14 Chin Ups, Blinged Out Bikini and Kettlebells- Got Goals?

Do you have a goal and purpose to your workouts? When was the last time you sat down and thought about this? What keeps you choosing the healthier option on a menu when your brain is screaming choose the loaded nachos and large margarita? Setting goals is what keeps you on the straight and narrow.

Here are a few of mine for the next year.

1. 14 unassisted chin ups, because pre pregnancy I could do 13 and this mom wants to only get better

2. Squat and deadlift my body weight, I should achieve this in no time and then I will set a new goal

3. Run 3 miles under 22 minutes (currently 26:30)

4. Compete again before 2012, bring on the blinged out bikini

5. Long term goal, complete RKC (kettlebell certification) by end of summer next year, because watching Sean train for this has sparked my interest, calloused hands and all

Those are 5 of my personal goals related to fitness. Now, tell me what are YOURS??!

5 to 10 lbs by the 4th

Memorial weekend marks the beginning of BBQ's, beaches, and pool parties. We spent the afternoon yesterday doing just that, a great BBQ and pool party with some friends. If you are still looking to lose some inches and fat by the 4th of July then it's time to get your diet in order. You can easily lose 5-10 lbs by the 4th of July. If you hate the scale then buy yourself a swimsuit or cute outfit and hang it in your closet as your daily reminder.

So whatever your motivation may be inches lost or the confidence gained to slip into a great swimsuit or bikini, your diet is the catalyst to attain this goal. Here is a fire crackin' diet plan..

Workout Days:

Meal 1: 5-6 egg whites, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup berries, dash of cinnamon to flavor up the oats

**work out**

Post Workout Meal (drink within 30 minutes of finishing your workout): 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1 cup fruit, scoop of protein powder blended

Meal 2: green salad make with spinach, peppers, cucumbers, chicken breast (size of the palm of your hand), drizzle of EVOO and balsamic vinegar and 1 small sweet potato or slice of Ezekiel bread

Meal 3: 2 slices of lean turkey wrapped in leaf of lettuce with peppers, cucumbers and a few slices of avocado

Meal 4: lean protein source (turkey, fish, occasional red meat, chicken) and stir fry veggies or unlimited veggies (try grilling some veggies on your grill, yum!)

Meal 5: keep it light and lean this is typically your meal after dinner... I like to have a protein shake and tablespoon of peanut butter... blend it up with lots of ice to fill you up


Non Workout Days

Meal 1: 2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites with some veggies to make an omelette

Meal 2: protein shake (approx 20 grams of protein) and 1/4 cup almonds

Meal 3: salad similar to the one made on the days you workout but eliminate the sweet potato or bread

Meal 4: 3-4 ounces of lean ground turkey make with veggies or for the sake of simplicity another protein shake with a tablespoon of peanut/almond butter or a handful of mixed nuts

Meal 5: the same meal as your workout day... lean protein and veggies, try grilled salmon and grilled asparagus- yum!


Most importantly, drink lots of water all day! Do not drink anything with more than 5-10 calories in it. Take a fish oil supplement and a multi vitamin.

Follow this diet until the 4th and your guaranteed to see great results!

Gymless Intervals in the Summer, Part 1

I choose to spend my Saturday mornings outside with my ipod and the sunshine. The majority of the year I am not able to do so since Sean is either gone quite early or on the road. So, instead of sleeping in this summer, I am going to take advantage of this and get my workout done outside and at various places in Orange County.

My workout this morning took 38 minutes door to door. I left my house and ran to "the hill", or as my friend Jenn calls it "bitch hill" because yes it is just that. It took me about 15 minutes to get there and then the fun began. I did 3 X 45 second sprints (max heart rate 178) up the hill, stood there for a few seconds and then a very slow wobbly walk back to the bottom (heart rate recovered to 128).

view from the top


view from the ground as I laid right there on the dirt path after interval #3


If you live in Anaheim Hills or really anywhere in Orange County, you are able to find some good hills for sprints. My route back home still had a very large and long hill I had to conquer. At this point, mind games are needed to keep going. I told myself to run to the light post and then walk to the next street sign and so on all the way up. Heart rate remained pretty high the rest of the way.

There you have it, a great get outside and get it done workout. This is part 1 with many more outdoor workouts to come. What a great way to start a weekend!

Training Journal

A link to my training blog...

Small Group Training

Stuck in a rut? Need some motivation and a plan? For the first time, I am offering small group training. What are the benefits of training with a friend or two?

* Increased motivation and commitment to a fitness program.
* Support of another friend to keep both of you in check.
* FUN!
* More cost effective, you split the training fee!

Grab a friend and begin your quest for a fit and lean summer! Contact me regarding my small group training packages. We can meet monthly, bimonthly or even weekly to train. I will accommodate your needs and keep you both on track for success!

Lean Legs for Summer

May, begins the start of sundresses, shorts and cute little skirts. Here in California these past few days, we have entered summer mode. HOT! There is no way you want to put on jeans or pants in this weather. Are you still worried about unveiling your winter legs because they are just not lean enough for shorts and way to white to be seen? Then get a spray tan and add this circuit to your workouts.



Sean posted this on his blog

Yes, he uses it with professional hockey players but it is a great conditioning circuit for women as well. I have done similar leg circuits as finishers (something performed at the end of your workout) and have gotten incredible results from them. These have been performed with simply body weight or even a weight vest for the advanced individual. Think it looks easy? Yea right! There is always a way to advance it to your fitness level. This leg circuit is a a great way to sculpt some lean legs.

I am not talking about these legs, and trust me, you won't even come close to these...


and I am not sure many women find these legs appealing, I know most males don't either...


I think these are pretty right on the money...


Carrie Underwood doesn't just do cardio to achieve these sculpted legs. No way! She has muscle mass with very little fat on top of it so that is why they are so defined and quite frankly hot!

Time to ramp up your fat loss for summer. Summer and lean legs are just around the corner!

T Minus 3 Days and a Suggested Read

On Saturday, I am going to be induced... yay! Talk about pure excitement in our house! My doctor said the phrase, "Do you want to be induced?" and I didn't hesitate to say yes. He thinks the baby is a good size and it is only a week before my due date. So let's get this party started!

I have had many friends 'suggest' doing all I can do to increase my chances of going into labor on my own before Saturday. If it isn't a crazy suggestion, like that castor oil or whatever, I will give it a shot. Drink raspberry leaf tea.. sure. Eat a whole pineapple... sure. Run sprints and squat jumps... sure. That is exactly what I did today. So in honor of the eve of the eve of my induction day, I got a nice little circuit in today. Check it out...

Foam Roll at least 10 minutes... oh my hip flexors and IT band have taken a toll during these last few months
dynamic warmup 5 minutes (leg cradles, knee hugs, quad stretch, band walk, sumo squat to stand... and a few others)

1/4 mile jog (not very pretty and incredibly slow)
50 Kettlebell Swings
15 T Push Ups

1/4 mile jog
25 squats, 25 squat Jumps
20 TRX Rows

1/4 mile jog
15 each side Bottoms Up Kettlebell Front Squat and Shoulder Press, flip that kettlebell so the bell is up, watch how wobbling it becomes, tough!
15 Single Arm Kettlebell Swings

1/4 mile run, for a pregnant lady
50 Kettlebell Swings
15 T Push Ups

Finished up with 20 minutes of 60 second run, 60 second walk. Great 45-50 minute workout!


If your new to the kettlebell swing or wonder if your doing it correctly, check out this article on t-nation.com by Dan John. It is a great read.

Boot Camp Just Got More Challenging

I have slowly acquired more and more tools for my boot camp over the years. At first, I started with women just bringing a mat and weights to class. Over time I have acquired various fitness tools that have made camp a lot more exciting and fun! I have quite the extensive list of fitness tools that I use with my group of clients. I often will bring these "toys" as we like to call them to class. Typically, I have people partner up and I put them through a circuit of exercises with various work to rest ratios. My group of women are fit! They are constantly challenging me to provide them with the best workout possible.

An example of a past circuit:

Station #1: Band Assisted Chin Ups or TRX Inverted Rows

Station #2: Sled Pushes or TRX Sled Pulls

Station #3: Med Ball Slams or Med Ball Russian Twists

Station #4: Batteling Ropes

Station #5: Court Sprints

Station #6: Agility Ladder Drills

and new to the arsenal of fat loss tools... the Ultimate Sandbag.


Does your Boot Camp incorporate some of these tools? If not, it may be time to try something fun and new!