kick-start circuit series: rotation one

Good morning!  Today I am going to start my Strength Circuit Series!  These are my various workouts I do first thing in the morning right after I wake up.  They are not meant to be super crazy cardio or extreme weight lifting circuits, just something to wake me up and kick-start my body and metabolism.  There are five rotations I go through, one per day.  When I have completed all five (five days), I will just begin again on rotation one the following day.  I work based off of rotations, rather than designate Monday to one circuit, another to Tuesday and so on, because this allows me to listen to my body.  If I feel like skipping one day that week because I am injured or sick, rotations allow me to do so without having to worry about it not being my pre-designated “rest” day.  I have found that if I designate a certain day for rest, let’s say Sunday for instance, then there is a chance I could feel totally great on Sunday and want to have a good sweat session, so why would I skimp out just because it is “rest” day?  So by not proclaiming Sunday as “rest” day,  I can save my “rest” days for when I really need time for recovery.  And if I do feel great every day that week, so be it!  I just take one of the seven days to try a new form of cardio like going for a long bike ride, taking my dogs out for a jog, or going rollerblading (so fun!).  This way, I stay active while still giving my body a break from my usual workout routines.  It is all about listening to your own body.

I found that this quick wake-up workout burns about 35 calories for my body (results may vary).  This was after my run this morning; however, I did allow myself to cool down and lower my heart rate before doing this rotation.  (See pics from my run this morning on Instagram!)

After my run, completing this rotation three times, and showering, I deserved a smoothie!  Mmmm…  I absolutely love smoothies, and I cannot stop raving about how scrumptious my creation this morning was.  It was so thick and creamy and really hit the spot!

Blue Bannilla Smoothie

Ingredients:

♦ 1 cup sliced frozen bananas

♦ ¾ cup frozen blueberries

♦ 1 scoop Vega Viva Vanilla Protein Smoothie Powder

♦ ¼ cup of Silk Blended

♦ ½ cup of water

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and prepare yourself for the deliciousness that is about to ensue…

It makes two servings and each serving is about 146 calories.  I was a little too in love with this smoothie, and I might have had more than my share, but like I said, I deserved it. ;)

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(I know you will.)

Oh! Before I forget to post… my breakfast yesterday was this Blueberry Oat Bowl.  I guess I have been feeling the organic blueberries lately.

Ingredients:

♦ ½ cup of old fashioned oats

♦ ¼ cup of unsweetened almond milk

♦ ½ cup of blueberries

Stir all ingredients together and microwave for 2 minutes.  You can also heat on the stove top if you prefer, just be sure to add the berries near the end.

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