Work It Out - Backwards Hack Squat

I love preforming squats on this machine because I can get nice and low with a decent amount of weight and not have to worry about loosing proper form. This move is focuses on glute, ham and quad development. Go low and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.

 

 

 

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Parallel Squat on Leg Thrust Machine

1. You can either use a true leg thrust machine, or if your gym does not have one, you can do the exercise by facing into the back pad of a hack squat machine. It is a good idea to warm your knees up with a few minutes of stationary cycling and stretching before beginning the exercise.
2. Place your feet about shoulder-width apart on the angled platform. If you want more emphasis on the vastus medialis— the medially located muscle of the quadriceps— you can move your feet closer together. Position your shoulders/clavicles into the shoulder pads. Grip the handles by the shoulder pads for additional upper body support.
3. Keep your head up and tighten your back. Extend (straighten) your knees to lift the weight stack and to move the safety bar out of the way. Make sure you have full control of the weight.
4. Control the weight as you lower your buttocks towards the floor by allowing your knees to flex. Continue squatting downward until the tops of your thighs are parallel to the platform (not the floor) or when your knee angle has reached 90 degrees.
5. After you have reached the parallel position at the bottom, stand up in a smooth and explosive manner. Stop just short of fully locking the knees out straight. This will maintain the tension on the thigh and hip muscles. Keep your back tight and your head up both on the way up and on the way down in subsequent repetitions.
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Get It!
- FitWhitt

Fit Foodie - Jelly Filled Donut Holes

I have been hard at work gathering and collecting blog ideas so that I can consistently bring you fitness inspiration and motivation. The blog structure will consists of 4-5 blog entries a week that range in topic from recipes, workouts, product reviews and tips on living a healthy and fit life.

Monday - Fit Foodie
This will be an opportunity for me to share recipes and meal prep ideas
Tuesday - Work It Out
This will cover a range of fitness advice focusing on at home work outs as well as gym sessions designed to target certain areas or even total body
Wednesday - FitWhitt Approved
There are a lot of products out there designed to make your life easier and your goals more manageable to achieve. Let me do the hard work and try them out and I will let you know which ones have my stamp of approval
Thursday - Inspire/Motivate Me
This will be an opportunity to share either my personal stories or someone else's fitness journey with you in hopes to encourage you that you are not alone in this journey
Friday - The FitLife Balance
If there is anything I have learned from pursuing a lifestyle in health and fitness, it is the importance of balance. I will be providing tips on how to live a balanced and healthy life

If you are ever curious about wanting me to address a certain topic, always feel free to contact me at: whittclinks@gmail.com and I will do my best to write up an interesting and informative topic for you.

Healthy Jelly-Filled Donuts

I have been on a contest diet prep plan since April 1st with NO cheat meals. I have been making significant gains and wonderful progress with my new coach but the cravings have officially begun. Instead of sitting around and engaging in dangerous food porn activities, I have decided that any food I desire can be made healthy. Instead of making a list of foods to eat after competition, I have begun making a list of foods to make "fitwhitt style". In other words, guiltless, good for you, fun and of course most importantly clean recipes. I was having a strong desire for a donut so I began to think about how to make a healthy simple version.

Ingredients
1 cup liquid egg whites
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
extract flavoring of choice
1-4 packets stevia
1 tbsp. of sugar free jelly
1 Wilton brownie pop mold

Instructions
1) Add egg whites, oats, flavoring and sweeteners to a blender and blend until smooth. I use my magic bullet for this.
2) Spray a light coat of non stick spray into "brownie pods"
3) Pour mixture into pods. Should fill all 8 equally.
4) Insert a small amount of jelly into each pod.
5) Bake at 350 for approx. 15-20 min or until eggs are cooked. Mine would boil over the top a little bit.

Pop out and cool. You can dip them in PB2 to make them peanut butter and jelly flavored or use sugar free syrup as well. I also like to take my cinnamon graham cracker whey protein powder and mix with water till I have the consistency of icing. I then use the protein powder icing on the donuts.

I found sugar free jelly that is naturally sweetened with Truvia at my local WalMart. You can check the Smucker's website to see if it is available near you.

Hope you enjoy this healthy and fun way to eat clean. Make sure your food is always a source of nutrient fuel for your body. It is not about what you WANT to eat but what your body NEEDS to eat as fuel. Change your mindset about the power of food and it's nutrients to question what your food can do for you!

- FitWhitt