Tuesday, November 26, 2013

The Living Room Workout


This time of year every thing gets hectic;  malls are crowded, gyms become crowded during the prime time hours, you feel as if you have 100 different things you need to do each day.  So squeezing in your workouts can be quite challenging.  You want to go to the gym but realize by the time you park your car, change in the locker room, find the equipment you want to use, you only have 20 minutes to actually workout.  What's a busy gal to do?  While take that workout inside.  You don't need a lot of fancy equipment to get in a good workout in the comfort of your own living room.  I have provided two great workouts for you to try when you're in need of a workout and need to do it at home.  Both workouts can be done in 30 minutes or less.

home workout

Workout # 1

*Perform each exercise for 1 minute, you can rest 30 seconds in between each exercise or perform workout without any breaks.  Repeat this routine 2-3 times.
  1. Squats  
  2. Walking Lunges
  3. Push-ups
  4. High Plank w/knee drives to elbows
  5. Tabletop crunches
  6. Side Plank with crunches
  7. Reverse Lunges
  8. Dips on chair
  9. Side Lunges
  10. Up/down planks

Workout #2

*Perform each exercise for 1 minute, you can rest 30 seconds in between each exercise or perform workout without any breaks.  Repeat this routine 2-3 times.
  1. Mountain Climbers
  2. Knee Drive to downdog
  3. Frogger Jumps
  4. Squat Jacks to Burpees
  5. T-push-ups
  6. Skater Lunges
  7. Triceps Push-ups
  8. Side Lunge with leg lift
  9. Side Plank with knee drives
  10. Squat Thrusters
The first workout is good for a strength based routine if your looking for more of a weight routine.  The second workout is a combination of strength and cardio which will increase the overall calorie burn.  Let me know how the workouts go via facebook!

In good health,
Andrea
SaFire Training

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Stress Free Meals


We all are busy and the last thing we want to do at the end of a long day is to cook a meal.  Let alone a healthy one if we haven't properly snacked throughout the day.  Well below are some great recipes to help you achieve your clean eating lifestyle and not have to spend hours in the kitchen.  One of my favorite tools to use in the winter months is my crock-pot.  I love to throw meals together and let it sit all day and come home to a freshly cooked meal.  One thing that is nice about crock-pots is it's hard to go wrong in what you put in them.  This past weekend I cooked recipe #1 & 3 both turned out wonderfully.  The pineapple chicken slow cooker recipe was a little easier to cook then the baked ziti that had a little more prep.  So below are 5 great recipes for you to try on a cold winter night.

Recipe #1

Light pasta bake

Baked Ziti

Click below for the recipe! 

Recipe #2

Southwestern Flank Steak 

southweststeak_article

By Cara Lyons
Click here for the recipe.

Recipe #3

clean-eating-pineapple-slow-cooker-chicken-v-1

Slow Cooker Pineapple Chicken

Recipe #4

Chicken Cacciatore

ChickenCacciatore_Article
By Cara Lyons
Click here for the recipe!

Recipe #5

Slow Cooker-Honey & Garlic Chicken

Slow-Cooker-Honey-Garlic-Chicken

In good health,
Andrea
SaFire Training

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

How do I know which fitness dvd to purchase or to workout with?

There are so many fitness dvd's & youtube videos out there now how do you know which one is right for you?  Well trick question, kind of.  Which ever workout you feel motivated to do, which ever instructor you feel you have a connection to and whichever workout makes you feel like you did something.



Most everyone is familiar with the Jillian Michaels, Tony Horton (P90x), Insanity options but there are other great instructors that you might not have discovered yet.  If you go to youtube and search whichever program or fitness inspiration you feel motivated to do that day you will find thousands.  Just because the more famous people pop up first does not mean they are the best for you.  Scroll down and see what other options tickle your fancy.  You might find a fitness pro who lives in a different state or country then you but is fabulous at what they do.

I personally have found many good instructors this way.  I am a fan of http://www.bodyrock.tv/ for those of you looking for more of an intense workout at home.  I discovered them on pinterest of all places.  So if you keep your eyes open you can discover fitness professionals all around on non-traditional fitness platforms, such as pinterest, instagram, and facebook.

I would highly suggest for you to keep looking if you haven't found that instructor or program that you can do at home.  We all have those days where we want to workout but don't want to go to the gym.  That is when you get on youtube and see what you can find.  You might be surprised and what you discover & find a new workout routine that you fall in love with.

 As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more fitness tips & inspiration.

In good health,
 Andrea

Thursday, November 7, 2013

What it takes to stay motivated


Studies show if your intrinsically motived your more likely to stick with your workouts.  To be intrinsically motivated there are no outside factors contributing to your fitness or goals you have.  You are truly intrinsically motivated if you enjoy working out and would do so even if there was a "pill" you took to get the results you want.  Many people are not intrinsically motiavted so whats a gal suppose to do?  Well below are some tips if you feel yourself losing your mojo for working out.




High Plank

Motivation Tips

  1. Set exercise goals: Each month set new SMART goals.  A smart goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & time bound.  So don't just say I want to lose some weight- say how much and by when.
  2. Find an accountability parter: Find a friend or someone at the gym who you think would hold you accountable to your workouts.  Everyone needs that person who will help them workout on a rough day.  They don't feel like going but they know that person is counting on them to.  That is why bootcamp & having personal trainers are important.  A good instructor & trainer will care when you are there and when your not.  They are there to help you succeed.
  3. Have a positive attitude: Sometimes looking at your attitude and the energy your putting out there is all it takes to change your thoughts & mind.  Feeling like you enjoy working out is sometimes the first step in taking your fitness to the next level.
  4. Find something you enjoy: There are tons of different classes, workout crazes & equipment out there.  You are bound to find something you like and may even love.  Even if its just walking that is always a start.  There are tons of classes and trainers out there that will help you find your niche.  Just don't give up and say working out is not for you.
  5. Write down your workouts: Put your workouts into your calendar, and plan for those during the week.  A lot of time people lose motivation because they didn't plan.  They get frustrated with themselves because they told themselves they would work out but never said when, what day or what they were going to do during their workout.  So plan ahead and make time on Sundays to map out your week.
  6. Create a motivation board: Cut out pictures of people who inspire you, what your goal of working out is, positive words, emotions or anything else that will help get you to the gym.  Creating a vision board helps you stay in tune with your goals & gives you that extra "should I really have that second cookie, drink or helping of food" voice in your head as well.
Follow those tips and before you know it you will be motivated to keep your routine even over the busy holidays which are quickly approaching.

As always check out www.safiretraining.com for more fitness tips & tools for everyday use.