Workout Cover

I am still pinching myself. Cover of Venus Index Phase 3 workout was just released! It is so surreal.

XO- Liss

Venus Ab and Core Work Progressions and Modifications

As a fitness coach, I am often asked about substitutions for core work in the various Venus Factor and Venus Index workouts.

 

What if I do not have a stability ball for stability ball roll ups or roll outs?

What is stability ball curl ups are too difficult for me?

You can do roll out or roll ups with a towel on a hard surface. 

 **Be aware that the floor can be slick, especially if this is your first try at this, so be sure to have a wall to stop the slide at the end of the motion or just remove your hand/foot from the towel and catch yourself if you feel yourself beginning to lose control. :)

 

What if I do not have a stability ball for stability ball roll outs?

What if I do not have an ab wheel for ab wheel exercises?

The barbell rollout is a perfect substitition exercise for either of those exercises. It also make a nice progression as you can make it more difficult than stability ball rollouts if you go out further.

 

Always remember that it is better to start now than to wait to buy equipment.

You can work around not having a ball, barbell, or ab wheel by doing the following exercises as a substitution:

*Planks - Venus Index video
*Side planks - Venus Index video
*Mountain climbers - Venus Index video

* Above are some creative alternative videos

If you have a physical limitation, you can usually work around the issue. Remember to let pain be your guide, if it hurts- stop!

Here are just a few examples of work arounds to new or existing injuries-

• If your wrist is injured and needs a work around, do planks or side planks on your elbows instead, video here
• For an ankle injury, you can do planks on your knees instead. On roll ups, you would also move the ball or towel to your knees. See above for video example.

Squats and Lunges Hurt My Knees HELP!

Oh and step up too! I get that a lot :) so we can work around it no problem!

On any exercise-

• If it hurts- STOP. But grinding, pressure, crackles, and pops are all okay if they do not hurt. If it hurts, substitute another similar exercise.
• Always try the exercise that is called for in the workout, even if it hurt last time. There is a significant chance that at some point, the knee (or other joint/muscle) will one day no longer hurt.

Squats

Music by audionautix.com

1. Just because squats hurt your knees now does not mean that they always will. The great thing about strength training is that they will get stronger and the pain will lessen over time.
2. Generally speaking, most find a wider stand more comfortable. I know I do. It takes a lot of pressure off the knees. You can also put plates under your heels to see if that helps as well.
3. If it hurts- STOP.  Do deadlifts instead of squats for the rest of the reps. You can also sub bulgarian split squats too if needed or if they feel better.
4. Add weights to make squats more challenging, go lower too.

Step ups

Music by audionautix.com

1. The height of the step determines the intensity. The lower the step, the less intense. Anything above the floor plane is technically a step up. So play with it and see what height feels best. You might be surprised that a specific height is pain free.
2. Do not bound off your back foot. The foot stepping up should do all the work.
3. If it hurts- STOP. Sub lunges or reverse lunges instead.
4. Add weights to make it more challenging and/or increase the step height.

Lunges

1. Step back or forward enough that your front knee is at a 90 degree square angle from the floor at the bottom of the lunge. You do not want that front knee to go past your toe.
2. You might be surprised that either a forward lunge or reverse lunge is pain free. You can stick to either one.
3. If it hurts- STOP. Sub step ups or Bulgarian split squats instead.
4. Add weights to make it more challenging.

Post Weight Lifting Stretching Routine

Warm up

Most recent physio recommendations are to NOT stretch before lifting. Your muscles are cold and tight. The best warm up is about 5 minutes of cardio: walking on a treadmill, elliptical, or a bike. Most of the time I do not warm up. I just do not go out for a maximum lift first thing.

Cool down

After a lifting session, I like to stretch my whole body to cool down. I find that it helps relieve some of the DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

This is my normal stretching routine in the video below. I hold most of them for 5 seconds or so. If a muscle group is extra tight, I go back again and repeat the stretch in that area.

If the video does not come up for you, here is the direct link on YouTube-

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvP3qW1LEGg

Exercise Progressions and Modifications: Push ups, Planks, and Dips

Venus Index workouts are tough, even for experienced, fit lifters. Here are some ideas for exercise modifications and the progression of difficulty for push ups, planks, and dips. These are the most common exercises that newbies need help with.

Push ups

Most girls who are new to working out, and even intermediate level fitness junkies- cannot do a regular push up from the floor on their toes. I would encourage you to not sub “girl push ups” from your knees in for regular push ups from your toes. The reason is that there is no progression to get you to the goal of toe push ups. What you should do instead is to start with your hands on the wall or a bench (depending on your strength) and work your way to the floor as you get stronger. When you finally transition to the floor, you may have to drop to the floor between push ups to gain strength in the full motion.

If you have access to an aerobics step and risers- it will help to ease your transition from high to low to floor.

Keep your butt down!

Hands should be shoulder width apart; focus on pushing through with your chest, back, and shoulders. It is not all arms.

Exhale as you rise up.

If you have wrist issues, it may help to grip dumbbells instead of flattening your hand out. They also have push up handles that work great. If push ups are out of the question due to RA or other wrist injuries, sub chest presses instead.

Here is a video to illustrate-

                                                                                 Original Music by Chris J

Planks and Side Planks

For planks and side planks, most cannot hold them the whole time from the get go. You just put you knee down and take a break then get right back into it. If you are on your hands, you can down into a downward dog to rest, then go right back into the plank.

• Keep your butt down!
•  It is okay to shake, but breathe! 
• Elbows or hands are fine.
• Suck your stomach in like you are zipping up tight jeans then flex your abs, tighten your quads and glutes.

Elbows are better for anyone with wrist issues. You can also plank by gripping a dumbell which will help some wrist injuries. As you get stronger, you will be able to hold them longer. Also, as you gain strength be sure to alternate between elbows and hands each set.

Here is a video to illustrate-

                                                                                Original Music by Chris J

Dips

On dips- to make them easier, pull your feet up toward your rear. As you get stronger, you can put them farther away to increase difficulty. Make sure your back stays close to the bench and your arms stay close to your sides.

• Arms should brush your sides as you come down
• Bench should sweep across your back as you up and down
• Focus on pushing through with your triceps

If you have prior shoulder or elbow injuries, try swapping dips out with overhead triceps extensions, french presses, or lying triceps extensions as you can lighten the weight significantly.

Here is a video to illustrate-

Original Music by Chris J

I had a "sneak peek" of one of these vids on Instagram (IG @mlgraham09) and the response was favorable. Do you like videos? Should I keep this up?

X- Liss

Clean Texas Meatloaf

We visited the most adorable little thrift shop in Eagle’s Nest while in New Mexico. Almost everything was less than $2. I have been adding them into the wardrobe ASAP :)

So when we got home, this was the first thing I cooked. It has been a weekly staple lately. This one is lean, mean recipe and the whole fam will love it. Oh yeah, and it is competition approved, clean eating ;)

Clean Texas Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1 lbs extra lean ground beef
• ¼ cup egg whites (or you can use 1 whole egg)
• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 10 oz can Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
• ¼ cup tomato sauce (you can sub catsup, just use no sugar added)
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp Splenda (or any other sugar substitute)

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350* F. In a large bowl, mix everything but the last 3 ingredients. I like to use my hands- wash up! Then form into a loaf shape onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. In the same bowl, mix the last 3 ingredients and spread over the top. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through.

I mixed in some light Thousand Island dressing on this batch, pretty tasty ;)

The daughter likes to make hers a meatloaf "sammich" on King's Hawaiian Rolls. Smart kid.

Nutritional Stats:

(per 1/4th the recipe)
225 cals
9 g carbs
9 g fats
27.5 g protein

P.S. Here is the recipe pinned on Pinterest (I cannot figure out a "pin it" button LOL) so that you can easily re-pin! http://www.pinterest.com/pin/4151824630926999/

Fast Fit Food- Eating on the Go

This past week, we visited Angel Fire, NM for spring break. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

 

And that sums up my feelings today when I got back to "real life"... I loved watching the snow fall out of the cabin window!

Anyway, on the coming and going (and at my friend Tracey's request too!) I thought that I would share my favorite "on the go" foods. Both drive through and what I pack for a road trip.

Up first, what I pack in the car to go.

My top 3 travel items that go into the car

1) Pure Protein Chocolate Deluxe Protein Bars

http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Protein-Chocolate-Deluxe-Value/dp/B002XULC70/ref=sr_1_1/175-3525976-6946943?ie=UTF8&qid=1395096059&sr=8-1&keywords=pure+protein+chocolate+deluxe

At 180 calories and 20g of protein per bar, these tasty bars feel like a candy bar. I usually have one as my daily snack.

2) Jack Link's Teriyaki Beef Jerky

And I pack this huge size bag, because the whole family loves this stuff. A 1 oz serving is 80 cals and 14 g of protein. Beef crack.

3) Apples

 

http://www.forevergracephotography.com/

A medium apple is around 70 cals and filling. Love the Pink Lady variety- crisp and sweet.

My top 3 drive through fast food items

1) McDonald's Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken and Newman's Own Southwest Dressing

 

http://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en/food/product_nutrition.salads.88.Premium-Southwest-Salad-with-Grilled-Chicken.html
 

*standing ovation* BRAVO McDonald's!! Finally, a fast food meal I look FORWARD to and can get just about anywhere I travel in the US. With the dressing, the salad is a fililng 390 calories with 28g of protein, 14 g of fat, and 39 g of carbs.

2) Taco Bell Taco Salad without the shell, salsa for dressing

 

http://www.tacobell.com/food/menuitem/Fiesta-Taco-Salad

By forgoing the shell and salsa instead of dressing, you can easily save 350-500 calories. So pretend that picture has no shell. Go ahead and order it without the shell too while you are at it, too tempting! And get lots of salsa on the side for dressing.  And pretty much any taco/burrito joint has this option, not just Taco Bell. If you choose a standard beef taco salad as above sans the shell, you are looking around 420 calories and 24 g of protein. Fat comes in around 21 g and carbs around 33 g. I often get grilled chicken instead and save a few cals if I am in the mood. Some burrito places have extra veggies to fill out your salad like grilled peppers and onions :) do not be shy about adding them!

3) Chickfila Grilled Market Salad

 

http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Food/Salad-Detail/ChickfilA-Grilled-Market-Salad

Chickfila has MANY standout options including a grilled chicken sandwich and a side of fruit. And do not get me started on their diet lemonade. PURE BLISS. Bless your heart if you do not have one of these fine establishments around! So this salad is my favorite in their line up. I like to add the Reduced Fat Berry Balsamic Dressing with it. The salad is 180 calories, 4 g of fat, 13g of carbs, and 25 g of protein. If you add the Berry Dressing, it is another 110 cals, 4g of fat, and 20g of carbs.


Obvously, I have a salad fetish. So those are my "on the run" picks. What are yours?