Project: Best Bum Ever – 5 Minute Bom-Bom Workout Combo

So, it all started with this Nike ad I found in SELF Magazine a couple years back. I pulled it out from the magazine and had it taped various places around my apartment – the fridge, my bedroom wall, the bathroom... FINALLY, after two years and a move across the country, I'm going to get my best bum ever!!

I'm on Day 7 of project: Best Bum Ever, and I'm already feeling the transformation! It's fantastic. Here's the combo:

In the morning, I do the following two combos I found on Pinterest. Be ready for your biscuits to burn!

Do this one first! It will make the next combo work even better!

Check out www.30dayfitnesschallenges.com for more great fitness challenges!
 I'm going to try the plank one next! 

 My legs were burning constantly from Day 2 - Day 5. They were burning a little on Day 6, and Day 7 (today) it's not hurting anymore!

Because all these exercises are pulsing, staccato-like exercises, a good stretch after will help relieve some of the burn.

As a dancer, with a focus on ballet, I like my legs muscular, but lean; the buff and bulky look is not for me. To combat these pulsing stretches, I do a plié combination in the evening. This keeps up my twice-a-day exercise routine, but stretches out those tight muscles to get my beautiful, lean, pre-baby ballerina legs back!

NOTE: If the below is too confusing and too much work, just do the morning exercise again in the evening!

The plié combo consists of:

2 demi-pliés – 1 count of 8, 1 grande plié – 1 count of 8, and 1 élevé – 6 counts, 2 counts to prep for the next set – as one set.
Do each set twice for each position – 1st, 2nd, 4th (once right, once left), 5th (once right, once left).

Hold a passé élevé for two counts of 8 on each side after finishing the 5th position plié combo.

I hope you can feel the burn with me and get your best bum ever!!

Amber


For instructional videos on how to do these ballet stretches, see below.

The 5 Ballet Positions

Demi-plié

Grande plié

Rélevé

Passé

Blending Flavors

During my monthly shopping trip to Woodman's, slightly comparable to Winco, free samples were being offered. In Wisconsin, free samples are always fantastic. I'm not the biggest fan of Wisconsin, but I am a fan of all the delicious food: fresh cheese, a variety of mom and pop shop specialty meats, etc. The free samples that were offered this week included pizza, bratwurst burgers, BBQ sauce, and my favorite of the day, this Italian sausage with a recipe handed down for a few generations.

This Italian sausage was served in a store bought Alfredo sauce, and happens to be my favorite, and just paired with it perfectly! When I tasted this sausage, as the lady was telling me all about it, I felt like Remmy in Ratatouille, when he's explaining the feeling of blending flavors... Just mmmm!! It was fantastic. I wouldn't normally spend $4 on one pound of meat, but this splurge was worth it to me that day.

I've been dying to make this sausage Alfredo since I tried it. I held off for a few days, but finally caved and made it tonight! I stood in front of the Fettuccini the entire time it cooked to ensure it was perfectly Al dente, and poured a little milk in with the sauce as it simmered with the sausage for perfect flavor blending. I then chopped a fresh spinach and romaine salad with fresh vegetables, feta and Italian dressing, and voilà! Perfect weeknight dinner. I savored every bite, and am looking forward to the leftovers.

Call me crazy all you want, for loving food as much as I do, but when one of your passions is delicious flavor, it happens. Ratatouille explains it perfectly. :)

http://youtu.be/Yyah49_Oz78