HIIT Cardio to Blast Fat

I'm back!!! Even though I should not be so excited about it to add three exclamation marks... My vacation was amazing and relaxing. BUT... I gained 5.5lbs from extremely overeating. I mean I ate myself into a food coma about five times a day! I told you all I was really a fat girl at heart and unfortunately, I gain weight super easy. A huge part of me felt like taking the rest of the year off from my dieting and fitness plan. But I knew that would only make it worse come January 1st to start back up again. 

How I Went from Fat to Fit

Ok, so after all this time, I realized I've never really told my full story of how I came to write a blog about fitness and nutrition. My entire life I've been active and part of most every sport you can play...softball, swimming, track, basketball, tennis, horseback riding, volleyball, etc. I played sports year-round in both indoor arena leagues, summer travel leagues, and in my own back yard. So you read this and probably think, well she's been in shape her entire life. Not quite.

What to Eat After a Workout

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But, when most people think they just grab a greasy burger after an all-out, intense workout, they better think again!! This is a big no-no. When you workout, your body is burning fuel from your pre-workout meal. Glycogen stored in muscles begins to breakdown and an hour after your workout, your muscles begin to break down. Right after a workout, your body is the most receptive to absorbing carbohydrates and protein.

Don't Let Snacking Get the Best of You!

Ok, so I've been in a little bit of rough patch lately. I'm human too! This is a common issue for dieters, which makes dieting so damn difficult. I thought I was doing well with my exercises and my meals. So I decided to go the old-school way and write down everything I was eating. I wasn't doing too well tracking in my app and looking back on past calories consumed. 

Fitness Friday Recipe: Healthy Snacks

#TGIF #FitFam! Just because the weekend is almost here, don't forget all of your hard work this week to accomplish your fitness goals! While the weekends typically mean more going out, more snacking, and overall more calories, don't let it get the best of you. Here are a couple really easy, really quick, and really cheap snack ideas to help you stay on track the next couple of days. These are personally my favorite #CleanEating snacks. 

Love ice cream but don't indulge because the calories and fat just aren't worth it? Here's a healthy alternative... Frozen Nutty Banana Nibblers. This delicious-tasting treat is just over 160 calories per serving and offers 4.1 grams of fiber and 3.7 grams of protein, so you can feel good reaching for an extra nibbler or two. For an added bonus, they are a cinch to whip up, and since you can store them in the freezer, you'll have a go-to healthy dessert whenever your sweet cravings kick into high gear. 

Ingredients:

5 medium ripe bananas

1 tbsp. all natural creamy peanut butter

2 oz. nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt

1) Peel one banana and mash it with the peanut butter and yogurt.

2) Peel the other four bananas. Slice into half-inch thick slices.

3) Smear the banana, peanut butter, and yogurt mixture on half the banana slices and top with the other halves, making banana sandwiches.

4) Place on a wooden cutting board or a plate and freeze for at least two hours.

These Apple Sandwiches may look like a kid's treat, but trust me, adults will love it too! Especially if you are dieting and want to eat items that are packed with vitamins, minerals, protein, and good fats. Now don't get me wrong, if your kids love this snack then that's great too! Much better alternative to those french fries at McDonald's!

Ingredients:

1 apple-sliced into thin rounds

1-2 tbsp all natural peanut butter or almond butter

Handful of raisins

Drizzle of honey

Chopped walnuts or almonds

Cinnamon

1) Thinly slice the apple into 8 rounds.

2) Top 4 apple rounds with peanut butter, raisins, nuts and drizzle with a little honey.

3) Top each round with the other 4 apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Fitness Humor on Hump Day

Well it's HUMP DAY! For those working professionals that means your half way through your work week, but yet the weekend seems so far away! I thought I make a quick blog post to bring you some fitness humor to brighten your week. And, since the work day is winding down and about to come to a close, this means you are probably only a few hours away from hitting the gym and getting your much needed stress reliever on, your workout! You can find more humorous health and fitness posts and images at Facebook.com/FitFadFan and @FitFadFan. So please, take a moment to laugh and read these: 

Get Your Best Butt

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It's Monday and the beginning of the week is never easy. Some of us are going back to our regular routine while others are starting their routine over again. Whichever best describes you and your fitness motivation today, I'm here to help get you through it! So if you're looking for an easier routine to get you started this week, then this is the post for you. 

Just How Healthy Are Sweet Potatoes

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I look around my office filled with competitors, bodybuilders, weekend warriors, and your plain ol' average joes and I notice at lunch time, about 90% of the people are eating sweet potatoes. When you work in a health conscious environment, you start noticing the gym routines, the eating habits, and the little tips and tricks others use to live healthier. And then you find yourself adapting these new habits. 

Tip of the Day for Healthy Living

TIP OF THE DAY: Every day counts! Many people struggle over the weekend to stay on track. And I've noticed on my blog stats that my page views drastically decrease over the weekends. This just proves my thoughts, many of us find it a greater challenge to make time for workouts and stay on top of our meals on the weekends. You may be unpleasantly surprised as to how much hard work you can reverse in just 2-3 days. If your mindset is that you work hard during the week, so you can slack on the weekends, it may be time for a different approach! It's a constant battle and you have to work hard at it each and every day in order to achieve true success. And I'm not going to lie, it's not easy. But nothing in life is easy. That's why life is a constant battle as some so. But I like to look at life as a constant challenge. And I always love a good challenge :) 

DAILY MOTIVATION:

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Healthy Snacks for Dieters

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So you started a diet and you constantly feel hungry. Think you shouldn't snack? Think again! If you are hungry, you should eat. But, you have to be mindful of what you eat and how much of it you eat. If you opt for the right kind of snacks, they can be your lifesaver to get you through the day without killing someone! LOL (I hope) When trying to decide what to stock up on for snacks, try items that are low in sugar, sodium, fat, or calories. Definitely grab ones that have added benefits like fiber, antioxidants, vitamin D, calcium, etc... 

Southwest Chicken Salad Stuffed Avocado

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If you love avocados then you are going to absolutely love the recipe in this post! Often thought of as a vegetable, avocados are a nifty little fruit that provide healthy fats the body needs along with providing other great health benefits. They support cardiovascular health, contain antioxidants, may help aid in weight loss, enhance the body's absorption of nutrients, and more!

There are many ways to eat or add avocado to your diet. You can eat fresh slices like I do, or add to your salads, add to your morning eggs, or cook it in with your chicken and salmon orzo salad for dinner. The possibilities are endless. But this is definitely a fruit that packs a huge benefit in the health and fitness arena.

Small Changes Lead to Weight Loss

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You don't need to diet to lose weight. Making simple changes, adjustments, or improvements can do wonders to your body. So don't starve yourself and don't believe the Atkin's Diet or HCG or whatever the newest fad diet plan is. Just be mindful of some minor things and you can have weight loss success. 

Don't Have TIME to Eat Healthy? That's BS!

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Whether it's working full time, shuffling the kids around, making time for the gym, running errands, and the list could go on, we all live busy lives. Managing our ever growing to-do lists can often lead to failed diets from eating out or eating pre-made junk food just to save some time from not cooking. But, you can find healthy alternatives when your time is limited! So, no more excuses! Gone are the days you say you don't have time to cook healthy. I'm here to share some secrets on quick meals that are also healthy. The key is planning your meals ahead and stick to a strict shopping list. 

Diet Tips for Ultimate Weight Loss

While physical activity plays a big role in weight loss and overall health, your diet plays an even bigger role. I've heard that weight loss is a result of 80% diet and 20% exercise. Perfect example is my mom, she joined Weight Watchers and in a year, she lost over 115 pounds! The only physical activity she performed was moderate walking while out shopping for the day... Although, I am still a firm believer in exercise to build a healthy heart, strong bones and muscle tone. But, if perform physical activity and eat junk food, your results will not pan out how you'd like them too. 

Sticking to a healthy diet is a lifestyle change. And, self control is a top reason most diets fail. So here are some diet tips to help you when you're struggling to reach your weight loss goals:

A Spot of Tea or Cup o' Joe?

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Would you like a spot of tea? Or are you a cup o' Joe type of person? There has been an ongoing debate of whether tea or coffee is better for you, which one you should drink in the morning, and what the actual health benefits of each are. I definitely prefer coffee over tea, but there are days a cup of tea taste pretty amazing. So just what is the difference and which is better? 

Welcome Fellow Fitness Fans!

Hi Everyone! Thanks for stopping by... 

I've started this blog because if you're like me, you may want to know more about fitness gear, grub and grind :) I have been active my entire life, struggled with weight loss and gain, and changed up my eating habits more often than Katy Perry changes her hair style/color!! lol This is my opportunity to share with you the various fitness gadgets, awesome recipes, and workout routines, along with some tips and tricks. 

Now you might be wondering..."Why should I listen to her?" Well you don't have to! This is my perspective on things and I hope my reviews and ideas might be able to benefit you in some way. And if you have any feedback or questions, bring 'em on! I'd love to hear from you.

Just know, I am not a fitness/nutrition expert by any means, but I consider this my hobby or passion. I'm an avid gym-goer and take my health seriously, but I'm not that super-buff, 10% body fat, 6-pack abs chick we are all envious of. I consider myself to be like most people who fight the constant battle to live healthy while trying to enjoy indulgences! And note, I do NOT believe in any miracle pills or lose-20lbs-in-a-week scams! Everything takes time and dedication, and if you want to be successful in your journey, you MUST know this.

Aside from all of the above, I actually work in the nutrition industry professionally, for about five years now. Because of this, I learn all kinds of things I never knew before and want to share them with you. 

So each entry, I will cover either a gadget, food/recipe, or exercise that I feel like talking about. So be sure to come back and check it out!