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!