evepostappleOnce upon a time, there was a woman named Eve, who, unable to resist the luring temptation of a fragrant orchard, took a bite of forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge. Perhaps Eve was bored. Perhaps she was ovulating and had a desperate craving for something sweet. Perhaps life in the little garden was becoming stressful or claustrophobic. Perhaps she felt out of control or lacked passion in her life and in order to numb her emotions or soothe herself from Adam's lack of attention or his ambivalence in starting a family, she chose to indulge. Perhaps Eve was an emotional eater. But as Eve soon discovered, neither the bite, nor the whole fruit fulfilled her as she had hoped. Not only did she realize she was naked but that she had contempt for the way she looked. Perhaps Eve suffered with body dismorphia. Eve tried to stop eating the forbidden fruit and eventually avoided eating altogether but that didn't work and she ended up eating until she could no longer breathe. The point of this is that Eve lost her intuitive ability to nourish herself. She no longer had balance in her life and was willing to do any and everything to get that back.

Maybe Eve didn't exist. Maybe the stories that were told are not as important as the stories we tell ourselves.

This blog is dedicated to creating new stories based on the philosophies of whole body nutrition, self-love, intuition, fitness and yoga.

In my journey I have sought to uncover the knowledge and balance which have brought me to a greater awareness of health and this is what I wish to share with you.

About Me

I am a holistic nutritionist, certified yoga instructor, athlete, healthy living chef, and published writer. I have spent the last four years of my life rebuilding all aspects of myself after recovering from an eating disorder. Follow me as I continue to eat clean, train hard, and discover balance mind, body and spirit. zainsaraswatijamal.com

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    August Beach Body Workout OK my lovely Fitblrs, the month we have all been waiting for has arrived!  All of the months of clean eating and training can be celebrated with bikini tops and cute shorts but if you kind of fell of the wagon with one too many frosty mojitos as soon as the sun popped out in early June, this is the workout that will get your beach body back and then some! Adapted from Oxygen Magazine’s Beach Body Workout, this workout will train all parts of your body and leave you feeling fantastic. ***Shoot for 3-4 Sets, reps listed for each exercise Warm up: 15 minutes incline walking on treadmill (highest incline that you can without using the handles) 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching  Workout: **you will be doing 45sec Plyo intervals between each strength bearing exercise for a super fat-torching, calorie burning hit! Set 1 -  45sec bench hops (hopping over the bench supported by your arms) Plié Squat Target Muscles: gluteus maximus, quadriceps, adductorsSet Up: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out at 45-degree angles. Grasp a single dumbbell with both hands, letting it hang naturally between your legs.Action: Inhale as you bend at the knees into a squat, stopping when your thighs are almost parallel to the ground. Push through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes and pushing your pelvis forward at the top of the motion. Repeat for eight to 10 reps. Set 2 -  45sec Mountain Climbers Dumbbell Row Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboidsSet Up: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward your body. Lean forward from your hips at a 45-degree angle and bend your knees slightly. Extend your arms so that they are in front of your knees, keeping a tight stretch within your arms and upper back. Action: Exhale as you pull the dumbbells toward your chest, flaring your elbows out to the sides. Retract your shoulder blades as you pull.  Hold for a count before inhaling and slowly returning to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 12 reps. Set 3 -  45sec Burpees Alternating Dumbbell Curl Target Muscles: biceps brachiiSet Up: Sit on a bench with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward. Action: With your upper arms tight to the sides of your body and your shoulder blades retracted, flex your right elbow to bring the dumbbell toward your right shoulder. Pause, then inhale and lower slowly to the starting position. Repeat on the left side for one rep; do 10 to 12 reps in total. Set 4 -  45sec Lateral Skaters Dumbbell Step-Up Target Muscles: quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, calvesSet Up: Stand with your feet hip-width apart in front of a tall bench (it should be slightly higher than your knees). Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, allowing your arms to hang naturally at your sides. Maintain a neutral spine and retract your shoulder blades for good form.Action: Place your right foot on the bench so that your sole is fully supported. Push through your right heel to raise your body onto the bench, letting your left foot dangle just off of its surface. Perform eight to 10 reps on your right leg, then do the same on your left. Set 5 -  45sec Bench Hops Flat-Bench Dumbbell Chest Press Target Muscles: pectoralis major (sternal aspect)Set Up:Lie face up on a bench with your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, bringing your upper arms parallel to your shoulders and your wrists above your elbows.Action:Exhale as you raise the dumbbells up and over your chest, stopping just short of touching the heads. Inhale as you slowly lower back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions. Set 6 -  45sec Frog Jumps Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press Target Muscles:middle deltoidsSet Up:Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, aligning your upper arms with your shoulders and your wrists directly above your elbows. Your palms should now be facing forward.Action:Exhale and press the weights upward, bringing them about an inch apart above your head. Pause for a count before inhaling and lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position. Complete 10 to 12 repetitions. Set 7 -  45sec Jumping Jacks Seated Triceps Extension Target Muscles:triceps brachii (long head)Set Up:Sit on a flat bench or low-backed seat. Hold a single dumbbell with both hands and position it behind your neck, keeping your upper arms close to your ears and your forearms parallel to the floor.Action:Extend your arms to bring the weight above your head, being careful not lock your elbows. Your upper arms should remain stationary beside your head at all times. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, ensuring it does not drop past parallel to the floor. Repeat for eight to 10 reps. Set 8 -  45sec Single Leg Hopping (right leg)  Stiff-Legged Deadlift Target Muscles: gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae Set Up: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body.Action: Inhale as you lean forward from your hips, lowering the dumbbells past your knees. Hold when you feel a deep stretch in the back of your thighs. Exhale and contract your hamstrings to bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat for eight to 10 reps. Set 9 -  45sec Single Leg Hopping (left leg) Cross-Bench Pullover Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, triceps brachii Set Up: Support your shoulders on the broad side of a flat bench and position your feet hip-width apart, thighs parallel to the floor for stability. Hold the head of a single dumbbell with both hands, extending your arms above your chest. Do not lock your elbows.Action: Move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbell directly behind your head, keeping your elbows in a fixed position throughout the move. Do not let your arms extend farther than parallel to the floor. Exhale as you raise the weight back to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 12 times. Set 10 -  45sec High Knees Jumping Standing Dumbbell Cross-Chest Curl Target Muscles:brachialis, biceps brachii Set Up:Stand with your feet hip-width apart, grasping a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing forward. Action:With your upper arms tight to the sides of your body and your shoulder blades retracted, flex your right elbow to bring the dumbbell toward your left shoulder. Pause, then inhale and slowly lower to the starting position. Complete 10 to 12 reps on the right arm, then switch hands and repeat on the left side.

    August Beach Body Workout

    OK my lovely Fitblrs, the month we have all been waiting for has arrived!  All of the months of clean eating and training can be celebrated with bikini tops and cute shorts but if you kind of fell of the wagon with one too many frosty mojitos as soon as the sun popped out in early June, this is the workout that will get your beach body back and then some!

    Adapted from Oxygen Magazine’s Beach Body Workout, this workout will train all parts of your body and leave you feeling fantastic.

    ***Shoot for 3-4 Sets, reps listed for each exercise

    Warm up:

    • 15 minutes incline walking on treadmill (highest incline that you can without using the handles)
    • 3-5 minutes dynamic stretching 
    Workout:

    **you will be doing 45sec Plyo intervals between each strength bearing exercise for a super fat-torching, calorie burning hit!

    Set 1 - 
    • 45sec bench hops (hopping over the bench supported by your arms)
    • Plié Squat

    Target Muscles: gluteus maximus, quadriceps, adductors

    Set Up: Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out at 45-degree angles. Grasp a single dumbbell with both hands, letting it hang naturally between your legs.

    Action: Inhale as you bend at the knees into a squat, stopping when your thighs are almost parallel to the ground. Push through your heels to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes and pushing your pelvis forward at the top of the motion. Repeat for eight to 10 reps.

    Set 2 - 

    • 45sec Mountain Climbers
    • Dumbbell Row

    Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids

    Set Up: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing toward your body. Lean forward from your hips at a 45-degree angle and bend your knees slightly. Extend your arms so that they are in front of your knees, keeping a tight stretch within your arms and upper back. 

    Action: Exhale as you pull the dumbbells toward your chest, flaring your elbows out to the sides. Retract your shoulder blades as you pull.  Hold for a count before inhaling and slowly returning to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 12 reps.

    Set 3 - 

    • 45sec Burpees
    • Alternating Dumbbell Curl

    Target Muscles: biceps brachii

    Set Up: Sit on a bench with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing forward. 

    Action: With your upper arms tight to the sides of your body and your shoulder blades retracted, flex your right elbow to bring the dumbbell toward your right shoulder. Pause, then inhale and lower slowly to the starting position. Repeat on the left side for one rep; do 10 to 12 reps in total.

    Set 4 - 

    • 45sec Lateral Skaters
    • Dumbbell Step-Up

    Target Muscles: quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, calves

    Set Up: Stand with your feet hip-width apart in front of a tall bench (it should be slightly higher than your knees). Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, allowing your arms to hang naturally at your sides. Maintain a neutral spine and retract your shoulder blades for good form.

    Action: Place your right foot on the bench so that your sole is fully supported. Push through your right heel to raise your body onto the bench, letting your left foot dangle just off of its surface. Perform eight to 10 reps on your right leg, then do the same on your left.

    Set 5 - 

    • 45sec Bench Hops
    • Flat-Bench Dumbbell Chest Press

    Target Muscles: pectoralis major (sternal aspect)

    Set Up:Lie face up on a bench with your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, bringing your upper arms parallel to your shoulders and your wrists above your elbows.

    Action:Exhale as you raise the dumbbells up and over your chest, stopping just short of touching the heads. Inhale as you slowly lower back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 to 12 repetitions.

    Set 6 - 

    • 45sec Frog Jumps
    • Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

    Target Muscles:middle deltoids

    Set Up:Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand, aligning your upper arms with your shoulders and your wrists directly above your elbows. Your palms should now be facing forward.

    Action:Exhale and press the weights upward, bringing them about an inch apart above your head. Pause for a count before inhaling and lowering the dumbbells back to the starting position. Complete 10 to 12 repetitions.

    Set 7 - 

    • 45sec Jumping Jacks
    • Seated Triceps Extension

    Target Muscles:triceps brachii (long head)

    Set Up:Sit on a flat bench or low-backed seat. Hold a single dumbbell with both hands and position it behind your neck, keeping your upper arms close to your ears and your forearms parallel to the floor.

    Action:Extend your arms to bring the weight above your head, being careful not lock your elbows. Your upper arms should remain stationary beside your head at all times. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position, ensuring it does not drop past parallel to the floor. Repeat for eight to 10 reps.

    Set 8 - 

    • 45sec Single Leg Hopping (right leg)

    •  Stiff-Legged Deadlift

    Target Muscles: gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae

    Set Up: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs with your palms facing your body.

    Action: Inhale as you lean forward from your hips, lowering the dumbbells past your knees. Hold when you feel a deep stretch in the back of your thighs. Exhale and contract your hamstrings to bring your body back to the starting position. Repeat for eight to 10 reps.
    Set 9 - 
    • 45sec Single Leg Hopping (left leg)

    • Cross-Bench Pullover

    Target Muscles: latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, triceps brachii

    Set Up: Support your shoulders on the broad side of a flat bench and position your feet hip-width apart, thighs parallel to the floor for stability. Hold the head of a single dumbbell with both hands, extending your arms above your chest. Do not lock your elbows.

    Action: Move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbell directly behind your head, keeping your elbows in a fixed position throughout the move. Do not let your arms extend farther than parallel to the floor. Exhale as you raise the weight back to the starting position. Repeat 10 to 12 times.

    Set 10 - 

    • 45sec High Knees Jumping

    Standing Dumbbell Cross-Chest Curl

    Target Muscles:brachialis, biceps brachii

    Set Up:Stand with your feet hip-width apart, grasping a dumbbell in your right hand with your palm facing forward.

    Action:With your upper arms tight to the sides of your body and your shoulder blades retracted, flex your right elbow to bring the dumbbell toward your left shoulder. Pause, then inhale and slowly lower to the starting position. Complete 10 to 12 reps on the right arm, then switch hands and repeat on the left side.

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