Running the HIIT way

Running.. last year if I heard that word I would start to shudder. Some people love it and others absolutely hate it. For me it's not so much the exercise as the distance. After mile 3 or 4, I would start to get so bored of it that I just stopped running altogether. That is, until I learned about HIIT! I am not a long distance runner and for me that is okay! But to burn the same amount of calories as I would running long distance, I use H.I.I.T! High Intensity Interval Training.. This type of exercise can be used for basically anything, but for this post, I will stick to running. HIIT burns fat at a faster rate, and you also get the "afterburn" long after you have finished your workout! So I love this type of running :)


My H.I.I.T treadmill workout (I will typically do this 2-3 times a week):
#1. Warm-Up for 3-5 minutes at a speed of 3.5 (speed walk)
#2. 2 minutes at a speed of 5-6 (jog)
#3. 1 minute at a speed of 8-9 (sprint)
#4. Repeat number #2 and #3 approximately 6 to 8 times!
#5. Cool down for 5 minutes at a speed of 3-3.5.

That's it! Here is a great video all about it that you should watch!! Cardio Workouts to Tone it Up! HIIT! EPOC :)

Gluten-free sweet tooth :)

I had a bit of a sweet tooth today so I made some of my favorite gluten free cookies from Emeril and tweaked it a bit by adding some oats. :)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Ingredients:
1 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup gluten free oats

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in bowl and stir until smooth. Place balls of dough to ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Press down with a fork in two directions. Bake in oven for 10 minutes.

Metabolism 101

So.. what is metabolism? It's basically the rate you burn the calories you consume... In order to lose weight, you need to increase the total calorie burn (which is called total energy expenditure). Pretty simple right? You should also know that your bodies burn calories 24/7, regardless of whether you work out! Because your body does this, it needs energy all the time, which is why it is important to NOT skip meals!! I know most of you think that eating less will help you lose weight, which is true, but skipping meals will not help you reach your goal! The trick is to eat smaller portions a day (about 5-6 meals), this way your metabolism will speed up. You see, when you skip meals, you are slowing down your body's metabolic rate in order to conserve energy.

Ways to kickstart your metabolism:
#1. Get rid of that excess fat! Cardio, Cardio, Cardio... It's important. Swim, bike, play a favorite sport, go for a walk, run, or hike.. do anything active to start kicking up that heart rate of yours!
#2. Strength Train... (Note to the ladies: you will not look like a bulging gym rat of a man if you lift weights, so do it!) Muscle is metabolically active, so the more muscle you gain, the more calories you will burn! I personally do not like going to the gym and doing reps by myself, so I take certain strength training classes or watch videos online ( Tone It Up  BodyRock TV).
#3. Eat foods that kickstart your metabolism!
    * The Meta-D Drink from livestrong has a mixture of awesome spices and drinks that increase your metabolism including cayenne pepper and apple cider vinegar) Note: drink it fast, it tastes disgusting.
    * Water.. yes I know it seems simple, but increasing your water intake helps digest foods and remove toxins from your body so try to drink at least half your body weight in ounces per day.
    * Foods high in protein and fiber
    *Green Tea. I drink this stuff almost daily, it is so amazing. It has awesome antioxidants and lowers your LDL levels (bad cholesterol).

Hope this helped a bit!

Tone It Up

Tone It Up is a company based out of California, founded by my favorite personal trainers ever, Karena and Katrina. They have a great nutrition plan for those of you who may need a little kickstart in portion    

sizes and meal plans. It is a little pricey though ($150), but it includes a membership for life, a recipe book, and a guide to their workouts. This is not a strict typical diet plan, but rather a healthy lifestyle. They have contagious upbeat personalities, which I love! They also have a youtube channel with all of their workout videos. I use these videos almost daily in my workout routine at the gym.

Below I posted a link to the video I did today (even though it is supposed to be my Sunday Bumday). It is a great workout for your arms, shoulders, and upper back!

A little bit about me

So, I have been living in Arizona for a little over three months now. It's been an interesting transition to say the least. I was so blessed to have found amazing roommates and best friends while in California, that it was hard to say goodbye.

I miss those girls, I miss the beach, and (I never thought I would say this) I miss school. I never seem to know what state I will be living in each year. You would think after living in Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Arizona, and California, I would be totally okay with moving. However with each move brings new changes, whether it be a new group of friends, a new job, a new church, a new neighborhood... After living in California for five years, I finally felt like I belonged. So this move back to Arizona was the hardest move yet. I know God has a plan for me here, and who knows what state I will be in next year! Right now, I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11-14 almost every day: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you." Even though I feel like a tiny speck of sand sometimes.. God has a future for me. On top of that, He says that he will listen to me when I pray to him! That is just absolutely amazing to me. I love everything about this passage, and even though I may not know what I will be doing or where I will be living a year from now or 10 years from now, I am comforted in the fact that God will give me a hope and a future.

After quitting my 72-hour/week job as an EMT in Los Angeles and moving in with my parents, I find myself having quite a bit of free time! So instead of sitting around and doing nothing (besides taking Anatomy and Physiology, searching for a job, and applying for Physician Assistant schools), I spend most of my time learning about fitness, nutrition, and health. So, in addition to blogging about my day to day adventures, I will share what I have learned and hopefully it will inspire you to become healthy and fit!