Weight check or reality check

What is in your weight?  Why do women love to focus on the scale?  Why is it that we can't just see the number and let it go?  We should weight fluctuates between 5-10lbs a day.  If you really want to focus on something set a goal other than your weight.  Measure a body part you really want to tone up and try and lose inches, get your body fat checked and try and focus on that number instead of relying solely on the scale.  Focus on how your feeling and strive to achieve more energy.

I see so many people get frustrated with that number that they see staring them in the face. Focus on what you want from your workouts, how you want to feel.  Have a mental picture of how you want your abs to look, your arms to look, or the glutes and legs?  Those are the things people notice so make that goal attainable and something visual you are striving to achieve.  I personally like to have a vision board of in shape females to help motivate me if I feel like skipping the gym or eating something I shouldn't.  

A little about that number below is a picture of someone who weighs 163lbs.  Well most people strive to have abs like that but not to weight that much.  So keep everything in perspective what really is your goal?  

Ladies workout like a guy

A lot of women when we work out are afraid to lift heavy weights because we are going to get bulky.  Well that cannot happen and I'm here to let you in on a secret the guys have the weight room area figured out for the most part.  Ladies we can take a page from their book.  Below I will tell you what we can learn from how a man trains.

1. Women you will NOT get bulky.  

That is the number one fear of my female clients who were never taught how to lift weights or what lifting weights can do for your body.  

Ladies you will NOT look like the above picture contrary to what you believe.  This particular female worked hard for this body and trained to get herself this way it does not come from just lifting 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes.  You have to eat extremely healthy to get this lean and be lifting weights almost daily.  So in a nutshell this is an extremely hard physique for women to get to kudos to those who take the time and dedication to get there, as most will not even come close to that.

2. Lift your upper body ladies.  

Quite a few males lift what we call the beach muscles.  If they take their shirts off they look impressive, the biceps, the chest, abs.  Sometimes they forget the rear muscles groups but we as women will not.  Make sure when you are lifting you don't just lift lower body and work your butt.  Don't forget about the arms.  When women get older they complain about the chicken arms, or waving skin underneath their arms.  Working those triceps helps tone up the backside.  Fun fact the Triceps makes up 70% of the upper arm so work the back of the arm to tone up your arm in general. 

3. Play Games

You will always see some pick up basketball games, football games, soccer or even hockey games in the early mornings or on weekends.  Most of these leagues are adult males.  I know it gets harder for women to be involved in these leagues after kids but tell your hubby to watch the kids for an evening because its your volleyball night.  You get a workout in plus you get to mingle with friends at the same time.  It's a great stress release as well.

4. Be more focused on building muscle than in losing fat

Far to often we are concerned with how much fat am I burning when I'm lifting weights?  I should be doing cardio right now I would be burning so many more calories.  Well actually the more muscle you have the more calories you burn at rest.  So pumping iron and getting stronger will lead to more overall calorie burn in the long run.  So don't be afraid to get in that weight room with the big boys and show them what you can do!

5. I don't know what to do at the gym besides cardio

Honestly this is not just a women's issue but a men's issue as well.  I just had a conversation today with a guy who is doing the same routine he learned in high school because he doesn't know what else to do.  So if your walking into the gym without a plan you probably will throw around a few weights and call it good.  Ask a trainer for help or even hire a trainer if your completely clueless.  You will just get frustrated if you don't know what your doing and want to quit going to the gym.  The trainers are there to help you tell them what your goals are and ask what are some exercises I should be doing to help me reach those goals.  A good trainer will be able to help you out. 

     

Start your journey today

Now that you have set your goals what is it you want to achieve exactly.  I have set my own goal to do a fitness show of sorts.  That is my abs in the picture above.  So over the next few months I will be starting to train to do my first fitness show!  Exciting and nerve wracking at the same time.  I will update from time to time my progress, challenges and triumphs!  I want to show people anything is possible with a little hard work and determination.   

You need to look at your support system, is yours truly supporting you or taking you down.  If you have people who are negative around you they will only pull you down.  Get rid of them and bring in people who uplift you and inspire you to be a better person.  People judge you by the people you are surrounded by.  So look around are you surrounded by people who can uplift you and help you reach your fitness/life goals of yours?  If not do what you have to do to detoxify your life.  It will only make you stronger and a better person because of it. 

Rag Workout

I love this workout and hate it at the same time.  It is intense but the rewards are wonderful!  You want to do this for timed intervals.  Repeat 2-3 times pending fitness level.  Try and preform the exercise for 30 consecutive seconds or 45 seconds if your more advanced.  If you have lower back issues be very careful if you attempt this workout.

1. Plank- Knee Pull-Ins

A. Put rags on feet and hands on floor in high plank position (as pictured above).  B. Pull knees into chest and than push straight back out behind you.  C. Keep repeating as many times as you can until your time is up.

2. Plank- Mountain Climbers 

A. Put rags on feet again. (Notice this picture does not show the rags) B. Drive knees towards chest alternating legs.  C. Repeat rapidly and as many times as you can in the allotted time. 

3. Plank- In/out leg exercises

A. In high plank position with rags on feet.  B. Take legs straight out to sides and than back into middle.  C. Repeat this motion for the allotted time.

4.  Plank- Obliques 

A. In high plank position with rags on feet.  B. Draw knees into chest and kick back out. C. Kick out legs diagonally to one side. D. Draw legs back into chest and kick out diagonally to opposite side. E. Repeat as many times as you can in the allotted time. 

My weight loss secret!

I have discovered my new favorite way to tone up belly fat and it is not from doing crunches at the gym, Isagenix.  Isagenix is a meal replacement system that gives your body the nutrients you need and the energy you want all while toning up the body, essentially.

  I will tell you where I started out on my fitness journey.  A little over 3 years ago I weighed 200 pounds, I'm 5'10'' by the way.  I would have definitely considered myself "active."  Well I was wrong on so many levels.  I went out to much, made awful food choices when I would stay out to late and boy did it show.  I than decided I needed to change when my boyfriend and I were lying in a hammock together it tipped more towards my direction.  I realized I weighed more than him!! No woman ever wants that!  So I started working out and stopped going out as much and you know what it worked.  I shed 30 pounds and was feeling great.  Now comes the next half of my journey.

I hit a plateau and man I was stuck.  I couldn't get out of the 165/170 range.  I ate well, worked out 5 days a week and nothing was working.  I than went to a nutrition event at my gym.  At the time I thought well if this product can work for a fitness model and take the last 10 pounds off her and she is tiny it just might work for me.  I talked with Lori Harder and she told me she was just like me skeptical of supplements and does it "really" work?  So I waited another 6 months and my weight was staying the same nothing was happening.  At this point I thought I need to make a change.  I than saw a posting from Jenn N. on facebook about Isagenix, now was the time for me!  

My first week of taking Isagenix I lost 4 pounds and 11 inches in a week!  I couldn't lose that in 6 months and I just did it in a week!  I than continued to use it for the next 30 days and felt amazing.  I had more energy than I have ever had and continued to lose weight without even trying at this point.  I stopped taking it for a couple of days just to see how I felt and to see if I noticed a difference.  I kid you not I did notice a difference I was tired coming home from school again no energy to work out and felt bloated again.  

So now I 'm hooked on these amazing products.  I drink 1-2 shakes a day, one as breakfast another as a snack or dinner.  My abs have never looked this good and my energy is through the roof!  My weight is at an all time low of 152lbs!  In high school I was a muscular 165.  The confidence this product has given me is wonderful and I just wanted to share it with everyone.  So if your reading this and think not yet now is not my time.  Maybe revisit your fitness goals in 6 months like I did, have you made progress?  Do you have the body you wanted?  If not I invite you to give Isagenix a shot, you never know it just may change your life. 

Stability Ball Workout

If you have a stability ball but don't know what to do with it besides crunches this is the workout for you. Most exercises below do 12-15 reps if your working on toning up.  Do 2-3 sets pending fitness level.

1. Push-ups

Rest your knees on the ball for beginners and more advanced put toes on the ball.

2. Wall sit or wall squat 

You can either sit and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute.  Or you can do squats against the wall put the ball on your lower back.  This is easier to do if you have bad knees.

3. Plank into high pike

Only do this if you have a strong level of fitness.  If you have lower back issues do NOT do.

-Put feet on ball and body in a high plank position.  Than pull body upwards to a pike position and your booty should go up in the air. Than release back down and repeat. 

4. Chest Press on Stability Ball

Lying on ball hips raised to sky drop down arms to form a field goal and push straight back up over your chest.  Repeat.

5. Triceps Extension sitting on Stability Ball

Sitting on ball drop arms down and up.  Keep elbows facing forwards and drop down pull up using the back of the arms.

6. Plank on stability ball

There are two options for planks.  Put feet on stability if you want more advanced option. 2nd picture is also challenging you put forearms on stability ball.  Hold 30 seconds-1 minute.

Log Your Food!!

I will share with you my personal story on logging food.  I kept a food journal by hand for 1 year and ended up losing 30 pounds.  I had so much more accountability when logging my food than when just eating a handful of crackers here and there.  You will be shocked at how many calories you are truly eating in a day or maybe not eating.  If your not eating enough calories your not doing yourself a favor either.  You need at least 1200 calories if your a female and around 1800-2000 if your a male depending on your height and activity level.  During that year I also logged all of my workouts and held myself accountable that way as well.  But most of you probably have heard by now nutrition is 80% of the battle.  You are what you eat.  If your not wanting to log your food by hand than check out myfitnesspal.com.  My personal favorite free site to log food.  It offers multiple food selections as well as different restaurants.  So start that food journal and watch your fitness aspirations become a reality. 

Watching sports will never be the same

For all of you ladies who do not enjoy watching sports games but enjoy working out, I have a great routine for you to do.  If your boyfriend or husband enjoys watching sports of all assortments and you get bored, start putting yourself to work.  

I myself love sports but found I cannot sit an entire game sometimes, I get a little restless.  I have found a great way to pass the time.  Depending on the sport you are watching you will need to mix it up.  

For example if you are watching basketball:

*Every time someone makes a lay-up do 10 push-ups

*Every time someone dunks- 10 squats

*A free throw- 10 crunches

*You could also do turnovers, jump balls, charges, blocks, etc.  

For every aspect of the game you are watching pick a new workout routine to do.  If you are watching football or baseball use different items such as tackling, touchdowns, field goals, strike-outs, walks, home runs, singles, pop flies.  

This workout can be as strenuous and calorie burning as you want it to be.  If your in great shape do 20 of each exercise if your just starting to workout out make it 5.  There are not set rules or guidelines you need to follow after all this is your workout.  If you have a treadmill or elliptical in your living room hop on that for a quick minute as an exercise or run up and down your stairs a set amount of time.  Be as creative as you want or just do basic exercises.  This workout can burn up anywhere from 200-700 calories for your average 35 year old female.  If you follow the workout listed above the average 35 year old female can burn anywhere from 200-500 calories.

I hope this will help you pass the time while watching the big game and spending time with the one you love while doing it.