15 Minute Fat Burning Workout

by Jenni in


The days when our work is long and our workout is cut short are just the times we need a 15 minute fat fat burning routine. Most people can fit 15 minutes of anything into their schedule, let's make it a workout that will give great results and take little time. This mix of cardio and plyometrics will get that fat melting off and help tone the muscle we already have. The resistance bands are used to kick this workout up a few notches and get some serious fat burning, calorie melting results!

Warm-up with one minute of jogging in place or jump ropes. Complete each exercise for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 second before completing the next set. Do four sets, total. Cool down by walking in place and stretching.

Squat-Kicks

These do a number on the bum, inner thighs, and outer thighs. Legs are shoulder width apart and body is straight. Bend legs and squat dow. Rise up slowly and kick right leg straight out to the side. Alternate to left leg during the second and fourth set.

Lizard Walk

Great for back, arms, and abs. Start in push-up position. Lift right leg up so it is parallel to the ground, then bend towards your arm. Hold, then bring back to starting. Complete right side together, then left during second and fourth set.

Tires

These are great for the legs and abs. The higher you lift your knees, the better a burn you will get. Legs should be shoulder width apart. Run forward for four counts, then back for four counts like you are stepping into giant tires.

Kneel-Down Chop

Goodness, I loved these from last week's workout with Jillian Michaels. They do a number on your arms, abs, and bum. For this workout, we will be using resistance bands instead of weights. Start with right leg lifted and bent at 90 degrees and hands to the right of your head, arms bent. The resistance band should be held under the left foot. Bend down and tuck right leg in. Twist torso and straighten arms to the left. Rise back up to starting. Complete left side during second and fourth set.

Torso Twists

These are great for burning fat in our mid section! Get into push-up position. Twist hips to the right while dipping down slightly so hips are almost touching the ground. Hold, then twist to the left with the same movement. Be sure to keep back straight and lower with the arms only, hips should be rotating only. Alternate from side-to-side for 30 seconds.

Mix it up and do the second set in a lowered plank position, if desired!

Elbow to Knee

A great heart pumping, core building, glute burning, end of the workout! Start with feet hip width apart and hands interlaced behind head. Elbows should remain out to the side the entire time. Lift left leg so knee is bent and at chest level and rotate torso so elbow and knee are touching. Alternate legs as quickly as possible for 30 seconds.


Side note about the pics: The photographer/husband thought the outfit was a bit 80's and decided the pics should be in an 80's motif... If I had my way, every picture ever taken would have this coloring! 15 minute workout out, 80's flashbacks, and smizing- what more could we ask for ;)


Disney Blogs

by Jenni in , ,


My 25th Birthday last year at EPCOT :)

My 25th Birthday last year at EPCOT :)

As of today, I have not been to Disney World for one, whole, month. Some may scoff at my sadness over this, but when you are willing lay down a cool couple hundred for an annual pass, one month is a pretty big deal! Since I am going through very obvious withdraws, I have decided to share some of my favorite ways of staying connected with everything Disney. Happiness.

Inside the Magic

This is first because it is my favorite, and my favorites get to go first! Inside the Magic is a blog and podcast hosted by Ricky Brigante. If you are interested in the happenings of Disneyland, Disney World, Disney Corporate, or any other part of Disney- International included- this will be a new weekly fav. Ricky releases a new hour plus podcast at the beginning of every week. Most podcasts go over what has been on his blog in the past week along with listener submitted tips and questions.

As part of the Disney media, Ricky is able to get sneak peaks and early admission to some of the new things Disney is doing. This has been very handy with the New Fantasyland opening, since I am quite impatient and wanted to know everything ahead of time. He was also able to stay and give a review of the Art of Animation Resort and Disney Cruise ships before they were open to the public. Handy. 

I could, literally, go on forever about his site and podcast. But I will not. Instead, I will just emphasize that it deserves a read and a listen!

Run Disney Blog

This is a great blog if you are interested in all the running news at the happiest places on earth. The Run Disney blog keeps you up-to-date on all runs happening at Disney, including the parks outside of Orlando. runDisney is how I found out about the Expedition Everest 5k Challenge and most other Disney races. What is so awesome about this blog is that you get all the dates, links to sign up, training, and results of past races. It is all there, nice and clear and easy to find. Soooo handy and refreshing compared to some other Disney blogs and websites.

This site gets you seriously hyped to go out and run, and especially to go out and run in a fairy tutu through Magic Kingdom. I love pictures and information, and runDisney.com has both, uber happy blogger here!

The Disney Food Blog

Just because I had my favorite first, does not mean this one is last in line. The Disney Food Blog is, actually, the one that ties in most with P+K. Oh goodness, this blog is such a fantastic find for healthy eating while at Disney. The DFB keeps me up-to-date on new openings, menus, and foods on a weekly basis. I would highly recommend checking this site out if you will be making/planning a trip to Disney in the future.

One of the worst things I can think of doing at Disney is just going in and eating somewhere, or worse, making a reservation for a place and having no idea what the food is like. I have done this enough to know that a little research will go a looong way! There are tons of great, sometimes hidden, places to eat at Disney. This blog will help you find them- no matter your dietary constraints.


Buyer's Guide to Tea

by Jenni in


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The recommended intake of coffee per day is one cup?! Seriously. That is far less than the recommended six or less of black tea. It is quite obvious that tea is better for us than coffee, but some people have a very big issue with changing from their grande white mocha no whip with soy routines. I will admit to being one of them. The hubs is a massive tea drinker and is helping me get off the coffee wagon with some great tea replacements that do a lot more for me than give me jitters and headaches.

If you are interested in getting of the coffee and onto the tea wagon, there are three places I recommend you go first. All are tea retailers, but they do more than sell teas. There are great recipes and how to's on these sites so you do not have to go it alone. Tea can taste amazing, or like the worst thing ever, these places will help you stick to the former and not the latter.

Adagio

Adagio is a great place for the tea novice to start their search and the enthusiast to refine their palette. All tea come with a 4 oz. option, great for those who do not know what they like quite yet, and there are recipes available online. Their site is also ridiculously easy to navigate- want oolong, click on the oolong tea cup.

This site is great for someone to go on and learn what types of teas they love, along with some of the benefits. Shipping is free after $50, so pick a few and have a week or two of tea sampling!

Samovar Tea

The picture above is, actually, from one of the Samovar tea lounges in San Francisco. If you are ever in the bay area, I highly suggest checking them out. The waiters really know their tea and will help you through any decision. Plus, they have vegan scones and honey combs (rime-y!), and what is better than that?

If you are not in the bay area, do not sulk, they have a fantastic online store for all your tea needs. The site goes into great detail of where the tea is from, pairings, caffeine levels, and other teas like it. Really fantastic for those wanting to get a bit more information from their tea supplier. Samovar takes it's tea quite seriously, so know that when you pay that price, you are getting high quality.

Try the organic Moorish Mint. So yummy and what I am drinking now!

Teavana

If you are a bit nervous about ordering teas online before sampling, Teavana may be the best place for you to start your quest. Teavana has stores throughout the US that offer information on teas and samplings. Like Samovar, they are a tea bar and shop, but there prices are a bit more novice friendly and there are one or to more locations...

This is a great place to start if you are wanting some higher quality and diversity than your grocery store, but wish to sample before handing out the cash. Teavana also has great tea related products. One of the best additions to our home was the Breville one-touch tea maker. It is magic and I love it. There are a few better priced tea infusers here and at Adagio and Samovar if you do not want to jump into the tea lifestyle head first.



Simple Systems: Staying Motivated

by Jenni in


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January is almost through and that means some people may be needing a little help staying motivated and on track with their fitness goals. You should be seeing some good results after a month of work towards new year's resolutions, and sometimes, this can be the hardest part. A little bit of a result is better than none at all. Here are some simple tips for staying motivated through January and all year long.

Reward Yourself

An important aspect of staying motivated is to set short-term goals and reward success. If your overall goal is to lose 20 pounds, reward yourself with a new outfit after every 5 pounds. This is a great way to track success and keep motivated through the not-so-easy times.

Have Fun

Chances are, if something is not fun, it will not be done for long.  Help keep yourself on track by making workouts fun. There are some great outdoor activities that do wonders for our waistline. Try rock climbing for some toned arms, paddle boarding for those washboard abs, or swimming for some massive calorie torching.

Sign-up for a Race

Having a goal that you know is coming is a great way to keep motivated. If you are having a hard time in the procrastination area, sign-up for a competitive activity. This can be as easy as a 5k in four months, or Iron Man. Having these timed and public goals can help kill the procrastination bug and keep you on track for success.

Remind Yourself Daily

It is important to have specific goals and remind yourself of them daily. Goals should be uplifting and in the mindset of already being completed. If you want toned arms, have a goal like," I am so happy my hard work paid off and my arms are stronger. My arms have muscle definition and look killer in tank tops!" Then, read this at least once per day.

Enlist Friends

Sometimes, we all need a little help from our friends. Friends help keep each other accountable and can make workouts quite a bit more fun. Get a few of your buddies together and sign-up for a certain workout class, or, agree to go on exercise outings together. Group fitness can take something monotonous and turn it into something entertaining!

Chart Progress

Seeing progress is one of the greatest ways to stay motivated. Chart before's and after's at the start and end of the month. These should include weigh in's and pictures if you are trying to lose weight, or distance and time if you are trying to increase running performance. Adding in a little excerpt on how you are feeling is also handy.

Sometimes the gradual changes in weight, performance, or energy are hard to be seen over a month's time; tracking them will help show what is working and what needs to be changed. 

Splurge Wisely

One of the most detrimental things to a diet can be ignoring, then, splurging on cravings. Stay motivated through the diet days by having one day a week when you can eat what you want. Surprisingly, having one splurge day a week can actually help us lose weight! The influx of calories can kick our metabolism into hyper drive and help burn more than what we eat every other day of the week. Just be sure to have your splurge day be on a workout day as well.