Friday Favorites

Friday. It just feel so good, doesn't it? Waking up early for work on Fridays is practically pure joy because you know that a juicy, delicious weekend awaits you in just 8 hours!

Fridays are rarely a good time for me to get all serious on you with heavy nutrition or training talk, so today I bring you something lighter: my current faves. Ranging from books, to music, to Barbell Complexes, this is what I'm currently diggin', and I think you will, too!

Gabrielle Bernstein's book "May Cause Miracles"

Gabby's book is a 42 day challenge that will help you clear mental clutter, push aside your deep-rooted fears (some of which I didn't even realize I had), and will basically help you ooze love from every pore of your body. This book is amazing, yet extremely challenging. 

Spoiler alert: You'll be asked to look yourself in the eye(s?) in the mirror and, outloud, say, "I love you". 

Heavy stuff, but necessary for so many of us. I talk a lot about how imperative healthy self-confidence is for us mentally as well as physically so I'm 100% on board with this project! I'll be doing a full book report on this bad boy when I'm finished, but I highly encourage you to read this. Get ready for daily reading, journaling, and meditation. win/win/win 

Tom Rachman's book "The Imperfectionists"

I have a confession to make: I love reading fiction. I went through a weird phase in which I felt a bit guilty for it; like it was too self-indulgent, and maybe I should be spending my time reading self-development books or studying the human genome. I then realized that it's my life and I'll do what I want to make myself happy. Problem solved and continue to read fiction I shall!

Our friend Melissa (yes, Hartwig, of Whole9. She is my friend, like, in real life.) graciously loaned me her copy for me to read on the road trip across the country in January. 

This book is about the private lives of the staff of an English speaking newspaper in Rome. The stories and how they are all intertwined is amazing, but most importantly, it's an incredibly beautiful piece of fictional literature (which says a lot in this bizarre world where appalling books like the "Fifty Shades" series is making the NYT Best Sellers list). 

This Pork Shoulder crockpot recipe

is. so. good. I've crockpotted (verb?) a few pork roasts recently but this one is a winner. It took me about 10 minutes total to prep and it was absolutely delicious. The ingredients are simple, which is a huge bonus. I hate opening a recipe and finding that it requires 52 different ingredients, and my going to 3 different specialty stores to gather it all.

Make sure to get a responsibly sourced piggy; it's extremely important! Think 'Level 3' from Whole Foods or higher, or straight from the farm.

Bonus: this recipe is totally compliant with the Whole30 if that's your gig... and it should be, at least once in your life. 

The Act of Sportsmanship 

I ran across this video at the bottom of Tony Gentilcore's blog post and it's worth the two minutes it takes to watch it. It serves as a fantastic reminder of how important it can be to help others "win". 

Barbell complexes

Barbell complexes have been a popular finisher (or stand alone workout) for quite awhile, but here recently I simply can't get enough. If you are new to Barbell Complex, you run through the entire thing without putting the bar down. Sounds easy in theory, but extremely challenging! 

This is my current favorite. I dig it because the Jerks add a bit of a different dynamic to it. Additionally, you could reverse this and work it from the top down if you are concerned about being too fatigued to maintain proper form with the Jerk. 

1. Deadlift x 6
2. Barbell row x 6
3. Power Clean x 6
4. Front loaded reverse stepping lunge x 6
5. Split Jerk x 6 - alternating legs
6. Rest 2 - 3 minutes, and repeat 3 - 4 more times. 

You can use the same weight each time you run through it, but my favorite is to increase weight each round. This morning I did Clean and Jerk and then finished using the above Barbell Complex with 45 pounds, 55, 65, and then 75. 

Bonus: I'm working on a post with my favorite barbell, DB, and KB complexes that will include videos! Stay tuned for that! 

"Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore

My latest music obsession, as evidenced by the fact that I played it 5 times in a row during a recent training sesh.

YogaGlo.com

Complete with yawning pug photobomb

It's no secret that I'm a yoga fanatic. I've taught, practiced and studied yoga for years and years, mainly Vinyasa with a more recent heavy emphasis on Ashtanga. At the risk of sounding like a total looney tune, yoga seriously altered the course of my life. The current challenge is that my husband and I travel back and forth across the country and sometimes - especially when we are in Kentucky - my options for a solid practice for my currently level of practice are typically non-existent... that is, until I discovered YogaGlo.com

Online live classes, taught by some of the best yoga instructors (Kathryn Budig, anyone??), for every style, level, and duration of yoga that you can possibly imagine. It's basically a dream come true. I've been cranking out 75 - 90 minute classes in the evening, and quick 20 minute flows before work. I'm in heaven, and you will be, too! To make things even better, they have a bunch of guided meditations, too!

Bonus: They have a free 15 day trial!

That about does it, friends! My favorite things for now! 

(My husband suggested that I tell you all about how much salmon salad I've been eating but I told him that'd probably be weird. He then suggested telling you how I'm inexcusably hooked on watching Gossip Girl reruns, and I told him no, because for obvious reasons, that would be embarrassing.)

Until next time, check out some of these popular posts:
What Do You Eat? A Peek into the Diets of the Hottest Bods in Fitness
Looking Fit Doesn't Mean Being Healthy
The Top Five 'Clean Eating' Mistakes People Make When Trying to Lose Bodyfat