Are you HIITing?

Looking to lose weight, but you're hitting a plateau? Then HIIT may be what you need. What is HIIT, you ask? HIIT (or High Intensity Interval Training) is a form of exercise where you alternate between intervals of very high intensity and low intensity training. It has been shown to burn more fat than doing consistent moderate exercise for long periods of time. I'm not sure you really care about why, but let's just say it works...lol.

A lot of people use the term to refer to exercises like jumping jacks, jump tucks, and the like, but you could really make any cardio exercise HIIT by speeding up and slowing down. For example, running at high and slow speeds and inclines is HIIT. Spinning classes do usually incorporate HIIT, and so on.

You can find so many HIIT videos on the web, but here is one of my favorites:

It is a 30 minute session you can do on your own, so beginners, no excuses! You should be feeling breathless by the end. 

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Yoga Progress Report

It is great being able to capture workout photos in the age of social media because you can actually see your progress years from now. I regularly go through my photos from the middle of my yoga journey (which is when I joined Instagram) to see how far I've come. And I'm always astonished. It is so easy to beat down on ourselves when our workouts don't go as planned, or when we don't reach one goal or the other. But we forget where we come from and how much work it took us to get there. 

Some of you know and follow my yoga journey so I wanted to share what I looked at today. The photo above I took 2 years ago when I was finally able to get into the wheel pose at all, and the photo below I took last weekend. Such a huge difference.

Hopefully, this inspires you to not be too hard on yourself and focus on putting in the work. The progress will come.

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Investing in Gym Equipment

When you first start working out, it is challenging to know what to wear, what works for your body, and what tools to use. In fact, it could get a tad overwhelming, especially in the age of the internet where there are 'quick solutions'. But I like to keep things simple, so here are a few tips to remember if you are trying to decide what you need:

April Plank Challenge!

I know this is terribly late on the blog, but I have been organizing a plank challenge on Instagram (@eightsnweights) all April. If you are trying to increase your core strength and build those abs, this challenge is for you. It is not too late to start as you can do this on your own schedule.

When we started, it was much easier. But as we go towards the 2-minute mark, it is getting more and more intense. Look at the schedule above and get to it :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Eights & Weights Recipe: Sauteed Tofu and Wild Rice

Tofu requires great strategy to cook correctly. There are many different levels of firmness, but unless you are making soup, I always suggest you go for the Extra Firm tofu. This is because you don't want it all broken up in your meal, but solid and ready to absorb whatever it is cooked in.

Even with the extra firmness, tofu can still be pretty soft and brittle if it is not cooked properly. For this reason, some people choose to fry their tofu. However, because that usually involves a lot of oil, I choose to grill mine. That way, I keep the texture, but still keep it clean and healthy.

For this simple meal, let's take a look at what you will need (it serves 4). Please note that you need a grill (I use an indoor electric grill). If you do not have a grill, you can try broiling this in the oven.

Innovative Leg Day Exercises

If you are a frequent traveler like me, or have no equipment and still want to get leg day done, have no fear. There are so many leg and butt muscle burners that can help you get the shape and tone you need without any equipment. Here are a couple:

Donkey Kickbacks

They are called kickbacks so you don't simply kick to the side. Keep your upper body straight and stationary, and try to kick back at an angle just with your leg. Make sure the hips are not jutting up and down so you can really feel this in your bum. Do it for 20 seconds, and repeat 4 times on each side. 

Low Lunge Walks

I bet this doesn't look that tough until you do it. Keep your front leg stable on your heel, straighten your back leg, and lean forward with your fingers touching the floor. For one rep, bring your back knee to touch your front shin and place it back in its original position. Do this as fast as you can. Repeat that for 4 sets of 20 seconds each on each side. 

Cheers Eights & Weights!

Influenster Refresh Voxbox

So last week I received a ton of items to test out from Influenster. Of course I was happy, but I was more excited to find out that some of the products were things I either wanted to try or already liked. But there were a few items I chose not to try, probably because I don't think I am in the best position to review them. Here is my review on each:

• Beanitos chips: This I liked. I got two flavors - the white bean with sea salt and the nacho cheese. Each bag contains about 210 calories, which is not bad for a bag of chips. From a health standpoint, I always say stay as natural as possible, so if it comes down to some nuts and a bag of chips, go for the nuts (even these chips). However, compared to other chips, they are made from beans, are gluten free, and contain less sodium. So that's definitely better than a regular bag. For more information about Beanitos, visit www.beanitos.com.
• CoverGirl UltraSmooth Foundation: I chose not to try this as I am not much of a foundation person.
• L'Occitane Shea Butter Light Comforting Cream: I'm always looking for good travel products so this was great for me. There is some shea butter in it and I really liked the texture on my face. I also read that L'Occitane has a fair-trade partnership with the women of Burkina Faso for the shea butter in the product. I support anyone that supports West Africa so I was sold. For more information about this product, check out L'Occitane.
• Orgain Certified Organic Nutritional Shakes: Sounds like it may be good. 25g of protein and 150 calories. I just never got the chance to pick mine up from the store (I had to take the coupon to the store to get it).
• Montagne Jeunesse Face Masques: Who doesn't like a good face mask. It didn't do anything special for my skin, but it felt good to have it on. It's quite cheap as well, so if you are looking for an alternative to the face mask you currently use, try it out.
• SkinnyGirl Tasty Nutrition Bars: One morning when I was rushing out and didn't get a chance to eat a good breakfast, this really came in handy. The bar was very very tasty. I got the banana oatmeal dark chocolate flavor. At 150 calories, this is a good snack for when you are on the go. SkinnyGirl also carries some great products. Check them out at SkinnyGirl.
• Listerine PocketPaks: What's funny about this product is that I already use it! I love my PocketPaks and buy them in bulk. They are like mints except they simply melt on your tongue. So if you are headed to that meeting or that date, and what something to freshen your breath really quickly, reach for these. Find out more about where to get them at Listerine.
• DenTek Flossers and Floss Picks: My brother actually introduced me to these some time ago. You can take the floss picks with you in your purse so that after dinner you can get some flossing done in the bathroom. They are easily disposable and a good substitute for traditional flossing. Find out more about all their products at DenTek.

I hope you found at least one thing you like and want to try out on this list. I had fun testing out the items :)

Cheers Eights & Weights!