3,000 kettlebell swing challenge, it starts now, or later? Come on, its in your future.

*Change the shape of your body in 30 days!
*Warrior like conditioning
*Powerful Glutes
*Better posture
*Increased work capacity



Above are some claims that I have seen on some fitness sites in regards to a 3,000 kettle bell swing challenge.

The idea is 100 kettle bell swings each day for 30 days. I don't really doubt that all the above are true since it is not only an excellent calorie burner, but obviously is resistance training as well. I am excited to be starting this challenge today. I already use gloves because my hands are calloused. I will split my swings into 25 reps & 4 sets. I will also do other exercise as well like running, yoga, definitely stretching gluteus, hips, hamstrings, etc….


Anyway I'll obviously be reporting back on this! Excited to try? Start with a 15-35lb bell (more if your a guy)  depending on your fitness and strength level. I am using a 25lb bell for now. Its what I've started with and I am not ready to go up any time soon.

look for videos online by searching or other descriptions for proper form. And ssssssssttttttttttttrrrrrrrrreeeeeeetttttcccccchhhhh.





reference:
(bloomtofit.com)
(chroniclesofstrength.com)

Bringing sexy back

Ok, so Ive been very busy and on the move. I live in a rural foothill area of CA and all of my family/most friends are either in Sacramento or SF Bay Area so whenever I go to see anyone it is a hike.


I wish I had been doing more literal hikes but Ive been kettlebellin' and running, also yoga and swimming.  I have not been doing great on my grain/sugar free lifestyle but I have been much better the last few days. I can be an emotional and impulsive eater sometimes, but hey- Im pretty impulsive in general.

 I stepped on the scale this morning and I am at 135lbs. This means I have lost a total of 3 pounds mainly through exercise but I had good/bad days as far as eating. I don't really want to measure at this point because I haven't noticed any real inches lost but I will check tomorrow.

I did buy myself a large camelback water bottle and plan on refilling that 3 times daily. I have been making french press Peets coffee in the morning and allowing myself a diet sprite in the afternoon. It is funny because it really is like a treat, with 0 calories so I am phasing them out, but slowly…

It seems like there is sugar following me around, constantly! So I have to admit I have indulged in alcohol and dessert the last couple of weeks. I have eaten ok for the rest of the time. It is in the evening when I want to relax and have a drink I get in trouble so I don't think I can drink even red wine right now until I am at some sort of maintenance phase. ( With the exception of my b day, duh. 7/31.)


Heres what I've been eating the last couple of days:

Breakfast

3 egg whites cooked in olive/coconut oil
chicken sausage
almond/coconut unsweetened milk mix


lunch

Peanut butter ( I have been eating it by the spoonful and I am not sorry about it!)
apple
salad w chicken/fish


dinner

sweet potato
grilled wild salmon with butter& garlic & dill
large salad
grilled veggies


So there you see it lots of yummy food the last couple of days and feeling great, tummy feeling flat-energetic as well.

Sorry Ive been negligent, my fledgling sweet bloggy! I am back but I won't be so rigid about posting my menu and workout schedule. I like having a basic plan but started feeling marred with details and it was seeming daunting all of a sudden.

From now on, I will just report my experiences (journal style still) and post pics/recipes of yummy stuff I make. Of course I will post all of my stats so that you can see the exact results which was the whole point anyway :)

Ok, Now LETS DO THIS.

**don't forget to log all your food in my fitness pal, to make sure your macros are good ( don't have more than 100 carbs in a day).
***dont forget to move.  I used to have one of those jawbone things that tells you if you've been idle too long. It broke. I miss that little vibration that it did. I forget to move sometimes and realize I've been idle for a while, I am going to blame technology for that.

weekend BJ's

Ok, the title sounds salacious and fun but its is in fact not that type of posting. I started my period and broke down having some Ben and Jerry's Phish Food Ice Cream. Ok, got that out of my system. Also had some red wine. Seeing as how its monday and I didn't plan well for the weekend I am moving on….

I also won't be able to do the exact menu that I posted because I needed to cut back my grocery list this week as we bought our plane tickets to take our family of 5 to Cabo in July. *so excited*.

I will be doing the banana oatmeal for breakfast. I got a great deal on a bag of ripe bananas and already have walnuts and eggs at the house.
I will stick to chicken and fish with salad for lunch and basically something similar but spiced differently for dinner. I won't have much variety but I do have a good plan so I don't see this being a problem.

So that is how the weekend went. Oh well, right? Today's our first day doing this together anyways. I have already logged in more than 30 minutes of running (60) and half hour kettle bell. I was feeling extra energetic and the Ben and Jerrys guilt kept me going.

All in all starting this week off feeling strong and happy. The weather has turned from gloomy this weekend to shorts weather today. I am even taking the kids to the pool to practice for swim team and I plan on splashing around with them.

Paleo mayo and ranch dressing recipe

Paleo mayo 

1. 1 egg, room temperature
2. 2 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar   
   
3. 1/2 tsp salt
4. 1/2 tsp dry mustard
5. 1 cup light olive oil*
6. In a tall glass (if using an immersion blender) or a blender, place the egg and lemon juice. Let come to room temperature, about one hour. Add the salt and mustard. Blend ingredients. While blending, very slowly pour in the olive oil. Blend until it reaches desired consistency. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
7. *It’s important to use a light olive oil, not full flavor, for mayonnaise. You could also use almond or walnut oil instead.

                                         paleo ranch 

1.                                                                                1/2 cup Paleo mayo (see below)       
   
2. 1/2 cup coconut milk
3. 1/2 tsp onion powder
4. 1 tsp garlic powder
5. 1 tsp dill
6. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Whisk all ingredients together to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

(paleogrubs.com)

Menu week 1

A menu yummy enough for the whole family!

This menu is not an exhaustive list of what you can or should eat all day. This menu was created to give you ideas for meals. Please snack if you are hungry, just pick something from the paleo 'yes' foods list. If you are trying to lose weight I recommend avoiding too many nuts or fruits.

Monday 

Breakfast: Dr Oz Paleo breakfast smoothie:  

• 8 ounces chilled herbal tea (make this ahead of time for the week on Sunday)
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 soft-boiled eggs (You won't taste them! Cook ahead 6 on Sunday night, 4 on Wednesday night)
• 1 cup blueberries (buy frozen, it is much more affordable)
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
• 1 tablespoons ground flax seed         

Lunch:

Cucumber and cherry tomatoes on a skewer

Turkey Breast sliced and wrapped in Lettuce with onion 

Broccoli florets 

Paleo ranch for dipping (see post entitled "paleo mayo and ranch dressing recipe")

1 oz almonds 

Dinner: 

chicken sausage sautéed with garlic, onion, bell pepper, olive oil, zucchini 

cauliflower 'rice' (place cauliflower florets in food processor, and you've got it, EASY)

boiled/steamed broccoli 

green salad

Tuesday 

Breakfast: Dr Oz Paleo breakfast smoothie 

Paleo homemade ranch dressing. MMM.

Lunch:

Cucumber and cherry tomatoes on a skewer

Turkey Breast sliced and wrapped in Lettuce with onion
Broccoli florets
Paleo ranch for dipping
1 oz almonds

Dinner: 

pacific cod ( thawed and generously coated with cajun spice, pan sear on each side for 2-3 minutes in coconut oil)

1 lime ( to sprinkle over fish)     

serve with lettuce to wrap and "quick cabbage slaw" for a paleo twist on fish tacos :

      1 small cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)1 small carrot, grated

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2-1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced, optional
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons paleo mayonnaise
 honey or agave to taste (optional)*
Salt and pepper

Wednesday

Breakfast: Dr Oz Paleo breakfast smoothie 

Lunch:

1 grilled chicken breast  

large green salad w/ olive oil & vinegar dressing 

1/2 small sweet potato baked or microwaved 

1/2 avocado

Dinner:
chicken sausage sautéed with garlic, onion, bell pepper, olive oil, zucchini
cauliflower 'rice' (place cauliflower florets in food processor/or finely chop, and you've got it, EASY)
boiled/steamed broccoli
green salad

Thursday

Breakfast: Dr Oz Paleo breakfast smoothie 

Lunch:

1 grilled chicken breast
large green salad w/ olive oil & vinegar dressing
1/2 small sweet potato baked or microwaved 
1/2 avocado

Dinner:
Indian drumsticks:
10 chicken drumsticks coated with a mixture of 3 Tbs salt + 3 Tbs garam masala. coat pan in coconut oil, then bake at 450 for 40 minutes.
serve with mashed cauliflower, green salad, avocado.



Friday

Breakfast: Dr Oz Paleo breakfast smoothie 

Lunch:

Chicken salad: cubed chicken mixed with paleo mayo, green onion, slivered almonds, chopped apple, pepper.

1/2 avocado 

large green salad (place chicken salad on top of green salad)

1/2 apple with nut butter ( use the half leftover from making the chicken salad)

Dinner:

shrimp sauté in olive oil, garlic, lemon.

serve over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles

have a glass of red wine, its Friday, you deserve it!

Weekends are great and we all have more time in the day to prepare something more special. If you work on the weekends then switch this menu up accordingly, to fit your schedule...

Saturday 

Breakfast: 'Banana Bread 'oatmeal' style paleo hot breakfast. ( See post entitled Yummy paleo banana bread oatmeal style breakfast. You wont be disappointed!)

Lunch: low sodium turkey bacon served as a wrap with lettuce, tomato, paleo mayo
apple slices and nut butter
raw veggies to crunch on



Dinner: slow cooker chicken verde
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 16 oz jar of salsa verde ( Trader Joes makes a preservative free version) cook chicken and salsa in slow cooker on low all day
serve with avocado, cilantro, tomatoes, cauliflower rice, wrap in lettuce if you'd like

Sunday 

Breakfast: 'Banana Bread 'oatmeal' style paleo hot breakfast.

Lunch:  

Beef/chicken/fish kebobs with veggies

grilled asparagus drizzled with lemon juice

large green salad with avocado

Dinner:

Almond Butter Chicken ( serve with cauliflower rice, and cooked broccoli, carrots, bell pepper.)

• 1-2 lbs chicken breast or chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 tsp – 1 Tbsp cumin (see note below)
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 cup GF soy sauce/coconut aminos
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Workout schedule week 1

For most of my workout schedules I will post Youtube links because that is how I work out, its like having a trainer reminding you of correct form and pushing you along.


Mon, Wed, Fri

Kettle Bell full body workout. I use this full body beginners routine:                      

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pDMOIlPLFE&list=PLwkfa98E7nuQ321kM3026u1EyUjk_xxIa&index=1

                   

 It takes just about 30 minutes and is very challenging. I use 25# kettle bell. You want to go as heavy as you can, but light enough you can sustain the 30 minute workout. Most women range from about 15# kettles to 35# kettles.



Power yoga 10 minute solutions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWzbGX9gNvk

^ A nice easy and quick stretch.

total workout time: 40 minutes  DONT tell me you can't fit that in! 

Tues, Thurs

30 minutes jog/elliptical/bike sustained cardio at an easy pace

20 minutes- 30 second sprint. 2 minute brisk walk, 30 second sprint, 2 minute brisk walk, etc.



10 minute solution blast belly fat:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0_VK7pILls

^ A nice challenging routine for the abs

Total workout time: 60 minutes, come on, you can do it!


Sat, Sun

Power Yoga with Bryan Kest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY5qGREnUi0&list=PLwkfa98E7nuQ321kM3026u1EyUjk_xxIa

^ This video is toning, challenging and relaxing at the same time. The yogi is a bit cheesy but I love the flow of this.

Total workout time: 50 minutes, yep, thats another 2 days of less than an hour of working out.

The real food pyramid and Paleo basics

What is Paleo?

The paleolithic diet is a modern nutritional plan based on the presumed diet of Paleolithic humans. It is based on several controversial premises, the most important of which are: first, that human genetics have scarcely changed since the dawn of agriculture, which marked the end of the Paleolithic era, around 15,000 years ago; second, that modern humans are adapted to the diet or diets of the Paleolithic period; and, third, that it is possible for modern science to discern what such diets consisted of.

The Paleolithic diet consists mainly of fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts, and excludes what are perceived to be agricultural products; grains, legumes, dairy products, potatoes, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils. Certain portions should be established for balance of nutrients to maintain homeostasis.

(wikipedia)

The Paleolithic diet consists of foods that can be fished and hunted, such as seafood and meat (including offal), and foods that can be gathered, such as eggs, fruits, herbs, insects, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, spices, and vegetables.The meats recommended for consumption are preferably free of food additives, such as wild game meats and grass-fed beef, since they contain higher levels of omega-3 fats compared with grain-produced domestic meats.Food groups that advocates claim were rarely or never consumed by humans before the Neolithic agricultural revolution are excluded from the diet, mainly dairy products, grains, legumes (e.g., beans and peanuts), processed oils, refined sugar, and salt.Many of these foods would have been available at certain times of the year, and may or may not have been consumed. Some advocates consider the use of oils with low omega-6/omega-3 ratios, such as olive oil, to be healthy and advisable.

(Wikipedia)

The “Yes” Paleo diet food list: What you can eat

Meats + Eggs

• Beef – Steaks (Sirloin, Fillet) Veal, Mince, Extra lean burgers 
• Pork - Loin, Chops 
• Poultry
• Chicken breast, Chicken thighs – skinless
• Turkey breast, Turkey thigh 
• Duck, Goose and other poultry
• Other meat – Lamb, Rabbit, Goat –
• Organ meats - Livers, Tongues. Marrow, Sweetbreads,
• Game – Ostrich, Pheasant, Quail, Venison

Fish & Shellfish

• Crab
• Mussels
• Lobster
• Oysters
• Scallops
• Langoustine
• Prawn
• Clams
• Crayfish
• Cod
• Haddock
• River Cobbler
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Trout
• Monkfish
• Sea Bass
• Red Snapper
• Yellow Snapper
• Eel
• Grouper
• Turbot
• Shark
• Swordfish

Fruits & Vegetables 

Apple, Nectarines, Peaches, Grapes, Melon, Lemon, Lychee, Pomegranate, Rhubarb, Apricot, Banana, Cherries, Orange, Pears, Pineapple Figs, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Lime, Mango Satsumas, Avocado, Artichoke, Peppers, Brussels Sprouts, Celery Cucumber, Aubergine/Eggplant, Onions (Red, White, Spring, Green), Garlic, Mushrooms, Squash, Sweet potato, Turnip, Carrot, Parsnip, Lettuce, Spring Greens, Spinach, Tomato, Pumpkin, Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish, Kale

Berries - 

• Cranberries
• Gooseberries
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Kiwi berries

Nuts and Seeds 

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Pecans
• Walnuts 
• Brazils
• Pine Nuts
• Chestnuts
• Macadamia
• Pistachios
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Sesame Seeds

Oils

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Flaxseed oil
• Sesame seed oil
• Argan oil
• Avocado oil
• Red Palm oil 

Drinks

• Water
• Coconut water
• Almond water
• Cucumber water
• All natural smoothies
• Green Tea (decaffinated is possible)
• Tea and/or Coffee NOTE: This is a modern Paleo food list so if you like it keep it, but cut out sugar and syrups.

The No Paleo food list: What to avoid on the Paleo diet

Grains

• Barley
• Rice
• Wheat
• Corn
• Oats
• Grains in : Bread, rolls, muffins, noodles, crackers, cookies, cake, doughnuts, pancakes, waffles, pasta, spaghetti, lasagna, wheat tortillas, pizza, pita bread, etc.

Soy based produce

• Tofu, Bean curd

Starch Vegetables

• White Potatoes
• Potato products like crisps/chips

Fatty, salty meat

• Salami
• Processed Ham
• Sausages
• Hot Dogs and all canned meats should not appear on any paleo food list.

Paleo food list NO Drinks

• Fruit Juices
• All sugary soft drinks, including carbonated drinks.
• Alcohol... Red wine on occasion should be fine!

Sweet tooth

• Honey
• Maple Syrup
• Sweets/Candy

Processed sauces

• Ketchup
• BBQ Sauce
• Pasta Sauces, anything that is sat on a supermarket shelf with preservatives

Dairy Foods

• Milk or Powdered Milk
• Cheese
• Ice cream
• Butter
• Creamer
• Cream
• Crème fraîche
• Yogurt