Quick Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie

I don't know about you, but I love peanut butter. Don't even get me started on peanut butter ice cream. I can't count the times I would break down and eat a half pint of peanut butter ice cream! Worry no more my friends because I have created a recipe for success. The ingredients to this smoothie are:

1 frozen banana
1 cup skim milk or unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp all natural creamy peanut butter
2 tbsp PB2 peanut butter powder (amazing ingredient, more details below)
1/4 cup 100% liquid egg whites (optional extra protein or 1/4 cup water)
1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (or chocolate protein for chocolate pb!)

Note: There are two ingredients I will introduce to you. There is nothing more frustrating than finding a great recipe, but are unable to try it because there are ingredients on there that you've never heard of. I am going to show you what PB2 and liquid egg whites are.

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PB2 is pretty much powdered peanut butter. The reason I find it so amazing is because there isn't nearly as much fat in it. You could replace your real peanut butter for this by adding water to the powder and spreading it on toast. 2 tbsp of peanut butter is around 200 calories. 2 tbsp of PB2 is only 45 calories!
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Liquid Egg Whites are a low calorie way to add protein to any shake. Only 25 calories and it's just protein. Better yet, 5 grams of protein!

Say Good-Bye to Boring Workouts

Most women think that a weight room consists of a bunch of sweaty meat heads, loud grunting, and a feeling of intimidation. What if I told you that you don't even have to step foot in the weight room? Well, you can and I will show you how. Using non-traditional equipment may sound scary but with a little bit of creativity it's fun. You may not know the terminology for this equipment so I have included an equipment list with pictures. Sometimes I like to go in a quiet room and do a muscular fitness workout. I put together a video that will show you exactly what to do.

This workout focuses on Chest/Triceps with a little ab exercise at the end.

Equipment Used:
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• Medicine Ball (Heavier/larger ball increases difficulty)

      
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• Stability Ball (Larger Ball increases difficulty)

      
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• Bosu Ball 

      
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(Watch YouTube Video:VIDEO) Perform each exercise 3 times. Each time you should perform as many repetitions as possible. Do not be discouraged if you cannot do as many reps as you want. Move to your knees if you are too tired to do 90degree push ups. I always move down to my knees at some point during these exercises. Give yourself a minute of rest in between sets as well. You can do jumping jacks if you would like or just take a breather and drink some water! Remember, the goal is to enjoy your workout. Have fun with it!

Comments?

Heart Rate

I learned a little bit about heart rate in my class the other day. The average Resting Heart Rate (RHR) for women is between 60-100 beats per minute. For well trained athletes it can range from 40-60 beats per minute. I tested my RHR and it ended up being between 56-58. It's the little things that make me love fitness. If anyone has questions about Target Heart Rate training, or how to calculate your Target Heart Rate Zone, I'd be MORE than happy to help!

Yoga (Flexibility)

When I first started my fitness journey, I was not very flexible nor stable. I even had trouble standing on one leg when stretching. I have come a long way since then and you can too! Flexibility is also important for our bodies because it reduces stress, decreases chance of injury, as well as decrease pain throughout the day. You should make time for flexibility 2-3 times a week. I enjoy group fitness classes so I usually attend 1 yoga session a week. I then add a 10-15 minutes stretch routine at the end of every workout as a cool down. Find what work for you and stick with it. I have inserted a few links you to videos of some basic Yoga poses.

Warrior Poses I, II, and III

Video 1

How to do a Warrior I Pose:

This video is a 2 minutes instructional video for the warrior I pose in basic yoga. Not only does this video describe the pose, it shows how to warm up in sequence to the ending pose, warrior I. By displaying how to open up the hips, this video shows the correct placement of arms, legs, eyes, feet, and more.

•   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4qaVoAbeHM                              

Video 2

How to do a Warrior II Pose:

The following video is also a quick 2 minute instructional video, but instead of covering warrior I it covers warrior II. In the beginning of the video the instructor shows a sequence, staring with downward dog. She explains critical elements as they relate to warrior II: keeping hips square and using your eyes as a balance tool.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbIrd6onJwQ

                           

Video 3

How to do a Warrior III Pose:

This video accurately explains a few sequences that led up to the warrior III pose. The instructor shows specific critical elements: breathing technique, contracting inner core muscles, lengthening both legs, and more.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S74efRiLo6k

Back and Biceps (Muscular Strength)

There are actually two different categories for muscular composition: muscular strength and muscular endurance. Both are equally important and are concepts of the 5 Health Related Fitness Components. Today was a great day to focus on muscular strength. The difference between the two is simple. Muscular strength is less reps and more weight. Muscular endurance is more reps and less weight.

Since I focused on muscular strength I was only performing 6-8 reps of each exercise. It is good to mix up your routine and reps because our bodies adjust to what we do. By switching it up and trying new things we are making our muscles think and work harder. This allows you to get the best results. Do not be afraid to lift heavy. There are many misconceptions of how women gain muscle mass. Check out this blog by Chris Freytag if you are concerned with becoming too bulky.

Chris Freytag's Blog

Biking (Aerobic)

Today I was really missing the warm weather. In the summertime I spend a lot of time doing outdoor recreation activities like running, biking, kayaking, hiking, and even going for a walk. Although the weather was not nice enough to go for a bike ride outdoors, I went to the gym and made the best of it. Here is a photo of the bike i purchased over the summer and I put way over 100 miles on it.

I did light abs and then got on a bike for 45 minutes. Biking is a great way to be physically active! Participating in moderate and vigorous aerobic activity is key to optimal health. One should participate in moderate physical activity every day or at least 150 minutes a week according to the CDC. Vigorous aerobic activity is also important. One should do aerobic exercise within 70-85% of their Target Heart Rate (THR) at least 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes. The Centers for Disease Control have plenty of resources that may be useful to you! Calculating your target heart rate is easy to do. You can find more information at the link below.
cdc.gov

Tricep and Chest (Muscular Endurance)

For those of you who don't know, muscular fitness is important for strong bones, joints, muscles and more. One should do some type of muscular fitness exercises at least 3 times a week. I focused on triceps and chest for today's gym session. Some muscles work better together which is why I chose to do chest with triceps, but I like to mix it up sometimes too. As you follow my blog you will become more familiar with all types of exercise: Muscular fitness, Flexibility, Aerobic, and more. Make sure you look up the proper form in order to avoid injury. 
Side Note: The exercise being performed is on a cable machine. Check out the link below for more exercises!
Cable Machine: Triceps