 15-20 minutes (or however long you have). This is usually what I opt for when I’m short on time and/or don’t have motivation to workout. Rather than trying to psych myself up for a 45 minute class or gym workout, if I tell myself I just need to move for 15-20 minutes AND I get to do my favorite exercises, it’s a much easier way to get me moving. For me, this usually means squats, push-ups, burpees, lunges & sit-ups because it hits all the major body parts: legs, upper body, core & cardio. Another favorite is a countdown workout where I’ll do 50 jumping jacks, 40 high knees, 30 squats, 20 push-ups and 10 burpees. I’ll do that circuit as many times in 15-20 minutes as I can.
  4. Stairs! Stairs are one of my favorite ways to get movement in while getting to be outside. I love them because there are so many different ways to use them – you can walk up and down them, jog up and down them, hop up and down them, skip stairs, wide step, etc. I usually like to do a stair circuit and then a bodyweight circuit and repeat until my allotted time is up. Check out these posts for suggestions: San Francisco Stair Workout and Stair and Total Body Circuits. sf-stairs-3
  5. Find free outdoor fitness classes near where you live or work. I know that in the Boston area, there are TONS of free fitness classes happening on various days all over the city. The program with the biggest amount of free classes is called Seaport Sweat and I absolutely LOVE getting to teach two classes a week through it! You get to be outside, sweating with friends and it’s FREE – doesn’t get much better than that! If you’re not in the Boston area, I would suggest doing a quick google search because I’m sure there are similar types of free classes in other cities, too. 19417574_1470276819691896_8010372336496216580_o

There you have it! If you’re like me and don’t have the ability (or desire!) to spend hours a day in the gym but still want to be active, I hope you’ve found these suggestions for how this can be achieved helpful! Fitness doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment, expensive or something you dread. For it to stick and for it to be sustainable in your life, you need to find out what works for you, and if you’re finding that the gym is just not working for you because of the time and/or money commitment it requires, I hope you try some of my suggestions in this post.

Questions for you: What’s your favorite way to get in fitness or movement without going to the gym?

Doing things that scare you {Falmouth Road Race Recap}

2 Comments

I’ve mentioned it in a few Instagram posts by now, but last weekend I ran the Falmouth Road Race. If you’re unfamiliar with it, it’s one of the most popular summer races in Massachusetts. I had never been, so I wasn’t sure why, but I knew I wanted to run it.

IMG_1034[1]

Fast forward to last week when we were out to dinner with some friends, one of which has a family home in Falmouth and has run the race over 10 times by now. We were talking about the race and my urge to run it was even more real… even considering it was a short 4 days away.

If you know me, you know that when I get my mind on something, I can’t let it go, so when I saw someone selling their bib (shhh), I had to jump on it. Not only was it after I hit “send” on Venmo that I realized “Holy Sh*t! What did I just get myself into? I haven’t run much at all lately and haven’t run more than 4 miles in probably 3 years”.

IMG_1006[1].JPG

As I voiced this concern to people, everyone said “you’ll be fine! You’re so active and so fit. It’ll be easy!” While they were so kind to give me those words of encouragement, it wasn’t totally successful in quieting the negative words & thoughts in my head telling me it would be hard and that I would regret my decision to run a 7 mile race entirely untrained (in terms of running). I wasn’t afraid of not finishing, but moreso in what condition I’d finish in. Would I go out too fast and burn out too quickly? Would I cramp up? Would I have to stop a lot? What’s the slowest I thought I’d actually run it?

By the time Saturday night rolled around, I was a bundle of nerves, but luckily slept great. I woke up Sunday excited, but still very nervous! I got dressed, braided my hair, applied sunscreen, packed my throw away bag to hold my snacks & water and got ready to go. My friends Sheila and Amy drove me to the race bus pickup which was a good distraction and got me excited about it.

IMG_1004[1]

I ended up getting to the race start over an hour and a half early, which left lots of alone time for me to continue to be nervous, lol. My sister texted me and when I told her I was nervous, she said that was so weird because I never get nervous. And she was right! Most of the time I feel confident about my abilities, but for some reason (likely because I didn’t traing), I felt SO nervous and scared! When I texted my concerns to my mom, she hit the nail on the head with her response and it helped to calm me down (funny how moms are always able to do that).

IMG_1009[1]

Shortly after she sent that I ended up seeing a picture on Insta of a friend I used to work with so I ended up meeting up with her and her friend which was exactly what I needed – distraction from being nervous and people to hang with!

IMG_1013[1]

Before we knew it, it was time to start. We were already sweating, so I was happy that the race started a bit slower than I normally would. The crowds were huge so it was a struggle to navigate them throughout the first handful of miles. Looking back, this was a blessing in disguise because it forced me to run slower than normal, which I think was necessary in order for me to finish the race feeling as strong as I did, rather than coming out too fast and burning out halfway through.

The course was incredibly beautiful – lots of rolling hills, gorgeous homes, views of the water and amazing spectators. I couldn’t help but get super emotional as I was running – there’s something about races that do that for me!

IMG_1021[1]

The miles ticked away and I continued to feel good. I was getting negative splits as the crowds dispersed a bit, but I knew to still take it easy since it was a longer race than I’ve run in a long time. Around miles 4-5.5 I started to get super antsy. It was just a long, straight, flat part of the course entirely in the sun and I just wanted to see RM and my friends. I knew they were just before the 6 mile mark so it seemed like those 2 miles DRAGGED on. I felt hot, tired and ready to be done, however, seeing RM and my friends helped give me the push I needed as I forged ahead to the last mile.

IMG_1070[1]

By this point, my feet felt like hot sausages stuffed in my sneakers, I was getting a blister, felt dehydrated and started to cramp up a bit. I paused for a brief moment twice in that last mile as I prepared for the big hill at the end. Leading up to the hill, I wasn’t sure if I’d make it without walking, but I did it, slow step by slow step and getting to the top felt so great! Before I knew it, I was crossing the finish line and it’s hard to explain how amazing it felt.

I had done it. I had completed the 7 mile race. I felt good (all things considered). I was smiling. And I was so happy it was over, lol 😉

IMG_1031[1]

IMG_1026[1]

As I continue to reflect on the race and the experience, I am so proud of myself for doing something that scared the sh*t out of me. I fought through all of the “I can’t’s” in my head and I proved to myself that I CAN. It was uncomfortable at times, but I am stronger for having done it – it truly is amazing what you can accomplish once you put your mind to it and give it a try.

I like to think of it this way: we can live our lives only doing things that make us feel safe or comfortable, or we can push through that and challenge ourselves by doing things that scare us a little or make us feel uncomfortable. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather live my life doing the latter- it’s a hell of a lot more exciting and when you realize you CAN do things you didn’t think you could, well, it’s the most incredible feeling.

Thank you to everyone for your kind words and to RM, Sheila and Amy for being so supportive while I was running!! Huge thank you to my friends at NB for inviting us to hangout at their after party, which was exactly what I needed! And thanks to Sheila’s parents for letting us stay at their Inn and then using their boat for the afternoon. It was a weekend I will never forget!

IMG_1041[1]IMG_1043[1]IMG_1048[1]IMG_1053[1]IMG_1057[1]IMG_1112[1]IMG_1090[1]

Questions for you: Have you ever run the Falmouth Road Race? Do you like to run races? When’s the last time you pushed yourself out of your comfort zone?

 

Wednesday Workout: Two 10-Minute Upper Body Workouts

Leave a comment

Hi, friends! What a couple of weeks it has been! If you follow me on Instagram, you saw that I ran the Falmouth Road Race last weekend, very last minute at that! I have all intentions of writing up my race review (because it was amazing), but for now I’m going to share a workout that I did yesterday.

It’s only upper body because my poor hip and leggies are still pretty tight/sore from the run. Even though I’m physically in pretty good shape because I’m really active, I haven’t run much this summer, and haven’t run over 4 miles in probably 3 years. Which translates not being in running shape and therefore feeling the effects of it still!

But it’s all good. This workout is great because if you’re super short on time, you can do just one 10-minute AMRAP and call it a day. If you have more time, you can do both. And, if you want some cardio, go ahead and add in 3 rounds of 10 burpees, 10 jump squats, 10 plank jacks in between sets 😉

Two 10-minute upper body workouts.JPG

I didn’t take videos because these are all fairly common exercises, but, as always, let me know if you have any questions!

I hope you all have a great rest of your day and week – I hope to be back sooner rather than later 🙂

 

Wednesday Workout: 16 Minute Bodyweight Progression Workout

1 Comment

Hey there! I hope you all had a great weekend! If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen my stories (if not, please follow along – it’s fun!) where I shared a quickie workout that I did while I was on the Cape. As I mentioned in this post, I try to not to share my entire life through my stories because I feel as though it takes away from living in the moment and truly embracing the experience. That said, I do love sharing my workouts with you because it jives with what I’m trying to represent with B2B AND I like to show you how easy it is to squeeze in fitness or movement while traveling (or maybe even just with a busy schedule).

I wasn’t sure if I would workout on Friday, although I did dress in my workout clothes for the trip to the Cape early that morning just in case I decided to workout. After a half day of work and dropping RM off at the golf course, I found myself at the house alone and with extra time on my hands (a rarity!). After reading in the sun for a bit, I decided that I felt like working out. Sometimes all I need to feel motivated is a new environment to workout in. The back deck at the Cape House was perfect for the workout since it was spacious, in the shade and had a “step” that I could use (that being the built in benches).

IMG_0724

I brought my Bose speaker out and my resistance band (never travel without that or a jump rope!) and set up shop on the deck. 16 minutes later I was a sweaty, but smiling mess – it’s amazing what a little sweat can do for your mood (not that I was in a bad mood, but it made my good mood even better!).

The way it works is you’ll start with 8 reps of each exercise (except for the jumping jacks – start with 16 for those) for the first round. For the second round, you’ll add 2 reps, and then you’ll continue adding 2 reps to each round until your 16  minute time cap is up. I got through 5 rounds (I think?), so I ended at 16 reps for the exercises. Normally we work DOWN in reps, but this was a fun change because we are working UP in reps.

16 Minute Bodyweight Progression Workout

Here are some videos if you missed them on Insta:

As a finisher, I did a 4 minute AMRAP of 10 reps each: Russian twists, High plank w/knee to chest, High plank to down dog.

As always, let me know if you give this a try!

Questions for you: Do you travel with any workout equipment? What’s something that motivates you to workout?