Product Review: Tone Fitness Kettle Bells Set of Three

I followed my own challenge and got my very first pair of kettle bells! I couldn't wait to get home and use them!

My journey for the perfect one lead me to Academy. I actually happened across this set way in the corner away from all the other KBs. It comes with three weights. 5 lb, 10 lb, and 15 lb. I think that's a great set for a beginner. The set was about $30. It also came with a DVD.

These are not a piece of metal dipped with some sort of coating to help grip it with like the more expensive ones are. They are a thick vinyl that has cement inside them that makes them weighted. They are definitely not the best quality, but I think they'll do for what I'll be using them for. If you're planning on using them to burn out or you're known to drop weights at the end of your reps, then I definitely don't recommend them. I find the grip to be pretty good on them. I haven't gotten in a super sweaty workout, but I never fealt like they were going to slip. If you ever do, then you might want to get some lifting gloves.

I had been watching workouts on YouTube, so I knew what kind of things to expect as far as a workout goes. I got home got my workout clothes on, then popped in the DVD ready to follow along for a workout. I was pretty disappointed to find it's not a workout so much as it is directions on how to do several of the more common KB exercises. Some of the exercises weren't even done with proper form. There were a few good tips, so it's worth the 20 minutes or so it takes to watch it. (check out Wednesday's workout for some instructions on the proper form!)

All in all I think this is a great set for beginners. They might not be the most durable but for someone that doesn't use them for every workout, and didnt even know if they would like KB workouts, they make a great starter set. I'd say if you're just getting curious about KBs and all they can do for you, then go ahead and get this set!

Weekly Menu

I thought this week I'd show you my weekly menu. I've been having a hard time sticking to the plan, just cause no matter what it is I have a hard time sticking to it and keeping motivated. So this is what I came up with for this week. I've also changed the plan a little bit to have 3 meals and 3 snacks all spread to be within 2-3 hours of each other.  Be sure to drink a full glass or bottle of water with each meal and one 30 minutes before and one after your workout.  That will help get the 8 glasses of water in.

I hope you can get a few meal ideas from this! And Please, PLEASE share yours! I love cooking new things!

*the number of exchanges for each meal are listed beside each one*

Breakfast: 1 carb, 1 protein, 1 fruit, 1 fat, 1 milk

• Vanilla Protein Shake made with Milk, blended with banana. A slice of toast with Peanut Butter
• English muffin with butter, 1 egg, cheese, 1 apple
• Smoothie made with milk, vanilla protein powder, banana, peanut butter, and 1 tsp honey
• Egg sandwich on English muffin with 1 T mayo, and yogurt mixed with strawberries
• Yogurt with a peach and granola, handful of almonds
• Yogurt with pumpkin, walnuts and granola

Snack 1: 1 carb, 1 vegetable

• Baked tortilla chips, salsa
• Rice and broccoli
• bell pepper and corn
• mix of corn and Tomatoes
• Mix of black beans and bell peppers.

Lunch: 2 carbs, 2 meats, 1 veg, 1 fruit, 1 fat, 1 milk

• Salad with croutons, chicken, ranch, tomatoes and cheese
• salad with tuna, ranch, tomatoes, cheese, croutons
• tuna salad sandwich (1 can tuna with 1 T mayo) Lettuce, celery; banana smoothie (1 c milk with 1 banana--or 1 serving of any other fruit)
• French Onion Soup topped with a Toasted, cheesy English muffin. (spread english muffin with 1tsp butter and cheese place under broiler until cheese is slightly browned and bubbly, sprinkle with a little garlic salt); Banana
• Turkey Sandwich with Mayo, mustard, lettuce; yogurt with peach
• 2 tacos (with leftover fajita meat) with tomato, cheese, meat, lettuce and sour cream

Snack 2 (this is a hard one lol): 1 meat, 1 veg

• Almonds and Broccoli Flourettes
• Ham (lunch meat) and Cauliflower
• peanut butter and celery
• hummus and carrots (hummus also counts as a carb you'll have to pull from somewhere else--most likely dinner)
• Slice of Turkey Sandwich meat, tomato

Dinner: 3 carbs, 2 meats, 2 veg, 1 fruit, 2 fats

• White Chicken Chili (made from McCormick Seasoning mix, just follow recipe on package) with crackers (6), cheese, bell pepper and tomato
• Hamburger helper with green beans, carrots and watermelon
• Whole Wheat Spaghetti with ground turkey, sauce, mushrooms, onions (cook the mushrooms and onions with the meat as you're browning it, add the sauce while the noodles are boiling). Strawberry shortcake.
• Turkey Meatloaf with mac and cheese, green beans (I'll get the recipe posted soon. Veggies are cooked into it so I only added one). strawberry shortcake for dessert (slice of angel food cake, sugar free cool whip, strawberries)
• Baked Fish, Mac and Cheese, sweet potato fries, cauliflower. Cantaloupe
• Chicken Fajitas with onion, bell pepper, sour cream, beans and strawberries
• Hibachi chicken, fried rice, watermelon

Snack 3: 1 milk, 1 fruit, 1 carb

• Yogurt with granola and strawberries
• Smoothie: 1 cup milk, 1 tsp honey, 1 fruit of any kind (Ice can be added if your blender can handle it)
• Strawberries with slice of angel food cake and yogurt
• Whole grain cereal (look for one not loaded with sugar or high fructose corn syrup and with no partially hydrogenated oils!), with milk, add fruit of your choice
• Strawberry shortcake with REAL whipped cream, just measure carefully, go sugar free or sweeten with stevia. You'll have to take a fat from somewhere else that day

Alright, so that's it for the week! Who said you have to starve to eat healthy? Like I said before, please let me know what your meal ideas are! I'm so unoriginal when it comes to ideas lol. I'll get more recipes added to the recipes page for the ones not linked on here.

You can email me at lilly.bunns.boutique@gmail.com if you'd like a copy of my grocery list.

Weekly Challenge: Buy Workout Gear

I don't know about you, but I'm always ready to use something I've just bought.  Whenever I get home from shopping trips, the first thing I want to do is put on my new clothes.  Whenever I buy workout gear, I can't wait to get home and try it out.  So my challenge to you is to get some new gear!

You don't have to go out and spend a fortune.  Maybe you just spend 15 bucks on a new sports bra like the Danskin Now one I reviewed.  Or maybe you want to shell out some dough and get a treadmill.  I don't care what you go for, just get something that you want to use BAD.

I've been doing a lot of research on kettle bells.  I'm really wanting one.  It looks like such a great way to get a good cardio workout at the same time as using weights.  So, I'm getting one this weekend and I'm sure I'll want to rush home to use it!