Almond milk tutorial..
1. Soak a cup of raw almonds overnight.
2. Add the soaked almonds and 4 cups of water to your blender. Optional: sweeten it with a couple of dates, agave, vanilla and/or maple syrup.
3. Blend it at high speed for a minute or two.
4. Pour the milk through a “nut milk bag” and squeeze out the liquid..
5. Pour the milk into a purdy little bottle/jar..
6. Lasts 4-7 days in the fridge. Enjoy!
This post has been featured on a 1000notes.com blog.
Found on The Greatist
Warm-up
1. Power skip. Skipping isn’t just for kids. Raise the right knee up towards the hip while reaching your left arm overhead. Land on the ball of your left foot, and then alternate the skipping motion with the opposite arm and leg. Shoot for 10-15 skips as high as you can go.
2. Stair climb. Think of stairs as the cardio equipment in any building. For a great way to get the heart rate up, briskly walk up and down a stairway until you start to sweat. To avoid any dizzy spells, make sure to travel the whole stairwell to limit the amount of turn-arounds. Pro-tip: Skip the elevator when going to work and sneak in a workout before getting into the office!
3. Inchworm. It really is a Bug’s Life. Stand tall, and bend over until your fingertips are on the floor. Next, walk the hands forward while keeping the legs straight until you’ve reached a traditional push-up position. Finish off the move by taking tiny steps to get your feet back up to your hands. Repeat for 4-6 reps.
4. High knees. Stand tall with your feet hip-distance apart. Raise up your right knee as high as it’ll go, and then place the leg back down. Alternate legs and start picking up the pace. Try this jig for 30 seconds straight.
5. Butt kicks. These will literally kick your butt — in a good way. Jog in place while kicking your heels back towards your glutes. Make sure the movement is being driven from your hamstrings (not just your feet kicking up dust). Keep it up for a minute straight while picking up the pace!
6. Alternate leg bounding. Find a flat straightaway (like a hallway or a track) for some space to move forward. Standing tall, reach your right knee forward and lift your hip, jumping off the left leg as far forward as possible. Land on the right leg and continue this movement, alternating legs. Try to jump forward for 10 hops total.
7. Jumping Jacks. This classic cardio move is a great way to warm up. Start with your feet together and hands at your sides, keeping the core engaged. Next, jump both legs out to the side (wider than your hips) while raising your arms overhead. Keep your knees bent as you jump again to bring your feet back together and arms down. That’s one. Now see what 20-30 feels like!
8. Foot fires. Things are really heating up now. In a quick, shuffle motion, lift the heels off the ground (only about an inch tops) while keeping the upper body relaxed. You can shuffle in place or move back in forth — your call!
Full body
9. Tuck jump. It’s time to catch some air. Stand up tall with the knees slightly bent and jump up — bringing the knees into the chest and extending the arms straight out in front of the body. Lower the arms when you hit the floor. Aim for 8-10 reps.
10. Basic burpee. This move is something we all love to hate.Start in a low squat position with your hands on the floor. Then,kick your feet back to a push-up position and quickly return to the squat position. Last step? Jump up as high as possible before squatting down again and jumping back into the next push-up position. Shoot for 10 strong reps.
11. Push-up burpee. This move is just like the basic burpee that’s a bit more advanced. Begin like normal, but once you reach the push-up position, actually do the push-up before coming back up to the squat. Shoot for 8-10 of these bad boys.
12. Plyometric push-up. Think of this as a push-up that’ll impress anyone at the gym. At the top of a traditional push-up, push up with force to lift the body off the floor (for just a sec!) before coming back down and going straight into the next push-up. Just remember: If you’re still struggling with the basic push-up, best to stick to the basics!
13. Mountain climber. We’re not goingup any real mountains, but these are a close second. Start down on your hands and knees, and bring the right foot forward to the chest while the left leg remains straight. Engaging the core, quickly switch legs, and keep this rhythm going for 15-20 reps.
14. Plank to push-up. Begin in a plank position with your forearms on the ground. Then, lift into apush-up position (one hand at a time, of course!) and quickly move back down into a plank position. Continue for 10-15 reps, while remembering to alternate the arm that makes the first move.
15. One-leg burpee. Mastered the basic burpee? Then try this fancy (and doable!) move. What it entails: Completing a normal burpee but using one leg at a time. Don’t forget to switch sides to feel the burn on both legs.
16. Vertical jump. The goal here is simple enough: Try to jump up as high as possible. (And no, you don’t have to be a Pro baller to do so!). Stand up straight with a slight bend in the knees. Then, using your arms to propel you upwards, bend the knees and jump up while extending the arms towards the ceiling. Repeat for 10 reps.
17. Long jump. This move isn’t just a track and field event. Similar to the alternate leg bounding,jump forward in a continuous motion, but reach forward with both legs and have both feet land on the floor at the same time. Try for 10 in a row.
18. Invisible jump rope. Hop over an invisible rope (no need to jump more than an inch or two off the ground) by staying on your toes and pushing off with the balls of your feet. Make quick, small movements with your wrists as if you’re holding a rope, and go crazy for 60 seconds.
19. Diver’s push-up. Begin in a down-dog position with your arms firmly on the ground and gaze toward the floor. In a controlled and fluid motion, swoop the hips towards the floor while your chest rises. Keep moving until your back is arched and your gaze is towards the ceiling. Then swoop back down, continuing this motion for 10-15 reps.
Legs
20. Lateral step over. Find a bench and stand to its side with the right leg closer to the bench. Lift your right knee up and bring the leg over the bench, notstepping on it. Then lift your left leg to meet the right, bringing the feet together before moving back — left leg first this time. Go to step city for 15-20 reps.
21. Lunge jump. The only thing more fun than a lunge is catching some air in between. Start standing with the feet together and lunge the right foot forward, bending the knee about 90-degrees. Then it gets fun: Jump straight up, and while in the air, switch legs and land in a lunge with the left foot forward. Try for 8-10 reps (or as many as you can do with good form).
22. Squat jump. Perform a normal bodyweight squat (keeping the heels on the ground while bending the hips and knees until the thighs are parallel to the floor). Jump up immediately at the bottom of the squat and extend your arms overhead. Aim for 10-15 reps.
23. Box jump. Stand in front of a sturdy box that’s justhigh enough so you can land on top with enough effort (but without missing your target!). With feet shoulder-width apart, bend the knees and then explode up onto the box. Secure your landing and then step back down and repeat for 6-10 reps.
24. Single-leg box jump. Isthe two-legged box jump child’s play? Then try the same move, but explode onto the box one leg at a time. (Note: Be sure to start with a lower-raised box to make sure you’ve got the coordination down!)
25. Step up. The film was great, but the move may be even better. Find an elevated, sturdy surface (like a bench) and step the right foot on it. Rise up until the left leg is straight, making sure the power is coming from the right hamstring and glute. Return back down. Continue for 10 reps, then switch.
26. Single leg hop. Embrace that inner Roger Rabbit and get hopping. Standing on one leg, jump forward and land on the same leg. Switch legs with every jump as you move forward, leaping 10-15 times in total per rep.
27. Skater’s lunge. Begin with your legs a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Lowering into an athletic stance, slide to the left into a side lunge with your hands on the left knee. Then move quickly over to the right side, repeating the motion. Go back and forth for 45-60 seconds like you’re a skating on thin ice. (Lose the kicks and go socks-only to help you slide!)
28. Frog jump. This is no easy task, even for Kermit. Begin by squatting down and touching the ground with both your hands, while keeping your arms straight. Then jump into the air, raising your knees as high as possible before coming back down. Shoot for 10-12 reps.
Arms and Core
29. Jumping Jack planks. There are planks, and then there are planks with pop! Start in a traditional plank (shoulders over the wrists and the body in one straight line), but keep the feet together. Then, simply do jumping jacks with the legs, moving them out to the sides, then back together. Aim for 12-15 hops (out and in is one!).
30. Flutter kick. Time to kick up the cardio — literally. Lie down on your back with your arms at your sides and legs extended. Then, lift your heels off the floor (about six inches) and begin kicking up and down. Try to keep this up for a minute, and remember to keep the core engaged!
31. Bicycle. Lie down on your back with knees in towards your chest and hands behind your head. Bring your right elbow towards the left knee while the right leg simultaneously straightens. Alternate sides just like you’re pedaling on a bike and pedal out for 30 reps.
32. Tabata crunch. Who says a crunch can’t get the heart rate up? Do these crunches cardio-style with a 4-minute ab session (that’s 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 times through). And for form? Keep your knees bent, feet on the floor, and peel the head and shoulders off the ground until the upper back is lifted. Hold for a second before lowering slowly back down.
33. Sprinter sit-up. It turns out there’s a way to gain some speed while staying on the ground. Lie down on your back with the legs extended, arms by your side, and elbows bent at 90-degrees. Now, sit up and bring the right knee towards the left elbow. Continue to alternate sides to really feel the heat. Be a speed demon for 15-20 reps.
34. Power punch. It’s time to bring the boxing-ring a little closer to home. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and the right leg a few inches in front of the left. Raise the fists up and keep the elbows in. Punch the fist closest to your body in front of you, while rotating the torso. Give a good 10 punches before switching arms and leg stance.
35. Upper cut. Need another boxing move? Get into the same stance with one leg slightly in front of the other, but punch the back fist upward, as if you’re aiming for the sky. Keep this motion going for 30 seconds, or switch it up and add the power punch for a one-two combo move!
- do each of these exercises for 30 secs!
- low plank dips, low plank rocks, side planks (do both sides, 15 sec each), & plank jacks.
- take a min break!!
- now do the next four exercises or 30 secs!
- plank runs, in & outs, knee to alt. arm, & knee to elbows.
- take a min break!
repeat this 3 times!!
33 Fixes For An Empty Stomach
When you’re trying to lose weight, a growling tummy is like a best man’s speech: the longer it lasts, the more dangerous it gets. But hormones, not your gut, are to blame for binges, and preventing them from going haywire is the key to reining in kilojoules without feeling ravenous. So dig in – we’re giving you 33 ways to fill up.
Choose surf over turf: Fish is more satisfying, per kilojoule, than beef or chicken, according to Dr Susanna Holt’s Satiety Index, a rank of different foods’ ability to satisfy hunger.
Turn up the heat: The cooler a room, the more people tend to eat – which is why restaurants often keep thermostats low.
Can the juice: Whole fruit contains fibre that makes you feel fuller than juice.
Bulk up: [ Fibre expands in your GI tract to make you feel full, so make sure you get your RDA of 30g.
Love your bread: Dodge the wonder white and go for wholemeal – it’s 5½ times more filling.
Pass on diet labels: A study found that after eating full-fat muffins, subjects ate less in the next 24 hours than after a fat-free version.
Hold your nose: Just smelling a fresh-baked cupcake can induce insulin secretion that makes you think you’re hungry. Bet you’re not.
Munch raw carrots: Irish researchers found carrots are more filling when they’re raw. Get crunching!
Down vitamins: Research suggests your body may compensate for a lack of nutrients by increasing your appetite so you’ll eat more.
Be pro protein: A study found people ate 1846 less kilojoules a day on a 30 per cent protein diet versus a 15 per cent protein diet.
Shape up: Wedge-shaped foods like pizza and cake make it difficult to estimate proper portions.
Have some avo: Your body burns carbs in about an hour, so eat healthy fat to buy time before hunger pangs hit.
Graze like a cow: Five evenly spaced, mini-meals (of around 1465kJ) a day will regulate your appetite and ward off sugar cravings.
Get nutty: Nosh on pine nuts – they have the most protein of any nut or seed, and their pinolenic acid stimulates powerful hunger-suppressing hormones.
Listen to Jack Johnson: Eating while listening to mellow music slows you down. Your stomach takes 20 minutes to tell your brain it’s full – that’s almost half of Sleep Through the Static.
Go ambidextrous: Switch your fork to your non-dominant hand to eat slowly and give yourself time to recognise you’re full.
Don’t eat by candlelight: Dim light can spark overeating, says a US study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Bag dried fruit: Go for 2 cups of grapes over ¼ cup raisins – both are 420kJ, but the grapes’ water content makes them feel more filling.
Slurp a smoothie: Make it with low-fat yoghurt and fruit for a satiety trifecta: protein (to decrease hunger), fibre (to fill you up without many kilojoules), and calcium (to help burn fat).
Whey your options: Boost that smoothie with 1 to 2 tablespoons of whey powder. New studies suggest that in addition to a protein punch, whey may affect the hormones that make you feel full.
Go fruity: Mixed fruit can curb a sweet tooth, and it has plenty of fibre, which helps regulate your blood sugar.
Have a seaweed spritzer: When you mix agar-agar, a fibre-rich thickening agent derived from seaweed, with fruit juice, it soaks up the liquid, making you feel full.
Go for cocoa: Participants in a study were significantly more satisfied 30 minutes after they drank low-fat chocolate milk than after a soft drink.
Be antisocial: People who eat with one other person consume about 35 per cent more than when they dine alone; at a table of four, that rises to 75 per cent more; and in a party of eight you’ll almost double your intake.
Go blue: Studies show blue to be an appetite suppressant. Use blue plates, napkins and placemats.
Boost your bean count: High-fibre beans cause glucose to release slowly into the bloodstream, preventing sudden slumps that cause hunger spikes.
Dig pop culture: It’s mostly air, so popcorn’s twice as filling as chockie, with fewer kilojoules. Try Riviana Air Popped Popping Corn (380kJ per 25g).
Skip soft drinks: High-fructose corn syrup, the main sweetener in soft drink, doesn’t spur insulin production to make the body process kilojoules, or trigger leptin, which tames appetite.
Start a pack-a-day habit: Chewing gum suppresses your sweet tooth. (But if you prefer chips, banish the gum – it may make salty cravings worse.)
Trade your corkscrew for a stubbie holder: Participants in a study ate more while drinking wine than while drinking beer.
Watch horror films: Nausea is responsible for a lack of appetite.
Find berry treasure: Raspberries are one of the most fibre-rich fruits, packing 8g into a cupful – that’s more than a quarter of your RDA.
Make miso: When your metabolism drags and energy dips, you crave things that give you a quick lift. New research reveals that protein-rich miso soup boosts metabolism.
And in the near future…
Pop a pill: Italian scientists looking to make a more absorbent nappy lining ended up creating a cellulose pill that expands in your stomach to ward off hunger for up to seven hours. Pending safety trials, it should be around from May 2008.
Chew on this: London researchers found that moderate doses of the “feeling full” hormone, pancreatic polypeptide, reduces the amount of food eaten by 15 to 20 per cent. They’re working on a chewing gum, but a finished product is about five years away.
~~~~~ source: Womens Health Magazine, Australia
I keep getting a few people asking me about yoga, and not knowing where to start so i thought id make a list of all the youtube videos i used when i started doing yoga
- Morning Yoga for Flexibility
- De-stress Yoga
- Yoga for Inspiration
- Yoga for Geting Out Of Your Own Way
- Strength Building Yoga
- Strength: Abs Buns and Thighs
- Weight Loss: Strong Abs
- Before Bed Time Yoga
- Loosen up the Hips with Tara Stiles
- Yoga to Open the Hips and Back
- Weight Loss: Work those hips!
- Get Strong & Sexy Shoulders, Arms and Back!
- Yoga for a Strong Core
If you want to challenge yourself!
- Tara Stiles: Yoga Weight Loss & Balance Workout
- Yoga Flow 201 | 32 minutes | Twist Focus
- Yoga Flow 202 | 30 minutes | Fat Burning
- Yoga 101 | 30 minutes | Easy Beginner Practice
- Yoga Flow 301 | 50 minutes | Well Rounded Practice
- YOGA WITH LES: Intermediate Vinyasa
- Yoga Quickie!! Balance Focus 21 minutes
- Power Yoga for Strength
Youtube Channels worth subscribing to
- Tara Stiles
- HolmTV
- Yoga Today
- Sadie Nardini
- Ekhart Yoga
- Bryan & Rob’s Yoga & Workout Videos
- Do Yoga With Me
Books worth reading
- The Women’s Health Big Book of Yoga: The Essential Guide to Complete Mind/Body Fitness
- Slim Calm Sexy Yoga: 210 Proven Yoga Moves for Mind/Body Bliss
- Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer More Than 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free
Sites to visitI’m happy to answer any other questions anyone might have
