A Surprisingly Good Fast Food Find

My darling roommate is a 6th grade teacher. She happened to have a plethora of tickets from a reading program her school did, and she decided to share the wealth with my family. I kinda laughed when my sister told me to meet the clan at Chick-fil-A, because I was pretty certain that there was not a THING on the menu that I would want to eat.

Well, I was wrong, and I'm not going to lie...I'm a little bit impressed. We used our kids meal coupons to feed the fam, and we were not disappointed. Who knew that Chick-fil-A offers grilled chicken nuggets, and that you can swap out your fries out for fruit? I most certainly did not. It was actually really good!  

 The calorie count is awesome! For the 4 piece grilled chicken nuggets pack it is 80 calories, 1 gram of fat, 17 grams of protein! AND they are made from 100 percent all-breast meat NOT pre-formed meat. It is cut really thin, and without all the fat. I was impressed. This meal was gluten free AND paleo approved...WHAAAAA?
Ummm...like I said...awesome. Also, the fruit cup only has 60 calories in it. Who knew I'd ever be endorsing fast food on the blog? I, of course, think that cooking at home is going to be the best option, but this is pretty dang good if you are on the run!

The winner of the July Jams Giveaway is Amber Handy! Email me at megolina21 at gmail.com and I will get you hooked up with your tunes!!

#30: 30 high knees in place

This one is easy, but great to amp up the heart rate. Just run in place, getting your knees as high as you possibly can! Do thirty on each leg for a total of sixty!

Sunday Sweets

For whatever reason I always love to bake on Sundays. It is a habit that I think started when I was a little girl and my mom used to always bake things on Sunday. I also think it is because I always have extra time on Sundays, and I don't feel bad spending a couple hours in the kitchen. I needed something to drop by a neighbors house, so I decided to whip up some of my Healthier Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

They aren't paleo approved, so I won't be indulging in them, but they do smell awesome. It is a great recipe to share with people who aren't so keen on fully healthified treat items because there are some great modifications that most people don't even recognize. Click HERE for a great list of healthy cooking substitutions that will allow you to healthify some of your favorite food items without having your family and friends want to leave the table and run to the nearest fast food joint. Chances are they may not even notice that you have made any modifications at all.

I always love hearing the little tidbits that are aired about what the olympic athletes are doing for their training, what they are eating, and the lengths that they go to for perfection. I'm sure you all probably remember at the last summer olympics when it was announced that Michael Phelps consumes somewhere around 10,000 calories per day during his intense training.

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CRAZY! He stated that his breakfast consisted of, "three sandwiches of fried eggs, cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried onions, mayonnaise, an omelet, a bowl of grits, three slices of French toast with powdered sugar, and three chocolate-chip pancakes." I'm fairly certain that would be the consumption of most people's entire day...and then some. You can read more about what Michael Phelps' training diet is like HERE.  

DAY #29: 29 Wide to Narrow Squat Jumps 

With these you are going to start in a narrow squat and jump up, landing in a wide squat. You want to get your hips back, and as low as you can with these. It is also VERY important to keep your knees in line with your ankles, not letting them track forward over your toes. These BURN I promise.
Tonight at midnight the July Jams Giveaway ends, so don't forget to enter!

I LOVE the Olympics!

Last night was the Olympic opening ceremonies, which marks the beginning of one of my favorite things in life. Insert Olympic theme song...BUMMMM BUMMM BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM...

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I absolutely LOVE the olympics. It is amazing to me to see such incredible athletes who have worked tirelessly to achieve goals, and do things that are sometimes beyond belief. I love seeing people excel with their talents. I quite frequently get choked up when I see an amazing dance performance, hear an incredible song being sung, witness someone finishing a race, and sometimes when I watch The Biggest Loser. When it comes to the Olympics, I usually cry on more than one occasion. How can you not get chills like crazy when you see an American win the gold, and hear our national anthem blaring over the loudspeaker. AHHHMAAZING. If I was on the podium I'm pretty sure I'd be bawling.  


If you are wondering where I got my love for the olympics I can easily answer that question...
Meet Papa Les...AKA my dad. He is a huge sports fan, and so the Olympics are right up his alley. He worked on the Olympic committee when the games were in SLC in 2002. He even has an olympic torch in his office.

 There is an exhibit in Park City that pays tribute to the 2002 games and my dad is pictured in one of the photos. 

Last night he was put in charge of babysitting the munchkins, and so he enlisted them in a little art project while they watched the opening ceremonies. 

 Adorable, right? I know. I hope you get to enjoy watching some of the most amazing athletes in the world this week as they show just how incredible the human body is. Maybe it will inspire you to push yourself a little more?

What is your favorite summer olympic event to watch? Do you get as emotional and excited as I do? My favorite event to watch is the gymnastics. However, we joked tonight that I become a huge fan of whatever is on at the time. watching things I usually don't care about. Archery? Sure. Fencing. Absolutely. Go team USA!

Day #28: 28 superman back extensions

These are AWESOME when you are working to improve core strength. Lie on your stomach face down with your arms stretched out by your ears. Arch your back lifting your feet and arms off the ground at the same time. Hold for a count at the top and then release back to the ground. Try and get your feet and arms as high as you can. 

Jump it!

I have discovered a love for jump roping. Ok, I should maybe say that I have rediscovered a love for jump roping, because I am quite certain that my 8 year old self was a jump roping fool. I have most certainly been passing my rediscovered love on to my clients, and I have been throwing jump roping intervals in to everyone's workouts. Jump roping is an AWESOME way to quickly spike that heart rate up, and it definitely works your full body while doing so.

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 Jump roping is also awesome because you can do it anywhere! If you are vacationing, take a jump rope with you and you will instantly have a workout plan wherever you may be. You can burn anywhere form 11-20 calories per minute when you jump rope. Meaning...if you throw in one minute jumping intervals here and there, you will be amping up that calorie burn a ton!

You can use a cheap-o jump rope that only costs a few dollars, or you can get a leather one that is a little more costly. There are jump ropes that will count your number of jumps, and you can even find ones with weighted handled that will increase your workout! So easy, so portable, so awesome!

If you are wanting to add some jump roping into your workout regimen, here are a few things you can do...
- Time yourself to see how long you can go without mis-stepping. Try to beat your record.
- Add in one or two minute intervals into a weight lifting workout
- Do one hundred jumps in between weight lifting sets
- Try to jump for two minutes, and then recover for one. Repeat this several times.
- Take your kids outside and have a jump roping party!
- Put on your favorite tunes and try to jump for a full song!
- Try some double unders! (Passing the rope under your feet twice with every jump)

Day#27: 27 double unders

Of course, with the theme of today's post, the challenge has to do with jump roping. Twenty seve double unders in a row. See THIS video if you need an explanation of what they are!

How Quickly We Forget...

I just got done reading my sister Nichole's recap on our Utah Valley Marathon adventure. I got all teary eyed and definitely got the chills when I read it...I'm totally lame like that. ;) I of course had to go back and read my Utah Valley Marathon Race Recap, and relive the whole experience again in my mind.

I had to laugh a little bit because I went through a series of emotions of...ohhh that was such an awesome experience....I hated that...I never want to do that again...I totally could do that again, and I am left wondering if I will do it again. Not that I need to make any decision about it right now, but I remember running through the finish line thinking. "someone please tell me to NEVER do that again." Oh, how quickly we forget. Right?

I am constantly amazed at people, in a good way. Sometimes I will get up in the early 5's to get a workout in so I have time to get done with my workout before I have to go work everyone else out. Although I thoroughly enjoy working out, I consider it a part of my job. I know that I have to be an example of what I'm preaching. It definitely motivates me to keep on keeping on. It's true that I do sacrifice a lot of time, sometimes sleep, and occasionally a shower to get my workouts in, but because it is part of my job it doesn't really seem like any sort of an amazing accomplishment to me. It is just what I have to do. However, when I go to the gym at these early hours, or when I drive to work in the dark of the early morning and I see others who are out getting their sweat on and making time for their workouts I am always extremely impressed.

It's easier to sleep in.
It is easier to make an excuse as to why work is to busy, school is too busy, life is too busy.
Guess what work, school, life, and everything else will almost ALWAYS be too busy.
It is easier to say you'll do it tomorrow.
It is easier to "start next week."

You get the point. My thoughts on the matter? EVERYONE IS BUSY. Which is why I am so impressed by the people I see sacrificing their time to make their workouts happen, to cook healthy food, and to incorporate healthy living into their normal, everyday lifestyle. Guess what? Being healthy isn't just going to happen to you, and if it does you are EXTREMELY lucky. You have to make an effort. You have to want it. You have to be willing to put in the time and the effort. If you don't nothing will change for you. It is just that simple. Everyone can make an excuse. Busy people make time for exercise every single day, and so can you.

DAY # 26: 26 Full sit ups

Lie down on the ground and do a full sit up, shoulder blade to shoelace style. This means every time you do a sit up you will lie all the way down so your shoulder blades are touching, and then every time you come up you will tap your shoe laces. Remember to keep that lower back pressed down, and keep your chin up off your chest so you are using the right muscles!

Don't forget to enter to win the July Mix Giveaway!

I Just Came to Say Hello...

This is my niece at the pool yesterday. I think we should all follow her lead.

I realize this song is not new, but I shazam'd it the other day and I CAN'T stop listening to it. It is my new favorite workout song. 

I could do a whole post on how I think Shazam is absolutely amazing. If you haven't made that a must have app on your phone, you most certainly should. Also...If you haven't put this song on your workout playlist I recommend you do it ASAP. It is like a dance party in my head every time I listen. New music is SO helpful to making a workout more fun! 

DAY #25: 25 Second Static Squat Hold 

This is a great exercise to throw into your workouts to add an extra burn! Simply get down as low as you can in a squat position and hold it there! Throw this exercise in after a set of  regular squats, jump squats, lunges, etc.   

Walk Like a Pioneer!

Pioneer day is one of those Utah holidays that I am a huge fan of. It's like a second 4th of July. More fireworks, more pool time, more BBQ's, and more fun! I have a lot of pioneer heritage. My great, great, great grandfather is Silas S. Smith, the man who was largely in charge of the Hole in the Rock Expedition that took place in southern Utah.

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It's a pretty amazing story. There are so many amazing stories about the pioneers in our lives that set the path for those of us who were to follow. Do you want to know what amazes me? How much these pioneers walked....and walked...and walked...and walked. So the emphasis of today's post, in honor of our pioneers? Walking. 

I have several clients who have lost a great deal of weight by walking. They are consistent with their exercise. They make time for their walking, and they lose weight. It is so important to include with walking with a healthy diet and some resistance training. \

The Benefits of walking

- It burns calories

- It is gentle on the joints

- It can get your heart rate going, which means you are burning more calories

- You can do it absolutely anywhere!  

- It requires no additional equipment

- It can help prevent diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. 

- It can save you money...because you can do it anywhere and without anything, you don't HAVE to have have any sort of membership to do it. 

- Depending on how tough you are, you can do it in all types of weather. 

-It's good for your mind! Having the time to meditate while you exercise is physically beneficially, but also mentally beneficial! 

If you are one who feels like you will never lose weight because you can't get involved in super intense exercise, don't forget how great walking is. Instead of taking time to eat more, or watch more television, go for a walk! It is a great family activity, and it can take you some pretty amazing places. Happy Pioneer day! Go for a walk in honor of your ancestors! 

July Jams Mix Giveaway

So...July came pretty quickly, right? I am hearing people talking about school shopping, and going back to school and I don't like it one bit. That is a lie. I LOVE school shopping. I wish everyone got to participate, even if you weren't going back to school. Well, obviously it's time for some new hits to be shared...so I bring you...

Jam's for July. I must say, this is a great line up.

Whistle - Flo Rida
Let Me Love You - Ne-Yo
Mi Amor - Usher
Wipe Your Eyes - Maroon 5
Good Time feat. Carly Rae Jepson - Owl City
Cough Syrup - Young The Giant
Dance Wiv Me - Dizzee Rascal
Right Here feat. Drake - Justin Bieber
2nd Round - Usher
Beauty and a Beat feat. Nicki Minaj - Justin Bieber
Run To You feat. T Pain - Flo Rida
Call Your Girlfriend - Robyn
One Thing - One Direction
All time Low - The Wanted
Mrs. Right - Mindless Behavior
Honestly - Hot Chelle Rae
Tonight - The Shakespears

To enter to win this mix giveaway...
1) Become a Muncher Cruncher follower, and leave a comment letting me know you are one :) For additional entries...
2) leave a comment letting me know what you'd buy if you were school shopping this year...or if you are. (I think I'd buy some Frye Boots.)
3) Tweet about the giveaway, facebook it, pin it, blog about it, etc...and leave a comment letting me know you've done so!

The contest will end Sunday July 29th at midnight, and the winner will be chosen on Monday July, 30!

DAY # 23: 23 Plank Rocks 

Get into plank position on your elbows. Rock your body weight forward onto your elbows as far as you can go and then back onto your toes. This counts as one rep. Do this 23 times! This is core work at its finest!

For more workout playlists click HERE.

Just a lil' Sunday Something

Today's post is nothing more than an update for our July Challenge. I can't wait to put all these together into a KILLER circuit workout!

Day #22 single leg squats

With these you are going to do 11 on each side. Single leg squats are great for SO many reasons. They are AWESOME for tonight your legs up because they force you to work your legs individually. They work your balance, and core strength as well which is awesome. If you'd like to make these a little more difficult, hold a weight in one or both of your hands.

Product Review: Artisana Nut Butters

There are always so many different brands of nut butters it can be hard to sift through them all. I am very picky about the consistency and taste of the nut butters that I eat. Since I began eating paleo, it was hard to omit peanut butter. (Mostly because I considered it a food group.) However, I've learned to like other types of nut butters now too. The people at Artisana sent me some of their awesome products to review.

 I tried the organic almond butter and the cacao coconut butter. Oh my goodness...so SO tasty. The almond butter was just the right consistency, and had an awesome flavor. Not to mention the stellar nutrition facts...

Ingredients: 100% organic raw almonds. That's it.  

 The coconut cacao butter was absolutely divine as well. It tasted like chocolate pina colada on my apples, and it is GOOD. BTW, eating apples sliced this way more fun than any normal way.

 They also sent me a bunch of other sample packets of their awesome products. So great!

If you are looking for some deliciously whole and nutty goodness, Artisana has some AWESOME products to offer. I would definitely recommend them!

DAY # 21: 21 Pushups with Mountain Climbers

Start in a regular pushup position. Do a full pushup and then a mountain climber on each side, bringing one knee into your chest and then the other knee into your chest. Go back into the next push up. Etc. These will get that heart rate up, and they will work your core and arms at the same time!

Time Those Goals

There are definite phases in life where working out gets old. When you reach these points, the best thing you can do is shake things up a bit. Make your workouts fun by doing something different. A great way to make your workouts different is by racing against yourself. Add a timer to your workouts, and try to beat your time the next go round.
You can do this with...

A ___mile run
A 1/2 mile sprint (or any distance for that matter)
100 Burpees
A certain circuit workout that you love
Your favorite running trail
A flight of stairs
Your own fitness obstacle course
Etc.

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You get the picture. Give yourself a challenge! You will feel motivated to try harder when you know what you want to beat!

Day #20: 20 Sumo Squats

You can do these with or without weights. Open your legs up wide, with your knees and toes facing out. Squat down as low as you can, and then stand back up and tuck your hips under. If you want to hold a kettle bell, some dumbbells, or a bar to make it more difficult, go for it!

Squat. Curl. Press.

My family ended the night last night doing fireworks. Pure awesomeness. I am firework obsessed.

Remember how yesterday's exercise challenge was Box Jumps? Well, along with our fireworks we egged my nephew on to see just how high he could jump. He's got some SERIOUS hops, and he kept popping up on our picnic table like it was no big deal. I wish that I had a picture of it because it was awesome. He makes me want to get better at my box jumps!

DAY #19: 19 squat curl presses

These absolutely have to be one of my favorite exercises. I LOVE them! They are so great because they are a full body exercise that is weight bearing, and they still get your heart rate up. Holding two dumbbells by your side, squat down in a full squat. Return to standing, do a bicep curl right into an overhead press. Bring your dumbbells back down by your sides and go right into the next squat. These are seriously the best, and my clients will definitely agree that I do them ALL THE TIME! They are so great!

More family time and a Winner!

This morning the Smith and Wilson ladies started the day out right with a group workout at the lab. It was so much fun! I'm telling you, if you are bored with your workout routines and such, find a workout buddy to help you get through! Working out with people makes it all MUCH more fun! Aren't they beauties? 

 

This afternoon we met up with Papa Les for lunch, which is always a good time. Can you tell these little ones just eat him right up?

This sad face was actually because of the child-size cup I had, but it should also be showing how sad I am that my sister Nichole and her kiddos are leaving tomorrow. I hate when fun comes to an end! :( 

 And if this isn't just the cutest thing you have ever seen, I really don't know what is...

 I love these people. They are always a treat. 

DAY #18: 18 box jumps

I am suddenly extremely obsessed with box jumps. You can do these with stairs, a bench, plyometric boxes, rock ledges, bleachers, or whatever else you can find. Basically you are just jumping from the ground to the bench with both feet at the same time. As my sisters have been here I've been pushing them to jump higher and higher on the boxes we have, and it is SO fun to see them progress! 


It is also time to announce the winner of the Xango product giveaway!! 
The winner is...

Congrats! Email me at megolina21 at gmail.com and we'll get you all hooked up with your winnings! 

Produce for Days

Today's workout was an awesome circuit workout. 

10 minutes of warm up intervals on the elliptical
50 assisted pull ups
50 air squats
2 minute sprint on the treadmill (I wish I could have sprinted more with this workout, but I am still trying to keep my foot healing)
50 step ups with a curl
50 step ups with a press
30 inchworm pushups
1 minute plank with oblique twists
50 springing lunges off the bench
1 minute plank with oblique twists
50 full sit ups
50 supermans
10 minutes of intervals on the stairs
It was sweaty and fabulous!

I have commented on my love for salads before. It is no secret that I have a put my salad construction skills to the test in many a salad bar establishment, but one of my favorites just happens to be a favorite family eating venue, Brick Oven. We went there tonight for family dinner and it was tasty!

 I felt like my building skills were adequate. My nephews were awe-stricken by how high my salad was piled, and they couldn't wait for me to dig in so they could see it tumble off my plate. I showed them, not tumbling at all. :) I love when I have produce for days.

 I am surely going to be sad when these sweet ladies go back to their homes. I have LOVED having them here. They are so amazing.

Twinner sunnies, stripes, and buns.

I am going to call it a solid day. Because it was. Give the circuit workout a try. It's a good one!

DAY #17: 17 Leg jacks in a plank 

Get into a plank position on your hands or elbows and once you have your form right, jump your legs out and in, in a jumping jack motion. Do 17 in a row...or more if you want a challenge!

Truth be told.

Truth be told.
I have not stopped for more than like 5 seconds today since I woke up in the 5's, and I won't be done until tonight at the 11's.
Truth be told.
I could use a nap.
Truth be told.
I am going to keep this post short and sweet.

Day #16: 16 Frog Jumps

These are another great cario burst! Start on one end of the room and squat down and touch the ground like you are a frog. Spring forward as far as you can go and land in a low squat, touching the ground again. Continue this until you get to 16! If you are looking to increase the intensity of this exercise, do it with dumbbells in your hands.

Grocery shopping is hard to do.

Oh the empty fridge...You know when you get to that point where you open your fridge 20 times, magically hoping that something else is going to reappear next time you open it? I'm there. I HATE when I don't have any fresh produce. It kills me. Good thing I'm going to eat dinner with my family tonight :) Elaine never disappoints with the fresh fruits and veggies. I love her for that.

I have  a love/hate relationship with going grocery shopping. I hate it because I hate it. Going to the store is kind of a pain. I swear I almost always forget something, I usually buy way more than I planned on, and I always walk past the cereal isle with a little sadness in my heart. (Ever since eating paleo I miss cereal more than anything.) I love it because I know I will have awesome options to eat for the next little while, I'll have a ton of delicious fresh produce, and I will be prepared. Making good food choices is allllll about being prepared. These tips also help me when I am trying to be a smart and healthy grocery shopper...

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- Make a menu. Decide what your schedule is going to be like for the upcoming week. Figure out what your are going to eat for all of your meals.
- Make a list. When you have your menu you will be able to make a list of what you are going to need. Having a plan at the grocery store is KEY. Wandering down isles aimlessly is what gets us into trouble, and leaves us lurking in front of the Oreo cookies. Click HERE for my Muncher Cruncher approved grocery list. This list is before my paleo days began, but it is still a good one.
- Don't shop hungry. This is a common tip that you probably hear all the time, but it is a good one. When you grocery shop on an empty stomach you will want to eat everything, so you will more than likely buy everything. This will cause you to stray from the plan. It also will help you to avoid binging on samples. Click HERE to see just how costly Costco samples can be on your diet.
- Avoid your weaknesses. If you know you venturing past the bulk candy is going to mean you are going to want to grab lots of sugary sweets, don't even venture past. Don't put yourself in temptations way! Be sure to get some healthy snacks that will keep you armed with good food when you get home!
- Wear a medical mask or your running shoes. The bakery is always going to smell amazing. I don't know how to tell you to avoid that...except to cover your nose and sprint with your cart.

Go prepared when you grocery shop, and you will be prepared when you come back home to stay healthy and keep up with the good habits that you have worked SO hard to develop!

What are you grocery shopping tips and pitfalls? Do you have a hard time avoiding the less healthy items?

DAY #15: 15 burpees 

Burpees are killer. There is just no way around it, but they are also GREAT. They are a perfect way to spike that heart rate up, they are a total body exercise, and they are killer so you feel super tough and legit doing them....or maybe after you are done with them. With these burpees, try to get your chest all the way down to the ground. Go for it!

Saturday Sweating and Sewing

Have I mentioned that I love Saturdays? I think just like 20 million times...Well, in case you were wondering I still do. I did a KILLER kettle bell workout this morning courtesy of GPP Fitness. I found this site via Janetha, at Meals and Moves. She has been working out at GPP, and she is legit! Her blog is also legit btw... The GPP people workout in much the same way that I do, so I love to look at what their workouts consist of. On top of just being a fitness nerd, I always love new ideas and fresh ways of doing things! They posted the workout titled, "Kettle Hell," (and rightfully so) on Friday. It went a little something like this...

...and it most definitely lived up to its name. By the end of it all you are looking at 300 squats and 100 dead lifts. I wanted to throw the 25 lb KB at the wall when I was done. My legs were TOASTED, but I loved the challenge!

After my workout I met up with my family, and my mom took us to the quilt store. One thing you must know about my mom, she is an AMAZING quilter. I will never, ever, have the patience, skill, attention to detail, creativity, and whatever else that she has, BUT she is going to attempt to teach me how to quilt! Isn't she nice?

I am super excited to learn, and it is very clear that I have no idea what I'm doing. Good luck mom!

DAY #14: 14 Kettle Bell or Dumbbell Swings

In honor of my workout today, I thought I'd throw some kettle bell swings into the challenge. I LOVE these. They are a great full body workout, and they are awesome for the core! You can substitute a dumbbell for a kettle bell if you don't have one. Just hold one dumbbell with both hands.

Do you love Saturdays as much as I do? Are any of you quilters? If so, send your wisdom my way! Do you ever incorporate the kettle bell into your workouts? I LOVE them! They are awesome.

The Luckiest

So, most people say Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, but I would say my day was quite lucky. Work was great this morning! I was able to get my mom and sisters in for some intense plyometric work today. They did absolutely awesome!

 Aren't they darling? Their workout was a schmorgas board of squat jumps, box jumps, sprints, ladders, pushups, TRX core work, and planks. They killed it!

I also had a sweet client of mine bring me some fresh produce out of her garden...lucky indeed. Have you ever had these sweet little yellow tomatoes? They are MONEY!

After work, my mom, sisters, and I met up with one of our favorite families in the whole world. Em and I have been best friends since I was in high school. We were inseparable, and she is so incredible! 

We met up at Pizza Factory, home of my favorite salad bar, and chatted, ate, and chased children for a few hours. It was so much fun!

 Spending time with the people you LOVE is definitely lucky if you ask me.

Post lunch, my family and I went to see the Katy Perry movie, which was darling. I had pretty low expectations, and I loved it! We weren't super hungry for dinner after our big lunch, so we decided to make our yogurt our dinner. 

 Worth. Every. Bite. What is unlucky about that? I'd say nothing.  I hope that your Friday the 13th was full of luck as well! :) 

DAY #13: 13 military pushups 

Pushups are awesome. I make all of my clients do them all of the time. They won't be of much worth to you, unless you do them right. Make some evaluations with your pushup form and make sure you are doing them correctly. Start on your toes if you can and drop to your knees if you need to. These are a great addition to any workout,and they work the ENTIRE upper body. They are just awesome. If you throw these into your workout daily, but will be looking strong and toned!

July Fitness Challenge Check in!

So, at the beginning of the month I issued a fitness challenge for July.  With this challenge I have been throwing a whole bunch of new exercises at you, one a day to be specific, in hopes that you may decide to try something new out with your workouts! At the end of the month all of the exercises will combine to make a KILLER circuit workout!

How are you doing? Have any of you tried any of the new exercises out? I hope so! Remember that with each exercise there are modified ways to do them, so you can always start small and build up! Continue to push yourselves! You are awesome!

DAY #12: 12 Jumping Split Lunges on each side
These are an AWESOME addition to any circuit workout because they are sure to get your heart rate up. Start in a deep lunge with your right leg forward, jump up and switch you legs in the air, landing in a deep lunge with your left leg forward. This counts as one on each side. Continue jumping and switching legs until you have done 12 on each side. So awesome, totally killer. :)

Xango Product Review and Giveaway!

The lovely people over at Xango sent me some of their products to review, and I was more than happy to do so! As you know, I love having the opportunity to try any new products. Not only is Xango something I haven't tried before, but it is also a local-based company. I love that!

Xango prides themselves in their all natural products, which I am all about. As soon as I heard that I was definitely on board to try some new things out. The first product I tried was the all natural Xango juice. If you'd like to read more about the origin of the juice click HERE.

 This juice is packed full of nutrients and a great addition to a healthy diet. This description comes from the Xango website, "Harnessing mangosteen’s remarkable whole-fruit properties, XANGO Juice provides biologically active compounds and phytonutrients—including xanthones, catechins, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins—to support respiratory health, immune health, intestinal health and joint health.* Substantiated by human clinical studies, XANGO Juice also supports cardiovascular health and healthy metabolism." This product tastes fresh, and since testing it I have discovered that there are quite a few people who have included Xango juice in their health regimen, and feel as if they have greatly benefited from doing so. 


There is no question that my favorite product that the people from Xango sent me was the Favao protein powder. I am a huge fan! 

 Not only is this protein the PERFECT addition to my favorite protein shakes, but there are a whole collection of recipes that are awesome on the Favao site. The nutrition facts for this powder are great too!

 Not only are there great recipes on the Favao site, but there is also a whole slew of videos with great exercise tips. LOTS of good stuff, you should check it out!  

 I was also able to check out the 3sixty5 vitamin packs. These are AWESOME! I am a big believer in taking a multi-vitamin, and these vitamin packs make life easy because you can simply grab a pack and go. It is the perfect combo of all of the nutrients you need in one easy access lil' compartment. Such a great idea right?

All in all I was very impressed with the Xango products! I think that there is definitely good to all of the products they offer, and with so many different products there is something for everyone!

Now to the GREAT news. The fabulous people at Xango want YOU to have the same opportunity that I had. You can enter to win all of the products that I just reviewed. Awesome right?

To enter to win:

1) Become a Muncher Cruncher follower, and leave a comment telling me you've done so.
2) Tell me which Xango product you'd be most excited about trying, and leave an additional comment
3) Tweet about it, blog about it, facebook it, or pin it and get an additional entry for each one! Good luck!

This giveaway will end on Tuesday July 17 at midnight! The winner will be announced on Wednesday July 18th.

Get Your Family Moving!

When my family gets together we are always up for something fun! I love that my family is always willing to get out and do active things. Tonight we went ice blocking as a family, and it was a blast!

 It was perfect temperature outside. Utah surely knows how to do summer nights right.

 I think that if families would realize just how fun it is to get outside and run around they would be healthier, and much happier!

 I mean what is better than sliding down grass on a block of ice only to have to turn around and run back uphill right after? :)

 Good weather. Good family. Good times. That is for sure.

What does your family do to stay active?

DAY #11: 11 inchworm push ups

These are THE BEST. I have my clients do them all the time because they are great for your legs, core, and arms. Doing these will give you a solid core, and will definitely strengthen everything else in the meantime. If 11 is too hard for you, start with one and build up. If 11 is too easy, go for the gold and add more in!