7 Ways to Tone Arms with Reistance Bands

Using resistance bands is a great way to tone the muscles. Resistance bands will work more muscles than free weights along. They will also help elongate the muscles while toning since the resistance bands will increase flexibility. These 7 ways to tone arms are some of my favorite arm toning exercises. The best part about these moves is that they will help tone more than the arms alone. Get ready to feel this in your abs, chest, and back as well!

To make this into a full workout, begin with a 2-minute warm-up. Then, complete watch exercises for 1-minute. When finished, complete 1-minute of jumping jacks then do it all over again. Complete 2-3 sets, total. Use a 5-8 pound resistance band. 

X-Extensions

These are great for the biceps, shoulders, intercostals, and abs. Stand shoulder width apart with the resistance band evenly under feet. Cross the resistance band so the left side is in the right and and visa versa. Begin by squatting down, making sure to keep the back straight, then, rise up while lifting the arms overhead so the resistance band forms an "x". Hold, then return to starting. Complete as many as possible in 1-minute.

Side Plank Lift

Works the triceps, abs, shoulders, and back. Get into side plank position with the forearm resting on the floor. Hold the resistance band in each hand so that hands can easily be separated a few inches. Begin by lifting the upper arm up so it is straight in the air. Hold, then return to starting. Continue for 1-minute, then alternate sides.

Seated Arm Curl

Works triceps, biceps, and forearms. Begin seated with the resistance band evenly under each foot and with the ends held in one hand. Slowly curl the arm so that the hand is almost touching the shoulder. Hold, then return to starting. Continue for 1-minute before alternating sides.

Hug the World Plie

Works triceps, biceps, chest, intercostals, back, shoulders, and legs. Stand in second position and place the resistance band evenly under each foot. Hold the ends of the band in each hand, keeping arms straight out to the sides. Bend legs while bringing the arms in front of you like you are hugging an invisible ball. Return to starting and continue for 1-minute.

Reaching Rear Row

Works the triceps, biceps, back, abs, and upper legs. Begin in lunge position with the resistance band under the front, left foot, and the ends of the band held in the right hand. Stand up from the lunge position, keeping almost all the weight on your front leg. Simultaneously lift your right arm back in a rear row so the band is pulled across your body. Hold, then return to starting. Continue for 1-minute, then alternate sides.  

Front Arm Raise

Works shoulders, back, and intercostals. Stand with the right leg staggered in front of the left and the resistance band evenly under the right foot. Hold both ends of the resistance band in the right hand and rest the hand in front of the right leg. Be sure to keep the back straight and do not bend the elbow or raise the shoulders. Slowly lift the right arm directly in front of you until it is at shoulder level. Hold, then return to starting position. Complete as many as possible in 1-minute, then alternate to the left side.

Side Extensions

Works triceps, shoulders, intercostals, obliques, and thighs. This move works so many different muscles because 1) it uses so many and 2) it relies on balance. Start with all fours on the ground and wrap the resistance band under the right foot. Hold both ends of the band in the right hand and raise both the hand and foot off the ground. Both the arm and the leg should be parallel to the floor and bent towards the mid-line of the body. Extend the leg back and the arm out in front until both are straight. Hold, then return to starting. Complete as many as possible in 1-minute, then alternate to the left side.

X-Extension Part I

X-Extension Part II

Side Plank Lift Part I

Side Plank Lift Part II

Seated Arm Curl

Hug the World Plie Part I

Hug the World Plie Part II

Reaching Rear Row Part I

Reaching Rear Row Part II

Side Extensions Part I

Side Extensions Part II

4 New Victoria's Secret Workout Pants for Fall

I have recently become completely in love with all of Victoria's Secret's workout attire. Their pants are wonderful, the shirts are sporty and fun, and those sport bras are some of the most comfortable things ever. There are quite a few new pants that Victoria's Secret has just debuted. All of the pants are wonderful, but these are a few of my favorites of them all!  

Yoga Stirrup Tight

Let's begin this list with one of the cutest and comfiest looking pants on the list. These stirrup pants won't move during you workout and come in multiple color block options as well. I so love the draw string ans super comfy fabric!

Knockout Capri

These capris have been around for a while, but these colors have not. Victoria's Secret has all new colors and designs for fall. My favorite has to be this green ribbon pattern. In love.  

Runway Shorts

Sometimes, you just want to wear a pair of running shorts. It is always difficult for me to find a pair of running shorts that actually looks semi-decent. Thankfully, Victoria's Secret cares about the way our legs look in running shorts, and have a few shorts that are pretty great!  

Mesh Running Short

Since we are on the topic of running shorts, let's talk about these super cute mesh shorts. Mesh is great since it can be worn during spring, summer, winter, and fall. In warm weather, mesh shorts can be worn on their own, but, when it gets colder, they can be layered with leggings for an extra layer of cozy.

The Pro's and Con's of Eating Eggs

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There has been a long standing debate in our house about whether or not eggs are healthy. Seems like our house if very similar to the rest of the health community. Some say eggs are terrible for you because of the high cholesterol count, others say that the omega fats and protein are pro's that far out-weight the cons. Like so many foods out there, there are pro's and con's to eggs as well.

Pro's of Eating Eggs

Let's start with what most people are concerned about when it comes to health: weight. In a controlled study, those who ate three eggs per day while on a diet lost more weight than those who did not. Eggs have 5-grams of fat (1.6-grams saturated and 2-grams monounsaturated, 6-grams protein, less than 1-gram of carbs, 10% of the daily value of B12, and 11% vitamin D.  

The part where eggs get there bad wrap is at the cholesterol in egg yolks. The American Heart Association recommends eating 300 mg or less of cholesterol per day; eggs have 186-mg cholesterol. In the past cholesterol has been considered the lead contributor to heart disease. Now, new studies are showing that cholesterol is not as bad as we once thought. Turns out, LDL's are a whole lot worse. There are both good and bad forms of cholesterol depending on the carrier. Carriers of the "good" cholesterol are High Density Lipoproteins (HDL), the "bad" ones are the Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL). Cholesterol and saturated fats are two of the main components that make up and LDL. Cholesterol on it's own is not what is bad, cholesterol and saturated and trans fats are the combo that we want to steer clear from. Eggs are low in saturated fats and have no trans fats.

This is great news for those that love eggs but hate heart disease. You can eat them! Eggs have not been shown to increase risk of heart disease in people who have healthy levels of cholesterol.

Con's of Eggs

If you already have high cholesterol, that is the biggest con of the egg. Different people have different levels of cholesterol. Like fat, there is no singular amount of cholesterol in any person. As we already know, cholesterol is not the baddy, LDL's are. People who have high blood cholesterol levels tend to also have high LDL levels. This means that people with higher levels of cholesterol should keep their cholesterol intake down. Therefore, nixing that whole eating tons of egg yolks bit. By loosing the egg yolk you will loose about 2.6-grams protein, 60 calories, all of the vitamins and nutrients, all of the cholesterol, and almost all of the fat.

Then comes the environmental impact of eggs. Eggs are not as bad as the meat industry, but it is not great either. Ethically, caging chickens in cramped and dirty environments for their eggs is just as bad as any other part of the meat industry- it is awful. But, free range chickens have greater access to pollutants, meaining the free rage eggs have higher pollutants as well. This Pandora's box of ethics vs. health is something that most people do not want to get into... Including me. 

In the end, whether you eat eggs or not depends on your person preference and current health. Those who have diabetes and high cholesterol are advised to steer clear of anything more than three eggs a week, including what is in their food already. Those that do not have any health factors to be altered by eating eggs can find them beneficial to a healthy diet. Eggs are a simple way to get quite a large amount of protein and Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids with very few calories, tans fat (none, actually) and saturated fats tagging along.

Here are a few more articles if you are interested in doing some extra egg research.  

Mind Body Green 

Eggs: Healthy or Not? Huffington Post 

Pollutants in Free Range Eggs 

Myth about eggs 

Which First, Weights or Cardio?

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Oh, the age-old question; which should we do first, weights or cardio? I have heard this debate since I started working out. Some say that weights after cardio will help lose fat, others say that weights before cardio is the only way to actually gain muscle. Believe it or not, but both arguments are right! For now, it seems the fitness world may be at a slight agreement about the weights/cardio conundrum and believe that it all depends on what we want from our workout routine. 

If You Want to Loose Fat

Do your cardio first.  Although weights will burn more calories per minute, cardio will burn more over the entire exercise period. This is because we tend to do endurance activities for a longer period of time without breaks. Cardio will also increase your endurance and will take more energy than weights. If you really want to kick up the calorie burn, try doing both at the same time. High inderance interval training, or HIIT, uses both resistance and cardio training at the same time to increase the calorie burn, muscle growth, and results. 

Another option for those not quite at the HIIT level would be to alteranate resistance and cario. By alternating the days you do cardio and the days you do resistance training, you will be increasing your calorie burn per day and increasing your muscle tone. Alternating will also help reduce the risk of injury while running.

If You Want to Build Muscle

If muscle is your main goal, weight before cardio is the best. Glycogen is a polysaccharide that is stored in the muscles and used for energy when converted to glucose. This sugar is needed to support muscle growth. When we run before we lift weights, we are depleting that glycogen reserve in our muscles and making it near impossible to get any muscle growth from lifting weights after cardio. If you do not want to get bigger muscles, this is not all bad since your are still burning calories. But, if you are trying to increase your muscle size, this is the worst thing ever. 

Completing a small cardio warm-up before weight and resistance training is still recommended for anyone. Light cardio warm-ups that will decrease the risk of injury and increase athletic performance include jumping jacks, knee-ups, leg-ups, and jump rope.

If You Are Prepping for a Race

If you are trying to increase your endurance for any reason, running prior to lifting weights is key. For runners, fitness and muscular stamina are more important than muscle strength. Therefore, focusing your energy on running rather than weight training seems to be a no-brainer. That being said, it is still vital for overall health to continue resistance training along with your endurance. Resistance training will decrease the risk of muscle fatigue and injury.