Weekend Challenge

20 Air squats
20 Burpies
20 Push-Ups
3 rounds...for time.

Sitting and Watching

‘No matter what gets in the way or which way the wind does blow… I’ll just sit here and watch the river flow.’ ~Bob Dylan

Post written by Leo Babauta.

Have you ever felt that we are rushing through life, that we get so caught up in busy-ness that life is passing us almost without notice?

I get this feeling all the time.

The antidote is simple: sitting and watching.

Take a minute out of your busy day to sit with me, and talk. Take a moment to imagine being in the middle of traffic — you’re driving, stressed out by the high amount of traffic, trying to get somewhere before you’re late, angry at other drivers who are rude or idiotic, completely focused on making your way through this jungle of metal on a ribbon of asphalt. Now you’ve gotten to the end, phew, you made it, wonderful, and you’re only a few minutes late … but did you notice the scenery you passed along the way? Did you talk to any of the other people along your path? Did you enjoy the ride?

No, probably not. You were so caught up in getting there, in the details of navigating, in the stress of driving, that you didn’t have time to notice your surroundings, the people nearby, or the wonderful journey. This is how we are in life.  Keep reading . . .

Slow Cooker Ratatouille

--1 eggplant

--1 zucchini

--1 yellow squash that looks like a zucchini ---no idea what it is really called

--1 can peeled whole tomatoes (drained)

--1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes (and juice)

--1/2 yellow onion

--1 yellow pepper

--1 orange pepper

--3 cloves minced garlic

--2 T olive oil

--1 t Italian seasoning

--1 t kosher salt

--1/2 t black pepper

--1/2 cup water  

get the directions . . .

Weekend Challenge

10 rounds
5 push ups
15 squats
5 burpees
15 sit ups

55 Ways to Take Care of Yourself When You're Busy Busy Busy

Say no to anything that is not important to you

Laundry, phone calls with your mom, demanding girlfriends – this is not the time to be nice and “responsible”. Give yourself the permission to focus on what’s important. Getting the unessential responsibilites off your schedule will not only create som extra time and space, it will also lighten the burden you’re feeling to keep up with it all.

Ask for help

There’s nothing wrong with asking for help, and you’ll quickly learn that most people around you actually love to be asked! It makes them feel useful and important. What usually helps the most is to get help to do the normal things; cooking, shopping and regular every-day tasks. However, don’t underestimate how important the people in your life can be when it comes to feedback, motivation and supporting your self-confidence regarding the important work you’re doing.

Get enough sleep

An oldie, but a goodie. This old advice is not only essential when it comes to self-care, it is also absolutely essential when it comes to being able to do your best. Particularly important when it comes to exam periods and work stress, sleep will help you achieve. It’s easy to think that a few extra hours of work will do you more good, but it won’t. Sleep will.

Drink tea

Coffee will only get you that far, before it sends you down into tiredness again. While still being hot and comforting, tea (and especially the herbal kind) won’t make you dehydrated and shaky. If you’re feeling tired and think you need a coffeine boost, go for cold water (or iced tea) instead. Cold water will help wake you up!

Keep Reading . . .

Kansi

Ingredients

3 pcs beef shank cuts (around 1.2 to 1.5kg)
2 cups sliced young jackfruit
3 large tomatoes, chopped
2 stalks lemongrass
2 onions, quartered
1 thumb sized ginger, sliced
4-6 pcs green finger chillies
1 tbsp annatto powder
7 pcs batwan fruit or 1 large packet sinigang mix
salt
freshly ground black pepper

get the how-to . . .

Weekend Challenge

Burpee to the push up position, do 10 push ups, burpee out. 5 rounds.

Sleeping Late, Eating Late Leads to Gaining Weight

A message to night owls: There's news that your bedtime -- and those late-night snacks -- may be preventing you from dropping those stubborn extra pounds. A recentstudy took on an important, and under-examined, aspect of the sleep-weight loss connection: how the timing of sleeping -- and of eating -- can affect weight. Researchers at Northwestern University examined the effects of sleep timing on diet and body-mass index (BMI), and found that late bedtimes and late mealtimes can lead to less healthful diets and to weight gain.

A group of 52 adults -- 25 women and 27 men -- spent seven days keeping food logs and having their sleep and waking activity measured by a wrist sensor. The researchers divided participants into two categories of sleepers: 

• "Normal sleepers" reached the midpoint of their night's sleep before 5:30 a.m. These sleepers were asleep by shortly after midnight, and woke around 8 a.m. Among the study group, 56 percent were normal sleepers.


• "Late sleepers" reached the midpoint of their nightly sleep after 5:30 a.m. They went to sleep in the middle of the night, well after midnight, and woke in the mid-to-late morning. Among the study group, 44 percent were late sleepers.

keep reading . . .

Before & After: Tommy Trudnak. No More Denial, Just Dedication

I was like most couch potatoes, only I thought I was in pretty good shape - until July 2011 when I was enjoying a beautiful day out with my family after a family reunion. My wife was taking photos of us and I was laughing and having a blast. We went home and everyone was anxious to see the pictures of us having fun so I down loaded them.

I saw the picture of myself and thought, "Who is that?" I was in complete denial, thinking I looked and felt good.

My cousin Mike had been telling me about this boot camp he was going to and how great it was. He had said I needed to come, but like most people, I was full of fear - all I thought of was some huge guy screaming in my face telling me to quit crying and move. But I was so ready for a change so I went.

It was so not what I thought; the instructors were so encouraging and helpful. It was great - not easy, but really rewarding after every little accomplishment like holding a push-up plank or running a mile. I felt so much pride.

I was two weeks in when I got injured. After seeing the doctor, he told me I would need to take time off to heal. I was so mad because I worked so hard and now I would have to start over. I went to Dena (Cyr - OBC North Georgia Owner) and told her the news. She was so great. She said I could come back when I was healthy. I promised her I would stay on the food plan and I did. I lost 10 pounds while healing.

I came back stronger and more determined then ever. I worked hard every day, and although it was not easy, I did it with the help of all the instructors. At the end of my months in camp, I lost a total of 25 pounds and many notches off my belt.

I now help instruct new campers to achieve their goals! So come work out with me at Hoschton Park - we work hard and you will love it. Results start when you make the commitment. Hope to see you out there!

Chicken Orzo Soup

• As the temperature drops soups become the go to meal.  Check out this spin on the traditional Chicken Soup.
• 1 (32-ounce) container fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided 
• 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
• 2 teaspoons olive oil 
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped carrot 
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 3 fresh parsley sprigs
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

keep reading . . .

Weekend Challenge

3 vertical jumps, 3 squats, 3 long jumps - 5 rounds