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My Favorite Workout Youtube Channels

We cut ties with a gym about 9 months ago, but my wannabe fitness guru heart needs fitness classes.

Not going to lie I grew up watching Sweating to the Oldies with Richard Simmons and Tae Bo with Billy Blanks. Group fitness is my jam.

Some days I aspire to be a fitness class instructor. But then I remember there is now way I would remember the choreography for an entire lesson nor do I really have the skills to teach fitness form.

This would be me (as the toddler)…

So in an effort to help my fellow fitness enthusiast wannabees, here are my favorite workout channels on Youtube.

All of these channels have free videos that I have enjoyed. It can be hard to find the motivation to workout at home, but these videos make it a little easier. Having access to these still keeps me active and energized since there are so many options.

PopSugar Fitness

I really like this channel. There are all kinds of videos. You can do just 10 minutes which some days is all you have time for or full body workouts if you have some extra time. They also have short videos to show you one move or stretch. This channel does focus on full health with videos about food choices too. I would say these feel the most like you are in a workout class. The lead talks to you like you are in a classroom with jokes and motivation along the way. There is also a lot of modifications that they show you. This is my favorite video from this channel…I was dripping with sweat and felt this workout for a few days afterwords.

Jessica Smith TV

Jessica does some really good low-impact workouts. I found her for her barre workouts. While they aren’t true ballet workouts, they do have some influence. Even with the low impact, I still get a good sweat on with her videos. I usually do the ones that are 30 minutes, but she does have some shorter videos. I think I am going to do her power-walking challenge here soon.

Fitness Blender

This is a great channel. They give really good instructions so I always feel like I know what I am doing. There is also a timer on the side which I like. I love working out but I also like to know when it is going to be done so I can keep pushing myself. They have a wide range of videos so you can really diversify your workouts with this channel.

Millionaire Hoy

This guy is really energizing. I love his kickboxing videos. I really get into these. Most of his are HIIT inspired which I really enjoy. He loves what he does, and that shows through instruction. There is a double timer on these:  one for the total time and one for the move. He also has a preview box that shows you what is the next move. This is my favorite workout I have watched so far.

BeFit

This is another all-encompassing healthy channel. There are workouts and videos on healthy eating. Jillian Michaels has several videos on this channel which is how I watched her 30 day shred series. I love all the options!

There are so many workout channels out there, but these are just a few that I have enjoyed and found benefits with.

Do you watch workout videos? What are your favorites?

 

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Bachelorette JoJo Week 1 Thoughts

I love my Monday nights! Going from Dancing with the Stars to the Bachelorette-so good.

Let’s get to watching reality TV!

Here were my thoughts from this week’s episode of the Bachelorette.

  • I loved having the former bachelorettes back. They were so chill and gave really good advice. Also I love seeing Dez and Ali pregnant!
  • Everyone is so punny on the first night. “Mojo for Jojo, Be my first round draft pick. She can light my fire…”
  • Aaron Rodgers’s brother! Yowza!
  • Bachelor Superfan is a job? Where can I get paid for this?
  • Daniel, from Canada, seems like a skeevy perve.
  • Santa was a little weird and too gimmicky.
  • Hipster is a job? What is happening?
  • All 4 One!?!?!?! What the heck Wells?
  • Luke getting a “unicorn” was adorable, and he is from Texas. I think that will be a draw for JoJo
  • The kiss with Jordan gave me goose bumps.
  • Chad just wants to talk smack on everyone and seems very full of himself. He seems like bad news from the previews too.
  • I am sorry, but since when is your nationality a profession? Why do their jobs bother me so much?
  • The guys got obnoxious really fast. Have you not learned from other seasons? Do better with your alcohol intake! There is always that one guy that jumps in the pool.
  • I actually vomited when Jake Pvelka came out. Then they are family friends? Ok he redeemed himself by actually giving her good advice.
  • WHY DANIEL!!!?!?!?! My jaw dropped to the floor when she called his name…
  • If I was on this…I would have passed out in a corner somewhere not because I was drunk but because of physical exhaustion. I never made it through the night at sleep overs.
  • She makes out with a lot of dudes from what the previews show, but there doesn’t seem to be as much crying. Apparently there is a lot of blood though.
  • I am interested to see if she falls for more than one person and how she will handle that with what had happened to her with Ben.
  • BachelorNation thought-I am going to say it here, but I think Caila will be on Bachelor in Paradise. While I am excited about JoJo, I think that Caila got the raw end of the deal.

 I think this season will be extra fun to watch because the radio show I listen to in the morning is based out of Dallas. One of the DJs knows JoJo in real life, and another person behind the scenes has watch parties with people that JoJo went to college with. So I feel like I will get some great perspective with their recaps on Tuesdays. They say that she is really down to earth and super sweet. They claimed that she will be a “good” Bachelorette because she will be in tune to everyone’s feelings and be classy about the process.

We shall see!

My top picks as of the first night are:  Jordan, James Taylor, Christian, and Luke.

Did you watch the premiere with JoJo as the Bachelorette? If not you should at least watch this…

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My Favorite Summer Activities

My son gets his love for the outdoors naturally from both parents. I love being outside, and there are certain activities I love more than others while getting some Vitamin D.

In my book it is officially summer with students gone from campus. All I can think about is how to get outside more and what funtivities we can do.

 

Year 95-4

My brother and I circa 1995.

Here are some of my favorite things to do in the warmer weather:

  • Swimming-Put me in a pool or a lake and I will be as happy as a clam. I love to be in the water. When we were younger, my family rarely went fishing because I would always run through the water and scare of all the fish. Above is one of the few times my swimming didn’t impact my brother’s fishing.
  • Trail Hikes-I love exploring new nature trails. There is just something about walking through the trees that is very calming. I try to do this at least once a week since there are so many around us here in mid-Missouri.
  • Miniature Golf-We haven’t been in awhile, but this was our favorite thing to do while we were dating. I love it!

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  • Sitting by a campfire-Roasting marshmallows and talking by the glow of the fire. So relaxing. I am so happy we got our fire pit set up this month!
  • Baseball-I mean really is there any surprise here? I can’t wait to get to Kauffman to watch my Royals play!
  • Carnivals-I love street fairs and carnivals. It’s a great place to watch all the locals. While I won’t ride the rides-ugh hello I grew up working at a theme park and doing safety checks-but the games sure are fun. And I love the food! We live in a place that has street stuff all the time. I can’t wait for these this summer!

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What are your favorite summer activities?

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Bloom Voxbox Review

I did receive these products complimentary for the review from Influenster, and these thoughts are my own.

I really enjoy getting these boxes so I can try different products that I normally wouldn’t buy or seek out.

This is what I got in the Bloom Voxbox and my thoughts on them.

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  • Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads-I really like these, but I don’t paint my nails enough to warrant buying these. (#jamberryfanforlife) They are convenient but I think a bottle of polish remover and cotton balls do the trick just fine for a fraction of the price.
  • Not Your Mother’s Plump For Joy-I was excited to try this because I have liked other Not Your Mother’s products. I have been having days where I don’t do anything to my hair after showering because I am tired of spending a half hour to dry and style it. This mother doesn’t care about my frizzy un-even hair. So I thought this would be a good product to use on those days to maybe make it more wavy and full. I was not a fan. It is in a spray bottle, but it comes out in a thickesh gel. It’s weird, so I wasn’t sure how to best apply it. I tried both spraying it on directly to my hair and applying it with my hands, and I honestly saw no difference. My hair is still weird and wiry with spontaneous curls thrown in there. I would not recommend this to anyone.
  • Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil-I did like this on my skin. It made my skin really soft. It absorbs really quickly. On my hair though it was a different story. It always looked like I put too much and ended up being greasy. I just used enough to cover a couple of my fingertips, so I am not sure how I could use less for my hair. It was really nice for my dry arms though!
  • Sunbelt Bakery Granola Bars-WE LOVE THESE! We have been Sunbelt fans for years. Seriously, we stock up on them when they are on sale. They are the best granola bars out there. I will say though that I have never gotten the Oats and Honey flavor because we always get the kind that have some chocolate in them. I am glad I got this one though, because it is so good! This will be a good flavor for George when I don’t want him to have all the chocolate.
  • Secret Outlast Xtend Invisible Solid-I am always a little leery to try new deodorants. I have used Secret Clinical or Dove Clinical for at least a decade. But I am happy to say that this deodorant rivals the clinical brands. I had no issues with normal armpit woes, and I loved the solid aspect. I am not a fan of clicking the deodorant up. I am keeping this at work now or those days that I may or may not forget to put on deodorant before I leave the house.
  • SinfulColors Nail Polish-I love this brand of nail polish, but as I said above I am really into Jamberry. I can’t really paint my nails at this stage of our lives without being interrupted or needed elsewhere. Nothing is worse than a messy manicure. Anyway, this SinfulColors is good polish, but I was not a fan of this color. It was clear with glitter, so it isn’t a bad topcoat. I just am not a glitter fan. I put it on my toes as not to be as loud.

If you are interested in getting an Influenster box (you don’t have to be a blogger), just let me know, and I can send you an invite. They are a fun surprise! The community is also really easy to navigate. The more you interact, the more they will be able to find boxes that fit your style and needs. It is really versatile, and you can use it a lot or hardly at all. I have really enjoyed it so far!

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?

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Book Review-Through the Shadows (& Give Away)

I did receive this book complimentary from Litfuse Publicity Group for my review. These thoughts are my own.

I was really excited to pick up this book because it is not my typical historical fiction era. I don’t know much about the west coast development, so I was intrigued by the setting of this book alone.

This book is part of a series, which I did not realize until about a third into the book. I think it very much can stand alone since each book is written from a different character’s perspective. The only reason I realized that it was the third book in the series is because I looked the author up on Goodreads to see what else she had written because I was enjoying it so much. Because “The Golden Gate Chronicles” didn’t tip me off…whoops.

Like I said I really enjoyed this book. It was based in San Fransisco at the turn of the 1900s a couple years after a devastating earthquake. It follows the King family, but most specifically Elizabeth King the youngest sibling.

Throughout the book, you see Elizabeth trying to figure out who she is and get over some secrets of her past. She is trying to make up for past transgressions by getting involved in a mission that houses Chinese girls who were rescued from the slavery of the time. I really liked her spunky attitude and how she defied the role of a woman at that time to do something she believed in.

Charles McKinley is the other main character, who is also trying to make a name for himself as a new lawyer in town. He is attempting to change the crooked politics of the city but obviously hits road blocks along the way.

Charles and Elizabeth’s stories intertwine throughout the pages, and you can’t help but root for them in their quest to change the status quo. I think it is a great read about characters (especially for that time) fighting against inequalities and corruption.

There are a lot of things that went well for this story line. It is quippy and there are many references to faith. Barnett doesn’t give you all the pieces to the story at once, so that sense of mystery keeps you turning the pages. It was like she would give you little nibbles in the midst of this great buffet of information that made you want to come back for seconds and thirds. I was drawn in quickly with the believable plot and how the characters related. I wanted to know more, and I would think about the book when I wasn’t reading it. This is why I give this book a 5/5 rating.

If you want to read a book that gives you hope and is a little different than your mainstream historical fiction, this is a great read!

Lucky enough for you there is a giveaway going on for the book!

Follow this link to check it out:  https://promosimple.com/ps/99f1

What have you been reading lately?