{FITNESS FRIDAY} build your own workout 101

Alright peeps - welcome back to Fitness Friday (said in my best Bob Barker impersonation)! 

This week I want to focus on building your own workout.  Often times if I'm strapped for time and don't have an hour to spare for the gym, I will make up a quick HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout and just get a good heart gargling 25 minutes in!   

You don't have to know a TON of things, trust me.  Just a few basic movements and you can incorporate hand weights or a kettle bell if you want but it's not necessary.  

1.) Try to get in two muscle groups.   Push Ups an Sit Ups are two muscle groups (arms and abs) or you can do squats.   For this one let's begin with push ups. 

You can do these regulation or modified (on your knees).  If you cannot do the whole set regulation I suggest trying a few before dropping into modified.  Modified works a slightly different part of the arm.  Squats are next; these are fairly easy to do.  Just remember you don't want to go much past 90 degrees on your leg bend and push your butt behind you rocking back on your heels when you squat down. 

So our workout for today starts with PUSH UPS and SQUATS

2.)  Add in Cardio (this helps make it HIGH INTENSITY) There are a multitude of simple cardio things you can insert here.  For example, high knee runs, jumping jacks, jump rope...

Let's go with high knees and we should do it between the strength so your workout now looks like this

PUSH UPS

HIGH KNEES 

SQUATS

3.) Repeat steps one and two!  Add in a few more movements scattered about.  Maybe you add the Sit ups now. 

PUSH UPS

HIGH KNEES

SQUATS

SIT UPS

...and then since you're already on the ground flip over for plank jacks 

PUSH UPS 

HIGH KNEES

SQUATS

SIT UPS

PLANK JACKS

... a plank hold would go well here since you're already on all fours

PUSH UPS

HIGH KNEES

SQUATS

SIT UPS

PLANK JACKS

PLANK HOLD

4.) Determine timing.  What I mean is you need to know how long you'll perform each movement and how many repetitions.  So, you have six moves to complete if you did each one for 30 seconds that's 3 minutes.  If that were the case I'd want to repeat that 5-6 times.  Or, you could do each movement for 1 minute each resulting in 6 minutes and you can repeat 2-3 times to get your 15-20 minutes in.  

The glory if it is, it's completely UP TO YOU! 

If you have any trouble coming up with ideas or don't know how to do a movement check out my WORKOUT HOW TO page! 

*NEW FEATURE* fitness friday!

Who made a resolution to get to the gym more often or be a healthier version of you? This weekly feature is for you!   I wanted to show you how easy it is to not only get in a great workout at home with minimal equipment and a recipe to go along with it.   Since we are just coming off of the Holidays the "recipe" isn't really all that impressive, but I don't really do fancy all that often.  I just try to change it up so that I don't get tired of the same ole chicken dish or what not.    I wanted to share all things I make with you, though.  Just because this dish isn't glamorous doesn't mean it isn't quick, easy, inexpensive and healthy! 

This Chair Workout I found on Pinterest is great for you busy mom's, students, anybody! 

I typically always have veggies, a white onion, garlic and some kind of meat to sauté together.  

I use sunflower oil because it's inexpensive and natural.  Vegetable Oil is typically soy which doesn't fall under my Paleo Diet restrictions so I tend to stay away from it.  If you switched to this you wouldn't even taste a difference.  I use it for sautéing and for salad dressings.

Depending on how many people you have eating with you dice your white onion and sauté in the sunflower oil. 

While the onions are cooking I cut up the broccoli, cauliflower and a clove of garlic.  Again, the quantity depends on how many you have eating with you.   I'm usually eating alone or with one other, so I don't make very much at a time. 

A rotissary chicken is a great way to keep quick meat/protein in the fridge.  My grocery store charges about $5-$6 and I usually get a few meals out of it.  I use these for soup, salad, and to toss into veggies. 

I diced the chicken breast and tossed it into the pan with my veggies to heat it. 

I usually add one turn on the grinder of salt and two turns of pepper

Once all the veggies are cooked to your liking and chicken is heated plate your food and enjoy!  I added a garnish of salsa for a little added flavor and spice!

Enjoy!