Weekend Challenge

For this weekend's challenge find a wall that is of proper height for dips and step ups.  Then do the following:

• Run 200 meters
• 1 minute Step Ups, alternating legs, fast!, reaching hands over head
• 1 minute Leg Tap Right Leg, stand with the wall to your right and extend your leg out straight and tap your pointed toe on the wall making sure you don't rest it there, it's just a quick tap!  
• 1 minute Leg Tap Left Leg, stand with the wall to your left and extend your leg out straight and tap your pointed toe on the wall making sure you don't rest it there, it's just a quick tap!  
• 1 minute Squats
• Run 200 meters
• 1 minute Push Ups
• 1 minute Push Ups feet on wall
• 1 minute Tricep Dips
• 1 minute Tricep push ups
• Run 200 meters
• 1 minute Plank
• 1 minute Right Side Plank
• 1 minute Left Side Plank
• Run 200 meters

How to Recover After a 5K

I'm sure you've seen the signs, flyers and received the emails advertising for one of the best parts of Fall:  5K Season!  Read this article by Eric Ammon from Active.com on how to properly recover after your 5k race.

So, you’ve just run a 5K. What do you do to help your recovery? Use these tips to bounce right back into pre-race shape:

Cool Down

After your race, don’t just stop running. It’s important for your muscles to cool down. Your cool down could simply be walking for five to 10 minutes or a slow run for a mile or two.

Whichever you choose, it’ll help get the lactic acid out of your muscles, prevent your muscles from tightening, and also keep the blood flowing through your system to help with muscle repair.

After the walk or slow run, some light stretching will help as well. Don’t stretch too vigorously—just enough to sooth your muscles. If you happen to have a massage stick or foam roller, take the time to roll out your muscles. Or give your legs a massage.

Eat

You may not have burned a ton of calories, but you still need to make sure you replace the calories you lost. You won’t need a lot, so look for things at the race that have extra nutrients such as oranges or bananas.

You may also want to pack your favorite energy bar to help refuel after your race. Be careful you don’t overeat. Just because you finished the race doesn’t mean you can eat like a king (or queen).

Hydrate

No matter what your speed was, you need to make sure you hydrate after your race. Replacing the fluids you lost is essential to help prevent any headaches, and muscle cramping.

Keep reading and get the other tips by following this link:  Active.com

Soy Citrus Scallops with Soba Noodles

Try this easy but fancy looking dinner from cookinglight.com

Oxmoor House

• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil, divided
• 1 pound large sea scallops
• 4 cups hot cooked soba (about 6 ounces uncooked buckwheat noodles)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Get the how-to by following this link to myrecipes.com and get ready to wow your friends and family!

Weekend Challenge

run 400 meters

50 air squats

4 rounds

Before & After: Tess Thomas

Get ready to be inspired!  

Tess Thomas is a camper from Operation Boot Camp's Chastain Park location who has gone from a size 16 to an 8.   

How many Operation Boot Camp’s have you participated in?

6 in 3 years

What's your story?

I took my health pretty seriously this past Summer.  After having 2 kids over the last 4 years, I always picked up more weight and had a hard time losing it all.  This summer I was committed to getting back into the weight when I met my husband. After completing 4 boot camps, I have now lost 30lbs, lost 14 inches body wide and dropped from a size 16 to a size 8!

My run time has improved by 2  minutes and my flexibility and agility are at the best state it has ever been.  My cholesterol also dropped by 60 points!   Additionally, I have noted that I sleep better at night.  

For me waking up early to exercise is the BEST thing.  By 7am I am sweating and done with my exercise requirement for the day.  There is no chance  to make excuses after work to skip workouts.  

Lastly, through changing my eating habits ie, smaller meals every few hours, I have  eliminated  night time cravings. I feel fuller longer.

What is your favorite part of Operation Boot Camp?

The fact that it is always something new every day.  I like the surprise of not knowing.  I also think the instructors and the fellow campers are encouraging and nice.

Slow Cooker Char Siu Pork Roast

So I recently invested in a crock pot!  LOVE IT!  So many wonderful meals to make and so little time, oh, wait, it is a crock pot you can leave it and let it cook!

In this recipe for Char Siu, the Chinese version of barbecue, the pork is cooked in the slow cooker for an extra tender, juicy, and stress-free meal. Serve with sticky or long-grain white rice and a steamed or stir-fried medley of bell peppers, carrots, snow peas, sliced baby corn, and water chestnuts.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and 1/4 cup sauce)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup  low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4  cup  hoisin sauce
• 3  tablespoons  ketchup
• 3  tablespoons  honey
• 2  teaspoons  bottled minced garlic
• 2  teaspoons  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 1/2  teaspoon  five-spice powder
• 2  pounds  boneless Boston butt pork roast, trimmed
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Place in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add pork to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Place pork and marinade in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Remove pork from slow cooker using a slotted spoon; place on a cutting board or work surface. Cover with aluminum foil; keep warm.

Add broth to sauce in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens. Shred pork with 2 forks; serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 227 (38% from fat)

Fat: 9.5g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.1g)

Protein: 21.6g

Carbohydrate: 12.7g

Fiber: 0.4g

Cholesterol: 73mg

Iron: 1.7mg

Sodium: 561mg

Calcium:30mg

Holly Rudin-Braschi, Grill Power, Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

Weekend Challenge

3 rounds
20 Fire Hydrants on each side
20 seconds of plank - Squeeze those buns
20 Fire Hydrants on each side
20 Push- ups - squeeze those buns
20 Fire Hydrants on each side

Sit Down to Eat

For a while now I've been saying a habit I would like to break is eating in my car or while walking around my house or in front of my computer.  I want to actually remember eating my food and tasting it.  I can't tell you how many times I've jumped in my car with my breakfast of a couple of boiled eggs and an apple and later not remembered even eating them.
This is dangerous for a couple of reasons, and frankly just not fun.  Enjoying a meal means acknowledging what you're consuming: not just mindlessly putting something in your body while fighting traffic.  Being present while eating makes your more likely to recognize when you've had enough to eat and monitor healthy portions.  And frankly, you're worth it.  No matter how busy you are you are worth taking a few minutes to sit down and actually look at your food.  You are worth sitting down your fork between bites and recognizing the taste and consistency.  Sitting down for a meal helps force these important nuances.  I encourage you to take it a step further.  Turn off the tv.  Pour your water in a nice glass, take out a cloth napkin and really have a meal.  Whether you're at lunch in your office break room or at a playground with your kids.  Think of your meal times as a time to stop and be present-it will help your sanity and your waist line.

Giada's Roman Style Chicken

• This recipe by Giada De Laurentiis sounds like a delicious chicken dish that will pack a lot of flavor without packing on a lot of pounds!  

foodnetwork.com

From foodnetwork.com:

• Roman Style Chicken 
• 4 skinless chicken breast halves, with ribs
• 2 skinless chicken thighs, with bones
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1 teaspoon
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 3 ounces prosciutto, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves  
• Get the how-to and lots of helpful videos HERE.

Weekend Challenge

25 meter sprint
50 walking lunges
50 pushups
25 meter sprint50 air squats
50 deltoid push ups
25 meter sprint

Hurry up and stand still: Why runners need yoga

By John Farah

Think it's ok to skip all your post workout stretching?  It may be for a little while but learn how the Marathon Man, John Farah, learned of Yoga's part in staying injury free.

(CNN) -- My friend Christine was into yoga long before it went mainstream, and she was good at it.Editor's note: John Farah is the co-author of "Let's Pick it up a Bit," a memoir and a guide to help people lead an active life. He has run more than 430 races, including 123 marathons.

She attended yoga camps, went on a yearly trek to India and even ritually cleansed her sinuses with warm saltwater -- literally sucked it up through her nose. She claimed it possessed a healing value and kept her from getting a cold.

That was the '70s.

She tried to convince me back then that yoga would be good for me, that it would loosen up my muscles and increase my body's longevity. I wanted nothing to do with it.  continue reading. . .

Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken Breast

from lconeday.com
Here's a way to spruce up that easy go to dinner protein:  chicken!

from living low carb one day at a time

The ingredients are listed below.  Check out the blog for the how to and more info!

6 thin cut boneless skinless chicken breast
3-4 slices of Prosciutto
1 3/4 cups of chicken stock, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 sprigs of fresh Thyme
1 tsp Dijon mustard