More Body Weight Workouts…

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A few weeks ago, I shared some of my favorite body weight workouts with you and today I’m sharing some more. All of these workouts are equipment free which means they can be done absolutely anywhere. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

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Complete 5 rounds for time of:

50 step-ups
10 burpees

Then…

Complete 2 sets of 30 unbroken sit-ups (modify to 20 reps if needed)

And

2 sets of 10 hand release push-ups

HIIT
Complete 30 minutes of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
You can walk, run, or bike

Warm up for 3 minutes at a slow and steady pace
Pick up speed to a moderate pace (jog) for 2 minutes
Sprint for 1 minute
Return to your 2-minute moderate pace
Sprint for 1 minute
Repeat this pattern until you have reached 28 minutes.
Slow down with a light pace for your remaining 2 minutes.

Complete 3 rounds for time of:

10 Pistols each leg (Single leg squats) *Scale these by standing on a bench
10 Hand release push-ups
20 Triceps Dips
10 Hollow rocks or 10 reps of 10-second hollow holds
10 Plank to hands (up, up, down, down)
20 Step-ups (on a bench, box, or step)

Deck of Cards Workout:

Pull out a deck of cards.
Flip over the first card and do the corresponding exercise for the specified number of repetitions on the card. Once you have gone through the entire deck of cards you are done!
Ideally try to get through the deck as fast as possible.

Here are your movements:
Hearts = Burpees
Spades = Lunges
Clubs = Sit-ups
Diamonds = Push-ups

- If you land on a joker run 400M or one lap around a track (around 2 minutes).
- Face cards count as ten reps.
- Aces count as 15 reps

This is a fun workout to do with a friend. You could even alternate flipping the card and completing the movement.

…looking for more? Join in one of my challenge groups and get access to at-home workouts plus the support of a community of people going through the challenge with you! Send me a message via Facebook or to Danielle@DaniellePrestejohn.com to learn more!

Prepping for the 21DayFix

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I’m so excited to share this program with all of you! I found out about the 21DayFix way back in January and was instantly excited. Not only is the founder a former dancer (bonus points in my book) but she is also a personal trainer who discovered her clients were getting stuck on their weight loss journeys because they were eating all the right foods in way excess portions. She created the 21DayFix as a solution. It is a portion controlled nutrition system along with simple workouts that deliver huge results in 21 days!

Watch more on the program here:

Now, I’m so excited to take you on my journey while I go through the 21DayFix nutrition plan myself. First step is preparation so here is how I prepared for my first week on the Fix.

Reading through the information – This was key in understanding the program. I read through all the information provided a few times and have since gone back many times to review it. I made sure to calculate my calorie needs and figure out how many containers I would be having per day.

Planning my workouts for the week – The next step for me was setting up a workout schedule. While I will be doing the 21 Day Fix workouts on occasion, I am focusing more on the nutrition plan and still keeping up with my regular CrossFit workouts and skill work. This still means I spent time planning out when I would be attending CrossFit and what times, I would be adding in extra workouts including the 21DayFix and T25 for extra cardio. For me, if I don’t schedule it, it won’t happen.

Meal Plan - I started planning out my nutrition by figuring out how many containers I would get per day. Once I figured this out, I planned which meals I would use these containers at and then from there figured out what I would eat on each day.

Here is what one planned day looked like:

Sweet potatoes with 2 tsp. peanut butter
2 eggs with 1-cup broccoli, 1 apple, peanuts
Shakeology
Lean ground turkey with zucchini, bell pepper, and black beans, topped with ¼ avocado – seasoned with lime juice and spices
Protein shake with strawberries

Grocery Shop - The next step was to grocery shop on Saturday for everything I would need according to my plan. Here is my list for the week:

Meal Prep - Sunday meal prep happens next. For this week it meant cooking ahead…

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Track Throughout the Week - To keep myself on track for the week, I made sure to print out plenty of sheets to track my containers throughout the week and assure, I don’t go over.

Measurements and Benchmarks - Lastly before starting I made sure to take my weight and also measurements and progress pictures. Why? Because the scale is not always the most accurate measure. So many factors can affect our weigh on a day to day basis so it is important to rely on other trackers like measurements, pictures, and how your clothes fit… before pictures to come, I promise

Want to join me in round 2 of the 21DayFix? Send me a message (danielle@danielleprestejohn.com) or comment below and I will give you more information and we can discuss your goals and figure out whether the Fix may be right for you!

Pumpkin Protein Bars

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I know we’re awhile away from pumpkin season but these bars have been a staple for me the past couple months. Ever since my first batch, I’ve been making them weekly to have on hand for a perfect pre workout snack. They are light, low in fat, and high in protein, making for the perfect, quickly digestible snack. I typically have one in the morning an hour or two before my workout and they keep me well fueled up until after my workout. Try them out and let me know what you think.
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Ingredients:

2 scoops vanilla protein of choice (I used vanilla Shakeology)
1 cup pure pumpkin
1 cup oat flour (1 cup oats, blended in a food processor)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup egg whites

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl combine your protein, oat flour, cinnamon, and baking soda.
Next mix in the egg whites.
Lastly stir in the pumpkin.
Pour mixture in a greased 8X8 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Let cool, slice, and refrigerate to store.

Makes 12 Bars *

*Little Tip: I make these bars on Sunday for the week. I store half in the refrigerator for the week and freeze half for the following week.

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Now you tell me…What’s your favorite pre-workout snack?

P.S. I had so much fun running my last Facebook challenge group, that I’m hosting another one! Join my FREE 5 day Clean Eating and Push Up challenge group starting next Monday April 14th! To get in simply comment below or send me a message to danielle@danielleprestejohn.com and let me know you want in!

5 Easy Weeknight Dinners

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If you’ve been reading my blog for a while now you probably know I am a fan of meal prep and getting my meals ready for the week on Sunday. Every once in a while though, something comes up, my schedule gets thrown off, and meal prep just doesn’t always happen. Here are some of my go-to’s when I need to make a healthy dinner in a pinch:

Breakfast for Dinner

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Eggs, omelets, protein pancakes, and protein oats are all some of my favorite options when it comes to easy dinners. Pictured is simply 2 eggs cooked, along with a sweet potato microwaved for 8 minutes and topped with coconut butter and cinnamon.

Smoothie in a Bowl

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One of my favorite meals of all time is a smoothie in a bowl. It’s filling, tastes great, and takes 5 minutes tops to make. In this smoothie is a scoop of strawberry shakeology, frozen kale, 100 grams of frozen strawberries, 1 cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1/2 cup ice, and 1/2 tsp. of xantham gum.

Stir Fry

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Stir fries can be quick, simple, and packed with veggies, plus they come together quick. In this is diced chicken breast, edamame, bell pepper, broccoli, and shredded carrots cooked with coconut oil and topped with coconut aminos. You can use any protein or veggies you have on hand in these.

Protein and Veggies

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Make a super simple, protein, vegetable, and optional complex carb combo. Grill chicken, steam some spinach, and boil quinoa or brown rice. Fast and filling with an awesome nutrient profile.

Mix and Match Salad

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Make a salad with anything you have on hand. Pictured above is baby spinach, turkey, carrots, bell pepper, strawberries, sunflower seeds, raisins, and goat cheese. Any extra veggies, proteins, and healthy fats you have on hand, toss in your salad.

Now you tell me…what’s your favorite go-to when you need dinner fast?

Low Carb Protein Pancake

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I’m constantly in the process of adding more protein in my diet. When my diet is well-balanced and high in protein it always keeps me fuller longer, and keeps my energy levels balanced throughout the day. While I do love my crockpot chicken and smoothies, I also like to mix things up every now and then and here is one of my favorite ways.

This “pancake” is more of a sweet omelet consistency than an actual pancake but I promise it tastes good and is packed with protein. I like to use shakeology for my protein base to up the nutritional value and add in extra vitamins and minerals but any brand works. You could even blend a handful of spinach into the egg whites to add some extra greens.

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Ingredients:

3/4 cup egg whites
1/2 scoop protein
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

In a mixing bowl whisk together all ingredients.
Meanwhile heat a skillet sprayed with coconut oil over medium heat.
Pour the egg white mixture in the pan cover and cook 1-2 minutes.
Flip your “pancake” and cook 1 minute longer.
Top with toppings of your choice (my favorite is peanut butter but almost anything would be great!).

What’s your favorite protein packed recipe?