Beer Belly

 

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So, it’s festival season. It’s warm, it’s sunny; it’s time for weekends filled with live music, pool days, and barbecues. Time for fresh local veggies, fair trade burgers, and beer. Lots of beer. With the farm-to-table, eats on wheels, vendor sampling culture of Atlanta summers comes fun cocktails and craft beers.

Picture this scenario (and try not to relate): You work, hit the gym most days, and keep a clean, orderly diet during the week. Then, around noon on Fridays, the texts and Facebook invites roll in. You’ve got a choice this particular week between the local music and beer festival Saturday and a weekend on the lake with friends. You pick both. Eh, split it down the middle to maximize fun-having. So you rock out. You get home Sunday night and start laundry and you feel like your stomach is involuntarily sticking out, ever so slightly. It’s because of the 16 craft beer samples at the festival (damn that Monday Night Eye Patch Ale and it’s deliciousness!) and the corona-brat-pretzel-chips-and-hummus combo at the lake, and you know it. UGH, what to do?

Luckily, I’ve experienced this pseudo beer belly a time or two and, while it may simply be a mental disposition (your body can’t literally transform in 24 hours), it still doesn’t do the ‘ole confidence any favors. So, I’ve crafted the beer belly workout–a quick and dirty circuit that requires nothing but your body and your determination to shake off the physical evidence of your weekend adventures.

I once did this little circuit four times in a 15 minute window (I crushed it, and still use this time frame as my goal each time I bust it out), and had a noticeably tighter tummy the next morning.

It goes like this:

 

 

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Warm up: 50 jumping jacks

20 push ups

20 crunches

+ Superset 20 bicycles

15 Spider planks each side

+ Superset 30 plank side dips

20 lunges each side

25 lb squat walks (crouch and step side to side – about 30 total)

OR 30 squats, medium speed

30 squat jumps

Repeat up to 5x

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Here’s a little summer workout playlist I’ve been digging:

I like my workout playlist a little heavy, but peppered with a few fun EDM tunes and sprinkled with some rap. Sorry if I offend with my bizarre love of metalcore. 😀

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Heavy Weight Circuit Week

This weekly workout plan is based on my workouts since last Saturday. I’ve dubbed it Heavy Weight Week since I incorporated some heavy lifting and sprinkled in lots of high intensity cardio bursts. This plan begins with a couple days of full body sets, then allows the muscles to rest a bit with cardio-focused, non-weighted circuits.

 

 

Workout Playlist: April

Day 1 Circuit – Full Body
warm up: 10 minutes stairs
Circuit 1
12.5lb lunges + bicep curl (15 each)
40lb bar deadlift/row (4/4 x 4)
25lb plate squats + front raise
Repeat 3x
Circuit 2
15 TRX plank in/outs
12.5lb plank twists (10 each)
Repeat 3x

Day 2 Circuit
warm up: 10 minutes stairs
12.5lb plank rows (15 each)
12.5lb bench press + chest fly (15 each)
40lb deadlift/row (4/4 x 4)
Repeat 3x
Row machine in/out planks (15)
Mountain Climbers (30)
Curtsey lunges + leg lift for 15, bicep hold for 15

Day 3 Cardio + Upper Body
2 mile run (with traffic stops)
15lb shoulder press (15)
triceps dips
mountain climbers (30) + bicycles (30) + side plank dip (30 each)
Repeat 3x
Repeat ab cycle: mountain climbers (30) + bicycles (30) + side plank dip (30 each)

Day 4
10 minutes stairs
12.5lb lunge + triceps extensions
plank twists (10 each)
25lb plate squats + front raise
15lb split leg lunge + bicep curl (15 each) (WOO. died)
30lb bar side step squats (3 squats in place, 3 steps x 3 each side)
30 mountain climbers
row machine in/outs (15) – I really need to man up and do more like 30 reps here
Sprint – 1 minute
Repeat 3x

Day 5 Cardio + Non-weighted circuit
Run (about 1.2 miles to the gym)
5 minutes stairs
5 minutes weird elliptical thing
20 push ups
30 side plank dips (each)
30 bicycles
30 scissor/flutter kicks (as in, not lazy small kicks, but not kicks so big there’s lots of rest – enough of a balance that abs are painfully engaged the entire time)
spider planks (15 each) These are a plank where you bring opposite knee into opposite elbow – I’m sure there’s a better name. I’m weird)
1-2 minutes high resistance really weird stair stepper thing to recover
Repeat 3x
Run 1.2(ish) miles back to car.

Day 6
1 mile run
12.5lb plank rows (15 each)
12.5lb bench press + chest fly (15 each)
40lb deadlift/row (4/4 x 4)
Repeat 3x
Row machine in/out planks (15)
Mountain Climbers (30)
15lb Curtsey lunges: 15 reps weights on shoulders/15 reps in bicep hold. (DYING)

Spring Circuits, Salads + Kombucha

Bone Garden Cantina Salad with cilantro lime vinaigrette dressing

Earlier this month, my friend and I hit up Bone Garden Cantina on the west side of Atlanta for a little Mezcal and Mexican. This salad was ridiculously incredible. The Mezcal wasn’t bad either.

mexico beach, florida beach run

I went down to Florida to see some family over the weekend – to a tiny beach straight out of the eighties. Mexico Beach was a welcome respite from my usual weekend work-workout-sleep-workout again routine. It was small, quiet, and sunny. I got in a couple of nice beach runs and incorporated some push up and triceps dips intervals, not before being challenged by teenaged spring breakers to a push up-off. I won.

Kale, pepitas, pistachios, goat cheese, turkey, cucumber, jalapeño salad.

My staple salad: kale, pepitas, pistachios, goat cheese, turkey, cucumber and jalapeño. I bring my homemade dressing of balsamic, olive oil, cayenne powder, lemon juice, basil and jalapeño on the side. It’s the bomb.

mexico beach workout

 

búcha lemongrass ginger kombucha tea

 

For the last few weeks, I’ve brought this búcha kombucha tea to work – it’s been fabulous. More flavors to come, but lemongrass ginger is my fav.

 

collard green, jalapeño , cucumber & turkey salad

Publix was completely out of kale, so I grabbed a bag of collard greens instead. I’m not sure how I feel about them. Also, someone came to my office to investigate the source of an apparently bad smell filtering through the office – it was definitely my replacement kale.

 

Spring Circuits – March/April 2014

Monday 3/10
“Omg kill me. Bad mood/bitter and feeling like everything I wear looks horrible and I feel out of place in my own skin…” said me before I completely crushed the below workout.

10 minutes stairs 
Mntn climbers + side dips
30 lb bar squats 
Wide lunge bicep curl 
Deadlift/row 10/10, 10/10
Repeat 3x 
30 Mntn climbers + 30 side dips

Tuesday 3/11 
Plank row 15 lbs
Triceps dips 
Curtsey + bicep curl 
Reverse fly 
Lateral lunge 
Bicycles, switch kicks, mntn climbers

Wednesday 3/12 
Heavy shoulder press

30 triceps dips
20 side dips
15 each side hi-lo shelf oblique twist
Repeat 3x 
Lat raises/front around raises
30 tri dips
20 mntn climbers+20sec plank hold
Repeat 3x

Thursday 3/13
30 Push ups 
Lunge rotation
Front lever squat
Deadlift bicep curls (1:2)
30 bicycles – 30 long lever leg lift – 30 mntn climbers

Saturday 3/15
Circuit 1 
Jump squats
15 Kettle bell swings 
15 lbs deadlift burpees+ pushup 
Circuit 2 
Lunge bicep curls 
30 mountain climbers, 30 side dips 
Repeat 3x

Monday 3/17
Deadlift rows 
Front lever squat
Deadlift + overhead press 
Lateral lunge raises 
Bar curls 
45 Mntn climbers 20 sec hold (2x)

Repeat 3x

Tuesday 3/18
Plank rows
Reverse fly 
Plank push up 
Curtesy lunge 
Plank rolls

Wednesday 3/19
1 circuit 3 sets 
Lateral lunges 
30 bikes-15 dips-30 lever switch
Lunge bicep curls 
Front lever squats 
Deadlift with overhead press 
One leg kickbacks 
Squat jumps

Thursday 3/20
Beer belly circuit

Friday 
2 mile run + non weighted:
Push ups 
Squats 
Lunges 
Bicycles 
Flutter kicks

Saturday 
Short run
65 walking lunges each side

Sunday 
Plank rows 
Push ups to side plank 
30 lb bar deadlift/row combo 
Curtsey lunges with bicep hold 
Row machine plank pull ins 
12 lb plank twists on toes (start facing down and open plank up carrying weight to shoulder) 
Assisted pull ups

Monday 
Triceps shoulders and sprints 
Triceps dips 
Lateral raises/front raises 
Lunge overhead press 
Triceps kickbacks 
Sprint 
Repeat 3x
10 minutes quick stepper level 12

Tuesday 3/25 body 
12 lbs  
Lunge rotation 
Plank turn outs 
Front lever squats 25lb plate 
Lunge bicep curls 
Side step squats 25 lb plate 
30 mountain climbers 
Row machine in outs abs

Repeat 3x

Wednesday 3/26
Triceps dips 
30lb bar shoulder press 
15lb kickbacks 
Repeat 
Cardio
Dips 
15 lb lateral raises 
15 lb front raises 
15 lb kickbacks 
Tricpes dips 
Cardio 3 minutes
Repeat 3x

Thursday 3/27
Plank rows 
Push ups to side plank 
15lb deadlift/row combo 
15lb Curtsey lunges with bicep hold 
Row machine plank pull ins 
12 lb plank twists on toes (start facing down and open plank up carrying weight to shoulder)

Sunday 
Beach run + push ups (intervals) 
Monday 
Beach run + triceps (intervals)
Sunday 
Beach run + push ups (intervals) 
Monday 
Beach run + triceps (intervals)
Tuesday 4/1
25 lb plate Front lever squats (15)
15 lb lunge rotation (15 each side)
25lb plate side step squats (4 steps each way x3-4)
Repeat 3x

Wednesday 4/2
Tricep dips (30)
15lb lateral raises (15)
40lb bar deadliest row combo
Repeat 3x

Thursday 4/3
15lb plank rows (15)
mountain climbers (30)
plank pushups (10 each)
curtsey lunges (30 with weight on shoulders)
15lb plank turn outs  (8 each side)

Saturday 4/5
I know you can’t “spot treat” but I want to pay particular attention to legs and abs for a while. Meaning I’ll up my weight for abs and reps for legs, as well as incorporate cardio blasts between circuits.

10 minutes stairs
12.5lb lunge bicep curls (15 each)
40lb bar deadlift/row combination
lever squats with 25lb plate (20)
Repeat 3x
TRX plank in/outs
12.5lb plank turn outs (10 each side)
Repeat 3x

It’s always a good sign for me when my music becomes difficult to hear during my workout; it means I’ve gotten my sweat on enough that my ear buds are starting to fall out.

Monday 4/7
10 minutes stairs
12.5lb plank rows (15 each)
12.5lb bench press + fly (15 each)
40lb deadlift/row combo ( 4/4 x4)
Repeat 3x
Row machine in outs (15-20)
mountain climbers (30)
curtsey lunges + leg lift for 15, bicep hold for 15
Repeat 3x

Tuesday 4/8
Ran 2 miles
15lb shoulder press (15)
triceps dips (30)
high-low shelf oblique twist
Repeat 3x
15lb Front to lateral raises (15)
triceps dips (30)
mountain climbers (30) + bicycles (30) + side plank dips (30 each)
Repeat 3x
Tack on one more round of abs

Circuit Series Three

This past week, I arranged my workouts so that I hit three full-body circuit days and focused on upper body the other days. Sunday was an outdoor park circuit and the rest of the week was spent indoors with some serious circuits.

Since I’ve been trying to maintain a rotation between these and last week’s circuits (or some variation of them), I have come to realize that this pace can quickly wear the body and mind down. My lightbulb moment/revelation (I have many of these) for this week is kind of a dichotomy:

Lightbulb Revelation Part One: I know that our bodies have their limits, and I know that it’s important to let our bodies rest and avoid mentally driving ourselves into a plateau. That said, there’s a fine line between ignoring our body’s need for rest and allowing ourselves to become complacent with rest. For me, when I allow myself to rest for too long (i.e. more than two days), I find that the chances of slipping into a comfortable routine exponentially increase.

Lightbulb Revelation Part Two: When I walk into the gym feeling low, tired and just not particularly confident in my kick-assness, I’ve found that if I just get through the warm up and half of my first circuit, I began to mentally conquer that laziness. Then, once I’m through the first circuit and on to the second round, the movements come more easily. Then it’s on to kicking ass. So, I’ve tried to tell myself to just get in and give it a shot on those mentally brutal days. Works like a charm.

The weather was strangely amazing last Sunday in Atlanta, so naturally everyone and their twice removed cousin’s boyfriend’s sister and their gaggle of best friends and everyone of their kids were at our city’s favorite park. My friends and I whipped out the ‘ole basic outdoor circuit workout. There were three of us, three circuits and we rotated until we each completed all three. It went like this:

Circuit A
25 squats
20 pushups
20 switching lunges (total)
Run set of stairs up and down, then run a hill.
Circuit B
30 triceps dips
15-20 inverted pushups
20 plank rolls with leg lift*
Run set of stairs up and down, then run a hill.
Circuit C
15 burpees
15 angled chin ups**
Run set of stairs up and down, then run a hill.
* Plank position, rotate until in side plank, quickly switch to other side. pulse each leg straight up, contracting the glutes. Repeat.
**So we worked out near a set of concrete stairs, using the handrails as the bar. Complete 6-7 chin ups holding the bar underhanded with feet extended in front, heels on the ground, toes pointed up. Switch to face opposite direction halfway through.
Monday
1 min walk/ 1 min sprint x3
1 12.5 lb and 1 15 lb (busy at the weight rack)
Plank row
Reverse fly
Plank Push up
Curtesy lunges
Plank rolls+leg lift
1 min walk/1 min sprint x3

Tuesday
14 minutes stairs level 10
1 Circuit 3 sets
Lateral lunges
30 bikes-15+dips-30+30 long lever leg raise switches
Lunge bicep curls
Front lever squats
Deadlift with overhead press
One leg kickbacks
15 Squat jumps

Wednesday
12 minutes stairs/off/had somewhere to be

Thursday
12 minutes stairs, 20 push ups
Circuit 1 x 3
20lb shoulder press drop set
30 triceps dips
Side plank dips 15 each side
Wood chop 15 each side
20 mountain climbers+15 sec hold
Dropset lateral raises 15,12,10
Dropset front around raises
Dropset front raises
20 mountain climbers+ 15 sec hold repeat 3x

Friday
5 minutes treadmill (feeling very slow and tired today)
Circuit 1 3x
20-30 push ups
15 Bent-over lateral raises (12.5 lbs)
Assisted wide-grip pull ups
Circuit 2 3x
15 lunge rotations each
15 front raise + squat (like a lever) 
15-20 deadlift + two bicep curls30 bicycles each side + 30 long lever leg raise switches + 20 mountain climbers

Body Circuit Series

For the last two weeks, I’ve tried switching between the same circuits. They go like this:
I used 12.5 lbs for all circuits and repeated each three times unless otherwise noted

Circuit Series 1
Warm up: 15 minutes stairs
Plank rows 15
Reverse fly 15
Push up to side plank 10 each
Curtsey lunge, 15 with lat leg raise 10 regular, 5 non weighted
Plank rolls with leg lift 15 each

Circuit Series 2
Warm up: 10 minutes stairs
Lunge rotation
Dead lift with bicep curls (15 lbs)
Front lever squats (15 lbs)
Lateral lunge with front raise
Lunge bicep curls
1 leg triceps kickbacks
Treadmill: 2 min walk (4.0) + 1 minute sprint (9.5-10.5)
30 Russian twists

Circuit Series 3
Warm up: 12 minutes stairs
Lunge rotation
Dead lift with overhead press
Front lever squats
Abs: 30 bicycle-side dips-long leg lever switch-mntn climbers
Laterals with front raise
Lunges with bicep curl
Squat jumps

Circuit Series 4
Warm up: 10 minutes stairs
Circuit 1
Shoulder press 15
triceps dips 30
side plank dips 20
Hi-lo shelf oblique twists 15 each
Circuit 2
Lateral raises/front around raises 15
tri dips 30
20 mntn climbers+20sec plank hold
(Dying)

Circuit Series 5
Warm up: 10 minutes stairs
Circuit 1
30 Push ups
15 bent over lateral raises
Drop set assisted pullups
Circuit 2
Drop set wide grip lat pull down
Bicep curls

My music theme these last two weeks was particularly hard-core and involved some of these songs:

Work Out Circuit Series One

I’ll preface this post: I write these workouts while I cool down; sometimes I don’t understand what my weird, endorphin-induced post-workout brain short code.

total body circuit

Warm Up: 20 min elliptical + Ball plank toe rotation + 1 min plank hold

Circuit 1 (2x)
25 lb kettle bell deadlift thrusts
25 lb kettle bell swings
12 lb plank rows
12 Leg extensions heavy
Circuit 2 (2x)
15 ea alt lunges 12lbs
30 mntn climbers
30 sec ball plank hold
15 ball bridges
15 ea alt lunges 30lb bar
Dead lift rows 10,10,10 + 10
30 sec ball plank
30 mountain climbers
15 hip bridges on ball
Pistol Squats (attempts)

cool down
15 minutes cross stepper

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Chest Circuit
Warm up: 5 min stairs + Pull ups (assisted, drop set) +  Pistol squat attempts

Circuit 1 (5x)
15 Drop set Bosu chest press 15lbs, 12lbs
Superset 20 chest flys (12lbs)
15 Straight bar bicep curls (12lbs)
Sets 2 & 4 40lb plate squats
Set 3 side bi curls + bosu plank rolls with leg lifts
Set 4 burnout isometric curls and bottom half curls + elliptical:
1 min level 12, 10 lunges each repeat 2x

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Shoulders
Warm up: 6 min stairs
Circuit 1 (3x)
15lb overhead press 15 + 10 single arm press isometric
drop set single front raise (15 lbs, 10 lbs)
Circuit 2 (2x)
Spider planks 12-15 each + superset 30 side dips each
Plank triceps kickbacks burnout
30 Triceps dips

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Shoulders/Back

warm up: 20 minutes stairs
Circuit 1 (3x)
Lateral raise (12.5lbs)
Reverse fly (12.5lbs)
Dead lift rows (30lb bar)
1 set 15lb single reverse fly burnouts
Circuit 2 (3x)
Plank rows
Push up to side plank
30 triceps dips
8 minutes stairs

“don’t skip leg day”
Warm up: 12 min stairs
Circuit 1 (3x)
Forward/backward lunge
Walking Squats
Curtsey lunge non weighted
Circuit 2 (3x)
Leg Curls
Leg Extensions
Wide angle lunge
Wide leg dead lift with calf raise

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chest/biceps
3x 12.5 lbs
Ball presses + flys
Curls
Bar curls
One ab movement
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shoulders
1 x3
Lateral raises
Arnold press
Diamond push
2 x 3
Front raise
Barbell press
Bent over lateral raise
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back triceps
1 – 3x
Wide grip lat pull down hi lo
Lawn mowers
Tricep dips
2 3x
Close seated rows
Reverse fly
Tricep dips
3-3x
Deadlift rows
Tricep dips
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don
1 2x
Bar lunges 15 each
Walking squats
Non weighted curtesy lunges
2 2x

Curls drop set
Extensions drop set
Wide angle lunges 15 each
Wide dead lift calf raise, Wide dead lift
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random biceps
Curls drop set
Wide angle bar lunges
Cross stepper
Curls
Extensions drop set
Wide dead lift
Cross stepper

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