featuring.... THE QUEST BAR

So if you haven't tried a quest bar yet, go to your nearest health food store, buy one (or a few), and enjoy.  Being a personal trainer, with early mornings, going back and forth between jobs, I find myself having to pack up for the whole day, including all of my meals.  This can be a problem since most on the go, convenient things are full of sugar, and a whole list of ingredients that you can't even pronounce (which is never a good thing).  Not to mention the taste is never all that great.  Also being active all day I need something to keep me satisfied for longer!

These problems were solved with the Quest Bar!  Each bar has around 140 calories, 20 g of quality Whey Protein, 17 g  of plant based fiber to keep you full without upsetting your stomach, and no sugar, sweetened with natural sweeteners, stevia and erythritol.  You can check out the specifics on your own here http://www.questproteinbar.com/ingredients

Not only are they great right out of the wrapper but there are tons of amazing recipes using quest bars where you can bake them, microwave them, sprinkle on the top, or even freeze.  With flavors like cinnamon roll, cookie dough, banana nut, double chocolate chunk, cookies and cream, and white chocolate raspberry, these recipes are amazing!

So here's a couple creations I've tried, tested, and approved!  Enjoy:

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll:

-1 Cinnamon Roll Quest Bar

-1 Tbs PB2 powder

-2 Tbs nonfat, plain greek yogurt

-dash of cinnamon

Roll out Quest bar (may help to heat in microwave for about 6 seconds to soften)

Then cut into 2 long strips.

Mix yogurt, PB2, and cinnamon

Spread mixture evenly on both strips.

Roll up like a cinnamon roll.

bake at 350 F for 6 minutes, and Enjoy!

Raspberry White Chocolate Dessert Burrito:

-1 Raspberry white chocolate Quest Bar

-1 low carb tortilla

-honey to drizzle

Wrap your Quest bar into the tortilla like a burrito and grill in a pan until warm and melty all the way through, flipping sides occasionally.  You may also do this in a panini/sandwhich press

Drizzle top with honey and dig in!  So delicious

At Home, 30 Minute, Bench Workout!

10 exercises with a bench

*perform each workout for 1 minute, repeat circuit 3 times 

Thats a 30 minute full body workout you can do from home!

Short on Time and and resources?  This workout allows no excuses

1)   Dips {works back of arms/triceps, and shoulders} 

-How To- 

                 - place hands on edge of bench, fingers facing forward.

- feet out in front of you, knees bent for level one, knees straight for level two

- bend elbows keeping arms close to your side, then back to straight

 

2)   Plank {works core}

-How To- 

                 - keep body in a straight line from neck to heels, abs held in tight

- level one= hands on bench, feet on ground

- level two= elbows on bench, feet on ground

- level three= hands on floor, feet up on the bench 

3)   Step Over Lunges {works quads, glutes, hamstrings}

-How To- 

                 - start with one leg up on the bench and one on the floor 

- using your top leg strength step up and over the bench (foot stays on bench)

- repeat coming up and over the bench

4)   Decline/Incline Push Ups {works chest, arms, core}

-How To- 

                 - level one= hands on bench, feet on floor, body in straight line.  Push up 

- level two= hands on floor, feet up on bench, body in straight line. Push up

 

5)   Bench Donkey Kick {works shoulders, legs, heart rate}

-How To- 

                 - hands gripping sides of bench, feet on one side of the bench

- keeping your hands in position, jump your feet up and over to the other side of 

   the bench, repeat with speed.

6)   Shoulder Pike Push Up {works shoulders, core}

-How To- 

                 - hands on the gloor and feet up on the bench, hips piked up towards the ceiling,

              body Facing the floor

- bend elbows bringing head towards the ground, then back up

7)   High Knee Tow Taps {works legs, heart rate}

-How To- 

                 - stand facing the bench, alternate tapping toes on the top of bench, high knees, fast speed

8)   Hip Raises {works glutes, hamstrings}

-How To-

                 - lie on the ground facing up, with heels up on the middle of the bench

- using your glutes and hamstrings, raise your hips towards the ceiling, then back down

9)   Single Leg Hip Raises {Level 2 of above exercise}

-How To- 

                 - same as before but one leg is up in the air and one leg is on the bench

10)  Side Plank Raises {works obliques, core}

-How To- 

                 - Right arm starts on the bench, facing to the side, and feet stacked on the floor

- lift hips towards the ceiling, small pulse motion

- switch to other side with left arm on the bench

- Level 2= raise top leg, bring knee to elbow, while keeping that bottom hip lifted

*Ab Bonus*

                 - lie on bench facing up, extend legs out, then bring knees into chest 

Britt's Favorite Gear

Any one who knows me knows that I love my workout gear, and they know whenever its my birthday or christmas time they can't go wrong with a fitness gift!  Haha I guess I make it easy for them.  I'm always looking for the best stuff for the best price and over the years I've found some favorites that I would love to share with you all!  When it comes to working out I take my gear very seriously :)

So here's the list I've come up with, hope it treats you as well as it has me!

#1. Lululemon pants. When it comes to workout pants, this is where I splurge, and lululemon is truly the best!  No other pants make me look and feel as good as Lulu's, sorry! My most recent favorite are the herringbone wunder unders

#2.  Garmin 220 GPS watch.  Another splurge but for all you runners out there, totally worth it!  It tracks mileage, calorie burn, heart rate, elevation, its waterproof, color screen, easy to use, and it looks a lot better than all the other bulky GPS watches!






#3. Sports Bras from TJ Maxx, woo hoo! Finally good, padded, cute, sports bras for an affordable price!  My favorites are my Pink and Torquise New Balance, $12.99 each!




#4. Lifting Gloves.  Something I didn't think I needed until about a month ago when my hands started feeling torn up after every single work out! Not to mention the man calluses that have formed all over my hands! I feel a little ridiculous wearing them but they really make such a difference with lifting heavier weight, doing pull-ups, dips, etc.

#5. Altra Shoes!  The best shoes I've ever owned.  Once you feel the comfort of the zero drop and foot shaped toe box you won't want to go back to any other shoe



#6. My Camelback Waterbottle, yep you'll rarely see me with out it!  I go through at least 4 of these every day and the cool straw just makes it that much better than a regular old water bottle!





#7. Dry Shampoo, and the best brand I've found is Batiste!  Can order on Amazon.com for cheaper (around $7.99).  This is amazing when I have to go from training all morning, sweaty and gross, straight to a social event, or my other job with no time to wash my hair.  I just give a little spray and a little poof and I don't look like a sweaty mess!  Highly recommend

So there ya go!  A few of my everyday favorites

Workout Playlist!

It's amazing what some good tunes can do for a work out!  Seriously there's nothing worse than a silent workout (unless its yoga, or being outdoors in beautiful scenery of course!)  But seriously music can do wonders for the soul!  So here's the music I've been loving lately in the gym.  Its funny because outside of working out I normally wouldn't listen to some of this stuff, but it gets the job done when it counts!  Warning though, you may catch yourself dancing in between reps ;) Enjoy:

1) Burn - Ellie Golding

2) Catch My Breath - Kelly Clarkson

3) Drunk off your Love - Schwayze & Cisco

4) Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke

5) Don't Stop - Foster the People

6) Kids - MGMT

7) Chocolate - The 1975

8) I Need Your Love - Calvin Harris

9) Harlem - New Politics

10) Safe and Sound - Capital Cities

11) Pompeii - Bastille

12) The Monster - Eminem feat. Rihanna

13) Closer - Tegan & Sara

14) Do What you Want with my Body - Lady Gaga

15) Roar - Katy Perry

16) Love Me Again - John Newman

17) You Make Me - Avicii

18) All Night - Icona Pop