Today's circuit:
1. Single leg deadlifts, each leg, 10-12 reps
2. Single arm clean and press with DB, 10-12 reps
3. Wall sit with added weight, one minute
4. Front raise to lateral raise, 10-12 reps
5. Banded speed skaters, 20 reps
Repeat 2-4x through
A bike for you AND your kids. When Vecino's Bike Imports reached out to me to ask if I'd like to test out one of their bikes, I didn't hesitate for a second! I love to bike, but without a way to take Ellie during the day, I haven't been doing it as often. I miss it terribly! As soon as the bike was delivered, we were out adventuring and picnic-ing, of course. If only I could've bottled up her "weeeeeee"-s down every hill... I'll treasure that memory forever. She'd go to the garage, pound on the door, and say "bike! bike!!" Ohhhhh man, we're going to have to start saving our pennies, because it was hard to give this back after we had it for a few days. If this is something in your budget, it's worth looking into.
1. I loved being able to see Ellie in front of me. I could talk and interact with her, watch her every move, and hear her excited screams when we'd go fast.
2. I loved the interior for safety and practicality reasons. The whole inside of the cubby is leather or plastic, and for us, crackers and popsicle juice was gone in a jiffy. As a mom, I appreciate anything that cleans up well. #messychildproblems
I also loved the rain cover. It comes down and clips into place so easily. It started lightly raining on one of our rides, and Ellie was perfectly warm and dry inside. It folds back so nicely, without getting in the way. Loved that feature!
I also loved that the double seats have adjustable four-point harnesses. Safety first! I also love that you are able to store pretty much anything you need to in that cubby! I felt like we could've gone grocery shopping in that thing, and packed everything in. Huge storage space!
3. The bike has gears to make hills easier, a bell to ring, a brake to set when you decide to park, and a lock that is located under the seat so you can be sure nobody takes off with it when you're not around. The design was sleek and easy to use.
Hope you get to take one home soon!
#RIDEON
I have some resistance bands I really like, and I love incorporating them into my workouts each week. You'd be surprised at how much harder they'll make you work! And to get five for this price!? You can't beat it! I thought I'd share the love and give you the link below. Enjoy!
In this video, I am using the "light band." Check out my Instagram @momstrongutah for more at-home workouts using these bands!
When my husband and I moved into our first home, we were so excited to finally have a backyard. For us, a backyard meant BBQ's, kids with grass-stained pants, hammock lounging (still waiting for our hammock), and finally, a vegetable garden.
Here is step-by-step tutorial on how to build a basic grow box. There are books out there that explain this in much greater detail, but if you're looking for something basic, this tutorial will walk you through it. We built both of our grow boxes + soil + seeds for right around $160. Not bad at all! If you want to start with one grow box, you'd be looking at under $100. Can't beat that!
Our two grow boxes are 6' long x 4' wide and have a depth of 8". The following measurements/materials are based on this. (Note: if you're making only one grow box, you will cut these measurements in half)
Go to Home Depot, Lowe's or a lumbar yard and grab yourself the following things:
That comes to a total of only $79.01!! You'll be surprised at how easy they come together.
I bought 1 cubic yard off of Big Yellow Bag. I highly recommend this company! It's easier than ordering pizza! I went with the BYB Biogarden GROmix Soil at $144. I then split it with someone. This soil has a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, topsoil, and some different manure in it. They delivered the big yellow bag of soil right to my house, and it came within 2 days! I split the cost with my aunt, who used the other half, and viola! The one problem with this was transporting the other half to her house. One bag weighs ~600 pounds, and so even half of it was still ~300 pounds. We had to get several people to lift it into the truck to transport. So, if you share with someone else, be warned that the bags are heavy!
In hindsight, I would've done the soil a little differently. I later spoke with a woman on the phone from Big Yellow Bag and she said that if you just wanted the half cubic yard and you owned a truck, you could actually put tarp down in the bed of a truck, and go pick it up yourself, saving you the shipping and delivery cost, and it would come out $35 not including taxes!! So really, you could do both grow boxes for around $120 if you're pinching your pennies! I think that's a smart idea if you own a truck. Their address is 9980 South State Street, in Sandy. Their telephone number is 801-562-9090, so be sure to call beforehand to make sure the pricing is still the same and that they still offer that option.
2. Lay down the weed blocker fabric and cut to size. We had little stakes to keep the corners down, but you could just put heavier rocks on the corners to set in place.
3. Lay out your wood and arrange in box shape. You'll want the corners to look like this (below). If one side of your board is the inner side of the angle, the other side of the board should take the outer angle. This way, your measurements are even around all sides.
4. Take your deck screws and put three screws in each angle, one on each side and one securing the middle down.
5. Once you've made your box, lift it carefully over to your weed blocker fabric and set in place. Repeat steps 3-5 again for a second box.
6. Take your soil and gently fill boxes, evening out the top to desired height.
7. Follow the instructions on individual packages for seeds. We planted tomatoes, beans, strawberries, zucchini, yellow squash, kale, and romaine lettuce. Can't wait for harvest!!
My dear friend inspired me to make this recipe, and I was over-the-top excited when I took my first bite!! SO YUMMY. I'm always looking for ways to get more veggies and greens in for my family, and the spinach in these is so subtle, you'd never even know. If you like banana bread, these are for you. Give them a try! You can even freeze them for later use as well!
Yields: 12 muffins
1 banana
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking power
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2-3 cups spinach (chopped into tiny pieces... the smaller the pieces, the more green your muffin will be!)
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp. almond milk to thin out, if needed
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix all ingredients together starting with the dry ingredients first.
3. Drop into greased muffin tin and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and the center is done **do the toothpick test ;)**
Enjoy!
I've partnered with Good Health Snacks to share some chips we love around here, plus my favorite game day guac. You will want these both with you throughout this month of basketball madness. #EnjoyDippingGood
You go to the gym, kill your workout, come home feeling good, but wake up the next morning feeling like you can’t move your body out of bed.
Has this happened to you?
When we talk about sore muscles, we are talking about DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness often felt 24-72 hours after intense exercise. This usually lasts for a couple days. How do you work through it? Or do you rest?
There is not need to be alarmed when you are experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness- it happens! And it usually happens after you’ve tried something new, gone to a new class, performed a new sequence, added weight to a workout, etc. It’s okay! And it’s also okay if you AREN’T experiencing extra sore muscles after a workout too- it doesn’t mean you didn’t go hard enough. You can’t be measuring the effectiveness of a workout by how sore you are! Please don’t!
The more I’ve trained, doing a variety of different things: TRX, weight lifting, cardio, biking, swimming, different classes… the less sore I get overall and the more quickly my body recovers.
There are many opinions out there on what to do when experiencing DOMS- do you rest? Do you keep training? Here’s my take on the subject:
Rest and recovery are required for optimal training results if you are feeling super uncomfortable and sore. It’s okay to take a rest day if you wake up feeling like you can’t move. Take that rest day as a day to stretch and roll out your muscles, and hydrate yourself. I usually give it a day or so to rest my muscles before I go at it again. Even scheduling a yoga flow class or day for stretching in between your heavy lifting days, would be a good idea. Since my rest day is always Sunday, I like to workout my total body on Friday or Saturday to give my body the rest it will require through the weekend.
If the soreness lasts longer than the normal couple of days, or is associated with more pain than usual, it might be an injury rather than just soreness. If you have to adjust your normal activities due to this pain, it would be best to check up with a medical professional!
Things to do to reduce the sore muscles: stretch after working out with a warm-up and cool-down, roll them out with one of these (click the button below).
The best way I've found to fully recover, is to rest and take time for those muscles to repair. 24-48 hours of good rest, rolling them out with one of those foam rollers, good hydration, and adequate protein intake will help you recover quick- you'll be going at it again in no time.
Good luck!
How can you beat a quick and easy soup made in ONE pot!? This dish brings comfort right into your home. Give it a try.
Yields: 6-8 servings
Half a package of (or two of) Aidell's Sausage, sliced (**we love Chicken and Apple**)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, chopped
3 cups low sodium beef broth
3-4 large carrots, (or 1 cup of baby carrots), sliced
1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 green pepper, chopped
8-10 oz. cheese tortellini
salt and pepper to taste
parmesan cheese to top (optional)
1. In a large pot, put your sausage, garlic, and onions in and saute until sausage is browned and onions are clear.
2. Add all other ingredients EXCEPT for the tortellini. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. (If you are losing some of the water by having it simmer, you can add a little bit more water to thin it out at this point.)
3. Add in the tortellini and let simmer until tortellini is tender, about 7 minutes. You want to remove from heat once the tortellini is done so it doesn't get too soggy.
4. Serve with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Recipe inspired by "Favorites" version of Tortellini Soup
This recipe is easy, you probably have everything sitting in your pantry already! While it rains/snows here, I'm still craving warm, comfort food and this hits the spot every time.
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 can salsa, ~15.5 oz.
1 tomato, chopped
1 can kidney beans
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 onion, dicd
1 lime, squeezed
1 can corn, drained
1-2 cups cooked chicken, *optional!
Avocado, cheese, sliced olives, and a dollop of Greek yogurt to top!
In a large pot over the stove combine all ingredients and heat until boiling. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
The question I always seem to be getting:
As you know, in the warmer months, I'm usually hiking weekly. We spend much of our time in the mountains, and I knew once we had Ellie, we needed a good pack to bring her along on our adventures.
I did a lot of research on this. I don't have a great lower back, and I wanted to be sure to find something that wasn't going to be strenuous on my back while carrying our little Ellie. I also was willing to pay a little bit more for this, if I knew the quality was something that would last me through all my kids. After a lot of research, my husband and I decided to go with The Osprey Poco Plus Kid Carrier, and we've never looked back. I also have a bunch of my friends who have bought it ever since I've shown it to them, and all of them have loved it.
(and that's the best price I've found.)
Let me tell you the reasons why I love it so much.
1. I'm 5'5," my husband is 6'1", and this pack has adjusted great for both of us, never causing either one of us lower back pain. If you know how to adjust the straps just right, the weight is evenly distributed to your hips and lower body in a way that relieves your shoulders and back from taking too much of the weight. (That's what the AG stands for in the name: Anti-Gravity.)
2. I love that we've used this from when Ellie had the strength to hold her head up... and we can use it until she gets to be ~50 lbs!! (Hopefully by then, she'll be a good enough hiker to be OUT of the pack!)
3. The space this backpack provides is amazing. Not only do you have many pockets to choose from when you're on the go, but the main, back pocket fits more than you'll ever need for a daytime hike and has storage space of 1587 cu in.
4. I love how lightweight it is. With aluminum framing, this backpack only weighs 7.67 pounds. I know there are probably lots of lighter-weight ones out there for all you crazy, hard-core, backpacking hikers, but this one does the trick for me.
5. There's a removable and washable drool pad, as well as other features to make it easy for you. SCORE. Moms, you know how amazing this is. This pack has been designed to make your baby happy... and as we all know... A happy babe = happy parent.
6. Ellie LOVES this pack. If you've been on any of my MOMSTRONG hikes, you've likely seen her fast asleep in the back. Not only is her seat padded and comfortable, but it also has the mesh around it for ventilation. The addition of the sun shade is a MUST. I've never had to worry about her overheating or getting a sunburned scalp in this pack.
I made a quick video below to hopefully answer any of your other questions.
As I was looking through my pictures from last year, I realized I have probably close to 100 with this backpack in it. I've seriously used it everywhere... from the mountain, to when we've mowed the lawn and had her on our backs, to cleaning the house (it works wonders), to taking her on weekend trips. It has come with us everywhere!
Good luck in your search and I'm hoping to see more of you on the trail this year!!
*For those attending "Go Mom Give" on March 8th, be thinking about where you want to place your 10 raffle tickets that night! These are the items we will be raffling off!
· A custom cake from Cake By Courtney for your next big event
· A free 40-day fitness/meal plan from Clean Simple Eats
· Gift basket full of HIGH Fitness Apparel
· $50 gift card to Senita Athletics
· Gift basket full of Redmond Farms’ favorite products
· $100 gift basket from Redmond Real Salt
· A one month unlimited membership to Awaken Studios and $150 your choice of a 2017 Awaken Retreat
· $100 gift card to The Stock Place for some cute and stylish clothes
· Self Care Gift Basket + a free postpartum wellness consultation (and more!) through The Healing Group
· A $300 running evaluation from Mountain Land Physical Therapy. A runner’s dream!
· A gift basket from Pure Fit Pure Food including one of their free transformation plans, Tera’s Whey Protein, two “perfect plates”, and more!
· $50 gift card to Soel Boutique for some shopping fun
· A special gift from Crate and Barrel for your kitchen/cooking
· A free six month bow subscription from Little Poppy Co.
· $50 gift card to Albion Fit
· A stunning necklace from Made by Mary (9 winners will be chosen here!)
· A $300 gift basket, including a $100 pass to This Is The Place Heritage Park
· A fabulous, relaxing, 90-minute massage from Monica Fauxkota
· Gift certificate to “feel good about your body” postpartum workshop through Align Integration and Movement
· And our biggest raffle surprise… a TWO NIGHT SUITE STAY AT STEIN ERIKSEN LODGE in Deer Valley during this summer ($800 value!)
Awesome, right!? Only two weeks away!
My new favorite salad, named after my friend Madelyn, who I adore in every way. She first shared it with me, and I've been in love ever since. It's one I know you'll love too: quick, easy, delicious, and perfect for any dinner party coming your way! What more could you ask for?
Lettuce (spinach, spring mix, baby kale, power greens, chard, arugula all work here)
Goat cheese or feta cheese
Red onion, sliced thin
Maple syrup nuts (pecans, almonds, or walnuts are my fave)
Dried cranberries or fresh berries
Barlett pears, or apples
Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in skillet
Add chopped/sliced nuts, about 1-1.5 cups
Add 3-4 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
Watch these carefully and continue stirring the entire time so they don't burn. They will caramelize in about 4-5 minutes. Do not overdo these! Lay out on parchment paper when finished and sprinkle with a pinch of salt over top.
*I literally can't get enough of these and keep a whole bunch stored in my cabinet for when I need a treat, or when I need something to make my salads a tad bit fancier. ;)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/8 cup. red wine vinegar
1/8 cup maple syrup (honey is good too!)
1 Tbsp. stone ground mustard
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Blend together and store in fridge for 2 weeks
*Pour over top your salad, and enjoy!
