Happy Friday everyone!!! This week seemed to just fly by, and the whole time I was DYING for it to just be Friday! Why? It’s my birthday weekend! This morning I even went a little crazy and slept in to celebrate! Okay… laid there in my bed until 7:15. But still, it was nice.
Yesterday morning I hit the gym before class, and came up with another great Upper Body Workout to share with you all! If you missed the first one, you can see it here.
Every time I go to the gym to do weights, I always end up doing something different. I think it makes it more fun and challenging! I also love incorporating moves that I learn from my personal trainer.
Today’s workout started with 20 minutes on the elliptical (nice and easy… giving my legs a break today) and then hit the weights!
Upper Body Workout
Straight Arm Side Twist: 3 sets of 15 reps on each side; no stopping in between!
Superset*: 3 sets of Chest fly (15 reps) and lateral pull down (30 reps** see new move notes below!)
Superset*: 3 sets of 10 bicep curls, 10 , and 10 upright rows. Then 50 crunches any style between sets (total: 100 crunches) For the 30 reps, I like to use a fixed barbell. But you can also use dumbbells (which are one for each hand).
(source)
Superset*: 3 sets of Seated Row (15 reps) and Tricep pull-down (15 reps)
* A Superset is where I switch back and forth between two exercises with no break in between. Saves time and keeps your heart rate up!
** This is a new move I learned from my trainer: Do the first 10 reps normally (hands on bar where it bends, aka further than shoulder width), then for the next 10 put your hands shoulder width apart and have one hand palm-facing forward and the other hand with the palm facing you. For the last 10, switch your palms.
The weight workout took about 30 minutes, and my arms were burning during that last superset! I love that feeling – like you really worked hard for your workout!
When I got home, it was time for some pumpkin pie oats!
The only difference here is that I added more flax and put in 1 T peanut butter, rather than raisins and walnuts (and of course I used gluten free oats from Trader Joe’s! )My oats, however, had the weirdest texture! I think it’s because I put everything in the pot and let it sit for a minute while I got other things together before turning it on… I think doing that let the flax do something funny? Haha I’m not an expert on flax… But it was weirdly grainy!
When I got back from class, I had some spaghetti squash that had been in my fridge for a while and I finally knew exactly what to do with it.
Shape.com featured the best recipes from their Healthy Food blogs, and one of my favorite (and gluten-free!) blogs is Clean Eating Chelsey, which was featured in the article!
Chelsey’s recipe is for Creamy Spaghetti Squash Primavera. I had to make a few changes based on what I had in my fridge, and I wanted to add some meat since I’m trying to make sure I get enough protein.
Chelsey’s Creamy Spaghetti Squash Primavera
Ingredients
1/3 – 1/2 spaghetti squash (depends on size of squash)
1/4 Cup chopped onions
1/2 Cup chopped zucchini
1 handful spinach
1 serving lean ground turkey (Jennie O’s is gluten free)
2 T hummus
2 T nutritional yeast
garlic
oregano
Directions
Cook ground turkey in a skillet with olive oil, coconut oil, or whatever works for you! Add in chopped onions and zucchini, and then finally the spinach.
I only had to microwave my spaghetti squash, but if you’re starting from a raw squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and gunk, then bake it in the oven for 30 min at 350 degrees. Then you just scrape out the squash and it looks like spaghetti! I thought it was so weird the first time I tried it!
When all the veggies and turkey is cooked, add it to the spaghetti squash in a bowl. Mix in the hummus, nutritional yeast, and spices. Then you’re ready to serve!
This sauce was bananas. B A N A N A S (you know you know the words… I ain’t no hollaback girl!)
For those of you who did not listen to pop music incessantly, I’m trying to say that the dish was delicious. I highly recommend trying out the hummus/nutritional yeast sauce combo. Great recipe Chelsey!
What is the best new food combination you’ve tried?
Do you like to follow weight lifting plans, or make up your own thing?
Do you know what was going on with my oats?!?!