Hi! Remember me?! I almost forgot my blog web address it’s been so long. GodDAMN I hate that my life is too busy to bring you the best Booyah recipes/life updates/posts of the healthy persuasion. I promise I’ll be back in full force soon – pinkie swear!
My Truths for the day:
1. I haven’t cooked a single Booyah dish in over two weeks. I’ve been subsisting on Purple Booyah Smoothies and Boca burgers/Ezekiel bread sandwiches for dinner.
2. I’ve re-prioritized my workout as a “must-do” for the day and my stress level plummeted. Hello, endorphins.
3. I reserved the wrong size dress from Rent the Runway (too small!) and I am internally crying/hyperventilating until I get it tomorrow and try it on. Pray to the Fashion Gods that I don’t look like a stuffed sausage.
4. I’ve decided that wearing different variations of v-neck t -shirt/jeans/TOMS flats every single day for work is totally acceptable (no one REALLY cares what’s under that lab coat, but I generally like to keep it fashionable around these parts – both fashion AND booyah will return after May 16).
5. If not for a) overnight oats; b) funny Snapchat messages; and c) the fact that I painted my nails glittery lavender so that I can admire them on my keyboard and feel happy and giddy about this nail color right now, I would not be able to cope with life today.
Let’s get right down to it.
On a whim, I signed up for SELF.com’s Summer Challenge. I’m mildly obsessed with Kayla Itsines and I follow her on Instagram. If you don’t know who that is (Mom, I’m looking at you), she’s an Aussie personal trainer that has come up with her own 12 week training plan that is seriously BLOWING UP right now. I like that she always has positive things to say, and is a cheerleader for the women who follow her program. She seems like someone I would want to be friends with in real life. But you know – this is the internet, so instead I just follow her and creep on her on social media. ANYWHO, minus the B&B creep factor, she apparently hooked up with SELF and came up with an exclusive 28-day workout plan for them, that is FREE when you sign up for it at self.com (and includes GIFs of her doing the exercises to show you how, and you get a witty email every day). Alright so – it really is just the same 4 circuits for all 28 days, but you can mix and match them at your discretion. Since it was my turn to come up with the Gal Workout this week, I totally cheated and based my WIOW on Kayla’s circuits: abs, arms and booty. I liked that the exercises included in her circuit were different from the usual suspects (sit-ups, plank, push-up, blah, blah blah). And dude – it was HARD. When I was writing the circuits down, I had a moment where I was like, “Is this going to be too easy?”. Nope, nope – it was definitely challenging enough for us fairly-in-shape broads.
For tunes: Listen to the Pitbull Pandora station – you won’t be disappointed. 😉
Work It Out Wednesday: Mostly Stolen from SELF’s Summer Challenge
Round One: Abs
- Snap Jump (x 20) – basically a modified Burpee without the jump/push-up part, kick your legs back into a plank, bring forward and repeat.
- Sit up with Twist (x 20) – keep your legs out straight, feet flexed, heels together and twist to one side with your arm out straight
- Jackknife (x 20) – like a V-Up, but keep your torso on the ground (hands over head, lift your legs and touch your shins)
- X Mountain Climbers (X 40) – Mntn Climbers but twist so opposite knee touches opposite elbow
Round Two: Arms
- Drop Push-Up (x 15) – similar to Snap jump, but add a push-up at the bottom
- Squat and Shoulder Press (x 15) – use a medicine ball or barbell
- Suicide Plank (x 24) – continuously move from forearms to hands in a plank position
- Lie Down Push Up (x 15) – Lie down all the way and push back up
Round Three: Booty
- Squats with weight (x 24)
- Sumo Squat Jump (x 15)
- Run 1 set of stairs (3 flights)
- Tuck Jump (x 15)
Because of my lovely gym buddy R, we modified the Booty circuit so that it was good to go with her recovering hammie (good gym buddies stick together through thick and thin, injuries, meltdowns, boy drama and grumpy mornings), so that is where this workout deviates from the SELF Summer Challenge – otherwise this shiz is straight up the same! I hope that you guys do this workout and have a bright red face for several hours afterwards like I did. It was a tough workout for sure! 😛
I hope that you guys are having happy days/loving life/enjoying Spring – I miss you! 🙂
Happy Hump Day! And have a good one.
With warmth,
L