90 Day Challenge - Coach Robyn's Goals

You know, I was thinking about this yesterday as I commenced my 90 day fitness and nutrition challenge.  Most people go into the last 2-3 months of the year with the mindset of just "letting go" until January 1st.  Most people do not have the mindset of creating new goals, staying on top of their workout routine (or maybe even increasing it), not falling into the trap of over indulging at holiday parties, etc as we get to the latter part of the year.  Well, it really comes down to the fact that your body NEVER takes a holiday.  It still requires the same love and attention (aka nutrition and exercise) that it did on January 1st, the same attention that it did when you decided you wanted to look good in a bikini for summer and the same attention it needs when you committed to being a healthy example for your kids or others around you.  It dawned on me today how strange it may be to set out to achieve quite possibly the most lofty physical goals I have set out to achieve for myself since the days of being a college athlete.  Which is funny because even then I didn't really create my own goals.  I just worked hard at the goals set out for me by my coaches and training staff. So now I'm on my own to fend for myself.  The owner of a fitness business who has admittedly not been on top of her workout routine (at least on regular basis) since starting Boot Camp U Austin.  This may surprise you for many reasons but most people are surprised because of one main reason......I look no different today than I did two years ago.  Well, the reason for this is that I have stayed on top of, and even improved on, my nutrition.  I have continually cleaned up my diet over the past two years and in the past year's time, have added Advocare supplements to my nutrition routine.

Having said all this, I am still not satisfied.  Not with the way I look but with the way my body functions.  I have nagging knee issues that, I believe, are a direct results of my lack of regular strength training in the past 2 years.  I just don't feel functionally strong for what I do and for what I know my body is capable of.  It's time to change.

This is one of the reasons that Coach Kim Kravanya and I have decided to take on this challenge.  We decided that we need to stop SAYING and TALKING about the things we want to achieve (how many of you out there find yourself saying "I should do this" or "I should do that..." over and over) and just do it!  We are putting ourselves out there to you guys in order to hold ourselves accountable, to show you that we, too, are human and to also teach you that in order to obtain your goals, you need to write them down.  And don't forget to tell others.  Write down WHY you are doing it (because if your WHY is strong enough, you will do whatever it takes) and what you will do to get there (your plan of action).

Ok, so here are my 90 day goals:
- Increase my lean muscle mass by 5-7lbs
- Decrease body fat % by 2%
- Completely clear up digestive issues
- Decrease or completely eliminate knee pain (I would like to run the Austin Half Marathon in Feb 2012)
- I will foam roam and stretch daily

How I plan to achieve this:

Exercise
-2-3 days a week of strength-training focused exercise (For me, this will mean a boot camp style workout.  The same as you do, with increasing weight as time goes on.  I will be doing the same exercises with 10, 15 and 20lb weights.)
- I will attend at least one crossfit class at (like the ones at Crossfit Texas) per week
- Run at least once per week
- I will also add some cross-training activities to my routine like Mountain biking, trail running, SUPing, kayaking, hiking and Yoga

Nutrition - Foods
- I will concentrate on a very protein-focused diet (getting at least 100 grams per day)
- Drink at least 100 oz of water daily
- Eat very clean diet that is focused on eating foods that are as close to their natural form as possible
- Reduce Dairy, Wheats, Soy, Refined Sugars (I eat very similar to Paleo)

Nutrition - Supplement Routine - using Advocare Nutrition Products
-Spark, Catalyst & Thermoplus every morning with my first MNS MAX 3 vitamin pack
- 15 minutes later a Meal Replacement Shake (24 grams of pre-digested protein and 24 grams of time-released carbs that don't spike your blood sugar)
- mid-morning snack (I shoot for about 15 grams of protein in this snack)
- Second packet of MNS MAX 3 vitamins before lunch, third and fourth packet after lunch (lunch I try to get 30-40 grams of protein)
- Another Spark and Catalyst mid-day (3:00ish)
- Muscle Gain Protein shake (25 grams protein per serving) before boot camp or PM training
- Protein focused dinner with limited carbs (mostly from veggies, shooting for 30-50 grams protein)
- After dinner, I take Omegaplex (omega 3s and 6s), Joint Promotion and Probiotic Restore
- Before bed, I take Night-time Recovery

Nutriton - Workout Supplement Routine - Using Advocare Nutrition Products
- Pre workout- Spark, Catalyst, O2 Gold and Rehydrate (I add Mass Impact if strength training, Arginine Extreme if it's a cardio workout)
- During workout - Rehydrate
- After workout - Post-Workout Recovery shake

I will also be going to see Dr. Dave Cohodes at Redline Sports Therapy so that he can make sure that my body is prepared for battle as well as recovering properly. I love going to him because he isn't focused on one body part solely.  He works on my knees when needed, sometimes my shoulders, my IT band, my calves, etc.  He treats my body as a WHOLE and since our body works synergistically, I believe that is the way it should be.

So anyway.....those are my goals and how I plan to achieve them.  Feel free to follow my journey, encourage me and ask me questions along the way to keep me on track.  YOU are the ones that inspire me to do this.  I get to see how hard you guys work day in and day out.  So thank you!

Coach Robyn and Kim's 90-Day Challenge

Hey Guys!  Coach Robyn and I are pumped to start a 90-Day Challenge to help us reach our own personal health/fitness goals.  While we may have different goals (coming soon!), we will both be using the same format to help us reach those goals.  Format = protein focused diet, exercise and Advocare nutrition supplements!  We will be updating the blog regularly to document this journey and help us stay on track. 

Follow us for the next 90 days for updates on what we are eating, the supplements we are taking, our exercise routine, plus much more! 

Measurements (9/30/11)	Robyn	Kim
Chest	34.75	32
Bust (on / below)	32.5 / 28.5	33.5 / 28.5
Waist & Indent	32 (1 “ below Belly Button)	32.25 & 26 7/8
Hips	38.5	37 7/8
Thigh (upper & mid)	20.75 (mid)	21.5 / 20
Calf	14	13 7/8
Arm (right, left)	10 / 9.75	10 5/8  & 10.5
Weight / BF %	141.8 / 18.8	140. 4  / (coming soon)

If you would like to take a 90-Day Challenge of your own, just let us know! Let’s finish 2011 and head into 2012 looking & feeling better than ever!

~Coach Kim K

Quick 15 minute Workout

Low on time? Can't make it to Boot Camp? Want to try something different?

Here is a quick 15 minute workout utilizing 3 full body moves. The workout will be quick yet effective.

First, we need to warm up with 5 minutes of dynamic movement.
30 Seconds of Each:
- Jog (in place or back and forth)
- Jumping Jacks
-High Knees
- Squats
-Butt Kicks
- Arm circles (full range of motion forward & backward)
-Jumping Jacks
-Push Ups
-High Knees
-Jog (in place or back and forth)

The Workout

1 minute on each move. Completion of all 3 exercises = 1 set. Goal is to complete 3 sets.

1. Sumo Squat with Lateral Raise

2. Cobra Plank

3. Burpee to Shoulder Press

Ranges of Difficulty
Easy- No weights, > 1 minute of rest in between sets
Moderate- 5-8 lb weights, 1 minute of rest in between sets
Challenging- 10 lb weights, < 1 minute of rest in between sets

Finish with a cooldown consisting of some static stretches for the entire body. Sample cooldown 

Look for more fun facts and workouts to come from Boot Camp U! :)

~Coach Kim

"An 'Easter workout'? Does that mean you're going to torture us to death?"

That was a quote from one of the 6am campers in the Arboretum class ;-)  Haha...love it!  Try this workout at home, grab a family member and HAVE FUN with it!

E - Eleven Slow Push-ups (any kind you want...narrow, wide, side-to-side, decline, etc)
A - A hundred bicycles
S - Sixty Mountain Climbers
T - Ten Burpees with a push-up
E - Eleven Pull-ups (if you have no where to do pull-ups then do bent-over rows with dumb bells)
R - Ridiculous Amounts of Core focused exercises

BONUS:  To make this workout more fun, grab a die (dice? ....I don't know my dice grammar, haha).  But you know...the thing with 6 sides and up to 6 dots on a side...that thing.  Usually white.  After you do the initial amount of your exercises, go ahead and roll the die up to 5 more times to see how many MORE you need to do.  What you can also do to break it up is do all the exercises with the set amount and then go BACK THROUGH a few more times while rolling for each exercise to see how many to do.

Core Exercises to do:
Russian Twists
Supermans
Scissors
V-ups
Ankle Grabbers
Core Planks

-Do a total of 500 reps of any of these and then top it off with a few minutes of core planks (rest as needed but hold them for as long as you can each time until you reach 3:00 or higher)

 As always, if you don't know an exercise or you need to vary it up.....it's ok to choose your own exercises.  (You can check out our YouTube video for some more) Make it what you want.  Have fun!

-Coach Robyn

Workout - BBBW (Beautiful by Body Weight)

You probably all know by now that I love body weight exercises.  I love play with fun stuff like kettle bells, Dynamax Balls, Bands and other torture devices but my favorite exercises are the ones where you use nothing but your body weight.  "Your body is your business and you only have an inventory of one" is a quote I just read in the book, Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander (great read by the way!).  This body is an amazing thing.  Treat it right and it will do just about anything you ask it to do.  But it starts by being able to move just it and nothing else.  If you are not strong enough to move your body around efficiently, then there's no use in adding a ton of weight.  Get your form and technique down first before you jump in.  Start with the basics, have fun with it and make it a game if you'd like!

Grad a 6-sided die and think of 6 different exercises.  Assign a number to each exercise.  Roll the die and then do the exercise along with THAT numbers of reps.  If you assign push-up to the #1, then do one push-up!  But then roll again and move right along to the next exercise.  Do it for time periods of 3-5 minutes and shoot for 8-10 rounds with 1:00 rest in between.

Example:
1- Push-up
2 - Squat jump
3 - Burpee with push-up
4 - Jumping Jacks
5 - Side Planks (on hands)
6 - Up-Downs

Have Fun!

Workout - Crazy 4's

Crazy 4’s -

BRRRRRRR! Due to the cold weather and boot camps being cancelled for the week, here is a workout you can do on your own at home or in a gym.

Pick any four exercises (with equipment or without) and you are going to run through each exercise doing ONE rep at a time.  It may seem a little silly but what this does is create a little more of a cardio workout because you are constantly moving and confusing your body (there might also be a little mind confusion going on as well :-) ). 

This workout is very adjustable so if you would like to focus a little more on strength, then do anywhere from 4-10 reps of each exercise before moving to the next.  I personally think that the lower the number, the more fun and “crazy” it is.

Also, try to pick exercises that use the full body and then try to put the exercises in order so that you have to do the most amount of moving.  For example, do an upper body exercise that you do in core plank position followed by a leg exercise you perform while standing.  Going from core plank position up to a standing position adds some extra calorie burn!

Here’s an example of the workout:

Exercise 1 – Split Squat Jumps (do 1 each leg)

Exercise 2 – Push-up (make it fun and do a power push-up where you lift both hands off the ground)

Exercise 3 – Squat Jumps (start in squat position, jump up as high as you can and land back in squat position – to make it more difficult, after you complete your push-up, come up to squat position by doing a pop-up.  A pop-up is where you start in core plank position on your hands and you jump your feet up  to where your hands were.  Of course, this means you have to lift your hands.  You should end in a squat position).

Exercise 4 – Up-Down (from the Squat Jump, put your hand down and jump your feet out to core plank position.  Then go down onto your elbows and back up to your hands

After Ex 4, go right back into Ex 1 which is split squat jumps…..

Try to do 10 rounds without stopping!  Then repeat anywhere from 3-5 times. Now, I am going to test you to see whether you guys did your homework.  I want you to email me at robyn@bootcampUaustin.com and tell me which 4 exercises you picked and how the workout went.

Workout: 12 Days of Christmas

Hey All!

I hope your holidays have been FABULOUS!  Since we are off this week from boot camp, I wanted to make sure to post a workout.  We did this one last week called the 12 days of Christmas.  The best thing about this workout (and most of the ones I post) is that you can pick whatever exercise YOU want to do in the format given.  With this one, for example, you can choose any 12 exercises you want.  I would always recommend as many full body exercises you can as well as alternating lower body, upper body and core focused exercises.  So try not to do push-ups, presses and up-downs all in a row.  You will be more efficient if you let a muscle group "rest" while you work another muscle group.

Here the format (with exercises I have chosen) and if you know the song "12 days of Christmas," it is done just the same:

1 - inchworm w/ push-up
2 - squat and press
3 - side planks
4 - pop-ups (start in plank position and "pop up" to a squat
5 - run up and down your stairs at home (or pick some other form of cardio that works at your home or park or wherever you are doing the workout)
6 - pull-ups (or another type of "pull" exercise like rows)
7 - wall sit and press
8 - skydivers
9 - split squat jumps (each leg)
10 - bent -over tricep extensions
11 - squat jump with dumb bells
12 - Burpees!

So this is the format.  Do the first round (one inchworm).  Then do the first and second round (one inchworms and TWO squat and presses).  The next round, add THREE side planks on each arm (add dumb bell for difficulty):

1
12
123
1234
12345
123456
1234567
12345678.....
all the way up through 12 rounds! (you can choose to go "backwards' thorough this if you want as well)

TIME YOURSELF AND POST HOW LONG THIS TAKES YOU!  I am curious since we didn't quite get through it all in the 40 minutes we had at camp.... Just make sure you WARM UP and STRETCH afterwards....

See you ALL JANUARY 3rd at a location near you!

Boot Camp Workout of the Day - Climb the Ladder!

Here's what we did at the North Austin/Arboretum boot camp yesterday.  This is a great workout to do on your own (and even in the comfort of your own home).  It involves 4 exercises and you start with 1 rep of each.  The next round you do 2 reps of each.  And so on until you hit 10.

The 4 exercises we picked happened to be push-ups, modified pull-ups, core planks (1 rep - 10 seconds), and burpees.  You can, however, choose any 4 exercises you want!  Obviously pull-ups might be hard to do in your own home but just substitute with another body weight exercise like lunges (walking lunges or lunges in place), mountain climbers or spider crawls.  You can also watch our boot camp video for more exercise ideas.  

Climb the Ladder:

1 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (10 seconds), burpees

2 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (20 seconds), burpees

3 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (30 seconds), burpees

4 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (40 seconds), burpees

5 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (50 seconds), burpees

6 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (60 seconds), burpees

7 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (70 seconds), burpees

8 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (80 seconds), burpees

9 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (90 seconds), burpees

10 - push-ups, pull-ups, core plank (100 seconds), burpees

If that's not enough, then work you way back down too!  Then you get to call it a pyramid :-) Have fun!

Good Time at Boot Camp

Had fun at boot camp tonight with the State Farm ladies and the 6 and 7 pm campers. We did a bunch of random things like:

-Burpees
-Squats jump with dumbbells
-Split Squat Jumps
-Russian Lunges
-Side Planks
-Abs with the Dynamax Ball
-Sprints
-Frog Jumps
-High Skips
-Side Lunges with Front Arm Raise
-Speed Skaters
-Push-ups
-Low Lunges
-Mountain Climbers
-and MUCH MORE!

Good job today guys!