challenge

Who doesn’t love a good Challenge?

push yourself

I love a good challenge. The feeling of working toward a lofty goal and accomplishing it at the end is an awesome feeling, right? Many of you heard me talking about my 60 day Master’s Hammer & Chisel Challenge I started back in January. This was an intense weight training program, a little different than the standard functional training I typically incorporate with clients. I would almost call the program something more like body building.

The Master’s Hammer and Chisel is an innovative resistance training system created by Autumn Calabrese and Sagi Kalev of Beachbody, professional trainers and fitness competitors. The program focuses on SSP Training: Stabilization, Strength, and Power. I set a goal to complete this 60 day body sculpting program, 6 days a week of resistance training for a total of 8 weeks. And it’s done, woohoo! And the honest truth is that it kicked my butt! But I stuck with the workouts, and am proud to have accomplished the full program. Some days I felt like it was more difficult than marathon training even though these workouts only take 30-45 minutes each day and marathon training is more along the lines of 45 minutes to 2 hours some days! My physical results from this program include more defined muscles and definite strength gains such as: improved push-ups, pull ups, chin ups, pistol squats, etc. The program calls for light, medium, and heavy weights and I used 10, 15, and 20 pounds accordingly. Do I look like a body builder? No! Do I feel stronger, leaner, and proud of completing a challenging program? Yes!
flex
With nicer weather upon us and summer just around the corner, I’d like to encourage you to find a challenge that will motivate you and push you out of your comfort zone. Commit to something that will push you and that you will feel proud and accomplished when done. Need some ideas? Sign up for a 5 or 10k run in your community. Join a triathlon training group.  Or why not join the Just Feel it Fitness 6 Week Summer Slim Down Challenge starting Monday, April 11th!  This 6 week Challenge will focus on clean eating, cardio and strength training workouts that you can complete from home with minimal equipment. I’m running an amazing promotion on this program, guaranteed to help you achieve phenomenal results! Just ask me for more info today.

After the Summer Slim Down Challenge, I’ll be working on getting ready for the Montreal Half Marathon in September. I would love to help you find a Challenge that will motivate and push you out of your comfort zone and into confidence. Let’s do it!

Have a great week,
Meryl

Featured Recipe

Nori wraps

Nori Wraps

Try this crunchy wrap instead of a sandwich for a light and delicious lunch.

Ingredients:
4 sheets Nori 

1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 mango, thinly sliced
Handful of alfalfa or pea sprouts
1/4 cucumber, thinly sliced

Directions:

Lay out 1 sheet of nori and moisten it by sprinkling water on it. Place the vegetables along one end and roll it up into a wrap! Enjoy!

Recipe from “The All-Day Fat-Burning Diet” by Yuri Elkaim.

#Saladadaytillsummer

Think about what you have eaten in the past 24 hours. I’m willing to bet a large percentage of people have eaten something like cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and possibly pasta or pizza for dinner. Maybe this doesn’t describe you at all and you already get plenty of live enzymes into your daily diet. If so, good for you!  But maybe we all need a little challenge to help focus on eating more live enzymes. Join the FREE Just Feel it Fitness Salad Challenge.  I am challenging you to eat a salad every single day for the 4 weeks leading up to summer.

Why?
Because our bodies need more live enzymes to help digest everything that we put into it. We need more natural fiber to help rid the breads, pastas, etc that we can’t seem to say no to. (I love this stuff too!)  A diet full of breads and pastas and sandwiches doesn’t have enough fiber to help your body smoothly and quickly move it through your digestive system.

What should I put in my salad?
Any collection of uncooked vegetables or fruits. Uncooked is key. We need the live enzymes. All you need is lettuce or spinach and any other veggies you like. Get colorful, get creative! I like to wash and cut up romaine and leave it in the fridge in my salad spinner. When I’m ready for my salad, I just take the lettuce and add some chopped veggies. Depending if it’s a side salad or your main meal, add some form of protein. Tuna, chicken, or hard boiled eggs are a few examples. Steer clear of croutons and creamy salad dressings, we want to keep your salads as simple and live as possible. Stick to vinaigrettes or simple oil and vinegar.

When should I eat my salad?
You can eat salad any time of day!  But try eating your salad before you eat the rest of your meal. For example, order a side salad to come before your meal when you eat out. Have a fruit salad before your breakfast. Toss together a simple mixed green salad and eat before your chicken and rice dinner. Snack on baby carrots and grapes and other live foods. Give your body something live to work with every single day!

What should I expect?
When you put more live enzymes into your body, you are helping your system rid of waste. You will have more regular, and easier to pass bowel movements. It is also very possible to lose an inch or 2 from your waist. Your skin will look clearer, and you might even lose weight!
When?
Starting Monday, May 25th for the 4 weeks leading up to the start of summer! (June 21st, 2015)

Prizes!
Weekly prizes will be given to those who submit pictures of their salads online and hashtag #saladadaytillsummer and tag @justfeelitfitness

ARE YOU IN?? Let’s eat more salad!

Have a great week,
Meryl

Saladchallenge