Last Minute Gift Ideas on a Budget

If you're down to the wire this holiday season, short on cash and need a last minute gift consider these:

• Home Baked Goods - Bake some cookies, Rice Krispies Treats, muffins etc. There's no faster way to someone's heart than through their stomach.

• Lottery Scratchers* - Unwrapping a scratcher (scratching it) and the associated anticipation is what makes them so much fun. In all likelyhood that's all the recipient is going to get but if they're lucky it could be the gift of a lifetime … and they might just share with the person who gave it to them.

*Caveat: Don't give this to anyone with an addictive personality; a gambling problem isn't a gift. Also, make sure the recipient is of legal age.

• Mixed CD - It's corny and dates back to your high school days but it's personalized and if you introduce a friend or loved one to music they end up loving, they might be thanking you for years.

• Art/Photos - Everyone loves art. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece; give your best friend a photo of you two together or give your parents a painting done by their grandchild. One of my favorite places to get inexpensive frames is Crate & Barrel.

• Gingerbread House Kit - If you give someone a gingerbread house and they aren't thrilled consider putting them on next year's naughty list.

• Gift Certificate - This is perhaps the least personal of all gifts but often the most appreciated. Amazon is my favorite becasue they have a plethora of options for almost anyone. iTunes is another great option.

Christmas in My Ears

Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - James Taylor

Mele Kalikimaka - Jimmy Buffett

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Michael Bublé

Little Drummer Boy - Neil Diamon

Twelve Days of Christmas - John Denver & the Muppets

Baby, It's Cold Outside - She & Him

Last Christmas - Taylor Swift

White Christmas - Bing Crosb with Frank Sinatra

Jingle Bells - Ella Fitzgerald

The Nutcracker, Op. 71a, Act 1: Scene 2: March - London Symphony Orchestra & Sir Charles Mackerras

Santa Baby - Miss Piggy

Intermediate Workout

WARM-UP

• 300 swim

• 300 kick

• 300 pull

WORKOUT

• 400 i.m. strong

• 4x50 fly 1:00

• 4x25 fly :40

• 300 i.m. strong

• 4x50 back 1:00

• 4x25 back :40

• 200 i.m. strong

• 4x50 breast 1:00

• 4x25 breast :40

• 100 i.m. strong

• 4x50 free 1:00

• 4x25 free :40

WARM DOWN

• 300 easy

TOTAL: 3, 400 yd.

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE! If you attempt to follow it you are doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK! When making any changes to your fitness routine ALWAYS take your personal limits into serious consideration and ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE you obtain prior approval from a licensed and board certified physician!

Dry Workout

BEFORE JUMPING IN THE POOL:

1x:

• 50 crunches

4x:

• 10 squats

• 4 push-ups

• 4 pull-ups

• 50 crunches

4x:

• 10 lunges

• 10 v sit-ups

• 30 sec. elbow (prone) bridge

1x:

• 50 crunches

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE! If you attempt to follow it you are doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK! When making any changes to your fitness routine ALWAYS take your personal limits into serious consideration and ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE you obtain prior approval from a licensed and board certified physician!

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars

I wanted to share with you a recipe I created that was inspired by my favorite post-workout treat from a local coffee shop in Berkeley, California. Peanut Butter Crispy Bars are the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and fill me up after a long run or swim practice. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. They won’t last long…because they are sooo good!

2½ cups of rice cereal (you know, the kind that snap, crackle, pop)

3/4 cup of dried cranberries (or dried fruit of your choice!)

½ cup of rolled oats

1 cup creamy peanut butter (crunchy works as well!)

½ cup brown rice syrup

½ cup agave nectar

1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, combine the rice cereal, dried cranberries, and oats. Set aside. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the peanut butter, rice syrup, agave nectar, and vanilla, until melted. Pour over dry ingredients and mix with wooden spoon until combined. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan. Using clean hands, press down the mixture. Let “nap” for 1 hour in the fridge before slicing (if you can wait that long!) Enjoy as a snack or healthy dessert!

Makes about 16.

GF and Vegan.

Come visit me over at Pushups with Polish!

-By Guest Blogger Emily Bibb

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. When making any changes to your diet you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician! 

My Boys and I

Sacha, Amanda & Blaise

One of my favorite family pics from our last trip to Oahu.

Novice Workout

WARM-UP

• 200 swim

• 100 kick

• 100 pull

WORKOUT

• 4x100 (1 kick/1 drill/1 swim)

• 8x50 (2 kick/2 drill/4 swim)

• 16x25 (4kick/4 drill/8 swim)

WARM-DOWN

• 200 easy

TOTAL: 1,800 yd.

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE! If you attempt to follow it you are doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK! When making any changes to your fitness routine ALWAYS take your personal limits into serious consideration and ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE you obtain prior approval from a licensed and board certified physician!

Advanced Workout

WARM-UP

• 600 swim

• 400 kick

• 200 pull

WORKOUT

• 4x100 i.m. (descend 1-4) 1:30

• 4x200 i.m. (descend 1-4) 3:00

• 4x400 i.m. (descend 1-4) 6:00

• 12x50 kick (1 easy/1 fast) 1:00

• 400 pull (every other lap - only three breaths)

WARM-DOWN

• 200 easy

TOTAL: 5,200 yd.

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE! If you attempt to follow it you are doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK! When making any changes to your fitness routine ALWAYS take your personal limits into serious consideration and ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE you obtain prior approval from a licensed and board certified physician!

Healthy On the Go

Being an athlete can be a full time job and if you’re also a parent, a student, have a second job or all of the above, always remembering to pack a healthy snack can be difficult so try to buy foods that are easy to grab on the go. Any snack that takes time to prepare is a luxury not usually afforded to those with an active lifestyle.

A FEW QUICK SNACKS…

• Two Moms in the Raw Blueberry Nut Bar: you might have read about this one on a previous blog of mine. Clearly I am obsessed!

• A Honeycrisp apple with Justin's Almond Butter (comes in packets for on-the-go)

• Trader Joes' bagged dried fruit (I prefer peaches and apricots)

• A banana or two (can also pair with Justin's Almond Butter)

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip LÄRABAR

• OSTRIM Beef & Ostrich Sports Nutrition Meat Sticks (my best friend got me hooked on these...sounds interesting but they are SO good and 14g Protein!)

• Bagged mini carrots, celery and peppers sliced up (I usually prepare these the night before, throw them in a Ziploc in the fridge to take next morning)

• An avocado (sounds strange, but eating an avocado is so satisfying, not to mention has the healthy oils and fats we need)

• Greens + Chocolate Coated Peanut Butter Protein Bar (you can find these at a health food store---has ALL the greens plus the tasty chocolate coating!)

A FEW QUICK FACTS…

• Being an athlete requires expending a lot of energy on workout days. 

• FUEL = ENERGY

• The most crucial times to snack/eat and quickly fuel the body are before a workout, during a workout (depending on your sport), immediately following a workout and every few hours during the day.

• Most athletes do not snack enough and if they do, not healthily enough.

• Snacking habits are easy to change.

-By guest blogger Caroline Stilwell Burckle

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember this is only an opinion. When making any changes to your diet you are doing so at your own risk and should have prior approval from your physician!

In My Ears

Somebody That I Used to Know (feat. Kimbra) - Gotye

How Come You Never Go There - Feist

Monkey Uptown [Explicit]* - Iron & Wine

Hanging On the Wire - PJ Harvey

Bizness - Tune-Yards

Crazy (Live) - The Kills

I Follow Rivers (iTunes Session) - Lykke Li

*If you are under 18 years of age make sure you have your parent's permission before listening to or purchasing this song!

Intermediate Workout

WARM-UP

• 300 swim

• 200 kick

• 200 pull

WORKOUT

• 8x100 (25 kick no board/50 drill/25 swim) 1:45

• 6x100 kick (50 fast/50 easy) 2:00

• 4x100 pull (descend 1-4) 1:40

• 2x100 fast choice stroke 2:00

• 100 easy

• 16x25 (1 no breath/1 easy) :45

WARM DOWN

• 200 easy

TOTAL: 3,400 yd.

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE! If you attempt to follow it you are doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK! When making any changes to your fitness routine ALWAYS take your personal limits into serious consideration and ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE you obtain prior approval from a licensed and board certified physician!

Novice Workout

WARM-UP

• 200 swim

• 100 kick

• 100 pull

WORKOUT

• 2x100 kick 2:00

• 8x25 kick (1 easy/1fast) :50

• 2x100 pull 1:45

• 8x25 pull (1easy/1 fast) :45

• 400 (breathe every 3rd stroke)

WARM-DOWN

• 100 easy

TOTAL: 1,700 yd.

If you have any questions please ask in the comment section below and remember THIS IS ONLY AN EXAMPLE! If you attempt to follow it you are doing so AT YOUR OWN RISK! When making any changes to your fitness routine ALWAYS take your personal limits into serious consideration and ABSOLUTELY MAKE SURE you obtain prior approval from a licensed and board certified physician!