Tool Talk Thursday!

Happy Thursday everyone! I hope you're all finding yourselves nice and warm with this cold shot of weather:) So up until now I've told you about the few items that I believe are an absolute must for a home gym. From here on out we'll be exploring the various types of exercise equipment and the pros and cons of them.  So today we're focusing on...

Resistance Tubing



So what's the deal with these things? Pictured above are resistance tubes but you can also find resistance bands which are skinny and flat with no handles.

What's to like...

Resistance bands and tubes are great for home but even better for travelling. If you're going to be away for a few days, they add easily into your suitcase.

You can essentially do any exercise with tubes that you'd find at a gym or with dumbells.

They're cheap! Costing an average of about $20.

They're durable.

They are useful not only for strength training but also in flexibility training.

They offer a different resistance from dumbell training which leads to the supporting muscles working harder.

Some things to consider...

Because the resistance feels different from lifting a traditional dumbell it does take some getting used to. Take the time to learn how to use them properly. I also find that when using them, you really have to be aware of your wrist positioning. It seems much harder to keep proper alignment than it does with a dumbell.  You also need to check them regularly for wear and tear. This is more an issue with the bands over the tubes. Even a pinhole tear can cause them to snap which could lead to an injury.  But as long as you make sure to check them out, they are perfectly safe.

Bottom Line:

I have them and I particularly like them for working the back and shoulders, two areas that are difficult to target with body weight exercises alone. They're also fun to double up with a dumbell in various exercises.  So if you have no other resistance equipment in your home gym, these are a great first piece to start off with.

Have a great day and see you tomorrow for Foodie Friday!

Sarah

Move It Monday!

It's snowing! It's snowing! Okay so it probably won't stick but I LOVE the snow. It brings such a sense on serenity to the day, and seeing as it's so rare around here, you have to enjoy it while it lasts. I hope everyone had a great weekend and is ready to learn a fabulous exercise using our trusty chairs! Today's exercise is a multi-joint lower leg and cardio attack. For those of you who find the chair to challenging, you can substitute a stair or stool. So here we go....

Step up, High Knee, and Lunge Combo!

Take a step up with your right leg

 When you get to the top, drive your left knee up like pictured

 Step back down onto your left leg and immediately swing your right leg down into a reverse lunge

 This is your finish position. It will take a few times to get the rhythm but once you do you'll be flying:)

 From the lunge position swing that right leg back into a step up. Repeat this sequence 15 times on the Right leg and then repeat 15 times on the left.

Clear as mud? 

Son now, get your running shoes on, do the move of the day, have a quick stretch, relax with a cup of tea and watch the snow fall before it's too late:)

Sarah

Foodie Friday!

Happy Friday everyone! The sun is shining, it's a pro-d day and the kids are having quiet time. Life doesn't get much better. Today I'm sharing a recipe that just got tested this morning. It's been approved by the Bruneski kids so I'm sure it will be a hit in your home as well. These muffins are a perfect healthy snack and with the quinoa, they're protein filled. I love that the recipe makes just 12 so they won't go stale before they get gobbled up. This recipe comes from the Quinoa 365 The Everyday Superfood. I picked it up at Costco. I adapted is slightly so here you go!

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Ingredients

1/4 cup quinoa

1 cup of whole wheat flour

1.5 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup of brown sugar packed (I used sucarut)

1/4 cup of vegetable oil

1/2 cup plain yogurt (of course greek for me!)

1 large egg

1 cup of mashed ripe banana about 2 medium

1 cup of frozen diced strawberries

The bakers

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place quinoa and water in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off burner but keep pot on it with lid on for an additional 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add cooled quinoa to the mixture and stir until combined

In another bowl, combine oil and brown sugar. Mix in the yogurt, egg and vanilla.

Mash banana with a fork and add to wet mixture. Add the diced strawberries to the flour mixture. Pour into wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Place batter into lined muffin tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes. I gave it a few extra:)

Enjoy a fantastic snack!

Have a wonderful Sunny day!

Sarah



Move It Monday!

Well I'm sad to say that I was hit by a bug this past weekend and am just now getting around to posting this weeks Move It Monday article.  As promised though, the next few weeks will be focusing on exercises using your dining room or office chair.  So today we're going to start off with the Tricep Dip! There's no need to have a fancy dip station in order to get killer triceps. As long as you use proper form, you can get amazing results with just your own body weight and a chair.

So first things first. Always begin with your legs in towards your body as shown in the first picture. This is the easier option. Make sure that your butt and back are no more than an inch away from the seat of your chair.

Lower your body towards the ground while bending at the elbows. Make sure that your arms elbows are going straight back and not chicken winging to the sides:)  Stop when your upper arm is approximately parallel with the ground. If you can't make it that far, lower only as far as your ability to come back up. 

 As you progress, slowly start to walk your legs out until you can handle them fully extended like so... This is very challenging and if in the beginning you can only do a few, don't be discouraged just do your best and modify back down to the first position.

 Again when you lower you are almost to the ground with your upper arms parallel to the floor. 

So start with 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps and you'll have well defined triceps in no time flat!

Have a great night, and check back for tool talk thursday!

Sarah

Foodie Friday!

Good Evening all! I hope today has gone well for you. I just finished and passed my group fitness module through BCPRA so am pretty pumped about that! With Valentines approaching this coming week I thought I'd share and easy, healthy, and kid friendly recipe. I like this one because you are pretty much guaranteed to have the ingredients on hand. This recipe comes from a soup cookbook I picked up at Costco but I did make a few variations...

Carrot and Apple Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs of carrots peeled and roughly chopped

3 stalks of celery chopped

1 large onion diced

3 apples cored and sliced

4 cups of vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp tomato paste

Juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper to taste

In a large soup pot saute carrots, celery, and onion with a swirl of olive oil until onions are soft.

Add vegetable stock, two of the apples, bay leaf, and tomato paste.

Bring to a simmer and let simmer on low for 20 minutes until carrots and apples are completely cooked.

In the meantime place remaining apple slices into a skillet and add a tbsp or so of lemon juice over them. Heat until just soft and set aside.

Remove bay leaf and discard.

Puree the soup in batches. When soup is smooth, ladle into bowls and top with the warm apple slices.

Enjoy!

Sarah

Tool Talk Thursday!

Here we are again at another tool talk. Today's piece of equipment is a bit ghetto I suppose but I'm a firm believer in using what you have around you. It's fine to get the fancy equipment but it's awesome to get into a routine of using what you do have around you first!

So today I'm pleased to introduce you to...

Your Dining Room Chair!

Yes that's right. You can do so much with your dining room chair. From cardio to strength. You can hit your arms, legs, chest, back and butt with this little baby. In fact the next three move it mondays will be utilizing your dining room chair. 

Keep in mind it's best to use a chair that doesn't have fabric. Purely for the sweat factor. Make sure that it's sturdy and not too high.

So we'll be back on Monday with me and my chair to show you some unique moves to tone you up!

Sarah

Move It Monday!

Phew, I barely eked this one out in time. We've definitely been moving it today at the Bruneski household. Today we celebrated our youngest son Cade's 3rd birthday. I can't believe how quickly the time has flown. But now onto other important things! Our move to day is a fantastic core strength move. So often when we work out we focus on the larger muscle groups, the ones we can really see in the mirror. However for our day to day functional strength needs, the underlying supporting muscles can really come up short. This exercise while looking quite simple, if done correctly can really give your body a challenge.

I'd love for you to meet...

The Dead Bug! 

Start with your legs up,knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Take a deep breath and press your lower back into the mat.

Raise your arms up.

 Slowly lower one leg down towards the ground. If you start to feel your lower back lift from the mat, stop and bring your leg back up. Your goal is to get your heel to the mat.

 Return to the start position and switch legs

 For a more advanced progression, lower your opposite arm to the floor simultaneously as you lower your leg. Again, stop and return to the top position if your back starts to lift from the mat.

 In a smooth motion, switch arm and leg when you get back to the top.

 Eventually aim to have both your arm and your leg fully extended!

Enjoy giving this one a try and let me know what you think!

Sarah

Foodie Friday!

Good Afternoon everyone! So before we get onto todays recipe, I wanted to have a quick chat about something that's been on my mind lately. It relates to both diet and fitness. It also has to do with resolutions. Now that we've hit February, many of us start to flag on our goals that we've set for ourselves. Our disappointment mounts and soon, most of the moxie we started with has disappeared. I was reflecting on why this occurs year after year. I think part of the answer lies in our expectations to be perfect. We have little to no grace for ourselves. The odd thing about this is that we don't carry these same expectations for others. I would be nuts to expect my husband, children or friends to be perfect all the time and never blow it. At the same time, I can beat myself up endlessly for having a night of thoughtless munching. Now I can't speak for the male half of this equation but I truly feel this is an issue many women struggle with.  So this is where grace steps in. News Flash: We aren't perfect and nor should we be. The goals we set need to be attainable and we need to have realistic expectations.  So when we have those missteps along the journey, we can see them for what they are and move on. In the coming weeks I'm going to be blogging particularly about strategies for over eating, but covering all this is being kind to ourselves. Lets stop the negative self talk. That's a resolution I'm game to try!

Thanks for sitting through that rant, now onto the recipe. I'm always on the lookout for quick meal ideas that also help satisfy the major sweet tooth that I possess! I came across this one and loved it so I pass it onto you! I'll be making this often to help abate the late night munchies:)

Chocolate Banana Blitz:)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 Banana
1 heaping tbsp of cocoa powder
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 cup skim milk
8 ice cubes

Add all the ingredients to your blender, blend and enjoy!
About the protein powder, I really prefer real whole foods in my diet but I do like them for those times when I simply don't have the chance to get in the real foods I need. 

Have a great day, and enjoy your weekend!
Sarah

Tool Talk Thursday!

Thanks for stopping in for today's tool talk. Today I'm featuring one of the cheapest, most efficient pieces of cardio equipment you can add to your home gym. It's portable and can be used pretty much anywhere. Today I introduce to you (or should I say re-introduce) the....

SKIP ROPE!!!!

If the last time you pulled out one of these babies was on the playground double dutching as a 9 year old, it may be time to take another look at this childhood favorite.

Skipping rope has a multitude of benefits so lets go over a few and give you the basics of how to use one.

1. Skip ropes are cheap! You can find a great one for under $20.
2. Skip ropes are a GREAT cardio workout. You can burn up to 1000 calories an hour. That's a chocolate bar burned in 20 minutes!
3. Skipping is fantastic for bone health. The low impact helps to build bone strength.
4. Skipping is great for the whole family. Challenge your kids and their friends to a skip rope contest and everyone will have a blast!
5. Skipping works not only your cardio but also tones your calves (think summertime!) abs and arms.
6. Skipping is great for your co-ordination, agility and endurance.

So the first thing you need to know is the appropriate size. Most boxes will come with a sizing chart but if not, pull it out of the box and make sure it reaches your armpits. If it's a little to big you can tie knots up by the handles but if it's to short, skip it (pun intended).

Secondly, opt for a speed rope. These come usually come with a swivel or bearing action at the handles allowing the rope to turn faster.

So now that you have your rope, how do you do it? First things first, skipping will quickly become annoying if you keep getting tangled up in the rope. The most common reason for misses is that your muscles are becoming fatigued.  To avoid this, switch up your skip every 30 seconds or so. Start with a basic jump, then move to jacks, then to one foot, etc. By changing it up, you prevent your muscles from burning out.  Start with a goal of 5 minutes and gradually increase your time to build up your endurance. Keep in mind that skipping at a quick pace is the same cardio benefits as running an 8 minute mile!

So head into your attic, dig out that skip rope and blast some calories!

As with any other physical activity, please consult your physician before any exercise program.

Have a great night and we'll see you tomorrow for Foodie Friday!

Sarah