Wednesday, July 24 Lunchtime Boot Camp!

Happy Thursday! It is a busy and exciting week as Keith and I are looking forward to the marriage of two of our most amazing friends Saturday! If this beautiful sunshine continues, I know the bride's smile will be just a touch bigger :).
Yesterday we had an amazing leg workout for lunchtime boot camp. Twelve people came out!! I couldn't believe it. The dedication and energy this group has is inspirational! Thank you all for being so wonderful and making this fun!


Legs!!

Ship Game
- if you were there, you remember, if you weren't, you can enjoy this game another day!!

Heat up those Legs (30 seconds each)
- jumping jacks- wide legged squats
- alternating front lunges
- speed skaters
Repeat
Tabata (20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)
- jump squats
- side lunges
Tabata
- jump lunges
- glute kick backs
Lower Abs (30 seconds each)
- flutter kicks- supine double leg drops
- cross body toe touches
- slow bicycles
- plank

Enjoy!!

Tasty and Healthy Treats!

What a beautiful week it has been! Sunny and warm.. Keith and I have tried to get outside after work as much as possible and we are looking forward to more sun this weekend!

I spent some time last weekend preparing some healthy treats for our lunches, or just to have on hand when we need a little boost! These all keep well in the freezer, so making big batches all at once saves time and helps keep you on track for eating well. 

Here are three of the recipes we tried and are loving them so far this week! I hope you find some inspiration for your own kitchen!


Key Lime Protein Balls
(makes approximately 22 balls)Ingredients:

2 Cups of Cashews
1 Cup of Pitted Dates
3 Scoops of Protein Powder
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
¼ Cup Unsweetened Coconut (optional)
¼ Cup Ground Flax (optional)
Juice of 1 Lime
Zest of 1 Lime
¼ Cup Water

Directions:

1. Add your two cups of cashews to your food processor and blend until it is flour.
2. Add your 3 scoops protein powder and pulse until blended.
3. Add your unsweetened coconut and ground flax and pulse until blended.
4. Add the vanilla extract, lime juice, lime zest, dates, and water. Blend until dough texture.
5. Remove the dough from the food processor and place in a bowl. Begin rolling protein balls into 1 inch balls.
6. Roll protein balls in coconut until completely covered (I prefer to toast the coconut)
7. Place balls on a plate or in a container, cover and place in the fridge.

*Special Note – These tend to be quite sticky. Placing these in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before rolling will help. 

Coconut and Honey No Bake Energy Bites

(makes approximately 50 bites)Ingredients:

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 and ½ cups coconut flakes
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup flaxseed
⅔ cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Pulse oats in food processor for a several seconds, until flakes are broken.
2. Combine ingredients in a large mixing bowl with hands.
3. Chill in fridge for 30 minutes.
4. Shape into 1 inch balls. Store in fridge for up to a week.

Chocolate Coffee Larabars
Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup medjool dates, pitted
1 cup almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup cashews
2 TBSP cocoa powder
1 TBSP ground coffee beans
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to your food processor and pulse until filling incorporated. 
2. Spread into an baking dish lined with parchment and freeze for 1 hour before cutting.
3. Cut to desired size and store in fridge or freezer. 

Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 17 Lunchtime Boot Camp

Another beautiful sunny Wednesday in the river valley and 10 people braved the 'Little Bit of Everything' workout!

I have to share this... It it too funny not to!
An email sent to me from a participant titled "40 Minutes After Bootcamp"

God grant me the serenity 
to accept the sweat I cannot stop;
the courage to change the shirt again;
and wisdom to show up next week.

Little Bit of Everything

Each exercise is repeated for 30 seconds (brief break in between exercises - 10 seconds max)

Stair intervals are 1 minute (as many as you can - challenge yourself)

Jumping Jacks
Squats
Army Crawl

Stairs

Push-Ups
Plank Jacks

Stairs

Forward Lunges
Burpies

Stairs

2 minute break and repeat one more time

Core Series
- double leg drop x10 reps  (on back with straight legs, keep low back arch flat on ground as legs lower and return)
- reverse crunches x10 reps (bend knees, keep low back arch flat, lower feet to ground and return)
- crunches x10 reps (feet on ground, hands on head, crunch lower ribs to hip bones, lower)
- bicycles x10 reps  (lift feet off ground, rotate to bring opposite elbow to knee, fluid motion)
- scissors x10 reps (on back, one leg straight hovering above ground, other leg straight in air, switch legs)
- v-sits x10 reps  (sit with knees bent and hands beside hips, lean back, lift feet off ground bring knees and chest together, then apart)
- russian twists x10 reps  (seated, feet on ground, lean back, hands together and twist side to side with breath)
- plank x30 second hold  (low plank for 30 seconds, from toes or knees, core tight)

Enjoy!

Wednesday, July 10 Lunchtime Boot Camp!

Another beautiful Wednesday in the Edmonton river valley! We had 8 wonderful people sweating and working hard through this workout...

Warm-Up
Hill Sprints
- sprint up, jog down
- 5 hills

Crazy 8's
- 60 jack squats (jumping jacks with a squat at the bottom)
- 20 spiderman push-ups (from toes move right hand and foot staggered in front of left, perform push-up, repeat other side for 10/side; from knees move right hand to stagger in front of left, perform push-up, and repeat other side)
- 20 squat with twist (as you raise up from squat lift and bend knee while crossing opposite elbow across your body for an oblique twist; with next squat twist other side)
- 15 full sit-ups
- 45 second low squat hold (attempt for knees and hips to be parallel)
- 45 second plank hold (from elbows or hands, toes or knees - challenge yourself!)
- 10 burpies
- 60 high knees

Partners - Cardio and Arms
- one partner push-ups
- other partner jumping jacks while encouraging other!
30 seconds, then switch and repeat x2

Core Series
- double leg drop x10 reps  (on back with straight legs, keep low back arch flat on ground as legs lower and return)
- reverse crunches x10 reps (bend knees, keep low back arch flat, lower feet to ground and return)
- crunches x10 reps (feet on ground, hands on head, crunch lower ribs to hip bones, lower)
- bicycles x10 reps  (lift feet off ground, rotate to bring opposite elbow to knee, fluid motion)
- scissors x10 reps (on back, one leg straight hovering above ground, other leg straight in air, switch legs)
- v-sits x10 reps  (sit with knees bent and hands beside hips, lean back, lift feet off ground bring knees and chest together, then apart)
- russian twists x10 reps  (seated, feet on ground, lean back, hands together and twist side to side with breath)
- plank x30 second hold  (low plank for 30 seconds, from toes or knees, core tight)

Enjoy!!

Wednesday, July 3 Lunchtime Boot Camp

Hello and happy Thursday! 
The weather this week has been beautiful and warm! Finally feeling like summer time! Our workout this week was hot..so a little extra sweaty, but who doesn't appreciate that before heading back to the office?

Cardio Kick

- perform each exercise for 30 seconds
- after 4 exercises, take a 30 second rest
- repeat 3 times

Jumping Jacks
Jump Squats
Mountain Climbers
Butt Kicks
Rest

High Knees
Plank Jacks
Speed Skaters
Push-Ups
Rest

Burpies
Mountain Climbers
Tuck Jumps
Wall Sit
Rest

repeat x3

Core
- double leg drop x10 reps  (on back with straight legs, keep low back arch flat on ground as legs lower and return)
- reverse crunches x10 reps (bend knees, keep low back arch flat, lower feet to ground and return)
- crunches x10 reps (feet on ground, hands on head, crunch lower ribs to hip bones, lower)
- bicycles x10 reps  (lift feet off ground, rotate to bring opposite elbow to knee, fluid motion)
- scissors x10 reps (on back, one leg straight hovering above ground, other leg straight in air, switch legs)
- v-sits x10 reps  (sit with knees bent and hands beside hips, lean back, lift feet off ground bring knees and chest together, then apart)
- russian twists x10 reps  (seated, feet on ground, lean back, hands together and twist side to side with breath)
- plank x30 second hold  (low plank for 30 seconds, from toes or knees, core tight)

Enjoy!