How to speed up your metabolism and a calorie torching workout

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Mrs. Murphy's Law of Fitness

Hey guys! I hope this week started off great for everyone and you all are feeling motivated to start your week off with healthy choices and some serious fat- blasting workouts!

I hear people every day talking about their metabolism. They say ” I cant help that I don’t lose weight, I just have a slow metabolism.” Or ” You are so skinny, you must have such a high metabolism, lucky you.” People use their metabolism as an excuse for not living a healthy life. I have good news for you though, metabolism is not just about genetics! You can do something to speed it up, so you can use it to your advantage. Knowledge is power, and knowing these easy changes you can make in your life will make a huge difference to your metabolism and health.

Don’t skip breakfast– It really is the most important meal of the day. It doesn’t have to be a big meal, just something healthy to rev up your metabolism and kick start your fat burn for the day.
Hit the weight room– This is one of the best and most important ways you can really speed up your metabolism. In my opinion it is the most crucial. The more lean muscle you have the faster your metabolism, thus the more calories you will burn throughout the day. The reason for this is muscle burns about three times more calories than fat. This can definitely add up!
It’s in the water– Literally. When you are dehydrated your metabolism slows. Studies have shown that people who get their 8 glasses of water burn more calories throughout the day than those who don’t.
Take a coffee break– Ahh! What good news for those of us who need this to get both eyes open in the morning. Coffee gets your heart pumping and gives you a temporary metabolic boost.
Cardio– With spring upon us, it is the perfect time to get outside and kick start your cardio. Studies have shown that 45 minutes of cardio will keep your metabolic rate up 12 hours after the initial workout.
Switch things up with intervals– On the days when you aren’t doing 45 minutes of cardio try to throw some interval training in there. Bouts of speedy, intense exercises will make your metabolic rate sky rocket. It keeps your body guessing, thus making it work much harder and burning the calories long after the workout is over.
Get some sleep– Just one of the many reasons to get the recommended 6- 8hrs of sleep. Research has shown a correlation to not getting enough sleep and weight gain. Try your best to get a good night’s rest and you will see it on your waist line.
Don’t skip meals– Skipping meals can trick your body into thinking it is starving, which causes it to hold on to extra calories. This demolishes your metabolism and weight loss goals.

I hope I have shed some light on ways you can boost your metabolism to reach your health and fitness goals just in time for the warmer weather.

Okay, now on to the workout! This is not for the faint of heart. This is serious and you will sweat, your body will ache and you will burn major calories. If you can’t finish, don’t feel bad, but don’t sell yourself short either. Your body can do a lot more than you think it can, trust your body and push yourself to the max.

20:10×8 Each exercise you will do tabata style, which means each exercise you will do for 20 sec with a 10 sec break and repeat 7 times before moving on to the next exercise. take a 1 min break after each tabata.

(Don’t forget to head over to my exercise dictionary page for links to the exercises in the workout.)

Why you should get your flax seed fix and a crazy upper body workout

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Mrs. Murphy's Law of Fitness

Flax seed is gaining popularity quickly these days in large part due to the overwhelming amount of health benefits that can be received from consuming it. There is evidence that it can help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

Here are a couple reasons why you should get your flax seed fix.

Flax seed contains Omega -3 fatty acids which have a wide variety of benefits, boosting heart health is just one. It also lowers your triglyceride levels, which in turn decreases chances of heart disease. Omega -3 also lowers levels of depression and help with the development of your baby while pregnant.
Flax seed contains plenty of fiber which helps with your digestive health and aides in weight loss.
Flax seed also contains Lignans– a group of chemical compounds found in plants which have plant and estrogen qualities.
Adding flax seed to your diet will aide in cardiovascular health and digestive health.

It is better to use ground flax seed because it is easier for your body to digest it, thus gaining all the health benefits from it.

There are many ways to add flax seed into your diet. Add it to food you already eat like a smoothie, oatmeal or yogurt. You can also bake with it like adding it to your pancakes or cookies.

Below is one of my favorite flax seed recipes. These little morsels hit the spot when you have a sweet tooth and is fairly healthy compared to most cookies.

Flaxseed and peanut butter balls

1 cup rolled oats
½ cup natural peanut butter
2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1 tbs coconut oil
Pinch of salt
¾ tbs honey
¼ tsp cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in a big bowl.

2. Make 1 inch balls with dough and stick in the fridge for 30 minutes and enjoy!

I wanted to share with you a workout today as well. I love this workout and I have been doing it non stop!

I hope everyone has a great day and enjoy the rest of the beautiful week!

(Don’t forget to to over to my exercise dictionary page for links to the exercises)

upper body attack </a

Fast track your weight loss by hitting the pavement and an ab circuit

Posted on April 16, 2013 by Mrs. Murphy's Law of Fitness

Fast track your weight loss by hitting the pavement

Running is my first love when it comes to fitness. It has kept me in shape and helped me lose excess weight when needed.

Anytime I know I need to be in tip top shape I bump up the intensity on my running program and I see results quickly. In my experience, it has been the quickest way to lose weight, along with a healthy diet of course.

It burns more calories than any other cardio machine at the gym (although I like running outside).

Need more reasons to fast track your weight loss program and start running? Read on.

Helps with disease prevention- it lowers blood pressure and raises good cholesterol. Prevents heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Running also boosts the immune system preventing colds and viruses.
Prevents bone loss- regular physical activity will put the demand on your bones they need to stay strong and not deteriorate.
Relieves stress and helps with depression- this is a huge benefit. It helps you clear your mind and lowers stress and anxiety levels. It is also prescribed to people who struggle with depression because of the huge psychological benefits. It builds confidence and makes you feel powerful.

Tips for making the most of your runs:

Keep your diet in check- the biggest mistake I see when people start running is having major pig out sessions after. Sometimes you will feel famished after a great run, but control yourself or you will ruin all the work you just put in! Try to keep your post workout snacks under 150 calories and keep them high in protein and good carbs. If you are simply famished afterward it might mean you need to eat a little more before running, just a small snack should do the trick.
Spice it up- You can’t do the same 30 minute run every day with the same course and expect to see results. Your muscles get used to this and a fat loss plateau is sure to follow. Include intervals (great for fat burning), hills, a new route and adding time to your runs. The key is to get your muscles continually guessing.
Run regularly- Running once or twice a week will get you nowhere. You need to be running at least 3-4 times a week to impact your weight loss. This will build up your strength and allow you to progress. Try to do another form of cardio on the other days.

Below is a great ab circuit you can add on to that run to fast track your six pack!

* I have updated my workout page and added an ‘exercise dictionary‘ page with links to all of the exercises used in my workouts.

Have a great week!

The skinny on Quinoa and an arm and ab circuit

Posted on April 10, 2013 by Mrs. Murphy's Law of Fitness

The skinny on Quinoa

Quinoa has been all the rage lately and for good reason. It is jam packed with protein and essential vitamin and minerals. It is usually put into the grain family but it is actually a seed. It is easy to prepare and very versatile in its uses.

Below are a few benefits from this seed.

Protein packed- It has all nine essential amino acids with more protein than rice or two chicken breasts (per cup).
Full of fiber- This will make you feel full longer and therefore aide in weight loss.
Gluten free- Great alternative for some wheat or grain products
Source of Riboflavin- this will help with migraine prevention.
Great source of iron- This keeps our red blood cells healthy and aides in brain function.
High magnesium content- this helps with cardiovascular health

Okay, so now that we have covered just a few of the many benefits of quinoa let’s talk about how we can incorporate it into our diet.

Salads- Quinoa is fantastic for salads and can be the main ingredient, substituting beans or chicken.

Substitute for rice or couscous

Baked goods- can be combined with other gluten free flours as a replacement as wheat flour.

This is a recipe from Vegetarian times for a refreshing quinoa salad just in time for summertime!

Serves 12

30 minutes or fewer

1 ½ cups quinoa
½ cup pine nuts
1 English cucumber, peeled and finely diced (2½ cups)
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and finely diced (¾ cup)
½ small red onion, finely chopped (½ cup)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup olive oil
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. grated lemon zest

1. Bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil. Add quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 12 to 14 minutes, or  until quinoa is tender and small “tails” bloom from grains.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread pine nuts on baking sheet, and toast 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool, then transfer to large serving bowl.

3. Drain quinoa, and rinse under cold running water. Drain again. Add quinoa to pine nuts, and  stir in cucumber, tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Fold in oil, lemon juice, and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

I also have a great workout for you guys to compliment your healthy diet!

plank shoulder touches

butt kickers

Bikini ready workout

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Mrs. Murphy's Law of Fitness

hey friends! I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful start to our spring (insert sarcasm). Hopefully it will warm up a bit and we can start enjoying outdoor activities soon!

Speaking of activities, I have a new workout that will kick your butt (and abs) that you can do anywhere. It focuses on the lower body and core. Perfect for getting ready for bikini season.