Tri-Dip Tips! - Do da dip!

I've looked around the studio many times during tricep-dips and noticed that people really struggle with them. I've struggled too- I still do. And, most of the time, I take modifications to help me with 'em. Remember, our wrists have lots of small muscle fibers (think-tree pose during yoga and how hard it can be. They're all muscles that we rarely use and they're not very strong). This makes it challenging to many! And, THAT'S OKAY! Take these modifications to help you keep nice posture and still feel the burn getting a great workout in...

The standard Tricep-Dip:

In a standard tricep-dip, your feet should be in towards your seat than in modification #1.

Modification #1:

Ignore the bottom picture!! Look at the top picture for form! In this modification, you stay ON the ground. It's the modification that I use and you most certainly feel the burn!

-Picture the feet flat on the ground
-Move feet further forward than the standard tricep-dip
-Make sure that your shoulders are pinched back (pressing shoulder blades together)
-Elbows should be back and hidden

Modification #2:
-Sit criss-cross on the floor
-Push arms back straight (shoulders pinching)
-Press weights straight back


I hope these help! Don't be afraid to do a modification! You should stay proud of yourself for simply keeping with it!
xo

Crispy Kale Chips - recipe

I stopped by Trader Joes today) to pick up some kale so that I could finally make more Kale Chips.

This is the best recipe that I've found for one of my favorite snacks:

Crispy Kale Chips:

Ingredients:

• 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Flavored oil (if you desire)
• Salt
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 275
• Spray a baking sheet with olive oil
• lay out kale on baking sheet (make sure that most ribs are gone and kale is dry)
• Drizzle your favorite olive oil on the kale (I used chili oil)
• Sprinkle salt and/or pepper. If you're going to use salt, make sure it's high quality salt.
• Toss the kale (I used my hands) in the spices/oil
• Place kale in the oven and let bake for 20 minutes
• Let kale cool off on the counter before putting in a bag or container (if you can make it last that long!) I've noticed that if you put it directly in a container, the heat causes condensation which makes the kale soggy---meaning that they're not longer chips and yet again just regular kale.

I took my SWEETIE to SPIN!

Tonight, Fit Girl Studio had their official date night at Lincoln Park!

Classes offered:
Barre with Amy- Take your boo to barre
Spin with Michelle- Take your sweetie to spin

I figured that it would be a better start to take my sweetie to spin because the truth is... you can always fake it until you make it in spin. It's a little more difficult to do that in barre !

To be honest, I don't think my sweetie (husband) was too happy with me when we first got to the studio. I woke him up from a nap, rushed him into work clothes and headed to the gym. When we got there we were greeted by smiling faces and headed straight to the bikes. I tried to set my husband's bike up and thought I did it wrong. So, I had Michelle help and...I had it at the right level (the first time I tried- before I second guessed myself a few times)-woo!

The class was full of new challenges
-It was 60 mins instead of 45! I could tell that little difference, although we prob. only spun for about 50 minutes.
-We did a RELAY RACE between the rows and virtually passed a baton. We did 25 seconds on for each row of sprints and then 3 sets of 10 seconds when it got our row again.
-Dancing with hips and shoulders too my fave lil boogie song.
-Rollings hills to BritBrit
and on and on!

After class, there was Gatorade and waters for us to refuel with. I had a blast and was glad that my husband could experience a class with me.

I have to add the best quotes from my hubby:
Calling his friend to tell him about spin-he said, "I survived! Dang it was HARD! But, I'm alive"
and right after class he looked at me and said, "OMG! I respect you girls SO much more now!" <3
xoxo

Tomato-Basil Crockpot chicken

Hey Fit Girls!
I am not really one to follow recipes. I often just thrown together what I have. I am also not one to measure out ingreidents (oops) so my recipes re-written as an approximate.

I whipped this up today and it smells delciious. I haven't tried it yet but I can't wait to eat it for lunch tomorrow! I'll update this post tomorrow with a picture and review :)

Here it is...a healthy, all natural, chicken- gluten, dairy, soy and sugar free! Let me know if you try it!

Tomato-Basil Crockpot Chicken

Ingredients:

-1/2 cup of fresh basil

-1/4 cup of pine nuts

1 cup of organic diced tomatoes (I used canned)

- 5 large chicken breasts (I use Empire Kosher chicken-frozen)

-Organic/plain sundired tomatoes

-1/2-1 cup of mushrooms (I LOVE mushrooms but only put on half because my husband does not)

-1 tbsp of garlic (fresh is better. I had a jar)

-Pepper

- Oregano (fresh or dried)

-White truffle oil or regular olive oil 2-3 tablespoons

Directions:

-Layer all in the crockpot

-Cook on high for 4 hours (if chicken was frozen) or low on 8 hrs (if chicken was thawed)

-Enjoy!

How to reduce backpain during and post workout!

I was experiencing some lower back pain the past few days. It came on quickly and pretty intense. I couldn't figure out what I did. I was thinking that I either didn't stretch enough from spinning or over extended myself somehow.

I spoke to Amy about what I could do and she recommended some stretches on the barre. She also suggested that I raise my handles during spin class. I raised them from a level5 to a level 7- it seemed high but really did the trick. Along with that and a lot of stretching, my back is feeling a lot better this evening.

So, here it is...my list of tips and tricks to prevent and reduce back pain during and post workouts:

Posture, posture, posture:

Don't forget your posture, even when you're tired. In nearly every carido activity, it's impotrant to have:
your back straight
yourhead held high
your shoulders rolled down and back (away from your ears)
arms and hands loose
and gaze forward
---this goes for running, working out on the elliptical and a spin bike (of course unless you're in third position).

Know your numbers:
If you're on a bike or elliptical, know your numbers. Know where you should be at and what FEELS good for you. If you're in spin class, do not assume that you know how to adjust the bike. EVERY studio is different. Generally speaking, you want the seat at hip height. When you're on the bike and have your one leg straight on stroke you should still have a micro-bend in the knee. Your handle bars should be at whatever height feels good for you. The higher they are, the less strain on your back. ASK FOR HELP to figure out what is best for you an

Learn the right stretches:
Cat to cow: This is a yoga post and can be done on the floor, ballet barre or a chair...

Copyrights to: http://www.creativesoulinmotion.com/

Twists:

Pigeon. Keep in mind you’ll want to repeat on both sides, but start in Down Dog.  Bring your right knee through to meet your hands. So your front knee is slightly bent and the foot is flexed. Ideally your hips are square, facing in front of you.

Copyright to: http://erinmotz.com

Happy stretching, fit girls!!

Day 30-30 day challenge complete!

Today is day 30 of my 30 day challenge. It was actually not the best ending to a challenge. Last night really threw me off, mentally, more than I thought. I was upset that I fell off last night. I felt okay when I went to bed but I felt bad that I worked SO HARD my whole challenge and then didn't stick to plan last night. It's not about eating terribly or giving into temptation. Because, that wasn't what happened. It's about knowing that I want to lead a clean, healthy, life. I don't want to eat foods that hurt my body. There are plenty of foods that taste amazing that don't cause inflammation (the root of infection, disease, pain and being uncomfortable), weight gain, un-balanced blood sugar levels, water retention, irregularity, bloating and stomach problems.

I woke up this morning at 9:05. I realized that Barre started at 9:15 and was sure that I was just going to miss the class (I didn't set an alarm because I wanted to sleep in if I could. It's very rare that I sleep in and don't set an alarm). I looked at my husband and said, "You know what, I'm going to go to barre- NOW! I'll get dressed and run there." It only takes 3 mins to get there so I got dressed, grabbed my fizzy stick and water and ran to the studio. Amy was excited to see me because she had a lot of cancellations (the weather was GROSS today). It was myself, two others and our instructor Amy (the manager of the LP-Fit Girl Studio). I hadn't taken barre in about a week and a half. I did an okay job (Amy said that I'm still doing great) but I have lost so much flexibility in such a short amount of time. It made me want to work harder and keep up with my barre classes!

When I got home I had some detox tea and more water. I also made my recovery shake and my detox/cleanse juice (started it later in the day). We had a big brunch at my fave local Jewish Deli with my family and friends for my husband's birthday celebration. I ordered an egg white omelette with mushrooms, onions, spinach and lox. I also had water and a side of fruit. I was pretty stuffed after!

 My husband and I went out to run errands and I talked to Molly while I was out. I realized that I need to stay true to what being clean means to me and my goals. I also realized that I wanted to stay true and help other people stay focused as well.

When I got home I drank my detox tea, cleanse and water. I took a sweet nap and didn't even set an alarm. I didn't wake up until 6:30 lol (my body needed that sleep, I guess). I had a delicious balanced salad and some detox tea when I was done.

I finish my official last day on my 30 day challenge feeling humbled. 

This journey hasn't been about just weight loss. This journey has been about finding a new way of eating. It has been about finding a new outlook on food and listening to my body. I now know that I don't need junk to make me happy and live. I don't need to eat the brownies just because people bring them into work. I don't need to order a drink just because my friends are. When I go to a restaurant and everyone orders dishes that look delicious and are covered with creamy dressings or cheese-- it's okay that I eat my balanced salad with fresh fish or chicken. I don't need it and I'm okay with eating clean.

I hope that my journey has inspired some of you to take a new outlook on food and clean living. My journey has just started and I intend on continuing this lifestyle into the future. I also plan on staying strict on the plan for the remainder of the year and then possibly adding in some dairy (if I REALLY want and if I feel okay after testing it back into my system). Again, for myself, that will be a question of deciding if I REALLY need those types of foods just to make me feel satisfied or happy.  Since I workout so much, I also plan on continuing shakes at LEAST for recovery and most likely for one meal as well.  I LOVE my fizzy sticks and will be ordering more soon.

In the end- I hope that you've looked at my process and seen that YOU can do it too. EVERYONE can change their life. The catch? YOU have to be the one to TRULY WANT to do it! YOU are the only one that can change you. With that said, YOU also have to be HONEST with yourself every single step of the way. When you aren't honest you are truly only hurting yourself. Believe, believe, believe...believe in yourself. I  have a LONG way to go but I've taken the first few LEAPS and will take the rest one step at a time. I believe that I can reach my goals if I continue to do what is best for myself and stay true to myself.

Good luck on your journey and let me know if you have any questions about my Arbonne 30 day challenge!

xoxo Thanks for sharing this part of my story with me...

Tonight, I lived... (Day 29-Arbonne 30 day challenge)

Tonight, I had my husbands 30th birthday party that I hosted at a local pizza restaurant. I pre-ordered food for the guests:
Marinara&Goat Cheese w/ garlic bread
House-made salsa and chips
Salads (and a salad for myself with chicken on the side)
3 pizzas (Sausage/Pepperoni, White pizza and Veggie pizza)
Chocolate Cake

When the guests got there I mingled and then headed over to my salad to take a bite (I hid my salad without the dressing over in the corner). After looking at the salad (kinda in the dark) I realized that it had candied pecans and goat cheese. While I do LOVE those two delectable items- they're most certainly off plan for me. I ate two servings of salad (no dressing), chicken and a tad of marinara sauce (I'm sure it had sugar, but it was gluten free). At dessert time, I lit the candles on his cake and sat back as my sister-in-law passed out a delicious chocolate cake. I passed on a piece but eventually took a spoonful of frosting from my husband's plate (Sugar over-load!). I drank my water and left feeling okay. When I got home, I had another spoonful of chocolate frosting(eeks).

After we dropped our things off at home we headed downtown to get appetizers and drinks with friends and family at The Signature Room. The view was amazing. I was content with water, until everyone urged us to order something that I could eat. I really couldn't eat anything on the menu. The settled with spinach/artichoke dip (not worth it) and baked brie (OMG-HEAVEN ON A PLATE!). I guess I'm missing cheese... I did have a few bites of the baked brie (no pastry of course) by itself. Instead of ordering an alcoholic drink (I can't really drink anyway -even before the plan- because of a medicine I take) I ordered mint tea! I was quite proud of myself.

I text Molly (before the brie incident) and told her what I ate. She said, "Love it! Living 80/20 and tuned into how you feel!" My response, "Thanks! But, more like 95/5 haha!But, I'm trying!"

With that...I go to bed, a tad disappointed in my "caving in" but I know that tonight, I lived... and I'm alive and it's just food and it's just one evening and I'll be okay! Right? You all agree..right? ;)