Football Stadium Workout!

Football season is approaching, which is one of my favorite times of year.  I was visiting Lexington, Virginia a few months ago and whenever I do, I love running through the town and the colleges that are there.  I thought I'd share a workout I did at the Virginia Military Institute track one evening. The weather was perfect, humidity wasn't too bad and you just get a little more pumped up about your effort level when you are a military college.

Workout started with a jog around the outer lanes of the track for 2 laps, going in the "wrong" direction.  Since there weren't any other exercisers, I could do this, but you might not be able to if the track where you run is busy.  I then did a bit of dynamic stretching and warm up drills since I knew what was ahead of me.  High knees, butt kickers, skipping, bounding, etc for 5-10 minutes.

Next, the work part: Running 1/2 mile intervals at 5k pace followed by a one lap jog, then sprinting up the stadium stairs, then 1 lap jog.  Repeat four times.  Cool down with a slow jog or walk for one to two laps and don't forget to stretch, hydrate, and refuel!

Hint: If the stadium stairs are reallllllly high, time yourself for a 1-2 minute run up.  If the stairs aren't high enough, do repeats.

Pool side munchies

Not too bad for a healthier pool side snack.  It definitely satisfies the crunchy, and a little bit salty cravings, and much better for you than many other snacks! Try them out!

Trainer Tip Tuesday

Today's tip? Simple. Work hard. I am so thankful for the many blessing I have and am particularly grateful to have a job where I focus on improving the lives of my clients and class participants. I have recently started training some new clients and am thrilled to have them start training. Their workouts have been tailored specifically to meet their individual needs safely and effectively to reach their goals.

So wether its building your personal training business or working hard through training sessions, focus on your goals (short and long term) and work hard!

Upper Body Squeeze!

So that was today's quick "me" workout.  I had taught Athletic Conditioning and wanted to squeeze in an upper body workout before teaching Core and Cardio Conditioning class.  Its sometimes a challenge when you teach soooo many group exercise classes and an erratic schedule to get in high quality workouts for yourself. Thankfully, I have been sticking with my upper body 2-3 days per week goal which I set for myself to get my back and arms more toned for my wedding dress. Crazy that we're just over 4 months away from getting married!!!! :)

I ran out of time for chest and triceps and some additional shoulder work but I'll get that in later.

Who doesn't love snacks?

Tuesday tip: Great snacks, particularly post workout, include the combination of protein and carbohydrate. You need to refuel your body with nutrients to repair msucle tissue while also replinishing your energy (glycogen) stores.

Protein shake with banana, protein mix, chocolate milk and ice blended together.

Peanut butter and banana on whole grain tortilla (or rice cakes, or whole grain bread)

Pita and Hummus: one of my faves, but watch your portion size! Count out your chips or do something to combat mindless munching.

Apple slices or bananas with peanut butter are another go-to quick and healthy option. Just remember to go easy on the PB!

Yogurt (particularly greek yogurt) and berries or almonds. You could also make this into a small parfait by adding a touch of granola

 For you meat eaters (or semi-vegetarians), a bit of lean meat with a side of fruit would be a good choice as well.

 What are some of your favorite post-workout snacks?

I Sparkle!!!!!!!!!

My friend J gave me this awesome tank top and I love it!!!!

Bachelorette Party Run #2

After a more adventurous night Saturday, I still woke up pretty early for another run. This time I wanted to run to Camden Yards.  It was a great run and I was impressed by the number of other runners out