Exercise apparel – Senita

There are a few brands of athletic apparel I usually stick to because I’ve found they fit me well and are of high quality. Every now and then I’ll try a new or not super popular brand. I recently bought a pair of leggings from Senita. The style is called “Ellie” and they were $36, so a great price compared to other brands. For the quality, they are actually a steal! The material is super soft and stretchy. The rise on this style is a medium high and doesn’t slip or fold at all. The pants hold their shape without being too tight. The material seems durable and this style comes in a few different colors (gray, plum, black and the navy that I bought). I also like that this particular style is a 7/8 pant which is perfect for a short female such as myself 😉

One of their selling points is there are two large pockets on the sides. I didn’t think this feature would be a tipping point or anything for me, but I really like the pocket! I don’t exercise with my phone on me but it’s still super convenient for my phone when we go on walks or if I’m running errands after the gym. I am extremely pleased with my purchase and will definitely be using this brand again.senita athletics ellie leggingssenita athletics ellie leggings

senita athletics ellie leggings

100 rep leg blast workout

This is one of my new favorite leg workouts! I’ve been doing it twice a week for the last 2 months and have definitely felt my legs getting stronger and more defined muscles. As a runner and soccer player, I’ve always had fairly strong legs. However, when I was pregnant with Tessa (yes, like 3 years ago!) I was super sick and didn’t exercise the entire pregnancy. I still feel those effects of atrophied muscles, but the good news is that our bodies are resilient and can always get stronger! If this looks overwhelming, start with just 10 reps per exercise or add more rest after the circuit.

100 rep leg blast workout

More body weight exercises here and more easy tips to a healthier you here 

Fiesta Friday: links I love and things to celebrate

things to celebrate happy weekend links

I recently downloaded this Taco app which helps you find tacos wherever you are! It pulls up tacos based on your location. I haven’t used it a ton yet but love the idea and tacos, of course.

An app that pays you for working out? I downloaded Achievemint last month which gives you points based on how much you walk/exercise by syncing to other fitness apps (I use my Fitbit Alta and MyFitnessPal). When you accumulate 10,000 points they send you $10. It isn’t much but I figure I might as well get paid for something I’m already doing! I’m almost at 3,000 points 🙂

Need a few more New Year’s resolutions? I loved these ideas.

No equipment exercises

I wrote a guest post on this topic over on The Stoker Kitchen a few weeks ago and wanted to revisit with a little more detail. I love that Brent and Tessa are close in age, we love that they grow and play together, however, having a child at age 30 and 31 was hard on my body and it’s been difficult to recover my previous level of fitness (basically every mom relates to this!) I absolutely loved Treehouse Athletic Club when we lived in Utah and felt it was worth every cent to have awesome equipment, classes, lots of space and most importantly, a great child care. The kids and I were there every morning except Sundays. Here in Austin, we are back at 24 Hour Fitness – this location is pretty crappy but they do have childcare which was basically my only requirement. Joining a gym with child care has been the number 1 thing that has helped me get back ‘in shape’ after having kids.

In the times, I’m not at the gym or outside exercising, these have been awesome to do in the house, no equipment necessary.

I like to do 10-15 reps  and 3-4 sets depending on the difficulty of the exercise OR 30 seconds of an exercise and then 30 seconds rest, repeat until exhaustion 😉 The nice thing is these can be done anytime and even if you only have 10 minutes.

Ab and core exercises:

  • Crunches
  • Bicycle crunches
  • Reverse crunches
  • Leg lifts
  • Plank
  • Side plank
  • Side plank crunch
  • Plank step out
  • Plank shoulder touch
  • Walking plank
  • Bird dog
  • Glute bridge/hip raise
  • Single leg hip raise
  • Split leg (jack knife) sit ups

no equipment exercises to lose weightno equipment exercises to lose weight, abs and coreLower body exercises:

  • Squats
  • Stationary lunges
  • Curtsy lunge
  • Calf raises
  • Standing single leg lift
  • wall sit

Upper body exercises:

Pushups, Spiderman pushups

Whole body exercises:

  • Burpees
  • Surrenders
  • Windmills
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Squat jumps
  • Inch Worm

no equipment whole body exercises to lose weight

My top 10 ab/core exercises here

no equipment exercises to lose weight that you can do anywhere

I’d love for you to follow along – follow buttons in the right sidebar or at the bottom if you’re on mobile 🙂

Protein bites: easy, healthy, high energy snack

After working out, I get extremely hungry and this is my favorite protein-filled, quick snack that can be prepared beforehand.  I like this recipe because it’s SO simple, requires little prep time, no cooking time and you can add in sweets (like chocolate chips) or salty (almonds, nuts, etc). In addition to protein, it has flaxseed which has shown evidence of reducing heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. Flaxseed also comes as ‘ground flaxseed‘ if you prefer it less seedy. I usually double or triple the recipe because we go through them so fast!

image

 

FullSizeRender_5 Ingredients 

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Mix then chill

Roll and enjoy!

Protein Bites (1)

easy, no bake-protein-filled

How we wore it: Work out Clothes

This is my first time linking up for a ‘how we wore it‘ post and it’s kind of perfect for me because I love exercise clothes and am always on the hunt for affordable, stylish workout wear that allows free movement and sweat, ha, ha.  I’m at the gym 6 days a week with my kids and have  played sports basically my whole life and love exercising, running, cycling, yoga, and my true love: soccer.

The inspiration for this post is from Jacque from Looks for Lovelies:

howweworeit

And this is how I wore it:

DSC_1532

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Top  (similar) / Capri bottoms* / Running shoes from Asics

*I LOVE  Lululemon products because of the fit, stretch, comfort and style. They are pricey but definitely worth it. I don’t spend a ton of money on clothes and everything I have from  Lulu was a gift or from a gift card. I’ve had the black capris for NINE years and they’re still going strong!

Make sure to check out these other inspired looks:

Deidre from Deidre Emme

Ruth from My Little Nest
Jenn from What You Make It
Kiana from Glitter & Donuts
Jessica from Mason Jars and Lemon Bars
Alyssa from Pinsent Life
Sierra from Sierra’s View
Madeline from CaseyLand
Riley from Riley Jo Blog
Samantha from The Samantha Show
Beverly from What a Day
Brooklyn from Brooklyn Jolley
Amber from Amber Nicole blogs
Erica from Good Job Momma
Shelbie from 365 With RyGuy and I
Jenn from Give This Girl Coffee
Kelsi from Lovestrong
Justine from Little Dove
Chelsea from Tessa Marie
Monica from It’s All About

good things cometo those who

Top 10…Ab and Core Exercises

I studied Exercise Science at BYU and absolutely loved my major! While I’m not currently working in my field, it’s so applicable to everyday life. Having a strong core is beneficial to one’s overall health and wellness, something I probably took for granted before having kids! My kids are almost 2 years apart and my body was definitely changed through the pregnancies and 2 C-sections (side note: it’s totally worth it, being a mom is the most amazing thing!)

I’m still working on the process of rebuilding my core and abdominal strength. One of the most common misconceptions is that doing thousands of sit ups will give you a 6 pack. Your core is not only the abdominal muscles but your entire core, including your back.

Here my top 10 effective exercises that will build your core (including your back!):

1) Plank

you can also try variations such as plank jacks, plank step outs, or plank leg lifts

 

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2) Walking planks – shown on Bosu ball to add more of a challenge because of the unstable surface

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3) Side plank

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4) Split leg sit ups – I usually do these on the Bosu ball

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5) Knee tuck on ball

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6) Bird dogs – these are so great for your entire core! They can also be done on a Bosu ball for an added challenge

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7) Spiderman plank

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8) glute bridge – the variation is shown here using a single leg instead of 2

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9) pelvic tilt – especially great for those small abdominal muscles in your core. This is also an excellent one for women recovering from pregnancy/diastasis recti 

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10) side plank hip drop

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Top 10 effective

Top 10…Healthy Habits to Develop

TOP (1)

I majored in Exercise Science as an undergrad at BYU, with an emphasis in Fitness and Wellness. I love exercising, being active and helping others achieve their fitness goals!

Wellness is not just being physically strong and able but also includes other aspects that helps one be well rounded:

Ace Wellness Consulting (1)

Top 10 healthy habits that are small and simple changes anyone at any age or stage can do:

  1. Drink more water – aim for 8 cups a day.
  2. Regular and consistent exercise -find something you love to do that’s not a chore.
  3. Practice stress relief like meditation, deep breathing, stretching, yoga, etc.
  4. Walk more – take the stairs, walk on your lunch break, park farther away.
  5. Get enough sleep! – you will be mentally sharp and more able to maintain a healthy weight. One of the factors of obesity is a lack of sleep.
  6. Eat breakfast.
  7. Fill your body with whole foods – the less processed, the better it is for your body.
  8. Lift weights – You don’t need to become a body builder, but strengthen your muscles and bones.
  9. Look on the bright side – make an effort to focus on the positives instead of the negatives, don’t compare yourself to others.
  10. Serve and reach out to others – both parties will benefit in countless ways.

health and cheerfulness naturally beget each other

Here’s to being healthier and happier!