strength – Jaclyn Grace

On The Go Workouts!

Since I am not going to have access to a gym in Australia, I have been compiling some of my favorite minimal equipment workouts. I actually do a lot of these already, so it won’t be too much of a change for me. I love the convenience of not having to make my way to the gym, or to pull out a ton of equipment. Here are a few of my favorites!

I did this one this morning and it was a great addition to my normal routine. I tried to get through it as quickly as possible with only a 1 minute break between sets. You will definitely feel it in your abs by the end.

This one is a great combination of legs and cardio. Your legs will feel like jello by the end and you will definitely be sweating. I know that I usually am!

My favorite workouts to do are ones that incorporate your entire body. I feel like I get the most out of them and really feel accomplished after I get through the entire thing. This is one of my favorite workouts because it is so simple and quick.

In the next couple of weeks I will share a few more of my favorite no-equipment workouts with you!

xo,

Jaclyn

Rest is Important!

Hi all!

Recently I’ve joined a new gym where I take 2-3 semi private lessons per week. They focus on a strength training with a mixture of cardio and HIIT thrown in. It’s really nice because there are usually only two of us working out with one-two trainers. It’s perfect for learning proper form and new exercises. I’m especially enjoying it because I know I will be able to take my newfound knowledge back to the school gym within the next few weeks!

Unfortunately, on Tuesday I injured my shoulder during a cross fit style workout. It consisted mainly of pull-ups and barbell thrusters. I was pumped to resume my workouts after vacation and went a little too hard. By the mid workday today I couldn’t even lift my right arm!

Even though I had a great workout planned for tonight, I decided to take it easy. It’s important to listen to your body and rest when you need it to avoid further injury. I took some motrin, applied icy hot, and am icing my shoulder as we speak. Hopefully it feels better by tomorrow and I will be back at it!

Have a great night 🙂

xo,

Jaclyn

HIIT Abs

It’s almost Friday and I have a great workout to share with you today. If you know me at all, you know that I hate running. I have tried time and time again to get into it, but for some reason I just can’t.

However, I do like the way I feel after I finish a long run (which is rare). In this workout, I incorporated it in intervals. It is much more bearable for me to run for a few minutes at a time and give it my all, than try to trudge through 30 minutes straight.

This is one of my favorite workouts that I have done in awhile, just because it is so different from what I am used to. The focus is on abs!

Let me know what you think!

xo,

Jaclyn

Q. What’s your favorite ab challenge?

Four Weeks!

Happy Monday everyone!

I made it through my first day of work after ten days off… and it was definitely a challenge. Luckily, all that is in store for me for the rest of the night is sushi, Netflix, and a nice big glass of green tea. 🙂

I’m extremely proud of myself today. As of yesterday, it has been four weeks since I implemented a “lifestyle change” – if you care to call it that – which includes working out regularly, eating healthier, and living a more stress free life.

During these past weeks, I have focused mostly exercising and creating a regimen that works for me. I have always worked out and kept in relatively good shape, but never like this. I made a commitment to myself and so far I feel great!

I’ve heard over and over that it takes 4 weeks for something to become a habit, which is why I am so happy with myself for reaching this milestone!

You may be wondering why all of a sudden I decided to make this change..

This past year of college was very difficult for me. I was extremely stressed out, anxious, and generally unhappy. My schedule was filled to the brim with activities and other commitments, the schoolwork was very difficult and time consuming, and I was living in a tiny apartment with a roommate who I did not get along with.

I was captain of my college dance team, held a position in my sorority, worked 10+ hours per week, and was pursuing classes towards both my bachelor degree and my masters. To say the least – I was in way over my head.

I didn’t make any time for myself or the things that I genuinely cared about. I wasn’t getting enough sleep and I wasn’t taking care of myself. Because of my busy schedule I rarely had time to go grocery shopping, never mind taking an hour to go to the gym.

I didn’t know how to handle it. I was frequently in a bad mood and lashing out at the people who cared about me. I knew I was doing it and felt awful about it, but for some reason I couldn’t control it.

When I moved home for the summer in May, I took some time to re-evaluate decided that something needed to change. I realized that no matter how busy my schedule gets, I need to make time for myself! I decided then and there that I was going to dedicate this summer to self improvement.

665d9ee745f89597ea65b105c370274e I first decided to focus on my health! I made a commitment to workout at home 5 days per week and to start drinking more water. So far so good. I have found myself with more energy and much less stress in my life.

My next task is improving my outlook and attitude about obstacles that come my way, while keeping with my workout regimen. I started this by keeping a Gratitude journal, as I mentioned last week.

Sorry for the long post, but hopefully it gives you a better idea of where I am coming from!

xo,

Jaclyn

Q. What do you do to handle stressful situations in your life?