Welcome to Week 13
Lucky Number 13!  We've been working hard for almost 3 months.  I'm proud of every one that stuck with this from the beginning and grateful for all the new members that joined us along the way!   Please leave me one word on my Facebook post to describe your LRWOC experience so far.  Thank you so much for joining me in this community.
Recovery 101
We've been working hard here at Living Room Workout Club. I know this week I was super sore! While soreness is a good thing (it means you are making progress), we need to make sure we are treating our bodies with the TLC they need to recover properly. Proper recovery is essential to making progress! Make sure sure you give yourself time, proper nutrition and enough sleep.  Read more...
Voting
I would like you to help me choose the workouts for the next favorites week. Therefore, I'm going to include a poll at the bottom of each "Weekly Workout" post on the blog. Please vote for your favorites each week and help me choose the workouts for April's Favorites Week!
This Week's Workouts
Finally, below are this week's workouts.  You can choose 3 or do all 4 :)  In light of the "Recovery" theme, I wanted to bring back a little yoga.  It's the last week of the month, so I'm picking my favorites.  Its getting hard so hard to choose!  Vote to help me!  I chose #10, #20, #22, and #27.  # 10 is a 15 minute yoga workout.  This one has not timer so follow along with the video. #20 focuses on the lower body and core.  Use gliders to really make your buns and abs burn.  #22 is a full body Tabata.  Complete this one for a good overall workout.  Finally, #27 is a Super Set circuit starting with isolated muscle moves and building on it with combo moves.  This circuit is full of combo moves that pack an extra efficient punch. 

"Success isn't owned; it's leased and rent is due every day"  J.J Watt
And remember, YOU are STRONGER than you think!

Alison <3

Welcome to Week 11
Spring is here!  I'm so excited!  I actually got to take a few of my workouts outside this week.  Being able to spend time outside improves my mood so much!  Another thing that comes with spring is the notion that summer (and bathing suit season) is right around the corner.  Time to buckle down and really commit to this!  I'm going to commit to one more repeat of each circuit!  What about you?
Spring Cleaning
Are you starting your spring cleaning?  Have you thought about the products you are using?  I know I hadn't really before I got pregnant with my son, but since then I've made a big change!  Keep an eye out this week for an important blog post about some healthier alternatives to household cleaning products.  It is a shame to spend so much time on your physical fitness and hurt your health through something as simple as cleaning your home.
Fitness Facts 
We focus so much on the visible benifits of strength training but it goes to much deeper than that!  Here are some facts from the Mayo Clinic.  Strength training helps you: 

• Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• Control your weight. As you gain muscle, your body begins to burn calories more efficiently. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.
• Boost your stamina. As you get stronger, you won't fatigue as easily. Building muscle also contributes to better balance, which can help you maintain independence as you age.
• Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back pain, arthritis, obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
• Sharpen your focus. Some research suggests that regular strength training helps improve attention for older adults.

Read more...

Voting
I would like you to help me choose the workouts for the next favorites week. Therefore, I'm going to include a poll at the bottom of each "Weekly Workout" post on the blog. Please vote for your favorites each week and help me choose the workouts for our next Favorites Week!

This Week's Workouts
Finally, below are this week's workouts.  This week I've included quite a bit of combo moves.  Combining muscle groups will make this workouts even more efficient :)  #25 is our standard full body Tabata style workout. I'll use this one to introduce a few new combo moves.  #26 is our standard 4-3-2-1 with 4 minutes of heart pounding plyometrics, 3 minutes of lower body (this week its all about the butt), 2 minutes of upper body, and 1 minute of core stability.  #27 is a 40/20 split of super sets.  This week's a little different than the past few super set workouts though.  This time I have 20s of an isolated muscle group move followed by a 40s combo move that builds on the same type of motion.  I'm really excited about this one!

Welcome to Week 11
While I was flying this past weekend I did a lot of research.  I finally had time to sit and read through Women's Heath and Fitness Magazine cover to cover.  I got a lot of good ideas for new moves and read some new interesting research....
Lose Fast, Make it Last?
The old adage "slow and steady wins the race" may not apply to weight loss like we once believed. Studies are now showing losing a few pounds quickly leads to higher success rate and without a higher likely hood of regaining the weight (like we once thought). First, quick rewards are a strong motivator to keep at it. Also, quick change requires a very structured meal plan and exercise plan, which in many cases is easier to follow because its laid out in front of you. Need a plan? I can help!
You are REALLY  stronger than you think! Now the research supports what I've been saying!
In a recent study at Edinburgh University, participates performed four sessions, each consisting of 10 six-second cycle sprints, resting for a self-selected length of time between each. During the fifth recovery period the rest was reduced without the subject knowing by 10 percent. However, they were able to push just as hard!
Push yourself harder than you think you can go, commit to doing 10 percent more: 10 percent more reps, 10 percent more time, 10 percent more weight. As always, back off if your form suffers or you feel pain.
Voting
I would like you to help me choose the workouts for the next favorites week. Therefore, I'm going to include a poll at the bottom of each "Weekly Workout" post on the blog. Please vote for your favorites each week and help me choose the workouts for our next Favorites Week!

This Week's Workouts
Finally, below are this week's workouts.  #22 is a full body Tabata circuit.  It's one of our LRWOC standard workouts, but I found a few new moves I'm excited to try out here!  #23 is a 4-3-2-1 style circuit: starting with some heart racing moves, then to the lower body, then upper body, finishing with some core.  #24 super-sets exercises using the same muscle group, combining strength and power. I made a few adjustments to the one like this from a couple of weeks ago.  It think you'll like it. Keep an eye on the blog and Facebook for the videos this week.

This has been a difficult week for me.  My dearest friend's mother passed away on Tuesday. I was in Boston for the weekend and LRWOC was the furthest from my mind. That being said, I did not make any new workouts this weekend. For this week's workouts I chose a few of my recent favorites and this will take the place of "Favorites Week" this month.


"Take care of your body, its the only place you have to live." - Jim Rohn
This quote has hit home to me all week, as I am reminded of how important it is to take care of you body. I know I've posted it before, but wanted to pass it on to you again.  Many of us our busy moms and often times neglect our own health for the health and happiness of our families.  Please remember it is not selfish to take the time to take care of yourselves.  You are making sure you will be around for your families for year to come AND setting a great example for health and fitness.

This Week's Workouts
Finally, below are the workouts I chose for this week.  If you've been with us for a while you can choose your own favorites.  Newbies, these are for you.  #14 is a full body Tabata style workout with 10 different exercises per round.  Really rapid pace! #16 is my favorite 4-3-2-1 so far (plus the video for this one has my super cute 20 month old's silliness mixed it):  4 minutes of full body, heart pumping work; 3 minutes on the lower body; 2 minutes on the upper body; and 1 minute of core work. #18 is a Pilyo inspired circuit featuring some glider based moves.  Your butt and quads will be burning!  As always, repeat as desired. Make the workout your own.

What a crazy week last week!  We had 3 days off of school for snow days. I got so much work done for Living Room Workout Club.  I hope you like the upgrades to the website.  I'm especially excited about the new modifications section of the "How To"s.  So far I've added videos showing modifications and adaptations for burpees, squats, and lunges.  These exercises show up in many of our circuits; now you have options to increase or decrease the intensity and/or work around some injuries you might have.  Let me know if you want to see more like this for other exercises we do.

Vitamins: The end of the month marked the end of the FREE give away, but its never too late to try the best nutritional supplements out there. I've trusted this company with my health for almost a year and a half now. A little over a month ago, I started taking their new Peak Performance Pack. I noticed a difference in just the first few days: more energy, faster recovery from even the hardest workouts, and even better sleep. Don't just take my word for it though, look at what the research saying! "Though further research is planned, the Freiburg Study demonstrated that the Peak Performance Pack already delivers incredible, measurable benefits in these key categories of holistic health: heart, metabolic, and cellular health."  Read more...

Hidden Reasons You Might Be Packing on Extra Pounds: Of course exercise and eating right are the most important factors, but there are few other points to consider.  Check out the 5 Surprising & Less-Known Reasons You’re Packing On Extra Weight... Read more...

Voting: I would like you to help me choose the workouts for the next favorites week. Therefore, I'm going to include a poll at the bottom of each "Weekly Workout" post on the blog. Please vote for your favorites each week and help me choose the workouts for March's Favorites Week!

This Week's Workouts: Finally, below are this week's workouts.  #19 is a full body Tabata workout, one of our LRWOC standard workouts.  Be on the lookout for a few new moves!  #20 is all about the lower body and core.  You all asked for a killer ab workout, so here you go! #21 super-sets exercises using the same muscle group, combining stabilization, strength, and power. Keep an eye on the blog and Facebook for the videos this week.