Bi's, Tri's, Back and hammy recovery

Post leg day my hamstrings are hurting. .that good, aching, burning, you know its working kinda hurt. .  So I just want to touch on muscle recovery then get into my workout from today.

General rule of thumb is to not work muscle groups back to back.   When you lift weights you are essentially tearing muscle down and you need to let them recovery so they are larger, more defined, stronger. There are some ways to help in muscle recovery and ease the pain....

■Sleep - your body goes into recovery mode and that includes your muscles... make sure to get enough!

■Diet - proper nutrition  helps to feed muscles, making them perform better and recover faster

■Stretch - and warm up .. one of the best things I can do for my sore legs is to go for a brisk walk and then stretch them out.  Think of your tight muscles like a wound up rubber band.. by smoothing and stretching you will work out the kinks

■Salt bath - Epson salts in a bathtub work wonders for detoxing and relaxing tired muscles.. I kick it up a notch with the Arbonne essentials detox bath soak... its like epson salts on speed ;)

■Massage - oh ya baby... work out that lactic acid, relax and rejuvenate. RMT's at one of the best holistic health practitioners out there.. well worth the money!!! Worst case scenario give yourself some squeezes, or try to convince your significant other to give you one... bribery always helps ;)

There was no way I was going near my legs in the weight room today so Maddy and I worked on biceps, triceps and back.. our workout looked like this:

Elliptical 25min

Rotated between three exercises to touch each muscle group →

Hammer curl **fuzzy but you can see the pic here too :) notice the dumbbell looks like a hammer.. rather then sitting flat
Tricep push up on bench ** pictures of me.. difference is where hands are placed to target triceps
1 arm row **see pic of Maddy with the kettle ball

Easy curl bar seated bicep curl
Dips
Reverse flys

Cable triceps press
Incline branch curls free weights
Lat pull down machine

We did three sets of each exercise, aiming for 15reps.. remeber.. the last ones should be really hard to get through!

Enjoy your day and get to the gym!!! Xo
Kara

Power Breakfast.. and we're not talking coco puffs

double double coffee to go? bowl of sugary refined carbs? nothing at all?

So often we don't give breakfast the recognition it deserves and whether it is because we are rushing out the door, don't "feel" like anything, or simply have eaten Count Chocula every Am for the past 20+ years, we can start today to make better decisions about the most important meal of the day... (how often have you heard this?  Because it's true!)

First things first - have a glass of water. May not taste great, you my not want to, but just do it ok!?!? Your body has been out of food and water for how many hours? (hopefully anywhere from 6-9 ). You need to "break the fast" (yes, this is what breakfast means) and get your body up, working, and in production mode! Your bodys natural response to not eating for so long, is to slow down your metabolism & conserve energy. By continuing this "Fast" you wont be burning the calories you want in order to lose weight.... So let me say this loud and clear... SKIPPING BREAKFAST does NOT help you LOSE WEIGHT.

I find, also, that when i have a good, healthy breakfast I am more inclined to chose healthy options for the rest of the day.

There are many studies on school and work performance, energy levels, weight loss, mood swings, etc and if you are a numbers person and like studies and stats and such - check them out..some amazing differences..... all of them leading back to the fact that eating a healthy, clean, well balanced breakfast is the way to go.

Some examples of some great, quick and easy breakfast ideas:

-Scrambled egg, salsa on a whole wheat tortilla
-oatmeal with maple syrup and fresh berries
-homemade granola, unsweetened greek style yogurt (I add in a scoop of protein powder and mix with the yogurt and some crushed flax seed)
-brown rice cake with natural peanut butter and sliced banana
-toasted Ezekial bread with mashed avocado (seriously - so good)
-Homemade protein balls or bars **Please skip the cereal bars that contain more sugar then a chocolate bar
-Protein smoothie **This is my kids go-to breakfast and because I use Arbonne protein that is a vegan based protein and easy to digest with no issues of allergies, I love giving it toe them often filled with different fruits, greens, flax, almond milk - whatever i have in the fridge can go in!
-Protein Pancake - Recipe below because it is AWESOME, filling, can be made in advance, and tastes great :)  **This is my go-to breakfast with a smoothie post workout

 1/2 cup (ish) oatmeal - I like the large flake and usually just grab a handful

2scoops Protein powder

1 scoop fiber boost

dash cinnamon

1/2 mashed banana

1 egg (local) + 1 egg white


**Mash it up, throw it into a pan, flip, cut, eat.  i will make this in advance sometimes too and just reheat. Serve with REAL Maple syrup or peanut butter

Pea Protein - So Much Better then WHEY!

Makes a big pancake - I cut and keep some

I now you would rather be getting a few more ZZZ's, but the above idea really truly take 5 min or less. 5 minutes to start your day off on the right foot. Developing good habits can be tough but once it is worked into your schedule, you wont even notice! Set a good example for your kids - do you expect them to eat before school but not yourself?  Why are you putting their health first, and your health last? Show them how important it is.  Your body and your brain will thank you :)

XO
Kara

Its getting HOT in here.. so....

Sweat... I love it. I can feel the toxins, the dirt from my environment leaving my body. I can feel my immune system getting stronger. I can feel my body relax. Any way you can get your body sweating is a good thing!  (Ahem) 

The Sauna is my reward after pushing my body hard through a workout.

There are so many benefits to having a sauna.. just internet search and you will see why you should also be feeling the heat.

Here is a couple tips that I use to get the most out of my 10min down time post workout.

Brush or rub your skin... you will bring your blood to the surface of your skin and promote circulation in your body. It also feels incredible and your skin is more touchable and smooth (bonus!) .

Enjoy the heat..sink into it, relax, clear your mind by dismissing thoughts that enter.. focus on the present and not the thousand things you need to do today.

When you are dripping with sweat, jump into a cool shower... seriously.  It will close your pores,  get your immune system pumping and invigorate you for the rest of your day. I love to give my skin good rub down with my Arbonne sea salt scrub. (Did you know your skin is your biggest organ? Treat it well!) .It is made with all marine botanicals and really completes the detox process.

This, my friends, is the best reward you can give yourself. Trust me, start your day with a hard workout (today was chest and back with my girl Maddy.. ouch!!) Sauna, and scrub, you will feel more energized, friendlier, more social, better able to take in work tasks, family issues, child meltdowns, and the regular crazy run that we call life :)

Deep breath and take a few moments for yourself ~> YOU deserve it!!

Enjoy the ride! Xo
Kara

Ps... just to cover myself.. check with your doctor before! :)

You Are what You Write

YES, this is what my journal looks like..welcome to my brain!! ill post a pic every now and then so you can get a good idea :)

LOVE my Journal - Reminds me of a dear friend. Get something personal to you!

preprinted addition to my Journal - add in weight lifted

You need to keep a journal. You can talk about your time in the gym, your clean eating, how you are doing Everything right..but guess what...you cant fool your journal. Looking at it in black and white really shows you how you are taking care of yourself..no memory loss, no embellishing the truth, no white lies...

There are many many reasons to keep a journal!!

#1 - it keeps you accountable... you cant cheat your journal and so you can ACCURATLEY see your progress, where you need ot improve, when you cheated etc.  I have Not eaten a whole pie simply becasue i didnt want to see it in print! and the same goes for your exercise plan!

#2 - You will notice your habits, the things you do over and over again. This is important as your body gets used to things.  You cannot repeat the same workout for months on end and get the same results.  Or another example, you dont notice results in your obliques (side of your belly) but looking back you see your "regular" ab workout, and maybe it doesnt contain enough exercises you need to address that trouble area.

#3 - Your Goals will appear before your eyes!  Honestly - you write it down and becomes real, tangible, and your subconscious brain will put things in place to accomplish it! - Write it, Read it, Believe it!

#4 - It will help you track your progress. I LOVE seeing when i go up weight.  For example, Bicep curls - I am currently curling 12lbs.. the last time i did biceps I noticed I could be doing more, so in my journal I wrote - "Up weight to 15 next round" - well actually i just wrote an up arrow and a 15, but you get the idea.  Then I track my progress from 15, did i complete all reps? was it hard? etc SEEING NUMBERS go UP is such an incredible feeling!! your prgress is also shown in your body measurments, your BMI, your weight loss/gain etc.

#5 - And finally - it keeps you motivated! You are writing your workouts, your food, your progress and your feelings!!!  You add in motivational quotes, dream board pictures, recipies...whatever makes you happy, and keeps you going!!!

Do a little dance★★★★★

I am currently away in the beautiful city of Montreal for the annual Canadian Arbonne Conference to learn and grow as a consultant and to have some crazy fun with my team and sidelines.

Although technically I am "working" really, it feels much more like a vacation..and we all know how hard it is to stay on track on vacation right!

Honestly..here's my thing.... no matter where you eat there at always good and not so good choices. I hope that when you're away you choose unique restaurants that are very much a part of the local foodie scene. .fresh, local ingredients. Last night some friends and I went to an incredible restaurant, shared many dishes (incl dessert) and had a few glasses of wine... food is one of the greatest joys of this life..and indulging a little is ok.... fantastic even! This is not what kills the diet and packs on the pounds...it is the every day habits that do that. 

Ive attached a pic of the meal...duck, pork chop, steak, scallops...OMG ... really truly amazing and restaurant is owned by an incredible chef Chuck Hughes..total celebrity crush going on.. especially after tasting his food!!!!!

\Also....one of my favorite exercises... DANCING!!! When you dance the night away. As long as you at not consuming copious amount of booze and soda.. you are golden!

An hour of dancing can burn anywhere from 300-600+ calories depending on your moves ;) ... plus it works different muscle groups and gets your heart rate pumping! Personally I need little alcohol to become a dancing queen and at this point on my life dont care what my crazy moves look like to anyone else! Just there for a good time :

Lastly - Make sure you drink Loads of H20!!!

Flying home tonight and cant wait to see my family and back at the gym! Before I depart going to take a 8km round trip hike up Mount Royal here in this beautiful city.... always looking for ways to burn calories, bring a sense of self and peace!! Decided instead of the large hotel, to stay In a Buddhist Meditation Center and it was amazing to be able to come back after fun and craziness and relax, mellow and meditate!

Xoxox