HELLO!! HAPPY HAPPY first Monday of 2016 :D
How are you?! How's 2016 treating you so far?! Are you ready to kick-start your most amazing and healthy year ever?! I am!! WOOO WHOOO :D And, if you're just now deciding to CRUSH a goal or two or three...lol...remember, to be kind to yourself! Also, be realistic!! ALL OF US are a work in progress, which means we get there a little at a time, not all at once! That's the key to forming good habits that will last a lifetime!!

Today's post are 6 ways to get the exercise high! Lets start 2016 going STRONG!! Read on...lace up...bliss out :D
Even if you're not the biggest fitness fan, new scientific findings can help you get into that exercise HAPPY zone and unlock body benefits you didn't even know you were missing! Being a happier exerciser won't just keep you coming back for more, it'll spur you to do more!! According to a study in The Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, sprinters in an upbeat mood performed significantly better than their nonpumped counterparts. "When we're happy, our tendency is to want to achieve something quickly," explains study author Marco Rathschlag, Ph.D., something like, say, an all-out sprint. Better yet, becoming someone who smiles on the treadmill is easier than you think ;)
The following are research-backed ways to look forward to exercising...

1. PRIME YOUR MIND
During your warm-up, recall a happy experience, crossing a finish line, or playing with puppies, and focus on it for 1 minute, Rathschlag suggests. That's the technique that turbocharged the sprinters in his study. Compared with the other racers who were told to think about something anxiety-inducing, or with those who were told to have "neutral" thoughts (they were instructed to imagine brushing their teeth), the happy thinkers not only ran faster but also felt happier during the sprint. "If you're in a good mood, that state can be transferred from your thoughts to your exercise," Rathschlag says.

2. EMBRACE THE EFFORT
If you're used to exercising to a reality show to get you through, you may want to switch your focus. When scientists at Harvard asked 2,250 people to rate their happiness as they were engaged in certain daily activities, including exercise, they found that the participants were happier when they were thinking specifically about what they were doing (as opposed to letting their mind wander), even if they were doing something they found unenjoyable. "Most activities are more pleasant if you're engaging in them rather than trying to escape from them, and exercise is no exception," says study author Daniel Gilbert, Ph.D. To test-drive this at the gym, think about your breathing pattern, your heart rate, even how your quads feel on that uphill or the tremble in your biceps as you rep. "If you can see these feelings as signs that you're making progress toward your goals, you'll be happier in the moment," says Caryn Carlson, Ph.D., a positive-psychology researcher at the University of Texas.

3. CUE SOME HAPPY TALK
A study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that talking to yourself during a tough workout not only enhances performance, but also makes the exercise seem easier, which in turn should increase your enjoyment. "The important thing is to choose a word or phrase that resonates with you," says study author Samuele Marcora, Ph.D. Participants in the study picked 4 phrases, such as "Dig deep," "I can do this," "Keep going," and "Be strong." 2 that were appropriate for the middle of the workout and 2 that were more applicable toward the end, to buoy them. You don't have to literally say these things out loud to feel a lift; simply thinking the phrases works too, Marcora says.

4. FINE-TUNE YOUR PLAYLIST
To have music, makes working out feel more energizing. Choose songs with a range of beats per minute that's comparable to the heart rate you're aiming to achieve, says Carl Foster, Ph.D., of the University at Wisconsin - La Crosse, who has conducted numerous studies on music and exercise. Go to SongBPM.com to get the BPM for your favorite gym jams!

5. BUILD IN MINI VICTORIES
Setting a new goal, or more than 1, for every workout, instead of having 1 huge goal like "lose weight" or "get better abs," can help you extract more joy from it. "Mini goals increase the rewards," Carlson says. So, try breaking up your workout into parts: Think of a long run as a 5K plus a 5K plus a 5K rather than 9.3 miles, and each time you hit 1 of those "finish lines," you'll boost your happiness and motivation!

6. FIND YOUR FLOW
Italian researchers determined that exercisers with a "harmonious" mind-set toward working out are able to get into the flow of it, while those who are more "obsessed" with it as an obligation, miss out on the mental benefits. "Flow can be defined as the complete absorption of oneself in the present moment," says study author Fabio Lucidi, Ph.D. To get in touch with your harmonious side, shift your perception of working out from "must" and "need" to "want" and "desire." Eventually, Lucidi says, you'll find the fun in fitness!

Make 2016 ridiculously amazing...give these technique tips a shot and turn your workout into your new HAPPY hour :D
Have a PRODUCTIVE couple of days!
SEE YOU right back here on Wednesday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How's your day going?! Are you ready for the weekend?! I am...BRING IT ON...lol! Am I the only person who still has Christmas shopping to do?! OMGosh...every time I think I'm wrapping it up, something happens :D Either a store doesn't have what I'm looking for or an item I ordered has been delayed! Good thing I still have a week before Christmas!! I got this...i think...lol :D 

Exercise is my favorite way to boost energy and feel great! I LUV LUV LUV to sweat!! :D How much exercise does a person really need?! Depending on when you read or listen to the news, you're exercising either too much or not enough...lol! The truth is, what's best depends largely on your goals and how hard you're willing to push yourself!!
Today's post is some basic information on exercise. Also, don't forget to check out Friday's SMOOTHIE recipe at the bottom :)

The ideal fitness routine is at least 3 workouts a week: 1 each of interval and strength training, and 1 of your choice, says exercise researcher Martin Gibala, Ph.D., at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Interval training, short bouts of effort followed by recovery periods, forces your heart to work harder and pump more blood with each beat, says Gibala. Science has seen people get just as fit with these hard bursts as with longer, steady-pace sessions. To do them, simply switch between speeding up for a minute and backing off for a minute. Building muscle strength is important too, it can lower blood pressure and help stave off weight gain.

Brisk walking or another moderate-intensity exercise is also good! Get 150 minutes a week, says James H. O'Keefe, M.D., of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. A short, brisk walk is still helpful! Even 10 minutes can help your ticker. But 10 minutes, 3 times a day is even better.

The harder you work, the less you need to do. Aim for the following:
MODERATE EXERCISE - 150 minutes per week...
OR
VIGOROUS EXERCISE - 75 minutes per week.

What's MODERATE EXERCISE?!
- Tennis: playing doubles.
- Biking: 5 to 9 miles per hour.
- Swimming: at a light rate.
- Jogging: 15 minutes per mile.

DON'T FORGET TO STRETCH!
Having flexible muscles may make blood vessels more elastic, which helps increase blood flow to the heart. Before AND after your workout, take 5 minutes to stretch out.

Keep reading and get a yummy smoothie recipe :)

PINKYPINE SMOOTHIE

1/2 pineapple
1 handful of strawberries
5 tablespoons of natural yogurt
8 tablespoons of guava juice

- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- For a more refreshing smoothie, blend some crushed ice with the other ingredients.
- This smoothie is GREAT for energy, immunity, and skin!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B3, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur, zinc; protein.

Lets get the weekend started! HO! HO!! HO!!! :D
Be healthy!
See you right back here on Monday!!

HELLO!! HAPPY Monday :D
How are you?! How was your weekend?! How's December treating you?! Are you attending holiday parties and/or creating family memories?! I'm having fun doing both :D Hopefully you're enjoying some December festivities AND being productive too!!

Today's post are 4 proven ways to fight stress eating. With December in full swing, do you ever wind up with a mouthful of cookies and no idea how they got there...lol?! The following are a few mindful tips to break the cycle ;)  

1. EAT A CLEMENTINE instead of the cookies! The simple act of peeling a clementine can serve as a meditative moment, bringing you into the present and out of your busy head. Plus, the smell of citrus has actually been shown to be calming. I luv eating these babies :D

2. POP YOUR CLOTHES IN THE DRYER! Wrap yourself in a robe right out of the dryer when you're feeling frazzled. Not only is it comfy and relaxing, but research also shows that we eat less when our body temperature is a bit warmer :)

3. HACK YOUR LUNCH! To avoid mindlessly downing your lunch while responding to e-mails, eat with your non dominant hand. You're not used to it, so you're forced to be more mindful, which can help you eat as much as 30% less food. Bring it on :D

4. DITCH YOUR SHOES AT THE DOOR! Many of us are prone to stress eating when we get home from work. Try taking off your shoes and thinking, I leave my troubles at the door OR immediately changing into comfortable clothes :) 

Try 1 OR all of these tips and see if you still pop in a mouthful of cookies...lol! :D
If you have ANY comments on this post, don't be shy! Bring it on!!
Have a PRODUCTIVE couple of days!
SEE YOU right back here on Wednesday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Wednesday :D
How are you?! How's your week going so far?! I hope it's going FITastic :D But if you're lacking motivation, it's only midweek, so you still have plenty of time to get in some good workouts!! YOU GOT THIS...give yourself a good excuse to be merrier (lol), healthier, and feel more energized! Of course, I think it's the best gift you can give yourself this time of year!!

Little or no time to hit the gym this month?! No worries!! I've had a handful of people ask me to post a workout quickie :) The following is a workout from Basecamp Fitness in Santa Monica, California, famed for its 35-minute HITT classes! Because you change direction during each move, you fire up more muscles (plus zing your abs)!! I did this very workout this morning and felt a total body tune-up in less than 20 minutes :D
This routine mixes strength moves with bike intervals to bank a calorie-torching, allover-sculpting session...

WARM-UP
STEP-THROUGH: Face a doorway with hands on sides of frame. Step right leg forward into a lunge and lean back, stretching chest, shoulders, and left hip flexor upward. Hold for 3 seconds; stand. Alternate sides for 30 seconds.
STRETCHING JACK: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Bend forward and touch hands to floor, then walk hands out into a push-up. Walk feet to hands. Stand; do 2 jumping jacks. Continue for 30 seconds.
RIDE a stationary bike as fast as you can for 1 minute.
TOTAL TIME: 2 minutes.
*I personally warm-up for 5 minutes ;)

BLOCK 1
PLANK LIFT: Lie on right side with elbow under shoulder. Lift hips; raise and lower top leg for 30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side.
SIZZLE SPRAWL: Stand with legs shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and quickly run in place. Every 10 seconds, drop into a push-up, jump feet to hands, explode into tuck jump, and return to start. Continue for 1 minute.
BIKE fast for 1 minute.
TOTAL TIME: 3 minutes.

BLOCK 2
PUSH AND PLANK: From a push-up, drop down into a plank, 1 elbow at a time. Press back up into a push-up 1 hand at a time. Continue for 1 minute.
V-CRUNCH: Lie faceup with arms extended overhead. Lift hands and feet at same time and aim to touch toes. Slowly lower arms and legs to floor. Continue for 1 minute.
BIKE fast for 1 minute.
TOTAL TIME: 3 minutes.

BLOCK 3
CURTSY LUNGE: Step left foot to left, lowering into a side lunge. Push off left leg to stand, then step left foot behind you to right; lower until right thigh is parallel to floor. Return to start. Alternate sides for 1 minute.
SPEED SKATER: Stand on right leg with left leg behind you. Explosively hop to left leg, placing right foot behind it to soften landing. Alternate sides for 1 minute.
TOTAL TIME: 2 minutes.

Don't forget to COOL-DOWN for 2 - 5 minutes.

If you have ANY comments about this post...don't be shy! If you start to fatigue while doing the workout, focus on your form, and it'll help you finish strong!!  
I'm going out of town until Sunday, so my next post will be on Monday, December 14th :)
Have an AWESOME couple of days AND weekend!
SEE YOU back here on the 14th!!

Hi there!! HAPPY Monday :D
How are you?! How was your weekend?! My Halloween was reallyyyyy fun :D It was wicked fun seeing all the costumes this year...both kids AND adults wore some AWESOME costumes! I'm definitely dressing up next year!! My day went pretty much like this: Went to a crazy hay maze (it was actually hard...lol), had lots of apple pie, sipped on some yummy apple cider, ate lunch at a favorite local café, went to a soccer game, ate more food (we had to eat dinner...lol), and went trick or treating with friends, which meant loads of candy! BUT...i'm happy to say, that I only had a FEW pieces of chocolate!!
It's the beginning of another week! BRING IT ON!! Do you feel the need to burn off some of that Halloween candy?! Either way...lets start this week out by fueling up on healthy choices!!

Today's post is how to get a fabulous body no matter what your age :D
How do we keep lean and fit long into our golden years? Can we still get a fabulous body even if we're flashing a senior citizen card?! YES!! The strategy is doing it with intensity. You can make 80 look like the new 60 if you're smart about your lifestyle choices and approach them, particularly exercise, with intensity. 
We may have received a certain genetic package from our parents, but it's not our fate to be governed by it. We can change the expression of genes through lifestyle choices, none more powerful than eating clean and intense, strenuous exercise.
The following are 5 strategies you can incorporate into your next workout...to drive the power of your workout to a higher level, get more work done, lift heavier, sweat more, and think about your movements. All these bring added value to your training! Lean body, here it comes!!

1. Include all 4 varieties of exercise in your training.
- Aerobic exercise to increase or maintain aerobic capacity.
- Strength training to build and maintain muscle.
- Balance activities like rebounding or training on a Bosu to build core strength, a combination of strong core muscles and a sharp nervous system.
- Flexibility to remain limber and agile and on your feet, well into your later decades.

2. Focus on regular strength training and strive for muscle failure.
Regular strength training is also cardiovascular training. It offsets the steady decline in muscle mass and metabolic rate that commences in our 30s. Only progressive strength training, performed 3 to 4 times per week, will help build muscle and brain mass. You must train to the point of muscle fatigue and failure. The weight should be heavy enough to challenge you. You need to feel the burn and be out of breath when done.

3. High-intensity interval training is king.
Incorporate varied rates of exercise into your workout. High-intensity interval training repeatedly proves it's 1 of the best ways to challenge you aerobically and muscularly. HIIT works your aerobic and anaerobic systems at the same time, engaging your complete physical self.
Results speak loudly. By adding even 1 sprint of 30 seconds into your cardio, human growth hormone peaks and stays that way for several hours afterward. HGH is the surefire, turn-back-the-clock, fat-burning agent produced naturally by the body that ensures a lean physique. That's likely the reason it has been manufactured synthetically, but the Food and Drug Administration doesn't approve taking HGH for these purposes. Instead, make your own. Train hard and in intervals.

4. Put your mind into the muscle.
Engage your mind in your training. When you're mentally present for reps, sets, steps and strokes, physical payoffs are far greater. This is because we now know that the brain is plastic, meaning it can change. In Dr. Norman Doidge's book The Brain That Changes Itself, he reveals that just thinking about an exercise changes your brain structure as if you were doing the movement. "Each thought actually changes the structure and function of your brain by affecting the neurons at the microscopic level," he writes.
Another way to increase the intensity of your workout is to bring your brain along for the ride. When performing leg extensions, think of the explosive power of those legs and all that blood you're pumping to your heart and back to the quads. Approach physical exercise with a seriousness of purpose.

5. Eat clean.
Diet provides the greatest influence on health. Follow up your ferocious efforts in the gym with clean fuel for maximum benefit. Don't waste all that effort on junk! Fuel up smart!!

Now that you've read this, incorporate these strategies into your next workout! How about doing that workout tonight or tomorrow?! U GOT THIS!!
If you have ANY comments about this post...don't be shy...bring them on :D
Have a FITastic couple of days!
SEE YOU right back here on Wednesday!! 

HELLO!! HAPPY Fridayyyyy :D
How are you?! How was your week?! I bet you're ready for the weekend, right?! Me too!! I hope you still find time to get in some mean workouts and eat clean! I know that I sound like a broken record (lol) when I say this all the time, but exercise and healthy food really go hand-in-hand if you want to be FITastic :D Of course, you're already fantastic, you know what I mean by being FITastic! YOU GOT THIS!! And...it's Friday, so don't forget to check out the JUICE recipe at the bottom of this post :)

Today's post is on Motivation! Motivation is a fabulous and funny thing...lol! Even if you're a certified workout rat, you might have trouble getting psyched up to exercise every now and then! I do!! I LUV to exercise, but I also have my days when I would rather just stay in bed and read a book :D
Here's a surefire way to give that motivation a good kick in the pants: Recall a positive exercise experience. I found the following information in an Oxygen magazine and written by Karen Asp.

In a study from the journal Memory, about 150 college students were asked to recall either a positive or negative memory connected to exercise that would increase their motivation to exercise. Meanwhile, a control group did no recall.
In the end, those who remembered a positive memory reported higher amounts of exercise, about 15 minutes (or more) of moderate-intensity activity during a weeklong period, than the control group. Surprisingly, negative memories connected to exercise also increased study participants activity level over the control group, although not as much as the positive exercise memory group.
Why? Although researchers don't have a definitive answer, they do have a few theories. "Recalling a positive exercise experience could boost one's self-concept in terms of exercise and fitness," says Mathew Biondolillo, lead study author from the University of New Hampshire. That, in turn, could lead to more exercise.
Other research points to specific memories serving as a directive function, meaning that they direct or guide future activities and suggest plans of action based on past experience. "A positive motivational memory might give helpful guidance and instruction for people so they know how to repeat a past positive exercise experience in the future," he adds.
So on those days when you're vacillating between staying in bed another 30 minutes or working out, this study suggests that recalling those positive past experiences could make you choose the latter. For instance, think about completing your first 5K and how happy you felt as a result.
Can't think of anything positive? Then follow the lead of the second group in the study and veer the other way into negative territory. For instance, maybe you picture a race you did in which you almost couldn't finish. The memory could ignite your fire to exercise so you'll do better next time.

Want more ways to kick that motivation into gear?! Put the following 3 strategies to the test :)

1. Choose the right buddy. Exercising with a friend can make any sweat session more enjoyable. For optimal results, though, a study from the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology advises buddying up with somebody who's moving because they love it. When people exercised with somebody who was motivated to participate in physical activity because they truly enjoyed it, they exercised at a higher intensity, spent more time doing physical activity and exercised for longer durations of time versus exercising with somebody who was only doing it to look better.

2. Pay yourself. People who got a $5 weekly reward were more likely to stick with exercise, per a study from the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Researchers suggest those cash incentives offer an immediate benefit as opposed to the health benefits of exercise, which usually take time.

3. Talk yourself up. When people used motivational self-talk during workouts, they reported that exercise felt easier, so much, in fact, that they improved their time to exhaustion--so they either exercised for a longer time or did the same workout feeling less tired--by 18%, according to a study from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Try statements like "go for it," "dig deep," "you got this," or "you're a winner."

Keep the motivation going and top off your workout with this JUICE recipe :D

VEGGIE COCKTAIL

3 sticks of celery
3 tomatoes
2 carrots
1/2 lemon

- You'll need to use a juice extractor.
- This recipe makes 2 portions.
- This juice is GREAT for immunity; GOOD for energy and skin!

Nutrients: Beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, vitamin C; calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, sulphur.

If you have ANY comments about this post...don't be shy...BRING IT ON :D
Have a FAB weekend!
SEE YOU back here on Monday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Wednesday :D
How are you doing?! Are you having a GOOD week so far?! I'm slowlyyyyy getting back to normal...lol! It's been a little challenging coming back to reality after being in Hawaii for a week!! My hubby and I had a FABULOUS vacation but now it's time to fuel back up on exercising and eating clean :D I have to admit that I did really well in the eating department until the last few days...lol! I decided to try toffee coated macadamia nuts covered in luscious milk chocolate and lets just say my food journal got tossed in the ocean :D Warning: NEVER think you can eat just 1, they're completely addictive with the first bite...lol!!! If you've been like me and haven't been eating clean lately, lets get back in the game! I bought a new food journal and I'm ready to work off ALLLLL the chocolate I enjoyed!!

Today's post is on taking a leap and believing in yourself! Do you allow fear to stop you from going after bigger fitness feats?! My favorite quote says, FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY!! Keep reading...this post will help boost your boldness AND confidence!! BRING IT ON :D

Do you wish you were a little more willing to take risks, whether that means surfing huge waves, skiing tougher runs, signing up for your first fitness competition, entering an obstacle race, or being in a weight loss challenge?! Good news!! You can get gutsier just by building your mental toughness, essentially boosting your confidence to conquer your biggest fitness fears ;)  
While it might seem like guts are something you're born with, that's not entirely the case. In many ways, mental toughness is like physical strength. "Nobody's born physically strong, but with a plan in place, you can build that strength," says Jason Selk, LPC, NCC, director of sports psychology with Enhanced Performance in St. Louis and author of Executive Toughness and 10-Minute Toughness. The same applies to your mind.
That's the thinking that helped catapult Kim Dolan Leto, Arizona-based director of family health and wellness for the International Sports Sciences Association, to the Ms. Fitness World stage. "Becoming an athlete starts in your mind," she says. "You trade excuses for solutions and fight your way daily to eat clean, train mean, and balance life."
Of course, nature does play a role. "Some people are born with personality traits that make them natural risk-takers," says Richard B. Dauber, Ph.D., clinical and sports psychologist and director of the Morris Psychological Group in Parsippany, New Jersey. Yet those individuals share certain characteristics, and understanding what they are can help you develop your own toughness. The most important 1? An unshakable belief in their abilities to achieve goals!
"You have to believe in yourself. Paraphrasing Henry Ford, if you think you're going to succeed or fail, you will," Dauber says. And though the mentally tough will fail occasionally, they look at every failure as an opportunity to learn and push on.

So how exactly do you strengthen your mind so that you can be less afraid to go after bigger fitness feats?! Follow these 3 steps!!

1. Find focus. Define your end goal, what Selk calls a product goal. What is it you ultimately want to accomplish, and why do you want to do it? Selk recommends having no more than 2 product goals, 1 personal and 1 professional, at a time. Make sure, too, that the end goal is focused on performance versus outcome. "If you're too focused on the outcome, especially if it's winning, fear of failure could hold you back," Dauber says.

2. Take baby steps. Create process goals that will move you closer to your end goal. These effort-based goals are designed to build your confidence, which is why they need to be small and achievable, Selk says. For instance, if you want to make it to the national stage as a fitness competitor, make competing in a small, local contest your first step, and consider yourself successful no matter what your placing.

3. See your success. Visualize what you want along the way. "People often focus on what they don't want," Dauber says. For instance, you don't want to earn any placing other than first at the fitness contest. You then get stuck with those fears, which will paralyze your efforts to get up the nerve to progress to the next level. Instead, think about what you do want and picture yourself attaining it. 

In the end, building guts relies almost entirely on our mind, perhaps the strongest muscle in our body ;) If we quit every time we felt uncomfortable, we wouldn't achieve anything! Don't just wish for bigger fitness feats, work for it!! WOOO WHOOO...GOOOOO FOR IT!!!!

Have a FITastic couple of days!
SEE YOU right back here on Fridayyyyy!!

Hello!! HAPPY Monday :D
How are you?! Did you have a good weekend?! Did you see the blood moon eclipse last night?! I'm SOOO bummed because I missed it :( but many people have posted AWESOME photos on Facebook! Thank you for sharing!!
I want to apologize for not posting on Friday! It ended up being 1 of those crazy days where I was running nonstop and couldn't catch up with my computer to write a post!! My Fridays aren't usually like that, but unfortunately, it happens sometimes! Again...SORRY for not posting!!

I'm enthusiastically looking forward to this week! This week is the beginning of October!! I LUV October for a handful of reasons and it means eating PUMPKIN everything :D Bring PUMPKIN On...lol!!!
It's also a FABULOUS time to access your fitness goals for the holidays! The holidays are quickly approaching!! WOW...hasn't this year gone by at lightning speed?! I must be getting oldER...lol :D

Today's post are 4 recovery techniques that maximize every workout ;)
For the most part, fit people can bounce back from a moderate workout within 24 hours, says physical therapist Robert Forster, the owner of Phase IV Scientific Health and Performance Center in Santa Monica, California. During that time, your body resets itself: Hormone levels rebalance, inflammation goes down, liver and muscles stock up on fuel, cells rid themselves of lactic acid and other waste products, and muscles and connective tissues lay down collagen and patch up tears. But a killer boot camp session might require 48 hours or more to recoup from fully. "And it could be 72 hours before you regain your entire range of motion," Forster says.
That's why it's important that you limit intense workouts to 3 days a week, and if you're doing daily resistance training or CrossFit, plan your routine carefully so you're not challenging the same muscles in the same way each time. That holds true for any exercise you're doing several days a week. Give your body a break by changing up your pace, intensity, and distance and by adding cross-training. "Overdoing it creates hormonal havoc, endocrine burnout (when chronic stress, in the form of too much exercise, overtaxes the system, making it less responsive), and injury," Forster explains.
How you structure your routines is just part of the equation. What you do after can maximize the body-shaping effect of those sessions. Try the following 4 techniques for recovering faster and stronger, and you'll see the results not only in the renewed power of your reps but also in the sculpted body they carve.

1. ICE RIGHT AWAY; HEAT THE NEXT DAY. Ice for 10 minutes after a tough workout (so, ice your shoulders after a WOD loaded with clean and jerks). This slows blood flow to the area, which thwarts inflammation and swelling, says Alyssa Alpert, the head athletic trainer for the New York Cosmos men's professional soccer team. Keep icing throughout the day if you're really sore. With stiffness or spasms, which might kick in the next day, use heat, suggests Nadya Swedan, M.D., a physiatrist in New York City. "The warmth speeds blood flow to the area, relaxing muscles." Take a hot shower, use a heating pad, or apply a ThermaCare HeatWrap, which is sized to fit specific muscles and stays warm for up to 8 hours.

2. FOAM-ROLL, THEN STRETCH. Rollers help increase circulation and relax knotted tissues; stretching returns muscles to their normal resting length and helps line up new collagen fibers that your body creates during recovery," Forster says. The National Academy of Sports Medicine says to roll before getting bendy, because the pressure helps turn off overactive muscles so you can stretch them more easily. During your cool down, target the major muscles that you used and especially those in the lower body and back for 5 minutes, rolling slowly back and forth along the length of the muscles. Next, stretch the same areas, Alpert says. Later, go back and hit your entire body or zero in on still-tight areas with the roller. When you find a tender spot, don't roll; stay stationary and breathe deeply for 30 to 60 seconds.

3. EAT PROTEIN AND CARBS SHORTLY AFTER YOUR WORKOUT. 30 to 60 minutes post-workout is the window when your muscles are primed to take in protein to start the repair process and carbs to refuel. "Make sure that within 30 minutes you have a snack containing 10 to 20 grams of protein and a 1 to 2 or a 1 to 3 ratio of protein to carbs," says Andrea Vintro, R.D.N., a dietitian specializing in sports nutrition in Portland, Oregon. She suggests a cup of low-fat yogurt and a small banana for a total of 14 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbs. Eat the same ratio again within about 2 hours, unless you're having a meal. To rehydrate, down at least 2 to 4 cups of water during this time as well. "Studies show that with rest and a balanced diet, your muscles glycogen stores can be replenished in about 24 hours," Vintro says.

4. SLEEP WELL; KEEP MOVING. Lack of sleep leads to fatigue, depressed immunity, and higher stress hormone levels, which all make for a crappy workout, Dr. Swedan says. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality shut-eye a night. If you've scheduled a workout but are feeling fatigued or achy or your muscles have that heavy sensation, that's your body telling you it hasn't recovered. Take a rest day, but don't just sit around. "A little activity will help flush out any remaining lactic acid and keep your muscles loose, particularly if you're working out hard every other day," Alpert says. That means stretch, hop on a bike for 15 minutes, or do yoga ;)

Are you ready to MAX OUT your next workout?! Lets do it!!
If you have ANY comments about this post, I'd luv to hear from you :D
Have a FITastic couple of days!
SEE YOU right back here on Wednesday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Monday :D
How are you?! Did you have an AWESOME weekend?! Doesn't it seem like it was just Friday a few minutes ago...lol?! Holy smokes, for me, the weekend flew by at lightning speed! Anyway :D it's Monday, so lets have a healthy AND productive week!! BRING IT ON!!!

September is here and with it comes the start of the harvest season! This is actually my favorite time of year!! 1 of my favorite things to do is rambling through a nearby farm and picking crisp, juicy, apples and crunching into them, fresh off a tree! Apples are a sweet treat that we can feel good about eating!!

Today's post is on APPLES! You could have guessed, right?! :D Apples are the second most popular fruit in the United States with each American eating about 19 pounds a year. KEEP READING and find out why an apple a day keeps the doctor away ;)

Apples are packed with disease-fighting vitamins, antioxidants, and more, easily making them 1 of the top ranked fruits for your health. The following are a few health benefits of apples:

1. APPLES lower cholesterol!

2. APPLES keep you full!

3. APPLES keep you slim!

4. APPLES prevent breathing problems!

5. APPLES fight colds!

6. APPLES may fight cancer!

7. APPLES decrease diabetes risk!

8. APPLES boost brain power!

9. APPLES prevent gallstones!

10. APPLES boost your immune system!

More HEALTHY information...

DRIED APPLES: The plus side of shrinking down the fruit is that some of the nutrients get much more concentrated; 6 dried rings provide almost as much fiber and potassium as 1 fresh fruit. And as long as you stick with a handful or so, the calories are about the same as for a whole apple. (Baked apple chips have similar bragging rights. And, of course, extra crunch.)

APPLESAUCE: If you associate applesauce mainly with your second-grade lunch box, it's worth getting reacquainted...just go for the unsweetened kind. Usually made from apples and water, a half cup of the insta-snack rings up at only 50 calories and delivers a 1-gram shot of fiber.

APPLE BUTTER: Look for straight-up apple butter, made with apples only or apples plus just a touch of juice concentrate or cider. (Yours has cinnamon? Even yummier!) The fruity spread, about 30 calories for a generous spoonful, is perfect on whole-grain bread with nut butter, or throw a dollop into oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies.

APPLE CIDER AND JUICE: The 2 apple drinks are near equals, with calories per cup in the 115 to 140 range. (So best saved as the occasional fling from your main beverage, water.) But fresh cider contains bitsy particles that are filtered out of clear apple juice, and 1 study suggests that some ciders, or cloudy juices, can have up to 5 times more of a key antioxidant.  

FRIED APPLE CHIPS: You can think of them as the fruit version of potato chips: The apple rings are fried (that's what makes them nice and crispy), and they can have about the same number of calories. They are also often sweetened, so make these slices a snack splurge :)

APPLE PIE: It's almost unpatriotic not to have a slice once in a while :D Best bet is to bake your own. That way, you can control the amount of sugar that goes in. Start with fresh apples, then sprinkle on spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, which will add flavor with next to no calories. Extra points to those who make a whole-grain crust ;)  

Do you want to know how those packaged sliced apples stay white?!
The wedges are often bathed in vitamin C and calcium, which helps keep them fresh and crisp! And, yes, they're totally safe to eat!!
I buy the packaged slices at Costco and sometimes I'll take 1 when I workout at the gym. I'm always hot and sweaty after a workout, so the crispy (and cool-feeling) apples ROCK :D
If eating an apple whole, make sure to leave the skin on...it contains a good portion of the fruit's plant power and about half the fiber! LOAD UP on apples!!

Have a FRUITastic day!
SEE YOU back here on Wednesday!!

Hello!! HAPPY Monday :D
How are you?! Did you have a motivating weekend?! Did you make smart food choices?! Did you come up short or were you unstoppable?! :D If you got off track...no worries...hop back on and don't give up on achieving your goals! Bring it on!!

If someone asked you to name your goals, you would probably have no problem rattling off a list ;) For example: lose 10 pounds, join a yoga class, run a marathon, eat clean, etc. What's harder to identify are the reasons you set these goals in the first place. Understanding why you want to achieve them is what will truly motivate you to change your behavior and sustain it over the long term, Jack Groppel, Ph.D., says. That's where a personal mission statement comes in!

Today's post is why you need a PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT! It defines what you value most and drives you to achieve the individual goals!! Keep reading and find out how a personal mission statement can lead you to a more HAPPYier life :D

A mission statement becomes a force to help guide you and keep your ambitions focused and identifiable. "Knowing your purpose is the single greatest driver of engagement," explains Groppel, a cofounder of the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, who helps clients craft mission statements. "It's what encourages you to grow as much as you possibly can and fuels you to push forward when you suffer a setback." Think of it as your grand plan, a North Star that dictates your decisions and behaviors. Here's how you can create your own mission statement and lean on it to achieve success :)

Map out your mission.
Start by jotting down the principles that matter most to you. Perhaps feeling strong and undefeatable, enjoying moments of your life, having a circle of friends you can count on, or being confident in your own skin. These are the things that will inspire you to make changes and stick with them. Then come up with a sentence that incorporates these ideals and sums up your ultimate purpose, such as "I want to live a passionate, engaged life in which I face new challenges bravely and positively." That's your mission statement. To help you internalize it, write it down in attractive lettering, snap a picture of it with your cell, and use it as your phone's screen saver.

Look for the holes.
Next, think about anything you're doing that goes against your mission. For instance, if you're often plagued by self-doubt, consider what activities make you feel confident--your yoga classes, getting together with friends--and allocate more time to them. You start figuring out a way to overcome an obstacle only when you admit to it.

Make it happen.
Of course, just having a mission statement isn't going to cause your life to suddenly fall into place. But it will inspire you to tackle the changes you need to make and see them through for the long haul. That's because knowing your ultimate purpose helps you understand the true consequences of your actions, Groppel says. In other words, skipping the gym doesn't just mean you'll feel guilty; it also shows that you're not living the active lifestyle you've promised yourself and that realization is powerful.
To avoid becoming overwhelmed, tackle 1 small change every 90 days. Groppel says this time frame is crucial: It takes about 45 days to learn a new habit and approximately another 45 for it to become ingrained. Once that becomes routine, up the task. And so on, until mission accomplished!

Nailing your mission statement takes some honest thinking. Jack Groppel, Ph.D., says your answers to these questions will help you form it.
1. How would I want people to describe me?
2. What legacy do I hope to leave?
3. What makes me feel happiest or most fulfilled?
4. Why do these things matter to me?
5. How do I define success?

Grab a pen...writing down a personal mission statement will help you stick with it :D
Don't let fear stop you from achieving your goals! U GOT THIS!!
Have a HEALTHY day!
SEE YOU back here on Wednesday!!