April 2014 Challenge - Cardio

This month is a cardio challenge, and I originally had it written with 6 rest days, 3 exercises, and working our way up to 150 reps on each exercise. This would have put us at doing 450 reps between all the exercises on day 30.

But, after re-evaluating my goals and deciding at the last minute I want to really push myself, (and to be honest I think you can handle it too) I made the following modifications. I added the burpees, took out a rest day, and increased reps to where by day 30 we will be completing 300 reps on EACH exercise!

I do have a recommendation! When you complete the first few days, I would time how long it takes you, this way you can make sure you're allowing yourself enough time once you start getting into the higher reps. Your first day, by doing 60 reps of each exercise, you are doing 240 reps....AND THAT'S DAY 1!!!!! By the end of the month, you will be doing a 1200 rep cardio workout on day 30!

I know what you're thinking! That girl has lost her ever loving mind! And you're right, but as they say, "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you!". And I've got goals to meet! So, I encourage you to accept this challenge! And if you do, with each rep as it gets more challenging and you are cursing my name for coming up with this, I leave you with what Michael would say, YOU'RE WELCOME!

APRIL 2014 - CARDIO CHALLENGE
THE EXERCISES ARE: JUMPING JACKS, MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS, BURPEES, JUMP ROPES
You will do ALL 4 exercises each day, and you will complete the number of reps listed for each day on each exercise. For example, day 1, you will do 60 jumping jacks, 60 mountain climbers, 60 burpees, 60 jump ropes. The goal is to increase reps each day for each exercise to burn calories/fat and improve your endurance.
DAY	# OF REPS PER EXERCISE	DAY	# OF REPS PER EXERCISE
1	60	16	180
2	70	17	190
3	80	18	200
4	90	19	210
5	REST	20	REST
6	100	21	220
7	110	22	230
8	120	23	240
9	130	24	250
10	REST	25	REST
11	140	26	260
12	150	27	270
13	160	28	280
14	170	29	290
15	REST	30	300

Weigh-In Update - Get Results Like This!!!

What an AWESOME week we've had at Fitness Together! I'm so proud of my FT family, clients and trainers, for all the hardwork and dedication they put in this week and for sharing their successes!


As for me, I FINALLY met the goal I had set for myself a few weeks ago! With a few modifications Michael made, I lost 4.4 pounds this week, making my total weight loss 132.4 pounds! The modifications allowed me to not only lose weight this week, but I ended up getting more sleep and having more energy. It just proves once again, hardwork, dedication, and trusting the process truly pays off!


Now, I'm REALLY excited to brag about my FT brother and sisters! This week has been amazing and have many weight-loss and non-scale successes to share. Again, these are results that were reported just this week alone! Check these out!

• Patty H. - dropped 3.3 pounds this week!
• Jody B. - made it in for her sessions and was able to do the majority of the exercises without modifications. She is feeling stronger than ever!
• Charla C. - didn't miss any workouts (in fact she did extra with the incubator program), stuck to her nutritional plan, and was able to clean and jerk 95 pounds! That's the most she's ever been able to pull overhead!
• Casey P. - he hit a new PR by 20 pounds, clean and jerk 220 pounds!!!
• Michelle B. - down 3 pounds this week! Total of 23.5 pounds in 9 weeks!
• Julie W. - down 2.9 pounds this week!
• Kari C. - down 3 pounds this week for a total of 9 pounds in 3 weeks!
• Lisa B. - down 6 pounds this week for a total of 11 pounds in 9 days!
• Rachel M. - excited for a major milestone because she was able to do lateral jumps continously!
• Tara J. - was able to have those "back of the closet" clothes fit again!
• Magge W. - had an assessment and in the past month lost 7 pounds, 10 inches, and 2% body fat!

I can't tell you how proud I am of all of them! I've said it many times, and I guarantee you I'll say it again in the future, but I'm going to say it again right now! If you want results like this and want to become a part of an amazing support system and family for your own health and fitness needs, I strongly encourage you to contact Michael Watkins (owner) or Keith Jacobs (manager) for an opportunity to check them out! Make sure to tell them I sent you! Check them out at Jenks/Riverside or Downtown Tulsa! I can't promise you won't have to do burpees, but I can promise they will give you all the tools and knowledge to get the results you want and need, it'll just be up to you to just do it!

Recipe: Apple Bacon Chicken Salad

Before posting this recipe I wanted to make sure it not only was something I would recommend based on taste, but wanted to make sure I had suggestions on how to serve and keep for future use. Because I prep my whole week's of meals on Sunday, I wasn't sure how this would be a few days after being made, so I have a couple suggestions.


Because some of my meals I freeze and pull out the day before to heat up for my lunch or dinner, I tested a serving by freezing and seeing how it would taste the next day. My suggestion is DON'T freeze it! It still has a good taste, but the apples do become soggy. The two servings I didn't freeze, I kept in the refrigerator and even after a few days still tasted delicious and also the apples were still crisp.


Now, how to serve! If you are carb cycling, you can eat this on a high or low carb day. For a low carb day, being served on a bed of raw spinach is filling and tasty. If you are eating it on a high carb day, eating with a whole grain or Ezekiel pita bread or tortilla is what I would recommend.


You can get the recipe directly at this link on Read Set Eat website. Tasty version of a healthy chicken salad and only 185 calories for one cup!