Sorry For The Delay!

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Hi everyone!

I’m sorry for my lack of posts. I have been EXTREMELY busy!

However, I have good news to share:

I am now a Licensed Zumba Instructor & a NCCPT Certified Personal Trainer.

My dreams are slowly becoming a reality!

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Never let anyone tell you, you can’t.

 

Stay Strong, Gorgeous!

XOXO

7 Tips For Overcoming Your Gym-Phobias

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Gym-phobia… we all get it at least once in our lives.

When I first started taking weight-lifting seriously, I was in dire need of these tips. I always used to (and still do sometimes!) get anxiety about the weight-room because I feel like everyone is watching me, I can’t lift as much as a man, I’ll look stupid, someone will correct my bad form… among a thousand other things going through my head!

Gym-phobia… it happens, but it is easily conquered by following these simple tips.

7 Tips For Overcoming Your Gym-Phobias

  1. Mentally commit to reaching your goals even before setting foot in the gym. What do you want to accomplish? What do you need to accomplish it?  Well, you need to go to the gym, and you also need to resist the urge to scurry over to the cardio equipment with all the other ladies. Now, I understand that the men are sometimes big, scary, sweaty, and yeah… they may grunt a lot, but really it’s nothing that an i-pod loaded up with your favorite tunes can’t fix! And come on, if you want to reclaim that sexy body, you’ve got to reclaim your spot in the weight room! Tell yourself ahead of time that you need to do this to accomplish your goals, and by the fourth or fifth time, you’ll start to feel a lot more comfortable in the land of sweat, testosterone… and yeah, the occasional fart or two.
  2. Be prepared for intimidation. Overall, the guys are usually extremely kind, polite, and even somewhat gentlemanly towards women who venture into the weight room. However, don’t be frightened if you get the occasional weird look, or if the guys aren’t always as polite as they should be. I promise you it will happen every once in a while. In fact, I myself am sometimes confronted with a mean guy stealing my weights or giving me impatient “I REALLY NEED THAT BENCH” stare-downs here and there. I think they’re just mad because I can squat more than them. 🙂
  3. Wear something you feel comfortable in. If you don’t feel comfortable in a cut-off Nike shirt, don’t wear it. You should be 200% comfortable in the clothes that you work out in, even if it means treating yourself to buying a new outfit or two. If you aren’t comfortable, you will be much too concerned about whether everyone else is looking at you (they aren’t) to be able to focus on your workout.  If you’re still not sure what to wear, do the “walk around the block” test: would you feel good wearing the outfit you’ve chosen on a walk through your neighborhood?
  4. After you walk into the gym, observe from a distance. Every weight room definitely has a rhythm. If the gym is busy, sit and stretch for a few minutes and just observe what is going on. This will help you get in the proper mindset to begin your workout, and will help you see where every piece of equipment is before you start.  (Where are the free weights? Where are the benches?) You can also learn a lot about proper etiquette and behavior just by watching how everyone seems to interact (or not interact) with one another.
  5. Don’t be afraid to sweat! To be perfectly honest, working out hard usually isn’t all that pretty. That said, who cares if your hair gets a little messed up, if your eyeliner disappears, or if you sweat through your shirt.  You are at the gym for YOU, not to impress anyone else. So, if you want to look amazing, prepare to work your butt off, and learn now to embrace the beauty of SWEAT, such a sexy glow!
  6. Bring some tunes. If you have an i-pod or mp3 player, load it up with your favorite feel-good music, and invest in an arm-strap designed to hold your tunes in place while you workout. Music will not only get you pumped up to work out and to work out hard, but will give you something to “hide” behind if you happen to get a little intimidated or frustrated.  Is someone or something bothering you? Then just turn the music up louder and continue your lift!
  7. Don’t be shy. Sometimes it’s nice to just listen to your i-pod and ignore the world, but don’t be afraid to smile and say hello to someone. Talking to people (yeah, they’re mostly guys) in the weight room and even making friends will make you feel a whole lot more comfortable working out there.  And, if there is someone using a piece of equipment you need for your workout, it never hurts to kindly ask them when they will be finished. This will give you an idea of how long you’ll have to wait, and will also (usually) ensure that you’re next-in-line.  Whatever you do, don’t ever skip something just because the equipment is being used!  Just move onto the next exercise until it frees up.

Take these tips into action and I PROMISE your gym-phobias will disappear!

 
Stay Strong, Gorgeous!
XOXO

Dance Your Way To A Better Body

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Bored at the gym? Tired of the same ol’ cardio machines? Sick of staring at the wall for an hour while you jog on the treadmill?

Me. Too.

The Solution: Zumba!

I am sure you have heard about the popular dance-based workout, but for those of you who have not…

“Zumba Fitness is a global lifestyle brand that fuses fitness, entertainment and culture into an exhilarating dance-fitness sensation! Zumba exercise classes are ” fitness-parties ” that blend upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography, for a total-body workout that feels like a celebration.”

Ahhh, “fitness-parties”–couldn’t have described it better myself.

Bored with my cardio routine, I decided to attend one of these “fitness-parties” at my gym. What could be the harm? If I didn’t like it I just wouldn’t go back, and… hey… at least I would get an hour of cardio in. Long story short, I became ADDICTED. Something about the up-beat music combined with the social atmosphere and the amount of sweat you are covered in after class… it keeps me coming back.

If you haven’t attended a class yet, I highly suggest you try one! Here’s why:

Zumba has many health benefits including cardiovascular health, stress relief, improved mood/self-image, improved coordination, and total body workout/toning. These benefits are similar to regular workout regimes, but here is where Zumba differs:

Zumba keeps you coming back. It is highly addictive. The classes are upbeat and fun, and they take place in an easy, non-intimidating atmosphere.

One of the great things about Zumba is that participants range from 18-year-olds to people 60 plus. The classes encompasses every age and every fitness level. The easy-to-learn moves are adaptable to different fitness levels and every fitness goal.

Basically- you get what you put in. Classes can burn anywhere from 500-800 calories. If you want to burn more calories, squat deeper, jump higher, keep your heart rate up! BUT make sure that you always listen to your body, if something hurts, don’t do it.

I’m currently smiling ear-to-ear. Even typing about Zumba gets me excited! In fact- I’m attending a class in a couple of hours and I can’t wait! Hey, it beats trotting along on the treadmill for an hour… blah!

 

So get up and go dance your way to a better body!

 

Stay Strong & Dance :), Gorgeous!

XOXO

Tasty Health: Chobani Oat Cake With Organic Strawberry Preserve

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Oats are soooooo underrated. I’ll admit, I once absolutely DESPISED oats. I thought the only way you could eat them was oatmeal-style (bland and BORING). I started to experiment with them more and figured out some yummy recipes. 🙂

Oats have numerous health benefits. They are often dubbed the “perfect” carbohydrate. They are more filling than your average carb and offer a good amount of protein (about 5g for 1/4c). Oats are a slow-digesting carb. Not only will it keep you satisfied longer, but it will also provide you with massive sustained energy.

Other noteworthy benefits:

  • Insoluble fiber in oats has been found to have cancer-fighting properties
  • Soluble fiber in oats may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol.
  • It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.
  • The phytochemicals in oats may also have cancer-fighting properties.
  • Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium.

After all that information, are you ready for a recipe!? 🙂

Chobani Oat Cake With Organic Strawberry Preserve

  1. 1/4c. steel cut oats
  2. 2 tbsp Chobani plain yogurt
  3. 1 tsp baking soda
  4. 2 egg whites
  5. zero-cal sweetener of choice/agave/honey
  6. Organic Strawberry Preserve

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Mix all ingredients (except the preserve) in a blender. Grease a small baking dish, or coffee mug with non-stick spray (I use olive oil spray). Pour batter into dish or mug and place in microwave for 1-2minutes. Place 1 tbsp of preserve on top & ENJOY! 🙂

Nutritional Stats: 184cals 12gprotein 27gcarb 3gfat

Stay Strong, Gorgeous!

XOXO

 

 

Blast Lower Belly Fat: The Captain Chair

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ImageThe Captain Chair. You know, the rack with the padded arms and no seat so it allows your legs to hang free. Not much of a chair, eh?

But …it is much of an ab workout!

How To:

  1. Stand on the chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
  2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.

There are a couple keys to keeping these moves safe and effective. First- avoid swinging your legs or using momentum to bring your legs up. Second- focus more on using your abdominals and less on using your hip flexors to bring your legs up.

If you’re a beginner try 3 sets of 10-15 reps

If you’re familiar with the Captain Chair try this Ab Blaster-

Captain Chair Ab Blaster Workout:

  1. Hanging leg raises with bent knees: 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds
  2. Hanging leg raises with straight legs: 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds
  3. Hanging knee up twists: 30 seconds. Rest 30 seconds.
  4. Challenge (For all your pros!): Windshield wipers, 10 seconds.

Push yourself to do 2-4 sets of these 4 moves 3x a week to blast stubborn lower belly fat and gain tight, toned abs! 🙂

Stay Strong, Gorgeous!

XOXO

 

Tasty Health: Banana Oat Protein Muffins

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Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. These muffins are ah-mazing! They fill you up and provide that “sweet breakfast” fix without packing on the unwanted pounds!

This recipe is very similar to the Sweet Potato Protein Muffin recipe that I previously posted. It’s very easy to tweak these recipes (once you get the initial hang of it) and mix in whatever ingredients your heart desires. Experiment a little!

Banana Oat Protein Muffins

Yields 6 muffins

  • 1.5 cups steel cut oats
  • 2 scoops vanilla whey protein powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 medium ripe bananas
  • 2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Mix all ingredients in blender until you get a smooth, thick batter. Pour batter into greased (I use olive oil spray) muffin tin. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, but keep an eye on them! You do not want to over-bake them because they will get dry. It is better to take them out a little early, plus they’re really good when they’re a little sticky in the center!

Nutritional stats per muffin: 89 calories 6g protein 13g carbohydrates 2g fatImage

My Fit Life: Surprise Guest In Weightroom

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My Fit Life posts share personal experiences or stories that I would like to share with you all! 🙂

Yesterday, during my morning gym session, I walked into the weightroom expecting the usual crowd. The usual crowd meaning 4 middle-aged men, 1 older man, and myself. However, I was pleased to find another female in the weightroom. Not only did this woman step foot in the weightroom (some girls come in and do sit-ups or come in to talk,) but this woman was deadlifting…

300lbs.

I found out that she was training for a powerlifting competition.

Although I do not want to be a powerlifter, it was great to see another strong female take pride in breaking the stereotype!

Stay Strong, Gorgeous!

XOXO

Tasty Health: Sweet Potato Protein Muffins

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Ahhh, muffins. How can we give up such sweet and scrumptious little cakes? Well, we don’t have to! I found this recipe online and these muffins are amazing. Fluffy and sweet without the unwanted additives, sugars, fat, and calories. Treat yourself without packing on the pounds with this very simple recipe!

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Sweet Potato Protein Muffins

Yields 6 tasty muffins

  • 1/2 cup (50g) old fashioned oats made into a flour (grind your own in a food processor)
  • 3.5 oz cooked sweet potato (I cooked mine in the microwave for about 5-7 min)
  • 1 scoop (25g) vanilla whey
  • 1 tbsp granulated sweetener
  •  1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 egg whites
  • 1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F/175 C. Put ingredients in a bowl and mix with a hand blender (or in a blender). Pour batter in muffin tins (preferably silicone molds) and put in the oven for about 15-18 min. Don’t overcook them!

*Nutritional stats for 1 muffin: 70 calories, 6 g protein, 9 g carbs, 1 g fat

Enjoy! 🙂

Stay Strong, Gorgeous!

XOXO

HIIT: Why You Should Try It

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ImageWhat Is HIIT?

HIIT, or high intensity interval training, generally refers to intense bursts of activity followed by periods of less intense activity or complete rest.

Why You Should Try It

  • Efficient: HIIT is ideal for busy schedules. Research shows that you can accomplish more in 15-minutes of interval training than an hour jog on the treadmill.
  • Fat Burn: Not only do you burn more calories during a HIIT session compared to a regular cardio session, but you also burn more calories after HIIT training (up to 24 hours after!)
  • Lose Fat, Not Muscle: Studies show that long, steady-pace cardio contributes to muscle loss. HIIT training combined with weight-training is your best bet to preserve your hard-earned muscles while blasting away stubborn fat.
  • Increase Metabolism: HIIT stimulates the production of your human growth hormone, HGH, by up to 450% during the 24 hours after your workout is completed! HGH is not only responsible for increased caloric burn but also slows down the aging process.

You don’t necessarily need a gym machine for HIIT training. It can be done anywhere! So, what are you waiting for?

Try It:

Run as fast as you can for 1-minute

Walk for 2-minutes

Repeat this 3-minute interval five times for a total of 15-minutes

Simple! (:

Stay Strong, Gorgeous!

XOXO