Challenge Monday

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It's Challenge Monday, time to get our challenge on!

Fitness Challenge
I challenge you to complete my 
Standing Abdominal Compound Crunch
everyday this week

 Challenge Synopsis
  • You don't always have to get on the ground to target your abdominals
  • This full body intense functional exercise tones and targets the entire body and challenges your cardio endurance
  • This exercise slims your waistline and helps you get rid of those love handles
Why Why Why
  • Any exercise that requires you to stabilize the body as you lift your body weight will involve your core, especially if your doing compound functional exercises like the one suggested 
  • This exercise challenges your upper and lower body at the same time
  • Standing ab exercises work more muscles than crunches, the more muscles you work the more calories you burn
  • Crunches do nothing to remove belly fat
Materials
  • Water
  • A strong body
  • A strong mind
  • A little extra time
  • Willpower
Directions

Standing Abdominal Compound Crunches
Complete 4 sets of 15 reps on each side
Once a day, over the next 7 days

This exercise breaks down to 

Standing side crunch - Knee to elbow - Hand to toe




Stand up straight
Place hands on head elbows pointing out  
Placing your weight on the left side of your body
Bring your left elbow down to your left hip while lifting your left knee to the side creating a standing Side crunch

Return to starting position
Bring your left elbow across your body while lifting your right knee, make sure your left elbow connects with your right knee

Return to starting position
Extend your left hand and right leg simultaneously taping hand to opposite foot
Return to start
That's one rep
Complete these reps as fast and effective possible, you will work up a sweat

My Take
Ummmm.... YES PLEASE! I try to work my abdominal every way imaginable. I get the best burn from cycling and this standing abdominal exercise. It's a challenging exercise that I'm addicted to. Not only does it target your core, your entire body gets a great workout and your heart rate shoots up after the first 2 reps. Try these and you will thank me later. Remember to push through the pain!

Nutrition Challenge
I challenge you to eat more summer squash this week & be creative about it

Challenge Synopsis
  • Ramp up your summer squash intake for the next 7 days
  • Replace noodles, calorie filled side dishes, and desserts with summer squash
Why Why Why

  • Summer Squash is in Season
  • What is Summer Squash?
  • Benefits of eating summer squash  
    • helps fight disease 
    • rich in Vitamin C 
    • rich in B6 
    • rich in antioxidants 
    • boosts red blood cells 
    • has heart protecting properties 
    • fights cancer 
    • good source of manganese
    • can help control PMS symptoms 
    • anti cancer effects 
    • protects against dehydration 
    • protects against aging effects of the sun
Material

  • Summer squash
    • zucchini
    • yellow squash
    • globe squash
    • pattypan squash
    • scallop squash
    • baby acorn squash
  • A little imagination
Directions

  • Get creative and use Summer Squash as much as you can humanly stand this week
  • Check out squash recipes here
  • I will be posting squash recipes on the blog this week
My Take
I'm not the biggest squash fan and I'm guess all of you are not either. I've been playing with raw, vegan, gluten free recipes these last few months and this week I'm going to keep up the tradition. I enjoy these foods a lot more knowing how clean and healthy they are for me. I'll be taking this challenge along side of all of you. Good luck to all of us.

Self Improvement Challenge
I challenge you to write with your opposite hand


Challenge Synopsis

  • I challenge you to mess with your brain and write with your opposite dominate hand for 5 minutes a day every day this week

Why Why Why

  • 55% of the  world identifies themselves as "strongly right handed, and just 2% identifies as "strong right handed the rest fall in between
  • No matter which hand you prefer your dominate hand is hooked to the opposite side of the brain
  • Right hand is connected to left side of the brain, the left side controls language, judgement, and intellect, the right side of the brain controls creativity, perception and empathy
  • Best reason to make friends with your other hand:
    • Increase creativity 
      • brain mapping shows creativity is housed in the right side of the brain experts conclude you can stimulate this right brain through working with your wrong hand
    • Increase brain function
      • Using non dominate hand helps your brain to better integrate its two hemispheres
    • Be more open minded
      • Studies proven that we favor things that fall on our preferred side and discard those on our clumpy side
Materials

  • Small note book or scrape paper
  • A little extra time
  • Patience
Direction

  • Purchase a small note book 
  • Give your notebook a nick name like Lefty 
  • Set a alarm, place a sticky notes around your house reminding you to practice writing with your opposite hand at lest 5 minutes a day
  • Do it! It's hard and slightly frustrating, but it's good for your brain
My Take
I've always wanted to be ambidextrous and now is the perfect time to start practicing. I'm taking this challenge seriously, I hope all of you will too.

 That's all today folks!
Blessing,
Mary  

 References:
www.foodsubs.com
www.besthealthymag.com
www.hunternuttall.com
www.wiki.com



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About Post Author

Hi! My name is Mary. I'm a Northern California chick who lost over 100 pounds about 7 years ago. I feature weekly challenges, healthy recipes, fun DIY crafts and much much more. Thanks for stopping by...Lets evolve together.

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My name is Mary! I was obese for most of my life, around 7 years ago I decided to take control of my life and successfully lost over 150 pounds. But that's just the beginning of my journey. Join me as I evolve into the person I was born to become. I love to cook, craft, read, and make people smile. I'm happy you've stumbled on by. Let’s Evolve Together.

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