Warmup Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can: Jumping jacks Squat jumps (jump out into a squat, about halfway down, then jump back up to standing) High knees Jump rope side to side (use an imaginary rope, moving both feet together, jumping side to side about 1-2 feet) Out & in (jump both feet out, then back in, knees slightly bent)

Resistance Training, SET 1

Sliding squats (20 each side) - use a paper plate on carpeted surfaces or a paper towel on tile/hardwood Dumbbell around the world (20 each direction) Lunge pulse (10 sets of 8 on each side) - step out into a lunge position and pulse up and down 8 times before switching to the other leg (challenge yourself by jumping to the opposite lunge position) Alternating bicep curls/reverse curls (20 of each) Cardio, SET 1

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can: Sprint in place Side to side floor hops Squat jacks Plank half circles - from a plank position, walk your feet to one side, creating a half circle, then come back the other side (you'll have to adjust your hand placement, but keep them in the same general location) Speed skaters

Resistance Training, SET 2 Narrow squats  (40 total) Tricep side push ups (20 on each side) Moving lunges (4 sets of 8 alternating lunges) - with or without dumbbells Alternating crab reach (20 on each side)

Cardio, SET 2

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can: Heisman 1-2-3 Mountain climbers 180 jump squats Suicide jumps High knees

Challenge

Core

Hip lifts (20) - try to lift your hips up vertically, and not back towards your head Moving plank (8 sets of 4 'steps') Snow angels (2 sets of 30 seconds) Alternating leg drop (15 each side)

Stretch

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed me using the hashtag #Elf4Health these last few weeks.  If you were wondering why, Elle at NutritionElla and Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean organized an amazing challenge group of about 1000 "elves" looking to improve their lives this holidays season.  There were a total of 28 challenges, most of which I participated in, but I put together these highlights of my favorite challenges - ones that you can try out all year round! Also, I'd like to take the time to give a shout out to my personal elves these last four weeks - they were full of tips and great ideas! Check out their blogs: Erin @ Serendipity and the Sailor Tara @ Sugar Sweat and Sparks

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Physcial challenges make you realize what you're capable of

1) 100 Burpee challenge. Do 100 burpees throughout the day.  Modify as needed, just check out this video for ways to do this.  Here are a few ideas for tackling this challenge:  If you're a burpee veteran, try doing them consecutively! Break into sets of 33 and do a set before each meal. Do them 10 at a time throughout the day - maybe every hour! Do 50 when you wake up and 50 before you go to bed. Get up and do burpees during every commercial break.

2) Run a mile as fast as you can.  This one is pretty self-explanatory.  You can walk it if you need to, or maybe split the mile up into walk/jog intervals.  Either way, no matter your fitness level, everyone can push themselves JUST A LITTLE HARDER for just one mile!

3) Hold a wall sit as long as you can.  If you're a wall-sit pro, make it more challenging by holding a weight.

Eat the rainbow

When you eat foods that are a variety of colors, you're guaranteed to get a variety of nutrients, minerals and vitamins in your diet!  Here are some ideas: Make a frittata for breakfast and pack it with veggies. Have a jumbo salad for lunch topped with lots of lean protein and extra veggies. Color Inspiration Red: strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers Orange: sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut squash Yellow: spaghetti squash, summer squash Green: spinach, green beans, kale Blue: blueberries Violet: eggplant, purple potatoes

Clean out your fridge and pantry

Take some time to deep clean your fridge. Pull everything out, clean the shelves and drawers, throw away expired items and then put everything back, with healthy snacks at eye level! Then move on to your pantry. Throw away expired items, organize the shelves and consider donating some food to a local food pantry as a bonus challenge! Here are a few articles with more info: How to Clean Out The Pantry 5 Tips for Cleaning Out Your Pantry Clean Out Your Pantry To Live Healthier

Closet Cleanup

Meal Planning

Set a new fitness goal

This one might be my favorite!  If you know me well (or read my blog enough), you know I'm a huge fan of goal-setting when it comes to improving your health and fitness.  I haven't set my 2014 goals just yet, but I'm certainly thinking about it! Some ideas:  Run a particular race Try a new sport Get faster Add one more day of exercise to your weekly routine Walk 10,000 steps each day Get up every hour and move around

Death by burpees

With a continuously running clock: 1st minute - 1 burpee 2nd minute - 2 burpees 3rd minute - 3 burpees Continue as long as you are able! Don't be deceived by the first few (easier) minutes - as the minutes go by, you have more burpees to do and less recovery time.  I was able to get through the 11th minute with a few seconds to spare.  I probably could have kept going at least one more minute, but it was time to start getting ready (and I was spent)!  Take the FitYaf challenge - start with pushup burpees and when you can't continue with them, switch to regular burpees!

My partnership with FitMapped

​If you've been following me on Instagram, you may have noticed a new hashtag I'm using - #elf4health.  This hashtag is part of a four week challenge that is running from the Monday Nov 25- Sunday Dec 22, 2013.  There are daily tasks, daily winners, prizes, weekly newsletters, and a Facebook group for support - pretty awesome, right? The challenge is split up into 2 week sessions, so if you haven't joined yet, it's not too late to join for the second half! Yesterday's challenge was to workout with a buddy, which isn't much of a challenge for me, since I teach group fitness classes.  I'm ALWAYS working out with buddies!  Some of the elves who couldn't find a workout buddy participated in a virtual buddy workout, where they were all doing the same workout at home.  The workout looked awesome, I can't wait to try, and now you can too!  Check it out below!

Check out my awesome workout buddies from last night!

Elf4Health Buddy Workout

50 second plank

Turkey - 20 minute run or 30 minute walk PER SERVING

Sweet Potato Casserole - 4 minute jump squat tabata A tabata workout alternates periods of work with period of rest.  When you're doing the 20 seconds of jump squats - give it everything you have, then enjoy your 10 seconds of rest. Stuffing - 50 squats Mashed Potatoes - 50 alternating forward lunges 25 forward lunges on each side

Cranberry Sauce - 25 push ups On your knees or on your toes, but get 25 good ones in! Green Bean Casserole - 1 minute plank Pie - 25 burpees 25 burpees PER SLICE of pie!  If you sampled them all, you've got a lot of burpees to do!

We all know that Step Aerobics is my "soulmate" workout, but my Body Blitz class gives me energy in a much different way. For a full hour, we sweat together, we grunt together, we sometimes even laugh together.  Each week I try to come up with new and challenging moves, and each week, my participants destroy the workout.  Today's Fitness Friday workout is another Body Blitz style workout, guaranteed to get your heart rate up and your energy blazing!

Warmup

Resistance Training, SET 1

Cardio, SET 1

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can: High knees Box jumps Alternating spider lunges Forward and back frog jumps Side to side floor hops

Resistance Training, SET 2

Cardio, SET 2

Do each for for one minute, as fast as you can: Sprint in place  Basketball jumps (180 turn), 30 seconds each direction Mountain climbers  Ice skaters  Tuck jumps

Body Blitz Burpee Challenge

Core

V-sit extensions (20) Low plank knee tap - Hold low plank so that your shoulders are over your elbows (neck in line with spine).  Gently tap your knees to the floor and return to plank position. (90 seconds)  Cheek to cheek plank - @ 40 seconds in the video (90 seconds)

Stretch

Tabata Cardio

high knees gymbodylife.com

mountain climbers oprah.com

switch

kicks duniafitness.com

jump squats womenshealthmag.com

Burpee

dailymovesandgrooves.wordpress.com

Tabata Strength

push-ups womenshealthmag.com

sit-ups fitstudio.com

squats running.competitor.com

plank   womenshealthmag.com

Low Impact Exercises

1. Squat

Start with feet slightly outside your hips, lower into a squat position with arms extended.  Bring your arms down as you push through your heels to stand up.  Reach arms overhead and lift your heels off the floor. Return to start position and repeat as quickly as possible for 50 seconds.

2. Reach-through

Begin in a full plank position with feet hip-width apart, neck in line with your spine and shoulders over your wrists.  Quickly kick right leg to the left, as left hand reaches toward right foot, pivoting on left foot. Return to start (rotate back to full plank) and repeat on the other side. Continue alternating sides.

3. No-jump burpee

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms extended overhead. Push hips back and bend knees to lower into a squat. Place hands on the floor and quickly walk feet back into a full plank position, one at a time. Lower into a pushup if you can. Press up, walk feet back into squat, and stand up, reaching arms overhead.

4. Plank extension

From a low-plank position (feet hip-width apart and shoulders over elbows), extend one arm keeping your torso still and hips square to the floor.  Return arm to plank and alternate.

5. Lunge (once through on each side)

Begin in a lunge with left leg forward, arms bent by sides, back knee pointing towards the floor and both knees at a 90 degree angle. Pushing up through your feet, extend legs and rise up onto balls of feet as arms extend overhead, fingertips reaching to ceiling. Return to start and repeat. Repeat on opposite side.

6. No-jump tuck

Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair or box, leaning back slightly. Pull abs in tight, and bend knees about 90-degrees. Point toes lightly on the floor, and bend elbows and hands in front of shoulders.  Lift knees up and lightly tap thighs with hands, sitting upright as you draw legs in. Return to start and repeat.

7. Skaters

Stand with feet wider than your hips. Bend right knee, putting your weight in your right heel & extend your left leg out, driving your left arm forward and right arm back.  Staying low in squat position, shift weight to left leg, lowering into a left side lunge, with your weight in your left heel, right leg extended & right arm forward. Repeat side to side.

8. Plank extension (repeat #4)

Two years ago, I completed Shaun T's 60-day Insanity program.  After completing the program, I noticed an improvement in my endurance and overall fitness. The program mixes circuit training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT).  Not only are the workouts super challenging, but after completing this type of exercise, your body benefits from "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption" (EPOC), or what some people call the "afterburn".  After you complete the exercise, your body is still recovering and adapting and thus consuming more oxygen.  This process allows you to benefit from your workout even when you're done working out!  This means that you've worked out, stretched, showered and moved on with your day, and you're still burning energy HOURS later!  Who doesn't want that?!  This is why you might see some HIIT workouts advertised as being able to achieve the same workout in half the time of a more traditional workout.

Warmup Jumping jacks Squat jumps High knees Jump rope side to side

Set 1 Speed skaters In & out abs Switch kicks Mountain climbers

Set 2 Alternating lunge jumps V push-ups Crab reach Burpees

Set 3 Plank jacks Tuck jumps Shoulder tap plank Hi-lo plank

Stretch