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Workout: Beach Ready Belly!

woman in black doing crunches on a blue yoga mat

Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Equipment Needed: Stopwatch

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes

Timed Circuits:

Perform as many rounds as possible of the following exercises with limited rest until the 5 minutes is over. Rest 2 - 3 minutes and then move to the next 5 minute timed circuit. After you complete the two circuits one time each, repeat the two circuits again.

Circuit #1: (5 minutes)

  • 8 Frog Jumps

  • 8 Snow Angels

  • 8 Suicide Tap Downs

  • 8 Butt Kicks

Rest 2 - 3 minutes.

Circuit #2: (5 minutes)

  • 8 Suicide Push-Ups

  • 8 Side Plank Tap Downs - left side

  • 8 Side Plank Tap Downs - right side

  • 8 Standing Tuck Jumps

Rest 2 - 3 minutes and then repeat the 2 circuits again. 

Sprints:

Set up 2 cones about 50 feet apart. Sprint down to and back. Rest 5-10 seconds. And then sprint again. Repeat for 2 - 4 minutes total time.

Sit Ups:

Complete 50 sit ups in any number of sets until you have completed 50.

Core Finisher:

Complete 2 - 4 sets of the following exercises.

  • 30 seconds Plank

  • 10 seconds Recovery 

  • 30 Bicycle Crunches

  • 10 seconds Recovery

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes


Workout by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by gradyreese from Getty Images Signature 

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Recipe: Popcorn Crunch Mix

popcorn in a small blue bowl

Looking for a simple recipe to jazz up your snacks for entertaining?

Give this one a try!

It’s sweet, salty, crunchy, and has just enough spice to make it crave-worthy.

Makes about 6 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 10 cups (80 g) air-popped popcorn

  • Olive oil cooking spray

  • 1 Tbsp taco seasoning mix

  • 1 cup (120 g) pecans

  • 1 cup (160 g) golden raisins

  • ½ cup (60 g) toasted pumpkin seeds

Directions:

  1. Place the popped corn in a very large bowl and lightly coat with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the popcorn and stir lightly to coat. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

  2. Serve!


Recipe by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by Mo Abrahim from Pexels 

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Workout: Body Weight Circuit & Game

Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Equipment Needed: Cones / Markers and a Stopwatch

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes

Circuit #1:

Complete 2 - 3 sets of the following exercises. Allow 2 minutes rest between each set.

  • 30 - 45 seconds Alternating Reverse Lunges

  • 30 - 45 seconds Push-Ups

  • 30 - 45 seconds Knees-to-Elbows

  • 30 - 45 seconds Prisoner Squats

  • 30 - 45 seconds V-Jumps

Circuit #2:

Use 2 cones / markers to mark off a start and end point about 50 feet apart. Allow 2 - 5 minutes rest after the last sprints have been completed and then REPEAT ONE MORE TIME.

  • Walking Lunges to Cone and Sprint Back

  • Bear Crawl to Cone and Sprint Back

  • Grouchos Forward to Cone and Grouchos Backwards Back

  • Side Shuffle Left Side to Cone and Right Side Back 

  • Grapevine Karaoke Face the Left Going Down and Right Going Back

  • Sprint Down and Back

Rest 2 - 5 minutes

Circuit #2:

Use 2 cones / markers to mark off a start and end point about 40 - 50 feet apart. Complete each exercise down and back for 1 round total.

  • Bear Crawl

  • Bounding (skip with high knees)

  • Grapevine / Karaoke

  • Back Pedal Sprint

Rest 2 - 4 minutes.

Finisher:

Complete 1 - 2 sets of the following exercises. Allow 1 - 2 minutes rest between sets if performing 2 sets.

  • 30 seconds Body Saw Plank

  • 30 seconds Straight Arm Plank

  • 30 seconds Side Plank - left

  • 30 seconds Side Plank - right

  • 30 seconds Plank

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes


Workout by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by fizkes from Getty Images Pro

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Recipe: Cranberry Apple Crisp

cranberry apple crisp in a skillet

Who doesn’t love a delicious fruit crisp for dessert? 

This holiday-inspired cranberry-apple crisp takes just a few minutes to make… and it’s sure to be a hit.

Serves 8.

Filling Ingredients:

  • 3 large apples, peeled, cored and chopped

  • 2 cups (220 g) cranberries fresh or frozen

  • Juice of ½ orange

  • ½ cup (95 g) coconut sugar

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Crisp Topping Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (120 g) chopped pecans

  • 1 cup (80 g) rolled oats (gluten-free, optional)

  • ¼ cup (54 g) grass-fed butter, cut into small cubes

  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey

  • ¼ tsp sea salt

Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F / 190°C and grease the inside of a 9x9 inch (23x23 cm) baking dish with coconut oil or butter.

  2. In a medium bowl, combine the apples, cranberries, orange juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Toss until the apples and cranberries are well coated and pour the contents into the baking dish.

  3. In another bowl, combine the pecans, oats, butter, maple syrup and sea salt and work together until it forms a crumbly topping. Sprinkle over the apples and cranberries, and place the baking dish into the oven. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the top is brown.

  4. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 10 - 15 minutes before serving.


Recipe by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by rudisilll from Getty Images Signature

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Workout: Functional Total Body Blaster

woman doing a wall sit against a beige wall

Time: 45 - 60 minutes

Equipment Needed: Cones / Markers and a Stopwatch

Warm Up: 5 - 10 minutes

Circuit #1:

Set up two cones 50 - 75 feet apart. Perform 2 sets, allowing 2 - 4 minutes rest between sets.

  • 15 - 20 Walking Lunges (each side)

  • 30 - 60 seconds Wall Sit or Squat & Hold

  • Sprint 50 - 75 feet from First Cone to Second Cone

  • 10 Burpees at Second Cone

  • Sprint Back to First Cone

Rest 2 - 4 minutes.

Circuit #2: Boxes

Set up 4 cones / markers in a square 20 - 30 feet apart. Sprint between each cone in order, stopping to complete each exercise at the designated cone. Complete 4 - 5 rounds of each exercise around the square.

  • Cone 1: 20 Crunches

  • Cone 2: 15 Push-Ups

  • Cone 3: 20 Supermans

  • Cone 4: 20 Jumping Jacks

Rest 2 - 4 minutes.

Circuit #3:

Perform 2 sets, allowing 2 - 4 minutes rest between sets.

  • 32 Body Weight Squats - 8 fast tempo, 8 slow tempo, 8 fast tempo, 8 slow tempo (with no rest)

  • 45 seconds Mountain Climbers

  • 45 seconds Alternating Front Kicks

  • 45 seconds Plank

Rest 2 - 4 minutes.

Sprints:

Set up 2 cones 50 - 100 feet apart. Sprint to cone and back. Rest 5 - 10 seconds. Then sprint again. Do this for 2 minutes total.

Rest 2 - 4 minutes.

Core:

Complete 2 - 3 sets of the following exercises.

  • 30 seconds Scissor Kicks

  • 30 seconds Flutter Kicks

  • 30 seconds Bicycle Crunches

  • 30 seconds Spiderman Plank

  • 3 x 10 seconds Hold Hip Bridges

  • 30 - 60 seconds Rest

Cool Down & Stretch: 5 - 10 minutes


Workout by: Dr. Saara Haapanen

Photo Credit: Canva by torwai from Getty Images

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