Workout: Jingle “Bells”
Time: 45 - 60 minutes
Equipment Needed: Kettlebells or Dumbbells and a Stopwatch
Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes
Perform the following 3 exercises for 60 seconds each, repeat, and after the 2nd round, move to the next set of 3 exercises. Rest 1 - 2 minutes after each set.
1st Set:
60 sec Chest Flys with Weights
60 sec Bench Press with Weights
60 sec Frog Jumps
Repeat
Rest 1 - 2 minutes
2nd Set:
60 sec Squat with Weights
60 sec Squat with Overhead Press with Weights
60 sec Jump Squats
Repeat
Rest 1 - 2 minutes
3rd Set:
Bent-over Rows
Hip Bridges
Lateral Tap Downs
Repeat
Rest 1 - 2 minutes
4th Set:
Walking Lunges with Side Twist
Stiff Legged Deadlifts
Jump Lunges
Repeat
Rest 1 - 2 minutes.
5th Set:
Skull Crushers
Kickbacks
Floor Jacks
Repeat
Rest 1 - 2 minutes.
6th Set:
Bicycle Crunches
Flutter Kicks
Floor Jacks
Repeat
Rest 1 - 2 minutes
Cool Down and Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes
Workout by: Saara Haapanen
Photo Credit: Canva by vitapix from Getty Images Signature
Move at Work Challenge: Balance Exercise
Recipe: Mini Meatloaves
These are good for a weeknight meal … or bake ‘em up when you’re doing meal prep and enjoy for lunch during the week.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
8 ounces lean ground pork
8 ounces lean (94 to 99 percent fat-free) ground turkey
⅓ cup gluten-free rolled oats or almond flour
4 tbsp sugar-free or homemade ketchup
2 tbsp brown mustard
1 tsp gluten-free soy sauce
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
½ tsp each dried marjoram and thyme
1 large egg
⅓ cup grated onion
Sea salt
Ground pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking rimmed sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the ground meat in a large bowl by hand. In a small bowl, mix together the oats or almond flour, half the ketchup and mustard, soy sauce, oregano, spices, egg, onion, a generous dash of salt and ½ tsp of pepper.
Add the oat mixture to the meat and, using your hands, mix until combined.
Divide the meatloaf mixture into four portions and form small loaves with each section, placing it on the lined baking sheet.
Combine the rest of the mustard and ketchup and brush over the top of each loaf.
Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and to your desired level of “doneness.”
Recipe by: Saara Haapanen
Photo Credit: Canva by chas53 from Getty Images
Move at Work Challenge: Dynamic Stretching from Canada
Move at Work Challenge: Release Your Neck and Fight the Computer Hunchback
7 Positive Opportunities You Can Find During a Midlife Crisis
Please enjoy this guest post from Fitsheila.com written by Sheila Olson
Many people talk about midlife crises like they're a joke, right up until they experience it themselves. It is not an exaggeration to say that your mortality becomes a constant and unsettling presence in your mind at a certain age. For some, a midlife crisis is an excuse to indulge in expensive purchases and other vices in an attempt to get their mind off the inevitable. However, there are absolutely positive opportunities that can be found even during a so-called midlife crisis. Once you know what possibilities await you, you can turn the later years of adulthood into the best time of your life. Here are some tips.
1. Reorganizing Your Life
A midlife crisis can be taken as a sign that you should organize your personal priorities in a meaningful way. Now more than ever, you might want to prioritize your health and your desire for new life experiences over any career obligations that may serve as a source of unhappiness.
Reorganizing your living space can actually be just as important as organizing your mindset. The environments where you live, work, and spend time with family contribute largely to how you feel about those activities. Take some time to declutter, organize, and clean your home.
2. Learning New Skills
Psychologists state that learning new skills is important for maintaining a healthy level of cognitive function. You can help your mind remain strong by constantly learning things during the middle of your life and well into your senior years.
Focus on acquiring skills that are personally fulfilling and that stoke your unique interests. Mastering hobbies such as art, gardening, and yoga can improve your mental health and might even make the world around you more beautiful.
3. Consider Relocating
Moving can be a daunting prospect, but it can also offer a fresh start and a chance to reinvent oneself. In addition to providing a new beginning, moving can also help to boost one's mood and improve mental health. It can also lead to new opportunities and experiences, which can help to prevent feelings of stagnation. If you’re not certain you want to reside in your new location long term, consider renting a house or apartment. You can view online listings and filter by price, home type, and amenities. Some listings also offer virtual tours so you can “tour” homes without having to visit in person.
4. Starting Your Own Business
Being stuck in a professional rut can be the catalyst for many a midlife crisis, and it most certainly calls for a career change. It could even be a sign that it's time to pursue your dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Keep in mind that you’ll need to formulate a business plan that includes how you’ll market your products or services, structure your business, find funding, and more.
Your business structure will determine how you run your business, pay taxes, handle paperwork, and more. Many small business owners opt to form an LLC. This structure can protect your assets in case of litigation and provides tax benefits.
5. Getting Fit
By making staying fit a priority in our lives, we can better cope with the challenges that come with mid-life. The benefits of fitness are innumerable. For one thing, regular exercise helps to reduce stress levels and increase feelings of well-being and happiness. This is important because it gives us a greater sense of control over our circumstances and allows us to better manage distressing emotions. Additionally, fitness improves sleep quality and stamina, which help us stay energized throughout the day and can aid in mental clarity and focus. And perhaps most importantly, getting regular exercise helps to build strong relationships with others through socializing and sharing experiences with friends or other like-minded individuals. When you’re ready to get started, reach out to our favorite trainer Saara for a transformational fitness programs that strengthens your mind and body!
6. Reconnecting With Friends
The hustle and bustle of daily life can lead to you losing touch with old friends. It might be time to reconnect and rekindle old friendships, and you can do so by using a search engine to see where your acquaintances are now and get quick results that will help you reach out to long-lost friends.
7. Travel
Traveling during a midlife crisis can be beneficial for many reasons. It can help you to take a break from your everyday routine, explore new cultures and lifestyles, and learn more about yourself. In addition, traveling can also help you to meet new people and make new friends. And, of course, it can be a great way to relieve stress and tension.
Overcoming a midlife crisis is a major psychological hurdle. It is a time of reflection, reevaluation, and perhaps a little trepidation. When you make the decision to live the rest of your life to the fullest, though, you may realize that having a tiny bit of anxiety can spur you to accomplish meaningful things. By learning new skills, reorganizing, reconnecting with friends, going on a trip, and even relocating or starting your own business, you can work through your midlife crisis.
Please visit our friend’s site Fitsheila.com to see more from Sheila Olson
Written by: Sheila Olson
Photo Credit: Image: Pexels
Move at Work Challenge: Full Body Simon Says Workout from Florida
Workout: Deck of Christmas
Time: 45 - 60 minutes
Equipment Needed: Deck of Cards
Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes
Perform the exercises stated for each card of the deck. For example: flip a 10, perform 10 snow angels. Flip over a Queen and perform 1 minute of Butt Kicks. Rest as needed.
2 - Floor Jacks
3 - Suicide Push-Ups (each side)
4 - Donkey Kicks (each side)
5 - Lunge with Leg on Bench (each leg)
6 - Hindu Squats
7 - Cross-Over Mountain Climbers (each leg)
8 - V-Jumps
9 - ¼ mile Run
10 Snow Angels
Jack - 1 minute of Jumping Jacks
Queen - 1 minute of Butt Kicks
King - 1 minute of Mountain Climbers
Ace - 1 minute of Bear Crawl
Cool Down and Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes
Workout by: Saara Haapanen
Photo Credit: Canva by Prostock-studio
Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Spice Rub
This spice rub takes a little work but it is oh-so-worth it! Some spices just taste better when they’re freshly ground, which is why this recipe makes use of them.
But no worries: if you don’t have a spice mill and/or can’t find the whole versions, you can add an extra ¼ teaspoon of the dried ground versions.
Ingredients:
1 tsp whole cumin seed
1 tsp whole fennel seed
1 tsp whole coriander
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
For the Tenderloin:
1¼-pound pork tenderloin
1 tbsp avocado or olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Make the spice rub: Put the cumin seed, fennel seed, and coriander in food grinder and pulse until they are finely ground. Place in a small mason jar with the other spices, cover, and shake until mixed well. If you don’t have a mason jar, place all the spices in a bowl and stir to combine.
With dry hands to avoid sticking, sprinkle the rub over the tenderloin, pressing it into the meat so it adheres.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic in the oil for about 30 seconds before placing the tenderloin in the pan. Sear each side, cooking for about 10 minutes. Transfer to a roasting pan and place in the oven for 20 minutes, until done. Remove from the oven and let rest, covered in foil, for 5 minutes before slicing.
Recipe by: Saara Haapanen
Photo Credit: Canva by wundervisuals from Getty Images Signature