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Fitness programs, workouts and so much more to help you keep active, motivated and on track.

Burpees & Booty Workout

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I adore burpees. Love, love, love them. I feel like they are the most epic full-body workout (if done properly) with a snazzy bit of cardio for your heart health pleasure. See? I can make them sound so great.

I do not, however, love leg day. Truly, I can’t stand it. So I thought the best way for me to get in a good leg workout is to combine it with a lot of burpees.

Fair warning: This is an intermediate to advanced workout, so if you’re starting, I recommend you start with a more basic workout and learn proper form, get stronger and then tackle this beast. Try my 5 & Thrive series…it’s a week-long series of 5-minute workouts targeting different body parts each day. Linked below is Day 7, it has links to all five daily workouts.

CLICK HERE to try out 5 & Thrive.

The Workout:

There are 4 types of burpees and 4 leg exercises. Match up a burpee and a leg exercise, complete 20 reps of the burpee exercise and 50 reps of the leg exercise. Match up another burpee with another leg exercise and continue on until all four burpee and leg exercises are done.

You do not need to do these in order, switch up the order to do what feels “good” to you.

Want a challenge? Think 20 and 50 reps are too few? Okie dokie…I challenge you to 50 burpees and 100 reps of the leg exercise.

Enjoy! Let me know if you give this workout a try! I’d love to know how “burny” it was for you! Because my legs were screamin’ by the end! Good luck! You’re amazing.

Off you go!

Want to Get Healthy But Not do Burpees? Okay…I Can Help You With That!

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Well…not really, because I love to incorporate burpees into workouts. My love of burpees trumps your desire to not do them. Ha! While I don’t promise zero burpees, I do promise to give you a way to help you get on track and stay on track with your health and fitness that is fun, supportive and affordable (FREE, in fact, for your first week!). Welcome to…

I created Choose Your Own Fitventure from a successful challenge I posted in my Fueled Life group on Facebook (you should also join that!). I started thinking that everyone always focuses on fitness when it comes to their health. Although that is absolutely one aspect to leading a healthy and energized life, it’s far from the only thing people that is important.

What about nutrition? Sleep? Joy? Friendship? Kindness? Loving yourself?

I’ve seen challenge after challenge out there focused on fitness. I love them. I truly do. I create a lot of them. But, your health is so much more than getting sweaty. Your energy is so much more than getting your workout done. Your happiness comes from so much more than core strength, leg strength, etc.

So, I figured I should create something that helps you discover how to treat yourself right in various areas of health, fitness, wellness…and more!

I started giving the Fueled Lifers Choose Your Own Fitventure challenges where I would create five challenges for the week and then they could organize their week and decide what day to do what challenge.

Feedback was phenomenal. And me? I simply loved seeing people focusing on things like sleep, eating vegetables, taking time for themselves and what the what…drinking water! It was inspiring.

It was then that I decided to create an entire challenge group called Choose Your Own Fitventure.

How does it work?

The challenge runs through an app on your phone, so everything is organized and easy to find. Every Sunday I drop five new challenges. Your goal? Complete all of the challenges within the week.

You earn points, which add up to earn you surprise rewards that unlock at a certain points value.

There’s tons of accountability and support through our chat room and every day there is an accountability card that has facts, bonus workouts, quotes or some sort of silliness to ensure you stay on track and get your challenges done for the week.

Below are a few examples of the challenges included in Choose Your Own Fitventure. There is always an explanation on why the challenge is included and what the expectation is, below is just a summary of three of the challenges:

Sleep is the bee’s knees: Sleep is critical to your health and wellness, both physically and mentally. The participants were challenged to schedule at least 8 hours of sleep for one night. Yes, with little people in your life, you cannot ensure that this will happen…but you can at least prep for it with an earlier bedtime, a good bedtime routine, etc.

Veggie prep: Participants were encouraged to prep 14 mini containers filled with easy-to-grab cut-up veggies. It’s much easier to grab something healthy (instead of a handful of crackers) when there is a ready-to-go snack waiting for you in the fridge.

Self-care sesh: As promised, I really want my Fitventurers to take care of themselves. I challenged them to schedule 60 minutes of self-care for the following week. Some have blocked off time to read a book and drink a HOT coffee, others have scheduled hair appointments or pedicures, while others are going for a hike with a bestie. Whatever self-care looks like for them, is what they were challenged to schedule for at least 60 minutes.

The challenges are not overwhelming and truly do highlight numerous aspects of health and wellness. Participants also received a workout challenge and physical activity challenge this week.

The membership is very affordable at $20/month and even better? I’ve decided to offer a FREE WEEK trial. So, give it a whirl for FREE!!!!

Try Choose Your Own Fitventure for a week for FREEEEEE!

Go on! Get yourself registered for your free week. You have nothing to lose and sooooooo much to gain. The people in this group are the most incredible people ever. They’re supportive, funny, silly and in it to feel better and get inspired to try new ways of thinking about health and fitness. I just love them all!

I’d love if you joined! Hope to see you in your free trial! We’ll have a blast. And you’ll feel better. I just know it.

5 Days Of Health & Fitness Tips: Day THREE – Hydration

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Put down the margarita and wine glasses and let’s talk hydration. That means fluid entering your body to help you maintain hydration levels, not dehydrate them. That’s right, we’re talking water, not wine. Sorry, my friends.

Did you know:

Often times when you’re feeling hungry, you’re actually dehydrated? Yup, signals can get a little crossed, so if you’re ravenous but it’s not meal or snack time, have yourself a glass of water and see how you feel in a few minutes.

Did you know:

75% of Americans (I know I’m Canadian, but apparently we don’t do hydration stats up here in Canada) are chronically dehydrated. Although most people are taking in the required amount of water to maintain hydration, caffeine, alcohol and sodium intake offset hydration leaving you parched, thirsty and dehydrated. Bummer.

Did you know:

There’s a simple way to see if you’re dehydrated? It’s called the pinch test. Simply use your pointer finger and thumb and pinch the back of your opposite hand. If the skin bounces back quickly, you’re a-ok! If it takes a while to settle back into place…GO DRINK YOUR WATER, YO.

Do it. Right now. You’re doing it, right? So…how’d you do. Want some water?

*Not a medical test, obviously, but it’s a quick way for you test assess how you’re doing, hydration-wise”.

Hydration is so important and I don’t think a lot of people understand just how important it is. Dehydration causes fatigue, foggy memory, irritability, increased feelings of anxiety and is one of the most common risks for kidney stones.

Being hydrated, on the other hand, clears your mind, may help boost your metabolism and helps with focus, energy and overall physical performance. Yay water!

With all that being said:

Lindsay’s TOP TIP for hydration:

Get a jug that measures 3L. Fill it each morning and ensure it’s empty by the end of your beautiful day. You don’t need to carry 3L of water around (though some do), it’s a little heavy. I keep mine in the fridge and pour it into a smaller water bottle throughout the day.

Add frozen fruit for natural flavor if you find water to be boring. Or add lemon and mint and let it sit overnight. Seriously yummy.

Having a physical reminder of how much water you need to drink it great. It will help keep you on track and if you get a bottle like I have, there are friendly little reminders about how awesome you are for being a hydrating superstar!

THIS is the bottle I like to use:

There ya go! I mean, I can’t make hydration super sexy, but I can reiterate how incredibly important it is and provide you with an idea to help ensure you’re hydrated.

Get yourself a fancy water botter and get drinkin’! Water. Drink water. Not wine. No…not wine. NOT. WINE.

You’re welcome. xo

5 Days Of Health & Fitness Tips: Day ONE – Working Out

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I get asked a lot what my top tips are for health and fitness and it’s really hard to come up with one or two, particularly because there are so many categories of health and fitness. Workouts, nutrition, hydration, self-care, sleep, routine, community, metabolism…and that’s just a few.

Over the next five days I’m going to give you my top tips for the following categories: working out, nutrition, hydration (drink your water, yo), self-care and a Follower’s Q&A.

Lindsay’s TOP TIP for Working Out:

Aside from ensuring you’re meeting the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology’s recommendation of 60 minutes of physical activity per day, my top tip for working out is: Exercise all systems.

What the heck does “exercise all systems mean”?

In the body, there are oodles of systems. For example, you not only have a cardio system and a muscular system, within THOSE systems you have little mini-systems. Squeee…I love this shit.

I’m going to keep this as simple as possible, so if you’re an expert in this field, move along – I’m going uber basic.

When you train cardio, there are numerous systems you need to train. Aerobic, anaerobic lactic and anaerobic alactic are some of them. You need to use different types of workouts to train a particular system.

Still with me?

For example, if you’re sweating through a low and slow workout, you’re training your aerobic system – good for everyday life and gives you a good baseline aerobic fitness which helps you get through the day with less fatigue. If you’re sweating through a 45-second interval workout, you’re training your anaerobic lactic system – good for boosting your metabolism and helping with weight loss.

Don’t even get me started on the numerous systems involved in strength training! YOW! Did I mention I LOVE this stuff?!

Mix it up, baby. Mix up your workouts and keep it spicy. Keep your body guessing. You don’t necessarily need to understand what each workout is designed to do (though at a baseline level it’d help, you don’t need to know the cellular physiology), but you do need to know the more you mix it up, the more systems you train.

The more systems you train, the more well-rounded of a fitness-goer you’re going to be. Ultimately, I know you want results and mixing it up and training multiple systems helps you achieve the results you desire.

Think about it. Have you ever gotten into a really good routine, say jogging, where you feel strong and healthy and fit? Then, your friend asks you to come to a spin class and you almost die? Yeah…it’s called cross-training and the entire purpose of cross-training is to mix it up. “Shock” your system, so to speak.

Don’t get complacent in your fitness. Keep changing things, adding things, trying new things. Keep mixing it up and keep your body on its toes…literally and figuratively.

Train run day…I died. #crosstrainingisouchy

Yeah…train all your systems, that’s absolutely my #1 Top Tip for working out.

If you’re unsure where to begin, talk to me! I’d love to book a call and chat with you about your goals. We can also work together and create a program to help you achieve those goals!

Tomorow’s top tip will be all about nutrition. So, stay tuned. If you have a question about health and fitness that you’d like me to answer, drop it in the comments below – maybe yours will be the question answered on Day Five.

In a Fitness Rut? Here are 5 Simple Guidelines to Help Get You Out

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I hear it all the time: “I know I should workout, but I’m too far gone and the thought of getting started is terrifying”, or “I have no idea what to do” or, my favorite – “I just don’t have time”.

I get it. I truly do. But, I’m always of the mindset that nothing can be too terrifying, overwhelming or time-consuming if we break it down into bite-size pieces.

Getting active and taking care of the body that carries you around is critical to your health. Cri-ti-cal. Your heart, lungs, blood, muscles, joints , brain- basically, your entire body – need you to get active and at least on the path towards being fit.

It know it’s scary. I know it’s terrifying. And, I absolutely know that it is confusing out there. So, I’m going to make it simple for you and give you five guidelines to working out that you can tackle, one-by-one.

My 5 Workout Guidelines:

#1 – Sweat, on purpose, at least 3 times per week.
This means I want you to dedicate three, 15-minute sessions to cardio – minimally. Ideally, you’d complete over 20 minutes of cardio, but if you’re just starting again or getting out of a rut, start with 15 minutes and build on that.

What you do for cardio is up to you. But, at the end of the session, you should be breathless, sweaty and feeling accomplished (or exhausted…LOL…depends where you’re at!).

Yup…tip #1 – get sweaty…and don’t be scared to show it!

#2 – For weight loss, weight-bearing exercises are best.
Cardio sessions are always best if you complete a weight-bearing exercise. Treadmills, steppers, going for a walk – those are all weight-bearing exercises. This means that you are responsible for holding your own weight and moving your own body, unassisted through space.

Things like biking or swimming are not weight-bearing. Here’s a caveat: if you have a lot of weight to lose, you can start with non-weight-bearing exercises for ease on your joints. But, once the weight starts coming off, get off your buns and move your own body.

#3 – Lift weights at least 2 times per week.
Weight training is one of the most overlooked, and wicked (IMO) tools in a fitness plan for newbies or re-starters. Everyone always focuses on cardio, cardio, cardio, but holy smokes – weight training is the bomb.

Not only does weight training help you get stronger so you can get through your days easier and with less fatigue, it also build muscle that protects your body AND helps it burn more calories than fat does. Strength training also helps prevent the loss of lean body mass that occurs with age and/or dieting.

If you’re unsure of what to do for a strength training program, get help. And that leads me to #4 on my my workout guidelines.

#4 – Get educated help.
Listen, there’s a lot, and I mean A LOT of shitty information out there on fitness. People can literally take a weekend course and be “trained” to help you with your fitness goals. This boggles my mind. BOGGLES IT.

If you’re unsure what to do and you need more help than the 3 sessions of weight-bearing cardio and 2 days of strength training recommended above, find someone you trust and you know is educated to help you.

I’m not saying they need a Ph.D. in exercise physiology at all. I mean, I know that’s what I have, BUT…there are many good trainers out there without the Ph.D. but with loads of smart courses under their belt and loads of experience. Choose those people!

Please, please, please research someone before you decide to go for them for advice OR go to them for a program and/or personal training.

If you’d like to chat with me, I do one-on-one consults where we review your goals, your current program (if you have one) and get you started on a plan that will work for you. It’s fun, I promise. CLICK HERE to set up a time to chat!

CK HERE to set up a time to chat!

Muwahahahahahaha. Just kidding. Kind of.

#5 – Remember that health is more than just fitness. You need to take care of your body, mind and soul.
People always equate health to working out. Sometimes they’ll throw in a carrot or a salad because they remember that nutrition is also important, but please remember you need to take care of yourself in more ways than just getting sweaty.

Think nutrition to nourish that body of yours. Think hydration to keep joints and blood moving easily. Think self-care to take care of your brain. Think kindness towards others to take care of your soul. There are so many aspects to your health and fitness, it’s important to address them all.

If you need a starting point, check out my Choose Your Own Fitventure membership. You get five new challenges every week that cover fitness, nutrition, kindness, self-care. Every week is different. You choose what day to get each challenge done and you have a week to get them all done. Five new challenges are released every Sunday.

Choose Your Own Fitventure. A health and fitness challenge membership like you've never seen before!

It’s super fun and it’s a GREAT way to get started or re-started on your health and fitness journey.

Just a thought.

Quick summary: Cardio 3 times per week with weight-bearing movements, weights twice a week, get help to ensure you’re doing things correctly and take care of your body, mind AND soul.

See? Not too overwhelming. Not so terrifying. And, lots of ways to help get you started. You CAN do this, you know. Please let me know if I can help you in any way, shape or form. You can always email me at lindsay@lindsaygee.ca with any and all of your questions.

Now go on…GET YOUR BUTT MOVING!