Having a new challenge to work on can be a fun way to spice up your workouts. It can create a new level of motivation or the desire to reach for a new goal. Here is a plank challenge that only takes 16 days and has a beginner and intermediate level. If you need an even greater challenge, start at 2 minutes and work your way up.
Are you staying active during the COVID-19 quarantine? Staying active can be more challenging when you are on lockdown, but there are plenty of resources out there to help you stay fit and healthy.
Here is a Leg & Cardio workout you can do at home with zero equipment and a small amount of space. This workout is more of an intermediate level workout, but it can be modified to work for any level of fitness.
You can repeat the set 1-3 times for a killer leg workout! For more workout ideas, follow me on Instagram for daily workouts @julie.jonesfitness
Here is an easy recipe for gluten free tortillas. Whether you are gluten free or not, these are yummy tortillas to try making.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup arrowroot flour, 1 tbsp coconut flour, 2 eggs, 1 tbsp coconut milk or water, 1 tsp melted ghee, and a pinch of salt.
Directions:
Combine arrowroot flour, coconut flour, melted ghee, eggs, coconut milk or water, and salt in a small bowl. Stir until ingredients are well mixed. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into heated pan. Swirl batter around to achieve desired size. Flip tortilla once bubbles start forming. Cook until lightly browned.
Flip when you see bubbles Cook until lightly brownedServe while warm
These are great to use for street tacos or breakfast burritos. Let me know if you try making them!
Iron is an important part of your hemoglobin, the substance in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lunge to transport through the your entire body. If you don’t have enough iron, your body can’t make oxygen-carrying blood cells, resulting in your tissues and muscles not working effectively. When you lack these oxygen rich blood cells, you have iron deficiency anemia. You may notice that your skin loses its color, your hair might fall out, your fingernails can become brittle, and severe fatigue can occur.
There are many foods rich in iron that you should add to your daily diet. Sometimes a supplement is necessary, but it is always best to receive your vitamins and minerals from whole, clean foods.
Here are a few of the best iron rich foods to add to your diet:
Spinach, spirulina, sardines, liver, grass-fed beef, lentils, black beans, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, and dark chocolate.
Here are a few ideas for adding these foods into your daily eating: add spinach to an egg omelette, salad, or smoothie, eat sardines on whole wheat crackers, make a lentil and bean soup, add pumpkin seeds to a salad, snack on pistachios, and have a piece of dark chocolate for dessert. The options are endless!
Up until a few weeks ago, a gym is where people would go to complete their workouts. They would arrive to a fully stocked space geared towards fitness with trainers nearby to help out. Oh how things have changed! Now the nearby gym is a fully stocked ghost town. It won’t be this way forever, but for now adjustments need to be made in order to stay on track with workouts.
First thing is to set up your own little gym. It does not need to be big or fancy. In fact, when I first left the gym and started working out at home 16 years ago, my space was a tiny section of my messy garage and my tiny living room. I had to make due with what I had. I had one little basket that held a pair of 5lb and 10lb weights, two resistance bands, and workout videos. As time passed, I added more equipment little by little. I purchased a few more sets of weights, an aerobic step, and a yoga mat. Nothing fancy!
So what should you have to start working out at home? First and foremost, carve out a little space. It can be your bedroom, living room, garage, or even a basement. Then decide what type of workouts you want to do. I personally recommend a few hand weights in at least 2 different sized weights, a resistance band, and a floor mat if you have wood flooring to get started.
If you want a few additional items to further challenge yourself, I recommend a stability ball. Stability balls are a great and affordable option to add variety to your workouts. They are useful in so many different workouts.
I got this one from Target
Another great option is a bench. These can vary in cost quite a bit, but you can find very affordable ones that work great! My bench is from Target. Wal Mart has affordable benches too. They can be used for so many things like bench presses, step ups, core work outs, ect…..
One of my favorite workout “toys” is a Bosu Ball. I absolutely love using it for HIIT workouts, balance work, core work, and leg workouts. It is a pricey piece of equipment, but it’s worth the money for me. I bought both of mine ( yes, I have 2), when they were on sale at Target. I have had my first one for about 7 years now, and it still works great! I also love my portable barre. It is a more recent purchase for me, and I use it regularly.
There are so many options these days for working out at home. You can follow along with free workouts on YouTube or instagram, purchase workout videos, subscribe to fitness apps or digital platforms, get an online trainer, or create your own workouts. The options are endless! Whatever format you choose, create a schedule and stick with it. Don’t allow excuses to keep you from staying fit while you are in lockdown.
Who doesn’t love guacamole, other then people who don’t like avocados?😆
My family loves it. We can eat an entire bowl in a day or two. Every once in a while I will buy store bought guacamole, but I prefer homemade. I can control the ingredients and make it to my taste. I’m actually not a huge fan of salty food, so I like that I can monitor how much salt is added. I also like knowing exactly where my ingredients came from. There are many different recipes for making guacamole, but I like to take a fast and simple approach.
Because I am blessed with an orchard, I am able to use my own avocados and lemons to make this tasty dish😋. However, you can get all of these ingredients at the store and make a delicious bowl of guacamole. I recommend buying organic ingredients whenever possible.
Ingredients:
– 6-7 avocados
– juice from half a lemon
-1/2 cup mild or medium salsa
– salt to taste
Directions:
Add fresh avocado meat to a medium sized bowl. Mash until the desired consistency is reached. I like a few chunks in mine😊. Squeeze lemon juice into bowl and mix well.
Add 1/2 cup or more into avocado mixture. Stir well to combine. Add salt to taste. I added about 1 tbsp to mine.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour for taste to develop. Enjoy!
Everyone has to start somewhere. We don’t just jump into crazy plyometric workouts or intense Tabata circuits from the start. The best way to ease into consistent workouts is to take it slow. Don’t expect unrealistic accomplishments when you are first starting. It takes time, practice, and patience.
Here is a cardio workout you can do at home to get you started. Remember that you can always modify or change an exercise if it doesn’t work for you.
Life has drastically changed in a very short period of time. One day I was in the studio teaching, and the next day I was on lock down. It happened so fast! All of the sudden, I had to worry about buying food and hunting down toilet paper, rather then planning out my week. I am a planner, and this was not in my plan. Does anyone else know the feeling?
So what do you do when you are practicing social distancing? Some people go about business as usual, some people do only the necessary errands, and others completely isolate themselves. It is a confusing and scary time right now, and people are dealing with it in their own way. I deal with it by maintaining my daily workouts, cleaning my house, organizing everything, and tackling new projects at home. Life is unpredictable right now, but my workout schedule is not. It is the one thing I can count on right now.
For those of you who used to enjoy your time in the gym, this means adopting a new way of approaching fitness. You might have to get more creative, carve out a small space at home to workout in, and try something new. The bright side is that working out at home can be fun! It might seem hard at first, but once you get a rhythm going, you will be a pro at getting in those workouts. You might not have a selection of fancy machines to choose from, but all you need is your own body weight and maybe a few dumbbells or resistance bands.
Don’t let this quarantine stop you from maintaining your fitness routine. If you have the will, there is a way! I have been working out at home for over 16 years now, and believe me, you can stay in shape from home. Follow me on Instagram for daily workouts and check here for free print outs of workouts you can do from home.
For years I have wanted to make my own laundry detergent. I pinned recipes and dreamed of the day I would wash my clothes in my own homemade soap. But, procrastination happened, and I kept putting it off. Finally, a moment of inspiration hit me, and I couldn’t wait any longer. I quickly jumped online to order the necessary ingredients. I impatiently waited for everything to arrive, and jumped with joy the day the Amazon box appeared at my door.
I have used this detergent for 6 loads now and can honestly say that I love it! My clothes smell heavenly, and I feel satisfied with the lack of toxic ingredients I am washing them in. There is a small amount of prep, grating a bar of castle soap, but otherwise it is very easy and quick.
Ingredients:
1 bar grated Castille soap- http://amzn.to/2oJRaIf
2 cups borax- http://amzn.to/2oDX0O2
2 cups washing soda- http://amzn.to/2o4wNHl
1 cup baking soda- http://amzn.to/2oCT3cQ
15 drops lavender essential oil ( I used doterra)
15 drops peppermint essential oil ( I used doterra)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir until well mixed. Store in an airtight container. Use 1/4 cup of detergent to wash a full load.
We all know that protecting our skin is important. But, with so many chemicals hiding in traditional sunscreen, how do we safely do that? The answer is to make your own. I know it sounds scary, but it really is quite easy.
I started making my own sunscreen about 4 years ago. I have tried numerous recipes, but I found one that I really like. I like experimenting until I stumble upon just the right combination.
juliejonesfitness.com 