by Anita Muniz | Aug 24, 2016 | Outdoor, Uncategorized
Do you have back pain or feel weakness in our lower abdomen? Is it hard for you to sit up straight for long without slouching? We have the workout just for you.
When you think of core work, an image of 6 pack abs might pop into your mind. When our trainer thinks of core she imagines chiseled #tanktop shoulders, a strong back and finally tight abs! This sets you up not only to look great, but to feel tight and strong from front to back.
Back pain is the leading cause of pain worldwide, which is exactly why we wanted to share this full CORE workout. Normally, when we think of our core, people think of having abs and how they look in the mirror. However, if you’re ignoring the back of your body and then you likely have some muscle imbalances and need to balance them out.
Here is what your Fit Snack Personal Trainer has to say:
First, “Engage” your core.
Here’s my first tip (I teach all of my clients): Engage your core – lying flat on the ground, pretend there is a string pulling your belly button to your spine. Inhale and expand your stomach then Exhale let all of the air out and squeeze feel your belly button go deeper towards your spine.
Here’s your workout! It can be done if you are at any fitness level, it includes modifications to give you, your perfect challenge. If you’re a beginner then you need this foundation and if you’re an advanced athlete we’ve included modifications for the best results. What you put in is exactly what you get out of it. Keep in mind if you have pain that feels like an injury you need to rest and contact a doctor first. If you have pain in the sense that your muscles are burning and sweat is dripping into your eyes, then good for you, you’ve entered #beastmode!
Last tip: Keep your core tight during this entire workout. The first exercise will fully engage your abs.
Welcome to your Core Sculpt Routine, let’s build your back and abs!
Perform 20 – 50 Reps of each exercise
Trainer recommends: 20 for Beginners & 50 for Advanced
Reverse Crunches – Lying on the ground, arms down to your sides, bend at the knees with your heels touching the ground and feet flexed. Keep your spine glued to the floor the entire movement (Key here: pretend someone is trying to push a pencil between your back and the ground. NO space, keep it pressed tightly to the ground and feel your abs engage!). Now lift both feet bringing your knees in towards your chest. Lift and lower that’s 1!
Beginner – Start by slowly lifting and lowering 1 foot at a time. Keep your feel flexed (see below).
Advanced – Extend both legs out with a slight bend in the knees. Lift and lower while keeping every vertebrae in your spine glued to the ground. Make sure not even a pencil could get through.
Hip Thrusters – Same lying position, arms down at your sides and bent knees. Keep your feet flat on the ground the entire time. Engage your core and lift your hips off of the ground, pause at the top then slowly bring your hips down to the ground. Hips up and squeeze your glutes (bum) at the top, release and slowly lower butt to the ground.
Beginner – Lift and lower your hips slowly without pausing at the top.
Advanced – Lift 1 leg reaching your toe to the sky then lift with 1 leg!
Mountain Climbers ‘High Hips’ – Start in plank position jump your Rt foot to your Rt hand. Now left foot to left hand. Bring your hips as high as they can go then switch, that’s 1!
Beginner – Be sure not to drag your feet on the ground. The Key here is to: Lift each foot as you jump to that hand. Rt foot to Rt hand, then Lft foot to left hand.
Advanced – Bring hips as high as you can. You may be able to get to where your neck, shoulders and wrists are stacked almost in a hand stand when you jump. Feel it in your shoulders here and keep a tight core.
Push Ups – Start with your hands on the ground wrists below your shoulders. Push up then slowly lower down until your chest is 1 inch from the ground.
Beginner – Start with your knees on the ground. Keep your body as straight as possible, if that’s to difficult then raise your hips for an easier push up.
Advanced – You can lift 1 leg. If that’s to easy then add a clap in between each push up! Try doing both for a fun challenge.
Downward Dog Push Ups – In the downward dog position slightly bend your elbows and lower your head until you’re 1 inch from the floor (keep your spine straight). Basically a mini push up with your hips high in the air.
Beginner – Warm up before this movement with a push up on your knees then raise your hips high and slowly ease into the movement. Slow and controlled.
Advanced – Place your feet on a bench, hands on the ground about 1 foot from the bench to keep your body at a 45 degree angle with hips high.
Supermans for Lower Back – Lying on the ground with your face to the floor, extend your arms straight in front of you. Lift your chest off of the ground – keeping your feet on the ground – as your chest comes off the ground bring your arms bent to your sides. This move looks like overhead press only you are lying on your stomach.
Beginner – Keep your feet on the ground and start with a slight stretch to warm up. Lying on your stomach, slowly lift your chest and press your hands into the ground for a good pre stretch.
Advanced – Lift your chest and as you perform your lying shoulder press squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Rear Donkey Kicks – On all fours bring your knee to your chest, then raise your heel to the sky and pause then lower. The entire movement keep your leg at a 45 degree angle (perfect bend). When you raise your leg, squeeze your glutes (bum muscles). Perform all reps on 1 leg at a time.
Beginner – Skip the pause, bring heel to the sky then lower. Keep the motion slow and controlled.
Advanced – With each rep squeeze your glutes at the top and pulse for 5 seconds then lower. Keep your glutes tight and your core tight through the entire motion.
Remember: If you want RESULTS it’s all about doing it right not fast! It’s NOT a race, it’s all in the details. In this case, your form.
Subscribe now for $5 off and ask your Fit Snack trainer for fitness tips or help along the way.
Email anita@fitsnack.com for Fitness help
Comment below with your requests for what you would like to see next? Another workout? A video? Healthy Recipe?
by Anita Muniz | Aug 16, 2016 | Food for thought, Recipes, Uncategorized
Who enjoys routine meals week in and week out? A simple and basic healthy diet is one thing, but we all get to that place just like hitting a plateau when working out, our tastebuds get bored. Our body needs and craves a diversified diet, which is why we wanted to share this unique dish with you. We love to change it up in the kitchen and come up with new recipes to add to the mix. Coucous can be a fun alternative to rice or pasta. It has less calories and a bit more protein than rice.
Ingredients:
10 ounces of Shrimp 1 cup of Pearl Couscous
3 cloves of Garlic 1 Green Squash
1 bunch of Parsley 2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon Verjus Rouge
1 teaspoon Summer Couscous Spice Blend
2 teaspoons of olive oil ¼ cup of water
Instructions:
• In a medium pot bring water to a boil on high. Add the couscous and cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Reserve ½ a cup of the cooking water. Drain the couscous and return to the pot.
• Wash and dry the produce. Cut the squash in to ¼ inch thick pieces. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley & stems.
• In a medium pan, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil until hot. Add the squash and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes or until softened.
• To make the sauce, add the tomato paste to the pan with eh squash. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes or until dark red. Add the Verjus and ¼ cup water. Stir frequently 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Pat shrimp dry and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and spice blend. Add the shrimp to the pan with the squash and sauce. Cook on medium/high – stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.
• Add the couscous, butter and half reserved couscous cooking water to the pan. Stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes.
Eat up & Enjoy!
by Anita Muniz | Aug 12, 2016 | Uncategorized
The story of when Milk decided it was time to Go Dairy Free.
Introducing the worlds first Pistachio Milk. This delicious milk alternative has a history as rich as it’s flavor. Elmhurst, New York known as the “Cross Roads of the World” by the New York Times is a special place in Queens, New York.
Elmhurst is a neighborhood rich in all of the best ways, rich with culture, flavors, foodies and diversity. It is no wonder then that Elmhurst Dairy® was founded there in 1920 by brothers Max and Arthur Schwartz. In the midst of the Industrial Revolution, they started bottling milk from their cows and delivering it door to door. In 1980, to continue their legacy, Max’s son, Henry Schwartz started Steuben Foods Inc.
“We’re Nuts about Milk”
No Lactase, No Gluten, No Soy & GMO Free
Today, Steuben Foods Inc. is looking at milk in a whole new “Dairy Free” light as Steuben Consumer Products presents their delicious Elmhurst Harvest dairy alternatives. More than simply providing Nut Milks, they’ve taken on the role of creating the world’s first Pistachio-based milk. As if that wasn’t enough they went on to release the first Walnut based Milk. Each type of Nut based milk comes in multiple flavors, see their selection here.
The Pistachio milk –found in your August Fit Snack box – comes in Vanilla, Unsweetened and Original. It is lower in sugar and fat than regular milk – you also get more of your Omega 3’s aka “healthy fats”.
1 carton of 2% school milk = 8 ounces, has over 12 g of sugar
2% School Milk Carton
The same amount = 8 ounces of Elmhurst Harvest Original Pistachio Milk has 8g of sugar
8 ounces Unsweetened Pistachio Milk has 0g of sugar! 1g Protein. Only 2g fat!
If you’re looking for a low fat, delicious Pistachio milk smoothie, look no further.
Here’s a Pistachio Smoothie Recipe inspired by Elmhurst Harvest and created by our Nutritionist.
3/4 c. Elmhurst Harvest Pistachio Milk
1/2 c. Organic Strawberries 2 Tbsp Dairy Free Yogurt
3 ice cubes 1 Banana
2 Tbsp Dairy Free Dark Chocolate shavings (or a chocolate vegan protein powder)
When the kids start school and need a healthy dairy free alternative, it’s good to know Elmhurst Harvest has the best selection! You can count on their Nut Milks to be lower in sugar and fat. Shop Elmhurst Harvest for the cleanest and most delicious dairy alternatives.
by Arielle Rubenstein | Aug 2, 2016 | Food for thought, Partner, Uncategorized
Attention meat lovers: Fortified Nutrition’s Harvest Sticks are about to be your go-to protein snack. Your July Fit Snack box included their Grass-fed Beef with Uncured Bacon and Organic Apple.
These ain’t your momma’s beef “jerky” old–these beef sticks are tasty and good for you, too.
Fortified Nutrition created their Artisan meat snacks with the idea that we need more grab-and-go organic, whole food snacks. Each Harvest Stick has a list of easy to read ingredients, and are hand crafted in small batches for the best flavor. This company aims to Bridge the Nutritional Gap, where diet meets lifestyle and nutrition meets flavor.
Perfect for after a solid workout or for keeping you tied over till dinner, these sticks are also 100% grass-fed beef, have no added nitrates, and are a great source of Omega-3’s – 5x more than the competition. Even better, the beef is from free roaming, pasture raised cattle. Oh, and it’s also gluten/GMO/ hormone/dairy/soy free.
Talk about a snack you can feel great about!
Craving more? Check out their
website.
by Arielle Rubenstein | Jul 19, 2016 | Partner, Uncategorized
This delicious all natural, gluten free, high performance energy bar is the true breakfast bar of champions! This bar has it all. When we learned it was developed by elite athletes we had expected nothing less than perfection and Arrow Bar delivered. Now here is an energy bar you can count on packed with nutrients from ingredients you will recognize and the perfect taste!
Chocolate chips and oatmeal are a match made in heaven. Trust us, add a few chips to your next bowl of oats and it’ll be hard to go back to plain.
Hence our excitement at finding Chocolate Chip ArrowBars – an all natural energy bar made with chocolate chips and oatmeal! These delicious, gluten free bars provide clean energy to fuel whatever sport you play–without an annoying sugar crash.
Even more awesome is the fact that each of the nine ingredients is recognizable, so no weird chemical flavors or additives!
ArrowBars are totally perfect for a pre or post workout energy boost. If you check out their Instagram @arrowbar you’ll see all of the pros who love having these bars on hand. We know we do! This summer we have had some amazing Fit Snack adventures from camping to hiking to mountain biking and we have enjoyed every last bite.
Arrow Bar saved the day, while we were trail running Mesa Trail in Boulder, Co
“Life is a sport, are you playing?”
by Anita Muniz | Jul 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
Nachos aren’t something you’d normally find at the top of your list of ‘healthy foods’, but thanks to RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers we have a recipe that will feed your cravings without sabotaging your diet. RW Garcia is a family owned and family run company committed to creating quality chips. All of their products are Gluten Free, GMO free and made using sustainable methods. Good for you and good for the environment! It’s no wonder they’ve discovered a delicious healthy nachos recipe. If you want the best results you have to buy the RW Garcia chips for these nachos!
- Start with RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers
- 4 cheese blend – melted over the top
- Heat up some black beans – spoon onto the nachos as desired
- Add chopped olives
- Add chopped tomatoes
- Add chopped green onions
- Garnish with jalapeño rings and cilantro
- Artistically place sliced avocado over your nachos
- Optional: Top it off with some greek yogurt in place of sour cream
Try this recipe out with the RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers in your May Fit Snack box. RW Garcia prides themselves on providing delicious products that will make you feel better about indulging your salty snack cravings.
Happy Snacking buy your Sweet Potato Crackers here!
