No weights? No gym? No problem!

Try this 15 minute chair workout to tone up your Tuesday.

Grab a normal sized chair or stool and place it against a wall- this will be your workout station. You will perform all of the moves listed until you reach the end of the circuit. At the end you will break for 1 minute. Repeat this circuit for a total of 3 times

Warm Up

• 1 minute running in place

• 1 minute jumping jacks

• 1 minute lateral hops (feet together- jump side to side)

• 1 minute scissor jumps (bring left foot in front of right. Jump switching legs in the air)

Repeat x 3 with no rest

Move 1

Step Ups- Place your right foot on the chair. Placing all your weight into your heel bring your left foot onto the bench so that it is lined up with the right foot. Bring left foot back down to the floor.

Perform 15 repetitions and then switch feet!

Move 2

Back lunge- Stand facing away from the chair. Bring your right foot up onto the edge of the chair with your left foot in front of you. Make sure that your left knee is not over your toe- you should be in a lunge position. Slowly lower yourself down so that your upper and lower left leg are at 90 degrees.

Perform 15 repetitions and then switch feet!

Move 3

Push up- Place both hand on either side of the edge of the chair seat with fingers facing the back of the chair. Bring your feet out straight behind you. Slowly lower yourself into a push up until your chest is an inch from the chair seat. Push yourself up.

Perform 12 repetitions

Move 4

Dips- Sit on your chair with your hand at either side of you fingers facing away from the chair. Bend your legs out in front of you with your elbows in tight to your body. Lift your body up so that only your back is touching the edge of the chair. Slowly lower your body down towards the floor by bending your elbows. Push back up so that arms are straight (make sure not to lock your elbows!)

Perform 12 repetitions

Move 5

Chair Leg Raises- Sit on the very edge of the chair with your hands placed behind your back resting on the edges of the seat. Slowly raise your legs up bending your knees. Now that knees are bent and elevated from the floor kick your legs out until they are straight. Bend knees bringing them back towards you.

Perform 15 repetitions

Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising everytime we fall

A few days ago a client asked me if I have ever had trouble staying fit, if I have ever fallen off.

Here is my story:

I competed for the first time last November almost a year to date. Going into that competition I had no expectations I wanted to compete for myself not to win but to prove that I could. It wasn't until I got a top five call out that I realized I might be a true contender in this sport. I ended up winning my class and the overall! It was overwhelming, incredible and the only thing that made me happier then winning was knowing I had qualified for the Ontario Championships.

I enjoyed some cheat food and continued to workout with the luxury of missing early morning cardio sessions. I gained 15 pounds from my contest weight and was right around where I started when I began to prepare for the show in November.

20 weeks away from the Ontario Championships and it was GO time. I began prepping my food, waking up for those early morning cardio sessions and following a strict diet. My body began to change and 2 weeks away from the show I felt ready. I remember telling Tyler that I was scared of losing not because I wanted so badly to win but because I couldn't imagine not having a show to get ready for. I wanted to go to Nationals I was not ready to stop reaching higher.

Showtime came and went with a seventh place finish. I was devastated there were no hopes of going on this year I would have to wait until I could re-qualify at another regional show in the fall or winter. July was a tough month for me getting over the loss trying to overcome and get back into a routine. For the first time in my life it truly did not come easy. I had to drag myself into the gym and my workouts felt lifeless.

August continued to be the same with my diet still derailed and my workouts becoming few and far between. I had the privilege of speaking to an OPA judge who gave me some feedback on why I placed the way I did. I felt relieved when his critique made sense and his suggestions were things I could work on to become a better competitor. I felt ready to push hard in the gym again. I prepped all my meals for that week and was ready to go hard but when I tried I couldn't.

It was no longer the 7^th place finish that was keeping me from being motivated anymore. I had come to terms with my placing and my mind was ready to go but my body couldn't deliver. It was in this instant I realized something was wrong.

My energy levels had been at an all time low but I assumed it was the stress the show preparation had put on my body. I was wrong. I took the rest of August and September off from the gym. Nothing had changed. It was at that point that I knew this was something else.

I went to my doctor she believed I had developed a thyroid problem. Blood tests were taken and this was not the case. I went back weeks later and was given the suggestion to stop taking my birth control pills.

Two weeks later I felt great my energy levels were up, I was happy and I began revisiting my old friend the gym again. Turns out I had a hormone imbalance which can effect mood, energy levels and weight gain.

Where do I stand today?

Today I am happy, energetic and completely in love with fitness. My next fitness endeavor is getting off the 25lbs I have gained since June. I will be documenting my new journey in this blog along with workouts, progress, videos and nutrition tips. Feel free to follow along and do this with me.

“Failure isn't falling down, It's not getting back up” :)

Your Friend In Food and Fitness,

Sarah Rennick