Plyometric move with a little weight!

So as most of you know I've been doing CrossFit for a year now and love the results! We do incorporate plyometrics along with gymnastics, endurance and olympic lifting. One of the moves that I use a lot with my one on one personal training clients is jumping lunges and jump squats. This is an incredible explosive movement that will surely lift up your backside! Start without weight then progress with dumbbells.

Start with a lunge (no jumping), then add a squat as a precursor to the jump. Tack on another jump every time you repeat the sequence, until you get to 10 jumps. Then start over at one and do it again. Push hard for five to ten minutes, but rest and get back into the workout when your ready. (Basically lunge, then feet shoulder width apart squat then jump and land in another squat, stand up then lunge forward on opposite leg and repeat sequence.)

Once you feel secure with your stance and landing add some weight. A jump squat with dumbbells is highly metabolic! Once you do these you'll hate them but love them too. When you have that feeling about an exercise or movement you know it works!!

Scallops and Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered

2 tbsp minced shallots

2 tbsp olive oil

salt to taste

Juice from 1 whole lemon

Pepper to taste

1 lb scallops

Instructions

Place sprouts in a steamer basket and steam in a large saucepan over 3 inches of boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, whisk oil, shallots, salt, lemon juice and pepper in a bowl.

Toss scallops in oil-lemon mix and sprinkle with more pepper, if desired.

Place scallops in a skillet on low heat and brown on both sides, cooking for 10 minutes total.

Add the sprouts to the scallop mix and cook for 2 minutes. Serve.

Finishing Fuel Shake

1 medium kiwi

1/4 cup diced honeydew melon

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1 scoop whey protein powder

3/4 tsp orange flavor extract

Ice cubes if desired

Maple Walnut Chicken

Ingredients

4 (4-6 oz each) boneless chicken breasts

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs fresh thyme

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

3 tbs pure maple syrup

1/2 cup water

Instructions

Combine olive oil, thyme, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Rub chicken with seasoning and let stand

In a 12’ nonstick skillet, toast walnuts over medium-low heat 4-6 min or until golden and fragrant, stirring constantly. Note: walnuts may burn quickly if left unattended.

Transfer walnuts to dish, and turn heat up to medium under the hot skillet.

Add chicken to same skillet. Cook 12 min or until done, turning frequently.

Transfer chicken to a clean plate.

Add vinegar to the chicken drippings in the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Add maple syrup and water, and simmer 6-7 min until slightly thickened. Stir in walnuts and serve on top of chicken.

Turkey Vegetable Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or chicken

2 medium carrots

1 red or green bell pepper

5 large mushrooms

fresh parsley

1/2 yellow onion

1 garlic clove

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tbsp italian seasoning

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1.Preheat oven to 350

2.Combine carrots, bell pepper, mushrooms, onion, garlic and seasonings in a food processor and blend until well chopped

3.Empty the food processor into a large bowl, add the ground turkey and mix together completely.

4.Form meatballs and place on a non greased baking sheet. Bake each for about 25 minutes, or until completely cooked.

Almond Flour Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 Tbs coconut flour

2 eggs

1/4 cup water (consider soda water for slightly fluffier pancakes)

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp sea salt

coconut oil

fresh berries

Instructions

1. Combine almond flour, applesauce, coconut flour, eggs, water, nut

meg and sea salt in a bowl, and mix together completely with a fork.

The batter will appear a little thicker than normal mix.

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat with 1 tsp coconut

oil.

3. Drop 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan once it is fully heated. Spread out

batter slightly if desired.

4. Flip like a normal pancake when the bubbles start showing up on the

top, and cook for another minute or two.

5. Add more oil to the pan and repeat with remaining batter.

6. Top with fresh berries

24 day Advocare Challenge

If anyone is interested in doing the Advocare 24 day challenge after Christmas let me know! I won't be doing a cash reward but thought it would still be fun to get a group together who wanted to kick off the year with a good cleanse. I can help place your orders and get you off and running. I will be ordering my bundle in the next two week to insure I have it one hand after the holidays! Bundle consist of 10 day supply of Herbal Cleanse, Omega Plex (omega 3 fatty acids), Probiotic, 14 day supply of Meal Replacements, Sparks Energy Drink, Metabolic Nutrition System/Multivitamins and in addition I recommend Catalyst which supports Muscle tone, helps burn fat and enhances stength and energy.