If you’re looking for more workout videos, tips and features don’t forget to check out the website’s VIDEOS page and the Living Great with Cait YouTube page!
http://www.youtube.com/user/livinggreatwithcait
Who would have thought that simple looking cables attached to the ceiling and the floor could provide such an amazing workout?!? Since I’m always on the lookout for the latest and greatest workout classes/routines I stopped by Vera Fitness in Seattle’s Greenlake neighborhood to check out this new workout called Kinesis and all I can say is, Kinesis where have you been all my life!
Living Great with Cait approved!
- Kinesis is FUN, and if my soreness and Erin’s abs are any indication you’ll get great RESULTS and Vera Fitness’s focus on empowering women creates a very REWARDING atmosphere. Thus, Vera Fitness and Kinesis pass the Living Great with Cait Test with flying colors and I will definitely be signing up for my free session with Erin!
If you live in the Seattle area you must stop by Vera Fitness. The first session is free (so you have no excuses!) and everyone get a personally tailored workout. To find out more go to www.verafitness.com.
5 Workouts you can do with the one you love…
Roses are red, violets are blue…working out is great but it’s more fun with two! Want a way to jump-start the romance this Valentine’s Day that’s easier than cooking a fancy dinner, cheaper than jewelry and is guaranteed to bring you closer to that someone special? Try working out together. Sweating emits pheromones which produce “that loving feeling” (insert Top Gun reference here) so working out together means you not only get to burn calories but you’ll spend some quality time bonding with the one you love. It’s also a chance to try a new sport or activity! Check out these 5 workouts for couples…
- Tennis: If you’re a sporty couple try play singles tennis and you’ll burn about 400 calories in an hour . But do try to keep the competition friendly so you’ll still have a Valentine after the 14th of February.
- Dancing: If you’re a romantic couple dancing is fun and it’s the perfect choice for an idyllic Valentine’s evening. Try salsa, swing or merengue for a super calorie burn or try something lower key and swanky like tango or ballroom.
- Kayaking: Outdoorsy couples should definitely try tandem kayaks since they are an absolute blast, but since this one is a water sport it’s best for those that live in a warm climate.
- Spinning: If you’re a high energy power couple you’ll probably love the challenge of a spin class. Get bikes next to each other and let the thrill of competition help you burn though almost 800 calories in an hour.
- Jogging/Hiking: This is a classic couple workout. It’s so great because it gives you a chance to talk and enjoy the sights.
So kick off this Valentine’s Day with a fun workout that will bring you closer a couple and might even burn off all those Valentine’s chocolates!
Move over dark days of January! Everyday it stays light just a little later, the weather is warming up , (unless of course you live in the Washington DC area) and what I consider the first spring holiday is just around the corner… so with that in mind… this week enjoy a special Valentine’s Day edition of Living Great with Cait!
What’s coming up…
- 5 workouts you can do with the one you love
- Healthy Valentine’s Day Dinners
- Look Great for the Date (Valentine’s Day fashion)
- Trouble Spot Toning Workout
Getting is amazing shape does not require you to banish carbs, choke down weirdo cleansing drinks or spend hours in the gym! Getting healthy is all about making small changes to your eating and exercise habits and getting the most out of your workouts. So with that in mind here are my TOP TEN WEIGHT LOSS TIPS for 2010!
- Use smaller plates! Portion control is essential to losing weight and if you use a smaller plate you’re less likely to overeat. BONUS you’ll trick your brain into thinking you’re eating the same amount of food since the smaller plate looks more full with less food.
- Get a heart rate monitor and wear it when you exercise to ensure you’re working out intensely enough to see results.
- Lift Weights:No you won’t look like a linebacker and yes you’ll burn more calories at rest, enough said:)
- Eat Salad: I used to HATE salad, then I found a yummy dressing added some feta cheese and voila’, a great tasting way to get two at least servings of veggies and fiber.
- Add Intervals: Up the intensity for 30 seconds to a minute 5-7 times during your workout and you’ll boost your calorie burn and results.
- Cross Train: Mixing up your workouts will keep your body guessing and keep those weight loss results coming.
- Reward Yourself: This idea is the kind of like a reverse swear jar:) Let’s be honest, sometimes you have to bribe yourself to make it to the gym or choose steamed veggies with dinner, so each time you make a healthy choice, put a quarter or a dollar in a jar and at the end of the month treat yourself to something nice. That money might go right in your saving account (recessionomics anyone?) or it might be a massage or pair of shoes. It’s your reward, you choose:)
- Work out with a Friend: This is a tried and true tip because it works! Working out with a friend means built-in accountability to ensure you make it to the gym:)
- Use a Food Diary: How many people think that if you waltz into the kitchen and eat half a cookie it doesn’t really count cause it’s only half and you didn’t even sit down to eat it? I’m in that camp. Well those “don’t really count calories” add up quickly and they can be the reason you’re not losing weight. So write everything down in a food diary or use some of the great internet or iPhone food diary applications.
- Load TV and Movies On Your iPod: This is one of my favorite tips because, I LOVE TV! It’s very motivating to work out for a full 40 minutes and not hop off the treadmill when you’re trying to find our what happens next on Glee or Grey’s Anatomy:)
Welcome to January 2010, don’t you just love a fresh start ?!?! If you’re like oh 90% of the population you’ve resolved to eat better, lose weight and get in awesome shape.
To kick off the resolution festivities I’m going to give you tons of workouts, motivation tips and style tips so that 2010 is your best looking most stylish year!! Check back this week for my Top Ten Weight Loss tips and follow me on Twitter (@cait_murphy) and Facebook (LivingGreatWithCait) for daily motivation, fitness and fashion tips!
Have a Happy Healthy Stylish 2010!
Between the office parties, family dinners, and nights out with friends, the drinks really start flowing during the holidays (and if you have a crazy family or passive aggressive boss you NEED those drinks!). Unfortunately some of the most popular drinks are loaded with calories and fat which can quickly mean some unwanted pounds. So how do you enjoy all the holiday cheer without the holiday weight gain? Just try these simple drink swaps and you’ll be feeling good and looking great!
- Egg nog: 350 calories, 19 grams fat SIMPLE SWAP Hot Chocolate: 12o calories, 4 grams fat
- Chocolate Martini: 450 calories, 9 grams fat SIMPLE SWAP Regular Martini: 175 calories 0 grams fat
- Venti Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with Whip SIMPLE SWAP Starbucks Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Latte: 130 calories, 0 grams fat
- Gordon Biersch Winter Bock beer: 240 calories SIMPLE SWAP Sam Adams light beer: 124 calories
- Red Wine: 150 calories SIMPLE SWAP White Wine: 90 calories
Let’s be honest, one of the reasons you work out is so you can fit into your favorite pair of jeans! Since you’re doing all that hard work, you deserve to flaunt your “assets” in a pair of jeans that are flattering for YOUR body type. Everyone is shaped differently( and there is NO REASON why we should all aim to fit a particular size) so you need to make sure that you’re wearing jeans that fit and accentuate the rockin body that you have. Here are a few fit and style tips and tricks for finding your best jeans based on your body type…
- Pears: Draw the eye up and slim the lower body with darker rinse jeans, balance out your hips and thighs with boot cut legs, avoid pockets and embellishments at all costs since they add bulk, and make sure your jeans aren’t too tight even if you have to go up a size since pulling fabric can make you look bigger than you are.
- Apples (thin limbs with a tummy): Avoid low-rise jeans! Look for mid-rise jeans with a boot-cut and avoid detail on the front pockets.
- Boyish: Create curves with skinny or straight leg cuts, you can wear the lower rise or high-rise jeans to accentuate your waist.
- Hourglass: Always focus on your waist, boot-cut or straight leg jeans work and make sure they sit at or just below your waist. Avoid skinny legs since they don’t balance out the rest of your figure.
- Petite: Shop in the petite ssection to get the proportions right! Banana Republic has a great one! Try skinny leg jeans or if you have more athletic thighs try a boot cut leg, avoid flare and wide leg jeans since both styles can make you look shorter!
There is one style that everyBODY can wear this season. Go out and try a pair of comfy boyfriend jeans. Roll them, slouch them, belt them, wear them with ankle boots or flats! Enjoy this trend and breathe a sigh of relief that fashion has taken a skinny jeans vacation!
Add these exercises into your workout and you’re going to be looking amazing in your jeans!
This week is all about JEANS! Check back for…
- workouts and exercises so you look good in your jeans
- styling tips to take you from office to evening to weekend
- how to find the best jeans for your body type
Living Great with Cait is the healthy stylish living destination where you’ll find the latest FITNESS tips and tricks, delicious FOOD makeovers and stylish FASHION info so you look amazing and have a great time doing it. This healthy stylish living is about FUN, RESULTS and REWARDS.
