Tune Me Up Thursday's

5 Retro Workout Tunes

My idea of retro is 80's and 90's.  This era had great beats behind their sound that was so motivating and just made you want to get up and dance...no matter where you were.  When selecting your workout playlist, try and search on the internet for songs from each era (or your CD/record collection)  You may run into some tunes that bring back famous memories.  Check out these bodaciously jive tunes....buuuddyy!

1) La Bouce-Be My Lover
2) 2 Unlimited-Tribal Dance
3) Eurythmics-Sweet Dreams
4) The Romantics-What I Like About You
5) The Real McCoy-Another Night

Workout Wednesday's

What is your favorite class?  Kickbox, yoga, spinning?  All are fantastic, but one of my favorite formats to teach is Bootcamp.  Instructor/Trainer Perspective: it gives you free range as to how you want to lay it out.  Participant/Client Perspective:  Time efficient for completing your cardio and weight training.  Here is a sample bootcamp class sure to elevate your heart rate, burn calories, increase stamina and make you sweat!

Complete all exercises as listed once through for 45 seconds.  Take a 2 minute break.  Repeat all exercises for a second set.   Try this program twice a week (with at least a day of rest) for 3 weeks and see the improvements in your cardio, strength and stamina.

1) Prisoner Squats

2) Mountain Climber

 3) Dumbbell Shoulder Press

4) Split Squats

5) Dumbbell Wide Row

6) Plank

7) Push-ups

8) Burpees

Notice anything missing?  Did you say no arm exercises?  You would be 100% correct.  Eliminating isolated biceps and triceps exercises will make your workouts very time efficient.  Plus, they are already being included with all upper body and stabilizing exercises.  Just because you are doing a wide row doesn't mean you are solely working your upper back.  Since the arms are bending you are also involving the biceps.  The legs and core are also working to help keep you stabilized.  An exercise that you once thought worked one part of your body has now been proven to give you an entire body workout.

Tasty Tuesday's

Thanksgiving can be a very difficult meal to put together...especially when you're trying to keep it healthy.  Stuffing, potatoes, pumpkin pie; all can contain high calories and copious amounts of sugar.  The solution to a healthy and nutritious Thanksgiving can be found at Eating Well.

One of my favorites is listed below but feel free to look around the entire site for more fabulous ideas. 

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

From EatingWell: November/December 2007 — Subscribe to EatingWell Magazine Today!

Roasting sweet potatoes is even easier than boiling and mashing them. Maple syrup glaze transforms this ultra-simple dish into something sublime.

12 servings, about 1/2 cup each
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Nutrition Profile

• Diabetes appropriate
• Low calorie
• Low cholesterol
• Low saturated fat
• Low sodium
• Heart healthy
• Healthy weight
• Gluten free

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
3. Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F until hot, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition
Per serving: 96 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 5 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 118 mg sodium; 189 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (230% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv)
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

Just Another Manic Monday

De-clutter your life.  Keeping everything that has ever come into your life make you a pack rat.  You will eventually run out of room to store anything and your space will look very messy.  The way that you live reflects your lifestyle so why not have a garage sale or donate it to a charity to give happiness to someone else.  Making your space look neat and tidy will give you stability and calmness in your own life; whether at work or at home.  Cleaning up a space and continually reducing the clutter will lead to a more organized daily timetable as it will give you the sense of responsibility and accountability for your own life.  If you are not meeting deadlines or are always late for appointments this could be a reflection of how you live.  Try writing out your daily tasks (office, house, life goals, etc) and see the difference it makes in keeping you calm and making you more time oriented.

Untangle that Mess

Unplug everything.  Label each cord.  Screw your power strip to the underside of your desk, or to the wall.  tie off excess cordage with bongo ties or cable ties.  Reattach your (wisely labeled) connector cords, gathering them as you go and bundling them with more ties or even carabiners to minimize tangle.  Now, don't you feel better?

Fitness Fashion Friday's

Today's fashion will be featured from Sportchek for the men.  The weather is starting to get a little cooler.  Why not cover up in style and on the cheap.  Sportchek is having a great sale on Nike apparel.  Take a gander this weekend to see what great finds you can snatch up.

Nike Apparel 25% Off Our In-Store Ticket Price
*displayed price includes discount

Nike Practice Mesh Pants ($33.74)

Specifications

• Body: Dri-FIT 116 g
• 100% polyester warp knit mesh
• Lining: 100% polyester warp knit

Nike Classic Fleece Zip Up Hoodie ($29.99)

Tune Me Up Thursday's

Muscle & Fitness' 25 Greatest Power Songs of all Time

25     Iron Man-Black Sabbath

24     Instant Karma (We All Shine On)-John Lennon

23     Piece of My Heart-Janis Joplin

22     Time 4 Sum Aksion-Redman

21     Black Dog-Led Zeppelin

20     Rip This Joint-The Rolling Stones

19     Droppin' Plates-Disturbed

18     the ride of the Val-kyries-Richard Wagner

17     Walk-Pantera

16     So What'cha Want-Beastie Boys

15     Chest Day-Frank Zane

14     Another One Bites the Dust-Queen

13     Lose Yourself-Eminem

12     Right Now-Korn

11     Move B***h-Ludacris

10     1812 Overture-Pyotr Tchakovsky

9      Gonna fly Now-Bill Conti/The Rocky Orchestra

8      Mama Said Knock You Out-LL Cool J

7      Smells Like Teen Spirit-Nirvana

6      Hit 'Em Up-2Pac

5      Eye of the Tiger-Survivor

4      Fight the Power-Public Enemy

3      Back in Black-AC/DC

2      Enter Sandman-Metallica

1      Welcome to the Jungle-Guns N' Roses 

Workout Wednesday's

Legs Workout

1. Step-ups

Works quadriceps, hamstrings and butt.
• Stand facing a bench, step or stairs. Feet are together with your hands at chest level.
• Firmly step onto the bench with your left leg. Begin extending your hip and knee of the left leg until the right leg is beside it. Remember: squeeze the butt.  
• Slowly begin lowering the right leg back to the ground by hinging at the hips. Maintain your knee behind the toes and body upright. Both feet and hips are facing forward throughout the execution of the exercise.
• Keep the left leg on the bench for the suggested number of repetitions before switching legs.
Intermediate: Add weight.
Advanced: Add speed to the movement. As soon as your lunging leg returns to the starting position, tap the ground and quickly move upward again.

2. Walking Lunges

Works inner and outer thighs, butt, quadriceps and hamstrings.
• Stand with both feet side by side, hip width apart. Take a large step forward with the right leg. Ensure you are landing with the heel first then forefoot. Bend both knees and begin lowering yourself until the front thigh is parallel with the ground and the left knee is almost touching the ground. Both legs should create two 90-degree angles. Do not lean forward, and do not let your front knee move forward of the toes.
• Pushing off from the heel of your front foot, lift the back leg and swing it forward so you are back to the starting standing position.
• Now take a large lunge forward with your left leg and repeat the lunge. Alternate legs with each lunge.
Intermediate: Hold a set of dumbbells in each hand at your sides or on your shoulders.
Advance: Add a torso twist. Hold the dumbbell at chest level and rotate your torso toward the lead leg (whichever leg is in front). Keep your body upright.

3. Lying Hamstring Curl Slides

Works hamstrings, butt and back.

• 
Lie on your back with your feet shoulder width apart, knees bent with your hips off the mat and arms at your sides. Each foot is on a glider.
• Slowly begin extending the right leg as you firmly press into the floor with the right foot as you are sliding the leg straight. Do not lock your knee. Maintain your left leg bent and hips off the floor.
• Return the right leg back to the starting position and repeat with the left leg.

Intermediate: Glide both legs at the same time. Keep your hips off the mat as you continue pressing into the floor with both feet.
Advanced: Lift and keep the support leg off the mat while gliding the other leg.