healthy

Fitness Friday no. 14

| The Bee Life

Fitness Friday is back after a little vacay! Speaking of vacay, that’s the perfect segue into today’s Fitness Friday – workouts on the go.  With summer quickly here, especially now that Memorial Day has come and went, weekends are filling up with vacations, weddings, house work… you name it, and getting workouts in on the weekends, now becomes harder than workouts during the week! So I wanted to share some workouts that can be done pretty much anywhere, with little-to-no equipment needed.  Fitness Friday no 14 - the bee lifeRun – You can run anywhere if you have sneaks and the right clothing. Packing some extra clothes and your running shoes can help you get some key sweat sessions in when you have a moment in the morning or afternoon. When in doubt get your workout done earlier in the day,  waiting might close the window of getting one in!

The Bee’s On-The-Go Workout:

  1. Jumping Jacks/Jump Rope = 3 minutes
    • Again, no equipment needed, even for jumping rope, jumping in place and do the motion with your arms will tire you out not to mention will get your heart rate up
  2. Push-Ups = 5-sets of 10
  3. Squats = 5-sets of 25
    • You can do a variation of squats to jump squats, side squats, wide stance squats or normal squats.
  4. Side Leg Lifts = 3-sets of 15 each leg
  5. Donkey Kick = 5-sets of 25 each leg

You can do this set of exercises 5-times through or stagger them however you like. This will be enough to get your heart rate going, some muscles aching, and the feeling of accomplishment to enjoy your busy weekend of planned festivities!

Suggestion: If you’re on an extended stay or week long vacation and with friends/family, make working out a group activity so that everyone can get involved and help hold each other accountable.  If other’s are involved it’ll also help when planning activities, because everyone will be on the same page!

If you’re staying at a hotel, take advantage of the gym or even the pool and swim some laps before the crowds show up.  Swimming is a full body workout that can be accomplished in between long laying out sessions while you’re working on your tan!

What’re your go-to workouts when you’re on the go?

10-Miler Recap

| The Bee Life

Yesterday was the 10-Miler race I attempted to start training for back in February, but if you’ve been reading along on my fitness journey it’s been an up and down struggle for the last year… or two… so getting into a consistent workout routine has been the primary goal, and struggle. Long story short – it was ambitious, I didn’t do well with training, but I have gotten into a consistent workout routine with boot camp and am starting to incorporate other workouts, like running! So how did the 10-Miler go… well I hadn’t trained last year and impressed myself, and I did it again this year.

Race Recap
Approaching Mile 8

I beat my time from last year by 2-minutes, didn’t stop, and finished strong! It was a chilly morning, especially starting right next to the lake, but luckily as we got deeper into the course was able to hide from the wind a bit.  Of course B left me in the dust before we even hit mile one! But he was waiting at the finish line for me, and jumped out and finish  with me! He ended up beating his time from last year and kicked butt, too.

Finishing any race is always an awesome accomplishment but when it’s an significant mileage it always feels that much more awesome. We are looking to sign up for a half marathon before the year is over to keep pushing ourselves and getting back into our old running habits. We were done with our race by 10AM and had the rest of the day to brunch, soak up the sun, and socialize with family and friends!

Fitness Friday no. 5

| The Bee Life

Happy Friday! How is everyone doing with their 2016 fitness goals?

I’ve been making slow progress. I signed up for Barre3 – which offers a plethora of online videos at a low monthly cost, and right now that’s exactly what I need. I’m enjoying the challenge and core building exercises, and I’m excited to keep it up once I start training for my 10-miler.

So this week I want to focus on the “little” things that are just as important to your health and fitness, as the actual physical work.  What’s that? Maintaining your stress and positive energy.

Fitness Friday 05 - the bee life - emilyboylan.com

1. Confront It. If something or someone is bothering you, confront the situation. I think the word confront often has a negative connotation – but the way you approach the situation is key and doesn’t have to be negative or defensive. Clear your chest and speak your peace, the rest is out of your hands…

2. Lose Control. Speaking of out of your hands, you can only control yourself, aka you cannot control others. So if you’ve spoken your peace, knowing you’ve tried, work on letting go of the rest.  You’ll thank yourself later!
*Disclaimer: I know it’s easier said than done.

3. Release The Stress. With exercise! Not food! Personally, I often crave some bad eatings when I am stressed or had a bad day at work – I find I have a small window to get motivated to exercise, but when I do pick exercise over the burger and fries I feel 10x better AND not fat!  Challenging your mind to pick fitness over food in those situations is half the battle.

4. Stretch! I’ve mentioned this before; but since I’ve been stretching more I can’t get over how much I can feel it in my muscles and body and how much it helps.  It helps release all those stresses that get stored in our body from long days of sitting at a desk or standing on our feet. Try 10-minutes a day, I bet you’ll feel a difference.

5. Reflect on the Good. It’s easy to fixate on the bad, how we didn’t work out, how we ate bad, the jerk at work… and it’s easy to overlook the good. Try writing down on a post-it at least one good thing that happened during your day and tuck it away in a jar, by the end of the year you’ll have a jar full of happy memories, that hopefully also helped you in the current moment – focus on the good. You can also bring this up with a roommate, spouse, or best friend at the end of the day and both share your “goods” of the day.

Keep focusing on your 30-days there is still time to work towards your goals and build good habits!

Goals for 2016

| The Bee Life

Okay, okay, I know I said I wasn’t going to share my goals for 2016, I sort of changed my mind… I’m going to share a few, the rest are just for me!2016 Goals - the bee life - emilyboylan.comHow am I going to accomplish each of these goals?  Well, it’s not going to be easy… but here are a few ideas:

  1. I am already signed up for one race, and about to sign-up for my second.  Then I’ll just need to find two more for the summer/fall seasons.
  2. I’ve got something up my sleeve, and I’m excited to share this will all of you, but not yet!
  3. In July we have a wedding in Denver to go to, so that’ll check off one new place – B and I always have the travel bug, so I hope we will figure out another fun trip!
  4. This is something I’ve been working on, but haven’t made a focus; and I want that to change.  There are many aspects of this, less Starbucks, less eating out, less house projects!, etc… so I’m going to learn to say “No” a little more, even if that means saying “No” to me.
  5. I’ve made many excuses this past year and I’m over it – so I’m hoping that better 30-day focus and my Friday Fitness blogs will help some of you, as well as me!
  6. Without technology!  It’s a bad habit, and I do love my social media, but I find us too often browsing when we could be talking or paying more attention to each other. That’s one example of how to accomplish this.

Another goal is to focus on these goals (I know that sounds silly, right?) and modify them and re-evaluate these when needed, if needed.  Goals are meant to be reflected on, and worked towards gradually and if they aren’t reviewed regularly, chances of success are few.

So remember to focus on your goals and have check-in’s so that you can have 2016 success!

Fitness Friday

| The Bee Life

This week’s Fitness Friday is all about partners. When you’re in need of some motivation, having someone there to encourage and push you is sometimes the best solution.

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Fitness Friday – The Bee Life http://www.emilyboylan.com

 

1. Join a Group Class – I was always nervous to join group classes, it was intimidating to walk into a class where there was groups of girls or the regulars who knew everyone and what to expect.  I got over that quickly, because I loved my instructors and the motivation they gave to me, not to mention they helped me refine my technique.  I don’t think I’ll ever get over the nervousness or intimidation walking into a new place, but having tested the waters with a few different class types (spinning, boot camp, etc.) I’m a little more prepared and excited to have someone tell me exactly what to do!

2. Find a Running Buddy – Whether it’s a spouse, coworker, or friend, find someone who will want to stay on track as much as you do. I tend to run better because we push each other to run a little farther or faster when we’re slowing down. This is especially helpful when you’re running in a race.

3. Regular Check-In’s – In the same vein as finding a running buddy, having someone to have somewhat regular check-in’s, will help hold you accountable and encourage you to get that workout in you might be more inclined to skip for one reason or the other.  Being honest is the most important part if you want to have success.

4. Find Inspiration on Social – You may be surprised by how many free workouts and free motivation are available right on your Instagram feed.  Short videos show workouts for you to replicate at home in a comfortable setting and quotes can inspire you to kick butt on your workout that day. Here are a few of my favorites:
@alexajeanfitness – short workout videos and her healthy lifestyle
@harnesscycle – a local spot that sends out sweet motivation
@nickhounslow – a stud as seen on E!s Hollywood Cycle;

If you don’t have a strong support system, whether it’s at your gym or fitness class or at home or friends – it’s important to try and find some.  The more motivation you have and people checking in on you the more likely you’ll be to finish the workout.

TGIF!

 

Fitness Friday

| The Bee Life

Here are some ways to get a kick start to your New Years resolution before the major holiday weight gain sets in.2

1. Sign up for a race, now! Don’t wait for those prices to go up, spring and summer races are still priced low – so get ahead of the curve and register for a race or two sooner than later. That way you’ll also be able to a jump start and maximize your training schedule! I’ve already signed up for one in April and have my eyes set on one in March.

2. Eat healthy, but still enjoy. Since the month of December is nothing but endless weekends of parties and lavish dinners there is no excuse to not indulge. At the same time, be smart during the week and eat healthy and light. Fresh greens and protein with extra water. The day of your parties? Be sure to eat a good breakfast and hearty lunch, this will help you from snacking too much on hors d’oeuvres or over eating your main meal.

3. Easy on the alcohol. Same rule for the food applies for the alcohol. Cut back on your free days, even if you’re used to having a drink or two. Make sure to drink water throughout your party nights and stay away from shots! Also, the less you drink the more likely you’ll be motivated to get a workout in the next day.

4. Don’t miss a workout. Don’t let a party or house guests get in the way – the second you break your routine the more likely you’ll be to fall off track and your resolution won’t be looking so hot.

5. Switch it up. Start exploring some new workouts and facilities to mix it up and give you a new challenge – starting new habits now will make you stronger tomorrow.

Let’s start getting back and stay on track with that healthy grove and enjoy these holiday parties!

 

I’m Back.

| The Bee Life

Well my workout hiatus is finally over.  I received fitness classes for Christmas (AWESOME present, btw) so this past Saturday I decided to start! The classes are interval strength/cardio training circuits.  The interval and circuit length’s change from class to class so every exercise is manageable; because the longest  you’ll ever be doing an exercise is 15-60 seconds before you’re on to the next one!

Saturday – Cardio
Monday Night – Strength + Cardio
Wednesday Night

These workouts have kicked my butt. (1) I haven’t worked out “hard” in at least 4-5 months (2) I haven’t weight trained in over a year … so an hour of strength and cardio let me know how out of shape I’ve become.

I really did not want to go to the class last night, I was exhausted, sore, and it was freezing cold, snuggling up with Moz and B sounded much more appealing than going back out into the cold and getting home after 8 o’clock. But I made myself go, the pain was still going to be around today whether I went to the class or not… also I know the pay-off, I’ve seen the results before, so I pushed myself to go. And, I’m happy I went.

“The only workout you’ll regret, is the one that didn’t happen.”

This is only the start, I’m going to keep going to these classes, and it’s only be a matter of time until the snow melts, the sun shines a bit longer and I can start running outside again. It feels good to be back, it was way to long of a break, but that break is definitely over.

Motivation Needed.

| The Bee Life

You would think that after 24 years of being on this earth, it wouldn’t be so hard to adjust to the time or weather changes… but it is! And it’s even harder when you have a head cold and your apartment heat doesn’t turn on unless it’s below 50… or so they say… ok… ok… gripe session over!

I have to admit that since the cancellation of our half marathon, which would’ve happened this past October 11th – I have not been working out or running. The most physical activity I’ve done lately is all the dancing I did at the wedding I attended this past weekend!! But I do know that I’ll have to run in 9 days because I signed up for the Bernie Kosar 5k Shuffle!

Who is Bernie Kosar? Well… from what I can tell he played football for the Cleveland Browns, and Clevelanders seem to like him.  But since that is WAY before my time, I picked this race based on the race metal, distance, and pure fact that it just looks like fun. Plus I knew I would need some motivation, and any 5k that you can get a metal at, is totally worth it in my book. I have also been desperately trying to get my coworkers to partake in a short “fun run” with me… I was half successful. I tapped in to a few different coworkers (from other departments) who will be participating, with their significant others.  It will be a fun time! Not to mention this race is officially SOLD OUT – so I don’t have to worry about it getting cancelled!

“The Essence of Health is an Inner Kind of Balance.” – Dr. Andrew Weil

Since I haven’t been as active, as I’d like to be or need to be – I’ve made sure I am more conscious of my food intake. Smaller portions, little snacks, veggies, fruits and protein plus the occasional sweet treat! In addition, B and I plan to start doing the “FastDiet” aka the 5:2 diet. This diet consists of five days of normal eating, and any of the other two are fasting. Meaning 500 calories (for women) or 600 calories (for men)… although this depends on your activeness and size/height ratio. My aunts have been doing this for a few weeks now and have already seen gradual weight loss. I just ordered The FastDiet Cookbook and The FastDiet to get started! I like the idea of this diet, because it isn’t a radical lifestyle change, you don’t have to food prep for 7-days a week and you’re able to enjoy a night out… or three! It seems like a good balance.

How do you stay motivated during these darker and colder days?