Today's TRX Workout

Thanks to the stomach flu, you guys will be flying solo this evening. Feel free to call or text if you need clarification on any of the exercises.

TRX Mid (45') Row - 45 seconds
TRX Biceps Curl (elbows UP) - 45 seconds
15 second shake out....and repeat once.

TRX Chest Press - 45 seconds
TRX Triceps Extension (elbows UP, hands separated) - 45 seconds
15 second shake out...and repeat once.

Iron Chair / Wall Sit - 45 seconds
Walking Lunges (off of TRX; use kettlebells for added weight) - 45 seconds
15 second shake out...and repeat once.

TRX Bear Hug / Inside Flyes - 45 seconds
TRX Reverse Flyes (hands below shoulder level) - 45 seconds
15 second shake out...and repeat once.

TRX Balance Lunge Combo (behind, side, front) - 45 seconds L, 45 seconds R
TRX Hover Plank (back and forth) + knee pull - 45 seconds
Repeat once

3 x 10 Atomic Pushups (pushup + knee pull; pushup + dbl knee pull; OR pushup + pike)
45-60 seconds rest b/t sets

2 x 30 seconds  Pendulum Swing

2 x 30 seconds Oblique Plank (2x each side = 4 sets total)

Heels in the soft straps
Hip Press - 45 seconds
Hamstring Runner - 15 seconds
Small rest, then repeat once

Big combo for the finish. No rest!
Mid Row - 30 seconds
Biceps Curl - 30 seconds
Row / Curl Combo (alternate the two) - 30 seconds

Stretch! You're finished!

Keep posted for more workouts. See you next year!

Class Cancelled Today - Time for the at-home workout!

Due to the declining weather and possible delayed opening of the pool, there will be no TRX this morning. That doesn't mean you can't burn a few calories at home!

Since we are working on power this week, try the at-home power workout. No weights or TRXs required. Crank up your favorite tunes and pull your kids into it and see what they think :)

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5 min warmup to include: marching in place, high knee marches, bob and weave, body squats, jumping jacks, etc.

Round One
- 10 4-count squats (count to 4 on the way down, 4 on the way up)
- Follow immediately with 10 squat jumps or FAST squats
- Rest 45-60 seconds and repeat twice more for a total of 3 sets

Round Two
- 10 4-count pushups (if possible)
- 10 power push-ups on floor or wall
- Rest 45-60 seconds and repeat twice more for a total of 3 sets

Round Three
- 10 4-count Plié Squats
- 10 plié squat jumps or FAST squats
- Rest 45-60 seconds and repeat twice for a total of 3 sets

Round Four
- Crab walks, 45 seconds (yep, just like in kindergarten)
- Arm Circles, seated or standing. 10 big and fast, then 10 small and fast.

- Rest 45-60 seconds and repeat twice for a total of 3 sets

Round Five

- 10-15 Abdominal Rollups. More advanced TRXers, please perform with streamline arms. Glue those biceps to your ears and don't forget to stick your chest out at the top

- Plank, 60 seconds. Hands or forearms. More advanced, keep one leg elevated.

- Rest 45-60 seconds and repeat twice for a total of 3 sets

Finish with 10 minutes of stretching. Be sure to drink plenty of water today to combat the dry air. 

Enjoy! See you Wednesday.

Turkey Burn

This morning's 90 min Turkey Burn Spin Class on base was a great success! We packed everyone in for a full class. If you'd like to see more 90 min classes throughout the year, leave a comment.

Black Friday Sale

Check out the site for our one-day-only sale. Happy Shopping!

http://www.elevated-fitness.com/_/Specials.html

Thanksgiving Fitness Plan

Don't let your fitness fall by the wayside this week! Here's the play-by-play.

Wednesday: I'm sure you'll be pressed for time, doing last-minute grocery shopping and meal planning. Do a 5 minute warmup, then 2 min sprint or speed walk. Follow with a 2 minute recovery jog or walk. Repeat 4-7 times. Cooldown for 5 minutes and stretch. BAM! 30 minutes done, energy restored!

Join us for a Turkey Trot 4 mile group on Thursday morning (at my place; email elevatedfitnessllc@gmail.com for directions). If you missed the run, be sure to go for a long walk after dinner. Did I mention that you should limit yourself to ONE PLATE of food? Keep the servings small and drink plenty of water before and with dinner. 

If you can't make it to the group run:  5 min warmup. In a circuit: 10-20 traveling pushups, 20 jumping jacks, 20 walking lunges, 20 mountain climbers, 20 plié squats, 10 squat thrusts (or burps), 30-60 second plank, 30-60 seconds iron chair/wall sit, 0-60 seconds rest. Perform 3-5 circuits. cool down with an easy 5 min walk and stretch.

Friday should be a beautiful day for most of you. Dust off your bikes and take the family for a ride. Or, shoot some hoops or play a long game of tag in the yard or local park. Chicken Golf is a personal favorite of mine...Buy a few rubber chickens. Team up, one chicken per team.  Have each team line up at a "tee". The most forward team member passes the chicken over-under to the rear-most team member. He/She then throws the chicken toward the "hole" (trash can, bucket, etc). The team then runs together to their respective chicken. New person in front; Pass over/under, etc. The first team to get their chicken in the hole wins! To make it more interesting, you can incorporate trivia or exercises like pushups and sit-ups before the team can throw their chicken. Make it fun!

For those of you with base access, I'll be teaching a 90 minute Turkey Burn Spin Class on Saturday. If you're concerned about keeping up for the full hour and a half, don't be. This class is longer in duration, but lower in intensity. Space is limited, so get there early to reserve a bike. (My apologies to the STL Cranksgiving...from whom I stole this awesome graphic)

Sunday should include some active recovery. Maybe an easy walk with the dog and light stretching, or a yoga video to help energize your day after a long week of family and food.

Congrats! You did it!

Clean Cocktails

I'm so excited to see and hear the great feedback on the EF Parties. Tonight we wrapped up the second of November's Clean Cocktail themed get-togethers. I know there are a few of you that weren't able to make it - rest assured that you can host your own EF Party. Details to be posted soon.

Check out the website for different themes and dates for the next EF Party - www.elevated-fitness.com.

Here are the lovely drinks we sampled this month. Which was your favorite?

Mocktails / Non-alcoholic

Apple Glow

from Food Network UK; modification by Elevated Fitness

1/2 honeydew melon, peeled and   

  seeded

4 oz chilled apple juice (natural 

  unfiltered or fresh cider)

4 oz white grape juice

optional: 2 oz apple-flavored vodka

In a blender, combine items and blend for approximately 1 min, until honeydew is smooth. Add a handful of ice to blender for a daiquiri-type consistency.

Black Cherry Fizz

from Elevated Fitness

* Party Favorite!

2 oz black cherry juice (Knudsen brand)

2 oz peach nectar OR

   optional: 2 oz peach-flavored rum OR
                 2 oz peach schnapps

2 oz+ seltzer water

Shake cherry juice and peach nectar (or rum) over ice. Pour in a tall glass and add seltzer water.

Carrot-Ginger Cocktail

from Food Network UK; modification by Elevated Fitness

optional 2 oz vodka

6 oz carrot juice

2 oz apple juice (natural unfiltered or fresh cider)

1/2 t. fresh-grated ginger

lime wheel for garnish

optional 1/8 t fresh nutmeg

Combine all items in a shaker over ice. Pour over ice and garnish with a lime wheel.

Cocktails

Spiced Bourbon Delight

from Food Network UK

* Party Favorite!

2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon

6 oz apple cider or unfiltered apple   

  juice

Fresh grated ginger, to taste

Lemon wedge for garnish

Add bourbon, apple cider and ginger to a shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with lemon wedge. 

**Can also be served warm.

Mulled Wine

1 bottle dry or semi-dry red wine (Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)

1 packet mulling spices OR

   2 whole cloves

   1/4 t ground nutmeg

   1/8 t ground cardamom

   pinch ground allspice

   1 strip fresh orange peel

   1 strip fresh lemon peel 

1/4 c sugar or sugar substitute (to 

   taste)

Combine in a large saucepan and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Serve with optional cinnamon stick.

Shattered Ornament

from Vin de Set, St. Louis, MO

2 oz Goldschläger

2 oz vodka

2-4 oz cranberry juice

Shake over ice and serve in a martini glass. Great for the holidays! (not such a “clean” cocktail, though...)

In case you were wondering...

Yes, I tackled my hill run on the new treadmills on base this afternoon (thanks to some pretzels I had hidden in my car in case of an emergency snack), and followed with my kettlebell prep for RKC in February.

Then I gnawed off my left arm b/c I was starving!!

Time for a little motivation

So I had a couple of cancellations this morning and knew that it would be the perfect time to get my Tuesday run out of the way before a busy work day. I woke up before my alarm, feeling pretty well-rested. I knew it was chilly outside, so I bundled up and took the dog for a walk. As soon as I opened the back gate, the cold wind hit me like a brick wall. I knew that I wasn't going to run this morning. It could wait until this afternoon. Then the devil/angel debate began on my shoulders:

Devil: It's so cold! Wait until this afternoon when it warms up a little. I'm sure there won't be any wind then.
Angel: You've run in much worse. Get it out of the way.
Devil: Is that your stomach growling? You should eat a nice breakfast before going to work.
Angel: Just grab a piece of toast and you'll be fine. You'll only be gone for 40 minutes. It's not like you're racing a marathon. Just GO.
Devil: Those client profiles you have been ignoring really need some attention. Now you have an extra hour to tackle them.
Angel: Don't fool yourself. You know you feel better when you START your day with exercise.

So - who won? In today's case, the Devil won. I will tackle some hills on the treadmill this afternoon.

Last week I was chatting with a client about motivation. She was surprised to hear that I, an exercise addict of sorts, struggle with motivation sometimes, too. Everyone does. The trick is learning your barriers to exercise and doing your best to overcome them.

For me, I know that if I don't work out in the morning, I am far less likely to do it in the afternoon. Even if I have the time later in the day, other excuses creep in and before I know it, I'm sitting on the couch watching the latest trash TV shows. AM workouts also give me time to put together a decent meal for dinner after work. This doesn't mean that after-work routines are bad. Not at all! What works for you, works for you. Find a groove and stick with it.

By now you're thinking that I definitely won't exercise this afternoon. That's not necessarily true. You must be flexible to adhere to any kind of routine. Life happens, after all. And now that I have committed via the blog, I will definitely squeeze in my run this afternoon. :)

So next time the Devil on your shoulder starts whispering excuses, brush him off. Or at least give him a run for his money.

Have a great workout!

It's back in action...

Let me tell you about my recent quibble with iCloud.

As a loyal mac user, I purchased a MobileMe account about a year ago to host my published website (created on iWeb). I could also access documents, photos, etc, on the go on different computers or my phone. It was awesome. Then, a couple of months ago, I discovered that Mac was transitioning from MobileMe to iCloud, and a few things would change in the interim. The biggest change would be the elimination of web hosting. I had to find a new hosting company, but at least I had until April of 2012 to do so.

Then I upgraded to OS X Lion last week. At the end of the installation process, I was asked if I'd like to upgrade to iCloud. Not thinking, I clicked YES.

Then a bunch of us put on a flash mob at a local health and wellness fair to promote Elevated Fitness and I handed out about 75 business cards. I came home to make a small change to the EF site. I published, then visited the site to make sure it came out ok. CRAP! I quickly realized that with the upgrade, my grace period was no more. I didn't have until April to find a host. I needed to do it now.

A client of mine recommended 1and1 for hosting. I registered, and got the ball rolling. But time was a-wasting, and I was afraid that all those contacts I had made at the fair were getting turned away by an error message on the computer screen, just like I had. I messed around with "pointing the domain" and writing down server info, just to find out that the domain I purchased last year @ go daddy.com (elevated-fitness.com) could take up to 2 days to bounce over to 1and1.

**I should also point out that I have zero experience with these sorts of things. What limited knowledge I have is from creating and publishing on iWeb...and learning from my mistakes. When searching for FTP how to-s and help sites on the internet, I have decided that this is totally a different language for me. And not something that you can sort of fudge your way through, like, "oh, I recognize 'leche'....that means milk". As the saying goes, it's all greek to me.**

Now, I have no doubt that 1and1 provides a better service, but I already had my domain with go daddy, so I decided to stay with them for the time being. Sorry Townsend, I know we discussed this earlier ....  :)  

To make a long story longer, I am upset that one of the most valuable aspects of M.Me was lost when I converted to iCloud. But, you can't have it all, I guess...

Website Down

Of course this would happen after we passed out a gazillion business cards this morning...but, the EF website is down temporarily. Hopefully things will be up and running soon.

A couple of great journal articles

I found a couple of very interesting (and pertinent) journal articles today. They may be a bit thick in medical/scientific lingo, but I have no doubt you can muscle through!

Please reference the "article tools" section on the right side of your browser. Click on "article as PDF" or whatever works for you if you'd like to print or download.

Exercise in Pregnancy: Weighing Up the Long-Term Impact on the Next Generation

A 45-Minute Vigorous Exercise Bout Increases Metabolic Rate for 14 Hours

Super Snacks recap

So the Super Snacks EF Party was a great success! I tried to look outside of the box for some different recipes that pushed the participants out of his/her comfort zone. Attached you will find the recipes that we created. I have changed a few things, so be sure to double check this file before adding salt/oil to the recipe sheet that you received at the party.  Remember, all snacks have a hands-on time of 10 minutes or less.

What are your super snacks? Please share!

Keep your eyes open for the EF Party in November: Clean Cocktails. Saturday, 11/5.  See you there! Are there any beverages (alcoholic or non) that you'd like to see a healthier version of? Post your requests on the FB page or right here on the blog.

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Super Snacks:

Blueberry Health Muffins

Party Favorite!

from Pat Dill

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

1/4 cup wheat germ 

   (found next to oatmeal or in the baking aisle)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

cinnamon, to taste

nutmeg, to taste

allspice, to taste

1 cup blueberries

1 banana, mashed OR 1/2 cup applesauce

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350’. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups.

In a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, oats, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently stir in the blueberries and nuts (optional). In a separate bowl, mix together the banana or applesauce, egg, buttermilk, egg and vanilla. 

Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry, and mix JUST UNTIL blended. Spoon into muffin cups, filling all the way to the top. Add optional streusel topping.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.

Optional streusel topping:

4 Tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup flour (white or whole wheat)

3 Tablespoons Smart Balance 

Mix together and put 2 Tablespoons on each muffin before baking. 

Eggplant Dip

from Clean Eating Magazine

1 large eggplant, washed and halved lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon + 1 T olive oil

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1/2 cup roughly chopped sweet onion

Olive oil cooking spray

1/4 cup loosely baked fresh basil, roughly chopped

black pepper

sea salt

Preheat oven to 400’. Brush cut sides of eggplant with 1/2 t oil. Toss reserved bit of oil with garlic and onion. Place eggplant cut-side down in a large roasting pan misted with cooking spray. Arrange garlilc and onion around eggplant. Roast in oven for 30 min. Set aside.

When eggplant is cool enough to handle, remove seeds (they will come out in strips) and scoop out meat with a spoon. Place meat, garlic, onion, basil, remaining oil, pepper and salt in food processor. Pulse about 8-10 times or until smooth but still chunky. Serve immediately or chill for one hour. Will keep up to 2 days in fridge. 

Beanless Zucchini Hummus

from Clean Eating Magazine

3 zucchini, peeled and chopped

6 T lemon juice

4 cloves garlic

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp sea salt 

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

2 pinches cayenne pepper

1/2 cup almond butter or tahini

1 tsp sesame oil

1 cup sesame or sunflower seeds, soaked and drained

EVOO, for drizzle

minced parsley for garnish

Place all ingredients, except oil and parsley, into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Drizzle with oil and parsley. Compliment with raw veggies or whole grain crackers.

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas 

* Party Favorite!

1 can chickpeas (20 oz)

Olive oil cooking spray

1/2 tsp black pepper

3/4 to 1 T chili powder

1/8 to 1/4 tsp ground red pepper

1 lime, cut into wedges

Preheat oven to 400’. Rinse chickpeas in a colander; drain well.

Combine chickpeas, a few sprays of oil, and black pepper in a large bowl. Spread in a single layer in a 15 x 10 baking pan. Bake 20 min or until chickpeas begin to brown, shaking pan twice.

Sprinkle with chili powder and red pepper to taste; bake 5+ min or until dark golden red. Serve with lime wedges. (I like to use red pepper and  curry powder instead. Try any combo you like!)

Trail Mix

from Clean Eating Magazine

1 cup toasted oats cereal

1 cup raisins (or any unsweetened dried fruit of your choice)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (or any unsweetened dried fruit of your choice)

1/2 cup fiber cereal

1 cup roasted soy nuts

1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a container with a lid. Dish out 1/4 cup portions into snack-sized bags.

Power Yogurt Parfait

* Party Favorite!

from Clean Eating Magazine

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Optional 1 scoop whey protein of choice

1/3 cup frozen fruit

1 tsp ground flax

     (found next to oatmeal or in the baking aisle)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix yogurt, protein powder, flax and cinnamon. Top with frozen fruit or split the yogurt into two portions and layer with fruit. 

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NOTES

site

The new site is up and running at elevated-fitness.com   Feel free to leave any comments about the site's flow, attachments, setup, etc here on the blog, or at our FB page.

Also, there might be room for one more snack on the menu for Saturday. Do you have any quick and easy favorites that you'd like to share?

Good deal

Free admission to an EF Party of your choice for the first three comments about etiquette!

Etiquette

I was driving home at dusk last night and came across 1 runner & 1 cyclist with ipods on a busy street and no shoulder; 2 moms walking abreast with strollers, with traffic, in a relatively quiet neighborhood. All were enjoying the beautiful evening...unsafely. I thought this would be the perfect time to bring up road etiquette for active folks.

Runners / Walkers:

1- Run/Walk against traffic. (stay on the left side of the road) This allows you an "out" in case the car driving against you decides not to give you some space.

2- Use the shoulder whenever possible. Yes, we should all share the road, but don't assume that drivers see you or care.

3- Keep the volume down. If you listen to music when you exercise, keep it low. You never know what might be coming up behind you...can we say DOGS?

4- Move as far left as possible and into a single line when traffic approaches. Don't play chicken with a vehicle weighing a few thousand pounds at 45mph.

5- Always look both ways before crossing the street. Your mother was onto something. Be safe!

6- When crossing an intersection, pass behind cars turning right. Drivers don't typically look right when turning right, so they won't see YOU.

Cyclists:

1- Ride with traffic (stay on the right side of the road)

2- Watch the volume on your music.  I don't recommend riding with music, but if you do, keep your left ear bud out.

3- Wear your helmet! I'm always seeing little kids with helmets on, but ill-fitted. 

4- Look both ways and use hand signals when turning and stopping.

In all cases, use common sense. Bring ID and keep your eyes and ears open. Not all drivers can see you, or care about moving over for you. In fact, I've heard of quite a few people getting mowed over "just to prove a point". Be smart, move over, bring id, and use reflective gear when appropriate. 

Check out RoadID.com 

Stay safe!

New site

Well, I have been working off an on on the new and improved Elevated Fitness website @ elevated-fitness.com.  I am really excited about it. And after all of the EXTRA hours spent streamlining the site (combining highplainsbootcamp and EF), I'm pretty sure I could do some web design on the side. I know iWeb backwards and forwards.

By now I hope you all have seen the flyer for our October EF Party. If not, check out the FB page for details. Spots are limited, so be sure to contact me for registration. We will be covering Super Snacks.

Thanks for reading...I'll do my best to keep you posted!

New Gear

The EF Gear Bag is expanding! Our awesome new custom embroidered Headsweats hats and visors came in yesterday. More photos soon to come on the FB page.

In other news, EF Party invites will be sent via email. If you want IN, make sure I have your email address. Send them to ElevatedFitnessLLC@gmail.com

Have a great day!

Today's 6am Boot Camp

Today was all about the back. Lots of swings, rows and pullups. We added a few tire flips at the end for good measure. 

PS

Did I mention that following the blog is the perfect option for those not linked into facebook? Bookmark the EF blog and check in often for photos of our latest workouts, workout tips, and healthy recipes and shortcuts.

First Post on the New Blog

I'm hoping that more EF members will keep up with the new blog here on blogger. The website just wasn't working out, so let's see if this works!

My first post is to inform you of some exciting changes at Elevated Fitness. First, our website is in the process of being rebuilt. Having two websites, HighPlainsBootCamp and Elevated-Fitness was just too much and far too confusing. In a few short weeks, all services will be streamlined for viewing at Elevated-Fitness.com   Keep your eyes peeled on the facebook page for details on the official unveiling. Without a doubt, there will be big deals to be had for all!


Also, thanks to those of you that completed the Fall Schedule survey at surveymonkey.com, our first EF Party will be held at Amy's home on Saturday, October 8th at 6:30pm. Super Snacks will be the topic, and you'll get to taste some healthy options to help you through the mid-morning and mid-afternoon lull.


And last but not least, I will be posting a few of my favorite recipes on the blog from time to time. Considering the support that you all give one another during your workouts, I expect you to share some of your favorite go-to items that help keep you on track. Start brainstorming now!