Archive for Workout

HIIT It!

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It’s only Tuesday?! Monday was crazzzzzzy. I feel like I say that every day actually, but it’s true! I wear many, many hats and sometimes I start losing my mind. 😀

This cracked me up!

This cracked me up!

Yesterday I hit up the gym for some HIIT action before my climbing action. I had a few questions as to what I do for HIIT. Maybe you’re even wondering, “Lizzy, why do you keep talking about beating people up?!”. Let me dispel….

HIIT is short for High Intensity Interval Training. It sounds just like it is. The intensity is high, and you’re doing intervals. (Thank you Captain Obvious)

The idea behind it is that you are working at 90-100% for, say, a minute or two, and then giving yourself ample rest (walking, jogging, doing nothing for another minute or two before doing it all over again…and again…and againandagainandagain.

Here are some of the reasons I love HIIT:

1. It is anaerobic, which means that your fast-twitch muscles are recruited, engaging strength and speed. I could get extremely technical on this, but I’ll let you do some googling if you’re really curious (or feel free to e-mail me fitlizzio (at) gmail (dot) com). Your body response with anaerobic work is different than that of aerobic work (such as jogging, walking, etc.). In addition, the “after-burn” as they call it can last up to 8 hours after exercises (sometimes more or less depending on how hard your body worked). This means that your metabolic rate (calorie burning furnace that lives inside your body) will be higher long after your workout finishes.

2. My favorite: It’s quick! While it can be much tougher than just jogging steadily for 30 minutes, it is done in about half the time. You can pick and choose how long you want to do it, but if it’s more than 20 minutes, odds are you aren’t working hard enough during your “working” intervals.

3. It makes me feel strong and keeps me focused. While a nice jog makes me feel refreshed, a hard HIIT session makes me feel like a badass. I like feeling like a badass 🙂

The beauty of HIIT is that it is different for everyone. My “working” interval may be your rest interval and vice versa. The point is to work to YOUR potential, not mine or anyone else’s.

Here’s a HIIT workout I’ve been doing before my workouts a few days per week. This can be done on a treadmill, or outside. It can be done on a bicycle, elliptical machine, or swimming laps too. The point is simple: Work hard for 1-2 minutes, rest 1-2 minutes, and repeat until you’ve completed about 15-20 minutes.

HIIT IT AND QUIT IT (:-o)

Minutes 0-2: Jog at a leisurely pace (for me, this is 6.5-7.0 mph)

Minutes 2-3: Sprint! 90-100% intensity..go go go!!

Minutes 3-4: Either jog or walk, depending on what you want to do. I like to jog for my “rest” intervals, but walking is completely acceptable. It’s your REST so rest as you see fit.

Repeat minutes 2-4 five more times

This workout will be done in 15 minutes, and if you’re truthfully working to your full potential, I guarantee you will be a sweaty mess by the end!

Happy HIITing!

Okay, not this kind of hitting...

Okay, not this kind of hitting…

Do you prefer HIIT or steady-state cardio?

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Rollerblading and Where I’ve Been

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Whoops, sorry for the unplanned blogging break! Last week got really busy, really fast, and blogging took the back seat. But I’m here now!!! Hopefully that won’t happen again.

Fitness

This past week was a great week of fitness! I’ve been doing a 15 minute HIIT workout on the treadmill a few times a week, and I’m loving it! So quick and no boring cardio. Win/win! Along with that, I did two heavy lifting sessions, a few full body/metabolic conditioning workouts, and some climbing. I took a little break from climbing this week since my wrist was bugging me a bit, but it’s feeling pretty good now!

Today, Charlie and I did a workout that my friend John showed me last week. It is less than 3 minutes of work, but it is MURDEROUS. Here is a video from my final set today:

(10 Squats, push sled, 5 KB Swings (i used 20kg), push sled. Repeat 3x)

Afterwards, my friend picked me up and we went rollerblading by the beach. It was  GORGEOUS day and I am pretty sure every Sunday should be spent like this. 🙂

Gorgeous day in Santa Monica

Gorgeous day in Santa Monica

IMG_3104

Rollerblading Selfie!

Gearing up for a busy week, here’s what’s on the fitness agenda:

Monday: 15 Min. Treadmill HIIT + Climb

Tuesday: Heavy Lift + 1000m Row

Wednesday: 15 Min Treadmill HIIT + WOD + Climb

Thursday: Rest

Friday: 15 min. Treadmill HIIT + Heavy Lift + Climb

Saturday: Rest

Sunday: Hike

What’s on your fitness agenda for the week? 

Were you a HUGE Saved By The Bell fan like me?!

We were talking about the Malibu Sands Club today while rollerblading and so I googled the film location. We happened to be rollerblading RIGHT BY it at that moment!!!

Zach Morris' Summer Job

Zach Morris’ Summer Job

And then I died…

(Apparently they redid this place, so it doesn’t look much like I’d expected. Oh well!)

 

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Proper Squat Form

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Happy Monday! I thought I’d start this fabulous week off by talking about our booty’s best friend: the squat. 

(Please note, I am not a doctor and this is not a prescription. Please check with your doctor before making any exercise changes or trying anything new if you’re not comfortable with it.) 

I love squats for SOOOO many reasons: 

1. They are a GREAT exercise for the legs, butt, and core. 

2. They are something you can do anywhere.

3. They help build the booty and keep it perky!

4. The squat is a practical movement. By this, I mean that it is used in our everyday lives. A non-practical movement? The tricep-kickback. Tell me when you do that in daily life…

5. Versatility! They can be used as an isometric movement (static squat), a heavy movement (heavy barbell squats), a plyometric (jump squats), and more!

I created a quick video of me squatting so that you can see what proper form looks like. Of course, it can take practice and patience, so keep working on it if you’re not there yet!

My three tips for performing a proper squat are: 

1. Sit back first. Many people start to bend at the knees first, but this puts you in the position to squat with your knees bending past your toes and your weight to be put in your toes, rather than your heels. Sit back and THEN drop down. This will keep your weight in your heels, utilizing your glutes and hamstrings more. 

2. Squat Down with your chest up. A good way to practice this is to wear a shirt with a logo on the chest and face a mirror while doing the movement. You should be able to see that logo in the same position for the entire movement. 

3. Push through your heels. When you get to the bottom of your squat (which ideally will be butt below the knees, or as we like to call it “ass to grass”) you medizin-de have to come back up! Push through your heels in order to promote the body to stay in it’s upright form and not put your weight back into your knees. 

I hope these tips help you to perform your best squat yet! Start with just body weight and move up to weights as you begin to get more comfortable with the movement. You can also practice Wall Squats to train your body to keep your chest upright during the movement. (Start as close to the wall as possible in order for you to perform the squat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps 3-4 times per week, working towards moving closer and closer to the wall). 

Wall Squat

Wall Squat

Happy squatting everyone!

Questions for the day:

1. What is your favorite exercise?

Mine is the deadlift, but squats are a close 2nd.

2. Did you watch the Superbowl?

Let’s put it this way, I fell asleep in the 4th quarter. No joke.

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5 Tips To Get Yourself To The Gym

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It’s almost Friday!!! Weeeee. I’m excited because this is the first weekend in a while that won’t be TOO crazy. I have a friends birthday to attend (we’re going paddle boarding and doing yoga!) and I’m filming a short workout with the WBBC crew on Saturday afternoon. Sunday will be spent lazing around and of course, watching the SuperBowl. Is it bad that I’m hoping for an epic storm so that the game is even more intense? {evil grin}

I get asked ALL the time from friends, co-workers, members of the gym, etc. how I stay motivated to work out as much as I do. The truth is, there are PLENTY of times when I want to do nothing more than sit on the couch and be lazy. If I did that every time I felt like that, I’d probably work out 1-2 days per week. Once I get going, I’m all about it, but getting there can be tough. Ya feel me?!

5 Tips To Get Yourself To The Gym

  1. Get dressed. Plain and simple. It sounds weird and stupid, but once you have your workout clothes and shoes on, sometimes it feels just a bit easier to get in the car….which brings me to my next tip…
  2. Get in the car and GO. I don’t care if you have it in your head that you are going to drive there, walk in, and walk right out. At least give yourself the chance to stay. I truly feel that 95% of the battle is showing up. I think that is just in general life too. 🙂
  3. Do something you enjoy. If I had to take yoga every day, chances are I’d just be lazy and never go. Why? Because I don’t like yoga. Sure, it’s good for me, but I don’t like it. There are plenty of things that I do like that others don’t like. The secret? Find something you DO like. There is something for everyone and I truly believe that. If you haven’t found it yet, don’t give up. Keep trying new classes, new workout styles, etc. I guarantee you will find something you enjoy!
  4. Don’t feel pressured. It’s not all or nothing. Something is better than nothing. If you get to the gym and only do half of your workout, then you did half more than you would have done originally. Now, I’m not saying that you get to use that pass EVERY time, but it’s okay to not finish sometimes. Some days, your body just doesn’t want to work, and that’s okay. Do what you can for that day, and do it to your best ability. There will be plenty of days where you’re feelin’ the fire and will just knock your workout out of the park!
  5. Make a date. Sometimes, you just know you’re not going to do it on your own. If you make a date with a friend to do it, the odds of you showing up are much, much better. I can tell you from personal experience that there have been many times that I’ve wanted to skip a workout or bouldering session, but I knew someone would be disappointed if I bailed on them so I went anyways. The result most of the time? I have a blast, get to hang with my friends, and get a good workout in to boot.

BONUS TIP: Writing your workout down on paper, in your calendar, on your Facebook page, on your forehead, etc. can make you feel more accountable to do your workout. Try it for a week and see if your success rate is better. 🙂

So there you have it. We all have good days and bad days, but if you stick to your guns and only rest when it’s *truly* needed, I can guarantee you will start showing up to more of your workouts.

I hope this was helpful! I would love to hear your additional suggestions in the comments! Let’s get a good discussion going!

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NAMM 2014 + Fitness Plan for Week of 1/27

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Hey guys! I’m back!! I took a brief break the last few days, as I was attending the NAMM show in Anaheim. If you’re not familiar, it’s basically a ginormous convention filled with all the instruments and gear you could imagine and then even more that you can’t imagine. It’s always a fun time, but it is exhausting!! My favorite thing this year was definitely this CrushDrums setup with the hardware designed by SawBladeHead Designs: 

Somehow, Charlie and I didn’t take any pictures together all weekend. Oops. We got home Saturday night and basically made dinner and crashed. Being on your feet for 2.5 days STRAIGHT is really tiring. 

Sunday morning I had a recording session with the Music Immersive. It is actually a really cool program. We had 11 people recording the music they had written that week with several top writers, and the talent always amazes me. We ended up working for 16.5 hours straight and I didn’t get home until 2:30am. My alarm Monday morning at 7am was not welcomed. Not one bit. Here’s a little clip of the studio and the band jamming. A long, but fun day for sure! (Sorry for the crappy vidoegraphy skills :-))

On to Fitness…

This past weekend while at NAMM, while I did walk for 2.5 days all day long (not included the mile each way to and from the hotel), I also managed to get this workout in on Saturday morning:

Tabata Fun!

Tabata Fun!

Quick, but good! This week, I plan on doing my usual thang. 

Monday: Heavy Lift + 20 HIIT

Tuesday: 30 minute run + Bouldering

Wednesday: Crossfit or metabolic conditioning

Thursday: 30 minute run + Heavy Lift

Friday: Full Body Workout + Bouldering

Saturday: Paddleboarding + Yoga (my friend’s birthday party….she is too cool!!!)

Sunday: REST + Superbowl!

I hope everyone is gearing up for a great end to January! (How the HECK did that even happen, by the way?)

What are you looking forward to most this year?

Any fun trips or events planned?

I get to see my little brother for the first time in almost 3 years next month. It is pretty much the highlight of my life right now. Can’t. Freaking. Wait. 

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Running Hurts and I Hate Yoga

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It is a BEAUTIFUL Wednesday here in L.A. It’s definitely really strange that we’re having temperatures in the 80’s when the rest of the country is freezing their asses off, but this warm-weather girl is NOT complaining one bit!

Fitness

Yesterday I was exhausted ALL day. I just couldn’t really wake up. I had a run and bouldering planned and while I wanted nothing more than to just go home and relax, I knew that a run would wake me right up!

Pretending to be excited for my run....

Pretending to be excited for my run….

I ran for 30 minutes at a very easy pace (about 9:20). I’ve been easing back into running and not really trying to push myself. I know that sounds strange since I’m usually a balls-to-the-wall kind of person, but my body really doesn’t like running. I am considering going to a running coach, because running is painful for me now. It never used to be until about a year ago. My hips get jacked up, and along with my traps being super tight after a run, my right side just seems to crumble whenever I run. I know there must be something mechanical that I am doing very wrong, but I do enjoy running, so I think I need to bite the bullet and get it figured out.

Underhang Hell

Underhang Hell

After my run, I headed into Rockreation for some bouldering action. My friend met me there and I finally accomplished a route I had been working on for a while. It’s such a great feeling to do that! I love what climbing has done for me in so many ways.

-I love the problem-solving aspect. Literally a puzzle on a wall.

-The strength I’ve gained in my core and upper body is amazing

-I love the zen of climbing.

 

Why I Hate Yoga

For years, people have told me that “if I just found the right teacher and class…” I would love yoga. I’ve tried people. I’VE TRIEDDDDDD!!! I have gone to all different TYPES of yoga, with different teachers. It just isn’t my thing. I actually hate it. I want nothing more than for the class to end while I’m doing it. Do I feel good afterwards? Yes, physically I do. But mentally, I feel annoyed and relieved. Annoyed that it took so long, relieved that it’s over. The thing is, I have always wished I could have the mental benefits that so many get from yoga. Their mind calms, they feel happier, etc. I’ve always wanted to feel that from yoga too!! But I just don’t. I’m sure there are many people that feel the same way about weight lifting and plyometrics (which I happen to loooveeeee), so don’t hate me for it! With that said, climbing has sort of become my yoga. I think because I’m so focused on solving the problem on the wall, I let go of the stress of life (work especially). Working through the moves and finding the right technique to get through the route is a very calming feeling for me. I always feel so relaxed and happy when I’m climbing and I leave feeling refreshed and….zen. Between all of the benefits I’ve gotten from climbing, it has quickly become one of my favorite things to do, both physically and mentally.

This evening I’m going back to Rockreation for some more bouldering. Since they will be doing  a bit of construction to improve the bouldering area in February, I’m soaking up as much as I can before I have resort to top-roping. Womp Womp. (Top-roping is still fun, but it’s nothing like bouldering!).

 

1. Do you like yoga?

2. Are there any fitness trends/classes that others seem to love and you just can’t get on board with?

3. Most importantly, do you all hate me now because I don’t like yoga?! 😉

 

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Week of January 20th: Fitness Plan and a Workout!

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Hey friends! Hope your weekend was relaxing and fun! Mine was busy (had to work for 12 hours Saturday), but still a good time!

Fitness

My plan for the week is to squeeze in my exercise Monday-Wednesday, because Thursday-Saturday I will be out of town at The Namm Show. (It’s a music business convention basically). There will be tons of walking. I always want to take a pedometer with me when I go because I swear, we end up walking at least 5 miles a day. It’s craziness, but such a fun time. This will be my 4th year going. I’m stoked! Sunday I have an all day recording session, so that will be out for exercise as well. I may try to grab a run or a gym session at our hotel sometime Friday or Saturday morning, but we’ll see. I may just leave the walkathon as my exercise and come back with a fresh body next Monday. 🙂

Monday: Heavy Lift + Bouldering

Tuesday: 30 minute run

Wednesday: Crossfit + Bouldering

Thursday: Walk-a-thon at NAMM

Friday: Possible gym sesh + Walk 809238432 miles at NAMM

Saturday: Walk even more

Sunday: Sit in a chair all day recording musicians

This week is going to be nuts, but I’m ready!!

Workout

Last night, I went to the gym just as it was closing (perks of working for a gym…after hour training sesh’s!). I made up a quick little workout and it kind of kicked my butt. Since nobody was around, I got all vain and took some video of it, so I’ll post that in a few days too.

 

 

Tag me if you try it! ;-)

Tag me if you try it! 😉

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Weekend Things

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We made it people. It’s Friday, and the weekend starts….NOW. Well, not really for me. I have to work a bit this weekend, but I like what I do, so it’s not all that bad. I started my day with this new-to-me flavor of Fage. I’m a fan!!

fage

Workout

Yesterday’s workout was a heavy lift with some plyometrics sprinkled in. The plyometrics were an after-thought, but I’m glad I did them. The workout ended up being pretty tough, but fun.

Superset #1 – 4 Sets

Barbell Squats: 75 x 15, 95 x 10, 105 x 8, 115 x 6

Squat Jumps: bw x 10, bw x 10, bw x 10, bw x 10 

Superset #2 – 3 Sets

T-Bar Row: 35 x 12, 35 x 12, 45 x 8

Chin Ups: bw x 2, bw x 2, bw x 2

Then: (done separately)

Dumbbell Reverse Lunges: 15 x 15, 20 x 10, 25 x 8, 30 x 6

Barbell Bench Press: 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12, 65 x 12

It was a great workout and I’m definitely sore today! It feels good. I’m working on squatting heavier. Squats are my weakest leg lift. My guru and very first personal trainer, Bret Contreras, told me that since I have long femurs, it’s very common to be able to do heavy deadlifts and hip thrusts but be weaker on squats. Just have to keep working at it!

Last night I made my favorite Chicken dish. I finally took some photos of the process too! Sorry for the crappy iPhone photos. Someday I’ll use the real big-boy camera and take some better ones.

Lastly, I’ll leave you with how I combat boredom at the airport…..:-D

Practicing Yoga...err something..

Practicing Yoga…err something..

In case you were wondering...

In case you were wondering…

I’m a child.

1. What is your favorite exercise?

2. Where is your favorite place to travel?

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Recipe + BoulderCrossfitRun

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Good morning friends! It’s actually more like mid-afternoon, but it feels like morning to me, so I’m going with it!

Yesterday was a really good day! I was extremely productive (even dyed my hair, woot woot!) and got in a LOT of fitness. I actually didn’t feel like I was overdoing it at all either, which was nice!

Workout

To start my workout, I did a little over 3 miles running around the Crossfit gym. I got there about 40 minutes earlier and figured I should use my time wisely! I took it nice and easy and ran about a 9:30 pace as sort of a warm-up for the Crossfit workout.

Sweaty Lizzio

Sweaty Lizzio

(Side note: These bluetooth wireless headphones my lovely boyfriend got me for Christmas are AWESOME!!! They don’t move AT ALL. I’ve run in them, done plyometrics (including burpees), weightlifted, etc. and they don’t move! They are wonderful!)

Afterwards, I headed into the gym for the WOD. We actually warmed up with a version of tag that was KILLER on the legs. You see, it was your typical game of tag, except you were in a squat position the ENTIRE time and holding a medicine ball over your head. My legs were burning so much! We then did a 1,000 kilometer row for time and then went into the WOD. Good little cardio bursts to start the workout!

Full Tabata – Lowest Score

(this means that whatever the lowest amount of reps you get in any given round is your score)

(20 seconds on, 10 seconds off x 8 for each exercise)

-Pull-Ups

-Hand Release Push Ups

-Sit Ups

-Squats

The workout was tough (especially the pull-ups and HR Push ups). I ended up with 2/2/8/12 for my score. Definitely want to work on this one and get better at it!

As if I hadn’t done enough exercise, I then headed to the rock climbing gym for some bouldering. I had some fruit and a Think Thin bar on the way for some needed fuel. I just LOVE bouldering so much and I needed it in my life last night. It didn’t disappoint whatsoever. I got stuck on a move on a V2 route that I just couldn’t seem to get through. I think it took me about 15 tries to get. I swore I wasn’t going to leave until I got it. Finally….I GOT IT!! It felt really great. I left right after that. It had been a good 1.5 hours at the gym and I just wanted to end on a good note!

Needless to say, I was dead by the end of that. It was late too, so I didn’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I whipped up a quick, delicious, and healthy pasta with meat sauce. You’ll love the nutritional facts and it is a LOT of food!!!

Food

Low Carb Pasta w/ Meat Sauce

Serves 4 -5

gfpasta copy

Ingredients: 
-16 oz. extra lean (or lean) ground turkey

-2 cups Mezetta Napa Valley Tomato Basil Sauce

-4 packages Shirataki Noodles (fettucine or spaghetti kind, whatever you prefer)

-4 wedge Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb Cheese

-Fresh Parmesan Cheese (to taste)

-Spices: Oregano, Sea Salt (or Garlic Salt), Black Pepper, Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Directions: 

1. Cook ground turkey in a frying pan until browned.

2. Meanwhile, let the sauce simmer in a pan (or if you’re lazy, heat it up in the microwave).

3. When the meat is cooked and the sauce is simmering, add meat to sauce for about 1 minute while stirring.

Noodles: 

1. Pour packages of noodles in a strainer and rinse well with water.

2. Dry off with a paper towel and then microwave for 1-2 minutes.

3. Add spices, and laughing cow cheese and heat for another 1-2 minutes.

4. Mix thoroughly and add sauce and meat.

Here is a horrible, disgusting photo of what you will get, but I PROMISE it is tasty!!!

pasta

Dinner is served!! Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top if you’d like!! This recipe is SUPER simple and I’m not even kidding, you will not know the difference between the shirataki noodles and the real thing once it’s all cooked and mixed together. This is also a LOT of food for this serving size. I’m always completely stuffed afterwards as if I’d eaten a 1,000 calorie pasta dinner! This is easily one of my favorite dishes.

1. What is your favorite quick recipe?

2. If you could pick any food to become ZERO calories, what would you choose? Probably cookies or cheesecake for me! 🙂 

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