Name Your Health Motivation!

What Is Today’s Definition of Beauty?

Good Morning Female Fitness Friends!

My trainer showed me this video and it is one of the most inspirational videos i’ve seen because it’s true, women no longer are viewed as being beautiful only if they are a stick. I hope this video is as inspirational for you as it is for me.

Still Feeling Stuffed?

Happy Black Friday Fitness Friends!

Hopefully all of you exercised after yesterday’s “cheat day” by working out or rushing around early this morning through aisles and lines of shoppers. I chose the first option personally because I needed to sleep! However, if you’re still feeling stuffed from yesterday, I found a wonderful article in Women’s Health Magazine with suggestions on how to reset your body!

Here are 5 post turkey day cleanse snacks and vegetarian meals:

1. light smoothies– mix milk (I prefer rice milk), a pinch of cocoa powder, peanut butter, and your favorite berries for a protein packed drink!

2. egg whites and herbs– my favorite combination includes egg whites, spinach, a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, mild salsa, and a piece of whole grain toast. The article suggests to add a glass of green tea or substitute for oatmeal if you’re not an egg lover.

3. steamed greens and tofu– “add 4 ounces of tofu and two teaspoons of olive oil to steamed or raw greens of your choice. From there, dress up your oil with a flavorful vinegar and some fresh herbs. Try naturally enhancing the flavor of your greens by picking peppery arugula or watercress or by tossing fresh cilantro, basil, or flat-leaf parsley into the mix.” (I haven’t tried this one yet but have heard great things)

4. fruity fresh juice combinations– mix watermelon, cucumber, and mint; or cherries, grapes, and carrots; or even apples, carrots, ginger, and kale for amazing and filling drinks. These are packed with goodies and taste even better with a handful of almonds!

5. green veggies and tea– put down the stuffing and turn to sliced cucumbers with vinegar and fresh dill (boosts flavor), or blanched asparagus spears dipped in non-fat yogurt and Dijon mustard for a nutritious snack. Again, pair with straight green tea, or add mint and serve over ice for a cold take on this energetic healthy drink!

Now that you have fixed your black Friday diet, try the workout I did today!

 

Turkey Leg Chipper:

• 800m run
• 30 jumping jacks
• 25 high knees
• 7 burpees
• 10 crunches
• 7 squats
• 5 pushups
• 10 crunches
• 5 push ups
• 7 squats
• 30 jumping jacks
• 1 minute wall sit or leg lift
• 5 push ups
• 25 high knees
• 400m run
• 2 minute handstand

Whew! Nothing like celebrating the holiday eh? Don’t forget to post your times and comment below!

5 Things I’m Thankful for This Year

Happy Thanksgiving Fitness Friends!

On this day of giving thanks, I can’t help but think of all the changes I have made especially in my fitness this year as compared to this same time last year. So here they are, my personal “Top 5 Things to be Thankful For”:

1. Xyngular Ignite (the cycle that jumpstarted my fitness)

2. Yoga (I recently conquered headstands and the forearm stand in class)

3. Crossfit (by far my favorite because I can do so much more with my body strength-wise and in overall ability, and every workout is different)

4. Raspberry ketones (a natural way to keep my body in constant fat-burning mode)

5. AminoX (the go-to recovery formula to combine with my protein shakes post-workout and help me recover while building muscle)

These are the top 5 aspects of my fitness journey that I am most thankful for this year. It’s important to also note that balancing my diet and the way that I exercise is integral; however, changing my sleep schedule and learning more about holistic health have been large proponents of my fitness changes.

 

What are you thankful for this year either from a fitness perspective or in another area?

Beast Mode Sunday!

Hello Everyone, I’m sorry that I haven’t been posting this week, I have been ill and sleeping the majority of the week. However, yesterday I said enough was enough and put myself through one of the hardest workout I have completed in a long time.

I thought I would share it with you so that those of you looking for a challenging workout to start your week can join me!

The workout:

5 rounds total (for time), with one round consisting of all of the following…

– 5 pull ups

– 10 push ups

– 15 squats

– 2 flights of stairs up and down

– 3x toes-to-bar

– 25m run

I did it in 18 minutes, granted I haven’t been working out this week so I am excited to see what you guys get with full health on your side!Feel free to scale up or down depending on your strength but I challenge you to push yourself!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Beast Mode Saturday Workout!

Hey everyone!

There’s nothing like a solid day of fitness and  switching up your workouts to ramp up that motivation. Today I’m doing two structured workouts and an all day workout to benefit the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital called Dance Marathon!

Workout one: an hour of Vinyasa yoga to warm up your body and center you for the rest of the day. Fun fact: today was the first day I successfully completed a headstand in class!

Workout Two: a 15 minute Crossfit AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) consisting of 5 tire flips, 10 pull ups, 3 toes-to-bar

Workout Three: As a student at Miami University we do many philanthropy events, one such being Dance Marathon. This is my third year participating and dancing for 12 straight hours to raise awareness and support for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The best parts about this workout are that it will work out soreness, dancing is a blast, and it’s for a great cause!

So get out there today, mix up your workouts, and don’t forget to drink your protein shake after!

Adam Garone: Healthier men, one moustache at a time

Not only do I promote women’s health and wellness, but i support the men too! I think this is a great idea to leverage the coveted “No Shave November” idea and direct it toward something beneficial: Men’s health awareness.

I have two friends who are growing out their moustaches this month and for every Facebook “like” or retweet, they are donating 50 cents! What a great idea and way to get friends and family involved!

Red vs. Blue: Who Was the Fittest President?

Regardless of your political party, the health of the matter is the most important. Also, I think it’s interesting to see which presidents from the past, present, and possibly future have been looking out for their personal health as well as the health of the country!

Speaking of the health of the country, please make sure you go vote today and speak up to ensure the health of our great country!

Good Morning Monday Challenge

Remember remember the fifth of November everyone!

I woke up this morning after spending the weekend with my business fraternity at the regional conference at Central Michigan University, and needless to say the majority of my meals consisted of predominantly carbs and no working out.

This is unacceptable because I don’t want my body to think that that type of eating is normal so I set out to pick the hardest workout I’ve ever attempted. I completed it but I will never forget this workout because I’m now hobbling to class (in a good way of course).

So I’m challenging you guys to join me in remembering November 5th the fitness way and doing what I did this morning! I completed this workout in about an hour but feel free to scale up or down as you see necessary.

Here’s the workout:

*for time

100 burpees

100 sit ups

100 squats

100 pull ups

1000m run

1000m row

 

Post your times in the comment box and I promise you this is a workout to make sure you remember remember the fifth of November!

Top 10 Detoxing Foods to Splurge or Avoid

Hey Everyone!

I found this great chart to put into perspective 10 foods to avoid and 10 foods to help you with your detox! These are great additions to any meals and some make great snacks on their own! Check them out and remember that every little change makes a big difference!

What are some of your favorite healthy foods and how do you use them?