Wednesday, April 24, 2013

My Favorite Lower Body Exercises & WIAW

Despite a terrific first few weeks of Best Body Boot Camp, I still love and miss creating my own workouts. Tina's program is super flexible, so I have room to add or swap out workouts whenever I want. Good thing, too, because I've been craving a Tabata workout lately and might create one this weekend!
Meanwhile, today I got to thinking about my favorite lower body exercises. In lieu of an actual workout, I thought I'd just share a few tough moves with you!

One-Leg Deadlifts (Source) - Hardcore hamstring and balance work


Talk about getting your heart rate up while toning!


180 Squat Jumps (Source - Shape.com) - Awesome functional workout and a total booty blaster

Walking Lunges (Source) - A classic for a reason


Clams (Source) - An ideal low-impact exercise to strengthen the gluteus minimus and medius and hip muscles - my friend Heidi (a physical therapist) showed me this exercise when I was recovering from my foot surgery


Plie Squat (Source) - Inner thighs, hips, quads...I love it all!


Of course, I could go on and on, but these ones really hit the absolute top of my list. I love that shaky leg feeling from a solid lower body workout, and these exercises are sure to make that happen! For a full workout, check out one of the tough lower body workouts below:

Have fun!!!

And now for today's meals: 
Check out the other WIAWs!


6:30 am - Breakfast - Egg sandwich (doesn't that egg look fake?)

Whole wheat toast, fried egg, cheddar cheese, and raspberry jam


10:00 am - Snack - Applesauce and peanut butter 

We were out of yogurt (and out of pretty much everything else in the house), so I rolled with it. Not terrible but not something I'll likely try again. I missed the creamy yogurt!


1:00 pm - Lunch - Whole wheat pasta, marinara sauce, and broccoli (leftovers from last night)


Would you believe I DIDN'T have a snack?! I don't know what is wrong with me. Actually, it was likely because there really just isn't anything to eat in the house right now, and I raced home to grade instead of going to the store.

6:30 pm - Dinner - Wahoo's! Terry stopped to pick up dinner because I am knee deep in grading like a madwoman. I had the Bonzai bowl - grilled fish, veggies, and brown rice. Plus a Stella!


8:15 pm - Dessert - Salted caramel brownie square with caramel swirl ice cream


There's a good chance I'll eat another something before bed, because I'm still feeling a bit hungry. Terry was generous enough to go to the store this evening and picked up apples, grapes, and oranges, so at least we have some healthy options around here!

Another delicious day done, and another workout scheduled for tomorrow morning. It's a cardio day for Best Body Boot Camp, and I can't wait!

What are your favorite lower body exercises? Do you like working your lower body or do you prefer upper?

4 comments:

  1. my piriformis needs more clam shell'ing.
    I rarely clam shell.

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  2. Great lower body exercises you picked out! I always need to work on my balance.
    YUM to the runny egg! I have recently (within the last 5ish months) become obsessed with runny eggs on top of many different items!

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  3. If u r into fitness then try yoga!

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  4. My favorite part of the body to workout is more upper body (back, triceps, shoulders) but lunges are definitely one of my favorite lower body moves! Hoping to get to a point soon where I can actually do them again...though I was able to do some light ones with a BOSU ball today during my physical therapy! I'm getting there! Yay for progress! Oh and I'm with you with mixing up my own routine. It's fun to follow a plan every once in a while just to take a break, but I really like throwing things together on the fly. Keeps it interesting!

    Love the egg sandwich! Nothing like a perfectly runny yolk!

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