38 is Great Chipper Workout + Best New Noodle Replacement + Packing Madness

Hi there!

In the world of fitness we crazies like to celebrate birthdays and special occasions with some extra fun challenges. I’ve mentioned several times before that I train a small group of friends at 5:30 a.m. once a week. We get super excited when it’s someone in the group’s birthday. This week we were celebrating a 38 so I went above and beyond our normal “birthday burpees” and created a whole workout centered around 38.

May I present to you the “38 is Great Chipper Workout.” (Happy birthday Kelly!)

Chipper-style workouts mean that you complete all 38 reps of the exercise before moving onto the next. It’s a grind but at least you can check it off, move on and know you’re not coming back to it again.

You’ve seen most of these exercises before around here but here are some notes for some that might be unfamiliar or need modifications.

• Med ball squat jumps – hold a med ball (I recommend 8-10 pounds) while you do squat jumps. Touch it to the floor at the bottom keeping chest up and butt down and jump with it overhead at the top. Take the jump out if you need to modify and just tap and reach with the ball.
• Plyo push ups – this is a new one! My trainer has had me doing more plyometrics and they are a great challenge! Perform a push up on knees or toes (I recommend starting on knees to get a feel) and as you press out of the floor, jump your hands off the floor. Make it easier by elevating your surface and do these on a step or a bench.
• Kettlebell deadlift – hold one heavyish kettlebell in front of you in a standing position with feet under or just outside of the feet and perform a Romanian deadlift with it, hinging at the hips with the slightest knee bend, a straight spine and shoulders back. Tap kettlebell to floor between the toes and stand back up with it engaging glutes and hams. Do NOT use your back or round your back.
• Plank up downs – start in a high plank, walk down to forearm plank, walk back up to high plank. Modify to knees if needed. You can find this and 100 other planks in my book, Ultimate Plank Fitness. 🙂
• Tricep dips – you know the drill.
• Pull ups – band or machine assisted if needed. Modify to TRX, cable or ring rows if needed.
• Jump lunges – modify to forward stepping if jumping isn’t for you. 38 on each leg, not total! Want even more challenge? Hold some dumbbells.
• Hammer curl to overhead press – just like it sounds!
• Sit ups – your choice of variation.
• Burpees – everyone’s fave. Pick your variation based on ability.

Happy sweating!

We’ve covered the fitness, now let’s talk food. I am in that crazy pre-vacation mode where you have to cram a week’s worth of stuff into two days so dinner was courtesy of the freezer last night. I pulled out some homemade spaghetti sauce and served it over my new favorite, broccoli slaw from Trader Joe’s. Y’all, I love some zoodles but the broccoli slaw is so much sturdier and less watery. I got a lot of questions on Instagram about how I cook it. I just place it in a skillet heated to medium with a little oil and then pour a half cup of water into the pan and cover it. I let it cook for about 5 minutes or until it’s not crunchy anymore but not completely cooked down. Think “al dente” broccoli slaw. Haha.

I started packing two days early, which is a monumental achievement for me. All the yoga clothes. (And a sad puppy…or just tired…it was nearly midnight.)

Giveaway winners! 

Girl Tribe Giveaway: Comment #41, Natalie (Healthy Not Hectic e-book), Comment #35, Jenny C (Girl Tribe Tank) – I will email  you two!

ALDI Feel Good $50 GC Giveaway: Sarah F, she already has her gift certificate! 🙂

What’s your favorite noodle alternative?

Do you get stressed pre-travel or keep your cool?