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Showing posts with label Fitness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitness. Show all posts
Monday, December 23, 2013
Friday, October 18, 2013
Guest Post about Exercise
Hey everyone! My name is Katie! I am Stephanie's sister and she is letting me guest post on her blog today! I wanted to talk about my new health exercise plan that I am going to begin tomorrow October 14th. I always wanted to get into shape and be fit but I never really stuck to it. But tomorrow it is about to change. I'm going to be a completely new me! I've come up with a daily routine which I will try my very best to stick with. I am going to be going on a diet of sorts and be doing a short 30 min workout night at the least. I have some simple rules for my eating habits.
Food rules:
1) fruits and veggies for snacks only!
2) soda only for special occasions (ex: birthday dinners, sleepovers with friends, BBQ's, etc...)
3) candy only for movie theaters!
4) no pizza, burgers, or fries (with the exception of having to eat it.)
5) just generally eat healthy foods
I will be following the rules the best that I can! Next my workout routines are going to be getting harder as I move on but I have my beginners routine!
Beginners Workout Routine:
(I am focusing on getting abs and my arms strong as well as keeping my legs strong)
•10 girl push ups (on my knees not my feet)
•50 jumping jacks
•20 high knees
•50 jumping jacks
• 20 high knees
•30 second plank
•45 second wall sit
•crunches
•1 mile run (unfortunately I will not be able to do a run everyday but I will try to run when I can.)
All of this seems like a lot to just jump into but I've been wanting to have a flat stomach, abs, and strong arms for a long time and I'm sick of waiting! I weighed myself and my starting weight is 132.4 lbs. I will frequently be keeping track of my progress and post it on her. Thank you for reading my first blog post and I wish luck to anyone who decides to create a new them and get fit !
Food rules:
1) fruits and veggies for snacks only!
2) soda only for special occasions (ex: birthday dinners, sleepovers with friends, BBQ's, etc...)
3) candy only for movie theaters!
4) no pizza, burgers, or fries (with the exception of having to eat it.)
5) just generally eat healthy foods
I will be following the rules the best that I can! Next my workout routines are going to be getting harder as I move on but I have my beginners routine!
Beginners Workout Routine:
(I am focusing on getting abs and my arms strong as well as keeping my legs strong)
•10 girl push ups (on my knees not my feet)
•50 jumping jacks
•20 high knees
•50 jumping jacks
• 20 high knees
•30 second plank
•45 second wall sit
•crunches
•1 mile run (unfortunately I will not be able to do a run everyday but I will try to run when I can.)
All of this seems like a lot to just jump into but I've been wanting to have a flat stomach, abs, and strong arms for a long time and I'm sick of waiting! I weighed myself and my starting weight is 132.4 lbs. I will frequently be keeping track of my progress and post it on her. Thank you for reading my first blog post and I wish luck to anyone who decides to create a new them and get fit !
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Struggling with perfect proportions?
One of the biggest problems with weight loss is food. You cannot simply workout and not eat healthy hoping that you will lose weight. There is nothing wrong with enjoying food but the key is a balanced diet and healthy proportions. Some of the best products I've ever bought to help me with this is from Precise Portions, their website has a ton of books, dish sets and resources to help you lose weight without having to go on a diet. I highly recommend them and if you get the chance to try so,e of their products they are all very reasonably priced.
Good luck with your weight loss journey! Let me know what kinds of resources you would like to see on here.
Good luck with your weight loss journey! Let me know what kinds of resources you would like to see on here.
Friday, September 27, 2013
2 Week "Booty" Challenge
I asked what the next two week challenge should target, and you guys voted on the butts. So let's get it started! Make sure you read through everything and decide what will work best for you. You don't need to follow these workouts perfectly, or you can- just do what works with your schedule and don't forget to take before and after pictures!!
Understanding your butt
First thing first, you need to understand what you want from this workout. My goal, for example, is to have a rounder, "perkier" and bigger butt, you know the classic bubble butt that Beyonce and Shakira promote. If you want your butt to shrink down, this may not be the best idea. The goal of this challenge is to lose a little fat and gain a lot of muscle.
There are three main muscles we will be targeting, the image below was taken from here.
There is a very common problem in the fittie world, some people think squats and crunches are enough. They are not. Squats are great for giving your butt a lift, but it won't do much else. You need forms of lunges, jumping and all kinds of squats to target your entire butt.
The workout
Remember if you don't know what one of the exercises is, you can look it up in my free ebook or find an example video on YouTube.
Also be sure to stretch before and after every workout to avoid injury.
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Understanding your butt
First thing first, you need to understand what you want from this workout. My goal, for example, is to have a rounder, "perkier" and bigger butt, you know the classic bubble butt that Beyonce and Shakira promote. If you want your butt to shrink down, this may not be the best idea. The goal of this challenge is to lose a little fat and gain a lot of muscle.
There are three main muscles we will be targeting, the image below was taken from here.
There is a very common problem in the fittie world, some people think squats and crunches are enough. They are not. Squats are great for giving your butt a lift, but it won't do much else. You need forms of lunges, jumping and all kinds of squats to target your entire butt.
The workout
Remember if you don't know what one of the exercises is, you can look it up in my free ebook or find an example video on YouTube.
Also be sure to stretch before and after every workout to avoid injury.
MONDAY
- 20 minute jog
- 3x30 second glute bridge
- 3x30 second forearm plank
- 3x20 sumo squats
- 2x20 lunges (20 per leg)
- 2x15 donkey kicks (15 per leg)
- 2x15 fire hydrants (15 per leg)
- 15 minute jog on hills (up and down steep hills)
- 30 hip raises
- 2x25 pile squats
- 2x25 kick lunge
- 2x20 donkey kicks
- 2x20 fire hydrants
WEDNESDAY
- 3x10 box jumps
- 200 jumping jacks (break these up into as many sets as you need)
- 10 minutes of climbing stairs
- 2x30 goblet squats
THURSDAY
- 20 minute jog
- 3x10 single leg dead lift
- 3x30 second wall sit
- 3x30 second forearm plank
- 3x30 second glute bridge
- 2x30 lunges
FRIDAY
- 15 minutes of stairs
- 1 minute of jump squats
- 2x30 backward lunges
- 200 jumping jacks
- 3x30 second glute bridge
- 2x50 calf raises
SATURDAY
- 2x20 single leg lunge (rest leg on a chair or ball then lunge)
- 2x15 donkey kicks (15 per leg)
- 2x15 fire hydrants (15 per leg)
- 3x10 box jumps
- 200 jumping jacks
SUNDAY
- 40 leg lifts
- 2x50 calf raises
- 3x30 second wall sit
- 3x20 sumo squats
- 3x40 seconds glute bridge
- 3x20 frog jumps
- 3x30 lunges
MONDAY
- 30 minute jog
- 3x35 second glute bridge
- 3x35 second forearm plank
- 3x30 sumo squats
- 3x20 lunges
- 3x15 donkey kicks
- 3x15 fire hydrants
- 20 minute jog on hills
- 2x30 hip raises
- 2x30 pile squats
- 2x30 kick lunge
- 3x20 donkey kicks
- 3x20 fire hydrants
WEDNESDAY
- 5x10 box jumps
- 200 jumping jacks
- 15 minutes of climbing stairs
- 3x30 goblet squats
THURSDAY
- 20 minute jog
- 3x10 single leg dead lift
- 3x30 second wall sit
- 3x30 second forearm plank
- 3x30 second glute bridge
FRIDAY
- 15 minutes of stairs
- 1 minute of jump squats
- 2x20 backward lunges
- 300 jumping jacks
- 3x30 second glute bridge
- 2x50 calf raises
SATURDAY
- 2x25 single leg lunge
- 4x15 donkey kicks
- 4x15 fire hydrants
- 3x15 box jumps
- 200 jumping jacks
SUNDAY
- 20 minute light jog
- 50 leg lifts
- 2x50 calf raises
- 3x30 second wall sit
- 3x30 sumo squats
- 3x30 seconds glute bridge
- 3x35 lunges
Additional ideas for a better butt
- Biking is a great way to tone and lift! If you work close or want to go shopping at a near-by mall, ride your bike there. This also is great for cardio and legs.
- Stairs are amazing for a round butt. Stop taking the elevator or escalator and stick to the stairs!
- Yoga and stretching can help tone and tighten. Be sure to stretch daily and throw in some yoga for all over toning.
- Cardio and running are key to toning your body. Try to run or jog at least 3 times a week to keep that perfect butt, and be sure to stay hydrated all week.
- Avoid fatty foods and processed sugar like soda, candy, chips, frozen meals and fast food.
Good luck to everyone participating in the two week challenge. Stick to it and take progress pictures! Get that butt you've wanted for so long and get a great kick-start to a healthy lifestyle with this two week challenge.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Free eBook and Two Week Workout Challenge
My eBook "The Workout Dictionary" can be downloaded for FREE online, the link is in my sidebar.
In other news, I've planned a kind of mini vacation to go visit my cousin down at her college and I'm leaving in two weeks. That means I want to look and feel amazing while I'm there so I made a two week workout challenge to push myself. If anyone wants to follow along please share your results with me! I'd love to see how it works out for other people.
Workouts:
- A
- 100 Jumping Jacks
- 50 Squats
- 50 push-ups
- 50 Sit-ups
- 3 minute Ab Blasters
- These are Russian twists, scissors and other ab workouts combined. See video at the end of this post for a how-to tutorial.
- 1 minute bridge
- 1 minute plank
- Stretch
- B
- 100 calf-raises (I do these while I'm brushing my teeth
- 30 lunges per leg
- 20 donkey kicks per leg
- 20 Skier Jumps
- Lay a pillow on the ground, stand on the right of the pillow and face forward so that the pillow is on the left of you, jump horizontally over the pillow then back. That's one.
- 20 burpees
- 30 Jump planks
- Get into a plank position with your arms extended (like you're about to do a push-up) start with your feet together, then "jump" so they are spread a little further than shoulder length apart, jump back tp the start. That's one.
- C
- 10x3 Bicep Curls
- 10x2 Tricep Dips
- 10x3 Tricep Press
- 10x3 Shoulder Press
- 10 Pull-ups
- 30 second dead hang
- D
- 20 Russian Twists
- 30 second 6 Inch Leg Raise
- 5 second Superman
- 15secX5 side plank
- Bridge-Ups
- Flutter Kicks
- V-Ups
**All these workouts can be found in my free eBook
Routine:
- Monday
- 20 minute run at a hard pace
- Workouts A and B
- Tuesday
- 45 minute easy run
- Workouts A and C
- Wednesday
- 30 minute hard run
- Workouts A and D
- Thursday
- 1 hour easy
- Workouts A and B
- Friday
- 20 minute hard
- Workouts A and C
- Saturday
- 1 hour mild run
- Workouts A and D
- Sunday
- 20 minute easy run
- Workout A
**Workout A should be done everyday. I will be doing them both morning and night to really target my abs and legs.
Foods:
- Don't Eat
- No white bread (only wheat bread)
- No Chips
- No Candy
- No Soda
- No Coffee
- Eat More Of
- More Water
- Green Tea when I need Energy
- More nuts and popcorn as a healthy snack
- More fruits and veggies
Video of Ab Blasters:
Friday, August 30, 2013
Half-Marathon Training Plan
Hey guys! I signed up to run the Colfax Half-Marathon in Denver, Colorado on May 18th, 2014. I was looking up training plans and I just didn't like how they were set up so I decided to make my own. This is a long program, 38 weeks. But the plan can be adjusted to any time format. If anyone else is planning on running in the Colfax half-marathon, try out this training schedule, or just use this as a workout routine for a few months! Good luck to all of you!
To view a larger version of the plan visit my website here go to the resources page and download the free PDF, PNG or EXCEL version.
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Friday, August 23, 2013
eBook Published and Ready To Go
Last night I finally finished "The Workout Dictionary", my eBook I've been working on the past month. It's a great reference for people just starting out with fitness or anyone looking to perfect their form and create a workout plan. There are over 30 exercises listed with the muscles you will be working, how to do each exercise, the recommended sets, reps and rest times and pictures to let you see how to perfect your form.
There will be more eBooks to follow "The Workout Dictionary" but for now, check it out online here and if you decide to use the book please feel free to contact me and let me know what you think of it! I'd love to improve and add your ideas to the next fitness book I write.
Thanks, and enjoy the eBook!
There will be more eBooks to follow "The Workout Dictionary" but for now, check it out online here and if you decide to use the book please feel free to contact me and let me know what you think of it! I'd love to improve and add your ideas to the next fitness book I write.
Thanks, and enjoy the eBook!
Friday, August 16, 2013
New Workout Routine For School
With school starting on Monday, I decided to start my new workout routine to help prepare for a marathon I would like to run in the Summer of 2014. I thought I'd post it so y'all can get some ideas of how to work around your job and school.
Mondays: I have to leave the house by 7am
Tuesdays: I only have online classes, I will be home all day
Wednesdays: I have to leave the house by 7am
Thursdays: I get home from work around 2pm
Friday: I get home from work around 2pm
Saturdays: Home all day
Sundays: Rest day
** I want to start making fitness videos once a week for YouTube to help promote my fitness ebooks, my fitness twitter and this blog. I can do different workouts, recipes for clean eating, or other fitness related videos. This will help me keep on track on my workouts knowing that people will be expecting progress from me. I am really excited to start this but it probably won't start until Mid-September because I've been so busy writing my ebooks.**
If you want to start a fitness routine I recommend writing one out like mine. Having a plan to go by is the first step to getting started. Once it is part of a daily routine it gets much easier to stay motivated and dedicated. You can make a schedule that works for your days and cater to your night-owl or morning-bird personality. I personally like working out in the mornings when it's cool, not too much traffic and it helps to wake me up for the day ahead of me.
If you have any questions about my routine or want help making one just use the contact form in the right sidebar and I'll get back to you ASAP
Mondays: I have to leave the house by 7am
- Wake Up at 4am
- 30 squats, 50 jumping jacks, 10 push ups and 1 minute plank
- 30 minute run
- Get back home from my run around 5am
- Shower and Get ready (5am-6am)
- Eat breakfast (6am-6:30am)
- Brush Teeth and Pack Lunch (6:30am-7am)
Tuesdays: I only have online classes, I will be home all day
- Wake Up at 6am
- Go to the Gym for 2 hour workout
- Get back home by 9am
- Shower and Get Ready
- Eat Breakfast and Brush Teeth
- Start School work by 10am
Wednesdays: I have to leave the house by 7am
- Wake Up at 4am
- 30 squats, 50 jumping jacks, 10 push ups and 1 minute plank
- 30 minute run
- Get back home from my run around 5am
- Shower and Get ready (5am-6am)
- Eat breakfast (6am-6:30am)
- Brush Teeth and Pack Lunch (6:30am-7am)
Thursdays: I get home from work around 2pm
- Change clothes, Clean Room, Laundry Day
- Ab workouts, Arm workouts, Back workouts (3-3:30)
- Run to Sister's School (3:30-4)
- Pick Up Sister
- Run back home (4-4:30)
- Shower and Change
- Done by 5pm
Friday: I get home from work around 2pm
- Change clothes, Clean Bathroom
- Ab workouts, Leg workouts (3-3:30)
- Run to Sister's School (3:30-4)
- Pick Up Sister
- Run back home (4-4:30)
- Shower and Change
- Done by 5pm
- Plan meals for the week
- Homework Day
- Grocery Shopping for Clean Eating
- Make Fitness Video for the week**
** I want to start making fitness videos once a week for YouTube to help promote my fitness ebooks, my fitness twitter and this blog. I can do different workouts, recipes for clean eating, or other fitness related videos. This will help me keep on track on my workouts knowing that people will be expecting progress from me. I am really excited to start this but it probably won't start until Mid-September because I've been so busy writing my ebooks.**
If you want to start a fitness routine I recommend writing one out like mine. Having a plan to go by is the first step to getting started. Once it is part of a daily routine it gets much easier to stay motivated and dedicated. You can make a schedule that works for your days and cater to your night-owl or morning-bird personality. I personally like working out in the mornings when it's cool, not too much traffic and it helps to wake me up for the day ahead of me.
If you have any questions about my routine or want help making one just use the contact form in the right sidebar and I'll get back to you ASAP
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
My fitness routine- detailed workout plan
About a month ago on my fitness tumblr account I posted my routine that I use to stay fit. It was a huge success and I've had some amazing feedback from it, so I thought I would do something unusual and post the same post here on this blog.
I've had a ton of requests to post my routine and what I do to stay fit. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write this post, I've been very busy this last week but here we go!
I want to start off by saying that I do not diet. I have cut some things out of my food choices but I have never been on any kind of diet plan before. I drink a ton of water. I’m talking 6 water bottles a day. I also like to drink powerade zero, mostly after runs. I do not drink soda, my cheat drink is a Starbucks tall skinny cinnamon dolce latte on Sundays and on special occasions, sweet tea. Other than that I stick to water and milk. As far as food goes I really try to focus on eating 5 small meals a day, my bigger meals at the beginning of the day and they get smaller until the smallest meal at dinner time. I don’t eat too many sweets like candy or cookies because after 6 months of not eating them, I really don’t have a craving anymore. There are a few things I avoid, I don’t eat fast food, if I do then I never ever get fries or soda. And the only time I do eat fast food is on road trips which aren’t that common. I also never eat white bread, I don’t like the taste. I hate cheese, which is kind of nice since it has a lot of fat, but I also drink about 2 cups of milk a day to make up for the lack of dairy. Other then those things I just focus on portion control. I eat small portions and eat very slowly to give my body time to recognize if I’m still hungry or not. A weird little tip is that I chew my food as tiny as I can. It helps you digest faster and can help your metabolism.
Now to my workouts. I try to run daily. Lately I have had serious knee problems so I have been making up for my lack of Cairo by riding my bike and climbing the stairs in my house. I get at least 20 minutes of cardio everyday. No off days. I don’t have a gym membership so every workout I do is mostly body weight workouts or with weights I have purchased. I have 5, 10 and 20 pound weights at my house. There are some workouts I do everyday, but the main thing I focus on when working out is switching up my routine as often as possible. When you do the same things every day, your body will get used to it and you won’t see progress. I switch up the reps, time and weights of these workouts every day. Below is a list of workout I use most often. Most if not all of these can be looked up on google or YouTube and there will be step-by-step instructions on how to do the exercise properly. Remember to try things out and if you don’t like them, try something else. There are so many ways to lose weight, stay fit and be healthy and everyone is different. Don’t be discouraged because you don’t see progress, no progress is better than taking steps backwards. Keep going.
Push-ups
Tricep dips
Crunches
Planks
Wall sit
Jumping jacks
Calf raises
Squats
Lunges
Oblique crunches
Superman
Leg kick backs
Shoulder press
Bicep curls
Pull ups
Russian twists
Ski jumps
Burpees
Bicycles
V sit
Glute bridge and single leg glute bridge
Single leg raises
Dead lift
Windshield wipers
Side plank
Those are all body weight or weight lifting exercises I do.
Now I wanted to talk about some workouts you can try while you run. I ran varsity cross country and track for two years, and these are some workouts we did during the season to get our mile times down and help our overall core strength.
Our week consisted if the following workouts:
Mondays - Hills
Tuesdays - Short Run
Wednesdays - Long Run
Thursdays - Intervals
Fridays - Timed run
Saturdays - Fun Day
Below are each of the days broken down into more detail
Hills:
Hills are the most painful and my personal favorite workout we did. Every Monday we went to this path that was a huge stretch of uphill. We started at the bottom and for 30 seconds we would run as hard and fast as we could up the hill. At the end if 30 seconds you mark your spot and then cool off by jogging back down the hill. Once at the bottom you start again, try to make it to that same spot that you marked before. We would do 5-10 of these. I loved doing this workout because you can see your progress each time you run up the hill, and after I few weeks you can see how much farther you get up the hill. It’s a great way to help your endurance and to see instant progress.
Short run:
Depending on where you are at physically a short run can mean 1 mile or 4 miles. A short run means we ran 10 minutes away from our school, and then turned around and came back. A short run doesn’t mean an easy run. For 20 minutes you run as hard and fast as you can at a consistent pace.
Long Run:
I enjoyed these a lot because long runs in our area means we get to run by the reservoir. A long run meant that we would run between 5 and 10 miles. We switched up the distance each week and got farther and farther as the season went on. The goal of these long runs was to try to keep a consistent pace. I usually tried to run a 9 min mile, toward the end of the season I was running at a 7.5 min mile pace.
Intervals:
We ran these on the track. This was all about timing and trying to beat your previous times. I’ll tell you all the times we had to run and you can adjust them to fit your pace. Keep in mind, this isn’t suppose to be easy, these should hurt. We ran one mile for 9 minutes, then walked one lap, then we stretch as a warm up.
400 meters (1 lap) @ 60 seconds
100m @ 60s
800m @ 150s
100m @ 60s
400m @ 50s
100m @ 60s
800m @ 120s
100m @ 60s
400m @ 45s
100m @ 60s
400m @ 40s
This totals to 4.5 miles in approx. 25 min. (Including the warm-up)
Timed run:
Fridays we would decide on a time, usually between 20 and 45 minutes and run for that time at a slow pace. A slow pace means around 10-12 minute miles depending on your fitness level.
Fun-Day:
For our fun days we would choose each week what to do. As a team we could run to a near by park and play flag football or ultimate frisbee. Or if you’re running as an individual you can go for a swim, run in a new area, ride a bike, or anything that keeps your heart rate up. We would play, run, swim or bike for a total of 1 hour then head home.
Remember that running is a sport that is hard on your body, to avoid injury make sure you have a high quality pair of running shoes. Ice anything that gets sore right after your run to avoid tears or strains. Anyone can run, you may not be fast at first and these times may seem completely out of your reach but it is possible if you stick with it. When I started cross country I ran a 5k (3.2 miles) in 35 minutes. At the end of my first season, a total of 6 months later, I was on the varsity team, running a 22 minute 5k. Stay dedicated and don’t forget to lift and use weights after your runs to get the rest of your body in shape. All of these workouts can be changed and adjusted for your ability, lower the miles, raise the times and you can start your own system and work your way up to this exact workout. Find a running team or some friends to keep you motivated and make sure to time yourself and keep track of your progress, I promise there will be progress.
Goodluck on your fitness journey and keep an eye out for more tips from me.
I've had a ton of requests to post my routine and what I do to stay fit. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to write this post, I've been very busy this last week but here we go!
I want to start off by saying that I do not diet. I have cut some things out of my food choices but I have never been on any kind of diet plan before. I drink a ton of water. I’m talking 6 water bottles a day. I also like to drink powerade zero, mostly after runs. I do not drink soda, my cheat drink is a Starbucks tall skinny cinnamon dolce latte on Sundays and on special occasions, sweet tea. Other than that I stick to water and milk. As far as food goes I really try to focus on eating 5 small meals a day, my bigger meals at the beginning of the day and they get smaller until the smallest meal at dinner time. I don’t eat too many sweets like candy or cookies because after 6 months of not eating them, I really don’t have a craving anymore. There are a few things I avoid, I don’t eat fast food, if I do then I never ever get fries or soda. And the only time I do eat fast food is on road trips which aren’t that common. I also never eat white bread, I don’t like the taste. I hate cheese, which is kind of nice since it has a lot of fat, but I also drink about 2 cups of milk a day to make up for the lack of dairy. Other then those things I just focus on portion control. I eat small portions and eat very slowly to give my body time to recognize if I’m still hungry or not. A weird little tip is that I chew my food as tiny as I can. It helps you digest faster and can help your metabolism.
Now to my workouts. I try to run daily. Lately I have had serious knee problems so I have been making up for my lack of Cairo by riding my bike and climbing the stairs in my house. I get at least 20 minutes of cardio everyday. No off days. I don’t have a gym membership so every workout I do is mostly body weight workouts or with weights I have purchased. I have 5, 10 and 20 pound weights at my house. There are some workouts I do everyday, but the main thing I focus on when working out is switching up my routine as often as possible. When you do the same things every day, your body will get used to it and you won’t see progress. I switch up the reps, time and weights of these workouts every day. Below is a list of workout I use most often. Most if not all of these can be looked up on google or YouTube and there will be step-by-step instructions on how to do the exercise properly. Remember to try things out and if you don’t like them, try something else. There are so many ways to lose weight, stay fit and be healthy and everyone is different. Don’t be discouraged because you don’t see progress, no progress is better than taking steps backwards. Keep going.
Push-ups
Tricep dips
Crunches
Planks
Wall sit
Jumping jacks
Calf raises
Squats
Lunges
Oblique crunches
Superman
Leg kick backs
Shoulder press
Bicep curls
Pull ups
Russian twists
Ski jumps
Burpees
Bicycles
V sit
Glute bridge and single leg glute bridge
Single leg raises
Dead lift
Windshield wipers
Side plank
Those are all body weight or weight lifting exercises I do.
Now I wanted to talk about some workouts you can try while you run. I ran varsity cross country and track for two years, and these are some workouts we did during the season to get our mile times down and help our overall core strength.
Our week consisted if the following workouts:
Mondays - Hills
Tuesdays - Short Run
Wednesdays - Long Run
Thursdays - Intervals
Fridays - Timed run
Saturdays - Fun Day
Below are each of the days broken down into more detail
Hills:
Hills are the most painful and my personal favorite workout we did. Every Monday we went to this path that was a huge stretch of uphill. We started at the bottom and for 30 seconds we would run as hard and fast as we could up the hill. At the end if 30 seconds you mark your spot and then cool off by jogging back down the hill. Once at the bottom you start again, try to make it to that same spot that you marked before. We would do 5-10 of these. I loved doing this workout because you can see your progress each time you run up the hill, and after I few weeks you can see how much farther you get up the hill. It’s a great way to help your endurance and to see instant progress.
Short run:
Depending on where you are at physically a short run can mean 1 mile or 4 miles. A short run means we ran 10 minutes away from our school, and then turned around and came back. A short run doesn’t mean an easy run. For 20 minutes you run as hard and fast as you can at a consistent pace.
Long Run:
I enjoyed these a lot because long runs in our area means we get to run by the reservoir. A long run meant that we would run between 5 and 10 miles. We switched up the distance each week and got farther and farther as the season went on. The goal of these long runs was to try to keep a consistent pace. I usually tried to run a 9 min mile, toward the end of the season I was running at a 7.5 min mile pace.
Intervals:
We ran these on the track. This was all about timing and trying to beat your previous times. I’ll tell you all the times we had to run and you can adjust them to fit your pace. Keep in mind, this isn’t suppose to be easy, these should hurt. We ran one mile for 9 minutes, then walked one lap, then we stretch as a warm up.
400 meters (1 lap) @ 60 seconds
100m @ 60s
800m @ 150s
100m @ 60s
400m @ 50s
100m @ 60s
800m @ 120s
100m @ 60s
400m @ 45s
100m @ 60s
400m @ 40s
This totals to 4.5 miles in approx. 25 min. (Including the warm-up)
Timed run:
Fridays we would decide on a time, usually between 20 and 45 minutes and run for that time at a slow pace. A slow pace means around 10-12 minute miles depending on your fitness level.
Fun-Day:
For our fun days we would choose each week what to do. As a team we could run to a near by park and play flag football or ultimate frisbee. Or if you’re running as an individual you can go for a swim, run in a new area, ride a bike, or anything that keeps your heart rate up. We would play, run, swim or bike for a total of 1 hour then head home.
Remember that running is a sport that is hard on your body, to avoid injury make sure you have a high quality pair of running shoes. Ice anything that gets sore right after your run to avoid tears or strains. Anyone can run, you may not be fast at first and these times may seem completely out of your reach but it is possible if you stick with it. When I started cross country I ran a 5k (3.2 miles) in 35 minutes. At the end of my first season, a total of 6 months later, I was on the varsity team, running a 22 minute 5k. Stay dedicated and don’t forget to lift and use weights after your runs to get the rest of your body in shape. All of these workouts can be changed and adjusted for your ability, lower the miles, raise the times and you can start your own system and work your way up to this exact workout. Find a running team or some friends to keep you motivated and make sure to time yourself and keep track of your progress, I promise there will be progress.
Goodluck on your fitness journey and keep an eye out for more tips from me.
Fitness eBook coming this month
For the past two months I've been writing and creating my first eBook. I choose to write a "Workout Dictionary" to help beginners understand workouts and how to create a workout plan. I am finally finishing up the book and as long as everything goes smoothly in the publishing process I will have the book available at the end of this month. I am working to format the book so that it will be available on the iBookstore, the Barnes and Nobles Nook and the online website lulu.com
I hope that my book can help people in their fitness journeys and provide some helpful resources. I will announce the launch officially in a few weeks and provide links to the eBook. I wanted to thank all of you who have helped motivate me, support me and give me fantastic ideas that inspired me to write my first eBook. I hope y'all will check it out and keep an eye out for the release. Have an amazing day!
I hope that my book can help people in their fitness journeys and provide some helpful resources. I will announce the launch officially in a few weeks and provide links to the eBook. I wanted to thank all of you who have helped motivate me, support me and give me fantastic ideas that inspired me to write my first eBook. I hope y'all will check it out and keep an eye out for the release. Have an amazing day!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Before and after
At the beginning of the summer I decided I wasn't happy with the way I looked. After years of sports I stopped running and I gained weight from my first year of college. These are my before photos.
I am 5' 3" and I weigh 120 pounds in these pictures

Now it's the end of my summer vacation and this is the progress I have made. I want to join my school cross country team and I still have work to do. I want to build more muscle and make my workouts a lifestyle not a summer project. I hope this motivates anyone who has work to do. Put your mind to it and you can change the way you look at yourself.
I am 5' 3" and I currently weigh 113lbs


I am 5' 3" and I weigh 120 pounds in these pictures
Now it's the end of my summer vacation and this is the progress I have made. I want to join my school cross country team and I still have work to do. I want to build more muscle and make my workouts a lifestyle not a summer project. I hope this motivates anyone who has work to do. Put your mind to it and you can change the way you look at yourself.
I am 5' 3" and I currently weigh 113lbs
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
A little talk about fitness.
I just wanted to speak my mind for a moment. Fitness is a big part of my life. I have stayed in fairly good shape, I run as often as I can, and like anyone else I have had my ups and downs. I look at Pinterest a lot for new workouts, motivations and healthy food ideas, but something I see all the time is pins talking about how to lose weight fast.
Let me make this clear. Weight loss and a healthy lifestyle cannot happen fast. No matter what you read or hear losing weight and gaining muscle takes time. There are no short cuts, there are no secrets, it's just good old hard work. If you want to make the change you need to devote your time and effort into it. You can't half-ass changing your life. Your routine has to involve eating healthy and working out and changing routine doesn't happen overnight.
Don't fall for the weight loss pills or the magic exercises that make you lose weight quick. The wonderful thing about fitness is the exact amount of work you put in, is equal to the amount of satisfaction and reward that you get out. If you slack on a workout you won't get stronger, if you cave and you eat that huge desert, you won't lose the weight.
I am sick of people looking for shortcuts. There are none. Yes some people lose weight quicker than others, that's life. Life isn't fair, but you'll come out stronger then the next guy because you had to work twice as hard.
Write down your goals, achieve them, and then write new ones. That's the only way to get where you want to be.
Let me make this clear. Weight loss and a healthy lifestyle cannot happen fast. No matter what you read or hear losing weight and gaining muscle takes time. There are no short cuts, there are no secrets, it's just good old hard work. If you want to make the change you need to devote your time and effort into it. You can't half-ass changing your life. Your routine has to involve eating healthy and working out and changing routine doesn't happen overnight.
Don't fall for the weight loss pills or the magic exercises that make you lose weight quick. The wonderful thing about fitness is the exact amount of work you put in, is equal to the amount of satisfaction and reward that you get out. If you slack on a workout you won't get stronger, if you cave and you eat that huge desert, you won't lose the weight.
I am sick of people looking for shortcuts. There are none. Yes some people lose weight quicker than others, that's life. Life isn't fair, but you'll come out stronger then the next guy because you had to work twice as hard.
Write down your goals, achieve them, and then write new ones. That's the only way to get where you want to be.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Skinny vs. sexy vs. healthy
I want to share my opinion with you all about this. I've been "skinny" since I was young. I always played sports but mostly I just had a fast metabolism. During middle school I got made fun of for being skinny. I was in multiple fights. One girl used to call me chicken legs because my legs were so thin. Another girl started a rumor that I wasn't a virgin because I had a gap between my thighs. I ate like a teenage boy but I'd be accused of being bulimic. The list goes on.
I remember taking health class and learning about bullying and the teacher went on about not making fun of "heavier" people, but she never mentioned not making fun of any weight. By the time I reached high school the bullying had stopped, mostly because of the rumors that if you were rude to me, I'd fight you... not true. In my sophomore year I was really sick. I had mono for almost 5 months and missed a lot of school. Obviously I lost weight and I the teasing started again. This time from my friends, telling me I need to eat more and I'm too thin.
Junior year I began to run cross country and track, the crazy workouts finally had me building muscle and my legs started to look better, and less thin. I gained weight and muscle and I finally felt happy with the way I looked. Freshman year in college I gained more weight from not such an intense workout schedule and more crappy food. After talking to my girl friends and reading about workouts online, on pinterest and tumblr, I wanted to share my story.
I HATE the fact that people say "healthy is the new thin", heavier girls say things like "A real man wants curves, not bones". This kind of mindset is completely ridiculous. Posts saying that people want a gap between their thighs, or to be able to see their hip bones- NO NO NO. I do not understand girls. If you want your body to change, CHANGE IT. Do it without putting other's down to make yourself feel better, do it for your health, and not your looks, and most of all- do it because you want to, not because you think you have to. There is no perfect body. Everyone has different bone structure, metabolisms and workout routines. There is nothing wrong with weighing 200 pounds and being happy with it. And there is nothing wrong with being 95 pounds and being happy.
It took me such a long time to get rid of the "thigh gap" that so many girls crave. It took years to finally put 15 pounds on, so you couldn't see my ribs when I wore a swimsuit. And now in college when my friends tell me I should workout to get abs or see my hip bones, it pisses me off.
Stop judging how people look. You can be sexy at any weight, you can be healthy at a small or large weight and there is nothing wrong with being skinny. Stop looking at other people and just look at yourself, because in the end, it's only your opinion that matters.
I remember taking health class and learning about bullying and the teacher went on about not making fun of "heavier" people, but she never mentioned not making fun of any weight. By the time I reached high school the bullying had stopped, mostly because of the rumors that if you were rude to me, I'd fight you... not true. In my sophomore year I was really sick. I had mono for almost 5 months and missed a lot of school. Obviously I lost weight and I the teasing started again. This time from my friends, telling me I need to eat more and I'm too thin.
Junior year I began to run cross country and track, the crazy workouts finally had me building muscle and my legs started to look better, and less thin. I gained weight and muscle and I finally felt happy with the way I looked. Freshman year in college I gained more weight from not such an intense workout schedule and more crappy food. After talking to my girl friends and reading about workouts online, on pinterest and tumblr, I wanted to share my story.
I HATE the fact that people say "healthy is the new thin", heavier girls say things like "A real man wants curves, not bones". This kind of mindset is completely ridiculous. Posts saying that people want a gap between their thighs, or to be able to see their hip bones- NO NO NO. I do not understand girls. If you want your body to change, CHANGE IT. Do it without putting other's down to make yourself feel better, do it for your health, and not your looks, and most of all- do it because you want to, not because you think you have to. There is no perfect body. Everyone has different bone structure, metabolisms and workout routines. There is nothing wrong with weighing 200 pounds and being happy with it. And there is nothing wrong with being 95 pounds and being happy.
It took me such a long time to get rid of the "thigh gap" that so many girls crave. It took years to finally put 15 pounds on, so you couldn't see my ribs when I wore a swimsuit. And now in college when my friends tell me I should workout to get abs or see my hip bones, it pisses me off.
Stop judging how people look. You can be sexy at any weight, you can be healthy at a small or large weight and there is nothing wrong with being skinny. Stop looking at other people and just look at yourself, because in the end, it's only your opinion that matters.
Thursday, April 4, 2013
The best change I made for my health, appearance and fitness.
I've always been an active person, I always did sports; soccer, track, cross country. But I had a hard time eating healthy and I always seem to get sick.
After a ton of research, trial and error I finally found some simple things that have improved my health so much.
After a ton of research, trial and error I finally found some simple things that have improved my health so much.
- Every single night I drink green tea with honey, cinnamon, and coconut oil.
This stuff is amazing. All four ingredients work wonders on your immune system and together they taste great. - Washing my face with apple cider vinegar I am not kidding, I used to break out like crazy, I have a ton of acne scars and after just a month of using ASV as a face wash, my skin was clear. I also use coconut oil as a moisturizer and most of my acne scars are gone or at least faded.
- Eat an apple a day. Seriously, apples wake you up better than coffee, I've started eating apples in the morning and completely cut out soda, still working on my starbucks addiction- but it's getting better (only once or twice a week).
- Working Out. Not just running but lifting. I've started a workout routine I do every night before bed and I feel healthier, stronger, less sleepy and just happier.
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