Thrive Style

Lately, I’ve had a few people ask me what I do for arm workouts. I don’t usually tell people too much about my own workouts because, well, I’m not super organized about it. I just make sure to do several minutes of strength training a few times a week. If I’m being dedicated, I work out on most days and try to include cardio if I’m doing regular strength training (as opposed to days when I’m doing interval timer training–I count that as cardio too). I got a nudge to work out more today when I saw this – pictures of a 74 year-old triathlete’s leg composition and a 74 year-old sedentary man’s leg composition. (Please click on it if you need motivation to exercise more often!)

My exercise mottos:

• Do something on most days of the week (consistency of the habit is key)
• Food choices determine how you look in clothes, workout choices determine how you look naked
• Work out smarter, not harder
• What you eat is more important for your health/weight in the moment, but what you do for workouts is more important for long-term metabolism

My workout today (with a friend at the gym):

• warm-up—walk the track and chat (10 min)
• free weight arm workout – 6 exercises, 3 sets, 12 reps (I always use free weights) (12 min)
• medicine ball arm/core work (3 min)
• push-ups (2 min)
• 5 minutes abs
• 20 min cardio

My workout yesterday: Interval timer workout: 60 sec (work) and 10 sec (rest) intervals

• Ugi Swing (like kettlebell swing, but with an Ugi Ball or medicine ball)
• Burpees with Ugi (overhead press at the top) for 2 work intervals
• Plank hold
• Plank w/ elbows on Ugi, alt knee thrusts to opposite elbow
• Swing Lunges (right)
• Swing Lunges (left)
• Squats/Overhead Press (with sandbag—tap floor, biceps curl, overhead press)
• Incline push-up w/ hands on sandbag, frog legs burpee up, stand up and press sandbag overhead
• Ugi Swing
• Push-Up w/ right hand on Ugi, walk hands across, Push-Up w/ left hand on Ugi

10 minutes (11.5 with the rests counted). I was sweaty. I made it up as I went along, but it was just as difficult and satisfying as when I spend time being strategic! (Note: when I work each day, I take into account what I did the day before so I can emphasize something different)

Next Topic: Cauliflower Rice

I’ve made this a few times, and it always works really well. It’s pretty easy–just grate raw cauliflower with a cheese grater (or food processor). Then steam it, or saute it with a little bit of water (1/2 head of cauli uses about 1/2 cup water). Make sure it’s cooked pretty thoroughly or it will be slightly crunchy. Once cooked, add whatever you’d add to rice—today I added coconut oil, purple onion, a little himalayan crystal salt, turmeric, and garlic.

Grated cauli, raw

Cooked "rice" with roasted broccoli/artichoke hearts and swiss chard/red oinion/portobello...that's a lot of veggies! I mixed everything together, and it really "felt like" I was eating rice.

Elimination Diet Update: It’s going very well. I attribute that to being prepared, and having a lot of veggies in my fridge (and no cheese or yogurt). I think the cauli rice helped too—it didn’t taste or feel like I was eating a vegetable. I’ve had two eggs with coconut oil for breakfast everyday, and a protein shake for a morning snack. Lunch has been veggies and seafood (just veggies today). I’ve had avocado pudding for a snack one day, and coconut cream pudding the next two (recipe coming soon–that stuff is awesome. It’s more of a fruit dip, but I’m eating it like pudding and staying full for hours and hours). Dinner has been the leftovers from lunch. I’m going to track my intake in Sparkpeople for a day or so and see what that tells me about macro- and micronutrients.

Do you ever make your workouts up as you go, or are you more strategic about it? 

Are you a fan of cauliflower? (the rice doesn’t taste cauli-like once you doctor it up!)

What’s on tap for the weekend (literally and figuratively—it is almost time to celebrate #WineFriday!!)?

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