Father's Day Gifts for the Healthy Guy

We are taking a break from our usual Meat Free Mondays to talk about something pretty important, Dads. Father's Day is coming up and there are a great plenty of gifts for every type of healthy Dad out there. Healthy Dad's come in all shapes, sizes, and health levels. These gifts will cover the novice healthy Dad, all the way to your marathon running, yoga doing, fitness machine father. Like most great Father's Day gifts, these come with a heaping load of tech!

Fitbit Flex Band and Scale

The new Fitbit wristband and the Fitbit scale are a match made in beginner health heaven. This gift combo has all the fun tech aspects any Dad will go crazy over, and it will help keep your favorite Dad around a bit longer. The band encourages healthy living by showing calories burned, steps taken, stairs climbed and fitness levels throughout the day. All of this information is kept online and on a handy app. The scale measures weight, BMI, and percent body fat.  All of this information is wirelessly uploaded to the online database and to your app. One of the best parts about the scale is that is catalogs weight on an ongoing graph. This makes for easy visualization of increased and decreased pounds of fat compared to BMI and weight. 

This combo pack will set you back about $250 and has a free shipping option from Amazon Prime and Fitbit.com .

Withings Smart Blood Pressure Monitor

The Withings monitor is a simple blood pressure monitor that is great for anyone who needs to keep watch on their blood pressure or those who are extra interested in their health. The monitor connects to your iPhone, iPad, or iTouch devices and uploads data directly. The blood pressure monitor can also store data in a line graph on your computer. This is so great for people trying to lower their blood pressure since they are able to see real results in a very visual format. We got this blood pressure monitor about a year ago and love it.

Basis Health Monitor Watch

This watch is currently on back-order, but will be worth the wait. The Basis watch has some of the most advanced skin sensors available that are able to catalog skin temperature, perspiration, and heart rate. This means that the watch is able to measure, almost exactly, how much effort you are putting out and how many calories you are burning. The three time accelerometer and skin temperature monitor work while we sleep to keep track of healthy sleep cycles and wake you at the opportune time. While the BPM and perspiration monitor track activity throughout the day with some of the most exact fitness monitors.

Basis believes that the biggest gains in health come from knowledge and simple changes based on that knowledge. For that reason, they have priced the watch at $199 and kept the interface extremely user-friendly. All data can be uploaded online and daily info can be seen on your watch. Models come in either black or white. 

Full Body Countdown Workout

After reviewing my first ever countdown workout a few weeks ago, I have completely fallen in love with them. No pun intended, but I have, literally, been counting down to a time when I could create my own.  

Countdown workouts are great for those in a hurry who want to get in an extra sweat session but may not have much time. This workout takes some of my favorite moves and adds them together for a full body workout- countdown style. These moves will work alternating muscle groups, creating an intense workout that leaves no muscle untouched.

This workout has ten circuits. Begin with a two minute warm-up, alternating between 30 seconds of knee-ups and 30 seconds of kick-backs. Then, start doing each exercise ten times and reduce the number of reps by one in every circuit after. By the tenth circuit, you should only be doing one rep of each exercise. The goal with a countdown workout is to put out as much energy for circuit ten as you did for circuit one, getting the movement perfect by the last circuit.
 

Lumber Jack Lunges

These are best with a five pound weight. If that is not available, complete without any weights at all. Start standing straight up with feet hip width apart and arms raised above the left ear. Lunge back with the right leg while twisting your arms down towards the right knee. Keep the torso straight up while twisting. Rise back up to starting or, for advanced lunges, bring the right knee up to your chest without letting it touch the ground. Complete ten Lumber Jack Lunges per side for circuit one, counting down to one per side at circuit ten.

Knee Tucks

These will work your upper and lower abs along with your inner thighs. Start laying on the ground with your feet and shoulders about two inches off the floor. Arms should be extended above your head. Bend your legs and contract your abs so your chest and upper thighs come into your center; completing a full body crunch. Hold, then extend back out. Complete ten on your first circuit.

Push-Ups

Goodness, these are the original arm workout. Get into plank position, making sure your hands are directly under the shoulders. Slowly lower down, keeping the back straight and shoulders down. Stop right before touching the ground, hold, then return to starting. Complete ten on your first circuit.  

Knee Lunge, Leg Kick

This move was created by Tracey Anderson for getting some massive tush toning. Start kneeling on the left knee with the right leg extended straight out at a 45 degree angle and hand on your hips. Lean the body forward and bend the right knee into a lunge, then come back to starting, placing your hands on the ground directly under your shoulders. Simultaneously, kick the left leg into the air, keeping toes pointed and a slight bend in the knee until the last moment. Kick straight up, then return to starting.

Towel Jumps

These will get the heart pumping and work the lower abs and legs. Place a small towel on the floor beside your right foot. Jump over the towel as far as possible while keeping the feet together. Then, immediately jump back to the right side, trying to get as far away from the towel as possible. That is one rep, complete ten reps on your first circuit.

Take a ten second break between each circuit.

Lumber Jack Lunges Part I

Lumber Jack Lunges Part II

Knee Tucks Part I

Knee Tucks Part II

Push-Ups

Knee Lunge, Leg Kick Part I

Knee Lunge, Leg Kick Part II

Knee Lunge, Leg Kick Part III

Towel Jumps

Morning Yoga Flow

We have been making the usual summer trek from Florida to Michigan for the past few days. I love road trips and this one has been no different than most others. Before, during, and after those long, sedentary days, I rely on yoga to keep my muscles moving and joints feeling good. This Tara Stiles morning flow is so quick and simple, you will not even have to wake-up earlier than usual to complete it! Michigan is pretty chilly right now, so being able to get my blood flowing early is becoming a commodity!
Today’s post is a bit short, I know. But, I am super excited about tomorrow’s. Tomorrow I will be sharing my new favorite workout! Be warned, it will leave your abs incapable of laughing for at least a week!  Did I mention how much I love it?

Shape Magazine Workout Review: Beach Body Part II

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This month's issue of Shape Magazine has and interview with Brittany Spears and the second part of the three month Beach Body workout plan create by Jillian Michaels. Where the first month of the Beach Body workout dealt more with legs and core, this workouts takes it to the arms and back. The workout is quite simple, with a one minute warm-up and three circuits comprised of six one-minute exercises. ​Jillian recommends doing this workout twice a week, mixed with three days of cardio as well.

This workout does take weights. Resistance bands will not work for most of these exercises, but weights as small as three pounds will do the trick. If you do not have weights, I would suggest using a large water bottle, full, of course. Children and small animals may do the trick as well! ​​

Like the first month Beach Body plan, this plan comes with a diet program. I will not be doing the diet, but it looks pretty yummy and easy to follow. This plan does not have snacks, but keeps calories low and protein high. ​This plan was created by Jackie Newgent, a registered dietitian and author of 1,000 Low-Calorie Recipes. ​Even though I am not doing the diet plan, I may have to buy this book. The recipes look so simple and absolutely delicious!

The Workout

I have to admit, as much as I liked the ​first month of the Beach Body workout, I was not super excited to try this one. The first workout was good, but it did not push me as much as the usual Jillian Michaels workouts do. After doing this workout, I have to assume the first one was breaking us in for some massive toning in months two and three.

I mixed-up the workout and used both three pound and five pound weights, depending on the exercise. This made the workout a bit more fun and more intense for my larger muscle groups. The workout took me exactly twenty minutes and left a puddle of sweat on the floor in front of me while burning over 150 calories. I loved it. ​

Somehow, I forgot to turn on any of my usual tv or music options. Usually, the lack of a distraction makes any length of workout seem drag on for an eternity. Not so today. This workout kept things new enough that I was never bored, even in the silence.

Jillian does not usually do breaks between circuits, and this workout was no different. The lack of a break does lead to a more intense workout, but it also helps trick out brains into thinking the workout is easier than it is. This may be because we do not have a whole minute to cool down and think about how sore we are getting, or because the workout is three minutes shorter. Either way, the lack of a break is a wonderful change-up from the norm. 

If you are looking for a good arm and back workout, do this. Even typing this review is reminding me of all those little muscles I worked. This workout is great for toning and will definitely help get us closer to our Beach body goals.  ​

Next week we will have to review the Brittany Spears workout in this issue, along with a bit about her interview! What's your take on Brittany? ​