Hearty Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

 

There is nothing like a warm, savory, hearty soup when it's cold outside. This Chicken and Wild Rice soup checks all the boxes (and my kids love it). This has been on repeat at my house since Thanksgiving (we used leftover turkey for that one). It's pretty versatile and can be made allergen friendly. I have always made mine gluten and dairy free. Let's get to the good stuff...

What you need: 

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalked of celery, copped
• 1 container (8 oz) baby bella mushrooms, chopped
• 3 TBSP flour (or gluten free flour works great)
• 2 TBSP minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 4 TBSP butter, vegan butter or avocado oil
• 1/2 cup wild rice (not the quick kind)
• 1/2 tsp rubbed sage
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 cups shredded chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken for this)
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk 
• salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

1. Heat 1 TBSP oil or butter over medium heat in a large stock pot
2. Sautee onions, carrots, celery and garlic until onions start to soften
3. Add mushrooms and stir until they start to soften
4. Sprinkle in the flour and add butter or oil and stir until the flour is absorbed by the veggie mixture
5. Add rice, sage, thyme and broth
6. Cover the pot and let the mixture come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 40 minutes or until rice is cooked
7. Stir in chicken and coconut milk
8. Season to taste 
9. Enjoy!

Tips to make this quicker and easier: 

*have shredded rotisserie chicken frozen and ready to go at any time

*used pre-mince garlic

*while carrots/onions/celery/garlic are sautéing, use that time to chop the mushrooms

*speaking of carrots, throw in a big handful of baby carrots and save peeling and chopping

Your January 2026 Snowed-in Workout

 

Thinking that maybe you’ll just stay in today/tomorrow/this weekend and avoid the snow-covered roads and crazy cold temps? Me too! But don’t let your body suffer by skipping your workout. Do the E.H. Fitness snowed in workout…I’ll be doing it as well!

Here's the deal: Each Tri-set contains 3 strength moves and 1 cardio burst for a calorie killing circuit workout. Repeat all exercises for 1 minute before moving onto the next exercise in a tri-set and repeat each tri-set three times before moving on to the next. Minimal rest between sets is encouraged to keep your heart pumping as well as getting the most calorie burn and strength gain throughout your workout. In these 30 minutes, you can burn hundreds of calories…so get moving!

Here's the work:

Warm up: 1 minute jumping jacks, 1 minute stair climb

Tri-Set #1

Traveling Lunges: Lunge around the house. Make sure to press through your heel on your way up and keep the knee from coming over the toe.

Push Ups: On your toes or your knees…or even against a counter. Just make sure to keep your abs in tight.

Bicycles: Keep your eyes on the ceiling and never pull your head/neck with your hands. Bring your shoulder towards the opposite knee.

Cardio Burst — Squat Jumps: Explode out of the squat and then land with soft knees.

Tri-Set #2

Tricep Dips: Do these off of a sturdy chair or step. Dip down so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Pull the legs in toward the body to make the dips easier or straighten the legs to make them harder. If you need even more of a challenge, lift a foot off the floor.

Walking Planks: Start in plank position on your forearms then stay in plank while pushing your body up to your hands, one arm at a time, and then back down again and repeat until your minute is up!

Back Extensions: Get on your belly with hands and legs extended…lift the chest and legs up off the floor while contracting your lower back and butt. Keep your abdominal muscles tight during this movement and make sure to breathe.

Cardio Burst — Stair runs: Go as fast as you can up and down the stairs. No stairs, no problem, do high knees instead.

Stretch!

TRAINER TIP: This is an intense workout so make it work for you. If you are feeling too winded or can’t repeat all sets and repetitions, don’t beat yourself up. Take frequent breaks and cut down the time to 30 or 45 seconds.  On the flip side, if the workout is not challenging enough for you, do each move for as long as you can or increase the Cardio Burst times.

Exercising in the cold...know how to do it right!

It’s winter in the Midwest, so that means fair weather one day and then cold fronts the next (watch out for tomorrow's temps). Don’t get caught in the frigid temps without knowing how to exercise safely in the cold. Just follow a few simple tips:

• Cover Up: When we are cold, our body focuses most of its heating effort to the core to protect our heart and other organs. Therefore, make sure to cover up your extremities (arms and legs, hands and feet as well as your head/ears).
• Choose layers: Our bodies generate a great deal of heat when we exercise…enough to make it feel as much as 30 degrees warmer that the actual temperature, so dress in layers when exercising outside; you can always take off clothing as you start to heat up and put layers back on if needed. Wear fabric that is a moister wicking material as your first layer then proceed with cotton or fleece layers as well as a waterproof layer if it is snowing or raining. For those with asthma or working out in temperatures below freezing (sub 32 degrees), cover your mouth with a scarf or mask.
• Hydrate: Even if you don’t feel thirsty or sweaty, you need to drink lots of water. The recommended amounts are the same for cold weather as they are for hot weather: 8 oz of water before the workout, 4 oz every 15 minutes of activity and 8 oz post workout. You can still get dehydrated in the cold so drink up.
• Check the weather: Before you venture out on your walk, run, hike, etc. make sure that the conditions in your area are safe. Snowstorms, icy conditions, hail and driving rain are not appropriate weather in which to exercise. I was just introduced to the weather phenomenon "snow squall" last week and it was wild!

Too dangerous to work out in the great outdoors or can’t get to the gym because of the road conditions? No problem, click here for the Snowed-In Workout for a total body indoor workout that combines both strength and cardiovascular training.

BE ALERT: Can you recognize hypothermia?

Hypothermia occurs when the core body temperature falls below 95 degrees. This is a serious condition which can cause irregular heartbeat and even death if not treated immediately. If you’re working out outdoors in the cold, watch for these signs of hypothermia.

• Excessive shivering
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Slurred speech
• Exhaustion

Get medical help immediately if you feel these indicators or think you or someone you know might be suffering from hypothermia.

Hack the Hardest Part of Exercising

The hardest part of any workout isn't how heavy one lifts or getting in that final mile of a run/walk or even figuring out what to do for the day's exercise. 

Do you know what it is for most people? 

Getting started. 

That's it. 

If you can simply begin your workout, you've done the hardest part! Whether it's getting to the gym for a class, walking out the door for a jog or getting on your mat for at home yoga, once you've done that one thing, you are WAY more likely to continue and finish the workout planned than if you don't start at all...right? 

Psychology Today gives an in depth and researched article on how to get "unstuck, get-started and stay on track." Here's a few of the article's tips (exercise specific for our purposes here). 

1. Even the smallest step forward still gets you closer to your end goal. So, if you are wanting to run a marathon, even 5 minutes of running is better than not running at all. Want to be less winded when walking? Get out and walk for 5 minutes. Wan to be more flexible? Do a short yoga YouTube video. You get the point.

2. You can do things even if you don't like them. Yep...we can do hard things; things we don't like to make our lives healthier. If you feel like you don't like to exercise, the key here is to find a way to move your body to maintain health and strength that you can tolerate. Don't like fitness classes? Find a video to do on your own, start to walk or run or turn up your fav music and dance around for 20 minutes. Don't like to lift weights? Maybe yardwork is your thing. 

3. Break your goals down into bite sized pieces. Sometimes that big goal (running or walking a half marathon, squatting 200lbs, exercising 30 minutes a day), feels super overwhelming and then we don't end up doing anything. Small steps will still get you there. Start by walking a half mile, squat with your own body weight or exercise just 5 minutes a day. You can build from there!

4. Create a plan. This is key. Put your workouts on your calendar and then do them...just like with any meeting, appointment, happy hour, etc. Write down your goal and what you are going to do to get there. Sometimes we need help with these things...and thank goodness, because health coaches like me wouldn't have a job otherwise. Reach out to someone who has accomplished the goal you are working towards or a professional for guidance (I'd love to help-email me here: erin@ehfitness.com. 

You've got this...GET STARTED!

Wellness Reset 21 Day Challenge

Increase your energy, decrease your sugar cravings, sleep better and get stronger: that's what the 21-day Wellness Reset is all about. Plus, you can do the challenge whenever it fits into your life.

Who would benefit from the solo-style challenge?

• those that are self-motivated when it comes to food plans and exercise routines
• those that prefer to work at their own pace
• those that need a bit of direction when it comes to workouts, what foods to choose and recipes to make those foods tasty.

What's included in the solo-style challenge? 

• A complete manual of how to do the challenge
• All the suggested meals
• All the grocery lists
• All the recipes (in link form and written out for your convenience)
• A full body strength training workout
• FAQ section
• All in one PDF for easy reference
• All for $59

How do you get this challenge going? Simply e-mail me at erin@ehfitness.com telling me you want to do the E. H. Fitness Wellness Reset!

4 Tips for Exercising in the Heat

It's summer and that means some heat and humidity (or a lot of both). As I started my outdoor workout this morning, I was drenched with sweat within 2 minutes; it reminded me that it's a new season and new precautions are recommended. 

Keep your family and yourself safe while being active in the heat! 

4 Tips for Exercising in the heat:

• CHUG-A-LUG! Down about two cups (16 oz) of water and hour or two before exercise. Drink ½ cup (4 oz or about 2-3 gulps) every 15-20 minutes during exercise. And be sure to continue drinking water even after your workout is complete to ensure that you are properly hydrated. 

• TAKE IT OFF: Wear light colored, breathable clothing. If you’re starting your workout in the morning and it is cool out, make sure to wear layers that you can remove as your body heats up.

• SLATHER IT ON: Working out in the sun is a great way to work on your tan and get vitamin D, but also an easy way to get too many rays. Don’t forget the water proof sunscreen, hat and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s damaging rays. Sticking to shady areas is also recommended when it's super hot.

• SLOW IT DOWN: Your body may need up to 14 days to acclimate itself to warmer weather, so when you start out, slow down for the first few workouts to see how your body responds to overloading when in the heat. Slowly increase your duration and intensity as your body becomes used to the heat.

BONUS: Get it done early! If possible, plan your workout during the coolest part of the day-usually the early morning. 

The biggest thing when working out in the heat is to stay hydrated. As long as the body is hydrated it can regulate its temperature, but if you aren’t ingesting enough water, your body starts to store heat inside, raising your core temperature which puts your organs and central nervous system at risk…yikes!

So what happens if you get overheated? You can be at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Check out the symptoms of each in case you or someone you know needs help.

Heat Exhaustion:

• Dizziness, fainting, headaches
• Moist skin
• Upset stomach/vomiting
• Weakness

Heat Stroke

• Dry, hot skin (no sweating)
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures


If you or someone you know is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

• Call 911 immediately

While waiting for help:
• Move to a cool, shaded area
• Remove any heavy clothing

• Drink cool water and apply cool towels or pour cool water on body

More recommendations from Mayo Clinic.

No Gym? No Problem!

 

I've moved! Well...I've moved gyms.  This state-of-the-art fitness facility has everything a trainer and trainee can dream up to help meet wellness goals. It's also conveniently located at 107th and Roe in Overland Park.

And did you know that you don't need a membership to this gym to train with me? That's right, you can work with a trainer without paying extra gym membership fees. However, if you are interested in joining a gym, this 24-hour facility is top notch.

Interested in getting started or don't know where to start? I would love to help.

Email me at erin@ehfitness.com to chat about working together to meet your fitness and wellness goals. Need more info about training with me, check out my website-it has all the things. 

30-minute, No Equipment, Full Body Workout

Sometimes you just need a straightforward workout than can be done quickly without any equipment and this one is a great one. 

30-Minute Bodyweight Strength Workout

Here's the Deal: 

Complete 3 rounds of each circuit by doing each move for 45 seconds. Feel free to take short breaks in between exercises. 

Here's the Work:

Circuit 1: Lower Body Focus

1. Squats – Regular bodyweight squats, go deep.

2. Glute Bridges – On your back, drive hips up.

3. Bulgarian Split Squats (Right Leg) – Rear foot elevated on chair or step.

4. Bulgarian Split Squats (Left Leg)

5. Wall Sit – Hold squat position against a wall.

Circuit 2: Upper Body Focus

1. Push-Ups – Modify on knees if needed.

2. Superman Hold – Lay on stomach, lift arms and legs.

3. Triceps Dips (on chair or low surface)

4. Pike Push-Ups – For shoulders.

5. Plank Shoulder Taps – In high plank, touch opposite shoulders.

Circuit 3: Core & Full Body

1. Plank to Push-Up – From forearm plank to push-up position and back.

2. Leg Raises – Lie on back, lift legs up and down.

3. Bicycle Crunches – Elbow to opposite knee.

4. Bodyweight Reverse Lunge to Knee Drive (Right)

5. Bodyweight Reverse Lunge to Knee Drive (Left)

5 Reasons to Strength Train with a GLP-1

If you’re taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss, inflammation or diabetes, adding strength training to your routine is super important and can make a huge difference in your overall health. 

5 Reasons to Strength Train While Taking a GLP-1:

1. Keep Your Muscle While Losing Weight

GLP-1s help you drop pounds—but they don’t just target fat. You can lose muscle too. The American Diabetes Association estimates that up to 40% of weight lost on these drugs is muscle mass.

Strength training helps you hold on to your muscle, so most of the weight you lose is fat, not muscle and not strength.

2. Keep Your Metabolism Happy

Muscle burns more calories than fat, even when you’re just relaxing.

Building muscle helps your body burn more energy, making it easier to keep the weight off long-term.

3. Better Blood Sugar Control

Both GLP-1s and strength training are great for blood sugar, especially if you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Together, they work even better—helping your body use insulin more effectively and stay balanced.

4. Protect Your Bones

When you lose weight quickly, bones can get a little weaker.

Lifting weights keeps your bones strong and healthy now and as you age.

5. Feel Strong, Confident, and Energized

Losing weight and regulating blood sugar is great—but feeling strong, capable, and confident? Even better.

Strength training improves balance, posture, and energy, so you move through life feeling awesome.

If you're interested in starting strength training (at any level). I can help! Simply email me at Erin@ehfitness.com. 

Why you should walk outside...even when it's cold.

Walking outside is one of the simplest ways to get exercise in our daily lives. It's free, you don't have to go to a gym or use equipment, it's easy on the joints and helps improve bone density. Outdoor walking can increase bone density, improve cardiovascular health and even stabilize blood sugar. But what about when it's cold? Ah...well...the benefit can be even greater!

Here are 3 great reasons to bundle up and make winter walking part of your routine.*

1. Walking outside in general can be great mood boost, but during the colder months, it can help with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

2. Because there is less stress on the heart from heat, walking in the cold air can lower blood pressure and increase the efficiency of your workout.

3. Studies have shown that when working out in cold air, the body can more easily burn fat. 

So, get out there in the colder temps and get your steps in!

* Make sure you are being smart about walking when it's very cold and follow these tips to stay safe. 

Give Thanks, Get Happy

 

Thanksgiving is on its way which, for many, marks the beginning of the holiday season. And sometimes, the hustle of getting shopping done, planning meals, traveling, stressing about schedules and getting everything done can really overshadow the essence of the season, right? If you've forgotten what Thanksgiving all is about, like I am prone to do, and need to take a step back and remember, the act of actually giving thanks, can help in all sorts of ways.  

Being thankful isn't a new thing and it definitely shouldn't be relegated to one Thursday a year late in November.  But in the shadow of business or complicated family dynamics or feelings of loneliness, being thankful can be low priority. 

However, if we make the practice of giving thanks high priority, according to a Harvard study, "gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships."

Worth it, right? 

So how can we bring the attitude of gratitude into our daily lives? Let me offer a few simple (and quick) ways.

1. Start a Gratitude Journal. I kid you not, I have a piece of paper in my nightstand that I write one thing I'm thankful for a day before I go to bed. I didn't even take the time to get an actual notebook...and you know what? It doesn't matter...it's still practicing gratefulness.

2. Set an Alarm. On the hour, every (waking) hour, when the alarm goes off, say something for which you're thankful. I'm starting this with my kiddos during Thanksgiving break...and we are going to use "Alexa" because it's more fun than way. 

3. Phone (or text) a Friend. Find someone who you can text something your thankful for each day and vice versa...a built-in accountability partner.

4. Get Social. Post daily something you give thanks for...invite others to join.

5. Stop Light/Sign. Drive, walk, bike, run a lot (or at all)? Each time you stop at a stop light or stop sign, give thanks!

6. On the mile or minute. During your runs/walks/workouts when you hit a quarter mile or finish a lifting set, get grateful.

There are a million ways to do this, the point is just get started!

Today, I'm thankful for yummy candles and this soup. 

The Perfect Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts

Normally, I only cook/bake the easiest, most lazy recipes, but this one is worth a little tiny bit of extra work. These are my two-step Brussels sprouts for any occasion...and one of the dishes I always bring to Thanksgiving. Not only are these delicious by themselves, but you can dress then up anyway you want. Bacon/maple, cherries/almonds, bacon/cranberries are some of my favorites.

What you need:

• fresh Brussels sprouts (the smaller the better and because I'm lazy, I like the ones you can buy that are pre-washed and trimmed)
• 2-4 TBSP olive or avocado oil
• salt and pepper (and any other spices you like)

What you do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Slice your washed and trimmed sprouts in half.
3. Toss the sprouts in oil and salt and pepper until evenly coated
4. Spread the sprouts on a cookie sheet in one even layer
5. Roast those puppies for 20-30 minutes until they are brown and crispy. You'll have to toss them at least once during the roasting process.
6. Then...this is what makes them super duper tasty, throw them in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 400 degrees to crisp them up.*
7. SERVE!

*I throw my air fryer in my car if I'm bringing them to someone else's house and do this final step right before I serve the veggie. I also, have been known to do this step outside because they sometimes can be a bit stinky. 

Enjoy! 

5-Minute Gazpacho: use the rest of your tomatoes!

It's that time of year when our backyard gardens, farmers markets and even the grocery stores are wrapping up the season for fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and basil...which means...it's the perfect time for cold soup!

What you need: 

• 10 ounces of tomatoes, diced (you can still find good ones at the farmers market)
• 1 cucumber, peeled, sliced, and seeded
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• LOTS of FRESH basil 
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco
• 10 ounces spicy V8 (if you don’t want much of a kick, just use normal V8)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ tablespoon light agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar

What you do:

1. Throw everything in a blender and turn it on. 
2. Blend until it’s soup. Crazy easy, right? 
3. Put in the fridge and serve super chilled!

New 21-Day Wellness Challenge Options!

It's back...and better than ever! The E. H. Fitness 21-DayWellness Challenges are here in a whole new way. There are TWO ways to do the challenge: group or solo. 

Both options include:

• All the recipes and food suggestions you'll need for 21 days
• Grocery lists
• Workouts
• Ways to measure your progress 

Let me explain the difference between the two and which one might be right for you.

21-Day Wellness Challenge Group Style:

• Access to a private Facebook Group just for our challenge
• Interact with people doing the same program with similar goals
• Daily encouragement from the other people in the group 
• Access to an ACE Certified wellness coach with over 15 years of experience (that's me!)
• Bonus tips, tricks, workouts and recipes during the challenge
• A formal start and end date

Who is this right for? 

• Someone who enjoys group settings
• Someone who likes to encourage others and would like feedback on their experience
• Someone who thrives on accountability (or needs accountability-no judgement)
• Someone who has taken and E. H. Fitness Challenge before and enjoyed the format and interactions.
• Someone who has access to Facebook
• Just $79 total ($69 for current in-person or online personal training clients working with Erin)

21-Day Wellness Challenge Solo Style: 

• A complete program manual with everything you need including detailed strength and cardio workouts, easy to follow recipes and grocery lists and more. 
• Flexibility to do the challenge when it's right for you and your schedule
• Just $59 total 

Who is the Solo Style Challenge right for? 

• Someone who is self-motivated
• Someone who has done an E. H. Fitness Challenge before and would like to do a reset on their own
• Someone who does not have access to Facebook

 Both options are great...just choose the one that's right for you and e-mail erin@ehfitness.com to sign up today. For more information about the next 21-Day Group Challenge, click here for all the details. For more information about the next 21-Day Solo Challenge, click here. 

On-your-own-time 21-Day Wellness Reset

It's here! The brand-new way to reset your wellness! Increase your energy, decrease your sugar cravings, sleep better and get stronger: that's what the 21 days is all about. Plus, if the online 21-day challenges are at an inconvenient time, you can do the challenge whenever it fits into your life.

Who else would benefit from the solo-style challenge?

• those that are self-motivated when it comes to food plans and exercise routines
• those that don't have access to Facebook
• those that don't want to use social media or are trying to cut back
• those that want to work at their own pace
• those that have taken E. H. Fitness Challenges before and feel that they can do it on their own

What's included in the solo-style challenge? 

• A complete manual of how to do the challenge
• All the suggested meals
• All the grocery lists
• All the recipes (in link form and written out for your convenience)
• A full body strength training workout
• FAQ section
• All in one PDF for easy reference
• All for $59

How do you get this challenge going? Simply e-mail me at erin@ehfitness.com telling me you want to do the solo-style wellness reset!

Rebounding: 10 benefits of jumping like a kid on a mini trampoline

 

Rebounding, or exercising on a mini trampoline, has been around for a long time. I picture a fitness instructor with headband, leg warmers and leotard (obviously) jumping around to 80s music. OR even more recently, my kids jumping on their mini trampoline having the time of their lives. But rebounding is not just for the 80s fitness mavens and toddlers anymore. It's for anyone who wants to get a great workout without major joint impact! And even though it might seem a bit silly to some, it's quite the workout and it's a really fun time to boot!

Here are the many benefits of rebounding workouts:

1. Cardiovascular Health: Rebounding provides an effective cardiovascular workout, helping to improve heart health and increase endurance.

2. Low Impact: It's gentle on the joints compared to other high-impact exercises, reducing the risk of injury while still providing a solid workout.

3. Lymphatic System Support: The up-and-down motion stimulates lymphatic flow, helping to detoxify the body and boost immune function.

4. Improved Balance and Coordination: Regular rebounding enhances balance and coordination skills, which can benefit overall physical activity.

5. Strengthening Muscles: It engages various muscle groups, particularly in the legs, core, and back, contributing to improved muscle tone and strength.

6. Increased Flexibility: The dynamic movements can enhance flexibility in muscles and joints.

7. Calorie Burn: Rebounding can burn a significant number of calories, making it an effective tool for weight management.

8. Stress Relief: The fun and playful nature of rebounding can reduce stress and improve mood, thanks to the release of endorphins.

9. Convenience: Mini trampolines are compact and can be used indoors or outdoors, making them easy to incorporate into your routine.

10. Fun Factor: Many people find rebounding enjoyable, which can encourage consistency in exercise routines.

Incorporating rebounding into your fitness regimen can be a great way to mix things up while reaping these benefits! Make sure to take an intro class at your local gym or online to learn the basics as well as safety tips before going all out! If you have balance concerns, please use a rebounder with a stability bar. 

The 10-Minute Workout

 

There are days and maybe even seasons in our lives where we might not have time to do 20 minutes of strength training or 30 minutes of cardio let alone a full 45–60-minute fitness class. And you know what, that's okay! Studies have shown that adding just minutes of moderate to intense exercise can reduce heart disease, cancer risk and improve body composition (think more muscle, less fat). 

So, what do you do in those few minutes a day? (And for our purposes, let's call it 10-minutes.) If you have just 10 minutes to work out, make it count with metabolic training. Metabolic training is just a fancy way to say "burn as many calories as possible during and after your workout."

My favorite way to train this way is the EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) workout. The EMOM is a metabolic training technique in which a person does a set list of exercises at the beginning of every minute. The faster you do them (with good form, of course), the more rest you get before the next set starts (which is at the beginning of the next minute).  

Here are 2 EMOM workouts to get you started. Simply look at a clock with a second hand, when that hand hits 12, start your set. When 10 minutes is up, which should be 10 sets, you're finished!

EMOM #1: 

8 Pushups

8 Mountain Climbers

8 Bicycle Crunches

3 Burpees

EMOM #2

8 Deadlifts

8 Back Lunges

8 Jumping Jacks

8 Jump Squats

Enjoy!

3 Keys to Recovery for Fitness Success!

What is your main focus when you workout? How heavy you're lifting? The length of your run or bike or swim? How fast you can finish those 3 miles? Just getting through that barre class at the gym? 

All of those are great things to focus on...but what about recovery from each of those activities? Because without recovery when we stress our bodies with exercise the following can happen:

• strength gains can be difficult to achieve
• fat loss can stop, or increase
• exhaustion can set in
• injuries can occur
• mood can get low

Some of these things can happen right away, but more often, they sneak up on us and can become chronic (I know this from experience). 

Proper recovery should be part of our fitness routines so that we can live fit and healthy for the long term.

So, what are some recovery strategies that can help us reach our goals? 

I'm glad you asked! 

Here are some simple ones to incorporate. 

1. Sleep. Yep, sleep is the most important thing we can do to recover from all sorts of things, including exercise. As adults, we need 7-8 hours of sleep per 24-hour period (some of us need more than that as well). If you need to get your sleep under control, check out the to-dos and no-to-dos in this article to get the best night sleep.
2. Nutrition. We all know that what we put in our body fuels our day-to-day activities and our workouts. So how can we use nutrition to properly recover from exercise? It's two-fold
• Hydration.
• Making sure we are hydrated properly is super important. The recommendation for    water intake is 1/2 your bodyweight in ounces. For example, if you weight 180lbs, you should be drinking 90 oz of water a day. If you are doing a sweaty workout, you might drink an additional 4oz of water for every 15 minutes of sweat-time.
• Food.
• Food is fuel and calories are energy. Making sure we are taking in enough fuel/energy to power our workouts is essential (as is not taking in too much fuel/energy). To calculate your daily fuel needs, check out the Mayo Clinic daily calorie calculator here.
• The type of food you put in your body also matters. Focusing on getting lean proteins (chicken, fish, turkey, tofu, beans), a plentiful variety of vegetables and fruit (they contain a bunch of essential vitamins and minerals for recovery), fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts) and whole food carbs (potatoes, corn, whole grains) are important to help our body recover from vigorous activity.
3. Rest. Yep. You need rest days for your muscles to recover from a hard workout. Our muscles typically can recover and be ready for another session in 36-48 hours. That means if you have a long run, waiting 2 days to do another one is advisable. If you do leg day on Monday, don't do another leg day until at the soonest Wednesday. And if you feel like you need more time, take it!

Something else to consider are alternative recovery resources.  It seems as though there is a device, therapy and routine for everyone that are used to speed recovery. Some are well researched and proven and others are individual preference but might not have the proof to support use (but might feel good). Make sure to research any alternative recovery source you try and talk with your doctor before engaging in any of these to make sure they are right for you.  Here are some examples.

• Infared Saunas
• Cold Therapy (plunges/cold showers)
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Foam rolling
• Stretch gyms

Whatever you use to help you recover from your workouts, make sure that your fitness routine has rest and recovery built into it for the most benefits (and least injury)!

Favorite Summer-into-Fall Salad

This dish is summer perfection. Follow the recipe exactly or add/delete what you want to make it your perfect light and yummy dream-salad! 

 What you need: 

...for the salad

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 bag of mixed greens (I like to chop mine up)
• 1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 mini cucumbers, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup goat cheese or feta
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted pistachios
• other tasty additions: diced tomatoes, avocado, croutons, etc.

...for the dressing

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (or juice from one lemon)
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons avocado oil (you can use olive oil as well)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

What you do: 

1. Salt and pepper the chicken (or marinated it in a couple tablespoons of dressing) and grill until done. Let rest for 10 minutes and chop into cubes. 
2. While the chicken is grilling, chop and/or prepare your salad ingredients.
3. Mix salad ingredients together, pour salad dressing on and top with the grilled chicken. 

Enjoy!

Spring Break 2024 Workout

The perfect workout (in my opinion) is short, efficient and can be done anywhere at any time without any equipment.

Too much to ask?

No way!

This 20-minute full body workout includes all the large muscle groups as well as that very important muscle called the heart.

With short cardio bursts, strength movements and a quick pace, you can run through the list of exercises on the beach, in your backyard, at your office, at home or anywhere else you find yourself this spring. Plus, no extra equipment needed-just your body!

Here’s the Deal: Do the entire workout 3-5 times depending on time available with little rest as possible. Make sure to stretch or take a walk afterwards!

 

Here’s the Work:

 Traveling lunges (1 minute)

Tippy birds (1 minute)

Wall sit (1 minute)

----20 jumping jacks---

Pushups (12)

Tricep dips (12)

Single leg bridges (12 each leg)

---10 burpees---

Low squats (12)

Plank (1 minute)

Bicycle crunches (12 each side)

---10 jump squats---