Focus During Workout

What's one of my many pet peeves? People on their phones at the gym. I'll be running on the treadmill and the person next to me will take an incoming call and talk for a good 20 minutes. For starters, you can't get your heart rate up and secondly, you are in no way, shape or form focusing on your task at hand... to workout! The worst is when I see people doing squats while texting. Multitasking is not always a good thing and it's a very bad thing at the gym. 

Is p90x Right for You?

When I first began working out, I was not comfortable enough getting a gym membership. That was too much commitment for me and I was self-conscious. I had heard of Beach Body's p90x and my friends and boyfriend were trying it so I decided to give it a shot too. The ease of working out at home at any time really appealed to me instead of trying to make a specific class time or getting in the car to drive the gym. I know that sounds lazy but hey, when you're just getting started, convenience is key.

Why Do You Exercise?

I get asked a lot why I go to the gym as often as I do, or how do I do it? It's quite simple. My health, my appearance, and my sanity. Aren't those the reason most everyone incorporates fitness into their lives? I care enough about my health to eat right and exercise. And actually my sanity falls into the health category too. I have a stressful job and the older I get, the harder it is for me to deal with stress. Going to a kickboxing class or running 4 miles really does make me feel better. 

Happy New Year's Resolution Planning!

Another year is about to come to a close and most people are probably thinking about their New Year's Resolutions. The #1 goal most people make for a new year is a new you, or weight loss. And to fit into this statistic, that is part of mine. I have let my self control get out of hand lately and it's my goal to work on it. In turn, this will help my nutrition and weight loss goals. 

Mommy and Baby Workout Routine

So I had the joy of watching my 2 month old nephew the other day. And let me start by saying, man, that was some hard work! I don't think I could do it on a daily basis. My entire schedule was off. And anyone who knows me knows I live by a schedule. Although I don't feel like I did much over the course of the day, I do feel like I got a pretty decent workout in. lol My little nugget would get bored if I kept him in one position for too long, so I had to keep switching arm positions and bounce him around throughout the day. He's already nearing 12lbs and it doesn't seem like much until you have to hold him for hours on end. 

I always thought if I ever decided to have kids that it would throw a wrench in my workout routine. But I realized the other day that there are quite a few exercises you can do with a baby that will benefit both of you! So whether you have a newborn or might be babysitting a new born, try out these exercises:

Sugar Leads to Weight Gain

I found some shocking staples to my diet had large amounts of sugar. I'm allotted a total of 30g of sugar each day and you'd be surprised how quickly those 30g come and go... I eat an apple almost every day and just one gala apple has 16g of sugar! I drink Vanilla Chai Tea Protein shake and it has 26g of sugar! FAGE 0% Total Greek Yogurt has 9g of sugar! And my cranberry and nut trail mix has 14g of sugar! If I ate all these every day, it adds up to 65g of sugar...well over my allowed amount. While I won't be cutting out apples or Greek Yogurt from my diet, I'll probably cut back on eating them daily. And I sure won't be drinking that protein shake anymore!

Eat Your Stress Away the Healthy Way

Everyone has stress in their lives at some point or another. But it's how you deal with it is what matters most. Improper coping or handling of stress often leads to other health issues. Did you know that 43% of adults suffer adverse health effects from stress? Stress can lead to headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, anxiety, and the list can go on...

Fat Burning Recipe: Chicken & Chickpea Salad

Work full-time and not in the mood to slave over dinner when you get home in the evenings? But still want to eat a healthy meal? Don't sweat it! There are lots of options for a quick and easy meal that healthy and nutritious too. My Chicken & Chickpea Salad Recipe packs a big punch in flavor while incorporating ingredients that can help burn fat. 

The End of Another Decade, Now Onto 30...

Well today I say goodbye to a decade that treated me VERY well. I'm 30... I know most females dread turning 30 and feel it's that marker that once you pass, everything is downhill. And not that relieving feeling when running downhill where your run gets easier. It's the downhill sense that your health will get worse, your brain slower, and your looks will fade. If you asked me 10 years ago, this was exactly my feeling towards turning 30. I said I would do whatever I could (including a nip and tuck lol) if it meant I'd look and feel young forever. 

So, was I ready to turn 30 this year? Now that the day has arrived, I feel at peace with 30 and I'm actually embracing it. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that so much happened in my 20s. There were quite a few ups and downs; so much I'm surprised I didn't vomit from the whiplash! But, it's all made me who I am today. I'm happy where I am in life. I have a great job, I live a healthy lifestyle, have an amazing boyfriend and friends, own a beautiful home, and am in a very comfortable place in my life. 

Here's a quick Top 20 Milestones from My 20's list, the good, and the not-so-good times:

1. Came of legal age to drink
2. Gained more than my Freshman 15...
3. Got into a car accident and totaled my car
4. Graduated college
5. Moved to Florida all by my lonesome
6. Started a "real" job 
7. Got fired from said job
8. Went broke for a little bit
9. Started a new job
10. Began truly living healthy, and lost 35 lbs
11. Sister got married
12. Removed some excess baggage from my life
13. Bought a house
14. Began a new relationship
15. Became an aunt
16. Was laid off
17. Started a great job that allowed me to save a lot of money
18. Hit goal of 18% body fat (yeah this is a big deal to me to make my list!)
19. Completed a long bathroom demo and remodel project
20. Became an aunt for a second time

There's a little more to the list, but I don't want to get too personal with it. I think you get the idea.  

Therefore, I'm excited to see what happens in my 30s and can only hope I will embrace the next decade so well! 

Zombie Rush Obstacle Course Race

It's been a while since I've done an obstacle course race. The last one I did was the Beach Beast back in April and it ultimately led to me hurting my knee... :( Note to self, do not run on the beach anymore. And what made it worse was that the Beach Beast was actually a really bad OCR, I definitely do NOT recommend wasting your money on this one. But I am happy to say that today I registered for the Zombie Rush in October. In the spirit of Halloween, I'll be chased by Zombies while running through Amelia Earhart Park in Hialeah, FL on the 19th. 

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.

Gearing Up For Olympia Weekend

Mr. Olympia 2013 weekend is only 3.5 weeks away!! Now don't be fooled, I'm not competing or anything. But I am trying to drop a little weight and tone up for it. I mean who wouldn't?? This is only THE biggest event in the fitness and nutrition industry. So I want to fit the part of it all. 

Plank Vs. Crunch: Which Should you be Doing?

 

Let me first start this post off by saying...if you do only ab workouts, you will NOT, I repeat, WILL NOT, have that flat tummy you see in the magazines. Like all other areas of the body, if you want to blast fat, you need to add some cardio to your life and watch those pesky things called calories. Now, what an ab workout will do it help tone those muscles that you may end up seeing if you add all three components together (ab routine, cardio, and nutrition). Otherwise, you're only building muscle on top of existing fat. 

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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Green Coffee Bean for Weight Loss

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We live in a world where thin is in and every wants to lose weight and look great. And to help you shed those unwanted pounds, there are weight loss supplements that can aid in your success. But when you go to the store and find the right one for you, the shelves are packed with CLA, Raspberry Ketone, White Kidney Bean Extract, Garcinia, Yerba Mate, and now Green Coffee Bean. So how do you know what to choose?