Finishing Up Little Bee & Starting In the Woods

Wow, I was blown away by Little Bee. Such an amazing story! I can't even wait to get Chris Cleaves other book Incendiary. Cleave's takes a story that many would think is so sad and could not possibly have any happy ending and proves you wrong. The passion and strength Cleave put into Little Bee's character is a beautiful thing.

What did you think about Little Bee? Here are a couple questions about the book. Let me know what you thought! 

1. "Sad words are just another beauty. A sad story means, this storyteller is alive" (p. 9). For Little Bee and other asylum seekers, the story of their life thus far is often all they have. What happens to the characters that carry their stories with them, both physically and mentally? What happens when we try to forget our past? How much control over their own stories do the characters in the book seem to have?

2. Little Bee tells the reader, "We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived" (p. 9). Which characters in the story are left with physical scars? Emotional scars? Do they embrace them as beautiful? Do you have any scars you've come to embrace? Did you feel more connected to Little Bee as a narrator after this pact?

3. Little Bee strives to learn the Queen's English in order to survive in the detention center. How does her grasp of the language compare with Charlie's? How does the way each of these two characters handle the English language help to characterize them?

Our next book is In the Woods by Tana French. We will be starting it Sunday November 6th and ending on Sunday November 27th.

Synopsis From Goodreads: As dusk approaches a small Dublin suburb in the summer of 1984, mothers begin to call their children home. But on this warm evening, three children do not return from the dark and silent woods. When the police arrive, they find only one of the children. He is gripping a tree trunk in terror, wearing blood-filled sneakers and unable to recall a single detail of the previous hours.

Twenty years later, the found boy, Rob Ryan, is a detective on the Dublin Murder Squad and keeps his past a secret. But when a 12-year-old girl is found murdered in the same woods, he and Detective Cassie Maddox (his partner and closest friend) find themselves investigating a case chillingly similar to the previous unsolved mystery. Now, with only snippets of long-buried memories to guide him, Ryan has the chance to uncover both the mystery of the case before him and that of his own shadowy past.

Lets Get Reading! 

Lower - Body Strength And Cardio

Happy Friday!! This week's workout incorporates both lower body strength and lower body cardio moves! I used a pair of twenty pound weights for most of the moves but you can either use more or less weight or no weight depending on how you feel! I even demonstrated some of the moves for this workout. :) 

This workout consisted of five circuits each with two lower body strengths moves and one lower body cardio move. Plus there is a bonus round if you are feeling up to it! :) This workout took me about forty minutes to complete. Here is what I got for you this Friday! 

Lower-Body Strength And Cardio 

Warm Up - Do Each Move For 30 Seconds 
- Forward Leg Swings
- Butt Kicks
- Lateral Leg Swings
- High Knees
- Lateral Lunges 
- Jump Rope
- Twisting Toe Touch 

Circuit 1 - Do Twice 
- Reverse Lunges - 12 Reps Alt. Sides 
- Weighted Glute Bridge - 12 Reps
- Jumping Lunge Right , Jumping Lunge Left and Squat - 30 Seconds

Circuit 2 - Do Twice 
- Squat - 12 Reps
- Donkey Kicks  - 12 Reps Alt. Sides
- Speed Skater - 30 Seconds 

Circuit 3 - Do Twice 
- Fire Hydrant  - 12 Reps Alt. Sides
- Stiff - Legged Deadlift  - 12 Reps
- Gate Swings - 30 Seconds 

Circuit 4 - Do Twice
- Pistol Squat - 12 Reps Alt. Sides
- Good Mornings - 12 Reps
- Frog Jumps - 30 Seconds

Circuit 5 - Do Twice 
- Surrender Lunges - 12 Reps Alt. Sides
- Curtsy Lunges - 12 Reps Alt. Sides
- Plie Squat Hops - 30 Seconds 

Bonus Round - Do Once 
- Cossack Squat - 12 Reps Alt. Sides 
- Inner Thigh Lift - 12 Reps Alt. Sides
- Cross Jacks - 30 Seconds 

Cool Down - Do Each For 30 Seconds 
-Lateral Lunges
-Hamstring Stretch
-Kneeling Quad Stretch 
-Windmill With Twist 
-Low Lunge
-Down Dog 
-Child's Pose 

I hope that you enjoy this workout as much as me! Give it a try and let me know what you thought and any recommendations you may have for future workouts. :)

Enjoy! 

Chocolate Almond Butter Energy Balls

Looking for a delicious and healthy snack?  You have come to the right place. :) These are a perfect snack that I love to eat in the afternoon before my workouts so that I do not get super hungry before dinner. 

They are also packed with protein. I made this recipe into 20 balls but you can make it into more or less based on what serving size you want.

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup Almond Meal

1 (15 ounce) Can Black Beans, Drained And Rinsed Well

3/4 Cup Almond Butter

1/4 Cup Honey

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Directions:

In a food processor, process all ingredients until the mixture is smooth. 

Roll into balls and place on a baking sheet.

These can be eaten right away or can cooled first in the fridge. 

Store in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Here is also the nutritional facts for when the recipe is made into 20 servings. I like to eat two at a time so that I am getting 8 grams of protein in before my workout. 

Give these a try and let me know what you think. :) 

Enjoy!

Upper-Body Strength And Cardio

Happy Friday friends! I created a killer workout for you this week that incorporates both upper body strength and upper body cardio moves. Tomorrow I have a math final that is expected to last eights hours...what! Today I knew I had to get a great workout in so that tomorrow I will be ready to take on my test!

This workout consisted of five circuits each with two upper body strengths moves and one upper body cardio move. This workout took me about forty minutes to complete. Here is what I got for you this Friday! 

Upper-Body Strength And Cardio 

Warm Up - Do Each Move For 30 Seconds 
-Arm Circles 
-Boxer Squat And Punch
-Butt Kicks 
-Arm Cross With Side Lunge
-Reverse Lunge With Twist
-Jump Rope
-Push Up On Knees 

Circuit 1 - Do Twice 
- Bicep Curls - 15 Reps
- Tricep Extension - 15 Reps
- Mountain Climbers - 30 Seconds 

Circuit 2 - Do Twice 
- Back Row- 15 Reps
- One Arm Tricep Kickback  - 15 Reps Alt. Sides
- Burpees - 30 Seconds 

Circuit 3 - Do Twice 
- Hammer Curl - 15 Reps 
- Shoulder Press - 15 Reps
- High Knees - 30 Seconds 

Circuit 4 - Do Twice
- Upright Row - 15 Reps
- Chest Press - 15 Reps
- Cross Jacks - 30 Seconds

Circuit 5 - Do Twice 
- Back Fly - 15 Reps
- Front and Lateral Raise - 8 Reps 
- Plank Jacks - 30 Seconds 

Cool Down - Do Each For 30 Seconds 
-Ab Stretch
-Neck Stretch 
-Chest Stretch 
-Tricep Strength 
-Shoulder Stretch
-Biceps Stretch 
-Cat Cow
-Child's Pose 

I hope that you enjoy this workout as much as me! Give it a try and let me know what you thought and any recommendations you may have for future workouts. :)

Enjoy! 

Finishing Up What Alice Forgot & Starting Little Bee

I loved What Alice Forgot. It was so interesting to see how such a traumatic event turned into a wonderful story. It was a great love story and I was sooo happy with the way it ended. This book left me feeling happy and like you should never take anyone or any day for gratitude. :)

What did you think about What Alice Forgot? Here are a couple questions about the book. Let me know what you thought!

1. Did you like the younger Alice best? Or did you relate more to the older Alice?

2. What would your younger self of ten years ago think of the person you are today?

3. What would surprise your younger self most about the life you're currently leading? What would disappoint you?

4. What would you think of your children? Are they how you imagined they would be? Are you the parent you envisioned? Why or why not?

5. Alice is shocked by many transformations—her gym-toned body, her clothes, her house. Are you more or less polished than you were a decade ago? And do you think there's any deeper significance to such change?

Our next book is Little Bee by Chris Cleave. We will be starting it Sunday October 23 and ending on Sunday November 6th.

Synopsis From Goodreads:Little Bee, a young Nigerian refugee, has just been released from the British immigration detention center where she has been held under horrific conditions for the past two years, after narrowly escaping a traumatic fate in her homeland of Nigeria. Alone in a foreign country, without a family member, friend, or pound to call her own, she seeks out the only English person she knows. Sarah is a posh young mother and magazine editor with whom Little Bee shares a dark and tumultuous past.

They first met on a beach in Nigeria, where Sarah was vacationing with her husband, Andrew, in an effort to save their marriage after an affair, and their brief encounter has haunted each woman for two years. Now together, they face a disturbing past and an uncertain future with the help of Sarah’s four-year-old son, Charlie, who refuses to take off his Batman costume. A sense of humor and an unflinching moral compass allow each woman, and the reader, to believe that even in the face of unspeakable odds, humanity can prevail.

Lets Get Reading! 

Chipotle Turkey Chili

I have never made chili in my life nor have I ever eaten chili in my life because I have a thing against beans. But, I have working very hard to start eating black beans and I do not mind them now. This recipe is super easy, healthy and of course delicious. :)

Ingredients:
1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves; Minced
1 Sweet Onion; Chopped
1 Red Pepper; Diced
1 Tablespoons Chili Powder
1 Dash Chipotle Chili Pepper
1 Teaspoon Cumin
1 Teaspoon Oregano
1/2 Pound Lean Ground Turkey
1 - 8 oz Can Tomato Sauce
2 Small Tomatoes; Diced
1 Whole Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce; Minced
1/2 Cup Of Water
12 oz Frozen Sweet Corn
15 oz Black Beans; Rinsed And Drained
Salt And Pepper; To Taste

Optional For Serving:
Greek Yogurt
Avocado
Tortilla chips

Directions: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in garlic, onions and red bell pepper and saute for 5-7 minutes or until onions and bell pepper until soften. Next add in ground turkey, making sure to break up the lumps; cook until turkey is no longer pink. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano; stir, and cook another minute. Add in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, chipotle pepper, water, corn, and black beans. Add a little salt and pepper. If you want your chili to be more spicy add in more chipotle peppers. I do not like my food very spicy so I made this pretty mild. Bring chili to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour. Be sure to stir occasionally. Taste the chili and adjust seasonings as necessary. This recipe makes about 4 servings. Serve with greek yogurt, avocado,and tortilla chips. Our favorite chips to use are Way Better Snacks Sprouted Sweet Potato Chips. The only ingredients are stone ground non-GMO whole corn, sunflower oil, sweet potato, sprouted seed and grain blend (sprouted quinoa, sprouted chia seed), and pure sea salt. They are super good too!! Enjoy!

Full-Body Strength And Cardio

I love to create my own workouts but I never share them but that is about to change. Every Friday I am going to share a new workout with you guys that I have created. 

Here is the first of many awesome workouts I will be creating and sharing with you. This is a full-body strength and cardio workout that will challenge you. I would recommend this workout for intermediate to advanced people who are active on a regular basis. 

This workout has a five minute warm up, three strength circuits that you will do twice, three cardio circuits that you will do once and a five minute cooldown. If you are feeling super determined and want to complete the cardio circuits twice go for it! :) 

This workout took me about 40 minutes to complete. I used a pair of 15 pound dumbbells for this workout and it was very challenging for me. Pick a weight that is going to challenge you! And remember ladies lifting heavy weights is not going to make you bulk up. ;) 

Full-Body Strength And Cardio 

Warm Up - Do Each Move For 30 Seconds 
-Twisting Toe Touch
-Lunge and Twist
-Butt Kicks
-Low Squat with Knee Tuck
-Arm Circles
-Jumping Jacks
-Spinal Flex
-High Knees 

Circuit 1 - Do Twice 
-Goblet Squat - 20 Reps
-Deadlift with Back Row - 15 Reps
-Bridge with Chest Press - 20 Reps 

Cardio 1 - Do For 60 Seconds
-Side Lunge Jumps 

Circuit 2 - Do Twice 
-Shoulder Press with Side Crunch - 20 Reps Alt. Sides
-Overhead Reach with Leg Lower - 15 Reps
-Seated Russian Twist - 15 Full Rotations 

Cardio 2 - Do For 60 Seconds 
-Sprint 

Circuit 3 - Do Twice 
-Reverse Lunge with Bicep Curl - 20 Reps Alt. Sides
-Lawn Mower - 20 Reps Alt. Sides
-Leg Balance into Warrior 3 - 15 Reps Alt. Sides

Cardio 3 - Do For 60 Seconds
-Tuck Jumps

Cool Down - Do Each For 30 Seconds 
-Ab Stretch
-Hip Flexor Stretch
-Standing Forward Bend
-Quad Stretch
-Shoulder Stretch
-Biceps Stretch 
-Cat Cow
-Child's Pose 

I hope that you enjoy this workout as much as me! Give it a try and let me know what you thought and any recommendations you may have for future workouts. :)

Enjoy!