Tag Archives: workout

Oct23

My Favorite HIIT Cardio Workout

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I have always been the type of person that starts a certain workout and sticks with it until I get burned out and then I eventually move on to the next. As I have grown with my cardio and weight training, I have found that my body absolutely loves the workout switch-up. So outside of running I try to do a variety of different things throughout the week just to keep my body guessing.

Recently I was turned on to HIIT, (High-Intensity-Interval-Training) HIIT is an enhanced form of interval training, and exercise strategy with alternating periods of short intense anaerobic exercise with less-intense recovery periods. HIIT is a form of cardiovascular exercise, usually HIIT sessions vary from 4–30 minutes. (Source: Wikipedia) This is my absolute favorite thing to do now! I have learned that I am not a long-distance runner(just check the finish time of my last half marathon) Although I LOVE running I thoroughly enjoy running short and quick intervals that literally kick your booty!

Here is an example of one of my favorite HIIT sessions:

Warm-Up:  5 Minutes (3.5mph, 4% Incline)

Intervals:

 20 Seconds  (8mph, 4% Incline)

10 Second Rest (5.5mph, 4%)

20 Seconds (8mph, 5%)

10 Second Rest (5.5mph, 5%)

20 Seconds (8mph, 6%)

10 Second Rest (5.5mph, 6%)

20 Seconds (8mph, 5%)

10 Second Rest (5.5mph, 5%)

20 Seconds (8mph, 4%)

10 Second Rest (5.5mph, 4%)

Recovery: 5 Minutes (2.5mph, 1%)

Wow, I’m tired even writing that out! This might look easy but trust me, it is not! You will start sweating like crazy after minute one of intervals and you will be dripping wet by the end. My legs are always shaking and my face is as red as a tomato as I walk out of the gym. Don’t worry about the ‘mph’ and incline, choose a speed and incline that works for you, make sure that is challenging but still doable.  When I first started doing HIIT my high-intensity speed was 6.5mph and now I am running at 8mph(barely). Before you know it you will find that you get quicker and quicker and you will want to run even faster.

If you are looking for a quick and challenging workout HIIT is your answer.

HIIT

Sep18

Day 129: September 17th 2013

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129

 

Breakfast

Coffee. Lemon Water. Tea

Lunch

Chips and Salsa and a Tomato (boring, I know)

Dinner

Veggie Smoothie

Workout

1 Mile at the gym, feeling a little under the weather today…my body was telling me to lay low. I have been working out hard lately and I think my body was trying to tell me something. That is one thing I have learned, when your body talks LISTEN. I have had small injuries last for WAY too ling because I did not listen.

Here’s to a better day tomorrow,

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Sep17

Day 128: September 16th 2013

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128

What a beautiful Monday this was(now, that is saying a lot coming from me…I HATE Mondays)

Breakfast

Coffee Time! I used to always drink disgusting poison creme in my coffee, but I finally found a clean solution for my occasional cup of coffee: a dash of Almond Milk and a couple of drops of Blue Agave sweetener.  Yum, Yum, Yum.

Running late this morning and did not have time for my green smoothie so I am making up for it by drinking a few extra cups of herbal tea today!

Lunch

Veggie Sandwich:

Avocado, Tomato, Onion, Cucumber, Pickles, Mustard, Sea Salt and Pepper…on Whole Wheat Bread.

Dinner

Homemade Veggie Tacos:

Black Beans, Romaine, Tomato, Avocado, and Onion

Simple and so filling!

Workout

A nice long and heated session of Anusara Yoga focused on arm strength. Half way accomplished my first reverse wall climb, Ill post a pic when I can do it without falling a million times! Then finished off my workout with a 15-minute weight session focusing on arms.  Early dinner, late workout=a beautiful night.

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Aug13

Day 85-96: July 31st thru August 11th

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Well health world, I apologize for my absence, I have had a crazy couple of weeks. Work has been insane and since I am so exhausted by the time I get home and work out I really didn’t feel like posting.  Plus I was terrible at taking pictures…I was seriously busy.  Too busy.

So in my time away, I lost 12 pounds! Yayy! My 2-week cleanse really helped jump start my weighloss. Also, not drinking alcohol seems to really have a huge effect on my weight. It was sobering(no pun intended) to go 14 days with no alcohol at all. I realized that although I love the occasional drink or two, life sober is beautiful. I got so much done and I was super motivated and energized.  I don’t think this means I’m gonna quit drinking forever, (last night I had a glass of champagne…okay two!) but I do realize that I drink way too much way too often. Alcohol is a depressant and I am not a depressed person so why drink so much? Here’s to a new semi-sober me.

Paired with the ‘no drinking’ rule I had NO dairy and NO meat, now this is pretty easy for me because I already do not eat those things, but I did notice through this cleanse that I was getting a little more experimentive with different raw and natural foods.  It’s exciting, now if only I could get my husband to eat the same way, it’s annoying sometimes to make two different versions of the same dinner. Although we make it work, it would be nice to eat the same!

So to sum up the last two weeks…after I finished my cleanse on August 5th, I kept up with my healthy eating, I did have some wine on Thursday and there were a few cheat days mixed in, but fairly clean eating and working out still ensued so I am still on may way to being the healthiest version of myself. Have not given up yet.

I am considering doing weekly posts instead of daily posts, I never wanted this blog to become stressful and the daily posts are really stressing me out, I feel so guilty when I don’t post. So I say weekly posts might be better.

Thanks to those of you that continue to support this blog, you inspire me.

Till next time,

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Jul31

Day 84: July 30th 2013

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Breakfast

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Hot Lemon Water. Detox Tea. Super Smoothie

Lunch

photo n

A medley of veggies and some lemon/cucumber water.

Workout

Day 2/Level 3 of Nikki Sharp’s Workout Plan=TIRED.

Then did a bunch of ab workouts!

Dinner

gfh

Vegan Chili. So easy and so yummy!

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Jul30

Day 83: July 29th 2013

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Breakfast

q

Hot Lemon Water. Detox Tea. Super Smoothie

Lunch

photo

Spinach Salad

Workout

Day 1 of Nikki Sharp’s Workout Plan

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And then a little yoga, needed some therapy and a good way to forcefully stretch my pinched nerve

Dinner

I know that is is so bad, but I have just not been hungry at dinner time lately. I snacked on some chips and guac before my workout and then snacked on a cucumber after yoga…and I was content.

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Jul29

Day 81: July 27th 2013

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Breakfast

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My usual tea. If you don’t have a good tea infuser(Like me) coffee filers work great!

Had my super smoothie too!

Lunch 

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A spinach salad with grilled onions and tomato with a little piece of bread (NO DRESSING and still so yummy!)

Workout

A short one today, Day 5: Nikki Sharp’s Workout Plan

Dinner

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Purely Raw Veggies…Felt like I needed some extra enzymes in my belly.

justagielwhoknowsnothing

Jul29

Day 80: July 26th 2013

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Breakfast

photo

Hot Lemon Water. Tea. Green Smoothie

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I don’t usually eat breakfast, but I was hungry today. Grains with dried blueberries and strawberries.

Lunch

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Left over half sandwich and some mustard and crackers

f q

Spruced up my Green Tea today!

r

A nice visit from this beautiful creature

Workout

b

My workout buddy, encouraging me the whole way through my at-home workout tonight.

Dinner

x

Not very hungry after my workout this evening so had some ‘good fat’ avocados and hot sauce with tortilla chips.

Here’s to a sober Friday night!

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Jul26

Day 79: July 25th 2013

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Breakfast

1

Had my Hot Lemon Water, Super Smoothie and this wonderful ‘Toxin Cleanse’ Green juice from Nektar….a little gingery for my taste, but otherwise good! I wish we had Nektar where I live!

Lunch

3

So tired from such an early work day grabbed a Togo’s veggie sandwich today. Only ate half and I was stuffed!

Workout 

Nikki Sharp’s Day 4-switched this day up with Day 2 and did a very LONG session of HIIT at the gym. It was awesome and my legs felt like jello.

Dinner

Had a bagel and then took a nap before heading to the gym, when I got home I was exhausted had my skinny me cleanse tea and went to bed.

Thought you all might want to see my wheatgrass progress, very excited to grow my own and looking forward to cutting and juicing.

5 6 4

Learned a lot on my first batch and looking forward to the next.

justagirlwhoknowsnothing

Jul24

Day 77: July 23rd 2013

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Breakfast

6

Started my Skinny Me Tea(Australia) 14-Day Detox today. It was hard to swallow the leaves, but other than that the tea is great! Looking forward to my results.

Also had my Super Smoothie, Hot Lemon Water and Green Tea.

Lunch

1

Veggie salad with a bell pepper from my garden, it may be little, but it was good!

Afternoon Snack

2

Needed a pre-workout snack today, I was starving. Got a good intake of turmeric with all that mustard!

7

Some green tea and a good fortune.

Workout

Nikki Sharp’s Day 2: Level 2 WOW. Love me some HIIT workouts! Changing my life.

Dinner

5

Mushroom, wheat noodles with onion and broccoli.

4

My night cap: Cold Lemon Water to go along with my Colon Cleanse.

I would like to state for the record that I believe that I am finally coming around the corner with this weight-loss fiasco I got myself into. It’s time for some serious results, I know change doesn’t happen overnight, but I slowly feel myself changing. Down 7 pounds since July 16th. Doin’ It!

justagirlwhoknownsnothing