In honor of the 1st year birthday, I decided to put together a full body workout with a few ” New Moves”. Enjoy and if you like it, please share!!

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Please see the specific instruction for each of the exercises below.

1.) Decline Push-Up

2.) The Surrender

3.) Stomp the Ceiling

4.) Side Plank with Lift

5.) Skater Taps

Click Picture to Print!

Rock it: Things you can wear, stuff with hair, fashion etc

Work it: Things you can cook, create, make or do!!

Love it: Articles, blogs, music etc that I love!

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Rock it.

I can’t resist fashion posts! SORRY!! So when I see these cute outfits put together on Pinterest, I go ga-ga over them! Love these ideas for Memorial Day weekend!

Source: etsy.com via Cathryn on Pinterest

Such a cute shirt, however you know in about 5 minutes, it would be ruined in berry juice or dirt!!

Source: eileenscreativeday.blogspot.com via Clare on Pinterest

Pretty much love this whole outfit…nap included!

Source: lvangie83.polyvore.com via Clare on Pinterest

Here’s something a little dressier and so pretty!

Work it.

Memorial Day weekend! The start of summer and all the yummy, fresh foods out there! Check out some of these awesome recipes!

Red, White & Blueberries Cheese Tray from The Better Mom

Grilled Corn Orzo Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette from Iowa Girl Eats

Dessert Sundae Bar from Better Homes & Gardens

Love it.

I found this saying this week on Pinterest and couldn’t agree with it more! My kids are still young, but we are already working on instilling responsibility in their lives. I’d love to hear what you do to keep your kids grounded. Share away! I need ideas! (Check out this free printable my friend, Darlene made from Time-Warp Wife! It’s a daily chore chart!)

I have always been wired for the mornings. Of course there are those days when I don’t get enough sleep (ahem, the past 2 years) or I just want to stay snuggled up in bed, but for the most part, I’m up and raring to go with a laundry list of things to do.

I’ve found that I’m most efficient on the days where I start with a workout and quiet times. We know as “Proverbs 31″ women that rising early is a noble thing. We also know that while there’s nowhere in the Bible where it specifically says “Have your quiet times before 8am” we see Christ rising early to meet with His Father. (Mark 1:35).

There’s no doubt that spending time with Him early can make a huge difference in the day.

(Photo Credit)

I also find that getting my workout done in the morning sets the stage for the rest of my day. I make better choices with what I eat. I am ready to attack the day and I have much more energy. (until around 8pm haha!) Studies also show that those who workout early in the morning are more likely to be consistent than those who wait until later in the day.

So what does this mean for a busy (exhausted) mama? How early DO you have to get up to get all this done?

I’d like to propose something that works for me. I’m not saying this is for everyone and this will also be different in different stages of life, but this has been a great combination for me. It also depends on what type of exercise you are doing as you wouldn’t be able to do much of it during a kickboxing class! I don’t do this every day! Just a couple mornings a week.

Note: I drive about 5 minutes to my gym. Some of you have more time. Some of you exercise in your basement. Make the appropriate adjustments!

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♦ Feet Hit the Floor/Getting Ready

Praise and Thanks. I use this time, while I’m waking, to kind of give God thanks for waking me up. For another day of living and for the blessings He’s giving me. Yes–all this is done while I’m brushing teeth, dressing and tying up shoes.

♦ Cardio Machine

Depending on what I’m doing for that day, will depend on how the rest rolls. If it’s just a cardio (elliptical) day, then I bring my Bible and my ipod shuffle. I read my passage for the day (and usually a Psalm or Proverb) and think over it while I’m getting the heart rate going. I play one worship song that helps me ponder it a little bit. Once the song is over, I hit the meat of my workout/switch machines etc.

If it’s a weights day, then I move over there to do that. However, because working out is a time when I feel closest to God many times my mind is clear and I’m left to ponder some things which end up in me praying sentence prayers through bicep curls.

♦ Cool-Down

I spend about 5 minutes on the floor stretching. I use this time to put on another worship song and say anything else to God I need, knowing that as soon as my front door opens to my house, the day is going to fly by.

♦ Later in the Day

I usually have another 15 minute period in the day, when my daughter is napping and my son is watching tv etc where I can get online and email my Good Morning Girls. I can also journal or process anything else that I might need to.

♦ All Day Long

I try to keep in a constant state of prayer. Yes. I have about 10 minutes in the morning when I make sure I hit everything I want, but I’ve found that keeping on top of my requests as God brings them to me in the day is more effective than me sitting and waiting for the “revelation” for God to bring me something.

This may see really scarce and non effective to you, but it works well for me. We are all different and there is no right answer that goes across the board! It’s how I start my day off right–in 2 ways. I’m a better mom, wife and friend when I have the triple threat of exercise, quiet times and prayer!

How do your mornings work? Do you exercise and have quiet times in the morning?  I’d love to hear what you do!

Here is a great twist to the hard-boiled egg. Sometimes you just need a little something to give it pizzazz!!

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Hard boil your eggs. Place in refrigerator before peeling. It makes that process a little easier!

Peel eggs. Place in snack sized plastic bags. (Or small plastic containers) Place in a container in the refrigerator for easy grabbing.

Buy or make your favorite salsa. Keep it in a container close to your hard-boiled eggs.

When you are ready to leave the house, grab an egg (or two!) and salsa. Slice your egg. (Don’t slice all the way through!) Place a scoop of salsa in it. Zip up bag! If you don’t feel like slicing, then just dump a scoop in the bag!

It’s ready to rock and roll with you!

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What are some of your favorite snacks to pack? How else do you eat your hard-boiled eggs?

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Click here if you can’t view the video!

Linking up with Women Living Well!

I want to do my best RIGHT NOW to teach my kids right habits and mentalities about health & fitness because we know that obesity doesn’t just happen overnight.

(My kids, ages 5 and 2 1/2)

Today I’m at The Better Mom talking about the 5 things I hope to instill in my children about living a life of health! Come join me!

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{The Basics}

Name: Summer W.

Age: 41

Profession: a wife to Randy, and a homeschool mom of 3 children – my son Taran is 16, my daughter Skylar Kaylyn is 15, and my daughter Serenity just turned 8.

How long have you been on this weight loss journey: I have dieted off and on the last six or so years, but I officially started being dedicated to a specific plan on January 1st of this year

Weight Loss/Inches Lost: 24 pounds, 24 inches

Blog/Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/swhelchel

{Your Story}

What was your “low point”?

I struggled as a teenager/young adult to have a good self-image…though I was thin enough and worked out almost fanatically, I was never satisfied and did not like what I saw in the mirror. I struggled with eating healthy, as in I chose to not eat in order to lose weight . This of course only slowed down my metabolism. It took me until I was in my 30s to have a balanced view of myself in light of God’s love for me. Once I turned 35, I was no longer able to just start working out harder again to lose weight – I noticed that I had to also adjust my eating. And over the last 3 years, I had become much more lazy in my eating habits. So at Christmas this last year I weighed 37 pounds more than I thought I should. Staying active with my children became much harder than I liked, and this was my low point…where I knew I had to do something because it was only going to get harder.

How did you get started?

I have never been a New Year’s resolution sort of person, but this January 1st, I just decided this was it. I had a few friends who wanted to challenge themselves in the same way, so we formed a sort of “support group” and encouraged each other daily in our eating, drinking water and exercise habits. It has actually helped me so much to be texting them and encouraging them – it helps me to be inspired and push myself more when I am trying to help my friends. Our group has grown now to about 9 women (TOTAL Ladies: Temple Of The Awesome Lord) that I text daily to check in with them, remind them to drink water, encourage them when they are struggling, and put our heads together to find solutions to different roadblocks. I took my weight and measurements so that I could track weight each week and measurements each month.

After a two-month significant weight loss, I hit a wall with my weight loss and decided to figure out why or what I needed to do. I joined myfitnesspal.com to track my calories and protein/carbs/fat/fiber amounts to see how I was doing. I realized that my calorie intake was not enough every day, and I was terribly low on protein each day. So over the last month I have watched calories much more (which I never used to do but myfitnesspal.com makes it SO easy, especially if you do it on your smart phone because you can scan in the bar codes on your food), and paid close attention to making sure I am getting enough protein. As I have done this, I have also somewhat adjusted my goals, in that I am much less concerned now about the actual weight, and more concerned about seeing food as fuel and making sure that this is a lifestyle change and not just a crash diet. Though I have more inches to lose, my goal is to be fit enough to keep up with my kids and excel in our activities, fit good in my clothes and feel HEALTHY! In the meantime, I am losing more inches each month and I believe the weight will drop off naturally.

Summer, before and after!

What is your workout routine and eating plan?

I was very aggressive with my changes in eating the first two month. I ate more healthy and stayed under on weight watchers points Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday, and on Monday/Wednesday/Friday I did “only fruits and veggie days” with snacks of nuts and a few other proteins thrown in. After my initial weight loss, I now just eat as healthy as I can every day and eat my 1200 calories a day. I also do NOT eat after 7, EVER. Sundays are my day off and I can eat as I please without counting calories…I always splurge and have popcorn made on the stove with coconut oil – my favorite treat!

As for workouts, I am active, but was finding that I was not getting enough calories burned each day. Because I am a black belt in Taekwondo, I spend a lot of my time teaching classes instead of actually getting a hard enough workout in. I also dance with my dance troupe, IMAJN (I Make A Joyful Noise), each Wednesday and though that definitely burned a lot of calories, I needed to up my workout intensity for each day. I really like TaeBo, and I do that that plus I enjoy Turbo Jam and Jillian Michaels workouts. Someone I recently came across on Facebook: Alisa Keeton of Revelation Wellness – she has GREAT, uplifting Christian workouts! I teach toning or TaeBo at our Taekwondo a couple times of month, which I love doing! I take Saturdays and Sundays off, but Monday – Friday I workout primarily in the mornings before I get my kids up to get started on Bible study and our school day. Sometimes I take my workouts over to a friend’s house, because it is so much more fun to work out with others!

{Help Us!}

What are your top 3 favorite resources that helped you along the way?

1) Working out with others is so much more fun! Even having the friends to encourage and be encouraged by – this has been so uplifting to me.

2) Having goals written on my calendar was also a huge help to me.

3) Encouraging posts from blogs like Revelation Wellness and Peak313 Fitness.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone who is sitting on the sidelines and waiting?

It is never too late to start being healthy and honoring God with your temple. Take it one day at a time, and remember that each day is a new day, and you are a NEW creation. If you have a bad day just move forward, “Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.” (Phil. 3:13-14). The goal is a healthy frame of mind and a healthy body and spirit. Your relationship with God is worth far more than being skinny, but use your relationship with God as motivation to be healthy.

What one piece of advice would you give to someone who is in the process but is feeling discouraged?

This is WORTH IT. I always think of my 15-year old daughter Skylar Kaylyn as she meets challenges in her music career (check her out at MuzicfromtheSKY on Youtube!) because when she started down this road she said, “I WANT these challenges, Mom…the end result is worth it.” It says in James 1:2-3, “Consider it pure joy when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Be willing to figure out a different plan if something isn’t working…no two people are exactly alike and no two weight loss plans can be exactly alike. Sometimes you will plateau and your body just needs things switched up in order to wake up and listen to what you are trying to tell it! Find a friend to join you in your efforts, one who struggles in the same way and has the same goals – pray for each other and be willing to be held accountable!

If you are a parent, how have you balanced everything?

We have a lot of fun doing things as a family…the kids and I do taekwondo, we dance together, and we work out together. My hubby and I encourage them to have workout plans that are specific to their future careers – my son wants to play football in college and to be an athletic trainer/sport coach, and my daughter needs to have good endurance and lung capacity for concerts. When Serenity is old enough she will join us in dance and taekwondo…in just turning 8 she will join for the fall sessions. As Alisa Keeton says, the key to weight loss is….just move! And we like to move as a family!

Summer and her son at black belt testing!

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Thank you for sharing, Summer! There’s no doubt that there are many of us who can relate to the obstacles you’ve experienced! I love her determination!! If you have a shed story that you would like to share, PLEASE contact me! We’d love to hear it! clare@peak313.com

I have a short video at the end explaining it!

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Start with both hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Feet at the bottom of a tree or wall.

Kick both legs up on the tree (wall). Kick as high and as fast as you can. Breathe and keep the torso and upper body solid..

To make it harder, run (sprint) at the top of the tree. Go as fast as you can!

REPS: 2-3 sets of 25 kicks or runs. You can also do it for time and try to work your way up. Start with 10 seconds and move your way up in 5 second intervals! You’ll know when you’ve worked those muscles!

VIDEO:

Click here if you can’t see the video.

Rock it: Things you can wear, stuff with hair, fashion etc

Work it: Things you can cook, create, make or do!!

Love it: Articles, blogs, music etc that I love!

♥♥♥

Rock it.

I’m getting the itch to get a new pair of running shoes for summer training season! I started checking some out online. Too bad they are SO EXPENSIVE! I can dream, right? *sigh* Until Saucony or Nike contacts me to model their stuff  I’ll have to keep checking the sale ads!!

My current pair of shoes are Saucony and I really love them. Saw these and no wonder they were voted Best Looking Running shoe!

I’ve never had a purple pair of running shoes! These are so cute from Adidas!

Work it.

I have to admit. I’m not a big seafood fan, however I do enjoy eating tilapia! We have it about once a week or so. Was happy to see this “Lightened Up Parmesan Tilapia” recipe online! Can’t wait to try it!

Love it.

Sunday is Mother’s Day and I saw this online and thought it gave a great perspective of being a mom. It goes right along with an article that has spread like wildfire this week. Keeping right perspective can be so hard so it’s great to get these little reminders!!

(Some of you are trainers or have a real love of fitness. You may be able to mimic everthing I have listed below on your own, so this post won’t apply to you!)

Not sure what group exercise is? Here’s the definition:

An exercise format that incorporate several different modalities of exercise that is taught in a group setting by one or more professionally trained instructors.

It runs the gamut of the type of class: traditional aerobics, step aerobics, kickboxing, Crossfit, Zumba, Bootcamp, Pilates…the list goes on and on.

I know some of you enjoy the “alone time” that your 60 minutes of exercise brings and I understand that! I need that too, but group fitness is a great thing to sprinkle in your week to help you kick it up a notch. (My favorite phrase over the past month. haha!)

Here’s Why You Need Group Exercise!

♦ Hidden Accountability

Whether it’s with the person beside of you or your instructor, there is an accountability automatically provided once you start attending a class. I know for myself as an instructor that I miss “regulars” if they aren’t there! We all know that accountability is HUGE in all areas of our lives! You can have a great workout, but if you aren’t doing it consistency, you will get minimal results!

♦ Intensity

It’s really hard to mimic the intensity that you find in a group exercise class by yourself at the gym. I know this to be true because I’ve experienced it myself! You will work harder and smarter with an instructor leading you.

♦ You don’t have to think…much

You’ve had a rough day. The last thing you want to do is think of some new ways to challenge your body. The best thing about group fitness is you can literally go in on auto-pilot. You follow what the instructor does and voila—excellent results!

♦ You try new things you otherwise wouldn’t

I can’t tell you the number of times the students in my class have said, “I’ve never thought of this!”. As an instructor, I am responsible for teaching my students new ways to incorporate equipment and moves to get results. I have had many students tell me that they’ve taken the exercises they’ve done in class and added them to their reporitres of moves they do at home or at the gym!

♦ You aren’t alone

There is something about seeing other people struggle with the same things you are. And there’s something to see people improve and gain victories every week.

♦ It’s fun!!!!

A good instructor will leave you wanting more. You should want to come back and bring a friend. You should want to NEVER miss one of the classes because of the fun you are having!

Many of you may agree with my points above, but may not be attending group exercise classes or even know where to start. Try these!

♦ Gym. If you belong to one, why on earth aren’t you attending Group X? Many are included in the price of membership. Try one. Try a few. Get your money’s worth out of that membership!

♦ Church. I teach my classes at our church. It is open to the community and we have many women from the area come. If you have the space at your church and a willing audience, talk to your Pastor about starting up a class. (IF you have someone interested and certified!)

♦ Colleges. I teach my pilates class at a college!

♦ Community Centers

♦ Hair Spas and Salons

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So I’m dying to know. Do you attend group exercise classes? What is your favorite kind? How have they impacted your fitness level? What keeps you from doing group exercise? Comment away!!!