What is the most OPTIMAL fitness solution?

My posts have been random lately.  LIfe is good!  This morning I taught my 5:15 training class at my house.  So fun!  I don’t know if my friends would say that!  It’s been super cold here and I have a back door that I keep open to cool them off.  However, I don’t move enough to stay warm and while they are taking breaks running the stairs outside, I’m shivering and it takes me forever to warm up.  Oh!  Sad life I know (:  I am counting down the hours till I’ll be on this beautiful beach in Naples, FL!  Sun is like water to me!  3 miles of pristine beaches.

OK!!  We had a marvelous Spring Break!  Short and sweet!  Full of GOOD food, laughs, games, movies, hot tubs, and more.  Here is a pic. of the girls in beautiful Heber.  If it wasn’t such a cold place, I could live there!

I’m notorious for falling off the healthy eating wagon when I go on trips.  I guess I’m normal?  No big deal!  I started following Eat to Live this week and it’s going well.  This is what I had for dinner yesterday!

A simple salad with black beans and Butternut squash and apple soup.  I admit I made my kids chicken enchiladas and made myself something else.  I hate to do that, but now I have 5-6 more servings of soup to eat for the rest of the week!  A friend of mine asked me today about losing weight.  She was frustrated because she says she’s been working out every day for 2 weeks and eating healthy.  She’s not seeing results.  She’s tired, hungry, and discouraged.  I think everyone can relate.  The fitness industry is HUGE!!!  One person will tell you one thing and the next person will tell you the exact opposite.  I think she’s probably not eating enough.  I’m going to give her a nutrition plan and exercise program for 3 weeks and tell her to follow it to a T and then we’ll evaluate.  I’ll post that SOON!!!

I do want to share 3 HIIT exercises.  I think the majority of people are not working out in the most effective way.  I LOVED this article about high intensity interval training.  CLICK HERE to read!  This leads me to my schpill on marathons (:  I love running.  BUT…training for a marathon is NOT when I feel at my optimal fittest self!  My endurance is strong and my heart and lungs, but my body is weak.  I usually am up 5 lbs.  I’m more tired and more hungry.  I stress a little which leads to bad eating choices.  Starting on Monday, April 28th I’m going back to 6 straight weeks of Jamie Eason and I’m contemplating hiring a personal trainer for myself.  I figure it would be added training for my own business.  Weight lifting and HIIT coupled with clean eating will give you more happiness, energy and a rockin’ bod!!  Optimal Fitness.

I’m writing too much!!!  Here are the 3 HIIT workouts from the article.

Lastly, a cute pic. of me and my shadow.  Outfit of the day from Sundance Catalog Outlet.  My husband picked this one out!  Keep moving and smiling!  Check out my instagram under hollsfitlife.  Simple recipe and workout posts.  Have a great day!

 

Just keep running and LIFT already

I’ve been too tired lately…I’m going to go crawl into bed in just a minute and it’s 8:50.  That is after I put the kids to bed, do the dishes, and get all my workout stuff together for my 6:00 a.m. class tomorrow.  I’ve been trying to motivate myself to eat better.  I’ve even tried to think of a prize or reward and I got nothing!  I miss weights, leg day, and not worrying about running some absurd number of miles.  I eat better when I’m weight training.  K!  I’ll stop being a little whiner.  I’m running the Boston Marathon!  Hello!!!  A once in a lifetime experience and I know I will love it!!!  This year will be especially moving and extraordinary!

Today I was able to drop everything at about 2:00 p.m. and go for a 6 mile solo run in almost 70 degree weather.  I have to say it was a spiritual experience (:  I really am inspired and lifted when I run.  I’m grateful I’m healthy!  Speaking of healthy, I’m been mulling over the idea of doing Eat to Live again.  I kept a notebook of my weight and diet when I did it before and I’ve never felt better.  I’m not starting 100% right now, but I will try to cut out meat, which I don’t really like anyway.  Eggs are a hard one for me.  I need to read about that some more.  I’ll keep you posted.

Today is Tuesday night, but this will be Wednesday’s post, which is workout day!  I loved training my 5 am group this morning and tomorrow is my church group.  Here are the workouts!!  Both of them AWESOME!!!

These were inspired from GPP fitness and Oxygen magazine!  I also started up an Instagram under hollsfitlife for my clients.  It will be a fast and easy way to post meal and snack ideas, workouts, and inspiration.  I’m a little obsessed…with fitness.  This is me (:

 I guess if I’m obsessed over something, this is a good one!  Good Night!  Next post will be titled 20 MILES BABY!!!

Ode to Bode and a diet review

Tis the season of gift giving!  This year Christmas will be a new house for me, but one of my favorite things besides exercising and eating healthy is yes, clothes.  I especially like cute dresses and skirts.  BODEN is the BEST and I’m so glad I found them (:  For one, I am tall (5’7”) and I need longer lengths.  ALL their dresses and skirts come in LONG!!  They are the best, totally unique, well made, and flattering.  I ALWAYS get compliments when I wear anything BODEN.  They are classic, long lasting styles that you will keep forever!  Here are a few favorites of mine from this season!

Many people think the prices are too high!  I NEVER buy anything through Boden unless it’s on sale.  They always have REALLY good sales, especially AFTER Christmas.  So, save your money gifts and purchase something for you to celebrate a YEAR well done!!!  YOU WILL LOVE THEM!!

P.S. The dress I’m wearing on my home page is Boden and the one below.  This is from our fun field trip day yesterday!

As for my EAT TO LIVE diet rant for the day!  I have been following the Eat to Live diet for about 3 1/2 weeks.  I took 2 days off around Thanksgiving.  It is VERY healthy and not too hard to follow.  The crazy, difficult thing is the no meat, no dairy.  I was a little discouraged last week when I went to a fun new deli in town.  I looked over the menu and realized there was NOTHING I could eat.  Did I cave?  No, I went home and made my stand by salad.  I’m kind of an ALL or NOTHING person.  That’s not always the best, but it works for me with losing weight.  I FEEL really good right now and I love where my weight is at.  I’m a HUGE advocate of NO white flour, white sugar, or processed foods.  You can work out all you want at the gym, but you’re really wasting your time if you don’t eat healthy.  When you follow a healthy diet made up of mostly fruits and vegetables, you will lean out quickly and lose the water and fat around your muscles.  I see way more definition when I’m eating healthy along with resistance training.  Follow any of my workouts and follow this diet and YOU WILL GET THE BODY YOU WANT!

Sorry so long!!  I’ll end on a happy picture.  SO PRETTY!!  I know it’s winter, but this looks so cozy!  How nice to be on a lake!  *Fishing anyone?*

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

Savor each day!

The LONG Thanksgiving weekend has come to an end…thank goodness!  Hopefully everyone has the house all decorated and beautiful for the Christmas season.  We only have ONE month!  I want to SAVOR each day and make the most of the short season, the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!  I’ve mentioned before and my kids sense it as well (thanks to my husband) that I DON’T LIKE CHRISTMAS!!!  That is NOT true!!!  I have to love Christmas because I am a Christmas baby!  I came home from the hospital on Christmas Eve.  I love Christmas!  I have a few annoyances with the season, but OVERALL it is WONDERFUL!  Here is my small list of LOVES of Christmas!!!

• Christmas Lights
• Holiday Music
• Christmas Stories
• Gift Giving
• Treat Sharing
• Jesus Remembering

It is a hectic time of year not just because of the holiday, but because we officially closed on our new home!  It’s straining on me physically and mentally to wrap up life in our old neighborhood and to get started remodeling on the new home.  It will be fun and I’ll post lots of before, during, and after photos!  Yes I do have a life other than thinking about what I eat and when I’ll get my workout in!  This blog is definitely a FITNESS blog but one of the MOST IMPORTANT aspects of a FIT LIFE is BALANCE!!

It’s Monday!  First of the week when everyone wants to go to the gym and eat right.  One way to keep focused on eating healthy is a fun eating challenge!!  My friend invited me to follow one called EAT TO LIVE.  I ordered the book but it hasn’t arrived yet.  I researched a little on the internet, but mostly it is eating WHOLE foods and…no DAIRY or MEAT!!  I’m sure the phrase FAD DIET comes to mind with that one!  In ALL honesty though this has been the easiest diet for me to follow.  We do have a few alterations.  We can have yogurt.  The healthiest one is plain greek yogurt.  Mostly, it’s TONS of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains!  For my MENU day, here is a sampling of what I’ve been eating lately:

BREAKFAST: Oatmeal with flax, protein powder, berries, cinnamon, unsweetened coconut, almond milk, and a few almonds OR a Banana, peanut butter, chocolate protein powder, spinach smoothie (I have one of these EVERY day.  I love them!)

LUNCH: Salad (a huge one) with black beans and a little low fat poppy seed dressing.

SNACKS: fruit, cashews, protein balls, yogurt and berries, popcorn.

DINNER: Veges with sweet potato, brown rice, quinoa, or a big bowl of soup.

I will never say that I don’t crave sugar, but you do stop thinking about it.  Good food tastes so much better when you’re not eating sugar and processed foods.  It’s been great!  I’ve lost 3 pounds and I have TONS of energy (minus the 2 days around Thanksgiving when I ate everything in site).

Our challenge is to see who can go the LONGEST!!!  HA HA!  I will WIN!  We have 1 day off a month.  During December we get 3 days off with all the holidays.  I’ll keep you posted on the progress.  I’m sure people think I’m crazy.  I know, I think vegetarians are crazy too!  After the challenge I think I’ll go back to eggs and fish once a week, but really I think it’s healthier to eat this WAY!!  Here is a photo from my dinner tonight.  Very simple STIR FRY!  Lots of veges (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, red pepper, green onion, yellow squash, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts).  I made chicken for the husband and kids and we ate it over brown rice.  SO YUMMY!!

AND for your happy MUSIC day, here are a couple of “MY” songs!!

And the beautiful voice of Michael Buble!