Monday, March 31, 2014

My Week of Workouts #13

This post is part of WOW Workout Linkup!

Check out last weeks workouts here.

Monday
Back day!

Deadlifts:
1x8 110#, 6x8 105#

T bar row
2x12 65#, 2x8 70#, 1x5-6 75#, 2x3 77.5#, 65# AMRAP

Back ext 4x12 25# plate

Single arm row 4x6 25# DB
Cable row 4x8 55#


I LOVE my Target shirt and FILA shorts!

Tuesday
Cheeeeest and HIIT!

20 minutes of Battle Ropes!

4x6 25# DBS, 1xAMRAP 20#

8 Single arm press ES 20# DB
Incline pushup AMRAP
x4

10-12 Single arm cable fly 5# ES
x4

Ending with some abs, including wood chops (a new favorite!)

Wednesday
A mashup of some Loving Fit workouts, again.

Pass jump lunge 20 w 20# DB
20 bw jump lunges 
20 feet elevated hip thrust 20# db
40 20# swings
x3

10 single leg burpee ES
10 plie squat 40#
10 plie jumps 20#
10 squat 40#
10 squat jump 20#
x2

10 back and side lunge ES 
10 plie squat 40#
10 plie jumps 20#
10 squat 40#
10 squat jump 20#
x3

7 rounds 35 each
2 way leg hop
side lunge and twist 

Thursday
75 minutes Power yoga!

Friday
Legs. As requested by Sweats Like A Pig.. I decreased weights and focused on form. But it made me feel like a weenie.

I also squatted without the padding today!

10 ES Single leg burpees 10# DBS

Barbell low squat 70# 3x10, 75# 3x8-10 (?? I keep forgetting exact weight and sets!)
Zurcher squat: 75# 2x10, 80# 2x10

10 TRX Single leg squat ES
10 BSL ES total 50# DBS
20 feet up hip thrusts 25# DB
x3

10 side lunge ES
10 back lunge with back foot kick up ES
x2

Leg ext dropset max 160# x1

Leg curl dropset max 90# x2

Saturday
Shoulders. For sure feeling this one...

Barbell Push press: 2x5,3 50#!!! 3x5-6 45#

DB frontal raises x10 (15# DBS)
DB corkscrew press x10 (15#)
AMRAP face pulls 30# (focused on feeling the move vs weight)

x3 rounds

DB shrugs x10 (40#DBS)
DB should "L" raises (12#DBS)
AMRAP Shoulder pushups
x3 

KB high pulls x10 (30#KB)
DB leaning lateral raises x10 ES (#15)
AMRAP DB bent over reverse flys (#12)
x3 
*10 burpees with bicep curl 12# DBS between each grouping



Sunday
HIIT focused on burpees. Inspired by the latest Pumps and Iron post!

Then, some abs and a bit of yoga.

What workouts did you do this week?

Natalie

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

What's In MY Fridge?

DONT FORGET TO ENTER THE
NUNATURALS GIVEAWAY!

Hello there Clean Eaters!


Today is a fun post. I have read some blog posts before, such as grocery hauls, which inspired me to make this.

I also thought it might be helpful for those who are new to healthy eating, or who just are curious what I eat in general.

These are just a few staples a usually have around. And by no means is this ALL I have in my fridge!

There is lots of unhealthy, processed junk that is my sisters (we are trying our best to wean her off Dr. Pepper. lol!) But we won't get into that...



Some basic meat products I keep around:
Ground turkey
Natural Chicken Stock from Costco
Natural chicken (these are drumsticks but I use all sorts of cuts)
Applegate Farms Nitrate Free turkey bacon
Wild Caught salmon from Aldi



THERE IS MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM!
I love keeping my apples cold. They taste so much better than room temperature.
Thinking of making some Portobello pizzas with those mushrooms!



Some basic food prep for the week.
Baked sweet potato
Baked fish and quinoa
Frozen bananas



MUSTARD FETISH.
All fruit jam.
All natural Almond Butter from Costco
Fermented olives from Costco



Silk almond milk
Cage free brown eggs
Chobani (for my momma)



Some flours/other baking tools!
Coconut flour (used in my Paleo flatbread)
Organic flaxseed
Oat Fiber from NuNaturals (don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY!)

What are staples in your fridge?

Natalie

Monday, March 24, 2014

My Week of Workouts #12

Check out last week's workouts here

Monday
Jeez! I needed a rest after 4 days of training in a row. I did an hour of power yoga... and not with a video, either! Remember when I did my first self instructed flow? I love the feeling of not having to rely on a video to get me through a yoga session.

Tuesday
Spring break is long gone for me folks! Got up at 4:45 AM again to hit the gym. BACK DAY!

Starter:
Each 30 secx3
Burpee
YTI
Jumping jacks
Mountain climbers/Down dog abs

Reverse push up (aka assisted pull ups) 3x10

Deadlift:
3x10 @ 105#, 2x8 @110# (plus 3 reps when I asked for a coach to spot me. He said my form looked good!) 

T bar row:
2x12 65#, 2x8-10 70#, 2x4-5 #75, 1x AMRAP #65

Back ext w weight plate 25# 4x12

Single arm row 4x10 20# DB
Cable pull: 4x6-8 55#


Wednesday
I did pretty much the same workout as last week. A variation of some Loving Fit workouts.


20 pass under jump lunges 20# DB
20 no weight jump lunge
40 DB swings 20# 
20 hip thrusts 20#
x3

12 plie hops 20#
12 plie squats 20#
x3

12 squat hops 20#
12 DB squats 40#
x3

8 side lunges ES 20# DB
8 back lunges ES 20# DB
8 step ups ES 20# DB
12 squat hops 20# DB
x3

35 sec 2 way squat hop each leg
35 sec side luge twist each leg
x 7 rounds 

Thursday
Chest and Battle ropes!

20 minute HIIT with battle ropes and tires.

CHEST:

DB chest press: 4x6 25# DBS total 50#

Double arm cable fly 8-10 
8 single arm incline press ES 20# DB
15 incline pushups 
x4

Single arm cable fly 10 ES 5#
x3
Friday
I woke up with a stomach virus so I did some gentle yoga in the morning, and stayed home from school. But by time my mom got home from work around 7pm, I felt alright. Time for LEGS!

I posted some videos of my last squatting session on Facebook and asked for critique from Tara at Sweat Like a Pig. This girl competes in Strongwoman competitions and overall, is just completely awesome. I took her advice and foam rolled beforehand.

10 single leg burpee ES

Back squat 3x10 75#
Zurcher Squat 3x10 80#, 2x10 85#
Back Squat 1x8 80#
Front squat 1x5 45#

SS with 12 jump squats 25# DB

10 BSS ES total 50# DB
10 TRX single leg squat ES
15 feet elevated hip trust 25# DB
x3

10 back lunge ES 25# DB
10 side lunge ES 25# DB
Leg ext dropset, going down the rack max 150#
x2

Dropset down rack leg curl max 90#
x2


Sunday's HIIT

Saturday
Shoulder day!

Warm up with burpees, jumping jacks, down dog abs

DB Press 1x2 25# DBS (total 50#)
Barbell press 4x6 45# 
DB frontal raises x10 (15# DBS)
DB corkscrew press x10 (15#)
AMRAP face pulls 30-40#

x3 rounds

BB behind the back shrugs x10 (40#DBS)
DB should "L" raises (12#DBS)
AMRAP Shoulder pushups
x3 

KB high pulls x10 (30#KB)
DB leaning lateral raises x12 ES (#12)
AMRAP DB bent over reverse flys (#12)
x3 
*10 burpees with bicep curl 15# DBS between each grouping


Sunday

HIIT and YOGA!

Did some more HIIT, and ended with a few sets of DB snatches. Then I did a wonderful 30 minutes of power yoga!

How have YOU worked out this week?

Natalie

Friday, March 21, 2014

Is Stevia Healthy? NuNaturals Review and GIVEAWAY!

When I asked NuNaturals if they would let me sample some of their products a while back, I was pleasantly surprised!

I was given to opportunity to review some of their newest products, which are gluten free and of course, sugar free.



These products are a really innovative way to enjoy treats without added calories, or fake/artificial sweeteners. The main idea that I LOVE about NuNaturals is that they never use fake or artificial sugars in their products.

Before now, I had never tried Stevia. I was a bit wary at first, but I added a few drops to my almond milk and was SHOCKED by the results! I added some of their Vanilla Stevia to almond milk. Only a few drops sweetened an entire glass.



I experimented farther and used the Vanilla Stevia to sweeten some Acorn Squash brownies that I made. Let it be said that I polished off the pan in 48 hours.

In the brownies, I also used Oat Fiber that they sent me. From the information on their site, the oat fiber is produced from a chemical free process (less chemicals=bonus points in my book.)



Basically, you can use it similarly to how you would use flour in a regular recipe. However, the oat fiber is calorie free. You can also add it to things like oatmeal or shakes when you want to boost the amount of fiber you are eating.

I personally would not use oat flour as the only source of dry ingredients in a recipe. While it gives volume and has health benefits, I still need to remember I am staying away from grains that are not properly prepared. I doubt these oats were soaked before being turned into the fiber... plus, as "chemical free" and "natural" as they claim to be, it is still a food that had been processed.

Instead, I recommend using the fiber alongside other flours (I used mostly coconut flour in my brownies, but added a TBSP of oat flour too).

This being said, I also am aware of both sides of the Stevia arguement...
Is it healthy?
Or unhealthy

I can see relevancy on both sides of the spectrum. For example:

"For diabetics, using stevia may be a good way to manage blood sugar levels while not completely omitting the sweet flavor from your life. Stevia has been used as a sugar substitute since the 1970′s in Japan without any known adverse effects, and it constitutes 40% of their total sweetener consumption.


One study showed that not only is stevia a good sugar substitute, but it may actually help to treat insulin resistance. (source)
In another small study, 60 hypertension patients experienced significant reduction in blood pressure after being give the active ingredient of stevia. (source)."
This suggests that Stevia has positive health benefits. 
VS
"Stevia Taxes the Adrenals: 
"Stevia is “sweet” on the palate, so the body assumes it is receiving sugar and primes itself to do so. Glucose is cleared from the bloodstream and blood sugars drop, but no real sugar/glucose is provided to the body to compensate. When this happens, adrenaline and cortisol surge to mobilize sugar from other sources (liver and muscle glycogen, or protein, or body tissue) to bring blood glucose back up." (Source)
Stevia Has a Hormonal Structure:
"Steviol glycosides are synthesized in the same pathway and end up being structurally very similar to the plant hormones gibberellin and kaurene.  This means that steviol glycosides have a hormone structure… There is evidence that steviol glycosides have contraceptive effects in both males and females.  In particular, one specific steviol glycoside, called stevioside, has been shown to have potent contraceptive properties in female rats, implying that stevia may have an impact on estrogen, progesterone or both." "
This, on the other hand, gives information for rather frightening Stevia effects. 

So... what is the answer? In my opinion, I feel most comfortable using natural sweeteners such as raw honey, molasses, pure maple syrup, and fruit (all of which I KNOW are healthy).
However, in moderation, I still think that Stevia can be used in a perfectly healthy diet with no side effects. What this means for you might be different than what it means for me...i.e. I might bake with Stevia 1/3 of the time, and with other sweeteners the other 2/3. 



 
Now... for the GIVEAWAY!
NuNaturals is giving away
 (1) one bottle of each of the Lemon / Cherry Vanilla / Peppermint Flavored Stevia Liquids,
 PLUS a 50 packet box of our NuStevia White Stevia Powder packets. 
 PLUS A BONUS PRODUCT
to FOUR Clean Eating Teen readers!
THIS IS OPEN WORLDWIDE!

Ending on 3/29/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 
 
If you don't win, or still want to purchase something, NuNaturals is also offering a  15%discount to Clean Eating Teen readers.
Enter the discount code: BLG0614
(Expires June 30th, so hurry!)
Tell me... do you use Stevia?

Natalie
 






Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Training

After my post about why "rough days" in health, fitness (and even life) are important... I figured this post was also necessary.

Image via Google Images

I have been working out for years now. No, I didn't have a personal trainer in the family... actually, most of my family is super un-athletic. My parents never enforced sports on me, and for most of my life I hated anything "athletic". So when I decided to change my life, my body, and my health... I did it on my own. I basically went into this journey blindly. 

I didn't start lifting "heavy" weights (i.e. having access to heavy DBs, barbells, and some machines) until this past Decemeber. But I still have trained ... if I had dumbbells around, I would use those. But usually I used body weight or resistance bands.

I also have trained in the form of cardio, or conditioning. Not always the good kind, let me be honest! But more on that later.

In these years of training, I have learned ALOT.

I've learned more about the RIGHT way to train, from both a personal and scientific standpoint, instead of listening to silly fad diets and workouts. 

I have learned about new equipment and clothing to aid in my workouts. 


Most importantly... I have learned what works for ME. Time to workout, style to workout...what I like and what I don't like. 


Not to say I don't have more to experience, and more knowledge to gain... because, uh. I DO.

But I for sure have learned a few things in these past few years that I wish I knew before I started! 




1) Nutrition means more than just calories, and is REALLY important. This list is in no order, but I still put this first because is reigns supreme. Before I was conscious of the fact that food is more than just calories... I was that girl. The one with the Special K cereals, the 100 calorie snack packs, reduced fat peanut butter, and diet coke. I thought I was doing good because I tracked calories, and kept them low. During this time, I actually gained weight (NOT muscle) and felt horrible, both mentally and physically. I was addicted to fake sugar and fake food. But when I started to EDUCATE myself (see #3), I started seeing results. My training improved, my skin cleared, and I felt better.


2) Take information with great caution, and don't think too much about it. This is to an extent, of course... But in fitness, you tend to hear A LOT of different opinions (many of which are totally unsafe, or untrue). Too many times have I read magazines telling me to eat 1200 calories, or to do more cardio. There are tons of fake fitness "gurus" on Instagram, Youtube, and Facebook trying to convince you it is their way or the highway. Plus if you believe EVERYTHING you hear, you will get no where and drive yourself crazy. You can't be on every new diet at once, you can't be a cardio junkie who also powerlifts, you can't use every protein powder just because they all claim to be miracle workers. Know your body, and find what works for YOU. 

3) That being said... don't make stupid choices. Use common sense, and know the FACTS behind why you are training/eating a certain way. I use to think everything I heard or read was true. You know where that got me? Avoiding salt like a plague (even though your body NEEDS salt to properly function, especially with training), not touching even natural sugar like honey (which in fact has tons of nutritional benefits), and being scared to death of fat (uh, now I go through a tub of coconut oil in a matter of weeks.) Once I stopped relying on other peoples opinions and researched hard cold facts and SCIENCE, I gained the ability to make smart training and nutrition choices. You might be surprised with what you find, so it's also important to be open minded.

4) You are going to fail. Alot. In fact, you are probably going to fail more than you ever succeed. But this is the beauty of training, and it should not scare you. You have to know your weaknesses, and work to overcome them. You simply can't expect to make a new PR each week. You will also have days that you are just "off"... Those 20lb dumbbells sure felt lighter last time you used them! Also, no one is perfect, and you WILL have days in which you are unmotivated.

                                            Does progress come easy? Nope! WORK FOR IT.

5) There is a difference between needing rest and just being sore. Don't be a weenie and skip your workout because you "don't feel like it", are "too busy", or are aching from squatting twice your weight yesterday. If you want results, you will work for them-it is that simple. This is a LIFESTYLE after all, not a fad (see #2). But in the same context... don't be stupid (see #3). If you are vomiting and have the flu, don't workout. If you had three heavy training days in a row, take a rest. If you are genuinely fatigued, then go to SLEEP and do your bench press tomorrow when your fresh.

6) Put your ego aside. This is for the guys, AND the ladies. Seriously... you are not going to get ANYWHERE throwing weights around, not squatting deep enough, or using improper form in general. Lighten the weights (even if that means using the bare bar) and use PROPER FORM before you even think about adding on the plates to the barbell or going up in DBs.

                                                     HIIT burns calories. Just do it.

7) Focus less on cardio and more on weight training and HIIT. I know I said to find what works for you on #2, but this is pretty general. I used to be a cardio bunny too... I spent my entire hour at the gym switching from the treadmill, to the bike, to the elliptical. And did I see results? Ha, NO. Resistance and weight training builds muscle, which strengthens the body and prevents ailments that aging brings along. Also, muscle at rest burns more calories than fat does. Studies show that steady state cardio has little benefits for overall conditioning and fat loss... I mean, WHO wants to sit around on cardio machines for an hour when you can get it done with body weight in 15 minutes? 

8) Speaking of cardio machines... ditch the treadmill. And the stair stepper, elliptical, bike machine... Not only are these machines TOTALLY BORING, but they really, really hurt too. And not in a good way. Whenever I would get off these machines, my hips would ache like crazy. My knees would also pop, and usually be sore from stepping on the hard treadmill surface. These machines put your body in an unnatural environment, and usually cause injury in the long run. Kick them to the side and instead, use your own body weight in the form of plyometrics or sprints, or a few pieces of equipment (kettle bell, battle ropes) to get in your cardio.

9) Preplan things, and be prepared! It sounds strange, but when I know what I am doing for a workout the day before, my mental preparation helps me the next day. I can look up proper form on the internet, practice myself, and overall just get ready for the workout that next morning. Having a structured workout plan (at least plan a few days ahead) keeps me on track and organized. It has also helped me to lay out my workout clothes so that I save time getting dressed for the gym, or get equipment ready if working out at home that morning. Speaking of which...

10) Find a time to workout that will be open for you DAILY, and stick to it. This way, it simply becomes habit. I work out first thing in the morning... this way, I get it done before I even start my day and can relax later on. This works for me... find what works for YOU. Working out around the same time each day makes it more special, in my opinion: just like you go to work from 9-5, you workout from 6-7. It is YOUR TIME... so be sure that you have it locked down in your schedule.

                                                  We are in the together after all!!

11) People in the gym are NOT judging you. So stop being so self conscious. Seriously... while I am pretty new to the whole "gym" atmosphere, never have I once felt judged by ANYONE in the gym, even from the girls who could probably hurl me across the room. If anything, I have received nothing but support... if I need help with form, people kindly step in to guide me. I ask openly to work in with others on weights they're using... heck, I've even made FRIENDS at the gym! People are not going to be worried about you when they have their own workout to focus on. I see people of all ages and fitness levels, and the only thought I have is that I am proud of them!

12) Focus on your goals. DON'T GIVE UP. You are going to face people (family and friends especially) who don't understand or support what you are doing. They will call you crazy, obsessed, and worry that you will hurt yourself by "lifting too much". Just because some people try to knock you down, doesn't mean that they don't care for you (or maybe they really don't, but who cares anyway?). Usually, they just can not grasp what they do not participate in... those who have never experienced the thrill of lifting more, or the benefits of eating right, sometimes find it hard to see what we like so much about it. They typically don't know anything more than common bioscience on the topic either.
Besides outside challenges, there are internal challenges you will face. It is hard to stay motivated sometimes. Often, we don't see results as fast as we would like. But does this mean we should stop? No. It means we should find the light in the dark... heck, we should BE the light in the dark! Don't ever, ever give up.

Stay focused. Stay strong.



What are some things you wished you knew before you started training?

Natalie

Monday, March 17, 2014

My Week of Workouts #11

Check out my last week of workouts here.

Monday
Back day! Scaled back on the deadlifts to get correct form. Had both the guy trainers at my gym spotting me... said as I lift for the first pull my lower back slightly arches and straightens out again. I need to focus on keeping my chest UP! So lighter weight it is.

Starter:
Each 30 secx3
Burpee
YTI
Jumping jacks
Mountain climbers

Reverse push up (aka assisted pull ups) 3x10

Deadlift:
3x8 @ 115, tried a few at 125#, scaled back to 105# for last 2 sets for AMRAP

T bar row:
1x15 55#, 2x7-8 65#, 2x4-5 #75, 1x AMRAP #65, 1x AMRAP #55

Back ext w weight plate 25# 4x12

Single arm row 4x10 20# DB
Cable pull, max at 4-5 reps 60-65#

Abs with TRX

Tuesday

Chest day! Hey hey heeeey!

Some HIIT with battle ropes and tire flips to start me out...

Chest press: 4x6 25# DBS (50# total)

Double Arm Cable fly (I did a few single flies at the end): 4x8-12 5# EACH SIDE
Single arm DB Press: 4x5-6 20# DB
Pushups till failure 4 sets(some elevated, some on knees)

Ended with cable fly burnout !

Wednesday
A bit of a mashup of some Loving Fit Workouts!

20 pass under jump lunges 20# DB
20 no weight jump lunge
40 DB swings 20#
20 hip thrusts 20#
x3

12 plie hops 20#
12 plie squats 20#
x3

12 squat hops 20#
12 DB squats 40#
x3

35 sec 2 way squat hop each leg
35 sec side luge twist each leg
x 7 rounds

Thursday
I knew I was going to do a boxing class Friday so I did a 20 minute HIIT workout, and then 45 minutes of power yoga focused on stretching to hips.

Friday

I enjoyed a free boxing class at Title Boxing near my house! Ive mentioned before that my first time doing the class was a great experience... It was also one of the hardest workouts I had done! 

This time I felt much stronger than last (Ive gained weight and muscle) and it wasn't as hard. I still worked hard and was sore! 

Saturday
I was at my grandmothers house for her birthday. I had an AWESOME leg day at the Anytime Fitness by her house. My wonderful cousin Bailey tagged along (lol she didnt workout!) and graciously videoed me.

10 Single leg burpees ES

Back squats 3x10 75#
Zurcher squats 3x10 75#
Back squats 2x10 80# 
Front squats 2x5 45#

SS with 12 jump squats 25# DB 

Bulgerian Split Squat 3x10 ES 50# TOTAL DB
Single leg assisted squat 3x10 ES

Side lunge 2x12-10 ES 25# DB
Back lunge 2x12-10 es 25# DB

Single leg leg press: 3 sets AMRAP 30#


Sunday
YIKES. SHOULDER DAY! I was still sore from bboxing in my shoulders. But I know the difference between needing rest and just being sore. 

This gym had bars with permanent weights on them, 30#-70#. So I used them for my push press instead of DBs.

Bar push press 4x9-10 40# 
DB frontal raises x10 (15# DBS)
DB corkscrew press x10 (15#)
AMRAP face pulls 30-35#

x3 rounds

BB behind the back shrugs x10 (40#DBS)
DB should "L" raises (12#DBS)
AMRAP Shoulder pushups
x3 

KB high pulls x10 (35#KB)
DB leaning lateral raises x12 ES (#12)
AMRAP DB bent over reverse flys (#12)
x3 
*10 burpees with shoulder press/pushup between each grouping




What have you been doing to workout?
Natalie

VGN