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Leg Day + Lunges vs Squats

07.16.2014

Leg workout of the day:

-Front & reverse lunge (one movement, one leg at a time)
superset with jumping lunges 3×15

-Leg press 3×15

-Sprint on treadmill- 10 mins

-Glute kickbacks on cables 3×10

-Standing hip adduction on cables 3×10

-Box step ups- 3×20

-Sprint on treadmill (incline) 10 mins

-Cool down (walking)

REST & STRETCH!

(If you are unsure of what an exercise looks like, search bodybuilding.com for images and how-to’s)

Do you prefer squats or lunges?

Personally, I love lunges. You will rarely find me doing squats. Here’s my thought process:

I feel like my muscles are more engaged and I’m getting more effective movement in my glutes.
Lunges are more fun (in my opinion). There’s much more variety with lunges. Where a squats a squat.
Less strain on my back.
It’s easier to get the movement right! Form can’t be sacrificed as easily. It’s not easy getting correct form for a squat.
Unilateral movements (movement on one side of the body) is much easier for me to focus on and feel that mind/body connection.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments! xo

Napa to Sonoma 5k / HUGE new goal!

07.23.2013

Hi loves! Sorry for my lack of posts lately, I have been a busy bee! New beginnings, change and exciting transitions are a good thing, right? Anyways, I do have some exciting news. Well two things, fitness related. First off, I placed 10th overall in the Napa to Sonoma 5k this weekend! 7th place female! It’s so exciting to make progress! If you follow my Facebook page, I talk about progress all the time. Little progress is better than no progress at all! Shaving time off my runs, seeing huge changes in my body and feeling overall very happy! Doesn’t get better than that. 🙂

This course was absolutely beautiful! I regret not running the half marathon, but will next year! People come from all over to visit the wine country which happens to be my home town. It’s really eye opening to return and realize how beautiful it really is! I may be a city girl, but Sonoma will always have my heart. 🙂

Such a fun event!! They had tons of wine tasting after and I saw a cute shirt that pretty much sums is up:

“Run a lit, Wine a lot”. 🙂

Next goal…maybe top 5? Hmmm… 😉

Exciting News #2- Sooooo, I sat down with a girlfriend of mine the other night who happens to be a photographer. We chatted a little bit about my fitness goals and you know what I realized? I don’t have one! So with that said I have decided that I really want to do a fitness photo shoot in 3-4 months!!!! I am so nervous to announce that and have been majorly doubting myself but after talking to others about it, why the heck not?! I need a goal, why not make it a big one. To be photo shoot ready to me, means getting in the best physical shape I have ever been. BUT doing it all on my own. Not using a nutritionist or trainer, but being my own motivation. I want to share the journey with you guys and see how I progress. Why the heck not, right? So I have yet to set a date, and SO nervous to commit but with this post, I think I just committed!! YIKES. I will need to believe in myself more than I ever have before! So stay tuned peeps!

Find your passion and the sky’s the limit! xoxo

Portion Size / Live Ultimate Run

06.07.2013

Happy Friday! Hope you all had a great week! It’s a never-ending battle with me to get my portions correct, so I thought this chart would be a huge help not only to you guys, but myself included. These portions look teeny tiny but keep in mind you should be eating 5-6 small meals a day! This is a HUGE issue when going out to restaurants. Most places load up the portions, leaving you the option to finish the whole thing. My personal advice: take half home with you! No need to be overly stuffed. This will only eliminate the “6 meals a day” theory.

So keep it small. Keep it simple and enjoy!

(source unknown, via Pinterest)

Do you guys think that our portions are too large here in America compared to other countries?

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Alright guys, it’s official. I am a Live Ultimate Run Ambassador! Looking forward to many fun events with this team!

The 5k and Quarter Marathon take place on June 30th, right here in San Francisco. If you live in the area, please join me!

Follow this link and use code: AmbassadorJenna for 10% off your entry!

Looking forward to June 30th!!

April Fitness Goals

04.09.2013

Let’s talk goals. Do you set long-term or short-term goals for yourself? Goal setting has just come up at work, as we approach a new quarter. Ok, so job related goals aren’t as exciting as fitness or personal for that matter, BUT extremely beneficial. So I usually start off my week with a couple of goals in mind (partially because I am uber organized). Some consist of food prepping on Sunday nights following church, others consist of planning my workout schedule for the week, or as simple as doing my weekly laundry ritual. Sounds a little monotonous but you get the point. What about fitness related goals? I have found that goal setting is another way to set yourself up for success. Actually, I like to think it’s the only way to be successful. So with that said, I like to set my long-term and short-term goals for the month and see how they pan out.

I find that sharing them with you all keeps me accountable, and acts as a journal in sense. Hopefully my personal goals will get you thinking and lead you to jot some down as well.

Short Term Goals:

Drink 1 gallon or more water/day
Bring my lunch and snacks to work each day this week
Continue to build muscle through heavy lifting
Prep for my 10k this coming weekend
Only have 2-3 cheat meals per week
Drink one cup of green tea/day

Long Term:

Run a half marathon this year
Schedule a photo shoot (to get me 110% committed)
Obtain my personal training certification (I have already purchased the classes!!)
Spend more time bloggging, attending expos and exploring other outlets
Help someone else achieve their fitness goals

Above all have fun with it! I wouldn’t be 100% dedicated if I didn’t absolutely love what I am working for. This journey has been so exciting for me and I can only hope to grow in the fitness world, gain as much knowledge as possible and enjoy every minute.

This is a very appropriate time to give a big shout-out to a woman who is the ultimate goal setter and motivating me to get my butt in gear. My lovely Mom decided to set a large goal for herself last year as she has become more and more interested in organized running events. She decided to find at least (1) 5k per month to run in our local area. This month, I was blown away with her commitment to running (3) 5ks and (1) 10k! She has outdone herself and I am so happy for her. Mom, you’re the best! Now would you commit to running an organized race each month?

It’s your turn, get thinking about how to accomplish your goals. Another thing to remember, it’s about the journey as much as the outcome, so enjoy the ride! The dedication, commitment and belief in yourself is the most exciting part. So, believe in yourself a little more and it will be so worth it in the end.

Thanks for reading!!

Healthy Swaps Towards Your Future

04.03.2013

One of the most important things to think about while transitioning to a more healthy lifestyle is the things you can easily swap out to take the place of your current routine. Choosing a healthier alternative is probably one of the easiest and most important steps, in my opinion.

Start at the grocery store. When you are at the market, opt for the better alternative and you will not be tempted at home to go devour the sweets drawer or frozen packaged food in your freezer. Make yourself a grocery list of better options, and try your best to stick to that list.

I have listed a helpful guideline below to get your started, but in order to learn exactly what your body needs you must do the research. This came to me with a lot of mistakes, and experimentation, but with all the research and reading I have done, I have finally found what works best for my body. Now it’s your turn to do the job and make the swaps.

As I have said before, I am a preacher of making the right decisions and the right decision lays in the food you choose. Hours upon hours of exercise and NOT feeding yourself properly will only put you in the same spot with little progress. Diets, pills and shakes will not do the trick. You need to fuel with protein, whole grains, veggies and then some.

Almost every cuisine can be adjusted to fit your healthy lifestyle. There are so many different variations out there, even if you go out to a restaurant. Ask your server to make the swaps and eye the healthier options on the menu. I have found ways around all types of food, Italian, Mexican, Japanese, even pizza and burger joints! They are out there, you just have to do the work and find it on the menu.

Start here. Start today. Try to make as many healthy swaps as you can and see how you progress. Be strong with your choices, think positive, and have fun with it!

Butter < Avocado

Sour Cream < Greek Yogurt

Peanut Butter < Almond Butter

Milk Chocolate < Dark Chocolate

Whole Wheat Bread < Ezekiel Bread

French Fries < Sweet Potato Fries

Hamburger < Turkey Burger

Soda < Water

Juice < Fresh Fruit

Iceberg Lettuce < Kale or Spinach

Salt < Mrs. Dash

Cereal < Oatmeal

Sugar < Cinnamon

Relaxed Run < Interval Training

Hours in the gym < 1 hour of high intensity training

Emotional Eating < Writing down your thoughts

Criticism < Self Love

Perfection < Progress

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