ABC

A "New" Fitness Journey: Surfset

March 12, 2015

I love starting new fitness journeys. Basically, this just means me starting a new exercise routine or workout type to switch things up, getting into the routine, improving, and incorporating it into my life. My past fitness journeys, since I was age three until now, go as follows: Gymnastics, Dance, Teeball, Softball, Basketball, Cross Country/running, Pilates, Yoga, Zumba, and now Surfset. The journeys I have stuck to are Cross Country, Pilates, and now SurfSet.


Image Credit

SurfSet fitness is a combination of cardio, yoga, and pilates moves performed on the boards you see above. They are Surfboards mounted on three small yoga balls. SurfSet has become a revolution in gyms across the country and is in over 200 locations now. 

Surfset was developed by Mike Hartwick, Sarah Ponn & Bill Ninteau in 2011. Mike played professional hockey after graduating from Dartmouth College and was in intense shape after rigorous hockey training. He spent a whole summer surfing, and was surprised how in shape and at ease he felt on the ice after a summer of surfing. There must be something to this surfing thing, he realized. After retiring from hockey for a job in finance, he lost some motivation. He missed the impeccable shape he was in from his hockey past, and the fun workout of surfing. His solution was a surfboard on an inflatable noodle. He brought this contraption to the gym with Bill Ninteau, and his trainer Sarah Ponn was very intrigued by this device. Eleven prototypes and a country tour later, they were picked up by Dallas Mavericks and Mark Cuban on ABC's show Shark Tank. 


Surfset is the perfect answer for the gym rut. Don't get me wrong, I love the bike, stairmaster, kettlebells, squat machine, etc (except the treadmill). However, a group exercise class is always a way to get me motivated to go to the gym if I'm afraid of monotony. Thursdays from 12:30-1:30 at the fitness center at my school are now my happy place. Being a former team athlete since sixth grade, I'm definitely one for group exercise. Those who work out with partners work out for 160% longer and can burn 63 more calories (source). 

The typical SurfSet class could look something like this:

Warm up - step on and off board, stretching, hopping on and off the board
Cardio (30 second intervals): Push ups on or off the board, planks on the board, mountain climbers, jumping on and off the board, etc.
Core (30 second intervals): Typical ab moves, like leg lifts, sit ups, holding yoga positions
"Swimming" sessions
Stretching


I haven't been paid or asked to do this by anyone affiliated with SurfSet, I've just been loving my SurfSet classes so much here at school, I thought I'd share it with my lovelies! As a Pilates lover, I hope I lead a fellow Pilates lover in the right direction. One opposition someone may have is that they're bad at balancing or have no coordination. My answer to that is I'm in the same boat! Why do you think I run? Because my lack of hand-eye coordination has benched me in every other sport I've played, duh! However, there are many modifications, just like any exercise program, and the board is easy to get used to. I highly recommend it!

Have you ever tried SurfSet?
Would you ever try SurfSet?




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angie

January Goals

February 05, 2015

Monthly Goals

Most people think of love, valentines candy, and flowers when the think of February. As of recent, I will not have a "valentine" this year. Honestly, I feel so refreshed. I've spent the past two Valentines days with someone and as awesome and wonderful relationships are, and as my friends have told me, this is my prime time to be "single." On the practical end, it saves me a ton of money (besides for the money I'll spend on candy for myself). It also saves a lot of time getting ready and going out (besides the time spent with my GALentines). I've learned the important of friends and family as opposed to loved ones these past few months. Its such a great feeling to embrace my real support system.

February may be a short month, but there's still so much to accomplish in it! As I mentioned in my previews goals post, I said that I wanted to really hunker down and be productive on my blog and internships. I've definitely started making moves towards that, but the four snow days we had in the past two weeks have warranted more fun than work. I figure while I'm young, balance out the work and the play as best as I can, right? Below are my monthly goals!

This is part of the monthly link-up at mysocalledchaos.com

How This works:
  1. Follow your hosts My So-Called Chaos and A Peek at Karen's World to keep up with this link-up.
  2. Write up a post recapping last month's goals and setting goals for next month.
  3.  Make sure to include the button in your post by grabbing the code above.
  4. Link up your goals post with the monthly linky which goes live on the first Thursday of the month.
  5. Visit other links in the party to show support and offer advice for other goal setters.
  6. Have fun and make some new friends!
Here were my January Goals. How did I do? 

January Goals
  • Make the deans list - Success
  • Put up a good fight for the thing I can't discuss on here yet.. :P - Yeah, not going so well. The thing I couldn't discuss was the cutting of the cross country program.
  • Throw Ashley a fun and successful birthday party - The snow stopped it :(
  • Finish "Women in Clothes" - haaa....
  • Hit 2,000 unique hits this month - Almost...
  • Follow up on internship applications - Success! Got an interview.
February Goals

  • Hit 1500 Uniques
  • Make connections at conference
  • Win the challenge at conference
  • Stay on top of hybrid courses
  • Have a successful internship interview
  • Start going to SurfSet once a week





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annies homegrown

Health In A Pinch: "Busy Bee" Survival Guide

January 13, 2015

I don't know about you, but I'm at a constant battle between wanting healthy, fresh, food, but being pressed for time to prepare them. Being home for break, there's so many people to see, places to go, things to do, etc. Not to mention, I'm working a lot to pay for my Greece spring break. Sometimes, I just want to heat up something remotely "carb-y" and have an apple or carrots on the side when it's time for my break.

In times like these, it can be hard to succumb to just picking up an EasyMac or a Celeste Pizza. Though those are delicious, there's also healthier, fast alternatives that are equally as tasty. Here are my top picks:


1. Minute Brown Rice

The brand Minute makes little brown rice cups that are ready in only one minute! Pair this with a low-fat cheese stick and some sliced red peppers to balance it out with vegetables and protein. Brown rice cups over pudding cups, right? Here are the nutrition facts:

As you can see, they are low on fat, sugar, and sodium, however, they have 5g of protein, which is pretty decent. That's definitely more than white rice. 230 calories is almost halfway to 500, fill up the other 270 with your peppers and cheese stick, and maybe some green tea. 500 is a decent-sized meal on the go. Note how small the ingredient list it! Another great thing about these cups is that they're already pretty flavorful, so no need to add condiments or butter.

2. Annie's Homegrown Mac 'n' Cheese

You guys probably saw this coming. Annie's brand is more of an all-natural, non-GMO, grass-fed, earthy-crunchy company. The more natural food the body intakes, the healthier! My favorite product of theirs is their white cheddar mac 'n' cheese cup. Here are the nutrition facts:

I would pair this snack with a nice, crisp apple. An apple and mac 'n' cheese, it brings you back to childhood, huh?

3. GoPicnic Meals

This last one needs no ad-ons, and requires no heat! GoPicnic "ready-to-eat" meals are grown-up, nutritious Lunchables, essentially. They have numerous delicious varieties such as black bean dip and plantain, thee bean dip and tortilla chops, peanut butter and crackers, red pepper hummus and chips, and more. My mouth is actually watering, and my mind is beating myself up internally for not buying these... I may have to make a trip to the store tomorrow. Anyway, if you want to combine a few of these for a full meal and add some green tea on the side to compliment all the super foods in these, you'll be golden.




If you're ever worried about fitting in your veggies, grab a Bolthouse farms drink. Just like all the microwaveable meals, these juices are made to make our lives easier. These drinks were made for those who don't have time to juice their own produce, like those meals are made for those who don't have time to cook their own meals.

That's how I'm "healthy in a pinch" as you would say! It's not as rewarding as savoring your food you slaved over a hot skillet or juicer for, but it'll do the trick. These are all reasonably priced, GMO-free, natural, healthy, and delicious.

I was not paid or sponsored by any of these companies, all opinions are my own.


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cleanse

LIFESTYLE: POST-HOLIDAY REBOOT

December 30, 2014



The indulgences have been made: mashed potatoes made from scratch, thick with sour cream in the food processor, molten lava cake with nutella oozing out, juicy turkey with gravy smothered all over it. I think I may have just made my own mouth water there. However, the holidays are over, and January first is approaching. No more Halloween candy, no more Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and no more Christmas ham.

According to quora.com, "12% of new gym memberships come in January come by percentage, but it actually represents about a 33-50% increase in volume." That's a looot of newcomers at the gym. Like I discussed last year, resolutions shouldn't involve numbers. Numbers won't change your mindset from negative to positive. Numbers won't give you that extra pep in your step. Most certainly, numbers won't make your new years resolutions worthwhile. What you should be striving for is a feeling. I wish instead of numbers on a scale, they'd have levels of self-confidence and happiness. Instead of saying  "I want to be in the 140's" say, "I want to be in the glowing confidence level."


So, what will be your step ahead of those bandwagon gym-goers? What will be your assurance that you will accomplish your mental and physical health and wellness goals for the new year?

A good start could be trying a cleanse. This doesn't mean a full-on cleanse, it could be making small adjustments to your diet to rid toxins, promote weight loss, and increase energy. Once you flush out some holiday good toxins, your body can focus on reshaping itself inside out. Here are three ways to kickstart your health goals for 2015:


1. Drink More Water
Strive for 8 glasses of water a day  - and stick to it. Track your water intake on many apps available to you, such as MyFitnessPal and UP by Jawbone. I try to go for three plastic water bottles a day  - if you have a refillable one that's even better! Watermelon, strawberries, cucumbers, and tomatoes also have a high water content. Water supports the kidneys. The kidney flush toxins out of your system.










2. Eat More Superfoods
Superfoods are SUPER good for you! They include beets, blueberries, watercress, apples, wild rice, papaya, brussels sprouts, lemons, and kale. The list goes on. These foods have extreme health benefits. Kale is great for cleansing. Citric acid in lemons dissolve built-up toxins. Betalin in beets s detoxifying. Also, avoid processed foods.













3. Detox To Go
One of my favorite Christmas Gifts this year is my Blogilates Detox Water Bottle. Sipping on lemon, cucumber, mint, apple, raspberry, lime, etc infused water is a sure-fire way to burn belly fat.














Good luck with your 2015 resolutions, lovelies! I have all the faith in the world in you all. Just like in the movie "Unbroken", "If you can take it you can make it."  GREAT movie, by the way! See you in the new year!
sources:
http://mysmartsnackscarepackages.com/collections/drinks/glaceau-smart-water
http://www.quora.com/What-percentage-of-new-gym-members-in-January-stop-coming-after-February
http://www.wikihow.com/Cleanse-Your-Body-Naturally


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aerobic

LIFESTYLE: POPTART GAINS?

October 31, 2014


What's your favorite poptart flavor? Mine is any berry flavor or fudge sundae. Voters on sodahead.com agree with me. What if I told you that you could use these sugary, flaky pastries to help you gain muscle and burn fat? You'd tell me I was crazy and to go eat a banana. However, before you start heckling me, let me tell you this is an actual phenomenon in the exercise nutrition field. I'm here to give you the low-down on this sweet myth.

BMH Fitness used one of my favorite food philosophies as a health nut/food lover when they stated, "Foods all contain calories and of those calories are macros: Proteins, Fats, and Carbs," in their article about this topic. Basically, don't freak out about eating one poptart, freak out about eating five poptarts. "The body cannot distinguish what it’s digesting, whether it is a chicken sandwich from a fast food joint, or baked chicken, spinach, and a handful of almonds – both meals can render the same amount of macros if measure appropriately."

I'm not saying you should go make poptarts your new go-to snack. Poptarts can be instrumental for recovering from an intense workout. After an 8-mile run, or an intense Zumba class, your body has probably used up a lot of glycogen (carbohydrate) stores in your body, and may have even used fat or protein as a fuel source. After exercise, your body spikes insulin and starts the protein synthesis cycle. Anything that can help your body build and recover that protein post-workout can ensure that when you work out next, you'll have as much or more energy to use when you worked out last. Poptarts, due to their amount of simple sugars, can help with insulin production and therefore can boost the rate of recovery.


I don't advise eating a poptarts after every workout, however if a workout really kills you, you may want to try one in order to feel less sore tomorrow. People always confuse "muscle building" and recovering. Protein help synthesize tissue (muscle), so that post-workout protein shake helps your body recover those amino acids, the true way you build muscle is by increasing your amount of resistance.

I have been eating poptarts here and there - this blog post isn't all just secondary research. I used poptarts to recover from hard cross country workouts on 4 occasions - 9/5, 9/11, 9/28, and today. Those dates in September I didn't feel sore all the next day, and I was ready for my workout the next day. Today, I really hope my poptarts helps me after a hard hill repeat workout at race pace, with a long warm up and cool down. Cross country probs, right? 
TELL ME -  what's your "super secret" gym/gain food?

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atp

LIFESTYLE: HOW MUCH CARBS DO I REALLY NEED? #MacrobreakdownMania

October 13, 2014

It's time for the second of three installments of the #MacrobreakdownMania, where I, the nerdy Nikki tell you the bitty gritty of exactly how much of the three macronutrients (carbs, lipids, and protein) that we really need to survive. However, carbohydrates (CHO) seem to have the worst rep. Little do most people know, they're actually the most vital macronutrient out there. Where would we be without carbs? We'd be energy-less, tissue-less, and motion-less.



Carbohydrates consists of CHO (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen). It's functions are to make energy to preserve tissue, and to fuel your central nervous system. So, next time you're feeling sad about eating that last bread stick, think of it this way: would you feel sad for not fueling your metabolism or your central nervous system?

Carbs give us energy during workouts/activity by producing ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which kickstarts your metabolism to give off energy essentially. Not only do we need carbohydrates to fuel our workouts, but to replace the tissue lost in our workout if our workout was high duration or intensity.


image credit

Part of the reason that carbs get a bad rep is because the composition does break down into sugars. Simple carbohydrates inclue monosaccarides and disaccarides (single and two sugars). These easily break down, so if you don't use them ASAP they will store as glycogen in either muscle or tissue. These are found in processed foods, table sugars, fruits, and milk products
However, polysaccarides are complex carbs, which don't break down as easily. They include starch and fiber. They're found in vegetables, potatoes, rice, and whole wheat pasta and bread.

I can't tell each and every one of my readers exactly how much carbs you need (unless you e-mail me), however I can say that the recommended daily value for carbs is 45-65% of your calories. That's a big percent, more than the other two macronutrients combined. So, long story short, don't sweat it! Unless we're talking about exercise, then in that case, yes, sweat it. Happy carbo-loading, lovelies!


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dollar store diva

LIFESTYLE: HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO I REALLY NEED? #MacrobreakdownMania

September 25, 2014

We've gotten get general requirements of Recommended Daily Amounts (RDA) of our vitamins and nutrients shoved down our throats from birth. Yes, they're constantly changing, however so are our bodies. I am me, and you are you, and we are different. We have different hair color, skin color, digestive tracts, muscles, activity levels, BMIs, genders, and lifestyles. Why does the FDA try to put us all in one box with a big "RDA" bow" on it?

Luckily for you, my lovelies, I'm a huge nerd. Yes, I'd describe myself as a health-nut, however my "Nutrition and Physical Performance" class is turning me into a health NERD! I now have all of these calculations and facts about how much we need to eat and what we need to eat, based on our weight and lifestyle. I've decided to do a series called "Macro-breakdown Mania" where I get down into the dirty details about each of the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, and protein), and to hopefully shed some light on some myths about each of them. Why don't we start off with protein?


To determine how much protein our bodies need, we need to determine how active we are. A "sedentary" person, who doesn't exercise regularly needs 1.0 - 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram. An endurance athlete, who exercises regularly mostly with cardio and light lifting, needs between 1.2 - 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram. A resistance athlete, who does a lot of lifting at a heavier weight, and wishes to gain muscle mass, needs between 1.4 - 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram. Where you lie in your category depends on how often you exercise and the intensity of your exercises.
After your determine where you lie, you must convert your weight into kilograms. This can be done by dividing you weight in pounds by 2.2. For example, a 150 lb person weighs 68 kilograms. So, you take the weight in kilograms and multiply it by where you lie in the intensity scale. A cross country runner would lie at 1.4 for example. Here's the calculation for a 150 lb cross country runner:

68 kg * 1.4 g/kg= 95 g of protein.

 A gram of protein = 4 calories, so, that's 380 calories (95*4) of protein in your diet. That's 1/4 of your daily intake, the other 1/4 is lipids/fats and the other 1/2 is carbohydrates!

Proteins surprisingly are not a typical source of energy. One of protein's main functions is tissue formation. We can easily understand protein's function if we understand why runner's are naturally so skinny. Runners are endurance athletes that work out for an extended amount of time. Carbohydrates can only be fuel for so long, eventually your body will start breaking down a non-traditional form of energy, like protein. Breaking down protein means breaking down tissue, which means losing mass, which means looking skinnier and leaner, which means boom. Life mysteries solved.

image credit

What foods can we find this tricky macronutrient in? Complete proteins that contain every single amino acids include animal products (meat,fish, dairy, eggs, hemp and chia seed, buckwheat and quinoa). Incomplete protein sources that are missing an amino acid are vegetables, legumes, nuts and seed, and grains. However, if you eat them together, they make a full protein. For example, rice and beans together make protein (Chipotle fans rejoice). Plant protein is prominent as well, so enjoy that salad but maybe add some chicken, seafood, or tofu to get that extra punch.

image credit
However, just like everything else in nutrition and exercise science, everything is relative to the person's activity level, metabolism, and diet. Protein is very vital in the post-workout recovery process. If you eat more than your daily value (see above), then it will be stored in fat or glycogen unless it's used right away!


I hope this blog post helps you navigate this slippery slope of protein. Think of me next time you're wondering whether to put one or two scoops in your protein blender bottle!


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bloggers

Monthly Link-Up: September Goals!

September 05, 2014



Happy September, and happy new school year my lovelies! It's time to buckle down on the books and sip our newly released pumpkin spiced lattes. However we can't buckle down if we have nothing to strive for, right? That's why I'm joining my blogger friend Angie from mysocalledchaos.com for her monthly "goals" link-up. Here are some goals I wish to accomplished this lovely month of September.


September 2014 Goals
  • Starting using and utilizing my planner more
  • Be more thorough with things, don't rush
  • Start off the semester with all A's this month
  • Run sub-22:50 at theUMass Darmouth race
  • Start lifting 40 lbs
  • Do free-writes twice a week
  • Get in 8 hrs a week at work
  • Plan out HauteMess and DollarStoreDiva posts for the month of October
  • Do the dorm tour and VoxBox post
  • Become A-list on the Kim K game (very important)
These are things that I definitely want to accomplish this month, but now I have a way to track them! Check out the original post here.


How it works:
The linky goes live on the first Wednesday of each month.
  • Follow all three hosts: My So-Called Chaos, A Peek at Karen's World, & Jenee Thompson
  • Write up a post recapping previous goals & setting goals for the next month. The post needs to include the Monthly Goals button, use the code above!
  • Link-up your Monthly Goals post in the linky below!
  • Visit other blogs in the linky to show support!
Link Up Your Goals:

Please link up your Goals post!  The post must include either a link back or the button!
Monthly Goals




4th of july

STYLE: 4TH OF JULY OOTD

July 04, 2014

Happy 4th of July, lovelies! #MERICA Am I right? Well, here in the northeaster or the whole east coast for that matter it may not be a sunny 4th. Instead of sunbathing and enjoying white wine spritzer's we'll be rain-watching and grilling inside. Sounds like a dream, right? I really hope it is all a dream so that the whole weekend doesn't get rained out. 
Even if the fireworks are postponed that doesn't mean our cute outfits have to be! 

beauty

SERIES: BE YOUR VALENTINE SERIES/GIVEAWAY

January 24, 2014


Recently I was browsing other blogs and I came across a blog that does brand consulting, which is exactly what I'd like to do with PR, and has week-long e-classes. I'd love to take one when I get the money. However, I read a blog post with tons of sage advice for free. It was for those people with millions of ideas buzzing around in their head all the time, but actually wants to organize those thoughts and DO something. So, I created a "mind map."


It's not that pretty, but no mess is. I started with me in the middle. Then, I decided four categories that are important to me - Health, Writing, Experiences, and Relationships. Then, from these "sectors" of my life I picked out the details that were the most important to me.

Then, it discussed finding an overlap between your passions. I like health and nutrition/fitness, and I like to write and I'm decent at media production. But where does that intersect? The article said to either do something or just wait for inspiration. As for the professional part of my life, I decided to wait. I'm young, I have 3 and a half years left of my undergrad. However, I decided to make something new on my blog!




Here's where the challenge comes in! I'm so excited for this, I'm typing at the speed of light. I've always wanted to do something like a weekly series on my blog, this is my first try. Another one might arise soon, like beauty favorites or one to prepare for a perfect beach body.


Welcome to the "Be Your Valentine" weekly series! It's a great way to get into the valentines day spirit by loving the most important person in your life, yourself! Of course we all have our significant others, I have mine, but sometimes we have to show ourselves how much we really love and appreciate ourselves. This is INSPIRED by Karen and Katrina's "Love Your Body" series - but it's not copied! This challenge has to do with bettering yourselves and your mind, I'll leave the workouts to them. 

So, basically every week I want you to make two promises to yourself. One social promise, and one promise to try something new - simple as that. However you gotta stick to it all week and get back to me about it every week. I'll post every Friday. There are four more Fridays from now until V-day including V-day! There will be a chance to win a face mask, a revlon balm stain, and an inspirational card! Stay tuned for the result!

So, how do you join the challenge and giveaway? First connect with me. Follow this blog either on bloglovin or Google, follow me on twitter and instagram (n_vergak) and subscribe to my youtube. Also, you must comment only ONCE in the four weeks your personal goal and what you are going to try new, either on a blog post or on the youtube video!




This week, I pledged myself to stop waving off every idea in my head as another fleeting thought and actually do something. I never want to get stagnant in my life. Instead of just running every day and not having a set schedule for blogging, I decided to start doing more Zumba and the TIU challenge. And of course I decided to do this weekly series. I think this will be therapeutic, am I right?



I've always wanted to try "K-Nourish" Oatmeal/hot cereal. So, I grabbed two boxes of it and I tried it this morning with fresh strawberries. I liked it! It was brown sugar-y, warm, and filling. I also started doing Zumba classes! I wanted to keep active however I didn't want to get bored of running. In Zumba I work muscles, work up a sweat, and have a great time!


That's it! I hope you guys join in on this, comment below your two challenges or tweet/instagram me! Make sure you follow up for every challenge, EVERY FRIDAY!!

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blogilats

LIFESTYLE: HOLIDAY HIIT

December 21, 2013

'Tis the season for sweating. For myself and other athletes who's seasons are in the fall, the winter and spring are the only true seasons where you have freedom to do any exercise you wish. I love doing Pilates and Zumba, however lately I've been getting into interval training. This is not excluding the non-athletes out there, though! Intervals are one of the most efficient way to burn fat and build muscle because of how dynamic the work out is. Do this workout before christmas so you can thoroughly enjoy your Christmas meal, or after to burn it off. Or both!

My professional and fitness hero and goddess Cassey Ho of blogilates always constructs "Pop HIIT" workouts containing eight exercises that are meant to be done in an interval. HIIT stands for "high intensity interval training" and that's what it is. My favorite thing about intervals or "Pop HIITs" is that they mix between cardio exercises and muscle exercises. It's the fastest and most fun way to burn fat and build muscle at the same time!



I made this circuit festive by making it holiday themed! Do this 3 times through. 30 sec rest in between each exercise and 1 min between each set. You can do it!

1. Reindeer flying split lunges - 1 min
We're starting by working your quads, glutes, calves and hamstrings. Working these muscle groups will get your heart rate up right off the bat! This is a mix of jumping split lunges and wide-legged squats. do three jumps of the split lunges and then do a middle squat. Repeat for one minute.

Split lunges:
coreexercisestudio.com


2. Tree Topper Toe Touches - 1min 
Top the tree by laying on your back and reaching for your toes. This way you get some decorating done and work your abs at the same time!


3. Ice Skaters - 1 min
This one's for your glutes, calves, and heart. For this move you'll be doing the well-known cardio moves the skater, where you carefully hop from one leg to the next. Hold dumbbells in both hands for added resistance.

coreexercisestudio.com

4. Santa delivers around the world lunge - 10 each leg
For this move you'll just be doing an around the world lunge. It may look confusing, but you just keep one leg stationary while the other one goes back, side, then front. It's great for your glutes, calves, and quads.


5. Busy elf bicycle crunches - 45 seconds
Here's an ab blast - 45 seconds of bicycle crunches. Don't do them too fast or you won't see any results!
manualsport.net


6. Candy Cane kettle bell swings - 12
I loove me some kettle bell swings. They really target your leg and arm muscles. Do twelve of these.
kettlebellfitnessdk.wordpress.com


7.  Fighting shopper double cross jab - 1 min
Fight off those pesky holiday shoppers who want the same item as you! For this, you hook your jab diagonally across your body for two beats, so it's a double cross.


8. Milk and cookies oblique reach - 45 seconds
Burn off those milk and cookies with this oblique reach. Lay down on your back with your legs bent a little. Reach from the inside and touch your shoelaces or the top of your foot. Do this for 45 seconds



There it is! I hope you guys worked your tushies off. Tell me if you did, and send me a picture of how great and sweaty picture by tweeting it to @n_vergak with the hashtag #sweatyissexy. Only if you want, but this is something i'd so do. Even if you don't complete the whole circuit maybe you can pick up a few moves from here. I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Happy sweating!

Want to know the best HIIT Workout according to BUFFEDD? Check it out here.


athletic

LIFESTYLE: HIT THE GYM WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR ROOM!

March 07, 2013



When most people think about getting active, they think it requires an expensive gym membership and equipment, or going out and playing a sport. However, all you really need is 10-20 minutes a day and your own body. Medicine balls, yoga mats, and weights are a nice plus, however to quote the one true principle of pilates, your body is your most important weight! If you’re in the mood to work out but don’t feel like facing the public, don’t sweat it! (Well, you will be sweating eventually.)

My room not only functions as my sleeping chambers and homework den, but a home gym as well! All you need is a TV/Computer (preferably a laptop) and your most important piece of equipment - your body! Here’s two ways to gym it up the Boo Radley way:

1. Blogilates: Youtube is a never ending beautiful black hole of helpful DIYs and tutorials. It’s almost made it possible to not have to actually buy anything or have professional training for anything. Like the amount of stars in our universe, I don’t think we will ever realize what an immense amount of DIY is available. My favorite star in that universe is Cassie Ho of Youtube.com/blogilates. She is a ceritified pilates instructor. Her channel is regularly updated with 10-15 minutes workouts of either Pilates, “HIIT” (cardio), HIITilates (A mixture of both), or specialized lower body, abs, or even prom body workouts, and even diet tips! The most you’ll need is a yoga mat and two hand weights, but that’s workout specific. I am obsessed with her and her workouts, she makes it easy to look great without a gym subscription - just a subscription to her channel. As she always says, “I’m gonna kill you, and you’re gonna love it!”

2. XFINITY On Demand: In the same respect, the Sports & Fitness Section’s “Fitness Workouts” of XFINITY On Demand is a black hole of DIY Workouts. However, the selection is much larger. You can choose from headings such as “10 minute Workouts”, “Abs”, “Cardio”, “Total Body,” and more. The workouts range from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on how much time you have. No matter what, there’s always time for a workout!

3.  Simple workouts that you can do in your room or anywhere: Whether you’re traveling or in the mood to try something out, you can simply google easy at home workouts and many come up. 


Here’s one from fitsugar.com:

That definitely sounds like I need to try it!

Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise, so don’t forget about what you’re eating! Major diet changes aren’t necessary, but little changes can make a big difference. For example, switching your snacks from chips or candy to delicious greek yogurt or a pack of nuts will give you your protein for the day. Easy substitutions can be worked in to your daily diet without devastating you. Also, drinking a lot of water rids your body of toxins, keeps you hydrated and promotes overall health and weight loss.