Whip Your Ass Into Gear: Exercise & Healthy Eating

blogilates:

As some of you know, I announced last week on facebook that I would be going full on Vegetarian when I get back back to CA. Well I am here now and so far so good! I am not craving meat and am still working out with the same intensity and same energy levels. I am going to try my Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian diet (milk and eggs ok) for 6 weeks, see how I feel, and see whether I want to try Ovo Veggie (eggs ok) or Vegan. I like to use my body as a test center and experiment with different diets and routines.

I am going Vegetarian as a personal challenge, a new lifestyle change, and to cleanse my body. I will be doing tons of research on proper nutrition for vegetarian fitness competitors and will be sharing what I will be doing with you all. More pictures of veggie dishes and sample meal plans for sure. You can follow along with me if you’d like, maybe just try being veggie for a day!

As a kickoff, I have compiled the top 20 tips for Vegetarian Body Builders adapted from BodyBuilding.com. Keep in mind that these are tips for people showcasing their bodies in fitness competitions, so they are a bit intense, but we can learn from what they do and apply it towards our daily lives as needed.

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(Source: blogilates)

So for the first day of this summer project, I started off with these workouts:

•  12 side slimmers
•  24 bicycle crunches and
•  80 squats

And today, I’m already feeling sore from them which although it’s a bit annoying, it’s driving me to want to do more so the soreness gradually fades. 

Side slimmers (works obliques- 12 reps on each side)*

• Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in right hand (I didn’t have any weights lying around so I improvised by using my giant Under The Dome hardcover which is probably 5lbs). 
• Resting left fingertips on left temple, bend at waist to right as far as you can.
• Straighten and bend to the left, return to start. 
• Switch weight to left hand and repeat.

Bicycle crunches (works abs, obliques- 24 reps)

• Lie face-up, hands behind head, elbows out, knees up at a 90-degree angle
• Reach right elbow to left knee as you straighten right leg.
• Switch sides and repeat.

As for the lunges I did, I used the huge book I used for the side slimmers and worked out my arms as well. Every time I squatted down, I would pull the book in towards my chest, then straighten out my arms as I went up. 

If you feel like you can’t meet the 12 or 24 reps, don’t force yourself to meet those goals. Do want you can handle and as you get used to the workout, you can push yourself to do more. 

Found these two on the directory:

http://www.blogilates.com/

This blog includes fitness tips, healthy recipes, printable workouts and free exercise videos from YouTube.

http://fitnesstreats.tumblr.com/

This one includes yummy recipes for the sweet tooth in all of us all while getting a serious workout.