Life Lately: A Quick Update, Some News, and The Future

Hi everybody!  Just checking in real quick with a life update and a few pieces of news to shed some light on why my posts haven't been as frequent as they once were.  First off, though, that picture!  It looks almost like a painting, but it's actually a photo of Stillhouse Cove in Rhode Island, where I was this past week visiting family.  Instead of putting up a picture of clouds, which I was about to do, this one seemed more optimistic and cheerful, which is the tone of this post, too.  Okay, onto the news... :)

I don't write many personal life posts here on the blog (I prefer to have this blog serve as more of a fitness resource for you rather than a personal journal for me), however, when life events happen that affect my writing and publishing, I want to keep you all informed!  Don't worry - nothing bad is happening.  In fact, it's all good!

I'm a barista at Starbucks.

Gold nametags & fedoras at the drive-thru to promote the Starbucks Rewards program. #noshame

I used to work for Starbucks back in college and I loved it.  The partners (what Starbucks calls its employees) were fantastic, the company was (and is) great to work for, and the job itself was (and still is) pretty fun.  When I moved to upstate New York in 2015, I spent a great deal of time applying for many full-time Wellness Coordinator and Health Promotion Specialist positions (what I ultimately want to do), but nothing worked out (yet!).  The time came to look at other options, even if only part-time, so I took a job as a barista back in March to start earning a bit more while I continue to work on my career trajectory.

I'm concentrating on my CPT studies.

Back in October I decided it was time to pursue my Personal Trainer certification.  It seemed like the logical next step for my career and would help develop my training for my group classes as well.  I was really good at setting aside time to study... for the first 2 weeks I had the materials. After those 2 weeks, I started having the "not this again" feeling and the studying slowly went to the back burner.  BUT!  I've set a test date (September 29, 2016) in hopes that that'll kick my butt into gear now.  So far I've been pretty good, and I aim to keep it up (September is approaching faster than I care to admit!).  While this means that my blog posts will be secondary to my studies right now, I do hope over the course of my cramming that I can provide you with better workouts and health advice here on the blog.  Quality over quantity!

I'm considering going back to school.

Since having a few initial interviews for Wellness Coordinator and Health Promotion Specialist positions over the past few months, I've learned that in order to be considered for that type of career, I need to boost my credentials.  After meeting with an academic advisor here at SUNY Albany School of Public Health, getting my MPH (Master's in Public Health) is the next best step. The idea of going back to school for a Master's in something I am passionate about excites me, and the more I think about it, the more it seems like the right decision.  I'll keep you posted!

What this all means...

Alright, so I have a lot going on in my personal life, but what does this mean for YOU?  Well, if you've been a long-time subscriber, you may have noticed my publishing frequency has dropped significantly over the past few months.  It's a shame, honestly, because I have so many things I want to write about, and so many workouts I want to share with you.  Unfortunately, I just don't have the time that I used to what with working, studying, and teaching fitness classes. 

While I focus on the above, my goals for the blog are still to create quality content for you all and keep publishing - the blog isn't going anywhere!  I aim to publish at least once a week while I focus on my CPT studies right now.  I have a few killer workouts in the queue (get excited!), along with some lifestyle-focused posts and a few recipe & product reviews (hint: some great giveaways are coming!), all of which I'm excited to share!

So I hope that you'll continue to follow along, and also take this time to look back at previous workouts, healthy lifestyle tips, and delicious recipes.  Let me know what workouts you're loving or recipes you try!  And of course, thank you for your patience and being loyal readers of the blog - I couldn't do this without you!

I'd love to stay connected with you on a more frequent basis!  Follow me on social media here:

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Suspension Trainer Ab Burner Workout w/ Cardio Intervals

Hi everybody!  I'm super excited to bring you today's workout using the FE Strong Suspension Trainer System!  I love using suspension trainers like this one because they force you to engage certain muscle groups that traditional on-the-ground strength training exercises don't.  Since you're suspended working against gravity, you have to focus on really engaging your abs in order to stabilize and control your movements.  

The number of exercises you can do on this piece of equipment is endless, so instead of trying to pick a few from an infinite list (a challenging task, let me tell you!), I'm breaking up the workouts into 3 parts: Abs, Upper Body, and Lower Body. Part 1 today is focused on your abs, with some sneaky shoulder work in the many plank positions you'll be holding.  This workout is designed using 6 abdominal strength exercises with 30 seconds of suspended mountain climbers between each for a little burst of cardio.  Here is what the mountain climbers look like:

Suspended Mountain Climbers - start in a high plank position with the tops of your feet in the foot straps.  Alternate bringing your knees close to your chest as quickly as you can (just like MC on the floor), keeping your shoulders over your wrists and abs engaged.

Keep reading for the full workout, my review of the suspension trainer (hint: I LOVE IT!), and details on how you can get 40% OFF one of these babies!!  Enjoy!

Suspension Trainer Ab Burner Workout w/ Cardio Intervals

What You'll Need: a suspension trainer system hooked to a sturdy bar, branch, or door that will support your full bodyweight, and an exercise mat if you want one. The strap length is adjustable, so for this workout the handles should be low enough to the ground to make a high plank comfortable  and keep your spine aligned (about a foot off the ground depending on your build).
What You'll Do: go through the exercises in two rounds - the first focusing on the right side where applicable; the second focusing on the left.  Between each set of strength exercises, do 30 seconds of suspended mountain climbers (shown above).

Note: If you've never used a suspension trainer before, I highly recommend watching this set up & use video before trying the workout.

10 Trench Crawls (4 steps each direction) - start out in a low plank position with the tops of your feet resting in the straps, forearms horizontal in front of you.  Keeping your abs engaged and quads tight, take the arm that's in back and bring it forward, pulling yourself along.  Keep stepping forward on your forearms for 4 steps, then work your way backwards for 4 steps returning to start. Each 4-step forward and back = 1 rep.  Do 10 reps total.  Trainer Tip: the key here is to keep your abs engaged, spine aligned, and to try to resist swinging your legs side to side as you crawl.

- 30 seconds MC -

10 Oblique Crunches - start in a high plank on your hands with your feet in the straps.  Keeping your shoulders in line with your wrists and the movement slow and controlled, tuck your knees out and up to the right side (left side in round 2) toward your elbow.  Slowly reverse the move to go back into a plank.  Keep tucking your knees for 10 reps.

- 30 seconds MC -

10 Slow Sit Ups (4-count up & down) - lie down on your back with your heels resting in the foot straps, arms extended straight above you.  Engage your abs and raise yourself up slowly (4-count), reaching for your toes, keeping your spine straight as you come up.  Reverse the move and slowly lower yourself back down to start, making sure your arms stay raised above you and don't come to the floor.  Do 10 reps.

- 30 seconds MC -

10 Side Plank Hip Dips - start in a low side plank on the right side for the first round (switch to the left if on round 2) with your feet in the straps, top leg slightly behind.  From here, dip your hips to the floor, engaging your obliques to pull yourself back up.  Make sure your shoulder stays over your elbow here, and keep your hips stacked.  Do 10 dips.

- 30 seconds MC -

10 Pike Ups - you're starting in a high plank position again with the tops of your feet in the straps. From here, raise your body up into a pike position keeping your legs straight and pulling your abs in toward your spine.  Make sure your shoulders stay in line with your wrists here, too, and keep the movement slow and controlled.  Do 10 reps.

- 30 seconds MC -

10 Single-Leg Burpees - start standing with your right foot in the strap for round 1 (left foot for round 2), arms extended above you.  From here, perform a burpee by placing your hands on the ground and jumping your non-strapped foot back to hold a plank.  (Optional push up here if you want to.)  Now reverse the move, placing your non-strapped foot back down on the floor, raising yourself back up to standing, and adding a hop at the end.  Do 10 reps.  [VIDEO of this move here.]

Repeat this workout once more, switching to the left side where applicable.

Get 40% OFF the FE Strong Suspension Trainer!

You guys - I'm SO excited to be able to give you a 40% discount on one of these babies!  This suspension training system is really high quality (and no, I'm not just saying that).  If I'm being completely honest, I'm always a little wary of off-brand fitness equipment since they can be hit or miss a lot of the time.  After receiving this in the mail though, I was surprised at how professional-grade it is.  The handles are made of a comfortable and sturdy rubber, the nylon straps are thick and supportive, and the hooks that attach it to a bar above you are incredibly well-made.

It would normally run you $99 on Amazon (or more if you went with a TRX), but use the code "INFITINH" at check out to get 40% off.  (Heck yes $40 discount!)  If you've ever wanted a suspension system like this, now is your chance.  I hope you enjoy the workout, whether you try it in the gym, at home, or elsewhere.  If you end up buying one of these babies or already have a suspension trainer system, let me know how you like it! 

Readers: chat with me!  Do you use suspension training in your fitness routines?  What are your favorite abdominal exercises to do with/on them?  Have you ever traveled with one before? Where is the most unique place you've ever used one?

Disclosure: I was gifted the FE Strong Suspension Trainer System in exchange for my honest review on the blog and on Amazon.  All opinions and this workout are my own (just like always!). 

Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl

Popping in real quick this morning to bring you a delicious yogurt bowl recipe I made yesterday for breakfast.  I usually have some version of this breakfast bowl practically every morning (along with an english muffin), but this one turned out so good, I had to share.  It packs a nutritional punch with 30 grams of protein thanks to 2 cups of Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Greek yogurt, and has lots of healthy fats thanks to Teddie Natural Peanut Butter.  It's pretty low in sugar, too (each yogurt has 7g), and can be modified any way you choose.  As if that's not good enough, it's ready in literally 2 minutes (and if you're really hungry, eaten in less than that).  Y.U.M.

I highly recommend this for breakfast (especially if you've got a sweet tooth in the morning) because with it's high protein content, this bowl will keep you satiated for longer than, say, that bowl of cereal.  It certainly makes a great snack, too, or dessert if you add in some cocoa powder.  Keep reading for the recipe, and make sure to pin it to that breakfast Pinterest board for a go-to meal when you're in a hurry.

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Quick & Easy Peanut Butter Banana Greek Yogurt Bowl

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 5.3-oz cups Dannon Oikos Triple Zero banana Greek yogurt 
• 1 fresh banana, sliced
• 2 spoonfuls natural no-salt-added peanut butter (I use Teddie Organic)
• handful of granola (flavor of choice)
• unsweetened coconut flakes

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Scoop yogurt into a bowl
• Top with sliced banana, peanut butter, granola, and coconut flakes
• Enjoy!

Next time I'm probably going to add some unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate protein powder for a chocolate kick and to add a bit more protein.  Other additions I'd like to try: chia seeds, honey, strawberries, blueberries, flavored peanut butter... the list is endless!

Readers: chat with me!  What's your go-to breakfast on a busy morning?  Are you a fan of Greek yogurt?  If so, what's your favorite?  Are you a savory or sweet breakfast type?  Have you jumped on the smoothie/yogurt/breakfast bowl bandwagon yet?