Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Workout

And away I go!

My current workout is about a 2 or 3 mile run, followed by 6 or 8 rounds of TABATA, 4 or 5 times a week. Which is pretty good! However, I’m finding that although I think I am challenging myself, I don’t push to my full potential. I do squats and planks in my TABATA because I like them and have become at least good enough to do 160 seconds worth. I do NOT do burpees. Burpees are the worst. I hate burpees.

It looks so easy in GIF form…

Lately I’ve been seeing everyone and their mother doing this Kayla Itsines program, and I’ve got to say, t’s hard to ignore those results.

This is one of MANY transformations featured on Kayla’s blog. Check out that tone!

So I decided, what the hell. I’ve got 12 weeks. And now I am replacing my workout three days a week with the Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Workout! With any will power, on my off days I will still be doing my run and TABATA combo, and with even more will power I will start working out twice a day. But let’s be real, I’m not making any promises on that last part.

BTW highly recommend her Instagram for inspiration.

I was really excited this morning when I got the nerve up to commit to this, so I thought I would take a sneak peek and do one of the first week workouts. Fun fact about Kayla’s guide: it requires a TON of burpees. But, if it’s on the program, I do it. Even if it makes me look like this

Have you done the program? Or even better, do it with me!

Updates to come, wish me luck!

Sign Up For All Of The Challenges!

I am amped. Psyched. Jazzed, even. I’m ready to to really go for fitness, health, overall wellness. Why? Why the heck not?! I am ready for the body I have to be the body I want. Or the body I want to be the body I have? Either way, it’s happening.

Every. Day.

That being said, I may have overdone it with internet available challenges. I’ve signed up for five. Five?! Yes five. And I want you to join me! Do one, do ’em all. Let’s crush this year!

The Whole Life Challenge: Gamified clean eating and fitness challenge. There are levels, it’s awesome, do it.

Simple Green Smoothies: Meal replace OR add in a green smoothie every day for 30 days. Makes an amazing and easy breakfast, I highly recommend. Oh, and it’s FREE!

Blogilates ab challenge: One month of ab exercises! Also, if you aren’t already following Blogilates and Casey Ho, you’re doing it wrong.

Betty Rocker: 15 minute workout videos every day. Free, delivered to your inbox. Can’t beat that.

Raw Food Challenge: Replace on meal a day (21 days) with a raw food meal. Salad, smoothie, zoodles, anything. Easy peasy.

I know, Jenna. I know. It’s a lot. But think of all the potential! We can finally get rid of that pooch of a tummy… or whatever it is you might be trying to get rid of. Get ready to be your best you!

Get ready to take back our bodies. And take them all the way to Sexy Town.

The Problem With New Year’s Resolutions…

They’re called New Year’s resolutions. That’s the problem. The name. “New Year” implies January, not the rest of the year. It implies Sunday and Monday, but not the rest of the week. Nobody talks about the “new year” between February first and December 26th. So this year, you’re going to join me in

LIFESTYLE CHANGES!

Think about your 2014. What did you do well? What would you have changed? And most importantly, HOW would you have changed those things?

For me, 2014 was the year I ran my first half marathon. The year I tried the Whole Life Challenge. The year I put those accomplishments on hold to find (and start!) a much needed new job. I found out what I am capable of, and that I drastically re-prioritize when necessary.

What does this mean for my 2015? It means that I know I can push myself. I’m taking the Whole Life Challenge past the 8 week cycle, truly making it a part of my whole life. I will be scoring my health and fitness every day this year! I am also getting back into running and reintroducing my long (5+ mile) “Sunday Runday.”

My “how”

These are all fine dreams, and I know if I say they are my “New Year’s resolutions,” I’ll be over it in a month. Except I will practice these lifestyle changes daily with the addition of my new day planner! I am making myself accountable by scheduling and logging constantly. To make it more fun, I ordered the stunning Whitney English Day Designer, a fun set of pens, and colorful stickers to help document my journey.

TL;DR: Just watch these TED Talks.

Happy New Year!

My Juice Cleanse Challenge.

Juice cleanses. They detoxify. They replenish. They’re wicked trendy. So what better way to clear out your system after Thanksgiving than an ultra-sleek, three day juice cleanse, right? Well I don’t know if it was something I did or my Groupon acquired juices had turnt, but what I received did NOT make my skin glitter like a damn vampire or make my eyes shoot rainbows. Let’s take you on my little journey in failed juicing.

The week before: Order the juice, feel like I’m going to finally start turning this life around. Oh, and I start telling everyone I meet

Oh, you didn’t hear?

because I’m a damn hero for this shit. No food for 3 days? Worship me!

The instructions say to pick a few days where you’re at work or otherwise occupied, since you’re more likely to eat when you’re bored at home on the weekend. Makes sense. So I thaw the first day of 6 juices on Sunday night and wake up bright and early to start my first day on

MONDAY

Juice one is a sweet green juice that goes down easy for breakfast. I’ve been drinking green smoothies and juices for a while now, so this doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it’s quite delicious! I go to a few meetings and sit in our cramped little office with about five other people, feeling great about the day ahead of me.

Feelin’ gooooood on a Monday!

Juice two comes with a little headache. I read up that headaches are common, especially if you’re a coffee drinker, which I am. But this starts to affect my vision it’s so bad, so I take two Advil and start chugging water as I move on to juice three.

I make it three sips into my second green juice of the day and realize

Not only does my head feel like it’s four sizes too large, but I start to

feel like I might just

And that’s when it happens. I bolt out of the room, thanking any and every deity that I wasn’t in the middle of a meeting, and purge the contents of my stomach, including those two Advil I took. I stopped drinking the juices and switched to water for the rest of what seemed like an endless day in the office. I tried not to talk for fear that I might ralph again. And then I

WHYYYYY IS THIS HAPPENING

again on the car ride home. Pulled over just in time to note how little street parking is available in LA, found a spot, and decorated the ground with could only be bile at this point. Went home, had soup, slept from 7-9, 9:30 until the next day.

I still have the rest of my juices in the freezer, ready to thaw maybe one a day once I get over the PTSD from the experience. But so ends my juice cleansing.

Has anyone else out there had a similar experience or am I juice intolerant?

Chickpeas: The New Bread

I know, I know. Them’s fightin’ words. And no I’m not suggesting you give up bread for the rest of forever, because sometimes all you want is a nice fresh baguette and I won’t be there to stop you. BUT on the daily, when you’re trying to stay away from the processed stuff, think chickpeas.

Chickpeas are high in protein, fiber, and have a low glycemic index. They also can help lower bad cholesterol, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Want versatility? You’re in luck! You can do anything to chickpeas and they will be delicious. Seriously, anything. Don’t believe me? Well here’s about a month’s worth of recipes to start you off in one convenient list.

They can replace croutons in salads…

Up your veggie burger game…

Chips? What chips? You won’t need any deep fried crap when you have spicy/sweet/salty roasted crispy chickpeas.

Oh you think that savory is all you’re going to get from this magic legume? THINK AGAIN!

 KAPOW, brownies!

BOOM, cookie dough dip!

TOPICAL, pumpkin pie bars!

In conclusion, go buy chickpeas. And if your local grocery store is out, sub garbanzo beans. Either way, your life is about to change.

also, hummus.

WCW: Jillian Michaels

Jillian Michaels, for me, is up there with Tina Fey and Beyonce. She is brilliant, inspiring, has a fantastic personal brand, and is the perfect balance of positivity and ass-kickery. She’s got sass for everything. When you need to be reminded why you’re working out:

#RealTalk

When you start thinking “oh this will be easy…” When you dig up every excuse in your arsenal to get out of squats… When there’s just… a few… more… I only have one of her DVDs (the 30 Day Shred), but definitely plan on getting more. Just restarted the 30 Day Shred yesterday and think I might try to keep it up during the Whole Life Challenge!

Hot In The City

If you live in LA or know someone (at least on Facebook) who does, you know how disgusting it has been lately. We’re in the middle of a serious drought and it has been in the 100’s every day. Not so much with the making me want to go outside and run.

Now you might be asking, “Hey, why don’t you just jump on the treadmill you own or the one at your local gym?” And my answer: I’m on a super serious budget, you presumptuous reader! And as such, the gym membership was the first thing to go.

And so, when it was 101 when I got home and my Nike coach said “go run 3miles” I was all…

Instead, I tried two Ballet Beautiful videos on YouTube for the first time. Miss Mary Helen Bowers is NOT messing around here, people. I tried the legs/bum and arms/back videos and, while simple, make you burn. Definitely apartment friendly, no equipment needed, and once I do this a few times, I think it’s something I can do while watching TV or listening to my own music while just relying on audio cues.

And so, new plan. I will really really really really try… really… to wake up tomorrow and run while it is still a humane temperature out there. Uuuuuugh I already hate that idea. But I can do it. And then when I’m done and it’s 90 degrees at 7:15am…

Before…

Tomorrow I FINALLY get to start the Whole Life Challenge again, and I am so excited! I can’t wait to get back at it hard and really push myself this time. Currently watching “Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead” for about the 4th time to pump myself up, which btw if you haven’t already watched, I highly recommend!

A little background on the Whole Life Challenge: it’s basically a gamified clean eating and workout challenge for 8 weeks. You join a team and log your points every day: 5pts for clean eating, 2pts for working out for at least 10mins, 2pts for stretching for at least 10mins, 1pt for a supplement (I will be taking fiber and B12), and 1pt for a lifestyle challenge that changes weekly. Plus, you get bonus points for every 5 times you enter a little reflection. (more on the site here)

It WILL be different tomorrow! I swear!

Here is the “before” snapshot of my life.

Current weight: I’m going to stop you right there. This time, I will not be weighing myself. Back in February when I did my first round of WLC, I put so much pressure on weight loss and when I didn’t see results (in fact, I gained weight) I got really down on myself. But I realized that weight shouldn’t be my metric- my body should! I will be taking at least three “before pictures” tonight to compare at the end of this thing and I will tell you how I’m feeling.

Current skin: Acne on my face, neck, and shoulders. Dry skin on most of my face.

Current digestion: Not good. Bloating, gas, you name it.

Current energy: …meh? Fine I guess. I’ve definitely had more energy.

My goals: Never miss a workout! Also, never settle for the 10. Last time around, there were days when I would do a 10min workout, and that’s it. TRY to make it at least 15! Eat as many whole foods as possible, stay away from packaged. My first WLC was filled with indulgences: Larabars etc. While technically WLC compliant, I want to make an effort to not get lazy. Finally, don’t stress. I got so upset last time when things weren’t going my way. Chill out and let health happen.

Wish me luck!

WCW: Katie Ringley

Look. At. This. Woman.

Seriously. Look at her. 

Her body is incredible and inspiring and why am I not doing crunches right now and eating only spinach?This is Katie Ringley and she is a total badass. Not the mass that I am personally going for, but absolutely gorgeous nonetheless. I highly recommend her profiles on all social media channels if you want that extra burst of joyous fitspo in your life! 

Those legs, tho…

I’d let her beat me up. Is that weird?

Oh, and have I mentioned that she manages to find incredible balance in her life and and has a fabulous sense of humor? 

*from Katie’s Instagram

*from Katie’s Instagram

She’s even brilliant sweaty/post workout. Unfair.

Yeah. Awesome. Follow Katie on Instagram, WordPress, and Facebook, and keep on kickin ass!

And I’m Back!

Excuses are like assholes, they’re a load of shit. 

That being said, a week and a half ago my car broke down. As in REALLY broke down. The repairs would have been more than the car was worth, so blah blah blah week and a half of chaos and here we are, finally posting something new. Leaving that behind and away we go! 

Granted, this is my typical Sunday night “this week will be different!” bit, but I’m not about to turn up my nose at even the most fleeting glimpse of positivity. Just have to make it last until next Sunday when it starts all over again! And so- here’s my check in.

I am SO HAPPY that the Whole Life Challenge starts this weekend. I really think I need something like that to jumpstart my fitness journey. I have been running along with my coach program, but I need more. I need to go back to eating clean. I need to strength train. With WLC, I will commit. And hopefully I can continue on after the 8 weeks and really make a habit of this. 

So here we go, kiddos! To future- ab havin’- toned arm toting- Jen Selter butt showin’ off- me! I can do it!