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Workout: Upper Body Tabata with a Twist!

woman doing dips on the stairs at her home

Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Equipment Needed: A Stopwatch and a Dumbbell / Kettlebell / Medicine Ball

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes

Tabata Style:

Perform the following seats Tabata style BUT with 3 exercises for a total of 4 sets, 6 minutes. Rest 1 minute between each set or longer depending on your fitness level.

Set #1:

  • 20 seconds Uneven Push-Ups - right hand has a dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball under it 

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 20 seconds Uneven Push-Ups - left hand has  dumbbell, kettlebell, or medicine ball under it

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 20 seconds Snow Angels

  • 10 seconds Rest

Repeat for 4 total sets. Rest 1 minute.

Set #2:

  • Bent-Over Rows - right arm

  • Bent-Over Rows - left arm

  • Tuck Jumps - ground ones

Set #3:

  • Squat with Overhead Press - right arm

  • Squat with Overhead Press - left arm

  • Jump Squats

Set #4:

  • Bicep Curls in a Squat

  • Bench Dips

  • Ski Jumps

Set #5:

  • Windmills - right side

  • Windmills - left side

  • Plank with Butt Kicks

Set #6:

  • Pullover Sit-Ups

  • Russian Twists

  • Floppy Burpees

Finisher: 

Complete 1 minute of Mountain Climbers as a finisher.

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes

Workout by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by wilpunt from Getty Images Signature

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Recipe: One-Pan Chicken Fajitas

chicken fajitas in a skillet

Don’t you love recipes that require virtually no work and very little cleanup? This one comes together fast, and there’s just one pan!

Serve with a side of guac, some black beans and you’ve got a quick, healthy weeknight meal.

 

Makes 6 servings.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp chili powder

  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 large yellow and red bell peppers, sliced and seeded

  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced

  • 2 tbsp avocado oil

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into tender-sized slices

  • 1 lime, juiced

  • (your choice of toppings: salsa, avocado, goat cheese, pepitas)

 

Directions:

  1. Line a baking sheet with foil, and preheat the broiler to high

  2. Mix the chili powder, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper in a small bowl.

  3. In a larger bowl, toss the peppers and onions with 1 tbsp of oil and place on the baking sheet. Season with half of the chili powder mixture. Broil for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and starting to char.

  4. Toss the chicken with the remaining spice mixture and 1 tbsp oil. Add to the baking sheet with the charred veggies, and broil for 5-8 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to brown. Drizzle with the lime juice and add salt/pepper to taste.

  5. Remove the oven and put on a serving platter, with your choice of toppings.

 

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by rudisill from Getty Images Signature

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Workout: Climb Baby Climb!

row of people all doing planks

Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Equipment Needed: Dumbbells and a Stopwatch

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes

Round 1:

Perform 1 rep of each exercise below, then 2 reps of each exercise, 3 reps, all the way up to 8! Rest as needed.

  • Floppy Burpees

  • Russian Twists

  • Push-Ups

  • Reach Lunges - rep count is for both sides

Rest 2 - 3 minutes.

Round 2:

Perform the following exercises for 30 seconds each - resting 1- seconds between each exercise. After completing all the exercises for 30 seconds, rest 1 - 2 minutes. Then have them perform the same exercises for 45 seconds each, then 60 seconds each, and then 1:15 each/ Include 1 - 2 minutes rest between each set.

  • Spiderman Plank

  • Hindu Squats

  • Plank 

  • Squat with Alternating Lateral Leg Raises and Overhead Presses

  • T-Push-Ups

  • Jump Lunges

Example:

  • 30 seconds Spiderman Plank

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 30 seconds Hindu Squats

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 30 seconds Plank

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 30 seconds Squat with Alternating Lateral Leg Raises and Overhead Presses

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 30 seconds T-Push-Ups

  • 10 seconds Rest

  • 30 seconds Jump Lunges

Rest 1 - 2 minutes and repeat for 45 seconds each, then 60 seconds each, and finish with 1:15 each.

Finisher:

Complete 60 seconds of each of the following exercises.

  • 60 seconds Lateral Tap Downs

  • 60 seconds Butt Kicks

  • 60 seconds Burpees

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes

Workout by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Drazen_from Getty Images Signature

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Recipe: Easiest Ever Broiled Coconut Shrimp

broiled coconut shrimp on a wood cutting board

A restaurant favorite … all the taste you want, but with the wholesome, healthy ingredients of a home-cooked meal.

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

  • 6-inch skewers

  • 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 lime, juiced and zested

  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, with tails removed.

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions:

  1. Preheat broiler. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet.

  2. Whisk together the eggs in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine coconut and lime.

  3. Dip each shrimp into the eggs and then coat with the coconut/lime mixture.

  4. Thread 3 shrimp onto each skewer (you might have to double up on one or two skewers, depending on shrimp count).

  5. Place the skewers on the wire rack and broil for 2 minutes. Flip the skewers over and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove from the oven.

  6. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce! Bonus recipe below. :)

 

Orange Dipping Sauce

 

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup no-sugar, juice-sweetened orange marmalade

  • 2 tsp mustard

  • 1 tsp prepared horseradish

  • Dash of sea salt

 

Directions:

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

 

Recipe by: Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by LauriPatterson from Getty Images Signature

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